Stabilizing foot

Abstract

Provided herein is an improved support device for stabilizing an article of furniture, appliance or other equipment. In one arrangement, the device is connectable to the bottom of existing furniture legs eliminating the need to provide customized legs. That is, the overall height of the device is such that a table or chair incorporating the device is not altered to a degree that changes the basic functionality of the table or chair. Stated otherwise, the device forms a stabilizing foot that is connectable to the legs of a chair or table without substantially altering the seat height of the chair or the top of the table.

1 . A stabilizing foot for stabilizing a table, chair, appliance or other device supported by feet, comprising:
 a housing including:
 a base having a bottom surface for contacting a floor surface; 
 a cylinder attached to the base and having an internal bore, wherein a central axis of the an internal bore is substantially normal to the bottom surface of the base; 
   a piston disposed within the internal bore of the cylinder, the piston including a one-way flow element for permitting fluid flow in a first direction across the piston and restricting fluid flow in a second direction across the piston;   a shaft assembly having a lower end connected to the piston and an upper end extending out of an upper portion of the housing; and   a bias force element disposed within the internal bore of the cylinder between a bottom surface of the piston and an upper surface of the base; and   a working fluid substantially filling the internal bore of the cylinder, wherein the base and cylinder are fluidly sealed to maintain the working fluid within the internal bore.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the one-way flow element comprises:
 a check valve.   
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the upper end of the shaft is threaded. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the bias force element comprises:
 a spring.   
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein the spring comprises:
 at least one spring washer.   
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 4 , further comprising
 a stop interconnected to a bottom surface of the piston, wherein a lower end of the stop is disposable through a central aperture of the at least one spring washer.   
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein when the spring is in a compressed state, the stop is in physical contact with the upper surface of the base. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein a periphery of the piston is conformably shaped with an inside periphery of the internal bore of the cylinder. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein a periphery of the piston is differently shaped than an inside periphery of the internal bore of the cylinder. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 9 , wherein the periphery of the piston includes at least first and second lobes, wherein an interface between the lobes has a diameter measured form a center of the piston that is less than the diameter of the lobes as measured form the center of the piston. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein an overall height of the housing is between about 0.75 inches and about 1.25 inches. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the piston and shaft have a movement range of between about 0.15 inches and about 0.4 inches. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein a lower outside surface of the cylinder is threaded for receipt within a threaded inside surface of the base. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein a lower outside surface of the cylinder comprises an annular lip, wherein the annular lip is received in a snap fit arrangement with an inside surface of the base. 
     
     
         15 . A stabilizing foot for stabilizing a table, chair, appliance or other device supported by feet, comprising:
 a housing including:
 a base having a bottom surface for contacting a floor surface; 
 a cylinder attached to the base and having an internal bore, wherein a central axis of the an internal bore is substantially normal to the bottom surface of the base; 
   a piston disposed within the internal bore of the cylinder, the piston including:
 a fluid flow aperture passing through the piston from a top surface to a bottom surface; 
 a one-way flow element for permitting fluid flow in a first direction through the fluid flow aperture; 
 a shaft assembly having a lower end connected to the top surface of the piston and an upper end extending out of an upper portion of the housing, wherein the upper end of the shaft is threaded; and 
 a stop element attached to the bottom surface of the piston; 
   a spring washer pack disposed within the internal bore of the cylinder between the bottom surface of the piston and an upper surface of the base, wherein the stop element is aligned with a central aperture of the spring washer pack; and   a working fluid substantially filling the internal bore of the cylinder, wherein the base and cylinder are fluidly sealed to maintain the working fluid within the internal bore.   
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein a periphery of the piston is differently shaped than an inside periphery of the internal bore of the cylinder. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the periphery of the piston includes at least first and second lobes, wherein an interface between the lobes has a diameter measured form a center of the piston that is less than the diameter of the lobes as measured form the center of the piston. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein when the spring washer pack is in a compressed state, the stop element is in physical contact with the upper surface of the base. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein an overall height of the housing is between about 0.75 inches and about 1.25 inches. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein the piston and shaft have a movement range of between about 0.15 inches and about 0.4 inches.