IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,021,949
Granted Patent B2
US 10,021,949 · App. 14/926,236 · Granted Jul 17, 2018

Collapsible travel neck support tube

Inventor: Donna Cooper (Jacksonville, FL)
A45C13/30A45F3/02A45F3/14A47C7/383
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,021,949
App. No.
14/926,236
Granted
Jul 17, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

An elongated, flexible tubular container providing neck support for users during travel. The interior of the container is accessible through one or more openings at one or both ends of the container. The openings can be secured with angled zipper closures. Clothing items are inserted into the interior of the container during packing, and during travel, the container can be bent or arranged in a horseshoe shape or C-shape around the users neck or other body parts. The ends of the container may be secured to each other to hold the container in place. When the clothing is removed, the container is collapsed.

Claims (38)

1. A support carrier for travel, comprising:

an elongated, flexible tubular container body with a longitudinal axis, a top, a bottom, and two ends, each end comprising an opening allowing access to an interior of said container body and a flexible end cover adapted to close and open said opening by zippered attachment to the respective end, wherein the top of the container body is longer than the bottom of the container body so the zippered attachment at each end is oriented at an acute angle with respect to the longitudinal axis;

a flexible spine, with two ends, attached to and extending along the top of the container body, further comprising a connector at each end of the spine; and

a plurality of clothing items arranged in the interior of said container body;

wherein in a first configuration the container body is flat and linear; and

wherein in a second configuration the container body is adapted to be partially or wholly wrapped in a horseshoe shape around a user's neck as a head support, wherein the plurality of clothing items provide said support.

2. The support carrier of claim 1 , wherein said container body is collapsible when the plurality of clothing items is removed from the interior.

3. The support carrier of claim 1 , further wherein the connectors are adapted to connect to each other.

4. The support carrier of claim 1 , wherein the connectors comprise an O-ring or D-ring.

5. The support carrier of claim 1 , wherein the connectors comprise a swivel clip.

6. The support carrier of claim 1 , wherein the ends are fastened together when used as a support.

7. The support carrier of claim 1 , further comprising a drop-down pocket in the interior of the container body at one end.

8. The support carrier of claim 1 , further wherein:

in a third configuration the container body with clothing inserted is adapted to be partially or wholly wrapped around a user's waist or lower back; and

in a fourth configuration the container is adapted to be attached to a piece of luggage as an over-the-shoulder carrying strap.

9. A support carrier for travel, comprising:

an elongated, flexible tubular container body with a longitudinal axis, a top, a bottom, and two ends, each end comprising an opening allowing access to an interior of said container body and a flexible end cover adapted to close and open said opening by zippered attachment to the respective end, wherein the top of the container body is longer than the bottom of the container body so the zippered attachment at each end is oriented at an acute angle with respect to the longitudinal axis; and

a flexible spine, with two ends, attached to and extending along the top of the container body, further comprising a connector at each end of the spine;

wherein in a first configuration the container body is flat and linear and is adapted to receive a plurality of clothing items inserted into the interior through one or both of said openings;

further wherein in a second configuration the container body with clothing inserted is adapted to be partially or wholly wrapped around a user's neck in a horseshoe shape as a head support, wherein the plurality of clothing items provide said support.

10. The support carrier of claim 9 , wherein said container body is collapsible when the plurality of clothing items is removed from the interior.

11. The support carrier of claim 9 , wherein said connectors comprise one or more of O-rings, D-rings, and swivel clips.

12. The support carrier of claim 9 , further comprising a drop-down pocket in the interior of the container body at one end.

13. The support carrier of claim 9 , further wherein:

in a third configuration the container body with clothing inserted is adapted to be partially or wholly wrapped around a user's waist or lower back; and

in a fourth configuration the container is adapted to be attached to a piece of luggage as an over-the-shoulder carrying strap.

14. A method of using a support carrier for travel, comprising the steps of:

providing an elongated, flexible tubular container body with a longitudinal axis, a flexible spine, a top, a bottom, and two ends, each end comprising an opening allowing access to an interior of said container body and a flexible end cover adapted to close and open said opening by zippered attachment to the respective end, wherein the top of the container body is longer than the bottom of the container body so the zippered attachment at each end is oriented at an acute angle with respect to the longitudinal axis, further wherein said flexible spine is attached to and extends along the top of the container body, said flexible spine further comprising two ends, each end comprising a connector;

placing the container body in a flat and linear first configuration;

opening at least one end of the container body by unzipping the respective zipper;

inserting one or more clothing items into the interior of said container through the opening;

closing the at least one end of the container body by zipping the zipper;

arranging the container body into a second configuration wholly or partially around a user's neck in a horseshoe shape, wherein the one or more clothing items provide support for the neck or head or both.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising the steps of:

removing said one or more clothing items from said container body; and

collapsing said container body.

16. The method of claim 14 , further comprising the step of attaching the two ends of the container body together.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the step of arranging the container body wholly or partially around a user's neck comprises the step of adjusting the clothing items in the container body to fit the user's neck size.

Continuity (2)
Continuation In Part 12510256 · Jul 27, 2009
Related Publication 20160045008A1 · Feb 18, 2016
Cited By (1)
US 1,061,088