GB2236246A

GB2236246A - An anti-snoring pillow

Info

Publication number: GB2236246A
Application number: GB8921655A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Martin Stoller
Original assignee: Medipost Ltd
Current assignee: Medipost Ltd
Priority date: 1989-09-26
Filing date: 1989-09-26
Publication date: 1991-04-03
Anticipated expiration: 2009-09-26
Also published as: GB8921655D0; GB2236246B

Abstract

An anti-snoring pillow (1) comprises a resilient foamed plastics rectangular body (2) having a rectangular central aperture (5). A concavely shaped tongue (16) projects downwardly from one edge (6) of the aperture (5) to receive a person's head thereon whereby the head is supported such that the upper part is lower than the lower part whereby snoring is discouraged. The pillow (1) can have a foamed plastics backing (4) and can be provided in a form-fitting case (3). <IMAGE>

Description

A PILLOW This invention relates to a pillow.

Conventionally pillows are generally rectangular in shape and are formed by enclosing a suitable padding or filling within a material case. However, the problem arises with such conventional pillows in so far as in use a persons head is supported such that the upper part thereof is raised relative to the lower part. It has been recognised that supporting a persons head in this way promotes the occurrence of snoring.

Thus it is an object of the present invention to provide a pillow which overcomes or at least minimises this problem.

According to the present invention therefore there is provided a pillow comprising a resiliently compressible body having an aperture therein and at least one edge of said aperture is shaped to define a projecting tongue, which tongue is inclined downwardly away from said at least one edge.

With this arrangement it is possible for a persons head to be supported such that the upper part is lower than the lower part whereby the occurrence of snoring can be minimised.

Preferably said body is generally rectangular and in this case the aperture may also be rectangular. Thus the aperture may have upper and lower long edges linked by short side edges. The tongue may project from said upper long edge and may be formed integrally with said body or may be secured as an additional piece thereto. The body may preferably be provided within a form-fitting case.

The tongue may be of generally semi-circular shape when considered in plan view, or may be otherwise shaped as desired or as appropriate.

A backing may also be provided which backing extends across said body so as to close off said aperture at one face of the pillow. In this case a front portion of said tongue may be secured to said backing in order to effect said desired inclination of the tongue. A central portion of the tongue may be adapted to be lowered with respect to the remainder of the tongue thereby defining a concave upper tongue surface to receive a persons head.

The adaptation of said tongue may be effected by stitching or the like.

The backing and padded structure may comprise foamed plastics and said cover may be formed from any suitable textile material or other material.

The invention will now be described further by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: Figure 1 shows a plan view of one form of pillow according to the invention; and Figure 2 shows a sectional side view along B-B of Figure 1.

Referring now to the Figures, Figure 1 shows a pillow suitable for use in minimising the occurrence of snoring.

The pillow 1 comprises a resilient foamed plastics body 2 preferably enclosed within a textile cover 3 and a foamed plastics backing 4.

The body 2 is generally rectangular in shape and has an aperture 5 generally at the centre thereof. The aperture 5 is also generally rectangular and has upper and lower long edges 6, 7 extending substantially parallel to the long edges 8, 9 of the body, and short side edges 11, 12 extending substantially parallel to the short edges 13, 14 of the body 2.

The upper long edge 6 of the aperture 5 is shaped to define a projecting tongue 16 which extends towards the centre of the aperture 5. The tongue 16 is generally semi-circular in shape and as can be seen more clearly in Figure 2 is attached to the body 2 over a very small area 17.

The foamed plastics backing 4 extends over the whole of a back surface 18 of the body 2 and thus closes off one end of the aperture 5. A front portion 19 of the tongue 16 is fixed to the backing 4 by means of a suitable adhesive or otherwise and thus is lowered relative to the remainder of the tongue 16. At the centre of the tongue 16, upper and lower surfaces thereof are brought together by way of stitching 21 and in this way a downwardly inclined concave surface is defined on the tongue 16 to receive a persons head.

In use a person rests the upper part of his head on the downwardly inclined tongue 16 and his neck is supported on the part 22 of the body 2 immediately below this tongue 16. Thus it will be appreciated that in this position the persons head is supported in a manner whereby the upper part of his head is lowered relative to the lower part or neck region, and thus is in the ideal position to prevent or at least minimise the occurrence of snoring.

Furthermore the side edges 11 and 12 of the aperture 5 can be inclined inwardly and downwardly such that if the person turns over his head is supported on the edge 11 or 12 and thus is maintained in inclined disposition in the aperture 5.

It is of course to be understood that the invention is not intended to be restricted to the details of the above embodiment which are described by way of example only.

Claims

1. A pillow comprising a resiliently compressible body having an aperture therein and at least one edge of said aperture is shaped to define a projecting tongue, which tongue is inclined downwardly away from said at least one edge.

2. A pillow according to claim 1 wherein said body is rectangular in shape.

3. A pillow according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said aperture is rectangular in shape.

4. A pillow according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein said aperture has upper and lower long edges linked by short side edges.

5. A pillow according to claim 4 wherein said tongue projects from said upper long edge.

6. A pillow according to any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein said tongue is formed integrally with said body.

7. A pillow according to any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein said tongue is secured to the body as an additional piece thereto.

8. A pillow according to any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein the body is provided within a form fitting case.

9. A pillow according to any one of claims 1 to 8 wherein said tongue is of generally semi-circular shape when considered in plan view.

10. A pillow according to any one of claims 1 to 9 wherein a backing is provided, which backing extends across said body so as to close off said aperture at one face of the pillow.

11. A pillow according to claim 10 or any claim dependent thereon wherein said tongue is secured to the backing in order to effect said desired inclination of the tongue.

12. A pillow according to any one of claims 1 to 11 wherein a central portion of the tongue is adapted to be lowered with respect to the remainder of the tongue thereby defining a concave upper tongue surface to receive a persons head.

13. A pillow according to claim 12 wherein said adaptation of the tongue is effected by stitching.

14. A pillow according to any one of claims 10 to 13 wherein said backing comprises foamed plastics.

15. A pillow according to any one of claims 8 to 14 wherein said case is formed from a textile material.

16. A pillow according to any one of claims 1 to 15 wherein said body is formed from foamed plastics.

17. A pillow substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.