Neck pillow

Abstract

To suppress air leakage immediately after injecting air to the inside.SOLUTION: Bedding of the present embodiment includes: a hollow body part 21; a hollow suction part 24 extending integrally from the body part 21 and including a suction port 25 in a distal end portion thereof; and a cylindrical part 26 formed of a material having flexibility inside of the suction part 24. The cylindrical part 26 includes an outflow port 27 extending toward the body part 21 and through which air sucked from the suction port 25 flows out to the body part 21.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0004] , ,

[0005] , , , , , , ,

[0001] The present invention relates to bedding.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, bedding that uses air inside has been known. In Patent Document 1, there is disclosed a pillow filled with air, which includes a bag body having an opening for taking in air and a sealing member for closing 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 allows air to be put into the bag body through the opening of the bag body and the opening is sealed. Next, the rear part of the bag body is wound around toward the front part of the bag body, and finally, the storage opening is closed with a fastening member of the bag body, so that it can be worn around the user's neck.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in the air pillow of Patent Document 1, there is a risk that air may leak out from the opening of the bag body while the air is being put into the bag body through the opening of the bag body and before the opening is sealed. The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to suppress air from leaking out immediately after air is put into the interior.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] The present invention comprises a hollow main body, a hollow intake portion extending integrally from the main body and having an intake port at its tip, and a cylindrical portion formed of a flexible material inside the intake portion, wherein the cylindrical portion extends toward the main body and has an outlet for releasing air drawn in from the intake port into the main body. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] According to the present invention, it is possible to suppress the leakage of air immediately after air is introduced into the interior. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a neck pillow after it has been inflated. [Figure 2] This figure shows an example of the neck pillow's configuration before inflation. [Figure 3] This figure shows an example of the structure of an inflatable body. [Figure 4] This figure shows an example of the structure of the cover body. [Figure 5] This is a diagram illustrating the procedure for inflating something. [Figure 6] This diagram shows the deformation of the cylindrical part before and after air is added. [Figure 7] This is a diagram illustrating the procedure for deflating the product. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the bedding according to the present invention, in which the bedding is a neck pillow 100, will be described with reference to the drawings. The neck pillow 100 of this embodiment can be inflated from an empty state to a state in which it can be worn around the user's neck and surround it, and can be folded and stored compactly by deflating it.

[0009] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the neck pillow 100 after inflation. Figure 1(a) is a perspective view of the neck pillow 100 from above, and Figure 1(b) is a perspective view of the neck pillow 100 from below. In addition, each figure, including Figure 1, shows the top, bottom, front, back, right, and left sides of the neck pillow 100 as a reference point for ease of explanation, based on the state in which the neck pillow 100 is worn around the user's neck.

[0010] The neck pillow 100 is roughly annular in shape, with a neck insertion section 10 in the center through which the user's neck is inserted when viewed from above. The neck pillow 100 also has an opening section 11 on the front side, where a part 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 opening section 11 and then attaching it to their neck.

[0011] Figure 2 shows the configuration of the neck pillow 100 in its unfolded state before inflation. Figure 2(a) is a plan view of the neck pillow 100, and Figure 2(b) is a side view of the neck pillow 100. As shown in Figure 2(a), before inflation, the neck pillow 100 has a roughly C-shape or U-shape at the front and a roughly rectangular shape at the back. Also, as shown in Figure 2(b), before inflation, the neck pillow 100 is flat with a thin thickness in the vertical direction. The neck pillow 100 has an inflatable body 20 that inflates when air enters it, and a cover body 40 that covers the inflatable body 20 from the outside. In Figure 2(a), the inflatable body 20 is covered by the cover body 40 and is therefore not visible, so it is shown with a hidden line (dashed line).

[0012] Figure 3 shows the structure of the inflatable body 20. Figure 3(a) is a plan view showing the inflatable body 20 in an expanded state. Figure 3(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line II of Figure 3(a). Note that Figure 3(a) shows the state before air is added, while Figure 3(b) shows the state with some air added for easier understanding. The inflatable body 20, when inflated with air, can provide the user with a feeling 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 portion 21 is the part that surrounds the user's neck when the neck pillow 100 is worn by the user. In plan view, the main body portion 21 is roughly C-shaped or U-shaped. The main body portion 21 is made of a flexible, non-breathable material, such as a sheet of synthetic resin like polyurethane. The main body portion 21 is also transparent or translucent. Furthermore, the main body portion 21 is hollow, allowing air to be placed inside. Specifically, the main body portion 21 is constructed by overlapping two sheets 21a and 21b (see Figure 3(b)), which are roughly C-shaped or U-shaped in plan view, and joining them by welding their outer edges.

