CONVERTIBLE STOOL

Abstract

A convertible stool is interchangeable between a utility function which has a seat movable up and down and has casters as feet at the end of legs connected with the seat through an upstanding member. In a second use, the casters are replaced by feet to give stability to the chair on a floor or base. As such, the second use can be a furniture type use.

Description

RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/041,140, filed on Jan. 21, 2005, and which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/629,123, filed Nov. 17, 2004, the contents of which are incorporated herein in their entirety.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

This disclosure relates to a stool which has multiple purposes.

2. General Background

It is desirable to have stools that can perform different functions and purposes and as such can have different characteristics and uses.

SUMMARY

This disclosure relates to a stool that serves a utility function and in this sense has a seat which can move upwardly and downwardly as required by a user. The user can operate a pneumatic mechanism to make the seat settle at a desired height so that utility functions can be performed. The seat is preferably mounted on a single pneumatic post and there are legs splayed out from the post and casters at the end of the legs, which act as movable feet for this stool. The stool acts as a utility stool with maneuverability as required by a user.

In a different sense, the casters are replaceable and stationary feet are put in location on the legs. This permits the stool to constitute furniture-like function that is stationary on its base. The stool can be raised or lowered as necessary on the central spindle or pillar.

Other objects and features of the disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description and accompanying drawings.

DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a stool showing the extended position of the seat relative to the legs of the chair in a first format.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a stool showing the extended position of the seat relative to the legs of the chair in a second format.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the stool in a lowered format as a utility stool.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the stool in a lowered format as a furniture item.

FIG. 5 is an underside view of a leg showing the extremity of the leg for locating either a caster or a foot.

FIG. 6 is a view of kits of casters with a spindle and fixed feet with a spindle. The wedging tool to facilitate removal is also shown.

DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows a stool with a seat 10 extended above a spindle 11. The spindle 11 includes at least two components, a rod 12 which moves pneumatically inside a cylinder 13. A circular removable footrest 14 is arranged around the cylinder 13. Splayed outwardly from the pillar 11 are legs 15, 16, 17 and 18. A further leg is also part of the structure such that there are five legs for the stool. The legs are equidistant from a radial sense. At the end of each of the legs as shown in FIG. 1, there is a caster 19, 20, 21 and 22, respectively. This permits the stool in FIG. 1 to be rolled fairly easily on a surface on which a utility worker such as a garage worker would be working.

As shown in FIG. 3, the rod 12 is compressed inside the cylinder 13. In this manner, the utility chair can be used around the surface, but the seat 10 is relatively lower. In this position the footrest is removed.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 there is the configuration where the stool is a fixed furniture item, namely where the feet are fixed elements. In place of the casters 19-22 and the fifth caster, there are fitted 5 feet.

In FIGS. 1 to 4 the seat as shown resembles a saddle similar to a motorcycle seat. The pneumatic adjustment of the rod and cylinder permits the seat to move between about 21 inches and 31 inches. The footrest in FIGS. 1 and 2 can be formed of a heavy-duty chrome material. In FIG. 3 and 4 there is no footrest in that configuration. Thus, the footrest is removable, as required. When in a more compressed state, it may be unnecessary for a footrest. In the elongated state of FIG. 1 and 2, the footrest becomes more necessary. It is possible in both the configurations of FIGS. 1 to 4 as shown to have the seat rotate or swivel 3600 around the pillar 11.

In FIG. 5, the underside 23 of a foot 15 can be seen. There is a central located axial hole 24 for engaging the spindle 25 of either the casters 19, 20, 21 and 22 and the fifth caster or of stationary feet 26, 27, 28, 29 or 30 as shown in FIG. 1-4. FIG. 6 shows the kits of casters and fixed feet which would interface with the different legs for the stool. A wedging-type tool can be used to pry the casters 19, 20, 21 or 22 from the legs and replace them with the feet, or vice versa. The spindle 25 for the casters and for the stationary or fixed feet is sized to be the same so that it can easily fit in the hole at the underside of each of eh extremities of the forward portions of the legs.

