WO2017205428A1

WO2017205428A1 - Arm tuck sling and pillow

Info

Publication number: WO2017205428A1
Application number: PCT/US2017/034076
Authority: WO
Inventors: Charley TUALATAI; Kevin WEIMER
Original assignee: Knock Brothers, Llc
Priority date: 2016-05-23
Filing date: 2017-05-23
Publication date: 2017-11-30

Abstract

Aspects of the present invention provide a travel sling (100) for sleeping in an upright position. The travel sling (100) includes a neck pillow portion (106) and a pouch (102) configured to receive a user's (104) folded (e.g., crossed) arms and retain the user's elbows within the pouch (102). Other aspects of the invention include an arm tuck sling (100) configured to incorporate a neck pillow (120) and form the pouch (102) configured to receive the user's folded arms and retain the user's elbows within the pouch (102).

Description

DESCRIPTION

ARM TUCK SLING AND PILLOW

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates generally to travel pillows. More particularly, this invention pertains to travel pillows used in an upright or sitting position.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002] The present invention relates generally to travel pillows. More particularly, this invention pertains to travel pillows used in an upright or sitting position.

[0003] Trying to get comfortable and rest or sleep while traveling is difficult due in large part to the lack of space. On planes, trains, and other modes of mass travel, passengers often have to share armrests which can lead to personal space issues and discomfort, especially for adults. Generally, on such transports, seat backs do not recline any appreciable amount. Because the seat backs do not recline significantly and there is nothing to lean on in front of the passenger, the passengers are left leaning back with their arms folded or leaning forward on a rolled up blanket. When a passenger leans back and begins to fall asleep, their arms often sprawl and bump into neighboring passengers resulting in an invasion of neighboring passengers' personal space and the passenger being unable to sleep. Leaning forward is often impossible due to a lack of distance between the passenger's seat and the back of the seat in front of the passenger.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

[0004] Aspects of the present invention provide a travel sling for sleeping in an upright position. The travel sling includes a neck pillow portion and a pouch configured to receive a user's folded arms and retain the user's elbows within the pouch. Other aspects of the invention include an arm sling configured to incorporate a neck pillow and form the pouch configured to receive the user's folded arms and retain the user's elbows within the pouch. [0005] In one aspect, an arm tuck sling includes a pouch configured to engage a first elbow and a second elbow of a user and limit movement of the first elbow away from the second elbow.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] Fig. 1 is a front perspective view of an arm tuck sling.

[0007] Fig. 2 is a side perspective view of the user wearing the arm tuck sling of Fig. 1.

[0008] Fig. 3 is a rear perspective view of the user wearing the arm tuck pillow of Fig. 1.

[0009] Fig. 4 is a front perspective view of an arm tuck sling.

[0010] Fig. 5 is a side perspective view of the arm tuck sling of Fig. 4.

[0011] Fig. 6 is a front perspective view of a user putting on a neck pillow and the arm tuck sling of Fig. 4.

[0012] Fig. 7 is a front perspective view of a user having a neck pillow and the arm tuck sling of Fig. 4 about the user's neck.

[0013] Fig. 8 is a front perspective view of a user wearing a neck pillow and the arm tuck sling of Fig. 4.

[0014] Fig. 9 is a front perspective view of a user wearing a neck pillow and arm tuck sling.

[0015] Fig. 10 is a front perspective view of a user wearing an arm tuck sling.

[0016] Reference will now be made in detail to optional embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in accompanying drawings. Whenever possible, the same reference numbers are used in the drawing and in the description referring to the same or like parts.

[0017] BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0018] While the making and using of various embodiments of the present invention are discussed in detail below, it should be appreciated that the present invention provides many applicable inventive concepts that can be embodied in a wide variety of specific contexts. The specific embodiments discussed herein are merely illustrative of specific ways to make and use the invention and do not delimit the scope of the invention.

[0019] To facilitate the understanding of the embodiments described herein, a number of terms are defined below. The terms defined herein have meanings as commonly understood by a person of ordinary skill in the areas relevant to the present invention. Terms such as "a," "an," and "the" are not intended to refer to only a singular entity, but rather include the general class of which a specific example may be used for illustration. The terminology herein is used to describe specific embodiments of the invention, but their usage does not delimit the invention, except as set forth in the claims.

[0020] As described herein, an upright position is considered to be the position of apparatus components while in proper operation or in a natural resting position as described herein. Vertical, horizontal, above, below, side, top, bottom and other orientation terms are described with respect to this upright position during operation (e.g., while a user is in an upright position with the arm tuck sling around the user's neck and the user's arms are folded and in the pouch of the arm tuck sling) unless otherwise specified. The term "when" is used to specify orientation for relative positions of components, not as a temporal limitation of the claims or apparatus described and claimed herein unless otherwise specified. The terms "above", "below", "over", and "under" mean "having an elevation or vertical height greater or lesser than" and are not intended to imply that one object or component is directly over or under another object or component.

