Patent Document

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates generally to head and neck support systems and, more specifically, to a head restraint device and method therefor capable of being attached to an article of furniture to allow the user secure his or her head with the head restraint device while resting in the article of furniture. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Many people have experienced illnesses or injuries which prevent them from having complete muscle control in their neck. Accordingly, the use of typical furniture by these people may prove to be cumbersome in that the article of furniture must be reclined or otherwise altered from its typical form in order for the user&#39;s head to remain upright. Unfortunately, this may sometimes provide an unsatisfactory or awkward solution to the problem. 
   This invention addresses this problem by providing a head restraint device capable of being attached to an article of furniture while at the same time able to secure the head of a user to the head restraint device. This enables a user to use the article of furniture with their head comfortably restrained and resting in an upright position without relying on significant use of their neck muscles. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   An object of the present invention is to provide a head restraint device having the ability to be attached to an article of furniture and having the ability to secure the head of a person using the article of furniture to the head restraint device without substantial aid of the user&#39;s own strength. 
   It is a further object of the present invention to provide a comfortable way for keeping the head of a user relatively upright when resting on an article of furniture without the need for substantial modification to the article of furniture. 
   BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a head restraint device is disclosed, comprising, in combination, a cushion, an attachment device coupled to the cushion, the attachment device dimensioned to attach the cushion to an article of furniture, and a restraining device coupled to the cushion, the restraining device dimensioned to couple at least a portion of a head of a user to the cushion. 
   In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a method for restraining a head of a user is disclosed, comprising, in combination, the steps of providing an article of furniture, providing a cushion having an attachment device coupled to the cushion and a restraining device coupled to the cushion, attaching the attachment device to the article of furniture, positioning a user on the article of furniture with a back of the neck of the user proximate the cushion, adjusting the restraining device to couple at least a portion of a head of the user to the cushion. 
   In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a head restraint device is disclosed, comprising, in combination, a cushion having a first portion and a second portion, a first strap having a first end and a second end, the first end coupled to the first portion of the cushion, a male coupling member coupled proximate the second end of the first strap, a second strap having a first end and a second end, the first end of the second strap coupled to the second portion of the cushion, a female coupling member coupled proximate the second end of the second strap, the female coupling member dimensioned to mate with the male coupling member, the second end of the first strap and the second end of the second strap dimensioned to wrap around an article of furniture and be coupled with the male coupling member and the female coupling member, a sheet of material having a first end coupled to the cushion and a second end having a first corner and a second corner and a center portion therebetween, the center portion dimensioned to cover at least a portion of a head of a user, the first corner of the sheet of material dimensioned to be coupled to a first portion of the cushion and the second corner of the sheet of material dimensioned to be coupled to a second portion of the cushion in order to secure a head of a user to the cushion in order to secure a head of a user to the cushion in a substantially upright position, and at least one pair of one of D-rings and O-rings coupled to the first portion of the cushion and the second portion of the cushion for securing the sheet of material coupled to the cushion for restraining a head of a user. 
   The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following, more particular description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is an elevated perspective view of one embodiment of the head restraint device of the present invention wherein the restraining device is a bandana-like sheet of material fixably coupled to the cushion portion of the head restraint device and capable of being secured by a pair of D-rings; 
       FIG. 2  is an elevated perspective view of one embodiment of the head restraint device of the present invention wherein the restraining device is a baseball cap-like fixture fixably coupled to the cushion portion of the head restraint device and capable of being placed about the head of a user; 
       FIG. 2A  is an elevated perspective view of the head restraint device shown in  FIG. 2  with the baseball cap-like fixture shown in phantom; 
       FIG. 3  is an elevated perspective view of the head restraint device of  FIG. 1  attached to an article of furniture and restraining the head of a user shown in phantom; and 
       FIG. 4  is a rear view of the head restraint device of  FIG. 3 , showing the first strap coupled to the second strap around the back of an article of furniture. 
   

