U.S. patent application number 10/867542 was filed with the patent office on 2005-12-15 for head, neck and upper body support pillow.
Invention is credited to Cordova, Lora May, Cordova, Richard Patrick.
Application Number | 20050273935 10/867542 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35452398 |
Filed Date | 2005-12-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050273935 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Cordova, Lora May ; et
al. |
December 15, 2005 |
HEAD, NECK AND UPPER BODY SUPPORT PILLOW
Abstract
A portable, elongated support pillow that when propped between
the chin and lap of the user limits both head and torso movements
caused by resting or sleeping while sitting in an upright position.
The pillow is a single unit having a top contour, a bottom contour
and a center section. The top contour is a crescent shaped headrest
that cradles the chin and face, the bottom contour conforms to the
top of the user's thigh, and the center section connects the top
contour to the bottom contour. The top and bottom sections have a
wider width than the center section giving the pillow an
hourglass-shape.
Inventors: |
Cordova, Lora May; (Rosholt,
WI) ; Cordova, Richard Patrick; (Rosholt,
WI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Lora & Rich Cordova
1673 Birch Rd.
Rosholt
WI
54473
US
|
Family ID: |
35452398 |
Appl. No.: |
10/867542 |
Filed: |
June 14, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
5/652 ;
5/632 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47C 7/383 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
005/652 ;
005/632 |
International
Class: |
A47G 009/00 |
Claims
What I claim as my invention is:
1. A portable, elongated pillow designed to fit between the chin
and lap of the user providing support to the head, neck and upper
body of a person who is sitting in an upright position while
resting or sleeping or lacking muscle strength due to disease or
age, comprising: a crescent shaped top portion contoured to cradle
the face and chin of the human head with the longer side of the
crescent extending up the side of the face and the shorter side
cradling the chin allowing room for the user's head to tilt at any
angle they find comfortable; a center section, that is narrower
than the upper and lower sections, that supports the pillow in an
upright position and connects the top and bottom portions; a
contoured bottom section that conforms to the top of the thigh and
helps to stabilize the pillow on the user's lap in an upright
position.
2. The pillow as defined in claim 1 is encased in a removable and
washable or disposable cover having sling style pockets located
centrally on both the front and back sides of the pillow enabling
the user to hold the pillow close to the body when the arms or an
optional strap are inserted into the pocket.
3. The pillow as defined in claim 2 where said strap is made of
canvas, woven polyester or similar material and has an adjustable
length of approximately 24 to 48 inches with hooks or clips on both
ends that clip to the back or bottom of the user's seat or wrap
around the torso of the user and clip or hook together to help hold
the pillow on the user's lap.
4. The pillow as defined in claim 1 having dimensions of
approximately 15 to 25 inches high, approximately 8 to 14 inches
wide and approximately 2 to 4 inches thick.
5. The pillow as defined in claim 1 is comprised of foam, air,
beans, beads, batting, water, buckwheat, gel, visco-elastic,
temperature sensitive or any material or combination of materials
that are rigid enough to maintain an upright, vertical shape while
supporting the user's head, neck and upper body yet resilient
enough to be comfortable against the face, chin, and lap when
propped between the chin and thigh of the user who is sitting in an
upright position.
6. The pillow as defined in claim 1, supports the upper body in an
upright position by occupying the area between the chin and lap of
the user and adjusts to accommodate users of different sizes by
lowering or raising the height of the chinrest, wherein means of
adjustability comprises; a design which allows the user to raise or
lower the height of the chinrest by sliding the bottom of the
pillow up or down the lap of the user, e.g. a taller user with a
longer torso will slide the bottom of the pillow up the thigh
(closer to the body) to raise the height of the chinrest while a
shorter person with a shorter torso will slide the bottom of the
pillow down the thigh (towards the knees) hence lowering the height
of the chinrest; a block or several stacked blocks of material that
when added to the bottom contour of the pillow, increase the height
of the of the pillow between the chin and lap, hence raising the
height of the contour on which the chin rests; a design wherein by
resizing the pillow and changing the height of the area between the
chin and lap in increments of approximately 5 inches will fit a
wide range of user's ages and body heights such as adults fitting a
large sized pillow being approximately 20 inches high between the
chin and lap, adolescents fitting a medium sized pillow being
approximately 15 inches high between the chin and lap, and toddlers
fitting a small sized pillow being approximately 10 inches high
between the chin and lap.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to pillows or cushions designed to
provide support which allows a person to sleep or rest comfortably
while sitting in an upright position or to provide upper body
support in various uses. Finding a comfortable position for resting
or sleeping while sitting upright has been the basis for numerous
inventions. Various solutions that involve support and pillow
devices often require reclining seats, high backed seats,
complicated setups, and adjacent objects. Rarely do these devices
provide support for both the head and the torso of the user.
