Inflatable Shaded Beach Pillow
An inflatable shaded pillow for beach or other outdoor use is disclosed. An inflatable bladder is provided in any of a variety of beach or outdoor themed shapes and colors. The bladder in its inflated shape generally has a pillow base, a rear support member, and a shade providing member with the rear support member fixedly attached to the pillow base and supporting the shade member up above the head of the user. Optionally, one or more cylindrical cavities for supporting a beverage container may incorporated into the shape of the base.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/682187 filed Aug. 10, 2012, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENTNot Applicable
PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENTNot Applicable
REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISK APPENDIXNot Applicable
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe invention relates generally to beach and outdoor accessories and in particular to inflatable pillows for relaxing on the beach or outdoors. Many people enjoy relaxing outdoors or sunbathing while keeping their face and eyes shielded from the sun. Conventional sunglasses and hats offer only partial protection of the eyes and face, and large beach umbrellas are awkward to carry and set up making them less than optimal solutions. A small and lightweight apparatus that can cast shade over the user's face would therefore be desirable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAccordingly, the invention is directed to an inflatable shaded pillow for beach or other outdoor use. An inflatable bladder is provided in any of a variety of beach or outdoor themed shapes and colors. The bladder in its inflated shape generally has a pillow base, a rear support member, and a shade providing member with the rear support member fixedly attached to the pillow base and supporting the shade member above the head of the user. Optionally, one or more cylindrical cavities for supporting a beverage container may be incorporated into the shape of the base.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention.
The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated into and constitute a part of the specification. They illustrate the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
Referring now to the invention in more detail, the invention is directed to an inflatable pillow for beach or outdoor use. Each pillow comprises a bladder composed of a flexible and airtight material; many such plastics are known in the prior art. Many means of inflation and deflation are likewise known in the prior art, and any may be used. For example, a flexible plastic or rubber check valve of the kind commonly used in inflatable toys and objects may be provided. Such valves may be inflated or deflated manually, or with a manual or automatic air pump, which may be provided with the pillow to form a kit.
In general, each embodiment comprises, in its inflated shape, a base on which the user lays his or her head, a rear support member attached to the rear top thereof, and a shade-providing member attached to and supported by the rear support member, which is raised over the user's head to provide shade. The several members are preferably monolithically affixed to one another with internal fluid communication among them so as to form a single fluid container, though alternative embodiments may provide multiple separate fluid containers that are separately inflated or separated by internal baffles to allow for differing fluid pressures between the several members or regions thereof.
In each embodiment, the base, rear support, and shade member are shaped according to a conceptual theme. The theme may be related to the beach or other outdoor area where the invention may be used, or to the ocean or marine life. For example, conceptual beach related themes of a palm tree, breaking ocean wave, shell, and surfboard are contemplated and described herein.
Optionally, the base member or any embodiment may feature a cavity formed in its top surface; the cavity is preferably cylindrical and of sufficient diameter and depth to support a beverage container. A retained beverage may be kept at a reduced temperature in part by the shade provided.
While the foregoing written description of the invention enables one of ordinary skill to make and use what is presently considered to be the best mode thereof, those of ordinary skill in the art will understand and appreciate the existence of variations, combinations, and equivalents of the specific embodiment, method, and examples herein. The invention should, therefore, not be limited by the above described embodiment, method, and examples, but by all embodiments and methods within the scope and spirit of the invention.
Claims
1. A shaded beach pillow comprising:
- (a) a base;
- (b) a rear support;
- (c) a shade member;
- (d) said base, said rear support, and said shade member each being inflatable and made of a flexible airtight material;
- (e) said rear support being affixed to said base such that said rear support is vertically oriented relative to said base;
- (f) said shade member being affixed to said rear support such that said shade member is supported above said base by said rear support; and
- (g) said base, said rear support, and said shade member being shaped and decorated according to a conceptual theme.
2. The shaded beach pillow of claim 1 wherein said base, said rear support, and said shade member are in internal fluid communication with one another.
