GB2503562A - A face rest with adjustable supports - Google Patents

Abstract

A face rest with adjustable supportsA face rest comprising a U-shaped loop 16 terminating in rods for attachment to apertures 110 in the end of a bed and a plurality of support element 18 independently adjustable along the loop 16 wherein each support element 18 comprises a body, a clamp 54 on the body to lock the support element 18 in place and an adjustable pad on the body to support a users face. The pads may be attached to the bodies using cooperating slots and flanges. The pads may also be mounted using a ball and socket arrangement and the clamp may use a butterfly nut 54. The pads may have fabric caps with a towelling effect and may be connected by a string. There may be between 6 and ten support elements 18 with some arranged to support a users head and others their cheeks. The device is designed for use on a massage table to provide face support tailored for an individual.

Description

Head Rest [0001] This invention relates to a head rest, especially a face rest for a massage couch or other treatment bed on which a patient rests face down. The invention relates to a bed with such a head rest fitted.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Head rests for massage beds tend to be detachable therefore and indeed a standard arrangement that is becoming more universal is of a bed that comprises an elongate platform which is padded or adapted to receive a mattress and at a head end thereof there are a pair of horizontally arranged, spaced apertures adapted to receive a pair of rods forming part of a headrest, whereby the head rest may be attached to the end of the bed platform, or detached therefrom when not in use.

[0003] By the nature of human anatomy, a face rest for a patient lying face down on a bed needs to be little higher, or even lower than, the surface of the bed. This is especially the case where treatment requires a patient to face the ground, so that their neck is not twisted. By contrast, when lying on their back, even when having an inline posture (for example, equivalent to a standing position) a head rest needs to be above the surface of the bed. Consequently a suitable face rest is not necessarily very suitable as a head rest (ie, on supporting the rear of the head). Henceforth, the term head rest, unless the context suggests otherwise, is used to describe a rest for the rear of the head, of a patient lying on their back, whereas a face rest is a rest for the face of the head, of a patient lying on their front.

[0004] Face rests have particular requirements not tound in head rests. The primary one being a need for a breathing hole. However, it is also desirable to provide a sight hole, whereby a patient has a reasonably unrestricted view of what is beneath them. Unlike the backs of human heads, the fronts of heads have few useful support surfaces, since the nose, mouth and eyes of the head are all inappropriate or uncomfortable areas against which the support. The same is true even of the chin, since this requires the mouth to be clamped shut, which will prevent communication between the patient and the therapist, as well as putting pressure on the jaw muscles. This tends to leave the forehead as a sole point of support for the head because the cheeks of patients are often sloping and variable in nature. Consequently, a typical form of face rest is one that is an inverted U-shape, with the base of the U comprising a pad against which the forehead is adapted to lie, and the side arms being available for engagement with the cheeks. Rods, for connection with the bed, typically emanate from the ends of the side arms of the U-shape.

I

[0005] The rods may be parallel and separated by about 200 to 220 mm. They may be about 25 mm in diameter. They may slide into holes in the bed and be clamped therein by an adjustable mechanism. Alternatively, they may have notches along one or both of them so that a spring-loaded catch engages with the notches as the face rest rods are inserted.

[0006] Various forms of face rest are known. WO-A-2006/138298 discloses a headrest assembly for supporting a face of a user of a massage device. The assembly includes a support frame and a resilient assembly. The resilient assembly includes first and second subassemblies, coupled to the support frame, that cooperate and act in parallel to support the face of the user. The first subassembly includes a plurality of spaced apart resilient members. While providing some flexibility and resilience, a U-shaped pad is still employed that ultimately supports the face.

[0007] Because patients are placing their face in contact with the face rest, therapists usually cover the pad with a towel or tissue to prevent contamination from previous users and to maintain hygiene for their patients. However, such towels or tissues tend to restrict both breathability through he face rest and visibility.

[0008] US-A-2008/0271248 addresses this problem and provides a restriction-free face support for health practitioner's tables. This comprises a plurality of interconnected, adjustable support straps padded with memory foam designed to cradle the person's face over a headrest or cutout. The face support allows for the person to rest and breathe comfortably and without restrictive facial pulling/squeezing. The support straps can have removable beads and other devices attached that allow for the device to put pressure on particular pressure points during the massage.

