US20090229054A1

US20090229054A1 - Body pillow cover with detachable pockets

Info

Publication number: US20090229054A1
Application number: US12/454,463
Authority: US
Inventors: Jamie L. Yates; Joy C. Yates
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-07-11
Filing date: 2009-05-18
Publication date: 2009-09-17

Abstract

A cover for a body pillow. The cover may be made in various sizes and shapes, although the cover is preferably generally rectangular in shape with a left side and a right side. The cover has an opening to receive a body pillow. A pair of pockets to receive the feet of the person using the body pillow are disposed opposite to one another on the left and right sides, respectively, of the cover toward the bottom edge, one pocket on the left side and one pocket on the right side, so disposed as to each receive a foot of the person. The pockets are closed on their respective side and bottom edges with the openings of the pockets facing toward the upper edge of the cover. The cover may be made of various fabrics corresponding to ambient conditions or the particular preferences of the user. The pockets may be detachably attached.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/827,332 filed Jul. 11, 2007, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a body pillow, and in particular, to a body pillow having detachably attached pockets to receive the feet of the person using the body pillow.
2. Brief Description of the Related Art
It is believed that a comfortable sleeping position for a person is the fetal position with the knees and lower legs of the person drawn upwardly. Such a position, however, may place a strain on the person's anatomy, particularly the spine, hips and legs due to misalignment. A body pillow addresses this problem and allows one to sleep comfortably with the musculature and skeletal anatomy well aligned.
A body pillow is a pillow having a generally elongated shape with an upper portion and a lower portion. The upper portion may be enfolded by the person's arms and torso and may also provide support for the person's head. The upper portion is thus generally as long as a person's upper body. The lower portion is enfolded between the person's legs in the fetal position and is therefore generally as long as the person's lower legs.
Body pillows are made in many shapes. A common form is an elongated, generally rectangular form that has a cross-section that is generally oval or elliptical.
A problem with the use of body pillows is that body pillows may be difficult or uncomfortable to use with blankets, sheets or other bed covering materials. If so used, the person's feet may be exposed and subject to chilling. Furthermore, even if used with bed covering materials, additional insulation for the person's feet may be desirable. In other situations, the person using the body pillow may prefer cool feeling material in contact with the feet.
The limitations of the prior art are overcome by the present invention as described below.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a cover for a body pillow. The cover may be made in various sizes and shapes as appropriate to receive different sizes and shapes of body pillows, although the cover is preferably generally rectangular in shape with a left side and a right side. The cover has an opening to receive a body pillow and the opening may be closed by fastening means, preferably by a zipper along a bottom edge or by an overlapping flap along a top edge.
A pair of pockets to receive the feet of the person using the body pillow are disposed opposite to one another on the left and right sides, respectively, of the cover in the lower portion of the body pillow toward the bottom edge, one pocket on the left side and one pocket on the right side, each so disposed as to receive a foot of the person. The pockets are closed on their respective side and bottom edges with the openings of the pockets facing toward the upper edge of the cover. A person using the body pillow may sleep with the legs enfolding the body pillow and each foot may be placed in respective pockets of the body pillow cover. The pockets may be of various sizes and shapes. It is desirable that the pocket be deep enough to receive the person's feet and extend approximately halfway to the person's knee. The pockets maybe detachably attached to the cover. Each detachable pocket has front and back panels that are closed along the bottom and the two sides, but open at the top. The interior of the pocket may be lined with a liner made from various materials. A two piece zipper of the type known as an open end zipper is employed to detachably attach each pocket to a respective side of the body pillow cover.
The cover may be made of various fabrics corresponding to ambient conditions or the particular preferences of the user. For example, the cover may be made of a cool feeling material, such as linen, while the pockets are lined with a warm insulating material, such as flannel or sheepskin. The reverse situation could also be used in some embodiments, with the cover made of warm feeling material, for example flannel, and the pocket lined with cool feeling material, such as linen. Likewise the cover and pockets may both be made of warm feeling or cool feeling materials.
These and other features, objects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood from a consideration of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and appended claims in conjunction with the drawings as described following:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a right side elevation view of an embodiment of the body pillow cover of the present invention showing a user of the body pillow cover. In this embodiment, a top opening is closed by an overlapping flap.

