PILLOW

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates generally to pillows. More specifically, this disclosure relates to pillows that cradle an individual's head. This disclosure also relates to pillows that facilitate the flow of heat away from an individual's head and, thus, may provide a cooling effect. A pillow of this disclosure may include a foam cushion with vents extending through a thickness of the foam cushion to cradle an individual's head and/or to facilitate the flow of heat away from an individual's head. Methods of designing, manufacturing, and using pillows that cradle an individual's head and/or facilitate the flow of heat away from an individual's head are also within the scope of this disclosure.

SUMMARY

A pillow that facilitates the flow of heat away from an individual's head may include a foam cushion and vents extending through a thickness of the foam cushion. Optionally, a cushioning grid may be provided on a top surface of the foam cushion. As another option, the pillow may include one or more removable boosters that may alter a height, or thickness, of the pillow. The pillow may also include a cover. The cover of a pillow with one or more removable boosters may secures each booster in place relative to the foam cushion.

The foam cushion may be formed from any foam suitable for use as a pillow. As an example, the foam cushion may comprise a slow rebound foam (e.g., a slow rebound microcellular polyurethane foam, or a so-called “memory foam,” etc.). Other suitable materials may also be used, including, but not limited to latex foams (e.g., Talalay latex foam, Dunlop latex foam, etc.), polyurethane foams, and the like.

The foam cushion of the pillow includes a top surface and a bottom surface. An outer periphery of the foam cushion extends between outer edges of the top surface and outer edges of the bottom surface. Peripheral regions of the top surface and bottom surface are located adjacent to the outer edges of the top surface and bottom surface, respectively. Thus, peripheral regions of the foam cushion are located adjacent to the outer periphery. The peripheral regions of the top surface and bottom surface surround central regions of the top surface and bottom surface, respectively. Thus, a central region of the foam cushion is located between the central regions of the top surface and bottom surface.

The bottom surface of the foam cushion may be substantially flat. The top surface may also be substantially flat. In embodiments where the top surface and bottom surface are both substantially flat, they may be oriented substantially parallel to each other, imparting the foam cushion, including the peripheral regions and central regions thereof, with a substantially uniform height, or thickness. Alternatively, the top surface may be contoured in such a way that a height, or a thickness, of the foam cushion gradually increases from its peripheral regions toward its central region.

The vents extend through the height, or thickness, of the foam cushion. The vents may enable air to flow through the height, or thickness, of the foam cushion. The vents may be arranged to effectively contour the foam cushion; for example, by enabling the foam cushion to adapt to a shape of an individual's head and/or to cradle the individual's head. The vents that extend through central regions of the foam cushion may be referred to as “central vents.” In embodiments where a foam cushion also includes vents adjacent to the outer periphery of the foam cushion and, thus, at peripheral regions of the foam cushion, such vents may be referred to as “peripheral vents.”

A density of vents through the foam cushion may vary across the lateral dimensions of the foam cushion. For example, a density of the vents may increase from peripheral regions to central regions of the foam cushion; thus, a density of the central vents may exceed a density of peripheral vents. As a more specific example, a foam cushion may lack peripheral vents; all of its vents may be extend through central regions of the foam cushion. Such an increase may be abrupt (e.g., it may occur at a boundary between peripheral regions of the foam cushion and central regions of the foam cushion, etc.) or transitional (e.g., it may comprise a transition provided by transitional vents located between peripheral regions of the foam cushion and the central region of the foam cushion and having one transitional density or a plurality of transitional densities (e.g., graded transitional densities, gradual transitional densities, etc.), etc.). A density of vents in a portion of the foam cushion may correspond to a softness or a deformability of that portion of the foam cushion; stated another way, a density of vents in a portion of the foam cushion may be inversely proportionate to a firmness, measured as an indentation load deflection (ILD), of that portion of the foam cushion. As an alternative to different densities of vents in different portions of the foam cushion, the vents may be distributed uniformly across the lateral dimensions (e.g., width and depth, etc.) of the foam cushion; thus, it may be said that such a foam cushion has a uniform density of vents across its lateral dimensions.

