U.S. patent application number 09/843413 was filed with the patent office on 2002-06-27 for contourable inflatable orthopedic pillow.
Invention is credited to Pearce, Tony M..
Application Number | 20020078507 09/843413 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 26894931 |
Filed Date | 2002-06-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020078507 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Pearce, Tony M. |
June 27, 2002 |
Contourable inflatable orthopedic pillow
Abstract
A pillow that includes an inflatable bladder surrounded by a
resilient layer. The bladder may be inflated to various levels to
achieve a desired level of orthopedic support. In some embodiments
of the invention, the pillow may include an outer comfort layer of
softer material than the firm inner core. Optionally, an integral
hand pump may be included on the pillow for inflation purposes.
Inventors: |
Pearce, Tony M.; (Alpine,
UT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Daniel McCarthy
PARSONS, BEHLE & LATIMER
201 South Main Street, Suite 1800
P.O. Box 45898
Salt Lake City
UT
84145-0898
US
|
Family ID: |
26894931 |
Appl. No.: |
09/843413 |
Filed: |
April 25, 2001 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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60199587 |
Apr 25, 2000 |
|
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60216021 |
Jul 3, 2000 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
5/644 ;
5/636 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47C 27/084 20130101;
A47C 3/16 20130101; A47C 27/081 20130101; A47C 27/00 20130101; B68G
1/00 20130101; A47G 2009/003 20130101; A47G 9/10 20130101; B68G
2001/005 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
5/644 ;
5/636 |
International
Class: |
A47G 009/00 |
Claims
1. A contourable orthopedic pillow comprising: an inflatable
bladder, said inflatable bladder being capable of being inflated to
a variety of levels by placing a gas therein, a resilient material
covering both the top and bottom of said bladder, said resilient
material being sufficient flexible to accommodate inflation of said
bladder, wherein said combination of bladder and covering is
symmetrical top to bottom so that it can be turned over for use on
either side, wherein the pillow may be adjusted from a fully flat
configuration to a fully contoured configuration by inflating said
bladder, wherein said bladder may be inflated in discrete
increments by use of a pump, and wherein said resilient material is
overlaid with another padding material selected from the group
consisting of polyurethane foam, memory foam, latex foam rubber,
fiber batting, buckling elastomers, and a resilient material
consisting of discontinuous pieces of flexible material joined
together by low durometer, high elongation elastomeric
material.
2. A pillow as recited in claim 1 further comprising a second
inflatable bladder.
3. A pillow as recited in claim 1 further comprising: a pump
integral to the pillow, the pump including a pump bladder having
bladder walls, an orifice on a bladder wall through which a gas may
travel as desired, resilient means located in said pump bladder,
said resilient means serving to re-expand said pump bladder after
it has been contracted by a squeezing force, and a one-way valve
between said pump bladder and said inflatable gas-containing
bladder to permit the pump to force gas into said inflatable
gas-containing bladder, and a bleed valve on said inflatable
gas-containing bladder for permitting gas to escape therefrom.
4. A contourable orthopedic pillow comprising: an inflatable
bladder, and a resilient material covering both the top and bottom
of said bladder, said resilient material being sufficiently
flexible to accommodate inflation of said bladder, wherein said
resilient material has top/bottom symmetry so that the pillow can
be turned over for use on either side, wherein said bladder may be
inflated and deflated to adjust contour of the pillow from nearly
flat to fully contoured, wherein contour of the pillow is
adjustable in discrete increments by inflating said bladder in
discrete increments.
5. A pillow as recited in claim 4 further comprising a second
inflatable bladder which may be inflated to further adjust
orthopedic contour of the pillow.
6. A pillow as recited in claim 4 further comprising: a pump
integral to the pillow, the pump including a pump bladder having
bladder walls, an orifice on a bladder wall through which a gas may
travel as desired, resilient means located in said pump bladder,
said resilient means serving to re-expand said pump bladder after
it has been contracted by a squeezing force, and a one-way valve
between said pump bladder and said inflatable gas-containing
bladder to permit the pump to force gas into said inflatable
gas-containing bladder, and a bleed valve on said inflatable
gas-containing bladder for permitting gas to escape therefrom.
