Convertible low-back, high-back upholstered furniture

Claim 1

An article of upholstered furniture adapted to be sat upon and comprising a substantially horizontal padded seat and a substantially vertical padded back rest attached thereto, a padded cushion attached to said padded back rest, said cushion comprising a first portion which overlies the rear surface of said back rest and has a generally vertically extending insert embedded therein, said padded cushion further comprising a second cushion portion having an elongated, unidirectionally flexible element embedded therein, hinge means connecting one end of said unidirectionally flexible element to one end of said insert at a position adjacent the uppermost edge of said back rest, said second cushion portion, said unidirectionally flexible element, and said hinge means being adapted to be manipulated into a first position wherein said second cushion portion overlies the forward padded surface of said back rest with a free edge of said second cushion portion being disposed closely adjacent to said padded seat whereby said article of furniture is adapted to be sat upon in a low-back furniture configuration, and being adapted to be manipulated into a second position wherein said second cushion portion is folded upon itself and extends upwardly from and vertically above said padded back rest with the said free edge of said second cushion portion resting upon the uppermost edge of said padded back rest to provide a padded head rest which is disposed immediately above said padded back rest whereby said article of furniture is adapted to be sat upon in a high-back furniture configuration, said embedded unidirectionally flexible element being constructed to exhibit flexibility in a single direction only relative to a predetermined limiting orientation which is defined by the said second position of said second cushion portion, whereby said unidirectionally flexible element is adapted to assume a plurality of different curvatures within said padded cushion as said second cushion portion is manipulated from said first position into said second position, or vice versa, relative to said padded back rest but said limiting orientation of said embedded unidirectionally flexible element inhibits rearward displacement of said second cushion portion relative to said padded back rest when said second cushion portion is in its said second position.