IE913074A1

IE913074A1 - Articles of bedding and the like

Info

Publication number: IE913074A1
Application number: IE307491A
Authority: IE
Original assignee: Slumberland Plc
Priority date: 1990-09-01
Filing date: 1991-08-30
Publication date: 1992-03-11
Also published as: AU8416791A; WO1992003957A1; YU146491A; GB9019138D0; ZA916619B; CN1059652A

Abstract

An article of bedding, for example a pillow comprises a non-rigid core (3) at least part of which is provided with a covering (4) which is impermeable to air or at least does not permit the ready flow of air through it, in combination with a cover (2) for the article, with an operative portion which extends over at least part of said covering and comprises an inner layer (15, 15', 25, 25') of sheet material and an outer layer (16, 16', 26, 26') of sheet material with an intermediate layer (17, 17', 27, 27') of filling material between them, at least the intermediate layer and the outer layer being such as to permit the ready flow of air through them. Different constructions of cover (2) are also disclosed.

Description

ARTICLES OF BEDDING AND THE LIKE This invention relates to articles of bedding and the like. Among such articles are mattresses, pillows and duvets as well as cushions and seat squabs. For convenience of description articles of that kind will hereinafter be referred to generically as articles of the kind specified.

It has been proposed to provide certain articles of the kind specified, such as mattresses, pillows and duvets, with outer coverings of sheet materials which are impermeable to air or are at least substantially impermeable to air. For example, GB 1 59 6 157 and GB 1 596 158 describe coverings comprising sheet material which is free-water proof but is chemically/physico-chemically porous; GB 2 012 159 A describes a removable mattress cover which is substantially impermeable to water; and GB 2 213 053 A describes bedding upholstery enclosed is a permeable mite barrier which may be microporous and thus air-permeable but is not such as to permit the ready flow of air through it.

While those coverings can be highly effective as barriers for particular agents, they could well give rise to other problems in use. In particular, they could increase the danger that a person using a mattress or other article of bedding that is provided with such a covering might have his or her breathing restricted or even wholly prevented if his or her face came into direct contact with the covering. This danger is though likely to be greater when the person is young or is sick.

An aim of the present invention is to avoid or at least to reduce that danger.

From a first aspect the present invention consists 5 in an article of the kind specified comprising a non-rigid core at least part of which is provided with a covering which is impermeable to air or at least does not permit the ready flow of air through it, in combination with a cover for the article, with an operative portion which extends over at least part of said covering and comprises an inner layer of sheet material and an outer layer of sheet material with an intermediate layer of filling material between them, at least the intermediate layer and the outer layer being such as to permit the ready flow of air through them.

The cover is such that in use, if it comes into contact with someone’s face, that person is not prevented from breathing as he or she can breathe air in through the intermediate and outer layers of the operative portion of the cover.

The covering for the core may comprise a sheet material of any of the kinds referred to above as being described in the specifications of British Patent Nos. 1 596 157, 1 596 158, 2 012 159 A and 2 213 053 A.

From a second aspect the present invention consists in a cover for a non-rigid article, such as a mattress or pillow, with an operative portion comprising an inner layer of sheet material and an outer layer of sheet material with an intermediate layer of filling material between them, at least the intermediate layer and the outer layer being such as to permit the ready flow of air through them.

The operative portion of the cover may be such that it extends over only a part of the covering of the article. For example, when the article comprises a pillow or cushion the operative portion of the cover may be such that in use it extends over only one face of the pillow or cushion. The remainder of the cover may comprise textile fabric.

The cover is preferably removable and replaceable 10 and to this end it may have a mouth through which the article can be inserted into and removed from the cover, and releasable closure means enabling the mouth to be closed and opened at will. The releasable closure may comprise of the sliding-fastener type or it may be of the type comprising a pair of complementary, flexible elements one of which has a face presenting a plurality of loops and the other of which has a face presenting a plurality of hooks releasably engageable with the loops. Fastenings of the latter type are widely marketed under the Registered Trade Mark Velcro. The fact that the cover may be removed and replaced enables it to be cleaned regularly or whenever required. The cover is preferably washable to enable it to be easily cleaned.

