PILLOW WITH INTERIOR VOLUMES DEFINED BY MULTIPLE FABRIC PORTIONS

Abstract

The pillow includes first and second substantially identical fabric outer layers which are secured together around the peripheries thereof. First, second and third fabric sections are positioned between the outer layers, wherein the first and third fabric sections are secured along one of their longitudinal edges, respectively, to the opposing longitudinal edges of the outer layers. The second fabric section is secured to the first fabric section along two lines of securement defining a first interior volume and also along two other lines of securement to the third fabric section defining a second interior volume. The lines of securement are spaced inwardly of the pillow from the longitudinal edges of the outer layers.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A continuing concern relative to pillows, particularly pillows with loose filling such as feathers and/or down, is to maintain the filling from shifting significantly during use, while at the same time the pillow has a volume of fill is sufficient to provide comfort as well as desired support for the user. Various known pillow constructions address this concern. One example is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,557,816, which is owned by the assignee of the present invention. While the particular structure disclosed therein, as well as other, similar pillow constructions, have certain advantages, and while some pillows may provide better results than others relative to the above concerns, there remains room for improvement to achieve a pillow which is effective in preventing significant shifting of the filling during use, while at the same time providing good support and comfort for the user, and in addition is competitively priced.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, an embodiment of the present invention is a pillow, comprising: first and second substantially identical outer layers secured around the peripheries thereof; first, second and third fabric sections, positioned between the first and second outer layers, wherein one longitudinal edge of the first and third fabric sections, respectively, are secured, respectively, to opposing longitudinal edges or longitudinal edge gussets of the first and second outer layers, wherein the second fabric section is secured to the first and third fabric sections without contacting the outer layers along spaced lines of securement, to define two interior volumes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the internal structure of the pillow.

FIG. 2 is a similar perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a similar perspective view of another embodiment of the invention.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of pillow 10 of the present invention. It includes two identical outer layers 12 and 14, secured together around their respective peripheries. There could also be a gusset member between the two outer layers at the peripheries thereof, either for all edges or just the longitudinal edges. The gusset could vary in height, for instance from ½-2 inches. Outer layers 12 and 14 can be made of conventional pillow fabric such as cotton or polyester. The pillow 10 includes opposing longitudinal edges 16 and 18 and opposing end edges 20 (when closed) and 22.

Positioned interiorly of the pillow between outer layers 12 and 14 are three fabric sections 26, 27, 28 which are sewn together in a particular arrangement. Fabric sections 26-28 have approximately the same longitudinal dimension as the outer layers, but are not as wide as the outer layers. In a typical arrangement, fabric sections 26-28 are approximately one-half the width of the outer layers, although this can be varied; for instance, sections 26 and 28 can be 20%-55% of the width of the outer layers, with layer 27 being ⅔-¾ of the width of the outer layers. The fabric sections 26-28 are also made from a typical pillow material such as cotton or polyester. The fabric sections are sewn together in a selected pattern to produce two internal volumes 32 and 34.

First fabric section 26 is secured along one longitudinal edge 36 to one joint longitudinal edge 16 of the outer layers 12 and 14. First fabric section 26 is then sewn along its length to a first longitudinal edge 37 of second fabric section 27. The line of stitching at longitudinal edge 37 of the second fabric section is at a line from edge 36 which is less (typically considerably less) than one-half the width of the first fabric section.

The other longitudinal edge of the first fabric section is sewn to the second fabric section along a line of stitching 46. The sewing lines at 37 and 46 define the first internal volume 32. Internal volume 32 is formed by a first portion 48 of the first fabric section positioned above a first portion 50 of the second fabric section.

The third fabric section 28 is secured along one longitudinal edge to joint longitudinal edge 18 of the outer layers 12 and 14. The other longitudinal edge of the second fabric section is secured to the third fabric section along a line of stitching 56 which is a distance from longitudinal edge 18. The other longitudinal edge of the third fabric section is secured to the second fabric section along a line of stitching 62. Portion 63 of the second fabric section is positioned above portion 64 of the third fabric section between the lines of stitching 56 and 62 to define the second internal volume 34.

The lines of stitching 37 and 56 are close but still separated from joint longitudinal edges 16 and 18, respectively. The distance will vary but typically will be within a range of ½-3 inches. Lines of stitching 46 and 62 can in one arrangement be coincident (one line), or they can be separated by a distance, such as within the range of less than 11 inches.

The embodiment of FIG. 1 thus provides two interior volumes created by the three separate fabric sections. This arrangement provides good support while at the same time is effective in preventing migration of fill during use. Loose fill is placed into the pillow into the two interior volumes 32 and 34 as well as the volumes between the respective outer layers 12 and 14 and the three internal fabric sections 26-28. The loose fill can be either polyester, feathers, down or a combination thereof. Further, the filling in the two interior volumes can be different than in the volumes between the outer layers and the three fabric sections, both in weight and kind. The preferred arrangement, however, is down in the volumes, typically in equal weight, between the outer layers and the internal fabric sections, for softness, and feathers or polyester within the internal volumes, typically in equal weight, for a denser center.

FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of the pillow 70 of the present invention. It includes two identical outer layers 71 and 72, similar to the outer layers 12 and 14 of the previous embodiment. Positioned interiorly of the pillow are two fabric sections 74 and 76. Each fabric section 74 and 76 has the approximately the same longitudinal dimension as the outer layers 70 and 72 but are narrower than the outer layers. In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the width of fabric sections 74 and 76 is approximately ¾ the width of outer layers 70 and 72 although this can be varied, e.g. within a range of ⅔-⅞, such as a range of 13-19 inches when the width of the pillow is 20 inches, which is a conventional width.

