Supporting foot pad for furniture

Abstract

A supporting foot pad (1) for furniture, which comprises a base body (2) defining an elongated element (3), configured to engage the lower portion of a leg (20) of an item of furniture, and connected to a base portion (4), the supporting foot pad (1) further comprising a supporting body (10) having a portion (11) for coupling to the base portion (4) and a supporting portion (12) designed for contact with a supporting surface for the item of furniture, connecting means being provided between the base portion (4) and the coupling portion (11), the base portion (4) defining a concave surface (4a) directed toward the supporting body; the coupling portion (11) has a convex surface (11a) designed to face the concave surface (4a); the connecting means (30) comprise a joint element (31) which is shaped like a portion of a sphere and a joint seat (32) which is shaped so as to correspond to the portion of a sphere and is engaged so that it can rotate by the joint element (31); the joint element (31) is provided in a single piece with the supporting base (4) and the joint seat (32) is defined on the coupling portion (11); the edge that is lower in use (4b) of the concave surface (4a) of the base portion (4) is arranged, in use, at a height less than or equal to the edge that is upper in use (11b) of the convex surface (11a) of the coupling portion (11).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a supporting foot pad for furniture, and in particular a foot pad intended to be fixed to the leg of an item of furniture, typically a chair.

[0002] It is known that supporting foot pads are fixed to the legs of items of furniture, in particular to tables or chairs, which can be placed on various support surfaces, according to the nature of the floor on which they rest.

[0003] For example, if the items of furniture are placed on a carpet or rug, the sliding surfaces can be made of smooth or plastic metal, in order to facilitate movement of the furniture, in particular of chairs. If the items of furniture need to be placed on a parquet floor, the sliding surfaces can be made, for example, of felt, in order to protect the parquet floor from damage.

[0004] Foot pads are known which have rounded support surfaces, especially in chairs where the legs are splayed at a marked angle outward from the seat. Having a leg of an item of furniture with surfaces thus rounded presents a problem, because rounded end surfaces do not result in a secure positioning of the leg of the item of furniture. It is known, for example, for felt elements to be glued to rounded end surfaces. However, owing to their rounded shape, these felt elements often become detached.

[0005] For this reason, in order to be able to adapt to the different inclinations of the lower portions of the legs with which they are to be associated, "jointed" foot pads have been proposed, which have a foot pad body which can be associated, typically by means of insertion with interference, into the downwardly-open tubular end of the leg of the item of furniture; the foot pad body has, downwardly, a male ball joint, with a female ball joint being defined on a supporting body, so as to be able to suitably incline the supporting body of the foot pad with respect to the direction of extension of the respective leg.

[0006] A foot pad is known from German utility model DE202023101119U1 which comprises an elongated body which is designed to be associated with the leg of a chair and which defines an internally-concave indentation passed through by a hole, and a supporting foot pad which has a dome-shaped portion which defines a through opening.

[0007] By virtue of the concave indentation, the supporting foot pad can be positioned in a particularly close-fitting manner to the leg of the item of furniture, while the corresponding locking is ensured by a screw inserted into the through opening and then into the hole defined in the elongated body.

[0008] To mount the supporting foot pad, the base element can first be roughly pre-assembled with the screw, which is made to pass through the opening and screwed into the elongated body, but without tightening the screw too much.

[0009] This can be done in particular on all the legs of the item of furniture, for example on the four legs of a chair.

[0010] If then the furniture part is positioned so that the foot pads of the item of furniture rest on the floor, the foot pads of the item of furniture can be aligned as desired with respect to the furniture leg using the weight of the furniture part, so that the screw can slide into the through opening. Subsequently, by tightening the screw, it is possible to fix the furniture leg in the position identified. Since the foot pad of the item of furniture can be adjusted even when the item of furniture is in the vertical position, by virtue of the slot-shaped through opening, a fixing is obtained that is easy to perform and as precise as possible.

[0011] The known solutions, although widely used, are not however devoid of drawbacks.

[0012] Firstly, with particular reference to the foot pad described in DE202023101119U1, it should be noted that it is necessary to manufacture and assemble at least three different components, which among other things need to be mounted using a screwdriver to screw in the connecting screw.

[0013] The aim of the present invention is to provide a supporting foot pad for furniture which is capable of improving the known art in one or more of the above-mentioned aspects.

[0014] Within this aim, an object of the invention is to make available a supporting foot pad for furniture that is aesthetically pleasing.

[0015] Another object of the invention is to provide a supporting foot pad for furniture that is highly reliable, easy to implement and at low cost.

[0016] This aim and these and other objects which will become more apparent hereinafter are achieved by a supporting foot pad according to claim 1, optionally provided with one or more of the characteristics of the dependent claims.

[0017] Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the description of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of the supporting foot pad according to the invention, which is illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a side view of a supporting foot pad for furniture according to the invention; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the supporting foot pad of Figure 1 taken along the plane of arrangement identified by the line II-II of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a view similar to that of Figure 1 with the supporting body arranged at an angle with respect to the base element; Figure 4 is a view from above of the foot pad in the condition of Figure 3; Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the supporting foot pad of Figure 4 taken along the plane of arrangement identified by the line V-V; Figure 6 is a partially-exploded side view of the supporting foot pad in the process of being mated with the leg of an item of furniture.

[0018] With reference to the figures, the supporting foot pad for furniture according to the invention, generally designated by the reference numeral 1, comprises a base body 2 defining an elongated element 3, which is configured to engage with the lower portion of a leg 20 of an item of furniture.

