U.S. patent application number 13/195837 was filed with the patent office on 2012-02-02 for orthopedic pillow having oblong central aperture.
Invention is credited to Christian K. Hansen.
Application Number | 20120023676 13/195837 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 45525199 |
Filed Date | 2012-02-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120023676 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hansen; Christian K. |
February 2, 2012 |
ORTHOPEDIC PILLOW HAVING OBLONG CENTRAL APERTURE
Abstract
An improved orthopedic head pillow enables a user to maintain
correct spinal alignment while sleeping in a variety of positions.
The pillow has a stuffed resilient body formed from cloth cover
having a generally rectangular central aperture. For one
embodiment, pillow dimensions are about 48 cm by 76 cm, with a 10
cm by 15 cm central aperture that is aligned so that its
longitudinal axis is aligned with the pillow's lateral axis of
symmetry. For back sleepers, the back of the head is cushioned by
the edges of the aperture yet positioned at mattress level. Side
sleepers can use either side portion of the pillow to the side of
the aperture, with the head being centered on the side portion and
the face facing either the aperture or the edge of the pillow.
Stomach sleepers can place the side of the face on a downward slope
adjacent the aperture.
Inventors: |
Hansen; Christian K.; (Orem,
UT) |
Family ID: |
45525199 |
Appl. No.: |
13/195837 |
Filed: |
August 1, 2011 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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61369672 |
Jul 31, 2010 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
5/636 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47G 9/10 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
5/636 |
International
Class: |
A47G 9/10 20060101
A47G009/10 |
Claims
1. An improved orthopedic head pillow enables a user to maintain
correct spinal alignment while sleeping in a variety of positions,
said orthopedic head pillow comprising: a cloth cover including
identical top and bottom panels, each of which has a generally
rectangular perimetric outer edge and a central aperture having an
oblong perimetric inner edge, said central aperture aligned so that
its longitudinal axis is aligned with its associated panel's
lateral axis of symmetry, a generally rectangular outer perimetric
cloth band which bridges a gap between said top and bottom panels,
said outer perimetric band having a pair of major parallel edges,
each of which is sewn to a perimetric outer edge of one of said
panels, and a pair of minor parallel end edges which are sewn
together, and an inner perimetric cloth band which also bridges a
gap between said top and bottom panels, said inner perimetric band
having a pair of major parallel edges, each of which is sewn to a
perimetric inner edge of one of said panels, and a pair of minor
parallel end edges which are sewn together, thereby providing an
internal cavity for said cover; and filling material used to stuff
said internal cavity.
2. The improved orthopedic head pillow of claim 1, wherein each of
said top and bottom panels has exterior dimensions of about 48 cm
by 76 cm and a generally rectangular central aperture having
dimensions of about 10 cm by 15 cm.
3. The improved orthopedic head pillow of claim 1, wherein said
filling material is selected from the group consisting of synthetic
fibers, down and feathers.
4. The improved orthopedic head pillow of claim 1, wherein said
filling material is fiber made from polyester resin.
5. The improved orthopedic head pillow of claim 1, wherein the
oblong aperture of each of said top and bottom panels is generally
rectangular, with filleted corners.
6. The improved orthopedic pillow of claim 1, which further
comprises a length of beaded seam binding, which is sewn into each
seam which joins the outer edge of each cloth panel to a major edge
of said outer perimetric cloth band.
7. The improved orthopedic pillow of claim 1, wherein the oblong
aperture of each of said top and bottom panels is capsule shaped in
that it is generally a rectangle with opposed minor sides replaced
by semicircles in a concave relationship.
8. The improved orthopedic head pillow of claim 7, wherein each of
said top and bottom panels has exterior dimensions of about 48 cm
by 76 cm and said central aperture has dimensions of about 10 cm by
17.75 cm.
