Portable, Personal Head Support Device

Abstract

A portable head support device that when located beneath the chin and resting on the thighs of a person when in a sitting position, provides a comfortable level of support enabling the user to sleep while in a sitting position. The pillow is a single unit, with the top surface shaped to gently cradle the chin and/or cheek of the user, such as forming a V-shape or U-shape. The bottom surface is flat or shaped to conform to the thighs. The “twist-hold” pocket has a revolutionary shape that gently grips each hand of the user so that when the user falls asleep, the pillow can remain in place without the need for additional straps or mechanisms to hold the pillow in place as the user is effectively holding the pillow with their arms without needing to consciously hold on to it since the pillow grips the hands.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/62/463,359, filed Feb. 24, 2017, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Disclosure

The field of this disclosure is in portable head supports and applied specifically to support the user's head in a comfortable position while the user is in a sitting position. This prevents the user's head from falling forward or to the side while sleeping which can cause discomfort and a multitude of other ailments due to the abnormal stress this unnatural position places primarily on the neck, back and shoulders.

2. Background

This disclosure relates to a pillow or cushioned support to allow a person to rest or sleep while in a sitting or upright position. Many devices are widely used primarily by travelers to aid in resting or sleeping while in an upright position. However, these devices have specific flaws that either make them impractical or simply do not work. A very popular version of this type of device is a “U” shaped pillow that is placed on the back of the neck and intended to support the head from moving side to side. However, this device actually pushes the head forward, exacerbating the problem by encouraging the head to fall forward when the user falls asleep. Other devices require various methods of pads, arms, straps, etc. to attempt to hold the head upright and prevent it from falling forward or to the side. It should be pointed out that any device that must be affixed by straps or other means will be completely impractical to use with a child, as the child will not tolerate being restricted for very long before the affixing method must be loosened, and the device removed.

This invented head support provides a comfortable, resting position for the head by allowing the user to lean gently forward onto it and resting in a variety of positions. However, the unique feature that causes the device to remain in place even after the user has fallen asleep is in the unique design of the pockets. The pockets are located such that the user inserts his or her hands into the sides of the pillow so that the user is “hugging” the pillow, keeping it comfortably against the front of the abdomen. The pockets gently grip the hands of the user so when he or she falls asleep, the pillow remains in place, providing support of the head and allowing rest. Additionally, since it has no straps or other affixing methods, it can simply be removed when the user no longer desires to use it by pulling the hands out of the pockets.

BRIEF SUMMARY

Disclosed is a pillow that is used to support the head of a user when sitting in an upright position. It is designed to prevent the head from falling forward or to the side uncontrollably when the user is in a sitting position and he or she desires to rest or sleep. This device can be used any time a child or adult needs support for their head when he or she desires to rest or particularly when sleeping as it eliminates the need: 1) To consciously hold the device in place when sleeping; 2) For straps or other attaching means to hold the device in place which are cumbersome and restrictive; and/or 3) When the user is unable to hold the device in place due to illness, age, or incapacitation. The pillow is compact, portable, simple to use, and requires nothing external to facilitate use.

The pillow can be a single unit composed of an inner core that is made of a pliable foam material or inflatable bladder. The inner core can be encased in a removable cover that is washable and soft to the touch for comfort. The inner core can be sufficiently rigid to support the head while being soft enough to provide comfort. It may also contain the unique pockets on either side such that when the hands of the user are inserted into the pockets and rotated 90°, can gently grip the users hands and effectively “soft lock” their hands in place until he or she rotates the hands to remove, or simply pull their hands out of the pockets to release the grip. The outer cover can extend into the pockets and provide a soft feel to the hands.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The pillow can be constructed in a variety of ways with the exemplary embodiment being a foam core with a soft, durable, removable cover. The core can be constructed from a wide variety of materials such as, but not limited to, foam, air, memory foam, or a variety of other materials, with the criteria being the material must be rigid/dense enough to support the head but soft enough to be comfortable for the chin, cheek, or face. This includes the possibility that the core can be made of a combination of materials, but the core material does not limit the invention to a particular material or list of materials; it simply needs to meet the criteria of rigidity and softness. The pillow can be made in a number of different heights to accommodate people of different heights. An alternative embodiment can be a pillow with an adjustable height. In one embodiment, a foam core material can be used for non-air travel applications, and in another embodiment an air inflated core version can be used for air travel, which provides a measure of compactness when not in use. The cover is intended to provide a soft interface between the core and the user, and if it is removable and washable, it can aid in keeping it clean. However, if the core is made of a sufficiently soft and comfortable material, a cover is not necessary for the proper operation of the device.

