Technical Field The present invention relates to a pillow having a sound-to-vibration conversion apparatus built therein. More specifically, the invention relates a pillow with a built-in sound-to-vibration converter that converts a sound signal outputted from an audio device into vibration to induce the generation of Alpha (a) wave by the vibration so as to promote sleep and secretion of growth hormone.

Background Art In general, brain waves refer to electric waves generated from a brain and their amplitudes and periods depend on a variation in emotion. The potential difference of brain waves is measured using a galvanometer, a recorder, a graphic display, which is also called an electroencephalogram or Berger rhythm.

The brain waves are categorized into four basic groups: Alpha (a), Beta (p), Theta (@) and Delta (8) waves. Among these, we need to give attention to Alpha (a) wave.

Alpha (a) wave has a frequency band of 7 to 14Hz which is the most beneficial for the human body and it is generated when a person becomes feel mental peace through meditation, religious ceremony or relaxation in nature. When Alpha (a) wave is generated, an individual's concentration is increased. Also, the individual becomes more enthusiastic for all works and reaches the highest level of mental and physical

states. This characteristic of Alpha (a) wave is being utilized in various fields. For example, it is practically used in a variety of fields including hypnotherapy, studying aids for helping enhance concentration and memory, feedback therapy, growth promotions, music therapy and so on. Alpha (a) wave can be induced by optical stimulus, natural effect sound and meditation music. Recently, Alpha (a) wave is also generated by artificially stimulating the auditory nerve.

In the meantime, it is known that Alpha (a) wave increases the amount of human growth hormone released so as to promote growth. It is said that frequent generation of Alpha (a) wave in the brains of teenagers during their growing periods may increase the amount of growth hormone to promote their growth. It is also known that sounds of creating a-wave have ultrasonic vibrations generated in natural environments. These vibrations activate anterior pituitary gland and stimulate the growing point located at each long bine to result in promotion of growth. Ultrasonic waves naturally created are not a single wave but composite waves, and hence they generate a sound like super- regenerative noise. Here, attention must be paid to adults who have completed their growth curve.

Growth hormone is secreted during a human's lifetime. It also plays an essential role for the growth of teenagers during the juvenile period, and takes part in metabolism such as synthesis of protein and decomposition of body fat after they become adults and their growing points are closed. As the human's aging progresses, the amount of hormone secreted is reduced so that their bodies and minds become weak.

Accordingly, secretion of growth hormone is very important even for adults. In the

case where the amount of growth hormone secreted is increased, people can keep their bodies and minds in optimum conditions, such as increased growth of hair, fingernails and toenails, enhancements of sexual appetite, strength, concentration and explosive muscular strength, increases in motivation, bone density and muscular power, mitigation of aging speed, promoted decomposition of body fat, etc. Accordingly, since growth hormone is essential for the human being, Alpha (a) wave serving to promote secretion of growth hormone is very important.

Owing to this great importance of Alpha (a) wave, a variety of Alpha (a) wave generating devices have been developed but they remain in an early stage.

Disclosure of Invention The present invention is directed to a sleeping aid that can generate Alpha (a) wave beneficial for the human body even in the adult period as well as the juvenile period using a pillow used during sleeping.

An object of the present invention is to provide a pillow with a built-in sound-to- vibration converter that converts a sound signal outputted from an audio device into vibration to induce the generation of Alpha (a) wave by the vibration.

The present invention includes a sound-to-vibration converter that vibrates according to a sound signal outputted from an audio device, built in a pillow used when a user sleeps so that he or she can hear the actual sound through a speaker and, simultaneously, actually feel the vibration caused by the sound through his or her pillow, thereby improving stereophonic effect and presence of the sound, and accordingly

further promoting the generation of Alpha (a) wave. Especially, when the pillow including the sound-to-vibration converter is used together with meditation music or sleeping inducing music, generation of Alpha (a) wave is further promoted so that its user can enter a meditating state or fall asleep.

The applicant of the present invention has filed three paten applications (Korean patent application Nos. 10-2001-0026923, 10-2001-0026924 and 10-2002-0018190 which are co-pending) relating to a sound-to-vibration converting apparatus of converting a sound signal into vibration. The present invention is an application of the previously filed patent applications. Accordingly, the sound-vibration converting apparatuses of the previously filed patent applications will be briefly described hereinafter for explanation of the present invention.

FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of the sound-to-vibration converting apparatus of the previously filed and co-pending patent application No. 10-2001-002236923.

Referring to FIG. 1, when a sound signal outputted from an amplifier is applied to coils 17 and 17', polarities and magnetic intensities of electromagnets 13 and 13'vary with the amplitude and phase of the sound signal. This causes attraction and repulsion to occur between the electromagnets and permanent magnets 11 and 11'to result in reciprocation of electromagnets 13 and 13'. Here, the reciprocating distance of the electromagnets 13 and 13'traces the amplitude waveform of the sound signal.

In the configuration of FIG. 1, the electromagnets 13 and 13'must be fabricated in such a manner that their polarities are opposite to each other. The reason for this is because both electromagnets 13 and 13'fixed to one frame 14 should be symmetrically

moved with respect to the central vertical line.

In FIG. 1, the electromagnets 13 and 13'include inertial weights 23 and 23', respectively so as to increase an inertial force of reciprocation of the electromagnets 13 and 13'. Accordingly, while the electromagnets 13 and 13'are inclined to reciprocate around a rotary shaft, due to the inertial weights 23 and 23', the permanent magnets 11 and 11'and a housing 12 which have a relatively low inertial force are vibrated according to counteraction. Consequently, the vibration of the sound-to-vibration converting apparatus becomes much strong.

Referring back to FIG. 1, the apparatus further includes electromagnet neutrality- maintaining elastic members 25a, 25b, 25a'and 25b'for maintaining the neutral state of the electromagnets 13 and 13'. The electromagnet neutrality-maintaining elastic members 25a, 25b, 25a'and 25b'apply a resistant force to the electromagnets in the direction opposite to the moving direction of the electromagnets 13 and 13'when the electromagnets 13 and 13'approach N-pole or S-pole of the permanent magnets 11 and 11'and become distant from it. In addition, the elastic members allow the electromagnets 13 and 13'to be located at the neutral position between N-pole and S- pole of the permanent magnets 11 and 11'when there is no sound signal applied thereto.

Furthermore, each of the electromagnet neutrality-maintaining elastic members 25a, 25b, 25a'and 25b'serve as a kind of braking device that controls the top and bottom points of reciprocation of the electromagnets 13 and 13'. In FIG. 1, a compressed spring is used as the elastic members. This spring is disposed between the frame 14 and a side of a protrusion formed at each of both ends of an E-shaped iron core to apply force to the

electromagnets 13 and 13'to allow them to be placed in the neutral state all the time.

Instead of the spring, elastic rubber may be used as the electromagnet neutrality maintaining elastic members 25a, 25b, 25a'and 25b'. Moreover, the spring can be used together with and vibration absorbing rubber to more smoothly control the reciprocation of the electromagnets more smoothly.

Braking pressure of the elastic members is set to be in proportion to an attraction force of the permanent magnets 11 and 11'. That is, torque can be controlled in such a manner that attraction of the permanent magnets 11 and 11'is not felt when the electromagnets 13 and 13'are artificially reciprocated.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of another sound-to- vibration converting apparatus of the previously filed and co-pending patent application No. 10-2001-0026924. The sound-to-vibration converting apparatus includes a magnet means 31 securely fixed to a housing 43 and an electromagnet 33 aranged to face N-pole or S-pole of the magnet means. In this configuration, the electromagnet 33 approaches the magnet means 31 and become distant from it to reciprocate according to the interaction between polarity of electromagnet 33 presented in response to a sound signal applied to a coil 35 thereof, and polarity of the magnet means 31 facing the electromagnet. In FIG. 2, the magnet means 31 is securely fixed to the housing 43. A permanent magnet may be used as the magnet means. It is also possible to use an electromagnet as the magnet means.

Referring to FIG. 2, the electromagnet is fabricated in such a manner that the coil 35 is wound around a central protrusion 33a of an E-shaped iron core having three

protrusions 33a, 33b and 33c. An audio signal from an amplifier is applied to the coil 35.

