US20140123376A1

US20140123376A1 - Footstool

Info

Publication number: US20140123376A1
Application number: US13/668,265
Authority: US
Inventors: Judy M Edwards; Phillip Dietz
Original assignee: Squatty Potty LLC
Current assignee: Squatty Potty LLC
Priority date: 2012-11-03
Filing date: 2012-11-03
Publication date: 2014-05-08

Abstract

A footstool for use with a toilet, that includes a pair of parallel footrests that are connected at their aligned forward ends to the opposite ends of a spacer, generally forming a U-shape configuration. The U-shape configuration allows for the storage the footstool fitted to and partially around the base of a western toilet. A sidewall extends downward from the footrests and spacer leaving an open bottom end. Legs elevate the footrest from the flooring. Leg extenders may be inserted into the base of the legs to adjust the elevation of the footstool. The leg extenders may be stored in the open bottom end. The legs and leg extenders can receive a non-slip material installed to bottom ends thereof to prevent the footstool from slipping.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
A footstool for supporting a person's feet while sitting on a toilet.
2. Prior Art
The modern day toilet most commonly used in the western world consists of a bowl that can be cylindrical, oblong, or the like, that is elevated above a bathroom floor. The user sits in an upright position with their buttocks resting against an outer ring of the toilet bowl to defecate into the bowl. The modern day toilet is convenient, but not perfect. The human body has evolved and is designed to be in the squatting position when defecating. When squatting, the user's knees are above the anus. While using a modern western toilet, the knees are essentially level with their anus. Accordingly, the change from a person squatting with their knees higher than the anus to where their knees are essentially level with the anus has brought on numerous health problems to the user.
Normal defecation is thought to necessitate three components: spontaneous phasic rectal contraction that starts during storage (autonomic component); relaxation of the anal canal with an enlarged anorectal angle (mostly a somatic component); and straining (somatic component). In the sitting position, the anorectal angle is kinked which puts upward pressure on the rectum and hinders the ability to defecate. The kink in the anorectal angle causes several major complications. The user is unable to fully eliminate the fecal material stored in the colon, and the user is forced to strain more in order to defecate.
Because the user is unable to rid themselves of fecal matter, toxins are stored longer in the colon. This may result in the short term issues such as dysentery. The long term effect may result in issues as serious as colon cancer.
The additional strain may result in incomplete or successive movements that can be difficult, irregular, and/or painful. In addition, this strain causes excessive pressure in the anal and rectal veins. This excessive pressure may cause permanent damage and result in the formation of hemorrhoids. Furthermore, the user is at risk of developing microtears in the rectal region that can lead to a prolapsed rectum, where the rectal walls pass through the anus and lie exposed to the air and is extremely painful.
Because of the problems created by sitting to defecate, many users will utilize medications such as stool softeners or laxatives. Other users must limit their diets. Some users must defecate several times a day, thus limiting their daily life activities and lowering the quality of their lives. In the worst cases, the user develops life threating conditions, such as colon and rectal cancer.
In contrast to western countries, such as Asian and African countries, where the common method for defecating is in a squatting position, the general population has a very low incidence of hemorrhoids, constipation, colon cancer, and diverticulosis compared to the western worlds. Research has shown that in some people, the anorectal angle kink is completely gone while squatting. Because in the modern world a toilet is installed in every house, business, and building and so engrained into the culture, the probability of changing the modern western toilet is not feasible. Therefore, a device is needed that utilizes the modern western toilet, but still achieves the benefits of squatting.
Several attempts have been made to assist the user to assume a squatting position while using the western toilet. The majority of the prior art uses a simple stool that is placed in front of the toilet. However, these stools are in-convenient, generally making it harder for the user to sit down on the toilet and difficult to store. Where a stool structure is shown in a U.S. Patent to Hokroski, U.S. Pat. No. 4,713,846, such did not provide for a nesting against the toilet bowl in stored attitude as does the invention and was therefore hard to position and difficult to clean. Further, where in general structure of the invention was shown in a prior art Design Patent application No. 29/430,327, submitted by the present inventor, this foot stool lacked the ability for a user to conveniently adjust the footstool height to accommodate different heights of toilets and user requirements. This height adjustment capability is needed to allow for different toilet configurations. Also, because of the variant heights of the human race, it is essential to have a stool that can be adjusted to both the height of the user and the toilet. None of the other prior art provides for a low cost means for adjusting the height of a footstool.
The invention recognizes a potential benefit of providing a footstool that allows a user to maintain a squatting position while using the toilet, yet is easily adjustable for the variant in human heights and toilet bowl heights that can be conveniently stored under the toilet and is easily pulled into a position to comfortably support a user's feet. In addition, the footstool of the invention is formed to be light in weight yet sturdy enough to not collapse should an adult stand on it, and is easily manufactured preferably from a plastic material to be low in cost and is easily cleaned.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an easily portable footstool that is stored in front of a western toilet that allows a user to positions their feet on it to maintain a squatting position while using the toilet. The invention includes the two parallel footrests that are connected at their aligned forward ends by a spacer, providing a u-shape design that, when not in use, is easily stored by nesting around the base of a western toilet. A sidewall extends downward from the footrests leaving an open area under the footrest and spacer, creating an open bottom end, with the spacer lower edge available for use as a handle that a user can grasp to move the footstool.
Additionally, legs are included with the invention to elevate the footrest and spacer from the flooring, and a friction pad is preferably fitted onto the bottom of each leg to prevent the footstool from moving during use.
Leg extenders allow for the use of the invention for the variant in human heights and toilet bowl heights. To attach the leg extenders to the footstool, the user simply removes a friction pad from a groove in the bottom of each of the legs. A bayonet connection at the top end of each the leg extender is used to connect the leg extender to the leg. Thereafter, each fiction pad is inserted into a channel located on the base of each of the leg extender. When the leg extenders are not in use, the invention provides storage grooves formed within the footstool body where the leg extenders bayonet ends fit into.
It is a principal object of the invention to provide a footstool which height is easily adjustable to account for the variant in human heights and toilet bowl heights. Still another object of the invention is to provide a footstool that can easily be stored at the base of a western toilet, that is formed from plastic to be attractive, easily cleaned and is cost effective in its manufacture