[0014] Furthermore, the main body 21 has a rear portion 22 that covers the user's neck from the rear when the neck pillow 100 is attached to the user, and a pair of side portions 23a and 23b that cover the user's neck from the left and right. The rear section 22 is located behind the pair of side sections 23a and 23b. The rear section 22 has a curved outer shape such that its width in the left-right direction gradually decreases towards the rear. On the other hand, the pair of side sections 23a and 23b extend from both the left and right sides of the rear section 22, moving closer to each other towards the front. Also, the front ends of the pair of side sections 23a and 23b are each curved in a roughly semi-circular shape.

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

[0016] The inhalation part 24 is a part for taking in (inhaling) air from the outside into the inside of the main body part 21. The inhalation part 24 is substantially rectangular in plan view. The inhalation part 24 is integrally formed with the main body part 21. The inhalation part 24 extends integrally rearward from the rear end of the rear part 22 of the main body part 21. That is, the inhalation part 24 is made of the same material as the main body part 21, and a flexible and airtight material, for example, a sheet made of a synthetic resin such as polyurethane is used. Also, like the main body part 21, the inhalation part 24 is transparent or has light-transmitting properties. The inhalation part 24 is hollow and communicates with the inside of the main body part 21. Specifically, the inhalation part 24 is formed by stacking two sheets 24a and 24b (see Fig. 3(b)) continuous from the main body part 21 in the vertical direction in plan view and welding and joining them at the outer edges (edges) on both the left and right sides. On the other hand, the inhalation part 24 has an air inlet 25 because the front ends (rear ends) on the rear side of the two sheets 24a and 24b are not welded. The air inlet 25 serves as an opening for taking in (inhaling) air into the inside of the main body part 21. Air enters and exits between the internal space of the combined main body part 21 and inhalation part 24 and the outside only through the air inlet 25. Therefore, the main body part 21 and the inhalation part 24 can be sealed by closing the air inlet 25.

[0017] Note that the width W3 in the left-right direction of the inhalation part 24 is approximately 130 to 140 mm. Here, the width W3 in the left-right direction of the inhalation part 24 is larger than the width W1 in the left-right direction of the neck insertion part 10. Also, the width W3 in the left-right direction of the inhalation part 24 is larger than the width W2 in the left-right direction of the opening part 11. Therefore, a wide air inlet 25 of the inhalation part 24 can be ensured, and a large amount of air can be taken into the main body part 21 at one time. On the other hand, the width W3 in the left-right direction of the inhalation part 24 is smaller than the width WA in the left-right direction of the combined pair of side parts 23a and 23b and the neck insertion part 10. Furthermore, the width W3 in the left-right direction of the inhalation part 24 is smaller than half the dimension (WA / 2) of the width WA in the left-right direction of the combined pair of side parts 23a and 23b and the neck insertion part 10. Therefore, the inhalation part 24 does not become excessively large, and the user can easily perform the operation of winding the inhalation cover part 44 described later.

[0018] The cylindrical part 26 is a part that functions as a check valve for suppressing air from leaking out of the suction port 25 immediately after air is introduced into the main body part 21. The cylindrical part 26 is substantially rectangular in plan view and is positioned so as to overlap with the suction part 24 within the suction part 24 described above. Specifically, the cylindrical part 26 is positioned between the two sheets 24a and 24b of the suction part 24. The cylindrical part 26 is made of the same material as the main body part 21, and a flexible and air-impermeable material, such as a synthetic resin like polyurethane, is used. Also, the cylindrical part 26, like the main body part 21, is transparent or has light-transmitting properties. The cylindrical part 26 is formed by stacking two sheets 26a and 26b (see Fig. 3(b)) vertically and welding them at the outer edges (edges) on both the left and right sides. In Fig. 3(a), since the suction part 24 is made of a transparent or light-transmitting material, the cylindrical part 26 can be visually recognized through the suction part 24.

