U.S. patent application number 10/453869 was filed with the patent office on 2003-12-11 for head support.
Invention is credited to Lowenthal, Hans.
Application Number | 20030226207 10/453869 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 9938158 |
Filed Date | 2003-12-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030226207 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lowenthal, Hans |
December 11, 2003 |
Head support
Abstract
An inflatable head support comprising: a pair of spaced apart
air cushions; an interconnecting member between the cushions,
wherein each cushion is formed from at least one cushioning part
rolled or folded over itself and fixed, in use, in place.
Inventors: |
Lowenthal, Hans; (London,
GB) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Dykema Gossett, PLLC
3rd Floor West, Franklin Square
1300 I Street NW
Washington
DC
20005-3306
US
|
Family ID: |
9938158 |
Appl. No.: |
10/453869 |
Filed: |
June 4, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
5/644 ;
5/636 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47C 7/383 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
5/644 ;
5/636 |
International
Class: |
A47G 009/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 7, 2002 |
GB |
0213107.6 |
Claims
1. An inflatable head support comprising: a pair of spaced apart
air cushions; an interconnecting member between the cushions, and
each cushion is formed from at least one cushioning part each
cushioning part being rolled or folded over itself and fixed, in
use, in place.
2. A head support according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the
pair of cushions and the interconnecting member is provided with an
air inlet to enable the support to be inflated.
3. A head support according to claim 2, wherein each of the
cushions and the interconnecting member define internal volumes
said internal volumes being in communication with each other and
with the air inlet.
4. A head support according to claim 1, wherein each cushion
comprises three interconnected chambers which, when inflated, form
together a cushion which is substantially triangular in cross
section.
5. A head support according to claim 1, wherein each cushion
comprises two interconnected chambers arranged such that, when
inflated, one chamber lies substantially in the same plane as the
interconnecting member and the other chamber forms an inverted
U-shape transverse to the plane.
6. A head support according to claim 1, wherein the cushions are
formed by fixing one portion of a chamber to another portion of a
chamber.
7. A head support according to claim 1, wherein the cushions are
formed using heat sealing.
8. A head support according to claim 7, wherein the cushions are
formed by heat sealing one edge of a chamber to another edge of a
chamber.
9. A head support according to claim 1, wherein the fixing is
carried out by one of velcro.RTM., poppers or a zip.
10. A head support according to claim 1, wherein the underneath of
the head support and the external surface of each cushion is made
of a different material to the remainder of the head support.
11. A head support according to claim 10, wherein the different
material is a flocked plastic.
12. A head support according to claim 1, wherein at least one of
the cushions is provided with a cut away portion such that the
cushion is cut away from a lower rearward portion towards an upper
forward portion.
13. A head support according to claim 1, wherein the support is
substantially U-shaped.
14. A head support according to claim 1, wherein at least one of
the cushions extends at least partially over and beyond the
interconnecting member in a rearwardly direction.
15. A head support according to claim 1, shaped so as to rest, in
use, on a user's shoulders.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to a head support, typically of the
type which can be utilised by a person when travelling, for example
on a train or in an aircraft, in order to support the head when the
person is, for example, sitting in substantially upright,
position.
[0002] It is well known for travellers to use some form of pillow
to support their head and neck when travelling, as without such
support, a person's neck can become tired and sore as the muscles
on one side are stretched beyond the point to which they are
normally used.
[0003] Whilst these pillows can be of the standard substantially
oblong form, it is well known to provide a horseshoe shaped head
support which surrounds a user's neck and provides support, by
means of cushions, on either side of the user's neck and behind the
head. Unfortunately, this form of head support forces a user's head
forwards, due to the behind the head support, and this can lead to
stress and strain on the neck, and also places the user's head in
an unnatural position when attempting to rest or sleep.
[0004] It is also known to provide a similar shaped head support
which has two curved elongate cushions, one on either side of a
user's neck, the cushions being joined by an interconnecting member
which is substantially thinner than the two cushions, thereby
allowing a user's head to retain a more natural position.
