pillow

Abstract

To provide a pillow that is compact, is excellent in portability, and can relax and reduce a stiff shoulder or a tension state of a muscle due to a straight neck.SOLUTION: In a pillow 1, a rod-like cushioning material RC is bent in a U-shape, both end portions 113 are connected, and a long groove 114 is formed extending from a bent part 111 to both end portions 113 in the center of the inside. Both end portions 113 of the rod-like cushioning material RC bent in the U-shape are connected by storing the cushioning material RC in a purse 12 and tightening a cord 122 of the purse 12.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a pillow that is compact, highly portable, and can relieve and alleviate stiff shoulders and muscle tension caused by a straight neck.

[0002] Conventionally, pillows that can alleviate and correct the condition of a straight neck have been proposed. For example, JP 2020-116281 A (Patent Document 1) proposes a cervical correction pillow equipped with a pad part for lying on one's back, which is composed of a thin part on which the back of the user's head is placed and a thick part having an inclined surface against which the curved area between the back of the user's head and the top of the head abuts.

[0003] This cervical correction pillow is designed so that when the user places the head on the supine pad, the back of the head rests on the thin part, and the curved part from the back of the head to the top of the head (hereinafter referred to as the "curved part") rests on the inclined surface of the thick part. This cervical correction pillow is designed so that the height at which the thick part supports the curved part of the head is set higher than the height at which the thin part supports the back of the head, and when the user places the head on the pillow in a supine position, the height of the curved part of the head is higher than the back of the head (the top of the head is raised higher than the back of the head), so that the user's head is tucked in while sleeping. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-116281 A (Figs. 1 and 3) Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In order to alleviate and correct the condition of a straight neck while sleeping, it is said that it is preferable to keep the cervical spine in a position where it forms as much physiological curvature as possible (a state of cervical lordosis of approximately 20°), and it is said to be particularly important to use a pillow at an appropriate height.

[0006] Patent Document 1 only describes how, when the user is lying on his / her back with the head resting on a pillow, the height of the curved part of the head is made higher than the back of the head, so that the user's head is positioned with the chin tucked while sleeping. It does not describe at all how to maintain the position of the cervical spine while sleeping in an ideal cervical lordosis, or how to set or adjust the thickness of the thick and thin parts to achieve this.

[0007] In addition, the cervical vertebrae correction pillow described in Patent Document 1 has a rectangular pad for lying on one's back, so even if the user is in a supine position when starting to sleep, if the user turns over during sleep, the head easily moves from the pad for lying on one's back. To solve this problem, Patent Document 1 provides a substantially rectangular pad for lying on one's side that is thicker than the pad for lying on one's back on both sides of the pad for lying on one's back, so that when the user changes position from the supine position to the lateral position, the head moves from the pad for lying on one's back to the pad for lying on one's side.

[0008] However, since the height of the pad section for lying on one side is higher than that of the pad section for lying on one side, and the pad section for lying on one side is sandwiched between the two pad sections for lying on one side, when the user first lies on his / her back and places his / her head on the pad section for lying on one side, the position of the head is fixed by the two pad sections for lying on one side and the pad section for lying on one side, making it difficult for the user to easily move the head to the pad section for lying on one side, even if the user tries to turn over while sleeping.

[0009] For this reason, even if a user with a straight neck uses the cervical correction pillow described in Patent Document 1, it is difficult to maintain a position with the head and chin tucked for a long period of time, and since it is unclear whether the state of the user's cervical spine can be maintained in an ideal cervical lordosis, it is difficult to fully achieve the effect of alleviating and correcting a straight neck.

[0010] In addition, the cervical correction pillow described in Patent Document 1 has a relatively large, horizontally long rectangular shape, and is uneven and not compact, so there is the problem that it is difficult to take it to work, travel, etc. and use it at your workplace or travel destination.

[0011] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and aims to provide a pillow that is compact, highly portable, and can relieve and alleviate stiff shoulders and muscle tension caused by a straight neck. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] The pillow provided in a first aspect of the present invention is characterized in that a rod-shaped cushioning material is bent into a U-shape, and both ends are joined to form a long groove in the center of the interior that extends from the bent part to both ends (Claim 1).

[0013] According to a preferred embodiment of the above pillow, both ends of the rod-shaped cushioning material bent into a U-shape are preferably joined by storing the cushioning material in a drawstring bag and tightening the string of the drawstring bag (Claim 2).

[0014] Furthermore, according to a preferred embodiment of the above pillow, the rod-shaped cushioning material is preferably composed of a first cushioning member that constitutes the core material, and a second cushioning member that has softer cushioning properties than the first cushioning member and is arranged concentrically on the outer circumferential surface of the core material (Claim 3).

[0015] Furthermore, according to a preferred embodiment of the pillow described above, the length of the pillow in the direction along the long groove is preferably such that when the user lies on his / her back with the top of the head facing the bent part of the pillow and the chin facing the end of the pillow and placing the head on the long groove (Claim 4).

[0016] Furthermore, according to a preferred embodiment of the above pillow, the pillow further comprises thoracic vertebrae pushing-up means made of rod-shaped cushioning material, which pushes up the thoracic vertebrae of the user when the user lies on his / her back with the top of his / her head facing the bent portion of the pillow and the chin facing the end portion of the pillow and placing the head on the long groove, and one end of the thoracic vertebrae pushing-up means is preferably sandwiched between both ends of the pillow and detachably connected to both ends of the pillow (claim 5). Effect of the Invention

[0017] According to the pillow of the present invention, if the direction along the long groove of the pillow is the vertical direction, when using the pillow, the user places the pillow vertically and places the head on the pillow in a supine position. That is, the user lies on their back and places the head on the long groove with the top of the head facing the bent part of the pillow and the chin facing the end of the pillow. Since the pillow has a long groove in the center inside that extends from the bent part to both ends, the user adjusts their posture so that the back of the head rests on the long groove.

[0018] When a user places the back of the head on the long groove of the pillow, the part of the long groove where the back of the head is placed sinks under the weight of the head, forming a cone-shaped recess corresponding to the shape of the back of the head (long spheroid shape) in that part. The user's head is connected to the shoulders by the neck (cervical vertebrae), and the height of the connection point of the head to the cervical vertebrae (the tip of the cervical vertebrae) is higher than the connection point of the cervical vertebrae to the thoracic vertebrae (the base of the cervical vertebrae) by the pillow. For this reason, the cone-shaped recess formed in the pillow is slightly inclined from the bent part side of the pillow (hereinafter referred to as the "upper side") to both end sides (hereinafter referred to as the "lower side"), and the shape of the pillow when used in a side view is a trapezoid with the upper side (upper base) longer than the lower side (lower base).