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention may take form in certain parts and arrangement of parts, and preferred embodiment of which will be described in detail in the specification and illustrated in the accompany drawing, which for a part hereof:

FIG. 1 shows a side plan view of a footstool of the invention, showing two parallel footrests that are connected at their aligned forward ends by a spacer, providing a u-shape design;

FIG. 2 shows a side view of the footstool of FIG. 1 further including leg extenders that have been fitted into the base ends of the legs;

FIG. 3 shows a side view of the footstool that shows an exploded view of the leg extender;

FIG. 4 shows a bottom view of the footstool showing the leg extenders internal storage location within the body of the footstool, which extenders, are shown in FIG. 6, are shown fitted to;

FIG. 5 shows a top view of the footstool; and

FIG. 6 shows a profile sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 5 showing the leg extenders in their storage position.

DRAWING

Reference Numbers


4	top end
6	bottom end
10	footstool
18	sidewall
20	leg extenders
22	groove
24	friction pad
28	footrests
30	spacer
32	Legs
40	raised edge
50	storage groove
52	open bottom end
56	channel
60	raised ridges

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows a body of a footstool 10 that includes the two parallel footrests 28 that are connected at their aligned forward ends by a spacer 30, providing a u-shape configuration that has radius selected to fit, to nest against and partially extend around a common western toilet base. The foot rests 28 on the top surfaces preferably include a plurality of lateral ridges 60. A sidewall 18 extends downward from the footrests 28 and spacer 30 leaving an open bottom end 52. Extending from the sidewall 18 are a plurality of legs 32 whose bottom ends engages the floor. FIG. 2, shows the invention in the footstool 10 as including leg extenders 20 shown fitted into the base of the legs 32.
The parallel footrests 28 arranged are larger than a human's feet to provide solid surfaces for the user feet to rest upon, and supporting the user's weight in the squatting position. The footrests 28 are each connected to ends of a center spacer 30. One footrest 28 is located on one end of the spacer 30, with a corresponding foot rest 28 located on the other end of the longitudinal axis of the spacer 30. The footstool 10 horizontal plane generally has an arch or u-shape configuration. This u-shape configuration allows the user to easily store the footstool 10, by nesting it around the base of the western toilet. The length of the spacer 30 is generally wide enough to allow the user to comfortably squat, while allowing the footstool 10 to be stored at the base of a western toilet. Normally the footrests' 28 horizontal plane is parallel to the floor. However, the footrests 28 may be angled to provide better user position to squat while using the western toilet.
Located along the outer circumference of the footrests 28 and spacer 30 is located a sidewall 18. The sidewall 18 may be perpendicular to the horizontal plane of the footrest 28 or flair out from the outer circumference of the footstool 10. Preferably the sidewall 18 forward edge narrows to allow it to be conveniently gripped by the user for adjusting the position of the footstool 10. The sidewall 18 forms an open bottom end 52 under the footrest 28. The sidewall 18 is commonly made of the same material as the footrests 28 and the spacer 30, and are preferably manufactured from a plastic material utilizing molding methods.
A plurality of raised ribs 60 are located on top of the footrest 28. The raised ribs 60 create a non-slip surface to prevent the user's foot from sliding off the footrest 28. However, other non-slip surfaces or materials may also be used.
As shown in FIG. 1, the legs 32 support the footrests 28 and spacer 30, and are connected to the bases of the sidewall 18. The connection between the legs 32 and the footrest 28 and sidewall 18 must be such that it supports the weight of a human body. The connection between the legs 32 and sidewall 18 preferably has an arch shape that, in practice, will distribute the weight of the user into the legs 32. In addition, the top of the arch allows for the user to easily grasp the footstool 10, providing a hand grip to facilitate a user in positioning the footstool 10. The lengths of the legs 32 are preferably of a height to allow a user to comfortably squat while using a western toilet while still allowing the footstool 10 to be stored at the base of the western toilet
As shown in FIG. 6, a groove 22 is formed into the base of each leg 32. The groove 22 is generally located near the outer circumference of each legs 32. However, any open cavity that will also receive a friction pad 24, as shown in FIG. 3, is acceptable. The friction pad 24 prevents the footstool 10 from easily moving along floors and dampens the sound of the footstool 10 against flooring. The friction pad 24 is placed inside the groove 22. The friction pad 24 is generally made of a soft material such as a rubber type material. The friction pad 24 generally has a slightly larger circumference than the groove 22. When the friction pad 24 is placed inside the groove 22, the resistance between the friction pad 24 and the sidewall of the groove 22 is such that a deliberate force is required to remove the friction pad 24. An adhesive material may be used to secure the friction pad 24 in the groove 22.
