Granted Patent B2

US 7,051,389 · App. 10/489,233 · Granted May 30, 2006

Abstract

Claims (80)

1. A pillow comprising:

a viscoelastic sleeve defining a cavity; and

filler material positioned within the cavity wherein the filler material includes granulated viscoelastic foam.

2. The pillow of claim 1 , wherein the sleeve includes

a first viscoelastic layer; and

a second viscoelastic layer, the first and second viscoelastic layers being connected together to form the cavity therebetween,

wherein the filler material is positioned between the first and second viscoelastic layers.

3. The pillow of claim 2 , wherein the first viscoelastic layer and the second viscoelastic layer are between about 5 mm and 15 mm thick.

4. The pillow of claim 3 , wherein the first viscoelastic layer and the second viscoelastic layer are about 10 mm thick.

5. The pillow of claim 2 , wherein the first viscoelastic layer and the second viscoelastic layer have a density between about 30 kg/m 3 and about 140 kg/m 3 .

6. The pillow of claim 5 , wherein the first viscoelastic layer and the second viscoelastic layer have a density of about 85 kg/m 3 .

7. The pillow of claim 2 , further comprising

a first fabric layer covering the first viscoelastic layer; and

a second fabric layer covering the second viscoelastic layer.

8. The pillow of claim 7 , wherein the first and second fabric layers are connected to the first and second viscoelastic layers, respectively.

9. The pillow of claim 8 , wherein the first and second fabric layers are stitched to the first and second viscoelastic layers, respectively.

10. The pillow of claim 1 , further comprising a cover encasing the viscoelastic sleeve, the cover including a re-sealable slot.

11. The pillow of claim 1 wherein the granulated viscoelastic foam has a density between about 30 kg/m 3 and about 140 kg/m 3 .

12. The pillow of claim 12 , wherein the granulated viscoelastic foam has a density of about 85 kg/m 3 .

13. The pillow of claim 1 wherein the granulated viscoelastic foam has a nominal length between about 0.6 cm and about 2 cm.

14. The pillow of claim 13 , wherein the granulated viscoelastic foam has a nominal length of about 1.3 cm.

15. The pillow of claim 1 wherein approximately 16% to 20% of the granulated viscoelastic foam include lengths longer than about 2 cm.

16. The pillow of claim 1 , wherein between approximately 38% to 42% of the granulated viscoelastic foam include lengths between about 1 cm and about 2 cm.

17. The pillow of claim 1 , wherein approximately 38% to 42% of the granulated viscoelastic foam include lengths shorter than about 1 cm.

18. The pillow of claim 1 , wherein the filler material further includes polystyrene balls.

19. The pillow of claim 1 , wherein the filler material further includes granulated highly-elastic foam.

20. A method for manufacturing a pillow, the method comprising:

providing a viscoelastic sleeve that defines a cavity;

inserting filler material comprising shredded viscoelastic foam within the cavity; and

closing the sleeve to maintain the filler material within the cavity.

21. The method of claim 20 , further comprising

overlying a first viscoelastic layer with a second, viscoelastic layer;

connecting a portion of the first and second viscoelastic layers to form the sleeve containing the filler material; and

connecting a remaining portion of the first and second viscoelastic layers to close the sleeve and maintain the filler material within the cavity.

22. The method of claim 21 , further comprising

covering the first viscoelastic layer with a first fabric layer; and

covering the second viscoelastic layer with a second fabric layer.

23. The method of claim 22 , further comprising

connecting the first fabric layer to the first viscoelastic layer; and

connecting the second fabric layer to the second viscoelastic layer.

24. The method of claim 23 , wherein connecting the first fabric layer with the first viscoelastic layer includes stitching together the first fabric layer with the first viscoelastic layer, and wherein connecting the second fabric layer with the second viscoelastic layer includes stitching together the second fabric layer with the second viscoelastic layer.

25. The method of claim 20 , further comprising

inserting the viscoelastic sleeve into a cover through a re-sealable slot; and

sealing the slot to secure the viscoelastic sleeve within the cover.

26. The method of claim 20 , further comprising shredding viscoelastic material into individual lengths to form the filler material.

