U.S. patent application number 11/124731 was filed with the patent office on 2006-11-09 for vehicle head and neck support.
Invention is credited to John T. Buck.
Application Number | 20060250015 11/124731 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37393420 |
Filed Date | 2006-11-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060250015 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Buck; John T. |
November 9, 2006 |
Vehicle head and neck support
Abstract
The present disclosure provides support for a head and neck of a
passenger of a vehicle.
Inventors: |
Buck; John T.; (Elmont,
NY) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CARTER, DELUCA, FARRELL & SCHMIDT, LLP
445 BROAD HOLLOW ROAD
SUITE 225
MELVILLE
NY
11747
US
|
Family ID: |
37393420 |
Appl. No.: |
11/124731 |
Filed: |
May 9, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
297/397 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60N 2/882 20180201 |
Class at
Publication: |
297/397 |
International
Class: |
A47C 7/36 20060101
A47C007/36 |
Claims
1. A support for a head and neck of a passenger of a vehicle
comprising: a back portion extending across the rear width of the
support and defining at least one recess, side portions extending
outwardly from ends of the back portion and a lower portion
extending outwardly from the back portion and between the side
portions wherein the at least one recess is centrally located on
the back portion, above the lower portion and between the side
portions.
2. The support of claim 1 wherein the support is made from a soft,
resilient material.
3. The support of claim 2 wherein the soft, resilient material is a
foam material.
4. The support of claim 1 wherein the support is a generally wide
U-shaped support.
5. The support of claim 1 wherein the lower portion extends
outwardly from the back portion at a downward angle.
6. (canceled)
7. The support of claim 1 wherein the at least one recess is
generally circular.
8. The support of claim 1 further comprising at least one non-rigid
securement device.
9. The support of claim 8 wherein the at least one non-rigid
securement device is at least one strap.
10. The support of claim 8 wherein the at least one non-rigid
securement device is attached to at least one plate attached to the
rear side of the back portion with a fastener.
11. The support of claim 10 wherein the at least one plate fastened
to the rear side of the back portion is pivotally attached.
12. The support of claim 8 wherein the at least one non-rigid
securement device comprises at least a first and second strap, each
having a first end attached to the support and a second end
attached to a first and second coupling member for releasably
securing the second end of the first strap to the second end of the
second strap.
13. The support of claim 12 wherein the first coupling member
includes a male component and the second coupling member includes a
female component, the male and female components being configured
to be releasably attached together.
14. A support for a head and neck of a passenger of a vehicle
comprising: a back portion extending across the rear width of the
support, the back portion having a front surface and lateral edges
and defining at least one recess; side portions extending outwardly
directly from the lateral edges of the back portion, the side
portions having a lower edge and an upper edge; and a lower portion
extending outwardly from front surface of the back portion and
between the side portions at a location above the lower edge of the
side portions and below the recess, wherein the at least one recess
is centrally located on the back portion above the lower portion
and between the side portions at a location above the lower edge of
the side portions and below the upper edge of the side portions.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] 1. Technical Field
[0002] The present disclosure relates to a support for a head and
neck of a passenger of a vehicle and, more particularly, to a
support for a head and neck of a passenger of a vehicle that may be
universally secured to vehicle seat backrests or headrests of
various configurations.
[0003] 2. Background of Related Art
[0004] Seats of a vehicle such as an automobile, bus, train, or
airplane, typically provide insufficient support to a passenger's
neck and head. Various devices have been proposed in the art for
supporting a passenger's head for the purpose of sleeping, driving
or other activities while in the vehicle. Although effective for
their intended purposes, existing devices do not provide sufficient
head and neck support to the passenger of a moving vehicle while
relaxing or sleeping. Additionally, existing devices cannot be
conveniently attached to the myriad of vehicle seat configurations,
including backrests and headrests.
[0005] Therefore, it is desirable to have a head and neck rest
which sufficiently supports the head and neck of a passenger of a
moving vehicle. Further, it is desirable to have a head and neck
rest having a securement device that may conveniently be configured
to extend vertically or horizontally about a seat headrest, or at
any other angle necessary to provide secure attachment.
SUMMARY
[0006] The present disclosure provides a support for a head and
neck of a passenger of a vehicle. The support comprises a back
portion, side portions, a lower portion, and at least one recess.
The back portion extends across the rear width of the support and
defines the at least one recess. The side portions extend outwardly
from the ends of the back portion. The lower portion extends
outwardly from the back portion and is positioned between the side
portions.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0007] FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a support described
in the present disclosure;
[0008] FIG. 2 illustrates a top view of a support described in the
present disclosure;
[0009] FIG.3 illustrates a back view of a support described in the
present disclosure;
[0010] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 4-4 of
FIG. 2; and
[0011] FIG. 5 schematically shows a support described in the
present disclosure in use.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0012] A support for a head and neck of a passenger according to
the present disclosure will now be described with reference to
FIGS. 1-4 of the accompanying drawings. In one embodiment, the
support is constructed of a soft and yieldably resilient material
such as foam rubber, memory foam or other conventional pillow
materials. The outside of the support may be covered with any
durable, washable material that is, preferably, soft to the touch.
The support, as a whole, includes a generally wide U-shaped
configuration.
[0013] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, support 10 includes back portion
12, at least one recess 14, side portions 16, and lower portion 18.
Back portion 12 extends across the entire rear width of support 10
and defines the at least one recess 14. Side portions 16 extend
outwardly from each end of the back portion 12. Lower portion 18
also extends outwardly from back portion 12 and is spaced between
side portions 16.
