Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
ADJUSTABLE INFLATABLE NECK SUPPORT DEVICE AND METHOD FOR
MANUFACTURING THE SAME
FIELD
The present disclosure relates to a neck support device, and more particularly
to a neck
support device provided with three independent inflatable airbags that are
adjustable therein, so
that a user can inflate or deflate the inflatable airbags by himself or
herself, thereby changing
the appearance, size, height and firmness of the neck support device, and
adjusting the force
exerted by the neck support device on the neck and head of the user, so as to
afford better neck
and head support and to help restore and maintain the neutral anatomical
spinal alignment of the
head, cervical spine and upper thoracic spine for both back sleepers and side
sleepers. The neck
support device according to the present disclosure is easy to use by either a
back sleeper or a
side sleeper, resembles a comfortable pillow, and a user can use the neck
support device while
he or she is laying down or is sleeping.
BACKGROUND
Conventional pillow designs involve merely manufacturing a filling bag, and
filling
therein soft and fluffy materials such as cotton balls, a shaped foam, foam
chips, foam strips or
other airy fluffy materials. While conventional pillows may have certain
softness and
repositionability at beginning, with the prolonged use time, the fluffiness of
the pillows
gradually decreases, and their supportability is therefore tampered. With
pillows that are made
with soft fluffy materials, after being pressed by the head and neck for a
long time, these pillows
become misshaped, and the head angle of a user when the user rests his or her
head thereon
would be too low or too high, which results in excessive neck muscle fatigue
and strain, causing
pain in the neck and shoulders, cervicogenic headaches and affects the
smoothness of breathing.
1
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-11
Moreover, the soft and fluffy materials in conventional pillows can also
become deformed and
tangled into blocks due to long-term compression, resulting in poor air
permeability. Pillows
with poor air permeability can have restricted air flow in the pillows, and
therefore cause health
problems to a user who is used to sleep in a prone position or on his or her
sides, and can even
cause more serious safety problems to a user suffering from sleep apnea.
Further, a conventional
pillow does not accommodate for different body contour and sleeping habits of
different users,
and its height cannot be adjusted to suit the height of the neck and head of a
user, so as to provide
proper support to, and restore and maintain the neutral anatomical spinal
alignment of, the head,
cervical spine and upper thoracic spine of the user. More specifically, take
molded shaped
pillows, otherwise known as orthopedic pillows for example, the types of foam
used in a molded
shaped pillow can be either too soft or too firm. A molded shaped pillow made
with high density
rebound foam can be very rigid and firm, and if its shape does not fit the
shape of a user, the
user can suffer from neck pain and discomfort. On the other hand, even though
a shaped pillow
made with softer memory foam may produce better conformity to the shape of
neck and head
of a user as compared to a pillow made with high density rebound foam, it
tends to be too soft
and does not rebound to the original molded shaped. Moreover, it becomes flat
during use, and
therefore does not fit the shape of the head and neck of the user.
Furthermore, as the materials
inside a traditional pillow are consistent throughout the pillow, the softness
or firmness across
the entire surface of such a pillow is the same, and does not vary to meet the
different
requirement for the softness/firmness of different body parts of a user, such
as that of the head
and of the neck. In summary, the lack of support for the head and neck of a
user causes pain
and discomfort to the user. If the foam density of a pillow is too high or too
low, the pillow
becomes uncomfortable and in turn causes pain to the user. The shape
mismatching between
that of the molded foam pillow and that of the neck and head of a user also
leads to discomfort
and pain.
2
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-11
The severeness of the afore-referenced issues only becomes more obvious given
the fact
that cervical vertebrae connect the skull on the superior side and the
thoracic spine on the inferior
side, and their importance is self-evident. However, people in modern time are
suffering from
cervical spondylosis (also referred to as cervical spine syndromes) more
because of whiplash
injuries from accidents, sports related injuries or fall, and more prevalently
from inappropriate
life style habits (such as prolonged use of mobile phones, game consoles or
computers with the
head lowered down, or improper standing or sitting posture), work needs (such
as driving) that
keep the neck at a fixed posture for a long time, or excessive psychological
pressure, etc. These
factors cause a user's neck muscles to become increasingly tense over time,
the muscles to
become rigid and shortened over time, and bad postural malalignment of the
cervical spine,
which even leads to cervical spine joint degeneration, or intervertebral discs
degeneration and
herniation (as they undertake excessive compression), leading to greater
proneness to nerve
impingement, arthritis, joint pain, and premature degeneration or thinning of
intervertebral
discs, etc., and eventually the development of symptoms such as throbbing arm
pain, arm
numbness, chronic headache, chronic fatigue, insomnia and chronic neck and
shoulder pain, etc.
Most cervical spondylosis, especially chronic neck and shoulder dysfunction,
can be
caused by conditions such as tightness of the neck and shoulder muscles or
excessive
compression of the cervical spine joints that cause nerve irritation and
impingements. Such a
patient can suffer from neck pain almost every day, and the pain can become
worse especially
after a whole day of work, making it difficult for the patient to relax and
fall asleep at night. In
addition, an ordinary pillow available on the market provide little, if not
none, benefit to a patient
with cervical spondylosis; rather, after resting on such a pillow for a long
time, the patient can
suffer from more severe neck and shoulder pain, headache and/or arm pain or
numbness.
Indeed, most patients often cannot afford the time or money required for the
conventional treatment, resulting in such patients not receiving treatment and
suffering pain that
3
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-11
could have been alleviated. In addition, many of the patients receiving
conventional treatments
have not been attended by proper medical professional capable of providing
appropriate
treatment the patients need. Therefore, such patients' pain has not been
effectively relieved. In
the case of having received no treatment or ineffective treatment, some
patients try to take
painkillers, use ointments or patches, etc. However, their effects are
limited, and long-term use
of such can have serious side effects.
Since people's head and neck are unique in size, shape, length and
flexibility, it is
extremely difficult to create a conventional filled pillow or molded shaped
pillow that can fit
and support everyone's head and neck properly. Further, as people tend to move
during sleep,
a traditional filled pillow or a molded shaped pillow cannot fit and support
the head and neck of
a user equally well when he or she is sleeping in the supine position and when
they sleep on
their right and left sides. That is, a one size pillow with a fixed density or
shape simply cannot
fit and support the head and neck of a user equally well for both side and
back sleep posture.
Furthermore, sleeping on a pillow that does not help to support and maintain
the natural neutral
postural spinal alignment of the head, neck and upper back of a user can cause
him or her spinal
misalignment, straining of paraspinal muscles, irritation and pinching of the
nerves, which can
in turn lead to acute and chronic neck and shoulder pain, cervicogenic
headaches and numbing
pain in the upper limbs. The discomfort and pain in the neck and shoulder
further cause such a
user trouble falling asleep or being able to sleep deeply.
That is, many people, either back sleepers or side sleepers, lack proper
support to their
cervical spine, and cannot restore and maintain the neutral anatomical spinal
alignment of the
head, cervical spine and upper thoracic spine when they rest or sleep, and
therefore have suffered
from chronic headaches, neck and shoulder dysfunction and the resulting pain
due to neck
muscles tightness, excessive compression of cervical spine joints, herniated
intervertebral discs,
impingement plus irritation of paraspinal nerves, etc., and therefore from
deteriorated health
4
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-11
condition and life quality, without a good solution being availed.
Accordingly, effectively
solving the aforementioned issues, so that either a back sleeper or a side
sleeper can have his or
her neck contour and sleeping habits suited by a matching neck support device
with increased
sleep or rest comfort, and does not need to spend huge amount of time and/or
money on cervical
treatment, but can independently alleviate and/or prevent cervical syndromes
by having proper
and adjustable neck support, has become an important subject of the present
disclosure.
SUMMARY
One aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a neck support device that
can be
shaped as a pillow and be embedded with three adjustable air cushions, for
example, inflatable
airbags, within three separate hollow chambers inside the neck support device.
In certain
embodiments, the neck support device can be made of molded composite foam. The
combination of the adjustable inflatable airbags and the material of which the
neck support
device is made can work to lift the head and/or face of a user, either a back
sleeper or a side
sleeper, upwards until his or her head, cervical spine and upper thoracic
spine becomes aligned
in a straight line. This adjustable inflatable neck support device enables a
user to adjust the neck
support device to keep his or her head, neck and upper back in their natural
neutral anatomical
alignment, to prevent strain and pain whether he or she is laying or sleeping
on the sides or in a
supine position.
In certain embodiments, the neck support device includes from the front to the
rear a
supporting portion including a center support body and a first inflatable
airbag and a bearing
portion. The bearing portion can bear an occiput of a user when the user is in
a supine position.
A height of a top surface of the bearing portion is lower than a height of a
top surface of the
supporting portion. The center support body is located at a center portion of
the supporting
portion. The center support body has a top surface configured to support the
neck of a user,
5
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-11
and a bottom surface concavely provided with a first chamber. The first
inflatable airbag can
be accommodated within the first chamber, expand or contract along a
displacement axis, and
displace a top surface of the center support body along the displacement axis.
The neck support
device further includes two second inflatable airbags and an inflation device.
Each of the two
second inflatable airbags can be accommodated within a corresponding one of
second chambers
that are concavely provided on a bottom surface of the neck support device and
located at
opposite sides of the first chamber, expand or contract along the displacement
axis, and displace
a top surface of the neck support device along the axis. The inflation device
can be connected
to the first inflatable airbag and the second inflatable airbags,
respectively, and inflate or deflate
the first inflatable airbag and the second inflatable airbags together, or
separately, to change
expansion or contraction degrees of the first inflatable airbag and the second
inflatable airbags.
Furthermore, the inflation device can be either a manually operated, or a
powered inflation
device. Therefore, a user can operate the inflation device to adjust the
expansion or contraction
degrees of the first inflatable airbag and the second inflatable airbags by
himself or herself, so
as to change the force exerted on the neck by the center support body and/or
areas of the top
surface of the neck support device that correspond in position to the
inflatable airbags to restore
and maintain the neutral anatomical spinal alignment of the head, cervical
spine and upper
thoracic spine.
