Portable headrest

Abstract

 The invention provides a combination of a portable headrest and sunshade, comprising a frame member (1, 2, 3), a headrest (13) supported and at least partly surrounded by the frame member, and an adjustable sunshade (14) supported by at least one strut (5, 6, 8, 9) hinged to the frame member so that the sunshade can be spaced apart from the headrest in use or positioned close to the headrest when the latter is to be carried.

Description

[0001] This invention relates to a portable headrest and more particularly to a combination of a portable headrest and sunshade.

[0002] The invention provides a combination of a portable headrest and sunshade, comprising a frame member, a headrest supported and at least partly surrounded by the frame member, and an adjustable sunshade supported by at least one strut hinged to the frame member so that the sunshade can be spaced apart from the headrest in use or positioned close to the headrest when the latter is to be carried.

[0003] It is preferred that the headrest is in the form of an inflatable pillow. The pillow is inflated when the headrest is in use and deflated when the headrest is to be carried.

[0004] It is also preferred that a carrier bag be supported by the frame member in face-to- face relationship with the headrest.

[0005] Reference is now made to the accompanying drawings showing a preferred embodiment of the invention, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the article in use as a combined headrest and sunshade;

Figure 2 is a side elevation corresponding to Figure 1 viewed from the left-hand side; and

Figure 3 is a view of the article folded up for use as a carrier bag.

[0006] The construction has three frame members. The first frame member comprises a cross piece 1 and two limbs 2 and 3 parallel to each other and perpendicular to the cross piece so that the frame member describes three sides of a rectangle. The second and third frame members are of similar construction, respectively having cross pieces and limbs 4, 5, 6 and 7, 8, 9. The frame members may be made of wood or of plastics material with each of the limbs being fixed to the respective end. of a cross piece by a dowel or similar fixing means. However, other construction materials and fixing means are also possible.

[0007] Close to the end of each limb a hole is bored parallel to the respective cross piece for receiving a screw threaded bolt. The second frame member is dimensioned so that it can fit closely around the outside of the first frame member, i.e. the limbs 5, 6 then being respectively adjacent the outside of the limbs 2, 3 and the cross piece 4 adjacent the outside of the cross piece 1, and in this position the holes in the second frame member are in register with the holes in the first frame member. Similarly, the third frame member is dimensioned to fit closely around the outside of the second frame member, the holes in the third frame member then being in register with the holes in the second frame member. With the holes in register as described above, a screw threaded metal bolt 10 is passed from the inner side through the holes in the ends of the limbs 2, 5, 8 and held in place by a correspondingly screw threaded wing nut 11. Similarly, a bolt is passed through the holes in the ends of the limbs 3, 6, 9 and held in place by a wing nut 12. Alternatively, a screw threaded bolt with a winged head can be passed through the holes from the outside to effect fixing in the same way. When the wing nuts or bolts are slightly loosened, the three frame members can be hingedly adjusted to any position relative to each other, and then fixed in such position by tightening the wing nuts or bolts.

[0008] A generally rectangular carrier bag 13 is supported by the first frame member, the side edges of the bag being fixed to the inner sides of the limbs 2, 3 such as by staples, and the open top of the bag being generally parallel to and slightly spaced apart from the cross piece 1. The bag extends at its bottom to about the same extent as the limbs 2, 3. The cross piece 1 serves as a handle when the bag is carried. An inflatable pillow is accommodated inside the bag. It is attached to a cross member linking the ends of the limbs 2 and 3 and parallel to the cross piece 1 and around which the bottom of the bag 13 is looped. When the bag is carried (Figure 3) the pillow is normally deflated. When it is desired to use the article as a headrest, the pillow is inflated and the article placed on a generally flat surface (Figure 1).

[0009] A generally rectangular sunshade 14 is made of suitably flexible fabric, with two opposing edges being looped respectively over the cross pieces 4 and 7 of the second and third frame members. When the article is to be carried, the three frame members are positioned adjacent each other so that the cross pieces 1, 4 and 7 which are close and parallel to each other together serve as a handle, the sunshade then being conveniently wrapped around the three cross pieces (Figure 3). When the article is in use as a headrest with the pillow inflated, the wing nuts or bolts are loosened and the second and third frame members are disposed in a position relative to each other and to the first frame member such that the sunshade is extended between the cross pieces 4, 7 which are now spaced apart and the sunshade is positioned generally over the headrest (Figure 1). By adjusting the three frame members in this way, a variety of positions of the sunshade can be adjusted, and when the desired position has been reached the wing nuts or bolts are then tightened.

[0010] The sunshade provides a surface which is particularly suitable for the application of advertising slogans and the like.

Claims

1. A combination of a portable headrest and sunshade, comprising a frame member, a headrest supported and at least partly surrounded by the frame member, and an adjustable sunshade supported by at least one strut hinged to the frame member so that the sunshade can be spaced apart from the headrest in use or positioned close to the headrest when the latter is to be carried.

2. A combination according to claim 1, in which the headrest is in the form of an inflatable pillow.

3. A combination according to claim 1 or 2, also comprising a carrier bag supported by the frame member in face-to- face relationship with the headrest.

4. A combination according to claims 2 and 3, in which the inflatable pillow is accommodated inside the carrier bag.

5. A combination according to any of claims 1 to 4, comprising a first rectangular frame member which supports the head rest, pivot points defined at opposite ends of one side of the first frame member, a second rectangular frame member comprising two lateral struts hingedly mounted at one end respectively to the pivot points and joined at their other ends by a cross member, and a third rectangular frame member constructed and arranged similarly to the second rectangular frame member, the sunshade being fixed at opposing sides to the respective cross members, and frictional engagement means being provided at the pivot points to enable the frame members to be fixed in different positions relative to each other.

Drawing