IES970681A2 - Improvements in and relating to pillows - Google Patents

Abstract

The prevent invention relates to a pillow for alleviating the pressure exerted on regions of a person's face when the person lays down with his/her face resting on the pillow, the pillow comprising a depression located in the centre of the pillow. The pillow also includes a ridge which extends along the length of the side of the pillow. The ridge is provided with a neck-support cut-out portion which is appropriately sized to accommodate and support the neck region of a person's neck, the neck support/cut-out portion being located approximately mid-way along the ridge and extending from the top of the ridge to the base of the ridge, whereby when the person lay his/her head on the pillow, the person's neck is resting in the neck support cut-out portion, the facial skin in the region of the eye is then in contact with the covering on the pillow which is located over the depression thereby reducing the pressure on the facial skin. <Fig. 1>

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO PILLOWS The present invention concerns improvements in and relating to pillows.

It has been found by the applicant that when a person rests his/her face on a pillow of the prior art type that pressure is exerted on the portion of the face which is exposed to the surface of the pillow. This is particularly the case when a person is lying on his/her side while sleeping with his/her head resting on a pillow; all of the pressure exerted by the weight of the head is borne by the side of the face pressed against the pillow. It has also been found by the applicant that the pressure exerted in this way on areas of face can lead to an increase in the rate at which wrinkles appear in the facial skin.

The present invention accordingly seeks to alleviate the 20 disadvantages associated with prior art pillows.

OPEN TO PUBLIC iMSPLC«.VN UNDER SECTION 28 AND RULE 23 U c35^ The present invention accordingly provides a pillow for alleviating the pressure exerted on regions of a person's face when the person lays down with his face resting on the pillow, the pillow comprising a depression located in the region of the centre of the pillow, the pillow being wrapped in a covering whereby when the person lays his lead on the pillow, the face is in contact with the :overing located over the depression thereby reducing the sressure on the facial skin.

Ideally, the pillow is adapted so as to encourage a person to position the face on the pillow such that the facial skin in the region of the eyes is located on the covering directly over the depression.

IE 970681 Advantageously, the pillow includes a base foam in which the depression is provided and the covering completely envelopes the base foam. Conveniently, the depression comprises an aperture in the base foam. Advantageously, the aperture is provided in the centre of the pillow and is generally rectangular shaped.

Ideally, the aperture is appropriately sized so that the facial skin in the region of the eyes will be accommodated within the perimeter of the aperture.

The inner walls of the aperture are tapered to give added strength to the base of the aperture.

The pillow also includes a ridge along one edge thereof. The ridge extends along the length of the side of the pillow opposite a major side of the rectangular shaped aperture.

The ridge includes a cut-out portion which is substantially semi-ellipsoidal in shape, and adapted to accommodate the neck region of a person having his head resting on the pillow, thereby giving the neck support.

The cut-out is located mid-way along the ridge and has the advantage that when a person's neck is resting in the cut-out, the facial skin in the region of the eyes is urged into position on the covering over the aperture.

Preferably, the base foam is made of polyurethane foam and the covering is made of polyester hollow fibre.

The pillow of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which are shown, one embodiment of the pillow of the invention.

IE 970681 - 3 In the drawings : Figure 1 is a perspective view of the pillow from the top; Figure 2 is a front view of the pillow showing the cut-out section; Figure 3 is a plan view of the pillow; Figure 4 is a sectional view along the line IV-IV of Figure 3; and Figure 5 is a sectional view along the line V-V of Figure 3 .

Referring to the drawings, the base foam of the pillow is indicated by the reference numeral 1. The base foam 1 includes an aperture 3 formed in the centre thereof. The· aperture 3 is of a generally rectangular shape and the walls 4 of the aperture 3 are tapered outwardly towards the base of the pillow so as to provide additional strength to the base of the aperture 3.

The base foam includes a main body 2 having a thickness n and a ridge 5 which tapers gradually to a maximum thickness m which is greater than the thickness n of the main body. The ridge 5 also includes a cut-out section 6 on the front side thereof. The cut-out section 6 is provided on the ridge and is opposite one of the two longer sides of the rectangular shaped aperture 3. The cut-out section 6 is appropriately sized so as to comfortably accommodate and support the neck region of a person whose head is resting on the pillow. The cut-out is located mid-way along the ridge and has the advantage that when a person's neck is resting in the cut-out, the - 4 IE 970681 facial skin in the region of the eyes is urged into position on the covering over the aperture.

It will of course be understood that the invention is not 5 limited to the specific details described herein, which are given by way of example only, and that various modifications and alterations are possible within the scope of the invention.

MACLACHLAN & DONALDSON, Applicants' Agents, Merrion Square, DUBLIN 2.

IE 970681

Claims (4)

1. A pillow for alleviating pressure exerted on regions of a person’s face when the person lays down with his/her face resting on the pillow, the pillow comprising a depression 5 located in the centre of the pillow, the pillow also including a ridge which extends along the length of one side of the pillow, the ridge being provided with a neck-support cutout portion which is appropriately sized to accommodate and support the neck region of a person’s neck, the neck support cut-out portion being located approximately mid-way along the ridge, and extending from top of the ridge to base of the ridge, whereby when io the person lays his/her head on the pillow, the person’s neck is resting in the neck support cut-out portion, the facial skin in the region of the eye is located over the depression thereby reducing the pressure on the facial skin.

2. A pillow as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cut-out portion is substantially semi15 ellipsoidal in shape.

3. A pillow as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the aperture is generally rectangular shaped and the inner walls of the aperture are tapered to give added strength at the base of the aperture.

4. A pillow as claimed in claim 1, substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.