Footrest

Abstract

To provide a footrest to be suitably used while a user is in a leg-crossing state.SOLUTION: An ottoman 10 as a footrest includes a placement surface 11 which extends in a right and left direction and in a front and rear direction and on which feet of a user are to be placed. The ottoman 10 includes: a deep groove part 16 for supporting the heel of one foot of the user; and shallow groove parts 17 for supporting the heel of the other foot of the user. The groove parts are respectively arranged on the placement surface 11. The shallow groove parts 17 are positioned to be higher than the deep groove part 16.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4A

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a footrest. [Background technology]

[0002] Footrests such as ottomans and footrests have been known for some time. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a footrest provided with a pair of left and right holding grooves for holding the feet of a user. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-62024 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, users may use the footrest with their legs crossed, and a footrest suitable for such use is desired. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] One aspect of the present invention is a footrest that extends in the left-right and front-back directions relative to a user and has a support surface on which the user's feet are placed, and includes a first heel support portion that supports the heel of one of the user's feet and a second heel support portion that supports the heel of the user's other foot, each of which is provided on the support surface. The second heel support portion is located higher than the first heel support portion. With this configuration, when a user crosses their legs and places both feet on the footrest, the heel of the upper leg is supported at a higher position than the heel of the lower leg, thereby reducing the burden on the lower leg.

[0006] Of the first and second heel support portions, at least the first heel support portion is preferably provided with a concave shape extending in the front-to-rear direction, which can prevent the heel from slipping off the first heel support portion.

[0007] The first heel support and the second heel support are preferably arranged side by side in the left-right direction. With this configuration, the heels of both legs can be kept close together when the legs are crossed, making it easier for the user to maintain a comfortable posture.

[0008] The center line that passes through the center of the support surface in the left-right direction and extends in the front-rear direction is preferably located inside the left-right area of the first heel support portion. This configuration allows the user to cross their legs comfortably and makes it easier for the user to maintain a crossed-legged position.

[0009] The footrest further includes an ankle support portion connected to the first heel support portion in the front-to-rear direction to support the user's ankle, and the ankle support portion is preferably located higher than the first heel support portion. With this configuration, not only the heel but also the ankle is supported, thereby reducing the concentration of force on the heel.

[0010] The first and second heel support portions are both concavely extended in the front-to-rear direction, and the left-to-right length of the first heel support portion is preferably longer than the left-to-right length of the second heel support portion. This configuration increases the freedom of movement of the lower leg when crossing the legs, making it easier for the user to maintain the crossed-legged position.

[0011] The first and second heel supports are preferably configured so that when one and the other of a user's feet are supported by the first and second heel supports, the amount of downward deformation of the bottom of the first heel support is greater than the amount of downward deformation of the bottom of the second heel support. With this configuration, even if there are differences in the physique of users, the heels of both feet can be easily supported in contact with the first and second heel supports.

[0012] The footrest may include a pair of support parts spaced apart in the left-right direction and a heel support member disposed between the pair of support parts, and the first heel support part may be formed by the heel support member. With this configuration, the downward deformation of the first heel support part can be easily increased.

[0013] The footrest may include a first member and a second member harder than the first member, provided at the front-rear end of the first member, and the second member may be retractable into the first member. With this configuration, the footrest can be used by placing feet on the second member when wearing shoes and on the first member when not wearing shoes, preventing feet from getting dirty.

[0014] The footrest may further include a removable or movable cover that covers the first heel support and the second heel support, which makes it possible to prevent the user's feet from getting dirty with a simple configuration. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to the present invention, the user can preferably use the footrest with his / her legs crossed. According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the heel from slipping off the first heel support portion. According to the present invention, the heels of both legs can be kept close together when the legs are crossed, making it easier for the user to maintain a comfortable posture. According to the present invention, the user can cross his / her legs comfortably and can easily maintain the crossed-legged position. According to the present invention, not only the heel but also the ankle is supported, so that concentration of force on the heel can be suppressed. According to the present invention, the degree of freedom of movement of the lower leg when legs are crossed is increased, making it easier for the user to maintain the crossed-legged position. According to the present invention, even if there are differences in the physical size of users, the heels of both feet can be easily supported in a state of contact with the first heel support portion and the second heel support portion. According to the present invention, the amount of downward deformation of the first heel support portion can be easily increased. According to the present invention, the footrest can be used so that the feet are placed on the second member when wearing shoes and on the first member when not wearing shoes, thereby preventing the feet from getting dirty. According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the user's feet from getting dirty with a simple configuration. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle seat to which a footrest according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of the vehicle seat of FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which an occupant is seated with his / her legs crossed. [Figure 4A] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an ottoman alone as a footrest according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4B] Arrow B view of Figure 4A. [Figure 5A] FIG. 4B is a perspective view of an ottoman showing a modification of the ottoman shown in FIG. 4A. [Figure 5B] FIG. 4B is a perspective view of an ottoman showing another modified example of the ottoman shown in FIG. 4A. [Figure 6] FIG. 4C is a front view of an ottoman showing a modification of FIG. 4B. [Figure 7A] FIG. 4C is a front view of an ottoman showing another modified example of the ottoman shown in FIG. 4B. [Figure 7B] FIG. 4C is a front view of an ottoman showing yet another modified example of the ottoman shown in FIG. 4B. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of an ottoman cut vertically along the center line. [Figure 9A] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing an example of a cover that can be attached to the top surface of the ottoman. [Figure 9B] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing another example of a cover that can be attached to the top surface of the ottoman. [Figure 10A] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing an example of a cover that covers the entire periphery of the front end portion of the ottoman. [Figure 10B] 10B is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 10A. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing yet another example of the cover. [Figure 12A] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing an example in which an extension ottoman is provided in front of the ottoman. [Figure 12B] 12B is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 12A. [Figure 13] FIG. 4B is a perspective view of an ottoman showing a further modification of the ottoman shown in FIG. 4A. [Figure 14]FIG. 4C is a front view of an ottoman showing a further modification of the ottoman shown in FIG. 4B. [Figure 15A] 1 is a perspective view of a sofa to which a footrest according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied; [Figure 15B] FIG. 15B is a perspective view of a sofa showing a modification of FIG. 15A. [Figure 15C] FIG. 15B is a perspective view of a sofa showing another modified example of FIG. 15A. [Figure 16A] FIG. 15B is a perspective view of a sofa showing yet another modified example of the sofa shown in FIG. 15A. [Figure 16B] 16B is a perspective view showing the state in which the upper armrest of FIG. 16A has been rotated to the right to the maximum extent. [Figure 17] 1 is a perspective view of a stool to which a footrest according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied; [Figure 18A] 1 is a perspective view of a hammock to which a footrest according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied; [Figure 18B] 17B is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 17A. [Figure 19A] 1 is a perspective view of a bed to which a footrest according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied; [Figure 19B] 19B is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 19A. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 19B. A footrest according to an embodiment of the present invention is also called an ottoman or a footrest, and can be applied to various products such as vehicle seats, and furniture such as sofas and beds. Below, first, an example in which a footrest is applied to a vehicle seat, which is an example of a vehicle seat, will be described.

