FOOTREST
A footrest including an attachment member configured to drape over a head rest of a seat. The footrest includes a band configured to rest on a top portion of a head rest and a flap coupled to the band and configured to drape over a back side of a head rest. The footrest includes a pair of support members, each coupled to opposite ends of the attachment member and configured to dangle down from the attachment member. The pair of support members each include an adjustment device configured to adjust the length of each support member. The footrest includes a foot support coupled to each pair of support members and configured to support feet. The foot support includes a rigid member disposed within the foot support configured to support feet.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to foot support structures, specifically to a footrest configured to support feet.
2. Description of the Related Art
Posture has a profound impact on health and comfort. While standing posture is often considered to be very important, health experts note that sitting posture is at least as important and perhaps more important, considering the sedentary modern lifestyle. Many of our critical activities take place while sitting: eating, working, traveling, and etc.
A footrest is a device configured to support a person's foot while they are sitting. The footrest facilitates appropriate sitting posture and provides comfort, especially where a chair or seat may be sized inappropriately for the occupant. Footrests may rest on the floor, as a footstool is, or may be attached to another support, such as an arm member extending from the chair itself in a location that permits placement of a foot or feet on the surface thereof.
Some improvements have been made in the field. Examples of references related to the present invention are described below in their own words, and the supporting teachings of each reference are incorporated by reference herein:
U.S. Pat. No. 7,322,655, issued to Williams et al., discloses a footrest comprising a sling having two ends and a strap connected to each end of the sling. A user in a seat rests a foot in the sling where the straps of the sling are attached around an object in front of the seat.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,803,539, issued to Dewar et al., discloses an auto seat cover (14 or 16) comprising a cover portion (18 or 20) having first and second ends interconnected by side edges with an end portion (22 or 24) extending about the first end and first (26 or 28) and second (30 or 32) side portions extending along the side edges of the cover portion (18 or 20). A strap means interconnects the second end of the cover portion (18 or 20) and the side portions (26 or 28, 30 or 32) for retaining the seat cover (14 or 16) in place on an auto seat. The strap means is characterized by the combination of a buckle strap (34) and a buckle (36) attached to the buckle strap (34), a lap strap (38) having a free end (40) for threading through the buckle (36) and a working length (42) extending to the buckle (36) for tightening whereby the buckle strap (34) and the working length (42) of the lap strap (38) may be placed in tension to retain the seat cover (14 or 16) on the auto seat, and pile fastening structure (44) for securing the free end (40) of the lap strap (38) to the working length (42) of the lap strap (38).
U.S. Pat. No. 5,234,252, issued to Wallach, discloses an adjustable seat cover (10) for a vehicular bucket seat. The seat cover (10) comprises a backrest envelope (12) for covering a seat backrest (18) including an elastic section (42) for allowing the backrest envelope (12) to conform to seats of varying size. A seat bottom envelope (64) for covering a seat bottom (56) is attached to the backrest envelope (12) and includes elastic retaining bands (82) to create a snug fit across the seat bottom (56). Adjustment straps (46) are attached to the backrest envelope (12) and securely tighten the backrest envelope (12) around the headrest (28) and other areas of sharply varying width contour in the backrest (18). The adjustment straps (46) are adjustably connected together with hook and loop retainers (52) attached to the adjustment straps (46).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,320,922, issued to Meritis, discloses a seat cover that can be stored when not in use or when not needed without the complicated process of totally removing it from the seat. The invention consists of a rollable seat cover that will self-wind when activated. The seat cover is fitted into and stores within the head rest on the seat. The seat cover also crosses over and covers the head rest as well.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,988,773, issued to McMakin, discloses a foot support for use with a child's restraining seat and having a mounting positioned at the forward end of the seat and operable to adjust the height and angularity of the foot support with respect to the seat such as to afford comfort to the infant regardless of its leg size.
The inventions heretofore known suffer from a number of disadvantages which include being limited in use, being limited in application, being expensive, being bulky, being unduly complex, being limited in adaptability, and being cumbersome to use.
What is needed is a footrest that solves one or more of the problems described herein and/or one or more problems that may come to the attention of one skilled in the art upon becoming familiar with this specification.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention has been developed in response to the present state of the art, and in particular, in response to the problems and needs in the art that have not yet been fully solved by currently available footrest. Accordingly, the present invention has been developed to provide a convenient and portable footrest.
According to one embodiment of the invention, there is a footrest that may include an attachment member configured to drape over a head rest of a seat. The attachment member may include a band configured to rest on a top portion of a head rest. The attachment member may include a flap coupled to the band and configured to drape over a back side of a head rest. The flap may include a plurality of pockets configured to store personal items. The footrest may include a pair of support members, each coupled to opposite ends of the attachment member and configured to dangle down from the attachment member. The pair of support members may each include an adjustment device configured to adjust the length of each support member. The pair of support members may be disposed substantially perpendicular to the attachment member and the foot support.
