Patent Grant
7451508
This invention relates generally to the field of support pillows, and in particular to covers for support pillows and play bars for support pillows. In one aspect, the invention relates to removable covers for support pillows so that a single support pillow can be modified simply by substituting one cover with another cover. In another aspect, bars are provided for suspending articles above support pillows.
Infants and small children often need to be entertained, pacified or simply distracted. Fortunately, this may be done in such a manner so as to improve physical coordination, to help improve motor skills, or to facilitate educational development. One such way to entertain a small child is by lying the child down and permitting the child to play with one or more toys. However, if the child is unable to move around or hold a toy, it is difficult to keep the child entertained without adult supervision.
Support pillows have gained widespread acceptance in a variety of applications. For example, support pillows are now commonly used to support infants and babies in certain positions. Support pillows are also used to provide back support, to facilitate nursing, to support objection in front of a person, and the like. Such uses are described in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,261,134; 5,661,861; 6,038,720; 6,055,687; 6,119,873; and 5,546,620, the complete disclosures of which are herein incorporated by reference.
Some support pillows are constructed of a filler material that is stuffed into a fabric shell. This shell may be completely closed, such as with a sewn seam, to prevent the filler material from inadvertently being removed. The fabric shell may be decorated with a variety of colors and/or patterns.
This invention is related to covers for these and other types of support pillows so that the decorative and/or utilitarian functionally of such pillows may to easily be varied. In some cases, such support pillows may also be used to support various articles as described more fully below.
In one aspect, the invention provides exemplary covers for support pillows and methods for their use. With such covers, a single support pillow can be modified to have different colors, designs, textures, or the like as well as different utilitarian functions.
In one embodiment, the covers are useful with a cushion body having a medial region and two opposing arms that define a generally open well. The cushion body further includes an outer periphery and an inner periphery adjacent the well, with each of the arms terminating in an end. A shell encompasses and in some cases tightly conforms to the cushion body. With such support pillows, the fabric cover may be constructed so that it may be placed over the shell, with the fabric cover generally conforming to the shape of the pillow body. To facilitate placement of the cover over the pillow, the fabric cover includes an opening into which the pillow may be inserted. The opening in some embodiments may be defined by a seam where the fabric is separated. In one aspect, at least one fastener is provided to close the opening once the cover has been placed over the shell. In this way, a support pillow may be modified simply by inserting the pillow into the opening of the cover and then operating the fastener to close the opening.
The opening may be positioned at a wide variety of locations on the cover. For example, the opening may be located along the outer or inner periphery at the medial region, along the inner periphery on one of the arms, along the outer periphery on one of the arms, across the medial region, along one of the ends, or across one of the arms. In one aspect, the fabric cover may comprise a curved tubular member having two ends, where one of the ends is closed and one of the ends is open to define the opening. Such a cover further includes an end flap to cover the opening, and the fastener is used to couple the end flap to the tubular member.
In another aspect, the cushion body is constructed of a fill material that is compressed or held within the shell. For example, polymer fibers, beads or other fill materials may be held within the interior. In a further aspect, the shell is constructed of a fabric. In some cases, the cover may have a fabric with different colors, textures and/or patterns on each side. In this way, the cover may be reversed to display the other side of the cover. In other cases, different fabrics may be placed on each side.
A variety of fasteners may be used to close the opening. For example, the fastener may comprise a zipper, a hook and loop fastener material, ties, buttons, buckles, snaps, hooks or the like. In one optional aspect, at least one peripheral item may be attached to the cover to vary the utility of the pillow. Conveniently, an attachment mechanism may be used to attach the peripheral item to the cover. Merely by way of example, the peripheral item may comprise a toy and the attachment mechanism may comprise a strap or loop. The peripheral item may also comprise toy bars from which toys may be hung above the pillow. As another example, the peripheral item may comprise a head of a figure, such as an animal head. Other items that may be attached to the cover include handles, pockets, appliqués, ties, blankets, bladders, padding layers, and the like.
The invention also provides a method for covering a support pillow that is similar to the support pillows described above. The method further utilizes a cover that is formed from a curved tubular member having an open interior. According to the method, a fastener on the cover is operated to form or expose an opening in the tubular member to provide access to the interior. The support pillow is placed into the interior of the cover through the opening and the cover is manipulated so that the cover covers the shell and generally conforms to the shape of the support pillow. The fastener is then operated to close or cover the opening.
By using such a cover, the fastener may be operated to reform or re-expose the opening, and the cover may be removed from the support pillow. Another cover may then be placed over the support pillow in a similar manner.