One of the advantages of certain embodiments is in the design of the pockets. On previous similar devices, a method of holding the device in place was accomplished with all manner of straps, hook-and-loop fasteners, snaps, buttons, or other means that resulted in affixing the device to the user or the seat the user is employing. This results in a cumbersome arrangement that requires effort to affix and remove the device. In the case of this type of attachment when used on a child, it results in the device potentially being held in place when the child does not want it there requiring an adult to intervene, potentially in an inconvenient situation. Other devices use pockets where the user inserts their hands to hold the device in place similar to this invention, however when the user would lose the ability to “hold” the pillow in place as happens when he or she drifts off to sleep, the pillow will slide out of position rendering it useless. Still other pillows or cushions require the device be placed on another surface to accomplish providing the support.

What all of these other configurations lack is the ability to use the pillow at will while at the same time providing a means of keeping the pillow in place when the user goes to sleep and loses the ability to consciously hold on to it. In one embodiment of the disclosure, the answer to this is the “twist-hold” pocket design. The pocket can be generally circular or square on the outside and large enough to insert the hand of the user. The pocket can then transform to a horizontally oriented slot, which the user slides the extended, flat hand oriented where the palm faces the floor or the ceiling when traversing through the slot. The shape of the slot allows passage of the flattened hand into the inner cavity that again transforms into a roughly circular or square space large enough for a fisted hand. Once the hand is rotated where the palm is facing the user's abdomen, the hand is gently held in place, as it cannot easily pass back through the slot.

When the user goes to sleep, the pillow can be held in the perfect position in the lap and snugly against the abdomen of the user providing a comfortable resting place for the chin or cheek. When the user no longer desires to use the pillow, he or she simply reverses the steps to pull the hands out. This is particularly useful in a car where the child in the back seat is using the pillow and allows unencumbered use without the attention of an adult if he or she is driving.

In one embodiment, there are two pockets, one on each side of the pillow, with one oriented directly above the other. An alternate embodiment can be made to combine the pockets with each pocket entering from opposite sides at the same vertical location where the inner cavity is combined for both pockets. Since the comfortable operation of the pockets requires the core material has some degree of resiliency, this can be a determining factor in the selection of that material.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a pillow in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2A illustrates a front view of a pillow with the pocket details in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2B illustrates a side view of a pillow with the pocket details in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2C illustrates a top view of a pillow with the pocket details in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 3A illustrates a perspective side view of a pillow in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 3B illustrates a perspective front view of a pillow in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view and general arrangement of the pillow 1 in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The pillow can be depicted as roughly cuboid or rectangular with rounded edges and corners, and having a front surface section and/or a back surface section. However, other shapes such as, but not limited to, squares, polygons, H-shapes, or A-shapes can be used, along with non-rounded edges and corners. The depth being from a few to several inches as necessary to provide sufficient rigidity and support for the openings 6A and 6B in the sides or side surfaces 4A and 4B. The width being not too wide to comfortably insert the hands into the openings 6A and 6B in the sides 4A and 4B which lead to the unique pockets, and the height being such that the chin (or alternatively the cheek or face) rests comfortably in the “V” or “U” 5 when the bottom or lower surface 3 can be resting on the top of the thighs when the user is sitting. In alternative embodiments, the bottom surface 3 can have one or more cutouts or indentions 11A, 11B or 11C that can allow the user to support the pillow with the user's legs or thighs, and help prevent the pillow from sliding side to side. It should be noted the pillow may have any similar shape as long as the given structural and comfort criteria are met. The pillow has an opening 6A or 6B in either side 4A or 4B situated closer to the bottom 3 than to the top or top section or upper surface 2 which lead to the uniquely designed pockets.

FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C shows an orthographic projection depiction of the pillow 1 to provide the various surface views (FIG. 2A shows a front view, 2B shows a side view and 2C shows a top view) as well as the arrangement of the pockets 10A and 10B and pocket details. This depicts an alternative embodiment where the pockets 10A and 10B are located one on each side 4A or 4B and are oriented one above the other such that they do not connect. In alternative embodiments, the pockets 10A and 10B can connect between the two openings 6A and 6B. This embodiment of the pillow 1 can be a shallow cuboid or rectangular shape with rounded edges and corners. However, other shapes such as, but not limited, to squares, polygons, H-shapes, or A-shapes can be used, along with non-rounded edges and corners. The overall shape can be virtually unlimited as long as the operational features are maintained in their proper orientations. These features are: the “V” or “U” 5 in the center of the top surface 2 for resting the chin, cheek, or head; the bottom surface 3 which rests on the top of the thigh(s) when seated; and the horizontally opposed pockets 10A and 10B on either side 4A or 4B for insertion of the hand to hold the pillow in place.

Each pocket 10A and 10B can be described as having an opening 6A or 6B on each side 4A or 4B of the pillow that enters an outer void 7A or 7B being generally circular or square in shape, or any other shape that can accommodate the arm and/or forearm of the user comfortably once inserted. The opening 6A or 6B should be large enough to easily accept the hand of the person the pillow 1 is sized for. The pocket 10A or 10B then transitions from the outer void 7A or 7B to a slot 8A or 8B that can be oriented horizontally where the width of the slot 8A or 8B as viewed from the pocket opening 6A or 6B can be the same width as the opening 6A or 6B and the height can be reduced to a size that can allow the passage of the hand in an extended orientation, with fingers and thumbs together, and palm facing the floor or ceiling. The slot 8A or 8B then opens to an inner void 9A or 9B that can be similar in size and shape to the outer void 7A or 7B, and large enough for the hand to rotate back to the natural position where the palm is facing the abdomen. The slot 8A and/or 8B allow for the pillow to be secured when a user's hands are in the inner voids 9A and/or 9B. A user can rotate their hand ninety (90) degrees from a substantially horizontal or palm facing downward or upward to secure their hand in the inner voids, resulting in a soft or gentle locking feature. The slots can be manufactured in a manner that they are smaller in diameter and/or volume than the voids, outer voids, or inner voids. The said voids, and slots can be traversed as the voids and slots can be fluidly connected.

In an exemplary embodiment, the inner core of the pillow can range in height from 6 inches to 36 inches, a width of 6 inches to 18 inches, and a depth of 2 inches to 10 inches. The depth cannot be smaller than the diameter of the pockets. However, the width and height can be dictated by a user's preference. The height can be in increments of 1 inches to 6 inches, and the width can be in increments of 1-inch to 6-inch steps.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention a portable pillow designed to be placed in the lap of the user such that the user can rest their chin, cheek, or head on the top surface of the pillow to provide comfortable support to allow the user to sleep or rest when in a sitting position. Alternatively, this device can be used to support, in a comfortable and desirable position, the head of someone who lacks the muscle strength to hold their head in this upright position. The pillow can be comprised of a top surface with a “V” or “U” in the center to accept the chin, cheek or head of the user, a middle section sized to fit the height of the user. For example, there could be three sizes for children and three sizes for adults, both with additional height increments of two inches over the previous one. The middle section can also contain the pockets to hold the user's hands. The pillow can also have a bottom surface either flat or contoured to rest on the top of the user's thigh near the hip. The pillow width can be made such that the hands can easily be inserted into the pockets and also can vary by age, and the depth can be such that a thickness as manufactured can provide adequate rigidity but not too thick as to be cumbersome. The core can be made of any material or combination of materials that can be rigid enough to support the users head while sitting in an upright position and being resilient enough to be comfortable to the chin, cheek, or head of the user. The overall shape allows all sorts of variations, including themes. The important aspects are the location of the critical features (“U” or “V” on the top surface, the bottom surface to rest on the top of the thigh, and the pockets on either side) relative to each other and the rigidity/softness of the core. The pockets on either side of the pillow can be configured with an outer void, an inner void, and a horizontally oriented slot between the voids. The pockets may also share a common inner void as well.

FIG. 3A is a side perspective view of a pillow 30A, and FIG. 3B is a front perspective view of a pillow 30B (pillow is collectively 30). The pillow has a “soft-top” 32 with a foam like material that can be less dense than that of a core 34, a first outer section 36, and a second outer section 38. The soft-top 32 extends in length and width to sufficiently cover the upper surface or section of the combined core 34, first outer section 36, and second outer section 38. It should be noted that in order to conform to the contour of the combined core 34, first outer section 36, and second outer section 38, the soft-top 32 can be constructed longer than the length of the combined core 34, first outer section 36, and second outer section 38.

The soft-top 32 allows a user (not shown) to rest their head, neck, and/or shoulders with relative comfort. The at least one “shoulder(s)” or raised portion(s) 46 and/or 48 of the pillow 30 can support a user's neck and/or shoulders when the pillow 30 is utilized. There can be an indention 44 or U or V contour shape that allows a user to rest their head within, this indention or U or V 44 can also provide or assist in supporting a user's neck and/or shoulders as well or in combination with the shoulder(s) or raised portions 46 and/or 48 of the pillow 30. The foam material of the “soft-top” can be less dense than the first or second outer sections 36 or 38, which are also less dense than the core 34. This allows the user to secure the pillow with their hand(s) via the opening 40, and the outer void 42. In alternative embodiments, the soft-top can be constructed or made of a low density or super soft foam material, the outer sections can be made of a high density or firm foam material, and the core can be made of a medium density or medium firm foam material. In another embodiment, the foam material can, but is not limited to, a ranging in firmness from low density or super-soft that can have a 10 pound rating, medium density or medium firm that can have a 30 pound rating, high density or firm that can have a 50 pound rating, extra high density or extra firm that can have a 60 pound rating, or super high density or super firm that can have a 95 pound rating. The pillow, or any of the sections may have a cover to protect the foam or other material used to manufacture the portable pillow.

While this disclosure has been particularly shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The inventors expect skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate, and the inventors intend the invention to be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. Accordingly, this disclosure includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the disclosure unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.

While various embodiments in accordance with the principles disclosed herein have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only, and not limitation. Thus, the breadth and scope of this disclosure should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with any claims and their equivalents issuing from this disclosure. Furthermore, the above advantages and features are provided in described embodiments, but shall not limit the application of such issued claims to processes and structures accomplishing any or all of the above advantages.

Additionally, the section headings herein are provided for consistency with the suggestions under 37 C.F.R. 1.77 or otherwise to provide organizational cues. These headings shall not limit or characterize the invention(s) set out in any claims that may issue from this disclosure. Specifically, and by way of example, although the headings refer to a “Background,” the claims should not be limited by the language chosen under this heading to describe the so-called field. Further, a description of a technology as background information is not to be construed as an admission that certain technology is prior art to any embodiment(s) in this disclosure. Neither is the “Brief Summary” to be considered as a characterization of the embodiment(s) set forth in issued claims. Furthermore, any reference in this disclosure to “invention” in the singular should not be used to argue that there is only a single point of novelty in this disclosure. Multiple embodiments may be set forth according to the limitations of the multiple claims issuing from this disclosure, and such claims accordingly define the embodiment(s), and their equivalents, that are protected thereby. In all instances, the scope of such claims shall be considered on their own merits in light of this disclosure, but should not be constrained by the headings set forth herein.

Claims

1. A portable pillow designed to be placed in the lap of the user comprising:

a core section;

a front surface of the core;

a back surface of the core;

a lower surface of the core;

an upper surface of the core, the upper side surface having at least one indention;

at least one opening along at least one side surfaces of the core;

at least one void within the core leading from the at least one opening;

and at least one slot within the at least one void leading further within the at least one void.

2. The portable pillow of claim 1, wherein the core section is pliable and rigid.

3. The portable pillow of claim 1, wherein the portable pillow further comprises a cover surrounding the core section, and fitting to the form of the said voids, openings, and indention.

4. The portable pillow of claim 1, wherein the lower surface of the core further comprises at least one indention to receive a user's legs or thighs.

5. The portable pillow of claim 1, wherein the height between the lower side surface of the core and the upper side surface of the core are adjustable in height increments of two (2) inches.

6. The portable pillow of claim 1, wherein the at least one slot within the at least one voids is smaller in diameter than the said voids.

7. A portable pillow designed to be placed in the lap of the user comprising:

a core section;

a first outer section;

a second outer section; and

a soft-top upper section.

8. The portable pillow of claim 7, wherein the core section is made of a medium density foam material.

9. The portable pillow of claim 7, wherein the first or second outer section(s) are made of a high density foam material.

10. The portable pillow of claim 7, wherein the soft-top upper section is made of a low density foam material.

11. The portable pillow of claim 7, wherein the core section further comprises at least one opening or void to allow the insertion of a hand or arm.

12. The portable pillow of claim 7, wherein the core section further comprises at least one substantially rectangular opening or void to allow the insertion of a hand or arm.

13. The portable pillow of claim 7, wherein the core section further comprises:

at least one void opening along at least one side surface of said pillow;

at least one slot opening fluidly connected to the at least one void opening; and

at least one resting void fluidly connected to the at least one slot.

14. The portable pillow of claim 7, wherein soft-top upper section further comprises at least one indention.

15. The portable pillow of claim 7, wherein the soft-top is substantially rectangular in shape.

16. The portable pillow of claim 7, wherein the first or second outer section(s) are substantially rectangular in shape.

17. The portable pillow of claim 7, wherein the core section is substantially rectangular in shape.

18. A method of use for a portable pillow designed to be placed in the lap of a user, the method comprising:

placing of a user's hands within at least one opening along a side surface of the portable pillow;

inserting the user's hands within at least one slot within at least one void within the at least one opening of the portable pillow; and

securing the user's hands within portable pillow.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the securing step further comprises rotating the user's hands approximately ninety (90) degrees and perpendicular to a substantially rectangular shape of the at least one slot.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the inserting step further comprises:

traversing the at least one opening to the at least one void;

further traversing the at least one slot within the at least one void; and

resting the user's hands within the at least one void.