VIBRATING PILLOW

Abstract

A vibrating pillow comprising a cover extending around a pliable filling and a vibrator capable of providing sensation to a user of the pillow positioned within the cover includes a connector for connecting the vibrator to an entertainment medium. An attachment component is further provided on the pillow for fixing the pillow with respect to a furniture piece.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/623,437 filed on 12 Apr. 2012, and which is incorporated by reference herein and is made a part hereof, including but not limited to those portions which specifically appear in this Patent Application.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a pillow with an integrated vibrator capable of providing tactile sensation in association with an audio source.

2. Description of Related Art

Entertainment media such as console and/or computer-related video games and other amusement devices, has produced a demand for furniture pieces which provide stimulation to the occupant of the furniture piece based upon signals derived from an entertainment medium.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A pillow with a vibrator is preferably attached with respect to a furniture piece and capable of providing auditory and/or tactile sensation to a user of the furniture piece with the vibrator being operably connectable to a furniture piece and/or an entertainment medium so as to be responsive to a signal produced from the furniture piece and/or the entertainment medium.

The pillow preferably comprises a cover surrounding a pliable filling with a vibrator positioned within the cover and/or the pliable filling. The pillow may further include a connector for removably connecting the pillow to the furniture piece. The vibrator preferably including a wired or wireless connector for connecting the vibrator to at least one of a furniture piece and an entertainment medium. In a preferred embodiment, the vibrator is an electric motor connected to an eccentric weight and a speed of the electric motor is controlled in relation to a signal of the entertainment medium.

In an embodiment of this invention, the furniture piece is a gaming chair with speakers and a means for connecting the chair to a gaming system to provide an immersive gaming experience.

Objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, in view of the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the appended claims and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The drawings show a vibrating pillow and/or related entertainment chair, according to preferred embodiments of this invention, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a pillow according to one preferred embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of a furniture piece with the pillow of FIG. 1 attached, according to one preferred embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the pillow, as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the pillow, as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the pillow, as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a rear view of the pillow, as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a front perspective view of a pillow according to another embodiment of this invention.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. 1-6 show a pillow 10 according to one preferred embodiment of this invention. As shown in FIGS. 1-6, the pillow 10 comprises a rectangular cuboid shape with rounded corners. As shown in FIG. 2, this shape allows the pillow 10 of this invention to be positioned on a furniture piece 100 to fit behind the lower back of a person sitting on the furniture piece 100 to provide auditory and/or tactile sensation to the person. However, it should be understood that the pillow 10 of this invention is not limited to this shape and may comprise any shape including, but not limited to, a semi-spherical shape and a tubular shape. Alternative shapes may be especially useful when the pillow of this invention is attached to the furniture piece 100 to fit behind a person's head, upper back, thighs or feet. For example, FIG. 7 shows an alternative embodiment of the pillow 110 of this invention having a tubular shape.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 1-6, the pillow 10 comprises a cover 12 surrounding a pliable filling and a vibrator 20. In a preferred embodiment, the cover 12 comprises a stretchable polyester material 13, a mesh fabric material 14 and decorative piping 15 surrounding a foam material. However, it should be understood that the cover 12 may comprise any type of a suitable pillow covering such as, but not limited to, natural or artificial fabrics, suede, vinyl or similar material that is suitable for use in connection with a pillow. Likewise, the pliable filling may comprise any type of filling known in the art including, but not limited to, cotton, synthetic, down, foam or any similar filling that will remain generally flexible yet maintain the overall shape of the pillow 10 following use.

As best shown in FIGS. 3-6, the vibrator 20 is positioned within the pliable filling and capable of providing sensation to a user of the pillow 10. The vibrator 20 is preferably positioned within the cover 12 such that it may provide direct tactile sensation to a user sitting against the pillow and/or on a connected furniture piece 100 when the vibrator 30 is operational.

FIGS. 3-6 show a schematic of an exemplary embodiment of the vibrator 20 for use in the present invention, such as for use with the furniture piece 100 shown in FIG. 2. The vibrator 20 preferably comprises at least an electric motor with a motor shaft, preferably coupled to an eccentric weight. A housing desirably contains the motor, the motor shaft, and the eccentric weight. An amplifier may be connected to the motor for control of vibration level. For example, as a sound volume of the entertainment media (not shown) increases, the power to the motor may correspondingly increase, thereby increasing the rotational speed or torque of the motor and the turning of the eccentric weight, thereby increasing the vibration.

In a preferred embodiment of this invention, the pillow 10 is used in association or combination with a furniture piece 100 including, but not limited to, a chair, an ottoman, a couch or a sofa. Further, the furniture piece 100 preferably includes an integrated input jack 102 for receiving a connector plug 22 of the pillow 10, such as shown in FIG. 2. Likewise, auditory transducers, i.e., speakers 104, may be integrated with the furniture piece 100 for particular application video gaming, as additionally shown in FIG. 2. Specifically, the furniture piece 100 may comprise a gaming chair which may include one or more of speakers 102, control panel 106, input/output jack 108 and/or a power source (not shown).