9. An improved orthopedic head pillow enables a user to maintain
correct spinal alignment while sleeping in a variety of positions,
said orthopedic head pillow comprising: a rectangular hollow body
including a cloth cover and resilient filling; and an oblong
central aperture having its longitudinal axis aligned with the
hollow body's lateral axis of symmetry; wherein said oblong central
aperture is spaced between about 15 cm and about 18 cm from a
longitudinal edge of said hollow body.
10. The improved orthopedic head pillow of claim 9, wherein said
cloth cover comprises: identical top and bottom panels, each of
which has a generally rectangular perimetric outer edge and a
central aperture having an oblong perimetric inner edge, said
central aperture aligned so that its longitudinal axis is aligned
with its associated panel's lateral axis of symmetry; a generally
rectangular outer perimetric cloth band which bridges a gap between
said top and bottom panels, said outer perimetric band having a
pair of major parallel edges, each of which is sewn to a perimetric
outer edge of one of said panels, and a pair of minor parallel end
edges which are sewn together; and an inner perimetric cloth band
which also bridges a gap between said top and bottom panels, said
inner perimetric band having a pair of major parallel edges, each
of which is sewn to a perimetric inner edge of one of said panels,
and a pair of minor parallel end edges which are sewn together,
thereby providing an internal cavity for said cover.
11. The improved orthopedic head pillow of claim 10, wherein each
of said top and bottom panels has exterior dimensions of about 48
cm by 76 cm and a generally rectangular central aperture having
dimensions of about 10 cm by 15 cm.
12. The improved orthopedic head pillow of claim 10, wherein said
filling material is selected from the group consisting of synthetic
fibers, down and feathers.
13. The improved orthopedic head pillow of claim 10, wherein said
filling material is fiber made from polyester resin.
14. The improved orthopedic head pillow of claim 10, wherein the
oblong aperture of each of said top and bottom panels is generally
rectangular, with filleted corners.
15. The improved orthopedic pillow of claim 10, which further
comprises a length of beaded seam binding, which is sewn into each
seam which joins the outer edge of each cloth panel to a major edge
of said outer perimetric cloth band.
16. The improved orthopedic pillow of claim 10, wherein the oblong
aperture of each of said top and bottom panels is capsule shaped in
that it is generally a rectangle with opposed minor sides replaced
by semicircles in a concave relationship.
17. The improved orthopedic head pillow of claim 16, wherein each
of said top and bottom panels has exterior dimensions of about 48
cm by 76 cm and said central aperture has dimensions of about 10 cm
by 17.75 cm.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention relates, generally, to orthopedic pillow and,
more particularly to pillows designed to maintain proper alignment
of the spine and thereby helping to prevent hyperkyphosis whether
one is a back sleeper, a side sleeper, or a stomach sleeper.
[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0004] In western nations, when a person sleeps on his or her back,
a pillow is almost always used to cushion the head. With such an
arrangement, the person's head is generally elevated above the
level of the mattress, with the spine assuming an unnatural forward
curvature near the neck. It has been postulated that this sleeping
posture, though relatively comfortable, may contribute to the
development of hyperkyphosis. Hyperkyphosis of the dorsal curve
usually starts with the loss of the cervical curve, that is, a
flattening out or a reversal in shape of the cervical spine, a
condition that existing orthopedic pillows attempt to avert or
correct.
[0005] Hyperkyphosis of the dorsal curve usually starts with the
loss of the cervical curve, that is, a flattening out or a reversal
in shape of the cervical spine, a condition that existing
orthopedic pillows try to correct. Loss of the cervical curve
causes the remaining three interconnecting curves of the spinal
column to adjust to maintain the body's center of gravity.
Therefore, the hyperkyphotic curve of the dorsal spine, which is
next to the cervical curve, also must be corrected to correct
hyperkyphosis. If the hyperkyphotic curve is not corrected, but the
cervical curve is corrected, a gooseneck type of cervical curve is
developed rather than the normal 35-45 degree curves of both the
cervical and thoracic spines.
