Patent Application
20190125086
This invention relates to furniture and suspension systems. More specifically, this invention relates to suspension systems that are useful in a variety of applications, and furniture making use of those suspension systems.
There have been a number of examples of springs, foams, trusses, cords, shock absorbers, suspensions, and other means for supporting a person or other objects. These have been used in a wide variety of applications, including without limitation, furniture, vehicles, stands, and conveyors. These prior art methods and systems often lack versatility, flexibility, adjustability, adaptability, modularity, and other desirable features. The present invention overcomes those and other drawbacks of the prior art.
The present invention may include a lounge having a matrix mat and a plurality of modules capable of being inserted into the matrix mat. As used herein, a “lounge” can be any apparatus upon which a person or other object may rest, including without limitation, a lounger, a hammock, a bed, a couch, a chair, a foot stool, a table, a conveyor belt, and a vehicle. Also as used herein, a “matrix mat” is a flexible or rigid material with openings allowing for insertion and removal of modules. As used herein, a module is any apparatus capable of being removably inserted into a matrix mat having an outer surface suitable for contact with a desired use. A module may further include any apparatus capable of being removably inserted into a matrix mat having a function desired by a user. Examples of such functions include, but are not limited to, a cup holder, a cooler, or a storage compartment.
For example, and not meant to be limiting, the outer surface of a module could be a surface suitable for contact with a human being or an animal. As another example, and also not meant to be limiting, the outer surface could be suitable for contact with terrain where the module is used in a transportation application, or with industrial or other goods where the module is used in a manufacturing or material handling application, or in applications where the outer surface is used to move or rotate humans or animals.
The modules may further include an upholstery cover and a foam insert disposed within the interior of the upholstery cover. The modules may be capable of being displaced in more than one direction by an applied force. The lounge may include a frame connected to the matrix mat. The frame may be configured as a rigid frame, a modular frame, and combinations thereof. As used herein a frame is any apparatus that is capable of suspending the matrix mat. Also as used herein, a rigid frame is any apparatus that is capable of suspending the matrix mat the elements of which are fixed and a modular frame is any apparatus that is capable of suspending the matrix mat the elements of which are easily removed and replaced with functional substitutes having differences in color, shape, material, size or texture.
The modular frame may further include a tri-cable suspension. The tri-cable suspension may be attached to a dilator retractor mechanism.
While not meant to be limiting, the modules of the present invention may include a mushroom cap module, a spider spring module, a web module, a lighting module, an electronics module, and combinations thereof.
The modules may include an upholstery collar attached to a module frame, and the module frame may be capable of being inserted into the matrix mat. The modules may further include an upholstery cover removably attached to the module frame and a foam insert disposed within the interior of the upholstery cover. While not meant to be limiting, the upholstery cover may be formed as a single unit with the upholstery collar.
One aspect of the present invention is a mushroom cap module that may be capable of being removably inserted into a matrix mat and may include an upholstery collar attached to a module frame and an upholstery cover. The mushroom cap module may further include a foam insert disposed within the interior of the upholstery cover. The mushroom cap module may further include a control head adjacent to the foam insert. The control head may be supported by a strut quad socket having a top end and a bottom end. The strut quad socket may be attached to the control head at the top end, and to one or more sili tube longs at the bottom end.
As used herein, sili means any flexible material capable of stretching and resisting an external force that retains its original shape when the force is removed. A sili tube is therefore a sili material in the shape of a tube.
The sili tube longs may have a top end and a bottom end, and the sili tube longs may be attached to the strut quad socket at the sili tube long's bottom end, and may further be attached to one or more sili tube shorts at the sili tube long's top end. The sili tube shorts may have an inside end and an outside end, and the sili tube shorts outside end may be attached to the sili tube long's top end, and the sili tube shorts inside end may be attached to a quad pivot.
Sili tubes may be replaced with other sili tubes having greater or lesser resistance. In this manner, the resistance of the mushroom cap module to an external force becomes readily adjustable.
The strut quad socket may pass through the quad pivot in such a manner that the upholstery cover is capable of being displaced in more than one direction by an applied force. As the upholstery cover of the mushroom cap module is displaced by an applied force, the resistance applied by the long and short sili tubes on the strut quad socket may increase in proportion to the magnitude of displacement.
