Abstract:
An embodiment of the invention is directed to a seat caddy having a single manipulation point for manipulating the fitting of the seat caddy to a suitable seat, such as a stadium seat or a lawn chair. Having a single adjustment point allows a user to more easily adjust and manipulate the seat caddy when engaging or disengaging a stadium seat and the like. Such a seat caddy allows for a simple cinching or uncinching of an adjustable cord when setting or removing the seat caddy when being used.

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application 60/697,742 titled, “SEAT CUSHION HAVING A SINGLE ADJUSTMENT POINT,” which was filed on Jul. 6, 2005, and which is incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Many people enjoy going to sporting events and concerts in stadium and event centers that have stadium seating, bench seating, bleacher seating, and the like. These types of seats in these stadiums and event centers offer much versatility for the facility with regard to cleaning and maintenance. However, with this versatility other seat amenities, such as seat cushioning and storage are sacrificed. As a result, many attachable seat cushions are available to the consumer to provide additional seat comfort and functionality in a removable and portable seat apparatus.  
         [0003]      FIG. 1  shows an isometric view of a conventional seat cushion  100  having several different adjustment points  101 - 104  for attaching the seat cushion to a seat or chair. The conventional seat cushion  100  is typically designed to fit over a seat, e.g., a stadium seat and the like, such that each adjustment point may be adjusted individually to fit more securely with the contour of whatever seat the seat cushion  100  is attached to. Thus, as a person slips the conventional seat cushion  100  over a stadium seat for example, the individual must then adjust each of the four latch and strap combinations  101 - 104  in order to get the seat adjusted to fit more securely on the stadium seat.  
         [0004]     Several problems are typically encountered when using the conventional seat cushion  100  of  FIG. 1 . First, when initially setting the seat cushion  100  to a typical stadium seat or lawn chair, each of the four adjustment points  101 - 104  must typically be adjusted separately as the latch and strap system depicted is not easily manipulated with a single hand. Even if an individual with extraordinary dexterity were able to manipulate one latch and strap system  101  with one hand, this still leaves only one other hand free for one of the other three latch and strap adjustment points  102 - 104 .  
         [0005]     Furthermore, once the conventional seat cushion  100  is in place, adjusting the fit of the seat cushion  100  to the stadium seat also typically requires adjusting each of the four adjustment points  101 - 104 . Similarly, when removing the seat cushion  100  from the stadium seat, once again, each of the four adjustment points  101 - 104  must typically be adjusted or released in order to more easily remove the conventional seat cushion  100  from the engaged stadium seat.  
         [0006]     Another problem with the conventional seat cushion  100  of  FIG. 1  is that having four adjustment points  101 - 104  prevents use with a standard bleacher or bench seating. This conventional seat cushion  100  shows the four adjustment points  101 - 104  as being detachable (i.e., clasps) which be disengaged and re-engaged around a bleacher seat. However, some conventional seat cushions (not shown) do not have detachable adjustment points  101 - 104 . Furthermore, the same multi-faceted adjustment process must still take place when engaging a bleacher.  
         [0007]     As such, having several adjustment points results in a more time-consuming and burdensome manipulation when engaging or disengaging the conventional seat cushion  100  of  FIG. 1 .  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     An embodiment of the invention is directed to a seat caddy having a single manipulation point for manipulating the fitting of the seat caddy to a suitable seat, such as a stadium seat or a lawn chair. Having a single adjustment point allows a user to more easily adjust and manipulate the seat caddy when engaging or disengaging a stadium seat and the like. Such a seat caddy allows for a simple cinching or uncinching of an adjustable cord when setting or removing the seat caddy when being used.  
         [0009]     According to one embodiment of the invention, an adjustment cord is attached to a top and bottom portion of a seat caddy such that an adjustment point may be adjusted to cinch the cord tighter. In this manner the bottom portion and top portion of the seat caddy are drawn closer together and may engage a stadium seat or lawn chair.  
         [0010]     In an alternative embodiment, the adjustable cord is attached to the top and bottom portion along with a removably attached latch at the rear. Such a seat caddy may be removable attached to a bleacher or bench seat while also providing a single adjustment point for cinching the seat caddy tightly to the bench or bleacher. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]     The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will become more readily appreciated as the same become better understood by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a conventional seat cushion having a conventional latch and strap system with several adjustment points;  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  is an isometric view of a seat caddy having a single draw cord latching system with a single manipulation point according to an embodiment of the invention;  
         [0014]      FIG. 3  is an isometric view of a seat caddy having a single draw cord latching system with a rear attachment point and a single manipulation point according to an embodiment of the invention; and  
         [0015]      FIG. 4  is an isometric view of a seat caddy having a single draw cord latching system a single manipulation point in the rear according to an embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0016]     The following discussion is presented to enable a person skilled in the art to make and use the invention. The general principles described herein may be applied to embodiments and applications other than those detailed above without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. The present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and features disclosed or suggested herein.  
