Self-leveling glide assembly

Abstract

A self-leveling glide assembly for use with a furniture leg includes a glide housing attached to a furniture leg, a recess formed in a bottom portion of the glide housing, and a pad member snap attached to the glide housing and positioned to engage a floor surface. The glide housing is self-leveling to accommodate uneven floor surfaces. The pad member and glide housing can be easily removed and replaced independently without having to replace the other. The pad member is repositionable between two opposing sides each having a wear surface that contacts the floor. The two opposing sides can either be made of the same material or of two different materials. In one embodiment the first side is made of a relatively hard material and the second side is made of a softer material than the first side.

1 . A self-leveling glide for use with furniture comprising: 
 a glide housing snap attached to a bottom of a furniture leg, said snap attachment providing angular movement of said glide housing relative to said furniture leg;    a recess formed in a bottom portion of said glide housing; and    a replaceable pad member releasably connected to said annular flanges and positioned to engage a floor surface, wherein either said pad member or said glide housing can be quickly replaced independently of the other.    
     
     
         2 . A self-leveling glide as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said recess includes a plurality of inner annularly spaced flanges.  
     
     
         3 . A self-leveling glide as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein said pad member includes a radially protruding ring retainer that snap attaches to said plurality of annularly spaced flanges.  
     
     
         4 . A self-leveling glide as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said pad member is a plastic disk.  
     
     
         5 . A self-leveling glide as set forth in  claim 4 , wherein said plastic disk is constructed of Acetal.  
     
     
         6 . A self-leveling glide as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said angular movement of said glide housing is less than or equal to approximately 3 degrees from vertical.  
     
     
         7 . A self-leveling glide member as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said furniture leg includes an annular protrusion, and said glide housing includes a groove in a top portion of said glide housing, wherein said groove is snap attached onto said protrusion.  
     
     
         8 . A self-leveling glide for use with furniture comprising: 
 a glide housing attached to a bottom of a furniture leg said attachment providing angular movement of said glide housing relative to said furniture leg;    a pad member connected to said glide housing positioned to engage a floor surface and having a first side and an opposite second side, said first side having a first wear surface and said second side having a second wear surface, said first wear surface includes a relatively hard material, and said second wear surface includes a material that is softer than said first wear surface; and    wherein said pad member can be selectively oriented into first and second positions, said first wear surface contacting said floor surface in said first position and said second wear surface contacting said floor surface in said second position.    
     
     
         9 . A self-leveling glide as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein said pad member is snap attached to said glide housing.  
     
     
         10 . A self-leveling glide as set forth in  claim 9 , wherein said glide housing includes a bottom portion defining a recess, said recess including a plurality of inner annularly spaced flanges.  
     
     
         11 . A self-leveling glide as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein said pad member includes a radially protruding ring retainer that snap attaches to said plurality of annularly spaced flanges.  
     
     
         12 . A self-leveling glide as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein said ring retainer is formed in said first side of said pad member.  
     
     
         13 . A self-leveling glide as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein said pad member is releasably attached to said glide housing such that either said pad member or said glide housing is replaceable independently of the other.  
     
     
         14 . A self-leveling glide as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein said furniture leg includes an annular protrusion, and said glide housing includes a groove in a top portion of said glide housing, wherein said groove is snapped onto said protrusion.  
     
     
         15 . A self-leveling glide as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein said angular movement of said glide housing is less than or equal to 3 degrees from vertical.  
     
     
         16 . A self-leveling glide as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein said first wear surface is an Acetal material.  
     
     
         17 . A self-leveling glide as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein said second wear surface is a felt material.  
     
     
         18 . A self-leveling glide for use with furniture comprising: 
 a glide housing snap attached to a bottom of a furniture leg, said attachment providing angular movement of said glide housing relative to said furniture leg;    a pad member snap attached to said glide housing and positioned to engage a floor surface, said pad member including a first side and a second opposite side, said first side having a first wear surface and said second side having a second wear surface; and    wherein said pad member can be oriented into first and second positions, said first wear surface contacting said floor surface in said first position and said second wear surface contacting said floor surface in said second position.    
     
     
         19 . A self-leveling glide as set forth in  claim 18 , wherein said pad member is releasably attached to said glide housing and either said glide housing or said pad member can be replaced independently of the other.  
     
     
         20 . A self-leveling glide as set forth in  claim 18 , wherein said glide housing includes a recess formed in a bottom portion of said glide housing and said recess includes a plurality of inner annularly spaced flanges.  
     
     
         21 . A self-leveling glide as set forth in  claim 20 , wherein said pad member includes a radially protruding ring retainer that snap attaches to said plurality of annularly spaced flanges.  
     
     
         22 . A self-leveling glide as set forth in  claim 21 , wherein said ring retainer is formed in said first side of said pad member.  
     
     
         23 . A self leveling glide as set forth in  claim 18 , wherein said first wear surface includes a relatively hard material, and said second wear surface includes a material that is softer than said first wear surface.  
     
     
         24 . A self-leveling glide as set forth in  claim 23 , wherein said first wear surface is an Acetal material.  
     
     
         25 . A self-leveling glide as set forth in  claim 23 , wherein said second wear surface is a felt material.  
     
     
         26 . A self-leveling glide as set forth in  claim 18 , wherein said angular movement of said glide housing provides approximately 3 degrees of tilt from vertical.  
     
     
         27 . A self leveling glide as set forth in  claim 18 , wherein said furniture leg includes an annular protrusion, said glide housing includes a groove in a top portion of said glide housing, and wherein said groove is snapped onto said protrusion.  
     
     
         28 . An article of furniture comprising: 
 a furniture unit having at least one leg; and    a reversible glide attached to the leg having a first surface and a different second surface shaped and adapted to optimally support the leg on different floor surfaces.    
     
     
         29 . An article of furniture as set forth in  claim 28 , wherein said glide attachment to said leg provides angular movement of said glide housing relative to said furniture leg.  
     
     
         30 . An article of furniture as set forth in  claim 29 , wherein said angular movement of said glide provides approximately 3 degrees of tilt from vertical.