U.S. patent application number 14/907764 was filed with the patent office on 2016-06-16 for support cushions for providing cooling.
This patent application is currently assigned to Tempur-Pedic Management LLC. The applicant listed for this patent is TEMPUR-PEDIC MANAGEMENT, LLC. Invention is credited to Tom Mikkelsen, James W. Rose.
Application Number | 20160166074 14/907764 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 52393713 |
Filed Date | 2016-06-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160166074 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Rose; James W. ; et
al. |
June 16, 2016 |
SUPPORT CUSHIONS FOR PROVIDING COOLING
Abstract
A support cushion for is provided that includes a core comprised
of a first flexible foam and a sleeve comprised of a second
flexible foam. The sleeve has a first side and a second side
opposite the first side that together encapsulate the core. The
support cushion further includes an amount of phase change material
that is incorporated into at least one of the first side or the
second side of the sleeve.
Inventors: |
Rose; James W.; (Lexington,
KY) ; Mikkelsen; Tom; (Lexington, KY) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
TEMPUR-PEDIC MANAGEMENT, LLC |
Lexington |
KY |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Tempur-Pedic Management LLC
Lexington
KY
|
Family ID: |
52393713 |
Appl. No.: |
14/907764 |
Filed: |
July 26, 2013 |
PCT Filed: |
July 26, 2013 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/US2013/052258 |
371 Date: |
January 26, 2016 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
5/636 ;
5/421 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47G 9/0253 20130101;
A47G 2009/1018 20130101; A47C 31/001 20130101; B68G 11/04 20130101;
A47C 7/746 20130101; A47G 9/1036 20130101; A47C 21/046 20130101;
A47C 27/15 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A47C 21/04 20060101
A47C021/04; A47G 9/02 20060101 A47G009/02; A47C 31/00 20060101
A47C031/00; A47C 27/15 20060101 A47C027/15; A47G 9/10 20060101
A47G009/10 |
Claims
1. A support cushion, comprising: a core comprised of a first
flexible foam; a sleeve comprised of a second flexible foam, the
sleeve having a first side and a second side opposite the first
side, and the sleeve encapsulating the core; and a first amount of
phase change material incorporated into at least one of the first
side or the second side of the sleeve.
2. The support cushion of claim 1, wherein the first flexible foam,
the second flexible foam, or both is a visco-elastic foam.
3. The support cushion of claim 2, wherein both the first flexible
foam and the second flexible foam are visco-elastic foam, and
wherein the second flexible foam has a density less than that of
the first flexible foam.
4. The support cushion of claim 1, wherein the first flexible foam
includes a plurality of visco-elastic foam fragments.
5. The support cushion of claim 4, wherein the viscoelastic foam
fragments include reticulated visco-elastic foam fragments and
non-reticulated visco-elastic foam fragments.
6. The support cushion of claim 1, wherein the core is a molded
foam core.
7. The support cushion of claim 1, wherein the phase change
material is incorporated into the first side and the second side of
the sleeve.
8. The support cushion of claim 1, wherein the phase change
material includes a plurality of microspheres.
9. The support cushion of claim 1, further comprising a liner
surrounding the sleeve, the liner including a second amount of
phase change material.
10. The support cushion of claim 9, wherein the liner is comprised
of netting, and wherein the phase change material is incorporated
into the netting.
11. The support cushion of claim 9, further comprising an outer
cover surrounding the liner.
12. The support cushion of claim 11, wherein the outer cover is
comprised of a textile.
13. The support cushion of claim 12, wherein the textile is a
cotton.
14. The support cushion of claim 12, wherein the outer cover is
comprised of one-hundred percent cotton.
15. A pillow, comprising: a core comprised of reticulated
visco-elastic foam; a sleeve comprised of a visco-elastic foam and
encapsulating the core, the sleeve having a first surface and a
second surface opposite the first surface, and the sleeve having a
first amount of phase change material incorporated into the
visco-elastic foam at the first surface, the second surface, or
both; and a liner surrounding the sleeve, the liner having a second
amount of phase change material incorporated into the liner.
16. The pillow of claim 15, wherein the liner is comprised of a
flame retardant material.
