Abstract:
An orthopedic pillow for supporting a user is disclosed. The user has a head and a torso. The pillow comprises a head rest for supporting the head of the user and a wedge-shaped portion having a tapered surface. The wedge-shaped portion is attached to and extends away from the head rest. The tapered surface of the wedge-shaped portion supports portions of the torso of the user. The wedge-shaped portion has a shoulder recess depressed from the tapered surface to receive a shoulder of the user.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/352,216, filed on Jun. 7, 2010, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The present invention relates generally to orthopedic pillows, and more particularly, to orthopedic pillows that provide a recessed area for a shoulder and support for the chest wall. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE ART 
       [0003]    During orthopedic surgery, the use of an axillary roll under patients who are in a lateral decubitus position is well known. Generally, the axillary roll is used to support the chest wall and relieve pressure and weight from the downward-facing shoulder. The benefits of such axillary rolls are well known in the art. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    Orthopedic pillows disclosed herein provide similar benefits by enabling a person to sleep or rest comfortably while lying on a side. Orthopedic pillows disclosed herein may be of particular benefit to people with various pain-causing shoulder conditions, especially when they lie on the side of the pain-causing shoulder. A common cause of such pain is impingement syndrome of the shoulder, though other causes are known. 
         [0005]    The orthopedic pillow may provide a recess into which a shoulder of the person can be inserted. 
         [0006]    The orthopedic pillow may further provide a wedge-shaped area upon which the torso of the person can rest and be supported thereby. 
         [0007]    The orthopedic pillow may still further provide a head rest upon which the head of the person can rest and be supported thereby. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an orthopedic pillow in accordance with the present invention ; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a person with the person&#39;s arm passing under the orthopedic pillow of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a person with the person&#39;s arm extending from the orthopedic pillow of  FIG. 1  without passing under the orthopedic pillow ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a person with the person lying on top of the orthopedic pillow of  FIG. 1 , with the back of the person facing the orthopedic pillow ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of an orthopedic pillow in accordance with the invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is a side view of the orthopedic pillow of  FIG. 5  ; and 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is a plan view of the orthopedic pillow of  FIG. 5 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0015]    While this invention is susceptible of embodiments in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail, preferred embodiments of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the broad aspect of the invention to the embodiments illustrated. 
         [0016]    A preferably one-piece orthopedic pillow, generally designated  10 , is illustrated in  FIG. 1 . The orthopedic pillow  10  may include a generally wedge-shaped portion  11 , a head rest  12  and a shoulder recess  13 . The wedge-shaped portion  11  may preferably be tapered on its opposing sides. The head rest  12  may include a pillow-top cover  12   a  on one or both of its sides for added comfort. 
         [0017]    The orthopedic pillow  10  may be made of a suitable material such as resilient foam, polyurethane, etc. The material used in the orthopedic pillow  10  may be sufficiently soft and compressible to be comfortable to a person  14  utilizing the orthopedic pillow  10  while being resilient and strong enough to maintain its basic shape and provide support against the weight of the person  14 . It is contemplated that a variety of materials, including combinations of materials, could be used. 
         [0018]    The wedge-shaped portion  11  may extend longitudinally on both its upper side and lower side (see in particular  FIG. 6 ) along inclines to the head rest  12 . Preferred dimensions of the wedge-shaped portion  11  are: 16-20 inches long (as measured along the longitudinal axis of the wedge-shaped portion  11 ), 6-10 inches tall at the tallest point and 32-36 inches wide. The head rest  12  may be generally a cuboid with a longitudinal axis orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the wedge-shaped portion  11 . Preferred dimensions of the head rest  12  are: 32-36 inches long, 9-15 inches tall and 9-15 inches wide. An arm channel  15  may be created between the tallest end of the wedge-shaped portion  11  and the head rest  12  by an absence of material of the orthopedic pillow  10  ( FIG. 1 ). The arm channel  15  may be generally concave in shape. The head rest  12  is taller than the wedge-shaped portion  11  is tall, and because the wedge-shaped portion  11  is centered vertically on the head rest  12 , an arm channel  15  is created both above and below the wedge-shaped portion  11  ( FIG. 4 ). The depth of the arm channel  15  should be sufficiently large to receive an arm of the person  14  under the arm channel  15  while the orthopedic pillow  10  rests flush on a flat surface. The preferred depth of the arm channel  15 , measured from the top of the head rest  12 , is between 4 inches and 8 inches, inclusive. 