7. A contourable orthopedic pillow comprising: a bladder that may
be inflated by placement of a gas therein, and a resilient material
covering overlaying both the top and bottom of said bladder, said
resilient material covering being sufficiently flexible to
accommodate inflation of said bladder, wherein contour of the
pillow is adjustable from nearly flat to fully contoured by
inflation of said bladder, and wherein contour of the pillow is
adjustable in discrete increments.
8. A pillow as recited in claim 7 further comprising a second
inflatable bladder which may be inflated to further adjust
orthopedic contour of the pillow.
9. A pillow as recited in claim 7 further comprising a pump
integral to the pillow, the pump including a pump bladder having
bladder walls, an orifice on a bladder wall through which a gas may
travel as desired, resilient means located in said pump bladder,
said resilient means serving to re-expand said pump bladder after
it has been contracted by a squeezing force, and a one-way valve
between said pump bladder and said inflatable gas-containing
bladder to permit the pump to force gas into said inflatable
gas-containing bladder, and a bleed valve on said inflatable
gas-containing bladder for permitting gas to escape therefrom.
10. A pillow as recited in claim 7 wherein said resilient material
covering is selected from the group consisting of polyurethane
foam, memory foam, latex foam rubber, fiber batting, buckling
elastomers, and a resilient material that includes discontinuous
pieces of flexible material joined together by low-durometer,
high-elongation elastomeric material.
11. A pillow as recited in claim 10 further comprising: a pump
integral to the pillow, the pump including a pump bladder having
bladder walls, an orifice on a bladder wall through which a gas may
travel as desired, resilient means located in said pump bladder,
said resilient means serving to re-expand said pump bladder after
it has been contracted by a squeezing force, and a one-way valve
between said pump bladder and said inflatable gas-containing
bladder to permit the pump to force gas into said inflatable
gas-containing bladder, and a bleed valve on said inflatable
gas-containing bladder for permitting gas to escape therefrom.
12. A contourable orthopedic pillow comprising: a bladder that may
be inflated by placement of a gas therein, and a resilient material
covering overlaying both the top and bottom of said bladder, said
resilient material covering being sufficiently flexible to
accommodate inflation of said bladder, wherein said pillow is
symmetrical from a top/bottom perspective so that it may be turned
over for use on either side.
13. A pillow as recited in claim 12 further comprising a second
inflatable bladder which may be inflated to further adjust
orthopedic contour of the pillow.
14. A pillow as recited in claim 12 further comprising: a pump
integral to the pillow, the pump including a pump bladder having
bladder walls, an orifice on a bladder wall through which a gas may
travel as desired, resilient means located in said pump bladder,
said resilient means serving to re-expand said pump bladder after
it has been contracted by a squeezing force, and a one-way valve
between said pump bladder and said inflatable gas-containing
bladder to permit the pump to force gas into said inflatable
gas-containing bladder, and a bleed valve on said inflatable
gas-containing bladder for permitting gas to escape therefrom.
15. A pillow as recited in claim 12 wherein said resilient material
covering is selected from the group consisting of polyurethane
foam, memory foam, latex foam rubber, fiber batting, buckling
elastomers, and a resilient material that includes discontinuous
pieces of flexible material joined together by low-durometer,
high-elongation elastomeric material.
16. A pillow as recited in claim 15 further comprising: a pump
integral to the pillow, the pump including a pump bladder having
bladder walls, an orifice on a bladder wall through which a gas may
travel as desired, resilient means located in said pump bladder,
said resilient means serving to re-expand said pump bladder after
it has been contracted by a squeezing force, and a one-way valve
between said pump bladder and said inflatable gas-containing
bladder to permit the pump to force gas into said inflatable
gas-containing bladder, and a bleed valve on said inflatable
gas-containing bladder for permitting gas to escape therefrom.
