Cranial shape correcting helmet and method of manufacturing cranial shape correcting helmet

Abstract

To provide a cranial shape correcting helmet that has a simple configuration and is capable of suppressing displacement of both ends of a slit of a shell and easily obtaining a stable wearing state, and also provide a method of manufacturing the same.SOLUTION: Provided is a cranial shape correcting helmet 10 worn on a head 2 for correcting cranial deformation, including a substantially annular shell 11 having an upper opening 12 and a lower opening 13, and a cushion 30 arranged inside the shell 11 and in contact with the head 2. The shell 11 has a slit 20 formed through the shell 11 in a direction intersecting the thickness direction T of the shell over a length from an upper opening edge 12a of the upper opening 12 to a lower opening edge 13a of the lower opening 13. The slit 20 has a curved portion 20A projecting from one side of the head 2 in a front-rear direction to the other side.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cranial shape correction helmet that is worn on the head to correct cranial deformation, and a manufacturing method for the same. [Background technology]

[0002] Infants and young children may develop cranial deformities, such as plagiocephaly, which requires treatment. Plagiocephaly is a deformed shape in which the skull is not symmetrical but tilted to one side. One device used to treat such cranial deformities is a cranial shape correction helmet, which is worn on the head to promote corrective skull shape as the skull grows.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a skull shape correction helmet in which a liner is provided inside the shell and a slit is formed in the shell that extends vertically in a straight line from the upper edge to the lower edge. By deforming the shell by adjusting the width of the slit, the size of the internal space of the shell changes, allowing the head to be gently tightened with the required pressure. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-169510 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] If a slit extending straight up and down is formed in the shell, the pair of opposing ends sandwiching the slit will be prone to shifting in the front-to-back or up-and-down direction, making it difficult to achieve a stable mounting state. The above-mentioned Patent Document 1 discloses that a connecting means is used to keep the pair of ends overlapping each other, but this complicates the configuration and increases the number of parts.

[0006] The present invention aims to provide a cranial shape correction helmet with a simple configuration that suppresses misalignment of the ends on both sides of the shell slit, making it easy to achieve a stable wearing state, and a method for manufacturing the same. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] (1) The cranial shape correction helmet of the present invention is a cranial shape correction helmet that is worn on the head to correct cranial deformation, and comprises a substantially annular shell having an upper opening and a lower opening, and a cushion that is positioned inside the shell and contacts the head, and the shell has a slit that runs through it in a direction that intersects with the thickness direction of the shell, from the upper opening edge of the upper opening to the lower opening edge of the lower opening, and the slit has a curved portion that protrudes from one side to the other in the front-to-back direction of the head.

[0008] (2) In (1), the shell may have a first end and a second end that face each other and are movable with the slit in between, the first end including a first end piece extending in a direction intersecting the thickness direction of the shell, and the second end including a second end piece extending in a direction intersecting the thickness direction of the shell and that can be superimposed on the first end piece in the thickness direction of the shell.

[0009] (3) In (2), it is preferable that when the head is lying approximately on its back, the slit is formed at a position corresponding to the part of the side of the head where downward load is applied, the first end piece extends downward, and the second end piece is positioned outside the first end piece.

[0010] (4) In (2) or (3), the first end may have a first hook portion, the second end may have a second hook portion, the first hook portion and the second hook portion may be positioned so as to sandwich the slit, and the first end and the second end may be connected to each other via a connecting member that is detachably hooked to the first hook portion and the second hook portion.

[0011] (5) In any of (1) to (4), the shell preferably has a deformable portion facing the treatment area requiring bulging deformation of the skull, forming a space between the shell and the treatment area to allow the skull to bulge and deform, and the deformable portion preferably has a palpation hole that allows the distance between the deformable portion and the treatment area to be measured by palpation.

[0012] (6) In any of (1) to (5), the cushion is arranged so as to contact the pressure receiving portion of the head to which the pressing force is applied from the shell, and the cushion includes a first cushion portion arranged approximately in the center of the pressure receiving portion and a second cushion portion arranged around the first cushion portion, and it is preferable that the first cushion portion has lower resilience than the second cushion portion.

