Abstract:
A temporary artificial environment for maintaining an increased level of humidity is created over a sleeping person by suspending a perforated netting or perforated net-type material over a supporting framework creating a restricted air volume environmental or enclosed space over said sleeping person as said person respires to retard the evaporation of moisture within the said enclosed space and thereby the unwanted drying of nasopharyngeal tissues of the sleeping person by the ambient environment, thereby increasing the healthfulness of the nasal pharyngeal membranes of the sleeping person.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention provides a simple, effective humidity control device, which is simple, “green”, inexpensive and easy to implement, as well as surprisingly effective in humidifying the air to which a sleeping person is exposed and results in the attainment of a more restful sleep. 
         [0002]    A considerable percentage of the American population, and other populations, particularly in the Northern hemisphere are subject to the drying of the nasal cavities during sleep leading to swollen or engorged nasal and pharyngeal cavities with accompanying discomfort and uncomfortable, interrupted and generally overall less satisfactory sleep This is usually accompanied by sleepiness during waking or daylight hours. While air conditioning may alleviate these difficulties, the humidity controls in all but the most expensive air conditioning installations, have many less than desirable characteristics and often may intensify or add to the breathing difficulties, rather than alleviating them. Many medical personnel believe that dry nasal and pharyngeal cavities are a prime cause of sleep apnea. 
         [0003]    The same difficulties continue in the winter months in the absence of careful humidity control in the sleeping quarters. This is because, in heating the air, the relative humidity of heated air is decreased largely in accordance with the amount of heating which is done. While warmer air can hold additional moisture compared to colder air, when outside colder air is heated in a residential dwelling by whatever means, the relative humidity will decrease due to the heating effect with consequent drying out of surfaces exposed to such air with the requiring of special measures to re-humidify the air. 
         [0004]    It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a passive device that assists in the retention of humidified air close to a sleeping person&#39;s nose and mouth during sleeping times. It is a further object of the present invention to provide the passive humidifying device in proximity to a sleeping person without affecting the motion of the sleeping person while asleep. It is a still further object of the present invention to permit the use of the humidifying device on one part of a bed without affecting the adjoining sleeping area. It is also an object of the present invention to permit the area of humidified air to include more than one sleeping person within its confines such that two persons sleeping side-by-side can use the device at the same time. Other objects will appear hereinafter. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The present invention is a simple inexpensive, so called “green” or environmentally desirable, means for counteracting the difficulties with drying nostrils or nasal and pharyngeal passages, as well as lung tissues, during sleeping times. This is accomplished with the usual sleeping arrangements using single beds or cots, as well as double and larger beds. In short, the applicant has developed a simple framework for mounting at the head of a bed or the like over which framework netting may be hung or stretched. The invention can provide essentially a support which may be placed next to or over a bed and over which a section of netting may then be hung so that it drapes over the sleeper and decreases the circulation of air over the sleeper. 
         [0006]    The arrangement is somewhat like the mosquito netting that Southern and tropical residents used to sleep under in earlier times and still do when not provided with screened windows or central air conditioning. The netting over or surrounding the sleeper impedes to some extent the circulation of air around the sleeper. As a result, evaporation of the normal moisture, contained in the warm exhaled air from the sleeping or reclining person, does not occur to any significant amount due solely to the warmth of the expelled air. The warmth of the exhaled air is not sufficient, nor does it contain enough heat, to cause excessive drying of exhaled air. As a direct result, the exhaled air retains its moisture content sufficiently to cause an increased moisture content in the air within the netting enclosure. 
         [0007]    The netting need not be moistened prior to the sleeper retiring for sleep but will in almost all cases receive enough moisture from the person&#39;s exhaled air during sleep to moisten the air in the immediate sleeping area. If desired, this effect can be further accentuated by providing additional moisture maintenance means in connection with the support arrangement for the netting which then continues to moisten the netting adjacent the support members and prevents the netting itself from excessive drying during a sleeping period. The arrangement, unlike the use of mosquito netting for insect control during the summer or in tropical areas, is particularly useful in the colder months when drying due to the artificial heating of air is particularly troublesome. 
