JP7720645B2 - pillow - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to pillows, and in particular to the function of pillows to facilitate breathing for the user.

Easy breathing even when lying down is essential for quality 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 will be 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 will sink 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, reducing the support force at the back of the head to prevent the chin from dropping.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2020-081248

However, with pillows like the one 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 10. The resulting torque causes the head to tilt significantly, impeding breathing.

The object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems by focusing on the stage at which the head begins to slip vertically on the pillow, and by improving this stage, to provide a pillow that effectively suppresses slippage and keeps the head stable so that it does not tilt too much, and which does not have a negative effect on breathing, but rather makes breathing easier.

The pillow according to the present invention comprises:
a main support part which is an upwardly protruding elastic member and which 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, thereby providing 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,
The pillow is characterized in that there is no member that applies pressure to support the person's temporalis muscle below the person's temporalis muscle.
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 be referred to as the "left specified area" hereinafter.
In addition, 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 be referred to as the "right specified area" hereinafter.
Furthermore, pillows are usually provided with pillowcases, but the pillow of the present invention is meant to include pillows that do not have pillowcases.

In this invention, the term "occipital bone" refers to the dish-shaped bone SA that forms the back and base 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 arching manner from directly 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 arching manner 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 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.

Furthermore, in this 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.

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 only slight, 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 at 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, so it does not mean that pressure is applied to provide planar support. Conversely, if a large number of protrusions (point-like protrusions) are provided to provide 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, so it falls within the category of planar support and means planar support.

Furthermore, "there is no component that applies pressure to provide support" means that the above-mentioned elastic pressure (elastic repulsive force) is not actively applied to the relevant area (temporal muscle), and there is no support component that would strongly compress the temporal muscle and make it more susceptible to blood flow disorders. Therefore, if a space is provided in the relevant area or the structure is modified so that pressure is not actively applied to the relevant area, it naturally means that there is no support component. However, the above "there is no component that applies pressure to provide support" is not limited to such cases. In other words, even if a component is present in the relevant area, if that component is very soft and does not have a significant adverse effect on the main support part or does not strongly compress the temporal muscle and make it more susceptible to blood flow disorders, then it means that there is no component that applies pressure to provide support.

With the pillow of the present invention, the support height of the secondary support section is set lower than that of the primary support section. The primary support section, with its increased support height, applies pressure to the left and right predetermined areas SA7 (see Figure 1B) of the occipital bone SA, which faces diagonally upward, to provide planar support. The left and right predetermined areas SA7 that provide planar support are close to the head's center of gravity G (see Figure 4B). The weight of the head (body pressure) is not distributed at the temporalis muscle MA. This concentration of head weight concentrates on the primary support section. This effectively prevents the head from easily starting to move vertically on the pillow 10 and from developing into a large shift, thereby maintaining a more stable head angle. In other words, it effectively prevents the head from easily tilting too far, which has been considered difficult. Furthermore, with the pillow of the present invention, the primary support section applies pressure to the left and right predetermined areas SA7 of the occipital bone SA to provide planar support, eliminating compressive stress and adversely affecting breathing.

Rather, with the pillow of the present invention, the entire cervical vertebrae C1-C7 can be naturally maintained in a curved shape, just like when standing upright, preventing compression of the airway and neck muscles, particularly the respiratory muscles such as the sternocleidomastoid muscle MB, anterior scalene, middle scalene, and posterior scalene (not shown).

Furthermore, even when sleeping in a supine position, it does not necessarily mean that the face is always facing upwards; in many cases, the face is turned slightly to the side. Even for people sleeping in this supine position, there is no supportive element that applies pressure to the lower part of the temporalis muscle MA, so there is no blood flow obstruction (deterioration of blood flow) due to compression of the temporalis muscle MA. Because this blood flow obstruction is prevented, there is no tension in the temporalis muscle MA and the muscles connected to it, such as the neck and shoulders, dizziness, headaches, or autonomic nervous system disorders, and breathing is easier.

