SUPPLEMENTAL SUPPORT PILLOW

Abstract

A supplemental support pillow including a pillow body and at least one or more attachment mechanisms providing for the supplemental support pillow to be attached to a primary surface in a user variable and user selected configuration. The primary surface can be, but is not limited to, a separate pillow such as a bed pillow or couch pillow or a fabric surface such as a sheet or mattress cover. The primary surface could also be any surface associated with another type of furniture, such as a chair, airliner seat, car seat, couch, hammock, cot or similar apparatus having a surface for supporting a user.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/718,451, filed Oct. 25, 2012, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The embodiments disclosed herein are directed toward a supplemental support pillow and more particularly toward a supplemental support pillow having at least one attachment mechanism providing for the supplemental support pillow to be attached to a primary surface in a user selected configuration.

BACKGROUND

Pillows are commonly used to support a user's head or other body parts during sleep or relaxation. Often, a single pillow does not provide adequate support and comfort as desired by a given user. Therefore various supplemental pillows are known in the art which can be used with or in addition to a primary pillow to provide additional support. Unfortunately, known the supplemental pillows tend to move or slide out of a desired position with respect to the user's primary pillow. Thus it becomes necessary for the user to continuously adjust the relative position of multiple pillows in order to be adequately and comfortably supported. This results in sleep disruption and general aches and pains resulting from inadequate support during sleep or relaxation.

The embodiments disclosed herein are directed toward overcoming one or more of the problems discussed above.

SUMMARY OF THE EMBODIMENTS

One embodiment disclosed herein is a supplemental support pillow. The supplemental support pillow includes a pillow body and at least one or more attachment mechanisms providing for the supplemental support pillow to be attached to a primary surface in a user variable and user selected configuration. The primary surface can be, but is not limited to, a separate pillow such as a bed pillow or couch pillow or a fabric surface such as a sheet or mattress cover. The primary surface could also be any surface associated with another type of furniture, such as a chair, airliner seat, car seat, couch, hammock, cot or similar apparatus having a surface for supporting a user. The attachment mechanism can be any type of structure which allows or provides for the supplemental support pillow to be attached to the primary surface without the need for any corresponding attachment mechanism, receptacle or other structure associated with the primary surface. For example, the attachment mechanism may be one or more clips having jaws configured to grasp a portion of the primary surface. The pillow body may be implemented with a separate insert and outer case in certain embodiments.

Another alternative embodiment disclosed herein is a method of attaching a supplemental support pillow to a primary surface in a user variable selected configuration. The method includes providing a supplemental support pillow of any embodiment and connecting the attachment mechanism of the supplemental support pillow to a primary surface such as a regular bed pillow, bed sheet, mattress or other item of furniture.

Another alternative embodiment is a system for modifying the support characteristics of a bed pillow, mattress, furniture or other item used to provide support to a user. The system includes a bed pillow, for example, and any of the embodiments of supplemental support pillow described herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a supplemental support pillow as disclosed herein.

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of an embodiment of supplemental support pillow including a separate pillow insert and pillow cover.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a supplemental support pillow attached to a primary bed pillow.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a supplemental support pillow attached to a primary bed pillow in a different configuration than shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of a supplemental support pillow attached to a bed sheet showing alternative locations or an alternative second supplemental support pillow.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a supplemental support pillow attached to a primary bed pillow in an alternative operative configuration

FIG. 7 is an isometric view of a supplemental support pillow configured as a neck roll.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Unless otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing quantities of ingredients, dimensions reaction conditions and so forth used in the specification and claims are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the term “about”.

In this application and the claims, the use of the singular includes the plural unless specifically stated otherwise. In addition, use of “or” means “and/or” unless stated otherwise. Moreover, the use of the term “including”, as well as other forms, such as “includes” and “included”, is not limiting. Also, terms such as “element” or “component” encompass both elements and components comprising one unit and elements and components that comprise more than one unit unless specifically stated otherwise.

One embodiment disclosed herein is a supplemental support pillow 100 as shown in FIG. 1. The supplemental support pillow 100 includes a pillow body 102 and at least one attachment mechanism 104 providing for the supplemental support pillow 100 to be attached to a primary surface in a user variable and user selected configuration. The primary surface can be but is not limited to a separate pillow such as a bed pillow or couch pillow or a fabric surface such as a sheet, mattress, chair, couch or other surface or cover. The primary surface could also be any surface associated with another type of furniture, such as a chair, airliner seat, car seat, couch, hammock, cot or similar apparatus having a surface for supporting a user. The pillow body 102 will typically include an outer surface and interior stuffing, fill or another material which provides suitable support to the user's body during use. The pillow body may be provided with fill or stuffing having varying degrees of firmness, in various alternative densities or in various alternative viscosities to provide users with a wide selection of tactile variations for personalized comfort.

