US20220039569A1

US20220039569A1 - Adjustable Pillow

Info

Publication number: US20220039569A1
Application number: US16/947,601
Authority: US
Inventors: David A. Smith
Original assignee: Down & Feather Co LLC
Current assignee: Down & Feather Co LLC
Priority date: 2020-08-09
Filing date: 2020-08-09
Publication date: 2022-02-10

Abstract

An adjustable pillow includes a pillow cover having a plurality of removable pillow layer inserts. The pillow layer inserts can be of various thicknesses and firmnesses to permit adjustment for overall pillow height, overall firmness, and surface firmness upon insertion into the pillow cover. The total height of the pillow depends on the total height of the various inserts being used, the overall firmness depends on whether the inserts are soft, medium, or hard, and the surface firmness depends on the firmness of the topmost inside layer. To avoid movement of the inserts relative to each other while sleeping, at least one portion of each of the inserts is removably attachable to a corresponding portion of at least one other insert.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to the field of pillows, and in particular to pillows that can be adjusted through the use of inserts.

BACKGROUND ART

People have traditionally used pillows that come in many shapes, sizes, and styles. Pillows can be made with different heights and firmnesses to suit the desires of the sleeper. Some people are more comfortable and sleep better using a pillow that is relatively soft, while others prefer a pillow that is firmer. Similarly, some people prefer a relatively high, tall pillow while others are more comfortable with a relatively flat pillow. Some users might even want a pillow of a particular height and firmness part of the time and of a different height or firmness another time. Thus, it would be advantageous for a pillow to be adjustable in firmness and height, and various attempts have been made to provide such flexibility. Some people have a physical malady that makes an adjustable pillow desirable, such as an orthopedic or therapeutic pillow.
Some pillows have segmented sections, each of a different firmness or size. Adjustability is typically achieved by moving the pillow so that the appropriate section is directly under head, leaving the undesired sections still attached but moved away from the head of the user.
Pillows can be quite expensive and therefore it would be advantageous if conventional pillows that have lost their shape, size, or firmness could be restored without the expense of purchasing a replacement pillow. Unfortunately, conventional pillows without removable inserts can be adjusted or refreshed only by entirely replacing the pillow.
Although pillows have been made with replaceable inserts, providing adjustability, in actual use, the inserts have an unfortunate tendency to move around or bunch up inside the surrounding pillow cover or pillow case. Sleepers tend to move around while trying to go to sleep, while they are asleep, or while they are between cycles. They may push on or otherwise try to reshape their pillow to a more comfortable position, even while unaware of their action. This generally does not cause a problem with a conventional pillow, but when there are multiple pillow inserts inside the pillow cover, the activity of the sleeper may cause movement of one insert relative to another, such as one insert bunching up or shifting relative to another insert, resulting in the pillow not having the desired feel or characteristics that had been carefully configured by the insertion of the multiple inserts. A way of preventing that relative movement of the pillow inserts would be desirable.
From the discussion above, it should be apparent that there is a need for an easily adjustable pillow cover that can be used with a conventional pillow and provides different firmness and thickness across the entire sleeping area of the pillow. The present disclosure satisfies this need.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

In one aspect, an adjustable pillow, comprises an openable pillow cover; a plurality of removable pillow inserts each comprising: a pillow insert cover; a stuffing material disposed within the pillow insert cover; and a means for removably attaching two or more of the plurality of removable pillow inserts to each other, formed in an exterior portion of the pillow insert cover.
In a second aspect, a pillow insert for an adjustable pillow, comprises a pillow insert cover; a stuffing material disposed within the pillow insert cover; and a means for removably attaching two or more pillow inserts to each other, formed in an exterior portion of the pillow insert cover.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate an implementation of apparatus and methods consistent with the present invention and, together with the detailed description, serve to explain advantages and principles consistent with the invention. In the drawings,

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an adjustable pillow according to one embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of a set of pillow inserts according to one embodiment for use with the pillow of FIG. 1

FIG. 3 is a cutaway view of an embodiment in which the pillow inserts of FIG. 2 are inserted into the pillow of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a top view of a corner of a pillow insert according to one embodiment illustrating a technique for attaching pillow inserts to each other.

FIG. 5 is a collection of side views of various embodiments of fasteners for use in attaching pillow inserts to each other.

FIG. 6 is a top view of another embodiment of a pillow insert illustrating a different type of attachment technique.

FIG. 7 is a top and bottom view of a corner of a pillow insert according to another embodiment with a different type of attachment technique.