The optional cushioning grid positioned over the top surface of the foam cushion may enhance support the pillow provides for the head of an individual. The cushioning grid includes interconnected walls that define an array of voids. The interconnected walls of the cushioning grid may be formed from any suitable compressible, resilient material. Without limitation, the interconnected walls of the cushioning grid may be formed from an elastomeric gel; such a cushioning grid may be referred to as a “gel grid.”). The elastomeric gel may comprise a composite gel, such as a plasticizer-extended block copolymer (e.g., an A-B-A triblock copolymer, etc.), a thermoplastic gel, a silicone gel, a polyurethane gel, or the like.

In some embodiments, at least some of the plurality of interconnected walls of the cushioning grid may have heights and thicknesses that allow them to buckle under a compressive load. Thus, a group of interconnected walls that defines a void may comprise a column that buckles, or a “buckling column.”

The cushioning grid may have a substantially uniform height, or thickness. Alternatively, a height, or a thickness, of the cushioning grid may vary from one region of the cushioning grid to another region of the cushioning grid. For example, a height, or a thickness, of the cushioning grid may increase from its peripheral regions toward its central regions.

The cushioning grid may be positioned over a portion of the top surface of the foam cushion or over an entirety of the top surface of the foam cushion. The cushioning grid may be positioned to minimize interruption of the passage of air through the vents in the foam cushion (e.g., the cushioning grid may be oriented to minimize a number of walls that extend at least partially over the top ends of the vents through the foam cushion, the cushioning grid may be oriented such that no wall extends at least partially over a top end of a vent through the foam cushion, etc.).

In some embodiments, the cushioning grid may be secured in place over the top surface of the foam cushion. For example, a bottom surface of the cushioning grid may be secured to a scrim fabric that may be part of a cover for the foam cushion; in such an embodiment, the cushioning grid is not secured to the top surface of the foam cushion. Alternatively, the cushioning grid may be secured to the top surface of the foam cushion. For example, the cushioning grid may be formed on the top surface of the foam cushion, with some of the elastomeric gel that defines the cushioning grid impregnating pores in the top surface of the foam cushion; in such an embodiment, the cushioning grid is secured directly to the top surface of the foam cushion. As another example, the cushioning grid may be formed separately from the foam cushion, then adhered directly to the top surface of the foam cushion (e.g., with adhesive directly between the bottom surface of the cushioning grid and the top surface of foam cushion, etc.) or indirectly to the top surface of the foam cushion (e.g., with an adhesive securing a scrim fabric on which the cushioning grid is formed to the top surface of the foam cushion, etc.).

Each optional removable booster of the pillow is made to be positioned beneath the bottom surface of the foam cushion. Thus, a removable booster may have substantially the same lateral dimensions (e.g., width and depth, etc.) as the foam cushion. When placed beneath the bottom surface of the foam cushion, the removable booster may increase a height, or a thickness, of the pillow by a predetermined amount. Conversely, the height, or thickness, of the pillow may decrease upon removal of the booster from beneath the bottom surface of the foam cushion. Without limitation, each optional removable booster may increase (or decrease) a thickness of the pillow by about a half an inch (about 1 cm), about three-quarters of an inch (about 2 cm), about an inch (about 3 cm), or more. One or more removable boosters may be superimposed and with the foam cushion to provide a pillow with a desired height, or thickness.

The booster may be made from any suitable material. For example, the booster may comprise a foam (e.g., a polyurethane foam, etc.). In some embodiments, the booster may be provided with at least one surface (e.g., a top surface, etc.) that enables it to be readily slid into and/or out of place beneath the bottom surface of the foam cushion. Such a surface may comprise a coating with a coefficient of friction that is less than the coefficients of friction of the material from which the booster is formed and of the bottom surface of the foam cushion. The coating may comprise a cover of the booster or a layer of material secured to the surface of the booster. Without limitation, the coating may comprise a slick fabric or the like.

The booster may include vents extending through a height, or a thickness, thereof. The vents of the booster may align with corresponding vents through the foam cushion when the booster is positioned beneath and aligned with the bottom surface of the foam cushion. Such an arrangement may facilitate the flow of air through a pillow that includes one or more boosters to increase a height, or a thickness, of the pillow.

