PERSONAL POSTURE CORRECTION APPARATUS

Abstract

An apparatus having an air bladder, a tube, and a bulb hand pump with the air bladder having a smooth, low friction top surface and a textured high friction bottom surface is used to correct posture of an individual while the individual is sleeping or sitting.

Description

This application claims the benefit of the filing date of provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/998,764, filed on Jul. 7, 2014.

FIELD

This disclosure pertains to an apparatus that is used to correct the posture of an individual while the individual is sleeping or sitting.

BACKGROUND

Individuals spend portions of their life standing, moving, sitting and sleeping lying down. All of these have great importance to the individual's proper posture.

There are currently commercially available mattresses, chairs and cushions that, over a period of use by an individual have areas that are impacted by the weight of the individual being repeatedly applied against those areas. For example, over a period of use, the surface of a mattress will begin to sag and form a depressed area in the surface where the individual consistently sleeps. Obtaining a new mattress overcomes the problem of the depressed area in the surface of the mattress. However, individuals often do not have the resources to buy a new mattress on a frequent basis.

Furthermore, the posture of some individuals could benefit from the ability to adjust the sleeping surface of even a new mattress, whereby the sleeping surface accurately fits their particular body shape. For example, by shaping the mattress sleeping surface upwardly beyond its flat original orientation.

Many apparatus have been developed to correct a sagging or depressed sleeping area of a mattress. However, many of these apparatus are designed to only correct the mattress sleeping surface to its original condition. Many of these apparatus are also too complicated to be affordable and commercially desirable for common daily use. Many of these apparatus also have limitations in their effectiveness in general, or are designed to address a specific problem and not address common and widespread problems associated with long-term use of a mattress. There is a need for an apparatus having a simple and inexpensive construction, that is effective in altering a sleeping surface of the mattress whether to correct a sagging, depressed surface area or to adjust the surface to address posture problems of an individual using the mattress.

SUMMARY

The personal posture correction apparatus disclosed herein is an inflatable air-form that cooperates with a used or new mattress, chair, or cushion. Its object is not necessarily to correct the sleeping or support surface of a mattress or chair, but to efficiently restore, and adjustably correct the posture of an individual based on their preference. Furthermore, the apparatus is constructed to be universally available, affordable and effective.

The apparatus comprises an air form that is very simple in construction, yet well studied in design and function. The air form is comprised of two juxtaposed layers of similarly shaped rubberized material. The two layers are sealed together along coinciding peripheral edges of the layers. The sealed peripheral edges define a configuration or a specific shape of the air form that is derived from the configuration or shape of the average depressed areas formed in a mattress sleeping surface. The configuration or shape of the air form has two opposite ends that are not symmetrical, one end being wider and one end being narrower. Thus, the user of the air form can reverse the orientation of the air form to fit their own body shape better.

Furthermore, the air form addresses the shortcomings of prior apparatus used to correct the sagging or depressed sleeping surface of a mattress by addressing the issue of slippage of the apparatus between the mattress or cushion and its base. The air form incorporates a novel, simple, and effective way to overcome slippage by including a textured, friction creating and adhering surface on a bottom layer of the air form and a smooth top surface on an opposite, top layer of the air form. Additionally, attachment ears are provided. Together these features allow the air form to be properly placed in relation to a depressed area of a mattress, seat or cushion, and once in place, readily hold the air form in place until the individual chooses to remove the air form.

Still further, the air form of this disclosure conforms not only to the sagging or depressed surface sleeping area of a mattress, seat, or cushion, but also has a mono cavity design that is configured to best address the imperfections, depressions and irregularities of the base which supports the individual's mattress or cushion at the same time.

A further important and novel function of the air form is the inclusion of one small edge opening that is connected with a flexible length of hose, and a bulb hand pump with a one way check valve and a push button air release at the opposite end of the hose. The bulb hand pump is used to adjust the effect of the air form quickly and easily by the individual, even while the individual is lying on a mattress, or sitting on a seat or on a cushion of a wheelchair. The soft, collapsible bulb hand pump can be stowed away under the mattress or cushion, leaving no evidence of the air form being present, allowing a clean, and attractive look as before or without the use of the air form.

Further features of the personal posture correction apparatus are set forth in the following detailed description and in the drawing figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a representation of a plan view of a top of the apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a representation of a plan view of a bottom of the apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a representation of a side view of one side of the apparatus, with the opposite side view being a mirror image thereof.

