Furniture Anchor

This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application, Ser. No. 63/643,983, filed on May 8, 2024. The entire content of U.S. Provisional Patent Application, Ser. No. 63/643,983, filed on May 8, 2024, is hereby incorporated by reference.

Conventionally, decks and docks have been used as a surface upon which items such as furniture may be placed. For example, deck furniture (chairs or tables) may be placed on a deck or dock to make the space more livable and inviting to users. However, being outdoors, wind acts upon the deck furniture in such a manner as to dislocate or remove the furniture from the deck surface altogether, thus, requiring the furniture to be secured to the decking to prevent dislocation thereof.

Additionally, it is desired that the secured deck furniture be easily movable from one location to another location on a decking to satisfy the needs or desires of the user.

A problem with securing deck furniture is that decking comprises spaced apart deck boards, thereby creating openings therebetween and allowing the securing hardware to accidentally fall through the opening and be lost in the space underneath the decking.

Another problem is that it is not easy to rotate the secured deck furniture if it is, for example, directly secured to the deck surface by threaded fasteners thereby preventing the positioning of the secured furniture at an orientation relative to the sun, wind, or a particular view of the environment.

Additionally, a problem with securing deck furniture is that conventional anchor devices require an additional rope or cable, draped across the decking surface, to secure the furniture to the anchor, thereby creating a tripping hazard.

Furthermore, a problem with securing deck furniture is that conventional anchor devices stick up through the surface of the decking creating a tripping or dangerous (injurious) situation.

An example of a conventional furniture anchor for securing furnitureto the decking is illustrated in. As illustrated in, anchorincludes a first end having a tension member attachmentand a second endconnected by an elongated body. Tension member attachmentmay comprise an opening K for receiving an end of a tension member, which may have a hook, carabiner or other feature adapted to releasably attach tension memberto tension member attachmentby passing through opening K.

Elongate bodymay comprise a male threaded portion M to receive tightening memberin a threaded engagement, enabling tightening memberto be translated along elongate body in the direction of arrows S′ and S″. In this manner, tightening membermay be translated in the direction of S″ for tightening anchoragainst a surface A surface.

When it is desired to use anchor assembly, a lower portion of the elongated bodyis passed through openingand rotated in either direction of arrow J. When it is desired to release anchor assemblyfrom structureso that it can be removed or re-located, tightening memberis rotated along its threaded engagement with elongated bodyso as to relax compressive forces F and F′, allowing the elongated bodyto be rotated such that elongated bodymay be rotated and passed through opening, thereby allowing anchor assemblyto be removed from structure.

In this conventional anchor, a user needs to tighten down and loosen the threaded wing nut to secure the furniture or to move the furniture. Using a threaded mechanism in the weather, a wet environment, or salty environment, subjects the threaded mechanism to oxidation (rust) which makes the rotation of the wing nut difficult to impossible-a rusted bolt/nut pair and nut can become fused together, making disengagement difficult.

Moreover, the conventional anchor is locked down to one location, thereby preventing the anchor from moving with respect to the surface of the deck. The conventional anchor cannot slide along the opening between deck planks, thereby making it more difficult to move the secured furniture dimensionally with respect to the surface of the deck.

Additionally, to move the conventional anchor requires the user to unscrew a wing nut, thereby preventing a quick release of the anchor from the decking.

Also, the conventional anchor device requires an additional rope, bungy cord, or cable, draped across the decking surface, to secure the furniture to the anchor, thereby creating a tripping hazard.

Furthermore, the conventional anchor device sticks up through the surface of the decking creating a tripping or dangerous (injurious) situation.

Therefore, it is desirable to provide a furniture anchor that prevents undesired displacement of deck furniture or objects due to wind.

Furthermore, it is desirable to provide a furniture anchor that utilizes an attachment mechanism which is not susceptible to becoming ineffective due to exposure to the weather or environment.

Additionally, it is desirable to provide a furniture anchor that can be quickly released from the decking to enable relocation of the furniture.

Also, it is desirable to provide a furniture anchor that can be moved dimensionally with respect to the surface of the deck.

It is additionally desirable to provide a furniture anchor with an integrated anchor and cable design.

Furthermore, it is desirable to provide a furniture anchor that requires no tools for installation.

It is also desirable to provide a furniture anchor that has no fixed/rigid protruding aspects that extend up from the deck surface.

Moreover, it is desirable to provide a furniture anchor that pulls any excess cord below a decking surface to eliminate a tripping or hazardous situation.

For a general understanding, reference is made to the drawings. In the drawings, like references have been used throughout to designate identical or equivalent elements. It is also noted that the drawings may not have been drawn to scale and that certain regions may have been purposely drawn disproportionately so that the features and concepts may be properly illustrated

illustrates one embodiment of a furniture anchor. As illustrated in, a furniture anchorincludes a first cord (cable), having a first endand a second end. The furniture anchorincludes a second cord, having a first endand a second end.