[0005] Such head supports do not necessarily provide sufficient
sideways support for a user's head, as, whilst the cushions are
typically elongate in construction, they have a substantially
circular or oval cross section, such that the cushion appears to
support the user's head and neck, but in practice, as the surface
of the cushion curves away from the user, the head and neck tend to
tilt sideways further than is comfortable and this also leads to
stress and strain on a user's neck.
[0006] Given that this form of head support is more often
inflatable in order to minimise the space taken when not in use, it
is necessary to minimise the volume to be inflated so that it can
be easily and quickly inflated by a user without undue effort.
[0007] Thus, whilst the cushion described above provides some
lateral support to a user's head, it is not possible to manufacture
the cushions of a sufficient size to provide an adequate support,
without providing a very large pillow which is difficult and time
consuming to inflate. If the pillow is not inflatable, the
additional size merely increases still further the size of the
pillow which has to be transported by a user and increases still
further the inconvenience of transporting the pillow.
[0008] Accordingly, it is the aim of the present invention to
provide a head support which overcomes one or more of the problems
described above.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] According to the present invention, there is provided an
inflatable head support comprising:
[0010] a pair of spaced apart air cushions; and
[0011] an interconnecting member between the cushions, and
[0012] each cushion is formed from at least one cushioning part,
each cushioning part being rolled or folded over itself and fixed,
in use, in place.
[0013] Thus, the present invention provides a head support in which
the cushions provide a support to a user's head and neck which is
more upright and substantial than the standard circular or oval
cross sectional cushions.
[0014] Preferably the interconnecting member is thinner than each
of the cushions. Preferably the head support is substantially
U-shaped.
[0015] Preferably, the edge of one chamber is fixed to another
chamber by means of heat sealing. Alternatively velcro.RTM. or
other mechanical fastenings such as poppers or zips may be utilised
to enable the head support to be flattened out for carrying or
storage.
[0016] Preferably, at least one of the cushions or the
interconnecting member are provided with an air inlet. It is
preferable that a single air inlet is provided and that each of the
cushions and the interconnecting member define internal volumes
that are in communication with each other and the air inlet.
[0017] Each cushion preferably consists of three interconnected
chambers such that, when inflated, the chambers form a triangular
shape.
[0018] Alternatively, the cushion may comprise two interconnected
chambers, such that, when inflated, one chamber is substantially in
the same plane as the interconnecting member and the other chamber
forms an inverted U-shape transverse to the plane.
[0019] The head support is preferably formed from a plastic
material such as PVC. The underside of the head support and the
external surface of the individual cushions may be formed from a
different material to that of the other portions of the head
support, for example a flocked plastic, and may be a different
colour. The advantages of using a flocked plastic on the outer
surfaces of the cushions are to prevent the head support slipping
and to provide an increased level of comfort to the user.
Additionally, by using a different material for the other portions
of the head support, the cost can be reduced as cheaper plastics
could be used.
[0020] Preferably, at least one of the cushions, and more
preferably both cushions, extend over and beyond the
interconnecting member in an upward and/or rearward direction, at
least on the side of the cushion on which a user's head intended to
rest so that support is given to the side of a user's head above
the ears.
[0021] Preferably, in order to reduce the amount of material used,
to reduce the volume to be inflated and to save bulk in the head
support when in use, part of the cushions are cut away and this cut
away portion preferably extends from the front base of the cushions
forwardly towards the top of the cushions.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0022] One example of the present invention will now be described
with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0023] FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of one example of the
present invention;
[0024] FIG. 2 is a cross section through A-A in FIG. 1;
[0025] FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of the head support of FIG.
