Granted Patent B2

US 6,966,084 · App. 10/414,496 · Granted Nov 22, 2005

Abstract

Claims (71)

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a frame having an expanded configuration and a collapsed configuration, the frame including:

a first end portion having a first support member and a second support member, the first support member of the first end portion having a slanted configuration with respect to the second support member of the first end portion when the frame is in its expanded configuration,

a second end portion having a first support member and a second support member, the first support member of the second end portion having a slanted configuration with respect to the second support member of the second end portion when the frame is in its expanded configuration,

a first side portion having a first connector and a second connector, and

a second side portion having a first connector and a second connector, the first connector of the first side portion being disposed at a first position on the first support member of the first end portion of the frame when the frame is in its expanded configuration and being disposed at a second position on the first support member of the first end portion of the frame when the frame is in its collapsed configuration, the first position of the first connector of the first side portion being different than the second position of the first connector of the first side portion, the first connector of the second side portion being disposed at a first position on the second support member of the first end portion of the frame when the frame is in its expanded configuration and being disposed at a second position on the second support member of the first end portion of the frame when the frame is in its collapsed configuration, the first position of the first connector of the second side portion being different than the second position of the first connector of the second side portion, the second connector of the first side portion being disposed at a first position on the first support member of the second end portion of the frame when the frame is in its expanded configuration and being disposed in a second position on the first support member of the second end portion of the frame when the frame is in its collapsed configuration, the first position of the second connector of the first side portion being different than the second position of the second connector of the first side portion, the second connector of the second side portion being disposed at a first position on the second support member of the second end portion of the frame when the frame is in its expanded configuration and being disposed at a second position on the second support member of the second end portion of the frame when the frame is in its collapsed configuration, the first position of the second connector of the second side portion being different than the second position of the second connector of the second side portion.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a hammock member being coupled to the first end portion of the frame and to the second end portion of the frame.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first connector of the first side portion is slideably coupled to the first support member of the first end portion of the frame, the first connector of the second side portion is slideably coupled to the second support member of the first end portion of the frame, the second connector of the first side portion is slideably coupled to the first support member of the second end portion of the frame, the second connector of the second side portion is slideably coupled to the second support member of the second end portion of the frame.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first support member of the first end portion of the frame is pivotally coupled to the second support member of the first end portion of the frame, the first support member of the second end portion of the frame is pivotally coupled to the second support member of the second end portion of the frame.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first support member of the first end portion is pivotally coupled to the second support member of the first end portion, the first support member of the second end portion is pivotally coupled to the second support member of the second end portion, the first support member of the first end portion of the frame and the second support member of the first end portion of the frame have an extended configuration and a contracted configuration, the first support member of the second end portion of the frame and the second support member of the second end portion of the frame have an extended configuration and a contracted configuration.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first support member of the first end portion is pivotally coupled to the second support member of the first end portion, the first support member of the second end portion is pivotally coupled to the second support member of the second end portion, the first support member of the first end portion of the frame and the second support member of the first end portion of the frame have an extended configuration and a contracted configuration, the first support member of the second end portion of the frame and the second support member of the second end portion of the frame have an extended configuration and a contracted configuration, the first support member of the first end portion of the frame includes a first segment and a second segment slideably coupled to the first segment, the second support member of the first end portion of the frame includes a first segment and a second segment slideably coupled to the first segment, the first support member of the second end portion of the frame includes a first segment and a second segment slideably coupled to the first segment, the second support member of the second end portion of the frame includes a first segment and a second segment slideably coupled to the first segment.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

at least one wheel coupled to the frame.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein

the first side portion of the frame includes:

a first support member having a first end coupled to the first connector of the first side portion and a second end pivotally coupled to the second end portion of the frame, and

a second support member being coupled at a first end to the second connector of the first side portion and a second end pivotally coupled to the first end portion of the frame, and

the second side portion of the frame includes:

a first support member having a first end coupled to the first connector of the second side portion and a second end pivotally coupled to the second end portion of the frame, and

a second support member having a first end coupled to the second connector of the second side portion and a second end pivotally coupled to the first end portion of the frame.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein

the first side portion of the frame includes:

a first support member having a first end pivotally coupled to the first end portion of the frame and a second end pivotally coupled to the second end portion of the frame, and

a second support member having a first end coupled to the first connector of the first side portion and a second end coupled to the second connector of the first side portion,

the second side portion of the frame includes:

