This invention relates to pillows, and specifically to pillows having a plurality of zones formed from pillow materials having different firmness levels.
Pillows are an important piece of bedding that provide comfort and support for the head, neck and upper back. Having a supportive pillow helps ensure that an individual's neck rests in a neutral position while sleeping. This is important as it prevents muscle strain while sleeping: an individual needs this support when he or she is sleeping because the human spine is naturally curved. Having support for the head and neck helps to maintain the proper alignment of these areas of the spine. Sleeping without the adequate support not only has a negative impact on sleep, but it can also result in stiffness in the neck and back.
Having the right pillow is also key to a good night's sleep. Getting an adequate amount of sleep is an important factor for living a healthy life. Getting enough quality sleep requires the individual to have good sleeping conditions. One of the key factors toward getting the full benefits of time in bed is having a pillow that fills the needs of the user. The Great British Sleep Survey of 2012 showed that 67% of respondents rated bodily discomfort as the highest factor keeping them awake at night. Having the right pillow is thus critical for maintaining a sound sleep. Since pillows play an important role in sleep, they will have a considerable impact on an individual's quality of rest and overall well-being.
Many different types of pillows have been designed that use different materials in order to provide the user with a different feel, comfort level or health benefits. These include natural fill pillows (down, feathers or a combination of the two); synthetic fill pillows (which are filled with a man-made fill, customarily polyester; poly cluster fill pillows (which have a synthetic fill of polyester clusters coated with silicone to feel and move like down); foam pillows (which are made of solid pieces or chunks of foam); and memory foam pillows (which are made from a dense, sponge-like material that molds around a user's neck and head for extra support).
The relatively recent introduction of memory foam (which is polyurethane with additional chemicals increasing its viscosity and density, and sometimes referred to as viscoelastic foam or “VEF”) has allowed the creation of pillows that take advantage of the “memory” and other properties of the memory foam. Memory foam pillows are especially suited for sleepers who prefer a firm pillow or have neck or spine issues; however, memory foam pillows tend to have less breathability and make the user hot. When the user removes his or her head from the pillow, the pillow returns to the original shape. This pillow typically reacts to the weight placed upon it and only passively supports the weight based on the thickness or density of the memory foam.
When a pillow made with a filler material is not in use, regardless of which material is chosen as the filler, it should remain in a fluffy state and should be able to provide the level of support needed by the user. However, when the user lays his head down on the body of the pillow made with a filler, the filler becomes compressed and/or can shift. The compressed area of filler is thinner, relatively speaking, than the area of filler that is not compressed, which has a higher density. This causes the pillow to be unable to provide close comfortable support between the user's head and the pillow. This means that after using the pillow for a long period of time, the user may experience discomfort caused by muscle stiffness.
A large number of pillows comprising multiple layers—vertical and/or horizontal—for therapeutically supporting the head and neck of a person lying in a supine position are known in the art. Representative examples are afforded by US 2014/0283305 (Zysman); US 2014/0053336 (Hong-Yuan Cal); US 2013/0291306 (Willingham, et al.); US 2013/0263377 (Wootten, Jr.); US 2012/0204350 (Katsnelson); U.S. 2006/0064819 (Mollett); U.S. 2005/0278852 (Wahrmund et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 8,656,537 (Leifermann, et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 8,607,391 (Poppe, et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 7,735,169 (Wassilefky, et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 8,015,640 (Xi Sun); U.S. Pat. No. 7,856,686 (Kwong Ming Cho); U.S. Pat. No. 7,530,127 (Leifermann); U.S. Pat. No. 7,415,742 (Wassilefky); U.S. Pat. No. 7,051,389 (Wassilefky); U.S. Pat. No. 4,777,855 (Cohen); U.S. Pat. No. 4,803,743 (Greenawalt); U.S. Pat. No. 5,307,532 (Connell); U.S. Pat. No. 5,638,564 (Greenawalt et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 5,689,844 (Liu); WO 2013/063644 (Poppe); US 2012/0102654 (Lee, et al.); WO 2011/141943 (Sciannameo); WO 2010/075296 (Mikkelsen, et al.); US 2006/0064819 (Mollett); US 2005/278852 (Wahrmund, et al.); WO 2005/085123 (Spinks); US 2005/0257320 (Mollett); U.S. Pat. No. 6,101,651 (Yee Keung Tang); U.S. Pat. No. 4,194,255 (Poppe); and U.S. Pat. No. 3,251,078 (Calla).