[0002] This invented head, neck and upper body support pillow
provides support to both the head and torso without requiring
reclining seats or adjacent objects, complicated setups or numerous
moving parts. The following cited references refer to the most
pertinent patents to which the inventor is aware of in regard to
the subject matter of the present invention.
[0003] U.S. Patent Application No. 2002/0050009 (Ley) is a travel
pillow made of an adjustable face pad and adjustable legs that
rests on the lap. The adjustability comes from a variety of moving
parts and shafts.
[0004] Advantages and novelty of the head, neck and upper body
support pillow are its simplicity in design and use. To use this
invention, simply prop the support pillow between the chin and
thigh. Adjustability can be achieved by moving the support pillow
up or down on the thigh to change the height of the chinrest. This
invention does not contain moving parts making it easier to setup
and less susceptible to malfunction. This invention is made of
rigid yet soft materials making it safer and more comfortable to
hold next to the body in rest and sleep situations.
[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 6,270,160 (Blake) is a head and neck support
that has a top tray that supports the head and a bottom component
which rests on the thigh and is made adjustable with a cylindrical
compression shaft in the center of the device.
[0006] Advantages and novelty of the head, neck and upper body
support pillow are its simplicity in design and adjustability. This
invention has a crescent shaped top portion that provides total
support to the head and neck. This invention is constructed of
rigid yet soft materials making it comfortable to hold against the
body in a sleep situation. This invention does not have moving
parts making it easy to use and less susceptible to
malfunction.
[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 6,394,554 (single) refers to the "7"-shaped
seat belt pillow that is shaped like a 7. To use, it is strapped to
a shoulder seat belt and goes behind the head and over the shoulder
of the user.
[0008] Advantages and novelty of the head, neck and upper body
support pillow is it does not require a high backed seat or a seat
belt. This invention does not require attachment to other objects
making it easy to place or remove as needed.
[0009] U.S. Pat. No. 4,560,201 (Scott) is made of a strap device
which is attached to the head of the user, goes under the armpit
and connects to the user's forearm.
[0010] Advantages and novelty of the head, neck and upper body
support pillow is that it provides support to both the head/neck
and the torso. This head, neck and upper body support pillow is a
single unit that does not require a setup. It simply gets propped
between the chin and lap of the user. This invention does not go
over the user's head and interfere with the user's hairstyle.
[0011] U.S. Pat. No. 4,565,408 (Palley) is a portable device with a
collar-type support that wraps around the neck.
[0012] Advantages and novelty of the head, neck and upper body
support pillow is that it provides head, neck and torso support. It
does not require a setup and it can be easily placed and removed as
needed.
[0013] U.S. Pat. No. 4,235,472 (Sparks) is several block-like
pillows made of Styrofoam which stack up to provide a variety of
uses. To use as a sleep aid, several Styrofoam pillows are stacked
on the lap of the user and the user lies over the pillows.
[0014] Advantages and novelty of the head, neck and upper body
support pillow are that it is a single, compact unit which is
portable and ready to use as a sleep aid.
[0015] U.S. Pat. No. 5,645,319 (Parks, Jr.) is an inflatable pillow
that is attached to a tray or surface directly in front of the
user.
[0016] Advantages and novelty of the head, neck and upper body
support pillow is that it provides head, neck and torso support
without requiring a support tray or adjacent surface and can be
easily placed and removed as needed.
[0017] U.S. Pat. No. 5,611,601 (Cowgur) is an inflatable,
rectangular device that covers the lap of the user providing a
surface to rest the arms and shoulders on requiring the user to
lean their upper body over into the pillow.
[0018] Advantages and novelty of the head, neck and upper body
support pillow are that it is compact and ready to use. It is
ergonomic and supports the upper torso in an upright position
without putting a strain on the user's back.
[0019] U.S. Pat. No. 6,135,560 (Fagg) is a pillow that provides
support for the head and neck when placed between the user and an
adjacent surface.
[0020] Advantages and novelty of the head, neck and upper body
support pillow is that it provides support to both the head and
neck and the torso. This invention does not require the use of
other surfaces for support.
[0021] U.S. Pat. No. 6,721,978 (Tankersley) is a pillow device that
is placed on a surface in front of the user to cushion the user's
head and upper body when they lean over to lay on the surface.
[0022] Advantages and novelty of the head, neck and upper body
support pillow is that it does not require the use of other
surfaces for support.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0023] A pillow used to support the head, neck and upper body of a
user while sitting in an upright position. The device is designed
to limit both head and falling forward movements of users sitting
in upright positions who are sleeping or who lack muscle strength
due to age or disease. To use the pillow, the pillow is placed
between the chin and lap of the user. The object of this pillow is
to provide support that limits a person's head, neck and torso
movements while resting in an upright seated position. The pillow
is compact, portable, easy to use, comfortable and does not require
the use of other surfaces for support.