[0013] (7) In any of (1) to (5), the cushion may be arranged to contact a pressure receiving portion of the head to which a pressing force is applied from the shell, and the cushion may include a third cushion portion that directly contacts the pressure receiving portion and a fourth cushion portion that is arranged outside the third cushion portion in the thickness direction, and the third cushion portion may have a lower resilience than the fourth cushion portion.

[0014] (8) In any of (1) to (7), it is preferable that the cushion is arranged so as to contact the pressure receiving portion of the head to which the pressing force from the shell is applied, and a pressure sensor that detects the pressure corresponding to the reaction force received from the pressure receiving portion is arranged on the cushion.

[0015] (9) A method for manufacturing a cranial shape correction helmet of the present invention is a method for manufacturing any of the cranial shape correction helmets of the present invention described above, and includes the steps of molding the shell using a 3D printer based on the outer shape of the skull to be corrected, and placing the cushion inside the shell. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a cranial shape correction helmet and a manufacturing method thereof that has a simple configuration and suppresses misalignment of the ends on both sides of the slit in the shell, making it easy to achieve a stable wearing state. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which a person to be treated for cranial deformity is wearing a cranial shape correcting helmet according to an embodiment. FIG. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to line II-II in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a main part of FIG. 2. [Figure 4] This is a cross-sectional view of the head and cranial shape correction helmet when the subject is lying on their back. [Figure 5A] 3 is an enlarged view of a main part of FIG. 2, illustrating the action when a load is applied downward from the first end portion. FIG. [Figure 5B] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a case where the first shelf portion and the second end portion are configured in a pattern opposite to that of the embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a head and skull shape corrective helmet showing a cushion according to a first modified example. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a head and skull shape corrective helmet showing a cushion according to a second modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 shows a state in which a treatment subject 1, such as an infant with a cranial deformation symptom, is wearing a cranial shape correcting helmet 10 according to the embodiment on the head 2 of the treatment subject 1. Fig. 2 shows a schematic cross section of this state, and Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of a main part of Fig. 2. The cranial shape correcting helmet 10 is worn on the head 2 of the treatment subject 1 to correct the cranial deformation of the head 2.

[0019] In Figures 1 to 3, arrow X indicates the front-to-back direction of the cranial shape correction helmet 10 when worn by the treatment recipient 1, with X1 indicating the front side and X2 indicating the rear side. In Figures 2 and 3, arrow Y indicates the left-to-right direction of the cranial shape correction helmet 10 when worn by the treatment recipient 1, with Y1 indicating the left side and Y2 indicating the right side. In Figure 1, arrow Z indicates the up-down direction of the cranial shape correction helmet 10 when worn by the treatment recipient 1, with Z1 indicating the upper side and Z2 indicating the lower side. This also applies to Figure 4 and subsequent figures. In Figures 2 to 7, the front side is the upper side of the cranial shape correction helmet 10 when viewed from the front to the back of the paper, and the back side is the lower side of the cranial shape correction helmet 10. In the following description, the front-rear direction, left-right direction, and up-down direction are the same as those described above.

[0020] The skull shape correcting helmet 10 comprises an annular shell 11 and a cushion 30 arranged inside the shell 11 and in contact with the head 2.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 1 , the shell 11 has an upper opening 12 and a lower opening 13. The top of the head 2 is exposed above the upper opening 12, and the face, ears, neck, etc. are exposed below the lower opening 13. The shell 11 has an annular main portion 14 that circumferentially surrounds the skull, a dorsal extension portion 15 that extends downward from the rear of the main portion 14, and a pair of left and right side extension portions 16 that protrude downward from the left and right side portions of the main portion 14, respectively. The dorsal extension portion 15 faces the dorsal surface of the neck of the treatment subject 1, and each side extension portion 16 is located in front of the ears of the treatment subject 1. The ears of the treatment subject 1 are located between the dorsal extension portion 15 and each side extension portion 16.

[0022] A slit 20 is formed in one of the left and right side portions of the shell 11, in this embodiment, the right side portion. The slit 20 is formed from the upper opening edge 12a of the upper opening 12 to the lower opening edge 13a of the lower opening 13. As shown in FIG. 2, the slit 20 is formed by cutting the shell 11 in a generally oblique direction D that intersects with the thickness direction T of the shell 11 as a whole, penetrating from the inside to the outside of the shell 11. By forming the slit in this oblique direction, the appearance of the slit 20 is curved as a whole, as shown in FIG. 1. This is because the cranial shape corrective helmet 10 has a spherical shape that bulges out toward the center in the vertical direction. Alternatively, the slits 20 may be formed simultaneously with the molding of the shell 11 by molding a molded body having the slits 20 into the shell 11 using a means such as a 3D printer, without cutting the shell 11.

