GB2440257A

GB2440257A - A travel pillow

Info

Publication number: GB2440257A
Application number: GB0713777A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Timothy John Hughes Williams
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-07-18
Filing date: 2007-07-16
Publication date: 2008-01-23
Anticipated expiration: 2027-07-16
Also published as: GB0614256D0; GB0713777D0; GB2440257B

Abstract

A travel pillow (2) has a body portion (4) for receiving a person's head, first attachment means (8), eg a hook or a hook and loop fastener, for attaching to a first and upper part (10) of a seat (12); second attachment means (14), eg a loop, for attaching to a second and lower part (16) of the seat (12); and a strap (18) which extends between the travel pillow (2) and the second attachment means (14) and which in use extends diagonally across a front of the person. Alternatively, the second attachment means may be attached to the seat belt. The strap 18 may be releasably attached to the body portion and may continue beyond the armrest for use by a second person. A pouch for storing the travel pillow is also disclosed.

Description

A TRAVEL PILLOW

This invention relates to a pillow and, more especially, this invention relates to a travel pillow.

When persons are travelling, for example on an aeroplane, a train or a car, they often wish to relax, doze or sleep with their heads resting on a backrest portion of their seat. Often the seat is one in which the backrest portion of the seat does not recline, and thus the person's head tends to loll forward as the person tries to relax, doze or sleep. Invariably the person is uncomfortable. The problem of an unsupported head of a person trying to relax, doze or sleep is well known, and it occurs not only with persons travelling on public transport such for example as aeroplanes and trains, but also with passengers in cars, and with babies and young children in push chairs, buggies and strollers.

It is an aim of the present invention to reduce the above mentioned problem.

Accordingly, in one non-limiting embodiment of the present invention there is provided a travel pillow comprising a body portion for receiving a person's head, first attachment means for attaching to a first and upper part of a seat, second attachment means for attaching to a second and lower part of the seat, and strap means which extends between the travel pillow and the second attachment means and which in use extends diagonally across a front of the person.

The travel pillow of the present invention can be used to give the required support to a person's head, thereby enabling the person to relax, doze or sleep in much more comfort than would be the case if their head were to be unsupported. The first and the second attachment means together with the strap means extending diagonally across the front of the person enables the travel pillow to be stably secured in position on the seat, and exactly as required for supporting the person's head. At the same time, the travel pillow can be of a small size so that it is inconspicuous, and does not interfere with persons in neighbouring seats.

Preferably, the travel pillow is one in which the strap means comprises release means. The release means enables the person easily to remove the travel pillow after use. More specifically, the strap means extends in use diagonally across the front of the person. Thus the provision of the release means on the strap means ensures that the release means is in front of the person, and is easily reachable for ease and comfort of operation. Minimum movement of the person in the seat is required to operate the release means, thereby ensuring that the person in the seat is not required to move a great deal, and thereby possibly suffer discomfort and/or cause annoyance to persons in adjacent seats.

Preferably, the release means comprises first and second overlying strips of matrix hook and loop fastener means. Other types of release means may be employed if desired so that, for example, the release means may be a buckle, or a press stud arrangement.

The travel pillow may be one in which the body portion is rectangular in plan with one corner missing. The missing corner is preferably of such a size as to reduce the size of the travel pillow by approximately one third. The missing corner is not needed in use of the travel pillow, and thus the removal of the corner represents a saving of material for manufacture of the travel pillow, and also a saving of material enabling the travel pillow to be folded smaller for storage than would otherwise be the case. Other shapes for the travel pillow may be employed.

The travel pillow may be one in which the first attachment means is located adjacent one corner of the body portion, and in which the strap means is located adjacent a diagonally opposite corner of the body portion, whereby in use the strap means extends to the second part of the seat, with the strap means extending diagonally across the front of the person.

The first attachment means may be a hook for hooking over the first part of the seat. Alternatively, the first attachment means may be overlying strips of matrix of hook and loop fastener members. Other types of first attachment means may be employed so that, for example, the first attachment means may be a press stud arrangement, clip, buckle, or ladder lock. When the first attachment means is a hook, then the hook may be a flexible hook for fitting over different sizes of the first part of the seat.

