GB2529843A

GB2529843A - A temporary head rest arrangement and a seat back folding table

Info

Publication number: GB2529843A
Application number: GB1415587.3A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mike Donnelly
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2014-09-03
Filing date: 2014-09-03
Publication date: 2016-03-09
Anticipated expiration: 2034-09-03
Also published as: WO2016034846A1; GB201415587D0; GB2529843B

Abstract

A head rest arrangement for attachment to an existing seat 20 having a seat back folding table 22 actuable between a stowed and a deployed configuration. The head rest transfer downwards vertical force from the users head to seat. The head rest comprises a pillow member 12 attached to the folding table by an attachment means 14. The attachment means may be a hook 16 to a strap 14 or formed in a recess (17, figure 7) attached directly to the head rest. The strap may be made of resilient material and may be length adjustable. The pillow member may be D-shaped. Alternatively, the head rest may be integral with the folding table (figures 11a and 11b). The head rest may be planar and moveable between a stowed and deployed configuration. The head rest may be hingeably attached to the folding table.

Description

A Temporary Head Rest Arrangement and a Seat Back Folding Table The present invention relates to a temporary head rest arrangement, particularly, but not exclusively, a temporary head rest arrangement for use on a seat back folding table on vehicles such as trains, buses or aircraft. An integrated seat back folding table is also provided.

On long journeys passengers often become uncomfortable when seated for long periods of time. Although this can be a problem on many different modes of transport this is often a particularly acute problem on aircraft where space is generally at a premium and where the increased popularity of economy travel has resulted in passengers often being seated in relatively cramped conditions for long periods of time. Furthermore, on long-haul flights, passengers typically try to pass much of their time on-board the aircraft attempting to sleep. However, most passengers find this very difficult since they are unable to make themselves adequately comfortable. In an effort to address this problem, passengers often either bring their own small travel pillows with them or are provided with these by the airline as they arrive on-board the flight. In general, such measures are only partially effective and passengers often therefore tend to remain relatively uncomfortable throughout the journey. It is therefore evident that anything which improves a passenger's comfort level in such environments is desirable.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a temporary head rest arrangement for attachment to an existing seat back structure having a seat back folding table which is actuable between a stowed and a deployed configuration, the temporary head rest arrangement comprising:-a pillow member for supporting at least a portion of the weight of a user's head; and attachment means for attaching the pillow member to a portion of the seat back folding table, the attachment means being adapted to support against vertical movement of the user's head when the seat back folding table is in the stowed configuration such that at least a portion of any vertical force imparted on the pillow member by the user's head is supported by the stowed seat back folding table and existing seat back structure.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a seat back folding table which is actuable between a stowed and a deployed configuration, the seat back table corn prising:-a head rest rnernber for supporting at least a portion of the weight of a user's head against vertical movement when the seat back folding table is in the stowed configuration such that at least a portion of any vertical force imparted on the head rest member by the user's head is supported by the stowed seat back folding table and existing seat back structure.

Further features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent

from the claims and the following description.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the following diagrams, in which:-Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a temporary head rest arrangernent having a circular cross section according to a first embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2A is a transverse illustration of the temporary head rest arrangement installed on a seat back table which is in a deployed configuration; Fig. 2B is a transverse illustration of the temporary head rest arrangement installed on a seat back table which is in a stowed configuration; Fig. 2C is a perspective illustration of the temporary head rest arrangement of Fig. 2B; Fig. 3 a perspective illustration of the temporary head rest arrangement attached to the seat back table in an alternative fashion; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a temporary head rest arrangement having a D-shaped cross section according to a second embodiment of the invention; Fig. SA is a transverse illustration of the temporary head rest arrangement of Fig. 4 installed on a seat back table in a deployed configuration; Fig. 5B is a transverse illustration of the temporary head rest arrangement of Fig. 4 installed on a seat back table in a stowed configuration; Fig. SC is a perspective view of the temporary head rest arrangement of Fig. SB; Fig. 6 is a perspective illustration of the temporary head rest arrangement attached to the seat back table in an alternative fashion; Fig. 7 is an illustration of a flattened underside of a D-shaped head rest arrangement and associated concealed hook portions; Fig. 8 is an illustration of a hook portion of Fig. 7 in isolation; Fig. 9A is a transverse illustration of the temporary head rest arrangement of Fig. 7 installed on a seat back table which is in a deployed configuration; Fig. GB is a transverse illustration of the temporary head rest arrangement of Fig. 7 installed on a seat back table which is in a stowed configuration; Fig. 9C is a perspective view of the temporary head rest arrangement of Fig. 9B; Fig. 1 OA is a perspective illustration of the temporary head rest arrangement where the apparatus is attached to the seat back folding table by way of an alternative attachment arrangement; Fig. 1 OB is a transverse illustration of the apparatus of Fig. 1 OA; Fig. 1 1A is a perspective illustration of a seat back folding table having an integrated head rest portion provided thereon shown in the stowed configuration; and Fig. 11 B is a perspective illustration of a seat back folding table having an integrated head rest portion provided thereon shown in the deployed configuration.

