Travel pillow for sleeping in a vertical or near-vertical reclined position

Abstract

The present invention is directed towards a travel pillow for sleeping in a vertical or near-vertical reclined position. When sleeping in these positions, gravity tends to pull the head forward of the shoulders causing it to droop. The current state of the art travel pillow does not provide a support means to counter this forward drooping tendency. Moreover, its rear support displaces the cervical spine forward, further increasing the tendency for the head to slump forward. The present invention holds a resting head in an upright and stable position to prevent forward head drooping and does so without forwardly displaying the cervical spine. The five novel elements of the present invention are integrally configured to maintain a healthy alignment between the occipital bone of the head, the cervical spine of the neck, and the thoracic spine of the upper back.

Claims

1. A pillow for supporting a head during traveling, comprising: a right head support comprised of a first outer casing enclosing a first closed cavity within the right head support, the right head support configured to support the head while resting on an upper chest of a user, the first outer casing including a first top surface and a first vertical surface, the first top surface of the first outer casing comprising: a first horizontal surface configured to support a chin of the head, the first horizontal surface being horizontal in a frontal view of the pillow; and a first head support surface sloping downward, in the frontal view of the pillow, towards the first horizontal surface and configured to laterally stabilize the head, the first head support surface and the first vertical surface being at opposite sides of the first horizontal surface in the frontal view of the pillow; a left head support comprised of a second outer casing separate from the first outer casing and enclosing a second closed cavity within the left head support that is separate from the first closed cavity, the left head support configured to support the head while resting on the upper chest of the user, the second outer casing including a second top surface and a second vertical surface facing the first vertical surface in the frontal view of the pillow, the second top surface of the second outer casing comprising: a second horizontal surface configured to support the chin of the head, the second horizontal surface being horizontal in the frontal view of the pillow; and a second head support surface sloping downward, in the frontal view of the pillow, towards the second horizontal surface and configured to laterally stabilize the head, the second head support surface and the second vertical surface being at opposite sides of the second horizontal surface in the frontal view of the pillow; and a flexible rear section configured to traverse across, rest against and flexibly contour to a posterior of the user while the right head support is supporting the head and the left head support is supporting the head, the rear section having a first end region connected to the right head support and a second end region connected to the left head support.

2. The pillow of claim 1, wherein the flexible rear section includes a first surface configured to rest against the posterior of the user and a second surface configured to face away from the posterior of the user, a distance between the first surface and the second surface forming a thin cross section having a thickness that causes substantially no forward displacement of the user relative to a seat when the rear section is pressed between the user and the seat.

3. The pillow of claim 1, wherein the flexible rear section is detachably connected to at least one of the right head support and the left head support.

4. The pillow of claim 1, wherein the flexible rear section is detachably connected to both the right head support and the left head support.

5. The pillow of claim 1, wherein the flexible rear section is adjustably connected to at least one of the right head support and the left head support to adjust a position of the at least one of the right head support and the left head support relative to the flexible rear section.

6. The pillow of claim 1, wherein the flexible rear section is adjustably connected to both the right head support and the left head support to adjust a position of the right head support and the left head support relative to the rear section.

7. The pillow of claim 1, wherein the flexible rear section includes a right rear section and a left rear section, the right rear section being adjustably connected to the left rear section to adjust a lateral distance between the right rear section and the left rear section.

8. The pillow of claim 1, further comprising: a frontal securing collar connected to both the right head support and the left head support.

9. The pillow of claim 8, wherein the frontal securing collar is detachably connected to at least one of the right head support and the left head support.

10. The pillow of claim 9, wherein the frontal securing collar is fixedly connected to the other one of the right head support and the left head support.

11. The pillow of claim 8, wherein the frontal securing collar is adjustably connected to at least one of the right head support and the left head support to adjust a lateral distance between the right head support and the left head support.

12. The pillow of claim 8, wherein the frontal securing collar is connected to a first frontal surface of the right head support, and the frontal securing section is connected to a second frontal surface of the left head support.

13. The pillow of claim 8, wherein the frontal securing collar extends across a gap between the right head support and the left head support.

14. The pillow of claim 1, wherein the right head support and left head support are configured to be positioned completely in front of a frontal plane when supporting the head, the frontal plane passing vertically through a midpoint of a shoulder line of the user and separating an anterior of the user from the posterior of the user.

15. The pillow of claim 1, wherein the first top surface of the first outer casing is configured to conform to a face, and the second top surface of the second outer casing is configured to conform to the face.

16. The pillow of claim 1, wherein the right head support comprises a concave neck contour region, and the left head support comprises a concave neck contour region.

17. The pillow of claim 1, wherein the first closed cavity within the right head support and the second closed cavity within the left head support are at least one of inflatable or filled with filler material.

