Patent Publication Number: US-2022218129-A1

Title: Pillow including a breathing channel

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/136,372 filed on Jan. 12, 2021, titled “Pillow Including a Breathing Channel.” The entire disclosure of Application No. 63/136,372 is hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Over the years there have been many attempts to create the perfect soft pillow for side and stomach sleepers. Traditional one-cavity pillows stuffed with soft filler materials have a tendency to puff up in the face of the person laying on their side or stomach, making it uncomfortable to breathe. Other conventional pillow designs have used contoured construction that improves breathability but results in a pillow that is uncomfortably hard. The few conventional multi-cavity soft pillows in the market do not address the need to provide a clear path for breathing. Studies have also indicated that conventional pillows may cause increased intraocular pressure, a risk factor for glaucoma, when a person&#39;s head is turned into the pillow. A need remains for improved, effective, and comfortable pillows for side and stomach sleepers. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The following figures form part of the present specification and are included to further demonstrate certain aspects of the present disclosure and should not be used to limit or define the claimed subject matter. The claimed subject matter may be better understood by reference to one or more of these drawings in combination with the description of embodiments presented herein. Consequently, a more complete understanding of the present embodiments and further features and advantages thereof may be acquired by referring to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals may identify like elements, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a pillow according to an example of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  shows a side view of a pillow according to an example of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  shows a bottom view of another pillow according to an example of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  shows a bottom view of another pillow according to an example of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The foregoing description of the figures is provided for the convenience of the reader. It should be understood, however, that the embodiments are not limited to the precise arrangements and configurations shown in the figures. Also, the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale, and certain features may be shown exaggerated in scale or in generalized or schematic form, in the interest of clarity and conciseness. 
       FIG. 1  shows an embodiment of a pillow  10  of this disclosure. A first sleeve  12  forming an elongated internal cavity  14  with a longitudinal axis is shown linked to a second sleeve  16  forming an elongated internal cavity  18  with a longitudinal axis. The sleeves  12 ,  16  may be formed of any conventional material as known in the art (e.g., cotton, cotton blends, etc.). In some embodiments, the sleeves  12 ,  16  are generally cylindrically shaped. The cavities  14 ,  18  contain a filler material  13  (further described below). A linking member  20  is disposed in between the first sleeve  12  and the second sleeve  16  to couple the sleeves to one another. The linking member  20  provides for an adjustable channel  22  in between the first sleeve  12  and the second sleeve  16 . 
       FIG. 2  shows a side sleeper  24  with her head placed upon the first sleeve  12  and her chin and neck upon the second sleeve  16 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the linking member  20  couples the two sleeves  12 ,  16  creating an air channel  22  in between the sleeves. The linking member  20  creates a channel  22  aligned with a person&#39;s mouth and nose when a person&#39;s head rests on one sleeve  12  cushion and the person&#39;s neck and jaw are resting on the other sleeve  16  cushion. The channel  22  provides an unrestricted space for the sleeper&#39;s  24  mouth and nose. As shown in  FIG. 2 , linking member  20  is preferably connected at the center of first sleeve  12  and second sleeve  16  along their longitudinal axes. In this manner, an air channel  22  is provided regardless which side of the pillow  10  is used. 
     In some embodiments, the sleeves  12 ,  16  are configured with a resealable fastener  26  at one end of the sleeve, to allow for insertion and removal of the filler material  13  within the respective cavity  14 ,  18 . As used herein, the term “resealable fastener” may include any conventional means as known in the art (e.g., a zipper, snaps, hook-loop fasteners, VELCRO™ etc.). In some embodiments, the sleeves  12 ,  14  are sealed at both ends (e.g., sewn shut) to permanently contain the filler material  13  within the cavity  14 ,  18 . In some embodiments, the sleeves  12 ,  16  are formed with a flap  28  covering an opening  30  at one end to allow for insertion and removal of the filler material  13  within the cavity  14 ,  18 . 
       FIG. 3  shows a bottom view of another pillow  10  embodiment of this disclosure. In this embodiment, the linking member  20  is an extension of the material forming one of the sleeves  12 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , the first sleeve  12  is sewn  32  along the longitudinal axis to form the generally cylindrical cavity  14  (See  FIG. 1 ) while allowing a sufficient amount of extending material to form the linking member  20 . In such embodiments, the first sleeve  12  and the linking member  20  are a one-piece unit, made of the same material. In other embodiments, a stand-alone separate linking member  20  may be affixed to one of the sleeves  12 ,  16  by any suitable means as known in the art (e.g., sewn in, snaps, affixed with an adhesive, etc.). Embodiments configured with a stand-alone separate linking member  20  may be implemented with the linking member made of any suitable material as desired. 
