Patent Publication Number: US-6698030-B2

Title: Neck pressure relief pad

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to pressure relief pads and, more particularly, to a pressure relief pad operable for relieving the pressure of a ligature such as a bra or bathing suit strap on the nape of the neck. 
     2. Prior Art 
     Pads operable for relieving the pressure applied to skin of a person&#39;s shoulder by a taut ligature such as a bra strap or the strap of a carrying case are well known in the art. Representative pressure relief pads in accordance with the prior art are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,795,399, 4,472,838, 3,229,694, 3,154,787, 2,485,720 and 1,546,067. All of the forgoing patents disclose a pad having a laminate composition; that is, the pads are not of unitary construction and may delaminate or otherwise separate upon continued use and exposure to an aggressive environment such as water. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 2,501,749 to Trent discloses a pressure relief-type of shoulder pad that has unitary construction. The pad comprises a flat, oblong sheet of a semi-rigid material such as plastic having an “S” shaped cutout therein. The cutout provides a pair of directionally opposed prongs in the pad through which a strap may be passed and secured to the pad. The pad must be made from a relatively rigid plastic or else the strap, when taut, will bend the prongs and the strap will release unintentionally. The rigidity required of the material precludes facile conformation of the pad to a highly curved surface such as the nape of the neck. Further, all of the forgoing pressure relief pads are designed for placement upon the shoulder of the wearer. There is a need for a comfortable pressure relief pad for use with a ligature that is sufficiently flexible to allow contour-conforming placement behind the neck of a wearer and having unitary construction. 
     SUMMARY 
     A pressure relief pad comprising or consisting essentially of a unitary, ellipsoidal, elastomeric foam body having a center, a length, a thickness, a substantially flat upper surface and a lower skin-contacting surface in opposition to the upper surface. The pad has at least four holes on the upper surface thereof. The holes extend downwardly through the thickness of the foam body. The holes are symmetrically spaced laterally along the upper surface with respect to the center of the pad. The pad consists of a single sheet of compressible elastomeric foam. The diameter of the holes is dimensioned to permit the passage of a ligature therethrough. 
    
    
     The features of the invention believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. However the invention itself, both as to organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof may be best understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pressure relief pad in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the pressure relief pad of FIG. 1 illustrating the opposing ends of a ligature such as string correctly threaded through the holes in the pad in preparation for attachment to one another. 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the use of the pressure relief pad of the present invention by a bather, the pad positioned at the nape of the bather&#39;s neck with a ligature comprising a cord supporting the top portion of a bathing suit attached thereto. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a pressure relief pad in accordance with the present invention. The pressure relief pad  10  comprises a unitary elastomeric foam body  11  having four holes  12   a-d  therein. The elastomeric foam body  11  has an upper surface  13 , a lower skin-contacting surface  14 , a length L, a thickness T and a center  15 . The holes  12   a-d  each has a depth equal to the thickness T and are symmetrically distributed about the center  15  along the length L of the upper surface  13 . The pressure relief pad  10  consists of the elastomeric foam body  11  with at least four holes  12   a-d  therein. 
     The pressure relief pad  10  is preferably made in a single operation by die cutting both the foam body  11  and the holes  12   a-d  from a sheet of elastomeric foam having a thickness between 1 and 6mm. Suitable materials include neoprene, polyurethane and any hypoallergenic elastomeric foam. The foam is most preferable a moderately compressible closed-cell foam elastomeric sheet that does not significantly take up water when submerged and is quick-drying. The soft compliant peripheral edges of the pressure relief pad  10  resist abrading or otherwise irritating the skin during prolonged periods of activity, such as while swimming. A preferred overall shape of the pressure relief pad  10  is ellipsoidal, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, though other elongate shapes are satisfactory and may be ornamental so long as the pad  10  is elongate (i.e. the length L is the greatest dimension). The flexibility of the closed-cell foam pad  10  enables the pad to conform to the arcuate contours on the nape of the neck. 
     Turning now to FIGS. 2 and 3, a method for attaching the pressure relief pad  10  to a ligature such as a bathing suit strap or string is illustrated. The ligature  20  has opposing free ends  21  and  22 . Free ends  21  and  22  are threaded downwardly through holes  12   a  and  12   d  respectively, and then threaded upwardly through holes  12   b  and  12   c  respectively. The pressure relief pad is then placed upon the nape of the neck and tightened by pulling the free ends  21  and  22  together. The free ends are then tied together to form a knot  30  as shown in FIG. 3 such that the center  15  of the pad  10  is interposed between the ligature knot  30  and the person&#39;s neck. The unitary construction of the pad  10  resists delamination while the soft compressible foam body prevents chafing and irritation during activity and is sufficiently flexible to readily conform to the contours on the nape of the neck. 
     While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is therefore intended to cover in the appended claims all such changes and modifications that are within the scope of this invention.