Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47G—HOUSEHOLD OR TABLE EQUIPMENT
  • A47G9/00—Bed-covers; Counterpanes; Travelling rugs; Sleeping rugs; Sleeping bags; Pillows
  • A47G9/10—Pillows
  • A47G9/1009—Rigid frame constructions
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47G—HOUSEHOLD OR TABLE EQUIPMENT
  • A47G9/00—Bed-covers; Counterpanes; Travelling rugs; Sleeping rugs; Sleeping bags; Pillows
  • A47G9/10—Pillows

Definitions

• the present invention relates to an accessory for supporting the head of an individual in an extended station, particularly during sleep.
• the accessory of the invention finds a privileged application in the field of comfort of the sleeper and the prevention and the relief of certain pathologies related to the adoption of uncomfortable and / or traumatic positions for certain parts of the spine or shoulders especially.
• Such pathologies usually benign and punctual at first, may, if they persist without treatment, or in the elderly, be or become truly traumatic, both during and after sleep.
• Examples include neck pain, for example torticollis, or muscle or cartilaginous crushing of the shoulder or even sleep apnea, snoring or lumbar problems.
• Many accessories are already known in the state of the art for addressing and treating these problems.
• a large number of pillows, shapes, structures and various materials are known, some of them being described as ergonomic or with shape memory.
• Another object of the invention is finally to provide a head support accessory that can adapt to the morphology of individuals using it while maintaining the same maintenance and ergonomic qualities.
• the invention provides a support accessory for the head of an elongated individual, especially during sleep, which comprises a substantially rigid base supporting at least a first cushion of rest and support of the head in position lying on his back.
• the accessory of the invention also comprises at least a second cushion for resting and supporting the head in an extended position on the side, said second cushion being positioned on a substantially rigid plate carried in the base by an arm of link extending along an axis perpendicular to the base and the plate.
• the plate of the second cushion is mounted on the connecting arm appropriately to pivot about the axis of the arm, the latter now a distance E between the plate and the base allowing the passage of an arm of an individual between the base and the tray when the head of the individual is placed on the second cushion carried by the tray.
• the support accessory for the head thus provides not only a first thin cushion, therefore adapted for the support of the head and sleeping lying on the back without painful solicitations cervical vertebrae, but also at least one side cushion raised and orientable relative to the first cushion.
• This second cushion provides a comfortable and ergonomic support of the head lying on its side, raising the second cushion both to compensate the height of the shoulder to keep the head in the axis of the spine but also to pass, if the user wishes, an arm under the second cushion to find a comfortable sleeping position without having the head that presses on the shoulder.
• the accessory is particularly advantageous when it comprises means for adjusting the distance E between the support plate of the second cushion and the base of the accessory.
• These adjustment means make it possible in particular to adjust the spacing between the plate and the base between five and twenty-five centimeters and, preferably, between five and fifteen centimeters, so as to adjust the position of the second cushion relative to the first cushion, so that this second cushion can perfectly support the head in alignment with the rest of the spine when the individual using the accessory while sleeping is in a lying position on the side, his shoulder providing a shift between the axis the individual's spine and the resting plane of the body of the individual on the bed, which is then compensated by the height adjustment of the second cushion on its tray.
• the link arm of the tray supporting the second cushion and secured to the base is arranged tangentially to one side of the first cushion resting on the base.
• the means for adjusting the distance E between the base and the plate carrying the second cushion are preferably integrated with the arm of connection of the tray on the base, which allows to gain simplicity of construction and complexity and weight of the accessory of the invention.
• the adjustment means of the gap E between the base and the support plate of the second cushion comprise coaxial screwing means to the link arm of the plate on the base, these screwing means simultaneously constituting pivoting means of the plate relative to the first cushion and the base around the longitudinal axis of the link arm of the plate on the base.
• Such screwing means thus make it possible to simply realize directly in the connection arm between the base and the support plate of the second cushion the two essential functions of the accessory of the invention, which are, on the one hand, the height adjustment of the second support cushion of the head in lying position on the side relative to the first cushion positioned on the base, and the provision of a space between the base and the second cushion to allow the passage of the arm, all permitting orientation of the second cushion relative to the base and the first cushion, so as to allow alignment of the head and cervicals with the remainder of the spine, regardless of the lying position on the side of the individual using the accessory.
• the link arm of the plate on the base can also be a telescopic arm, the adjustment means of the gap E between the base and the plate then comprising latching or pinching means able to cooperate with orifices formed in the telescopic parts of the link arm.