         [0017]      FIG. 2  is an isometric view of a seat caddy  200  having a single adjustable draw cord  230  with a single manipulation point  250  according to an embodiment of the invention. The seat caddy  200  includes a top portion  210  and a bottom portion  220  that are attached to each other via an adjustable cord  230 . The adjustable cord  230  is typically attached to the top portion  210  via two pairs of eyeholes  211   a/b  and  212   a/b . The first pair of eyeholes  211   a/b  (only one can be seen in this isometric view of  FIG. 2 ) is typically located toward the rear of the top portion  210  while the second pair of eyeholes  212   a/b  (again, only one can be seen in the isometric view of  FIG. 2 ) is typically located toward the front of the top portion  210 .  
         [0018]     Further, the adjustable cord  230  is also typically attached to the bottom portion  220  via two pairs of eyeholes  221   a/b  and  222   a/b  on the top side of the bottom portion  220 . The first pair of eyeholes  221   a/b  (only one can be seen in this isometric view of  FIG. 2 ) is again typically located toward the rear of the bottom portion  220  while the second pair of eyeholes  222   a/b  (both can be seen in the isometric view of  FIG. 2 ) is typically located toward the front of the bottom portion  220 .  
         [0019]     The adjustable cord  230  traverses the lateral length of both the top and bottom portions  210  and  220  of the seat caddy  200  along the front and back sides as shown in  FIG. 2 . Further, the adjustable cord  230  meets at an adjustment point  250  at the front side of the bottom portion  220  such that the adjustable cord  230  may be cinched up tighter or let loose to be longer in an effort to adjust the seat caddy  200 .  
         [0020]     Thus, if one were to follow the length of the adjustable cord  230  starting at the adjustment point  250 , the adjustable cord  230  would traverse to the left along the front of the bottom portion  220  toward a first eyehole  222   a . It would then traverse upward to the top portion to the eyehole  212   a . Then, the adjustable cord  230  traverses toward the back of the seat caddy  200  along the left side of the top portion  210  toward the eyehole  211   a . This span of the adjustable cord  250  cannot be seen in  FIG. 2  as the cord is typically inside the top portion  210  of the seat caddy  200 . When the adjustable cord  230  remerges from the top portion  210  at the eyehole  211   a , it traverses back down to the bottom portion  220  to the eyehole  221   a  before traversing across the lateral length of the bottom portion  220  along the back to another eyehole  221   b  (which cannot be seen in the isometric view).  
         [0021]     Similarly, on the right side now, the adjustable cord  230  traverses back up to the top portion  210  to another eyehole  211   b  (which cannot be seen in  FIG. 2 ) where is traverses toward the front of the top portion  210  along the right side to the eyehole  212   b  (wherein neither this span of the cord  230  nor the eyehole  212   b  can be seen because of the isometric view). The adjustable cord  230  then traverses back down again to the bottom portion  220  to the eyehole  222   b  before traversing toward the adjustment point  250  again along the front of the bottom portion  220 .  
         [0022]     With a single adjustable cord  230  woven throughout the top and bottom portions  210  and  220  of the seat caddy  200  as described above, any adjustment to the cord  230  will result in the lengthening or shortening of the distance between the two portions  210  and  220  because this distance is not fixed by any physical length between any eyeholes. That is, only the spans between the top and bottom portions  210  and  220  (i.e., the span between eyeholes  222   a - 212   a ,  221   a - 211   a ,  221   b - 211   b , and  222   b - 212   b ) are able to be adjusted because of the free space between the top portion  210  and the bottom portion  220 .  
         [0023]     The adjustment point  250  may be a conventional push-button latch as shown. Alternatively, the adjustment point  250  may not include any type of latching or tying mechanism as the adjustable cord  230  may simply be anchored by tying a knot at the adjustment point. Further, the adjustment point may be other implementable mechanisms for allowing adjustment such as a hook and latch attachment (i.e., Velcro™), a tie-down, a pressure-ring latch, a snap, or a zip-latch. Other latching or securing mechanisms are contemplated but not described herein for brevity.  
         [0024]     The top portion  210  and bottom portion  220  of the seat caddy  200  are typically made of a leather material, but alternatively may be a canvas, vinyl, plastic, composite, fabric, or any other suitable cushion material operable to withstand specific stresses cause by use and adjustment. Other materials and/or components are contemplated but not described herein for brevity.  