1;
[0026] FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of how the air flow
passes through the chambers in the head support of FIG. 1;
[0027] FIGS. 5 and 6 show an alternative example of the head
support shown in FIGS. 1 and 3;
[0028] FIG. 7 shows a schematic open plan view of another example
of the present invention;
[0029] FIG. 8 shows a schematic front view of the head support of
FIG. 7; and
[0030] FIG. 9 shows a schematic side view of the head support of
FIG. 7.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0031] As can be seen from FIGS. 1 and 2, a first example of a head
support 10 comprises two elongate cushions 11, 12 interconnected by
a relatively thin member 13, on which a series of heat seals 14 are
formed to prevent unwanted bulging of the interconnecting member
13. The heat seals 14 do not extend all the way across the
interconnecting member 13 and thus do not interfere with the flow
of air between the cushions. The outline of a user's head is shown
in dotted line to indicate the normal positioning of the head
support when in use. The elongate cushions 11, 12 typically rest on
a user's shoulders, and the interconnecting member 13 passes behind
the user's head and rests on the back of, for example, a chair, as
do the upper rear portions of cushions 11, 12.
[0032] Each elongate cushion 11, 12 is formed from three
interconnected chambers 15, 16, 17 which are rolled or folded over
each other such that chamber 15 is connected to chamber 17 and to
interconnecting member 13, thereby forming the substantially
upright cushion. The support provided by the cushions is enhanced
further when a user's head presses against interconnecting member
13, thereby forcing cushions 11, 12 to be even more upright. The
cushions are typically formed by heat sealing the edge of chamber
15 to the edge of chamber 17, but, as shown in the second example,
chamber 15 could be fixed to chamber 17 by mechanical fastenings,
such as velcro.RTM., zips or poppers. Heat seals 14a help define
the shape of the cushions 11, 12.
[0033] The head support 10 is provided with an air inlet valve 18,
which, in this example, is provided in one of the cushions, but may
alternatively be provided in the interconnecting member 13, for
introducing and removing air from the head support. In this
example, the head support is formed from a plastic material which
is heat sealed to provide the required shape and configuration.
[0034] As can be seen from FIG. 4, air introduced through valve 18
can travel from chamber 16 in the left hand (in the Figures)
cushion 12, into chambers 15 and 17 and from chamber 17, it can
pass through the interconnecting member 13 into the right hand (in
the Figures) cushion 11. Alternative flow paths through the
chambers of the head support 10 could be utilised. In particular,
if the valve 18 is provided in the interconnecting member 13, air
can be directed to flow into both cushions 11 and 12
simultaneously.
[0035] Each cushion 11, 12 is provided with a cut away portion 19
at the front which starts at a lower portion 20 of the front of the
support and rises rearwardly and upwardly, as shown in FIG. 3.
Additionally, each cushion is provided with a rearwardly projecting
portion 21 which extends beyond the edge of the interconnecting
member 13 and which provides important additional support to a
user's head above the ears.
[0036] FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate how the outer surface of the head
support 10 can be a different material to that utilised for the
front portion of the interconnecting member and the inner portions
of the cushions 11, 12. In this example, the different material 22
on the outer side of the cushions 11, 12 is a flocked plastic which
increases the comfort for a user and ensures that the underside of
the head support on which the flocked plastic is also provided does
not slip when in use.
[0037] An alternative example of the invention is shown in FIG. 7.
In this example, the head support, when constructed, takes a
substantially similar form to that shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, but, in
this example, is formed by folding three chambers 23, 24, 25, over
each other and fixing chamber 23 to chamber 25 by means of, in this
example, velcro.RTM. 26. Cut away portions 27 and rearwardly
extending portions 28 are formed when the cushions are fixed in
place. The mechanical fixings could, of course, be something other
than velcro.RTM., such as zips, poppers or buttons. An air inlet 30
is provided into one of the chambers 24 and various air passageways
31 allow air to pass into all chambers in the head support. One
advantage of this second example is that, as can be seen from FIG.
8 and FIG. 9, the opened device is flat and therefore easy to carry
and to store.
[0038] In the Figures, the elongate cushions 11, 12 are shown
substantially parallel with each other. However, it should be
appreciated that the cushions could diverge or converge.
Furthermore, although not shown, the chambers 15, 23 could be
provided with a recessed portion, formed by heat sealing, in the
region of the interconnecting member 13 into which a user's ears
can be placed so as to reduce or prevent undue compression of the
ears.
* * * * *