[0023] The slit 20 intersects with the thickness direction T of the shell 11 so as to extend forward from the inside to the outside of the shell 11. As a result, the slit 20 is curved so as to protrude from the rear side to the front side as shown in FIG. 1 . That is, the slit 20 has a curved portion 20A that protrudes from the rear side to the front side in the front-to-rear direction of the head 2. In this embodiment, the entire slit 20 forms the curved portion 20A.

[0024] The shell 11 has a first end portion 21 on the front side and a second end portion 22 on the rear side that are detachably opposed to each other with the slit 20 therebetween. The first end portion 21 and the second end portion 22 are each curved along the curved shape of the slit 20.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 3 , the slit 20 specifically has a Z-shaped cross section. The first end 21 includes a first end piece 21a extending in a circumferential direction intersecting the thickness direction T of the shell 11. The second end 22 extends in a circumferential direction intersecting the thickness direction T of the shell 11 and includes a second end piece 22a overlapping the first end piece 21a in the thickness direction T of the shell 11. The first end piece 21a extends rearward. The second end piece 22a extends forward and is disposed outward of the first end piece 21a. The first end piece 21a and the second end piece 22a overlap each other in the thickness direction T of the shell 11.

[0026] The first end 21 has an outer step 21c at the base of the first end piece 21a. The outer step 21c is formed outside the first end piece 21a in the thickness direction T of the shell 11. The outer step 21c faces the tip surface 22b of the second end piece 22a. The second end 22 has an inner step 22c at the base of the second end piece 22a. The inner step 22c faces the tip surface 21b of the first end piece 21a.

[0027] Here, the deformed shape of the skull of the treatment subject 1 in this embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 2. When viewed from above, the skull of the treatment subject 1 has an asymmetrical plagiocephaly that slopes to the right as it approaches the front.

[0028] An ideal three-dimensional model is created based on the external shape of the plagiocephaly skull, and the shape of shell 11 is designed based on this three-dimensional model. For example, the head of treatment subject 1 is 3D scanned to obtain the three-dimensional shape of the head of treatment subject 1. Next, an ideal three-dimensional shape as a treatment target is created based on the three-dimensional shape of the head, and the shape of shell 11 is determined based on this ideal three-dimensional shape.

[0029] The shell 11 of this embodiment can be manufactured, for example, by a 3D printer as described below, but the manufacturing method is not limited to this. The shell 11 is a molded body of synthetic resin and has the required surface hardness and rigidity. Therefore, in addition to using a 3D printer, it can also be molded by cutting a block of synthetic resin. Examples of synthetic resins include, but are not limited to, polyamide, polycarbonate, polyester, ABS resin, epoxy resin, and fluororesin.

[0030] The skull has multiple treatment areas 3 that create a space S between the shell 11 and the skull when the skull shape correction helmet 10 is worn. The skull also has multiple pressure receiving portions 4 that come into contact with the skull shape correction helmet 10 and are pressed by the skull shape correction helmet 10. The multiple treatment areas 3 are located on the left front side and the right rear side. The multiple pressure receiving portions 4 are located on the right front side and the left rear side. The shell 11 has a deformable portion 17 in each portion facing the treatment areas 3. Each deformable portion 17 is formed to create the required space S between the shell 11 and the treatment area 3. Each deformable portion 17 allows the skull to bulge and deform into the space S. The shell 11 also has a pressing portion 18 in each portion facing the pressure receiving portion 4. Each pressing portion 18 presses the pressure receiving portion 4 inward.

[0031] When the cranial shape correction helmet 10 is worn, each pressure receiving portion 4 is pressed inward by the pressing portion 18 with appropriate pressure. This causes the treatment area 3 to grow preferentially and bulge outward, correcting the skull so that it is symmetrical on both sides. A cushion 30 that comes into contact with the pressure receiving portion 4 is arranged on the inner surface of the pressing portion 18. The cushion 30 prevents the hard shell 11 from directly hitting the head 2 and causing damage to the head 2. Although a cushion 30 is not arranged inside the deformable portion 17, it may be arranged there. If a cushion 30 is arranged there, it is preferable that there is space between the cushion and the head 2.