Preferably, the main support portion includes a left sternocleidomastoid muscle support portion 66 (see Figures 3 and 4A) that applies pressure from below to the insertion point MB1 of the sternocleidomastoid muscle MB, which attaches from the superior nuchal line S4 to the mastoid process SC1 of the left temporal bone SC of a supine person (see Figures 1B and 4A), and a right sternocleidomastoid muscle support portion 66 that applies pressure from below to the insertion point MB1 of the sternocleidomastoid muscle MB, which attaches from the superior nuchal line S4 to the mastoid process SC1 of the right temporal bone SC of the supine person. Supporting the insertion point MB1 of the sternocleidomastoid muscle MB from below with these left and right sternocleidomastoid muscle support portions 66 reduces tension not only at the insertion point MB1 but also along the entire longitudinal length of the sternocleidomastoid muscle MB for a supine person, improving the movement of the sternocleidomastoid muscle MB during breathing, smoothing both inhalation and exhalation, and easing breathing.

When the sternocleidomastoid muscle support portions 66 are provided on the main support portion, it is preferable to form the main support portion in an inclined, arc-shaped, or stepped shape so that the height of the main support portion is higher on the left and right sternocleidomastoid muscle support portion 66 side than on the left and right intermediate side (i.e., so that the height of the left and right outer portions of the main support portion is higher). This effectively compensates for any insufficient elastic resilience of the sternocleidomastoid muscle support portion 66 at the attachment portion MB1 of the sternocleidomastoid muscle MB.

As mentioned above, the pillow of the present invention can effectively prevent the head from shifting vertically on the pillow 10. However, if the force of the pillow 10's vertical upward shift is large and it is necessary to more forcefully stop this, a main restrictor that protrudes higher than the sub-support portion can be provided on the opposite side of the main support portion from the sub-support portion (see Figures 4A, 6, and 8, reference numeral 90). This main restrictor can be formed separately from or integral with the sub-support portion.

The main support portion may be formed to be inclined or curved so as to approach the person's shoulders as it moves outward in the left and right lateral directions of the person (see Figure 5(a), symbol 660).

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a human skull. FIG. 1 is a diagram of the back of a person's head. 1A is a perspective view of a pillow according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1B is an exploded view of the pillow shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the base shown in FIG. 2 . FIG. 3 is a top view of the pillow shown in FIG. FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view taken along the center line CL shown in FIG. 4A. 1A is a perspective view of a base according to a modified example of the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1B is a top view of the base shown in FIG. FIG. 10 is an exploded view of a pillow according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along the center line in the left-right lateral direction of the pillow of the second embodiment. FIG. 10 is an exploded view of a pillow according to a third embodiment of the present invention. 10A is a perspective view of a base according to another modified example of the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 10B is a top view of the base shown in FIG.

[First embodiment]
2(a) is a top view of the pillow 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and (b) is an exploded view of the pillow 10. The pillow 10 is a flat rectangular plate and is composed of three layers: a base (bottom layer) 20, an intermediate layer 30, and a surface layer 40. These layers 20-40 are all made of elastic, flat, rectangular plates of soft foam resin and are bonded to each other. The lengths of the long sides in the left and right horizontal directions and the short sides in the vertical direction of the pillow 10 are the same for all three layers. Meanwhile, the thickness (height) of the base 20 is the largest, while the intermediate layer 30 and the surface layer 40 are approximately the same.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the base 20. The top surface 21 of the base 20 is flat, with only the main support portion 60 and the secondary support portion 80 protruding upward therefrom. Both support portions 60, 80 are made of a soft foam resin that is harder than the three layers 20-40 and are adhered to the top surface 21 of the base 20. The main support portion 60 has an elongated rectangular parallelepiped shape and is located near the long side 22 on one side of the base 20 (the positive side of the X-axis in the figure), with its longitudinal direction parallel to the long side 22. The secondary support portion 80 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape that is shorter than the main support portion 60 and is located near the long side 23 on the opposite side of the base 20 (the negative side of the X-axis in the figure), away from the main support portion 60, with its longitudinal direction parallel to the long side 23. Both the upper surface 61 of the main support portion 60 and the upper surface 81 of the sub-support portion 80 are rectangular flat surfaces when no load is applied from above, and are parallel to the upper surface 21 of the base 20 .

