U.S. patent application number 14/871190 was filed with the patent office on 2016-01-21 for spinal alignment pillow.
The applicant listed for this patent is Anthony Gino Campagna. Invention is credited to Anthony Gino Campagna.
Application Number | 20160015182 14/871190 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 55073494 |
Filed Date | 2016-01-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160015182 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Campagna; Anthony Gino |
January 21, 2016 |
Spinal Alignment Pillow
Abstract
A pillow includes a torso cushion tapering from a top end to a
bottom end. A torso support surface extends from the top end to the
bottom end of the torso cushion. A back surface joins to the bottom
end of the torso cushion at a first elevation angle between the
back surface and the support surface. A head cushion attaches to
the top end of the torso cushion. The head cushion includes a back
surface joined to the back surface of the torso cushion, a first
angled surface joined to the back surface of the head cushion at a
second elevation angle, and a second angled surface joined to the
back surface of the head cushion at a third elevation angle. The
first angled surface and the second angled surface join to one
another along a crest extending from the top end of said torso
cushion.
Inventors: |
Campagna; Anthony Gino;
(Fremont, CA) |
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Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Campagna; Anthony Gino |
Fremont |
CA |
US |
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|
Family ID: |
55073494 |
Appl. No.: |
14/871190 |
Filed: |
September 30, 2015 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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PCT/US2015/016946 |
Feb 20, 2015 |
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14871190 |
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14042309 |
Sep 30, 2013 |
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PCT/US2015/016946 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
5/632 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47C 20/027 20130101;
A47G 9/1063 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A47C 20/02 20060101
A47C020/02; A47G 9/10 20060101 A47G009/10 |
Claims
1. A pillow, comprising: a torso cushion tapering from a maximum
thickness at a top end to a bottom end, comprising: a torso support
surface extending from said top end to said bottom end; and a torso
cushion end face joined to said torso support surface at said top
end; a head cushion joined to said torso cushion end face,
comprising: a first angled surface joined to said torso cushion end
face; and a second angled surface joined to said torso cushion end
face, wherein said first angled surface and said second angled
surface attach to one another along a crest coplanar with said
torso support surface.
2. The pillow of claim 1, wherein said head cushion and said torso
cushion have a same width dimension.
3. The pillow of claim 1, wherein a lateral edge of said head
cushion is not coplanar with a lateral edge of said torso support
surface.
4. The pillow of claim 3, wherein said first angled surface on said
head cushion is planar.
5. The pillow of claim 3, wherein said second angled surface on
said head cushion is planar.
6. The pillow of claim 1, further comprising: a back surface
extending from said bottom end of said torso cushion to said top
end of said head cushion; a first cushion side joined to said back
surface, to said torso support surface, to said first angled
surface, and to said torso cushion end face; and a second cushion
side joined to said back surface, to said torso support surface, to
said second angled surface, and to said torso cushion end face.
7. The pillow of claim 6, further comprising a cushion side joined
to said back surface, to said torso support surface, to said second
angled surface, and to said torso cushion end face.
8. The pillow of claim 6, wherein an acute angle between said torso
support surface and said back surface is in a range from 10 degrees
to 30 degrees.
9. The pillow of claim 8, wherein said acute angle between said
torso support surface and said back surface is 12 degrees.
10. The pillow of claim 6, wherein an acute angle between said back
surface and said torso cushion end face is in a range from 30
degrees to 90 degrees.
11. The pillow of claim 10, wherein said acute angle between said
back surface and said torso cushion end face is 45 degrees.
12. The pillow of claim 6, wherein said torso support surface is
joined to said first cushion side with a first radius near said top
end of said torso cushion and a second radius near said bottom end
of said torso cushion, wherein said first radius is larger than
said second radius.
13. The pillow of claim 1, further comprising a jaw support
extending from said top end of said torso cushion toward a top end
of said head cushion, wherein said jaw support comprises a top
surface coplanar with said torso support surface.
14. The pillow of claim 13, wherein said pillow is formed with an
arcuate boundary between said torso support surface and said torso
cushion end face, and said arcuate boundary extends from said jaw
support to a side of said pillow joined to said back surface.
