Pillow system providing sound suppression

A method, used in a pillow system that includes a cushioning material, a substantially rigid U-shaped frame with a first portion and a second portion connected by an adjustable portion, a first ear cup and a second ear cup, the method comprising:

• engaging, by the cushioning material, a back and sides of a subject's head responsive to the head of the subject being in place on the pillow system;
• surrounding, by the substantially rigid U-shaped frame, the back and sides of the subject's head and the cushioning material, the U-shaped frame being relatively rigid in relation to the cushioning material in order to support and to hold the cushioning material in place on the subject's head for movement therewith responsive to the subject's head being in place on the pillow system and wherein at least one of the first portion, the second portion, and the adjustable portion are configured to flex relative to one another under force;
• facilitating lateral adjustment, by the adjustable portion, of a slidable connection between the first portion and the second portion by sliding the first portion and the second portion to a fixed distance and retaining a relative spacing between the first portion and the second portion at the fixed distance, wherein the adjustment accommodates differences in distances between the first side of the head and the second side of the head for different subjects;
• surrounding, by the first ear cup, the subject's ear on a first side of the subject's head responsive to the subject's head being in place on the pillow system;
• and
• surrounding, by the second ear cup, the subject's ear on a second side of the subject's head responsive to the subject's head being in place on the pillow system,
• wherein, via the substantially rigid U-shaped frame and its adjustable portion, the cushioning material maintains its engagement with respect to both the first side and the second side of the subject's head during movement of the subject's head to different positions.

A pillow system, the pillow system comprising:

• cushioning means for engaging a back and sides of a subject's head responsive to the head of the subject being in place on the pillow system;
• a substantially rigid U-shaped surrounding means for surrounding the back and sides of the subject's head and the cushioning means, the U-shaped surrounding means being relatively rigid in relation to the cushioning material for supporting and for holding the cushioning means in place on the subject's head for movement therewith responsive to the head of the subject being in place on the pillow system and wherein at least part of the U-shaped surrounding means is configured to flex under force;
• first ear surrounding means for surrounding the subject's ear on a first side of the subject's head responsive to the subject's head being in place on the pillow system;
• and
• second ear surrounding means for surrounding the subject's ear on a second side of the subject's head responsive to the subject's head being in place on the pillow system,
• wherein substantially rigid U-shaped surrounding means comprises an adjustable connecting means for slidably connecting parts of the U-shaped surrounding means to provide relative sliding movement to said parts in a lateral direction to a fixed distance and to retain spacing said parts at the fixed distance, and
• wherein, via the substantially rigid U-shaped surrounding means and its adjustable means, the cushioning material maintains its engagement with respect to both the back and the sides of the subject's head during movement of the subject's head to different positions.