Pendulous support

Abstract

A pendulous support includes a base support having two opposed supporting ends, two support frames each of which including a first and second resilient arms wherein the first and second resilient arms respectively have two connecting ends spaced apart and connecting to the respective supporting end of the base support and two hanging ends upwardly and inclinedly extending until the two hanging ends meet together to form an inverted V-shaped structure of the support frame and defining an upper hanging portion thereof, and a fabric made body support suspendedly supported between two hanging portions of the support frames in such a manner that the body support is capable of swinging in vertical and sideward directions.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE OF RELATED APPLICATION

This is a non-provisional application of a provisional application having an application No. 60/577,049 and a filing date of Jun. 4, 2004.

BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to a hammock, and more particularly to a pendulous support which provides the user of the collapsible furniture with 2-dimensional rocking action.

2. Description of Related Arts

Because a hammock can be quickly and easily set-up for use and folded into a compact unit for carriage, a user can carry the hammock to everywhere such as campground. It is known that the hammock must required two spaced apart supporters in order to suspendedly hang the fabric made hammock body therebetween. However, the user may merely find two supporters such as trees to mount the hammock thereon. If the two supporters are too far or too close to each other, the user may not able to hang the hammock suspendedly. Therefore, the hammock requires a relatively large space in order to set up the hammock.

Accordingly, a need will be seen for a rocking activity furniture that does not require any supporter to provide the rocking action to the user. A conventional rocking activity furniture comprises a rocking frame and a supporting frame supported by the rocking frame such that when a user is laid on the supporting frame, the rocking activity furniture provides a smooth rocking action to soothe the user. However, the rocking activity has several drawbacks.

The rocking frame comprises a pair of arc shaped floor standing legs not only for supporting the supporting frame thereon but also for supporting a downward force of the user's weight. In fact, the two floor standing legs of the rocking frame are weak structure to support the heaving weight, especially while providing the rocking action. Therefore, the floor standing legs must be made of strong material that can be securely affixed to the supporting frame in order to rigidly support both the supporting frame and the user's weight.

Besides, the rocking activity furniture can only provide a single rocking action that can swing backward and forward or side-to-side. Thus, the rocking action must be limited within the center gravity of the rocking activity furniture. Otherwise, the rocking activity furniture may easily to be flipped over.

Moreover, the problem with such rocking activity furniture is that it is bulky, usually very heavy, and difficult to carry. Because the rigid structure of the rocking activity furniture cannot be folded up or disconnected its parts in this instance, the rocking activity furniture cannot be easily transportable in any type of vehicle, so as to loss the portability of the rock activity furniture. In other words, the rocking activity furniture can be considered as an indoor furniture.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

A main object of the present invention is to provide a pendulous support wherein the user is capable of lying on the pendulous support with 2 dimensional pendulous actions.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a pendulous support which has a simple structural design such that every individual is able to assemble or disassemble to use or store.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a pendulous support comprised of lightweight but sturdy structure to provide adequate support for the user's weight.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a pendulous support, which provides a low center gravity control so as to prevent the pendulous support being flipped over during the pendulous action.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a pendulous support, wherein a length of the pendulous support can be adjusted to fittingly support the user laying thereon.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a pendulous support that can be used in any location having relatively small ground area. In order words, the pendulous support requires less flat supporting area in order to provide the pendulous action.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a pendulous support, which can be easily folded into a compact unit for storage and carriage and unfolded for use.

Accordingly, in order to accomplish the above objects, the present invention provides a pendulous support, comprising:

a base support having two opposed supporting ends;

two support frames each of which comprising a first and second resilient arms wherein the first and second resilient arms respectively have two connecting ends spaced apart connecting to the respective supporting end of the base support and two hanging ends upwardly and inclinedly extending until the two hanging ends meet together to form an inverted V-shaped structure of the support frame and defining an upper hanging portion thereof, and

a fabric made body support suspendedly supported between two hanging portions of the support frames in such a manner that the body support is capable of swinging in vertical and sideward directions.

These and other objectives, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pendulous support according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the pendulous support according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the pendulous support according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a symmetric view of a pendulous support according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the swinging angle of the body support.

