Patent Publication Number: US-7210178-B2

Title: Contour pillow with interior baffle walls

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This invention relates generally to pillows, and more specifically concerns a pillow with a contoured exterior configuration. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Various contour pillow configurations are known, usually providing specialized support for the user. Examples of such pillows include those shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,345,401 to Frydman and U.S. Pat. No. 3,829,917 to DeLaittre et al. However, such pillows usually are solid foam, or other soft, resilient material, to maintain the contour. This is, for instance, shown clearly in Frydman. It is difficult to maintain a contour arrangement in a pillow with loose filling such as feathers and down. With the present invention, however, a contoured pillow structure is provided which maintains the original contour of the pillow, using a loose filling like feathers, down, other natural filling or comparable synthetic filling, such as polyester or PLA (polylactic acid) material. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, the present invention is a pillow, comprising: a pillow body having an upper curved portion, including a first convex curved portion extending along an upper surface of the pillow near a rear edge thereof, a second convex curved portion extending along the upper surface of the pillow near a front edge thereof, and a concave curved portion joining the first and second curved portions; a plurality of spaced-apart interior baffle members extending approximately parallel to the curved portions, defining chambers within the pillow; and filling in the pillow body, in the chambers defined by the baffle members. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the exterior configuration of the contoured pillow described herein. 
         FIG. 2  is a lateral cross-sectional view of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a view showing a cover for the pillow of  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
     
    
    
     BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
       FIGS. 1 and 2  show the present contour pillow, with  FIG. 1  showing the external contour configuration. The pillow  10  includes a fabric shell  12  which in the embodiment shown is made from a cotton or similar material. Shell  12  includes a flat lower portion  14 , an upper curved portion  16  and two opposing flat end portions  18  and  20 . Each end portion  18 ,  20  has a flat lower edge  22  and a curved upper edge  24 . In the embodiment shown, pillow  10  is 21½ inches long and 18 inches wide, although these dimensions can be varied. 
     The upper curved portion  16  of shell  12  includes a rear curved section  26  which extends lengthwise of the pillow between the two end portions  18  and  20 , and a front curved section  28  which also extends lengthwise of the pillow between the two end portions  18  and  20  and generally parallels the rear curved section  26 . The rear curved section  26  and the front curved section  28  are both convex curves. Between the rear curved section  26  and the front curved section  28 , joining the two together, is an intermediate curved section  30  which is concave. 
     In the embodiment shown, the distance between the flat lower portion  14  of the shell  12  and the high point of rear curved section  26  is 4½ inches, while the distance between the lower portion  14  and the high point of front curved section  28  is 3½ inches. The distance between lower portion  14  and the low point of intermediate curved section  30  is 3 inches. 
     The upper portion  16  of shell  12  is arranged so that it curves from back to front continuously from rear lower edge  34  of shell  12  through the rear curved section  26 , intermediate curved section  30  and front curved section  28  to front lower edge  36 . 
     Extending lengthwise, i.e. longitudinally, of pillow  10  are three interior baffle members  40 ,  42  and  44 . Baffle members  40 ,  42  and  44  in the embodiment shown extend for the full length of the pillow and parallel each other. Each baffle member is sewn to the interior surfaces of the lower and upper portions  14 ,  16  of shell  12 , and to at least one of the two end portions  18  and  20 . In some construction techniques, one end portion is not secured to one end portion, in order to permit convenient filling of the pillow. In the embodiment shown, the interior baffle members are also made of cotton, although this material can be varied as well. The location of the baffle members is important to maintain the loose fill in the pillow in proper position to maintain the contour of the pillow. 
     In the embodiment shown, baffle member  40  is located approximately halfway between the high point of rear curved section  26  and the low point of intermediate curved section  30 . Baffle member  42  is positioned approximately at the low point of intermediate curved section  30 , while baffle member  44  is close to the high point of front curved section  28 . The location of the baffle members can be varied to some extent, such as over a range of 1–2 inches. 
     Baffle member  40  is, in the embodiment shown, approximately 4 inches high, while baffle member  42  is 3 inches high and baffle member  44  is 3½ inches high, which is approximately the same as the distance to the high point of the front curved section  28  from the lower portion  14  of shell  12 . 
     The pillow may be filled with either natural filling, e.g. feathers and down, or synthetic, e.g. polyester filling or PLA or similar material. There can also be different fill material in the different chambers defined by the baffle members. 
     The contour pillow  10  can be provided with a cover which includes fill on one side.  FIG. 3  shows a pillow cover  50  into which pillow  10  can be inserted. Filling on the order of 6 ounces of down, is on one side of the cover, the upper side, which covers the contoured surface of the pillow. The cover gives the pillow  10  the appearance of a conventional pillow when it is on the bed, and not in use. 
     Accordingly, a new pillow configuration has been disclosed, specifically a pillow having a contoured configuration extending lengthwise of the pillow. Interior baffle members are provided which extend lengthwise of the pillow, maintaining the contour with a natural or synthetic loose fill, including a PLA filling. 
     Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed for purposes of illustration, it should be understood that various changes, modifications and substitutions may be incorporated in the embodiment without departing from the spirit of the invention which is defined by the claims which follow: