US20120084923A1

US20120084923A1 - Neck and head support pillow

Info

Publication number: US20120084923A1
Application number: US12/899,009
Authority: US
Inventors: Hulda Sveinsdottir
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-10-06
Filing date: 2010-10-06
Publication date: 2012-04-12

Abstract

An adjustable head support pillow for supporting the head of a person during sleep or rest either in lying or sitting position, the support pillow comprising a base mat, a neck support member and a pair of parallel side support members arranged transversely to the neck support member. The neck support member and side support members are detachably attached to the base mat, such as with hook-and-loop type fasteners, such that their position can be adjusted to fit individual needs and preferences. The neck support and side support members are suitably from visco-elastic polyurethane foam.

The pillow can be produced with differently sized neck support member and/or head side support members. Thus, the support pillow can be provided in e.g. small, medium and large size and/or child and adult sizes. The pillow can be provided with more than one neck support member of different sizes, e.g. two or three, such the user can choose which neck support member best fits his preferences.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present relates to a neck and head support pillow for supporting and resting the head and neck, both when lying, either on the back or in a side position, and as well when resting or sleeping in sitting position.

BACKGROUND

A multitude of differently shaped pillows have been proposed to provide comfort to the head and neck during rest and sleep. A pillow that gives proper firmness and support in order to maintain proper body alignment and comfort is beneficial for good rest and health. While a person lies in bed for a considerable period of time it is beneficial to provide support to the neck and head, to support and rest the head in a comfortable and natural position, such that the weight of the head does not put too much strain on the neck and back. To maintain proper body and neck alignment and comfort while a person lies in bed or rests lying or sitting may be of particular relevance for women during pregnancy, people with back or neck problems or discomfort, sleep disorders or other sleep or rest related difficulties.
As those working with or assisting people with neck and/or back problems are well aware of, a large number of people are subject to painful ailments that often tend to increase with age. It is also well known that these difficulties have a tendency to increase by at least some activities by the person suffering. In particular, due to the unconscious arrangement of the body during sleep the difficulties may simply increase.
These problems, in particular arising from the sleep or for that matter when resting, may be very difficult to rectify unless one makes special arrangements to support at least some parts of the body in a suitable position during sleep or rest.