A variety of techniques may be used to form the opening. For example, a zipper may be unzipped, a flap may be removed from the cover, or the like. Other examples of fasteners include buttons, snaps, hooks, ties, a hook and loop fastener material and the like. In another aspect, a peripheral item may be attached to the cover. For example, the peripheral item may comprise a toy or a toy bar that may be attached by use of a strap that is attached to the cover. In a further aspect, the opening may be formed across the medial region, along one of the arms, along one of the ends, along the outer or inner periphery, or the like.
The invention also provides kits and techniques for presenting items, such as toys, to infants or small children. In one embodiment, such a kit includes a pillow having a pillow body and at least one attachment mechanism that is connected to the pillow. The kit also includes at least one bar that may be positioned over the pillow, with the attachment mechanism being used to attach the pillow to the bar. In this way, the bar may remain positioned over the pillow when in use. The bar also includes at least one coupling mechanism to permit one or more toys to be coupled to the bar. In this manner, the toys may be suspended over the pillow to permit a child to lie on the pillow and to reach up and play with the toys.
In one particular aspect, the kit is configured so that the position of the bar may be vertically adjusted so as to position the height of the bar relative to the pillow. One way for accomplishing this is to provide pairs of vertically spaced apart attachment points on the pillow to which ends of the play bar may be coupled. To adjust the height, the play bar may be moved from a lower set of attachment points and coupled to an upper set of attachment points. Also, wide variety of connectors may be used to couple the ends of the bar to the attachment points, such as by clips, links, ties, chains, and the like. Further, a variety of attachment points may be used, such as loops, ties, and the like. As an alternative to using spaced apart attachment points, other adjustment systems that may be used include the use of telescoping poles, spaced apart pockets on the pillow, different sizes of play bars, and the like.
In some embodiments, the kits may also include a mat that is placed onto a surface, with the pillow body resting on the mat. The bar may then be coupled to the pillow body and/or the mat. The mat may be either integrally attached to the pillow body or be removably attached to the pillow body.
In one aspect, the pillow has a medial region and two opposing arms that define a generally open well. Such a configuration permits a baby to be placed within the well, with the baby's head resting on the medial region. In this way, the medial region provides a comfortable support for the baby's head as well as “propping up” the baby so that the baby may easily reach the suspended toys. Further, the two arms prevent the baby from rolling from side to side so that the toys will remain suspended over the baby. When used with the mat, the baby's body may rest upon the mat. For example, the mat may be configured to extend across the well and beyond that opposing arms. In this way, the baby may lie within the well and rest on the mat, rather than directly on the floor.
The bar may include two or more ends that may be placed onto a surface onto which the pillow also rests to hold the bar over the pillow. The attachment mechanisms may be coupled to the bar at or just above the ends so that a middle section of the bar is free to suspend the toys. The bar may be fashioned into a variety of shapes. For example, the bar may be curved over the pillow. Further, multiple bars may be used to increase the number of toys that may be suspended. Merely by way of example, two bars may be used that each have a pair of ends. The four ends of the bars extend around the periphery of the pillow to help hold the pillow beneath the bars. For instance, two of the ends may be positioned near the free ends of the opposing arms while the other two ends are positioned near where the arms are joined to the medial region. However, it will be appreciated that other arrangements are possible particularly depending on the numbers of bars and/or ends of the bars.
A variety of attachment mechanisms may be used to attach the pillow to the bars. For example, a loop of fabric or other material that is coupled to the pillow body may be used. With such a configuration, the ends of the bars may simply be slid through the loops. Other attachment mechanisms include fabric or other strips having snaps, a hook and loop fastener material, such as Velcro, or the like. Alternatively, the strips may be tied together. In some cases, the attachment mechanism may be a pocket on the pillow or the mat into which the end of the bar is inserted.
In a similar manner, a variety of coupling mechanisms may be used to couple the toys to the bars. For example, the coupling mechanism may comprise a strip of fabric or other material hanging from the bar. The strip may include a snap or a hook and loop fastener material to permit the strip to be looped around the toy and fastened together.
Instead of providing a pillow with the kit, a pillow cover may alternatively be used. Optionally, a mat may be included that is integrally attached or removably attachable to the cover. In this way, a user already having a pillow may simply place the cover over the pillow and then attach the pillow to the bar. Conveniently, the attachment mechanisms may be coupled to the cover or the mat so that the pillow may easily be attached to the bar once the cover is placed over the pillow. The pillow cover may optionally include a zipper or other fastener to permit the cover to be opened when placing the cover about the pillow. Once in place, the zipper is closed to secure the cover about the pillow.