The optional cover may contain inner components of the pillow, such as the foam cushion, the optional cushioning grid, and one or more optional boosters. The cover may have a configuration that enables it to form-fit to the inner components of the pillow regardless of whether any boosters have been positioned beneath the bottom surface of the foam cushion of the pillow. In some embodiments, the cover may be formed from a stretchable fabric. The cover may include an opening to enable one or more boosters to be inserted therein and/or removed therefrom. Such an opening may extend across a width of the pillow.

Features of the pillow may render certain areas of the pillow appropriate for back sleeping or side sleeping. For example, concentrating vents in or towards a center (e.g., the central region, etc.) of the foam cushion may soften the center of the pillow (i.e., decrease its ILD), which may enable the pillow to collapse and cradle the back of a back-sleeping individuals' head (e.g., receive the back of the individual's head, hold the individual's head in place, etc.), while the sides (e.g., the peripheral regions, etc.) of the foam cushion may be firmer (i.e., have a higher ILD) due to a lower concentration of vents, which may enable the sides of the pillow to retain their heights while supporting the flatter sides of the head of a side-sleeping individual.

A center (e.g., a central region, etc.) of an optional cushioning grid of the pillow may include buckling columns that collapse when they receive the protruding back of a back-sleeping individual's head to support the individual's head (e.g., hold the individual's head in place, etc.), whereas sides (e.g., peripheral regions, etc.) of the cushioning grid may be less likely to collapse under the flatter sides of a side-sleeping individual's head, thereby holding the sides of the individual's head at a higher elevation than the center of the cushioning grid would hold the back of the individual's head. For example, the sides of the cushioning grid may be thinner and, thus, lack buckling columns. As another example, the sides of the cushioning grid may include buckling columns, which may resist buckling under the flatter sides of the individual's head and, thus, support the sides of the individual's head at the higher elevation.

Methods for designing a pillow, manufacturing a pillow, and using a pillow should be apparent from this disclosure.

Other aspects of the disclosed subject matter, as well as features and advantages of various aspects of the disclosed subject matter, should become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art through consideration of the ensuing description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an exploded orthogonal view of the inner elements of a pillow, including a foam cushion with vents extending through a height, or a thickness of the foam cushion, an optional cushioning grid on a top surface of the foam cushion, and one or more optional boosters (two are shown) beneath a bottom surface of the foam cushion;

FIG. 2 is an exploded front view of the pillow of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top view of an embodiment of a foam cushion of the pillow shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4A is a cross-sectional representation of the foam cushion and optional cushioning grid of the pillow of FIG. 1, showing an embodiment in which a top surface and a bottom surface of the foam cushion are substantially flat and substantially parallel to each other to impart the foam cushion with a substantially uniform thickness, with the illustrated embodiment of the optional cushioning grid on the top surface of the foam cushion having a contoured top surface to impart the cushioning grid with a center that is thicker than its outer periphery; vents extend through a central region of the foam cushion;

FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional representation of the foam cushion and optional cushioning grid of the pillow of FIG. 1, showing an embodiment in which a top surface of the foam cushion is contoured and a bottom surface of the foam cushion is substantially flat to impart the foam cushion with a center that is thicker than its outer periphery, with the illustrated embodiment of the optional cushioning grid on the top surface of the foam cushion having a substantially uniform thickness; vents extend through a central region of the foam cushion;

FIG. 4C is a cross-sectional representation of an embodiment of a foam cushion with vents extending through central and peripheral regions of the foam cushion and with central vents extending through the central region of the foam cushion being provided in a different density than peripheral vents extending through at least one peripheral region of the foam cushion;

FIG. 5 is an orthogonal view of an embodiment of a cushioning grid with a skirt that holds the cushioning grid in place over a foam cushion;

FIG. 6A is a cross-sectional representation an embodiment of an optional booster of the pillow of FIG. 1, in which vents that may be aligned with vents through the foam cushion extend through a height, or a thickness, of the booster;