   Common reference numerals are used throughout the drawings and detailed descriptions to indicate like elements. 
   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   The novel features believed characteristic of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description of illustrated embodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals and symbols represent like elements. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1-4 , various embodiments of a head restraint device, referred to generically as a head restraint device  10 , are disclosed. The head restraint device  10  comprises a cushion  12  (shown in  FIGS. 1-3 ) having a first portion  14  (shown in  FIGS. 1-3 ), a center portion  15  (shown in  FIGS. 1-3 ), and a second portion  16  (shown in  FIGS. 1-3 ). The head restraint device  10  further comprises an attachment device  27  (shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  2 A and  4 ) coupled to the cushion  12 . The attachment device  27  is dimensioned to attach the cushion  12  to an article of furniture  36  (shown in  FIGS. 3-4 ). In the preferred embodiment, the attachment device  27  comprises a first strap  18  having a first end  17  (shown in  FIGS. 1-3 ) and a second end  19  (shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  2 A and  4 ) and a second strap  24  having a first end  23  (shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 A and  3 ) and a second end  25  (shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  2 A and  4 ). Preferably, the first end  17  of the first strap  18  is coupled to the first portion  14  of the cushion  12  and the first end  23  of the second strap  24  is coupled to the second portion  16  of the cushion  12 . The second end  19  of the first strap  18  and the second end  25  of the second strap  24  are preferably dimensioned to wrap around an article of furniture  36  and be coupled to one another. In the preferred embodiment, the second end  19  of the first strap  18  comprises a male coupling member  20  (shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  2 A and  4 ) and the second end  25  of the second strap  24  comprises a female coupling member  26  (shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  2 A and  4 ) dimensioned to be coupled to the male coupling member  20  to secure the cushion  12  to an article of furniture  36 . However, it should be clearly understood that substantial benefit could be derived from an alternative embodiment of the present invention in which a mechanism other than the male coupling member  20  and female coupling member  26  is used for connecting the first strap  18  and second strap  24  (such as a hook and loop fastener, buttons, hooks, snaps, etc.) or in which a mechanism other than straps  18  and  24  are used to attach the cushion  12  to an article of furniture  36 , such as a drawstring or an elastic band. 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 1-3 , the head restraint device  10  further comprises a restraining device  30   a  or  30   b  coupled to the cushion  12 . The restraining device  30   a  or  30   b  is dimensioned to couple at least a portion of a head  38  of a user to the cushion  12 . In the preferred embodiment, the restraining device  30   a  or  30   b  is coupled to a center portion  15  of the cushion  12 , though it should be clearly understood that substantial benefit could be derived from an alternative embodiment of the present invention in which the restraining device  30   a  or  30   b  is coupled to another area of the cushion  12  so long as the restraining device  30   a  or  30   b  is securely coupled to the cushion  12 . 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 1 and 3 , a first embodiment of the head restraint device  10  hereinafter referred to as head restraint device  10   a , is shown. In the preferred version of the head restraint device  10   a , the restraining device  30   a  or  30   b  is a sheet of material  30   a  (preferably a bandana-like sheet of material, though any material capable of securing the head  38  of a user is within the spirit and scope of this invention). The sheet of material  30   a  has a first end  31  (shown in  FIG. 1 ) preferably coupled to the center portion  15  of the cushion  12 , though it should be clearly understood that substantial benefit could be derived from an alternative embodiment of the head restraint device  10   a  in which the sheet of material  30   a  is coupled to some other area of the cushion  12  so long as sheet of material  30   a  is securely coupled to the cushion  12 . The sheet of material  30   a  has a second end  40  (shown in  FIG. 1 ) having a first corner  33  (shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 ), a second corner  35  (shown in  FIG. 1 ) and a center portion  37  (shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 ) therebetween. As shown in  FIG. 3 , the center portion  37  is dimensioned to cover at least a portion of a head  38  of a user and secure the head  38  in a substantially upright position while the first corner  33  of the sheet of material  30   a  is coupled to the first portion  14  of the cushion  12  and the second corner  35  is coupled to the second portion  16  of the cushion  12 . 
   Still referring to  FIGS. 1 and 3 , the head restraint device  10   a  preferably comprises a first securing device  28  coupled to the first portion  14  of the cushion  12  and a second securing device  29  coupled to the second portion  16  of the cushion  12 . The first securing device  28  is dimensioned to receive and secure the first corner  33  of the sheet of material  30   a  to the cushion  12 . The second securing device  29  is dimensioned to receive and secure the second corner  35  of the sheet of material  30   a  to the cushion  12 . Preferably, the first securing device  28  and the second securing device  29  are D-rings or O-rings, however, it should be clearly understood that substantial benefit could be derived from an alternative embodiment of the present invention which uses a mechanism other than D-rings or O-rings to couple the sheet of material  30   a  to the first portion  14  and second portion  16  of the cushion  12 , such as hook and loop fasteners or even an aperture defined by the first portion  14  and the second portion  16  to receive, respectively, the first corner  33  and the second corner  35 . 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 2 and 2A , a second embodiment of the head restraint device  10 , hereinafter referred to as head restraint device lob, is shown. The head restraint device  10   b  is essentially the same as the head restraint device  10   a  except that the restraining device  30   a  or  30   b  is a cap/hat  30   b  instead of a sheet of material  30   a . In the preferred version of this embodiment, the restraining device  30   a  or  30   b  is a cap-like piece of material  30   b  coupled to the center portion  15  of the cushion  12 . However, it should be clearly understood that substantial benefit could be derived from an alternative embodiment of the present invention which uses a restraining device  30   a  or  30   b  other than a cap-like piece of material  30   b , such as a differently shaped hat, so long as the head covering is capable of securing at least a portion of a head  38  of a user to the cushion  12 . 
   STATEMENT OF OPERATION 
   In accordance with one embodiment of the head restraint device  10 , a cushion  12  is secured to an article of furniture  36 . A user is then preferably positioned with the back of the neck of the user proximate the cushion  12  with at least a portion of the user&#39;s head  38  above the cushion  12 . The restraining device  30   a  or  30   b  is then adjusted to couple at least a portion of a head  38  of a user to the cushion  12 . The restraining device  30   a  or  30   b  could be a hat  30   b , as shown in  FIGS. 2  and  2 A, in which case it may be sufficient to securely place the hat  30   b  on the user&#39;s head  38 . Alternatively, the restraining device  30   a  or  30   b  could be a sheet of material  30   a , as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , that is placed over at least a portion of the user&#39;s head  38 . Once over at least a portion of the head  38  (and preferably the forehead) of a user, the first corner  33  of the sheet of material  30   a  is then secured to the first portion  14  of the cushion  12  and the second corner  35  is secured to the second portion  16  of the cushion  12 . In the head restraint device  10   a , the first corner  33  is preferably secured to the first portion  14  of the cushion  12  through the use of a first securing device  28  and the second corner  35  is preferably secured to the second portion  16  of the cushion  12  through the use of a second securing device  29 . Preferably, the first securing device  28  and the second securing device  29  are either D-rings or O-rings that a corner of material can be passed through and secured so that the corners  33  and  35  cannot be removed by pulling alone (such as the pulling of a head that is pitching forward). Another securing mechanism other than the first securing device  28  and the second securing device  29  could be used so long as the sheet of material  30   a  can be secured to the cushion  12  so that the user&#39;s head  38  can be maintained in a substantially upright position without the sheet of material  30   a  accidentally coming loose. 
   While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing and other changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

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