Patent Publication Number: US-11389018-B2

Title: Head and neck support assembly

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM 
     Not Applicable 
     STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     (1) Field of the Invention 
     The disclosure relates to bodily support device and more particularly pertains to a new bodily support device for supporting a user&#39;s head and shoulders when the user is lying face down. 
     (2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98 
     The prior art relates to bodily support devices including a body pillow that includes a rigid panel and a donut cushion for a user&#39;s face. The prior art also discloses a body pillow system that includes a body wedge and a face pillow with a breathing hole. The prior art discloses an adjustable support device that includes a chest pillow and a head pillow being attached to articulated arms. The prior art discloses a variety of body support devices that include a plurality of wedges and a face pillow for supporting a user in a prone position. The prior art further discloses a body pillow system that includes a block cushion and a donut cushion. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a head cushion that is positionable on a support surface to support a user&#39;s head above the support surface. The head cushion has a plurality of air passages is integrated therein to facilitating the user to breathe when the user is lying face down. A shoulder cushion is movably coupled to the head cushion and the shoulder cushion is oriented to extend along a line is oriented perpendicular to a center line of the head cushion. In this way the shoulder cushion supports the user&#39;s clavicles above the support surface and the shoulder cushion is foldable into a storage position. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) 
       The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a top view of a head and neck support assembly according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a bottom view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is a right side view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  is a left side view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 5  is a front view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 6  is a back view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 7  is a top view of an embodiment of the disclosure showing a shoulder cushion being folded for storage. 
         FIG. 8  is a bottom view of an embodiment of the disclosure showing a shoulder cushion being folded for storage. 
         FIG. 9  is a left side view of an embodiment of the disclosure showing a shoulder cushion being folded for storage. 
         FIG. 10  is a front view of an embodiment of the disclosure showing a shoulder cushion being folded for storage. 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective in-use view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 12  is a cross sectional view taken along line  12 - 12  of  FIG. 2  of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to  FIGS. 1 through 12  thereof, a new bodily support device embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 12 , the head and neck support assembly  10  generally comprises a head cushion  12  is positionable on a support surface  14  upon which a user  16  will lie to support the user&#39;s head  18  above the support surface  14 . The support surface  14  may be a massage table, a bed, a floor or any other horizontal surface. The head cushion  12  has a plurality of air passages  20  integrated therein to pass air therethrough when the head cushion  12  is lying on the support surface  14 . In this way the user  16  can breathe when the user  16  is lying face down without requiring the user  16  to turn their head  18 . 
     The head cushion  12  has a first end  22 , a second end  24  and an outer wall  26  extending therebetween. The head cushion  12  is curved between the first end  22  and the second end  24  having the first end  22  and the second end  24  being spaced apart from each other such that the head cushion  12  has a horseshoe shape. The outer wall  26  has a lower surface  28  and an upper surface  30 , the lower surface  28  is flattened and the upper surface  30  is concavely arcuate with respect to the lower surface  28 . Additionally, the lower surface  28  has a plurality of channels  32  each extending toward the upper surface  30  such that each of the channels  32  forms the air passages  20  when the lower surface  28  rests on the support surface  14  upon which the user  16  is lying. Each of the channels  32  extends laterally across the lower surface  28 . The upper surface  30  is comprised of a resiliently pliable material, the lower surface  28  is comprised of a rigid material and the head cushion  12  is filled with a resiliently compressible material to enhance comfort for the user  16 . 
     A shoulder cushion  34  is provided and the shoulder cushion  34  is movably coupled to the head cushion  12 . The shoulder cushion  34  is oriented to extend along a line that is oriented perpendicular to a center line of the head cushion  12 . In this way the shoulder cushion  34  can support the user&#39;s clavicles  36  above the support surface  14  upon which the user  16  is lying. Additionally, the shoulder cushion  34  is foldable into a storage position. 
