DE29608801U1 - Gel cushion with a velor-like surface - Google Patents

Description

Nünning GmbH, Harmate 28, 48683 Ahaus "Gel cushion with velour-like surface"

The innovation concerns a fluid-containing cushion after the upper

scope of claim 1.

Such pillows are known as "microwave hot water bottles", "gel compresses" or similar names and can be used as a cooling or heating compress.

Compared to hot water bottles that contain water, they have a permanent filling that can be heated in a microwave oven.

There is often a desire to use such compresses in favour of

to heat or cool as much as possible to achieve a warming or cooling effect that lasts as long as possible. Even when setting moderately warm or cool temperatures, the user may experience discomfort due to the temperature transfer properties from the film of the compresses to the user's skin.

take temperature sensations come.

The innovation is based on the task of improving a generic pillow in such a way that the comfort of the pillow is improved for the user.

This problem underlying the innovation is solved by the design of a cushion with the features of claim 1.

In other words, the innovation proposes to provide a velvety surface for the pillow. This surface structure creates a cushioning between the pillow and the user's skin, which, even at the same temperature, provides the user with more comfort than a pillow with a smooth surface.

a lower temperature intensity.

Compared to the use of a separate cover, for example made of fabric, which could be used with a conventional pillow, the innovative pillow is much easier for the user to handle. 5

Further advantageous embodiments of the innovation can be found in the subclaims.

Two examples of the innovation are explained in more detail below using the drawing.

Fig. 1 in purely schematic representation the top view

on a fluid-containing pillow,

Fig. 2 is a cross-section through the cushion of Fig. 1,

where an area of the cushion cover cut-out

shown enlarged and

Fig. 3 shows a second embodiment, wherein the cushion

is designed as a forehead mask.

In Fig. 1, 1 generally designates a cushion which

a central, fluid-filled area 2 and two outer fluid-free areas 3. The cushion 1 consists of two layers of foils, whereby both the fluid-filled area 2 and the fluid-free areas 3 are each delimited by weld seams 4 at which the foils are welded together

are.

Eyelets 5 are arranged in the fluid-free areas 3, with the help of which the cushion 1 can be used as a compress on a body part to be cooled or warmed by using

straps. Since the eyelets 5 are not surrounded by fluid, no adverse pressure peaks can build up around the eyelets, which could lead to premature leakage of the cushion.

Ö t ·

The structure of the cushion 1 can be seen in more detail in Fig. 2: The fluid-filled area 2 has a gel 6 as a heat-storing filling of the cushion 1. Purely by way of example, a filling material 7 is provided in the fluid-free area 3 shown above, which can be formed, for example, by a layer of foam or the like and can be provided for optical reasons and for wearing comfort, as well as to prevent the films in this area 3 from overheating. In contrast, the fluid-free area 3 shown below is formed purely by way of example in that the two walls

of the pillow lie directly against each other without any filling material in between.

Depending on the choice of filling material 7, both the fluid-free area 3 equipped with it and the fluid-free and filling

The material-free area 3 can be printed without any problem, so that the cushion can be printed after its production, i.e. after it has been filled with the gel 6, so that inexpensive printing is possible even for small series.

As the enlarged section of Fig. 2 clearly shows, the wall of the cushion 1 consists of two different layers: The gel 6 is enclosed in an inner cushion, which is formed by an inner PVC film 8. The outer surface of the wall of the cushion 1 is

formed by a flock film 9, which creates a velour-like surface of the cushion 1 and thus offers a high level of comfort. Even when the gel is very hot or cooled, overheating or burns or an unpleasant feeling of cold on the user's skin can be avoided

become.

The double layering of the wall of the cushion 1 offers not only comfort due to the flock film 9 but also the advantage of increased safety of the entire cushion 1: If

If, for example, the outer flock film 9 is damaged due to external influences, this does not necessarily lead to damage to the inner film 8, so that the escape of the possibly hot gel is avoided.
5

The inner film 8 is made of PVC, i.e. a thermoplastic material, which has the advantage that if the gel 6 overheats due to improper use of the cushion 1, the film 8 containing the gel 6 does not suddenly burst, but due to its thermoplastic property

initially softens and falls below a certain minimum thickness at some point, becoming more easily deformable at that point. In this way, any internal pressure that may exist can be yielded to, so that the cushion 1 tears at such a weak point and allows the

Gel 6 so that the gel 6 cannot suddenly squirt out of the cushion 1.

Fig. 3 shows a fluid-containing cushion which is designed as a forehead mask 10. An elastic or adjustable

The adjustable headband 11 serves to hold the forehead mask 10 on the head of the wearer. The forehead mask has recesses for the nose and eyes and can be used, for example, as a cooling mask for headache sufferers.

In a modification of the illustrated embodiment of the forehead mask 10, similar applications of cooling or warming compresses can be made possible by designing fluid-containing cushions 1 as face masks through appropriate shaping, which either cover the entire face

or - like the forehead mask 10 - only parts of the face, in a modification of the embodiment shown, for example, also to cover only one half of the face, e.g. in the case of toothache patients or the like.

Especially for the use of face masks or partial

For face masks, such as the forehead mask 10 shown, it can be advantageous to influence the cooling or heating intensity. For this reason, only one surface of the face mask or partial mask can be designed in a velour-like manner in order to prevent overheating and burns during heat treatment, for example. In a cooling application, however, intensive cooling can be achieved by not designing the second surface of the mask in a velour-like manner, but rather having a comparatively smooth surface in the form of a plastic film.

Claims (8)

HABBEL PATENT ATTORNEYS PO Box 3429 ♦ 48019 Münster H.-Q. HABBEL "£> IPL*. ^# -1 n'q . LUTZ HABBEL EUROPEAN PATENT ATTORNEYS DIPL.-QEOQR. PETER HABBEL TELEPHONE (0251) 535 780 ♦ FAX (0251) 531 996 l/OUR ACTS: !please specify) N34/18659 Muenster, 14.05.1996 Nünning GmbH, Harmate 28, 48683 Ahaus "Gel cushion with velour-like surface" Protection claims : 1. Fluid-containing cushion, with a top and a bottom side, wherein these two sides each have a plastic film and wherein both sides are permanently connected to one another and wherein a heat-storing fluid is provided between the two sides, characterized in that the outer surface of at least one of the two sides is designed like velour. 2. Fluid-containing cushion according to claim 1, characterized in that the surface of both sides is velour-like. 3. Fluid-containing cushion according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the side having a velour-like surface has two or more films (8, 9), of which the film forming the outer surface is designed as a flock film (9). 4. Fluid-containing cushion according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each side has a thermoplastic film (8). 5. Fluid-containing cushion according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that adjacent to the region (2) containing the fluid, a fluid-free region (3) is provided, in which the two sides lie directly against one another or have a solid filling material (7) between them. 6. Fluid-containing cushion according to claim 5, characterized in that the fluid-free region (3) has a continuous opening. 7. Fluid-containing cushion according to claim 6, characterized in that . that two through openings are arranged circumferentially around the fluid-filled region (2) essentially opposite one another. 8. Fluid-containing pillow according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cushion is shaped as a forehead or face mask (10).