U.S. patent application number 13/250915 was filed with the patent office on 2012-04-05 for neck support pillow.
Invention is credited to Rick Loos.
Application Number | 20120079659 13/250915 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 45888559 |
Filed Date | 2012-04-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120079659 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Loos; Rick |
April 5, 2012 |
NECK SUPPORT PILLOW
Abstract
A support pillow providing head and neck support to a user
laying upon it. The pillow employs a support insert surrounded by a
pillow casing having planar top and bottom surfaces and a sidewall
extending between them. An insert engaged in the casing provides
substantially planar support surfaces with a centrally located void
providing a relief for positioning one's head on the pillow. Proper
support and spine alignment is provided by a shoulder portion of
the pillow for the neck which may be formed of different material
than the pillow.
Inventors: |
Loos; Rick; (Del Mar,
CA) |
Family ID: |
45888559 |
Appl. No.: |
13/250915 |
Filed: |
September 30, 2011 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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61388502 |
Sep 30, 2010 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
5/636 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47G 2009/1018 20130101;
A47G 9/10 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
5/636 |
International
Class: |
A47G 9/10 20060101
A47G009/10; A47G 9/02 20060101 A47G009/02 |
Claims
1. A pillow apparatus for spine alignment and neck support
comprising: an insert adapted for engagement within an interior
cavity of a pillow casing; said insert having a body formed of
resilient material and having substantially planar first surface
opposite a substantially planar parallel second surface; a sidewall
communicating between said first and second surfaces, said sidwall
defining a perimeter of said insert; a void defined by a perimeter
edge, said void communicating between apertures in said first and
second surface at a central portion of said first surface and said
second surface; shoulder portions of said insert defined by an area
of said insert body between said perimeter of said insert and said
perimeter edge of said void; said shoulder portions providing means
for support of the neck or a user having their head positioned in
an as-used position, upon a support surface area comprised of an
upward facing one of said first or second surface; said void
forming a relief for a projecting therein, of portions of said
user's head positioned upon said support surface area; said void
forming a heat sink for heat from said user's head in said as-used
position; and whereby a user positioning their head upon said
support surface area in said as used position, is provided head
support solely by said support surface area, and neck support by a
said shoulder portion.
2. The pillow apparatus of claim 1 additionally comprising: said
insert engaged within said pillow casing; said pillow casing having
an first fabric wall connected to a second fabric wall by a fabric
sidewall; said insert positioned to an engaged posit on, within an
interior cavity of said pillow casing defined by the area between
said first fabric wall, said second fabric wall, and said fabric
sidewall; said fabric sidewall being substantially vertical in
disposition with said insert in said engaged position; said first
wall and said second wall both being substantially planar with said
insert in said engaged position; and a portion of said first wall
and said second wall covering said apertures communicating with
said void.
3. The pillow apparatus of claim 2 additionally comprising: said
pillow casing with said insert in said engaged position appears
from an overhead or perspective view as a conventional rectangular
pillow; and said pillow casing with said insert in said engaged
position dimensioned for an engagement within an interior cavity of
a conventional pillow case employed in bed linens.
4. The pillow apparatus of claim 1 additionally comprising: said
resilient material forming said body of said insert, and said
shoulder portions, being visco elastic memory foam.
5. The pillow apparatus of claim 2 additionally comprising: said
resilient material forming said body of said insert, and said
shoulder portions, being visco elastic memory foam.
6. The pillow apparatus of claim 3 additionally comprising: said
resilient material forming said body of said insert, and said
shoulder portions, being visco elastic memory foam.
7. The pillow apparatus of claim 2 additionally comprising: said
resilient material forming said body of said insert being visco
elastic memory foam between 2 to 6 pounds in density; said shoulder
portion formed of a central portion formed of visco elastic gel
sandwiched between layers of visco elastic memory foam; and a
compressive resistant force of said gel providing means to maintain
said user's neck in line with their spine when said user's head is
in said as-used position.
