Abstract:
A sleeping pillow divided by a hinge web into head and neck sections, with a neck recess defining a neck roll formed in the neck section, and with the neck section moveable about web to hinged position with respect to a horizontal head section so that pillow supports a sleeper&#39;s head at the head section and neck on the neck roll.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to pillows and in particular to pillows for sleeping comfort. 
     Pillows for sleeping typically consist of rectangular cover having a soft filling and outer pillow case for supporting the head positioned centrally of the rectangle. The primary object of such conventional pillows is to support a person&#39;s head such that his neck receives little or no support from the margin of the pillow. 
     The present invention provides a pillow for supporting head and neck, for improved sleeping comfort. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the invention, a pillow comprises a generally rectangular casing divided along its long central axis into approximately equal head and neck support portions. A dividing hinge preferably sewn into the cover lies along the pillow axis effectively forms separate head and neck portions. The resulting head portion comprises a rectangular form of approximately one-half of the pillow, and the neck portion the other half. The neck portion is further defined by a neck recess in the form of a generally semi-circular contour extending into the neck support portion of the pillow from its outer long edge. The pillow cover so formed comprises a generally rectangular head portion attached by central hinge to a generally rectangular neck portion modified with a contoured neck recess. To complete the pillow, both head and neck portions are filled with soft pillow stuffing of various densities including soft, medium, and firm. 
     In use for sleeping, the pillow is folded along the hinge with the head rest portion being in a generally horizontal position, and the neck portion being generally pivoted from horizontal to a position anywhere from 0° to 180°. A sleeper&#39;s head lies directly on the head portion, while his neck lies in and is supported by the vertically positioned neck recess portion of the pillow. 
     The result is a pillow giving sleep comfort in a measure surpassing that of a conventional pillow. 
     Specific examples are included in the following description for purposes of clarity, but various details can be changed within the scope of the present invention. 
     OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the invention to provide a pillow for supporting both head and neck while sleeping. 
     It is an object of the invention to provide a head and neck support pillow using the same materials as for conventional pillows with the same sizes. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a pillow with head portion and neck portion connected by a hinge that keeps head and neck portions in fixed position to each other. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a pillow for head and neck support that lies flat in the usual manner for pillows in a made bed, and which in use folds into horizontal head support and pivoted neck support sections for improved sleeping comfort. 
     Other and further objects of the invention will become apparent with an understanding of the following detailed description of the invention or upon employment of the invention in practice. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
       A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for detailed description to enable those having ordinary skill in the art to which the invention appertains to readily understand how to construct and use the invention and is shown in the accompanying drawing in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a plan view of a preferred embodiment of pillow according to the invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a section view taken along line  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a front elevation view of the pillow of  FIG. 1  showing neck portion. 
         FIG. 4  is a front elevation view of the pillow of  FIG. 1  with the neck section in vertical or pivoted position in foreground and head in horizontal position in background. 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic view of the pillow of  FIG. 1  with generally horizontal head section and generally vertical neck portion in position to receive a sleeper&#39;s head and neck. 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic view of pillow and sleeper of  FIG. 5  in sleeping position. 
         FIG. 7  is a template from which a pillow according to the invention is fabricated. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the drawing, a pillow  10  according to the invention is generally rectangular and comprises a fabric cover of 100% cotton filled with a typical material such as polyester fiber filling or similar filler. The pillow cover has long sides  12   a - b  and short sides  12   c - d  of standard dimensions for bed pillows, e.g., a thirty inch long side, a twenty inch short side, and a thickness of approximately seven inches. The cover consists of upper and lower sheets  12   e - f  of the same size and shape attached to each other along their perimeter by fold lines or sewn seams  12   g  to form a pocket for receiving pillow filling. Ordinarily, one of the short sides remains open to receive pillow filling before being seamed. 
     The pillow cover is divided on the long axis A-A′ into generally equal rectangular head  14  and neck  16  sections by means of a hinge web  18  sewn into the cover along axis. In preferred form, the hinge web is approximately three-eighths to one inch wide and is sewn into the pillow cover empty of filling. In practice, the width of the hinge may have a width of one stitch to one inch. 
     In accordance with the invention, a recess  16   a  is formed in the outer long margin  12   b  of the neck portion of the cover by which a sleeper&#39;s neck is supported by a filled pillow. The recess is formed by cutting away part of the cover and is defined with reference to apex A ( FIGS. 1 and 7 ) located approximately one-half the depth (line B-B′,  FIG. 7 ) of the neck section between outer long margin  12   b  and the hinge web  18  and on centerline cl of the pillow. The recess  16   a  is further defined by symmetric arcuate lines  16   c - d  extending from the apex A to outer margin at points  16   e - f  approximately midway between centerline and side edge junctions  16   g - h . A template T for fabricating a preferred embodiment of pillow cover according to the invention is shown in  FIG. 7 . The template is specific to the neck section  16  of a pillow cover. The recess  16   a  defines arcuate lines  16   c - d  symmetric of centerline beginning at apex A and comprising concave curve having radius r 1  of approximately three inches extending to point B and there joining convex curve with radius r 2  of approximately eight inches extending to point C and there joining convex curve with radius r 3  of approximately two inches and extending to a final point  16   e - f  joining outer edge  12   b . The arcuate curve  16   c - d  formed in this way softens the contour of the neck recess to avoid cheek contact of sleeper. After being defined in this way, the recess line is sewn into the pillow cover with excess cover material trimmed away. Then the pillow cover is filled with polyester fiber or similar filling and its open end is sewn closed. The pillow now has a filled rectangular head section, and a filled neck section characterized in a neck roll  16   k  ( FIG. 2 ) between outer neck lobes  16   l  occupying the space between the recess  16   a  and side margins  12   c - d  of the pillow. 
     It is to be understood that a pinched neck recess results in neck roll  16   k  as a consequence of seaming arcuate lines  16   c - d  and filling the neck section with fiber or filler material. The neck roll is seen in  FIGS. 2 and 3  where depth or thickness D of neck roll is less than depth or thickness D′ of lobes  16   l  of the neck section. The neck roll has a depth D approximately one-half to three-quarters the depth D′ of the lobe portions of the neck section. 
     In use, as shown in  FIGS. 4 ,  5 , and  6 , head section  14  lies flat on mattress M while the neck section  16  is hinged about web to assume a position anywhere from flat (0°) through 180° from flat position, and preferably in a range of 90° to 150° from flat position. A sleeper positions neck into the recess  16   a  of the pillow neck section engaging neck roll  16   k  and with head on the head section.  FIG. 5  illustrates nominal juxtaposition of head and neck as the sleeper is lying down and moving in the direction of the arrow W.  FIG. 6  illustrates final position of compact pillow with head resting on head section and neck resting on neck roll between lobes.  FIGS. 5 and 6  show a sleeper in supine position with back of head on pillow. Alternatively, the sleeper may lie on his side with cheek engaging pillow. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , pillow case  20  may be contoured to match recess contour. 
     The term approximately for purposes of this application means plus or minus 10% of the values stated. 
     Various changes may be made to the structure embodying the principles of the invention. The foregoing embodiments are set forth in an illustrative and not in a limiting sense. The scope of the invention is defined by the claims appended hereto.