FIG. 5 illustrates an alternative mode of the base support of the pendulous support according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a locker sleeve of the pendulous support according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a pendulous support according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an arm locker of the pendulous support according to the above second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the pendulous support in a folded position according to the above second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, a pendulous support according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated, which comprises a base support 10 having two opposed supporting ends 101, two support frames 20 extended from two supporting ends 101 of the base support 10 respectively, and a fabric made body support 30 suspendedly supported between the two support frames 20.

Each of the support frames 20 comprises a first and second resilient arms 21, 22 wherein the first and second resilient arms 21, 22 respectively have two connecting ends 211, 221 spaced apart with each other and connecting to the respective supporting end 101 of the base support 10 and two hanging ends 212, 222 upwardly and inclinedly extending until the two hanging ends 212, 222 meet together to form an inverted V-shaped structure of the support frame 20 and defining an upper hanging portion 201 thereof.

The body support 30 is suspendedly supported between two hanging portions 201 of the support frames 20 in such a manner that the body support 30 is capable of swinging in vertical and sideward dimensional directions, as shown in FIG. 2.

According to the preferred embodiment, the base support 10 has two longitudinal sides 102 spaced apart to define a support distance L therebetween wherein the support distance L should be at least equal to a distance between two connecting ends 211, 221 of the support frame 20 for increasing an swinging angle A of the body support 30, i.e. an acute angle between the first and second resilient arms 21, 22.

As shown in FIG. 3, each of the first and second resilient arms 21, 22 having an arc-shaped is outwardly extended from the connecting end 211, 221 to the hanging end 212, 222 thereof. Accordingly, at least a portion of the resilient arms 21, 22 has an elastic ability that is capable of applying a bouncing force with respect to the body support 30, such that the body support 30 is adapted for bouncing in an up and down movement between the support frames 20.

Preferably, each of the first and second resilient arms 21, 22 is made of elastic material such that the entire resilient arm 21, 22 can provide the bouncing force to the body support 30. However, a portion such as a mid portion or a top portion (hanging end 212, 222) of the resilient arm 21, 22 can be constructed to employ with a compression spring having a strong elastic ability in order to provide the bouncing force to the body support 30.

The body support 30 comprises a lying bracket 31 having a size adapted for a user lying thereon and two hanging braces 32 outwardly extended from the lying bracket 31 respectively for firmly hanging the lying bracket 31 between the two hanging portions 201 of the support frames 20 in a suspended manner, such that the body support 30 is capable of swinging sidewardly. Accordingly, the body support 30 can be a conventional hammock that firmly hangs between the two support frames 20.

As shown in FIG. 3, the base support 10 comprises two floor stands 11 spaced apart with each other to define the support distance L by the lengths of the floor stands 11 and to define the two supporting ends 101 by two longitudinal side of the floor stands 11 respectively.

The base support 10 further comprises a retaining frame 12 traversely connected between the two floor stands 11 so as to selectively move the floor stands 11 away from each other so as to set up the base support 10 and move the floor stands towards to each other so as to fold up the base support 10. Accordingly, the retaining frame 12 comprises at least a retaining arm 121 having two ends detachably connected to the two floor stands 11 respectively.

In order to fold up the support frame 20, the first and second resilient arms 21, 22 are pivotally connected together at the hanging ends 212, 222 and each of the first and second resilient arms 21, 22 is detachably connected to the supporting end 101 of the base support 10. As shown in FIG. 3, the base support 10 has four tubular holders 13 provided on the two supporting ends 101 of the base support 10 respectively wherein the connecting ends 211, 221 of the first and second resilient arms 21, 22 are adapted to fittedly insert into the tubular holders 13 respectively, so as to detachably connect the support frames 20 to the base support 10.

It is worth to mention that the support distance L of the base support 10 determines the swinging angle A of the body support 10 which is the acute angle of the first and second resilient arms 21, 22, as shown in FIG. 4. In other words, the body support 30 will not be flipped over when a center of gravity of the user's weight applied on the body support 30 falls within of the acute angle of the first and second resilient arms 21, 22. Therefore, by increasing the supporting distance L of the base support 10, the swinging angle A will be proportionally increased for providing a larger sideward swinging movement of the body support 30.

