Neck pillow

Abstract

To provide a bedding in which air is prevented from leaking immediately after being introduced into the bedding.SOLUTION: A bedding according to the present embodiment is provided with an expandable body 20 and a cover body 40 that is detachable from the expandable body 20. The expandable body 20 includes: a hollow main body 21; a hollow suction part 24 that integrally extends from the main body 21 and has a suction port 25 at the tip; and a cylindrical part 26 that extends toward the main body 21 inside the suction part 24, has an outlet 27 for discharging the air sucked in from the suction port 25 to the main body 21, and is formed from a flexible material. The cover body 40 has a main body cover part 41 that covers the main body 21, and a suction cover part 44 that covers the suction part 24. By rolling the suction cover part 44 toward the main body cover part 41, the cylindrical part 26 is rolled along with the suction cover part 44 and the suction part 24 toward the main body cover part 41, thus sealing the main body 21.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to bedding. [Background technology]

[0002] Bedding that is used by filling it with air has been known for some time. Patent Document 1 discloses an air pillow that includes a bag body having an opening for taking in air and a sealing member that closes the opening to seal the air inside the bag, and a cover bag having a storage opening for storing the bag body. The air pillow of Patent Document 1 is ready to be worn around the user's neck by filling air into the bag body opening and sealing the opening, then wrapping the rear part of the bag body towards the front part of the bag body, and finally closing the storage opening with the bag body's fastening member. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Utility Model Registration No. 3184468 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, with the air pillow of Patent Document 1, there is a risk that air may leak out from the opening of the bag body between the time when air is introduced through the opening of the bag body and the time when the opening is sealed. The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and has an object to prevent air from leaking out immediately after air is introduced into the interior. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The present invention is a bedding item comprising an expandable body and a cover body that can be attached and detached to the expandable body, wherein the expandable body has a hollow main body portion, a hollow suction portion that extends integrally from the main body portion and has an suction port at its tip, and a tubular portion made of a flexible material that extends inside the suction portion toward the main body portion and has an outlet port for allowing air inhaled from the suction port to flow out into the main body portion, and the cover body has a main body cover portion that covers the main body portion, and an suction cover portion that covers the suction portion, and by rolling the suction cover portion toward the main body cover portion, the tubular portion is rolled toward the main body cover portion together with the suction cover portion and the suction portion, thereby sealing the main body portion. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent air from leaking out immediately after air is introduced into the interior. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a neck pillow after being inflated. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a neck pillow before inflation. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of an expansion body. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a cover body. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining the procedure for inflating the tire. [Figure 6] 10A and 10B are diagrams showing the state of deformation of the cylindrical portion before and after air is injected. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating the procedure for removing air. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings in which the bedding according to the present invention is a neck pillow 100. The neck pillow 100 of this embodiment is designed to be worn around the neck of a user and enclose the neck when air is pumped into it from an empty state, and can be folded up for compact storage when air is released.

[0009] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the neck pillow 100 after it has been inflated. Figure 1(a) is a perspective view of the neck pillow 100 seen from above, and Figure 1(b) is a perspective view of the neck pillow 100 seen from below. For ease of explanation, each figure, including Figure 1, appropriately indicates the top, bottom, front, back, right, and left of the neck pillow 100 when worn around the neck of the user.

[0010] The neck pillow 100 is roughly annular in shape with a neck insertion section 10 in the center in a plan view, through which the user's neck is inserted. The neck pillow 100 also has an open section 11 at the front where a portion of the annular shape is not continuous and can be opened to the left and right. The user uses the neck pillow 100 by inserting their neck into the neck insertion section 10 through the open section 11 and attaching it to their neck.

[0011] 2A and 2B are diagrams showing the configuration of the neck pillow 100 in an unfolded state before inflation. Fig. 2A is a plan view of the neck pillow 100, and Fig. 2B is a side view of the neck pillow 100. As shown in Figure 2(a), the neck pillow 100 before inflation has a roughly C-shaped or U-shaped front and a roughly rectangular rear. Also, as shown in Figure 2(b), the neck pillow 100 before inflation has a roughly flat shape with a thin thickness in the vertical direction. The neck pillow 100 has an inflatable body 20 that expands when air enters it, and a cover body 40 that covers the inflatable body 20 from the outside. In Fig. 2(a), the inflatable body 20 is shown by a hidden line (broken line) because it is covered by the cover body 40 and cannot be seen.

[0012] Figure 3 is a diagram showing the configuration of the expandable body 20. Figure 3(a) is a plan view showing the expandable body 20 in an unfolded state. Figure 3(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line II in Figure 3(a). Note that Figure 3(a) shows the expandable body 20 in a state before inflation, while Figure 3(b) shows the expandable body 20 in a state after slight inflation for ease of understanding. The expandable body 20 can be filled with air to give the user a sense of elasticity when the neck pillow 100 is worn by the user.