2, a hole 41 is opened in the surface layer 40 above the main support portion 60 and the secondary support portion 80 (in the positive direction of the Z axis in the figure). The hole 41 extends from the long side 42 on one side of the surface layer 40 (in the positive side of the X axis in the figure) to the center, exposing the portion 31 of the intermediate layer 30 that covers the main support portion 60 and the secondary support portion 80 on the inside. A main regulating portion 90 is installed between the hole 41 and the long side 43 on the opposite side of the surface layer 40 (in the negative side of the X axis in the figure), and one secondary regulating portion 95 is installed on each side of the hole 41 in the horizontal direction of the pillow 10 (in the Y axis direction in the figure). Both regulating portions 90, 95 are made of a soft foam resin, such as soft urethane foam, in the shape of an elongated rectangular parallelepiped, and are adhered to the upper surface 44 of the surface layer 40. The main regulating portion 90 extends parallel to the left and right lateral direction of the pillow 10 (Y-axis direction in the figure), and the sub-regulating portion 95 extends parallel to the vertical direction of the pillow 10 (X-axis direction in the figure).

Figure 4A is a top view of the pillow 10, and Figure 4B is a cross-sectional view taken along the center line CL shown in Figure 4A. The head HD of a person lying on their back is accommodated inside the hole 41 in the surface layer 40 and rests on the upper surface 61 of the main support portion 60 and the upper surface 81 of the secondary support portion 80. At this time, the middle layer 30 made of a soft elastic sheet material covers the main support portion 60 and the secondary support portion 80, so the head HD is less likely to feel any corners between the main support portion 60 and the secondary support portion 80, and the head HD feels softer than if the main support portion 60 and the secondary support portion 80 were in direct contact. Furthermore, the head HD is restricted by the main control portion 90 and the secondary control portion 95 if its movement exceeds the allowable range. That is, protrusion from the hole 41 in the surface layer 40 toward the long side 43 of the surface layer 40 (toward the negative X-axis in the figure) is prevented by the side surface 91 of the main regulating portion 90, and protrusion from the hole 41 toward the short side of the surface layer 40 (toward the Y-axis in the figure) is prevented by the side surface of the secondary regulating portion 95.

[Details of the main support section and the secondary support section]
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4A, the upper surface 61 of the main support portion 60 and the upper surface 81 of the sub-support portion 80 are both symmetrical in the left-right lateral direction (Y-axis direction in the drawings) with respect to the center line CL.

The width W1 of the upper surface 61 of the main support part 60 in the left-right horizontal direction of the pillow 10 (Y-axis direction in the figure) shown in Figure 3 is wider than the width W2 of the upper surface 81 of the auxiliary support part 80, but as shown in Figure 4A, it is narrower than the width of the head HD, and more specifically, slightly narrower than the width between the left and right ears. Furthermore, the center of the upper surface 61 of the main support part 60 in the left-right horizontal direction is such that the upper edge is located at the left-right horizontal center of the upper nape line SA4 of a person lying on their back as shown in Figure 1B, and the lower edge is located near the lower edge of the occipital bone SA, below the left-right horizontal center of the lower nape line SA5 of the person as shown in Figure 1B. The upper edges of both sides of the center of the upper surface 61 of the main support part 60 in the left-right horizontal direction are curved upward in the vertical direction of the pillow 10 (X-axis direction in the figure), enlarging the area. As a result, for a person lying on his back, the upper surface 61 of the main support part 60 applies planar pressure to support an area SA7 from the left end TR1 of the trapezius muscle TR attached to the occipital bone SA to the portion of the left sternocleidomastoid muscle MBP attached to the occipital bone SA, and an area SA7 from the right end TR2 of the trapezius muscle TR attached to the occipital bone SA to the portion of the right sternocleidomastoid muscle MBP attached to the occipital bone SA. Furthermore, the main support part 60 is provided with sternocleidomastoid muscle support parts 66 integrally at both left and right ends by extending in the left and right lateral directions, and the upper surfaces of the sternocleidomastoid muscle support parts 66 apply pressure from below to support the left and right sternocleidomastoid muscles MB1 attached to the temporal bone SC from the superior nuchal line S4 to the mastoid process SC1 ( FIGS. 1B , 3 , 4A , and 4B ).

