EP1246557A2

EP1246557A2 - Anatomic pillow

Info

Publication number: EP1246557A2
Application number: EP00990845A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jean-Bernard Lanteri
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-01-10
Filing date: 2000-12-29
Publication date: 2002-10-09
Also published as: WO2001050928A2; AU2001230306A1; FR2803504B1; US6668404B2; WO2001050928A3; CA2395942A1; FR2803504A1; US20030000018A1

Abstract

The invention concerns a device for maintaining the body, for use as a pillow, comprising at least one surface (1) for supporting the head and a central clearance (2) defining two side surfaces (3a, 3b) extending the support surface. The invention is characterised in that said pillow has a length (L) not less than the body measurements of an adult user from the lower ribs to the ear, thereby adjusting the pillow support surface on the body in all positions of use.

Description

"Anatomical pillow"

The present invention relates to a support device for the body, usable as a pillow comprising at least one face for one support of the head and a central clearance defining two lateral surfaces in extension of the support face.

The present device, in addition to its possible function as a pillow, can be used to support the back in the sitting position or to maintain the back of the head, neck or nape in the relaxed position. It therefore makes it possible to adapt to multiple conditions of use and in this constitutes a physiological device.

Anatomical pillows exist today.

In this context, we know of the document FR-A-2. 732. 572 an anatomical pillow of general plane of symmetry of the type including an envelope forming a enclosure for padding and including a projection having the general shape of a U, constituted by a lower transverse projection perpendicular to the plane, therefore the two ends are each extended by a projection teral, the main enclosure forms the transverse projection, comprising an inner piece of cervical support, characterized in that the said inner piece of cervical support has the shape of a profile of semi-cylindrical section. We also know from document NO A 98/07358 a pillow having a resistant and compressible body with an upper part, a lower part and a rounded lobe forming a protuberance at the lower part. The pillow comprises a part cut in the rounded lobe intended to receive the shoulder of the user. The pillow also has a curved neck area if killed between the top and bottom.

This type of pillow has a generally rectangular shape seen from above with a curved part in the center for the neck.

The pillow as presented in document FR-2,732,572 has a central core which makes the pillow not very homogeneous in its mechanical characteristics and which increases the manufacturing cost. It is moreover only single-sided. What is more, its small dimensions are such that it only allows support on the neck. Its effectiveness and comfort of use are therefore very limited.

As for document WO A 98/07358, it has a very specific profile and is expensive to manufacture.

In addition, its thickness is important and it is not very comfortable to use. We also know from US-A-3 patent. 757. 365 a pillow in the form of a substantially rectangular and flat block which comprises two zones of different resilience according to its thickness.

In order to have a flexible lower layer avoiding the problems of blood circulation in the arm of the user, this pillow compensates by a hard and uncomfortable upper layer. Furthermore, the rectangular parallelepiped formed is too thick to match the shapes of the body in all positions of use. It offers no support other than at the head

Consequently, the current pillows are not entirely satisfactory, in particular for users whose sleeping position is not on the back.

Thus, these pillows according to the state of the art are absolutely not intended for other sleep positions (especially on the stomach) or relaxation.

In addition, they have no layout for supporting the shoulders or trunk or other parts of the body.

The present invention overcomes the drawbacks of current pillows.

Its first goal is to allow a great comfort of use and a great flexibility of use by allowing several positions of sleep or relaxation.

It thus has the advantage of making it possible to support the shoulders when the user sleeps on the back, or support on the lower ribs when the user sleeps on the stomach, or even several possible supports when he sleeps on the side.

In this sense, the device presented here is an invention which overcomes a prejudice according to which a pillow has the sole purpose of serving as support for the head and the neck.

The invention also has the advantage of proposing a device with homogeneous mechanical characteristics since it is preferably made of a single material and in one piece over its entire assembly. The choice of its dimensions and shape is also particular in order to provide a position of the head always centered on the pillow and therefore to allow good support for the head while making the most of the vertical elasticity characteristics of the pillow.

The flexibility of use of the device here present is further increased by making it symmetrical along a horizontal plane which makes it usable on both sides.

Having the same characteristics on each side, the pillow can be turned over to use a cooler or warmer side, for example.

Other objects and advantages will emerge during the description which follows, which is not, however, limiting.

_ 'invention. The present invention relates to a support device for the body, usable as a pillow, comprising at least one face for the support of the head and a central clearance defining two lateral surfaces in extension of the support face, characterized in that its length is between 65 and 90 cm corresponding to the average measurement of adult individuals from the lower ribs to the ear, allowing to adapt the support of the pillow on the body to all positions of use including the central position by pressing the head and lower ribs on the lateral surfaces.

The pillow can be presented according to the particular embodiments introduced below: the lateral surfaces are inclined so that the thickness of the pillow gradually decreases towards their lower edge.

- The central clearance has a curvilinear profile whose curvature is accentuated in the vicinity of the two ends of said central clearance. - the minimum dimension around the profile is around 30 cm.

- the central clearance has a width of the order of 30 to 37 cm. - Its overall depth, from the lower edge of the lateral surfaces to the upper edge of the support face, is between 38 and 60 cm.

- it has a transverse profile in an airplane wing with:

¹ a central part of maximum thickness, "a front part of decreasing thickness towards the lower edge of the lateral surfaces," a rounded rear part.

- it has a horizontal plane of symmetry.

- It is made in one piece and that it is pierced according to its thickness with series of holes, blind, each series of holes opening onto one face of the device, in order to define two more flexible zones in the thickness, on the one hand. and a harder central area.

- the upper border is rounded to form a support area for the head, neck or nape, in position on the back, for relaxation of the neck muscles by stretching.

- At least the central part in the vicinity of the border is harder than the rest of the support face, to form a harder support area for the head, neck or nape. - The holes are of a smaller diameter in the vicinity of at least the central part of the length of the edge, to form the harder support area.

The attached drawings are given as indicative and non-limiting examples. They represent a preferred embodiment according to the invention. They will allow the invention to be easily understood.

Figure 2 is a top view of the entire pillow according to the invention.

Figure 1 illustrates a side view. FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the anatomical pillow at the level of the central clearance, according to FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a side view of FIG. 5.

Figure 5 is an overview of the pillow according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view along the lines A-A of FIG. 5.

We begin here by describing the present device in a context of use in the form of a pillow. As already indicated, it applies however to other uses.

As shown in FIG. 2, the anatomical pillow according to the invention comprises at least one face marked 1 for the support of the head and a central clearance marked 2 defining two lateral surfaces 3a, 3b in extension of the face of support 1. For convenience of description, L is the length of the pillow and p its depth.

In addition, as shown in Figure 3, the maximum thickness of the pillow is denoted e.

According to the invention, the length L of the pillow is at least equivalent to the measurement of the user from the lower ribs to the ear, for an average adult.

On average, this measurement is of the order of 50cm for an adult person.

When the user sleeps on his back or on his stomach, the user's body is in support, not only at the level of the head but also at the level of the shoulders and at the level of the lower ribs for the position on the stomach.

Only a pillow of the length proposed by the invention achieves this result. The shoulders are supported at the lateral surfaces 3a, 3b and prevents any breakage at the level of the cervical vertebrae. When the user sleeps on his stomach, he will be able to lean on the pillow not only by his head but also by his ribs, down to the lower ribs.

The user is thus perfectly wedged for a position on the stomach which prevents him from any tendency to tilt which would be damaging to his comfort and to the maintenance of his spine.

For sleep use on the rib, the central clearance 2 has the function of allowing the passage of the shoulder avoiding a support break in the cervical region.

Given the average measurements of adult individuals, the length L may be between 65 and 90 cm.

In this way, the pillow will be suitable for a large part of the public and will provide support on a large portion of the body.

For a good placement of the lateral surfaces 3a, 3b under the shoulders or under the ribs of the user, these surfaces 3a, 3b are inclined so that the thickness of the pillow gradually decreases towards their lower edge 4a, 4b. This gradual decrease appears in Figures 1 and 3.

