Anti-Tip Chair Foot

Abstract

Disclosed is an anti-tip chair leg device that is attachable to the foot of a chair's rear leg, to prevent or reduce the risk of the chair tipping over backwards. This feature of the device is especially beneficial when a child is using the chair. The anti-tip chair leg device has a leg receiver housing mounted on a footplate. The leg receiver housing has means to grip the lower (or foot) portion of a leg of the chair leg received into the leg receiver housing. The grip means holds the foot of the chair leg in place when the chair leg is received in the leg receiver housing. The footplate then acts to shift the distance of a tipping moment-arm of the chair backward and away from the center of mass of the chair and increase the force required to tip the chair backward.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An anti-tip chair leg device ( 10   a ) attachable to a foot end ( 62 ) of a rear leg ( 60 ) of a chair, the chair leg device comprising:
 a footplate ( 12 ) having a top-surface ( 24 ) and a bottom surface ( 26 );   a receiver housing ( 14 ) integrated with the footplate ( 12 ) as a single molded piece, the receiver housing ( 14 ) having a leg receiver ( 14   a ) against which the foot end ( 62 ) of the rear leg ( 60 ) is receivable, the leg receiver ( 14   a );   a leg clamp attaching means ( 98 ) integral to the receiver housing ( 14 ), and adapted to provide for attaching/mounting an adjustable leg clamp ( 17 ) to the receiver housing ( 14 ); and   the adjustable leg clamp ( 17 ) adapted to grip and to secure the chair leg ( 60 ) to the leg receiver ( 14   a ), the combination of the footplate ( 12 ), receiver housing ( 14 ), leg receiver ( 14   a ) and leg clamp means ( 17 ) providing said device ( 10   a ) to reduce a tendency of the chair to tip backward.   
     
     
         2 . The anti-tip chair leg device ( 10   a ) of  claim 1 , wherein the footplate ( 12 ) has dimensions and a material composition selected to provide a structural integrity necessary to avoid bending or breaking under an appropriate range of tipping moment forces. 
     
     
         3 . The anti-tip chair leg device ( 10   a ) of  claim 1 , wherein the leg clamp attaching means ( 98 ) is adapted for attaching/mounting a “zip” strap & closure adjustable leg clamp means ( 17   c ) to the leg receiver ( 14   a ). 
     
     
         4 . The anti-tip chair leg device ( 10   a ) of  claim 1 , wherein the leg clamp attaching means ( 98 ) is adapted for attaching/mounting a “dimpled” strap type adjustable leg clamp means ( 17   d ) to the leg receiver ( 14   a ). 
     
     
         5 . The anti-tip chair leg device ( 10   a ) of  claim 1 , wherein the receiver housing ( 14 ) includes leg clamp attaching means ( 98 ) that is adapted for fastening the leg receiver ( 14   a ) to the chair foot ( 62 ) using a screw type fastener ( 17   e ). 
     
     
         6 . The anti-tip chair leg device ( 10   a ) of  claim 1 , wherein the leg clamp attaching means ( 98 ) is a loop-type leg clamp mounting means ( 102 ) fixed to a side of the leg receiver housing ( 14 ), through which an adjustable closure strap ( 17 ) can be passed. 
     
     
         7 . The anti-tip chair leg device ( 10   a ) of  claim 6 , wherein the adjustable closure strap is embodiment of a “zip”/“cable” type tie ( 17   b ). 
     
     
         8 . The anti-tip chair leg device ( 10   a ) of  claim 1 , wherein the leg receiver ( 14   a ) of the receiver housing ( 14 ) receives a chair leg ( 60 ) from the rear portion ( 28 ) of the footplate ( 12 ). 
     
     
         9 . The anti-tip chair leg device ( 10   a ) of  claim 1 , wherein the receiver housing ( 14 ) of the leg receiver ( 14   a ) receives a chair leg ( 60 ) from the front portion ( 30 ) of the footplate ( 12 ).