1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates, generally, to steps. More particularly, it relates to a step having a stored position under a kitchen counter and a deployed configuration where it extends from said kitchen counter.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Only tall people can easily access cupboards positioned above kitchen countertops. The top shelves in such cupboards are reachable only by the very tall. Thus, almost everyone has difficulty in reaching the back part of the uppermost shelf in a kitchen cupboard.
Several patents have been awarded for steps that are stored under a kitchen counter when not in use and which are easily deployed out from under the counter when needed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,439,342 to Boykin discloses a retractable step having an additional step stored therein.
There remains a need for further development in this field, however, because some of the earlier designs are mechanically complex and thus expensive to manufacture, some of the earlier designs are difficult to deploy, and some of them are difficult to reconfigure for storage purposes.
However, in view of the prior art considered as a whole at the time the present invention was made, it was not obvious to those of ordinary skill in the pertinent art how the limitations of the earlier devices could be overcome.
The long-standing but heretofore unfulfilled need for a step that is stored out of the way when not in use and which easily deploys when needed is now met by a new, useful, and nonobvious invention. The novel step assembly occupies a relatively small space when in a storage configuration but provides a full-size step when in a fully deployed configuration.
The novel structure includes a back wall adapted to be mounted in a vertical plane to a support surface. A first back rod and a second back rod are pivotally secured at their respective rearward ends to the back wall at laterally spaced apart opposite ends thereof for movement in a horizontal plane.
A front is wall disposed in a vertical plane. A first front rod and a second front rod are pivotally secured at their respective forward ends to the front wall at laterally spaced apart opposite ends thereof for movement in a horizontal plane.
The first back rod and the first front rod are pivotally connected to one another at their respective forward and rearward ends for pivotal movement in a horizontal plane and in a vertical plane. Moreover, the second back rod and the second front rod are pivotally connected to one another at their respective forward and rearward ends for pivotal movement in a horizontal plane and in a vertical plane.
The back wall and said front wall are disposed in closely spaced relation to one another when the step assembly is in the stored configuration. The first back rod and the first front rod are disposed in parallel, abutting relation to one another and in parallel relation to the back and front walls when the step assembly is in the stored configuration. The second back rod and the second front rod are also disposed in parallel, abutting relation to one another and in parallel relation to the back and front walls when the step assembly is in the stored configuration.
The first back rod and the first forward rod are disposed in perpendicular relation to the back and front walls when the step assembly is in a fully extended configuration. The second back rod and the second front rod are also disposed in perpendicular relation to the back and front walls when the step assembly is in the fully extended configuration.
The first back rod and the first front rod are disposed in parallel relation to the second back rod and the second front rod when the step assembly is in the fully extended position. The first front rod and the second front rod are disposed in perpendicular relation to the first back rod and the second back rod when the novel step is in its fully deployed configuration, i.e., when the front wall is disposed in a horizontal plane to provide a step.
A first rear clevis is fixedly secured to a first end of the back wall and a second rear clevis is fixedly secured to a second end of the back wall. The first back rod has a rearward end pivotally mounted to the first rear clevis for movement in a horizontal plane and the second back rod has a rearward end pivotally mounted to the second rear clevis for movement in a horizontal plane.
A first forward clevis is fixedly secured to a first end of the front wall and a second forward clevis is fixedly secured to a second end of the front wall. The first front rod has a forward end pivotally mounted to the first forward clevis for movement in a horizontal plane and the second front rod has a forward end pivotally mounted to the second forward clevis for movement in a horizontal plane.
A first horizontal pivot block is secured to the forward end of the first back rod. A second horizontal pivot block is secured to the forward end of the second back rod. A first vertical pivot block is secured to the rearward end of the first front rod, and a second vertical pivot block is secured to the rearward end of the second front rod. The first horizontal pivot block and the first vertical pivot block are pivotally connected to one another so that the first vertical pivot block may rotate in a vertical plane relative to the first horizontal pivot block and the second horizontal pivot block and the second vertical pivot block are pivotally connected to one another so that the second vertical pivot block may rotate in a vertical plane relative to the second horizontal pivot block.
The first horizontal pivot block is disposed in abutting, lateral relation to the first vertical pivot block and the second horizontal pivot block as disposed in abutting, lateral relation to the second vertical pivot block.
An important object of this invention is to provide a step having utility primarily in a kitchen environment for helping a user reach elevated shelves in a cupboard.
Another important object is to provide a step that has a fully retracted position where it occupies space not normally used under a kitchen counter.
Yet another object is to provide a step that deploys quickly when needed.
Still another object is to provide a step that is easily and quickly returned to its stored position after use.
These and other important objects, advantages, and features of the invention will become clear as this description proceeds.
The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination of elements, and arrangement of parts that will be exemplified in the description set forth hereinafter and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.
For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Referring to
The novel step assembly of this invention is depicted in its stored configuration in FIG. 1 and is denoted as a whole by the reference numeral 22. The height of novel step assembly 22, when in its stored configuration, is less than the height of overhang vertical wall 23 (
Accordingly, a person walking pass kitchen counter 12 will not trip over novel step 2 when it is in its
Some important structural details of novel step assembly 22 are depicted in FIG. 4. First rear clevis 28a is fixedly secured to back wall 24. First rear clevis pin 30a engages the rearward end of first back rod 32a and allows said first back rod to pivot in a horizontal plane with respect to a vertical axis defined by first rear clevis pin 30a.
The fully extended configuration of front wall 26 is depicted in phantom lines in
As depicted in
Similarly, as suggested by
First and second back rods 32a, 32b have respective forward ends pivotally connected to the rearward ends of first and second front rods 38a, 38b about vertical axes 40a and 40b. These pivotal connections enable said back rods and front rods to fold with respect to one another in a horizontal plane as best understood in connection with
The respective forward ends of first and second back rods 32a, 32b are also pivotally connected to the rearward ends of first and second front rods 38a, 38b about horizontal axes 42a and 42b, said axes being defined by screws or other suitable pins as depicted. These pivotal connections enable said back rods and front rods to fold with respect to one another in a vertical plane as best understood in connection with
More particularly, first horizontal pivot block 44a is pivotally secured to the forward end of first back rod 32a and second horizontal pivot block 44b is pivotally secured to the forward end of second back rod 32b.
First vertical pivot block 46a is fixedly secured to the rearward end of first front rod 38a by a pair of fastening members collectively denoted 48a and said first vertical pivot block 46a is pivotally connected by pivot pin 42a to first horizontal pivot block 44a. First flared part 47a is formed integrally with first vertical pivot block 46a.
Second vertical pivot block 46b is fixedly secured to the rearward end of second front rod 38b by a pair of fastening members collectively denoted 48b and said second vertical pivot block 46b is pivotally connected by pivot pin 42b to second horizontal pivot block 44b. Second flared part 47b is formed integrally with second vertical pivot block 46b.
Making reference to
Springs 29a, 29b are also depicted in
First and second flared parts 47a, 47b of vertical pivot blocks 46a, 46b, respectively, provide an enhanced stability of the assembly as best understood in connection with FIG. 6.
It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, and those made apparent from the foregoing description, are efficiently attained. Since certain changes may be made in the above construction without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matters contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention that, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.
Now that the invention has been described,
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
3481429 | Gaede | Dec 1969 | A |
6439342 | Boykin | Aug 2002 | B1 |