MOBILE CUSTOMIZED HEADREST STAND

Abstract

A portable head rest stand for a person sitting in a chair which includes a 4-wheeled base member positioned adjacent to the chair. An adjustable pedestal is mounted upright on the 4-wheeled base member. An adjustable head support assembly is mounted on a top end ring adjuster of the pedestal to receive a head of the person sitting on the chair. A joint allows the upper part stem of the pedestal to incline or recline from the lower part stem. Two adjustable knobs are used to tighten the upper part incline or decline in a customized angle from the lower part stem so the sitting person can have the best fit in inclined or declined angled positions. Arm rest is mounted on the pedestal to receive hands of the person sitting on the chair. An adjustable chest rest can also be mounted to the pedestal, to receive a chest of the person sitting on the chair.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of Provisional Patent Application No. 61/179,788, filed on May 20, 2009, in the United States Patent & Trademark Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a stabilizing apparatus, and more particular a portable head rest stand for a person sitting in a chair.

The stand provides support to the head, chest, and arms during lengthy cosmetic and clinical procedures and will assist cosmetologists, estheticians, tattoo artists, dermatologists, and others as they perform varied services on their client. The stand helps to create comfort and protection to a customer receiving treatments and is ideal for use in salons when a client is receiving extended time services, such as hair braids, weaves, hair fusion, dread locking, curling, and more. The stand provides stylists with an easy way to manipulate the head during the styling session, while it offers more comfort to the client and allows them to relax and even fall asleep as they are being worked on. The stand prevents individuals from awaking to a sore neck or back and provides stylists with convenient access to the hair without constant repositioning and it can also be used during other beauty or clinical treatments.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Many times clients show up for hair appointments tired and rundown. Some procedures take an extended amount of time. The conventional styling chair is not conducive to sleeping or relaxing. It is difficult to keep the head straight when nodding off and stylists spend a lot of time straightening and repositioning the head. Many people come to their appointments from work, the gym, school, and other tiring activities. By the time they get in the chair, they simply want to relax. The current chairs leave individuals with neck, shoulder, and back pain. Stylists want to keep their customers happy and comfortable in order to retain their business. They also want the client positioned in way that enables the stylist to do the best job possible. A support system is needed to be used in conjunction with a styling chair.

Numerous innovations for seating supports have been provided in the prior art that will be described. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they differ from the present invention.

A FIRST EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,401,078, Issued on Mar. 28, 1995, to Riach teaches a unitary, portable, foldable and adjustable therapy chair on which a patient is seated. The chair includes a frame having two pivotal members which move in a scissor-like manner. Attached to the frame are a seat, a chest support, an arm support, a face support and a pair of leg supports. The chair is adjustable from a collapsed position to a plurality of erect positions. The frame may be secured in a desired use position. When the chair is adjusted, the seat, the chest support, the arm support and the leg supports move with respect to one another.

A SECOND EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,487,590, Issued on Jan. 30, 1996, to Haynes teaches a chair to promulgate kinesthetic therapy including a seat frame, a chest rest frame, an arm rest frame and a base. The seat frame and the chest rest frame are independently attached to the base and extend upwardly and inwardly from the base where they support a seat and chest rest respectively. Both the seat and chest rest are adjustable along the same axis A via frames and respectively. Axis A makes an oblique angle .alpha. with the plane of the base. The armrest frame is attached to the base immediately in front of and parallel to the chest rest frame. The arm rest frame includes an arm rest which is horizontally supported and elevationally adjustable above the base. A head support is spaced from the chest rest via a pair of spaced parallel cantilevered arms.

A THIRD EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,971,485, Issued on Oct. 26, 1999, to Clark teaches an adjustable and foldable chair for massaging an individual which provides a pair of upwardly directed support struts pivotally joined by a leg support strut and is able to stand erect on a pair of laterally disposed feet at the ends of the support struts. A buttock, leg, chest, arm and face supports are positionally adjustable. The support struts are convergent with the included angle being adjustable over a range of approximately 47° degrees. This range of adjustability allows the chair to accept the body conformations of children, women and men of all sizes.

A FOURTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 6,065,808, Issued on May 23, 2000, to Tinsley teaches an adjustable and portable massage chair. The massage chair includes a seat subassembly and an upper body support subassembly. The seat subassembly is comprised of a pair of front legs and a pair of rear legs, the rear legs being pivotally attached to the front legs. A seat is pivotally attached to the upper end of the pair of front legs and adjustably attached to the upper end of a seat support post. The lower end of the seat support post is pivotally attached to a lower portion of the rear legs. The upper body subassembly is comprised of a pair of support legs pivotally attached at their lower portion to a lower portion of the front legs of the seat subassembly. A chest support is pivotally attached to the upper portion of the support legs, and a face cradle is pivotally attached to the chest support. An arm support is located below the chest support and pivotally attached to a mid-portion of the support legs. A pair of connector arms extend between the support legs of the upper body support subassembly and the front legs of the seat subassembly. The connector arms are slidingly attached to the support legs and pivotally attached to the front legs to thereby permit the seat subassembly and the upper body support subassembly to be folded towards each other.

A FIFTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Patent Office Publication No. 2002/0067060, Published on Jun. 6, 2002, to Lloyd teaches a collapsible chair for supporting a person that includes a seat and a chest rest. The chest rest may be adjusted longitudinally and rotationally when a cam lever is moved into an unlocked position. An adjustable face rest is connected to the chest rest. The chair may also include an adjustable armrest, and detachable knee rests.

A SIXTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 6,698,831, Issued on Mar. 2, 2004, to Lloyd teaches a collapsible chair for supporting a person which includes a seat and a chest rest. The chest rest may be adjusted longitudinally and rotationally when a cam lever is moved into an unlocked position. An adjustable face rest is connected to the chest rest. The chair may also include an adjustable armrest, and detachable knee rests.

A SEVENTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 6,729,690, Issued on May 4, 2004, to Roleder et al. teaches a massage chair. The massage chair includes a front lower support including a front attachment section, a rear lower support including a rear attachment section, a seat secured to the rear lower support, a front upper support including an upper attachment section, a chest rest secured to the front upper support, and a connector. Importantly, the connector connects the front attachment section, the rear attachment section and the upper attachment section and allows for relative motion of the front lower support, the rear lower support and the front upper support about the connector. As a result of this design, the massage chair easily moves between a transport position and an upright position. Further, as a result of this design, the profile of the massage chair in the transport position is relatively small.

AN EIGHTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 6,758,447, Issued on Jul. 6, 2004, to Tinsley teaches an epidural stabilization device for restraining a sitting patient against movement during an epidural procedure. The device includes an adjustable face cradle, an adjustable chest support, and an arm support. The face cradle, chest support and arm support are attached to a support post. A support leg extends downwardly from the support post. The support leg is preferably adapted to be received and held by a conventional IV clamp attached to an operating or examination table.

A NINTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 6,959,962, Issued on Nov. 1, 2006, to Dixon teaches a patient support for providing supplementary support for patients undergoing procedures such as epidurals. The support can be secured in position alongside a bed or operating table provides a number of options as to the mode of the support required by the patient for various procedures and treatments.

A TENTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 7,144,080, Issued on Dec. 5, 2006, to Lloyd teaches a portable massage chair which uses a multi-disk friction clamp to permit adjustment of a chest support member. The chair may be collapsed or set up for use by alternately connecting and disconnecting a rigid triangular support structure formed by a seat support frame portion, a chest support frame portion, and a knee support frame portion.

AN ELEVENTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Patent Office Publication No. 2008/0143164, Published on Jun. 19, 2008, to Ghilzai teaches a modular ergonomic chair capable of accommodating a variety of users and uses that includes a chair base, a support column coupled to the chair base, a seat base, including a seat base pivot, with the seat base coupled to the support column, a seat, including one or more mounts, with the seat coupled to the seat base pivot, and one or more knee support pads coupled to a knee support pivot, with the knee support pivot coupled to any of the preceding chair elements. The modular ergonomic chair is capable of supporting a user in a reclined, upright, or inclined position and may accommodate a number of additional task-specific components.

It is apparent now that numerous innovations for seating supports have been provided in the prior art that are adequate for various purposes. Furthermore, even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, accordingly, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

AN OBJECT of the present invention is to provide a portable head rest stand for a person sitting in a chair that avoids the disadvantages of the prior art.

ANOTHER OBJECT of the present invention is to provide a portable head rest stand for a person sitting in a chair that is simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

STILL ANOTHER OBJECT of the present invention is to provide a portable head rest stand for a person sitting in a chair that is simple to use.

BRIEFLY STATED, STILL YET ANOTHER OBJECT of the present invention is to provide a portable head rest stand for a person sitting in a chair which comprises a 4-wheeled base member positioned adjacent to the chair. An adjustable pedestal is mounted upright on the 4-wheeled base member. An adjustable head support assembly is mounted on a top end of the pedestal to receive a head of the person sitting on the chair. An adjustable hand support assembly is mounted on the pedestal to receive hands of the person sitting on the chair. An adjustable chest support assembly can also be mounted to the pedestal, to receive a chest of the person sitting on the chair.