FIG. 4 is a representation of a cross-section view of one end of the apparatus having a narrow width along the lines 4-4 of FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 5 is a representation of a cross-section view of a second end of the apparatus having a wider width along the lines 5-5 of FIGS. 1 and 2

FIG. 6 is a representation of a side view of a mattress and box spring where the sleeping surface of the mattress has a depression.

FIG. 7 is a representation of the mattress and box spring of FIG. 6 where the apparatus is correcting the depression.

FIG. 8 is a representation of the mattress and box spring of FIG. 6 where the apparatus is adjusted for posture corrections.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the personal posture correction apparatus 12 of this disclosure is basically comprised of an air-form or air-bladder 14, a flexible hose or tube 16 and a bulb hand pump 18. The configurations or appearances of the air bladder 14, hose 16 and hand pump 18 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are only examples of the possible configurations and appearances of these component parts of the apparatus 12. The component parts could have other configurations or appearances from those shown in the drawing figures.

The air bladder 14 of the apparatus 12 is comprised of a top layer 22 and an opposite bottom layer 24.

The top layer 22 is comprised of a thin sheet of rubberized material that is flexible and fluid impervious. The top layer 22 has a peripheral edge 26 that extends completely around the top layer and defines the configuration of the top layer. The top layer peripheral edge 26 consists of a first edge portion 32 shown to the left in FIG. 1 and a second edge portion 34 shown to the right in FIG. 1. As represented in FIG. 1, the first edge portion 32 and second edge portion 34 are mirror images of each other.

As represented in FIGS. 4 and 5, the top layer peripheral edge 26 separates an exterior surface 36 of the top layer from an interior surface 38 of the top layer. The exterior surface 36 of the top layer is a smooth, low friction surface. The interior surface 38 of the top layer 22 is also a smooth, low friction surface.

The bottom layer 24 is also comprised of a thin sheet of rubberized material that is flexible and fluid impervious. The bottom layer 24 has a peripheral edge 42 that extends completely around the bottom layer 24 and defines the configuration of the bottom layer. As represented in FIG. 2, the bottom layer peripheral edge 42 consists of a first edge portion 44 shown to the left in FIG. 2 and a second edge portion 46 shown to the right in FIG. 2. The first edge portion 44 and the second edge portion 46 are mirror images of each other. As represented in FIGS. 4 and 5, the bottom layer peripheral edge 42 separates an exterior surface 48 of the bottom layer 24 from an interior surface 52 of the bottom layer. The bottom layer interior surface 52 is a smooth, low friction surface. The bottom layer exterior surface 48 is a textured, friction surface. The bottom layer exterior surface 48 has a coefficient of friction that is significantly greater than a coefficient of friction of the top layer exterior surface 36.

The peripheral edge 26 of the top layer 22 coincides with the peripheral edge 42 of the bottom layer 24. As represented in FIGS. 4 and 5, the interior surface 38 of the top layer 24 opposes the interior surface 52 of the bottom layer 24.

The peripheral edge 26 of the top layer 22 is sealed to the peripheral edge 42 of the bottom layer 24 completely around the peripheral edge 26 of the top layer 22 and the peripheral edge 42 of the bottom layer 24 except for one edge opening 56 between the peripheral edge 26 of the top layer 22 and the peripheral edge 42 of the bottom layer 24. The sealing of the peripheral edge 26 of the top layer 22 to the peripheral edge 42 of the bottom layer 24 defines a void interior volume 58 between the interior surface 38 of the top layer 22 and the interior surface 52 of the bottom layer 24. As represented in FIGS. 4 and 5, there is no part of the apparatus 12 in the void interior volume 38 between the interior surface 38 of the top layer 22 and the interior surface 52 of the bottom layer 24. This construction simplifies and reduces the cost of constructing the apparatus 12.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the configuration of the apparatus 12 has a first end 62 adjacent the one edge opening 56 and a second end 64 on an opposite side of the first end 62 from the one edge opening 56. As represented in the cross-section views in FIGS. 4 and 5, the apparatus first end 62 has a first width dimension and the apparatus second end 64 has a second width dimension, with the first width dimension being smaller than the second width dimension. The different width dimensions at the opposite ends of the apparatus 12 enable an individual using the apparatus 12 to reposition the apparatus 12 where the different width dimensions are positioned at the most comfortable positions for the individual using the apparatus.