The height H1 of the upper surface 61 of the main support part 60 relative to the upper surface 21 of the base 20 shown in Figure 3 is higher than the height H2 of the upper surface 81 of the auxiliary support part 80. For example, the height H1 of the upper surface 61 of the main support part 60 is in the range of 3 cm to 9 cm. On the other hand, the height H2 of the upper surface 81 of the auxiliary support part 80 is in the range of 1 cm to 5 cm. What is important about these heights H1 and H2 is the support height of the main support part 60 and the auxiliary support part 80 after sinking when the weight of the head HD is applied, rather than the height when the weight of the head HD is not applied. In this embodiment, too, the support height of the main support part 60 is made higher than the support height of the auxiliary support part 80, as shown in Figure 4B.

As shown in Figures 4A and 4B, the main support portion 60 is located closer to the head than the first cervical vertebra C1 of a person lying on their back, and no members are provided to apply pressure from below to support at least the area from the first cervical vertebra C1 to the second cervical vertebra C2. Furthermore, no members are provided to apply pressure from below to support the person's temporalis muscle MA. Therefore, pressure is not applied from below to at least the area from the first cervical vertebra C1 to the second cervical vertebra C2 of the person or the temporalis muscle MA.

[Modification of the first embodiment]
(A) The above-described shapes, sizes, and hardnesses of the base 20, intermediate layer 30, and surface layer 40 are merely examples, and may be varied in various ways. In particular, the thicknesses of the intermediate layer 30 and the surface layer 40 may differ significantly, and the hardnesses of the three layers 20, 30, and 40 may differ significantly.

(B) The upper surface 61 of the main support portion 60 and the upper surface 81 of the auxiliary support portion 80 are not limited to being planes parallel to the upper surface 21 of the base 20. The upper surface 61 of the main support portion 60 may be formed in an inclined, arcuate, or stepped shape so that the height of the sternocleidomastoid muscle support portions 66 at both ends is higher than that at the middle portions. Furthermore, although corners are present on the periphery of both the upper surface 61 of the main support portion 60 and the upper surface 81 of the auxiliary support portion 80, these are not essential to the present invention and may be removed by chamfering or rounding.

(C) In the pillow 10, the base 20, intermediate layer 30, and surface layer 40 are bonded to one another. However, pillows according to the present invention are not limited to this laminated structure and may be integrally molded. Furthermore, the intermediate layer 30 and the surface layer 40 are not essential to the present invention and may be omitted. In particular, instead of covering the entire upper surface 21 of the base 20 with the intermediate layer 30, only the main support portion 60 and the secondary support portion 80 may be covered with a film or sheet that is softer than either of them. Furthermore, the gap between the base 20 and intermediate layer 30 or the gap between the intermediate layer 30 and the neck shown in FIG. 4B may be filled with a material, such as cotton, that is soft enough that the resilience due to elasticity is negligible or negligible. If the intermediate layer 30 itself has such flexibility, the intermediate layer 30 may be thick enough to prevent gaps from forming between the intermediate layer 30 and the base 20 or the neck.

(D) As shown in Figure 2, the main regulating unit 90 is installed on the upper surface 44 of the surface layer 40. On the other hand, if the surface layer 40 is omitted, for example, the main regulating unit may be installed on the upper surface 21 of the base 20. In this case, the main regulating unit is located on the opposite side of the main support unit 60 from the auxiliary support unit 80 (the negative side of the X-axis in Figure 3), and it only needs to protrude higher than the auxiliary support unit 80. The main regulating unit is on the side facing the auxiliary support unit 80 and can strongly prevent the head HD in the position shown in Figure 4A from moving upward in the vertical direction of the pillow 10 beyond the allowable range.

(E) As shown in Figures 2 and 4A, the side surface 91 of the main control portion 90 facing the secondary support portion 80 is as wide as the hole 41 in the surface layer 40 in the left-right lateral direction of the pillow 10 (the Y-axis direction in the figures). Alternatively, the side surface of the main control portion may be narrower so as to be positioned more inward than the attachment point MB1 of the sternocleidomastoid muscle MB in the left-right lateral direction of the head HD (the Y-axis direction in the figures), similar to the top surface 81 of the secondary support portion 80 shown in Figure 4A.

(F) As shown in Figures 3 and 4A, the side surface 63 of the main support portion 60 is curved. The side surface 82 of the secondary support portion 80 facing the main support portion 60 may also be curved so as to approach the main support portion 60 as it moves away from the center line CL in the left-right lateral direction of the pillow 10 (the Y-axis direction in the figure).

