Furniture leg glide
A novel furniture leg glide is disclosed for reducing a screeching sound made by a furniture leg being dragged across a floor. The furniture leg glide is formed from a hollow body portion having an end cap disposed thereon with a flexible coupling formed along the hollow body portion between first and second ends thereof. A piece of felt type material is bonded to the end cap and the flexible coupling permits the piece of felt type material to contact the floor when the furniture leg is angularly displaced in relation to the floor within a predetermined number of degrees. The flexible coupling flexes and compresses in relation to the angular movement of the furniture leg. In accordance with another embodiment of the invention a furniture leg glide is provided for attaching to a furniture leg having a swivel base furniture leg glide disposed thereon.
1. A furniture leg glide comprising:
a hollow body formed from a unitary construction comprising:
an upper body portion comprising a first end and a second end;
a flexible coupling portion comprising a first end coupled with the second end of the upper body portion and a second end;
a lower body portion comprising a first end coupled with the second end of the flexible coupling portion and a second end;
an end cap comprising a first end coupled with the second end of the lower body portion and a second end;
a first cavity extending from the first end of the upper body portion to the second end of the lower body portion, where the first cavity terminates at the end cap; and,
a piece of felt type material coupled with the second end of the end cap,
wherein the flexible coupling portion is for permitting angular displacement, within a predetermined limit, of the upper body portion with respect to the lower body portion.
2. A furniture leg glide according to claim 1 wherein the end cap comprises a second cavity wherein the piece of felt type material is partially disposed within the second cavity and a rest thereof protrudes from the first cavity extending past the second end of the end cap.
3. A furniture leg glide according to claim 1 comprising a plurality of longitudinal ribs extending into the first cavity and disposed longitudinally from the first end towards the second end of the upper body portion for frictionally engaging an outside surface of a furniture leg when the furniture leg is inserted into the first cavity.
4. A furniture leg glide according to claim 3 wherein the furniture leg is one of absent an existing furniture leg glide and other than absent an existing furniture leg glide.
5. A furniture leg glide according to claim 1 comprising an outer rib disposed about an outer surface of the upper body portion and extending therefrom for facilitating attachment of the furniture leg glide onto a furniture leg when the furniture leg is inserted into the first cavity.
6. A furniture leg glide according to claim 1 wherein the first cavity is one of approximately elliptical in cross section and approximately trapezoidal in cross section and approximately triangular in cross section.
7. A furniture leg glide according to claim 1 wherein the hollow body is formed from a flexible material.
8. A furniture leg glide according to claim 1 wherein the piece of felt type material comprises a first side and a second side approximately opposite the first side; and, wherein the end cap comprises a second cavity for receiving of the first side of the felt type material, wherein the felt type material is recessed within the second cavity in such a manner that the first side is coupled to within the second cavity and the second side extends from the second cavity and past the second end of the end cap.
9. A furniture leg glide according to claim 8 wherein the piece of felt type material is bonded within the second cavity using an adhesive.
10. A furniture leg glide according to claim 1 wherein the piece of felt type material comprises a fibrous material that is for reducing damage to floors when slid across them.
11. A furniture leg glide according to claim 1 wherein the flexible coupling portion comprises a wall thickness, wherein the wall thickness of the flexible coupling portion is less than at least one of the upper and lower body portions thus permitting angular displacement of the upper body portion with respect to the lower body portion in such a manner that the flexible coupling portion extends on a first side and compresses on an opposite side during the angular displacement of the upper body portion with respect to the lower body portion.
12. A furniture leg glide according to claim 1 wherein the furniture leg glide comprises other than a spherical shape and other than felt type material disposed about the hollow body.
13. A furniture leg glide comprising:
a hollow body formed from a unitary construction and comprising a continuous inner wall and a continuous outer wall disposed between a first end thereof and a second end thereof;
a continuous flexible coupling portion formed along a periphery of the hollow body and between the first and second ends that extends past the continuous outer wall;
an end cap comprising a first end and a second end,
where the first end thereof is disposed at a second end of the hollow body;
an aperture formed at the first end of the hollow body, where a first cavity is formed that is bounded by the continuous inner wall, the end cap and the aperture; and,
a piece of felt type material for contacting the floor disposed on the second end of the end cap.
14. A furniture leg glide according to claim 13 wherein the end cap comprises a second cavity formed at the second end thereof wherein the piece of felt type material is partially disposed within the second cavity and a rest thereof protrudes from the first cavity extending past the second end of the end cap.
15. A furniture leg glide according to claim 13 comprising a plurality of longitudinal ribs extending into the first cavity and disposed longitudinally from the first end towards the second end of the upper body portion for frictionally engaging an outside surface of a furniture leg when the furniture leg is inserted into the first cavity.
16. A furniture leg glide according to claim 15 wherein the furniture leg is one of absent an existing furniture leg glide and other than absent an existing furniture leg glide.
