U.S. patent application number 11/457261 was filed with the patent office on 2007-02-15 for portable back support for a car seat or other seat.
Invention is credited to Henry Sawyer.
Application Number | 20070035169 11/457261 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37663456 |
Filed Date | 2007-02-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070035169 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Sawyer; Henry |
February 15, 2007 |
Portable back support for a car seat or other seat
Abstract
A back support including a first substantially planar surface
having a plurality of slats joined to a second substantially planar
surface at a hinge, and a first connector strap joined to at least
two of the slats of the first planar surface. As the support is
used by a person in a sitting position, the first substantially
planar surface may be a backrest, and the second substantially
planar surface may be a seat. In particular, the first connector
strap is joined to at least two of the plurality of slats of the
backrest in such manner as to allow the plurality of slats to
exhibit sufficient rigidity to support to the back of a user of the
back support. Thus, the back support of the present invention
provides sufficient flexibility for form fitting to comfortably
receive a users back, while simultaneously being sufficiently rigid
in both the longitudinal and lateral directions to provide back and
lumbar support to a user.
Inventors: |
Sawyer; Henry; (Sharonville,
OH) |
Correspondence
Address: |
WOOD, HERRON & EVANS, LLP
2700 CAREW TOWER
441 VINE STREET
CINCINNATI
OH
45202
US
|
Family ID: |
37663456 |
Appl. No.: |
11/457261 |
Filed: |
July 13, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60699250 |
Jul 14, 2005 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
297/382 ;
297/452.63 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60N 2/60 20130101; A47C
7/021 20130101; A47C 7/425 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
297/382 ;
297/452.63 |
International
Class: |
A47C 1/16 20070101
A47C001/16 |
Claims
1. A back support comprising: a first substantially planar surface
joined to a second substantially planar surface at a hinge, said
first substantially planar surface including a plurality of slats;
and a first connector strap joined to at least two of said
plurality of slats of said first substantially planar surface;
wherein said first connector strap is joined to said at least two
of said plurality of slats of said first substantially planar
surface to allow said plurality of slats of said first
substantially planar surface to exhibit sufficient rigidity to
support to the back of a user of the back support.
2. The back support of claim 1, said second substantially planar
surface including a plurality of slats; and further comprising a
second connector strap joined to at least two of said plurality of
slats of said second substantially planar surface.
3. The back support of claim 2 wherein said first substantially
planar surface further comprises a backrest, and wherein said
second substantially planar surface further comprises a seat.
4. The back support of claim 3 wherein said first connector strap
is joined to each of said plurality of slats of said backrest.
5. The back support of claim 3 wherein said plurality of slats of
said backrest are each spaced in a range of about 1/8'' to about
1/4'' from an adjoining slat of said plurality of slats of said
backrest.
6. The back support of claim 3 wherein said first connector strap
is formed from plastic selected from polyethylene and
polypropylene.
7. The back support of claim 6 wherein said first connector strap
is joined to at least two of said plurality of slats via a fastener
selected from screws, nails, and staples.
8. The back support of claim 3 having a first position in a general
L-shape to allow use by a user, and further having a second
position wherein said backrest and said seat are folded about said
hinge to confront one another.
9. The back support of claim 8 wherein said hinge further provides
a handle for use in transporting said back support.
10. The back support of claim 3, each of said plurality of slats of
said backrest having a width in a range of about 11/2'' to about
2''.
11. A combination comprising: a chair-like element including a seat
portion and a back portion; and a back support comprising a first
substantially planar surface joined to a second substantially
planar surface at a hinge, said first substantially planar surface
and said second substantially planar surface each including a
plurality of slats, a first connector strap joined to at least two
of said plurality of slats of said first substantially planar
surface; and a second connector strap joined to at least two of
said plurality of slats of said second substantially planar
surface, wherein said first connector strap is joined to said at
least two of said plurality of slats of said first substantially
planar surface to allow said plurality of slats of said first
substantially planar surface to exhibit sufficient rigidity to
support to the back of a user of said back support.
