Prayer cushion

A portable prayer cushion comprises a top surface partitioned to a front portion and a rear portion, the front portion including first and second loop lines each having a foremost. A first imaginary line through the first foremost point toward the rear portion is substantially parallel to a second imaginary line through the second foremost point toward the rear portion where surface portions inside the loop lines are recessed to form first and second openings.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention generally relates to a cushion. More particularly, the present invention relates to a portable prayer cushion facilitating a user to comfortably kneel thereon for prayer irrespective of locations.

A steady number of church goers or piety people prefer kneeling for their religious prayer to simply closing their eyes with his or her posture unchanged. When they feel like praying at work or home, they try to kneel on uninvited carpets, hardwood floors or tile floors. What is inevitably required for those who want to pray, for example, half an hour or more is a seat cushion. However, since such a conventional cushion is designed and manufactured for being placed in abutment with a user's posterior, a cover layer is accompanied. Most of all, kneeling on the conventional cushion leads the knees to slide apart so the users have to drag side to side the knees from time to time, unfavorably resulting in distraction and discomfort.

Further, considering the top portion of the cushion being in abutment with the user's posterior, an additional layer is required in the conventional cushion. Such an additional top layer of the seat cushion causes inconveniences when knelt thereon due to the slipping-against properties between the top layer and the insertions within the cushion. That is, kneeling on the top layer easily causes to the top layer to become displaced from the insertions or stuffing material in the conventional cushion.

A demand is manufacture of a cushion that satisfies those who want to pray on their knees wherever they are and whenever they want. Another demand is to have such a cushion flexible in weight and pressure distribution.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is contrived to overcome conventional disadvantages. Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a portable prayer cushion that facilitates a user to comfortably kneel thereon. Another object is to enable a user to kneel on the prayer cushion for an extended time period without pressure on the body. A further object is to provide stability to the user's kneeling posture throughout the prayer session.

To achieve these and other objects, the portable prayer cushion according to the present invention comprises a top surface partitioned to a front portion and a rear portion, where the front portion includes first and second loop lines each having foremost and rearmost points. Here, a first imaginary line through the first foremost point toward the rear portion of the top surface is substantially parallel to a second imaginary line through the second foremost point of the second loop line toward the rear portion of the top surface. In a preferred version, the first imaginary line through the first foremost and rearmost points of the first loop line may be substantially parallel to the second imaginary line through the second foremost and rearmost points of the second loop line. For better performance, surface portions inside the loop lines are recessed to form first and second openings. A peripheral surface is provided to be substantially perpendicular to the top surface.

In an embodiment, the cushion is rearwardly slanted from about a mid line dividing the front portion and the rear portion so that the cushion makes a rearward down-slope from the mid line. Selectively, the cushion may be rearwardly slanted from about the rearmost point of each loop line so that the cushion makes a rearward down-slope from the rearmost point.

For storage and setting conveniences, the rear portion may be provided to become hingedly foldable over on the front portion by the first folding line. In a preferred version, the rear portion is partitioned to a first part and a second part by a second folding line with the first part between the front portion and the second part so that the second part is hingedly foldable over on the first part.

The top surface borders the peripheral surface by a front edge line, a rear edge line and side edge lines, and the front edge line is linear and perpendicular to the first and second imaginary lines. Also, the first and second loop lines are linearly aligned along the front edge line. Preferably, the side edge lines are each linear and substantially longer than the front edge line, and the front and rear portions of the top surface are about the same as each other in area. The first and second loop lines may be respectively circular or, elliptical. The first and second openings are respectively semi-spherical or oval.

In a preferred mode, the top surface is selectively tapered around the rearmost points to form a streamlined curvature from the top surface into the openings, and the cushion is formed of an elastic foam material or preferably of an elastic polyurethane foam material. For a better version, a lowermost point in each of the first and second openings is positioned substantially closer to the foremost points than to the rearmost points, and the depth from the top surface to the lowermost point is about one fifth, preferably, between about a half and two thirds the thickness of the prayer cushion.

The advantages of the present invention include that: (1) the portable prayer cushion facilitates its user to comfortably kneel thereon for prayer without regard to locations, thereby enhancing usability and utility; (2) the openings in the top surface serve to stabilize the user's kneeling posture while preventing the knees from sliding apart, thereby maximizing product reliability; (3) the selective hinge connection mechanism serves to improve storage efficiency and convenient setting when a plurality of cushions need to be used and stored in a limited area; and (4) the elastic foam material preferably adopted for the prayer cushion reserves optimal resiliency for even distribution of weight and pressure, thus maximizing the user satisfaction.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1shows a portable prayer cushion10according to the present invention with a prayer sitting thereon, andFIG. 2is a view without the prayer inFIG. 1. As shown therein, the portable prayer cushion10comprises a top surface14and a peripheral surface16substantially perpendicular to the top surface14. The peripheral surface16may be partitioned to a front surface18, side surfaces20and a rear surface22when the prayer cushion10is provided in a rectangular format.

