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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to furnishings, seating, and
accessories therefor, and more particularly to various embodiments of a
removable, portable headrest which may be temporarily installed upon the
back of a chair or the like for the support of a seated person's head. The
device generally comprises a pocket which fits over the upper portion of
the back of the chair, with a vertically adjustable headrest secured
thereto. The device may be placed upon the back of a chair as desired,
with the headrest being adjusted for optimum comfort. The device may be
removed for storage or placement on another chair, as desired. The present
removable headrest is particularly well suited for use with lawn chairs,
deck chairs, and the like, but may be adapted for use with other types of
chairs as well.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Lightweight, portable, and/or casual seating, such as folding lawn chairs,
deck chairs, and the like, have been known for some time. One feature
which is almost universal with such seating is the lack of any head
support, due to this type of seating needing to be relatively simple,
lightweight, and to fold to a compact size.
Accordingly, such seating generally provides only the bare minimum of
comfort or convenience features, with no real attempt at padding or
upholstery (other than perhaps some form of webbing), and often not even
having arm rests, in the case of most folding metal chairs. While chaise
lounges and the like may provide sufficient support for the head, such
elongate recliners do not provide upright, chair-like seating. Other
heavier upholstered chairs, as often found in the living areas of
residences and the like, often have a seat back which is sufficiently high
as to provide support for the head, but such seating is not particularly
portable, nor is any headrest portion removable from such chairs.
Accordingly, a need will be seen for a removable, portable headrest for
chairs such as lawn chairs, deck chairs, folding chairs, and other
lightweight and portable seating. While the present headrest is adapted to
be particularly suitable for such seating, it should be noted that it is
also applicable to other types of seating as well. The device generally
comprises a pocket which fits over the upper portion of the seat back,
with a vertically adjustable headrest extending upwardly therefrom. The
seat back pocket is preferably formed of plastic material, with the front
portion thereof being relatively flexible compared to the opposite back
portion, for comfort. The headrest may be supported by a single central
arm, or two opposite lateral arms, as desired. A discussion of the prior
art of which the present inventor is aware, and its distinctions from the
present invention, is presented immediately below.
U.S. Pat. No. 162,784 issued on May 4, 1875 to Willard M. White describes a
Head-Rest having a screw actuated clamp at the base thereof, for removable
attachment to a chair or the like. The vertical adjustment for the
headrest portion is limited, as the lower end of the arm holding the
headrest fits into a pocket in the front portion of the removable base,
rather than extending downwardly through the base. The present headrest
support arm provides considerably more adjustment, as it passes completely
through passages or channels in the back or sides of the pocket portion
which fits over the back of the chair, and thus is not limited by a
fitting residing on the front surface of the chair back, as in the case of
the White device.
U.S. Pat. No. 280,078 issued on Jun. 26, 1883 to George Popplewell
describes a Head Rest providing for removable attachment to the back of a
railroad passenger car seat or the like. The device comprises a spaced
apart pair of generally U-shaped members which grasp the upper edge of the
seat back, with each having a threaded rod extending upwardly therefrom.
An adjustable headrest is installed between the two threaded rods. At
least one embodiment of the present invention may include a pair of spaced
apart headrest supports with the headrest being installed therebetween,
but Popplewell does not disclose any form of pocket which may be installed
over the upper portion of the seat back, as provided by the present
invention. The separate seat back grasping components would produce
discomfort for the upper back of a seated person, unlike the smooth,
continuous pocket of the present device.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,081,333 issued on May 25, 1937 to Myrl P. Hoover describes
an Adjustable Chair having a high back with a vertically adjustable
headrest movably secured thereto. The headrest slides upwardly and
downwardly on a pair of spaced apart straps which are immovably affixed to
the chair back, which principle of operation is opposite that of the
present headrest which in each embodiment is at least vertically (or
immovably) affixed to the support arm(s), with the arm(s) being adjustable
relative to the seat back attachment pocket and thus to the chair itself.