[0019] The pillow supports the back of the user's head in a cone-shaped recess formed in the long groove, so the user's head does not easily move or rotate when placed on the pillow. In addition, the pillow itself does not easily move relative to the floor, so the pillow allows the user's head to be stably maintained in a supine position.

[0020] As described above, in the supine position, the shape of the pillow in a side view is deformed into a trapezoidal shape, and the height of the upper side of the back of the user's head becomes higher than the height of the lower side, so that the user's head is in a chin-tucked position in a side view. Therefore, by appropriately selecting the diameter of the rod-shaped cushioning material (hereinafter referred to as the "rod-shaped cushioning material") that is a component of the pillow, the elevation angle (the angle of curvature of the cervical spine) when looking from the base end of the cervical spine to the tip of the cervical spine can be set to the ideal cervical lordosis angle of the cervical spine (for example, 20°). This allows the shape of the user's neck (cervical spine) to be maintained in an ideal cervical lordosis shape while sleeping, and can relieve and reduce shoulder stiffness and muscle tension caused by a straight neck.

[0021] Although the user may turn over while sleeping, even in that case, the position of the user's head does not easily move from the long groove, so the user can easily change the position to a lateral or prone position by rotating the head. At this time, since the long groove is formed in the pillow, even if the user changes the position of the head by turning over, the ears and nose will fit into the long groove, and the user can smoothly change the position of the head to a lateral or prone position.

[0022] The pillow has a compact size and shape, making it highly portable and allowing it to be effectively used as a nap pillow anywhere.

[0023] According to an embodiment in which a rod-shaped cushioning material bent into a U-shape is stored in a drawstring bag and both ends of the rod-shaped cushioning material are joined by tightening the drawstring bag (claim 2), the drawstring bag makes it easy to carry the pillow. Also, since the bag in the drawstring bag functions as a pillow cover, there is no need to prepare a separate pillow cover. Furthermore, by adjusting the degree to which the drawstring bag is tightened, the shape of the long groove formed on the pillow can be easily adjusted.

[0024] According to an embodiment (claim 3) in which the rod-shaped cushioning material is composed of a first cushioning material constituting a core material and a second cushioning material that has a cushioning property softer than that of the first cushioning material and is provided concentrically on the outer peripheral surface of the core material, for example, a pillow can be easily made by using ready-made bath towels as the first and second sheet materials having cushioning properties, rolling the first bath towel to form the core material, and wrapping the second bath towel around the core material to make the rod-shaped cushioning material. In addition, when a bath towel is used, a mortar-shaped recess can be formed with an appropriate cushioning force when the head is placed on the pillow, and the pillow can have a suitable feel and stable holding force for the head.

[0025] According to an embodiment in which the length of the pillow in the direction along the long groove is such that the tip of the end of the pillow does not exceed the tip of the user's chin when the user is lying on their back and places their head on the long groove (claim 4), since the pillow only supports the user's head, even if the part of the user's body from the shoulders to the legs shifts or tilts sideways relative to the center line of the body while sleeping, the cervical vertebrae can move and deform freely in response to that movement, and the shape of the cervical vertebrae can be maintained in a cervical lordosis shape.

[0026] According to an embodiment (claim 5) in which a thoracic vertebrae pushing-up means is provided and one end of the thoracic vertebrae pushing-up means is sandwiched between both ends of the pillow and detachably connected to both ends of the pillow, when the user lies on his / her back and places his / her head on the pillow, the pillow supports the head and the thoracic vertebrae pushing-up means pushes the user's chest upward, so that the inclination of the trachea becomes gentler, the airway opens, and breathing becomes easier. Therefore, deep breathing can be performed from the start of sleep, making it easier to fall asleep (to fall asleep easily). [Brief description of the drawings]

[0027] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a pillow according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a pillow according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a diagram explaining a method for making a rod-shaped cushioning material (a method for rolling up towels), where (a) is a diagram showing a first bath towel, (b) is a diagram showing the process of folding the first bath towel in half, (c) is a diagram showing the process of rolling the first bath towel folded in half to make a core material, (d) is a diagram showing a second bath towel, (e) is a diagram showing the process of folding the second bath towel in half, (f) is a diagram showing the process of wrapping the second bath towel folded in half around the core material, and (g) is a diagram showing the completed rod-shaped cushioning material. [Figure 4] 4(a)-4(c) are diagrams showing the shape of the pillow body when a user places his / her head on it, where (a) is a plan view, (b) is a side view, and (c) is a view seen from direction A in FIG. 4(a). [Diagram 5]1A and 1B are diagrams showing the state of the pillow body and the upper half of the user's body when the user is lying on his / her back with the head placed on the pillow, where (a) is a side view and (b) is a top view of the pillow body. [Figure 6] FIG. 11 is a plan view showing the configuration of a pillow according to a second embodiment (a pillow combined with a thoracic vertebrae pushing up member). [Figure 7] 11 is a side view showing a state of a pillow and a user's upper body when the user is in a supine position and places his / her head on the pillow according to a second embodiment. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0028] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the pillow according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the embodiments, components with the same reference numerals perform similar operations, so repeated description may be omitted.

[0029] Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a pillow 1 according to the first embodiment. Fig. 2 is a view (plan view) of the pillow 1 according to the first embodiment seen from above. Fig. 3 is a view for explaining a method for making a rod-shaped cushioning material RC (hereinafter referred to as "rod-shaped cushioning material RC") (a method for rolling up a towel), in which (a) shows a first bath towel, (b) shows a process for folding the first bath towel in half, (c) shows a process for rolling the first bath towel folded in half to make a core material, (d) shows a second bath towel, (e) shows a process for folding the second bath towel in half, (f) shows a process for wrapping the second bath towel folded in half around the core material, and (g) shows a completed rod-shaped cushioning material.

[0030] The pillow 1 shown in Fig. 1 is bedding on which the user places his / her head when lying down in a supine or lateral position. The user may place his / her head on the pillow 1 when lying down in another position such as a prone position. The pillow 1 is composed of a pillow body 11 and a drawstring bag 12. The drawstring bag 12 is a bag for storing the pillow body 11, but also functions as a pillow cover. A string (cord) 122 for tightening the opening 121 (closing the opening 121) is provided slightly below the opening 121 of the drawstring bag 12.