The second endof the second cordis attached to a stop or attachment mechanism. As illustrated in, the stop or attachment mechanismmay be disk shaped and constructed of metal or durable strong plastic. The stop or attachment mechanismmay be constructed of stainless steel or plastic.

The first endof the second cordis attached to the first cord (cable)near the first endusing an attachment mechanism. As illustrated in, attachment mechanismmay be a crimping device that crimps the second cordto the first cord (cable).

The first endof the first cord (cable)is in the form of a loop, which allows the second endof first cord (cable)to pass therethrough to form a loop. Loopcorresponds to the loop of a lasso. The loopcan be formed around a portion of a piece of furniture (not shown), thereby enabling the attachment of the furniture to the anchor.

It is noted, as illustrated, that loopmay be formed by turning the first endof the first cord (cable)back onto itself and using an attachment mechanism, such as a crimping device, to secure the first endof the first cord (cable)to the first cord (cable).

The second endof the first cord (cable)passes through a slot or opening in the stop or attachment mechanism. The second endof the first cord (cable)includes a stop (not shown), which prevents the second endof the first cord (cable)passing back out of the slot or opening in the stop or attachment mechanism.

It is noted that stop (not shown) may be a crimping mechanism.

As illustrated, the second endof the first cord (cable)is in the form of a loop, created by turning the second endof the first cord (cable)back onto itself and using an attachment mechanism, such as a crimping device (stop), to secure the second endof the first cord (cable)to the first cord (cable).

It is noted that the weight of the stop or attachment mechanismcauses the stop or attachment mechanismto pull any excess cord (first cord (cable)and/or second cord) down between the decking boards to substantially eliminate the hazard of tripping over excess cord lying on the decking.

It is noted that the combined weight of the stop or attachment mechanismand stop (not shown) causes any excess cord (first cord (cable)and/or second cord) to be pulled down between the decking boards to substantially eliminate the hazard of tripping over excess cord lying on the decking.

The first cord (cable)may be constructed of a metal wire. The second cordmay be constructed of a durable string or rope.

As illustrated in, a portion of the first cord (cable)between the attachment mechanismand attachment mechanismmay be enclosed in a plastic tubeto protect the furniture.

Alternatively, the portion of the first cord (cable)between the attachment mechanismand attachment mechanismmay be coated in plastic to protect the furniture.

illustrates a decking attachment mechanism for the furniture anchor of. As illustrated in, a decking attachment mechanismis disk shaped. The decking attachment mechanismincludes a slot or openingconfigured to not allow the second end of the first cord (cable) (not shown) to pass therethrough.

The decking attachment mechanismincludes an openingconfigured to allow the second end of the second cord (not shown) to be tied thereto.

As illustrated, the slot or openinghas a center line, and the openinghas a center line. The center linesandform an acute angle. The acute angleenables the decking attachment mechanismto be positioned by the second cord so that the decking attachment mechanismcan pass between adjacent deck planks in a decking surface.

In other words, the openingmay be positioned on the decking attachment mechanismwith respect to the slot or openingsuch that a planar surfaceof the decking attachment mechanismcan be positioned substantially parallel to the first cord (not shown).

illustrate a process of attaching (securing) the furniture anchor ofto a decking surface.

As illustrated in, the second end (with stop) of the first cord (cable)is passed through an openinglocated between two adjacent deck planksin a decking surface.

As illustrated in, the decking attachment mechanismcan be pushed through the opening located between two adjacent deck planksin the decking surface.

As illustrated in, after the decking attachment mechanismhas been pushed through the opening located between two adjacent deck planksin the decking surface, the decking attachment mechanismwill naturally flatten out such that the width of the decking attachment mechanismis greater than the width of the opening located between two adjacent deck planksin the decking surface. This configuration prevents the decking attachment mechanismand the second end (with stop) of the first cord (cable)passing back out of the opening located between two adjacent deck planksin the decking surface when a pulling force is exerted onto the first cord (cable).

Such a force will cause the decking attachment mechanismto engage the adjacent deck planksin the decking surface, thereby preventing the decking attachment mechanismfrom entering the opening located between two adjacent deck planksin the decking surface.

illustrate a process of detaching (desecuring or unsecuring) the furniture anchor offrom a decking surface.

As illustrated in, to disengage the decking attachment mechanismfrom a decking surface, the first cord (cable)is pushed downward into the opening located between two adjacent deck planksin the decking surface. This allows the decking attachment mechanismto clear away from the two adjacent deck planks, thereby enabling the orientation of the decking attachment mechanismto be manipulated by the second cord, as will be discussed below.

As illustrated in, as the second cordis pulled upwards, the decking attachment mechanismrotates such that the orientation of the decking attachment mechanismis such to allow the decking attachment mechanismto pass through the opening located between two adjacent deck planksin the decking surface.

Once the decking attachment mechanismis orientated to allow the decking attachment mechanismto pass through the opening located between two adjacent deck planksin the decking surface, the second cordand the first cord (cable)can be pulled together to pull the decking attachment mechanismthrough the opening located between two adjacent deck planksin the decking surface.