U.S. patent number 3,757,364 [Application Number 05/240,004] was granted by the patent office on 1973-09-11 for sleeping pillow.
Invention is credited to John Charles Downing.
United States Patent |
3,757,364 |
Downing |
September 11, 1973 |
SLEEPING PILLOW
Abstract
A two level dual firmness pillow construction which
intrinsically affords effective support for maintaining optimum
head and neck posture while sleeping on the back or either side of
the body and which reduces to a minimum the liklihood of muscle
spasms, stiffness or pain about the head, neck and shoulders, or
decreased blood circulation as a result of sleeping or
reclining.
Inventors: |
Downing; John Charles (San
Francisco, CA) |
Family
ID: |
22904691 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/240,004 |
Filed: |
March 31, 1972 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
5/636 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47G
9/10 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A47G
9/00 (20060101); A47G 9/10 (20060101); A47g
009/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;5/327,327B,337,338,345,361 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Zugel; Francis K.
Assistant Examiner: Finch; Glenn O.
Claims
I claim:
1. A sleeping pillow comprising a unitary structure consisting of a
soft-textured two-level top component, and a relatively
hard-textured one level base component bonded to said top
component; said top component comprising a pair of raised side
sections partially bounding an inclined intermediate section, and a
roll section spanning said side sections and merging therewith at
the front of the structure; said roll section defining a transverse
channel, and said base component comprising a u-shaped member
providing a pair of sides matching said raised side sections of
said top component and partially bounding an opening for passing
said inclined intermediate section of said top component.
2. A sleeping pillow as set forth in claim 1, wherein said base
component includes a joiner element spanning said pair of sides of
said u-shaped member, and wherein said joiner element is fitted
within the channel of said roll section of said top component in
the assembled unitary structure.
3. A sleeping pillow as set forth in claim 2, wherein a groove is
defined between the lower surface of said inclined intermediate
section of said top component and an underlying mattress.
4. A sleeping pillow as set forth in claim 1 wherein the connection
of said intermediate section to side sections of said top component
is such as to present said intermediate section at a lower level
than said side sections and downwardly inclined from said roll
section to provide in relation to said sections a cradle for the
head of a person reclining thereon.
5. A sleeping pillow as set forth in claim 3 wherein the inclined
intermediate section is extendable slightly upwardly without any
undue bulge whenever an arm of a person reclining on an underlying
mattress is extended through said groove.
Description
The conventional pillow available in the market is, generally, of
uniform shape, thickness and firmness as an entirety and does not
conform to the natural physiological head and neck curve of the
average person. Substantially all of the piror art pillow raise the
head higher than the neck causing, while sleeping, resting or
reclining, prolonged flexion of the neck, or aggravation of pain,
as well as muscle spasms and other cervical syndrome sympts.
Sleeping or reclining without a pillow places the head in a
position lower than the neck and furnishes no support at all for
the neck which can aggravate the foregoing symptoms. While there
has been some attention devoted to avoiding or overcoming the
disadvantages of the conventional pillow presently being marketed
and used, the problems have only partially been solved. For
example, in U.S. Pat., No. 3,243,823, there is disclosed a pillow
construction providing different height levels to accommodate for
sleeping on the back and side of the body, but such disclosed
pillow does not provide the necessary head and neck curve support.
It is necessary, moreover, to change the exact design or custom
build such pillow for each individual which, of course, is
impractical and prohibitively expensive to most persons. In U. S.
Pat., No. 3,521,310, a pillow construction is disclosed which gives
firmer support to the neck of a person when sleeping or reclining
on the back, but does not provide for a different head and neck
curve or raised height level for sleeping or reclining on the side.
The present invention is directed to the obviation of all the
disadvantages of prior art pillow construction and to provide a
sleeping pillow for both ordinary well persons but also for
hospital patients which avoids the likelihood of receiving pain,
stiffness or muscle spasms and like discomfort while resting in a
lying down position or during various sleeping postures.
A primary object of my invention is to provide an improved sleeping
pillow which is capable by virtue of its intrinsic construction of
molding out therein the exact curve corresponding to the
physiological head-neck curve of any person lying thereon.
Another important object of the present invention is to provide an
improved sleeping pillow of the indicated nature which is
additionally characterized by its capability of affording the
requisite firmness for supporting the weight of the head and neck
portions of the body yet also affording the necessary softness to
cushion the surface areas of the head and neck.
A still further object of my present invention is to provide an
improved sleeping pillow of the aforementioned character which has
universal utility for accommodating all types and builds of
different persons with respect to their individual physiological
head and neck areas, thereby promoting proper sleeping or reclining
postures for all.
Another object of the invention is to provide an improved sleeping
pillow of the foregoing nature which is of relatively simple
construction and relatively inexpensive to manufacture.
