Abstract:
A utility cushion that includes a scenting agent disposed upon the cushion and a cover material. When the cover material encases the cushion, the cover material is made at least partially permeable to the scenting agent such that the application of pressure to the cushion will cause the scenting agent to permeate the covering material. Accordingly, a method for increasing the concentration of a scenting agent in the area proximal to the cushion is practiced.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     This invention relates generally to a cushioning apparatus and more particularly to a to a cushioning apparatus that facilitates the release of a pleasant scent during use.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0004]     Cushioned mats, pads, pillows and the like are well known and have been utilized to increase the comfort of sitting or lying down for millennia. More recently, such cushioning apparatus are made of resilient foam material and featuring water-resistant covers for providing comfort in wet conditions or where moisture such as perspiration may contact the cushioning apparatus.  
         [0005]     For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,845,352 by Matsler et al. discloses a contoured foam cushion with a water-resistant cover that may be used for sitting or during meditation of exercise. Moreover, PCT Application WO97/45039 by Debellis et al. illustrates a contoured and vented pad for a wheelchair. With these and other pad devices, the cushion element and/or the cover material may have a chemical odor (e.g., “new foam smell”) or may begin to harbor an unpleasant musty odor with use over time.  
         [0006]     Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a cushioning apparatus that provides deodorization or a pleasant scent that is calming or otherwise useful in a variety of applications.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     The invention relates in general to an apparatus that includes a resilient cushioning element, a scenting agent disposed upon the resilient cushioning element, and a cover material disposed atop the cushioning element. Preferably, the cushioning element is a polyurethane foam that “breaths” (allows the passage of air therethrough). Also preferably, the cover material is moisture proof.  
         [0008]     In one embodiment, the cushioning apparatus of the invention is designed as an apparatus having a cover material that substantially encases a resilient cushioning element. In this embodiment, at least a portion of the cover material is permeable to the scenting agent, such as through a mesh material or other openings disposed through the cover material.  
         [0009]     In another embodiment, the resilient cushioning element further includes a contour or depression disposed within the top of the cushioning element. Preferably, the contour is adapted to accommodate of at least one anatomical feature of a user of the cushioning apparatus, such as, for example, a head, a neck, a posterior, or the entire back areas of an infant. Also preferably, the cover material is coupled to the contour such that the cover material conforms in shape to the contour.  
         [0010]     In another embodiment of the invention, the resilient cushioning element is encased by a removable cover material so that the cover material may be cleaned or changed and the scenting agent or agents may be replenished or tailored to a particular application (e.g., calming essential oils being disposed upon the cushioning element for use during meditation).  
         [0011]     In yet another embodiment of the invention, a method for increasing the concentration of a scenting agent proximal to a cushioning device is provided. Preferably, the method includes the steps of providing a resilient cushioning element, disposing a scenting agent upon the resilient cushioning element, substantially encasing the cushioning element within a cover material permeable to the scenting agent, and applying pressure to the resilient cushioning element such that the scenting agent permeates the cover material. Preferably, the cover material may be moisture proof and only partially permeable with regard to the scenting agent, thereby further limiting or concentrating the expulsion of the scenting agent at certain areas of the cover material when pressure is applied to the cushion apparatus.  
         [0012]     Various other purposes and advantages of the invention will become clear from its description in the specification that follows. Therefore, to the accomplishment of the objectives described above, this invention includes the features hereinafter fully described in the detailed description of the preferred embodiments, and particularly pointed out in the claims. However, such description discloses only some of the various ways in which the invention may be practiced.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]      FIG. 1  schematically depicts a first embodiment of the invention in elevational side view.  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  depicts a second embodiment of the invention in perspective view.  
         [0015]      FIGS. 3A and 3B  are cross-sectional views taken along line  3 A,B- 3 A,B in  FIG. 2 .  