FIG. 8 is a top and bottom view of a corner of a pillow insert according to another embodiment with a different type of attachment technique.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art that the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, structure and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to avoid obscuring the invention. References to numbers without subscripts are understood to reference all instance of subscripts corresponding to the referenced number. Moreover, the language used in this disclosure has been principally selected for readability and instructional purposes, and may not have been selected to delineate or circumscribe the inventive subject matter, resort to the claims being necessary to determine such inventive subject matter. Reference in the specification to “one embodiment” or to “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiments is included in at least one embodiment of the invention, and multiple references to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” should not be understood as necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.
FIG. 1 illustrates pillow 100 according to one embodiment, in the form of a pillow comprising pillow cover 110. Pillow cover 110 is shown as being a cloth cover although a variety of other cover types are contemplated with the cover providing confinement means relative to all cushion components encompassed by the cover as explained in greater detail below. Pillow cover 110 includes exterior layer 120 which, in a preferred embodiment, is a layer of material that provides, in a head pillow embodiment, a pleasant head contact feel (e.g., soft face contact material) such as a high thread count cotton or silk fabric and is of high strength and suitable thickness to withstand direct handling contact. Exterior layer 120 is shown extending fully across the top 130, the bottom 140 and along long intermediate side 150 of pillow 100. Typically, end 160 of the pillow cover 110 is sewn closed, while the other end 170 is closable using a zipper 180 or some other type of closure mechanism, such as buttons, snaps, hook and loop fasteners, etc. The closable end 170 can then be opened whenever an insert is to be added or removed from the pillow 100. If desired, a pillow case (not shown in FIG. 1) can be placed around the pillow 100 for additional comfort of the sleeper or protection of the pillow 100. The term “pillow cover” is sometimes referred to in the industry as a pillow protector or a pillow sham.
Although as illustrated in FIG. 1, the pillow 100 and therefore pillow cover 110 are of a substantially rectangular shape, embodiments of the adjustable pillow 100 and pillow cover 110 can be of any desired shape, with the pillow cover 110 having a shape that substantially corresponds to the shape of the pillow 100. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the closable end 170 is one of the shorter ends of the rectangular pillow, the closable end 170 can be any side of the pillow 100 and in some embodiments can extend across multiple sides of the pillow, giving a larger opening for insertion of pillow inserts. Some embodiments may have multiple closable openings, such as on both ends of the pillow cover. In other embodiments, the pillow cover may be formed in two separate sections that can be attached to each other after pillow inserts are placed in one of the two sections.
The pillow 100 as illustrated in FIG. 1 is of a common bed pillow shape, having a “height” defined as a vertical dimension of the pillow 100 when viewed in cross section, perpendicular to a plane defined by the length and width of the pillow 100, when the pillow is not compressed by a head or other object resting on the pillow. The height of the pillow 100 may vary as desired across the pillow 100. For example, a common bed pillow configuration has a variable pillow height with a maximum at the center of the pillow and a minimum towards the ends of the pillow. However, embodiments may have a flat or constant height configuration if desired.
In some embodiments, pillow inserts may be provided with the pillow 100, allowing the purchaser to customize the pillow 100 to the desired height or firmness. A set of three pillow inserts 200 is illustrated in FIG. 2, comprising inserts of different relative firmness and thickness. A first insert 210 is relatively soft and thin while a second insert 220 is of medium firmness and thickness, and a third insert 230 is relatively hard and relatively thick. These thicknesses and firmnesses are illustrative and by way of example only. The firmness of the pillow inserts does not need to correspond with the thickness as illustrated. Although three pillow inserts are illustrated in FIG. 2 for insertion into the pillow 100, the number is illustrative and by way of example only, and a different number (including none) may be provided with the pillow 100. In addition, pillow inserts can be provided independently of the pillow case 12. That is, pillow users can selectively mix and match the different firmness and thickness of the pillow inserts as desired. Varieties of pillow inserts may be assembled, such as a group of all soft pillow inserts, all pillow hard pillow inserts, or any combination in between. In addition, the user may determine the overall height of the pillow by the thickness of the various pillow inserts which are selected. In this way, individual users can tailor the pillow 100 to their own preference.