[0013] The inflatable body 20 has a main body portion 21, an intake portion 24, a cylindrical portion 26, core members 30a and 30b, and hook-and-loop fasteners 31a and 31b. The main body 21 is a portion that surrounds the neck of the user when the neck pillow 100 is worn by the user. The main body 21 is roughly C-shaped or roughly U-shaped in plan view. The main body 21 is made of a flexible, non-breathable material, for example, a sheet made of synthetic resin such as polyurethane. The main body 21 is transparent or translucent. The main body 21 is hollow and allows air to enter inside. Specifically, the main body 21 is formed by stacking two roughly C-shaped or roughly U-shaped sheets 21a and 21b (see FIG. 3(b)) one on top of the other in plan view and welding and joining their outer edges (edges).

[0014] The main body 21 also has a rear part 22 that covers the user's neck from the rear when the neck pillow 100 is worn by the user, and a pair of side parts 23a, 23b that cover the user's neck from the left and right. The rear portion 22 is located behind the pair of side portions 23a, 23b. The rear portion 22 has a curved outer shape such that the width in the left-right direction gradually decreases toward the rear. Meanwhile, the pair of side portions 23a, 23b extend from both the left and right sides of the rear portion 22 toward the front, approaching each other. Furthermore, the front tips of the pair of side portions 23a, 23b are each curved in a substantially semicircular shape.

[0015] The central space surrounded by the rear portion 22 and the pair of side portions 23a, 23b corresponds to the neck insertion portion 10, and the gap between the side portions 23a and 23b corresponds to the opening 11. The width W1 in the left-right direction of the neck insertion portion 10 shown in FIG. 3(a) (the maximum distance in the left-right direction of the gap between the side portions 23a and 23b) is approximately 90 to 100 mm, and the left-right direction of the opening 11 The width W2 (the minimum distance in the left-right direction of the gap between the side portions 23a and 23b) is approximately 70 to 80 mm. The combined width WA of the pair of side portions 23a, 23b and the neck insertion portion 10 (the maximum distance in the left-right direction of the main body 21) is approximately 440 to 460 mm.

[0016] Intake section 24 is a section for introducing (inhaling) air from the outside into main body section 21. Intake section 24 has a substantially rectangular shape in a plan view. Intake section 24 is configured integrally with main body section 21. Intake section 24 extends rearward integrally from the rear end of rear section 22 of main body section 21. That is, intake section 24 is made of the same material as main body section 21, that is, a flexible, non-breathable material, for example, a sheet made of a synthetic resin such as polyurethane. In addition, in the same way as main body section 21, intake section 24 is transparent or translucent. Intake section 24 is hollow and communicates with the interior of main body section 21. Specifically, in a plan view, intake section 24 is configured by overlapping two sheets 24a and 24b (see FIG. 3(b)) continuing from main body section 21 one above the other and welding and joining them at the outer edges on both the left and right sides. Meanwhile, suction section 24 has suction port 25 formed by not welding the rear tip portions (rear ends) of two sheets 24a, 24b together. Suction port 25 is an opening for letting air into (inhaling air into) main body section 21. Air flows in and out between the interior space formed by main body section 21 and suction section 24 and the outside only through suction port 25. Therefore, by closing suction port 25, main body section 21 and suction section 24 can be sealed.

[0017] The suction section 24 has a width W3 in the left-right direction of approximately 130 to 140 mm. The width W3 of the suction section 24 is larger than the width W1 of the neck insertion section 10 in the left-right direction. The width W3 of the suction section 24 is also larger than the width W2 of the opening 11 in the left-right direction. Therefore, the suction port 25 of the suction section 24 can be made wider, allowing a large amount of air to enter the main body 21 at one time. Meanwhile, the width W3 of the suction section 24 is smaller than the combined width WA of the pair of side sections 23a, 23b and the neck insertion section 10 in the left-right direction. Furthermore, the width W3 of the suction section 24 is smaller than half the combined width WA of the pair of side sections 23a, 23b and the neck insertion section 10 (WA / 2). Therefore, the suction section 24 is not excessively large, which allows the user to easily roll up the suction cover section 44 (described later).

[0018] The cylindrical portion 26 functions as a check valve that prevents air from leaking out of the inlet port 25 immediately after air is introduced into the main body 21. The cylindrical portion 26 is generally rectangular in plan view and is positioned within the inlet 24 so as to overlap the inlet 24. Specifically, the cylindrical portion 26 is positioned between the two sheets 24a and 24b of the inlet 24. The cylindrical portion 26 is made of the same material as the main body 21, i.e., a flexible, non-breathable material, such as a synthetic resin such as polyurethane. Similarly to the main body 21, the cylindrical portion 26 is transparent or translucent. The cylindrical portion 26 is formed by stacking two sheets 26a and 26b (see FIG. 3(b)) one on top of the other and welding the outer edges (edges) on both the left and right sides. In FIG. 3(a), the inlet 24 is made of a transparent or translucent material, so the cylindrical portion 26 can be seen through the inlet 24.

