PROTECTIVE COVER FOR FURNITURE

Abstract

A transparent protective layer or cover is disclosed for protecting a furniture item from scratches and stains. The protective layer is transparent and made of a waterproof and durable material such as polyurethane. In one embodiment, the layer is molded on the furniture piece using a molding technique and in other embodiments, the layer is permanently or detachably attached using an adhesive. The protective cover remains in place during use and the transparency does not impact the aesthetics of the furniture. The adhesive can be disposed in the form of a strip or a continuous surface on the bottom surface area of the protective layer for securing the layer to the furniture item.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to the field of furniture covers. More specifically, the present invention relates to a novel claw proof and spill proof protective cover for furniture pieces. The cover is transparent and can be detachably attached or molded to the furniture piece. The cover maintains the shape, does not skid, or slip and is reusable. The cover protects the furniture from damage due to pets and spilling of items. Accordingly, the present disclosure makes specific reference thereto. Nonetheless, it is to be appreciated that aspects of the present invention are also equally applicable to other like applications, devices, and methods of manufacture.

BACKGROUND

By way of background, furniture pieces such as sofas, chairs, recliners, stools, and more are essential pieces that offer comfort and a place to sit for relaxation, conversation, and various activities. Other furniture items like dining tables and chairs are used for eating meals and gatherings with family and friends. In fact, beyond the functional aspects, furniture contributes to the overall aesthetics of a space. However, indoor pets, such as cats and dogs can scratch and claw furniture which can lead to significant damage to furniture. Pets may scratch the upholstery, wood, or other materials, causing visible marks and even tearing.

Some pets, like puppies and dogs, chew on objects, including furniture. Chewing can lead to unsightly marks, dents, and even structural damage to furniture pieces. Conventional furniture materials like leather, pleather, vegan leather, fabric, wood, and more are vulnerable to damage caused by pets. Further, paws of pets can carry dirt, moisture, and oils that can lead to stains on furniture upholstery. Additionally, spills of beverages, food items, and snacks are common occurrences in households which can stain furniture. Such stains are difficult to remove and can negatively deteriorate the appearance of furniture.

Conventionally, homeowners use covers to hide scratch marks and stains on damaged furniture. Such a method is not only temporary but also gives a worn-out appearance to the space. Moreover, covers do not always stay in place and might require readjustment. Individuals may buy new furniture to replace damaged furniture pieces but it is not only expensive but also time consuming. Cleaning upholstery, especially when the upholstery is stained, requires effort and specialized cleaning products. Individuals desire improved furniture that is stain proof and scratch proof to overcome problems with furniture in prior art.

Therefore, there exists a long felt need in the art for improved furniture that is resistant to scratches from a pet and stains. Additionally, there is a long felt need in the art for a unique protective covering for furniture to prevent stains and claw marks thereon. Moreover, there is a long felt need in the art for an improved furniture upholstery that can be easily cleaned and wiped. Further, there is a long felt need in the art for a clear protective layer that can be molded over furniture to prevent damage to the furniture. Furthermore, there is a long felt need in the art for a clear protective layer for furniture that does not reduce aesthetics of furniture while protecting the furniture from physical damage. Finally, there is a long felt need in the art for a clear protective layer that can be molded over furniture to eliminate damage to furniture due to scratching and clawing by pets and staining due to spilling of items.

The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one embodiment thereof, comprises a clear protective sheet for a furniture piece for protecting the furniture piece from scratches and stains. The protective sheet is configured to cover at least a portion of the furniture piece and further includes a planar clear sheet having a top surface and a bottom surface, a continuous adhesive strip or surface disposed on the bottom surface of the protective layer, wherein the adhesive strip is permanently or temporarily attached to the furniture for covering the furniture. The protective sheet is transparent, durable, and washable. The protective sheet is configured to remain secured to the parts of the furniture on which the clear protective sheet is adhered. In some embodiments, the protective layer is molded to the furniture piece using a molding technique.

In this manner, the transparent and durable protective sheet of the present invention for furniture pieces accomplishes all of the forgoing objectives and provides users with a transparent and durable sheet that adheres or is molded to a furniture piece. The sheet protects the furniture from scratches and stains while maintaining the appearance of the furniture. The sheet can be attached permanently or temporarily, is washable, and can also be molded to the furniture's shape for a seamless fit.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following presents a simplified summary in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosed innovation. This summary is not an extensive overview, and it is not intended to identify key/critical elements or to delineate the scope thereof. Its sole purpose is to present some general concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.

