Adjustable body positioning device

Abstract

A resilient body for supporting in elevated condition the knees of a person lying on a horizontal surface comprises a pair of limbs joined by a reduced thickness neck which facilitates the rocking of the limbs between positions in which the limbs extend in opposite directions from the neck to a selected one of a number of adjusted positions in which the limbs confront one another and form an upstanding arch for supporting the person's knees in an elevated condition.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional application No. 60/878,536, filed Jan. 4, 2007.

This invention relates to an adjustable positioning device for enabling a person's arms, legs, back, or head to be supported and maintained in any one of a selected number of adjusted positions.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A person who lies on a horizontal surface such as that provided by a bed, gurney, or other support usually is more comfortable if his knees, back, and/or head is supported in an elevated position. Since persons vary in height it is desirable that whatever support is provided be adjustable so as to be usable by persons of greatly varying height. It also is desirable that the person using the support be adjustable by such person without requiring assistance from another, thereby enabling the user to adjust the support whenever desired.

A principal object of the invention is to provide an adjustable support possessing these desirable characteristics.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An adjustable positioning device constructed in accordance with the invention comprises a body member formed of flexible, preferably resilient foam material having two limbs joined together by a neck, the neck being thinner than the limbs thereby facilitating rocking of the limbs about the neck. Adjustable coupling means releasably couples the limbs to one another for the purposes of adjusting the relative positions of the limbs to a desired position relative to one another and restraining relative movement of the limbs in a direction away from one another.

The coupling means preferably is one which can be manipulated by a person lying on a bed or other supporting surface so as to enable such person to make adjustments in the relative positions of the limbs without necessarily requiring assistance from another person.

The limbs of the body preferably are adjustable from a first extreme position in which they extend in prolongation of one another in opposite directions from the neck to another extreme position in which the limbs confront and abut one another, thereby forming a bolster which may be used as a back rest, a head rest, or to support a person's knees in an elevated position.

The free ends of the limbs preferably are shaped to complement the surface on which they are adapted to rest.

THE DRAWINGS

Presently preferred embodiments of the positioning device are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of one embodiment of the device forming an arched support;

FIG. 2 is an isometric view illustrating the device in one extreme position of adjustment;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of another embodiment illustrating the device in a selected one of a plurality of adjusted positions;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view on a reduced scale of the embodiment shown in FIG. 3;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are elevational views illustrating different configurations of the free ends of the limbs;

FIG. 7 is an isometric view of a third embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of the embodiment of FIGS. 7-8;

FIG. 10 is an end elevational view of the third embodiment; and

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary, top plan view of an anchoring strap adapted for use with the third embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A positioning device constructed in accordance with the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises a body 1 formed of flexible, resilient, foam material of the kind conventionally used in the formation of body positioning cushions and has a reduced thickness neck or notch 2 at the juncture of two limbs 3 and 4. A notch 2 provides a hinge about which the limbs 3 and 4 may rock between two extreme positions in one of which the limbs extend in prolongation of one anther, as is shown in full lines in FIG. 2, and in another of which the limbs confront one another and form an upstanding arch. The limbs are of such stiffness as to provide stable support for the knees, back, or head of the user.

The two limbs 3 and 4 are of equal thickness and area and terminate in free edges 5 and 6, respectively. The limb 3 has a pair of diverging bores 7 in each of which is a passage-forming sleeve 8. The limb 4 has a pair of bores 9 which terminate adjacent a transverse bore 10. In each of the bores 9 and 10 is a passage-forming sleeve 11. As is best shown in FIG. 2, the sleeve 11 adjacent the free end of the limb 4 extends transversely of the latter and has a length corresponding substantially to the distance between the bores 9.

Extending through each of the passage-forming sleeves is an inelastic coupling cord 13. The cord makes a complete circuit through both of the limbs 3 and 4 and has opposite ends 14 and 15 which pass through and extend beyond a reinforcement 16 secured to the limb 3. The cord ends also extend through a clasp 17 of known construction which, when it bears against the reinforcement 16, can resist movement of the cord ends inwardly of the limb 3.

One extreme position of the limbs 3 and 4 is shown in FIG. 2 wherein both limbs extend in prolongation of one another and in opposite directions from the neck 2. However, the limbs can be adjusted relative to one another in such manner as to enable the limbs to confront one another as is shown in FIG. 1. The limbs also can be moved toward one another from the positions shown in FIG. 1 so as to occupy a second extreme position wherein the limbs not only confront, but also abut, one another. The limbs may be maintained in any selected position between the two extreme positions by manipulating the free ends 14 and 15 of the coupling cord and securing them in a selected position by the clasp 17.

