U.S. patent application number 13/668265 was filed with the patent office on 2014-05-08 for footstool.
This patent application is currently assigned to SQUATTY POTTY LLC. The applicant listed for this patent is SQUATTY POTTY LLC. Invention is credited to Phillip Dietz, Judy M Edwards.
Application Number | 20140123376 13/668265 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 50620979 |
Filed Date | 2014-05-08 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140123376 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Edwards; Judy M ; et
al. |
May 8, 2014 |
Footstool
Abstract
A footstool for use with a toilet, that includes a pair of
parallel footrests that are connected at their aligned forward ends
to the opposite ends of a spacer, generally forming a U-shape
configuration. The U-shape configuration allows for the storage the
footstool fitted to and partially around the base of a western
toilet. A sidewall extends downward from the footrests and spacer
leaving an open bottom end. Legs elevate the footrest from the
flooring. Leg extenders may be inserted into the base of the legs
to adjust the elevation of the footstool. The leg extenders may be
stored in the open bottom end. The legs and leg extenders can
receive a non-slip material installed to bottom ends thereof to
prevent the footstool from slipping.
Inventors: |
Edwards; Judy M; (Saint
George, UT) ; Dietz; Phillip; (Saint George,
UT) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
SQUATTY POTTY LLC |
Saint George |
UT |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
SQUATTY POTTY LLC
Saint George
UT
|
Family ID: |
50620979 |
Appl. No.: |
13/668265 |
Filed: |
November 3, 2012 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
4/254 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47K 17/028
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
4/254 |
International
Class: |
E03D 11/00 20060101
E03D011/00 |
Claims
1. A footstool for use with a toilet, the footstool having a body
composed of, a pair of parallel footrests connected through a
spacer generally forming an U-shape configuration, that is
preferably an arch where said arch shape allows for fitting of the
footstool around the base of a western toilet; extending downwardly
from said footrest and said spacer is a sidewall, said sidewall
forming an open bottom end; said footrests, sidewall, and spacer
are attached to a plurality of legs; a leg extender that is
releasably fitted into the base of said leg; and said footstool
including means for storing said leg extenders within said open
bottom end.
2. The footstool as recited in claim 1, wherein a non-slip material
is releasable attach to the base of said legs.
3. The footstool as recited in claim 1, wherein said non-slip
material is releasable attach to said bottom ends of each of said
leg extenders.
4. The footstool as recited in claim 1, wherein said leg extenders
are secured to said legs by an adhesive material.
5. The footstool as recited in claim 1, wherein one pair of the leg
extenders is of a lesser length than the other pair of said leg
extenders.
6. The footstool as recited in claim 1, wherein each said leg
extender includes a straight bayonet section a top end that is for
fitting into a slot formed in the base end of each said leg.
7. The footstool as recited in claim 6, wherein the under surface
of the said footrest and said spacer include a storage groove that
are each formed therein to receive each of the leg extender
straight bayonet sections.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] A footstool for supporting a person's feet while sitting on
a toilet.
[0003] 2. Prior Art
[0004] The modern day toilet most commonly used in the western
world consists of a bowl that can be cylindrical, oblong, or the
like, that is elevated above a bathroom floor. The user sits in an
upright position with their buttocks resting against an outer ring
of the toilet bowl to defecate into the bowl. The modern day toilet
is convenient, but not perfect. The human body has evolved and is
designed to be in the squatting position when defecating. When
squatting, the user's knees are above the anus. While using a
modern western toilet, the knees are essentially level with their
anus. Accordingly, the change from a person squatting with their
knees higher than the anus to where their knees are essentially
level with the anus has brought on numerous health problems to the
user.
[0005] Normal defecation is thought to necessitate three
components: spontaneous phasic rectal contraction that starts
during storage (autonomic component); relaxation of the anal canal
with an enlarged anorectal angle (mostly a somatic component); and
straining (somatic component). In the sitting position, the
anorectal angle is kinked which puts upward pressure on the rectum
and hinders the ability to defecate. The kink in the anorectal
angle causes several major complications. The user is unable to
fully eliminate the fecal material stored in the colon, and the
user is forced to strain more in order to defecate.
