Headrest suspension system

Abstract

A recumbent head support system serving as a sleep pillow alternative comprising a frame which suspends a fabric platform and allows the user to customize a height level of support without having to lift their head off the support. In one embodiment, the headrest suspension frame includes a base cross support member, a pair of lower horizontal base members secured to base cross support member, a pair of vertical members secured to base cross member or horizontal base members, and an upper pair of rotatable horizontal members secured to upper terminal ends of fore-end vertical members and arced vertical members which connect upper and lower horizontals, and a fabric sling attached to upper rotatable horizontal members.

Claims

1. A recumbent sling headrest suspension system which serves as a sleep pillow alternative allowing the user to adjust a height level of support without having to lift a user's head off the sling support, comprising: a frame comprising: a base cross support member; a first pair of straight horizontal base members secured to said base cross support member laterally and perpendicular to the base cross support member; a fore-end pair of vertical members secured to and extending upwardly from lateral ends of said base cross support member or said first pair of horizontal base members proximal to said base cross support member; a second pair of straight horizontal members rotatably secured to and extending with a slight downward pitch from the upper end of said fore-end pair of vertical members, said second pair of horizontal members are rotatable and arranged parallel to one another; a pair of arced vertical members secured to and connecting distal ends of said first pair of horizontal base members to the rotatable said second pair of horizontal members; and, a sling-like fabric secured to said pair of rotatable horizontal members.

2. The sling headrest suspension system recited in claim 1 wherein said second pair of horizontal members are rotatably secured to upper ends of said first fore-end pair of vertical members and said second pair of arced vertical members allowing clockwise and counterclockwise rotation to adjust sling fabric tension/droop.

3. The sling headrest suspension system recited in claim 1 wherein said sling fabric extends beyond the span of the rotatable horizontal members such that there is enough slack to allow for rotational adjustment of droop height down to base level as well as provide padding of the rotatable horizontal members.

4. The sling headrest suspension system recited in claim 1 includes at least one user actuated control element adjacent a terminal end of at least one rotatable horizontal member which adjusts the tension, laxity and/or droop of the sling fabric which, in turn, adjusts height level of head support.

5. The sling headrest suspension system recited in claim 1 wherein said base cross support member length has at least a two-foot span between rotatable horizontal members and may be adjustable to wider or narrower spans to adjust surface area/weight distribution of sling support.

6. The sling headrest suspension system recited in claim 1 wherein the distal ends of said first pair and said second pair of horizontal members shift slightly medially/inward upon the introduction of a weight-bearing load onto the sling support.

7. A recumbent sling headrest suspension system which serves as a sleep pillow alternative allowing the user to adjust a height level of support without having to lift a user's head off the sling support, comprising: a frame comprising: a base cross support member; a first, fore-end pair of arced vertical members secured near midsection of arc to said base cross support member at lateral ends; a first pair of straight horizontal base members secured to lower terminal end of said first, fore-end pair of arced vertical members perpendicular to said base cross support member; a second pair of straight horizontal members rotatably secured to and extending from the upper terminal end of said first, fore-end pair of arced vertical members with a slight downward pitch, said second pair of horizontal members arranged parallel to one another; a second pair of arced vertical members secured to and connecting the distal ends of said first pair of horizontal base members to the rotatable said second pair of horizontal members; and a sling-like fabric secured to said pair of rotatable horizontal members.

8. The sling headrest suspension system recited in claim 7 wherein said second pair of horizontal members are rotatably secured to upper ends of said first fore-end pair of vertical members and said second pair of arced vertical members allowing clockwise and counterclockwise rotation to adjust sling fabric tension/droop.

9. The sling headrest suspension system recited in claim 7 wherein said sling fabric extends beyond the span of the rotatable horizontal members such that there is enough slack to allow for rotational adjustment of droop height down to base level as well as provide padding of the rotatable horizontal members.

10. The sling headrest suspension system recited in claim 7 includes at least one user actuated control element adjacent a terminal end of at least one rotatable horizontal member which adjusts the tension, laxity, and/or droop of the sling fabric which, in turn, adjusts the height level of head support.

11. The sling headrest suspension system recited in claim 7 wherein said base cross support member length has at least a two-foot span between rotatable horizontal members and may be adjustable to wider or narrower spans to adjust surface area/weight distribution of sling support.

12. The sling headrest suspension system recited in claim 7 wherein the distal ends of said first pair and said second pair of horizontal members shift slightly medially/inward upon the introduction of a weight-bearing load onto the sling support.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Further objects and advantages of the present invention can be found in the detailed description of the invention. Various embodiments are disclosed, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings in which corresponding reference symbols indicate corresponding parts.

(2) FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention.

(3) FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of an additional embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(4) At the outset, it should be appreciated that like drawing numbers on different drawing views identify identical, or functionally similar, structural elements. It is to be understood that the claims are not limited to the disclosed aspects. Furthermore, it is understood that this disclosure is not limited to the particular methodology, materials and modifications described and as such may, of course, vary. It is also understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular aspects only and is not intended to limit the scope of the claims. Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood to one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains. It should be understood that any methods, devices or materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the example embodiments.

(5) It should be appreciated that the term “substantially” is synonymous with terms such as “nearly,” “very nearly,” “about,” “approximately,” “around,” “bordering on,” “close to,” “essentially,” “in the neighborhood of,” “in the vicinity of,” etc., and such terms may be used interchangeably as appearing in the specification and claims.

