Apparatus for relieving psychological stress

• US 4,553,534 A
• Filed: 06/16/1983
• Issued: 11/19/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/1982
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Reinhard Stiegler
• Original Assignee: Reinhard Stiegler
• Inventors: Stiegler, Reinhard
• Primary Examiner(s): Hafer, Robert A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DEMILLE, DANTON D
• Application Number:
  US06/505,059
• Time in Patent Office: 887 Days
• Field of Search: 128/24.1, 128/1 R, 128/1 C, 352/63, 434/43, 434/41, 351/155, 351/156, 455/149, 179/146 R
• US Class Current: 601/15
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/0406 Accessories for helmets
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/22 Visors
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/30 Mounting radio sets or communication systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0027 by the hearing sense
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0044 by the sight sense
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 21/00 Other devices or methods to cause a change in the state of consciousness; Devices for producing or ending sleep by mechanical, optical, or acoustical means, e.g. for hypnosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0648 the light being directed to the eyes
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 31/006 with video camera or receiver

Abstract

An apparatus for treating stress has a support shaped to fit on the head and constructed to shield the ears from external noise, a display carried on the support and positionable in front of the wearer'"'"'s eyes, sound transducers in the support positioned to be juxtaposed with the wearer'"'"'s ears, and a recorder and amplifier for activating the transducers and display with stress-reducing sounds and images. A visor forming the display is pivoted on the support so it can be moved out of the wearer'"'"'s line of sight. The display itself can be a television-type screen, a multiplicity of light-emitting diodes, or a transparency or slide-type projection arrangement. The support can be a head-encasing helmet of the type worn in football or could be a pair of ear-covering stereophonic headphones carrying a visor provided with the display.

Claims

1. An apparatus for treating stress, the apparatus comprising:

a support in the form of a helment shaped to fit on the head and constructed to shield the ears from external noise;

a visible display carried on the support and pivotable into a position in which it completely blocks out external visual stimulus;

sound transducers in the support positioned to be juxtaposed with the wearer'"'"'s ears; and

means including a tape player mounted in the support, said tape player having means for activating the transducers and display providing stress-reducing sounds and images.

2. The stress-treating apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein the display is formed as a visor movable out of the wearer'"'"'s line of sight.

3. The stress-treating apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein the display is constituted as a television screen.

4. The stress-treating apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein the display has a multiplicity of light-emitting diodes.

5. The stress-treating apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein the activating means includes an amplifier connected to the transducers.

6. The stress-treating apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the activating means includes means for making different colors appear on the display.