pillow

Abstract

In the pillow of the present invention, the main support part applies planar pressure to support at least the region between the superior and inferior nuchal lines of the occipital bone of a person lying on their back, from the left end of where the trapezius muscle attaches to the occipital bone to the region where the left sternocleidomastoid muscle attaches to the occipital bone and from the right end of where the trapezius muscle attaches to the occipital bone to the region where the right sternocleidomastoid muscle attaches to the occipital bone, while the secondary support part, which is lower in support height than the main support part, applies pressure to the part of the head closer to the parietal side than the superior nuchal line of a person lying on their back. This pillow is equipped with a neck support part that is located at the neck of a person lying on their back and applies pressure to the back of the neck for support, and further equipped with a main restriction part that restricts upward movement of the head in the direction of height of a person lying on their back.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to pillows, and more particularly to the pillow's ability to facilitate breathing for the user. [Background technology]

[0002] Being able to breathe easily even in a sleeping position is essential for the quality of sleep. Therefore, pillows are required to have the function of making breathing easier for the user. To make breathing easier, especially when lying on one's back, it is necessary to maintain the head at an appropriate angle. If the head is tilted too far forward (i.e., if the chin is lowered too much), the airway is compressed, which can make breathing difficult. Conversely, if the head is tilted too far back (i.e., if the chin is raised too much), the base of the tongue sinks into the throat, which can lead to apnea. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a pillow that supports the neck to the back of the head and reduces the support force at the back of the head to prevent the chin from dropping. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-081248 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, with pillows like those in Patent Document 1, the pressure distribution of the pillow is spread over a wide area from the back of the head to the neck, making it easy for the head to shift. In particular, if the head shifts in the vertical direction of the pillow (in the direction of height), the center of pressure distribution is likely to shift significantly above or below the center of gravity of the head in the vertical direction of the pillow. The resulting torque causes the head to tilt significantly, hindering breathing. Furthermore, the head tends to roll over more easily, making it easier to develop stiff necks. The above-mentioned "head rolling" refers to the rotation of only the neck and head of a person lying on their back in the left and right lateral directions.

[0005] The object of the present invention is to solve the above problems by focusing on the stage at which the head begins to slip in the vertical direction (height direction) of the pillow, and by improving this stage, it is possible to effectively suppress slippage and maintain a stable head angle so that it does not tilt too much, without adversely affecting breathing, making breathing easier, making it less likely for the head to roll over, and making it less likely for stiff necks to occur, and further to provide a pillow that can stop the movement even if the head does slip upward in the vertical direction (height direction) of the pillow, and that does not adversely affect breathing. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The pillow according to the present invention comprises: a main support part that is elastic and applies pressure to at least the area between the superior and inferior nuchal lines of the occipital bone of a person lying on their back, from the left end of the part where the trapezius muscle attaches to the occipital bone to the part where the left sternocleidomastoid muscle attaches to the occipital bone, and from the right end of the part where the trapezius muscle attaches to the occipital bone to the part where the right sternocleidomastoid muscle attaches to the occipital bone, to provide planar support; a secondary support part that has elasticity, is set to a support height lower than that of the main support part, and applies pressure to the head of the person on the parietal side of the upper nape to support the head; a neck support part that has elasticity, is positioned at the neck of the person, and applies pressure to the back of the neck to support the person; Further, a main restricting part is provided which is located on the opposite side of the main support part with respect to the auxiliary support part and protrudes higher than the auxiliary support part to restrict upward displacement of the head of the person in the height direction, The pillow is characterized in that the main restraining portion has a recess in a portion facing the center of the person's head to avoid contact with the center of the head.

[0007] Incidentally, the above-mentioned "area between the superior and inferior nuchal lines of the occipital bone of a person lying on their back, from the left end of the part where the trapezius muscle attaches to the occipital bone to the part where the left sternocleidomastoid muscle attaches to the occipital bone" will hereinafter be referred to as the "left specified area." Furthermore, the above-mentioned "area between the superior and inferior nuchal lines of the occipital bone of a person lying on their back, from the right end of the part where the trapezius muscle attaches to the occipital bone to the part where the right sternocleidomastoid muscle attaches to the occipital bone" will hereinafter be referred to as the "right specified area." Furthermore, pillows are usually covered with a pillowcase, but the pillow of the present invention includes both pillows that are covered with a pillowcase and pillows that are not covered with a pillowcase.

