Patent Application
20220056727
This invention relates to devices to protect personal space, physical well-being and personal privacy. More particularly, it relates to a device to protect personal space, physical well-being, and personal privacy in an outdoor location.
A beach is a landform alongside a body of water which consists of loose particles. The particles composing a beach are typically made from rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, and/or pebbles. The particles can also be biological in origin, such as mollusk shells or coralline algae.
Some beaches have man-made infrastructure, such as lifeguard posts, changing rooms, showers, shacks and bars. They may also have hospitality venues (such as resorts, camps, hotels, and restaurants) nearby. Wild beaches, also known as undeveloped or undiscovered beaches, are not developed in this manner. Wild beaches can be appreciated for their untouched beauty and preserved nature.
Beaches can be popular on warm sunny days. In the Victorian era, many popular beach resorts were equipped with bathing machines because even the all-covering beachwear of the period was considered immodest. This social standard still prevails in many Muslim countries. At the other end of the spectrum are top-free beaches and nude beaches where clothing is optional or not allowed. In most countries social norms are significantly different on a beach in hot weather, compared to adjacent areas where similar behavior might not be tolerated and might even be prosecuted.
Many people find that spending a day at the beach is the perfect way to spend a summer day. Families also flock to the beach in the warm weather. The ability to be dose to water, nature, warm weather and fun is sure to be enjoyable for all ages. Some of those enjoying the beach sunbathe, others build sandcastles, play beach volleyball, walk into the water, swim, surf, etc.
However, when one gets up from their space on the beach, they must worry about someone moving their towels or otherwise encroaching their spot. Additionally, the close nature of the beach, especially a crowded one, make privacy a concern as well. Even if no one is looking at you, it is human nature to feel that they are, thus greatly degrading the overall experience.
Additionally, when one is laying on a towel, blanket or sand—basically on the sand itself—one is subject to the wind blowing sand close to the surface as well as those beach patrons walking by who can accidentally kick sand on one's physical self, belongings or in their space.
In the age of COVID-19, social distancing has become the norm. As a result, some beach authorities have designated blocked off sections of beaches to ensure social distancing which can be inefficient or lax due to costs and uncertainty. More often, beach patrons are left to themselves to ascertain proper social distancing with no way to properly measure, and creating risk by simply estimating.
One can also lose sight of their beach location when they step away or drift in the water.
Accordingly, and in light of the foregoing, there is a need for a means by which personal space can be improved or guaranteed at outdoor locations. Further, there is a need for the means to improve personal space which may help guarantee improved personal privacy at outdoor locations, and safety in the new age of COVID-19 and other airborne contagions. Lastly, there needs to be a means to block flying sand that is airborne through the wind or passerbys against those lying on the ground.
The phrases “in one embodiment,” “in various embodiments,” “in some embodiments,” and the like are used repeatedly. Such phrases do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. The terms “comprising,” “having,” and “including” are synonymous, unless the context dictates otherwise. Such terms do not generally signify a closed list.
“Above,” “adhesive,” “affixing,” “any,” “around,” “both,” “bottom,” “by,” “comprising,” “consistent,” “customized,” “enclosing,” “friction,” “in,” “labeled,” “lower,” “magnetic,” “marked,” “new,” “nominal,” “not,” “of,” “other,” “outside,” “outwardly,” “particular,” “permanently,” “preventing,” “raised,” “respectively,” “reversibly,” “round,” “square,” “substantial,” “supporting,” “surrounded,” “surrounding,” “threaded,” “to,” “top,” “using,” “wherein,” “with,” or other such descriptors herein are used in their normal yes-or-no sense, not as terms of degree, unless context dictates otherwise.
Reference is now made in detail to the description of the embodiments as illustrated in the drawings. While embodiments are described in connection with the drawings and related descriptions, there is no intent to limit the scope to the embodiments disclosed herein. On the contrary, the intent is to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents. In alternate embodiments, additional devices, or combinations of illustrated devices, may be added to, or combined, without limiting the scope to the embodiments disclosed herein.
