Device for levelling and stabilizing an article of furniture

• US 5,924,661 A
• Filed: 07/03/1997
• Issued: 07/20/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Milton Chernack
• Original Assignee: Milton Chernack
• Inventors: Chernack, Milton
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramirez, Ramon O.
• Assistant Examiner(s): King, Anita M.
• Application Number:
  US08/887,768
• Time in Patent Office: 747 Days
• Field of Search: 248/188.2, 248/188.1, 248/188.3, 248/346.11, 5/640, 5/644, 5/911, 482/49
• US Class Current: 248/188.2
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 91/04 Elastic supports
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/008 for uneven surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/022 repositionable
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/08 Foot or support base
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 7/00 Details of attaching or adjusting engine beds, frames, or supporting-legs on foundation or base; Attaching non-moving engine parts, e.g. cylinder blocks elastic or equivalent mounting for absorbing vibrations F16F, especially F16F15/04

Abstract

A device for stabilizing or leveling an article of furniture is formed of a deformable outer envelope enclosing a second elastically deformable envelope that is substantially filled with a filler material of a plurality of bead-like particles. The filler material particles, which are preferably smooth-surface glass beads, provide fluidic flowability of the filler material so that, when the stabilizing device is inserted and pressed between an underlying support surface and the lower support structure of an article of furniture to fill a space or gap otherwise present between the support structure and support surface, the inner envelope resiliently deforms to accommodate the redistribution of the particles and dynamically fill the gap, thus stabilizing the article of furniture on the support surface.

Claims

1. A stabilizing device for insertion between a lower support structure of an article of furniture and an underlying support surface for dynamically filling a gap between the support structure and support surface to stabilize the article on the support surface, said device comprising a first deformable envelope defining first and second spaced apart surfaces for respective contact with the article support structure and the underlying support surface;

a second elastically deformable envelope enclosed within said first envelope;

securement means for attaching said second envelope to said first envelope to prevent relative displacement of the second envelope within said first envelope; and

a fluidically-flowable material contained within and substantially filling said second deformable envelope for flowable redistribution within and resilient deformation of said second envelope within said first envelope as the stabilizing device is placed and pressed between the article support structure and the underlying support surface to dynamically fill the gap between the support structure and support surface to stabilize the article.

2. The stabilizing device according to claim 1, wherein said fluidically-flowable material comprises a plurality of bead-like particles substantially filling said second deformable envelope.

3. The stabilizing device according to claim 1, wherein said fluidically-flowable material comprises a predeterminately-flowable gel substantially filling said second deformable envelope.

4. The stabilizing device according to claim 3, wherein said gel comprises a hydrophilic gel.

5. The stabilizing device according to claim 1, wherein each of said first and second envelopes are sized so as to define between said first and second envelopes a predetermined volumetric space for accommodating, within said first envelope, elastic deformation and resizing of said second envelope as the filler material contained within said second envelope is redistributed as the stabilizing device is pressed between the article support structure and the underlying support surface to stabilize the article.

6. The stabilizing device according to claim 1, wherein said second deformable envelope is formed of rubber.

7. The stabilizing device of claim 2, wherein said plurality of bead-like particles comprises a multiplicity of smooth-surfaced, substantially circular beads.

8. The stabilizing device according to claim 7, wherein said beads have diameters in a range from about 0.75 millimeter to about 2 millimeters.

9. The stabilizing device according to claim 7, wherein said beads have diameters in a range from about 0.75 millimeter to about 1.5 millimeters.

10. The stabilizing device according to claim 7, wherein said beads have diameters of about 1 millimeter.

11. The stabilizing device of claim 7, wherein said beads comprise glass beads.

12. The stabilizing device of claim 7, wherein said beads comprise solid glass beads.

13. The stabilizing device of claim 7, wherein said beads comprise hollow glass beads.