17. The pillow of claim 15, further comprising an outer cover
surrounding the liner, the outer cover being comprised of a
textile.
18. The pillow of claim 1, wherein the core further comprises
non-reticulated visco-elastic foam.
19. A pillow, comprising: a sleeve encapsulating a plurality of
reticulated viscoelastic foam fragments and a plurality of
non-reticulated visco-elastic foam fragments, the sleeve having a
first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, and
the sleeve having a first amount of phase change material
incorporated into the sleeve at the first surface, the second
surface, or both; a liner surrounding the sleeve, the liner having
a second amount of phase change material incorporated into the
liner; and an outer cover surrounding the liner.
20. The pillow of claim 19, wherein the liner is comprised of a
flame retardant material.
21. A pillow, comprising: a core including a flexible foam; and a
sleeve encapsulating the core, the sleeve having at least one
surface configured to provide cooling to a user lying on the
pillow.
22. The pillow of claim 21, wherein the core includes a plurality
of non-reticulated visco-elastic foam fragments and a plurality of
fibers, and wherein the sleeve includes an amount of phase change
material incorporated into the at least one surface of the
sleeve.
23. The pillow of claim 22, further comprising: a flame retardant
barrier surrounding the core such that the flame retardant barrier
is positioned between the core and the sleeve; and an outer cover
surrounding the sleeve, the outer cover being comprised of a
textile.
Description
TECHNICAL HELD
[0001] The present invention relates to support cushions for
providing cooling. In particular, the present invention relates to
support cushions, such as pillows, that make use of a sleeve
surrounding a flexible foam core and having an amount of phase
change material incorporated into at least one side of the sleeve
to provide cooling to the body of a user, or a portion thereof
resting on the support cushion.
BACKGROUND
[0002] As is generally the case with support cushions and, in
particular, with support cushions comprised of flexible foam or
other body-conforming materials, the effectiveness of the support
cushion in providing support to the body of a user is partly a
function of how well the flexible foam responds to the contour of
the particular user resting on the cushion. In this regard, support
cushions made from temperature-sensitive viscoelastic foam are
often particularly desirable as such support cushions are able to
change shape based at least in part, upon the temperature of the
supported body part. That conformance of the cushion to the body of
a user, however, often causes more of the user's body to be in
contact with the body support cushion, and thus, less of the body
of the user is exposed to the ambient air around the cushion. The
reduction in the amount of the body of the user exposed to ambient
air in turn causes many users to find support cushions comprised of
visco-elastic foam to "sleep hot" and occasionally such users will
choose other types of support cushions, notwithstanding the
supportive benefits associated with visco-elastic foam and similar
types of body-conforming materials.
[0003] In an effort to remedy users' concerns of "sleeping hot" as
a result of the body-confirming qualities of their support
cushions, many support cushion manufactures have incorporated
so-called "cooling" technologies into their products. For example,
many support cushions now incorporate latent heat storage units,
such as phase change material, that absorb heat and provide a
cooling sensation when in contact with the body of a user. Support
cushions that include phase change material, however, often fail to
provide or provide a reduced cooling sensation when the phase
change material is not placed in direct contact with the body of a
user. For instance, in a support cushion that makes use of phase
change material, the support cushion often includes a
highly-elastic outer cover or liner that protects the support
cushion from stains or abrasions, while allowing the elastic feel
of the support cushion incorporating the PCM to not be diminished.
In using such an outer cover or liner, however, the cover or liner
often inhibits the cooling sensation offered by the PCM material by
creating an additional layer of insulating material between the
body of the user and the PCM found in the support cushion.
SUMMARY
[0004] The present invention includes support cushions for
providing cooling. In particular, the present invention includes
support cushions, such as pillows, that make use of a sleeve
surrounding a flexible foam core and having an amount of phase
change material incorporated into at least one side of the sleeve
to provide cooling to the body of a user, or a portion thereof
resting on the support cushion. Thus, the support cushions of the
present invention allow a user to obtain the benefits of a support
cushion that includes phase change material, but without the
reduction in cooling that may occur as a result of covering the
support cushion with an insulating material to protect the
cushion.