[0019] Cylindrical portion 26 is tubular in shape, allowing air to flow in the front-rear direction, and extends from the rear tip (rear end) of suction portion 24 through suction portion 24 toward main body portion 21. The opening at the rear end of cylindrical portion 26 is formed integrally with suction port 25 of suction portion 24. Specifically, the outer peripheral surface of the rear end of cylindrical portion 26 is joined in close contact with the inner peripheral surface of suction port 25 of suction portion 24 over the entire circumference, thereby making the opening at the rear end of cylindrical portion 26 integral with suction port 25 of suction portion 24. Therefore, air taken in through suction port 25 of suction portion 24 flows forward through cylindrical portion 26.

[0020] On the other hand, the opening at the front end of the cylindrical portion 26 is located at the boundary between the main body portion 21 and the suction portion 24 in the front-rear direction. 3(a) )。 Here, the boundary between the main body portion 21 and the suction portion 24 refers to the intersection point P1 when the main body portion 21 and the suction portion 24 are connected to each other by a straight line (the dashed line shown in FIG. 3(a)) if they are connected to each other in a smooth curved line as shown in FIG. 3(a). Here, "close" means that the opening at the front end of the tubular portion 26 is closer to the intersection point P1 in the front-to-rear direction than the rear end of the tubular portion 26, and closer to the intersection point P1 than the front end (point P2) of the rear portion 22 of the main body portion 21. Air that enters through the suction port 25 and flows forward inside the tubular portion 26 flows out into the main body portion 21 from the opening at the front end of the tubular portion 26. In other words, the opening at the front end of the tubular portion 26 functions as an outlet 27 when air flows out into the main body portion 21.

[0021] Furthermore, the outer edges (edges) on both the left and right sides of the tubular portion 26 are welded to the outer edges (edges) on both the left and right sides of the suction portion 24 from the rear end to approximately the middle portion in the front-to-rear direction, but are not welded to the suction portion 24 from approximately the middle portion to the front end. Therefore, the tubular portion 26 can move freely within the suction portion 24 without being restricted by the suction portion 24 from approximately the middle portion to the front end. Specifically, as described below, the tubular portion 26 can deform so as to block the outlet 27 by shrinking (deflat- ing) due to the pressure of air flowing into the main body 21. Furthermore, as described below, to deflate the air, the user pulls the front end of the tubular portion 26 rearward from the suction port 25. At this time, the portion of the tubular portion 26 from approximately the middle portion to the front end can be folded back rearward to pull out the front end of the tubular portion 26.

[0022] Furthermore, the approximate middle portion of the tubular portion 26 in the front-to-rear direction has a welded portion 28 that is wider in the left-to-right direction than the other welded portions and is welded to the outer edges (edges) on both the left and right sides of the suction portion 24. Because the welded portion 28 can improve the welding strength more than the other portions, it is possible to prevent the tubular portion 26 from breaking or the suction portion 24, which is welded together with the tubular portion 26, from breaking even when a load is applied when the tip of the tubular portion 26 is pulled out.

[0023] The tubular portion 26 has a tab 29 fixed to the opening edge of the outlet 27. The tab 29 is a portion that a user grasps with their hand when pulling the front end of the tubular portion 26 rearward from the inlet 25 to release air that has entered the main body 21. The tab 29 is made of a flexible material, such as a sheet-like synthetic resin such as nylon, so as not to damage the main body 21. The tab 29 is colored a different color from the transparent color of the tubular portion 26. Specifically, the tab 29 is colored a warm color, such as red, orange, or yellow, that stands out even in dark surroundings. As shown in FIG. 3(b), the tab 29 is fixed to the front end and approximately the center in the left-right direction of one of the two sheets 26a and 26b that make up the tubular portion 26. In FIG. 3(a), the main body 21 is made of a transparent or translucent material, so the tab 29 can be seen through the main body 21. The knob 29 may be omitted. In this case, the user can release the air that has entered the main body 21 by pinching the opening edge of the outlet 27 with his / her hand and pulling out the tubular portion 26.

[0024] The width of the cylindrical portion 26 in the left-right direction from the rear end to the approximate middle in the front-rear direction is approximately the same as the width W3 of the suction portion 24, and gradually decreases from the approximate middle toward the front. The length L1 in the front-rear direction from the rear end to the front end of the cylindrical portion 26 is approximately 180 to 190 mm. Meanwhile, the length L2 in the front-rear direction from the rear end of the suction portion 24 to the front end (point P2) of the rear portion 22 of the main body 21 is approximately 300 to 310 mm. Therefore, the length L1 in the front-rear direction of the cylindrical portion 26 is shorter than the length L2 in the front-rear direction from the rear end of the suction portion 24 to the front end (point P2) of the rear portion 22 of the main body 21, but is longer than half the length L2 (L2 / 2).