[0032] Shell 11 has a plurality of holes 19 at least in deformable portion 17. Holes 19 communicate with the inside and outside of shell 11. Holes 19 may have any shape, such as a circle, a trapezoid, or a triangle. Holes 19 may have irregular sizes and may be of various sizes. Holes 19 ensure breathability and contribute to weight reduction.

[0033] Among the multiple holes 19, particularly in the case of a circular shape, there is a hole with a diameter of 10 mm to 25 mm that can be inserted with a finger, and this hole is designated as palpation hole 19a. Palpation hole 19a is a hole that enables a treating physician or the like to insert a finger from the outside of shell 11 to measure by palpation the distance between the inner surface of deformable portion 17 and treatment site 3. There may be multiple palpation holes 19a in deformable portion 17. Furthermore, palpation hole 19a is not limited to a circular shape, but its size is set to a size equivalent to a diameter of 10 mm to 25 mm.

[0034] When a treatment subject 1 with symptoms of plagiocephaly lies on their back, for example, while sleeping, they often have a habit of having the treatment area 3 on the occipital side of the head 2 point downward, as shown in Fig. 4. In this state, a downward load is applied to the shell 11 at a position P corresponding to a slightly upper right portion of the head 2. In this embodiment, a slit 20 is formed at the position P where a downward load is applied from the first end 21 when the treatment subject 1 lies on their back in a position typical of such plagiocephaly.

[0035] At position P, the first end piece 21a of the first end 21 of the first end 21 extends downward. Meanwhile, the second end piece 22a of the second end 22 is positioned outside the first end piece 21a and extends upward. FIG. 5A shows a state in which a load M is applied downward from the first end 21 at position P. The upper first end piece 21a, to which the downward load M is applied, tends to expand outward due to the load. However, because the lower second end piece 22a is positioned outside the first end piece 21a, it is unlikely that the first end 21 will shift outward and become disengaged from the second end piece 22a. This helps maintain the shape of the shell 11, allowing treatment to proceed normally.

[0036] 5B, in the case of an arrangement pattern opposite to that of the embodiment in which the second end piece 22a is arranged inside the first end piece 21a, the upper first end piece 21 may spread outward as indicated by the arrow N, causing the engagement with the second end piece 22a to be released. However, in the embodiment, the lower second end piece 22a is arranged outside the first end piece 21a, so this situation can be avoided.

[0037] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , a first hook portion 25 is provided on the outer surface of the first end portion 21, and a second hook portion 26 is provided on the outer surface of the second end portion 22. The first hook portion 25 and the second hook portion 26 are positioned so as to sandwich the slit 20 between them. Both the first hook portion 25 and the second hook portion 26 have the same configuration. That is, both the first hook portion 25 and the second hook portion 26 have a U-shape and include a pair of legs 27a extending outward from the outer surface of the shell 11 and a beam portion 27b spanning between the tips of the pair of legs 27a. The pair of legs 27a are spaced apart in the vertical direction, and the beam portion 27b extends in the vertical direction. The first hook portion 25 and the second hook portion 26 are positioned a predetermined distance from the slit 20.

[0038] A belt 40 serving as a connecting member is wound around the first hook portion 25 and the second hook portion 26 in a loop shape and hung on both beam portions 27b. The belt 40 is a well-known hook-and-loop fastener whose adhesive surfaces are bondable and releasable. The adhesive surfaces of the belt 40 are joined together with an appropriate tension applied. This connects the first end portion 21 and the second end portion 22 to each other. The first end portion 21 and the second end portion 22 are then pulled toward each other via the first hook portion 25 and the second hook portion 26, causing the shell 11 to contract slightly in diameter and applying the required pressure to the head portion 2.

[0039] The cushions 30 are disposed on the inner surface of each pressing portion 18 of the shell 11. The cushions 30 are molded bodies made of foamed synthetic resin with resilience. The cushions 30 are detachably attached to the inner surface of the shell 11 using, for example, double-sided adhesive tape.