[0031] Incidentally, a "drawstring bag" generally refers to a bag-like object with a string passing through the "mouth" through which things are put and removed to open and close the "mouth," but the drawstring bag 12 of the present invention also includes those that use something other than a string to open and close the "mouth" of the bag, such as an expandable ring or rubber band.

[0032] Pillow 1 is characterized by its compact shape, excellent portability, and ability to ease and reduce stiff shoulders and muscle tension caused by straight neck. The compactness and portability of pillow 1 are achieved by making its shape in a plan view a front-back circular shape (see Fig. 2). The ability of pillow 1 to ease and reduce straight neck is achieved by using rod-shaped cushioning material RC made of a cushioning sheet material as its material, and by adjusting the height of pillow 1 (diameter R of rod-shaped cushioning material RC, see Fig. 3(g) and Fig. 4(b)) to a height at which the cervical spine forms a lordotic curve when the user places his / her head on pillow 1 in a supine position.

[0033] Cervical lordosis is the state of curvature of the cervical spine (posture curved forward) when the normal spine is in physiological curvature (S-shaped curve). The spine is composed of five vertebrae: cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral, and coccygeal. A normal spine supports the head in an S-shaped curve. The cervical vertebrae are the vertebrae that connect the thoracic vertebrae to the head, and when the spine is in physiological curvature, it is said to be curved forward at an angle of approximately 20° from the connection point with the thoracic vertebrae.

[0034] Therefore, the height of the pillow 1 is set or adjusted so that when the user lies supine and places his / her head on the pillow 1, the elevation angle θ [°] (see FIG. 5) when looking from the connection point P between the cervical vertebrae and the thoracic vertebrae (hereinafter referred to as the "cervical base end P") to the connection point Q between the cervical vertebrae and the head (hereinafter referred to as the "cervical tip Q") is an angle that describes a normal cervical lordosis (about 20°). The size of the pillow 1 (particularly the size of the pillow body 11) will be described later.

[0035] The pillow body 11 is formed by bending a rod-shaped cushioning material RC into a U-shape and joining, bundling or connecting both ends 113. In the following description, the portion from the bent portion 111 of the rod-shaped cushioning material RC bent into a U-shape to one end 113R is referred to as the "arm portion 112R", and the portion from the bent portion 111 to the other end 113L is referred to as the "arm portion 112L". When the two arms are not to be distinguished, they are referred to as the "arm portion 112". When looking from the bent portion 111 to the both ends 113 in Fig. 1 and Fig. 4(a), the "arm portion 112R" is the arm portion on the right side, and the "arm portion 112L" is the arm portion on the left side. The end portion 113R is the end portion of the arm portion 112R, and the end portion 113L is the end portion of the arm portion 112L.

[0036] The pillow 1 is produced by storing the pillow body 11 in the drawstring bag 12 so that both ends 113 of the pillow body 11 face the opening 121 side of the drawstring bag 12 (see FIG. 1), and then tightening the string 122 (see FIG. 2). Both ends 113 of the pillow body 11, which is made by bending a rod-shaped cushioning material RC into a U-shape, are joined or bound by tightening the string 122 of the drawstring bag 12. Since both ends 113 of the pillow body 11 are joined, a long groove 114 is formed in the part sandwiched between the arm parts 112R and 112L of the pillow body 11.

[0037] When the rod-shaped cushioning material RC is bent into a U-shape and both ends 113 are joined, a restoring force is generated in the bent portion 111 in the direction of returning it to its original state, and a restoring force is generated in the arm portion 112R and the arm portion 112L in the direction of opening both arms 112. Since these restoring forces are larger closer to the bent portion 111, a long hole 114a is formed at the end of the long groove 114 on the bent portion 111 side. The cross-sectional shape of the portion of the long groove 114 excluding the long hole 114a is a shape in which two circles are in contact, so the cross-sectional shape is a V-shape with the inner wall bulging inward (see FIG. 4(c)). The portion of the pillow body 11 where the long groove 114 is formed functions as a portion that supports the back of the user's head when the user places his / her head on the pillow 1 in a supine position (see FIG. 5).

[0038] Two types of cushioning materials with different hardness are used for the rod-shaped cushioning material RC that constitutes the pillow body 11. Specifically, a hard bath towel (towel used after a bath) is used as the first cushioning material, and a soft bath towel (towel used after a bath) is used as the second cushioning material.

[0039] The rod-shaped cushioning material RC is made by folding a stiff rectangular bath towel BT1, measuring L1 (length) x W1 (width) [cm], in half (see Figures 3(a) and (b)), then rolling it in the same folding direction to create core material C (see Figure 3(c)). Furthermore, a soft rectangular bath towel BT2, measuring L2 (length) x W2 (width) [cm], is folded in half (see Figures 3(d) and (e)), and then wrapping this around the outer circumference of core material C (see Figures 3(f) and (g)).

[0040] The length Lrc (see FIG. 3(g)) of the rod-shaped cushioning material RC is determined by the width W1 of the bath towel BT1 as is clear from the manufacturing process shown in FIG. 3, and is approximately equal to W1 [cm]. Meanwhile, the diameter R of the rod-shaped cushioning material RC is determined by the number of turns of the bath towel BT1 and the bath towel BT2. The number of turns varies depending on the length L1 of the bath towel BT1 and the length L2 of the bath towel BT2, so it can be said that the diameter R of the rod-shaped cushioning material RC is determined by the length L1 of the bath towel BT1 and the length L2 of the bath towel BT2. When the applicant manufactured a prototype using a hard bath towel measuring 70 cm (width) x 140 cm (length) as the bath towel BT1 and a soft bath towel measuring 62 cm (width) x 120 cm (length) as the bath towel BT2, the length Lrc of the rod-shaped cushioning material RC was approximately 70 cm, and the diameter R was 10 to 11 cm.

[0041] Next, the size of the pillow body 11 will be described with reference to FIG. 4 and FIG.

[0042] Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the shape of the pillow body when the user places his / her head on it, (a) being a plan view, (b) being a side view, and (c) being a view seen from the direction A in Fig. 4(a). Fig. 5 is a diagram showing the state of the pillow body 11 and the upper half of the user's body when the user places his / her head on the pillow body 11, (a) being a view seen from the side, and (b) being a view seen from above the pillow body 11.

