Leg Pillow

Abstract

A pillow formed of a resilient body and having an hourglass shape for placing between a person's legs to provide support while the person is reclining. The pillow can include a massaging unit disposed inside the body for producing vibrations. The pillow in one embodiment has first and second portions pivotally connected along a hinge such that the pillow is convertible between an open configuration and a closed configuration. The pillow can be positioned between the legs when in the closed configuration, or beneath the legs when in the open configuration.

1 . A pillow for therapeutic use by humans, comprising: 
 a body of resilient material, the body having a first leg-engaging face and an opposite second leg-engaging face for respectively engaging first and second legs of a person when the pillow is positioned between the person's legs, each of the first and second leg-engaging faces having a concave portion contoured to receive and cradle one of the person's legs, wherein the body is dimensioned and configured such that the body can remain between the person's legs as the person turns from one side to another while reclining on a sleep surface; and    a massaging system including a massaging unit disposed inside the body, the massaging unit being operable to produce vibrations in the body for transmission to the person's legs.    
   
   
       2 . The pillow of  claim 1 , wherein the massaging system includes a controller connected to the massaging unit and operable to control operation thereof.  
   
   
       3 . The pillow of  claim 1 , wherein the body includes first and second portions connected to each other along a hinge that permits the first and second portions to pivot relative to each other for converting the pillow between a closed configuration for use between a person's legs and an open configuration for use beneath the person's legs.  
   
   
       4 . The pillow of  claim 3 , wherein the first portion includes the first leg-engaging face and an opposite first back face, and the second portion includes the second leg-engaging face and an opposite second back face, the first and second back faces abutting each other in the closed configuration.  
   
   
       5 . The pillow of  claim 4 , wherein the second portion pivots about the hinge about 180 degrees relative to the first portion when the pillow is converted from the closed configuration to the open configuration.  
   
   
       6 . The pillow of  claim 3 , wherein the massaging unit comprises a first massaging unit disposed inside the first portion and a second massaging unit disposed inside the second portion, each of the massaging units being operable to produce vibrations in the respective portion of the body for transmission to the person's legs.  
   
   
       7 . A pillow for therapeutic use by humans, comprising: 
 a body of resilient material, the body including first and second portions connected to each other along a hinge that permits the first and second portions to pivot relative to each other for converting the pillow between a closed configuration an open configuration, the first portion having a first leg-engaging face and an opposite first back face and the second portion having a second leg-engaging face and an opposite second back face, each of the first and second leg-engaging faces having a concave portion contoured to receive and cradle one of the person's legs when the pillow is in the closed configuration and positioned between the person's legs or when the pillow is in the open configuration and positioned beneath the person's legs.    
   
   
       8 . The pillow of  claim 7 , wherein each of the first and second back faces is substantially planar, the first and second back faces abutting each other in the closed configuration of the pillow.  
   
   
       9 . The pillow of  claim 8 , wherein each of the first and second portions includes sidewalls that are generally orthogonal to the respective one of the first and second back faces.  
   
   
       10 . The pillow of  claim 7 , wherein the second portion pivots about the hinge about 180 degrees relative to the first portion when the pillow is converted from the closed configuration to the open configuration.  
   
   
       11 . The pillow of  claim 7 , wherein the hinge connects an end wall of the first portion to an end wall of the second portion.  
   
   
       12 . The pillow of  claim 11 , wherein the end walls of the first and second portions are substantially planar and are substantially abutting in the open configuration of the pillow.