The present invention relates to a sleeping posture device that forces a person using it to sleep into a specific sleeping position.

More particular the present invention relates to a sleeping posture device comprising:

- a first ball part having a first circumferential edge,

- a second ball part having a second circumferential edge, and

- an assembling means for assembling the first ball part and the second ball part so that the first circumferential edge faces the second circumferential edge.

Sleep apnea is of great discomfort to individuals suffering thereof, and snoring is of great discomfort to persons sleeping next to the snoring individual.

Sleep apnea is a condition marked by abnormal breathing during sleep. People with sleep apnea have multiple extended pauses in breath for up to a minute at a time when they sleep. These temporary breathing lapses or disrupted breathing in which respiration becomes labored or even stops cause lower-quality sleep and affect the body's supply of oxygen, leading to potentially serious health consequences. Excessive daytime sleepiness, morning headaches, irritability and limited attention span or difficulty thinking clearly are other symptoms.

There are three main kinds of sleep apnea: Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), Central sleep apnea (CSA), or combinations of those. Most of the known treatments requires medical interaction by physician or other medical advisor, and are expensive and inconvenient in use. Such a common treatment is nightly use of a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or bi-level positive airway pressure (BiPAP) machine. These devices push air through a mask and into the airway to keep it open during sleep. Other treatments that can resolve some cases of sleep apnea, in particular OSA, include lifestyle changes, such as losing weight and reducing use of sedatives, and alcohol.

Often individuals suffering from sleep apnea and snoring have particular serious symptoms when sleeping on the back. This sleeping position makes it easier for tissue to collapse around the airway and cause blockages of the respiratory airways. The simple solution to reduce sleep apnea and snoring is to keep sleeping on the side instead of on the back. The huge problem is however to stay sleeping on the side for longer periods.

The prior art proposes several devices to help people getting a good nights sleep by staying sleeping on the side.

The simplest device suggested by hospital staff is to make a patch pocket on the back of the individual's nightwear and place a tennis ball or hockey ball in the patch pocket, or stitch the hockey ball to the nightwear. The patch pocket may subsequently be closed by stitches or have a Velcro closure. These known remedies suffer from multiple disadvantages including, but not limited to, the fact that alterations of or on expensive nightwear may be undesirable. The fabric becomes fragile at the stitches, the patch pocket looks ugly, and last but not least patch pockets or stitches must be made on all nightwear and the ball removed every time the altered nightwear is washed. This is particular difficult if the patch pocket is closed by stitches or the hockey ball is sewn to the nightwear. The stitches must be undone, and the ball taken out of the patch pocket every time the nightwear is to be washed. Then the ball insertion procedure or re-stitching must be repeated once the nightwear is dry again. If the patch pocket is not closed the ball may get out of the pocket during sleep. Velcro tends to stick to everything which is impractical and awkward. Also a source of irritation, in case a patch pocket is created on the back of the nightwear this patch pocket defines the final position of the ball, and changing this position requires another or further patch pocket. Finding the best ball position may be laborious, and the best ball position may change over time. One solution is thus to make plural patch pockets at different positions. Another solution is to move the patch pocket around until a good compromise position is found thereby subjecting the nightwear to a lot of undoing and redoing of stitches at the risk of tearing, perforating and otherwise damaging the nightwear.

