PILLOW SOUND SYSTEM

Abstract

A pillow sound system keeps pillow speakers in place under a pillow, allows to adjust the distance between the pillow speakers to accommodate different head/neck sizes and/or head sizes, stows any excess stereo speaker interconnection cord and is comfortable and unobtrusive in use.

Claims

1. A pillow sound system, comprising: first and second longitudinally extending arms each having an outer and an inner end; speaker attaching members respectively at the outer ends of each of the first and second arms that hold the speakers attached thereby in place against dislodgment and unintentional dislocation; and first and second interconnection members respectively at the inner ends of the first and second arms that cooperate to attach said first and second arms together in such a way that the longitudinal extension defined between the outer ends of the arms, and therewith the longitudinal width defined between the speaker attaching members, is selectively adjustable between comparatively-longer and comparatively-shorter maximum and minimum values.

2. The pillow sound system of claim 1, wherein said arms are formed of a flexible and comfortable substrate material.

3. The pillow sound system of claim 2, wherein said material is rubber.

4. The pillow sound system of claim 1, wherein said speaker attaching members at the outer ends of the first and second arms that hold the speakers attached thereby in place against dislodgment are walls defining speaker receiving cavities.

5. The pillow sound system of claim 2, wherein said speaker attaching members at the outer ends of the first and second arms that hold the speakers attached thereby in place against dislodgment are walls defining speaker receiving cavities integrally formed with the substrate of the arms.

6. The pillow sound system of claim 1, further including first and second stereo speakers.

7. The pillow sound system of claim 1, wherein the first interconnection member includes a first array of longitudinally and transversely spaced apart male elements proximate the inner end of one of said arms and the second interconnection member includes a second array of longitudinally and transversely spaced apart female elements proximate the inner end of the other of said first and second arms adapted to receive said male elements of said first array, the first and second arrays are cooperative to releasably attach the first and second arms together so that the longitudinal extent between the outer ends of the arms is adjustable between comparatively-longer and comparatively-shorter maximum and minimal values in dependence on which of the female elements of the second array of elements is selected to receive the male elements of the first array of male elements, whereby different head/body sizes and/or head sizes may be accommodated.

8. The pillow sound system of claim 7, wherein said arms are formed of a flexible substrate material, and wherein said first array is integrally formed with the substrate material of said first arm.

9. The pillow sound system of claim 7, wherein said arms are formed of a flexible substrate material, and wherein said second array is integrally formed with the substrate material of said second arm.

10. The pillow sound system of claim 6, wherein said stereo speakers are connected by an electrical wire, and further including at least one speaker wire receiving member provided on at least one arm to take up any excess speaker wire.

11. The pillow sound system of claim 10, wherein said arms are formed of a flexible and comfortable substrate material and wherein said at least one speaker wire receiving member provided on said at least one arm to take up any excess speaker wire is integrally formed with said substrate of said at least one arm.

12. The pillow sound system of claim 11, wherein said at least one speaker wire receiving member includes an excess cord receiving reservoir having flexible lips.

13. A pillow sound system, comprising: first and second speakers electrically interconnected by an electrical cord that extends therebetween; a longitudinally extending support member adapted for insertion into a pillow that supports said first and second speakers at a longitudinally spaced apart width; and an element carried by said support member adapted to take up cord that exceeds said longitudinally spaced apart width.

14. The pillow sound system of claim 13, wherein said element is an excess cord receiving reservoir.

15. The pillow sound system of claim 13, wherein said support member includes a width adjustment member to selectively vary said width.

16. The pillow sound system of claim 13, wherein said longitudinally extending support member adapted for insertion into a pillow that supports said first and second speakers at a longitudinally spaced apart width retains and secures the same against unintended dislocation.