• the adjustment means of the gap E between the base and the plate then comprising latching or pinching means able to cooperate with orifices formed in the telescopic parts of the link arm.
• the spacing adjustment means E may also comprise at least one actuator, preferably pneumatic or electrical, cooperating with appropriate control and actuation means, such as, for example, a remote control manual to act reversibly on the cylinder.
• the support accessory of the head comprises two cushions, positioned symmetrically on either side of the first cushion, and positioned on two plates, themselves borne above the base by two connecting arm extending perpendicular to the base and the trays, each connecting arm holding the trays with a spacing relative to the base, the two trays being also mounted on their respective link arm appropriately to be able to pivot around the axis of the latter relative to the first cushion and the base.
• the accessory of the invention then comprises a tripartite structure with three cushions, a first central cushion placed flat on the base, to support the head of an individual lying on the back and two side cushions each raised on a tray having a spacing relative to the base and the first cushion and being pivotable relative to the base and the first cushion, these two side cushions being dedicated to supporting the head of an individual when it is placed in a lying position on the side, if any, in rifle, these two side cushions allowing an alignment of the head and cervical vertebrae with the rest of the spine, while allowing the passage of the arm between the base and one of the side pillows.
• the accessory of the invention comprises means for adjusting the spacing between the base and each of the support plates of the two lateral cushions, in particular adjusting means as previously defined. type of screwing means or others.
• the portions of the base and the tray (s) carrying a support cushion of the head are perforated, so as to allow a partial depression of the cushion in these portions of the base and / or the trays, when the head of an individual is leaning on the cushion, which greatly improves the flexibility and comfort of the support provided by the cushions.
• Figure 1 shows in perspective a support accessory for the head of an individual lying down in a preferred embodiment, according to the invention
• Figure 2 is a view similar to that of Figure 1 and exploded of the support accessory of the head of an individual lying down in accordance with the present invention
• 3 is a front view of the accessory of FIGS. 1 and 2 in a so-called use configuration, showing the head of an individual supported on the accessory and on the cushions thereof in the different station positions.
• FIG. 4 is a top view of the accessory of Figures 1 and 2 showing the possibility of angular mobility of the raised side cushions of the accessory of the invention relative to the central cushion of support of the head in the extended position on the back;
• Figure 5 shows an alternative embodiment of the accessory of the invention comprising connecting arms of the side pad trays compass;
• FIG. 6 shows an alternative embodiment of the accessory of the invention comprising connecting arms of the lateral ribbon cushion trays;
• FIG. 7 represents an alternative embodiment of the accessory of the invention comprising link arms of FIGS.
• Figure 8 is a perspective view of the rest position of the head of an individual lying on their backs on the support accessory according to the present invention
• Figure 9 shows in perspective the position of use of the accessory of the invention to support the head of an individual during his sleep lying on the side.
• 10 is a top view of an individual lying in the position of a rifle dog with the head resting on a side cushion of the accessory of the invention
• FIG. 11 is a side view of an individual lying in the rifle with the head resting on a side cushion of the accessory of the invention
• a head support accessory according to the present invention is shown in a preferred embodiment in Figures 1 and 2 in assembled and exploded form respectively.
• This accessory 1 is a kind of triple-body cushion comprising on a stabilization base 2 a first central cushion 3 resting on a central portion 2i of the base 2 and being symmetrically framed by two side cushions 4, 5 raised relative to the cushion central 3 via a connecting arm 6.7 secured by a lower end of an end portion 2 2 of the stabilization base of the accessory 1 and an upper end of a plate 8, 9 supporting each side cushion 4, 5 on which each said side cushion 4, 5 is fixed by any suitable means.
• the base 2, the connecting arms 6, 7 and the support plates 8, 9 of the lateral cushions are preferably made of a material having a sufficient rigidity not to bend, twist, or even break under the forces repeated applied by the head of an individual resting on one of the cushions 3, 4, 5 of the accessory 1 during his sleep.
• the base 2, the connecting arms 6, 7 and the support plates 8, 9 of the lateral cushions are preferably made of a material having a sufficient rigidity not to bend, twist, or even break under the forces repeated applied by the head of an individual resting on one of the cushions 3, 4, 5 of the accessory 1 during his sleep.
