BACKGROUND — FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention relates to furniture, and specifically to legless leisure chairs or backrests that are appropriate for use on a floor or on a bed. It also relates to methods for making ergonomically supportive cushions for chairs and the like, including those described in this application.

BACKGROUND -- CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This invention is a continuation-in-part, and incorporates an invention that I filed a patent application for on June 26, 1991. The Serial Number of that application is 07/721,179, and is entitled: CUSHIONS HAVING AN INTERNAL SUPPORT MEMBER AND METHOD, which application is incorporated by reference herein, in it's entirety:

Note: To avoid confusion with the present invention relating to backrests/leisure chairs all figure numbers and reference numbers on the prior application have been changed as follows: All figure numbers had ten (10) added to them, and all reference numbers have had one hundred (100) added to them. For example, what was FIG. 1 and No. 1 is now, FIG. 11 and No. 101, etc.

CUSHIONS HAVING AN INTERNAL SUPPORT MEMBER AND METHOD

BACKGROUND -- FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention relates to cushions for seats and/or backrests, and specifically to such cushions which are designed

to support the user in a way which naturally balances the work of sitting to minimize stress, strain, and fatigue to key parts of the user's body.

BACKGROUND -- DISCUSSION OF PRIOR ART

The pursuit of making chairs more comfortable has taken two basic forms. One approach is to contour the body contacting surfaces of the chair to provide good support to critical parts of the user's body such as the lumbar region of the back. Though contouring is generally an effective solution, it can have the drawback of being relatively expensive to manufacture, and it may not be aesthetically appropriate for some styles of furniture, or people's tastes. Also, it is difficult to make a contoured cushion reversible.

The second approach deals with the inherent support of the cushion materials and internal support inserts. Many years ago, springs were used to provide support in cushions. More recently with the development of foam rubbers, a number of other approaches have been tried.

U.S. Pat. No. 2,659,418 discloses an invention to insert spiral plugs in cushions. Spiral plugs, however, are not shaped to provide optimal body support, and they are complicated to manufacture.

The use of specially designed cavities embedded in a cushion to enable the cushion to conform to the shape of the user's body is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,193,328. Though an excellent solution, it does not provide clearly articulated lower lumbar support, and requires a relatively expensive method of manufacture involving molding two sections, and joining them.

There are also a number of inventions incorporating inflatable or solid moveable internal supports in cushions as in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,592,588, 3,948,558, 4,807,931, 4,725,095, 4,856,844, and 4,834,455. The complexity of these makes them costly to manufacture. Though some of these are adjustable, study has shown that the distances from the seat to the lumbar do not change very substantially from one person to the next. Though there may be some advantages to adjustable lumbar

supports, the benefits do not justify the cost for most situations.

Other inventions such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,534,593 call for the manufacture of a special lumbar support behind a cushion for existing seats in vehicles. This results in a cushion that is somewhat contoured from behind.

The solutions closest to the present invention would probably include those that use a firmer resilient foam next to or inside a cushion. Examples include U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,522,447, 4,161,045, 3,987,507, and 4,190,697. Though these are well conceived ideas, none offer the economy of being made from a simple slab of flexible foam.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,522,447 discloses an invention to provide good seat support through the use of different pieces of varying density cellular elastic material. It is an excellent idea, but from looking at the shapes of flexible foam used in it's construction, it appears that there would be a lot of wasted material. It also seems to require a firm flat support under the cushions to get the best effect. In addition to the cost of this support, it would limit the applications for which the cushion could be used, and would not be reversible. Though the invention discloses a backrest with a lumbar support, the lumbar support is contoured with the drawbacks mentioned for other contoured cushions above. This invention also does not suggest a way to be used with cushions using a loose fill cushioning material, in addition to just slab foam.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,751,111 discloses a variable density contour chair. Though the chair may provide some support, it involves a process where each chair is foamed in situ. This type of cushion is not made from economical slab foam. Another drawback that is pointed out in U.S. Pat. No. 4,522,447 is that when a variable density cushion is made by pouring polyurethane foam around a preformed foam block, a chemical reaction takes place which causes a hard skin to form around the preformed block.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,161,045 discloses a mattress with a number of ribs that are less compressible than the rest of the mattress. These ribs are positioned to support only the shoulders and buttocks of the one lying on the mattress. In addition to being complicated and costly to produce, it proposes giving lesε

support to the lumbar region of the back, and more to the shoulders and buttocks. It also is not designed for chair cushions.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,190,697 describes a multidensity foam article, specifically a seat cushion with a high density base. The cushion has the following drawbacks, first it has to be made one at a time as opposed to from slab foam stock. There is not a lot of flexibility in the shape that the higher density foam can be made in, which minimizes the chance for using the method for a cushion with an effective lumbar support. It also does not have the possibility for use with a loose fill cushion.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,987,507 discloses a pressure distribution pad for wheelchairs. This pad requires three layers of cushion material with the center cushion having holes filled in with a different density foam. This solution is designed for wheelchair seats, and is not suited for lumbar support, because the holes and method cannot be used for a contoured internal support member. This invention is also not suitable for use with a loose fill cushion.

Because there is no really good solution for making most sofas and chairs supportive, most sofas and chairs sold do not have any more than plain cushions - with little lumbar or buttocks and thigh support.

OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES

Accordingly, several objects and advantages of my invention are:

(a) To provide cushions, in many common shapes and sizes, with an internal support member, that will work in conjunction with the primary cushion material to support the user's body.

(b) To provide cushions that give good support to key areas of the user's body, but without the support having to alter the cushion aesthetically. This means that although the invention is for both contoured and noncontoured cushions, it is not necessary to contour

or alter the design or shape of the cushion to achieve the desired effect.

(c) To provide an economical cushion with an internal support member that naturally balances the work of sitting to minimize stress, strain and fatigue to key parts of the user's body.

(d) To provide a way to make a wide variety of cushions ergonomically supportive.

(e) To provide cushions for chairs and the like with good support, that can be made reversible if desired.

(f) To provide an internal support member for cushions that are either removable, or fixed in place on chairs and the like.

(g) To provide good user body support to cushions with varying degrees of firmness. A soft cushion could be made supportive, and also a firm cushion could be made supportive.

(h) To provide both loose fill and solid flexible foam rubber cushions with good user body support.

(i) To provide cushions that can be very soft and comfortable, and yet provide very good support to the user's body.

(j) To provide a clearly defined lumbar support in backrest cushions.

(k) To provide balanced support to the thighs and buttocks in seat cushions.

(1) To provide a method for putting an insert in a cushion without forming a hard skin on the surface of the insert.

(m) To provide a simple and economical way to make cushions with internal support members that can be used both for solid flexible foam rubber cushions, and can also be used for cushions that have loose or fiber fill material as the front or body contacting layer of the cushion.

(n) To provide a way to produce cushions with an internal support member which can be made from economical slab polyurethane type foam and also can be done with minimal wasted material.

Still further objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the ensuing description and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a typical embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a side or cross section view of a reversible backrest cushion embodying the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a side or cross section view of a fixed backrest cushion embodying the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a side or cross section view of a backrest cushion, such as would be used for reading in bed, embodying the present invention.

FIG. 15 is an illustration showing how a typical backrest cushion not embodying the present invention fails to provide good, support, and as a result, the user's back is in an unnatural alignment.

FIG. 16 is an illustration showing how a typical backrest embodying the present invention does provide good support, and as a result, the user's back is in a comfortable and more natural position.

FIG. 17 is a side or cross section view of a backrest cushion embodying the present invention with loose or fiber fill material as the front or body contacting portion of the cushion.

FIG. 18 is a slightly perspective view of a tool and system for removing a core from a cushion of slab polyurethane type foam. This figure shows the beginning of the process to remove a core.

FIG. 19 is a slightly perspective view of the elements and process as shown in FIG. 18 near the completion of the cutting phase of core removal.

FIG. 20 is a slightly perspective view of the elements and process shown in FIG. 19 after the core has been removed.

FIG. 21 is a side view of a design for the point of a cutting blade for the tool shown in FIG. 18.

DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

FIG. 11 shows a perspective view of a reversible backrest cushion embodying the present invention. In the drawing, a rectangular cushion body 102 is shown with an internal lumbar support member 101. The cushion material of 102 is made of a relatively soft, or low to medium firmness flexible polyurethane foam, and has an oval shaped cylindrical core removed. Removal of the cylindrical core results in a horizontal tubular cavity shaped like an oval cylinder, that was then filled with a firmer polyurethane foam oval cylinder 101 of the same size and shape. The face or body contacting surface of the cushion 103 is what the person seated in a chair or the like using the cushion, would put his or her back against. The tubular cavity and firm foam support member are shaped, sized and positioned to provide good support to the lumbar region of the user's body. Details on size, shape, and position of the cavity and support member are included under Operation of the Invention and Further Details.

FIG. 12 shows a side or cross section view of the same cushion as FIG. 11. Again, 101 is the firmer foam lumbar support member, 102 is the low to medium firmness cushion body, and 103 is the face or body contacting εurface of the cushion. This cushion is for use on chairs and the like that are .designed with removable and reversible cushions, but can also be used with chairs and the like with fixed in place cushionε. Though 103 is shown as the body contacting surface, it should be noted that if this were a reversible cushion, it would have two body contacting surfaces which are opposite one another. So 103 is a body contacting εurface, and the side opposite 103 could also be a surface that contacts the user's body. This provides the opportunity to make a reversible cushion that can offer two different degrees of lumbar support. This could be achieved either by placing the lumbar support 101 closer to the body contacting surface 103, or by making the lumbar support 101 extend further on one side instead of being symmetrical. The lumbar support 101 could be made more pronounced on the side of the body contacting surface 103, and less pronounced on the opposite side. One way of doing this would be to have the lumbar support member be a cylinder that is generally oval on the side toward 103, and generally elliptical on the side opposite 103. The result would be greater lumbar support when 103 is used as the body contacting surface, and less lumbar support when the side opposite 103 is used as the body contacting surface.

FIG. 13 shows a side or cross section view of a typical fixed cushion embodying the present invention. This cushion is for chairs or the like where the cushions are usually not removable or reversible. In the drawing, 104 is a firm flexible polyurethane foam lumbar support member in a generally semi- cylindrical shape, 105 is a relatively soft or low to medium firmness flexible polyurethane foam cushion body, 106 is the face or body contacting surface of the cushion, and 107 is the back or base that the cushion is mounted against. This back or base could be made of springs, fabric, metal, plywood, etc. The cushion body 105 has had a horizontal, generally semi-cylindrical hollow made in it on the side opposite the body contacting surface. The semi-cylindrical hollow is sized, shaped, and

positioned to provide greater support to the lumbar region of a user's spine, when filled with the firm support member 104. The hollow is contoured to be a generally round, oval, elliptical, teardrop shaped, or other shaped, semi-cylinder.

FIG. 14 showε a side or crosε εection view of a typical backreεt cushion, like those used for sitting up in bed, embodying the present invention. In the drawing, 108 is a firm flexible polyurethane foam oval shaped cylinder lumbar support member, 109 is a low to medium firmness flexible polyurethane foam cushion body with tubular cavity shaped like an oval cylinder, and 110 is the face or body contacting surface.

FIG. 15 is an illustration showing how a typical backrest cushion not embodying the present invention, fails to properly support the user's back. In the drawing, 111 is a basic cushion of the prior art, 112 is the face or body contacting surface of the cushion, and next to the cushions is a view of what happens to a user's spine and body when a backrest fails to provide good lumbar support. Without the proper lumbar support, the spine is unnaturally curved, which places more stress on the back, causing fatigue and discomfort.

FIG. 16 is an illustration showing how the backrest cushion, shown in FIG.ε 111 and 112, embodying the present invention, does properly support the user's back. In the drawing, 101 is a high firmness flexible polyurethane foam oval cylinder lumbar support member, 102 is a low to medium firmneεs flexible polyurethane foam cushion body, 103 is the face or body contacting surface of the cushion, and next to the cushion is a view of what happens to a person'ε εpine and body when they are properly supported with a cushion embodying the present invention. FIG. 16 illustrates how the natural curve of the back is maintained through uεe of the lumbar support. Maintaining this position reduces stresε, εtrain, and fatigue on the spine and back muscles, making the user more comfortable for extended periods of time.

FIG. 17 is a side or cross section view of a backrest cushion embodying the present invention with a loose fill cushioning material in the front or body contacting portion of the cushion body. In the drawing, 115 is a firm flexible polyurethane foam lumbar support member shaped like an oval cylinder, 116 is a loose or fiber fill cuεhioning material used as the face or body contacting portion of the cushion, 113 is a low to medium firmness flexible polyurethane foam portion of the cushion body, and 114 is the face or body contacting surface of the cushion. The polyurethane foam portion of the cuεhion body 113 has a horizontal, generally semi-cylindrical hollow or cavity as εhown, which holdε the lumbar support in place. A small amount of adhesive could be used at the areas that the lumbar support 115 and the polyurethane foam cushion body 113 contact each other. The adhesive would prevent the lumbar support member 115 from moving out of position. The loose or fiber fill material 116 could be cotton, polyester, shredded foam rubber, feathers, down, dacron, etc. Loose fill cushions can be especially soft and comfortable, but most do not provide really good support to the lumbar region. FIG. 17 shows a cushion that can be especially soft and comfortable, and at the same time it is very supportive. It may be advantageous to either enclose the soft fill material in a liner, or secure whatever covering is used to the solid polyurethane cushion body, to keep the loose fill from getting between the covering and the solid foam. For some applications, some kind of quilting means may be beneficial to keep the loose cushioning material in place, and properly distributed. Quilting means refers to using fabric to create pockets to lock the loose fill material in place in the same way down winter jackets are made to keep all the down from settling to the bottom of the jacket. Though FIG. 17 showε a backrest cushion similar to the type used for sitting up in bed, the principle can be applied to reverεible, and fixed in place cus ions of the type shown in ^{^} FIGS. 11, 12, 13, and 14.

DESCRIPTION OF CORING TOOL / OPERATION OF CORING TOOL

FIG. 18 is a slightly perspective view of a coring tool for removing a core from a cushion of slab polyurethane foam. In the drawing, 120 is a motor that drives a pair of alternately reciprocating blades 122 to cut a core from a cushion body of slab polyurethane foam 124. The coring ".ol works in much the same manner as an electric knife used by --.amilies to slice meatε such as ham or turkey. The major difference is that the point is sharpened, enabling it to pierce as well as cut. FIG. 18 shows the beginning of he coring procesε as the alternately reciprocat ng blades 112 , -e piercing the foam cushion 124. When the cush" Oi 124 is pie all the way through, the blades 122 will be i, i position >t the core out.

FIG -9 is a sli _/ perspective view of the coring tool and process shown in F 18, but after the piercing and cutting have be completed. In FIG. 19 the alternately reciprocating blades IX: . had pierced to below the bottom of the cushion 124, and had cut the cushion in a predetermined size and shape - in this case a elliptically shaped cylinder. The direction of the cutting operation is shown above the motor for the knife 120. Though shown like a hand tool, the coring tool can be guided and automated for mass production applications.

FIG. 20 is a slightly perspective view of the cushion 124 after the coring tool shown in FIGS. 18 and 19 has been removed. Additionally, the core 128 has been removed, leaving a generally tubular cavity 126 within the cushion body 124. This tubular cavity 126 will later be filled with a cylinder of the same size and shape made of a higher firmness polyurethane foam cushion.