8. The pillow apparatus of claim 3 additionally comprising: said
resilient material forming said body of said insert being visco
elastic memory foam between 2 to 6 pounds in density; said shoulder
portion formed of a central portion formed of visco elastic gel
sandwiched between layers of visco elastic memory foam; and a
compressive resistant force of said gel providing means to maintain
said user's neck in line with their spine when said user's head is
in said as-used position.
9. The pillow apparatus of claim 2 additionally comprising: said
resilient material forming said body of said insert being visco
elastic memory foam between 2 to 6 pounds in density; said shoulder
portion formed of a solid solution of visco elastic foam and visco
elastic gel beads disbursed therein; and a compressive resistant
force of said gel beads providing means to maintain said user's
neck in line with their spine when said user's head is in said
as-used position.
10. The pillow apparatus of claim 3 additionally comprising: said
resilient material forming said body of said insert being visco
elastic memory foam between 2 to 6 pounds in density; said shoulder
portion formed of a solid solution of visco elastic foam and visco
elastic gel beads disbursed therein; and a compressive resistant
force of said gel beads providing means to maintain said user's
neck in line with their spine when said user's head is in said
as-used position.
11. The pillow apparatus of claim 2 additionally comprising: said
resilient material forming said body of said insert configured of a
two outer layers engageable with a central layer sandwiched
therebetween; said outer layers formed of visco elastic memory foam
material; and said central layer formed of visco elastic gel
material.
12. The pillow apparatus of claim 3 additionally comprising: said
resilient material forming said body of said insert configured of a
two outer layers engageable with a central layer sandwiched
therebetween; said outer layers formed of visco elastic memory foam
material; and said central layer formed of visco elastic gel
material.
13. The pillow apparatus of claim 11 additionally comprising: said
central layer being a member of a plurality of available central
layers; said plurality of central layers being comprised of foam
material of differing densities; and whereby a different central
layer from said plurality is engageable with said outer layers to
change a resistive support of said body thereby providing said user
means to adjust a stiffness of said head support by changing said
central layer.
14. The pillow apparatus of claim 12 additionally comprising: said
central layer being a member of a plurality of available central
layers; said plurality of central layers being comprised of foam
material of differing densities; and whereby a different central
layer from said plurality is engageable with said outer layers to
change a resistive support of said body thereby providing said user
means to adjust a stiffness of said head support by changing said
central layer.
Description
[0001] This Application claims priority to U.S. Provisional
Application Ser. No. 61/388502 filed on Sep. 30, 2010, and included
herein in its entirety by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to pillows. More particularly,
it relates to a pillow configured with a central relief area and
improved neck support component configured to appear as a normal
pillow and provide a person who is laying prone or supine, greatly
improved neck support.
[0004] 2. Prior Art
[0005] Conventionally, pillows consist of a top and bottom surface
sewn together at the perimeter edges to form an interior cavity
which holds stuffing or padding. This single sewn seam central
engagement structurally causes the top and bottom surfaces to slope
alongside edges toward the circumferentially located seam. The
slope is somewhat of an arc from the widest point of the pillow at
a mid section toward the seam from the top and bottom surfaces.
[0006] The padding-stuffed central portion of the pillow, even
without the sloping surfaces, support the user's head laying upon
it, in such a fashion that the user's neck is angled upward from
the axis of their spine in the prone position on a bed or support
surface. In addition to a straining neck posture, this sloping
reduces the support given to the neck and can be uncomfortable and
even cause permanent damage over time.
[0007] One solution tried is to simply replace the filler material
such as cotton, feathers, or similar pillow stuffing, with a
stuffing which conforms and contours more accurately with the
anatomy of a human individual's neck and head shape. This contour
of course will vary widely from person to person due to height,
neck length, and other reasons related to body size and structure,
and is therefor not adequate for solving the big picture problem.
Many more attempts at the perfect pillow have been made and are
seen in prior art.