FIG. 5 illustrates an alternative mode of the base support 10'wherein the support frames 20′ are pivotally connected thereto for suspendedly the body support 30′ which comprises the lying bracket 31′ and the hanging braces 32′. Accordingly, the two floor stands 11′ are spaced apart with each other to define the support distance L′ therebetween. The retaining frame 12′ comprises a folding unit 121′ having two outer ends pivotally connected to the two floor stands 11′ respectively wherein the folding unit 121′ comprises two folding arms 121a′, 121b′ pivotally connected together at inner ends thereof in such a manner that the two floor stands 11′ is capable of pivotally moving towards to each other to fold up the base support 10′ and pivotally moving away from each other to retain the support distance L′ so as to set up the base support 10′.

Each connecting end 211′, 221′ of the first and second resilient arms 21′, 22′ is pivotally connected to the supporting end 101′ of the base support 10′, i.e. the end of each floor stand 11′. Each of the support frames 20′ further comprises two locker sleeves 23′, 24′ slidably connected to the first and second resilient arms 21, 22 respectively wherein each supporting end 101′ of the base support 10′ is adapted for fittedly inserting into the respective locker sleeve 23′, 24′ so as to lock up the support frame 20′ in an outward and upward extending manner with respect to the base support 10′, as shown in FIG. 6.

Therefore, the pendulous support can be folded up in half by pivotally folding the first and second resilient arms 21′, 22′ towards to each other. Then, the two support frames 20′ are pivotally folded towards to each other, so as to fold up the pendulous support of the present invention into a compact unit.

As shown in FIG. 7, a pendulous support of a second embodiment illustrates an alternative mode of the first embodiment of the present invention, wherein the pendulous support comprises a base support 10A having two opposed supporting ends 101A, two support frames 20A, each of which comprising a first and second arms 21A, 22A, extended from the two opposed supporting ends 101A of the base support 10A respectively. Each of the first and second arms 21A, 22A has a connecting end 211A, 221A extended from the respective supporting end 10A of the base support 10A wherein the two connecting ends 211A, 221A of the first and second arms 21A, 22A are spaced apart with each other.

Each of the first and second arms 21A, 22A further has a hanging end 212A, 222A upwardly and inclinedly extending that the two hanging ends 212A, 222A of the first and second arms 21A, 22A meet together to form an inverted V-shaped structure of each of the support frame 20A and defining an upper hanging portion 201A thereof.

The pendulous support further comprises a fabric made body support 30A suspendedly supported between two hanging portions 201A of the support frames 20A in such a manner that the body support 30A is capable of swinging in longitudinal directions.

According to the second embodiment, the base support 10A comprises two spaced apart retaining frames 12A, having a hollow shape, to define a support distance L therebetween and means 11A for retaining the two retaining frames 12A at the support distance L.

As shown in FIG. 7, the retaining means 11A comprises an elongated chain 111A having two ends securely mounted to the retaining frames 12A respectively such that the support distance L between the retaining frames 12A is defined as a length of the elongated chain 11A. It is worth to mention that the retaining means 11A can be a transverse member extended between the retaining frames 12A to retain the retaining frames 12A at the support distance.

Each of the retaining frames 12A has an arc-shape having a predetermined curvature adapted for a rocking action in a transverse direction. Therefore, when the two support frames 20 are extended from two supporting ends 10A of the base support 10A to support the body support 30A between the hanging ends 212A, 222A, the user is able to rock the pendulous support in a transverse direction via the retaining frames 12A and in a longitudinal direction via the body support 30A.

As shown in FIG. 7, each of the first and second arms 21A, 22A, has an arc-shape having a predetermined curvature corresponding to each of the retaining frames 12A, wherein the first and second arms 21A, 22A are slidably mounted to the retaining frames 12A respectively.

Accordingly, each of the first and second arms 21A is coaxially inserted into the respective retaining frames 12A in a slidably movable manner such that the pendulous support of the present invention is adapted to fold into a compact unit, as shown in FIG. 9. In other words, when the pendulous support is folded up, the first and second arms 21A, 21A of the two support frames 20A are respectively slid towards the retaining frames 12A of the base support 10A to minimize a distance between the two hanging ends 212A, 222A of the supporting frames 20A.