[0008] In the present invention, the term "occipital bone" refers to the dish-shaped bone SA that forms the back and bottom of the skull (see Figures 1A and 1B). The term "external occipital protuberance" refers to the convex portion SA1 located in the center of the outer surface of the occipital bone SA. The term "superior nuchal line" refers to the line SA4 drawn in an arched manner in the lateral direction from just below the external occipital protuberance SA1 to the base of the mastoid process SC1, as shown in Figure 1B. The term "inferior nuchal line" refers to the line SA5 drawn in an arched manner in the lateral direction from below the superior nuchal line to the tip (lower end) of the mastoid process SC1, as shown in the same figure. The term "parietal bones" refers to the pair of rectangular bones SB that form the top and the upper left and right sides of the skull. The term "temporal bones" refers to the pair of trapezoid bones SC that form the lower left and right sides of the skull. As shown in Figure 1A, the attachment MB1 of the sternocleidomastoid muscle MB extends from the superior nuchal line SA4 on the occipital bone SA to the superior nuchal line SA4 on the temporal bone SC and further to the mastoid process SC1 on the temporal bone SC.

[0009] Furthermore, in the present invention, with regard to the support height of the auxiliary support part, the phrase "the support height of the auxiliary support part is set lower than that of the main support part" means that when the corresponding part of the head of a person lying on their back is placed on the main support part and the auxiliary support part and the support heights of the main support part and the auxiliary support part are compared after the person sinks down, the support height of the auxiliary support part is set lower than the support height of the main support part.

[0010] Furthermore, "supporting by applying pressure" means that when the weight (body pressure) of a person lying on their back is applied to the main support part, a pushing-back elastic pressure (elastic repulsive force) is applied to the relevant part as a reaction, and this pushing-back elastic pressure (elastic repulsive force) is applied to support (support) at the desired height. Therefore, if there is only contact or the elastic repulsive force is negligible, it does not mean that pressure is applied to support (support) at the desired height. Furthermore, "applying pressure to provide planar support" means that the above-mentioned elastic pressure (elastic repulsive force) is applied to support the desired height, thereby providing planar support (support). Therefore, if the object is merely contacted linearly with a single line, it is not planar support and does not provide stable support, and therefore does not constitute planar support by applying pressure. Conversely, if a large number of protrusions (point-like protrusions) are provided for point-like contact and support is provided with this point-like protrusion group, although the contact area is significantly smaller than the surface itself, it provides stable support similar to that of a surface, and therefore falls within the category of planar support and is included in the meaning of a planar support configuration. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the pillow of the present invention, the support height of the sub-support section is set lower than that of the main support section, and the main support section with a higher support height applies pressure to the above-mentioned left and right predetermined areas SA7 (see FIG. 1B) of the occipital bone SA, which faces diagonally downward, to provide planar support, and these left and right predetermined areas SA7 that provide planar support are close to the position of the head's center of gravity G (see FIG. 6), so the weight of the head is concentrated on the main support section. This concentration prevents the head from easily starting to move in the vertical direction of the pillow, effectively suppressing the development of large deviations, and allows the head angle to be maintained more stably. In other words, it effectively prevents the head from easily tilting to a large angle, which was previously considered difficult.

[0012] Furthermore, in the present invention, the areas that are supported by applying pressure to the main support part in a planar manner are the above-mentioned left and right specified areas SA7 of the occipital bone SA, so there is no compressive stress and no adverse effect on breathing, and since the weight of the head is concentrated on the main support part and the main support part is recessed, the head is less likely to roll over and stiff necks are less likely to occur.

[0013] Furthermore, by supporting the cervical spine at three points (the main support, the secondary support, and the neck support), the present invention maintains the entire cervical spine in the same curved (arched) shape as when standing upright, and the airway and neck muscles, particularly the respiratory muscles (sternocleidomastoid MB, anterior scalene, middle scalene, and posterior scalene muscles (not shown)), are not compressed. As a result, the airway can be maintained to the same extent when lying on one's back as when standing upright, and the respiratory muscles can move more smoothly, making breathing easier.

