Cushioned knee separator and system for use in a side sleeping position

Abstract

A cushioned knee separator for use by a person for placing between the person's legs when sleeping on one's side. The separator comprises an air-tight padding member and a securing member. The padding member comprises an envelope forming an air-tight enclosure, wherein the envelope comprises a pair of opposite surfaces; a membrane attached to the contacting faces and limiting relative movement of the contacting faces; filling material filling the enclosure; and a valve mounted to the envelope for controllably disrupting air tightness within the enclosure. The securing member is for securing the separator to one leg of the person. The separator is therefore adapted to maintain a distance between the person's legs thereby avoiding contacts between the knees when someone is sleeping in a side sleeping position.

1 . A cushioned knee separator for use by a person for placing between person's legs when sleeping in a side sleeping position, comprising:
 an air-tight padding member comprising:
 an envelope forming an air-tight enclosure comprising a first bladder, a second bladder and a conduit fluidly connecting the first bladder to the second bladder; 
 filling material filling the enclosure; and 
 a valve mounted to the envelope for controllably disrupting air tightness within the enclosure, whereby upon opening the valve the filling material expands to distend the envelope, 
   wherein the cushioned knee separator is adapted to maintain a distance between the person's legs thereby avoiding contacts between the person's knees when the person is sleeping in a side sleeping position.   
     
     
         2 . The separator of  claim 1 , further comprising a securing member for securing the cushioned knee separator to one of the person's legs. 
     
     
         3 . The separator of  claim 2 , further comprising a cover, wherein the cover is for enclosing the padding member and wherein the securing member is secured to the cover. 
     
     
         4 . The separator of  claim 3 , wherein the securing member comprises:
 a first securing band attached to the cover at a first position for securing the cushioned knee separator to a portion of the leg above the knee, and   a second securing band attached to the cover at a second position distant from the first position for securing the cushioned knee separator to a portion of the leg under the knee.   
     
     
         5 . The separator of  claim 4 , wherein the first position is about the first bladder and the second position is about the second bladder. 
     
     
         6 . The separator of  claim 1 , wherein the first bladder has a first thickness, the second bladder has a second thickness and the conduit has a third thickness, and wherein the third thickness is smaller than the first thickness and the second thickness. 
     
     
         7 . The separator of  claim 1 , wherein the envelope further comprises a pair of opposite surfaces, wherein each of the surfaces is adapted to face respective one of the person's legs; and an internal longitudinal membrane enclosed in the enclosure that is attached to the opposite surfaces and that limits relative movement of the opposite surfaces from each other. 
     
     
         8 . The separator of  claim 7 , wherein the internal longitudinal membrane comprises a first membrane portion enclosed in the first bladder and a second portion enclosed in the second bladder. 
     
     
         9 . The separator of  claim 7 , wherein the envelope comprises a side wall, and wherein the internal longitudinal membrane comprises two extremities with at least one of the extremities being distant from the side wall. 
     
     
         10 . The separator of  claim 9 , wherein the side wall has a thickness and the internal longitudinal membrane has a height in a same direction as the thickness of the side wall, wherein the height of the internal longitudinal membrane is smaller than the thickness of the side wall. 
     
     
         11 . The separator of  claim 1 , wherein the filling material comprises auto-expanding reticulated foam. 
     
     
         12 . A cushioned knee separator for use by a person for placing between person's legs when sleeping in a side sleeping position, comprising:
 an air-tight padding member comprising:
 an envelope forming an air-tight enclosure comprising a first bladder, a second bladder and a conduit fluidly connecting the first bladder to the second bladder, wherein the envelope comprises a pair of opposite surfaces, wherein each of the surfaces is adapted to face a respective one of the person's legs; 
 an internal longitudinal membrane enclosed in the enclosure that is attached to the opposite surfaces of the envelope and that is limiting relative movement of the opposite surfaces from each other; and 
 a valve mounted to the envelope for controllably disrupting air tightness within the enclosure, 
   wherein the cushioned knee separator is adapted to maintain a distance between the person's legs thereby avoiding contacts between the person's knees when the person is sleeping in a side sleeping position.   
     
     
         13 . The separator of  claim 12 , further comprising filling material filling the enclosure, whereby upon opening the valve the filling material expands to distend the envelope. 
     
     
         14 . The separator of  claim 12 , further comprising a securing member for securing the cushioned knee separator to one of the legs of the person. 
     
     
         15 . The separator of  claim 14 , further comprising a cover, wherein the cover is for enclosing the padding member and wherein the securing member is secured to the cover. 
     
     
         16 . The separator of  claim 15 , wherein the securing member comprises a first securing band attached to the cover at a first position and a second securing band attached to the cover at a second position distant from the first position. 
     
     
         17 . The separator of  claim 12 , wherein the first bladder has a first thickness, the second bladder has a second thickness and the conduit has a third thickness, and wherein the third thickness is smaller than the first thickness and the second thickness. 
     
     
         18 . The separator of  claim 12 , wherein the internal longitudinal membrane comprises a first membrane portion enclosed in the first bladder and a second portion enclosed in the second bladder. 
     
     
         19 . The separator of  claim 12 , wherein the envelope comprises a side wall, and wherein the internal longitudinal membrane comprises two extremities with one of the extremities being distant from the side wall. 
     
     
         20 . A cushioned separator for use by a person, comprising:
 an air-tight padding member comprising:
 an envelope forming an air-tight enclosure comprising a first bladder, a second bladder and a conduit fluidly connecting the first bladder to the second bladder; 
 filling material filling the first bladder and the second bladder; and 
 a valve mounted to the envelope for controllably disrupting air tightness within the enclosure; whereby upon opening the valve the filling material expands to distend the envelope.