Cervical pillow - Patent Review 5708998

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a pillow which provides cervical support during sleep, and, in particular, to a pillow which provides proper support whether the user is laying on his back or side.

2. Description of the Related Art

Cushion or pillow designs range from the merely decorative to those providing anatomical support. Generally, pillows which are placed on chairs or sofas for decorative effect, and sometimes of elaborate design, are inadequate to use for comfortable sleep. In particular, fluffy decorator pillows, as well as down or feather pillows, will compress upon minimal weight and provide little support for the neck or head.

Sleep is required to recover from the day's exertions and to prepare for another day's activities. Exhaustion may be mental and/or physical. An inadequate night's sleep can result in prolonged fatigue continuing over several days. In some cases, the act of sleeping itself contributes to physical ailments which can in turn affect a person's mental attitude. That is, improper or inadequate support of a person's body during sleep can bring aches and pains the next morning. If this is continued and not corrected, medical treatment may later be required for relief.

Most sleeping problems are generated by insufficient support of the head and neck by the pillow and a resultant misalignment of the head with the neck and spinal column. Since most adults sleep from one-fourth to one-third of the day, or 6 to 8 hours, proper cervical support is required to help prevent chronic neck and/or back pain that is caused by muscle or nerve strain. Incorrect pillow support will cause the muscles to compensate, and the muscle tension will not allow the body to be fully relaxed during sleep. Nerve endings located near the tensed neck or back muscles may become compressed and cause pain. Unless the head and neck are properly supported and the mattress sufficiently firm, a person will not have his or her back in the proper horizontal alignment with the head and neck. Thus, there will be neck and/or back discomfort.

A few prior art pillows are designed to support a person who sleeps in the medically recommended back sleeping position. This type of pillow is typically constructed from foam rubber or a loose fiber filling, which is somewhat rigid and lacking in enough resiliency to be comfortable. Further, it is well known that most persons have a preferred position other than on the back, and these persons may alternate positions several times during a sleep period. However, sleeping face down, where the chest is in contact with the bed and the head is turned to the side, should be discouraged. This position promotes an exaggerated twisting of the head and neck, and neck muscle strain results.

When an individual sleeps on the side or face down, and sometimes when the individual is on her back, the head may be turned to one side. This requires consideration of the face and the consequences of too rigid a support surface thereon. Too much pressure on the chin, cheekbone, ear, or forehead causes discomfort. In addition, the skin may be stretched and contorted. However, too soft a support could allow the face to sink into the cushion and lead to breathing difficulty or even suffocation.

In view of the foregoing, a pillow is needed that provides proper, yet comfortable support for the back and side sleeping positions which are most likely to be assumed by an individual. That is, proper support by a pillow should also allow for movement from the back to the side and vice versa.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cervical pillow of the present invention satisfies this need in the prior art by supporting and relieving pressure on muscles, bones, and ligaments, while allowing use by a sleeper positioned on either his back or side. An important feature of the present invention, offering advantages over the prior pillow designs, is a side cutout design for side sleeping use which provides comfortable support without breathing obstruction. Other important features of preferred embodiments of the present invention include i) the use of rolled or folded triangular sections of high quality fiber material for durable, comfortable, and firm support, ii) a multi-level design to provide proper support and alignment of the head and neck for either back or side sleeping by the user, and iii) dual neck rolls so that a single pillow may accommodate two differently sized users.

In the present invention, a cutout is located on at least one, but preferably both, of the side edges of the pillow, forming a notched periphery. The cutout side sections result in generally an inverted H-shape. The cutout side sections allow support for the side of the head and face without obstructing the nose and mouth.

In the preferred embodiments of the present invention, the neck rolls form two portions of the pillow and an intermediate, or third, portion is formed between the two neck rolls and the notched sides. This intermediate portion has a thickness less than both of the neck rolls. When a sleeper is on her side, the intermediate portion provides support for the side of the head and face, which rest closer to the mattress than the neck. The sleeper's lower shoulder is positioned adjacent the bottom neck roll, below the pillow.

Also in preferred embodiments, the intermediate portion is bisected by a central portion or depression, such that the intermediate portion is formed on either side of this central depression. Unlike prior designs that provide only 2 or 3 pillow levels, the central depression in the present invention optionally provides a fourth level. This central depression and two intermediate portions are located laterally between the top and bottom neck rolls. When a sleeper is on his back, the central depression provides a recess to receive the back of the head without tilting the head and chin toward the sleeper's chest. This lowered position of the head, relative to the neck, promotes the proper alignment of the neck and back. The shape of the central depression may be of any type, as long as it receives the back of the head without partially enclosing it or pressuring the sides of the head near the ears.

Also, the present invention preferably accommodates persons of more than one size comfortably, since pillows are often interchanged within a household and/or may be proffered to overnight guests. That is, one neck roll has a diameter greater than the other. When the pillow is rotated about its longitudinal axis, either the larger or smaller neck roll may be used without loss of the advantages of the present invention.

The preferred method of manufacturing the cervical pillow of the present invention includes the steps of 1) cutting the outer casings to include side cutouts, 2) stitching the casings together along one long edge and both sides, 3) inserting the neck rolls and material for the remaining portions, and 4) stitching the remaining edge closed. The neck rolls and intermediate portions are preferably formed from triangular sections of high quality polyester fiber material. An additional step of stitching material within the shape of the central depression may be performed anytime during or after Step 2.

For further accommodation of different users, the pillow may be manufactured in several sizes, proportionately dimensioned. Further advantages and applications will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description and the drawings referenced herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a first preferred embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the notched periphery and multi-level construction for head and neck support.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 1, illustrating the side cutouts and central depression for receiving the back of a user's head during back sleeping.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the embodiment of FIG. 1, illustrating the two sizes of neck rolls in relation to the intermediate portion of the pillow.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view along lines 4--4 in FIG. 2, illustrating the multi-level construction including the central depression.

