Patent Publication Number: US-6338344-B1

Title: Chair device for enhancing sexual intimacy

Description:
This application for a utility patent is a continuation-in-part of a previously filed utility patent, now abandoned, having the application Ser. No. 09/240,916, filed Jan. 29, 1999. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates generally to sexual aids, and more particularly to a chair device that appears to be an ordinary chair, but can be inverted for use to facilitate sexual relations. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Chair devices usefully for facilitating sexual relations are known in the art. However, such devices have typically been obtrusive contraptions that are obviously sexual in nature. Craft, U.S. Pat. No. 5,538,011, for example, discloses an outlandish folding chair with protruding stirrups. Other examples of such devices are shown in Boutos, U.S. Pat No. 5,704,894 and Mitchum, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 5,389,062 and 5,453,080. Since most people do not want such contraptions in their home or office for fear of embarrassment, the prior art devices have not succeeded in fulfilling the market&#39;s need for an entertaining sexual device. 
     Ordinary chairs are also well known in the art. Blodee, U.S. Pat. No. 3,874,729 discloses lounge furniture that has a construction that is similar to the present invention. There are, however, critical differences between Blodee and the present invention. While Blodee teaches a fiber covering that covers much of the base of the chair, it does not disclose the use of foam padding on the underside of the base of the chair. This foam padding is essential for the use of the chair as a sexual facilitating device because the fiber covering alone does not provide a comfortable support surface suitable for sitting and reclining. 
     Blodee also fails to teach any of the key structural features that facilitate the use of the chair in sexual activities. Blodee does not teach a base frame having a depression on either side between the front and rear legs of the chair. Blodee does not teach building front and rear legs that are angled outward from perpendicular to the ground. Blodee also does not teach a back support having an upper back support foam padding to protect the back support when the chair device is in the inverted position. Finally, Blodee does not teach a back support having a pair of leg clearance indentations that facilitate proper use of the chair device, as described below. These various structural improvements are disclosed in detail in the following detailed disclosure. 
     The prior art teaches various pieces of well known furniture, and the prior art also teaches various sexual contraptions for facilitating sexual relations. However, the prior art does not teach a device that appears to be ordinary furniture, that functions as ordinary furniture, and that can be repositioned for use as a sexual facilitation device. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages as described in the following summary. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention teaches certain benefits in construction and use which give rise to the objectives described below. 
     The present invention provides a chair device for facilitating sexual intimacy between a person and his or her sexual partner. The chair device closely resembles an ordinary chair, having a base, a back support, and a base support means for supporting the chair device in an upright position. In the upright position, the chair device supports a person in a sitting position. When the chair device is turned over to an inverted position, the chair device is supported by the back support and an arm supporting means. In this inverted position, the base provides a reclining surface having a base foam padding for comfortably supporting a person in a position that facilitates sexual intimacy with a sexual partner. 
     A primary objective of the present invention is to provide a chair device having advantages not taught by the prior art. 
     Another objective is to provide a chair device that resembles and functions as an ordinary chair, thereby allowing it to be left in plain view without causing the owner embarrassment. 
     A further objective is to provide a chair device that can be inverted to position a reclining surface having a base foam padding for comfortably supporting a person in a position that facilitates sexual intimacy with a sexual partner. 
     Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     The accompanying drawings illustrate the present invention. In such drawings: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the present invention in the upright position; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view thereof showing the chair device in an inverted position with a reclining surface of a base of the chair device facing upwards for use, the view further showing a man positioned for sexual intimacy; 
     FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line  3 — 3  in FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line  4 — 4  in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 is a side elevational view thereof showing the chair being lifted into an arm support with the arm support functioning as a fulcrum to allow the chair device to rock back and forth for facilitating sexual relations; 
     FIG. 6 is a front elevational view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the view showing a pair of front legs and a pair of rear legs that are angled outwards from perpendicular with the ground, the view further showing a pair of leg clearance indentations in the back support; 
     FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of a base frame of the base; 
     FIG. 8 is a bottom plan view thereof; 
     FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention showing the chair device in the inverted position with a woman on the reclining surface positioned for sexual intimacy; and 
     FIG. 10 is a perspective view thereof with the woman in an upright position with her legs positioned between the base and a longitudinal cross support. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The above described drawing figures illustrate the invention, a chair device  10  for facilitating sexual intimacy between a person  12  and a sexual partner  14 . The chair device  10  includes a base  20 , a back support  50 , and a means for supporting  40  the base  20  in an upright position (“base support means  40 ”). When the chair device  10  is in the upright position, the base  20  and back support  50  cooperate to support a person  12  in a sitting position. When the chair device  10  is turned over to an inverted position, the chair device  10  is supported by the back support  50  and a means for providing an arm support  70  (“arm supporting means  70 ”). In so this inverted position, the chair device  10  supports the sexual partner  14  in a position that facilitates sexual intimacy with the person  12 . 
