GB2443798A

GB2443798A - Visor with earplugs

Info

Publication number: GB2443798A
Application number: GB0622925A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Umo Oyom Young
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-11-16
Filing date: 2006-11-16
Publication date: 2008-05-21
Anticipated expiration: 2026-11-16
Also published as: GB0622925D0; GB2443798B

Abstract

A relaxation device, comprising a visor region (2), said visor region being adapted in use to substantially cover the eyes of a wearer, the visor region (2) being substantially impermeable to the transmission of light, the device further comprising locating means (14) to locate the device on said wearer's head, wherein said locating means (14) are adapted in use to locate in the ears of said wearer. The device may also include music speakers, massage means, and lights.

Description

A relaxation device The present invention relates to a relaxation

device, in particular but not exclusively to assist a wearer of the device in falling asleep.

Relaxation and sleep masks comprising a fabric face covering element adapted to cover the eyes are known. Such masks are often used in aeroplanes where it is not possible to cut out all the ambient light. Such known relaxation masks comprise an eye covering portion and a strap which is located around a wearer's head to hold the eye covering portion on the wearer's head. Such straps can be uncomfortable if tight and can also be cumbersome as they have a tendency to slide up and down the back of the wearer's head. In particular, such straps do not ada t well with wearer's havinn Innn or is IttinC hair styles as not only does the mask tend to slide easily over the hair, but the mask can also mess up the hair during the movements of sleep.

The present invention seeks to overcome the problems associated with the known devices as described above.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a relaxation device, comprising a visor region, said visor region being adapted in use to substantially cover the eyes of a wearer, the visor region being substantially impermeable to the transmission of light, the device further comprising locating means to locate the device on said wearer's head, wherein said locating means are adapted in use to locate in the ears of said wearer.

Preferably the locating means are adjustable to fit the head of the wearer.

Preferably a foam edging is provided around said visor region.

Preferably the locating means and their integral parts are replaceable.

Preferably the locating means further comprise acoustic speakers.

Preferably the device includes an acoustic jack for connecting the acoustic speakers to an external music source.

Preferably the device includes built-in music or sound playing means.

Preferably the music or sound is downloaded from the internet.

Preferably the device further including massaging means adapted in use to massage said wearer's face.

Preferably the massaging means comprises a motor driving an offset weight to provide in operation a vibratory force.

Preferably the device is provided with lights on an inner surface of the device.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a relaxation device, comprising a visor region, said visor region being adapted in use to substantially cover the eyes of a wearer, the visor region being substantially impermeable to the transmission of light, the device further comprising locating means to locate the device on said wearer's head, wherein the device further includes one further component selected from a group comprising built-in music or sound playing means, lights, and massaging means.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the following drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a front view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 shows a rear view of the embodiment of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows a top view of the embodiment of Figure 1; Figure 4 shows a side view of the embodiment of Figure 1; Figure 5 shows a rear view of the adjustable locating means of the embodiment of Figure 1; Figure 6A shows a top view of the adjustable locating means of the embodiment of Figure 1; Figure 6B shows a side view of the adjustable locating means of the embodiment of Figure 1; Figure 7 shows an alternative preferred embodiment of the present invention.

The relaxation device, shown generally as I (Figure 1), comprises a thin visor shaped region 2, which is adapted to fit over a wearers eyes. The visor shaped region 2 is formed of one piece, but may also be formed as two eye covering regions. The visor shaped region is formed generally as a segment of a sphere, with a wider central section 3 which narrows to an apex 4, 5 at each end (Figure 2). Along one edge of the segment, an indent or nose bridge section 6 is provided which is formed to locate over a wearer's nose. The visor shaped region 2 is formed of a soft and pliable plastic material, and is adapted to adjust to the surface contours of a wearer's face. On the concave innermost side of the visor region 2, namely the side which is located in use against the face of the wearer, a foam edging 7 is provided. The foam edging 7 is formed as a continuous strip, substantially rectangular in cross section, along the circumference of the edge of the visor region 2. The foam edging 7 serves to cushion the visor against the wearers face and the depth of the foam edging spaces the centres 8, 9 of the visor shaped region away from the wearer's eyes and eye lashes. The porous nature of the foam edging 7 also provides some ventilation to the wearer's eyes which in use are generally positioned in the centres 8, 9 of the visor shaped region 2. The parts of the relaxation device are generally of a black or dark colour so as not to reflect light and aid the operation of the device.

At the apices 4, 5 of the visor shaped region 2, adjustable strap members 10, 11 are provided (Figure 3). The strap members 10, 11, shown in more detail in Figures 4 and 5 are formed as elongate band-like members each of which splits into two further narrower band members 17, 18 at a third distance from one end of the strap members 10,11. The straps 10, 11 abut the inner side of the visor shaped region 2 and pass under the foam edging 7 into the centres 8, 9 respectively of the visor shaped region 2. The strap members 10, 11 are formed of a flexible plastic material and include a number of linearly aligned holes 12 located at regular spaced intervals in the portion at the end of the strap members 10, 11 furthest from the narrower band members 17, 18. The holes 12 are adapted to engage with corresponding protrusions or nipples 13 which protrude from the innermost side of the visor region 2 as shown in Figure 6A. The straps 10, 11 may therefore be located at any one of these protrusions 13 so as to enable the wearer to -5-.

adjust the overhanging length of the strap members 10, 11 to adapt the device to fit the wearer's head.

An alternative head strap, which passes around the back of the wearer's head may be provided in place of the locating members 14 or as an optional extra.