17. A furniture leg glide according to claim 13 comprising an outer rib disposed about an outer surface of the upper body portion for facilitating attachment of the furniture leg glide onto a furniture leg when the furniture leg is inserted into the first cavity.
18. A furniture leg glide according to claim 13 wherein the first cavity is one of approximately elliptical in cross section and approximately trapezoidal in cross section and approximately triangular in cross section.
19. A furniture leg glide according to claim 13 wherein the piece of felt type material comprises a first side and a second side approximately opposite the first side; and,
wherein the end cap comprises a second cavity for receiving of the first side of the felt type material, wherein the felt type material is recessed within the second cavity in such a manner that the first side is coupled to within the second cavity and the second side extends from the second cavity and past the second end of the end cap.
20. A furniture leg glide according to claim 19 wherein the piece of felt type material is bonded within the second cavity using an adhesive.
21. A furniture leg glide according to claim 13 wherein the piece of felt type material comprises a fibrous material that is for reducing damage to floors when slid across them.
22. A furniture leg glide according to claim 13 wherein the flexible coupling portion comprises a wall thickness, wherein the wall thickness of the flexible coupling portion is less than at least one of the upper and lower body portions thus permitting angular displacement of the upper body portion with respect to the lower body portion in such a manner that the flexible coupling portion extends on a first side and compresses on an opposite side during the angular displacement of the upper body portion with respect to the lower body portion.
23. A furniture leg glide according to claim 13 wherein the furniture leg glide comprises other than a spherical shape and other than felt type material disposed about the hollow body.
24. A method of installing a furniture leg glide onto a furniture leg comprising:
providing of a furniture leg glide comprising unitary construction and comprising
a hollow body comprising a first end and a second end and a flexible coupling portion formed between the first end and the second end of the hollow body and a first cavity formed within the hollow body between the first and second ends thereof at an end cap where an aperture is formed at the first end of the hollow body for facilitating access to the first cavity;
grasping an outside surface of the hollow body;
sliding at least one of a furniture leg and a furniture leg glide into the first cavity;
terminating sliding of the furniture leg glide onto the furniture leg upon the furniture leg end contacting the second end of the hollow body; and,
flexing at least a portion of the flexible coupling portion upon having an end of at least one of the furniture leg and the furniture leg glide contact the end cap attached to the hollow body.
25. A furniture leg glide comprising:
a hollow body comprising a first end and a second end;
an end cap formed at the second end of the hollow body;
a first cavity formed between the first end and the second end of the hollow body;
a first lip disposed on the body portion proximate the first end and extending inwardly and upwardly from the body portion for partially covering the first cavity;
a second lip disposed on the body portion proximate the first end approximately opposite the first lip and extending inwardly and upwardly from the body portion for partially covering the first cavity; and,
an aperture formed between the first and second lips for facilitating access to the first cavity.
26. A furniture leg glide according to claim 25 wherein the second lip extends less than the first lip and wherein access to the first cavity is obstructed more by the first lip than the second lip.
27. A furniture leg glide according to claim 26 wherein the end cap comprises a first end coupled with the second end of the hollow body and a second end; and,
a second cavity formed within the end cap proximate the second end of the end cap.
28. A furniture leg glide according to claim 27 comprising a piece of felt type material, wherein a portion of the piece of felt type material is disposed within the second cavity and another portion of the piece of felt type material extends from the second cavity for contacting a floor.
29. A method comprising:
providing a furniture leg glide comprising a hollow body having a first end and a second end;
providing an end cap formed at the second end of the hollow body;
providing a first cavity formed between the first end and the second end of the hollow body, where the first cavity is bounded on one side by the end cap;
providing a first lip disposed on the body portion proximate the first end and extending inwardly and upwardly from the hollow body for partially covering the first cavity; and,
providing a second lip disposed on the hollow body proximate the first end and approximately opposite the first lip and extending inwardly and upwardly from the hollow body for partially covering the first cavity.
30. A method according to claim 29 comprising:
providing an aperture between the first and second lips for facilitating access to the first cavity;
providing a furniture leg having disposed thereon a swivel furniture leg glide having a swivel base; and,
sliding a first end of the swivel base through the aperture and into the first cavity.
31. A method according to claim 30 comprising:
increasing a separation between the first and second lips;
sliding a second end of the swivel base, approximately opposite the first end of the swivel base, into the first cavity;
decreasing the separation between the first lip and the second lip; and,
frictionally engaging the swivel base of the furniture leg glide between the end cap and the first and second lips.
32. A method according to claim 29 comprising:
providing a second cavity formed within the end cap opposite the swivel base of the furniture leg; and,
disposing a piece of felt type material within the second cavity.
33. A method according to claim 29 wherein at least one of the first and second lips is manufactured from a flexible material.