Therapeutic cushion for side-lying

Abstract

Disclosed is a therapeutic cushion for side-lying, which is an orthopaedic support product intended to ensure correct body positioning when resting in a lateral side-lying position. The cushion is formed by a core, a padded element (if needed) and protective covers. The core provides the therapeutic function and is manufactured as a single foam piece, formed by three bodies sharing the same longitudinal axis: an upper body in the shape of a rectangular prism, a central body in the shape of an inverted truncated pyramid and a lower body in the shape of a rectangular prism. A set of body measurements (A, B, C, D, E, F and G) will be taken into account for the manufacture of the cushion core. The padded element provides comfort when the foam is very rigid, and the protective covers protect both the integrity of the cushion and the skin when the cushion is in contact with the user.

Description

[0001]THERAPEUTIC CUSHION FOR LATERAL DECUBITUS POSITIONING TECHNICAL FIELD Orthopedics sector, subsector of technical aids (night positioning). BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION There are three types of cushions that reflect the state of the art. In terms of design, there is the inverted “U”-shaped pregnancy cushion that covers the entire body. There is also the “7” or “S”-shaped cushion for semi-lateral decubitus positioning and the cylindrical “I”-shaped pillow. Both the “U”-shaped cushion and the “7” or “S”-shaped cushion include a headrest, which the cushion subject to this application does not include, as it is considered that this should be an independent element, adapted to each user and freely chosen by them. In the case of the cylindrical pillow, it does not have a shape adapted to the body but rather a homogeneous shape.Regarding materials, lightweight polystyrene beads, wadding, or PP cotton are the usual filling materials for these cushions. These materials do not provide the necessary rigidity to support the body's weight while maintaining a specific posture; rather, they offer comfort or pressure relief. The shape of the lateral decubitus cushion differs from its predecessors because it takes into account certain body measurements that vary depending on the body segment. Therefore, a series of measurements are taken of the user prior to manufacturing. The materials must support the weight of the body segments while maintaining dimensions that allow the user to maintain a neutral posture. Consequently, the materials used in the three cushions mentioned as precedents to this invention do not provide the necessary rigidity for the therapeutic lateral decubitus cushion to maintain the neutral posture it aims to achieve.Therefore, both the shape of the cushion and the materials from which it is made differ from its predecessors. OBJECT OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a therapeutic cushion for lateral decubitus rest with dimensions adapted to the user. Its objective is to maintain a neutral posture during lateral decubitus rest, facilitating rest and neuromusculoskeletal recovery, thus preventing poor posture. EXPLANATION OF THE INVENTION The therapeutic lateral decubitus cushion adapts to the shape of the body, aiding rest and relaxation of the joint segments by maintaining a neutral posture where no strain or muscle alterations occur. It respects each person's bone structure without compromising the joints and helps prevent the development of neuromusculoskeletal dysfunctions.The user's posture when using the therapeutic cushion for side-lying would be as follows: - Shoulders between 70° and 90° of flexion and 90° of internal rotation. - Elbows at 90° of flexion. - Hips between 20° and 90° of flexion and between 0° and 10° of abduction. - Knees between 20° and 90° of flexion. This posture resembles an embrace with the upper and lower limbs around the cushion, positioned as follows: the user's chest would be in contact with the upper front of the cushion, the arms would rest on the upper side edges, and the forearms on the upper back edge. The legs would rest on the lower side edges of the cushion. This position can address a wide range of conditions, as it relaxes muscles and respects the integrity of the joints, helping to relieve pain in the shoulders, back, hips, knees, or ankles.The use of this cushion can help improve the quality of life for people with certain bone, muscle, ligament, or neurological disorders or conditions, or disorders resulting from trauma that manifest as painful sequelae or instability. Examples include: limited mobility, hyperkyphosis, hyperlordosis, scoliosis, osteoarthritis, arthritis, spinal subluxations, joint adhesions, contractures, bursitis, tendinitis, etc. It is also not necessary to have a specific condition to use the therapeutic cushion, as it can serve as a preventative treatment to avoid potential future injuries or pathologies. The therapeutic cushion for lateral decubitus positions consists of three parts: a core, padding, and protective covers.The core is made from a single piece of foam and consists of three sections: a lower, a middle, and an upper section. All three sections share the same straight longitudinal axis that passes through the geometric center of their cross-section. The lower section of the core is a rectangular prism whose height corresponds to the user's leg length (D), whose width corresponds to the user's intercondylar distance (G), and whose depth corresponds to the interbrachial distance (F). The upper section of the core is a rectangular prism whose height corresponds