17. A contourable orthopedic cushion comprising: a bladder that may
be inflated by placement of a gas therein, and a resilient material
covering overlaying both the top and bottom of said bladder, said
resilient material covering being sufficiently flexible to
accommodate inflation of said bladder, wherein said pillow is
symmetrical from a top/bottom perspective so that it may be turned
over for use on either side.
18. A cushion as recited in claim 17 further comprising a second
inflatable bladder which may be inflated to further adjust
orthopedic contour of the pillow.
19. A cushion as recited in claim 17 further comprising: a pump
integral to the pillow, the pump including a pump bladder having
bladder walls, an orifice on a bladder wall through which a gas may
travel as desired, resilient means located in said pump bladder,
said resilient means serving to re-expand said pump bladder after
it has been contracted by a squeezing force, and a one-way valve
between said pump bladder and said inflatable gas-containing
bladder to permit the pump to force gas into said inflatable
gas-containing bladder, and a bleed valve on said inflatable
gas-containing bladder for permitting gas to escape therefrom.
20. A cushion as recited in claim 17 wherein said resilient
material covering is selected from the group consisting of
polyurethane foam, memory foam, latex foam rubber, fiber batting,
buckling elastomers, and a resilient material that includes
discontinuous pieces of flexible material joined together by
low-durometer, high-elongation elastomeric material.
21. A cushion as recited in claim 20 further comprising: a pump
integral to the pillow, the pump including a pump bladder having
bladder walls, an orifice on a bladder wall through which a gas may
travel as desired, resilient means located in said pump bladder,
said resilient means serving to re-expand said pump bladder after
it has been contracted by a squeezing force, and a one-way valve
between said pump bladder and said inflatable gas-containing
bladder to permit the pump to force gas into said inflatable
gas-containing bladder, and a bleed valve on said inflatable
gas-containing bladder for permitting gas to escape therefrom.
22. A contourable orthopedic pillow for cushioning the head and
neck of a user comprising: a core section fabricated from a
resilient material, an overlay on said core section, said overlay
being of a material that is softer than said core section.
23. A pillow as recited in claim 22 wherein the pillow has
top/bottom symmetry so that it may be turned over and used on
either side.
24. A pillow as recited in claim 22 further comprising an
adjustment means located in said core section, said adjustment
means being capable of adjusting the contour of the pillow to a
variety of levels in discrete increments by placing a gas
therein.
25. A pillow as recited in claim 24 wherein said adjustment means
is a fluid-containing bladder.
26. A pillow as recited in claim 22 wherein said overlay includes a
material selected from the group consisting of latex foam rubber,
buckling elastomer, and a resilient material that has discontinuous
pieces of a flexible material joined together by a low-durometer,
high-elongation elastomeric material.
27. A pillow as recited in claim 22 wherein said overlay includes a
material selected from the group consisting of elastomers and a
resilient material that has discontinuous pieces of a flexible
material joined together by a low-durometer, high-elongation
elastomeric material.
28. A pillow for cushioning the head and neck of a user comprising:
a core section fabricated from a resilient material, an overlay on
said core section; wherein said overlay includes a material
selected from the group consisting of latex foam rubber, buckling
elastomer, and a resilient material that has discontinuous pieces
of a flexible material joined together by a low-durometer,
high-elongation elastomeric material.
29. A pillow as recited in claim 28 wherein the pillow has
top/bottom symmetry so that it may be turned over and used on
either side.
30. A pillow as recited in claim 28 further comprising an
inflatable bladder located in said core section, said inflatable
bladder being capable of being inflatable to a variety of levels by
placing a gas therein.
31. A pillow as recited in claim 28 further comprising an
adjustment means located in said core section, said adjustment
means being capable of adjusting the contour of the pillow to a
variety of levels in discrete increments by placing a gas
therein.
32. A pillow as recited in claim 31 wherein said adjustment means
is a fluid-containing bladder.
