Upper body support system

An upper body support system for a vehicle seat provides support of a person's head and body via a body portion that extends down along the seat back rest from a stabilizer portion that extends over the top of the seat. The body portion may extend down a substantial portion of the back rest to provide support of the person's upper body. The bottom end of the support is secured by a base strap that is configured to form an anchor loop that is couple with a seat anchor of the vehicle seat. The top of the support is secured to a pair of head rest posts by a head rest strap assembly. This arrangement of securing the top and bottom of the support provides effective stability for a person to lean there against and enables the body portion to be configured in an offset angle from vertical for comfort.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The invention relates to an upper body support system for a vehicle seat that provides support of a person's head and body via a body portion that extends down along the seat back rest from a stabilizer portion that extends over the top of the seat.

Background

There are a number of auxiliary head rest devices configured to couple with various components of a vehicle seat, such as the seatbelt or head rest, to provide support of a person's head. These devices extend down a short distance to a free end. Children that no longer are required to sit in a child or booster seat are often too short to utilize these auxiliary head rest devices as they are too short for proper support. Also, only supporting the head can in some cases put strain on the neck.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is directed to an upper body support system for a vehicle seat that provides support of a person's head and body via a body portion that extends down along the seat back rest from a stabilizer portion that extends over the top of the seat. The body portion and the stabilizer portion may be a monolithic support that provides support for both the head and body and is stabilized in position by the stabilizer portion extending back over the top of the seat. The body portion may extend down a substantial portion of the back rest to provide support of the person's body, such as their shoulder, for example. In addition, the extended end of the body portion is secured by a base strap that is configured to couple with a seat anchor of the vehicle seat. The top of the monolithic support is secured to a pair of head rest posts by a head rest strap assembly. This arrangement of securing the monolithic support at the top and at the bottom provides effective support for a person to lean there against. Also, the body portion may be secured in an offset angle from vertical to provide for a more comfortable support for sleeping, for example.

A vehicle seat may be an automobile seat having required seat belts and seat anchors for the connection of car seats thereto. An automobile may be a truck, car, bus and the like. A vehicle seat may however be configured in an aircraft, train, ship or boat including a ferry and the like. A seat anchor may be any portion of the seat configured preferably proximal to the bottom of the back rest such as between the back rest and the seat portion of the seat, having a complete or partial loop that is effective to retain the base strap. In an automobile seat, the seat anchor is most often a complete loop that is configured down between the back rest and the seat portion and is typically coupled to the frame of the vehicle seat.

The upper body support system is configured to secure a monolithic support including a body portion and a stabilizer portion in position to effectively support a person's body during transport. The body portion and the stabilizer portion are a monolithic support that has the either the body portion and the stabilizer portion attached together to form said monolithic support, or are made from a single piece of material, such as foam, wherein the foam is cut from a single piece of material or formed as a single piece of material. A foam, such as a polyurethane or other polyolefin type foam may be formed or cut from a single piece of foam. A cover may be configured over the foam for comfort. The foam may be soft for comfort but stable enough for adequate support and may have a hardness of about 50 Shore A or less, about 40 Shore A or less, about 30 Shore A or less, about 20 Shore OO or more, about 30 Shore OO or more, about 40 Shore OO or more and any range between and including the values provided.

The body portion has a geometry to provide support of a person's head and body and to prevent tilting of the body portion during use. An exemplary body portion is configured to extend down a substantial portion of the back rest such as about 50% or more of the height of the back rest, about 60% or more, about 70% or more, about 80% or more, about 90% or more, up to 100% and any range between and including the percentages provided. The upper body support system is configured to support a person's body and therefore is required to extend down far enough for this purpose. Also, many children would require the body portion to extend down a substantial portion of the back rest for proper body support, as they are not that tall. The body portion may have a length of about 0.3 m or more, about 0.5 m or more, about 0.7 m or more, about 1 m or less and any range between and including the values provided. The body portion may have a width that is wide enough to provide effective cushioning and support when a person leans on the body support and may be about 7.5 cm or more, about 10 cm or more, about 12.5 cm or more, about 15 cm or more and any range between and including the width values provided. The length of the body portion may be much greater than the width of the body portion, such as about three times or more, about four times or more, about five times or more, or even about six times or eight times or more, or any range between and including the ratios provided. The body portion has a height that is large enough to effectively support a person's head and body and may be about 7.5 cm or more, about 10 cm or more, about 12.5 cm or more, about 15 cm or more and any range between and including the height provided. The body portion may have a rectangular cross-sectional shape taken along a length axis of the body portion, wherein the body portion has planar sides, seat surface and top surface, opposite the seat surface. Likewise, the stabilizer portion may also have a rectangular cross-sectional shape along a length axis of the stabilizer portion and have a planar seat surface, sides extending up from the seat surface and top surface, opposite the seat surface.