[0018] 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle seat to which a footrest according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. For convenience, the front-rear direction, left-right direction, and up-down direction are defined below, and the configuration of each part will be described according to these definitions. The front-rear direction, left-right direction, and up-down direction in the figure correspond to the length, width, and height directions of the vehicle, respectively.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 1, a seat (vehicle seat) 100 includes a seat cushion 1 that supports the buttocks of an occupant, a seat back 2 that supports the back of the occupant, a headrest 3 that is provided on top of the seat back 2 and supports the head of the occupant, and an ottoman 10 that is supported on the front end of the seat cushion 1 so as to be rotatable in the vertical direction. The ottoman 10 has a predetermined width and length and corresponds to a footrest in this embodiment. The seat back 2 is supported on the rear end of the seat cushion 1 via a reclining mechanism 5 so as to be rotatable in the longitudinal direction. The seat 100 is supported from the vehicle floor via a support portion 6.

[0020] The seat cushion 1 extends in the front-rear and left-right directions, i.e., extends substantially horizontally, and has a generally rectangular shape in a plan view. The seat cushion 1 has a seat cushion frame 1a (only a portion of which is shown for convenience) that forms the skeleton of the seat cushion 1. Although detailed illustration is omitted, the seat cushion frame 1a has, for example, a pair of left and right vertical frames that extend in the front-rear direction, and a pair of front and rear horizontal frames that also extend in the left-right direction and connect the front ends and rear ends of the pair of left and right vertical frames, respectively, and the entire seat cushion has a generally rectangular frame shape in a plan view.

[0021] A generally plate-shaped pressure-receiving member (not shown) is disposed inside the seat cushion frame 1a (inside the frame). A resilient cushion pad made of, for example, urethane foam is provided inside and around the seat cushion frame 1a. The surface of the cushion pad is covered with a skin. A seating surface 1b on which an occupant sits is formed on the upper surface of the seat cushion 1. The seat cushion 1 is supported on the floor via a slide mechanism (not shown) so as to be slidable in the front-to-rear direction.

[0022] The seat back 2 has a seat back frame 2a (only a part of which is shown for convenience) that forms the framework of the seat back 2. Although detailed illustration is omitted, the seat back frame 2a has, for example, a pair of left and right vertical frames that extend substantially in the up-down direction, and a pair of upper and lower horizontal frames that also extend in the left-right direction and connect the upper ends and lower ends of the pair of left and right vertical frames, respectively, and the entire seat back frame has a substantially rectangular frame shape when viewed from the front.

[0023] A generally plate-shaped pressure-receiving member (not shown) is disposed inside the seatback frame 2a (inside the frame). A resilient back pad made of, for example, urethane foam is provided inside and around the seatback frame 2a. The surface of the back pad is covered with a skin. A seating surface 2b on which an occupant sits is formed at the front of the seatback 2.

[0024] The ottoman 10 is supported so as to be rotatable in the vertical direction around a shaft 7 extending laterally from the front end of the seat cushion 1 as a fulcrum. That is, as shown by the arrows, the ottoman 10 is supported so as to be rotatable from a non-use position (solid line) to a use position (dotted line) or from the use position to the non-use position. An actuator such as an electric motor or cylinder is provided on the shaft 7. The ottoman 10 can be rotated in the vertical direction by driving the actuator in response to a command from the occupant (for example, by operating a switch). The ottoman 10 may also be rotated manually, without being driven by an actuator. The ottoman 10 may also be biased by a spring to the use position or the non-use position.

[0025] The ottoman 10 has an ottoman frame 10a (only a portion of which is shown for convenience) that forms the framework of the ottoman 10. Although detailed illustration is omitted, the ottoman frame 10a has, for example, a pair of left and right vertical frames that extend substantially vertically when in the unused position, and a pair of upper and lower horizontal frames that also extend left and right and connect the upper ends and lower ends of the pair of left and right vertical frames, respectively, and the entire ottoman frame has a substantially rectangular frame shape when viewed from the front.

[0026] An elastic ottoman pad made of, for example, urethane foam is provided inside and around the ottoman frame 10a (inside the frame). The surface of the ottoman pad is covered with a skin. The interior of the ottoman 10 can also be hollow (see FIG. 12B). The surface of the ottoman 10 forms a support surface 11 on which the occupant's legs (mainly from the knees down) are placed. The support surface 11 faces upward when the ottoman 10 is in the use position and faces forward when it is in the non-use position.

[0027] FIG. 2 is a side view showing the schematic configuration of the seat 100. FIG. 2 shows the ottoman 10 in the use position. As shown in FIG. 2, in the use position, the support surface 11 of the ottoman 10 extends in a substantially horizontal direction. Strictly speaking, the front end of the ottoman 10 is located lower than the rear end, and the support surface 11 slopes gently downward toward the front. Note that the front end may be located at the same vertical position as the rear end, or the front end may be located higher than the rear end. In either case, in the use position, the support surface 11 is substantially horizontal.

[0028] The ottoman 10 is provided so as to be movable in the front-rear direction relative to the seat cushion 1 via a movement mechanism 12. More specifically, the ottoman 10 is provided so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction (direction of arrow A) along a slide frame 13 supported by the cushion frame 1a. This allows the ottoman 10 to move to any position between a rear end position (solid line) where it has moved as far rearward as possible and a front end position (dotted line) where it has moved as far forward as possible, making it suitable for use by occupants of different physiques and riding positions. The front-rear movement of the ottoman 10 can be achieved by driving an actuator such as an electric motor or a cylinder.

[0029] Incidentally, an occupant may sit on the seat 100 with their legs crossed. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state in which an occupant sits with their legs crossed. In the following, the region from the pelvis to the ankles will be referred to as the legs, and the region from the ankles to the toes will be referred to as the feet. For convenience, only the ottoman 10 of the seat 100 is shown in FIG. 3.

[0030] 3 shows an example in which the left foot (left ankle) 200L is placed crossed over the right foot (right ankle) 200R. Therefore, the right foot 200R is the lower foot (lower foot) 201, and the left foot 200L is the upper foot (upper foot) 202. In this state, the heel of the right foot 200R, which is the part below the knee, is in contact with the placement surface 11, and the left foot 200L is floating above the placement surface 11. Note that, unlike FIG. 3, the left foot 200L may be the lower foot 201, and the right foot 200R may be the upper foot 202.

[0031] If the support surface 11 were formed flat in this state with the legs crossed, the position and posture of the legs would become unstable, which could impair the comfort of the occupant. Therefore, in order to increase the comfort of the occupant when using the ottoman 10 with the legs crossed, this embodiment configures the ottoman 10 as follows.

[0032] FIG. 4A is a perspective view of ottoman 10 alone as a footrest according to this embodiment, and FIG. 4B is a view (view along arrow B) of ottoman 10 in FIG. 4A as seen from the front. The following describes the configuration of ottoman 10, assuming that ottoman 10 is in the use position shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 4A, ottoman 10 has front, rear, left, and right side surfaces (front end surface 10Fr, rear end surface 10Rr, left side surface 10L, and right side surface 10R) that extend vertically, and top surface 10U and bottom surface 10D that extend substantially horizontally. Therefore, ottoman 10 has a predetermined width in the horizontal direction, a predetermined length in the vertical direction, and a predetermined thickness in the vertical direction, and is generally rectangular in shape.