It is here linear but the curvature of the lateral surfaces 3a, 3b could be different.

The width (a) of the clearance 2 may be between 30 and 37 cm to adapt to the shoulder width of the average user.

The clearance 2 may have a substantially circular profile at least over part of its periphery, as shown in FIG. 2.

In this way, by choosing a minimum dimension marked d around this profile, it is possible to ensure support for the head, always at the heart of the pillow.

It is indeed at this location that the vertical elasticity characteristics of the pillow are the best. For example, this central position of the head avoids any tendency for the head to tilt out of the pillow, which could cause fatigue in the cervical vertebrae. According to another variant illustrated in FIG. 5, the clearance 2 has a profile which is certainly curvilinear but not circular and defines two more curved zones 11 near the two ends of the clearance 2.

In this way, the most curved zones 11 ensure wedging of the shoulder.

For example, a profile in the form of a half-ellipse (cut along its major axis) can be used.

In a preferred embodiment, the dimension d is of the order of 30 cm, which takes account of the average measurements of adult users in the shoulder / ear distance (approximately 15 cm).

Still preferably, the anatomical pillow has an overall depth (p) of between 38 and 60 cm.

This depth (p) is thus sufficient so that the head is always well wedged on the support surface 1.

Furthermore, the pillow may have a transverse profile in an airplane wing as illustrated in FIG. 1.

According to this configuration, it comprises substantially three parts consisting of: - a central part 5 of maximum thickness marked e where the head support is preferably produced, a front part of decreasing thickness in order to produce inclined lateral surfaces, a rear part making it possible to join the support face 1 of the lower face of the pillow in particular by means of a rounded profile. The thickness e may be between 8 and 15 cm. The two faces of the central part 5 may constitute two opposite bearing faces 1. Preferably, these faces are planar.

It will be particularly advantageous to constitute a pillow according to the invention symmetrical along a horizontal plane the direction of which is marked 8 in FIG. 1.

On the one hand, this symmetry has the advantage of allowing a more standardized manufacture of the pillow. On the other hand, it allows use thereof by constituting two support faces 1 on the top and on the bottom of the pillow.

In a preferred embodiment, the pillow is made in one piece and it is drilled according to its thickness of illustrious holes 9 seen from above in FIG. 2 and from the front or in section in FIGS. 1 and 3. These holes are oriented vertically and distributed so as to adjust the mechanical characteristics according to the wishes of the user.

By varying their diameter and / or density, we will indeed obtain a more or less flexible pillow more or less able to be folded.

What's more, the holes ventilate the entire pillow. Figures 4 and 6 show the formation of two series of blind holes. One series leads to one side of the pillow, the other series to the other side. Preferably, the holes all have the same depth. A central area, at the heart of the pillow, is reserved. Without a hole, this area is harder.

In this way, the touch of the pillow is soft without the head sinking too much into the pillow. By way of example, an anatomical pillow can be made in one piece according to the invention in a material with good elastic properties and in particular in latex.

The pillow as presented above, by its configuration and a choice of particular size, ensures comfort and effective maintenance of the body of the individual regardless of his sleeping position.

Moreover, in the prone position, the lateral surfaces 3a, 3b, cause a rotation of the dorsal vertebrae.

It should be known that the rotation of the head is done functionally or physiologically by a prerotation of the dorsal vertebrae then of the cervical vertebrae.

If a young subject is able to turn his cervical 90 ° without intervention of his dorsals, another older uses the dorsal and cervical columns. Hence the interest of the dorsal prerotation (thanks to the lateral surfaces 3a, 3b, which can be tilted).

Indeed, the cervical spine is then no longer subjected to a rotation of the order of 35 ° to 45 °, which reduces the tensions in position on the belly.

In the side position, the lateral surfaces (3a, 3b) lengthen the position line of the ear and therefore increase the number of possible positions of the head. In addition to its pillow function, the present device can be used for other purposes.