         [0016]      FIG. 4  schematically illustrates in outline a method embodiment of the invention in block diagram form.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0017]     The invention generally relates to a comfort apparatus (such as for a chair or diaper changing station) that features a resilient cushion element that has disposed upon it a scenting agent and that is covered or encased in a material. The encasing cover is permeable to the scenting agent through, for example, small holes or vents. Moreover, the resilient cushion element may have a “depression” (i.e., a contoured area) into which, for example, a baby or someone&#39;s posterior is placed. Accordingly, one function of the comfort apparatus is to emit the scent from the resilient cushion element when pressure (e.g., the weight of a person or object) is applied to the apparatus or applied within the contour.  
         [0018]     Turning to the figures, wherein like numbers designate like elements, an apparatus  2  of the invention is depicted in  FIG. 1 . The apparatus  2  includes a resilient cushioning element  4  that, preferably, may be a polyurethane foam. Disposed upon the element  4  is a scenting agent  6 . The scenting agent  6  may include one or more agents that impart an aroma in proximity to the apparatus  2 . Preferred scenting agents include, but are not limited to, volatile and/or aromatic compounds, spices, eucalyptus leaves, and essential oils.  
         [0019]     Disposed atop the cushioning element  4  is a cover material  8 . Preferably, the cover material  8  is moisture proof as symbolized by moisture bead  9 . Thus, a preferred cover material includes vinyl.  
         [0020]     As seen in  FIGS. 2, 3A  and  3 B, a second embodiment of the invention is depicted. In this embodiment, the apparatus  12  includes a resilient cushioning element  14 , a scenting agent  16  disposed upon the resilient cushioning element  14 , and a removable (such as through VELCRO fasteners  15 ) cover material  18  that substantially encases the resilient cushioning element  14 . Because the removable cover material  18  encases the resilient cushioning material  14 , at least a portion of the cover material is permeable to the scenting agent  16 .  
         [0021]     The cover material  18  may be made permeable by, for example, openings  22  through which scenting agent  16  transpires. Or the cover material  18  may include mesh areas (not shown in drawings) or simply be made of a fabric or another composition that allows the passage of scenting agent  16 .  
         [0022]     The resilient cushioning element  14  of the apparatus  12  of this embodiment further includes a contour  26  disposed within the top  28  of the cushioning element  14 . Preferably, the cover material  18  is coupled to the contour  26  such that the cover material  18  conforms in shape to the contour  26 . This may be accomplished by, for example, adhesives or by hook-and-loop fasteners  30  and  32  disposed upon both the underside surface of cover material  18  and the top surface of contour  26 .  
         [0023]     Preferably, the contour  26  is adapted for general accommodation of at least one anatomical feature of a user of the apparatus  12 . For example, the contour may be adapted to accommodate a supine infant (as would be the case for a diaper changing station) or the seat area (i.e., posterior) of a person who will be sitting upon the invention. Thus, for example, when infant  30  is placed within contour  26 , resilient cushion element  14  is compressed by pressure of the infant&#39;s weight (arrow P). As a result, molecules of scenting agent  16  are expelled through cover material  18  (in this case, through openings  22  so that the molecules of scenting agent are locally concentrated around the diaper changing area as shown in  FIG. 3B ).  
         [0024]     As shown in block diagram in  FIG. 4 , a method for increasing the concentration of a scenting agent proximal to a cushioning device is shown in outline form. The preferred steps of the method include:  
         [0025]     (a) providing a resilient cushioning element;  
         [0026]     (b) disposing a scenting agent upon the resilient cushioning element;  
         [0027]     (c) substantially encasing the cushioning element within a cover material permeable to the scenting agent; and  
         [0028]     (d) applying pressure to the resilient cushioning element such that the scenting agent permeates the cover material.  
         [0029]     Pressure may be applied through, for example, sitting upon or placing an infant within said contour. Moreover, the apparatus and method of the invention include providing a cover material such that the scenting agent passing through the cover material is limited to particular areas of the cover material. In this manner, the emission of the scenting agent is especially concentrated in particular areas, such as near the head and neck of a full body mat embodiment of the invention to provide a relaxing aroma.  
         [0030]     Various changes in the details and components that have been described may be made by those skilled in the art within the principles and scope of the invention herein described in the specification and defined in the appended claims. Therefore, while the present invention has been shown and described herein in what is believed to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is recognized that departures can be made therefrom within the scope of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent processes and products.