(G) As shown in Figures 3 and 4B, the side surface 63 of the main support portion 60 facing the secondary support portion 80 is inclined, and the side surface 82 of the secondary support portion 80 facing the main support portion 60 is inclined. However, neither inclination is essential to the present invention, and both side surfaces 63, 82 may be perpendicular to the upper surface 21 of the base 20.

(H) As shown in Figure 4B, the side surface 62 of the main support part 60 that does not face the secondary support part 80 is perpendicular to the upper surface 21 of the base 20. However, if the main support part 60 is positioned in a state in which it does not apply pressure to the first cervical vertebra C1, the side surface 62 may be inclined toward the thoracic vertebrae (the positive side of the X-axis in the figure) as it approaches the upper surface 21 of the base 20 from the upper surface 61 of the main support part 60. In this case, the inclination angle or shape of the side surface 62 may be designed so that it does not apply pressure to the first cervical vertebra C1.

(I) As shown in Figure 4A, the side surface 62 of the main support portion 60 that does not face the secondary support portion 80 is parallel to the left-right lateral direction of the pillow 10 (the Y-axis direction in the figure). Alternatively, the side surface of the main support portion that does not face the secondary support portion may be bent or curved as described below.

Figure 5(a) is an oblique view of a base 200 according to a modified example of the first embodiment of the present invention, and (b) is a top view of the base 200. The base 200 differs from the base 20 shown in Figure 3 only in the following respect: The side surface 620 of the main support portion 60 that does not face the secondary support portion 80 is curved so as to approach the shoulder SH as it moves outward from the same location as the cervical vertebrae C1-C7 in the left-right lateral direction (Y-axis direction in the figure) of a person lying on their back.

The side surface 620 of the main support section 60 is located closer to the parietal side of the first cervical vertebra C1 (negative side of the X-axis in the figure) than the first cervical vertebra C1 in the lateral direction (Y-axis direction in the figure) of a supine person. As a result, as shown in Figure 5(b), at least the area from the first cervical vertebra C1 to the second cervical vertebra C2 does not exert weight on the intermediate layer 30 and base 20 directly below, and no components apply pressure to that area. Therefore, the entire cervical vertebrae C1-C7 naturally maintain a curved shape similar to that observed when standing upright. Furthermore, even if the first cervical vertebra C1 is displaced toward the parietal side (negative side of the X-axis in the figure) due to an involuntary change in the posture of a supine person, the first cervical vertebra C1 is unlikely to reach above the center portion 67 of the main support section 60 shown in Figure 5, making it unlikely that the pressure from the main support section 60 will compress the airway. Conversely, even if the first cervical vertebra C1 is displaced toward the thoracic vertebrae (the positive side of the X-axis in the drawing), a portion 660 of the main support part 60 that is separated from the lower portion of the cervical vertebrae C1-C7 extends long toward the cervical vertebrae side of the occipital bone SA (the positive side of the X-axis in the drawing), and therefore the pressure of this portion 660 can support the portion MB1 of the sternocleidomastoid muscle MB that is attached to the mastoid process SC1 all the way down in the height direction.

(J) The main support part may be cut out laterally from the same location as the cervical vertebrae of a supine person. For example, a portion of the central part 67 of the main support part 60 shown in Figure 5, including the side surface 620, or the entire central part 67 may be removed. In this case, even if the first cervical vertebra C1 is displaced toward the top of the head, it will not be positioned above the main support part 60, and the airway will not be compressed by the pressure of the main support part 60.

Second Embodiment
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. Fig. 6 is an exploded view of a pillow 100 of the second embodiment, and Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along the center line of the pillow in the left-right lateral direction. It is a perspective view of the base portion. In the following, the same or corresponding members as those in the first embodiment are given the same names and symbols, and their description will be omitted.

The pillow 100 of the second embodiment has a base layer 50 below the base 20. The material of the base 20 and base layer 50 is substantially the same as the material of layers 20-40 in the first embodiment, and both can be made from a flat rectangular plate of soft foam resin, for example, soft urethane foam with a 25% hardness of less than 60N. The base 20 and base layer 50 are adhered to each other.