Note the interest of the upper border 10, particularly when it has a rounded shape, as is the case in Figures 1 and 3. In this context, the user in position on the back can rest his head at the upper edge 10 which compresses it.

It follows a stretching of the neck muscles, particularly relaxing. This use of the device according to the invention can be applied to a sleeping position but also to a rest position for seated users, in particular in front of computer screens. Effective relaxation occurs with a few periodic stretches. To accentuate this stretching, the border 10 is preferably harder than the rest of the device.

For this purpose, the holes present in its vicinity will be either fewer or smaller than elsewhere, as shown in Figure 5.

It is essentially opposite the central clearance 2, in the central zone with the possibility of the edge 10, that this harder bearing zone 12 is formed.

The present device can also serve as a cushion for the back support of the user in a seated position.

Placed at the level of the back, the device then hugs the lower back. Its length and the central clearance cause a slight fold of the lateral surfaces. The device then perfectly wedges the lower back (at the back and on the sides) without hindering the user (in particular, the upper back remains free, thanks to the clearance 2).

REFERENCES

1. Support face

2. Central clearance 3a, 3b. Side surfaces 4a, 4b. Bottom borders

5. Central part

6. Front section

7. Back part 8. Symmetry plane

9. Holes

10. Top border

11. More curved areas

12. Support zone L. Length e. Thickness p. Depth d. Dimension a. Clearance width

Claims

1. Supporting device for the body, usable as a pillow, comprising at least one face (1) for supporting the head and a central clearance (2) defining two lateral surfaces (3a, 3b) in extension of the face d 'support (1), characterized by the fact that its length (L) is between 65 and 90 cm corresponding to the average measurement of adult individuals from the lower ribs to the ear, making it possible to adapt the support of the pillow on the body has all the positions of use including the ventral position by pressing the head and lower ribs on the lateral surfaces (3a, 3b).

2. Supporting device for the body, usable as a pillow, according to claim 1 characterized in that the lateral surfaces (3a, 3b) are inclined so that the thickness of the pillow gradually decreases towards their lower edge (4a , 4b).

3. Supporting device for the body, usable as a pillow, according to any one of claims 1 or 2 characterized in that the central clearance (2) has a curvilinear profile whose curvature is accentuated in the vicinity of the two ends of said clearance central.

4. Support device for the body, usable as a pillow, according to claim 3 characterized in that the minimum dimension around the profile is of the order of 30 cm.

5. Holding device for the body, usable as a pillow, according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the central clearance has a width (a) of the order of 30 to 37 cm.

6. Support device for the body, usable as a pillow, according to any one of claims 1 to 5 characterized in that its overall depth (P), from the lower edge (4a, 4b) of the lateral surfaces (3a, 3b) up to the upper edge (10) of the support face (1) is between 38 and 60 cm.

7. Supporting device for the body, usable as a pillow, according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it has a transverse profile in an airplane wing with: a central part (5) of thickness (e) maximum, a front part (6) of decreasing thickness towards the lower edge (4a, 4b) of the lateral surfaces (3a, 3b), a rounded rear part (7).

8. Support device for the body, usable as a pillow, according to any one of claims 1 to 7 characterized in that it has a horizontal plane of symmetry (8).

9. Anatomical pillow according to any one of claims 1 to 8 characterized in that it is made in one piece and that it is drilled according to its thickness of series of holes (9), blind, each series of holes opening onto one face of the device, in order to define two more flexible zones in the thickness, on either side of a harder central zone.

10. Anatomical pillow according to any one of claims 1 to 9 characterized in that the upper edge (10) is rounded to form a support area (12) of the head, neck or nape, in position on the back, for relaxation of the neck muscles by stretching.

11. Support device for the body, usable as a pillow, according to claim 10, characterized in that at least the central part of the vicinity of the edge (10) is harder than the rest of the bearing face ( 1), to form a harder support area (12) of the head, neck or nape.

12. Support device for the body, usable as a pillow, according to claims 11 and 9 taken in combination, characterized in that the holes (9) are of a smaller diameter in the vicinity of at least the central part of the length of the border, to form the harder support area (12).