US2785418A

US2785418A - Posture board

Info

Publication number: US2785418A
Application number: US421567A
Authority: US
Inventors: Joseph A E Goguen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1954-04-07
Filing date: 1954-04-07
Publication date: 1957-03-19
Anticipated expiration: 1974-03-19

Description

March 19, 1957 J. A. E. GOGUEN POSTURE BOARD Filed April 7, 1954 IN V EN TOR.

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'United States PatentA O POSTURE BOARD Joseph A. E. Goguen, West Warwick, R. I. Application April 7, 1954, Serial No. 421,567 7 Claims. (Cl. 5327) This invention relates to a posture board or apparatus and has for an object to provide a device of this character which is particularly adapted for supporting the body of a person -in a lying position with the lower limbs upwardly inclined in a manner to promote comfort and relaxation.

.- Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for supporting the body of a person at an upwardly inclined position in a generally straight line extending from adjacent the shoulders to the feet.

Another object of the linvention is to provide an apparatus adapted for engaging and supporting the small of the back in an elevated position.

v-A more specific object is to provide an apparatus of the above character wherein the legs will be supported outstretched from the thigh to the feet andthe body will be supported at the small of the back all along an upwardly elevated inclination.

Another object is to provide an apparatus having a rigid support provided with a back-engaging portion which extends along the general contour of the small of the back with leg and thigh-engaging portions conforming generally to the back side of the legs from the thigh to the feet when outstretched. Another object is to provide an apparatus of the above character having a back-engaging portion of a leg-engaging portion which may be adjustable as to the spacing therebetween.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the above character which may be easily dismantled and the parts folded together for storage or other purposes.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of an apparatus embodying my invention and illustrating a person supported thereby in an upwardly inclined lying position;

Figure 2 is a perspective View of the base portion of the apparatus shown in Figure l;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the leg rest portion of the apparatus;

Figure 4 is a side elevational View of one of the frames of the support shown in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a section taken substantially along lines 5 5 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is an end elevation partly in section of a modified construction; and

Figure 7 is a top plan view of a fragmental portion of the base shown in Figure 6.

The posture board or apparatus according to the invention comprises base and rest portions which are attached together and arranged to support a person in a lying position so that the body will be supported at an upwardly inclined'position along a generally straight line from the shoulders to the feet with the feet uppermost.

2,785,418 Passed Me' le ,1957.

ICC

Thus, a better circulation of the 'blood may be had, to the upper regions of the body to promote a more complete relaxation than were the person lying in a usual manner on a horizontal bed. This is accomplished by supporting the legs in the said inclined position from a, location above the knee to a location adjacent the feet. Thus the lens from the hips extend in a general straight line. The back rest portion engages the small of the back and adjacent body portions so as to elevate and support the body at the mid section at the general inclination of the legs. Thus the entire body from adjacent the shoulders is comfortably supported in an upwardly inclined position in a general straight line.

Referring to the drawings, 10 designates generally a posture board or apparatus comprising a base 11 which is of elongated form (see Figure 2) and may be made of any suitable stiff material, as for example wood. The base 11 may be conveniently made of ply wood, since such material may be had in sheet form of a' dimension to permit the base to be cut out therefrom as a single unit without waste. At one end of the base 11 I form a back support l2 as bymeans of a padding which is arranged to extend lengthwise of the: base on a curvature which is particularly adapted to fit the small of the back and adjacent body portions of the user to cause the user to be comfortable. The padding is not made suiciently yieldable for the body to sink therein but will yield slightly to be deformed to follow the general contour of the body portion engaged thereby. This rest is of a heivht to raise the part engaged or mid section of the body to incline the sameup'wardly from the shoulders of the user. The base is additionally provided with a plurality of openings 13 therethrough, and these may be equally spaced from each otherlengthwise of the base and centrally thereof; A bar 14 is provided with an opening 14 (see Figure 5) therethrough and is positioned to extend laterally across the basewith its opening i4 in register with a selected one of the said openings 13. A pin l5 is provided with a shank portion 16 which is removably received in the opening 14 to extend into the selected opening 13 in register with said opening 14', thus securing the bar 1d in adjusted position lengthwise of the said base. The bar 1li is of a length to extend beyond the opposite sides of the basel as shown.