[0019] The base body 2 is connected to a base portion 4.

[0020] Specifically, the elongated element 3 extends along a direction of extension 100.

[0021] The supporting foot pad 1 further comprises a supporting body 10, which has a portion 11 for coupling with the base portion 4 and a supporting portion 12 designed for contact with a supporting surface for the item of furniture, for example the floor.

[0022] The supporting foot pad 1 has connecting means between the base portion 4 and the coupling portion 11.

[0023] The base portion 4 defines a concave surface 4a directed toward the supporting body 10, and the coupling portion 11 has a convex surface 11a which is designed to face the concave surface 4a.

[0024] The connecting means 30 comprise, in particular, a joint element 31 which is shaped like a portion of a sphere and a joint seat 32 which is shaped so as to correspond to the portion of a sphere and is engaged so that it can rotate by the joint element 31.

[0025] Advantageously, the joint element 31 is integral with the base portion 4, while the joint seat 32 is defined on the coupling portion 11.

[0026] More specifically, the joint element 31 is provided in a single piece with the base portion 4.

[0027] Preferably, the joint element 31 can be coupled, by snap action, with the joint seat 32 without the need for further locking elements, such as for example screws.

[0028] The shape of the convex surface 11a is substantially a portion of a paraboloid, and in particular a closed paraboloid.

[0029] The shape of the concave surface 4a is also substantially a portion of a paraboloid.

[0030] According to an aspect of the invention, the edge that is lower in use 4b of the concave surface 4a is arranged above the center of the joint element 31.

[0031] Specifically, this edge is arranged above the center of the joint element 31, independently of the relative angular position between the joint element 31 and the joint seat 32.

[0032] As shown in the figures, the edge that is lower in use 4b of the concave surface 4a of the base portion 4 is arranged, in use, at a height less than or equal to the edge that is upper in use 11b of the convex surface 11a of the coupling portion 11.

[0033] With reference to Figures 1, 2, 3 and 5, this is true whether the supporting body 10 is aligned vertically with the base portion 4 (Figures 1 and 2), or whether the supporting body 10 is arranged at an angle with respect to the base portion 4 (Figures 3 and 5).

[0034] Preferably, the supporting portion 12 is detachably associable with the coupling portion 11.

[0035] The use of the supporting foot pad 1, according to the invention, is evident from the foregoing description.

[0036] Specifically, it is possible to adjust the angular position of the supporting body without acting on screws or the like, but simply by suitably orienting the angular position of the joint seat 32 with respect to the articulated joint ball 31.

[0037] In practice it has been found that the invention fully achieves the intended aim and objects, by providing a supporting foot pad 1 that is extremely practical in its use and which, by virtue of the particular joint, is aesthetically pleasing, as no gaps are visible between the various elements by virtue of the particular position of the edge that is lower in use 4b of the concave surface 4a of the base portion 4, which is arranged, in use, at a height less than or equal to the edge that is upper in use 11b of the convex surface 11a of the coupling portion 11.

[0038] With reference to Figures 1, 2, 3 and 5, this is true whether the supporting body 10 is aligned vertically with the base portion 4 (Figures 1 and 2), or whether the supporting body 10 is arranged at an angle with respect to the base portion 4 (Figures 3 and 5). Furthermore, as the locking screw is not necessary, the costs and times of mounting and assembly are appreciably lower.

[0039] Furthermore, disposal at product end of life is facilitated.

[0040] The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims. Moreover, all the details may be substituted by other, technically equivalent elements.

[0041] In practice the materials employed, provided they are compatible with the specific use, and the contingent dimensions and shapes, may be any according to requirements and to the state of the art.

[0042] The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. 102025000004323 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.

[0043] Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly, such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims

1. A supporting foot pad (1) for furniture, which comprises a base body (2) defining an elongated element (3), configured to engage the lower portion of the leg (20) of an item of furniture, and connected to a base portion (4), said supporting foot pad (1) further comprising a supporting body (10) having a portion (11) for coupling to said base portion (4) and a supporting portion (12) designed for contact with a supporting surface for said item of furniture, connecting means being provided between said base portion (4) and said coupling portion (11), said base portion (4) defining a concave surface (4a) directed toward said supporting body and said coupling portion (11) having a convex surface (11a) designed to face said concave surface (4a), said connecting means (30) comprising a joint element (31) which is shaped like a portion of a sphere and a joint seat (32) which is shaped so as to correspond to said portion of a sphere and is engaged so that it can rotate by said joint element (31), characterized in that said joint element (31) is provided in a single piece with said supporting base (4) and in that said joint seat (32) is defined on said coupling portion (11), the edge that is lower in use (4b) of said concave surface (4a) of said base portion (4) being arranged, in use, at a height less than or equal to the edge that is upper in use (11b) of said convex surface (11a) of said coupling portion (11).

2. The supporting foot pad (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said convex surface (11a) is shaped substantially like a portion of a paraboloid.

3. The supporting foot pad (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said concave surface (4a) is shaped substantially like a portion of a paraboloid.

4. The supporting foot pad (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the edge that is lower in use (4b) of said concave surface (4a) is arranged above the center of said joint element (31).

5. The supporting foot pad (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said supporting portion (12) is detachably associable with said coupling portion.

6. The supporting foot pad (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said joint element (31) can be coupled, by snap-action, with said joint seat (32).

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