The flexible hose or tube 16 has an interior bore and a flexible length with a first tube end 72 and a second tube end 74 at opposite ends of the tube length. The first tube end 72 is sealed to the one edge opening 56 communicating the tube interior bore with the void interior volume 58 between the interior surface 38 of the top layer 22 and the interior surface 52 of the bottom layer 24.

The bulb hand pump 18 has a check valve 82 with a push button release 84. The check valve 82 communicates the bulb hand pump 18 with the interior bore of the tube 16. The bulb hand pump 18 is a conventional device that can be alternately manually squeezed and released to pump air from the bulb hand pump 18 through the tube 16 and into the void interior volume 58 between the interior surface 38 of the top layer 22 and the interior surface 52 of the bottom layer 24. The push button release 84 can be manually depressed to exhaust air from the void interior volume 58 between the interior surface 38 of the top layer 22 and the interior surface 52 of the bottom layer 24 through the interior bore of the tube 16 and out of the apparatus 12.

Alternatively, the valve 82 could be any of various types of valves that are actuated to open and release air from the air bladder and their equivalents.

In lieu of the bulb hand pump 18, a foot operated pump, a motorized pump or some other equivalent type of pump could be used.

It can be appreciated that from the simple construction of the apparatus 12 consisting of the air bladder 14, the hose 16, and the bulb hand pump 18, with the smooth low friction surface 36 on the top of the air bladder 14 and the textured high friction surface 48 on the bottom air bladder 14, the apparatus can be inexpensively constructed. Additionally, the apparatus 12 consisting of the air bladder 14, the tube 16 and the bulb hand pump 18 can be easily operated by an individual.

FIG. 6 is a representation of a side view of a mattress 92 and a box spring support 94 with a depression in the sleeping surface area 96 of the mattress 92.

Figure 7 is a representation of a side view of the apparatus 12 positioned between the mattress 92 and the box spring support 94 in the area of the depression in the sleeping surface area 96. The friction surface of the bottom layer exterior surface 48 holds the apparatus in place. In FIG. 7, the apparatus 12 has been inflated sufficiently to correct and remove the surface depression from the sleeping surface area 96 of the mattress 92.

FIG. 8 is a representation of the apparatus 12 between the mattress 92 and the box spring support 94 where the apparatus 12 has been further inflated sufficiently to cause the sleeping surface area 96 of the mattress 92 to bulge 98 slightly upwardly from the mattress surface. The bulge 98 can be adjusted by an individual using the apparatus 12 to a degree needed to correct posture of the individual using the apparatus 12.

As various modifications could be made in the construction of the apparatus and its method of operation herein described and illustrated without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative rather than limiting. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present disclosure should not be limited by any of the above described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims appended hereto and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A personal posture correction apparatus consisting of:

an air bladder having a void interior volume, one edge opening communicating with the void interior volume, a smooth, low friction exterior surface and an opposite textured, high friction exterior surface;

a tube having an interior bore communicating through the one edge opening with the void interior volume of the air bladder; and,

a manual pump communicating with the interior bore of the tube.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further consisting of:

the air bladder having a top layer of a thin sheet of rubberized material that is flexible and fluid impervious, the top layer having a peripheral edge that extends completely around the top layer;

the air bladder having a bottom layer of a thin sheet of rubberized material that is flexible and fluid impervious, the bottom layer having a peripheral edge that extends completely around the bottom layer; and,

the peripheral edge of the top layer being sealed to the peripheral edge of the bottom layer completely around the peripheral edge of the top layer and the peripheral edge of the bottom layer except for the one edge opening.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further consisting of:

the hand pump being a bulb hand pump, the bulb hand pump having a check valve with a push button release.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, further consisting of:

the peripheral edge of the top layer consisting of a first edge portion and a second edge portion on opposite sides of the one edge opening, the first edge portion and the second edge portion of the top layer peripheral edge being mirror images.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, further consisting of:

the peripheral edge of the bottom layer consisting of a first edge portion and a second edge portion on opposite sides of the one edge opening, the first edge portion of the peripheral edge of the bottom layer and the second edge portion of the peripheral edge of the bottom layer being mirror images.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

the air bladder having opposite first and second ends, the air bladder first end being adjacent the one end opening and the air bladder second end being on an opposite side of the first end from the one edge opening; and,

the first end of the air bladder having a first width dimension and the second end of the air bladder having a second width dimension, the first width dimension being smaller than the second width dimension.