33. A cushion for cushioning the head and neck of a user
comprising: a core section fabricated from a resilient material, an
overlay on said core section; wherein said overlay includes a
material selected from the group consisting of latex foam rubber,
buckling elastomer, and a resilient material that has discontinuous
pieces of a flexible material joined together by a low-durometer,
high-elongation elastomeric material.
34. A cushion as recited in claim 28 wherein the cushion has
top/bottom symmetry so that it may be turned over and used on
either side.
35. A cushion as recited in claim 28 further comprising an
inflatable bladder located in said core section, said inflatable
bladder being capable of being inflatable to a variety of levels by
placing a gas therein.
36. A cushion as recited in claim 28 further comprising an
adjustment means located in said core section, said adjustment
means being capable of adjusting the contour of the cushion to a
variety of levels in discrete increments by placing a gas
therein.
37. A cushion as recited in claim 31 wherein said adjustment means
is a fluid-containing bladder.
38. A bed pillow comprising: a plurality of discrete pieces of
resilient material joined together by pieces of low-durometer,
high-elongation elastomeric material.
39. A pillow as recited in claim 38 wherein the pillow has an
orthopedic contour for support of the head and neck.
40. A pillow as recited in claim 39 further comprising an
inflatable bladder in the pillow.
41. A cushion comprising: a plurality of discrete pieces of
resilient material joined together by pieces of low-durometer,
high-elongation elastomeric material.
42. A cushion as recited in claim 41 wherein said cushion is
configured to support a human head.
43. A cushion as recited in claim 42 wherein the cushion has an
orthopedic contour for support of the head and neck.
44. A cushion as recited in claim 41 further comprising an
inflatable bladder in the pillow.
45. A cushion as recited in 44 wherein said cushion is configured
to support a human head.
46. A shape-adjustable cushion comprising: an inflatable
gas-containing bladder constructed from at least two layers of film
welded together, said bladder being of a construction which permits
it to substantially contain gas placed therein, a pump integral to
the pillow, the pump including a pump bladder having bladder walls,
an orifice on a bladder wall through which a gas may travel as
desired, resilient means for re-expanding said pump bladder after
it has been contracted by a squeezing force, and a one-way valve
between said pump and said inflatable gas-containing bladder to
permit the pump to force gas into said inflatable gas-containing
bladder, a means for allowing gas to escape said gas-containing
bladder, and resilient material covering at least two sides of said
inflatable gas-containing bladder.
47. A cushion as recited in claim 46 wherein the cushion is adapted
for supporting the head and neck of a user.
48. A cushion as recited in claim 46 wherein said resilient
material is selected from the group consisting of polyurethane
foam, memory foam, latex foam rubber, fiber batting and
elastomer.
49. A cushion as recited in claim 48 wherein the cushion is adapted
for supporting the head and neck of a user.
Description
CLAIM FOR PRIORITY
[0001] Applicant claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent
Application No. 60/199,587 filed on Apr. 25, 2000 and to U.S.
Provisional Patent Application No. 60/216,021 filed on Jul. 3,
2000.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] This invention relates to the field of cushions of all
types, particularly but not limited to cushions for beds, such as
head pillows and mattresses, and furniture, including the main
cushions for sitting and lying as well as the loose cushions and
pillows associated with some types of furniture. Those skilled in
the art will recognize the myriad of applications for the cushions
of the invention.
[0004] 2. Background Art
[0005] There is considerable prior art in the field of ergonomic,
orthopedic or contoured pillows and cushions. The objective of the
prior art devices is to support the head and neck during sleep in a
position that is similar to the position of the head and neck in a
standing or sitting person during waking hours. To that end, the
pillows are thicker in the portion that underlies the neck and
thinner in the portion that underlies the head. Most of the prior
art orthopedic cushions have three general sections: (1) a shallow
center portion for the head to rest upon; (2) a bulbous edge
portion thicker than the center portion for the neck to rest upon
while lying on one's back; and (3) opposite from this bulbous edge
portion, an even thicker bulbous secondary edge portion for the
neck to rest upon while lying on one's side.