Other objects of the invention, together with some of the
advantageous features thereof, will appear from the following
description of the embodiment of my invention which is illustrated
in the accompanying drawings which constitutes an exemplification
of the best mode of construction thereof as well as the manner of
using the invention. It is to be understood that I am not to be
limited to the precise components and arrangement threof as
depicted in the embodiment shown, as the appended claims are
intended to cover not only such embodiment but also variations
thereof within the scope and purview of the invention.
Referring to the drawings:
FIG. 1 is a rear inverted perspective view of the top component of
a preferred embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 2 is a rear inverted perspective view of the bottom component
thereof.
FIG. 3 is a rear inverted perspective view of both components in
assembled relation and constituting the best mode of construction
thereof.
FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of the preferred embodiment of
my invention illustrating the best mode of construction thereof and
manner of using the same.
FIG. 5 is a reduced side elevational view of my invention
illustrated in FIG. 4; this view illustrating, by partial dotted
line and partial full line showing, the head and neck portions of
the body of a person reclining on his back in relation to the
pillow disposed on an underlying mattress.
FIG. 6 is a view similar to the view of FIG. 5 but with a
fragmentary showing of a person lying on his side and the relative
portions of the head and neck of the person with respect to the
pillow.
FIG. 7 is a reduced rear elevational view of the embodiment of my
invention shown in FIG. 4, as disposed on an underlying mattress
and showing the normal position of the intermediate section
thereof.
FIG. 8 is a view similar to the view of FIG. 7 but with the
intermediate section pushed up and illustrating the groove through
which an arm of a person reclining on his stomach may be extended
without unduly bulging the intermediate section of the pillow.
In its preferred and best mode of construction, my improved
sleeping pillow preferably comprises a unitary structure consisting
of a top component so formed as to provide a pair of raised side
sections partially bounding an intermediate inclined section, as
well as a front roll section spanning said side sections and
defining a transverse channel, together with a base component
secured to or integral with said top component and so formed as to
provide a generally u-shaped member defining a pair of sides
partially bounding an opening for passing said intermediate section
of said top component, as well as a joiner element closing the
front of said opening and joining said sides together; said joiner
element fitting said transverse channel of said component.
As particularly illustrated in FIG. 1 of the annexed drawings, I
provide a top component for my improved sleeping pillow which is
generally designated by the reference numeral 11 and which is
conveiently molded or otherwise fashioned from a relatively soft
substance, such as soft polyurethane or other soft plastic
material, or from foam rubber or the like having relatively low
density so as to present a surface softness necessary to cushion
the surface area of the head 12 and neck 13 of a person, see FIGS.
5 and 6. Other suitable material than polyurethane can, of course,
be employed for top component 11 as long as the substance meets the
qualifications of relatively low density polyurethane and having
the characteristic or property of being adapted to mold itself over
the base or bottom component, hereinafter described to afford
intrinsically a natural smooth curving support which matches the
physiological head-neck curve of the person lying thereon. As
shown, the top component 11 is formed so as to provide therein a
pair of raised side sections 16 and 17 disposed at opposed sides of
an inclined intermediate section 18 which is relatively lower than
the side sections, as clearly shown both in the front perspective
view of FIG. 4, which shows the obverse of the top component 11,
and the reduced view of FIG. 7 which shows the rear of the pillow.
In addition to the side sections and intermediate section, the
shaped top component 11 includes a turned-under or roll section 19
which extends across the entire component, merging with the side
sections 16 and 17, at the front thereof and defining therewith a
transverse channel 20, as clearly shown in the inverted view of
component 11 in FIG. 1 of the annexed drawings.
The improved sleeping pillow of my present invention also includes
a bottom or base component which is generally designated by the
reference numeral 21, and which conveniently is molded or otherwise
fashioned from a firm substance, such as a polyurethane of high
density or from a like substance such as foam rubber having such
properties, to the shape illustrated in FIG. 2 so as to provide a
generally u-shaped member consisting of a pair of sides 22 and 23
which partially bound an intermediate opening 24 of substantially
the same dimensions as the intermediate section 18 of top component
11 and through which such section 18 is passed when the two
components are assembled and bonded together. The base component 21
also includes a joiner element 26 which closes or bounds the
opening 24 at its inner front end and which joins or merges with
the two sides 22 and 23; it being observed that the outer edges of
the two sides 22 and 23 as well as the joiner element 26 are
straight. It should also be noted that the width of each side 22
and 23 of the base component 21 is the same as the width of each
side section 16 and 17 of the top component 11, and also that the
opening 24 in base component 21 is of just sufficient width and
length to pass the inclined intermediate section 18 of top
component 11. Thus, when the top component and base component are
fitted together and bonded or otherwise secured together, such as
by a suitable adhesive, the assembled two components, see FIGS. 3
and 4 is a unitary structure with the front edge of the joiner
element 26 extending into the transverse channel 20 of the top
component 11 and abutting the inner surface of the roll section 19
thereof, presenting a two level structure 27 of dual firmness, with
the outer edges of the side sections of both components 11 and 21
flush with one another.
In accordance with my present invention, the assembled and fitted
components comprising my unitary structure which is shown in
operative position in FIG. 4 and generally designated by the
reference numeral 27, provides an extended groove 28 between an
underlying sheet-covered mattress 29 and the underside of the
intermediate inclined section 18 of top component 11, see FIG. 8,
through which an arm of a person laying on his stomach can be
extended, as indicated by the full line showing in FIG. 8, which
has the advantage of giving comfort to a person lying or reclining
in such position on mattress 29 without bulging the improved
sleeping pillow of the present invention.
The groove 28 is formed by a pushing up of the intermediate section
18 when a person lying on his back extends an arm underneath the
intermediate section and raises it. This groove 28 will not be
present, of course, when the person is lying on his back inasmuch
as the intermediate section 18 is then pushed or pressed down to
accommodate the head, as shown in FIG. 7 of the annexed
drawings.
As illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, it is to be noted that when using
my improved sleeping pillow the roll section 19 of the unitary
structure 27 is engaged by the shoulder 30 of the reclining person,
whether the person assumes a resting or sleeping position on the
back or on either side.
My improved sleeping pillow has a number of advantages over
conventional prior art pillow construction not only from a
therapeutic standpoint but also from the economic viewpoint by
reason of its simplicity of components and ease of assembly. The
embodiment of my invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings
has a minimum of six advantageous features which contribute to its
efficacy and comfort, namely, it is constructed and assembled with
(1) two different height levels to compensate for reclining on the
back or lying on either side. The lower level is in the middle or
intermediate section 18 while the higher level is in the side
sections 16 and 17, thus accomodating the person lying on his back
who thus needs very little elevation of the head to bring it in
line with the rest of his body and to accommodate the person while
lying on a side; the person, in which situation, needs a great deal
more elevation of the head to bring it in line with the rest of the
body. Moreover, (2) the sections of the pillow hereinabove
described are not level but have high and low portions within
themselves. It will be observed that when the head is disposed in
the intermediate section 18, the neck portion of the body is raised
about three times higher than the head portion to accommodate the
person lying on his back. In the side sections 16 and 17, the neck
portion is raised only slightly more than the head of the person to
accommodate for lying on his side. Thus, a natural and gradual
smooth transition from the high portions to the low portions is
inherent in the structure which extends over the entire top
thereof. And, when the head of a person is lying in the middle or
intermediate section and in the side sections, the weight and shape
of his head and neck area will mold out the exact curve that
corresponds to his physiological head/neck curve, as indicated by
the dotted line 31 in FIG. 5 and the full line 32 in FIG. 6. It is
further advantageous in that (3) the intermediate section 18 is
bounded by the two side sections 16 and 17 of higher elevation
affording a cradle 33, see FIG. 7, for the head and inhibiting
undue rotating or lateral bending of the head while a person is
sleeping or reclining on his back.
My improved pillow is the only pillow which (4) contains the
feature of soft-firm support in that two different densities of
material are used and bonded together on top of one another. The
bottom or base layer 21 is of high density firm material, such as
high density of polyurethane, and the top component 11 is of a low
density soft material, such as a low density polyurethane or
equivalent substance. Thus the top component 11 provides the
surface softness necessary to cushion the surface area of the head
and neck while the base layer or component 21 provides the firmness
necessary for proper support. The combination of the two layers of
my improved pillow, with the top component bending over the bottom
component when the person's weight is applied to it, adds another
feature by further adapting itself in being molded to the shape of
the individual physiological head/neck curve of any person lying
upon the dual textured pillow of my present improvement having the
proper combination of different material densities. Moreover, as
indicated in the accompanying drawings my improved pillow has the
added feature (5) of providing a roll section 19 at the front
thereof affording a smooth blending into the reclining person's
shoulders and neck. And (6) as indicated in FIG. 8, the improved
pillow of my present invention provides a groove 28 on the
underneath side of the pillow for receiving an arm of a person
sleeping or reclining on his stomach or with an arm extended over
the head, which enhances the comfort of the person and yet does not
bulge the pillow with the arm extended through such groove. This
feature not only eliminates the bulge normally occurring when an
arm of a person is extended beneath the pillow but also keeps the
head of the person from being elevated too high.
The appended claims are intended to cover the embodiment
illustrated as well as variations therefrom within the scope and
purview of the invention .
* * * * *