12. The combination of claim 11 wherein said first substantially
planar surface further comprises a backrest, and wherein said
second substantially planar surface further comprises a seat.
13. The combination of claim 12 wherein said back support is
positioned relative to said chair-like element such that said seat
of said back support confronts said seat portion of said chair-like
element, and said backrest of said back support confronts said back
portion of said chair-like element.
14. The combination of claim 12 wherein said first connector strap
is joined to each of said plurality of slats of said backrest.
15. The combination of claim 12 wherein said plurality of slats of
said backrest are each spaced in a range of about 1/8'' to about
1/4'' from an adjoining slat of said plurality of slats of said
backrest.
16. The combination of claim 12 wherein said first connector strap
20 is formed from plastic selected from polyethylene and
polypropylene.
17. The combination of claim 16 wherein said first connector strap
20 is joined to at least two of said plurality of slats via a
fastener selected from screws, nails, and staples.
18. The combination of claim 12 having a first position in a
general L-shape to allow use by a user, and further having a second
position wherein said backrest and said seat are folded about said
hinge to confront one another.
19. The combination of claim 18 wherein said hinge further provides
a handle for use in transporting said back support.
20. The combination of claim 12, each of said plurality of slats of
said backrest having a width in a range of about 11/2'' to about
2''.
21. A back support comprising: a first substantially planar surface
joined to a second substantially planar surface at a hinge, said
hinge adapted to allow said first and second substantially planar
surfaces to move between an open position, wherein said first and
second substantially planar surfaces do not confront one another,
and a closed position, wherein said first and second substantially
planar surfaces do confront one another; wherein said first and
second substantially planar surfaces are in said closed position,
said hinge forms a handle to allow a user to carry the back
support.
22. A back support comprising: a first substantially planar surface
joined to a second substantially planar surface at a hinge, said
first substantially planar surface including a plurality of slats;
and a first connector strap joined to at least two of said
plurality of slats of said first substantially planar surface;
wherein said first connector strap is joined to said at least two
of said plurality of slats of said first substantially planar
surface to allow said plurality of slats of said first
substantially planar surface to exhibit rigidity in the lateral
direction of the first planar surface.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Application Ser. No. 60/699,250, entitled "Portable Back Support
for a Car Seat or Other Seat," filed on Jul. 14, 2005, the
disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in
its entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates generally to back supports,
and specifically to collapsible chair-like back supports, such as
those that may be used with an existing chair-like structure to
provide back and/or lumbar support to a user.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
[0003] Back supports, examples of which may include foldable chairs
and/or portable chair-like supports, generally involve a relatively
simple collapsible composite chair-like structure having a backrest
and a seat. Some of these supports have been previously used as
stand-alone chairs for use on bleachers at sporting events, for
example (i.e., they do not use a preexisting chair for support).
The backrest and the seat each may be formed of a series of slats
held in relation to each other by fabric pocket structures and by
fabric hinges extending between the backrest and the seat. Examples
of such chair-like back supports can be seen in U.S. Pat. Nos.
6,164,726 and 5,100,203. As a result of the hinge, the supports may
be placed in an open position for conventional chair-like use, or
can be collapsed to a closed position, and, in the case of the '726
and '203 patents, rolled up to be easily carried about.
[0004] More specifically, the slats of the '726 and '203 patents
are either free fitting within the pockets of the fabric, thereby
holding the slats in parallel relation, or alternatively, may be
fastened thereto, such as by rivets. In the kind of chair-like back
support described in the '726 and '203 patents there are,
typically, three pieces of fabric, with pockets provided in them.
One piece of fabric forms the hinge of the chair-like structure,
and has pockets on both sides. A number of slats are provided, with
some of the slats being used for the seat, and the remainder of the
slats being used for the backrest. Each of the slats has one end
that is secured in a pocket of the hinge piece of fabric. The other
end of each slat is secured in a pocket of one of the other pieces
of fabric. The top and bottom edges of the chair-like structure are
thus formed by these other pieces of fabric, and the relationship
of the pockets is such as to maintain the relative, generally
parallel positions of the adjacent slats of the backrest and seat
portions. The opening of the chair-like structure is limited by a
pair of side straps, one each on either side of the chair-like
structure, that extend from the outermost seat slat on each side to
the outermost backrest slat on each side. These straps are
connected, generally, to the respective slats at or near the end
pieces of fabric.
