Inflatable User Support Device

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) is claimed to U.S. provisional application entitled “INFLATABLE USER SUPPORT DEVICE,” filed on Oct. 9, 2023 and assigned application Ser. No. 63/543,156, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to an inflatable user support device and, more particularly, to a novel device for comfortably supporting a user while working under/in a cabinet, such as while plumbing. The need for user comfort is prevalent in the plumbing trade, among others, especially when the user is lying on his back while working inside a cabinet or other tight space. Moreover, because tradesmen usually have need to bring their own tools and equipment with them to a work site, and often work out of a truck or van or trailer with limited storage space, tools and devices that can be transformed between an employed, ready-to-use state and a compact storage state are desirable.

Current user support devices known in the art are clunky, heavy, cumbersome, and incapable of being transformed between an employed state and a compact storage state. Therefore, there is a need in the art for user support devices that overcome the deficiencies in the prior art. There is a need in the art for an inflatable user support device.

SUMMARY

An inflatable user support device according to the solution is configured to be transformed between a deployed state and a storage state by inflation/deflation. Advantageously, when deflated, the device may be compactly stored. When inflated to its deployed state, embodiments of the solution are configured to provide a comfortable and flat surface upon which a user working inside a cabinet (which has a bottom surface that is higher than the floor outside the cabinet) may lay while working.

An exemplary embodiment comprises an air-inflatable body comprised of a main body portion and a head portion. The main body portion has a length, width and height, as does the head portion. The length, width and height of the main body portion may be, in a preferred embodiment, about twenty eight inches (28″), twenty one inches (21″), and eight and three-quarters inches (8¾″), respectively, when the device is in an inflated, deployed state. By contrast, the length, width and height of the head portion may be, in a preferred embodiment, about nineteen inches (19″), eleven inches (11″), and two and a half inches (2½″), respectively, when the device is in an inflated, deployed state. In this way, the height of the main body portion exceeds the height of the head portion such that when the inflatable user support device is deployed, the main body portion is configured to reside on a floor surface as the head portion resides inside a cabinet having a bottom surface that is above the floor surface.

The head portion of the exemplary embodiment further comprises a headrest feature and one or more receptacles configured to receive a flashlight such that a light beam generated by the flashlight is directed above a user lying on the device. Similarly, the main body portion further comprises one or more receptacles configured to receive and hold tools, cups, etc. The exemplary device further comprises an air fan or pump configured to inflate and deflate the device. The exemplary device is constructed from polyvinyl chloride.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a top, plan view of an exemplary embodiment of the solution for an inflatable user support device, ideally configured for undercabinet access;

FIG. 2 illustrates a side, elevational view of the exemplary embodiment of the solution depicted in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3 through 8 illustrate another exemplary embodiment of the solution in the process of being inflated from a deflated, storage state to an inflated, deployed state ready for use;

FIG. 9 illustrates the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 3-8 in its deployed state and placed under a sink cabinet for use by a user; and

FIGS. 10-17 illustrate the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 3-9 in the process of being deflated from an inflated, deployed state to a deflated, storage state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various embodiments, aspects and features of the present invention encompass an inflatable user support device and system, preferred embodiments being configured for undercabinet access such as while plumbing. Although the exemplary embodiments of the solution described herein are described within the context of undercabinet plumbing, such as when plumbing a sink, applications for the solution are not limited to plumbing applications, nor are they specifically limited to undercabinet plumbing. It is envisioned that certain embodiments of the solution may be configured for tasks other than plumbing per se, such as, for example, use in a crawl space, under an automobile, or in any generally tight space wherein to complete a task the user may have need to lie on his back. Accordingly, the scope of the solution described herein will not be limited in any way to the specific application of plumbing a sink.

As would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art of plumbing, plumbing a sink requires the user to lie on his back, with his head and upper torso positioned within the space of a cabinet while his lower body/legs are positioned on the floor outside the cabinet. Because a typical cabinet has a bottom surface that is higher than the floor, positioning within the cabinet as described above necessitates that the user's lower back is arched abruptly over the front edge of the cabinet bottom. This is very uncomfortable. Advantageously, however, embodiments of the solution accommodate this change in elevation from the floor to the cabinet bottom, thereby giving the user a soft, comfortable, and generally flat surface upon which to lie while working inside the cabinet.

Features and aspects of an exemplary embodiment 100 of the solution for an inflatable user support device are outlined in the attached figures. The following description of the figures is supplementary to that which appears on the figures and, it is contended, that one of ordinary skill in the art reviewing the figures would be able to incorporate and practice any additional feature or aspect described below without a detailed drawing thereof. Turning now to the figures, FIGS. 1 and 2 will be described simultaneously.