Referring to
The privacy screen 100 is preferably ten feet in length, however other lengths are hereby contemplated, including, but not limited to, twenty (20) feet, five (5) feet, etc. The privacy screen 100 is preferably ten feet in width, however other widths are hereby contemplated, including, but not limited to, twenty (20) feet, five (5) feet, etc. The privacy screen 100 is preferably adjustable in length, wherein the privacy screen 100 may be a first length 101 for a single person, a second length 135 for a couple, a third length for a family, etc. The third length 102 is preferably twenty (20) feet, however the third length may be any length. The second length 135 is preferably ten (10) feet, however the first length 101 may be any length. The privacy screen 100 is extendable.
The privacy screen 100 has a plurality of sides 103, 104, 105, 106. The number of the plurality of sides 103, 104, 105, 106 is preferably four (4) however other number of sides are hereby contemplated, including, but not limited to three (3), eight (8), etc. The privacy screen 100 is preferably a square shape, however other shapes are hereby contemplated, including, but not limited to, triangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, rectangular, etc. The sides 103, 104, 105, 106 are preferably ten (10) inches in height, however other heights are hereby contemplated, including, but not limited to, eight (8) inches, twelve (12) inches, etc. The sides 103, 104, 105, 106 are preferably made of a mesh material, however other materials are hereby contemplated, including, but not limited to, cloth, plastic, vinyl, etc. The mesh material may be a vinyl coated polyester material. The material would allow the wind to blow through easily but stop sand particles from penetrating.
Optionally and/or additionally, one or more of the sides 103, 104, 105, 106 may have a logo 129 on a front 113 of the side 103, 104, 105, 106. One of the sides 103 has one or more fasteners 136. The fasteners 136 preferably have a hook and loop fastener, such as a Velcro® fastener, however other types of fasteners are hereby contemplated, such as, but not limited to, two-sided tape, grommets, zippers, etc. The one of the sides 103 is preferably detachable such that it creates an opening into an inside 111 of the privacy screen 100. This establishes these stakes as the main anchors of the privacy screen paradigm, where consumer set up begins and ends respectively.
Optionally and/or additionally, the privacy screen 100 has one or more pouches 114, 115, 128. The one or more pouches 114, 115, 128 are preferably configured to be on the inside 111 of the sides 104, 105, 106 of the privacy screen 100. The pouches 114, 115, 128 are preferably waterproof. The pouches 114, 115, 128 provide protection to articles brought to the outside location 200 by the user. The pouches 114, 115, 128 are preferably a square shape, however other shapes are hereby contemplated, including, but not limited to, rectangular, oval, half-oval, etc.
The privacy screen 100 has a top 107, a bottom 108, a proximal end 109 and a distal end 110. The bottom of the privacy screen 100 is placed along a ground 112, where the ground 112 may be dirt, sand, etc. When the outside location 200 is a beach where the ground 112 being sand, there is most often a body of water 300 nearby for enjoyment.
The privacy screen 100 has a plurality of main stakes 116, 117, 118, 119. The main stakes 116, 117, 118, 119 are configured to define the shape of the privacy screen 100. The main stakes 116, 117, 118, 119 are removably coupled to the sides 103, 104, 105, 106. The main stakes 116, 117, 118, 119 are placed into the ground 112 and the sides 103, 104, 105, 106 are coupled to the main stakes 116, 117, 118, 119 where the main stakes 116, 117, 118, 119 are on the inside 111 of the privacy screen 100. The main stakes 116, 117, 118, 119 are preferably ten and one-half (10.5) inches in length, however other lengths are hereby contemplated, including, but not limited to, nine (9) inches, twelve (12) inches, etc. The main spikes 116, 117, 118, 119 have a longer length than the sides 103, 104, 105, 106.