[0006] There are also numerous prior art orthopedic cushions that
contain inflatable bladders. These bladders are to adjust the
firmness of one or more of the three above-described sections of
the pillow, and to a very limited extent, the contour. Examples of
such cushions include U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,501,034; 4,528,705;
4,829,614; 4,979,249; and 5,068,933, each of which is hereby
incorporated by reference. These pillows are all meant to be a very
specific shape to accomplish the designs of the inventor. None of
them are of such a shape that they can be turned over and used on
the other side.
[0007] Unfortunately, orthopedic pillows are still in only limited
use. Their cost is generally higher than for non-orthopedic
pillows, especially those orthopedic pillows containing inflatable
bladders. The bladder configurations of prior art pillows are all
complex in nature, significantly adding to the cost. A major reason
for rejecting prior art orthopedic pillows is the radical departure
from traditional (flat) pillow shapes, to which the user has a
difficult time adjusting.
[0008] None of the highly-shaped orthopedic pillows of the prior
art address the need for a pillow that is adjustable in shape in
the range from flat to fully contoured. There exists a need for
such a pillow, so that the user can gradually adjust the pillow
over the course of many nights to have more and more contour, until
he or she is used to the full orthopedic shape and can thus reap
the full benefits.
[0009] There also exists a need for such a pillow for those that
can never get used to the full orthopedic shape, but can still reap
the partial benefit from a shape that is somewhere between flat and
fully contoured. There exists a need for such a pillow in
situations where the pillow is used by different people on
different nights, such as in a person's guest room or in a hotel,
so that each person can adjust the pillow to his or her preference,
including completely flat.
[0010] There exists a need for such a pillow because every person's
body is different, and sleep positions differ, and a pillow that is
completely adjustable as to the degree of orthopedic bulbousness
will accommodate more people than the many prior art pillows whose
shape is set by the pillow design. There also exists a need for an
adjustable orthopedic pillow that is less complex and is
inexpensive relative to prior-art bladder-type orthopedic pillows.
There also exists a need for an orthopedic pillow that can be
flipped over and used on either side.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONS
[0011] The pillows of the invention in their various embodiments
address these needs. In its non-inflated form, one embodiment of
the invention is completely flat like a standard foam pillow. It
uses an exceptionally simple, single chamber flat-welded bladder
that is very inexpensive to produce and install. It can be adjusted
by inflation to any degree of bulbousness from completely flat to
fully orthopedic, thus allowing the user to either set it
permanently at the desired degree or to gradually increase the
bulbousness as he or she gets used to having an orthopedic pillow.
It allows different users to set the degree of bulbousness to their
own preference or their own body's needs. The construction is
simple and takes little labor, and the materials are inexpensive,
thus allowing the pillow to be made at low relative cost. This
orthopedic pillow of the invention can be flipped over and used on
either side.
[0012] In other embodiments of the orthopedic pillows of the
invention, other features are added which add additional desired
properties. Persons of ordinary skill in the art will comprehend
the objects, features and advantages of the inventions on reading
the text of the patent in conjunction with the appended
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1A depicts an embodiment of the invented pillow without
air in its interior.
[0014] FIGS. 1B and 1C depict the air bladder pillow of FIG. 1A
partially filled with air.
[0015] FIG. 1D depicts the air bladder pillow of FIG. 1A fully
inflated with air.
[0016] FIGS. 2A-2H depict another embodiment of the invention from
uninflated to fully inflated.
[0017] FIGS. 3A-3C depict embodiments of the invention with an
outer cushioning layer on a pillow substrate.
[0018] FIGS. 4A-4D depict embodiments of the invention intended to
be filled with a soft filler material other than a gas.
[0019] FIG. 5 depicts another bladder of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0020] Referring to FIGS. 1A-1D, one embodiment of the invention is
depicted.
