US20090151076A1

US20090151076A1 - Comfort Pillow

Info

Publication number: US20090151076A1
Application number: US11/955,851
Authority: US
Inventors: Peter Cararra
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-12-13
Filing date: 2007-12-13
Publication date: 2009-06-18

Abstract

A pillow for maintaining proper blood circulation in hands and arms of a pillow user is disclosed. The pillow includes a hollow chamber and an exterior member disposed thereon. The hollow chamber includes at least one opening configured on a peripheral surface of the hollow chamber. The at least one opening is adapted to receive a hand and/or an arm of a pillow user inside the hollow chamber. Further, the hollow chamber is capable of at least partially accommodating the hand and/or the arm of the pillow user. The exterior member is configured to support at least one of a head and a neck of the pillow user.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to pillows, and, more particularly, to a pillow configured for maintaining a proper blood circulation in the hands of a pillow user.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A pillow provides a cushion support to head and neck of a pillow user while sleeping or lying in a bed, a couch or a chair. A typical pillow internally comprises filler material such as cotton fiber, foam, synthetic fills, feathers, and the like. The filler material is further surrounded with a cover or shell made of cloth, plastic and the like forming a pillow case.
In general, while sleeping or lying in the bed, the pillow user has a tendency of keeping his/her hand underneath the head or the pillow for more comfort. In such cases, weight of the head and the pillow may exert pressure on the hand resulting in improper blood circulation into the hand. Such improper blood circulation may cause health problems to the pillow user.
There are existing pillows that are configured with an aim to remove the possibility of improper blood circulation in the hands of the pillow users. These existing pillows generally comprise tubular structures inside the pillows. These tubular structures allow the pillow users to put their hands inside the tubular structure while sleeping or resting.
However, the tubular structures in the existing pillows are fixed inside the pillows, and hence do not provide an option of free movement of the hands to the pillow users according to their convenience. Therefore, the existing pillows are uncomfortable to use while sleeping or resting as hands of the pillow users remains trapped during the use of the pillows.
Therefore, based on the foregoing, there is need for a pillow, which facilitates a proper blood circulation in the arms and hands of the pillow user while sleeping or resting on the pillow. Further, the pillow should also be capable of allowing the pillow user to position their hands inside the pillow according to their convenience.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the prior art, the general purpose of the present invention is to provide a pillow configured to include all the advantages of the prior art, and to overcome the drawbacks inherent therein.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a pillow, which is capable of providing space to arms and hands of a pillow user inside the pillow to avoid the arms and hands getting pressed by head or neck of the pillow user while sleeping.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a pillow which facilitates movement of the arms and hands of the pillow user according to their convenience.
Therefore, the present invention provides a pillow including a hollow chamber and an exterior member. The hollow chamber includes at least one opening configured on a peripheral surface of the hollow chamber. The at least one opening is adapted to receive an arm or a hand of a pillow user. The hollow chamber is capable of at least partially accommodating the hand of the pillow user. Further, the exterior member is disposed on the peripheral surface of the hollow chamber. The exterior member is configured to support at least one of a head and a neck of the pillow user.
These together with other aspects of the present invention, along with the various features of novelty that characterize the present invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed hereto and form a part of this present invention. For a better understanding of the present invention, its operating advantages, and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated exemplary embodiments of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The advantages and features of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following detailed description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like elements are identified with like symbols, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pillow, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 1A is a sectional view of the pillow of FIG. 1, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the pillow in a travel size configuration, according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the description of several views of the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The exemplary embodiments described herein detail for illustrative purposes are subject to many variations in structure and design. It should be emphasized, however, that the present invention is not limited to a particular pillow, as shown and described. It is understood that various omissions and substitutions of equivalents are contemplated as circumstances may suggest or render expedient, but these are intended to cover the application or implementation without departing from the spirit or scope of the claims of the present invention.
The terms “a” and “an” herein do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced item.
Referring to FIG. 1, a pillow 100 for facilitating and maintaining proper blood circulation in at least one arm or hand of a user is shown. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the pillow 100, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Further, FIG. 1A illustrates a cross sectional view of the pillow 100 along the cutting plane A-A′. The pillow 100 comprises a hollow chamber 102 and an exterior member 104.
The hollow chamber 102 is a sturdy tube like structure. The shape of the hollow chamber 102 may be a three dimensional structure such as cylindrical, cubical, spherical and the like. The hollow chamber 102 comprises at least one opening configured on a peripheral surface 108 of the hollow chamber 102. As shown in FIG. 1, in this exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the hollow chamber 102 comprises three openings such as openings 106. The openings 106 are configured on the peripheral surface 108 of the hollow chamber 102.
