Multitiered pillow construction

A multitiered pillow is provided that is especially adapted for supporting the head of a person while sleeping. At least two tiers of different height are provided by the pillow to accommodate and properly support a person's head and neck regardless of whether the person is sleeping on his side (shoulders vertical) or prostrate (shoulders horizontal).

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to pillow constructions. More particularly, 
the present invention relates to having different effective thicknesses to 
accommodate a person's head and provides proper support for the head and 
neck for a person's vertical and horizontal sleeping positions. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
When sleeping, a person commonly uses a pillow for supporting the head and 
neck areas. The thickness of the pillow required for proper support varies 
from person to person because of shoulder width, head and neck size and 
weight. Moreover, the required thickness and support of a pillow depends 
on how the person is oriented when sleeping, such as whether a person's 
shoulders are horizontal or vertical. In the horizontal shoulder position, 
less support is required than in the vertical shoulder position because of 
the varying distance between the portion of the head adjacent the bed 
surface depending on the position of the shoulders. 
Failure to provide the proper support of the head and neck while sleeping 
can result in a stiff neck and/or shoulders. 
Some persons commonly sleep with two pillows laid on top of each other to 
increase the height of support that is provided. Such increased height may 
generally provide the proper support when the person's shoulders are in 
the vertical position, since the person's head is further away from the 
surface of the bed. However, when the person is in the horizontal shoulder 
position (prostrate), the pillow support surface is too high for the 
support height that is required. Thus, utilizing two stacked pillows also 
fails to provide proper sleeping positions when laying flat and prostrate. 
A need exists for a pillow that provides optimum head and neck support 
regardless of a person's horizontal or vertical shoulder orientation while 
sleeping. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In accordance with the present invention, a pillow construction especially 
adapted for sleeping is provided that allows for optimum head and neck 
support of a sleeping person regardless of whether the person's shoulders 
are oriented in a vertical or horizontal position. Thus, a person's head 
is oriented with respect to the shoulders in a position similar to when a 
person is standing erect, regardless of whether the sleeping person is on 
his side (shoulders vertical to the bed surface) or prostrate (shoulders 
horizontal to the bed surface). 
The pillow in accordance with the present invention is a multitiered 
pillow, preferably having at least two tiers, each tier being of a 
generally uniform height. Preferably, the tiers comprise lower and upper 
tiers with the upper tier having an actual thickness or an effective 
height of approximately two to three times the thickness or effective 
height of the first or lower tier. "Effective height" as used herein means 
the pillow height at a location of the pillow that is subjected to a 
compressive force such as the force created when a person's head is lying 
on that location of the pillow. 
The upper and lower tiers thus provide optimum sleeping support positions 
for the head and neck regardless of whether the sleeping person is laying 
down with the shoulders in a horizontal or vertical position. In 
accordance with one embodiment, a multitiered pillow is provided that is 
composed of an elongated compressible pillow body having a width and a 
depth, the pillow body defining a pillow top and a pillow bottom and at 
least first and second tiers, the second tier having an uncompressed 
height from the pillow bottom of at least about twice the uncompressed 
height from the pillow bottom of the first tier, the height of the first 
tier being suitable for supporting a person's head while in a prostrate 
position and the height of the second tier being suitable for supporting a 
person's head while laying on the side. In accordance with another 
embodiment, the uncompressed height of each of the tiers is the same or 
essentially the same, the second tier having an effective height of about 
two to three times the effective height of the first tier. 
The elongated pillow body may be composed of a unitary mass of compressible 
material, such as foam rubber or other suitably compressible resilient 
material. Regions may have different compressibility so as to provide 
tiers of the same or essentially the same uncompressed height having 
desired effective (compressed) heights (e.g., one tier having an effective 
height of about two to three times the effective height of the other 
tier). Alternatively, the pillow body may be composed of a plurality of 
compartments that contain a pillow packing material, such as goose down or 
other suitable packing material. Preferably, the compartments are 
segregated from each other and each compartment is associated with only an 
upper tier or a lower tier for maintaining the proper relative tier height 
or effective height differential. 
In one embodiment, the first and second tiers are each composed of a 
substantially flat plateau portion relative to the pillow bottom. The 
second or higher tier may further include a portion of decreasing height 
that extends from the substantially flat plateau portion of that tier. 
Also, the longitudinal pillow thickness may decrease along at least one of 
the longitudinal pillow ends. Preferably, the pillow bottom curves 
upwardly at the longitudinal end of decreasing thickness and is adjacent 
the portion of the second tier of decreasing height. 
In accordance with another embodiment, the longitudinal cross section of 
the pillow body is U-shaped and includes two upper tiers separated by a 
lower tier. 
