Knee and ankle alignment pillow

Abstract

Pillows which are designed to fit the legs of a user during sleep or recovery from surgery are provided.

What is claimed is  
     
         1 . A knee and ankle alignment pillow, comprising a resilient body structure, the body structure comprising: 
 an upper face, which upper face comprises a first sloping region and a second sloping region, which first and second sloping regions are at least partly separated on the upper face by an upper face groove extending longitudinally along an at least partly inward region of the upper face, wherein the first and second sloping regions are each at least partially outwardly sloped from an outer region of the upper face towards the inward region of the upper face; and,    a bottom face opposite the upper face, which bottom face comprises a third sloping region and a fourth sloping region, which third and fourth sloping regions are separated on the bottom face by a bottom face groove extending longitudinally along an at least partly inward region of the bottom face which bottom face grove is opposed to the upper face groove on opposite sides of the resilient body structure, wherein the third and fourth sloping regions are each at least partly outwardly sloped from an outer region of the bottom face towards the inward region of the bottom face;    wherein the upper face and bottom face grooves are each contoured to receive a leg of a user.    
     
     
         2 . The pillow of  claim 1 , comprising a first resilient lobe structure that extends from a first edge of the upper face groove to a first edge of the bottom face groove, which lobe comprises the first and third sloping regions.  
     
     
         3 . The pillow of  claim 2 , wherein the first resilient lobe is adjustable.  
     
     
         4 . The pillow of  claim 2 , comprising a second resilient lobe structure that extends from a second edge of the upper face groove to a second edge of the bottom face groove, which lobe comprises the second and fourth sloping regions.  
     
     
         5 . The pillow of  claim 4 , wherein the second resilient lobe is adjustable.  
     
     
         6 . The pillow of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the body structure, the upper face groove or the lower face groove is adjustable.  
     
     
         7 . The pillow of  claim 1 , wherein the slope of the first and second sloping regions are equal.  
     
     
         8 . The pillow of  claim 1 , wherein the slope of the third and fourth sloping regions are equal.  
     
     
         9 . The pillow of claim l, wherein the slope of the first, second, third and fourth sloping regions are equal.  
     
     
         10 . The pillow of  claim 1 , wherein the slope of the first, second, third and fourth sloping regions are selected to provide support to the legs of a user when sleeping in a suppine or prone position.  
     
     
         11 . The pillow of  claim 1 , wherein the body comprises one or more of: plastic foam, urethane foam, feathers, or natural fiber.  
     
     
         12 . The pillow of  claim 1 , wherein the body comprises one or more of: a tear away portion, an inflatable portion, or an adjustable portion.  
     
     
         13 . The pillow of  claim 1 , wherein the body is formed from a single piece of resilient material.  
     
     
         14 . The pillow of  claim 1 , wherein the body is formed from multiple pieces of one or more resilient material.  
     
     
         15 . A method of making a pillow, comprising forming a body structure comprising an upper face, which upper face comprises a first sloping region and a second sloping region, which first and second sloping regions are at least partly separated on the upper face by an upper face groove extending longitudinally along an at least partly inward region of the upper face, wherein the first and second sloping regions are each at least partially outwardly sloped from an outer region of the upper face towards the inward region of the upper face; and, 
 a bottom face opposite the upper face, which bottom face comprises a third sloping region and a fourth sloping region, which third and fourth sloping regions are separated on the bottom face by a bottom face groove extending longitudinally along an at least partly inward region of the bottom face, which bottom face grove is opposed to the upper face groove on opposite sides of the resilient body structure, wherein the third and fourth sloping regions are each at least partly outwardly sloped from an outer region of the bottom face towards the inward region of the bottom face;    wherein the upper face and bottom face grooves are each contoured to receive a leg of a user.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the forming step comprises injecting a urethane foam into a mold.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the forming comprises die cutting a foam blank.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the forming step comprises providing tear away strips of foam on the first or second side of the pillow.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , comprising providing an inflatable portion within the body structure.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , comprising inflating the inflatable portion.