EP2779967A1

EP2779967A1 - Head pad, system to stop snoring, and method therefor

Info

Publication number: EP2779967A1
Application number: EP12791456.2A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Johannes Herrnsdorf
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Nitetronic Holding Ltd
Priority date: 2011-11-16
Filing date: 2012-11-09
Publication date: 2014-09-24
Also published as: US20140296747A1; DE102011118614B3; CN104039280B; CN104039280A; DE102011118614B9; WO2013072262A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a head pad (2) to prevent a sleeping person from snoring, comprising an arrangement of adjacent deforming elements (21, 21a, 21b) for adjusting the height of the head pad (2) in certain zones, wherein the deforming elements (21, 21a, 21b) are arranged in such a way as to enable a head resting on the head pad (2) to tilt in two directions perpendicular to each other. The invention moreover relates to a system (1) to stop snoring by using a head pad.

Description

description

Head pad, system for stopping snoring and procedures for this

Technical area

The present invention relates to head pads, particularly pads, having functionality to reduce snore snoring.

State of the art

A high proportion of people snore during sleep. Snoring reduces the oxygen absorption of the body and is now considered to be the trigger for various diseases. However, a sleeping person does not perceive his or her own snoring, so that shutting off the snoring can not be brought about easily by the person himself.

Many approaches are known from the prior art to stop the snoring in a sleeping person. Devices that move the sleeping person when snoring or the person to an independent change of position, however, are in this case in contrast to tools that are placed directly on the body or used in the body, preferred because they better from the person concerned be tolerated.

Thus, from document DE 10 930 818 C1 a device for preventing snoring is known which comprises a pillow, a sound sensor for picking up snoring noises and a control unit activatable by the snoring noises. The control unit controls a change of position of the head of a sleeping person by movement of the pillow. For this purpose, an air cushion subdivided into chambers is provided in the pillow, wherein the air pressure of the chambers can be controlled by the control unit in conjunction with at least one air pressure source and one air pressure reduction unit. From the document DE 20 121 693 U1 a device for snore prevention with a controllable via a control device adjusting device for a headrest of a sleeping person is known, wherein the headrest is excited when snoring occurs to vibrate to transmit vibrations to the head of the sleeping person so that the sleeping person stops snoring. However, these vibrations disturb the important for recovery deep sleep phase. From the document DE 101 28 095 C2 a pillow for preventing the occurrence of snoring is known, wherein at least one filled with a medium pressure chamber continuous, infinitely variable interval movements of the pad over a change in volume generated in the pillow itself no harmful electric fields.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a head pad and a method for operating a head pad in order to improve the snoring that occurs in a person sleeping on the head pad in an improved manner, in particular without interrupting the important for the recovery deep sleep phase ,

Disclosure of the invention

This object is achieved by the head pad according to claim 1 and by the system for stopping snoring and the method for operating the head pad according to the independent claim.

Further advantageous embodiments of the present invention are specified in the dependent claims.

According to a first aspect, a head pad is provided for terminating a snoring of a sleeping person. The head pad comprises an array of deforming elements adjacent to each other Adjusting a height of the head pad, wherein the deforming elements are arranged to allow tilting of a resting on the head pad head in two mutually perpendicular directions. The above head pad is based on the recognition that a movement of the head pad for stopping the snoring must not be arbitrary, but highly depends on the position of the sleeping person or the head of the sleeping person and its orientation. Thus, the head pad is provided with deformation elements, which are controlled depending on the occurrence of a snore sound, wherein the deformation elements are controlled so that a tilting movement of the head is effected by at least two axes. This makes it possible to effect individually depending on the momentary orientation of the head a tilting movement, which has been found in the corresponding orientation of the head of the sleeping person as the one with the snoring of the sleeping person can be stopped most reliably. Tilting or twisting the head in two directions allows the head to move in almost any anatomically possible position and orientation.

It can be provided that a number of first deformation elements are provided, which are arranged along a row in a transverse direction adjacent to each other, and one or more support elements are provided, which offset in a direction perpendicular to the transverse direction longitudinal offset from the row of transversely adjacent to each other arranged arranged first deformation elements.

