GB2289622A

GB2289622A - Pillow

Info

Publication number: GB2289622A
Application number: GB9410485A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Keith Leonard Cropp
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1994-05-25
Filing date: 1994-05-25
Publication date: 1995-11-29
Anticipated expiration: 2014-05-25
Also published as: GB9410485D0; GB2289622B

Abstract

The neck part 14 of the pillow is filled with polypropylene beans or a similar incompressible substance, placed in a material tube. This filled tube is surrounded by the polyester wadding. Three areas 16, 18, 20 extend away from the neck area, area 18 being at a level lower than areas 16, 20. <IMAGE>

Description

PILLOW This invention relates to a pillow.

Conventional pillows support the head of a sleeping person, but provide no specific support for the sleeper's neck.

Pillows which specifically support the neck are also known but these only provide the correct support when the sleeper is in one particular position. These pillows also rely on a filling of a foam like material, which deteriorates after a period of time and ceases thereafter to provide the desired neck support.

The invention seeks to provide a pillow which gives good support to the sleeper's neck, when the sleeper is lying on his or her back, or on either side.

According to the present invention, there is provided a pillow having an elongate neck supporting region and first, second and third head supporting regions all extending from one side of the neck support region, wherein the first and third head supporting regions are adapted to support the head at a level higher than the second head supporting region, and wherein the second head supporting region lies between the first and third regions.

The neck supporting region preferably includes a core of a relatively incompressible but stable material, surrounded by wadding.

The first and third head supporting regions are preferably filled with wadding whilst the second head supporting region is unfilled.

The second head supporting region may even be an open region so that when the sleeper's head is positioned here, the head is actually lying on the mattress beneath the pillow.

With this pillow, when the sleeper is lying on his/her back the neck will be supported by the neck supporting region and the head will be supported or located in the second head supporting region. In this position, there will be effectively no support to the head but the neck will be supported at a level above the back of the head.

If the sleeper turns to one side or the other, then one side of the head will be supported on the first or the third head supporting region, and the neck will continue to be supported on the neck supporting region.

The core of relatively incompressible material may be a fabric tube filled with expanded plastic beans, for example expanded polypropylene beans. Typically, the density of these beans can be between 15 and 20 grams per litre.

The overall dimensions of the pillow can be similar to those of a conventional pillow, so that the pillow can, if desired, be placed inside a conventional pillow case.

The invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pillow in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a plan view of the pillow of Figure 1; Figures 3 and 4 are, respectively, sectional views through the pillow of Figure 2 on the lines III-III and IV-IV; and Figure 5 is an end view in which the pillow is shown in use.

The pillow 10 shown in Figures 1 and 2 is generally rectangular in external form and is similar in overall dimensions to a conventional pillow. From the outside, the main difference between the pillow of the invention and a conventional pillow is that this pillow has an unstuffed region 12.

For the purposes of this description, the pillow will be considered as being divided into four different regions; the regions being identified particularly on Figure 2.

A neck supporting region 14 extends the full width of the pillow, and it is to be noted that it is this edge which will be closest to the body of a sleeper. First, second and third head supporting regions are indicated at 16, 18 and 20. The first and third regions 16 and 20 are padded or stuffed whilst the intermediate second region 18 is unstuffed. This can be seen also in Figures 3 and 4.

Within the neck supporting region 14 is a core 22 of relatively incompressible material. The presence of this core ensures that sufficient support height is always available beneath the sleeper's neck and ensures that this support stays in the correct place. It may be possible to attach the ends of the core 22 to the outer casing of the pillow, for example by stitching the core into the side seams.

The rest of the pillow, apart from the second head supporting region, is stuffed with wadding of a conventional type. It has been found particularly effective to use a 100% polyester fibre for this wadding.

The core 22 is a fabric sleeve packed tightly with beads of an expanded plastic, preferably polypropylene. Such beads-have been found to be resistant to crushing in use, whilst having sufficient resilience to give the correct degree of comfort. The core can suitable have a diameter of 20-25 cm when packed with beads.

Figure 5 shows the pillow in use on a mattress 24. The head of a sleeper is shown at 26, 28 and 30 in three different alternative positions. The orientation of the head is indicated by a schematically illustrated nose 32 in each case.

When the sleeper is lying on his/her back, the back of the head will be located in the second head supporting region 18, and in fact will effectively be resting on the mattress 24. The neck however will be supported by the neck supporting region 14 because in this position posture considerations require that the neck be supported higher than the back of the head.

When the sleeper turns on one side or the other, without otherwise altering their position on the mattress 24, the head will move either to the position 28 or to the position 30. When the head is in this position, the bottom face of the head, ie the side of the head, may be supported at a higher position relative to the neck than in the position 26. The neck will still be supported above the head, because of the presence of the core 22 in the neck supporting region 14, but the head will be supported at a position higher than that previously described. It is also possible that the head could be supported, when the body is in this position, in the second region 18.

Use of this pillow is valuable for all people, but is found particularly valuable for people with back and neck disorders who otherwise find it difficult to achieve a comfortable sleeping position.

When people are sleeping, the muscles of the body, including the neck, go into a state of hyper relaxation.

A proper support for the neck, as provided by the pillow described here, can stop aching and muscle spasm which most people experience at one time or another after a night's sleep.

Claims

CLAIM

The invention seeks to provide a pillow which gives necessary support to the neck in any of three sleeping positions, these being lying on the back, lying on the left side and lying on the right side.