Cushioning device and method of producing the same

• US 6,988,286 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2002
• Issued: 01/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Carpenter Company
• Original Assignee: Carpenter Company
• Inventors: Martin, Jeffrey D., Schecter, Daniel B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Safavi, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): SPAHN, GAY
• Application Number:
  US10/209,193
• Publication Number:
  US 20040019972A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,272 Days
• Field of Search: 564/5, 563/6, 565/5, 569/1
• US Class Current: 5/645
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 9/10 Pillows pillow holders A47C21/00, A47C21/026; specially adapted for preventing snoring A61F5/56

Abstract

A cushioning apparatus such as a pillow which includes an upper pocket with reception cavity for receiving preferably loose or grouped non-integral filler material such as down, fiberfill or fiber-balls and another pocket for receiving additional filler material such as a foam core filler material. The foam core filler material is preferably an integrated or monolithic foam body of, for example, visco-elastic or alternate polyurethane foam. The core preferably has a non-planar upper surface contour allowing for a relatively thin, consistent height upper pocket thickness. The pillow also preferably includes a lower pocket joined about its periphery to the upper pocket such as by way of an intermediate gusset panel with beading and with the lower pocket also receiving loose or non-integrated filler material and with the bottom surface of the core preferably having a convex surface such as one symmetrical with the top surface.

Claims

1. A cushion apparatus, comprising:

a first flexible pocket defining a filler reception cavity;

first pocket filler material received within the reception cavity of said first flexible pocket, and said first pocket filler material being formed of a compilation of individual filler material components;

a second flexible pocket defining a second filler reception cavity;

second pocket filler material received within the reception cavity of said second flexible pocket; and

a flexible foam core which is positioned between said first and second flexible pockets, and wherein said core has a maximum thickness which is greater than a thickness of said first flexible pocket with said first pocket filler material, and wherein said core has a peripheral configuration that is generally commensurate with a peripheral configuration of the cushion apparatus, and wherein said first pocket has a thickness of 12 to 25% relative to a maximum height of said core and wherein said first and second flexible pockets are loosely connected together via a non-taught intermediate panel section which is connected to a peripheral region of said first and second flexible pockets, so as to allow said first and second pockets to laterally adjust independently relative to each other despite a full expansion state in said core.

2. The cushion apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second pocket filler material is formed of a compilation of individual filler material components.

3. The cushion apparatus of claim 2 wherein the first and second pocket filler material includes a down material.

4. The cushion apparatus of claim 2 wherein the first and second pocket filler material includes a polyester fiberfill material.

5. The cushion apparatus of claim 2 wherein the first and second pocket filler material includes a fiber-ball material.

6. The cushion apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the first pocket filler material is a down material.

7. The cushion apparatus as recited in claim 6 wherein the down received in the reception cavity of said first flexible pocket is in an amount of 2 to 5 ozs.

8. The cushion apparatus as recited in claim 6 wherein the average thickness of said first pocket is 0.75 to 1.25 inches.

9. The cushion apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the first pocket filler material is a polyester fiberfill material.

10. The cushion apparatus as recited in claim 9 wherein the fiberfill received in said first reception cavity of said first flexible pocket is in an amount of 5 to 8 ozs.

11. The cushion apparatus as recited in claim 9 wherein the average thickness of said first pocket is 0.75 to 1.25 inches.

12. The cushion apparatus of claim 1 wherein the filler material received in the reception cavity of said first flexible pocket is of a quantity of 2 to 12 ozs. and forms an average thickness in the first pocket of 0.5 to 2 inches.

13. The cushion apparatus of claim 12 wherein the filler material received in the reception cavity of said first flexible pocket is of a quantity of 2 to 8 ozs. and forms an average first pocket to maximum core height thickness ratio of 12% to 20%.

14. The cushion apparatus of claim 1 wherein said core is formed of a polyurethane foam material.

15. The cushion apparatus of claim 1 wherein said compilation includes components which are independent from one another and free to move independently within said first pocket, and said foam core is a monolithic, visco elastic foam body.

16. The cushion apparatus of claim 1 wherein a half of a maximum core height is greater than the thickness of said first pocket.

17. The cushion apparatus of claim 16 wherein the half of the maximum core height is greater than or equal to a sum of thicknesses in said first and second pockets.

