The present invention relates generally to beach mats and more particularly to foldable beach mats.
People in many different cultures around the world often enjoy a day's outing at the beach or park. After driving to public beach areas, beachgoers often bring chair and ice chests for their cell phones, large beach towels, beach chairs, children's toys, umbrellas, extra clothes, coolers filled with food and drink, and other paraphernalia for their relaxation and enjoyment at the beach. Often times such items are accidentally dropped into the sand causing spillage of items while making beaches unhygienic.
In addition, once at the beach, users often encounter issues with stability and balance. For example, the legs of the chair easily sink into the sand, especially when the sand is soft or uneven. This often cause the chair to become unstable and may result in the chair tipping over. When the chair tips over, other items such as towels, personal belongings, and food or drinks may also fall to the ground and become sandy or wet, which can be inconvenient and unpleasant for the user.
Similarly, when using an umbrella for shade, it is important to anchor the umbrella securely to prevent it from tipping over in the wind. However, conventional beach mats and chairs often do not provide a secure anchor point for the umbrella pole, which can lead to unreliable shade coverage. This can be especially problematic if the user is spending a long time at the beach and needs to protect their skin from the sun.
Over the years, various devices have been made to assist people with storing and using their personal belongings while at the beach but such devices are bulky. In particular, conventional beach mats and chairs are bulky and difficult to carry, and often require users to drag them through sand and other uneven terrain. Sand at the beach can make it even more challenging to transport these items, as conventional mats may sink or get caught in the sand. This can be especially problematic for users who are carrying multiple items or who are traveling with children. Furthermore, the dragging motion can cause the sand to get into the mat or chair, which can make them dirty and uncomfortable to use.
People use conventional beach mats to position their beach chair but such mats do not provide the required stability and support. Further, conventional mats do not allow users to securely place their beverage containers without fear of slippage. Further, existing mats do not provide any storage space for storing small items such as beverage containers.
None of the existing beach mats include a convenient, effective, and efficient way to position their beach chairs in an upright manner securely, while allowing for fast and easy retrieval.
A need also exists for devices that provide a more stable and secure surface for users to place their beach chairs and a stable umbrella that helps in entertaining family, friends, and business people while at the beach by also allowing them to securely place their multiple items and fold the mat and carry like a compact handbag.
Although some improvements to technologies have increased the utility of the conventional beach mats generally, a need exists for beach mats that provide a convenient and portable solution for users who want to bring both a chair and a mat to the beach or other outdoor locations without fear of unstable umbrella, dragging mats in sand and spillage of beverage and other items in sand.
While conventional devices may be suitable for the particular purposes employed, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as disclosed hereafter. None of such conventional devices disclose the unique structures and advantages of the present disclosure. The devices disclosed herein avoid many of the drawbacks of existing devices.
Accordingly, there is a need for improved and foldable beach mat that will significantly increase the entertainment, safety of beachgoers where such devices are quickly accessible and convenient to use.
It is one prospect of the present invention to provide a novel foldable beach chair mat of simple but effective construction for convenient and efficient setup and support for their chairs at the beach.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a foldable beach mat that can be folded easily allowing a beachgoer to carry the mat on shoulder or in hand. The foldable design and a carry strap make the mat easy to transport, even over uneven terrain or soft sand.
Yet another object of the disclosed invention is to provide a beach chair mat that includes a circular support aperture for an umbrella pole that provides a stable and secure base for the umbrella, reducing the risk of it tipping over or becoming unstable in windy conditions.
Yet another object of the disclosed invention is to provide a beach chair mat that protects users' personal belongings, towels, and food or drinks from becoming sandy or wet.
As disclosed in this application, the inventor has discovered novel and unique devices for efficiently and effectively supporting their beach chairs and other personal belongings, while also having the ability to help uphold a beach umbrella for shade against the hot sun.
Embodiments of the present invention provide for a foldable beach chair mat as described and defined in the description below and in the annexed claims which provide for improved safety, efficiency and effectiveness characteristics in order to conveniently and more effectively transport pets in a multitude of environments.
The following presents a simplified summary of the present disclosure in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented herein.