FIG. 6B is a cross-sectional representation of another embodiment an optional booster of the pillow of FIG. 1, in which the booster lacks vents;

FIG. 7 is an orthogonal view showing the embodiment of the pillow of FIG. 1 assembled with optional boosters and a cover, with the cover being partially cutaway to show its relationship with the inner elements of the pillow;

FIG. 8A is a cross-sectional representation illustrating an embodiment of a cradling effect of the pillow of FIG. 1 on a head of a back-sleeping individual; and

FIG. 8B is a cross-sectional representation illustrating an embodiment of a manner in which the pillow of FIG. 1 supports a head of a side-sleeping individual.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, embodiments of inner components of a pillow 10 are depicted. The inner components of the pillow 10 may include a foam cushion 20 with vents 35 (FIGS. 3, 4A, and 4B) extending through a height, or a thickness, of the foam cushion 20, an optional cushioning grid 40 atop the foam cushion 20, and one or more boosters 60 (two are shown) beneath the foam cushion 20.

The foam cushion 20 may be formed from any foam that may be used as at least part of a pillow. Such a foam may impart the foam cushion 20 and the pillow 10 of which the foam cushion 20 is a part with a desired firmness, measured as an indentation load deflection (ILD). For example, a plush foam cushion 20 may have a firmness of 16.5 ILD to 22.5 ILD. A soft foam cushion 20 may have a firmness of 22.5 ILD to 26.5 ILD. A medium foam cushion 20 may have a firmness of 26.5 ILD to 30.5 ILD. A firm foam cushion 20 may have a firmness of 30.5 ILD to 34.5 ILD. An extra-firm foam cushion 20 may have a firmness of 34.5 ILD to 38.5 ILD. Examples of suitable foams for the foam cushion 20 include slow rebound foams (i.e., so-called “memory foams”), latex foams, polyurethane foams, and the like. An example of a slow rebound foam is a slow rebound microcellular polyurethane foam. Examples of latex foams include Talalay latex foams, Dunlop latex foams, and other latex foams. A block of such a foam may be used to form the foam cushion 20.

With added reference to FIGS. 3 and 4A, the foam cushion 20 includes a top surface 22 and a bottom surface 26. An outer periphery 30 of the foam cushion extends between outer edges 23 of the top surface 22 and outer edges 27 of the bottom surface 26. Peripheral regions 24 of the top surface 22 are located adjacent to the outer edges 23 of the top surface 22. Peripheral regions 28 of the bottom surface 26 are located adjacent to the outer edges 27 of the bottom surface 26. Thus, peripheral regions 32 of the foam cushion 20 are located adjacent to the outer periphery 30. The peripheral regions 24 and 28 of the top surface 22 and bottom surface 26 surround central regions 25 and 29 and of the top surface 22 and bottom surface 26, respectively. Thus, a central region 34 of the foam cushion 20 is located between the central region 25 of the top surface 22 and the central region 29 of the bottom surface 26.

The bottom surface 26 of the foam cushion 20 may comprise a base of the foam cushion 20, which may support the foam cushion 20 on a substantially horizontal surface, such as an optional booster 60, a mattress (not shown), or the like. In some embodiments, the bottom surface 26 may be substantially flat.

With reference to FIG. 4A, a pillow 10 may include a foam cushion 20 with a top surface 22 that is substantially flat. In embodiments where a foam cushion 20 includes a top surface 22 and a bottom surface 26 that are both substantially flat, the top surface 22 and bottom surface 26 may be oriented substantially parallel to each other. Such a foam cushion 20, including its peripheral regions 32 and its central regions 34, may have a substantially uniform height, or thickness, across its entire lateral (e.g., width and depth, etc.) extent.

Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 4B, the top surface 22′ of the foam cushion 20′ may be contoured in such a way that a height, or a thickness, of the foam cushion 20 gradually increases from its peripheral regions 32′ toward or to its central regions 34′.