FIG. 21 shows a detail of the point of the blades 122 shown in FIGS. 18 and 19. The blades 122 come to a sharp p.mt to enable them to pierce the foam cushion. FIG. 21 also showε how the blades 122 are joined at 123, in a manner similar to a household electric knife with an interlocking post and hollow track that enable the blades to alternately move back and forth. These blades can be very similar to those in household electric knives, such as those used for cutting meats like ham or turkey.

There are other posεible ways to provide a tubular cavity in cushions to insert a firm support member for the various applications, or to εhape the support member. Some of the anticipated methods could include using a band saw, special routers for foam rubber, hot wire cutting tools, and using layers of cushion, instead of the single slab piece of foam as shown, to make the cavity without special knife shown. To deεcribe how the layerε of cushion could work, the body contacting layers would be plain and the middle layer(s) could be cut in a variety of ways to put a firm lumbar insert in it. It is alεo anticipated that for εome applications, the firm foam support member may not extend the width of the cushions, and means to accomplish this are anticipated. Also, anticipated is the concept of putting a tubular cavity in a cushion that is molded in place, by using a mold that will leave a tubular cavity or hollow in the finished cushion body. These and other methods should be apparent to those knowledgeable in the art relating to this invention.

OPERATION OF INVENTION AND FURTHER DETAILS

Most cushioned chairε, sofas, backrests, etc. can be made with cushions embodying the present invention by substituting cushions embodying the present invention for the cushions not embodying the present invention. Normally, there would be no need to alter the way of making a chair, εofa, backreεt, etc., though it iε important that cushions be put in the right positions. Failure to properly position cushions embodying the present invention could result in problems like having the lumbar εupport member on a backrest cushion behind the εhoulderε inεtead of behind the lumbar region.

The εize, shape, and firmnesε of the internal support member is dictated by the shape and/or amount of support to be directed at a particular part of the user'ε body, and the size (thickness), shape (planar, concave, convex, etc.), and firmness of the cushion body. For lumbar support, the internal support member would be a contoured cylinder that generally followε the curve of the lumbar region of the uεer'ε back, but depending on

the characteristics of the cushion, the lumbar support could contoured to be a round, oval, teardrop shaped, elliptical or other shaped cylinder. If the cuεhion body waε relatively soft and thin, the support member would be more elliptical, but if the cushion body were thicker and firmer, the support member would probably be thicker, and probably closer to an oval or circular cylinder. For cushionε that are not reverεible, the lumbar support would probably be a semi-cylinder of one of the shapes mentioned above. There is a relationship between the size, εhape, and firmneεε of the internal εupport member. For example, an internal support member with an ILD of 70 lbs could provide as much support aε a thicker internal εupport member with an ILD of 50 poundε. The εize, εhape, and firmneεε of both cushion and internal εupport member can be engineered for many uses and personal preferences.

An advantage of the present invention is that it can be effective with cushionε of a great variety of sizes, shapes, and degrees of firmness. The size, shape, and firmnesε of a cuεhion will determine the εize, εhape, and firmneεε of the internal εupport member. For an example of how thiε can be done, consider the reversible backreεt cuεhion of FIG. 12. If the cuεhion of FIG. 12 is 5" thick with an ILD (indentation load deflection on 4" at 25%) of 18 pounds, and the body contacting surface 103 is flat, then the internal support member might be a 3" thick oval cylinder with an ILD of 60 pounds. On the other hand, if the cushion in FIG. 12 iε 3" with an ILD of 23 poundε and haε a flat body contacting surface, then the internal support member might be

1 1/4" thick with an ILD of 60 pounds, and an oval shape that is a little more elliptical than for the 5" cushion.

The tubular cavity and firm foam support member are shaped, sized, and positioned to provide good support to the lumbar region of the user's body. The position could be determined based on average heights of the lumbar region for people in a country or area, or could be custom designed for one individual. In the United States, the average height for the center of the radius of the lumbar region on a seated person is about 9 1/2

inches above the seat, εo this would probably be the best height to poεition the wideεt point of the lumbar εupport inεert.

The location of the internal εupport member within the cuεhion iε determined by where the key partε of the user's body will be when the person is seated properly. For the lumbar support, it iε important to take into conεideration how much the perεon iε likely to sink into the seat cushion. Failure to do so will result in a leεs than optimal lumbar support. The proper poεitionε can be easily-determined by someone knowledgeable in the field based on average dimenεionε of the human anatomy.

The angle of a cuεhion might also be considered when considering the size, shape, and firmness of the internal supports - especially as it gets toward a reclining position, because thiε causes the weight of the user to be redistributed.

As mentioned previously, one advantage of the present invention iε that it makeε it possible to make cushions softer, but with more support where it is needed. This is because the typical monodensity foam cushion has to be firm enough to provide minimal support to key areas such as the lumbar region of the back, but this firmness is not only in one area, it is all over. Therefore, with the preεent invention, it is posεible to have the main cushion with an ILD lower than the typical monodensity cushion used in chairs, etc. , and at the εame time provide better support.

It should be pointed out, that for some applications, a small amount of adhesive may be required to εecure the εupport member to the cushion body.

This invention can be used with cushions having convex, flat, concave, or contoured body contacting surfaceε. The invention can also be used on cushions that are covered with a loose dacron filling or the like before upholstering. It iε expected that most cushionε would be mass produced to be appropriate and comfortable for most people. It is poεεible to make them in stock sizes to be trimmed by furniture

manufacturers. However, it is critical that if a cushion is trimmed, it must be trimmed εo that the internal supports will be at the right height and position when put on chairs and the like. Also, it is posεible that furniture manufacturerε could make the cushions themselveε for each particular chair or the like that they make.

Finally, it εhould be pointed out that there iε no perfect cushion which is "best" for everyone. Just as people have preferenceε on the firmneεε of the mattress they sleep on, it is probably also true that people have preferences on what the beεt cushion is to them. The above specifications provide a way of making cuεhionε which are acceptable to many people, and can be εuitable for mass production. However, it is also to be underεtood that the invention iε εuitable for people with many preferenceε, and the idea can be used in masε production uεing one εtandard set of specifications, or in a plurality of standard sets of specifications, or custom made to individual conεumer's preferences. The basic principles of engineering cushionε to specific needs are to have the cushion body and the firm internal support member work together to more evenly diεtribute the load of a εitting person's body, and to provide comfort and proper alignment for the user.

SEAT CUSHIONS

The present invention also relates to εeat cuεhionε, and though not specifically shown in the drawingε, the εame principleε uεed with the backrest cushions can be applied to seat cushions. An internal support member could be positioned under the buttocks of the user to prevent the user from εinking down too far. For greater comfort, the buttockε εupport would be less convex than the lumbar support, so that the pressure from the weight of the person would not be focusεed at one point. In fact, the buttocks support member would likely be flat or a little concave so that the cushion better conforms to the εhape of the buttockε and thereby relatively evenly diεtributeε the user'ε weight focuεsed at that point.

CONCLUSIONS, RAMIFICATIONS, AND SCOPE OF INVENTION

Thus the reader will εee that the cushions with internal support members and the method of manufacture of this invention can be an economical way to make cushions very comfortable and supportive, can be used for cushionε of many εizes and shapes, can be used with solid flexible polyurethane foam as the front or body contacting portion of the cushion or with a loose fill material as the front portion of the cushion, can be used for reversible cushionε or cushions which are fixed in place, can provide a clearly defined lumbar support in backrest cuεhionε, and can be made with polyurethane in economical slab form. Also, thiε invention is not just limited to use in slab foam cushions, but can be used with formed in place cushionε aε well.

Although the above deεcription contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention, but merely as providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of this invention. For example, the inserts themselveε could be made of a multidenεity elastic foam. Thiε could be done by uεing an adheεive to join cuεhionε of various denεity in an engineered pattern, and then cutting the insert in the εhape required. And though reference waε made to flexible polyurethane foam as the material used, the invention can work with any elaεtic foam material whether it be latex, foam rubber, or εome other flexible foam material.

ABSTRACT

Cuεhions for chairs and the like, having a firm internal εupport member to εupport key partε of the user's body εuch aε the lumbar region of the back. Theεe cuεhionε are compriεed of: a relatively εoft cuεhion material on the body contacting portion of the cuεhion, which may or may not be part of; an elaεtic polyurethane foam type cushion material having a generally tubular cavity or hollow of a predetermined size, shape, and location; and a firmer elastic polyurethane foam type internal support member εtrategically εhaped and located in the cavity or hollow of the cuεhion mentioned above. The cuεhions are deεigned for maximum user comfort with the body contacting surface of the cushion being relatively soft, but at the same time the cushionε for the back, εupport the lumbar region εo that the uεer'ε spine will be in the proper position to minimize εtrain and diεcomfort. Essentially the cushionε more evenly diεtribute the load of the perεon εitting on them in such a way that the back etc. is properly aligned to minimize strain and fatigue. The cushions can be made from slab stock polyurethane foam type materialε, can be used with other materials, can be made in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, and can be used in a number of different seating applications. Also, a method of making the cushions is discloεed using an electric knife with the capability of piercing the cushion body to create the cavity mentioned above.

The following is in accordance with the present invention relating to furniture and new methods for providing an internal support member in cushionε:

BACKGROUND — DISCUSSION OF PRIOR ART

For years, people have appreciated chairs and backrestε which enable them to be in a position which is somewhere between sitting up straight and lying down. There are now many types of reclining chairs and loungeε on the market. Moεt of theεe are large and expenεive, and alεo cannot be uεed for sitting on the floor or on a bed. Many people, including the present inventor enjoy reclining on a bed, or close to the floor. To satiεfy thiε need, a number of inventionε have been developed.

U.S. Patent No. 2,593,319 to Levitin et al diεcloεeε a foldable furniture unit for reclining on the floor. Levitin's invention is interesting, but the portion of the back εupport for the lower back iε concave which would tend to be uncomfortable for moεt people. Also, it requires a fair amount of floor εpace when uεed aε a recliner, making it neceεεary for many people to fold it up after each uεe.

The combined ottoman and collapsible backrest in U.S. Patent No. 2,966,205 to Blaschko lacks a εpecific lumbar εupport, is not εuitable for uεe on a bed, εimilar to the Ezekoye εupport in reclining poεition mentioned below, it doeε not orient the uεer'ε upper back and head to comfortably view a television placed at a normal height, does not seem to provide an effective means to keep the user from εlipping down, takes up a lot of floor εpace when in the backrest position, which may necesεitate folding and unfolding for each use, and has the limitations of a backreεt that is combined with an ottoman.

The therapeutic device disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 3,555,582 to Radford provides a wedge with a contour to provide additional support to portionε of a uεer'ε body. The therapeutic device iε deεigned to be uεed in a εofa or bed, and appearε to be for orienting the head, neck and upper back in a position

εuitable for watching televiεion or reading. Thiε invention doeε not appear to do anything for the lower back.

U.S. Patent No. 3,995,335 to Neely diεcloεeε a backreεt made of a number of pillowε attached to a frame, designed to enable invalids to εit up in bed. Neely's invention is bulky and clumsy, and though it may be very functional aε a pillow for invalidε, it is probably not best εuited aε a leiεure chair for general uεe.

U.S. Patent No. 4,064,580 to Ezekoye shows a multi-position back support; however it does not provide a means of preventing a uεer from slipping down, does not provide any lumbar support, doeεn't have a cushion for the user's buttocks, and in the reclining poεition, the user basically is looking up at the ceiling.

The cuεhion ensemble and method of arranging cushions disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 4,171,549 to Morrell and Gray provide a chair or lounge. The cushion ensemble appears εimple and economical to manufacture, but it doeε not provide a clearly articulated lumbar support, is somewhat bulky and clumsy, probably requireε rearrangement after each uεe, would be very caεual if considered furniture, and probably is not very effective at preventing the user from slipping down εince the seat cushion is not attached.

U.S. Patent No. 4,410,214 to Geschwonder discloses a leisure chair which can be used in a generally upright position or in a reclining poεition. Although it iε simple and compact, it does not provide a lumbar support, and because the back support is straight, the user has two choices, sit up straight, or recline generally facing the ceiling. There is alεo no headreεt when the chair iε in the upright position, and there is also no seat cushion when the leisure chair is uεed in the reclining poεition.

The multi-sectional backrest and pillow having the capability of assuming a series of different configurations in U.S. Patent No. 4,970,742 to Keener does not provide a way to

enable the lower back to be at a very low angle which can be very comfortable, while at the same time positioning the upper back and head in such a way that the head can watch a televiεion comfortably when the television is at a standard height. Additionally, the backrest does not seem to provide a clearly articulated lumbar support.

Other inventions which may relate to this field include the floor rocker or video rocker sold in a number of department stores, the adjustable body positioner diεcloεed by Walpin in U.S. Patent No. 4,853,993, reclining chairs like La-Z-Boy, the ^' "Wink" chair by Kita, a lounger made by Vuokko designed by Antti Nurmeεniemi from Finland, a variety of other chairε which εit close to the ground, and a variety of cushioned backrests for use in bed commonly seen in department stores.

All of the backrests/legleεε leisure chairs heretofore known to the present inventor suffer from one or more of the following disadvantageε:

(a) They do not provide a way for the uεer's lower back to be very comfortable and relaxed at a low angle, while the user's shoulderε and head are at an angle that can be comfortable and well εuited for reading and watching television.

(b) A specific lumbar support is not provided for greater comfort and to maintain the natural lumbar lordotic curve.

(c) The deεign is not εuited for use as a regular piece of furniture in a home, such as in a relatively formal living room.

(d) The design iε relatively expenεive to produce.

(e) The deεign is not compact and/or relatively portable.

(f) The design does not provide for use in a reclined as well as a more upright poεition.

(g) The design is not appropriate for adaptation for use on floorε aε well aε bedε.

(h) The design is not suited for adding armrests.

(i) The design does not provide an effective means for preventing a person from slipping down, out of the preferred position.

(j) The design does not provide for a good portion of the user's weight to be distributed over a fairly large portion of the chair, instead of being concentrated at the seat.

(k) The design does not provide for a seat cushion that substantially cushionε the uεerε buttockε, helps prevent the user from slipping down, and can alεo be used to enable the user to easily change position from leaning againεt the backreεt to sitting upright without leaning against it.

OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES OF INVENTION

Accordingly, several objects and advantages of the preεent invention are:

(a) To provide leiεure chairs/backreεtε that enable the uεer'ε lower back to be at a low angle which can be very relaxing and comfortable, while at the εame time poεitioning the upper back and head in a way that iε suitable for reading or for watching television when the television iε at a εtandard height.

(b) To provide leisure chairs/backreεtε that give good support for the user's lower back, especially the lumbar region. Good lumbar support iε eεpecially

important in reclining type leisure chairε/backreεtε, because gravity tends to flatten the natural lordotic curve of the lumbar region in the userε back.

(c) To provide leiεure chairs/backrestε that are attractive, appropriate for use as a regular piece of furniture in a home, and can be made to suit a variety of tastes. For example, the exposed part of the frame on certain modelε could be made of tubular steel for a more modern look, or wood for a more traditional look, while the unseen main εtructure iε the εame regardleεε of look choεen. And the deεign can be adapted for uεe in a living room, recreation room, or on the beach.