[0043] In order to ease and reduce stiff shoulders and muscle tension caused by a straight neck of the user while sleeping, the height H [cm] of the pillow body 11 is set or adjusted so that the elevation angle θ when looking from the base end P of the cervical vertebrae to the tip Q of the cervical vertebrae of the user is an angle that draws a normal cervical lordosis as much as possible. Also, in order to allow the cervical vertebrae to easily move or deform in response to the user turning over in their sleep or moving their shoulders, the length L [cm] of the pillow body 11 is set or adjusted so that both ends 113 of the pillow body 11 do not hit the area from the neck (cervical vertebrae) to the shoulders of the user.

[0044] The shape of the pillow body 11 seen from the side (shape seen from the side) is a rectangular shape with the left end side (bending part 111 side) curved and protruding, as shown in Fig. 4 (b). When the user places his / her head on the pillow body, the weight of the head causes the head placement part of the pillow body 11 to lower slightly (i.e., the both end parts 113 side becomes slightly lower than the bending part 111 side), so the height of the highest part of the pillow body 11 becomes the height of the bending part 111 (diameter R of the rod-shaped cushioning material RC). In the pillow body 11 prototyped by the applicant using the rod-shaped cushioning material RC having a length Lrc of about 70 cm and a diameter R of 10 to 11 cm, when the user lies on his / her back with the top of the head facing the bending part 111 side and the chin facing the both end parts 113 side and places the head on the long groove 114, the height of the tip of the both end parts 113 side of the pillow body 11 is lower by 1.5 cm to 2.0 cm than the height (diameter R) of the bending part 111.

[0045] When a user lies on his / her back and places his / her head on the long groove 114 of the pillow body 11, if we consider that the height of the pillow body 11 decreases linearly from the bent portion 111 side to both end portions 113 side, the height to which the user's head is lifted from the floor by the pillow body 11 can be calculated from the height of the bent portion 111 (diameter R of the rod-shaped cushioning material RC) and the height decrease rate K, therefore in this embodiment, the height H of the pillow body 11 is calculated using the height of the bent portion 111 (diameter R of the rod-shaped cushioning material RC).

[0046] On the other hand, the shape of the pillow body 11 seen from above (shape seen in plan view) is a front-rear circular shape as shown in Fig. 4(a). When the user lies on his / her back with the top of the head facing the bent portion 111 and the chin facing the both end portions 113, and places the head on the long groove 114, the vertical center line of the user's head almost coincides with the vertical center line M of the pillow body 11, so in this embodiment, the length measured on the center line M based on the point O where the center line M intersects with the outer circumference of the bent portion 111 (see Fig. 4(a) and Fig. 5(a)) is taken as the length L of the pillow body 11 (see Fig. 4(a)).

[0047] Therefore, in the following explanation, as shown in Fig. 5(a), an XY coordinate system is set on a vertical plane passing through the center line M of the pillow body 11, with the vertical Y axis passing through the top end of the pillow body 11 and the horizontal X axis passing through the floor or bed surface, and the size of the pillow body 11 is explained using the length L, height H of the pillow body 11 and the horizontal length (position) and vertical height (position) of other points. Note that point O is the origin of the XY coordinate system.

[0048] In addition, the arrangement in which the bent portion 111 of the pillow body 11 is on top and both ends 113 are on the bottom (the arrangement shown in FIG. 2) is called the "vertical arrangement", the bent portion 111 side of the pillow body 11 is called the "upper side", and both ends 113 side are called the "lower side". The "vertical direction" of the pillow body 11 is the direction along the center line M, and the "horizontal direction" of the pillow body 11 is the direction along the line N perpendicular to the center line M (see FIG. 2 and FIG. 4(a)). +-

[0049] When the user lies on his / her back and places his / her head on the pillow body 11, the weight of the head presses the inner wall of the long groove 114, causing the inwardly curved arc-shaped inner wall surface to deform into a slightly flattened or outwardly curved shape. This deformation occurs in order to accommodate the oblong spheroid shape of the back of the head, and a mortar-shaped recess 13 (see Figs. 5(a) and (b)) is formed in the portion of the long groove 114 where the back of the head comes into contact.

[0050] A restoring force based on the bending force is generated in the bent portion 111, the arm portion 112R, and the arm portion 112L of the pillow body 11, but since the restoring force in the bent portion 111 is relatively large, the portion in which the long hole 114a of the long groove 114 is formed has a large repulsive force against the weight of the head and does not deform much. Therefore, when the user adjusts the position of the head on the pillow 1, the position of the mortar-shaped recess 13 in the long groove 114 is closer to both ends 113 than the long hole 114a. In other words, the position of the back of the user's head on the pillow body 11 is adjusted to a position slightly closer to both ends 113 than the long hole 114a of the long groove 114 (see FIG. 5(b)).

[0051] Fig. 5 shows a state where the user has adjusted the position of the head on the pillow 1. In this state, the position of the head is adjusted so that the top of the user's head TH is located at the upper end of the long hole 114a (the position where the long hole 114a and the inner surface of the bent portion 111 contact). The positions of the base end P and tip Q of the user's cervical vertebrae in the XY coordinates change depending on the position of the user's head on the pillow body 11, but the standard positions of the base end P and tip Q of the user's cervical vertebrae in the XY coordinates are defined with the position of the user's head shown in Fig. 5 as the standard position, and the size of the length L and height H of the pillow body 11 will be described below.

[0052] 5(a), if the horizontal distance from the Y axis (origin O) to the top of the user's head TH is Lb [cm] and the length from the top of the user's head TH to the tip of the chin CT (total head height) is Ltc [cm], the horizontal distance Loc [cm] from the Y axis (origin O) to the tip of the user's chin CT is expressed as Loc = Lb + Ltc. As described above, in the standard mounting position, the top of the user's head TH is located at the upper end of the long hole 114a (the position where the long hole 114a and the inner surface of the bending portion 111 contact each other), so the distance Lb is approximately equal to the diameter R of the bending portion 111.