• the base 2, the connecting arms 6, 7 and the support plates 8, 9 of the lateral cushions are preferably made of a material having a sufficient rigidity not to bend, twist, or even break under the forces repeated applied by the head of an individual resting on one of the cushions 3, 4, 5 of the accessory 1 during his sleep.
• the base 2, the connecting arms 6, 7 and the support plates 8, 9 of the lateral cushions are preferably made of a material having a sufficient rigidity not to
• the trays 8, 9 of the accessory 1 may consist of a metallic material, for example steel or, preferably, aluminum or preferably, a thermoplastic material such as for example polypropylene, high density polyethylene, or ABS.
• the central cushion 3 and the two right and left side cushions, 4, 5 have, for their part, preferably a relatively small thickness e compared to conventional pillows and pillows as known in the state of the art.
• This thickness e is advantageously between five and ten centimeters maximum, the constituent material of the cushions being, for its part,
• a foam of synthetic material whose density and flexibility properties in particular can be variable and selected according to the preferences of the different individuals using the accessory.
• the base 2 as well as the plates 8, 9 for supporting and supporting the lateral cushions 4, 5 have a rectangular shape that is substantially flat and of reduced and low thickness compared with the thickness of the cushions. 3, 4, 5 of the accessory 1.
• Such a flat rectangular shape of the base 2 is particularly advantageous, although not essential, to provide good stability of the accessory 1 during its use, which is used in the majority of cases on a sleeping mattress which, by definition, has some flexibility.
• the base 2 of the accessory 1 according to the invention in the preferred embodiment shown in the accompanying figures preferably has a length L measured between the opposite ends.
• Such a length L of the base 2 thus allows both to obtain an accessory having an optimum stability in use to support the head of an elongated individual, while allowing easy placement and adaptation to any type "standard” mattress, which is sleeping alone or in pairs, the widths of such "standard” mattresses being traditionally between seventy centimeters and two hundred centimeters.
• the width I of the base 2 is not necessarily constant according to the invention in any part of the base; this width I may in particular be different between the end portions 2z which support, via the connecting arms 6, 7 and the plates 8, 9 the right lateral cushions 4 and left 5 and the central portion I 1 of the base 2 on which the central cushion 3 rests.
• the width of the end portions 2 ⁇ and of the central portion 2i of the base 2 are different according to the chosen embodiment of said base, it is necessary to preferably respect to each of the portions 2 2 2 lt of the base 2 by an I width of the previously defined range of one hundred and forty to two hundred millimeters.
• the connecting arms 6, 7 support the trays 8, 9 at a distance above the base 2, so that the two right and left side cushions 4, 5 are located higher than the central cushion 3 of the accessory 1 so as to compensate, when an individual is lying on the side, as shown for example in Figure 3 in phantom lines and in Figure 9 in solid lines the height of the shoulder so as to support the head T at a height sufficient to maintain the cervical vertebrae of the spine in the axis of the remainder of the spine of the individual I.
• These connecting arms 6, 7 and maintain respectively the first plate 8 on which rests the right lateral cushion 4 with a spacing E and the second plate 9 supporting the left lateral cushion 5 with a spacing E 'relative to the base 2 of the accessory 1; these spacings E, E 'being preferably between five and twenty-five centimeters and, more preferably, between five and fifteen centimeters.
• the link arms 6, 7 comprise means for adjusting the spacings E, E 'between the support plate 8 of the right lateral cushion and the support plate 9 of the left lateral cushion, these spacing adjusting means E, E 'thus allowing a vertical overshoot represented, for example, by the double arrow Fl in Figure 3 of the two lateral cushions 4, 5 dedicated to the support of the head T of a individual lying in a lying position on the side.
• These adjustment means are also adapted to adjust the spacing E, E 'appropriately to leave empty a space between the base 2 and the side cushions 4, 5, empty space allowing, as shown in Figure 6, the passage of an arm B of the individual under the lateral cushion 4, 5 on which the individual rests his head.
• the trays 8, 9 for supporting the right and left side cushions 4, 5 of the accessory 1 are mounted on their arms.
• respective links 6, 7 suitably to pivot about the longitudinal axis of this arm, as shown by the double arrows F2 and F3 in Figure 4, so as to allow angular orientation of the side cushions relative to the base 2 of the accessory 1, but also to the central cushion 3.
• This angular orientation by pivoting of the side cushions must be allowed at least in an angular sector between 0 and ⁇ 45 ° relative to the normal position of the side cushions.