[0005] In one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a
support cushion is provided in the form of a pillow that includes a
core comprised of a first flexible foam and a sleeve comprised of a
second flexible foam. The sleeve of the pillow includes a first
side and a second side that together encapsulate the core of the
pillow. The pillow also includes a first amount of phase change
material that is incorporated into either the first side, the
second side, or both the first side and the second side of the
sleeve such that the body of a user or a portion thereof, resting
on the side of the sleeve incorporating the phase change material
is provided with a cooling sensation.
[0006] The core of the support cushions is generally a molded foam
core having a shape suitable for accommodating the body of a user.
Further, both the core and the sleeve of the support cushions are
generally comprised of a flexible foam that is capable of suitably
distributing the pressure from a user's body or portion thereof
across the support cushion. In some embodiments, the flexible foam
is a visco-elastic foam that has a desired density and hardness,
and that allows pressure to be distributed uniformly across the
support cushion. In some embodiments both the first flexible foam
comprising the core and the second flexible foam comprising the
sleeve are comprised of a visco-elastic foam. In this regard in
certain embodiments, the visco-elastic foam comprising the sleeve
can have a density less than that of the visco-elastic foam
comprising the core, such that the visco-elastic foam comprising
the sleeve provides a softer surface on which to rest while the
visco-elastic foam comprising the core provides a desired amount of
support.
[0007] With further respect to the visco-elastic foam included in
the core of the support cushions, the visco-elastic foam comprising
the core can also be configured to improve the cooling capabilities
of the support cushions. For example, in some embodiments, the
visco-elastic foam included in the core comprises a plurality of
visco-elastic foam fragments, such that the core is not comprised
of a single continuous piece of visco-elastic foam, but is instead
comprised of a number of fragments of visco-elastic foam that allow
heat to in re readily dissipate from the sleeve and throughout the
core. In some embodiments, to provide for enhanced air movement
and, consequently, enhanced heat dissipation from the sleeve and
through the core of the support cushions, the visco-elastic foam
fragments are comprised of non-reticulated foam fragments and
reticulated foam fragments.
[0008] To further take advantage of the cooling capability of the
phase change material incorporated into the sleeve, in certain
embodiments, the sleeve of the support cushions incorporates the
phase change material into both the first side and the second side
of the sleeve, such that a user is provided with a cooling
sensation regardless of which side of the support cushion is being
used to support the user's body or a portion thereof. To further
help ensure that the user is provided with a cooling sensation, in
some embodiments, a liner comprised of a netting with a second
amount of phase change material incorporated into the netting
surrounds the sleeve, such that liner also provides cooling to a
user resting on the support cushion.
[0009] In addition to incorporating PCM material into the sleeves
and liners of the support cushions, in some embodiments, the
support cushions can further comprise an outer cover that surrounds
the liner covering the sleeve. Such outer covers are typically
comprised of a textile having a sufficient amount of durability to
protect the underlying liner and sleeve of the support cushions,
but are also sufficiently breathable to allow air and heat to
travel through the outer cover and allow the phase change material
in the sleeve and liner to still provide cooling to a user. For
instance, in certain embodiments, the outer cover is comprised of
cotton (e.g., 100 percent cotton) that allows the phase change
material in the sleeve and liner to provide cooling to a user
resting on the support cushion.
[0010] Further features and advantages of the present invention
will become evident to those of ordinary skill in the art after a
study of the description, figures, and non-limiting examples in
this document.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary support
cushion, in the form of a pillow, made in accordance with the
present invention and with a portion of the pillow removed to show
the core and the sleeve of the pillow;
[0012] FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of the exemplary
pillow of FIG. 1 taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;
[0013] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of another exemplary pillow
made in accordance with the present invention and with a portion of
the pillow removed to show the core and the sleeve of the
pillow;
[0014] FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of the exemplary
pillow of FIG. 3 taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3;
[0015] FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of yet another
exemplary pillow made in accordance with the present invention;
and
[0016] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of exemplary support
cushions for use in a chair and made in accordance with the present
invention.
DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS
[0017] The present invention includes support cushions for
providing cooling. In particular, the present invention includes
support cushions, such as pillows, that make use of a sleeve
surrounding a flexible foam core and having an amount of phase
change material incorporated into at least one side of the sleeve
to provide cooling to the body of a user, or a portion thereof,
resting on the support cushion. Thus, the support cushions of the
present invention allow a user to obtain the benefits of a support
cushion that includes phase change material, but without the
reduction in cooling that may occur as a result of covering the
support cushion with an insulating material to protect the
cushion.
[0018] Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 2, in one exemplary
embodiment of the present invention, a support cushion is provided
in the form of a pillow 10 that includes a core 20 comprised of a
first flexible foam and a sleeve 30 comprised of a second flexible
foam. The sleeve 30 includes a first side 32 and a second side 34.
The pillow 10 also includes a first amount of phase change material
that is incorporated into both the first side 32 and the second
side 34 of the sleeve 30, such that the body of a user, or a
portion thereof, resting on either the first side 32 or the second
side 34 of the sleeve 30 of the pillow 10 is provided with cooling,
as described in further detail below.
[0019] Both the core 20 and the sleeve 30 of the pillow 10 are
generally comprised of flexible foam that is capable of suitably
distributing the pressure from a user's body or portion thereof
across the pillow 10. Such flexible foams include, but are not
limited to, latex foam, reticulated or non-reticulated
visco-elastic foam (sometimes referred to as memory foam or
low-resilience foam), reticulated or non-reticulated
non-visco-elastic foam, polyurethane high-resilience foam, expanded
polymer foams e.g., expanded ethylene vinyl acetate, polypropylene,
polystyrene, or polyethylene), and the like. In the embodiment
shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the first flexible foam comprising the core
20 of the pillow 10 is comprised of visco-elastic foam fragments
22, 24, including both reticulated visco-elastic foam fragments 24
and non-reticulated visco-elastic foam fragments 22. Generally,
such visco-elastic foam fragments have a hardness of at least about
10 N to no greater than about 80 N, as measured by exerting
pressure from a plate against a sample of the material to a
compression of at least 40% of an original thickness of the
material at approximately room temperature (i.e., 21.degree. C. to
23.degree. C.) where the 40% compression is held for a set period
of time as established by the International Organization of
Standardization (ISO) 2439 hardness measuring standard. In some
embodiments, the visco-elastic foam fragments 22, 24 have a
hardness of about 10 N, about 20 N, about 30 N, about 40 N, about
50 N, about 60 N, about 70 N, or about 80 N to provide a desired
degree of comfort and body-conforming qualities.
[0020] The visco-elastic foam fragments 22, 24 described herein for
use in the pillow 10 can also have a density that assists in
providing a desired degree of comfort and body-conforming
qualities, as well as an increased degree of material durability.
In some embodiments, the density of the visco-elastic foam
fragments 22, 24 used in the core 20 of the pillow 10 have a
density of no less than about 30 kg/m.sup.3 to no greater than
about 150 kg/m.sup.3. In some embodiments, the density of the
visco-elastic foam used in the core 20 of the pillow 10 is about 30
kg/m.sup.3, about 40 kg/m.sup.3, about 50 kg/m.sup.3, about 60
kg/m.sup.3, about 70 kg/m.sup.3, about 80 kg/m.sup.3, about 90
kg/m.sup.3, about 100 kg/m.sup.3, about 110 kg/m.sup.3, about 120
kg/m.sup.3, about 130 kg/m.sup.3, about 140 kg/m.sup.3, or about
150 kg/m.sup.3. Of course, the selection of a visco-elastic foam
having a particular density will affect other characteristics of
the foam, including its hardness, the manner in which the foam
responds to pressure, and the overall feel of the foam, but it is
appreciated that a visco-elastic foam having a desired density and
hardness can readily be selected for a particular application or
support cushion as desired. Additionally, it is appreciated that
the cores of the pillows need not be comprised of fragments of
flexible foam at all, but can also take the form of more
traditional foam-based pillows that include a single piece of foam
or one or more layers of flexible foam without departing from the
spirit and scope of the subject matter described herein.