Moreover, the Hoover headrest may be adjustable, but it is not removable,
as provided by the present headrest.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,498,704 issued on Feb. 12, 1985 to Joseph R. Hildreth
describes a Headrest For Chair With Soft Backrest, comprising a pair of
generally U-shaped flat members which are secured closely together to
sandwich the flexible backrest member of a wheelchair or the like,
therebetween. One of the U-shaped members is vertically adjustable
relative to the other, to provide adjustment for a headrest affixed to the
second U-shaped member. Again, the positioning of the two upwardly
extending metal arms of the forwardly disposed U-shape member to reside
against the back of the seated person, would create some discomfort even
though the support members are relatively thin. The present invention
provides an attachment member comprising a pocket which completely covers
the upper portion of the chair back, thus providing a uniform surface for
the back of a seated person to rest against.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,989,836 issued on Feb. 5, 1991 to E. W. Hudson III et al.
describes a Detachable Wheelchair Headrest, comprising a pair of spaced
apart generally vertical arms having a flexible headrest secured between
the two arms. The two arms are clamped to the two tubular upright members
of the seat back frame for the chair, rather than to a pocket which fits
over the upper back of the chair, as in the present invention. (Such a
pocket could not be used with a wheelchair, due to the rearwardly
extending handgrips for the chair.) Hudson, III et al. describe the
adjustment of the headrest band by turning one of the support members to
wrap the band around the support, but this would result in an asymmetric
configuration, unless sufficient slack existed to turn each member
equally. This is critical in the Hudson, III et al. headrest, as they
provide additional lateral head support means on the headrest band, which
means must be symmetrically positioned. Moreover, the Hudson, III et al.
headrest is not easily removable from its supports, while the present
headrest is.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,356,201 issued on Oct. 18, 1994 to Jerome Olson describes a
Canoe Backrest secured to a pair of vertically adjustable tubes, each of
which extends upwardly from a mounting bracket. The brackets are bolted to
the seat bottom, unlike the present pocket arrangement which slips over
the seat back and is thus easily installable and removable without
modification to the chair. The Olson backrest cannot be positioned
sufficiently high to provide a headrest, as the length of the support arms
would penetrate the bottom of the boat when retracted.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,475,882 issued on Dec. 19, 1995 to Joel L. Sereboff
describes a Gel Filled Deformable Cushion And Composition Contained
Therein. Sereboff does not disclose any means of mounting or attaching his
cushion to another device, which feature is a critical part of a chair
attachable headrest. The present removable headrest invention may make use
of a gel filled cushion, but also provides for the attachment of such a
cushion to a supporting structure which is in turn removably attachable to
a chair or the like.
U.S. Pat. No. D-361,683 issued on Aug. 29, 1995 to Darrol L. Juhl
illustrates a design for a Removable Lawn Chair Headrest. The design
appears to disclose a pair of split cylindrical upright components which
slip downwardly over each of the chair back uprights, and which have a
headrest extending thereacross. A thicker component is secured behind the
headrest by a pair of lateral rear straps extending between the two
uprights. A crossmember is also provided between the uprights. No pocket
is shown which may be removably secured over the upper portion of the seat
back, as in the present invention, nor is any form of adjustment apparent
for the headrest.
German Patent Publication No. 669,879 published on Jan. 6, 1939 illustrates
a headrest which apparently secures to the back of a chair by means of a
lateral strap therearound. Lateral retainers or clips secure to the
upright members of the chair back. No pocket is disclosed which fits
completely over the uppermost portion of the chair back, as provided by
the present invention.
German Patent Publication No. 2,419,483 published on Nov. 13, 1975
illustrates a chair having an adjustable headrest affixed thereto. The
headrest is supported by a pair of spaced apart support arms, and is
vertically adjustable thereon. This is opposite the present configuration,
wherein the headrest is affixed to the support arms and is not vertically
adjustable relative to the arms, but rather the arms are vertically
adjustable relative to the chair attachment pocket. The German '483 chair
is specially constructed to accept the headrest portion, unlike the
present invention comprising only a headrest assembly which is removably
installable to any suitable unmodified chair. Thus, no removable pocket
providing for the removable installation of the headrest to the upper
portion of the chair back, is disclosed in the German '483 patent.
Finally, British Patent Publication No. 1,378,430 published on Dec. 27,
1974 describes Head Rests For Seats comprising a pair of spaced apart
generally vertical headrest support members which are permanently and
immovably secured to the back of the seat. The headrest is adjustably
movable on the two support members, rather than being vertically affixed
to the support members with the support members being adjustable relative
to the seat back, as in the present invention. No removably installable
pocket for the upper portion of the seat back is disclosed in the British
patent, as provided by the present invention.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken singly or in combination,
is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide an
improved removable headrest for chairs, comprising a pocket adapted to fit
over the upper portion of the back of a chair with headrest support arm
means adjustably installed therein, with the headrest support arm means
including a headrest affixed to the upper end thereof.