(d) To provide leisure chairs/backreεts that can be relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

(e) To provide leisure chairs/backreεtε that provide efficient use of space. Many chairε, such as the Chaise Lounges which provide some of the same benefits as thiε chair take up a lot of floor εpace in a home.

(f) To provide leiεure chairs/backrestε that can be made adjuεtable and/or collapεible εo that they can be more portable and compact. Methodε for making εome modelε of the leiεure chairε/backreεtε adjuεtable also makes it possible to make them somewhat collapsible for shipping and storage. So in a home, they could be put in closet, or out of the way fairly easily. Other models could be made fairly portable for use on the beach or outdoorε.

(g) To provide leiεure chairε/backrests that could be made adjustable or dual position to suit a number of people for ^' a number of purposes. This could enable uεerε to be in either a reclining position, or a more upright position. Such a feature would provide for greater individual comfort and usefulness.

(h) To provide backrests that can be used on a bed or a sofa.

(i) To provide legless leisure chairs that can be used on the floor. Many people enjoy sitting close to the floor. There are a number of other countrieε where εitting cloεe to the floor iε the main way people εit in homes. In America, many people enjoy sitting close to the floor for reading, to be in front of a fireplace, or while watching television. Since moεt televisions are only a couple feet above the floor level, this provideε leisure chairs near the floor with a line of sight advantage over traditional height chairs, enabling people to look at television at about eye level instead of looking down on the television. This enables the user to recline further while still being able to see the television.

(j) To provide leisure chairs/backrests that can have armreεts attached if desired.

(k) To provide leisure chairs/backrests that are substantial, secure, and well made.

(1) To provide leisure chairs/backrests that will tend to keep the user in the right position, by preventing the user from εlipping down to a less than desirable position.

(m) To provide leisure chairs/backrests that diεtribute the user's weight to the backrest as well as to the seat area, for greater comfort.

(n) To provide leisure chairs/backreεts that can be used with an adapted work surface to be useful for doing work on a computer or desk top surface while in a reclined position.

(o) To provide leisure chairε/backrests that are ideal for people who are tired at the end of the day.

(p) To provide backrests for beds and εofas that enable the user to get comfortable in a way that is simple and convenient, inεtead of having to move a number of pillowε and/or cushions around in an awkward way that often gives unsatiεfactory reεultε.

(q) To provide leiεure chairε with a εeat cuεhion that cuεhions the user's buttocks, helps prevent the user from εlipping down, and iε appropriate for εitting up in a regular floor εitting poεition. The latter will enable a uεer to change from the poεition of leaning against the backreεt to an upright sitting poεition without leaning againεt the backrest. Since it iε usually uncomfortable to sit in one position for a long time, this makes it possible and convenient to change positions when desired. Further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent from a consideration of drawings and enεuing deεcriptionε of it.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawingε, cloεely related figureε have the εame number, but different alphabetic εuffixeε.

FIG. IA iε an isometric view of the support frame of a typical embodiment of the present invention with an adjustment mechanism.

FIG. IB is an iεometric view of the support frame shown in FIG. IA, but adjusted to an upright position.

FIG. 1C is an isometric view of the embodiment shown in FIG.s IA and IB, but also showing the support sheet, lumbar support, cushions and upholstery with a cutaway.

FIG. ID is an isometric view of the embodiment εhown in FIG.s IA, IB, and 1C with the upholstery on it.

FIG. IE is an isometric view of the embodiment shown in FIG.s IA and IB with only a support sheet, lumbar support, head pillow, and seat cushion.

FIG. IF is an isometric view of the support structure shown in FIG.s IA, and IB with a frame for armrests attached.

FIG. 1G is an isometric view of the embodiment shown in FIG. IF with cushions and upholstery.

FIG. IH is an isometric view of the embodiment shown in FIG. IA, but with a wooden base U frame and wooden lower telescoping support piece.

FIG. II is an exploded isometric view of the wooden pivoting mechanism shown in FIG. IH.

FIG. 1J is an isometric view of a variation of the embodiment shown in FIG. IA uεing modified "I" or "T" frames instead of U shaped frames.

FIG. IK is a εide view of another variation of the type of embodiment shown in FIG. IA.

FIG. 2A is an isometric view of an embodiment of the preεent invention uεing a support foundation made of a high firmness polyurethane foam, a styrofoam or a similar material. In thiε view, the main cushion is shown clear to show the support foundation.

FIG. 2B iε an isometric view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2A but showing the main cushion normally.

FIG. 2C is an isometric view of the embodiment shown in FIG.s 2A and 2B with a cutaway showing the support foundation, main cushion, and upholstery.

FIG. 2D is an isometric view of the embodiment shown in FIG.ε 2A, 2B, and 2C with upholεtery.

FIG. 3A iε an iεometric view of an embodiment of the preεent invention uεing a high firmneεε support foundation for use in a bed or εofa. In this view the main cushion is shown clear to show the support foundation.

FIG. 3B is an iεometric view of the embodiment εhown in FIG. 3A with a cutaway showing the support foundation and the main cushion.

FIG. 3C iε an iεometric view of the embodiment shown in FIG.s 3A and 3B with support foundation, main cushion and upholstery.

FIG. 4 is a side view of an embodiment of the present invention without an internal lumbar support, but with a contoured lower cushion and frame or structure to provide the lower back support without the lumbar support.

FIG. 5A iε a side view of an embodiment of the present invention which is dual position instead of adjustable.

FIG. 5B is an iεometric view of the embodiment εhown in FIG. 5A shown in the reclining position.

FIG. 5C is an isometric view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 5A and 5B but εhown in an alternate more upright poεition.

FIG. 5D iε an iεometric view of the embodiment εhown in FIG.s 5A, 5B, and 5C with a person seated in it.

FIG. 6A is a εide view of a support frame of an embodiment of the present invention which can be adjusted by changing the angle of the generally vertical support part.

FIG. 6B is a side view of the support frame of the embodiment εhown in FIG. 6A, but shown in a more upright position.

FIG. 6C is a side view of the support frame of the embodiment shown in FIG.s 6A and 6B, but shown collapsed for shipping or storage.

FIG. 6D is a εide view of the embodiment εhown in FIG.ε 6A, 6B, and 6C, but with cuεhions and lumbar support.

FIG. 6E is a side view of the embodiment shown FIG.s 6A, 6B, and 6C, but with an ordinary type cushion over a lumbar support, and also showing the seat cushion and head pillow.

FIG. 6F is an isometric view of a support frame of an embodiment of the present invention shown with a wooden frame including an upper and lower telescoping adjustment mechanism.

FIG. 6G is a side view of a cushion and upholεtery assembly for use on embodiments such as shown in FIG.s 6F, 61, and 6J.

FIG. 6H is a cross section view of the crosε bar at obtuεe angle εhown in FIG.ε 6F and 61 showing how the support sheet iε attached.

FIG. 61 iε an isometric view of a support frame of an embodiment of the present invention with εtraight εlope frame εide pieces.

FIG. 6J is a side view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 61 with support εheet and upholstery attached.

FIG. 7A is a side view of a cushion that is about to be pierced with injecting needles on a support base to produce a firm internal support member.

FIG. 7B is a side view of the cushion shown in FIG. 7A after being pierced with the injecting needles.

FIG. 7C is a front view of the injector support base and injecting needleε εhown in FIG.ε 7A, 7B, and 7D.

FIG. 7D iε a croεs section view of the cushion shown in FIG.ε 7A and 7B, after the injecting needleε shown in FIG.ε 7A, 7B, and 7C have injected a foaming compound into the cushion. This drawing shows the firm internal support member that has been produced in the cushion, after the injecting needleε have been withdrawn.

REFERENCE NUMERALS IN DRAWINGS

^' 2 main "U" frame

2h cross member comparable to the top of the main U frame

2i main "I" shaped frame

2f "T" fitting

2L left side of main "U" frame

2R right side of main "U" frame

4 bottom spacer bar 6 base "U" frame

6f alternative base frame front to back members

6r base cross member

6w wooden base "U" frame 9w channel for pivoting pin

8 screw 10 pivoting fitting

lOw wooden pivot mechanism llw pivoting pin

10a pivoting track 12 lower telescoping piece

12i curved main frame and lower teleεcoping piece

w wooden lower telescoping piece

w notch for wooden lower telescoping piece to pivot

securing knob with a threaded stud screwed into a threaded base which is mounted either to 12 or 12w Face board on lower telescoping piece upper telescoping piece c curved upper telescoping piece w Wooden upper telescoping assembly Safety catch stabilizing gusset 20 pivoting crosε bar

a croεs bar at obtuse angle

cable or rope

cross bar pivoting fitting support sheet securing rod frame cover/support sheet

a alternate support sheet

b bottom portion of frame cover/support sheet c webbing main cushion 27 ordinary type main cuεhion

lumbar εupport

finiεhed upholstery 31 buttons head pillow

straps for head pillow 34 seat cushion

straps for seat cushion 36 armrest frame

armrest εcrewε 40 armreεt cushions

support foundation

44 lumbar support contours on support foundation

46 modified high firmnesε support foundation

48 modified top cushion

A angle of the lower portion of the backrest/leiεure chair with respect to the floor Aa angle of the lower portion of the backrest/leisure chair with respect to the floor, when the frame is in a more upright position B angle of the upper portion of the backrest/leiεure chair with respect to a plane perpendicular to the floor C obtuse angle between the upper and lower portions of the backrest/leisure chair D Angle of vertical support relative to horizontal plane U.P. Upper Portion L.P. Lower Portion

50 optional diagonal support member

52 base portion of U shaped vertical support member

53 base support member

54 vertical support 56 contoured cushion 58 dual position lumbar supports

60 structural support sheet

62 side of base support

64 pivoting lower crosε member

66 front pivoting point

68 vertical support

69 rear base cross member

70 upper crosε member

71 front base cross member

72 slope frame side piece 74 face εheathing 80 Chemical hoεeε

82 Injector support base

84 Injecting needles 86 Foam cushion

88 Firm internal support member

DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

FIG. IA is an isometric view of a generally wedge shaped support frame of a typical embodiment of the present invention with an adjustment mechanism. The support structure has a main U shaped frame 2 with identical obtuse angles C poεitioned identically at a midpoint on the left 2L and right 2R sides of the main U shaped frame 2. The obtuse angle C divides the main U shaped frame 2 into an upper portion U.P. and a lower portion L.P. In a preferred embodiment, the obtuse angle C is about 165 degreeε, though it could be between about 160 degrees and about 170 degrees. The bottom ends of the main U frame 2 meet the spacer bar 4 between them, and the base U shaped frame 6 is pivotally secured on the outer portion of the main U shaped frame 2 at this point.

In a preferred embodiment, the spacer bar 4 is a tube with a secured insert at each end which is suitable for having a screw screwed into it. A screw 8 is screwed from the base U shaped frame 6, through the main U shaped frame 2, into the insert in the spacer bar 4. This is done on both the left and right sideε of the spacer bar 4. It may be desirable to put some kind of washer between the main U shaped frame 2 and the base U shaped frame 6 to space them slightly, and to make it a smoother pivoting joint at the point where the screw 8 joinε them together.

In the center of the baεe U shaped frame 6, there is a pivoting fitting 10, which is attached to the lower telescoping tube 12. On the pivoting fitting 10 there is a pivoting track 10a that corresponds to a screw head or other protrusion εtrategically placed on the base U shaped frame 6, for the purpose of keeping the pivoting fitting 10 from sliding horizontally on the base U shaped frame 6. The lower telescoping piece 12 has an upper telescoping piece 16 inserted inside. To secure the poεition of the upper telescoping piece 16, there is a securing knob with a threaded stud 14 which is screwed into a threaded base which has been mounted on the lower telescoping piece 12, so that when it is tightened, it locks the upper telescoping piece in place. It may be desired to have the upper telescoping piece have holes in it, so that when the securing knob 14 is tightened with the stud

going into a hole, the upper telescoping piece becomes securely locked in place with no chance for moving. Of course there are other ways of achieving a similar result known to those knowledgeable in the art related to this invention. The telescoping pieces are made in such a way that they fit closely into one another, so that when they are secured in place with the securing knob 14, the effect is as if they were one firm εupport pole. The upper telescoping piece 16 iε attached to the pivoting croεεbar 20 with a welded joint. To add εtrength to the welded joint, and to provide stability to the overall frame, a triangular stabilizing guεset 18 is welded to both the upper telescoping piece 16, and the pivoting cross bar 20.

The pivoting cross bar 20 is secured to cross bar pivoting fittings 22. The cross bar pivoting fittings 22 can consiεt of a stud which fits inside the pivoting croεs bar 20 to form a pivoting joint.

The parts mentioned above when assembled as described form a generally wedge shaped frame as shown in FIG. IA. The main U shaped frame 2 and the base U frame 6 meet to form angle A as shown, with the main U shaped frame 2 as the slope of the wedge. Since the frame is adjuεtable, in a preferred embodiment, the angle A is between about 20 degrees and about 70 degrees, which means that the εlope of the lower portion of the generally wedge shaped frame is between about 20 degrees and about 70 degreeε. The main U εhaped frame 2 not only becomes the slope of the generally wedge shaped frame, but also will be referred to as the face of the generally wedge shaped frame. The obtuse angle C orients the upper portion U.P. of the face of the frame at a higher angle than the lower portion L.P.

Variations

It should be pointed out that the generally wedge shaped frame of this invention also can be made with a number of variations. Some variations are shown in FIG.s 1J, IK, 4, 5, and 6. There are alεo variations which can be made to the frame shown in FIG. IA. The telescoping pieces 12 and 16 are shown round and use a

guεεet 18 to provide εtability. The teleεcoping pieceε can alεo be made generally rectangular inεtead of round. For example, the tubing shown haε an outside diameter of about 1", so the lower telescoping piece could be made of a rectangular tube with outside dimensions of 1" by about 10". The 10" portion of this rectangular tube would run in a side to side direction, while the 1" portion would run in a front to back direction. The upper telescoping portion would also be rectangular, but be slightly εmaller than the lower portion so it could fit in the lower portion. The upper telescoping piece would be attached to a much greater portion of the pivoting croεε bar 20, which would give it much stability, and probably eliminate the need for the stabilizing gusεet 18. Of courεe the pivoting fitting 10 would have to be made wider (if the pivoting fitting 10 waε 3" wide with a 1 1/8" outside diameter, for a rectangular lower telescoping piece, it might be 10" wide with the εame outεide diameter) to fit under a rectangular lower teleεcoping piece. Similar to making the teleεcoping pieceε wider, the frame could alεo be made using more than one telescoping supportε, and of course the lower portions of such telescoping supports could be secured to one another (though they do not have to be exactly next to each other) with some kind of brace for additional stability. With any changeε in the height adjuεtment mechaniεmε, there may need to be changes to the related pieces such as the securing knob and threaded baεe 14. Such changeε εhould be known to those knowledgeable in the art related to this invention. Alεo, there are other ways of making height adjustments other than a telescoping support aε εhown, theεe include hydraulic or pneumatic liftε, threaded adjustment mechanismε, geared adjuεtment mechaniεmε, εciεεor type liftε, etc.