The stabilizer portion is configured to extend over the top of the seat to stabilize the body portion from tilting when a person leans against it. The seat surface of the stabilizer portion and the seat surface of the body portion may be planar to resist tilting of the support during use. The stabilizer portion may extend generally orthogonally from the length axis of the body portion to form an L-shaped support, that may be a monolithic support as described herein. Orthogonally, as used herein, is defined as within about 20 degrees of orthogonal, wherein the planar seat surface of the stabilizer extends within 20 degrees of orthogonal from the seat surface of the body portion. This orthogonal orientation may provide better stability of the support when configured over the top of the back rest with the body portion extending down along the back rest. The length axis of the body portion extends from the bottom end of the body portion up to the stabilizer portion. The stabilizer portion may have a length to effectively extend over the top of the seat and may be about 10 cm or more, abut 15 cm or more, about 20 cm or more about 25 cm or more and any range between and including the length values provided. The stabilizer portion may have a width that is substantially the same as the width of the body portion and may be about 7.5 cm or more, about 10 cm or more, about 12.5 cm or more, about 15 cm or more and any range between and including the width values provided.

The support, including the stabilizer portion and body portion, may be retained in a desired position on a vehicle seat by the head rest strap assembly and the base strap. The head rest strap assembly may include a first strap extension and a second strap extension, each configured to extend from the support around a head rest post to form a separate post loop. The first strap extension and second strap extension each have a head rest fastener, such as a buckle, that is configured to detachably attach with a head rest fastener coupler, such as a buckle receiver, to form a post loop. This configuration of two head rest straps forming two separate post loops around head rest posts on opposing sides of the support may be an effective way to secure the support in a fixed position between the two head rest posts. A first post loop may be shorter than the second post loop, such as by about 20% or more, about 40% or more, about 60% or more and any range between and including the percentages provided. A short first post loop and longer second post loop will position the monolithic support closer to the first post having the first post loop extending therearound. Also, the first and second post loops may have a head rest strap slider that enables the length of the post loop to be changed to pull the post loop tight about a head rest post. Again, this opposing arrangement of the two post loops around separate head rest posts enables each to be pulled tight to and to a separate length to change a position of the monolithic support between the two head rest posts. The monolithic support can be moved laterally closer to one of the head rest posts. Note that a single strap extending from the support and around the two head rest posts would not allow securing the support in a lateral or horizontal position between the two head rest posts.

The base strap extends from a position proximal to the bottom end of the body portion and is configured to extend through a seat anchor and back to a base fastener coupler, which may be configured on a base coupler strap. Two separate base straps may extend from body portion and each may have a base strap slider to enable tightening of the base strap to pull the bottom of the body portion closer to a seat anchor. This may allow the support and the body portion to be configured at an offset angle from vertical, which may be more comfortable for supporting person's body. In an exemplary embodiment, the base fastener and base fastener couplers are not configured to latch with a seatbelt buckle or seatbelt receiver and may be of a different size and latch differently from a seat belt buckle.

The body portion may be soft and as it may be made out of foam, may have a tendency to flex or bend when a force is applied orthogonally to the length axis of the body portion. To resist this deflection and to provide additional support and rigidity, a coupler extension strap may extend along the length of the body portion from the stabilizer portion, wherein the coupler extension strap is coupled with the head rest strap assembly, to the bottom end of the body portion, wherein it may be coupled with the base strap. The coupler extension strap may be pulled taught to prevent flexing and bending of the supple body portion. The top of the support and/or the bottom of the support may be moved to secure the support in an offset angle. The coupler extension strap may be an extension from the base strap assembly, such as being a continuous strap from the base strap or the base coupler strap. The coupler extension strap may slide through a guide and when the base strap is tightened through a seat anchor, it may tighten the coupler extension strap to provide rigidity of the body portion for effectively support a person's body.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the figures. The figures represent an illustration of some of the embodiments of the present invention and are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner. Some of the figures may not show all of the features and components of the invention for ease of illustration, but it is to be understood that where possible, features and components from one figure may be included in the other figures. Further, the figures are not necessarily to scale, some features may be exaggerated to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