In certain embodiments, the inflation device includes a plurality of pipe
bodies, a first
air valve that can be assembled to one of the pipe bodies, at least one second
air valve that can
be assembled to another one of the pipe bodies, and at least one inflation
portion. The inflation
portion can be connected to the first inflatable airbag and the second
inflatable airbags through
the pipe bodies, inflate or deflate the first inflatable airbag when the first
air valve is opened,
and inflate or deflate the second inflatable airbags when the second air valve
is opened.
In certain embodiments, the first and second chambers are specifically sized
to allow the
6
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-11
first and second inflatable airbags adequate amount of space needed for
various level of
expansions as desired by a user when inflating the airbags, so that the user
can customize the
level of firmness/softness and height of the neck support device according to
the user's unique
requirements. At least one of the airbags can be designed with an expandable
top end and an
non-expandable or minimal-expandable base, so that the majority of the
expansion of the airbags
when inflated can occur at the upper side of the airbags and in a direction
towards the user
resting on the neck support device, and expansion downwards towards the bottom
of the neck
support device can be minimized, leading to the airbags pushing upwards
towards the neck and
head of the user when inflated, as downward expansion of the air cushions can
cause excessive
expansion and outward forces against the neck support device structure and in
turn damages
thereto. That is, such a minimal flexible/expandable base of an airbag helps
to prevent potential
damage to the structure of the neck support device while directing the
expansion upwards
towards the user.
In certain embodiments, the first inflatable airbag that can be located in the
first chamber
is semi-tubular in shape, and has a rounded first end that is to face an upper
inner surface of the
first chamber, and an opposite second end that is a flat base and is to face a
bottom opening of
the first chamber. When inflated, for example, by a user actively pumping air
into the first
inflatable airbag, the first inflatable airbag rises upwards towards the
posterior side of the
cervical spine of the user who is laying on the neck support device in a
supine position, and can
.. match the anatomical shape of his or her cervical spine. When the user
inflates the airbag to a
level of height and softness/firmness that provides him or her with the
desired customization,
with the combined effect provided by the inflated airbag and the material of
the neck support
device that is holding the airbag, for example, orthopedic shaped memory foam,
the neck
support device can conform comfortably against the slightly lordotic curvature
of the cervical
spine of the user in a supine position, and provide customized support for his
or her head and
7
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-11
neck, so that the head, neck and upper back are kept in natural and neutral
anatomical alignment
to prevent strain and pain that a user can otherwise suffer from when he or
she is laying on his
or her back.
In certain embodiments, the second inflatable airbags that can be positioned
in the
second chambers define side portions of the neck support device on which the
head, face and
neck of a user rest on when he or she is laying on a side of the neck support
body. The second
inflatable airbags are greater under an uninflated state in length and/or
volume than that of the
first inflatable airbag under an uninflated state, so as to provide a large
surface area that can
cover body portions including the majority of the surface area of the side
profile of the head and
face resting thereon. Each of the second chambers is larger than the first
chamber. At least one
of the second inflatable airbags has a flat top end that is to face an upper
inner surface of a
corresponding second chamber and a flat bottom base that is opposite to the
flat top end and is
to face a bottom opening of the second chamber. The flat bottom base is non-
flexible/non-
expandable and can minimize the expansion downwards when the second inflatable
airbag is
inflated by a user. The flat top end is expandable, and when inflated, expands
upwards towards
the side of the head, face and neck of the user. Each of the second inflatable
airbags located in
the second chambers and the side portions of the neck support device can
support the head and
neck of a user laying on a corresponding side portion, for example, a right
side portion when he
or she rests on the right side of the neck support device, or a left side
portion when he or she
rests on the left side of the neck support device. Further, the airbags are
sized to provide a wide
range of support and lift that is suitable for both adults and children, as
well as people with
different head and neck sizes, with different shoulder width, and different
degree of neck
stiffness.
In certain embodiments, the top and lateral sides of at least one of the
airbags are made
with a soft and flexible thermoplastic material to allow easy expansion with
low pressure and
8
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-11
minimal air leakage over time, and to avoid producing excessive noise made by
user movement
on the neck support device, which can otherwise disrupt the user's sleep.
In certain embodiments, the inflation portion that inflates the second
inflatable airbags
positioned in the second chambers is independent from the inflation portion
that inflates the first
inflatable airbag positioned in the first chamber, or different valves are
included in the neck
support device, so as to create separate inflation system between the second
inflatable airbags
and the first inflatable airbag. The separate inflation portions or air valves
that create separate
inflation system serve to differ the amount of inflation/expansion needed for
the airbags, since
an amount of inflation/expansion needed for the first inflatable airbag can
be, and frequently is,
different from that for the second inflatable airbags. When a user inflates a
second inflatable
airbag so as to arrive at a desired level of height and softness/firmness of a
side portion of the
neck support device, the second inflatable airbag rise upwards towards the
head, face and neck
of the user laying on his or her right or left side of the body on the side
portion.
In certain embodiments, the inflation portion(s) can be one or more manual
pump(s),
such as hand press inflation pump(s), or one or more powered pump(s), such as
electric inflation
pump(s), and the airbags can be inflated by the inflation portion(s) through
different pipe-body
arrangements, such as the second inflatable airbags being interconnected with
pipe bodies so as
to be inflated or deflated together at once, while the first inflatable airbag
being independent
from the pipe-body connection relationship of the second inflatable airbags so
that inflation and
deflation can be adjusted for the first inflatable airbag independently form
the second inflatable
airbags.
In certain embodiments, the inflation device includes only one manual pump or
powered
pump and multiple air valves are assembled to the pipe bodies, so as to
control air flow in and
out of the different airbags.
In certain embodiments, the airbags are embedded deep inside the first and
second
9
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-11
chambers inside the neck support device, and each is covered on at least the
lateral and top sides
by the pillow body, which can be molded foam, to ensure maximum comfort
effectiveness. On
the contrary, if the neck support device were to be created to include only
inflatable airbags with
no foam or other materials covering the airbags, the neck support device will
not be comfortable
.. for a user and will not conform to the head and neck of the user
effectively. Rather, the design
of the neck support device according to the present disclosure takes into
consideration and
addresses the conformability of the airbags, the plasticity of the material(s)
of which the neck
support device is made, and the orthopedic shape thereof, so as to enable a
user to make
adjustments easily to the neck support device in order to customize its
height, softness/firmness,
size and/or shape he or she finds most comfortable while laying on his or her
back or sides.
In certain embodiments, an area of the neck support device where the back of
the head
of a user laying on his or her back and resting on the neck support device is
softer than an area
that corresponds to the neck of the user, so that the head can sink into the
pillow comfortably,
while the neck-corresponding area is firmer to provide better support for the
neck. For example,
.. the center support body is firmer than a center portion of the bearing
portion that corresponds
to the back of the head when the user lays his or her neck on the center
support body.
In certain embodiments, the area of the neck support device where the back of
the head
of a user laying on his or her back and resting on the neck support device is
softer than the side
portions, and the side portions that are firmer can offer more support when a
user is laying on
.. his or her sides. For example, the side portions of the pillow body that
include corresponding
portions of the supporting portion and the bearing portion and correspond to
the second
chambers are firmer than the rest of the bearing portion.
In certain embodiments, to achieve the firmness difference, multiple holes can
be
punctured in the pillow body. A central region of the neck support device
where the back of the
.. head rests on has larger holes thereon to make the material(s) of the
pillow body softer and to
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-11
deform to a greater extent under the weight of the head. Other areas of the
neck support device
where more support is desired can have smaller holes to reduce the softness or
possibility of
deformation of the pillow body material(s) under the weight of the head in
such regions. Such
holes punctured in the material(s) of the pillow body also make the pillow
more breathable for
a user, cooler to lay thereon, and lighter to be moved about. That is, the
different sized holes in
various regions of the neck support device further increases the self-
conforming characteristics
of the neck support device to provide more comfort to a user. In certain
embodiments, the pillow
body can be fitted with a pillowcase that is a removable cloth or fabric
fastened with physical
therapy portions such as electrode units, or a regular pillowcase. The
physical therapy portions
are positioned to match at least one of the positions at the back of the neck
and upper shoulders
of the user when he or she is laying on the neck support device in a supine
position. For a user
with neck and shoulder pain and wishing to have electrotherapy, the removable
cloth or fabric
fastened with physical therapy portions in such positions according to the
present disclosure
enables the user to have targeted electrotherapy easily for symptoms such as
headaches, and/or
neck and shoulder pain, without having to know where to place the physical
therapy portions at
the back of his or her neck and upper shoulders for effective treatment. The
physical therapy
portions on the pillowcase are positioned to stimulate the nerves and muscles
of the upper neck
and of the lower neck and upper shoulder junction. These physical therapy
portions can be
applied with or made of electrical conductive materials and/or sticky gel, and
can be connected
and be used with an electrotherapy device used for relieving muscle tension
and pain.
In certain embodiments, the first inflatable airbag can expand to a maximum
expansion
state with a maximum height of the first inflatable airbag in a direction of
the displacement axis
being 5.5 cm to 9.5 cm.
In certain embodiments, at least one of the second inflatable airbags can
expand to a
maximum expansion state with a maximum height of the second inflatable airbag
in a direction
11
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-11
of the displacement axis being 6.5 cm to 10.5 cm.
In certain embodiments, at least one of the physical therapy portions is
fastened to a
position on the pillowcase that corresponds to a position of the center
support body and can abut
against the neck of the user and be electrically connected to a physical
therapy device to receive
electric power transmitted from the physical therapy device.
In certain embodiments, at least one of the physical therapy portions is
arranged with an
electrotherapy unit that can receive the electric power transmitted from the
physical therapy
device and output electrical stimulation to the neck of the user.
In certain embodiments, at least one of the physical therapy portions is
arranged with a
heat therapy unit that can receive the electric power transmitted from the
physical therapy device
and generate heat to heat the neck of the user.
