Patent Application
20170096224
This application claims priority from Israel patent application 241884, entitled “An airplane chair sleeping device”, filed 6 Oct. 2015, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
The present invention relates to vehicle accessories, more specifically to a device to help a passenger sleep, in particular a pillow support device.
People often enjoy sleeping when travelling by train, bus, airplane, automobile and the like. Although many travelers use neck-pillows and incline backwards when trying to sleep, leaning forward is also a desirable position for such sleeping.
For sleeping in an upright or forwardly bent position, travel pillows, cushions and devices have been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,985,693 (The Boeing Company, Mar. 24, 2015); U.S. Pat. No. 6,647,573 (Corbin, Nov. 18, 2003); and US 2015/107,025 (Dauphin, Apr. 23, 2015).
The present vehicle seat sleeping device relates to a travel pillow assembly for a passenger. The device is mountable on the seatback of the seat in front of the passenger and may include a pillow so the passenger can sleep in a forward leaning position. The device is conveniently foldable for easy storage and carrying when not in use. Alternatively, the device can be designed as an integral accessory of vehicle seats.
In some embodiments, the present invention provides a vehicle seat sleep device allowing a forwardly inclining head support that is attached or attachable to an adjacently proceeding vehicle seat, which has a seatback. The device includes: a seatback attachment mechanism configured to be attachable to the seatback of the adjacently proceeding vehicle seat; a pillow support member; an intermediate member connecting the seatback attachment mechanism to the pillow support member; and a pillow support/receiving holding mechanism.
In some embodiments, the pillow support or pillow receiving member is constituted by a pair of pivotably connected members. In some embodiments, the device includes a video screen viewing opening. In some embodiments, the seatback attachment mechanism is configured so that the device is removably attachable to the seatback of the adjacently proceeding vehicle seat. In some embodiments, the seatback attachment mechanism includes one or more attachment plates each of the plates having a slot and a fastener. In some embodiments, the seatback attachment mechanism includes a seatback headrest cover and straps. In some embodiments, the straps include first upper seatback connection straps; second upper seatback connection straps; and lower seatback connection straps.
In some embodiments, the pillow support member is constituted by a first pillow support member and a second pillow support member pivotably connected therebetween. In some embodiments, the first pillow support member and the second pillow support member are configured to be foldable to a position parallel to the intermediate member. In some embodiments, the intermediate member includes a pillow support holder for holding the pillow support member in a position parallel to the intermediate member. In some embodiments, the pillow support holder includes a latch corresponding to a cutout at the underside of the pillow support member for maintaining the pillow support member in an upright compact arrangement. In some embodiments, the pillow support/receiving holding mechanism includes an angle adjustment mechanism configured to allow the angle of the pillow support member to be adjusted. In some embodiments, the pillow support member includes a pocket configured to hold a pillow.
Advantages of some embodiments include: (a) the device provides a particularly comfortable sleeping position for the user/traveler, in particular in a forwardly inclining upper-body position; (b) the device can be designed as an integral or a portable device (i.e. compact and light); (c) the device does not block the video screen in the back of the adjacent forward seat; (d) the device can be adjusted to provide various incline angles to suit the user/traveler; (e) the device can include a pillow (e.g. inflatable) conveniently wrapped therein, or accommodate another pillow, such as those commonly available on airplane flights; (f) the device is conveniently adjustable to be placed in a folded position whereby other passengers can easily pass by; and (g) the device has a simple design for easy use and manufacturability.
The invention may be more clearly understood upon reading of the following detailed description of non-limiting exemplary embodiments thereof, with reference to the following drawings, in which:
The following detailed description of embodiments of the invention refers to the accompanying drawings referred to above. Dimensions of components and features shown in the figures are chosen for convenience or clarity of presentation and are not necessarily shown to scale. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings and the following description to refer to the same and like parts.
Illustrative embodiments of the invention are described below. In the interest of clarity, not all features/components of an actual implementation are necessarily described.
Seatback attachment mechanism 70 includes a pair of attachment plates 3 each having a slot 10 and a fastener 11 for connecting the attachment mechanism to the seatback 2.
First pillow support member 4 and second pillow support member 5 are pivotably attached to each other via a hinge or pair of hinges 9, whereby second pillow support member 5 can fold onto first pillow support member 4. For maintaining the device in a compact arrangement, the pillow support members 4 and 5 can be further folded up to a position parallel to intermediate member 7. For such reason, intermediate member 7 has a holder 12 with a latch or holding piece corresponding to a cutout 18 at the underside of first pillow support member 4 for maintaining pillow support members 4 and 5 in an upright compact arrangement whereby they are out of the way of the user or another passenger(s) who may wish to pass by.
On the underside of first pillow support member 4 are a pair of recesses for receiving respective support legs 16 pivotably connected to the underside of first pillow support member 4 by respective hinges 19.
With reference also to
With reference to
A pillow support piece 51 may include a pocket 58 for a pillow 60 to fit therein, whereby the pillow can be part of the device (kit) for ease of use and to ease storage and portability. Pillow 60 can be an inflatable pillow. Alternatively, if the user is flying, the user can use a pillow supplied by the airlines; or, any other appropriately sized pillow. The device can also include a zipper 50 at pillow support piece 51 useful for closing the device into a convenient compact storable state. Suspension straps 41 connect between headrest cover 42 and pillow support piece 51 (for example a pillow support strip 59), and along with the cover and support piece, define an opening 57 through which an airplane video screen (or the like) can be viewed. The device may also include a hygienic cloth holder strip 47, which could be constituted by a hook-loop fastener.
It should be understood that the above description is merely exemplary and that there are various embodiments of the present invention that may be devised, mutatis mutandis, and that the features described in the above-described embodiments, and those not described herein, may be used separately or in any suitable combination; and the invention can be devised in accordance with embodiments not necessarily described above.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 241884 | Oct 2015 | IL | national |
