WO2004024493A1

WO2004024493A1 - A pillow for a headrest

Info

Publication number: WO2004024493A1
Application number: PCT/DK2003/000582
Authority: WO
Inventors: Lars E. Foss
Original assignee: Foss Lars E
Priority date: 2002-09-10
Filing date: 2003-09-10
Publication date: 2004-03-25
Also published as: AU2003258493A1

Abstract

A pillow (1), intended to cushion the whiplash effect from a headrest, is provided with fasteners comprising a pocket which is defined by a side face of the pillow (1) and a sheet material (3, 4) which is attached to the pillow, and which may be elastic, woven or non-woven. The sheet material may consist of a surface member (3) and two side members (4). The opening of the pocket is defined by an elastic band (5’) or by a string (6) having locking means (7) which are adapted to fasten the pillow to the headrest. The stuffing of the pillow is formed by an elastic stuffing material consisting of thin foil-like pieces which are mixed with ball fibres or granulated foam or granulated latex. The invention provides a universal pillow which may be adapted to various sizes of headrests where it is desired to prevent so-called whiplash injuries which may occur in a collision between e.g. vehicles.

Description

A PILLOW FOR A HEADREST

The invention relates to a pillow for a headrest, said pillow comprising fasteners for fastening the pillow to the headrest.

In connection with collision accidents, e.g. between vehicles, a number of safety measures have been taken in the vehicles through the years, which reduce the extent of personal injuries at collisions. Examples include e.g. the use of safety belts, airbags and purely constructional configurations of the body of the vehicles.

Although the above-mentioned initiatives have considerably enhanced the safety for persons who, in a vehicle, experience a collision, no really effective means has been found as yet that prevents the so-called whiplash inju- ries which occur as a strain of the back of the head/neck. In Denmark alone about 7,000 persons per year are treated for whiplash injuries.

On the face of it, a headrest should prevent whiplash injuries, but since the persons present in a vehicle frequently have their head positioned at a certain distance from the headrest, a whiplash injury may very well occur, since collisions frequently take place without warning.

EP 0 774 377 B1 describes an accessory for a headrest which is configured as a pillow with a hole fitting a headrest. Since the pillow itself surrounds the entire headrest, a given pillow will only fit headrests which have approximately the same size. Likewise, the headrest cannot be adjusted to its lowermost position, since the pillow according to the EP document grips around part of the carrier rods of the headrest.

Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a pillow which fits headrests of various sizes, and where it is possible to adjust the height of the headrest to the same extent is if no pillow were mounted.

The object of the invention is achieved by a pillow of the type defined in the introductory portion of claim 1, which is characterized in that the fasteners comprise a pocket defined by a side face of the pillow and a sheet material attached to the pillow, and that the free end of the pocket is terminated by an elastic band or a string having fasteners.

Hereby, the pillow may be arranged on headrests of various sizes, as the free end of the pocket may tighten the pocket with pillow around any headrest, also headrests which are relatively small with respect to what the pocket can hold. Further, the free end of the pocket may be caused to tighten at a distance from the carrier rods of the headrest, so that the headrest may be adjusted to its usual height range without difficulty.

To additionally ensure that the sheet material may fit headrests of various sizes, it is an advantage if, as stated in claim 2, the sheet material consists of a surface member and two side members.

When, as stated in claim 3, the sheet material forms part of a second pillow, it is advantageously ensured that also a backseat passenger is protected in a collision, and since the second pillow just constitutes part of the sheet material, it may still be used for headrests of various dimensions.

Expedient embodiments of the sheet material are defined in claims 4 and 5.

To adapt the elasticity of the pillow so that it is particularly suitable for individual adaptation to each individual user and thereby minimizes the risk of whiplash injuries in a collision, the pillow is preferably stuffed with an elastic stuffing material which comprises a plurality of individual elastic stuffing elements. The pillow is preferably stuffed with an elastic stuffing material comprising a plurality of preferably loosely disposed individual elastic stuffing elements, each of which is shaped as a leaf spring, and each of which consists of a thin foil-like piece of sheet that exhibits curvatures in several directions and has a thickness from 1 to less than 60 μm and an extent/length from 1 to 100 mm.

The elastic stuffing elements in this stuffing material preferably exhibit varying thickness, size and configuration.

This elastic stuffing material is described in more detail in the applicant's own European patent No. 0 476 012 B1 , which is hereby incorporated by reference.

With a view to adapting the elasticity of the pillow so that it is particularly suitable for minimizing whiplash injuries in a collision, the stuffing of the pillow may consist of 70% of an elastic stuffing material and 30% ball fibres of e.g. polyester fibres in a first embodiment, as stated in claim 7.

This composition provides a relatively soft pillow, while a stuffing, as stated in claim 8, i.e. consisting of 50% of an elastic stuffing material and 50% granulated foam, provides a slightly harder pillow.

Finally, a somewhat harder pillow may be achieved, if, as stated in claim 9, the stuffing consists of 50% of an elastic material and 50% granulated latex.

In addition to affording protection against whiplash injuries, the pillow gives the passengers a better possibility of rest and sleep during long journeys, where e.g. several persons take turns to drive. The comfort of the pillow in connection with rest and sleep may generally be enhanced, if, as stated in claim 10, an additional pillow member is sewn to the pillow perpendicularly to one of the side members. A passenger may hereby rest his/her head at a "corner" which is e.g. defined by one of the side windows of the vehicle and the part of the pillow which is attached to the headrest.

With a view to ensuring a high hygiene in the use of the pillow, it is an advantage if it has fasteners for application of a protective member. This reduces the need for frequent washing of the pillow, even though, with the materials used, it is both washable and may be tumbled.

The fasteners may e.g. be configured as a Velcro material, as button lock means or the like.

The invention will now be explained more fully with reference to the drawing, in which

fig. 1 shows a pillow according to the invention in a first embodiment, while

fig. 2 shows the pillow according to the invention in a second embodiment.

In fig. 1 , a pillow according to the invention is generally designated 1.

As will be seen, it consists of a pillow 5 on which a pocket 2 with an open- ing 8 has been sewn.

The pocket comprises a sheet material which is composed of a surface member 3 and two side members, one of which is designated 4.

As will moreover be seen, the two side members 4 are sewn on the pillow

1 , whereby the pocket is defined by one surface of the pillow, the surface member 3 and the two side members 4.

Finally, 5' designates an elastic band which is disposed at the outer edge of the pocket.

The pillow shown in fig. 1 is used in the following manner:

The pillow is moved a suitable distance down over a headrest so that the headrest is inserted fully or partly into the pocket. The elastic band will now tighten around the headrest, thereby fastening the pillow.

In the alternative embodiment shown in fig. 2, where the same reference numerals are used for the same parts as shown in fig. 1 , the difference is that instead of using an elastic band for attaching the headrest, a string 6 is used, said string having a locking mechanism 7 which operates such that when a pull is applied to the string 6, the opening 8 of the pocket will be reduced, and if the locking mechanism is moved inwards toward the opening, the selected opening will be maintained.

In this embodiment, it is possible to adapt the pillow for attachment to headrests of almost any dimension, provided that the pocket is sufficiently large to accommodate the headrest.

In both embodiments, an additional pillow may be sewn to the sheet mate- rial, e.g. so that the pillow is sewn at locations where the upper member 3 meets the side members 4, thereby allowing the pocket to maintain its ability to accommodate headrests of varying sizes.

In principle, any ordinary material available in the market may be selected for the stuffing for the pillows, according to the need. However, in connection with the prevention of whiplash injuries it will be advantageous to use a stuffing material consisting of an elastic stuffing material which has been mixed with either ball fibres, granulated foam or granulated latex in suitable proportions, which may be 30% ball fibres and 50% granulated foam or latex.

The elastic stuffing material may consist of a plastics material which is cross-linked and composed of individual elements of various thicknesses, sizes and of various geometrical shapes, as described in EP 0 476 012 B1 , which is hereby incorporated by reference.

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS

1. A pillow (1) for a headrest, said pillow comprising fasteners for fastening the pillow (1) to the headrest, cha racterized in that the fasteners comprise a pocket (2) defined by a side face of the pillow and a sheet material (3, 4) attached to the pillow, and that the free end of the pocket is terminated by an elastic band (5') or by a string (6) having fasteners.

2. A pillow according to claim ^cha racterized in that the sheet material consists of a surface member (3) and two side members (4).

3. A pillow according to claim 1, ch aracte rized in that the sheet material forms part of a second pillow.

4. A pillow according to claims 1 -3, ch a ra cte rized in that the sheet material is a woven or non-woven material.

5. A pillow according to claims 1 -3, cha racte rized in that the sheet material is an elastic material.

6. A pillow according to claims 1 -5, characterized in that the pillow is stuffed with an elastic stuffing material comprising a plurality of preferably loosely disposed individual elastic stuffing elements, each of which is shaped as a leaf spring, and each of which consists of a thin foil-like piece of sheet which exhibits curvatures in several directions and has a thickness from 1 to less than 60 μm and an extent/length from 1 to 100 mm.

7. A pillow according to claims 1 -6, characterized in that the pillow is stuffed with 70% of an elastic stuffing material and 30% ball fibres of e.g. polyester fibres.

8. A pillow according to claims 1 -6, characterized in that the pillow is stuffed with 50% of an elastic stuffing material and 50% granulated foam.

9. A pillow according to claims 1 -6, characterized in that the pillow is stuffed with 50% of an elastic stuffing material and 50% granulated latex.

10. A pillow according to claims 2-9, characterized in that an ad- ditional pillow member is sewn to the pillow perpendicularly to one of the side members (4).