Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
TITLE
NON-SLIP REVERSIBLE FURNITURE PROTECTOR
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional
Application No. 62/624,232, filed
January 31, 2018. The contents of the provisional application are hereby
incorporated into this
application by reference.
BACKGROUND
[0002] The present disclosure relates generally to furniture protectors
and, more particularly, to
a furniture protector having an improved anchoring system compatible with a
reversible furniture
protector for an upholstered sofa, love seat, chair, or similar piece of
furniture.
[0003] Furniture protectors for pieces of upholstered furniture such as
love seats, sofas,
upholstered chairs, and the like (any one of which is referenced herein as a
"furniture piece") are
commonly available.
[0004] Certain embodiments of the present furniture protector are
better suited to use as a
reversible protector than are the furniture protectors of the prior art. In
certain embodiments of the
present furniture protector, the furniture protector is secured using seat-
securing elastic bands, and in
certain embodiments, back-securing elastic bands, with each elastic band
having a fixed end
preferably attached to an edge portion of the furniture protector, and a free
end portion secured by a
button to one of several attachment points provided by button holes. As a
result, the elastic bands
present in certain preferred embodiments of the present furniture protector
are visible to the user to
essentially the same degree regardless of which face of the furniture
protector is oriented outwardly.
This configuration is advantageous for a reversible furniture protector.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0005] Briefly stated, one aspect of the present disclosure is directed
to a furniture protector for
mounting upon a furniture piece having a seat with a seat cushion, and a back
with a forward back
surface and a rearward back surface. The furniture protector comprises a seat
panel having a top
end portion, a bottom end portion, a left portion, and a right portion. The
seat panel is dimensioned
to cover at least a substantial portion of the seat cushion of the furniture
piece. A back panel has a
lower-back-panel portion attached to the top end portion of the seat panel.
The back panel is
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diinensioned to extend upwardly over the forward back surface of the furniture
piece and cover a
portion of the rearward back surface of the furniture piece, with a rearward
portion of the back panel
covering the rearward back surface of the furniture piece. A perimeter
encircles the furniture
protector, and an edge portion extends parallel to and inwardly of at least a
portion of the perimeter.
A first seat-securing elastic band includes a first seat-securing-elastic-band
anchor end attached to
the lower-back-panel portion at a first seat-securing anchor site within the
edge portion and within
the lower-back-panel portion. A first seat-securing-elastic-band free end
portion has a first lower
button attached thereto. A first seat-securing button hole is disposed within
the edge portion and on
an opposite side of the furniture protector, taken with respect to a central
axis of the furniture
protector, from the first seat-securing anchor site and downwardly from the
first seat-securing
anchor site. The first seat-securing button hole is configured to engage the
first lower button to
secure the first seat-securing-elastic-band free end portion of the first seat-
securing elastic band to
the seat panel. The first seat-securing elastic band is adapted to extend from
the first seat-securing
anchor site, beneath the seat cushion, to the first seat-securing button hole,
thereby securing the
furniture protector to the seat cushion of the furniture piece.
[0006] Briefly stated, another aspect of the present disclosure is
directed to a furniture protector
for mounting upon a furniture piece having a seat with a seat cushion, a right
arm, a left arm, and a
back with a forward back surface and a rearward back surface. The furniture
protector comprises a
seat panel having a top end portion, a bottom end portion, a left portion, and
a right portion. The
seat panel is dimensioned to cover at least a substantial portion of the seat
cushion of the furniture
piece. A back panel has a lower-back-panel portion attached to the top end
portion of the seat panel.