The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one embodiment thereof, comprises a clear protective layer for furniture. The protective layer is configured to cover at least a portion of the furniture and further includes a planar clear sheet having a top surface and a bottom surface, a continuous adhesive strip disposed along the periphery of the bottom surface of the protective layer, wherein the adhesive strip is permanently or temporarily attached to the furniture for covering the furniture. The protective layer is transparent, durable, and washable. The protective layer is configured to remain secured to the parts of the furniture on which the clear protective layer is adhered.

In yet another embodiment, a transparent protective layer for protecting furniture from scratches and stains is disclosed. The protective layer is made of transparent and water repellant polyurethane and includes a top layer and a bottom layer, the bottom layer includes a fabric-friendly self-adhesive layer for adhering and securing to the furniture, wherein the protective layer functions as a protective barrier between a pet or spill and the furniture, thereby protecting the furniture from scratches and stains.

In a further embodiment, scratchproof and stainproof furniture is disclosed. The furniture includes an upholstery material, a transparent protective layer, the transparent layer is molded on the upholstery material, wherein the transparent layer functions as a barrier between external elements and the upholstery material to protect the upholstery material from scratches and stains.

In another aspect of the present invention, a method of using a protective layer molded on a furniture piece to protect the furniture piece from scratches and stains is described. The method includes the steps of designing the protective layer in a specific thickness, material, and pattern to fit furniture. The method further includes preparing a mold for the furniture wherein the furniture is positioned within mold for application of the protective layer. Finally, applying the transparent protective layer and molding over the furniture's surface for a tight and secure fit that follows the contours of the furniture to protect the furniture.

Numerous benefits and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which it pertains upon reading and understanding of the following detailed specification.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, certain illustrative aspects of the disclosed innovation are described herein in connection with the following description and the annexed drawings. These aspects are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles disclosed herein can be employed and are intended to include all such aspects and their equivalents. Other advantages and novel features will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The description refers to provided drawings in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the different views, and in which:

FIG. 1A illustrates a perspective view of a clear protective layer of the present invention for furniture in accordance with the disclosed structure;

FIG. 1B illustrates a perspective view of the clear protective layer of the present invention for furniture with continuous adhesive surface in accordance with the disclosed structure;

FIG. 2 illustrates a flow chart depicting a process of molding the clear protective layer over furniture in accordance with the disclosed structure;

FIG. 3A illustrates a perspective view showing a pet scratching the protective layer molded furniture piece in accordance with the disclosed structure;

FIG. 3B illustrates a perspective view showing spilling of an item on the protective layer molded furniture piece in accordance with the disclosed structure;

FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view of a protective furniture equipped with the clear protective layer of the present invention in accordance with the disclosed structure; and

FIG. 5 illustrates a perspective view of the protective layer with adhesive strip integrally or removably attached to a sofa in accordance with the disclosed structure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The innovation is now described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding thereof. It may be evident, however, that the innovation can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to facilitate a description thereof. Various embodiments are discussed hereinafter. It should be noted that the figures are described only to facilitate the description of the embodiments. They are not intended as an exhaustive description of the invention and do not limit the scope of the invention. Additionally, an illustrated embodiment need not have all the aspects or advantages shown. Thus, in other embodiments, any of the features described herein from different embodiments may be combined.

As noted above, there is a long felt need in the art for improved furniture that is resistant to scratches from a pet and stains. Additionally, there is a long felt need in the art for a unique protective covering for furniture to prevent stains and claw marks thereon. Moreover, there is a long felt need in the art for an improved furniture upholstery that can be easily cleaned and wiped. Further, there is a long felt need in the art for a clear protective layer that can be molded over furniture to prevent damage to the furniture. Furthermore, there is a long felt need in the art for a clear protective layer for furniture that does not reduce aesthetics of furniture while protecting the furniture from physical damage. Finally, there is a long felt need in the art for a clear protective layer that can be molded over furniture to eliminate damage to furniture due to scratching and clawing by pets and staining due to spilling of items.

The present invention, in one exemplary embodiment, is scratchproof and stainproof furniture. The furniture includes an upholstery material, a transparent protective layer, the transparent layer is molded on the upholstery material using a molding process, wherein the transparent layer functions as a barrier between external elements and the upholstery material to protect the upholstery material from scratches and stains. The protective layer can be molded on all portions of the furniture and is scratchproof, stainproof, and can be wiped and cleaned.

Referring initially to the drawings, FIG. 1A illustrates a perspective view of a clear protective layer of the present invention for furniture in accordance with the disclosed architecture. The clear protective sheet 100 of the present invention is designed to safeguard furniture from damage caused by pets, particularly their claws, and potential stains caused by children and spills. The clear protective sheet 100 can be molded or fit over furniture such as furniture upholstery to act as a barrier between the furniture and physical damage and stains. In the present embodiment, the cover 100 includes a top surface 102 and a bottom surface 104. The layer 100 is durable, puncture-proof, and waterproof and prevents pet claws from scratching the original upholstery and prevents liquids from seeping into the furniture.