FIG. 2A is a left side elevation view of a left side cover panel of the embodiment of FIG. 1 showing the extension of the cover panel which may be folded down to form a flap.

FIG. 2B is a right side elevation view of a right side cover panel of the embodiment of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a exploded perspective view from the interior of the left side cover panel of FIG. 2A showing the extension folded down to form the overlapping flap and from the exterior of the right side cover panel of FIG. 2B.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged detail of the upper left side elevation of the edge of the embodiment of FIG. 1 showing the relationship of the overlapping flap of the left side cover panel and the right side cover panel where the left side cover panel, the flap and the right side cover panel are fastened together along their respective left side edges.

FIG. 5 is a partial left elevation cross section along the lines 5-5 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view from the interior of an alternative embodiment of a left side cover panel without an extension and the exterior of an alternative embodiment of a right side cover panel which together forms the alternative embodiment of FIG. 8., showing a zipper to close a bottom opening.

FIG. 7 is a left side elevation view of the embodiment of FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is a left side elevation view of the embodiment of FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of the body pillow cover of the present invention showing a right side having a detachably attached pocket.

FIG. 10 is a partially exploded perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 9 showing the assembly of the detachably attached pocket.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 9 showing the detachably attached pocket attached to the body pillow cover.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference to FIGS. 1-11, the preferred embodiments of the present invention may be described as follows:
The present invention is a cover for a body pillow 10. The cover may be made in various sizes and shapes as appropriate to receive different sizes and shapes of body pillows 10. As shown in FIG. 1, a person 11 using the body pillow 10 may sleep with the legs 12 enfolding the body pillow 10. The body pillow cover of the present invention therefore has a left side 13 and a right side 14 (with reference to the position of the user 11). As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, a pair of pockets 15, 16 to receive the feet 17 of the user 11 are disposed opposite to one another on the left side 13 and the right side 14, respectively, of the cover on the lower portion of the body pillow toward the bottom edge 18 of the cover, one pocket 15 on the left side 13 and one pocket 16 on the right side 14, each so disposed as to receive a respective left and right foot of the user 11. An upper portion of the cover is therefore long enough to allow the user to embrace or enfold the body pillow with at least the user's head, shoulders, torso, hips and upper legs, while below the upper portion the pockets 15, 16 are disposed to receive the user's feet and, optionally, a portion of the user's lower legs. The pockets 15, 16 are closed on their respective side edges 19 and bottom edges 20 with the openings 21 of the pockets 15, 16 facing toward the upper edge 22 of the cover.
Although the present invention is not limited to a particular shape of body pillow or body pillow cover, the body pillow cover preferably comprises two generally rectangular panels as shown in FIG. 3, a left side cover panel 13 and a right side cover panel 14. The panels 13, 14 may be manufactured in a limited number of standard sizes, for example, lengths of 52, 60 and 72 inches, in order to accommodate most sizes of commercially available body pillows. The two panels 13, 14 are joined along a portion of their respective edges to form an interior space 23 with an opening for receiving a body pillow 10. The opening may, for example, be disposed along an edge of the two panels 13, 14. The opening may be closed by fastening means, preferably by a zipper 30 along a bottom edge 18 as shown in FIG. 6 or by an overlapping flap 40 along a top edge 22 as shown in FIGS. 3-5. Other types of fasteners known to those of ordinary skill in the art may be employed in the practice of the present invention. However, fastening means that would be irritating or uncomfortable against a part of the user's body is preferably located along a bottom edge to be removed from the vicinity of a part of the cover that would touch any part of the user's body. If the opening is disposed anywhere on the cover where the user's body may come into contact with it, the fastening means is preferably in the form of a soft, non-obtrusive construction, such as an overlapping fabric flap 40 or the like.
One form of soft fastener is an overlapping flap 40 as shown in FIGS. 1-5. The overlapping flap 40 is formed by a extension 41 of one of the cover panels 13, 14 of up to around 5-6 inches. In FIG. 2A, the left side cover panel 13 is shown to have the extension 41 for illustrative purposes. The extension 41 is folded down against the remainder of the cover panel 13 to form the overlapping flap 40. The other cover panel (cover panel 14 for illustrative purposes) is then fastened to the first cover panel 13 along their respective edges as shown in the partial detail view of FIG. 4. The flap 40 is fastened between the two cover panels 13, 14 along its edges. The remainder of the flap 40 is not fastened to either of the cover panels 13, 14. An opening 42 as shown in FIG. 5 is thus left at the top edge 22 of the cover. A body pillow 10 may be inserted through the opening 42 into an interior space 23 of the cover. The top edge of the pillow is tucked under the flap 40 where it is secured without the need for hard-edged fasteners.
