Portable seat cushion with extending footrest

Abstract

A portable seat cushion with an enclosed leg rest ( 14 ) and footrest ( 16 ) that slides out from its interior in a telescoping manner. The attached leg rest ( 14 ) and footrest ( 16 ) elevate a user's extremities by way of the user's weight sitting upon the seat cushion. No supporting external bracing is required to keep the legs and feet horizontal, or nearly horizontal and above the ground ( 24 ). The leg rest and footrest can be adjusted by sliding the two components forward or back as needed. The assembly can be used only as a seat cushion ( 22 ) or in the extended position ( 24 ) as an elevated rest, similar to a recliner. The assembly is lightweight and compact for movement from one seat to another.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A method for lifting a seated person's feet and legs whereby the weight of a seated person exerts force on one end of an elevated, extendable beam lying on a seat sufficient to support the load on the other end of the beam of the said person's feet and legs. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the feet of the seated person rise until they are horizontal or nearly horizontal to the seated person's waist. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein no part of the said beam need touch the ground when a seated person sits atop one end of said beam. 
     
     
         4 . An article of furniture for holding the feet and legs of a sitting human horizontally or nearly horizontally to the said human's waist, comprising:
 (a) A rigid platform having sufficient size to accommodate the buttocks of a human and that lies on a seat,   (b) A beam joined horizontally to the said rigid platform and that extends from a retracted position to beyond the confines of the said rigid platform outward and to the front of the seat to accommodate the feet and legs of the sitting human,   (c) Said beam having a rigid or semi-rigid platform to support the feet and legs of the sitting human, all without benefit of external bracing.