US2024074588A1PendingUtilityA1

Folding footrest system and process

34
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Sep 2, 2022Filed: Aug 30, 2023Published: Mar 7, 2024
Est. expirySep 2, 2042(~16.1 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:James N. Welter
A47C 7/50A47C 7/5068
34
PatentIndex Score
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Claims

Abstract

A folding footrest system and process for a sitting chair. The system and process include a first linear hinge connected to the sitting chair and a first section, where the first section is pivotally connected with the front portion of the sitting chair. A second linear hinge is connected to a second section and the first section, where the first section is pivotally connected with the second section. A third linear hinge is connected to a third section and the second section, where the third section is pivotally connected with the second section. A sliding plate can be slidingly connected with the third section, where the sliding plate can slidingly move in a linear and limited range of travel relative to the third section. A linear actuator is connected to the sitting chair and the sliding plate.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A folding footrest system for a sitting chair, comprising:
 a first linear hinge connected to a front portion of the sitting chair and a top edge of a first section wherein the first section is pivotally connected with the front portion of the sitting chair;   a second linear hinge connected to a top edge of a second section and a bottom edge of the first section wherein the first section is pivotally connected with the second section;   a third linear hinge connected to a top edge of a third section and a bottom edge of the second section wherein the third section is pivotally connected with the second section;   a sliding plate slidingly connected with the third section wherein the sliding plate can slidingly move in a linear and limited range of travel relative to the third section; and   a linear actuator connected at a first actuator end to the sitting chair and at a second actuator end to the sliding plate.   
     
     
         2 . The folding footrest system of  claim 1 , wherein the first linear hinge is connected to a bottom side of the first section. 
     
     
         3 . The folding footrest system of  claim 2 , wherein the second linear hinge is connected to a top side of the first section and a top side of the second section. 
     
     
         4 . The folding footrest system of  claim 3 , wherein the third linear hinge is connected to a bottom side of the second section and a bottom side of the third section. 
     
     
         5 . The folding footrest system of  claim 2 , wherein at least a portion of the first linear hinge is located between a front edge of the sitting chair and the top edge of the first section. 
     
     
         6 . The folding footrest system of  claim 4 , wherein at least a portion of the third linear hinge is located between the bottom edge of the second section and the top edge of the third section. 
     
     
         7 . The folding footrest system of  claim 1 , wherein each linear hinge is a single continuous linear hinge. 
     
     
         8 . The folding footrest system of  claim 1 , wherein each linear hinge has a hinge length at least 40% as long as a length of the sections to which the linear hinge is connected. 
     
     
         9 . The folding footrest system of  claim 1 , wherein each linear hinge has an effective hinge length of at least 25% as long as a length of the sections to which the linear hinge is connected. 
     
     
         10 . The folding footrest system of  claim 1 , further comprising the linear actuator being pivotally connected at the first actuator end to the sitting chair and pivotally connected at the second actuator end to the sliding plate. 
     
     
         11 . The folding footrest system of  claim 1 , comprising the sections being in series pivotally connected to each adjacent section and the first section with the sitting chair wherein the linear actuator moves the third section through a circular path with the third section being in a vertical orientation when the linear actuator is in a fully retracted position and the third section being in a horizontal orientation when the linear actuator is in a fully extended position. 
     
     
         12 . The folding footrest system of  claim 1 , further comprising at least two pivotally-connected linkage bars connected to and between the second actuator end and the sliding plate. 
     
     
         13 . A folding footrest process for a sitting chair, comprising:
 utilizing a first linear hinge connecting a front portion of the sitting chair and a first section in a pivotally connected relationship;   utilizing a second linear hinge connecting a second section and the first section in a pivotally connected relationship;   utilizing a third linear hinge connecting a third section and the second section in a pivotally connected relationship; and   moving the third section from a vertical orientation through a circular path to a horizontal orientation wherein the sections are in series pivotally connected to each adjacent section and the first section with the sitting chair.   
     
     
         14 . The folding footrest process of  claim 13 , further comprising temporarily locking the third section in the horizontal orientation to support the feet of a user. 
     
     
         15 . The folding footrest process of  claim 13 , further comprising moving the third section from the horizontal orientation through the circular path back to the vertical orientation. 
     
     
         16 . The folding footrest process of  claim 13 , further comprising utilizing at least a portion of the first linear hinge being located between the front portion of the sitting chair and the first section. 
     
     
         17 . The folding footrest process of  claim 13 , further comprising utilizing at least a portion of the third linear hinge being located between the second section and the third section. 
     
     
         18 . The folding footrest process of  claim 13 , wherein each linear hinge is a single continuous linear hinge. 
     
     
         19 . The folding footrest process of  claim 13 , further comprising utilizing a sliding plate that is slidingly connecting with the third section and slidingly moving the sliding plate in a linear and limited range of travel relative to the third section. 
     
     
         20 . The folding footrest process of  claim 13 , wherein the step moving the third section from the vertical orientation through the circular path to the horizontal orientation comprises actuating a linear actuator from a fully retracted position to a fully extended position. 
     
     
         21 . The folding footrest process of  claim 15 , wherein the step moving the third section from the horizontal orientation through the circular path back to the vertical orientation comprises actuating a linear actuator from a fully extended position back to a fully retracted position. 
     
     
         22 . The folding footrest process of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 utilizing at least two pivotally-connected linkage bars connected to the third section and to the sitting chair; and,   actuating the at least two pivotally-connected linkage bars from a fully retracted position to a fully extended position to aid in the step moving the third section.

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