Beds – Support means for discrete portion of user – useable with bed... – For head or neck
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-22
2002-04-23
Grosz, Alexander (Department: 3628)
Beds
Support means for discrete portion of user, useable with bed...
For head or neck
C005S636000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06374441
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention pertains to the field of head and neck support and immobilization devices that are used in cooperation with a chiropractic or medical treatment table. More particularly, the invention pertains to headrest apparatus for a chiropractor's table, which provides comfortable support for a patient's head while the patient is lying facedown.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
During chiropractic therapy it is usually necessary for the patient to lie in a prone position so that the medical attendant may work on the patient's back. Normally the patient lies on a specially designed table. Therapeutic tables upon which a human body can be supported are well known in the orthopedic and chiropractic fields. Such tables normally include support cushions for the ankles, legs, pelvic, thoracic and lumbar regions, as well as the head. The headrest usually includes two opposing rectangular cushions to support the patient's head, and a facial opening such that the patient can lie on the table face-down, while still permitting normal breathing. Such headrest cushions are typically composed of a resilient or compressible material, such as foam rubber or polyurethane, and are covered by a durable protective material, such as leather or plastic.
There are many variations of a face-down pillow or head support structure in the prior art. Some of these are explicitly intended for chiropractic or other medical applications (U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,694,831; 4,710,991; 4,908,892; 5,347,668; 5,652,981; 5,778,887; 5,865,505 and 5,893,183), while others are either for avoiding wrinkles or smearing cosmetics, or just to allow comfortable sleeping face-down. U.S. Pat. No. 3,315,282 “Headrest For Cosmetic Use And The Like” discloses a sloping pillow with recess for the face that has cheek pads and also discloses an embodiment surrounding the face (FIG.
10
). U.S. Pat. No. 4,710,991 “Headrest Pillow”, which is specifically for chiropractic tables, has two bolsters with lateral head support pads. U.S. Pat. No. 5,652,981 “Maternity Massage Cushion”, also for massage, discloses a pillow for supporting a pregnant woman face-down for massage that has facial recess with cheek contact cushion (FIGS.
7
and
8
). All of these patents show a face support member contoured to fit the cheeks and forehead of the user. U.S. Pat. No. 1,542,674 “Combined Pillow And Chest Supporter” shows a cross-wise slot for the face, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,778,887 “Face Down Body Support Apparatus” uses a webbing strap to support the forehead over a gap.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is a cushioned headrest for a chiropractor's table having a substantially U-shaped configuration for receiving and supporting a user's head in a face-down orientation. The dense foam cushion is contoured to support the user's face by direct engagement with the user's face, decreasing the pressure particularly in the area of the frontal sinus and maxillary sinus cavity and facial bones, specifically the bony area around and under the eye (zygomatic bone), by increasing the surface area contacting these areas. A central opening through the cushion, angled in from the contact locations, receives the nose and mouth portions of the user's face and permits free breathing. By using such facial contours, the headrest of the present invention increases the surface area of contact in specific areas of the face, while the patient is in a prone position. The increased surface area decreases pressure to the sinus cavity and facial bone regions, more specifically the Glabella, Zygomatic Arch (process), Temporal Process and Frontal Process. Being contoured to the shape of these facial bones, the invention thereby increases patient comfort substantially over the prior art.
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Brown & Michaels PC
Grosz Alexander
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