In certain embodiments, at least one of the physical therapy portions is
arranged with a
combined electrotherapy-heat therapy unit that can receive the electric power
transmitted from
the physical therapy device, output electrical stimulation to the neck of the
user and generate
heat to heat the neck.
In certain embodiments, the first inflatable airbag and the second inflatable
airbags are
arranged within the pillow body, the inflation device is external to the
pillow body and the
pillowcase, and the pipe bodies can extend into the pillow body through the
pillowcase.
Another aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a method for
manufacturing an
adjustable inflatable neck support device. The method includes forming a
pillow body having
a supporting top surface that can support a neck of a user, a bearing top
surface that can bear an
occiput of a user when the user is in a supine position, and a bottom surface
formed with a first
chamber and two second chambers located at opposite sides of the first
chamber, wherein a
height of the bearing top surface is smaller than a height of the supporting
top surface; forming
a bottom plate having edges matching bottom inner edges of the pillow body;
positioning the
12
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-11
first inflatable airbag in the first chamber, positioning the two second
inflatable airbags in the
second chambers, respectively, and assembling the pipe bodies to the first
inflatable airbag and
the second inflatable airbags; and assembling the pillow body with the bottom
plate by adhering
the bottom inner edges of the pillow body to the matching edges of the bottom
plate to form the
adjustable inflatable neck support device with the first inflatable airbag and
second inflatable
airbags enclosed within the adjustable inflatable neck support device.
This and other aspects of the present disclosure will become apparent from the
following
description of the embodiment taken in conjunction with the following drawings
and their
captions, although variations and modifications therein may be affected
without departing from
the spirit and scope of the novel concepts of the disclosure.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present disclosure will become more fully understood from the following
detailed
description and accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the neck support device according to the present
disclosure.
FIG. 2 is a top view of the neck support device showing the relative positions
of the first
and second inflatable airbags according to the present disclosure.
FIG. 3 is a side view showing a user resting in a supine position on the neck
support
device according to the present disclosure.
FIG. 4 is a top view of a user resting in a supine position on the neck
support device
according to the present disclosure.
FIG. 5 is a top view showing a user resting on the side of his or her head on
the neck
support device according to the present disclosure.
FIG. 6 is a side view of a user resting on the side of his or her head on the
neck support
device according to the present disclosure.
13
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-11
FIG. 7 is a top exploded view of the neck support device according to the
present
disclosure.
FIG. 8 is a bottom exploded view of the neck support device according to the
present
disclosure.
FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing the inflation change of a first
inflatable airbag of
the neck support device according to the present disclosure.
FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing the inflation change of second
inflatable airbags
of the neck support device according to the present disclosure.
FIG. 11 is a top view of the neck support device according to certain other
embodiments
of the present disclosure.
FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the neck support device according to certain
other
embodiments of the present disclosure.
FIG. 13 is another perspective view of the neck support device according to
certain other
embodiments of the present disclosure.
FIG. 14 is an assembled view showing a physical therapy device being harnessed
in a
holder by a secure releasable locking mechanism according to certain
embodiments of the
present disclosure.
FIG. 15 is an exploded view of the assembly of the physical therapy device and
the
holder according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.
FIGS. 16 and 17 are exploded views showing the detailed components of the
physical
therapy device, the secure releasable locking mechanism and the holder
according to certain
embodiments of the present disclosure.
FIG. 18 is an assembled view showing the physical therapy device being
harnessed in
the holder according to certain other embodiments of the present disclosure.
FIGS. 19 and 20 are exploded views of the assembly of the physical therapy
device and
14
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-11
the holder according to certain other embodiments of the present disclosure.
FIG. 21 is an assembled view showing the physical therapy device being
harnessed in
the holder according to yet certain other embodiments of the present
disclosure.
FIG. 22 is an exploded view of the assembly of the physical therapy device and
the
holder according to yet certain other embodiments of the present disclosure.
FIG. 23 is an exploded view showing the physical therapy device and the
detailed
components of the holder according to yet certain other embodiments of the
present disclosure.
FIG. 24A is a schematic view of an electrotherapy unit arranged at a physical
therapy
portion according to the present disclosure.
FIG. 24B is a schematic view of a heat therapy unit arranged at a physical
therapy portion
according to the present disclosure.
FIG. 24C is a schematic view of a combined electrotherapy-heat therapy unit
arranged
at a physical therapy portion according to the present disclosure.
FIG. 25 is a flowchart showing the steps of a method for manufacturing the
neck support
.. device.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The present disclosure is more particularly described in the following
examples that are
intended as illustrative only since numerous modifications and variations
therein will be
apparent to those skilled in the art. Like numbers in the drawings indicate
like components
throughout the views. As used in the description herein and throughout the
claims that follow,
unless the context clearly dictates otherwise, the meaning of "a", "an", and
"the" includes plural
reference, and the meaning of "in" includes "in" and "on". Titles or subtitles
can be used herein
for the convenience of a reader, which shall have no influence on the scope of
the present
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-11
disclosure.
The terms used herein generally have their ordinary meanings in the art. In
the case of
conflict, the present document, including any definitions given herein, will
prevail. The same
thing can be expressed in more than one way. Alternative language and synonyms
can be used
for any term(s) discussed herein, and no special significance is to be placed
upon whether a term
is elaborated or discussed herein. A recital of one or more synonyms does not
exclude the use
of other synonyms. The use of examples anywhere in this specification
including examples of
any terms is illustrative only, and in no way limits the scope and meaning of
the present
disclosure or of any exemplified term. Likewise, the present disclosure is not
limited to various
embodiments given herein. Numbering terms such as "first", "second" or "third"
can be used
to describe various components, parts or the like, which are for
distinguishing one
component/part from another one only, and are not intended to, nor should be
construed to
impose any substantive limitations on the components, parts or the like, or be
relevant to the
sequence in which the components/parts are to be assembled or disposed in
practical application.
As used herein, the term "substantially" or "approximately" refers to, for
example, a
value, or an average of values, in an acceptable deviation range of a
particular value recognized
or decided by a person of ordinary skill in the art, taking into account any
specific quantity of
errors related to the measurement of the value that may resulted from
limitations of a
measurement system or device. For example, "substantially" may indicate that
the value is
within, for example, 5%, 3%, 1%, 0.5% or 0.1%, or one or more standard
deviations, of
the particular value.
One aspect of the present disclosure is directed to an adjustable inflatable
neck support
device. To facilitate understanding only, unless the context clearly dictates
otherwise, the lower
right side of FIG. 1 is designated as the front sides of the components shown
in FIG. 1, the upper
left side of FIG. 1 is designated as the rear sides of the components, the
upper right side of FIG.
16
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-11
1 is designated as the right sides of the components, the lower left side of
FIG. 1 is designated
as the left sides of the components, the top side of FIG. 1 is designated as
the top sides of the
components, and the bottom side of FIG. 1 is designated as the bottom sides of
the components.
However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. In certain
embodiments, an adjustable
inflatable neck support device S can be divided from the front to the rear at
least into a
supporting portion Si and a bearing portion S2. The shape of the top surfaces
of the supporting
portion Si and the bearing portion S2 is ergonomically designed to fit the
natural curvature of
the cervical spine, so that the height of the top surface of the bearing
portion S2 is lower than
the height of the top surface of the supporting portion Si.
Referring to FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, when a user rests on the neck support device S
in a supine
position, the bearing portion S2 corresponds to and bears the occiput of the
user (as shown in
FIG. 3), while the supporting portion Si corresponds to and supports the neck
of the user.
Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, when a user rests sideways on the neck support
device S, the bearing
portion S2 corresponds to and bears the lateral side of the head of the user
(as shown in FIG. 6),
while the supporting portion Si corresponds to and supports the lateral side
of the neck of the
user. The contour of the supporting portion Si matches the natural cervical
lordosis of the
human cervical spine to provide corresponding support force, so as to help the
user to restore
the alignment and posture of his or her head, cervical spine and upper
thoracic spine to the
natural states. In addition, because the neck support device S has elasticity,
when a user rests
on the neck support device S, the neck support device S deforms so that the
top surface fits the
contour of the head and neck of the user, and achieves the bearing and
supporting effects.
Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, the neck support device S includes a pillow body 1
and a
pillowcase 2. The pillowcase 2 is provided with an accommodating space 20 and
is configured
to cover the pillow body 1, so that the pillow body 1 can be positioned in the
accommodating
space 20. The pillowcase 2 can be a removable cloth or fabric fastened with
physical therapy
17
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-11
portions 21, such as electrode units, and having a profile matching the
contour of the pillow
body 1. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. In certain
embodiments, the
pillowcase can be a regular pillowcase. As the contour of the pillowcase 2
matches that of the
pillow body 1, when the pillow body 1 is placed in the pillowcase 2, the
structure of the pillow
body 1 can still be clearly indicated through the contour of the pillowcase.
Accordingly, in FIG.
1, for ease of description only, the positions of the components of the pillow
body 1 to be
described infra are also indicated on the corresponding positions on
pillowcase 2.
Referring again to FIGS. 7 and 8, in certain embodiments, the pillow body 1
can be made
of foamed material and/or other elastomer, and/or filling/packing material,
and have the
.. supporting portion 51 and the bearing portion S2. The center portion of the
supporting portion
51 is provided with a center support body 11. The top surface of the center
support body 11 can
support the neck of the user (as shown in FIG. 3). In addition, in order to
better achieve the
effect of neck supporting, the front side of the center support body 11
extends forward, so as to
completely or nearly completely support the user's neck. Accordingly, when the
center support
.. body 11 abuts and supports the user's neck, the head of the user will
naturally tilt backward,
which helps to fix more stably the head of the user to the bearing portion S2.