The bottom surface 104 includes a continuous adhesive strip 106 along the periphery 108 of the bottom surface 104 for allowing a user to secure the protective layer 100 to the furniture. The protective layer 100 is designed to fit snugly and precisely over the furniture's surface to create a tight and secure fit that does not shift or move during use of the furniture. The protective layer 100 has a thickness from about 0.5 mm to about 2.0 mm and does not alter the appearance, comfort, or function of the original furniture.

The furniture protective layer 100 can be made of PVC sheeting, self-adhesive clear film, polyurethane, epoxy and more. Furthermore, the layer 100 can be washed, cleaned, and wiped easily to clean the layer 100. The layer 100 can come in different sizes and shapes to fit over different furniture to meet requirements of different users.

As illustrated in FIG. 1B, in some embodiments, the bottom surface 104 can have an adhesive layer 110 through out the area of the bottom surface 104 allowing the layer 100 to adhere more securely to a furniture piece.

FIG. 2 illustrates a flow chart depicting a process of molding the clear protective layer over furniture in accordance with the disclosed architecture. The protective layer 100 can be molded over the furniture to protect the furniture from damage and stains. For molding the layer 100, initially, protective cover 100 is designed in a specific thickness, material, and pattern to fit furniture (Step 202). Then, molds for target furniture are designed wherein the furniture is positioned within mold for application of the protective layer 100 (Step 204). Finally, the transparent protective layer 100 is applied and molded over the furniture's surface for a tight and secure fit that follows the contours of the furniture (Step 206). Molding techniques including but not limited to thermoforming, vacuum forming, lamination molding, and injection molding can be used for molding the protective layer 100.

Now referring to FIGS. 3A and 3B, when a pet 302 claws or scratches the protective layer 100, the durable protective layer 100 is not scratched and protects the furniture 304 from getting scratched or torn. Similarly, when a spill 306 occurs, the continuous clear protective barrier 100 prevents the fluid from penetrating to the furniture item 304. The protective layer 100 can protect not only upholstery but other inward or non-contact areas such as the base of the furniture 304.

FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view of a protective furniture equipped with the clear protective layer of the present invention in accordance with the disclosed structure. In the present embodiment, the clear protective sheet 100 is molded over the furniture and eliminates any skidding or slippage. The protective layer 100 may not have any adhesive strip and is adhered to the furniture 402 using molding on any velvet, leather, pleather, vegan leather, or other fabric or material furniture. The protective layer 100 can be used not only with upholstery but with other furniture components such as legs 404. The protective layer 100 can also have a self-adhesive bottom surface for use as an aftermarket product for furniture.

FIG. 5 illustrates a perspective view of the protective layer with adhesive strip integrally or removably attached to a sofa 502 in accordance with the disclosed structure. In the present embodiment, the layer 500 is positioned to conform to the shape of the sofa 502 and includes a first panel 504, a second panel 506, and third panel 508. The panels 504, 506, 508 can be integrated or can be detachably attached. In one exemplary arrangement, panels 506 and 508 conform and cover opposing arm portions and side portions of a chair or sofa, and panel 504 conforms and covers a back portion, a seat portion, and a front portion of the sofa or chair. Further, the adhesive strip 510 on the bottom surface 512 of the protective layer 500 prohibits skidding, sliding, and wrinkling thereof during use. Any clawing and/or staining is avoided using the layer 500 and the layer 500 is washable and can be wiped using a cloth.

Certain terms are used throughout the following description and claims to refer to particular features or components. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, different persons may refer to the same feature or component by different names. This document does not intend to distinguish between components or features that differ in name but not structure or function. As used herein “clear protective layer”, “clear protective sheet”, “transparent protective layer”, “furniture protective layer”, “protective layer”, “cover”, and “layer” are interchangeable and refer to the transparent protective sheet 100, 500 for furniture of the present invention.

Notwithstanding the forgoing, the transparent protective sheet 100, 500 for furniture of the present invention can be of any suitable size and configuration as is known in the art without affecting the overall concept of the invention, provided that it accomplishes the above stated objectives. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the transparent protective sheet 100, 500 for furniture as shown in the FIGS. are for illustrative purposes only, and that many other sizes and shapes of the transparent protective sheet 100, 500 for furniture are well within the scope of the present disclosure. Although the dimensions of the transparent protective sheet 100, 500 for furniture are important design parameters for user convenience, the transparent protective sheet 100, 500 for furniture may be of any size that ensures optimal performance during use and/or that suits the user's needs and/or preferences.