The operation principle of this sound-to-vibration converting apparatus will be described hereinafter. When a sound signal outputted from the amplifier is applied to the coil 35, polarity and magnetic intensity of the electromagnet 33 vary with the amplitude and phase of the sound signal to cause attraction and repulsion to occur between the permanent magnet 31 and the electromagnet 33, resulting in reciprocation of the electromagnet 33. Here, the reciprocating distance of the electromagnet 33 depends on the amplitude of the sound signal.

Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 2, the electromagnet 33 includes an inertial weight 37 to further increase an inertial force of the reciprocation of the electromagnet 33.

While the electromagnet 33 are inclined to reciprocate facing the permanent magnet 31, accordingly, due to the inertial weight 37, the permanent magnet 31 and housing 43 having a relatively low inertial force vibrate according to counteraction.

Referring back to FIG. 2, the sound-to-vibration converting apparatus further includes elastic members 39a and 39b that apply resistant force to the electromagnet 33 in the direction opposite to the moving direction of the electromagnet 33 when the electromagnet 33 comes close to the permanent magnet 31 and become distant from it.

Furthermore, the apparatus additionally includes a gap maintaining means 41 between the electromagnet 33 and the permanent magnet 31. The gap maintaining means 41 functions to maintain a specific gap between the electromagnet 33 and the permanent magnet 31 even when the electromagnet 33 is in the position closest to the permanent magnet 31. A buffering pad may be used as the gain maintaining means 41. The

electromagnet 33 and the permanent magnet 31 collide with each other with the buffering pad disposed between them.

FIG. 3 illustrates an internal perspective view of another sound-to-vibration converting apparatus of the previously filed and co-pending patent application No. 10- 2002-0018190.

Referring to FIG. 3, an electromagnet 55 is fixed to a housing 51 in such a manner as to pivot around a shaft 59 laterally installed in the inner central portion of the housing 51. Since a sound signal outputted from an amplifier is applied to a coil 63 wound around the electromagnet 55, the coil should be wound such that the number of windings is controlled to match with the amplifier. The method of fixing the electromagnet 55 to the housing 51 is not limited to this embodiment in which the electromagnet is fixed to the shaft 59 of the housing. The electromagnet 55 is fixed to the housing 51 in such a manner that it can relatively move with respect to the housing.

A magnet means having N-pole 53'and S-pole 53 formed on one plane is securely fixed to each of both inner sides of the housing 51, which are opposite to both ends of the electromagnet 55. In this embodiment, S-pole 53 is located on N-pole 53'. Either a permanent magnet or an electromagnet may be used as the magnet means.

An inertial weight 57 is attached to each sides of both end portions of the electromagnet 55. The inertial weight 57 serves to increase an inertial force according to movement of the electromagnet 55 so as to vibrate the housing 51 that is relatively light in weight.

When a sound signal outputted from the amplifier is applied to the coil 63, polarity

and magnetic intensity of the electromagnet 55 vary with the amplitude and phase of the sound signal to cause attraction and repulsion to occur between the electromagnet 55 and the permanent magnets 53 and 53'to result in reciprocation of the electromagnet 55. The direction of the reciprocation is shown as an arrow in FIG. 3. More specifically, when a magnetic force of N-pole is generated at one side of the electromagnet 55 according to the sound signal applied to the coil, one side of the electromagnet 55 having N-pole moves upwardly according to attraction of S-pole of one permanent magnet 53. At the same time, the other side of the electromagnet 55 becomes S-pole to move downwardly according to repulsion of S-pole of the other permanent magnet 53. When the sound signal is applied in the opposite direction, the electromagnet 55 moves in the direction opposite to the direction in the above case so that it reciprocates. At this time, the reciprocating distance of the electromagnet 55 traces the amplitude waveform of the sound signal.

As described above, the inertial weight 57 is attached to each sides of both end portions of the electromagnet 55 to increase an inertial force of the reciprocation of the electromagnet 55. Accordingly, while the electromagnet 55 is inclined to reciprocate with respect to the rotary shaft 59, due to the inertial weight 57, the permanent magnets 53 and 53'and housing 51 having relatively low inertial force are vibrated. Consequently, the sound-to-vibration converting apparatus vibrates more intensively.