In certain
embodiments, the center support body 11 that corresponds to the neck of a user
is firmer than a
center portion of the bearing portion S2 that corresponds to the back of the
head of the user
when he or she lays his or her neck on the center support body 11. The
firmness difference
between the center support body 11 and the center portion of the bearing
portion S2 allows the
head to sink into the pillow body 1 comfortably while sufficient support can
be provided to the
neck by the center support body 11. In certain embodiments, the firmness
difference is produced
by density, total opening area, diameter and/or location differences of the
holes punctured on
the pillow body 1. For example, a foam material of the center portion of the
bearing portion S2
.. can have holes in greater density, larger holes and/or holes with greater
diameters than the holes
18
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-11
punctuated on the center support body 11, so that the center portion of the
bearing portion S2 is
softer than the center support body 11, and the center support body 11 is of
greater
supportability. In certain embodiments, the center support body 11 is firmer
than the entire
bearing portion S2.
As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the bottom surface of the center support body 11
can be
concavely provided with a first chamber 110, and a first inflatable airbag 13
can be
accommodated in the first chamber 110. At least the upper inner surface of the
first chamber
110 is expandable for a first upward maximum expansion degree to allow the
first inflatable
airbag 13 adequate amount of space needed for various levels of expansion as
desired by a user
when he or she inflates the first inflatable airbag 13 to customize the level
of firmness/softness
and height of the corresponding top surface of the neck support device S for
his or her unique
requirements. The first upward maximum expansion degree can be 5-9 cm, and in
certain
embodiments, 6.5-7.5 cm. The bottom opening of the first chamber 110 may be
covered by a
bottom plate, for example, a bottom plate 16 shown in FIG. 8, which can be
made of plastic,
metal or other material that is non-expandable, minimal-expandable, or less
expandable than
foam materials, so that the majority of the expansion of the first inflatable
airbag 13 when
inflated is at the upper side of the first inflatable airbag 13 that faces the
top surface of, and is
in a direction towards the neck and head of a user resting on, the neck
support device S,
restricting expansion downwards towards the bottom of the neck support device
S, and therefore
restricting the excessive outward expanding forces against the bottom
structure of the neck
support device S, which can cause damage to the neck support device S, and
directing,
collectively with the expandable upper inner surface of the first chamber 110,
the expansion
upwards. In certain embodiments, the first chamber 110 can be formed by
hollowing out an
accommodating space from a molded foam that, with the first upward maximum
expansion
degree, allows room for the first inflatable airbag 13 to expand in various
levels. In addition, it
19
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-11
is noted that as long as the first chamber 110 can accommodate the first
inflatable airbag 13, and
allow the first inflatable airbag 13 to expand or contract to displace the top
surface of the center
support body 11, the first chamber 110 is defined as being located within the
bottom surface of
the center support body 11. The first inflatable airbag 13 can be inflated to
expand, or deflated
to contract, along a displacement axis (for example, the Z axis shown in FIG.
7). In certain
embodiments, an uninflated first inflatable airbag 13 has a volume of 9-21
cm3, in certain
embodiments, 14-17 cm3, the top and bottom sides of the uninflated first
inflatable airbag 13
respectively abut against the top inner surface and flush with the bottom
opening, that is, also
abutting against a bottom plate 16 if the bottom plate 16 covers the bottom
opening, of the first
.. chamber 110 along the displacement axis, and the lateral sides of the
uninflated first inflatable
airbag 13 respectively abut against the four lateral inner surfaces of the
first chamber 110 along
a chamber longitudinal axis of the first chamber 110 that is perpendicular or
substantially
perpendicular to the displacement axis and parallel or substantially parallel
to a front-rear
direction of the neck support device S, and along a chamber transverse axis of
the first chamber
110 that is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the chamber
longitudinal axis and
parallel or substantially parallel to a right-left direction of the neck
support device S. By
abutting against the inner surfaces of the first chamber 110 under an
uninflated state, the
expansion of the first inflatable airbag 13 more efficiently drives the
expansion of the first
chamber 110 by lowering delayed expansion correspondence therebetween, which
can
otherwise occur when gaps exist between the first chamber 110 and an
uninflated first inflatable
airbag 13. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and in
certain embodiments,
at least one of the top and bottom sides of the uninflated first inflatable
airbag 13 does not abut
against the top inner surface or flush with the bottom opening of the first
chamber 110 along the
displacement axis, and/or at least one of the lateral sides of the uninflated
first inflatable airbag
.. 13 does not abut against any of the four lateral inner surfaces of the
first chamber 110 along the
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-11
chamber longitudinal axis or the chamber transverse axis of the first chamber
110.
When the first inflatable airbag 13 expands or contracts along the
displacement axis, the
expansion or contraction displaces the top surface of the center support body
11 along the
displacement axis, for example, upward or downward. In certain embodiments,
the first
inflatable airbag 13 is semi-tubular in shape and has a rounded first end that
is to face the upper
inner surface of the first chamber 110, and an opposite second end that is a
flat base that is to
face the bottom opening of the first chamber 110. In certain embodiments, the
flat base is non-
flexible or minimal-expandable, and when the first inflatable airbag 13 is
inflated, an expansion
degree along the displacement axis of the first end is greater than that of
the second end. When
the first inflatable airbag 13 is inflated, the first inflatable airbag 13 can
expand upwards towards
the posterior side of the cervical spine of the user when he or she is laying
in a supine position
on the center support body 11 of the neck support device S, and drive the
displaced
corresponding top surface of the center support body 11 upwards to match the
anatomical shape
of the cervical spine, for example, conform against a slightly lordotic
curvature of the cervical
.. spine of a user. In certain embodiments, when the first inflatable airbag
13 is inflated to expand
to a first maximum expansion state, the maximum height of the first inflatable
airbag 13 in the
direction of the displacement axis is 5.5 cm to 9.5 cm, or in certain
embodiments, 7 cm to 8 cm.
However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Accordingly, when a
user inflates the
first inflatable airbag 13 to a level of height and softness/firmness that
provides him or her with
the desired customization, with the aid of the inflated first inflatable
airbag 13 and the material(s)
which the neck support device S is made of and holds the inflated first
inflatable airbag 13, the
top surface of the neck support device S that corresponds to the inflated
first inflatable airbag
13 can conform comfortably against the curvature of the cervical spine of a
user when he or she
is laying in a supine position. Further, with the combined effects provided by
the adjustable
inflatable airbag 13 being within the material of the neck support device S,
for example,
21
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-11
orthopedic shaped foam, customized support for the head and neck of a user can
be provided to
keep the head, neck and upper back in natural and neutral anatomical alignment
so as to prevent
strain and pain when the user is laying on his or back. Referring again to
FIGS. 7 and 8, in
certain embodiments, the neck support device S further includes at least two
inflatable second
inflatable airbags 19 in addition to the first inflatable airbag 13. Each of
the inflatable second
inflatable airbags 19 in an uninflated state is larger than the inflatable
first inflatable airbag 13
in an uninflated state, for example, a maximum cross-sectional area
perpendicular or
substantially perpendicular to the displacement axis of an inflatable second
inflatable airbags 19
in an uninflated state is larger than that of the inflatable first inflatable
airbag 13 in an uninflated
state by 120-170 cm2, or in certain embodiments, by 135-155 cm2, or by 5-15 cm
in length along
a corresponding chamber longitudinal axis, or in certain embodiments, 8.5-11.5
cm in length
along a corresponding chamber longitudinal axis, and has a maximum expanded
volume greater
than that of the inflatable first inflatable airbag 13, for example, by 720-
1800 cm3, so as to
displace a larger area on the top surface of the neck support device S than an
area on the top
surface of the neck support device S displaceable by the first inflatable
airbag 13 to cover a
majority, for example, more than 50%, of the surface area of the side profile
of the head, face
and neck of a user when he or she sleeps on his or her side on a side of the
neck support device
S. The bottom surface of the pillow body 1 can be concavely provided with two
second
chambers 190 at two opposite sides of the first chamber 110 and adjacent to
the opposite ends
of the pillow body 1, respectively, for example, one adjacent to a right side
of the pillow body
1, and the other one adjacent to the left side of the pillow body 1, that is,
one nearer to the right
side of the pillow body 1 than to the left side thereof, and the other one
nearer to the left side of
the pillow body 1 than to the right side thereof. Each second chamber 190 has
a chamber
longitudinal axis that is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the
displacement axis
.. and parallel or substantially parallel to a front-rear direction of the
neck support device S and a
22
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-11
chamber transverse axis that is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular
to the chamber
longitudinal axis and parallel or substantially parallel to a right-left
direction of the neck support
device S. In certain embodiments, at least the length along the chamber
longitudinal axis of an
inflatable second inflatable airbags 19 in an uninflated state is greater than
that of the inflatable
first inflatable airbag 13 in an uninflated state, for example, by 6-15 cm, or
in certain
embodiments, by 8.5-11.5 cm. Each of the second chambers 190 has an upper
inner surface
whose area is larger than that of the upper inner surface of the first camber
110, and a length
along the chamber longitudinal axis that is greater than that of the of the
first camber 110, so as
to allow for a larger displacement area on the top surface of the neck support
device S than an
area on the top surface of the neck support device S displaceable by the first
inflatable airbag
13 in order to cover a majority, for example, more than 50%, of the surface
area of the side
profile of the head, face and neck of a user when he or she sleeps on his or
her side on a side of
the neck support device S. Each of the second chambers 190 can be located
entirely within the
supporting portion Si, so that areas of the top surface of the neck support
device S corresponding
in position to the second chambers 190 can be displaced by the expansion or
contraction of the
second inflatable airbags 19 accommodated in the second chambers 190 to adjust
the height of
such portions to suit the height of the neck of a user resting on his or her
side and provide proper
support to his or her cervical spine. However, the present disclosure is not
limited thereto. In
certain embodiments, at least one of the second chambers 190 is located both
in the supporting
portion Si and the bearing portion S2, with a first portion of such a second
chamber 190 located
in the supporting portion Si being the same as or greater than a second
portion of such a second
chamber 190 located in the bearing portion S2, so that the height of an area
of the top surface of
the neck support device S corresponding in position to such a second chambers
190 can be
adjusted to suit the heights both of the neck and the head of a user resting
on his or her side, and
provide proper support to and maintain the neutral anatomical spinal alignment
of his or her
23
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-11
head, cervical spine and upper thoracic spine without the head being tilted to
an excessive extent.
