Foot control bracket for a portable sewing machine

Abstract

The invention relates to a support (2) for a pedal (4) for controlling a portable sewing machine (6), the support (2) comprising a base (8) for receiving the pedal (4), the support (2) further comprising means (10) for fixing the base to a piece of furniture edge (12), such as a table or armchair edge, allowing the pedal (4) to be actuated by a mid-upper part of a person's body, such as the abdomen or thorax. Abstract figure: Fig. 1

Description

Title of the invention: Foot pedal support for a portable sewing machine

[0001] The invention relates to a foot pedal support for a portable sewing machine. Technical field

[0002] The invention relates to the field of sewing machines, in particular to supports for control pedals of portable sewing machines. Previous Art

[0003] In the field of portable sewing machines, it is known to have at least one pedal for controlling the machine, electrically connected to the machine. Such a pedal (which is provided inside its housing with a control rheostat) allows, when pressure is applied to its surface with the foot, to start the motor of the machine and therefore the sewing mechanism. Such a pedal thus makes it possible to adjust the sewing speed of the sewing machine: like an accelerator pedal of a motor vehicle, the more the pedal is pressed, the greater the speed. By releasing the pressure on the pedal, the motor slows down and the sewing mechanism decelerates.

[0004] A problem arises, however, when a user of the portable sewing machine no longer has the use of his legs (permanently or temporarily). Faced with such a portable sewing machine with a foot pedal, the user then finds himself unable to use it.

[0005] There is therefore a need to have a device allowing a user who no longer has the use of his legs to be able to use a portable sewing machine with a foot pedal, without constraining his body or causing pain to it during use, while allowing him to have both hands free at all times to practice sewing. Description of the invention

[0006] The present invention aims to resolve all or part of the drawbacks of the state of the art cited above.

[0007] Thus, according to a first aspect, the invention relates to a control pedal support for a portable sewing machine, the support comprising a base for receiving the pedal. The control pedal is advantageously a mobile control pedal (therefore movable).

[0008] According to the invention, the support further comprises means for fixing the base to a piece of furniture edge, such as a table or armchair edge, allowing the actuation of the pedal by a mid-upper part of a person's body, such as the abdomen or thorax.

[0009] The presence on the support of such fastening means thus configured makes it possible to position the control pedal of the sewing machine at the height of a mid-upper part of a person's body, such as the abdomen or the thorax. A user of the portable sewing machine who no longer has the use of his legs can then easily operate the control pedal by pressing the mid-upper part of his body on the pedal, while keeping both hands free at all times to be able to practice sewing. The use of the sewing machine is thus advantageously facilitated for such a user, while allowing the latter to adopt an ergonomic and painless position for practicing sewing (arms bent between 90 degrees and 110 degrees, back straight).Furthermore, such a portable sewing machine pedal support offers intuitive use (move closer to the edge of the furniture to accelerate the movement of the sewing machine, move back to stop this movement), is inexpensive to produce (no electronics), easy to industrialize (without specific tools), allows a user to sew comfortably because his arms are not under tension during use of the machine's control pedal, and allows a user to switch from a disabled person to an able-bodied person, and vice versa, without having to change the control pedal.

[0010] According to one embodiment, the pedal receiving base is provided with an elbow configured to come into contact with said furniture edge.

[0011] Preferably, at least a portion of the elbow is in shape correspondence with the edge of the furniture. This contributes to the stable holding of the base on the edge of the furniture, facilitating its fixing.

[0012] According to one embodiment, the base for receiving the pedal is a metal part made from one material and in the shape of a substantially right-angled “C”, said elbow forming one of said right angles.

[0013] According to one embodiment, said means for fixing the base to the edge of the furniture comprise a system with a threaded rod, wheel and pad; the pad being fixed to one end of the threaded rod, the wheel being fixed to the other end of the threaded rod.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the lower branch of the “C” formed by the pedal receiving base is provided with an opening for the threaded rod to pass through, said pad being intended to press against a lower face of the furniture edge by screwing the threaded rod, to allow the base to be fixed to the edge. Preferably, the opening for the threaded rod to pass through is itself threaded.