[0005] When placed in an open position, a person may sit on the
seat portion. The opening of the backrest relative to the seat is
limited by the length of the side straps. The slats may draw in
around the body, and may provide stiffening to support the user's
back. This stiffening occurs in a longitudinal direction along the
slats. Back supports of this nature are generally light enough to
be carried easily, whether to the beach, or to sit in bleachers, or
to use as a camping or fishing chair.
[0006] Thus, back supports of the type generally referred to in the
above-described patents have met with some degree of success in the
past for use as chairs at sporting events, on the beach, and the
like. However, in dealing with collapsible slat chair back
supports, such as the type described in the '726 and '203 patents,
certain deficiencies have become apparent.
[0007] First, the back supports described above are designed to be
not only foldable, but also transportable by being rolled up as
well. In order to provide a back support that can be rolled up, the
slats must be made sufficiently thin and/or sufficiently spaced one
from another such that rolling of the support upon itself is
possible. As a result of the relative size and spacing of the
slats, these chairs often are more flexible than desired,
particularly in the lateral direction, thus often providing less
back and lumbar support than is desired. Thus, the use of these
supports can lead to a sore back and other discomfort when used
over a period of time.
[0008] Second, the chairs described above, and other previous
chair-like supports, are designed to be stand-alone devices (i.e.,
when placed in the open position, the movement of the backrest
relative to, and away from, the seat has an outer limit). More
specifically, they include side strapping, which can be seen in the
'726 and '203 patents, for example, as straps positioned diagonally
between the backrest and the seat. This prevents the backrest from
moving past a generally perpendicular position relative the seat to
a position generally parallel to, and not confronting, the seat.
However, this side strapping is positioned in the general location
of the users arms, and thus can interfere with the mobility of the
user. Further, the side-strapping may also restrict the area that a
person may use for sitting, since the straps may only allow for
certain sized persons to comfortably use the chair-like
support.
[0009] In addition to those collapsible supports used as
stand-alone chairs, as described above, there are also several
drawbacks to the use of standard chairs. For example, many seat
structures found in offices, restaurants, cars, etc. are often
lacking in any sort of back or lumbar support. Alternatively,
should any back or lumbar support be provided, it is often
adjustable such that a user may need to continually set the desired
level of back or lumbar support. As contrasted with the seats
described above, seats in offices, restaurants, and cars are likely
not collapsible and transportable, resulting in constant
readjustment. Thus, one may desire to use such back
supports/chair-like structures in conjunction with another
chair-like structure, such as an automobile seat. The limited
mobility of the backrest, due to the side strapping, prevents the
backrest from adequately confronting the back portion of an
automobile seat to conform thereto. Thus, these supports are
difficult to use in conjunction with other chair-like
structures.
[0010] In view of the above, it would be desirable to provide a
seat support that is easily transportable and which provides
adequate back and/or lumbar support to a user. It would be further
desirable to provide such a seat support with minimal side
strapping to increase the comfort of the user.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] The present invention overcomes the drawbacks described
above in the Background of the Invention. It does so by providing a
back support including a first substantially planar surface having
a plurality of slats joined to a second substantially planar
surface at a hinge, and a first connector strap joined to at least
two of the slats of the first planar surface. As the support is
used by a person in a sitting position, the first substantially
planar surface may be a backrest, and the second substantially
planar surface may be a seat. In particular, the first connector
strap is joined to at least two of the plurality of slats of the
backrest in such manner as to allow the plurality of slats to
exhibit sufficient rigidity to support to the back of a user of the
back support. Thus, the back support of the present invention
provides sufficient flexibility for form fitting to comfortably
receive a users back, while simultaneously being sufficiently rigid
in both the longitudinal and lateral directions to provide back and
lumbar support to a user.