It is another object of the invention to provide an improved removable
headrest for chairs which headrest support arm means may comprise a single
support arm adjustably lockable in position to the back of the pocket
portion of the device, or which may alternatively comprise two support
arms with each of the arms being adjustably lockable to one of the left
and right edges of the pocket portion, or which may include support arm
attachment means to the pocket portion, comprising three sets of
attachment means disposed along the left edge, right edge, and rear center
of the pocket portion of the device.
An additional object of the invention is to provide an improved removable
headrest for chairs which support arm locking means may comprise a
threaded bolt passing through the support arm, or which alternatively may
be an over center cam locking device.
It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and
arrangements thereof in an apparatus for the purposes described which is
inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended
purposes.
These and other objects of the present invention will become readily
apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the present removable
headrest for chairs, showing the headrest removably installed on the upper
back portion of a lawn chair.
FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the removable headrest of FIG. 1,
showing further details.
FIG. 3 is a side elevation view in section of an alternative embodiment of
the present headrest, showing further details.
FIG. 4 is a rear perspective view of another alternative embodiment of the
present headrest, showing details thereof.
FIG. 5 is a fragmented perspective view showing details of an alternative
support arm attachment means to the pocket portion.
FIG. 6 is a rear perspective view showing another alternative embodiment,
including both a single central support arm and two laterally disposed
support arms in a single device.
FIG. 7 is a side elevation view in section of an alternative locking means
for the headrest support arm of the present invention.
Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently
throughout the attached drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The present invention comprises various embodiments of a removable headrest
for chairs, a first embodiment of which is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and
designated with the reference numeral 10. The headrest 10 includes a
pocket portion 12, which is adapted to fit closely over the upper portion
of the back of a chair, such as the back B of the lawn chair C shown in
FIG. 1. (It will be seen that the present headrest 10, and/or any of its
embodiments, are also adaptable to other types of chairs having back
portions, as well.) The pocket portion 12 has a front wall or surface 14,
an opposite rear surface or wall 16, a closed upper edge 18, and opposite
first and second lateral edges, respectively 20 and 22. The lower edge 24
is open, to provide access to the hollow interior 26.
The chair back pocket 12 may be formed using any of a number of materials
and methods, but is preferably formed as a single, unitary component of
semi-rigid plastic material. It will be noted that both good structural
strength and compliance to the form of a person using the present headrest
10 may be achieved using such material. The rear wall 16 is formed to have
a relatively greater thickness 28 than the relatively thin thickness 30 of
the front wall 14, thus providing good structural strength in the rear
wall 16 and also a flexible and compliant front wall 14, all in a single,
unitary component.
The back 16 of the chair back pocket 12 includes a generally vertically
oriented headrest support arm attachment channel formed thereon
(preferably cast or molded integrally with the remainder of the pocket
12), as shown in FIG. 2. The channel may comprise a coaxial series of
separate channel portions 32a, 32b, 32c, as shown in FIG. 2, or may
alternatively comprise a single, continuous channel length, as shown in
other embodiments. An elongate headrest support arm 34 is removably and
adjustably installed within the channel 32a/b/c, with the support arm 34
having a lower end 36 and an opposite upper end 38. The upper end 38 of
the headrest arm 34 includes some form of headrest means, e.g., the padded
or upholstered resilient headrest pad 40 of FIGS. 1 and 2, which may be
permanently or removably secured to the upper end 38 of the support arm
34.
It should be noted that the headrest pad 40 is not adjustably positioned
relative to the headrest support arm 34 once it has been secured to the
upper end 38 of the arm 34. Rather, all adjustment is provided by
adjusting the position of the arm 34 within the channel 32a/b/c. In the
embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, the headrest support arm 34 is provided with
a plurality of adjustment locking holes or passages 42 therein, and the
channel portion 32b includes a threaded passage or insert therethrough,
similar to that shown in the continuous channel embodiment of FIG. 3. A
cooperatingly threaded bolt having an adjustment knob thereon, is threaded
through the passage and/or insert and a selected one of the locking
passages 42, to secure the support arm 34 as desired.
A modified version of the above described headrest is shown in FIG. 3 as
headrest 10aand includes an adjustable headrest support arm 34a having a
lower end 36a and an opposite upper end 38a similar to the headrests 10 of
FIGS. 1 and 2. The primary distinction between the headrests 10 of FIGS. 1
and 2, and 10a of FIG. 3, is that the pocket 12a of FIG. 3 has a headrest
support arm attachment channel 32d which is formed as a single, unbroken
length extending substantially from the upper edge 18a to the lower edge
24a of the pocket portion 12a, rather than the plural channel segments
32a/b/c of the pocket 12 of FIGS. 1 and 2. Other components, such as the
front wall 14a with its thin construction 30a, the thickness 28a of the
rear wall 16a, and space 26a therebetween, are equivalent to similar
features of the headrest 10 of FIGS. 1 and 2.