The attachment mechanism 104 can be any type of structure which allows or provides for the supplemental support pillow 100 to be attached to a primary surface without the need for any corresponding or mating attachment mechanism, receptacle or other structure associated with the primary surface. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the attachment mechanism may be (but is not limited to) a clip similar to the type of clip commonly used to connect suspenders to men's trousers. Such a clip includes two jaws and a spring operatively associated with the two jaws providing for the jaws to be biased into a closed position such that the jaws are engaged with each other or with a piece of fabric or other surface in use. In the FIG. 1 embodiment, the attachment mechanism 104 also includes a flexible fabric connection between the one or more clips and the support pillow body. Alternative types of attachment mechanism 104 include but are not limited to straps, other types of clips, hooks or other structures which provide for the supplemental support pillow 100 to be attached to a primary surface in a variable user selected position without the need for corresponding attachment structures on or associated with the primary surface.

Providing an attachments mechanism 104 which can be connected to a primary surface without the need for a corresponding attachment structure associated with the primary surface allows the supplemental support pillow to be attached to the primary surface in any of an infinitely variable range of operative positions. In other words, as described in detail below, the orientation of the supplemental support pillow 100 with respect to the primary surface is not in any way limited by any structure associated with the primary surface.

As shown in FIG. 1, in one embodiment, the supplemental support pillow 100 has a substantially tubular shape having a length L and a width W. In certain embodiments the length L is at least twice the width W. In other embodiments the length L is at least four times the width W.

As further shown in FIG. 1, the attachment mechanism 104 may include two separated attachment components. For example, the attachment mechanism 104 may comprise two individual and separated clips 106 operatively associated with the supplemental support pillow body 102 as described above. In this configuration, the clips 106 may be positioned close to but not at the opposing ends of the supplemental support pillow 100 along the length L. In particular, the two separated attachment clips 106 may be connected to the support pillow body 102 at positions closer to the opposite ends of the support pillow body than the clips are to the center of the support pillow body when viewed along the length of the support pillow body. The attachment clips 106 may be connected to the pillow body 102 in any manner. A flexible connection between the clips 106 and body 102, such as a cloth loop between the clip and the pillow body, may be advantageous.

In an alternative embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, the supplemental support pillow body 102 may comprise a pillow insert 108 and a pillow cover 110 which is operatively configured to fit over the pillow insert in the manner of a conventional pillow case. In this embodiment the pillow insert 108 will include an appropriate stuffing, fill or other material which provides support to a user during use. In the FIG. 2 embodiment the attachment mechanism may be of any configuration as described above, but is shown in FIG. 2 to comprise two separated attachment clips 106 that are attached to the pillow cover 110 as described above.

The FIG. 2 embodiment can be provided to a user along with a selection of multiple pillow inserts 108 having, for example, different densities or viscosities. The availability of multiple inserts allows the user to select an appropriate pillow insert 108 to place within a pillow cover 110 and thus fine tune the support characteristics of the supplemental support pillow 100. The FIG. 2 embodiment also may be more easily cleaned by the user since in many cases only the pillow cover 110 will become soiled. In the FIG. 2 embodiment, the attachment mechanism or mechanisms may be implemented in any of the configurations noted above with respect to the FIG. 1 embodiment.

As generally described above, any embodiment of the supplemental support pillow 100 may be attached or connected by a user to a primary surface in a user variable and user selected configuration. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the supplemental support pillow 100 may be connected to a primary bed pillow 112 or to the pillowcase associated with a primary bed pillow 112. As may be seen by comparing FIG. 3 with FIG. 4, the supplemental bed pillow 100 may be attached in any possible orientation. Some users will prefer the supplemental support pillow 100 to be attached with edges substantially parallel to the edges of the bed pillow 112 as shown in FIG. 3. Other users will prefer the supplemental support pillow 100 to be attached along a diagonal line with respect to the edges of the bed pillow 112 as shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 5 illustrates one or more supplemental support pillows 100 attached to a bed sheet or mattress cover 114. In addition, as indicated in FIG. 5, the one or more supplemental support pillows 100 may be moved into an infinite number of user selected positions.

FIG. 6 illustrates the supplemental support pillow 100 attached to a bed pillow 112 with the attachment mechanism, (clips 106), being placed closer together than the length of the supplemental support pillow thereby causing the length of the supplemental support pillow to define a curve. It should be noted from FIGS. 3-6 that the supplemental support pillow attachment mechanisms provide at least two substantial benefits. First, the attachment mechanism keeps the supplemental support pillow 100 in place during use which assures that the user's sleep or rest will not be disrupted by relative motion between the supplemental support pillow and primary pillow or other surface to which the supplemental support pillow is attached. In addition, the attachment mechanism provides for any possible individualized user selected configuration between the supplemental support pillow 100 and surface to which it is attached.