[0014] The present invention also includes a main restricting portion 90 for preventing the head from significantly shifting upward in the vertical direction (height direction) of the pillow. When the main restricting portion 90 is included, when the central portion HD1 of the head hits the main restricting portion 90, not only does the central portion HD1 come into planar contact with the main restricting portion 90, but the central portion HD1 also receives a strong repulsive force from the main restricting portion 90, preventing the central portion HD1 from moving upward in the vertical direction (height direction) of the pillow under strong pressure. However, a new problem has been discovered: if the central portion HD1 of the head is strongly compressed by the main restricting portion 90 for a long time, the forward and backward movement of the head that occurs along with the expansion and contraction of the lungs during breathing (i.e., the forward and backward movement indicated by the arrow BM in FIG. 6 , hereinafter referred to as "head nodding movement") is restricted for a long time, making it difficult to inhale and exhale sufficiently. In other words, when a person is sleeping in a supine position and breathing, when they inhale, their head moves slightly in the in direction (downward) of the BM in Figure 6, and when they exhale, their head moves slightly in the ex direction (upward) of the BM in Figure 6. However, if this movement is not permitted and is completely restricted, they will not be able to inhale and exhale sufficiently, resulting in incomplete breathing and an unhealthy breathing state. Therefore, to ensure good breathing, the head nodding movement must be permitted so that they can inhale and exhale sufficiently even when the head's misalignment is prevented by the main restrictor.

[0015] To allow this head nodding movement, the present invention provides a recess 93 (see FIGS. 5 and 6 for an example) in the portion of the main restricting portion 90 facing the central parietal region HD1 (see FIGS. 1A and 1B) of the person's head, to avoid contact with the central parietal region HD1. This prevents the central parietal region HD1 from being subjected to strong, planar pressure from the main restricting portion 90, ensuring the head nodding movement, allowing sufficient inhalation and exhalation, and achieving good breathing. The upward vertical movement of the head (in the height direction) is restricted by the edges on both the left and right sides of the recess 93, but because the contact with these edges is narrow, it does not reach a point where the head nodding movement is blocked.

[0016] Incidentally, holes 54 (see FIG. 6) may be provided vertically downward within the recess 93 to expose the thickness surface of the auxiliary support portion to the outside. This configuration has the advantage that the auxiliary support portion can be more easily compressed and restored, allowing the head nodding movement to be more fully performed.

[0017] In the above invention, the recess 93 prevents the central parietal region HD1 from being strongly pressed by the main restrictor 90, allowing for head nodding and sufficient inhalation and exhalation. However, this configuration is not limiting. Alternatively, a low-resilience material 930 with a lower resilience than the main restrictor 90 may be provided in the portion of the main restrictor 90 facing the central parietal region HD1 (see FIGS. 7 and 8 for an example). Even with this configuration, the central parietal region HD1 is prevented from being strongly pressed by the main restrictor 90, ensuring the head nodding, allowing for sufficient inhalation and exhalation, and achieving good breathing. The low-resilience material 930 can be made of low-resilience urethane foam, sponge, low-resilience chips, cotton, low-resilience gel, or the like, to avoid strong pressure from the main restrictor 90. Of course, other soft low-resilience materials may also be used. The low-resilience material 930 can be provided by any suitable means such as fitting or gluing in the recess 93, but for loose materials such as low-resilience chips or cotton, it is sufficient to put the material in a bag and fit or glue the outer surface of the bag into the recess 93. In the case of low-resilience urethane foam, it is also possible to provide it integrally by molding.

[0018] Furthermore, holes 54 (see FIG. 8) may be provided vertically below the low-resilience material 930 to expose the thickness surface of the secondary support portion to the outside. This configuration has the advantage that the secondary support portion can be more easily compressed and restored as described above, allowing the head nodding movement to be performed more satisfactorily.