[0012] The seat of the present invention may also include a
plurality of slats, and thus the back support may also include a
second connector strap joined to at least two of the slats of the
seat. This also provides flexibility to conform to a user, while
also providing rigidity in the longitudinal and lateral directions
to provide support to the pelvis and thighs of a user.
[0013] The back support of the present invention also includes a
hinge, such as a hinge made of straps positioned between the
backrest and seat, and fixedly coupled to both the backrest and the
seat. This hinge allows the back support to have an open position,
wherein it may be used by a user, and a closed position, wherein it
may be foldable upon itself and be transported by a user. In the
closed position, the hinge may also be used as a handle to
transport the back support.
[0014] While the back support of the present invention includes a
hinge between the backrest and the seat, it also has eliminated the
side strapping, such as that shown in the '726 and '203 patents.
Thus, it is believed that the present back support is more
versatile in accepting a wider range of sizes of users, is more
comfortable than previous supports by not including structure that
interferes with the arms or other body portions of a user, and is
capable of conforming to another chair-like structure with which it
may be associated.
[0015] Thus, in use, the present invention may be used with a
chair-like element including a seat portion and a back portion. The
back support is positioned relative to the chair-like element such
that the seat of said back support confronts the seat portion of
the chair-like element, and the backrest of the back support
confronts the back portion of the chair-like element. Because the
back support has no side strapping, it is capable of conforming to
the chair-like structure when a user sits in the back support. At
the same time, the first and second connector straps provide
flexibility to allow the backrest and seat to conform to the back,
pelvis, and thighs of a user, and provides sufficient rigidity in
both the longitudinal and lateral directions to support same. The
fabric hinges and pocket structures of previous chair-like supports
do not provide for such rigidity in both the longitudinal and
lateral directions.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a back support in an open
position in accordance with the principles of the present
invention;
[0017] FIG. 2 is a back view of the back support in the open
position in accordance with the principles of the present
invention;
[0018] FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the back support in an open
position in accordance with the principles of the present
invention;
[0019] FIG. 4 is a top view of the back support in an open position
in accordance with the principles of the present invention;
[0020] FIG. 5 is a top view of the back support being used by a
person in accordance with the principles of the present
invention;
[0021] FIG. 6 is a side view of the back support in an open
position in accordance with the principles of the present
invention;
[0022] FIG. 7 is a side view of the back support in the closed
position in accordance with the principles of the present
invention;
[0023] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the back support in an open
position and associated with a chair-like structure in accordance
with the principles of the present invention; and
[0024] FIG. 9 is a top view of the back support being used by a
person in association with a chair-like structure in accordance
with the principles of the present invention.
[0025] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and
constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of
the invention and, together with a general description of the
invention given above, and the detailed description of the
embodiments given below, serve to explain the principles of the
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0026] Referring to the Figures, the present invention includes a
back support 10 including a first substantially planar surface 12
including a plurality of slats 14 joined to a second substantially
planar surface 16 at a hinge 18, and a first connector strap 20
joined to at least two of the slats 14 of the first substantially
planar surface 12.
[0027] The first substantially planar surface 12 may be a backrest,
and the second substantially planar surface 16 may be a seat.
Alternatively, the first substantially planar surface 12 may be the
seat and the second substantially planar surface 16 may be the
backrest. By "substantially planar" it is meant that the first
surface 12 and second surface 16 need not exist entirely along a
plane, but may exhibit enough curvature or other deviance from the
plane as would occur by the normal flex of a plurality of coactive
slats, or as would occur when conforming to the body of a user or
surface of an associated chair-like structure when in use. In
particular, the first connector strap 20 is joined to at least two
of the plurality of slats 14 of the backrest in such manner as to
allow the plurality of slats 14 to exhibit sufficient rigidity to
support to the back and lumbar regions of a user of the back
support 10, while conforming to the back of a user. Thus, the back
support 10 of the present invention provides sufficient flexibility
for form fitting to comfortably receive a user's back, while
simultaneously being sufficiently rigid in both the longitudinal
and lateral directions to provide back and lumbar support to a
user.