[0033] An upper surface 10U of ottoman 10 constitutes a support surface 11. If a center line CL is defined as a straight line passing through the center of ottoman 10 in the left-right direction and extending in the front-rear direction, a recessed groove portion 15 is provided on upper surface 10U of ottoman 10, extending in the front-rear direction along center line CL from front end surface 10Fr to rear end surface 10Rr. More specifically, groove portion 15 has a single deep groove portion 16 extending along center line CL and a pair of shallow groove portions 17, 17 provided on both the left and right sides of deep groove portion 16, and ottoman 10 as a whole is configured symmetrically with respect to center line CL.

[0034] As shown in Fig. 4B, lower foot 201 (left foot 200L in Fig. 4B) is placed in deep groove portion 16, and upper foot 202 (right foot 200R in Fig. 4B) is placed in shallow groove portion 17 on the left side. With lower foot 201 and upper foot 202 placed in groove portion 15, the toes of the feet point upward, and heel 201a of lower foot 201 abuts against bottom surface 16a of deep groove portion 16, and heel 202a of upper foot 202 abuts against bottom surface 17a of shallow groove portion 17. There is a case where right foot 200R is placed in deep groove portion 16, in which case left foot 200L is placed in shallow groove portion 17 on the right side.

[0035] The bottom surfaces 16a, 17a are configured as flat or substantially flat surfaces. The bottom surfaces 16a, 17a may also be configured as curved surfaces. For example, the bottom surfaces 16a, 17a may each be configured as a concave curved surface that is concave downward. The bottom surface 17a may also be configured as a curve that gradually becomes higher outward in the left-right direction.

[0036] The width W1 (length in the left-right direction) of the deep groove portion 16 is wider than the width W2 of the shallow groove portion 17. These widths W1 and W2 are set in consideration of the width of the feet (particularly the heels 201a and 202a) and the left-right position of the feet when the legs are crossed. That is, they are set so that the heels 201a and 202a of the feet abut against the groove bottom surfaces 16a and 17a, respectively. Furthermore, the depth D1 of the deep groove portion 16 is deeper than the depth D2 of the shallow groove portion 17. These depths D1 and D2 are set in consideration of the difference in height between the lower foot 201 and the upper foot 202 when the legs are crossed. That is, they are set so that the heels 201a and 202a of the feet abut against the groove bottom surfaces 16a and 17a, respectively.

[0037] As described above, deep groove portion 16 having a predetermined width W1 and depth D1 is provided in the left-right central portion of top surface 10U of ottoman 10, so that lower foot 201 can be well held in deep groove portion 16, stabilizing the position and posture of lower foot 201. Furthermore, shallow groove portions 17 having a predetermined width W2 narrower than width W1 and a predetermined depth D2 shallower than depth D1 are provided on both left and right sides of deep groove portion 16, so that upper foot 202 can be well held in shallow groove portion 17, stabilizing the position and posture of upper foot 202. The weight of upper foot 202 is supported by bottom surface 17a of shallow groove portion 17, so that the weight of upper foot 202 is prevented from acting on lower foot 201, reducing the burden on the foot.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 4A, the width W1 (FIG. 4B) of the deep groove portion 16 gradually increases toward the rear and reaches a maximum at the rear end. This allows the deep groove portion 16 to adequately support the calf of the lower foot 201. On the other hand, the width W2 (FIG. 4B) of the shallow groove portion 17 is constant or approximately constant from the front end surface 10F to the rear end surface 10Rr of the ottoman 10. The width W1 of the deep groove portion 16 may be constant in the front-to-rear direction. The width W2 of the shallow groove portion 17 may also narrow or widen toward the rear.

[0039] The deep groove portion 16 and the shallow groove portion 17 are made of the same elastic material (urethane foam). This allows the ottoman 10 to be manufactured inexpensively. The deep groove portion 16 and the shallow groove portion 17 may be made of different materials. For example, a cushion portion 18 having greater elasticity (a smaller elastic modulus) than the material below the shallow groove portion 17 may be provided below the deep groove portion 16, as indicated by the hatching. In other words, the material below the deep groove portion 16 may be made of a cushioning material. This allows the amount of downward deformation of the bottom surface 16a of the deep groove portion 16 to be greater than the amount of downward deformation of the bottom surface 17a of the shallow groove portion 17 when a foot is placed on the ottoman 10, allowing the heel 202a of the upper foot 202 to easily abut against the bottom surface 17a of the shallow groove portion 17.

[0040] The cushion portion 18 may be provided over the entire area below the deep groove portion 16, or may be provided over only a portion of the area. The cushion portion 18 may be made of a flexible material such as a three-dimensional mesh. A recess may be provided in the bottom surface 10D of the ottoman 10 below the deep groove portion 16 to thin the area below the deep groove portion 16. That is, by providing a thin portion below the deep groove portion 16, the deep groove portion 16 may be made easily elastically deformable, thereby forming the cushion portion 18. In addition to providing a thin portion below the deep groove portion 16, a compression spring with a small spring constant may be provided below the thin portion to make it easier for the thin portion to bend downward.

[0041] 5A and 5B are perspective views of an ottoman 10 showing a modification of the ottoman 10 shown in FIG. 5A. In the example shown in FIG. 5A, a pair of left and right shallow groove portions 17, 17 are not provided over the entire length of the ottoman 10 in the front-to-rear direction, but are provided only near the front end surface 10F. In other words, the shallow groove portion 17 is provided only in the front region of the top surface 10U of the ottoman 10 where the heel 202a of the upper foot 202 is placed. This makes it possible to regulate the position of the upper foot 202 in the front-to-rear direction.

[0042] In the example shown in FIG. 5B, the shallow groove portion 17 on the upper surface 10U of the ottoman 10 is omitted, and only the deep groove portion 16 is provided on the upper surface 10U as the groove portion 15. In this configuration, the lower foot 201 is placed in the deep groove portion 16, and the upper foot 202 is placed on the upper surface 10U of the ottoman 10 on the left or right side of the deep groove portion 16 (the placement portion 19 shown by hatching). Even with this configuration, the deep groove portion 16 can stably hold the lower foot 201, and can prevent the weight of the upper foot 202 from acting on the lower foot 201. Furthermore, in the example of FIG. 5B, the area of the flat surface of the upper surface 10U of the ottoman 10 is expanded, so that the occupant can easily place their left and right legs on the upper surface 10U of the ottoman 10 with the deep groove portion 16 between them, without crossing their legs.

[0043] FIG. 6 is a front view (viewed from the front) of ottoman 10 showing a modification of FIG. 4B. In the example shown in FIG. 6B, similar to FIG. 5B, shallow groove portion 17 is omitted from upper surface 10U of ottoman 10. However, unlike FIG. 5B, upper surface 10U of ottoman 10 is provided with a protrusion 21 that protrudes upward. Protrusion 21 extends in the front-rear direction, and a placement portion 19 on which upper foot 202 is placed is provided inside protrusion 21 in the left-right direction. In this way, protrusion 21 may be provided on upper surface 10U of ottoman 10 instead of shallow groove portion 17, thereby enabling upper foot 202 to be supported from the left and right directions.

