Abstract:
A guard device for preventing accumulation of items under a piece of furniture featuring a center panel, a first extension plate, a second extension plate, a third extension plate, a fourth extension plate, and a back panel. The panel and extension plates removably attach to each other via attachment means and together form a barrier around a piece of furniture with the extension plates functioning as side panels. The attachment means allow the height, width, and length of the device to be adjusted to fit around the piece of furniture. The device also features securing tabs pivotally attached to the top edge of both the center panel and back panel. The securing tabs help keep the device secured around the furniture.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to a furniture accessory, more particularly to a guard device for furniture (e.g., couches, chairs, beds, etc.) for helping to block objects from rolling or sliding under a piece of furniture or other object. The device can also help prevent the accumulation of dust. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     It is extremely common for items to accumulate under furniture, such as chairs, beds, and couches. For example, children&#39;s toys (or pet&#39;s toys), shoes, and even food can easily slide underneath the furniture, making it difficult to retrieve the items. Oftentimes the furniture must be moved. The present invention features a guard device for placing around the outside or inside of furniture legs to help prevent the unwanted accumulation of items (e.g., shoes, toys, food, and other household items) under furniture. The present invention is not limited to use under a couch, for example the guard device may be used for tables, chairs, beds, and the like. The guard device can help reduce cleaning time, eliminate the need to move furniture to retrieve items, and even provide a decorative feature for the piece of furniture. The length, width, and depth of the device of the present invention can be adjusted via a means of a slot and post arrangement or rail and track device. 
     Any feature or combination of features described herein are included within the scope of the present invention provided that the features included in any such combination are not mutually inconsistent as will be apparent from the context, this specification, and the knowledge of one of ordinary skill in the art. Additional advantages and aspects of the present invention are apparent in the following detailed description and claims. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present invention features a guard device for preventing accumulation of items under a piece of furniture. In some embodiments, the guard device comprises a center panel having a first end, a second end, a front surface, a back surface, a top edge, and a bottom edge, the bottom edge of the center panel is adapted to face a ground surface with the front surface of the center panel facing forwardly; a first extension plate, the first extension plate is generally L-shaped having a first panel and a second panel perpendicular to each other, the first panel of the first extension plate is removably attached to an area of the back surface of the center panel at the first end via a first attachment means; a second extension plate, the second extension plate is generally L-shaped having a first panel and a second panel perpendicular to each other, the first panel of the second extension plate is removably attached to an area of the back surface of the center panel at the second end via a second attachment means; a third extension plate, the third extension plate is generally L-shaped having a first panel and a second panel perpendicular to each other, the first panel of the third extension plate removably attaches to the second panel of the first extension plate via a third attachment means; a fourth extension plate, the fourth extension plate is generally L-shaped having a first panel and a second panel perpendicular to each other, the first panel of the fourth extension plate removably attaches to the second panel of the second extension plate via a fourth attachment means, wherein the center panel, the first extension plate, the second extension plate, the third extension plate, and the fourth extension plate together form a barrier around a piece of furniture; and a first securing tab pivotally attached to the center panel at or near the top edge, and a second securing tab pivotally attached to the center panel at or near the top edge, the securing tabs can pivot between multiple positions including an up position extending upwardly from the center panel and positioned generally perpendicular to the center panel a down position generally parallel to the center panel, the securing tabs help to secure the guard device in place around a piece of furniture. 
     In some embodiments, the first attachment means allows placement of the first extension plate on the center bar to be adjustable, the second attachment means allows placement of the second attachment plate on the center bar to be adjustable, the third attachment means allows placement of the third extension plate on the first extension plate to be adjustable, and the fourth attachment means allows placement of the fourth extension plate on the second extension plate to be adjustable. In some embodiments, the first attachment means, the second attachment means, the third attachment means, and the fourth attachment means provide for a fixed length, width, and height of the guard device. 
     In some embodiments, the first attachment means, second attachment means, third attachment means, or fourth attachment means is a peg-and-hole mechanism, a rail and track mechanism, a telescopic mechanism, a hook-and-loop fastener mechanism, an adhesive mechanism, a screw mechanism, a tape mechanism, a clip mechanism, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, first holes are disposed in the back surface of the center panel near the first end and second holes are disposed in the back surface of the center panel near the second end, a first peg is disposed on the first panel of the first extension plate, and a second peg is disposed on the first panel of the second extension plates, wherein the first peg and second peg are adapted to snugly engage the first holes and second holes, respectively. 