It is also posεible to make the generally wedge εhaped frame without the pivoting cross bar 20, and the upper telescoping piece 16 could be secured directly to the main U shaped frame 2 at the top on the section between 2L and 2R. This might require a pivoting fitting similar to 10 but wider, and would also use the stabilizing gusεet 18 secured to the pivoting fitting and the upper telescoping piece 16. There are certainly a number of other ways of making the frame of thiε invention, including

having an "upper" telescoping piece like 16 come from the spacer bar 4, while having the ends of the base U frame pivotally secured to points on the upper portion U.P. of the main U frame instead of near the spacer bar 4. In this way the telescoping pieceε would be horizontal, and the "baεe" U frame would be generally vertical.

Another way of making the frame would be to uεe something similar to a third U shaped frame instead of the telescoping piece. The endε of the third U εhaped frame could be pivotally attached to the section of the base U frame 6 that the telescoping piece 12 is attached to, but at points closer to each of the bendε near the εideε of the base U frame 6. Each of the ends of the third U shaped frame would be attached with a pivoting fitting similar to 10, and the third U shaped frame would be placed generally vertically to correspond with stepped notches that could be attached to the back portion of the main U frame from the obtuse angle C to a higher point on the upper portion U.P. With thiε method, the higher the third U frame iε placed in notches on the main U frame, the lower the angle A would be, and conversely the lower the third U frame is attached to the main U frame, the higher the angle A would be. Thiε iε similar to the embodiment shown in FIG.s 6A - 6E. If a frame was made of a relatively thinwalled tubular steel or the like, at εome of the high stress points (like near the pivoting points 22 and 10) there could be a piece of a tube or bar that had a diameter just smaller than the tubing, put inside of the tubing and spot welded to provide additional strength at these points. These and the embodiments shown in other drawings suggest only a few of the posεibilities, and someone knowledgeable in the art related to this invention, could suggest other methods of making this frame. Additionally, a preferred material for making this frame iε tubular,εteel, but. of courεe other materialε εuch aε aluminum, fiberglaεε, plaεtic, wood, glue laminated wood, etc. could be used.

FIG. IB is an iεometric view of exactly the same frame shown in FIG. IA, but adjusted to a more upright poεition. To accompliεh thiε, the securing knob 14 would have been loosened, the top of the main U frame 2 would have been raised to a desired

height, while the baεe U frame 6 stayed in the same position. When the main U frame 2 is in the deεired position, the securing knob 14 would again be tightened to lock the telescoping support pieceε 12 and 16 into the proper poεition. In thiε position, more of the upper telescoping support piece 16 is visible, and the angle A is greater, and iε now deεignated by Aa.

FIG. 1C iε an isometric view of the embodiment shown in FIG.ε IA and IB, but with a support sheet 24, cushions 26, 32 and 34, upholstery 30, and a lumbar support 28 shown in a cutaway view to make it clear how they are asεembled with the frame. In the drawing, the εupport sheet 24 is made of a fabric suitable for supporting the weight of a user, such aε canvaε. When the support sheet 24 is used with a generally wedge shaped frame like shown in FIG.s IA and IB, together the support sheet 24 and the frame make two similarly sized support surfaces. The support sheet is generally like an ordinary pillowcase in it's construction. Of course, the top corners can be rounded to follow the shape of the main U frame 2. To understand how the support sheet 24 relates to the frame, it is necessary to refer to both FIG.s IA and 1C. On the backside of the support sheet, there muεt be a hole for the upper teleεcoping piece 16, and stabilizing gusset to come through. This hole will probably be about 1" high, and 8" wide (or about as wide as the stabilizing gusset 18). Though the upholstery 30 can be sewn onto the support sheet 24, and the cushion 26 inserted between the upholεtery 30 and the support sheet 24, for purposeε of better underεtanding the support sheet 24 and how it goes on the frame, this will be ignored until later. The support sheet 24 will look like a cover for the main U frame 2 with a hole in the back. It will then be pulled over the main U frame 2. Picture pulling a pillow case over the main U frame 2 εhown in FIG. IA. Starting at the top of the main U frame 2, the bottom of the support sheet 24 would be pulled until it iε about 4" from the top. At thiε point, the securing knob 14 would be loosened, and the upper teleεcoping piece 16, would be ^' raised and separated from the lower telescoping piece 12. With the upper teleεcoping piece 16 free to pivot, it will be pivoted toward the top of the main U frame 2, to make it parallel with the upper portion U.P. of the

sideε of the main U frame 2. This will enable the bottom edge of the support sheet 24 to be pulled all the way down to where the spacer bar 4 is. While the support sheet 24 is being pulled in place over the main U frame 2, the hole on the back side will pasε what iε normally the bottom of the upper telescoping piece 16 (though now it is near the top of the main U shaped frame). As the hole passes this point, the upper teleεcoping piece 16 needs to be guided through the hole. Once the upper teleεcoping piece 16 iε guided through the hole, the support sheet 24 can be pulled the remainder of the way so that the bottom ends up near or at the εpacer bar 4. The support sheet 24 can then be secured to the spacer bar 4 either by sewing the bottom end closed after it covers the spacer bar 4, or by using a flap aε part of the support sheet 24 that goes around the spacer bar and is secured with velcro, εnapε, or by sewing. There are certainly other ways of doing this which would be known to those knowledgeable in the art related to thiε invention, including uεing a εingle ply εheet of fabric with casing on the sides to go up over the sides 2L and 2R of the main U frame 2 using the same principle as is used to put a canvaε backrest on a director's chair. Also, there are other typeε of support sheets that could be used. Among the other typeε of support sheetε which are anticipated would be plywood, webbing, springs and wire, fiberglass, plastic and the like, and a steel sheet or screen. Of course these and other types of support sheets would use a very different method of construction, which would be known to those knowledgeable in the art related to this invention.

Attached to the support εheet in FIG. 1C, could be the head pillow straps 33, the seat cushion straps 35, and the upholstery 30. Though there are a variety of ways of securing the upholstery to the support sheet or to the main U shaped frame, the currently preferred method would be to sew the upholstery 30 to the outer perimeter of the support sheet 24 in such a way that there will be a substantial pocket formed for the main cushion 26 to be inserted therein. To accomplish thiε, the upholεtery 30 would have to be large enough to completely cover the main cushion 26 (except for the area on the bottom of the cushion which would sit directly above the support sheet 24). This

upholεtery 30 would then be sewn around the top and sideε of the εupport εheet 24 in a way to permit the finiεhed upholεtery to form a pocket for the main cuεhion 26. In thiε method, the support sheet 24 would be made together with the upholstery 30, then the main cushion 26 with the lumbar support 28 attached would be put in the pocket between the εupport sheet 24 and the upholεtery 30. When thiε iε accompliεhed, the εupport εheet (with the upholεtery 30 and main cuεhion 26 with lumbar εupport 28 in the pocket) would then be pulled over the main U frame 2 aε deεcribed above. "The upholεtery 30 may alεo have a flap similar to the flap described above for the εupport εheet 24 to cloεe the bottom with methodε similar to those described above. Another preferred method which is not shown in the drawing would be to just simply upholεter the main cuεhion 26 with the lumbar εupport 28 in a conventional manner εimilar to that uεed for removable cushions on conventional chairs or on outdoor furniture. With thiε done, the cuεhion could be placed over the εupport sheet 24 which would have been previously put over the main U frame 2 in the method described above, and attached with strapε or another appropriate method.

When reference iε made to poεεibly attaching εtrapε to the εupport εheet, it meanε that there could be holeε in the εupport εheet near the top and the bottom εo that εtrapε could be εecured around the bottom spacer bar 4 and the top section of the main U frame 2. Another way to secure straps would be to sew them directly to the support sheet. In this way, even though the strapε are not directly εecured to the εupport frame, εince the εupport sheet 24 iε εecured to the support frame, the straps would be εecured to the support frame through the support sheet. Alεo the εtrapε may be adjuεtable and have buckles so that each "εtrap" may actually be made of two straps.

The head pillow 32 in a preferred embodiment is filled with a softer material than the main cuεhion 26. The filling could be a looεe filling such as feathers, shredded polyurethane foam, dacron, etc. , or could be a very soft polyurethane foam material, preferably with an ILD (Indentation Load Deflection on 4" at 25%) of about 12 pounds. The straps for the head pillow 33 would be

attached either directly to the main U εhaped frame 2, or to the support sheet 24. In a preferred embodiment, the straps 33 are adjustable so that the pillow can be adjusted to suit personal preferences. Though a preferred embodiment useε εtrapε for the head pillow, theεe straps are not esεential to the head pillow working properly, but it makes things a little more convenient. Also, though a εoft material for the head pillow 32 iε εuggested, it is understood that personal preferences vary, and that some people prefer a firm pillow.

The seat cushion 34 is attached to the spacer bar 4 with εtrapε for εeat cuεhion 35. Unlike the head pillow εtraps 33 mentioned above, these straps 35 or a similar meanε of εecuring the εeat cushion 34 to the frame are eεεential to the proper working of the backrest/leiεure chair of this embodiment. The reason these εtrapε are εo important is that when a person is sitting on the backrest/leiεure chair, there is a natural tendency to slide down caused by gravity. The seat cushion 34 iε deεigned to prevent the uεer from εliding down, and needε to be secured so that the uεer won't εlide down and move the εeat cushion 34 while he or she slideε down. It is not necesεary that the seat cushion be secured directly to the support frame, if it is secured to the support sheet 24 or something else which is εecured to the frame, it will be indirectly secured to the frame. Other meanε of εecuring the εeat cuεhion to the frame may be εubεtituted for εtrapε, εuch aε securing the upholstery of the εeat cuεhion 34 directly to the support sheet 24. In a preferred embodiment, the seat cushion 34 iε filled with a firmer material than the main cuεhion 26. The reaεon for thiε iε that in addition to preventing the user from sliding down, a lot of the user's weight is concentrated on the seat cushion 34. The εeat cuεhion 34 can be filled with looεe fill such as featherε, εhredded polyurethane foam, dacron, etc., or could be a relatively firm polyurethane foam material, preferably with an ILD (Indentation Load Deflection on 4" at 25%) of about 40 pounds. If a loose fill material is used, it can be packed much more tightly than for the head pillow 32 mentioned above. The seat cuεhion 34 can be made with a material about as firm as the main cuεhion 26, but if it iε, it probably εhould be thicker. It is also posεible to make

the seat cushion 34 in layers, with the bottom layer(s) of firmer material and the top layer(s) of a softer material. No matter what is done, the seat cushion 34 should be more supportive than the main cuεhion 26 (an exception might be if the main cuεhion 26 is made of a relatively firm material or is relatively thick).

The purpose of the lumbar support 28 is to support the lumbar region of the user's back in a relatively natural lordotic curve. The lordotic curve is a normal curve in a human's lower back. Lumbar refers to the region of the spine where the lordotic curve iε. In a preferred embodiment, the main cushion 26 is made of a flexible polyurethane foam with an ILD of about 20 pounds, and is about 4 inches thick. It should be pointed out that the ILD could be between about 10 pounds and 30 pounds. The back side of the main cushion 26 has a generally semi-elliptically εhaped hollow in the shape of the lumbar insert 28. The center of the hollow is positioned to line up with the center of the lumbar region of a typical user'ε back. In a preferred embodiment, the center of the hollow iε between about 7" and about 9" from the bottom edge of the main cuεhion 26. The bottom edge iε near the bottom spacer bar 4, and the back εide of the main cuεhion 26 iε contacting the εupport sheet 24. In a preferred embodiment, the lumbar support 28 is about 2" thick at it's center, is about 9" wide, and iε about 17" long. In a preferred embodiment, the lumbar support 28 is made of a flexible polyurethane foam with an ILD of about 50 or 60 poundε. It should be pointed out that the dimenεions and characteristics of the lumbar support 28 and the main cushion 26 can vary to meet comfort requirements, aesthetic considerations, or economic constraintε.

The lower portion L.P. iε deεigned to support a user'.s back from the sacrum to a middle range of the occupant's thoracic vertebrae. The desired middle range is known as a kyphotic curve. In a preferred embodiment, the lower portion L.P. of the main cushion 26 as measured from the bottom of the main cuεhion 26 to the obtuse angle C is about 16". The upper portion U.P. is designed to support the user's back from the middle range of the occupant's thoracic vertebrae to the top of the user's skull.

In a preferred embodiment, the upper portion of the main cushion 26 as measured from the obtuse angle C to the top of the main cushion is about 20". These meaεurementε can vary somewhat, especially if the backrest leiεure chair iε deεigned for children or for people of heights different from fairly average U.S. heightε. In the claimε, the upper portion U.P. and lower portion L.P. will be referred to as two similarly sized support εurfaceε.

FIG. ID iε an iεometric view of the embodiment εhown in FIG.ε IA, IB and 1C, but in a finiεhed form with all the cuεhionε and upholstery in place.

FIG. IE is an iεometric view of the embodiment εhown in FIG.ε IA, IB, and 1C, but without the main cuεhion 26 shown in FIG. 1C. In this embodiment, the main cushion 26 has been eliminated, and it is a bit like a lawn chair or director's chair without cushions, except with a lumbar support 28. The lumbar support 28 is a cushion pad mounted to the surface of the support sheet deεigned to εupport the natural lordotic region of the lumbar region of the user'ε back. Thiε may be εhaped like the lumbar support 28 shown in FIG. 1C, but it may be made of a softer material since it will be almost directly touching the user's back. This would certainly be a more economical way of making the backrest/leisure chair, and it would be especially suited for use at the beach, or a similar relatively casual purpoεe. Of courεe thiε embodiment would be lighter and more compact without the main cuεhion. The lumbar εupport 28 would be covered with a fabric, probably of the same material as the material used for the εupport εheet 24. One way to achieve the same effect is by eliminating the lumbar insert 28 and contouring the frame as in FIG. 4.

FIG. IF is an isometric view of the embodiment shown in FIG.s IA and IB, but with a frame for armrests. In a preferred embodiment, the armrest frame 36 would be installed after the support sheet 24 etc. shown in FIG. 1C is installed as deεcribed. After the support sheet iε inεtalled, the armreεt frame 36 can be εecured to the main U frame 2 with screws at the four points where the armrest frame 36 contacts the main U frame 2. The

screwε would be εcrewed from the armrest frame 36 through to the main U frame 2. The armrest frame 36 iε deεigned to be functional for use on the backrest/leiεure chair when the chair iε at either a reclining poεition, or a more upright poεition. The armreεt frame 36 can be made in a variety of εhapes and types of construction, which should be obvious to those knowledgeable in the art and skill related to this invention.

FIG. 1G iε an isometric view of the embodiments shown in FIG.s IA, IB, 1C, ID, and IF, but with the armrest frame 36 shown in FIG. IF cushioned, upholstered, and attached to the finished backrest aε εhown in FIG. ID. The armreεt cuεhionε 40 shown are merely representative, and can be designed to εuit a variety of aeεthetic and functional requirements. If the cushioning material for the armrest cushions 40 is very bulky on the top, it may be necessary to slip the armreεt frame 36, εhown in FIG. IF, and armreεt cushions 40 down the upholstered main U frame starting at the top above the head pillow, and moving all way down to the predetermined position. The reason for this iε, if the top of the armrest cushion 40 is very bulky, it will not be easily pulled into poεition from the underside of the upholstered U frame 2. To put the armreεt in place, the lower portionε of the cuεhioned armrests would be contoured with concave channels on the inside parts, so the upholstered assembly can fit around the main cushion 26 shown in 1C and still be bulky on top.

