GB2128081A

GB2128081A - Head support

Info

Publication number: GB2128081A
Application number: GB08327304A
Authority: GB
Inventors: James Kerr Dunlop
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1982-10-13
Filing date: 1983-10-12
Publication date: 1984-04-26
Also published as: GB8327304D0

Abstract

An inflatable headrest adapted to provide support between a user's head and each of his shoulders comprising an intermediate portion (12), support portions (11) extending on opposite sides of the intermediate portion, and fastening means (14) to secure the headrest in position around a user's head. The headrest comprises an air inlet (15) and may be expanded by the application of external air under pressure, or may include internal expansion means such as low density polyurethane foam, whereby when desired for use, the inlet may be opened and the headrest expands of its own accord drawing air into the inlet. Latter types of air-cushion supports, such as air beds. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Head support This invention relates to a support for use in supporting a person's head. The invention is intended for use with a high-backed seat of the kind such as commonly used in transportation vehicles such as cars, coaches, aeroplanes, in which an occupant can rest his head on the seat back when leaning back in the seat. When the occupant begins to fall asleep or to relax deeply, there is a tendency for his head to loll towards one or other of his shoulders, or forwardly in an uncomfortable manner. The invention enables the user to prevent this from happening and to fall asleep comfortabiy in a high-backed seat.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided an inflatable headrest which, when inflated, is shaped to provide a support between a user's head and each of his shoulders.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided an inflatable headrest which, when inflated, comprises a pair of support portions for positioning on either side of a user's head for supporting the head, and an intermediate portion which extends between the support portions.

The support portions may extend from the intermediate portion generally transversely thereto, or the support portions may extend in somewhat parallel relationship on opposite sides of the intermediate portion.

In a preferred embodiment of headrest, the support portions are substantially thicker than the intermediate portion.

Preferably, both support portions are inflatable and desirably, although not necessarily, the intermediate portion is inflatable.

Preferably the headrest comprises one or more of the following: a sealable air inlet, a pressure relief valve, and a fastening means. The fastening means enables the headrest, where the rest is resiliently bendable, to be held in an in use attitude. Preferably, the fastening means comprises strips of "Velcro" (Registered Trade Mark) or the like self-attaching material.

The headrest may be adapted to be inflated by the application of external air under pressure through the inlet valve thereof, e.g. by blowing or by the application of a suppiy means which is operative to deliver air under pressure.

Alternatively however, the headrest may comprise internal inflating means operative, when the air inlet is opened, to cause the headrest to expand to draw air into the inlet. Such inflating means conveniently comprises internal expansion means which is operative to cause some at least of the wall portions of the headrest to move apart.

Thus the inflating means may be provided by internal expansion elements such as lightweight compression springs arranged at intervals.

Alternatively, the inflating means may comprise a highly resiliently-deformable thermoplastics material, such as a low density polyurethane foam, particularly one of open-cell construction.

Thus the headrest may conveniently be stowed in a deflated condition with the air expelled and the expansion means rendered inactive by prevention of ingress of air into the headrest by closure of the air inlet. When it is desired to use the headrest, the air inlet may be opened, and the headrest will expand of its own accord, drawing air through the air inlet (although this may, if desired, be assisted by the application of external air under pressure). When the headrest has expanded to a desired extent, the air inlet may be closed to enable the headrest to be used in comfort, with the internal air primarily affording the resilient support of the headrest.

It is however appreciated by the Applicant that such a system of inflation has more general applicability and may be used to advantage in other fields where the application of external air under pressure is disadvantageous.

Thus, according to another aspect of this invention, there is provided an air-cushion support, comprising an envelope of an air-impermeable material, within which there is provided a resilient expansion means which is operative to urge the wall portions of the envelope apart, an air inlet being provided which may be opened to allow air to be drawn into or flow from the envelope or closed to prevent air from being drawn into or flow from the envelope.

In the application of this aspect of the invention to an air bed, it is envisaged that the or each compartment of the air bed contain expansion means such as the low density polyurethane foam as aforesaid.

The air bed may be stowed with air expeiled in conventional manner, with the foam compressed and the air inlet closed. When it is desired to use the air bed, it may be unfolded and the air inlet opened, permitting the foam slowly to separate the walls of the envelope, drawing air into the interstices of the foam. On completion of desired filling, the air inlet is closed.

It will of course be appreciated that, notwithstanding the presence of foam within the air bed, it is nonetheless the air which provides the resilience of the air bed and/or the comfort of the user thereof.

Examples of headrests in accordance with the invention will now be described, with reference to the accompanying dawings wherein: Figure 1 shows a headrest which is a first embodiment of this invention; Figure 2 shows the headrest in an attitude for use; Figures 3 and 4 show a headrest which is the second embodiment of this invention, which is similar to the rest shown in Figures 1 and 2, the views thereof corresponding to Figures 1 and 2 respectively; and Figure 5 shows a headrest which is the third embodiment of this invention.

Figures 1 and 2 show a form of headrest 10 which is suitable for use in combination with a high-backed seat. The headrest is inflatable and is formed of a suitable air-impermeable envelope of rubber or plastics material, which material is covered with a further material which is comfortable to rest on and can be a fabric or the like.

The headrest 10 is elongate and, when inflated and unstressed, as shown in Figure 1, extends longitu dinally. An intermediate portion 12 extends between two generally bulbous support portions 11. End portions 13 extend from respective support portions.

The support portions are shaped to provide a prop between a user's head and his shoulders, being of significantly greater cross-sectional area than the intermediate and end portions. The maximum crosssectional area of the support portions is at least twice that, and is preferably approximately four times that, of the maximum cross-sectional area of the intermediate portion. The end portions taper towards the respective ends of the headrest.