     In some embodiments, the guard device further comprises a back panel resembling the center panel, a first end of the back panel removably attaches to the second panel of the third extension plate via a fifth attachment means and a second end of the back panel removably attaches to the second panel of the fourth extension plate via a sixth attachment means. 
     In some embodiments, the fifth attachment means or the sixth attachment means includes a peg-and-hole mechanism, a rail and track mechanism, a telescopic mechanism, a hook-and-loop fastener mechanism, an adhesive mechanism, a screw mechanism, a tape mechanism, a clip mechanism, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, first back panel holes are disposed in a back surface of the back panel at or near the first end and second back panel holes are disposed in the back surface of the back panel at or near the second end, wherein pegs on the second panel of the third extension plate and on the second panel of the fourth extension plate snugly engage the first back panel holes and second back panel holes, respectively. 
     In some embodiments, the guard device further comprises a third securing tab and a fourth securing tab both pivotally attached to the back panel at or near a top edge. In some embodiments, the guard device is constructed from a material comprising wood, plastic, metal, cardboard, foam, or a combination thereof. 
     In some embodiments, the guard device is secured to a piece of furniture via an elastic band mechanism, a tab mechanism, a hook-and-loop fastener mechanism, a tape mechanism, a pinning mechanism, a magnet mechanism, a bracket mechanism, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the center panel, the first extension plate, the second extension plate, the third extension plate, or the fourth extension plate is constructed in an accordion-style manner to allow for adjustability in length or width or height. In some embodiments, the center panel, the first extension plate, the second extension plate, the third extension plate, or the fourth extension plate can be folded. In some embodiments, the center panel, the first extension plate, the second extension plate, the third extension plate, or the fourth extension plate comprise elastic material allowing for adjustability in length or width or height. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the guard device of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the guard device of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a top view of the guard device of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a back view of the center panel of the guard device of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 5  is a side cross sectional view of the guard device of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 6  is an in-use view of the guard device of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1-6 , the present invention features a guard device  100  for placing around the outside or inside of furniture legs to help prevent the unwanted accumulation of items  102  (e.g., shoes, toys, food, and other household items) under a piece of furniture such as a couch  101 , a table, a chair, a bed, and/or the like. The guard device  100  comprises a center panel  110  having a first end, a second end, a front surface, a back surface, a top edge, and a bottom edge. The center panel  110  is positioned generally perpendicularly to the ground surface (e.g., as shown in  FIG. 1 ), wherein the front surface of the center panel  110  faces forwardly and the bottom edge of the center panel  110  contacts the ground surface (or near the ground surface). This configuration provides a barrier between the bottom edge of the piece of furniture and the ground surface. 
     The guard device  100  further comprises a first extension plate  120   a  removably attached to the back surface of the center panel  110  at or near the first end via a first attachment means. A second extension plate  120   b  is removably attached the back surface of the center panel  110  at or near the second end via a second attachment means. The extension plates  120  are generally L-shaped as viewed from above. For example, each extension plate  120  comprises a first panel and a second panel, wherein the second panel is positioned generally perpendicularly to the first panel, forming an L-shape. As shown in  FIG. 1  and FIG.  2 ., the extension plates  120  are attached such that the first panel contacts the back surface of the center panel  110  and the second panel extends backwardly (e.g., perpendicularly to the center panel  110 ). 
     The first and second extension plates  120  can attach to one of several places on the center panel  110 . As shown in  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 , the first attachment means and/or second attachment means may include a peg-and-hole mechanism, wherein first holes  130   a  are disposed in the back surface of the center panel  110  near the first end and second holes  130   b  are disposed in the back surface of the center panel  110  near the second end, and various pegs  140  (e.g., a first peg  140   a , a second peg  140   b ) are disposed on the front surface of both the first and second extension plates  120 . The pegs  140  of the first and second extension plates  120  are adapted to snugly (but removably) engage the holes  130 .  FIG. 2  shows a first peg  140   a  disposed on the end of the first panel of the first extension plate  120   a  and a second peg  140   b  disposed on the end of the first panel of the second extension plate  120   b . In some embodiments, the first attachment means and second attachment means are a rail and track system. 
