U.S. patent application number 11/879238 was filed with the patent office on 2009-01-22 for formable travel pillow assembly and method.
Invention is credited to Sabrina M. Ali.
Application Number | 20090019641 11/879238 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40263641 |
Filed Date | 2009-01-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090019641 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ali; Sabrina M. |
January 22, 2009 |
Formable travel pillow assembly and method
Abstract
A formable travel pillow assembly malleably conforms to various
anatomical features of a user's head and/or neck region for
enhancing support and comfort during travel or similar situations.
The pillow assembly comprises an outer pillow construction and an
inner formable member. The pillow construction is formed from a
viscoelastic material and comprising first and second pillow ends,
a head-accepting seat intermediate the first and second pillow
ends, and a member-receiving cavity. The inner formable member is
received within the member-receiving cavity and comprises a
flexible outer sheath and a ductile inner material. The inner
material is formable into select configurations for selectively
adjusting the first and second pillow ends relative to the
head-accepting seat.
Inventors: |
Ali; Sabrina M.; (Palatine,
IL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Sabrina Ali
887 W. Goodrich PL.
Palatine
IL
60067
US
|
Family ID: |
40263641 |
Appl. No.: |
11/879238 |
Filed: |
July 17, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
5/636 ;
5/640 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60N 2/885 20180201;
B60N 2/882 20180201; A47C 7/383 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
5/636 ;
5/640 |
International
Class: |
A47G 9/00 20060101
A47G009/00 |
Claims
1. A formable travel pillow assembly, the pillow assembly for
malleably conforming to various anatomical features, the pillow
assembly comprising: an outer pillow construction, the pillow
construction being formed from a viscoelastic material and
comprising first and second pillow ends, a head-accepting seat
intermediate the first and second pillow ends, and a wire-receiving
cavity, the viscoelastic material being instantaneously
compressible from a relaxed state and retardedly returnable to the
relaxed state; and an inner wire assembly, the wire assembly being
received within the wire-receiving cavity and comprising a flexible
outer sheath and a ductile inner wire, the wire being formable into
select configurations for selectively adjusting the first and
second pillow ends relative to the head-accepting seat, the
selectively adjustable first and second pillow ends for malleably
conforming the pillow construction to various anatomical
features.
2. The pillow assembly of claim 1 wherein the first and second
pillow ends each comprises ear-covering lobe portions, the
ear-covering lobe portions for covering a user's ears and thereby
providing sound-muffling means for muffling sound entering the
user's ears.
3. The pillow assembly of claim 2 comprising a pillow casing, the
pillow casing being sized and shaped for receiving and encasing the
pillow construction, the pillow casing for interfacing intermediate
the pillow construction and the user.
4. The pillow assembly of claim 3 wherein the pillow casing
comprises zipper means for opening and closing the pillow casing,
the pillow construction being removable from the pillow casing via
the zipper means when the pillow casing is open.
5. The pillow assembly of claim 4 wherein the pillow casing
comprises a fly construction, the fly construction for concealing
the zipper means and for interfacing intermediate the zipper means
and the user.
6. A formable travel pillow assembly, the pillow assembly for
malleably conforming to various anatomical features, the pillow
assembly comprising: an outer pillow construction, the pillow
construction being formed from a first material and comprising
first and second pillow ends, and a member-receiving cavity
extending intermediate the first and second pillow ends, the first
material being instantaneously compressible from, and retardedly
returnable to, a relaxed state; and an inner formable member, the
formable member being received within the member-receiving cavity
and comprising a second material, the second material being
malleable for selectively forming the pillow construction into
select configurations, the selectively formable pillow construction
for malleably conforming to various anatomical features.
7. The pillow assembly of claim 6 wherein the first and second
pillow ends define ear-covering lobe portions, the ear-covering
lobe portions for covering a user's ears and thereby providing
sound-muffling means for muffling sound entering the user's
ears.