[0006] A number of orthopedic pillows have been developed for the
purpose of maintaining proper alignment of the spine while one is
sleeping on his or her back.
[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 5,025,518 to John D. Summer discloses a
rectangular orthopedic pillow with a unitary body filled with
feathers, foam or other resilient material that has a deep,
generally hemispherical depression or aperture, which receives the
back of the head. The aperture is eccentrically positioned in the
body to provide different width borders between the edge of the
body and the aperture in order to accommodate different neck
lengths. It is the border that supports the neck.
[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 4,768,246, also to John D. Summer, discloses a
circular orthopedic pillow with a unitary body of foam or other
resilient material having a deep, generally hemispherical
depression or aperture, offset from the center of the body, which
receives the back of the head. The offset aperture provides a
border around the aperture, for support of the back of the neck, of
varying width to accommodate different neck lengths.
[0009] U.S. Pat. No. 3,848,281 to Dixie I. Mathews, discloses a
toroidal foam rubber cushion which can be used to support the head
of an infant.
[0010] U.S. Pat. No. 3,694,831 to Harry T. Treace, discloses an
orthopedic head support formed from a flexible open ell foam
material that includes a base portion for resting on a support
surface, and a pair of pads fixedly mounted on the base portion.
The base and pads form a cradle for support of the head. An upper
minor portion of the pads and the base, which are in contact with
the head, are provided with a soft open cell foam material.
[0011] U.S. Design Pat. No. D261,681 discloses a generally
rectangular orthopedic pillow having a circular aperture therein
which is offset from the center thereof.
[0012] U.S. Design Pat. No. D256,728 discloses a reversible
orthopedic pillow having a cutout for ear and eye relief areas.
[0013] All of these pillows are either expressly identified or
obviously intended for either back or side sleepers. Not one is
intended for those with variable sleep habits. Certain individuals
like to alternate between sleeping on their backs, sleeping on one
side or the other, or sleeping on their stomachs. What is needed is
a pillow that will accommodate back sleepers, side sleepers and
stomach sleepers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0014] Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present
invention to provide an improved orthopedic head pillow which
enables the user to comfortably sleep on his or her back, on either
side, or on his or her stomach while maintaining correct spinal
alignment. A preferred embodiment of the improved orthopedic head
pillow has a resilient body of generally rectangular shape body
with standard "queen-size" dimensions of 48 cm (about 18
inches).times.76 cm (about 30 inches) and is made of conventional
materials, including a cloth cover. A generally rectangular central
aperture having filleted corners is sewn into the cover, preferably
using internal seaming. The cover is subsequently partially seamed
on the outer edges, stuffed with a resilient fiber fill and then
fully seamed on the outer edges. Given its standard perimetric
dimensions, the pillow can be covered with a standard pillow cover.
For adults, the presently preferred size of the capsule-shaped
central aperture is about 10 cm (about 4 inches) by 15 cm (about 6
inches), with the aperture's longitudinal axis coincident with the
lateral axis of the pillow. Though the stated body and aperture
size are deemed optimum for use by an average size adult, they may
be correspondingly modified for smaller or larger individuals. In
addition, pillow body size may be modified as well to accommodate
smaller or larger size mattresses. Furthermore, other types of
known fill material, such as down, feathers or other types of
synthetic fibers of appropriate density and resiliency may be
substituted for the polyester fiber fill.