FIG. 3 is a sectional view that illustrates the pillow 300 with three pillow inserts 320, 330, and 340 placed in a pillow cover 310 to provide an initial height, overall firmness, and surface firmness. For clarity of the drawing the closure mechanism of the pillow cover 310 is omitted from FIG. 3. The shape of the pillow inserts 320-340 is illustrative and by way of example only, and any shape pillow inserts may be used, including a more traditional pillow shape that is thicker at the middle than at the ends. The total cross-sectional height of the adjustable pillow 300 as illustrated in FIG. 3 is substantially equal to the combined height of any padding material in the pillow case 310, the height of the first soft pillow insert 320, the height of the second medium pillow insert 330, and the height of the third firm pillow insert 340. The overall firmness of the pillow cover 310 with pillow inserts 320-340 is the firmness provided by the three pillow inserts and the pillow cover, as indicated by the resistance to “flattening” produced by the combination. The surface firmness of the pillow cover 310 and pillow inserts 320-340 is the perceived firmness to the sleeper. Assuming that the pillow cover 310 has no padding material that would substantially alter the perceived firmness of the underlying top-most insert, then the perceived surface firmness would be the firmness of the pillow insert closest to the sleeper's head. In FIG. 3. therefore, the initial surface firmness of the pillow 300 is determined by the firmness of the top-most soft pillow insert 320. The arrangement and ordering of the pillow inserts 320-340 is illustrative and by way of example only, and other numbers and characteristics of pillow inserts may be used as desired.
As described above, a user can adjust the arrangement of the inserts 320-340 to adjust overall pillow height, overall firmness, and surface firmness.
The total height of the adjustable pillow depends on the total height of the various pillow inserts being used. The pillow inserts may all be equally thick or they may vary in their thickness. If a collection of pillow inserts have varying thicknesses, a greater number of possible pillow thickness is achievable than with pillow inserts that are all of the same thickness. For example, if the medium pillow insert 330 of FIG. 3 were removed, leaving only the soft pillow insert 320 and the firm pillow insert 340 inside the pillow cover 310, the overall height of the pillow 300 would correspondingly be adjusted, reducing the overall height of the pillow 300. The greatest overall total height is achieved with the greatest number of pillow inserts placed within the pillow cover 310.
Similarly, the surface firmness of pillow 300 may be adjusted by changing the top-most pillow insert in the pillow cover 310 to a pillow insert that is more or less firm than the previous top-most pillow insert. Or if the pillow 300 is stuffed with inserts of different firmness, a sleeper may turn the pillow upside down so that the bottom-most pillow insert (pillow insert 340 in FIG. 3) becomes the top-most insert, changing the surface firmness of the pillow 300 without changing the configuration of the pillow inserts inside the pillow cover 310.
It should be apparent that the softest perceived surface firmness is obtained if the soft pillow insert 320 is placed top-most, the firmest perceived surface firmness is obtained if the firm insert 340 is placed top-most, and a medium perceived surface firmness is obtained if the medium insert 330 is placed top-most. The perceived overall firmness of the pillow 100 largely depends on the combination of pillow inserts placed within the pillow cover 110. For example, if medium pillow insert 330 of FIG. 2 were replaced with a second instance of firm pillow insert 340, the overall firmness of the pillow 100 would increase; similarly, if pillow insert 330 or pillow insert 340 were replaced with a second instance of soft pillow insert 320, the overall firmness of the pillow 100 would decrease.
The perceived overall firmness of the pillow 100 depends not only on the combination of the different pillow insert firmnesses, but also to a lesser extent on the surface firmness. That is, the perceived overall firmness of the pillow 100 may change somewhat depending on the ordering of the inserts in the pillow cover 110. If the arrangement of pillow inserts 320-340 in FIG. 3 were reversed (or the pillow simply turned over) so that the firm pillow insert 340 was topmost, not only the perceived surface firmness would increase, so would the perceived overall firmness. Accordingly, the perceived overall firmness of the FIG. 3 arrangement will be different from the perceived overall firmness of the FIG. 3 arrangement is turned over, even though no change has been made to the pillow itself.
As explained above, the adjustable pillow 100 can be used in combination with a conventional pillow to provide adjustability that otherwise would be lacking. Conventional pillows often become flat and lose their height due to the constant weight and pressure of the head upon the pillow surface. Pillows are often thrown away due to wear and tear. By adding pillow inserts such as one or more of pillow inserts 200 to an old pillow in a pillow cover 110 (where the old pillow becomes effectively a pillow insert), the pillow can be restored to an original or preferred pillow height and firmness. Often the users of conventional pillows become attached to the top surface to which they have become accustomed. Such users may add one or more pillow inserts 200 under their old pillow inside the pillow cover 110, thus improving overall height while retaining a preferred or familiar top surface.