8. The pillow assembly of claim 6 comprising a pillow casing, the
pillow casing being sized and shaped for receiving and encasing the
pillow construction, the pillow casing for interfacing intermediate
the pillow construction and the user.
9. The pillow assembly of claim 8 wherein the pillow casing
comprises zipper means for opening and closing the pillow casing,
the pillow construction being removable from the pillow casing via
the zipper means when the pillow casing is open.
10. The pillow assembly of claim 9 wherein the pillow casing
comprises a fly construction, the fly construction for concealing
the zipper means and for interfacing intermediate the zipper means
and the user.
11. The pillow assembly of claim 6 wherein the formable member
comprises a ductile inner material and a flexible outer material,
the inner material for contributing ductile properties to the
formable member, the outer material for sheath-protecting the inner
material.
12. A method of cushioning a user's head during travel, the method
comprising the steps of: accepting a posterior portion of a user's
head into a head-accepting seat of a travel pillow; and malleably
bending first and second ends of the travel pillow toward an
anterior portion of the user's head away from the head-accepting
seat.
13. The method of claim 12 comprising the step of covering the
user's ears with the first and second ends of the travel pillow
while bending the first and second ends toward the anterior portion
of the user's head.
14. The method of claim 13 comprising the step of instantaneously
compressing the head-accepting seat against the posterior portion
of the user's head after accepting the posterior portion of the
user's head into the head-accepting seat.
15. The method of claim 13 comprising the step of instantaneously
compressing the first and second ends against lateral portions of
the user's head after malleably bending the first and second ends
of the travel pillow toward the anterior portion of the user's
head.
16. The method of claim 14 comprising the step of retardedly
returning superficial portions of the travel pillow after
instantaneously compressing the head-accepting seat against the
posterior portion of the user's head.
17. The method of claim 15 comprising the step of retardedly
returning superficial portions of the travel pillow after
instantaneously compressing the first and second ends against
lateral portions of the user's head.
18. A method of cushioning a user's head, the method comprising the
steps of: accepting a posterior portion of a user's head
intermediate first and second ends of a travel pillow; and
malleably bending first and second ends of the travel pillow toward
an anterior portion of the user's head.
19. The method of claim 18 comprising the step of covering the
user's ears with the first and second ends of the travel pillow
after bending the first and second ends toward the anterior portion
of the user's head.
20. The method of claim 19 comprising the step of instantaneously
compressing the travel pillow against the user's head.
21. The method of claim 20 comprising the step of retardedly
returning superficial portions of the travel pillow after
instantaneously compressing the travel pillow against the user's
head.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Technical Field
[0002] The present invention generally relates to a pillow assembly
for use during travel. More particularly, the present invention
relates to a formable travel pillow, which may be resiliently
configured and viscoelastically stressed to match the anatomical
contours of a user's head and/or neck.
[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0004] Some of the more pertinent prior art relating to travel
pillows and the like is briefly described hereinafter.
[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 3,757,365 ('365 patent), which issued to
Kretchmer, discloses a Therapeutic Pillow. The '365 patent teaches
a pillow comprising a flat substantially rectangular block of
material that is more resilient on its upper top layer and is less
resilient on its lowermost layer. It is substantially rectangular
overall, but has a cutout in at least one of the longer rectangular
sides, although this cutout may be repeated in the opposite
rectangular side. The cutout is substantially circular, more or
less, and is not greater than a semi-circle, although it may be
somewhat less than a semi-circle, the cutout serving to receive the
sleeper's shoulder with the attached arm extendable beyond the
pillow and not subject to any pressure from the pillow, being
entirely free thereof, and, of course, free of any pressure from
the sleeper's head. The thickness of the pillow is such that the
sleeper's head is supported in a horizontal position, with the neck
and windpipe free of any bends. As a result, breathing is freer
than with a conventional pillow, where the arm is often extended
under the pillow attempting to hold the head horizontal, in which
it often fails, but such does succeed in restricting the blood flow
in the arm, leading to a condition strongly resembling bursitis in
pain and restriction of arm movement, a painful condition not
easily remedied.