Main support portions 60, 60 are provided on the upper surface 21 of the base 20, protruding upward. In this embodiment, the main support portions 60, 60 are notched at their lateral central portions to accommodate the external occipital protuberance SA1. They are spaced symmetrically from each other, forming a space 70 between them. The main support portions 60, 60 are identical except for their lateral symmetry. The space 70 is positioned on an extension of the cervical vertebrae of a supine person, and its lateral width is set to be greater than the lateral width of the external occipital protuberance SA1 of a supine person. In this embodiment, the base end of the main support portion 60 corresponds to the upper surface 21 of the base 20, and its upper end corresponds to the upper surface 61 of the main support portion 60. The edge of the upper surface 61 of the main support portion 60 on the negative side of the X axis (i.e., on the side of the secondary support portion 80, as described below) is provided with a chamfered, downwardly sloping inclined portion 64. On the other hand, the side surface 62 of the main support part 60 on the positive side of the X-axis (the side surface 62 of the main support part 60 that does not face the secondary support part 80) is inclined so as to approach the shoulder SH as it moves outward from the same location as the cervical vertebrae C1-C7 in the left and right lateral direction of a person lying on their back (the Y-axis direction in the figure).

In the second embodiment, the auxiliary support portion 80 is configured as part of the flat base 20. Specifically, the base 20 in the second embodiment has through-holes 110 formed symmetrically on both sides at locations below the temporalis muscle MA of a supine person, and the occipital region (region SA3 on the parietal side of the occipital bone SA in this embodiment) rests on the connecting portion 120 between the left and right through-holes 110, which is located on the parietal side of the superior nuchal line SA4. The portion of the connecting portion 120 on which the head rests corresponds to the auxiliary support portion 80 in this embodiment. In this case, the base end of the auxiliary support portion 80 corresponds to the base end of the connecting portion 120 in the thickness direction at that portion, i.e., the lower surface (rear surface) of the base 20 at that portion, and the upper end of the auxiliary support portion 80 corresponds to the upper end of the connecting portion 120 in the thickness direction at that portion, i.e., the upper surface 21 of the base 20 at that portion.

As shown in Figure 6, the width of this connecting portion 120 in the left and right lateral direction (Y-axis direction in the figure) is set to be narrower than the distance between the attachment points MB1 of the left and right sternocleidomastoid muscles MB of a person lying on their back.

The top surface 21 of the base 20 is also provided with a parietal-side restricting portion 130 and a lateral restricting portion 95. The parietal-side restricting portion 130 is provided to protrude upward from the top surface 21 of the base 20, and a protrusion 90 that further protrudes in the positive direction of the X axis is formed on its side surface on the positive side of the X axis (i.e., the side facing the parietal of a person lying on their back). The lateral width of the side surface 91 of this protrusion 90 closest to the parietal (i.e., the convex end surface 91 that protrudes most in the positive direction of the X axis) is narrower than the lateral width of the connecting portion 120. This protrusion 90 restricts positional deviation of the head HD in the negative direction of the X axis. In the second embodiment, this protrusion 90 corresponds to the "main restricting portion."

The lateral restriction portions 95 are provided further outboard of the left and right main support portions 60, 60, and are configured to protrude upward from the top surface 21 of the base 20. The left and right lateral restriction portions 95, 95 have the same configuration, and their protruding height (height in the positive direction of the Z axis measured from the top surface of the base) is set to be greater than the protruding height of the main support portion 60. These left and right lateral restriction portions 95, 95 restrict positional deviation of the head HD in the left and right lateral directions (Y-axis direction in the figure) that exceeds the allowable range. In the second embodiment, these lateral restriction portions 95, 95 correspond to "sub-restrictions."

[Third embodiment]
Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. Fig. 8 is an exploded view of a pillow 300 according to the third embodiment. In the following, the same or corresponding members as those in the first and second embodiments are given the same names and reference numerals, and their description will be omitted.