A need still exists for a pillow made of pillow material, including but not limited to regular foam, memory foam, or fill, that allows different firmness levels for the user, where the firmness levels span the length of the pillow. Further, breathable pillows are also desired to reduce the heat experienced by users.
The present application relates to a pillow comprising two sections of generally equal size made of pillow material, such as foam, which includes regular foam or memory foam and/or fill, each section with a different firmness, having a dome-like top and bottom that are joined together along their bottoms. The shape and thickness of the two sections are selected to provide optimal upper back, cervical and cranial support for the sleeper. Optionally, the pillow may include holes drilled through the pillow or portions of the pillow to allow the pillow to breathe and minimize the heat conducted by the user from the use of the pillow. Further, the pillow, either with or without the holes, may be enclosed in a gusseted covering.
Other devices, apparatus, systems, methods, features and advantages of the invention will be or will become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following figures and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the invention, and be protected by the accompanying claims.
The invention may be better understood by referring to the following figures. The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. In the figures, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the different views.
In general, the present application relates to a pillow having two sections (i.e., an upper/first and lower/second section) of generally equal size, each made from different or similar pillow material, which includes, but is not limited to, fill (i.e. any loose material, including but not limited to down, feathers, regular foam pieces, memory foam pieces, man-made fill, synthetic fill, poly cluster, or custom polyester), and/or foam, which may include regular foam (which is made of one piece or chunk of foam) or memory foam (which is made of one, dense, sponge-like material) or any combination thereof, of different or same densities, and each having a dome-shaped top and a bottom, which bottom may, in one example, be generally flat or may be contoured or undulating. The surface area of each of the bottoms is joined together, creating a central seam around the circumference of the pillow. The shape and thickness of the two sections are selected to provide optimal upper back, cervical and cranial support for the sleeper.
When using memory foam, the memory foam may further be constructed from polyurethane or viscoelastic foam. The memory foam may include charcoal infused into the foam for odor control. In one example, the memory foam may consist of 98% polyurethane foam and 2% charcoal. The charcoal may be derived from different biomasses. The pillow may include holes for allowing the pillow to breathe and may be encased in a gusseted pillow case. The gusset may be designed to not allow air to penetrate through, forcing all air running through the pillow to move through the top and bottom of the pillow, rather than through the sides.
As illustrated by
Each section 102, 104 forms generally half of the upper and/or lower portion of the pillow 100. As will be explained further below, each section 102, 104 may comprise of the same or different pillow material density so that one side of pillow 100 is softer than the other. This allows the user to flip the pillow 100 over (by turning the top side toward the bottom) to change the firmness of the pillow 100 that the user's head contacts.
Each section 102, 104 of the pillow 100 has tapered edges 108, 110 along its length and width, respectively, giving it a dome-like shape. The bottoms 103, 105 of each section 102, 104 are generally flat. Both the top section 102 and bottom section 104 of the pillow 100 may be formed of different or similar pillow material having different or similar densities. For example, either section 102, 104 may comprise of pillow material having a density anywhere between 25-75 percent density by percentage of how dense the pillow material is or is packed. While different densities of pillow material may be used in sections 102, 104 to provide different firmness levels, it should be known that similar densities of pillow material may be used in sections 102, 104 that will provide different firmness levels depending on the type of pillow material that is used. For example, both the top and bottom sections 102, 104 may comprise of memory foam having the same density where the top section 102 may be firmer than the bottom section 104 due to the memory foam in the top section 102 comprising of a different memory foam composition than the memory foam composition in the bottom section 104. In another example, the top section 102 may comprise of regular foam and the bottom section 104 may comprise of fill such as feathers to provide different firmness levels to each section of the pillow 100. In another example, the top section 102 of the pillow 100 may be formed of memory foam having a density of between 36-55 or between 45-55 percent density by percentage of how dense the polyurethane foam is packed (with 50 percent being optimal), and the bottom section 104 of the pillow 100 is formed of memory foam having a density of between 36-55 or between 36-46 percent density by percentage of how dense the polyurethane foam is packed (with 40 percent being optimal). While generally the lower the density percentage the softer the pillow material, it should be noted that firmness level will also depend on the firmness of the pillow material itself, depth of the pillow material, the layers used in the pillow, and the ambient temperature (for temperature sensitive foams). Thus, as stated above, while the top section 102 of the pillow 100 may be formed of memory foam of the same density as the memory foam on the bottom section 104 of the pillow 100, the top section 102 may comprise of a firmer memory foam material than the bottom section 104. In this example, the top section 102 of the pillow 100 will be the firmer side, and the bottom section 104 of the pillow 100 will be the softer side. When this pillow 100 is turned over, the top section will become 104 and will be the softer side and the bottom section will become 102 and will be the firmer side.
