Head encircling sensory deprivation pillow

Abstract

A noise and light occluding sleep-enhancing device 10 is disclosed, the device having an elongated pillow portion 12 with attachment members 16, 18 disposed on opposite ends of said elongated pillow portion. When in use, the sleep-enhancing device surrounds a user's head, thereby suppressing both noise and light and providing a user with a comfortable pillow for the full lateral circumference of the user's head.

Description

[0001]This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61 / 273,443, filed Aug. 5, 2009, which is entirely incorporated herein by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention generally relates to pillows; more particularly, the present invention relates to sleep-enhancing devices for resting a user's head while occluding light and sound during use.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]A full and restful sleep period is necessary to a full and productive waking period. However, an individual often sleeps in a situation that is uncomfortable, bright and / or noisy. For example, traveling businesspeople often find it necessary to sleep in loud, bright and uncomfortable airplanes, and college students often find it necessary to nap and / or sleep at their library tables, desks or student centers. Unfortunately, the sleep achieved in such situations is often interrupted by light, noise and discomfort, thereby limiting the benefits of the sleep perio...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010]In an aspect of the invention, a sleep-enhancing device is provided that minimizes auditory and visual sensory stimulation while allowing a user comfortable padding for the full lateral circumference of the user's head.

[0015]In embodiments, sleep-enhancing devices are described that can enable a user to sleep comfortably by providing padding for the front, side and rear portions of the user's head, including the forehead, temple regions, ocular regions, cheekbones and nasal regions. Sleep-enhancing devices of embodiments enable a user to rest the user's face on a firm or hard surface during rest or sleep.

[0016]Sleep-enhancing devices of embodiments of the invention are configured to remain comfortable and effective if laterally displaced during sleep. These devices are configured to occlude light from disturbing a user sleep while in use. In addition, sleep-enhancing device of embodiments of the invention minimize auditory disturbance while in use. These devices can be easily adjusted to fit many different sized heads. Furthe enhancing devices of embodiments of the invention require little or no strict orientation around the lateral circumference of a user's head for effective use. Sleep-enhancing devices of embodiments of the invention can be wrapped around a user's forehead for comfortable support when occlusion of noise and light is not desired by the user.

Problems solved by technology

However, an individual often sleeps in a situation that is uncomfortable, bright and / or noisy.

For example, traveling businesspeople often find it necessary to sleep in loud, bright and uncomfortable airplanes, and college students often find it necessary to nap and / or sleep at their library tables, desks or student centers.

Unfortunately, the sleep achieved in such situations is often interrupted by light, noise and discomfort, thereby limiting the benefits of the sleep period.

While the device of Laporte occludes both light and sound, the device requires that unsanitary and uncomfortable earplugs be inserted into the user's ears, and further fails to provide any means of padding for the user's head, thereby necessitating the user to use a separate expensive and bulky pillow device to attain comfortable conditions for sleep.

Although this device can occlude sound, its elastic means of attachment is impractical and uncomfortable.

However, the “U” shaped device is limiting in the variety of sleeping positions it affords a user, and would be of little use if it were to be displaced in sleep.

Further, having two separate units is inconvenient to pack and transport, expensive to manufacture and complicated to use.

However, this device is bulky, expensive to manufacture, complicated to wear and impractical to transport and use.

Further, this device is supplemented by a “U” shaped pillow portion to support a user's head, thereby limiting the variety of the user's possible sleeping positions.

While de Cordova teaches a means of light and noise occlusion and a means of padding for the sides and back of the user's head, its construction is complicated and expensive to manufacture.

Further, its design requires that it be worn in strict orientation on a user's head, and as such, its effectiveness is compromised when displaced during sleep.

Most importantly, the device of de Cordova fails to provide a means of padding for the front portion of a user's head, rendering the device ineffective a uncomfortable for a user sleeping in a position in which the front portion of the user's head and face, such as the user's forehead, ocular regions, nasal regions, cheekbones and temple regions, are resting against a firm surface (e.g., desk).

Generally, there are limitations associated with prior art sleep-enhancing devices.

For example, prior art sleep enhancing devices are uncomfortable and complicated to use, inconvenient to transport, expensive to manufacture, can be rendered ineffective if shifted during use, and can fail to provide sufficient padding for a user's head during use.

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