The back panel is dimensioned to extend upwardly over the forward back surface
of the furniture
piece and cover a portion of the rearward back surface of the furniture piece,
with a rearward portion
of the back panel covering the rearward back surface of the furniture piece. A
first arm panel is
attached to the left portion of the seat panel, and a second arm panel is
attached to the right portion
of the seat panel. A perimeter encircles the furniture protector, and an edge
portion extends parallel
to and inwardly of at least a portion of the perimeter. A first seat-securing
elastic band includes a
first seat-securing-elastic-band anchor end attached to the lower-back-panel
portion at a first seat-
securing anchor site within the edge portion and within the lower-back-panel
portion. A first seat-
securing-elastic-band free end portion has a first lower button attached
thereto. A first seat-securing
button hole is disposed within the edge portion and on an opposite side of the
furniture protector,
taken with respect to a central axis of the furniture protector, from the
first seat-securing anchor site
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and downwardly from the first seat-securing anchor site. The first seat-
securing button hole is
configured to engage the first lower button to secure the first seat-securing-
elastic-band free end
portion of the first seat-securing elastic band to the seat panel. The first
seat-securing elastic band is
adapted to extend from the first seat-securing anchor site, beneath the seat
cushion, to the first seat-
securing button hole, thereby securing the furniture protector to the seat
cushion of the furniture
piece.
[0007] Briefly stated, one aspect of the present disclosure is directed
to a furniture protector for
mounting upon a furniture piece having a seat. The furniture protector
comprises a seat panel
having a top end portion, a bottom end portion, a left portion, and a right
portion. The seat panel is
dimensioned to cover at least a substantial portion of the seat. A perimeter
encircles the furniture
protector, and an edge portion extends parallel to and inwardly of at least a
portion of the perimeter.
A first seat-securing elastic band includes a first seat-securing-elastic-band
anchor end attached to a
first seat-securing anchor site within the edge portion extending parallel to
the top end portion. A
first seat-securing-elastic-band free end portion has a first lower button
attached thereto. A first
seat-securing button hole is disposed within the edge portion and on an
opposite side of the furniture
protector, taken with respect to a central axis of the furniture protector
from the first seat-securing
anchor site and downwardly from the first seat-securing anchor site. The first
seat-securing button
hole is configured to engage the first lower button to secure the first seat-
securing-elastic-band free
end portion of the first seat-securing elastic band to the seat panel. The
first seat-securing elastic
band is adapted to extend from the first seat-securing anchor site, beneath
the seat, to the first seat-
securing button hole, thereby securing the furniture protector to the seat.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed
description of the furniture
protector, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the
appended drawings. For the
purpose of illustrating the invention, there are shown in the drawings
embodiments which are
presently preferred. It should be understood, however, that the invention is
not limited to the precise
arrangements and instrumentalities shown. In the drawings:
[0009] Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a furniture protector
according to a preferred
embodiment of the present furniture protector, laid out on a flat surface;
[0010] Fig. 2 is a rear elevational view of the furniture protector of Fig.
1;
[0011] Fig. 3 is a magnified partial front elevational view of the
furniture protector of Fig. 1;
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= [0012] Fig. 4 is a front perspective view of the furniture
protector of Fig. 1, shown in a mounted
configuration on a love seat;
[0013] Fig. 4A is a partial left side elevational view of the furniture
protector and love seat of
Fig. 4; and
[0014] Fig. 5 is an alternative-position partial view of Fig. 3, with the
cushions of the love seat
lifted to show the attachment of the furniture protector thereto.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0015] Certain terminology is used in the following description for
convenience only and is not
limiting. The words "right," "left," "lower," and "upper" designate directions
in the drawings to
which reference is made. The words "inner" and "outer" refer to directions
toward and away from,
respectively, the geometric center of the device and designated parts thereof.
Unless specifically set
forth herein, the terms "a," "an," and "the" are not limited to one element
but instead should be read
as meaning "at least one." The terminology includes the words noted above,
derivatives thereof and
words of similar import.
[0016] Referring to Figs. 1-5, an example of a furniture protector 10 is
illustrated. The furniture
protector 10 has a first face 12, an opposite second face 14, a perimeter 16,
and a central axis 18
extending along a central portion extending roughly down the horizontal center
of the furniture
protector 10. In Figs. 4, 4A, and 5, the furniture protector 10 is shown
mounted on a furniture piece
100 having a seat 101, two seat cushions 102, arms 106, 108, and a back 110
with a forward back
surface 112 and a rearward back surface 114. The furniture protector 10 may be
dimensioned to fit
a variety of furniture pieces such as chairs, love seats, sofas, and the like,
which may have one or
more seat cushions. The furniture protector 10 may include a seat panel 20.
