P/0010 1 Regulation 3.2 AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Invention Title: Travel pillow The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: TRAVEL PILLOW The present specification is divided from AU 2013206536 and the reader is directed to that earlier specification for inventions described herein but not claimed. 5 FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to pillow, and more particularly to a travel pillow. DISCUSSION OF RELATED ART A pillow generally provides support for the head and neck, typically in a laying position. A travel pillow, conversely, is designed to provide support for the head and neck while 0 seated, as is common during long automobile, train, and airplane trips. A travel pillow is generally "U" shaped and is adapted to fit around the neck of a person. A travel pillow can prevent neck strain and promote comfort by supporting a person's neck and head vertically.
2 U.S. Patent No. 6,230,349 to Silver et al. on May 15th, 2001, describes a travel pillow 3 having a compact size and U-shape for cradling the head and neck of a user while 4 sitting. This device is adapted to allow the user to allow or remove fill material in s order to adjust firmness. While this invention is capable of providing neck support, it 6 does not provide adequate neck support in left, right, and forward positions. 7 Furthermore, this travel pillow will force the person's head forward, causing neck 8 strain, as there is no support in the front. The lobes, moreover, are not tall enough, 9 and the lobes will split out if one's head falls left or right. 10 u1 U.S. Patent No. 4,345,347 to Kantor on August 24th, 1982, describes a cushion 12 having a U-shaped portion for supporting the head and neck of a user while sitting. 13 This device is adapted to accept a sleeve to cover parts of the cushion that will touch 14 skin or hair, and includes weights for balancing the device on the shoulders. While is this invention is capable of providing neck support, it does not provide adequate neck 16 support in left, right, and forward positions and is not adapted to prevent an extreme 17 forward head position. 18 19 U.S. Patent No. 98,859 to Fast on January 18th, 1870, describes a travel pillow having 20 a cushion for promoting the comfort of passengers while traveling. This device 21 comprises an inflatable semi-circular cushion and a strap adapted to form the cushion 22 around the neck by applying downward force with the arms. While this invention is 23 capable of providing neck support, it does not provide adequate neck support in left, 24 right, and forward positions and is not adapted to prevent an extreme forward head 25 position.
While several travel pillows exist in the prior art, few provide adequate support for alternative head positions. Furthermore, travel pillows are notorious for forcing the head forward, causing neck strain. Finally, current travel pillows do not adequately support a front position due to the gap of the "U" shape. Therefore, there is a need for a travel pillow that can provide adequate 5 neck support for all head positions without causing undue strain. Furthermore, a need exists for a travel pillow that will not force the head forward in a rearward position. The present invention accomplishes these objectives. Reference to any prior art in the specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgment, or any form of suggestion, that this prior art forms part of the common general 10 knowledge in Australia or any other jurisdiction or that this prior art could reasonably be expected to be ascertained, understood and regarded as relevant by a person skilled in the art. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to a first aspect, the invention provides a substantially U-shaped travel pillow, comprising: a first side portion comprising: a first inner surface; a second side portion 15 comprising a second inner surface, said second inner surface facing said first inner surface; and a rear portion between said first and second side portions, said rear portion comprising a third inner surface and a rear surface; wherein said rear surface is substantially flat. According to a second aspect, the invention provides a pillow comprising: a substantially U shaped base cushion comprising a base inner peripheral wall, one or more base outer peripheral 20 walls, and a base rear wall; and a substantially U-shaped raised cushion on a top side of said base cushion, said raised cushion comprising a raised inner peripheral wall, one or more raised outer peripheral walls, and a raised rear wall; wherein said base rear wall and said raised rear wall are mutually flush and substantially flat. According to a third aspect, the invention provides a pillow, comprising: a substantially U 25 shaped base cushion comprising a base rear portion and first and second base side portions; and a 3 substantially U-shaped raised cushion comprising a raised rear portion and first and second raised side portions; wherein said raised rear portion is thinner than each of said first and second raised side portions. Disclosed is a travel pillow comprising a U-shaped, pliable base cushion with a second U-shaped 5 raised cushion fixed to the top side of the base cushion. The inner peripheral walls of the base and raised cushions are mutually flush, providing a comfortable surface for the neck. Furthermore, the rear walls of the base and raised cushions are mutually flush and substantially flat for better contact with flat surfaces, such as a headrest, seat, or chair. The rear portion of the raised cushion is thinner than each side portion of the raised cushion, providing more liberty to 10 adjust head position by easily adapting to the shape of the headrest, seat or chair. A removable cover is adapted to cover the base and raised cushions. The cover may further be reversible, where the outside of the cover has a contrasting appearance to the inside of the cover. The pillow is ergonomically designed to fit behind the neck and head of a person, lining the back of the head and neck up with a seat and not pushing the person's head forward. 