Patent Publication Number: US-2007107131-A1

Title: Pillow with foam insert

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates to an improved down pillow having an interior pocket for receiving a foam insert to provide rigidity and shape to the down pillow with the foam insert being surrounded by down material.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      Down pillows are comfortable but collapse very easily and do not maintain their shape. There is a need for a comfortable down pillow that maintains its shape.  
      It is an object of the present invention to provide a comfortable down pillow which maintains its shape and does not collapse.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention provides an improved down pillow having an interior pocket or chamber for receiving a foam insert to provide rigidity and shape to the down pillow, with the foam insert being surrounded by down material. The interior chamber is closed by zippers.  
      The down pillow and foam insert may be of any shape.  
      In alternate embodiments, instead of down, the pillow may be formed from polyester, feathers, or the like.  
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an improved down pillow in the shape of a rectangle;  
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the down pillow shown in  FIG. 1  having an interior pocket or chamber for receiving a foam insert;  
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a rectangular-shaped, down body pillow;  
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a rectangular-shaped down pillow having a gusset;  
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the pillow shown in  FIG. 3  having an interior chamber and a foam insert;  
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a rectangular-shaped down pillow having a gusset;  
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the pillow shown in  FIG. 6  having an interior chamber and a foam insert;  
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a lumbar pillow;  
       FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a foam insert for the lumbar pillow shown in  FIG. 8 ;  
       FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a rectangular-shaped mattress pad;  
       FIG. 11  is a cross-section view of  FIG. 10 ;  
       FIG. 12  is a perspective view of a travel pillow;  
       FIG. 13  is an end view of the travel pillow shown in  FIG. 12 ;  
       FIG. 14  is a cross-sectional view of the foam insert for the travel pillow shown in  FIG. 12 ;  
       FIG. 15  is a perspective view of a U-shaped orthopedic pillow;  
       FIG. 16  is a perspective view of the foam insert for insertion into the pillow shown in  FIG. 15 ;  
       FIG. 17  is a perspective view of a wedge-shaped pillow;  
       FIG. 18  is an end view thereof,  
       FIG. 19  is a side view thereof,  
       FIG. 20  is a perspective view of a bolster pillow;  
       FIG. 21  shows the foam insert for the bolster pillow; and  
       FIG. 22  is a perspective view of a circular-shaped pillow and the foam insert therefor. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       FIGS. 1 and 2  show an improved down pillow  10  formed from a first section  12  and a second section  14  which are connected by sewing along their respective edges  16  and  18  to form an interior pocket or chamber  20  for receiving a foam insert  22 . An L-shaped zipper  24  is provided along one side edge  26  and one end edge  28  to open and close the pillow  10 . Alternatively, the opposite ends of the pillow may have zippered openings to insert and remove the foam insert  22 . Sections  12  and  14  each have an outer layer of fabric and an inner layer of fabric sewn together to form a closed pillow section filled with down material.  
      Edges  16  and  18  may be connected by sewing or other suitable devices for permanently closing edges  16  and  18 .  
      Pillow sections  12  and  14  may be filled with down material, polyester, feathers, or the like. Foam insert  22  may be any type of foam, such as polyurethane, visco elastic foam, open cell foam, or closed cell foam. The thickness of the foam insert  22  is preferably in the range of 2 inches to 12 inches. Pillow  10  may be any shape, and foam insert  22  may be of any shape, as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 7 .  
      Pillow  10  may be stitched at  25  to form  2  channels or compartments  27  and  29  to hold the down material in place so it does not move around. Pillow  10  may be rectangular in shape or square shaped, and may also have two stitch lines  25  to form three channels for holding the down material.  
     ALTERNATE EMBODIMENTS  
       FIGS. 3 and 5  show a rectangular-shaped body pillow  30  having first and second down-filled sections  32  and  34  which are sewn together along their edges  36  and  38 , and which have zippers  40  and  42  for opening and closing the other edges of the pillow, as shown. A rectangular-shaped foam insert  44  is disposed within the interior chamber  46  of pillow  30 . Body pillow  30  preferably has a size of 20 inches by 54 inches, and foam insert may have other shapes, as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 7 . Body pillow  30  may also have stitch lines to form channels or compartments for holding the down material in place. In addition, it may also include a gusset, as shown in  FIG. 4 .  
       FIG. 4  shows a rectangular-shaped pillow  50  having first and second down-filled sections  52  and  54  which are sewn together along their edges  56  and  58 , and which have zippers  60  and  62  for opening and closing the other edges of the pillow. A rectangular-shaped foam insert is disposed within the interior chamber of pillow  50 . Pillow  50  has a two-inch gusset  64 , and may also be square in shape. Further, pillow  50  may have one or two stitch lines to form two or three channels  27  to hold the down material in place. The pillow sizes may be 20 inches by 26 inches, 20 inches by 30 inches, or 20 inches by 36 inches.  
       FIGS. 6 and 7  show a rectangular-shaped pillow  70  having down-filled sections  72  and  74 , sewn edges  76  and  78 , zippers  80  and  82 , and an interior chamber  84  for receiving a foam insert  86 . Pillow  70  has a two-inch gusset  88 , and may also have stitch lines  87  for forming channels  89  to hold the down material in place.  
       FIGS. 8 and 9  show a lumbar pillow  90  having down-filled sections  92  and  94 , sewn edges  96  and  98 , zippers  100  and  102 , and an interior chamber for receiving a foam  15  insert  104 .  
       FIGS. 10 and 11  show a mattress pad  110  having down-filled sections  112  and  114 , a sewn edge  116 , three zippered edges  118 ,  120  and  122 , and an interior chamber for receiving a foam insert  124 . Pad  110  may have three or five stitch lines  126  to form four or six channels  128  for holding the down material in place. Alternatively, stitch lines may be provided in a transverse direction to form squares for holding the down material in place. There is also a two-inch gusset.  
      FIGS.  12  to  14  show a small travel pillow  130  having upper and lower down-filled sections  132  and  134 , sewn edges  136  and  138 , zippers  140  and  142 , and an interior chamber for receiving a foam insert  144 .  
       FIG. 15  and  16  show a U-shaped neck pillow or orthopedic pillow  150  having down-filled sections  152  and  154 , a sewn edge  156 , a U-shaped zipper  158 , and an interior chamber for receiving a U-shaped foam insert  160 .  
      FIGS.  17  to  19  show a wedge-shaped pillow  170  having down-filled sections  172  and  174 , sewn edge  176 , zippered edges  178 ,  180  and  182 , and an interior chamber for receiving a foam insert in the shape of a wedge. Pillow  170  may have stitch lines to form compartments for holding the down material in place.  
       FIGS. 20 and 21  show a bolster pillow  190  having down-filled sections  192  and  194 , sewn edge  196 , zipper  200 , and an interior chamber for receiving a cylindrical-shaped foam insert  202 . Stitch lines may be provided to form compartments for holding the down material in place. A second zipper may also be provided at the opposite end.  
       FIG. 22  shows a circular-shaped pillow  220  having upper and lower down-filled sections  222  and  224 , sewn edge  226 , zipper  228 , and foam insert  230 . It may also include a two-inch gusset, and stitch lines to hold the down material in place. Alternatively, there may also be transverse stitch lines to form squares to hold the down material in place.  
      In the alternate embodiments described above, it should be understood that the sewn edges may be connected by other suitable devices for permanently closing the edges. Also, the pillow sections may be formed from down material, polyester, feathers, or the like. The foam inserts may be of any type of foam, as described above.  
      A latitude of modification, change, and substitution is intended in the foregoing disclosure, and in some instances, some features of the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the spirit and scope of the invention herein.