Patent Application
20140326373
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to furniture covers, including furniture covers for patio furniture.
Patio furniture and other outdoor furniture are very popular. Owners often cover the patio furniture with removable covers to protect the furniture from rain, wind, water, dust, debris, or other adverse elements. Conventional furniture covers, however, do not adequately stay on the furniture, particularly in windy or other stormy conditions. Many conventional furniture covers rely on gravity to hold the covers in place. Other furniture covers use elastic bands at their base to snugly engage the furniture. Other furniture covers use line or other constriction devices to decrease the size of the opening of the furniture cover to better fit the furniture. These prior art designs, however, can be unsightly and difficult to install or remove. Accordingly, there is a need for an improved furniture cover that maintains a positive aesthetic appearance while increasing the ease and usability of the cover, allowing the cover to securely connect to the furniture, and ensuring that the cover will remain in position in all kinds of environments and conditions.
The present invention provides furniture cover assemblies that overcome drawbacks in the prior art and provide additional benefits. A brief summary of some embodiments and aspects of the invention are presented. Thereafter, a detailed description of the illustrated embodiments is presented, which will permit one skilled in the relevant art to understand, make, and use embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the art can obtain a full appreciation of aspects of the invention from the subsequent detailed description, read together with the figures, and from the claims, which follow the detailed description.
In accordance with at least one embodiment of the disclosed technology, a furniture cover assembly comprises a top cover portion and a plurality of side portions interconnected to define an interior area and an access opening to the interior area. At least one side portion has an edge portion adjacent to the access opening, and the edge portion has a belt tunnel with opposing first and second open end portions. A buckle is adjacent to the first open end portion. A belt is disposed in the belt tunnel, and the belt has an intermediate portion axially moveable within the belt tunnel. The belt has first and second free end portions projecting from and positioned exterior of the belt tunnel. The first free end portion of the belt is adjustably connected to the buckle and forms a first adjustable loop exterior of the belt tunnel. The first adjustable loop is configured to connect to a first one of the support structures of the furniture unit. The second free end portion of the belt is connected to the side portion and forms a second adjustable loop exterior of the belt tunnel adjacent to the second open end portion. The second adjustable loop is configured to connect to a second support structure, wherein the belt tunnel extends between the first and second support structures. The intermediate portion of the belt has a length, and the belt is adjustably connected to the buckle to adjust the length of the intermediate portion that extends between the buckle and the second open end portion.
In at least one embodiment, the edge portion of the furniture cover assembly is a first edge portion. The assembly has a second side portion spaced apart from the first side portion, and that has a second edge portion adjacent to the access opening. The second edge portion has a second belt tunnel with opposing third and fourth open ends and a second closed intermediate portion between the third and fourth open ends. A second buckle is attached to the second side portion adjacent to the third open end of the second belt tunnel. A second belt is disposed in the second belt tunnel. The second belt has a second intermediate portion axially moveable within the second belt tunnel and has third and fourth free end portions projecting from and exterior of the second belt tunnel. The third free end portion of the second belt is adjustably connected to the second buckle and forms a third adjustable loop exterior of the second belt tunnel and configured to connect to a third one of the support structures.
Another embodiment of the present technology provides a furniture cover assembly having interconnected side portions that define an interior area. At least one side portion has an edge portion adjacent to an access opening to the interior area. The edge portion has a belt tunnel with opposing first and second open ends. An adjustment member is adjacent to the first open end. A belt is slideably disposed in the belt tunnel and has first and second free end portions projecting from and exterior of the belt tunnel. The first free end portion of the belt is adjustably connected to the adjustment member and forms an adjustable loop exterior of the belt tunnel and configured to connect to a support structure of a furniture unit when positioned in the interior area. The second free end portion of the belt forms a second loop exterior of the belt tunnel adjacent to the second open end and configured to connect to a second support structure of the furniture unit with the belt tunnel extending between the first and second support structures.