The seat panel 20 may
have a top end portion 20a, a left portion 20b, a right portion 20c, and a
bottom end portion 20d and
may be dimensioned to cover at least a substantial portion of the seat 101 or
the seat cushion(s) 102.
A back panel 30 may be attached to the top end portion 20a and may have a
lower-back-panel
portion 30a, which may be attached to the top end portion 20a of the seat
panel 20. The back panel
may also have a rearward portion 30b covering at least a portion of the
rearward back surface
114 of the furniture piece 100, as further discussed below.
[0017] The furniture protector 10 may include first and second arm
panels 40, 50 attached to the
30 left portion 20b and the right portion 20c of the seat panel 20,
respectively. The seat panel 20, back
panel 30, and first and second arm panels 40, 50 may be cut from a single
portion of material or may
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" be. formed by fastening together a plurality of smaller portions of
material at the boundaries (for
example, at seams 26, as shown).
[0018] An edge portion 22 may extend parallel to and inwardly of at
least a portion of the
perimeter 16 of the furniture protector 10; as shown, the edge portion 22 (the
boundaries of which
are demarcated by dashed lines in Figs. 1-3) may extend parallel to and
inwardly from the entire
perimeter 16 or may encircle a continuous portion of the perimeter 16 or a
plurality of
discontinuous portions thereof The edge portion 22 may comprise layers of a
relatively thin fabric
surrounding the thicker fabric of the remainder of the furniture protector 10.
Spaced apart button
holes 24, 25, 36, 37, which will be discussed further below, may be located
within the edge portion
22, or may be located medially from and near the edge portion 22, and may be
located within about
2 inches thereof
[0019] The seat panel 20, back panel 30, first arm panel 40, and second
arm panel 50 may be
made of sturdy fabric or other upholstery material as known in the art, which
may include a quilted
fabric or a plurality of layers of fabric providing the surface
characteristics, padding characteristics,
weight, and other properties desired.
[0020] As best seen in Figs. 1, 2, and 5, the furniture protector 10 may
include at least one, and
may include first and second back-securing elastic bands 32, 32'. The first
and second back-
securing elastic bands 32, 32' each may have a back-securing-elastic-band
anchor end 32a,
32a'attached to the back panel 30 at an back-securing anchor site 30c, 30c'
lying within the edge
portion 22 and within the lower-back-panel portion 30a, and an opposite, back-
securing-elastic-band
free end portion 32b, 32b' with first and second upper buttons 34, 34'
attached respectively thereto.
The back-securing anchor sites 30c, 30c' may or may not differ from the
surrounding fabric and
simply refer to the point of attachment of the back-securing-elastic-band
anchor ends 32a, 32a'.
Each back-securing elastic band 32, 32' may have a cross-sectional shape that
is flat, but the cross
section also may be round or of any other suitable shape. Each back-securing
elastic band 32, 32'
may be about 12 inches in length, with each back-securing-elastic-band anchor
end 32a, 32a' being
attached to the lower-back-panel portion 30a at the back-securing anchor sites
30c, 30c', which may
be located between about 6 inches and about 2 inches above the boundary (shown
as seam 26)
between the seat panel 20 and the lower-back-panel portion 30a, with a
location about 2 inches
above the seam 26 being advantageous as a low-visibility location. Where there
is no seam 26
between the seat panel 20 and the back panel 30, the boundary may lie where
the portion of the back
panel 30 extending from the top end portion 20a of the seat panel 20 meets the
top end portion 20a.
The back-securing elastic bands 32, 32' may be formed from or covered with a
fabric matching the
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= fabric or other material from which the seat panel 20, back panel 30,
first arm panel 40, and second
arm panel 50 are formed. The length of each back-securing elastic band 32, 32'
is preferably
selected for compatibility with the dimensions of the furniture piece 100;
other factors affecting the
selected length may include the elasticity of the back-securing elastic band
32, 32' and the desired
tension in the back-securing elastic band 32, 32' when the furniture protector
is in place on the
furniture piece 100 (with each of the first and second upper buttons 34, 34'
of the back-securing
elastic band 32, 32' engaged with one of the corresponding button holes 24,
25). Also located on
the back panel 30, preferably on each side of the central axis 18, and in some
embodiments at a
plurality of locations (three on each side are shown) within the rearward
portion 30b, preferably
beginning about 23 inches above the first end portion 32a attached to the back
panel 30, measured
with the furniture protector 10 laid flat as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, may be at
least one, and in some
embodiments a plurality of back-securing button holes 24 and alternative back-
securing button holes
25 compatible with the first or second upper buttons 34, 34'of the back-
securing elastic bands 32,
32' on the same side of the central axis 18 of furniture protector 10. The
back-securing button holes
24 and alternative back-securing button holes 25 allow the furniture protector
10 to accommodate
differing dimensions of the back 110 of the furniture piece 100. The back-
securing button holes 24
and the alternative back-securing button holes 25 may be located within the
edge portion 22 of the
rearward portion 30b of the back panel 30 but may also be located medially
from and near to the
edge portion 22¨for example, within about 1 inch of the edge portion 22. The
furniture protector
10 shown in Figs. 1-5 is an embodiment including pairs of back-securing button
holes 24 and
alternative back-securing button holes 25, with one back-securing button hole
24 of each pair
located within the edge portion 22 and one alternative back-securing button
hole 25 of each pair
located medially from and near to the edge portion 22. In practice, it is
preferred for the button
holes 24, 25 of the furniture protector 10 to be located either within the
edge portion 22 or medially
from the edge portion 22. Typically the furniture protector 10 will not have
button holes 24, 25 both
within the edge portion 22 and medially of the edge portion 22. In certain
embodiments, the arm
panels 40 and 50 may be omitted. In certain embodiments, the first and second
back-securing
elastic bands 32, 32' and the button holes 24, 25 may be omitted. In certain
embodiments, the back
panel 30, the first and second back-securing elastic bands 32, 32', and the
button holes 24, 25 may
be omitted.
[0021] The furniture protector 10 also may have either one or first and
second seat-securing
elastic bands 28, 28'. Each seat-securing elastic band 28, 28' may have a seat-
securing-elastic-band
anchor end 28a, 28a' attached at a seat-securing anchor site 30d, 30d' to the
edge portion 22 of the
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= back panel 30. The seat-securing anchor sites 30d, 30d' may or may not
differ from the surrounding
fabric and simply refer to the point of attachment of the back-securing-
elastic-band anchor ends 32a,
32a'. The seat-securing anchor sites 30d, 30d', may be located within about 1
to 2 inches of the
lower-back-panel portion 30a (which lies just above the seam 26 or other
boundary as described
above) near the intersection of the seat panel 20 and the back panel 30. Each
first and second seat-
securing elastic band 28, 28' may also have a respective first or second seat-
securing-elastic-band
free end portion 28b, 28b' with a respective first or second lower button 35,
35' attached thereto.
Each seat-securing elastic band 28, 28' may have a cross-sectional shape that
is preferably flat but
also may be round or of any other suitable shape. In one embodiment, the
furniture protector 10 for
the furniture piece 100, which in the embodiment shown is a love seat having
the seat 101 and seat
cushions 102, may have seat-securing elastic bands 28, 28'. The length of each
seat-securing elastic
band 28, 28' may be selected for compatibility with the dimensions of the
furniture piece 100 and
the seat cushions 102 thereof, and may be selected based on the elasticity of
the seat-securing elastic
bands 28, 28'and the desired tension in the seat-securing elastic bands 28,
28' when the furniture
protector is in place on the furniture piece 100, with the first and second
lower buttons 35, 35' of the
seat-securing elastic bands 28, 28' engaged with a corresponding seat-securing
button hole 36 or an
alternative seat-securing button hole 37 as further described below.