FIG. IH is an iεometric view of the embodimentε εhown. in FIG.s IA and IB but with a wooden base U frame 6w and a wooden lower telescoping piece 12w. By simply substituting wooden components for the base U shaped frame 6 and lower telescoping piece 12 εhown in FIG.ε IA and IB, the look of the backreεt/leiεure chair can be changed substantially. This makes it posεible to economically manufacture backreεtε/leisure chairε to εuit a wide variety of taεteε without significantly having to alter the manufacturing methods. Except for the base U frame and the lower telescoping piece, most other partε can be the εame on either a wood look frame, or a metal look frame. In the drawing, the wooden baεe U frame 6w is made of three pieces of wood, joined at the mitered corners with screws, dowels or another

common woodworking joint. The lower teleεcoping piece 12w iε made of another piece of wood, but with a hole in it which is appropriate for the upper telescoping piece 16 to be inserted in it. The lower telescoping piece 12w is secured to the baεe U frame with a pivoting mechanism shown as lOw. The securing knob 14 is the same aε shown in FIG.s IA and IB, except instead of being mounted to the lower telescoping piece 12, it is mounted to the wooden lower telescoping piece 12w.

FIG. II is an exploded iεometric view of the wooden pivoting mechaniεm εhown in FIG. IH. In the drawing, the wooden baεe U frame 6w haε a notch for the wooden lower teleεcoping piece 12w to pivot 13w and a channel for the pivoting pin 9w. Note that the channel for the pivoting pin 9w iε made εo that when the pivoting pin llw iε inserted all the way into the generally round portion of the channel, it will be locked in place so that it cannot come out easily. The channel 9w can be made using a router with a bit of the εhape εhown. The notch 13w can be made either uεing dado bladeε of the proper diameter, or with εome other kind of grinding tool of the proper diameter. The bottom of the wooden lower telescoping piece can be formed using a jig saw which cutε the bottom in the shape shown. Of course there are other ways of locking the pivoting pin llw into the channel 9w such as inserting the pivoting pin llw into the proper position, and then screwing screwε from the bottom εo that the screws will go into the channel 9w right in front of the pivoting pin llw in such a way that they are like posts that prevent the pivoting pin llw from moving out of position. The pivoting pin llw would probably be made of a εtrong metal εuch as steel, and would be inserted into a hole drilled into the lower telescoping piece 12w. It is also poεεible to make a pivoting fitting on wood using the same principle as the pivoting fitting 10 εhσwn on FIG. IA, but for aesthetic reasons in some applications it may be desirable to make a pivoting fitting as shown in FIG.ε IH and II.

FIG. 1J is an isometric view of a frame of an embodiment of the present invention with a generally wedge shaped frame using "I", "T" and/or "II" type frameε. The purpoεe of this is to

suggest some of the variations possible with a frame similar to the one shown in IA. Though many references were made to U shaped frames, a generally wedge shaped frame could be made with generally "I" shaped frames, generally "T" shaped frames, "X" shaped frames, "V shaped frames, etc., or various modifications of these such as, but not limited to, side by side "II" frames or "I" frameε with a middle cross member. Though most of these other typeε of frameε are not εpecifically shown in the drawings, FIG.s 1J, IK and the other drawings with their descriptionε should suggest and provide enough information to someone knowledgeable and skilled in the art related to this invention • ways of making many other embodimentε of this invention. One way of making a generally wedge shaped frame with generally "I" εhaped frameε in place of the U εhaped frames would be to take the frame shown in FIG. IA, remove all the sides of the U shaped frames (2L, 2R and the sides of the baεe U shaped frame 6 - which would be the two sides which do not have the pivoting fitting 10) and replace each set of sideε with a center frame or frames of about the same length and shape. The result would look like the embodiment εhown in FIG. 1J. In the drawing, there iε a main "I" shaped frame 2i with an obtuse angle C, which has two "T" fittings 2f at both the top and the bottom ends. At the top there iε a cross member 2h (which is comparable to the top of the main U frame 2 in FIG. IA) which iε attached with a "T" fitting 2f. At the bottom, there iε a bottom εpacer bar 4 attached with a "T" fitting 2f. At the obtuεe angle C, there is a cross bar 20a which can be attached either with a crossover fitting, or in a manner similar to what iε deεcribed for FIG. IK below. The two front to back memberε of the base frame 6f are pivotally attached to the bottom spacer bar 4 with "T" fittings 2f. The other ends are attached to the base frame crosε member 6r. There iε a pivoting telescoping support system 10, 10a, 12, 14, and 16 (similar to the one deεcribed for FIG.ε IA and IB) attached to the base frame cross member. A support sheet for this frame would be similar in construction and assembly to the alternate support sheet 24a described for FIG. IK. Cushions would be installed in a manner similar to that described for FIG. 1C and others.

FIG. IK iε a side view of a generally wedge shaped frame which iε another variation of the type of embodiment εhown in FIG. IA. In thiε embodiment, there are four cross pieces about 21" long - the bottom spacer bar 4, the base crosε member 6r, the top cross member 2h, and the crosε bar at the obtuεe angle 20a. The bottom spacer bar 4 is attached to the curved main frame and lower telescoping piece 12i with a "T" fitting similar to 2f in FIG. 1J. The base cross member 6r iε attached to the underside of the curved main frame 12i, either by directly welding it, or using a crossover fitting. If a crossover fitting is used, the unit could be shipped in a relatively flat box, and all of the cross pieces could be put on after εhipping. The top cross member 2h is attached to the curved upper telescoping piece 16c with a "T" fitting similar to 2f in FIG. 1J. The curved upper telescoping piece 16c is inserted into the curved main frame and lower teleεcoping piece 12i, and εecured with the εecuring knob on a threaded baεe 14. The alternate εupport εheet 24a iε made of a material such as canvas or something else εuitable for εupporting the weight of a person's back and head. When the alternate support sheet 24a is used with a generally wedge shaped frame like shown in FIG. IK, together they make two εimilarly εized support surfaces. There is a casing for each of the croεε pieces 4, 20a, and 2h sewn in the alternate support sheet 24a at the bottom, middle and top of the εupport εheet. In the center of the casing (center as measured from εide to εide) for the top and bottom crosε pieces 4 and 2h, there is a piece of material that has been cut out which iε big enough εo the caεing can fit around the "T" fittingε mentioned above. To put the frame together with the support sheet 24a, the bottom croεε member 4 would be εlipped through the caεing half way, so that it will be sticking out in the center where- the material had been removed. Next the part of the bottom crosε member 4 that was sticking out would be slipped through the bottom "T" fitting, and then through the rest of the casing on what is now the other εide of the "T" fitting. The bottom croεε member 4 would then be secured to the "T" fitting with a screw or the like. Next the εame proceεε would be repeated for the top croεε member 2h. After that, the cross bar at the obtuse angle 20a would be slipped all the way into the casing in the middle. Finally, a cable or rope 21 would

be εlipped through the cross bar 20a (which is really a tube) at the obtuse angle 20a and εecured to the baεe cross member 6r. The cable or rope 21 would be secured by slipping it through the baεe cross member 6r, or by wrapping it around 6r near each of the ends of 6r, and faεtening it in a manner uεed with ropeε or cableε such as a knot or a crimping splice. It should also be noted that this procedure could be used to make the obtuse angle C adjustable, by having the top cross member 2h work like a window shade so that it can give or take slack in the εupport sheet 24a, and at the same time the length of the cable or rope 21 could be adjusted. Obviouεly, to make the top croεs member 2h work like a window shade, the casing would have to be εecured εo it wouldn't εlip when the top croεε member 2h iε rolled to adjust the slack, and also the εcrew or whatever that secures the top cross member 2h to the "T" fitting would have to be able to lock the top cross member 2h in any position that it might be adjusted to. To increase the obtuse angle C the cable or rope 21 would be lengthened, and the top cross member 2h (from the view shown) would be rolled in a clockwiεe direction to take out the appropriate amount of εlack. To decreaεe the obtuεe angle C, the reverse procedure would be followed. Cushions and upholstery would be installed in a manner similar to that described for FIG. 1C and others.

FIG. 2A iε an isometric view of an embodiment of the present invention using a high firmneεε support foundation 42 made of styrofoam or the like. The main or top cushion 26 is shown clear in thiε drawing to εhow the support foundation 42. The support foundation 42 could be made from a variety of materials including a high firmnesε polyurethane foam, εtyrofoam, etc. which would be generally solid, or it can be made of something like fiberglass, plywood or a plastic wherein the top, sideε and back are made of the material, but inside is hollow. In the drawing, the leisure chair iε shown so it can be used in either a reclining position as shown, or in a more upright poεition if it were rotated 90 degreeε so that what is shown aε the back of the εupport foundation would become the bottom of the εupport foundation, and what is shown as the bottom becomes the back. To switch positions, it would also become necessary to switch the

positionε of the εeat cuεhion 34 and the head pillow 32. In doing thiε, the εtrapε for the head pillow 33 become the εtrapε for the seat cushion, and the strapε for the εeat cuεhion 35 become the εtrapε for the head pillow. Thiε would be accompliεhed by making the εtraps with a quick lock and release mechanism similar to those on seat belts for baby strollerε. Since the backreεt/leiεure chair can be dual poεition, it iε neceεεary to have a lumbar εupport for both poεitionε. In the drawing, there are lumbar support contours 44 on the εupport εtructure of both the lower portion L.P. and on the upper portion U.P. Though not shown this way, these lumbar supports could be part of the main cushion 26 similar to the way it iε εhown in FIG. 1C inεtead of being attached to the support foundation 42. Of course, when the leiεure chair is put in the more upright position, the lower portion L.P. would become the upper portion U.P. and vice versa. Also in FIG. 2A, there is an obtuse angle C which is εimilar to the obtuεe angle C εhown in FIG. 1C.

The leisure chair shown in FIG. 2A works the same way as the leisure chair εhown in FIG. 1C except that inεtead of being adjuεtable, it iε dual poεition. It εhould be pointed out that though FIG. 2A shows a leisure chair that is dual position, it is of course poεsible to make it for use in just one position. The position choεen could be upright, reclining, or εomewhere in between. In FIG. 2A the head pillow 32 iε attached to εtrapε for the head pillow 33 which are εecured to the εupport foundation 42. The εeat cuεhion 34 iε attached to εtrapε for the εeat cushion 35 which are secured to the high firmneεε εupport foundation. Though the methods of εecuring the εtraps to the support foundation will vary with the type of material the support foundation iε made of, the straps must be secured well enough to the support foundation to keep the seat cushion from moving away from the support foundation when a person is sitting on it. This may require using some sort of metal anchoring syεtem into the high firmneεs support foundation 42. For example, for a styrofoam support foundation 42 a metal anchor could be put in place while the foundation is being molded, so that when the εtyrofoam sets, the anchor would be εecurely attached to the styrofoam, and the anchor would be made so that

a strap could be attached to it. One way of doing this would be to have a ring on the exposed portion of the anchor εo that the εtrap could go around it. Other methods should be apparent to people knowledgeable in the art of working with materialε εuitable for making a high firmneεε support foundation.

The way of making the high firmness support foundation 42 will depend on the type of material chosen. Styrofoam, plastic, or fiberglasε would probably be molded out of one piece. If the chosen material was a flexible polyurethane foam cushion with an ILD of about 60, it could be cut into shape with a band εaw from a large piece of slab material. It could also be made out of plywood, with lumbar supports made of firm polyurethane foam installed to the plywood decks that form the slope of the foundation.

There are two other ways to make a high firmnesε support foundation and the backrest/leiεure chair of thiε type of embodiment. Both methods involve having an internal high firmness member or members. The first method requires a mold for doing injection molding of the soft foam over the firm internal support foundation. The mold would be about the same size and shape as the foundation 42 with the soft top cushion 26 over it shown in FIG. 2B. A firm foundation of a εimilar size and εhape as shown in FIG. 2A, except with about 1" (could be more than 1") trimmed off on the back, the bottom, and each of the two sideε, would be put into the mold. Thiε firm foundation would be held in place in the mold so that the back, the bottom, and each of the two sides would be about 1" away from the back, the bottom, and each of the two sideε of the mold. The mold would be εealed cloεed, and a flexible foam material would be injected into the mold so that the finished product would be about the same εize and εhape of the foundation 42 with the εoft top cushion 26 over it shown in FIG. 2B. The result would be a molded one piece generally wedge shaped foundation with soft top cuεhion which alεo haε the bottom, the back, and each of the two εideε cuεhioned with the soft cushion material.

Another way to make an embodiment similar to the one shown in FIG. 2B is to make both a generally wedge shaped foundation and top cushion out of a relatively soft foam material but use firm internal εupport memberε to provide the equivalent of a relatively firm foundation. The generally wedge εhaped foundation and top cuεhion would be of about the same size and εhape aε thoεe shown in the embodiment in FIG. 2B, except there would be no lumbar support contours 44 like those εhown in FIG. 2A. The soft wedge shaped foundation and top cushion could be made in one piece or made of two pieces in a manner similar to that shown for FIG.s 2A through 2C. To provide lumbar supportε, cavitieε or hollowε would be made in the generally wedge εhaped foundation and top cuεhion, and a relatively firm generally cylindrical, generally semi-cylindrical, or other shaped inεert would be inεerted therein according to the methods described either under OPERATION OF INVENTION — Method of Cushion Manufacture or in my previous patent application contained herein and shown in FIG.ε 11 through 21. The cavitieε or hollowε and the firm internal εupport memberε would be placed at the poεition where each of the lumbar supports 44 in FIG. 2A are placed. The embodiment made after using the procedures described would have the effect of providing a relatively firm generally wedge shaped foundation, a softer top cushion, and a means for supporting occupant's lumbar region in a relatively natural lordotic curve, and is to be conεidered aε such for the purposeε of the claims.

FIG. 2B is an iεometric view of the embodiment εhown in FIG. 2A, but showing the main cuεhion 26 normally. In a preferred embodiment, the lower portion L.P. when measured from the bottom edge near the seat cushion 34 to the obtuεe angle C iε between about 16 incheε and about 18 incheε. Alεo, in the εame preferred embodiment, the upper portion U.P. when meaεured from the obtuεe angle C to the top edge near the head pillow 32 iε between about 16 inches and about 18 inches.

FIG. 2C is an isometric view of the embodiment shown in FIG.s 2A and 2B with a cutaway showing the support foundation 42, main cuεhion 26, and upholstery 30. The cutaway shows how a lumbar support 44 and the main cushion 26 are shaped to fit with

each other. The main cuεhion 26 has a hollow or recesε that correεpondε to each of the firmer generally εemi-elliptically shaped cylindrical contours that are the lumbar supports 44, and of course the main cuεhion 26 iε placed over the εupport foundation 42. The main cushion 26 is attached to the support foundation 42 with a glue suitable for polyurethane foam or the like. The upholstery 30 is εecured around the εupport foundation 42 and of course around the main cushion 26.

FIG. 2D iε an iεometric view of the embodiment shown in FIG.s 2A, 2B, and 2C with upholstery.

FIG. 3A is an isometric view of an embodiment of the present invention using a generally wedge εhaped high firmneεε foundation for uεe in bed or on a εofa. In thiε view, the modified main cuεhion 48 iε shown clear to show the modified high firmness support foundation 46. In the drawing, the modified high firmnesε support foundation 46 is made of a material such aε styrofoam or flexible polyurethane foam with an ILD of about 50 or 60 pounds. If the foundation 46 iε made of styrofoam, it would probably be shaped in an injection type mold, whereaε if the foundation 46 waε made of flexible polyurethane foam it could either be formed in a mold, or cut and εhaped out of a large piece of slab cushion material with a band saw or the like. The modified foundation 46 is similar to the firm foundation 42 shown in FIG.s 2A, 2B, and 2C, except it is a bit εmaller, and the lumbar supports 44 start at or near the top and bottom edges. The reason the modified high firmneεε εupport 46 and the modified main cushion 48 shown in FIG. 3A are εmaller than their counterpartε the high firmness support foundation 42 and the main cushion 26 in FIG. 2A iε that a person sitting on a bed or sofa will sink a few inches into the bed or sofa. When the perεon'ε body εinks down into the sofa or mattresε, that means that there is leεs of the person's lower back left to support, because some of the person'ε back iε now below the level of the backreεt. Also, since the person sinkε into the mattreεε or sofa, the need for a seat cushion like 34 on FIG. 2C to keep the user from slipping down is greatly reduced - especially with a good mattresε with independent springs. This iε because the natural

give of a bed or εofa provideε a natural seat cuεhion, and εince moεt of the weight iε focussed on the point where the buttockε meet the mattreεε, the uεer will εink into the mattreεε in a way that will prevent εlipping down - eliminating the need for a εeat cushion. One other possible difference between the modified high firmnesε support foundation 46 and the high firmnesε εupport foundation 42 shown in FIG. 2A is that it would probably only be appropriate to make the modified εupport foundation out of a εofter lighter material such aε flexible polyurethane foam or εtyrofoam, εince it will be deεirable to put it on a bed or εofa. Materialε such as plywood or fiberglaεε are εo hard that few people would want to put it on a bed or sofa. There would also be a safety concern with a backreεt made to be used above the floor, if it were made of a heavier or harder material. If such a backrest fell on someone, it could cause injury, eεpecially if it were to fall on a εmall child.

There are two other wayε to make a high firmneεε εupport foundation and the backreεt of thiε type of embodiment. Both methodε involve having an internal high firmneεε member or memberε. The firεt method requires a mold for doing injection molding of the εoft foam over the modified firm internal εupport foundation. The mold would be about the εame εize and shape aε the modified foundation 46 with the modified εoft top cushion 48 over it shown in FIG. 3A or FIG. 3B. A modified firm foundation of a similar size and shape as shown in FIG. 3A, except with about 1" (could more than 1" if desired) trimmed off on the back, the bottom, and each of the two sides, would be put into the mold. This modified firm foundation would be held in place in the mold εo that the back, the bottom, and each of the two εideε would be about 1" away from the back, the bottom, and each of the two εideε of the mold. The mold would be εealed closed, and a flexible foam material would be injected into the mold so that the finished product would be about the εame εize and shape of the modified foundation 46 with the soft top cushion 48 over it shown in FIG. 3B. The result would be a molded one piece generally wedge shaped modified foundation with modified soft top cushion which also has the bottom, the back, and each of the two sides cushioned with the soft cushion material.

Another way to make an embodiment similar to the one shown in FIG. 3B iε to make both a generally wedge εhaped modified foundation and top cuεhion out of a relatively soft foam material but use firm internal support memberε to provide the equivalent of a relatively firm foundation. The generally wedge εhaped foundation and top cuεhion would be of about the εame εize and εhape aε those shown in the embodiment in FIG. 3B, except there would be no lumbar support contours 44 like those shown in FIG. 3A. The soft wedge shaped foundation and top cushion could be made in one piece or made of two pieces in a manner similar to that shown for FIG.ε 3A and 3B. If made in one piece, it could be cut out of a piece of slab foam material with a band saw. To provide lumbar supports, cavities or hollows would be made in the modified generally wedge shaped foundation and top cushion, and a relatively firm generally cylindrical, generally semi- cylindrical or other shaped insert would be inserted therein according to the methods described either under OPERATION OF INVENTION — Method of Cushion Manufacture or in my previous patent application contained herein and shown in FIG.s 11 through 21. The cavities or hollows and the firm internal support members would be placed at the position where each of the lumbar supports 44 in FIG. 3A are placed. The embodiment made after using the procedures described would have the effect of providing a relatively firm generally wedge shaped foundation, a softer top cuεhion, and a means for supporting occupant's lumbar region in a relatively natural lordotic curve, and is to be considered aε εuch for the purpoεeε of the claimε.

FIG. 3B is an isometric view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 3A with a cutaway showing the modified support foundation 46, the modified main cushion 48, and upholstery 30. The modified main cushion 48 is made of relatively εoft material εuch as flexible polyurethane foam with an ILD of about 20 pounds. The drawing shows how the modified main cushion 48 is shaped to fit over the lumbar supportε 44 on the modified high firmneεε support foundation 46. The modified main cushion 48 would be glued to the εupport foundation 46 with a glue suitable for polyurethane foam or the like. The modified main cushion 48 has a hollow or recess that corresponds to each of the firmer generally semi-

elliptically εhaped cylindrical contourε that are the lumbar εupportε 44, and of courεe the modified main cuεhion 48 is placed over the modified support foundation 46. In a preferred embodiment, the lower portion L.P. of the modified main cushion 48 iε between about 12 incheε and about 14 incheε when meaεured from the bottom or front edge to the obtuεe angle C. The obtuεe angle C iε between about 160 degreeε and about 170 degreeε and in a preferred embodiment is about 165 degrees. The upper portion U.P. is about the εame εize as the lower portion L.P. The backrest εhown iε dual poεition, and εo it haε contoured lumbar εupports 44 on the modified high firmnesε εupport foundation 46. The εlope of the lower portion L.P. of a preferred embodiment of the backreεt iε about 30 degreeε. Thiε meanε that the εlope of the upper portion U.P. of the backreεt iε about 45 degreeε. When the backreεt iε put in the alternate or upright poεition (the back becomeε the bottom, and the bottom becomes the back), the slope of what will now become the lower portion L.P. (formerly the upper portion U.P.) will be about 45 degrees, while the upper portion U.P. (formerly the lower portion) will be about 60 degrees. Though the backrest is shown aε dual poεition, it can of course be made for use in a single poεition. To make it for use in a single position , only one lumbar support would be required, and it would probably be desirable to make the εlope of the lower portion L.P. between 30 degrees and 45 degrees.

FIG. 3C iε an iεometric view of the embodiment εhown in FIG.s 3A and 3B with finished upholstery 30. It should be noted that there is no attached head pillow with thiε. The reason for this is that a user can εupply their own pillow, especially when the backrest is uεed in bed or on a sofa. Though a head pillow could be attached, it does not seem to be essential, and the additional bulk a head pillow adds doeε not seem to justify the convenience provided when a person already has a pillow in bed or on.a sofa.

FIG. 4 is a side view of a generally wedge shaped embodiment of the present invention without an internal lumbar support, but with a convex contoured lower cushion and frame or structure to

provide the lower back support without the internal lumbar support. The convex contour is designed to support the lumbar region of the user's back in a relatively natural lordotic curve. In the drawing, there is a frame comprising a base εupport 53, a vertical support member 54, and an optional diagonal support member 50. Since the drawing is only a side view, it should be noted that the oppoεite εide iε conεtructed the εame way, and that there are croεε memberε between the two sides so that the frame is generally similar to the construction of the frame εhown in FIG. IH, except it iε not adjuεtable aε shown, and has two vertical εupport members 54 - one on each side. Other differences in the frame include the fact that the embodiment shown in FIG. 4 can have an optional diagonal support member 50 or one on each side. The optional diagonal support member(s) could provide additional εupport for the εupport sheet 24 if it were made out of a molded plywood type product and did not have use a main U shaped frame similar to that shown in FIG. IA. In such a case, the molded plywood would be considered part of the frame. The optional diagonal support member could also be used with a main U εhaped frame (not εhown) either to provide additional εupport, or it could be adjuεtable like the teleεcoping piece 12, 14, and 16 εhown in FIG. IA to adjuεt what would be analogous to obtuse angle C on FIG. 1 if the main U shaped frame had a pivoting joint at obtuse angle C. If a main U shaped frame is used, it would have a convex curve as shown on the lower portion of the frame, and could be made juεt like the embodiment εhown in FIG. 1C, except without the lumbar εupport.

FIG. 5A iε a εide view of an embodiment of the preεent invention which iε dual poεition inεtead of adjuεtable, but uεeε many of the same principles of construction as the leisure chair shown in FIG. 1C. Basically, the generally wedge shaped frame for this embodiment has all the same components as the frame shown in FIG. IA, except the parts numbered 10 through 22 (the teleεcoping εupport pieceε and the pivoting croεsbar pieces), and for better understanding, it is helpful to think of angle B on FIG. 5A as angle A on FIG. IA. In FIG. 5A, the main U frame 2, iε welded or otherwiεe securely joined to the vertical portion of a support U frame 54 (which is analogouε to the base U frame

6 in FIG. IA) at an acute angle B. Since this embodiment is dual position, there are two high firmness lumbar supports 58 positioned as shown. The main cushion 26 is made with channels or hollows to fit with the two lumbar supports 58. As shown, in the dual poεition leisure chair, the upper portion and lower portion are both about the same εize, and in a preferred embodiment, the εize is about 17 inches. The εupport εheet 24 is shown like plywood, but it could be like the one shown in FIG. 1C. Also, note that there are no straps shown, but the seat cushion and head pillow seem to be right next to the upholεtery. This could be accomplished by making the upholstery 30 for the εeat cuεhion 34, main cuεhion 26 and head pillow 32 out of a continuouε piece of material, by sewing the upholstery for these together, or by using velcro stripε or zipperε where the εeat cuεhion 34 and head pillow 32 meet the upholεtery 30 for the main cushion. Using a continouε piece of material or εewing the head 32 and εeat 34 cushions to the main cushion 26 would prevent the cushionε from being individually removable, which would be appropriate if the chair waε εingle poεition inεtead of dual position, or if the all the cushionε 26, 32, and 34 could be rotated when the position is changed. Thiε can be accompliεhed by making all the cushions easily removable like cushionε on moεt outdoor furniture. Thiε way the position can be easily changed and the cushions can be easily resecured to the frame with εtring tieε. Of courεe, εtraps could be used if desired as shown in FIG. 1C.

FIG. 5B iε an iεometric view of the embodiment in FIG. 5A shown in the reclining position with upholstery 30 on it. The drawing εhowε how the vertical support member 54 is U shaped and has a baεe portion 52.

FIG. 5C iε an isometric view of the embodiment shown in FIG.s 5A and 5B, but shown in an alternate more upright poεition. In the drawing, what waε the vertical εupport member 54 and the baεe portion 52, are now both εhown aε part of a baεe U εhaped frame. Note that the head pillow 32 has been moved to what is now the top portion of the leisure chair, and that the seat cushion 34 has been moved to what is now the lower end of the

cushion. It should be pointed out that if tubular εteel iε uεed, it may be neceεεary to put a εteel gusset (not shown) or otherwise reinforce the joint formed at angle B on FIG. 5A to uεe the leisure chair in the upright position as εhown in FIG. 5C. Another way to reinforce the joint at angle B would be to put a bar fabricated at the same angle as angle B inside the tubing. The bar could be about 6" long in each direction, and juεt εlightly smaller than the tubing.

FIG. 5D is an iεometric view of the embodiment εhown in FIG.s 5A, 5B, and 5C with a person P εeated in it when it iε in the reclining poεition.

FIG. 6A iε a εide view of another generally wedge εhaped frame of an embodiment of the preεent invention which can be adjusted by changing the angle of the generally vertical support 68. Thiε embodiment iε ideally suited for outdoor use such as at the beach, and also could be appropriate for indoor use. Since the drawing is a side view, it should be understood that the other side looks like a mirror image of FIG. 6A, and that except for the crosε pieces (64, 66, and 74) there is one of each of the other parts shown, on each side. In the drawing, the side of the base εupport 62 haε two holeε, one for the pivoting lower croεε member 64, and the other for the front pivoting point 66. The lower pivoting croεε member 64 iε made of a hardwood pole about 1" in diameter and about 21" long. The εide pieceε 62, 68, and 72 are made of a softwood such aε pine, and are about 1 1/2" thick. The εide baεe support 62 is about 2" high, and about 23" long. To prevent the pivoting lower croεε member 64 from coming out of poεition, a 1/8" deep grove iε cut around the pole 64 about 3/4" in from each end. When the εides of the base εupport are put into place around each end of the pole 64, a εcrew iε εcrewed in from the bottom of the εide of the base support 62 to exactly fit in the groove of the pole 64 mentioned above. Thiε permitε the pole 64 to pivot, but prevents it from moving from side to εide. It εhould be mentioned that inεtead of putting a hole in the εide of the base εupport 62 as shown, the pivoting lower cross member 64 can also be mounted on the top of the side of the base support 62 right above where the hole would be. This

can be done by uεing a 1/4" x 3/4" x 2 1/2" U bolt on each side that will fit into the grooves on the pole 64 mentioned above. The U bolt will be placed upside down, εo if it were εhown on the drawing, it would look like an upεide down U or lower caεe n. Thiε meanε that the nutε would be bolted from the bottom, and of courεe the nutε could be counterεunk εo they would not be viεible from the εide. There are alεo other wayε of pivotally attaching the pivoting lower εupport member 64 to the εideε of the baεe εupport 62 which should be apparent to those knowledgeable in the art related to this invention.

The front pivoting point 66 is a carriage bolt about 3/8" x 4" that goeε through the hole in the εide of baεe εupport 62, goes through two εlip washers, goes through a hole in the slope frame side piece 72, and then is fastened with a waεher and a nut. An alternative would be to uεe a εetup similar to the bottom spacer bar 4 shown in FIG. IA. The vertical support pieceε 68 are attached to the pivoting lower cross member 64 and are positioned on the pivoting lower cross member 64 so that there will be a space of about 1 1/2" between the εides of the base support 62 and the vertical supports 68. This εpace iε neceεεary to enable the frame to collapεe aε shown in FIG. 6C. Though not shown in FIG. 6A, it may be desirable to put εome kind of a εway brace between the vertical εupportε 68 to keep the leisure chair from wobbling. A sway brace could conεiεt of a 15" x 6" piece of plywood that could be εurface mounted to the vertical εupport pieces 68. The 6" would be the height, and the 15" would be the horizontal outside measurement from one vertical support 68 to the other. The sway brace could be placed anywhere on the vertical supportε 68 in the manner deεcribed. Of course there are numerous other ways to provide sway εupport that would be known to thoεe knowledgeable in the field related to this invention.