Therefore, in accordance with embodiments of the invention, there is provided a beach chair mat device designed to be in an extended position for laying on a beach and a folded position for easy transportation and storage. The foldable beach chair mat comprises a first chair support pad that includes a first rigid planar body having at least a first elongated edge defining a first semicircular aperture, a second chair support pad comprising a second rigid planar body having at least a second elongated edge defining a second semicircular aperture, an elongated hinge disposed between and pivotally connecting the at least first elongated edge and the at least second elongated edge, the first rigid planar body is pivotally movable relative to the second rigid planar body about the elongated hinge between the folded position in face-to-face abutting relation and the extended flat position in a coplanar relation, the first rigid body and the second rigid body form a circular support aperture adapted to receive and laterally support an umbrella pole through the circular support aperture and carry strap for carrying the mat in the folded position.
Preferably, the first semicircular aperture has a first concave end face and the second semicircular aperture has a second concave end face, wherein the first semicircular aperture and the second semicircular aperture are used for forming the circular support aperture.
In a preferred embodiment, the beach chair mat device further comprises a first semicylindrical support member formed of a first arcuate upstanding wall, a first semicircular base disposed at a bottom of the first arcuate upstanding wall, and a first top semicylindrical rim extending outwardly from a top of the first arcuate upstanding wall, said first arcuate upstanding wall fitted against the first concave end face. Similarly, a second semicylindrical support member is formed of a second arcuate upstanding wall, a second semicircular base disposed at a bottom of the second arcuate up standing wall, and a second top semicylindrical rim extending outwardly from a top of the second arcuate upstanding wall, said second arcuate upstanding wall fitted against the second concave end face of the second rigid planar body.
In a preferred embodiment, the first semicylindrical support member and the second semicylindrical support member form a cylindrical support passageway extending through the first chair support pad and the second chair support pad in the extended flat position to receive and secure against lateral movement the umbrella pole when extended therethrough.
In one embodiment, the elongated hinge disposed between and pivotally connecting the at least first elongated edge and the at least second elongated edge includes a first elongated leaf fixed to the at least one elongated edge of the first rigid planar body and a second elongated leaf fixed to the at least one elongated edge of the second rigid planar body.
In another embodiment, the foldable beach chair mat includes a first cupholder comprising a cylindrical member formed of an arcuate upstanding wall, a circular base, and a rim extending outwardly of the arcuate upstanding wall, the arcuate upstanding wall of the at least a first cupholder disposed within a first round aperture defined by the first rigid planar body, the rim positioned atop a top surface of the first rigid planar body. Preferably, the first cupholder accommodates any type of cup or beverage container.
In another embodiment, the foldable beach chair mat includes a second cupholder comprising a cylindrical member formed of an arcuate upstanding wall, a circular base, and a rim extending outwardly of the arcuate upstanding wall, the arcuate upstanding wall of the at least the second cupholder disposed within a second round aperture defined by the second rigid planar body, the rim positioned atop a top surface of the second rigid planar body.
In preferred embodiment, width of the first rigid planar body is one-half of the length in a longitudinal direction.
In another embodiment, width of the second rigid planar body is one-half of the length in a longitudinal direction.
In yet another embodiment, the foldable beach chair mat includes a retention strap having a first end opposite a second end, the first end fixed to the first chair support pad, the second end having a hook-and-loop fastener removably connected to an opposing hook-and-loop portion fixed to the second chair support pad. Preferably, the retention strap is used for maintaining folded stage of the mat device.
These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims.
Illustrative embodiments of the present invention are described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
For a further understanding of the nature and function of the embodiments, reference should be made to the following detailed description. Detailed descriptions of the embodiments are provided herein, as well as, the best mode of carrying out and employing the present invention. It will be readily appreciated that the embodiments are well adapted to carry out and obtain the ends and features mentioned as well as those inherent herein. It is to be understood, however, that the present invention may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, persons of ordinary skill in the art will realize that the following disclosure is illustrative only and not in any way limiting, as the specific details disclosed herein provide a basis for the claims and a representative basis for teaching to employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed system, structure or manner. It should be understood that the devices, materials, methods, procedures, and techniques described herein are presently representative of various embodiments. Other embodiments of the disclosure will readily suggest themselves to such skilled persons having the benefit of this disclosure.
Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numerals are used in the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts.
Referring initially to
As illustrated in
Referring to
In another embodiment of the invention, the non-slip surfaces 210,212 are respectively formed as integral parts of the first chair support pad 102 and the second chair support pad 112, when the first chair support pad 102 and the second chair support pad 112 are each formed from a mold. In other words, in such embodiment, the first chair support pad 102 has a non-slip surface 210 which is part of the first rigid planar body 104, as a homogenous material; and the second chair support pad 112 has a non-slip surface 212 which is part of the second rigid planar body 114, as a homogenous material.
In a preferred embodiment, the first rigid planar body 104 of the first chair support pad 102 and the second rigid planar body 114 of the second chair support pad 112 are each made from a sturdy clear polycarbonate. In another embodiment, the first chair support pad 102 and the second chair support pad 112 are each made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC). In yet another embodiment, they are made from high density polyethylene (HDPE).
Referring to
Referring to
For folding the foldable beach mat 100 of the present invention and achieving a pivotal movement of the first chair support pad 102 and the second chair support pad 112 for folding the mat 100 as illustrated in
The first elongated leaf 164 is fixed to the first elongated edge 106 of the first rigid planar body 104, and the second elongated leaf 166 is fixed to the second elongated edge 116 of the second rigid planar body 114. The elongated hinge 122 allows a user to pivotally move the first rigid planar body 104 relative to the second rigid planar body 114 about the elongated hinge 122 to bring the first rigid planar body 104 and the second rigid planar body 114 in face-to-face abutting relation as illustrated in
Additionally, as shown in
For providing additional space to store a beverage container, the second rigid planar body 114 has a second cupholder 182 disposed within a second round aperture 192 defined by the second rigid planar body 114. The second cupholder 182 has a similar structure like of the first cupholder 168 and is formed of a cylindrical member 184 having an arcuate upstanding wall 186 and a circular base 188. A circular rim 190 is positioned on top surface 204 of the second rigid planar body 114 and extends outwardly of the arcuate upstanding wall 186 for providing support to an accommodated drinking vessel. The first cupholder 168 and the second cupholder 182 enable a beachgoer to rest a beverage container safely against spillage.
The at least first cupholder and the at least second cupholder are each formed of a material selected from the group consisting of plastic, polycarbonate, aluminum, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and high density polyethylene (HDPE). Preferably, the at least first cupholder and the at least second cupholder are each formed of HDPE.
The foldable beach mat 100 of the present invention has a durable, tear-resistant, and lightweight construction. The mat 100, preferably has a foam construction and can be easily moved along the beach when in its expanded use condition as illustrated in
The foldable beach mat 100, in different embodiments, can be made from one of water-resistant polyester, fleece, parachute nylon, and microfiber. Embodiments of the present invention are intended to include or otherwise cover any type of the material for the mat 100 including known, related art, and/or later developed technologies.
When use of the foldable beach chair mat 100 is no longer desired, the mat 100 is easily folded into a folded or compact condition for easy transportation and storage, as illustrated in
The carry strap 128 can be made of nylon webbing and has a length in the range of 3′-5′ to meet requirements of different users. Further, the carry strap 128 comes in different colors and designs to match the colors and designs of the first rigid planar body 104 and the second rigid planar body 114.
For folding the mat 100, the first rigid planar body 104 is pivotally moved from an extended position as illustrated in
For maintaining the mat 100 in the folded stated as illustrated in
As illustrated in
Now referring to
Similarly, a second semicylindrical support member 150 is disposed in the second rigid planar body 114 and formed of a second arcuate upstanding wall 152 and a second semicircular base 154 disposed at a bottom 156 of the second arcuate upstanding wall 152. A second top semicylindrical rim 158 is configured to extend outwardly from a top 160 of the second arcuate upstanding wall 152 for providing additional support to the umbrella pole 208. The second semicylindrical support member 150 is fitted against the second concave end face 120 of the second rigid planar body 114 (illustrated in
In a preferred embodiment, the first semicylindrical support member 138 and the second semicylindrical support member 150 are each formed of a material selected from the group consisting of plastic, polycarbonate, aluminum, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and high density polyethylene (HDPE).
In the extended position of the foldable beach chair mat 100, the first semicylindrical support member 138 and the second semicylindrical support member 150 form a cylindrical support passageway 162 surrounding the circular support aperture 126. The cylindrical support passageway 162 extends through the first chair support pad 102 and the second chair support pad 112 in the extended flat position. The cylindrical support passageway 162 is configured to receive and secure against lateral movement the umbrella pole 208 when extended therethrough. In such manner, through embodiment of the invention, a beachgoer can enjoy sitting underneath the umbrella without fear of umbrella pole 208 getting unstable and fall.
Referring to
Referring to
Except as may be expressly otherwise indicated, the article “a” or “an” if and as used herein is not intended to limit, and should not be construed as limiting, the description or a claim to a single element to which the article refers. Rather, the article “a” or “an” if and as used herein is intended to cover one or more such elements, unless the text expressly indicates otherwise.
This invention is susceptible to considerable variation within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.