Brief-Description of the Drawings Further objects and advantages of the invention can be more fully understood from

the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a sound-to-vibration converter used in the present invention; FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of another sound-to-vibration converter used in the present invention; FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of another sound-to-vibration converter used in the present invention; FIG. 4 shows the internal configuration of a pillow with a built-in a sound-to- vibration converting apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional side view showing the pillow according to an embodiment of the present invention; and FIG. 6 is a graph showing an effect obtained when the pillow of the present invention is used.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention The present invention will now be described in detail in connection with preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 4 shows the internal configuration of a pillow with a built-in sound-to-vibration converting apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional side view showing the pillow according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, two sound-to-vibration

converters are provided in portions of a pillow body 72, which come into contact with both ears of a user when he or she lays his head on the pillow. The pillow body 72 is fabricated in such a manner that urethane foam is foamed to be shaped in a predetermined form having a semi-solid state. Accordingly, the pillow body can easily transmit vibration of the sound-to-vibration converters 71 to the human body. It is should be noted that the material of the pillow body is not limited to the urethane foam which is merely an example.

A sound signal outputted from an audio device (not shown) is transmitted to the sound-to-vibration converters 71 through a wire 79. The sound-to-vibration converters 71 vibrate in response to the signal. As the sound-vibration converters 71, the above- mentioned ones of patent applications previously filed by the applicant are used.

A fastening reinforcing fiber 75 is provided within the pillow body 72 and fastened with the wire 79 at a fastening point 76. The fastening reinforcing fiber 75 functions to maintain the shape of the pillow and reinforces the fastening between the pillow and the wire 79 so as to prevent the wire 79 from getting tangled inside the pillow. The fastening reinforcing fiber 75 may be formed of hemp cloth having a net structure or constructed of a frame.

An aroma pouch 77 for containing an aromatic therein may be installed at the outer side of the pillow. The aroma pouch may be made in such a manner that the aromatic is easily replaced with a new one by means of an opening/shutting means such as a zipper. The aromatic contained in the aroma pouch 77 does not need to be a volatile material because vibration of the pillow actively moves aroma modules of the aromatic.

The operation of the pillow including the sound-to-vibration converting apparatus according to the present invention will be described hereinafter.

A sound signal transmitted from an audio device through the wire 79 vibrates the sound-to-vibration converters 71. The vibration of the sound-to-vibration converters 71 is delivered to the pillow body 72 made of a semi-solid material.

Then, the vibration transmitted to the pillow body 72 allows the auditory nerve of a user who lays his head on the pillow to recognize the sound through bone conduction and skin of his head and stimulates the pituitary gland, scalp and growing points in his or her body. This stimulus applies the same vibration as naturally generated ultrasonic vibration to the pituitary gland and thyroid gland that secrete growth hormone to easily generate Alpha (a) wave and activate secretion of growth hormone.

Although this product is designed such that it has sufficient output power, Alpha (a) wave can be generated only at a minimum sound pressure level. However, for the purpose of growing hair, it is effective to use music including a lot of sounds in a low compass zone (cello, base guitar, drum, thunder, waterfall and Samulnori sounds) having an appropriate sound pressure level.

As described above, the present invention has the sound-to-vibration converters which vibrate according a sound signal outputted from an audio device, built in a pillow used when a person sleeps thereby to vibrate the pillow. This generates Alpha (a) wave to promote deep sleep and secretion of growth hormone. Furthermore, it promotes growth of hair owing to its scalp massage effect.

FIG. 6 is a graph showing a result of an experiment for testing the performance of

the pillow according to the present invention. The experiment was conducted, making an eight-year-old girl an object of the test, for one hour before sleeping and thirty minutes after awaking from sleep during a predetermined time period of ordinary days except a vacation period during which she grows faster. It can be seen from the graph shown in FIG. 6 that the experimental object grew faster about 50% or more when she used the pillow of the present invention than other times.

While the present invention has been described with reference to the particular illustrative embodiments, it is not to be restricted by the embodiments but only by the appended claims. It is to be appreciated that those skilled in the art can change or modify the embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.