Travel pillow assembly

• US 9,629,468 B1
• Filed: 04/21/2016
• Issued: 04/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Edward Casey Mccabe, Oi Huang
• Original Assignee: Edward Casey Mccabe, Oi Huang
• Inventors: McCabe, Edward Casey, Huang, Oi (Katie)
• Primary Examiner(s): Sosnowski, David E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hare, David R
• Application Number:
  US15/135,014
• Time in Patent Office: 369 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 11/2557 with strap length adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/383 Detachable or loose head- or neck-supports, e.g. horse-shoe shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2009/1018 Foam pillows
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 9/1027 Details of inflatable pillows
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 9/1054 for lying face downwards
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 9/1081 comprising a neck support, e.g. a neck roll

Abstract

A travel pillow assembly can include a belt assembly, a neck pillow, and first and second suspension member assemblies. The belt assembly can include a first elongate member and a first buckle member. The belt assembly is operable to fixedly and releasibly surround a plurality of perimeters of different size. The neck pillow can extend a pillow length from a first end, through a midpoint position, and to a second end. The first and second suspension member assemblies can each be operatively connected to the first elongate member and extend a respective suspension member length. Each can releasibly form a pillow engagement loop to encircle the neck pillow and can have a second buckle member to maintain the suspension member in a plurality of orientations, a distance between the second buckle member and the pillow engagement loop being adjustable.

Claims

1. A travel pillow assembly comprising:

a belt assembly including a first elongate member of flexible material extending a belt length between a first end and a second end and configured to elastically deform to surround a perimeter of another structure and a first buckle member receiving said first elongate member and configured to maintain said first elongate member in a plurality of different orientations whereby said belt assembly is operable to fixedly and releasibly surround a plurality of perimeters of different size;

a neck pillow extending a pillow length along a truncated, omega-shaped path about a nonlinear axis from a first end, through a midpoint position, and to a second end; and

first and second suspension member assemblies, each operatively connected to said first elongate member along said belt length, each extending a respective suspension member length, each configured to releasibly form a respective pillow engagement loop operable to selectively encircle said neck pillow along said nonlinear axis between said midpoint position and one of said first and second ends of said neck pillow, each having a respective second buckle member positioned along said respective suspension member length and spaced from said pillow engagement loop along said respective suspension member length, said second buckle member configured to maintain said respective suspension member assembly in a plurality of different orientations whereby a distance between said second buckle member and said pillow engagement loop is adjustable along said respective suspension member length;

wherein at least one of said first and second suspension member assemblies is further defined as including;

a linking member extending between said first elongate member and said respective second buckle member;

a loop-forming member configured to define said respective pillow engagement loop; and

a spacing member extending between and interconnecting said respective second buckle member and said loop-forming member, wherein said linking member, said loop-forming member, and said spacing member are structurally distinct from one another; and

wherein said spacing member defines a secondary loop and said loop-forming member passes through said secondary loop.

2. The travel pillow assembly of claim 1 wherein said first and second suspension member assemblies are further defined as operatively connected to said first elongate member at different and spaced positions along said belt length.

3. The travel pillow assembly of claim 1 wherein a size of at least one said pillow engagement loops is adjustable.

4. The travel pillow assembly of claim 1 wherein at least one of said first and second suspension member assemblies is further defined as including:

a linking member being flexible and elongate and extending between said first elongate member and said second buckle member, said linking member defining a non-adjustable portion of said respective suspension member length.

5. The travel pillow assembly of claim 1 wherein at least one of said first and second suspension member assemblies is further defined as including:

a loop-forming member configured to define said respective pillow engagement loop, said loop-forming member further defined as releasibly attachable with respect to a remainder of said at least one of said first and second suspension member assemblies.

6. The travel pillow assembly of claim 5 further comprising:

a snap-lock clasp with a male portion disposed on one of said remainder of said at least one of said first and second suspension member assemblies and said loop-forming member and a female portion disposed on the other of said remainder of said at least one of said first and second suspension member assemblies and said loop-forming member, said snap-lock clasp configured to fixedly and releasibly interconnect said remainder of said at least one of said first and second suspension member assemblies and said loop-forming member.

7. The travel pillow assembly of claim 5 wherein said loop-forming member is further defined as passable through a secondary loop defined by said remainder of said at least one of said first and second suspension member assemblies.

8. The travel pillow assembly of claim 1 wherein at least one of said first and second suspension member assemblies is further defined as including:

a loop-forming member configured to define said respective pillow engagement loop, said loop-forming member further defined as including first and second distal ends and hook and loop fasteners positioned proximate to said first and second distal ends.

9. The travel pillow assembly of claim 1 wherein neither said linking member nor said spacing member defines a continuous loop.

10. The travel pillow assembly of claim 1 wherein said second buckle member is fixedly connected with said linking member and said spacing member extends along a torturous path through and is releasibly engaged with said second buckle member.

11. The travel pillow assembly of claim 1 wherein said loop-forming member and said spacing member are releasibly engaged with one another.

12. The travel pillow assembly of claim 1 wherein said respective suspension member length is defined by a combination of lengths of said linking member, said loop-forming member, and said spacing member, wherein the respective lengths of said loop-forming member and said spacing member are adjustable and the length of said linking member is fixed.

13. The travel pillow assembly of claim 12 wherein the length of said loop-forming member is less adjustable than the length of said spacing member.

14. The travel pillow assembly of claim 1 further comprising:

a snapping latch interconnecting said loop-forming member and said spacing member.

15. The travel pillow assembly of claim 1 wherein second buckle member is further defined as spaced from said first elongate member.

16. The travel pillow assembly of claim 1 wherein at least one of said first and second suspension member assemblies is further defined as including:

a linking member extending between said first elongate member and said respective second buckle member; and

a composite member arranged as a flexible loop, said composite member configured to define said respective pillow engagement loop by being wrapped around said neck pillow.

17. The travel pillow assembly of claim 16 further comprising:

a clip having a slot receiving said composite member such that said clip is slidable relative to said composite member and also having a hook portion configured to selectively receive said composite member to form said respective pillow engagement loop about said neck pillow.

18. The travel pillow assembly of claim 17 wherein said clip fixes a portion of a length of said composite member about said neck pillow when said hook portion receives said composite member and a remainder of the length of said composite member is adjustable.