[0053] The tip Q of the user's cervical vertebrae is located closer to the vertex TH than the tip of the chin CT. If the horizontal distance is d [cm] and Lb = R, then the horizontal distance Lq from the Y axis (origin O) to the tip Q of the cervical vertebrae (i.e., the X coordinate Xq of the tip Q of the cervical vertebrae) is: Xq=Lq=Loc-d=Lb+Ltc-d =R+Ltc-d …(1) It is expressed as:

[0054] Furthermore, the "neck length" of a person is defined as the length from the chin CT to the clavicle, and the "neck length" is approximately equal to the length from the chin CT to the cervical base P. If the length of the user's neck is Ln [cm], the horizontal distance Lp from the Y axis (origin O) to the cervical base P (i.e., the X coordinate Xp of the cervical base P) is: Xp=Loc+Ln=Lb+Ltc+Ln =R+Ltc+Ln …(2) It is expressed as:

[0055] The horizontal distance Lpq [cm] between the base end P and the tip Q of the cervical vertebra is the difference between the X coordinate Xp of the base end P and the X coordinate Xq of the tip Q of the cervical vertebra, so Lpq=Xp-Xq=(R+Ltc+Ln)-(R+Ltc-d) =Ln+d …(3) It is expressed as:

[0056] Next, let the height of the cervical vertebrae base end P from the floor (X-axis) be Hp [cm], the height of the cervical vertebrae tip Q from the floor (X-axis) be Hq [cm], the elevation angle when looking at the cervical vertebrae tip Q from the cervical vertebrae base end P be θ [°], and the difference between the height Hp of the cervical vertebrae base end P and the height Hq of the cervical vertebrae tip Q be Hpq. Since tan(θ) = Hpq / Lpq, the height difference Hpq is, Hpq = Hp - Hq = Lpq × tan(θ) =(Ln+d)×tan(θ) …(4) Therefore, the height Hq of the cervical vertebral tip Q, that is, the Y coordinate Yq, is expressed as follows: Yq=Hp+Hpq=Hp+(Ln+d)×tan(θ) …(5) It is expressed as:

[0057] In the prototype of the pillow body 11 using rod-shaped cushioning material RC having a length Lrc of about 70 cm and a diameter R of 10 to 11 cm, the length L of the pillow body 11 was 33 cm to 34 cm, which was slightly shorter than 1 / 2 the length Lrc of the rod-shaped cushioning material RC. This is because the curve of the bent part 111 becomes gentler due to the restoring force based on the bending force. Also, as mentioned above, the height of the bent part 111 of the pillow body 11 is almost equal to the diameter R of the rod-shaped cushioning material RC, but the height of both ends 113 of the pillow body 11 is 1.5 cm to 2.0 cm lower than the diameter R.

[0058] If the length L of the pillow body 11 is 33.5 cm (median value between 33 cm and 34 cm) and the drop in height of both ends 113 of the pillow body 11 from the height of the bent portion 111 is 1.75 cm (median value between 1.5 cm and 2.0 cm), the drop in height per unit length of the pillow body 11 is approximately 0.05, and the error between the height Hq of the tip Q of the cervical vertebrae and the height of the lower end of the pillow body 11 is less than 1.0 mm, so the height Hq of the tip Q of the cervical vertebrae can be regarded as the height of the lower end of the pillow body 11.

[0059] In addition, the applicant confirmed that when the user places the head on the pillow body 11 of the prototype in a supine position, the height Hp of the cervical vertebrae base end P is 3.0 cm to 4.0 cm, and the horizontal distance d of the cervical vertebrae tip Q from the chin tip CT is approximately 3.0 cm to 4.0 cm. It is also said that the average total head height Ltc of Japanese men is approximately 23 cm, and the average neck length Ln of Japanese men is approximately 11 cm. Therefore, if the height Hp of the cervical vertebrae base end P is 3.5 cm (median value of 3.0 cm to 4.0 cm), the distance d of the cervical vertebrae tip Q from the chin tip CT is 3.5 cm (median value of 3.0 cm to 4.0 cm), the user's total head height Ltc is 23 cm, the user's neck length Ln is 11 cm, and the height Hq of the cervical vertebrae tip Q is (R-1.75) [cm], then the formulas (1) to (5) are as follows: Xq = R + 23 - 3.5 = R + 19.5 … (1') Xp=R+23+11=R+44 …(2') Lpq=Ln+d=11+3.5=14.5 …(3') Hpq=(Ln+d)×tan(θ)=14.5×tan(θ) …(4') Yq=Hq=Hp+Hpq=3.5+14.5×tan(θ)…(5') It becomes.

[0060] Since the angle at which the cervical vertebrae form a normal cervical lordosis is approximately 20°, if the allowable range is set to Δθ [°] and the range of the elevation angle θ when the user is in a supine position and places the head on the pillow body 11 is set to (20±Δθ)=(20±7)°, then the range of the height Hq of the cervical vertebrae tip Q from equation (5') is as follows: 3.5+14.5×0.23≦Hq≦3.5+14.5×0.51 6.8≦Hq≦10.9 …(6) It should be noted that Δθ=7[°] is an example of a design value, and other values ​​can be selected.

[0061] If the reduction in height of both ends 113 of the pillow body 11 relative to the height H (=R) of the pillow body 11 is ΔH [cm], the height Hq of the cervical vertebral tip Q is expressed as (R-ΔH) [cm]. Therefore, by substituting Hq=R-ΔH into equation (6), 6.8+ΔH≦R≦10.9+ΔH …(7) is obtained.

[0062] As described above, according to the prototype, the height of both ends 113 of the pillow body 11 is 1.5 cm to 2.0 cm lower than the diameter R. Therefore, by inserting ΔH=1.5 to 2.0 into equation (7), the conditional equation for the height H (=R) of the pillow body 11 is as follows: When ΔH=1.5 8.3≦R≦12.4 …(8) When ΔH=2.0 8.8≦R≦12.9 …(9) is obtained.

[0063] From formulas (8) and (9), the condition formula for the diameter R of the rod-shaped cushioning material RC taking into account the drop in height ΔH of the pillow body 11 when the user places his / her head on the pillow 1 is given as follows: 8.3≦R≦12.9 …(10) It is possible to set ΔH=1.5 to 2.0 [cm]. Note that ΔH=1.5 to 2.0 [cm] is an example of a design value, and other values ​​can be selected.

[0064] As described above, in the prototype of the pillow body 11 using the rod-shaped cushioning material RC having a length Lrc of approximately 70 cm, the length L of the pillow body 11 is 33 cm to 34 cm, which is 1 cm to 2 cm shorter than 1 / 2 the length Lrc of the rod-shaped cushioning material RC. Since the length Lrc of the rod-shaped cushioning material RC is almost equal to the width W1 of the bath towel BT1, if the shortening amount ΔL when the pillow body 11 is made from the rod-shaped cushioning material RC is 1.0 cm, the length L of the pillow body 11 is L=W1 / 2-1.0 …(11) It should be noted that ΔL=1.0 is an example of a design value, and other values ​​can be selected.