to the user's chest length (B), whose width corresponds to the user's interbrachial distance (F), and whose depth corresponds to the user's torso-brachial distance (E).The core's central body is an inverted rectangular truncated pyramid whose height corresponds to the user's transition length (C). The lower base of this truncated rectangular pyramid coincides with the upper base of the rectangular prism that forms the lower part of the core, and vice versa. This core is the main element of the cushion and provides its therapeutic functionality due to its rigidity. There is a direct proportional relationship between the user's weight and the required rigidity of the core; therefore, the core can be softer or stiffer depending on the user's weight.The recommended material for the core is polyurethane foam, but depending on the needs, different foam densities can be used: - 20 kg / m³ soft for children or very light weights (15 to 40 kg). - 20 kg / m³ firm or 25-30 kg / m³ for weights between 41 and 70 kg. - 350 kg / m³ for weights from 71 to 100 kg. - 50-55 kg / m³ for weights over 100 kg. Polyurethane foam is recommended for manufacturing the cushion core; however, the effectiveness of other types of open-cell or reticulated foams could be considered, provided they maintain similar rigidity. The measurements required for the design of the cushion core are as follows: - In the sagittal or vertical plane: A- Total length: from the third rib (thymus gland level) to the tibial malleoli. B- Chest length: between the thymus gland and the navel. C- Transition length: between the navel and the crotch seam. D- Leg length: between the crotch seam and the inner malleoli.-In the axial / transverse or horizontal plane: E- Torso-brachial: between the forearms and the chest in the middle. F- Interbrachial: between the arms in the middle third. G- Intercondylar: between the inner condyles of the knee in a neutral hip position. The core of the cushion is determined by these measurements; however, to provide greater adaptability and comfort, it would be necessary to reduce and round all the edges of the core, especially the areas in contact with the upper and lower limbs. In the case of the upper limbs, all the angles at the top of the core would be reduced at the height of the upper third of the "Chest Length" measurement (B), creating a spherical notch. In the lower limbs, depending on the body mass of the thighs, it would be advisable to reduce the upper third of the lower part of the core on the sides, according to the needs of each user.Initially, it was determined that the therapeutic cushion for lateral decubitus positions would be a custom-made product. However, standardized measurements could be established for both adults and children based on population anthropometric data. These measurements would be applied to the design of the cushion's foam core; the padding would then need to be added. A proposed standardization of measurements for adults would be as follows: For children, who are very lightweight, a soft foam mattress with a density of 20 kg / m³ could be used directly without padding. The following size chart is recommended for children: R4-5 years 6-7 years 8-9 years 10-11 12-13 14-15 The padding is a layer covering the core, attached to it with flexible adhesive. The padding must be made of a soft, pleasant-to-the-touch material to provide comfort to the user. Depending on the user's preferences, we can differentiate three types of padding: a. Minimal padding: covers only the areas of the core in contact with the body (top and bottom of the core). This would exclude the transition zone and the front and back of the cushion. In this case, it would be advisable to reinforce the transition zone with internal rods. b. Side padding: covers the entire sides of the core, so the areas in contact with the body would be covered, and the transition zone would be reinforced, which is recommended to give greater stability to the cushion. The front and back of the cushion would be excluded from padding. c.Full padding: This would completely cover the core on all sides. No part would be excluded, thus providing maximum comfort to the cushion. The following materials could be used for padding, according to the user's or manufacturer's preference: - Soft, low-density foam (20 kg / m³). - Viscoelastic foam. - Latex foam. - Viscogel. - Wadding or fiber, preferably bamboo, cotton, or polyester. The appropriate and recommended thickness for padding is 3 cm, and this measurement will be the reference in this project. However, depending on the core material or the user's or manufacturer's preferences, this thickness could vary from a minimum of 2 cm to a maximum of 6 cm. For soft 20 kg / m³ cores for very light weights (3 to 40 kg), padding is not necessary.When taking the user's measurements, it is necessary to consider the thickness of the padding, as this can increase the core volume by a ratio of 3 to 1 due to the material's resistance to pressure exerted by body weight. Therefore, for every 3 cm of padding thickness, the core measurement is estimated to increase by 1 cm on each side where the padding is located. For example, with 3 cm thick lateral padding, the interbrachial (F) and intercondylar (G) measurements increase by 1 cm on each side, for a total of 2 cm. There are two protective covers, one inner and one outer, made of hypoallergenic fabric such as cotton, bamboo, hemp, or linen. Both must be removable and washable. The inner protective cover encases the padding and the core, protecting them from degradation.The outer protective cover envelops the entire cushion assembly and is in direct contact with the user's skin (as well as other fabrics and environmental elements). The user should be offered various options, including possible customizations, while always ensuring comfort and suitability for contact with the skin. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS To complement the description provided and to aid in a better understanding of the invention's features, a set of drawings is included as an integral part of this description. These drawings, for illustrative purposes only and not intended to be limiting, depict the following: Figure 1.- Shows the total length measurement (A) of a human figure in a front or elevation view, standing upright, facing forward, with the upper limbs hanging at the sides, palms facing forward, and lower limbs separated in a neutral hip position.In this position, the total length (A) is measured from the third rib (thymus gland level) to the medial malleoli or tibial bones. Figure 2: Shows the chest length (B), transition length (C), and leg length (D) measurements of a human figure in a frontal or elevation view, standing upright, facing forward, with the upper limbs hanging at the sides, palms facing forward, and lower limbs separated in a neutral hip position. The chest length measurement (B) is located between the thymus gland or third rib and the navel. The transition length measurement (C) is located between the navel and the crotch seam. The leg length measurement (D) is located between the crotch seam and the medial malleoli or tibial bones.Figure 3: Shows the torso-brachial measurement (E) in a human figure in profile view, with the arms raised forward assuming a 90° shoulder flexion and a 90° internal rotation so that they are in a nearly horizontal plane, and with the elbows flexed to 90° so that the hands surround the lateral epicondyles of the humerus, with one forearm parallel to the other. The torso-brachial measurement (E) is located between the center of the chest at the level of the arms and the forearms. Figure 4: Shows the torso-brachial measurement (E) in a human figure in plan view or from above, with the arms raised forward assuming a 90° shoulder flexion and a 90° internal rotation so that they are in a roughly horizontal plane, and with the elbows flexed to 90° so that the hands are surrounding the lateral epicondyles of the humerus and thus one forearm is parallel to the other.The torso-brachial measurement (E) is located between the center of the chest at the level of the arms and forearms. Figure 5: Shows the interbrachial measurement (F) in a human figure in plan or top view, with the arms raised forward, assuming 90° shoulder flexion and 90° internal rotation so that they are in a nearly horizontal plane, and with the elbows flexed to 90° so that the hands surround the lateral epicondyles of the humerus, with one forearm parallel to the other. The interbrachial measurement (F) is located between the upper and lower arms in the middle third. Figure 6: Shows the intercondylar measurement (G) in a human figure in frontal or elevation view, in an upright position, looking forward, with the upper limbs hanging at the sides, the palms of the hands facing forward, and the lower limbs separated in a neutral hip position.The intercondylar measurement (G) is located between the two medial or inner condyles of the knees. Figure 7: Shows a front view of the cushion core design, schematically, with manufacturing contours to show the measurements, before trimming the edges and the contact areas for the arms and thighs. Figure 8: Shows a side view of the cushion core design, schematically, with manufacturing contours to show the measurements, before trimming the edges and the contact areas for the arms and thighs. Figure 9: Shows a side view of the cushion core design, schematically, with manufacturing contours to show the measurements, before trimming the edges and the contact areas for the arms and thighs. Figure 10: Shows a front view of the cushion core design, schematically, with manufacturing contours, after trimming the edges and the contact areas for the arms and thighs.Figure 11: Shows a schematic profile view of the cushion core design, with manufacturing contours, after trimming the edges and contact areas for the arms and thighs. Figure 12: Shows a schematic side view of the cushion core design, with manufacturing contours, after trimming the edges and contact areas for the arms and thighs. PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION This section will describe in detail the steps to follow for manufacturing the therapeutic cushion for lateral decubitus positioning, both for industrial manufacturing and by CAD-CAM. In this case, a cushion for a 75 kg person will be used as an example, with a 35 kg / m³ foam core, viscoelastic foam side padding, and two covers: an inner cotton cover and an outer linen cover. The first step would be to take measurements.For taking measurements, we can use different methods; the most recommended are a measuring tape or an anthropometer. First, the vertical measurements (A, B, C, and D) are taken, and then the horizontal measurements (E, F, and G). Once all the body measurements are obtained, we proceed to define the dimensions of the initial foam block that will form the core of the cushion. Initially, we take the total length (A) and the inter-arm span (F) measurements to define an initial foam block in the shape of a square prism. Starting with this initial square prism-shaped foam block, we proceed to design the core