Patent Publication Number: US-5423098-A

Title: Bed lounge

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to household bedding accessory furniture and more particularly it relates to a back support for a user seated upright on a flat surface such as bed. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     For those who spend periods of time sitting in bed, or for that matter sitting on a floor or against a wall, it is important to provide proper support to the body to avoid discomfort, fatigue and/or body deformation. 
     PRIOR ART 
     Bedding furniture in the field of this invention has been known under such names as &#34;bed bolster&#34;, &#34;husband&#34; and &#34;study rest&#34;. Typically such items have been made entirely from foam material so that characteristically they lack support, being overly soft and flexible, and/or they are inconveniently heavy. 
     OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a bed lounge with back support structure for a user seated upright on a flat surface such as a bed. 
     It is a further object to provide, in the bed lounge, special adjustable lower back region support structure that can be adjusted by the user. 
     It is a further object to provide special neck region support structure that can be adjusted by the user both for height and for attitude. 
     It is a further object that the back support structure be sufficiently strong yet light in weight, e.g. considerably lighter than a structure of comparable strength constructed solely of fill material such as foam. 
     It is a further object that the back support structure be made highly portable: easy and quick to be removed from the bed to the bedside, and easily transported and stored. 
     It is a further object that the back support structure be made strong enough to support heavy individuals and also to withstand being dropped or thrown from the bed. 
     It is a further object to provide adjustable arm supports that can be spread outwardly for easy entry/exit, for different resting conditions and to accommodate persons of different size, and that can be folded inwardly for storage. 
     It is a further object to provide convenience storage regions within the bed lounge. 
     It is a further object to provide an accessory lap desk for use in conjunction with the bed lounge. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The above and further objects and advantages have been realized in the present invention of a bed lounge that is built around a main structure formed from plastic providing required strength along with light weight. The side arms can pivot inwardly and outwardly. An adjustable lightweight pillow is provided for lower back support, retained by accessible pockets. An oval-shaped adjustable neck pillow can be adjusted to the user&#39;s comfort: it can be set for height and can be rotated for head position and attitude. An accessory lap desk with a padded pouch to rest on the lap and legs provides a writing surface and storage. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The above and further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully understood from the following description taken with the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a bed lounge embodying the present invention, with a patterned print slip cover. 
     FIG. 2 is perspective view of the two main structural parts of the bed lounge of FIG. 1 in preliminary flat form. 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the parts in FIG. 2 formed and assembled together. 
     FIG. 4 is a cross-section taken at axis 4-4&#39; in FIG. 1. 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a soft lap desk provided as an accessory with the bed lounge of FIG. 1. 
     FIG. 6 is a side view of the lap desk of FIG. 5. 
     FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view of the upper portion of the lap desk of FIG. 5 taken at axis 7-7&#39;. 
     FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the lap desk of FIG. 5 with the cover open. 
     FIG. 9 is a side view showing the bed lounge of FIGS. 1-3 in use along with the lap desk of FIGS. 5-8. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a bed lounge 10 embodying the present invention showing the exterior finished with a removable patterned print fabric slip cover 12. The two side arms 14 extending forwardly each have a hinged frontal portion whereby the frontal portions can be spread outwardly to accommodate users of different sizes, or closed inwardly and tied together or otherwise fastened for storage. A neck pillow 16 is adjustably attached to the main body of the bed lounge 10 by a spine (not visible in this view). Pockets 12A (one shown) in slip cover 12 in arms 14 provide access to convenience storage cavities configured in arms 14. At the lower back region 20 within the slip cover 12 there is provided a positionable pillow (not visible) that can be positioned by the user for optimal lower back support and that is accessible through pockets provided in slip cover 12 in this region on the inside face of the back support. Additional storage space may be provided in this lower back region of the bed lounge 10. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the two pieces of strong lightweight plastic sheet material that form the basic structure of the bed lounge 10 of FIG. 1: a main part 22 including a back portion 22A and two arm portions 22B, and a bottom part 24. Both parts are shown in a preliminary flat form in which they are initially cut from the plastic sheeting, typically laminated with a lightweight core, e.g. corrugated or foam-filled. The main part 22 is preprocessed (i.e. embossed or scored) for bending at lines 22C to form rear corners, and the bottom part 24 is similarly prepared at lines 24A along 3 edges for bending upwardly as indicated by arrows 24C. 
     FIG. 3 shows the parts 22 and 24 of FIG. 2 formed and assembled together, attached by the edge flaps of part 24, typically by sonic welding or rivetting. In the side arms 22B of main part 22, &#34;living&#34; hinges 22D are formed integrally from the basic plastic sheeting material in an embossing process along the dashed lines indicated: these enable the user to pivot the outer portions 22E of arms 22B as indicated by arrows 22F over a total angle of about 180 degrees. 
     In FIG. 4, which is a cross-section at axis 4-4&#39; of FIG. 1, spine 18 is seen to have a T shape with the upper transverse portion embedded in neck cushion 16. Connecting the upper portion integrally to the lower portion is a living hinge 18A. The downwardly-extending lower portion is enclosed in a passageway 12B sewn into the fabric of slipcover 12 at the rear of bed lounge 10. The upper end of passageway 12B is made to have a snug fitting collar 12C which may be made from frictional fabric such as is found in hook-and-loop fastening material. Passageway 12B and collar 12C act on spine 18 with an amount of friction that allows the user to select the height of neck cushion 16 above the main body of the bed lounge 10 by shifting spine 18 up or down within the passageway 12B, however the friction is made sufficient to retain neck cushion 16 in place at any selected height. Living hinge 18A enables the user to rotate the oval shaped neck cushion 16 and thus position it to a desired attitude to best support the neck and head regions of the user. 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an accessory soft lap desk 26 that may be supplied as part of the bed lounge of the present invention. Lap desk 26 has a firm rectangular cover 28 that forms a work surface in the closed position shown. The lower portion 30 of the lap desk is made soft and padded, typically with synthetic down material enclosed in a pouch so as to enable it to be retained optimally on the lap of the user. Lap desk 26 is equipped with a handle 32 and its lower portion is attached around its upper edge to a concealed firm portion that mates with the cover 28. 
     FIG. 6 is an end view of the lap desk of FIG. 5 showing cover 28 and lower portion 30 with handle 32, the whole resting on a flat surface 34. 
     FIG. 7 is cross section of an upper portion of the lap desk 26 of FIG. 5 taken through axis 6-6&#39; thereof. It is seen that there is a lower firm portion 28B that mates with cover 28, and both parts are configured internally to provide an interior storage region 28C as shown. 
     FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the lap desk 26 with its cover 28 raised to an open position showing the storage region 8C. Three pairs of hook-and-loop fastening pads 28D and 28E are provided to hold cover 28 in place when closed. 
     FIG. 9 is a side view of a user 34 seated in the bed lounge 10, the user&#39;s neck resting against the neck pillow 16 which is supported by spine 18 containing living hinge 18A. The lap desk 6 is shown in use in its open position as in FIG. 8. 
     Optionally a mirror may be provided on the inside surface of the hinged cover 28. As a further option the lap desk may be provided with an adjustable, retractable reading lamp and/or interior lamp. 
     As an alternative to laminated plastic sheeting as the material in the main structural parts, the material may be made of solid plastic, configured with large voids to reduce weight and material cost. 
     The invention may be embodied and practiced in other specific forms without departing from the spirit and essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description; and all variations, substitutions and changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.