[0022] Located on the seat panel 20, on each side thereof, below each
seat-securing anchor site
30d, 30d', and in the embodiment shown, below each of the first arm panel 40
and the second arm
panel 50, and preferably within, or medially from and near to, the edge
portion 22, is a seat-securing
button hole 36 compatible with the first and second lower buttons 35, 35' of
the seat-securing elastic
bands 28, 28'. The seat-securing button holes 36 for engaging the seat-
securing elastic band 28, 28'
may be located within the edge portion 22 of the back panel 30 or may be
located medially of and
near to the edge portion 22. As noted above, the furniture protector 10 shown
in Figs. 1-5 is an
embodiment including seat-securing button holes 36 located within the edge
portion 22 and
alternative seat-securing button holes 37 located medially from and near to
the edge portion 22. In
practice, it is preferred for the seat-securing button holes 36 and
alternative seat-securing button
holes 37 of the furniture protector 10 to be located either within the edge
portion 22 or medially
from and near to the edge portion 22. Typically the furniture protector 10
will not have seat-
securing button holes 36 and alternative seat-securing button holes 37 both
within the edge portion
22 and medially of the edge portion 22. In embodiments lacking a back panel
30, the perimeter runs
along the top end portion 20a of the seat panel 20, and an edge portion is
found at the same location,
with the seat-securing anchor sites 30d, 30d' located therein; in such
embodiments, the seat-securing
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. button holes 36 or alternative seat-securing button holes 37 may be
located in the edge portion 22
within the bottom end portion 20d of the seat panel 20, about 4 inches
medially from the left portion
20a and the right portion 20b of the seat panel 20.
[0023] In use, referring to Figs. 4 and 5, the furniture protector 10 is
placed upon and attached to
the furniture piece 100. The seat panel 20 is placed upon the seat cushions
102. Each seat-securing
elastic band 28, 28' is stretched beneath the seat cushions 102 and attached
to one of the seat-
securing button holes 36 or one of the alternative seat-securing button holes
37 located downwardly
from the first arm panel 40 or the second arm panel 50, on the opposite side
of the central axis 18 of
the furniture protector 10 from the seat-securing anchor site 30d, 30d'.
Referring to Fig. 5, where,
as is typical, two seat-securing elastic bands 28, 28' are present, the seat-
securing elastic bands 28
lie crosswise with respect to each other beneath the seat cushions 102. The
first arm panel 40 and
the second panel 50 are draped over the arms 106, 108 of the furniture piece
100. The back panel 30
is draped over the back 110 of the furniture piece 100, and the first or
second upper button 34, 34' of
each back-securing elastic band 32, 32' is engaged with a selected one of the
first back-securing
button holes 24 or alternative back-securing button holes 25 on the same side
(left or right of the
central axis 18) of the back panel 30. In some embodiments, the relative
vertical positions of the
back-securing anchor sites 30c, 30c' and the seat-securing anchor sites 30d,
30d' may be reversed
from the relative positions shown in the drawings.
[0024] An advantage of the furniture protector may arise from the
placement of the seat-
.. securing elastic bands 28, 28' and the back-securing elastic bands 32, 32'
and the anchoring of the
elastic bands 28, 28', 32, 32' to the edge portion 22 of the furniture
protector 10. The advantage
may be that the seat-securing elastic bands 28, 28' may be only minimally
visible to the user, and
the seat-securing elastic bands 28, 28' and the back-securing elastic bands
32, 32' may be visible to
the user to essentially the same degree regardless of whether the first face
12 or the second face 14 is
oriented outwardly from the furniture piece 100. As a result, the furniture
protector 10 is well suited
to being used reversibly, so that either the first face 12 or the second face
14 may be oriented
outwardly from the furniture piece 100.
[0025] It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes
could be made to the
embodiments described above without departing from the broad inventive concept
thereof It is
understood, therefore, that this invention is not limited to the particular
embodiments disclosed, but
it is intended to cover modifications within the spirit and scope of the
present invention as defined
by the appended claims.
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