An alternative device is the iSleepFit Posture Belt known from US patent application. No. US 2016/038333. The iSleepFit Posture Belt is composed of one or more movement limiting nodes threaded moveable on a belt. The belt with the nodes is extended about the waist, abdomen and/or mid-section of a user and fastened using a latching mechanism at opposite free ends of said belt. The nodes act as bumpers precluding undesirable rolling over or movement by causing gentle discomfort that guides the user into the intended sleeping position. The nodes have an inward node part with a flat skin-facing inward node surface and an outward node part with a free hemispherical outward facing node surface. The belt is passed between said opposite adjacent node surfaces and the node parts then hold the node position on the belt. The node positions can be manually altered through imparting a force upon the node. Some users report that they do not benefit from using this known device and end up sleeping on the balls, and waking up with a back ache. A further huge problem with the iSleepFit Posture Belt is that the nodes are difficult to assemble and get apart in the night during sleep due to the passing of the belt at the joint between the slidable node parts. The Calma Magnetic Ball for Side Sleep Posture is composed of two magnetic ball parts that the user clips on the nightwear, one soft high density foam ball half on the inside and one hard ball half on the outside. Opposite attracting magnetic parts are glued to the soft ball part and the hard ball part to make said ball parts to hold magnetically together around the fabric of the nightwear. During the stresses imparted to the ball parts when the user moves during sleep, the magnetic attraction holding the ball parts together around the fabric tends to disrupt whereby the ball parts get off the fabric. Another complaint by users is that the glue cannot adhere the magnetic part reliable to the ball parts. The users experience detachment of magnetic parts with only the magnetic parts on the nightwear and the released ball parts spread in the bed. The Calma Magnetic Ball is not a reliable means to force users to stay in the side sleep position, and due to the magnets it is heavy and therefor not comfortable to wear.

There is a need within the field of healthcare and of personal comfort for an improved device without the known disadvantages.

It is a main aspect of the present invention to provide a sleeping posture device of the kind mentioned in the opening paragraph that does not get apart, break, detach or move around in relation to its mounting position during sleep.

It is a further aspect of the present invention to provide a sleeping posture device of the kind mentioned in the opening paragraph that can be worn without having to alter nightwear.

It is a further aspect of the present invention to provide a sleeping posture device of the kind mentioned in the opening paragraph that has a safe and reliable attachment to the nightwear without stitching and Velcroing. It is a further aspect of the present invention to provide a sleeping posture device of the kind mentioned in the opening paragraph that can be mounted to the user's nightwear in any desired position.

It is a further aspect of the present invention to provide a sleeping posture device of the kind mentioned in the opening paragraph that is lightweight.

It is a further aspect of the present invention to provide a sleeping posture device of the kind mentioned in the opening paragraph that can be used even when the user is not wearing nightwear.

The novel and unique features whereby these and other aspects are achieved according to the present invention consist in that the assembling means comprises a first assembling component fitted on or integral with the first ball part and having a male coupling means with an external threading, and a second assembling component fitted on or integral with the second ball part and having a female coupling means with an internal threading for screwing together with the male coupling means.

The female coupling means with the internal threading and the male coupling means with the external threading for screwing into the female coupling means constitute a screw joint that provides for adjustable selective distance between the first ball part and the second ball part in the assembled position of said ball parts. Thereby a fabric, e.g. a piece of the fabric of the nightwear, can be arranged between said ball parts, and the ball parts be screwed firmly together around the fabric to achieve a dependable and safe securing of the wedged fabric to the sleeping posture device. Due to the screw joint the thickness of the fabric is not critical. The fabric is squeezed firmly between the ball parts to make the sleeping posture device stay locked to the fabric. Irrespective of the user moving around in the bed during sleep the sleeping posture device stays put and follows the user's movement and provides the gentle discomfort that guides the user into the optimum sleeping position and keeps the user in this sleeping position.

The priority position of the sleeping posture device of the present invention is for most users in need of sleeping on the side, to prevent snoring and disrupted sleeping, on the back of the nightwear, but the sleeping posture device is easily moved to any desired selected exposed position on the user's nightwear. It can even be repositioned by another person during sleep of the user, if said person observes that the use position of the sleeping posture device can be improved. This is possible because the ball parts of the sleeping posture device are not arranged on opposite sides of the nightwear, nor is the direction of movement for re-positioning restricted to be along a belt.