The second attachment means may be a loop for fixing over an armrest of the seat. The loop may be of a fixed size. Alternatively, the loop may be adjustable in size. If the loop is adjustable in size, then it may be adjustable in size by adjustment means such for example as overlapping strips of matrix of hook and loop fastener members, or by a buckle of the type used on aircraft seat belts.

Alternatively, the second attachment means may be overlying strips of matrix of hook and loop fastener members for fixing the second attachment means to a seat belt for the seat.

Alternatively, the second attachment means may be an attachment device formed as a permanent fixture of the seat. In this case, the second attachment means may be one or more screws or rivets securing the strap in position to an arm of the seat.

Preferably, the body portion is filled with a filling that expands when the body portion is not constrained, whereby the body portion can be folded to a small size and constrained when not in use, and whereby the body portion can expand when not contained and when desired for use. Preferably, the filling is a filling of spiral hollow fibres. Other types of filling may be employed.

The body portion may comprise a cover and the filling. The cover may have a re-sealable opening for the filling, whereby the filling is able to be removed from the cover and the cover washed if desired. The re-sealable opening is preferably opened and closed by a zip. Other closure means such for example as a flap or press studs may be employed.

The invention may include a pouch for storing the travel pillow.

The pouch is preferably a zip pouch. Other types of pouch may be employed so that, for example, the pouch may be closed by closure means such as a flap, press studs, or a draw string.

Preferably, the pouch is made of a transparent material so that the travel pillow can be seen through the pouch.

The pouch may include hanger means by which the pouch and the travel pillow are able to be hung for sale display purposes. The hanger means is preferably a hook but other types of hanger means may be employed.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a first travel pillow in use; Figure 2 is a front view of the travel pillow as shown in Figure 1, but without the person in order show more clearly various parts of the travel pillow; Figure 3 is a side view of the travel pillow as shown in Figure 1, but with a backrest portion of the seat being reclined; Figure 4 is a side view showing in detail first attachment means employed in the travel pillow shown in Figure 1; Figure 5 is a side view like Figure 4 but shows alternative first attachment means; Figure 6 is a front view like Figure 2 but shows alternative second attachment means; Figure 7 is a view of a seat like the seat shown in Figure 1 and shows another type of second attachment means; Figure 8 shows in more detail the second attachment means shown in Figure 7; Figure 9 shows first attachment means in the form of a hook; and Figure 10 shows a pouch for storing the travel pillow.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, there is shown travel pillow 2 comprising a body portion 4 for receiving a person's head 6. The travel pillow 2 also comprises first attachment means 8 for attaching to a first and upper part 10 of a seat 12. The travel pillow 2 further comprises second attachment means 14 to attaching to a second and lower part 16 of the seat 12. Strap means 18 extends between the travel pillow 2 and the second attachment means 14. In use of the travel pillow 2, the strap means 18 extends diagonally across a front of the person 20.

The strap means 18 comprises release means 22. The release means 22 is positioned as shown in front of the person 20 so that the release means 22 is easily gripped and operated. As best shown in Figure 2, the release means 22 comprises overlaying strips 24, 26 of matrix hook and loop fastener members. The strip 26 is provided with a pull end 28 for pulling the strips 24, 26 apart.

Figure 3 shows the travel pillow 2 of Figure 1 in use but without the person 12 and with a backrest part 30 of the seat inclined.

As shown in Figure 3, the body portion 4 is rectangular in plan with one corner missing. The missing corner is of such a size as to reduce the size of the body portion 4 by approximately one third. This saves on material for the body portion 4, and also enables the body portion 4 to be folded to a smaller size than would be the case if the missing corner were to be present.

The travel pillow 2 is such that the first attachment means 8 is located adjacent one corner 32 of the body portion 4. The strap means 18 is located adjacent a diagonally opposite corner 34 of the body portion 4. In use of the travel pillow 2, the strap means 18 extends to the first part 16 of the seat, with the strap means 18 extending diagonally across the front of the person 20 as shown in Figure 1.

