Abstract:
An anti-wrinkle pillow shaped to avoid contact of facial tissues with the pillow surface while sleeping on the side, in combination with pillow extensions that surround the upper body to provide added comfort and support.

Description:
[0001]    Applicant claims the benefit of Provisional Application 61/461,944 filed Jan. 25, 2011. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The invention relates to bed pillows, and more specifically to multi-purpose pillows that are structured to improve support for several different parts of the body, and to minimize the formation of wrinkles in a person&#39;s face while they sleep. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Pillows designed to support the body are made in different shapes and designs for different specific purposes. The existing pillows that provide comfort and support are mostly targeted to a specific part or parts of the body. For example, some pillows primarily give neck support; while others are for head support. Some give back support, and others give side head support for side sleepers. Some anti-wrinkle pillows try to keep the pillow from pressing against the delicate and sensitive surface of facial skin, thus reducing the creation of unsightly wrinkles and creases. Such anti-wrinkle pillows do not offer good support for other parts of the body, and they do not offer a way to keep the head properly located to benefit from the anti-wrinkle feature. See for example U.S. Pat. No. 4,908,893 which provides a pillow with an opening to minimize contact with delicate facial tissue when sleeping on your side. 
         [0004]    Most people like to sleep with several pillows because they need not only head support, but also back and chest support. Hotels fill their beds and storage with pillows so people can sleep well by surrounding themselves with extra support for comfort. However, too many pillows on the bed can become uncomfortable, since most people move around while they sleep. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    My invention provides a more useful and comfortable pillow that gives support to many parts of the body, including the head, neck, chest, and back while sleeping on either side of the body; and to the head, neck, shoulders and arms while sleeping on the back. It also prevents contact of facial skin with any surface, when sleeping on the side, thereby preventing the formation of facial wrinkles. The new pillow also helps to keep the face in the right position to avoid surface contact, even when the user moves their body. The new pillow can be used alone, or it can be placed on top of a conventional pillow, depending on the level of comfort needed for the user. 
         [0006]    A butterfly shaped pillow is preferred, having an opening in each upper wing, usually in the shape of an oval to follow the side contour of the face, so that the forehead and the chin are supported but at the same time the remainder of the facial skin, including the eye area and the cheek, are not touching anything while sleeping on the side. The middle part of the butterfly between the upper wings supports the user&#39;s head, while the inverted “U” shape between the lower wings surrounds the upper body to provide support for the chest and back when lying sideways. When laying on one&#39;s back, the middle of the butterfly is where the head rests, while the lower wings support the back, shoulders and arms. In short, the present invention provides an anti-wrinkle pillow that also provides upper body comfort and support. 
         [0007]    The interior of the pillow includes two or more layers, including a foam layer on one side for comfort, and a fiber layer on the other side to permit air flow. The fiber side of the pillow is softer, to provide a warmer feel, while the foam side is substantially firmer, giving it a cooler feel, to suit different tastes. The outer surface, or pillowcase, is made of any suitable material, including cotton, silk or satin. 
         [0008]    In addition to preventing wrinkles, the pillow is very desirable for patients who have had facial surgery or other facial procedures, including chemical peels or Botox injections. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  shows the preferred shape of the pillow of the present invention. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  shows a model lying on the pillow to illustrate the preferred position of the body while lying on the side. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  shows an alternate example of how the pillow can be shaped. 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  shows a cross-section of the pillow to illustrate its layered construction. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0013]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , the pillow includes upper wings  11  and lower wings  12 . A central area  13  is provided for head support, and openings  14  are provided to avoid contact with facial skin when lying on either side. The pillow case includes a zipper or other fastener in the portions that enclose openings  14 . By partially opening the zipper near an upper wing, a space underneath the case is provided to insert a sachet of aromatherapy (or other vapor treatment) which delivers aroma or vapors directly to the nose. 
         [0014]    An inverted “U” space  15  between lower wings  12  is provided to surround and comfort the shoulder and upper body, while lying on either side. Thus the lower wings place the shoulder and upper body in the correct position for making sure that the head stays on area  13  of the pillow, and the face stays over space  14  while sleeping on the side. Each of the lower wings is conveniently positioned to allow “hugging” without any need for a separate pillow, as frequently desired when sleeping with conventional pillows. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the model is sleeping with head resting on area  13  and her facial area positioned over opening  14  to avoid contact with any surface. Her shoulder and upper body are positioned between lower wings  12  to provide added comfort and support. The option to hug a lower wing is readily available. If a large user needs more space between wings  12 , it is easy to move the wings apart to provide more space. They will return to their original position after use. 
         [0015]    As shown in  FIG. 3 , an alternate pillow shape includes central area  21  for head support, openings  22  positioned to prevent facial skin from contacting the pillow, and lower extensions  23 , spaced apart to surround the upper body and shoulder of the user, thereby providing added comfort and support. Openings  22  are simply cut-away areas, instead of having a closed geometry as in the example of  FIG. 1 . 
         [0016]    As shown in  FIG. 4 , the pillow has a layered construction, including polyurethane foam layer  31  and polyester fiber layer  33 . The fiber is chosen to provide a softer, warm feeling, while the foam layer is chosen to give a firmer, cool feeling. This gives the user an option to flip the pillow as often as necessary, to achieve greater comfort. Many other conventional fillers are also suitable to provide a soft side and a firm side. Middle layer  32  is optional, since the foam and fiber layers alone are sufficient to illustrate an example of the invention. The middle layer can be made of polyether gel, for example, to provide a cooling effect. 
         [0017]    The entire disclosure of U.S. Pat. No. 4,908,893 is incorporated herein by reference.