Pivoting swing

A pivoting swing maintains a support member that is rotatably attached to pivot assembly allows the support member to be rotated in any desired position. The pivot assembly includes a lock assembly that allows the position of the support member to be retained once a desired position has been found. Flexible suspension members attach the support member to the pivot assembly, thereby allowing the support member to swing back and forth once the support member has been rotated to a desired position.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention is generally directed to recreational swings. In particular, the present invention is directed to a pivoting swing that is able to be rotated in any direction. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a pivoting swing that can be locked into position once it has been rotated into a desired position.

BACKGROUND ART

Recreational swings, such as porch swings, generally comprise a support structure, such as a seat, that is suspended by various chains or cables that span between the support structure of the swing and various hooks or other retainers that are affixed to a ceiling or other overhead support member. Thus, because such swings are rigidly affixed into the framework of a home or other structure, the users must identify the most desirable orientation of the swing prior to its installation. For example, users must weigh several considerations prior to installation of the swing, such as the position of the sun, whether the swing will be placed in a windward or leeward region, the aesthetic view of surrounding landscape, as well as other considerations. While the user may have taken many of these considerations into account prior to its installation, circumstances may exist where the user desires to have other points of view while using the swing. For example, during certain parts of the day, the sun may be directly in the user's field of view, and as such, the user may desire to reposition him or herself so that he or she is shielded from the sun. Unfortunately, in order to alter the position of current swings, the user must physically remove and reinstall the swing in a new location, which is generally impractical.

Therefore, there is a need for a pivoting swing that can be rigidly attached to a structure, such as a ceiling, whereby a flexibly-suspended support member can be rotated 360 degrees to a desired position, while allowing the support member to be swung back and forth. In addition, there is a need for a pivoting swing, whereby the pivoting support member can be selectively locked in position, so as to prevent further rotation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In light of the foregoing, it is a first aspect of the present invention to provide a pivoting swing for attachment to an overhead member, the pivoting swing comprising a pivot assembly adapted to be attached to the overhead member, a carrying member pivotably attached to said pivot assembly, and a support member coupled to said carrying member by at least one flexible suspension member, wherein said support member is moved when said carrying member is rotated.

Yet another aspect of the present invention is to provide a pivoting swing for attachment to an overhead member comprising a lock plate adapted to be attached to the overhead member, said lock plate maintaining at least one lock aperture; a shaft received through said lock plate and adapted to be attached to the overhead member; a bearing assembly adjacent said lock plate and carried by said shaft; a rotating arm rotatably carried by said bearing assembly, said rotating arm carrying a lock pin to selectively engage said at least one lock aperture to lock said rotating arm in place; a carrying member received by said rotating arm, wherein said rotating arm and said carrying member are supported by said shaft; and a support assembly attached to said carrying member by at least one flexible suspension member to allow said support assembly to move forward and backward.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

A pivoting swing is generally referred to by the numeral10, as shown inFIG. 1of the drawings. The swing10includes a support assembly20that is suspended from a pivot assembly30, which allows the support assembly20to be rotated 360 degrees to a desired position. The support assembly20comprises a support member22that is suitable for the user to sit upon, while allowing the user to swing backward and forward. As such, the swing10allows the user to rotate the position of the support assembly20about a 360-degree range, and once in position, is permitted to swing forward and backward. The pivot assembly30also includes a locking pin40that allows the user of the swing10to selectively lock the support assembly20in place once it has been rotated into a desired position.

The support assembly20comprises the support member22, which allows users to sit thereupon. The support member22may also include a back member50that provides support to the user when he or she is seated upon the support member22. The support assembly20may also include various extension members60, such as arm supports, that are attached to the support member22and/or to the back50. Attached at one end to either of the support member22or the back member50are suspension members80that are attached at another end to a carrying member90, which serves to carry the support assembly20. The suspension members80comprise any suitable length and may comprise a chain, cable, cord, flexible band, or any other means suitable for flexibly carrying the support assembly20. It should also be appreciated that the suspension members80are configured so as to allow a user seated upon the support assembly20to freely swing or translate forward and backward. Additionally, the carrying member90comprises any suitable section of material, such as steel, aluminum, or plastic, that is capable of carrying the weight of the user when seated upon the support member22. Moreover, the carrying member90may take on any suitable shape, including rectilinear, curvilinear, or a combination of both.