In use, a child may be placed onto the pillow so that the child is lying face up. The bar may be placed over the child and secured to the pillow. This may be done while the toys are attached to the bar, or afterward. Alternatively, the bar may be placed about the pillow, and the child inserted between the bar and the pillow. Once in place, the toys are suspended over the child's head and chest to permit the child to reach up and play with the toys. If desired, one or more of the toys may be removed and substituted with another toy. Optionally, a mat may be positioned under the pillow so that at least a portion of the child may rest upon the mat.
In another embodiment, the invention provides a support pillow that comprises a pillow body having medial region and two curved arms that extend from the medial region to define a generally open well. A back rest extends vertically upward from the medial region. In this way, when placing an infant into the open well, the curved arms of the pillow body support the infant from tipping side to side while the back rest supports the infant's back (and sometimes head).
The pillow body may be constructed using a variety of techniques. For example, the pillow body may comprise a fill material that is enclosed within a fabric shell. Also, the back rest may be constructed of a variety of rigid yet supple materials, such as a foamed material that is disposed on the top of the medial region.
In certain embodiments, the medial region may have a height in the range from about 4 inches to about 7 inches. Also, the back rest may extend vertically up from the medial region by a distance that is in the range from about 4 inches to about 12 inches.
In one particular arrangement, a slipcover may be disposed over the fabric shell. The slipcover conforms closely in shape to the pillow body and the back rest. Also, in some cases the slipcover may include an enclosure to permit the back rest to be held within the enclosure of the slipcover. In this way, a support pillow without a back rest may be converted to have a back rest by utilizing a slipcover which incorporates the back rest. Further, in certain aspects, a fabric seat may be disposed across the open well.
In some cases, the back rest may slope backward from the medial region. For example, the slope may be at an angle that is in the range from about 1 degree to about 25 degrees off of vertical.
In a further embodiment, the invention provides a slipcover for a pillow. The slipcover comprises a cover body that defines an open interior that is adapted to receive a pillow. The cover body has a medial region and two curved arms extending from the medial region to define a generally open well. The cover body further includes a back rest region that extends vertically upward from the medial region.
In some cases, the back rest region may define an enclosure, and a padding material may be disposed in the enclosure to form a back rest. For example, the padding material may comprise a foam material.
In one aspect, the back rest may extend vertically up from about 4 inches to about 12 inches. Also, the cover body of the slipcover may include an opening through which the pillow is inserted. A fastener may be employed to close the opening. In some cases, a fabric seat may be disposed across the open well. Also, the back rest region may slope backward from the medial region at an angle that is in the range from about 1 degree to about 25 degrees off of vertical.
The invention further provides an exemplary method for supporting an infant in a sitting position. The method utilizes a pillow body having a medial region and two curved arms that extend from the medial region to define a generally open well. The pillow body also includes an back rest that extends vertically upward from the medial region. An infant is placed into the open well, with the arms of the pillow body engaging the infant's sides and the back rest supporting the infant's back.
In some cases, the back rest may be included in a slipcover. In this way, the pillow body is inserted into the slipcover prior to placing the infant in the open well. Further, in some cases, the pillow may include a fabric seat that is disposed across the well. In this way, the infant may be placed onto the seat rather than on the ground itself. In certain aspects, the infant's arms may be supported by the arms of the pillow body, while the back region extends substantially along the entire length of the infant's back. In some cases, the back rest could also support the back of the infant's head.
In one aspect, the invention provides structures and techniques for suspending objects, such as toys, over infants or small children. Conveniently, the toys may be positioned within the grasp of the child while the child is lying down, inclined or sitting upright. To suspend the objects, the invention utilizes a suspension system or other type of structure from which one or more objects may be suspended. The suspension system or structure may have at least one end or a base that is configured to rest on a surface or to be mounted to another type of structure. For example, the ends may be mounted to a pillow or a mat disposed beneath the pillow. As another example, the ends of the suspension system may all rest a support surface, or one or more ends may be suspended in air. One way to construct the suspension system is by the use of one or more bars or poles that extend into the air so that objects may be suspended from the bars. The bars may be joined together, may cross each other, or be formed as an integral unit. The bars may be constructed of any material having sufficient rigidity to remain suspended in air. Merely by way of example, types of materials that may be used include metals, plastics, composites, wood, rubbers, and the like.
