Comfort pillow

ES 2 344 736 T3

DESCRIPTION

Comfort pillow.

Field of the invention

This invention relates generally to pillows or cushions, and more particularly to a pillow or cushion for therapeutic use.

Background of the invention

The neck of a person lying supine or on their side is often misaligned with the person's spine. This is commonly the case when the person's neck is supported by a pillow or multiple pillows so that the neck is at an angle defined by the deflection height of the pillow (s), and this angle is normally do not coplanar with the spine. The deflection height of the pillow is closely related to its stiffness, which is conventionally provided by padding material disposed within a fabric liner. Conventional filler material can include feathers, cotton, or a synthetic filler.

US 6,182,312 B1 discloses an orthopedic head and neck support pillow comprising a core provided within a layer of foam. US 6,327,725 B1 refers to a pillow comprising a pillow body having an internal cavity in which an inflatable bladder is arranged.

Summary of the invention

According to the present invention, it is suggested to provide a pillow having the features of independent claim 1, as well as a pillow manufacturing method having the features of independent claim 20.

The dependent claims relate to advantageous aspects of the present invention.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a pillow having a viscoelastic cover defining a cavity and a filling material, including granulated memory foam, positioned within the cavity.

The pillow may have outer layers and a filling material consisting of granulated memory foam disposed between the outer layers.

Memory foam reacts to changes in temperature so that body heat shapes the pillow to conform to the curves of the body to provide comfort and support. This allows the shape of the pillow to more precisely follow the contours of the body and to promote better alignment of the neck and spine when a person is supine or on their side.

A liner preferably covers the pillow and conforms to the shape of the pillow. The liner is removable, washable and has a reclosable slot through which the pillow can be inserted or removed. The slot extends through an edge portion of the pillow and is preferably opened and closed by a zipper.

Brief description of the drawings

Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating a pillow embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is an exploded view of the pillow shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of the pillow shown in Figure 1.

Before explaining the embodiments of the invention in detail, it should be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to construction details and component arrangements which are explained in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention allows other embodiments and can be practiced or carried out in various ways. Furthermore, it should be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be construed as limiting.

Detailed description of the preferred embodiment

Figures 1-3 illustrate a pillow 10 of the present invention having a multilayer cover construction. The pillow 10 comprises a filling material 14 disposed between layers of memory foam 18. The layers of memory foam 18 have specific thermal sensitivity properties that make the pillow 10 conform to the shape of a part of the body of a person entering in contact with the pillow 10.

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The memory foam layers 18 have lower stiffness or hardness at elevated temperature compared to stiffness at lower temperature. In contrast, conventional pillow filling materials typically have a constant stiffness with respect to changing temperature. The person's body heat acts to soften the part of the pillow 10 in contact with the body, while the part of the pillow 10 that is not in contact with the body remains firmer. As a result, the pillow 10 represented by the present invention allows greater comfort compared to a conventional pillow by adapting to the body shape of each user.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the filling material 14 is granulated, or crushed, memory foam having a density of approximately 85 kg / m³. However, a suitable density for the memory foam filling material 14 for an average weight pillow 10, for example, may be between about 30 and about 140 kg / m2.³. In addition, a suitable density for memory foam filling material 14 for a lightweight pillow 10, for example, may be less than about 40 kg / m2.³. Also, a suitable density for the memory foam padding material 14 for a heavy weight pillow 10, for example, may be greater than about 130 kg / m2.³. Alternatively, the granulated memory foam used as the filling material 14 can have any density depending on the desired characteristics of the pillow.

10. In addition, a suitable memory foam padding material 14 has a load deflection, or "ILD", of 65% between 100-500 N load, and a maximum recovery of 10% depending on the procedure. test determined by the ASTM-D-1564 standard.

The granular filler material 14 can be made from recycled, virgin, or waste viscoelastic material. The granulated filler material 14 may consist of pieces of a nominal length, or the granulated filler material 14 may consist of pieces of varying lengths. For example, granular filler material 14 may have a nominal length of about 1.3 cm. In addition, the granular filler material 14 can consist of varying lengths of between about 0.6 cm and about 2 cm. The granulated filling material 14 can be as short as 0.3 cm and as long as 4 cm, or the filling material 14 can be any length depending on the desired characteristics of the pillow 10. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the granular filler material 14 is made up of 16-20% having a length greater than 2 cm, 38-42% having a length between 1 and 2 cm and 38- 42% of the pieces smaller than 1 cm. Cost savings and significant waste reduction can be achieved by using recycled or waste fill material 14 instead of virgin fill material 14. The memory foam used as the filling material 14 is manufactured from a polyurethane foam material, however, the filling material 14 can be manufactured from any other viscoelastic polymeric material that exhibits similar thermal sensitivity properties.