[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 4,617,691 ('691 patent), which issued to Monti
et al., discloses a Support Pillow. The '691 patent discloses a
generally rectangular or other suitably shaped support pillow
adapted to be removably secured around a user's neck. A single
elongated wedge-shaped pillow segment is provided with fasteners
for joining one end to the other. The wedge shape gives increased
lateral support to the user's neck and head. Worn with the
fasteners under the user's chin, it gives increased head and neck
support whereas if it is worn with the fasteners behind the users
head, it gives increased chin and head support. A three piece
version is also provided and the various pillow segments may be of
various sizes. A laminate may be applied to render the support
pillow bacteria proof, flame retardant and waterproof while
allowing heat and perspiration to escape. A spring-like closure
version is also shown.
[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 4,838,611 ('611 patent), which issued to
Talaugon, discloses a Car Seat Pillow. The '611 patent teaches a
car seat pillow having a pair of side cushions engageable with
opposite sides of the child's head, a neck cushion extending
between the side cushions, and tether straps for attaching the
cushions to the shoulder straps of a car seat with the side
cushions being positioned above the shoulder straps toward opposite
sides of the seat for supporting engagement with the child's head
and the neck cushion being positioned toward the back of the seat
for engagement with the back of the child's neck.
[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 5,239,717 ('717 patent), which issued to Sue,
discloses a Pillow for Arm of Person Holding a Child. The '717
patent teaches a pillow for a caretaker's arm for supporting the
head of a baby. It cushions the caretaker's arm against the arm of
a chair in which the caretaker is sitting while holding the baby.
The baby's head can thus be properly supported in a comfortable
manner yet the perspiration generated on the baby's head will be
absorbed by the pillow rather than being placed in contact with the
caretaker's arm. The pillow is tubular to receive a part of the arm
of a caretaker. The material of the pillow also is yieldable to the
touch. It can be of a standard size which will fit the arms of
different caretakers. A typical length of the pillow is 7 to 14'',
the diameter of the pillow is 4 to 9'', and a typical thickness of
the pillow when collapsed in a flattened condition is about 1 to
3''. The pillow can be made of any suitable material which is soft
and which preferably can be washed so that the pillow can be used
over and over again. The pillow forms a tube when it is expanded
from a flattened condition. In a flattened, stored condition, the
pillow is comprised of two side-by-side interconnected layers which
lie flat and are juxtaposed relative to each other.
[0009] U.S. Pat. No. 6,763,538 ('538 patent), which issued to Tsai,
discloses a Pillow. The pillow of the '538 patent comprises two
side frames, at least one crosspiece firmly engaged at two outer
ends with locating holes provided at two opposite inner sides of
the two side frames, and a plurality of round bars extended between
the two side frames with respective outer ends rotatably inserted
into insertion holes correspondingly spaced along outer edges of
the two opposite inner sides of the side frames. With a
predetermined clearance existed between any two adjacent insertion
holes, the round bars inserted thereinto are adapted to form
rotatable and air-pervious supporting surfaces on the pillow.
[0010] U.S. Pat. No. 7,020,919 ('919 patent), which issued to
Inaba, discloses a Pillow. The pillow of the '919 patent teaches a
pillow of an appropriate height, resiliency, and hardness, which is
light in weight and excellent in strength and does not impose too
much stress on a user's head and neck while enhancing air
permeability and heat dispersion properties, provides good comfort
to the user. The pillow includes a pillow body having a
head-supporting section for supporting the user's head and a
neck-supporting section for supporting the neck, and frame bodies
and disposed at both sides of the pillow body to support it. The
pillow body is a woven article of resin long elements and the
neck-supporting section is harder than the head-supporting
section.
