Massage pillow for water recreational apparatus

Abstract

A pillow suitable for use with a water recreational apparatus is typically made from a water resistant plastic material. Defined on the outer surface of the pillow are tiny nodes having a height between about {fraction (1/16)} of an inch and about ¼ of an inch and occupying an area on the surface of the body between about 0.01 sq. in. and about 0.2 sq. in. The front surface of the body has at least 10 such nodes. Each of the nodes is spaced apart from an adjacent node by a distance between about ¼ inch and about ⅜ inch.

Description

RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Provisional Patent Application 60/436,733, filed Dec. 27, 2002, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by this reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] This invention relates generally to water recreational apparatuses, such as portable spas, hot tubs, swimming pools and bath tubs.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Water recreational apparatuses, such as spas, hot tubs and whirlpool bathtubs have become very popular for relaxation and physical therapy. The pulsations of warm aerated water from water jets disposed in the side walls of the water recreational apparatus have been found to be soothing and relaxing to the user.

[0004] One area of the user's body which generally is not soothed and massaged in prior art water recreational apparatuses is the back of the user's neck. It would be advantageous if the back of the user's neck could also be subject to relaxation therapy within a water recreational apparatus.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The invention provides this advantage. The invention is a pillow suitable for use with a water recreational apparatus. The pillow has a body, typically made from a water resistant plastic material. Defined on the outer surface of the body are tiny nodes having a height between about {fraction (1/16)} of an inch and about ¼ of an inch and occupying an area on the surface of the body between about 0.01 sq. in. and about 0.2 sq. in. The front surface of the body has at least 10 such nodes. Each of the nodes is spaced apart from an adjacent node by a distance between about ¼ inch and about ⅜ inch.

[0006] The plurality of nodes on the outer surface of the body of the pillow provide the pillow with the ability to apply massage-like pressure to the back of the user's neck, thereby adding considerably to the overall relaxation of the user of a water recreational apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description, appended claims and accompanying drawings where:

[0008] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pillow having features of the invention;

[0009] FIG. 2 is a front view of the pillow illustrated in FIG. 1;

[0010] FIG. 3 is a side view of the pillow illustrated in FIG. 1; and

[0011] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional side view of a water recreational apparatus employing the pillow illustrated in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0012] The following discussion describes in detail one embodiment of the invention and several variations of that embodiment. This discussion should not be construed, however, as limiting the invention to those particular embodiments. Practitioners skilled in the art will recognize numerous other embodiments as well.

[0013] The invention is a pillow 10 suitable for use with a water recreational apparatus 30, such as a portable spa, hot tub, swimming pool or bath tub. Such water recreational apparatuses 30 typically have a water basin 32 having a bottom wall 34 and side walls 36. The uppermost portions of each side wall 36 typically terminates in an upper side wall periphery 38. The water basin 32 is sufficiently large to retain one or more human beings 40 in a sitting position on at least one seating surface 42.

[0014] The pillow 10 typically has a convex front surface 12 and a concave rear surface 14. The concave rear surface 14 allows the pillow 10 to be attached to the upper side wall periphery 38 of the water recreational apparatus 30, so that the lower portion 16 of the pillow 10 hangs down along the upper portion of the side walls 36.

[0015] The pillow 10 is typically disposed within the water recreational apparatus 30 at an elevation above the at least one seating surface 42 calculated to allow the user 40 of the water recreational apparatus 30 to recline the nape of his or her neck against the pillow 10 when seated upon the at least one seating surface 42.

[0016] In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, the front surface 12 of the pillow 10 comprises three elongate horizontal lobes 18. This is not necessary, however, in the invention, so long as the front surface 12 of the pillow 10 is reasonably comfortable to the user.

[0017] In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, the lower portion 20 of the front surface 12 of the pillow 10 is contoured so as to define a central indentation portion 22, flanked by a pair of downwardly extending shoulder portions 24. Such contouring is preferred because it tends to conform to the lower neck and upper shoulders of a user 40 of the pillow 10.