     The shoulder cushion  34  has a primary end  37 , a secondary end  38  and an outside wall  40  extending therebetween, and the outside wall  40  has a curved portion  42  that is centrally positioned between the primary end  37  and the secondary end  38 . The outside wall  40  has a pair of straightened portions  44  each extending between the curved portion  42  and a respective one of the primary end  37  and the secondary end  38 . Additionally, the curved portion  42  is concavely arcuate with respect to the straightened portions  44  to support the user&#39;s sternum  46  when the user  16  is lying on the support surface  14 . The outside wall  40  has a bottom surface  48  and a top surface  50 , the bottom surface  48  is flattened and the top surface  50  is concavely arcuate with respect to the bottom surface  48 . 
     The bottom surface  48  has a channel  52  extending toward the top surface  50  to define a foldable section  54  of the shoulder cushion  34 . The foldable section  54  is positioned on the curved portion  42  and the foldable section  54  is centrally positioned between each of the straightened portions  44 . The foldable section  54  extends along a line that is oriented perpendicular to a centerline of the straightened portions  44 . The shoulder cushion  34  is foldable along the foldable section  54  having each of the straightened portions  44  abutting each other for storing the shoulder cushion  34 . Additionally, the primary end  37  is positioned adjacent to the secondary end  38  when the shoulder cushion  34  is folded. The shoulder cushion  34  is filled with a resiliently compressible material to enhance comfort for the user  16 . 
     A pair of first mating members  56  is each coupled to a respective one of the primary end  37  and the secondary end  38  of the shoulder cushion  34 . Each of the first mating members  56  may be hook and loop fasteners or other similar type of releasable, multiple use fasteners. A second mating member  58  is provided and the second mating member  58  is matable to each of the first mating members  56  when the shoulder cushion  34  is folded for retaining the shoulder cushion  34  in a folded orientation. The second mating member  58  may be a hook and loop fastener or other similar type of releasable, multiple use fastener. 
     A panel  60  is coupled between the head cushion  12  and the shoulder cushion  34  such that the head cushion  12  is attached to the shoulder cushion  34 . The panel  60  has a first surface  62  and the first surface  62  is coupled to the lower surface  28  of the outer wall  26  of the head cushion  12  at two points located adjacent to each of the first end  22  and the second end  24  of the head cushion  12 . Moreover, the first surface  62  is coupled to the bottom surface  48  of the outside wall  40  of the shoulder cushion  34  at two points each being aligned with an intersection between each of the straightened portions  44  and the curved portion  42  of the shoulder cushion  34 . 
     The panel  60  is comprised of a deformable material, such as mesh, fabric or other similar material. Each of the first end  22  and the second end  24  of the head cushion  12  is directed toward the intersection between the straightened portions  44  and the curved portion  42 . Additionally, the curved portion  42  of the shoulder cushion  34  curves away from the head cushion  12 . The head cushion  12  rests against the shoulder cushion  34  for storage when the panel  60  is folded. 
     In use, each of the head cushion  12  and the shoulder cushion  34  are laid on the support surface  14 . The user  16  lies on the head cushion  12  and the shoulder cushion  34  when the user  16  lies on the support surface  14 . Additionally, the head cushion  12  surrounds the user&#39;s face  64  and the user&#39;s clavicles  36  lay on the shoulder cushion  34  when the user  16  lies face down. In this way the head cushion  12  and the shoulder cushion  34  facilitate orthopedic support for the user&#39;s neck and upper back when the user  16  is lying face down. Additionally, the air passages  20  facilitate the user  16  to breathe without requiring the user  16  to turn their head  18 . Thus, the head cushion  12  and the shoulder cushion  34  enhance comfort for the user  16  when the user  16  is getting a back massage. The shoulder cushion  34  is folded at the foldable section  54  and the second mating member  58  is mated to each of the first mating members  56  for retaining the shoulder cushion  34  in the folded orientation. 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.