For further enhancing the folding size of the pendulous support, each of the first and second arms 21A, 22A further comprises an inner tubular member 213A, 223A defining the connecting end 211A, 221A to coaxially extend from the respective retaining frame 12A slidably and an outer tubular member 214A, 224A defining the hanging end 212A, 222A to coaxially extend from the inner tubular member 213A, 223A in a slidably movable manner such that each of the first and second arms 21A, 22A is adapted to fold up when the outer tubular member 214A, 224A is coaxially slid into the respective inner member 213A, 223A to minimize a distance between the connecting end 211A, 221A and the hanging end 212A, 222A.

The base support 10A further comprises an arm locker 13A provided at each supporting end 101A of the retaining frames 12A to lock up the respective first and second arm 21A, 22A in a slidably movable manner. As shown in FIG. 8, the arm locker 13A comprises a lock body 131A, having a through slot 1311A communicating with an interior of the respective retaining frame 12A, mounted at the supporting end 101A of the base support 10A and a locking arm 132A, having a biasing portion 132A, pivotally mounted to the locker body 131A, wherein the locking arm 132A is arranged to pivotally fold to the locker body 131A at a position that the biasing portion 132A of the locking arm 132A is biased against an exterior surface of the respective first and second arm 21A, 22A through the through slot 1311A so as to lock up the first and second arm 21A, 22A with the retaining frames 12A in a slidably movable manner.

It is worth to mention that the arm locker 13A is also used to lock up the inner tubular member 213A, 223A with the outer tubular member 214A, 224A in a slidably movable manner as shown in FIGS. 7 and 9.

The body support 30A comprises a lying bracket 31A having a size adapted for a user lying thereon and two hanging braces 32A outwardly extended from the lying bracket 31A respectively for firmly hanging the lying bracket 31A between the two hanging portions 201A of the support frames 20A in a suspended manner, such that the body support 30A is capable of swinging in a longitudinal direction. Accordingly, the body support 30A can be a conventional hammock that firmly hangs between the two support frames 20A.

One skilled in the art will understand that the embodiment of the present invention as shown in the drawings and described above is exemplary only and not intended to be limiting.

It will thus be seen that the objects of the present invention have been fully and effectively accomplished. It embodiments have been shown and described for the purposes of illustrating the functional and structural principles of the present invention and is subject to change without departure from such principles. Therefore, this invention includes all modifications encompassed within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. A pendulous support, comprising:

a base support having two opposed supporting ends;

two support frames outwardly extended from said supporting ends of said base support respective for allowing said support frames to swing in a longitudinal direction, wherein each of said support frame comprises first and second arms, wherein each of said first and second arms, having a predetermined curvature, has a connecting end extended from one of said supporting ends of said base support and a hanging end upwardly and inclinedly extending, wherein said hanging ends of said first and second arms of said respective support frame are connected to form an upper hanging portion of said respective support frame; and

a body support suspendedly supported between said two hanging portions of said support frames in such a manner that said body support is capable of swinging said longitudinal direction and a transverse direction.

2. The pendulous support, as recited in claim 1, wherein said first and second arms are resilient arms respectively adapted for applying a bouncing force with respect to said body support so as to allow said body support to swing in said longitudinal direction between said two support frames.

3. The pendulous support, as recited in claim 1, wherein said base support comprises four tubular holders provided on said two supporting ends of said base support respectively, wherein said connecting ends of said first and second arms are detachably inserted into said tubular holders respectively so as to detachably connect said support frames to said base support.

4. The pendulous support, as recited in claim 2, wherein said base support comprises four tubular holders provided on said two supporting ends of said base support respectively, wherein said connecting ends of said first and second arms are detachably inserted into said tubular holders respectively so as to detachably connect said support frames to said base support.

5. The pendulous support, as recited in claim 2, wherein said base support comprises two spaced apart floor stands transversely extending with respect to said support frames that said supporting ends are formed on two outer longitudinal sides of said floor stands respectively, and two retaining arms spacedly and detachably extended between said two floor stands to retain a distance between said floor stands to support said support frames.

6. The pendulous support, as recited in claim 4, wherein said base support comprises two spaced apart floor stands transversely extending with respect to said support frames that said supporting ends are formed on two outer longitudinal sides of said floor stands respectively, and two retaining arms spacedly and detachably extended between said two floor stands to retain a distance between said floor stands to support said support frames.

7. The pendulous support, as recited in claim 5, wherein said hanging ends of said first and second arms are pivotally connected with each other such that when said connecting ends of said first and second arms are detached from said base support, said first and second arms are pivotally folded to minimize a distance between said two connecting ends thereof so as to fold up said respective support frame.