As noted above the supplemental support pillow 100 may be attached to a primary bed pillow 112. For example, the supplemental support pillow 100 may be placed under the primary bed pillow in use. Alternatively, the supplemental support pillow 100 may be placed on top of the primary bed pillow 112. More than one supplemental support pillow may be attached to a primary surface, for example a bed sheet or a mattress cover. For example, two supplemental support pillows 100 may be attached in any configuration to a bed sheet to provide back and front support to a sleeper. As shown in FIG. 7, embodiments of the supplemental support pillow 100 having two widely separated clips can be configured as a neck roll where the clips are attached to each other and not attached to a primary surface. Although not shown in the figures, it is important to note that a given supplemental support pillow can be attached in any orientation to a selected surface on any type of supporting apparatus including but not limited to a bed, pillow, chair, couch, hammock, airline seat, car seat or similar apparatus.

Another alternative embodiment disclosed herein is a method of attaching a supplemental support pillow 100 to a primary surface in a user variable selected configuration. The method includes providing a supplemental support pillow of any embodiment described above and connecting the attachment mechanism of the supplemental support pillow to a primary surface such as a regular bed pillow, bed sheet, mattress or other item of furniture.

An alternative embodiment is a system for modifying the support characteristics of a bed pillow, mattress, furniture or other item. The system includes a bed pillow, for example, and any of the embodiments of supplemental support pillow described herein.

Various embodiments of the disclosure could also include permutations of the various elements recited in the claims as if each dependent claim was a multiple dependent claim incorporating the limitations of each of the preceding dependent claims as well as the independent claims. Such permutations are expressly within the scope of this disclosure.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to a number of embodiments, it would be understood by those skilled in the art that changes in the form and details may be made to the various embodiments disclosed herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and that the various embodiments disclosed herein are not intended to act as limitations on the scope of the claims. All references cited herein are incorporated in their entirety by reference.

The description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or limiting of the invention to the form disclosed. The scope of the present invention is limited only by the scope of the following claims. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. The embodiment described and shown in the figures was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention, the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.

Claims

1. A supplemental support pillow comprising:

a support pillow body; and

at least one attachment mechanism operatively associated with the support pillow body providing for the supplemental support pillow to be attached to a primary surface in a user variable selected configuration.

2. The supplemental support pillow of claim 1 wherein the primary surface comprises a bed pillow.

3. The supplemental support pillow of claim 1 wherein the primary surface comprises a bed sheet.

4. The supplemental support pillow of claim 1 further comprising two separated attachment mechanisms.

5. The supplemental support pillow of claim 4 wherein each of the two separated attachment mechanisms comprises:

a clip comprising: two jaws; and a spring operatively associated with the two jaws providing for the two jaws to be biased into a closed position such that the two jaws are engaged with the primary surface in use; and

a flexible connection between each clip and the support pillow body.

6. The supplemental support pillow of claim 5 wherein the support pillow body comprises a substantially tubular shape having a length and width and wherein the length is at least twice the width.

7. The supplemental support pillow of claim 6 wherein the support pillow body comprises a substantially tubular shape having a length and width and wherein the length is at least four times the width.

8. The supplemental support pillow of claim 6 wherein the two separated attachment clips are connected to the support pillow body at a position closer to the ends of the support pillow body along the length than the center of the support pillow body and wherein each clip is connected to the support pillow body at an end opposite the other clip.

9. The supplemental support pillow of claim 1 wherein the support pillow body comprises:

a pillow insert; and

a pillow cover operatively configured to fit over the pillow insert and wherein the at least one attachment mechanism is operatively associated with the pillow cover.

10. The supplemental support pillow of claim 9 wherein the at least one attachment mechanism operatively associated with the pillow cover comprises two separated attachment mechanisms operatively associated with the pillow cover.

11. The supplemental support pillow of claim 10 wherein each of the two separated attachment mechanisms comprises:

a clip comprising; two jaws; and a spring operatively associated with the two jaws providing for the two jaws to be biased into a closed position such that the two jaws are engaged with the primary surface in use; and

a flexible connection between each clip and the pillow cover.

12. The supplemental support pillow of claim 11 wherein the pillow cover comprises a substantially tubular open shape having a length and width and wherein the length is at least twice the width.

13. The supplemental support pillow of claim 12 wherein the pillow cover comprises a substantially tubular shape having a length and width and wherein the length is at least four times the width.

14. The supplemental support pillow of claim 12 wherein the two separated attachment clips are connected to the pillow cover at a position closer to the ends of the pillow cover along the length than the center of the support pillow body and wherein each clip is connected to the pillow cover at an end opposite the other clip.

15. A method of attaching a supplemental support pillow to a primary surface in a user variable selected configuration comprising:

providing a supplemental support pillow as recited in any one of claims 1-14; and

connecting the attachment mechanism of the supplemental support pillow to the primary surface in a user variable and user selected configuration.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the primary surface comprises a bed pillow.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the primary surface comprises a bed sheet.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

providing more than one supplemental support pillow as recited in any one of claims 1-14; and

connecting the attachment mechanism of each supplemental support pillow to the primary surface in a user variable and user selected configuration.

19. A system for modifying the support characteristics of a bed pillow comprising:

a bed pillow; and

a supplemental support pillow as recited in any one of claims 1-14.