[0065] The length L of the main body 11 must be at least long enough to allow the user's head to be stably placed when the pillow body 11 is placed vertically and the user is in a supine position with the head placed on the long groove 114 of the pillow body 11, but as described above, in this embodiment, the length L [cm] of the pillow body 11 is set or adjusted so that both end portions 113 of the pillow body 11 do not hit the area from the user's neck (cervical vertebrae) to the shoulders.

[0066] Assuming that the minimum value of the length of the pillow body 11 on which the user's head can be stably placed is, for example, the position of the tip of the cervical vertebra Q (X coordinate Xq) of both end portions 113 of the pillow body 11, and the maximum value of the length of the pillow body 11 is, for example, the position of the tip of the chin CT (X coordinate Xct), the conditional formula for the length L of the pillow body 11 is Xq≦L≦Xct …(12) It is expressed as:

[0067] As shown in FIG. 5(a), the X-coordinate Xct of the chin tip CT is expressed as Xct=Loc=Lb+Ltc=R+Ltc, and the X-coordinate Xq of the cervical vertebra tip Q is expressed as Xq=R+Ltc-d from equation (1). By substituting these into equation (12), R+Ltc-d≦L≦R+Ltc …(12') It becomes.

[0068] If the user's total head height Ltc is 23 cm (the average total head height for Japanese men), and the distance d of the cervical vertebrae tip Q from the chin tip CT is 3.5 cm (the median value of 3.0 cm to 4.0 cm), and these are inserted into equation (12'), R+19.5≦L≦R+23 …(12”) The conditional expression for the length L of the pillow body 11 is obtained.

[0069] If the conditional formula for the diameter R of the rod-shaped cushioning material RC is set to formula (10), then when R = 8.3 cm, the conditional formula for the length L of the pillow body 11 becomes 27.8 ≦ L ≦ 31.3, and when R = 12.9 cm, the conditional formula for the length L of the pillow body 11 becomes 32.4 ≦ L ≦ 35.9. Therefore, the conditional formula for the length L of the pillow body 11 is as follows: 27.8≦L≦35.9 …(13) is obtained.

[0070] That is, the height H (diameter R of the rod-shaped cushioning material RC) of the pillow body 11 is set within a range that satisfies the formula (10), and the length L is set within a range that satisfies the formula (13).

[0071] The pillow body 11 prototyped by the applicant using a hard bath towel BT1 measuring 70 cm (width) x 140 cm (length) and a soft bath towel BT2 measuring 62 cm (width) x 120 cm (length) had a diameter R of 10 to 11 cm and a length L of 33 cm to 34 cm, satisfying the conditions of equations (10) and (13).

[0072] The length L of the pillow body 11 that satisfies formula (13) is 27.8 cm to 35.9 cm. By substituting this condition into formula (11), the conditional formula for the width W1 of the bath towel BT1 is as follows: 57.6≦W1≦73.8 …(14) is obtained.

[0073] Generally, there are three known sizes of bath towels: compact (50 cm (width) x 100 cm (length)), standard (65 cm (width) x 130-140 cm (length)), and large (70 cm (width)-100 cm x 140-180 cm (length)). If a bath towel with a length of 120 cm-140 cm is used, a rod-shaped cushioning material RC with a diameter R of approximately 10 cm-11 cm can be obtained. Considering the conditions of equation (14), it can be seen that a standard-sized or large-sized bath towel BT1, BT2 should be selected as the material for the rod-shaped cushioning material RC.

[0074] The pillow 1 according to the first embodiment is configured to tie both ends 113 of the pillow body 11 with the string 122 of the drawstring bag 12, but both ends 113 of the pillow body 11 may be tied with elastic tie rings. Two tie rings may tie the bath towel BT1 and the bath towel BT2, or one tie ring may tie only one of both ends 113 of the bath towels BT1 and BT2. Instead of tie rings, a connecting string may be attached to either or both of the bath towels BT1 and BT2, and the both ends 113 of the pillow body 11 may be tied with the string.

[0075] This modified example has a simpler structure than the pillow 1 that includes the drawstring bag 12. In this modified example, a pillow cover may be provided separately, or may be stored in the drawstring bag 12.

[0076] Next, the action and effect of the pillow 1 according to the first embodiment will be described.

[0077] As described above, when the user lies down in a supine position with the head placed on the vertically arranged pillow 1, the user adjusts the position of the head on the pillow 1. The pillow body 11 is made by bending a rod-shaped cushioning material RC into a U-shape and joining or bundling both ends 113, so that a long groove 114 is formed in the part sandwiched between the arm parts 112R and 112L of the pillow body 11. When the user places the head on the long groove 114 of the pillow body 11, the long groove 114 is pressed by the weight of the head, and a mortar-shaped recess 13 corresponding to the oblong spheroidal occipital region is formed at a position slightly lower than the long hole 114a. The user adjusts the position of the head to a position where the recess 13 stably supports the occipital region.

[0078] The user's head does not easily move or rotate because it is held in the cone-shaped recess 13 of the pillow body 11. In addition, the pillow 1 itself does not easily move relative to the floor surface, so the pillow 1 allows the user's head to be stably maintained in a supine position.

[0079] The position of the head of the pillow body 11 adjusted by the user is the position where the top of the head TH hangs over the upper end of the long hole 114a of the long groove 114 of the pillow body 11, and in this position, the tips of both ends 113 of the pillow body 11 do not extend beyond the user's chin CT toward the shoulder side. Therefore, the back of the user's head is supported only by the recessed portion 13 formed in the long groove 114 of the pillow body 11, and the movement and deformation of the cervical vertebrae caused by the user's turning over or moving of the torso while sleeping is not hindered by the pillow 1. In other words, even if the area from the user's shoulders to the legs shifts or tilts sideways relative to the center line of the body while sleeping, the cervical vertebrae can move and deform freely in response to the movement, and the shape of the cervical vertebrae can be maintained in the shape of cervical lordosis.

[0080] The height H of the pillow body 11 is approximately equal to the diameter R of the rod-shaped cushioning material RC, which is 10 cm to 11 cm, but the height of the pillow 1 corresponding to the tip Q of the user's cervical vertebrae is 1.5 cm to 2.0 cm lower than the height H, so that the position of the tip Q of the user's cervical vertebrae while sleeping is kept 8.0 cm to 9.5 cm higher than the floor or bed surface by the pillow 1.