According to one embodiment, the one or more support elements can offset in a direction perpendicular to the transverse direction extending longitudinally connected to the series of transversely adjacent to each other arranged first Verformelemente.

Alternatively it can be provided that the one or more support elements offset in a direction perpendicular to the transverse direction longitudinal direction along the row of transversely adjacent to each other arranged first Deformation elements are arranged at a distance, wherein the distance is provided so that when resting a neck of the sleeping person rests on the one or more support elements, a support surface of the back of the head on the row of the first deformation elements.

Furthermore, the one or more support elements may be disposed on a transversely extending edge of the head pad.

There may be provided a number of first deforming elements disposed adjacent to each other in a transverse direction along a row, and providing one or more second deforming elements which are offset in a direction perpendicular to the transverse direction from the row of transversely adjacent ones connect first deformation elements. The transverse direction corresponds to a direction approximately perpendicular to the extension of the spine of a person lying on the head pad. Turns the person's head while it rests on the head pad, so rolls the head in the transverse direction. When resting the head pad on a lying surface in a use arrangement, the transverse direction corresponds to the direction of the width of the lying surface.

Furthermore, the deformation elements can be controlled separately to adjust the height of a portion of the head pad.

In particular, microphones for detecting a snoring noise can be arranged on two opposite sides of the arrangement of the deformation elements. Alternatively, only one or more than two microphones may be provided for detecting a snoring sound.

Furthermore, the deformation elements may comprise chambers for filling with a medium, pressure sensors for determining a pressure in the chamber being arranged in the chambers or in associated regions, such as, for example, the feed lines to the chambers. In another aspect, there is provided a system for stopping snoring, comprising:

the above head pad, and

a controller that is designed

■ to detect a snoring sound;

in order to detect a momentary orientation of a head resting on the head pad when a snoring sound is detected, and

to control the deformation elements so that the head is tilted depending on the detected orientation of the head.

By the above system, it is possible to adjust the movement of the head depending on its orientation, so that the head is always properly moved when snoring occurs. Furthermore, the control unit may be designed to detect signal propagation times and / or signal amplitudes of signals detected by microphones and / or a distribution of pressure signals detected by pressure sensors in the head pad for detecting the alignment of the head or by piezo sensors, vibration sensors, rotation rate sensors or acceleration sensors in the Head pad detected sensor signals to evaluate.

In one embodiment, the controller may be configured to perform a teach-in operation to establish at least one preferred tilting movement for the head, wherein upon occurrence of snoring, the deforming elements are controlled so that a head resting on the head pad is moved in accordance with the preferred tilting movement.

In particular, the controller may be configured to store the preferred tilting movement associated with a user profile. The control unit may be designed to operate deformation elements adjacent to the tilting of the head in such a way that the heights of the head pad in the regions assigned to the respective deformation elements change in opposite directions. According to a further aspect, a method for operating a head pad is provided, in particular the above head pad, with the following steps:

Detecting if there is a snoring sound;

upon a detected snore sound, detecting a current orientation of a head resting on the head pad; and

Driving the deformation elements so that the head is tilted depending on the detected orientation of the head.

Brief description of the drawings

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Show it:

FIG. 1 shows a system with a head pad, which is controlled by means of a control unit in order to move the person's head when snoring occurs;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the head pad of the system of

FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a flow chart of a method for operating the system of FIG

FIG. 1;

Figure 4 shows another embodiment of a system with a head pad, which is controlled by a control unit to at a

Occurrence of snoring to move the person's head;

FIG. 5 shows a top view sectional view of a further embodiment of a

Head pad having a neck support member; and FIG. 6 shows a sectional view of the head pad of FIG. 5 along the

Cutting line A- A. DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Elements of identical or comparable function are identified by the same reference numerals.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a system 1 for stopping a snore. The system 1 comprises a head pad 2 which may serve as an active pillow for a sleeping person or as an active pad for the head of a sleeping person. Furthermore, the head pad 2 is in communication with a control unit 4 which controls the functions to be performed with the head pad 2. In an alternative embodiment, the control unit 4 may also be integrated in the head pad.