The first assembling component may comprise a socket member, which socket member may comprise a first head with a first head perimeter, a first face facing the second ball, and an opposite second face, a plurality of first coupling legs protrudes from the second face of the first head and extending axially towards the first ball part, the male coupling means protrudes from the first face of the first head, which male coupling means is in form of an externally threaded plug which extends axially in the opposite direction of the first coupling legs and is at a first distance from the first head perimeter, a free first fabric securing area is defined on the first face around the externally threaded plug, and the externally threaded plug has a length selected to be accommodated at least partly inside the second ball part. The free first fabric securing area may serve for holding onto the fabric when the first ball part and the second ball part are screwed together with the fabric wedged between said fabric securing areas.

In one embodiment the first assembling component and the first ball part are detachable from each other. In another embodiment the first assembling component and the first ball part are integral with each other and a single unit.

The externally threaded plug can be accommodated in full inside the second ball part. Preferably the externally threaded plug is arranged coaxial with the first head. If the first head perimeter is substantially in the same plane as the first circumferential edge of the first ball part the first assembling component can be nested inside the first ball part and substantially flush with the first circumferential edge. If instead the first head perimeter is larger, such as slightly larger or equal to the first circumferential edge, or has a different outline, the first head can rest on said first circumferential edge.

The plurality of first coupling legs may be distributed along the first head perimeter or be retracted therefrom towards the central axis of the sleeping posture device, depending on the size of the first head, in order to couple the first assembling means firmly but detachable to the first ball part. The space between the first ball part and the first assembling component may be filled with anything the user likes, but preferably it is empty, so that the sleeping posture device is at light as possible, thereby becoming the least noticeable during sleep but still an obstruction from turning on to the back.

If however it helps the user to feel a little more weight of the sleeping posture device he/she can simply place a selected weight into said space. LEDs can also be added to allow the person sleeping next to the user to keep an eye on the position.

In an alternative embodiment the first assembling component is made integral with the first ball part and cannot be detached therefrom.

The second assembling component may comprise a sleeve member, which sleeve member may comprise

- a second head with a second head perimeter, a first face facing the first ball, and an opposite second face,

- a plurality of second coupling legs protruding from the second face of the second head and extending axially towards the second ball part,

- a female coupling means protruding from the second face of the second head, which female coupling means is in form of an internally threaded sleeve which extends axially in the same direction as the second coupling legs and is at a second distance from the second head perimeter,

- the first face of the second head provides a free second fabric securing area, and

- the internally threaded sleeve has a length sufficient to screwingly receive the externally threaded plug of the socket member.

Preferably the internally threaded sleeve can be accommodated in full inside the second ball part. It is further preferred that the first ball part and the second ball part are identical. The advantages of the second assembling component are the same as for the first assembling component, and all advantages will not be repeated again below.

The free second fabric securing area is free for holding onto the fabric opposite the free first fabric securing area when the first ball part and the second ball part are screwed together with the fabric wedged between said opposite fabric securing areas. Preferably the internally threaded sleeve is arranged coaxial with the second head.

If the second head perimeter is substantially in the same plane as the second circumferential edge of the second ball part the second assembling component can be nested inside the second ball part and substantially flush with the second circumferential edge. If instead the second head perimeter is larger, such as slightly larger or equal to the second circumferential edge, or has a different outline, the second head can rest on the second circumferential edge.

The first head and the second head may have same or different area and outline.

The plurality of first coupling legs may be distributed along the first head perimeter or be retracted therefrom towards the central axis depending on the size of the first head, and/or the plurality of second coupling legs may be distributed along the second head perimeter or be retracted therefrom towards the central axis depending on the size of the second head.

In order to secure the first assembling component to the first ball part a plurality of spaced apart first coupling grooves or first coupling openings may be disposed retracted from the first circumferential edge for engaging the plurality of first coupling legs. Similarly, in order to secure the second assembling component to the second ball part a plurality of spaced apart second coupling grooves or second coupling openings may be disposed retracted from the second circumferential edge for engaging the plurality of second coupling legs.

Preferably the first assembling component and the first ball part are detachable from each other, but in an alternative embodiment the second assembling component is made integral with the second ball part and cannot be detached therefrom, thus a single unit.

