Patent Document

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is related and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/087,852 filed on Dec. 5, 2014. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    During a flight or other travel methods such as car, trains, and the like, a passenger&#39;s hand cannot provide the support or the comfort needed to rest or comfortably relax. Using a pillow provided by the airline may be unsanitary and any pillow brought from home typically would be too large and/or inconvenient. The disclosed technology provides a solution for travelers struggling with the problem of comfortably resting one&#39;s head during road trips, times of relaxation, and travel. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0003]      FIG. 1  is a top plan view of a pillow according to one example of the disclosed technology. 
           [0004]      FIG. 2  is a partial cut away view of the pillow shown in  FIG. 1  in use. 
           [0005]      FIG. 3  is a partial cut away view of a pillow according to another example of the disclosed technology. 
           [0006]      FIG. 4  is a top plan view of the pillow shown in  FIG. 3 . 
           [0007]      FIG. 5  is an end view of the pillow shown in  FIG. 3 . 
           [0008]      FIG. 6  is a top plan view of still another example of a pillow according to the disclosed technology. 
           [0009]      FIG. 7  is an end view of a pillow according to another example of the disclosed technology. 
           [0010]      FIG. 8  is a top plan view of the pillow shown in  FIG. 7 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 9  is a top plan view of a pillow according to another example of the disclosed technology. 
           [0012]      FIG. 10  is an end view of the pillow shown in  FIG. 9 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 11  is a top plan view of a pillow according to an example of the disclosed technology. 
           [0014]      FIG. 12  is a top plan view of a pillow according to an example of the disclosed technology. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]    For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the claimed technology and presenting its currently understood best mode of operation, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the claimed technology is thereby intended, with such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device and such further applications of the principles of the claimed technology as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the claimed technology relates. 
         [0016]    The disclosed technology provides comfort for the hand, neck, and head when relaxing, sleeping, or traveling. The pillow may be made using nylon fiber as the fabric and thousands of micro-air beads to provide contoured support, cooling comfort airflow, and head, hand, and neck support. Variations of the pillow may use foam, down, feathers, and the like in place of the micro-air beads. Other variations may use other fabrics in place of nylon. The pillow itself may be fitted with the ambidextrous mitten-shaped sleeve and a removable pillow case. The pillows shown herein are generally square or round shaped and more or less symmetrical, but the present technology could also be practiced using pillows of other or more irregular shapes as desired. In some examples, the pillow and cover are machine washable and dryable. Sleeve sizes may vary so as to fit the hands of children, teenagers, and adults. Once the hand is in the desired position, users can then comfortably place their hand to their head and rest or sleep as desired. 
         [0017]    The disclosed technology comprises a variety of small and lightweight pillows that can easily be packed or stored away when not in use.  FIG. 1  shows a top plan view of a hand pillow  10  according to one example of the disclosed technology. This particular example of a hand pillow  10  comprises a pillow or cushion portion  12  and a sleeve portion  14 . The pillow portion  12  comprises a fabric cover enclosing some type of padding or cushion. The fabric may be made of cotton, nylon, silk, denim, or any other suitable natural or synthetic material or combination thereof. The padding or cushion may be a plurality of micro-air beads, solid foam batting, feathers, or any other loose or solid suitable material normally used to fill pillows. 
         [0018]    The sleeve portion  14  is secured to one face of the pillow portion by a seam  16 . The seam  16  may be formed by stitching or secured using a suitable adhesive. Optionally the sleeve portion may be formed from the fabric cover of the pillow portion  12  itself. An opening  24  along one edge of the pillow  12  allows the user to insert a hand into the sleeve portion to hold the pillow  10 . Optionally, the opening  24  may include a draw string or other securing means so as to allow the user to tighten the opening  24  sufficiently so as to prevent the pillow  10  from sliding off the user&#39;s hand accidentally. The sleeve portion  14  in this particular example comprises two thumb portions  20 ,  22  disposed on either side of a larger central cavity  18 . With this particular arrangement the user can insert either the left or right hand comfortably for use. In other examples, only a larger central cavity is used which still allows either hand to be used to hold the pillow but does not segregate the user&#39;s thumb from the rest of the hand. Optionally, the sleeve portion is lined with a material different from that which covers the rest of the pillow  10  such as fleece or other suitable material. 