(6) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the present invention. Sling headrest suspension system 10 generally comprises two essential components, a sling or bridge or suspended fabric 6, and frame 11a Sling 6 is arranged to provide a support for an individual's head when they are laying down, either on their back, sides, or stomach. Sling 6 is a cloth fabric or other flexible material that does not release volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Preferably, sling 6 or slung fabric 6 forms a relatively flat or concave head support platform for the user's head.

(7) The frame system 11a includes horizontal upper members 2, 2, which may be tubes, solid rods, or any other suitable member. Longitudinally extending horizontal upper frame members 2, 2 each have two ends, one fore-end engaging a first or upper end of vertical frame members 3, 3. The longitudinal horizontal upper frame members 2, 2, extend slightly pitched downward from the upper portions of vertical frame members 3, 3. Vertical frame members 3, 3 have second or tower ends arranged distally in relation to the first upper ends. Vertical frame members 3, 3 may be tubes, solid rods, or any other suitable member. Vertical frame members 3, 3 have second or lower ends that are secured to first cross base frame support member 4 or in another embodiment not shown, 3, 3 may be secured to first horizontal base members 5, 5 proximal to cross base support 4. Cross base support 4 and vertical frame elements 3, 3 are generally co-planar. Cross support frame member 4 has two ends that are respectively secured to lower horizontal base frame members 5, 5 at the first or fore ends of horizontal base frame members 5, 5.

(8) The opposite terminal ends of the horizontal upper frame members 2, 2 (that is, at the longitudinal extremity of members 2, 2) and the longitudinal terminal ends or second ends of horizontal base lower frame members 5, 5 engage the opposite ends of arced vertical connecting members 1b, 1b. In other words, arced vertical connecting members 1b, 1b provide a vertical supporting framework at a distal, longitudinal end of the upper rotatable horizontal frame members 2, 2, because the distal connecting members 1b, 1b are coupled to the upper and the lower horizontal frame members. Arced vertical connecting members 1b, 1b may be tubes, solid rods, or any other suitable member that does not have defined edges about its outside perimeter and are preferably configured in an arc shape as to prevent having defined edges that could injure an individual using sling headrest suspension system 10.

(9) Rotatable control connectors 20, 20 connect upper horizontal frame members 2, 2 to the upper terminal end of vertical frame members 3, 3.

(10) Sling or bridge fabric 6 is arranged to allow a user's head to rest on the sling fabric platform. Sling fabric 6 may include loops or channels 6a arranged at opposite ends of sling 6. Loops or channels 6a are arranged to accept upper longitudinally extending horizontal members 2, 2. When sling fabric 6 is engaged on horizontal upper frame members 2, 2, it creates a suspended fabric platform which may be substantially flat or adjusted to varying levels of droop or concavity 6b down to the base level. Sling depression 6b or the concave sling fabric or, if the sling is disposed in a substantially flat condition, supports a user's head when sling headrest suspension system 10 is in use. When the user's head is on the fabric and in operational use, some concavity will be established. The laxity or degree of concave sling depression 6b of sling fabric 6 may be increased or decreased in depth by the adjustment of control elements 20 and 1a.

(11) In this embodiment of sling headrest suspension system 10, the base cross support member 4 may be fixed or expandable to permit lateral adjustment 50.

(12) FIG. 2 illustrates another embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment includes similar components described in connection with FIG. 1. In this embodiment of sling headrest suspension system 10, the fore-end vertical members 3, 3 are arc shape and the terminal ends of base cross support member 4a is secured to arced vertical members 3, 3 approximately midway. Wherein upper horizontal members 2, 2 are rotatably secured to upper terminal end of arced vertical members 3, 3 and arced vertical connectors 1b, 1b. Lower horizontal base members 5, 5 are secured to lower terminal ends of fore-end arced vertical members 3, 3 and lower terminal end of arced vertical connectors 1b, 1b.

(13) Certain control elements are discussed herein. At the terminal end of upper opposing frame elements 2, 2, a controllable element 1a, 1a enables the user to adjust the tension and hence the droop, depth or concave size of the sling fabric or material 6 (otherwise referred to as the laxity of the fabric) by either rotating the control in the direction of arrow 61a or 61b to either tighten or reduce the droop/concave condition of the sling fabric or to loosen or increase the concavity of the sling fabric, depending on whether the attached sling is rolled over or under the upper horizontal member. In other words, a clockwise or counterclockwise rotation may cause the same effect depending on if the rotation was initiated with an over- or under-hung turn relative to the horizontal member.

(14) A variety of rotational “fabric gathering and fabric loosening” controls may be used. These rotational roll controls permit the user to increase or decrease the slack, laxity and suspension of the bridge—like suspended sling fabric. This roll function, in turn, serves to increase or decrease the support height, weight-bearing surface area of support, that is, the load distribution on the sling, and shifting of pressure point.

(15) The lateral span of the upper frame members or elements (in the y direction) is also adjustable. Each cross-member frame element 4, 4a may have control elements to telescopically collapse or expand the lateral span of the system. One type of control element is a spring-loaded button lock which, when the button is placed in laterally displaced holes, the telescopically configured frame elements 4, 4a enable the user to select the proper lateral span 50 of the system. The user presses the button down, releasing the spring-loaded button from the first hole, then moves the telescopic tubes relative to each other such that the button snaps into the next selected y positional hole. Other telescopic, releasable and locking systems can be used such a cam-driven twist close, twist open lock.

(16) In a further modification, the fore-end vertical frame members 3, 3 need not be straight nor disposed in a singular vertical plane.

(17) One consideration for a stow-away position is the detachment of the cross support member(s).