Body lounging support cushion

• US 7,661,163 B1
• Filed: 08/13/2007
• Issued: 02/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kami L. Gallaher
• Original Assignee: Kami L. Gallaher
• Inventors: Gallaher, Kami L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuomo; Peter M
• Assistant Examiner(s): LIU, JONATHAN
• Application Number:
  US11/837,576
• Time in Patent Office: 918 Days
• Field of Search: 563/8, 564/0, 572/2, 565/7, 572/5, 573/4, 563/2, 563/3
• US Class Current: 5/632
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 20/021 Foot or leg supports
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 20/026 Supports for lying in a prone position A47C20/025 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/144 inside the mattress or cushion
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/146 on the outside surface of the mattress or cushion
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/148 of different resilience

Abstract

A full-body support cushion supports a person essentially prone in either a face-up orientation or a face-down orientation, with the person'"'"'s head, neck, upper torso, lower torso and legs maintained in comfortable longitudinal alignment. Upper body and lower body segments of fast-drying reticulated synthetic polymeric foam material include head and leg recesses for accommodating the person'"'"'s head and legs when the person is relaxed in either orientation. An air passage provides an airway to the head recess. A pillow segment of similar foam material is coupled with the upper body segment for selective movement to close the head recess and prop up the person'"'"'s head when desired for reading or other observations while in the face-up orientation.

Claims

1. A full-body support cushion for supporting a person essentially prone in either a face-up orientation or a face-down orientation, with the person'"'"'s head, neck, upper torso, lower torso and legs maintained in comfortable longitudinal alignment, the cushion comprising:

an upper body segment having a length extending longitudinally between a head end and an upper torso end, a width extending laterally between upper body segment side edges for supporting the upper torso, neck and head, with the head adjacent the head end, the upper body segment including a head recess extending altitudinally downwardly entirely through the upper body segment adjacent the head end, the head recess having a perimetric rim spaced longitudinally from the head end for supporting the person'"'"'s head when the head is received within the head recess to maintain the person'"'"'s head, neck and upper torso supported essentially in longitudinal alignment;

an air passage extending from the head recess to the head end of the upper body segment;

the air passage communicating with the head recess altitudinally below the perimetric rim for providing an airway for the passage of air to the person'"'"'s head when the person'"'"'s head is supported on the perimetric rim in the face-down orientation;

a lower body segment juxtaposed with the upper body segment, the lower body segment having a length extending longitudinally between a lower torso end juxtaposed with the upper torso end of the upper body segment, a foot end spaced longitudinally from the lower torso end, and a width between laterally spaced apart lower body segment side edges, the length of the lower body segment being substantially greater than the length of the upper body segment for supporting the lower torso and legs, the lower body segment including a pair of individual leg recesses extending longitudinally along and passing altitudinally entirely through the lower body segment, the leg recesses being aligned essentially parallel to one another, spaced laterally from one another, spaced laterally from the lower body segment side edges, and spaced longitudinally from the lower torso end and from the foot end, each leg recess being aligned longitudinally for supporting the person'"'"'s legs while the legs extend into respective leg recesses to maintain the person'"'"'s legs in longitudinal alignment with the lower torso;

a hinged joint interconnecting the upper body and lower body segments along confronting upper torso and lower torso ends for enabling selective folding of the upper body and lower body segments into and out of overlapping juxtaposition;

a pillow segment adjacent the head end of the upper body segment, the pillow segment being dimensioned and configured for selectively closed the head recess; and

a coupling arrangement coupling the pillow segment with the upper body segment for selective movement of the pillow segment between a first position wherein the pillow segment is remote from the head recess and a second position wherein the pillow segment is in overlapping juxtaposition with the head recess to close the head recess, whereby the person'"'"'s head selectively will be propped altitudinally above a closed head recess upon placement of the pillow segment in the second position.

2. The cushion of claim 1 wherein the length of the lower body segment is about 1.7 times the length of the upper body segment.

3. The cushion of claim 1 wherein the upper body and lower body segments each have a prescribed altitudinal thickness, the thickness of the lower body segment being essentially constant along the length of the lower body segment, the thickness of the upper body segment at the upper torso end being essentially the same as the thickness of the lower body segment, and increasing from the upper torso end to the head end such that the thickness of the upper body segment at the head end is greater than the thickness of the upper body segment at the upper torso end.

4. The cushion of claim 3 wherein the thickness of the upper body segment at the head end is approximately twice the thickness at the upper torso end.

5. The cushion of claim 3 wherein the thickness of the upper body segment increases linearly from the upper torso end toward the head end.

6. The cushion of claim 5 wherein the thickness of the upper body segment at the head end is approximately twice the thickness at the upper torso end.

7. The cushion of claim 1 wherein at least the upper body and lower body segments are comprised of a fast-drying reticulated synthetic polymeric foam material.

8. The cushion of claim 7 wherein at least the upper body and lower body segments each include a cover enveloping the synthetic polymeric foam material.

9. The cushion of claim 8 wherein the cover comprises an outdoor furniture fabric.

10. The cushion of claim 1 wherein the pillow segment is comprised of a fast-drying reticulated synthetic polymeric foam material.

11. The cushion of claim 10 wherein the pillow segment includes a further cover enveloping the synthetic polymeric foam material.

12. The cushion of claim 11 wherein the further cover comprises an outdoor furniture fabric.

13. The cushion of claim 1 wherein the coupling arrangement includes a flexible web interconnecting the pillow segment with the upper body segment.

14. The cushion of claim 13 wherein the pillow segment includes a near end confronting and spaced longitudinally from the head end of the upper body segment, and the flexible web extends between the near end of the pillow segment and the head end of the upper body segment, the web having a longitudinal length for enabling selective location and placement of the pillow segment in either one of the first and second positions.