17. A sound pillow system that accommodates different head sizes and/or head/neck sizes, comprising: a pillow insertable longitudinally extended speaker receiving member that supports first and second stereo speaker mounting members spaced apart along said longitudinally extended speaker receiving member and that includes a width adjustable member intermediate said spaced apart first and second stereo speaker mounting members such that by adjusting the width of the width adjustable member the spacing between said spaced apart first and second stereo speaker mounting members is controllably adjusted to accommodate said different head sizes and/or head/neck sizes.

18. The sound pillow system that accommodates different head sizes and/or head/neck sizes of claim 17, wherein first and second arms are cooperative to provide said longitudinally extended speaker mounting member.

19. The sound pillow system that accommodates different head sizes and/or head/neck sizes of claim 18, wherein first and second arrays of male and female elements respectively provided on said first and second arms are cooperative to provide said width adjustable member.

20. The sound pillow system that accommodates different head sizes and/or head/neck sizes of claim 17, further including first and second stereo speakers.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Other objects, advantageous features, and inventive aspects of the present invention will become apparent as the invention becomes better understood by referring to the following, solely exemplary, detailed description of the presently preferred embodiments thereof, and to the drawings, wherein:

[0017] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the pillow sound system of the present invention;

[0018] FIG. 2 is an exploded bottom perspective view of one presently preferred embodiment of the pillow sound system in accord with the present invention;

[0019] FIG. 3A is a top plan view and FIG. 3B is a bottom plan view of the pillow sound system in accord with the present invention with arms unattached; and

[0020] FIG. 4A is a side view of the pillow sound system in accord with the present invention with arms attached in their condition of maximum extension and FIG. 4B is a side view of the pillow sound system in accord with the present invention with arms attached in their condition of minimum extension.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0021] Referring now to FIG. 1, generally designated 10 is a block diagram of the pillow sound system of the present invention. The system 10 includes a first arm schematically illustrated by box 12, adapted to attach a stereo speaker 14 and securely hold it in place against unintended motion on the arm 12, a second arm illustrated by box 16, adapted to attach a stereo or other speaker 18 thereto and securely hold it in place against unintended motion on the arm 16, and a longitudinally adjustable member 20 interconnecting the arms 12, 16. The arms 12, 16 and/or interconnecting member 20 may be separate units or different cooperative parts of a single member without departing from the inventive concepts.

[0022] A dashed box 22 illustrates an user's pillow, which may be the pillow the user typically uses or another headrest without requiring a special purpose pillow.

[0023] As illustrated schematically by arrow 24, the longitudinal extension of the arms 12, 16, and therewith the width between the stereo speakers 14, 18, is selected by controllably adjusting the longitudinally adjustable member 22 to provide that longitudinal width that accommodates the different head/body sizes and/or head sizes of each particular use situation. Any suitable longitudinally adjustable interconnecting member to provide longitudinal adjustment of the width defined between the stereo speakers 14, 18 that is variable to accommodate different head/body sizes and/or head sizes may be employed without departing from the inventive concepts.

[0024] A stereo audio source, such as CD player, iPod, iPhone and the like, is schematically illustrated by box 26. An audio interconnection, schematically illustrated by boxes 28a, 28b, 28c, supplies the audio provided by the stereo audio source 26 to the stereo speakers 14, 18. The audio interconnection 28a, 28b, 28c may be any suitable audio interconnection for providing audio to the stereo speakers, either wired or wireless, without departing from the inventive concepts.

[0025] Referring now to FIG. 2, generally designated 40 is an exploded bottom perspective view of one presently preferred embodiment of the pillow sound system in accord with the present invention. The system 40 includes first and second arms generally designated 50, 70 each having inner and outer ends. Walls 52, defining a speaker receiving recess generally designated 54, are carried at the outer end of the first arm 50. Walls 72, defining a speaker receiving recess generally designated 74, are carried at the outer end of the second arm 70.

[0026] As best seen in FIG. 2 and FIGS. 3A, 3B, left and right stereo speakers 56, 58 are received in the recesses 54, 74 provided therefor on the outer ends of the arms 50, 70.