FIG. 4 is a top view of a corner 410 of a removable pillow insert 400 that has been formed with a means for attaching the pillow insert 400 to other pillow inserts. An opening 420 is formed through the corner 410. In some embodiments, the opening 420 may be simply an opening cut through an upper and a lower surface of a casing 430 of the pillow insert 400 which holds the feathers, down, foam, or other pillow stuffing material that provide firmness or support for the pillow insert. If the edges of the opening 420 are unclosed, providing a path from inside the pillow insert cover to outside, stuffing material may escape from the pillow material through the opening 420, which would be undesirable. Therefore, in some embodiments the area around the opening 420 may be sealed off from the rest of the pillow insert 400 across a line 440, to prevent the stuffing material from reaching and possibly migrating through the opening 420 from the inside of the pillow insert cover 410 to the outside of the pillow insert cover 410. The line 440 may be formed by single or double stitching across the pillow insert casing 430. The position, shape, and orientation of the line 440 is not significant, and the line 440 may be placed and formed in any way that prevents stuffing material from reaching the opening 420. Alternately, in some embodiments the perimeter of the opening 420 may be sewn, binding the top and bottom surfaces of the pillow insert casing 430 together, preventing the stuffing material from escaping through the opening 420. For example, a stitching technique may be used similar to that used in making button holes in a garment, as long as the button hole stitching stitches the top and bottom surfaces together sufficiently to prevent stuffing material from being able to pass through the opening 420. If the stuffing material is large enough that it cannot pass through the opening 430, the line 440 and any closure technique around the opening 430 may be omitted if desired.
Any desired size opening 420 may be used. The size may be chosen based on the technique selected for using the opening 420 for binding the pillow cover 400 to another pillow cover. Although illustrated as an elliptical opening in FIG. 4, any desired shape may be used to form the opening 420. Although described as an opening, when not under pressure from the contents of the pillow insert 400, the opening 420 may appear essentially closed, without any large space between the sides of the opening. For example, a simple straight cut through the top and bottom surface of the pillow insert casing 430 may be used. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the opening 420 is oriented substantially at a 45° angle relative to a 90° formed by the corner 410, however, the corner 410 may be formed at any desired angle and the opening 420 may be formed at any angle or position relative to the corner 410.
Although the opening 420 is illustrated in FIG. 4 as formed in the corner 420, in some embodiments, the opening 420 may be formed at other positions along an edge of the pillow insert casing 430. Alternately, some embodiments may employ a tab or other similar object that is sewn or otherwise attached to an edge of the pillow insert casing 430, where the opening 420 is formed in the tab.
FIG. 5 is a plan view of three embodiments of fasteners that may be used with the opening 420 to attach two or more pillow inserts 400 together, configured for insertion through the opening 420. The fasteners 500, 520, and 540 function similar to cufflinks that are used to close French cuffs on a shirt together. One end of fastener 500, 520, and 540 is pushed through the openings 420 in two or more pillow covers 400. When in place, the fasteners 500, 520, and 540 hold the pillow covers 400 in place relative to each other, preventing any of them from significant relative movement, thus preserving the desired and configured feel of the pillow 100 that might otherwise be degraded by the relative movement of the pillow inserts 400.
Fastener 500 illustrates a simple fastener that comprises two roughly spherical end elements 505A and 505B, held together by link 510. The fastener may be manufactured of any desired material, such as metal, plastic, thread, or fabric. In one example, fastener 500 may be made of silk thread formed as a small rope which is knotted on both ends to form the end elements 505A and 505B and link 510. Although illustrated in FIG. 5 as roughly spherical, end elements 505A and 505B can have any desired shape that is sufficiently small to be able to fit through openings 420 of the pillow inserts 400, but sufficiently large that the fastener 500 is not easily dislodged from the openings 420 once inserted through them.
Fastener 520 is a mechanical cufflink type of fastener, in which fixed end element 525 is attached to one end of a pair of links 530, while the other end holds a rotatable end element 535 that can rotate relative to the pair of links 530. As with a shirt cufflink, rotating the rotatable end element 535 to be parallel to the pair or links 530 allows the rotatable end element 535 to pass through openings 420 easily, then be rotated perpendicular to pair of links 530. In the rotated position (illustrated in FIG. 5), the rotatable end element prevents dislodging the fastener 520 from the plurality of pillow covers 400.