[0006] Because the user is unable to rid themselves of fecal
matter, toxins are stored longer in the colon. This may result in
the short term issues such as dysentery. The long term effect may
result in issues as serious as colon cancer.
[0007] The additional strain may result in incomplete or successive
movements that can be difficult, irregular, and/or painful. In
addition, this strain causes excessive pressure in the anal and
rectal veins. This excessive pressure may cause permanent damage
and result in the formation of hemorrhoids. Furthermore, the user
is at risk of developing microtears in the rectal region that can
lead to a prolapsed rectum, where the rectal walls pass through the
anus and lie exposed to the air and is extremely painful.
[0008] Because of the problems created by sitting to defecate, many
users will utilize medications such as stool softeners or
laxatives. Other users must limit their diets. Some users must
defecate several times a day, thus limiting their daily life
activities and lowering the quality of their lives. In the worst
cases, the user develops life threating conditions, such as colon
and rectal cancer.
[0009] In contrast to western countries, such as Asian and African
countries, where the common method for defecating is in a squatting
position, the general population has a very low incidence of
hemorrhoids, constipation, colon cancer, and diverticulosis
compared to the western worlds. Research has shown that in some
people, the anorectal angle kink is completely gone while
squatting. Because in the modern world a toilet is installed in
every house, business, and building and so engrained into the
culture, the probability of changing the modern western toilet is
not feasible. Therefore, a device is needed that utilizes the
modern western toilet, but still achieves the benefits of
squatting.
[0010] Several attempts have been made to assist the user to assume
a squatting position while using the western toilet. The majority
of the prior art uses a simple stool that is placed in front of the
toilet. However, these stools are in-convenient, generally making
it harder for the user to sit down on the toilet and difficult to
store. Where a stool structure is shown in a U.S. Patent to
Hokroski, U.S. Pat. No. 4,713,846, such did not provide for a
nesting against the toilet bowl in stored attitude as does the
invention and was therefore hard to position and difficult to
clean. Further, where in general structure of the invention was
shown in a prior art Design Patent application No. 29/430,327,
submitted by the present inventor, this foot stool lacked the
ability for a user to conveniently adjust the footstool height to
accommodate different heights of toilets and user requirements.
This height adjustment capability is needed to allow for different
toilet configurations. Also, because of the variant heights of the
human race, it is essential to have a stool that can be adjusted to
both the height of the user and the toilet. None of the other prior
art provides for a low cost means for adjusting the height of a
footstool.
[0011] The invention recognizes a potential benefit of providing a
footstool that allows a user to maintain a squatting position while
using the toilet, yet is easily adjustable for the variant in human
heights and toilet bowl heights that can be conveniently stored
under the toilet and is easily pulled into a position to
comfortably support a user's feet. In addition, the footstool of
the invention is formed to be light in weight yet sturdy enough to
not collapse should an adult stand on it, and is easily
manufactured preferably from a plastic material to be low in cost
and is easily cleaned.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] The present invention provides an easily portable footstool
that is stored in front of a western toilet that allows a user to
positions their feet on it to maintain a squatting position while
using the toilet. The invention includes the two parallel footrests
that are connected at their aligned forward ends by a spacer,
providing a u-shape design that, when not in use, is easily stored
by nesting around the base of a western toilet. A sidewall extends
downward from the footrests leaving an open area under the footrest
and spacer, creating an open bottom end, with the spacer lower edge
available for use as a handle that a user can grasp to move the
footstool.
[0013] Additionally, legs are included with the invention to
elevate the footrest and spacer from the flooring, and a friction
pad is preferably fitted onto the bottom of each leg to prevent the
footstool from moving during use.
[0014] Leg extenders allow for the use of the invention for the
variant in human heights and toilet bowl heights. To attach the leg
extenders to the footstool, the user simply removes a friction pad
from a groove in the bottom of each of the legs. A bayonet
connection at the top end of each the leg extender is used to
connect the leg extender to the leg. Thereafter, each fiction pad
is inserted into a channel located on the base of each of the leg
extender. When the leg extenders are not in use, the invention
provides storage grooves formed within the footstool body where the
leg extenders bayonet ends fit into.
