Apparel – Guard or protector – For wearer's head
Patent
1991-06-14
1994-09-06
Nerbun, Peter
Apparel
Guard or protector
For wearer's head
2174, 2206, A61F 904
Patent
active
053435613
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to a sleeping mask.
A sleeping mask is known from U.S. Pat. No. 2,243,982. In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 of U.S. Pat. No. 2,243,982, a curved slit is provided in each side part of the eye mask, resulting in a C-shaped opening with a bow into which the outer ear of a user may be inserted, whereby the known sleeping mask is secured to the user's head. Furthermore, the curved slit creates a strip or tongue which covers the ear opening when the mask is worn. Said tongue can also be crumpled and inserted into the ear as a kind of plug.
First of all, the sleeping mask of the generic type is disadvantageous insofar as the bow which is formed by an incision tears relatively easily, as there is only a small strap which is very easily damaged, especially when slipped over the ear. Moreover, the ear cover and thus the sound absorption are not very satisfactory. Although sound absorption can somewhat be improved by crumpling the tongue formed, this, in turn, has the disadvantage that the plug inserted into the ear presses on the ear during a long period of use and becomes thus uncomfortable for the user.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,942,270 discloses another sleeping mask in the case of which the eye mask is secured to the ears with the aid of two cord-like fastening strings. The free ends of the fastening strings comprise earplugs which are inserted into the ears for the purpose of sound absorption. The main disadvantage of this known sleeping mask is the relatively low degree of wearing comfort, as the fastening strings which are guided around the ears may cut into the user's skin. Moreover, with this type of sleeping mask, the plugs inserted into the ears will become uncomfortable over a long period of use.
Other sleeping masks that are known from U.S. Pat. No. 2,342,840, DE-U-8 808 220 and DE-A-3 920 954 are provided with fastening means, e.g. in the form of an elastic which is guided around the back of the user's head. A considerable disadvantage is here that the fastening means guided around the back of the head is not only considered to be troublesome, but is also retained by the headrest during movement of the head, so that the eye mask will slip out of place time and again. Furthermore, the sleeping mask known from U.S. Pat. No. 2,342,840 does not provide any noise protection, and the two other last-mentioned sleeping masks of the prior art have the added disadvantage of being costly to manufacture due to their extravagant construction.
It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a sleeping mask of the type specified in the preamble of claim 1, which sleeping mask is of a simple construction and allows a good and comfortable fit of the eye mask without the danger of the eye mask slipping out of place during head movement on a headrest.
With a sleeping mask of the generic type comprising an eye mask as well as a holding device for securing the mask to the head of a user, this object is attained in that the fastening means which are mounted on both side parts of the eye mask are formed as receiving pockets.
Since the side parts of the eye mask extend up to the ears and comprise pockets for receiving the outer ears, there is no longer any need for the eye mask to be closed via a holding device reaching round the back of the head because the eye mask can now be secured via the extended side parts to the outer ears engaging the respective receiving pockets. The back of the head which is free of any holding device for holding the eye mask can thus be moved on a headrest without slippage of the eye mask having to be feared. Furthermore, the pockets which serve to receive the outer ears will hardly interfere with a hairstyle which, in turn, cannot be ruined by the receiving pockets as is the case with elastics encircling the back of the head.
The receiving pockets which are provided on the inner side facing the head and serve to receive the outer ears are not only securely held within the sleeping mask of the invention, but also offer an excellent cover for the outer ears
REFERENCES:
patent: 849548 (1907-04-01), Lineweaver
patent: 945839 (1910-01-01), Brisbane
patent: 960520 (1910-06-01), Dysthe
patent: 1035217 (1912-08-01), McQuary, Jr.
patent: 1047163 (1912-12-01), Bullock
patent: 1923340 (1933-08-01), Steckler
patent: 1924315 (1933-08-01), Hemphill et al.
patent: 2537768 (1951-01-01), LaPorte
patent: 2763869 (1956-09-01), Bogart et al.
PCT Application No: WP 86/00012; Jan. 3, 1986 International Publication.
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