[0019] Furthermore, a low-resilience material 930 may also be provided vertically below the low-resilience material 930 so as to face the thickness surface of the auxiliary support portion. Even with this configuration, the resilience of the low-resilience material 930 is weaker than that of the main restriction portion 90, which has the advantage that the auxiliary support portion can be easily compressed and restored, allowing the head nodding movement to be performed more satisfactorily. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1A] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a human skull. [Figure 1B] FIG. 1 is a diagram of the back of a person's head. [Figure 2] 1 is a perspective view of a pillow according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a front view of the pillow shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 3. [Figure 5] 3 is a rear view showing the correspondence between the pillow shown in FIG. 2 and the person's head and neck. FIG. [Figure 6] 3 in a state where the pillow shown in FIG. 2 is in use. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a rear view showing another invention (an invention using a low-resilience material 930) and showing the correspondence between the pillow and the person's head and neck. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the pillow in use according to the other invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1A is a perspective view of a human skull, and Fig. 1B is a perspective view of the occipital region of a human head. In Fig. 1A and Fig. 1B, HD denotes a human head, SA denotes the occipital bone, SA1 denotes the external occipital protuberance, SA2 denotes the region between the superior and inferior nuchal lines of the occipital bone, SA3 denotes the parietal region of the occipital bone, SA4 denotes the superior nuchal line, SA5 denotes the inferior nuchal line, SA6 denotes the inferior line of the occipital bone, SA7 denotes the region from the left end of the trapezius muscle attached to the occipital bone to the part of the left sternocleidomastoid muscle attached to the occipital bone (a left predetermined region), and SA8 denotes the region from the right end of the trapezius muscle attached to the occipital bone to the part of the left sternocleidomastoid muscle attached to the occipital bone. the area up to the part of the right sternocleidomastoid muscle where it attaches (the designated area on the right), SB is the parietal bone, SB1 is the occipital area of ​​the parietal bone, SC is the temporal bone, SC1 is the mastoid process, MA is the temporalis muscle, MB is the sternocleidomastoid muscle, MB1 is the attachment of the sternocleidomastoid muscle, MBP are the left and right sternocleidomastoid muscles where they attach to the occipital bone, TR is the trapezius muscle, TR1 is the left end of the trapezius muscle, TR2 is the right end of the trapezius muscle, NC is the human neck, and C1 to C7 are the first to seventh cervical vertebrae.

[0022] Figure 2 is a perspective view of a pillow 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 3 is a front view (front view) of the pillow 10, Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view along the center line CL in the left-right lateral direction of the pillow 10, that is, a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in Figure 3, Figure 5 is a rear view (back view) showing the correspondence between the pillow 10 and a person's head HD and neck NC, and Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in Figure 3 when the pillow 10 is in use.

[0023] The X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis shown in Figures 2 to 6 are perpendicular to one another. In this embodiment, the X-axis direction is the vertical direction of the pillow 10, which corresponds to the height direction of a person lying on their back, with the X1 direction being the upward direction and the X2 direction being the downward direction. The Y-axis direction is the horizontal direction of the pillow 10, with the Y1 direction being the leftward direction and the Y2 direction being the rightward direction. The Z-axis direction is the front-to-back thickness (height) direction of the pillow 10, with the Z1 direction being the forward direction and the Z2 direction being the backward direction.

[0024] As shown in FIGS. 2 to 6, the pillow 10 includes: (1A) A main support part 60 made of elastic urethane foam, which applies pressure to and provides planar support to at least the region SA2 between the superior nuchal line SA4 and the inferior nuchal line SA5 of the occipital bone SA of a person lying on their back, that is, the region (left predetermined region) SA7 from the left end TR1 of the part where the trapezius muscle TR is attached to the occipital bone SA to the part where the left sternocleidomastoid muscle MBP is attached to the occipital bone SA, and the region (right predetermined region) SA7 from the right end TR2 of the part where the trapezius muscle TR is attached to the occipital bone SA to the part where the right sternocleidomastoid muscle MBP is attached to the occipital bone SA; (1B) A sub-support part 80 made of elastic urethane foam, set to a support height lower than the main support part 60, and supporting the head by applying pressure to the head on the parietal side of the person's upper neck line SA4; (1C) A neck support part 150 is provided, which is made of elastic urethane foam and is positioned at the location of the person's neck NC, and applies pressure to the back of the neck NC to support it.

[0025] As shown in FIGS. 2 to 6, the pillow 10 has the following features: (2A) Lateral restraining portions 95 made of elastic urethane foam are provided on both the left and right outer sides of the mastoid process SC1 of the person's temporal bone SC to restrain the person's head from turning over in bed.

[0026] As shown in FIGS. 2 to 6, the pillow 10 has the following features: (3A) A main restricting portion 90 is further provided, which is located on the opposite side of the main support portion 60 with respect to the auxiliary support portion 80, protrudes higher than the auxiliary support portion 80, and is made of elastic urethane foam to restrict the head HD from shifting upward in the height direction of the person (in the X1 direction in the drawing), (3B) The main regulating portion 90 is provided with a recess 93 at a position facing the center of the person's head, the recess 93 being located up to the upper surface of the auxiliary supporting portion 80 to avoid contact with the center of the head, (3C) A hole 54 is provided vertically downward within the recess 93 so that the thickness surface of the sub-support portion 80 (the position of the lead line of the hole 54 shown in FIG. 6) is exposed to the outside.

