Furniture glide with polyurethane base

Abstract

A furniture glide base having a substantially circular sliding surface that is of elastomeric material, preferably a thermoplastic urethane such as polyurethane. In one embodiment, the glide base has an annular rim portion extending obliquely upward from the periphery of the circular sliding surface to a first elevation, and a central post extending vertically upward from the center of the base, to a higher elevation. The post can have an upper end that forms a spherical surface to form part of a swivel joint. In another embodiment, the base has an annular rim portion of the same or different material, extending upward from the periphery of the circular sliding surface, for receiving a furniture leg.

1 . A furniture glide comprising an upper portion for receiving a furniture leg and a lower portion defining a smooth sliding surface, wherein the lower portion consists of an elastomeric material.  
   
   
       2 . The furniture glide of  claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric material is polyurethane.  
   
   
       3 . The furniture glide of  claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric material is thermoplastic.  
   
   
       4 . The furniture glide of  claim 1 , wherein the elastomer has a Shore D hardness in the range of 50-60.  
   
   
       5 . The furniture glide of  claim 2 , wherein the polyurethane is a pellethane thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer.  
   
   
       6 . The furniture glide of  claim 2 , wherein the polyurethaine is a polyester polycaprolactone resin.  
   
   
       7 . The furniture glide of  claim 2 , wherein the elastomer has a Shore D hardness of about 55.  
   
   
       8 . A glide for a, furniture leg, comprising: a ferrule including a bottom wall, an upstanding cylindrical side wall extending from the bottom wall and defining a socket for receiving a furniture leg, and clip means within the socket, for engaging a received furniture leg; a glide support shell connected to the ferrule; and a glide base affixed to the support shell and defining a substantially flat sliding surface, wherein said sliding surface is an elastomer.  
   
   
       9 . The glide of  claim 8 , wherein the sliding surface is polyurethane.  
   
   
       10 . The glide of  claim 8 , wherein the glide shell is substantially frustoconical and includes a lower circular rim, and the glide base is of uniform composition and substantially circular with an upstanding annular rim that is captured within said lower circular rim.  
   
   
       11 . The glide of  claim 8 , wherein the glide base has a body of one material affixed to the glide shell and said sliding surface is an elastomer material integral with the body.  
   
   
       12 . The glide of  claim 8 , wherein the elastomer has a hardness in the range of 50-60 Shore D.  
   
   
       13 . The glide of  claim 9 , wherein the polyurethane is a thermoplastic polyurethane having a Shore D hardness of about 55.  
   
   
       14 . The glide of  claim 10 , wherein the support shell is pivotally connected to the ferrule at a central pivot connection and the glide base has a central post at the pivot connection that provides a vertical bearing surface for vertical force transmitted from the received leg through said ferrule, to said pivot connection.  
   
   
       15 . A furniture glide base having a substantially circular sliding surface that is of elastomeric material.  
   
   
       16 . The glide base of  claim 15 , wherein the sliding surface is polyurethane.  
   
   
       17 . The glide base of  claim 15 , wherein the elastomeric material has a Shore D hardness in the range of 50-60.  
   
   
       18 . The glide base of  claim 16 , wherein the polyurethane is a thermoplastic polyurethane having a hardness of about 55 Shore D.  
   
   
       19 . The glide base of  claim 15 , wherein the base has an annular rim portion extending obliquely upward from the periphery of the circular sliding surface to a first elevation, and central post extending vertically upward from the center of the base, to a higher elevation.  
   
   
       20 . The glide base of  claim 15 , wherein the post has an upper end that forms a spherical surface.  
   
   
       21 . The glide base of  claim 15 , wherein the base has an annular rim portion extending upward from the periphery of the circular sliding surface.