US20140317849A1

US20140317849A1 - Sound deafening pillow

Info

Publication number: US20140317849A1
Application number: US14/261,888
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert LeGrand; Génifère LEGRAND; Mirko TRIERENBERG
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2013-04-28
Filing date: 2014-04-25
Publication date: 2014-10-30
Also published as: CA2850112A1

Abstract

A pillow comprises a resilient median portion, two resilient lateral portions and sound deafening earmuffs. The median portion is adapted to receive a back of a person's head. The two lateral portions are attached to an opposite side of the median portion. The earmuffs comprise two sound deafening ear coverings and a flexible band connecting the two sound deafening ear coverings. Each one of the two lateral portion have a cavity to accommodate the sound deafening ear coverings. In use, the flexible band is operative to bias the two sound deafening ear coverings over two ears of the person.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to the field of pillows. More specifically, the invention relates to a pillow having sound deafening qualities to enhance the sleep quality of a person.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Many persons have a problem sleeping soundly and the slightest noise disrupts their sleep. Earplugs can deafen noise. However, many people do not feel comfortable wearing them. Moreover, during sleep, earplugs can come out of the ears. Earmuffs are used also to deafen noise. However, wearing them impose sleeping on the back with the head straight as they are quite large and create an uncomfortable pressure on the side of the skull when trying to rest with the head laying on its side.
There is therefore a need for an improved means to help persons get a sound sleep.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a pillow that overcomes or mitigates one or more disadvantages of known pillows, or at least provides a useful alternative.
In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a pillow comprising a resilient median portion, two resilient lateral portions and sound deafening earmuffs. The median portion is adapted to receive a back of a person's head. The two lateral portions are attached to an opposite side of the median portion. Each one of the two lateral portion have a cavity. The earmuffs comprise two sound deafening ear coverings and a flexible band connecting the two sound deafening ear coverings. The two sound deafening ear coverings are located within the cavity of a different one of the two lateral portions. Each one of the two sound deafening ear coverings have a shell, a sound absorbing material and a seal. The sound absorbing material is placed within the shell. The seal is made of a resilient material and is located on a perimeter of the shell so as to surround an ear of the sleeper when in use. wherein in use, the flexible band is operative to bias the two sound deafening ear coverings over two ears of the person.
Typically, the cavity is located substantially in a central portion of the lateral portion.
Optionally, the seal is made of a gel.
Advantageously, the two resilient lateral portions are thicker than the sound deafening ear covering.
Optionally, the flexible band is routed inside the resilient median portion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

These and other features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description in which reference is made to the appended drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the front of a pillow in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the back of the pillow of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front view of a pillow shown without earmuffs in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the pillow of FIG. 1 shown in use.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a pillow integrating sound deafening earmuffs. The pillow is designed to wrap around the head of a person so that the earmuffs fall into place over the ears of the person. The pillow has lateral portions sufficiently thick to support the weight of the person's head so that there is no localized pressure induced by the earmuff on the person's skull even the person is resting its head on its side.
FIGS. 1 and 2 are referred to. A pillow 10 comprises a resilient median portion 12, two resilient lateral portions 14 and noise deafening earmuffs 16.
The median portion 12 is adapted to receive a back of a person's head. It is typically made of a resilient material such as a foam and may be covered by a textile housing to provide a nice appearance and soft surface on the skin. On its exterior, opposite the surface adapted to receive the back of the head, the median portion 12 has a passage 18 for accommodating and guiding a flexible band of the earmuffs 16. This passage 18 may be made as a flap or any other convenient way of guiding the flexible band 20. The flexible band 20 may therefore be guided either outside the median portion 12 or within it.
The two resilient lateral portions 14 are attached to an opposite side of the median portion 12. As is best shown in FIG. 3 where the earmuffs 16 are not shown for clarity, each one of the two lateral portions 14 have a hole or cavity 22 substantially in its central portion to accommodate the earmuffs 16.
The noise deafening earmuffs 16 have two ear coverings 24 connected by the flexible band 20. Each ear covering 24 is equipped with a shell 25, a seal 26 and optionally a sound absorbing material 28 located within the shell 25. The seal 26 is placed on a perimeter of the shell 25 so as to surround an ear of a person and isolate the ear from ambient sounds when in use. The seal 26 may be made of different materials, but it has been found that a soft gel provides a very comfortable feel.
In order to alleviate a pressure that could be created by one of the earmuff 16 on a skull of a person using the pillow with its head resting on its side, the lateral portions 14 are provided with a sufficient thickness. Typically, the thickness of the lateral portion 14 is larger than the thickness of the ear covering 24, even when the lateral portion 14 is compressed by the weight of the person's head.
FIG. 4 is now referred to. In use the flexible band 20 is operative to bias the two ear coverings 25 over the two ears of the person so that the seals 26 are pressed against the person's head, thereby preventing ambient noises form reaching the ears.
Optionally, small earphones can be routed inside the shells 25 of the ear coverings 24 to provide a quiet and soothing music to the sleeping person.
The present invention has been described with regard to preferred embodiments. The description as much as the drawings were intended to help the understanding of the invention, rather than to limit its scope. It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that various modifications may be made to the invention without departing from the scope of the invention as described herein, and such modifications are intended to be covered by the present description. The invention is defined by the claims that follow.

Claims

I claim:

1. A pillow comprising:

a resilient median portion, said median portion being adapted to receive a back of a person's head;

two resilient lateral portions, said two lateral portions being attached to an opposite side of said median portion, each one of said two lateral portion having a cavity;

two sound deafening ear coverings, said two sound deafening ear covering being located within said cavity of a different one of said two lateral portions, each one of said two sound deafening ear coverings having:

a shell;

a sound absorbing material, said sound absorbing material being placed within said shell; and

a seal, said seal being made of a resilient material, said seal being located on a perimeter of said shell so as to surround an ear of the sleeper when in use; and

a flexible band connecting said two sound deafening ear coverings;

wherein in use, said flexible band is operative to bias said two sound deafening ear coverings over two ears of the person.

2. The pillow of claim 1 wherein said cavity is located substantially in a central portion of said lateral portion.

3. The pillow of claim 2 wherein said seal is made of a gel.

4. The pillow of claim 2 wherein said two resilient lateral portions are thicker than said sound deafening ear covering.

5. The pillow of claim 3 wherein the flexible band is routed inside said resilient median portion.

6. A pillow comprising:

two resilient lateral portions, said two lateral portions being attached to an opposite side of said median portion, each one of said two lateral portion having a cavity in its central portion;

noise deafening earmuffs, said earmuffs having two ear coverings connected by a flexible band;

7. The pillow of claim 6 wherein each one of said ear covering is located substantially in a central portion of a respective one of said two lateral portions.

8. The pillow of claim 7 wherein each one of said two ear coverings comprise a seal operative to surround an ear of a person.

9. The pillow of claim 8 wherein said seal is made of a gel.

10. The pillow of claim 8 wherein said two resilient lateral portions are thicker than said sound deafening ear covering.

11. The pillow of claim 9 wherein the flexible band is routed inside said resilient median portion.