Patent Publication Number: US-11045022-B2

Title: Neck pillow converter

Description:
PRIORITY CLAIM AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE 
     This application claims the priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/682,077 titled FLIGHT PILLOW, with an application filing date of Jun. 7, 2018. The invention as disclosed in the 62/682,077 application and as claimed herein was invented by the same inventive entity, and the entirety of the 62/682,077 application is incorporated herein by reference to provide continuity of disclosure. 
    
    
     This invention relates to a device for converting a sleeved garment to a neck pillow suitable for travel or other appropriate uses. A method for using the device is also disclosed. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     When traveling, a traveler may pass in and out of multiple areas which have a variety of temperature and weather conditions, including going in and out of airports and airplanes, bus stations and busses, and traveling to and from various destinations and intermediary points. At some points, it may be desirable for a traveler to have a sweater, jacket, coat, or other outer garment (for purposes of this application, all referred to as a “sweater,” which includes any sleeved outer garment meant to be worn over an inner garment) which provides protection from the elements or allows the traveler to remain warm and comfortable in areas which are too cool for the traveler&#39;s preferences. At other times, the sweater may not be needed and, if removed, must be carried, adding to the number of items the traveler must carry and keep track of. A device which allows a sweater to be conveniently carried during travel when not being worn is a useful invention. 
     Another common need for travelers is something to increase comfort when sitting for long periods. Busses, airplanes and other common travel means require sitting in a relatively constricted position while in transit. If a person attempts to relax or sleep during transit, their head and neck may suffer discomfort as the muscles of the neck relax and allow the head to sway. Further, even while awake, the muscles of the neck and upper back may become excessively tense and uncomfortable if they must remain in tension in a specific state to support the head in the constricted range of motion allowed by most transport seating. It is common for travelers to put a sweater, if not being worn, around and behind their necks to provide support, but this requires the sweater to be folded into a position in which it may not stay, and may wrinkle or cause excessive wear and tear on the sweater. A device which allows a sweater to be easily and conveniently used as a neck pillow without causing excessive wrinkling or wear and tear on the sweater is a useful invention. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Among the many objectives of the present invention is the provision of a device for converting a sleeved garment into a neck pillow. The neck pillow comprises a central pillow body from which the sleeves of the garment depend. 
     Another objective of the present invention is the provision of a device which allows a sweater to be conveniently carried during travel when not being worn by streamlining it into a single linear configuration of cloth which can be looped around the neck, shoulders, or otherwise conveniently carried. 
     Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide a device which allows a sweater to be easily and conveniently used as a neck pillow without causing excessive wrinkling or wear and tear on the sweater. 
     Still another objective of the present invention is the provision of a device which can be used to convert a variety of sweaters into neck pillows easily, efficiently, and consistently. 
     Still another objective of the present invention is the provision of a device which converts a sleeved garment into a neck pillow and is simple, inexpensive, and compact when not in use. 
     These and other objectives of the invention (which other objectives become clear by consideration of the specification and drawings as a whole) are met by the preferred embodiment(s) of the invention, and the method(s) of using them, described herein. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an overhead perspective view of the neck pillow converter. 
         FIG. 2  is an overhead perspective view of the neck pillow converter. 
         FIG. 3  is a series of illustrations of the neck pillow converter from various angles. 
         FIG. 4  is a flow chart showing the steps of the method of using the neck pillow converter. 
         FIG. 5  is a front view illustration showing the implementation of the method of using the neck pillow converter. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Reference will now be made in detail to one or more embodiments of the invention that are illustrated in accompanying drawings. Whenever possible, the same or similar reference numerals are used in the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts or steps. The drawings are in simplified form and are not to precise scale. For purposes of convenience and clarity only, directional terms such as top, bottom, left, right, up, down, over, above, below, beneath, rear, and front, may be used with respect to the drawings. These and similar directional terms are not to be construed to limit the scope of the invention in any manner. The words attach, connect, couple, and similar terms with their inflectional morphemes do not necessarily denote direct or intermediate connections, but may also include connections through mediate elements or devices. 