The openings 106 are adapted to receive the arm or hand of the pillow user into the hollow chamber 102. The width of the opening 106 may be varied based on different individuals. As shown in FIG. 1, in one embodiment of the present invention the openings 106 are configured on the peripheral surface 108, which are along the lateral axes of the hollow chamber 102 (hereinafter termed as ‘lateral peripheral surface 108’). However, it will be apparent to a person skilled in the art that the openings 106 may also be configured on the peripheral surfaces, which are along the longitudinal axes of the hollow chamber 102 (hereinafter termed as ‘longitudinal peripheral surface 108’).
The hollow chamber 102 is capable of at least partially accommodating the hands and/or arms of the pillow user, which are inserted in the hollow chamber 102 through the openings 106. The hollow chamber 102 may be configured in a manner such that the pillow user may perform a pivotable movement of the hands or arms in a hollow space inside the hollow chamber 102. Therefore, it will be evident to a person skilled in the art that the pillow user can position the hands and/or arms in the hollow chamber 102 according to his/her comfort.
Further, the exterior member 104 is disposed on the peripheral surface 108 of the hollow chamber 102. The exterior member 104 is relatively softer than the hollow chamber 102. More specifically, the exterior member 104 is a layer composed of materials such as cotton fiber, foam, synthetic fills, feathers, clothes and the like. The exterior member 104 may be disposed on only selected surfaces of the peripheral surface 108 of the hollow member 102. For example, as shown in FIG. 1 and 1A, the exterior member 104 may be disposed on the longitudinal peripheral surfaces 108. However, it will be apparent to a person skilled in the art that the exterior member 104 may also be disposed on the lateral peripheral surface 108 except the openings 106 for comfort or aesthetic purposes.
The exterior member 104 is configured to support at least one of a head and a neck of the pillow user while sleeping or resting. As the pillow user puts his/her head or neck on the exterior member 104 during sleeping or resting, weight of the head or the neck of the pillow user is received at the exterior member 104. It will be apparent to a person skilled in the art that the weight at the exterior member 104 is transferred to the hollow chamber 102. Therefore, persons skilled in the art would appreciate that the hollow chamber 102 is configured with enough strength to avoid deformation of the hollow chamber 102, thereby allowing a healthy circulatory flow of the blood in the hands of the pillow user, which are inside the hollow chamber 102.
Therefore, the hollow chamber 102 may be manufactured from sturdy materials such as a metal, a plastic material, and the like, which do not tend to be deformed, when pressure from the head and the neck of the pillow user is applied thereon. Further, the hollow chamber 102 can be manufactured from a reinforced material. Therefore, the hollow chamber 102 prevents weight of the head and the neck exerting pressure on the hands and arms of the pillow user, which are inside the hollow chamber 102.
Referring now to FIG. 2, a perspective view of a pillow 200 in a travel size configuration is shown, according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The pillow 200 is termed as having the travel size configuration, as the size of the pillow 200 is relatively smaller than the pillow 100 and hence the pillow 200 may be used while traveling. The pillow 200 comprises a hollow chamber 202 and an exterior member 204. The properties of the hollow chamber 202 and the exterior member 204 are similar to that of the hollow chamber 102 and the exterior member 104 as described in conjunction with the FIGS. 1 and 1A.
As shown in FIG. 2, the hollow chamber 202 includes an opening 206 configured on a peripheral surface 208 of the hollow chamber 202. The opening 206 is similar in properties as the openings 106, and is capable of receiving the hand and/or arm of the pillow user inside the hollow chamber 202. The hollow chamber 202 is capable of at least partially accommodating the hand of the pillow user and allows the hand and/or arm of the pillow user a pivotable movement in the hollow chamber 202. The pillow user can position the hand in the hollow chamber 202 according to his comfort. It will be apparent to a person skilled in the art that more than one opening may also be configured in the pillow 200, which is the travel size configuration pillow. Further, the exterior member 204 is disposed on the peripheral surface 208 of the hollow chamber 202. The exterior member 204 is configured to support at least one of a head and a neck of the pillow user.
The present invention is described by taking into consideration three openings in FIG. 1 and one opening in FIG. 2, configured on the peripheral surface of the hollow chamber. However, the present invention is not limited in terms of number of openings on the peripheral surface of the hollow chamber. Further, the pillow of the present invention can be made in different shapes and sizes depending on comfort of the user.
The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the present invention and its practical application, and to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the present invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is understood that various omissions and substitutions of equivalents are contemplated as circumstances may suggest or render expedient, but such omissions and substitutions are intended to cover the application or implementation without departing from the spirit or scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A pillow comprising:

a sturdy hollow chamber comprising at least one opening configured on a peripheral surface of the sturdy hollow chamber, the at least one opening adapted to receive a hand of a pillow user and the sturdy hollow chamber capable of at least partially accommodating the hand of the pillow user; and

an exterior member disposed on the peripheral surface of the sturdy hollow chamber, wherein the exterior member is configured to support at least one of a head and a neck of the pillow user.

2. The pillow of claim 1, wherein the at least one opening is configured on a lateral surface of the sturdy hollow chamber.