[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 5,016,303 to Tanaka et al. teaches a cervical
and head support pillow consisting of a pillow casing with a
plurality of foam inserts inserted within the casing. Inserts are
combined in a variety of manners to allow the user to obtain many
types of support on the neck and head. A vexing problem with
pillows, with such inserts, is that a user may, on accident, lose
or misplace any or all of the inserts and deem the device useless.
Similarly, if the inserts are positioned incorrectly, or have a
foam density that is too high or too low, the device in question
may only further complicate neck or head discomfort experienced by
the user.
[0009] Various other support devices have been proposed and are
shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,020,174 to Sarkozi, U.S. Pat. No.
D582,045S to James, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,123,132 to Dixon, all of
which require user aided adjustability and do not provide universal
comfort and support. However, such pillows follow the same general
scheme of prior art of changing foam stiffness and forming contours
to adapt to the neck and head which do not adapt well to most
users.
[0010] Still further, conventionally employed bed pillows as a rule
are filled with stuffing material such as polyester, or feathers,
or down, or foam, or even the new memory foams. All these materials
retain the heat produced by a user's head while laying upon it.
Humans radiate more heat through their head than any other part of
their body, and for a person sleeping for the night, or even for a
nap on a hot day, the laying of their head on a heat retaining
conventional pillow can become uncomfortable and may interrupt a
good nights sleep. A simple solution is to merely flip the pillow
over, but this of course inhibits the sleeping pattern of the user
who must awaken heated, and flip their pillow.
[0011] As a consequence, conventional pillow users continue to
suffer from this vexing combination of lack of support to their
neck, terrible angled posture which can cause injury over time, and
overheating from the pillow stuffing heat retention
characteristics. Further, many individuals suffer irritation and
sleeplessness from the long period of time sleeping will put
pressure on their ear. When user's sleep on their side, with an ear
against a pillow, the weight of their head causes pressure to
sandwich their ear between their head and the stuffing in the
pillow. This, as noted, is uncomfortable and undesirable. This
pressure can build and cause the user to wake and once again
interrupt a good nights sleep. Similarly, when positioned with an
ear against the pillow, it is often difficult to hear from the ear
contacting the pillow due to the pressure of the surface of the
pillow from the interior stuffing against the ear which causes a
muffling of sound around the user. For users hard of hearing in
their other ear, this is dangerous. For other users, it may be
desired to retain adequate hearing from both ears independent of
sleeping position on the pillow.
[0012] Still further, the many support pillows seen on television
and advertised in photographs generally have an appearance that is
unconventional and are sized unconventionally. Rather than
appearing as large rectangular pillows with smooth top and bottom
surfaces, most support pillows are smaller than a conventional
pillow and have humps on the edge, or other odd contours. These
unconventional shapes are a problem for users who may have spent
hundreds of dollars on bedding since they will not fit and fill out
a conventional pillow case in an aesthetic manner. This is
especially true where the bedding is on a double bed and a
conventional pillow is located adjacent to a current mode of
support pillow. As a consequence, many potential users of neck
support pillows avoid using them and continue to suffer, rather
than have bedding that appears odd or damaged from the odd and
unconventional shape of available neck support pillows.
[0013] As such, there is a continuing unmet need for an improved
pillow head support device and system which provides a pillow which
will provide even neck support to the user no matter the sleeping
position. Such a pillow head support should also provided
substantial alignment of their neck with the axis of their spine
for both side and back sleeping users. This alignment is most
important to prevent injury over the long term. Still further, such
a pillow should employ interior support components and a structure
internally which will self-conform the neck support and alignment
of the neck to a wide variety of the shapes and contours of user's
heads and necks. Still further, such a pillow should provide this
improved support while concurrently eliminating or reducing the
body heat build up in the pillow over short or long sleeping
periods.
[0014] Still further, to allow widespread use and employment in
venues and homes which will not use unconventional appearing
support pillows, such a neck supporting pillow should appear to
viewers as a conventional pillow and be conventionally engageable
with conventional pillow cases such that the cased pillow appears
normal or the same as a cased conventional pillow in the same bed.
