Portable seat cushion with self-contained heat source

Abstract

A portable seat cushion providing enhanced seating comfort while also enabling the use of self-contained heat sources is disclosed which provides greater comfort to users during cold weather outdoor entertainment events. The cushion includes especially configured recessed pockets and carriers for containing and strategically placing heat generators such as lighter fluid fueled and electric hand warmers in close contact with a user's legs while sitting. Sufficient ventilation is provided to enable combustion type hand warmers to access sufficient oxygen and vent exhaust.

Claims

1. A portable seat cushion especially designed, configured and adapted to incorporate at least one self-contained heat generator wherein said cushion comprises a cushion body, at least one heat generator carrier, at least one ventilation conduit and a cushion cover wherein: the cushion body includes a top, bottom, front, rear, left side and right side surfaces, the cushion body also including at least one heat generator pocket especially designed, shaped and configured as a recessed area running from an opening formed at the top surface of the cushion towards the bottom surface of the cushion, said recess having a shape and dimensions especially configured to enable the heat generator pocket to receive and contain the at least one heat generator carrier, the cushion body also including at least one ventilation conduit aperture formed within the cushion body, the conduit aperture having a length and a diameter and running from an opening formed within the a side wall of the heat generator pocket and running thence to an opening located on one of the side surfaces of the cushion body, the diameter and length of the at least one ventilation conduit aperture enabling retentive placement therein of the at least one ventilation conduit; the at least one heat generator carrier having a bottom section, rear side wall, front side wall, right side wall, left side wall and a top cover, the top cover being configured and adapted to open so as to expose an interior of the caddy for placement and removal therein of a heat generator and to close down into a locking position so as to firmly hold the heat generator within the interior of the caddy, each of the side walls of the caddy, as well as the top cover including therein ventilation apertures enabling gaseous exchange of air, combustion gases and heat generated by such combustion to flow in and out of the carrier during use, the at least one ventilation apertures formed within the walls of the carrier being advantageously formed so as to allow receipt and securing therein of the at least one ventilation conduits, each of said ventilation conduits including a ventilation conduit therein; the at least one ventilation conduit being shaped as hollow tube having a central bore, an open proximal and distal end, said openings being continuous with the central bore of the ventilation conduit, the ventilation conduit demonstrating a diameter and length enabling secured placement within and engagement by the at least one ventilation aperture formed within the cushion body wherein, upon placement of the at least one ventilation conduit within the at least one ventilation aperture, a pathway enabling flow of air into, and combustion air from a heat generator contained within a heat generator carrier within the heat generator pocket is provided; and the seat cushion cover including an opening for each of the at least one ventilation conduits as well as an opening enabling access to each of the at least one heat generator pockets and heat generator carriers placed therewithin.

2. The portable seat cushion of claim 1 wherein the at least one heat generator pocket is located in a forward portion of the cushion.

3. The portable seat cushion of claim 2 wherein the cushion includes two heat generator pockets, one of said pockets being located midway between the right surface and a midline of the cushion body and the second of said pockets being located midway between the left surface and the midline of the cushion body.

4. The portable seat cushion of claim 3 wherein the cushion further comprises two foam inserts especially shaped and configured to completely fill the heat generator pockets when they are not utilized for placement of a heat generator carrier.

5. The portable seat cushion of claim 4 wherein three ventilation apertures are formed within the cushion body, two of said apertures running from the right and left side surfaces of the cushion body to a side surface of each heat generator pocket and one of the ventilation apertures running from the front surface of the cushion to a front surface of each of the heat generator pockets.

6. The portable seat cushion of claim 1 wherein the back surface of the cushion, at the midpoint thereof, includes a tail bone cutaway indentation especially formed to relieve pressure against a user's coccyx.

7. The portable seat cushion of claim 1 wherein the ventilation conduits include an anchor ring portion located at the medial and distal ends thereof and wherein apertures formed within the front and side walls of the heat generator carrier are especially shaped and configured to enable insertion of the anchor ring portion therein for secure retention therein.

8. The portable seat cushion of claim 7 further comprising two heater overlay foam inserts especially shaped, configured and demonstrating a thickness so that, when placed on top of the heat generator carrier, the inserts provide attenuation of the amount of heat passing from the heat generator caddy to a user when a heat generator is in use.