In a preferred embodiment, the pillow 10 is removably connected to the furniture piece 100. As best shown in FIGS. 3-6, the pillow includes an attachment component 16 for fixing the pillow 10 with respect to a furniture piece 100. In this embodiment, the attachment component 16 comprises a pair of engageable straps 18, where one strap 18 of the pair are connected to each end of the pillow 10. In practice, the pillow 10 may be set on the back of a chair and then the straps 60 may be used to engage the pillow 10 to a seatback, for instance. Alternative embodiments of the attachment component 16 may include hook and loop fasteners, buckles, ties or other similar attachment mechanisms. In another embodiment, the pillow 10 may be permanently secured to furniture piece 100 or may be integrally formed into the foam and cover of the furniture piece 100.

In a preferred embodiment, the pillow 10 includes a connector cord 24 that preferably extends from the vibrator 20 within the pillow 10 to a desired external distance from the pillow 10 for connecting the vibrator 20 to an entertainment medium. In one embodiment, the connector cord 24 connects to the furniture piece 100 through the control panel 106 and the furniture piece 100 is connected to the entertainment medium (not shown), so as to be responsive to a signal produced from the entertainment medium. Although shown as hard-wire connected by a connector cord 24, it will be appreciated that any means of transferring the signal to the furniture piece 100 and/or the entertainment medium may be realized including, for example, a wireless transmission.

In an embodiment of this invention, the pillow 10 may include a control panel 26 for adjusting the output of the vibrator 20. In another embodiment, the furniture piece 100 may include an input/output 106 and/or a control panel 10R to provide a means for operably connecting the pillow 10 with a furniture piece 100 and/or an entertainment medium, such as an mp3 player, video game system or similar device (not shown) so as to receive and be responsive to a signal produced from the entertainment medium. The control panel 108 may also provide an output jack, on/off switch, and volume and vibration controls such as potentiometers or the like. A preferred control panel 108 may include one or more separate adjustment devices for vibration; for tone such as bass/treble; and/or for volume. A knob, toggle, button or similar adjustment device may be used to adjust the desired parameter.

In practice, the pillow 10 may be connected to an entertainment medium, such as an mp3 player, through the connector cord 24 and connector plug 22 such that a volume control of the entertainment medium may control the volume output signal and thus a vibration output of the pillow 10. Alternatively, an entertainment medium may provide a particular vibration signal, independent of any volume of the device or the device may be muted so that the entirety of the signal is passed to the vibrator 20 of the pillow 10, without audible sounds. Conversely, the user can adjust vibration control and/or volume control to a desired level and avoid any vibration output.

As a result of the described configuration, furniture piece 10 may include one or more pillows 10, depending on the desired application. In addition, multiple pillows 10 may be connected to multiple devices or different channels of the same device to provide different tactile responses based on game play, music, etc.

The invention illustratively disclosed herein suitably may be practiced in the absence of any element, part, step, component, or ingredient which is not specifically disclosed herein.

While in the foregoing detailed description this invention has been described in relation to certain preferred embodiments thereof and many details have been set forth for purposes of illustration, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is susceptible to additional embodiments and that certain of the details described herein can be varied considerably without departing from the basic principles of the invention.

Claims

1. A pillow comprising:

a cover surrounding a pliable filling;

a vibrator capable of providing sensation to a user of the pillow positioned within the cover;

an attachment component connected with respect to the pillow for fixing the pillow with respect to a furniture piece; and

a connector for connecting the vibrator to at least one of a furniture piece and an entertainment medium.

2. The pillow of claim 1 wherein the vibrator comprises an electric motor connected to an eccentric weight and a speed of the electric motor is controlled in relation to a signal of the entertainment medium.

3. The pillow of claim 1 wherein the attachment component comprises a pair of engageable straps, one strap of the pair connected to each end of the pillow.

4. The pillow of claim 1 wherein the connector comprises one of a wired connector or a wireless connector.

5. The pillow of claim 1 in combination with a chair, wherein the chair comprises a gaming chair.

6. The gaming chair of claim 5 further comprising:

one or more integrated speakers;

a power source; and

an output jack, wherein the connector is connected to the output jack.

7. A pillow comprising:

a pliable filling surrounding a vibrator capable of providing sensation to a user of the pillow;

an attachment component for removably connecting the pillow to a furniture piece; and

a connector cord for connecting the vibrator to an entertainment medium, wherein the vibrator is controlled in relation to a signal from the entertainment medium.

8. The pillow of claim 7 wherein the vibrator comprised at least one of an electric motor and a speaker.

9. The pillow of claim 7 wherein the entertainment medium comprises at least one of a gaming system, a video system and an audio player.

10. The pillow of claim 7 wherein the attachment component comprises one of a pair of engageable straps, a hook and loop fastener and a button connector.

11. The pillow of claim 7 in combination with a chair, wherein the chair comprises a gaming chair.

12. The gaming chair of claim 11 further comprising:

one or more integrated speakers;

an input jack connecting the gaming chair to the entertainment medium; and

an output jack connecting the gaming chair to the vibrator.