Such a pillow should have this conventional rectangular pillow
appearance while still providing the benefits of support and
adaptability to user body shapes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0015] The device, herein disclosed and described, achieves the
above-mentioned objects and goals, through the provision of a
pillow having a gusseted exterior cover configured to form a pillow
cavity for housing a support pillow within. While a non-gusseted
cover with the interior support pillow of this invention would
still be an improvement, in the preferred mode of the device, the
cover for the interior housed support pillow is gusseted so as to
provide a more even side surface and two substantially parallel top
and bottom surfaces.
[0016] The pillow cover forming the interior cavity for the support
pillow is formed of top and bottom fabric walls providing exterior
and interior surfaces of substantially a rectangular shape. A
sidewall gusset panel communicates between the perimeter edges of
both the top and bottom surfaces and is engaged thereto in a
conventional fashion such as sewing. The interior cavity can be
sealed by complexly sewing the gusset for the perimeter of the
pillow or a means to access the interior cavity can be provided in
the form of an elongated opening which may be closed by a zipper,
buttons, or other conventional means of closure.
[0017] The interior cavity is defined by the sidewalls and engaged
gusset. The cavity is configured to hold the support pillow
therein. With the support pillow inserted, the exterior of the
pillow cover appears as a normal pillow to viewers and will engage
within conventional pillow cases and provide a normal appearing
pillow when placed with other bedding.
[0018] The support pillow insert is positioned within the interior
cavity formed within the gusseted pillow cover. The support pillow
insert features a top surface, bottom surface, and a side surface
extending therebetween. This renders the shape and dimension of the
support pillow insert substantially a cooperating shape to the
interior cavity and adapted to engage within the similarly shaped
interior cavity formed by the pillow cover.
[0019] The sidewalls of the formed support pillow and overlain
pillow cover are substantially vertical to the support surface the
pillow rests upon such as a bed. This provides a step of sorts from
the top surface of the pillow supported on the bed or other
surface, to the support surface. For a side sleeping user, the
height of this step can be chosen to maintain their neck
substantially aligned with their spine. A plurality of different
sized pillows with different height side surfaces can be made
available for users to choose the most comfortable. Alternatively,
the gusset may be formed of slightly elastic material and planar
support pillow inserts provided in a kit to allow users to adjust
the height of the top surface above the support surface to their
liking and comfort.
[0020] In a substantially central area of the support pillow,
between the circumferential gusset sidewall, there is formed a
void. The void may be circular, oval, square, rectangle, or other
shapes. However, the current preferred shape is circular or oval
due to the even stress this provides on the fabric communicating
therethrough. It is anticipated that the void can be square,
rectangular or oval in shape and the application is considered to
include these other shapes within the scope of the use of the term
void herein.
[0021] This void communicates substantially between the top and
bottom surfaces of the support pillow engaged in the interior
cavity. This aperture may communicate entirely through the support
pillow or may be covered on the top and bottom surface by a very
thin layer of stretch fabric and communicate therebetween.
Consequently, unlike other support pillows which attempt to use
different fillings, different shapes, and different contours of the
support pillow, the device herein employs a void of support in this
center area of the support pillow which is hidden by the overlain
pillow cover when the support pillow is engaged within the interior
cavity of the pillow cover.
[0022] The inserted support pillow interior cavity surrounding this
void is filled with support material. It may be filled with one, or
a combination of, filler material from a group consisting of down,
down substitute, polyester, Dacron, feathers, micro-beads, foam,
gel, beans, buckwheat, water, or any other filler material that
will fill the internal cavity of the insert. When properly filled,
the inserted support pillow, will have the void in the support
provided by the filler, in the area of the aperture.