The top surface14is preferably partitioned to a front portion24and a rear portion26. The front portion24of the top surface14includes first and second loop lines28,30each having foremost points F1, F2and rearmost points R1, R2. In order to define the relative positions of the loop lines28,30, a first imaginary line32that runs through the first foremost point F1toward the rear portion26of the top surface14is substantially parallel to a second imaginary line34through the second foremost point F2of the second loop line30toward the rear portion26of the top surface14.

Selectively, the first imaginary line32that runs through the first foremost and rearmost points F1, F2of the first loop line28may be provided to become substantially parallel to the second imaginary line34that runs through the second foremost and rearmost points F2, R2of the second loop line30. In a preferred mode, surface portions inside the loop lines28,30are respectively recessed to form first and second openings36,38.

In an embodiment, it is recommended that the top surface14of the prayer cushion10borders the peripheral surface16by a front edge line40, a rear edge line42and side edge lines44. Preferably, the front edge line40is formed linear and perpendicular to the first and second imaginary lines32,34. In this construction, the first and second loop lines28,30are linearly aligned along the front edge line40. Here, the loop lines28,30are separated from each other. Also, the perpendicular alignment of the loop lines28,30to the front edge line40serves to facilitate the person12sitting on the cushion10for prayer to align his or her knees as most desired for prayer.

In an embodiment, as further shown inFIGS. 6 and 7, the cushion10is rearwardly slanted from about a mid line46dividing the front portion24and the rear portion26so that the cushion10makes a rearward down-slope from the mid line46. Selectively, the cushion10may be rearwardly slanted from about the rearmost point R1, R2of each loop line28,30so that the cushion10makes a rearward down-slope from the rearmost point R1, R2.

For a better performance, as shown inFIG. 8, the rear portion26is provided to become hingedly foldable over on the front portion24by the first folding line46. As also shown inFIG. 9, the rear portion26is further partitioned to a first part26A and a second part26B by a second folding line50with the first part26A between the front portion24and the second part26B so that the second part26B becomes hingedly foldable over on the first part26A. The hinge connections48,50may be implemented by use of a fabric material.

The side edge lines44are each linear and substantially longer than the front edge line40for space efficiency and the prayer's easier recognition of the openings36,38at the start of kneeling for prayer. The front portion24of the top surface14may be formed equivalent to the rear portion26of the top surface14. That is, the front and rear portions24,26of the top surface14are about the same as each other in area so that the knees of the person12at the time of the kneeling for prayer can be easily guided toward the openings36,38.

The first and second loop lines28,30may be respectively formed either circular or elliptical depending upon market requirements. For example, the loop lines28,30of the prayer cushion10may be formed circular when targeted for children and elliptical when targeted for adults. The size of the loop lines28,30are also variable depending upon market requirements so that the corresponding openings36,38can be sized accordingly. In the meantime, the first and second openings36,38may be respectively formed either semi-spherical or oval for practical purposes depending on resiliency of the material used for the prayer cushion10.

FIGS. 3 and 4each show cross-sections taken along3—3and4—4inFIG. 2, andFIG. 5shows a preferred embodiment compared toFIG. 4. As shown therein, the top surface14of the prayer cushion10is selectively tapered around the rearmost points R1, R2to form a streamlined curvature from the top surface14into the openings36,38as shown inFIG. 5. Such a streamlined curvature around R1inFIG. 5serves to provide stability in the prayer's body posture knelt for prayer as well as comfort around the leg portions in abutment with the top surface14because the knee portions of the prayer12reserves a slightly lower position relative to body parts other than the knee portions. At the same time, the knee portions stationed in the openings36,38with the decently soft support by the streamlined curvature serve to substantially prevent the knees from sliding apart as witnessed in the conventional seat cushions.

In a preferred embodiment, a lowermost point L1, L2in each of the first and second openings36,38is positioned substantially closer to the foremost points F1, F2than to the rearmost points R1, R2so as to efficiently guide the knee portions of the prayer12to a stabilized and comfortable position when knelt on the prayer cushion10. Also, the depth BB from the top surface14to the lowermost point L1, L2is formed about one fifth the thickness AA of the prayer cushion10. In a preferred version, the depth BB from the top surface14to the lowermost point L1, L2is formed between about one fifth and one half the thickness AA of the prayer cushion10.

In order to derive the best performance, it is recommended that the prayer cushion10be formed of a single material. Preferably, the cushion10may be formed of an elastic foam material. Selectively, the prayer cushion10may be formed of an elastic polyurethane foam material to reserve the optimal resiliency, durability and light-weighted properties.

As discussed above, an advantage of the present invention is that the portable prayer cushion10facilitates its user12to comfortably kneel thereon for prayer without regard to locations, thereby enhancing usability and utility. Further, the openings36,38in the top surface14serve to stabilize the user's kneeling posture while preventing the knees from sliding apart, thereby maximizing product reliability. Also, the selective hinge connection mechanism serves to improve storage efficiency and convenient setting when a plurality of cushions10need to be used and stored in a limited area. In addition, the elastic foam material preferably adopted for the prayer cushion10reserves optimal resiliency for even distribution of weight and pressure, thus maximizing the user satisfaction.

While the invention has been shown and described with reference to different embodiments thereof, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that variations in form, detail, compositions and operation may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the accompanying claims. For example, the prayer cushion10can be used for being seated cross-legged for purposes other than prayer.