As shown inFIG. 1, an exemplary upper body support system10includes a support40having a body portion42that extends down a body portion length43from the stabilizer portion46. The support may be a monolithic support wherein the body portion42and the stabilizer portion46are made from a single piece of material, such as a foam. The body portion42is configured to extend down along a seat back rest to provide support for a person's head and upper body. The stabilizer portion46has a length47that is configured to extend back over the top of a vehicle seat to stabilize the monolithic support40on the seat. The body portion has a seat surface45that is planar and the stabilizer portion46has a seat surface49that is also planar to prevent tilting or rolling of the monolithic support40during use. The width41of the body portion42and width of the stabilizer portion48may be wide enough to provide effective support. The body portion42has a length43from a bottom end44of the body portion to the stabilizer portion46that is greater than the length47of the stabilizer portion46, by as much as two times or more, three times or more, or even four times or more. The width41of the body portion42may be about the same as the width47of the stabilizer portion46, or within about 20%, or within about 10%, for example. The body portion42may have a substantially consistent width41along the length of the body portion, or along a length axis15of the body portion42, wherein it does not vary by more than 20% or by more than 10% along the length of the body portion42. The length axis15extends centrally along the length43of the body portion42from the bottom end44to the top of the body portion, or top30of the support40. Also, the body portion42has a first side32, and an opposing second side34that extends a height33from the seat surface45of the body portion42. As described herein the sides of the body portion42may extend an effective height and may be planar to provide adequate support of a person's head and upper body, leaning thereon.

A head rest strap assembly50is configured proximal to the stabilizer portion46, such as being coupled to the seat surface49of the stabilizer portion46or seat surface45of the body portion42, such as in the area between the stabilizer portion46and the body portion42. The head rest strap assembly50is configured to secure the monolithic support40between head rests. As shown, the head rest strap assembly50has a first strap extension51that is configured with a head rest fastener56, such as a buckle, that is configured to detachable attach with the head rest fastener coupler58, that may be configured on a head rest receiver strap59. A head rest strap slider54may be used to pull the first strap extension51tight after the first strap extension forms a first post loop53, shown inFIG. 2, with the first head rest fastener56detachably attached with the first head rest fastener coupler58, which again may be configured on a head rest receiver strap59. The head rest strap assembly50has a second strap extension52that also has a head rest fastener56′ that is configured to detachable attach with a head rest fastener coupler58′ that may be configured on a head rest receiver strap59′. Again, a head rest strap slider54′ may be used to pull the second strap extension52tight after the second strap extension52forms a second post loop53′, shown inFIG. 2, with the second head rest fastener56′ detachably attached with the first head rest fastener coupler58, which again may be configured on a head rest receiver strap59′. As described herein, two separate head rest straps that form two separate post loops enable the support40to be configured in a desired position laterally between head rest posts.

A base strap assembly16includes a pair of base straps60,60′ that extend from a position proximal the base or bottom end44of the body portion42and each have a base fastener62,62′ and a base strap slider64,64′ that can be used to tighten the respective base strap60,60′. A base fastener coupler66is configured on a base coupler strap65and is configured to detachably attach with one of the base fasteners62,62′. The base strap60,60′ and/or the base coupler strap65may be extended through a seat anchor of a seat and the base fastener coupler may be coupled with the base fastener62,62′ to form an anchor loop63, shown inFIG. 2, extending through the seat anchor, to secure the body portion in position. A base strap slider64, or64′ may be used to tighten the anchor loop.

As described herein, the body portion42may be soft and as it may be made out of foam, and therefore, may have a tendency to flex or bend when a force is applied orthogonally to the length axis of the body portion. To resist this deflection and to provide additional support and rigidity, a coupler extension strap61may extend along the length of the body portion42from the stabilizer portion46, wherein the coupler extension strap61is coupled with the head rest strap assembly50, to the bottom end44, or proximal the bottom end of the body portion42, wherein it may be coupled with the base strap assembly16. The coupler extension strap61may be pulled taught to prevent flexing and bending of the supple body portion42. The coupler extension strap61may slide through a guide and when the base strap60is tightened through a seat anchor, it may tighten the coupler extension strap61to provide rigidity of the body portion42for effectively support a person's body

As shown inFIG. 2, the upper body support system10is configured and secured to a vehicle seat20with the support40coupled to two adjacent head rest posts27″ and27′ by the head rest strap assembly50and to the seat anchor29′ by the base strap assembly16. The body portion42extends down a substantial portion of the height23of the back rest24, or about 60% or more, about 75% or more, about 90% or more, and any range between and including the percentages provided. Note that a space between the bottom end44of the support40and the seat portion28of the vehicle seat20may allow easier manipulation of the base straps or the base coupler strap, for extending them through a seat anchor. Also, this space enables the body portion42to be angled an offset angle73, wherein the length axis15of the body portion is offset from a vertical axis14.

The vehicle seat20has a top22, a back rest24that extends down from the top22, six head rest posts27,27′,27″,27′″,27″″, and27′″″ that extend up from the top22, and three head rests26,26′, and26″ connected to the head rest posts. Each of the three head rests is connected to two of the head rest posts. Four seat anchors29,29′,29″, and29′″ are also shown being configured between the back rest24portion of the seat and seat portion28of the seat. The seat anchors29,29′,29″, and29′″ are exposed portions of the frame of the vehicle seat20that are each a portion of material that forms a fully closed or partially closed loop. The seat anchors29,29′,29″, and29′″ are typically configured down between back rest24and seat portion28and therefore are shown in dashed lines, as they are hidden during use.

The body portion42of the monolithic support40is positioned against the back rest24of the vehicle seat20, and the stabilizer portion46of the monolithic support40is pulled tight down on top of the top22of the vehicle seat20. The first strap extension51and second strap extension52of the head rest strap system50are each wrapped around a head rest post27′ and27″, to form a first post loop53and second post loop53′, respectively. The length of the first post loop53and second post loop53′ may be adjusted to move the stabilizer portion46laterally between the head rest posts. The first strap extension51and second strap extension52are coupled to respective head rest fastener couplers (not shown).

The first base strap60is configured through one of the seat anchors29′ and is coupled to the base fastener coupler66on the base coupler strap65to form an anchor loop63, to secure the bottom end44of the body portion42and the monolithic support40in place. The second base strap60′ is not in use, and therefore the base fastener62′ of the second base strap60′ hangs freely from the second base strap60′.

The support40and the body portion42are configured at an offset angle73, wherein the length axis of the body portion15extends said offset angle to the vertical axis14. The bottom end44of the support40is pulled toward the seat anchor29′ by the first base strap60and the top30of the support, or the stabilizer portion46is pulled toward the head rest post27″ by the first second strap extension52. This offset angle73may provide a more comfortable angel for supporting a person's upper body.

As shown inFIG. 3, a passenger80, a child, is sitting on the seat portion28of the vehicle seat20and the passenger's upper body or torso82and head84are resting on the first side32of the body portion42. The height of the first side32and planar extension of the first side32provide effective support of the passenger's head84and torso82.

The vehicle seat20further comprises three seatbelts70,70′, and70″, as well as three seatbelt receivers72,72′, and72″. The first seatbelt70is coupled to the first seatbelt receiver72and is configured around the passenger80. Note that by using the seat anchor29′ to secure the bottom end44of the body portion42in place, all the seatbelt receivers72,72′, and72″ are still available for use. As shown inFIG. 3, the passenger80rests their head84and a portion of their torso82on the body portion42of the monolithic support40in order to provide comfort and support when sitting and/or sleeping in the vehicle seat20. The monolithic support40is held in place by the head rest strap assembly50wrapped around the head rest posts27′ and27″, as well as the anchor loop63configured through the seat anchor29′. The second base strap60′ is not used and therefore the base fastener62′ of the second base strap60′ hangs freely from the second baste strap60′. Neither base fastener62and62′ is coupled to any of the seatbelt receivers72,72′, and72″, as the base fasteners62and62′ are not shaped or size appropriately to couple with the seatbelt receivers72,72′, and72″.

Referring now toFIGS. 4 and 5, the upper body support system10is coupled to head rest posts27′,27″ by the head rest strap assembly50, wherein the first strap extension51and second strap extension52extend to form post loops around the head rest posts27′,27″. Each of the first strap extension51and second strap extension52has a head rest fastener56,56′, respectively, that is detachably attached to a head rest fastener coupler58,58′. As shown inFIG. 4, the stabilizer portion46of the monolithic support40rests on top of the top22of the vehicle seat20. The first strap extension51is wrapped around the head rest post27′ of the first head rest26, and the second strap extension52is wrapped around the head rest post27″ of the second head rest26′. The head rest fastener56is inserted into the head rest fastener coupler58to form a loop around the head rest post27′. Likewise, the second strap extension52is wrapped around the head rest post27″ of the head rest26′. The head rest fastener56′ is inserted into the head rest fastener coupler58′ to form a post loop around the head rest post27″.

FIG. 5is a back view of the upper body support system10that shows the coupling of the first strap extension51and second strap extension52of the head rest strap50.