3. The shaded beach pillow of claim 1 wherein said base is shaped monolithically to feature a cavity whereby a beverage container may be supported upright in said cavity.
4. The shaded beach pillow of claim 2 wherein said base is shaped monolithically to feature a cavity whereby a beverage container may be supported upright in said cavity.
5. The shaded beach pillow of claim 1 wherein said conceptual theme is related to one of the group of concepts of the beach, the ocean, the outdoors, or marine life.
6. The shaded beach pillow of claim 2 wherein said conceptual theme is related to one of the group of concepts of the beach, the ocean, the outdoors, or marine life.
7. The shaded beach pillow of claim 3 wherein said conceptual theme is related to one of the group of concepts of the beach, the ocean, the outdoors, or marine life.
8. The shaded beach pillow of claim 6 wherein said conceptual theme is that of a tree, and wherein said base is shaped and decorated to resemble ground, said rear support is shaped and decorated to resemble the trunk of a tree, and said shade member is shaped and decorated to resemble a tree canopy.
9. The shaded beach pillow of claim 8 wherein the tree of said conceptual theme is a palm tree.
10. The shaded beach pillow of claim 7 wherein said conceptual theme is that of a tree, and wherein said base is shaped and decorated to resemble ground, said rear support is shaped and decorated to resemble the trunk of a tree, and said shade member is shaped and decorated to resemble a tree canopy.
11. The shaded beach pillow of claim 10 wherein the tree of said conceptual theme is a palm tree.
12. The shaded beach pillow of claim 6 wherein said conceptual theme is that of a breaking ocean wave, and wherein said base is shaped and decorated to resemble the bottom of a breaking wave, said rear support is shaped and decorated to resemble the rear of a breaking wave, and said shade member is shaped and decorated to resemble the breaking top region of a breaking wave.
13. The shaded beach pillow of claim 7 wherein said conceptual theme is that of a breaking ocean wave, and wherein said base is shaped and decorated to resemble the bottom of a breaking wave, said rear support is shaped and decorated to resemble the rear of a breaking wave, and said shade member is shaped and decorated to resemble the breaking top region of a breaking wave.
14. The shaded beach pillow of claim 6 wherein said conceptual theme is that of a shell, and wherein said base is shaped and decorated to resemble the lower half of a shell, said rear support is shaped and decorated to resemble the hinge of a shell, and said shade member is shaped and decorated to resemble the upper half of a shell.
15. The shaded beach pillow of claim 7 wherein said conceptual theme is that of a shell, and wherein said base is shaped and decorated to resemble the lower half of a shell, said rear support is shaped and decorated to resemble the hinge of a shell, and said shade member is shaped and decorated to resemble the upper half of a shell.
16. The shaded beach pillow of claim 6 wherein said conceptual theme is that of a surfboard, and wherein said base is shaped and decorated as a support to a leaning surfboard, said rear support is reduced to a point at which a surfboard appears to lean upon said base, and said shade member is shaped and decorated to resemble a surfboard.
17. The shaded beach pillow of claim 7 wherein said conceptual theme is that of a surfboard, and wherein said base is shaped and decorated as a support to a leaning surfboard, said rear support is reduced to a point at which a surfboard appears to lean upon said base, and said shade member is shaped and decorated to resemble a surfboard.
18. The shaded beach pillow of claim 6 wherein said conceptual theme is that of a surfboard, and wherein said base is shaped and decorated sandy ground, and said shade member and said rear support are shaped and decorated to together resemble a surfboard that is bent over into a partial arch shape.
19. The shaded beach pillow of claim 7 wherein said conceptual theme is that of a surfboard, and wherein said base is shaped and decorated sandy ground, and said shade member and said rear support are shaped and decorated to together resemble a surfboard that is bent over into a partial arch shape.
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 6, 2013
Publication Date: Feb 13, 2014
Inventor: Howard Lam (San Francisco, CA)
Application Number: 13/959,827
International Classification: A47G 9/10 (20060101);