8. The pendulous support, as recited in claim 6, wherein said hanging ends of said first and second arms are pivotally connected with each other such that when said connecting ends of said first and second arms are detached from said base support, said first and second arms are pivotally folded to minimize a distance between said two connecting ends thereof so as to fold up said respective support frame.

9. The pendulous support, as recited in claim 2, wherein said base support comprises two spaced apart floor stands longitudinally extending with respect to said support frames that said first and second arms are connected to said floor stands respectively in an end-to-end manner, and two retaining arms spacedly and pivotally extended between said two floor stands to retain a distance between said floor stands to support said support frames and to fold up said base support to minimize said distance between said floor stands.

10. The pendulous support, as recited in claim 4, wherein said base support comprises two spaced apart floor stands longitudinally extending with respect to said support frames that said first and second arms are connected to said floor stands respectively in an end-to-end manner, and two retaining arms spacedly and pivotally extended between said two floor stands to retain a distance between said floor stands to support said support frames and to fold up said base support to minimize said distance between said floor stands.

11. The pendulous support, as recited in claim 9, wherein said hanging ends of said first and second arms are pivotally connected with each other such that when said connecting ends of said first and second arms are detached from said base support, said first and second arms are pivotally folded to minimize a distance between said two connecting ends thereof so as to fold up said respective support frame.

12. The pendulous support, as recited in claim 10, wherein said hanging ends of said first and second arms are pivotally connected with each other such that when said connecting ends of said first and second arms are detached from said base support, said first and second arms are pivotally folded to minimize a distance between said two connecting ends thereof so as to fold up said respective support frame.

13. The pendulous support, as recited in claim 1, wherein said base support comprises two retaining frames coupling with said first and second arms in an end-to-end manner and means for retaining said retaining frames at a support distance, wherein each of said retaining frames has a predetermined curvature such that when said support frames are coupled with said retaining frames, said support frames are allowed to swing at said longitudinal direction.

14. The pendulous support, as recited in claim 13, wherein said retaining means comprises an elongated chain having two ends securely mounted to said retaining frames respectively such that said support distance between said retaining frames is defined as a length of said elongated chain.

15. The pendulous support, as recited in claim 13, wherein each of said first and second arms is coaxially inserted into said respective retaining frames in a slidably movable manner such that said first and said second arms are outwardly and coaxially slid out from said retaining frames to extend a distance between said two hanging portions of said support frames respectively while said first and said second arms are inwardly and coaxially slid into said retaining frames to minimize said distance between said two hanging portions of said support frames respectively for folding up said pendulous support.

16. The pendulous support, as recited in claim 14, wherein each of said first and second arms is coaxially inserted into said respective retaining frames in a slidably movable manner such that said first and said second arms are outwardly and coaxially slid out from said retaining frames to extend a distance between said two hanging portions of said support frames respectively while said first and said second arms are inwardly and coaxially slid into said retaining frames to minimize said distance between said two hanging portions of said support frames respectively for folding up said pendulous support.

17. The pendulous support, as recited in claim 14, wherein each of said first and second arms further comprises an inner tubular member defining said connecting end to coaxially extend from said respective retaining frame slidably and an outer tubular member defining said hanging end to coaxially extend from said inner tubular member in a slidably movable manner such that each of said first and second arms is adapted to fold up when said outer tubular member is coaxially slid into said respective inner member to minimize a distance between said connecting end and said hanging end.

18. The pendulous support, as recited in claim 16, wherein each of said first and second arms further comprises an inner tubular member defining said connecting end to coaxially extend from said respective retaining frame slidably and an outer tubular member defining said hanging end to coaxially extend from said inner tubular member in a slidably movable manner such that each of said first and second arms is adapted to fold up when said outer tubular member is coaxially slid into said respective inner member to minimize a distance between said connecting end and said hanging end.

19. The pendulous support, as recited in claim 17, wherein said base support further comprises an arm locker provided at each said supporting end of said retaining frames to lock up said respective first and second arm in a slidably movable manner.

20. The pendulous support, as recited in claim 18, wherein said base support further comprises an arm locker provided at each said supporting end of said retaining frames to lock up said respective first and second arm in a slidably movable manner.