Abstract:
Hygienic, antibacterial, and anti-allergenic pillows or pillow encasings with a covering are disclosed. The covering comprises a fabric coated with a monolithic coating and a filter. The monolithic coating prevents moisture from entering the pillow and allergens from leaving the pillow or pillow encasing. The filter is operative to allow air to egress and ingress the pillow covering.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    This disclosure relates to technology, materials, and methods for hypoallergenic bedding products, particularly, bed pillows and methods for covering and protecting pillows from organic contamination. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Formal and informal laboratory testing of pillows has shown that over years of use they can become a source of not only house dust mites and their allergens, but also various species of fungi and bacteria. These organic contaminates contribute to pathologies such as allergies, asthma, and chronic sinusitis. It has been established that using allergen avoidance measures, such as pillow and mattress encasings, can effectively control these conditions. 
         [0003]    Bed pillows are usually constructed of a fabric covering, which comprises pieces of fabric made of natural fibers, synthetic fibers, or a combination of natural and synthetic fibers. Sewing the fabric along a seam that runs along the circumference of the pillow forms a covering. A filler of either synthetic fiberfill, down (feathers), latex foam, or viscoelastic foam inside the covering creates a pillow. 
         [0004]    In addition to pillows constructed of two pieces of fabric joined at a center-sewn seam, some pillows are constructed with side gussets of varying widths. These gussets are created by adding a strip of fabric approximately one inch wide on each of the four sides of a pillow between the top and bottom covers of the pillow. The gussets allow the pillow filling to spread out, creating an area of support for a user&#39;s neck along the edges of the pillow. 
         [0005]    A traditional pillow covering made of porous, woven materials allows moisture from the ambient air, the user&#39;s breath, or the user&#39;s saliva to enter the filling of the pillow. This moisture contributes in creating a warm, damp environment, which promotes the growth of dust mites, mold (fungus), and bacteria. Only coverings made from coated fabrics are able to stop moisture from entering the filling of a pillow. 
         [0006]    Allergen-proof covers that prevent allergen egress are used in bedding (e.g., pillows, mattresses, box springs, duvets, and bed upholstery) to block dust mites and their fecal allergens so that a user does not breathe them in during sleep or use of a bed. Even though a pillow that has a coated fabric can prevent the entry of moisture into the pillow and stop the egress of allergens, the outside coated fabric can still become contaminated with allergens. 
         [0007]    Typically, the coated fabrics used in pillows are coated on the inside surfaces of the pillow covering so that the user does not feel the coating while using the pillow. Thus, the outside surfaces of the covering fabric are untreated. The outside of the covering can collect moisture that promotes the growth of fungal spores, bacteria, and endotoxins on the outside of the pillow covering. 
         [0008]    Therefore, to effectively prevent contamination, a pillow covering should not allow moisture to enter the pillow, should prevent the egress of allergens, and so resist the surface growth of bacteria, fungus, and dust mites on the outside of the covering. 
         [0009]    Additionally, because pillow coverings come into direct or indirect (e.g., through a pillowcase) contact with the human body, it is desired that they be pleasing to the touch and quiet during sleep. For aesthetic as well as for reasons of comfort, the outer fabric of the pillow must drape properly, not feel stiff, and not trap air. 
         [0010]    A monolithic coating the fabric of an entire pillow results in a pillow that traps air. If a pillow traps air, it becomes uncomfortable because it gives a user the feeling that they are resting on a balloon filled with air as opposed to a traditional pillow that allows air to egress through the pillow covering. Therefore, simply coating an entire pillow covering to make it hypoallergenic results in an uncomfortable pillow. 
         [0011]    Thus, there is a need for a pillow that has properties that resist the surface growth of bacteria, fungus, and dust mites on the outside of the covering, prevents moisture from entering the pillow, and allows for an exchange of air between the inside of the pillow and the ambient air. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1A  is a drawing of a hypoallergenic pillow in use. 
           [0013]      FIG. 1B  is a partial cross-section drawing of a hypoallergenic pillow. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is a drawing of a gusseted hypoallergenic pillow. 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is a drawing of a hypoallergenic pillow covering with a zipper closure. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]    In addition to the drawings discussed above, this description describes one or more embodiments as illustrated in the above-referenced drawings. However, there is no intent to limit this disclosure to a single embodiment or embodiments that are disclosed herein. On the contrary, the intent is to cover all alternatives, modifications, and equivalents included within the spirit and scope of this disclosure and as defined by the appended claims. 
         [0017]      FIG. 1  shows an embodiment of a pillow  100  and user  108 . The pillow  100  comprises a filling material (not shown), and a covering  102  that includes a fabric  101  and a filter  104 . 
         [0018]    The pillow  100  is constructed by sewing two pieces of fabric together around the circumference of the fabric, allowing an opening for filling the resulting cover with a filling material, filling the cover with filling material, and closing the cover by sewing all of the remaining open edges together. 
         [0019]    The filling material can include synthetic fiberfill, down (feathers), latex foam, viscoelastic foam, or any other material known in the art suitable for filling a pillow. 
         [0020]    The cover  102  is constructed of the fabric  101  that may be, but is not limited to a knit fabric, a woven fabric, a non-woven fabric, a needle-punched fabric, or a stitch-bonded fabric. It may be made of natural fibers such as cotton, synthetic fibers such as polyester, or a combination of natural fibers and synthetic fibers. 