In accordance with another embodiment, the pillow body defines a central 
upper tier (or greater effective height) and adjacent lower tiers (or 
tiers of lower effective height) on either longitudinal pillow side of the 
central upper tier. 
In accordance with still another embodiment, the pillow body defines an 
upper tier (or tier of greater effective height) on one longitudinal side 
of the pillow body and a lower tier (or tier of lower effective height) on 
the other longitudinal side of the pillow body.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
Referring to the Figures generally and in particular to FIGS. 1-3, there is 
illustrated a multitiered pillow 10 in accordance with the present 
invention. Multitiered pillow 10 defines an elongated pillow body. In the 
illustrated embodiment, multitiered pillow 10 is composed of a shell 12 
defining a plurality of segregated compartments 14a-e extending the 
transverse width of pillow 10 for containing pillow packing material 16. 
Shell 12 is composed of outer panels 18a-b which defines the outer limits 
of multitiered pillow 10. Shell 12 is also composed of inner panels 20a-c. 
Inner panels 20a-c serve to segregate shell 12 into segregated 
compartments 14a-e. Typically, outer panels 18a-b and inner panels 20a-c 
can be any suitable fabric for pillow 10, such as cloth, for example, and 
can be fastened together by any suitable structure, such as by sewing, or 
adhesive, for example. 
As illustrated in FIG. 3, shell 12 in combination with pillow packing 
material 16 defines a plurality of tiers, in this case an upper tier 22, a 
lower tier 24 and an upper tier 26, each extending across the transverse 
width of pillow 10. 
Upper tiers 22 and 26 are of a suitable height for supporting a person's 
head and neck when the person is sleeping on his side and lower tier 24 is 
of a suitable height for supporting a person's head and neck when the 
person is sleeping in a prostrate position, such as person P in FIG. 1. 
Each of upper and lower tiers 22, 24 and 26 define a relatively flat 
plateau portion relative to bottom 28 of pillow 10. Bottom 28 of pillow 10 
includes longitudinal ends 30 and 32 of decreasing thickness, as shown in 
FIG. 3. Longitudinal ends 30 and 32 are adjacent with the portion of upper 
tiers 22 and 26 that decrease in height from the substantially flat 
plateau portion of tiers 22 and 26 towards the longitudinal ends of pillow 
10. As a result, the longitudinal ends of pillow 10 provide an area of 
decreased thickness thereby providing a lower surface than the 
substantially flat plateau portions 22' and 26' of tiers 22 and 26. Thus, 
the longitudinal ends 34 and 36 of pillow 10 provide areas of decreased 
thickness yet are thicker and higher than lower tier 24, thereby providing 
an especially suitable height for supporting the head and neck of a person 
laying in between the prostrate and side positions. 
Because segregated compartments 14a-e are each associated either with an 
upper tier (22 or 26) or a lower tier (24) and such compartments extend 
transversely of pillow 10 as do tiers 22-26, packing material 16 in a 
particular compartment 14a-e remains associated with that compartment 
thereby maintaining the integrity and shape of tiers 22-26. 
Alternatively, multitiered pillow 10 could be constructed of a unitary mass 
of compressible material, such as foam rubber or other suitable material. 
Multitiered pillow 10' of FIG. 6 illustrates such an embodiment in which 
pillow 10' is constructed of a unitary mass 38 of foam rubber formed in a 
desired shape which is illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 6. In the embodiment 
illustrated in FIG. 6, like reference numerals illustrate like shape, 
structure and surface contours as set forth in FIG. 3. 
Referring to FIG. 4, there is illustrated another multitiered pillow 40 in 
accordance with the present invention. As illustrated, multitiered pillow 
40 is composed of a shell 42 and pillow packing material 44. Shell 42 
defines the shape of multitiered pillow 40 and is composed of panels 
46a-c. Panels 46a-c also define segregated compartments 48a-b which define 
the multitiers of pillow 40, in this case lower tier 50, upper tier 52 and 
lower tier 54. 
As illustrated, compartment 48a is associated only with upper tier 52, 
thereby preventing pillow packing material 44 adjacent upper tier 52 from 
migrating to either of lower tiers 50 and 54. As illustrated, lower tiers 
50 and 54 are especially suitable for supporting the head and neck of a 
person P and P' when in the prostrate position. Also, upper tier 52 is 
especially suitable for supporting the head and neck of a person (not 
shown) when laying sideways with the head and neck resting on upper tier 
52. 