The privacy screen 100 has a plurality of slidable stakes 120, 121, 122 where the slidable stakes 120, 121, 122 further add stability to the privacy screen 100. The slidable stakes 120, 121, 122 are slidably coupled to the sides 103, 104, 105, 106 of the privacy screen 100. The slidable stakes 120, 121, 122 are shown in further detail in
Each of the main stakes 116, 117, 118, 119 and each of the slidable stakes 120, 121, 122 have a hole 123. The hole 123 is useful for coupling a flag (not shown), a marker (not shown), canopy (not shown), etc.
Moving now to
Moving now to
The privacy screen 100 has the plurality of sides 104, 105, 106, the main stakes 116, 117, 118, 119, the slidable stakes 120, 121, 122 and the plurality of pouches 114, 115, 128.
The pouches are preferable a square shape, however other shapes are hereby contemplated, including, but not limited to, rectangular, round, hexagonal, half-circle, etc. Each of the pouches 114, 115, 128 are preferably the same shape, however it is further contemplated that each of the pouches 114, 115, 128 are different shapes or one or more of the pouches 114, 115, 128 are the different shapes than the other of the pouches 114, 115, 128.
The sides 104, 105, 106 are coupled and secured in place by the main stakes 116, 117, 118, 119 and further secured by the sliding stakes 120, 121, 122. As shown, the pouch 114 is coupled to the side 104, the pouch 115 is coupled to side 105 and the pouch 128 is coupled to the side 106. It is further noted that although the location as described above is preferable, it is further contemplated that any of the pouches 114, 115, 128 may be coupled to any of the sides 104, 105, 106.
The privacy screen 100 is in a condition for storage. The privacy screen 100 is preferably rolled into a cylindrical shape, however it is further contemplated that the privacy screen 100 may be folded. The privacy screen 100 is further placed in a storage device 400. The storage device 400 is preferably a duffle like container, however other types of storage devices are hereby contemplated in which the privacy screen 100 when in the storage condition may fit, protected and carried by a user.
The pouch 114 as shown is in the preferable square shape. The pouch 114 has a top flap 130, a front 131 and a coupler 132. The top flap 130 is configured to be operational to allow access to the pouch 114 to insert or remove items. The top flap 130 is configured to at least partially cover the front 131 of the pouch 114. The top flap 130 is securely and removably coupled to the front 131 of the pouch 114 by the coupler 132. The coupler 132 is preferably hook and loop fastener, such as a Velcro® fastener, however any other coupler is hereby contemplated. The coupling of the top flap 130 to the front 131 of the pouch 114 provides a waterproof seal such that the items stored in the pouch 114 remain free of water and other elements such as dirt, sand, etc.
The side 104 of the privacy screen 100 has a fabric 133. The fabric 133 is preferably made of a mesh material, however other types of material are hereby contemplated, including, but not limited to, cloth, vinyl, plastic, etc. The fabric 133 is useful for preventing sand, water and the like from entering into the inside 111 of the privacy screen 100. The material would allow the wind to blow through easily but stop sand particles from penetrating.
In the numbered clauses below, specific combinations of aspects and embodiments are articulated in a shorthand form such that (1) according to respective embodiments, for each instance in which a “component” or other such identifiers appear to be introduced (with “a” or “an,” e.g.) more than once in a given chain of clauses, such designations may either identify the same entity or distinct entities; and (2) what might be called “dependent” clauses below may or may not incorporate, in respective embodiments, the features of “independent” clauses to which they refer or other features described above.
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the foregoing specific exemplary processes and/or devices and/or technologies are representative of more general processes and/or devices and/or technologies taught elsewhere herein, such as in the claims filed herewith and/or elsewhere in the present application.
The features described with respect to one embodiment may be applied to other embodiments or combined with or interchanged with the features of other embodiments, as appropriate, without departing from the scope of the present invention.
Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims.