In certain embodiments, a first portion of a second inflatable airbag 19 that
is located in the
supporting portion Si has a first maximum inflated height of 6.5-10.5 cm, or
in certain
embodiments, 8.0-9.0 cm. A second portion of the second inflatable airbag 19
that is located in
the bearing portion S2 has a second maximum inflated height of 5.5-9.5 cm, or
in certain
embodiments, 7.0-8.0 cm. In certain embodiments, the first maximum inflated
height is greater
than the second maximum inflated height, and a ratio of the first maximum
inflated height to
second maximum inflated height can be between 1.11:1 and 1.90:1.
In certain embodiments, the side portions of the pillow body 1 where the
second
chambers 190 are located, consisting of corresponding portions of the
supporting portion Si and
the bearing portion S2, are firmer than the rest of the bearing portion S2,
and have a firmness
equal to or higher than that of the center support body 11, so as to offer
more support when a
user is laying on his or her sides on a side of the neck support device S. In
certain embodiments,
a portion of the bearing portion S2 in a side portion where a second chamber
19 is located is
softer than a portion of the supporting portion Si in the side portion, so as
to allow the head to
sink into the pillow body 1 comfortably while sufficient support can be
provided to the neck
from the portion of the supporting portion Si in such a side portion. Such
firmness difference
between a side portion and the rest of the bearing portion S2, and between a
portion of the
bearing portion S2 in a side portion and a portion of the supporting portion
Si in the side portion
can be produced by density, total opening area, diameter and/or location
differences of the holes
punctured on the pillow body 1. In certain embodiments, the material of the
bearing portion S2
excluding the side portions can have holes in greater density, larger holes
and/or holes with
greater diameters than the holes punctuated on the side portions, so that the
bearing portion S2
excluding the side portions is softer than the side portions, and the side
portions are of greater
supportability. In certain embodiments, the material of a portion of the
bearing portion S2 in a
24
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-11
side portion can have holes in greater density, larger holes and/or holes with
greater diameters
than the holes punctuated on a portion of the supporting portion Si in the
side portion, so that
the portion of the bearing portion S2 in the side portion is softer than the
portion of the
supporting portion Si in the side portion, and the portion of the supporting
portion Si in the
side portion are of greater supportability. In certain embodiments, the top
surface of a portion
of the supporting portion Si that is located in a side portion has a first
maximum displacement
of 2.1-5.7 cm, and in certain embodiments, 3.5-4.3 cm. The top surface of a
portion of the
bearing portion S2 that is located in the side portion has a second maximum
displacement of
1.4-5.0 cm, and in certain embodiments, 2.9-3.5 cm. In certain embodiments,
the first maximum
displacement is greater than the second maximum displacement, and a ratio of
the first
maximum displacement to the second maximum displacement is between 1.14:1 and
4.07:1.
Referring again to FIGS. 7 and 8, the second inflatable airbags 19 can be
accommodated
in the second chambers 190, respectively, and be inflated to expand, or
deflated to contract,
along the displacement axis (for example, the Z axis shown in FIG. 7). At
least the upper inner
surface of each of the second chamber 190 is expandable for a second upward
maximum
expansion degree to allow the respective second inflatable airbags 19 adequate
amount of space
needed for various levels of expansion as desired by a user when he or she
inflates the second
inflatable airbags 19 to customize levels of firmness/softness and height of
the corresponding
top surface of the neck support device S for his or her unique requirements.
The second upward
maximum expansion degree can be 6-10 cm, or in certain embodiments, 7.5-8.5
cm. In certain
embodiments, only the top and lateral sides of at least one of the first and
second inflatable
airbags 13, 19 are expandable, and the bottom side thereof is non-expandable
or minimal-
expandable. For example, only the top and lateral sides of the first and
second inflatable airbags
13, 19 are made of a soft and flexible thermoplastic material to allow quick
expansion towards
the upward and lateral directions even in response to low-pressure inflation,
which lowers the
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-11
risk of air leakage over time as can occur when an airbag has a relatively
higher inner pressure,
and lowers the possibility of noise and, if any, the volume thereof, that may
be generated by
user movement on the neck support device S, which can otherwise disrupt user
sleep. The
bottom opening of each second chamber 190 may be covered by a bottom plate,
for example,
the bottom plate 16 shown in FIG. 8, which can be made of plastic, metal or
other material that
is non-expandable, minimal-expandable, or less expandable than foam materials,
so that the
majority of the expansion of the second inflatable airbags 19 when inflated is
at the upper side
of the second inflatable airbags 19 that faces the top surface of, and is in a
direction towards the
neck and head of a user resting on, the neck support device S, restricting
expansion downwards
towards the bottom of the neck support device S, and therefore restricting the
excessive outward
expanding forces against the bottom structure of the neck support device S,
and directing,
collectively with the expandable upper inner surface of the second chamber
190, the expansion
upwards. In certain embodiments, the second chambers 190 can be formed by
hollowing out
accommodating spaces from a molded foam that, with the second upward maximum
expansion
degree, allows room for the second inflatable airbags 19 to expand in various
levels. In certain
embodiments, an uninflated second inflatable airbag 19 has a volume greater
than that of an
uninflated first inflatable airbag 13, and is of 25-36 cm3 , or in certain
embodiments, 28-33 cm3,
the top and bottom sides of the uninflated inflatable airbag 19 respectively
abut against the top
inner surface and flush with the bottom opening, that is, also abutting
against a bottom plate 16
if the bottom plate 16 covers the bottom opening, of a corresponding second
chamber 190 along
the displacement axis, and the lateral sides of the uninflated inflatable
airbag 19 respectively
abut against the four lateral inner surfaces of the corresponding second
chamber 190 along the
chamber longitudinal axis and the chamber transverse axis of the second
chamber 190. By
abutting against the inner surfaces of the second chamber 190 under an
uninflated state, the
expansion of the inflatable airbag 19 more efficiently drives the expansion of
the second
26
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-11
chamber 190 as delayed expansion correspondence therebetween is lowered, which
can
otherwise occur when gaps exist between the second chamber 190 and an
uninflated second
inflatable airbag 19. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto,
and in certain
embodiments, at least one of the top and bottom sides of the uninflated second
inflatable airbag
19 does not abut against the top inner surface or flush with the bottom
opening of the second
chamber 190 along the displacement axis, and/or at least one of the lateral
sides of the uninflated
second inflatable airbag 19 does not abut against any of the four lateral
inner surfaces of the
second chamber 190 along the chamber longitudinal axis and the chamber
transverse axis of the
second chamber 190.
When a second inflatable airbag 19 expands or contracts along the displacement
axis,
the expansion or contraction displaces the top surface of the pillow body 1,
and therefore also
the top surface of the pillowcase 2, along the displacement axis, for example,
upward or
downward, which can help to further block the head and shoulder of a user from
sliding
sideways and away from the center support body 11 due to the movement of the
first inflatable
airbag 13 during the usage of the neck support device S, so as to better
anchor the head and neck
of a user at the position on the neck support device S that corresponds to the
first inflatable
airbag 13, which position is shown in FIG. 2 for reference, and with such
anchoring also
maintain proper positioning of the shoulders of the user relative to the neck
support device S, so
that excellent electrotherapy, heat therapy and/or traction effects can be
ensured. In certain
embodiments, at least one of the second inflatable airbag 19 has a flexible
flat top end that is to
face the upper inner surface of a corresponding second chamber 190, and an non-
flexible or
minimal-expandable flat bottom base that is opposite to the flat top end and
to face the bottom
opening of the second chamber 190, and when the second inflatable airbag 19 is
inflated, an
expansion degree along the displacement axis of the flexible flat top end is
greater than the non-
flexible flat bottom base. In certain embodiments, when a second inflatable
airbag 19 is inflated
27
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-11
to expand to a second maximum expansion state, the maximum height of the
second inflatable
airbag 19 in the direction of the displacement axis is 6.5 cm to 10.5 cm, or
in certain
embodiments, 8 cm to 9 cm. However, the present disclosure is not limited
thereto. Further,
the maximum height of one of the second inflatable airbags 19 can be the same
or different from
that of the other one of the second inflatable airbags 19, so that greater
flexibility in height
adjustment can be afforded to the different sides of the neck support device S
to a user.
