Lumbar pillow

Abstract

A lumbar pillow through which a force is transmitted into a lumbar area of the spine of an individual. The lumbar pillow has a housing with an interior divided by a seam extends from an apex to a center of a radius for an arcuate base and filled with a resilient material. The lumbar pillow is aligned on an individual with the seam is positioned over the second and third lumbo vertebrae and the arcuate base covering the lumbo-sacral junction of the spine. Thereafter, when the resilient material is compressed a force is primarily directed into soft tissue areas adjacent the lumbo vertebrae to assist in obtaining a desired curvature for the spine.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a pillow that engages the lumbar area of an individual and is compressed to apply pressure to parallel soft tissue areas adjacent the spine.

Back pain is a common problem experienced by many people. Most low back pain is a result of soft tissue injure that may require the rest or some sort of therapy and anti-inflammatory drugs. A common therapy may include some type of bracing or support, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,267,947; 5,407,422; 5,489,260; 5,569,171; 5,651,584; 5,737,774; 6,099,490; 6,413,194 and 6,676,617, to support the effect area and perform normal daily activities. Unfortunately if a brace or support is too rigid or continually worn by a person, the time for recovery of an injury to the soft tissue may be extended, as the person may become too dependent on the brace and as a result it may be desirable to limit the use of such a brace or support. It has been disclosed to provide a chair with a cylindrical cushion that is located in the lumbar area of an individual and when a person leans or pushes against the cushion a force is applied to the lumbar area of an individual to some stress. This force is applied across the lumbar area in a uniform vertical plane and acts on the lumbar vertebrae of the spine in addition to the soft tissue surrounding the spine. However, in order to accelerate a recovery process it is important that a force only be applied to the soft tissue.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a lumbar pillow through which forces may be primarily applied to soft tissue areas adjacent the lumbar vertebrae of the spine by compressing the pillow between the soft tissue area and a stationary surface.

In more particular detail, the lumbar pillow is distinguished by unitary structure having a peripheral shape defined by an arcuate base that transitions into identical first and second wings that are connected to an apex that is located along a radial plane that extends from the center of the radius for the arcuate base and in perpendicular alignment with a horizontal plane that extends through the first and second wings. The unitary structure has a seam that extends from the apex to the center of the radius to define first and second spaces that are connected together by an arcuate space. The first and second spaces and arcuate space are filled with a resilient material to define a desired thickness. The unitary structure is placed over the lumbar area of the back of an individual with the and the seam aligned with the spine, the center of the radius approximately located between the second and third lumbo vertebrae of the spine and the arcuate base covering the lumbo-sacral junction of the spine. The unitary structure is located between individual and a stationary surface such at the back of a chair may lean against the chair and compress the resilient material to create a force that is primarily directed into first and second soft tissue areas adjacent the lumbo vertebrae to assist in obtaining a desired curvature for the spine.

The lumbar pillow of present invention provides structure wherein pressure is applied to soft tissue adjacent the lumbo vertebrae without applying pressure to the lumbo vertebrae itself and as a result a desired curvature of the spine may be directed toward a vertical alignment.

The lumbar pillow of the present invention provides structure wherein an individual may selectively apply pressure to the lumbar area of the spine as a function of a force derived by compressing the pillow between areas adjacent the lumbo vertebrae of the spine and a stationary surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the lumbar pillow of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a rear view of an individual showing the alignment of the lumbar pillow of FIG. 1 on the lumbar area of the spine of the individual;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the individual illustrated in FIG. 1 seated on a chair with the lumbar pillow located between his back and the back of the chair;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken through lines 4-4 of FIG. 3 showing the engagement of the lumbar pillow with soft tissue areas adjacent the lumbo vertebrae of the spine of the individual; and

FIGS. 5-18 illustrate various steps for manufacturing the lumbar pillow of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In this specification a same feature or component may be identified by a same number and/or the number plus.

