The present invention relates, in general, to stepstools and, more particularly, this invention relates to a stepstool which may be conveniently collapsed for storage in small areas.
Prior to the conception and development of the present invention, stepstools, as are generally well known in the prior art, have been used to permit users to obtain things that would otherwise be unreachable. Generally, stepstools are transported to the necessary location, unfolded or simply set in place and a user steps up and reaches for the needed item. This is inconvenient since such stepstools are usually stored in inconvenient locations and may also be heavy and cumbersome. Additionally the step-stool may scratch cabinetry and flooring. A need exists for a stepstool which is easily stored and is quickly available at little or no inconvenience to the user and which will not cause damage to flooring and cabinetry.
Specifically of interest to the present invention are the following: Rawlings, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 7,007,771, discloses a collapsible stool which provides additional height for small children undergoing toilet training, such stool includes two legs, one at each end thereof, such legs fold inwards under such stool.
Zheng, U.S. Pat. No. 6,802,393, discloses a foldable ladder which includes a back supporting frame and a front supporting frame and a plurality of foot supporters provided on the front supporting frame in a pivotally foldable manner. The foot supporters are adapted of folding between a folded position and an unfolded position, wherein in the folded position the first and the second step member are pivotally and upwardly folded toward the first and the second front side legs respectively, and wherein in the unfolded position, the first and the second step member are pivotally and downwardly unfolded from each other to an extent that the step surface of the first step member is aligned with the step surface of the second step member, while the step surfaces are kept horizontal.
Donnalley, U.S. Pat. No. 6,568,506, discloses a collapsible step stool with a storage cavity for storing a wipes container. Legs are pivotally attached to the platform, the legs being moveable between a closed position beneath the platform and an opened position.
Adshead, U.S. Pat. No. 6,419,047, discloses a ladder meant to have reduced tendency to slip. The ladder includes rungs and side members with end caps resting on the ground. In use, the ladder is placed on the ground and against a wall.
Ferguson, U.S. Pat. No. 6,062,638, discloses a portable stool which includes a seat and a single variable length support leg supporting the seat. The support leg includes spring loaded telescoping sections for maintaining a lower end of the support leg in contact with the ground when there is an upward or downward movement of the seat from the selected height.
Begin, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,967,257, discloses an escape/rescue ladder that can be mounted in a non-useable condition on the side of a building and can be placed in a useable condition to allow persons to enter and exit from any of a plurality of vertically spaced openings in the building located alongside the ladder. The ladder includes rungs pivotally connected to the building, a rail pivotally connected to the rungs, and a bar extending and constrained to move in the vertical direction adjacent to the building. The bar is connected to the building by at least one counterbalance spring and to at least one rung by a cable fixedly attached to the bar so that as the bar is moved the rungs pivot from their non-useable positions into their useable positions.
Frazier, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,711,282, discloses a portable and collapsible stair which provides support platforms that are spaced laterally and vertically from one another at approximately a one-to-one slope, thus enabling a person to ascend or descend the stair in a walking motion.
The present invention provides a collapsible stepstool for storing underneath a cabinet and extending from there under when in use. Such collapsible stepstool includes a platform member for supporting a user. Such platform member is manufactured from a first predetermined material and has a first predetermined size and a first predetermined shape. A top frame member supports such platform member, such top frame member being manufactured from a second predetermined material and having a second predetermined size and a second predetermined shape. A bottom frame member, manufactured from a third predetermined material and having a third predetermined size and a third predetermined shape, supports at least one of such platform member, such top frame member, and a combination thereof. A means for facilitating vertical movement of such platform member is attached to at least one of such top frame member, such bottom frame member, such platform member, and a combination thereof for selectively raising and lowering at least one of such platform member, such top frame member, and a combination thereof. At least one means is disposed on such bottom frame member for facilitating horizontal movement of such collapsible stepstool such that such collapsible stepstool may be extended from underneath such cabinet for use and may be returned to a position underneath such cabinet for storage.
It is, therefore, one of the primary objects of the present invention to provide a stepstool which is collapsible and which can be housed under cabinetry or a kitchen island.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a stepstool which is built-in and hidden beneath cabinetry.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a stepstool device which utilizes a scissorjack means for raising and lowering a platform which supports a user.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a stepstool which includes a platform which is adjustable in height.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide a wheeled stepstool which is collapsible such that it may be slid under cabinetry and hidden and which includes a non-slip covering on the portion of such stepstool upon which a user will stand.
In addition to the various objects and advantages of the present invention described with some degree of specificity above it should be obvious that additional objects and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those persons who are skilled in the relevant art from the following more detailed description of the invention, particularly, when such description is taken in conjunction with the attached drawing figures and with the appended claims.
Prior to proceeding to the more detailed description of the present invention it should be noted that, for the sake of clarity and understanding, identical components which have identical functions have been identified with identical reference numerals throughout the several views illustrated in the drawing figures.