3. A personal posture correction apparatus comprising:

a top layer comprised of a thin sheet of rubberized material that is flexible and fluid impervious, the top layer having a peripheral edge that extends completely around the top layer, the peripheral edge of the top layer separating an exterior surface of the top layer from an interior surface of the top layer, the exterior surface of the top layer being a smooth surface;

a bottom layer comprised of a thin sheet of rubberized material that is flexible and fluid impervious, the bottom layer having a peripheral edge that extends completely around the bottom layer, the peripheral edge of the bottom layer separating an exterior surface of the bottom layer from an interior surface of the bottom layer, the exterior surface of the bottom layer being a textured surface;

the interior surface of the top layer opposing the interior surface of the bottom layer;

the peripheral edge of the top layer being sealed to the peripheral edge of the bottom layer completely around the peripheral edge of the top layer and the peripheral edge of the bottom layer except for one edge opening between the peripheral edge of the top layer and the peripheral edge of the bottom layer; the peripheral edge of the top layer sealed to the peripheral edge of the bottom layer defining a void interior volume between the interior surface of the top layer and the interior surface of the bottom layer; and,

a hand pump communicating with the void interior volume through the one edge opening, the hand pump being selectively manually operable to pump air into the void interior volume and to release air from the void interior volume.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

the hand pump being a bulb hand pump, the bulb hand pump having a check valve with a push button release, the check valve and the push button release communicating the bulb hand pump with the one edge opening.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

a tube having an interior bore and a flexible length with a first tube end and a second tube end at opposite ends of the length of the tube, the first tube end being sealed to the one edge opening communicating the tube interior bore with the void interior volume between the interior surface of the top layer and the interior surface of the bottom layer; and,

the second tube end being sealed to the bulb hand pump communicating the interior bore of the tube with an interior of the bulb hand pump.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

the exterior surface of the top layer having a first coefficient of friction;

the exterior surface of the bottom layer having a second coefficient of friction; and,

the second coefficient of friction being greater than the first coefficient of friction.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

the peripheral edge of the top layer consisting of a first edge portion and a second edge portion on opposite sides of the one edge opening, the first edge portion and the second edge portion of the top layer peripheral edge being mirror images.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

the peripheral edge of the bottom layer consisting of a first edge portion and a second edge portion on opposite sides of the one edge opening, the first edge portion of the peripheral edge of the bottom layer and the second edge portion of the peripheral edge of the bottom layer being mirror images.

13. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

the top layer having opposite first and second ends, the top layer first end being adjacent the one edge opening and the top layer second end being on an opposite side of the top layer first end from the one edge opening;

the bottom layer having opposite first and second ends, the first end of the bottom layer being adjacent the one edge opening and the second end of the bottom layer being on an opposite side of the first end of the bottom layer from the one edge opening;

the top layer first end and the bottom layer first end having a first width dimension and the top layer second end and the bottom layer second end having a second width dimension, the first width dimension being smaller than the second width dimension.

14. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

the peripheral edge of the top layer being sealed to the peripheral edge of the bottom layer defining an air bladder consisting of the top layer and the bottom layer.

15. A method of correcting personal posture comprising:

positioning an apparatus consisting of an air bladder, a tube with an interior bore communicating with a void interior volume of the air bladder, and a hand pump communicating with the interior bore of the tube between a mattress and a box spring with the air bladder positioned beneath a depressed area in a sleeping surface of the mattress; and,

manually operating the hand pump to pump air into the void interior volume of the air bladder causing the air bladder to raise the depressed area in the sleeping surface of the mattress.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

positioning a smooth, low friction surface of the air bladder directed toward the mattress and positioning a textured, friction surface of the air bladder toward the box spring.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

continuing manual operation of the hand pump to pump air into the air bladder and cause the depressed area in the sleeping surface of the mattress to raise and form a bulge on the sleeping surface of the mattress.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

communicating the hand pump through the tube with one edge opening of the air bladder.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

communicating the hand pump through the tube to the void interior volume of the air bladder at one end of the air bladder having a first width dimension, with a second end of the air bladder on an opposite side of the one end of the air bladder from the tube having a second width dimension that is larger than the first width dimension.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

releasing air from the void interior volume of the air bladder by manually depressing an air release button on the hand pump.