BACKGROUND
The present disclosed subject matter relates generally to body support apparatus, and more particularly to a seating assembly internally supported by a removable object.
Single use furniture, such as chairs, tables, and sleeping cots are stored when not in use. Such furniture is often designed to be stacked to take up less space when not in use. However, when stacked, such furniture provides no useful purpose.
SUMMARY
A couch cot cover includes a cover assembly internally supported by an irregular object, such as stacked sleeping cots, providing a seating assembly. The cover assembly includes a top cover assembly connected to a bottom cover assembly allowing access to the cots stored therein. The top cover assembly includes a cushion assembly that has a bottom surface configured to conform to the irregular upper surface of the stacked cots. The top cover assembly and bottom cover assembly include foam corner supports providing additional structural support to the cover assembly as well as padding to the corners.
An alternative embodiment cover assembly includes a back support portion received within an upper chamber of the top cover assembly.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments of the disclosed subject matter and illustrate various objects and features thereof.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view from above of an internally supported seating assembly embodying principles of the disclosed subject matter.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view from below of the seating assembly.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the cover assembly open with the top portion separated from the bottom portion exposing the cots contained therein.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the cover assembly open with the cots removed.
FIG. 5 is a view of the foam top portion insert removed from the sleeve.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view from above of the foam top portion insert.
FIG. 7A is a plan view of the foam top portion insert.
FIG. 7B is an elevation view of the foam top portion insert.
FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the foam top portion insert.
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the foam corner insert.
FIG. 10 is a perspective view from above of an alternative embodiment internally supported seating assembly embodying principles of the disclosed subject matter
FIG. 11 is a perspective view from below of a wedge assembly and the top cover assembly.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
As required, detailed aspects of the disclosed subject matter are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed aspects are merely exemplary of the disclosed subject matter, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art how to variously employ the disclosed technology in virtually any appropriately detailed structure.
Certain terminology will be used in the following description for convenience in reference only and will not be limiting. For example, up, down, front, back, right, and left refer to the disclosed subject matter as orientated in the view being referred to. The words, inwardly and outwardly refer to directions toward and away from, respectively, the geometric center of the aspect being described and designated parts thereof. Forwardly and rearwardly are generally in reference to the direction of travel, if appropriate. Said terminology will include the words specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof, and words of similar meaning.
Referring to FIGS. 1-9, an embodiment of a seating assembly internally supported by a removable object is shown. In particular, a cover assembly 102 is shown. The assembly 102 is used to store an object 250 with an irregular upper surface where the object supports the assembly 102 when it is in use. The cover assembly 102 generally includes a top cover assembly 104 connected to a bottom cover assembly 202, wherein the interior of the top cover assembly 104 includes a cushion assembly 130 configured to conform to the irregular upper surface of the object 250.
Referring to FIGS. 1-2, an embodiment of the cover assembly 102 is shown in a closed configuration whereby the top cover assembly 104 and bottom cover assembly 202 are joined at their left, front, and right sidewalls by a cooperating removable connector. In an embodiment, the cooperating removable connector is a hookless fastener such as a zipper 230. The top cover assembly 104 includes a first upper panel 106 with sidewalls depending therefrom. The sidewalls include a left panel 108 and opposite right panel 110, and a first front panel 112 and opposite first rear panel 114 forming a downwardly open rectangular enclosure forming four interior corners. The bottom cover assembly 202 includes a lower panel 204 with sidewalls extending upward therefrom. The sidewalls include a left panel 206 and opposite right panel 208, and a front panel 210 and opposite rear panel 212 forming an upwardly open rectangular enclosure forming four interior corners. First rear panel 114 and rear panel 212 are connected at a seam 232 allowing the top cover assembly 104 to be hingedly opened upward and away from the bottom cover assembly 202 for accessing the object therein. In an embodiment, a corner element 234a, b, c, and d at each corner extends between adjacent sidewalls providing additional wear resistance between the lower panel 204 and a support surface. In an embodiment, the corner elements 234a, b, c, and d are composed of a non-skid material.
Referring to FIG. 3, the cover assembly 102 is shown in an open configuration with the zipper 230 shown disengaged thereby allowing access to the object 250 therein. In an embodiment, the object 250 includes a number of stacked elements such as cots 252. The cots 252 include a generally rectangular frame 254 with a first end 256 and an opposite second end 258 forming crescent-shaped ends connected by opposing side rails 260. A resting surface 268 within the frame 254 is lower than the ends 256, 258, and side rails 260 forming a depression or negative relief. The four corners of the frame 254 include hollow legs or pedestals elevating the frame 254 above a surface, such as the floor when the cots 252 are used for resting. The pedestals are open at the top and closed at the bottom allowing one cot 252 to be nested one on top of the other. In an embodiment, the ends have a curved height contour with the middle of each end 256, 258 higher than the ends connected to the side rails 260. The structure of the cot 252 that extends above the level of the side rails 260 forms a positive relief.
Referring to FIG. 4, the interior of the bottom cover assembly 202 includes lower corner pockets 216a, b, c, and d for retaining a corner support 226. The corner support 226 provides structural support for the cover assembly 102 when it is in the closed configuration, and provides a fill material between the object 250 and the cover assembly 102. In an embodiment, the corner support 226 is a triangular shaped column of resilient material, such as foam. The corner pocket 216 includes a corner cover 218 extending laterally between, and connected to, adjacent sidewalls, and extends vertically from an upper point adjacent the upper edge of the sidewalls, to a lower point adjacent the lower panel 204. An upper cap 222 connected to the upper point of the corner cover 218 and the adjacent sidewalls forming a downwardly open triangular pocket. A corner support 226 is inserted into each lower corner pocket 216a, b, c, and d from the bottom by a lower opening 220. In an embodiment, a corner element 224a (not shown), b, c, and d at each corner extends between adjacent sidewalls providing additional wear resistance between the object 250 and the lower panel 204 adjacent corner pockets 216a, b, c, and d.