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of the embodiment of FIG. 1, further illustrating the dual neck rolls.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view along lines 6--6 in FIG. 2, further illustrating the multi-level construction including the central depression.

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of a second preferred embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the side cutouts and dual neck rolls.

FIG. 8 is a front elevational view of the embodiment of FIG. 7 illustrating the two neck roll sizes.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view along lines 9--9 of FIG. 7, illustrating the lesser thickness of the intermediate portion of the pillow

FIG. 10 is a side elevational view of the embodiment of FIG. 7, illustrating the tri-level construction.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view along lines 11--11 of FIG. 7, further illustrating the tri-level construction.

FIG. 12 is a top plan view of a third preferred embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the side cutouts and central depression.

FIG. 13 is a side elevational view of the embodiment of FIG. 12, illustrating the equally sized neck rolls.

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view along lines 14--14 of FIG. 12, illustrating the tri-level construction.

FIG. 15 is a front elevational view of the embodiment of FIG. 12, further illustrating the equally sized neck rolls.

FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view along lines 16--16 of FIG. 12, further illustrating the tri-level construction of the pillow.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A preferred embodiment of a cervical pillow 100 constructed in accordance with the present invention is illustrated in perspective in FIG. 1. An important feature is a cutout 110, included in this embodiment on the left and right sides of the pillow 100, for side sleeping use. The cutouts 110 allow comfortable support without breathing obstruction, since the area of the mouth and nose is generally positioned at the cutout 110 with the cheek resting on the side section of the pillow 100.

In addition, another important feature is a multi-level construction of 2-4 pillow thicknesses for the present invention. The multi-level construction included in this embodiment comprises four thicknesses in the pillow 100, where thickness t is measured as shown in FIG. 3, to provide proper support and alignment of the head and neck for either back or side sleeping by the user. As described further below, the multiple pillow thicknesses refer herein specifically to thickness or to diameter, depending upon whether the inserted material is folded/loose-filled or rolled, respectively. The four thicknesses include two different diameters from dual neck rolls 120 so that a single pillow may accommodate users having two different neck sizes; i.e., one neck longer than the other. The two different diameters of the neck rolls 120 comprise the largest thicknesses of the multi-level pillow construction since during either side or back sleeping the neck is positioned furthest from the mattress and thus requires an appropriately elevated support.

A third, intermediate portion 130, located between the two neck rolls 120, and a fourth portion or central depression 140, stitched generally in the middle of the intermediate portion 130, comprise the reduced thickness of this multi-level construction. When the user is asleep on his back, the back of the user's head naturally rests closer to the mattress than the user's neck. In this preferred embodiment 100 of the cervical pillow, the back of the user's head rests in the central depression 140. The central depression 140 is of the least thickness in the pillow construction so that the resultant alignment of the head with the vertebrae in the neck is straight, thereby avoiding muscle tension. The intermediate portion 130 serves to softly cradle the user's head during back sleeping, so that the head does not roll too far to one side and result in misalignment of the head and discomfort upon waking. During side sleeping, the intermediate portion 130 provides an elevation somewhat raised from the central depression 140 in order to comfortably support the side of the head and correctly position the neck.

Prior pillow designs purporting to properly support the head were limited to back sleeping use. That is, no consideration was given to clearing a path for the airways, or relieving pressure around the mouth and nose, during side sleeping use, as is done by the present invention using side cutouts 110. And, the construction of these previous pillows is such that the thickest portions are arranged to be on either side of the head during back sleeping and not under the neck of the user. Thus, these pillows must be rotated by 90 degrees in order for the neck, which requires the greatest thickness of the pillow, to be properly supported. If these pillows are not rotated, the increased thickness could obstruct breathing during side sleeping use.

As indicated in FIGS. 1 and 2 for the pillow 100 constructed in accordance with the present invention, an upper casing 150 length and width matches a lower casing 160 construction. The lateral dimension of the pillow 100 is referred to herein as the width of the pillow 100, and the pillow length refers herein to the longitudinal dimension. Also, in the following description, the upper casing 150 contacts the sleeper and the lower casing 160 contacts the mattress. Preferably, the casings 150, 160 are of a 65-35% polyester-cotton blend material providing the characteristics of being hypoallergenic, durable, and easy to maintain. Longer pillow edges 170, 180 in contact with the user's neck may be straight and parallel to each other, or the neck edges 170, 180 may be somewhat convex, concave or of some other shape.

Referring to FIG. 2, the two halves of the pillow 100 formed by transversely bisecting the pillow 100 are mirror images. If the pillow 100 of this embodiment is cut in two longitudinally, through the cutouts 110, one section would not be the mirror image of the other section. Although, as will be seen in the alternate embodiment of FIGS. 12-16, wherein neck rolls 120' are of equal size, the longitudinal halves may be mirror images.

The left and right side edges refer herein to the pillow's notched periphery, forming the cutout sides, along the width of the pillow 100. Each side edge includes straighter sections 190 that form corners with the top and bottom neck edges 170, 180, respectively, as well as curvilinear sections 200 that comprise each cutout 110. While the cutouts 110 are not limited in shape in the present invention, they preferably form approximately half of a circle, ellipse, or ovoid.

Alternately, the cutouts or notches 110 may be V or square-shaped, or form part of another polygonal shape, while still achieving the purposes of the present invention. That is, the aforementioned shapes, and others too numerous to mention, may be used to achieve the functional advantages of the present invention, since the invention is not limited t