The pillow 300 of the third embodiment differs from the pillow 100 of the second embodiment only in that a through-hole 140 is provided in the connecting portion 120 of the pillow 100 of the second embodiment, closer to the main support portion 60. This through-hole 140 is formed as an elongated hole extending in the X-axis direction, extending from the space 70 between the left and right main support portions 60 to just before the area corresponding to the secondary support portion 80. Furthermore, when a person lies supine with the area SA2 between the superior nuchal line SA4 and the inferior nuchal line SA5 of the occipital bone SA placed on the main support portions 60, 60, this through-hole 140 is positioned below the external occipital protuberance SA1, and its lateral width is set to be greater than the lateral width of the external occipital protuberance SA1. As a result, the external occipital protuberance SA1 of a person lying on their back is positioned within the through-hole 140 when viewed from above.

The pillow 300 of the third embodiment, configured as described above, achieves substantially the same effects as the pillow 100 of the second embodiment. Furthermore, a through hole 140 large enough to fit under the external occipital protuberance SA1 of a person lying on their back is provided, so that no pressure is applied to the external occipital protuberance SA1 when lying on their back. Furthermore, because the through hole 140 is formed as an elongated hole extending in the X-axis direction, no pressure is applied to the external occipital protuberance SA1 even if the head HD is misaligned in the X-axis direction.

[Modifications of the second and third embodiments]
(K) The through-holes 110 in the second and third embodiments do not necessarily have to be completely through, and may be configured as bottomed holes. Both bottomed and bottomless holes may be configured as "recesses." This also applies to the through-holes 140 in the third embodiment, and they may be configured as "recesses" regardless of whether they have a bottom or not. Furthermore, the interior of such recesses does not have to be completely hollow, and may be filled with, for example, a material that is much more flexible than the surrounding material and has little or no repulsive force even when weight is applied.

(L) In the third embodiment, the through hole 140 was configured as an elongated hole, but it does not necessarily have to be an elongated hole (oval when viewed from above), and may be a circular hole or a recess of other shape when viewed from above.

[Modifications of the first, second and third embodiments]
(M) In the first, second, and third embodiments, the range for support by applying pressure is not limited to the vicinity of the inferior nape line SA5, but may be such that pressure is applied beyond the inferior nape line SA5 and up to the lower edge SA6 of the occipital bone SA (see FIG. 1B). Note that the main support part 60 shown in FIG. 5 of the first embodiment, the main support part 60 shown in FIG. 6 of the second embodiment, and the main support part 60 shown in FIG. 8 of the third embodiment are all configured to protrude downward in the vertical direction (height direction) of the pillow toward the outer sides in the left and right lateral directions of the pillow, so that the range for support by applying pressure can be such that support is provided beyond the inferior nape line SA5 and up to the lower edge SA6 of the occipital bone SA (see FIG. 1B), and the sternocleidomastoid muscle support part 66 can apply pressure and provide support up to the lower end in the height direction of the sternocleidomastoid muscle MB attached to the mastoid process SC1.

(N) Furthermore, in the first, second and third embodiments, support is provided by applying pressure on the surface of the main support portion 60. However, even if the support portion takes the form of a large number of small protrusions when no head weight is applied, and the large number of small protrusions collapses to form a surface when head weight is applied, this does not affect the planar concept of the present invention and is included in the concept of planar support of the present invention.

(O) Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the surface of the main regulating portion 90 facing the auxiliary support portion 80 is formed as a straight surface, and in the second and third embodiments, the auxiliary support portion 80 side of the main regulating portion is formed as a convex protrusion 90 that is narrower than the lateral width of the connecting portion 120. However, this is not limited to this, and the auxiliary support portion side of the main regulating portion may also be formed as a concave recess that is narrower than the lateral width of the parietal bone of a person lying on their back, for example, opposite to the protrusion 90.

9(a) is a perspective view of the base 2000 according to another modification of the first embodiment of the present invention, and (b) is a top view of the base 2000. In the first, second, and third embodiments of the present invention, when a person lies supine with the region SA2 of the occipital bone SA between the superior nuchal line SA4 and the inferior nuchal line SA5 placed on the main support portion 60, no member is provided to apply pressure from below to support not only the range from the first cervical vertebra C1 to the second cervical vertebra C2 of the person lying on their back, but also the range from the third cervical vertebra C3 to the seventh cervical vertebra C7. However, this is not limited to this, and it is also possible to not provide any member to apply pressure from below to support at least the range from the first cervical vertebra C1 to the second cervical vertebra C2 of the person lying on their back, or at least the first cervical vertebra C1 of the person lying on their back.