The head pad 2 has a substantially rectangular shape with a transverse direction Q and a longitudinal direction L. The head pad 2 should be arranged in a bed such that the transverse direction Q corresponds to the width direction of the bed or the lying surface and the longitudinal direction L corresponds to the length direction of the bed or lying surface. As further shown in connection with the side view of the head pad 2 in Figure 2, the cross section of the head pad 2 is provided with respect to the transverse direction Q with varying height in the height direction H. In particular, the head pad 2 has a trough 22 to define the head position of a sleeping position with respect to the longitudinal direction L. This is advantageous since a targeted tilting movement of the head in the longitudinal direction L is thereby simplified.

The head pad 2 has a number of deformation elements 21. The deformation elements 21 can be controlled in a suitable manner in order to deform, in particular in order to increase or lower these at their respective position in the head pad 2. The deformation elements 21 may, as in the illustrated embodiment, be designed as gas-fillable chambers made of flexible material, in particular as air chambers, with a fluid, such as a gas such. As air, or a liquid, such as a gel or water, can be filled. The amount of fluid that is introduced into the chambers, determines the deformation of the head pad 2, in particular the height of the head pad 2 at the position of the relevant deformation element 21st

A reservoir of fluid to be introduced into the chambers may be provided separately within the head pad 2 or therefrom. In the present embodiment, an external air pump 5 is provided, which sucks in ambient air and this provides under an increased pressure. Alternatively, instead of or in addition to the air pump 5, a compressed air tank may also be provided which can be filled or exchanged outside of bedtime in order to avoid pumping noise of the air pump 5 during bedtime.

Alternative embodiments of the deformation elements 21 are also conceivable, such as. As electromechanical actuators or the like, as long as they can cause a change in height of a portion of the head pad 2.

The head pad 2 may further be provided with a padding material, such as foam or the like, so that the deformation elements 21 are separated from the head of the sleeping person by at least one pad or a damping pad. Thereby, the comfort in the use of the head pad 2 can be improved.

The number and arrangement of the deformation elements 21 is selected such that tilting or twisting of a head resting on the head pad 2 can be carried out with respect to at least one direction, preferably the transverse direction Q. For this purpose, a series of similar first deformation elements 21 a in the transverse direction Q adjacent to each other. The first deformation elements 21 a can with respect to the height direction of the Head pad 2 have a rectangular cross-section with a shorter side in the direction of the transverse direction Q.

Also, a polygonal or honeycomb-shaped configuration of the first deformation elements 21 a can be provided. Furthermore, the first deformation elements 21a can also be arranged along a curved line. For this purpose, the first deformation elements 21 a with respect to the height direction H have a different cross-section from the rectangular cross-section, e.g. a trapezoidal or a circular segment-shaped cross-section.

By selectively deforming the deformation elements 21, a rotational or tilting movement of the resting head in the transverse direction Q can take place. This is achieved in particular by the fact that two adjacent first deformation elements 21 a, over which the bearing surface of the resting head extends, are deformed differently, in the case of chambers as deformation elements 21, in particular in that one of the two adjacent first deformation elements 21 a fills and a Another of the two adjacent first deformation elements 21 a is emptied. If the support surface of the head extends over more than two deformation elements 21, of course, corresponding deformations of more than two deformation elements 21 can be provided in order to achieve the corresponding tilting of the head.

In order to achieve tilting of the head in the direction perpendicular to the transverse direction Q longitudinal direction L, one or more second deformation elements 21 b may be provided, which adjoin in the longitudinal direction L to the arranged in the transverse direction Q series of first deformation elements 21 a and substantially the same Width as the series of the first deformation elements 21 a occupy. In the illustrated embodiment, the second deformation element 21 b extends over the entire width of the arrangement of the first deformation elements 21 a.

There are many variations of the arrangement of the deformation elements 21 conceivable, but these should be arranged to each other so that by a corresponding adjustment of one or more deformation elements 21, the height of the head pad 2 in the area in which they are arranged, can be adjusted or changed. In particular, it should be achieved with the arrangement of the deformation elements 21 that when the head rest in an active region of the head pad 2, in which the deformation elements 21 are arranged, the respective heights of at least the arranged under the support surface of the head deformation elements 21 can be changed in that tilting of the head can take place at least in the transverse direction Q, but preferably also in the longitudinal direction L.