[0025] As will be described later, the core members 30a and 30b are formed when the user rolls the intake cover part 44 toward the main body cover part 41 in order to seal the main body part 21 after air is introduced into the main body part 21. The core members 30a and 30b are generally rectangular and plate-shaped in plan view, elongated in the left-right direction. The left-right width of the core members 30a and 30b is generally the same as the left-right width W3 of the suction portion 24. The core members 30a and 30b are arranged along the opening of the suction port 25. Specifically, the core member 30a is arranged between the rear end of the sheet 24a of the suction portion 24 and the rear end of the sheet 26a of the tubular portion 26, and the core member 30b is arranged between the rear end of the sheet 24b of the suction portion 24 and the rear end of the sheet 26b of the tubular portion 26 (see FIG. 3(b) and FIG. 6, which will be described later). Core members 30a, 30b are positioned along the opening of suction port 25 by welding sheet 24a of suction portion 24 to sheet 26a of tubular portion 26 at positions forward of core members 30a, 30b, respectively. In FIG. 3(a), suction portion 24 is made of a transparent or translucent material, so core member 30a can be seen through suction portion 24. Core members 30a, 30b are made of a flexible material that is more rigid than main body portion 21, suction portion 24, and tubular portion 26, such as a synthetic resin such as polypropylene. Core members 30a, 30b are thicker (vertical thickness) than the sheets of main body portion 21, suction portion 24, and tubular portion 26.

[0026] The hook-and-loop fasteners 31a and 31b are portions that engage with hook-and-loop fasteners 51a and 51b (described later) provided on the cover body 40 when the cover body 40 is attached to the inflatable body 20. The hook-and-loop fasteners 31a and 31b are generally rectangular in shape and are elongated in the left-right direction in a plan view. The hook-and-loop fasteners 31a and 31b are arranged along the outer peripheral surface of the suction port 25 of the suction portion 24. Specifically, the hook-and-loop fastener 31a is attached to the outer surface of the rear end of the sheet 24a of the suction portion 24, and the hook-and-loop fastener 31b is attached to the outer surface of the rear end of the sheet 24b of the suction portion 24 (see FIG. 3(b)). The hook-and-loop fasteners 31a and 31b have a plurality of small hook portions provided along the surface.

[0027] Figure 4 shows an example of the configuration of the cover body 40. Figure 4(a) is a plan view showing the cover body 40 in an unfolded state. Figure 4(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in Figure 4(a). Note that Figure 4(a) shows the cover body 40 in a flattened state, while Figure 4(b) shows the cover body 40 in a slightly inflated state for ease of understanding. The cover body 40 covers the expandable body 20 from the outside, thereby protecting the expandable body 20 from dirt and damage and providing a soft feel when the user touches it. The cover body 40 is also detachable from the expandable body 20. Therefore, if the cover body 40 becomes dirty, it can be detached from the expandable body 20 and washed.

[0028] The cover body 40 has a main body cover portion 41, an intake cover portion 44, hook-and-loop fasteners 51a and 51b, a locking portion 52, locked portions 55a and 55b, and a storage locked portion 58. The body cover portion 41 is a portion of the inflatable body 20 that covers the main body portion 21 from the outside. The main body cover portion 41 is made of a stretchy, flexible, and breathable material, for example, a synthetic resin fabric such as polyester. The main body cover portion 41 is hollow and can cover the air-filled main body portion 21. Specifically, the main body cover portion 41 is formed by stacking two pieces of fabric 41a, 41b (see FIG. 4(b)) that are approximately C-shaped or U-shaped in a plan view one on top of the other and sewing together their outer edges. Note that the main body cover portion 41 has the same shape as the main body portion 21 of the inflatable body 20 in a plan view; however, the dimensions of each portion of the main body portion 21 can be made larger or smaller as appropriate, taking into account the fit and ease of attachment and detachment of the main body portion 21.

