Adjustable head support

[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of patent application Ser. No. 10/731,192, filed 8 Dec., 2003 for DEFORMABLE INFANT HEAD SUPPORT by Katherine Gold et al and assigned to the assignee of this invention and incorporated by reference herein.

[0002] This invention relates to toddler head supports; and more particularly relates to a novel and improved self-supporting, flexible but firm, toddler head and neck support.

[0003] Head supports, such as, cushions, neck pillows, inflatable head supports or head rests using wing members with a hinge mechanism are known prior art. These types of devices are typically used by adults on an airplane or in a motor vehicle and do not provide the flexibility yet firmness required for a toddler head support.

[0004] It is desirable to have a toddler head support that allows a toddler to move his neck and head about in a comfortable fashion while at the same time providing sufficient support and firmness to allow a toddler to remain in an upright or substantially upright position and to rest his head including the lower cheek and jaw area on a firm support.

[0005] There is therefore a need for a toddler head and neck support that will retain the toddler's head and neck in a desired position while providing a flexible but firm means of support that is conformable into different opening sizes according to the size of the toddler's head.

[0006] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide for a novel and improved head support for toddlers.

[0007] It is an object of the present invention to provide for a novel and improved head support for toddlers that is easily adjustable according to the size of the toddler's head.

[0008] It is another object of the present invention to provide for a novel and improved head support for toddlers that provides adequate support for a toddler's head including the neck and chin.

[0009] It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved toddler head support which is easily portable and can be used in a toddler car seat, stroller or the like.

[0010] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved toddler head and neck support that provides adequate support for the head and neck of a sleeping toddler.

[0011] It is a final object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved toddler head and neck support that supports a toddler in an upright or substantially upright position.

[0012] In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a head support with a padded support member including a central support portion, downwardly directed side support portions at opposite ends of the central support portion and deformable wire-reinforcing means extending internally along a substantial length of the side support portions for conforming the side support portions to each side of a toddler's head. The wire-reinforcing means is attached to a flat panel contained within the central support portion and the flat panel and wire-reinforcing means are covered in a protective padding. The toddler head support preferably includes strap means to secure the device to a stationary article. The device also includes upper suspension means attached to the central support portion to suspend the device from a stationary article.

[0013] In one embodiment, the wire-reinforcing means extend from an upper portion of the flat panel and includes a looped member at each single rounded end of the side support portions and terminating at a lower portion of the flat panel.

[0014] In another embodiment, the central support portion and side support portions contain padding of uniform thickness. In a further embodiment, the side support portions include padding of greater thickness than the padding surrounding the central support portion.

[0025] Referring to FIGS. 1 through 9, there is provided a toddler head support device comprising a padded support device 11 including a unitary central support portion 13 and side support portions 15 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The central support portion 13 and side support portions 15 generally include a padded member 16 with an upper convex end 38 and a lower concave end 40 and downwardly directed, convergent side supports 15. The padded member 16 is completely covered with a cloth covering 18 and includes padded wire clips 49 for suspending the device 11 from an upper portion of a toddler car seat or headrest portion of an automobile. A strap 51 is attached to a lower inside portion 61 of the device 11 to further secure the device to a headrest or car seat.

[0026] The central support portion 13 includes a flat panel 17 as shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, which is secured to a second flat panel 19 with wire entry passages 21 along an upper portion of the panels 17 and 19 and a lower wire entry passage 23 along a lower end of the panels 17 and 19. The flat panel 17 extends the same length as the flat panel 19 as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. The flat panels 17 and 19 are preferably formed of a durable, semi-rigid plastic or similar type material and preferably have a square configuration. The flat panels 17 and 19 are centered within the central support portion 13 to provide a firm support for the back portion of a toddler's head. The flat panels 17 and 19 also provide a support base for a wire member 25 which extends a substantial length of side support portions 15 as shown in FIG. 4. The wire member 25 is preferably a lightweight, bendable material and extends endlessly through the upper wire entry passage 21, forming rounded edges 27 and the looped ends 29 near rounded side support ends Detailed Description 31 located at lower ends 33 of each of the side support portions 15. The rounded edges 27 and looped ends 29 of the wire member 25 provide side support for the head and neck of a toddler while also allowing for adjustability of each of the side support portions 15. The side support portions 15 are forwardly and downwardly convergent forming a protective support for a toddler's head, neck and chin. The side support portions 15 may be inwardly directed to form a firm chin support as shown in dotted form in FIGS. 8 and 9. The side support portions 15 also may be adjusted independently of one another to conform to a desired shape. If a toddler requires a wider opening on one of the side supports 15, this is possible with the wire member 25. Further, the rounded edges 27 and the looped ends 29 prevent sharp edges from coming into contact with the head or neck of a toddler thereby providing a comfortable head support. The wire member 25 forms a dual wire frame 35 on each side of the support portions 15. This provides further independent adjustability of each side of the support portions 15. The dual wire frame 35 also provides a more stable side support allowing the side support portion 15 to retain a desired shape. Once adjusted to a desired configuration, the side supports 15 will retain this desired shape until readjusted.