The novel features which are considered characteristic of the present invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of the specific embodiments when read and understood in connection with the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The figures of the drawings are briefly described as follows:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention in use;

FIG. 2A is a perspective view of the front of portable head rest stand as shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 2B is a perspective view of the back of portable head rest stand;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 2, showing various positions of the pedestal on the 4-wheeled base member;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the present invention in a collapsed position for easy storage;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the portable head rest stand in use having a chest support;

FIG. 6A is a perspective view of the portable head rest stand as shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 6B is a front view of the portable head rest stand as shown in FIG. 5;

REFERENCE NUMERALS UTILIZED IN THE DRAWING

• 110 portable head rest stand
• 112 person
• 114 chair
• 116 4-wheeled base member of stand 110
• 118 adjustable pedestal of stand 110
• 118A lower stem
• 118B upper stem
• 104A an adjustable knob 104A allows the lower stem 118A to go up and down to customize the height
• 104B an adjustable knob allows the arm rest 126 to move up and down via slot on the pedestal 118
• 104E an adjustable knob allows the chest rest 148 to move up and down via a slot on the pedestal 118
• 118A-B a joint allows the upper part 118B to incline or recline
• 120 adjustable head support assembly of stand 110
• 122 ring adjuster at top end of pedestal 118
• 123 flexible gooseneck connector
• 124 head of person 112
• 126 adjustable hand/arm support assembly or arm rest of stand 110
• 128 hand of person 112
• 130 rectangular plate of 4-wheeled base member 116
• 132 lockable wheel assembly of 4-wheeled base member 116
• 132A a lock for wheel assembly
• 134 floor
• 136 receptacle in plate 130
• 138 track on 4-wheeled base member 116
• 140 bottom of pedestal 118
• 142 handle of 4-wheeled base member 116
• 144 short side of plate 130
• 146 telescopic stem for pedestal 118
• 148 adjustable chest support assembly or chest rest of stand 110
• 150 chest of person 112
• 152A padded cushion of head rest of stand 110
• 152B padded cushion of chest rest of stand 110
• 152C padded cushion of hand or arm rest of stand 110

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the figures, in which like numerals indicate like parts, and particularly to FIGS. 1 through 6, and as such, will be discussed with reference thereto.

The present invention is a portable head rest stand 110 for a person 112 sitting in a chair 114 which comprises a 4-wheeled base member 116 positioned adjacent to the chair 114. An adjustable pedestal 118 is mounted upright on the 4-wheeled base member 116. An adjustable head support assembly 120 is mounted on a top end ring adjuster 122 of the pedestal 118 to receive a head 124 of the person 112 sitting on the chair 114. An adjustable hand support assembly 126 is mounted on the pedestal 118 to receive hands 128 of the person 112 sitting on the chair 114.

The 4-wheeled base member 116 comprises a stable, rectangular, retractable plate 130. A plurality of lockable wheel assemblies 132 are affixed to the plate 130 for easy maneuvering of the plate 130 along a floor 134. A lock 132A is provided for wheel assembly 132. The 4-wheeled base member 116 further comprises the plate 130 having a plurality of spaced apart receptacles 136. A track 138 is pivotally mounted between bottom 140 of the pedestal 118 and the plate 130. The track 138 can slide the pedestal 118 over the receptacles 136 to center, left and right positions on the plate 130 and be collapsible onto the plate 130 for storage thereof.

The 4-wheeled base member 116 further comprises a handle 142 extending from a short side 144 of the plate 130 for easy transportation of the stand 110. The pedestal 118 comprises a telescopic stem 146 to vary height thereof. The stand 110 further comprises an adjustable chest support assembly 148 mounted to the pedestal 118 to receive a chest 150 of the person 112 sitting on the chair 114. The adjustable head support assembly 120, the adjustable hand support assembly 126 and the adjustable chest support assembly 148, each comprises a padded cushion 152A-152C thereon to supply comfort to the head 124, the hands 128 and the chest 150 of the person 112 sitting on the chair 114.

In review the portable head rest stand 110 will assist cosmetologists in styling hair. The stand 110 allows the person 112 to rest their head 124, chest 150, and arms 128. There are five basic components to the stand 110. The first is the stable, rectangular, retractable 4-wheeled base member 116 to act as horizontal support for the pedestal 118. The lockable wheel assemblies 132 are attached for easy maneuvering. The 4-wheeled base member 116 contains the receptacles 136 and track 138 which allows the pedestal 118 to be positioned and mobilized in center, left, and right positions.

The 4-wheeled base member 116 includes the handle 142 for easy transporting. The 4-wheeled base member 116 adjusts in length from approximately twenty-two inches to thirty-two inches horizontally, depending on the style and size of the chair 114 being used in conjunction with the stand 110. The pedestal 118 is a vertical, adjustable, tubular or square stem 146 that supports the head support assembly 120, chest support assembly 148, and hand support assembly 126. The pedestal 118 may be made of metal and is adjustable in height. The telescopic stem 116 adjusts from approximately twenty-seven inches to a maximum length of sixty inches. An adjustable knob 104A allows the lower stem 118A to go up and down to customize the height. An adjustable knob 104B allows the arm rest 126 to move up and down via slot on the pedestal 118. An adjustable knob 104E allows the chest rest 148 to move up and down via a slot on the pedestal 118.

