Patent Document

TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    This disclosure relates to furniture, and more particularly to a seating system, such as a sofa, bench, love seat or chair having inclinable seat sections. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art. 
         [0003]    Convertible seat bed units, couches, and reclinable chair of various constructions and useable both for seating and sleeping are well known in the art. Known configurations include adjustable reclining backrests and various control assemblies to self-adjust the backrest position. The seat may be slidably, horizontally adjust to accommodate movement of the backrest and movement of a footrest. The various reclining and adjusting assemblies are generally not adapted for durable use or extended user movement on top of the seats and couches. For example, many convertible seat bed units, couches, and reclining or adjustable chairs are configured for sitting or lying, and are not configured for more active use such as lovemaking at a selectable incline. To this end, these more conventional furniture units are not capable of supporting the full weight of one or more adults at locations other than the seat portion itself. 
         [0004]    Further, known furniture configured to aid sexual intercourse can be difficult to possess, display or store discreetly without embarrassment. Therefore, it would be advantageous to configure a furniture apparatus for use as an aid for sexual intercourse that may be stored and displayed as a conventional furniture piece, concealing the internal incline assembly and incline functionality from external view. 
         [0005]    Accordingly, a need remains for a discreet furniture apparatus that is configured to support active movement by users along all portions of the apparatus and configured to selectively incline at dual ends to improve user comfort when engaging in active use. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    An apparatus is disclosed for inclining seat sections of a furniture unit. The inclinable furniture apparatus includes a frame, an incline assembly having a first and a second inclinable section, a plurality of lifting devices configured to selectively incline and support the first and second inclinable sections, and a cover disposed over portions of the incline assembly to form a comfortable seating intimate activity surface. 
         [0007]    Certain embodiments of the invention include a feature of discreet or hidden presentation of inclinable features of a furniture unit configured to aid lovemaking. 
         [0008]    This summary is provided merely to introduce certain concepts and not to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    One or more embodiments will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  shows the furniture apparatus in a non-inclined position, in accordance with the present disclosure; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of the frame with the incline assembly removed to illustrate interior support structure of the frame, in accordance with the present disclosure; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  shows a top view of the frame including the assembly support structure, in accordance with the present disclosure; 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  shows a perspective view of the incline assembly unattached to the frame, in accordance with the present disclosure; 
           [0014]      FIGS. 5A and 5B  show the frame attached to the incline assembly, in accordance with the present disclosure; 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  shows a bottom view of the furniture apparatus having the frame attached to the incline assembly, in accordance with the present disclosure; 
           [0016]      FIGS. 7A-7D  show various exemplary positions of the inclinable sections of the furniture apparatus, in accordance with the present disclosure; and 
           [0017]      FIGS. 8A and 8B  show the furniture apparatus including the incline assembly having an upholstered exterior, in accordance with the present disclosure. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0018]    Various embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings, where like reference numerals represent like parts and assemblies throughout the several views. Reference to various embodiments does not limit the scope of the invention, which is limited only by the scope of the claims attached hereto. Additionally, any examples set forth in this specification are not intended to be limiting and merely set forth some of the many possible embodiments for the claimed invention. 
         [0019]    Throughout the specification and claims, the following terms take at least the meanings explicitly associated herein, unless the context dictates otherwise. The meanings identified below do not necessarily limit the terms, but merely provide illustrative examples for the terms. The meaning of “a,” “an,” and “the” includes plural reference, and the meaning of “in” includes “in” and “on.” The phrase “in one embodiment,” as used herein does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, although it may. Similarly, the phrase “in some embodiments,” as used herein, when used multiple times, does not necessarily refer to the same embodiments, although it may. As used herein, the term “or” is an inclusive “or” operator, and is equivalent to the term “and/or,” unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. The term “based, in part, on”, “based, at least in part, on”, or “based on” is not exclusive and allows for being based on additional factors not described, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. 
         [0020]    Referring now to the drawings, wherein the depictions are for the purpose of illustrating certain exemplary embodiments only and not for the purpose of limiting the same,  FIG. 1  shows one embodiment of the furniture apparatus  10  in a non-inclined position. The furniture apparatus includes a frame  12  having a pair of opposed ends  14  and  18 , respectively, and an incline assembly  20  situated within the frame  12  and attached as described herein below. The incline assembly  20  includes first and second incline sections  22  and  24 , respectively. The inclinable sections  22  and  24  rotate about an axis defined by one or more hinges  28 . The frame  12  is attached to a plurality of legs  16 . The frame  12  is preferably constructed of wood, as shown, however other materials may also be utilized, such as metal, and their use will still be within the scope of the invention. The hinges  28  may be of any known type including a piano hinge; however, any leaf hinge would also function in a suitable manner. To operate the furniture apparatus  10  in changing its incline position, a user simply grasps the inclinable sections  22  and  24  and pulls upwardly which pivots the sections about the hinges  28 . 
         [0021]      FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of the frame  12  with the incline assembly  20  removed to illustrate interior support structure of the frame  12 . The frame  12  further includes longitudinal support in the form of at least a pair of lower longitudinal support members, a front support member  11  and a back support member  13 . The lower longitudinal support members  11  and  13  are preferably connected to first and second side support members  15  and  17 , respectively. An assembly support structure  30  includes a support member  32  configured to couple to the incline assembly  20 , described above. Brackets  34  may be included to further support the incline assembly  20 . In one embodiment, the brackets  34  may be affixed to the front and back support members  11  and  13  and configured to receive the underside of the incline assembly  20 . The support member  32  includes a plurality of lifting devices  19  for securing the incline assembly to the frame  12 . The lifting devices  19  may be one or more mechanical ratcheting devices configured to selectively incline the incline assembly  20 . Alternatively, the lifting devices  19  may be an electrical, pneumatic, or hydraulic device configured to selectively incline and hold the incline assembly  20  as preferred by an operator. 
         [0022]      FIG. 3  shows a top view of the frame  12  including the assembly support structure  30 . In one embodiment, the assembly support structure  30  includes a plurality of vertical members  36  attached to the front and back support members  11  and  13 . The brackets  34  may be affixed to one or more of the vertical members  36 . The vertical members  36  are preferably configured to receive one or more horizontal support members  38 . The horizontal support members  38  are configured to support and attach to the support member  32 . 
         [0023]      FIG. 4  shows a perspective view of the incline assembly  20  unattached to the frame  12 . As described herein above, the incline assembly  20  includes a first incline section  22  and a second incline section  24 . The sections  22  and  24  are configured to selectively pivot about the hinges  28 . A middle support section  21  is preferably securely mechanically fastened to the frame  12 . The first and second sections  22  and  24  include a top surface  27  and  29 , respectively, configured to support a human user and, in one embodiment, receive an upholstery material. 
         [0024]      FIGS. 5A and 5B  show the frame  12  attached to the incline assembly  20 .  FIG. 5A  shows a first side of the incline assembly  20  inclined to illustrate the connection between the frame and the incline assembly  20 .  FIG. 5B  shows the first and second sides of the incline assembly inclined. As  FIGS. 5A and 5B  show, the mechanical ratchet devices  19  connected to an underside of the first and second incline sections  22  and  24  function to allow a user to selectively incline the same to any desired angle. 
         [0025]      FIG. 6  shows a bottom view of the furniture apparatus  10  having the frame  12  attached to the incline assembly  20 . As  FIG. 6  shows, the vertical members  36  may be adapted to attach to the frame  12  along the vertical length of the front and back support members  11  and  13 . The incline assembly  20  is preferably substantially contained within the frame  12  when in a non-inclined position. 
         [0026]      FIGS. 7A-7D  show various exemplary positions of the inclinable sections  22  and  24  of the furniture apparatus  10 .  FIG. 7A  shows the first and second inclinable section  22  and  24  at a slight incline.  FIG. 7B  shows the first inclinable section  22  at a steeper incline with the second section  24  slightly inclined.  FIG. 7C  shows the first inclinable section  22  at a steeper incline with the second inclinable section  24  at a non-inclined section.  FIG. 7D  shows the first inclinable section  22  at a slight incline and the second inclinable section  24  at a steeper incline. It is contemplated by the disclosure that the inclinable sections  22  and  24  may be selectively inclined to a plurality of respective positions. In one embodiment, each inclinable section  22  and  24  can be configured to selectively incline to nineteen distinct incline angles. The number and degree of incline may be adapted for a particular sized furniture apparatus and for particular adaptations of the mechanical ratchet devices  19 . 
         [0027]      FIGS. 8A and 8B  show the furniture apparatus  10  including the incline assembly  20  having a padded and upholstered exterior.  FIG. 8A  shows the furniture apparatus  10  in an exemplary non-inclined position, while  FIG. 8B  shows the furniture apparatus  10  in an exemplary dual-inclined position. The furniture apparatus  10  preferably includes a covering of upholstery material for durability and to add to the overall attractiveness of the apparatus such as e.g., pleather upholstery material. The covering may be formed integrally with padding or may be a separate wrapper that encompasses the padding attached with a zipper closure. For example, the upholstered top  40  may include a layer of open cell foam covered by upholstery material in the usual manner well known in the art. The foam material may be flat or have some type of shape that would add to the aesthetics of the apparatus. The upholstery  40  preferably covers the external surface of the incline assembly  20  to hide underside surfaces of the assembly  20  and the various support members and lifting devices. The disclosure herein can be applied to various upholstery designs and arrangements and is therefore not intended to be limited thereby. 
         [0028]    As described herein, the furniture apparatus  10  provides a sturdy structural frame and incline assembly capable of supporting the weight of two or more active adults along any portion of the assembly. As such, should two adults choose to sit on the outermost edge of one side of the assembly  45 , for example, the frame and remaining portions of the device will remain securely in place and will not move. Such a feature allows the apparatus  10 , which can also include any number of decorative elements inlayed or otherwise secured thereon to function as described above, while discretely concealing its true purpose. 
         [0029]    The disclosure has described certain preferred embodiments and modifications thereto. Further modifications and alterations may occur to others upon reading and understanding the specification. Therefore, it is intended that the disclosure not be limited to the particular embodiment(s) disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this disclosure, but that the disclosure will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Technology Category: 1