[0044] 7A and 7B are diagrams showing another modified example of FIG. 4B. In the example shown in FIG. 7A, a convex portion 22 protruding upward is provided at the inner end in the left-right direction of the shallow groove portion 17, i.e., at the boundary between the deep groove portion 16 and the shallow groove portion 17. The upper end of the convex portion 22 is located below an imaginary plane 10U1 that is a horizontal extension of the upper surface 10U of the ottoman 10. In the example shown in FIG. 7B, similar to FIG. 7A, a convex portion 23 protruding upward is provided at the boundary between the deep groove portion 16 and the shallow groove portion 17. However, unlike FIG. 7A, the upper end of the convex portion 23 is located above the imaginary plane 10U1.

[0045] As shown in FIG. 7A, when the upper end of the protrusion 22 is located below the imaginary plane 10U1, the deep groove portion 16 and the shallow groove portion 17 are defined as being continuous. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 7B, when the upper end of the protrusion 23 is located above the imaginary plane 10U1, the deep groove portion 16 and the shallow groove portion 17 are defined as being discontinuous. Regardless of whether they are continuous or discontinuous, providing the protrusions 22, 23 at the boundary between the deep groove portion 16 and the shallow groove portion 17 can regulate the left-right position of the upper leg 202. In particular, in the example of FIG. 7A, the height of the protrusion 22 is low, so the upper leg 202 can be easily shifted inward in the left-right direction. In the example of FIG. 7B, the height of the protrusion 23 is high, so the upper leg 202 can be stably held independently of the deep groove portion 16.

[0046] In FIG. 4A, the depth of the deep groove portion 16 is constant from the front end surface 10Fr to the rear end surface 10Rr of the ottoman 10, but the depth may be changed along the way. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the ottoman 10 cut in the vertical direction along the center line CL, showing an example. In the example shown in FIG. 8, a bulge portion 24 that bulges upward is provided behind the deep groove portion 16 to match the shape of the occupant's ankles and calves. The bulge portion 24 is positioned higher than the deep groove portion 16, corresponding to the occupant's ankles and calves being positioned higher than the heels. This allows the occupant's ankles and calves to come into contact with the bulge portion 24, allowing the bulge portion 24 to support the ankles and calves entirely.

[0047] Ottoman 10 is sometimes used by occupants with shoes on. In this case, if the heels of the shoes come into contact with grooves 15 (deep grooves 16, shallow grooves 17), the upper surface 10U of ottoman 10 may become soiled. In consideration of this, a detachable cover may be attached to the front area of upper surface 10U of ottoman 10 where the occupant's shoes come into contact. FIGS. 9A and 9B are perspective views of covers 25 and 26 as an example. Note that both FIGS. 9A and 9B show covers 25 and 26 corresponding to the ottoman 10 of FIG. 5B, i.e., an ottoman 10 having only deep grooves 16 on the upper surface 10U.

[0048] The cover 25 shown in FIG. 9A has a pair of left and right plate portions 251, 251 that cover the upper surface 10U of the ottoman 10 (indicated by the two-dot chain line), and a curved portion 252 provided between the pair of left and right plate portions 251, 251. The curved portion 252 is formed with a concave curve so as to fit closely to the surface of the deep groove portion 16, and the curved portion 252 covers the deep groove portion 16. The cover 25 is made of a material harder than the ottoman 10. For example, it is formed by integral molding using a hard resin material so that it can be washed with water. Although not shown, the cover 25 is fixed to the upper surface 10U of the ottoman 10 by an appropriate fixing means. The cover 25 may be used alone as a thin ottoman.

[0049] The cover 26 shown in FIG. 9B has a pair of left and right plate portions 261 and a curved portion 262 provided between the pair of left and right plate portions 261, 261. The plate portion 261 is configured similarly to the plate portion 251 of FIG. 9A. On the other hand, the curved portion 262 is configured from a material having lower rigidity than the curved portion 252 of FIG. 9A, in other words, a material having lower rigidity than the plate portion 261 (for example, a washable rubber material). The cover 26 is applied to, for example, an ottoman 10 having a cushion portion 18 (FIG. 4B) below the deep groove portion 16. This allows the curved portion 262 to easily elastically deform downward when an occupant places their feet on the curved portion 262.

[0050] A cover may be provided to cover the entire periphery of the front end of ottoman 10. Fig. 10A is a perspective view of ottoman 10 and cover 27 showing one such example, and Fig. 10B is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in Fig. 10A. Figs. 10A and 10B show cover 27 corresponding to ottoman 10 in Fig. 4A, i.e., ottoman 10 having both deep groove portions 16 and shallow groove portions 17 on top surface 10U.

[0051] As shown in Figures 10A and 10B, cover 27 has a top wall 27U, a bottom wall 27D, a pair of left and right side walls 27L and 27R, and a front wall 27F, with the rear surface open. Top wall 27U is recessed and stepped to correspond to grooves 15 (deep groove 16, shallow groove 17) of the ottoman. Cover 27 is made of a material harder than ottoman 10, such as a hard resin material. Cover 27 is pressed into intimate contact with the periphery of ottoman 10 until front wall 27F abuts against front end surface 10Fr of ottoman 10, fitting snugly around the periphery of ottoman 10. This secures cover 27 to ottoman 10.

[0052] Fig. 11 is a perspective view showing another example of a cover. Fig. 11 shows a state in which a cover 28 is attached to an ottoman 10 having grooves 15 (deep grooves 16, shallow grooves 17). As shown in Fig. 11, the cover 28 has a cover portion 281 that covers the upper surface 10U of the ottoman 10, and a pair of left and right side wall portions 282, 282 bent downward from both left and right end portions of the cover portion 281. The cover portion 281 is formed in a stepped recessed shape corresponding to the grooves 15 (deep grooves 16, shallow grooves 17) of the upper surface 10U of the ottoman 10.

[0053] A through-hole 282a is formed in the side wall 282, and a shaft 283 is inserted into the through-hole 282a. The shaft 283 is attached to the right side 10R and left side 10L of the ottoman 10, and the side wall 282 is supported on the right side 10R and left side 10L of the ottoman 10 via the shaft 283 so that it can rotate in the front-to-rear direction. The cover 28 is formed by integral molding using, for example, a hard resin material. The front end of the ottoman 10 is formed in a substantially arc shape so that the cover 28 can rotate from above to below the ottoman 10 without interfering with the ottoman 10.

[0054] When using ottoman 10 with shoes on, cover 28 is rotated upward to its maximum extent as shown in the figure. As a result, groove portion 15 on top surface 10U of ottoman 10 is covered with cover 28 (cover portion 281), preventing ottoman 10 from getting dirty. On the other hand, when using ottoman 10 without shoes, cover 28 (cover portion 281) is rotated downward to its maximum extent and moves to the bottom of ottoman 10. As a result, top surface 10U of ottoman 10 is exposed.