Various modifications and additions can be made to the exemplary embodiments discussed without departing from the scope of the present invention. While the embodiments described above refer to particular features, the scope of this invention also includes embodiments having different combinations of features and embodiments that do not include all of the described features. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variations as fall within the scope of the claims, together with all equivalents thereof.

What has been described above includes examples of the claimed subject matter. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing the claimed subject matter, but one of ordinary skill in the art may recognize that many further combinations and permutations of the claimed subject matter are possible. Accordingly, the claimed subject matter is intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, to the extent that the term “includes” is used in either the detailed description or the claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as “comprising” is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim

Claims

1. A protective layer for adhering to furniture, the protective layer comprising: a protective cover molded over a furniture item forming a barrier layer around the furniture item;wherein said cover having a top surface and a bottom surface;wherein said top surface is waterproof;wherein said bottom surface having a continuous adhesive strip along a periphery of the bottom surface for securing said cover to the furniture item;wherein said cover having a thickness from 1.0 mm to 2.0 mm; andfurther wherein said cover is scratch-proof.

2. The protective layer for adhering to furniture of claim 1, wherein said cover having a material selected from the group consisting of a PVC sheeting, a self-adhesive clear film, a polyurethane, and an epoxy.

3. The protective layer for adhering to furniture of claim 2, wherein said top surface of said cover is wipeable for removing spills.

4. The protective layer for adhering to furniture of claim 3, wherein said cover is washable.

5. The protective layer for adhering to furniture of claim 4, wherein said bottom surface having an adhesive layer throughout said bottom surface.

6. The protective layer for adhering to furniture of claim 5, wherein said adhesive layer is a self-adhesive layer.

7. The protective layer for adhering to furniture of claim 6, wherein said cover is transparent.

8. The protective layer for adhering to furniture of claim 7, wherein said cover is molded over the furniture item, further wherein said molded is selected from the group consisting of a thermoforming, a vacuum forming, a lamination molding, and an injection molding.

9. The protective layer for adhering to furniture of claim 8, wherein said cover molded over the furniture time comprises molded over an entire surface area of the furniture item.

10. A protective layer for adhering to furniture, the protective layer comprising: a clear protective cover molded over a furniture item forming a barrier layer around the furniture item;wherein said cover having a top surface and a bottom surface;wherein said top surface is waterproof;wherein said bottom surface having a continuous adhesive strip along a periphery of the bottom surface for securing said cover to the furniture item;wherein said cover having a thickness from 0.5 mm to 2.0 mm;wherein said cover is scratch-proof; andfurther wherein said bottom surface having an adhesive layer throughout said bottom surface.

11. The protective layer for adhering to furniture of claim 10, wherein said cover having a material selected from the group consisting of a PVC sheeting, a self-adhesive clear film, a polyurethane, and an epoxy.

12. The protective layer for adhering to furniture of claim 11, wherein said top surface of said cover is wipeable for removing spills.

13. The protective layer for adhering to furniture of claim 12, wherein said adhesive layer is a self-adhesive layer.

14. The protective layer for adhering to furniture of claim 13, wherein said cover is molded over the furniture item, further wherein said molded is selected from the group consisting of a thermoforming, a vacuum forming, a lamination molding, and an injection molding.

15. The protective layer for adhering to furniture of claim 14, wherein said cover molded over the furniture time comprises molded over an entire surface area of the furniture item.

16. A protective layer for adhering to furniture, the protective layer comprising: a clear protective cover molded over a furniture item forming a barrier layer around the furniture item;wherein said cover having a first panel, a second panel, and a third panel;wherein said first panel, said second panel, and said third panel are detachably attached;wherein said second panel and said third panel conform and cover opposing arm portions and side portions of the furniture item;wherein said first panel conforms and covers a back portion, a seat portion, and a front portion of the furniture item;wherein said cover having a top surface and a bottom surface;wherein said top surface is waterproof;wherein said bottom surface having a continuous adhesive strip along a periphery of the bottom surface for securing said cover to the furniture item;wherein said cover having a thickness from 0.5 mm to 2.0 mm; andfurther wherein said cover is scratch-proof.

17. The protective layer for adhering to furniture of claim 16, wherein said cover having a material selected from the group consisting of a PVC sheeting, a self-adhesive clear film, a polyurethane, and an epoxy.

18. The protective layer for adhering to furniture of claim 16, wherein said top surface of said cover is wipeable for removing spills.

19. The protective layer for adhering to furniture of claim 16, wherein said adhesive layer is a self-adhesive layer.

20. The protective layer for adhering to furniture of claim 16, wherein said cover is molded over the furniture item, further wherein said molded is selected from the group consisting of a thermoforming, a vacuum forming, a lamination molding, and an injection molding.