The inner layer may have the property that air can readily pass through it, anything having that property often being referred to as being breathable; for example the inner layer may comprise a woven or knitted textile fabric, particularly one which is not tightly woven or knitted. Alternatively the inner layer may be such that it is impermeable to air or at least does not permit the ready flow of air through it ('non-breathable'); it may comprise a sheet material the same as or similar to that used for the covering of the non-rigid core.

The outer layer, which is breathable, may comprise a woven or knitted textile fabric, particularly one which is not tightly woven or knitted. The inner and outer layers may, if desired, be made of the same kind of fabric.

The intermediate layer fibrous material which is Alternatively it may comprise foam material. preferably comprises preferably resilient, a breathable resilient While this would not normally be the case, it would be possible for the inner layer and the intermediate layer to be secured together face-to-face over the whole or at least over extended parts of their adjacent faces. Similarly it would be possible for the outer layer to be secured together face-to-face over the whole or at least over extended parts of their adjacent faces. The layers could, for example, be secured together adhesively. Preferably, however, the layers are secured together neither over their entire faces nor over extended areas thereof, the layers preferably being secured together locally as for example by stitching or sewing. Marginal parts of the layers are preferably secured together locally and in addition it is preferred to secure the layers together locally at locations spaced from the margins. For example, the layers may be secured together by lines of stitching or sewing resembling quilting.

Two embodiments of our invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which :Figure 1 is section through a pillow in a cover; Figure 2 is a plan of the cover; Figure 3 is a side view of the cover; Figure 4 is a view at one end of the cover; Figure 5 is a section through a portion of the cover; 10 Figure 6 is a section similar to Figure 5 but showing a modification; Figure 7 is a section through a duvet in a cover; Figure 8 is a plan of the cover of Figure 7; Figure 9 is a view of one end of the cover; Figure 10 is a view of one side of the cover; and Figure 11 is a section through a portion of the cover.

A pillow 1 and a cover 2 are illustrated in Figures 1-6 of the accompanying drawings. The pillow 1 is of conventional shape and has a resilient filling 3 of a conventional nature, such as a filling of down feathers or a filling of resilient synthetic foam. The pillow 1 has a covering 4 which is permanently secured in place and comprises closely woven textile fabric which has been treated on one side with a layer of polyurethane, coverings of that kind being described in the specification of the aforementioned British Specification No. 2 213 053 A. The covering is mite-proof, as described in that specification.

The cover 2 has overall shape which resembles a conventional pillow-case comprising front and rear rectangular panels 5, 6 sewn together at their edges. The sewing 7 extends along the two longer edges of each panel and along one of the shorter edges thereof. The remaining edges 8, 9 of the panels form opposed lips of a mouth through which the pillow can be inserted into and removed from the case. To enable the mouth to be readily closed and opened at will, strips 10, 11 of complementary material of the kind described above and marketed under the Registered Trade Mark Velcro are secured inside the mouth of the cover. Each of the rectangular panels 5, 6 is of composite form and comprises three inner, outer, and intermediate layers 15, 16, 17, and 15’, 16', 17'.

As illustrated in Figure 5 of the drawings, the inner layer 15 is of a material impermeable to air and similar to that used for the covering of the pillow or it may be of a breathable textile fabric. The intermediate layer 17 comprises a sheet of resilient polyester fibre wadding. The wadding is of relatively open-work form and may be a few millimetres thick, for example 2.5 or 3.0mm thick. The outer layer 16 comprises a breathable textile material. All the materials from which the cover is made are preferably washable.

