US2589155A - Inflatable head stay - Google Patents

Description

R. D. SMITH INFLATABLE HEAD STAY March 11, .1952

Filed Oct INVENTOR' mam WM ATTORNEYJ.

Patented Mar. 11, 1952 UNITED STATES FATEN'E QFFICE INFLATABLE HEAD STAY Raymond B. Smith, Chappaqua, N. Y.

Application October 25, 1950, Serial No. 192,059

5 Claims. (Cl. 155-174) This invention relates to a device designed fo the comfort of sleeping passengers and the like in vehicles. The device is intended to maintain the head of the passenger from movement caused by movement of the vehicle.

An object of this invention is to provide a head stay which is inflatable when desired and which when deflated can easily be folded and compacted for storage by the user.

A further object of this invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive, eflicient device capable of providing lateral support of the head of a user and to prevent rolling or sliding of the head to the side when the neck muscles of a user are relaxed as in sleep.

Other and further objects and features of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention taken together with the drawings in which Figure 1 is a top plan View of the device in deflated condition;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the device in inflated condition, and

Figure 3 is a view of the device shown in the Figure 2 at right angles thereto.

The head stay comprises two sheets of vinyl plastic or the like designated it] and II which are secured together around the peripheral edge l2 by any known sealing means, such as for example heat. The sheets it and H are likewise sealed to one another in the central portion as shown at I3, which in the drawing is rectangular but which can possibly assume difierent configurations. The area I4 is consequently cut off from communication with the remainder of the area between the two sheets.

Spaced from the central sealedarea 14, the two sheets I!) and H are sealed together as at I 5 and iii. A valve stem I! is affixed to the sheet Ill and surrounding the valve stem, a plastic disc I8 is sealed at 19. The plastic disc [8 has an opencentral portion 20 through which the valve stem I! extends and the entire disc aside from the sealed portion i9 is loose.

Due to the sealing together of the edges of the sheets l and H, a closed container is formed capable of being inflated through valve stem I1 and the sealed portions [3, i and i6 form restrictions in the container which will inherently shape the head stay when inflated as shown in Figure 2.

When the head stay is inflated, the central portion l4, being out of communication with the vest of the container will remain flat. The two end'portions 2|, 22 will become inflated to a considerable extent and the intermediate portions surrounding the area l4 and between the areas l3 and I5, [6 will be inflated to a lesser extent. Due to the sealed area l5, l6 and the diiferences in amount of inflation, the ends 2|,

22 will tend to turn with respect to the central area as shown in Figure 2.

After the head stay is inflated to a desired degree, the valve stem H is folded over substantially in the middle and tucked under the loose plastic disc l8 through the opencentral portion 20. The pressure in the container in conjunction with the plastic disc It will maintain a pressuretight seal. In order to deflate the head stay the inflating process is reversed, namely the folded valve stem I1 is pulled from under the plastic disc and straightened. When deflated, the head stay can be folded like a handkerchief along the lines l5, It, for example, and can be conveniently placed in a pocket or handbag. The device is easily inflated as will be apparent from the foregoing description and when inflated serves a unique purpose. Due to the restricted areas of inflation, the device does not serve as a pillow or cushion in the ordinary sense and provides no direct support. It is designed purely as a lateral prop to maintain the head upright and prevent its rolling to the side in sleep. Additionally, the use of vinyl plastic and the like provides friction when under pressure from the head of a user and prevents the device from sliding sideways on the back of the seat. At the same time, the head can be lifted slightly so as to adjust the head stay and the head to a comfortable position.

The present invention provides a new and novel structure of extreme simplicity in construction and use which is inexpensive to manufacture, eflicient in use and capable of long use.

Various modifications in the form and construction of this device may obviously be resorted to without departing from the scope of this invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A head stay and the like comprising superimposed resilient sheets sealed at the peripheral edges thereof, said sheets being sealed together along a continuous line forming a closed figure in a central portion thereof and along lines intermediate between the peripheral edges and said sealed central portion and symmetrical to the end edges of said stay, said sealed sheets providing a container and inflating means for said container.

2. A head stay and the like comprising superimposed plastic sheets sealed together at the peripheral edges thereof, a central portion of said sheets being sealed together and providing an air-tight central portion, said sheets being sealed together along extended lines intermediate said sealed peripheral edges and said sealed central portion, said head stay being adapted for inflation, inflating means for said head stay, said head stay in inflated condition having ends thereof inflated to a considerable extent and the intermediate portions thereof around said sealed center portion and extending to said extended sealing lines being inflated to a lesser degree the end portions tending to become offset with relation to said central portion.

3. A head stay as claimed in claim 2 wherein said sealed central portion is uninflated.

4. A head stay as claimed in claim 2, said inflating means comprising a valve stem opening into. the space between said sealed sheets; a plastic disc having a central opening therein secured to one said sheet'at a distance fromsaid central opening, the remainder. of said plastic disc being free from said sheet, said valve stem extending through said central opening and being adapted and REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file: of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,461,9-1-1 Jordahn July 17, 1923 1,726,939 Anderson Sept. 3, 1929 2199,04! Fisher Apr. 30,. 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 784,691 France May 6,1935 385,441 Great Britain Dec. 29, 1932

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