AU727055B2 - Pillow - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE

SPECIFICATION

STANDARD PATENT 6 6re r6 6666 0* 0* 66 6 Applicant(s): PARNHAM ASSOCIATES PTY LTD A.C.N. 005 403 074 Invention Title:

PILLOW

The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: 2

PILLOW

This invention relates to a pillow.

The invention provides a pillow including: an upper layer for receiving a user's head, the upper layer being formed from low resilient foam material; and a lower layer bonded to the upper layer, the lower layer being formed from high resilient foam material and wherein the lower layer of high resilient foam material including a removable insert, located in the lower r o Slayer between a bottom surface of the lower layer and an 15 upper surface of the lower layer which is bonded to the upper layer, to divide the lower layer into an upper portion and a lower portion, the removable insert being S°removable from the pillow to change the height and/or contour of the pillow.

9*99 S: e* *The upper layer of low resilient foam material provides an upper surface to the pillow which will readily adjust to the physical characteristics of the user and also is slow to resiliently return to an initial position thereby absorbing the rebound effect and reducing bounce. The low resilient foam distributes pressure applied to the head and/or neck of the user more evenly and reduces hard pressure points. Thus, support is provided without the bias conventional pillows apply to the user. The high resilient lower layer generally provides a more resilient base for supporting the low resilient foam material and the effect of the upper layer of low resilient foam material and the lower layer of high resilient foam material provides an excellent sleeping platform which comfortably and securely cradles a user's head and/or neck region for sleep.

H: \paulad\Keep\speci\PARNHAM-pillow- 39948-97 .doc 12/09/00 2A A preferred emibodiment of the invention will be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pillow H: \paulad\Keep\speci\PARXHAM-pillow- 39948-97 .doc 12/09/00 -3embodying the invention; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view through the pillow of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a side view showing the removable insert partly removed; and Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating the method of forming part of the pillow of Figures 1 to 3.

With reference to Figure 1, a pillow 10 is shown which has an upper layer 12 formed of low resilient foam material and a lower layer 14 of high resilient foam material. The layers 12 and 14 are bonded together by any suitable to adhesive by adhering intermediate surface 17 of layer 14 to intermediate surface 19 of layer 12. The layer 12 has an upper surface 13 and the layer 14 has a bottom surface .o ~The pillow according to the preferred embodiment of the invention is contoured so that it curves downwardly from a rear side 16 to a front portion 18. However, the contour 20 of the pillow could be varied from that shown in the drawings.

As is clearly seen in Figures 1 and 2, the lower layer 14 includes a removable insert 20 which is cut from the lower 25 layer 14 in the manner which will be described with reference to Figure 4 hereinafter. The insert 20 divides the layer 14 into an upper portion 14a and a lower portion 14b.

In order to change the height and/or contour of the pillow the removable insert 20 is removed by withdrawing the removable insert in the direction of arrow A in Figure 3.

The upper portion 14a of the lower layer 14 may then collapse onto the lower portion 14b of the layer 14 to thereby reduce the height of the pillow and also the contour of the pillow.

H: \Karen\Keep\PARN4HM-pilow. doc 6/10/97 4 As is shown in Figures 1 to 3, the removable insert 20 is generally wedge-shaped so that when it is removed from the pillow, the inclination of the upper surface 13 of the upper layer 12 will alter relative to the bottom surface of the pillow The lower layer 14 is preferably formed by cutting the high resilient material from a block 30 of high resilient material as is shown in Figure 4. The layer 14 is cut by preferably cutting from one side 32 of the block from point A to point B and then to point C to define the intermediate surface 17 and bottom surface 15 of the layer 14. A cut can then be made from point D to point E and then to point F to provide the removable insert 20. Thus, the lower layer 14 can be cut in a single cutting operation from the block 30 of high resilient foam material. If the end 32 of the block 30 is not intended to form the rear surface 16 of the pillow, then after the cut is made from point C, a cut ~can be made from point C to point D and then the cut made from point D to point E to point F to form the insert and then a further cut can be made from point F to point A then from point A down to point D to completely cut the lower layer 14 and insert 20 from the block 30 and to form the end surface of the layer 14 which will form part of the 25 rear surface 16 of the pillow.

The upper layer 12 can also be cut from a block of high resiliency foam material in a single cutting operation for adhering to the lower layer 14.

The upper layer 10 which is formed from low resilient foam material, provides an upper surface 13 which reduces bounce and tends to absorb shock to a much greater extent than high resilient foam from which the upper surface of pillows is usually formed. The lower resilient foam deforms under the weight of a user's head and/or neck to make an impression in the upper layer 16 which, due to the low H:\Karen\Keep\PARNHAM-pillow doc 6/10/97 resilient nature of the upper layer 12, takes a predetermined amount of time to disappear when the user moves as the low resilient material tends to return to its original position. The relatively slow recovery time for the low resilient material to return to its original configuration more evenly applies pressure to a user's neck and head, particularly as the user changes the position of his or her head on the pillow during sleep, and therefore reduces pressure points. Slow recovery time of the low resilient material also reduces the rebound effect to absorb shock to eliminate or greatly reduce the tendency of bounce as a person rolls or moves his or her head during sleep. Thus, the tendency of the pillow to push-back against a user is reduced. Thus, pressure applied to the 15 user due to the tendency of the resilient material to e return to its original position is better distributed than in the case of pillows which have an upper layer formed S. from high resilient material or are completely formed from high resilient material. The low resilient foam material is also most preferably temperature sensitive so it tends to soften when it gets warmer and firmer when cooled. This also assists in support characteristics during sleep.

e o Since modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention may readily be effected by persons skilled within the art, it is to be understood that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiments described by way of example hereinabove.

H: \Karen\Keep\PARHIAM-pillow doc 6/10/97

Claims (1)

1. A pillow including: an upper layer for receiving a user's head, the upper layer being formed from low resilient foam material; and a lower layer bonded to the upper layer, the lower layer being formed from high resilient foam material and wherein the lower layer of high resilient foam material including a removable insert, located in the lower layer between a bottom surface of the lower layer and an upper surface of the lower layer which is bonded to the upper layer, to divide the lower layer into an upper portion and a lower portion, the removable insert being removable from the pillow to change the height and/or contour of the pillow. 20 Dated this 6th day of October 1997 PARNHAM ASSOCIATES PTY LTD By Its Patent Attorneys: GRIFFITH HACK Fellows Institute of Patent Attorneys of Australia. ,1TRI r v H:\paulad\Keep\peCi\PARHAM-pillow- 39948-97.doc 12/09/00