Cervical-dorsal relaxation pad
United States Patent 3926181
A substantially U-shaped resilient pad for supporting the head and shoulders of a user while the user is lying face down. The spacing between the legs of the U-shaped pad is such that upper marginal edge portions of the legs support the cheeks of the user while the upper marginal edge portion of the connecting portion supports the user's forehead. The portion of the user's face between the legs thus is untouched by the pad. The ends of the legs opposite their connection with the connecting portion of the pad underlie the user's shoulders to support the shoulders in a raised, relaxed position. Support members under opposite ends of the pad support the pad with its upper surface inclined slightly from the horizontal.
US Patent References:
Headrest
Jones - April 1941 - 2239003
Adjustable headrest for chiropractic tables
Lorang - February 1955 - 2702733
Head suspending pillow
Eidam - November 1961 - 3009172
THERAPEUTIC PILLOW
Kretchmer - September 1973 - 3757365
Headrest
Jones - April 1941 - 2239003
Adjustable headrest for chiropractic tables
Lorang - February 1955 - 2702733
Head suspending pillow
Eidam - November 1961 - 3009172
THERAPEUTIC PILLOW
Kretchmer - September 1973 - 3757365
Application Number:
05/430220
Publication Date:
12/16/1975
Filing Date:
01/02/1974
View Patent Images:
Export Citation:
Primary Class:
Other Classes:
5/632
International Classes:
A47G9/10; A61G13/12; A61G7/07; A47G9/00; A61G13/00; A61G7/05; A61F5/00
Field of Search:
128/68-70 5/338,327B
Primary Examiner:
Trapp, Lawrence W.
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
Kolisch, Hartwell, Dickinson & Stuart
Parent Case Data:
This application is a continuation-in-part of my prior abandoned application Ser. No. 352,199, filed Apr. 18, 1973.
Claims:
It is claimed and desired to secure by letters patent
1. A device for supporting a user's head and shoulders above a supportive surface when such user is lying face down; said device comprising an elongate resilient pad having a substantially planar upper surface, said pad having an elongate opening defined therein opening to said upper surface, extending longitudinally of the pad and terminating short of one end of said pad, said opening having such width that opposed upper marginal edge portions of the pad on opposite sides of said opening may support the cheek regions of the user's face and an upper marginal edge portion of the pad adjacent said opening and said one end of the pad may support the user's forehead, said opening having such depth that portions of the user's face between said opposed edge margins are untouched by said pad, said pad having such length that when the user's forehead is resting on said marginal edge portion of the pad adjacent said one end of the pad the opposite end of the pad underlies and supports the user's shoulders above said supportive surface.
2. The device of claim 1, wherein said opposite end of the pad has a width substantially equal to the width of the user's shoulders.
3. The device of claim 1, wherein said opening extends fully through the end of said pad opposite its said one end.
4. The device of claim 1, which further comprises support means operable to support said pad on an underlying supportive surface with the lower surface of the pad spaced above said supportive surface.
5. The device of claim 4 wherein said support means comprises at least a pair of spaced support members secured to said pad adjacent its opposite ends, said support members being different heights whereby they support said pad with its upper surface inclined.
6. The device of claim 1, wherein said pad is substantially U-shaped and the space between opposed legs thereof may range from three to four inches.
7. The device of claim 6, wherein the length of said legs of the U-shaped pad may range from eleven to sixteen inches.
8. The device of claim 1, which further comprises a substantially rigid base plate secured to the lower surface of said pad.
9. A device for supporting a user's head and shoulders when lying face down comprising a substantially U-shaped resilient pad having a pair of elongate opposed spaced-apart leg portions and a joining portion interconnecting said leg portions adjacent one end of the pad, said leg and joining portions having a common substantially planar upper surface, the spacing between said leg portions being sufficient to permit a portion of a user's face to rest in the space therebetween with upper marginal edges of the leg portions engaging and supporting the user's cheeks, and an upper marginal edge of said joining portion providing support for the user's forehead, and the legs have such length that when the user's forehead is supported by such joining portion the opposite ends of said legs are positioned to underlie and support the user's shoulders.
10. The device of claim 9, which further comprises first and second support means secured to the underside of the resilient pad adjacent opposite ends of the pad for supporting said pad on an underlying supportive surface, one of said support means being operable to support its associated end of the pad at a higher elevation than the other end of the pad.
11. The device of claim 9, wherein the space between said legs may range from three to four and one-half inches.
12. The device of claim 9, wherein the length of said legs as measured from the innermost side of said joining portion may range from eleven to sixteen inches.