     The other end of the linking member  20  is coupled to the second sleeve  16  via a releasable fastener  34  to permit the user to widen or narrowing the channel  22  (See arrow  23 ) in between the first sleeve  12  and the second sleeve  16  by manual adjustment. As used herein, the term “releasable fastener” may include any conventional means as known in the art (e.g., snaps, hook-loop fasteners, VELCRO™, etc.). For example, an embodiment may be implemented with the linking member  20  configured with a releasable fastener  34  consisting of VELCRO™ on the surface of the linking member  20  to engage with a complementary mating VELCRO™ patch configured on the surface of the sleeve  16 . Another embodiment may be implemented with the linking member  20  configured with a releasable fastener  34  consisting of a series of snaps on the surface of the linking member  20  to engage with a complementary series of mating snaps affixed on the surface of the sleeve  16 . 
     With such embodiments, a user can selectively widen or narrow the width  23  of channel  22  by adjusting the releasable fastener  34  to move the connection point of the linking member  20  on the sleeve  16  to either extend the connection point and widen the channel or take up the connection point and narrow the channel. Such embodiments also allow the user to selectively vary the width  23  of the channel  22  in between the sleeves  12 ,  16  along the longitudinal axes of the sleeves. As such, a user can manually adjust the linking member  20  on her pillow to couple the first sleeve  12  to the second sleeve  16  such that the first sleeve and the second sleeve are substantially parallel to one another along their longitudinal axes, as depicted in  FIG. 1 . Alternatively, a user can also manually adjust the linking member  20  on her pillow via the releasable fastener  34  to couple the first sleeve  12  to the second sleeve  16  such that the first sleeve and the second sleeve are not parallel to one another along their longitudinal axes. This may be desired to “fine tune” the channel  22  spacing  23  between the sleeves  12 ,  16  for maximum effectiveness and comfort. In other embodiments, the linking member  20  may be permanently linked to each of the sleeves  12 ,  16  (e.g., via sewing) to provide a specific channel  22  width  23  in between the sleeves as desired by the user. In some embodiments, the sleeves  12 ,  16  and the linking member  20  may be formed entirely as a one-piece unit, with the channel  22  formed by sewing the material in parallel along the longitudinal axis to form the channel with a width  23  as specified by the user. Yet other embodiments may be implemented with multiple segmented linking members  20 A,  20 B coupling the first sleeve  12  to the second sleeve  16 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . Such embodiments provide a wide-open, unrestricted air channel  22  in between the sleeves  12 ,  16 , which enables users that require a medical breathing apparatus (e.g., CPAP masks) to sleep on their side or stomach while wearing the apparatus. 
     Embodiments may be implemented with the filler material  13  formed of any suitable substance as known in the art. For example, embodiments may be implemented with filler material  13  comprising conventional materials as known in the art (e.g., polyester, synthetics, foam compositions, synthetic fiber material, natural feathers, multi-piece materials, beads, etc.). Preferably, embodiments can be implemented using materials suitable for machine washing and drying. In some embodiments, the filler material  13  may be sheathed in a separate cover  36  which is inserted into the sleeve  12 ,  16 , cavity  14 ,  18  (See  FIG. 2 ). With such embodiments, a user can select from different grades of filler material  13  to easily swap pre-filled covers  36  to customize her pillow  10  such that one sleeve  12  provides a different firmness level compared to the other sleeve  16 . 
     Embodiments can be implemented for use with conventional sized pillow cases (e.g., Standard, Queen, King). For example, but not by way of limitation, a pillow  10  embodiment may be implemented with the sleeves  12 ,  16  configured to fit into a Standard sized pillow case (18 inches×24 inches, 45.72 cm×60.96 cm), while still providing the channel  22  in between the sleeves (e.g., with a linking member  20  approximately 1.5 inches (3.81 cm) wide). Embodiments may also be implemented with the sleeves  12 ,  16  having different circumferences. For example, a pillow  10  embodiment can be implemented with one sleeve  12  forming a cavity  14  with a 19 inch (48.26 cm) circumference and the other sleeve  16  having a cavity  18  with a 16 inch (40.64 cm) circumference. In this manner, a user can further customize the pillow  10  to provide maximum comfort as desired. 
     In light of the principles and example embodiments described and depicted herein, it will be recognized that the example embodiments can be modified in arrangement and detail without departing from such principles. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that embodiments of this disclosure may be implemented using conventional materials and components suitable for the desired application (e.g., components made of cloth, plastics, hybrid material combinations, etc.). What is claimed as the invention, therefore, are all implementations that come within the scope of the following claims, and all equivalents to such implementations.