The adjustment device may include an adjustment strap configured to selectably adjust the length of the support member. The adjustment strap may include a receiving member configured to receive a coupling member. The adjustment strap may include an adjust member coupled to the coupling member and configured to selectably adjust the length of the support member. The adjustment device may include a first attachment member disposed on a top portion of the support member and a second attachment member disposed on a bottom portion of the support member. The first attachment member and the second attachment member may be coupled together to selectably adjust the length of the support member. The footrest may include a foot support coupled to each pair of support members and configured to support feet. The foot support may further include a rigid member disposed within the foot support configured to support feet. The foot support may further includes a flexible tubular member disposed within the foot support configured to support feet.
Reference throughout this specification to features, advantages, or similar language does not imply that all of the features and advantages that may be realized with the present invention should be or are in any single embodiment of the invention. Rather, language referring to the features and advantages is understood to mean that a specific feature, advantage, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, discussion of the features and advantages, and similar language, throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, refer to the same embodiment.
Furthermore, the described features, advantages, and characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize that the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific features or advantages of a particular embodiment. In other instances, additional features and advantages may be recognized in certain embodiments that may not be present in all embodiments of the invention.
These features and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter.
In order for the advantages of the invention to be readily understood, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments that are illustrated in the appended drawing(s). It is noted that the drawings of the invention are not to scale. The drawings are mere schematics representations, not intended to portray specific parameters of the invention. Understanding that these drawing(s) depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not, therefore, to be considered to be limiting its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawing(s), in which:
For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the exemplary embodiments illustrated in the drawing(s), and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended. Any alterations and further modifications of the inventive features illustrated herein, and any additional applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated herein, which would occur to one skilled in the relevant art and having possession of this disclosure, are to be considered within the scope of the invention.
Reference throughout this specification to an “embodiment,” an “example” or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, characteristic, or combinations thereof described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases an “embodiment,” an “example,” and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment, to different embodiments, or to one or more of the figures. Additionally, reference to the wording “embodiment,” “example” or the like, for two or more features, elements, etc. does not mean that the features are necessarily related, dissimilar, the same, etc.
Each statement of an embodiment, or example, is to be considered independent of any other statement of an embodiment despite any use of similar or identical language characterizing each embodiment. Therefore, where one embodiment is identified as “another embodiment,” the identified embodiment is independent of any other embodiments characterized by the language “another embodiment.” The features, functions, and the like described herein are considered to be able to be combined in whole or in part one with another as the claims and/or art may direct, either directly or indirectly, implicitly or explicitly.
As used herein, “comprising,” “including,” “containing,” “is,” “are,” “characterized by,” and grammatical equivalents thereof are inclusive or open-ended terms that do not exclude additional unrecited elements or method steps. “Comprising” is to be interpreted as including the more restrictive terms “consisting of” and “consisting essentially of.”
The attachment member 12 includes a band 14 configured to rest on a top portion of a head rest. The band 14 includes a surface area, large enough, to rest on a top portion of the head rest. The attachment member 12 includes a flap 16 coupled to the band 14. The flap 16 extends down from the band 14 and is configured to drape off a back side of a head rest. The band 14 and flap 16 may be woven together or may be a single structure. The band 14 may include a pad member configured to provide additional support to the band 14 during use. The band 14 may also include a friction enhancing bottom surface configured to provide greater surface contact to a head rest. The band 14 and the flap 16 may include a plurality of layers or a single layer of material/fabric.
The pair of support members 18, each coupled to opposite ends of the attachment member 12 and configured to dangle down therefrom. The pair of support members 18 each include an adjustment device 20 configured to adjust the length of each support member 18. As illustrated in
The adjustment device 20 is disposed on an exterior side of each support member 18. The adjustment device 20 is configured to extend or retract the fabric material of each support member 18 to a desired length. Each support member 18 may be woven together with the attachment member 12 or the attachment member 12 and the pair of support members 18 may be a single structure. The adjustment device 20 may be disposed along an interior side on each support member 18 and still perform its intended function. Non-limiting examples of an adjustment device may be: a coupling member and a receiving member, Velcro straps, hook and loop adjustment devices, clip-on adjustment devices, snap-on adjustment devices, tied-on adjustment devices, fastening adjustment devices, magnetic adjustment devices, etc.
