PILLOW FOR RELIEVING SLEEP APNEA AND PREVENTING SNORING

Abstract

The present invention relates to pillow for relieving sleep apnea and preventing snoring, the pillow comprising: a pillow body for supporting a sleeper's head and neck; and a support protrusion protruding from the center of the pillow body, wherein the support protrusion is configured by a curvature pattern portion so as to increase the area in contact with the sleeper's head, and the curvature pattern portion includes: a pair of first curved surface portions, each of which has a concave curved surface having a slope gradually increasing from a surface of the pillow body; and a second curved surface portion connecting the ends of the pair of first curved surface portions to each other and forming a convex curved surface having a slope gradually decreasing toward the center thereof. Therefore, the present invention can support an occipital region of a sleeper sleeping lying on his/her side, in more comfortable state, and thus can induce restful sleep accordingly.

Claims

1. A pillow for relieving sleep apnea and preventing snoring, comprising: a pillow body to support the head and neck of a sleeper; and a support protrusion protruding from the center of the pillow body, wherein the support protrusion is formed of a curved pattern part to increase an area in contact with the head of the sleeper, and the curved pattern part includes: a pair of first curved portions having a curved concave surface with gradually increased slope from a surface of the pillow body; and a second curved portion which interconnects front ends of the pair of first curved portions and has a curved convex surface with gradually decreased slope toward the center portion.

2. The pillow according to claim 1, wherein an insert core is provided inside the support protrusion to increase shape and strength of the support protrusion, and the insert core includes: a horizontal member installed inside the pillow body; and a vertical member installed in a direction perpendicular to the horizontal member and disposed inside the support protrusion.

3. The pillow according to claim 2, wherein, when the pillow body is viewed from the side, both sides of the support protrusion and the insert core are formed in a curved shape having gradually decreased width toward an upper side.

4. The pillow according to claim 3, wherein a core entrance, through which the insert core is detachably mounted, is formed at one side of the pillow body and the support protrusion.

5. The pillow according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein each of the support protrusion and the insert core consists of a plurality of detachable assemblies in order to adjust a protruding height depending on physical conditions and sleeping habits of a sleeper.

6. The pillow according to claim 5, wherein an inclined curved portion, at which a thickness of the pillow increases from the center toward both ends thereof, is formed on the pillow body.

7. The pillow according to claim 6, wherein a head support groove is formed on a top surface of the pillow body in order to significantly suppress flow of the head of a sleeper who sleeps while lying on their side and to minimize pressure applied to ears of the sleeper, thus reducing burden thereto.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0019] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a snoring-prevention pillow in the prior art.

[0020] FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a configuration of the pillow for relieving sleep apnea and preventing snoring according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] FIG. 3 is a front view of FIG. 2.

[0022] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of FIG. 2.

[0023] FIG. 5 is a prefabricated and exploded view illustrating another embodiment of the pillow for relieving sleep apnea and preventing snoring according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF INVENTION

[0024] Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings, preferred embodiments of the pillow for relieving sleep apnea and preventing snoring according to the present invention will be described in detail.

[0025] For reference, based on the principle that terms and words used in the present specification and claims should not be construed as being limited to common or dictionary meanings the inventors should properly define the concept of terms and words in order to explain their own invention by means of most preferred methods, the terms and words should be interpreted as having meanings and concepts corresponding to the technical spirit of the present invention.

[0026] Further, the configurations illustrated in the examples and drawings in the present specification are only the most preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not represent the whole technical spirit of the present invention and, therefore, it should be appreciated that various equivalents and modifications able to replace the present invention at the filing of the present application and thereafter may be included.

[0027] Hereinafter, referring to the accompanying FIG. 2 to FIG. 5, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail.

[0028] As illustrated, the pillow for relieving sleep apnea and preventing snoring according to the present invention may include: a pillow body 100 to support the head and neck of a sleeper; and a support protrusion 200 protruding from the center of the pillow body 100.

[0029] First, the pillow body 100 has a configuration of comfortably supporting the head and neck of the sleeper who sleeps or lies down, wherein the pillow body 100 may be stitched after putting a cushioning material (cotton, sponge, etc.) with buffering properties therein, or may be made of latex or memory foam.

[0030] The pillow body 100 according to the present invention may include an inclined curved portion 101 at which a thickness of the pillow increases from the center toward both ends.

