The present disclosure relates to sun loungers or other pieces of outdoor furniture as well as to cushions for use with sun loungers or other pieces of outdoor furniture, and mats.

BACKGROUND

When sun bathing in a hot climate, for example to get a sun tan or enjoy the benefits or sensation of the sun's heat, it is desirable to maximise comfort. Sun bathing is usually enjoyed on holiday when relaxation is paramount. Particularly in holiday resorts, the sun bather may often intermittently break to cool off in a swimming pool or the sea and regularly apply sun protection lotion.

Sun loungers or sun beds typically comprise a waterproof frame made from moulded plastic, metal or treated wood and are covered with a mesh or removable, fibre filled cushion for added comfort.

Sun lounger cushions usually have limited water resistance and must be removed when not in use to avoid rain damage. Also, a user returning with wet skin and clothing from a swim or who has recently applied sun lotion needs to remove the cushion or place a towel over the cushion to prevent water/oil damage thereto.

Such cushions also have a tendency to get very hot in direct sunlight and thus are uncomfortable to the user when first in contact. Cushions, which minimise this effect by using light coloured material, need to be regularly machine-washed due to visible staining from sun lotions etc.

Similar problems apply to other pieces of outdoor furniture, such as garden chairs or sofas, or beds, that are intended to be kept outside for extended periods of time.

Cooling mattresses for beds are known and usually comprise memory foam infused with gel beads in order to increase heat dissipation and regulate body temperature in the night. However, these mattresses are not suitable for use on a sun lounger. For example, in order to aid breathability the memory foam surface is water permeable rendering it unsuitable for a sunbather returning from a swim. Such mattresses are likely to stain or degrade when repeatedly exposed to oils present in sun lotion. Mattresses for bed are not suitable for machine washing due to their size and the materials used.

Accordingly, the applicant has identified that it is desirable to have a sun lounger that is comfortable for spending long periods lying thereon in the sun and is compatible with other leisure activities such as swimming.

SUMMARY

In accordance with a first aspect of the invention there is provided a sun lounger or other piece of outdoor furniture having one or more cushions wherein the or each cushion comprises a cooling gel layer.

In accordance with a further aspect of the invention there is provided a mat, or a cushion for a sun lounger or other piece of outdoor furniture, the mat or cushion comprising a cooling gel layer and a plurality of holes extending therethough.

From another aspect, there is provided a sun lounger having a cushion wherein the cushion comprises a cooling gel layer. From yet another aspect there is provided a cushion for a sun lounger, the cushion comprising a cooling gel layer and a plurality of holes extending therethough.

The invention in accordance with one aspect may include any of the features described in respect of any other aspect if not mutually inconsistent.

Cooling gels are known in the art to include a variety of semi-rigid jelly-like colloids in which a liquid is dispersed in a solid resulting in a material having a high thermal conductivity. The thermal properties of the cooling gel help dissipate body heat when in direct or indirect contact with the skin (i.e. through clothes or a cover). This absorption of heat from the user's body imparts a pleasant, cooling feeling and relieves discomfort from overheating.

The cooling gel layer of the invention absorbs body heat and dissipates it back out into the air through natural evaporation from the areas of the cooling gel layer that are not in contact (direct or indirect) with the user.

Cooling gels are particularly advantageous over other methods for cooling the body as they do not require activation i.e. no additional step such as adding water, refrigeration or initiating a reaction is required. The gel does not use power, and is therefore environmentally friendly and makes no noise.

Known cooling gels that are effective in this function include but are not restricted to polyurethane gels, silicone gels and PVC gels.

The cooling gel layer is a homogenous region extending over a substantial proportion of the surface area of the cushion consisting almost exclusively of cooling gel material although small amounts (less than 20%) of filler or other material may be present.