[0040] Each cushion 30 is provided with a pressure sensor 50 that detects pressure corresponding to the reaction force received from the pressure receiving portion 4 pressed by the pressing portion 18. The pressure sensor 50 is preferably provided at a position predicted to receive the greatest pressure from the skull. The pressure sensor 50 is preferably a sheet-type pressure sensor having a rectangular film substrate less than 1 mm thick and approximately 1 mm square. Such a pressure sensor 50 is used, for example, by being placed in a recess provided on the inner surface of the cushion 30. For example, a cable for capturing measurement data is connected to the pressure sensor 50, and the measured value of the pressure applied from the pressure receiving portion 4 to the cushion 30 is displayed on a display device such as a personal computer.

[0041] The cranial shape corrective helmet 10 according to the embodiment described above comprises a substantially annular shell 11 having an upper opening 12 and a lower opening 13, and a cushion 30 arranged inside the shell 11 and in contact with the head 2, the shell 11 having a slit 20 formed therethrough in a direction intersecting the thickness direction T of the shell 11 from the upper opening edge 12a of the upper opening 12 to the lower opening edge 13a of the lower opening 13, and the slit 20 has a curved portion 20A protruding from one side to the other in the front-to-back direction of the head 2.

[0042] The slit 20 of this embodiment penetrates the shell 11, cutting it in a direction D that is approximately oblique to the thickness direction T of the shell 11. This slit 20 forms a curved shape that protrudes from the rear to the front of the head 2. Therefore, the tip surfaces of the first end 21 and the second end 22, which sandwich the slit 20, are curved. When the tip surfaces of the first end 21 and the second end 22 abut against each other, they are prevented from shifting relative to each other in the up-down and back-to-front directions. Therefore, with a simple configuration that simply involves forming the slit 20, shifting of the first end 21 and the second end 22 is suppressed. As a result, a stable wearing state can be easily achieved.

[0043] In the cranial shape correcting helmet 10 of the embodiment, the shell 11 has a first end 21 and a second end 22 that face each other and can be separated from each other with a slit 20 between them, and the first end 21 includes a first end piece 21a that extends in a direction intersecting the thickness direction of the shell 11, and the second end 22 includes a second end piece 22a that extends in a direction intersecting the thickness direction of the shell 11 and can be superimposed on the first end piece 21a in the thickness direction of the shell 11.

[0044] By overlapping the first end piece 21a and the second end piece 22a in the thickness direction T of the shell 11, the butt-together state of the first end piece 21 and the second end piece 22 is constrained to each other, resulting in suppressing misalignment of the first end piece 21 and the second end piece 22, making it easier to achieve a stable wearing state of the cranial shape correction helmet 10.

[0045] In the cranial shape correcting helmet 10 according to the embodiment, when the head 2 is in a position approximately facing up, the slit 20 is formed at a position P corresponding to the part of the side of the head 2 where a downward load is applied, the first end piece 21a extends downward, and the second end piece 22a is positioned outside the first end piece 21a, and it is preferable that the second end 22 receives the load of the first end piece 21a.

[0046] As a result, when the patient is lying on their back, as shown in Figure 4, the slit 20 is positioned at position P where a downward load is applied. At position P, the lower second end piece 22a is positioned outside the first end piece 21a, so the upper first end piece 21 is less likely to shift outward and become disengaged. This allows the shape of the shell 11 to be maintained, and treatment to proceed normally.

[0047] In the cranial shape correcting helmet 10 according to the embodiment, the first end 21 has a first hook portion 25, and the second end 22 has a second hook portion 26, with the first hook portion 25 and the second hook portion 26 each positioned to sandwich the slit 20, and the first end 21 and the second end 22 connected to each other via a belt 40 that is detachably attached to the first hook portion 25 and the second hook portion 26.

[0048] This allows the tension of the belt 40 to be adjusted to adjust the strength of the fastening force exerted by the shell 11, and also allows the belt 40 to be easily replaced.

[0049] In the cranial shape correction helmet 10 according to the embodiment, the shell 11 faces the treatment area 3 that requires bulging deformation of the skull, and has a deformable portion 17 that forms a space S between it and the treatment area 3 to allow the skull to bulge and deform, and it is preferable that the deformable portion 17 is provided with a palpation hole 19a that allows the distance between the deformable portion 17 and the treatment area 3 to be measured by palpation.