Fastener 540 is a fixed fastener illustrating that the end elements 545 and 555, which are connected by link 550, do not need to have the same shape. As illustrated in FIG. 5, end element 545 is roughly spherical, while end element 555 is planar. In such a configuration, spherical end element 545 is usually more convenient for pushing through openings 420.
Although links 510, 530, and 540 are illustrated as solid elements, embodiments may use forms such as small chains for the links, allowing movement of the two ends of the fasteners 500, 520, and 540 relative to each other. Preferably, the fasteners are small enough that should the sleeper's head happen to rest upon the portion of the pillow covers 400 that are held together by the fasteners 500, 520, or 540, the fasteners 500, 520, or 540 do not cause discomfort. The links 510, 530, and 540 can be of any desired length, but preferably are long enough to allow attaching as many pillow covers 400 as the sleeper may desire to use at any given time.
The fasteners 510, 530, and 540 illustrated in FIG. 5 are illustrative and by way of example only, and any other fastener configuration can be used that holds together pillow covers 400 when inserted through openings 420. Although only a single corner is illustrated in FIG. 4 as having the openings 420, embodiments may have openings 420 on two or more corners or other attachment points as desired. This may allow attaching anywhere from one to all four corners of a set of rectangular pillow inserts 400.
By making the fasteners 500, 530, and 540 removable, a sleeper may detach the pillow covers 400 from each other at any time the sleeper wishes to change the pillow configuration, such as by replacing one pillow insert 400 with another of different configuration, or to allow laundering or repair of one or more of the pillow inserts 400.
Other techniques may be used for attaching pillow inserts 400 to each other. For example, in FIG. 6, a button 610 may be attached to pillow cover 400, allowing the button to be used to connect the pillow insert 400 to one or more other pillow inserts 400 by pushing the button 610 through the openings 420 on the other pillow insert covers 400. In this embodiment, each pillow insert cover 410 may have both an opening 420 and a button 610, or in some embodiments, the pillow insert may have only the button 610, without the opening 420.
FIG. 7 illustrates a technique using snap fasteners according to one embodiment. In this embodiment, a male snap fastener component 710 is affixed to a first surface 720A of the pillow insert 400, while a female snap fastener component 720 is affixed to a second opposite surface 720B of the pillow insert 400. The male snap fastener component 710 of a first pillow insert 400 may then be snapped together to engage with the female snap fastener component 720 of a second pillow insert 400 to attach the two pillow inserts 400 together.
Another embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 8, in which a hook-and-loop fastener tape, such as VELCRO® tape, is applied to surfaces 830A and 830B of the pillow insert 400. (VELCRO is a registered trademark of Velcro BVBA.) The hook portion 810 is affixed to surface 830A and the loop portion 820 is affixed to opposite surface 830B, allowing hook or loop portion affixed to a corresponding surface of other pillow inserts 400 to engage with and removably be attached to one of the hook or loop portions 810, 820 to attach the pillow inserts 400 together. The size, position, and orientation of the hook-and- loop fastener tape 810, 820 is illustrative and by way of example only, and any size, position, and orientation may be used as desired.
The fastening techniques illustrated in FIGS. 4-8 are themselves illustrative and by way of example only, and any desired removable attachment technique may be used to attach and detach pillow inserts 400 from each other, including zippers, magnets, and clips.
The above describes an easily adjustable pillow that provides configurability for different surface firmnesses, overall firmnesses, and height across the entire sleeping area of the pillow cover and also is compatible with conventional pillows to provide them with adjustability. In addition, the pillow inserts may be attached to each other to prevent relative movement of the pillow inserts as the sleeper uses the pillow, which would otherwise result in undesirable bunching or rolling of pillow inserts and diminish the perceived comfort of the pillow to the sleeper. Because the attachments are detachable, the advantages of being able to swap out pillow inserts as desired is retained, without the disadvantages of having the pillow inserts modify their configuration and position.
Although disclosed above in terms of pillows, pillow inserts, and pillow covers, the same techniques may be used on other types of bedding. For example a comforter may be inserted into a duvet cover and attached to the duvet cover using any of the techniques disclosed above, fastening the comforter to the duvet cover to keep the comforter from shifting inside the duvet cover, such as by putting a button on a corner of the comforter and a button hole on the duvet cover, allowing the comforter to be attached to the duvet cover. Similarly, a pillow or pillow insert may be fastened to a pillow cover to keep the pillow or pillow insert from shifting inside the pillow cover.
While certain exemplary embodiments have been described in detail and shown in the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that such embodiments are merely illustrative of and not devised without departing from the basic scope thereof, which is determined by the claims that follow.