27. A method for manufacturing a pillow, the method comprising:

providing at least two opposing viscoelastic foam layers and at least two reinforcing fabric layers covering the opposing viscoelastic foam layers;

sewing together the viscoelastic foam layers and the reinforcing fabric layers to form a casing having an open end, the viscoelastic foam layers comprising respective inner layers of the casing, and the reinforcing fabric layers comprising respective outer layers of the casing;

inserting filler material through the open end of the casing; and

sewing together the open end of the casing to close the casing and secure therein the filler material.

28. The method of claim 27 , wherein the two opposing viscoelastic foam layers include a first viscoelastic layer and a second viscoelastic layer and wherein the two opposing fabric layers include a first fabric layer and a second fabric layer, the method further comprising:

overlying the first viscoelastic layer with the second viscoelastic layer;

covering the first viscoelastic layer with the first fabric layer; and

covering the second viscoelastic layer with the second fabric layer.

29. The method of claim 28 , wherein sewing together the viscoelastic foam layers and the reinforcing fabric layers comprises stitching through the first fabric layer, the first viscoelastic layer, the second viscoelastic layer, and the second fabric layer with the second viscoelastic layer.

30. The method of claim 28 , wherein sewing together the open end of the casing comprises extending a plurality of stitches through the first fabric layer, the first viscoelastic layer, the second viscoelastic layer, and the second fabric layer with the second viscoelastic layer.

31. The method of claim 28 , further comprising shredding viscoelastic material into individual lengths to form the filler material.

32. The method of claim 27 , wherein sewing together the viscoelastic foam layers and the reinforcing fabric layers comprises sewing together the viscoelastic foam layers and the reinforcing fabric layers along two edges of the viscoelastic foam layers and the reinforcing fabric layers that are oppositely positioned.

33. A pillow comprising:

a viscoelastic sleeve defining a cavity, wherein the sleeve includes

a first viscoelastic layer; and

a second viscoelastic layer, the first and second viscoelastic layers being connected together to form the cavity therebetween;

a first fabric layer covering the first viscoelastic layer; and

a second fabric layer covering the second viscoelastic layer;

a plurality of stitches extending through the first fabric layer, the first viscoelastic layer, the second viscoelastic layer, and the second fabric layer, respectively, to form the cavity; and

filler material positioned within the cavity.

34. The pillow of claim 33 , wherein the first viscoelastic layer and the second viscoelastic layer are between about 5 mm and 15 mm thick.

35. The pillow of claim 34 , wherein the first viscoelastic layer and the second viscoelastic layer are about 10 mm thick.

36. The pillow of claim 33 , wherein the first viscoelastic layer and the second viscoelastic layer have a density between about 30 kg/m 3 and about 140 kg/m 3 .

37. The pillow of claim 36 , wherein the first viscoelastic layer and the second viscoelastic layer have a density of about 85 kg/m 3 .

38. The pillow of claim 33 , wherein the filler material includes granulated viscoelastic foam.

39. The pillow of claim 37 , wherein the granulated viscoelastic foam has a density between about 30 kg/m 3 and about 140 kg/m 3 .

40. The pillow of claim 39 , wherein the granulated viscoelastic foam has a density of about 85 kg/m 3 .

41. The pillow of claim 38 , wherein the granulated viscoelastic foam has a nominal length between about 0.6 cm and about 2 cm.

42. The pillow of claim 41 , wherein the granulated viscoelastic foam has a nominal length of about 1.3 cm.

43. The pillow of claim 38 , wherein approximately 16% to 20% of the granulated viscoelastic foam include lengths longer than about 2 cm.

44. The pillow of claim 38 , wherein between approximately 38% to 42% of the granulated viscoelastic foam include lengths between about 1 cm and about 2 cm.

45. The pillow of claim 38 , wherein approximately 38% to 42% of the granulated viscoelastic foam include lengths shorter than about 1 cm.

46. The pillow of claim 33 , wherein the filler material includes granulated viscoelastic foam and polystyrene balls.

47. The pillow of claim 33 , wherein the filler material includes granulated viscoelastic foam and granulated highly-elastic foam.

Assignments (6)