15. The pillow of claim 1, wherein said torso cushion end face is
formed with a curved surface.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] Embodiments of the invention are generally related to
cushions for supporting a person's head and upper body and are
related more specifically to pillows for preventing or correcting
misalignment of vertebrae in a spinal column.
BACKGROUND
[0002] A conventional pillow may cause the vertebrae in the spine
of a person sleeping face-down to become misaligned from their
optimal positions. Misalignment of vertebrae may cause pain, damage
to vertebrae, disks, muscles, and ligaments, and may limit a
person's ability to move about freely. Sleeping face down on a
conventional pillow may also lead to difficulty in breathing from
obstruction of airflow by the pillow.
[0003] Sleeping on one's back may alleviate problems caused by
twisting the neck and other parts of the spine while sleeping face
down, but other breathing problems such as sleep apnea or snoring
may be aggravated when a person's tongue or other soft tissues in
the throat obstruct a person's airway. A person's health and
well-being may depend on sleeping with the spinal column in optimal
alignment and with airways unobstructed by a pillow or by the
person's sleeping position.
SUMMARY
[0004] A pillow in accord with an embodiment of the invention
includes a torso cushion tapering from a top end to a bottom end.
The torso cushion includes a torso support surface extending from
the top end to the bottom end of the torso cushion, a back surface
joined to the bottom end of the torso cushion, and a first
elevation angle between the back surface and the support surface of
the torso cushion. The pillow further includes a head cushion
attached to the top end of the torso cushion. The head cushion
includes a back surface joined to the back surface of the torso
cushion, a first angled surface joined to the back surface of the
head cushion at a second elevation angle, and a second angled
surface joined to the back surface of the head cushion at a third
elevation angle. The first angled surface and the second angled
surface join to one another along a crest extending from said top
end of said torso cushion. The crest optionally extends from the
top end of the torso cushion at the first elevation angle.
[0005] The pillow optionally includes a jaw support joined to the
crest. A top surface of the jaw support may be parallel to the
torso support surface. The jaw support may optionally have a
triangular perimeter shape with an apex of the triangular perimeter
shape aligned with the crest.
[0006] In some embodiments of the invention, the second elevation
angle and the third elevation angle have different angular values.
A selected one of either the second elevation angle or the third
elevation angle may be a right angle. The crest may optionally be
laterally offset from a longitudinal midline of the torso
cushion.
[0007] The torso cushion may optionally be formed with a chin
relief cutout in the torso support surface and the torso cushion
top end. Either one or both of the head cushion and torso cushion
may optionally be formed with a core comprising a first material
and an outer layer comprising a second material. Either one or both
of the head cushion and torso cushion may optionally be formed from
a first layer comprising a first material and a second layer
comprising a second material.
[0008] An embodiment of the invention may optionally include a
torso insert, wherein the torso insert fits removably into a
channel formed into the torso support surface. An additional
plurality of torso inserts may optionally be included. Each of the
additional plurality of torso inserts may be made from a material
having a different compressibility and resilience than others of
the additional plurality of torso inserts. The channel may
optionally be sized for acceptance of more than one of the torso
insert.
[0009] The torso support surface may optionally be formed with an
aperture sized for admittance of a female breast. The pillow may
optionally include an insert sized for fitting into the
aperture.
[0010] Another example of a pillow embodiment includes a torso
cushion tapering from a maximum thickness at a top end to a bottom
end. The torso cushion includes a torso support surface extending
from the top end to the bottom end and a torso cushion end face
joined to the torso support surface at the top end. The example of
a pillow embodiment further includes a head cushion joined to the
torso cushion end face. The head cushion includes a first angled
surface joined to the torso cushion end face and a second angled
surface joined to the torso cushion end face, with the first angled
surface and the second angled surface joined to one another along a
crest coplanar with the torso support surface.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1 shows a pictorial view toward the bottom end, left
side, and front side of an example of an embodiment of the
invention.
[0012] FIG. 2 is a view toward the front side of the example of
FIG. 1.
[0013] FIG. 3 is a view toward the left side of the example of FIG.
1.
[0014] FIG. 4 is a view toward the front side of an alternative
embodiment of a spinal alignment pillow having a head cushion with
nonplanar faces, rounded edges, and rounded corners.
[0015] FIG. 5 is a view toward the top end of the example of FIG.