The cooling gel layer may be formed from a solid gel cut from a block or may be moulded or extruded into the final shape. Alternative the cooling gel layer may be formed from a liquid or semi-solid gel and may be contained in a plastic pouch, bag or bladder that surrounds the cooling gel material to maintain its form. The gel and/or containment means is desirably flexible and/or deformable to allow the layer to also provide pressure relief and comfort for the user.

Desirably the cooling gel layer forms an upper layer of the cushion i.e. is on a top, user-facing surface thereof and is therefore in direct contact with the user or the user's clothing to provide maximum heat dissipation.

However in some embodiments the cushion may also include an intermediate layer on top of the gel layer that provides softness or helps wick moisture such as water or sweat away from the body. The intermediate layer may include a natural or synthetic fabric material such as microfibre on an upper surface of the cooling gel layer. The intermediate layer may alternatively or additionally include a foam material, such as a polyurethane material. A foam material may help to enhance the cooling properties of the intermediate layer and/or the cushion.

The cushion may comprise one or more further layers. For example, in embodiments, the cushion may comprise one or more further layers for providing or enhancing comfort to the user. Preferably, the one or more further layers are provided beneath the cooling gel layer i.e. the cooling gel layer is on an upper surface of the one or more further layer(s) between the one or more further layer(s) and the user-facing surface and therefore in closer proximity with the user for maximum heat dissipation benefits. Naturally, the skilled person will appreciate that various suitable materials may be used within the one or more further layers. For example, the one or more further layers may comprise a foam layer. The foam layer may comprise a memory foam layer. Memory foam reacts to varying pressure from the body and conforms to body shape therefore providing further comfort to the user when lying on the cushion for long periods of time. As another example, the one or more further layers may comprise a latex layer. Latex may help to keep the cushion temperature lower than memory foam. It is also contemplated that the one or more further layers may comprise a combination of memory foam and/or latex either within a single layer, or within separate of the one or more further layers.

In an embodiment, the cushion includes holes extending though the thickness of the cushion from its upper surface. Having holes extending from an upper surface allows water and/or sweat to drain away from the user more quickly. Preferably, the holes extend all the way through the cushion to a lower surface thereof allowing additional airflow or ventilation to the user's skin or clothing. This not only facilitates drying by draining water away from the skin but the additional air circulation also facilitates evaporation of water and/or sweat to speed up drying and provide further cooling of the user's skin when sun bathing. Such holes may also enhance efficacy of the cooling gel layer.

In preferred embodiments, the holes have a diameter greater than 5mm in order to maximise ventilation. For example the holes may have a diameter between 5mm and 50mm or between 5mm and 20mm. Additionally or alternatively the holes are arranged in a pattern of 5 or more holes positioned in a central region of the cushion upon which a user is likely to sit or lie when sun bathing. Preferably, 10 or more holes are arranged in a regular pattern over a central region of the cushion.

The cushion preferably has an outer surface that is resistant to UV rays i.e. does not degrade or discolour when in direct sunlight for a prolonged time.

Preferably the outer surface is also resistant to saltwater such that contact with saltwater does not degrade the cushion, making it suitable for use on a beach where users may frequently use the sun lounger and cushion shortly after swimming in the sea.

The upper, outer surface of the cushion may be made from any material in the art known to be resistant to ingredients such as oils typically found in sun lotions such that when sun lotion is in contact with the surface of the cushion it can be easily wiped off and does not permanently stain and/or degrade the cushion.

The upper outer surface of the cushion is desirably made from a material that is additionally or alternatively resistant to chlorine such that repeated contact with chlorinated water from a swimming pool does not degrade the cushion.

The cushion may further comprise a reflective layer to minimise absorption of the sun's heat when in direct sun light. The reflective layer may be on the upper, user-contacting surface of the cushion or may be between other layers of the cushion. Preferably, the reflective layer is above the cooling gel layer i.e. between the cooling gel layer and an upper, user-contacting surface of the cushion.