Further, the addition and arrangement of the second inflatable airbags 19 to
and for the
neck support device S can also enable a user who is used to sleep on his or
her side, that is, a
side sleeper, to adjust the height and firmness of the side areas of the neck
support device S on
.. which the side sleeper rests his or her side of the head when laying
sideways on the neck support
device S. While a user of the neck support device S according to the present
disclosure who is
accustomed to sleeping on his or her back, that is, a back sleeper, can adjust
the height and
firmness of the area of the neck support device S that corresponds to the
center support body 11
and the first inflatable airbag 13 and to his or her neck when he or she is
sleeping on his back,
by inflating or deflating, and changing the expansion or contraction degree
of, the first inflatable
airbag 13, so as to better support his or her cervical spine and restore the
lordotic curvature of
his or her cervical spine to a natural state, the height and firmness
adjustment of the center
support body 11 and the first inflatable airbag 13 may not be sufficiently
satisfactory in terms
of head and cervical spine support and head, cervical spine and upper thoracic
spine alignment
and maintenance for a side sleeper who is more used to lay sideways on the
neck support device
S and on an area of the neck support device S that is away from the center
support body 11 and
the first inflatable airbag 13. Moreover, a side sleeper may even need extra
head and neck
support and spine alignment restoration and maintenance than a back sleeper
does due to a
greater vertical distance between the shoulder and the head/neck when he or
she is in a side-
sleeping posture, for example, sleeping on the side of his or her head, than
between the back and
28
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-11
the head/neck when a back sleeper is in a back-sleeping posture. Referring
again to FIGS. 7
and 8, the neck support device S with the second inflatable airbags 19
provides the further head
and cervical spine support and head, cervical spine and upper thoracic spine
alignment
restoration and maintenance needed by a side sleeper, as the side sleeper may
also adjust, in
.. addition to the height and firmness of the area of the neck support device
S that corresponds to
the center support body 11 and the first inflatable airbag 13, the height and
firmness of the side
areas of the neck support device S, for example, areas of the top surface of
the pillow body 1
and of the top surface of the pillowcase 2 that are adjacent respectively to
the right and left sides
of the pillow body 1 and the pillowcase 2 and corresponding to, and can be
displaced by the
expansion or contraction of, the second inflatable airbags 19, by inflating or
deflating, and
changing the expansion or contraction degree of, the second inflatable airbags
19 when the side
sleeper rests the side of his or her head on these side areas of the neck
support device S. When
a second inflatable airbag 19 is inflated, the second inflatable airbag 19 can
expand upwards
towards the lateral side of the head, cervical spine and upper thoracic spine
of the user when he
or she is laying on his or her side and on a side of the neck support device
S, and drive the
displaced top surface of the neck support device S that corresponds to the
second inflatable
airbag 19 upwards to align the head, cervical spine and upper thoracic spine
of a user in a straight
line. When the user inflates the second inflatable airbag(s) 19 to a level of
height and
softness/firmness that provides him or her with the desired customization,
with the combined
effects provided by the inflated second inflatable airbag(s) 19 and the
material(s) which the neck
support device S is made of and holds the inflated second inflatable airbag
19, the top surface
of the neck support device S that corresponds to the inflated second
inflatable airbag(s) 19 can
conform comfortably against the contour of the lateral sides of the head,
cervical spine and upper
thoracic spine, and align the head, cervical spine and upper thoracic spine of
a user who is a side
sleeper. That is, a side sleeper can adjust the height and firmness of the
area of the neck support
29
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-11
device S that supports the side of the head when he or she is sleeping on his
or her side, so as to
arrive at a height and firmness that he or she deems proper for supporting his
or her head and
neck and to maintain and restore his or her head, cervical spine and upper
thoracic spine in
alignment and neutral position. However, the present disclosure is not limited
thereto. Further,
with the combined effects of the adjustable inflatable airbag 19 within the
orthopedic shaped
foam, for example, orthopedic shaped memory foam, customized support for the
head and neck
of a user can be provided to keep his or her head, neck and upper back in
their natural neutral
anatomical alignment so as to prevent strain and pain when the user is laying
on his or her side.
Accordingly, with the features of and advantages provided by the first
inflatable airbag 13 and
the second inflatable airbags 19, the neck support device S is suitable for
both back sleepers and
side sleepers as an everyday sleeping pillow.
Referring again to FIGS. 7 and 8, an inflation device 15 can be connected
respectively
to the first inflatable airbag 13 and second inflatable airbags 19 which are
independent from
each other. When the inflation device 15 is in operation, it can inflate or
deflate the first
inflatable airbag 13 and the two second inflatable airbags 19, and change the
degrees of the
expansion or contraction of the first inflatable airbag 13 and the two second
inflatable airbags
19. In certain embodiments, the inflation device 15 includes at least one
inflation portion 151,
a plurality of pipe bodies 152, a first air valve 153, and a second air valve
155. The inflation
portion 151 can be a hand press inflation pump. The pipe bodies 152 can pass
through the
pillowcase 2 and the pillow body 1 to communicate with the first inflatable
airbag 13 and the
two second inflatable airbags 19, respectively, so that the inflation portion
151 can inflate or
deflate the first and/or second inflatable airbags 13, 19 through the pipe
bodies 152. The first
air valve 153 can be assembled to one of the pipe bodies 152, and the pipe
body 152 can
communicate with the first airbag 13, while the second air valve 155 can be
assembled to another
pipe body 152 that is to communicate with the second inflatable airbags 19.
However, the
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-11
present disclosure is not limited thereto. In certain other embodiments the
inflation portion 151
may be an electric inflation pump, and in certain embodiments, the inflation
device 15 includes
a plurality of inflation portions 151. Each of the inflation portions 151 can
be a hand press
inflation pump or an electric inflation pump. A first one of the inflation
portions 151 can be
connected to at least one of the pipe bodies 152 and communicate with the
first inflatable airbag
13 through the pipe bod(ies) 152 corresponding to the inflation portion 151
that corresponds to
and can communicate with the first inflatable airbag 13. The first air valve
153 can be
assembled to one of the pipe bod(ies) 152 corresponding to the inflation
portion 151 that
corresponds to and can communicate with the first inflatable airbag 13. A
second one of the
inflation portions 151 can be connected to at least another one of the pipe
bodies 152 and
communicate with the second inflatable airbags 19 through the pipe bod(ies)
152 corresponding
to the inflation portion 151 that corresponds to and can communicate with the
second inflatable
airbags 19. That is, an inflation portion 151 that inflates at least one of
the second inflatable
airbags 19 can be independent from an inflation portion 151 that inflates the
first inflatable
.. airbag 13, which inflation portions 151 forming an inflation control system
that allows a user to
separately control the respective inflation portions 151, so that a degree of
inflation of the first
inflatable airbag 13 can be controlled by a user to be different and
independent from that of the
second inflatable airbags 19 through the inflation portions 151, since the
degree of, and timing
for, inflation needed for the first inflatable airbag 13 can be, and
frequently are, different from
that needed for the second inflatable airbags 19. The second air valve 155 can
be assembled to
one of the pipe bod(ies) 152 corresponding to the inflation portion 151 that
corresponds to and
can communicate with the second inflatable airbags 19.
As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, when the first air valve 153 is opened, the
inflation portion
151 can inflate or deflate the first airbag 13. When the first air valve 153
is closed, the inflation
portion 151 would not be able to inflate or deflate the first inflatable
airbag 13. Similarly, when
31
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-11
the second air valve 155 is opened, the inflation portion 151 can inflate or
deflate the two second
inflatable airbags 19 at the same time. When the second air valve 155 is
closed, the inflation
portion 151 would not be able to inflate or deflate the two second airbags 19.
In certain
embodiments, when one inflation portion 151, either an electric inflation pump
or a hand press
inflation pump, is connected to the first inflatable airbag 13 and also to the
second inflatable
airbags 19 to control the volume changes of the first inflatable airbag 13 and
the second
inflatable airbags 19, the respective volume changes of the airbags can be
controlled through
the air valves on the pipe bodies 152 corresponding to the airbags 13, 19.
While FIGS. 7 and 8 show only a single second air valve 155 to simultaneously
adjust
the degrees of inflation or deflation of the two second inflatable airbags 19,
in certain
embodiments, two second air valves 155 can be provided to independently adjust
the degrees of
inflation or deflation of any of the second inflatable airbags 19. In
addition, in actual use, a user
can open both the first air valve 153 and the second air valve 155, so that
the inflation portion
151 can inflate the first inflatable airbag 13 and the second inflatable
airbags 19 at the same
time. A user can also open the first air valve 153 and close the second air
valve 155, so as to
improve the inflation efficiency of the first inflatable airbag 13. Similarly,
a user can open the
second air valve 155 and close the first air valve 153, so as to improve the
inflation efficiency
of the second inflatable airbags 19. However, the present disclosure is not
limited thereto, and
in certain other embodiments the inflation portions 151 corresponding to the
first inflatable
airbag 13 and second inflatable airbags 19 can instead be one electric
inflation pump that can
control the inflation and/or deflation of the first inflatable airbag 13
and/or second inflatable
airbags 19 respectively or simultaneously.
In other words, while in certain embodiments the neck support device S include
sonly
one inflation portion 151, in which air valve(s) can be used to direct the air
flow in and out of
the first airbag 13 that can be positioned under the neck of a user in a
supine position, and be
32
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-11
adjusted to allow the air flow be closed off to the first airbag 13 under the
neck and be directed
to the second airbags 19 on both sides of the neck support device S, in
certain embodiments
multiple inflation portions 151 can be employed in the neck support device S,
so that one
inflation portion 151 can direct the air flow to and out of the first airbag
13 under the neck of a
user in a supine position, and another inflation portion 151 can direct the
air flow in and out of
the second airbags 19, so that the inflation portions 151 work independently
from one another.
Accordingly, the neck support device S may adopt a single-inflation portion
system or a
multiple-inflation portion system, and in certain embodiments, in either
system the air flow to
and out of the first airbag 13 can still be separately from that to and out of
the second airbags
19, and inflating or deflating the first airbag 13 under the user's neck can
still have no effect on
the amount of air in the second airbags 19, and inflating or deflating the
second airbag(s) 19
under the user's neck can still have no effect on the amount of air in the
first airbag 13. However,
the present disclosure is not limited thereto.
Referring to FIGS. 1, 3 and 9, when the head of a user rests on the neck
support device
S, the first airbag 13 can be inflated through the inflation portion 151. At
this time, the first
airbag 13 gradually expands, so that the top surface of the center support
body 11 is gradually
moved upward, thereby pushing the user's neck upward, and the user's cervical
spine can return
to its natural lordotic curvature, and present an arch shape. The height of
the top surface, or
more precisely a point of the top surface that corresponds to the highest
point of the first
inflatable airbag 13 along the Z axis shown in FIG. 9, of the center support
body 11 relative to
the bottom surface of the center support body 11 when the top surface is not
displaced by the
expansion of the first airbag 13 can be defined as a first height Ni. The
height of the top surface,
or more precisely a point of the top surface that corresponds to the highest
point of the first
inflatable airbag 13 along the Z axis shown in FIG. 9, of the center support
body 11 relative to
the bottom surface of the center support body 11 when the top surface is
displaced by the first
33
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-11
airbag 13 expanding to the first maximum expansion state can be defined as a
second height N2.
In certain embodiments, the ratio of the first height Ni to the second height
N2 can range
between 1:1.10 and 1:1.70, and in certain embodiments, between 1:1.26 and
1:1.46.