[0028] The seat of the present invention may also include a
plurality of slats 22, and thus the back support 10 may also
include a second connector strap 24 joined to at least two of the
slats 22 of the seat. This also provides flexibility to conform to
the pelvis and thighs of a user, while also providing rigidity in
the longitudinal and lateral directions to provide support to the
pelvis and thighs of a user. As used herein, the "longitudinal
direction" is the direction that is substantially parallel to the
longitudinal axes of the plurality of slats. As used herein, the
"lateral direction" is the direction that is substantially
perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the plurality of
slats.
[0029] More specifically, the back support 10 includes the seat
joined to the backrest at the hinge 18, wherein the seat and the
backrest each include a plurality of slats. The first connector
strap 20 is joined to at least two of the plurality of slats of the
backrest. While the first connector strap 20 is joined to at least
two slats of the backrest, it will be recognized by those skilled
in the art that the first connector strap 20 may be joined to more
than two slats of the backrest, and in certain embodiments, may be
joined to each of the plurality of slats of the backrest. In like
manner, while the second connector strap 24 is joined to at least
two slats of the seat, it will be recognized by those skilled in
the art that the second connector strap 24 may be joined to more
than two slats of the seat, and in certain embodiments, may be
joined to each of the plurality of slats of the seat.
[0030] In one embodiment, the back support 10 includes a flexible
barrel design having the first connector strap 20 connected to each
of the slats of the backrest, the slats being generally straight
1''.times.2'' wood pieces. While the slats are described herein as
wood, those skilled in the art will recognize that other materials,
such as plastic, may be used. In such an embodiment, each of the
plurality of slats of said backrest may be spaced at least 1/8''
from an adjoining slat of the plurality of slats of the backrest
and generally in a range of 1/8'' to 1/4''. The first connector
strap 20 provides lateral flexibility to provide both the barrel
shape and the flexibility to contour to an individual using the
back support 10 (see FIG. 3). The first connector strap 20 of the
back support 10 may be made of various materials including leather,
fabric, plastic, a woven strap, etc. so long as the material of the
strap 20, and its connection to the slats 14 of the backrest are
rigid enough to provide longitudinal and lateral rigidity to the
slats of the backrest as described above. In the illustrated
embodiment, the first connector strap 20 is formed from plastic
selected from polyethylene and polypropylene, although it will be
recognized by those skilled in the art that any plastics suitable
to connect the slats may be used. The first connector strap 20 may
be joined to at least two of the plurality of slats of the backrest
via any number of fasteners 26, for example, screws or nails. In
the illustrated embodiment, the fasteners 26 are screws. It will be
recognized by those skilled in the art that screws and nails are
exemplary, and other fasteners, such as staples, may be used.
[0031] The second connector strap 24 of the back support 10 may be
made of various materials including leather, fabric, animal sinew,
plastic, etc. so long as the material of the strap, and its
connection to the slats of the seat are rigid enough to provide
longitudinal and lateral rigidity to the slats of the seat as
described above. In the illustrated embodiment, the second
connector strap 24 is formed from plastic selected from
polyethylene and polypropylene, although it will be recognized by
those skilled in the art that any plastics suitable to connect the
slats may be used. The second connector strap 24 may be joined to
at least two of the plurality of slats of the seat via any number
of fasteners 26, for example, screws or nails. In the illustrated
embodiment, the fasteners 26 are screws. It will be recognized by
those skilled in the art that screws and nails are exemplary, and
other fasteners, such as staples, may be used.
