HAMMOCK ROCKING DEVICE

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

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STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

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THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

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INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM

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STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of the Invention

The disclosure relates to rocking devices and more particularly pertains to a new rocking device for gently rocking a user in a hammock. The device includes a hammock that can be attached to a first vertical support and a rocking unit that includes a primary loop that can be attached to a second vertical support. The rocking unit includes a secondary loop that pivots back and forth when the rocking unit is turned on. The hammock is attachable to the secondary loop to enable the hammock to be rocked back and forth while a user is in a recumbent position in the hammock. The rocking unit includes a speed control to adjust a speed at which the secondary loop pivots on the rocking unit.

(2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98

The prior art relates to rocking devices including: a variety of hammock rocking devices that each at least includes a rocking device that includes a lanyard that is attachable to a lateral edge of a hammock for rocking the hammock back and forth; a rocking machine device that includes a rocking unit that is attachable to a vertical support which includes a motor and a torsional spring that is in communication with a hook that is rotated back and forth by the motor and a hammock that is attachable to the hook to enable the hammock to be rocked by the rocking unit; a variety of hammock rocking devices that each at least includes a framework upon which a hammock can be suspended and a rocking unit integrated into the framework for rocking the hammock. In no instance does the prior art disclose

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a hammock to accommodate a user in a recumbent position and the hammock is attachable to a first vertical support. A rocking unit has a primary loop coupled to the rocking unit and a secondary loop pivotally attached to the rocking unit. The secondary loop is alternatively pivoted between a first direction and a second direction when the rocking unit is turned on. The rocking unit can be suspended from a second vertical support. The hammock is attachable to the secondary loop and the secondary loop rocks the hammock back and forth when the rocking unit is turned on. In this way the rocking unit enables the user to enjoy the sensation of being gently rocked back and forth when the user is in a recumbent position in the hammock.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hammock rocking device according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a back perspective view of a rocking unit of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a front view of a rocking unit of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a bottom phantom view of a rocking unit of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4 of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a perspective in-use view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 6 thereof, a new rocking device embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 6, the hammock rocking device 10 generally comprises hammock 12 which is structured to define an elongated pocket to accommodate a user 14 in a recumbent position. The hammock 12 has a first coupling 16 which is disposed on a first end 18 of the hammock 12 and the first coupling 16 is releasably matable to itself to define a closed loop associated with the first coupling 16 that is disposed on the first end 18 of the hammock 12. Furthermore, the first coupling 16 is extendable around a first vertical support 20 prior to the first coupling 16 being releasably matable to itself such that the hammock 12 is suspended from the first vertical support 20. The first coupling 16 may be releasably matable to itself via a set of hook and loop fasteners, a snap ring or any other type of fastening element that is capable of remaining fastened while supporting the weight of an average human being. Furthermore, the first vertical support 20 may be a tree, a stanchion, a hammock frame or any other type of vertical support that is capable of supporting the weight of an average human being.

The hammock 12 has a second coupling 22 which is disposed on a second end 24 of the hammock 12 and the second coupling 22 is releasably matable to itself to define a closed loop associated with the second coupling 22 on the second end 24 of the hammock 12. The second coupling 22 may be releasably matable to itself via a set of hook and loop fasteners, a snap ring or any other type of fastening element that is capable of remaining fastened while supporting the weight of an average human being. An anchor strap 26 is provided which is releasably matable to itself such that the anchor strap 26 defines a closed loop associated with the anchor strap 26.

A rocking unit 28 is provided that has a primary loop 30 which is coupled to the rocking unit 28 and a secondary loop 32 which is pivotally attached to the rocking unit 28. The secondary loop 32 is alternatively pivoted between a first direction and a second direction when the rocking unit 28 is turned on. Additionally, the anchor strap 26 is extendable through the primary loop 30 thereby enabling the anchor strap 26 to be extended around a second vertical support 34 and be subsequently releasably mated to itself to suspend the rocking unit 28 from the second vertical support 34. The second vertical support 34 may be a tree, a stanchion, a hammock frame or any other type of vertical support that is capable of supporting the weight of an average human being.

The hammock 12 is attachable to the secondary loop 32 thereby enabling the hammock 12 to be extended between the first vertical support 20 and the second vertical support 34. In this way the hammock 12 can orient the user 14 in a generally horizontal orientation when the user 14 is in the recumbent position in the hammock 12. The secondary loop 32 rocks the hammock 12 back and forth when the rocking unit 28 is turned on. In this way the rocking unit 28 can enable the user 14 to enjoy the sensation of being gently rocked back and forth when the user 14 is in the recumbent position in the hammock 12.

The rocking unit 28 comprises a housing 36 which has a front wall 38, a back wall 40, a top wall 42, a bottom wall 44 and a sidelong wall 46 which extends between the front wall 38 and the back wall 40 such that the housing 36 has a rectangular shape. The front wall 38 has a hole 48 extending into an interior of the housing 36 and the hole 48 is centrally located on the front wall 38. The housing 36 has speed indicia 50 which are applied to the sidelong wall 46 of the housing 36 and the speed indicia 50 comprise numbers 52 including “1” 54 and “2” 56 and “3” 58 and “4” 60. The numbers 52 are spaced apart from each other and are arranged to define a circle. The housing 36 has a battery compartment 62 which is located in the interior of the housing 36 and the bottom wall 44 has a battery opening 64 extending into the battery compartment 62. Additionally, the housing 36 includes a battery cover 66 which is removably attachable to the bottom wall 44 such that the battery cover 66 closes the battery opening 64.