Referring to FIG. 5, there is illustrated another embodiment in accordance 
with the invention. A multitiered pillow 60 is provided. Multitiered 
pillow 60 is composed of a shell 62 that defines segregated compartments 
64a-b that contain pillow packing material 66. Shell 62 is composed of a 
single piece of fabric 68 which is folded over onto itself and spaced 
apart as illustrated in FIG. 5 to form compartments 64a and 64b. 
Shell 62 thereby defines, in combination with packing material 66 an upper 
tier 70 and a lower tier 72. Upper tier 70 is especially suitable for 
supporting the head and neck of a person P laying on his side while lower 
tier 72 is especially suitable for supporting the head and neck portions 
of a person P' laying on his back. 
Preferably, the uncompressed height H of upper tier 70 as measured from the 
bottom 74 of pillow 60 is at least about twice the uncompressed height H' 
of lower tier 72 also as measured from bottom 74 of pillow 60. Generally, 
the height of the upper tier may be two to three times or more the 
uncompressed height of the lower tier in accordance with the invention. 
Referring to FIG. 7, there is illustrated another embodiment in accordance 
with the invention. A multitiered pillow 76 is provided having three 
effective tiers 78, 80 and 82. Multitiered pillow 76 is composed of a 
shell 84, having walls 85 and 85', that define segregated compartments 
86a-c that contain pillow packing material 88. Shell 84 is composed of 
fabric material configured to provide the desired shape for pillow 76 and 
the separate compartments 86a-c. Compartments 86a and 86c are packed with 
pillow packing material 88 to a substantially greater degree than 
compartment 86b. Consequently, tiers 78 and 82, when subjected to the 
weight of a person's head laying on the pillow, compress to a lesser 
degree than when the person's head is resting on tier 80, as shown in FIG. 
8. The weight of a person's head, as shown in FIG. 8 compresses tier 78 
such that a height H is achieved which is approximately twice the height, 
H', of tier 80. Similarly, the height H" of tier 82 when compressed is 
about twice the height of tier 80 when compressed by the weight of a 
typical person's head resting thereon. By varying the amount or type of 
pillow packing material, the desired effective height of each tier (the 
height of the tier when loaded by a normal person's head) can be achieved. 
As illustrated in FIG. 8, the effective height of tiers 78 and 82 are the 
same or substantially equal. If desired, each of tiers 78, 80 and 82 could 
have a different effective height as desired so that, for example, height 
H would be the greatest, height H' would be the lowest and height H" would 
be an intermediate height. As shown in FIG. 8, height H' is a suitable 
height for a person's head when the person P' is laying on his back, and 
upper tiers 78 and 82 are of a suitable effective height when a person P 
is laying on his side. 
Pillow 76' as illustrated in FIG. 12 and 13 is constructed as an inflatable 
pillow such that compartments 86'a-c can be inflated to a desired air 
pressure in place of or in addition to the presence of some material 88. 
By adjusting the pressure in compartments 86'a and 86'c to be greater than 
the pressure of compartment 86'b, the desired compressed tier height H', 
H" and H'" can be achieved. 
Referring to FIG. 9, there is illustrated another embodiment in accordance 
with the invention. A multitiered pillow 90 is provided that has effective 
tiers 92, 94 and 96, each tier 92-96 having an uncompressed height H such 
that the height of uncompressed pillow 90 is essentially uniform. Pillow 
90 is composed of a shell 98 which may be constructed of a suitable 
fabric. The interior of pillow 90 is composed of foam rubber material 100a 
and 100b. Foam rubber material 100a compresses to a lesser degree than 
foam rubber material 100b when subjected to a load such as a person's head 
laying on pillow 90, as illustrated in FIG. 11. Thus, tiers 92 and 96 
provide a compressed height H' and H'" shown with respect to multitiered 
pillow 76 of FIG. 8 for effective tiers 92 and 96 and a height H" similar 
to that shown with respect to pillow 76 of FIG. 8 for tier 94. If desired, 
the foam rubber 100a and 100b which defines effective tiers 92, 94 and 96, 
can each be composed of a separate mass that may be adhesively or 
otherwise secured together to form a unitary mass that defines the body of 
multitiered pillow 90. 
Referring to FIGS. 10 and 11, there is illustrated another embodiment in 
accordance with the invention. A multitiered pillow 102 is provided having 
effective tiers 104 and 106. Tier 104 has an effective or compressed 
height H' when a typical person's head P is resting on the pillow that is 
approximately two to three times the compressed height H" of tier 106 when 
compressed by the weight of a person's head P' resting on that portion of 
pillow 102. 
While the invention has been described with respect to certain preferred 
embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is capable of 
numerous rearrangements, substitutions and changes that are within the 
scope of the following claims and it is intended that the invention cover 
all such changes, rearrangements and modifications.