[0032] As described above, both the first and second connector
straps 20, 24 may be joined to at least two of the plurality of
slats 14, 22 of the backrest and seat, respectively, by any number
of fasteners 26. In the illustrated embodiment and referring now to
FIGS. 2 and 3, the first and second connector straps 20, 24 are
joined to each of the slats 14, 22 of the respective backrest and
seat by screws disposed into the general center (i.e., along the
longitudinal axis of each slat). The first and second connector
straps 20, 24 are the elements of the present invention that
provide the backrest and seat with the necessary flexibility, yet
rigidity, to provide adequate back, lumbar, pelvic, and thigh
support, while at the same time retaining the flexibility contour
to the user's body, as well as to any like-like structure with
which the back support 10 may be associated. As described above,
each of the slats 14, 22 are generally 11/2''-2'' wide and are
generally spaced in a range of 1/8''-1/4'' from one another. Thus,
the centerline, or longitudinal axis 28, of adjoining slats is in
the range of 15/8''-21/4'' spaced apart from one another. Thus, the
screws generally will be placed in a range of 15/8''-21/4'' from
one another. In order to provide flexibility, however, a certain
degree of slack is provided in the first and second connector
straps 20, 24 between each pair of screws, although not so much
slack is provided as to lose the necessary rigidity. To that end,
the length of strapping between each consecutive pair of screws is
generally in the range of 13/4''-23/4''. Also, as can be seen from
the Figures, each of the backrests and seats do not necessarily
include a sole connector strap 20, 24, but may include a plurality
of connector straps.
[0033] In one embodiment, the seat and backrest sections combined
are joined by hinge 18 between the seat and the back. In this
embodiment, the backrest may have a general area of approximately
270 square inches and the seat may have a general area of
approximately 238 square inches. However, it will be recognized by
those of skill in the art that the sizes of the backrest and seat
are merely exemplary, and may be altered to provide back supports
10 for different sized people, such as larger supports for
oversized persons and smaller supports for children.
[0034] For example, while nine slats are shown for the backrest of
the back support 10, a greater or lesser number could be used, as
will be recognized by those skilled in the art. In one embodiment,
the clearance spacing between adjacent slats in an unstressed chair
is greater than 1/8'', when using 13/4'' wide slats. In the most
preferred embodiment, the clearance between 13/4'' slats is about
1/8'', (+/-1/8''), yielding a chair of suitable overall girth for a
large proportion of adults. Larger spacings, or smaller spacings
with a larger number of slats can also be chosen. For example,
alternate backrests of back supports 10 may include a ten slat
"large" embodiment, and an eleven slat "extra large" embodiment. A
child version, including less than nine slats may also be provided.
The unstretched developed width of the nine-slat array illustrated
is roughly 151/2''-16''.
[0035] Also, while ten slats are shown for the seat of the back
support 10, a greater or lesser number could be used, as will be
recognized by those skilled in the art. In one embodiment, the
clearance spacing between adjacent slats in an unstressed chair is
greater than 1/8'' when using 13/4'' wide slats. In the most
preferred embodiment, the clearance between 13/4'' slats is about
1/8'', (+/-1/8''), yielding a chair of suitable overall girth for a
large proportion of adults. Larger spacings, or smaller spacings
with a larger number of slats, can also be chosen. For example,
alternate seats for back supports 10 may include an eleven slat
"large" embodiment, and a twelve slat "extra large" embodiment. A
child version, including less than ten slats, may also be provided.
The unstretched developed width of the nine-slat array illustrated
is roughly 161/2''-171/2''.
[0036] While certain embodiments of the invention may employ seat
and backrest slats of equal length and overall size (such that the
seat and back are interchangeable, and a user can sit in the chair
either way), they need not be of equal length, and one could use
slats of unequal widths, possibly with the outer slats being
slimmer than the inner slats. Further, it is not essential that the
slats of the seat, or the slats of the back all be the same length.
A chair back, or seat, or pleasing profile other than generally
square is possible.
[0037] The back support 10 of the present invention is adapted to
be used with a chair-like element 36, such as a chair, sofa,
automobile seat, etc (See FIG. 9). The back support 10 thus can
adapt to contour to both the body of a user and to the surface of
the chair-like element 36. The thighs, back, and pelvis thus
receive necessary structural support and flexibility while the back
support 10 is in use. The hinge 18 allows the backrest and seat to
fold into each other (see FIG. 6) for convenience in transporting.