The composition of the filling material 14 can be varied to modify the characteristics of the pillow 10 and the cost of the pillow 10. In another embodiment of the present invention, the filling material 14 is a combination of granulated memory foam and a fiber material. . The fiber material can be made from any type of textile material, such as an organic textile material (cotton) or a synthetic textile material, which is often cheaper than memory foam. In one embodiment of the present invention, the fiber material has a density of approximately 1 g / cm³. However, a suitable density for the fiber material for an average weight pillow 10, for example, is 0.1-2 g / cm³. In addition, a suitable density for the fiber material for a lightweight pillow 10, for example, may be less than about 0.3 g / cm³. Also, a suitable density for the fiber material for a heavy weight pillow 10, for example, may be greater than about 1.8 g / cm.³. Alternatively, the fiber material used in combination with the granulated memory foam as the filling material 14 can have any density depending on the desired characteristics of the pillow 10.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the filler material 14 is made up of approximately 50% fiber material, while the remainder of the composition includes the granulated memory foam. However, a suitable range of fiber material in fill material 14 for an average cost pillow 10, for example, may be between about 20% and about 80%. In addition, a suitable range of fiber material in the fill material 14 for a more expensive pillow 10, for example, may be greater than about 30% of the fill material 14. Likewise, a suitable range of fiber material in the Fill material 14 for a more economical pillow 10, for example, may be greater than about 70% of the fill material 14.

In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the filling material 14 is a combination of granulated memory foam and polystyrene balls, which are often less expensive than memory foam. The fill material 14 of this embodiment may also include an organic or synthetic fiber material depending on the desired characteristics of the pillow 10. The polystyrene balls can consist of balls of a nominal diameter, or the polystyrene balls can consist of balls of varying diameters. For example, polystyrene balls can have a nominal diameter of approximately 5mm. Furthermore the polystyrene balls can consist of varying diameters of between about 1mm and about 10mm. The polystyrene balls can also be as small as 0.5mm and as large as 20mm, or the polystyrene balls can be of any length depending on the desired characteristics of the pillow 10.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the filling material 14 is made up of approximately 50% polystyrene balls, while the remainder of the composition includes the granulated memory foam.

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However, a suitable range of polystyrene balls in the fill material 14 for an average cost pillow 10, for example, may be between about 20% and about 80%. In addition, a suitable range of polystyrene balls in fill material 14 for a more expensive pillow 10, for example, may be less than about 30% of fill material 14. Also, a suitable range of polystyrene balls in the fill material 14 for a more economical pillow 10, for example, may be greater than about 70% of the fill material 14.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the filling material 14 may also include granulated highly elastic ("HE") foam in addition to the granulated memory foam. HE foam is often more economical than memory foam, thus achieving a potentially less expensive pillow. The filler material can be comprised of any single filler described above or any combination of the fillers. Alternatively, the filler material 14 may also include any conventional material, such as feathers, granulated cotton, cotton fibers, etc. In one embodiment of the present invention, the fill material 14 includes HE foam having a density of approximately 35 kg / m³. However, a suitable density for HE foam for an average weight pillow 10, for example, can be between about 20 and about 50 kg / m2.³. Also, a suitable density for HE foam for a lightweight pillow 10, for example, may be less than about 25 kg / m³. Also, a suitable density for HE foam for a heavy weight pillow 10, for example, may be greater than about 45 kg / m2.³. Alternatively, the HE foam used in the filling material 14 can have any density depending on the desired characteristics of the pillow 10.