In the above example, tilting can be achieved by, in the area in which the head rests on the deforming elements 21, controlling the deforming elements 21 so that the height of the head pad 2 increases, while in the direction in which the head tilts to be, the corresponding deformation element 21 is driven so that the head pad 2 there has a lower height. Thus acts on the head a tilting moment whose height depends essentially on the difference in height to which the head is exposed by the different adjustment of the heights of the adjacent Verformelemente 21.

In the above embodiment, a tilting of the head in the longitudinal direction L can be achieved by corresponding adjustment of the second deformation element 21 b. In order to support the tilting movement in the longitudinal direction L, the deformation elements 21 arranged in the transverse direction Q can additionally be actuated in opposite directions so that they have a uniform change in height across the entire width of the arrangement in the transverse direction Q against the change in height of the second deformation element 21b, ie either one Increase or decrease the height of the head pad 2, effect.

The head pad 2 is further provided with one or more microphones 24 by which it is possible to record a snore sound of the person sleeping on the head pad 2. In order to reliably detect the snoring sound, preferably at least two microphones 24 are arranged at the ends of the head pad 2 in the transverse direction Q. This can also do that Snoring sound of lying on the side sleeping person can be reliably detected.

Instead of the microphones 24, the snoring sound can also be detected by a pressure sensor arranged in the head pad 2 or by an external vibration sensor. Furthermore, the head pad 2 can be provided with a sensitive film, such as a film with resistive, capacitive or piezoresistive measuring properties, in order to detect the vibrations exerted by snoring noises. Alternatively, a bed frame on which the head pad 2 rests, be provided with appropriate sensors to detect snoring caused by vibrations.

The control of the deformation elements 21 takes place by the external control unit. 4

The control unit 4 is connected both to the deformation elements 21 and to the microphones 24. Captures at least one of the microphones 24

Snore noise, so is a corresponding electrical signal through the

Controller 4 evaluated to detect snoring or determine whether it is the detected noise is a snore sound or not.

For this purpose, a suitable sound recognition algorithm can be implemented in a microcontroller 41 of the control unit 4, which in principle is a function of a

Speech recognition algorithm.

Upon detection of a snore sound, the control unit 4 controls the deformation elements 21 in a suitable manner. In the present exemplary embodiment, the control unit 4 is connected via air ducts 8 with the deformation elements 21 designed as air chambers. Thereby, the provision of electrical leads to the head pad 2 can be avoided. Of course, however, electromechanical actuators can be controlled as deformation elements 21 by means of electrical leads.

The control unit 4 is connected by means of the corresponding air channels 8 with the formed as air chambers deformation elements 21. Furthermore, the control unit 4 is connected to the air pump 5 for the supply of compressed air. On the control unit 4 41 solenoid valves 42 are provided in addition to the microcontroller, which control the air supply to the individual air chambers. The solenoid valves 42 allow each of the air chambers individually to control so that it can be filled with compressed air or compressed air can be discharged from this.

Basically, the control unit 4 is used to control the deformation elements 21 for moving the head resting thereon of a sleeping person as soon as a snore has been detected by means of the microphones 24. Research has shown that random movement of the head during snoring is very likely to stop snoring. Rather, it has been recognized that a certain tilting movement of the head with a high probability leads to the sleeping person ceasing to snore. In particular, however, depending on the orientation of the head of the sleeping person, d. H. depending on whether the sleeping person sleeps in a lateral or supine position, different tilting movements of the head necessary to stop the snoring with high probability. In addition, the type of tilting movement is individually different for each snoring person and interruption of snoring may occur in a tilting movement in the transverse direction Q or in the longitudinal direction L or in both the transverse direction Q and the longitudinal direction L.