The base 2000 shown in Figures 9(a) and (b) differs from the base 20 shown in Figure 3 in the following respects, indicated by the dotted lines in Figures 9(a) and (b). That is, the base 2000 extends downward in the vertical direction of the pillow 10 (positive side of the X-axis in the figure) beyond the range from the first cervical vertebra C1 to the second cervical vertebra C2 (upper cervical vertebrae) to the lower side (negative direction of the Z-axis in the figure) of the range from the third cervical vertebra C3 to the seventh cervical vertebra C7 (lower cervical vertebrae), and on an upper surface 2001 of the base 2000 that protrudes on the opposite side of the auxiliary support part 80 with respect to the main support part 60 (positive side of the X-axis in the figure), there is provided a neck support part 150 which is a member that applies pressure from below to support part or all of the range from the third cervical vertebra C3 to the seventh cervical vertebra C7 of the first cervical vertebra C1 to the seventh cervical vertebra C7 of a person lying on their back, excluding the range from the first cervical vertebra C1 to the second cervical vertebra C2.

The neck support portion 150 shown in Figures 9(a) and (b) is specifically a member that applies pressure from below to support the area from the third cervical vertebra C3 to the fourth cervical vertebra C4, which is part of the range from the third cervical vertebra C3 to the seventh cervical vertebra C7 (lower cervical vertebrae) of a person lying on their back. This neck support part 150 is made of the same soft foam resin as the main support part 60 and the sub-support part 80, and is formed in the shape of a rectangular plate (cuboid). The longitudinal direction of the rectangular flat upper surface 151 of the neck support part 150 coincides with the left-right lateral direction of the pillow 10 (the Y-axis direction in the figure), and the upper surface 151 of the neck support part 150 has a left-right symmetrical shape with the center line CL in the left-right lateral direction of the pillow 10 (the Y-axis direction in the figure) as the axis of symmetry. The neck support part 150 is placed on the upper surface 2001 of the base 2000 so that the upper surface 151 of the neck support part 150 crosses the underside of the range from the third cervical vertebra C3 to the fourth cervical vertebra C4 of a person lying on their back, and the bottom surface of the neck support part 150 is adhered to the upper surface 2001 of the base 2000.

By appropriately setting the length, installation position, and shape of the neck support section 150 in the vertical direction of the pillow 10 (the X-axis direction in the figure), it is possible to apply pressure from below to support any range of cervical vertebrae of a person lying on their back, from the first cervical vertebra C1 to the seventh cervical vertebra C7, or cervical vertebrae C2-C7, cervical vertebrae C2-C3, cervical vertebrae C2-C4, cervical vertebrae C3-C4, cervical vertebrae C3-C5, cervical vertebrae C4-C5, cervical vertebrae C3-C6, cervical vertebrae C3-C7, etc. Furthermore, by arranging multiple neck support sections 150 side by side in the vertical direction of the pillow 10 (the X-axis direction in the figure), it is also possible to apply pressure from below to support any cervical vertebrae of a person lying on their back.

60 Main support portion 66 Sternocleidomastoid muscle support portion 80 Sub-support portion 90 Main restriction portion

Claims (5)

a main support part which is an upwardly protruding elastic member and which 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, thereby providing 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 pillow characterized in that there is no member that applies pressure and supports below the person's temporalis muscle. 2. The pillow according to claim 1, wherein the main support portion has a left sternocleidomastoid muscle support portion that applies pressure from below to the sternocleidomastoid muscle that attaches from the superior nuchal line of the person's left temporal bone to the mastoid process, and a right sternocleidomastoid muscle support portion that applies pressure from below to the sternocleidomastoid muscle that attaches from the superior nuchal line of the person's right temporal bone to the mastoid process. 3. The pillow according to claim 2, wherein the main support portion is formed so that the support height is higher on the left and right sternocleidomastoid muscle support portion sides than on the left and right intermediate portion sides. A pillow as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a main regulating part which is a member located on the opposite side of the main support part with respect to the secondary support part and protruding higher than the secondary support part, and which prevents the position of the head from shifting upward in the height direction of the person. The pillow according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the main support portion is inclined or curved so as to approach the shoulders of the person as it moves outward in the left and right lateral direction of the person.