[0027] Next, the pillow 10 will be further described with reference to FIGS. As shown in Figures 2 to 6, the pillow 10 is a flat rectangular plate, and is configured so that the head HD of a person lying on their back rests in the center of the pillow 10, and the person's neck NC rests on the underside of the center of the pillow 10 (in the X2 direction in the figures).

[0028] The pillow 10 comprises a front base 20 and a rear base 50 disposed behind the front base 20 (in the Z2 direction in the figure). Both the front base 20 and the rear base 50 are made of elastic urethane foam in the shape of a flat rectangular plate having elasticity, and the rear surface of the front base 20 is bonded to the front surface of the rear base 50 facing it. The front base 20 and the rear base 50 have the same lengths of the long sides extending in the left-right lateral direction of the pillow 10 (Y-axis direction in the figure) and the short sides extending in the vertical direction (height direction) of the pillow 10 (X-axis direction in the figure), and also have the same thickness (height) (dimension in the Z-axis direction in the figure).

[0029] A hole 21 is provided in the center of the front base 20 on which the head HD of a person lying on their back is placed. The hole 21 penetrates between the front and rear surfaces of the front base 21, making the thickness of the center part of the pillow 10 thinner than the thickness around it, and exposing the center part 51 of the rear base 50. The shape of the hole 21 is formed to match the outer shape of the occipital part of the head HD of a person lying on their back, which is on the parietal side of the superior nuchal line SA4. Specifically, the pillow 10 has straight left and right side edges 211 extending in the vertical direction (height direction) of the pillow 10 (X-axis direction in the figure) along the left and right sides of the occipital region closer to the parietal region than the nape line SA4, an upper edge 212 curved in a convex arc toward the upper vertical direction of the pillow 10 (X1 direction in the figure) along the center of the parietal region, and connecting the upper ends of the left and right side edges 211 (X1 direction in the figure), and a lower edge 213 curved in a convex arc toward the upper vertical direction of the pillow 10 (X1 direction in the figure) along the nape line SA4, and connecting the lower ends of the left and right side edges 211 (X2 direction in the figure), and these four edges form a closed (hole) shape that closes the four sides of the pillow 10 (X1 direction, X2 direction, Y1 direction, and Y2 direction in the figure). The width of hole 21 in the horizontal direction (Y-axis direction in the figure) is slightly wider than the width of the back of the head on the parietal side of the upper nape SA4 in the horizontal direction (Y-axis direction in the figure), and the length of hole 21 in the vertical direction (X-axis direction in the figure) is equal to the length of the back of the head on the parietal side of the upper nape SA4 in the height direction (X-axis direction in the figure).

[0030] Furthermore, with regard to the portion 22 of the front base 20 between the lower edge 213 of the hole 21 in the front base 20 and the long side of the lower side (X2 direction in the figure) of the front base 20, the length of that portion 22 in the vertical direction (X-axis direction in the figure) is set to be longer than the length from the upper nape line SA4 of the head HD of a person lying on their back to the lower edge line SA6 of the occipital bone on the neck side, that is, the length in the vertical direction (X-axis direction in the figure) of the occipital region on the neck side from the upper nape line SA4, but shorter than the length from the upper nape line SA4 over the lower edge line SA6 of the occipital bone on the neck side to the seventh cervical vertebra C7 of the neck NC (in this embodiment, it is set to be the length from the upper nape line SA4 over the lower edge line SA6 of the occipital bone on the neck side to the fifth cervical vertebra C5 of the neck NC).

[0031] In the above structure, when a person is lying on their back, their head HD is placed on the center of the pillow 10 so that the parietal region SA3 of the occipital bone SA is positioned in the center of the hole 21 in the front base 20, and their neck NC is placed on the lower side of the center of the pillow 10 (in the X2 direction in the figure), the lower edge 213 of the hole 21 in the front base, i.e., the upper (in the X1 direction in the figure) edge of part 22 of the front base 20, corresponds to the superior nuchal line SA4, the occipital part of the head on the parietal side of the superior nuchal line SA4 fits into the hole 21 in the front base 20, and the parietal region SA3 of the occipital bone SA is placed on the center 51 of the posterior base 50 exposed by the hole 21 in the front base 20.