[0081] This height is 4 cm to 6 cm higher than the base end P of the user's cervical vertebrae, and when the horizontal distance between the tip P of the cervical vertebrae and the tip Q of the cervical vertebrae is 14 cm to 15 cm, the elevation angle θ when looking from the tip P of the cervical vertebrae to the tip Q of the cervical vertebrae is 15° to 23°. This elevation angle θ is close to the angle that puts the state of the user's cervical vertebrae while sleeping into a state of cervical lordosis of about 20°, which is the normal state of the cervical vertebrae, so if the user's cervical vertebrae are straight neck, it can ease and reduce stiff shoulders and muscle tension caused by straight neck.

[0082] The pillow 1 supports only the user's head and does not inhibit the movement or deformation of the cervical spine that accompanies the user's turning over or torso movement while sleeping, so that the position of the user's cervical spine while sleeping can be maintained in an ideal cervical lordosis for a relatively long period of time.

[0083] The pillow 1 is made of a rod-shaped cushioning material RC made of a cushioning sheet material (bath towel) bent into a U-shape and joined or bound at both ends 113, making it possible to provide a pillow 1 that is suitable for people with straight necks with a simple and inexpensive structure. In addition, when a bath towel is used, a mortar-shaped recess 13 can be formed with an appropriate cushioning force when the head is placed on the pillow 1, providing a comfortable feel and stable holding force for the head.

[0084] In addition, the pillow 1 has a compact size and shape, making it highly portable and allowing it to be used effectively as a pillow for napping anywhere. For example, the pillow 1 can be brought to the workplace and used as a pillow for napping while lying face down at a desk or the like.

[0085] Even when the user places the side of the head on the long groove 114 in a lateral or prone position, or when the user changes position from a supine position to a lateral or prone position, the ears and nose can fit into the gaps in the long groove 114, so the user can smoothly change the position of the head to a lateral or prone position, and the recess 13 formed in the pillow body 11 can comfortably and stably support the side of the head and face of the user.

[0086] The pillow 1 does not require a separate pillow cover or carrying bag because the drawstring bag 12 functions as a pillow cover and storage bag. Also, by applying a character or trademark design to the drawstring bag 12, it is possible to stimulate consumer purchasing desire. Also, by adjusting the tightening of the cord 122 of the drawstring bag 12, the shape of the long groove 114 formed in the pillow body 11 can be easily adjusted.

[0087] 1, the drawstring bag 12 has only one opening 121, but an opening may also be provided at the bottom end of the bag (the end opposite the opening 121) to be openable and closable with a zipper or hook-and-loop fastener. With this configuration, when using the pillow body 11 by placing it directly against the head, the pillow body 11 can be easily taken out by opening the zipper or hook-and-loop fastener of the drawstring bag 12, eliminating the need to untie the cord 122 of the drawstring bag 12 to take out the pillow body 11.

[0088] In the above description, an example was described in which the vertical direction of the pillow 1 and the vertical direction of the user's head are aligned, but when using the pillow 1, it is not necessary to align the vertical direction (up-down direction) of the user's head with the vertical direction (up-down direction) of the pillow 1. The vertical direction of the user's head and the vertical direction of the pillow 1 may be perpendicular to each other or may be opposite to each other.

[0089] FIG. 6 is a plan view showing the configuration of a pillow 1' according to the second embodiment.

[0090] The pillow 1' according to the second embodiment is obtained by adding a thoracic vertebrae pushing-up member 14 for pushing up the thoracic vertebrae of a user in a supine position upward to the pillow 1 according to the first embodiment. The thoracic vertebrae pushing-up member 14 corresponds to the "thoracic vertebrae pushing-up means" described in claim 5. The thoracic vertebrae pushing-up member 14 is for pushing up the thoracic vertebrae of a user in a supine position to open the chest to the left and right, and improve the passage of the trachea. The thoracic vertebrae pushing-up member 14 is composed of a rod-shaped cushioning material 141 using a sheet material having cushioning properties, and a cylindrical bag body 142 made of a sheet material having cushioning properties that stores the rod-shaped cushioning material 141. The rod-shaped cushioning material 141 is made by folding a rectangular, stiff bath towel in half (see Figs. 3(a) and (b)), similar to the bath towel BT1, and then rolling it in the folded direction (see Fig. 3(c)) and storing it in the bag body 142.

[0091] The thoracic vertebrae lifting member 14 may be produced by filling the cylindrical bag 142 with granular material having shock-absorbing properties (such as low-resilience beads or buckwheat husks). Alternatively, the rod-shaped thoracic vertebrae lifting member 14 may be produced by molding a material having shock-absorbing properties. In this case, the cylindrical bag 142 may be omitted.

[0092] The thoracic vertebrae pushing-up member 14 is connected to the pillow body 11 together with both ends 113 by pinching one end between the arm portion 112R and the arm portion 112L of the pillow body 11 and tightening the cord 122. According to a prototype of the thoracic vertebrae pushing-up member 14 made by the applicant using a bath towel of 60 cm (width) x 120 cm (length), the diameter R of the thoracic vertebrae pushing-up member 14 was about 7 cm and the length was 60 cm, but since the length of the part sandwiched between both ends 113 of the pillow body 11 was set to 12 to 14 cm, the length of the thoracic vertebrae pushing-up member 14 extending from the lower end of the pillow body 11 to the thoracic vertebrae side of the user was 46 cm to 48 cm. It is preferable to adjust the length of the part pushing up the thoracic vertebrae of the user by adjusting the length of the thoracic vertebrae pushing-up member 14 sandwiched between both ends 113 of the pillow body 11.

[0093] The base end P of the user's cervical vertebrae is separated from the lower end of the pillow body 11 by approximately the neck length Ln (approximately 11 cm), so the part excluding the neck length Ln (the part 35 cm to 37 cm from the tip of the thoracic vertebrae pushing-up member 14) comes into contact with the user's back and functions to push up the thoracic vertebrae. Therefore, by using a compact or standard size bath towel, the thoracic vertebrae pushing-up member 14 that can push up the thoracic vertebrae of the user in the supine position can be easily manufactured.

[0094] Next, the action and effect of the pillow 1' according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 6 and Fig. 7. Fig. 7 is a side view showing the state of the pillow 1' and the upper half of the user's body when the user is in a supine position and places his / her head on the pillow 1'. For convenience of drawing, the drawstring bag 12 is omitted in Fig. 7.

[0095] Since the size of the pillow body 11 of pillow 1' is the same as the size of the pillow body 11 of pillow 1, when the user lies on his / her back with his / her head placed on the vertically arranged pillow 1', the position of the tip Q of the cervical vertebrae of the user while sleeping is maintained in a position that satisfies equation (6), just as when pillow 1 is used.

