US3858257A

US3858257A - Resilient pillow

Info

Publication number: US3858257A
Application number: US406148A
Authority: US
Inventors: Samuel Young
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1973-10-15
Filing date: 1973-10-15
Publication date: 1975-01-07
Anticipated expiration: 1992-01-07

Abstract

An extremely resilient and readily compressible pillow body is formed by providing a plurality of layers of bonded synthetic fibers. Preferably, the pillow is formed by repeatedly layering one continuous porous layer or batt of bonded synthetic fibers. The fiber layer has a thickness of between 1/4 of an inch and 1 inch, and, depending upon the size of pillow desired, preferably form four to about 32 layers may be employed. By repeatedly layering a single porous layer of non-allergenic lightweight bonded synthetic fibers, air pockets are formed at the ends of each of the layers which allow air to be freely expelled from each of said layers in response to compressive loads, while also allowing air to rapidly re-enter each of said layers individually upon removal of said compressive load. Therefore, a highly resilient and readily compressible pillow body is provided.

Description

United States Patent [1!] 3,858,257 Young Jan. 7, 1975 RESILIENT PILLOW Primary Examiner-Paul R. Gilliam [76] Inventor: Samuel Young 14 Crest Rd" Attorney, Agent, or Frrm-Mattern, Ware & Davis Danbury, Conn. 06810 i 0 [57] ABSTRACT [22] Filed 1973 An extremely resilient and readily compressible pillow [21] App]. No.: 406,148 body is formed by providing a plurality of layers of bonded synthetic fibers, Preferably, the pillow is formed by repeatedly layering one continuous porous layer or batt of bonded synthetic fibers. The fiber g layer has a thickness of between A of an inch and l [58] Field of Search l6l/l55, 165,170,5/337,

5/338 341 355 361 R 361 B 345 inch, and, depending upon the size of pillow desired,

preferably form four to about 32 layers may be employed. By repeatedly layering a single porous layer of [56] References Clted non-allergenic lightweight bonded synthetic fibers, air UNITED STATES PATENTS pockets are formed at the ends of each of the layers 2,368,930 2/1945 Lenz 5/355 which allow air to be freely expelled from each of said 2,784,132 X layers in response to compressive loads while also a]- lowing air to rapidly re-enter each of said layers indie vidually upon removal of said compressive load. 3,681,796 8/1972 Watson 5/337 Therefore, a g y resilient and readily Compressible pillow body is provided.

1 Claim, 2 Drawing Figures RESILIENT PILLOW This invention relates to highly resilient pillows and, more particularly, to pillows having unusually soft, compliant depressibility in combination with quick, resilient rebound to the original uncompressed shape.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The Prior Art Conventional pillows customarily employ a single thick layer or unbonded batt of loose synthetic fibers, foam rubber, feathers, etc. In all of these instances, the pillow body is incapable of having air freely exit and reenter the entire pillow body. This results in a pillow which is not capable of resiliently rebounding to its original shape when a compressive load has been removed. Furthermore, these pillows are incapable of readily conforming to the shape of the compressive load.

Molded foam rubber pillows are conventionally formed by cementing molded half pillows back-toback, and free exit and entry of air into the interstices of the pillow body is restricted by the outer molded skin.

Accordingly, there has long been a need for a pillow which is capable of being easily compressed to the desired shape of the compressive load, while also rapidly and resiliently rebounding to the original shape upon removal of the compressive load.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In the pillow of this invention, it has been found that by employing a plurality of four or more layers of bonded synthetic fibers in lofty condition, a highly resilient and easily compressible pillow is achieved. Each layer incorporates a thickness between 1/4 of an inch and 1 inch, and between these layers air pockets are formed. As a result, the pillow is capable of having air rapidly expelled from it upon compression, while also resiliently springing back to its original shape upon removal of the compressive load. By providing a plurality of these layers and trapped-air pockets in a single pillow body, each layer is capable of acting individually to allow air to be freely expelled from the layer upon application of a compressive load to the pillow body, while also assuring that air will rapidly re-enter each layer individually upon removal of the compressive load, causing the pillow body to spring back resiliently and rapidly to its original shape.

Therefore, it is a principal object of this invention to provide a pillow body which is capable of being easily compressed while also rapidly and resiliently rebounding to its original shape when the compressive load is removed.

Another object of this invention is to provide a pillow body of the above character which substantially conforms to the shape of the compressive load while also fully supporting the load.

Another object of this invention is to provide a pillow body of the above character which is easily manufactured and is relatively inexpensive.

Other objects will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises an article of manufacture possessing the features, properties and a relation of elements which will be exemplified in the article hereinafter described, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.