Another aspect of the invention is spider spring module that may be capable of being removably inserted into a matrix mat. The spider spring module may include an upholstery collar attached to a module frame and an upholstery cover. The spider spring module may further include a foam insert disposed within the interior of the upholstery cover. The foam insert may be adjacent to a control head. The control head may be supported by a top spider spring and a bottom spider spring, the top and bottom spider springs may be attached to an o-ring, and the o-ring may further be attached to a plurality of vane spring to o-ring bands. The plurality of vane spring to o-ring bands may be attached to a vane spring. The vane spring may be attached to a spider vane shaft, such that the upholstery cover is capable of being displaced in more than one direction by an applied force and the spider vane shaft slides through an aperture in the bottom spider spring under such an applied force. As the spider spring module is displaced by an applied force, the resistance applied by the spider springs on the control head may be increased in proportion to the magnitude of displacement.
The spider spring, o-rings and vane spring may be replaced with other spider springs, o-rings and vane springs having greater or lesser resistance. In this manner, the resistance of the spider spring module to an external force becomes readily adjustable.
Another aspect of the invention is a web module that may be capable of being removably inserted into a matrix mat. The web module may include an upholstery collar attached to a magazine and an upholstery cover. The web module may also include a foam insert disposed within the interior of the upholstery cover. The foam insert may be adjacent to a control head, and the control head may be supported by the top end of a center shaft. The center shaft may be disposed through a plurality of web springs attached to the magazine, and the bottom end of the center shaft may be free floating in such a manner that the upholstery cover is capable of being displaced in more than one direction by an applied force. The web module may be capable of being displaced in more than one direction by an applied force in such a manner that when the upholstery cover is displaced the resistance applied by the web springs on the center shaft is increased in proportion to the magnitude of displacement. The magazine may be a single magazine, or it may be formed of a first magazine and a second magazine.
The web springs may be replaced with other web springs having greater or lesser resistance. In this manner, the resistance of the web module to an external force becomes readily adjustable.
As described above, the web springs, spider spring, o-rings, vane spring, sili tubes, and other components of the present invention may be designed to be modular such that they can readily be replaced with replacement parts. The replacement parts may be selected as having differences in durometer, shore, elasticity and other properties. In this manner, the suspension provided by the various components of the present invention can be adjusted as desired by a user. For example, and not meant to be limiting, by selecting different parts with different hardness, elasticity or resilience, the suspension of the various assemblies may be made to be more or less firm, bouncy, or dampening.
Another aspect of the invention is a lighting module that may be capable of being removably inserted into a matrix mat. The lighting module may include an upholstery collar attached to a lighting base and an upholstery cover. A foam insert may be disposed within the interior of the upholstery cover, and the foam insert may be adjacent to a control head. A threaded support shaft may be disposed through an aperture in the control head, upholstery cover, and foam insert. The threaded support shaft may include a light source at one end. While not meant to be limiting, the light source may be a light emitting diode, or LED, which in turn may be powered by electrical power from a conventional wall socket or from a battery. The battery may be rechargeable. The light source may further be attached to a light conduit. The light conduit may have a light housing attached thereto, such that light from the light source may traverse through the threaded support shaft, through the light conduit, and out of the light housing.
Another aspect of the invention is a U-Bow suspension. The U-Bow suspension may include a U-Bow frame having a top surface flexibly affixed to two inwardly curved side surfaces at each top end, wherein the curved side surfaces join at the bottom end. The U-Bow suspension may further include a U-Bow Omega Support placed in the interior of the U-Bow frame, wherein the U-Bow Omega Support has a top surface flexibly affixed to two outwardly curved side surfaces at the top end, and wherein the curved side surfaces join at the bottom end of the U-Bow Omega Support. The top surface of the U-Bow Omega Support may be in contact with the top surface of the U-Bow frame and the inwardly curved side surfaces of the U-Bow frame may be in contact with the outwardly curved side surfaces of the U-Bow Omega Support. Alternatively, the U-Bow suspension may be a U-Bow frame and a U-Bow Omega Support formed as a single piece. In either configuration, the U-Bow suspension may support a load in such a manner that when an increase in load is applied to the top surface of the U-Bow frame, the U-Bow suspension apparatus becomes progressively more rigid in response.
