Self-Adjusting Neck Brace Pillow For Back Sleepers

Abstract

A supportive pillow braces a sleeping user's head in a supine position. The pillow has a viscoelastic body with a flat base and contoured top. The contoured top has two neck supporting ridges, positioned on either side of a head-receiving depression. A user rests their neck on the most comfortable neck supporting ridge (taller one for heavier people, shorter one for lighter people), with the head positioned in the depression. Lateral movement and rolling of the head is prevented by two bracing supports, positioned on either side of the viscoelastic body. For comfort, a softer cover is positioned over the viscoelastic body and bracing supports, improving the cushioning and breathability of the supportive pillow. The bracing supports and cover are also viscoelastic, with them and the viscoelastic body commonly being made from viscoelastic polyurethane, e.g. memory foam. The benefits of the supporting pillow have applications in medical and other fields.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A self-adjusting neck brace pillow for back sleepers comprises:
 a viscoelastic body;   a first bracing support;   a second bracing support;   the first bracing support being adjacently connected to the viscoelastic body;   the second bracing support being adjacently connected to the viscoelastic body opposite the first bracing support;   the viscoelastic body comprises a contoured top surface and a flat bottom surface;   the contoured top surface comprises a low-profile neck supporting ridge, an elevated neck supporting ridge, and a head-receiving depression;   the low-profile neck supporting ridge being perpendicularly connected between the first bracing support and the second bracing support;   the elevated neck supporting ridge being perpendicularly connected between the first bracing support and the second bracing support;   the low-profile neck supporting ridge being parallel with the elevated neck supporting ridge; and   the head-receiving depression being positioned between the low-profile neck supporting ridge and the elevated neck supporting ridge.   
     
     
         2 . The self-adjusting neck brace pillow for back sleepers as claimed in  claim 1  comprises:
 the viscoelastic body being made of an air-permeable material. 
 
     
     
         3 . The self-adjusting neck brace pillow for back sleepers as claimed in  claim 1  comprises:
 the viscoelastic body being made of a polyurethane material. 
 
     
     
         4 . The self-adjusting neck brace pillow for back sleepers as claimed in  claim 1  comprises:
 the first bracing portion and the second bracing portion being made of a viscoelastic polyurethane material. 
 
     
     
         5 . The self-adjusting neck brace pillow for back sleepers as claimed in  claim 1  comprises:
 a cover; 
 a plurality of air-permeable holes; 
 the cover being adjacently connected across the contoured top surface, the first bracing support, and the second bracing support; 
 the plurality of air permeable holes being evenly distributed across the cover and overlapping the viscoelastic body; 
 the plurality of air permeable holes traversing through the viscoelastic body; and 
 the cover being made from a viscoelastic material. 
 
     
     
         6 . The self-adjusting neck brace pillow for back sleepers as claimed in  claim 1  comprises:
 a first apex of the low-profile neck supporting ridge; 
 a second apex of the elevated neck supporting ridge; and 
 a first distance between the first apex of the low-profile neck supporting ridge and the flat bottom surface being less than a second distance between the second apex of the elevated neck supporting ridge and the flat bottom surface. 
 
     
     
         7 . The self-adjusting neck brace pillow for back sleepers as claimed in  claim 1  comprises:
 the first bracing support and the second bracing support each comprises an elevated brace ridge, a brace depression, and a low-profile brace ridge; 
 the elevated brace ridge being offset from the elevated neck supporting ridge; 
 the brace depression being offset from the head-receiving depression; and 
 the low-profile brace ridge being offset from the low-profile neck supporting ridge. 
 
     
     
         8 . A self-adjusting neck brace pillow for back sleepers comprises:
 a viscoelastic body;   a first bracing support;   a second bracing support;   a cover;   a plurality of air-permeable holes;   the first bracing support being adjacently connected to the viscoelastic body;   the second bracing support being adjacently connected to the viscoelastic body opposite the first bracing support;   the viscoelastic body comprises a contoured top surface and a flat bottom surface;   the contoured top surface comprises a low-profile neck supporting ridge, an elevated neck supporting ridge, and a head-receiving depression;   the low-profile neck supporting ridge being perpendicularly connected between the first bracing support and the second bracing support;   the elevated neck supporting ridge being perpendicularly connected between the first bracing support and the second bracing support;   the low-profile neck supporting ridge being parallel with the elevated neck supporting ridge;   the head-receiving depression being positioned between the low-profile neck supporting ridge and the elevated neck supporting ridge; and   the viscoelastic body being made of an air-permeable material.   
     
