Concealed Cabinet Step Stool With Hands-Free Rotating Footplate
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional step stools require significant storage space, can cause damage to surroundings, and often need to be used with hands, which is unsanitary, especially in kitchen and bathroom settings, and existing foldable or retractable options are cumbersome, aesthetically unpleasing, or require custom cabinetry.
Innovation Solution
A deployable step stool system with a housing plate bolted to the floor or cabinet walls, featuring a hinged footplate that rotates from a perpendicular to a parallel position using springs or a motor module, allowing concealed storage and hand-free use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a conventional step stool is used, then it provides access to high areas, but it requires significant storage space and may cause damage to walls, floors, or cabinets
Solution Approach 1:
The step stool is nested within the cabinet space, utilizing the existing cabinet volume for storage. The footplate retracts into the cabinet cavity when not in use, effectively hiding the stool within the furniture structure and eliminating the need for separate storage space.
Solution Approach 2:
The step stool transitions from a two-dimensional storage footprint to a three-dimensional deployment within the cabinet's vertical and horizontal space. By utilizing the cabinet's internal volume and deploying the footplate upward and outward, the system provides step functionality without occupying additional floor space.
2Area of stationary object
If a conventional step stool is stored in a cabinet, then storage space is utilized, but it may cause damage to walls, floors, or cabinets
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates protective elements in advance to prevent damage during deployment and storage. The housing plate distributes mechanical loads across a larger cabinet surface area, and the controlled deployment mechanism prevents sudden impacts that could damage cabinet walls or floors.
Solution Approach 2:
The step stool employs a dynamic deployment mechanism that allows controlled movement from the retracted to the deployed position. This controlled motion prevents sudden impacts and reduces mechanical stress on the cabinet structure, eliminating the risk of damage during frequent use cycles.
3Ease of operation
If a conventional step stool is used, then it provides support for reaching high areas, but it requires users to grasp the stool with their hands which is less sanitary
Solution Approach 1:
The footplate is designed to be activated and deployed without requiring hand contact. Users can trigger the deployment mechanism using foot pressure or other hands-free methods, allowing the system to serve itself and eliminating the sanitation issue of hand contact with the step surface.
4Area of stationary object
If existing foldable or retractable devices are used, then they can be stored in cabinets, but they are cumbersome, visible and aesthetically unpleasing
Solution Approach 1:
The step stool mechanism is extracted and integrated directly into the cabinet structure itself, rather than being a separate portable device. The housing plate and deployment mechanism become part of the cabinet's built-in features, eliminating the need for visible external storage and providing a clean, integrated aesthetic.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system provides a convenient, space-efficient, and sanitary way to access high areas without damaging surroundings, as it deploys a secure footplate from beneath existing cabinetry, offering a hands-free solution that is aesthetically pleasing and easy to install.
Implementation Method 1
The spring assembly includes a first pin, a second pin, and a spring connected in series. The connector is attached to the first pin of the spring assembly... the spring exerts a horizontal force on the linkage of the first pin and the second pin
Implementation Method 2
The housing plate is configured to move through sliders powered by a motor module. The user first activates the motor module thereby releasing the housing plate from the sliders. The housing plate moves through the tracks and rotates the footplate to the second position
Data Source
AI summary
A stool that can be concealed underneath a cabinet. The present invention includes a housing plate with tracks that facilitate the movement of a footplate. The footplate is attached to the housing plate such that the footplate can either be perpendicular or parallel to the face of the cabinet. When the footplate moves from the perpendicular position to the parallel position, it locks into place, providing a secure step.