[0019] The cylindrical part 26 is cylindrical with air flowing along the front-rear direction, and extends from the rear tip (rear end part) of the suction part 24 through the inside of the suction part 24 toward the main body part 21. The opening at the rear end of the cylindrical part 26 is integrally formed with the suction port 25 of the suction part 24. Specifically, the outer peripheral surface of the rear end part of the cylindrical part 26 is joined so as to be in close contact with the inner peripheral surface of the suction port 25 of the suction part 24 over the entire circumference, whereby the opening at the rear end of the cylindrical part 26 is integrated with the suction port 25 of the suction part 24. Therefore, the air sucked in from the suction port 25 of the suction part 24 flows forward through the inside of the cylindrical part 26.

[0020] On the other hand, the opening at the front end of the cylindrical portion 26 is located close to the boundary between the main body portion 21 and the intake portion 24 in the front-rear direction. Here, the boundary between the main body portion 21 and the intake portion 24 refers to the intersection point P1 when the main body portion 21 and the intake portion 24 are smoothly connected in a curved shape as shown in Figure 3(a), assuming they are connected by a straight line (dashed line shown in Figure 3(a)). Here, "close" means that the opening at the front end of the cylindrical portion 26 is closer to the intersection point P1 in the front-rear direction than the rear end of the cylindrical portion 26, and also closer to the intersection point P1 than the front end (point P2) of the rear part 22 of the main body portion 21. Air that enters from the intake port 25 and flows forward through the cylindrical portion 26 flows out into the main body portion 21 from the opening at the front end of the cylindrical portion 26. In other words, the opening at the front end of the cylindrical 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 cylindrical portion 26 are welded together with the outer edges (edges) on both the left and right sides of the intake portion 24 from the rear end to approximately the middle in the front-to-back direction, but from approximately the middle to the front end they are not welded to the intake portion 24. Therefore, the portion of the cylindrical portion 26 from approximately the middle to the front end in the front-to-back direction can move freely within the intake portion 24 without being restricted by it. Specifically, as will be described later, the cylindrical portion 26 can be deformed so as to close the outlet 27 by shrinking due to the pressure of the air flowing out into the main body portion 21. Also, as will be described later, when releasing air, the user pulls the front end of the cylindrical portion 26 outwards from the intake port 25. At this time, the front end of the cylindrical portion 26 can be pulled out by folding the portion of the cylindrical portion 26 from approximately the middle to the front end towards the rear.

[0022] Furthermore, the approximately midpoint of the cylindrical portion 26 in the front-to-back direction has a welded portion 28 that is welded to the left and right outer edges (edges) of the intake portion 24, and is wider in the left-to-right direction than other welded portions. Because the welded portion 28 can improve the joint strength of the weld compared to other portions, it is possible to prevent the cylindrical portion 26 from tearing or the intake portion 24, which is welded together with the cylindrical portion 26, from tearing even when subjected to load when the tip of the cylindrical portion 26 is pulled out.

[0023] Furthermore, the cylindrical portion 26 has a handle portion 29 fixed to the opening edge of the outlet 27. The handle portion 29 is the part that the user grasps with their hand when pulling out the front end of the cylindrical portion 26 from the intake port 25 toward the rear to release air that has entered the main body portion 21. The handle portion 29 is made of a flexible material, such as a sheet-like synthetic resin like nylon, so as not to damage the main body portion 21, etc. Also, the handle portion 29 is colored differently from the transparent cylindrical portion 26. Specifically, the handle portion 29 is colored with a warm color such as red, orange, or yellow so that it is visible even in the dark. As shown in Figure 3(b), the handle portion 29 is fixed to the front end and approximately in the center in the left-right direction of one of the two sheets 26a and 26b that make up the cylindrical portion 26. In Figure 3(a), because the main body portion 21 is made of a transparent or translucent material, the handle portion 29 can be seen through the main body portion 21. Note that the knob 29 may be omitted. In this case, the user can remove the air that has entered the main body 21 by pinching the opening edge of the outlet 27 with their hand and pulling out the cylindrical part 26.

[0024] Furthermore, the width of the cylindrical portion 26 in the left-right direction is approximately the same as the width W3 of the intake portion 24 in the left-right direction from the rear end to approximately the middle in the front-rear direction, and gradually decreases from approximately the middle towards the front. Also, 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. On the other hand, the length L2 in the front-rear direction from the rear end of the intake portion 24 to the front end (point P2) of the rear part 22 of the main body portion 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 intake portion 24 to the front end (point P2) of the rear part 22 of the main body portion 21, and longer than half the length L2 (L2 / 2).