1.
[0016] FIG. 6 is a view toward the top end of an alternative
embodiment of a spinal alignment pillow having different elevation
angles for the first and second angled surfaces on the head cushion
and a crest displaced laterally from the longitudinal midline of
the torso cushion.
[0017] FIG. 7 is a view toward the top end of an alternative
embodiment of the invention having a head cushion with an angled
surface at a right angle to the bottom surface of the pillow.
[0018] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view A-A of an embodiment of the
invention having an inner core comprising cushioning material and
an outer layer made from a different material than the core.
[0019] FIG. 9 is an alternative cross-sectional view A-A of another
embodiment of the invention having multiple layers of cushioning
material.
[0020] FIG. 10 is a view toward the front side of an alternative
embodiment of the invention having two apertures with optional
inserts for relieving pressure applied against a person's
chest.
[0021] FIG. 11 is a cross sectional view B-B of the example of FIG.
10, showing an example of an insert for reducing a depth of an
aperture formed in the torso cushion.
[0022] FIG. 12 is a view toward the front side of a torso cushion
having a channel and one or more optional inserts for modifying an
amount of pressure exerted by the pillow against a person's
body.
[0023] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view C-C of the example of FIG.
12.
[0024] FIG. 14 is a view toward the front side of an example of
another embodiment of the invention having a padded and reinforced
transverse aperture formed laterally through the pillow.
[0025] FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view D-D of the example of FIG.
14.
[0026] FIG. 16 is a pictorial view toward the top end of an
alternative embodiment of the invention having a sloped end face on
the torso cushion.
[0027] FIG. 17 is a view toward the front side of the example of
FIG. 16.
[0028] FIG. 18 is a view toward the top end of the examples of
FIGS. 16-17.
[0029] FIG. 19 is a view toward the left side of the examples of
FIGS. 16-18.
[0030] FIG. 20 is a cross sectional view E-E as marked by section
line E-E on FIG. 17.
[0031] FIG. 21 is a cross sectional view F-F as marked by section
line F-F on FIG. 17.
[0032] FIG. 22 is a view toward the top end of an example of an
alternative embodiment having rounded corners and edges.
[0033] FIG. 23 is a view toward the left side of the example of
FIG. 22.
[0034] FIG. 24 is a cross sectional view G-G as marked by section
line G-G on FIG. 17.
[0035] FIG. 25 is a cross sectional view H-H as marked by section
line H-H on FIG. 17.
[0036] FIG. 26 is an alternative cross sectional view G-G showing
an example of rounded edges on the torso cushion.
[0037] FIG. 27 is an alternative cross sectional view H-H showing
an example of rounded edges on the torso cushion.
[0038] FIG. 28 is a view toward the front side of an example of an
alternative embodiment having arcuate chin relief extending from a
jaw support to a side of the spinal alignment pillow.
[0039] FIG. 29 is a view toward the front side of an example of
another alternative embodiment having different lateral dimensions
for the head cushion and torso cushion.
DESCRIPTION
[0040] An embodiment of the invention, also referred to herein as a
spinal alignment pillow, comprises at least two cushioning wedges
joined together for supporting a person's head and upper body while
the person is resting or sleeping in a reclining position. A spinal
alignment pillow in accord with an embodiment of the invention
encourages vertebrae in a person's spinal column to align with one
another along a straight line when viewing toward the person's
back. The spinal alignment pillow is adapted for a face-down
sleeper who rests his or her chest and one side of the face against
the pillow. Spinal alignment pillows may be manufactured in
different sizes and materials to accommodate differences between
users of the pillows, for example but not limited to, torso length,
neck length, body weight, gender, and personal preferences or
medical objectives for firmness of support.
[0041] While some people may find that a spinal alignment pillow is
simply more comfortable than other pillows, embodiments of the
invention may be beneficial for preventing, and possibly
correcting, lateral displacements of the vertebrae in a human
spinal column. Such lateral displacements may be painful and may be
related to sore neck and back muscles, impaired range of motion for
the spine or other parts of the body, compressed vertebrae, damaged
disks, and other health problems. Preventing lateral displacements
of the spinal column, that is, urging the spinal column to maintain
an optimal aligned condition, may have other benefits for health
and well-being. For example, people who suffer from sleep apnea or
snoring may experience difficulty in breathing when a sleeping
person's tongue slips into the back of the throat and obstructs the
airway. However, when a person sleeps face down, gravity may pull
the tongue away from the airway and make breathing easier and
quieter. A spinal alignment pillow offers a nonsurgical solution to
reducing airway obstruction while the person is sleeping by
encouraging face-down sleeping.