9. The portable seat cushion of claim 1 wherein the cushion body is formed from a foam material.

10. The portable seat cushion of claim 9 wherein the foam material is selected from the group consisting of a polyethylene, polyurethane foam and latex foam.

11. The portable seat cushion of claim 1 wherein the heat generator carrier is formed from a metal material.

12. The portable seat cushion of claim 11 wherein the metal material is selected from the group consisting of aluminum, steel and steel alloys.

13. The portable seat cushion of claim 1 wherein the heat generator carrier is formed from a plastic material.

14. The portable seat cushion of claim 13 wherein the plastic material is selected from polycarbonate, polyamideimides (PAIs), high-performance polyamides (HPPAs), polyimides (Pis), polyketones, polysulfone derivatives-a, polycyclohexane dimethyl-terephthalates (PCTs), fluoropolymers, polyetherimides (PEIs), polybenzimidazoles (PBIs), polybutylene terephthalates (PBTs), polyphenylene sulfides and syndiotactic polystyrene.

15. The portable seat cushion of claim 1 wherein the heat generator incorporated is a naphtha fueled hand warmer.

16. The portable seat cushion of claim 1 wherein the heat generator is an electric hand warmer.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is an exploded top isomeric view of a first preferred embodiment of the present invention showing internal detail

(2) FIG. 2 is an exploded top isomeric view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention illustrated in FIG. 1.

(3) FIG. 3 is a top isomeric view of a preferred embodiment of the heat generator caddy illustrated in FIG. 2 containing a heat generator.

(4) FIG. 4 is an top exploded bottom isomeric view of the heat generator caddy illustrated in FIG. 3.

(5) FIG. 5 is a bottom exploded isomeric view of the heat generator caddy, air flow conduits and heat generator illustrated in FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(6) FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 illustrate a first preferred embodiment of the present invention. The cushion body 1 is advantageously formed of a foam material as discussed above. Although the required elasticity, memory and resilience required in a comfortable seating material may be provided by either open and closed cell foam materials, it is preferred that the cushion body be formed from a closed cell type foam. This is primarily due to the fact that closed cell foams are less likely to retain as much moisture as open cell foams, but is also preferred as to closed cell foams greater resistance to migration of gases, such as exhaust gases, into their structure. are available in resilient, cushioning.

(7) The cushion body includes a top surface 2, a bottom surface 4, front surface 3, two side surfaces 5/5, a rear surface 17/17 and, in the embodiment illustrated four corner surfaces 9, 11, 13 and 15. The preferred embodiment illustrated also includes a rear surface 17/17 which advantageously includes a coccyx indentation 18 which, in the embodiment shown within the figures, is V shaped. When, as described in more detail, below, the portable seat cushion is utilized, it is placed on an underlying seating surface so that the back surface of the cushion bodywhich ordinarily underlies and supports a user's buttocksis adjacent to the back of the seating surface which, in turn, is adjacent to, for example, a back support incorporated into public seating. The front surface of the cushion body is oriented towards the front of the lower portion of a public seat which supports a portion of a user's upper legs. In this orientation, when a user sits upon the portable cushion, the users buttocks and upper legs will come into contact with the top surface 2 of the cushion body (and overlying top surface of the cushion cover) with the user's legs and knees extending beyond and forward of the front surface 3 and the upper portion of the user's buttocks and lower back adjacent to the rear surface 17/17 of the cushion body. The coccyx indentation 18, which is V shaped as illustrated, is intended and functions to relieve pressure which otherwise would result from the downward force of a user upon the coccyx region generated, in part, by the opposing resistance of a seat cushion body not having the subject indentation or, for that matter, upon sitting upon any relatively flat surface. In fact, the coccyx indentation can be shaped in any desirable configuration so long as the indentation is located in that portion of the back portion of the cushion body underlying a user's coccyx region during sitting. That portion of the cushion body closest to the front surface may be referred to as the front portion of the cushion body whereas that portion of the cushion body closest to the rear surface. The cushion body can also be described as have a forward portion 8 (adjacent to the front surface of the cushion body), a rear portion 12 (adjacent to the rear surface) and a middle portion 10.

