US20030019007A1

US20030019007A1 - Knee cushion support

Info

Publication number: US20030019007A1
Application number: US10/060,490
Authority: US
Inventors: Harvey Spencer
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-03-03
Filing date: 2002-01-30
Publication date: 2003-01-30

Abstract

A knee cushion support for placement atop a surface in an area beneath knees of a user comprising a covering that encloses the outer periphery of the cushion support. A pair depressions formed in the upper surface of the cushion receives and supports the knees of a user while in the kneeling position. A resilient inner core member is enclosed within the outer covering. A convex shaped ridge member is located between a pair of depressions that accommodate the knee of a user. An essentially concave shaped portion formed integral with, and curved upward from said the lower surface is aligned on the lower surface beneath the ridge member in an arrangement that will permit stacking of a number of knee cushion supports together in a nesting arrangement. A pair of handles or grips are formed on the first and second end-walls to facilitate grasping and transporting the knee cushion support.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a resilient knee support pillow or cushion. More particularly, this invention relates to a pillow or cushion capable of supporting the knees of a user in a kneeling position in order to provide cushioned knee support. More specifically, the invention relates to a cushion for placement beneath the knees and atop a surface for supporting and cushioning the knees of a user in the kneeling position, such as a user kneeling for prayer.

The knee cushion or pillow support comprises a lightweight material having a generally rectangular shape and provided with a pair of top depressions or recesses designed to receive the knees of a person in a kneeling position on the pillow.

2. Description of Related Art

There are a substantial numbers of worshipers that regularly engage in pray in the kneeling position. Persons who suffer from some form of arthritic conditions, the elderly and even worshipers generally physically fit that engage in prolonged kneeling for prayer benefit from placement of a cushioned pillow support beneath the knees atop a surface. The objective of such a cushion is to provide protection against rubbing, dragging or compressing the user's knees against a hard surface. To provide cushioned support of worshipers knees while kneeling for prayer would be an effective source of comfort to the user while in the kneeling position whether or not physically fit.

It is generally known to provide support the knee of a user. An example of such a support is shown in U.S. Pat . No. 5,871,457 to Swedberg et al., issued Feb. 16, 1999. The patent to Swedberg et al., shows a knee positioning support device with leg engaging portions. The leg engaging portions has a top concave portion for receiving the back side of the upper and lower portions of a users legs. An example of a cushioned knee pad is found in U.S. Pat . No. 4,177,806 to Griffi, issued Dec. 11, 1979. The Griffin patent shows a knee pillow formed by a resilient pad provided with surfaces contoured for conforming to the knee area of the leg of a person wearing the pillow. The contoured surfaces are provided with indentations for receiving a kneecap of the wearer while sleeping. The U.S. Pat . No. 4,041,940 to Frankel et al., issued Aug. 16, 1977 shows a knee immoblizer having a rigid U-shaped shell designed to fit around the back of the leg extending above and below the knee of the wearer. A soft cushion is provided between the shell and leg. Rigid front thigh and shin plates, each having soft cushions between the plates and leg, are attached to the shell by straps. These known knee support devices however do not provide structure that eliminate adverse physical problems and discomfort to knees of a person in a kneeling position.

What is needed is a resilient knee cushion to facilitate placement beneath the knees to support the knees of a user, thus providing protection to the knee area against compression, rubbing, dragging or discomfort while kneeing for prayer. The advantages of the present invention include design of an improved knee cushion support that includes structure and elements not found in the prior art.

An object of the present invention is to provide a cushion support with depressions of a size sufficient to accommodate the knees of a user in the kneeling position normally assumed for prayer. In addition, what is needed is a cushion support constructed to be positioned and aligned in an arrangement that will permit stacking of a number of knee cushion supports together in a nesting arrangement. Similarly, what is needed is a knee cushion support construction to permit quick, efficient grasping and transporting the knee cushion support.

Additional advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from the description, accompanying drawings and appended claims which follows, and may be realized by means of instrumentality's and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a knee cushion support that is an improvement over prior art knee supports by providing a cushion support for placement atop a surface in an area beneath knees of a user. The cushion is constructed with a covering that encloses the outer periphery of the cushion support. Furthermore, a couple of recesses or depressions formed in the upper surface of the cushion are designed and constructed to receive and support the knees of a user while in the kneeling position.

A resilient inner core member is enclosed within the outer covering of the knee cushion support. The outer covering defines a generally rectangular shaped cushion support, the exterior surfaces of which comprise a front wall, a rear wall, an upper surface, and a lower surface. The upper and lower surfaces are connected with adjoining first and second end-walls. An essentially convex shaped console or ridge member is formed integral with and protrudes upward from the upper surface. The ridge member tapers slightly downward in a direction from the front surface toward the rear surface. The ridge member is located between a pair of spaced apart recesses or depressions on the upper surface. Each depression is of a size sufficient to accommodate the knee of a user in the kneeling position.