[0042] Turning now to the figures, an example of an embodiment of
the invention 100 appears in FIG. 1, which shows a pictorial view
of a spinal alignment pillow 100 toward the top end, left side, and
front side of the pillow. For discussion purposes herein, the left
and right sides are defined with respect to a person resting
face-down against the pillow with the person's chest against the
top of the torso cushion. The spinal alignment pillow includes a
torso cushion 102 joined to a head cushion 104. The torso cushion
102 has a front side 110, also referred to as a torso support
surface 110, joined to a left side 114 and to a right side 116
opposite the left side 114 (upper edge of right side 116 visible in
FIG. 1). The torso cushion 102 is thickest at its top end 118 and
tapers to a thinnest dimension at its bottom end 120. One or more
optional chin relief cutouts 108 may be formed along the top end
118 of the torso cushion 102.
[0043] An edge of the top end 124 of the head cushion 104 is
visible in FIG. 1. The head cushion 104 is attached to the top end
118 of the torso cushion 102 on the bottom end 120 of the head
cushion (bottom end 120 of head cushion marked by hidden lines in
FIG. 1). The head cushion 104 includes a first angled surface 128
joined to a second angled surface 130 along a crest 126. An
optional jaw support 106 is attached to, or alternately formed as
an integral part of, the head cushion 104 with an apex 146 of the
jaw support 106 centered above the crest 126 of the head cushion
104. The top surface 164 (ref. FIGS. 2-3) of the jaw support 146
may optionally be parallel to the torso support surface 110 of the
torso cushion 102. The jaw support 146 may optionally be provided
as a detachable component and may be provided in different sizes,
shapes, and degrees of compressibility and resilience to
accommodate the needs or preferences of a user of the spinal
alignment pillow 100.
[0044] A person may use a spinal alignment pillow by lying on the
pillow with his or her chest against the torso support surface on
the torso cushion. One side of the person's face rests against
either the first angled surface or the second angled surface on the
head cushion. For example, a person may lie with a side of his or
her face against the first angled surface on the head cushion. In
embodiments of the invention including a jaw support, the person
may rest his or her jaw against the jaw support. The jaw support
may reduce displacements of the jaw during sleeping and may provide
relief from medical conditions such as temporomandibular joint
disorders (TMJ). On some embodiments of the invention, a person may
alternately lie with the opposite side of his or her face against
the second angled surface on the head cushion. Lying on the torso
support surface with one side of the face against one of the angled
surfaces on the head cushion urges the cervical and thoracic
vertebrae into alignment, reducing stress on the spinal column and
possibly reducing pain or damage to the vertebrae, disks, muscles,
and ligaments of the spinal column.
[0045] The head cushion may 104 may be removably attachable to the
torso cushion 102, for example by snaps, buttons, zippers, clasps,
strips or patches of hook-and-loop fastener material, or other
attachment means positioned so as not to cause discomfort to a
person resting against the pillow. Alternatively, the head cushion
118 may be permanently joined to the torso cushion 102 by adhesive
or fusing, or the head cushion and torso cushion may be formed as
one integral structure as suggested in the example of FIG. 1, where
the back surface of the torso cushion and the back surface of the
head cushion form one planar surface.
[0046] The support surface 110 for the torso cushion 102, the head
cushion first angled surface 128, and the head cushion second
angled surface 130 may all be made with a smooth surface.
Alternatively, these surfaces may be made with projections or
surface relief, for example but not limited to, ribs, dimples,
rounded projections, or textures. Different parts of a spinal
alignment pillow may be made with different forms of surface relief
or projections.