Referring to Fig. 1, a temporary head rest arrangement 10 comprises a pillow member 12 having a circular cross section therealong and a pair of connecting straps 14 wrapped around either end thereof.

The pillow member 12 has a soft outer texture and may be filled with air or any suitably soft material such as foam, polystyrene beads etc. in order to provide a soft rest for a user's forehead whilst maintaining sufficient structural rigidity in order to maintain the general shape of arrangement 10.

The length of each connecting strap 14 is adjustable and may also be formed of a resilient elastic material to allow the arrangement 10 to be attached to a variety of differently sized and shaped seat back tables. One end of each strap 14 is attached to a connecting hook 16. When not in use, the connecting straps 14 may be wrapped around the body of the pillow 12 for ease of storage.

With reference to Figs. 2A and 2B, in use, the temporary head rest arrangement 10 may be carried by a passenger onto a vehicle (such as an aircraft) and, when required, can be attached to the existing seat structure 20. To achieve this, the user first hinges open the seat back folding table 22 to the deployed configuration depicted in Fig. 2A and then rests the two connecting straps 14 on the upper surface of the deployed table 22. The user then attaches the hooks 16 to the bottom (forward) edge of the opened seat back table 22 and allows the other end of the straps 14 to drape over the upper (rearward) edge of the opened seat back table 22. As shown in Fig. 2B, the user then folds the seat back table 22 back into its stowed configuration thereby securing the pillow member 12 suspended from the rear of the existing seat 20. The height at which the pillow member 12 is suspended may be adjusted by the user adjusting the length of the connecting straps 14 as required. The user may now rest their forehead in a comfortable position on the pillow member 12 and in so doing rest a portion of the weight of their head onto the existing seat structure by way of the seat back folding table 22.

In this regard, the height and orientation of the pillow member 12 is such that, rather than simply providing a rest against lateral movement of the user's head, the pillow member 12 provides a rest against vertical movement of the user's head.

Once the user has finished with the arrangement 10 he can simply unfold the seat back table 22, remove the hooks 16 from the bottom edge of the table 22 and roll the connecting straps 14 onto the pillow member 12 again for storage of the arrangement 10.

With reference to Fig. 3A, in an alternative method of attaching the arrangement 10 to the seat back table 22, the connecting straps 14 may be greatly shortened and the hooks 16 may be attached to only the upper edge of the seat back table 22.

With reference to Figs. 4 to 6, an alternative embodiment of the invention having a D-shaped cross section rather than a circular cross section is illustrated. In order to minimise repetition, similar features of the arrangement are numbered with a common two-digit reference numeral and are differentiated by a third digit placed before the two common digits. Such features are structured similarly, operate similarly, and/or have similar functions as previously described unless otherwise indicated.

In the embodiment of the arrangement 110 illustrated in Figs. 4 to 6, the pillow member 112 has a D-shaped cross section and therefore has a flattened side portion 11 which (as best shown in Fig. 5B) allows the pillow member 112 to rest in close abutment with the underside of the seat back folding table 22.

With reference to Figs. 7 to 9, in an alternative method of attaching the arrangement 110 to the seat back table 22, rather than providing connecting straps, hooks 15A, 15B are concealed within recesses 17 on the flattened side portion 11 of the pillow member 112. Each hook 1 5A, 1 SB may be rotated by the user within its respective recess 17 to either conceal (1 5A) or project (1 SB) a clip member 19 from the flattened portion of the pillow member 112. When each hook 1 5A, 1 SB is rotated by the user to project both clip members 19, the arrangement may be clipped onto the upper edge of the seat back folding table 22. To do this, the user first folds the seat back table 22 toward the deployed configuration illustrated in Fig. 9A, attaches the hooks l5to the upper (rearward) edge of the seat back folding table 22 and then closes the seat back folding table 22 into the stowed configuration illustrated in Figs. 9B and 9C.