Referring now to FIGS. 3, 4A, and 4B, vents 35, 35′ extend through the height, or thickness, of the foam cushion 20, 20′. Each vent 35, 35′ may be elongated and follow a substantially linear path or a linear path through the height, or the thickness, of the foam cushion 20, 20′. Each vent 35, 35′ includes a top end 36, 36′ and a bottom end 37, 37′ opposite from the top end 36, 36′. The top end 36, 36′ may open to the top surface 22, 22′ of the foam cushion 20, 20′. The bottom end 37, 37′ may open to the bottom surface 26, 26′, of the foam cushion 20, 20′. In some embodiments, each vent 35, 35′ may be oriented substantially perpendicular or perpendicular, or normal or orthogonal, to the bottom surface 26, 26′ of the foam cushion 20, 20′. Of course, foam cushions that include at least some vents having other shapes (e.g., curved, bent, etc.) and/or orientations (e.g., orientations that are not substantially perpendicular to the bottom surface of the foam cushion, etc.) are also within the scope of this disclosure.

As illustrated by FIGS. 3, 4A, and 4B, the vents 35, 35′ may extend through central regions 34, 34′ of the foam cushion 20, 20′. Such vents 35, 35′ may be referred to as “central vents.” In some embodiments, the vents 35, 35′ through a foam cushion 20, 20′ may be confined to a central region 34, 34′ of the foam cushion 20, 20′; thus, the vents 35, 35′ of the foam cushion 20, 20′ may consist of central vents 35, 35′.

Turning now to FIG. 4C, in other embodiments, a foam cushion 20″ may include vents 35c″ extending through a central region 34″ of the foam cushion 20″, was well as vents 35p″ extending through one or more peripheral regions 32″, or adjacent to the outer periphery 30″, of the foam cushion 20″. The vents 35p″ that extend through one or more peripheral regions 32″ of the foam cushion 20″ may be referred to as “peripheral vents.”

A density of vents 35p″, 35c″ through the foam cushion 20″ may vary across the lateral dimensions of the foam cushion 20″. For example, a density of the vents 35p″, 35c″ may increase from peripheral regions 32″ to central regions 34″ of the foam cushion 20″, with a density of the central vents 35c″ exceeding a density of peripheral vents 35p″. Such an increase in density may be abrupt. For example, it may occur at a boundary between peripheral regions 32″ of the foam cushion 20″ and central regions 34″ of the foam cushion 20″. Alternatively, such an increase in density may be transitional. For example, transitional vents 35t″ may provide a transition between the peripheral vents 35p″ and the central vents 35c″. The transitional vents 35t″ may have one transitional density or a plurality of transitional densities (e.g., graded transitional densities, gradual transitional densities, etc.) to provide a transition from a density of the peripheral vents 35p″ to a density of the central vents 35c″.

A density of vents 35, 35′, 35p″, 35t″, 35c″ in a portion of a foam cushion 20, 20′, 20″ may correspond to a softness or a deformability of that portion of the foam cushion 20, 20′, 20″. Stated another way, a density of vents 35, 35′, 35p″, 35t″, 35c″ in a portion of the foam cushion 20, 20′, 20″ may be inversely proportionate to an indentation load deflection (ILD) of that portion of the foam cushion 20, 20′, 20″.

With returned reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, an optional cushioning grid 40 may enhance support the pillow 10 provides for the head of an individual. The optional cushioning grid 40 may also enhance a cooling effect provided by the pillow 10.

A cushioning grid 40 may be positioned over the top surface 22 of the foam cushion 20. The cushioning grid 40 may be positioned over a portion of the top surface 22 of the foam cushion 20 or, as depicted, over an entirety of the top surface 22 of the foam cushion 20.

The cushioning grid 40 includes interconnected walls 50 that define an array of voids 51. The interconnected walls 50 and voids 51 may be positioned to minimize interruption of the passage of air through the vents 35 (FIG. 4A) in the foam cushion 20. For example, the cushioning grid 40 may be positioned over the foam cushion 20 in such a way that a majority (e.g., greater than 50%, at least 60%, at least 75%, at least 90%, 100%, etc.) of the vents 35 in the foam cushion 20 are aligned with voids 51 of the cushioning grid 40.