[0021] Referring still to FIGS. 1 and 2, in this exemplary
embodiment, the sleeve 30 of the pillow 10 encapsulates the core 20
of the pillow 10. The sleeve 30 is also comprised of a
visco-elastic foam. However, the sleeve 30 is comprised of a
continuous piece of visco-elastic foam, as opposed to visco-elastic
foam fragments, and typically has a density, hardness, or both that
is less than that of the core 20 of the pillow 10, such that the
sleeve 30 provides an even softer surface on which to rest the body
of a user or a portion thereof. For example, in certain
embodiments, the pillow 10 includes a sleeve 30 that is comprised
of a visco-elastic foam with a density of about 35 kg/m.sup.3 and a
hardness of about 10 N, while the core 20 is comprised of
visco-elastic foam fragments having a density of about 80
kg/m.sup.3 and a hardness of about 13 N.
[0022] Regardless of the particular hardness and density of the
materials (e.g., the foams) used, the visco-elastic foam fragments
22, 24 that comprise the core 20 are generally secured to one
another and molded to create a molded or integrated foam core and
to prevent the visco-elastic fragments 22, 24 from moving during
use. The core 20 and the sleeve 30 are also generally secured to
one another to prevent the core 20 and the sleeve 30 from moving
relative to one another during use. Various means of securing one
layer of material to another can be used in this regard, including
tape, hook and loop fasteners, conventional fasteners, stitches,
and the like. In one particular embodiment, the core 20 and the
sleeve 30 are bonded together by an adhesive or cohesive bonding
material to create a substantially continuous assembly where the
core 20 and the sleeve 30 are fully adhered to one another. Such
adhesive bonding materials include, for example,
environmentally-friendly, water based adhesives, like SABA AQUABOND
RSD, a two-component water-based adhesive product produced by SABA
DINXPERLO BY, B-7090 AA. Dinxperlo, Belgium.
[0023] Turning now to the phase change material included in the
sleeve 30 of the pillow 10, the phase change material is
incorporated into both the first side 32 and the second side 34 of
the sleeve 30 to provide a user with a cooling sensation regardless
of whether the user is resting on the first side 32 or the second
side 34 of the pillow 10. In this regard, the phase change material
is generally positioned and configured to place the body of the
user, or a portion thereof, resting on the pillow 10 in close
proximity to the phase change material and avoid the reduction in
the cooling capabilities of the phase change material that may
occur as a result of incorporating the phase change material into
the core 20 of the pillow 10 and then covering the core 20 of the
pillow 10 with an insulating layer of material.
[0024] The phase change material that is incorporated into the
first side 32 and the second side 34 of the sleeve 30 of the pillow
10 is typically comprised of microspheres that include substances
having a high heat of fusion and that store or release heat as the
substances oscillate between solid and liquid form (i.e., phase
change materials). As the phase change material included in the
first side 32 and the second side 34 of the sleeve 30 change from
solid to liquid form (i.e., melt) as the result of heat generated
by a user lying on the pillow 10, the phase change material thus
continually absorbs heat and provides a cooling effect to the user
until all of the phase change material has been transformed from a
solid to a liquid form. In the first side 32 and the second side 34
of the sleeve 30, the phase change material is incorporated into
the first side 32 and second side 34 of the sleeve 30 by infusing
and coating the first side 32 and second side 34 of the sleeve 30
with the microspheres of phase change material. However, it is of
course contemplated that the phase change material need not be
infused into and/or used to coat both the first side 32 and second
side 34 of the sleeve 30 to provide a sufficient amount of cooling
to the body of a user lying on the pillow 10, but can also be
infused into and/or used to coat only the first side 32 or the
second side 34 of the sleeve 30 of the pillow 10.