[0027] The padded member 16 includes a padding portion 18 and secondary padding portion 20 which are joined to form the downwardly extending side supports 15 as shown in FIGS. 2, 5 and 6 with the lower concave end 40 along a lower central portion 39. The secondary padding portion 20 is secured to a face 41 of the flat panel 19 and a side of the wire member 25. The padding portion 18 is secured to a face 42 of the flat panel 17 and shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. The padding portion 18 and the secondary padding portion 20 are joined together to form the padding member 16 with the looped wire member 25 and the flat panels 17 and 19 centered within the padding member 16. Variations of the padding combination may also be used to form a soft cushion surrounding the wire member 25. The padding member 16 forms a squared side edge 45 along the entire side support portions 16 as shown in FIGS. 3, 8 and 9.

[0028] Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, upper edge 55 and lower edge 57 of the central support portion 13 form a modified edge of lesser thickness than the side support portions 15. The decrease in padding aids in positioning a toddler's head into a recess 59 that is formed in the central support portion while the side support portions 13 are designed to conform around the sides of an infant's head. The side support portions 15 are capable of being pulled in to support both sides of a toddler's chin thereby providing a more comfortable sleeping position for a toddler while in a car seat. The upper convex end 38 and lower concave end 40 in combination with the downwardly convergent side supports 15 form a curved opening to receive a toddler's head and neck as shown in FIGS. 2, 8 and 9. The padding surrounding the central support portion and side support portions may also be of uniform thickness, which would not prevent adjustability of the side supports 15.

[0029] The device 11 includes the padded wire clips 49 for suspending the device 11 from the upper portion of a toddler car seat or the headrest portion of an automobile. Shown in FIG. 4, the padded wire clips 49 are made up of a bendable wire 48, similar to that used in the side supports 15. The single piece of wire 48 is passed through the upper wire entry passage 21 resulting in a pair of wire members 48′ extending from the upper portion 43 of the flat panels 17 and 19. The wire members 48′ are completely surrounded with a foam padding 54 and then with a cloth covering material 56. The cloth material 56 is then attached, preferably sewn to the cloth covering 18 as shown in FIG. 3. Due to the nature of the attachment of the wire members 48′ to the flat panels 17 and 19, the padded wire clips 49 move simultaneously with one another. The clips 49 are of adequate length to be releasably suspended from an upper portion of a toddler car seat, automobile car seat, headrest or the like. This suspension allows the toddler's head to be stabilized while allowing for adjustability of the side portions 15. Alternatively, plastic clips or similar devices may be used to suspend the device 11 from a stationary object. The strap 51 made of elastic material is secured to the rear portion of the device 11, preferably at the lower inside portions 61 of the side supports 15, to further secure the toddler headrest 11 to a stationary object. This is shown in FIGS. 3 and 7. The strap 51 may be placed around the back side of a headrest or toddler seat and provides additional stabilization of the headrest to a stationary object.

[0030] In use, the device 11 is suspended from a toddler car seat or the like with the clips 49. A toddler's head is placed in the recess 59 and the side portions 15 are adjusted to conform to a toddler's head and neck. The device 11 provides a support for a toddler in an upright or semi-upright position.

[0031] It is therefore to be understood that while preferred forms of invention are herein set forth and described, the above and other modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims and reasonable equivalents thereof.