Abstract:
A head support having a body with a recess defined along a recess edge of the body to receive a person&#39;s lower jaw. A torso engaging edge of the body opposite the recess edge being formed to engage a portion of the person&#39;s torso when the person is sitting in a substantially upright position to prevent the recess from falling away from the person&#39;s lower jaw area.

Description:
Related application Ser. No. 12/097,702, filed Dec. 18, 2006, currently pending, is directed to a light weight combination carrier unit and head support apparatus for use in confined spaces. 
     CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a 35 USC 371 application of PCT/GB 2005/002429 filed on Jun. 20, 2005. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a head support and in particular to a light weight head support for use in confined spaces. 
     Due to increased volumes of traffic on the road and rail infrastructures and increased volumes of national and International airline flights, a greater number of passengers spend an increasing number of hours travelling which generally involves sitting in confined spaces. These spaces are particularly uncomfortable if a passenger is required to rest in an upright sitting position for prolonged periods of time for example on a long haul flight in an economy class aeroplane seat. Passengers encounter problems with trying to sleep under these conditions and one problem occurs as a direct result of the weight of the passengers&#39; heads. When a person starts to slip into a light sleep, the muscles of the neck relax and the head drops suddenly causing a small shock to the body of the passenger as a result of the jerking motion and the passengers&#39; tight sleep is broken. This cycle is repeated generally until the passenger finds a position where the weight of the head has at least partial support avoiding the jerking action of the head. The problem with this type of resting position is that the passenger often wakens up with a strain in their neck muscles. 
     OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate the above outlined problem. 
     Accordingly, the present invention provides a head support having a body with a recess defined along a recess edge of the body for receiving a person&#39;s lower jaw, a torso engaging edge of the body opposite the recess edge being formed for engaging a portion of the person&#39;s body when the person is sitting in a substantially upright position preventing the recess from falling away from the lower jaw area of the person. 
     In general, the person is a passenger but the invention is not limited to use by passengers. The invention is also suitable for use by people such as medical patients with back or neck or other injuries which requires the person to have their head supported upright. The invention is also suitable for people with nocturnal breathing difficulties such as asthma which often requires them to sit in an upright position to avoid breathing problems while sleeping. 
     Advantageously, the weight of the person&#39;s head is transmitted through the head support back to their own body with the head support acting as a strut. 
     Ideally, the head support has a short body so that the torso engaging edge of the body rests against the upper chest area of a person in use. 
     Preferably, the head support has an elongated body so that the torso engaging edge of the body rests against the stomach region of a person in use. 
     Advantageously, the head support with the elongated body has a greater surface area resting against the person&#39;s body which generates additional friction further preventing the recess falling away from the person&#39;s lower jaw area. 
     Ideally, a recess is provided in two opposite edges of the body. 
     Beneficially, the head support can be used upside down. 
     Preferably, each edge of the body has a recess. 
     Ideally, the body has an external surface resting against a person&#39;s chest area in use and a distal surface distal from a person&#39;s chest area in use. 
     Preferably, means for releasably securing a passenger&#39;s arms onto the distal surface of the body are provided. 
     Ideally, the securing means comprises a cruciform element with four arms, the four free ends of the arms extending out of the main plane of the cruciform element in the same direction and being attached at or about four edges of the distal surface of the body in a spider-like configuration, the distal surface and the spider-like cruciform element defining an open chamber therebetween having four apertures for receiving the arms of the person. 
     Advantageously, this embodiment provides support for a person&#39;s arms during sleeping in a confined space and the person is encouraged to sleep in the natural foetal position. 
     Ideally, a stiffening member is disposed within the body of the head support. 
     Preferably, the head support is an inflatable body. 
     Ideally, the body of the head support is manufactured from foam. 
     Preferably, the foam is at least partially covered with a material having a high coefficient of friction. 
     Ideally, the head support is a combination of a foam insert coated with an outer skin. 
     Preferably, the recess has a hemi-conical surface expanding from the proximal surface to the distal surface with the hemi-conical surface having a longitudinal axis substantially orthogonal to the main plane of the body. 
     Ideally, the body has a protuberance extending rearward from the body at or about the same location of the body as the recess. 