[0015] The central aperture accommodates a variety of sleeping
positions. For back sleepers, the back of the head is cushioned by
the edges of the aperture yet positioned at mattress level, and the
sleeper can adjust the location of his head within the aperture so
that necks of a range of lengths are accommodated. Side sleepers
can use either side portion of the pillow to the side of the
aperture, with the head being centered on the side portion and the
face facing either the aperture or the edge of the pillow for less
restricted breathing. Thus, for side sleepers, the head is elevated
to that the spine remains generally straight from a lateral
perspective. Stomach sleepers can place the side of the face on a
downward slope adjacent the aperture in order to facilitate less
restricted breathing. Thus, one temple of the sleeper is positioned
essentially at mattress level. Given the inherent flexibility of
the present invention, proper alignment of the spine is maintained
for all three types of sleepers.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] FIG. 1 is top or bottom plan view of a first embodiment of
the new orthopedic pillow having a generally rectangular central
aperture with filleted corners;
[0017] FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the orthopedic pillow
of FIG. 1, from a view point along an intersection of two planes of
symmetry, one of which is a lateral axis of symmetry, the other
passing between the opposed faces of the orthopedic pillow;
[0018] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the orthopedic pillow of
FIG. 1, taken through plane 3-3, which is the longitudinal plane of
symmetry;
[0019] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the orthopedic pillow of
FIG. 1, taken through plane 4-4, which is the lateral plane of
symmetry; and
[0020] FIG. 5 is a second embodiment of the new orthopedic pillow
having a capsule-shaped central aperture.
PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
[0021] The invention will now be described with reference to the
attached drawing FIGS. 1 through 3. It should be understood that
the drawing figures are not necessarily drawn to scale and are
meant to be merely illustrative of the invention.
[0022] Referring now to FIG. 1, a first embodiment of the improved
orthopedic head pillow 100 uses conventional materials, including a
cloth cover 101. A generally rectangular central aperture 102
having filleted corners is sewn into the cover 101, preferably
using internal seaming. The cover 101 is subsequently partially
seamed on the outer edges, stuffed with a resilient fiber fill and
then fully seamed on the outer edges. The cover 100 of the first
embodiment improved orthopedic head pillow is of generally
rectangular shape body with standard "queen-size" dimensions of 48
cm (about 18 inches).times.76 cm (about 30 inches). Given its
standard perimetric dimensions, the pillow can be covered with a
standard pillow cover. For adults, the presently preferred size of
the generally rectangular central aperture is about 10 cm (about 4
inches) by 15 cm (about 6 inches), with the aperture's longitudinal
axis coincident with the lateral axis of the pillow. Though the
stated body and aperture size are deemed optimum for use by an
average size adult, they may be correspondingly modified for
smaller or larger individuals. In addition, pillow body size may be
modified as well to accommodate smaller or larger size mattresses.
Furthermore, other types of known fill material, such as down,
feathers or other types of synthetic fibers, including memory
fiber, of appropriate density and resiliency may be substituted for
the polyester fiber fill.
[0023] Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, the cover 101 of the
orthopedic head pillow 100 includes a top panel 201T, a bottom
panel 201B, a outer perimetric band 202 that bridges the gap
between the top and bottom panels 201T and 201B and is sewn to
both. A length of upper beaded seam binding 103U is sewn into the
seam between the top panel 201T and the outer perimetric band 202,
while a length of lower beaded seam binding 103L is sewn into the
seam between the bottom panel 201B and the outer perimetric band
202. The upper seam 104U which unites the top panel 201T, the outer
perimetric band 202 and the upper beaded seam binding is visible in
FIG. 1. An inner perimetric band 105 surrounds the aperture 102 and
is seamed to both the top panel 201T and the bottom panel 201B. The
upper seam 106 is visible in FIG. 1.
[0024] Referring now to FIG. 3, the polyester fiber fill 201 within
cloth sleeve 101 is visible in this longitudinal cross-section
view. The internal seaming 202 around the central aperture 102 is
also visible, as are the external end seams 103L and 103R.
[0025] Referring now to FIG. 4, the polyester fiber fill 201 is
also visible in this lateral cross-section view. Also visible is
the single internal seam 301 used to make the cloth sleeve 101.