[0021] FIG. 1A shows the pillow 100 in its flat configuration prior
to inflation. Users that wish to gradually become accustomed to an
orthopedic pillow would start in this flat configuration until they
are used to the particular foams used in the pillow. To construct
this pillow, a piece of resilient material 1 has a flat-welded
plastic air bladder 3 placed on the resilient material's top
surface. For purposes of discussion, we will refer to the resilient
material as foam, since the preferred embodiment is open-cell
polyurethane foam. The foam is then folded over and bonded to
itself at bond line 2. During this process, the top of the air
bladder 2 may be adhesively bonded to the foam or left unbonded. It
has been found that there is sufficient friction between the
bladder and the foam that bonding is not generally necessary to
retain the bladder in the foam, and removability is desirable in
the event the bladder or foam must be replaced. The pillow is then
complete, and is generally put into a fabric pillow-slip and
packaged for sale.
[0022] FIG. 1B shows the air bladder partially inflated with air or
other gas 4. The user is now in his or her first stage of getting
used to an orthopedic pillow shape, or has set the bladder at this
shape permanently to get at least some benefit. FIG. 1C shows the
air bladder partially inflated to a higher level. The user is now
in his or her second stage of getting used to an orthopedic pillow
shape, or has set the bladder at this shape permanently to get some
benefit. FIG. 1D shows the bladder fully inflated to maximum
bulbousness so that the user can get the full benefit of an
orthopedically shaped pillow. In place of the bladder, any contour
adjustment means could be utilized, for example, a fluid-containing
bladder or other adjustment means.
[0023] In prior art pillows, inventors and designers have gone to
great lengths to have the bottom surface of the pillow remain flat.
It will be noted that the bottom surface of the pillows in FIGS.
1B, 1C, and 1D are not flat. It is not necessary to have the bottom
surface be flat, since the user does not lay his or her head on the
bottom surface. I find that an advantage of having both sides of
the pillow same-shaped as in FIGS. 1B, 1C, and 1D is that the user
can flip the pillow over if it gets hot, sweaty, or saliva is
drooled thereon. None of the prior art orthopedic pillows can be
flipped over. While it may appear from FIGS. 1B, 1C, and 1D that
the user's head will be at an angle when the non-inflated side of
the pillow reaches the mattress, in practice the foam is very soft
and bends near the bulb or neck portion to level out the head
portion of the pillow.
[0024] The resilient covering of the pillow should be flexible to
accommodate inflation of the air bladder so that the pillow is
adjustable from flat to fully contoured. Preferably the pillow will
be adjustable in desired increments, or discrete increments, to
achieve a desired orthopedic effect. The resilient covering
material may be polyurethane foam, memory foam, latex foam rubber,
fiber batting, buckling elastomers, or a resilient material that I
made of discontinuous pieces of a flexible material joined together
with a low durometer high elongation elastomeric material. The
resilient pillow cover will preferably be constructed so that the
pillow is symmetrical with respect to at least one axis, such as
top/bottom symmetry, so that the pillow may be turned over and used
on both sides.
[0025] It is desirable for users that intend to set the air
bladders at a preferred level and leave them at that level, to have
two different heights on the two edges: One for when they lay on
their side, and another for when they lay on their backs. The
preferred embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 2A-2H addresses these
issues.
[0026] FIG. 2A shows the pillow 100 in the flat configuration
including the bladder 30, foam folded over the bladder and bonded
at 20. A second simple bladder 50 is installed near the opposite
edge of the pillow from bladder 30. Bladder 50 can be the same size
as bladder 30 or wider/narrower. FIGS. 2B, 2C, and 2D show
increasing levels of inflation with air or other gas 40. This
configuration provides for two levels of inflation for back and
side sleeping.
[0027] FIGS. 2E, 2F, and 2G show that both bladders do not need to
be increased or decreased together in terms of inflation. For
example, FIG. 2G shows that when bladder 30 is at maximum
inflation, bladder 50 is at low inflation. FIG. 2F shows that the
foam can be in two or more adhered pieces rather than one folded
and adhered piece.