[0031] That is, a curved surface of the inclined curved portion 101 may have a functional role of suppressing the head of the sleeper lying on their side so as not to move or flow toward the outside of the pillow body 100.

[0032] Further, a head support groove 100 may be formed on a top surface of the pillow body 100 in order to significantly suppress flow of the head of a sleeper who sleeps while lying on their side and to minimize a pressure applied to ears of the sleeper, thus reducing burden thereto.

[0033] On the other hand, the support protrusion 200 is formed to protrude from the center of the pillow body 100, and serves to stably support the back of the head of the sleeper sleeping while lying on the their side.

[0034] That is, the support protrusion 200 may serve as a wall body to inhibit the head of the sleeper who sleeps while lying on their side from lying face up and thus prevent occurrence of snoring when sleeping face up.

[0035] Especially, the support protrusion 200 according to the present invention has a curved pattern part structure 210 that may induce comfortable contact by increasing an area in contact with the head of the sleeper.

[0036] More particularly, the curved pattern part 210 includes a pair of first curved portions 211 having a curved concave surface with gradually increased slope from a surface of the pillow body 100; and a second curved portion 212 which interconnects front ends of the pair of first curved portions 211 and has a curved convex surface with gradually decreased slope toward the center portion.

[0037] The curved pattern part 210 may support the back of the head of the sleeper who sleeps while lying on their side in a further comfortable state, thereby achieving effects of promoting comfortable sleep.

[0038] Further, when the pillow body 100 is viewed from the side, both sides of the support protrusion 200 may be formed in a curved shape with gradually reduced width in the upper direction (see FIG. 2).

[0039] Further, the configuration of the support protrusion 200 has an advantage of guiding the sleeper to freely and alternately use one side and the other side of the pillow body 100.

[0040] In addition, the support protrusion 200 may be provided with an insert core 300 to improve shape and strength of the support protrusion.

[0041] Herein, the insert core 300 includes a horizontal member 310 installed inside the pillow body 100, and a vertical member 320 installed in a direction perpendicular to the horizontal member 310 and disposed inside the support protrusion 200.

[0042] The insert core 300 is preferably made of rubber having high elastic strength so as to be elastically bent by an external pressure and then returned to an original position thereof, but is not limited thereto. Alternatively, the insert core may also be made of synthetic resin having high elastic strength.

[0043] In other words, the insert core 300 may be additionally provided in the support protrusion 200 to further increase the strength of the support protrusion 200, thus preventing shape and structure of the support protrusion 200 from being easily deformed. Further, the insert core may resist a predetermined pressure by which the head of a sleeper sleeping while lying on their side may climb over the support protrusion 200, thereby significantly preventing the sleeper from easily lying on their back (that is, face up). In addition, even when the head of the sleeper overcomes resistance of the support protrusion 200 and the insert core 300 and then is positioned on the support protrusion 200 due to turning force of the head in order to lie face up, the head of the sleeper cannot stay on the support protrusion 200 but naturally guided to the opposite surface of the pillow body by a curved structure of the support protrusion 200 and the elastic force of the insert core 300, whereby snoring caused by a posture of the head of the sleeper lying face up may be essentially inhibited.

[0044] Further, when the insert core 300 is viewed from the side of the pillow body 100, both sides of the insert core 300 are formed in a curved shape having gradually reduced width in the upper direction.

[0045] Further, as shown in FIG. 4, a core entrance 150 may be formed at one side of the pillow body 100 and the support protrusion 200, through which the insert core 300 is detachably provided.

[0046] That is, the insert core 300 is optionally provided or removed by the sleeper if needed.

[0047] Further, as shown in FIG. 5, each of the support protrusion 200 and the insert core 300 may consist of a plurality of detachable assemblies to adjust a protruding height according to physical conditions and sleeping habits of the sleeper.

[0048] To this end, the support protrusion 200 and the insert core 300 may be divided into a plurality of assemblies, and such divided assemblies may be provided with fastening protrusions 350 and fastening grooves 250 detachably coupled to each other on the upper and lower portions of the divided assemblies.

[0049] Such an assembly configuration of the support protrusion 200 and the insert core 300 may effectively controls height of the support protrusion depending on physical structure and/or taste of the user, thereby attaining very useful effects in promoting comfortable sleep.

[0050] The present invention described above is not limited to the aforementioned embodiments and accompanying drawings, and it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various substitutions, modifications and alterations are possible without departing from the technical spirit of the present invention.