U.S. patent application number 10/746785 was filed with the patent office on 2004-10-21 for massage pillow for water recreational apparatus.
Invention is credited to Noble, Shiva.
Application Number | 20040209536 10/746785 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 33162054 |
Filed Date | 2004-10-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040209536 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Noble, Shiva |
October 21, 2004 |
Massage pillow for water recreational apparatus
Abstract
A pillow suitable for use with a water recreational apparatus is
typically made from a water resistant plastic material. Defined on
the outer surface of the pillow are tiny nodes having a height
between about {fraction (1/16)} of an inch and about 1/4 of an inch
and occupying an area on the surface of the body between about 0.01
sq. in. and about 0.2 sq. in. The front surface of the body has at
least 10 such nodes. Each of the nodes is spaced apart from an
adjacent node by a distance between about 1/4 inch and about 3/8
inch.
Inventors: |
Noble, Shiva; (Pomona,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
SHELDON & MAK
9th Floor
225 South Lake Avenue
Pasadena
CA
91101
US
|
Family ID: |
33162054 |
Appl. No.: |
10/746785 |
Filed: |
December 22, 2003 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60436733 |
Dec 27, 2002 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
441/125 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61H 2201/0111 20130101;
A61H 33/60 20130101; A61H 2205/04 20130101; A61H 7/001 20130101;
A61H 2201/1609 20130101; A61H 33/6089 20130101; A61H 33/0087
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
441/125 |
International
Class: |
B63C 009/28 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A pillow suitable for use with a water recreational apparatus,
the pillow comprising: a) a body having a front surface and a rear
surface; and b) at least ten nodes disposed on the front surface of
the body, each node having a height between about {fraction (1/16)}
inch and about 1/4 inch and each node occupying an area on the
front surface of the body between about 0.01 sq. in. and about 0.2
sq. in., each node being spaced apart from an adjacent node by a
distance between about 1/4 inch and about 3/8 inch.
2. The pillow of claim 1 wherein the number of nodes on the front
surface of the body is at least 25.
3. The pillow of claim 1 wherein the width of the pillow is between
about 10 inches and about 18 inches.
4. The pillow of claim 1 wherein the body is made from a water
resistant plastic material.
5. The pillow of claim 1 wherein each node is rounded and
smooth.
6. The pillow of claim 1 wherein the front surface of the body is
generally convex in shape.
7. The pillow of claim 1 wherein the rear surface of the body is
generally concave in shape.
8. The pillow of claim 1 wherein the body comprises multiple
lobes.
9. The pillow of claim 1 wherein the body is made up of three
lobes.
10. The pillow of claim 1 wherein the nodes are sufficiently stiff
to apply a small amount of localized pressure to the nape of the
neck of the user of the pillow.
11. The pillow of claim 1 wherein the body is contoured so as to
define a central indentation portion flanked by a pair of
downwardly extending shoulder portions.
12. The pillow of claim 1 wherein the pillow is disposed within a
water recreational apparatus.
13. A pillow suitable for use with a water recreational apparatus,
the pillow comprising: a) a body made from a water resistant
plastic material and having a front surface and a rear surface; and
b) at least 25 rounded and smooth nodes disposed on the front
surface of the body, each node having a height between about
{fraction (1/16)} inch and about 1/4 inch and each node occupying
an area on the front surface of the body between about 0.01 sq. in.
and about 0.2 sq. in., each node being spaced apart from an
adjacent node by a distance between about 1/4 inch and about 3/8
inch, the nodes being sufficiently stiff to apply small amount of
localized pressure to the nape of the neck of the user of the
pillow.
14. The pillow of claim 13 wherein the front surface of the body is
generally convex in shape and the rear surface of the body is
generally concave in shape.
15. The pillow of claim 13 wherein the body comprises multiple
lobes.
16. The pillow of claim 13 wherein the body is contoured so as to
define a central indentation portion flanked by a pair of
downwardly extending shoulder portions.
17. The pillow of claim 13 wherein the pillow is disposed within a
water recreational apparatus.
Description
RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Provisional Patent
Application 60/436,733, filed Dec. 27, 2002, the entirety of which
is incorporated herein by this reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates generally to water recreational
apparatuses, such as portable spas, hot tubs, swimming pools and
bath tubs.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Water recreational apparatuses, such as spas, hot tubs and
whirlpool bathtubs have become very popular for relaxation and
physical therapy. The pulsations of warm aerated water from water
jets disposed in the side walls of the water recreational apparatus
have been found to be soothing and relaxing to the user.
