Stool with footrest and armrests for putting on and removing footwear

Abstract

A specifically designed stool to be used in performing one of the most common activities of daily living—putting on and taking off one's shoes and socks. It is designed for senior citizens and others who because of the normal aging process or because of injuries to their backs and/or knees or even feet have limited motion ability and/or balance problems. It consists of a seat and footrest and armrests of the correct heights, widths and depths to make this task much easier and more comfortable It is designed to look like a normal piece of furniture and is light and portable.

1 . An article of furniture comprising a stool, with a seat, a footrest and armrests specifically designed to assist seniors and other persons with mobility problems in their knees, legs or back or balance problems in the act of putting on and taking off their shoes and socks. 
   
   
       2 . The said stool as set forth in  claim 1  consisting of a pair of side frames, both a right hand one and a left hand one each having an armrest portion, that comprises said armrests manufactured using an open frame technique embodying multiple horizontal and vertical members supporting said seat and said footrest and having cross braces to provide said stool its strength and stability. 
   
   
       3 . The said stool as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said footrest is 8 inches and said seat is 16 inches from a base of said side frames to emulate the dimensions of the vertical rise of two steps of a normal rectangular staircase found in the average multistory residential building. 
   
   
       4 . The said stool as set forth in  claim 1  wherein depth of said footrest is 10 inches to emulate that of a normal stair tread and the depth of the said seat is 20 inches to emulate that of two said normal stair treads found in said normal rectangular staircase in said average multistory residential building. 
   
   
       5 . The said side frames as set forth in  claim 2  wherein the said armrest portion of said side frames are manufactured to extend 8 inches above said seat and provide a stable holding surface which the occupant of said stool may use to assist in sitting and rising from said stool. 
   
   
       6 . The said stool as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said footrest and said seat and said armrests portion of said side frames may have rounded edges or be padded for comfort using typical upholstery materials and techniques. 
   
   
       7 . The said stool as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said side frames, said seat, said footrest, said armrest portion of said side frames and said braces may be made of wood, metals, polymers and composites any of which would make said stool easily portable and economically priced for the targeted population and still provide the necessary strength and stability to support any person of above average weight. 
   
   
       8 . The said stool as set forth in  claim 1  wherein it shall be manufactured in such a manner to allow said stool to be supplied to the consumer in an unassembled manner for ease of packing and shipping and be easily assembled by said consumer with supplied common fasteners such as screws, Tee nuts and Cross bolts to ensure its strength and rigidity. 
   
   
       9 . A stool with a seat, a footrest and armrests light in weight and styled to appear as a normal piece of furniture specifically designed to assist seniors and other persons with limited mobility in their knees, or back or legs or balance problems caused by Parkinson's disease or some other brain injury in the act of putting on and taking off their shoes and socks wherein the heights and depths of said seat and said footrest emulate that of a single stair in a normal rectangular staircase rising to a landing in an average multistoried residential house.