THE DRAWINGS For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional side elevation view, showing the preferred embodiment of the layered resilient pillow body of this invention; and

FIG. 2 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary crosssectional side-elevation view of the layered pillow body of a different embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION As shown in FIG. I, pillow body 20 comprises a plurality of layers 22 of bonded synthetic fibers. The bonded synthetic fiber layer is formed by a well-known process, in which lofty fiber batting is sprayed, preferably from both sides, with a finely divided liquid bonding material, such as atomized liquid latex or acrylic materials, causing the fibers to be bonded to each other at cross-over points. Preferably, a latex bonding agent is employed and comprises about 5 percent of the total weight of the layer. This provides a lightweight porous bonded fiber layer which is highly airpervious and extremely resilient. Such an air-permeable, fibrous batt is described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,784,132.

Layers 22 of pillow body 20 are merely placed loosely in contact with each other, but are not in any way bonded or secured to each other. As a result of the layering operation, air pockets 23 form at the edges of many of the layers. This free, independent layered construction with its enclosed air pockets is extremely important in providing the compressibility and resilient rebound characterized by the pillow body of this invention.

As best seen in FIG. 2, air pockets 23 are provided at the peripheral edges of many of the various layers 22 in the pillows of this invention. These air pockets pro vide added capability for rapidly expelling air from the layers upon application of a compressive load, while also providing air passages for rapid re-entry of air, causing the resilient rebound characterizing the pillow constructions of this invention.

In the preferred embodiments of this invention, shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a single elongated layer of bonded fiber is repeatedly folded convolutely around itself until the desired size of pillow body 20 has been formed. In this manner, the pillow body of this invention is rapidly and easily manufactured. The bonded fiber layer is uniform throughout the entire pillow body, employing the same identical bonded synthetic fiber material throughout the entire pillow body. The pillow body can be surroundingly enveloped by a covering 25, which may be a conventional pillow cover of ticking textile fabric, or may be a thicker envelope of interlockingly bonded synthetic fibers such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,616,470.

It is important to note that the layers, whether individually arranged or folded as in the preferred embodiment, are independent of each other and can independently move horizontally or vertically. This construction is extremely important, since it provides additional air space for rapidly expelling air from the layers, while also providing air passages for the re-entry of air, in

order to allow springy rebound of the pillow to its normal shape.

Although the size of a particular pillow is a matter of choice, it has been found that by employing between 4 and 32 layers of bonded synthetic fibers, the normally preferred range of sizes for various uses can be satisfied. Between 6 and 12 layers of /2 inch thick bonded synthetic fibers provide a range of pillow thicknesses satisfying the requirements of most users.

It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those made apparent from the preceding description, are efficiently attained and, since certain changes may be made in the above article without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A highly resilient, compressible pillow body, adapted for envelopment by conventional covering means, comprising:

A. between about four and about thirty-two layers of bonded synthetic fibers stacked in juxtaposed relationship to each other, with one of said layers forming a center layer,

a. each layer surrounding said center layer having a width greater than said center layer,

b. each subsequently stacked layer having a greater width than said previously juxtaposed stacked layer, and

c. each of said layers comprising a thickness between A of an inch and 1 inch; and

B. a plurality of air pockets being a. formed between the edges of the center layer and the greater width surrounding layers and b. formed between at least one of the previously stacked layers and the next greater width subsequently stacked layer, wherein said plurality of layers comprise a single elongated sheet of fiber material which is repeatedly folded convulutely around itself in a loose manner, thereby forming the juxtaposed plurality oflayers and air pockets,

whereby air is freely and rapidly expelled from and drawn into each of said layers individually by compressive loading and unloading, providing a pillow body which easily compresses and responds to a deformation load and resiliently rebounds upon removal of said deformation load.

Claims

1. A highly resilient, compressible pillow body, adapted for envelopment by conventional covering means, comprising: A. between about four and about thirty-two layers of bonded synthetic fibers stacked in juxtaposed relationship to each other, with one of said layers forming a center layer, a. each layer surrounding said center layer having a width greater than said center layer, b. each subsequently stacked layer having a greater width than said previously juxtaposed stacked layer, and c. each of said layers comprising a thickness between 1/4 of an inch and 1 inch; and B. a plurality of air pockets being a. formed between the edges of the center layer and the greater width surrounding layers and b. formed between at least one of the previously stacked layers and the next greater width subsequently stacked layer, wherein said plurality of layers comprise a single elongated sheet of fiber material which is repeatedly folded convulutely around itself in a loose manner, thereby forming the juxtaposed plurality of layers and air pockets, whereby air is freely and rapidly expelled from and drawn into each of said layers individually by compressive loading and unloading, providing a pillow body which easily compresses and responds to a deformation load and resiliently rebounds upon removal of said deformation load.