[0015] Preferably, the support further comprises at least one non-slip pad arranged between the base and one face of the furniture edge. This makes it possible to reinforce the adhesion between the base and the furniture edge, and thus to further stabilize the po positioning of the control pedal in relation to the edge of the furniture.

[0016] According to one embodiment, said at least one non-slip pad is made of non-slip foam.

[0017] Preferably, the base comprises first attachment means arranged on one of its external faces, said first attachment means being capable of cooperating with second attachment means arranged on a back of the pedal, for the removable securing of the pedal to the base. This makes it easier to install and uninstall the pedal from the receiving base. This characteristic also makes it possible to make the support according to the invention compatible with any type and model of portable sewing machine having a control pedal (typically a mobile control pedal). In fact, to be able to use the base with any type of control pedal (of any shape), it is sufficient to fix second attachment means on a back of the pedal. This characteristic finally makes it possible not to damage the pedal (use without deterioration).

[0018] According to one embodiment, said first attachment means and said second attachment means are hook and loop attachment systems. Figures

[0019] [Fig-1] is a side view of a foot control support of a portable sewing machine, according to one embodiment of the invention. Detailed description of the invention

[0020] In [Fig. 1] is shown a support 2 of a pedal 4 for controlling a portable sewing machine 6. The support 2 comprises a base 8 for receiving the pedal 4, and means 10 for fixing the base 8 to a furniture edge 12. Preferably, the support 2 also comprises at least one non-slip pad 14 arranged between the base 8 and a face of the furniture edge 12 (typically an upper face 12A of the furniture edge 12). The control pedal 4 is advantageously a mobile control pedal (therefore movable).

[0021] As illustrated in [Fig.l], the base 8 for receiving the pedal 4 is typically provided with an elbow 18 configured to bear against the furniture edge 12. Preferably, at least a portion of the elbow 18 is in shape correspondence with the furniture edge 12. In the particular embodiment of the invention illustrated in [Fig.l], the base 8 for receiving the pedal 4 is a metal part made in one piece and shaped substantially like a “C” at right angles. The elbow 18 then forms one of the right angles of the “C”-shaped metal part. The metal part 8 is for example a plate folded on itself in two places, at right angles, so as to adopt the substantially “C” shape and thus to “match” in some way the shape of the furniture edge 12. By way of non-limiting example, the metal plate metal sheet 8 has, for example, a length substantially equal to 20 cm when not folded, a width substantially equal to 8 cm, and a height substantially equal to 11.5 cm when folded (the height being measured in the vertical direction).

[0022] Preferably, as illustrated in [Fig.l], the base 8 comprises first attachment means 20 arranged on one of its external faces 22 (typically the external face of the central branch of the “C” in the particular embodiment of [Fig.l], which central branch faces a lateral face 12B of the furniture edge 12). The first attachment means 20 are capable of cooperating with second attachment means 24 arranged on a back of the pedal 4, for the removable attachment of the pedal 4 to the base 8. The first attachment means 20 and the second attachment means 24 are typically hook and loop attachment systems, allowing the removable attachment and detachment of the pedal 4 with respect to the base 8.In a particular embodiment of the invention, the second attachment means 24 are typically formed from a rectangular strip provided with loops or hooks, which rectangular strip has, for example, a width substantially equal to 2.5 cm and a thickness substantially equal to 0.4 cm.