The control unit 4 now provides, depending on an orientation of resting on the head pad 2 head of a sleeping person, ie, depending on whether the head is in lateral position, supine or in an intermediate position between the side position and the supine position, a certain Verkippbewegung as soon as a snoring sound has been detected. As described above, for efficient operation, the tilting movements must be different depending on the orientation of the head, that is, depending on whether the sleeping person is lying sideways or supine. The controller 4 may execute a snoring termination method as shown in the flowchart of FIG. For this purpose, the control unit 4 also provide for starting a learning process in an unknown sleeping person when snoring occurs to determine which tilting movement leads to the person concerned to cease snoring.

If snoring has been detected in a query step S1 (alternative: yes), the method is continued with a subsequent step S2. Otherwise (alternative: no), jump back to step S1.

The tilting movements of the head of the sleeping person to be performed may vary depending on the orientation of the head (side or back), so that it is determined in step S2 in which orientation the head of the sleeping person is located. Furthermore, it is necessary to determine the relative position of the head on the head pad 2 in order to be able to determine the deformation elements 21 required for the tilting movement of the head so that they can be controlled in a targeted manner. In order to detect the position of the sleeping person's head, the deformation elements 21 designed as air chambers may be provided with pressure sensors 22, so that the air chamber is detected with a pressure which is higher than the pressure of the other air chambers than the air chamber carrying the main load of the head , Alternative ways of determining the position of the sleeping person's head on the head pad 2 may include providing capacitive or resistive pressure sensor arrays on the head pad 2, such as sensor arrays constructed using conductive foams, or the like. Alternatively, a camera can be provided, in particular a camera with infrared sensitivity, which is directed to the head pad 2 and can determine the position of the head of the sleeping person, ie the relative position of the head on the head pad 2, by a suitable image recognition. Furthermore, it is necessary to provide an algorithm with which the orientation of the head can be determined. This can be determined, for example, by detecting the bearing surface of the head. That is, since the support surface of the back of the head is smaller than the support surface of the head side can be made by evaluating the pressure increases in the air chambers, a recognition of the orientation. For example, in a pressure increase (pressure increase over the air chamber with the lowest air pressure beyond a predetermined pressure threshold) in one or two chambers on a supine and pressure increase (pressure increase over the air chamber with the lowest air pressure above a predetermined pressure threshold) in more than two chambers are closed on a lateral position. Alternatively or additionally, by means of arranged in the head pad 2 with respect to the transverse direction Q oppositely disposed microphones 24, the alignment of the head can be determined. Based on the snoring noises detected by the microphones 24, the position and orientation of the sleeping person's head can be determined by suitable signal processing. Since, in a supine position, the nose is arranged as the starting point of the snoring sound substantially in the center of the head, the position of the nose can be determined in a simple manner by delay differences of the snoring sound from the microphones 24. The snoring sound is equally attenuated on the way to the microphones 24 due to the head symmetry. This attenuation depends only on the distance of the nose to the respective microphone 24. On the other hand, if the head of the sleeping person is in a lateral position, the signal amplitude of the microphone 24 assigned to the back of the head is strongly attenuated and therefore a lateral position of the head can be determined by comparing the signal amplitudes of the signals detected by the microphones 24.

In essence, lateral and supine positions of the head of the sleeping person can be distinguished by the attenuation of the acoustic Snore signal is evaluated. Detects one of the microphones 24 too much attenuated snore signal, it can be assumed that a lateral position of the head of the sleeping person. The microphone 24 in question is then assigned to the back of the head. The presence of an excessively damped snore signal can be detected, for example, by forming an amplitude ratio of the signal amplitudes of the electrical signals recorded by the microphones 24 and a threshold comparison, wherein the threshold value of the amplitude ratio of the signal amplitudes is selected depending on the position of the head on the head pad 2 to be able to account for the already caused by the mere removal of the nose of the microphones 24 attenuation.

It is possible, by means of a calibration procedure, to place a head, from which a snore sound emanates, in an upright position in various positions on the head pad 2, corresponding signal measurements, i.e., measurements. H. Perform measurements of the transit time differences and the signal attenuation with the microphones 24, and then repeat the process with different lateral positions of the head at different positions on the head pad 2. By storing the transit time differences and the signal amplitudes of the electrical signals provided by the microphones 24 in conjunction with the assigned position and orientation of the head, a reference table can thus be created which is stored in the control unit.

