Medical apparatus for relief of pain

• US 20040260217A1
• Filed: 07/19/2004
• Published: 12/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Andrew Gardner, Arthur M Newsom Gardner
• Original Assignee: Andrew Gardner, Arthur M Newsom Gardner
• Inventors: Gardner, Andrew, Newsom Gardner, Arthur M
• Granted Patent: US 7,203,984 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 601/148
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2009/003 with inflatable members
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 9/1027 Details of inflatable pillows
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 1/0292 for the spinal column A61H1/0218 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 9/0078 with intermittent or alternately inflated bladders or cuffs mattresses for preventing bed-sores with alternated pressurized chambers A61G7/05776

Abstract

Medical apparatus (1) for the relief, treatment and/or prevention of neck or back pain comprises a fluid inflatable support pillow (2) and an inflation device (3) connected to the pillow (2) The pillow (2) is adapted for interpositioning between a patient'"'"'s head and a head rest (24) and supports the neck (23) and sides of the patient'"'"'s head. The inflation device (3) includes a pump (4) and control means, such as a timer, for controlling the inflation and the deflation of the pillow (2) through a repetitive cycle utilising two fluid inputs to the volumes of the pillow. Such movement of the patient'"'"'s occiput (22) gently moves the patient'"'"'s neck (23) to alleviate or prevent pain.

Claims

1. A medical apparatus comprising an inflatable/detachable support for manipulating the spine of a patient, wherein the support comprises a first, generally central, inflatable volume and one or more other volumes adjoining the central volume on each of three sides thereof, and means connected with the support for controlling periodic cyclic movement of the head with a nodding and/or side-to-side motion by selective inflation/deflation of said volumes, said means comprising a two channel inflation/deflation coupling for inflating all said volumes.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support comprises upper and lower panels which are sealed to each other.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the upper and lower panels of the support are secured to each other so as to define inflatable volumes.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the central inflatable volume is connected to at least one source of inflation fluid for enabling the central volume to inflate and deflate intermittently.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3 or 4, wherein the one or more other volumes adjoining the central volume are adapted to be inflated.

7. An apparatus as claimed in any of claims 3 to 5 claim 1, wherein the one or more other volumes are fluidly interconnected sot that the same can be inflated via a single orifice.

8. An apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6 claim 1, comprising two fluid control inputs with each input connected to inflate at least two volumes.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein one or more of the fluid control inputs is divided into a plurality of sub inputs each sub input being connected to a respective one of the said volumes.

10. An apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims claim 1, wherein the source of inflation fluid comprises a pump.

11. An apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims claim 1, wherein the control means comprises an electronic timer.

12. An apparatus as claimed in any claims 1 to 10 claim 1, wherein the control means comprises a rotor/stator arrangement.

13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the rotor/stator arrangement cyclically interconnects a source of compressed air with side, control, top or base volumes of a pillow.

14. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim 1, wherein the inflatable/deflatable support is a pillow.

15. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claims claim 1, wherein the control means for controlling the inflation/deflation of the pillow comprises an electronic timer programmed to periodically cyclically control the inflation/deflation.

6. An apparatus as claimed in 3 or 4, wherein the one or more other volumes adjoining the central volume are adapted to be alternately inflated and deflated either instead of or in addition to cyclical inflation and deflation of the central volume, so that the patient'"'"'s head can undergo a side-to-side rocking movement and/or a nodding movement when the apparatus is in use.

16. A method of inflating/deflating a support for manipulating the spine of a patient, the support having a first, generally central, inflatable volume and one or more other volumes adjoining the central volume on each of three sides thereof and operating means comprising a two channel inflation/deflation input to the support, the method comprising controlling periodic cyclic selection of the volumes so that the head moves with a nodding/side-to-side motion by selective inflation/deflation of said volumes.

18. A method as claimed in either of claims 16 or 17, comprising inflating/deflating a pillow constituting the support for the patient'"'"'s head.

19. A method as claimed in either of claims 16 or 17, including controlling the inflation/deflation cycle by operating a rotor/stator arrangement.

20. A method as claimed in any of claims claim 1617 or 18, comprising operating an electronic timer to control the periodic cyclic inflation/deflation of an inflatable pillow.

17. Medical apparatus for the relief, treatment and or prevention of pain experienced by a patient, for example at the neck or spine, the apparatus comprising:

a pillow for interpositioning between a patient'"'"'s head and a head rest, and

a fluid source having a two channel input for periodically supplying fluid to and voiding fluid out f a central volume in the pillow, the fluid being also supplied to one or more peripheral inflatable volumes of the pillow outward of the central volume so as to cause a person'"'"'s head to move in a cyclic manner with a nodding or side to side motion by selective inflation/deflation of said volumes.

21-22. -22. (Canceled)