[0023] In use, the pillow, with the inserted support pillow engaged
within the interior cavity of the pillow cover, looks like a normal
pillow. This is especially preferred in that the formed pillow may
be engaged in conventional bed linens, and the pillow can be sized
in conventional pillow sizes to fit twin, full, queen, and king
beds and linens in a fashion where the linen pillow case covered
pillow will appear as a normal pillow even if positioned next to a
non-support pillow. However, the pillow device herein employs the
void to allow the projecting portions of a user's head to settle
into the aperture. This is true whether the projecting portion is
the ear of a side-sleeper or the back rear of the head of a back
sleeper, or the nose and face of a face-sleeper. With the
projecting portions of the head settling into the void, in
virtually all positions the side of the pillow is of a height to
allow the neck of the user to stay aligned with their spine, while
laying down.
[0024] Additionally, a shoulder portion of the support pillow
insert, formed between the sidewall of the support pillow and the
void formed by the aperture, is positioned perfectly to support the
user's neck. This shoulder support portion also supports the neck
in alignment with the spine of the user during their prone position
in bed. Further, for even more enhanced support, this shoulder
portion can be filled with viscoelastic polymer gel infused memory
foam, such as visco-elastic polyurethane foam with viscoelastic
polymer gel beads infused. Unlike conventional memory foams which
collapse over time during sleeping, the gel beads infused in the
solid solution of memory foam maintain the vertical support ability
of the formed foam. While a center portion of harder foam
sandwiched between memory foam might work, it has been found that
the even support provided by infusing gel beads into the memory
foam during manufacture evenly distributes the gel beads throughout
the entire shoulder support providing more even support. Further,
unlike normal foam and memory foams, which are hot and tend to
retain heat, the gel infused foam transmits heat and does not
retain it, providing cooler support.
[0025] Similarly, since the void is filled with air, this also
provides a means to dissipate heat from the user's head and allows
the user's head to be maintained at a cooler temperature when
laying upon the pillow herein. This is due to the fact that air in
the void will not retain heat as well as the conventional foam or
down or feather pillow filler material.
[0026] Furthermore, the void provides a means to reduce pressure on
the ear when the user is positioned on their side, greatly
increasing comfort. When positioned on their back, the projecting
portion of the rear of the user's head, will comfortably engage
within the void and align the neck while so positioned. Finally,
the reduced pressure of the pillow cover against the ear, due to
the void in support, helps to alleviate any muffling of some sounds
that would normally occur from the user's ear contacting the
surface of a conventional pillow.
[0027] With respect to the above description, before explaining at
least one preferred embodiment of the herein disclosed invention in
detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in
its application to the details of construction and to the
arrangement of the components in the following description or
illustrated in the drawings. The invention herein described is
capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out
in various ways which will be obvious to those skilled in the art.
Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology
employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not
be regarded as limiting.
[0028] As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the
conception upon which this disclosure is based may readily be
utilized as a basis for designing of other structures, methods and
systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present
disclosed device. It is important, therefore, that the claims be
regarded as including such equivalent construction and methodology
insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the
present invention.
[0029] It is an object of this invention to provide an improved
means for neck support on a pillow through the provision of a
pillow insert configured with a void in support and which is
engaged to a support pillow cover which when can be employed with a
pillow case of conventional linens.
[0030] It is another object of this invention to provide such a
support system which forms a planar support surface for the head by
employing a gusset style sidewall engaging the top and bottom
surfaces of both casing and insert.
[0031] A further object of the invention is the provision of a void
in support, centrally located on the support pillow insert, to
provide an area to position projecting parts of the user's head
within, whether the user is on their back or side.
[0032] Still yet another object of the invention is the support
shoulder portion formed between the aperture and the sidewall
providing superior neck support.
[0033] Yet a further object of the invention is to provide a
reduction of pressure on the ear or face when positioned as such
through the provision of the void described above.
[0034] An additional object of this invention is the provision of a
support pillow that is adjustable for users with especially large
or small body frames.
[0035] These together with other objects and advantages which
become subsequently apparent reside in the details of the
construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and
claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a
part thereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts
throughout.