The foot support 22 is coupled to each support member 18 and is configured to support feet. The foot support is disposed parallel to the attachment member 12. The foot support 22 provides a rigid support structure to support feet thereon. The foot support 22 may include a cushion member disposed on a top surface of the foot support 22 to provide padding for the heels of feet to rest thereon. The foot support 22 may include a plurality of layers woven together or may include a rigid material disposed within the foot support 22 along with a plurality of layers to provide a stable support for feet.
The attachment member 12 is configured to drape over a head rest 40 of a seat 42. The attachment member 12 includes a band 14 configured to rest on a top portion of a head rest 40. The attachment member 12 includes a flap 16 coupled to the band 14 and configured to drape over a back side of a head rest 40. The flap 16 includes a plurality of pockets 24 configured to store personal items. The plurality of pockets 24 may include a transparent window to view items disposed within each pocket 24. The friction from the band 14 and the flap 16 draped over the back side of the head rest 40 secure the attachment member 12 to the head rest 40.
The footrest 10 includes a pair of support members 18, each coupled to opposite ends of the attachment member 12 and configured to dangle down from the attachment member 12. The pair of support member 18 are in contact with both sides of the seat 42, thereby stabilizing the footrest 10 thereon. The pair of support members 18 each include an adjustment device 20 configured to adjust the length of each support member 18. The footrest 10 includes a foot support 22 coupled to each pair of support members 18 and configured to support feet. The pair of support members 18 are disposed substantially perpendicular to the attachment member 12 and the foot support 22. The footrest 10 includes a coupling device 50 coupled to the flap 16 and configured to couple around the footrest 10 in a closed/storing mode. In a closed mode the foot support 22, the pair of support members 18, and the attachment member 12 may be rolled up and secured by the coupling device 50.
In operation of one embodiment of the invention, there is a footrest 10 in a closed mode. In a closed mode, the footrest 10 is secured by a coupling device 50, as the supporting members 18 and the foot support 22 are wrapped about the attachment member 12. The user may remove the attachment member 12, support members 18, and the foot support 22 from the coupling device 50. The user may rest the band 14 of the attachment member 12 on a top surface or portion of a head rest 40 of a seat 42 in front of the user's seat. The user may rest their feet on the foot support 22 as the attachment member 12 and support members 18 support the foot support 22 when in use. The user may adjust each adjustment device 20 of each supporting member 18 to adjust the length of each supporting member 18 dangling from the attachment device 12. The user may also store personal items within the pockets 24 of the flap 16.
Furthermore, during operation the foot support 22 may be disposed within a compartment of the seat in front of the user. A non-limiting example of a compartment may be the flexible magazine compartment disposed on the back of a commercial airline seat. The user may dispose the foot support, of the footrest, within the compartment, thereby removing the foot support out of the way when not in use. Moreover, the design of the footrest provides blood circulating properties, wherein elevating the feet during extended periods of travel reduces the pressure on the feet, thereby resting the feet on the foot support 22 reduces swelling during travel.
It is understood that the above-described embodiments are only illustrative of the application of the principles of the present invention. The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiment is to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.
For example, although the figures illustrate a flap including a plurality of pockets, one skilled in the art would appreciate that the flap may include a transparent window disposed on the flap configured to enable a user to view the rear of the head rest, and still perform its intended function.
Additionally, although the figures illustrate a flap with a plurality of pockets, one skilled in the art would appreciate that the flap may include a mirror disposed on the flap configured to be used by a user and still perform its intended function.
It is envisioned that the flap may include a plurality of coupling members configured to selectably couple to personal items; non-limiting examples of a coupling member may be: a cup holder, a clip coupling device, a hook coupling device, a grasping device, a snap coupling device, a Velcro coupling device, a hook and loop coupling device, etc and still perform its intended function.
It is expected that there could be numerous variations of the design of this invention. An example is that the attachment member, supporting members, footrest may vary in size, shape, design, configuration, color, length, width, height, and still perform its intended function.
Finally, it is envisioned that the components of the device may be constructed of a variety of materials, such as but not limited to: fabric, textiles, fibers, cloth, woven materials, plastic, plastic composite, metals, metal alloys, rubber, rubber composites, glass, etc. and still perform its intended function.
Thus, while the present invention has been fully described above with particularity and detail in connection with what is presently deemed to be the most practical and preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that numerous modifications, including, but not limited to, variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use may be made, without departing from the principles and concepts of the invention as set forth in the claims. Further, it is contemplated that an embodiment may be limited to consist of or to consist essentially of one or more of the features, functions, structures, methods described herein.
