초록 ▼

A cushion and method provide relief of pain or discomfort in the pelvic/genital/rectal region of a person. The person is supported on a resilient cushion construct which conforms to the person's posterior profile contour configuration, while locating a plenum-like portion of a gap beneath the pelvic

A cushion and method provide relief of pain or discomfort in the pelvic/genital/rectal region of a person. The person is supported on a resilient cushion construct which conforms to the person's posterior profile contour configuration, while locating a plenum-like portion of a gap beneath the pelvic/genital/rectal region of the person. An airway is extended to the gap, through a basal construct located beneath the cushion construct and an air mover moves ambient air through the airway and into the plenum-like portion of the gap to provide cooling to the pelvic/genital/rectal region of the person supported on the cushion construct.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A cushion for accommodating a posterior profile contour configuration present at the pelvic/genital/rectal region of a person to provide the person with relief of pain or discomfort, the cushion comprising: a cushion construct having a resilient core for supporting the person while conforming to

1. A cushion for accommodating a posterior profile contour configuration present at the pelvic/genital/rectal region of a person to provide the person with relief of pain or discomfort, the cushion comprising: a cushion construct having a resilient core for supporting the person while conforming to the posterior profile contour configuration, the cushion construct having a U-shaped plan configuration including a laterally extending rear spine and laterally spaced apart, longitudinally extending legs projecting forward from the laterally extending rear spine to corresponding remote forward terminal ends and establishing a gap between the legs, the gap extending longitudinally along the legs from the laterally extending rear spine to the corresponding remote terminal ends of the legs; anda basal construct affixed to the cushion construct, beneath the cushion construct, the basal construct including a substrate having a plan configuration corresponding to, and contiguous with, at least a portion of the U-shaped plan configuration of the cushion construct, the basal construct further includingat least two airways within the substrate, each one of the two airways extending between an air inlet placed at a forward location forward of and spaced longitudinally from a corresponding remote forward terminal end of a corresponding leg, and a corresponding air outlet, the corresponding air outlet being located at an air port juxtaposed with the gap, each airway being arranged for conducting ambient air from a corresponding air inlet to a corresponding air port, andan air mover arrangement placed at the forward location for moving ambient air from the air inlet, through the airways, and out the corresponding air ports into the gap, then through the gap and out of the cushion at an exhaust outlet located between the corresponding remote terminal ends of the legs, and then longitudinally between the forward terminal ends and the forward location to provide an unobstructed exit from the cushion for facilitating a flow of continuously exchanged cooling ambient air through the gap and out of the cushion at the exhaust outlet and directing the flow of continuously exchanged cooling ambient air to the pelvic/genital/rectal region of the person supported on the cushion construct, thereby providing the person with relief of pain or discomfort. 2. The cushion of claim 1 wherein a corresponding air port is located in each leg, in juxtaposition with the gap, and a corresponding airway is arranged for conducting ambient air to each corresponding air port. 3. The cushion of claim 2 wherein; the gap includes a plenum-like portion adjacent the rear spine;each air port is juxtaposed with the plenum-like portion of the gap; andthe cushion construct includes a surface contour configuration for assisting location of the pelvic/genital/rectal region of the person in register with the plenum-like portion of the gap. 4. The cushion of claim 2 wherein the air mover arrangement includes a single air mover associated with both corresponding air ports. 5. The cushion of claim 1 wherein the cushion construct extends in a horizontal direction at a given level, between the rear spine and the forward terminal ends of the legs, and the airways each include a corresponding tubular construct extending between a corresponding forward terminal end and a corresponding air inlet, each tubular construct being adapted for placement of each air inlet at an air inlet location spaced vertically below the given level. 6. The cushion of claim 5 wherein each tubular construct is bendable for enabling selective displacement of the air inlets between a first location at the given level and the air inlet location spaced vertically below the given level. 7. The cushion of claim 6 wherein the tubular constructs are spaced apart laterally from one another adjacent corresponding forward terminal ends to facilitate, between the tubular constructs, the flow of exhaust air emanating from the exhaust outlet. 8. The cushion of claim 7 wherein the tubular constructs terminate at a common air inlet spaced from and forward of the forward terminal ends of the legs. 9. The cushion of claim 8 wherein the tubular constructs converge from the forward terminal ends of the legs to the common air inlet. 10. The cushion of claim 9 wherein the air mover arrangement includes a single air mover associated with both tubular constructs in juxtaposition with the common air inlet. 11. A method for accommodating a posterior profile contour configuration present at the pelvic/genital/rectal region of a person to provide the person with relief of pain or discomfort, the cushion comprising: providing a cushion construct having a resilient core for supporting the person while conforming to the posterior profile contour configuration, the cushion construct having a U-shaped plan configuration including a laterally extending rear spine and laterally spaced apart, longitudinally extending legs projecting forward from the laterally extending rear spine to corresponding remote forward terminal ends and establishing a gap between the legs, the gap extending longitudinally along the legs from the laterally extending rear spine to the corresponding remote terminal ends of the legs;affixing a basal construct to the cushion construct beneath the cushion construct, the basal construct including a substrate having a plan configuration corresponding to, and contiguous with, at least a portion of the U-shaped plan configuration of the cushion construct;providing at least two airways within the substrate;extending each one of the two airways between an air inlet placed at a forward location forward of and spaced longitudinally from the forward terminal ends of the legs, and a corresponding air outlet;locating each corresponding air outlet at an air port juxtaposed with the gap;arranging each airway for conducting ambient air from a corresponding air inlet to a corresponding air port; andplacing an air mover arrangement at the forward location for moving ambient air from the air inlet, through the airways, and out the corresponding air ports into the gap, then through the gap and out of the cushion at an exhaust outlet located between the corresponding remote terminal ends of the legs, and then longitudinally between the forward terminal ends and the forward location to provide an unobstructed exit from the cushion for facilitating a flow of continuously exchanged cooling ambient air through the gap and out of the cushion at the exhaust outlet and directing the flow of continuously exchanged cooling ambient air to the pelvic/genital/rectal region of the person supported on the cushion construct, thereby providing the person with relief of pain or discomfort. 12. The method of claim 11 including locating a corresponding air port in each leg, in juxtaposition with the gap, and arranging a corresponding airway for conducting ambient air to each corresponding air port. 13. The method of claim 12 including providing the gap with a plenum-like portion adjacent the rear spine;juxtaposing each air port with the plenum-like portion of the gap; andproviding the cushion construct with a surface contour configuration for assisting location of the pelvic/genital/rectal region of the person in register with the plenum-like portion of the gap. 14. The method of claim 12 including associating a single air mover with both corresponding air ports. 15. The method of claim 11 including extending the cushion construct in a horizontal direction at a given level, between the rear spine and the forward terminal ends of the legs; extending a corresponding tubular construct between a corresponding forward terminal end and a corresponding air inlet; andplacing each air inlet at an air inlet location spaced vertically below the given level. 16. The method of claim 15 including rendering each tubular construct bendable; andselectively displacing the air inlets between a first location at the given level and the air inlet location spaced vertically below the given level. 17. The method of claim 16 including spacing the tubular constructs apart laterally from one another adjacent corresponding forward terminal ends to facilitate, between the tubular constructs, the flow of exhaust air emanating from the exhaust outlet. 18. The method of claim 17 including terminating the tubular constructs at a common air inlet spaced from and forward of the forward terminal ends of the legs. 19. The method of claim 18 including converging the tubular constructs from the forward terminal ends of the legs to the common air inlet. 20. The method of claim 19 including arranging a single air mover associated with both tubular constructs in juxtaposition with the common air inlet.