US20090106904A1

US20090106904A1 - Convex pillow configuration

Info

Publication number: US20090106904A1
Application number: US11/923,371
Authority: US
Inventors: Laura A. Swarts; Ruth L. Brogan
Original assignee: Pacific Coast Feather Co
Current assignee: Hollander Sleep Products LLC
Priority date: 2007-10-24
Filing date: 2007-10-24
Publication date: 2009-04-30

Abstract

The pillow includes at least two substantially identical pillow shell layers secured to each other around the peripheries thereof. Each layer has corner configurations defined by approximately straight, inwardly directed tapered end portions of adjacent edges, which meet at corner points, wherein the angle between the meeting end portions of adjacent edges is in the range of 120°-140°.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates generally to pillows, and more specifically concerns a new pillow shell configuration for filled pillows.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Conventional pillow shells, sometimes referred to as pillow ticks, comprise two or more fabric sections which are sewn and then filled to form a completed pillow. Conventional pillow shells have straight longitudinal and lateral edges, resulting in 90° corners. It is difficult, however, to completely fill the conventional pillow shell using conventional mass production bedding filling equipment. The result is a pillow with underfilled corners and a concave edge appearance, with the corners eventually looking dog-eared after a period of use.
It would be desirable to have a pillow shell configuration which, when filled, results in a pillow with straight-line edges and with completely filled corners.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the pillow described herein is a pillow having modified corner configurations, comprising: at least two pillow shell layers, each layer having approximately the same configuration, joined together around the peripheries thereof, or to an intermediate gusset portion, wherein the corners of each layer are defined by a meeting of end portions of two adjacent edges, the meeting end portions tapering inwardly from the remainder of their respective edges, meeting at a point to define a corner, wherein the angle between the two meeting end portions is greater than 90°; and filling between the two pillow shell layers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1 and 2 are a top view and an isometric view of one embodiment of a pillow shell with the new corner configuration described herein.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are a top view and an isometric view of another pillow shell embodiment with the corner configuration of FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIGS. 5 and 6 are a top view and an isometric view of another pillow shell embodiment with the corner configuration of FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 7 is an isometric view showing successive fabric layers comprising the pillow shell of FIGS. 5 and 6.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a first embodiment of a pillow shell with the new corner configuration. The pillow shell, referred to generally at 10, comprises two identical fabric sections 12 and 14. The fabric sections 12, 14 can be of various materials, for example, cotton or similar fabric. The fabric sections each include longitudinal edges 16, 17 and lateral edges 18, 19. Typically, the pillow shell will be generally rectangular in configuration, although the corner configuration disclosed herein is useful with other pillow shell configurations as well. FIG. 1 shows the details of the new corner configuration 21, while FIG. 2 shows a completed shell, ready to be filled.
Each longitudinal and lateral edge of pillow shell 10 includes opposing end portions, with end portions 20 and 22 of lateral edge 19 being exemplary, and end portions 26 and 28 of longitudinal edge 16 also being exemplary.
In the embodiment shown, the end portions of each edge taper inwardly, away from the conventional straight line arrangement, shown in dotted lines, beginning at a selected distance removed from the actual ends of the edge. In the embodiment shown, this distance is five inches, but it could be other distances as well. The end portions are approximately straight, although they curve slightly as they taper away from the remainder of the edge. End portions 20 and 22 of lateral edge 19 will meet or join at corner points with corresponding end portions of longitudinal edges 16, 17. For instance end portion 28 of longitudinal edge 16 and end portion 20 of lateral edge 19 meet at a corner point 32. The meeting end portions do not define a curve, as stated above, but are approximately straight lines which meet at a point to define a corner. The included angle between the meeting end portions of adjacent edges, instead of being approximately 90° as in a typical pillow shell, will be in the range of 120-140°. In the embodiment shown, point 32 is located ½-inch in from the respective straight-line edges, shown by the dotted lines in FIG. 1. The same arrangement is true for the end portions of lateral edge 18 relative to the other end portions of longitudinal edges 16 and 17.
Such a corner configuration has significant advantages. Since the corners have such a wide included angle, they can be completely and uniformly filled by conventional manufacturing (filling) equipment. The result is a pillow which has a straight-line edge appearance when filled, without an underfilled or eventual dog-eared corner. The pillow is thus more attractive than conventional pillows and looks completely and uniformly filled.
As shown in FIG. 2, fill, including both down and/or synthetic material as well as combinations thereof, are directed into pillow shell 10 through opening 36. When the shell is filled, opening 36 is closed by sewing together the lateral edges of each layer defining lateral edge 19 to complete the pillow.
FIGS. 3 and 4 show a pillow shell embodiment 40 which is similar to pillow 10 of FIGS. 1 and 2, except with the addition of a gusset member 42 which extends around the complete periphery of the pillow shell between top and bottom identical fabric sections 44 and 46, which are comparable to fabric sections 12 and 14 in pillow 10. The corner configuration 45 for fabric sections 44 and 46 is the same as the corner configuration for fabric sections 12 and 14 in pillow 10. Gusset 42 follows the corner configuration and is sewn to both the upper and lower fabric sections 44 and 46. In the embodiment shown, cording 47 can be used along the lines of attachment between each layer 44 and 46 and gusset member 42, although this is not necessary. In construction of the pillow, lateral end edge 47 of layer 44 and upper edge 48 of gusset 42 are left separated initially to allow for filling of pillow shell 40. Again, this can be done with various fills, including feathers, down and synthetic fills or a combination thereof. Edges 47 and 48 are then sewn together. The completed gusseted pillow 40 has the same completely filled corners as does pillow 10.
FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 illustrate a further embodiment of the pillow with the new corner configuration. Pillow 50 includes a gusseted pillow shell like that shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The gusset shell includes an upper fabric section 52, a lower fabric section 54 and a gusset member 56.
In addition, however, pillow 50 includes a top fabric section 58 and a bottom fabric section 60 which are typically identical in size and configuration to the upper and lower fabric sections 52, 54 of the gusset shell. The upper and lower fabric sections of the gusset shell as well as the top and bottom fabric sections have the same corner configuration shown in FIG. 1, where the end portions of the respective edges of each fabric section taper inwardly to a meeting point, where the angle between the meeting end portions at a typical corner being within the range of 120-140°. This results in completely filled corners 55 for the pillow shell of FIGS. 5, 6 and 7.
Pillow shell 50 includes three chambers to be filled. Upper chamber 62 is between the top fabric section 58 and the upper fabric section 52 of the gusset shell. Middle chamber 64 is the volume within the gusset shell, defined by upper and lower fabric sections 52, 54 and gusset member 56. Lower chamber 66 is defined between the lower fabric section 54 of the gusset shell and bottom fabric section 60. The peripheral edge of upper fabric section 52 of the gusset shell is secured to top fabric section 58, while the peripheral edge of lower fabric section 54 of the gusset shell is secured to the bottom fabric section 60. The edges are typically secured by sewing, but other attachment arrangements could be used. The three chambers can be filled with feathers, down, synthetic fill or a combination thereof. The individual chambers can be filled with the same fill, different fills or combinations thereof.
Thus, a new pillow shell configuration has been disclosed, in particular, a pillow shell having a new corner configuration which is easier to fill and provides a more uniform and completely filled appearance when the pillow is filled.
Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed for purposes of illustration, it should be understood that various changes, modifications and substitutions may be incorporated in the embodiment without departing from the spirit of the invention which is defined by the claims which follow.