[0029] The intake cover portion 44 is a portion of the inflatable body 20 that covers the intake portion 24. The intake cover portion 44 is configured integrally with the main body cover portion 41. That is, the intake cover portion 44 is made of the same material as the main body cover portion 41, and a stretchy, flexible, and breathable material, for example, a synthetic resin fabric such as polyester, is used. The intake cover portion 44 is configured to cover the intake portion 24 of the main body cover portion 41. It is hollow and communicates with the interior. Specifically, intake cover portion 44 is formed by stacking two pieces of fabric 44a, 44b (see FIG. 4(b)) that are continuous from main body cover portion 41 in a plan view, one above the other, and sewing together the outer edges (edges) on both the left and right sides. Meanwhile, intake cover portion 44 has an opening 45 because the rear ends (rear ends) of two pieces of fabric 44a, 44b are not sewn together. Opening 45 serves as an opening for attaching and detaching cover body 40 to and from inflatable body 20. When cover body 40 is attached to inflatable body 20, inlet port 25 of inflatable portion 24 of inflatable body 20 is located within opening 45 of intake cover portion 44. In addition, a reinforcing member 46 is attached to the rear end of intake cover portion 44 along the outer circumferential surface of opening 45 to reinforce the strength of opening 45. In addition, the intake cover portion 44 has the same shape as the intake portion 24 of the inflatable body 20 when viewed in a plane, but can be made larger or smaller as appropriate relative to the dimensions of each part of the intake portion 24, taking into account the fit to the intake portion 24 or ease of attachment and detachment.

[0030] The hook-and-loop fasteners 51a and 51b are portions that engage with the hook-and-loop fasteners 31a and 31b provided on the suction portion 24 of the inflatable body 20 when the cover body 40 is attached to the inflatable body 20. The hook-and-loop fasteners 51a and 51b are generally rectangular and elongated in the left-right direction in a plan view. The hook-and-loop fasteners 51a and 51b are arranged along the inner circumferential surface of the opening 45 of the suction cover portion 44. Specifically, the hook-and-loop fastener 51a is sewn to the inner surface of the rear end of the fabric 44a of the suction cover portion 44, and the hook-and-loop fastener 51b is sewn to the inner surface of the rear end of the fabric 44b of the suction cover portion 44 (FIG. 4(b)). The hook-and-loop fasteners 51a and 51b have a plurality of small loops provided along the surface for engaging with the hook portions of the hook-and-loop fasteners 31a and 31b.

[0031] The locking portion 52 is a portion that locks onto the locked portions 55a, 55b to keep the suction cover portion 44 wrapped around the main body cover portion 41. The locking portion 52 is generally hook-shaped so that it can be hooked onto the locked portions 55a, 55b. The locking portion 52 is located on the outer surface of the fabric 41a of the main body cover portion 41, approximately in the center in the left-right direction. Specifically, the locking portion 52 is attached to the front end of a belt-shaped member 53 that is attached along the front-rear direction to the outer surface of the fabric 44a of the suction cover portion 44. The belt-shaped member 53 has a connecting portion 54 that is sewn and connected to the fabric 44a of the suction cover portion 44 at approximately the center in the front-rear direction. However, the belt-shaped member 53 is not connected to the fabric 44a of the suction cover portion 44 from the connecting portion 54 to the locking portion 52, so the locking portion 52 can be separated from the outer surface of the fabric 41a of the main body cover portion 41.

[0032] The latched portions 55a and 55b are portions latched by the latching portion 52. The latched portions 55a and 55b are semicircular when viewed from the left and right so that the hook-shaped latching portion 52 can be hooked onto them. The latched portions 55a and 55b are located on the outer surface of the fabric 41b of the main body cover 41, close to the neck insertion portion 10, and approximately in the center of the main body cover 41 in the left and right direction. Specifically, the latched portions 55a and 55b correspond to portions of the belt-shaped member 56 that are not connected to the fabric 41b and that are arranged along the front-rear direction on the outer surface of the fabric 41b of the main body cover 41. The latched portions 55a and 55b are located adjacent to each other in the front-rear direction, and the latching portion 52 latches onto either the latched portion 55a or the latched portion 55b.

[0033] The storage latched portion 58 is a portion that is latched to the latching portion 52 when the neck pillow 100 is rolled up for storage. The storage latched portion 58 is semicircular when viewed from the left and right so that the hook-shaped latching portion 52 can be hooked onto it. The storage latched portion 58 is located on the outer surface of the fabric 41a of the main body cover portion 41, close to the reinforcing member 46, and approximately in the center of the main body cover portion 41 in the left and right direction. Specifically, the storage latched portion 58 corresponds to the portion of the belt-shaped member 53 that is attached along the front-rear direction to the outer surface of the fabric 44a of the suction cover portion 44, that is not joined to the fabric 44a.

[0034] When attaching the cover body 40 configured as described above to the expandable body 20, the uninflated expandable body 20 is inserted into the cover body 40 through the opening 45 of the cover body 40, in the order of the main body portion 21 and the suction portion 24. At this time, the main body portion 21 and the suction portion 24 are flexed and bent while being inserted into the cover body 40 so that the expandable body 20 can pass through the opening 45. Next, the main body portion 21 and the suction portion 24 are expanded within the cover body 40 to adjust the overall shape so that the shape of the main body portion 21 matches the shape of the main body cover portion 41 and the shape of the suction portion 24 matches the shape of the suction cover portion 44. Finally, the hook-and-loop fasteners 31a and 31b of the expandable body 20 are engaged with the hook-and-loop fasteners 51a and 51b of the cover body 40, respectively. By attaching the cover body 40 to the expandable body 20 in this manner, the cover body 40 can cover the expandable body 20 from the outside, as shown in FIG. 2 .