Shown in FIGS. 2, for height adjustment, the leg extenders 20 are connected to each of the legs 32. Each leg extender 20 generally has the same outer circumference as the leg 32 base it is fitted into. To create a pleasing look, when the leg extenders 20 are installed, there will be a smooth surface between the footstool 10 legs and the leg extenders 20. To accommodate variants in toilet heights and human heights, the length of the extender legs 20 can vary based upon the user's preference. In addition, the length of each individual extender leg 20 may vary. This allows the user to adjust the top angle of the footrest 28.
As seen in FIG. 3, the leg extenders 20 generally have a top end 4 and a bottom end 6. Located at the top end 4 of the leg extender 20 is a raised edge 40. The raised edge 40 is generally located near the outer circumference of the top end 4. The size and shape of the raised edge 40 is nearly identical as the groove 22. Preferably, the raised edge 40 will have a slightly smaller circumference than the groove 22. It is preferable that the friction between the raised edge 40 and the groove 22 is such that a deliberate force will be required to remove the leg extender 20 from the leg 32. An adhesive material may be used to secure the leg extenders 20 in the groove 22. When the friction pad 24 is removed from the groove 22, the raised edge 40 may be placed inside the groove 22. The length and size of the raised edge 40, and groove 22 must be such that, when the leg extender 20 is installed in the groove 22, the connection there between will be sufficient to support the weight of a human.
Shown in FIG. 6, a channel 56 is formed in the base of the leg extender 20. The channel 56 has the same shape and size as the groove 22 that is located on the base of the leg 32. In practice, when the leg extender 20 is placed on the leg 32, the friction pad 24 is fitted into the channel 56. It is preferable that the friction between the friction pad 24 and the channel 56 will be such that a deliberate force will be required to remove the friction pad 24. An adhesive material may be used to secure the friction pad 24 in the channel 56.
As shown in FIG. 6, the body of the footstool 10 is open to allow access into the interior thereof through the bottom ends of the side walls 18 and spacer 30 forming the open bottom end 52. The open bottom end 52 allows access to storage grooves 50 formed on the undersurface of the footrest that are for receiving the leg extenders 20 raised ridges 60. The storage grooves 50 are the same shape and size as the grooves 22 located at the base of the legs 32. As shown in FIG. 6, the leg extenders 20 can be stored in the open bottom end 52 of the footrest 28. It is preferable that the friction between the leg extender's 20 raised edges 40 and the storage grooves 50 is such that a deliberate force will be required to remove each leg extender 20 from a storage groove 50. An adhesive material or tape may be used to secure the leg extenders 20 in the storage grooves 50.
While a preferred embodiment of the invention of the footstool 10 with extender legs 20 has been shown and described herein, it should, however, be understood that the description above contains many specificities that should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. Thus, the scope of the embodiment should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents thereof, rather than by the examples given.

Claims

What is claimed:

1. A footstool for use with a toilet, the footstool having a body composed of, a pair of parallel footrests connected through a spacer generally forming an U-shape configuration, that is preferably an arch where said arch shape allows for fitting of the footstool around the base of a western toilet; extending downwardly from said footrest and said spacer is a sidewall, said sidewall forming an open bottom end; said footrests, sidewall, and spacer are attached to a plurality of legs; a leg extender that is releasably fitted into the base of said leg; and said footstool including means for storing said leg extenders within said open bottom end.

2. The footstool as recited in claim 1, wherein a non-slip material is releasable attach to the base of said legs.

3. The footstool as recited in claim 1, wherein said non-slip material is releasable attach to said bottom ends of each of said leg extenders.

4. The footstool as recited in claim 1, wherein said leg extenders are secured to said legs by an adhesive material.

5. The footstool as recited in claim 1, wherein one pair of the leg extenders is of a lesser length than the other pair of said leg extenders.

6. The footstool as recited in claim 1, wherein each said leg extender includes a straight bayonet section a top end that is for fitting into a slot formed in the base end of each said leg.

7. The footstool as recited in claim 6, wherein the under surface of the said footrest and said spacer include a storage groove that are each formed therein to receive each of the leg extender straight bayonet sections.