FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to supports and in particular to leg and foot supports.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It should be noted that reference to the prior art herein is not to be taken as an acknowledgement that such prior art constitutes common genera! knowledge in the art.

Travelling has become a very common part of life, whether it is for work, visiting friends or family or for a vacation. People often travel for long periods during which time they are seated in a chair and are generally sedentary. In particular, traveiiing in airplanes requires a passenger to be seated in a cramped position for many hours. Travelling in trains, buses and the like can aiso see a passenger seated for long periods of time in awkward and uncomfortable positions.

Sitting for long periods can become very uncomfortable and can lead to tired and aching muscles, swollen legs, deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and even the fife threatening condition of pulmonary emboli. Furthermore, it can be difficult to sleep in an upright seated position and travelers can often become sleep deprived. Ail of these factors make travelling for long periods uncomfortable and also passengers often require significant recovery time which is detrimental to work commitments or enjoyment of vacation time.

Several devices have been developed in order to make travelling more comfortable and/or to help prevent DVTs. Some such devices include padded or inflatable neck supports, which facilitate sleeping in a chair, and back supports that prevent an aching back. These neck and back supports are i useful to provide an alternative position however for many people do not provide enough comfort to be able to sleep.

Some passenger chairs in airplanes, trains and buses have the ability to recline partially and/or have an extendible foot rest built into the chair. More commonly, a passenger chair can have a fold down foot rest at the back such that the person sitting in the chair behind can rest their feet on the foot rest however in saying that most airlines have removed their footrests. Personal inflatable foot rests have also been developed which allow a person to take the foot rest with them in different vehicles. It is desirable to be able to raise one's feet and legs to reduce fatigue and pain, to increase blood flow in the venous system and therefore to help prevent DVTs. It is also advantageous to be able to sleep comfortably on your side with legs supported. However, these foot rests only raise the legs b a small distance and for many people do not provide the support required for comfort, improved blood flow or sleeping.

Other devices often used to prevent DVTs include pressure stockings or socks which apply pressure to the ankles and calves to discourage pooling of blood in the veins of the legs. Inflatable leg compression devices have also been used to apply pressure to the legs to prevent pooling of blood in the legs. These compression devices can be uncomfortable and can be cumbersome or inconvenient if a passenger needs to get up and move around.

Accordingly, it would be advantageous of the present invention to provide a contrivance which ameliorates one or more of the disadvantages set forth above or at least provides an alternative to the prior art.

STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention a leg and foot support, adjustable between a first form and a second form, comprises a body of flexible material having a first and second end, the first end being adapted to attach to one or more support structures in front of a chair, the second end being adapted to be secured in place to the chair, wherein when the first end is secured in a first position a passenger can piace their iegs on the body of the leg and foot support wherein their feet rest in a first foot position and when secured in a second position the passenger can rest their feet in a second foot position.

Preferably the second end may be secured to the chair by the weight of a person.

Preferably the first end may comprise two side wails.

Preferably the first end of the body may comprise at least one attachment means for attaching the first end to the one or more support structures.

More preferably the at least one attachment means may be adjustabie between a firs attachment position and a second attachment position, corresponding with the first form and the second form, respectively.

In a preferred form the first end of the body may comprise two attachment means.

More preferabl the attachment means may be adjustabie to suit different heights of the one or more supports.

More preferably still each attachment means may comprise one or more straps for looping around a support structure.

More preferably still the one or more straps may include non-slip material attached to a surface of the straps for preventing the straps from slipping.

Preferably the first end may comprise one or more first complementary attachment parts that extend along one or more front edges of the side walls for attaching the or each strap. More preferably the first end may comprise one or more second complementary attachment parts that extend along one or more top edges of the side wails for attaching the or each strap.

Preferably the leg and foot support may be manufactured from a Sight weight flexible material.

More preferably the leg and foot support may be folded and or roiled and put into its own bag for easy transport.

More preferably the leg and foot support may be compressed to a small size for easy transport.