The bar structure may be configured to be positioned about a perimeter of a pillow or other resilient structure on which the child is to be placed. This arrangement permits the support structure to be appropriately positioned so that objects may be suspended over the pillow. Further, by surrounding the pillow, the support structure helps to prevent movement of the pillow relative to the suspended objects. Optionally, the bar structure may be coupled to the pillow to further prevent movement of the pillow relative to the bar structure.
The suspension system may be configured to suspend the objects at essentially any height relative to the child. For example, the objects may be immediately above the child's head or chest to permit the child to reach up and grasp the objects. Alternatively, the objects may be placed out of reach of the child.
A wide variety of pillows may be used to support and/or to restrain movement of the child. For example, one type of pillow that may be used includes a medial region and two opposing arms that define an open well. Such pillows are described in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,261,134; 5,546,620; 5,661,861; and 6,038,720. Other types of pillows that may be used to support the child are described in copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/662,935, filed Sep. 15, 2000 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,434,770, issued on Aug. 20, 2002, Ser. No. 10/769,007, filed Jan. 29, 2004, Ser. No. 10/422,067, filed Apr. 28, 2003, Ser. No. 10/612,266, filed Jul. 1, 2003, Ser. No. 10/612,267, filed Jul. 1, 2003, and Ser. No.10/627,542, filed Jul. 25, 2003. The complete disclosures of all these references are herein incorporated by reference. Other types of pillows having other shapes and configurations that are known in the art may also be used. One advantage of a pillow having a medial region and two opposing arms is that the arms may be used to restrain the child to limit the child's movement. In this way, the objects may remain appropriately positioned over the child.
In some embodiments, the pillow may be coupled to a mat that is positioned beneath the pillow body. Such a mat may be constructed of a flexible material, such as a fabric. The mat may be integrally or removably coupled to the pillow body. In this way, the child may rest on the mat as well as the pillow body. One non-limiting example of such a mat is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,546,620, previously incorporated by reference.
Conveniently, the suspension system and support pillows may be provided in kit form. In this way, a consumer may purchase a kit having both a pillow and a suspension system. Optionally, one or more objects that are to be suspended may also be provided with the kit. In one option, a kit may be provided having a suspension system and a cover, with or without a mat. In this way, a consumer already having a pillow may simply place the cover over the pillow. The cover may have one or more attachment mechanisms to permit the pillow to be attached to the suspension system.
A variety of attachment mechanisms may be used to attach the pillows and/or mats to the suspension systems. For example, one or more fabric strips, strings or loops may extend from the pillow or mat. These may be placed, wrapped or tied around the bars of the suspension system. Conveniently, snaps, buckles, a hook and loop fasteners material, or the like may also be used in attaching the pillow to the bars. In some cases, the pillow or mat may include one or more pockets into which ends of the bars may be placed. The attachment mechanisms may be coupled to a cover of the pillow or integrally formed with the pillow body.
A wide variety of objects may be suspended over the child. For example, the objects may comprise toys that are education in design or that are configured to simply entertain or distract the child. For instance, such toys may include: balls, blocks, planes, space ships, vehicles, blocks, numbers, letters, animals, insects, figures and the like. Further, the objects may be constructed of various materials and may be of different colors.
The objects may be coupled to the suspension system in a variety of ways. For example, coupling mechanisms such as fabric strips, strings, chains and the like may be used. The objects may have a hole, hook, or the like through which the coupling mechanism may be passed, looped or tied. Conveniently, snaps, buckles, hook and loop fastener materials, or the like may be used as coupling mechanisms. The length of the coupling mechanisms may be adjustable to vary the height at which the objects are suspended over the child. The coupling mechanism may even be elastic to permit the object to be grasped and pulled down to the child.
Referring now to
Sewn to seams of cover 22 are a set of fabric loops 26 that serve as attachment mechanisms for a suspension system 28 as shown in
Suspension system 28 comprises a pair of curved bars 30 and 32 having ends 34 that rest on a surface 36 along with pillow 10. Ends 34 may be shaped or oversized to help stabilize bars 30 and 32. Bars 30 and 32 are joined together at an apex 38 and are shaped such that loops 26 extend around bars 30 and 32 as shown. Bars 30 and 32 may be placed over pillow 10 and the ends inserted through loops 26. Alternatively, other attachments may be used that are looped or tied around the bars after the bars are in place. Bars 30 and 32 are positioned about pillow 10 so as to provide a large enough opening to place the child onto the pillow and to provide a generally open environment. Hanging from bars 30 and 32 are fabric strips 40. Conveniently, bars 30 and 32 may include holes through which strips 40 are fastened. Coupled to strips 40 are a set of toys 42, including a ball, a ring and a block. However, it will be appreciated that a variety of other objects may be suspended as previously described. Conveniently, strips 40 may include snaps to permit strips 40 to be wrapped around toys 42 and then snapped together. However, a variety of other coupling devices may be used as previously described. Although shown with four toys, it will be appreciated that any number of toys may be suspended. Further, these may be suspended at any height and at any location on bars 30 and 32.
In use, a child may be placed onto pillow 10 as shown in
Instead of resting the suspension system directly onto a surface, the ends of the bars may be held by the pillow itself. An example of such a configuration is shown in
The suspension systems of the invention may include other number of bars and/or feet. One example of such a configuration is shown in
Any of the kits and/or suspension systems may be used with a mat that is positioned beneath the pillow body. One example of such a kit 58 is illustrated in
Shown positioned above pillow 62 is a bar 74 having ends 76 and 78. Bar 74 is configured to be inserted through fabric loops 80 on arms 66 and 68 so that ends 76 and 78 rest upon a support surface, such as a floor. Conveniently, pillow body 62 may include a fabric cover into which loops 80 are coupled. Although shown with fabric loops, it will be appreciated that a wide variety of attachment mechanisms may be used to couple bar 74 to pillow 60, including any of those described with other embodiments. Further, in some cases, attachment mechanism may be provided on mat 72. For instance, mat 72 may include holes or pockets into which ends 76 and 78 are inserted.
Bar 72 may be employed to suspend one or more items above pillow body 62 and/or mat 72. Although not shown various coupling mechanism may be used to suspend these items in a manner similar to that described with other embodiments. Further, different numbers and/or configurations of bars may be used similar to those described with other embodiments.
Mat 72 may be fashioned in a variety of shapes and sizes. As shown, mat 72 extends across well 70 and horizontally beyond arms 66 and 68. In this way, a child may rest and play on pillow body 62 while the rest of the child's body rests on mat 72. Hence, mat 72 may be long enough so that when a child is resting on medial region 64 (or lying within well 70), the child's feet are still on mat 72. As shown, mat 72 has an hour glass shape. However, a variety of other shapes may be used, such as rectangular, scalloped, arcuate, and the like.
Mat 72 may be constructed of essentially any type of material suitable for use with small children, and may be rigid, flexible, padded and the like. For instance, mat 72 may be constructed of a sheet of fabric, which may optionally include padding.
Mat 72 may further be configured to be either integrally attached to pillow body 62 or removable. For example, mat 72 may be sewn to the pillow body 62. Alternatively, various fasteners may be used to removably attach mat 72 to pillow body 62. Such fasteners may include, for example, a hook and loop fastener material, snaps, buttons, and the like. In this way, mat 72 may be removed when desired. In some cases, pillow body 62 may include a removable cover. In this way, mat 72 may be removed from pillow body 62 along with the cover.
The play kits of the invention may utilize various covers that are placed over support pillows. The covers of the invention may be used with a wide variety of support pillows, some of which may have a generally resilient cushion body. The cushion body may be constructed in a variety of ways and of a variety of materials. One way is to stuff a fill material into a flexible shell, such as a fabric tube. Types of fill materials that may be used include fibers, balls, seeds, foamed materials, elastomers and the like. Some examples of such support pillows are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,261,134; 5,661,861; 6,038,720; 6,055,687; 6,119,873; and 5,546,620, incorporated herein by reference. Other types of cushion bodies include inflatable bladders, sponges, and the like.
The support pillows may also have a variety of shapes and sizes. For example, the support pillow may have a horseshoe shape, a “U” shape, a “Y” shape, straight, semi-circular and the like. Shapes for such pillows are also described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,261,134; 5,661,861; 6,038,720; 6,055,687; 6,119,873; and 5,546,620, previously incorporated by reference. Such support pillows may include a variety of decorations. For example, such pillows may include a fabric shell having a certain color or pattern.
The covers of the invention are generally flexible and are used to cover the support pillow. The covers may closely or generally conform to the shape of the pillow so that the pillow maintains the same overall appearance. Examples of materials that may be used to construct the cover include fabrics, such as cotton, polyester, nylon and the like, plastics, stretchable materials, such as a mesh fabric, Lycra, and the like. The covers may include one or more openings through which the support pillows are inserted. Conveniently, one or more fasteners may be used to close the opening after the pillow has been inserted. Examples of fasteners that may be used include zippers, a hook and loop fastener material (also know as VELCRO), snaps, buttons, hooks, laces, elastomers, flaps, buckles and the like. In some cases, the covers may include the features described in copending U.S. application Ser. No. 09/679,139, filed Oct. 3, 2000 and Ser. No. 09/802,097, filed Mar. 8, 2001, the complete disclosures of which are herein incorporated by reference.
The covers may have a wide variety of colors, textures, patterns, designs, thicknesses and the like. In this way, an existing support pillow may have its appearance or feel modified simply by placing a cover over the pillow. Also, in some cases, the cover may be reversible so that one cover may be displayed in two different ways. For example, the cover may be made of one type of fabric, but have sides with different colors, textures, patterns or the like. As another example, different fabrics for each side may be used. For instance, a woven fabric may be used on one side, while a wipeable fabric, such as a vinyl or nylon, may be used on the other side.
In some embodiments, the covers may also include various peripheral items that are attached to the covers. Such items can include, for example, toys, teething rings, educational items, pacifiers, play mats, play bars, electronic items such as sound chips, mirrors, writing surfaces, characters, body parts, such as heads, tails, arms legs, and the like, rattles, pockets and the like. Specific examples include three dimensional characters and/or objects, such as a puppy's head, with paws and tails on ends of the arms, a flower and leaves, a clown head with floppy feet and the like.
Optionally, various attachment mechanisms may be used to attach the peripheral items to the cover. Such attachment mechanisms can include, for example, straps, strings, a hook and loop fastener material, snaps, and the like. Another type of peripheral item is a handle for carrying the support pillow. One example of such a handle is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,434,770, the complete disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference. By using such peripheral items, the utility of the pillow may be changed simply by using another cover having a different set of items.
Other features of the cover include various pockets, such as external and internal pockets. These may be used to hold items such as bottles, cloths, accessories, aromatherapy packs, sound or vibration units, padding and the like. Also various appliqués may be used. These include decorations or trimming that is made of a material that is attached by sewing, gluing, or the like to another material. Materials that may be used include velvets and tactile, such as textured rubber. Further, the appliqué may represent an object, such as a flower, animal or the like and may depict a cluster or a scene. Other examples include crinkle materials, squeaking devices, pressure sensitive sound chips, gels, and the like. These may be placed between the surface and the material of the appliqué.
Another feature is one or more ties that may be provided at the ends of the arms to tie the arms together. In this way, the ties may be used to hold a small infant in place. Also a harness, straps or the like may also be used to hold the baby in place. In some cases, a pattern may be provided to permit the consumer to make their own cover. The pattern may define a top piece and a bottom piece that may be sewn together to form the cover. Also, kits may be provided to include an embroidery pattern, a paint-by-number design using fabric paints, and the like.
Some covers may be constructed of a disposable material, such as a mesh, light cloth or the like. In this way, the cover may be discarded when soiled. The covers may also include features such as a chalkboard or other writing surface that can be drawn on with chalk or markers, a blanket, a bladder or other padding that may be used to raise the height of the pillow or provide different and/or additional layers of padding, and the like.
One example of how a cover may be used to support play bars is described in
Support pillow 504 includes four pairs of attachment points 514, 516, 518 and 520. These pairs of attachment points are configured to couple a set of play bars 522 and 524 to pillow 504 in order to suspend various toys or articles over the support pillow. As one option, the attachment points may be part of a removable cover. A connector 526 is used to couple ends of play bars 522 and 524 to the appropriate attachment points. As shown, the attachment points comprise fabric loops that are coupled to an outer perimeter of support pillow 504, while the connectors 526 comprise links that connect the ends of the play bars to the attachment points. Conveniently, each of the play bars 522 and 524 may be covered with a fabric that permits a loop of material to be coupled to each end of the play bars. In this way, the connectors 526 may easily be coupled between ends of the play bars 522 and 524 and the attachment points 514 through 520.
In order to adjust the vertical height of the play bars 522 and 524 relative to support pillow 524, connectors 526 may be removed from the appropriate attachment points and then coupled to another pair of attachment points that are either above or below the attachment points from which the play bars were removed. For example, play bars 522 and 524 are shown as being coupled to the upper set of attachment points, i.e., attachment points 516 and 520. To lower the height of the play bars 522 and 524, they may be uncoupled from attachment points 516 and 520 and then recoupled to attachment points 514 and 518. Although shown with two levels of attachment points, it will be appreciated that other levels may be provided to enhance the adjustability of the vertical height of the play bars relative to the pillow.
Although shown using fabric loops and linkages as connectors and attachment points, it will be appreciated that a wide variety of other types of connection schemes may be used, including chains, pockets, elastic materials, clips, and the like. Further, play bars 522 and 524 could be made to be telescoping or otherwise adjustable to adjust the vertical height.
Play bars 522 and 524 may include connectors 530 and 532 that permit various toys 534 to hang below the play bars similar to other embodiments described herein. Also, the number of connectors and number of toys or other articles that may be coupled to the play bars may be varied. Also, a stabilizer 536 may be provided at the top of the play bars to hold them together at their apex.
Optionally, support pillow 504 may include ties 540 and 542 that permit ends 510 and 512 to be tied together. In this way, an infant or small child may be placed in a well 544 and be held in position by ends 510 and 512. As another optional feature, kit 500 may include a mat or blanket 548 that is positioned below the support pillow 504. Mat 548 may be coupled to pillow 504, such as with a hook and loop fastener material, or may be a separate item.
Referring now to
Pillow 1010 has a medial region 1014 and two opposing arms 1016 and 1018 that terminate in ends 1020 and 1022. Pillow 1010 further includes an outer periphery 1024 and inner periphery 1026 that defines a generally open well 1028. As shown, outer periphery 1024 and inner periphery 1026 have a curved geometry and ends 1020 and 1022 are generally rounded.
Cover 1012 closely conforms to the shape of pillow 1010 so that pillow 1010 maintains the same overall shape and appearance as shown. Cover 1012 further includes a zipper 1034 that may be unzipped to form an opening through which pillow 1010 is inserted. Because of the tight fit, cover 1012 may be manipulated until it properly covers pillow 1010. Zipper 1034 may then be zipped to close the opening. As previously described, cover 1012 may have a wide variety of colors, textures and the like to vary the appearance or feel of pillow 1010.
Cover 1012 may be modified to vary the location of zipper 1034 (or other fastener). Examples of such variation are illustrated in
Another embodiment of a cover 1012g is illustrated in
By way of example,
In
In some embodiments, the covers may be provided with various pockets. These may be provided essentially anywhere on the cover. As one example,
Various appliqués may also be added to any of the covers described herein. Some examples of such appliqués are illustrates in
In
One advantage of using covers 1012ad and 1012ae is that a cover may be used to convert a conventional pillow to have a character or other item. This increases the versatility of a conventional pillow.
Padding layer 10264 may be used to raise the height of the pillow, give it a slightly different shape or simply provide a different type of padding. For example, padding layer 10264 may comprise one or more layers of polyurethane foam, foam rubber, a visco-elastic material, or the like and may have a height in the range from about ½ inch to about 5 inches. In some cases, the surface of padding layer 10264 could be angled or contoured to alter the shape of the pillow. In other cases, padding layer 10264 may be constructed of a relatively dense or stiff material to increase the firmness of the pillow. Also, padding layers of different sizes may be used to adjust the shape of the pillow.
Other embodiments of the invention provide a back rest that may be used with any of the support pillows described herein. The back rest may be incorporated into any of the pillows or incorporated into a removable slipcover that is placed over a pillow. In some cases, the back rest will be positioned directly on top of the medial region. In this way, when an infant is placed into the open well, the curved arms of the pillow body help to prevent the infant from tipping from side to side. The back rest also supports the baby's back so that the baby may lean back when sitting within the pillow. Also, in some cases a seat may be disposed across the open well so that the infant may be placed onto a fabric seat rather than on the ground itself.
The back support may be configured in a variety of ways and of a variety of materials. As such, it will be appreciated that a variety of shapes and sizes for the back rest may be employed. For example, the base of the back rest may extend fully over the medial region or only over a portion of the medial region. Further, the back rest may extend vertically up along only a portion of the user's back or the entire way up the user's back, and in some cases even up to the baby's head. Further, in some cases, the back rest may slope backward to provide a more comfortable resting position. However, in some cases the back rest could be vertically straight. In a similar manner, a variety of shapes could be used. For example, the back rest region could be square, rectangular, curved, circular, or the like. As a further alternative, various characters or other body parts could be substituted for the back rest. For example, an animal's head could be used for the back rest.
A large variety of materials may be used to support the infant's back. Examples of such materials include foamed rubbers or polymers, polyurethanes, visco elastic materials, polyester fiber fill materials enclosed within a shell and the like.