[0028] FIG. 2H shows another embodiment wherein the foam can be
added to or replaced by a secondary padding layer 70. Examples of
excellent materials 70 of my invention to add to or replace the
foam are: polyester batting fiber; Reflex.TM. foam and other
polyurethane foams by Foamex Corporation of Linwood, Pa.;
viscoelastic (memory) foam; latex foam rubber; and Gellycomb.TM.
buckling-column elastomer by EdiZONE, LC. Gellycomb.TM. and its
manufacture are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,749,111 and 6,026,527
and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/303,979 filed on May 3,
1999 which are hereby incorporated by reference. The padding
material 70 can replace some or all of the foam, and be on one or
both sides and around either or both ends or just on the laying
surfaces. Multiple alternative padding materials may be added to
the pillow at 70 as desired.
[0029] Use of Gellycomb.TM. is highly valuable for pillows. Prior
art pillows do not sufficiently conform to the fine contours of the
face or head while properly supporting the broader, flatter areas
of the face or head. Firmer materials such as firm polyurethane
foam or buckwheat hulls are uncomfortable. Softer materials, such
as soft polyurethane foam, down feathers, and imitation/substitute
down feathers, are more comfortable but when lying on the side the
face sinks in until the nose is blocked and breathing is hampered,
or until the eye is pressed upon uncomfortably. In other words,
these softer materials conform well, but do not properly support
the broader, flatter areas of the face or head, which support is
needed to keep the nose and eyes out of the pillow. Gellycomb.TM.'s
unique hollow buckling columns made of soft, rubbery gel conform to
the fine features of the head or face by buckling where there is a
point load and resisting buckling where a broad area of the face or
head spans many columns. Thus it feels soft and comfortable but the
face does not sink in far enough to irritate the nose and eye.
Generally, Gellycomb.TM. is heat-bonded to a layer of non-woven
fabric, and that fabric is adhesively bonded to the foam core or
other core.
[0030] FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 3C show other preferred embodiments of my
invention. Referring to FIG. 3A, the pillow 300 includes a foam
core 81 containing an inflatable bladder 31 is made similar to the
pillows described above. Wrapped around the core 81 is a comfort
layer 91. Generally, but not in every case, the comfort layer 91 is
soft and allows easy cushioning penetration, while the core 8 is
somewhat firmer. In this manner, the face contacts soft material
for comfort but does not sink in so far as to smother the nose and
eye while lying on the side. FIG. 3A shows comfort layer 91, which
is made from pin-core latex foam rubber, such as Talatech.TM. made
by Latex International West of Santa Fe Springs, Calif. A good IFD
(stiffness) for such foam is in the 10-13 range.
[0031] Referring to FIG. 3B, another pillow 301 is shown with a
foam layer 82 containing air bladder 32. Wrapped about a portion of
the exterior of the pillow is a comfort layer 102. The comfort
layer 102 may be made of a suitable cushioning media such as memory
foam. Memory foam is available from Carpenter Foam of Freeport
Center, Clearfield, Utah. A preferred memory foam is about three
pounds per cubic foot, though denser foams, while more expensive,
are even more preferred for comfort.
[0032] FIG. 3C shows a pillow 302 including foam layer 83 about air
bladder 33 and topped by comfort layer 112. In this instance, the
comfort layer is a gelatinous buckling column structure of
viscoelastic material, such as Gellycomb.TM..
[0033] In each of FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 3C, the comfort layer wraps
around the top, shoulder area, and bottom of the pillow. Thus this
preferred pillow is usable on both sides. Of course, a second
bladder could be placed at the other edge of the pillow as shown in
other embodiments of the invention. Or, the bladder could be
eliminated while retaining the benefits of the soft and conforming
comfort layer and the firmer inner core.
[0034] Referring to FIGS. 4A, 4B, 4C, and 4D, a pillow such as a
pillow constructed according to the teachings of FIGS. 3A-3C, is
shown at various stages of inflation, exhibiting the feature of
infinite adjustability from flat to full orthopedic contour. FIG.
4A depicts a firm inner core 401 of the pillow 400, such as a firm
foam, a bladder 403 for inflation, and an outer softer comfort
layer 402. In FIG. 4A, the bladder is not inflated. In FIGS. 4B, 4C
and 4D, the bladder is shown at increasing stages of inflation to
provide a greater pillow height and greater stiffness.
