Pouched sleepware to decrease occlusion of airway and supine positioning during sleep

Abstract

Sleepware for preventing a wearer from assuming a supine or semisupine position prior to or during sleep, thus increasing the volume of available airway via oropharynx. The sleepware comprises a rear portion and a pouch disposed on the rear portion so as to be located between the scapular of the wearer. The pouch has an interior cavity, an orifice to the cavity, and means for selectively closing the orifice. The pouch further includes at least one pleat to enable the pouch to expand in the dorso-ventral, medio-lateral and superior-inferior directions of the wearer. A first of the at least one pleat extends in a lengthwise direction of the sleepware, while an optional second pleat extends in a widthwise direction of the sleepware. A hollow perforated ball is removably retained within the cavity by the closing means.

1 . Sleepware comprising: 
 a rear portion;    a pouch disposed on the rear portion so as to be located between the scapular of the wearer, the pouch having an interior cavity and an orifice to the cavity;    means for selectively closing and opening the orifice;    a hollow ball removably retained within the cavity by the closing and opening means, the ball having a diameter of about seven to about eight centimeters;    at least one pleat formed in the pouch to enable the pouch to expand in dorso-ventral, medio-lateral and superior-inferior directions of the wearer, a first pleat of the at least one pleat being centrally located on the pouch and extending in a lengthwise direction of the sleepware.    
     
     
         2 . The sleepware according to  claim 1 , wherein the orifice of the pouch is located at an upper extremity of the pouch.  
     
     
         3 . The sleepware according to  claim 2 , wherein the first pleat extends substantially the entire lengthwise extent of the pouch.  
     
     
         4 . The sleepware according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one pleat consists of the first pleat.  
     
     
         5 . The sleepware according to  claim 1 , further comprising a second pleat of the at least one pleat, the second pleat extending in a widthwise direction of the sleepware.  
     
     
         6 . The sleepware according to  claim 5 , wherein the orifice of the pouch is located at an upper extremity of the pouch, and the second pleat is located immediately beneath the orifice.  
     
     
         7 . Sleepware comprising: 
 a rear portion: 
 a pouch disposed on the rear portion so as to be located between the scapular of the wearer, the pouch having an interior cavity and an orifice to the cavity, the cavity having a width of about eighteen centimeters in a widthwise direction of the sleepware and a length of about eighteen centimeters in a lengthwise direction of the sleepware, the orifice being located at an upper extremity of the cavity;  
 means for selectively closing and opening the orifice; a single hollow perforated ball removably retained within the cavity by the closing and opening means, the ball having a diameter of about seven to about eight centimeters; and at least one pleat formed in the pouch to enable the pouch to expand in dorso-ventral, medio-lateral and superior-inferior directions of the wearer, the at least one pleat comprising a single vertical pleat centrally located on the pouch and extending in the lengthwise direction of the sleepware, the single vertical pleat aiding in passively positioning the ball within the cavity and minimizing tension in the pouch and the sleepware.  
   
     
     
         8 . The sleepware according to  claim 7 , wherein the vertical pleat extends substantially the entire lengthwise extent of the pouch.  
     
     
         9 . The sleepware according to  claim 7 , wherein the at least one pleat consists of the vertical pleat.  
     
     
         10 . The sleepware according to  claim 7 , further comprising second and third pleats of the at least one pleat, the second and third pleats extending in a widthwise direction of the sleepware.  
     
     
         11 . The sleepware according to  claim 10 , wherein the second and third pleats are each located immediately beneath the orifice.  
     
     
         12 . Sleepware comprising: 
 a rear portion: 
 a pouch disposed on the rear portion so as to be located between the scapular of the wearer, the pouch having an interior cavity and an orifice to the cavity, the cavity having a width of about eighteen centimeters in a widthwise direction of the sleepware and a length of about eighteen centimeters in a lengthwise direction of the sleepware, the orifice being located at an upper extremity of the cavity;  
 means for selectively closing and opening the orifice;  
   a single hollow perforated ball removably retained within the cavity by the closing and opening means, the ball having a diameter of about seven to about eight centimeters; and a single pleat formed in the pouch to enable the pouch to expand in dorso-ventral, medio-lateral and superior-inferior directions of the wearer, the single pleat being centrally located on the pouch and extending in the lengthwise direction of the sleepware, the single pleat aiding in passively positioning the ball within the cavity and minimizing tension in the pouch and the sleepware.