With reference to Figs 1 OA and 1 OB, in a further alternative method of attaching the arrangement 210 to the seat back folding table 22, adjustable attachment straps 214 are connected to the underside of the seat back table 22. This may be achieved by permanently fixing the straps 214 to the seat back table 22 or by removably attaching the straps 214 by popper, hook at loop or other fastening arrangements etc. This then allows the pillow member 212 to be slid up or down on the straps 214 by the user in order to adjust the height of the pillow member 212.

The arrangement may be integrated to, or provided with, advertising media thereon.

With reference to the second aspect of the invention] rather than provide the apparatus as a pad of a portable, temporary arrangement, the vehicle operator! manufacturer may integrate a hinged rest plate 30 into the rear of the seat back table 22. In the embodiment shown, the rest plate 30 is attached to the seat back folding table 22 by a hinge which is provided at its upper edge; however, alternative attachment methods may be utilised as desired. The hinged rest plate may also be provided with a soft resilient surface to provide a comfortable rest for a user's forehead.

Although particular embodiments of the invention have been disclosed herein in detail, this has been done by way of example and for the purposes of illustration only. The aforementioned embodiments are not intended to be limiting with respect to the scope of the appended claims.

It is contemplated by the inventors that various substitutions, alterations, and modifications may be made to the invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A temporary head rest arrangement for attachment to an existing seat back structure having a seat back folding table which is actuable between a stowed and a deployed configuration, the temporary head rest arrangement comprising:-a pillow member for supporting at least a portion of the weight of a user's head; and attachment means for attaching the pillow member to a portion of the seat back folding table, the attachment means being adapted to support against vertical movement of the user's head when the seat back folding table is in the stowed configuration such that at least a portion of any vertical force imparted on the pillow member by the user's head is supported by the stowed seat back folding table and existing seat back structure.
2. A temporary head rest arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the attachment means comprises at least a hook arrangement adapted to engage with an edge of the stowed seat back folding table.
3. A temporary head rest arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the hook arrangement is provided with at least a connecting strap and wherein the hook arrangement is adapted to engage with an upper or lower edge of the stowed seatback folding table.
4. A temporary head rest arrangement according to claim 3, wherein an opposing hook arrangement is also provided such that the head rest arrangement may be secured to both the upper and lower edge of the stowed seat back folding table.
5. A temporary head rest arrangement according to either of claims 3 or 4, wherein the or each connecting strap comprises resilient material.
6. A temporary head rest arrangement according to any of claims 3 to 5, wherein the or each connecting strap is adjustable in length in order to allow a user to adjust the height of the pillow member when the seat back folding table is in the stowed configuration.
7. A temporary head rest arrangement according any preceding claim, wherein the pillow member has a substantially circular cross section.
8. A temporary head rest arrangement according to any of claims 1 to 6, wherein the pillow member has a substantially D-shaped cross section such that a curved front portion is provided for receiving a portion of the user's head thereon and a flattened rear portion is provided for abutment against a face of the stowed seatback folding table.
9. A temporary head rest arrangement according to claim 8, wherein the hook arrangement comprises at least a concealed hook recessed within the flattened rear portion of the D-shaped pillow member.
10. A temporary head rest arrangement according claim 9, wherein the or each concealed hook comprises a pivotable hook member which may be pivoted between a flush and a projecting configuration.
11. A seat back folding table which is actuable between a stowed and a deployed configuration, the seat back table comprising:-a head rest member for supporting at least a portion of the weight of a user's head against vertical movement when the seat back folding table is in the stowed configuration such that at least a portion of any vertical force imparted on the head rest member by the user's head is supported by the stowed seat back folding table and existing seat back structure.
12. A seat back folding table according to claim 11, wherein the head rest member comprises a movable member actuable between a stowed configuration and a deployed configuration.
13. A seat back folding table according to claim 12, wherein the head rest member is hingeably attached to the seat back folding table such that the head rest member may be hinged between the stowed and deployed configurations.
14. A seat back folding table according to claim 13, wherein the head rest member comprises a substantially planar member.
15. A temporary head rest arrangement substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, or as illustrated in any of Figs. ito 3, 4 to 6, 7 to 9, and 1OA and lOB.
16. A seat back folding table according substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, or as illustrated in any of Figs. hA and fiB