[0032] In addition, the upper region 23 (X1 direction in the figure) of the part 22 of the front base 20 faces the back of the head of a person lying on their back on the side of the neck from the superior nuchal line SA4, which includes the left and right specified regions SA7 and the left and right mastoid processes SC1, and the back of the head of a person lying on their back on the side of the neck from the superior nuchal line SA4 rests on this region 23.

[0033] In addition, the lower region 24 (X2 direction in the figure) of the part 22 of the front base 20 faces the first cervical vertebra C1 to the fifth cervical vertebra C5 of the neck NC of a person lying on their back, and the first cervical vertebra C1 to the fifth cervical vertebra C5 of the neck NC rest on this region 24.

[0034] Therefore, in the pillow 10, the upper region 23 (X1 direction in the figure) of the region 22 of the front base 20 and the region 52 of the rear base 50 located behind it (Z2 direction in the figure) are elastic and can apply pressure to at least the region (left specified region) SA7 from the left end TR1 of the portion where the trapezius muscle TR is attached to the occipital bone SA to the portion where the left sternocleidomastoid muscle MBP is attached to the occipital bone SA and the region (right specified region) SA7 from the right end TR2 of the portion where the trapezius muscle TR is attached to the occipital bone SA to the portion where the right sternocleidomastoid muscle MBP is attached to the occipital bone SA, to provide planar support, and function as the main support part 60 and are provided with the main support part 60. In the illustrated example, support portions 26 for supporting the mastoid process are integrally formed on the outer side of both left and right ends of the main support portion 60, and are at the same height as the main support portion 60, but these support portions 26 for supporting the mastoid process may be formed to be higher than the height of the main support portion 60, and furthermore, the support portion 26 for supporting the mastoid process does not need to be formed integrally with the main support portion 60, but may be formed separately. The support portion 26 for supporting the mastoid process supports the attachment portion MB1 of the sternocleidomastoid muscle MB, and in a supine person, tension is relieved not only at the attachment portion MB1 but also along the entire longitudinal direction of the sternocleidomastoid muscle MB, improving the movement of the sternocleidomastoid muscle MB during breathing, making both inhalation and exhalation smoother and easing breathing.

[0035] Furthermore, in the pillow 10, the central portion 51 of the rear base 50 exposed by the hole 21 of the front base 20 has elasticity and is set to a lower support height than the main support portion 60 consisting of the region 23 on the upper side (X1 direction in the figure) of the portion 22 of the front base 20 and the portion 52 of the rear base 50 located behind it (Z2 direction in the figure), and can apply pressure to support the person's head on the parietal side of the upper nape SA4, and functions as the auxiliary support portion 80, and is provided with the auxiliary support portion 80.

[0036] In addition, in the pillow 10, the region 24 on the lower side (X2 direction in the figure) of the part 22 of the front base 20 and the part 53 of the rear base 50 located behind it (Z2 direction in the figure) are elastic and are located behind the first cervical vertebra C1 to the fifth cervical vertebra C5 of the neck NC of a person lying on their back, and can apply pressure to the posterior surface of the first cervical vertebra C1 to the fifth cervical vertebra C5 of the neck NC of the person to provide support, functioning as the neck support part 150 and comprising the neck support part 150.

[0037] Furthermore, in the pillow 10, both end portions 25 in the left and right lateral direction (Y-axis direction in the figure) in an area 23 above the portion 22 of the front base 20 (X1 direction in the figure) are positioned on the left and right outer sides of the mastoid process SC1 of the temporal bone SC of a person lying on their back, and the portions 26 immediately inside the end portions 25 face the mastoid process SC1 of the temporal bone SC of a person lying on their back. Then, rectangular parallelepiped block bodies 30 made of soft foam resin are provided on the end portions 25, and the rear surface of the block body 30 is bonded to the front surfaces of the end portions 25 facing it.