         [0025]     The bottom portion  220  may include (or comprise in and of itself) a cavity  225  for a storage space. The storage space may typically be large enough to store beverages and food and may typically include an insulation material for maintaining temperatures inside the cavity  225  different from the ambient temperature outside the cavity  225 . For example, placing cold items in the insulated storage space will allow for the cold items to have a tendency to remain cold. The seat caddy  200  may also include a cover  226  for the cavity  225  that may be manually opened, closed, and latched (via a typical latching mechanism not shown in  FIG. 2 .) as desired by a user of the seat caddy  200 .  
         [0026]     The top portion  210  and the bottom portion  220  may further include cord tracks (not shown) suitable foe more easily facilitating the sliding of the adjustable cord  230  between the eyeholes inside the top the top portion  210 . Further, either the top or bottom portions  210  or  220  may also (or alternatively) includes cord guides  260  for guiding the adjustable cord  230  as it is woven throughout the seat caddy  200 .  
         [0027]     The embodiment of  FIG. 2  may be well suited for engaging a stadium seat such as those typically having a biased, rotatable seat portion that may be rotated down for sitting and rotated up for cleaning the space below the seat. Further, the seat caddy  200  may also be well suited for engaging a lawn chair having a collapsible seat portion. Other embodiments, such as the one described below with respect to  FIG. 3  may be well-suited for engaging a bleacher or bench seat.  
         [0028]      FIG. 3  is an isometric view of a seat caddy  300  having a single draw cord  230  with a rear attachment point  375  and a single manipulation point  350  according to an embodiment of the invention. Similar to the seat caddy  200  described above, the seat caddy  300  includes a top portion  310  and a bottom portion  320  that are attached to each other via an adjustable cord  330  as well as a rear attachment  375 . In this embodiment, the adjustable cord  330  is typically attached to the top portion via a single pair of eyeholes  312   a/b . The pair of eyeholes  312   a/b  (only one can be seen in this isometric view of  FIG. 3 ) is typically located toward the front of the top portion  310 . However, there is no similar pair of eyeholes in the rear and this is different than the embodiment of  FIG. 2 .  
         [0029]     Further, the adjustable cord  330  is also typically attached to the bottom portion  320  via two pairs of eyeholes  321   a/b  and  322   a/b  that are part of an attachment flap on the top side of the bottom portion  320 . The first pair of eyeholes  321   a/b  (only one can be seen in this isometric view of  FIG. 3 ) is typically located toward the rear of the bottom portion  320  while the second pair of eyeholes  322   a/b  (both can be seen in the isometric view of  FIG. 3 ) is typically located toward the front of the bottom portion  320 .  
         [0030]     The adjustable cord  330  traverses the lateral length of the top and bottom portions  310  and  320  of the seat caddy  300  respectively along the front and back sides as shown in  FIG. 3 . Differently from the seat caddy  200  of  FIG. 2 , the adjustable cord  330  does not traverse from the top portion  310  to the bottom portion  320  in the rear. Instead, the adjustable cord  330  remains along the lateral length of the bottom portion  320  and traverses laterally across the bottom portion  320  from eyehole  321   a  to the eyehole  321   b  on the opposite side (which cannot be seen in this isometric view). In this traversal, the adjustable cord  330  passes though an eyelet attached to the rear attachment  375  such that the cord  330  may freely slide though. As before, the adjustable cord  330  also meets at an adjustment point  350  at the front side but at the top portion  310  (in this embodiment) such that the adjustable cord  330  may be cinched up tighter or let loose to be longer in an effort to adjust the seat caddy  300 . In this embodiment, when cinched, the rear attachment  375  draws the top and bottom portions  310  and  320  together because the rear attachment  375  is attached to both the top and bottom portions  310  and  320  as the adjustable cord  330  slides through the eyelet and tightens any slack.  
         [0031]     Thus, if one were to follow the length of the adjustable cord  330  starting at the adjustment point  350 , the adjustable cord  330  would traverse to the left along the front of the top portion  310  toward a first eyehole  312   a . It would then traverse downward to the bottom portion  320  to the eyehole  322   a . Then the adjustable cord  330  traverses toward the back of the seat caddy  300  along the left side of the bottom portion  320  toward the eyehole  321   a . This span of the adjustable cord  350  may or may not be hidden as the cord  330  is typically inside the bottom portion  320  of the seat caddy  300 . When the adjustable cord  330  remerges from the bottom portion  320  at the eyehole  321   a , it traverses laterally across the bottom portion  320  to the eyehole  321   b  before traversing across the right side of the bottom portion  320  along the right to another eyehole  322   b . Similarly on the right side now, the adjustable cord  330  traverses back up to the top portion  310  to another eyehole  312   b . The adjustable cord  330  then traverses back toward the adjustment point  350  again along the front of the top portion  310 .  