The lumbar pillow 10 of the present invention shown in FIG. 1 is designed to provide an individual with a means to selective apply pressure the soft tissue that surrounds the lumbo vertebrae 60 of the spine. The pillow 10 is reversible and distinguished by a unitary structure having a peripheral shape defined by an arcuate base 12 that transition into identical first 14 and second 16 wings that are connected to an apex 18 that is located along a radial plane that extends from the center 20 of the radius for the arcuate base 12. The apex 18 is in perpendicular alignment with a horizontal plane that extends through the first 14 and second 16 wings and has a seam 22 that extends from the apex 18 to the center 20 of the radius to define between a first member 30 and a second member 32, first 24 and second 26 spaces or areas that are connected together by an arcuate space or area 28. The first 24 and second 26 spaces and arcuate space 28 are filled with a resilient material 40 to define a desired thickness between the first member 30 and the second member 32. A first strap 42 is connected to the first wing 14 and a second strap 44 is connected to the second wing 16 such that when the first strap 42 is connected to the second strap 44 and the lumbar pillow 10 may be located on the back of an individual with the seam 22 aligned with the center of the lumbo vertebrae 60 of the spine as illustrated in FIG. 2 and the arcuate base 12 covering the lumbo-sacral junction 62 of the spine as illustrated in FIGS. 3. While the lumbar pillow 10 is designed to be located between the back of an individual and the back 50 of a chair 52 any stationary surface would suffice since it is the individual that determines the amount of pressure that will be applied to the soft tissue areas 66 and 68. A way that an individual may apply such pressure is achieved by the individual being positioned on the seat 54 of the chair 52 and compressing the resilient material 40 in the lumbar pillow 10 such that a force is produced and applied through areas 24 and 26 in the lumbar pillow 10 to the soft tissue areas 66 and 68 adjacent the lumbo vertebrae 60 as is shown in FIG. 4. It should be noted that no pressure is applied through the seam 22 and as a result a gap 67 exist over the lumbo vertebrae 60 that is free of pressure. By selectively limiting the application of pressure, which is a function of how hard the individual compresses the resilient material 40, to the soft tissue areas 66 and 68, a desire curvature of the spine may be achieved and as a result a period of recovery from a strain or injury to the soft tissue adjacent the lumbo vertebrae 60 may be reduced as the individual select the length of time and amount of therapeutic pressure.

The lumbar pillow 10 is manufacture to define a unitary structure through the following steps:

First 30 and second 32 members defined by flat sheets of material having a peripheral shape having an arcuate base 12 that transitions into identical first 14 and second 16 wings that are connected to an apex 18 as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 are selected from a source. The apex 18 is located along a radial plane that extends from the center 20 of a radius for the arcuate base 12 and is perpendicular to a horizontal plane that extends through the first 14 and second 16 wings.

After selection, the first 30 and second 32 members are moved to a station and a zipper 46 having a first side 47 is placed over the arcuate base 12 of the first member 30 and a second side 48 placed over the arcuate base 12′ of the second member 30 as shown in FIG. 7 and sewn thereto as illustrated in FIG. 8. Thereafter, a first strap 42 and a second strap 44 are placed on the first member with the ends 42a and 44a extending past the first wing 14 and second wing 16 as shown in FIG. 7.

Thereafter, the second member 32 is placed on top of the first member 30 as illustrated in FIG. 9 and a seam 21 is sewn around the peripheral surface 31 from the end 46a to the end 46b of the zipper 46 to join the first member 30 to the second member 32 as illustrated in FIG. 10 and define a unitary structure. The initial external surfaces for the first 30 and second 32 members are thereafter reversed by opening the zipper 46 and being pulled through the zipper opening as illustrated in FIG. 11 such that the seam 21 is now on the inside of the unitary structure. Thereafter, a seam 22 is sewn in the unitary structure that extends from the apex 18 to the center 20 of the radius of the arcuate surface as illustrated in FIG. 12 to define a first space 24 adjacent the seam 22, a second space 26 adjacent the seam 22 and an arcuate space 28 that connects the first 24 and second 26 spaces.