The reference table can be accessed when snoring sounds occur. For this purpose, the transit time difference and the ratio of the signal amplitudes of the electrical signals provided by the microphones 24 are determined, and the actual position of the sleeping person's head and its orientation are determined by suitable assignment methods. This can be done, for example, by selecting the position and orientation from the reference table as the actual position and orientation of the head, where the deviation between the detected time difference and the time difference taken from the reference table and the deviation between the detected ratio of the signal amplitudes and the of the Reference ratio extracted signal amplitudes is minimal. In particular, this method of least squares can be applied. In a subsequent query step S3 it is checked whether a teach-in process for the head pad 2 has already been carried out.

If this is the case (alternative: yes), then in step S4 a movement pattern is read out of a memory 43 of the control unit 4 as a function of the previously determined orientation of the head, and in step S5 the deformation elements 21 of the head support 2 are correspondingly driven in order to control the Movement pattern corresponding tilting movement of the head to cause. The movement pattern indicates the direction of tilting of the head. In addition, the movement pattern may also indicate a speed of tilting of the head. The speed of the tilting can be adjusted by appropriate control of the deformation elements 21, ie the deformation elements 21 are controlled so that they cause a faster or slower height change of the relevant area of the head pad 2. After moving the head in step S5, a predetermined period of time is waited in step S6, such as 30 seconds or 1 minute, to determine whether the movement of the head of the sleeping person breaks their snore. If snoring continues to be detected in a subsequent query step S7 (alternative: yes), a further movement pattern is called from the memory 43 in step S8 and executed in step S9. Thereafter, the process returns to step S7 and the cycle is repeated if snoring continues to occur. If snoring is no longer detected in the query step S7 (alternative: No), then a gradual movement of the head to return to a starting position is performed in step S10 and the process returns to step S1. If it is determined in step S3 that no teach-in process has yet been carried out (alternative: no), then the following tilting movements are carried out in succession according to a predetermined teaching pattern by corresponding activation of the deformation elements 21.

The training patterns may provide a sequence of tilting motions that are suitably stored in the memory 43. For example, the following sequence of tilting motions may be provided as a learning pattern for a supine position of the head:

1 . Tilting movement in transverse direction Q to the left

2. tilting movement in the transverse direction Q to the right

3. tilting movement in the longitudinal direction L upwards

4. tilting movement in the longitudinal direction L down.

For a lateral position, the following sequence of tilting movements can be provided:

1 . Tilting movement in the longitudinal direction L upwards

2. tilting movement in the longitudinal direction L down.

3. tilting movement in the transverse direction Q in the direction of the supine position

4. Tilting movement in the transverse direction Q in the direction opposite to the direction of the supine position. The tilting movements can be provided as relative tilting movements of the head or as end positions, in which the head is to be moved.

In a step S1 1, the first or the next movement pattern is retrieved from the memory and moved in step S12, the head of the sleeping person accordingly. In step S13, as in step S6, a predetermined period of time is waited for, such as a period between 30 seconds and 1 minute, to determine whether the movement of the head of the sleeping person breaks their snore. In a query step S13 it is then checked whether the snoring has stopped. If this is the case (alternative: yes), then the last executed tilting movement (and optionally the tilting speed) is stored as a movement pattern in connection with the last detected orientation of the head in step S15. Otherwise, jump back to step S1 1.

The learning process of steps S1 1 to S14 is thus carried out until the movement of the head has been found, in which the snoring of the sleeping person is stopped. Alternatively, the teaching process can be continued with all tilting movements of the relevant teaching pattern in order to determine a plurality of tilting movements of the head with which snoring of the sleeping person can be interrupted. After a preferred tilting movement for the head of a certain person has been determined in the teach-in process, the corresponding tilting movement can be stored in a personalized manner. An assignment to the person concerned can be made, for example, by storing a suitable profile. By selecting a specific person, for example by means of a suitable input device on the control unit 4, then, in the event of the occurrence of snoring, the tilting movements taught in advance can be carried out.