Accordingly, by the design of the first inflatable airbag 13, the height and
the firmness of an
area of the neck support device S that abuts against and corresponds to the
neck of a user when
the user is lying on the neck support device S, or more particularly, when the
user is lying on
the center support body 11 and on his or her back, can be adjusted to keep the
neck of the user
at a proper position and allow the head, cervical spine and upper thoracic
spine of the user to be
aligned properly.
Referring to FIGS. 7, 8 and 10, when the inflation portion 151 inflates at
least one of the
two second inflatable airbags 19, the second inflatable airbag 19 gradually
expands so that areas
of the top surfaces of the pillow body 1 and the pillowcase 2 that correspond
in position to the
second inflatable airbags 19 are gradually moved upward, thereby abutting
against and
providing proper support for the neck of a user who is laying sideways and on
the side of his or
her head on the neck support device S, and restoring and maintaining the head,
cervical spine
and upper thoracic spine alignment of the user. The height of the top surface,
or more precisely
a point of the top surface that corresponds to the highest point of a second
inflatable airbag 19
along the Z axis shown in FIG. 10, of the neck support device S relative to
the bottom surface
of the neck support device S when the top surface is not displaced by the
expansion of the second
airbag 19 can be defined as a third height Ml. The height of the top surface,
or more precisely
a point of the top surface that corresponds to the highest point of the second
inflatable airbag 19
along the Z axis shown in FIG. 10, of the neck support device S relative to
the bottom surface
of the neck support device S when the top surface is displaced by the second
inflatable airbag
19 expanding to the second maximum expansion state can be defined as a fourth
height M2. In
certain embodiments, the ratio of the third height M1 to the fourth height M2
can range between
34
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-11
1:1.48 and 1:2.01, and in certain embodiments, between 1:1.64 and 1:1.85.
Accordingly, by the
design of the second inflatable airbags 19, the height and the firmness of an
area of the neck
support device S that abuts against and corresponds to the neck of a user when
the user is lying
sideways on the neck support device S, or more particularly, when the user is
lying sideways on
the neck support device S sleep and on the side of his or her head, can also
be adjusted to keep
the neck of the user at a proper position and allow the head, cervical spine
and upper thoracic
spine of the user to be aligned properly.
Referring to FIGS. 11 and 12, in certain embodiments, one side of the neck
support
device S is arranged with an electric inflation device 18. The electric
inflation device 18
includes an electric inflation pump, and has at least one pipe body, a first
air valve and at least
one second air valve that are embedded within and not exposed from the neck
support device S.
Accordingly, a user can easily inflate or deflate the first inflatable airbag
13 and/or the second
inflatable airbags 19 by operating at a control panel of the electric
inflation device 18.
When a user uses the neck support device S, in addition to utilizing the
inflation effect
of the first airbag 13 and the second airbags 19 to support, and restore the
alignment of, the
head, cervical spine and upper thoracic spine, and stretch the muscles of the
neck and
shoulder(s), physical therapy such as electrotherapy and/or heat therapy can
also at the same
time be performed on the user to relax the tight muscles of the neck and
shoulders, so as to
improve local blood circulation and relieve pain in the head, neck and
shoulders, throbbing arm
pain and arm numbness.
Referring to FIGS. 1-8, the neck support device S can also be provided with a
plurality
of physical therapy portions 21 that are substantially located at positions at
least corresponding
to the center support body 11. In certain embodiments, the physical therapy
portions 21 can be
electrode units that are fastened to positions on the pillowcase 2 that
correspond to the upper
shoulders and the back of the neck of the user when he or she is laying on the
neck support
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-11
device S in a supine position, so that when the user's head rests on the neck
support device S,
the physical therapy portions 21 can abut against at least one of the neck and
the upper shoulders
of the user, allowing the electrode units to stimulate the nerves and muscles
of the upper neck,
lower neck and upper shoulder junctions. In certain embodiments, the physical
therapy portions
21 can be electrode units that are applied with or made of electrical
conductive materials and/or
sticky gel. The physical therapy portions 21 can be electrically connected to
a physical therapy
device 17, as shown in FIGS. 11 and 13, to receive electric power transmitted
from the physical
therapy device 17, so that the physical therapy portions 21 can produce the
effects of
electrotherapy and/or thermotherapy. In certain embodiments, the physical
therapy device 17
is a low-frequency therapy device (also referred to as transcutaneous
electrical nerve stimulator,
TENS) or an electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) device. At least one button
may be arranged
on the physical therapy device 17, so that a user can operate on the button to
enable the physical
therapy device 17 to start outputting and/or stop outputting electrical
pulses, and/or outputting
electrical pulses of different magnitudes and/or frequencies. In certain
embodiments, the
physical therapy device 17 is configured to receive wireless signals, such as
Bluetooth and/or
WiFi signals, so that a user can operate on a wireless controller to control
the physical therapy
device 17 to start outputting and/or stop outputting electrical pulses, and/or
outputting electrical
pulses of different magnitudes and/or frequencies. In certain embodiments, at
least one of the
physical therapy portions 21 and the physical therapy device 17 can be
arranged on the
pillowcase 2, and can be removed from the pillowcase 2, so that the pillowcase
2 may be washed
without damaging any of the physical therapy portions 21 and the physical
therapy device 17,
while in certain other embodiments, at least one of the physical therapy
portions 21 and the
physical therapy device 17 may be arranged on the pillow body 1, and the
pillowcase 2 may be
provided with a through hole through which the physical therapy device 17 can
be exposed from
the pillowcase 2. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto.
36
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-11
Referring to FIGS. 14-23, the physical therapy device 17 can be held on the
neck support
device S by a holder H that is designed with a secure releasable locking
mechanism L to fix the
physical therapy device 17 on, and release the physical therapy device 17
from, that is, the
physical therapy device 17 can be removed from, the holder H on demand.
Therefore, whenever
the neck support device S needs to be washed in water, for example, to wash
the pillowcase 2,
the physical therapy device 17 can be removed from the holder H to prevent
damage to the
physical therapy device 17. In certain embodiments, the holder H with the
releasable locking
mechanism L may be a harness with a releasable lock. The holder H can be
provided with at
least one conductive member to transmit the electricity produced by the
physical therapy device
17 and/or the battery pack thereon/therein to the physical therapy portions
21, so that the
physical therapy portions 21 can provide electrotherapy and/or heat therapy.
Referring to FIGS. 14-17, in certain embodiments, the holder H includes a base
plate
Hll, a positioning body H12, an inner plate H13, a plurality of electrical
conductive connectors
H14, and a plurality of conductive-wire connectors H15. The base plate H11 and
the positioning
.. body H12 can be assembled with each other. A rear surface of the base plate
Hll can be
provided with at least one hook-and-loop fastener, so as to be attached to the
neck support device
S, for example, to the pillowcase 2 or to the pillow body 1. The positioning
body H12 can be
made of at least one elastic material, and formed with an accommodating slot
H120 on the front
surface thereof. The inner plate H13 can be arranged on the bottom surface of
the
accommodating slot H120. The inner diameter of the accommodating slot H120 can
be slightly
smaller than the outer diameter of the physical therapy device 17, for
example, being smaller by
0.1% to 5% of the outer diameter of the physical therapy device 17, and the
slot wall of the
accommodating slot H120 can form the releasable locking mechanism L by, when
the physical
therapy device 17 is placed within the accommodating slot H120, expanding to a
small extent,
due to the flexibility of the accommodating slot H120, to wrap and abut firmly
against the
37
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-11
periphery of the physical therapy device 17, so as to position the physical
therapy device 17 on
the positioning body H12. When the positioned physical therapy device 17 is
pulled outward
from the positioning body H12 with a force that is greater than a force by
friction that is exerted
by the slot wall of the accommodating slot H120 (that is, the releasable
locking mechanism L)
to the physical therapy device 17, the physical therapy device 17 can be
removed from the
releasable locking mechanism L.
Referring again to FIGS. 16 and 17, the electrical conductive connectors H14
can be
placed in the accommodating slot H120, and extend through, in sequence, the
inner plate H13
and the bottom surface of the accommodating slot H120 and to the base plate
H11. The
conductive-wire connectors H15 can be located between the positioning body H12
and the base
plate H11, and electrically connected to the corresponding electrical
conductive connectors H14
respectively. Each of the conductive-wire connectors H15 can be electrically
connected with at
least one external conductive wire. Further, the rear side of the physical
therapy device 17 can
be provided with a plurality of electrical conductive members 171. After the
physical therapy
device 17 is placed in the accommodating slot H120, each of the electrical
conductive members
171 can be electrically connected with a corresponding electrical conductive
connectors H14,
so that the electric current (current pulse signals) outputted by the physical
therapy device 17
can pass in sequence through the electrical conductive member 171 and the
electrical conductive
connectors H14 and be transmitted to the conductive-wire connector H15.
However, in certain
embodiments, the electrical conductive connector H14 and the conductive-wire
connector H15
may be integrated into one piece, and the electrical conductive connector H14
can be electrically
connected with an external conductive wire.
Referring to FIGS. 18-20, in certain embodiments, the holder H may include a
base plate
H21, a positioning body H22, and a plurality of electrical conductive
connectors H24. The base
plate H21 and the positioning body H22 can be assembled with each other, and
the electrical
38
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-11
conductive connectors H24 can be fixed on the positioning body H22. The front
surface of the
positioning body H22 can be protrudingly formed with at least one protruding
rail H211 which
serves as the releasable locking mechanism L. The rear surface of the physical
therapy device
17 can be formed with at least one chamber 173. The width and/or length of the
chamber 173
can be slightly smaller than the corresponding width and/or length of the
protruding rail H211,
for example, being smaller by 0.1% to 5% of the width of the protruding rail
H211. When
assembling the physical therapy device 17 to the positioning body H, the
protruding rail H211
can be inserted into the corresponding chamber 173, and the electrical
conductive member(s)
171 can at the same time be electrically connected with the corresponding
electrical conductive
connector(s) H24. When the positioned physical therapy device 17 is pulled
outward from the
positioning body H22 with a force that is greater than the clamping force
between the protruding
rail(s) H211 and the corresponding chamber(s) 173, the physical therapy device
17 can be
removed from the releasable locking mechanism L.