[0096] On the other hand, when the pillow 1' is used, the thoracic vertebrae lifting member 14 is placed under the user's thoracic vertebrae, so the height Hp of the base end P of the user's cervical vertebrae from the floor or bed surface is higher by the height of the thoracic vertebrae lifting member 14 than when there is no thoracic vertebrae lifting member 14. The height (diameter R) of the prototype thoracic vertebrae lifting member 14 was approximately 7 cm, but when the thoracic vertebrae lifting member 14 is placed under the user's thoracic vertebrae, the weight of the user's body causes a drop of 1.5 cm to 2.5 cm, so the height of the thoracic vertebrae lifting member 14 is 4.5 cm to 5.5 cm.

[0097] For example, if the height Hq of the cervical vertebrae tip Q when using pillow 1 is 10.5 cm, the height Hp of the cervical vertebrae base P is 3.5 cm, and the distance Lpq between the cervical vertebrae tip Q and the cervical vertebrae base P is 14.5 cm, the elevation angle θ is θ=arctan(7 / 14.5)≒25° (decimal points are rounded down). If the height Hp of the user's cervical vertebrae base P is raised by 4.5 cm when pillow 1' is used compared to when pillow 1 is used, the cervical vertebrae base P becomes 8.0 cm, and the height Hpq of the cervical vertebrae tip Q relative to the cervical vertebrae base P becomes 2.5 cm. The elevation angle θ in this case is θ=arctan(3.5 / 14.5)≒9° (decimal points are rounded down), which is smaller than when pillow 1 is used, and the state of the user's cervical vertebrae is worse than when pillow 1 is used.

[0098] However, by pushing up the thoracic vertebrae of the user with the thoracic vertebrae pushing up member 14, the inclination of the trachea becomes gentler than when the pillow 1 is used, and the posture of the chest becomes one in which the chest is pushed out, making breathing easier. In addition, the thoracic vertebrae pushing up member 14 stimulates the autonomic nervous system passing through the thoracic vertebrae, which relieves tension in the parasympathetic nerves and has the effect of putting the user into a relaxed state.

[0099] Therefore, when using the pillow 1', the user can take a deep breath from the beginning of sleep, and the parasympathetic nerve tension is relieved and the user enters a relaxed state, which has the effect of making it easier to fall asleep (facilitating falling asleep). In addition, when the user removes the thoracic vertebrae pushing-up member 14 from the thoracic vertebrae after falling asleep, the user is in a state similar to that when using the pillow 1 and the elevation angle θ becomes larger, so it can be expected that muscle tension such as stiff shoulders caused by straight neck will be relieved while sleeping.

[0100] In the above embodiment, a sheet material using a bath towel as the material of the rod-shaped cushioning material RC has been described as an example, but materials other than a bath towel may be used as long as they have cushioning properties. For example, cloth sheets other than towels, leather sheets, urethane sheets, polyethylene sheets, latex sheets, fiber sheets, sponge sheets, etc. may be used.

[0101] Alternatively, a rod-shaped bag filled with bead cushions may be used as the rod-shaped cushioning material RC, and a material having cushioning properties may be filled in a mold and cut out to form the pillow body 11. The pillow body 11 formed using a mold has the advantage that it does not require members to join or bind both ends 113.

[0102] In deriving the conditional formula for the diameter R of the rod-shaped cushioning material RC and the conditional formula for the length L of the pillow body 11 described above, the values ​​used for the user's total head height Ltc, the user's neck length Ln, the distance d between the user's chin CT and the cervical vertebrae tip Q, and the height Hp of the user's cervical vertebrae base end P are merely examples, and other assumed values ​​can be used.

[0103] The size of the user's head and the length of the cervical vertebrae vary from person to person, and also differ between men and women, between adults and children, between Japanese and foreigners, etc., so it is advisable to design pillows 1 and 1' of different sizes taking these differences into consideration. In particular, when taking into consideration the differences between adults and children, it is advisable to design the size of the pillows 1 and 1' for children using the same concept as the above-mentioned method. For example, as a simple method, the size of the total head height (average value) and neck length (average value) of children may be set smaller than that of adults by a predetermined ratio Kr [%] (<100), and the size of the pillows 1 and 1' for children may be set using the ratio Kr to the size of the pillows 1 and 1' for adults. [Explanation of symbols]

[0104] 1,1' pillow 11 Pillow body 111 (pillow body) bending part 112, 112R, 112L (pillow body) arm part 113R, 113L (pillow body) end 113 (Both ends of the pillow body) 114 (pillow body) long groove 114a long hole 12 Drawstring Bag 121 Opening 122 Cord 13 Recess 14 Thoracic vertebrae lifting member (thoracic vertebrae lifting means) 141 Rod-shaped cushioning material 142 Bag body BT1, BT2 Bath towels (sheet material) C Core material H Height of pillow body Hp Height of cervical base P Hq Height of the cervical vertebral tip Q Hpq: The height between the base of the cervical vertebrae P and the tip of the cervical vertebrae Q L Pillow body length RC rod-shaped cushioning material R Diameter of rod-shaped RC buffer material θ Elevation angle from cervical base end P to cervical base end Q

Claims

1. A pillow characterized in that a rod-shaped cushioning material is bent into a U-shape, both ends are joined, and a long groove is formed in the center of the interior, extending from the bent part to both ends.

2. 2. The pillow according to claim 1, wherein both ends of the rod-shaped cushioning material bent into a U-shape are joined by storing the cushioning material in a drawstring bag and tightening the string of the drawstring bag.

3. The pillow according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the rod-shaped cushioning material is composed of a first cushioning member that constitutes a core material and a second cushioning member that has softer cushioning properties than the first cushioning member and is concentrically arranged on the outer peripheral surface of the core material.

4. A pillow as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the length of the pillow in the direction along the long groove is such that when the user is in a supine position with the top of the head facing the bent portion of the pillow and the chin facing the end side of the pillow and placing the head on the long groove, the tip of the end side of the pillow does not exceed the tip of the user's chin.

5. a thoracic vertebrae lifting means for lifting up the thoracic vertebrae of the user when the user is in a supine position with the top of the head facing the bent portion of the pillow and the chin facing the end of the pillow and placing the head on the long groove, the thoracic vertebrae lifting means being made of a rod-shaped cushioning material, The pillow according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that one end of the thoracic vertebrae pushing-up means is sandwiched between both ends of the pillow and is detachably connected to both ends of the pillow.

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