[0036] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING FIGURES
[0037] FIG. 1 depicts a top view of the assembled device showing
the support pillow insert engaged within the interior cavity of the
pillow casing, and depicting in dotted line, a centrally located
void in the support pillow insert providing a centrally located
relief and substantially equal sized shoulders for user neck
support.
[0038] FIG. 2 depicts a top view of the device of FIG. 1, shown
with the void located off center slightly to provide shoulder
sections for neck support of different sizes.
[0039] FIG. 3 shows a top plan view of the support pillow casing
covering the internally housed support pillow.
[0040] FIG. 4 depicts a side view of the support pillow casing,
showing the gusseted construction of the sidewall thereby forming a
substantially planar head support surface.
[0041] FIG. 5 depicts a perspective view of the support pillow
casing and showing an opening on the sidewall for insertion of the
support pillow insert within the interior cavity of the support
pillow casing.
[0042] FIG. 6 shows a top view of the support pillow insert
depicting the central position of the formed void communicating
between the top and bottom surfaces.
[0043] FIG. 7 depicts a side view of the support pillow insert
showing the preferred substantially planar sidewalls and the void
providing means for pressure relief provided by the void (in dotted
line).
[0044] FIG. 8 shows the device herein assembled with the support
pillow insert inside the support pillow casing and inserted within
a conventional linen set pillow case to achieve a normal appearance
thereof.
[0045] FIG. 9 depicts an exploded view of a height-adjustable and
firmness adjustable mode of the device with an insertable center
portion engageable between two engageable half sections.
[0046] FIG. 10 shows a slice through a shoulder portion of the
device showing foam material forming the shoulder and which may
also form the remainder of the support pillow.
[0047] FIG. 11 depicts another slice view through a shoulder
depicting a mode of the device having a center portion of the
shoulder formed of a harder material such as a viscoelastic polymer
gel foam and the opposing sides formed of softer material such as
visco-elastic memory foam and which may also form the remainder of
the support pillow.
[0048] FIG. 12 depicts another preferred mode of the device wherein
the shoulder portion is formed of a foam material such as visco
elastic memory foam which has gel foam beads disbursed in the solid
solution of foam material and which may also form the remainder of
the support pillow.
[0049] FIG. 13 shows the support insert of the device herein
wherein the void is oval in shape.
[0050] FIG. 14 shows the support insert of the device herein
wherein the void is rectangular in shape.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE
INVENTION
[0051] Referring now to the drawings of FIGS. 1-14, wherein like
numerals refer to like parts there is seen in FIGS. 1 and 2 a top
view depiction of the as-used position of the device 10 wherein a
user would lay their head upon the upper facing surface 11. Of
course the device 10 can be inserted within a conventional linen
set pillow case 13 as in FIG. 8, and appear like a normal down or
feather stuffed pillow making the device 10 employable by those who
will not use other support pillows which appear contoured or do not
fill out the pillow case 13 properly.
[0052] The position of a void 22 formed into the support insert 20
contained within the pillow casing 12, is depicted by the dashed
line. The void 22 in FIG. 1, is seen centrally located relative to
the length and width of the insert 20 and when in the as-used
position shown, remains in a substantially central location on the
device 10. This positioning forms shoulders 30 or neck support
portions, extending between the edge of the insert 20 to the
circumference of the void 22 which are substantially equal. The
void so positioned provides means to dissipate heat from the user's
head during use and additionally a relief when supporting the ear
overhead to allow for less muffling of surrounding sounds.
[0053] In FIG. 2, the void 22 is shown closer to one side edge of
the insert 20 than the other side edge. In this mode of the device
10 the shoulders 30 are formed in unequal sizes which allows a user
to choose the shoulder 30 having the width between the side edge 26
and the circumference of the void 22 which is most comfortable
supporting their neck.