         [0019]    Alternatively, the orthopedic pillow  10  can be made without the arm channel  15 . In this alternative embodiment, shown in  FIGS. 5-7 , the tallest end of the wedge-shaped portion  11  terminates at the head rest  12 . The head rest  12  is taller than the wedge-shaped portion  11  is thick, and because the wedge-shaped portion  11  is centered vertically on the head rest  12 , a lip  16  is created above and below the wedge-shaped portion  11  on the head rest  12  ( FIG. 6 ). The height of the lip  16  should be sufficiently small to maintain the head of the person  14  at a comfortable angle with respect to the torso of the person  14 , but should also be sufficiently large to receive the arm of the person  14  under the wedge-shaped portion  11 . The preferred height of a lip  16  is between 1 inch and 3 inches, as measured from the top of the wedge-shaped portion  11  to the top of the head rest  12 . 
         [0020]    The shoulder recess  13  may be formed by an absence of material between the wedge-shaped portion  11  and the head rest  12  on a shoulder side  19  of the orthopedic pillow  10 . The shoulder recess  13  may extend from the face of the shoulder side  19  to a contoured edge  20 , which abuts each of the arm channels  15 . A preferred width of the shoulder recess  13 , as measured from the head rest  12  to the wedge-shaped portion  11 , is 6-8 inches. The contoured edge  20  may be any shape, but a preferred shape is generally semi-circular as this shape best accommodates a shoulder. 
         [0021]    In the embodiment of the orthopedic pillow  10  that has no arm channel  15 , the shoulder recess  13  may be formed by an absence of material through the height of the wedge-shaped portion  11  where the wedge-shaped portion  11  meets the head rest  12  on a shoulder side  19  of the wedge-shaped portion  11  ( FIG. 7 ). The shoulder recess  13  may extend from the face of the shoulder side  19  to a contoured edge  20 . The contoured edge  20  may be any shape, but a preferred shape is generally semi-circular as this shape best accommodates a shoulder. 
         [0022]    A person wishing to relieve pressure to the shoulder on the same side that the person is lying is able to do so by placing the torso of the person on the wedge-shaped portion  11 , the shoulder into the shoulder recess  13  and the head onto the head rest  12 . In the configuration just described, the person using the orthopedic pillow  10  experiences a benefit which is that the chest wall and head of the person are independently supported to remove pressure from the shoulder which is able to be positioned comfortably. 
         [0023]    Two preferred uses of the orthopedic pillow  10  are shown in  FIGS. 2-3 . In one preferred use, shown in  FIG. 2 , the non-recessed side  21  of the pillow  10  faces the same direction as the person  14 . The person  14  is lying in the right lateral decubitus position with the right shoulder placed in the shoulder recess  13  and with the right arm extending forward and away from the person  14 , under the wedge-shaped portion  11  in the space created by the arm channel  15 . In another preferred use, shown in  FIG. 3 , the recessed side of the pillow  19  faces the same direction as the person  14 . The person  14  is lying in the right lateral decubitus position with the right shoulder placed in the shoulder recess  13  and with the right arm extending forward and away from the person  14 . The two preferred uses just mentioned can be modified by replacing references to the right shoulder with the left shoulder wherever the right shoulder is used and by placing the person  14  in a left lateral decubitus position. 
         [0024]    Yet another use of the orthopedic pillow  10  is shown in  FIG. 4 . The person  14  is lying in the dorsal decubitus position with the back of the person  14  resting on the wedge-shaped portion  11  and the head of the person  14  resting on the head rest  12 . 
         [0025]    While specific embodiments have been illustrated and described, numerous modifications may come to mind without significantly departing from the spirit of the invention, and the scope of protection is only limited by the scope of the accompanying claim.