[0004] One area of the user's body which generally is not soothed
and massaged in prior art water recreational apparatuses is the
back of the user's neck. It would be advantageous if the back of
the user's neck could also be subject to relaxation therapy within
a water recreational apparatus.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The invention provides this advantage. The invention is a
pillow suitable for use with a water recreational apparatus. The
pillow has a body, typically made from a water resistant plastic
material. Defined on the outer surface of the body are tiny nodes
having a height between about {fraction (1/16)} of an inch and
about 1/4 of an inch and occupying an area on the surface of the
body between about 0.01 sq. in. and about 0.2 sq. in. The front
surface of the body has at least 10 such nodes. Each of the nodes
is spaced apart from an adjacent node by a distance between about
1/4 inch and about 3/8 inch.
[0006] The plurality of nodes on the outer surface of the body of
the pillow provide the pillow with the ability to apply
massage-like pressure to the back of the user's neck, thereby
adding considerably to the overall relaxation of the user of a
water recreational apparatus.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] These and other features, aspects and advantages of the
present invention will become better understood with reference to
the following description, appended claims and accompanying
drawings where:
[0008] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pillow having features of
the invention;
[0009] FIG. 2 is a front view of the pillow illustrated in FIG.
1;
[0010] FIG. 3 is a side view of the pillow illustrated in FIG. 1;
and
[0011] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional side view of a water
recreational apparatus employing the pillow illustrated in FIG.
1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0012] The following discussion describes in detail one embodiment
of the invention and several variations of that embodiment. This
discussion should not be construed, however, as limiting the
invention to those particular embodiments. Practitioners skilled in
the art will recognize numerous other embodiments as well.
[0013] The invention is a pillow 10 suitable for use with a water
recreational apparatus 30, such as a portable spa, hot tub,
swimming pool or bath tub. Such water recreational apparatuses 30
typically have a water basin 32 having a bottom wall 34 and side
walls 36. The uppermost portions of each side wall 36 typically
terminates in an upper side wall periphery 38. The water basin 32
is sufficiently large to retain one or more human beings 40 in a
sitting position on at least one seating surface 42.
[0014] The pillow 10 typically has a convex front surface 12 and a
concave rear surface 14. The concave rear surface 14 allows the
pillow 10 to be attached to the upper side wall periphery 38 of the
water recreational apparatus 30, so that the lower portion 16 of
the pillow 10 hangs down along the upper portion of the side walls
36.
[0015] The pillow 10 is typically disposed within the water
recreational apparatus 30 at an elevation above the at least one
seating surface 42 calculated to allow the user 40 of the water
recreational apparatus 30 to recline the nape of his or her neck
against the pillow 10 when seated upon the at least one seating
surface 42.
[0016] In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, the front
surface 12 of the pillow 10 comprises three elongate horizontal
lobes 18. This is not necessary, however, in the invention, so long
as the front surface 12 of the pillow 10 is reasonably comfortable
to the user.
[0017] In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, the lower
portion 20 of the front surface 12 of the pillow 10 is contoured so
as to define a central indentation portion 22, flanked by a pair of
downwardly extending shoulder portions 24. Such contouring is
preferred because it tends to conform to the lower neck and upper
shoulders of a user 40 of the pillow 10.
[0018] A critical feature of the pillow 10 is the fact that the
front surface 12 of the pillow 10 comprises a plurality of
acumassage nodes 26. Each node 26 is sized, contoured and
dimensioned to apply a small amount of concentrated pressure to the
nape of the neck of a user 40 of the pillow 10. The plurality of
nodes 26 can be disposed in a repetitive pattern, but this is not
necessary. Nodes 26 disposed in a random pattern are also
acceptable.
[0019] The nodes 26 are spaced apart from immediately adjacent
nodes 26 by a distance of between about 1/4 inch and about 3/8
inch.
[0020] Each node 26 is smooth, rounded and has a height of between
about {fraction (1/16)} of an inch and 1/4 inch. The nodes occupy
an area between about 0.01 sq. in. and about 0.2 sq. in. The nodes
26 can be circular, but this is not necessary. Where the nodes 26
are circular, their diameters are typically between about 1/8 inch
and 1/2 inch.
[0021] The pillow 10 typically has a horizontal length of between
about 10 inches and about 18 inches, but longer and shorter pillows
10 are also possible.
[0022] The pillow 10 is typically made from a water resistant
plastic material. Other suitable water resistant materials can be
used as long as they are sufficiently resilient to be comfortable
to the user and the nodes 26 are sufficiently stiff to apply a
small amount of localized pressure to the nape of the neck of the
user 40.
[0023] Having thus described the invention, it should be apparent
that numerous structural modifications and adaptations may be
resorted to without departing from the scope and fair meaning of
the instant invention as set forth hereinabove and as described
hereinbelow by the claims.
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