     
         9 . The self-adjusting neck brace pillow for back sleepers as claimed in  claim 8  comprises:
 the viscoelastic body being made of a polyurethane material. 
 
     
     
         10 . The self-adjusting neck brace pillow for back sleepers as claimed in  claim 8  comprises:
 the first bracing portion and the second bracing portion being made of a viscoelastic polyurethane material. 
 
     
     
         11 . The self-adjusting neck brace pillow for back sleepers as claimed in  claim 8  comprises:
 the cover being adjacently connected across the contoured top surface, the first bracing support, and the second bracing support; 
 the plurality of air permeable holes being evenly distributed across the cover and overlapping the viscoelastic body; 
 the plurality of air permeable holes traversing through the viscoelastic body; and 
 the cover being made from a viscoelastic material. 
 
     
     
         12 . The self-adjusting neck brace pillow for back sleepers as claimed in  claim 8  comprises:
 a first apex of the low-profile neck supporting ridge; 
 a second apex of the elevated neck supporting ridge; and 
 a first distance between the first apex of the low-profile neck supporting ridge and the flat bottom surface being less than a second distance between the second apex of the elevated neck supporting ridge and the flat bottom surface. 
 
     
     
         13 . The self-adjusting neck brace pillow for back sleepers as claimed in  claim 8  comprises:
 the first bracing support and the second bracing support each comprises an elevated brace ridge, a brace depression, and a low-profile brace ridge; 
 the elevated brace ridge being offset from the elevated neck supporting ridge; 
 the brace depression being offset from the head-receiving depression; and 
 the low-profile brace ridge being offset from the low-profile neck supporting ridge. 
 
     
     
         14 . A self-adjusting neck brace pillow for back sleepers comprises:
 a viscoelastic body;   a first bracing support;   a second bracing support;   a cover;   a plurality of air-permeable holes;   a first apex of the low-profile neck supporting ridge;   a second apex of the elevated neck supporting ridge;   the first bracing support being adjacently connected to the viscoelastic body;   the second bracing support being adjacently connected to the viscoelastic body opposite the first bracing support;   the viscoelastic body comprises a contoured top surface and a flat bottom surface;   the contoured top surface comprises a low-profile neck supporting ridge, an elevated neck supporting ridge, and a head-receiving depression;   the low-profile neck supporting ridge being perpendicularly connected between the first bracing support and the second bracing support;   the elevated neck supporting ridge being perpendicularly connected between the first bracing support and the second bracing support;   the low-profile neck supporting ridge being parallel with the elevated neck supporting ridge;   the head-receiving depression being positioned between the low-profile neck supporting ridge and the elevated neck supporting ridge;   a first distance between the first apex of the low-profile neck supporting ridge and the flat bottom surface being less than a second distance between the second apex of the elevated neck supporting ridge and the flat bottom surface; and   the viscoelastic body being made of an air-permeable material.   
     
     
         15 . The self-adjusting neck brace pillow for back sleepers as claimed in  claim 14  comprises:
 the viscoelastic body being made of a polyurethane material. 
 
     
     
         16 . The self-adjusting neck brace pillow for back sleepers as claimed in  claim 14  comprises:
 the first bracing portion and the second bracing portion being made of a viscoelastic polyurethane material. 
 
     
     
         17 . The self-adjusting neck brace pillow for back sleepers as claimed in  claim 14  comprises:
 the cover being adjacently connected across the contoured top surface, the first bracing support, and the second bracing support; 
 the plurality of air permeable holes being evenly distributed across the cover and overlapping the viscoelastic body; 
 the plurality of air permeable holes traversing through the viscoelastic body; and 
 the cover being made from a viscoelastic material. 
 
     
     
         18 . The self-adjusting neck brace pillow for back sleepers as claimed in  claim 14  comprises:
 the first bracing support and the second bracing support each comprises an elevated brace ridge, a brace depression, and a low-profile brace ridge; 
 the elevated brace ridge being offset from the elevated neck supporting ridge; 
 the brace depression being offset from the head-receiving depression; and 
 the low-profile brace ridge being offset from the low-profile neck supporting ridge.