In an embodiment, the cushion further comprises a thermochromic material. Thermochromic materials change colour in response to a temperature change and can be used to indicate a temperature change in the cushion. Desirably the thermochromic material changes colour in response to contact with the user to provide an indication of the surface temperature of the sun lounger or other piece of outdoor furniture.

The thermochromic material may include thermochromic crystals. The sun lounger or other piece of outdoor furniture and/or cushion may further include a glow in the dark material on an upper surface in order to give a different appearance at night from day.

The various layers of the cushion may be co-formed (monolithic) or adhered to each other by various methods known in the art. For example the layers may be glued to one another in a manner that does not affect the function of the layers for example adhesive might be applied in a pattern over a small surface area of the layers or just at an outer periphery thereof. The layers may alternatively be laminated, sewn together or mechanically fixed such as by clips, hook and loop fasteners, zips or other mechanical fasteners.

In an embodiment, the cushion covers the entire upper surface of the sun lounger or other piece of outdoor furniture and the cooling gel layer covers more than 50% of the upper surface of the cushion and preferably more than 80% of the upper surface to provide maximum surface area for its cooling effects. However, to minimise costs of materials the cushion may be shaped to fit the user's profile, for example the cushion may have a central section for the torso, a narrower head portion at one end and/or two narrower leg portions at the other end.

In preferred embodiments the cushion has a thickness from an upper surface to a lower surface of less than 25 cm or preferably less than 15cm to minimise its size and weight.

The sun lounger or other piece of outdoor furniture and/or cushion may have a width suitable for supporting an average male or female in relative comfort.

Particularly for sun loungers, it is also generally desirable to minimise the size and weight of the sun lounger as they are regularly moved into or out of the sun or their position is adjusted to face into or away from the sun. In resorts, a large number of sun loungers may be arranged in an area, for example next to a swimming pool therefore smaller loungers allow more to be arranged in a particular space. In one example the sun lounger and/or cushion may have a width of less than 85cm, more desirably the sun lounger may have a width of between 50cm and 75cm, more specifically between 60 and 70cm. These widths provide support and comfort to the user but minimise size and therefore weight of the sun lounger.

A sun lounger may also comprise a frame made from two or more parts and comprising a seat portion designed to support the legs and lower lumbar part of the user and a head rest portion designed to support the shoulders and head of the user. The headrest portion may be angled relative to the seat portion to define a sitting position for the user. This angle may be fixed or may be adjustable such the angle of the headrest portion relative to the seating portion may be adjusted to a number of distinct sitting positions. In such an embodiment the headrest portion may be hinged with the seating portion and the sun lounger may further comprise an adjusting means to fix the relative angle while under the weight of a user. In preferred embodiments the adjusting means is a simple mechanical rod or catch that can be adjusted manually without the use of a motor or power source. Alternatively, the adjusting means could include a wind-up handle or pump on the side of the frame such that a user can easily adjust the seating position without getting up. The frame may also comprise posts and a canopy top. The sun lounger may thus be in the form of a 'four poster' style bed.

In embodiments where the headrest portion is adjustable relative to the seating portion, the cushion is desirably flexible such that the cushion can also form an angle defining a sitting position. Additionally or alternatively, the cushion may include a thinner portion or hinge to help the cushion conform to the angle forming the seating position.

The cushion may be permanently attached to the frame of the sun lounger or other piece of outdoor furniture, i.e. non-removable or integrally formed with the frame. A permanently attached cushion will prevent slipping during movement of the user. Due to the durable nature of the cushion this further negates the need to remove the cushion for washing or in case of bad weather. However, in other embodiments, the cushion or cushions may be releasably attached to the frame of the sun lounger or other piece of outdoor furniture.

It is also desirable that the sun lounger may be adjusted such that the headrest is substantially level with the seating portion such that the sun lounger is substantially flat. Such a position allows the user to lie comfortably on his or her front while sun bathing.

The sun lounger or other piece of outdoor furniture may further comprise a removable pillow.