[0025] Referring still to FIGS. 1 and 2, to further take advantage
of the cooling capabilities of the phase change material
incorporated into the first side 32 and second side 34 of the
sleeve 30, by including reticulated visco-elastic foam fragments 24
in the core 20 of the pillow 10, the pillow 10 is configured to
allow heat to more readily dissipate from the phase change material
in the sleeve 30 and then throughout the core 20. Reticulated foam
(visco-elastic or otherwise) is a cellular foam structure in which
the cells of the foam are essentially skeletal. In other words the
cells of the reticulated foam are each defined by a plurality of
apertured windows surrounded by cell struts, where the cell windows
of reticulated foam can be entirely absent (leaving only the cell
struts) or substantially missing. In some embodiments, the
visco-elastic foam fragments 24 included in the core 20 are
considered "reticulated" if at least 50% of the windows of the
cells are missing (i.e., windows having apertures therethrough, or
windows that are completely missing and therefore leaving only the
cell struts). Such structures can be created by destruction or
other removal of cell window material, by chemical or mechanical
means, or by preventing the complete formation of cell windows
during the manufacturing process of the foam.
[0026] Regardless of the manufacturing process used to produce the
reticulated visco-elastic foam fragments, as indicated above,
reticulated visco-elastic foam fragments 24, by virtue of their
reticulated cellular structure, have characteristics that are well
suited for use in the core 20 of the pillow 10, including the
enhanced ability to permit fluid movement through the reticulated
visco-elastic foam fragments and, consequently, the ability to
provide enhanced air and/or heat movement away from the phase
change materials in a particular portion of the sleeve 30,
throughout the core 20, and then to unheated phase change material
in another portion of the sleeve 30. In this regard, by including
the visco-elastic foam fragments 24 in the core 20 of the pillow,
not only is enhanced air movement and, consequently, enhanced heat
dissipation provided through the core 20 of the pillow 10, but the
phase change material in discrete heated portions of the sleeve 30,
such as what may result from a user lying in a particular position
on the pillow 10 for a prolonged period of time, is prevented from
quickly reaching its melting point and ceasing to provide cooling
to a user resting on the pillow 10. Of course, other structural
elements such as vertical channels that provide a path for air to
flow through the core of an exemplary pillow are also contemplated
to be within the scope of the present invention, and can be
included hi an exemplary pillow without departing from the spirit
and scope of the subject matter described herein.
[0027] To further ensure that a user resting on the pillow 10 is
provided with a cooling sensation, and referring still to FIGS. 1
and 2, the pillow 10 further includes a liner 40 that surrounds the
sleeve 30 and includes a second amount of phase change material.
The liner 40 serves to protect the sleeve and can be comprised of a
number of different materials into which phase change material can
be incorporated. In one preferred embodiment, the liner 40 is
comprised of a netting that has been passed through a bath
including phase change material, such that the phase change
material adheres to and can subsequently be fixed to the netting
(see, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,404,345; 8,329,223; 7,794,507; and
7,186,273, which are each incorporated herein by this reference in
their entirety). The liner 40 also preferably incorporates one or
more flame retardant materials, such that a flame retardant barrier
surrounds the flexible foam of the sleeve 30 and core 20 of the
pillow 10. Like the sleeve 30 surrounding the core 20, however, by
incorporating phase change material directly in the liner 40, the
liner 40 is also configured to provide cooling to a user resting on
the pillow 10, while avoiding any reduction in the cooling
capabilities of the phase change material in the sleeve 30 that may
occur as a result of covering the sleeve 30 of the pillow 10 with a
protective or insulating layer of material.
[0028] To further avoid any reduction in the cooling capability of
the phase change materials included in the pillow 10 and to also
provide protection for the liner 40, the pillow 10 further
comprises an outer cover 50 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The outer
cover 50 is typically comprised of a textile having a sufficient
amount of durability to protect the underlying liner and sleeve of
the support cushions, but also having a sufficient amount of
"breathability" to allow air and heat to travel through the outer
cover, and allow the phase change material in the sleeve 30 and
liner 40 to still provide cooling to a user resting on the pillow
10. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the outer cover is
comprised of one-hundred percent cotton to allow the cooling
sensation provided by the phase change material in the sleeve 30
and liner 40 to be readily transferred to a user resting on the
pillow 10. However, it is further contemplated that numerous other
textiles, including silk and textiles having a lower percentage of
cotton can also be readily used to produce a sufficient outer
cover.