[0038] In the above structure, when a person is lying on their back and their head HD is placed on the center of the pillow 10 so that the parietal region SA3 of the occipital bone SA is positioned in the center of the hole 21 of the front base 20, and their neck NC is placed below the center of the pillow 10 (in the X2 direction in the figure), the block body 30 restricts the turning of the person's head HD on both the left and right outer sides of the mastoid process SC1 of the person's temporal bone SC (outside the Y-axis direction in the figure), preventing the person from turning over in their sleep. In other words, it prevents only the person's neck NC to head HD from rotating laterally to the left and right (in the Y-axis direction in the figure).

[0039] Therefore, in the pillow 10, the block body 30 functions as a lateral restriction portion 95 that restricts the person's head HD from turning over on both the left and right outer sides of the mastoid process SC1 of the person's temporal bone SC, and the lateral restriction portion 95 is provided.

[0040] Furthermore, stoppers 96 made of flat rectangular plates of elastic urethane foam are provided on both the left and right outer sides of portion 22 of front base 20. The rear surface of stopper 96 is adhered to the opposing front surface of front base 20. The inner side surface of stopper 96 abuts against the outer side surface of side restriction portion 95, preventing side restriction portion 95 from being easily pushed outward to the left or right by the pressure of the person's head when turning over in bed. Although side restriction portion 95 and stopper 96 are provided separately, they may also be formed as an integrated unit.

[0041] The main regulating portion 90 of the pillow 10 is made of a flat rectangular plate of elastic urethane foam that is arranged in front of the front base 20 (in the Z1 direction in the figure) between the long side of the upper side (in the X1 direction in the figure) of the front base 20 and a straight line (not shown) that is parallel to this long side and passes through the upper ends (in the X1 direction in the figure) of the left and right side edges 211 of the hole 21 of the front base 20, and the rear surface of the main regulating portion 90 is bonded to the front surface of the front base 20 that faces it. The thickness (height) of the main regulating portion 90 is equal to or greater than the thickness (height) of the front base 20 and the rear base 50. The main regulating portion 90 is provided with a notch 91 that removes a portion that overlaps with the hole 21 of the front base 20 in a front view, and a main regulating wall 92 is formed that curves in a convex arc along the upper side 212 of the hole 21 of the base 20 toward the vertically upper side of the pillow 10 (in the X1 direction in the figure) and rises from the front surface of the front base 20.

[0042] The main restricting portion 90 is provided with a recess 93 at a position facing the central parietal portion HD1, which prevents the main restricting portion 90 from coming into contact with the central parietal portion HD1, up to the position of the upper surface of the sub-supporting portion 80. In other words, the recess 93 recesses the portion of the main restricting wall 92 facing the central parietal portion HD1 of a person lying on their back upward in the height direction (recessed in the X1 direction in the drawing), so as to prevent the main restricting portion 90 from coming into planar contact with the central parietal portion HD1 of a person lying on their back and applying strong pressure thereto.

[0043] Furthermore, holes 54 that expose the thickness surface of the auxiliary support part 80 to the outside are provided vertically downward within the recessed part 93 up to the position of the lower surface of the rear base 50. In other words, the holes 54 make the vertically downward part of the recessed part 93 provided in the main restricting part 90 lower than the upper surface of the auxiliary support part 80, thereby exposing the thickness surface of the auxiliary support part 80 to the outside.

[0044] With the above structure, as explained in paragraphs

[0014] and

[0015] , even if the pillow is provided with the main restricting portion 90 for preventing the head HD from significantly shifting upward in the vertical direction (height direction) of the pillow 10, the central portion HD1 of the top of the head is not subjected to strong planar pressure from the main restricting portion 90, so the head nodding movement during breathing (i.e., the slight movement in the forward and backward directions indicated by the arrow BM in Fig. 6) is not restricted, allowing sufficient inhalation and exhalation, and ensuring good breathing conditions. Note that the hole 54 is not limited to the through hole shown in the figure, and may be a non-through hole with a bottom.

[0045] In the pillow 10 described above, a recess 93 is provided in the portion of the main restricting portion 90 that faces the central portion HD1 of the head of a person lying on their back, to avoid contact with the central portion HD1 of the head, but this is not limiting, and as shown in Figures 7 and 8, a low-resilience material 930 (for example, a low-resilience material such as low-resilience urethane foam, sponge, low-resilience chips, batting, or low-resilience gel) having a lower resilience than that of the material of the main restricting portion 90 may be provided by appropriate means such as fitting or gluing from the recess 93 to the hole 54 in the vertical direction thereof. In this case, loose materials such as low-resilience chips or batting may be packed in a bag (not shown), and the outer surface of the bag may be fitted or glued into the recess 93 and hole 54.

