Personal shield devices, systems and methods
View Patent ↗In general, privacy apparatuses, systems, and methods are described. In one embodiment, a privacy apparatus supportable on a backrest of a seat is provided, including a frame including first and second supports, a connecting member that extends between the supports, and first and second shield panels connected to the supports. The privacy apparatus can serve as privacy shield and/or head/neck support for a user or vehicular passenger.
1. A privacy apparatus, comprising:
a first shield panel;
a second shield panel; and
a frame, comprising
a first connecting member that extends between the first shield panel and the second shield panel; and
a second connecting member;
wherein the first shield panel is configured to be positioned at a first lateral side of a user's head, and the second shield panel is configured to be positioned at a second lateral side of the user's head opposite from the first lateral side, and
wherein the frame is configured to be supported on a backrest of a seat, the first connecting member configured to rest on a top surface of the backrest while the second connecting member extends across a front of the backrest and no connecting member extends around the back of the backrest.
2. The privacy apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first connecting member is rigid.
3. The privacy apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first connecting member is configured to extend behind the user between the first shield panel positioned at a first lateral side of the user's head and the second shield panel positioned at a second lateral side of the user's head.
4. The privacy apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the first shield panel and the second shield panel are configured to provide an audio and visual barrier between the user and a surrounding environment.
5. The privacy apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the frame comprises a left support, and a right support, and wherein the first connecting member that extends between the left and right supports.
6. The privacy apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the first shield panel is movable along at least a portion of the left support between two or more selected positions, and the second shield panel is movable along at least a portion of the right support between two or more selected positions, and wherein the first shield panel is fixedly positioned relative to the second shield panel when in a selected position.
7. The privacy apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the first shield panel and the left support, and the second shield panel and the right support, each comprise complementary mating features configured to fixedly maintain the first and second shield panels in one of the selected positions.
8. The privacy apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the first shield panel, the second shield panel, and the first connecting member are manually adjustable between an open configuration in which the first and second shield panels are positionable at first and second lateral sides of a user's head, and a collapsed configuration.
9. The privacy apparatus of claim 8 , wherein in the open configuration, a minimum distance between the first shield panel and the second shield panel is greater than 6 inches, and in the collapsed configuration, a minimum distance between the first shield panel and the second shield panel is less than 1 inch.
10. The privacy apparatus of claim 8 , wherein in the open configuration the first connecting member is perpendicular to the first shield panel and the second shield panel.
11. The privacy apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the second connecting member that-extends between the left and right supports, and is connected to the left support and the right support.
12. The privacy apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the second connecting member is an elastic strap.
13. The privacy apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the first connecting member is rigid, and comprises a first connecting member portion and a second connection member portion, the first connecting member portion adjustable relative to the second connecting member portion.
14. The privacy apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the first connecting member is telescopically adjustable relative to the second connecting member portion such that a distance between the first and second shield panels is adjustable.
15. The privacy apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the first connecting member includes a hinge.
16. The privacy apparatus of claim 5 , wherein first and second shield panels each comprise a padded surface.
17. The privacy apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a distance between the first shield panel and the second shield panel is adjustable.
18. A method of using a privacy apparatus, comprising:
positioning a privacy apparatus on a backrest of a seat such that no connecting member extends around the back of the backrest, the privacy apparatus comprising:
a first shield panel,
a second shield panel,
a first connecting member at least partially supported on a top of the backrest when the privacy apparatus is supported on the backrest, and
a second connecting member; and
supporting a user's head on the first shield panel;
wherein positioning the privacy apparatus includes positioning the first connecting member across a top surface of the backrest and positioning the second connecting member across a front of the backrest.
19. The method of using a privacy apparatus of claim 18 , comprising adjusting a distance between the first shield panel and the second shield panel.
20. The method of using a privacy apparatus of claim 19 , comprising:
removing the privacy apparatus from the backrest;
manipulating the privacy apparatus from an open configuration in which the privacy apparatus is positionable on the backrest to a collapsed configuration;
wherein in the collapsed configuration, a distance between the first shield panel and the second shield panel is less than 20% of the width of the backrest.