[0011] U.S. Pat. No. 6,006,381 ('381 patent), which issued to
Tandrup, discloses a Support Pillow and references the so-called
BENDY BUMPER brand bendable positioning aid as offered by
Children's Medical Ventures with current business address of 275
Longwater Drive, Norwell, Mass., 02061 and which may be reached via
corporate address, as follows: Respironics, Inc., 1010 Murry Ridge
Lane, Murrysville, Pa., 15668. The BENDY BUMPER brand bendable
positioning aid stays in place until it is reshaped by the
caregiver. This unique molding capability is due to a safe,
hermetically-sealed lead rod in the center of a thick, spongy foam
body. The bendable rod and cloth covers are designed to be cleaned
and reused for multiple patients. The foam body is designed with a
view toward single-patient use only. The positioning aid
essentially provides a boundary for developing neonates and
promotes containment, flexion, correct positioning and
musculoskeletal development.
[0012] It is noted that the prior art is replete with examples of
travel pillows, support cushions, and similar other comfort
enhancing media. The prior art further teaches a wide variety
malleable members for enabling the user thereof to selectively
orient or form the member into myriad configurations. The prior art
appears to be silent, however, on a formable travel pillow assembly
constructed from viscoelastic and malleable materials for enabling
users thereof to malleably form the travel pillow to one's specific
anatomical features, which malleable formability is enhanced by way
of delayed viscoelastic reaction of the pillow materials during
offloading or head/neck displacements.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0013] Accordingly, it is primary object of the present invention
to provide a "one-size-fits-all type formable travel pillow
assembly, which assembly may be formed around a person's head and
neck region to comfortably provide pillow support to the wearer. To
achieve these and other readily apparent objectives, the present
invention essentially provides an adjustable travel pillow, which
pillow comprises a main pillow body constructed from viscoelastic
polyurethane foam otherwise commonly known as memory foam. Embedded
inside the memory foam is a bendable wire assembly, which assembly
comprises a ductile wire encased in a plastic sheath. The bendable
wire assembly has unique structural properties in that when the
pillow is bent to adapt the pillow to different positions depending
on the user's needs, the wire will take a temporary shape and hold
the pillow in the adjusted positions. When the user is finished
with the pillow, the pillow can be formed or return to an original
flat or axial position and put back in to the storage bag.
[0014] The foam has a memory characteristic which enables the foam
to return to its original position after it has been compressed and
adjusted for use by the user. One of the unique characteristics is
believed to reside in the fact that the pillow can be bent around
the head and used almost like earmuffs so that it can serve as a
pillow for the wearer as well as an earmuff to cut down the
surrounding noises, particularly when aboard an airplane or in a
car or even sitting on a couch at a person's home. The cradle in
the center upper side of the pillow is design to receive the back
of the head of the user and the center lower part of the pillow
fills the gap between the neck and seat providing an ultimate
comfort for the user.
[0015] The formable travel pillow assembly may further preferably
comprise an outer pillow-encasing cover made of a very soft and
smooth fabric and designed so that it has matching configuration to
the pillow. The pillow case preferably comprises a zipper that
extends longitudinally along the back of the pillow, which zipper
may be covered by a fly for added comfort.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] Other features of my invention will become more evident from
a consideration of the following brief description of patent
drawings:
[0017] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the formable travel pillow
assembly according to the present invention as used by a first
user.
[0018] FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of the formable travel
pillow assembly formed into a substantially semi-circular or bent
configuration.
[0019] FIG. 3 is an anterior plan view of the formable foam pillow
formed into an axial configuration with a pillow-encasing cover
removed and a section of the pillow removed to show a bendable
member embedded inside the pillow.
[0020] FIG. 4 is a right lateral end view of the formable foam
pillow in an axial configuration with the pillow-encasing cover
removed and a section of the pillow removed to show the bendable
member and its location inside the foam pillow.
