US2952856A - Adjustable pillow support - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 20, 1960 C. B. RUFF ADJUSTABLE PILLOW SUPPORT Filed Aug. 15, 1956 INVENTOR. CLARENCE B. RUFF WTW United States Patent ADJUSTABLE PILLOW SUPPORT Clarence B. Ruff, 127 E. Main St., Ligonier, Pa.

Filed Aug. 15, 1956, Ser. No. 604,283

3 Claims. (Cl. 5-338) This invention relates to a new adjustable pillow support. More particularly, this invention pertains to a new support useful for comfort and/ or therapy of human beings, or for the support of objects, and having interconnected spatially adjustable pad portions.

An adjustable pillow support of this invention preferably includes pad portions of a cushioned nature which are interconnected in an offset manner. Thereby, such pad portions may be positioned relative to one another such that a continuous pillow surface is provided. On the other hand, such pad portions may be turned to another relative position in which, while retaining their pillow support characteristics, they are separated by a predetermined amount yet firmly interconnected and available to serve as a spaced support for parts of the body, or other purpose. In the case of a new device of this invention of relatively small size, it may, for example, be used as a solid pillow for the head when sunbathing in a seated or supine position and may then be opened to support the face to each side of the nose and mouth when such sunbather shifts to a prone position. Likewise, the new pillow support may be utilized in hospitals for shifting the area of support without removal of it from under a patient or a part of his body. Such new devices may be used as supports, or chocks, or otherwise for the taking of X-rays and by doctors, Osteopaths, chiropractors, masseurs and others in connection with their respective services. My new device may also be utilized in other fields where, for example, delicate objects are to be supported or suspended and kept relatively free from jarring or other shock.

Other objects and advantages beyond those generally hereinabove mentioned will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, which are illustrative of one embodiment only, in which Figure l is a perspective view of one embodiment of my invention with a part of a cover removed from one pad portion thereof;

Figure 2 is an end view of the new adjustable pillow support shown in Figure 1 with its pad portions in separated spatial relation; and

Figure 3 is a further end view with such pad portions in contiguous relation forming a continuous pillow support.

Referring to the drawings showing one embodiment of a new adjustable pillow support of my invention, such embodiment comprises a pair of pad portions 11 and 12 extending in generally parallel arrangement. Although such pad portions are shown as being longitudinal, each with an upper face 13, a lower face 14, ends 15, a rear longitudinal edge or side 16 and a far longitudinal edge or side 17, it will be realized that such pad portions may also be square in their respective dimensions and sections, or may be oval, or may take irregular shapes as desired by the producer thereof. Moreover, although pad portions 11 and 12 are shown in the form of cushions, it will be seen that they may also be made of firmer material if wanted for particular services or uses. In like manner, although embodiment 10 provides an inflatable bladder 18 in each pad portion, it will be recognized that other filling material or appliances may be utilized including the making of pad portions 11 and 12 of solid material such, e.g., as foam rubber.

As shown, each of the pad portions 10 and 11 comprises an envelope or cover 19 which may be made of a fabric like terry cloth or any other flexible material including plastic, whether in sheet, woven or other form suitable therefor and whether or not each cover 19 is provided with a seam or seams midway between the faces 13 and 14 or otherwise fabricated. Each cover 19 is provided with an opening 20 through which a deflated bladder 18, or other filling material, may be inserted. A filling material like bladder 18 will normally be provided with a valve (not illustrated) which preferably is flush with the outside surface of bladder 18 so that each bladder 18 can be inflated to a predetermined extent after being inserted through its respective opening 20. If desired, eyelets 21 of metal or otherwise extending along each side of each opening 20 may be provided. A lace 22 may be used to pass through the eyelets 21 and close opening it) after the respective bladders 18, or other filling material, are in place. Although the openings 20 are shown as extending along the median longitudinal line of the lower faces 14, it will be obvious that such openings may be located elsewhere or dispenesd with entirely dependent upon the form of the practice of this invention that is adopted.

