Patent ID: 8176921
Filing Date: 2012-05-15
Classification: A47G

Abstract:
1. A dynamically adjustable therapeutic support system for supporting a head and neck of a user at rest on the therapeutic support system, the dynamically adjustable therapeutic support system comprising: an expandable first chamber defining an interior volume adapted to receive and store a fluid under pressure, said first chamber having a first flexible outer surface region dimensioned and arranged to support a top region of the head of a user at rest; an expandable second chamber defining an interior volume adapted to receive and store a fluid under pressure, said second chamber having a second flexible outer surface region dimensioned and arranged to support the neck of a user at rest, a gap region region disposed between said first and second chambers; an expandable third chamber coupled at one end to said first chamber and at another end to said second chamber; an expandable fourth chamber coupled at one end to said first chamber and at another end to said second chamber, wherein lower sidewall portions of said first, second, third and fourth chambers are dimensioned and arranged to be supported on a common plane and to define a gap region having a lateral dimension and extending up from said common plane for receiving and supporting the head of a user at rest; a pump; and a control circuit operative to establish fluid communication between said pump and each of said expandable chambers and responsive to detection of one of a characteristic and a behavior indicative of a sleep disorder to alter a pressurization within each of said expandable chambers so as to reposition said head supported by the first and second flexible outer surface regions, the spaced surfaces of the third and fourth upper chambers having a combined lateral dimension that is greater than the lateral dimension of the gap region, whereby by changing pressure in the third or fourth upper chambers, a user's head, supported by the spaced side surface on the third or fourth chambers, can be repositioned by being rotated.