The cushioning grid 40 may be positioned to minimize a number of walls that extend at least partially over the top ends of the vents through the foam cushion, the cushioning grid may be oriented such that no wall extends at least partially over a top end of a vent through the foam cushion, etc.).

The interconnected walls 50 of the cushioning grid 40 may be formed from any suitable compressible, resilient material. Without limitation, the interconnected walls 50 of the cushioning grid 40 may be formed from an elastomeric gel; such a cushioning grid may be referred to as a “gel grid.”). The elastomeric gel may comprise a composite gel, such as a plasticizer-extended block copolymer (e.g., an A-B-A triblock copolymer, etc.), a thermoplastic gel, a silicone gel, a polyurethane gel, or the like. Some examples of plasticizer-extended block copolymer gels are disclosed by U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,413,458, 6,797,765, and 7,964,664, the entire disclosures of which are hereby incorporated herein. The material from which the cushioning grid 40 is formed may provide a cooling effect; for example, a thermal conductivity of the material from which the cushioning grid is formed may enable it to transfer heat away from a head or other part of a body of an individual who uses the pillow 10.

At least some of the plurality of interconnected walls 50 of the cushioning grid 40 may have heights and thicknesses that allow them to buckle under a compressive load. Thus, a group of interconnected walls 50 that defines a void 51 may comprise a column 50c that buckles, or a “buckling column.”

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the cushioning grid 40 may be secured in place over the top surface 22 of the foam cushion 20.

In some embodiments, such as that depicted by FIG. 5, the cushioning grid 40 may be secured in place over the top surface 22 of the foam cushion 20 by way of a skirt 47. The skirt 47 may extend from a bottom surface 46 of the cushioning grid 40. The skirt 47 may include an upper panel 48 and an optional lower panel 49. The upper panel 48 may comprise a fabric. The fabric may be stretchable. Without limitation, the fabric may comprise cotton (e.g., pure cotton, a stretchable cotton blend, etc.). The cushioning grid 40 may be positioned over and secured to a central portion 48c of the upper panel 48. For example, the fabric of the upper panel 48 may comprise a scrim fabric on which the cushioning grid 40 has been formed; in such an embodiment, a material of the cushioning grid 40 may impregnate portions of the fabric to mechanically secure the upper panel 48 of the skirt 47 to the bottom surface 46 of the cushioning grid 40. As another example, the fabric of the upper panel 48 may be secured to the bottom surface 46 of the cushioning grid 40 after the cushioning grid 40 has been formed, such as by softening or at least partially melting material at the bottom surface 46 of the cushioning grid 40 to enable the material to impregnate the fabric, by using an adhesive to secure the bottom surface 46 to the fabric, or by securing the bottom surface 46 to the fabric in any other suitable manner.

Peripheral portions 48p of the upper panel 48 of the skirt 47 may extend laterally beyond an outer periphery 41 of the cushioning grid 40. In some embodiments, a distance each peripheral portion 48p extends beyond its corresponding outer peripheral edge 41p of the cushioning grid 40 may be about the same as a height, or thickness, of a corresponding edge 31 of an outer periphery 30 of a foam cushion 20 over which the cushioning grid 40 is to be positioned. Each peripheral portion 48p may include opposite ends 48s. When the peripheral portions 48p are oriented to extend substantially perpendicularly away from the bottom surface 46 of the cushioning grid 40, adjacent ends 48s of adjacent peripheral portions 48p may be secured to each other (e.g., sewn together, etc.) to define a periphery 47p of the skirt 47. Dimensions of the skirt 47 enable it to receive the foam cushion 20 (FIGS. 1 and 2), with the peripheral portions 48p providing a waterfall effect over the edges 31 (FIGS. 1 and 2) of the foam cushion 20.

The optional bottom panel 49 of the skirt 47 may be configured for placement beneath the bottom surface 26 of the foam cushion 20. Edges 49e of the optional bottom panel 49, which may comprise any suitable fabric, may be secured with suitable couplers 47c (e.g., with a combination of stitching and fasteners (e.g., a zippers, touch fasteners, etc.)) to corresponding edges 48e of the top panel 48 to enable the skirt 47 to contain the foam cushion 20.