The interior of the top cover assembly 104 includes upper corner pockets 118a, b, c, and d for retaining a corner support 220. The corner pocket 118 includes a corner cover 120 extending laterally between, and connected to, adjacent sidewalls, and extends vertically from a lower point adjacent the lower edge of the sidewalls, to an upper point adjacent the first upper panel 106. A lower cap 124 connected to the lower point of the corner cover 120 and the adjacent sidewalls forming an upwardly open triangular pocket. The corner support 126 is inserted into the upper corner pocket 118 from the top by an upper opening 122. Space is provided between the upper edge of the corner support 126 and the corner cover 120, and the bottom of the first upper panel 106, to accommodate a cushion assembly 130.
The cushion assembly 130 includes a deformable material, such as a pad assembly 131 enveloped by a sleeve 168. The sleeve 168 includes a zipper 170 along an edge for inserting the pad assembly 131. The pad assembly 131 includes an irregular bottom surface 166 that generally conforms to the irregular upper surface of the object 250 within the cover assembly 102, and a generally uniform top surface. The bottom surface 166 accommodates the irregular upper surface presented by the object 250 thereby allowing the cover assembly 102 to be used as a seating surface when the cover assembly 102 is in a closed configuration.
In an embodiment, the pad assembly 131 is formed from a monolithic piece of material. In another embodiment, the pad assembly 131 is formed from an upper portion or first pad 132, and a lower portion or second pad 152. The first and second pads 132, 152 cooperate to form the bottom surface 166. Referring to FIGS. 5-8, an embodiment of the first and second pads 132, 152 are shown where the second pad 152 is formed to conform to the negative relief of a cot 252, and the first pad 132 has a peripheral edge that extends beyond the edges of the second pad 152 and is formed to conform to the positive relief of the cot 252. The first pad 132 is generally rectangular and has a width extending between a left end 140 and a right end 142, a depth extending between a front end 144 and a back end 146, and a thickness extending between a top end and a bottom end 138. The second pad 152 is generally rectangular and has a width extending between a crescent shaped left end 158 and crescent shaped right end 160, a depth extending between a front end 162 and a back end 164, and a thickness extending between a top end 154 and a bottom end 156.
Referring to FIGS. 7-8, the left and right ends 158 and 160 of the second pad 152 include a crescent shaped taper extending outward from the bottom end 156 to the top end 154, and from a broad middle portion to narrow end portions at the front and back ends 162, 164, allowing the pad assembly 131 to accommodate the transition between the negative relief and the positive relief.
The cushion assembly 130 is inserted into the interior of the top cover assembly 104 by orientating the top of the first pad 132 toward the first upper panel 106, and the bottom surface 166 downward toward the object 250. The upper corner pockets 118a, b, c, and d, and the corner supports 126 therein do not extend the entire height of the top cover assembly 104 sidewalls allowing room for the end corners of the cushion assembly 130 to be held in place by the corner supports 126.
Referring to FIGS. 10-11, an alternative embodiment cover assembly 302 is shown. The alternative embodiment cover assembly 302 generally includes the components of the cover assembly 102 with the addition of an upper chamber for receiving a wedge assembly 352 thereby defining a back support portion 304. The back support portion 304 comprises a second upper panel 306 that is generally rectangular and disposed generally parallel to the first upper panel 106, and extends laterally between a second left panel 308 and an opposite second right panel, and forward to a second front panel 312 and rearward to a second rear panel 314. The second left panel 308 and second right panel connect the second upper panel 306, second front panel 312, and second rear panel to the first upper panel 106. The second front panel 312 is generally rectangular and extends laterally between the second left panel 308 and second right panel, and upwardly and rearwardly from the first upper panel 106 to the second upper panel 306 forming a back rest surface.
The wedge assembly 352 includes a wedge body 354 having a bottom face 358 extending laterally between a left face 360 and an opposite right face, and rearward toward a rear face. The rear face extends upward generally perpendicular from the bottom face 358 between the left and right faces 360, 362 terminating at a top face. The front face 364 extends upward from the bottom face 358 at an acute angle to the bottom face 358 between the left face 360 and the right, and extends rearward toward the top face thereby defining a generally elongated wedge body 354. When viewed from either the left face 360 or the right face, the wedge assembly tapers from a relatively wide lower portion to a more narrow upper portion.
The upper chamber is accessed from within the top cover assembly 104 by an opening 322 secured by a cooperating removable connector or zipper 324. The zipper 324 is opened and the wedge assembly 352 is inserted into the upper chamber.
It will be appreciated that the components of the cover assemblies 102 and 302 can be used for various other applications. Moreover, the cover assemblies 102 and 302 can be fabricated in various sizes and from a wide range of suitable materials, using various manufacturing and fabrication techniques. In an embodiment, the cover assemblies 102 and 302 include more or less than six cots 252.
It is to be understood that while certain aspects of the disclosed subject matter have been shown and described, the disclosed subject matter is not limited thereto and encompasses various other embodiments and aspects.
Patent Grant
10028590