More preferably stiil the leg and foot support may include a means for attaching the bag to a belt loop, luggage or the like.

More preferably the means for attaching the bag to a belt loop may comprise a quick release connecting device, wherein the quick release connecting device is adapted to removably attach to the belt loop, luggage or the like.

BRIEF DESCR!PT!ON OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG, 1 shows an isometric view of a leg and foot support in a first form according to the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a side view of the leg and foot support of FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 3 shows a top view of the leg and foot support of FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 4 shows a front view of the leg and foot support of FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 5 shows a side view of the leg and foot support of FIG. 1 in use; FIG. 6 shows an isometric view of the leg and foot support according to the invention in a second form;

FIG. 7 shows a side view of the leg and foot support as shown in FiG. 6;

FIG. 8 shows a top view of the leg and foot support as shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 shows a front view of the leg and foot support as shown in FiG. 6;

FIG. 10 shows a side view of the leg and foot support as shown in FiG. 6 in use;

FIG. 1 shows a rear plan view of the leg and foot support according to the invention;

FIG. 12 shows a front plan view of the leg and foot support according to the invention;

FIG. 13 shows an isometric view of a footrest according to the invention in a transportable form; and

FIG. 14 shows the footrest as shown in FIG. 12 attached to a belt loop.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following description, given by way of example only, is described in order to provide a more precise understanding of the subject matter of a preferred embodiment or embodiments.

The leg and foot support 10 as shown in FIGS. 1 to 12 comprises a body with a first end 12 and a second end 14. The first end 12 includes two straps 18 which are attached to the first end 12, for attaching the first end 12 to support structures 32. The first end 12, when in use, is adapted to hang over the front end of a seat 22 and forms a well which is bounded laterally by two sidewalls

19, posteriorly by a posterior wall 21 as shown in FIG. 4, and infenorly by a floor

20. The anterior part of the well is open, however it may be closed in alternative embodiments (not shown). The second end 14 is adapted to lay on the upper surface of a seat 22. In the preferred embodiment the second end 14 is held in place by the weight of a person 34 as shown in FIG. 5. The second end 14 is attached to the first end 12. It provides a means of anchoring a rear part of the first end 12; the front part being anchored by the straps18 being attached to the support structures 32 as described above.

For further stability non-slip material can is attached to the straps 18 so that when the leg and foot support 10 is in use the non-slip material makes contact with the support structures 32, preventing the straps 18 from slipping. This is particularly useful when the straps 18 are attached to the arms of a tray table on an airplane.

The sidewalls 19 include first complementary attachment parts 24 and second complementary attachment parts 26 which provide means for attaching the straps 18 to the sidewalls 19.

The means for attaching the straps 18 to the sidewalls 19 can be hook and loop type Velcro® attachment means.

A removable pillow 16 is included in the floor 20 to provide comfort for the person 34 and to provide a means to retain an open structure of the well. The pillow 16 retains an open space so that the person 34 can move their legs more freely when the leg and foot support 10 is in use. FIG. 4 best exemplifies the way in which the pillow 16 holds the well open.

The leg and foot support 10 is changeable, in use, between a first form and a second form.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 5 there is shown a representation of the leg and foot support 10 according to the invention, in the first form. In the first form configuration the first end 12 is supported by support structures 32 wherein the straps 18 are placed over the support structures 32 and attached to the first complementary attachment parts 24. The first complementary attachment parts 24 extend along front edges 28 of the first end 12. The straps 18 attach to the first complementary parts 24 such that the main forces providing support for the person's feet 36 are in line with the front edges 28. The sidewalis 19 also provide mechanical support to the first end 12. In this configuration the person's feet 36 lie on the pillow 16 which itseif sits on the floor 20. Due to the slight lifting of the feet 36 off the ground the person 36 is placed in a more comfortable seating position. Besides the positioning of the feet 36 the piliow relieves pressure from the bottom of the feet 36, thus adding to the person's 34 comfort. This is particularly appealing for travelers who spend extended periods of time sitting, for exampie on trains or pianes. In addition to the comfort provided the leg and foot support 10 also reduces the swelling of the feet and legs. Sitting for extended periods can reduce blood flow in veins of the legs both due to constant pressure and reduced motility. Raising the legs can reduce this pressure and therefore may reduce the risk of DVT.