The pillow may also be sold by itself, and from a further aspect, there is provided a pillow for use with a sun lounger or other piece of outdoor furniture comprising a cooling gel layer for dissipating body heat in use.

The pillow may comprise a removable section, wherein said removable section may be removed to create a recess or space within the pillow.

The recess or space may be designed for receiving a user's face. Thus, the pillow may be shaped so that when said removable section is removed from the pillow a user may lie face down on the pillow with their face resting within said recess or space. For example, when the removable section is removed from the main body of the pillow, the remaining portion of the pillow may have a substantially 'U' or annular shape around the recess or space such that a user can insert their face into the recessed portion whilst their neck and/or head is supported by the pillow.

A lower surface of said pillow may comprise a non-slip material.

The pillow may be formed in substantially the same way as the cushion according to any of the aspects or embodiments described above. Particularly, the pillow may also comprise a cooling gel layer, and optionally any or all of a further or foam layer, an intermediate layer, a fabric layer, or a thermochromic layer substantially as described above.

The sun lounger or other piece of outdoor furniture may have two or more cushions, wherein the two or more cushions are releasably connected to each other.

That is, a plurality of cushions may be releasably connected to each other in order to form a larger or double-sized cushion. In embodiments therefore, the mat or cushion may comprise one or more connectors for connecting the mat or cushion to a corresponding mat or cushion to form a double-sized mat or cushion.

It is believed that this is advantageous in its own right. Accordingly, from a further aspect, there is provided a pair of mats, or cushions for a sun lounger or other piece of outdoor furniture, each mat or cushion comprising:

a cooling gel layer; and

one or more connectors for connecting the pair of mats or cushions together to form a double-sized mat or cushion.

The mat or cushion may be capable of being rolled up into a rolled up configuration.

The mat or cushion may comprise a clip or fastener for holding the mat or cushion in the rolled up configuration. Alternatively, the mat or cushion may be provided as part of a kit with one or more separate clips or fasteners for attaching to the mat or cushion in order to hold the mat or cushion in the rolled up configuration.

The kit may comprise a carry bag for storing the mat or cushion in the rolled up configuration. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Figure 1 shows a top view of a sun lounger in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 shows a side view of the sun lounger of Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 shows an exploded view of a further embodiment of the invention; Figure 4 shows a top view of a cushion according to the invention;

Figure 5 shows a top view of a further cushion according to the invention; Figure 6 shows a pillow for use with a sun lounger in accordance with embodiments of the invention;

Figure 7 shows the pillow of Figure 6 in another configuration; Figures 8A, 8B and 8C illustrate how the pillow of Figures 6 and 7 may be used with a sun lounger according to the invention;

Figure 9 shows a pair of cushions that can be joined together to make a double-sized cushion; and

Figure 10 shows a cushion in a rolled up configuration. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Figure 1 shows a top view of a sun lounger 10. The sun lounger has a frame

12 which provides a seating portion 18 for supporting a person seated thereon. The frame 12 is formed from moulded plastic and includes legs 14 which elevate the seating portion 18 from the ground and arm rests 16 at either side for comfort.

However, it will be appreciated that the frame 12 may equally be formed from other materials, such as aluminium, or treated wood. At one end of the sun lounger 10, adjacent the seating portion 18 there is a headrest 19 which can be angled relative to the seating portion 18 to provide support to the user's back and head at various sitting positions (best shown in Figure 2).

The sun lounger 10 includes a number of auxiliary features to improve the user's sunbathing experience. For example, the sun lounger includes a drink cooler 60, a docking station 62 for charging a smartphone or music storage device and playing music therefrom. Speakers 64 are positioned in the headrest 19 for playing music from a music storage device to the user and other people nearby. The sun lounger 10 also includes a solar panel 66 mounted on the headrest 19 and battery compartment 68 to provide power to the auxiliary features.

