Improved pillow, mattress or the like.

The present invention concerns an improved pillow, mattress or the like.

In particular, the invention concerns a pillow or the like, whereby the core is formed of springs and whereby the comfort layer is provided around the core for a better feeling for the user and to fit better around the body contours of said user.

Said comfort layer is usually situated directly under a lining textile.

Different types of comfort layers are already known, such as different layers of polyester fibres that are processed into a comfort layer via carding and that are stuck together by means of melting fibres .

These known comfort layers feel very nice and are still frequently used to cover pillows, mattresses or the like.

However, a disadvantage of such known comfort layers is that they lose their resilience very soon, as the fibres are compressed and lack the resilience to reassume their original shape, such that the product concerned becomes less comfortable and even unfit for use.

Comfort layers that are made of a natural or synthetic latex are known as well.

These known comfort layers are not disadvantageous in that they are compressed and lose their shape soon, but they are disadvantageous in that natural or synthetic latex has a closed cell structure, such that, when such a comfort layer is used on a mattress for example, the damp air and sweat cannot penetrate in the mattress.

A disadvantage linked thereto is that the user will even perspire more, since there is no ventilation, and the feeling of comfort is completely undone.

The most recent known comfort layer is made of viscoelastic polyurethane foam.

This type of soft foam is subject to influences of temperature and behaves like a sort of thermoplastic, such that this comfort layer becomes softer as a result of the body temperature and so to say "rolls" itself around the body or the head.

A major disadvantage of this material is the large number of closed cells that is present in the foam structure, so that here as well, the necessary ventilation largely lacks, and the head or body gradually takes over the feeling of warmth, and perspiration cannot be vented.

The present invention aims to remedy one or several of the above-mentioned and other disadvantages and to provide a pillow, mattress or the like which gives a great feeling of comfort in use.

To this end, the invention concerns an improved pillow, mattress or the like with a comfort layer which is provided around the core of the pillow or the like and which is made of natural or synthetic latex, polyurethane foam or another elastic material, whereby in this comfort layer interrupted incisions are provided through the layer along mainly parallel lines, and in that said layer forms at least a part of a jacket around the core that is stretched in a lateral direction which is mainly transverse to the direction of the above-mentioned lines in order to open the incisions so as to form passages through the comfort layer.

By cutting in the elastic material of the comfort layer and by stretching it open, passages are created which offer the advantage that such an improved comfort layer becomes entirely air permeable and thus offers the possibility to remove all perspiration and damp air through the openings and to provide for a perfect air circulation.

Another advantage is that the comfort layer can be made extremely soft when said incisions are stretched open, which is not always feasible with a solid comfort layer.

Thus, for example, no durable, compact comfort layer is soft enough to be used as a cover layer of a pillow.

Moreover, the proposed improved comfort layer can be produced in a very economical manner, since by providing incisions and by stretching open the comfort layer, an average surface gain of some 75% is obtained, whereas the

thickness of the comfort layer is only reduced with a few percents .

Moreover, no waste whatsoever is produced, which is economically sound, since latex and especially viscoelastic polyurethane foam is a very expensive material.

As a function of the thickness of the comfort layer, said incisions may vary in length and mutual distances, such that the required rhombic openings can be made for any possible application and desired softness.

This makes it possible to realise the improved comfort layer in an automated manner and to easily control the quality of the comfort layer.

The improved comfort layer is preferably made of a viscoelastic polyurethane foam which, as already mentioned above, is temperature-sensitive and assumes the shape of the body under the influence of the body heat and pressure, and after use always reassumes its original shape.

By stretching the improved comfort layer to a greater or lesser extent in certain zones compared to other zones, comfort zones can be created having different local qualities, depending on the wishes of the user.

Different comfort zones can also be created by using larger or wider incisions in certain zones or by using zones with and without incisions. Thus, for example, zones with different degrees of softness or with different supporting

effects for the body can be created. In this way the edges of the pillow, mattress or the like can be made more firm.

The comfort layer forming the jacket is preferably stretched because its lateral dimension in unstretched position is smaller than the circumference of the core of the pillow or the like.

This way there is no need for a supporting frame or a supporting layer on which the comfort layer is glued or attached in order to keep the comfort layer in a stretched position.