[0025] The core members 30a and 30b are the core parts that the user uses when winding the intake cover 44 towards the main body cover 41 to seal the main body 21 after air has been introduced into the main body 21, as will be described later. In a plan view, the core members 30a and 30b are roughly rectangular in shape and roughly plate-like, with elongated left-right directions. The left-right width of the core members 30a and 30b is approximately the same as the left-right width W3 of the intake section 24. The core members 30a and 30b are positioned along the opening of the intake port 25. Specifically, the core member 30a is positioned between the rear end of the sheet 24a of the intake section 24 and the rear end of the sheet 26a of the cylindrical section 26, and the core member 30b is positioned between the rear end of the sheet 24b of the intake section 24 and the rear end of the sheet 26b of the cylindrical section 26 (see Figure 3(b) and Figure 6 described later). The core members 30a and 30b are positioned along the opening of the intake port 25 by welding the sheet 24a of the intake section 24 and the sheet 26a of the cylindrical section 26 at a position in front of the core members 30a and 30b, respectively. In Figure 3(a), since the intake section 24 is made of a transparent or translucent material, the core member 30a can be seen through the intake section 24. The core members 30a and 30b are made of a material that is flexible but more rigid than the main body section 21, intake section 24, and cylindrical section 26, such as a synthetic resin such as polypropylene. The thickness (vertical thickness) of the core members 30a and 30b is set to be thicker than the thickness (vertical thickness) of the sheets of the main body section 21, intake section 24, and cylindrical section 26.

[0026] The hook-and-loop fasteners 31a and 31b are the parts that engage with the hook-and-loop fasteners 51a and 51b, which will be 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 roughly rectangular in shape, elongated in the left-right direction when viewed from above. The hook-and-loop fasteners 31a and 31b are arranged along the outer circumferential surface of the intake port 25 of the intake section 24. Specifically, the hook-and-loop fastener 31a is attached to the outer surface of the rear end of the sheet 24a of the intake section 24, and the hook-and-loop fastener 31b is attached to the outer surface of the rear end of the sheet 24b of the intake section 24 (see Figure 3(b)). The hook-and-loop fasteners 31a and 31b are provided with multiple small hook portions extending across 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 of Figure 4(a). Note that Figure 4(a) is shown in a flattened state, while Figure 4(b) is shown slightly inflated for easier understanding. The cover body 40 protects the inflatable body 20 from getting dirty or damaged by covering it from the outside, and also provides a soft feel when the user comes into contact with it. Furthermore, the cover body 40 is detachable from the inflatable body 20. Therefore, if the cover body 40 becomes dirty, it can be detached from the inflatable 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, a locking portion 55a and 55b, and a locking portion 58 for storage. The main body cover portion 41 is the part 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 material that is stretchable, flexible, and breathable, such as a synthetic resin fabric like polyester. The main body cover portion 41 is hollow and can cover the main body portion 21 that is filled with air. Specifically, the main body cover portion 41 is made by overlapping two pieces of fabric 41a and 41b (see Figure 4(b)), which are roughly C-shaped or U-shaped in plan view, and sewing the outer edges together. In plan view, the main body cover portion 41 has the same shape as the main body portion 21 of the inflatable body 20, but it can be made larger or smaller in proportion to the dimensions of each part of the main body portion 21, taking into consideration the fit to the main body portion 21 and ease of attachment and removal.

[0029] The intake cover portion 44 is the part of the inflatable body 20 that covers the intake portion 24. The intake cover portion 44 is integrally constructed 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 is made of a material that is stretchable, flexible, and breathable, such as a synthetic resin fabric like polyester. The intake cover portion 44 is hollow and communicates with the inside of the main body cover portion 41. Specifically, the intake cover portion 44 is constructed by overlapping two pieces of fabric 44a and 44b (see Figure 4(b)), which are continuous with the main body cover portion 41 in a plan view, and sewing them together at the outer edges on both the left and right sides. On the other hand, the intake cover portion 44 has an opening 45 because the rear ends of the two pieces of fabric 44a and 44b are not sewn together. The opening 45 serves as the attachment / detachment port when attaching or detaching the cover body 40 to the inflatable body 20. When the cover body 40 is attached to the inflatable body 20, the intake port 25 of the intake section 24 of the inflatable body 20 is located inside the opening 45 of the intake cover body 44. In addition, a reinforcing member 46 is attached to the rear end of the intake cover body 44 along the outer surface of the opening 45 in order to reinforce the strength of the opening 45. Furthermore, although the intake cover body 44 has the same shape as the intake section 24 of the inflatable body 20 in a plan view, it can be made larger or smaller as appropriate in relation to the dimensions of each part of the intake section 24, taking into consideration the fit to or attachment / detachment of the intake section 24.