The leg support or rest designated generally 17 (best seen in Figure 3) is preferably made of wire material and comprises a pair of

frames

18, 19 which are pivotally secured to each other as at 20 whereby the frame may be folded to a closed position or unfolded to an open position, as shown in Figure 3. Each frame is substantially similar to the other and has a lower foot portion 21 (see Figure 4) of a general U shape, and the bight thereof has a recess 22 therein which is formed by bending the bight in an appropriate manner as shown. The upper part 23 is also of generally U shape, but the bight 24 thereof is made to extend on the curvature to follow the general contour of the back of the human leg from a location above the knee to adjacent the heel. The end extremities of the sides of the

portions

21, 23 are joined to each other as by means of bearing blocks or disks 25, 25'I which are centrally apertured, the said

portions

21, 23 being joined to these bearing blocks as by means of a welding operation. The side 26 of the upper portion 23 is made shorter than the side 27 so as to upwardly incline the said bight 24. A center support 28 which is substantially similar to the frame portion 23 is likewise provided at the end extremities thereof with

bearing blocks

29, 29 which are likewise mounted on the pivot pins 20. A flexible sheet of material such as canvas is secured at the opposite marginal edges thereof to the bight portions 24 of the frames and to the central support 28 in any appropriate manner, as for example by turning the mar- 'giiial 'edges 350th l"enclose 4the bight portion 24, as shown in Figure "5, d there stitched a's at 31'to the vupper portion of the sheet. The central portion of the sheet may be secured .to the support 28 as by means of a'strip material LgTen'ga'ging'the underside of the bight of the support 28 and-stitched to the sheet as at Y33. Thus, there is provided asurface 34 adapted to be engaged by the legs of the Auser lfrom the thigh to the heel portion thereof. Thi's's'urface 34 extends on the general contour ofthe back side of the leg of the user from the said thigh portionto the heel. As previously stated, bight por tions 24 areinclined upwardly and the inclination is such that when the-rest 1`7is in the position of use, the angle ofinclination-is approximately 15 degrees from the horizkrital. The 'rest 17 is attached and secured to the base 11 by placing the recesses 22 over the protruding ends 35 of the bar 14.

Referring to Figure 1, it will be seen that the legs et the userare heldjupwa'rdly inclined in an outstretched position and Vthat the body iselevated and supported at the small of the back and adjacent body portions in a nearly straight line with the angle of inclination of the legs as indicated by dot and dash lines 36. Thus, the mid section .portion of the body is prevented from sinking into the` bed` 37. Consequently, the entire body from some point adjacent the shoulders to the feet is inclined upwardly in a generally straight line whereby to promote relaxation as previously stated.

In Figures 6 and 7 I have shown a modified construction of base 11 and leg rest portion 17. The base 1?. is-provided with two groups 38, 38' of

notches

39, 39 at opposite marginal edges thereof with the notches 39 being spaced from each other a distance similar to the spacing of the notches 39. The rest V17 is non-collapsible, andfits lower edges or sides 4t) are provided with depending

footportions

41, 41 which are spaced a distance Ito'correspond to the spacing between a notch 39 in the group 38 with a similarly disposed notch 39 in the group 38. These Vfoot

portions

41, 41 are received in'the'said-notches toadjustably secure the said rest 17 onto vthe base 11' (see Figure 7).

4I-claim:

1;An-apparatusadaptedfor use to promote comfort and relaxation toa person in a lying position comprising a base having a leg rest member with a leg-supporting surface upwardly inclined on a sinuous curvature adapted for engagement of the back of the leg of the user and a back rest portion integral with the base at one end portion thereof and of a height adapted to be engaged by the small of the back of the user to elevate and support the mid portion of the u's'er along the general inclination of the said leg-supporting surface.

2. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said leg rest member is a'djustably secured lengthwise of said base.

3. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said leg-supporting rest extends 'on a sinuous curvature and of a length for engagement of the back contour of the human leg from the thigh to adjacent the heel.

4. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said leg rest comprises a pair of similar yframes having foot parts and upper sides and pivotally secured to each other and a llexible leg-supporting 'surface extending between the said upper side of said frames and secured thereto.

5. An apparatus adapted lfor use to promote comfort and relaxation of a person in a lying position comprising a base having a leg rest provided with a leg-engaging surface upwardly inclined on a sinuous curvature and a back rest portion raised from the plane of the base and extending on a curvature in cross section of the base.

6. An apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein Vsaid base has a laterally extending bar and said leg rest is provided with foot portions, each provided with a recess for engaging said bar for securing said leg rest in its relative position to said base.

7. An apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein said bar is adjustable lengthwisefof said base.

References Cited in the lle of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 885,243 Haas f A131121, 1908 1,118,973 Troesch Dec. 1,1914 1,549,601 Mulgrew Aug. 11, `1925 2,375,225 Herbert May 8, 1945 2,551,388 Nygard -'May 1, 1951 n il NL.