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This application claims priority of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/979,478, Filed Oct. 12, 2007.
1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to pillows, and, more particularly to pillows containing sound devices, such as radios or record/playback devices.
2. Background Art
Pillows have been developed to contain sound devices, such as pillow-mounted radios, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,737,787—lozef, and a personal stereo sound system in a pillow, as described in U.S. Published Application No. 2004/0252847—Littlehorn et al. More recently a pillow with record/playback device has been developed as shown in U.S. Published Application No. 2007/0061975—Hernandez, which to comfort small children with an absent parent's recorded voice. provide a personal stereo sound system, with separate recorder and speaker, permanently emplaced in a pillow. These pillow sound devices are use-specific, non-removable and unduly complex.
There is a need for a simplified sound system used in a pillow that is more versatile than those developed heretofore.
It is an object of this invention to provide a simplified sound device mounted in a pillow that is more versatile than those developed heretofore.
In one aspect, this invention features a portable sound system or device for use with a plurality of different pillows. A self-contained sound device preferably is a recorder having a “record” switch, a “play” switch, and a speaker. Each pillow has an opening into a pocket for receiving the sound device. The pillow pocket and sound device preferably are configured such that the sound device can be received in each pillow in only a single orientation relative to the pillow, with the “play” switch having a predetermined location beneath said pillow surface.
In another aspect, this invention features one of said pillows being a conventional-sized bed pillow and another of said pillows being a smaller travel-size pillow, thus enabling a pillow user to easily transfer said sound device between pillows.
In a further aspect of this invention, the “play” switch is connected to the sound device by an electrical cord to enable placement of the “play” switch remotely from the sound device itself.
These and other objects and features of this invention will become more readily apparent upon reference to the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a broken away partial view of a pillow having a sound system according to this invention being inserted into a pocket of the pillow;
FIG. 2 is a plan view of the pillow of FIG. 1, showing the sound system inserted into the pocket of the pillow;
FIG. 3 is an end view of the pillow of FIGS. 1 and 2, showing the sound device inserted through the opening into the pocket of the pillow
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a travel pillow, showing the opening;
FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4, showing the “play” button appliqué location designation;
FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIGS. 4 and 5, illustrating the insertion of the sound device into the pillow opening; and
FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIGS. 4-6, broken away to show the sound device inserted into a complementary-shaped pocket and the “play” button located by a locating device on the pillow.
Referring now to FIGS. 1-3 of the drawings, which illustrate one preferred embodiment of this invention, a battery-operated sound device 10, such as a recorder or radio or message player, that is inserted into a pocket in a decorative pillow 20 through an entry opening 50 that is closed by a Velcro® or other hook-and-loop fastener 50. Sound device 10 has a speaker 25 for playing music or voice recordings, or could be a radio. Pillow 20 is encased in a decorative pillow cover 30 that has an opening 60 closed by a zipper or other fastener 60 through which sound device 10 is inserted.
A “play” switch or button 65 is attached to sound device 10 via a length of electrical wire 67. Wire 67 is preferably 24 gauge and is approximately 8″ long. Wire 67 enables “play” button 65 to be located remotely from sound device 10, such as clipped to pillow 20 under a decorative appliqué 40 on pillow cover 30. In this manner, “play” button 65 can always be located under a designated spot on any such pillow cover 30, so that the user can easily locate and operate “play” button 65.
In operation, sound device 10 can easily removed from pillow 20 for recording, if it is a recorder, in a conventional manner through for tape or CD insertion.
Pillow 20 can be a square decorative child's pillow as illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, or could be a standard-size rectangular bed pillow, or could be of any other shape. It can take the form of a cylindrical neck-support travel pillow 70, as shown in FIGS. 4-7, which illustrates another preferred embodiment of this invention.
Here, pillow 70 has an entry opening 72 that opens into a pocket 74. Sound device 76 is inserted through opening 72 into pocket 74, both of which have a non-symmetrical complementary shape of a rectangle rounded at one end. This will always orient sound device 76 properly within pillow 70.
Sound device 76 includes a remote “play” button 78 that is connected to sound device 76, as in the FIGS. 1-3 embodiment, by a length of electrical cord 80. “Play” button 78 is clipped under a decorative emblem 82 located on the surface of pillow 70. Sound device 76 is preferably a record/playback device (tape of CD) and has a “record” button 84 and a speaker 86.
The end 88 of cord 80 that is shown attached to sound device 76, can be a jack or other separable connection, as in a conventional portable radio, MP-3 player or other portable sound device. This arrangement enables sound device 76 to be more quickly removed from pillow, without the “play” button attached, for recording of a message, so that a message can be customized, such as for a child by an absent parent. It can also be removed for loading a tape or CD, such as to load music, or a talking book or a lecture or other desired recording. The recorded or loaded sound device can then be quickly re-inserted into the pillow pocket and cord end 88 quickly re-attached.
With either embodiment of the pillow sound system of this invention, a sound device is easily insertable in, or removed from a pocket in a variety of pillows. This creates a pillow system, for use of the sound device, be it a player, recorder, or radio, that is easily transferrable among these various pillows. This portability enables a user to “take along the message”, no matter where the user goes, and does not tie the “message” to any particular pillow. While a tape or CD can be transferred from one pillow-mounted device to another, the system of this invention eliminates the need for multiple embedded sound devices, and the costs associated with providing multiple sound devices.
While only preferred embodiments have been described and shown, obvious modifications are contemplated within the scope of this invention as defined by the following claims.