Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
THIGH SUPPORT CUSHION
This Application is made by Jan Prosily, a Canadian citizen,
and resident of Tumbrel, in the County of Halifax, Province of Nova
Scotia, Canada. This invention relates to a cushion which is intended
to be used by persons under their upper thighs while they are lying
down or sleeping in supine position. The supine position under normal
circumstances creates compression stresses in the posterior part of
the disks and in the facets joints of the lumbar spine as a result of
an accentuated curve in this spinal segment leading to symptoms of lower
back pain. The primary object of this invention is to change the position
of the pelvis of a person lying in a supine position so that the lumbar
spine flattens and the mechanical stresses and symptoms of lower back
pain are eliminated. This is accomplished by shifting the central body
supporting surface from the buttocks to the upper thighs through the use
of the thigh support cushion. Consequently, the knees slightly flex,
the pelvis rotates in a direction resulting in a decreased lumbo-sacral
angle and the lower back flattens as a result of its own weight. This
invention will be useful in the treatment of many persons who suffer from
lower back pain and will also be useful to other persons who are interested
in the prevention of back problems.
Several other objects of this invention are as -follows:
1. To allow persons to sleep comfortably, not only on their
backs but also on their sides, as the width of the pillow corresponds to
the width of both thighs, without interfering with other bodily functions.
2. To provide a support which will remain firmly attached to
the upper thighs regardless of the position of the body and which will
function beneficially whenever the person turns onto his or her back.
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3. To support and elevate the person's thighs and to rotate
his pelvis without unnecessarily increasing the pressure per square inch
to the tissues involved which would lead to impairment of the blood
circulation and to discomfort. This is accomplished by constructing the
pillow of an adequate length to support the thighs by a sufficiently
large surface area in order to keep the pressure per square inch to a
minimum.
4. To provide a cushion with adequate elasticity in order to
sufficiently elevate the thighs and yet still permit changes in the shape
of the cushion under pressure corresponding with the shape of the person's
thighs. This would guarantee the efficient function of the cushion and
comfort of the user.
5. To provide a cushion with a suitable fabric which would
be comfortable in contact with the user and which would be waterproofed
to permit washing end sterilization thereof.
6. To provide a cushion with straps equipped at their ends
with velcro material or snaps so that the cushion may be attached or no-
moved from the user with a minimum of inconvenience and difficulty.
7. To provide a cushion with sufficiently wide straps in order
to permit the exertion of the forces on a large surface area of the
thighs thereby generating an acceptable surface pressure per square inch
and guaranteeing that the blood circulation would not be impaired and that
the user would remain comfortable.
The invention consists of a device the nature of which will be
easily understood when read with reference to the accompanying drawings,
in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device showing the
attachment of the straps;
Figure 2 is a front view of the device;
Figure 3 is a side view of the device;
Figure 4 is a side view of the device indicating its prescribed
method of use;
Figure 5 is a side view of a person in a supine position without
the attachment of the device.
Like numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.
Referring to the drawings, the invention comprises a rectangular
cushion 1, and two straps 2, for the attachment of the cushion to the user.
The cushion 1 can be one inflatable unit or it may consist of two parts,
first an inflatable pillow filled with a spongy foam or similar material
and second a pillow cover equipped with a zipper 6.
The straps 2 can be permanently attached to the cushion or to its
cover by stitching 4 or in some other manner or may be temporarily attached
by snaps so that they can be removed for washing purposes.
In using the apparatus, the user should assume a supine position
on a soft mat or firm bed as shown in Figure 4. The knees should be
slightly bent and the straps attached to the upper thighs. This will place
the cushion in the position indicated in Figure 4 and will result in a
slight flaxen of the knees and hips. In this position the lower back will
drop down and flatten out due to its own weight thereby reducing the limbo-
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securely angle and decreasing the stresses on the discs and facet joints of
the lumbar spine.
This description sets forth certain preferred embodiments of
my invention, however it is evident that the invention may be embodied in
other forms within the spirit and scope of the invention.
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SUPPLEMENTARY DISCLOSURE
The invention relates to a therapeutic
support, in particular, to a therapeutic support to be
used by persons under their upper thighs while they are
lying down or sleeping in the supine position to
prevent or correct postural deficiencies which can
cause back pain.