15 The raised cushion is ergonomically designed to comfortably fit around the neck without causing undue strain. Furthermore, the raised cushion is adapted to prevent interfere with a person wearing headphones. Pockets can be positioned on the outside and bottom of the base cushion for storing electronic devices and other objects. A drawstring with an adjustable cinch mechanism can be used for adjusting the travel pillow around the neck. The cinch mechanism 20 also keeps the pillow in place, prevents the lobes from splitting outward, and conforms the pillow around one's neck. Further, the cinch mechanism allows attachment of the pillow around a bag handle or strap for hands-free transport. The U-shape of the travel pillow is generally intended to provide support to the head while traveling. As such, the base cushion and raised cushions are integrally formed from a memory 25 foam material adapted to fit securely, yet comfortably, around the neck, providing adequate 4 ergonomic support to the head when seated in an upright position. The travel pillow can be shaped like an animal, character, or sports team logo. The present device is a travel pillow that can provide adequate neck support for all head positions without causing undue strain. Furthermore, a need exists for a travel pillow that will not force the 5 head forward in a rearward position. Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view one embodiment of the invention; 10 FIG. 2 is a front elevational view thereof, a drawstring illustrated in FIG. I omitted for clarity of illustration; FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view of an alternate embodiment of the invention; FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 1; FIG. 5 is a left-side elevational view of the embodiment of FIG. 1, the drawstring omitted for 15 clarity of illustration; and FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view of another embodiment of the invention, the drawstring omitted for clarity of illustration. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Illustrative embodiments of the invention are described below. The following explanation 20 provides specific details for a thorough understanding of and enabling description for these embodiments. One skilled in the art will understand that the invention may be practiced without such details. In other instances, well-known structures and functions have not been shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the description of the embodiments. 5 Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the description and the claims, the words "comprise," "comprising," and the like are to be construed in an inclusive sense as opposed to an exclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to say, in the sense of "including, but not limited to." Words using the singular or plural number also include the plural or singular number 5 respectively. Additionally, the words "herein," "above," "below" and words of similar import, when used in this application, shall refer to this application as a whole and not to any particular portions of this application. When the claims use the word "or" in reference to a list of two or more items, that word covers all of the following interpretations of the word: any of the items in the list, all of the items in the list and any combination of the items in the list. 10 FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a travel pillow 10 comprising a U-shaped, pliable base cushion 20 having a top side 28, bottom side 22, outer peripheral wall 29, inner peripheral wall 21, rear wall 27, and a pair of opposing front walls 23. A U-shaped raised cushion 30 is fixed to the top side 28 of the base cushion 20. The raised cushion 30 comprises a top side 38, bottom side 32, the 15 rear wall 34 (FIG. 5), outer peripheral wall 39, and inner peripheral wall 31, all defining a rear portion 37 and two opposing side portions 35 of the raised cushion 30 (FIG. 4). The inner peripheral walls 21, 31 of the base and raised cushions 20, 30 are mutually flush, providing a comfortable surface for the neck. 20 The top side 38 of the base cushion 20 is substantially flat, while the top side 38 of the raised cushion 30 is curved (FIG. 2) or flat (FIG. 3) between the inner and outer peripheral walls 31, 39 thereof. The rear walls 27, 34 of the base and raised cushions 20, 30 are mutually flush (FIG. 4) and substantially flat for better contact with flat surfaces, such as a headrest or chair (not shown). Furthermore, the outer peripheral wall 39 of the raised portion 30 may extend higher than the -6inner peripheral wall 31 of the opposing side portions 35 (FIG. 2), while the outer and inner peripheral walls 39, 31 of the rear portion 37 are substantially the same height. The rear portion 37 of the raised cushion 30 is thinner than each side portion 35 (FIG. 4), providing more liberty to adjust head position by easily adapting to the shape of the headrest, seat or chair. 5 A selectively removable fabric cover 40 is adapted to cover the base and raised cushions 20,30, and includes an opening 50 at a bottom side 42 thereof (FIG. 5). In one embodiment, the fabric cover 40 is reversible, where a first side 41 of the cover 40 has a contrasting appearance to a second side 42 (FIG. 1) of the cover 40. In an alternative embodiment, the base cushion 20 and 10 the raised cushion 30 are selectively mutually detachable (FIG. 3) at a first attachment mechanism 130, such as a zipper (not shown), two-part hook-and-loop type material 150, button, and/or mechanical snap 160. As such, the fabric cover 40 is adapted to cover the base cushion 20, while a second fabric cover 140 (FIG. 3) is adapted to cover the raised cushion 30. The fabric cover 40 may be machine washable, so as to allow for cleaning of the cover 40 from sweat or 15 other grime. The raised cushion 30 includes a pair of opposing recesses 90 (FIG. 1) or semicircular cut-outs (not shown) on the inner peripheral wall 31 of each side portion 35, whereby the raised cushion 30 does not interfere with a person wearing headphones. Furthermore, the outer peripheral wall 20 29 of the base cushion 20 includes at least one -7- 1 pocket 100 for holding an item 15. In an alternative embodiment, the bottom side 22 2 (FIG. 6) of the base cushion 20 further includes at least one pocket 120 for receiving a 3 second item 16. 