13. The device of claim 9, which further comprises a substantially rigid base plate secured to the lower surface of said pad.
1. A device for supporting a user's head and shoulders above a supportive surface when such user is lying face down; said device comprising an elongate resilient pad having a substantially planar upper surface, said pad having an elongate opening defined therein opening to said upper surface, extending longitudinally of the pad and terminating short of one end of said pad, said opening having such width that opposed upper marginal edge portions of the pad on opposite sides of said opening may support the cheek regions of the user's face and an upper marginal edge portion of the pad adjacent said opening and said one end of the pad may support the user's forehead, said opening having such depth that portions of the user's face between said opposed edge margins are untouched by said pad, said pad having such length that when the user's forehead is resting on said marginal edge portion of the pad adjacent said one end of the pad the opposite end of the pad underlies and supports the user's shoulders above said supportive surface.
2. The device of claim 1, wherein said opposite end of the pad has a width substantially equal to the width of the user's shoulders.
3. The device of claim 1, wherein said opening extends fully through the end of said pad opposite its said one end.
4. The device of claim 1, which further comprises support means operable to support said pad on an underlying supportive surface with the lower surface of the pad spaced above said supportive surface.
5. The device of claim 4 wherein said support means comprises at least a pair of spaced support members secured to said pad adjacent its opposite ends, said support members being different heights whereby they support said pad with its upper surface inclined.
6. The device of claim 1, wherein said pad is substantially U-shaped and the space between opposed legs thereof may range from three to four inches.
7. The device of claim 6, wherein the length of said legs of the U-shaped pad may range from eleven to sixteen inches.
8. The device of claim 1, which further comprises a substantially rigid base plate secured to the lower surface of said pad.
9. A device for supporting a user's head and shoulders when lying face down comprising a substantially U-shaped resilient pad having a pair of elongate opposed spaced-apart leg portions and a joining portion interconnecting said leg portions adjacent one end of the pad, said leg and joining portions having a common substantially planar upper surface, the spacing between said leg portions being sufficient to permit a portion of a user's face to rest in the space therebetween with upper marginal edges of the leg portions engaging and supporting the user's cheeks, and an upper marginal edge of said joining portion providing support for the user's forehead, and the legs have such length that when the user's forehead is supported by such joining portion the opposite ends of said legs are positioned to underlie and support the user's shoulders.
10. The device of claim 9, which further comprises first and second support means secured to the underside of the resilient pad adjacent opposite ends of the pad for supporting said pad on an underlying supportive surface, one of said support means being operable to support its associated end of the pad at a higher elevation than the other end of the pad.
11. The device of claim 9, wherein the space between said legs may range from three to four and one-half inches.
12. The device of claim 9, wherein the length of said legs as measured from the innermost side of said joining portion may range from eleven to sixteen inches.
13. The device of claim 9, which further comprises a substantially rigid base plate secured to the lower surface of said pad.
Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a device for supporting a person's head and shoulders while lying face down.
There are many instances in which a person may wish to, or must, lie with his face down. An example of this is found in a situation in which a person must lie in a face down position while being treated for neck or upper back injuries. In such instances it is often necessary to support the body in such a way that the muscles in the upper shoulder and neck regions are relaxed, rather than tense, as is the normal occurrence should a person lie face down on a substantially planar supportive surface.
A general object of the invention is to provide a relaxation device which will support a person while lying face down in such a manner that his neck and upper back muscles will be in a relaxed position.
Another object is to provide a supporting device for the head and shoulders of a user lying face down, which will permit a comfortable resting position for the user, yet will provide breathing space for the person.
More specifically, an object of the invention is to provide a resilient, substantially U-shaped pad, on which the user's cheeks and forehead may rest, with central regions of the user's face untouched by the pad and with end portions of the legs of the U-shaped pad providing support for the user's shoulders.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a novel support pad for the head and shoulders of a user lying in a face down position, in which the upper surface of the pad is inclined somewhat from the horizontal to provide a more relaxing position for the user.
A still further object is to provide such a novel pad which is simple in design, inexpensive to manufacture, rugged in construction, and easy and efficient to use.
DRAWINGS
These and other objects and advantages will become more readily apparent as the following description is read in conjunction with the drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention in use;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged top plan view of the invention shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the invention shown in FIG. 2 with portions broken away;
FIG. 4 is a view somewhat similar to that in FIG. 3, but illustrating a modified form of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
Referring to the drawings, and first more specifically to FIG. 1, at 10 is indicated generally a device constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. As illustrated in FIGS. 1-4, the device is a substantially U-shaped resilient pad made of foam rubber, or other suitable material so as to act as cushion means for a person when in use. A substantially rigid base member 11 of a similar U-shaped configuration is constructed of plywood, or other suitable material such as plastic, and is secured to the lower surface of the pad.