SUMMARY

It is an object of the present to permit a person to sleep or rest with the head in a secure and supported position either lying on the back or the side and also when sleeping or resting in a sitting position such as in an airplane, with both neck and head support.
One embodiment comprises an adjustable head support pillow for supporting the head of a person during sleep or rest, said support pillow comprising a base mat, having an upward facing surface portion and a downward facing surface portion, a neck support member and at least one and more specifically two head side support members arranged transverse to said neck support member. The neck support member has at least one downward facing surface portion facing said upward facing surface portion of said base mat and at least one neck and head support surface portion. The at least one head side support member has at least one downward facing surface portion facing said surface portion of said base mat and at least one head support surface portion. Said upward facing surface portion of the base mat is provided with attachment securing means to securely but detachably fasten the neck support member and the at least one head side support member. The downwardly facing surface portion of said neck support member is as well provided with at least one attachment securing means for detachable attachment to corresponding attachment securing means of said base mat. The at least one head side support member is also provided with at least one attachment securing means for detachably attachment to corresponding attachment securing means of said base mat. Thus, the neck support member and said at least one head side support member are detachably attached to said base mat to form neck and head side support for the head of said person.
Detachable attachment means in this context that the respective members can be securely attached but easily detached by the user.
One objective is to provide an adjustable head support pillow wherein said at least one head side support member and said neck support member are at least partly flexible. This flexibility is readily achieved with any suitable conventional pillow material. In a specific embodiment the neck support member and at least one head side support member have memory shape property effect. Such effect can be provided in certain embodiments with visco-elastic polyurethane foam. The respective members can be fully comprised with visco-elastic polyurethane foam material, or partially comprised with such material, e.g. having a core from such foam, surrounded by more economic conventional synthetic foam filling, solid or shredded, or other soft filling.
Another objective is to provide adjustable support pillow having two head support members transversely arranged one on each side of the neck support member. During use, however, the user can select to use only one side member by detaching the other.
An advantage is the provision of an adjustable support pillow wherein the detachable attachment allows for adjusting the location of said head side support members, adjusting the width between them and/or removing one and keeping the other for use of the pillow. Also, some users may prefer to remove the neck support member during use and keeping only one or both head side support members, this depends on the individual preference and need for support under the neck.
In one embodiment, said at least one head side support member(s) have a substantially triangular shaped cross-section. The cross-section can be substantially like a triangle with approximately equal 60° corners, this has shown to provide a head support surface portion with a suitable inclination with respect to the base mat, and suitably firm support. Alternatively, the head side support member(s) can have a wedge-shaped cross-section, meaning that the inclination of the surface facing away from the user's head need not be the same as the inclination of the head support surface portion facing the user's head.
The neck support member can have any suitable form providing support and comfort to the neck. In a specific embodiment, the neck support member has a flat or partially substantially flat downwardly facing surface portion facing the base mat for attachment to the base mat. The neck and head surface portion facing the neck of the user can have a cross-sectional convex surface shaped to comfortably face the curve of the neck. Thus, the neck support member may have a shape like a half “log”.
The base mat can be of any suitable soft material such as textile, soft foam, shredded foam within a textile cover, or the like. In one embodiment the base mat is comprised of a flexible material, such that it can be readily rolled up and, in addition, compressed for compact storage. As the neck support member and the at least one head side support member(s) can be detached from the base mat, these can be placed all along each other in the center of the base mat which is then rolled up with the members inside the formed cylinder. The mat can be arranged with a fastener, e.g. snap button or strings to keep the cylinder rolled up and/or the cylinder can be stored in a suitably sized and shaped bag. This is particularly useful when the support pillow is packed for traveling and assembled on site for using in a hotel, an airplane, car or coach seat.
In some embodiments the neck support member and the at least one head side support member are detachably fastened to the base mat by hook-and-loop fabric fastening tapes, e.g. of Velcro™ type. These are suitably arranged so as to allow adjustment of the position of the head side support member(s) as described above.
For better suited individual preferences, the support pillow can be produced with differently sized neck support member and/or side support member(s). Thus, the support pillow can in some embodiments be provided in e.g. small, medium and large size and/or child and adult sizes. Alternatively, the support pillow can be provided with more than one neck support member of different sizes, e.g. two or three, such the user can choose which neck support member best fits his preferences.
The support pillow can suitably be used as an additional pillow, placed on top of a conventional pillow or any known health memory foam pillow (such as e.g. those provided by Tempur-pedic™). Thus, the user can maintain a desired height under the head with any conventional pillow and supplement that pillow with the adjustable head support pillow to better customize desired shape and support for the head and neck, providing good comfort and rest.

DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

FIG. 1 shows an overview of the assembled head support pillow 6.

FIG. 2 shows the base mat 1 and neck support member 2 and head side support members 3 detached from the base mat.

FIG. 3 shows a person 25 resting lying on her back, the head resting on the head support pillow which is placed on top of a conventional pillow.

FIG. 4 shows a side view of the head support pillow.

FIG. 5 shows a side view of a person resting her head on the head support pillow.

FIG. 6 shows a top view of a person resting her head on the head support pillow.

FIG. 7 shows a panorama view of a person lying on her side, resting the head on the head support pillow.