     In a first embodiment, shown in FIG. 1, when the chair device  10  is in the upright position it appears and functions just like an ordinary chair. When the person  12  sits in the chair device  10 , he or she is supported in a seated position by a sitting surface  22  of the base  20  and the back support  50 . The base support means  40  supports the base  20  above the ground and the arm supporting means  70  provides an arm rest for the person  12  to rest his or her arms. In the preferred embodiment, the back support  50  is attached to the base  20  with the arm supporting means  70 . 
     As shown in FIG. 2, the chair device  10  can be turned over to the inverted position for facilitating sexual intimacy. As shown in FIGS. 1-4, the base  20  of the chair device  10  has a reclining surface  24  opposite the sitting surface  22 . Most of the base  20 , including both the sitting surface  22  and the reclining surface  24 , are covered with a base foam padding  32 , preferably a soft and resilient foam padding that is at least 1 inch thick. It is critical that the reclining surface  24  is covered with the base foam padding  32  to provide a surface that comfortably supports the sexual partner  14 . This feature is not shown in the prior art because it would not ordinarily make sense to cover the bottom of a chair with padding. 
     Base 
     As shown in FIGS. 3,  7 , and  8 , the base  20  includes a roughly square wooden base frame  26  having a wooden base board  28  mounted within the base frame  26 , preferably with dowels. A plurality of springs  30  spans the top of the base frame  26 , each spring  30  being attached to the base frame  26  with a pair of pins  31 . In its preferred embodiment, the base foam padding  32  is wrapped around the base frame  26 , the base board  28 , and the springs  30 . In its most preferred embodiment, the base foam padding  32  is preferably approximately 1 inch thick over the sitting surface  22  and approximately 2 inches thick over the reclining surface  24 . The base foam padding  32  is covered by a base upholstery  33  made of material suitable for furniture, preferably leather. 
     The base  20  preferably has a front base surface  34  and a back base surface  36 . The front and back base surfaces  34  and  36  extend between the sitting surface  22  and the reclining surface  24  and are preferably also covered by the base foam padding  32 . The front base surface  34  is preferably covered with the base foam padding  32 , the base foam padding  32  preferably being approximately 1 inch thick. The back base surface  36  is also preferably covered with the base foam padding  32 , the base foam padding  32  being approximately 2 inches thick. In its most preferred embodiment, the base frame  26  further includes an extending portion  38  that supports and extends the back base surface  36  to form a rounded edge to the base  20 . It is preferred that the back base surface  36  have the extending portion  38  and is covered by the base foam padding  32  because the back base surface  36  provides support for the sexual partner  14  in various sexual positions. 
     Front and Rear Legs 
     As described above and as shown in FIG. 1, the chair device  10  includes the base support means  40  for supporting the base  20  in an upright position in which the sitting surface  22  is facing up and generally horizontal. The base support means  40  preferably includes two front legs  42  and two rear legs  44  that extend generally downwards from the base frame  26  to support the chair device  10  above the ground. The front and rear legs  42  and  44  are preferably fastened to the base frame  26  with connect bolts  47  and tee nuts  46 . The front and rear legs  42  and  44  are preferably 16.5 inches long and spaced 21 inches apart. Since this aspect of the invention is similar to the prior art, those skilled in the art can devise many base support means  40  that fulfill the needs of this invention. The primary limitations imposed by the specific design of this invention are that there are preferably no cross supports positioned laterally between the front legs  42  or between the rear legs  44 . 