Figure 2 shows the headrest 10 bent into an in-use attitude. With the rest extending longitudinally, the user places the middle portion 12 adjacent the nape of his neck. The cross-sectional width of the middle portion is of a size such that said portion tucks between the nape of the user's neck and a seat back when the user leans back in the seat. The middle portion can be of a size such as to provide some support for the user's neck, but does not restrain the user from resting the back of his head on the seat back. The user then bends the ends of the rest towards each other so that the support portions rest on the user's shoulders and the rest is wrapped around the user's neck.The user can then rest his head on either of the support portions in addition to or instead of resting his head on the seat back, such support portions providing a rest for the user's head, preventing it from lolling to one side and, desirably forwardly.

The headrest is conveniently portable and is particularly suitable for use during long distance journeys on for example, coaches, trains, aircraft and the like. The rest comprises a sealable air inlet 15. The air inlet can be of a form which is adapted to co-operate with air blowers of the kind found on the kinds of transport referred to, to inflate the rest. The rest aiso comprises a pressure relief valve 16 which releases air automatically in response to decreases in ambient pressure. By this means the rest does not expand unduly when used on an aircraft as the aircraft cabin pressure decreases.

The rest shown in the drawings is resiliently bendable and comprises a fastening means mounted on the end portions for fastening the end portions together and thereby holding the rest in the in-use attitude. Conveniently, the fastening means is afforded by strips 14 of "Velcro" or the like.

The rest shown in Figures 3 and 4 is of substantially the same shape as that shown in Figures 1 and 2 but comprises a ribbed surface. Corresponding parts are given the same numbers as for Figures 1 and 2 with the prefix 1.

Figure 5 shows a headrest which is shaped to define a cavity for receiving the back of a user's head, the position of the user's head being shown in dotted lines. Parts which correspond to parts of the rest shown in Figures 1 and 2 are given the same number with the prefix 2. The headrest comprises two support portions 211 which, when the rest is in use, are positioned on either side of the user's head and extend generally upwardly. An upper portion 217 may be provided which extends over the user's head between upper ends of the two support portions. The middle portions 212 comprises a web which extends from the support and upper portions and is shaped to receive the back of a user's head.

The web is formed of a sheet-like material.

In all three embodiments illustrated, when not in use, the headrest may be flat-packed in a relatively small wallet, and may be inflated for use without difficulty. However, if desired the headrests may additionally comprise non-inflatable cushioning material.

In a modification of the invention (not illustrated) the headrests above described include expansion means within the air-impermeable envelope, particularly the support portions thereof, which expansion means may be in the form of light compression springs or low density open-cellular foam such as polyurethane. This allows the headrest to be collapsed by the expulsion of air, and to be retained in collapsed condition by closure of the air inlet, preferably being additionally restrained against undesired expansion by being retained with a wallet.

On removal from the wallet, and opening of the air inlet, air is caused to be drawn into the inlet, and on completion of expansion, the air inlet may be closed.

In another embodiment of the invention, this principle is applied to an air bed, in which the or each compartment is provided with such expansion means, obviating the need to inflate the air bed, either by mouth or by the use of a foot pump, when it is desired for use.

Claims

1. An inflatable headrest which, when inflated, is adapted to provide a support between a user's head and each of his shoulders.

2. An inflatable headrest which, when inflated, comprises a pair of support portions for positioning on either side of a user's head for supporting the head, and an intermediate portion which extends between the support portions.

3. A headrest according to Claim 2 wherein the support portions extend from the intermediate portion generally transversely thereto.

4. A headrest according to Claim 2 wherein the support portions extend in somewhat parallel relationship on opposite sides of the intermediate portion.

5. A headrest according to one of Claims 2 and 3 wherein the support portions are substantially thickerthan the intermediate portion.

6. A headrest according to any one of Claims 2 to 5 wherein the intermediate portion is inflatable.

7. A headrest according to any one of the preceding claims comprising a sealable air inlet.

8. A headrest according to any one of the preceding claims comprising a pressure relief valve.

9. A headrest according to any one of the preceding claims comprising a fastening means.

10. A headrest according to Claim 9 wherein the fastening means enables the headrest to be held in an in-use attitude.

11. A headrest according to one of Claims 9 and 10 wherein the fastening means comprises strips of self-attaching material.

12. An air-cushion support comprising an envelope of an air-impermeable material, within which there is provided a resilient expansion means which is operative to urge the wall portions of the envelope apart, an air inlet being provided which may be opened to allow air to be drawn into or flow from the envelope or closed to prevent air from being drawn into or flow from the envelope.

13. An air-cushion support according to Claim 12 wherein the inflating means comprises internal expansion means which is operative to cause some at least of the wall portions of the headrest to move apart.

14. An air-cushion support according to Claim 13 wherein the inflating means is provided by internal expansion elements such as light-weight compression springs.

15. An air-cushion support according to Claim 13 wherein the inflating means comprises a resilientlydeformable plastics material.

16. An air-cushion support according to Claim 15 wherein the plastics material is a low density, open-cell polyurethane foam.

17. An air-cushion support according to any one of Claims 12to 16, being a headrest according to any one of Claims 1 to 11.

18. An air-cushion support according to any one of Claims 12 to 16, being an air bed.

19. An inflatable headrest constructed and arranged substantially as hereinefore described with reference (a) to Figures 1 and 2, (b) to Figures 3 and 4, or (c) to Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings.

20. Any novel feature or novel combination of features disclosed herein and/or shown in the accompanying drawings.