[0029] Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, in another exemplary
embodiment of the present invention, an exemplary pillow 110 is
provided that includes a core 120 comprised of a plurality of
reticulated visco-elastic foam fragments 124 and non-reticulated
visco-elastic foam fragments 122, and a sleeve 130 comprised of a
continuous piece of visco-elastic foam. Like the pillow 10 shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2, the pillow 110 includes: a sleeve 130 having a first
side 132 and a second side 134; a liner 140 including an amount of
phase change material; and an outer cover 150. Unlike the pillow
shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, however, the first side 132 and the second
side 134 of the sleeve 30 are not identical to one another. Rather,
the pillow 110 and, in particular, the first side 132 of the sleeve
130 has a curved profile that acts to align the head, neck and
shoulders of a user lying on the first side 132. Additionally, in
the pillow 110, only the first side 132 of the sleeve 130 includes
an amount of phase change material as the curved profile of the
pillow 10 is designed to only allow a user to rest on the pillow 10
adjacent to the first side 132 of the sleeve 130. Of course, it is
also contemplated that pillows having various other profiles and
arrangements of phase change material can be provided in accordance
with the present invention, and can be used to provide support and
cooling to a body of a user without departing from the spirit and
scope of the subject matter described herein.
[0030] Referring now to FIG. 5, in a further exemplary embodiment
of the present invention, an exemplary pillow 210 is provided that
also includes a visco-elastic foam sleeve 230. The sleeve 230 has
an amount of phase change material incorporated into the first
surface 232 and the second surface 234 of the sleeve 230, such that
the first surface 232 and the second surface 234 of the sleeve 230
are again configured to provide cooling to a user lying on the
pillow 210. The pillow 210 also includes an outer cover 250 that
surrounds the sleeve 230 and that is comprised of a textile.
Additionally, the pillow 210 has a core 220 that includes a
plurality of non-reticulated visco-elastic foam fragments 222. In
the pillow 210, however, the core 220 further includes a plurality
of fibers 226 that, similar to the reticulated visco-elastic foam
fragments described above, provide enhanced air and/or heat
movement through the core 220 of the pillow 210. Such fibers can
include natural fibers, such as cotton or silk fibers, synthetic
fibers, such as polyester fibers, or combinations thereof. In this
regard, in this exemplary embodiment, the core 220 of the pillow
210 is also surrounded by a flame retardant material or barrier 228
(e.g., a fire sock) that is positioned between the core 220 and the
sleeve 230, such that the flame retardant barrier 228 surrounds the
core 20, but yet does not detract from the cooling provided by the
phase change material incorporated into the sleeve 230.
[0031] As yet another refinement to the present invention, although
the support cushions shown in FIGS. 1-5 are in the form of pillows
10, 110, 210 and are dimensionally sized to support the head of a
user, it is contemplated that the features described herein are
equally applicable to mattresses, seat cushions, seat backs, neck
pillows, leg spacer pillows, mattress toppers, overlays and the
like. As such the phrase "support cushion" is used herein to refer
to any and all such objects having any size and shape, and that are
capable of or are generally used to support the body of a user or a
portion thereof. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, support cushions
made in accordance with the present invention are incorporated into
a seat 312 and back 314 of a desk chair 310. Each support cushion
of the desk chair 310 includes a core 320 comprised of a plurality
of reticulated visco-elastic foam fragments 324 and a plurality of
non-reticulated visco-elastic foam fragments 322, and a sleeve 330
comprised of a continuous piece of visco-elastic foam. Similar to
the pillows of the present invention, each support cushion of the
desk chair 310 also includes a first amount of phase change
material that is incorporated into both the first side 332 and the
second side 334 of each sleeve 330, such that the portions of the
body of a user resting on the support cushions of the desk chair
310 are provided with a cooling sensation.
[0032] Throughout this document, various references are mentioned.
All such references are incorporated herein by reference.
[0033] One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that
additional embodiments or implementations are possible without
departing from the teachings of the present invention or the scope
of the claims which follow. This detailed description, and
particularly the specific details of the exemplary embodiments and
implementations disclosed herein, is given primarily for clarity of
understanding, and no unnecessary limitations are to be understood
therefrom, for modifications will become obvious to those skilled
in the art upon reading this disclosure and may be made without
departing from the spirit or scope of the claimed invention.
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