The sun lounger 10 also includes a cushion 20 positioned on top of the frame 12 and covering part of the seating portion 18 and headrest 19 to provide physical comfort to the user. As can be seen in Figure 1 , the cushion 20 is shaped to match a profile of the user having a wide body portion to accommodate the torso of the user, a narrower head portion at one end and two leg portions at an opposite end to the head portion. The narrow head portion allows the speakers 64 to be mounted into the headrest either side thereof such that the cushion 20 does not distort or muffle sound from the speakers 64. The cushion 20 is permanently attached to the frame 12 (cannot be easily removed) and includes a cooling gel material which is explained in more detail with reference to Figure 3.

Figure 3 shows an exploded view of cushion 20 made from multiple layers. In the illustrated embodiment, the cushion 20 includes a memory foam layer 40 adjacent the frame 12. A cooling gel layer 30 is positioned on a top surface of the memory foam layer 40. The cooling gel layer 30 includes a polyurethane cooling gel. As shown in Figure 3, a microfiber polyester fabric layer 50 may be positioned on a top surface of the cooling gel layer 30. A thermochromic layer 52 is positioned on a top surface of the polyester layer. The thermochromic layer 52 includes

thermochromic crystals therein.

Various other layers may be provided instead of, or additionally to, the layers described above. For example, in embodiments, a latex layer may be provided instead of, or additionally to, the memory foam layer 40. In other embodiments, a foam material layer may be provided instead of the microfiber polyester fabric layer 50 for enhanced cooling properties.

The cushion layers are attached to each other by an adhesive applied around the periphery of the cushion 20. The cushion 20 is attached to the plastic frame 12 also by an adhesive.

Figures 4 and 5 show top views of a cushion 20 having circular cooling holes

80. Cooling holes 80 extend all the way through the cushion 20 from its top, user- contacting surface to its bottom, frame facing surface and have a diameter of approximately 5mm. The cushion includes 15 holes 80 that are evenly spaced from each other and in areas which are likely to be in contact with the user. There are 3 holes 80 across the width of the cushion in a central region of its length where a user's torso is likely to lie. The fewer holes 80 are arranged across a narrower width of the cushion 20 in upper and lower positions where the user's head and legs are likely to lie.

The cushion 20 includes a glow in the dark fabric material on its upper surface which displays a glowing pattern 90 at night (shown in Figure 4) which is different to the pattern 95 visible during the day (shown in Figure 5). Although the invention is described in relation to a particular size and pattern of holes, it is envisaged that smaller or larger holes may be used in order to provide the required draining and/or ventilation holes. It is further envisaged that other shapes of holes, for example slots or ridges may be used either instead of or in addition to the holes described above.

The sun lounger may be provided with a removable pillow 100. The pillow 100 may generally be of a similar construction to the cushion 20 described above. Particularly, the pillow 100 may also comprise a cooling gel layer, and optionally any of the further layers described above, including the further or foam layers and/or the fabric layer. Preferably, the layers and materials used to form the pillow 100 are substantially the same as those used to form the cushion 20. For example, the pillow 100 may comprise a cooling gel layer, with a fabric layer provided on top of the cooling gel layer, and a foam or latex layer provided below the cooling gel layer. Typically, the pillow 100 will not have any cooling holes, although in embodiments it may do. The pillow 100 may also be provided with a spot or patch of cooling gel 130 on its upper surface, as shown in Figure 6.

As illustrated in Figures 6 and 7, the pillow 100 may comprise a removable section 120 that is removable from the main body of the pillow 100 in order to create a recess or space. The removable section 100 may be removed either by pulling the removable section 120 away from the main body of the pillow 100, in the direction indicated by the arrow shown in Figure 6, or by lifting the removable section 120 out of the main body of the pillow 100, in the direction indicated by the arrows shown in Figure 7. The removable portion of the pillow 100 may be provided with an instep groove to facilitate pulling it out. The main body of the pillow 100 may be provided with one or more stoppers 140 for limiting the extent to which the removable portion 120 can be pulled out. That is, the removable section may be prevented from being fully pulled out (but may be free to be fully lifted out).