[0021] The phrase "in one embodiment," as used herein does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, although it may. Conditional language used herein, such as, among others, "can," "might," "may," "e.g.," and the like, unless specifically stated otherwise, or otherwise understood within the context as used, is generally intended to convey that certain embodiments include, while other embodiments do not include, certain features, elements and/or states. Thus, such conditional language is not generally intended to imply that features, elements and/or states are in any way required for one or more embodiments or that one or more embodiments necessarily include logic for deciding, with or without author input or prompting, whether these features, elements and/or states are included or are to be performed in any particular embodiment.

[0022] An arm tuck sling helps travelers rest (e.g., sleep) in an upright position. In one embodiment, the arm tuck sling includes a neck pillow and a pouch. The neck pillow provides support for a user's head and neck, and the pouch keeps the user's arms folded and tucked in close to the user's body. The combination of the pillow along with the pouch reduces involuntary movement (i.e., unfolding or dropping of the arms) as people are drifting off to sleep while in a seated position. The pouch holds both arms in toward the user's abdomen to keep them from sprawling or spreading out. The weight of the arms in the pouch draws the neck pillow close to the user's neck providing support and comfort for the user's head.

[0023] In one embodiment, an arm tuck pillow includes a neck pillow and a pouch. The pouch is connected to the neck pillow. In one embodiment, the neck pillow has a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The neck pillow is configured to extend along a back and each side of a neck of the user. In one embodiment, the neck pillow is between 12 and 24 inches from the first end to the second end.

[0024] In one embodiment, the pouch is connected to the first end and the second end of the neck pillow and configured to receive the user's folded (e.g., crossed) arms. In one embodiment, the pouch includes a front panel and a rear panel. The front panel extends from the neck pillow to a bottom edge of the arm tuck pillow at an overall length between 12 and 30 inches (which may vary for different sizes arm tuck pillows). The rear panel extends from the bottom edge of the arm tuck pillow toward the neck pillow. The real panel has lateral edges adjacent the bottom edge of the arm tuck pillow that are affixed to the front panel (e.g., at corresponding lateral edges of the front panel). The rear panel extends between 4 and 18 inches from the bottom edge of the arm tuck pillow. The rear panel is configured to locate between the user's folded arms and the user's abdomen when the user is wearing the arm tuck pillow. The rear panel is between 18 and 30 inches from a first lateral edge of the lateral edges of the rear panel to a second lateral edge of the lateral edges of the rear panel. In one embodiment, the rear panel is integral with the front panel such that the bottom edge of the arm tuck pillow does not have a seam between the front panel and the rear panel.

[0025] In one embodiment, an arm tuck sling 100 includes a pouch 102 configured to engage a first elbow and a second elbow of a user 104 and limit movement of the first elbow away from the second elbow. The pouch 102 is configured to extend from the first elbow of the user 104 to the second elbow of the user 104 such that hands and forearms of the user 104 are supported by the pouch 102 when arms of the user 104 are folded (e.g., crossed) and located in the pouch 102. The arm tuck sling 100 further includes a neck strap portion 106 attached to the pouch 102. The neck strap portion 106 is configured to engage back of the neck of the user 104 to provide support and tension to the pouch 102 when the user 104 is wearing the arm tuck sling 100. In one embodiment, the support and tension on the pouch 102 substantially prevent the user's hands from contacting the user's thighs which the user is seated in an upright position wearing the arm tuck sling 100. The first elbow of the user 104 may be the right or left elbow of the user 104, and the second of the user 104 is the other above the user 104.

[0026] Referring now to Figs. 1-3, in one embodiment, the neck strap portion

106 is a neck pillow 120 and the pouch 102 is connected to the neck pillow 120. The neck pillow 120 is configured to extend along the back and sides of the neck of the user 104. The neck pillow 120 has a first end 124 and a second end 126. The pouch 102 is connected to the neck pillow 120 at the first end 124 and the second end 126 of the neck pillow 120.

[0027] The pouch 102 includes a front panel 130 and a rear panel 140. The front panel 130 extends from the neck pillow 120 to a bottom edge 150 of the pouch 102. The rear panel 140 extends from the bottom edge 150 of the pouch 102 toward the neck pillow 120. Lateral edges 142 of the rear panel 140 are attached to the front panel 130. The rear panel 140 is configured to locate between forearms of the user 104 and an abdomen of the user 104 when the user 104 is wearing the arm tuck sling 100. A top edge 144 of the rear panel 140 is partially attached to the front panel 130. In one embodiment, the top edge 144 of the rear panel 140 is partially attached to the front panel 130 near a center 146 of the top edge 144 of the rear panel 140.