[0021] FIG. 5 is a plan view of the bendable member in its axial
form with an outer section thereof removed to show an internal
ductile wire, which wire is encased in a plastic sheath.
[0022] FIG. 6 is a plan view of the bendable member in a first
formed configuration, which configuration is embedded inside the
foam pillow as formed into an axial configuration.
[0023] FIG. 7 is a posterior plan view of the formable travel
pillow assembly including a pillow-encasing cover and the location
of the zipper with a fly. A cross section through the fly is
showing the actual zipper location.
[0024] FIG. 8 is a top plan type depiction of the formable travel
pillow assembly as donned by a first user having a first set of
dimensioned anatomical features.
[0025] FIG. 9 is a top plan type depiction of the formable travel
pillow assembly as donned by a second user having a second set of
dimensioned anatomical features, the second set of dimensioned
anatomical features being generally lesser in magnitude than the
first set of dimensioned anatomical features otherwise depicted in
FIG. 8.
[0026] FIG. 10 is a diagrammatic depiction of a force load
compressing a viscoelastic material with velocity vectors of the
same magnitude and direction.
[0027] FIG. 11 is a diagrammatic depiction of a load being removed
from viscoelastic material otherwise depicted in FIG. 10 with
velocity vectors of the same direction, but differing
magnitudes.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)
[0028] Referring now to the drawings with more specificity, the
preferred embodiment of the present invention generally concerns an
adjustable travel pillow or formable travel pillow assembly 9 as
illustrated and referenced in FIGS. 1, 2, 7-9. The pillow assembly
9 preferably comprises a bendable wire or member assembly 11 as
illustrated and referenced in FIGS. 3-6; a foam pillow construction
10 as illustrated and referenced in FIGS. 3, 4, and 7; and a pillow
case or cover assembly 13 as illustrated and referenced in FIGS. 1,
2, and 7-9. As may be understood from an inspection of FIGS. 1, 8,
and 9, the pillow assembly 9 may be donned or worn about the head
20 and/or neck region 21 of the user 30, and resiliently formed via
the bendable member assembly 11 to comfortably conform the assembly
9 to various users' specifically dimensioned anatomical
features.
[0029] The bendable wire or member assembly 11 is instantly
adjustable via manual manipulation and able to hold any contour
shape without support. The assembly is preferably constructed from
soft lead intermediate steel ribbons and encased in flexible clear
plastic or polymeric sheathing. In other words, the assembly 11
preferably comprises an outer flexible plastic or polymeric
sheathing 16 which sheathing 16 encases a ductile or malleable wire
or member 12 as generally depicted in FIGS. 5 and 6. Stated more
broadly, the formable member assembly 11 may comprise an inner
flexible material and an outer ductile material, such that the
inner material functions to contribute malleable properties to the
formable member assembly, and the outer material functions to
sheath-protect the inner material.
[0030] The pillow construction 10 preferably comprises or is
constructed from a select polyurethane foam having memory such that
when compressed, the contour of the compression point elastically
deforms, and viscously returns to, or toward, the relaxed or
unstressed foam configuration. In this regard, it is contemplated
that the pillow construction 10 may be preferably constructed from
a high density, slow recovery viscoelastic polyurethane foam for
viscoelastically reacting to loading/unloading during use, or as
donned by the user 30.
[0031] In other words, it is contemplated that the user's head 20
and/or neck region 21 may compress the relaxed configuration of the
pillow assembly 9 following select formation thereof in superficial
adjacency to the user's head 20 and/or neck region 21 via malleable
bending action of the bendable member assembly 11. Notably, during
travel or similar other situational use, the user's head 20 and/or
neck region 21 may become displaced from the original head/neck
configuration to leave gaps between the head 20 and/or neck region
21 and the pillow assembly 9. During said displacement, the
off-loaded portions of the pillow construction 10 viscously return
to, or toward, the displaced head 20 and/or neck region 21. In
other words, after the compressive load has been removed during
head/neck displacement, the memory of the pillow construction
functions to viscously fill the gaps otherwise left by the
head/neck displacement(s).