[0030] The hook-and-loop fasteners 51a and 51b are the parts that engage with the aforementioned 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 roughly rectangular in shape, elongated in the left-right direction when viewed from above. 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 (Figure 4(b)). The hook-and-loop fasteners 51a and 51b are provided with multiple small loop portions extending in the planar direction for engagement with the hook portions of the hook-and-loop fasteners 31a and 31b.

[0031] The locking portion 52 is a part that locks onto the locked portions 55a and 55b in order to hold the intake cover portion 44 in a state where it is wrapped towards the main body cover portion 41. The locking portion 52 is roughly hook-shaped so that it can hook onto the locked portions 55a and 55b. The locking portion 52 is located on the outer surface side 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 strip-shaped member 53 that is attached along the front-rear direction to the outer surface of the fabric 44a of the intake cover portion 44. The strip-shaped member 53 has a connecting portion 54 that is sewn and joined to the fabric 44a of the intake cover portion 44 at approximately the center in the front-rear direction. On the other hand, since the strip-shaped member 53 is not joined to the fabric 44a of the intake cover portion 44 from the connecting portion 54 to the locking portion 52, the locking portion 52 can be separated from the outer surface of the fabric 41a of the main body cover portion 41.

[0032] The locking portions 55a and 55b are the parts that are locked to the locking portion 52. The locking portions 55a and 55b are semi-circular when viewed from the left and right directions so that the substantially hook-shaped locking portion 52 can be hooked onto them. The locking portions 55a and 55b are located on the outer surface of the fabric 41b of the main body cover portion 41, close to the neck insertion portion 10, and are located approximately in the center of the main body cover portion 41 in the left-right direction. Specifically, the locking portions 55a and 55b correspond to the parts of the strip-shaped member 56 that are arranged along the front-rear direction on the outer surface of the fabric 41b of the main body cover portion 41, but are not attached to the fabric 41b. The locking portions 55a and 55b are located adjacent to each other in the front-rear direction, and the locking portion 52 locks onto either the locking portion 55a or the locking portion 55b.

[0033] The storage locking portion 58 is the part that is locked to the locking portion 52 when the neck pillow 100 is rolled up for storage. The storage locking portion 58 is semi-annular when viewed from the left or right direction so that the roughly hook-shaped locking portion 52 can be hooked onto it. The storage locking 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 is located approximately in the center of the main body cover portion 41 in the left-right direction. Specifically, the storage locking portion 58 corresponds to the portion of the strip-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, but is not connected to the fabric 44a.

[0034] When attaching the cover body 40, configured as described above, to the inflatable body 20, the inflatable body 20, which is not filled with air, is inserted into the cover body 40 in the order of the main body portion 21 and the suction portion 24 through the opening 45 of the cover body 40. At this time, the main body portion 21 and the suction portion 24 are bent and flexed as they are inserted into the cover body 40 so that the inflatable body 20 can pass through the opening 45. Next, the main body portion 21 and the suction portion 24 are spread out inside the cover body 40 to adjust the overall shape, with the shape of the main body portion 21 matching the shape of the main body cover portion 41 and the shape of the suction portion 24 matching the shape of the suction cover portion 44. Finally, the hook-and-loop fasteners 31a and 31b of the inflatable 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 inflatable body 20 in this way, the cover body 40 can be made to cover the inflatable body 20 from the outside, as shown in Figure 2.

[0035] On the other hand, to detach the cover body 40 from the inflatable body 20, the procedure is the reverse of the procedure for attaching the cover body 40. Specifically, the hook-and-loop fasteners 31a and 31b of the inflatable body 20 and the hook-and-loop fasteners 51a and 51b of the cover body 40 are pulled apart to release the engagement. Next, the inflatable 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 inflatable body 20 in this way, the cover body 40 can be cleaned.

