U.S. patent application number 13/009667 was filed with the patent office on 2011-07-21 for inflatable pillow.
This patent application is currently assigned to ARTOON PTY LTD. Invention is credited to Michael David Calder.
Application Number | 20110173754 13/009667 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 44276401 |
Filed Date | 2011-07-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110173754 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Calder; Michael David |
July 21, 2011 |
INFLATABLE PILLOW
Abstract
An inflatable pillow usable in a first mode for a person
sleeping on their back and in a second mode for a person sleeping
on their side, wherein the pillow when inflated has a profile which
features a generally flat base for stable support of the pillow, a
first end wall curving upwardly to a first height, and an opposed
end wall curving upwardly to a second height, the end walls leading
to the upper surface of the pillow which inclines downwardly from
each end wall into a valley within the central part of the pillow,
wherein the first height is greater than the second height, and
when used in the first mode the pillow is orientated so that the
end wall of greater height and upper surface provide support for
the upper spine region and head of a person lying on their back,
and when the pillow is used in the second mode, the end wall of
lesser height and the upper surface provide support for the upper
spine region and head of a person lying on their side.
Inventors: |
Calder; Michael David;
(Brunswick, AU) |
Assignee: |
ARTOON PTY LTD
Brunswick
AU
|
Family ID: |
44276401 |
Appl. No.: |
13/009667 |
Filed: |
January 19, 2011 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61296798 |
Jan 20, 2010 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
5/644 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47G 9/1027
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
5/644 |
International
Class: |
A47G 9/10 20060101
A47G009/10 |
Claims
1. An inflatable pillow usable in a first mode for a person
sleeping on their back and in a second mode for a person sleeping
on their side, wherein the pillow when inflated has a profile which
features a generally flat base for stable support of the pillow, a
first end wall curving upwardly to a first height, and an opposed
end wall curving upwardly to a second height, the end walls leading
to the upper surface of the pillow which inclines downwardly from
each end wall into a valley within the central part of the pillow,
wherein the first height is greater than the second height, and
when used in the first mode the pillow is orientated so that the
end wall of greater height and upper surface provide support for
the upper spine region and head of a person lying on their back,
and when the pillow is used in the second mode, the end wall of
lesser height and the upper surface provide support for the upper
spine region and head of a person lying on their side.
2. A pillow according to claim 1, wherein the first height is about
51/2 inches and the second height is about 43/4 inches.
3. A pillow according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the second
wall has a greater curvature than does the first wall.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to an inflatable pillow
appropriately contoured to support an adult person sleeping in a
lying position.
[0002] The inflatable pillow of the invention is specially
contoured to provide two alternative modes of use. In a first mode
it better suits a person who prefers to sleep on their back and in
the second mode it better suits a person who prefers to sleep on
their side. The contouring is such that in each of the two modes
good support of the spine is achieved.
[0003] More specifically, the invention provides an inflatable
pillow usable in a first mode for a person sleeping on their back
and in a second mode for a person sleeping on their side, wherein
the pillow when inflated has a profile which features a generally
flat base for stable support of the pillow, a first end wall
curving upwardly to a first height, and an opposed end wall curving
upwardly to a second height, the end walls leading to the upper
surface of the pillow which inclines downwardly from each end wall
into a valley within the central part of the pillow, wherein the
first height is greater than the second height, and when used in
the first mode the pillow is orientated so that the end wall of
greater height and upper surface provide support for the upper
spine region and head of a person lying on their back, and when the
pillow is used in the second mode, the end wall of lesser height
and the upper surface provide support for the upper spine region
and head of a person lying on their side.
[0004] An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way
of example only with reference to the drawings in which:
[0005] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the pillow;
[0006] FIG. 2 is a sectional view to better illustrate the internal
structure of the pillow;
[0007] FIG. 3 is a view of the pillow from one side;
[0008] FIG. 4 is a view from the opposite side; and
[0009] FIGS. 5 and 6 are views showing schematically the manner in
which the pillow acts in its alternative modes of use.
[0010] The basic form of the pillow is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 which
show the pillow in its inflated state. The pillow is defined by a
series of tubes 2 arranged in side-by-side relation with each tube
2 being defined between upper and lower surfaces 4, 6 of the pillow
and shaped transverse webs 8a, 8b interconnecting the upper and
lower surfaces. The outer ones 8a of these webs define the opposed
outer side walls of the pillow and the immediate internal webs 8b
are of substantially the same shape as the outer webs 8a and act in
conjunction with the outer webs 8a to define the overall shape of
the pillow when inflated. The overall pillow including external
surfaces and webs is constructed from thin, flexible, sheet
material to enable the pillow to be erected by inflation from a
flattened and collapsed state in which the pillow occupies a low
volume for packing and storage purposes. To permit inflation and
deflation through a single valve 10 in the external surface,
preferably in one of the side walls, the intermediate webs 8b are
apertured to permit air flow between the adjacent tubes. The
general structure of the pillow can best be understood with
reference to the sectional view of FIG. 2 in which web apertures
between adjacent tubes are designated 12. The techniques for making
a pillow of this type will be well understood by persons skilled in
the art of making inflatable objects, mattresses for example.
[0011] The profile of the pillow in its inflated state as viewed
from the side is critical to the correct functioning of the pillow
in its two operational modes and this will now be described in
detail. It is to be noted that due to the inherent tendency of the
flexible material to "balloon" or form an arcuate shape in the
zones between the adjacent webs 8a, 8b which define the basic shape
of the pillow when inflated, its cross sectional profile will not
remain absolutely constant along its entire length but nevertheless
its profile can be satisfactorily defined with reference to the
profile seen at each lateral side and which, with relatively minor
variation due to the ballooning effect just described, is repeated
along the length of the inflated pillow. From FIGS. 3 and 4 it will
be seen that the base 16 of the pillow can be regarded as being
generally flat to provide stable support for the pillow when
resting on the surface on which the user is lying. At one end 18
the outer wall of the pillow curves upwardly from the base 16
through a convex arc and at its upper edge the wall inclines
downwardly into an arcuate valley 20 in the central part of the
upper side of the pillow. In the preferred embodiment, the height
from the base to the upper edge of the curved wall is about 51/2
inches. The overall width of the pillow of the preferred embodiment
is about 13 inches and at its lowest point the depth of the arcuate
valley 20 (as measured from the base 16) approximately midway along
the width is about 41/4 inches. The profile of the pillow from the
upper half of the end wall 18 to the valley 20 corresponds
approximately to the profile defined by the upper part of the back,
neck, and back of the head of a person lying on the pillow on their
back as shown in FIG. 5 to provide good spinal support for a person
in that position. The opposite end wall 22 of the pillow is curved
to a smaller radius (and thereby a greater curvature) than the wall
18 and extends to a lower height from the base 16 and in the
preferred embodiment that height extension is about 43/4 inches and
this greater curvature and lower height extension provides, when
the pillow is orientated through 180.degree. relative to that shown
in FIG. 5, a profile which corresponds approximately to the profile
defined by the shoulder, neck and side of the head of a person
lying on their side as shown in FIG. 6.
[0012] The pillow in the embodiment shown has six tubes 2 each with
a width of about 3 to 31/2 inches. However a smaller version with
just four tubes of the same width may be preferred for some
uses.
[0013] The embodiment has been described by way of example and
modifications can be made within the scope of the invention.
* * * * *