Reference is now made, more particularly, to
The present invention provides a collapsible stepstool, generally designated 10, for storing underneath a cabinet 11 and extending from there under when in use. Such collapsible stepstool 10 includes a platform member 12 for supporting a user 13, such platform member 12 is manufactured from a first predetermined material and has a first predetermined size and a first predetermined shape. It is presently preferred that such first predetermined shape is substantially rectangular. It is presently preferred that such first predetermined material is at least one of metal, plastic, wood, and a combination thereof. It is presently preferred that such platform member 12 further includes a non-slip surface 15, as illustrated in
A top frame member 14 supports such platform member 12, such top frame member 14 is manufactured from a second predetermined material and has a second predetermined size and a second predetermined shape. It is presently preferred that such second predetermined material is at least one of metal, plastic, wood, and a combination thereof. It is presently preferred that such second predetermined shape is substantially rectangular.
A bottom frame member 16, manufactured from a third predetermined material and having a third predetermined size and a third predetermined shape, supports at least one of such platform member 12, such top frame member 14, and a combination thereof. It is presently preferred that such third predetermined material is at least one of metal, plastic, wood, and a combination thereof. It is presently preferred that such third predetermined shape is substantially rectangular.
A means 18 for facilitating vertical movement of such platform member 12 is attached to at least one of such top frame member 14, such bottom frame member 16, such platform member 12, and a combination thereof for selectively raising and lowering at least one of such platform member 12, such top frame member 14, and a combination thereof. It is presently preferred that such means 18 for facilitating vertical movement is operably connected to such top frame member 14 and such bottom frame member 16. Referring to
At least one means 24 for facilitating horizontal movement of such collapsible stepstool 10 is disposed on such bottom frame member 16 such that the collapsible stepstool 10 may be extended from underneath such cabinet 11 for use and may be returned to a position underneath such cabinet 11 for storage. It is presently preferred that such at least one means 24 for facilitating horizontal movement of such collapsible stepstool 10 includes at least one wheel member operably disposed on such bottom frame member 16 at a predetermined location thereon. It is presently most preferred that such at least one means for facilitating horizontal movement of such collapsible stepstool 10 includes a plurality of wheel members 26 operably disposed on such bottom frame member 16 at predetermined locations thereon. It is further presently preferred that such plurality of wheel members 26 further include a means (not shown) engageable with each of such plurality of wheel members 26 for disabling each one of such plurality of wheel members 26 from rolling when a predetermined amount of weight is born by such collapsible stepstool 10. It is most preferred that such plurality of wheel members 26 includes at least four wheel members. It is further presently preferred that at least two of such at least four wheel members are rear wheel members 28 disposed on opposite rear portions of such bottom frame member 16.
It is presently preferred that such collapsible stepstool 10 further includes a locking means 42 engageable with such means 18 for facilitating vertical movement and with at least one of such top frame member 14, such bottom frame member 16, and a combination thereof. It is further presently preferred that such locking means 42 includes at least one first portion 44 engageable with such means 18 for facilitating vertical movement and at least one of such top frame member 14 and such bottom frame member 16, and that such locking means 42 also includes at least one second portion 45 disposed on one of such top frame member 14, such bottom frame member 16, and a combination thereof, such first portion 44 and such second portion 45 being releasably engageable with each other. It is further presently preferred that such first portion 44 is at least one spring loaded pin member 48 and such second portion 45 is a plurality of apertures 47 for receiving such at least one spring loaded pin member 48. It is presently preferred that such platform member 12 may be raised to at least three different heights. It is further presently preferred that such platform member 12 be lockable in first position wherein such top frame member 14 and such bottom frame member 16 are situated closely adjacent each other such that such collapsible stepstool may be retracted and stored underneath such cabinet 11.
According to the preferred embodiment, it is meant that such user 13 of such device extend such collapsible stepstool 10 from underneath such cabinet 11 and thereafter pull out two spring loaded pin members 48, one on each opposite side of such top frame member 14, thereby allowing the platform 12 to raise via the scissorjack 22. The spring loaded pin members 48 automatically pop into a first set of apertures, thereby stopping the scissorjack 22 from raising the platform 12 any further. If the user 13 desires to raise the platform 12 to an additional height, the user 13 will again release the spring loaded pin members 48 causing the platform 12 to rise until such spring loaded pin members 48 pop into a second set of apertures, etc. Such user 13 will also have the option of simply holding the spring loaded pin members 48 in a released position until the platform 12 reaches the desired height at which time such user 13 will permit such spring loaded pin members 48 to engage with such apertures 47. The user 13 may then step onto the platform 12, retrieve the desired object or perform the necessary task, etc., climb down from the platform 12, release the spring loaded pin members 48 as necessary to return the platform 12 to it's original position, and stow away the device 10 underneath the cabinet 11 until needed again.
As illustrated in
It is further presently preferred that a bottom portion of such bottom frame member 16 is at least partially covered with rubber. This is to prevent flooring from being damaged by such bottom portion of such bottom frame member 16 when such user 13 is standing on such platform 12.
It is further presently preferred that such collapsible stepstool 10 further includes a securing means 52 operably connectable to at least one of an interior rear wall 54 beneath such cabinet 11 for releasably securing such collapsible stepstool 10 under such cabinet 11. It is presently preferred that such securing means is a spring loaded cam member 55 as illustrated in
While a presently preferred and various alternative embodiments of the present invention have been described in sufficient detail above to enable a person skilled in the relevant art to make and use the same it should be obvious that various other adaptations and modifications can be envisioned by those persons skilled in such art without departing from either the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.
This patent application is related to and claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/062,830 filed Jan. 29, 2008.
Number | Date | Country | |
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61062830 | Jan 2008 | US |