US3287747A - Maternity abdominal cushion - Google Patents

Description

2 1966 o. T. ELLSWORTH MATERNITY ABDOMINAL CUSHION Filed April 19, 1965 IVVENTOR. FIG. 5 02m; Z'L'lwwaer ArraQ/vm United States Patent 3,287,747 MATERNITY ABDOMINAL CUSHION Orval T. Ellsworth, Berkeley, Calif. (10317 Cherry Tree Lane, Silver Spring, Md.) Filed Apr. 19, 1965, Ser. No. 448,931 4 Claims. (Cl. 5-338) This invention relates to a maternity abdominal cushion whereby a pregnant woman is permitted to lie prone without discomfort to the mother. During normal pregnancy a womans abdomen will enlarge considerably, and from about the sixth month of pregnancy to final delivery the woman experiences pain and general discomfort caused by the increasing load on muscles and joints. Many women hesitate to lie prone for fear of injury to the unborn child. Lying on her back becomes tiresome, due to the constant weight of the child in one 3,287,747 Patented Nov. 29, 1966 which is preferably molded from a soft resilient plastic foam, such as polyurethane, for example. The main body or block 1 is preferably elliptical in plan contour and the ends 2-3 are tapered to a blunt point, so that direction and on a particular set of muscles and joints.

In the prone position the human trunk is normal-1y supported by the ribs and the breast bone at the chest end, and by the hip bones at the pelvic end. The abdomen is suspended from the lumber spine between the chest and the pelvis. In pregnancy the abdomen eventually protrudes to the extent that the abdomen, rather than the chest and the pelvis, is supporting the trunk. At this point lying in the prone position is no longer feasible for the pregnant woman.

My invention relates to a particularly shaped and constructed cushion upon which the pregnant woman can lie in the prone position; the cushion being so arranged that weight of the trunk is still supported from the breast bone at the chest end and by the hip bones at the pelvic end.

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel abdominal cushion, the ends of which are tapered or somewhat pointed to support the thorax at one end and the pelvis at the other, and with a concavity formed in the center of the cushion to support the abdomen.

Still another object of my invention to to provide an abdominal cushion in which there is a longitudinally extending slit extending through the bottom of the cushion, whereby the cushion is allowed to expand laterally to fit women of various body types, and also to accommodate the expanding abdomen at different stages of pregnancy.

Still anither object of my invention is to provide a novel abdominal cushion of the character stated, which is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, and which can be easily and effectively used by a pregnant woman.

Other objects, advantages and features of invention may appear from the accompanying drawing, the sub joined detailed description and appended claims.

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of my maternity abdominal cushion.

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the same.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4--4 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is a side elevation of my abdominal cushion illustrating its position during use.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the numeral 1 indicates the main body of my abdominal cushion,

this portion of the cushion will engage the sternum 4 at the forward end, and the pelvis 5 at the other end. This positioning is shown in FIGURE 5. The particular shape of the cushion thus permits it to be comfortably employed during the prone position. A semiellipsoidal concavity 6 or recess is formed in the block or base portion 1 and is less than the length, width, and depth of the block or base 1. Thus there is a continuous rim 7 extending entirely around the concavity 6. The concavity 6 thus is particularly shaped and specifically adapted to the anatomy of the pregnant woman. A slot or opening 8 extends through the bottom of the block 1 and particularly through the concavity 6, and this slot is less than the length of the block 1 so that the slot does not cut the block into two complementary parts. The slot is sufficicntly long, however, so that the block 1 can expand laterally as required by the continuing pregnancy of the woman, and the block will require some manual adjustment, but weight of the pregnant woman upon the cushion is sufiicient to extend it somewhat and cause the cushion to conform to the required abdominal shape.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A maternity abdominal cushion comprising,

a body formed of a resilient material and the length of said body being greater than the width,

said body having a concavity therein to accommodate the abdomen therein,

said concavity having dimensions less than the width,

the length, and the depth of said body,

said body having a slot in the bottom thereof and extending for less than the length of the body.

2. A maternity abdominal cushion comprising,

a body formed of a resilient material and the length of said body being greater than the width and substantially elliptical in plan contour,

said body having a hemi-ellipsoidal concavity therein to accommodate the abdomen therein,

said concavity having dimensions less than the width,

the length, and the depth of said body,

said body having a slot in the bottom thereof and extending for less than the length of the body.

3. A maternity abdominal cushion comprising,

a body formed of a resilient material and the length of said body being greater than the width, the length of said body being such that it extends from the sternum to the pelvis of the user,

said body having a hemi-ellipsoidal concavity therein to accommodate the abdomen therein,

said concavity having dimensions less than the width,

the length, and the depth of said body,

said body having a slot in the bottom thereof extending the length of said concavity and less than the length of the body.

4. A maternity abdominal cushion comprising,

a body formed of a resilient material and the length of said body being greater than its width,

said body extending from the breast bone at the chest of the user to the hip bones at the pelvis end of the user,

4 a said body having a concavity therein to accommodate References Cited by the Applicant the o UNITED STATES PATENTS said concavity having dimensions less than the width, 1,107,683 8/1914 Ma1arkey the length, and the depth of said body. 5 2,046,645 7 1936 Mason 2,562,725 7/1951 Leto et 21. References Cited by the Examiner 2,651,788 9/ 1953 Forwood. UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,765,480 10/ 1956 Mueller. 2,107,962 2/1938 Sheasby FRANCIS K. ZUGEL, Acting Primary Examiner. 2,688,142 9/1954 Jensen 5-338 10 FRANK SHERRY. xa e 3,118,152 1/ 1964 Talley A. M. CALVERT, Assistant Examiner.

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