Referring now to
Extending vertically above medial region 1204 is a back rest 1214. As best shown in
In some cases, medial region 1204 has a height in the range from about 4 inches to about 7 inches. Also, back rest 1214 may extend above medial region 1204 by a distance in the range from about 4 inches to about 12 inches. Also, the width of back rest 1214 may be in the range from about 6 inches to about 24 inches. If seat 1212 is included, it may be spaced above a support surface by a distance in the range from about ¼ inch to about 4½ inches. Such a configuration permits the infant to be seated above the support surface when resting upon the pillow.
Support pillow arrangement 1200 may be constructed in a variety of ways. For example, pillow 1202 may be constructed of a fill material that is encased within a fabric shell. Similarly, back rest 1213 could be a fill material that is also included within a fabric shell.
An alternative way to construct support pillow arrangement 1200 is best illustrated in
Slipcover 1218 has a shape generally matching that of pillow body 1216 and includes an enclosure which permits pillow 1216 to be inserted into slipcover 1218 as best shown in
As best shown in
Slipcover 1218 may be constructed of various pieces of fabric that are sewn or glued together. For example, slipcover 1218 may have a top piece 1250, a bottom piece 1252 and a center gusset 1254. When not including seat 1212, center gusset 1254 permits the arms of the pillow body to be expanded to a wider degree and yet spring back together as generally described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,412,128, and copending U.S. application Ser. No. 11/458,083, filed Jul. 17, 2006 incorporated herein by reference. Back rest region 1226 may be constructed of a center piece of fabric 1256 that is sewn at the inner section of top piece 1250 and center gusset 1254 and then along top piece 1250. Also, side pieces 1260 and 1262 are sewn to center piece 1256 as well as to top piece 1250. The back side of center piece 1256 is sewn to the seam where top piece 1250 and bottom piece 1252 meet. In this way, the number of seam zones may be limited. Also, in some cases, it will be appreciated that pillow 1220 may be constructed of a top piece, a center piece and a center gusset as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,412,128, and U.S. application Ser. No. 11/458,083, previously incorporated by reference.
Examples of padding materials that may be used to form a back rest include foamed materials, visco elastic materials, compressed fibers, polyurethane foams, and the like. Also, in some cases back rest region 1226 could include an opening to permit the padding material to be removed from the slipcover. Further, in other cases, a back rest could be removably attached either to slipcover 1218 or directly to pillow 1202. For example, a back rest could include a hook and loop fastened material, such as Velcro, snaps, ties, or the like that could be used to removably couple a back rest to medial region 1204. In this way, a back rest that is not part of a slipcover could be used to convert pillow 1202 to have a back rest simply by attaching it to the pillow.
Referring now to
The invention has now been described in detail for purposes of clarity and understanding. However, it will be appreciated that certain changes and modifications may be practiced within the scope of the appended claims. For example, it will be appreciated that other variations of the suspension system are possible. For instance, only a single bar could be used. Further, one end of the bar may be suspended above the pillow.
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/112,142, filed Apr. 22, 2005 (now U.S. Pat. No. 7,290,303), which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/015,708, filed Dec. 17, 2004 (now U.S. Pat. No. 7,146,663), which is a continuation application of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/789,784, filed Feb. 27, 2004 (now U.S. Pat. No. 7,000,274), which is a continuation in part application and claims the benefit of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/638,058, filed Aug. 7, 2003 (now U.S. Pat. No. 6,851,143), which is a continuation application of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/241,504, filed Sep. 10, 2002 (now U.S. Pat. No. 6,625,828), which is a continuation application of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/802,310, filed Mar. 8, 2001 (now U.S. Pat. No. 6,453,493), the complete disclosures of which are herein incorporated by reference. This application is also a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/802,097, filed Mar. 8, 2001 (now abandoned), which a continuation in part application of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/679,139, filed Oct. 3, 2000 (now abandoned), the complete disclosures of which are herein incorporated by reference.
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| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20070271703 A1 | Nov 2007 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 10789784 | Feb 2004 | US |
| Child | 11015708 | US | |
| Parent | 10241504 | Sep 2002 | US |
| Child | 10638058 | US | |
| Parent | 09802310 | Mar 2001 | US |
| Child | 10241504 | US | |
| Parent | 11764107 | US | |
| Child | 10241504 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 11112142 | Apr 2005 | US |
| Child | 11764107 | US | |
| Parent | 11015708 | Dec 2004 | US |
| Child | 11112142 | US | |
| Parent | 10638058 | Aug 2003 | US |
| Child | 10789784 | US | |
| Parent | 09802097 | Mar 2001 | US |
| Child | 11764107 | US | |
| Parent | 09679139 | Oct 2000 | US |
| Child | 09802097 | US |