         [0021]    In one embodiment, the fabric  101  can also include an agent or compound that has antimicrobial properties. Such fabrics are known in the art to provide antimicrobial activity. An antimicrobial agent includes, but is not limited to, an antimicrobial, an antibiotic, an antifungal agent, and an antiviral agent. Some metals are useful as antimicrobial agents in the fabric  101 . They include, but are not limited to, silver, platinum, gold, zinc, copper, cerium, gallium, osmium, and the like. The preferred metal is silver. The antimicrobial agent can be impregnated within the fabric  101 , e.g., via wearing or knitting fibers or material including the antimicrobial agent into the fabric  101  or applying a coating of material including the antimicrobial agent to the fabric  101 . 
         [0022]    As discussed above, the use of a monolithic or other airtight coating on the entire covering will result in an uncomfortable pillow that traps air. Therefore, the pillow includes a filter  104  sewn into the covering  102 . The filter  104  allows the ingress and egress of air  106  to and from the inside of the pillow  100 . The filter  104  is constructed of a material that has a high degree of filtration pathogens, such as that used in surgical masks or other very tightly woven material. In one embodiment, the filter  104  is made of a material with at least an N-95 rating. The N-95 rating, established by the U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, means that the material will stop 95% of all particles that are 0.3 microns or larger from passing through, with the “N” signifying that the filtration efficiency does not apply to oil. The filter  104  is sewn to the pillow covering fabric  101  using stitching  110 . 
         [0023]      FIG. 1B  shows a partial cross section of pillow  100  with the covering  102  and filler material  112 . The fabric  101  is coated with a monolithic or microporous material  103  on the inside of the covering  102  that prevents moisture and allergens such as dust mites, mold (fungus), and bacteria from entering or exiting the pillow  100  through the fabric  101 . 
         [0024]    A number of procedures known in the art including but not limited to lamination, coating, or calendaring may bond the monolithic material  103  to the fabric  101 . 
         [0025]    The monolithic material  103  may be, but is not limited to any blown polyurethane-based film, cast polyurethane-based film, blown polyethylene-based film, cast polyethylene-based film, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) based film, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) based film, or any other material with similar properties. 
         [0026]    The filter  104  is a portion of the covering  102  that does not include the monolithic material  103 . The filter  104  includes a fabric  105 . The fabric  105  may be the same type as fabric  101 , but without a monolithic coating, to give the cover  102  a uniform feel while still allowing for the ingress and egress of air  106 . Alternatively, the filter  104  can be of a different material. Since the filter  104  allows air  106  to ingress and egress the pillow  100 , the pillow  100  functions like a traditional pillow while remaining hygienic. Fabric  105  may be a different fabric or can have different colors or markings from fabric  101 . 
         [0027]    In  FIG. 1A , the filter  104  is positioned at one end of the face of the pillow. In this manner, any allergens or microbes egressing from the pillow  100  will not be directly breathed in by the user. However, the filter  104  can be positioned anywhere in the pillow covering  102  and can be of any shape so long as the filter  104  allows the ingress and egress of air  106  in and out of the pillow  100 . For example, the filter  104  can be of a circular or other shape instead of the rectangular strip depicted in  FIG. 1A . 
         [0028]      FIG. 2  is another embodiment of the disclosed pillow, depicting a pillow  200  with side gussets  207 . The side gussets  207  are strips of fabric  201  that are sewn between the top and bottom faces of the pillow  200 . They allow the filler material (not shown) to spread out under a user&#39;s neck (not shown). 
         [0029]    A covering fabric  201  is coated with a monolithic or microporous coating (not shown) on the inside of a cover  202 . A filter  204  is incorporated into one of the side gussets  203  thereby allowing the ingress and egress of air  206  in and out of the pillow  200 . 
         [0030]    In this non-limiting example of the gussetted pillow  200  shown in  FIG. 2 , the filter  204  is incorporated into a side gusset  207 ; the filter  206  may be positioned anywhere in the pillow covering  202  and may be any shape so long as the filter  204  allows the ingress and egress of air  206  in and out of the pillow  200 . 
         [0031]      FIG. 3  shows one embodiment of a pillow encasing  300 . The pillow encasing  300  has a covering  302  with all of the elements of the previous embodiments including, a fabric  301  coated with a monolithic or microporous coating (not shown) on either the inside or outside of the fabric  301  and a filter  304  that allows the ingress and egress of air  306 . However, the pillow encasing  300  also has a closure assembly  307  that allows the pillow encasing  300  to encase a pillow. 
         [0032]    A traditional pillow (not shown) can be disposed within or placed into the pillow encasing  300 . The closure assembly  307 , which is depicted as a zipper in this embodiment, secures the pillow inside the pillow encasing  300 . The closure assembly  307  can be a different mechanism in other embodiments, such as, but not limited to, snaps, buttons, a releasable seal, a flap of material, etc. Thus, with the pillow encasing  300 , a wide variety of pillows may be used inside the encasing  300  while maintaining the hygienic benefits of the present invention. In addition, the pillow encasing  300  is preferably removable for cleaning.