     By referring to  FIG. 1 , the basic structure of the invention can be easily understood. Neck pillow converter  10  comprises body tube  12 , a non-rigid cylindrical fabric item, defining an inner volume into which a portion of a sleeved garment can be inserted to create a neck pillow. Body tube  12  is a flexible enclosure which can be made from any reasonable and appropriate material including, but not limited to, fabric, leather, polymers, et cetera. Zipper opening  14 , located in the circumferential wall/surface of body tube  12 , is parallel to the axis of body tube  12 . When zipper  16  is in the open position, zipper opening  14  provides a large insertion opening in the body of the neck pillow converter. When zipper  16  is in the closed position, body tube  12  has no openings along its axial length or in its circumferential wall/surface, but no matter whether zipper opening  14  is open or closed the ends of body tube  12  are open, forming first sleeve opening  18  and second sleeve opening  19 . 
     It is preferred, but not required, that body tube  12  be formed of fabric which has sufficient elasticity to allow it to stretch to conform to a variety of rolled garments (not shown: see  FIGS. 2 and 5 ) and hold them securely in position without losing elasticity or form after repeated usage. Preferably, the material comprising body tube  12  should be able to stretch at least 40% (forty percent) of its default dimension in any direction without unduly deforming after repeated usage. This allows the neck pillow converter to keep the garment from unrolling or becoming disorderly while not excessively compressing most garments and causing wrinkling or undue wear and tear. 
     Neck pillow converter  10  can be formed to any reasonable and appropriate size to conform to any particular application (smaller for use with children&#39;s garments or light sweaters, larger for use with adult sweaters or heavier garments.) matching the different needs of users. 
       FIG. 2  shows the neck pillow converter in use. Sleeved garment  22  has a body (not shown: see  FIG. 5 ) which has been rolled up and inserted into neck pillow converter  10  through zipper opening  14  (not shown: see  FIG. 1 ) and then zipper  16  has been moved to the closed position, holding the rolled body of sleeved garment  22  in a tight and tidy roll. Sleeves  20   a  and  20   b  emerge from first sleeve opening  18  and second sleeve opening  19  respectively. Neck pillow converter  10  and sleeved garment  22  together form neck pillow  24 , which can be put behind a user&#39;s neck and used to support the head while seated. The sleeves can dangle in front of the user&#39;s chest and allow adjustment of the neck pillow, or can be put behind the back and pressed between the user&#39;s body and the seat back to help keep the pillow in position and/or provide padding, or looped around the seat to help locate and secure the pillow. The sleeves can also be tied or clipped together to form the garment into a loop which can be slung over the shoulder or around the neck or waist for easy carrying. 
       FIG. 3  shows neck pillow converter  10  in a variety of orientations to clarify its construction and configuration. Sleeve openings  18  and  19  are always open and form the open ends of the cylindrical body tube  12 . Zipper opening  14  allows easy access to the interior of body tube  12 . It is required that zipper opening  14  not communicate with the sleeve openings to maintain the shape and configuration of neck pillow converter  10  during insertion of the sleeved garment (not shown: see  FIG. 2 .) Zipper  16  opens and closes zipper opening  14  as will be demonstrated in the description of  FIGS. 4 and 5 . 
     Shown in the second illustration from the top and the bottommost illustration in  FIG. 3  are inline seams  30   a  and  30   b . It is preferred, but not required, to form body tube  12  by bringing together the opposing sides of a flat piece of fabric or other material, stitching zipper  16  between them, and then stitching the remaining length of the tube on either side of zipper opening  14  permanently shut with inline seams  30   a  and  30   b  which are “in line” with zipper  16 . This is the most efficient means of assembling the neck pillow converter. As the invention will still function if assembled in other fashions (e.g. the seam of body tube  12 , if it has one, can be anywhere around its circumference) the seam, or lack thereof, is not detailed in any other figures. 
     It is preferred that zipper opening  14  use a zipper to open and close, but it is not required. Any other suitable means of repeatedly sealing and unsealing an opening as shown can be used, including but not limited to buttons, snaps, ties, toggles and loops, hook-and-loop fasteners, magnetic attractors, or ridge-and-receiver style zip closings. 
       FIGS. 4 and 5  illustrate the preferred method of using the invention. Method  500  comprises a series of method steps. As will be apparent, the order of the method steps is somewhat flexible: for instance, instead of putting the body of the sleeved garment into the tube and then pulling the second sleeve through (STEPS  516  and  518  respectively) the second sleeve could be pulled through and used to pull the body of the sleeved garment into the tube. So long as all the method steps are performed in a reasonable and logical order, the method will work. 
     In STEP  510 , a user prepares to use the neck pillow converter by unzipping (opening) the zipper opening if it is not already open, and preparing the sleeved garment for rolling. Ideally, this is done by laying the sleeved garment on a flat surface (see  510   a ) but can be performed as circumstances allow, including simply rolling up the garment while holding it in the user&#39;s hands. 
     In STEP  512 , the user rolls the body of the sleeved garment from the bottom (the end furthest from the sleeves) toward the sleeves at the top (see  512   a .) 
     In STEP  514 , the user inserts a first sleeve into the zipper opening and out through a first sleeve opening, until the first sleeve has substantially passed through the first sleeve opening and the part of the body of the sleeved garment adjacent to the first sleeve is proximate to the neck pillow converter. (See  514   a .) 
     In STEP  516  the user inserts the body of the sleeved garment into the neck pillow converter through the zipper opening. (See  516   a .) 
     In STEP  518 , the user inserts a second sleeve into the zipper opening and out through a second sleeve opening, until the second sleeve has substantially passed through the second sleeve opening and the part of the body of the sleeved garment adjacent to the second sleeve is proximate to the neck pillow converter. (See  518   a .) 
     It should be noted that if the body of the sleeved garment is significantly longer between the sleeves than the length of the neck pillow converter, the body may protrude through the sleeve openings. It is strongly preferred that the body of the sleeved garment be centered with relation to the neck pillow converter in this case. It is required that enough of the body of the sleeved garment be inside the neck pillow converter to keep the body of the sleeved garment rolled up in an even and orderly fashion. 
     In STEP  520 , the zipper opening is closed with the zipper. (See  520   a .) The neck pillow converter, filled with the body of the sleeved garment, now forms a neck pillow. (See  FIG. 2 .) 
     In STEP  522 , the neck pillow is ready for use and the method ends. Not shown are optional steps wherein:
         a) the sleeves are tied, clipped or otherwise fastened together to form a loop for easy carrying or suspension of the neck pillow; and/or,   b) the sleeves are looped around behind a seat and tied or otherwise fastened together to hold it in place; and/or,   c) the sleeves are draped behind the user and pressed between the user&#39;s body and a seat to form additional padding and/or hold the pillow in position; and/or,   d) the sleeves are draped in front of the user and held or otherwise secured to hold the pillow in position and/or allow it to easily be positioned and adjusted.       

     While various embodiments and aspects of the present invention have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only, and not limitation. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above exemplary embodiments. 
     This application—taken as a whole with the abstract, specification, and drawings being combined—provides sufficient information for a person having ordinary skill in the art to practice the invention as disclosed herein. Any measures necessary to practice this invention are well within the skill of a person having ordinary skill in this art after that person has made a careful study of this disclosure. 
     Because of this disclosure and solely because of this disclosure, modification of this device and method can become clear to a person having ordinary skill in this particular art. Such modifications are clearly covered by this disclosure. 
     What is claimed and sought to be protected by Letters Patent is: