CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present patent application claims priority from and benefit of the U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/576,481 filed on Dec. 16, 2011 and titled “Sleep Mask System and Method,” the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety for all purposes. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to sleep masks and, in particularly, to a sleep mask adapted to facilitate maintaining a position of a head of a person wearing the mask while sitting or standing. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    An embodiment of the present invention provides a sleep mask system that includes a mask portion and a suspending portion. The mask portion contains a blindfolding component configured to cover eyes of the user such as to block ambient light from reaching the eyes, and a substantially non-stretchable harness affixed to the blindfolding component such as to circumscribe the head of the user and to fasten the blindfolding portion over the eyes of the user. The suspending portion is substantially non-stretchable and has a proximal end attached or attachable to the harness at a point opposite the blindfolding portion and a distal end equipped with affixing means. The affixing means are configured to ensure that the suspending portion can be tensionably cooperated with an element of clothing of the user such as to restrict the movement of the head of the user, who wears the sleep mask system, in a forward direction. The sleep mask system can additionally include a substantially non-stretchable side-stabilizing portion having an end attached to the first harness in proximity to the blindfolding portion and adapted to restrict a side movement of the user&#39;s head. Either of the suspending and side-stabilizing portions optionally has an adjustable fit defined with respect to the user wearing the system. 
         [0004]    Another embodiment provides a method for stabilizing a position of a head of a person. Such method includes providing a sleep mask that contains a blindfolding portion configured to cover eyes of the person such as to block ambient light from reaching the eyes. The sleep mask can further contain a substantially non-stretchable harness affixed to the blindfolding portion such as to circumscribe the head of the user and to fasten the blindfolding portion over the eyes of the user. The method further includes providing a substantially non-stretchable portion having a first end attached or attachable to the first harness and a second end removably affixable to an element of clothing of the person such as to restrict a movement of the person&#39;s head in at least one of forward and sideway directions. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]    The invention will be more fully understood by referring to the following Detailed Description in conjunction with the Drawings, of which: 
           [0006]      FIG. 1  is a side view is a sitting person who is relaxed and asleep, with the person&#39;s head fallen down forward towards her chest. 
           [0007]      FIGS. 2A ,  2 B, and  2 C are schematic illustration of components and/or embodiments of a sleep mask system of the present invention. 
           [0008]      FIGS. 3A ,  3 B,  3 C are schematic diagrams showing a vertical-strap component of an embodiment of  FIG. 2C  removably attached to an element of person&#39;s clothing with affixing means. 
           [0009]      FIGS. 4A and 4B  are perspective views of examples of affixing means for use with an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0010]      FIG. 4C  is perspective view of the embodiment of  FIG. 2C . 
           [0011]      FIGS. 5 ,  6 , and  7  are schematic views of alternative embodiments of the invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 8  is a diagram of yet another alternative embodiment of the invention. 
           [0013]      FIGS. 9A ,  9 B,  9 C depict a person wearing an embodiment of the sleep mask system while seating or standing. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0014]    References throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “a related embodiment,” or similar language mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the referred to “embodiment” is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment,” “in an embodiment,” and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, refer to the same implementation of the invention. It is to be understood that no portion of disclosure, taken on its own and in possible connection with a figure, is intended to provide a complete description of all features of the invention. 
         [0015]    In addition, the following disclosure may describe features of the invention with reference to corresponding drawings, in which like numbers represent the same or similar elements wherever possible. In the drawings, the depicted structural elements are generally not to scale, and certain components are enlarged relative to the other components for purposes of emphasis and understanding. It is to be understood that no single drawing is intended to support a complete description of all features of the invention. In other words, a given drawing is generally descriptive of only some, and generally not all, features of the invention. A given drawing and an associated portion of the disclosure containing a description referencing such drawing may not, generally, contain all elements of a particular view or all features that can be presented is this view. This is done for the purposes of simplifying a given drawing and the discussion of it, and to direct the discussion to particular elements that are featured in this drawing. A skilled artisan will recognize that the invention may possibly be practiced without one or more of the specific features, elements, components, structures, details, or characteristics, or with the use of other methods, components, materials, and so forth. Therefore, although a particular detail of an embodiment of the invention may not be necessarily shown in each and every drawing describing such embodiment, the presence of this detail in the drawing may be implied unless the context of the description requires otherwise. In other instances, well known structures, details, materials, or operations may be not shown in a given drawing or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of an embodiment of the invention that are being discussed. 
         [0016]    Accordingly, the invention as recited in claims appended to this disclosure is intended to be assessed in light of the disclosure as a whole. 
         [0017]    Various incarnations of so-called “sleep mask” are known in related art. A typical sleep mask (sometimes also referred to as “sleep eye mask” or “eye mask”) is a personal care product and includes, in relevant part, an optionally-layered piece of cloth or other flexible garment that is appropriately shaped for use as a blindfold, and that is often tied to one&#39;s head with a stretchable strap to cover the eyes to disable the wearer&#39;s sight. Such mask blocks out light when sleeping during the day or, for example, during air travel. A sleep mask is also known to provide relief from claustrophobia. While most sleep masks are adapted to only cover the wearer&#39;s eyes, some of the masks are extended across the face such as to include an opening for the wearer&#39;s nose. 
         [0018]    A wearer of the sleep mask who uses it during air travel, for example (or, more generally, in a seated position) expects to be able to sleep. The wearer&#39;s sleep, however, is well recognized to be rather uncomfortable because, during the sleep, muscles in the wearer&#39;s neck are relaxed and nothing prevents the head from falling down toward the chest, thus interrupting the sleep, as shown in  FIG. 1 . The related art is replete with descriptions of solutions to this problem, including so-called travel pillows and/or travel collars or rests that the wearer wraps around his neck to support his head during the sleep, and that, although light and often foldable, are bulky and require space in the traveler&#39;s luggage. The use of such neck-supporting solutions does not substitute the use of the sleep mask and, therefore, a typical air traveler has to use both the sleep mask (to block the light) and a neck-rest or pillow (to support his head from falling forward). 
         [0019]    In accordance with embodiments of the present invention, methods and apparatus are disclosed configured to support a head of the sleeping user from at least falling forward, thereby keeping his head substantially upright while, at the same time, blocking the ambient light from reaching the user&#39;s eyes. 
         [0020]    In reference to  FIGS. 2A ,  2 B, and  2 C, components of an embodiment of the invention are further described. As shown, a sleep mask  200  includes a blindfold portion  204  and a preferably substantially non-stretchable horizontal belt (such as flexible band or strap)  206  affixed at its both ends to the blindfold portion  204 . The non-stretchability of the elements of the invention discussed below is specifically contrasted with the impressing deformation ability of the elements that include rubber bands or threads of various sorts, and is likened to that of a typical belt used as an element of clothing. In other words, the ratio between the final length of a substantially non-stretchable strap of the present invention, caused by stretching such a strap, and its initial length is comparable to that of a typical belt used as an element of clothing. The horizontal strap  206  is configured to fit around a head of the mask-wearer. It is appreciated that while a length of the strap  206  is substantially fixed, in practice the fit of the strap  206  around the user&#39;s head may be optionally made adjustable (as discussed below) to accommodate heads of different sizes. In one embodiment, the strap  206  is about ¾″ or 1″ wide and is made of Flat Pack Strap Webbing (John Howard Company, Chino, Calif.). 
         [0021]    The sleep mask  200  is additionally equipped with a vertical strap  212  shown in  FIG. 2B  and having proximate and distal ends  212   a,    212   b  and configured, in reference to the implementation of  FIG. 2C , to be affixed (whether permanently or removably) to the horizontal strap  206  at its proximate end  212   a  such as to ensure that, when worn by the user, the vertical strap is substantially positioned along the back of the user. The vertical strap  212  is equipped with affixing means  214   a,    214   b  such as, for example, Velcro-based fastener, a conventional buckle, a triglide buckle, a side-release buckle, or with other means configured to affix the vertical strap  212  to an element of clothing of the wearer of an embodiment of the invention. The vertical strap  212  is preferably made of the same material as the horizontal strap  206 . 
         [0022]    As shown in  FIGS. 3A ,  3 B, and  3 C, the vertical strap  212  is operably articulated, at its distal end  212   b,  with an element  300  of clothing of the wearer such as, for example, the wearer&#39;s belt or belt lashes at the back of the wearer&#39;s pants or skirt. The implementation of  FIG. 3A  makes use of the affixing means  214   a,    214   b  that includes Velcro patches  302   a,    302   b.  The embodiment of  FIG. 3B  employs a triglide buckle  310  such as that shown in  FIG. 4 . In comparison, the embodiment of  FIG. 3C  utilizes both the triglide buckle  310  and the side-release buckle  320   a,    320   b  such as that shown in  FIG. 4B .  FIG. 4C  provides a snap-shot of a prototype of the embodiment of the sleep mask system of  FIG. 2C . 