[0047] A view toward the front side 110 of the example of a spinal
alignment pillow 100 from FIG. 1 is shown in FIG. 2. The support
surface 110 of the torso cushion 102 has a rectangular perimeter
shape in the example of FIG. 2. The support surface 100 may
alternatively be formed with other polygonal or curved shapes, for
example but not limited to, shapes with at least three sides,
shapes with convex or concave curved sides, shapes with ribbed or
undulating sides, aesthetically appealing decorative shapes, and so
on. In the example of FIG. 2, the crest 126 of the head cushion 104
is approximately centered on the longitudinal midline 166 of the
torso cushion 102.
[0048] FIG. 3 shows a view toward the left side of the example of a
spinal alignment pillow 100 from FIGS. 1-2. The crest 126 of the
head cushion 104 is approximately coplanar with the torso support
surface 110 of the torso cushion 102 (crest and support surface
both seen edge-on in FIG. 3). In some embodiments of the invention,
the crest projects outward from the torso cushion at approximately
the same angle as the elevation angle A1 136 between the support
surface 110 and the back surface 112 of the torso cushion. In
alternative embodiments of the invention, the elevation angle of
the crest may differ from the elevation angle of the support
surface on the torso cushion.
[0049] As an example, a spinal alignment pillow may have an overall
length of about 32 inches from the bottom end of the torso cushion
to the top end of the head cushion. The head cushion may have an
overall width of about 22 inches, measured laterally across the
back surface of the head cushion. The maximum thickness of the head
cushion, measured from the back surface of the head cushion to the
end of the crest at the top end of the cushion, may be about 9.5
inches. The jaw support may be about 3 inches wide where it joins
to the top end of the torso cushion, and the edge of the cutout for
chin relief may be about 5 inches away from the apex of the jaw
support's apex. In this example, the elevation angle for the first
angled surface on the head cushion is about 23.degree.. The
elevation angle for the second angled surface on the head cushion
is optionally the same as the elevation angle for the first angled
surface. In this example, the elevation angle A1 136 (ref. FIG. 3)
for the torso support surface is about 17.degree.. A spinal
alignment pillows may have any one or more of these dimensions and
angles altered to suit the needs or preferences of a user of the
pillow.
[0050] In the examples of FIGS. 1-3, the spinal alignment pillow
100 is drawn with distinct edges and corners to emphasize the
shapes and angles of the various surfaces. In alternative
embodiments of the invention, the edges and corners may be rounded
as suggested in the example of FIG. 4. FIG. 4 shows a view toward
the front side of an example of a spinal alignment pillow 100
having rounded corners 160 and one or more rounded edges 158,
represented by a broken line to indicated rounding of the crest 126
of the head cushion. Other edges and corners may optionally be
rounded.
[0051] A view toward the top end of the example of a spinal
alignment pillow from FIGS. 1-3 is shown in FIG. 5. FIG. 5 shows an
example of a first elevation angle 132 between the back surface 122
of the head cushion 104 and the first angled surface 128 (back
surface seen edge-on in FIG. 4). FIG. 5 further shows the location
of a second elevation angle 134 between the back surface 122 and
the second angled surface 130. In the example of FIG. 5, the first
and second elevation angles (132, 134) have approximately equal
angular values. In the example of an alternative embodiment of the
invention in FIG. 6, the elevation angles for the first and second
angled surfaces on the head cushion have angular values which are
substantially different from one another. Different elevation
angles (132, 134) may be incorporated into an embodiment of the
invention according to the medical needs or personal preferences of
a user of the pillow. In some embodiments of the invention, the
crest 126 of the head cushion 104 may be laterally displaced from
the longitudinal midline 166 of the torso cushion 102, as suggested
in the example of FIG. 6. Lateral displacement 168 of the crest 126
may optionally be combined with differing first and second
elevation angles (132, 134) to apply a restorative force to a spine
that is curved away from an optimal aligned condition. In some
embodiments of the invention 100, one of the elevation angles on
the head cushion 104 may be approximately 90 degrees to encourage a
user of the pillow 100 to sleep with the head turned to the same
side whenever the pillow is used. In the example of FIG. 7, the
elevation angle 134 for the second angled surface 130 is
approximately 90 degrees relative to the head cushion back surface
122.