The primary loop 30 has a first end 70 and a second end 72 and a pair of bends 74 each being spaced from a respective one of the first end 70 and the second end 72 of the primary loop 30 to define a central portion 76 of the primary loop 30 which is perpendicular to and extends between a pair of end portions 78. Each of the pair of end portions 78 is associated with a respective one of the first end 70 and the second end 72 of the primary loop 30. Furthermore, each of the first end 70 and the second end 72 primary loop 30 is attached to the back wall 40 of the housing 36 having the central portion 76 being spaced from and being oriented parallel to the back wall 40. The anchor strap 26 is extendable between the central portion 76 and the back wall 40 of the housing 36 when the anchor strap 26 is extended around the second vertical support 34 and is subsequently releasably mated to itself for attaching the housing 36 to the second vertical support 34. The anchor strap 26 may be matable to itself via a set of hook and loop fasteners, a snap ring or any other type of fastening element that is capable of remaining fastened while supporting the weight of an average human being.

The secondary loop 32 comprises a pair of sidelong members 80 which each extends between and is perpendicular to a front member 82 and a back member 84 such that the front member 82 is oriented parallel to the back member 84 thereby enabling the secondary loop 32 to define the closed loop. The secondary loop 32 includes a shaft 86 which is coupled to and extends away from a rear surface 88 of the back member 84. The shaft 86 extends through the hole 48 in the front wall 38 of the housing 36 having the shaft 86 being rotatable in the hole 48. The second coupling 22 on the hammock 12 is extendable between the front member 82 and the back member 84 before the second coupling 22 is releasably mated to itself. In this way the second coupling 22 defines the closed loop which is attached to the secondary loop 32 when the second coupling 22 is subsequently releasably mated to itself. Thus, the hammock 12 is enabled to extend between the secondary loop 32 and the first vertical support 20.

The rocking unit 28 includes a motor 90 which is positioned within the housing 36 and a distal end 92 of the shaft 74 is coupled to an output 94 of the motor 78. The motor 90 alternatively rotates in a first direction and a second direction when the motor 90 is turned on thereby enabling the secondary loop 32 to be alternatively pivoted between the first direction and the second direction. Furthermore, the motor 90 may comprise a two direction multiple speed electric moto or the like. The rocking unit 28 includes a speed control 96 which is positioned within the housing 36. The speed control 96 is electrically coupled to the motor 90 and the speed control 96 actuates the motor 90 to rotate between a minimum speed and a maximum speed.

The rocking unit 28 includes a speed control knob 98 which is rotatably disposed on the sidelong wall 46 of the housing 36 and the speed control knob 98 is in operational communication with the speed control 96. The speed control knob 98 has marker indicia 100 which are applied to a distal surface 102 of the speed control knob 98 with respect to the sidelong wall 46 of the housing 36. The marker indicia 100 comprise an arrow 104 pointing toward an outside surface 106 of the speed control knob 98 and the arrow 104 is pointable toward respective ones of the numbers of the speed indicia 50 on the sidelong wall 46 of the housing 36. The motor 90 is actuated to rotate in a minimum speed when the arrow 104 is pointed toward the number “1” 54 and the motor 90 is actuated to rotate in a first medium speed when the arrow 104 is pointed toward the number “2” 56. The motor 90 is actuated to rotate in a second medium speed when the arrow 104 is pointed toward the number “3” 58 and the motor 90 is actuated to rotate in a maximum speed when the arrow 104 is pointed toward the number “4” 60.

The rocking unit 28 includes a power supply 108 that is integrated into the housing 36 and the power supply 108 is electrically coupled to the speed control 96. The power supply 108 comprises at least one battery 110 which is positioned in the battery compartment 62 in the housing 36. The power supply 108 includes a pair of electrical contacts 112 disposed in the battery compartment 62 and each of the pair of electrical contacts 112 is electrically coupled to the speed control 96. Additionally, the at least one battery 110 is in electrical communication with each of the pair of electrical contacts 112 when the at least one battery 110 is positioned in the battery compartment 62. The power supply 108 includes a power button 114 that is movably integrated into the sidelong wall 46 of the housing 36 and the power button 114 is electrically coupled to the speed control 96. The power button 114 actuates the speed control 96 when the power button 114 is depressed an initial time and the power button 114 de-actuates the speed control 96 when the power button 114 is depressed a subsequent time.

In use, the first coupling 16 is extended around the first vertical support 20 and the first coupling 16 is mated to itself to secure the hammock 12 to the first vertical support 20. The anchor strap 26 is extended around the second vertical support 34, the anchor strap 26 is extended through the extended through the primary loop 30 and the anchor strap 26 is mated to itself to secure the rocking unit 28 to the second vertical support 34. The second coupling 22 is extended through the secondary loop 32 and the second coupling 22 is mated to itself to secure the hammock 12 to the rocking unit 28. The power button 114 is depressed to actuate the motor 90 and the speed control knob 98 is manipulated to establish the speed of the motor 90. In this way the rocking unit 28 rocks the hammock 12 back and forth to enable the user 14 to enjoy the sensation of being rocked back and forth while the user 14 is in the recumbent position in the hammock 12.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.