U-shaped pad 10 has a pair of elongate leg portions 10a, 10b which are interconnected at one set of their ends by a joining portion 10c. The upper surfaces of portions 10a, 10b, 10c define a substantially common planar upper surface.
As is best seen in FIG. 2, the interior sides 13a, 13b of leg portions 10a, 10b, respectively, extend substantially parallel to each other in a direction longitudinally of the pad and thus define opposite sides of an opening extending longitudinally of the pad. The opening extends fully through one end of the pad and terminates short of the opposite end at inner arcuate wall 13c of joining portion 10c of the pad. The side-to-side spacing between walls 13a, 13b of the U-shaped pad may range between 3 to 41/2 inches, while the length of legs 10a, 10b as measured from wall 13c of the joining portion may range from 11 to 16 inches.
Referring still to FIG. 2, it will be seen that the outer side walls 14a, 14b of legs 10a, 10b, respectively, diverge on progressing toward the open end of the U-shaped pad. The maximum distance between sides 14a, 14b is at the open end of the pad and should be substantially equal to the width of the shoulders of the person who will be using it, i.e., in a range of from 18 to 22 inches.
Referring now more particularly to FIGS. 2 and 3, secured to base plate 11 are a pair of rear legs, or support members, 15 and a pair of front legs, or support members, 16. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, legs 15 are shorter than legs 16. With such construction, when the device is placed on an underlying substantially horizontal supportive surface, the upper surface of the pad will be inclined somewhat downwardly from its closed end to its open end. A modified embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 4 in which front legs 16' are shorter than rear legs 15' which would produce an incline downwardly from the open end to the closed end of the pad. The embodiment illustrated with legs 15, 16 is the type that would be used by persons having substantially straight dorsal spines, and the modification with legs 15', 16' could be used by persons having considerable curvature of the spine.
In operation, the device of the invention would rest on an underlying supportive surface, such as the substantially horizontal top 20 of a table used for patient treatments, such as in physical therapy. As is seen in FIGS. 1, 5 and 6, a person using the device lies face down with his head 17 and his shoulders 18 supported by the pad.
Generally, the combined height of the pad and legs 15, 16 would be such that the upper surface of the pad at one end thereof would be spaced approximately 4 to 5 inches above the supportive surface, while its opposite end would be approximately 5 to 6 inches above the supportive surface.
Explaining further, and referring specifically to FIGS. 5 and 6, the spacing between inner walls 13a, 13b of the legs of the U-shaped pad is such that the user's cheeks are supported on upper marginal edge portions of legs 10a, 10b and his forehead may rest on an upper marginal edge portion of joining portion 10c adjacent wall 13c at this end of the pad. The remainder of the person's face between walls 13a, 13b, 13c of the pad is untouched by the pad and free and open breathing is permitted. With the opening between legs 10a, 10b extending fully through one end of the pad there is no possibility of pressure being applied to the front of the user's throat as may have occurred in using prior devices.
The user's shoulders 18 are supported in a raised position by the spaced-apart end portions of legs 10a, 10b.
With such support provided for the user's head and shoulders, they are maintained in a substantially neutral, relaxing position. In this position the upper dorsal and shoulder muscles are relaxed and in proper position for therapeutic treatment, such as is provided in various types of physical therapy.
The device of the invention has further uses also, in that it may be used for any reason in which the user wishes to lie face down and avoid the difficulty imposed on breathing by lying with his face in a conventional pillow.
While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described herein, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that variations and modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention.
This invention relates to a device for supporting a person's head and shoulders while lying face down.
There are many instances in which a person may wish to, or must, lie with his face down. An example of this is found in a situation in which a person must lie in a face down position while being treated for neck or upper back injuries. In such instances it is often necessary to support the body in such a way that the muscles in the upper shoulder and neck regions are relaxed, rather than tense, as is the normal occurrence should a person lie face down on a substantially planar supportive surface.
A general object of the invention is to provide a relaxation device which will support a person while lying face down in such a manner that his neck and upper back muscles will be in a relaxed position.
Another object is to provide a supporting device for the head and shoulders of a user lying face down, which will permit a comfortable resting position for the user, yet will provide breathing space for the person.
