Abstract:
An apparatus for supporting the head of user while the user is lying in a face-down position, a face-up position or a side position. The apparatus includes a head cradle with air holes and a pair of elongated dependent arms that can be manipulated to serve as a chest support, or a neck support or a head support depending on how the user is lying.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention generally relates to support cushions, and more particularly, to a head cradle including a body support for supporting the user&#39;s face, head and even chest while in a lying position. 
     BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     The use of head support cushions is well-known in the art. Examples of such head support cushions are: U.S. Pat. No. 1,542,674 (Darling); U.S. Pat. No. 2,107,962 (Sheasby); U.S. Pat. No. 2,795,802 (Myers); U.S. Pat. No. 3,315,282 (Lowery et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 3,926,181 (Eischen, Sr.); U.S. Pat. No. 4,074,376 (Bond); U.S. Pat. No. 4,730,801 (Cloward); U.S. Pat. No. 4,891,854 (Finkelstein); U.S. Pat. No. 4,907,306 (Nakaji); U.S. Pat. No. 5,632,050 (Zajas et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 5,682,632 (Cotroneo); U.S. Pat. No. 5,970,546 (Danis); U.S. Pat. No. 6,042,184 (Kofoed); U.S. Pat. No. 6,052,848 (Kelly); U.S. Pat. No. 6,128,797 (Shafer); U.S. Pat. No. D416,428 (Jackson) and U.S. Pat. No. D420,845 (Rumage). 
     However, none of the above teach or suggest an apparatus that can be used for a variety of head positions without the need to introduce an new or external member, or whereby a portion of the apparatus can be formed to provide a support for a different head position. 
     Therefore, there remains a need for a head support for a user in a lying position, either face-up, face down or on the side and which includes body support members that can be manipulated to form a chest support, a neck support or a portion of the head support. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An apparatus for supporting the head of a user while the user is lying in a face-down position, a face-up position or a side position. The apparatus comprises: a head cradle for receiving a portion of the user&#39;s head; and at least two elongated arms that are coupled to the head cradle and wherein the at least two elongated arms are manipulable to form a chest support or a neck support or a head support. 
     A method for supporting both the head and chest of a user lying in a face down position. The method comprises the steps of: (a) providing a head cradle that includes an oval-shaped opening and air holes for supporting the head of a user lying face down thereon; (b) providing at least two tapered elongated arms that are coupled to a portion of the head cradle at a first end and having free ends; and (c) extending the free ends of the at least two tapered elongated arms away from the head cradle for supporting the chest of the user thereon. 
     A method for supporting both the head and neck of a user lying in a face up position. The method comprises the steps of: (a) providing a head cradle that includes an oval-shaped opening for supporting the head of a user lying face up thereon; (b) providing at least two elongated arms that are coupled to a portion of the head cradle at a first end and having free ends and wherein the free ends are manipulated into a transverse position at a bottom surface of the head cradle for supporting the back of the neck of the user. 
     A method for supporting the head of a user lying in a side position. The method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a head cradle that includes an oval-shaped opening for supporting the head of a user lying face up thereon; (b) providing at least two elongated arms that are coupled to a portion of the head cradle at a first end and having free ends and wherein the free ends are releasably secured to the head cradle to cover a substantial portion of said oval-shaped opening for supporting the side of the head of the user thereon. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the head cradle with body support; 
     FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the invention of FIG. 1 but with one of the depending arms positioned over the opening of the head support; 
     FIG. 3 is an isometric view of the invention of FIG. 1 depicting both depending arms positioned over the opening of the head support; 
     FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the invention taken along line  4 — 4  of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the invention taken along line  5 — 5  of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the invention taken along line  6 — 6  of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the invention with a user, shown in phantom, lying face down on the invention; 
     FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the invention with a user, shown in phantom, lying on her back, face up, with her head positioned in the head cradle and with the depending arms folded to provide a neck support; and 
     FIG. 9 is a top plan view of the invention with a user, shown in phantom, lying on her side with her head positioned in the head cradle and with the depending arms folded over the opening in the head cradle to provide a head support. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now in detail to the various figures of the drawing wherein like reference characters refer to like parts, there is shown at  20  a head cradle with body support (hereinafter “apparatus  20 ”). The apparatus  20  basically comprises a head cradle  22  and depending arms  24 A and  24 B that can be manipulated in different positions. The apparatus  20  is used by a person in a lying position, such as on a beach, treatment/examination table, bed, couch, lounge chair, etc. As will be discussed in detail later, the apparatus  20  can be used as a face/chest support (FIG.  7 ), as a head and neck support (FIG. 8) or as a side head support (FIG.  9 ). 
     In particular, the head cradle  22  is ring-like or annular-shaped having an inner portion  26  that conforms to the shape of a human face (e.g., an oval). As shown most clearly in FIG. 5, the head cradle  22  comprises four parts: 
     a rigid foam material  28  that is also annular-shaped; 
     a plurality of flexible plastic tubes  30 A- 30 H (FIG. 4) positioned in recesses (not shown) in the rigid foam material  28 ; 
     an annular-shaped fabric  32  filled with beads  34  that is positioned on top of the plastic tubes  30 A- 30 H and the rigid foam material  28 ; and 
     an outer fabric  36  that contains all of these components and which utilizes a single seam  38  (FIG. 4) to close the fabric  36  around these components. 
     The plurality of tubes  30 A- 30 H permits the passage of air into/out of the inner portion  26  when the user is lying with his/her face down on the head cradle  22 . The bead filled fabric  32  provides a flexible cushion that conforms to the head of the user, whether the user is lying face-down or head-up. 
