GB2448126A

GB2448126A - An inflatable support for the upper body and head of a user

Info

Publication number: GB2448126A
Application number: GB0704763A
Authority: GB
Inventors: James Andrew Nicholas Ball; Jeremy Edward Ball; William Karim Hage; Stuart Kenneth Taylor
Original assignee: HBT INNOVATIONS Ltd; SKT MEDIA Ltd
Current assignee: HBT INNOVATIONS Ltd; SKT MEDIA Ltd
Priority date: 2007-03-13
Filing date: 2007-03-13
Publication date: 2008-10-08
Anticipated expiration: 2027-03-13
Also published as: GB2448126B8; GB0704763D0; GB2448126B

Abstract

An inflatable support or pillow 10 for a part of an upper body and head of a user, includes an upper surface 14 to support a part of the upper body of the user, a head receiving formation 26 to receive the user's head; a first ventilation formation 28 in fluid communication with the head receiving formation; and one or more second ventilation formations 30, also in fluid communication with the head receiving formation, extending away from the head receiving formation in a direction transverse to the first ventilation formation. Strengthening walls 22 are also present. The support is reversible to support a person lying on their back or in the prone position.

Description

Title: An inflatable support for a part of the upper body and head of a

user

Description of Invention

This invention relates to a support for a part of the upper body and head of a user, particularly for use when the person is lying in a substantial horizontal position.

Such supports, which are often referred to as "pillows", have been designed for many uses, such as for medical use, e.g. during an operation, or leisure use, e.g. for use whilst sunbathing. However, known supports are often cumbersome to use, transport and/or store and do not provide the user with adequate comfort during use. It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an improved support particularly for medical or leisure use.

According to the invention we provide an inflatable support for a part of the upper body and head of a user, including:-a surface to support a part of the upper body of the user, a head receiving formation to receive a part of the user's head: a first ventilation formation in fluid communication with the head receiving formation: and a second ventilation formation, also in fluid communication with the head receiving formation, the second ventilation formation extending away from the head receiving formation in a direction transverse to the first ventilation formation.

Further features of the invention are set out in claims 2 to 13 appended hereto.

Specific and non-limiting examples of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: * 2 Figure 1 is a perspective view from one side and above of a support according to the invention; Figure 2 is a plan view of the support of figure 1; Figure 3 is an end view of the support of figure 1; Figure 4 is a bottom view of the support of figure 1; Figure 5 is a side view of a person lying in the prone position on the support of figure 1; and Figure 6 is a further side view of the support of figure 1.

Referring to the figures there is shown an inflatable support 10 which is substantially U-shaped in plan view. The support 10 includes an upper surface 14, a lower surface 16, two side walls 18, 19 and an end wall 20 (which provides the U-shape for the support 10), each of which is manufactured from a plastics material. The side walls 18, 19 and end wall 20 are joined together such that they form a peripheral wall for the support 10, and the upper and lower surfaces 14, 16 are connected to the top and bottom edges of the peripheral wall. Thus the side walls 18, 19 and end wall 20 and the upper and lower surfaces 14, 16 define an outer surface of the support 10.

The joins between the side walls 18, 19, end wall 20 and the upper and lower surfaces 14, 16 must be air-tight, and any appropriate form of join could be used, e.g. stitching and/or heat welding. Internal strengthening walls 22 are positioned in between the surfaces 14, 16 and walls 18, 19, 20 and connect the upper and lower surfaces 14, 16 to each other. The strengthening walls 22 ensure that the overall shape of the support 10 is not distorted when the support 10 is inflated. An inflation valve 24, of conventional form, is provided * 3 in the end wall 22 and allows a user to inflate the support 10 by blowing air through the valve 24.

When inflated the support 10 is substantially wedge-shaped in side view. The upper surface 14 tapers away from the lower surface 16 as the upper surface 14 extends away from the bottom of the U-shape to the top of the U-shape.

The upper surface 14 flattens out as it approaches the top of the U-shape, such that at this end of the support 10, when the support 10 is inflated, the upper surface 14 is substantially parallel to the lower surface 16. The flattened part of the upper surface 14 is beneficial as this allows a person more comfortably to lay face-down (often referred to as the prone" position -see figure 5) on the support 10. The dimensions and proportions of the flattened part of the upper surface 14, and the angle of the wedge leading to the flattened part have been designed to support adequately a user's cervical spine whilst at the same time maintaining an open airway for respiration.