More specifically, an object of the invention is to provide a resilient, substantially U-shaped pad, on which the user's cheeks and forehead may rest, with central regions of the user's face untouched by the pad and with end portions of the legs of the U-shaped pad providing support for the user's shoulders.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a novel support pad for the head and shoulders of a user lying in a face down position, in which the upper surface of the pad is inclined somewhat from the horizontal to provide a more relaxing position for the user.
A still further object is to provide such a novel pad which is simple in design, inexpensive to manufacture, rugged in construction, and easy and efficient to use.
DRAWINGS
These and other objects and advantages will become more readily apparent as the following description is read in conjunction with the drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention in use;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged top plan view of the invention shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the invention shown in FIG. 2 with portions broken away;
FIG. 4 is a view somewhat similar to that in FIG. 3, but illustrating a modified form of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
Referring to the drawings, and first more specifically to FIG. 1, at 10 is indicated generally a device constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. As illustrated in FIGS. 1-4, the device is a substantially U-shaped resilient pad made of foam rubber, or other suitable material so as to act as cushion means for a person when in use. A substantially rigid base member 11 of a similar U-shaped configuration is constructed of plywood, or other suitable material such as plastic, and is secured to the lower surface of the pad.
U-shaped pad 10 has a pair of elongate leg portions 10a, 10b which are interconnected at one set of their ends by a joining portion 10c. The upper surfaces of portions 10a, 10b, 10c define a substantially common planar upper surface.
As is best seen in FIG. 2, the interior sides 13a, 13b of leg portions 10a, 10b, respectively, extend substantially parallel to each other in a direction longitudinally of the pad and thus define opposite sides of an opening extending longitudinally of the pad. The opening extends fully through one end of the pad and terminates short of the opposite end at inner arcuate wall 13c of joining portion 10c of the pad. The side-to-side spacing between walls 13a, 13b of the U-shaped pad may range between 3 to 41/2 inches, while the length of legs 10a, 10b as measured from wall 13c of the joining portion may range from 11 to 16 inches.
Referring still to FIG. 2, it will be seen that the outer side walls 14a, 14b of legs 10a, 10b, respectively, diverge on progressing toward the open end of the U-shaped pad. The maximum distance between sides 14a, 14b is at the open end of the pad and should be substantially equal to the width of the shoulders of the person who will be using it, i.e., in a range of from 18 to 22 inches.
Referring now more particularly to FIGS. 2 and 3, secured to base plate 11 are a pair of rear legs, or support members, 15 and a pair of front legs, or support members, 16. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, legs 15 are shorter than legs 16. With such construction, when the device is placed on an underlying substantially horizontal supportive surface, the upper surface of the pad will be inclined somewhat downwardly from its closed end to its open end. A modified embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 4 in which front legs 16' are shorter than rear legs 15' which would produce an incline downwardly from the open end to the closed end of the pad. The embodiment illustrated with legs 15, 16 is the type that would be used by persons having substantially straight dorsal spines, and the modification with legs 15', 16' could be used by persons having considerable curvature of the spine.
In operation, the device of the invention would rest on an underlying supportive surface, such as the substantially horizontal top 20 of a table used for patient treatments, such as in physical therapy. As is seen in FIGS. 1, 5 and 6, a person using the device lies face down with his head 17 and his shoulders 18 supported by the pad.
Generally, the combined height of the pad and legs 15, 16 would be such that the upper surface of the pad at one end thereof would be spaced approximately 4 to 5 inches above the supportive surface, while its opposite end would be approximately 5 to 6 inches above the supportive surface.
Explaining further, and referring specifically to FIGS. 5 and 6, the spacing between inner walls 13a, 13b of the legs of the U-shaped pad is such that the user's cheeks are supported on upper marginal edge portions of legs 10a, 10b and his forehead may rest on an upper marginal edge portion of joining portion 10c adjacent wall 13c at this end of the pad. The remainder of the person's face between walls 13a, 13b, 13c of the pad is untouched by the pad and free and open breathing is permitted. With the opening between legs 10a, 10b extending fully through one end of the pad there is no possibility of pressure being applied to the front of the user's throat as may have occurred in using prior devices.
The user's shoulders 18 are supported in a raised position by the spaced-apart end portions of legs 10a, 10b.
With such support provided for the user's head and shoulders, they are maintained in a substantially neutral, relaxing position. In this position the upper dorsal and shoulder muscles are relaxed and in proper position for therapeutic treatment, such as is provided in various types of physical therapy.
The device of the invention has further uses also, in that it may be used for any reason in which the user wishes to lie face down and avoid the difficulty imposed on breathing by lying with his face in a conventional pillow.
While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described herein, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that variations and modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention.