Patent Publication Number: US-2006010603-A1

Title: Comfort pillow

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
      This application claims benefit to provisional application 60/586,022, filed on Jul. 7, 2004, entitled “Comfort Pillow”, which is incorporated herein in its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates to the field of pillow designs, and in particular to a breathable pillow stuffed with pellets.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      In a struggle to design the perfect pillow, inventors and companies have developed pillows with stuffing ranging from cotton and synthetic materials to bird feathers and buckwheat. In each of these applications at least one problem exists with the designs; these problems include heat retention, noise, structural degradation in a short time span, and uneven compression. As a result, numerous pillow fillings have been introduced into the market in an attempt to create the perfect pillow.  
      U.S. Patent Application No. 20030200609 discloses a cushioning device. The cushioning device has a flexible container and a plurality of polymeric beads within the flexible container which flows under a slight force and shears easily. The cushioning device is capable of receiving a physical object that applies a force to the cushion. When the force is initially applied to the cushioning device, the cushioning device is deformed to conform to the physical object from its original shape. When the physical object is not applying the force, the cushioning device reverts to a shape that is close to but not identical to the original shape, except for a limited number of materials such as molded elastomeric materials. In addition, the pressure exerted by the cushion on the physical object will reduce pressure that would cause tissue damage and lead to decubitus ulcers.  
      U.S. Pat. No. 6,235,391 discloses a resilient material shaped into a bent strand with a preferred length from 1.5 to 7 inches forms a filling element for cushions, pillows and upholstered articles. The strand may be bent so as to have a Z-shape or an S-shape or a V-shape or a C-shape along a portion of its length. The length of the strand is greater than its nominal cross-sectional thickness. A quantity of filling elements (e.g., the filling material), preferably formed from flexible, open cell polyurethane foam, is inserted or blown into a casing for a cushion, pillow or upholstered article. Following compression, the filling elements rebound substantially to their uncompressed state without clumping together or leaving pockets within the casing.  
      U.S. Pat. No. 5,778,470 discloses a pillow structure formed with an outer cover or casing in which a foam shell is enclosed, where in a horizontally disposed partition being mounted in the shell along the horizontal central axis of the pillow structure, wherein the partition controls the random movement of beads enclosed within each compartment defined by the partition, whereby the beads are prevented from moving or being transferred between the respective juxtaposed compartments.  
      U.S. Pat. No. 4,307,200 discloses a composite foamed material and a process for the production thereof are disclosed herein, the process comprising premixing expandable or expanded polystyrene beads, a binder and fragments of resilient, open-celled neoprene. The materials are combined in the proportions of about 4-15% polystyrene beads, about 6-25% binder and about 60-90% open-celled neoprene. The combined materials are preferably compressed to a density of about 5-30 lbs. per cubic foot, more preferably 5-17 lbs. per cubic foot, and steam is applied to the compressed materials to cure the binder, and in certain embodiments to expand the polystyrene beads, thereby producing the desired composite foamed material.  
      U.S. Pat. No. 3,999,801 discloses a seating structure removably receives a typically amorphous styrofoam pellet-filled body cushion. The seating structure includes a shell for holding the cushion and a pedestal for supporting the shell on a floor surface. In the preferred embodiment the shell has a bottom portion, rear support, side and front portions integral with, and extending generally upward from, said bottom to define a contoured and shaped cushion-receiving cavity. The shell is generally concavo-convex in shape with the pedestal attached to the convex underside of the shell. The pedestal is additionally adapted to removably receive casters or detachable base supports.  
      U.S. Patent Application No. 20040019972 discloses a cushioning apparatus such as a pillow which includes an upper pocket with reception cavity for receiving preferably loose or grouped non-integral filler material such as down, fiberfill or fiber-balls and another pocket for receiving additional filler material such as a foam core filler material. The foam core filler material is preferably an integrated or monolithic foam body of, for example, visco-elastic or alternate polyurethane foam. The core preferably has a non-planar upper surface contour allowing for a relatively thin, consistent height upper pocket thickness. The pillow also preferably includes a lower pocket joined about its periphery to the upper pocket such as by way of an intermediate gusset panel with beading and with the lower pocket also receiving loose or non-integrated filler material and with the bottom surface of the core preferably having a convex surface such as one symmetrical with the top surface.  
      There is a need however, for a breathable comfort pillow that does not retain heat, while being hypoallergenic, durable, silent, and extremely comfortable.  
     OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      It is an object of the present invention to provide a breathable comfort pillow that does not retain heat.  
      It is a further object of the present invention to provide a breathable comfort pillow that is hypoallergenic, durable, silent, and extremely comfortable.  
      It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a breathable comfort pillow that can be inexpensively manufactured with common manufacturing techniques.  
      In accordance with the first aspect of the present invention, a novel comfort pillow is disclosed. The novel comfort pillow includes a breathable cover member, having a top portion and a bottom portion, said top portion&#39;s perimeter edge integrally connected to said bottom portion&#39;s perimeter edge, to form a sealed internal cavity and a pellet filling, comprised of a plurality of pellets, stuffed within said breathable cover member&#39;s sealed internal cavity.  
      In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a novel comfort pillow is disclosed. The novel comfort pillow includes a breathable cover member, having main sleeve portion closed at both ends, to form a sealed internal cavity and a pellet filling, comprised of a plurality of spherical hot stamped neoprene pellets, with a plurality of small fibers extending from each pellet, stuffed within said breathable cover member&#39;s sealed internal cavity. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be better understood when read with reference to the appended drawings, wherein:  
       FIG. 1  is a cutaway view of a comfort pillow in accordance with the present invention.  
       FIG. 2  is a perspective cutaway view of a pellet of the comfort pillow of  FIG. 1 .  
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
      Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to the same components across the several views, and in particular to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a comfort pillow  10 . The comfort pillow  10  includes a breathable cover member  12 . In a preferred embodiment, the breathable cover member  12  is comprised of a main sleeve portion sealed at each end, to form a sealed internal cavity. In alternate embodiments, the breathable cover member  12  could be made in any form, so long as it is sealable to form an internal cavity.  
      The comfort pillow  10  further includes a pellet filling  11 . The pellet filling  11  is comprised of a plurality of pellets  21 . In a preferred embodiment, each pellet  21  would be spherical and constructed from neoprene  23 , to provide soft and durable cushioning. In alternate embodiments, each pellet  21  could be formed into any shape and constructed from any material, including foam and composite materials, known to an expert versed in the prior art.  
      Further, in a preferred embodiment, each pellet  21  is manufactured and heat sealed in a hot stamp process, to form a durable external shell  24 . This hot stamping process introduces miniature fibers  22 , which extend from the durable external shell  24 , to provide additional cushioning, maximized air flow, and sound buffering. In alternate embodiments, each pellet  21  could be coated with an elastomeric substance or any other material known by an expert versed in the prior art to increase durability. Each pellet could also be manufactured through a cold press or other process known to an expert versed in the prior art.  
      While the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described and illustrated, modifications may be made by one of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.