[0026] Referring now to FIGS. 1, and 3, the central aperture 102
has the shape of a capsule, taken in a top or bottom plan view,
with the aperture being shaped, essentially, like a rectangle with
semicircular ends. For back sleepers, the back of the head is
cushioned by the pillow body regions 107L, 107R, 107T and 107B
around the perimeter of the aperture 102, yet positioned at
mattress level because the pillow is deformed by the weight of the
user's head. The user can adjust the location of his head within
the aperture so that necks of a range of lengths are accommodated.
Side sleepers can use either side portion 108L or 108R of the
pillow to the side of the aperture 102, with the head being
centered on the side portion and the face facing either the
aperture or the edge of the pillow for less restricted breathing.
Thus, for side sleepers, the head is elevated to that the spine
remains generally straight from a lateral perspective. Stomach
sleepers can place the side of the face on a downward slope 303L or
303R, which are adjacent the aperture, in order to facilitate less
restricted breathing. Thus, one temple of the sleeper is positioned
essentially at mattress level because the pillow body deforms under
the weight of the user's head. Given the inherent adaptability of
the present invention, proper alignment of the spine is maintained
for all three types of sleepers.
[0027] Referring now to FIG. 5, a second embodiment of the improved
orthopedic head pillow 500 is identical to the first embodiment
orthopedic pillow 100, with the exception that the cover 501 has a
central aperture that is capsule shaped, rather than rectangular
with filleted corners. A capsule shaped aperture is defined as a
rectangle with the minor opposed sides replaced with semicircles in
a concave configuration. the presently preferred size of the
generally rectangular central aperture is about 10 cm (about 4
inches) by 17.75 cm (about 7 inches), with the aperture's
longitudinal axis coincident with the lateral axis of the pillow.
Though the stated body and aperture size are deemed optimum for use
by an average size adult, they may be correspondingly modified for
smaller or larger individuals. In addition, pillow body size may be
modified as well to accommodate smaller or larger size mattresses.
Furthermore, other types of known fill material, such as down,
feathers or other types of synthetic fibers, including memory
fiber, of appropriate density and resiliency may be substituted for
the polyester fiber fill. The views of FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 also apply
to the second embodiment pillow 500.
[0028] Referring now to FIG. 5, the length of upper beaded seam
binding 503U and the upper seam 504U are identical to the seam
binding 103U and the upper seam 104U of FIG. 1. The inner
perimetric band 505 surrounds the aperture 502 and is seamed to
both the top and bottom panels (the top panel is not numbered and
the bottom panel is not shown in this view). The upper seam 506 is
visible in FIG. 5.
[0029] Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 5, the central aperture 502 has
the shape of a capsule, taken in a top or bottom plan view, with
the aperture being shaped, essentially, like a rectangle with
semicircular ends. For back sleepers, the back of the head is
cushioned by the pillow body regions 507L, 507R, 507T and 507B
around the perimeter of the aperture 502, yet positioned at
mattress level because the pillow is deformed by the weight of the
user's head. The user can adjust the location of his head within
the aperture so that necks of a range of lengths are accommodated.
Side sleepers can use either side portion 508L or 508R of the
pillow to the side of the aperture 502, with the head being
centered on the side portion and the face facing either the
aperture or the edge of the pillow for less restricted breathing.
Thus, for side sleepers, the head is elevated to that the spine
remains generally straight from a lateral perspective. Stomach
sleepers can place the side of the face on a downward slope 303L or
303R, which are adjacent the aperture, in order to facilitate less
restricted breathing. Thus, one temple of the sleeper is positioned
essentially at mattress level because the pillow body deforms under
the weight of the user's head. Given the inherent adaptability of
the present invention, proper alignment of the spine is maintained
for all three types of sleepers.
[0030] Although only a single embodiment of the new orthopedic
pillow has been disclosed and described, it will be obvious to
those having ordinary skill in the art that changes and
modifications may be made thereto without departing from the scope
and the spirit of the invention as hereinafter claimed.
* * * * *