     In the preferred embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, the two front legs  42  and two rear legs  44  are angled outward from perpendicular with the ground so that the longitudinal cross braces  48  are further apart from each other then they would be if the two front legs  42  and two rear legs  44  were perpendicular to the ground. In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 6-10, the base frame  26  has a depression  80  on each side between the front and rear legs  42  and  44 . Each longitudinal cross brace  48  and its respective depression  80  together defining a leg receiving area  82  that is sized and shaped to allow the sexual partner  14 , preferably a woman, to straddle the chair device  10  with her legs through the leg receiving area  82 , as shown in FIG.  10  and as further discussed below. 
     Longitudinal Cross Support 
     As shown in FIGS. 2,  9 , and  10 , each of the front legs  42  is preferably connected to one of the rear legs  44  with a longitudinal cross support  48 , thereby providing support and leverage for various sexual activities when the chair device  10  is in the inverted position. As shown in FIG. 2, the person  12  can use the longitudinal cross support  48  for support while engaging in sexual intimacy. While the person  12  holds the longitudinal cross support  48 , the person  12  can lever the chair device  10  off of the back support  50  so that it is pivotally supported by the arm support  70 , as shown in FIG.  5 . As shown in FIG. 9, the sexual partner  14  grasps the front legs  42  for leverage to manipulate her position on the chair device  10  while her head rests on the front base surface  34  supported by the extending portion  38 . As shown in FIG. 10, the longitudinal cross support  48  can be used for support and leverage when the sexual partner  14  is sitting astride the chair device  10 , as described below. The longitudinal cross support  48  also serves to provide the chair device  10  with additional structural support and strength. 
     Back Support 
     As shown in FIG. 1, the chair device  10  also includes a back support  50  for cooperating with the base  20  to support the person  12  in a sitting position when the chair device  10  is in its upright position. The back support  50  is preferably a rectangular back support frame  52  made of wood, the back support frame  52  preferably being arched backwards to provide a more comfortable back supporting contour. The back support frame  52  is preferably covered with a sheet of back support foam padding  54 , which is covered with a back support upholstery  56 . The back support upholstery  56  preferably matches the base upholstery  33 . In its preferred embodiment, the rear legs  44  extend upwardly past the base frame  26  to form a back frame supporting portion  60 . The back support frame  52  is attached to the back frame supporting portion  60  with a plurality of back support bolts  62 , thereby supporting the back support frame  52  in its proper position. 
     Arm Supports 
     As shown in FIG. 1, the chair device  10  further includes a means for supporting  70  the arms of the person  12  while the person  12  is sitting on the chair device  10  and the chair device  10  is in the upright position. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, when the chair device  10  in the inverted position the arm supporting means  70  cooperates with the back support  50  to support the chair device  10  above the ground. When the chair device  10  is in the inverted position, the reclining surface  24  is facing up, thereby providing a surface for the sexual partner  14  to recline while engaged in sexual intimacy with the person  12 . In its most preferred embodiment, the back support frame  52  has an upper back support surface  58  that contacts the ground when the chair device  10  is in the inverted position. The upper back support surface  58  is preferably covered by the back support foam padding  54  to protect the back support upholstery  56  when the chair device  10  is in the inverted position. 
     In the preferred embodiment, the arm supporting means  70  is a pair of arm supports. Each of the arm supports  70  are formed by an upwardly extending portion  72  of each of the front legs  42 , preferably extending between 9.5 and 13.5 inches above the base  20 . Each of the upwardly extending portions  72  is preferably connected to one of the back frame supporting portion  60  with an arm rest cross brace  74  similar to the longitudinal cross support  48 . Each of the upwardly extending portions  72  is preferably connected to the back frame supporting portion  60  adjacent the back support frame  52 . In this preferred embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the upwardly extending portion  72 , the arm rest cross brace  74 , the back frame supporting portion  60 , the front and rear legs  42  and  44 , and the longitudinal cross support  48  are all one structure, each section being joined together to form a pair of roughly square frames attached to both the base  20  and the back support frame  52 , thereby providing support for the chair device  10  in both upright and inverted positions. The various sides of these frames are preferably separate sections of wood, all interconnected with joints known as mortise and tenons, a construction technique well known in the art. The visible wood is preferably oak or other visually pleasing wood, while the portions that are covered with upholstery can be constructed of less expensive wood such as poplar. All of the construction techniques and materials used, in both the frame, the padding, and the upholstery, are well known in the art and can be devised or altered by those skilled in the art without deviating from the inventive concept hereby described. 
     As shown in FIG. 5, the arm supporting means  70  preferably provides a fulcrum when supporting the chair device  10  in the inverted position. As a fulcrum, the arm supporting means  70  allows the person  12  to rock the chair device  10  backwards and forwards on the arm supporting means  70 , thereby changing the angle of the reclining surface  24  and the position of the sexual partner. To facilitate this rocking motion, the back support  50  preferably includes a pair of leg clearance indentations  64 . As shown in FIG. 6, each of the leg clearance indentations  64  is cut into each of the top corners of the back support frame  52  along the upper back support surface  58 . When the person  12  is standing behind the back support  50  and rocking the chair device  10 , the person  12  is able to tilt the chair device  10  without causing the back support  50  to bump into the legs of the person  12 . The extra clearance provided by the leg clearance indentations  64  is important to the proper use of the chair device  10  in certain sexually intimate positions. 
     The Method of Using the Chair Device 
     The invention includes the method of using the chair device  10  to facilitate sexual intimacy between the person  12  and the sexual partner  14 . The chair device  10  is initially placed in the upright position for use as an ordinary chair, as shown in FIG.  1 . In the upright position, the chair device  10  is not notably different than an ordinary chair. 
     In the preferred method, when the person  12  and his or her sexual partner  14  wish to utilize the chair device  10  for sexual activity, the person  12  simply flips the chair to its inverted position, so the chair is supported by the back support  50  and the arm supports  70 , as described above. In this position, the chair device  10  can be used to facilitate many forms of sexual intimacy. 
     As shown in FIG. 9, in one position the sexual partner  14 , preferably a woman, lies with her back upon the reclining surface  24 , the chair device  10  thereby positioning her for sexual intimacy. In this position, the woman  14  may lie with her head either supported by or hanging over the extending portion  38  supporting the back base surface  36 . The woman  14  may also reach up and grasp the longitudinal cross support  48  or the front legs  42 , thereby gaining leverage for sexual activity. The person  12 , preferably a man, is positioned as shown in FIG. 2, also grasping the longitudinal cross support  48  for support and leverage for sexual activity. In this position, the man  12  can rock the chair device  10 , as shown in FIG. 5, to thereby manipulate the position of the woman  14  during sexual intimacy. 
     As shown in FIG. 10, in an alternative position the woman  14  is positioned to straddle the man  12  (in this figure, the man is not shown) when he is lying on his back on the reclining surface  24 . The woman  14  is positioned to that her legs are within the leg receiving area  82  described above. In this position the woman  14  can support herself by standing on the ground and by leaning on the longitudinal cross braces  48 . It is important that the two front legs  42  and two rear legs  44  are angled outward from perpendicular with the ground so that the longitudinal cross braces  48  are further apart, thereby providing adequate room for the legs of the woman  14 . The depressions  80  on each side between the base frame  26  provide additional room for the legs of the woman  14 . 
     In another alternative position, not shown in the drawings, the woman  14  lies face down with her stomach on the reclining surface  24  with her legs against the back base surface  36  and the back of the back support  50 . The extending portion  38  provides a rounded and padded surface of the woman  14  to lie across with comfort. The woman  14  may grasp the front legs  44  of the chair device  10  for increased leverage and comfort. The chair device  10  supports the woman  14  for sexual intimacy with the man  12  positioned behind her, standing near the back support  50  and leaning on the longitudinal cross support  48 . The man  12  is then positioned to rock the chair device  10 , as shown in FIG.  5 . The back support  50  does not bump into the legs of the man  12  when the chair device  10  is being rocked because the leg clearance indentations  64  provide the required clearance. 
     While the invention has been described with reference to at least one preferred embodiment, it is to be clearly understood by those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited thereto. Rather, the scope of the invention is to be interpreted only in conjunction with the appended claims.