[0054] The neck support provided by the shoulder 30 positioned
between the void 22 and side edge 26 of the insert 20 provides
improved neck support when the user settles their head on to the
upper facing surface 11 and places one side of their head over the
void 22 which is covered by the sidewall of the casing 12. Such
neck support is provided independent of the user's body position,
whether laying on their back or side. Further, since projecting
portions of the user's head are accommodated by the void 22, the
user's neck remains in proper alignment whether sleeping on a side
or their back.
[0055] The material forming the shoulder 30 of the support insert
(FIG. 6) can be the same material as the rest of the support insert
20 or can be customized in the area of the shoulder 30 for
increased support or lessened support as the case may be and as
depicted in FIGS. 10-12. Currently, a mixture of more supportive
and compressive foams as in FIGS. 11 and 12 are preferred since the
user sleeping on the device 10 for many hours a day, for many
months, will have a tendency to wear in the softer material and
support for the neck can decrease.
[0056] FIG. 3 shows the top view of the casing 12 in the as used
position with the support insert 20 housed in an internal cavity
formed by the upper and lower wall of the casing 12 which is
connected by a gusseted sidewall. As can be seen the side view of
FIG. 4, the casing 12 employs a gusset sidewall 16 communicating
between the top surface 14 and bottom surface 18. The gusset
sidewall 16 provides a means to remove the arc normal pillow
surface's have when simply joined at a central seam. It thus allows
a construction which provides a substantially planar top surface 14
and bottom surface 18 of the formed support insert 20. This also
establishes a substantially stable sidewall width and thereby
maintains the support of the shoulder 30 constant when the top
surface 14 supports the weight of the user's head and the shoulder
30 supports their neck.
[0057] FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the casing 12 showing an
optional but preferred opening 19 at one end of the gusset
circumferential sidewall 16. The opening 19 is of such a
configuration to allow the insertion of the support insert 20 into
the internal cavity of the casing 12. The opening 19 may be sewn
shut but if not required is preferred as it allows for a washing of
the casing 12. The opening 19 may remain open in the as-used
position but may also close by means of hook and loop fasteners,
zipper, or other cooperating fasteners of the like. The support
insert 20 can be seen in the top view of FIG. 6 with centrally
located void 22. As noted, the favored mode of the void 22 is
circular in shape as it allows for even stretching and contraction
of the foam or other material forming the body of the insert 20.
However, as noted, and shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the void can be
oval or rectangular or other shapes.
[0058] Additionally, the void 22 may be configured in different
sizes to increase the area of non support and decrease the shoulder
30 size, to accommodate different sized users and it is anticipated
the device 10 will be sold in such different sizes to accommodate
various head sizes. Consequently, it should be noted that the
relative void 22 size depicted in the figure is merely there for
demonstrative purposes.
[0059] The dimensions of the insert 20 are configured to
cooperatively engage for an easy insertion and removal with the
interior cavity 27 of the casing 12. Again, the means for neck
support of the user in the as-used position with their head laying
upon an upper facing surface 11, is provided by the shoulder 30.
This shoulder 30 is defined by the area of the support insert 20
between the circumference of the void 22 and the sidewalls 26
closest to the void 22. As noted and shown in FIG. 2, the position
of the void 22 may be varied to produce substantially equal
dimensioned shoulders 30 or two different sized shoulders 30
allowing a user to choose for comfort.
[0060] FIG. 7 shows the substantially planar shape of the sidewall
26 of the insert 20 extending from the top surface 24 to the bottom
surface 28. This shape conforms to the shape of the internal cavity
29 of the casing 12 and provides for a good cooperative engagement
therein and the substantially planar sleeping surfaces for the
user.
[0061] While experimentation has shown that the void communicating
through the support insert 20 is favored by users, it should be
noted that the void 22 might also be provided with inserts 23 (FIG.
9) adapted to engage the void 22. These inserts 23 may be provided
with support material such as memory or other foam of varying
hardness such that the void 22 can be adjustable for support. Or,
the void 22 may be provided with fluid filled or gel filled inserts
23 which may be chilled or heated to provide temperature therapy to
the user, such as in a hospital or home care setting.