Also, the headrest pad 40a of FIG. 3 may include a gel filled interior
portion 41, in lieu of dry foam or fiber cushion padding or fill. Such
gels provide better conformity to the back of the head of a user of the
present headrest 10a, and they may be chilled to provide benefits similar
to an ice pack, if so desired. Accordingly, the gel filled headrest pad
40a is removable from the upper end 38a of the headrest support arm 34a,
by means of cooperating hook and loop fastening material 43 or the like.
FIG. 3 also discloses the threaded bolt 44 and mating threaded insert 46
within the channel 32d, which arrangement may be incorporated into any of
the embodiments of the present invention as desired, and as indicated in
the exterior view of FIG. 2. The bolt 44 is operated by turning the knob
48 to remove the bolt 44 from one of the headrest adjustment arm passages
42a, or to tighten the bolt 44 to lock it into one of the passages 42a, as
desired.
FIG. 4 discloses an alternative embodiment, designated as headrest 50, in
which the seat back pocket 52 includes opposite first and second lateral
headrest support arm channels, respectively 54 and 56, which are formed
integrally or otherwise affixed respectively to the first and second
lateral edges 58 and 60 of the pocket 52. It will be seen that this
configuration does not require a single, central headrest support arm
channel (although one may be provided in addition to the two lateral
channels, as shown in the embodiment of FIG. 6 discussed further below).
Accordingly, while the seat back pocket portion 52 is otherwise similar to
the pockets 10 and 10a discussed above, having an upper edge 62, an open
lower edge 64, a thin front wall or panel 66, and a relatively thicker
rear panel or wall 68 with a hollow interior 70 therebetween, the rear
wall 68 is devoid of any headrest support arm attachment channel or means.
The first and second headrest support arm channels 54 and 56 each include a
headrest support arm adjustably installed therein, respectively a first
arm 72 and a second arm 74. Each of the arms 72/74 includes a plurality of
locking holes or passages 76, with a locking bolt and insert mechanism,
similar to that shown in FIG. 3 and discussed further above, being
provided in each of the lateral channels 54 and 56. (It will be understood
that while only a single locking knob is shown in FIG. 4, that the
headrest assembly of FIG. 4 is substantially symmetrical and includes
identical locking mechanisms on each side.)
The upper ends of the headrest support arms 72 and 74, respectively 78 and
80, provide for the removable and adjustable attachment of a headrest band
82 thereto. The headrest band 82 comprises an elongate sheet of flexible,
pliable vinyl, fabric, or other suitable material, and includes a headrest
support arm sleeve 84 sewn or otherwise formed at a first end 86 thereof.
This sleeve 84 is closed (stitched, etc.) at the upper end 88 thereof, to
preclude slippage of the first end 86 of the band 82 downwardly along the
first headrest support arm 78. The opposite second end 90 of the headrest
band 82 includes first and second portions 92 and 94 of mating hook and
loop fastening material thereon, whereby the end 90 may be adjustably
wrapped about the upper end 80 of the second headrest support arm 74 as
desired, to provide the desired tension or slack in the headrest band 82.
In FIG. 4, the two lateral channels 54 and 56 are each shown as single,
unbroken, elongate channels extending substantially from the upper end 62
to the lower end 64 of the seat back pocket portion 52. However, it will
be seen that the alternative channel arrangement shown in FIG. 2,
comprising a plurality of coaxial channel segments, may be used in the
construction of plural channel headrest. Such a configuration is shown in
FIG. 5 along the first edge 58a of a pocket 52a, having a plurality of
channel segments 54a, 54b, and 54c. The locking means is disposed in the
central channel segment 54b, to secure a first support arm 72a therein.
Otherwise, the construction of the alternative headrest embodiment of FIG.
5 is identical to the embodiment of FIG. 4.