[0050] This allows the progress of treatment to be easily confirmed by palpation using the palpation hole 19a without removing the cranial shape correcting helmet 10 from the head 2.

[0051] In the cranial shape correcting helmet 10 according to the embodiment, the cushion 30 is arranged so as to contact the pressure receiving portion 4 of the head to which pressure is applied from the shell 11, and it is preferable that a pressure sensor 50 is arranged on the cushion 30 to detect pressure corresponding to the reaction force received from the pressure receiving portion 4 of the head 2.

[0052] This allows the pressure sensor 50 to detect the tightness of the cranial shape corrective helmet 10, making it possible to quantitatively evaluate the tightness.

[0053] The cranial shape corrective helmet 10 of this embodiment can be manufactured by the following method: A process is performed in which the shell 11 is formed using a 3D printer based on the outer shape of the skull of the head 2 to be corrected, and then a process is performed in which the cushion 30 is placed inside the shell 11. As described above, the shape of the shell 11 is determined based on the ideal three-dimensional shape that is the treatment target, which is created based on the three-dimensional shape of the head 2 of the treatment recipient 1. This allows the cranial shape correcting helmet 10 of the embodiment to be manufactured in a suitable manner.

[0054] There are various specific methods for forming the shell 11 using a 3D printer, including well-known methods such as liquid vat photopolymerization, material jetting, binder jetting, powder bed fusion, material extrusion, directed energy deposition, and sheet lamination.

[0055] Next, a modified example of the cushion 30 of the above embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 6 and 7. In the description of the modified example, since the configuration other than the cushion 30 is the same as in the above embodiment, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals and a description of those configurations will be omitted.

[0056] 6 shows a first modified example of the cushion 30. This cushion 30 includes a first cushion portion 31 disposed substantially in the center of the pressure receiving portion 4, and a second cushion portion 32 disposed around the first cushion portion 31. These cushion portions 31, 32 are both molded bodies made of foamed synthetic resin with resilience, and are detachably attached to the inner surface of the shell 11, for example, via double-sided adhesive tape. The first cushion portion 31 and the second cushion portion 32 have different resilience, with the first cushion portion 31 being softer and having lower resilience than the second cushion portion 32.

[0057] Both the first cushion portion 31 and the second cushion portion 32 come into contact with the head 2 under pressure, but because the first cushion portion 31 is disposed in the center, the first cushion portion 31 comes into contact with the head 2 with a higher pressure than the second cushion portion 32. In this way, in accordance with the level of pressure, the first cushion portion 31, which comes into contact with the head 2 with a relatively high pressure, has lower resilience than the second cushion portion 32.

[0058] According to the cushion 30 of the first variant, the first cushion part 31, which comes into contact with the head 2 with a relatively high pressure, is made to have lower resilience than the second cushion part 32, thereby minimizing damage to the head 2 and making it easier to obtain a comfortable fit.

[0059] 7 shows a second modified example of the cushion 30. This cushion 30 has a two-layer structure including a third cushion portion 33 that directly contacts the pressure receiving portion 4 and a fourth cushion portion 34 that is disposed on the outer side of the third cushion portion 33 in the thickness direction. The fourth cushion portion 34 is detachably attached to the third cushion portion 33, for example, via double-sided adhesive tape. The third cushion portion 33 and the fourth cushion portion 34 have different resilience, with the third cushion portion 33 being softer and having lower resilience than the fourth cushion portion 34.

[0060] According to the cushion 30 of the second modified example, the third cushion part 33, which is in direct contact with the pressure receiving part 4, has lower resilience than the fourth cushion part 34, so that damage to the head 2 can be kept as low as possible and a comfortable fit can be easily obtained.

[0061] Furthermore, as a modified example of the pressure sensor 50, the pressure sensor 50 may not be permanently set in the cushion 30, and the cushion 30 may only have a recess formed therein for removably storing the pressure sensor 50. The recess preferably has a shape that corresponds to the shape of the pressure sensor 50 and allows the pressure sensor 50 to fit into it. In this case, when inspecting the pressure applied to the pressure receiving portion 4 of the head 2, the pressure sensor 50 is stored and set in the recess of the cushion 30.