4 s The travel pillow 10 can be used in a first position, where the user can lay his head 6 back on the device 10, or a second position 180-degrees rotated, where the user's chin 7 is supported at a chin support 170 (FIG. 1). Clearly the user can rotate the travel 8 pillow 10 to any suitable and comfortably position as needed, the raised cushion 30 9 providing varying heights of support to the user's neck and chin. To provide more 10 customization, a drawstring 60 is adapted to adjust the fitting of the travel pillow 10 n1 around the neck. The drawstring 60 has opposing ends 65, each end fixed proximate 12 one of the front walls 23 of the base cushion 20. 13 14 The drawstring 60 further comprises an adjustable cinch mechanism 70 for adjusting 1s the tension in the drawstring 60. The cinch mechanism 70 may be adjusted until the 16 front peripheral walls 23 of the base cushion 20 are brought into mutual contact. As 17 such, the travel pillow 10 may be further used as a massage pillow wherein the raised 18 cushion 30 supports the user's face while allowing the user to breathe freely and lay 19 on his stomach. Alternately, the travel pillow 10 in such a configuration may be used 20 as a so-called "massage" or "sun tanning" support for a user's face or the back of the 21 user's head, respectively, while laying either face-down or face-up on a surface. 22 23 The U-shape of the travel pillow 10 is generally intended to providing support to the 24 head while traveling. As such, the base cushion 20 and raised cushion 30, in one 25 embodiment, are integrally formed from a foam material 110 adapted to fit securely, -8- 1 yet comfortably, around the neck, providing adequate ergonomic support to the head 2 when seated in an upright position. In the preferred embodiment, the foam material 3 110 is a memory foam material, with the device 10 having overall dimensions of 10" 4 x 10" x 5", although any suitable material and size may be used. Other materials s include fabrics, air, beads, polyester, grains, aromatherapy material, gels, and other 6 fluids. 7 s While a particular form of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be 9 apparent that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and 10 scope of the invention. For example, an electrical heating and massaging device may n1 be incorporated to provide heat and massage to the neck. Additionally, the travel 12 pillow 10 may be shaped like an animal, cartoon character, sports team logo, or other 13 novelty shape. Accordingly, it is not intended that the invention be limited, except as 14 by the appended claims. 1s 16 Particular terminology used when describing certain features or aspects of the 17 invention should not be taken to imply that the terminology is being redefined herein 18 to be restricted to any specific characteristics, features, or aspects of the invention 19 with which that terminology is associated. In general, the terms used in the following 20 claims should not be construed to limit the invention to the specific embodiments 21 disclosed in the specification, unless the above Detailed Description section explicitly 22 defines such terms. Accordingly, the actual scope of the invention encompasses not 23 only the disclosed embodiments, but also all equivalent ways of practicing or 24 implementing the invention. 25 -9- 1 The above detailed description of the embodiments of the invention is not intended to 2 be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed above or to the 3 particular field of usage mentioned in this disclosure. While specific embodiments of, 4 and examples for, the invention are described above for illustrative purposes, various 5 equivalent modifications are possible within the scope of the invention, as those 6 skilled in the relevant art will recognize. Also, the teachings of the invention 7 provided herein can be applied to other systems, not necessarily the system described 8 above. The elements and acts of the various embodiments described above can be 9 combined to provide further embodiments. 10 11 All of the above patents and applications and other references, including any that may 12 be listed in accompanying filing papers, are incorporated herein by reference. 13 Aspects of the invention can be modified, if necessary, to employ the systems, 14 functions, and concepts of the various references described above to provide yet is further embodiments of the invention. 16 17 Changes can be made to the invention in light of the above "Detailed Description." 18 While the above description details certain embodiments of the invention and 19 describes the best mode contemplated, no matter how detailed the above appears in 20 text, the invention can be practiced in many ways. Therefore, implementation details 21 may vary considerably while still being encompassed by the invention disclosed 22 herein. As noted above, particular terminology used when describing certain features 23 or aspects of the invention should not be taken to imply that the terminology is being -10- 1 redefined herein to be restricted to any specific characteristics, features, or aspects of 2 the invention with which that terminology is associated. 3 4 While certain aspects of the invention are presented below in certain claim forms, the s inventor contemplates the various aspects of the invention in any number of claim 6 forms. Accordingly, the inventor reserves the right to add additional claims after 7 filing the application to pursue such additional claim forms for other aspects of the 8 invention. 9 -11-