[0009] US-A-201 1/0047705 discloses massage and chiropractic table having a supporting frame and a surface supported on the frame. a neck recess facilitates supporting a user's neck in a comfortable position, and a head rest is configured to reduce or eliminate pressure on a user's face when the user is lying face down on the table.

However, the headrest appears to have a conventional inverted U-shape. Likewise, AU-A- 20111100081 a separate face rest on a stand.

[0010] US-A-3946452 discloses a head rest that is adjustable in position, and which is intended primarily for supporting the upper body while lying face down with the head vertically positioned or turned to either the left or right side to any degree up to approximately forty five degrees. The face rest consists of either two or three separate members providing a variation of open areas for the eyes, nose and mouth. It comprises a forehead cup and two cheek pads adjustably fixed in a frame which is itself pad of a semicircular frame to permit sideways tilting of the headrest.

[0011] It is an object of the present arrangement to provide a face rest that is adjustable so that a person's face can be fitted to the face rest.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0012] In accordance with the present inventions there is provided a face rest comprising a U-shaped loop terminating in rods for attachment to apertures in the end of a bed, a plurality of support elements independently adjustable along to the loop, wherein each support element comprises a body, a clamp on the body to lock the element in a desired position along the loop, and a universally adjustable pad on the body adapted to engage and support a user's face.

[0013] Optionally, connection between the pad and the body comprises a ball and socket joint. A ball and socket joint permits universal movement of the pad with respect to body about a centre of the ball and socket, between limits imposed by the size of the socket.

Conveniently, the pad has the socket and the body has the ball. The pad may comprise a resiliently deformable cup part snapped over the ball and a pad pad affixed to the cup part.

The only resistance to universal movement of the socket around the ball may be friction between the socket and ball, which optionally is sufficient to maintain the socket in a given position on the ball once manipulated to such position. That is, gravity alone may not be sufficient to relocate the socket from one position to another.

[0014] Optionally, the curvature of the pad is different to the curvature of the ball, whereby the distance along a line between a point in space and the centre of the ball at which the surface of the pad is cut by the ball changes as the socket is changed in position around the ball.

[0015] The clamp may be a simple pinch clamp connected to the body, the clamp being operated by a butterfly or other kind of nut (or a cam or other easily operated device), whereby the position of the body along the loop may be adjusted. Conveniently, the loop is a rod of constant and round cross-section. whereby the angular orientation of the clamp around the rod is infinitely adjustable.

[0016] Individual fabric caps may be provided for the support elements, which fabric caps may be of a soft fabric material such as towelling to improve contact comfort against a patient's skin, as well as hygiene. There may be an equal plurality of such caps as there are support elements, the caps connected together by a tie-string whereby connection to, and disconnection from, the support elements may be effected substantially simultaneously.

[0017] Conveniently, there may be between three and ten support elements, with between one and four arranged in a central location around the base of the U-shape of the loop to provide forehead support for a patient, and between one and foui on each aim to provide cheek support on each side for the patient. There may be between five and eight support elements. In one embodiment, there are seven elements, with three arranged for forehead support and two on each side for cheek support. However, the precise number selected will be determined to some extent by the size of each pad.

[0018] Thus the present invention provides a face rest that is simple in construction, is capable of fitting to different peoples faces by adjustment of the multiple support elements, and yet offers a minimum of obstruction of both air and light from coming through the rest.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] Embodiments of the invention are further described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure la is a plan view of a face rest in accordance with the present invention, and Figure lb is a view in the direction of the arrow B in Figure la; Figure 2a is a section on the line A-A in Figure 2b, and Figure 2b is an enlarged view of the element shown in Figure 1 b; Figure 3a is a perspective view of a bed fitted with a face rest of the present invention and Figure 3b is a perspective view of towelling caps for a face rest; Figures 4a to c are different views of an alternative form of support element within the ambit of the present invention; and Figures 5a to c are different views of a further alternative form of support element within the ambit of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] Figure lisa plan view of a face rest (1 0) comprising a U-shaped rod (1 2) whose arms (14a, b) are at their ends parallel and straight and separated by a distance X, which may conveniently be about 220mm, to fit apertures (110) in a massage bed (100) (see Figure 3a)so that the loop (16) between the arms (14a, b) projects from the end of the bed and can support the head of a patient lying on the bed. The length Y of the face rest may be about 440 mm. Such lengths are primarily a matter of design preference, although the separation X of the rod ends 14a,b enables the face rest 10 to be employed on a number of existing beds.