FIG. 6 discloses a further alternate embodiment, wherein a user of the
device may select the specific type of headrest means (headrest pad or
headrest band) used with the headrest pocket. In FIG. 6, a headrest 100
includes a seat back pocket 102 formed generally similarly to the pocket
portion 52 of FIG. 4, having a front wall 104, an opposite rear wall 106,
a closed upper edge 108, opposite closed first and second lateral edges
110 and 112, and an open lower edge 114 providing access to a hollow
interior 116. As in the other embodiments discussed further above, the
rear wall 106 may have a thickness 118 greater than the thickness 120 of
the front wall, in order to provide good structural strength and still
provide compliance with the back of a person using the headrest.
The seat back pocket 102 also includes opposite first and second lateral
headrest support arm channels, respectively 122 and 124, along the
respective first and second lateral edges 110 and 112. Each channel
122/124 has a headrest support arm, respectively 126 and 128, adjustably
installed therein. These two arms 126/128 provide for the installation of
a headrest band 130 thereon, similar to the configuration of the headrest
50 of FIG. 4. However, the rear wall 106 also includes a single central
headrest support arm channel 132 thereon, with a single headrest support
arm 134 adjustably installed therein having a single headrest pad 136
installed on its upper end 138. This embodiment allows a user of the
headrest 100 to select whichever type of headrest he or she wishes to use.
Other components (headrest arm locking means, etc.) are similar to those
features of other embodiments discussed above.
To this point, only one specific type of headrest support arm locking means
has been described, i.e., the threaded bolt and insert shown in detail in
FIG. 3. However, other types of support arm locking means may be used,
which are adaptable to any of the headrest embodiments described above.
FIG. 7 discloses one such means, providing for the adjustable locking of a
headrest support arm to the back of a chair back pocket 140. The pocket
140 includes a front wall 142, opposite rear wall 144, closed upper edge
146, open lower edge 148, and a hollow interior 150, as in other chair
back pocket embodiments discussed above. A headrest support arm channel,
comprising channel segments 152a, 152b, and 152c, holds a headrest support
arm 154 adjustably therein. The support arm 154 may be formed of metal
(e.g., stainless steel), or may alternatively be formed of plastic or
other suitable material, as indicated by the cross sectional marking of
FIG. 7, and it will be seen that the channel segments 152a/b/c may
alternatively comprise a single channel, as shown in the embodiment of
FIG. 3.
The locking means disposed in the central channel segment 152b comprises an
over center cam lever 156, which rotates about a pivot pin 158 which is
installed laterally through the channel member 152b. The lever 156
includes a cam lobe 160 thereon, which passes over center (i.e., slightly
beyond a point directly below the pivot pin 158) when the lever 156 is
locked downwardly against the channel 152b. The lobe 160 also bears
tightly against the headrest support arm 154 in this locked position,
precluding movement of the arm relative to the headrest pocket 140.
(Clearances are exaggerated.)
To adjust the support arm 154 within the channel 152a/b/c, the lever 156 is
lifted to draw the cam lobe 160 back from its bearing position against the
surface of the support arm 154, as shown in broken lines in FIG. 7. Thus,
the headrest support arm 154 may be adjusted to any of a practically
infinite number of positions as desired, and locked into position to fix
the position of the headrest relative to the chair back pocket as desired.
In summary, the above described removable headrest for chairs, in any of
its embodiments, will be seen to provide a most useful and desirable
accessory for lawn and garden furniture, as well as for virtually any
other type of folding or non-folding chair which does not have a high back
against which a seated person may rest their head. The semi-rigid plastic
form of the chair back pocket provides the required structural strength,
while still providing comfort to a user by means of the thin and flexible
front wall or panel thereof. It will be seen that the chair back pocket
may take on virtually any external appearance, as shown by the various
smoothly rounded and squared, truncated shapes shown in the various
drawing figures of the present disclosure; other shapes may be provided as
desired. The chair back pocket may provide for only a single resilient
headrest pad having a foam, fiber, or gel center, or may alternatively
provide two supports for a headrest band spanning the two supports, or may
even provide for either alternative, depending upon the configuration of
the headrest support arm channels provided on the chair back pocket. The
various headrest support arms described herein may be formed of a durable,
corrosion resistant metal (i.e., stainless steel) for long life outdoors,
or may alternatively be formed of virtually any suitable material
(aluminum, plastic, etc.), depending upon the structural requirements and
desired longevity as opposed to the economics of construction of the
present device. Either finite or infinite adjustment may be provided,
depending upon the locking means provided to secure the headrest support
arm(s) in place relative to the chair back pocket. The above described
accessory provides a most economical means to expand the comfort provided
by an otherwise ordinary chair.
It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the
sole embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments
within the scope of the following claims.
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