[0018] A critical feature of the pillow 10 is the fact that the front surface 12 of the pillow 10 comprises a plurality of acumassage nodes 26. Each node 26 is sized, contoured and dimensioned to apply a small amount of concentrated pressure to the nape of the neck of a user 40 of the pillow 10. The plurality of nodes 26 can be disposed in a repetitive pattern, but this is not necessary. Nodes 26 disposed in a random pattern are also acceptable.

[0019] The nodes 26 are spaced apart from immediately adjacent nodes 26 by a distance of between about ¼ inch and about ⅜ inch.

[0020] Each node 26 is smooth, rounded and has a height of between about {fraction (1/16)} of an inch and ¼ inch. The nodes occupy an area between about 0.01 sq. in. and about 0.2 sq. in. The nodes 26 can be circular, but this is not necessary. Where the nodes 26 are circular, their diameters are typically between about ⅛ inch and ½ inch.

[0021] The pillow 10 typically has a horizontal length of between about 10 inches and about 18 inches, but longer and shorter pillows 10 are also possible.

[0022] The pillow 10 is typically made from a water resistant plastic material. Other suitable water resistant materials can be used as long as they are sufficiently resilient to be comfortable to the user and the nodes 26 are sufficiently stiff to apply a small amount of localized pressure to the nape of the neck of the user 40.

[0023] Having thus described the invention, it should be apparent that numerous structural modifications and adaptations may be resorted to without departing from the scope and fair meaning of the instant invention as set forth hereinabove and as described hereinbelow by the claims.

Claims

1. A pillow suitable for use with a water recreational apparatus, the pillow comprising:

a) a body having a front surface and a rear surface; and

b) at least ten nodes disposed on the front surface of the body, each node having a height between about {fraction (1/16)} inch and about ¼ inch and each node occupying an area on the front surface of the body between about 0.01 sq. in. and about 0.2 sq. in., each node being spaced apart from an adjacent node by a distance between about ¼ inch and about ⅜ inch.

2. The pillow of claim 1 wherein the number of nodes on the front surface of the body is at least 25.

3. The pillow of claim 1 wherein the width of the pillow is between about 10 inches and about 18 inches.

4. The pillow of claim 1 wherein the body is made from a water resistant plastic material.

5. The pillow of claim 1 wherein each node is rounded and smooth.

6. The pillow of claim 1 wherein the front surface of the body is generally convex in shape.

7. The pillow of claim 1 wherein the rear surface of the body is generally concave in shape.

8. The pillow of claim 1 wherein the body comprises multiple lobes.

9. The pillow of claim 1 wherein the body is made up of three lobes.

10. The pillow of claim 1 wherein the nodes are sufficiently stiff to apply a small amount of localized pressure to the nape of the neck of the user of the pillow.

11. The pillow of claim 1 wherein the body is contoured so as to define a central indentation portion flanked by a pair of downwardly extending shoulder portions.

12. The pillow of claim 1 wherein the pillow is disposed within a water recreational apparatus.

13. A pillow suitable for use with a water recreational apparatus, the pillow comprising:

a) a body made from a water resistant plastic material and having a front surface and a rear surface; and

b) at least 25 rounded and smooth nodes disposed on the front surface of the body, each node having a height between about {fraction (1/16)} inch and about ¼ inch and each node occupying an area on the front surface of the body between about 0.01 sq. in. and about 0.2 sq. in., each node being spaced apart from an adjacent node by a distance between about ¼ inch and about ⅜ inch, the nodes being sufficiently stiff to apply small amount of localized pressure to the nape of the neck of the user of the pillow.

14. The pillow of claim 13 wherein the front surface of the body is generally convex in shape and the rear surface of the body is generally concave in shape.

15. The pillow of claim 13 wherein the body comprises multiple lobes.

16. The pillow of claim 13 wherein the body is contoured so as to define a central indentation portion flanked by a pair of downwardly extending shoulder portions.

17. The pillow of claim 13 wherein the pillow is disposed within a water recreational apparatus.