Therapeutic pillow

Abstract

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a pillow for use in a supine sleeping position is formed of a foam body that has a top surface, an opposing bottom surface, a rear edge and an opposing front edge and lateral sides. The foam body is defined by a first region that includes the front edge, a second region adjacent the first region and a third region adjacent the second region and defining the rear edge. The first region has a convex shape, the second region has a concave shape and the third region has a convex shape. The first region having a first section that extends to the front edge and has a positive slope (convex increasing) and an adjacent second section that has a negative slope (convex decreasing). The pillow also includes a plurality of ribs located exclusively within the first section of the first region.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A pillow comprising:
 a foam body having a top surface, an opposing bottom surface, a rear edge and an opposing front edge and lateral sides, wherein the foam body is defined by a first region that includes the front edge, a second region adjacent the first region and a third region adjacent the second region and defining the rear edge, wherein the first region has a convex shape, the second region has a concave shape and the third region has a convex shape, the pillow having a maximum thickness in the first region and a minimum thickness in the second region, the first region having a first section that extends to the front edge and has a positive slope and an adjacent second section that has a negative slope; and   a plurality of ribs extending longitudinally between the lateral side and being located exclusively within the first section of the first region, the second section of the first region being free of ribs.   
     
     
         2 . The pillow of  claim 1 , wherein the foam body is formed of viscoelastic foam, whereby a head and neck of a user arches back over the first region as supported by the foam body when the user is in a supine position with the head being at least substantially contained in the second region. 
     
     
         3 . The pillow of  claim 1 , wherein each rib comprises a rounded rib. 
     
     
         4 . The pillow of  claim 3 , wherein the rounded rib has a convex shape. 
     
     
         5 . The pillow of  claim 1 , wherein the ribs extend along the entire length of the foam body from one lateral side to the other lateral side. 
     
     
         6 . The pillow of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of ribs comprises three ribs, namely, a front rib, a middle rib and a rear rib, with a first distance being defined between the front rib and middle rib and a second distance being defined between the middle rib and the rear rib, as measured along a width of the foam pillow. 
     
     
         7 . The pillow of  claim 1 , wherein the first region is defined by a first radius of curvature and a second region is defined by a second radius of curvature, and the third region is defined by a third radius of curvature, the third radius of curvature being greater than the first radius of curvature. 
     
     
         8 . The pillow of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of ribs have convex shapes with a radius of curvature that defines each rib being at least substantially equal. 
     
     
         9 . The pillow of  claim 7 , wherein the first radius of curvature is about 3.944 inches; the second radius of curvature is about 3.927 inches and the third radius of curvature is about 6.693 inches. 
     
     
         10 . The pillow of  claim 6 , wherein the front rib defines a forwardmost point of the foam body. 
     
     
         11 . A pillow for use in both a supine sleeping position and a sidelying sleeping position comprising:
 a foam body having a top surface, an opposing bottom surface, a front edge, a rear edge and an opposing front edge and lateral sides, wherein the foam body is defined by a first section constructed for use when a user is in the supine sleeping position and a pair of adjacent second sections for use when the user in the sidelying position, the first section being disposed between the second sections;   wherein the first section includes:
 a first region that includes the front edge, a second region adjacent the first region and a third region adjacent the second region and defining the rear edge, wherein the first region has a convex shape, the second region has a concave shape and the third region has a convex shape, the first region having a first section that extends to the front edge and has a positive slope and an adjacent second section that has a negative slope; and 
 a plurality of ribs extending longitudinally between the lateral side and being located exclusively within the first section of the first region, the second section of the first region being free of ribs; and 
   wherein the second section includes a pair of arcuate shaped cut-outs formed in the front edge, the arcuate-shaped cut-outs being spaced apart along the front edge for receiving a shoulder of a user in the sidelying position.   
     
     
         12 . The pillow of  claim 1 , wherein the second section has a step configuration. 
     
     
         13 . The pillow of  claim 12 , wherein the second section includes a pair of steps located between first and second planar portions that are located at the front edge and rear edge, respectively, of the pillow. 
     
     
         14 . The pillow of  claim 13 , wherein the first and second planar portions are parallel to one another. 
     
     
         15 . The pillow of  claim 13 , wherein the pair of steps includes a first step having a first slope and a second step having a second slope, the first slope being greater than the second slope and located closer to the rear edge. 
     
     
         16 . The pillow of  claim 15 , wherein a length of the second step is greater than a length of the first step. 
     
     
         17 . The pillow of  claim 11 , wherein the foam body is formed of viscoelastic foam, whereby a head and neck of a user arches back over the first region as supported by the foam body when the user is in a supine position with the head being at least substantially contained in the second region. 
     
     
         18 . The pillow of  claim 11 , wherein each rib comprises a rounded rib. 
     
     
         19 . The pillow of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of ribs comprises three ribs, namely, a front rib, a middle rib and a rear rib, with a first distance being defined between the front rib and middle rib and a second distance being defined between the middle rib and the rear rib, as measured along a width of the foam pillow. 
     
     
         20 . The pillow of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of ribs have convex shapes with a radius of curvature that defines each rib being at least substantially equal. 
     
     
         21 . The pillow of  claim 11 , wherein an inner beveled wall is formed at an interface between the first section and each second section, the inner beveled wall having a varying height as measured from the rear edge to the front edge. 
     
     
         22 . A pillow for use in both a supine sleeping position comprising:
 a foam body having a top surface, an opposing bottom surface, a front edge, a rear edge and an opposing front edge and lateral sides, the body including a pair of arcuate shaped cut-outs formed in the front edge, the arcuate-shaped cut-outs being spaced apart along the front edge each for receiving a shoulder of a user in the sidelying position, the body including a step configuration defined between the rear edge and the front edge, the step configuration including a pair of steps located between first and second planar portions that are located at the front edge and rear edge, respectively, of the body.   
     
     
         23 . The pillow of  claim 22 , wherein the first and second planar portions are parallel to one another. 
     
     
         24 . The pillow of  claim 22 , wherein the pair of steps includes a first step having a first slope and a second step having a second slope, the first slope being greater than the second slope and located closer to the rear edge. 
     
     
         25 . The pillow of  claim 22 , wherein a length of the second step is greater than a length of the first step.