18. The pillow of claim 1, wherein the right head support is connected to the flexible rear section with a first fastening mechanism and the left head support is connected to the flexible rear section with a second fastening mechanism.

19. The pillow of claim 1, wherein the first horizontal surface and the second horizontal surface are configured to support the chin from underneath the chin.

20. The pillow of claim 8, wherein the first vertical surface and the second vertical surface face each other, and the frontal securing collar extends across a gap between the first vertical surface and the second vertical surface.

21. The pillow of claim 1, wherein in the frontal view of the pillow, the left and right head supports are closer to a viewing perspective for the frontal view than the flexible rear section.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) The above and the other objects and advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanied drawings, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the sleeping pillow of the present invention;

(3) FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view of the sleeping pillow of the present invention shown in FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the sleeping pillow shown in FIG. 1 relative to a three-dimensional planer coordinates system used to reference the present invention;

(5) FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the sleeping pillow of the present invention shown in FIG. 1;

(6) FIG. 5 is a top elevational view of the sleeping pillow of the present invention shown in FIG. 1;

(7) FIG. 6 is a right elevational side view of the sleeping pillow of the present invention shown in FIG. 1;

(8) FIG. 7 is a partial perspective view of the base component of the present invention shown in FIG. 1;

(9) FIG. 8 is a deconstructed perspective view of base component shown in FIG. 7 of the present invention shown in FIG. 1.

(10) FIG. 9 is a partial perspective view of the right-head support and left-head support of the present invention shown in FIG. 1;

(11) FIG. 10 is a partial bottom elevational view of right-head support and left-head support shown in FIG. 9 of the present invention shown in FIG. 1;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(12) As best shown in FIG. 1, the travel pillow of the present invention comprises five (5) parts designated right head-support 1 for supporting the right side of the head, left head-support 2 for supporting the left side of the head, base 3 for supporting and positioning both the right head-support 1 and left head-support 2 forward of the right shoulder and left shoulder, respectively, back anchor 4, as better shown in FIG. 2, for deterring unwanted movement, such as rotation, pitching, etc. of the travel pillow, and a securing collar 5 for holding the travel pillow on the shoulders while sleeping in a vertical or near-vertical reclined position.

(13) Each of the designated parts of the travel pillow will be described in reference to, as best shown in FIG. 3, a three-dimensional planer system composed of a frontal plane A, which passes laterally through the shoulder line of the human body dividing it into an anterior portion and posterior portion, a median plane B, which bisects the body vertically through the spine into a right side and left side and lastly an axial plane C which intersects with frontal plane A and median plane B at the base of the cervical spine to establish an origin O and the three dimensional planer system in which the frontal plane A, median plane B, and axial plane C are at right angles with respect to each other. The three-dimensional planer system can be further deconstructed, comprising a right-frontal plane A-R, a left-frontal plane A-L, an anterior median plane B-A, a posterior median plane B-P, a right-axial plane C-R, and a left-axial plane C-L.

(14) As best shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the right head-pillow 1 and left head-pillow 2 are symmetrical opposites in shape, size and function. Furthermore as illustrated in FIG. 5, the right head-support 1 is oriented forward of the right-frontal plane A-R in the right-axial plane C-R and the left head-support 2 is oriented forward of the left-frontal plane A-L in the left-axial plane C-L.

(15) As best shown in FIG. 6, the base 3 laterally contours the right shoulder from its posterior to its anterior to rest on the right shoulder along right frontal plane A-R, as best shown in FIG. 5, and also laterally contours the left shoulder from its posterior to its anterior rests on the left shoulder along left frontal plane A-L. As best shown in FIG. 4, the contours for the right shoulder and left shoulder also are slopes downward, relative to the axial plane C, along the shoulder line and frontal plane A, starting near the base of the cervical spine and origin O and traversing outward to the outer shoulder to form fit to the natural curvature and slope of the human shoulder, as best shown in FIG. 6. The base 3 consists of a flexible material for contouring to the shape of the shoulder along the frontal plane A.

(16) As best shown in FIG. 5, base 3 has an inner perimeter 6. As best shown in FIG. 7, base 3 deconstructs further to comprise a right-base section 7, a left-base section 8 and rear-base section 9. The rear-base section 9 demarcates with the right-base section 7 along the right-frontal plane A-R and demarcates with the left-based section 8 along the left-frontal plane A-L. Moreover, as best shown in FIG. 8, the rear-base section 9 further deconstructs to a right rear-base section 9-R and a left rear-base section 9-L. The right rear-base section 9-R includes an overlapping tab 10 for connecting the right rear-base section 9-R to the left rear-base section 9-L to form an integrated rear-base section 9. The left rear-base section 9-L is outfitted with a receiving fastening means 11. The tab 10 is outfitted with a fastening mechanism 12, which has a laterally wide connection area for permitting different connection points to be made with the receiving fastening means 11 for changing the lateral distance L between the inner-perimeter 6 of the base 3.

(17) As best shown in FIG. 9, the right head-support 1 and left head-support 2 comprises of an enclosed outer-casing 13 constructed of a soft pliable material for engaging the human skin and a cavity 14 for housing a filler material for expanding and maintaining the shape of outer-casing 13. Optionally, the outer-casing 13 can be engineered to create an airtight cavity 14 to serve as an internal bladder allowing air to replace the aforementioned filler material as the expander of outer-casing 13.

(18) The outer-casing 13, of the right head-support 1 and left head-support 2, respectively, has an overall rectangular cylinder shape; it's horizontal cross sectional area is depicted in quadrant areas: forward-outer quadrant area 15, rear-outer quadrant area 16, forward-inner quadrant area 17, and rear-inner quadrant area 18. The outer-casing 13 is comprised of three joined surfaces made up of a top surface 19, bottom surface 20 and a continuous vertical surface, which comprises an outer vertical surface 21 and an inner vertical surface 22 to create the aforementioned cavity 14. The outer vertical surface 21 and the inner vertical surface 22 demarcates at the boundary between the forward-outer quadrant area 15 and forward-inner quadrant area 17 and again at the boundary between the rear-outer quadrant area 16 and rear-inner quadrant area 18. It should be established that the multiple of the cross sectional area for a given quadrant and the vertical distance d between its top surface 19 and bottom surface 20 yields the volume for that given quadrant.

(19) As best shown in FIGS. 9 and 5, the volume of the rear-inner quadrant area 18 has mostly been removed to create a concave contour 23 in the rectangular cylinder for the purpose of accommodating the presence of the neck. This allows the front-inner quadrant area 17 to curve around the front of the neck and underneath the jaw and chin of the head to cradle the head as illustrated in FIG. 4.

(20) As best shown in FIGS. 4 and 9, the front-inner quadrant area 17 of the top surface 19, relative to the axial plane C, is basically horizontal in orientation. Relative to the axial plane C, the forward-outer quadrant area 15 and rear-outer quadrant area 16 of the top surface 19 are angled inward towards the origin O to enable more surface area to be vertically directed towards the face and head for providing unprecedented upright head support and stability. The top surface 19 is pliable in construction to permit it to conform to the shape of the user's face.

(21) As best shown in FIG. 6, the head-pillow's bottom surface 20 as well as the right-base section 7 and left-base section 8 conform to the shape of the outer upper chest and frontal shoulder region around the clavicle bone, effectively drooping the frontal region of the rectangular cylindrical shaped head support downward over the front of the shoulder. This permits the bottom surface 16 to uniformly connect, in a stacked configuration, with base 3 forward of the shoulder line and frontal plane A.

(22) As best shown in FIGS. 8 and 6, the right-base section 7 and the left-base section 8 are outfitted with a receiving fastening mechanism 24. As best shown in FIGS. 10 and 6, the bottom surface 20 of the right head-support 1 and left head-support 2 are outfitted with a fastening mechanism 25. As best shown in FIG. 6, when fastening mechanism 25 is detached from the receiving fastening mechanism 24, the position of the right head-support 1 and left head-support 2 on the base 3 can be changed by moving the fastening mechanism 25 along the receiving mechanism 24, as illustrated by arrow G and arrow H. The orientations of the right head-support 1 and left head-support 2 are then set relative to the right-base section 7 and left-base section 8, respectively, by pressing the fastening mechanism 25 onto the receiving mechanism 24, as illustrated by arrow I.

(23) The rear-base section 9 of base 3 is designed to meet two design objectives. First, as best shown in FIG. 2, the rear-base section 9 rests across the rear portion of the shoulder and upper back at or just below the eighth vertebra (i.e., the first thoracic vertebra) to avoid the neck and cervical vertebrae and connect the right-base section 7 and its vertically attached right-head support 1 with the left-base section 8 and its vertically attached left-head support 2 into an integrated unit, which includes the securing collar 5 for resting on the shoulders in a secure and stable manner. This configuration allows the surface area that comprises the rear-base section 9 to distribute across the upper back, as best shown in FIG. 6, the force Fc that counteracts and balances the forces Fa acting on the right head-support 1 and left head-support 2 and their moments Ma generated relative to the origin O. The present invention moves the force Fc below the cervical vertebrae thereby preventing the force Fc from pulling the neck and head forward as would be the case with the current state of the art.

(24) Second, the rear-base section 9 has an inner surface 26, which, when in operational engagement, makes contact with the upper back and an outer surface 27. The distance between these two surfaces defines its cross sectional or profile thickness t. The profile thickness t is very thin by design, so as to minimize forward displacement of the human body from its resting surface caused by the thickness t of the rear-base section 9 while in operation. The almost negligible forward displacement of the body from the backrest of a seat, for example, due to the thin design approach of the rear-base section 9 and because of its position along the upper back and not the neck produces no forward displacement of the neck or head.

(25) The back-anchor 4 is constructed of a pliable material capable of producing friction when pressed between two surfaces. As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 6, the back-anchor 4 fastens at the rear of the base 3 along seam 28. The back anchor 4 is designed to freely hang down over the upper and outer region of the back to, in part, envelope the scapula. When pressed by the weight of an upper torso against another surface, for instance the backrest of a seat, the back anchor 4 will form fit to the shape of the upper back and backrest to create resistance across the surface area of the back anchor 4 to hold the travel pillow onto the shoulders of the user and thereby resist slippage and rotation around the shoulders when the head changes position while sleeping. It should be noted that in general the under surface material of base 3 is capable of producing frictional force to help resist slippage of the base 3 over the shoulders when forces act on the present invention.

(26) The securing collar 5, as best shown in FIG. 1, permanently connects to the right head-support 1 and temporarily connects to the left head-support 2. There is no design advantage to this configuration; therefore, the configuration can be swapped. The stabilizing collar 5 is outfitted with a fastening mechanism 29 for connecting to a receiving fastening mechanism 30 attached to the left head-support 2. The connection area of the fastening mechanism 29 is laterally wide to allow the receiving mechanism 29 to be connected at different points along its width to the receiving fastening mechanism 30 for selectively adjusting the lateral distance between right head-support 1 and left head-support 2. In FIGS. 4 and 5 the securing collar 5 is shown engaged and set to a selected lateral distance between right head-support 1 and left head-support 2 to secure the travel pillow on the shoulder of the user while sleeping in the vertical and near-vertical reclined position.

(27) The travel pillow of the present invention is designed such that right head-support 1 or left head-support 2 can be folded over the other for storage in a carrying case.

(28) Use and Operation

(29) In order to use the travel pillow of the present invention, the user first removes the non-inflatable version of the travel pillow from its carrying case. The user then unfolds the right head-support 1 from the left head support 2 such that they are adjacent to each other. To ready the inflatable version of the travel pillow of the present invention, the user must first inflate airtight cavity 14 using an inflation mechanism.

(30) The user then places the right head-support 1 and left head-support 2 around the neck and onto the shoulders from behind the neck making certain that the rear-base section 9 rests across the upper back and the back-anchor 4 hangs unencumbered down along the back.

(31) If the user feels that the travel pillow is not fitting snugly or is uncomfortable around the neck, the user can adjust the inner-perimeter 6 of the base 3 by detaching tab 10 and its fastening mechanism 12 from the receiving fastening mechanism 11. After which, viewing the travel pillow from the rear, the user can increase the circumference of the inner-perimeter 6 of the base 3 by moving the tab 10 to the right along the width of the receiving fastening mechanism 11 or decrease the circumference of the inner-perimeter 6 by moving the tab 10 towards the left. The user then re-establishes the connection by pressing the fastening mechanism 12 to the receiving fastening mechanism 11.

(32) If the positioning of the right head-support 1 and left head-support 2 is not comfortable for the user. The user can disconnect the right head-support 1 and left head-support 2 by detaching the fastening mechanism 25 from the receiving fastening mechanism 24. After which, the user can move either of the head-supportsi.e., right head-support 1 and left head-support 2upward towards the head or downward away from the head to a desired position. The user then reattaches by pressing the fastening mechanism 25 to the receiving mechanism 24.

(33) The user then secures the right head-support 1 and left head-support 2 on the shoulders by first overlapping the fastening mechanism 29 of the securing collar 5 with the receiving fastening mechanism 30 of the left head-support 2 so that the right head-support 1 and left head-support 2 rest against the right side and left side of the head, respectively. After which, the user secures the selected overlapping configuration by connecting fastening mechanism 29 to the receiving mechanism 30.

(34) With the back anchor 4 freely hanging over the upper back, the user then lays back onto the headrest-equipped seat. Since sleeping pillow of the present invention does not have the traditional rear section found on conventional pillow designs, the cervical spine will not be forced forward, away from its neutral position, and therefore, the head is free to naturally rest against the headrest. The weight of the upper torso will press the back-anchor 4 against the backrest causing the back-anchor 4 to create a resistive force between the backrest and user's upper back to resist slippage and rotation and thus stabilize the sleeping pillow of the present invention while sleeping.