[0055] 11, cover 28 is rotatably supported on the left and right sides of ottoman 10 and is configured to be movable from a use position above ottoman 10 to a non-use position below ottoman 10 via the front of ottoman 10. This eliminates the need to remove and store the cover separately, as is the case when a detachable cover (e.g., FIG. 10A) is used, making it easy to handle.

[0056] An extension ottoman may be attached to the front end of the ottoman 10 so as to extend the ottoman 10 forward. FIG. 12A is a perspective view showing the schematic configuration of an example of the ottoman 10 and extension ottoman 30, and FIG. 12B is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 12A. In FIG. 12A, only the deep groove portion 16 is provided on the top surface 10U of the ottoman 10, as in FIG. 5B. It is also possible to provide both the deep groove portion 16 and the shallow groove portion 17 on the top surface 10U of the ottoman 10. The ottoman 10 in FIGS. 12A and 12B will be referred to as the ottoman main body 10A to distinguish it from the ottoman 10, and the ottoman main body 10A and the extension ottoman 30 together may be referred to as the ottoman 10 as a whole.

[0057] As shown in Figures 12A and 12B, the ottoman 10 is configured as a housing with an open front and has a roughly box-shaped cavity (storage space SP0) provided inside. The extension ottoman 30 has a top surface 30U, a bottom surface 30D, left and right side surfaces 30L and 30R that run along the inner wall surfaces of the ottoman 10, and a front end surface 30Fr. A deep groove portion 36 is provided on the top surface 30U of the extension ottoman 30 so as to connect to the deep groove portion 16 of the ottoman 10. The extension ottoman 30 is stored in the storage space SP0 of the ottoman 10, and the front opening of the ottoman 10 is closed by the extension ottoman 30. The extension ottoman 30 is configured, for example, from a resin material that is harder than the ottoman 10.

[0058] As shown in FIG. 12B, a cylinder 31 that is extendable in the front-rear direction is disposed in the storage space SP0 of the ottoman 10. The cylinder 31 has a cylinder tube 311 fixed to the ottoman 10 and a cylinder rod 312 that is extendable and retractable housed in the cylinder tube 311 and has its tip fixed to the extension ottoman 30. A scraper 102 protrudes downward along the entire length in the left-right direction from the front end of the upper wall 101 that forms the upper surface 10U of the ottoman 10. The scraper 102 is made of, for example, a bendable hard rubber material, and is bent rearward with its tip abutting the upper surface 30U of the extension ottoman 30. A brush may be provided instead of the scraper 102.

[0059] The cylinder 31 is configured to extend and retract in response to, for example, a switch operation by the occupant. When using the ottoman 10 with shoes on, the extension ottoman 30 is moved to its most forward position, as shown by the solid line in Fig. 12B. At this time, the occupant uses the ottoman 10 (extension ottoman 30) by placing the heels of their shoes on the deep groove portion 36 on the upper surface 30U of the extension ottoman 30 and on the placement portions 37 on both sides of the deep groove portion 36 and the hatched portions, as shown in Fig. 12A.

[0060] When an occupant uses the ottoman 10 without shoes, the extension ottoman 30 is moved all the way rearward to its unused position, as shown by the dotted line in Fig. 12B. At this time, the occupant uses the ottoman 10 by placing the heels of their shoes on the deep groove portion 16 on the top surface of the ottoman 10 and the hatched placement portions 19 (see Fig. 5B) on both sides of it, as shown in Fig. 12A. To align the position of the deep groove portion 16 when the ottoman 10 is in use with the position of the deep groove portion 36 when the extension ottoman 30 is in use, the ottoman 10 may be moved forward via the movement mechanism 12 (Fig. 2) when the ottoman 10 is in use.

[0061] When the extension ottoman 30 is moved from the use position to the non-use position, the top surface 30U of the extension ottoman 30 is slid by the tip of the scraper 102. This allows the scraper 102 to remove dirt from the top surface 30U of the extension ottoman 30. As a result, the top surface 30U of the extension ottoman 30 is cleaned, and foreign matter such as soil and sand is prevented from entering the storage space SP0, maintaining smooth operation of the cylinder 31.

[0062] 4A and other figures, the grooves 15 (deep grooves 16, shallow grooves 17) are provided over the entire length of the ottoman 10 in the front-to-rear direction, but as shown in Fig. 13, the grooves 15 (deep grooves 16, shallow grooves 17) may be provided only on the front side of the top surface 10U of the ottoman 10 (for example, forward of the center in the front-to-rear direction). In other words, the grooves 15 may be provided only around the area where the heels of the occupant will come into contact.

[0063] While Fig. 4B illustrates an example in which cushioning portions 18 are provided below deep groove portions 16, ottoman 10 may be divided in the left-right direction, with an intermediate member made of a flexible (low-rigidity) material installed between the two. Fig. 14 is a front view of an ottoman showing such an example. As shown in Fig. 14, ottoman 10 is divided into left and right ottomans (left ottoman 110 and right ottoman 120), and the bottom ends of left ottoman 110 and right ottoman 120 are connected via frame 115. Shallow groove portions 17 are provided at the left end of the upper surface of left ottoman 110 and the right end of the upper surface of right ottoman 120.

[0064] An intermediate member 130 is installed between the right end of the shallow groove portion 17 of the left ottoman 110 and the left end of the shallow groove portion 17 of the right ottoman 120. The intermediate member 130 is made of a material that is more flexible than the ottoman 10 (shallow groove portion 17). For example, the intermediate member 130 is made of a stretchable cloth or net. A space SP1 is defined below the intermediate member 130, and the intermediate member 130 can be displaced into the space SP1. This increases the amount of downward deformation of the intermediate member 130 when an occupant places their lower foot 201 on the intermediate member 130. With this configuration, if the occupant's upper foot 202 is lifted off the bottom surface 17a of the shallow groove portion 17, the weights of both the lower foot 201 and the upper foot 202 act on the intermediate member 130. Therefore, the amount of downward deformation of the intermediate member 130 increases, and as a result, the heel of the upper foot 202 rests on the bottom surface 17a of the shallow groove portion 17, and the weight of the upper foot 202 acting on the lower foot 201 can be suppressed.

[0065] The intermediate member 130 may be supported by the left ottoman 110 and the right ottoman 120 via spring members. In this case, the intermediate member 130 does not need to be made of an extendable member. A recess deeper than the deep groove portion 16 may be provided in the center of the top surface of the ottoman 10 in the left-right direction, and the upper part of the ottoman 10 may be divided into the left ottoman 110 and the right ottoman 120 via the recess. In other words, the ottoman 10 may be configured so that the left ottoman 110 and the right ottoman 120 are connected together at their lower parts. In other words, as long as at least the upper part of the ottoman 10 is separated in the left-right direction, the ottoman 10 may or may not be completely divided into left and right parts.