The end wall 20 defines a cut out section 26 in the support 10, which gives the support 10 its U-shape. The cut-out section 26 provides both a head receiving formation, into which a user can place the front or back or his/her head, and a first ventilation formation 28, such that when a user's head is face-down, they have access to an air supply. The U-shaped cut-out section 26 extends through the support 10 from the upper surface 14 to the lower surface 16 and is of substantially even cross-section throughout. As is shown in the drawings, an entrance to the U-shaped cut-out section 26 is narrower than a remainder of the cut-out section 26, which provides for improved location of a user's head. Parts of the end wall 20 at either side of the entrance of the cut out section 26 are connected by a strengthening member in the form of a strip 13 of a plastics material, i.e. the strip 13 extends across the entrance to the cut-out section 26. The strip 13 assists in maintaining the U-shape of the support 10 when the support 10 is inflated, and when a user's head/upper body is supported on the support 10. The U-shape distributes evenly the pressure * 4 being applied to a user's face, thus reducing point pressure and discomfort of the user's facial skin.

The support 10 also includes a pair of second ventilation formations, each of which takes the form of a semi-cylindrical formation 30 which is formed in the lower surface 16. Each formation 30 extends transversely away from a lower part of the cut-out section 26 to its respective side waIl 18,19. Each formation is therefore in fluid communication with the cut-out section 26 such that air can pass through each formation 30 to reach a user's mouth. In this example longitudinal axes of the formations 30 are substantially parallel to each other and are also co-axial. Two strengthening walls 22 support each formation 30 so that the formation 30 substantially retains its shape during use.

As can be seen from figure 6, when the support 10 is inflated and positioned * 15 with the lower surface 16 engaging a flat or substantially flat surface 40, the semi-cylindrical formations 30 provide air channels to assist in the breathing of the user whose head is positioned face-down on the support 10.

The support 10 is reversible, in the sense that it can be used in two orientations. The first orientation is where the lower surface 16 engages a ground surface 40 and this orientation is to be used when the user is laying face-down in the prone position (see figure 5). The second orientation is where the support 10 is positioned such that the upper surface 14 engages the ground surface and is to be used when the user is laying on his/her back. In this example a flattened part is not provided on the lower surface 16 as this is not required for comfortable support when the user is lying on his/her back.

However, a flattened surface could be provided on the lower surface 16, if desired.

It should be noted, of course, that only one formation 30 could be provided instead of the pair of such formations as shown in the figures. As a further S 5 alternative, two or more formations 30 could be provided, for example two formations 30 on each side of the support 10, thus providing four formations in total.

It should also be noted that the overall shape of the support 10 could be changed without departing from the scope of the present invention. Indeed, it is not necessary for the support 10 to be U-shaped in plan view or for the head receiving formation and first ventilation formation to be jointly provided by the cut-out section 26. Instead, the head receiving formation of the support 10 could be provided as a recess in the upper surface 14 and the first ventilation formation 28 could be provided as a conduit in fluid communication with the recess and extending to the outside of the support 10 to atmosphere. In this example, a corresponding head receiving recess could be provided in the lower surface 16 for use in the other orientation of the support 10.

In a similar fashion, each formation 30 could, instead of being provided as part of the lower surface 16, take the form of a conduit which extends through the support 10 to its respective side wall 18, 19 and which is in fluid communication with the head receiving formation/recess.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof. * 6

Claims

1. An inflatable support for a part of an upper body and head of a user, including:-a surface to support a part of the upper body of the user, a head receiving formation to receive the users head; a first ventilation formation in fluid communication with the head receiving formation; and a second ventilation formation, also in fluid communication with the head receiving formation, the second ventilation formation extending away from the head receiving formation in a direction transverse to the first ventilation formation.

2. A support according to any preceding claim including a cut-out section which provides both the head receiving formation and the first ventilation formation.

3. A support according to claim 2 wherein the cut-out section extends through the support from a top surface of the support to a bottom surface of the support.

4. A support according to any one of claims 2 or 3 including a strengthening member which extends across an entrance to the cut-out section of the support.

5. A support according to any preceding claim wherein the second ventilation formation is a semi-cylindrical formation.

6. A support according to any preceding claim including two or more second ventilation formations. * 7

7. A support according to claim 6 including two second ventilation formations, one provided at each side of the head receiving formation.

8. A support according to claim 7 wherein longitudinal axes of the second ventilation formations are substantially coaxial.

9. A support according to any preceding claim including one or more internal strengthening walls.

10. A support according to claim 9 wherein at least one internal strengthening wall supports each second ventilation formation.

11. A support according to any preceding claim which is substantially wedge-shaped in side view.

12. A support according to any preceding claim which is substantially U-shaped in plan view.

13. A support according to any preceding claim including a strengthening member which extends across an entrance to the cut-out section of the support.

14. A support substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

15. Any novel feature or novel combination of features described herein and/or in the accompanying drawings.