A resilient material 40 such polyester fibers is obtained from a source and the first 24, second 26 and arcuate 28 spaces are filled with the material 40 as illustrated in FIG. 13 to define a desired thickness between the first 30 and second 32 members as illustrated in FIGS. 14 and 15. When a the desired thickness is obtained, the zipper 46 is moved to the closed position as shown in FIG. 16 and flap 47 is positioned to cover the zipper 46 as shown in FIG. 17 to complete the manufacture of the lumbar pillow 10.

The lumbar pillow 10 is completely reversible as the areas 24, 26 on either side of the seam 22 and the arcuate area 28 is identical on both the first member 30 and second member 32 as illustrated in FIG. 18.

Claims

1. A pillow through which a force is transmitted into a lumbar area of the spine of an individual to apply pressure to soft tissue adjacent the spine and assist in obtaining a desired curvature for the spine, said pillow comprising:

a first member having a first peripheral shape defined by a first arcuate base that transitions into identical first and second wings that are connected to a first apex, said first apex being located along a radial plane that extends from a first center of a radius for said first arcuate base and is perpendicular to said first and second wings;

a second member having a second peripheral shape defined by a second arcuate base that transitions into identical third and fourth wings that are connected to a second apex that is located along a radial plane that extends from a second center of a radius for said second arcuate base and is perpendicular to said third and fourth wings;

closure means through which said first and second members are joined together to form a unitary structure having a seam that extends from said first and second apex to approximately said first and second centers to define first and second spaces that are located adjacent said radial planes with said first and second spaces being connected to an arcuate space located between said first and second centers and said first and second arcuate bases; and

a resilient material located in said first, second and arcuate space for defining a desired thickness between said first and second members such that when said unitary structure is aligned with the lumbar area and said first and second centers are approximately located between the second and third lumbo vertebrae of the spine and the first and second arcuate bases cover the lumbo-sacral junction of the spine and when a force is applied to the unitary structure the force is primarily directed into first and second areas adjacent the lumbo vertebrae.

2. The pillow as recited in claim 1 wherein when said seam is located in vertical alignment with said spine substantially equal amounts of force are applied to said first and second areas of the lumbar.

3. The pillow as recited in claim 2 further including a first strap connected to said first wing and a second strap connected to said second wing that are selectively joined together to assist in maintaining said alignment of said unitary structure and said lumbar area.

4. The pillow as recited in claim 3 wherein said pillow is designed to be located between a stationary surface and an individual and said force is derived by the individual compressing the resilient material.

5. The pillow as recited in claim 4 wherein said closure means includes a first flap on said first member and a second flap on said second member, said first flap being connected to said second flap to retain said resilient material in said spaces and being separated from said second flap to add or exchange resilient material in said spaces.

6. The pillow as recited in claim 5 wherein either said first member or said second member may be aligned with said lumbar area and function in a same manner to apply a same pressure to said soft tissue.

7. The pillow as recited in claim 6 wherein said first and second wings assist in directing force into said soft tissue of the lumbar area.

8. The pillow as recited in claim 7 wherein said first flap and said second flap define a zipper.

9. A lumbar pillow comprising:

a housing having a peripheral shape defined by an arcuate base that transitions into identical first and second wings that are connected to an apex that is located along a radial plane that extends from the center of the radius for said arcuate base and in perpendicular alignment with a horizontal plane that extends through said first and second wings, a seam that extends from said apex to the center of the radius to define first and second spaces that are connected together by an arcuate space; and

a resilient for filling said first and second spaces and arcuate space to define a desired thickness for said housing, said housing being placed over the lumbar area of the back of an individual with said seam being aligned with the spine of the individual, said center of the radius for the arcuate base being approximately located between the second and third lumbo vertebrae of the spine of the individual and the arcuate base covering the lumbo-sacral junction of the spine and when the resilient material is compresses between the back of the individual and a stationary structure a force is created that is primarily directed into soft tissue areas adjacent the lumbo vertebrae to assist in obtaining a desired curvature for the spine.