[0066] According to this embodiment, the following effects can be achieved. (1) Ottoman 10, which serves as a footrest, has a support surface 11 that extends in the width direction (left-right direction) and length direction (front-rear direction) and on which the occupant's feet are placed (FIG. 4A). In particular, ottoman 10 of this embodiment has a deep groove portion 16 that supports the heel of one of the occupant's feet, and a shallow groove portion 17 or support portion 19 that supports the heel of the occupant's other foot, each of which is provided on support surface 11 (FIGS. 4A and 5B). Shallow groove portion 17 or support portion 19 is located higher than deep groove portion 16 (FIGS. 4A and 5B). As a result, when an occupant crosses their legs and places both feet on top surface 10U of ottoman 10, lower foot 201 is supported by deep groove portion 16, and upper foot 202 is supported by shallow groove portion 17 or support portion 19, which is located higher than deep groove portion 16. Therefore, the force acting from the upper leg 202 to the lower leg 201 is reduced, and the burden on the lower leg 201 can be reduced.

[0067] (2) The deep groove portion 16 and the shallow groove portion 17 are formed to extend in a concave shape in the longitudinal direction (front-rear direction) (FIG. 4A). This prevents the lower foot 201 and the upper foot 202 from shifting position, and enables the occupant's feet to be stably held in their predetermined positions.

[0068] (3) The deep groove portion 16 and the shallow groove portion 17, or the deep groove portion 16 and the placing portion 19, are arranged side by side in the width direction (left and right direction). As a result, the deep groove portion 16 and the shallow groove portion 17, or the deep groove portion 16 and the placing portion 19, coincide with the positions of the heels 201a, 202a of both feet when the occupant crosses their legs, making it easier for the occupant to maintain a relaxed posture.

[0069] (4) The center line CL, which passes through the center of the width of the support surface 11 and extends in the length direction, is located at the center of the width of the deep groove portion 16 (FIG. 4A). This allows the occupant to place both feet in the center of the width of the ottoman 10, making it easier for the occupant to assume a comfortable posture.

[0070] (5) The ottoman 10 further includes a bulge 24 that is connected to the deep groove 16 in the lengthwise direction and supports the ankles of the occupant (FIG. 8). The bulge 24 is located higher than the deep groove 16 (FIG. 8). This allows the legs to be supported not only by the deep groove 16 but also by the bulge 24, preventing force from being concentrated on the heels.

[0071] (6) The width W1 of the deep groove portion 16 is wider than the width W2 of the shallow groove portion 17 (FIG. 4B). This increases the degree of freedom of movement of the heel 201a of the lower foot 201 when the occupant crosses their legs, making it easier for the occupant to maintain a relaxed posture.

[0072] (7) A cushion portion 18 is provided below the deep groove portion 16 (FIG. 4B). As a result, the deep groove portion 16 and the shallow groove portion 17 are configured so that when the deep groove portion 16 and the shallow groove portion 17 support the feet of an occupant, the amount of downward deformation of the bottom portion (bottom surface 16a) of the deep groove portion 16 is greater than the amount of downward deformation of the bottom portion (bottom surface 17a) of the shallow groove portion 17 (FIG. 4B). The height difference between the heels of both feet when the occupant crosses their legs may vary depending on the physique of the occupant. However, by making the bottom portion of the deep groove portion 16 more flexible via the cushion portion 18, the heels of both feet can be brought into contact with the bottom surface 16a of the deep groove portion 16 and the bottom surface 17a of the shallow groove portion 17, even if the occupant's physique differs. This reduces the burden on the lower foot 201, improving the comfort of the occupant.

[0073] (8) The ottoman 10 includes a pair of left and right ottomans 110 and 120 spaced apart in the width direction, and an intermediate member 130 installed between the left and right ottomans 110 and 120 (FIG. 14). In this case, the intermediate member 130 functions as the deep groove portion 16 (FIG. 4B), and the lower foot 201 is placed on the upper surface of the intermediate member 130. This eliminates the need to provide the cushion portion 18 (FIG. 4B) below the deep groove portion 16, allowing the ottoman 10 to be configured to be thin in the vertical direction.

[0074] (9) The ottoman 10 includes an ottoman main body 10A and an extension ottoman 30 that is harder than the ottoman main body 10A and is provided at the front end of the ottoman main body 10A (FIGS. 12A and 12B). The extension ottoman 30 can be stored in the ottoman main body 10A (FIGS. 12A and 12B). As a result, when using the ottoman 10 with shoes on, the upper surface 30U of the extension ottoman 30 is the part that comes into contact with the shoes. Later, when using the ottoman 10 without shoes, storing the extension ottoman 30 prevents the feet from getting dirty.

[0075] (10) The ottoman 10 further includes removable or movable covers 25 to 28 (FIGS. 9A to 11) that cover the front areas of the deep groove portion 16 and the shallow groove portion 17 where the occupant's feet are placed. This prevents the upper surface 10U of the ottoman 10 from getting dirty with shoes.

[0076] The above describes an example in which the ottoman 10 as a footrest is applied to a vehicle seat 100, which is an example of a vehicle seat, but the footrest of the present invention can also be applied to seats for other vehicles, such as trains, airplanes, and ships. It can also be applied to things other than vehicle seats. Below, several examples in which the footrest is applied to things other than vehicle seats will be described.

[0077] 15A to 16B are perspective views showing an example in which a footrest is applied to a sofa 300. In the following, the front-rear direction, left-right direction, and up-down direction are defined as shown in the figures, based on the seated posture. The downward direction in the up-down direction corresponds to the direction of gravity. FIGS. 15A to 16B show an example of a two-seater sofa 300 having a pair of seating sections in the left-right direction. The sofa 300 may be a one-seater or a three-seater.

[0078] As shown in FIG. 15A, sofa 300 has seat 301, backrest 302 erected from the rear end of seat 301, and a pair of left and right armrests 303 erected from both left and right ends of seat 301. Armrests 303 are fixed to the left and right ends of seat 301. The height of armrests 303 is lower than the height of backrest 302. Armrests 303 may be provided on only one of the left and right sides. A footrest 310 is provided on the upper surface of right armrest 303. A footrest 310 may be provided on each of upper surfaces 303U of left and right armrests 303.

[0079] The footrest 310 is where the user places their feet with their legs stretched out in the left-right direction. Therefore, the upper surface 303U of the armrest 303 is set to an appropriate height so that the footrest 310 is located at a predetermined height. For example, the height of the right armrest 303 is set lower than the height of the left armrest 303, which does not have a footrest 310. As shown in FIG. 4A , the footrest 310 has a deep groove 316 and shallow grooves 317 on both the front and rear sides of the deep groove 316. The height difference between the deep groove 316 and the shallow groove 317, as well as the height difference between the shallow groove 317 and the upper surface 303U, are also the same as in FIG. 4A . The user places both feet on the footrest 310 with their legs crossed, either leaning back or upright. This allows the user to easily achieve a relaxed posture with their legs stretched out and crossed in a stable and comfortable position.

[0080] Figure 15B is a diagram showing a modified example of Figure 15A. In Figure 15B, the height of armrest 303 is higher than that of Figure 15A. For example, the height of right armrest 303, which is provided with footrest 310, is the same as the height of left armrest 303, which is not provided with footrest 310. Armrest 303 is provided with notch 315 over a predetermined range in the front-to-rear direction from upper surface 303U to footrest 310 so that a user can easily place both feet on footrest 310.