In any position of the body 1 it may be used to cushion and support some part of a person's body. For example, when the limbs of the body are in the positions shown in FIG. 1 the body may be used to support the knees of a person in an elevated position when such person is lying on a bed or other horizontal surface. Alternatively, the body may be used as a back rest or head rest.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 the body 20 is formed of material corresponding to that of the body 1 and has two limbs 21 and 22 extending in opposite directions from a neck 23 of reduced thickness. The upper or outer surfaces 24 and 25 of the limbs preferably are substantially planar, whereas the opposite surfaces 26 and 27 are arcuate. Such arrangement provides a greater surface area adjacent the free ends of the limbs for contact with a surface on which the body is placed, thereby rendering the body more stable than it otherwise would be.

The outer surface of each of the limbs has a groove 28 for the accommodation of an inelastic restraining strap 29. Preferably, the base of each groove is lined with a Velcro-type hook or loop fastener 30 and that surface of the strap which confronts the base of the groove has a complementary loop or hook fastener which cooperates with the fastener secured to the base of the groove to retain a portion of the restraining strap in a selected position of adjustment so that the limbs may be maintained in a selected relationship. Preferably, the free end of each of the limbs also has a groove 31 which communicates with the groove 28 and through which extends that portion of the restraining strap 29 which spans the free ends of the limbs when they are in an arched condition as is shown in both full and dash lines in FIG. 4.

If desired, an inelastic coupling strap 32 may be used in lieu of or with the strap 29 and preferably at opposite sides of the body, the strap 32 being of such length as to span the two limbs and having one of the two hook and loop components of a Velcro fastener. The sides of the limbs have complementary loop and hook components with the strap 32 so as to maintain the limbs in a selected position of adjustment relative to one another.

All of the restraining straps act to restrain relative movement of the limbs in a direction away from one another, thereby stabilizing the body in whatever position it occupies when the limbs do not directly confront or extend in prolongation of one another.

In some instances the body 1 or 20 may be intended for use on a flat surface. In this case the free ends of each limb may be flat or linear as is shown at 33 in FIG. 5. In other instances, the body may be intended for use on a body support having an upwardly concave surface. In this event the free end of each limb should be rounded, as is shown at 34 in FIG. 6, to complement the surface of the support.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 7-11, a body 33 formed of material like that of the bodies 1 and 20 has two limbs 34 and 35 joined by a reduced thickness neck 36. The upper surface of the body 33 has a pair of spaced, parallel grooves 37, 38 which flank and parallel a concave central zone 39. The zone 39 has a pair of spaced apart hook or loop anchor straps 40 and 41 which are secured in any suitable manner to the body 33.

The lower surface of each limb 34 and 35 is rounded for the same purpose referred to earlier.

A coupling strap 42 having loop and hook fasteners is provided for use in maintaining the body 33 in an arched position corresponding to that shown in FIGS. 1, 3, and 4. In use, the limbs 34 and 35 are adjusted toward one another to form an arch. One end of the strap 42 may be secured to one of the straps 40, 41 and the remaining part of the strap 42 extended beneath the free end of one of the limbs and beneath and around the free end of the other limb so as to overlie and be secured to the other anchor strap 40 or 41.

Alternatively, the straps 40, 41 may be applied to the sides of the limbs in a manner corresponding to that shown in FIG. 3 so as to enable the limbs to be maintained in a selected position of arch-forming condition. In this construction one or more of the coupling straps 42 may be used to maintain the limbs in a selected position of adjustment.

The disclosed embodiments are representative of presently preferred forms of the invention, but are intended to be illustrative rather than definitive thereof. The invention is defined in the claims.

Claims

1. A positioning device comprising a body member formed of resiliently flexible material and having two limbs joined to one another by a neck, said neck being thinner than said limbs, thereby facilitating rocking of said limbs at said neck between extreme positions in one of which said limbs extend in opposite directions from said neck and in another of which said limbs confront one another; and adjustable coupling means releasably coupling said limbs to one another for restraining relative movement of said limbs in a direction toward said one position from said another position.

2. The device according to claim 1 wherein said coupling means comprises a strap extending from one of said limbs to the other of said limbs.

3. The device according to claim 1 wherein said coupling means comprises a cord extending from one of said limbs to the other of said limbs.

4. The device according to claim 3 wherein each of said limbs has passages in which said cord is slideably accommodated.

5. The device according to claim 4 including a clasp in which said cord adjustably is accommodated.

6. The device according to claim 1 wherein said coupling means comprises a strap accommodated in grooves formed in each of said limbs.

7. The device according to claim 6 wherein said strap and said grooves have cooperable releasable fasteners for releasably securing said strap in a selected one of a number of adjusted positions.

8. The device according to claim 1 wherein said coupling means comprises a strap spanning and removably secured to said limbs.

9. The device according to claim 8 wherein said strap is inelastic.

10. The device according to claim 1 wherein said coupling means comprises anchor strap means secured to said limbs and a restraining strap extending between said limbs and joined to said anchor strap means.

11. The device according to claim 10 wherein said anchor strap means comprises a pair of retaining straps on opposite sides of said neck and wherein said retaining strap extends from one of said restraining straps beneath both of said limbs, said restraining strap being secured adjacent its opposite ends to both of said retaining straps.