by applying the body measurements, beginning by dividing it into the three sections of the core, using the chest length (B), transition length (C), and leg length (D) as reference points.In the upper body, since the interbrachial measurement (F) is already known, the only remaining step is to mark the torso-brachial measurement (E) from a frontal view on the anterior and posterior parts of the quadrangular prism. This is done by centering the torso-brachial measurement (E), leaving two equal margins. For example, if the interbrachial measurement (F) is 22 cm and the torso-brachial measurement (E) is 16 cm, the margins would each be 3 cm. These margins would later be removed using industrial machinery or the "chamfer" tool in the CAD / CAM design. In this way, the upper part of the core would have the shape of a rectangular prism with the interbrachial measurement (F) as its width, the torso-brachial measurement (E) as its depth, and the chest length (B) as its height. In the lower body, the intercondylar measurement (G) must be marked, centered from a frontal view, leaving two equal lateral margins.For example: if the interbrachial measurement is 22 cm and the intercondylar measurement is 9 cm, the margins would each be 6.5 cm. These margins would then be removed using industrial machinery or the "chamfer" tool in the CAD / CAM design. In this way, the lower part of the core would be shaped like a rectangular prism, with the intercondylar measurement (G) as its width, the interbrachial measurement (F) as its depth, and the leg length (D) as its height. Finally, in the central body of the core, once the upper and lower sections have been obtained, it only remains to draw the lines that align the lower base of the upper section with the upper base of the lower section, resulting in an inverted rectangular pyramid whose height corresponds to the user's transition length (C).The resulting margins would then be removed using industrial machinery or the "challar" tool in the CAD / CAM design. Once the cushion core is designed, it is advisable to trim all the edges and eliminate the corners of the core, giving it a more rounded appearance. It is also necessary to free up the contact areas for the arms in the upper third of the upper body. Depending on the user's thigh mass, it would be advisable to trim the upper third of the lower body of the core along the sides, gradually decreasing in depth from the front to 3A of the lower body, without altering the width of the back. These trims would enhance the feeling of comfort and facilitate the user's adaptability and acceptance of the product.For CAD-CAM manufacturing, pre-designed models in "library" files can be used, and the measurements simply modified based on those taken from the patient to expedite the process. The file is then sent to the milling machine, which sculpts the cushion core from the initial block of square prism-shaped foam. Once the cushion core is sculpted and the edges and contact areas between the arms and thighs have been trimmed, it's time to add the padding. It's important to decide on the type of padding (minimal, lateral, or full), the material, and its thickness from the outset, based on the user's measurements. In this example, a 3 cm thick viscoelastic foam lateral padding is chosen.The preferred method for adding this padding is by gluing it with a strong, flexible contact adhesive. Using staples or any metal fasteners can degrade the material and may come into contact with the user, reducing comfort. To finish the cushion, it's necessary to protect it and give it an attractive appearance. Therefore, we recommend using two covers: an inner cotton cover and an outer linen cover. Both should be removable and washable.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. Therapeutic cushion for lateral decubitus with dimensions adapted to the user comprising: a core and protective covers; wherein the core is made of a single piece of foam, said core being formed by three bodies, a lower one, a central one and an upper one, the three bodies sharing the same straight longitudinal axis that passes through the geometric center of the cross-section of said bodies; wherein the lower body of the core is a rectangular prism whose height is the measurement corresponding to the length of the user's legs (D), whose width is the measurement corresponding to the intercondylar distance (G) of the user and whose depth is corresponding to the interbrachial measurement (F) of the user;where the upper body of the core is a rectangular prism whose height is the measurement corresponding to the chest length (B) of the user, whose width is the measurement corresponding to the interbrachial distance (F) of the user and whose depth is the measurement corresponding to the torso-brachial distance (E) of the user; and where the central body of the core is a truncated inverted rectangular pyramid whose height is the measurement corresponding to the transition length of the user (C), the lower base of the truncated inverted rectangular pyramid that forms the central body of the core coinciding with the upper base of the rectangular prism that forms the lower body of the core, and the upper base of the truncated inverted rectangular pyramid that forms the central body of the core coinciding with the lower base of the rectangular prism that forms the upper body of the core;and where the protective covers are two, one inner and one outer, made of hypoallergenic fabric, where the inner protective cover encloses the core and the outer protective cover encloses the entire assembly.