In this embodiment, fabric sections 74 and 76 overlap and are sewn together along two lines of stitching 78 and 80, which define interior volume 82. In the embodiment shown, one longitudinal edge of the first fabric section is sewn to joint longitudinal edge 86 of the outer layers, while the other longitudinal edge of the first fabric section is sewn to the second fabric section, along line of stitching 80. Conversely, one longitudinal edge of the second fabric section is sewn to the other joint longitudinal edge 88 of the outer layers 70 and 72. The other longitudinal edge of the second fabric section is sewn to the first fabric section along a line of stitching 78.

The lines of stitching 78 and 80 are positioned inwardly from the longitudinal edges 86 and 88 of the pillow. The distance between the lines of stitching 78 and 80 in the embodiment shown preferably is approximately one-half of the distance between the longitudinal edges of the outer layers. Portion 90 of the first fabric section and portion 92 of the second fabric section between the lines of stitching 78 and 80 are approximately 1.5 times the straight line distance between the lines of stitching 78 and 80, after the pillow has been filled.

As with the other embodiment, loose fill is inserted into interior volume 82, as well as the volumes between the outer layers 71 and 72, respectively, and the fabric sections 74 and 76. This loose filling can be polyester material, feathers, down or combinations thereof. Different weights of filling can also be used in the different volumes. Preferably, the filling arrangement is down in the outer volumes and feathers or polyester in the interior volume.

FIG. 3 is an alternative embodiment to that of FIG. 1. It includes two identical outer layers 100 and 102 secured around their respective peripheries. Positioned interiorly of the pillow, between the outer layers 100 and 102, are three separate fabric sections 104, 105 and 106, which are arranged and sewn together as follows. Fabric sections 104-106 have approximately the same longitudinal dimension as the outer layers 100 and 102, but are not as wide as the outer layers. In a typical arrangement, fabric sections 104 and 106 are substantially identical and approximately one-half of the width of the outer layers, although this can be varied. Fabric sections 104 and 106 are secured along one of their longitudinal edges, respectively, to opposing longitudinal edges 112, 118 of outer layers 102 and 100. The opposing ends of fabric sections 104, 105 and 106 are sewn to the opposing ends of the under layers 100 and 102 in the completed pillow, like the pillows in the embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 2.

The other fabric section 105 extends between and is sewn to fabric sections 104 and 106. One longitudinal edge of fabric section 105 is sewn to fabric section 104 along a line of stitching 110 which is close to but apart from one longitudinal edge 112 of the pillow. The inner longitudinal edge of the first fabric section 104 is sewn to fabric section 105 along a line of stitching 114. The other longitudinal edge of fabric section 105 is sewn to fabric section 106 along a line of stitching 116, which is close to but apart from the other longitudinal edge 118 of the pillow.

In the embodiment shown, the lines of stitching 110 and 116 are separated from the longitudinal edges 112, 118 of the pillow. This distance can vary, but will typically be in the range of ½-3 inches. The inner longitudinal edge of layer 106 is secured to fabric section 105 along a line of stitching 120. This arrangement results in two spaced separate volumes 122 and 124. The lines of stitching 114 and 120 could also be a single line of stitching so that the two interior volumes substantially abut each other. The filling in the interior volumes 122 and 124 and in the volumes between the fabric sections and the outer layers is identical to that described above with respect to the embodiment of FIG. 1.

Accordingly, a new pillow configuration has been disclosed, in two different embodiments, both of which include a plurality of fabric sections within the interior of the pillow to define one or more interior volumes. These arrangements have the advantages of comfort and support, while tending to prevent migration of loose filling during use of the pillow. The fabric sections will typically extend for the length of the pillow.

Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed here for the purposes of illustration, it should be understood that various changes, modifications and substitutions may be incorporated in the embodiment without departing from the spirit of the invention, which is defined by the claims which follow.

Claims

1. A pillow, comprising: first and second substantially identical outer layers secured around the peripheries thereof;first, second and third fabric sections, positioned between the first and second outer layers, wherein one longitudinal edge of the first and third fabric sections, respectively, are secured, respectively, to opposing longitudinal edges or longitudinal edge gussets of the first and second outer layers, wherein the second fabric section is secured to the first and third fabric sections, without contacting the outer layers, along spaced lines of securement, to define two interior volumes.

2. The pillow of claim 1, wherein the lines of securement between the first and second fabric sections and between the third and second fabric sections are positioned inwardly from the longitudinal edges of the outer layers.

3. The pillow of claim 2, wherein one line of securement secures the first fabric section to the second fabric section and the third fabric section to the second fabric section, such that the two interior volumes abut each other.

4. The pillow of claim 2, wherein two lines of securement secure the first fabric section to the second fabric section and two other lines of securement secure the third fabric section to the second fabric section, located such that the two interior volumes are separated from each other a selected distance.

5. The pillow of claim 4, wherein the second fabric section forms the lower fabric part of the first interior volume and the upper fabric part of the second interior volume.

6. The pillow of claim 4, wherein the second fabric section forms the lower fabric part of both the first and second interior volumes.

7. The pillow of claim 1, wherein the two interior volumes and the volumes between the outer layers and the fabric sections are filled with loose filling.

8. The pillow of claim 7, wherein the loose filling is feathers and/or down.

9. The pillow of claim 7, wherein the loose filling in the interior volumes is feathers or polyester and the loose filling in volumes between the outer layers and the fabric sections is down.

10. (canceled)

11. (canceled)

12. (canceled)