The granulated HE foam can consist of pieces of a nominal length, or the granulated HE foam can consist of pieces of varying lengths. For example, granulated HE foam can have a nominal length of about 1.3 cm. In addition, the granulated HE foam can consist of varying lengths of between about 0.6 cm and about 2 cm. The granulated HE foam can be as short as 0.3 cm and as long as 4 cm, or the granulated HE foam can be any length depending on the desired characteristics of the pillow 10. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the foam Granulated HE is made up of 16-20% having a length greater than 2 cm, 38-42% having a length between 1 and 2 cm and 38-42% of the pieces less than 1 cm.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the filler 14 is made up of approximately 50% granulated HE foam, while the remainder of the composition includes the granulated memory foam. However, a suitable range of HE foam in the filling material 14 for an average cost pillow 10, for example, is 20% -80%. In addition, a suitable range of granulated HE foam in the padding 14 for a more expensive pillow 10, for example, may be less than about 30% of the fill material 14. In addition, a suitable range of granulated HE foam in the Filler material 14 for a more economical pillow 10, for example, may be greater than about 70% of the filler material 14.

As mentioned above, the filling material 14 is disposed between layers of memory foam 18. In one embodiment of the present invention, the layers of memory foam 18 have a density of approximately 85 kg / m³. However, a suitable density for the memory foam layers 18 for an average weight pillow 10, for example, may be between about 30 and about 140 kg / m2.³. In addition, a suitable density for the memory foam layers 18 for a lightweight pillow 10, for example, may be less than about 40 kg / m2.³. Also, a suitable density for the memory foam layers 18 for a heavy weight pillow 10, for example, could be greater than about 130 kg / m2.³. Alternatively, the memory foam layers 18 can have any density depending on the desired characteristics of the pillow 10.

The memory foam layers 18 preferably have a thickness of about 10 mm and have similar thermal sensitivity properties to the granulated memory foam of the filling material 14. Also, a suitable thickness for the memory foam layers 18 for a pillow weight 10 average, for example, can be between about 5mm and 15mm. However, a suitable thickness for the memory foam layers 18 for a lightweight pillow 10, for example, may be less than about 7mm. In addition, a suitable thickness for the memory foam layers 18 for a heavy weight pillow 10, for example, may be greater than about 13mm. The memory foam layers 18 are made from a polyurethane foam material, however, the memory foam layers 18 can be made from any other memory foam polymeric material that exhibits similar thermal sensitivity properties.

The overall stiffness or hardness of the pillow 10 depends on the stiffness of the individual memory foam layers 18 and the padding material 14. Thus, the overall stiffness or hardness of the pillow 10 can be affected by varying the stiffness of the pads. individual memory foam layers 18 and / or the padding material 14.

As shown in Figures 1-3, layers of reinforcing fabric 22 are positioned on the outside of the memory foam layers 18. The reinforcing fabric 22 acts as an anchor for seam 26 that secures the layers of fabric from each other. reinforcement 22 and memory foam layers 18. Without the reinforcing fabric layers 22, the memory foam layers 18, which are less durable than the reinforcing fabric layers 22, would have to directly anchor the seam 26 so that the padding material 14 is fixed between the layers of memory foam 18. In a pillow of this construction (not shown), the layers of memory foam 18 would probably tear close to

ES 2 344 736 T3 seam 26 as a result of normal use of the pillow. Also, if the memory foam layers 18 were to tear, then the padding material 14 would leak out. Thus, the reinforcing fabric layers 22 provide a measure of durability to the pillow 10. The reinforcing fabric 22 is preferably manufactured from a durable material, such as a polyester / cotton blend.

A liner 30 surrounds and covers the pillow 10 and conforms to the shape of the pillow 10. The liner 30 is preferably manufactured from a durable and washable fabric material, such as a polyester / cotton blend. As shown in Figure 1, a slot 34 extends through the liner 30 along the edge of the liner. Pillow 10 can be inserted into liner 30 through slot 34. Pillow 10 can also be removed from liner 30 through slot 34 to facilitate cleaning of liner 30. Slot 34 can be reclosed to close liner 30 around pillow 10 and to open liner 30 to remove pillow 10. A closure device is used to open and close the slot 34. In the preferred embodiment, the closure device is a zipper 38, although the closure device may also comprise snaps, buttons, hook and loop closures, overlapping flaps, laces, or other similar closures.

During manufacture, the memory foam layers 18 are stitched together with the reinforcing fabric layers 22 to form an open ended sheath or liner, wherein the memory foam layers 18 comprise the inner liner layers and the layers of reinforcing fabric 22 comprise the outer layers of the covering. The filler material 14 is then inserted through the open end of the liner until the desired amount of filler material 14 is reached within the liner. The open end is then sewn closed, thereby enclosing the padding material 14 within the liner and defining a pillow 10. The pillow 10 is then inserted into the liner 30 and the liner 30 closed by the zipper 38.