[0062] As noted above, there is seen in FIG. 8 the device 10 herein
assembled with the support pillow insert 20 inside the support
pillow casing 12, inserted within a conventional linen set pillow
case 13. As noted, this is a substantial consideration because many
users spend hundreds of dollars on linen for bedrooms and are
hesitant to use or employ strangely configured or contoured pillows
in combination with their linens. The device 10 herein, by
providing a support pillow which appears substantially conventional
prior to and in an engagement with a conventional pillow case 13,
will encourage more widespread use for users formerly recalcitrant
to do so with oddly configured support pillows.
[0063] FIG. 9 depicts an exploded view of a mode of the device 10
wherein the support insert 20 is formed in assembleable components.
The support insert 20, in this mode, is provided with a planar
first half 33 engageable to either one of a planar second half 35
or a center section 37.
[0064] The insertable center section 37, provides two means of
adjustment to the device 10. First a means for height adjustment of
the upper facing surface 11 above the bed or other support surface.
Varying the thickness of the center section 37 varies the height of
the upper facing surface 11 and the shoulder 30.
[0065] Additionally, means of adjustment of the firmness of the
assembled support insert 20 is provided by varying the firmness of
the material used for the center section 37. For instance, the
center section 37 may be formed of closed cell foam or gel style
foam and render the insert firmer to the user in the asused
position. Or, more compressible material such as memory foam can be
employed to render the insert 20 softer. Further, the center
section 37 can be removed to lower the height of the upper facing
surface 11 as an adjustment for smaller users such as children.
[0066] In the mode of the device 10 employing assembleable support
inserts 20, the support insert 20 can be provided as a kit with the
first half 33 engaged either one of a planar second half 35 or a
center section 37, and with a plurality of center sections 37
available in different heights and different density materials to
make the assembled support insert harder or softer as well as
taller or shorter.
[0067] FIG. 10 shows a slice through the support shoulder 30 of the
device 10 showing material forming the shoulder portion 30 to be of
one material which can be the same material the remainder of the
support insert 20 is formed, or could be different such as firmer
material such as a denser Visco elastic memory foam style
material.
[0068] FIG. 11 depicts a slice through the support shoulder 30 of
the support insert 20 formed of two different materials. A central
portion 41 is formed of one material which is sandwiched between
adjoining portions 43. This is one particularly favored mode of the
device 10 to provide better neck support to the users. A favored
construction is forming the adjoining portions 43 from
visco-elastic memory foam of three to six pound density, since it
softens when it comes in contact with heat from the user's neck and
conforms to shape for even support. The central section 41 would be
formed of the denser memory foam, or more preferably of a gel foam,
or a memory foam with disbursed gel beads as in FIG. 12, both of
which provides more support at higher compression levels and long
durations which collapses the softer memory foam.
[0069] FIG. 12 depicts another particularly preferred mode of the
device 10 wherein the shoulder 30 is formed of a visco-elastic
memory foam 47 with gel foam beads 49 disbursed in the solid
solution of memory foam 47. This mode performs especially well to
provide contoured support of the neck, and firmer support under the
higher compression levels the weight of the head and neck
impart.
[0070] As noted above, the void 22 is currently preferred in a
substantially circular shape or the oval shape shown in FIG. 13
shows the support insert 20 of the device 10 herein wherein the
void 22 is oval. Additional shapes are anticipated such as that of
FIG. 14 which shows the support insert 20 having a rectangular in
shape.
[0071] While all of the fundamental characteristics and features of
the disclosed head and neck support pillow device have been shown
and described herein, with reference to particular embodiments
thereof, a latitude of modification, various changes and
substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosure and it will
be apparent that in some instances, some features of the invention
may be employed without a corresponding use of other features
without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth. It
should also be understood that various substitutions,
modifications, and variations may be made by those skilled in the
art without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.
Consequently, all such modifications and variations and
substitutions, as would occur to those skilled in the art, are
considered included within the scope of the invention as defined by
the following claims.
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