[0081] FIG. 15C shows another modified example of FIG. 15A. In FIG. 15C, footrest 310 is provided inside armrest 303, not on its upper surface 303U. That is, armrest 303 is provided with opening 314 penetrating armrest 303 in the left-right direction, and footrest 310 (groove) is formed in the bottom surface of opening 314. Therefore, the upper part of footrest 310 is blocked by armrest 303. With this configuration, upper surface 303U of armrest 303 can be left as is, and the function of armrest 303 is not impaired. Note that armrest 303 with footrest 310 shown in FIGS. 15A to 15C may be detachably provided at the end of seat 301.

[0082] Figure 16A shows yet another variation of Figure 15A. In Figure 16A, armrest 303 is divided into two parts, upper and lower. That is, armrest 303 has lower armrest 303A fixed to the left and right ends of seat 301, and upper armrest 303B placed on the upper surface of lower armrest 303A. Upper armrest 303B is supported rotatably in the direction of the arrow (rightward) via hinge 313 provided at the right end of the upper surface of lower armrest 303A. The upper surface of lower armrest 303A is located on a plane extending left and right from the upper surface of seat 301.

[0083] FIG. 16B is a perspective view showing the upper armrest 303B of FIG. 16A rotated fully to the right. The position of the upper armrest 303B in FIG. 16B is sometimes referred to as the "used position" and the position of the upper armrest 303B in FIG. 16A is sometimes referred to as the "non-used position," corresponding to whether the footrest is in use or not. When the upper armrest 303B is rotated fully to the right from the position shown in FIG. 16A, the right surface of the upper armrest 303B in FIG. 16A (the left surface in FIG. 16B) abuts against the right surface of the lower armrest 303A, changing the position of the upper armrest 303B from the non-used position to the used position. As shown in FIG. 16B, the upper armrest 303B has a protrusion 321 protruding upward from the upper and right end (the lower and left end in FIG. 16A). The protrusion 321 extends in the front-to-rear direction from the front end face to the rear end face of the upper armrest 303B. A recess 322 corresponding to the protrusion 321 is provided on the upper end surface of the lower armrest portion 303A.

[0084] As shown in Figure 16A, when upper armrest 303B is placed on lower armrest 303A, protrusion 321 fits into recess 322. This restricts the position of upper armrest 303B, allowing upper armrest 303B to be placed stably on lower armrest 303A. Although not shown, lower armrest 303A is provided with a fastener (e.g., a hook) that secures upper armrest 303B in place, and by releasing the fastener, upper armrest 303B can be moved from the non-use position to the use position.

[0085] As shown in FIG. 16B, a footrest 320 is provided in the center of the protruding portion 321 in the front-to-rear direction. The footrest 320 is configured similarly to the footrest 310 in FIG. 15A, for example, and has grooves (deep groove 316 and shallow groove 317) on the upper surface of the protruding portion 321. This allows a user to place both feet on the footrest 320 in a relaxed position with their legs crossed and stretched. As shown in FIG. 16A, when the upper armrest 303B is in the unused position, the left end of the concave footrest 320 is exposed and adjacent to the upper surface of the seat 301. This allows a user to insert their hand into the footrest 320 and rotate the upper armrest 303B to the right, making it easy to move the upper armrest 303B from the unused position to the used position.

[0086] FIG. 17 is a perspective view showing an example in which a footrest is applied to a stool 400. The stool 400 is used by a user sitting on a chair or sofa to place their feet. In FIG. 17, the front-rear direction, left-right direction, and up-down direction are defined for convenience, corresponding to FIG. 4A. As shown in FIG. 17, the stool 400 has a seat 401 that is substantially rectangular in shape in a plan view, and legs 402 provided on the bottom surface of the seat 401. The legs 402 are provided with a height adjustment mechanism 403 that adjusts the height of the stool 400 to match the height of the chair or sofa.

[0087] 4A is provided on upper surface 401U of seat 401. That is, footrest 410 is provided with deep groove 416 and shallow grooves 417, 417 on both the left and right sides of deep groove 416. This allows a user sitting on a chair or sofa to cross their legs and place both feet on footrest 410 in a stable position with minimal strain.

[0088] The footrest of the present invention can also be applied to a hammock. Fig. 18A is a perspective view showing an example of a hammock 500 to which the footrest is applied. For convenience, the front-rear direction, left-right direction, and up-down direction are defined below as shown in the figure. The downward direction in the up-down direction corresponds to the direction of gravity. Fig. 18B is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in Fig. 18A.

[0089] 18A, hammock 500 has a hammock body 501 made of cloth, netting, or the like, and string-like support parts 502 attached to both front-to-rear ends of hammock body 501. The ends of support parts 502 are connected to stands 505, 505 erected at the front and rear of hammock 500, and hammock body 501 is supported by stands 505 via support parts 502. A footrest 510 is attached to one front-to-rear end (for example, the rear end) of hammock body 501.

[0090] As shown in FIG. 18B, a molding member 511 is attached to the lower surface of the rear end of the hammock body 501. The molding member 511 is made of, for example, a resin material and has a recess 512 and a pair of recesses 513, 513 on both the left and right sides of the recess 512. The recess 512 is formed deeper than the recess 513. This allows the recesses 512, 513 to form deep and shallow grooves for the footrest 510 on the upper surface of the hammock body 501. By configuring the hammock 500 in this way, the user of the hammock 500 can cross their legs and place both feet on the footrest 510 in a stable position with little strain. The molding member 511 may also be provided detachably to the hammock body 501.

[0091] The footrest of the present invention can also be applied to a bed. Fig. 19A is a perspective view showing an example of a bed 600 to which the footrest is applied. In the following, for convenience, the front-rear direction, left-right direction, and up-down direction are defined as shown in the figure. The downward direction in the up-down direction corresponds to the direction of gravity. Fig. 19B is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in Fig. 19A.

[0092] As shown in FIG. 19A, bed 600 has a mattress 601 and a frame 602 that supports mattress 601. A recess 603 is provided in the center of the front end of mattress 601 in the left-right direction, and a footrest mattress 604 that constitutes footrest 510 is fitted into recess 603. FIG. 19A shows a state in which footrest 610 is located in the unused position. Footrest 610 is stored in recess 603 in the unused position. More specifically, footrest mattress 604 is fitted seamlessly into recess 603 so that an upper surface 604a of footrest mattress 604 is located on the same plane as the upper surface of mattress 601.

[0093] 19B shows the footrest 610 in a retracted, non-use position and in a use position, respectively, using dotted and solid lines. As shown in FIG. 19B, the recess 603 of the mattress 601 has a pair of left and right recesses 603a, 603a, and a protrusion 603b that protrudes upward between the pair of left and right recesses 603a, 603a. The upper end of the protrusion 603b is located below the upper end surface 601a of the mattress 601. The footrest mattress 604 has a base 605 that extends in the left-right direction across the area of the pair of left and right recesses 603a, 603a, and a pair of left and right protrusions 606, 606 that protrude from the base 605.