[0035] A preferred air bladder 512 for the pillows of my invention
is shown in FIG. 5. It is made by placing a plastic film 520
adjacent another identical film, then radio-frequency (RF) welding
the desired perimeter 513 shape (generally rectangular with rounded
ends is preferred). An air inlet is designed to work in harmony
with an inflation device, which could be the human mouth or a hand
pump or a powered pump. A means of sealing the air inlet must be
provided. All of these things are well known in the air bladder art
so are not disclosed in greater detail herein.
[0036] In FIG. 5, the air may be pumped into the bladder by means
of an integrally welded hand pump. The pump has a small hole 514
which allows air into a bladder filled with a reticulated foam 515
or other means of reinflating the pump. When the reticulated foam
515 is filled with air, the pump is squeezed with the hand while
hole 514 is covered for example by the palm of the hand, which
forces air through one-way valve 516 into the bladder. A bleed
valve 517 is situated so as to allow air to escape in the event the
user desires less air in the bladder. Such integral pump/bleed
systems have been used in the past by companies such as Dielectrics
Industries of Chicopee, Mass. for items such as shoe-tightening
systems. Construction of such devices is depicted in U.S. Pat. Nos.
5,372,487 and 5,144,708 which are hereby incorporated by reference.
The use of such a mechanism in a pillow bladder is unique to my
invention and offers the advantages of being inexpensive, out of
the way, and easy to use and control. In one preferred embodiment,
the bladder will take 50-100 squeezes of the pump to go from
totally flat to completely filled. This allows small incremental
adjustments, which practice shows is an important feature.
[0037] One aspect of my invention is an improved foam that is
useful in the outer pillow covering of the pillows of my invention
as well as in other cushioning applications. I will refer to this
as a gel/foam combination. There exists a need for a foam in many
pillowing/cushioning applications that has a higher "hand" than
prior art foams. Hand is the ability of the foam beneath a pillowed
object or person to sink in deeply without dragging surrounding
foam down. An aspect of my invention is to use small pieces of
foam, which are very economically purchased as scrap from other
manufacturing processes, and to bond these pieces of foam together
with a soft, high-elongation elastomer. The soft versions of
gelatinous elastomer described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,994,450 which is
hereby incorporated by reference are preferred.
[0038] A preferred elastomer stretches to twenty times its original
length, and can be made very soft in durometer. For example, the
use of eight to twelve parts by weight of mineral oil to one part
by weight of Septon 4055 SEEPS elastomer by Kuraray yields one
preferred elastomer. The elastomer may includes various
additives.
[0039] The elastomer acts as an easily deformable shear layer
between particles of foam, allowing them to displace easily
relative to one another. This creates a very high hand, while the
compressibility of the foam particles imparts bulk stiffness to the
foam so that the pillowed object or person does not bottom out. The
elastomer can be applied to the foam particles in either solvated
or melted form. If in solvated form, the solvent must be driven off
before use. If in melted form, preferred, once cooled the foam is
ready to use. The elastomer must penetrate the surface of the foam
particles sufficiently to interlock with them. It is preferable to
coat only the outer surface of the foam, but the elastomer can coat
the interior portions of the foam as well. Advantages of this foam
are myriad. The cost is very low for such a desirable foam because
of the availability of scrap foams at low prices. The environment
is helped by the recycling of the foam. The hand is very high,
making the foam very plush and comfortable while also being
supportive. Since the preferred elastomer has excellent memory, the
foam does not crush down over time to the extent that it would
without the elastomer. The elastomer imparts a viscoelastic
property to the foam, a feature existing only in very expensive
prior art foams.
[0040] It is to be understood that the above representations of my
invention(s) are preferred embodiments only, and that many other
embodiments are possible, including other materials, methods, and
combinations. Many other applications for the pillows and
cushioning materials disclosed herein are possible in addition to
those mentioned.
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