[0028] In one embodiment, the next pillow and 20 is between 12 and 24 inches from the first end 124 to the second end 126 of the neck pillow 120. The front panel 130 extends downward 12 to 24 inches from the first end 124 and the second end 126 of the neck pillow 120. The rear panel 140 extends between 6 and 18 inches from the bottom edge 150 of the pouch 102. The rear panel 140 extends between 18 and 30 inches between the lateral edges 142 of the rear panel 140. In one embodiment, the rear panel 140 has a height less than a height of the front panel 130. In this embodiment, the height of the rear panel 140 is the distance from the bottom edge 150 of the pouch 102 to the top edge 144 of the rear panel 140. In one embodiment, the height of the front panel 130 is the distance from the bottom edge 150 of the pouch 102 to the point where the front panel 130 joins the next pillow 120 (i.e., the first end 124 and the second end 126 of the neck pillow 120). In another embodiment, the height of the front panel 130 is the distance from the bottom edge 150 of the pouch 102 to a center 136 of a top edge 138 of the front panel 130. In one embodiment, the height of the rear panel 140 is the same as the height of the front panel 130 when the height of the front panel 130 is measured as the distance from the bottom edge 150 of the pouch 102 to the center 136 of the top edge 138 of the front panel 130 (see, for example, Fig. 9).

[0029] Referring to Fig. 10, in one embodiment, the pouch 102 is connected to the neck pillow 120 at two different points on a bottom of the neck pillow 120 between the first end 124 and the second end 126 of the neck pillow. That is, the pouch 102 is not connected to the first end 124 and the second end 126 of the neck pillow 120. This allows the neck pillow to provide more support along a jaw of the user 104 than when the pouch 102 is attached to the first end 124 and the second end 126 of the neck pillow 120.

[0030] Referring to Fig. 9, in one embodiment, the neck strap portion 106 forms a recess 904 configured to receive a separate neck pillow 906 and hold the neck pillow 906 in place at the back and sides of the user's neck. [0031] Referring to Figs. 4 through 8, in one embodiment, the pouch 102 includes a length of material 506, a first length of elastic 508, and a second length of elastic 510. The length of material 506 has 2 opposing ends attached to one another at a seam 512. The first length of elastic 508 is attached to a first lateral edge 509 of the length of material 506. The second length of elastic 510 is attached to a second lateral edge 511 of the length of material 506. In one embodiment, a length 530 of the length of material 506 is greater than each of a length of the first length of elastic 508 and the second length of elastic 510. The neck strap portion 106 is formed by the length of material 506, the first length of elastic 508, and the second length of elastic 510. The neck strap portion 106 is thus integral with the pouch 102.

[0032] In one embodiment, a width (e.g. a length of the scene 512) of the length of material 506 is between 12 and 24 inches (e.g., approximately 17 inches). The length of the length of material 506 is between 30 and 50 inches (e.g., approximately 41 inches). The length of the first length of elastic 508 is between 20 and 40 inches (e.g. approximately 30 inches), and the length of the second length of elastic 510 is between 20 and 40 inches (e.g. approximately 30 inches). It is contemplated that these dimensions may vary substantially proportionately for multiple sizes of the arm tuck sling 100 (e.g., small, medium, or large). In one embodiment, the arm tuck sling 100 further includes a separate pillow 906. When the user 104 puts the arm tuck sling 100 about the user's neck, the arm tuck sling 100 forms a recess 904 configured to receive the neck pillow 906 and hold the neck pillow 906 in place about the user's neck.

[0033] This written description uses examples to disclose the invention and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.

[0034] It will be understood that the particular embodiments described herein are shown by way of illustration and not as limitations of the invention. The principal features of this invention may be employed in various embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize numerous equivalents to the specific procedures described herein. Such equivalents are considered to be within the scope of this invention and are covered by the claims.

[0035] All of the compositions and/or methods disclosed and claimed herein may be made and/or executed without undue experimentation in light of the present disclosure. While the compositions and methods of this invention have been described in terms of the embodiments included herein, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that variations may be applied to the compositions and/or methods and in the steps or in the sequence of steps of the method described herein without departing from the concept, spirit, and scope of the invention. All such similar substitutes and modifications apparent to those skilled in the art are deemed to be within the spirit, scope, and concept of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

[0036] Thus, although there have been described particular embodiments of the present invention of a new and useful ARM TUCK SLING AND PILLOW, it is not intended that such references be construed as limitations upon the scope of this invention except as set forth in the following claims.