Optionally the plurality of first coupling legs and/or the plurality of second coupling legs are flexible to an extent that allows a coupling leg to yield towards the central axis of the respective ball part to snap into a respective coupling groove or coupling opening to lock said coupling leg into said coupling groove or coupling opening.

Once a coupling leg is secured into a coupling groove or coupling opening the coupling leg may in some embodiments be able to flex or displace slightly parallel to the central axis of a ball part, e.g. when said ball part is subjected to external forces, such as compression forces when the user accidentally turns on the back. Such an advantageous ability of a ball part to move slightly axially makes the sleeping posture device durable and less vulnerable to rupture in use.

The mutual axial position between said opposite fabric wedging fabric securing areas is chosen and adjusted in response to proactively screwing on the first ball part and/or the second ball part. The fact that the coupling legs in some embodiments may be able to move slightly axially in the respective coupling groove or coupling opening has no effect on the securing of the wedged fabric between the opposite fabric securing areas since the distance between the opposite fabric securing areas are determined by the screw joint of the externally threaded plug and the externally threaded plug.

To further ensure that the opposite fabric securing areas can hold firmly onto to the fabric the first head and/or the second head may have antiskid means on the respective fabric securing areas. The antiskid means may be any kind of texturing, contour or profile, e.g. be various patterns of elevated areas, such as concentric raised rings or a plurality of raised dots provided on the respective opposite first faces of the respective heads. The first antiskid means and the second antiskid means may be configured complementary to each other, which is especially advantageous when the sleeping posture device is used on thin smooth fabrics, such as satin and silk. Such fabrics may be able to conform to the landscape in the space between the respective opposite first faces to thereby better secure the smooth fabric to the sleeping postured device.

Preferably the first antiskid means can be first concentric raised rings delimiting first concentric valleys between said first concentric raised rings, and the second antiskid means can be second concentric raised rings delimiting second concentric valleys between said second concentric raised rings. When the first concentric raised rings and the first concentric valleys are radially offset the opposite second concentric raised rings and second concentric valleys are positioned axially above each other. In this configuration a second concentric raised ring can be more or less accommodated inside a complementary first concentric valley and a first concentric raised ring can be accommodated more or less inside a complementary second concentric valley in the assembled position of the sleeping posture device to obtain the best possible guarantee that the fabric does not slip between the opposite first surfaces of the opposite ball parts.

In the context of the present invention the term "antiskid" is to be understood as the corresponding surface is designed to increase friction, to thereby reduce the possibility of skidding and slipping of the fabric between the opposite first faces.

The sleeping posture device may comprise one or more of the features that the first head perimeter may be substantially similar to the first circumferential edge of the first ball part, the second head perimeter may be substantially similar to the second circumferential edge of the second ball part, and the first circumferential edge may be substantially similar to the second circumferential edge.

These features provide a sleeping posture device with a perfect appearance without protruding edges.

In an expedient embodiment of a sleeping posture device according to the present invention the first ball part and the second ball part may be substantially hemispherical, more preferred be hemispherical. The respective first ball part and the respective second ball part may be configured as respective first and second substantially hemispherical shell walls, preferably configured as first and second hemispherical shell walls, preferably thin shell walls to minimize weight, and thereby providing the required optimum space for at least the sleeve member that faces inside the cavity of the second shell part. Once said shell parts are screwed together by means of the first assembling means and the second assembling means the externally threaded plug extends inside the internally threaded sleeve. Thus in the assembled position of the opposite first and second ball parts the externally threaded plug also extends inside the cavity of the second shell part.