The first attachment means 8 is shown in more detail in Figure 4. As can be seen from Figure 4, the first attachment means 8 is in the form of a pair of strips 38, 40 of matrix hook and loop fastener members. The strip 38 is secured to the first corner 32 of the body portion 4. The second strip 40 is secured to the first part 10 of the seat 12.

Figure 5 shows first attachment means 44 which is alternative to the first attachment means 8. The first attachment means 44 comprises a hook 46 which hooks over the first part 10 of the seat 12. The hook is secured to the first corner 32 of the body portion 4 by a strip of material 48 and a tag 50.

In an alternative design, the end 52 of the hook 46 may be formed as a small hook which hooks directly through the tag 50.

As can best be seen from Figure 2 and its enlarged portion 54, the second attachment means 14 is a loop 56 which fits over and around an armrest 58 of the seat 12. The loop 56 is able to be tightened and released by a buckle device 60. The loop 56 can thus be adjusted in size to fit tightly around the armrest 58.

Figure 6 is a view like Figure 2 but shows second attachment means in the form of a self-tapping screw 62 secunng the strap means 18 to the underneath of the armrest 58. The strap means 18 then continues on as another strap means 64 for use by a person (not shown) in an adjacent seat (not shown) to the seat 12. This type of second attachment means may be provided as part of the seat 12 at the time of manufacture of the seat 12.

Figures 7 and 8 show further alternative second attachment means 66.

The illustrated second attachment means 66 are two spaced apart strips of matrix hook and loop fastener members provided on a seat belt 68. As shown in Figure 8, the seat belt 68 is fastened with a quick release buckle arrangement 70 of the type employed on aircraft seat belts. Figures 7 and 8 illustrate that two of the second attachment means 66 are employed, so that a person can have the body portion 4 of the pillow secured on the right side of the seat as viewed in Figure 1, or alternatively on the left side of the seat as viewed in Figure 1 in dependence upon which side of the seat 12 the person wishes to rest their head 6. Figure 7 also illustrates how the first part 10 of the seat 12 is provided with two of the first attachment means 8 in the form of strips 72 of hook and loop fastener members for engagement with the strip 74 attached to the corner 32 of the body portion 4, and forming part of the first attachment means 8. The strip 74 is attached to whichever of the strips 72 is desired to be used, depending upon which side of the seat 12 the person 20 wishes to rest their head 6. With first attachment means 44 in the form of the hook, then the hook can simply be located on which ever side of the backrest part 30 of the seat 6 is required.

Figure 9 shows first attachment means in the form of a hook 76 which has a large hooked end 78 for hooking over the first part 10 of the seat 12.

The hook 76 has a small hooked end 80 which is able to go through a closed loop in a member such for example as the tag 50 shown in Figure 5. The hook 76 has end caps 82 which may be made of a plastics material. The hook 76 is advantageously a flexible hook that is able to flex and extend over any size of the first part 10 of the seat 12. The flexibility also helps the hook 76 clamp in place over the first part 10 of the seat 12. The hook 76 is advantageously made of 34% Nylon to give it the required flexibility. The hook 76 may be made of other materials if required.

Referring now to Figure 10, there is shown a pouch 84 for storing the travel pillow 2. The pouch 84 is a zip pouch having a zip 86. The pouch 84 is made of a transparent material so that the travel pillow 2 is able to be seen through the pouch 84. The pouch 84 is made of a transparent material which is stitched by stitches 88 to form seams extending around three closed sides of the pouch 84.

The pouch 84 includes hanger means 90 by which the travel pillow 2 and the pouch 84 are able to be hung for sale display purposes. As can be seen from Figure 10, the hanger means 90 is a hook.

The travel pillow of the present invention is very convenient to use.

The body portion may be filled with a very soft filling enabling the body portion to receive around the person's cheek and jawbone, and to provide a rearward force to the person's head lolling forward, which is the primary effect of gravity when the neck muscles are relaxed.