18. The cushion apparatus of claim 1 wherein the filler material for said first pocket is of a common type and amount as that of said second pocket.

19. The cushion apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of said pockets are individually sealed and said filler is comprised of grouped individual filler components received within said sealed cavities.

20. A cushion apparatus, comprising:

a first flexible pocket defining a filler reception cavity;

first pocket filler material received within the reception cavity of said first flexible pocket, and said first pocket filler material being formed of a compilation of individual filler material components;

a second flexible pocket defining a second filler reception cavity;

second pocket filler material received within the reception cavity of said second flexible pocket; and

a flexible foam core which is positioned between said first and second flexible pockets, and wherein said core has a maximum thickness which is greater than a thickness of said first flexible pocket with said first pocket filler material, and wherein said core has a peripheral configuration that is generally commensurate with a peripheral configuration of the cushion apparatus, and wherein said core is a monolithic foam body having a convex central area surface supporting said first pocket.

21. The pillow cushion of claim 20 wherein said core is a monolithic foam body formed entirely of a visco-elastic material.

22. A cushion apparatus, comprising:

a first flexible pocket defining a filler reception cavity;

first pocket filler material received within the reception cavity of said first flexible pocket, and said first pocket filler material being formed of a compilation of individual filler material components;

a second flexible pocket defining a second filler reception cavity;

second pocket filler material received with the reception cavity of said second flexible pocket; and

a flexible foam core which is positioned between said first and second flexible pockets, and wherein said core is formed of a visco-elastic foam material, and said foam core is dimensioned to extend out to be generally peripherally commensurate with a peripheral encompassing edge of said cushion apparatus.

23. The cushion apparatus of claim 22 wherein the filler material received in the reception cavity of said first flexible pocket is down.

24. The cushion apparatus of claim 23 wherein the filler material received in the reception cavity of said second flexible pocket is down.

25. The cushion apparatus of claim 22 wherein said core is a foam material having a density of 30 to 60 kg/m3 and a hardness range of 30N to 40N measured at 25% compression at 20 degrees Celsius, and wherein said first pocket has a thickness of 12 to 25% relative to a maximum height of said core.

26. A cushion apparatus, comprising:

a first flexible pocket defining a filler reception cavity;

first pocket filler material received within the reception cavity of said first flexible pocket, and said first pocket filler material being formed of a compilation of individual filler material components;

a second flexible pocket defining a second filler reception cavity;

second pocket filler material received within the reception cavity of said second flexible pocket; and

a flexible foam core which is positioned between said first and second flexible pockets, and wherein said core has a maximum thickness which is greater than a thickness of said first flexible pocket with said first pocket filler material, and wherein said core has a peripheral configuration that is generally commensurate with a peripheral configuration of the cushion apparatus, and wherein said first and second flexible pockets are connected together with a v-shaped cross-sectioned panel.

27. A cushion apparatus, comprising:

a first flexible pocket defining a filler reception cavity;

first pocket filler material received within the reception cavity of said first flexible pocket, and said first pocket filler material being formed of a compilation of individual filler material components;

a second flexible pocket defining a second filler reception cavity;

second pocket filler material received within the reception cavity of said second flexible pocket; and

a flexible core which is positioned between said first and second flexible pockets; and

an intermediate panel section which extends about said core and is connected to said first and second pockets; and

wherein said core is a monolithic, foam material core having a density of 30 to 60 kg/m³ and a hardness range of 25N to 90N measured at 25% compression at 20 degrees Celsius, and said core having a peripheral configuration that is generally commensurate with a peripheral configuration of said intermediate panel section.

28. The cushion apparatus of claim 27 wherein the harness range is 30 to 40N, and wherein said first pocket has a thickness of 12 to 25% relative to a maximum height of said core.

29. A pillow cushion, comprising:

a covering having a first pocket with a reception cavity for receiving filler,

a second pocket with a reception cavity for receiving filler, and an intermediate pocket; and

a core received in said intermediate pocket wherein said core comprises a foam body having a convex surface in contact with said first pocket, and which core fully extends between front and rear peripheral edging of said pillow cushion, with the front and rear peripheral edging being longer in length than left and right side peripheral edging of said pillow cushion, and wherein said core is a monolithic foam body formed entirely of a visco-elastic material.

30. The pillow cushion of claim 29 wherein said pillow cushion comprises filler received in said first and second pockets which filler is comprised of grouped individual filler components, and wherein said first flexible pocket with first pocket filler material has a generally common pocket thickness over its entire area.