(8) The at least one, and preferably, two heat generator pockets formed within the cushion body are positioned so as to be in the forward of the top surface of the cushion body. More specifically, the heat generator pocket(s) are preferably located within the body of the seat cushion located within the front portion 8 thereof wherein the entrance to the recess begins within the top surface of the cushion body proximal to the front surface 14 of the cushion body and substantially spaced, in regard to the right 5 and left 5 sides of the cushion body, evenly, between a midline reference line 22 of the cushion body. The term midline reference line as used throughout this specification and within the claims refers to an imaginary reference line running from the middle of the length of the front surface to the middles of the length of the back surface of the cushiona reference line running from the front to the back of the cushion body and located midway between the right and left side surfaces of the cushion body. Such a position places the pockets and the heat generators located therein, under the legs of a user rather than alongside or between a users legs. This orientation also ensures heat generated will flow upwards towards the user's legs that generally have less insulating fat than the buttocks area.

(9) As discussed above, the cushion body is shaped and configured to include at least one, and preferably two heat generator pockets 19/19 formed so as to accommodate the heat generator caddy, or, as it may also be referred to as, the heat generator carriers 21/21. However, the portable seat cushion of the present invention contemplates utilization of the cushion during period of mild or warm weather as well when a heat generator might not be required. For that purpose, foam inserts 20/20 are provided as a means of occluding the heat generator pockets 19/19 when they are not otherwise in use (for providing space for the heat generators and heat generator carriers.) However, if desired to increase seating comfort and reduce heat flow, heater overlay foam inserts having a decreased depth 24/24 (as compared to the foam inserts intended to completely fill the heat generator pockets when the heat generator carriers are not being utilized) are advantageously provided and can be placed over a heat generator caddy so as to provide an even top surface.

(10) As illustrated in FIG. 1, ventilation apertures 23 are formed within the cushion body in such a manner as to provide a pathway connecting the heat generator pocket and the front or side surfaces of the cushion body. They are formed so as to define a gas communication pathway between the heat generator pocket and atmosphere outside of the cushion body. The ventilation apertures 23 are designed, shaped and configured so as to allow matting insertion of the corresponding ventilation conduits therein which provide the actual gas pathway to and from the heat generators. It is preferred that the ventilation conduits be formed of a relatively rigid metal or plastic material so that, during compression of the cushion body during use, the those compressive forces will not cause partial or complete blockage of the airway required for operation of heat generators utilizing catalytic burners to release flameless heat from, for example, lighter fluidas discussed in detail, above. It is also preferred that these conduits demonstrate a diameter of from about to about 8 mm to about 20 mm. As shown in the figures, in one example of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, two generator pockets 19/19 are provided, each of which is ventilated by means of three ventilation apertures 23 each of which matingly receives a ventilation conduit 26.

(11) The cushion body illustrated in FIG. 1. is covered, during use, by cover 27. As mentioned above, the cover serves to protect the cushion body from dirt, debris and moisture (if treated with, for example, a water proofing additive.) Although the cover can be made of a water proof plastic material, such is not preferred since plastics are, in general, difficult to recycle and can also block the radiation of heat from the heat generators when such are in use.

(12) FIG. 3 illustrates the heat generator caddy shown in FIG. 1 with the heat generator caddies 21/21 inserted within the illustrated heat generator pockets 19/19. As can be viewed within heat generator pocket 19 (in FIG. 2), a space is left between the top of heater caddy 21 and the top surface of the cushion body. This allows the heat radiating from the heat generator within the caddy a more direct and unobstructed pathway to the user. However, an overlay insert 24 may be placed directly over the heat generator carrier so as to eliminate the depression formed by the heat generator pocket and also so as to moderate heat radiating to the user. Because the ventilation conduits 26 provide a pathway for air to reach combustion type heat generators within the generator pockets and for exhaust gasses to flow away therefrom, covering the top of the heat generator caddies with the overlay inserts will not interfere with such heater operation.

(13) As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the cushion cover 27 is advantageously provided, in the illustrated embodiment, with two access flaps 31/31 which provide openings to insert/remove the heat generator caddies, foam inserts and overlay inserts (and, of course, heat generators). Such flaps, formed in the fabric, may advantageously use hook and loop type fasteners (such as Velcro), a zipper or other means of securing such flaps closed. Also, it is highly advantageous to utilize a zipper 32, hook and loop or other access closures to enable the cover 27, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, to be removable for cleaning and/or replacement. The cushion cover is configured to include ventilation openings 25 especially shaped and sized to allow passage of the at least one ventilation conduit therethrough and enabling the above and below described anchor ring portion of the at least one ventilation conduit to rest upon the outside of the cover.

