Orthopedic comfort pillow

Details Orthopedic comfort pillow Orthopedic comfort pillow

1998-10-15

2001-05-15

Melius, Terry Lee (Department: 3628)

Beds

Support means for discrete portion of user, useable with bed...

For head or neck

C005S645000, C005S655300, C005S644000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06230347

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to pillows.
Traditional pillows are essentially envelopes that are filled with a fiber stuffing and attempt to provide a uniform density throughout the pillow. In use, the stuffing fibers tend to become either compressed or displaced towards the periphery of the pillow as a result of the head and neck turning during sleep. Consequently, the head and neck would have the least amount of support where it is most needed, with the result that there is a tendency for the neck to curve in the opposite direction to normal. Such traditional pillows, therefore, are recognized as failing to support the neck properly and can disturb the natural curve and inclination of the cervical spine. This in turn can lead to cervical sprain and chronically tense, stiff and painful muscles of the upper back and neck.
An alternative structure is offered by a contoured foam pillow, in which foam blocks are shaped into thick blunt-ended bolsters. These bolsters behave as an unyielding static bulk even if turned upside down. Chiropractic literature has indicated that such bolsters thrust the cervical spine outward from its normal spinal alignment and inadequately allow for retrusion of the head. Furthermore, the foam structures that are formed on the surface of the bolster tend to splay open on the naturally convex surface of the mattress. This tends to result in a kink in the cervical spine with attendant muscle cramps and spasms, and a backward tilt of the head with attendant facial endema and respiratory consequences.
The blunt-ended bolsters typically have a concave surface and a planar surface with compliant formations projecting upwardly from the surface. These formations are intended to accommodate the curvature of the head while also providing an overall foam support.
A further prior proposal has utilized a case with a quilted wall into which can be placed static foam block supports of different thicknesses and configurations. This arrangement, however, simply provides a compliant covering for the foam blocks which therefore suffer from the same disadvantages as the contoured foam pillow.
DE 195 35 940 discloses a pillow of complex shape that tapers towards a forward edge.
None of the devices known to the applicant attempt to provide an inflected curved wedge of support for the neck.
It is therefore an object of an aspect of the present invention to provide a pillow that obviates or mitigates the above disadvantages.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In general terms, the present invention provides a pillow having a compliant base. Such compliant base is generally referred to herein as a foam base, which is preferred, but other compliant bases e.g. inflated bases may be used. In preferred embodiments, the foam base has oppositely-directed concave surfaces. A compliant overlay is provided on one of the surfaces, such that the foam base in combination with the overlay provide an inflected curved wedge of support. In particular, the overlay is divided into a plurality of chambers filled with compliant materials that provide, in combination with the foam base, an inflected density gradient or firmness gradient from front to rear of the upper surface.
Preferably the concave undersurface provides a convex pivot point which facilitates elevation of a leading edge of the foam base upon application of a load.
Accordingly, an aspect of the present invention provides a pillow comprising a compliant base extending from a front edge to a rear edge, said base having a compliant overlay thereon of lighter density than said base, said base and compliant overlay cooperatively forming a curved wedge of support from said front edge towards said rear edge, the compliant overlay extending forward of said front edge.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a pillow comprising a compliant base extending from a front edge to a rear edge, said base having opposed concave surfaces transverse to said front and rear edges, said base having a compliant overlay thereon of lighter density than said base with the compliant overlay extending forward of said front edge, said base in combination with said compliant overlay increasing in firmness of support between said front edge and said rear edge.
In preferred embodiments of the pillow, the compliant base is a foam base.
In further embodiments, the wedge or gradient is inflected.
In a further embodiment, the compliant overlay has a plurality of chambers extending transversely, said chambers being filled with compliant material of differing densities such that density of the overlay, in combination with the compliant base, in general increases from the front edge to the back edge.
Another aspect provides a pillow comprising a compliant base extending from a front edge to a rear edge, said base having a compliant overlay attached thereon of lighter density than said base, said base and compliant overlay cooperatively forming a curved wedge of support from said front edge towards said rear edge.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3161436 (1964-12-01), Hood
patent: 4393530 (1983-07-01), Stark
patent: 4803743 (1989-02-01), Greenawalt
patent: 5016303 (1991-05-01), Tanaka et al.
patent: 5533218 (1996-07-01), Fahy
patent: 5682633 (1997-11-01), Davis
patent: 1654223 (1971-11-01), None
patent: 19535940 (1996-04-01), None
patent: 2182152 (1973-12-01), None
patent: 2282964 (1995-04-01), None
patent: 9107122 (1991-05-01), None

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