A connector 23 is provided in embodiment it) in the form of a web and may be made of a similar fabric to the fabric of cover 19. Connector 23 may be provided with its longitudinal edges reinforced at 24 for pivotal alfixation, as by sewing to the adjoining pad portion cover 19 along a line of connection 25. In the case of some certain flexible plastics, such connection may be achieved by thermal unitings of the plastic elements. Each connection 25 is offset to one side of the longitudinal median line of the respective pad portion. In the illustrated embodiment, the width of connector 23 is appropriately twice the distance from either respecttive connection line 25 to the far longitudinal edge 17 of the respective pad portions. Hence, when pad portions 11 and 12 are folded in, as shown in Figure 3, the far edges 17 will substantially abut and such pad portions will together constitute a substantially continuous pillow support. In the position shown in Figure 3, connector 23 still firmly unites pad portions 11 and 12 and a weight resting upon the top faces 13 of both thereof will not result in any separation of such pad portions. Of course, the web 23 may, if desired, be made so that when the pad portions are turned in, as shown in Figure 3, there will be a slight distance in the center between such pad portions for any particular use or desire to be satisfied by such a relatively narrow gap therebetween.

On the other hand, when pad portions 11 and 12 are turned out, as shown in Figure 2, and placed on or against the ground, a table, a chair, a bed, or other supporting surface, the same faces 13 will be uppermost but there will be a space or gap 25 between the near longitudinal edges 16 so that a weight resting upon both of the faces 13 of pad portions 11 and 12 will have such gap 26 available for whatever portion of the body or whatever portion of an object is to be supported in the space provided by gap 26 between the pad portions 11 and 12 of support 10. In the case of a sunbather with his face down, for example, the predetermined distance or height between the faces 14 and 13 will be selected such that pad portions 11 and 12 will support the sides of the face and allow the users nose and mouth to be held above the other embodiments of this invention to those to whom this invention is disclosed and other positions of use for the interconnected pad portions will be possible including, in

some case, the use of one pad portion with its face 13 uppermost and the associated pad portion with its face 14 uppermost, or one or more ends or longitudinal edges may be uppermost as the selected service or use indicates.

Various modificationsmay be made in the form of the embodiment shown and other forms and embodiments may be provided without departure from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an adjustable pillow support, in combination, a like pair of cushion portions in generally parallel arrangement for side-by-side adjustment, said portions each having upper and lower faces and a covering surface of flexible material, means within said covering surface for maintaining said portions filled out to a predetermined extent, an inextensible flexible strip connector having a length substantially equal to a major portion of the length of said portions, the longitudinal edges of said connector being relatively permanently connected to a lower face of each of said portions respectively, said connection between an edge of said connector and said lower face being offset to one side of the longitudinal median line of said lower face of each portion, the width of said connector being about twice the distance from said connection to the farther longitudinal edge of said respective portions, whereby when said connector connections are nearer the farther longitudinal edges of said portions, the upper faces of said portions form a substantially continuous pillow supportsurface, and, when said connector connections are nearer the nearer longitudinal edges of said portions, said upper faces are in flat spaced arrangement.

2. In an adjustable pillow support, in combination, two generally fiat elongate pillow-like cushions in similar right-hand and left-hand arrangement, each of said cushions having upper and lower faces, a flexible cover and an opening through said cover, an inflatable bladder to be passed through each said opening to inflate said cover to a predetermined extent, means for closing said opening, an inextensible flexible web extending between said cushions and in flexible linear engagement with the lower face of each of said covers substantially from a point adjacent one end thereof to a point adjacent the other end thereof, each said line of engagement being respectively parallel to the longitudinal edges of said cushions and dividing the distance between said edges unevenly, the width of said web being substantially equal to the sum of the distances between said lines of engagement and the farther of said longitudinal edges on said cushions respectively, whereby when said lines of engagement are nearer the farther longitudinal edges of said cushions, the upper faces of said cushions form a substantially continuous pillow support surface, and, when said lines of engagement are nearer the nearer longi tudinal edges of said cushions, said longitudinal edges are in flat spaced arrangement.

3. In an adjustable pillow support, in combination, a pair of cushion portions in generally parallel arrangement for side-by-Side adjustment, said portions each having upper support faces and lower bearing faces, an inextensible flexible strip connector fastened to said lower faces respectively a predetermined unequal distance between the respective edges of each cushion portion, the greater portion of said unequal distance being about onehalf of the distance along said connector between its respective fastenings to said lower faces of said cushion portions, whereby when said fastenings are nearer the outside edges of said cushion portions, the upper faces of said cushion portions form a substantially continuous pillow support surface, and, when said fastenings are nearer the inside edges of said cushion portions, said upper faces are in flat spaced arrangement.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 716,752 Phillips Dec. 23, 1902 2,562,725 Leto et-al July 31, 1951 2,765,480 Mueller Oct. 9, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 782,695 France Mar. 25, 1935 432,171 Great Britain July 22, 1935

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