[0014] In one embodiment, the at least one recess 14 may be of any
shape, design or dimension and may be located anywhere on back
portion 12. In a particularly useful embodiment, the at least one
recess 14 is generally circular in shape and centrally located on
back portion 12 between side portions 16 and above lower portion
18.
[0015] In another embodiment, side portions 16 of support 10 extend
outwardly from back portion 12 a distance necessary to allow the
passenger to turn their head to the side and rest the side of their
head on side portions 16 of support 10. In a particularly useful
embodiment, side portions 16 extend outwardly from back portion 12
of support 10 a distance approximately equal to or less than the
distance between the back of a passenger's head and the passenger's
temple area located on the side of the passengers head.
Additionally, it is envisioned that side portions 16 extend
outwardly from back portion 12 of the support 10 at an angle
.alpha. ranging from about 80 to about 135 degrees.
[0016] Lower portion 18 of support 10 extends outwardly from back
portion 12 of support 10 and extends between side portions 16 of
support 10. Lower portion 18 of support 10 is positioned to provide
support to the passenger's lower neck area. It is envisioned that
lower portion 18 may extend outwardly from back portion 12 of
support 10 at a downward angle .beta. ranging from about 100 to
about 170 degrees. It is further envisioned that lower portion 18
may extend outwardly from back portion 12 of support 10 at a
downward angle .beta. ranging from about 120 to about 150 degrees.
In a particularly useful embodiment, lower portion 18 extends
forwardly off back portion 12 of support 10 at a downward angle
.beta. ranging from about 130 to about 140 degrees.
[0017] In yet another embodiment, head and neck support 10 further
includes at least one non-rigid securement device 25. Suitable
non-rigid securement devices are within the purview of those
skilled in the art and may include, for example, straps, bands,
ropes, cables and the like. In a particularly useful embodiment,
the at least one non-rigid securement device 25 is at least one
strap.
[0018] It is envisioned that the at least one non-rigid securement
device 25 is attached to support 10 for securing support 10 to a
seat or vehicle headrest 42. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, non-rigid
securement device 25 may be directly attached to support 10 along
back portion 12 or side portions 16. As shown in FIG. 3, it is
further envisioned that non-rigid securement device 25 may be
attached to at least one plate 20 along rear side 40 of support
10.
[0019] In one preferred embodiment, at least one plate 20 is
mounted to rear side 40 of support 10 with a fastener 22, e.g., a
grommet, bolt, pin or other similar fasteners. Alternately,
adhesives or the like may be used to secure plate 20 to support 10
(FIGS. 4). Plate 20 can be of any size, shape and dimension. In a
useful embodiment, plate 20 is generally rectangular. Plate 20 also
includes at least one slot 24 formed in plate 20 and may be adapted
to pivot, swivel or rotate about fastener 22.
[0020] In another preferred embodiment, non-rigid securement device
25 includes at least a first and second strap 26 and 28, each strap
26 and 28 having first and second ends 26c, 28c, 26d, 28d,
respectively. First ends 26c and 28c of first and second straps 26
and 28 are fixedly attached to plate 20. More particularly, first
ends 26c and 28c are looped through slots 24 formed in plate 20.
First and second straps 26 and 28 extend in opposed directions
relative to slots 24.
[0021] Second ends 26d and 28d of first and second straps 26 and 28
may be secured together with at least two coupling members 30 and
32. More particularly, first coupling member 30 is connected to
first strap 26 adjacent second end 26d thereof and includes a male
component. Similarly, second coupling member 32 is connected to
second end 28d of second strap 28 and includes a female component.
Coupling members 30 and 32 are adapted to be releasably secured
together. First coupling member 30 may further include strap
take-up slots 34 such that the length of first strap 26 extending
between first coupling member 30 and plate 20 may be adjusted by a
user. It is contemplated that coupling members 30 and 32 may
include, for example, hook and loop fasteners, buttons and slots,
Velcro, snaps, buckles, and the like.
[0022] Referring to FIGS. 2, 4 and 5, in use, head and neck support
10 may be secured to any vehicle seat, such as the backrest of an
automobile, bus, airplane, train or the like. To secure head and
neck support 10 to a vehicle seat backrest 42, support 10 is
positioned with rear side 40 thereof bearing against backrest 42 at
a desired location. Support 10 may be positioned such that bottom
side 44 rests partially on the shoulders of a user. First 26 and
second 28 straps extend horizontally or vertically around backrest
42 and fasten together with coupling members 30 and 32. Similarly,
head and neck support 10 may be secured to a headrest 42 of a
vehicle seat such as the headrests that are common in automobiles.
If vehicle headrest 42 is in a retracted configuration, rear side
40 of support 10 may be placed against the front side of headrest
42 and first 26 and second 28 straps may extended horizontally or
vertically around headrest 42 and may be releasably coupled
together. However, a user may desire headrest 42 to be extended
upwardly so that support 10 may be positioned at a higher vertical
location. With headrest 42 extended, rear side 40 of support 10 may
be placed against the front side of headrest 42 and straps 26 and
28 may be extended either horizontally or vertically thereabout, or
at any other angle, by rotating plate 20 about fastener 22.
[0023] In another aspect, it is contemplated that the present
support may be dimensioned and configured to be secured to a child
safety seat of the type adapted to be used in a car, bus, airplane
or the like.
[0024] Various modifications and variations of the embodiments
described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art from
the foregoing detailed description. Such modifications and
variations are intended to come within the scope of the following
claims.
* * * * *