A joint 118A-B allows the upper part 118B to incline or recline from sitting person 112. Two adjustable knobs 104E-D are tightened (located on both sides of the pedestal 118) the upper part stem 118B incline or decline a customized angle (from 1° to 45° degrees) from the vertical lower part stem 118A. The sitting person 112 can select the best fit in inclined or declined angled positions (as in FIGS. 1-6).

The stand 110 is flexible in the head support assembly 120, can be maneuvered into convex and concave positions. The pedestal 118 is also collapsible for storage purposes. The head support assembly 120 is oval shaped and is cushioned for comfort. It is horizontally positioned at the top end ring adjuster 122 of the pedestal 118 and measures approximately seventeen inches in length. It may contain a sponge interior and may have a solid material, such as plastic or ply board to support the sponge. It may be covered in a soft leather or vinyl material with a center incline to cradle the head 124 and neck. In FIGS. 5-6, an end of a flexible gooseneck connector 123 is mounted on top end ring adjuster 122 of said pedestal 118 and the other end of the gooseneck connector is horizontally connected to the adjustable head support assembly 120 to receive the head of the person sitting on the chair. The flexible gooseneck connector 123 is bended in 90° degrees.

The head support assembly 120 has swivel capabilities of about three hundred and sixty degrees and can lock into any position. The chest support assembly 148 is approximately six inches by twelve inches and is rectangular in shape. There is an attachable padded cushion head rest 152A and the chest support assembly 148 can be vertically positioned immediately below the head support assembly 120. The chest support assembly 148 may have similar interior and exterior surfaces as the head support assembly 120.

There may be an attachment to accommodate full-breasted women. The attachable padded cushion chest rest 152B helps to relieve pressure and can be adjusted to varying heights by sliding the chest support assembly 120 up and down on the pedestal 118. The hand support assembly 120 has a semi-circular configuration for the hands 128. It is situated below the chest support assembly 150, on the opposite side of the pedestal 118. It is collapsible and can adjust up or down on the pedestal 118.

A padded cushion of hand or arm rest 152C of stand 110 is provided.

All of the above components are mounted and assembled together to form the stand 110. The stand 110 can be used in a variety of applications, such as in salons, in doctor's offices, in tattoo parlors, and more. The stand 110 can be used in any setting that requires the person 112 to be in a comfortable, accessible position. The stand 110 may be available in a variety of colors, such as black and silver. The exact specifications may vary.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodiments of a portable head rest stand for a person sitting in a chair, accordingly it is not limited to the details shown, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention.

Claims

1. A portable head rest stand for a person sitting in a chair which comprises:

a) a 4-wheeled base member positioned adjacent to the chair;

b) an adjustable pedestal mounted upright on said 4-wheeled base member, wherein the pedestal having a lower part stem and an upper part stem;

c) a joint allows the upper part stem of the pedestal to incline or recline from the lower part stem;

d) two adjustable knobs are used to tighten the upper part incline or decline in a customized angle from the lower part stem so the sitting person can have the best fit in inclined or declined angled positions;

e) an adjustable head support assembly mounted on top end ring adjuster of said pedestal to receive a head of the person sitting on the chair; and

f) an adjustable hand support assembly mounted on said pedestal to receive hands of the person sitting on the chair.

2. The stand as recited in claim 1, wherein said 4-wheeled base member comprises:

a) a stable, rectangular, retractable plate; and

b) a plurality of lockable wheel assemblies affixed to both end of said plate for easy maneuvering of said plate along a floor.

3. The stand as recited in claim 2, wherein said 4-wheeled base member further comprises:

a) said plate having a plurality of spaced apart receptacles; and

b) a track pivotally mounted between bottom of said pedestal and said plate, whereby said track can slide said pedestal over said receptacles to center, left and right positions on said plate and be collapsible onto said plate for storage thereof.

4. The stand as recited in claim 2, wherein said 4-wheeled base member further comprises a handle extending from a short side of said plate for easy transportation of said stand.

5. The stand as recited in claim 1, wherein said pedestal is telescopically to vary height thereof.

6. The stand as recited in claim 1, further comprising an adjustable chest support assembly mounted to said pedestal to receive a chest of the person sitting on the chair.

7. The stand as recited in claim 6, wherein said adjustable head support assembly, said adjustable hand support assembly and said adjustable chest support assembly, each comprises a padded cushion thereon to supply comfort to the head, the hands and the chest of the person sitting on the chair.

8. The stand as recited in claim 1, wherein an end of a gooseneck connector is mounted on top end ring adjuster of said pedestal, and the other end of the gooseneck connector is horizontally connected to the adjustable head support assembly to receive the head of the person sitting on the chair.