As can be seen when the stationary feet are used the outside surface of these feet meets with a relatively harmonious interface with the outside surface of the ends of the legs so that there is an aesthetically satisfying appearance achieved when the stationary feet are in place and stool is to be used as a furniture item.

The top of the feet at the interface with the spindle is in mating engagement with bottom of the interface 23 so as to have tight fitting contact which is aesthetically pleasing. The tool can engage around the spindle 25 and be urged like a fork with tines that fit to either side of the spindle and between the ends of the legs and the top of the feet so that the feet can thereby be wedged from their engaged position in the hole. To have the feet with the spindle-leg configuration and conformation provides an effective mechanism for easy exchange of the feet as desired. The tool is illustrated in FIG. 6 with the two tine-like formations or a groove for location to either side of the spindle. The body of the tool is relatively thin with a narrowed or tapered forward part to facilitate the placement between the top of the feet and the bottom of the legs.

The stool can be packaged as a set or kit with the wedging tool so that the appropriate feet can be used as desired by the consumer at the appropriate time.

In this manner there is provided a stool that is convertible between multi-functional purposes. When the feet are in place, the stool can provide an effective furniture item which can be used for instance in a bar, and in this sense, the seat 10 can be raised or lowered as necessary to a particular counter height. Alternatively, the stool in its fixed relationship can be a useful furniture item in a home, such as in a kitchen or the like.

As such there is provided a kit for a multi-functional convertible stool which comprises a saddle seat adjustable in height relative to a base on which the seat stands. There are multiple legs arranged to support the seat, the legs being connected with the seat, the legs having extremities and the legs having selectively removable feet. There are feet being casters and feet being stationary feet. The stool is convertible such that in one configuration with casters on the legs, the seat is movable on a base or floor and in a different configuration with stationary feet, the seat is relatively stationary on the base or floor.

The saddle seat is movable on a pneumatically mounted pillar which extends between the legs and the seat, thereby to vary the height of the saddle seat relative to the floor.

A method of converting a stool which is multifunctional as a utility stool in a first mode including the steps of applying removable casters to feet for a stool such that the stool can be moved on casters that facilitate rolling movement on a floor so as to permit movement around a workspace without the need for a user to get off a seat.

The seat is permitted to be raised or lowered according to the suitable height for use as a utility function around the workspace.

When the casters are removed and removable non-movable feet are applied in a second mode the stool acts as a furniture item which is not rollable on the floor. The legs including the non-movable feet are such that the stool can be located in a fixed relationship relative to a floor except if physically dragged in a non-rolling manner to a different location.

While the apparatus and method have been described in terms of what are presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the disclosure need not be limited to the disclosed embodiments. It is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the claims, the scope of which should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar structures.

Claims

1. A method of converting a stool which is multifunctional as a utility stool in a first mode and a furniture item in a second mode including the steps of:

applying removable casters to feet for a stool such that the stool can be moved on casters that facilitate rolling movement on a floor so as to permit movement around a workspace without the need for a user to get off a seat;

permitting the seat to be raised or lowered according to the suitable height for use as a utility function around the workspace;

removing the casters; and

applying removable non-movable feet such that in the second mode the stool acts as the furniture item which is not rollable on the floor, the legs including the non-movable feet being such that the stool can be located in a fixed relationship relative to a floor except if physically dragged in a non-rolling manner to a different location.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, including permitting moving the seat relatively vertically and the movement being on a central pillar extending from the base of the seat to the legs.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the stool includes multiple legs, the multiple legs being splayed radially from the cental pillar, the multiple legs each having a bottom face, the bottom face having a hole permitting applying the removable casters or removable non-movable feet; and

wherein both the casters and non-movable feet have a top face, the top face having a spindle, wherein the top face of the casters or non-movable feet are located oppositely the bottom face of the legs and wherein the spindle enters and enters tight fitting contact with the hole in the bottom face of the legs securing the casters or non-movable feet with the legs.

4. The method as claimed in claim 2, including raising and lowering of the seat and through the pillar, the pillar including a pneumatic member.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising utilizing a tool to facilitate easy removal of the casters of non-movable feet.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising engaging a spindle on a top face of the caster or non-movable feet to facilitate removal.