         [0019]      FIG. 2  shows a pillow  10  according to the example shown in  FIG. 1  in use. In this particular example, a user  28  has inserted his hand  26  into the sleeve portion  14  of the pillow  10  through the opening  24 . When the user curves his hand  26  into a loose fist the pillow portion  12  of the hand pillow  10  curves accordingly. The first face  32  of the pillow portion  12  on which sleeve  14  is disposed curves in towards the user&#39;s hand which allows the second face  30  of the pillow portion  12  which is disposed opposite the sleeve  13  to form a resting area for the user&#39;s face. 
         [0020]      FIGS. 3-5  show a partial cut away side view of another example of a hand pillow  34  according to the disclosed invention. In this particular example, the pillow  34  comprises a pillow portion  36  is generally shaped like a rectangular solid and has a first face  46  and a second face  38  on which a sleeve portion  48  is disposed. The sleeve portion  48  is generally rectangular in shape which allows a user  44  to insert either hand  42  into the sleeve through an opening  40  disposed along one end of the pillow portion  36 . The pillow portion  36  comprises an inner cushion portion and an outer covering portion which may be made from suitable materials as previously discussed. Optionally the pillow  34  may include an access opening  50  through which material may be added or removed from the pillow interior. The pillow portion  36  and sleeve  48  may be sized as desired with larger versions for adults and smaller versions for children. The hand pillow  34  may be used by inserting a hand  42  into the sleeve portion  48  and resting the first face  46  of the pillow portion  36  against the user&#39;s  44  face or head. In this particular example, the pillow portion  36  is sized so as to be at least slightly larger than the user&#39;s hand so that the entirety of the user&#39;s hand is covered by cushioning material when the pillow-covered hand is placed against the user&#39;s face or head. 
         [0021]      FIGS. 6-8  show yet another example of a hand pillow  52  according to the disclosed technology. In this example, the hand pillow  52  comprises a pillow portion  54  and a sleeve portion  56  which is sized and configured so as to allow insertion of their the user&#39;s right or left hand through an opening  58  near one edge of the pillow. The hand pillow further includes a strap portion  60  secured to one end either by stitching, glue, or some other suitable securing method. The strap  60  may be made from the same material as the pillow covering or of a different material. The user may insert a hand through the strap  60  prior to insertion into the sleeve portion so as to prevent the pillow from being lost or dropped. Optionally, the strap may be made from an elastic material so the pillow can be rolled up and the strap drawn over the outside of the roll to secure the pillow for storage as shown in  FIGS. 7-8 . 
         [0022]      FIGS. 9-10  show yet another example of a pillow  62  according to the disclosed technology. In this particular example, the pillow  62  comprises a cushion portion  64  having a front face  78  and a back face  80 . A cavity  66  accessible via an opening  68  in one end of the cushion portion  64  is disposed between the front face  78  and back face  80  of the pillow and is generally sized and configured so as to accommodate either of the left of right hand of a user. A loop or strap comprising two separable portions  70 ,  72  is fixed to the pillow. One end of each strap portions  70 ,  72  is fixed to a face  78 ,  80  of the pillow using glue, snaps, sewing, or other suitable means. Each strap portion  70 ,  72  includes an end portion  74 ,  76  where a releasable joining means is secured. The specific joining means may vary, but can include snaps, buttons, hook-and-loop style fasteners, and the like. The two strap portions  70 ,  72  may be joined together at their respective end potions  74 ,  76  to form a unified strap or loop. 
         [0023]      FIG. 11  shows another example of a hand pillow  90  according to the disclosed technology. In this example, a handle  94  is attached to one end of the pillow  90 . In this particular example, the handle  94  is attached to the end of the pillow opposite the opening  98  to the hand cavity  96  disposed within the cushion interior  92  of the pillow  90 . In other examples, the handle may be attached to one of the sides of the pillow adjacent to the opening  98  or on the same side as the opening  98 . 
         [0024]      FIG. 12  shows still another example of a hand pillow  100  according to the disclosed invention. In this example, a handle  104  is attached to one face  102  of the pillow  100 . The handle  104  is attached to the face  102  of the pillow approximately midway between the opening  108  to the hand cavity  106  disposed within the cushion interior of the pillow  100  and the opposite end of the pillow. In other examples, the handle may be attached to one of the faces of the pillow closer or farther from the opening to the pillow interior as desired. 
         [0025]    While the claimed technology has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character. It is understood that the embodiments have been shown and described in the foregoing specification in satisfaction of the best mode and enablement requirements. It is understood that one of ordinary skill in the art could readily make a nigh-infinite number of insubstantial changes and modifications to the above-described embodiments and that it would be impractical to attempt to describe all such embodiment variations in the present specification. Accordingly, it is understood that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the claimed technology are desired to be protected.

Technology Category: a