(14) FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate a heat generator carrier (which term is equivalent to the term heat generator caddy as utilized through this specification and in the claims) which is designed, adapted and especially configured to contain a heat generator such as, for example, a catalytic naphtha burning heater as described, in detail, above.

(15) The heat generator caddy includes a front wall 33, a back wall 35, two side walls 37/37 and a bottom portion 40. The caddy also includes an open top portion 41 which allows insertion and removal of the heat generator 45. The caddy also includes a top cover 39 which includes ventilation apertures 43. The front, rear and side walls of the caddy include ventilation slots 48 which, especially as formed through the front and side walls, are especially shaped and configured to enable insertion of the anchor ring portion 38 of the ventilation conduits 26. More specifically, the aforementioned ventilation slots are shaped and configured to allow passage, at one expanded receiving area of each slot 48 of the anchor ring portion of a ventilation conduit. Each end of the ventilation conduits includes an anchor ring portion. Since the cushion body is formed of a flexible foam, the anchor ring portion at one end of the ventilation conduit can be inserted, from the front or side surface of the cushion body, through the ventilation conduit aperture formed in the foam until it reaches the heat generator pocket. Each conduit is formed as a hollow tube with opening on either end demonstrating with a length and dimension so that when is placed into a ventilation aperture located at the front or side portion of the caddy and urged into an anchored position, the anchor ring at the opposite end of the conduit lies flush against a side or front surface of the cushion cover overlying the front 3 and side 5 surfaces of the cushion body, respectively. In one mode of assembling the device, once a ventilation conduit is urged, from outside of the cushion body and overlying cushion cover (which includes ventilation openings 25 which align with the ventilation apertures formed within the cushion body 23) the conduit is further urged through the corresponding ventilation conduit 23. A ring portion located at that end of the conduit urged through the cushion body and cushion cover apertures until it enters the heat generator recess 19 formed within the cushion body. Once all such conduits are so urged into position within the heat generator pocket, the heat generator caddy 21 is positioned within the recess 19 in such a manner that the ring portion at one end of each such conduit enters into and expanded portion 44 of ventilation slots 48 so as to anchor the conduits in this position. The conduits define a length so that once the are urged through the apertures to the point where the ring portion at the other end of the ring lies flush with the outside of the cushion, the ring portion located at the opposite end of each conduit lies is a position, within the heat generator recess, in alignment with the expanded portion 44 of the ventilation slots located on the bottom surface 40 of the heat generator caddy. Thus, guiding the conduit into a respective slot in this manner, in combination with the stop effect of the anchor portion of the conduit adjacent to the side or front surface of the cushion anchors the conduit and caddy into position. For this purpose, it is advantageous to place all ventilation conduits into position first, and thereafter, lower the caddy upon the anchor portions as described above.

(16) As mentioned above, the heat generator caddy (or carrier, as it is also referred to as), is configured and dimensioned to closely retain the heat generator. A top cover 39 is provided which can be fabricated from a rigid plastic capable of withstanding temperatures of up to 150 degrees without distortion or weakening. The cover, in the embodiment illustrated herein, advantageously includes a pivot extrusion 47/47 which rotatably mates with pivot hole 49/49. However, the cover may be completely removable or utilize any other form of hinge with equal utility. It is also advantageous to include a locking mechanism to assure that the cover will remain closed until intentionally opened to place or remove a caddy and/or heat generator.

(17) The portable cushion of the present invention provides added comfort to a user in any season as well as relief from pressure exerted upon the coccyx. This is especially advantageous during prolonged sitting such as, for example during a sporting event. However, use of the cushion with a heat generator such as a petroleum or alcohol based catalytic heater, electric heater or chemical heater, further extends the cushions benefits and utility in colder weather. Although, as discussed above, the portable cushion of the present invention is capable of utilizing the various forms of portable heaters and heat sources mentioned above, it is especially advantageous to utilize the cushion with a lighter fluid type heater such as the Zippo Brand hand warmers, discussed above. Such warmers typically generate a surface temperature of from about 130 to about 140 degrees Fahrenheit for from about 6 to about 12 hourswithout the generation of a potentially dangerous flame. By creating a heat generator pocket and heat generator caddie of such dimensions as to leave from about 10 to 15 mm clearance from the top surface of the carrier cover to the top surface of the cushion body, a user can comfortable sit upon and be warmed by said cushion.