[0024] The pillow is a single unit that can be described in three
main components.
[0025] 1. A crescent shaped head and chin rest of sufficient size
to cradle the human head. One side of the crescent shape is longer.
The longer side extends up the side of the head and face. The
shorter side cradles the chin. This design allows for a comfortable
fit for a variety of head shapes without being restrictive.
[0026] 2. A center section, which is a narrower width than the
upper and lower sections, connects the headrest to the stabilizing
lap base.
[0027] 3. A contoured bottom, shaped to fit over the top of the
thigh, stabilizes the device. This bottom has a downward facing,
shallower crescent shape. The longer side extends down the outside
of the thigh to provide rigidity and stability to the pillow. The
shorter side curves toward the inner thigh to prevent slippage
without being obtrusive.
[0028] The pillow is encased in a removable, washable cover having
sling-type pockets located on the center section on both the front
and back side of the pillow. When the user's arms are inserted into
the pocket, the pocket supports the arms and allows the user to
"hug" the pillow close to the body and further stabilize the
pillow. Pockets on both sides allow the pillow to be used on the
left or right side of the body.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0029] FIG. 1 illustrates a front view of the pillow without a
cover. The back view of the pillow is a mirror image of the front
view.
[0030] FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of the pillow shown in
FIG. 1.
[0031] FIG. 3 illustrates a front view of the pillow shown in FIG.
1 with a cover. The back view of the pillow cover is a mirror image
of the front view. Both sides have a pocket.
[0032] FIG. 4 illustrates the pillow in use. The pillow is propped
between the chin and thigh of a person who is resting while sitting
in an upright position. The person's arms are inserted in the front
pocket.
[0033] FIG. 5 illustrates the pillow in use by a young child
sitting in a toddle car seat. A strap that is inserted through the
pocket holds the pillow in place on the toddler's lap.
[0034] FIG. 6 illustrates the side view of the toddler car seat
shown in FIG. 5 showing how the strap is attached to the side edge
of the car seat. The other side of the strap is hooked to the
opposite side edge of the car seat.
[0035] FIG. 7 illustrates the pillow above an additional contoured
block of foam.
[0036] FIG. 8 illustrates the pillow with the block fitted to the
bottom contour of the pillow to show how the additional block adds
height to the pillow.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0037] The pillow can be constructed of a wide variety of
materials. In a broad overview, this support pillow can be
constructed of any foam, cotton, beads, beans, air, water, jell or
any material or combination of materials that is comfortable and
resilient yet rigid/dense enough to maintain an upward shape that
limits the head, neck and torso movements of the human body while
resting or sleeping in an upright position. The top, center and
bottom portions of the pillow can be constructed of the same
material or different materials or combination of materials. A
cover supplied with the pillow can be made of cloth, fabric,
plastic, vinyl, leather, foam, rubber, disposable spun bonded
polypropylene, or any material or combination of materials to
increase the comfort, support and/or the aesthetic appearance of
the pillow. In the following embodiments, specific details are
described but it should be understood that variations and
modifications may be made to this invention without departing from
the spirit and scope of this invention and that the invention is
not limited to the precise embodiments described herein.
[0038] In its preferred embodiment, the head, neck and upper body
support pillow is of simple construction. The detailed drawings
show the pillow, in its preferred embodiments, constructed of foam
that is rigid enough to maintain its shape yet soft enough to be
comfortable against the body. (For travel purposes, an inflatable
pillow that can be deflated offers space saving benefits. The
inflatable pillow will have the same components and similar
properties as the aforementioned foam when referring to its
rigidity and softness and will function in the same manner but will
vary slightly in construction, e.g. an inflatable bladder with or
without baffles for adjustability and an air intake valve or
valves.)
[0039] Referring to the drawings:
[0040] FIG. 1, is a drawing of the pillow as a single unit with a
top section 1, a center section 2 and a bottom section 3. The
pillow illustrated is constructed of foam. The foam has a density
of approximately 1.5 to 2 lb/cu/ft and a 50 to 100 i.f.d. The
inside portion of the upper crescent 4 in FIG. 1 is constructed of
a softer foam making the chinrest more comfortable. The main
components of the pillow are defined as 1, 2, and 3 in the
drawings. The top crescent shaped portion 1 is designed to cradle a
person's head, chin and face. One side of the crescent shape 1 is
longer and extends up the side of the head and face of the user.