With respect to FIGS. 7 and 8, the pair of pockets 15, 16 to receive the feet 17 of the person 11 using the body pillow are disposed opposite to one another on the left side cover panel 13 and the right side cover panel 14, respectively, of the cover on the lower portion of the body pillow toward the bottom edge 18 of the respective left and right side cover panels 13, 14, one pocket 15 on the left side panel 13 and one pocket 16 on the right side panel 14, each so disposed as to receive a foot of the user 11. The pockets 15, 16 are closed on their respective side edges 19 and bottom edges 20 with the openings 21 of the pockets 15, 16 facing toward the upper edge 22 of the cover. Each pocket 15, 16 may be formed by attaching a pocket panel to a respective left side cover panel 13 or right side cover panel 14 of the body pillow cover. Each pocket 15, 16 is desirably formed of a pocket panel that has a width dimension approximately the same as the width dimension of a left side panel 13 or right side panel 14. When attaching a pocket panel to a cover panel, the side edges 19 of the pocket panel are desirably placed inside the cover panel's edges by a margin 50 of approximately ½ inch so that the pocket panel 15, 16 does not lie tautly against the cover panel but gapes open slightly into an open space for receiving a user's foot 17. For example, if the cover panel is 20 inches in width, the pocket panel would also be approximately 20 inches in width, but the pocket panel would be attached to the cover panel ½ inch in from the side edge of the cover panel so that approximately 1 inch of slack would remain in the pocket panel. The pocket panel is attached to the cover panel along the pocket panel's bottom and sides edges with the top edge of the pocket panel open and facing toward the top of the cover. A person 11 using the body pillow may sleep with the legs 12 enfolding the body pillow and each foot 17 may be placed in respective pockets 15, 16 of the body pillow cover. The size and shape of the pockets are not limited to that described above, but may be of various sizes and shapes, all of which are contemplated as being within the scope of the present invention. For example, the pockets may be made shallow, around 8 inches in depth, or deep, around 12 inches. It is, however, desirable that each pocket be deep enough to receive the user's foot and extend approximately halfway to the user's knee. A liner (not shown) may be disposed within the pocket 15, 16.
The pockets 15,16 may be detachably attached. FIGS. 9-11 show a detachable pocket 60 disposed on a right side panel 14. Although the following description focuses on the detachable pocket 60 disposed on the right side panel 14, a detachable pocket (not shown) on the left side panel 13 is assembled and functions in identical fashion. As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, each detachable pocket 60 has a front panel 61 and a back panel 62 that are fastened together along their respective bottom edge 63 and two side edges 64, but are open at the top edge 70 to form an interior space 65 to receive a foot of a user. The interior space 65 of the pocket 60 may include a pocket liner 66 made of various materials as described herein. The detachable pocket 60 may be detachably attached by various means known to those skilled in the art. In a preferred embodiment, a two piece zipper 67 of the type known as an open end zipper is employed to detachably attach each pocket 60 to a respective side 13, 14 of the body pillow cover. The open end type of zipper 67 separates into two sides 68, 69 when unzipped. Each side 68, 69 includes a tape and a chain along one edge of the tape. The two chains interlock as is well known in the art to fasten one side to the other. In open end type zippers, the two sides are fastened together by means of a pin disposed at one end of one side of the zipper and a retainer box disposed at a complementary end of the other side of the zipper. The retainer box typically includes a pull tab. To fasten the zipper, the pin is inserted into the retainer box and the user pulls on the pull tab to move the retainer box along the length of the zipper causing the chains to interlock. Unfastening the zipper is accomplished by the reverse process. One side 69 of the two piece zipper 67 is attached to the edges 63, 64, 70 of the pocket 60, e.g., by sewing the tape to the edges 63, 64, 70 of the pocket 60. The other complementary side 68 of the two piece zipper 67 is attached to a respective side 14 of the body pillow cover, e.g., by sewing the tape to the side 14 of the body pillow cover. A reinforcing tape (not shown) may be inserted between the sides 68, 69 of the zipper 67 and the side of the body pillow cover or to the pocket, respectively, before attaching the sides 68, 69 in order to strengthen the fabric of the body pillow cover and the pocket in order to minimize tearing of the fabric from use of the zipper. The two piece zipper 67 is continuous around the bottom 63, sides 64 and top 70 edges of the pocket 60. The zipper 67 allows the pocket 60 to be removed from the body pillow as necessary for cleaning. This is especially significant in medical applications.
The cover may be made of various fabrics selected as desirable for various ambient conditions or the particular preferences of the user. For example, the cover may be made of a cool feeling material, that is, a material that produces a cool sensation to the user or that actually carries away heat, while the pocket liner may be a warm feeling material, that is a material that produces a warm sensation to the user or that provides a heat insulating effect. A cooling feeling material may include, without limitation, linen, satin and the like. A warm feeling material may include, without limitation, flannel, lambswool, sheepskin and the like. In some embodiments the cover may be made of warm feeling material, while the pocket or pocket liner may be made of cool feeling material. Likewise the cover and the pockets or pocket liners may both be made of warm feeling or cool feeling materials. It is desirable that the materials of the cover, pockets and pocket liners be hypoallergenic. Hypoallergenicity is especially important when the present invention is used in hospitals or for geriatric purposes. Sheepskin for the pocket liner is particularly desirable in these applications.
The present invention has been described with reference to certain preferred and alternative embodiments that are intended to be exemplary only and not limiting to the full scope of the present invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A cover for a body pillow, comprising:

a left side having a top edge and a bottom edge;

a right side having a top edge and a bottom edge;

said left side and said right side defining an interior space accessible by an opening for receiving a body pillow;

a left pocket on said left side, said left pocket disposed toward said bottom edge of said left side; and

a right pocket on said right side, said right pocket disposed toward said bottom edge of said right side;

wherein each of said left pocket and said right pocket comprise means for detachably attaching a respective pocket to a respective side of the body pillow cover.

2. The cover of claim 1, wherein said opening is disposed at said bottom edge of said left side and said right side.

3. The cover of claim 1, wherein said opening is disposed at said top edge of said left side and said right side.

4. The cover of claim 1, wherein said left side and said right side comprise a left panel and a right panel, respectively, and further wherein said left panel and said right panel are substantially rectangular in shape.

5. The cover of claim 4, wherein said left panel and said right panel are characterized by a first width, wherein said left pocket and said right pocket are characterized by a second width substantially equal to said first width, and wherein said left pocket and said right pocket are disposed within a margin along respective side edges of said left panel and said right panel.

6. The cover of claim 1, wherein said cover comprises a cool feeling material.

7. The cover of claim 1, wherein said cover comprises a warm feeling material.

8. The cover of claim 6, wherein said left pocket and said right pocket each comprise a liner and further wherein said liner comprises a cool feeling material.

9. The cover of claim 6, wherein said left pocket and said right pocket each comprise a liner and further wherein said liner comprises a warm feeling material.

10. The cover of claim 7, wherein said left pocket and said right pocket each comprise a liner and further wherein said liner comprises a cool feeling material.

11. The cover of claim 7, wherein said left pocket and said right pocket each comprise a liner and further wherein said liner comprises a warm feeling material.

12. The cover of claim 1, wherein said means for detachably attaching comprises a two piece open end zipper.

13. The cover of claim 12, wherein said pocket comprises a front panel and a back panel, each having a top edge, a bottom edge and two side edges, and wherein respective said side and bottom edges are joined to form an interior space accessible between said top edges for receiving a foot of a user.

14. The cover of claim 13, wherein said zipper is continuous along said top, bottom and side edges of said pocket.

15. The cover of claim 14, wherein said zipper comprises a first side and a second side, each of said first side and said second side having a tape and a chain disposed along one edge of said tape, where one of said first side and said second side is attached to said top, bottom and side edges of said pocket and the other of said first side and said second side is attached to the body pillow cover.