As an alternative to a skirt 47, the cushioning grid 40 may be formed on the top surface 22 of the foam cushion 20, with some of the material of the cushioning grid 40 impregnating pores in the top surface 22 of the foam cushion 20. In such an embodiment, the cushioning grid 40 is secured directly to the top surface 22 of the foam cushion 20.

As another alternative to a skirt 47, the cushioning grid 40 may be formed separately from the foam cushion 20, then adhered directly to the top surface 22 of the foam cushion 20 (e.g., with adhesive directly between the bottom surface 46 of the cushioning grid 40 and the top surface 22 of foam cushion 20, etc.) or indirectly to the top surface 22 of the foam cushion 20 (e.g., with an adhesive securing a scrim fabric on which the cushioning grid 40 is formed to the top surface 22 of the foam cushion 20, etc.).

As depicted by FIG. 4A, a height, or a thickness, of the cushioning grid 40 may vary from one region of the cushioning grid 40 to another region of the cushioning grid 40. For example, a height, or a thickness, of the cushioning grid 40 may increase from its peripheral regions 52 toward its central regions 54. Such a cushioning grid 40 may include a bottom surface 46 that is substantially flat or flat, with the variations in thickness across the cushioning grid 40 imparting its top surface 42 and, thus, a top surface of the pillow 10 with a contour. Embodiments of cushioning grids 40 with contoured bottom surfaces 46 and contoured top surfaces 42 and bottom surfaces 46 are also contemplated.

Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 4B, a cushioning grid 40′ may have a substantially uniform height, or thickness, or a uniform height, or thickness. Thus, the height, or thickness, of the cushioning grid 40′ may be substantially the same or the same in its peripheral regions 52′ and its central regions 54′. Since the height, or thickness, of the cushioning grid 40′ is substantially uniform or uniform, any contour of a top surface of a pillow 10′ of which the cushioning grid 40′ is a part may result from a contour of the top surface 22′ of the foam cushion 20′ on which the cushioning grid 40′ is positioned.

Referring again to FIGS. 1 and 2, each optional removable booster 60 of the pillow 10 is made to be positioned beneath the bottom surface 26 of the foam cushion 20. Thus, a removable booster 60 may have substantially the same lateral dimensions (e.g., width and depth, etc.) as the foam cushion 20. When placed beneath the bottom surface 26 of the foam cushion 20, the removable booster 60 may increase a height, or a thickness, of the pillow 10 by a predetermined amount. Conversely, the height, or thickness, of the pillow 10 may decrease upon removal of the booster 60 from beneath the bottom surface 26 of the foam cushion 20. Without limitation, each optional removable booster 60 may increase (or decrease) a thickness of the pillow 10 by about a half an inch (about 1 cm), about three-quarters of an inch (about 2 cm), about an inch (about 3 cm), or more. One or more removable boosters 60 may be superimposed and with the foam cushion 20 to provide a pillow 10 with a desired height, or thickness.

Each booster 60 may be made from any suitable material. For example, the booster 60 may comprise a foam (e.g., a polyurethane foam, etc.). In some embodiments, a top surface 62 and/or a bottom surface 66 of the booster 60 may have a configuration that enables it to be readily slid into and/or out of place beneath the bottom surface 26 of the foam cushion 20. Such a configuration may comprise a coating 64 with a coefficient of friction that is less than a coefficient of friction of the material from which the booster 60 is formed and of a coefficient of friction of the bottom surface 26 of the foam cushion 20. The coating 64 may comprise a cover of the booster 60 or a layer of material secured to the top 62/bottom surface 66 of the booster 60. Without limitation, the coating 64 may comprise a layer of plastic, a slick fabric, or the like.

As illustrated by FIG. 6A, a booster 60′ may include vents 70′ extending through a height, or a thickness, of the booster 60′. The vents 70′ of the booster 60′ may align with corresponding vents 35 through the foam cushion 20 when the booster 60′ is positioned beneath and aligned with the bottom surface 26 of the foam cushion 20. Such an arrangement may facilitate the flow of air through a pillow that includes one or more boosters 60′ to increase a height, or a thickness, of the pillow. Alternatively, as illustrated by FIG. 6B, a booster 60 may lack vents.