• the spacing adjustment means E, E 'formed by the connecting arms 6, 7 between the base 2 and the support plates 8, 9 of the lateral cushions 4, 5 are advantageously integrated in the connecting arms and simultaneously allow the angular adjustment in rotation of the lateral cushions 4, 5 with respect to the longitudinal axis of said connecting arms 6, 7.
• the adjustment means are advantageously constituted by screwing means constituting, for example, a screw-nut system comprising, for example, a threaded tubular sleeve 10, 11 integral with one of the end portions 2 2 of the base 2 and cooperating with a threaded rod 12, 13 secured by one of its ends to one of the plates 8, 9 for supporting the lateral cushions 4, 5.
• pivoting means side cushions 4, 5 and their trays around the axis of their respective connecting arms 6, 7, all types of assembly means in rotation of the trays on their connecting arms or connecting arms on the base 2 and in particular pivot mounting means associated or not with rotating guide means such as bearings or bearings, lubricated or not.
• a link articulation with a compass or else if it comprises a plurality of branches, a ribbon-type articulation, between the upper end of the link arms 6, 7 and the plates 8, 9 as shown. 5 and 6 respectively.
• This allows in particular, advantageously, to replace each of the cushions 3, 4, 5 according to their state of wear or according to their flexibility properties of damping, according to the desiderata of individuals using the accessory of the invention.
• One can, for example, provide the provision of different kits of cushions of different properties at the time of sale or independently of the sale of the accessory of the invention, each user choosing a particular type of cushions according to what he prefers for his own comfort.
• the head T of the individual is supported and maintained substantially flat in the extension of the back of the individual to avoid excessive stress of cervical vertebrae at the neck. Therefore, in this position, the head T of the individual is then placed on the central cushion 3 of the accessory 1 of the invention, central cushion 3 which has a small thickness such that, once the head rested on this one, the individual I does not undergo any effort of the cushion 3 on his head, tending to fold it towards the chest, but on the contrary a flat hold of the head with a normal curvature of the cervical spine by compared to the rest of the column, which avoids both cervical pain and sleep apnea and / or snoring on the part of the individual and lying on the back.
• the individual If, conversely, the individual prefers to lie on one side while sleeping, as shown in Figure 9, the latter then rests the head on one of the raised side cushions 4, 5 carried by their trays 8 , 9 with a spacing E, E 'relative to the base of the accessory 1 of the invention.
• the individual I can, before falling asleep, adjust through the adjustment means E, E 7 between the side cushions 4, 5 and the base, so that its position is the more comfortable to sleep, E, E 'generally corresponding to the width of the individual, from his shoulder to his head.
• the individual I can also adjust the angular orientation of the side cushions 4, 5 as shown in FIG.
• the cushions 4 by pivoting the cushions about the longitudinal axis of the connecting shafts 6, 7 of the side pad support plates, in order to be able to place his head exactly in line with the rest of his spine, while lying on his side and, if necessary, curled up on himself as a "rifle dog".
• the spaced space E, E 'between the base 2 of the accessory of the invention and the side cushions 4, 5, also allows the individual to pass his arm B under the side cushion on which he is resting his head (in this case the cushion 4 in Figure 9), which allows him to significantly reduce the effort due to the weight of his body on his shoulder and thus significantly reduce the potential pain in his shoulder .
• the accessory 1 of the present invention thus allows a user to obtain a high performance and ergonomic support of the head during sleep, whatever the sleeping position, while ensuring adequate support of the head in relation to the rest of the user's spine, as well as a reduction in the effort, if any, made by the head and body on the shoulders and arm lying on its side, which greatly reduces the pain and trauma related to uncomfortable sleeping positions in the cervical vertebrae and shoulders in particular.

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• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Otolaryngology (AREA)
• Pulmonology (AREA)
• Orthopedics, Nursing, And Contraception (AREA)
• Golf Clubs (AREA)
• Input From Keyboards Or The Like (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=39712206

Family Applications (1)

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• 2007
  • 2007-11-26 FR FR0759305A patent/FR2924007B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2008
  • 2008-11-25 WO PCT/FR2008/052122 patent/WO2009071834A2/fr not_active Ceased
  • 2008-11-25 US US12/744,485 patent/US20100325803A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2008-11-25 AT AT08856205T patent/ATE518453T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2008-11-25 EP EP08856205A patent/EP2214537B1/de not_active Not-in-force
  • 2008-11-25 CN CN200880117850A patent/CN101873817A/zh active Pending

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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