Vibrating neck rest for the passenger seat of a motor vehicle

• US 5,374,238 A
• Filed: 07/19/1993
• Issued: 12/20/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ji Xiao
• Original Assignee: Ji Xiao
• Inventors: Xiao, Ji
• Primary Examiner(s): Hindenburg, Max
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kenealy, David J.
• Application Number:
  US08/092,956
• Time in Patent Office: 519 Days
• Field of Search: 601/46, 601/48, 601/49-54, 601/56-60, 601/61, 601/67-70, 601/78, 601/80, 601/81
• US Class Current: 601/57
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2205/04 neck
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 23/0218 with alternating magnetic fields producing a translating or oscillating movement

Abstract

A vibrating neck rest particularly adapted for attachment to and use in conjunction with a passenger seat a motor vehicle, the vibrating neck rest including a cushion, the cushion being substantially elongated and having a major longitudinal axis, a vibration unit disposed within the cushion for producing a vibration on at least a portion of a surface of the cushion, a pair of tubes, one each of the pair of tubes extending outward from an opposing side of the vibration unit, the pair of tubes extending outward from the vibration unit substantially parallel to the major longitudinal axis of the cushion, a pair of hammer members, one each of the hammer members being attached to a distal end of one each of the tubes, an attachment apparatus for attaching the cushion to the passenger seat of the motor vehicle, and a control mechanism for altering at least one characteristic of the vibration produced by the vibrating apparatus, the control mechanism being movable to a point remote from the cushion.

Claims

1. A vibrating neck rest particularly adapted for attachment to and use in conjunction with a passenger seat of a motor vehicle, said vibrating neck rest comprising:

cushion;

said cushion being substantially elongated and having a major longitudinal axis;

said cushion having a front surface for contacting the neck of a user;

a vibration unit disposed within said cushion for producing a vibration on at least said front surface of said cushion;

a pair of tubes, one each of said pair of tubes extending outward from an opposing side of said vibration unit;

each of said tubes being provided with annular corrugations on at least a portion of its external surface;

said pair of tubes extending outward from said vibration unit substantially parallel to said major longitudinal axis of said cushion;

a pair of hammer members;

each of said pair of hammer members being annular shaped, and one each of said pair of hammer members being disposed within one each of a distal end of said pair of tubes;

a shield apparatus extending over at least a portion of said front surface of said cushion, said shield apparatus overlaying said vibration unit, said pair of tubes, and said pair of annular hammer members;

said shield apparatus comprising a first shield member and a distinct and separate second shield member, said first shield member being disposed intermediate between said vibration unit and said second shield member;

said first shield member being provided with a pair of inwardly turned ends, one each of said inwardly turned ends projecting into one each of said annular shaped hammer members;

attachment means for attaching said cushion to the passenger seat of the motor vehicle; and

a control mechanism for altering at least one characteristic of said vibration produced by said vibration unit;

said control mechanism being movable to a point remote from said cushion;

said control mechanism comprising battery powered control circuitry; and

said characteristic of said vibration altered by said control mechanism comprising a speed of vibration.

2. A vibrating neck rest particularly adapted for attachment to and use in conjunction with a passenger seat of a motor vehicle, comprising:

a substantially elongated cushion having a major longitudinal axis and a front surface for contacting the neck of a user;

vibrating means disposed within said cushion for producing a vibration on at least a portion of a surface of said cushion, said vibrating means comprising;

a vibration unit;

a pair of tubes provided with annular corrugations on at least a portion of their respective external surfaces, one each of said pair of tubes extending outward from an opposing side of said vibration unit and being substantially parallel to said major longitudinal axis of said cushion; and

a pair of annular shaped hammer members, one each of said hammer members being attached to a distal end of one each of said pair of tubes, and one each of said pair of hammer members being disposed within one each of said distal ends of said pair of tubes;

attachment means for attaching said cushion to the passenger seat of the motor vehicle;

a control mechanism for altering at least one characteristic of said vibration produced by said vibrating means, said control mechanism being movable to a point remote from said cushion; and

a shield apparatus extending over at least a portion of said front surface of said cushion, said shield apparatus overlaying at least said vibration unit and said pair of tubes, said shield apparatus further comprising;

a first shield member and a distinct and separate second shield member, said first shield member being disposed intermediate between said vibration unit and said second shield member;

said first shield member being provided with a pair of inwardly turned ends, one each of said inwardly turned ends projecting into one each of said annular shaped hammer members.

3. A vibrating neck rest particularly adapted for attachment to and use in conjunction with a passenger seat of a motor vehicle, comprising:

a substantially elongated cushion having a major longitudinal axis and a front surface for contacting the neck of a user;

vibrating means disposed within said cushion for producing a vibration on at least a portion of a surface of said cushion, said vibrating means comprising;

a vibration unit;

a pair of tubes provided with annular corrugations on at least a portion of their respective external surfaces, one each of said pair of tubes extending outward from an opposing side of said vibration unit and being substantially parallel to said major longitudinal axis of said cushion; and

a pair of annular shaped hammer members, one each of said hammer members being attached to a distal end of one each of said pair of tubes, and one each of said pair of hammer members being disposed within one each of said distal ends of said pair of tubes;

attachment means for attaching said cushion to the passenger seat of the motor vehicle;

a control mechanism, comprising battery powered control circuitry, for altering at least one characteristic of said vibration produced by said vibrating means, said control mechanism being movable to a point remote from said cushion; and

a shield apparatus extending over at least a portion of said front surface of said cushion, said shield apparatus overlaying at least said vibration unit and said pair of tubes, said shield apparatus further comprising;

a first shield member and a distinct and separate second shield member, said first shield member being disposed intermediate between said vibration unit and said second shield member;

said first shield member being provided with a pair of inwardly turned ends, one each of said inwardly turned ends projecting into one each of said annular shaped hammer members.

4. A vibrating neck rest according to claim 3, wherein said characteristic of said vibration altered by said control mechanism comprises a speed of vibration.