[0027] First and second arrays generally designated 60, 62 are respectively provided on the inner ends of the first and second arms 50, 70.

[0028] The first array 60 includes longitudinally and transversely spaced apart male elements 64 provided on the inner end of the arm 50. The second array 62 includes longitudinally and transversely spaced apart female elements 66 provided on the inner end of the second arm 70. The male elements 64 of the array 60 may be received in the female elements 66 provided therefor on the second array 62. In this way, as appears more fully hereinbelow, the longitudinal extension of the interconnected arms, and therewith the width between the speakers 56, 58, is readily and selectively adjustable between maximum and minimum values to accommodate any head size and/or head/neck size, or pillow size or other preference.

[0029] A different number, shape and/or arrangement of the elements of at least one male and of at least one female element other than the two-by-four (24) and five-by-four (54) arrays of male and female elements 60, 62 of the presently preferred embodiment may be employed without departing from the inventive concepts. Although the longitudinal adjustment of width is preferably provided by the insert, hold and withdraw cooperation provided by the male and female elements 60, 62 that is easy for any age of hand/fingers to use, different width adjustment mechanisms like adjustable fasteners could be employed without departing from the inventive concepts.

[0030] As seen in FIG. 2, an electrical wire connection 88 electrically connects the stereo speakers 56, 58.

[0031] As best seen in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3B, walls generally designated 80, 82 defining electrical wire receiving reservoirs having flexible lips 84, 86 that flex open to receive the wire 88 and flex closed to retain wire therewithin are respectively provided intermediate the inner and outer ends of the arms 50, 70.

[0032] For any selected longitudinally-adjusted width, any excess speaker interconnection cord is pushed past the flexible lips 84, 86 and into the cord receiving reservoirs 80, 82. The flexible lips flex back to confine the excess cord within the reservoirs provided therefor, which helps to prevent unmanaged cord from disrupting sleep and/or rest or music enjoyment.

[0033] A different number and configuration of excess cord take up and release members could be employed without departing from the inventive concepts.

[0034] The arms 50, 70, and together therewith, the elements 52-54, 60-66, 72, 74, preferably are integrally formed of rubber or another soft pliable substrate material.

[0035] Referring now to FIGS. 4A, 4B, generally designated at 100 is a side view and generally designated at 110 is a side view respectively illustrating the pillow sound system in its conditions of maximum and minimum longitudinal extension in accord with the present invention.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 4A, the male elements 64 of the longitudinally and transversely extending array 60 carried at the innermost end of the arm 50 are received in corresponding female elements 66 of the longitudinally and transversely extending array 62 carried by the innermost end of the arm 70, thereby interconnecting the arms 50, 70 in their condition of maximum extension schematically illustrated by arrow 104 marked L1 The distance L1 is preferably eight-and-six-tens (8.6) inches.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 4B, the male elements 64 of the longitudinally and transversely extending array 60 carried at the innermost end of the arm 50 are received in corresponding female elements 66 of the longitudinally and transversely extending array 62 defined at the outermost end of the array 62 on the arm 70, thereby interconnecting the arms 50, 70 in their condition of minimum extension schematically illustrated by arrow 112 marked L2. The distance L2 is preferably six-and-two-tenths (6.2) inches.

[0038] Different values for the lengths L1 and L2 could, of course, be employed without departing from the inventive concepts.

[0039] As seen in FIGS. 4A, 4B, the interconnected arms 50, 70 in overlapping relation are such that the arm 50 is above the arm 70 by a distance that corresponds to the thickness of the arm 50. To keep the tops of the speakers 56, 58 in the same horizontal plane, the arm 70 is attached to the walls 72 at a vertical distance that is greater that the vertical distance that the arm 50 is attached to the speaker walls 52 by a magnitude that corresponds to the thickness of the arm 50.

[0040] Many modifications of the present invention will become apparent to those of skill in the art having benefitted from the instant disclosure without departing from the inventive concepts.