[0052] FIG. 8 shows a cross-sectional view A-A of the example of
FIGS. 1-3. A position and viewing direction for section A-A is
marked in FIG. 2. As suggested in FIG. 8, the head cushion and
torso cushion may be made from a same material. The head cushion
104 and torso cushion 102 may alternatively be made from materials
having different compressibility and resilience. In the example of
FIG. 8, the head cushion 104 is formed with a core 154. The core
154 is surrounded by an outer layer 156. The core 154 and outer
layer 156 may differ in, for example but not limited to,
resilience, compressibility, ability to absorb or repel water,
resistance to cleaning products, ease of sterilization, resistance
to retaining odor, and so on. FIG. 8 is further representative of
an alternative embodiment of the invention in which the outer layer
156 encloses a core 154 comprising a loose material such as sand,
buckwheat (soba) grains, plastic pellets, and so on.
[0053] FIG. 9 shows an alternate cross sectional view A-A in which
the torso cushion 102 is made from layers of different materials,
for example a first layer 150 and a second layer 152. Embodiments
of the invention may optionally include more than two layers. The
torso cushion 102 may similarly be made from layered materials, or
the torso cushion may be made from a core and outer layer as
previously described for the head cushion.
[0054] Some embodiments of a spinal alignment pillow may be formed
with channels, apertures, or inserts to modify an amount of
pressure exerted by the pillow against a user's body. In the
example of FIG. 10, the support surface 110 of the torso cushion
102 is formed with an aperture 142 sized for admittance of a female
breast. The pillow 100 of FIG. 10 may be more comfortable for use
by a woman who has had breast surgery than a pillow with a flat
support surface. More than one aperture 142 may optionally be
formed in the pillow 100, or alternately an insert 138 may be
placed in the aperture 142 to reduce the length, width, or depth of
part of the aperture or of the entire aperture. FIG. 11 shows a
cross-sectional view B-B of an example of an insert 138 used to
reduce a depth of an aperture 142.
[0055] A spinal alignment pillow 100 may alternatively be formed
with a channel instead of an aperture for modifying an amount of
pressure applied by the pillow to part of a person's body. In the
example of FIG. 12, a torso cushion 102 is formed with a channel
140 into which at least one insert 138 may be placed. The example
of a spinal alignment pillow from FIG. 12 is shown in
cross-sectional view C-C in FIG. 13. An insert 138 may
alternatively be sized to completely fill the channel, to partially
fill the channel so that the part of the channel between the insert
and the support surface of the torso cushion remains empty, or to
extend outward from the support surface 110 of the torso cushion
102. An insert may have different thicknesses along its length or
width to modify an amount of pressure exerted by the pillow against
a user's body. An embodiment of the invention may optionally be
formed with more than one channel. A channel may optionally be
sized to accept more than one insert. Inserts may optionally be
provided with different compressibility and resilience.
[0056] A person resting or sleeping face-down may prefer to place
his arm or hand between his face and the bed upon which he rests.
However, the weight of the person's head and upper body resting on
his arms or hands may interfere with blood circulation, possibly
leading to discomfort or health problems related to poor blood
circulation. Some embodiments of the invention may therefore
optionally provide space for a sleeper's arms and hands to prevent
discomfort and circulatory problems. In the example of a spinal
alignment pillow 100 in FIG. 14, a compression relief aperture 170
is formed laterally through the first and second angled surfaces
((128, 130) in the head cushion 104. The compression relief
aperture is preferably sized for easy admittance of a human hand.
An example of a location for the aperture 170 is shown in the
cross-sectional view D-D in FIG. 15. An optional arcuate structural
support 172 partially surrounds the compression relief aperture
170, preventing the compression relief aperture 170 from collapsing
onto the hands and arms of a person sleeping face-down on the
pillow 100. The compression relief aperture 170 may optionally be
lined with padding 174 to prevent a person's hands and arms from
uncomfortable contact with the structural support 172. While FIG.
14 shows the compression relief aperture 170 in the head cushion
104, the compression relief aperture may alternatively be formed in
the torso cushion 102, or more than one compression relief aperture
may be provided.