[0032] The pillow construction 10 further comprises a unique
contour construction comprising a first pillow end 40 as
illustrated and referenced in FIGS. 1-3 and 7-9; a second pillow
end 41 as illustrated and referenced in FIGS. 1-4 and 7-9; a
head-accepting seat or hollow 42 intermediate the first and second
pillow ends 40 and 41 as illustrated and referenced in FIGS. 2, 3,
and 7-9; and a wire-receiving cavity 43 as referenced with broken
lines in FIG. 3. Being preferably formed from a viscoelastic
material as at 110, the pillow construction is instantaneously
compressible under a load from a relaxed state thus exhibiting
elastic properties and retardedly returnable via removal of the
load to the relaxed state thus exhibiting viscous properties.
[0033] From a comparative inspection of FIGS. 1, 8, and 9, it may
be seen that the first and second pillow ends 40 and 41 may
preferably be sized and shaped so as to enable the user to cover
his or her ears 22. It may thus be said that the first and second
pillow ends 40 and 41 each comprise ear-covering lobe portions 44.
It is contemplated that the ear-covering lobe portions 44 may well
function to cover the user's ears 22 and further provide certain
sound-muffling means for muffling sound (as at 100 in FIGS. 8 and
9) from otherwise entering the user's ears 22.
[0034] Notably, from a comparative inspection of FIGS. 3 and 6, it
may be seen that the malleable member assembly 11 comprises a first
member end 17 and a second member end 18, which member ends 17 and
18 are preferably bent or oriented at roughly 90 degrees relative
to the axis of the malleable member assembly 11 such that the
member ends 17 and 18 as well as the axis of member assembly 11 are
coplanar as further generally depicted in FIG. 4. The member ends
17 and 18 extend into the cavity 43 formed within the lobe portions
44 for providing added interstitial formable support within the
lobe portions 44. In other words, it is contemplated that the ends
17 and 18, as orthogonally bent relative to the axis of member
assembly 11, provide the user with certain means for forming the
lobe portions 44 about, or in superficial adjacency to, the user's
ears 22. Further, the ends 17 and 18 may comprise certain knobbed
or knob-like structure as at 19 to help prevent axial displacements
within the cavity 43 or to otherwise anchor member assembly 11
therein.
[0035] The pillow casing 13 is preferably sized and shaped for
receiving and encasing the pillow construction 10 and is
constructed from any suitable material or fabric for providing a
comfortable interface intermediate the pillow construction 10 and
the user 20. Preferably, however, the casing 13 may comprise
hypoallergenic, anti-bacterial material(s) and comprise certain
zipper means for selectively opening and closing the pillow casing
13 as generally depicted and referenced at 14 in FIG. 7. It is
contemplated that the pillow construction 10 may be compressed and
removed from the pillow casing 13 via the zipper means 14 when the
pillow casing 13 is in an open state. Still further, it is
contemplated that the pillow casing 13 may preferably comprises a
fly construction as at 15 in FIG. 7 for concealing the zipper means
14 and for providing a certain interface intermediate the zipper
means 14 and the user 20 to enhance comfortable use of the pillow
assembly 9.
[0036] While the above description contains much specificity, this
specificity should not be construed as limitations on the scope of
the invention, but rather as an exemplification of the invention.