         [0032]     Again, with a single adjustable cord  330  woven throughout the top and bottom portions  310  and  320  of the seat caddy  300  as described above, any adjustment to the cord  330  will result in the lengthening or shortening of the distance between the two portions  310  and  320  because this distance is not fixed by any physical length between any eyeholes. That is, only the spans between the top and bottom portions  310  and  320  (i.e., the span between eyeholes  322   a - 312   a , and  322   b - 312   b ) are able to be adjusted because of the free space between the top portion  310  and the bottom portion  320 .  
         [0033]     As before, the adjustment point  350  may be a conventional push-button latch. The top portion and bottom portion  320  of the seat caddy  300  is typically a made of a leather material and the bottom portion  320  includes a cavity  325  for a storage space that may include a cover  326 . Furthermore, the rear attachment  375  may also be any of the aforementioned latching systems suitable for securing the rear sections of the top and bottom portions  310  and  320  together.  
         [0034]      FIG. 4  is an isometric view of a seat caddy  400  having a single adjustable draw cord  430  with a single manipulation point  450  in the rear according to another embodiment of the invention. The seat caddy  400  includes a top portion  410  and a bottom portion  420  that are attached to each other via an adjustable cord  430 . The adjustable cord  430  is typically attached to the top portion  410  and bottom portion  420  in manner described previously.  
         [0035]     In this embodiment, the adjustable cord  430  traverses the lateral length of the bottom portions  420  of the seat caddy  400  along the front and back sides as shown in  FIG. 4 . Further, the adjustable cord  430  meets at an adjustment point  450  at the back side of the bottom portion  420  such that the adjustable cord  430  may be cinched up tighter or let loose to be longer in an effort to adjust the seat caddy  400 .  
         [0036]     With a single adjustable cord  430  woven throughout the top and bottom portions  410  and  420  of the seat caddy  400  as described above, any adjustment to the cord  430  will result in the lengthening or shortening of the distance between the two portions  410  and  420  because this distance is not fixed by any physical length between any eyeholes. That is, only the spans between the top and bottom portions  410  and  420  are able to be adjusted because of the free space between the top portion  410  and the bottom portion  420 .  
         [0037]     The adjustment point  450  may be a conventional push-button latch as shown. Alternatively, the adjustment point  450  may not include any type of latching or tying mechanism as the adjustable cord  430  may simply be anchored by tying a knot at the adjustment point  450 .  
         [0038]     The bottom portion  420  may include (or comprise in and of itself) a cavity for a storage space. The storage space may typically be large enough to store beverages and food and may typically include an insulation material for maintaining temperatures inside the cavity. The seat caddy  400  may also include a cover  426  for the cavity that may be manually opened, closed, and latched (via a typical latching mechanism not shown in  FIG. 4 .) as desired by a user of the seat caddy  400 .  
         [0039]     The top portion  410  and the bottom portion  420  may further include front locating straps  426  for engaging a pivoting stadium seat (not shown). The front locating straps  426  allow the seat caddy  400  to rest on the front of the stadium seat in while it&#39;s in the up position. The front locating straps  426  prevent the seat caddy  400  from sliding forward or backward and help locate the top portion  410  and bottom portion  420  properly prior to cinching them together. The straps  426  may snap on and off which allows quick release and interchangeability between all top portion  410  and bottom portion  420  options. Further, the adjustment cord  430  may be completely unlaced when interchanging, such that the adjustment cord  430  is removed from the woven pattern through the top and bottom portion  410  and  420  and only remains attached at permanent origin points  460 .  
         [0040]     The various designs described in  FIGS. 2-4  above provide for at least two options for seat caddies. One such option is a thin and compact cushion with a geometry and shape roughly the same size as the bag as shown the FIGs. Such a design does not provide as much comfort, but it is more compact and provides a support for suspending the storage cavity.  
         [0041]     According to a second option for the seat caddy, a thicker and more robust cushion covers a larger seating area. Such a design is not as compact, but provides more comfort as well as a support for suspending the storage cavity. The storage cavity may be manufactured in a number of different sizes including 3″, 4″ and 5″ widths, depending on one&#39;s storage requirements.  
         [0042]     While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative constructions, certain illustrated embodiments thereof are shown in the drawings and have been described above in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the invention.