In use, when the pillow 3 is disposed inside the cover 2 and the mouth of the cover is closed by the strips 10, 11, the filling of the pillow is effectively sealed by the pillow's covering so that a user is protected from the effects of mites that might otherwise dwell in the filling. At the same time, any danger that a user might have difficulty in breathing owing to his or her face coming into contact with or very close to the impermeable pillow-cover is obviated or at least much reduced by the presence of the cover which enables the user to draw breath through its intermediate and outer layers 17, 16. It is intended that the cover should regularly and frequently be removed and washed so that there is no danger of mites or other harmful things becoming established or lodging there.

In a modified construction illustrated in Figure 6 the panel 6 comprises a rectangular piece of a textile fabric 18. When a pillow with a cover of that kind is in use, it is necessary that the fabric panel 18 should be disposed beneath the pillow, away from a user's face.

A duvet 20 and duvet-cover 21 of generally similar construction to the pillow 1 and pillow-cover 2 described above, are illustrated in Figures 7-11 of the drawings. The duvet 20 has additional lines of stitching, in a conventional manner, to subdivide the interior of the duvet 20 into adjacent pockets and to restrict movement of the filling inside the covering. The duvet-cover 21 is constructed from superimposed rectangular panels 22, 23, each of composite form, and each panel also has additional lines of stitching 24 for a similar purpose. The lines of stitching 24 may be parallel with each other as illustrated, may be spaced apart at uniform intervals and may extend from the head end to the foot end of the duvet and of the panels of the duvet-cover.

Each panel 22, 23 is similar in construction to the panels 5, 6 comprising, inner, outer, and intermediate layers 25, 26, 27, 25', 26', 27', in construction of the layers 15, 16, 17, 15', 16', 17'.

Numerous other designs of articles can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. An article of the kind specified comprising a non-rigid core at least part of which is provided with 5 a covering which is impermeable to air or at least does not permit the ready flow of air through it, in combination with a cover for the article, with an operative portion which extends over at least part of said covering and comprises an inner layer of sheet 10 material and an outer layer of sheet material with an intermediate layer of filling material between them, at least the intermediate layer and the outer layer being such as to permit the ready flow of air through them. 15

2. A cover for a non-rigid article of bedding, with an operative portion comprising an inner layer of sheet material and an outer layer of sheet material with an intermediate layer of filling material between them, at least the intermediate layer and the outer layer being 20 such as to permit the ready flow of air through them.

3. A cover according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which the operative portion extends over only a part of the covering of the article.

4. A cover according to any preceding claim, in which the article comprises a pillow or cushion and the operative portion extends over only one face of the pillow or cushion.

5. A cover according to claim 3, in which the remainder of the cover comprises textile fabric.

6. A cover according to any of claims 1-3, in which 35 the article comprises a duvet, and the operative portion extends over both faces of the duvet.

7. A cover according to any preceding claim, in which the cover is removable and replaceable, having a mouth through which the article can be inserted and removed from the cover, and releasable closure means enabling 5 the mouth to be opened and closed at will.

8. A cover according to any preceding claim, in which the inner layer has the property that air can pins through it.

9. A cover according to claim 8, in which the inner layer is of woven or knitted textile fabric.

10. A cover according to any of claims 1-7, in which 15 the inner layer is impermeable to air at least does not permit the ready flow of air through it.

11. A cover according to any of claims 1-7, in which the outer layer is breathable.

12. A cover according to claim 11, in which the outer layer comprises a woven or knitted textile fabric.

13. A cover according to any of claims 1-7, in which 25 the intermediate layer comprises fibrous material.

14. A cover according to any of claims 1-7, in which the intermediate layer comprises a breathable foam material.

15. A cover according to claim 13 or claim 14, in which the intermediate layer is resilient.

16. A cover according to any preceding claim, in which 35 the three layers are secured together at least at their edges .

17. A cover for a non-rigid article of bedding substantially as herein described with reference to Figs. 1-5, Fig. 6 and Figs. 7-11 of the accompanying drawings.