Chair accessory and method of using

Abstract

Disclosed is a chair accessory comprising one or more board-like items, including planks, of various thicknesses having on or in each item at least one restraining device having one or more chair-leg contacting surfaces that will prevent a child, while sitting in the chair, from moving the board-like item out of its functional place with his feet. The chair accessory is used with a chair including a child's chair to provide a foot rest when the chair occupant's legs are too short to allow the occupant's feet to reach the floor to provide stability necessary to permit more advanced fine motor development.

1 . An accessory for a chair having two or more front legs comprising a board-like item having two end portions and a thickness of at least about ⅛ inch and having on at least one end or on one or more end portions of the board-like item a board-like item restraining device, each board-like item restraining device functioning to restrain the amount of the board-like item's movement with respect to at least one of the front legs of the chair.  
   
   
       2 . The chair accessory of  claim 1  wherein the board-like item is a plank having a thickness of at least ¼ inch and wherein each board-like item restraining device is a plank restraining device.  
   
   
       3 . The chair accessory of  claim 1  wherein there are two board-like item restraining devices, each being a depression, hole or slot in a major surface of an end portion of the board-like item, the two item restraining devices being spaced apart to align with the bottoms of the front legs of the chair.  
   
   
       4 . The chair accessory of  claim 3  wherein at least one depression is a hole that passes only part way through the thickness of the board-like item.  
   
   
       5 . The chair accessory of  claim 3  wherein at least one depression is a hole that passes entirely through the thickness of the board-like item.  
   
   
       6 . The chair accessory of  claim 5  wherein at least one of the holes is lined with a layer of a noise reducing material.  
   
   
       7 . The chair accessory of  claim 1  wherein the board-like restraining device is a “cut-out” in at least one end of said item.  
   
   
       8 . The chair accessory of  claim 7  wherein the shape of the “cut-out” is selected from a group consisting of U shaped, V shaped, square shaped, rectangular shaped, half of a hexagon, and semi-circular shaped.  
   
   
       9 . The chair accessory of  claim 7  wherein the “cut-out” is through the entire thickness of the board-like item.  
   
   
       10 . The chair accessory of  claim 8  wherein the “cut-out” is through the entire thickness of the board-like item.  
   
   
       11 . The chair accessory of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the board-like item restraining devices is selected from a group consisting of a depression, a hole, a slot, a hook, an eye bolt, an eye screw, a pivoting U shaped holder, a pivoting V shaped holder, a U shaped holder, a V shaped holder, an adjustable U shaped holder, an adjustable V shaped holder, a pivoting adjustable U shaped holder, and a pivoting adjustable V shaped holder.  
   
   
       12 . The chair accessory of  claim 1  wherein the board-like item is color-coded according to the thickness.  
   
   
       13 . The chair accessory of  claim 1  wherein the board-like item contains at least one of a hole, a depression, a trough, a dimple, or a void to either reduce the weight of the board-like item or to facilitate stacking of two or more board-like items or both.  
   
   
       14 . The chair accessory of  claim 2  wherein there are two plank item restraining devices, each being a depression in a major surface of an end portion of the plank, the two depressions being spaced apart to align with the bottoms of the front legs of the chair.  
   
   
       15 . The chair accessory of  claim 14  wherein at least one depression is a hole that passes only part way through the thickness of the plank.  
   
   
       16 . The chair accessory of  claim 14  wherein at least one depression is a hole that passes entirely through the thickness of the plank.  
   
   
       17 . The chair accessory of  claim 16  wherein at least one of the holes is lined with a layer of a noise reducing material.  
   
   
       18 . The chair accessory of  claim 2  wherein the plank restraining device is a “cut-out” in at least one end portion of the plank.  
   
   
       19 . The chair accessory of  claim 18  wherein the shape of the “cut-out” is selected from a group consisting of U shaped, V shaped, square shaped, rectangular shaped, half of a hexagon, and semi-circular shaped.  
   
   
       20 . The chair accessory of  claim 18  wherein the “cut-out” is through the entire thickness of the plank.  
   
   
       21 . The chair accessory of  claim 2  wherein at least one of the plank restraining devices is selected from a group consisting of a depression, a hole, a slot, a hook, an eye bolt, an eye screw, a pivoting U shaped holder, a pivoting V shaped holder, a U shaped holder, a V shaped holder, an adjustable U shaped holder, an adjustable V shaped holder, a pivoting adjustable U shaped holder, and a pivoting adjustable V shaped holder.  
   
   
       22 . The chair accessory of  claim 2  wherein the plank is color-coded according to the thickness.  
   
   
       23 . The chair accessory of  claim 2  wherein the plank contains at least one of a hole, a depression, a trough, a dimple, or a void to either reduce the weight of the plank or to facilitate stacking of two or more planks or both.  
   
   
       24 . An accessory for a child's chair having two or more front legs, the accessory comprising a board-like item having two end portions and a thickness of at least about ¼ inch and having at each end or on each end portion of the board-like item a board-like item restraining device, each board-like item restraining device surrounding at least a portion of one of the front legs of the chair and functioning to restrain the amount of the board-like item's movement with respect to the front legs of the chair, each board-like item having a bottom surface resting on either a floor or on another board-like item when in operating position.  
   
   
       25 . A method of stabilizing a person sitting in a chair having legs so long that the person's foot or feet do not reach the floor in a stable manner comprising using an accessory comprising one or more board-like items, each having two end portions and a thickness of at least about ⅛ inch and having at, or on, each end portion of the board-like item a board-like item restraining device, each board-like item restraining device functioning to restrain the amount of the board-like item's movement with respect to the front legs of the chair, placing one or more of said items on the front legs of the chair, in a stacked relationship when two or more of said items are required, to permit the person sitting in the chair to place at least one foot flat on the upper surface of the uppermost said item.