[0035] On the other hand, when detaching the cover body 40 from the expandable body 20, the procedure for attaching the cover body 40 is reversed. Specifically, the hook-and-loop fasteners 31a, 31b of the expandable body 20 and the hook-and-loop fasteners 51a, 51b of the cover body 40 are pulled apart to release the engagement. Next, the expandable body 20 is removed by pulling it out through the opening 45 of the cover body 40. By detaching the cover body 40 from the expandable body 20 in this way, the cover body 40 can be washed.

[0036] Next, the procedure for changing the neck pillow 100 from a state in which the main body 21 is empty as shown in Fig. 2 to a state in which the main body 21 is filled with air as shown in Fig. 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 5. Here, it is assumed that the cover body 40 has already been attached to the inflatable body 20. First, as shown in Figure 5(a), the user opens opening 45 of cover body 40. At this time, the inner peripheral surface of opening 45 of cover body 40 and the outer peripheral surface of suction port 25 of suction portion 24 are engaged via hook-and-loop fasteners 31a, 31b and hook-and-loop fasteners 51a, 51b, so suction port 25 of suction portion 24 of inflatable body 20 also opens.

[0037] Next, the user blows air into main body 21 of inflatable body 20 multiple times (here, two or three times) through open inlet 25. At this time, the user can blow air while keeping their mouth away from inlet 25 and without touching it. By blowing air while keeping their mouth away from inlet 25, viscous friction generated between the flowing air and the surrounding air drags the surrounding air along, causing more air to be inhaled through inlet 25. The air inhaled through inlet 25 of inlet 24 flows forward through tubular portion 26 and flows out into main body 21 from outlet 27 at the front end of tubular portion 26.

[0038] Here, the air flowing into main body portion 21 gradually expands main body portion 21 and suction portion 24. The air flowing into main body portion 21 also increases the pressure inside main body portion 21 to a certain extent. The increased air pressure causes tubular portion 26 to deflate (shrink), deforming to block outlet 27. The deformation of tubular portion 26 to block outlet 27 prevents air from leaking out of suction port 25 immediately after air is introduced into main body portion 21. In this way, tubular portion 26 functions as a so-called check valve.

[0039] Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating deformation of the cylindrical portion 26, and corresponds to the cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in Fig. 2. Fig. 6(a) shows the state before the outlet 27 is blocked, and Fig. 6(b) shows the state after the outlet 27 is blocked. 6(a), air taken in through intake port 25 of intake section 24 flows forward through tubular section 26 and flows out from outlet 27 at the front end of tubular section 26 into main body section 21 (see arrow A1). In this state, because the air pressure inside main body section 21 is low, tubular section 26 is barely deformed and remains aligned in the front-to-rear direction.

[0040] On the other hand, in FIG. 6(b), the cylindrical portion 26 is deflated by the pressure of the air flowing into the main body portion 21. The cylindrical portion 26 is deformed to close the outlet 27 by shrinking (deflat- ing). In this state, the air inside the main body 21 is blocked by the cylindrical portion 26 and does not leak out through the outlet 27 (see arrow A2). Note that, although FIG. 6(b) illustrates a state in which the cylindrical portion 26 is deformed to completely close the outlet 27, even if the cylindrical portion 26 deforms so that the outlet 27 is not completely closed and the opening area of ​​the outlet 27 is reduced, it is possible to prevent air from leaking out through the inlet 25 immediately after air is introduced into the main body 21.

[0041] Next, as shown in FIG. 5(b), the user closes opening 45 of cover body 40. At this time, by closing opening 45 of main body cover portion 41, suction port 25 of suction portion 24 located within opening 45 of suction cover portion 44 is also closed. Note that closing suction port 25 causes the inner circumferential surfaces of sheets 26a and 26b of tubular portion 26 located near suction port 25 to come into close contact with each other, thereby preventing air from inside main body portion 21 from leaking out through suction port 25. Note that in the state shown in FIG. 5(b), main body portion 21 is not sufficiently inflated, and there is still room for air to be introduced.