Turning now to FIG. 7, an embodiment of a pillow 10′″ is depicted that includes a cover 80 that holds internal elements of the pillow 10′″ in an assembled relationship. The internal elements of the pillow 10′″ include the foam cushion 20 and, optionally, a cushioning grid 40 atop the foam cushion 20 and one or more boosters 60 beneath the foam cushion 20. FIG. 6 shows the cover 80 partially cutaway from the internal elements of the pillow 10′″ to illustrate the relationship between the cover 80 and the internal elements of the pillow 10′″.

The cover 80 may include an opening 82 to enable one or more boosters 80 to be inserted therein and/or removed from the cover 80. Such an opening 82 may extend across a width of the pillow 10′″. Such a cover 80 may additionally include a fastener 84 (e.g., a zipper, a touch fastener (e.g., a Velcro fastener, etc.), buttons and buttonholes, etc.) associated with the opening 82.

The cover 80 may form-fit to the interior elements of the pillow 10′″. The cover 80 may even form-fit to the interior elements of the pillow 10″ regardless of whether the pillow 10′″ includes a cushioning grid 40 or whether any boosters 60 have been positioned beneath the bottom surface 26 of the foam cushion 20. The cover 80 may be formed from a fabric that resiliently stretches. A stretchability of the fabric of the cover 80 may enable it to protect the interior elements of the pillow 10′″ without interfering with or substantially interfering with cushioning properties of pillow (e.g., deformability, resilience, ILD or firmness, etc.).

With reference to FIGS. 8A and 8B, features of a pillow 10 of this disclosure may enable the pillow 10 to receive and cradle the head H of a back-sleeping individual, holding the head H of the back-sleeping individual at a first elevation E₁(FIG. 8A), while supporting the head H of a side-sleeping individual at a higher, second elevation E₂(FIG. 8B).

As shown in FIG. 8A, concentrating vents 35 in or towards the central region 34, or a center, of the foam cushion 20 may soften the center of the pillow 10 (i.e., decrease its ILD), which may enable the pillow 10 to collapse and cradle the back of a back-sleeping individuals' head H (e.g., receive the back of the individual's head H, hold the individual's head H in place, etc.) at the first elevation E₁. A central region 54, or a center, of an optional cushioning grid 40 of the pillow 10 may include buckling columns 50c that collapse when they receive the protruding back of a back-sleeping individual's head to support the individual's head H (e.g., hold the individual's head H in place, etc.) at the first elevation E₁.

As shown in FIG. 8B, the peripheral regions 32, or sides, of the foam cushion 20 may be firmer (i.e., have a higher ILD) than the central region 34 due to a lower concentration of vents 35, which may enable the sides of the pillow 10 to retain their heights (i.e., at the second elevation E₂, etc.) while supporting the flatter sides of the head H of a side-sleeping individual. Peripheral regions 52, or sides, of the optional cushioning grid 40 may be less likely to collapse under the flatter sides of a side-sleeping individual's head H, thereby holding the sides of the individual's head H at a higher elevation (i.e., the second elevation E₂) than the central region 54 of the cushioning grid 40 would hold the back of the individual's head H. For example, the peripheral regions 52 of the cushioning grid 40 may be thinner and, thus, lack buckling columns. As another example, the peripheral regions 52 of the cushioning grid 40 may include buckling columns 50c, which may resist buckling under the flatter sides of the individual's head H and, thus, support the sides of the individual's head H at the higher, second elevation E₂.

Although this disclosure provides many specifics, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of any of the claims that follow, but merely as providing illustrations of some embodiments of elements and features of the disclosed subject matter. Other embodiments of the disclosed subject matter, and of their elements and features, may be devised which do not depart from the spirit or scope of any of the claims. Features from different embodiments may be employed in combination. Accordingly, the scope of each claim is limited only by its plain language and the legal equivalents thereto.

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