One or both of the respective first and second hemispherical shell walls may have a plurality of respective first and second through-openings, wherein said respective first and second through-openings may be identical or different, or be combinations thereof. Said first and second through-openings contribute to the sleeping posture device being lightweight and may also confer a level of resiliency to the shell walls that adds to the comfort of the user during sleep. The first and second through-openings may have any outline, such as simple geometrical shapes, or have suggestive shapes, such as a heart- shape. At least one of the first ball part or second ball part may have two spaced apart slots for facilitating passage of a strap or belt thereby enabling a user not usually wearing nightwear or users refraining from wearing nightwear during hot nights to also use the sleeping posture device of the present invention. In this embodiment of the invention the sleeping posture device is worn as the iSleepFit device, but the huge difference is that the strap or belt is not provided at the joint between the first and second ball parts, thus the belt does not pass between the fabric securing areas but is arranged off-center so that the distance from skin to belt or strap at the sleeping posture device is as low as possible. So preferably the two spaced apart slots are provided at the respective summit of the respective ball part whereby the belt can get close to the users body leaving only a minimum of space for the sleeping posture device and/or the strap or belt to entangle with other components present in the bed, thereby making the device more comfortable to wear in contact with the skin.

The present invention further relates to a method of using the sleeping posture device discussed above. The method comprises the steps of providing the sleeping posture device, arranging a selected piece of fabric between the first ball part and the second ball part, and actuating the assembling means to screw the male coupling means into the female coupling means to clamp tightly around the selected piece of fabric.

The invention will now be described in further details with references to the drawing in which

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a sleeping posture device of the present invention in assembled state in a non-use position, Fig. 2 is an exploded side view of the same,

Fig. 3 is a perspective oblique view of the second assembling component seen from the second face,

Fig. 4 is a top view that shows the same seen from the first coupling means and the first face,

Fig. 5 is a perspective view inside a ball part,

Fig. 6 shows the sleeping posture device of fig. 1 seen from its summit,

Fig. 7 is a perspective oblique view of the first assembling component seen from the first face,

Fig. 8 is a top view that shows the same seen from the second coupling means,

Fig. 9 shows a short length of a belt provided with the sleeping posture device,

Fig. 10 shows the sleeping posture device mounted on the back of a T-shirt, and

Fig. 11 is a sectional view taken at the axial diameter of a modified sleeping posture device.

In the exemplary embodiment shown in the figures the second ball part is identical to the first ball part, but this is not mandatory and should not be construed as limiting the intended scope of the claimed invention. Ball parts having different shapes are also contemplated. The first and second assembling components are in the exemplary embodiments shown as separate parts, but can also be integral with a ball part, e.g. using injection molding, a process also useful for individually manufacturing any of the ball parts and separate assembling components.

As seen in the perspective top view of fig. 1 and in the exploded side view of fig. 2 a sleeping posture device 1 has a first ball part 2, a second ball part 3, a first assembling component 4 and a second assembling component 5. The first ball part 2 and the second ball part 3 can be releasable joined by means of said respective assembling components 4,5. A release joining is however not mandatory.

The first assembling component 4, which is also shown in various orientations in figs. 7 and 8, is composed of a first head 6 having a first face 6a and an opposite second face 6b. A male coupling means in form of a socket member 7 protrudes from the first face 6a. The first head 6 has a first head perimeter 8. A plurality of first coupling legs 9 that protrudes from the second face 6b are distributed spaced apart along the first head perimeter 8, optionally slightly retracted from the first head perimeter 8. The plurality of first coupling legs 9 extends axially, parallel to the central axis A of the sleeping posture device 1 towards the first ball part 2. The socket member 7 is configured as an externally threaded plug 10 which is arranged coaxial with the first head 6 and extends axially in the opposite direction of the plurality of first coupling legs 9. The first face 6a, which provides a free first fabric securing area 11, has first antiskid means 11a in form of alternating annular first concentric raised rings lib and first concentric valleys 11c surrounding the externally threaded plug 10.