[0057] An example of another embodiment of a spinal alignment
pillow appears in the pictorial view of FIG. 16. In the example of
FIG. 16, the head cushion 104 of the pillow 100 joins to the torso
cushion 110 of the pillow along a torso cushion end face 176. The
torso cushion end face 176 may optionally be divided into a left
section 176 and a right section 176A with the two sections
separated by the crest 126 of the head cushion. The crest 126 is
preferably coplanar with the torso support surface 110 to aid in
alignment of the user's neck and back vertebrae when the pillow is
in use. The torso support surface 110 shares a common edge 178 with
the torso cushion end faces (176A, B). In the example of FIG. 16,
the left side 114 of the torso cushion 102 extends the full length
of the pillow 100 from the bottom edge 180 of the torso cushion to
the top end 124 of the head cushion 104. The right side 116 of the
torso cushion is shaped similarly to the left side 114. The left
side 114 reaches a maximum height, corresponding to a maximum
thickness dimension of the torso cushion, along the top edge 178 of
the torso cushion. The back surface 112 of the torso cushion and
the back surface 122 of the head cushion are preferably coplanar.
The left edge of the back surface (112, 122) is visible in FIG. 16.
The torso cushion support surface 110 joins to the left side 114
along a common edge 190.
[0058] In the example of FIG. 16, the width dimension 184 of the
head cushion 104 and the width dimension 186 of the torso cushion
are approximately the same. The head cushion 104 includes a first
angled surface 128 and a second angled surface 130. Both angled
surfaces extend in a longitudinal direction from the head cushion
top end 124 to the torso cushion end face 176. The first angled
surface 128 shares an edge 188 with the torso cushion left side
114. The second angled surface similarly shares an edge with the
torso cushion right side. The head cushion has a minimum thickness
along lateral edge 188. The first angled surface 128 joins to the
end face 176B along an intersection 182B. The second angled surface
130 joins to the end face 176A along an intersection 182A. Although
FIG. 16 is shown with distinct edges and corners, it will be
appreciated that alternative embodiments may optionally have
rounded edges and/or rounded corners. Furthermore, alternative
embodiments may optionally replace any one or more of the straight
edges in FIG. 16 with a curved edge.
[0059] FIG. 17 shows a top view of the example of FIG. 16. In the
example of FIG. 17, the first angled surface 128 and the second
angled surface 130 are nonplanar surfaces. The first angled surface
128 joins to the torso cushion end face 176B along a curved surface
intersection 182B. The second angled surface 130 joins to the torso
cushion end face 176A along a curved surface intersection 182A.
[0060] FIG. 18 continues the example of FIGS. 16-17, showing a view
toward the top edge 196 of the head cushion. The top edge 196 is at
an acute angle A2 198 relative to the horizontal back surface 112
of the pillow 100. The surface intersection 182A between the head
cushion and the torso cushion end face 176A is at an acute angle A3
200. Angles A2 and A3 may optionally differ from one another, for
example for embodiments having nonplanar faces (128, 130, ref. FIG.
17). In an example of an embodiment, A2 is 32 degrees and A3 is 26
degrees. Alternative embodiments may be constructed with acute
angles A2 and A3 varying in a range from 20 degrees to 90
degrees.
[0061] FIGS. 19-21 show more details about the pillow 100 from the
example of FIGS. 16-17. In FIG. 19, the torso cushion end face 176B
is sloped at an angle A6 206 relative to the horizontal back
surface (112, 122) of the pillow 100. In one example, angle A6 is
45 degrees. In alternative embodiments, angle A6 206 may be varied
in a range from 30 degrees to 90 degrees. In FIG. 20, Section E-E
illustrates an angle A4 202 between the sectioned lower edge of the
first angled surface 128 and the horizontal bottom surface of the
pillow. In FIG. 21, Section F-F illustrates an angle A5 204 between
another sectioned lower edge of the first angled surface 128 and
the horizontal bottom surface of the pillow. When angled surface
128 is nonplanar as in the example of FIG. 16, angles A4 202 and A5
204 may not be equal to one another.
[0062] The edges and corners of a pillow may be rounded to improve
comfort, appearance, and durability. An example of a pillow 100
with rounded edges and corners appears in FIG. 22 and FIG. 23. In
FIG. 22, angles A2 198 and A3 200 are defined as for FIG. 18. The
rounded crest 126 of the head cushion 104 is represented by a
dashed line. The torso cushion 102 may have top corners rounded to
radius R1 192. FIG. 23 shows further examples of edge and corner
rounding. For example, the transition from the torso cushion end
face 176B to the horizontal portion of the lateral edge 188 of the
head cushion may form a sharp corner as in the example of FIG. 19
or may alternately be curved with a radius R3 208 as suggested in
FIG. 23.