Another embodiment of the present technology provides a furniture cover assembly for covering a furniture unit having spaced apart legs or other support structures. The furniture cover assembly comprises a top cover portion and a plurality of side portions that define an interior area and an access opening that provides access into the interior area. At least one side portion has an edge portion adjacent to the access opening, and the edge portion has a belt tunnel with opposing first and second open ends and a closed intermediate portion between the first and second open ends. A first buckle member is attached to the one side portion adjacent to the first open end of the belt tunnel. A second buckle member is attached to the one side portion adjacent to the second open end of the belt tunnel. A belt is slideably disposed in the belt tunnel, and the belt has an intermediate portion axially moveable within the belt tunnel and has first and second free end portions projecting from and exterior of the belt tunnel. The first free end portion of the belt is adjustably connected to the first buckle member and forms a first adjustable loop exterior of the belt tunnel that connects to a first one of the support structures. The second free end portion of the belt is adjustably connected to the second buckle member and forms a second adjustable loop exterior of the belt tunnel configured to connect to a second one of the support structures with the belt tunnel extending between the first and second support structures. The intermediate portion of the belt has a length, and the belt is adjustably connected to the first and second buckle members to adjust the length of the intermediate portion that extends between the first and second buckle portions.
A furniture cover assembly 10 in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure is shown in the drawings for purposes of illustration. In the following description, numerous specific details are discussed to provide a thorough and enabling description for embodiments of the disclosure. One skilled in the relevant art, however, will recognize that the disclosure can be practiced without one or more of the specific details. In other instances, well-known structures or operations are not shown, or are not described in detail, to avoid obscuring aspects of the disclosure. In general, alternatives and alternate embodiments described herein are substantially similar to the previously described embodiments, and common elements are identified by the same reference numbers.
The illustrated cover assembly 10 has opposing left and right side panels 26 and 28 that span between front and rear side panels 30 and 32. While the illustrated embodiment has four side panels 18, other embodiments can include a different number of side panels that interconnects to the top panel 16 in a configuration to accommodate a variety of different pieces of furniture 12, such as tables, chairs, lounges, benches, cabinets, etc.
The left and right side panels 26 and 28 each have a front edge area 34 that connects to the front side panel 30 and a have rear edge area 36 that connects to the rear side panel 32. The bottom edge portion 22 of each of the left and right side panels 26 and 28 includes a belt tunnel 38 that extends between the front and rear edge areas 34 and 36. Each belt tunnel 38 has open front and rear ends 40 and 42 that provide access into the belt tunnel 38. An elongated belt 44 is slidably disposed within the belt tunnel 38 and positioned so that an intermediate portion 46 of the belt 44 is contained within the belt tunnel 38. Front and rear end portions 48 and 50 of the belt 44 extend through the respective open front and rear ends 40 and 42 and are exterior of the belt tunnel 38. As discussed in greater detail below, the belt's front and rear end portions 48 and 50 extending from the belt tunnel are long enough to create a loop 66 that fits around and secures to a respective leg 14 of the furniture 12. The belt 44 is not permanently fixed to the bottom edge portion 22 of the side panel, such that the belt 44 could be pulled out of the belt tunnel if desired by pulling axially on the free front or rear end portion 48 or 50 of the belt 44.
The cover assembly 10 also has buckle assemblies 52 or other adjustment members attached to the side panels 26 and 28 adjacent to the open ends 40 and 42 of the belt tunnel 38. The buckle assemblies 52 are fixed in a position to releasably and adjustably connect to the respective front or rear end portions 48 or 50 of the belt 44 such that the front and rear end portion 48 and 50 can form the loop 66 that receives the furniture's leg 14. In the illustrated embodiment, the cover assembly 10 has four buckle assemblies 52 adjacent to the front and rear open ends 40 and 42 of the belt tunnels 38 on each of the left and right side panels 26 and 28. Each buckle assembly 52 is substantially identical, so the following description of one buckle assembly is applicable to each of the buckle assemblies of the illustrated embodiment.