The U-Bow suspension apparatus may further include cable guides affixed to at least one of the U-Bow Omega Support or the U-Bow frame. The U-Bow suspension apparatus may be configured where two of the cable guides are outer cable guides affixed to the inwardly curved side surfaces of the U-Bow frame and another cable guide is a lower cable guide affixed to the outwardly curved side surfaces of the U-Bow Omega Support.
Another aspect of the invention is a tri-cable suspension comprising three cables that may be attached at one end to a tricable spreader, and may further be attached at the other end to a dilator retractor assembly. The tri-cable suspension may also include at least one compression tube surrounding at least one of the cables. The tri-cable suspension may further include a suspension apparatus affixed to the cables. The tri-cable suspension may be configured such that the suspension apparatus affixed to the cables is a U-Bow suspension apparatus.
The tri-cable suspension may include a dilator retractor assembly. The dilator retractor assembly may include a first V-Plate retractor disc adjacent to a first dilator disc and a second V-Plate retractor disc adjacent to a second dilator disc. The V-Plate retractor discs, dilator discs and cables may be arranged such that the rotation of one or both of the dilator discs and the V-Plate retractor discs provides movement of the cables toward and away from a center line.
The tri-cable suspension may further include a motor to drive rotation of one or both of the dilator discs and the V-Plate retractor discs. The tri-cable may further include a threaded shaft such that when the threaded shaft is rotated, the first V-Plate retractor disc and first dilator disc are displaced from the second V-Plate retractor disc and second dilator disc along the center line, thereby tightening or loosening the cables.
Another aspect of the present invention is the combination of the forgoing assemblies into a lounge having a matrix mat and a plurality of modules capable of being inserted into the matrix mat, a modular frame having a tri-cable suspension, the tri-cable suspension attached to a dilator retractor mechanism and to one or more U-Bow suspension apparatuses, and wherein the U-Bow suspension apparatus provides support to the matrix mat.
Another aspect of the invention is electronics components that may be incorporated into the matrix mat, the modules, and the other parts of the assembly. For example, and not meant to be limiting, the modules may be equipped with sensors that allow a computer to record the position of the modules when a lounge is used by a user. In this manner, the optimum configuration of the overall system may be tracked and adjusted. This functionality also allows the system and the system components to be remotely adjusted.
Other functional assemblies may also be incorporated into the matrix mat, the modules, and the other parts of the invention. For example, and not meant to be limiting, electronic components that provide therapeutic treatments, such as vibration and heat, may be incorporated into some or all of the modules, the matrix mat, the frame, the tri-cable suspension, or the other components, to provide those therapeutic benefits to a user.
The following detailed description of the embodiments of the invention will be more readily understood when taken in conjunction with the following drawings, wherein:
For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitations of the inventive scope is thereby intended, as the scope of this invention should be evaluated with reference to the claims appended hereto. Alterations and further modifications in the illustrated devices, and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated herein are contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.
While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character. Only certain embodiments have been shown and described, and all changes, equivalents, and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention described herein are desired to be protected. Any specific examples provided herein are intended to be illustrative of the present invention and should not be considered limiting or restrictive with regard to the invention scope. Further, any theory, mechanism of operation, proof, or finding stated herein is meant to further enhance understanding of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention in any way to such theory, mechanism of operation, proof, or finding.
Thus, the specifics of this description and the attached drawings should not be interpreted to limit the scope of this invention to the specifics thereof. Rather, the scope of this invention should be evaluated with reference to the claims appended hereto. In reading the claims it is intended that when words such as “a”, “an”, “at least one”, and “at least a portion” are used there is no intention to limit the claims to only one item unless specifically stated to the contrary in the claims. Further, when the language “at least a portion” and/or “a portion” is used, the claims may include a portion and/or the entire items unless specifically stated to the contrary.
This application is a divisional application of, and claims priority to, U.S. application Ser. No. 14/731,329 filed Jun. 4, 2015, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,848,709 which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 14731329 | Jun 2015 | US |
| Child | 15964155 | US |