[0063] FIG. 23 illustrates examples of thickness dimensions for a
pillow 100. For discussion purposes herein, thickness refers to a
direction perpendicular to the bottom surface (112, 122) of the
pillow 100. A thickness H1 210 represents a maximum thickness for
the pillow 100 measured at the top end of the head cushion's crest
126. Another thickness H2 212 represents a maximum thickness for
the torso cushion 102 measured at the top end 118 of the torso
cushion. In an example of an embodiment, H1 is 7.2 inches (18.3
centimeters) when angle A1 136 is 12 degrees and H2 is about 5.0
inches (12.7 centimeters). Angle A1 136 represents an acute angle
from the horizontal of the crest 126 of the head cushion. In some
embodiments, A1 136 also represents the acute angle between the
back surface of the pollow and the torso support surface 110 on the
torso cushion. In an alternative embodiment, angle A1 136 is about
14 degrees. In other alternative embodiments, angle A1 136 is in a
range from 10 degrees to 30 degrees. In the example of FIG. 23,
angle A6 206 is defined the same as in the example of FIG. 19. FIG.
23 also shows an example of a length dimension L1 214 for the
pillow 100. For example, a pillow 100 for an adult may have a
length dimension L1 of about 35 inches (89 centimeters).
[0064] FIGS. 24-27 illustrate examples of transverse or lateral
cross sections at positions marked by section lines in FIG. 17.
FIGS. 24 and 25 represent the tapered shaped of a torso cushion 102
having square edges and corners. FIGS. 26 and 27 show an example of
a torso cushion 102 having edge rounding along the sides of the
cushion. The radius of the rounded edge varies from a radius R1 192
near the top end of the torso cushion to a smaller radius R2 194
along the side of the cushion, closer to the narrow bottom end of
the torso cushion. Alternatively, the pillow 100 may be fabricated
with a constant radius of edge rounding along the full length of
the torso cushion.
[0065] In the examples of a pillow embodiment shown in FIGS. 16-23,
the top edge 178 of the torso cushion end face 176 follows a
straight line. In an alternative embodiment of a pillow, the top
edge of the torso cushion end face, corresponding to the top edge
of the torso support surface, may be arcuate instead of straight to
reduce pressure against a user's chin while the pillow is in use.
As suggested in the example of FIG. 28, an arcuate boundary 178
between the torso cushion end face 176A and the torso support
surface 110 may form an edge of a jaw support 106 extending from,
and optionally having a top surface coplanar with, the torso
support surface 110. The arcuate boundary 178 may be formed with a
radius R3 208 from the jaw support 106 to the corner radius R1 192.
The arcuate boundary 178 may alternatively be formed as a curve
having more than one radius of curvature. Although shown as a
distinct edge in the example of FIG. 28, the arcuate boundary 178
may optionally be rounded to provide a smooth transition between
the torso cushion end face 176 and the torso support surface 110.
For a pillow formed with an arcuate boundary 178 as in the example
of FIG. 28, the torso cushion end face 176 will be a curved,
nonplanar surface.
[0066] In some embodiments, for example the pillow 100 in FIG. 28,
the lateral or transverse dimension 184 of the head cushion 104,
also referred to as the width of the head cushion, is the same as
the width 186 of the torso cushion 102. In alternative embodiments,
the width 184 of the head cushion 104 and the width 186 of the
torso cushion 102 are different from one another as shown in FIG.
29. FIG. 29 further illustrates an example of a head cushion 104
having lateral edges 188 which are neither coplanar with the sides
of the torso cushion nor parallel to the lateral edge 190 of the
torso support surface 110. FIG. 29 further illustrates an example
of a pillow 100 on which the first and second angled surfaces (128,
130) on the head cushion 104 may optionally be planar surfaces.
[0067] Unless expressly stated otherwise herein, ordinary terms
have their corresponding ordinary meanings within the respective
contexts of their presentations, and ordinary terms of art have
their corresponding regular meanings.
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