[0062] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be modified as appropriate. For example, as long as the slits 20 are formed in a direction oblique to the thickness direction of the shell 11, the cross section may be straight instead of being Z-shaped as in the embodiment. The curved portion 20A of the slit 20 may be provided over the entire slit 20, or may be provided partially as long as it can prevent the slit 20 from being misaligned with one another. The shapes of the first hook portion 25 and the second hook portion 26, and the belt 40 as the connecting member are not limited to those in the embodiment, and can be changed as appropriate. The palpation hole 19a of the shell 11 may be provided as needed, or may not be provided at all. Also, the pressure sensor 50 may be omitted. [Explanation of symbols]

[0063] 2 heads 3 Treatment area 4 Pressure receiving part 10. Cranial Shape Correction Helmets 11 Shell 12 Upper opening 12a Upper opening edge 13 Lower opening 13a Lower opening edge 17 Deformation tolerance section 19a Palpation hole 20 slits 20A curved section 21 First end 21a First end piece 22 Second end 22a Second end piece 25 First hook part 26 Second hook part 30 cushions 31 First cushion section 32 Second cushion section 33 Third cushion section 34 Fourth cushion section 40 Belt (connecting member) 50 Pressure Sensor S Space

Claims

1. A skull shape correction helmet that is worn on the head to correct skull deformation, a generally annular shell having an upper opening and a lower opening; a cushion disposed inside the shell and in contact with the head, the shell has a slit formed therethrough in a direction intersecting a thickness direction of the shell from an upper opening edge of the upper opening to a lower opening edge of the lower opening, A cranial shape correcting helmet, wherein the slit has a curved portion that protrudes from one side to the other in the front-to-back direction of the head.

2. the shell has a first end and a second end that are opposed to each other and are capable of being separated from each other with the slit therebetween, the first end portion includes a first end piece extending in a direction intersecting a thickness direction of the shell, The cranial shape correcting helmet according to claim 1, wherein the second end portion extends in a direction intersecting the thickness direction of the shell and includes a second end portion that can be superimposed on the first end portion in the thickness direction of the shell.

3. With the head in a nearly supine position, The slits are formed at positions corresponding to portions of the sides of the head where downward load is applied, The first end piece extends downwardly; The cranial shape correction helmet of claim 2 , wherein the second end piece is disposed outside the first end piece.

4. the first end has a first hook portion; the second end has a second hook portion; the first hook portion and the second hook portion are disposed at positions where the slit is sandwiched between them, A cranial shape correcting helmet as described in claim 2 or 3, wherein the first end and the second end are connected to each other via a connecting member that is detachably hooked onto the first hook portion and the second hook portion.

5. the shell has a deformation-permitting portion that faces a treatment area requiring bulging deformation of the skull and forms a space between the shell and the treatment area to permit the bulging deformation of the skull; A cranial shape correction helmet as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the deformable portion is provided with a palpation hole that enables the distance between the deformable portion and the treatment area to be measured by palpation.

6. the cushion is disposed so as to come into contact with a pressure receiving portion of the head to which a pressing force is applied from the shell, A cranial shape correcting helmet as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the cushion includes a first cushion portion positioned approximately in the center of the pressure receiving portion and a second cushion portion positioned around the first cushion portion, and the first cushion portion has lower resilience than the second cushion portion.

7. the cushion is disposed so as to come into contact with a pressure receiving portion of the head to which a pressing force is applied from the shell, A cranial shape corrective helmet as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the cushion includes a third cushion portion that directly contacts the pressure receiving portion and a fourth cushion portion that is arranged outside the thickness direction of the third cushion portion, and the third cushion portion has lower resilience than the fourth cushion portion.

8. the cushion is disposed so as to come into contact with a pressure receiving portion of the head to which a pressing force is applied from the shell, A cranial shape correcting helmet according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein a pressure sensor that detects pressure corresponding to the reaction force received from the pressure receiving portion is disposed on the cushion.

9. A method for manufacturing the cranial shape correction helmet according to any one of claims 1 to 8, comprising: A step of molding the shell using a 3D printer based on the outer shape of the skull to be corrected; and placing the cushion inside the shell.

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