[0021] The loop (16) is provided with a plurality of support elements (18) spaced apart from one another around the length of the U-shaped support (10).

[0022] Turning to Figure 2a, each support element (18) comprises a pad (20) supported on a body (22), wherein the body (22) comprises at one end a pinch clamp (24) and at its other end a ball (26). The ball (26) forms part of a ball and socket joint (26/44) between the body (22) and the pad (20). The pad (20) comprises a cup part (42) and a pad part (28). The pad part (28) comprises an outer fabric layer (30) and a resilient foam layer (32).

The fabric layer (30) is gathered into and retained in a peripheral groove (34) around the cup part (42).

[0023] The cup part (42) comprises a cup (44), sized to fit on the ball (26) in a snap fit.

The cup part (42) is preferably made of plastics material and is provided with an opening or aperture (46) through which the body (22) extends. In snapping over the ball (26), the ball is gripped by the cup (44) so that friction between the cup (44) and ball (46) retains the angular position of the pad (20) with respect to the body (22). However, the pad (20) is capable of manipulation by hand so that the angular orientation of the pad (20) with respect to the body (22) can be adjusted within the limits defined by the opening (46). It is to be noted that the foam pad (32) of the pad part (20) is shaped so that the distance F between the centre (50) of the ball (26) and the surface (30) of the pad in any direction (for example direction D in Figure 2a) changes depending on the angular orientation of the pad (18) with respect to the body (22). A surface (48) of constant distance R from centre (50) of the ball (26) is shown in Figure 2a.

[0024] The other end of the body (22) is provided with the pinch clamp (24) that has a cylindrical bore (52) adapted to slide on the rod (12). The rod 12 is preferably of constant cross section, which is conveniently round. A butterfly nut (54) enables the pinch clamp (24) to be tightened and loosened as desired. Other means of operating the clamp are of course within the capability of the skilled person and are not excluded.

[0025] In use, a person's face is adapted to be supported by the support elements (18), with three of them being on a base region (16a) of the rod (12) and two on each side region (1 6b.c) of the rods (12). Of course, the precise number of elements 18 is entirely at the choice of the user and more or less can be disposed on the loop (12).

[0026] Turning to Figure 3a, the bed (100) having end apertures (110) can receive the face rest (10) therein. Now, side supports 1 8b, c will support the left and right cheeks of a patient lying on the bed (100), face downwardly, while the pads (1 Ba) will support the patient's forehead (the patient not being shown). Given the different facial characteristics of patients, the various butterfly nuts (54) can be loosened as required to adjust the position of the pads (18) with respect to the loop (16), both along the loop or around it.

Likewise, individual pad parts (20) may be repositioned with respect to their individual bodies (22) so as to present more closely or more remotely, depending on the patient's facial characteristics to or from the patient's face, as desired.

[0027] Moreover, as is most apparent from Figure 1, while there is adequate support for the patient's face so that comfort is not compromised, (which, in any event, can be adjusted to suit variations in facial features), nevertheless there is a large open area (120 in Figure 1 a) between the pads (18) so that there is no, or very little, restriction on both the patient's ability to breathe, or of their view through the face rest (10). It is thus possible to position an entertainment device (eg a TV monitor) under the bed so that it may be viewed by the patient while undergoing treatment.

[0028] For hygienic purposes, a cover (130) (see Figure 3b) may be provided comprising an equal number (to the number of support elements (18)) of towelling caps (132) inter-connected by a drawstring (134). Alternatively, each may be elasticated to snap over the support elements (18). Placing the caps over the support elements (18) prevents direct skin contact with them, enabling hygiene to be preserved. Pulling the drawstrings (134) at Is their ends (136) secures the caps (132) in place. If they are elasticated, of course, this step is not required.

[0029] Figures 4a-c and 5a-c show two different embodiments of the support elements 18 which are here indicated with the reference numbers 18' and 18" respectively. Like features are given the same reference number, whereas apostrophes indicate some differences. New components have different reference numbers.

[0030] In Figure 4a, the rod 12 is shown truncated. The body 22' has a cylindrical bore 52' in depending arms 60 of the body 22'. Between the arms is pivoted a cam lever 62 about a pin 64 received in the arms 60 and through a bore of the lever 62. The lever 62 has a thumb grip 66 and a cam 68 whereby pivoting of the lever about the pin 64 presses the cam against the rod 12, jamming the body on the 12 12 in any axial position along the rod 12, and in any rotational position about the rod 12.

[0031] The body 22' has flat ramp surface 70 and a ramp member 72 (forming pad of a pad 20') is connected thereto by means of a flange 74 of the ramp member sliding in an undercut slot 76 in the ramp surface 70. Thus, the flange 74 can only slide longitudinally in slot 76, not having any freedom of movement in a direction orthogonal to the line of the flange. Indeed, the mouth 78 of the slot 76 may be only slightly larger than a stem 80 of the flange 74 so that rotation of the ramp member about the axis of the flange is prevented. The slot 76 is terminated at its base by slot-end 82. The flange is arranged as a close sliding fit in the slot so that it can be positioned at any point along the length of the slot as desired. Of course, the slot could be provided in the ramp member and the flange on the body.

[0032] Conveniently, the body 22' is cast from metal, whereas the ramp member 72 is a rubber or elastomeric component. This has the advantage that, firstly, the ramp member can be snug and relatively unmoving on the body 22', whereas it can also be repositioned along the slot relatively easily. Secondly, it provides a flexible face 73 against which as patient's face can rest. However, the pad 20' is preferably completed a memory foam block (not shown) disposed on the face 73, which provides a soft feel for the user, as well as a mouldable shape to accommodate features of the person for whom it is employed.

The block is conveniently adhered to the ramp member face 73 and, in use, as described above, may be covered with replaceable towelling caps and the like for hygiene.

[0033] In the embodiment of Figures 5a-c, the support elements 18" is identical to the support element 18' of Figures 3a-c except that the ramp surface 70' is cylindrical with its axis parallel to the rod 12. That results in the flange 74' of the ramp member 72' being correspondingly curved. The advantage of the arrangement of Figures 5a-c is that an edge of the curved pad 20" is less likely to abut a patient's face than a flat surface as provided by ramp face 73.

[0034] Also, it is to be noted that the position of the pad 20', 20" is altered with respect to a person's face not just by the rotational and axial position of the support element 18 on the rod 12, but also by the position of the flange74,74' in the slot 76,76'. It is for that reason that the centre of curvature of the face 70' is not on the rod 12 (or, rather, the bore 52').

[0035] It is to be noted that the clamp arrangement of the embodiments illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 could equally well be employed with the embodiment of the present invention illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.

[0036] Throughout the description and claims of this specification, the words "comprise" and "contain" and variations of them mean "including but not limited to", and they are not intended to (and do not) exclude other moieties, additives, components, integers or steps.

Throughout the description and claims of this specification, the singular encompasses the plural unless the context otherwise requires. In particular, where the indefinite article is used, the specification is to be understood as contemplating plurality as well as singularity, unless the context requires otherwise.

[0037] Features, integers, characteristics, compounds, chemical moieties or groups described in conjunction with a particular aspect, embodiment or example of the invention are to be understood to be applicable to any other aspect, embodiment or example described herein unless incompatible therewith. All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive. The invention is not restricted to the details of any foregoing embodiments.

The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims (25)

1. CLAIMS1. A face rest comprising a U-shaped loop terminating in rods for attachment to apertures in the end of a bed, a plurality of support elements independently adjustable along to the loop, wherein each support element comprises a body, a clamp on the body to lock the element in a desired position along the loop, and an adjustable pad on the body adapted to engage and support a user's face.
2. 2. A face rest as claimed in claim 1, in which the pad is mounted on the body through a flange on one of the pad and body and sliding in an undercut slot in the other of the pad and body.
3. 3. A face rest as claimed in claim 1 012, in which the slot and flange are arranged in a direction orthogonal with respect to the loop where the body is mounted thereon.
4. 4. A face rest as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, in which the slot and flange are curved in a circular arc centred on an axis parallel to the loop where the body is mounted thereon.
5. 5. A face rest as claimed in any of claims 2 to 4, in which the pad comprises a ramp member on which a block of resiliently deformable material is disposed.
6. 6. A face rest as claimed in any of claims 2 to 5, in which the body comprises a ramp surface in which said slot is formed, the pad comprising said flange, a neck of the flange co-operating with the opening of the slot to inhibit translational movement of the flange in the slot.
7. 7. A face rest as claimed in claim 1, in which the pad is mounted on the body through a ball and socket joint! wherein the ball extends through an apeiture of the socket and permits universal adjustment of the pad with respect to body about a centre of the ball and socket, between limits imposed by the size of the aperture of the socket.
8. 8. A face rest as claimed in claim 7, in which the pad has the socket and the body has the ball.
9. 9. A face rest as claimed in claim 8, in which the pad comprises a resiliently deformable cup part snapped over the ball and a pad part affixed to the cup part.
10. 10. A face rest as claimed in claim 7, 8 or 9, in which the only resistance to universal movement of the socket around the ball is friction between the socket and ball.
11. 11. A face rest as claimed in claim 10, in which said friction is sufficient to maintain the socket in a given position on the ball once manipulated to such position.
12. 12. A face rest as claimed in any of claims 7 to 11, in which the curvature of the pad is different to the curvature of the ball, whereby the distance along a line between a point in space and the centre of the ball at which the surface of the pad is cut by the ball changes as the socket is changed in position around the ball.
13. 13. A face rest as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the clamp is a pinch clamp connected to the body, whereby the position of the body along the loop may be adjusted by selective loosening of the clamp.
14. 14. A face rest as claimed in claim 13, in which the clamp is operated by a butterfly nut.
15. 15. A face rest as claimed in any of claims ito 12, in which the body comprises two aims thiough which a cylindrical boie is foimed, the loop being within the boie, the clamp comprising a cam levei pivoted about a pin ieceived between said aims and having a thumb grip foi user actuation to pivot the cam levei about the pin and a cam arianged to jam against the loop fixing the body in position thereon.
16. 16. A face rest as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the loop is a rod of constant cross-section, whereby the bodies are slidable along the rod.
17. 17. A face iest as claimed in any pieceding claim, in which the loop is a rod of iound cross-section, whereby the angular orientation of the body around the rod is infinitelyadjustable.
18. 18. A face iest as claimed in any pieceding claim, in which Individual fabric caps aie provided for the support elements, which fabric caps are of a fabric material to improve contact comfort against a patient's skin and prevent direct skin contact with the pad to improve hygiene.
19. 19. A face iestas claimed in claim 18, in which the fabric caps are of towelling material.
20. 20. A face rest as claimed in claim 18 or 19, in which there are an equal plurality of said caps as theie are suppoit elements.
21. 21. A face rest as claimed in claim 20, in which the caps are connected together by a tie-string whereby connection to, and disconnection from, the support elements may be effected substantially simultaneously.
22. 22. A face iest as claimed in claim 20, in which the caps each have an elasticated lip to snap over each support element.
23. 23. A face rest as claimed in any preceding claim, in which there are between six and ten support elements, with between two and foui arranged in a cential location around the base of the U-shape of the loop to provide forehead support for a patient, and between two and foui on each arm to piovide cheek suppoit on each side for the patient.
24. 24. A face rest as claimed in claim 23, in which there are seven elements, with three arranged for forehead support and two on each side for cheek support.
25. 25. A face rest substantially as hereinbefore descnbed with ieference to the accompanying drawings.