The narrower band members 17, 18 are each joined to a locating means in the form of a locating member 14 (Figures 6A and 6B) by which the device is located on a wearer's head. A locating member 14 is formed similarly to a bent index finger, an ear piece member 15 being formed as a cylindrical stump akin to the end of a finger directed towards the centre of curvature of the visor. The ear piece member 15 has an angled end 16 and this facilitates the insertion of the ear piece member in a wearer's ear. The ear piece member 15 is formed of soft flexible material for comfort. The ear piece member 15 is of such a size as to fit snugly into the wearer's ear, with the angled end 16 located just inside the ear canal of the wearer. By locating the device in the ears of the wearer, a more relaxed and comfortable fit may be provided than using a head strap.

The ear piece member 15 contains an acoustic speaker to play sound or music into the wearer's ear. The ear piece member 15 is provided with holes 26 towards its tip on its outer upper surface 25 (figure 3) to provide an air passage to the acoustic speaker and facilitate the wearer's hearing of any sound from the speaker. A ring like collar 23 is provided on the ear piece member 15 which may be rotated to either cover of reveal a hole 24 which, in use, is located outside the wearer's ear. When the hole is revealed, an air passage is formed between the hole 24 under the collar 23 and the holes 26 formed towards the tip of the ear piece member 15 and located in use in the wearer's ear canal.

The air passage then formed enables the wearer to hear ambient sounds, such as for example cabin announcements in an aeroplane, without removing the device. The collar 23 may also be rotated to cover the hole 24 and isolate the wearer from ambient noise.

The locating member 14, strap members 10, 11 and narrower band members 17,18 may be replaced or interchanged with corresponding members provided in different styles or colours or with varying features. For reasons of hygiene, the ear piece member 15 may be discarded and replaced between successive wearings by one user or between subsequent wearers of the device.

The visor shaped region 2 and the adjustable strap members are formed of semi-resilient materials to both ensure a comfortable fit of the relaxation device on the wearers face and ensure that in use the locating members 14 are biased to locate in the wearer's ears.

The relaxation device may be provided with audio jack connectors for connecting the acoustic speakers to an external music source as a portable digital music player.

Alternatively the relaxation device may be provided with built-in music or sound playing means. The sound may be in the form of bird song or other therapeutic sounds. The speaker in each of the ear piece members 15 may be adapted to play different sounds such that when both locating members are used a combined sound is heard by the wearer. The device may be provided with means to download music from the internet for example music in the form of MP3 files using Bluetooth or infra red. The device may also be provided with an internal power supply, a volume control and a track selector.

In a further preferred embodiment shown in Figure 7, the relaxation device is provided with massaging means 19 located at the centre of the visor shaped region 2 above the nose bridge section 6. The massaging means 19 comprises a small electric motor 20 powered by batteries 21, 22 driving an offset weight. In the embodiment shown the motor 20 is connected eccentrically to a flywheel so as to produce in operation a gentle vibratory force on the wearer's face. The motor rotates around 3000 revolutions per minute. Lights, such as LEDs, may be provided on the inner surface of the device for iris muscle exercises. When used for such exercises, an alarm may also be provided to indicate to the wearer after a predetermined period to ensure the eyes are not over exercised. The alarm may notify the wearer by either triggering the LED lights to flash or triggering the motor 20 of the massaging means 19 to activate for a predetermined time or an alternating combination of these two notification methods. The LED lights may also serve to assist the eyes in adjusting to or harmonising with the ambient light level before the device is removed by gradually increasing in brightness to match the ambient light level.

The device may be provided with a sensor or switch located on the device for example in the ear piece members 15 or the visor shaped region 2, which is triggered by the wearer placing the device on the wearer's head. The sensor may be used to activate the playing of sound, music or the massaging means 19 or other ancillary functions. When the wearer removes the device, the ancillary functions are switched off so as to save battery power by only activating the ancillary functions when the device is in use. A switch may be provided in each of the ear piece members 14 to synchronise the playing of music or sounds when each speaker in the ear piece members 14 is adapted to play different sounds.

The component parts of the device may be assembled in modular form, so that parts of the device may be disassembled to enable the device to be cleaned.

Claims

1. A relaxation device, comprising a visor region, said visor region being adapted in use to substantially cover the eyes of a wearer, the visor region being substantially impermeable to the transmission of light, the device further comprising locating means to locate the device on said wearer's head, wherein said locating means are adapted in use to locate in the ears of said wearer.

2. A relaxation device according to claim 1, wherein the locating means are adjustable to fit the head of the wearer.

3. A relaxation device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a foam edging is provided around said visor region.

4. A relaxation device according to claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the locating means and their integral parts are replaceable.

5. A relaxation device according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4 wherein the locating means further comprise acoustic speakers.

6. A relaxation device according to claim 5, wherein the device includes an acoustic jack for connecting the acoustic speakers to an external music source.

7. A relaxation device according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the device includes built-in music or sound playing means.

8. A relaxation device according to claim 7, wherein the music or sound is downloaded from the internet.

9. A relaxation device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the device further including massaging means adapted in use to massage said wearer's face.

10. A relaxation device according to claim 9, wherein the massaging means comprises a motor driving an offset weight to provide in operation a vibratory force.

II. A relaxation device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the device is provided with lights on an inner surface of the device.

12. A relaxation device, comprising a visor region, said visor region being adapted in use to substantially cover the eyes of a wearer, the visor region being substantially impermeable to the transmission of light, the device further comprising locating means to locate the device on said wearer's head, wherein the device further includes one further component selected from a group comprising built-in music or sound playing means, lights, and massaging means.

13. A relaxation device substantially as described herein, with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.