[0023] In the particular embodiment of the invention shown in [Fig.l], the means 10 for fixing the base 8 to the furniture edge 12 comprise a system with a threaded rod 28, a wheel 30 and a pad 32. The pad 32 is fixed to one end (upper) of the threaded rod 28, and the wheel 30 is fixed to the other end (lower) of the threaded rod 28. The lower branch of the “C” formed by the base 8 for receiving the pedal 4 (which lower branch faces a lower face 12C of the furniture edge 12) is provided with an opening 34 for the threaded rod 28 to pass through. The threaded rod 28 therefore passes through the opening 34 and opens out onto the outside of the base 8 onto the wheel 30. Preferably, the opening 34 is itself threaded.The pad 32 is arranged inside the “C” formed by the base 8, and is intended to press against the lower face 12C of the furniture edge 12 by screwing the threaded rod 28 (by actuating the wheel 30), thus allowing the base 8 to be fixed to the furniture edge 12. In a variant not shown, the means 10 for fixing the base 8 to the furniture edge 12 can take any other form than the system with threaded rod 28, wheel 30 and pad 32 shown in [Fig.l].

[0024] The means 10 for fixing the base 8 to the edge of the furniture 12, thus configured, allow the pedal 4 to be actuated by a mid-upper part of a person's body (not shown), such as the abdomen or the thorax. Indeed, once the base 8 for receiving the pedal 4 is securely fixed to the edge of the furniture 12, a user who no longer has the use of his legs can at will actuate the pedal 4 for controlling the portable sewing machine 6, by pressing his abdomen or his thorax against this pedal 4.

[0025] The or each non-slip pad 14 for example fixed on a lower face of a wall of the base 8 (typically the upper branch of the “C” in the particular embodiment of [Fig.l]) intended to be in contact with the upper face 12A of the furniture edge 12. The or each non-slip pad 14 is typically made of non-slip foam.

Claims

Claims

1. Support (2) for a pedal (4) for controlling a portable sewing machine (6), the support (2) comprising a base (8) for receiving the pedal (4), characterized in that the support (2) further comprises means (10) for fixing the base to a piece of furniture edge (12), such as a table or armchair edge, allowing the pedal (4) to be actuated by a mid-upper part of a person's body, such as the abdomen or thorax.

2. Support (2) for a pedal (4) for controlling a portable sewing machine (6) according to claim 1, in which the base (8) for receiving the pedal (4) is provided with an elbow (18) configured to come into contact with said furniture edge (12).

3. Support (2) for a pedal (4) for controlling a portable sewing machine (6) according to claim 2, in which at least a portion of the elbow is in shape correspondence with the furniture edge (12).

4. Support (2) for the pedal (4) for controlling a portable sewing machine (6) according to claim 2 or 3, in which the base (8) for receiving the pedal (4) is a metal part made in one piece and in the shape of a substantially right-angled "C", said elbow (18) forming one of said right angles.

5. Support (2) for a pedal (4) for controlling a portable sewing machine (6) according to any one of the preceding claims, in which said means (10) for fixing the base (8) to the furniture edge (12) comprise a system with a threaded rod (28), a wheel (30) and a pad (32); the pad (32) being fixed to one end of the threaded rod (28), the wheel (30) being fixed to the other end of the threaded rod (28).

6. Support (2) for the pedal (4) for controlling a portable sewing machine (6) according to claim 5 when it depends on claim 4, in which the lower branch of the "C" formed by the base (8) for receiving the pedal (4) is provided with an opening (34) for the passage of the threaded rod (28), said pad (32) being intended to press against a lower face (12C) of the furniture edge (12) by screwing the threaded rod (28), to allow the base (8) to be fixed to the edge (12).

7. Support (2) for a pedal (4) for controlling a portable sewing machine (6) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the support (2) further comprises at least one non-slip pad (14) arranged between the base (8) and a face (12A) of the furniture edge (12).

8. Support (2) for a pedal (4) for controlling a portable sewing machine (6) according to claim 7, wherein said at least one non-slip pad (14) is made of non-slip foam.

9. Support (2) for a pedal (4) for controlling a portable sewing machine (6) according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the base (8) comprises first attachment means (20) arranged on one of its external faces (22), said first attachment means (20) being capable of cooperating with second attachment means (24) arranged on a back of the pedal (4), for the removable securing of the pedal (4) to the base (8).

10. Support (2) for a pedal (4) for controlling a portable sewing machine (6) according to claim 9, wherein said first attachment means (20) and said second attachment means (24) are hook and loop attachment systems.

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