a first support member having a first end pivotally coupled to the first end portion of the frame and a second end pivotally coupled to the second end portion of the frame, and

a second support member having a first end coupled to the first connector of the second side portion and a second end coupled to the second connector of the second side portion.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a hammock member being coupled to the first end portion of the frame and to the second end portion of the frame, the support member including a pocket configured to receive a beverage container.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a hammock member being coupled to the first end portion of the frame and to the second end portion of the frame, the support member including a pocket configured to receive at least one of a book and a magazine.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a hammock member being coupled to the first end portion of the frame and to the second end portion of the frame; and

a sun shade configured to be removably coupled to at least one of said frame and said support.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a hammock member being coupled to the first end portion of the frame and to the second end portion of the frame; and

a pillow coupled to the hammock member and configured to support the head of a user.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a hammock member being coupled to the first end portion of the frame and to the second end portion of the frame; and

a pillow coupled to the hammock member and configured to support the legs of a user.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a hammock member being coupled to the first end portion of the frame and to the second end portion of the frame; and

a non-linear support member coupled to the hammock member and configured to retain the hammock member in an open configuration.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first support member of the first end portion of the frame is substantially parallel to the second support member of the first end portion of the frame when the frame is in its collapsed configuration.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first support member of the first end portion of the frame is substantially rigid, the first support member of the second end portion of the frame is substantially rigid.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first support member of the first end portion of the frame is monolithically formed, the first support member of the second end portion of the frame is monolithically formed.

19. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first support member of the first end portion of the frame is substantially linear, the first support member of the second end portion of the frame is substantially linear.

20. A method of converting an apparatus from a first configuration to a second configuration, the apparatus having a frame including a first end portion having a first support member and a second support member pivotally coupled to the first support member, a second end portion having a first support member and a second support member pivotally coupled to the first support member, a first side portion having a first connector slideably coupled to the first end portion and a second connector slideably coupled to the second end portion, and a second side portion having a first connector slideably coupled to the first end portion and a second connector slideably coupled to the second end portion, comprising:

pivoting the first support member of the first end portion of the frame with respect to the second support member of the first end portion of the frame;

pivoting the first support member of the second end portion of the frame with respect to the second support member of the second end portion of the frame;

sliding the first connector of the first side portion from a first position on the first support member of the first end portion to a second position on the first support member of the first end portion;

sliding the second connector of the first side portion from a first position on the first support member of the second end portion to a second position on the first support member of the second end portion;

sliding the first connector of the second side portion from a first position on the second support member of the first end portion to a second position on the second support member of the first end portion; and

sliding the second connector of the second side portion from a first position on the second support member of the second end portion to a second position on the second support member of the second end portion.

21. The method of claim 20 , further comprising:

adjusting the first end portion of the frame from a first length to a second length; and

adjusting the second end portion of the frame from a first length to a second length.

22. An apparatus, comprising:

a frame having an expanded configuration and a collapsed configuration, the frame including:

a first end portion having a first support member and a second support member, the first support member of the first end portion having a slanted configuration with respect to the second support member of the first end portion when the frame is disposed in its expanded configuration,

a second end portion,

a first side portion having a first support member and a second support member, the first support member of the first side portion being substantially parallel to the second support member of the first side portion when the frame is disposed in its expanded configuration, the first support member of the first side portion being coupled at a first location of the first support member of the first end portion, the second support member of the first side portion being coupled at a second location of the first support member of the first end portion different than the first location of the first support member for the first end portion, and

a second side portion having a first support member and a second support member, the first support member of the second side portion being substantially parallel to the second support member of the second side portion when the frame is disposed in its expanded configuration, the first support member of the second side portion being coupled at a first location of the second support member of the first end portion, the second support member of the second side portion being coupled at a second location of the second support member of the first end portion different than the first location of the second support member of the first end portion.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the first side portion is slideably coupled to the first end portion and is slideably coupled to the second end portion, the second side portion is slideably coupled to the first end portion and is slideably coupled to the second end portion.

24. The apparatus of claim 22 , further comprising:

a hammock member being coupled to the first end portion of the frame and to the second end portion of the frame.

25. The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the first support member of the first end portion of the frame is substantially parallel to the second support member of the first end portion of the frame when the frame is disposed in its collapsed configuration.

26. The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the first support member of the first end portion of the frame is substantially rigid.

27. The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the first support member of the first end portion of the frame is monolithically formed.

28. The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the first support member of the first end portion of the frame is substantially linear.

Assignments (9)