Claims
1. A footrest, comprising:
- a) an attachment member configured to drape over a head rest of a seat, comprising: a1) a band configured to rest on a top portion of a head rest; and a2) a flap coupled to the band and configured to drape over a back side of a head rest;
- b) a pair of support members, each coupled to opposite ends of the attachment member and configured to dangle down from the attachment member; wherein the pair of support members each include an adjustment device configured to adjust the length of each associated support member; and
- c) a foot support coupled to each pair of support members and configured to support feet.
2. The footrest of claim 1, wherein the adjustment device includes an adjustment strap configured to selectably adjust the length of the support member.
3. The footrest of claim 2, wherein the adjustment strap includes a receiving member configured to receive a coupling member.
4. The footrest of claim 3, wherein the adjustment strap includes an adjust member coupled to the coupling member and configured to selectably adjust the length of the support member.
5. The footrest of claim 1, wherein the flap includes a plurality of pockets configured to store personal items.
6. The footrest of claim 1, wherein the foot support further includes a rigid member disposed within the foot support configured to support feet.
7. The footrest of claim 1, wherein the pair of support members are disposed substantially perpendicular to the attachment member and the foot support.
8. The footrest of claim 1, wherein the foot support further includes a flexible tubular member disposed within the foot support configured to support feet.
9. The footrest of claim 1, wherein the adjustment device includes a first attachment member disposed on a top portion of the support member and a second attachment member disposed on a bottom portion of the support member; wherein the first attachment member and the second attachment member is coupled together to selectably adjust the length of the support member.
10. The footrest of claim 1 further comprising a coupling device coupled to the flap and configured to couple around the footrest in a closed mode.
11. A footrest, comprising:
- a) an attachment member configured to drape over a head rest of a seat, comprising: a1) a band configured to rest on a top portion of a head rest; and a2) a flap coupled to the band and configured to drape over a back side of a head rest;
- b) a pair of support members, each coupled to opposite ends of the attachment member and configured to dangle down from the attachment member; wherein the pair of support members each include an adjustment device configured to adjust the length of each associated support member; wherein the adjustment device includes an adjustment strap configured to selectably adjust the length of the support member; and
- c) a foot support coupled to each pair of support members and configured to support feet.
12. The footrest of claim 11, wherein the adjustment strap includes a receiving member configured to receive a coupling member.
13. The footrest of claim 12, wherein the adjustment strap includes an adjust member coupled to the coupling member and configured to selectably adjust the length of the support member.
14. The footrest of claim 13, wherein the flap includes a plurality of pockets configured to store personal items.
15. The footrest of claim 14, wherein the foot support further includes a rigid member disposed within the foot support configured to support feet.
16. The footrest of claim 15, wherein the pair of support members are disposed substantially perpendicular to the attachment member and the foot support.
17. The footrest of claim 16, wherein the foot support further includes a flexible tubular member disposed within the foot support configured to support feet.
18. The footrest of claim 17, wherein the adjustment device includes a first attachment member disposed on a top portion of the support member and a second attachment member disposed on a bottom portion of the support member; wherein the first attachment member and the second attachment member is coupled together to selectably adjust the length of the support member.
19. The footrest of claim 1 further comprising a coupling device coupled to the flap and configured to couple around the footrest in a closed mode.
20. A footrest, comprising:
- a) an attachment member configured to drape over a head rest of a seat, comprising: a1) a band configured to rest on a top portion of a head rest; and a2) a flap coupled to the band and configured to drape over a back side of a head rest; wherein the flap includes a plurality of pockets configured to store personal items;
- b) a pair of support members, each coupled to opposite ends of the attachment member and configured to dangle down from the attachment member; wherein the pair of support members each include an adjustment device configured to adjust the length of each associated support member; wherein the adjustment device includes an adjustment strap configured to selectably adjust the length of the support member; wherein the adjustment strap includes a receiving member configured to receive a coupling member; wherein the adjustment strap includes an adjust member coupled to the coupling member and configured to selectably adjust the length of the support member; wherein the adjustment device includes a first attachment member disposed on a top portion of the support member and a second attachment member disposed on a bottom portion of the support member; wherein the first attachment member and the second attachment member is coupled together to selectably adjust the length of the support member;
- c) a foot support coupled to each pair of support members and configured to support feet; wherein the foot support includes a rigid member disposed within the foot support configured to support feet; wherein the pair of support members are disposed substantially perpendicular to the attachment member and the foot support; wherein the foot support further includes a flexible tubular member disposed within the foot support configured to support feet; and
- d) a coupling device coupled to the flap and configured to couple around the footrest in a closed mode.
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 4, 2010
Publication Date: Apr 5, 2012
Inventor: Rosemary Perera (Los Angeles, CA)
Application Number: 12/897,370
International Classification: A47C 16/02 (20060101); A47C 7/62 (20060101);
