Lumbar pillow

Abstract

A lumbar pillow through which a force is transmitted into a lumbar area of the spine of an individual. The lumbar pillow has a housing with an interior divided by a seam extends from an apex to a center of a radius for an arcuate base and filled with a resilient material. The lumbar pillow is aligned on an individual with the seam is positioned over the second and third lumbo vertebrae and the arcuate base covering the lumbo-sacral junction of the spine. Thereafter, when the resilient material is compressed a force is primarily directed into soft tissue areas adjacent the lumbo vertebrae to assist in obtaining a desired curvature for the spine.

1 . A pillow through which a force is transmitted into a lumbar area of the spine of an individual to apply pressure to soft tissue adjacent the spine and assist in obtaining a desired curvature for the spine, said pillow comprising: 
 a first member having a first peripheral shape defined by a first arcuate base that transitions into identical first and second wings that are connected to a first apex, said first apex being located along a radial plane that extends from a first center of a radius for said first arcuate base and is perpendicular to said first and second wings;    a second member having a second peripheral shape defined by a second arcuate base that transitions into identical third and fourth wings that are connected to a second apex that is located along a radial plane that extends from a second center of a radius for said second arcuate base and is perpendicular to said third and fourth wings;    closure means through which said first and second members are joined together to form a unitary structure having a seam that extends from said first and second apex to approximately said first and second centers to define first and second spaces that are located adjacent said radial planes with said first and second spaces being connected to an arcuate space located between said first and second centers and said first and second arcuate bases; and    a resilient material located in said first, second and arcuate space for defining a desired thickness between said first and second members such that when said unitary structure is aligned with the lumbar area and said first and second centers are approximately located between the second and third lumbo vertebrae of the spine and the first and second arcuate bases cover the lumbo-sacral junction of the spine and when a force is applied to the unitary structure the force is primarily directed into first and second areas adjacent the lumbo vertebrae.    
   
   
       2 . The pillow as recited in  claim 1  wherein when said seam is located in vertical alignment with said spine substantially equal amounts of force are applied to said first and second areas of the lumbar.  
   
   
       3 . The pillow as recited in  claim 2  further including a first strap connected to said first wing and a second strap connected to said second wing that are selectively joined together to assist in maintaining said alignment of said unitary structure and said lumbar area.  
   
   
       4 . The pillow as recited in  claim 3  wherein said pillow is designed to be located between a stationary surface and an individual and said force is derived by the individual compressing the resilient material.  
   
   
       5 . The pillow as recited in  claim 4  wherein said closure means includes a first flap on said first member and a second flap on said second member, said first flap being connected to said second flap to retain said resilient material in said spaces and being separated from said second flap to add or exchange resilient material in said spaces.  
   
   
       6 . The pillow as recited in  claim 5  wherein either said first member or said second member may be aligned with said lumbar area and function in a same manner to apply a same pressure to said soft tissue.  
   
   
       7 . The pillow as recited in  claim 6  wherein said first and second wings assist in directing force into said soft tissue of the lumbar area.  
   
   
       8 . The pillow as recited in  claim 7  wherein said first flap and said second flap define a zipper.  
   
   
       9 . A lumbar pillow comprising: 
 a housing having a peripheral shape defined by an arcuate base that transitions into identical first and second wings that are connected to an apex that is located along a radial plane that extends from the center of the radius for said arcuate base and in perpendicular alignment with a horizontal plane that extends through said first and second wings, a seam that extends from said apex to the center of the radius to define first and second spaces that are connected together by an arcuate space; and    a resilient for filling said first and second spaces and arcuate space to define a desired thickness for said housing, said housing being placed over the lumbar area of the back of an individual with said seam being aligned with the spine of the individual, said center of the radius for the arcuate base being approximately located between the second and third lumbo vertebrae of the spine of the individual and the arcuate base covering the lumbo-sacral junction of the spine and when the resilient material is compresses between the back of the individual and a stationary structure a force is created that is primarily directed into soft tissue areas adjacent the lumbo vertebrae to assist in obtaining a desired curvature for the spine.