Face rest with gel fill

Abstract

The present invention relates to a face rest comprising an external containment system (“ECS”) having a fixed internal volume that is substantially filled with a gel fill. The face rest may be used alone or may be permanently or removably attached to a therapy table or other apparatus. The ECS may further include an internal containment system with structural extensions forming one or more channels and/or cells, and/or a contoured containment system in the internal portion of the face rest to better accommodate a user's face. Other fill such as foam padding may be included underneath the ECS.

1 . A U-shaped face rest comprising an external containment system and a gel fill, wherein the external containment system comprises an inner portion connected to an outer portion, 
 wherein said inner portion comprises a U-shaped inner top surface, a U-shaped inner bottom surface, and an inner side surface, wherein said inner side surface is continuous with the inner top surface and the inner bottom surface; and    wherein said outer portion comprises a U-shaped outer top surface, a U-shaped outer bottom surface, and an outer side surface, wherein said outer side surface is continuous with the outer top surface and the outer bottom surface; and    wherein said inner portion defines a fixed inner volume that is substantially filled with gel fill so that said inner bottom surface and said outer bottom surface are selected from the group consisting of substantially flat and convex, and so that the inner top surface does not directly contact the inner bottom surface.    
     
     
         2 . A face rest of  claim 1 , wherein the face rest further comprises an other fill having a U-shape and a top surface, wherein said top surface of the other fill is attached to the outer bottom surface of the external containment system.  
     
     
         3 . The face rest of  claim 1 , wherein the external containment system comprises at least one layer of a material selected from the group consisting of doeskin vinyl, neoprene, silicone elastomer, synthetic latex, natural latex, LYCRA®, BIOCELL®, SILTEX®, plastic and thermoplastic.  
     
     
         4 . The face rest of  claim 2 , wherein the other fill is selected from the group consisting of foam padding and memory foam padding.  
     
     
         5 . The face rest of  claim 1 , wherein the gel fill is at least one of the group consisting of silicone gel, saline, water, propylene glycol, carbomer, triethanolamine, food grade oil, soybean oil, elastopolymer gel, aloe vera gel, glycerin-water based gel, non-toxic flexxum gel, and cohesive gel.  
     
     
         6 . The face rest of  claim 1 , further comprising an internal containment system.  
     
     
         7 . The face rest of  claim 6 , wherein said internal containment system further comprises a contour containment system.  
     
     
         8 . The face rest of  claim 7 , wherein said contour containment system is ergonomically contoured.  
     
     
         9 . The face rest of  claim 6 , wherein said internal containment system further comprises at least one extension.  
     
     
         10 . The face rest of  claim 9 , wherein said extension is vertical.  
     
     
         11 . The face rest of  claim 9 , wherein said extension is horizontal.  
     
     
         12 . The face rest of  claim 6 , wherein said internal containment system comprises at least one channel.  
     
     
         13 . The face rest of  claim 6 , wherein said internal containment system comprises at least one cell.  
     
     
         14 . The face rest of  claim 6 , wherein said internal containment system further comprises at least one vertical extension and at least one horizontal extension.  
     
     
         15 . The face rest of  claim 14 , wherein said internal containment system comprises at least one channel and at least one cell.  
     
     
         16 . The face rest of  claim 1 , wherein said face rest has a U-shape selected from the group consisting of horseshoe, standard “U”, crescent, hairpin, three-sided rectangular, three-sided square, oval and circular.  
     
     
         17 . The face rest of  claim 1 , wherein said U-shape is crescent.  
     
     
         18 . The face rest of  claim 1 , wherein the face rest further comprises a housing.  
     
     
         19 . The face rest of  claim 1 , wherein the gel fill has a temperature that may be adjusted to a temperature to heat or cool a user's face.  
     
     
         20 . The face rest of  claim 1 , wherein the face rest is attached to an apparatus.