[0015] It is a principal object of the invention to provide a
footstool which height is easily adjustable to account for the
variant in human heights and toilet bowl heights. Still another
object of the invention is to provide a footstool that can easily
be stored at the base of a western toilet, that is formed from
plastic to be attractive, easily cleaned and is cost effective in
its manufacture
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] The invention may take form in certain parts and arrangement
of parts, and preferred embodiment of which will be described in
detail in the specification and illustrated in the accompany
drawing, which for a part hereof:
[0017] FIG. 1 shows a side plan view of a footstool of the
invention, showing two parallel footrests that are connected at
their aligned forward ends by a spacer, providing a u-shape
design;
[0018] FIG. 2 shows a side view of the footstool of FIG. 1 further
including leg extenders that have been fitted into the base ends of
the legs;
[0019] FIG. 3 shows a side view of the footstool that shows an
exploded view of the leg extender;
[0020] FIG. 4 shows a bottom view of the footstool showing the leg
extenders internal storage location within the body of the
footstool, which extenders, are shown in FIG. 6, are shown fitted
to;
[0021] FIG. 5 shows a top view of the footstool; and
[0022] FIG. 6 shows a profile sectional view taken along the line
6-6 of FIG. 5 showing the leg extenders in their storage
position.
DRAWING
Reference Numbers
TABLE-US-00001 [0023] 4 top end 6 bottom end 10 footstool 18
sidewall 20 leg extenders 22 groove 24 friction pad 28 footrests 30
spacer 32 Legs 40 raised edge 50 storage groove 52 open bottom end
56 channel 60 raised ridges
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0024] FIG. 1 shows a body of a footstool 10 that includes the two
parallel footrests 28 that are connected at their aligned forward
ends by a spacer 30, providing a u-shape configuration that has
radius selected to fit, to nest against and partially extend around
a common western toilet base. The foot rests 28 on the top surfaces
preferably include a plurality of lateral ridges 60. A sidewall 18
extends downward from the footrests 28 and spacer 30 leaving an
open bottom end 52. Extending from the sidewall 18 are a plurality
of legs 32 whose bottom ends engages the floor. FIG. 2, shows the
invention in the footstool 10 as including leg extenders 20 shown
fitted into the base of the legs 32.
[0025] The parallel footrests 28 arranged are larger than a human's
feet to provide solid surfaces for the user feet to rest upon, and
supporting the user's weight in the squatting position. The
footrests 28 are each connected to ends of a center spacer 30. One
footrest 28 is located on one end of the spacer 30, with a
corresponding foot rest 28 located on the other end of the
longitudinal axis of the spacer 30. The footstool 10 horizontal
plane generally has an arch or u-shape configuration. This u-shape
configuration allows the user to easily store the footstool 10, by
nesting it around the base of the western toilet. The length of the
spacer 30 is generally wide enough to allow the user to comfortably
squat, while allowing the footstool 10 to be stored at the base of
a western toilet. Normally the footrests' 28 horizontal plane is
parallel to the floor. However, the footrests 28 may be angled to
provide better user position to squat while using the western
toilet.
[0026] Located along the outer circumference of the footrests 28
and spacer 30 is located a sidewall 18. The sidewall 18 may be
perpendicular to the horizontal plane of the footrest 28 or flair
out from the outer circumference of the footstool 10. Preferably
the sidewall 18 forward edge narrows to allow it to be conveniently
gripped by the user for adjusting the position of the footstool 10.
The sidewall 18 forms an open bottom end 52 under the footrest 28.
The sidewall 18 is commonly made of the same material as the
footrests 28 and the spacer 30, and are preferably manufactured
from a plastic material utilizing molding methods.
[0027] A plurality of raised ribs 60 are located on top of the
footrest 28. The raised ribs 60 create a non-slip surface to
prevent the user's foot from sliding off the footrest 28. However,
other non-slip surfaces or materials may also be used.