[0042] Next, as shown in FIG. 5(c), the user rolls up the suction cover portion 44 of the cover body 40 toward the main body cover portion 41. Specifically, the user rolls up the suction cover portion 44 by folding it around the core members 30a and 30b of the suction portion 24 so that the top surface forms a valley. As the suction cover portion 44 is rolled up, the suction portion 24 covered by the suction cover portion 44 is also rolled up toward the main body portion 21 along with the suction portion 24. Furthermore, as the suction portion 24 is rolled up, the tubular portion 26, which is positioned within the suction portion 24 so as to overlap the suction portion 24, is also rolled up toward the main body portion 21 along with the suction portion 24. The user rolls up the suction cover portion 44 by folding it a predetermined number of times (four times in this example), and the rolled up suction cover portion 44 is positioned at the rear end of the main body cover portion 41.

[0043] Furthermore, by winding both suction portion 24 and tubular portion 26 functioning as a check valve toward main body portion 21, suction portion 24 and tubular portion 26 come into close contact with each other, thereby sealing the space within main body portion 21 and further preventing air from leaking out of main body portion 21 through suction port 25. By overlapping and winding suction portion 24 and tubular portion 26 together in this manner, the space within main body portion 21 can be sealed without using a fastener (for example, a wire fastener or a rubber stopper) for opening and closing suction portion 24. Furthermore, by winding tubular portion 26 functioning as a check valve together with suction portion 24, the space within main body portion 21 can be sealed even with only three or four turns. Furthermore, by rolling the suction section 24 toward the main body section 21, the air in the suction section 24 gradually flows toward the main body section 21, thereby ensuring sufficient expansion of the main body section 21 and increasing the pressure of the air in the main body section 21, thereby providing the user with an appropriate sense of elasticity when using the neck pillow 100.

[0044] Finally, the user positions the rolled-up suction cover portion 44 at the rear end of the main body cover portion 41 and engages the locking portion 52 with the locked portions 55a and 55b, thereby maintaining the suction cover portion 44 rolled up toward the main body cover portion 41. This procedure allows the neck pillow 100 to be in a state where air is filled into the main body portion 21. By maintaining the suction cover portion 44 rolled up toward the main body cover portion 41, the neck pillow 100 can be made compact when in use. Furthermore, the suction portion 24 and the tubular portion 26 can be maintained in close contact, preventing air from leaking out of the main body portion 21 through the suction port 25. The user uses the neck pillow 100 by inserting their neck into the neck insertion portion 10 through the open portion 11 with the locking portion 52 and the locked portions 55a and 55b facing downward. In addition, when engaging the engaging portion 52, the air pressure inside the main body 21 can be increased by engaging the engaging portion 52 with the front engaging portion 55b rather than the rear engaging portion 55a. The locked portions 55a, 55b to which the locking portion 52 is to be locked can be selected according to the desired elasticity.

[0045] Next, the procedure for deflating the neck pillow 100 so that it can be stored compactly will be described with reference to FIG. First, the user releases the engagement between the locking portion 52 and the locked portions 55a, 55b by removing the locking portion 52 from the locked portions 55a, 55b. Next, the user returns the folded, rolled-up intake cover portion 44 to its unrolled state. Next, as shown in FIG. 7(a), the user inserts his / her hand into the intake portion 24 and pulls the front end of the tubular portion 26 outward from the intake port 25 toward the rear. At this time, the user can easily pull out the front end of the tubular portion 26 by pinching and pulling out the tab 29 fixed to the opening edge of the outlet 27 of the tubular portion 26. Note that the tab 29 is a different color from the transparent portion of the tubular portion 26, and because it is a conspicuous color, it can be easily found even in the dark when the cover body 40 is covering the intake portion 24.

[0046] Next, as shown in FIG. 7(b), the user folds both sides of the main body cover portion 41 toward the center and stacks them together. Next, as shown in FIG. 7( c), the user rolls up main body cover portion 41 from the front end toward opening 45 of suction cover portion 44. Here, by rolling up main body cover portion 41, main body portion 21 covered by main body cover portion 41 is also rolled up toward opening 45 of suction cover portion 44. Therefore, the air that had entered main body portion 21 is gradually pushed toward suction portion 24, passes through tubular portion 26, and is discharged to the outside from outlet 27. By continuing to roll up suction cover portion 44, which is continuous from main body cover portion 41, toward opening 45, the user also rolls up suction portion 24 covered by suction cover portion 44 toward opening 45 of suction cover portion 44, and the air that had entered suction portion 24 is also discharged to the outside from outlet 27.

[0047] Next, as shown in FIG. 7(d), the user folds the cover body 40 so that the tubular portion 26 faces inward. Finally, as shown in FIG. 7(e), the user can keep the neck pillow 100 in a compact state by engaging the engaging portion 52 of the cover body 40 with the storage engaging portion 58.