The shorter side cradles the user's chin. Softer foam 4 located on
the inside of the upper contour adds to the comfort of the pillow
but is not relevant to the function of the pillow. The center
portion 2 is designed to support and connect the top 1 and bottom 3
portions of the pillow. The center portion is a narrower width than
the top and bottom portions. The bottom portion 3 is a
downward-facing crescent shape designed to fit comfortably on a
person's upper thigh. The longer side of the crescent extends along
the outside of the thigh. The shorter side curves toward the inner
thigh. The overall height of the pillow 10 is the area from the
highest point on the top section 1 to the lowest point on the
bottom section 3. The portion of the pillow that fits between the
chin and lap of the user is referred to as detail 9 which is the
area between the lowest point of the upper contour 1 and the
highest point of the bottom contour 3.
[0041] In its preferred embodiment, the pillow has a cover that is
form-fitted, removable and washable. The cover is made of a soft
fabric such as polar fleece. The chinrest portion of the cover can
be constructed of a different fabric or combination of fabrics and
foam, fiberfill, or combination of materials that add to the
comfort of the chinrest against the user's face. The pillow cover
shown in FIG. 3 has a sling-like pocket 5 located in the center
section on both the front and back sides that can be used to
support the arms and allows the pillow to be held close to the body
to prevent the pillow from sliding. FIG. 4 illustrates a girl with
her arms inserted into the pocket 5 of the pillow cover. The pillow
is simply propped between her chin and lap. The user's face and
chin are resting in the upper contour 1 and the bottom portion 3
contours her upper thigh. The center portion 2 is narrowed making
the pillow more compact and easier to hug close to the body.
[0042] FIG. 5 shows the pillow being used by a young child in a
toddler car seat. A strap 6, rather than the child's arms, is
inserted through the pocket. The strap is not a requirement for
using the pillow. The strap is optional and can be used alone or in
conjunction with the user's arms to hold the pillow more securely
on the user's lap. In FIG. 5 the pillow is placed on the lap of the
child only after the child has been secured in the vehicle with the
shoulder restraint seat belt 7 so that the pillow does not
interfere with the safety of the vehicle's seat belt. The strap 6
has an adjustable length of approximately 24 to 48 inches and has
hooks or clips on both ends. The strap can be constructed of
canvas, woven polyester, or similar material. FIG. 6 shows how the
hook on the end of the strap 6 clips to the side of the pictured
car seat. The hook on the other end of the strap is hooked to the
opposite side of the car seat and the strap is then adjusted. The
strap 6 is pictured being hooked to the side of the child's car
seat for illustrative purposes only since the type of chair a user
is sitting in will vary. Hence, the strap 6 can be hooked or
clipped to any appropriate surface or it can encircle the user's
torso and the two ends of the strap can be hooked together.
[0043] The pillow can adjust to fit a wide variety of body heights
in the following three ways:
[0044] 1. A pillow of the same size can easily fit users of
different body heights by simply moving the bottom contour 3 of the
pillow up or down the thigh. When the bottom contour 3 is slid down
on the thigh, the upper contour 1 is lowered. When the lower
contour 3 is slid higher on the thigh and closer to the body the
upper contour 1 is raised. A taller person with a longer torso can
raise the height of the chinrest 1 by sliding the bottom 3 up the
thigh whereas a shorter person with a shorter torso can lower the
height of the chinrest 1 by sliding the bottom 3 down the
thigh.
[0045] 2. FIG. 7 shows the pillow pictured above a foam block that
is contoured to fit into the bottom contour of the bottom section
3. When the foam block 8 is fitted to the bottom contour of the
pillow it will increase the height of 9 and 10. The block 8 raises
the height of the upper contour 1. This is illustrated in FIG. 8
when the block 8 or several blocks stacked together are fitted to
the bottom contour 3 and the overall height 10 of the pillow and
the height 9 between the top and bottom contours both increase.
Removing or placing the block or blocks from the bottom contour
will adjust the height desired by the user.
[0046] 3. To fit a wide range of ages and body heights, the pillow
can be various sizes such as small, medium and large. Small to fit
toddlers and young children, medium to fit adolescents and small
adults, and large to fit most adults. The general shape of the
pillow will remain the same for all three sizes. The main change
will be to resize the overall height 10 in FIG. 1 in increments of
approximately 5 inches which proportionately changes the height 9
between the chin and lap by approximately 5 inches. This change is
relative to the average torso length of toddlers, older children
and adults. The height 10 is approximately 15 inches for the small
sized pillow, approximately 20 inches for the medium sized pillow,
and 25 inches for the large sized pillow. The overall width of the
pillow will widen or narrow slightly by a few inches to accommodate
the different sized heads, thighs and arms of the various age
groups and body heights. The thickness of the pillow, approximately
2 to 4 inches, can remain constant for all sizes.
[0047] It is to be understood by persons skilled in the art that
even though reference is made to a specific support and travel
pillow, any variations of this invention which utilize the features
described are to be considered part of this invention.
* * * * *