It is possible to teach and save profiles for several people using the same head pad 2. As an alternative to selecting the subject using an input device, an occurrence of a particular snoring may also be associated with a particular individual using a simple voice or snore detection technique. After this assignment has been made, the corresponding profile assigned to the snoring sound is selected and the tilting movements stored there are executed in the manner described above. FIG. 4 shows a schematic representation of a further embodiment of a system 1 for stopping a snore. The system 1 of FIG. 4 includes, as before with regard to the previous embodiments, a head pad 2, a control unit 4 and an air pump 5.

The arrangement of the first deformation elements 21 a in the head pad 2 also corresponds in the embodiment of Figure 4 an arrangement as has been described in connection with the embodiments described above. Instead of the second deformation element, as described in the previous embodiments, a non-actively deformable support element 26 is now provided in the embodiment of Figure 4. That the height of the support member 26 is predetermined and not adjustable. The support member may be slightly elastic or have an elasticity, as the first deformation elements 21 a, so that the head of a resting on the head pad 2 person sinks by its own weight at all areas of the support surface to the same extent. Furthermore, it can be ensured that the person perceives no differences in strength between different areas of the support surface, depending on whether the area is above the first deformation elements 21 a or above the support element 26.

It can be provided that the support member 26 in the longitudinal direction L to the arranged in the transverse direction Q series of first deformation elements 21 a and have a width in the transverse direction Q, which preferably at least equal to the width of the arranged in rows first deformation elements 21 a. A change in position of the head can then be effected only by a suitable deformation of one or more of the first deformation elements 21 a, ie by a suitable change in height of one or more of the first deformation elements 21 a, so either an increase or a reduction in the height of the respective first deformation element In particular, a longitudinal tilting (tilting in the longitudinal direction) of the head can be achieved by simultaneous and preferably uniform lowering or raising of those deformation elements 21a on which the head rests. The thickness of the support element 26 in the height direction H substantially corresponds to a thickness which corresponds to between a quarter and three quarters of the maximum adjustable thickness of the first deformation elements 21 a, preferably about half of the maximum adjustable thickness of the first deformation elements 21 a.

FIG. 5 schematically shows a plan view of a further embodiment of the head pad 2. As a particular embodiment of the arranged on the first deformation elements 21 a support member 26, a neck support member 27 is provided directly on an edge of the head pad 2. The neck support element 27 may be arranged directly at or at a suitable distance from the row of first deformation elements 21 a. The neck support element 27 is used when resting a head of a person as a neck support and correspondingly has a height R (perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L and the transverse direction Q), which is greater than the corresponding height of the support surface over the first deformation elements 21 a, on the head rests. This serves to be able to perform a neck support function when the head of a person over the first deformation elements 21 a and the neck or a neck side (in a lateral position of the person) rest on the neck support member 27. In particular, in contrast to the described in connection with Figure 4 thickness of the support member 26, the height difference between the support surface of the head over the first deformation elements 21 a and the neck of the person facing the end of the neck support element 27 between 2 and 15 cm, preferably between 2 and 10 cm, more preferably between 3 and 8 cm and is thus greater than the maximum adjustable thickness of a first deformation element 21 a. Thus, a spinal column-protecting position of the head can be ensured on the head pad.

In one embodiment, the series of first deformation elements 21 a and the neck support element 27 adjoin one another.

In a further embodiment, the distance between the row of the first deformation elements 21 a and the neck support element 27 may be selected such that when the neck or a neck side of the person lies on the neck Neck support member 27 of the back of the head on the first deformation elements 21 a rests, in particular approximately centrally with respect to the expansion of the first deformation elements 21 a in the longitudinal direction L rests. Deforming or adjusting the first deformation elements 21 a, to effect a longitudinal tilt, then leads to pivoting of the head around the neck area. This has the advantage that the neck area is not changed substantially when adjusting the first deformation elements 21 a in its height.

The neck support element 27, which extends in itself in the transverse direction Q, can be slightly curved or arched for reasons of ergonomics, the curvature being concave in the direction of the longitudinal direction L. In order to limit the length of the first deformation elements 21 a in the longitudinal direction with a curved extending neck support member 27, the arrangement of the first deformation elements 21 a may also be curved, so that the distance between the neck support member 27 and the row of the first deformation elements 21 a remains the same.

FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional view through the head pad of FIG. 5. It can be seen the arrangement of the neck support member 27 which connects in the longitudinal direction L substantially to the series of the first deformation elements 21 a and extends in the transverse direction Q of the pad. The height of the neck support element 27 is significantly increased with respect to the rest of the support surface of the head pad 2 in order to achieve sufficient support of the neck both in back and in lateral position.

Claims

claims

1 . Head pad (2) for terminating a snoring of a sleeping person with an arrangement of mutually adjacent deformation elements (21, 21 a, 21 b) for the areawise setting of a height of the head pad (2), wherein the deformation elements (21, 21 a, 21 b) are arranged so as to allow tilting of a resting on the head pad (2) head in two mutually perpendicular directions.

2. head pad (2) according to claim 1, wherein a number of first deformation elements (21 a) are provided, which are arranged along a row in a transverse direction (Q) adjacent to each other, and one or more support elements (26, 27) are provided, which in a direction perpendicular to the transverse direction (Q) extending longitudinal direction (L) offset from the row of transversely (Q) adjacent to each other arranged first Verformelemente (21 a) extend.

3. head pad (2) according to claim 2, wherein the one or more support elements (26, 27) offset in a direction perpendicular to the transverse direction longitudinal direction of the row of transversely adjacent to each other arranged first Verformelemente (21 a).

4. head pad (2) according to claim 2, wherein the one or more support elements (27) in a direction perpendicular to the transverse direction (Q) extending longitudinal direction (L) offset along the row of transverse in the transverse direction (Q) adjacent to each other first deformation elements (21 a) are arranged at a distance, wherein the distance is provided so that when resting a neck of the sleeping person on the one or more support elements (26) rests a support surface of the back of the head on the series of the first deformation elements (21).

5. head pad (2) according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the one or more support elements (26, 27) is arranged on a transversely extending (Q) edge of the head pad.

6. head pad (2) according to claim 1, wherein a number of first deformation elements (21 a) are provided, which are arranged adjacent to each other along a row in a transverse direction to each other, and one or more second deformation elements (21 b) are provided, which in offset in a direction perpendicular to the transverse direction longitudinal direction of the row of transversely adjacent to each other arranged first deformation elements (21 a) connect.

7. head pad (2) according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the deformation elements (21) are separately controllable to adjust the height of a portion of the head pad (2).

8. Head pad according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein on two opposite sides of the arrangement of the deformation elements (21, 21 a, 21 b) microphones (24) are arranged for detecting a snoring noise.

9. Head pad according to one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the deformation elements (21, 21 a, 21 b) chambers for filling with a medium, wherein in the chambers pressure sensors (22) are arranged for determining a pressure in the respective chamber.

10. A system (1) for stopping a snore, comprising:

A head pad (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 9,

a control unit (4) which is designed

- to detect a snoring sound; - To detect at a detected snoring noise, a current orientation of a resting on the head pad head; and

- To the deformation elements (21, 21 a, 21 b) to control so that the head is tilted depending on the detected orientation of the head.

1 1. The system (1) according to claim 10, wherein the control device (4) is designed to detect signal propagation times and / or signal amplitudes of signals detected by microphones (24) and / or a distribution of pressure sensors (22) in the device for detecting the orientation of the head Head pad to evaluate detected pressure signals.

12. System according to claim 10 or 1 1, wherein the control unit (4) is adapted to perform a teach-in operation to set at least one preferred tilting movement for the head, wherein when snoring occurrence of the deformation elements (21, 21 a, 21 b) so be controlled so that a resting on the head pad head is moved in accordance with the preferred tilting movement.

The system of claim 12, wherein the controller (4) is adapted to store the preferred tilting movement associated with a user profile.

14. A method for operating the head pad, in particular the head pad according to one of claims 1 to 9, with the following steps:

Detecting if there is a snoring sound;

at a recognized snoring sound, detecting a current orientation of a resting on the head pad (2) head; and driving the deformation elements (21, 21 a, 21 b), so that the head is tilted depending on the detected orientation of the head.