Footrest

Abstract

A footrest which is adapted to be used by a person for exercise, enjoyment and relaxation. The footrest included an arcuate upper surface for contact by the feet of the user and motion enabling means for allowing the user to move the footrest virtually omnidirectionally. The footrest incorporates a mechanism to ground the unit if excessive force is applied to it exceeding a preselected amount. The grounding mechanism includes preloaded compressed springs which allow one element of the footrest to inhibit the motion enabling means upon application of a preselected force or a given displacement.

1 . A footrest adapted to move in response to the application of force via the feet of a user sitting in a chair and positioned to one side of and generally above the footrest comprising, multi-directional, motion enabling means mounted on said footrest and adapted to support said footrest on a horizontal surface whereby said user may move said footrest in multiple directions from a first position to a second position in a continuous motion. 
     
     
         2 . A footrest including an upper surface accessible to a user seated in a position generally above and to one side of the footrest, said upper surface including a central opening covered by a mesh membrane, motion causing means projecting in contact with a support surface on which said footrest is resting, said membrane and said motion causing means adapted in response to the feet of the user to move said footrest along said support surface in a continuous manner from a first position to a second position. 
     
     
         3 . A footrest which is movable through contact with the feet of a user, said footrest including motion causing means carried by the footrest for rolling on the floor to allow the footrest to move in multiple directions under manipulation by the feet of the user and disabling means responsive to some detected condition of force or displacement to immobilize the footrest until said condition is removed.