[0036] Next, the procedure for changing the neck pillow 100 from a state where the main body 21 is empty, as shown in Figure 2, to a state where the main body 21 is inflated, as shown in Figure 1, will be explained with reference to Figure 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 the opening 45 of the cover body 40. At this time, the inner surface of the opening 45 of the cover body 40 and the outer surface of the intake port 25 of the intake part 24 are engaged via hook-and-loop fasteners 31a, 31b and hook-and-loop fasteners 51a, 51b, so the intake port 25 of the intake part 24 of the expansion body 20 also opens.

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

[0038] Here, the air flowing into the main body 21 causes the main body 21 and the intake section 24 to gradually expand. Also, the air flowing into the main body 21 increases the pressure inside the main body 21 to a certain extent. The increased air pressure causes the cylindrical section 26 to deflate, deforming so that it closes the outlet 27. By deforming the cylindrical section 26 so that it closes the outlet 27, it is possible to prevent air from leaking out of the intake port 25 immediately after air is introduced into the main body 21. In this way, the cylindrical section 26 functions as a so-called check valve.

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

[0040] On the other hand, in Figure 6(b), the cylindrical part 26 deforms due to the pressure of the air flowing into the main body 21, causing it to deflate and close the outlet 27. In this state, the air inside the main body 21 is obstructed by the cylindrical part 26 and does not leak out of the outlet 27 (see arrow A2). Although Figure 6(b) illustrates the state in which the cylindrical part 26 is deformed so that the outlet 27 is completely sealed, even if the cylindrical part 26 deforms so that the opening area of ​​the outlet 27 is reduced rather than being completely sealed, it is still possible to suppress the leakage of air from the intake port 25 immediately after air is introduced into the main body 21.

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

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

[0043] Furthermore, by winding both the intake portion 24 and the cylindrical portion 26, which acts as a check valve, toward the main body portion 21, the intake portion 24 and the cylindrical portion 26 become tightly sealed, thereby sealing the space inside the main body portion 21 and further suppressing air from leaking out of the intake port 25. In this way, by overlapping and winding together the intake portion 24 and the cylindrical portion 26, the space inside the main body portion 21 can be sealed without using fasteners (for example, wire fasteners or rubber stoppers) to open and close the intake portion 24. Also, by winding the cylindrical portion 26, which acts as a check valve, together with the intake portion 24, the space inside the main body portion 21 can be sealed with a small number of turns, such as three or four. Furthermore, by winding the suction section 24 toward the main body section 21, the air inside the suction section 24 gradually flows toward the main body section 21, ensuring sufficient expansion of the main body section 21 and increasing the air pressure inside the main body section 21. This allows the neck pillow 100 to provide the user with an appropriate level of resilience when in use.

[0044] Finally, with the rolled-up inhalation cover portion 44 positioned at the rear end of the main body cover portion 41, the user can secure the locking portion 52 to the locked portions 55a and 55b, thereby holding the inhalation cover portion 44 rolled up towards the main body cover portion 41. This procedure allows the neck pillow 100 to be filled with air into the main body portion 21. Holding the inhalation cover portion 44 rolled up towards the main body cover portion 41 makes the neck pillow 100 more compact when in use. Furthermore, the inhalation portion 24 and the cylindrical portion 26 can be kept in close contact, preventing air from leaking out of the inhalation port 25 from the main body portion 21. The user uses the neck pillow 100 by inserting their neck through the neck insertion portion 10 through the opening portion 11, with the locking portion 52 and the locked portions 55a and 55b facing downwards. Furthermore, when locking the locking portion 52, locking it to the front locking portion 55b rather than the rear locking portion 55a increases the air pressure inside the main body portion 21. Therefore, the user can select the locking portion 55a or 55b to which the locking portion 52 is locked according to their preferred level of elasticity.

[0045] Next, we will explain the procedure for deflating the Neck Pillow 100 so that it can be stored compactly, referring to Figure 7. First, the user releases the lock between the locking part 52 and the locked parts 55a and 55b by removing the locking part 52 from the locked parts 55a and 55b. Next, the user returns the suction cover part 44, which is folded and rolled up, to its original state. Then, as shown in Figure 7(a), the user inserts their hand into the suction part 24 and pulls the front end of the cylindrical part 26 outwards from the suction port 25 toward the rear. At this time, the user can easily pull out the front end of the cylindrical part 26 by grasping and pulling the handle part 29 fixed to the opening edge of the outlet 27 of the cylindrical part 26. Note that the handle part 29 is a different color from the transparent cylindrical part 26 and is a conspicuous color, so the handle part 29 can be easily found even in the dark covered by the cover body 40.

