Miscellaneous hardware (e.g. – bushing – carpet fastener – caster – Casters
Reexamination Certificate
2001-11-14
2003-11-18
Mah, Chuck Y. (Department: 3676)
Miscellaneous hardware (e.g., bushing, carpet fastener, caster,
Casters
C248S345100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06647589
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
1. Field of Invention
The field of the invention is a device for preventing damage to the legs of furniture or equipment caused by the impact of cleaning equipment with the legs, and for preventing damage to the feet of human beings, especially toe stubs, when human feet accidentally bump against furniture or similar legs.
2. Description of Prior Art
Various devices have been used from time to time to protect furniture legs and the feet of human beings from damage. Representative of prior art are the following patents. U.S. Pat. No. 4,817,902, Apr. 4, 1989, to Donald R. Mason discloses a corner protector assembly for cushioning the corners of tables and the like to prevent collisions between young children and the corners of furniture. The device is shaped like a corner of a rectangular object and is attached to the object by an elastic hem and tie strings. U.S. Pat. No. 6,103,335, Aug. 15, 2000, to the Zoller, Hummel, and Schumacher discloses another device for padding the corners of equipment housings. The device is comprised of a number of complex, shaped parts designed to work together to cover a rectangular object. To the best knowledge of the Applicant, prior art does not disclose similar padding devices specifically adapted to the legs of furniture or equipment.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
The invention is a device designed to be wrapped around the leg of a piece of furniture or a piece of equipment in order to protect the leg from damage from cleaning equipment such as vacuum cleaners or floor polishers or human footware, or to protect the feet of human beings from damage caused by impact of feet against the leg of the furniture or equipment. Hereinafter in this Application, mention will be made only of furniture legs; however, the discussion unless otherwise noted will also apply to the legs of various items of equipment. Likewise, discussion of human foot injury also includes injury to the toes.
OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES
The objects of the present invention are:
1. To protect the feet of human beings from damage or injury when human feet accidentally contact or collide with furniture legs, such as stubbing a toe.
2. To protect the legs of fine furniture or other equipment from damage due to the impact, with shoes, or cleaning equipment such as vacuum cleaners or floor polishers.
3. As referenced above, to simultaneously protect furniture legs from damage and human feet from injury.
4. To provide a simple and inexpensive device for protecting furniture legs and human feet.
5. To provide a device which is easy to attach to, and remove from, furniture legs.
6. To provide a device which has very low visibility when in position on furniture legs, thus avoiding interference with the decor of the room.
7. To provide a device for protecting furniture legs which also contains some representation of an animal, cartoon character or imaginary face which is attractive to children, especially to protect children's feet from injury upon contact with the legs of furniture or beds in their bedrooms.
8. To provide a device with the above animal face or similar representation which may also be attractive to children because it glows in the dark, or because it contains artificial animal eyes which reflect light when illuminated.
9. To provide a furniture leg protector which can be firmly and reliably secured to furniture legs by simple straps or other inexpensive means.
10. To provide a device which is adaptable to fit a wide range of shapes of furniture legs, furniture feet, other equipment support members, casters, etc.
11. To provide a device which protects furniture legs from wear or abrasion due to movement of the protective pad or the furniture.
12. To provide a furniture leg and human foot protector with the appearance of a rabbit face or other face attractive to children, covered with fur-like material and with small reflective eyes.
13. To provide a device to protect fine and valuable furniture such as antiques and other furniture in homes or dealer showrooms, thus reducing “shopworn” commercial inventory, and loss of value to antique furniture.
14. To prevent one of the most common injuries to human feet, namely injury to toes due to impact of the foot against legs and floor braces of beds, which are often hidden by bedspreads, and in particular, injury to toes due to impact against bed leg casters which often include sharp edges of the coaster device.
15. To provide a device which will stay in secure position around a furniture or equipment leg without straps because of the stiffness and elasticity of the molded impact absorbing material.
16. To provide a very simple device comprising a roll of impact absorbing material with adhesive backing, which may be easily and securely applied to a furniture leg by spirally wrapping the tape around the leg, so that the adhesive backing of the tape adheres to the furniture leg.
17. To provide a padding device with re-stick adhesive for reuse on another leg, or for repositioning on a leg when the original position was not suitable.
18. To provide a device, for protecting legs of delicate equipment, with a bright color or stripes to attract human attention to avoid impacts against the legs.
19. To provide a leg protecting device which is capable of being positioned so that its layers overlap to provide more impact protection.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3041775 (1962-07-01), Brown, Jr. et al.
patent: 3144236 (1964-08-01), Clanin
patent: 3685231 (1972-08-01), Blose
patent: 3884495 (1975-05-01), Petock
patent: 3895981 (1975-07-01), Tesch
patent: 3941159 (1976-03-01), Toll
patent: 3960354 (1976-06-01), Simikoski
patent: 4130279 (1978-12-01), Ross
patent: 4232081 (1980-11-01), Pullan
patent: 4323610 (1982-04-01), Leverich
patent: 4443508 (1984-04-01), Mehl
patent: 4700430 (1987-10-01), Raftery
patent: 4817902 (1989-04-01), Mason
patent: 4857371 (1989-08-01), McClintock
patent: D309777 (1990-08-01), Woods
patent: 4999233 (1991-03-01), Probst
patent: 5173990 (1992-12-01), Owen
patent: 5297011 (1994-03-01), Triunfol
patent: 5328156 (1994-07-01), Hoke
patent: 5330814 (1994-07-01), Fewell
patent: 5508078 (1996-04-01), Stalnaker
patent: 5511445 (1996-04-01), Hildebrandt
patent: 5564782 (1996-10-01), LaGrange et al.
patent: 5603140 (1997-02-01), Pryce
patent: 5701635 (1997-12-01), Hawkes
patent: 5815998 (1998-10-01), Wamsher
patent: 5946737 (1999-09-01), Fleege
patent: 6103335 (2000-08-01), Zoller
patent: D437723 (2001-02-01), Lees
patent: 6260237 (2001-07-01), McCue
Mah Chuck Y.
Smith, Jr. Henry L.
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