SCIANNAMEO, Giuliano (Via Marzabotto 28, Terni, I-05100, IT)
| CLAIMS 1. Improved pillow characterized in that it consists of: - Two half-shells (1 and 2) made of viscoelastic material; - One or more seats or imprints (3) made on the inside of the half-shell (1) and one or more seats or imprints (4) made on the inside of the half-shell (2); - A proper number of elastic means housed in seats (3 and 4) on the inner parts of the half-shells; - Cases (6) where the elastic means are housed. 2. Improved pillow according to claim 1 characterized in that the elastic means cases (6) have, along their vertical sides, a free edge (7) which allows to join together two or more cases (6) containing said elastic means, by gluing of edges (7) or other method. 3. Improved pillow according to claim 1 characterized in that the elastic means are springs (5). 4. Improved pillow according to claims 1 and 3 characterized in that the springs are made with threads having a different diameter among the single springs. 5. Improved pillow according to claims 1 , 3 and 4 characterized in that the springs (5) made with threads of different diameter are placed in different points of the housing seats (3 and 4) within the half-shells (1 and 2) in viscoelastic material. 6. Improved pillow according to claim 1 characterized in that the seats (3 and 4) are a plurality, with a diameter almost corresponding to the elastic means diameter, and in every single seat is housed a single elastic means. 7. Improved pillow according to claim 1 characterized in that the half- shells (1 and 2) are joined together after positioning the elastic means by gluing or other known system. |
STATE OF THE ART
For many centuries pillows are known as elements to support the head during sleep.
Until some years ago, a pillow was usually made of a rectangular fabric stuffed with wool or feathers. Currently, pillows are more often stuffed with artificial fibers or synthetic materials, such as sponge rubber or rubber latex. In recent years, much energy has been employed on researching the best shape and elasticity features of pillows, in order to ensure the best support for the head, with the main purpose of countering diseases resulting from an incorrect posture, which often results in an insufficient sleep, headaches, muscular tension and frequent cervical problems.
These studies led to stress the importance of a balanced support for the neck and of a proper front inclination to succeed in guaranteeing a good support to the upper vertebrae.
As a result of these studies, it was found that viscoelastic pillows for the head can satisfactorily reach the features mentioned above.
The viscoelastic material is a synthetic material, which is derived from hydrocarbons, comprising millions of micro-cells that make it self-modeling and thermosensitive; it is a material originally studied by NASA to protect astronauts from gravitational thrusts during take-off. The cellular structure of the viscoelastic material allows the pillow to model itself on the shape of the head and return to its original shape in a slow and controlled way thanks to polyurethane properties.
The viscoelastic material is self-modeling thanks to its high adaptability to the body shape, which is due to micro-cells that compress and expand themselves according to the body pressure and weight. The viscoelastic material is sensitive to temperature, it utilizes the heat of the supported body to soften and adapt to the body shape, it softens by heat and stiffens when pressure and heat stop; a further feature of the viscoelastic material is that it prevents the formation of single contact and pressure points, enabling an even support to the whole body area resting on it.
Despite the aforementioned advantages, the viscoelastic material has two significant drawbacks, especially when used for pillow manufacture: the first drawback is that the viscoelastic material does not allow the air passage and therefore it turns out to be hot and unpleasant, especially during summer months; the second drawback is that its elasticity, that is the possibility to recover its original shape once the body resting on a specific area has been removed, is, as mentioned, slow and therefore it is not able to follow the movements of the head, being quick and frequent in some subjects and in some sleep phases. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a pillow which, although using the viscoelastic material, is able to allow a greater air passage, thus resulting less hot
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a pillow which, although using the viscoelastic material, is able to allow a quicker and more calibrated return to its original shape depending on the characteristics of the head and the habits and needs of the user.
The objects of the present invention are achieved by the realization of a pillow whose external part consists of a viscoelastic material shell with appropriate size and height; this shell may be perforated in several points so as to improve the ventilation; within the viscoelastic material shell there is a series of elastic elements, preferably compression springs, made with threads whose thickness depends on the resistance and speed of the spring return which one wishes to get.
Each spring is preferably inserted within a protection case made of high breathability fabric; two or more bags, each of them containing a spring, may be joined together in order to confer a greater stability to their position within the shell.
The shell may consist of two half-shells and each half-shell is provided of one or more seats where the elastic elements are placed; the half-shells are joined together after positioning the containing spring bags. According to a preferred embodiment, the viscoelastic material, which the shells are made of, is perforated or micro-perforated so as to improve the air passage.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will be now described according to one indicative embodiment, which is not limiting, given with reference to the attached drawings, wherein: Figure 1 shows a sectional axonometric view of the pillow of the present invention.
Figure 2 shows an exploded axonometric view of the pillow.
Figure 3 shows an axonometric view of a number of springs packed within a single bag and joined together.
DETTAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
With reference to said figures, the pillow of the present invention comprises:
- Two half-shells (1 and 2) made of viscoelastic material;
- One or more seats or imprints (3) made on the inside of the half-shell (1) and one or more seats or imprints (4) made on the inside of the half-shell (2);
- A proper number of elastic means housed in seats (3 and 4) on the inner parts of the half-shells;
- Cases (6) where the elastic means are housed.
In order to realize the pillow, according to the present invention, two half- shells in viscoelastic material are manufactured, each of said half-shells is made of viscoelastic material and has an external face with a slight curvature becoming more accentuated towards the edges and an internal face, the central part of which has a seat, which involves almost the entire pillow length and almost the entire width, therefore leaving, near the edges, a greater viscoelastic material layer shaped so that the edges match and allow their mutual locking by gluing or other method.
The springs (5) or other elastic compression means are each housed within a case (6) made of a sufficiently resistant material able to contain them without breaking down, even in compression and release phases, and, together, to let the air pass inside.
Along their vertical sides, the cases (6) have a free edge (7) which allows to join together two or more cases (6) containing springs (5) or other elastic means, by gluing or other method, so as to confer a greater stability on all springs or elastic means which remain in the correct position even under stress.
The resistance to compression of springs (5) relies on the thread used for their realization; depending on the springs or other similar used means, it is obtained a pillow whose "hardness" and return quickness to its initial position can vary, when the weight of the head shifts from one point to the other of the pillow itself.
According to a possible variant, the springs placed into seats (3 and 4) may be different for resistance to compression and/or for return quickness, in different pillow points, thus creating a pillow with differentiated areas able to satisfy the user's peculiar needs. According to a further possible variant, the seats (3 and 4) on the half-shells (1 and 2) may be made, rather than as a single seat for a plurality of springs, as a series of contiguous seats having approximately the spring diameter, for the single spring housing in each seat.