As will be described in greater detail below, the hinge 18 can form
a handle 34 for carrying the back support 10 when in the folded or
closed position.
[0038] As described herein, the seat and backrest portions 38, 40
of the back support 10 may be interchangeable, although this need
not be the case. In the general case of the intermediate slats,
that is, any slats other than outside slats, all the slats may be
the same, and may have smoothly rounded side edge corners, for the
comfort of users and the discouragement of splinters. Although not
shown in the Figures, the back support 10 may include fabric
covering for receiving the slats, or alternatively, for receiving
solely the distal ends of slats. This adds to the comfort of the
back support 10 when in use, and further prevents any
splinters.
[0039] The back support 10 includes both a first position and a
second position. In the first position, the back support 10 is open
in a general L-shape to allow use by a user (See FIG. 5). In this
position, the face surfaces 30, 32 of the backrest and seat do not
confront one another. In the second position, the back support 10
is folded upon itself to allow a user to easily carry or otherwise
transport the back support 10. More specifically, in the second
position, the backrest and the seat are folded about the hinge 18
such that the face surfaces 30, 32 of the backrest and seat
confront one another.
[0040] In carrying the back support 10 when in the second position,
and referring to FIG. 7, the hinge 18 can be seen to further
provide a handle 34 for use in transporting said back support 10.
The handle 34 is thus integral with the hinge 18 and is formed from
the hinge 18 due to the configuration of the hinge 18 when the back
support 10 is in the second position.
[0041] While the back support 10 of the present invention includes
a hinge 18 between the backrest and the seat, it also has
eliminated the side strapping, such as that shown in the '726 and
'203 patents. Thus, it is believed that the present back support 10
provides is more versatile in that it can accept a wider range of
sizes of user, is more comfortable that previous supports in that
it does not include structure that interferes with the arms or
other body portions of a user, and is capable of conforming to
another chair-like structure with which it may be associated.
[0042] Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, in use, the present invention
may be used with a chair-like element 36 including a seat portion
38 and a back portion 40. The back support 10 is positioned
relative to the chair-like element 36 such that the seat of said
back support 10 confronts the seat portion 38 of the chair-like
element 36, and the backrest of the back support 10 confronts the
back portion 40 of the chair-like element 36. Because the back
support 10 has no side strapping, it is capable of conforming to
the chair-like structure 36 when a user sits in the back support
10. At the same time, the first and second connector straps 20, 24
provide flexibility to allow the backrest and seat to conform to
the back, pelvis, and thighs of a user, and provides sufficient
rigidity in both the longitudinal and lateral directions to support
same. The previous fabric hinges and pocket structures of the prior
art do not provide for such rigidity in both the longitudinal and
lateral directions.
[0043] Thus, the present invention also provides a combination
including a chair-like element 36 including a seat portion 38 and a
back portion 40, and a back support 10 comprising a seat joined to
a backrest at a hinge 18. The seat and the backrest each may
include a plurality of slats. A first connector strap 20 is joined
to at least two of the plurality of slats of the backrest. A second
connector strap 24 is joined to at least two of the plurality of
slats of the seat. The first connector strap 20 is joined to the at
least two of the plurality of slats of the backrest to allow the
plurality of slats of the backrest to exhibit sufficient rigidity
to support to the back of a user of the back support 10.
[0044] As described above, the seat of the present invention may
also include a plurality of slats, and thus the back support 10 may
also include a second connector strap 24 joined to at least two of
the slats of the seat. This also provides flexibility to conform to
a user, while also providing rigidity in the longitudinal and
lateral directions to provide support to the pelvis and thighs of a
user.
[0045] While the present invention has been illustrated by the
description of embodiments thereof, and while the embodiments have
been described in considerable detail, it is not intended to
restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to
such detail. Additional advantages and modifications will readily
appear to those skilled in the art. For example, the seat may
include a solid surface such that only the backrest includes a
plurality of slats. The invention in its broader aspects is,
therefore, not limited to the specific details, representative
apparatus and method, and illustrative examples shown and
described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details
without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive
concept.
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