Claims

1. A pillow having a modified corner configuration, comprising:

at least two pillow shell layers, each layer having approximately the same configuration, joined together around the peripheries thereof or to an intermediate gusset portion, wherein the corners of each layer are defined by a meeting of end portions of two adjacent edges, the meeting end portions tapering inwardly from the remainder of their respective edges to a point to define a corner, wherein the angle between the two meeting end portions is greater than 90°; and

filling between the two pillow shell layers

2. The pillow of claim 1, wherein each end portion is approximately straight over most of the length thereof.

3. The pillow of claim 1, wherein said angle is within the range of 120-140°.

4. The pillow of claim 1, wherein the end portions begin approximately five inches from the ends of the edges of the pillow.

5. The pillow of claim 1, wherein each corner point meeting of edge end portions is located approximately one-half inch inwardly from a straight-line continuation of the edges of the pillow.

6. The pillow of claim 1, including a gusset member positioned between and sewn to the two pillow shell layers, wherein the gusset member follows the edge configuration of the pillow shell layers.

7. The pillow of claim 1, wherein the filling between the two pillow shell layers is sufficient that the filled pillow has edges which are substantially straight and corners which appear completely filled.

8. The pillow of claim 6, including top and bottom layers, approximately the same size and configuration as the pillow shell layers, sewn to the pillow shell layers and the gusset member, thereby defining three separate pillow chambers for the pillow, one chamber between the top layer and an upper pillow shell layer, another chamber between the upper pillow shell layer and a lower pillow shell layer, and still another chamber between the lower pillow shell layer and the bottom layer.

9. The pillow of claim 8, including filling in the first, second and third chambers.