FIG. 8 shows the pillow with the neck and head side support members detached and stored inside the rolled-up base mat.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

One embodiment as shown in FIGS. 1-7 comprises an adjustable head support pillow 6, for supporting the head of a person lying on a sleep surface 5. As shown in FIG. 1, the support pillow 6, is made up of two oppositely and parallel arranged head side support members 3, and in-between them a neck support member 2, arranged on a base mat 1, having an upward facing surface portion 11 and downward facing surface 12. The head side support members 3 are elongated and extend along at least a part of a user's head and have a wedge or triangular cross-section. At the proximal ends of the head side support members (the ends directed towards the foot-end of the person) is arranged and extending between them a neck support member 2, having an upward convex cross-section.
FIG. 2 shows the head support pillow disassembled to show the arrangement of the fastening or connection between the head side support members 3 and neck support member 2 and the base mat 1. A series of fabric fastening tapes 21, such as Velcro™ locks or similar hook-and-loop fasteners are arranged on the downwardly facing surface portion 16 of the head side support members 3 and similarly on the downwardly facing surface portion 10 of the neck support member 2, which member is shown upside down. In the same manner on the upwardly facing surface portion 11 of the mat 1 is arranged corresponding series of opposing Velcro or similar fabric fastening tapes 15. The fasteners on the mat are arranged such that the position of the head side support members 3 and neck member 2 can be adjusted, e.g., the width between the head side support members.
Note that the distal end surfaces of the neck support member 3 can be inclined (not shown in FIG. 2 but illustrated in FIG. 1) to better fit inclined head support surface portions 18 of the head side support members 3.
FIG. 3 shows a person 25 lying on the back with the support of the support pillow 6 to the neck and head, the support pillow 6 being arranged on top of another conventional pillow to create a comfortable height depending on the person's individual wishes.
FIG. 4 shows a more close up arrangement of the side support members 3 and neck support member 2 arranged on a base mat 1.
FIGS. 5 and 6 show a person's 25 upper body lying on the back on the head support pillow 6. The neck rests on the neck support member 2 which has an upper or outward facing convex contour for the neck support. The head side support members extend along the head, in particular up from the shoulder area.
FIG. 7 shows a person 25 lying on the side on a sleep surface 5 with the head supported by the head support pillow 6, showing a head side support member 3 arranged on base mat 1.
FIG. 8 shows the base mat 1 being rolled up such as for storage or transportation, where the neck support member 2 and head side support members 3 have been detached and placed alongside each other in the center of the rolled-up base mat.

Claims

1. An adjustable head support pillow for supporting the head of a person during sleep or rest, said support pillow comprising:

a base mat, having an upward surface portion and downward facing surface portion,

a neck support member, having at least one surface portion facing said upward facing surface portion of said base mat and at least one neck and head support surface portion,

at least one head side support member, arranged transverse to said neck support member, having at least one surface portion facing said surface portion of said base mat and at least one head support surface portion,

said upward facing surface portion of said base mat being provided with attachment securing means,

said surface side portion of said neck support member, being provided with at least one attachment securing means for detachable and adjustable attachment to corresponding attachment securing means of said base mat,

said head side support member being provided with at least one attachment securing means for detachable and adjustable attachment to corresponding attachment securing means of said base mat,

wherein said neck support member and said at least one head side support member being detachably attached to said base mat to form neck and head side support for the head of said person.

2. The adjustable head support pillow according to claim 1, wherein said at least one head side support member and said neck-head support member being at least partly flexible.

3. The adjustable head support pillow according to claim 1, wherein said head side support member and said neck support member have memory shape property effect.

4. The adjustable head support pillow according to claim 1, wherein said neck support member and said head side support member comprise visco-elastic polyurethane foam.

5. The adjustable head support pillow according to claim 1, having two head side support members transversely arranged one on each side of the neck support member.

6. The adjustable head support pillow according to claim 1, wherein said detachable attachment allows for adjusting the location of said head side support members, adjusting the width between them and/or removing one and keeping the other for use of the pillow.

7. The adjustable head support pillow according to claim 1, wherein said at least head side support member have triangular cross section.

8. The adjustable head support pillow according to claim 1, wherein said neck support member having a convex like shape cross section, with said surface portion being flat and said neck and head support surface portion forming a convex curve.

9. The adjustable head support pillow according to claim 1, wherein said base template mat is flexible such that it can be rolled up in a cylinder with said neck support member and at least one head side support member within said cylinder.

10. The adjustable head support pillow according to claim 1, wherein the neck support and the head side support members are detachably fastened to the base by hook and loop fabric fastening tapes.