Claims

CLAIMS What is claimed is:

1. An arm tuck sling comprising:

a pouch configured to engage a first elbow and a second elbow of a user and limit movement of the first elbow away from the second elbow.

2. The arm tuck sling of claim 1, wherein the pouch is configured to extend from the first elbow of the user to the second elbow of the user such that hands and forearms of the user are supported by the pouch.

3. The arm tuck sling of claim 1, wherein the pouch is configured to extend from the first elbow of the user to the second elbow of the user such that hands and forearms of the user are supported by the pouch when arms of the user are folded and located in the pouch.

4. The arm tuck sling of claim 1, further comprising a neck strap portion attached to the pouch, wherein the neck strap portion is configured to engage a back of a neck of the user to provide support and tension to the pouch.

5. The arm tuck sling of claim 4 wherein the neck strap portion is a neck pillow and the pouch is connected to the neck pillow.

6. The arm tuck sling of claim 5, wherein:

the neck pillow is configured to extend along the back and sides of the neck of the user;

the neck pillow has a first end and a second end;

the pouch is connected to the neck pillow at the first end and the second end of the neck pillow.

7. The arm tuck sling of claim 5, wherein:

the pouch comprises: a front panel extending from the neck pillow to a bottom edge of the pouch; and

a rear panel extending from the bottom edge of the pouch toward the neck pillow, wherein:

lateral edges of the rear panel are attached to the front panel; the rear panel is configured to locate between forearms of the user and a abdomen of the user when the user is wearing the arm tuck sling; and

a top edge of the rear panel is partially attached to the front panel.

8. The arm tuck sling of claim 5, wherein:

the pouch comprises:

a front panel extending from the neck pillow to a bottom edge of the pouch; and

lateral edges of the rear panel are attached to the front panel; the rear panel is configured to locate between forearms of the user and a abdomen of the user when the user is wearing the arm tuck sling;

a top edge of the rear panel is partial attached to the front panel near a center of the top edge;

the neck pillow is between 12 and 24 inches from a first end to a second end of the neck pillow,

the front panel extends downward 12 to 24 inches from the first end and the second end of the neck pillow;

the rear panel extends between 6 and 18 inches from the bottom edge of the pouch; and

the rear panel extends between 18 and 30 inches between the lateral edges of the rear panel.

9. The arm tuck sling of claim 5, wherein:

the pouch comprises:

a front panel extending from the neck pillow to a bottom edge of the pouch; and

the rear panel has a height less than a height of the front panel.

10. The arm tuck sling of claim 5, wherein:

the pouch comprises:

a front panel extending from the neck pillow to a bottom edge of the pouch; and

a top edge of the rear panel is partially attached to the front panel near a center of the top edge of the rear panel.

11. The arm tuck sling of claim 5, wherein:

the neck pillow has a first end and a second end; the pouch is connected to the neck pillow at two different points on a bottom of the neck pillow between the first end and the second the first end and the second end of the neck pillow.

12. The arm tuck sling of claim 4, wherein:

the pouch comprises:

a length of material having two opposing ends attached to one another;

a first length of elastic attached to a first lateral edge of the length of material; and

a second length of elastic attached to a second lateral edge of the length of material, wherein:

a length of the length of material is greater than each of a length of the first length of elastic and a length of the second length of elastic.

13. The arm tuck sling of claim 4, wherein:

the pouch comprises:

a length of material having two opposing ends attached to one another;

a second length of elastic attached to a second lateral edge of the length of material, wherein a length of the length of material is greater than each of a length of the first length of elastic and a length of the second length of elastic; and

the neck strap portion is formed by the length of material, the first length of elastic, and the second length of elastic.

14. The arm tuck sling of claim 4, wherein:

the pouch comprises: a length of material having two opposing ends attached to one another;

the neck strap portion is formed by the length of material, the first length of elastic, and the second length of elastic such that the neck strap portion is integral with the pouch.

15. The arm tuck sling of claim 4, wherein:

the pouch comprises:

a length of material having two opposing ends attached to one another;

a second length of elastic attached to a second lateral edge of the length of material, wherein a length of the length of material is greater than each of a length of the first length of elastic and a length of the second length of elastic; wherein:

a width of the length of material is between 12 and 24 inches; the length of the length of material is between 30 and 50 inches; the length of the first length of elastic is between 20 and 40 inches; and

the length of the second length of elastic is between 20 and 40 inches.

16. The arm tuck sling of claim 4, wherein:

a width of the length of material is approximately 17 inches; the length of the length of material is approximately 41 inches; the length of the first length of elastic is approximately 30 inches; and

the length of the second length of elastic is approximately 30 inches.

The arm tuck sling of claim 4, wherein:

the pouch comprises:

a length of material having two opposing ends attached to one another;

the arm tuck sling further comprises a neck pillow.