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The web 53 of the illustrated embodiment is made of a short length of strap similar to the material that forms the belt 44. The web 53 can be a fabric or other textile material that is flexible and durable so as to withstand the outside elements and normal wear and tear. Other embodiments can use rope, lace, cord, bungee, or other materials for the web 53 and/or the belt 44 that allows for connection to the buckle 60, such as to the side panel 18 adjacent to the opening of the belt tunnel 38. In yet other embodiments, the buckle 60 can be directly affixed to the material forming the belt tunnel 38 or the side panel 18 adjacent to the opening of the belt tunnel.
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Referring again to
The belt 44 and side panel 18 arrangement of the illustrated embodiment is configured so that, when the cover assembly 10 is positioned over the furniture 12, the front and rear end portions 48 and 50 of the belt 44 are looped around the adjacent legs 14 of the furniture 12, and the male and female buckle portions 64 and 62 attached to each other. The loops 66 formed by the end portions 48/50 of the belt 44 are then tightened through the assemblies 52 so as to effectively shorten the length of the belt 44 extending between the buckle assemblies 52. In this arrangement, the intermediate portion 46 of the belt 44 remains free and slidably disposed within the belt tunnel 38 such that, when the belt 44 has been adjusted/tightened, the side panel 18 adjacent to the belt tunnel 38 is pulled axially between the buckle assemblies 52 and the belt remains taut or under tension between the buckle assemblies 52. The taut belts in the side panels 18 securely hold the side panels down to keep them from excessively flaping in windy conditions. As a result, the side panels remain generally planar with a nice, clean appearance when the cover assembly 10 is installed over the furniture 12.
The cover assembly 10 shown in the illustrated embodiment has the belt tunnels 38, the belts 44, and buckle assemblies 52 on the opposing left and right side panels. The cover assembly 10 in other embodiments can have belt tunnels 38, belts 44 and buckle assemblies 52 on the opposing front and rear side panels 30 and 32, and/or on all of the side panels 18. Other embodiments can include the belt tunnels 38, belts 44 and buckle assemblies 52 on less than all of the side panels 18.
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The cover assembly 10 of the illustrated embodiment also includes a handle 80 on the rear side panel 32 adjacent to the vent 78 (
In operation, the cover assembly 10 is installed over the furniture 12 by disconnecting the buckles 60 or otherwise opening the loops 66 and loosening the cord keeper 76 and draw member 72 to maximize or otherwise enlarge the access opening 24 of the cover assembly 10. The cover assembly 10 is then positioned over the furniture 12 so the furniture is substantially fully within the interior area 20 except for a portion of the legs 14 that extend partially through the access opening 24. The front and rear end portions 48 and 50 of the belt 44 are then wrapped around the associated leg 14 to create the loops 66 around the legs 14. The male and female buckle portions 64 and 62 are then snapped together and the end portions 48/50 of the belts 44 are tightened as needed to securely tighten the belts 44 around the legs 14, while maintaining the bottom edge portion 22 of the side panels 18 substantially in tension (when the distance between the legs 14 is greater than the length of the belt tunnel 38). The draw members 72 on the side panels 18 are then tightened and the cord keeper 76 is adjusted to maintain the draw members 72 in the tight arrangement so as to secure the bottom edge portions 22 of the cover assembly 10 around the bottom perimeter of the furniture 12. The cover assembly 10 can be removed from the furniture 12 by reversing the above process and lifting the cover assembly 10 off of the furniture 12, such as by utilizing the handles 80.
From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that specific embodiments of the invention have been described herein for purposes of illustration, but that various modifications may be made without deviating from the invention. Additionally, aspects of the invention described in the context of particular embodiments or examples may be combined or eliminated in other embodiments. Although advantages associated with certain embodiments of the invention have been described in the context of those embodiments, other embodiments may also exhibit such advantages. Additionally, not all embodiments need necessarily exhibit such advantages to fall within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not limited except as by the appended claims.