         [0008]    A netting support form is provided to extend over at least the head and upper torso of a sleeping person upon, for example, a cot, bed, or like device, such netting support, preferably formed with a base member or members which extend under the sleeping means to balance the netting support means over the sleeper. A netting preferably connected together in a rectangular box type configuration is then provided for hanging over the support assembly. The netting may be moistened before retiring or at the beginning of a sleeping period, if desired, but normally the moisture from the sleeper&#39;s breathing will be sufficient to maintain sufficient moisture within the netting enclosure compared to that which will be found outside of such enclosure, which will prevent drying of the nasal membranes of the sleeper. Arrangements for continuously additionally moistening the netting may also be used, but are normally not necessary. 
         [0009]    One method for alleviating the drying of nasal and pharyngeal tissues during sleep periods can be achieved by providing a frame for supporting a moisture resistant netting to be draped over a person lying on a sleeping surface. The netting is configured in the shape of an effectively closed chamber and intended for creating a substantially fully surrounded netted sleeping enclosure over at least the head and upper torso of the person. The sleeping enclosure with moisture resistant netting is maintained said over the sleeper during a recumbent sleep period to create a defined space within which an increased level of humidity in the air will be maintained as said person respires. The result of this method will be that nasopharyngeal drying of the sleeper&#39;s breathing passages will tend to be alleviated. The aforesaid method can best be accomplished when the effective size of each orifice in the moisture resistant netting is such that the flow of moisture laden air through such orifices of the netting is retarded by the size of the openings in the netting sufficiently so that the effective moisture content of the netted sleeping enclosure is increased. 
         [0010]    An alternative method for accomplishing the same result can be had by establishing a restricted environmental space for a sleeping person which counteracts and prevents the drying of the nasopharyngeal tissues of the sleeper by establishing a restricted air volume environmental space created by draping a moisture resistant netting over a framework positioned over at least the head and upper torso of the sleeping person. By maintaining the moisture resistant netting in position over said sleeping person during a recumbent sleep period, an increased level of humidity in the restricted air volume environmental space will be created as the person respires. Further, permitting circulation of air within and into and out of the restricted air volume environmental space through the moisture resistant netting will result in the air within the restricted air volume environmental space defined by the moisture resistant netting being maintained at a higher humidity than the ambient air outside the restricted air volume environmental space of the netting and significant drying of the nasopharyngeal tissues of the sleeping person will be prevented from occurring. The method is best accomplished when the effective size of each orifice in the moisture resistant netting is such that the flow of moisture laden air through such orifices of the netting is retarded by the size of the openings in the netting sufficiently so that the effective moisture content of the restricted air volume environmental space is increased. 
         [0011]    It is possible to describe the apparatus useful in the foregoing methods as follows. An apparatus arrangement for alleviating the drying of nasopharyngeal tissues during sleep periods may include a support for suspending a moisture and air perforable netting over at least a portion of the body of a person lying on a sleeping surface including at least the head and upper torso of such person creating a netted sleeping enclosure. The netting has specific numbers of and sized openings that are effective in establishing a moisture differential between the air within the sleeping enclosure and the ambient air exterior to the sleeping enclosure when the netting is suspended upon the support and draped over the sleeping person. This structure will result in the netted sleeping enclosure having and retaining an increased level of humidity in the air within the netted sleeping enclosure as the person respires, with the air within the netted sleeping enclosure being more moist then the surrounding ambient air such that the nasopharyngeal tissues of the person breathing within the netted sleeping enclosure are effectively kept from significant detrimental drying. 
         [0012]    The support for suspending the netted sleeping enclosure of apparatus arrangement for alleviating the drying of nasopharyngeal tissues during sleep periods is formed of an upper framework having a generally rectangular shape with at least one vertical support on one side of the upper framework for holding the framework perpendicular to the at least one vertical support and a supporting base at the lower end of the at least one vertical support extending under the generally rectangular upper framework. The support structure may be altered to include at least a pair of spaced apart vertical supports and the supporting base may be configured of at least a pair of spaced apart base members for extending under the upper framework. 
         [0013]    The support for suspending the netted sleeping enclosure of the apparatus arrangement for alleviating the drying of nasopharyngeal tissues during sleep periods may have its base member configured to stand on the same support surface upon which the sleeping surface rests. Alternatively, the base member may be configured to extend between the sleeping surface member and a support member positioned thereunder for retaining said support in an upright position. Other similar structures will be described hereinafter and form a part of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]    For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the drawings forms which are presently preferred; it being understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown. 
           [0015]      FIG. 1  is a side elevational view of the present invention mounted to a sleeping surface. 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the frame of the present invention without the netting. 
           [0017]      FIG. 3  is a top view of the present invention mounted to a single wide sleeping surface. 
           [0018]      FIG. 4  is a top view of the present invention mounted to a double wide sleeping surface only one of the two sleeping areas. 
           [0019]      FIG. 5  is a top view of a laterally expanded version of the present invention mounted to a double wide sleeping surface encompassing both sleeping areas. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0020]    The following detailed description is of the best presently contemplated mode of carrying out the invention. The description is not intended in a limiting sense, and is made solely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention. The various features and advantages of the present invention may be more readily understood with reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
         [0021]    Due to the desired more or less sealed nature of modern housing, including particularly the heating of such housing in the colder months of the year, the humidity of the indoor air of such housing is frequently diminished, particularly in such colder months. This causes drying of the nostrils or inner nose and pharyngeal membranes of the occupants of such housing and results in discomfort and frequently increasing allergies and infectious reactions, lost sleep to those affected and other unfortunate reactions. Any allergic reactions of the nostrils or other respiratory membranes of the individual affected may also be adversely brought on, not only at night or during sleeping hours, but extending into the daylight hours as well. While expensive air conditioning or complete climate control systems may be able to alleviate these conditions, even though the symptoms may usually or frequently continue at a lower level, such symptoms still will tend to be present on a decreasing scale and the victims of such air conditioning or artificial climate control are still not completely well or symptom free. 
         [0022]    Surprisingly, however, it has been observed by the present inventor that many or most of these symptoms may be alleviated or, in many cases, completely corrected or reversed by the simple expedient of decreasing the free evaporation of nostril and sinus moisture from the nose and sinuses, particularly at night, by providing a perforated canopy structure over the occupant&#39;s bed for sleeping. Such canopy arrangement, it has been found, tends to become impregnated by moisture carried from the normal nostril tissue of the person sleeping within the canopy and increases the humidity within the perforated material enclosure. Particularly when the temperature decreases outside to significantly less than freezing, indoor moisture may be very significantly decreased by separation of moisture out of the air and deposition of such moisture upon the inner surfaces of windows as well as within outer walls with a rather dramatic decrease in the indoor humidity. Such effects increase the usual difficulties but are by no means the sole cause. 
         [0023]    The present invention has been found to very efficiently prevent the drying out of the nostrils or nasal and pharyngeal cavities and tissues as well as the sinus membranes of sleepers by counteracting the normal drying of the sleeper&#39;s nasal and pharyngeal membranes with dramatic decrease in the symptoms of such drying during sleeping in all seasons. The precipitation of moisture normally found in the atmosphere is most evident when the moisture in such air is precipitated out on cool surfaces such as the coils or plates of dehumidifying equipment and is dramatically increased by the actual freezing out of the moisture upon surfaces. Since such freezing, in effect, removes the moisture from being able to re-evaporate into the air (unless the temperature rises) and prevents such moisture from setting up the usual equalization between a liquid surface and the air in favor of the very much lower equilibrium between a frozen or solid water surface and the atmosphere. Although water vapor will sublimate from a solid water or crystalline surface as shown by the evaporation and disappearance of high altitude clouds in contact with drier bodies of air, an effect that is viewable from the ground with the gradual disappearance of high cirrus clouds. In spite of such possible atmospheric effects, however, it has been found that the present invention will effectively alleviate all such problems. 
         [0024]    In any event, many potential victims of the dry indoor air of buildings in cold weather months do not realize how much moisture is removed from the air by condensation not only by vapor condensation on the inner surface of window panes, but also upon the inner surfaces of exterior sheathing and walls of buildings. The present invention, on the other hand, sets up another envelope of air within a perforated over-a-bed-netting-like barrier that will cover sleeping inhabitants of such building so that the occupants can obtain restful sleep in a body of higher humidity containing air. This higher humidified air is formed essentially of exhaled air mixed with room air, which contained air has a significantly higher humidity content than the surrounding air. Further the netting barrier retaining the higher level humidified air within its confines inhibits the drying out of the nostrils and pharyngeal tissues of sleepers and effectively prevents the drying out of such underlying tissues, thereby resulting in a significant decrease in the discomfort and lost sleep experienced by the persons involved. Furthermore, it is completely unexpected that the establishment of a perforated barrier maintained about sleeping persons that such barrier or enclosure would prevent the drying out of the air within the perforated barrier to the extent that the symptoms and results of such dry air breathing should be essentially or effectively alleviated. 
         [0025]    While there are limitations to the effect engendered by the invention to the extent that the openings in the perforated material should be held within certain dimensions and the characteristics of the perforated or netting-like material itself should be kept within the limits set forth hereinafter the operation of the invention is surprisingly broad. It has been found, for example, that pierced or netting type material should have openings preferably about one sixteenth of an inch or less to operate effectively. It is presently believed that the perforated or netting-like material preferably be made from a material such as nylon® or, rayon® thread, or the like, which is not subject to becoming moist. By this it is meant that the material is not water absorbing or will becoming internally moist, although the surface is not averse to “wetting” by precipitation from the air. 
         [0026]    It has also been found that the enclosure of the moisture control means of the invention should not be used to enclose too many occupants, but should be limited to at most two or three sleeping persons, one sleeper being essentially ideal. The humidifying effect being largely limited for one person to a single sleep area enclosure size of about 36 inches in width, 36 inches in length, and a height of about 24 to 30 inches above the sleep surface. The size of the perforations or openings should be at most about one-sixteenth of an inch square or of generally equivalent metric size, although the shape of the orifice or dimensions between the perforations or openings can be more varied. In general the openings do not need to be square in shape but can be elongated and can be other less than equilateral shapes and sizes, although square openings will usually be most convenient to make and supply. It is known, however, that the particular physical shape and dimensions are of great importance, except that the openings should not be so large that the enclosed space essentially merges with the general living space and should not so small that free flow of air back and forth through the openings is interfered with or significantly diminished. 
         [0027]    Referring now to the drawings in detail, where like numerals refer to like parts or elements, there is shown in  FIG. 1  the humidity control and retention device  10  of the present invention. The humidity control device  10  extends over a sleep surface  12  that is shown to contain a mattress  14  and a box spring support  16 . Lying atop the sleep surface  12  is a pillow  18  at the head end of the sleep surface and within the coverage of the humidity control device  10 . A support frame  20  extends outward over the sleep surface  12  approximately ⅓ of the distance from the head end of the sleep surface  12 . 
         [0028]    Referring now to  FIG. 2 , the support frame  20  has a pair of vertically oriented support legs  22   a,    22   b  that extend between forwardly extending feet  24   a,    24   b  at their lower end and a netting support member  26  at their upper ends. The bottom exterior members or feet  22   a,    22   b  are configured to extend under the head end of the sleeping surface  12  and between the mattress  14  and box spring support  16 . For example, a single wide bed having the usual rectangular form will accept feet  24   a,    24   b  connected to the support frame  20  between the lower box spring support  16  and an overlying mattress  14  as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0029]    At the top of the two vertically oriented structural supports  22   a,    22   b  there is mounted the netting frame or support member  26 . The support member  26  is configured having preferably two identical side sections  28 , a front section  27 , and back or rear section  29 . In the example shown in  FIG. 2 , the rear section  29  of the netting frame or support  26  is attached to and supported by the vertical structural supports  22   a,    22   b.  As will be evident, the structural support arrangement could be in several different forms. However, the one shown is currently preferred because it can be broken down into easily packaged sections. For example, the supports  22   a ,  22   b  may be pipe-like sections, the feet  24   a,    24   b  may be flat sections with upwardly extruding pegs or rods, not shown, fitting into the pipe sections and the rectangular frame section  26  at the top may have peg or rod sections to extend into the tops of the pipe sections  22   a,    22   b.    
         [0030]    The various sections of the support frame  20 , when disassembled, may be combined to fit into packaging having essentially the dimensions of the rectangular upper section  26 . The humidity or allergy control fabric or netting  30  may be folded to fit into the center of the support rectangle  26  providing a simple compact package both easily stocked and easily assembled and disassembled. 
         [0031]    If the netting  30  is supplied in a substantially box-like shape as seen in  FIG. 1 , it may be simply draped down, over and around the support frame  26  with the bottoms allowed to swing against or atop the bedclothes lying atop the sleep surface  12  on all sides and across the top of the frame  26 . However, if the netting is provided in separate sections, it can be draped over or secured to the framework by the simple means of spring clips or the like in the general form of cloths pin type clips. As an alternative and somewhat more sophisticated arrangement, the rectangular top of the netting support  26  can be supplied with upstanding knobs or small projections (not shown) designed to fit into the individualized openings of the netting and thereby supporting the netting  30  in any position in which it is placed. Another alternative securing mechanism could be Velcro® fasteners with one edge of the netting  30  placed between mating fasteners with one side of the paired Velcro® fasteners adhered or fastened to the support frame  26  and with the netting  30  draped downward to create the contained space for humidity retention when used by a sleeping person. 
         [0032]    Referring to  FIGS. 3-5 , there is shown the present invention of the humidity retention and control device  10  located on three different sleep surfaces. In  FIG. 3 , the humidity control device  10  is positioned over the entire width of the single sleep area indicated by the mattress  14  such that the netting  30  supported by the frame  26  falls across the entire width of the sleep area and extends downward over the mattress  14  approximately ⅓ of its length. In  FIG. 4 , a double width sleep area is shown with only the left side sleep area covered by the humidity control device  10  of the present invention. The right side of the sleep area is not included within the humidity controlled space of device  10  that is created within the confines of the netting  30  that extends only over the sleep area on the left side of the mattress  14 . In  FIG. 5  there is shown a double width humidity control device  10  that overlies both the left and right side sleep areas providing humidity control to both sleep areas simultaneously. In all of these examples the netting  30  is allowed to drape downward from the netting support member  26  and fall against the bedclothes covering the sleep surface and mattress  14  creating the controlled space within the netting  30  for retaining a higher humidity level than outside the device  10 . 
         [0033]    It is believed that the present invention operates essentially as follows. Since the pierced fabric or netting  30  has relatively constricted openings, moist air close to the saturation point tend to build up a slight but significant higher concentration of moisture within the enclosure formed by the netting. This, it has been found, tends to retain a higher moisture content in the air within the semi-enclosure formed by the netting with a decreasing percentage of moisture on the outside across each diameter of the strands of netting from the inside to the outside of the netting  30 . In effect, a decreasing equilibrium of moisture is established across the diameter of each strand of netting or results across each netting strand, which, after a short time comes to an equilibrium, with the netting strands each being slightly more moist on the inside than on the outside of the strand. Such equilibrium causes the saturation of the air within the netting enclosure and the inner surface of portions of the netting strands to be relatively higher in moisture than the surrounding environment outside the netting  30  and, as a result, the atmosphere within the netting enclosure has a higher level of humidity. This is surprising because one would expect a fair equilibrium between the two atmospheres. As long as the occupant of the netting enclosure continues to breath, however, his or her breath contains relatively high moisture content and the air contents of the space inside of the netting enclosure, which receives additional moisture from the breath of the occupant, tends to slowly increase until an equilibrium is established between the moisture of the enclosure and the exterior air about the enclosure netting  30  which will be greater on the inside. This is so since the exhaled air of the sleeper is at or close to saturation respecting its contents of moisture when exhaled and the air outside the enclosure will normally be less than that saturated point. The sleeper is therefore bathed essentially in air with a moisture content near saturation or at least higher than would be normally available. The air within the netting enclosure is thus inevitably more moist than the air available outside the humidity control device  10  or in the sleeping room itself, unless, of course, both are saturated with moisture in which case the invention would be unnecessary. Therefore, the sleeper will not suffer from dehydrated nasal membranes or drying nostrils or nasal and pharyngeal passages, as well as lung tissues, during sleeping times. 
         [0034]    The great advantage of the invention is that it is simple and easy to use, as well as inexpensive to produce and supply potential users. It also does not use any power to add moisture to the air, but in effect is driven by moisture and heat given off by the physiology of the sleeper. All that is required is convenient support for the netting over a sleeping arrangement, such as a bed, cot, couch and particularly a convertible couch, or couch convertible to a bed, sometimes referred to as a “sleeper”. 
         [0035]    The netting support comprises in its simplest form a support comprising two vertical arms or supports  22   a,    22   b  having a rectangular framework  26  supported upon them essentially in a horizontal position at the top and at least two floor contact members or feet  24   a,    24   b  extending out on the bottom more or less directly under the sleep area support means constituting the netting support framework  20 . The netting support framework  20  may in its simplest embodiment be a rectangular frame delineating the shape and lateral dimensions of the netted enclosure  30  in which the sleeper is to be enclosed. While slumbering, it is most convenient and effective to have such enclosure essentially rectangular usually somewhat wider from side to side than lengthwise of the bed. However, size and shape is variable so long as the total amount of open mesh is not so great that there is too rapid an air escape or transfer of the more humid interior air to the exterior environment. In other words, if there is too much open space overall in the netting  30  the transfer of air to the outside of the netting will be too rapid for the amount of humid air which is being exhaled by the occupant and the humidity within the enclosure will not be sufficient to maintain the humidity of the air in the enclosure to keep the nasal and pharyngeal membranes of the occupant from drying out too much. On the other hand, it also is not desirable for the total open space within the device  10  to be so constricted that the occupant of the netted enclosure will be rebreathing mostly air which has been only very recently been expired by the sleeper. While sufficient oxygen is normally not removed from a given volume of air to seriously decrease the oxygen level in such air, so long as an opening to the atmosphere as a whole is available, it is generally thought undesirable to be rebreathing the microscopic organisms that have been just breathed out, since a higher level of such organisms may be therefore established which may not necessarily be beneficial. The effect where merely a small increase in humidity of the air is established is not believed to be physically detrimental, however, and this can be confirmable by easily conducted epidemiological studies. Usually one does not “catch” a disease, and particularly an airborne disease, from oneself. 
         [0036]    One of the humidity enclosures of the present invention  10 , in its basic simple operated form, with the heat of the user&#39;s body produced in conjunction with the physiology of the user&#39;s body in connection with normal respiration, makes use of vaporized moisture from the bodily functions as such moisture is expelled as somewhat heated and moisturized air. The expelling of such moisture from the nose and, if the mouth is open or partially open, from the mouth as well, into the confined space defined by the netting  30  of the present invention, keeps the mucous membranes of the nose and sinuses moist. To a considerable extent the operation of the absorbent netting of the present moisturizing invention, therefore, causes the netting to become an artificial extension or outer chamber of the nose and pharyngeal chamber and by retarding passage of moisture through the netting enclosure  30  to the exterior acts as a further portion or extension of the nose and prevents air passing through such extension from drying out the nose and sinuses as much as they would otherwise. This retarding of drying is radiated or spreads back to the nasal chamber itself and prevents drying out of the nasal and pharyngeal tissues as well without the use of any additional energy. Thus, the invention does not use any additional energy, but in effect, merely lengthens the chamber of the nose so to speak. 
         [0037]    A further advantage of the invention is that it does not involve complicated apparatus and the apparatus used, namely, polyester netting  30  and a convenient support  20  for arranging such netting  30  to form a perforated chamber over a sleeper&#39;s head and upper torso can be provided and kept when not in use in a package or box of like dimensions. This packaging can be used as a container or box in which the invention can be kept and transported from place to place including within such container the frame  20  and netting  30  for transportation to its place of use. 
         [0038]    The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and, accordingly, the described embodiments are to be considered in all respects as being illustrative and not restrictive, with the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims, rather than the foregoing detailed description, as indicating the scope of the invention as well as all modifications which may fall within a range of equivalency which are also intended to be embraced therein.