[0028] As shown in FIG. 1, the legs 32 support the footrests 28 and
spacer 30, and are connected to the bases of the sidewall 18. The
connection between the legs 32 and the footrest 28 and sidewall 18
must be such that it supports the weight of a human body. The
connection between the legs 32 and sidewall 18 preferably has an
arch shape that, in practice, will distribute the weight of the
user into the legs 32. In addition, the top of the arch allows for
the user to easily grasp the footstool 10, providing a hand grip to
facilitate a user in positioning the footstool 10. The lengths of
the legs 32 are preferably of a height to allow a user to
comfortably squat while using a western toilet while still allowing
the footstool 10 to be stored at the base of the western toilet
[0029] As shown in FIG. 6, a groove 22 is formed into the base of
each leg 32. The groove 22 is generally located near the outer
circumference of each legs 32. However, any open cavity that will
also receive a friction pad 24, as shown in FIG. 3, is acceptable.
The friction pad 24 prevents the footstool 10 from easily moving
along floors and dampens the sound of the footstool 10 against
flooring. The friction pad 24 is placed inside the groove 22. The
friction pad 24 is generally made of a soft material such as a
rubber type material. The friction pad 24 generally has a slightly
larger circumference than the groove 22. When the friction pad 24
is placed inside the groove 22, the resistance between the friction
pad 24 and the sidewall of the groove 22 is such that a deliberate
force is required to remove the friction pad 24. An adhesive
material may be used to secure the friction pad 24 in the groove
22.
[0030] Shown in FIGS. 2, for height adjustment, the leg extenders
20 are connected to each of the legs 32. Each leg extender 20
generally has the same outer circumference as the leg 32 base it is
fitted into. To create a pleasing look, when the leg extenders 20
are installed, there will be a smooth surface between the footstool
10 legs and the leg extenders 20. To accommodate variants in toilet
heights and human heights, the length of the extender legs 20 can
vary based upon the user's preference. In addition, the length of
each individual extender leg 20 may vary. This allows the user to
adjust the top angle of the footrest 28.
[0031] As seen in FIG. 3, the leg extenders 20 generally have a top
end 4 and a bottom end 6. Located at the top end 4 of the leg
extender 20 is a raised edge 40. The raised edge 40 is generally
located near the outer circumference of the top end 4. The size and
shape of the raised edge 40 is nearly identical as the groove 22.
Preferably, the raised edge 40 will have a slightly smaller
circumference than the groove 22. It is preferable that the
friction between the raised edge 40 and the groove 22 is such that
a deliberate force will be required to remove the leg extender 20
from the leg 32. An adhesive material may be used to secure the leg
extenders 20 in the groove 22. When the friction pad 24 is removed
from the groove 22, the raised edge 40 may be placed inside the
groove 22. The length and size of the raised edge 40, and groove 22
must be such that, when the leg extender 20 is installed in the
groove 22, the connection there between will be sufficient to
support the weight of a human.
[0032] Shown in FIG. 6, a channel 56 is formed in the base of the
leg extender 20. The channel 56 has the same shape and size as the
groove 22 that is located on the base of the leg 32. In practice,
when the leg extender 20 is placed on the leg 32, the friction pad
24 is fitted into the channel 56. It is preferable that the
friction between the friction pad 24 and the channel 56 will be
such that a deliberate force will be required to remove the
friction pad 24. An adhesive material may be used to secure the
friction pad 24 in the channel 56.
[0033] As shown in FIG. 6, the body of the footstool 10 is open to
allow access into the interior thereof through the bottom ends of
the side walls 18 and spacer 30 forming the open bottom end 52. The
open bottom end 52 allows access to storage grooves 50 formed on
the undersurface of the footrest that are for receiving the leg
extenders 20 raised ridges 60. The storage grooves 50 are the same
shape and size as the grooves 22 located at the base of the legs
32. As shown in FIG. 6, the leg extenders 20 can be stored in the
open bottom end 52 of the footrest 28. It is preferable that the
friction between the leg extender's 20 raised edges 40 and the
storage grooves 50 is such that a deliberate force will be required
to remove each leg extender 20 from a storage groove 50. An
adhesive material or tape may be used to secure the leg extenders
20 in the storage grooves 50.
[0034] While a preferred embodiment of the invention of the
footstool 10 with extender legs 20 has been shown and described
herein, it should, however, be understood that the description
above contains many specificities that should not be construed as
limiting the scope of the invention. Thus, the scope of the
embodiment should be determined by the appended claims and their
legal equivalents thereof, rather than by the examples given.
* * * * *