The first ball part 2, which is configured similarly as the second ball part 3, is shown in fig. 5. Preferably the ball parts 2,3 are identical. The first ball part 2 is defined by a thin first hemispherical shell wall 12 that has a free first circumferential edge 13. A plurality of spaced apart first coupling grooves or first coupling openings 14 is disposed retracted axially from the first circumferential edge 13 for engaging the plurality of flexible first coupling legs 9. To that aspect a first coupling leg 9 has a first hook 15 facing away from the central axis A to hook, such as snap-click, into a first coupling groove or first coupling opening 14. The first hemispherical shell wall 12 further has a plurality of spaced apart first through-openings 16 that makes the first ball part 2 very lightweight. Two opposite first slots 17 are provided at the first summit 18 of the first ball part 2 for passage of a belt 33 as shown in fig. 9.

The second ball part 3 is defined by a thin second hemispherical shell wall 19 that has a free second circumferential edge 20. A plurality of spaced apart second coupling grooves or second coupling openings 21 are disposed retracted from the second circumferential edge 20 for engaging a plurality of flexible second coupling legs 22 on the second assembling component 5. To that aspect a second coupling leg 22 has a second hook 23 facing away from the central axis A to hook, such as snap-click, into a second coupling groove or second coupling opening 21. The second hemispherical shell wall 19 further has a plurality spaced apart second through-openings 24 that makes the second ball part 3 very lightweight. Two opposite second slots 25 are provided at the second summit 26 of the second ball part 3 for passage of a belt 33 as shown in fig. 9.

The second assembling component 5 is composed of a second head 27 having a first face 27a, an opposite second face 27b, and a female coupling means in form of a sleeve member 28. The second head 27 has a second head perimeter 29, and the plurality of second coupling legs 22 are distributed spaced apart along the second head perimeter 29. The plurality of second coupling legs 22 extends from the second face 27b axially and parallel to the central axis A of the sleeping posture device 1 towards the second ball part 3. The sleeve member 28 is configured as an internally threaded sleeve 30, which is arranged coaxial with the second head 27 and extends from the first face 27b axially in the same direction as the plurality of second coupling legs 22. The second face 27b, which provides a free second fabric securing area 31, has second antiskid means 32 in form of alternating annular second concentric raised rings 32a and second concentric valleys 32b surrounding the sleeve member 28.

Fig. 9 shows a belt 33 or band provided with the sleeping posture device 1 through the first slots 17. In fig. 10 the sleeping posture device 1 is mounted on the back of a T-shirt 34 on a user 35.

The modified sleeping posture device 36 seen in the sectional view of fig. 11 corresponds substantially to the sleeping posture device 1 previously described, and for like parts same reference numerals are used.

The modified sleeping posture device 36 differs especially in that the antiskid means is located closer to the respective head perimeters 8;29 to thereby increase the engagement ability between the free first fabric securing area 11 and the free second fabric securing area 31, - thus between the first antiskid means 37 and the second antiskid means 38.

The first antiskid means 37 are first concentric raised rings 37a delimiting first concentric valleys 37b between said first concentric raised rings 37b. The second antiskid means 38 are second concentric raised rings 38a delimiting second concentric valleys 38b between said second concentric raised rings 38a. The first concentric raised rings 37a and first concentric valleys 37b are radially offset the second concentric raised rings 38a and second concentric valleys 38b whereby a first concentric raised ring 37a is positioned to be accommodated inside a complementary second concentric valley 38b in the assembled position of the sleeping posture device 36, and a second concentric raised ring 38a is positioned to be accommodated inside a complementary first concentric valley 37b in said assembled position of the sleeping posture device 36. Thereby the first antiskid means 37 and the second antiskid means 38 can be screwed tight and matingly together to grasp and firmly hold onto the fabric squeezed and/or wedged between the mating antiskid means 37,38. Similar offset arrangement of raised rings and valleys on opposite first surfaces 7a,27a may be also provided on the previously described embodiment of a sleeping posture device 1.

Emphasize is made that the sleeping posture device 1;36 of the present invention can be placed at any desired location on the clothes, including but not limited to the back of the nightwear, such as the back of a T-shirt, the lining of the trousers, or at a bra.