It is to be appreciated that the embodiments of the invention described above with reference to the accompanying drawings have been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effected. Thus, for example, the shape of the body portion may be different from that shown. Also, other types of first attachment means 8, 44 and second attachment means 14 may be employed. The body portion may be filled with any suitable and appropriate filling. Preferably the filling is one that expands when the body portion is not constrained in the pouch 84. Thus the body portion 4 can then be folded to a small size and constrained in the pouch 84, but the body portion 4 will expand for use as shown in Figure 1. Preferably the filling is a filling of spiral hollow fibres but other types of filling may be employed. The body portion may comprise a cover and the filling. The cover may have a re-sealable opening (not shown) for the filling, whereby the filling is able to be removed from the cover and the cover washed if desired. In all embodiments of the invention, the various matrix hook and loop fastener members are preferably those sold under the Registered Trade Marks Velcro or Ripfast.

Other types of matrix hook and loop fastener members may be employed.

The travel pillow of the present invention may be used for providing comfort whilst travelling on any suitable and appropriate type of travel vehicle, including aeroplanes, trains and cars. The travel pillow may also be used for stationary seats in the home if desired. Still further, the travel pillow may be used for children in pushchairs, buggies and strollers.

The travel pillow may be sold under the Registered Trade Mark Jetsleeper.

Claims

CLAIMS

1. A travel pillow comprising a body portion for receiving a person's head, first attachment means for attaching to a first and upper part of a seat, second attachment means for attaching to a second and lower part of the seat, and strap means which extends between the travel pillow and the second attachment means and which in use extends diagonally across a front of the person.

2. A travel pillow according to claim I in which the strap means comprises release means.

3. A travel pillow according to claim 2 in which the release means comprises first and second overlaying strips of matrix hook and loop fastener members.

4. A travel pillow according to any one of the preceding claims in which the body portion is rectangular in plan with one corner missing.

5. A travel pillow according to claim 4 in which the missing corner is of such a size as to reduce the size of the body portion by approximately one third.

6. A travel pillow according to any one of the preceding claims in which the first attachment means is located adjacent one corner of the body portion, and in which the strap means is located adjacent a diagonally opposite corner of the body portion, whereby in use the strap means extends to the second part of the seat, with the strap means extending diagonally across the front of the person.

7. A travel pillow according to any one of the preceding claims in which the first attachment means is a hook for hooking over the first part of the seat.

8. A travel pillow according to claim 7 in which the hook is a flexible hook for fitting over different sizes of the first part of the seat.

9. A travel pillow according to any one of claims I -6 in which the first attachment means is overlying strips of matrix hook and loop fastener members.

10. A travel pillow according to any one of the preceding claims in which the second attachment means is a loop for fixing over an armrest of the seat.

11. A travel pillow according to claim 10 in which the loop is of a fixed size.

12. A travel pillow according to claim 10 in which the loop is adjustable in size.

13. A travel pillow according to any one of claims I -8 in which the second adjustment means is overlying strips of matrix hook and loop fastener members for fixing the second attachment means to a seat belt for the seat.

14. A travel pillow according to any one of claims I -9 in which the second attachment means is an attachment device formed as a permanent fixture of the seat.

15. A travel pillow according to any one of the preceding claims in which the body portion is filled with a filling that expands when the body portion is not constrained, whereby the body portion can be folded to a small size and constrained when not in use, and whereby the body portion can expand when not constrained and when desired for use.

16. A travel pillow according to claim 15 in which the filling is a filling of spiral hollow fibres.

17. A travel pillow according to claim 15 or claim 16 in which the body portion comprises a cover and the filling.

18. A travel pillow according to claim 17 in which the cover has a re-sealable opening for the filling, whereby the filling is able to be removed from the cover and the cover washed if desired.

19. A travel pillow according to claim 18 in which the re-sealable opening is opened and closed by a zip.

20. A travel pillow substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

21. The combination of a travel pillow according to any one of the preceding claims and a pouch for storing the travel pillow.

22. The combination according to claim 21 in which the pouch is a zip pouch.

23. The combination according to claim 21 or claim 22 in which the pouch is made of a transparent material so that the body portion can be seen through the pouch.

24. The combination according to any one of claims 21 -23 in which the pouch includes hanger means by which the pouch and the travel pillow are able to be hung for sale display purposes.

25. A travel pillow according to claim 24 in which the hanger means is a hook.