[0094] When the footrest 610 is in the unused position, the protrusions 606, 606 face downward and are housed in the pair of recesses 603, 603a, respectively. At this time, the base portion 605 extends in the left-right direction above the protrusion 603b, and the recess 603 is closed by the base portion 605. At this time, it is preferable to house the footrest 610 without any gaps in the recess 603 of the mattress 601. This prevents the mattress 601 from sagging, making it less likely to cause discomfort to the user. When using the footrest 610, the user lifts the footrest mattress 604 and flips it upside down. This places the footrest 610 in the used position.

[0095] In the use position, shallow concave grooves 617 are provided on the upper surfaces of the pair of left and right protrusions 606. A deep concave groove 616 that is deeper than the shallow groove 617 is formed between the pair of left and right protrusions 606. In this way, the deep groove 616 and the shallow groove 617 are provided on the upper surface of the footrest mattress 604 (the surface opposite to the upper surface 604a in FIG. 19A ), thereby forming the footrest 610.

[0096] Step portions 603c are provided at the left and right ends of the recess 603 so as to expand outward in the left and right directions. In the use position, the left and right central portion of the base portion 605 abuts the upper end of the protrusion 603b, and both left and right ends abut the step portions 603c. This allows the footrest mattress 604 to be stably supported in the use position. By configuring the bed 600 in this manner, the user of the bed 600 can cross their legs and place both feet on the footrest 610 in a stable position with little strain. The footrest 610 can be stored in the recess 603 when not in use, so the bed 600 can be used advantageously even when the footrest 610 is not in use.

[0097] In the above embodiment (e.g., FIG. 4A ), deep groove portion 16 is provided as the first heel support portion supporting the heel of one of the user's feet or the first below-knee support portion supporting one of the user's feet, and shallow groove portion 17 is provided as the second heel support portion supporting the heel of the other of the user's feet or the second below-knee support portion supporting the other of the user's feet. However, the first heel support portion and the second heel support portion may have any configuration as long as the second heel support portion is located higher than the first heel support portion. For example, as shown in FIG. 5A , the second heel support portion may be configured as a flat mounting portion 19. In the above embodiment, deep groove portion 16 and shallow groove portion 17 are arranged side by side in the width direction of the footrest. However, this arrangement may include both cases where deep groove portion 16 and shallow groove portion 17 are arranged continuously ( FIG. 7A ) and cases where they are arranged discontinuously ( FIG. 7B ).

[0098] In the above embodiment (e.g., FIG. 4A), the deep groove portion 16 extends along the center line CL in the width direction of the footrest, but the center of the deep groove portion 16 in the width direction may be offset from the center line CL0. However, it is preferable that the center line CL is located inside the width direction area of the deep groove portion 16. In the above embodiment (FIG. 8), the bulge portion 24 supports the user's ankle, but the ankle support portion may have any configuration as long as it extends in the length direction and is located higher than the deep groove portion 16. In the above embodiment, the width W1 (length in the width direction) of the deep groove portion 16 is wider than the width W2 (length in the width direction) of the shallow groove portion 17, but the relationship in size between the widths W1 and W2 is not limited to the above.

[0099] In the above embodiment (FIG. 4B), the cushion portion 18 is provided below the deep groove portion 16 to increase the downward deformation of the deep groove portion 16, but the first heel support portion and the second heel support portion may have any configuration as long as the downward deformation of the bottom of the first heel support portion is greater than the downward deformation of the bottom of the second heel support portion. In the above embodiment (FIG. 14), the intermediate member 130 serving as a heel support member is installed between the left ottoman 110 and the right ottoman 120 serving as a pair of supports spaced apart in the width direction, but the configuration of the pair of supports and heel support members is not limited to the above.

[0100] In the above embodiment (FIGS. 12A and 12B), the extension ottoman 30 (second member), which is harder than the ottoman main body 10A, is provided so as to be able to be stored inside the ottoman main body 10A (first member), but the configuration of the first member and the second member is not limited to that described above. In the above embodiment (FIGS. 9A, 9B, 10A, and 10B), the cover 25, 26, 27 is provided removably around the ottoman 10, and in the above embodiment (FIG. 11), the cover 28 is provided rotatably around the ottoman 10. However, the cover may have any configuration as long as it is provided removably or movably so as to cover the first heel support and the second heel support.

[0101] The above description is merely an example, and the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment and modifications as long as the features of the present invention are not impaired. One or more of the above-described embodiment and modifications can be arbitrarily combined, and modifications can also be combined with each other. [Explanation of symbols]

[0102] 10 Ottoman, 10A Ottoman body, 10U Upper surface, 11 Placement surface, 16 Deep groove portion, 17 Shallow groove portion, 18 Cushion portion, 19 Placement portion, 24 Bulging portion, 25-28 Cover, 30 Extension ottoman, 110 Left ottoman, 120 Right ottoman, 130 Intermediate member, 201 Lower leg, 202 Upper leg, CL Center line, W1, W2 Width

Claims

1. A footrest extending in left-right and front-rear directions relative to a user and having a support surface on which the user's feet are placed, a first heel support portion for supporting the heel of one foot of the user and a second heel support portion for supporting the heel of the other foot of the user, each of which is provided on the support surface; The footrest is characterized in that the second heel support portion is located higher than the first heel support portion.

2. The footrest according to claim 1, Of the first heel support portion and the second heel support portion, at least the first heel support portion is provided so as to extend in a concave shape in the front-rear direction.

3. The footrest according to claim 1 or 2, The footrest is characterized in that the first heel support portion and the second heel support portion are arranged side by side in the left-right direction.

4. The footrest according to claim 1 or 2, A footrest characterized in that a center line extending in the front-to-rear direction through the center of the left-to-right direction of the support surface is located inside the left-to-right area of the first heel support portion.

5. The footrest according to claim 1 or 2, An ankle support portion is further provided that is connected to the first heel support portion in the front-to-rear direction and supports the ankle of the user, The footrest is characterized in that the ankle support portion is located higher than the first heel support portion.

6. The footrest according to claim 2, The first heel support portion and the second heel support portion are both provided to extend in a concave shape in the front-rear direction, The footrest is characterized in that the length of the first heel support portion in the left-right direction is longer than the length of the second heel support portion in the left-right direction.

7. The footrest according to claim 1 or 2, The footrest is characterized in that the first heel support portion and the second heel support portion are configured such that, when one and the other of a user's feet are supported by the first heel support portion and the second heel support portion, the downward deformation amount of the bottom of the first heel support portion is greater than the downward deformation amount of the bottom of the second heel support portion.

8. The footrest according to claim 1 or 2, A pair of support portions spaced apart in the left-right direction; a heel support member disposed between the pair of support portions, The footrest is characterized in that the first heel support portion is formed by the heel support member.

9. The footrest according to claim 1 or 2, A first member; a second member harder than the first member, the second member being provided at an end of the first member in the front-rear direction; The footrest is characterized in that the second member is retractable into the first member.

10. The footrest according to claim 1 or 2, The footrest further comprises a removable or movable cover that covers the first heel support portion and the second heel support portion.

Images