[0048] As described above, the neck pillow 100 of this embodiment includes a hollow main body 21, a hollow inlet 24 that extends integrally from the main body 21 and has an inlet 25 at its tip, and a tubular portion 26 made of a flexible material inside the inlet 24. The tubular portion 26 extends from the tip of the inlet 24 toward the main body 21 and has an outlet 27 for allowing air inhaled through the inlet 25 to flow into the main body 21. When a user injects air into the main body 21, the pressure inside the main body 21 increases to a certain extent due to the air that flows out into the main body 21. The increased air pressure causes the tubular portion 26 to contract, deforming the tubular portion 26 and blocking the outlet 27. In this way, the tubular portion 26 functions as a check valve by contracting due to the pressure of the air that flows into the main body 21, blocking the outlet 27. This prevents air from leaking out immediately after the neck pillow 100 is inflated.

[0049] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, by rolling the suction portion 24 toward the main body portion 21, the tubular portion 26 is rolled toward the main body portion 21 together with the suction portion 24. Therefore, the suction portion 24 and the tubular portion 26 can be tightly attached to each other, so that the space inside the main body portion 21 can be sealed, and the air inside the main body portion 21 can be further prevented from leaking out through the suction port 25. Furthermore, by rolling the suction portion 24 toward the main body portion 21, the pressure of the air inside the main body portion 21 can be increased, so that the user can feel an appropriate sense of elasticity when using the neck pillow 10 ... neck pillow 100 can be rolled toward the main body portion 21. By rolling it towards the neck pillow 100, the neck pillow 100 can be made compact when in use.

[0050] Although the present invention has been described above with reference to the above-mentioned embodiment, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and modifications and the like are possible within the scope of the present invention. In the above-described embodiment, the neck pillow 100 was described as an example of bedding, but this is not limited to this case and can be used for, for example, air beds, air mattresses, pillows, huggable pillows, etc. that are used by filling them with air.

[0051] In the above-described embodiment, the neck pillow 100 has been described as having a cover body 40, but this is not limited to this case, and the neck pillow 100 may not have a cover body 40. If the neck pillow 100 does not have a cover body 40, the outer surface of the main body 21 of the inflatable body 20 will come into direct contact with the user's neck. Therefore, it is preferable that the outer surface of the main body 21 be made of a material that feels good against the skin or that a material that feels good against the skin be attached to it.

[0052] In the above-described embodiment, the case where locking portion 52 is hooked onto locked portions 55a and 55b to lock the suction cover portion 44 is described, but the present invention is not limited to this. Locking portion 52 and locked portions 55a and 55b may have any structure that allows the user to keep the suction cover portion 44 wrapped around the main body cover portion 41, and buttons, hooks, etc. may be used, for example.

[0053] In the above-described embodiment, the case where tubular portion 26 extends from the rear tip of suction portion 24 toward main body portion 21 has been described, but this is not limited to this case. It is sufficient that tubular portion 26 overlaps suction portion 24 so as to be wrapped around suction portion 24. Therefore, tubular portion 26 may extend toward main body portion 21 from approximately the center of suction portion 24 in the front-to-rear direction, and the position of the base end from which tubular portion 26 extends is not limited. In the above-described embodiment, the material, shape, and size of the inflatable body 20 and the cover body 40 are specifically described, but the material, shape, and size are not limited to those described above and can be changed as appropriate. [Explanation of symbols]

[0054] 100: Neck pillow 10: Neck insertion part 11: Opening part 20: Inflatable body 21: Main body part 22: rear portion 23a, 23b: side portions 24: intake portion 25: intake port 26: cylindrical portion 27: outlet port 30a, 30b: core member 40: cover body 41: main body cover portion 44: intake cover portion

Claims

1. A neck pillow comprising an inflatable body and a cover body detachable from the inflatable body, The expansion body is A hollow main body portion having a rear portion that covers the user's neck from the rear side and a pair of side portions that cover the user's neck from the left and right, and surrounding the user's neck; a hollow suction portion extending integrally from the main body portion and having a suction port at its tip; a tubular portion formed of a flexible material, extending toward the main body portion within the suction portion and having an outlet port for allowing the air drawn in from the suction port to flow out into the main body portion; The cover body is a main body cover portion that covers the main body portion; an intake cover portion that covers the intake portion, This neck pillow is characterized in that the tubular portion is rolled up toward the main body cover portion together with the intake cover portion and the intake portion by rolling up the intake cover portion toward the main body cover portion, thereby sealing the main body portion so that air in the main body portion does not flow out of the intake port.

2. The cover body is A locking portion; a locked portion that is locked to the locking portion, 2. The neck pillow according to claim 1, wherein the inlet cover portion is held in a rolled-up state by engaging the engaging portion with the engaged portion.

3. The cover body is 3. The neck pillow according to claim 2, further comprising a plurality of the engagement portions that are selectively engaged with the engagement portion.

4. The cover body has a storage engaging portion, The neck pillow according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the neck pillow is kept in a rolled-up state by engaging the locking portion with the storage locking portion when the air is removed from the neck pillow and the neck pillow is rolled up.

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