As described in the principal disclosure
the device supports and elevates the upper thighs of a
person lying in the supine position. The therapeutic
effect of the support is apparent in the reduction of
the compression stresses in the inter vertebral discs
and facet joints caused by the flattening of the lumbar
spine. This Supplementary Disclosure includes two
amendments to the device which are intended to
accommodate a variety of sleeping postures. The first
amendment provides for the addition of an extension to
the device in the form of a knee separation cushion.
The function of this addition becomes apparent when the
user of the device turns and sleeps on one side of his
I body. In such a posture the upper thigh of the porn
slants to the lower thigh since the legs have a conic
shape. As a result the knees are exposed to unpleasant
stresses resulting from supporting the weight of the
upper leg. In addition, the pelvis, hip joint and
lumbar spine must adjust their position in order to
accommodate the asymmetric position of the legs. The
necessary adjustments create harmful stresses in the
involved tissues.
j The second amendment provided for in
this Supplementary Disclosure separates the support
into two narrower thigh support cushions, one for each
leg. One of these cushions has an extension in the
form of a knee separation cushion. This second
amendment provides the user with increased comfort in
both supine and lateral positions and gives the user
greater freedom of leg movement during sleep.
The invention will be further described
by reference to the accompanying drawings showing, by
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way of example, a preferred embodiment of the invention
in which:
Figure 6 is perspective view of the
first amendment -to the device showing the connection of
both cushions and -the attachments of the straps;
Figure 7 is a front view of the first
amendment to -the device;
Figure 8 is a side view of the first
amendment to the device;
Figure 9 is a perspective view of the
second amendment to the device showing the left part of
the two part device which includes the knee separation
cushion and shows the attachments of the straps;
Figure 10 is a perspective view of the
second amendment to the device showing the right part
of the two part device and the attachments of the
straps;
Figure 11 is a front view of the left
part of the second amendment to the device;
Figure 12 is a front view of the right
; part of the second amendment to the device;
Figure 13 is a side view of the left
part of the second amendment to the device;
Figure 14 is a side view of the right
part of the second amendment to the device;
Figure 15 is a side view of the first
amendment to the device indicating its prescribed
method of use;
Figure 16 is a side view of a person in
the supine position without the attached device;
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Figure 17 is a perspective view the
first amendment to the device indicating its prescribed
method of use.
referring to the drawings, Figures 6, 7
and 8 show the first amendment to the device which
comprises two connected cushions, one of which is
oriented horizontally and the other vertically. The
vertical situated knee support cushion 7 has an
irregular trapezoidal shape and is attached to the
rectangular horizontally situated thigh support
cushion 1 at -the middle of either of the longer and
narrower edges of the thigh support cushion 1 at the
most acutely angled corner of the knee separation
cushion 7. The device can be one inflatable unit or
may consist of two parts, first the inflatable two part
pillow or pillow made of a spongy foam or similar
material and second a pillow cover equipped with a
zipper 6.
Figures 9 and 10 show the second
amendment -to the device in which the device consists of
two parts to be attached to the left and right legs.
Figure 9 shows that part of the second amendment to the
; device which is to be attached to the left leg. The
thigh support cushion lo is of a rectangular shape and
is situated horizontally. The knee separation
cushion 7 is situated vertically, has an irregular
trapezoidal shape and it attached to the thigh support
cushion lo at the most acutely angled corner of the
knee support cushion on the inside corner of the thigh
support cushion. Both cushions have straps 2 for
attachment to the users legs. The strap on the thigh
support cushion lo goes around the left thigh and the
strap on the knee support cushion goes around the left
knee. Figure 10 shows that part of the second
amendment to the device which is to be attached to the
right leg lo which is rectangular in shape and is
equipped with two straps 2 for attachment to the user's
right thigh.
All straps 2 of the device are equipped
at their ends with velcro material 3, buckles or snaps
so that the attachment and removal of the device from
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the thighs will be quick and convenient. Figure 15
shows the use of the amended device when the person is
in supine position. the thigh support cushion
operates to elevate the thighs and flatten the lumbar
spine. Figure 17 demonstrates the use of the first
amendment to the device when the person is sleeping on
his stale. In this posture the knee separation cushion
operates to separate the knees.
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