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Adjustable backrest applicationsAdjustable backrest applications description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060202533, Adjustable backrest applications. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] The present application is related to and claims, under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.119(e), the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application filed Mar. 11, 1004 which is incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] The desire for a comfortable backrest for a canoe has existed for years. As such, there are many historical designs but none of which meet the requirements for weight, comfort and versatility. The modern ultra-light composite canoe can weigh as little as 45 lbs. Users buying these canoes are very motivated by reducing total weight. Other backrest designs can weigh more than 3 lbs. per seat, which can make them unacceptable. The new bucket seat designs have created additional design issues because all of the historical backrests were designed for bench seats and they do not work very well if at all on a bucket seat. [0003] Total support and comfort are also critical for users that may spend extended time in a canoe. This is an area where one size does not fit all. Different users prefer a backrest that has different heights and support angles. Most canoers tend to feel that they have the best support with a backrest that comes just below the shoulder blades. If it extends too high on the back it interferes with paddling. If it comes too low on the back it does not give the full support that helps users avoid back fatigue or pain. When the backrest is positioned just under the shoulder blades the width of the backrest needs to be narrow enough to not interfere with the typical paddle stroke. [0004] Different users also prefer a different angle of support for the backrest. This optimal angle can also change depending on other conditions. Someone who is resting or fishing will tend to choose a different support angle than the one that may be best for paddling. Someone that is being very aggressive in paddling may prefer the backrest be positioned way back so it does not interfere with the forward and back upper body motion that is adding to the power of the paddle stroke. [0005] An additional design consideration is providing for the seat backrest to be removed or placed out of the way for the canoe to be flipped upside down for storage or to keep it dry, or when it is placed on the shoulders of someone to portage or other wise transport the canoe. [0006] The basic backrest designs also require multiple ways to temporarily or permanently mount them to the different types of seats in today's canoes. The one application that has proved most difficult for existing canoe backrests is the newer bucket seat designs. This new design has become popular because it has the lightest weight and it tends to keep the user centered in the canoe to maintain stability. Many of the existing backrest designs cannot be applied to this seat. There are some soft or cloth backrest designs that can be used but most users have been dissatisfied with the level of support and comfort. These cloth backrest designs can also be very sweaty to use on hot summer days. Special mounting brackets have been designed to accommodate the bucket seat configuration along with the options for more traditional bench seats. Mounting options are also required for either permanent or temporary applications to address the needs of people that both own or rent canoes. [0007] An additional design consideration is the ease of use. The backrest needs to be designed so that it can be adjusted while a user is in the canoe on the water. The backrest also needs to be designed so that once the seat back has been positioned for use that it will maintain that position while the user gets in or out of the canoe. It is also necessary that the backrest be able to be quickly and easily stored out of the way for a portage. Some current backrests hang down from the seat and either sway during a portage making it more difficult to maintain balance or they can be a hazard when they hang down and block the view of the person carrying the canoe. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0008] One embodiment of the present invention is an adjustable backrest for a seat comprising a backrest frame further comprising a first and second vertical member with a guide attached to the outside surface of each vertical member; a cross bar member coupled to the first and second vertical member; mounting hardware; and a strap having a first and second end, wherein the first end is adapted to be coupled to one side of the seat, the second end is run through the guides on the backrest and adapted to be coupled to a buckle, and the buckle is coupled to the opposite side of the seat. The first and second vertical members may be telescoping. The vertical members may also be tapered. The vertical members may further comprise a wide hollow member and a narrow member, wherein the wide hollow member has at least one hole provided on the body of the wide hollow member; the narrow member may be configured to slide within the wide hollow member; and wherein the narrow member may comprise a spring loaded button configured to pop into the hole of the wide hollow member. The wide hollow member may further comprise at least two holes. The cross members may be curved and/or tapered. [0009] The mounting hardware may further comprise a mounting bar member adapted to have a total length such that the mounting bar member extends from below a first seat member and over the top of a second seat member. The mounting bar member may further comprise a spring clamp, a "J" clamp, a pop rivet, a screw, and a bolt. The mounting bar member may also be tapered such that the mounting bar member is thicker near the second seat member. [0010] Another embodiment of the present invention is an adjustable backrest for a seat comprising a backrest frame comprising a first and second vertical member, further comprising a guide attached to the outside surface of each the vertical member; a cross bar member coupled to the first and second vertical member; mounting hardware; a hinge attaching the backrest frame to the mounting hardware and adapted to permit the backrest to rotate 180 degrees, wherein at approximately 90 degrees of rotation the backrest frame is perpendicular to the seat; and a strap having a first and second end, wherein the first end is adapted to be coupled to one side of the seat, wherein the second end is run through the guides on the backrest and adapted to be coupled to a buckle, and wherein the buckle is coupled to the opposite side of the seat. The hinge may further comprise a spring which may be a torsion spring. The spring may be positioned within the vertical member. The hinge may further comprise a pin provided laterally through the vertical member and the mounting hardware. The pin may be positioned through the center coil of the spring. The vertical member may fit within a portion of the mounting hardware. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0011] FIG. 1. Perspective view of Bucket Seat Application. [0012] FIG. 2. Side view of Bucket Seat Mount, Vertical Position. [0013] FIG. 3. Side view of Bucket Seat Mount, Stored Position. [0014] FIG. 4. Detailed view of Bucket Seat Application. [0015] FIG. 5. Perspective view of Bench Seat Application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PARTICULAR EMBODIMENTS [0016] FIG. 1 shows an exemplary backrest of the present invention applied to a bucket type seat in a canoe. The illustrative seat (1) and the poles (2) are presented for illustrative purposes only. One embodiment of the present invention comprises a backrest frame (3), a spring loaded hinge configuration (4), mounting hardware (5) to attach the backrest to the canoe seat poles, and a flexible retaining strap (6) whose length can be adjusted using a tension buckle (7) to control the angle position of the backrest frame (3). The position of this tension buckle (7) may be on the left or right side of the seat. It may also be fixed in such a way as to have it always just above the edge of the seat. With the tension buckle (7) fixed in this exemplary position, a user may pull on the free end of the strap (8) and shorten the length of the strap (6) and adjust the angle of the backrest frame (3). Pressure on the slide or tension buckle (7) may be used to release the strap and allow the strap to lengthen. The buckle (7) may also need to be in a fixed position just above the seat so the strap length may be adjusted while in the canoe on the water. An additional benefit of the strap coming up both sides of the backrest, the straps may tend to keep the user centered in the canoe. The strap, for example, may also be attached to the front seat pole using a continuous loop of cord that is wrapped around the pole (10). The tension buckle (7) may be attached to the opposite side of the pole with the same type of cord loop. The strap may be held in place on the back of the backrest frame with guides (9) that allow the strap to easily slide through as the length of the strap is changed to control the angle of the backrest. The cross bars of the Backrest frame (11) may be, for example, curved to fit the back and may also have some flexibility for added comfort. The backrest frame (3) may be attached to the mounting bars (5) with a hinge pin (12). This hinge pin (12) may also comprise a torsion spring (13) that provides enough force to hold the backrest up in a vertical position. The backrest may also have the ability to change height as it telescopes on a post (14) that runs inside the sides of the frame. The height may be changed by pushing in a spring-loaded button (15) and sliding the backrest frame (3) up or down until the button locks into a new position. [0017] The hinge design (4) is unique in that it may allow the backrest frame to rotate a full 180 degrees on the mounting bracket. This rotation may provide the ability to adjust the support angle for the backrest. The hinge may also allow the backrest, for example, to be held down flat on the seat for storage without removal from the canoe and to rotate the backrest all the way back down and flat behind the user (FIG. 3). This may be important especially for a user in the front seat of a canoe that wants to be able to turn around in the canoe to get something from behind the seat in the middle of the canoe. [0018] The hinge for the backrest may comprise, for example, a pin (12) that goes laterally through both the bottom of the two posts that support the backrest frame and the sidewalls of the hinge mounting bracket (4). The width of the vertical member may be sized to fit in between the sidewalls of the mounting bracket. In another embodiment, this hinge pin (12) may also capture a torsion spring (13) that is configured to cause the seat back frame to maintain its vertical angle to the mounting bracket (5). This spring may cause, for example, the seat back frame to always maintain pressure on the adjusting strap (6) and maintain any vertical position selected by the user. This feature may be especially valuable to keep the backrest up in position while users get in or out of a canoe. These torsion springs may also provide enough tension on the flexible strap and buckle assembly so that they will not inadvertently slip from a position selected by the user. [0019] FIG. 2 illustrates a side view of the backrest and an exemplary range of angle positions that a user might wish to adjust the backrest to. In this example, position A would be a typical angle to provide back support. In this position, the total length of the strap (6) may be sufficient to allow the backrest frame (3) to recline all the way back to a position B, out of the way of a user that wants to paddle without the backrest effecting their paddle stroke. As the strap is shortened, for example, the strap slides through the mounting guides (9) on the back of the backrest frame (3). The adjusting strap (6) may bear all of the pressure of the user leaning on the backrest frame. The strap may need to be made of a strong material. The mounts for the strap guides (9) may be high enough up on the backrest frame to provide enough mechanical advantage to carry the load. The strap guides (9) may need to be made of a configuration and material that allows the strap (6) to easily move through them as the total length is changed. Continue reading about Adjustable backrest applications... Full patent description for Adjustable backrest applications Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Adjustable backrest applications patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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