     Preferably, the securing means comprises a cruciform element with four arms, the four free ends of the arms extending out of the main plane of the cruciform element in the same direction and being attached at or about four edges of the distal surface of the body in a spider-like configuration, the distal surface and the spider-like cruciform element defining an open chamber therebetween having four apertures for receiving the arms of a person. 
     Ideally, the securing means is at least one adjustable strap. 
     Preferably, the bottom portion of the body tapers to the torso engaging edge to provide a stake like effect to prevent the body sliding down a person&#39;s torso in use. 
     Ideally, the head support has a body comprising a head element, an elongate spinal element and a body engaging element. 
     Ideally, the elongate spinal element has a two-piece rigid board with preferably a hinge between the two-pieces of board to allow the spinal element to fold over onto itself. 
     Preferably, the two piece board is covered with foam strips front and back respectively with preferably the front strip of foam being split in alignment with the hinge. 
     Ideally, the body engaging element is mounted on the elongate spinal element distal from the head element and comprises a block of foam for engaging a person&#39;s stomach region to define the second point of connection on a person&#39;s body to allow the head support to act as a strut. 
     Preferably, a single strap is connected to the two piece board at both sides of the hinge and the single strap has two free ends carrying fastening members. 
     The present invention also provides a garment of clothing for a person&#39;s torso having a head support incorporated thereinto, the head support extending from the neck region to the stomach region of the garment of clothing, the head support having a body with a recess defined along a recess edge of the body for receiving a person&#39;s lower jaw, a torso engaging edge of the body opposite the recess edge being formed for engaging a portion of the person&#39;s torso when the person is sitting in a substantially upright position preventing the recess from falling away from the lower jaw area of the person in use. 
     Ideally, when the garment of clothing has a zipper centrally mounted thereon in alignment with the longitudinal axis of the wearer, the head support is split about a centre line extending along the longitudinal axis of the head support so that one half of the split head support is carried by the garment on one side of the zipper and the other half of the split head support is carried by the garment on the other side of the zipper. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       This invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings which show, by way of example only, three embodiments of the head support in accordance with the invention, in the drawings: 
         FIG. 1  is a side elevational view of a first embodiment of a head support in use; 
         FIG. 2  is a front elevational view of the head support of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of the head support of  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a top plan view of the head support of  FIGS. 1 to 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a bottom plan view of the head support of  FIGS. 1 to 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  is the same front elevational view as  FIG. 2  showing internal support members; 
         FIG. 7  is a sectional view of  FIG. 6  taken along A-A; 
         FIG. 8  is the same front elevational view as  FIG. 6  showing an internal stiffening member; 
         FIG. 9  is a side elevational view of  FIG. 8 ; 
         FIG. 10  is a top plan view of  FIG. 8  and  FIG. 9 ; 
         FIG. 11  is a bottom plan view of  FIGS. 8 to 10 ; 
         FIG. 12  is a front elevational view of a second embodiment of a head support; 
         FIG. 13  is a side elevational view of the second embodiment of the head support of  FIG. 12 ; 
         FIG. 14  is a front elevational view of a third embodiment of the head support; 
         FIG. 15  is a first side elevational view of the third embodiment of the head support; and 
         FIG. 16  is a second side elevational view of the third embodiment of the head support. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring initially to  FIGS. 1 to 11 , there is shown a head support indicated generally by the reference numeral  1 . The head support  1  has a body  2  with a recess  3  (see  FIGS. 2 ,  4 ,  6 ,  7 ,  8  and  9 ) along a recess edge  4  of the body  2 . The recess  3  is generally v-shaped for accommodating a person&#39;s lower jaw although any shape of recess  3  capable of performing the function of supporting the lower jaw is suitable for use with the head support  1 . The body  2  (see  FIGS. 3 and 7 ) has a proximal planar surface  5  which rests against a person&#39;s chest region in use and a distal planar surface  6  which is distal from the person&#39;s body in use. 
     A spider-like cruciform element  11  has four arms  14  extending in the same direction out of the main plane of the cruciform element  11  and is mounted onto the distal planar surface  6  of the body  2  at the four outer ends  12  of the arms  14 . The spider-like cruciform element  11  and the distal planar surface  6  define a cavity  15  with four apertures  16  which allow a person to criss-cross their arms through diametrically opposed apertures  16  as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     A torso edge  21  of the body  2  opposite the recess  3  has an insert  22  for improving the strength of this edge  21  to mitigate against deformation. 
       FIG. 6  and  FIG. 7  show blocks  25  which are disposed between the arms  14  of the cruciform element  11  and the distal surface  6  of the body  2 . These blocks  25  improve the overall structural integrity of the head support  1 . 
       FIGS. 8 to 11  show a stiffening board  26 . The stiffening board  26  prevents deformation of the head support I and is an optional feature. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 12 and 13 , there is shown a second embodiment of a head support indicated generally by the reference numeral  101 . The head support  101  has a body  102  with a recess  103  along a recess edge  104  of the body  102 . The recess  103  is semi-circular in shape although the recess  103  can be any shape provided it is capable of performing the function of accommodating a person&#39;s lower jaw in use. The body  102  has a proximal planar surface  105  which rests against a person&#39;s chest in use and distal planar surface  106  which is distal from the person&#39;s body in use. The recess  103  has a hemi-conical surface  108  expanding from the proximal planar surface  105  to the distal planar surface  106  with the recess  103  having a longitudinal axis substantially orthogonal to the main plane of the body  102 . 
     The body  102  has a protuberance  111  extending rearward from the proximal planar surface  105  at or about the same location of the body  102  as the recess  103 . The effect of the protuberance  111  is to propel the hemi-conical surface  108  of the recess  103  up and out from the person&#39;s neck to hold the person&#39;s head in the most upright position possible within the geometrical constraints imposed by the width of the body  102  and the width of the protuberance  111 . Otherwise, the weight of the person&#39;s head may compress the deformable recess portion negating the desired effect of the head support  101 . The body  102  of the head support  101  is a foam body in this embodiment. It will be appreciated that the body of the present invention may be an inflatable body formed of a substantially airtight inflatable outer skin with a high co-efficient of friction or a combination of a foam insert coated with an outer skin of plastic or some similar suitable material. The foam body  102  of  FIGS. 12 and 13  has two pairs of openings  115 ,  116  and two straps  117 ,  118 . Strap  118  passes through the pair of openings  115  and the other strap  117  passes through the other pair of openings  116 . The straps  117 ,  118  are open ended and have fastening members on their free ends  119  to allow a person to adjust the position of straps  117 ,  118  depending on the size of their arms. The free ends  119  of the straps  117 ,  118  pass out of the body  102  at the distal planar surface  106  with the straps  117 ,  118  extending from a first free end  119  through the body  102  via a first opening of the pairs  115 ,  116 , along the proximal planar surface  105  and back through the second opening of the pairs  115 ,  116  to the distal planar surface  106 . The bottom edge  121  of the body  102  tapers to the torso engaging edge  125  to provide a stake like effect to prevent the body  102  sliding down a person&#39;s torso in use. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 14 to 16  there is shown a third embodiment of head support indicated generally by the reference numeral  71 . The head support  71  has a body  72  comprising a head element  80 , an elongate spinal element  83  and a body engaging element  54 . The head element  80  has a recess  73  which has a hemi-conical surface  81  for receiving a person&#39;s lower jaw. The longitudinal axis of the recess  73  is substantially orthogonal to the main plane of the body  72 . A tapered protuberance  84  extends rearward from the head element  80  and performs the same function as the protuberance  111  of  FIGS. 12 and 13 . The elongate spinal element  83  has a two-piece rigid board  87  with preferably a hinge  88  between the two-pieces of board  87  to allow the spinal element  83  to fold over onto itself for storage or in the event of a person&#39;s head lunging forward suddenly as could happen during take-off, landing, heavy turbulence or an accident. The two piece board  87  is covered with foam strips  91 ,  92  front and back respectively with the front strip  91  of foam being split in alignment with the hinge  88 . The body engaging element  84  is mounted on the elongate spinal element  83  distal from the head element  80  and comprises a block of foam for engaging a person&#39;s stomach region to define the second point of connection on a person&#39;s body to allow the head support  71  to act as a strut. A single strap  95  is connected to the two piece board  87  at both sides of the hinge  88  and the single strap  95  has two free ends  96 ,  97  carrying fastening members such as Velcro® patches. These fastening members allow the strap  95  to be adjusted to accommodate people with different sizes of arms. 
     It will also be appreciated that additional belts may be attached to the head support which can extend around the body of a person using the head support. 
     Variations and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention defined in the appended claims.