For example, the foregoing teachings may be said to essentially
teach a formable travel pillow assembly for resiliently conforming
to various anatomical features of a user, which pillow assembly
comprises an outer pillow construction such as pillow construction
10 and an inner wire assembly such as member assembly 11. The
pillow construction is preferably formed from a viscoelastic
material 110 and comprises first and second pillow ends 40 and 41,
a head-accepting seat 42 intermediate the first and second pillow
ends 40 and 41, and a wire-receiving cavity 43. The viscoelastic
material 110 is instantaneously compressible under a load 105
having a velocity as at vector 101 from a relaxed state. In this
regard, it will be seen that material 110 undergoes a directional
deformation with velocity on par or with the same magnitude as load
velocity 101 as diagrammatically depicted in FIG. 10 at velocity
vector 102. The viscoelastic material 110 is then retardedly
returnable to the relaxed state when the load is removed with a
velocity (such as velocity 106). In this regard, the reader is
directed to FIG. 11. From an inspection of FIG. 11, it may be
readily understood that the velocity (as at vector arrow 103) is in
the same as velocity 106, but of a smaller magnitude, and thus the
return to relaxation is retarded relative to the velocity of load
removal.
[0037] The inner wire assembly is received within the
wire-receiving cavity and comprises a flexible outer sheath 16 and
a ductile inner wire 15. The wire 15 is formable into select
configurations for selectively adjusting the first and second
pillow ends 40 and 41 relative to the head-accepting seat 42. The
selectively adjustable first and second pillow ends 40 and 41
function to resiliently conform the outer pillow construction to
various anatomical features of the user as a means to enhance
supportive function and overall pillow comfort for the user.
[0038] Stated another way, the formable travel pillow assembly may
be said to essentially comprise an outer pillow construction and an
inner formable member. The pillow construction is preferably formed
from a first material and comprises first and second pillow ends 40
and 41, and a member-receiving cavity 43 extending intermediate the
first and second pillow ends 40 and 41. The first material is
instantaneously compressible under a load from a relaxed state and
retardedly returnable to the relaxed state when the load is
removed. The inner formable member (such as member assembly 11) is
received within the member-receiving cavity 43 and comprises a
second material. The second material is preferably ductile or
malleable for selectively forming the pillow construction into
select configurations. The selectively formable pillow construction
may well function to resiliently conform the pillow assembly to
various anatomical features.
[0039] In addition to a formable travel pillow assembly 10 set
forth herein, it is further contemplated that the foregoing
specifications may well support certain methodology for cushioning
a user's head 20 during travel as generally depicted in FIG. 1. In
this regard, it is contemplated that the method may be said to
essentially comprise the steps of accepting a posterior portion of
a user's head 20 into a head-accepting seat (such as seat 42) of a
travel pillow (such as pillow assembly 9); and resiliently or
malleably bending first and second ends (such as ends 40 and 41) of
the travel pillow toward an anterior portion of the user's head 20
away from the head-accepting seat. In this regard, focus should be
given to the adverbs describing the act of bending. Once bent (as
at arrows 109 in FIG. 2) from a first position (as generally and
comparatively depicted in FIGS. 3 and 4) to a second position (as
generally depicted in FIG. 1), the first and second ends stay in
positioned placement and do not otherwise elastically return.
[0040] The method may be said to further comprise the steps of
covering the user's ears with the first and second ends of the
travel pillow while bending the first and second ends toward the
anterior portion of the user's head; instantaneously compressing
the head-accepting seat against posterior portion of the user's
head/neck after accepting the posterior portion of the user's head
into the head-accepting seat (as diagrammatically depicted in FIG.
10); instantaneously compressing the first and second ends against
lateral portions of the user's head (e.g. against or toward the
user's ears 22) after malleably bending the first and second ends
of the travel pillow toward the anterior portion of the user's
head; retardedly returning superficial portions of the travel
pillow after instantaneously compressing the head-accepting seat
against the posterior portion of the user's head (as
diagrammatically depicted in FIG. 11); and retardedly returning
superficial portions of the travel pillow after instantaneously
compressing the first and second ends against lateral portions of
the user's head.
[0041] Accordingly, although the invention has been described by
reference to certain preferred embodiments, and certain cushioning
methodology, it is not intended that the novel pillow construction
or cushioning methodology be limited thereby, but that
modifications thereof are intended to be included as falling within
the broad scope and spirit of the following claims and the appended
drawings.
* * * * *