The pivot assembly30, shown inFIGS. 2-5, is configured to be mounted to an existing ceiling member100, having an inner surface102opposite an outer surface104. The ceiling member100is spaced apart from a transverse reinforcement member110maintained by the pivot assembly30by a plurality of beam members120, such as the joists typically found in a house. That is, the reinforcement member110is disposed upon the beam members120and is oriented at a generally right angle thereto. To retain the reinforcement member110to the beam members120, the reinforcement member110includes one or more spaced apertures130along its length, which are dimensioned to receive suitable fasteners132, such as wood screws, therethrough for receipt by the beam members120. In one aspect, the apertures130maintained by the reinforcement member110may be spaced apart at varying intervals to accommodate the attachment of the reinforcement member110to beam members120that may be spaced at various intervals as well. The pivot assembly30also includes a support section150that is disposed in the region between two of the beam members120and placed adjacent the inner surface102of the ceiling member100, using any suitable fastener, such as brackets151, as well as adhesive, screws, nails, and the like.

In addition, the support section150maintains an aperture152that is axially aligned with an aperture154maintained by the reinforcement member110and an aperture156that is maintained by the ceiling member100. As such, the apertures152,154, and156are configured so that they are coaxial with one another, so as to receive a shaft170having ends172and174therethrough. While the shaft170is shown with threads throughout its length, the shaft170may be configured with threads only in the regions where they are needed for attachment purposes to be discussed.

To retain the shaft170to the reinforcement member110and to the support section150, a pair of retention assemblies176and178, respectively, are used. In particular, the retention assembly176, which supports the shaft170upon the reinforcement member110, comprises a flat washer180that is disposed adjacent to the reinforcement member110and a locking nut181that is threadably received by complementary threads maintained by the shaft170. The retention assembly178, which supports the shaft170upon the support section150comprises a flat washer182that is disposed adjacent to the support section150, a nut184that is disposed adjacent to the flat washer182, a locking washer186that is disposed adjacent to the nut184, and a nut188that is threadably received by complementary threads (not shown) maintained by the shaft170. It should also be appreciated that the retention assemblies176and178may comprise any other suitable means of retaining the shaft170to the reinforcement member110and to the ceiling member100.

A lock plate190having an inner surface192opposite an outer surface194maintains a centrally-disposed aperture195that receives the shaft170therethough. The lock plate190is retained, such that its inner surface192is adjacent to the outer surface104of the ceiling member100, by any suitable fasteners196, such as screws, which are threadably received by the ceiling member100and/or the support section150. The lock plate190also includes a plurality of lock apertures198that are configured to receive the lock pin40to be discussed.

A bearing assembly200is carried upon the shaft170between the outer surface194of the lock plate190and a rotating arm210. Specifically, the bearing assembly200comprises a washer212disposed adjacent the outer surface of the lock plate190; a bearing214, such as a thrust bearing, disposed adjacent washer212; and a thrust washer216disposed adjacent thrust bearing214. As such, the bearing assembly200enables the rotating arm210to freely pivot in a 360-degree range with respect to the lock plate190. It should be appreciated that the thrust washer216is configured to engage the surface of the rotating arm210.

The rotating arm210maintains a centrally-disposed aperture222within a bearing retainer223to receive the shaft170therethrough. The bearing retainer223is dimensioned to retain the thrust washer216therein so that the rotating arm210is able to freely rotate. The rotating arm210also maintains a channel224that is dimensioned to receive the cross-sectional dimension of the carrying member90therein. For example, as shown clearly inFIG. 4, the channel224may be configured to have a rectangular cross-section, which is suitable for receiving the rectangular cross-section of the carrying member90. And while a rectangular cross-section is discussed for use with the rotating arm210and the carrying member90, such should not be construed as limiting, as any other suitable complementary cross-sectional shape may be used. As such, the channel224imparts the rotating movement of the rotating arm210to the carrying member90.