FIG. 1 illustrates a top, plan view of an exemplary embodiment 100 of the solution for an inflatable user support device, ideally configured for undercabinet access. And, FIG. 2 illustrates a side, elevational view of the exemplary embodiment 100 of the solution depicted in FIG. 1. It is envisioned that inflatable user support device 100 may be comprised of polyvinyl chloride or any other plastic suitable for construction of an inflatable device. It is further envisioned that the body of the device 100 may comprise a plurality of interior chambers to impart structural rigidity when in an inflated state (i.e., a deployed state), as would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art of inflatable devices. Moreover, embodiments of the solution may be comprised of a single valve or multiple valves for inflating the device 100 to a deployed state and, further, may comprise a single port or multiple ports for quickly deflating (i.e., to transform the device to a storage state).

As can be understood from the illustrations of FIGS. 1 and 2, the exemplary embodiment 100, when inflated, comprises an “inside-cabinet” portion 105, and an “outside-cabinet” portion 110. Additional to the outside-cabinet portion 110, a tool storage portion 120 is configured for easy storage and access to tools while a user is working in an undercabinet application. Notably, and as can be best understood from the FIG. 1 illustration, the inside-cabinet portion 105 may be relatively narrower than the outside-cabinet portion 110 (11″ versus 21″ in the exemplary embodiment 100) such that it is sized to fit easily within the interior space of a typical, standard cabinet (such as the sink base cabinet illustrated in the Figures). Additionally, and as can be best understood from the FIG. 2 illustration, the relative thickness of the inside-cabinet portion 105 may be thinner than the thickness of the outside-cabinet portion 110 (2½″ versus 8¾″ in the exemplary embodiment 100) such that when the inside-cabinet portion 105 is positioned within a cabinet, and the outside-cabinet portion 110 is positioned on the floor outside the cabinet, a relatively flat surface is provided to the user by a combination of portions 105 and 110.

It is envisioned that the inside-cabinet portion 105 may further comprise a headrest for supporting the user's head. The headrest may also be inflatable, either as an integrated part of the portion 105 or by virtue of having its own inflatable chamber. It is further envisioned that some embodiments may incorporate a “solid” headrest aspect that is not inflatable, such as a foam headrest for example. Moreover, a headrest aspect, whether inflatable or not, may be separably attached via hook and loop (“Velcro”) means, snaps, magnets, or other means.

As illustrated in the figures, the inside-cabinet portion 105 may also incorporate pockets on either side of the headrest area configured for receiving and retaining a flashlight. Because working inside cabinets is almost always subject to poor lighting conditions, it is an advantage of embodiments of the solution that a flashlight may be “stood up” in a pocket near the user's head such that the interior of the cabinet, particularly up and behind a sink being installed for example, is well lit without the user having to otherwise hold the flashlight. Similarly, in the tool storage portion 120 that is depicted at the distal end of the outside-cabinet portion 110, one or more tool cups or “cupholders” may be incorporated to corral and contain various tools of the given trade. Advantageously, because these tool cups are located in the tool storage portion 120 that may be well outside the cabinet (28″ as depicted in the exemplary illustration), the user may be able to comfortably reach/access the tools without having to stretch unnecessarily or manipulate his body position (i.e., the tools are “in reach”).

It is further envisioned that certain embodiments may incorporate high-friction or abrasion-resistant materials or layers on the outside of the device (such as on the bottom of the outside-cabinet portion 110 and/or the tool storage portion 120) and/or within the flashlight pockets and/or within the tool cups. Moreover, depending on embodiment, the flashlight pockets and/or the tool cups may actually be formed of a hard plastic, hard rubber, or other relatively rigid material.

Turning now to FIGS. 3-17, an exemplary embodiment of the solution is depicted being transitioned from a deflated, storage state to an inflated, deployed state then back again to a storage state. In the illustrations of FIGS. 3-17, it can be seen and understood that the embodiment is inflated and deflated by use of an integrated electrical pump or fan, as would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, although it is envisioned that certain embodiments may not employ an integrated pump or fan, instead relying on a user to “blow it up” through a valve and deflate it by opening the valve.

More specifically, FIGS. 3 through 8 illustrate another exemplary embodiment of the solution in the process of being inflated from a deflated, storage state to an inflated, deployed state ready for use. FIG. 9 illustrates the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 3-8 in its deployed state and placed under a sink cabinet for use by a user. And, FIGS. 10-17 illustrate the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 3-9 in the process of being deflated from an inflated, deployed state to a deflated, storage state.

Systems, devices and methods for an inflatable user support solution have been described using detailed descriptions of embodiments thereof that are provided by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. The described embodiment comprises various features, not all of which are required in all embodiments of an inflatable user support according to the solution. Some embodiments of an inflatable user support solution utilize only some of the features or possible combinations of the features. Variations of embodiments of an inflatable user support solution that are described and embodiments of an inflatable user support solution comprising different combinations of features noted in the described embodiments will occur to persons of the art.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that systems, devices and methods for the provision of an inflatable user support according to the solution is not limited by what has been particularly shown and described herein above. Additionally, one of ordinary skill in the art reviewing this disclosure, even just reviewing only the figures of this disclosure without benefit of written explanation, would understand the solution and be able to recreate same (that is, the illustrations even without being accompanied by written explanation, are fully enabling for the novel solution).