         [0023]    In a related embodiment, instead of using the wearer&#39;s belt of belt lashes, the vertical strap  212  may be alternatively wound around the wearer&#39;s torso or thigh, or attached or tied to an object located behind the sitting wearer such as, for example, the back of the seat. It is appreciated that at least one of the horizontal and vertical straps  206 ,  212  of the embodiments of  FIGS. 2C ,  4 C is preferably configured to include a strap a fit of which to a portion of the user&#39;s body is adjustable and, in particular, tensionably adjustable. In one embodiment, for example, the fit of the vertical strap  212  defined as a linear extend of the strap  212  between its proximal end  212   a  and a point at which it reaches the article of clothing to which it is detachably affixed, is made adjustable by manipulating the affixing means  214   a,    214   b.  To this end, and in further reference to  FIG. 3A , an operationally optimized range of fit-adjustment is achieved by using a relatively long (for example, 9 to 13 inches or so) Velcro patch in place of the element  302   a,  while keeping the Velcro patch element  302   b  comparably short (for example, 2-4 inches or so) in order to facilitate opening and closing the Velcro fastener behind the person&#39;s back. In another example, an embodiment of  FIG. 5  contains a horizontal strap  506  having a fit-adjusting mechanism  510  such as, for example, a Velcro-based or a buckle-based mechanism. A portion of the embodiment containing the vertical strap is not shown for simplicity of illustration. 
         [0024]    Referring now to  FIG. 6 , an alternative configuration of a sleep mask system is depicted that includes, in addition to the blindfolding portion  200  and the horizontal strap such as the strap  206  of  FIG. 2A  or the strap  506  of  FIG. 5 , an auxiliary horizontal strap  610  judiciously chosen to accommodate the attachment of the system, worn by the seated person (not shown), to an object  616  behind the person such a back of the seat, for example. 
         [0025]    A further advantageous modification to the basic implementation of the portion  200  of the embodiment of  FIG. 2C  may include an adjustable-fit vertical-support strap  710  configured to be permanently or removably cooperated to the horizontal strap  206  or  506  such as to pass over the head of the wearer, when worn and to prevent the sleep mask system from sliding down the wearer&#39;s head. Such a related embodiment is schematically illustrated in  FIG. 7 . 
         [0026]    In use, an extra advantage is gained if a sleep mask system is additionally equipped with side-stabilization components that are adapted to prevent the head of the wearer from falling sideways. An embodiment of the system containing such side-stabilization components  810   a,    810   b  (as shown, side-stabilization straps) and worn by the user is shown from the rear of the user. The side-stabilization straps  810   a,    810   b  are optionally length-adjustable, in a fashion similar to that discussed above, and are configured to be tensionably wrapped around the wearer&#39;s arms  814   a,    814   b.  Alternatively, the side-stabilization straps  810   a,    810   b  can be adapted to be removably attachable to an element of the wearer&#39;s clothing, for example to the sides of the belt worn by the person. Additionally or alternatively, the side-stabilization components  810   a,    810   b  are configured to be removably attachable to an external object located on the sides of the seated person who wears the sleep mask system, for example, to the arm rests of the chair in which the person is sitting. The employ of the side-stabilization components  814   a,    814   b  may be optimized by using these components with the embodiment of  FIG. 506 , which permits establishing a tight fit of the horizontal strap  506  around the wearer&#39;s head. 
         [0027]      FIGS. 9A through 9C  provide illustrations of the use of the sleep mask system of the invention and show the attachment of the harness element  212  to the wearer&#39;s belt and support of the head of the wearer in a substantially straight position while seated. 
         [0028]    While specific examples of implementation of the sleep mask system has been discussed in reference to the particular drawings attached hereto, it is to be understood that modifications to, and variations of, the illustrated examples may be made without departing from the inventive concepts disclosed herein. Accordingly, the invention should not be viewed as being limited to the disclosed implementation(s). Examples of claims envisioned to claim the invention are provided by the appended tentative claims.
A system and method for restricting a movement of a head of a person wearing a sleep mask. A system includes a non-stretchable harness attached or attachable to the sleep mask and affixable to an object distant to the person's head such as to impede the head's movement in at least one of forward and shoulder-to-shoulder direction.