31. The pillow cushion of claim 30 wherein said filler includes down.

32. The pillow cushion of claim 31 wherein said filler material is of a quantity of 3 to 8 ozs. in each pocket.

33. The pillow cushion of claim 29 wherein said first and second pockets are connected along exterior regions of said first and second pockets.

34. The pillow cushion of claim 33 wherein said first and second pockets are connected by a cover panel extending peripherally about said core.

35. The pillow cushion of claim 34 wherein said cover panel is a gusseted cover panel having upper and lower gusset panel sections.

36. The pillow cushion of claim 35 wherein said gusseted cover panel includes a bead extending about one of said upper and lower gusset panel sections.

37. The pillow cushion of claim 29 wherein said core is a foam material having a density of 30 to 60 kg/m3 and a hardness range of 30N to 40N measured at 25% compression at 20 degrees Celsius.

38. A pillow cushion, comprising:

a covering having a first pocket with a reception cavity for receiving filler,

a second pocket with a reception cavity for receiving filler, and an intermediate pocket; and

a core received in said intermediate pocket wherein said core comprises a monolithic foam body having a convex surface in contact with said first pocket, wherein said core comprises a foam body having an upper convex surface and a bottom convex surface with each convex surface sloping relative to both a length and a width of the pillow cushion, and wherein said core is configured to provide direct underlying cushion support relative to essentially an entire exposed surface of said first pocket.

39. The pillow cushion of claim 38 wherein said first and second pockets with received filler material have an average thickness range of 0.75 to 1.5 inches.

40. The cushion apparatus of claim 38 wherein said first pocket has a thickness of 12 to 25% relative to a maximum height of said core.

41. A method of forming a pillow, comprising:

providing a cover having a first pocket, a second pocket, and an intermediate pocket;

inserting filler material in said first and second pockets, with said filler material being formed of a compilation of individual filler material components; and

inserting a core filler in said intermediate pocket, with said core filler being inserted is a foam insert having a greater maximum thickness than that of said first pocket and said core filler having a peripheral configuration that is essentially commensurate with a peripheral configuration of said pillow, wherein inserting the core filler includes inserting a visco-elastic foam body.

42. The method of claim 41 wherein inserting filler material includes inserting down filler material in each of said pockets.

43. The method of claim 41 wherein inserting filler material includes inserting fiberfill filler material in each of said pockets.

44. The method of claim 41 wherein the core filler being inserted has a maximum thickness greater than that of said second pocket, and said core filler is a monolithic, visco elastic molded foam body.

45. The method of claim 44 wherein the maximum thickness of said core filler is greater than that of a sum of thicknesses of said first and second pockets.

46. A head pillow cushion, comprising:

a first filler reception cavity;

first reception cavity filler material received within said first filler reception cavity, and said first reception cavity filler material being formed of a compilation of individual filler material components;

a second filler reception cavity;

second reception cavity filler material received with the second filler reception cavity; and

a flexible, visco-elastic foam core which is positioned between said first and second reception cavities, said core having a maximum height thickness which is greater than a height thickness of said first reception cavity filler material in said first reception cavity; and

wherein said core comprises a foam body having a convex surface which includes a cross-sectional convex curvature extending from a central region of the pillow cushion out to opposite front and rear edge regions of the pillow cushion, with the front edge region of the pillow cushion being positioned for neck support of a user of the pillow cushion, and wherein said core is a foam material having a density of 30 to 60 kg/m³ and a hardness range of 25N to 90N measured at 25% compression at 20 degrees Celsius and wherein said core comprises a monolithic foam body.

47. The pillow cushion of claim 46 wherein said first pocket has a thickness of 12 to 25% relative to a maximum height of said core.

48. The pillow cushion of claim 46 wherein the filler material received in the reception cavity of said first flexible pocket is of a quantity of 2 to 12 ozs. and forms an average thickness in the first pocket of 0.5 to 2 inches.

49. The pillow cushion of claim 46 wherein each of said reception cavities are individually sealed and said filler is comprised of grouped individual filler components received within said sealed cavities.

50. The pillow cushion of claim 46 wherein said core has a maximum central thickness and the maximum central thickness is greater than a corresponding central region of the first reception cavity filler material, and said core is a molded visco elastic foam body.