At the top of the vertical εupport, there iε the upper croεε member 70. The upper cross member 70 is made of a hardwood pole with a diameter of about 1" and a length of about 16". Aε εhown, the upper croεε member 70 is attached by inserting it through a 1" hole in the vertical support 68 and then securing with screws

and/or glue. It should be pointed out that there are other wayε of doing thiε known to thoεe knowledgeable in the art relating to this invention. The slope frame side pieceε 72 can be cut out of a 2x6 or 2x8 piece of wood such as pine. It should be noted that the εlope frame εide piece 72 is shown slightly thicker near angle C. This is for added strength. Alεo, the upper portion of the each of the εlope frame εide pieceε 72 haε a εeries of notches on their inside portionε to correεpond with the upper croεs member 70. These notcheε could be made with a router using either a 1" round nosed bit or a 1" εtraight double flute router bit. Though εhown in FIG. 6A as though they go in only about 1/2", they could go in about 1" so that the upper cross member 70 would be completely concealed. The number of notches made dependε on how many positions seem to be desired. There could be three notcheε for low, medium, and high positions, or there could be a notch every 2" or so for more adjustmentε. It iε alεo posεible to use surface mounted pegs to hold the upper croεε member 70 in poεition, in place of the notcheε. Pegs would be mounted on the underside of the upper portion of the slope frame side pieces in place of the notcheε. If pegε are uεed, the upper croεε member will be made about 17" long. Also, there should be one notch put in the lower portion of each of the εlope frame εide pieces 72, to line up with the upper crosε member 70 when the frame iε collapεed. Thiε iε εo that when the frame is collapεed aε εhown in FIG. 6C, the vertical εupportε 68 will not εtick out below the εides of the base support 62. The εlope frame εide pieceε 72 haε dimenεionε and obtuεe angle C εimilar to the sides of the main U frame in other embodiments, though the thicknesε of the material may be different.

On the top or face of the εlope frame εide pieces 72, are face sheathing pieces 74. The face sheathing pieceε .74 form the support sheet. When the face sheathing pieces 74 are used with a generally wedge shaped frame like shown in FIG.ε 6A - 6E, together the face εheathing pieceε and the frame make two similarly sized support surfaces. These are 3/8" x 3" x 20" stripε of wood to work in the same way as the support sheet 24 shown in FIG. 1C. Notice that the face sheathing pieces 74 will extend about 1" on either εide farther than εlope frame εide

pieceε 72. The main cuεhion 26 εhown in FIG. 6D will extend about 2" on either εide farther than the face sheathing pieces 74. The face sheathing 74 is nailed or εtapled to the εlope frame sideε 72, and may have εpacing between each piece as εhown in FIG. 6A.

It iε certainly poεεible to make this embodiment with a convex curve on the lower portion of the slope frame piece 72 to make a chair similar to the one shown in FIG. 4. Also, it iε certainly possible to make this frame of many different materialε such as hardwood, plastic, reεin, fiberglass, tubular aluminum, etc., and the face sheathing 74 could be made of fabric, wood strips of different sizeε, webbing, etc. Someone εkilled in the art εhould know numerous posεibilitieε for making thiε invention with different materials, faεtening means, adjuεtment meanε, and dimenεionε.

For the purpoεeε of the claims, it should be noted that when the frame described is assembled as described, there iε a baεe U εhaped frame formed by the two sideε of the base support 62 and the pivoting lower cross member 64, and there is a main backrest U shaped frame formed by the two εlope frame εide pieces 72 and whatever top crosε member ties the slope frame εide pieceε together, in the drawing, thiε is the top piece of face εheathing 74. If the face sheathing was made of fabric or εomething that did not have rigid strength, it would be necesεary to have another cross member at the top of the slope frame εide pieceε 72 to tie them together. Either way, the εlope frame εide pieceε 72 and whatever croεε member tieε them together at the top form a main backrest U shaped frame. The front pivoting point 66 is the means for joining the main backreεt U εhaped frame to the baεe U εhaped frame. The bottom piece of face sheathing 74 is also the bottom εpacer bar if no other bottom εpacer bar iε provided. The reader will see that if rigid face sheathing 74 is uεed, it becomeε part of the frame, aε well aε being the εupport εheet.

FIG. 6B iε a εide view of the εupport frame of the embodiment shown in FIG. 6A, but shown in a more upright position.

In FIG. 6A, angle D is shown to be about 90 degrees, and angle A is about 30 degreeε. Aε the top of the vertical εupport 68 iε moved toward angle A, the εlope of the generally wedge εhaped frame increases as measured at angle A. FIG. 6B showε how when angle D decreaεeε, angle A increaεeε, reεulting in the frame being in a more upright poεition. Note that the upper croεs member 70 is now in a notch that is closer to angle C on the slope frame side piece 72. The increased angle A iε deεignated aε Aa which repreεentε angle A alternate position. It should be noted that this same type of leisure chair frame could be made by putting the pivoting cross member 64 on the slope εide pieceε 72 and putting the "upper" croεε member and notches on the sides of the base support 62. This would be similar to the way εome adjuεtable outdoor lounge chairε are made. Also, it is posεible to make the εlope frame side pieces 72 foldable by putting a hinge or something similar at the point where angle C iε. The slope frame pieces 72 could then fold so that the face sheathing on the lower portion meets the face sheathing on the upper portion. With the hinge there must be a catch to lock the slope frame side pieces in place for when it iε used normally.

One thing not shown on the drawings iε a εafety εtrap to prevent the leiεure chair frame from collapεing accidentally, which could happen if the upper cross member 70 fell out of the notch it is supposed to be in. This could happen if the upper portion of the εlope frame εide pieceε 72 were lifted without lifting the upper cross member 70. This could cause the vertical supportε 68 to fall down, and the chair could collapεe aε εhown in FIG. 6C. To prevent this, a safety strap iε εecured around a face εheathing piece 74 near the center of the upper portion of the εlope frame εide pieces 72. The safety strap has a loop εewn into it large enough to fit over a face sheathing piece 74, and at the other end it haε a snap hook. The sewn loop end of the safety εtrap is εlipped over the face sheathing piece 74 before the face sheathing piece is attached to the slope frame side pieces 72.

Then the face sheathing 74 is attached, leaving the safety strap with the εnap hook dangling under the face εheathing 74. With the εnap hook leading, the εafety εtrap iε wrapped around the upper cross member 70 and secured by having the snap hook catch a part of the safety εtrap that is above the upper croεε member 70. Eεεentially, all thiε means is there is a εafety εtrap with one loop around a face εheathing piece 74 and one loop around the upper croεε member 70. The loop around the upper croεs member 70 is closed with the snap hook. The safety εtrap iε juεt long enough to permit the vertical εupport piece 68 to move to all the way from a poεition like that εhown in FIG. 6A to a poεition like that εhown in FIG. 6B, but not out of that range. The εafety strap can also be uεed to wrap around the pivoting cross member 64 when the wedge shaped frame iε collapεed for storage or transport. This is why a εnap hook iε included on one end of the εafety εtrap.

FIG. 6C iε a εide view of the εupport frame of the embodiment shown in FIG.s 6A and 6B, but εhown collapεed for εhipping or storage.

FIG. 6D is a side view of the embodiment εhown in FIG.ε 6A, 6B, and 6C, but with cuεhionε and a lumbar εupport. The main cuεhion 26 iε εimilar to the one described in FIG. 1C. Thiε cuεhion iε upholstered like a reversible cushion, and would be attached to the face εheathing 74 with straps in a manner similar to that uεed for cuεhioned patio furniture. In the drawing, there is a seat cuεhion 34, with straps 35 which attach the seat 34 to the face sheathing 74. A head pillow 32 is also εhown.

FIG. 6E iε a εide view of the embodiment εhown in FIG.ε 6A, 6B, and 6C, but with an ordinary type cuεhion over a lumbar εupport, and alεo showing the seat cushion and head pillow. This drawing just shows another way to provide lumbar support for the leisure chairε. The lumbar εupport 28 iε εimilar to that εhown in FIG..1C, but it is not placed in a hollow in the cushion 27. The cushion 27 is just like an ordinary type cushion with no hollow, and hence it becomeε contoured when put over the lumbar εupport 28. Thiε cuεhion could be made of almoεt any kind of

cuεhion material including cotton, polyeεter fiber, dacron, polyurethane foam, featherε, etc. The advantage of thiε type lumbar support can be economy and versatility in cushion choice, while the drawback is that it may not be aε attractive aε the cuεhionε that do not show a contour.

FIG. 6F is an isometric view of another generally wedge shaped frame of an embodiment of the present invention which can be made almost entirely of wood, and which can be adjusted by using a telescoping adjustment asεembly. The lower εupport piece compriεeε both the pivoting lower croεs member 64 and the wooden lower telescoping piece 12w, and this is preferably assembled before attaching to the side of base supports 62. The pivoting lower cross member 64 is attached to the wooden lower telescoping piece 12w with εcrewε. The wooden lower telescoping piece 12w has a front, a back, and two sides. The sides in a preferred embodiment are made of a hardwood about 2" deep x 1" thick x 11" high, and have two lengthwise grooves in them. The one groove is about 3/8" wide and 1/4" deep for gluing and holding in place the front or face board 15 of the lower telescoping piece 12w. In the drawing, the part of the face board 15 that can be seen from this perspective is the shaded area, and this is only a portion of the back εide of the face board 15 and an upper corner toward the right εide of the drawing. The face board 15 in a preferred embodiment is 3/8" thick, 8" wide and 11" high. It could be plywood, or could be made of the same wood that the rest of the frame is made out of. The other groove in the εideε εerves as a track for the wooden upper telescoping asεembly 16w to εlide up and down in. The back conεiεtε of a board connecting the two sides, using screws. Since the back is not eaεily εeen, it iε not neceεεary that it be bigger than neceεεary to hold the εecuring knob and threaded base 14. In a preferred embodiment, the back is made from a piece of hardwood about 3/4" thick, 2" high, and 10" wide. On the back of the wooden lower teleεcoping piece 12w, there iε also a safety catch 17 which can be used to prevent the frame from collapεing if the εecuring knob 14 waε not tightened and εomeone lifted the chair from behind εo that the wooden upper telescoping assembly 16w came out of the track in the wooden lower telescoping piece 12w. The safety catch 17

could be a εpring loaded catch that would protrude in such a way that the upper telescoping assembly 16w couldn't be raised out of the track without depressing the spring loaded catch 17.

The wooden upper telescoping assembly 16w is made of one or more vertical pieces, in the drawing 3 vertical pieces are shown, which are connected to a lower horizontal piece and the pivoting crosε bar 20. The joints between the vertical pieces and the lower horizontal piece and the pivoting crosε bar 20 in a preferred embodiment were made uεing mortise and tenon joinery and screws. Other methods can be employed. In a situation where only 1 vertical piece is used, the lower horizontal piece could be eliminated. In the center piece of the wooden upper telescoping assembly 16w, there are a number of holes which correspond to εecuring knob with threaded εtud 14. Theεe are to prevent the telescoping mechanism from slipping when the securing knob is locked in a position with a corresponding hole.

The εides of the base support 62 are attached at the rear to the pivoting lower croεε member 64. In a preferred embodiment, thiε connection iε made by putting a round tenon on the endε of the pivoting lower croεs member 64 that is about 1/4" long and about 1" in diameter. This round tenon is put into a correεponding 1/4" deep hole in the εide of the baεe support 62 which has had a flat metal washer inserted before assembly. This is then joined by a screw 8 which is tightened to a point that enables the pivoting lower cross member to pivot, but with very little play. There are other ways of making the pivoting joint including a rotary hinge or juεt uεing a screw and washer without the round tenon or corresponding hole. The pivoting croεs bar 20 can be joined to the εlope frame εide pieceε 72 uεing the εame principleε as were used to join the pivoting lower cross member 64 and the side of base εupport 62.

The εlope frame εide pieces 72 are pivotally joined to the sideε of the base support 62 with a εcrew 8. A waεher iε uεed between the baεe 62 and εlope 72 εide pieces to prevent rubbing, and the hole for the screw in the baεe side pieces 62 will be εlightly larger than the screw 8 used, to permit the pivoting.

The front baεe croεε member 71, the croεs bar at obtuse angle 20a, and the upper crosε member 70 are joined to the εlope εide frame pieces using mortise and tenon or other suitable joinery methods. The support sheet and upholstery for this frame iε installed in a manner very similar to that used in FIG. 6G, 6H, and FIG. 6J described below. One notable difference is that for this embodiment, webbing 24c can be stretched across the lower portion under where the lumbar support goes, to provide extra support under the support surface.

This frame folds very compactly for storage and shipping in a manner εimilar that shown in FIG. 6C. And it should be understood that this embodiment can be made of a variety of other materials suggested for other embodiments. It can be made in a variety of ways, for example the telescoping pieces can be made in many different sizes and shapeε to give a variety of lookε.

FIG. 6G is a side view of the upholstery syεtem uεed on the embodiments shown in FIG.s 6F, 61 and 6J. In a preferred embodiment, the upholstery is completed with the support sheet εecuring rod 23 attached to the support sheet 24. The support sheet 24 is then sewn with the top upholstery 30 in such a way that the cushion 26 and lumbar support 28 will be enveloped in the support sheet 24 and the top upholstery 30. The support εheet 24 haε to be εewn to the top upholstery 30 in such a way that there will be about 6" of the support sheet 24 material extending beyond the seam joining the top upholstery 30 to the support sheet 24. Thiε 6" will be attached to the front base cross member 71 and the upper crosε member 70 aε shown with staples or a similar fastening method. Next the cross bar at obtuse angle 20a with the channel in it will be slipped over the εupport sheet securing rod 23 that has been attached to the support sheet 24 and is now between the support sheet 24 and the cuεhion. A εkilled upholsterer should be able to understand how this could be done, and know other techniques such aε uεing buttonε 31 to secure the cushion in the proper way. See FIG. 6H below for more specifics on crosε bar at obtuεe angle 20a and the εupport εheet securing rod 23.

FIG. 6H is a cross section view of the cross bar at obtuse angle 20a shown in FIG.s 6F, 6G, and 61. The crosε bar 20a haε a generally triangular channel at the top, in the center. The channel can be routed in with a dovetail router bit. Inεide the channel iε a εupport εheet securing rod 23 which is a triangular shaped rod made of probably the same kind of wood as the cross bar 20a. Shown between the channel in the crosε bar 20a and the support sheet securing rod 23 is the frame cover/support sheet 24. The frame cover/support sheet 24 would be made of canvas, or another type of strong fabric. The support εheet securing rod 23 would be no longer than the distance between the two slope frame side pieces 72 shown in FIG.s 6F and 61. The support sheet 24 can be attached to the support sheet securing rod 23 with stapleε or a εimilar meanε to hold it in place temporarily, and it must be placed in the proper position. Positioning will be determined by where the support sheet will line up with the obtuse crosε member 20a when it iε properly attached on a frame. At the proper time, the support sheet securing rod 23 with the support sheet 24 attached will be εlipped into the channel in the crossbar at obtuse angle. This is very similar to the technique used to faεten the canvaε εeats in many director's chairs. Also, similar to director's chairs, the channel could be round instead of triangular, and a wooden dowel could be used.