In one example of an implementation of the invention, the flat bottoms 103, 105 of each of the two pieces 102, 104 of the pillow 100 are joined together in their entirety by adhesive, giving the exterior of the pillow 100 a central seam 106.
The pillow 100 may be formed by a molding process that seals the top portion 102 with the bottom portion 104. The molding process comprises the steps of forming one piece 102 of the pillow 100 having a predetermined density by: (1) pouring the liquid foam material into a machine capable of spraying the liquid; (2) spraying the liquid into a mold; (3) molding the material (e.g., allowing it to sit for five minutes); and (4) curing the material for a predetermined time period (e.g., 5 days). The process is repeated to form the second piece 104 of the pillow 100 having a different density than the first piece 102 by repeating steps 1-4 above. Then, the two pieces 102, 104 are glued together and cured for another predetermined amount of time (e.g., 2 days). Finally, the pillow 100 is covered and the finished product is packaged.
The unique densities of the top portion 102 and the bottom portion 104 of the pillow 100 are designed to provide improved sleep and other health benefits, such as orthopedic benefits, over prior known pillows. The firmer top piece 102 of the pillow 100 overlies the softer lower piece 104. In use, the cranial region of the sleeper subsides into the softer pillow material and is brought to rest by impinging against the softer side. The cranium is effectively and comfortably cradled in the concave indentation formed between the ends of different density of the top piece 102 and the bottom piece 104 of the pillow 100. Thus, the pillow 100 provides two different zones of support for the head and for the upper neck and spine: each zone has differing elasticity based on the density of the pillow material underlying that zone.
The choice and design of the top piece 102 and the bottom piece 104 of the pillow 100 may be made with a view to the modulus (“sag factor”) of the pillow material, i.e. its ability to support weight with an ever-increasing resistance (force of reaction) so that the head does not bottom out. This consideration is of particular importance for supporting the head of a side-sleeper above the surface of the mattress.
The choice and design of the pillow material for the top piece 102 and the bottom piece 104 of the pillow 100 may be made with a view to fitting the pillow 100, in use, as closely as possible to suit the personal morphology of the sleeper.
The density of the pillow material of the top piece 102 and the bottom piece 104 of the pillow 100 may also be chosen independently of the choice of modulus or firmness.
In alternate examples, the pillow 100 may be varied as to its size and/or shape. It may be smaller than the standard size, such as a travel pillow, or larger, such as a body pillow. It may be round, square or crescent-shaped or otherwise molded to fit around the contours of a person's head, shoulders and/or body to improve comfort and support.
In addition, the shapes of the top piece 102 and the bottom piece 104 of the pillow 100 need not be identical as shown in
The holes 512, 514 in the pillow 500 may range in size from 1-15 mm (optimally between 4-10 mm) and may be placed across the pillow 500 in columns and rows or in any varying pattern. As shown in the example of
As illustrated by
The foregoing description of an implementation has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not exhaustive and does not limit the claimed inventions to the precise form disclosed. Modifications and variations are possible in light of the above description or may be acquired from practicing the invention. The claims and their equivalents define the scope of the invention.
The application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/453,399, filed on Feb. 1, 2017, titled Two Sided Memory Foam Pillow, which application is incorporated into this application by reference in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62453399 | Feb 2017 | US |