Headrest assembly with improved flexibility for a massage device

• US 7,979,933 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2006
• Issued: 07/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Earthlite, LLC
• Original Assignee: Earthlite Massage Tables, Inc.
• Inventors: Chow, William W., Roleder, Jon W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trettel; Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): KELLEHER, WILLIAM J
• Application Number:
  US11/452,726
• Publication Number:
  US 20060290193A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,862 Days
• Field of Search: 297/408, 297/397, 297/405, 563/6, 563/7, 563/8, 572/5, 562/2
• US Class Current: 5/622
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 20/026 Supports for lying in a prone position A47C20/025 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 9/10 Pillows pillow holders A47C21/00, A47C21/026; specially adapted for preventing snoring A61F5/56
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 9/1054 for lying face downwards
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/009 Physiotherapeutic tables, beds or platforms; Chiropractic or osteopathic tables with incorporated massage means A61H2201/0138
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/12 Rests specially adapted therefor; Arrangements of patient-supporting surfaces rests for the surgeon A61B90/60; restraining devices A61F5/37
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/121 Head or neck
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2200/325 prone
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/072 for the head only
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1604 Head
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2205/022 Face
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 37/00 Accessories for massage

Abstract

A headrest assembly (212) for supporting a face of a user (16) of a massage device (10) includes a support frame (226) that is coupled to the massage device (10), and a resilient assembly (220) that supports the face of the user (15) and that is coupled to the support frame (226). The resilient assembly (220) includes an interior resilient region (472) and an outer covering (474) that surrounds and protects the interior resilient region (472). The interior resilient region (472) includes a first layer (472A) and a second layer (472B), with the first layer (472A) being stacked on top of the second layer (472B). The first layer (472A) can have a first stiffness that is different than a second stiffness of the second layer (472B). Further, the first layer (472A) can have a first thickness (472C) that is different than a second thickness (472D) of the second layer (472B). Additionally, the second layer (472B) can include a plurality of cut-outs (472BC) that decrease the lateral stiffness of the second layer (472B).

Claims

1. A headrest assembly for supporting a face of a user of a massage device, the headrest assembly comprising:

a support frame that is coupled to the massage device; and

a resilient assembly that supports the face of the user and that is coupled to the support frame, the resilient assembly having an interior resilient region and an outer covering that surrounds and protects the interior resilient region, the interior resilient region including a flexible first layer and a flexible second layer, the first layer being stacked on top of the second layer, the first layer having a first stiffness that is at least approximately 80 percent less than a second stiffness of the second layer, the second layer including a plurality of spaced apart elongated slits that are cut into the second layer so as to reduce the lateral stiffness of the second layer, wherein each of the layers is made of foam; and

wherein each layer conforms to the face of the user.

2. The headrest assembly of claim 1 wherein the first layer has a first thickness that is greater than a second thickness of the second layer.

3. The headrest assembly of claim 2 wherein the first thickness is at least approximately two times greater than the second thickness.

4. A massage device comprising a massage base and the headrest assembly of claim 1 coupled to the massage base.

11. The headrest assembly of claim 1 wherein the first layer is made of approximately four pound density per cubic foot foam and the second layer is made of approximately six pound density per cubic foot foam.

13. The headrest assembly of claim 1 wherein the resilient assembly includes a resilient member that is coupled to the support frame, the resilient member supporting the flexible layers, the resilient member and the flexible layers cooperating to support the face of the user of the massage device, wherein the resilient member bends and pivots relative to the support frame when the layers are supporting the face.

19. The headrest assembly of claim 2 wherein the first thickness is at least approximately five times greater than the second thickness.

5. A headrest assembly for supporting a face of a user of a massage device, the headrest assembly comprising:

a support frame that is coupled to the massage device; and

a resilient assembly that supports the face of the user and that is coupled to the support frame, the resilient assembly having an interior resilient region and an outer covering that surrounds and protects the interior resilient region, the interior resilient region including a flexible first layer and a flexible second layer, the first layer being stacked on top of the second layer, the first layer having a first thickness that is at least approximately five times greater than a second thickness of the second layer, the second layer including a plurality of spaced apart elongated slits that are cut into the second layer so as to reduce the lateral stiffness of the second layer, wherein each of the layers is made of foam; and

wherein each layer conforms to the face of the user.

6. The headrest assembly of claim 5 wherein the first layer has a first stiffness that is less than a second stiffness of the second layer.

7. A massage device comprising a massage base and the headrest assembly of claim 5 coupled to the massage base.

12. The headrest assembly of claim 5 wherein the first layer is made of approximately four pound density per cubic foot foam and the second layer is made of approximately six pound density per cubic foot foam.

20. The headrest assembly of claim 6 wherein the first stiffness is at least approximately 50 percent less than the second stiffness.

8. A headrest assembly for supporting a face of a user of a massage device, the headrest assembly comprising:

a support frame that is coupled to the massage device; and

a resilient assembly that supports the face of the user and that is coupled to the support frame, the resilient assembly having an interior resilient region and an outer covering that surrounds and protects the interior resilient region, the interior resilient region including a foam layer having a plurality of spaced apart elongated slits that are cut into the foam layer so as to reduce the lateral stiffness of the foam layer.

9. The headrest assembly of claim 8 wherein the interior resilient region includes a stacked layer that is stacked on top of the foam layer, the stacked layer having a stacked layer stiffness that is less than a foam layer stiffness of the foam layer.

10. The headrest assembly of claim 8 wherein the interior resilient region includes a stacked layer that is stacked on top of the foam layer, the stacked layer having a stacked layer thickness that is greater than a foam layer thickness of the foam layer.

14. The headrest assembly of claim 8 wherein the plurality of elongated slits do not significantly influence the compression properties of the second layer.

15. The headrest assembly of claim 8 wherein the plurality of elongated slits extend through the entire thickness of the second layer.

16. The headrest assembly of claim 8 wherein the resilient assembly includes a resilient member that is coupled to the support frame, the resilient member supporting the flexible layers, the resilient member and the flexible layers cooperating to support the face of the user of the massage device, wherein the resilient member bends and pivots relative to the support frame when the layers are supporting the face.

17. The headrest assembly of claim 8 wherein the elongated slits are oriented to extend generally parallel to each other to allow for increased lateral stretch without significantly influencing the compression properties of the second layer.

18. The headrest assembly of claim 17 wherein the resilient assembly includes an upper face region that engages and supports an upper portion of the face of the user and a lower face region that engages and supports a lower portion of the face of the user, and wherein the elongated slits are oriented to extend generally from one of the upper face region and the lower face region toward the other face region.