     It should be understood that term “annular-shaped” or “ring-like” as used throughout this Specification implies that the inner portion  26  of the head cradle  22  comprises a shape that conforms to the shape of the human face (e.g., oval) but does not require that the outside periphery of the head cradle  22  be circular, round, oval, etc. In fact, the outside periphery of the head cradle  22  can assume almost any shape. 
     As shown in FIG. 6, each of the dependent arms  24 A and  24 B comprises a fabric  40  (similar to fabric  36 ) that is also filled with beads  42  (similar to the beads  34 ). The fabric  40  is closed by a single seam  41 A and  41 B for each of the arms  24 A/ 24 B, which is shown underneath the dependent arms  24 A and  24 B in FIG.  4 . The upper portions  44 A and  44 B (FIG. 1) of each of the dependent arms  24 A/ 24 B comprise an internal fabric  46  also filled with beads  48 . This bead-filled internal fabric  46  acts as a shoulder support for each dependent arm  24 A/ 24 B when the user is lying face down with his/her head in the inner portion  26 , as will be discussed in detail later. When the dependent arms  24 A and  24 B are to be attached to the head cradle  22 , the bead-filled fabric  46  is positioned in the upper portion  44 A and  44 B of the dependent arm fabric  40  (which itself has been substantially filled with the beads  42 ). The upper ends  48 A and  48 B of the dependent arm fabric  40  are then sewn with a seam  50 A and  50 B to the head cradle  22 . Thus, the seams  50 A and  50 B also act as pivot locations for the dependent arms  24 A/ 24 B with respect to the head cradle  22 . 
     Both the rigid foam material  28  and the beads ( 34 ,  42 ,  48 ) may comprise latex-covered closed cell foam rubber which are non-absorbant to water. All of the fabrics  32 ,  36 ,  40  and  46  comprise a washable (e.g., cold water/delicate cycle) material. The outer fabrics  36  and  40  may comprise a light color to assist in reflecting, rather than absorbing, heat especially when the apparatus  20  is used on the beach or any outdoor activity where the user is exposed to the sun. Furthermore, the outer fabric  36  is also a breathable material in order to allow the passage of air in and out of the plurality of tubes  30 A- 30 H in the head cradle  22 . The material of the outer fabrics  36  and  40  also are amenable to having print placed thereon. 
     To permit the dependent arms  24 A and  24 B to be manipulated to provide the different supports of the apparatus  20 , a releasably securement mechanism is provided. A hook/pile arrangement (e.g., Velcro®) can be implemented to achieve this. For example, the head cradle  22  comprises a first hook strip  52  and a second hook strip  54  that are disposed on the sides, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4. Furthermore, the inside surface of the free ends of the dependent arms  24 A/ 24 B comprise corresponding pile strips  56 A and  56 B. Thus, as shown in FIG. 2, the dependent arm  24 B is folded over the head cradle  22  and the first hook strip  52  is engaged with the pile strip  56 B. Then, as shown in FIG. 3, the other dependent arm  24 A is then folded over the folded dependent arm  24 B and head cradle  22  and the second hook strip  54  is engaged with the pile strip  56 A. It should be noted that when the dependent arm  24 A is folded over the already-folded dependent arm  24 B, the force needed to engage the second hook strip  54  with the pile strip  56 A causes the dependent arms  24 A/ 24 B to cover a substantial portion of the inner portion  26 , thereby providing a head support as shown in FIG.  9 . 
     It should also be noted that, although not shown, the bottom surface of the head cradle  22  may also comprise a hook/pile configuration for releasably coupling the head cradle  22  to an auxiliary member that is secured to a recreational device, e.g., a raft. Thus, the auxiliary member can be attached to the raft and then the head cradle  22  releasably secured to the auxiliary member. In this manner, the apparatus  20  can be used on a raft, or other recreational vehicle, without the apparatus  20  sliding off. 
     When the apparatus  20  is to be used as a face/chest support as shown in FIG. 7, the dependent arms  24 A/ 24 B are placed in their elongated position. The user U then lies face down by placing his/her face into the inner portion  26 . The users&#39;s U chest/upper torso is supported on the dependent arms  24 A/ 24 B, with each of the shoulders being supported by the upper portions  44 A/ 44 B of the dependent arms  24 A/ 24 B; the arms  24 A/ 24 B are tapered to provide appropriate support to the chest. In this position, the user U can breathe normally due to the presence of the plurality of tubes  30 A- 30 H. The bean-filled annular-shaped fabric  32  inside the head cradle  22  provides a soft conforming surface against which the user&#39;s face rests. 
     When the apparatus  20  is to be used as a head and neck support as shown in FIG. 8, the user U folds the dependent arms  24 A/ 24 B into a somewhat transverse position at the base, or bottom surface, of the head cradle  22 . The user U then lies with the back of his/her head positioned in the inner portion  26 .The user U can adjust the height of the neck support, formed by these folded dependent arms  24 A/ 24 B, by moving the arms  24 A/ 24 B back and forth. Also, the bean-filled annular-shaped fabric  32  inside the head cradle  22  again provides a soft conforming surface for the back of the user&#39;s head. 
     When the apparatus  20  is to be used as a side head support as shown in FIG. 9, the apparatus  20  is folded as described earlier with respect to FIGS. 2-3. In that configuration, the inner portion  26  is covered by the dependent arms  24 A/ 24 B and therefore the user U can lie with the side of his/her head on top of the folded dependent arms  24 A/ 24 B. 
     Without further elaboration, the foregoing will so fully illustrate my invention that others may, by applying current or future knowledge, readily adopt the same for use under various conditions of service.