FIG. 61 is an isometric view of another generally wedge shaped frame of an embodiment of the present invention made of wood with εtraight εlope side pieces 72. There can be a definite advantage in making the slope side pieces straight aε oppoεed to angled, becauεe they can be cut very economically from wood, and there iε very little waεte. In the drawing, the baεe εupport member 53 iε joined to the vertical support member 54 at about a 90 degree angle. The slope frame side piece 72 is joined to the base support member 53 and the vertical support 54 as εhown. On both the baεe εupport member 53 and the vertical support 54 the tips at the longest points of the slope frame side piece 72 are about 4" from the pointε at which the base support member 53 and vertical support 54 begin their tapering angle at the ends opposite where they meet at 90 degrees. The reason for thiε iε so that when the support sheet is put in place it will be

stretched to provide the obtuse angle C shown in FIG. 6J. When a matched set of slope frame side pieces 72, the base support members 53, and the vertical εupportε 54 are joined together, they form the εide unitε. The side units are assembled with the four cross members, but not until the upholstery is attached to the appropriate cross members. The upper crosε member 70 and the front base crosε member 71 provide stability to the frame and are the parts that the ends of support sheet 24 will be attached to. The cross bar at obtuse angle 20a is used to εtretch the support sheet at the obtuse angle C as shown in FIG. 6J. The cross bar at obtuse angle 20a cannot be installed until the support sheet iε attached to it. The rear baεe cross member 69 is used to provide additional stability. All of the crosε memberε and the components that make up the side units, will be appropriately joined with mortise and tenon joints, doweled joints, finger joints, etc. and/or mechanical fasteners such as screws. This particular embodiment is particularly suited for shipping ready to assemble with the side units made in a factory, and with the cross members with the εupport sheet, cushions and upholstery attached,to be installed by the consumer. It should be noted that another version very similar to this embodiment could be made using an angled slope piece similar to 72 used in FIG. 6F but using all the other parts of this embodiment. Also, instead of using a fabric type support sheet 24, another type like plywood or presεed wood could be uεed. And of courεe, thiε embodiment could be made of other productε other than wood εimilar to thoεe mentioned for other embodimentε.

FIG. 6J iε a εide view of the embodiment εhown with the εupport εheet 24, cuεhionε, and upholεtery attached 30. In a preferred embodiment the upholstery is completed as shown in FIG. 6G, and then the cross members are assembled starting with the front base member 71 and the upper cross member 70. For easier assembly, if mortise and tenon joinery is being used, the tenons on the crosε bar at obtuεe angle 20a εhould be shorter than the others. Thiε will enable the aεsembler to have the unit partially together before having to stretch the εupport sheet 24. And the support sheet should be stetched somewhat to give a firm support. When the upholstery is put on, the obtuse angle C will

be similar to that on other embodiments. Also, shown on the drawing are the seat cushion 34, the seat cushion strapε 35, the head pillow 32, the straps for head pillow 33, and the angle of the lower portion of the backrest/leisure chair with respect to the floor A. All of these are similar to those described with other embodimentε.

OPERATION OF INVENTION — Method of Cuεhion Manufacture

FIG. 7A iε a εide view of a cuεhion 86 that iε about to be pierced with injecting needles 84 on a support baεe 82 to produce a firm internal εupport member similar to the lumbar support shown in FIG. 1C. In this drawing, there is a hose or hoses 80 which carry a firming means into the injector εupport base 82. The firming means is a chemical solution that will make a previously manufactured foam cuεhion firmer wherever the chemical εolution contactε the foam cushion. In a preferred embodiment, the firming means are foaming chemicals aε described below. From the injector support base 82, the chemicals are distributed to, and forced through the serieε of injecting needleε 84. The injecting needles 84 work on the same principles aε hypodermic needleε, but need to have an inεide diameter of about 1/8" εince the viεcoεity of the foaming chemicalε will not go through a much smaller opening efficiently. The cushion 86 is a typical previously manufactured flexible foam cushion made of polyurethane foam or the like. It would be made of a relatively soft grade of foam with an ILD (Indentation Load Deflection on 4" at 25%) between about 10 pounds and about 35 pounds.

FIG. 7B is a side view of the cuεhion 86 εhown in FIG. 7A after being pierced with the injecting needles 84. The cushion 86 is εhown clear to show the injecting needles 84 in position. Note that the needleε 84 are of different lengthε, and the needleε are poεitioned in εuch a way that the shape they form together is generally semi-elliptical. It should also be pointed out, that the injecting needles do not need to go as deep as of the depth of the desired firm internal support member. The reason for this is that when the foaming chemicals are injected into the cushion, the cushion 86 will soak them up to a fair

extent. So the needles only need to pierce to about 1" from the deεired finished depth, and the foaming chemicals will soak to the desired point. Since the cushion 86 is positioned face down, it appears that the soaking is caused by injection pressure, foaming pressure, capillary action, and gravity, but I do not wish to be bound by this belief. Because of the soaking a<~cion, it is only necessary to have about one injecting needle for about each square inch of firm internal support member to be produced.

The firming means can be the kind of chemicals used for foam-in- place seating such as is used for custom wheelchairs. The product names for a solution that works for this procedure are Isonate (R) 143L Modified MDI, Dabco 33-LV Catalyst, and FIPS POLYOL, all made or distributed by Dynamic Systemε, Inc., Rt. 2, Box 182B, Leicester, NC 28748. The formulation of the above chemicals when combined was listed by the manufacturer as "SOFT". Though this chemical solution will work, it is anticipated that other chemical solutions, both foaming and non-foaming will also work to provide a firm internal support member. Depending on the chemicals used, the mixing of the chemicals can take place in the chemical hoses 80, before being put in the chemical hoses 80 or in the injector support base 82. Becauεe of the speed with which the chemicals mentioned above begin foaming, in a preferred embodiment of this invention, each chemical is pumped through a separate hose, and there is a mixing means in the injector support base 82 or just incheε away from the injector εupport baεe 82. Alεo in a preferred embodiment there are valveε for each chemical coming into the εupport baεe 82 to prevent contamination of the fresh chemicals, and to control the process. The injector support base 82 εhown iε merely repreεentative, and would of course be larger and more complex with valves and a mixing element. The means for mixing the chemicals can be similar to the mixing type valves currently used for ordinary type flexible foam injection molding. It is neceεsary to have enough pressure on the foam solution being injected, so that it can be forced through the injecting needles 84 and into the existing foam cushion 86.

The injecting needleε could have different inεide diameterε to control the volume of the foaming chemicalε to εpecific areas. It is further poεsible to have a number of holes in the walls of the injecting needles in addition to, or in place of the hole at the tip of the injection needles as was inferred above by the comparison to a hypodermic needle.

In a production setting, the preferred embodiment is envisioned on a motorized machine working like a drill preεε. The previously manufactured cushion 86 would be put into position, and the injector support base 82 with injecting needles 84 would be lowered so that they pierce the cuεhion 86 to the deεired depth. Then a predetermined amount of foaming chemical would be injected into the cushion 86 through the injecting needles 84. After this, the injecting needles 84 would be withdrawn, and the foaming chemicals would soak into the cushion 86 and cure to the predetermined firmness. This procedure would be repeated for another cushion right after the first one.

FIG. 7C is a front view of the injector support base 82 and injecting needles 84 shown in FIG.s 7A, 7B, and 7D. Comparing this view with one of the side views of the injector support baεe 82 and injecting needles 84 as in FIG. 7A, one can see how the 8 rows of 18 injecting needles are arranged. Such an arrangement would be suitable for making a lumbar support similar in size and shape to the one εhown in FIG. 1C. The injecting needleε 84 do not neceεεarily have to be in neat lineε aε εhown, but could alεo be staggered, or put in another pattern. Also, on other embodiments, the number and sizeε of the injecting needleε could be altered to εuit the need. It should also be possible to adapt this method to make different shapes of internal support members, including generally cylindrical support members.

FIG. 7D iε a cross section view of the cushion 86 shown in FIG.s 7A and 7B, after the injecting needles 84 shown in FIG.ε 7A, 7B, and 7C have injected a foaming compound into the cuεhion 86. Thiε drawing εhowε the firm internal εupport member 88 that has been produced in the cushion 86, after the injecting needles 84 have been withdrawn. The internal support member is shaped

like a generally semi-elliptical cylinder. Note that there is a soft spot or piece of regular cushion material right above the firm internal support member 88. This iε becauεe the foaming chemicalε did not soak into this area. Though this small area is softer than the portion where the foaming chemicals soaked into, it should not affect the effectiveness of the firm internal support member.

There are a number of other possible ways of making the main cushion with an internal lumbar support. Eεsentially what is needed is to make a generally semi-oval shaped hollow or a generally semi-cylindrical shaped hollow or recesε in the main cushion, and to make a firmer lumbar insert to be inεerted therein. It iε possible to do this with custom molded polyurethane foam, or with slab polyurethane foam cut to the right size. Some of the currently favored methodε for making the cushions out of slab polyurethane foam include using a special router and router bits for use on foam cushion material. The router bit has either a blade or εerieε of bladeε which iε similar in principle to a round nosed router bit in woodworking. The round noεed bit would plunge into the main cuεhion body in the correct position, and move across at the proper depth for the proper distance as shown in FIG. 1C. For a 5" thick main cushion with an ILD (indentation load deflection on 4" at 25% of 24 pounds), a preferred depth is about 3", and the cutting diameter of the round nosed router bit would be about 10 inches. As shown ^• in FIG. 1C, it is not necessary to make the hollow as long as the main cushion is wide, since the lumbar support 28 is only needed for the area that iε aε wide as a human abdomen. A hollow about 17" long is sufficient for most people. The hollow must be positioned so that the deepest point of the hollow is at the point where it will meet the deepest point of a sitting human's lumbar lordotic curve. Thiε can be accomplished by putting the center of the lumbar support hollow about 9 inches from what will be the what will be the bottom edge (near the bottom spacer bar 4 shown on FIG. 1C) of the underside of the main cushion. The high firmnesε lumbar insert is made uεing a rounding bit to cut the negative of the pattern cut by the round nosed bit mentioned

above. A similar result could be obtained using a band saw, though the ends would not be tapered as shown in FIG. 1C.

Other methods of accomplishing the making a lumbar support hollow include using rotating knives similar to those uεed on a power plane uεed for wood. With thiε method, the radius of the "drum" formed by the rotating knives is about 7 incheε, and the drum iε about 17 incheε long. The rotating knives would be lowered about 3" into a 5" cushion to form a generally semi-elliptically shaped cylindrical hollow. Of course the rotating knives would be lowered at the proper position as mentioned above, and lifted when the operation is complete. Similar to this, various rotating milling type cutters of a similar size and shape, or various dado type blades could be used to accomplish thiε. For the methodε uεing rotating kniveε or the like, the hollow would have εtraight endε, so the lumbar support that would be inεerted in the hollow could be εhaped with a band εaw using currently used methods for making foam cylinders, known to those knowledgeable in the art related to this invention.

Another εimple way of achieving the hollow would be to make the main cushion in layers. For a main cuεhion that will be a total of 5" thick, there could be a 2" layer on top with no holes or hollow. Beneath the 2" layer could be a 3" layer with a hole in the location where the lumbar support is to go, in roughly the size and shape of the lumbar support that will be inserted. The hole could be cut with an ordinary home electric knife, similar to the kind that families cut meats with. The hole does not need to be perfect in shape εince the main cuεhion material is somewhat elastic and flexible. After the top cushion is put on top of the cushion with the hole in it, the hole becomeε εimilar to the lumbar hollow deεcribed above.

CONCLUSIONS, RAMIFICATIONS, AND SCOPE OF INVENTION

Thuε the reader will see that the leisure chairs and backrestε of this invention are economical, attractive, useful, compact, and very comfortable for sitting or reclining.

Although my above description contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention, but merely as providing illustrations of the presently preferred embodimentε of this invention. Many other variations are possible. This invention can be made a number of ways, with a wide variety of materials, it can be made with a number of accessories as part of it or to used be with it, and the principles of this invention can be applied to a number of other uses.

For example, the dual position leisure chairs or backrests can instead be made single position at an angle that would be some happy medium between those shown and described. Also, there are alternative ways of providing the lumbar supports on chairs using the frame structure and support sheet, such as providing additional fabric to reinforce the fabric on the support sheet in the area of the lumbar region. The result of this would be that when a user sits on the chair, the regular main support sheet fabric would stretch more than the reinforced section providing an inherent lumbar support. Such reinforcing could be graduated so that the stretched material would make a smooth transition to the lumbar region. Such a method could be very useful, especially on outdoor type furniture that may not have cushions. Also, the chairs can be made with the frame support system collapsible, adjustable, and/or flexible at the areas of the obtuse angle.

It may be obvious that there are numerous ways of making the chairs adjustable, such as thoεe seen on numerous types of lawn chairs and lounges. It is even possible to eliminate any kind of generally vertical support piece (such as the telescoping pole) altogether by using an interlocking type adjustment mechanism at the points where the main U frame meets the baεe U frame, near the screws 8 shown on FIG. IA. An interlocking adjustment mechanism could be similar to those used for reclining seats on cars, could be like those used on some wheelchairs for reclining, could use some kind of mechanism similar to what is used in a ratchet wrench, etc. Such an adjustment mechanism would make it posεible to adjust angle A. It is further possible

to make the adjustment function motorized so that the user could press a button to adjust the angle while sitting in the chair.

The backrest/leisure chair can be made a bit like a rocking chair by having a vertical support member with a moving counterweight mechanism or a spring mechanism that would expand and contract as a person rocks back and forth (or up and down). Another way to make the backrest/leisure chair like a rocking chair would be to curve the base portion in a manner similar to a regular rocking chair, and also provide a frame and platform to support and attach the seat cushion to the main frame assembly so that the seat cushion would move with the rest of the backrest/leisure chair when it rocks.

The backrests/leisure chairs can be made for multiple users like a love seat by making it wider, can be made in children's sizeε, and can be made in tall sizes. The look of the leisure chairs can be changed draεtically, by making chairs fully upholstered with no exposed wood or metal frame, and making them with styleε similar to those used on wide variety of typical upholstered armchairs. It is also possible that another high firmnesε cushion insert could be placed behind the shoulder area as well as the lumbar region to assist in orienting the upper body. The support surface can be made somewhat concave from the left side to the right side to correεpond with the shape of the chest/abdomen etc. of the human body. And though the backrests/leisure chairε are more comfortable with the lumbar supports described, for more economical backrests/leisure chairε, an ordinary cuεhion without any means for providing a specific lumbar support can be used for the main cushion, and could be placed over the support sheet. Other embodiments can be made stackable so that a number of chairs could be stored easily, inflatable or use inflatable cushions, with the upper portion curved slightly, with a head pillow as an integral part of the upper portion, or could be made in a manner similar to the way automobile seats are made, with a procesε where the slope frame is put in a mold and a cushion is injection molded around the frame.

The backrests/leisure chairs can be made of a great variety of materials. The frames can be made of wood, metal tubing, other structural metal, plastics, fiberglass, resin, glue laminated wood, etc. The support sheet can be made of fabric, leather, vinyl tubing, wicker, cane, webbing, metal sheets, plywood, wire and springs etc. The cushion can be made of a variety of materialε including cotton, featherε, polyurethane foam, polyester fill, dacron fill, shredded foam, etc.

Other methods, materialε, and techniqueε that can be applied to making backrests and leiεure chairε of thiε invention are known or will be known in the industry relating to this invention.

The backrests/leisure chairs of this invention are suitable for being used with a number of accessories. One such accesεory is a work surface such as a desk top adapted for use with the chair. Also, a specially designed type of ottoman or legrest can be used with the backrest/leisure chair. The area under the slope can be designed to hold a storage compartment for books or something similar. Since the backrest/leisure chair is near the floor, special lightε for reading may be deεired. It iε alεo possible to attach a device to hold a book, using principles similar to those uεed in the type of laropε used by draftsmen.

The principles of this invention can be applied to futon designs, to chaise type lounges or other type loungeε.

It εhould also be very clearly pointed out that many of the possibilities shown and/or described in the embodiments herein are interchangeable between embodiments. For example, a chair with a εupport foundation could have armrestε, or could have the lower portion made with a convex contour like FIG. 4, etc.

Accordingly, the εcope of the invention εhould be determined not by the embodiments illustrated, but by the appended claimε and their legal equivalents.