Referring to FIGS. 21-23, in certain embodiments, the holder H may include at
least one
base plate H31, a positioning body H32, and a plurality of electrical
conductive connectors H34.
The front side of the base plate H31 can abut against the rear side of the
positioning body H32,
and the rear side of the base plate H31 can abut against a connection plate
H30 (for example, at
least one hook-and-loop fastener). The base plate H31, the positioning body
H32 and the
connection plate H30 can be assembled into one piece through a plurality of
fastening members
H36. The front side of the positioning body H32 is formed with an
accommodating room H320,
and the physical therapy device 17 can be placed in the accommodating room
H320, with the
surrounding wall defining and of the accommodating room H320 forming the
releasable locking
mechanism L. A part of the base plate H31 that is not blocked by the
positioning body H32
when the positioning body H32 and the base plate H31 are assembled can be
provided with at
least one fixing member H37 (for example, a button). The fixing member H37 can
be buckled
39
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-11
with a corresponding fixing member on the neck support device S, so that the
holder H can be
more firmly positioned on the neck support device S.
In other words, referring to FIGS. 14-23, the holder H may be provided with
various
electrical conductive/connecting members as described supra that enable
electrical conduction
between the physical therapy device 17 and the physical therapy portion(s) 21
and/or electrodes
positioned under the neck and on the upper shoulders. Such a physical therapy
device-holder-
physical therapy portion set-up enables the use of TENS, EMS, and other
electrotherapy/heat
therapy devices to treat the neck and upper shoulders of a user, and to
relieve his or her
headaches, neck pain, shoulder pain and radiating pain down the arms.
Further, when the neck support device S needs to be washed, the releasable
locking
mechanism L can be unlocked to release and remove the physical therapy device
17 before the
neck support device S is washed in water, so as to prevent damage to the water
sensitive
electronics within the physical therapy device 17. In certain embodiments, the
physical therapy
device 17 can be disposed directly on the neck support device S without the
holder H, and is
electrically connected to the physical therapy portions 21 to transmit
electricity to the physical
therapy portions 21.
Referring to FIG. 24A, in certain embodiments, a physical therapy portion 21
can be
arranged with an electrotherapy unit EU. The electrotherapy unit EU can
include a conductive
layer 211, optionally a thin film layer 212, and an adhesion layer 213. The
conductive layer 211
may be a layer of conductive fibers, conductive film, conductive cloth,
aluminum foil, or a
mixture thereof, or be made of other conductive materials. One side of the
conductive layer 211
can be disposed with the optional thin film layer 212 (for example, a layer of
conductive gel),
while the other side of the conductive layer 211 can be disposed with the
adhesion layer 213.
The conductive layer 211 can be electrically connected to a metal member 22,
and the metal
member 22 can be electrically connected to a conductive wire 215. An
insulative band 217 can
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-11
be wound around and fix the metal member 22 and the conductive wire 215. The
adhesion layer
213 (for example, a layer of glue) can be fixed to the pillowcase 2, or in
certain embodiments,
to the pillow body 1, so that for a user to use the physical therapy portion
21, as long as the
conductive layer 211, or if the thin film layer 212 exists, the thin film
layer 212, is abutted
against his or her skin, and the conductive wire 215 is electrically connected
to the physical
therapy device 17, electric power from the physical therapy device 17 such as
a TENS or EMS
device can be received by the physical therapy portion 21, and the physical
therapy portion 21
can output electrical stimulation to the neck of a user to achieve the effect
of electrotherapy.
However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. In certain
embodiments, when the thin
film layer 212 is omitted, the conductive layer 211 is in direct contact with
the skin. The
adhesion layer 213 may include fabric such as nonwoven or cotton fabric, and
can be connected
with a conductive sheet such as an aluminum foil, so as to be better connected
to the pillow
body 1 or the pillowcase 2.
Referring to FIG. 24B, in certain embodiments, a physical therapy portion 21
can be
arranged with a heat therapy unit HU. The heat therapy unit HU can include two
cushion layers
218 (for example, being made of non-woven fabric) and a heat-generating layer
219. The heat-
generating layer 219 can be made of metal material (e.g., iron-chromium-
aluminum alloy wires,
nickel-chromium alloy wires, etc.), graphene, carbon fiber material, or other
electrothermal
materials, etc., so as to generate heat when electric current passes
therethrough. The heat-
generating layer 219 can be sandwiched between the two cushion layers 218, and
the outer
surface of one of the cushion layers 218 can be fixated on the corresponding
pillowcase 2, or in
certain embodiments, to the pillow body 1. The heat-generating layer 219 can
be electrically
connected with the metal member 22 to receive electric power from the physical
therapy device
17 through the conductive wire 215, so that the physical therapy portion 21
generates heat that
is conducted away through the cushion layers 218, and heats the neck of the
user to relax blood
41
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-11
vessels and increase local blood circulation and the rate of metabolism, such
that inflammatory
substances are quickly expelled from the human body and self-healing abilities
of the muscle
tissue can be improved. At the same time, warm compresses can increase soft
tissue resilience
and reduce muscle spasms, so as to relieve one's pain and relax one's
emotions. In certain
embodiments, the cushion layers 218 may be omitted, and the heat-generating
layer 219 is in
direct contact with the skin.
Referring to FIG. 24C, in certain embodiments, a physical therapy portion 21
can be
arranged with a combined electrotherapy-heat therapy unit. The combined
electrotherapy-heat
therapy unit can be formed by stacking the foregoing electrotherapy unit EU
and heat therapy
unit HU. For example, a heat-generating layer 219 is provided between two
cushion layers 218,
and the outer surface of one of the cushion layers 218 can be covered with the
conductive layer
211, such as a layer of conductive fiber. The heat-generating layer 219 and
the conductive layer
211 can receive electric power from the physical therapy device 17 through the
same or different
metal members 22. The conductive layer 211 can output electrical stimulation
to the neck of
the user, while the heat-generating layer 219 can generate heat which passes
through the cushion
layers 218 and the conductive layer 211 to heat the neck of the user.
However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. As long as the
structure of a
physical therapy portion 21 can achieve the result and effects of physical
therapy, such a
structure is within the definition of the physical therapy portion 21
according to the present
disclosure.
Referring to FIG. 8, the bottom plate 16 can be assembled to the bottom
surface of the
pillow body 1 to cover the first chamber 110 and the second chambers 190, and
to prevent the
first inflatable airbag 13, the second inflatable airbags 19 and the pipe
bodies 152 from being
separated from the pillow body 1. However, in other embodiments, the bottom
plate 16 may be
omitted, and the first inflatable airbag 13, the second inflatable airbags 19
and the pipe bodies
42
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-11
152 may be held by the elasticity of the pillow body 1 or be clamped and fixed
by other clamping
mechanism.
Another aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a method for
manufacturing the
adjustable inflatable neck support device S. It is noted that the method is
not limited to the
sequence of the procedures as described either infra or in FIG. 25, and the
sequence may vary
according practical requirements and/or user preferences without departing
from the spirit and
scope thereof.
Referring to FIGS. 25 in view of FIGS. 1, 2, 7 and 8, step 100 includes
forming the
pillow body 1 having a supporting top surface configured to support a neck of
a user, a bearing
top surface configured to bear an occiput of a user when the user is in a
supine position, with a
height of the bearing top surface being smaller than a height of the
supporting top surface, and
a bottom surface formed with the first chamber 110 and the two second chambers
190 located
at opposite sides of the first chamber 110. In certain embodiments, the pillow
body 1 can be
formed via a molding process, such as compression molding, injection molding,
centrifugal
molding, extrusion molding, reaction injection molding, thermoforming, etc.
Step 102 includes
forming a bottom plate 16 having edges corresponding to and matching the
bottom inner edges
of the pillow body 1 and configured to cover the first chamber 110 and the two
second chambers
190. In certain embodiments, the bottom plate 16 can be formed via a molding
process, such as
compression molding, injection molding, centrifugal molding, extrusion
molding, reaction
injection molding, thermoforming, etc. The bottom plate 16 can be a portion
separated and
independent from the pillow body 1, or pivotally connected to the pillow body
1 to collectively
form a shell shaped structure.
Step 104 includes positioning the first inflatable airbag 13 in the first
chamber 110,
positioning the two second inflatable airbags 19 in the second chambers 190,
respectively,
.. extending pipe bodies 152 through pipe holes formed on pillow body 1 and
through pipe cavities
43
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-11
communicating with the pipe holes and formed in the pillow body 1, and
assembling the pipe
bodies 152 to the first inflatable airbag 13 and the second inflatable airbags
19.
Step 106 includes assembling the pillow body 1 with the bottom plate 16 by
adhering
the bottom inner edges of the pillow body 1 to the matching edges of the
bottom plate 16 to
form the adjustable inflatable neck support device S with the first inflatable
airbag 13 and the
second inflatable airbags 19 enclosed within the adjustable inflatable neck
support device S. In
certain embodiments, to ensure proper adhesion strength in keeping pillow body
1 and the
bottom plate 16 together for longtime use, the adhering can be via glue,
adhesive tapes, heat
combined with compression, and/or other fastening methods applying foam or
other material,
.. along the entire peripheral edges of the bottom plate 16 and the entire
inner edges of the pillow
body 1 the formed adjustable inflatable neck support device S, so as to hold
the neck support
device S as an enclosed object.
The foregoing description of the exemplary embodiments of the disclosure has
been
presented only for the purposes of illustration and description and is not
intended to be
exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise forms disclosed. Many
modifications and
variations are possible in light of the above teaching.
The embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain the principles
of the
disclosure and their practical application so as to enable others skilled in
the art to utilize the
disclosure and various embodiments and with various modifications as are
suited to the
particular use contemplated. Alternative embodiments will become apparent to
those skilled in
the art to which the present disclosure pertains without departing from its
spirit and scope.
44
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-06-11