A pillow or the like can thus be realised in a very easy manner by gluing the opposite sides of the comfort layer together in order to form a cylindrical jacket or pouch wherein, with respect to the dimensions of this jacket, an oversized core is introduced that keeps the comfort layer stretched in at least a lateral direction perpendicular to the direction of the incisions.

In order to better explain the characteristics of the present invention, the following preferred applications of an improved comfort layer according to the invention are given as an example only without being limitative in any way, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

figure 1 schematically represents a section of an improved pillow according to the invention; figure 2 represents a section according to line II-II in figure 1;

figure 3 represents a view as that in figure 2, but for another condition.

The improved pillow 1 represented in figure 1 consists of a core 2 of cylindrical foam springs 3 made of polyurethane glued on a piece of "non-woven" material 4.

The core 2 is provided in a jacket made of a comfort layer 5 which, in the case of the invention, is formed of a layer of polyurethane foam or latex or preferably in a viscoelastic foam in which, before the comfort layer 5 is used, interrupted incisions 6 through the thickness of comfort layer 5 are provided along mainly parallel lines 7 as is represented in figure 3.

The incisions 6 are preferably provided according to a regular pattern and in particular according to a staggered pattern as in figure 3.

When the comfort layer 5 with the incisions 6 is provided around the core 2, the comfort layer 5 is stretched according to the invention in a lateral direction according to the arrows P in figure 3, which is mainly transverse to the direction of the above-mentioned lines 7, as a result of which the incisions 6 are stretched open so as to form passages 8 through the comfort layer 5, as represented in figure 2.

In order to stretch the comfort layer 5, both opposite sides 9 and 10 of the comfort layer 5 are connected to each other by gluing or the like, such that a cylindrical jacket

or shell or pouch is created. The comfort layer 5 can then be stretched, such that the core 2 can be slid in. Next, the open sides of the cylindrical shell are closed by gluing or the like, such that the comfort layer 5 forms an entirely closed jacket or pouch around the core 2.

The pillow 1 is further finished with a sleeve 11 made of fabric.

As an alternative, the improved comfort layer 5 can be provided beforehand on one or both sides of a supporting layer in the form of a "non-woven" fabric. The supporting layer is then provided with incisions as well and it provides a larger tear strength and tensile strength to the comfort layer 5.

Good results are obtained as far as lay and seating comfort are concerned when the length A of the incisions 6 is larger than the mutual distances B between incisions 6 that are in line, such that, when stretching the comfort layer 5, rhombic or diamond-shaped passages 8 are obtained.

The length L of the incisions 6 preferably amounts to about the double of the distance B between the incisions 6 that are in line, and the distance C between the parallel lines 7 along which the incisions 6 are provided, is smaller than the distance B between the incisions 6 that are in line.

It is clear that the softness of the comfort layer 5 can be adjusted to the wishes of the user by stretching the comfort layer 5 to a larger or smaller extent.

This also makes it possible to adjust the comfort in certain zones of the pillow 1 or the like, by stretching the comfort layer 5 locally more or less in these zones than in other zones.

The qualities of the comfort layer 5 can also be adjusted to the wishes of the user by varying the thickness of the comfort layer 5, the hardness of the selected foam, or the geometrical data of the incisions 6 and of the passages 8.

The incisions 6 must not necessarily be provided according to straight lines; they may also be angular or bent incisions or incisions in any other shape whatsoever or along curved lines.

If necessary, the improved comfort layer 5 may consist of different parts having different patterns of incisions 6, in order to make the comfort layer 5 harder or softer in certain zones, i.e. harder at the edges of the pillow 1.

The improved comfort layer 5 may also be formed of different strips with varying degrees of hardness, so that in this manner as well, different comfort zones are created.

It is clear that the core 2 does not necessarily has to be made of springs, but that also other resilient materials can be used to stuff the core 2.

It is also clear that the jacket does not have to be entirely made of an incised comfort layer, but that for instance only that part of the jacket used to support a body part of a user is made of such a layer and that this comfort layer is stretched by pulling the opposite sides 9 and 10 together with a string or a piece of cloth or the like which is attached to both sides 9 and 10.

The present invention is by no means limited to the embodiment described above and represented in the accompanying drawings; on the contrary, such a pillow can be made according to different variants while still remaining within the scope of the invention.