     The guard device  100  further comprises a third extension plate  120   c , which engages the first extension plate  120   a  via a third attachment means, and a fourth extension plate  120   d , which engages the second extension plate  120   b  via a fourth attachment means. For example, the first panel of the third extension plate  120   c  engages the second panel of the first extension plate  120   a  (see  FIG. 2 ) via the third attachment means and the first panel of the fourth extension plate  120   d  engages the second panel of the second extension plate  120   b  via the fourth attachment means. 
     In some embodiments, the third attachment means and fourth attachment means includes a peg-and-hole mechanism. For example, a third peg is disposed on the first panel of the third extension plate  120   c , which is adapted to snugly engage a third hole  130   c  disposed in the second panel of the first extension plate  120   a . A fourth peg is disposed on the first panel of the fourth extension plate  120   d , which is adapted to snugly engage a fourth hole disposed in the second panel of the second extension plate  120   b . In some embodiments, the third attachment means and fourth attachment means are a rail and track system. 
     In some embodiments, the guard device  100  comprises an optional back panel  150 , which may resemble the center panel  110  (e.g., having a first end, a second end, a front surface, a back surface, a top edge, and a bottom edge). The back panel  150  may attach to the third extension plate  120   c  and the fourth extension plate  120   d . For example, the third extension plate  120   c  is removably attached to the back surface of the back panel  150  at or near the first end via a fifth attachment means, and the fourth extension plate  120   d  is removably attached to the back surface of the back panel  150  at or near the second end via a sixth attachment means. 
     The fifth attachment means and/or sixth attachment means may include a peg-and-hole mechanism, wherein first back panel holes  155   a  are disposed in the back surface of the back panel  150  at or near the first end and second back panel holes  155   b  are disposed in the back surface of the back panel  150  at or near the second end. Pegs are disposed on the second panel of the third extension plate  120   c  and on the second panel of the fourth extension plate  120   d . The pegs of the third extension plate  120   c  and fourth extension plate  120   d  are adapted to snugly (but removably) engage the back panel holes  155 . In some embodiments, the fifth attachment means and sixth attachment means is a rail and track system. 
     Pivotally attached to the center panel  110  at or near the top edge (e.g., near the first end) is a first securing tab  180   a  (e.g., a fold away stay), and pivotally attached to the center panel  110  at or near the top edge (e.g., near the second end) is a second securing tab  180   b  (e.g., a second fold away stay). The securing tabs  180  can pivot between multiple positions including a down position (e.g., see  FIG. 4 ) and an up position (e.g., see  FIG. 1 ). The securing tabs  180  help to secure the device  100  in place. For example, the securing tabs  180  can be moved to the down position while being assembled and then moved to the up position to prevent the device  100  from sliding around underneath the piece of furniture  101  (e.g., the securing tabs  180  contact the furniture and prevent movement of the device  100 ). 
     In some embodiments, a third securing tab  180   c  and a fourth securing tab  180   d  are pivotally attached to at or near the top edge of the back panel  150 . 
     The length, width, and depth of the device of the present invention can be adjusted via a means of a slot and post system (peg-and-hole mechanism) or rail and track system. 
     The components of the device  100  of the present invention may be constructed in a variety of sizes, styles, designs, and colors as well as from a variety of materials. For example, in some embodiments, the device  100  of the present invention is constructed from a material similar to that of the piece of furniture (e.g., color, fabric, etc.). In some embodiments, the device  100  is constructed from a material comprising wood, plastic, metal, cardboard, foam, the like, or a combination thereof. 
     Without wishing to limit the present invention to any theory or mechanism, it is believed that the guard device  100  of the present invention is advantageous because the device  100  provides an enclosure for surrounding a portion of or all of the bottom area of a piece of furniture, wherein the enclosure is constructed from various interconnecting and adjustable pieces. The securing tabs  180  help keep the device  100  in place during use. 
     The disclosures of the following U.S. Patents are incorporated in their entirety by reference herein: U.S. Pat. No. 2,836,229; U.S. Pat. No. 5,518,309; U.S. Pat. No. 4,948,195; U.S. Pat. Application No. 2007/0134457; U.S. Pat. No. 4,252,372. 
     Various modifications of the invention, in addition to those described herein, will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing description. Such modifications are also intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims. Each reference cited in the present application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     Although there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of the present invention, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications may be made thereto which do not exceed the scope of the appended claims. Therefore, the scope of the invention is only to be limited by the following claims. 
     The reference numbers recited in the below claims are solely for ease of examination of this patent application, and are exemplary, and are not intended in any way to limit the scope of the claims to the particular features having the corresponding reference numbers in the drawings.