Claims

We claim:

1. An adjustable pillow, comprising:

an openable pillow cover; and

a plurality of removable pillow inserts each comprising:

a pillow insert cover;

a stuffing material disposed within the pillow insert cover; and

a means for removably attaching two or more of the plurality of removable pillow inserts to each other, formed in an exterior portion of the pillow insert cover.

2. The adjustable pillow of claim 1, wherein the means for removably attaching two or more of the plurality of removable pillow inserts to each other comprises:

an opening formed in the exterior portion of the pillow insert cover;

a fastener configured for insertion through the opening.

3. The adjustable pillow of claim 2, wherein the means for removably attaching two or more of the plurality of removable pillow inserts to each other comprises:

a button attached to the exterior portion of the pillow insert cover and configured for engagement with a corresponding opening formed in an exterior portion of another pillow insert of the plurality of removable pillow inserts.

4. The adjustable pillow of claim 2,

wherein the opening is cut through a top surface and a bottom surface of the pillow insert cover, providing a path from inside the pillow insert cover to outside the pillow insert cover,

further comprising stitching to prevent migration of the stuffing material through the opening.

5. The adjustable pillow of claim 2,

wherein the opening is cut through a top surface and a bottom surface of the pillow insert cover, and

wherein a perimeter of the opening is sewn closed to prevent migration of the stuffing material from inside the pillow insert cover to outside the pillow insert cover.

6. The adjustable pillow of claim 2, wherein the fastener comprises:

a link; and

a first fastener end element and a second fastener end element disposed at each end of the link,

wherein the first fastener end element is configured to fit through the opening formed in the exterior portion of the pillow insert covers of the plurality of removable pillow inserts, holding the plurality of removable pillow inserts together.

7. The adjustable pillow of claim 6, wherein the first fastener end element is movable relative to the link.

8. The adjustable pillow of claim 1, wherein the means for removably attaching two or more of the plurality of removable pillow inserts to each other comprises:

a male snap fastener formed in a first surface of the exterior portion of the pillow insert cover; and

a female snap fastener formed in a second surface of the exterior portion of the pillow insert cover,

wherein the male snap fastener is configured to engage with a female snap fastener formed in a second pillow insert cover, and

wherein the female snap fastener is configured to engage with a male snap fastener formed in a third pillow insert cover.

9. The adjustable pillow of claim 1, wherein the means for removably attaching two or more of the plurality of removable pillow inserts to each other comprises:

a hook-and-loop hook portion attached to a first surface of the exterior portion of the pillow insert cover; and

a hook-and-loop loop portion attached to a second surface of the exterior portion of the pillow insert cover,

wherein the hook-and-loop hook portion is configured to engage with a loop portion attached to a second pillow insert cover, and

wherein the hook-and-loop loop portion is configured to engage with a hook portion attached to a third pillow insert cover.

10. The adjustable pillow of claim 1, wherein the exterior portion of the pillow insert cover is a corner of the pillow insert cover.

11. A pillow insert for an adjustable pillow, comprising:

a pillow insert cover;

a stuffing material disposed within the pillow insert cover; and

a means for removably attaching two or more pillow inserts to each other, formed in an exterior portion of the pillow insert cover.

12. The pillow insert of claim 11, wherein the means for removably attaching two or more pillow inserts to each other comprises:

an opening formed in the exterior portion of the pillow insert cover; and

a fastener configured for insertion through the opening.

13. The adjustable pillow of claim 12, wherein the means for removably attaching two or more pillow inserts to each other comprises:

a button attached to the exterior portion of the pillow insert cover and configured for engagement with a corresponding opening formed in an exterior portion of another pillow insert.

14. The pillow insert of claim 12,

15. The pillow insert of claim 12,

16. The pillow insert of claim 12, wherein the fastener comprises:

a link; and

wherein the first fastener end element is configured to fit through the opening formed in the exterior portion of a pillow insert covers of a plurality of pillow inserts, holding the plurality of pillow inserts together.

17. The pillow insert of claim 16, wherein the first fastener end element is movable relative to the link.

18. The pillow insert of claim 11, wherein the means for removably attaching two or pillow inserts to each other comprises:

19. The pillow insert of claim 11, wherein the means for removably attaching two or more pillow inserts to each other comprises:

a hook-and-look loop portion attached to a second surface of the exterior portion of the pillow insert cover,

20. The pillow insert of claim 11, wherein the exterior portion of the pillow insert cover is a corner of the pillow insert cover.