The knee cushion support has an essentially concave shaped portion formed integral with, and curved upward from said the lower surface. The concave shaped portion is positioned and aligned on the lower surface beneath the ridge member formed on the upper surface. This arrangement will permit stacking of a number of knee cushion supports together such that the concave shaped portion will receive the convex shaped ridge member in a nesting arrangement. Handles or grips formed on the first and second end-walls, facilitate grasping and transporting the knee cushion support.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For further understanding of the nature and objects of the present invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like parts are given like reference numerals, and wherein: [0013]
FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the cushion support of the present invention; [0014]
FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the present invention; [0015]
FIG. 3 is a left side elevation view of the present invention, the right side elevation view being a mirror image thereof; [0016]
FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of the present invention taken along line [0017] 4-4 of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. [0018] 1-2, a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated generally. The knee cushion support 10 is a generally rectangular shaped constructed of a resilient lightweight material. The cushion support 10 is designed for placement atop a surface in an area beneath knees of a user that is in the kneeling position, for example, a worshiper kneeling for prayer. The support includes an upper surface 12 and a lower surface 12′ (not shown) which is the mirror image of upper surface 12. Similarly, the cushion support includes an upstanding front wall 14 and an upstanding a rear wall 14′ (not shown) which is the mirror image of front wall 12.
Still referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 a first end-[0019] wall 16 and second end-wall 16′ (not shown) define opposing mirror image ends of cushion support 10 and are formed integral with and connecting the upper surface 12 and corresponding lower surface. A pair of spaced apart recesses or depressions 20 having knee stops or rests 22 are formed in the upper surface 12. The depressions 20 and knee rests 22 are positioned and constructed of a size sufficient for receiving and supporting the knees of the user.
Referring now to FIGS. [0020] 1-3, the top surface 10 further includes an essentially convex shaped ridge member 24 formed integral with and bulges outward from upper surface 12. The ridge member 24 is built in the form of a slightly raised console section and located substantially in the center of cushion support 10 between spaced apart depressions 20. The ridge member 24 has a generally convex shape and is tapered slightly in a direction from front wall 14 toward rear wall 14′ (not shown).
Referring now to FIGS. [0021] 1-4, the lower surface that is the mirror image of upper surface 12 is constructed with an essentially concave shaped portion 26 formed integral with and curved upward from the lower surface. The concave shaped portion 26 is positioned and arranged beneath ridge member 24 formed on upper surface 12 thereby permitting stacking a number of cushion supports 10 together in a nesting arrangement. Handles or grips 28 and 30 are formed on first end-wall 16 and second end-wall 18 respectively. The grips 28 and 30 allow the user to grasp and easily move and transport cushion support 10.
Referring now specifically to FIG. 4, the [0022] cushion support 10 is provided with an outer covering 18 enclosing the outer periphery of cushion support 10. The outer covering 18 that encloses the outer periphery of cushion support 10 may be a cloth material constructed to fit the exterior surfaces of cushion support 10 including depressions 20 knee rests 22. A resilient inner core member 32 is formed within outer covering 18 and beneath upper surface 12 and above the lower surface and between first end-wall 16 and second end-wall 16′ (not shown). Inner core member 32 may take the form of a foam material.
It should be recognized that many varying different embodiments might be made within the scope of the inventive concept herein disclosed and taught. Moreover, because many modifications may be made in the embodiment herein detailed in accordance with description requirements, details herein are to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. It is further understood that the slight modification and changing of concepts herein are to be construed as being within the ambit of the appended claims that follow. [0023]

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A cushion support for placement atop a surface in an area beneath knees of a user comprising:

a. a generally rectangular cushion support having an upper surface and a lower surface;

b. a front wall and a rear wall, said front wall and rear wall located on opposing sides of said cushion support formed integral with and connecting said upper and lower surfaces;

c. a first end-wall and a second end-wall, said first end-wall and said second end-wall located on opposing ends of said cushion support formed integral with and connecting said upper and lower surfaces;

d. a pair of spaced apart depressions formed in said upper surface for receiving and supporting knees of said user;

e. an outer covering enclosing said cushion support outer periphery;

f. a resilient inner core member contained within said outer covering and beneath said upper surface and above said lower surface and between said first end-wall and said second end-wall; and

g. an essentially convex shaped ridge member formed integral with and bulges outward from said upper surface.

2. The cushion support of claim 1 wherein said first end-wall and said second end-wall have grips formed on said first and second end-walls for grasping said cushion support.

3. The cushion support of claim 2 wherein said ridge member is located between said pair of spaced apart depressions.

4. The cushion support of claim 3 wherein said lower surface contains an essentially concave shaped portion formed integral with and curved upward from said lower surface, said concave shaped portion positioned beneath said ridge member formed on said upper surface.

8. A cushion support for placement atop a surface in an area beneath knees of a user comprising:

d. means for receiving and supporting knees of said user formed in said upper surface;

d. an outer covering enclosing said cushion support outer periphery;

e. a resilient inner core member contained within said outer covering and beneath said upper surface and above said lower surface and between said first end-wall and said second endwall;

f. a pair of grips formed on said first and second end-walls for grasping said cushion support; and

g. means for linking a convex member on said upper surface of a cushion support with a concave portion on said lower surface of a cushion support to facilitate stacking a plurality of cushion supports together in a nesting arrangement.

9. The cushion support of claim 8 wherein said means for linking said convex member and said concave portion are slightly tapered in a direction from said front wall toward said rear wall.

10. The cushion support of claim 9 wherein said means for receiving and supporting knees of said user is of a size sufficient to receive and accommodate knees of a user in a kneeling position.

11. The cushion support of claim 10 wherein said means for receiving and supporting knees of said user is generally conical shaped.