[0046] Even with this configuration, the central part of the top of the head HD1 is not subjected to strong surface pressure from the main restricting part 90 due to the low resilience material 930, so the head nodding movement during breathing is not restricted, and sufficient inhalation and exhalation can be achieved, ensuring good breathing conditions.

[0047] The low-resilience material 930 provided in the recess 93 may be limited to the recess 93 and not provided to the hole 54 (space) vertically below it, or the hole 54 (space) itself may not be provided vertically below it.

[0048] The pillow 10 described above is merely one example of the present invention, and the present invention can be implemented with appropriate structural modifications within the scope of the claims. For example, the shape, size, and hardness of the front base 20, rear base 50, main support portion 60, sub-support portion 80, neck support portion 150, main restriction portion 90, side restriction portion 95, etc. may be modified in various ways.

[0049] Furthermore, although the pillow 10 is constructed by assembling a plurality of parts, it goes without saying that these multiple parts may be integrally molded as much as possible.

[0050] In addition, in the pillow 10 described above, the main support part 60 and the neck support part 150 are configured as a single unit connected in series, but they may also be configured as separate parts. In this case, a space can be provided between the main support part 60 and the neck support part 150, and the neck support part 150 can support any of the first cervical vertebra C1 to the seventh cervical vertebra C7 of the neck NC.

[0051] In addition, in the pillow 10 described above, the height of the neck support part 150 is equal to the height of the main support part 60, but it may be set lower or higher than the front surface of the main support part 60. [Explanation of symbols]

[0052] 54 holes 60 Main support part 80 Sub-support part 90 Main Control Department 93 Recess 95 Lateral regulation section 150 Neck support 930 Memory Foam

Claims

1. a main support part that has elasticity and applies pressure to at least the area between the upper and lower nuchal lines of the occipital bone of a person lying on their back, from the left end of the part where the trapezius muscle attaches to the occipital bone to the part where the left sternocleidomastoid muscle attaches to the occipital bone, and from the right end of the part where the trapezius muscle attaches to the occipital bone to the part where the right sternocleidomastoid muscle attaches to the occipital bone, to provide planar support; a secondary support part that has elasticity, is set to a support height lower than that of the main support part, and applies pressure to the head of the person on the parietal side of the upper nape to support the head; a neck support part that has elasticity, is positioned at the neck of the person, and applies pressure to the back of the person's neck to support the person; Further, a main restricting part is provided which is located on the opposite side of the main support part with respect to the auxiliary support part and protrudes higher than the auxiliary support part to restrict upward displacement of the head of the person in the height direction, the main restricting portion is provided with a recess at a portion facing a central portion of the person's head to avoid contact with the central portion of the head, A pillow characterized in that a hole is provided vertically downward within the recess so that the thickness surface of the secondary support portion is exposed to the outside.

2. a main support part that has elasticity and applies pressure to at least the area between the upper and lower nuchal lines of the occipital bone of a person lying on their back, from the left end of the part where the trapezius muscle attaches to the occipital bone to the part where the left sternocleidomastoid muscle attaches to the occipital bone, and from the right end of the part where the trapezius muscle attaches to the occipital bone to the part where the right sternocleidomastoid muscle attaches to the occipital bone, to provide planar support; a secondary support part that has elasticity, has a support height set lower than that of the main support part, and applies pressure to the head of the person on the parietal side of the upper nape to support the head; a neck support part that has elasticity, is positioned at the neck of the person, and applies pressure to the back of the person's neck to support the person; Further, a main restricting part is provided which is located on the opposite side of the main support part with respect to the auxiliary support part and protrudes higher than the auxiliary support part to restrict upward displacement of the head of the person in the height direction, The pillow is characterized in that the main restricting portion is provided with a low-resilience material having a resilience lower than that of the material of the main restricting portion in a portion facing the center of the person's head.

3. 3. The pillow according to claim 2, wherein a hole is provided in the lower part of the low-resilience material in the vertical direction so that the thickness surface of the secondary support portion is exposed to the outside.

4. 3. The pillow according to claim 2, wherein a low-resilience material is also provided vertically below the low-resilience material so as to face the thickness surface of the secondary support portion.

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