FIGS. 6 to 10 show representations of the leg and foot support 10 in its second form, in the second form a person 34 can position their feet 36 to iie at a higher level than that that provided for in the first form. In order to achieve the second form the straps 18 are placed over the support structures 32 a they were for the first form, but they are attached to the sidewalis 19 at second complementary attachment parts 26. The second complementary attachment parts 26 extend along top edges 30 of the sidewalis 19. Further, the second end 14 is positioned such that a part of it is left hanging over the front of the chair 22. This part is a raised feet rest 40. The second end 14 is still maintained in its position by the weight of the person 34, when in use. With the straps 18 attached to the sidewalis 19 in this fashion the raised feet rest 40 becomes a sling like structure providing support for the person's feet 36. The base of the raised feet rest 40 is at a higher level than the piliow 16 while it is in use. Therefore, the person's feet 36 are positioned in such a way as to raise the person's knees 37 as shown in FIG. 10. This seating position provides comfort to the person 34, especially for those that find sitting in compact position more comfortable.

The combination of the first form and second form provide many alternatives to the person 34 during their time in the seated position. While travelling for extended periods sitting in one position can be uncomfortable even if relieved by the raising of the person's feet, however, if a person is able to change from one comfortable seating position to another this discomfort can be minimized. The first form and the second form provide these varied alternative seating positions.

An advantage of the leg and foot support 10 is that it is made of light weight, flexible and rugged material. Accordingly, it is easily able to be rolled and or folded to a small size for use in easy transport. FIGS. 13 and 14 show the leg and foot support 10 that has been rolled and folded and put into its own bag 50 for transport. A quick release connecting device 52 is fixedly attached to the bag 50. The quick release connecting device 52 can be easily removably attached to a belt loop 54 as shown in FIG. 14. The quick release connecting device 52 can also be attached to a piece of luggage or the like (not shown). In its transportable form the leg and foot support 10 is light weight and compact and can be carried around easily. it will be appreciated by the skilled addressee that the straps 18 can be adjusted to attach to the first complementary attachment parts 24 and second complementary attachment parts 26 in a continuum of positions from a minimum to maximum. This provides the user with a variety of positions to place their legs for both the first form and the second form of the leg and foot support 10 in use. For example in the first form the straps 18 can be adjusted such that the distance from the support structures 32 to the floor 20 is maximized to allow the feet to be resting on the floor 20 at a low position. Alternatively, the straps 18 can be adjusted such that the distance from the support structures 32 to the floor 20 is minimised to allow the feet to be resting on the floor 20 at a high position. The straps 18 can be adjusted at any position between these extremes to suit the needs of the user. ADVANTAGES

A number of advantages are apparent in the present invention. It is light weight and flexible. This allows for easy maneuverability when in use and is therefore abie to be set in many and varied positions that provide most comfort for the user with very little effort.

It is also able to be stored for transport quite easily. When folded and rolled in it transportable form it occupies very iittle space and can be stored in a small day pack or it can be attached to a user's clothing with ease.

The adjustable strap configurations make it ideal for use in a variety of seating positions.

The two forms, in use, provide the user many and varied choices of foot and leg positions to further enhance their comfort while seated for long periods of time.

All of these features provide a universally useful foot and leg rest device for use providing comfortable seating.

VARIATIONS

It will be realized that the foregoing has been given by way of illustrative example only and that ail other modifications and variations as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of the invention as herein set forth.

Throughout the description and claims of this specification the words "comprise" and variations of that word such as "comprises" and "comprising" are not intended to exclude other additives components integers or steps.