2. Therapeutic cushion for lateral decubitus positioning according to claim 1, where the measurements of the core are: the total length of the cushion (A) comprising a range of measurements between 80 and 170 cm; the length of the upper body (B) comprising a range of measurements between 20 and 55 cm; the length of the central body (C) comprising a range of measurements between 15 and 20 cm; the length of the lower body; (D) comprising a measurement range between 45 and 95 cm; the depth of the upper body (E) comprising a measurement range between 8 and 27 cm; the width of the upper body and the depth of the lower body (F) comprising a measurement range between 12 and 28 cm; and the width of the lower body (G) comprising a measurement range between 5 and 18 cm.

3. Therapeutic cushion for lateral decubitus according to claim 1, wherein the core material is open-cell foam with densities between 20 and 55 kg / m3.

4. Therapeutic cushion for lateral decubitus according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein all edges of the core are rounded; furthermore, it has spherical recesses on the edges of the upper body of the core, in the sector corresponding to the upper third of the upper body; and it has a recess on the sides of the lower body of the core, in the sector corresponding to the upper third of said lower body. 5.A therapeutic cushion for lateral decubitus positioning according to claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it further comprises padding, wherein the padding is a core lining layer disposed between the core and the inner protective cover, said padding being attached to said core by means of flexible adhesive, and said padding being made of a soft, pleasant-to-the-touch material.

6. A therapeutic cushion for lateral decubitus positioning according to claim 5, wherein the padding may be minimal, so as to cover both sides of the upper and lower parts of the core.

7. A therapeutic cushion for lateral decubitus positioning according to claim 5, wherein the padding is lateral, so as to cover both sides completely of the core.

8. A therapeutic cushion for lateral decubitus positioning according to claim 5, wherein the padding is complete, so as to cover the entire core of the cushion.

9. A therapeutic cushion for lateral decubitus positioning according to any of claims 5 to 8, wherein the materials for the core padding may be soft foam, viscoelastic foam, latex foam, viscogel, wadding, fiber, or any other soft, pleasant-to-the-touch material.

10. A therapeutic cushion for lateral decubitus positioning according to any of claims 5 to 9, wherein the padding thickness varies from a minimum of 2 cm to a maximum of 6 cm.

11. A therapeutic cushion for lateral decubitus positioning according to claim 1, wherein the inner and outer covers must be made of hypoallergenic fabric and must be removable and washable.

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