The carrying member90, which is received within the channel224of the rotating arm210, maintains an aperture228that receives the shaft170therethrough. Also carried by the shaft170is a bearing assembly200′ that, together with the bearing assembly200, enables the carrying member90to freely rotate about a 360-degree range. The bearing assembly200′ is comprised of washer212′ that is configured to engage the surface of the carrying member90; a bearing214′, such as a thrust bearing, disposed adjacent washer212′; and a thrust washer216′ disposed adjacent thrust bearing214′. The bearing assembly200′ is retained upon the shaft170by a fastening assembly230attached to the end172of the shaft170. Specifically, the fastening assembly230comprises a flat washer240that is disposed adjacent to the bearing assembly200′ and a nut250that is threadably received by the shaft170. As such, when the nut250is tightened, a compressive force is applied between the carrying member90and the rotating arm210, so as to retain the carrying member90within the channel224of the rotating arm210. Furthermore, by tightening the nut250, force is generated between the retention assemblies176and178that are respectively carried upon the reinforcement member110and the ceiling member100to further anchor the swing10.

It should be appreciated that while the rotating arm210and the carrying member90are shown to extend at a substantially right angle from the shaft170, such should not be construed as limiting, as the rotating arm210and/or carrying member90may extend at other angles and orientations.

To lock the position of the carrying member90with respect to the lock plate190, a lock assembly290is maintained by the rotating arm210. The lock assembly290includes a pair of spaced protrusions300and302that include respective apertures310,312and a spring320that is axially aligned therewith to receive the pin40therethrough. The pin40includes one or more tabs330, such as a tab that circumscribes the pin40, which engages the spring320, so as to bias the lock pin40in a locked state, such that it is received within one the lock apertures198maintained by the lock plate190, thus locking the position of the carrying arm90to the lock plate190. As a result, the support assembly20is not permitted to rotate about its 360-degree range of travel. It should be appreciated that the lock apertures198are disposed in the lock plate190so that they are aligned with the arcuate or curved path that lock pin40travels when the rotating arm210is moved.

Thus, when the user desires to pivot or rotate the support assembly20, he or she pulls on a line350attached to the lock pin40to overcome the bias of the spring320so that the pin40is placed in an unlocked state, such that it is no longer received within the lock aperture198, and whereby the carrying member90is freely rotatable about its 360-degree range. Once a desired position is found, the line350is released so that the lock pin40is again received within one of the lock apertures198, so as to prevent the carrying member90from further rotation. As such, a user seated upon the support assembly20of the swing10can swing both forward and backward, as well as pivot about a 360-degree range to obtain the most desirable vantage point.

It should also be appreciated that the lock pin40may also be configured to be permanently placed in an unlocked position using known techniques so that it does not engage any of the lock apertures198, thereby allowing the carrying member90to freely rotate in a 360-degree range at all times.

Therefore, one advantage of the present invention is that a pivoting swing of the present invention allows the user to rotate a support assembly about a 360-degree range to achieve a plurality of different vantage points without the need of reinstalling the swing in a new position. In addition, another advantage of the pivoting swing of the present invention is that users can selectively lock a carrying member that suspends the support assembly once a desired vantage point is found. Furthermore, another advantage of the pivoting swing is that users can lock the carrying member that suspends the support assembly prior to getting into or out of the swing. Still another advantage of the pivoting swing of the present invention is that users can freely rotate the support assembly to a desired position, where it can be locked in place.

Thus, it can be seen that the objects of the invention have been satisfied by the structure and presented above. While in accordance with the Patent Statutes, only the best mode and preferred embodiment have been presented and described in detail, it being understood that the invention is not limited thereto or thereby. Accordingly, for an appreciation of the true scope and breadth of the invention, reference should be made to the following claims.