The lower surface of the pillow 100 is preferably provided with a non-slip material to facilitate mounting the pillow 100 on the sun lounger. For instance, the lower surface of the pillow 100 may be provided with a coating or layer, or one or more patches, of non-slip material. Various suitable non-slip materials may be used so long as they provide sufficient tackiness or friction to hold the pillow 100 in place on the sun lounger. In other embodiments, the lower surface of the pillow 100 may be provided with fastener means for securing the pillow 100 in position on the sun lounger.

As the pillow 100 is separately formed from the cushion 20 of the sun lounger, it can be removed and re-positioned on the sun lounger as desired. For instance, the pillow 100 may simply be used as a head rest as shown in Figure 8A. However, when a user wishes to lie face down on the sun lounger, without having to twist their head, the removable section 120 may be pulled out to open a space for the user to insert their face, as shown in Figure 8B. In general, the pillow 100 is shaped so that when the removable section 120 is removed, the user can insert their face into the corresponding space. The pillow 100 may also be removed from the head rest portion and re-positioned on the sun lounger cushion 20 e.g. to act as a leg support or knee rest as shown in Figure 8C. Thus, it will be appreciated that the pillow 100 may offer a range of functionality to the user. Although in the embodiments described above the cushion 20 is permanently attached to the frame 12, it will be appreciated that in some embodiments the cushion may be removable.

Furthermore, in embodiments, a plurality of single cushions may be connected together in order to form a larger area. For instance, two cushions may be connected together to form a double-sized cushion suitable for use on a four- poster style sun lounger.

Figure 9 shows a pair of cushions 21 ,22 that can be joined together to make a double-sized cushion. As shown in Figure 9, each cushion 21 ,22 may have a row of connectors provided along its periphery to allow the cushions to be releasably connected together. The connectors may take various suitable forms. For example, in one embodiment, the connectors may comprise magnetic connectors. For example, a row of equally-spaced magnets 210,220 may be provided along a side edge of the cushion, with a corresponding side edge of the other cushion having a similar arrangement of oppositely poled magnets, or a row or strip of metallic elements, such that the two cushions are magnetically attracted together to connect the cushions. Alternatively, a magnetic strip may be provided along a side of the cushion, e.g. for co-operating with a metallic strip on an adjacent cushion in order to join the cushions. The two cushions within the pair may be similar to each other, i.e. may have the same or essentially the same construction; however, as shown in Figure 9, the pair of cushions need not be of the same construction. For instance, each of the cushions may or may not be provided with cooling holes 80 of the type described above.

In embodiments, the cushions may also be capable of being rolled up and clipped together. That is, the cushions may be sufficiently thin and deformable such that they may be rolled up onto themselves into a rolled up configuration. Figure 10 shows a cushion in a rolled up configuration having clips 70 for securing the cushion in the rolled up configuration. The clips 70 may form part of the cushion itself, or may be provided separately to the cushion. The rolled up cushion may be stored within a carry ruck sack for ease of transport and storage.

It will be appreciated that a removable cushion need not used with any piece of outdoor furniture, and may be used by itself as a mat. For instance, the mat may be placed directly on the ground and used for sunbathing. The mat may for instance be taken camping, or fishing. Similarly, the mat may be used with other furniture such as beds, and beauty or massage tables. It will be appreciated that it may be particularly useful in these contexts for the mat to be capable of being rolled up as shown in Figure 10.

Thus, although the techniques presented herein have been described with reference to particular embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the accompanying claims. For instance, whilst various embodiments of the invention have been described with reference to a sun lounger, it will be appreciated that the invention extends to other pieces of outdoor furniture having cushions, and also to cushions or mats by themselves i.e. not necessarily for use with a particular piece of furniture. It will be appreciated that the size and shape of the cushion, or the mat, may vary depending on its intended use.