[0046] Next, as shown in Figure 7(b), the user folds both sides of the main body cover 41 towards the center and overlaps them. Next, as shown in Figure 7(c), the user rolls the main body cover portion 41 from the front end toward the opening 45 side of the intake cover portion 44. As the main body cover portion 41 is rolled, the main body portion 21 covered by the main body cover portion 41 is also rolled toward the opening 45 side of the intake cover portion 44. Therefore, the air that was in the main body portion 21 is gradually pushed toward the intake portion 24 and discharged to the outside through the outlet 27 via the cylindrical portion 26. The user then continues to roll the intake cover portion 44, which is continuous with the main body cover portion 41, toward the opening 45 side, so that the intake portion 24 covered by the intake cover portion 44 is also rolled toward the opening 45 side of the intake cover portion 44, and the air that was in the intake portion 24 is also discharged to the outside through the outlet 27.

[0047] Next, as shown in Figure 7(d), the user folds the cover body 40 so that the cylindrical portion 26 is on the inside. Finally, as shown in Figure 7(e), the user can keep the neck pillow 100 in a compact state by locking the locking portion 52 of the cover body 40 to the storage locking portion 58.

[0048] As described above, the neck pillow 100 of this embodiment has a hollow main body 21, a hollow intake section 24 that extends integrally from the main body 21 and has an intake port 25 at its tip, and a cylindrical section 26 made of a flexible material inside the intake section 24. The cylindrical section 26 extends from the tip of the intake section 24 toward the main body 21 and has an outlet 27 for releasing air drawn in from the intake port 25 into the main body 21. When the user puts 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 cylindrical section 26 to deflate, deforming so that the outlet 27 is closed. In this way, the cylindrical section 26 functions as a check valve by deflating due to the pressure of the air that flows out into the main body 21, thereby closing the outlet 27. Therefore, it is possible to suppress air from leaking out immediately after air is put into the neck pillow 100.

[0049] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the cylindrical portion 26 is wound toward the main body portion 21 together with the intake portion 24 by winding the intake portion 24 toward the main body portion 21. Therefore, the intake portion 24 and the cylindrical portion 26 can be tightly sealed, which can seal the space inside the main body portion 21 and further suppress the leakage of air from the intake port 25 out of the main body portion 21. Also, by winding the intake portion 24 toward the main body portion 21, the air pressure inside the main body portion 21 can be increased, which can provide the user with an appropriate feeling of elasticity when using the neck pillow 100. Moreover, by winding the intake portion 24 toward the main body portion 21, the neck pillow 100 can be made more compact when in use.

[0050] Although the present invention has been described above with reference to the embodiments described above, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and modifications can be made within the scope of the present invention. In the above-described embodiment, a neck pillow 100 was explained as an example of bedding, but it is not limited to this case. For example, it can be used for air beds, air mattresses, pillows, body pillows, etc., which are used by inflating them with air.

[0051] In the embodiments described above, the case in which the neck pillow 100 has a cover body 40 was described, but it is not limited to this case, and it 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 portion 21 of the inflatable body 20 will be in direct contact with the user's neck. Therefore, it is preferable to change the outer surface of the main body portion 21 to a material that is comfortable against the skin, or to attach a material that is comfortable against the skin.

[0052] In the embodiment described above, the case in which the locking portion 52 is locked by hooking onto the locked portions 55a and 55b was explained, but it is not limited to this case. The locking portion 52 and the locked portions 55a and 55b only need to be structured in a way that allows the user to maintain the state in which the suction cover portion 44 is wrapped around the main body cover portion 41, and for example, buttons, hooks, etc. may be used.

[0053] In the embodiment described above, the case in which the cylindrical portion 26 extends from the rear end of the suction portion 24 toward the main body portion 21 was explained, but it is not limited to this case. The cylindrical portion 26 only needs to overlap with the suction portion 24 so as to be wound together with the suction portion 24. Therefore, the cylindrical portion 26 may extend toward the main body portion 21 from approximately the center in the front-rear direction of the suction portion 24, and the position of the base end from which the cylindrical portion 26 extends is not limited. In the embodiments described above, the material, shape, and size of the expansion body 20 and the cover body 40 were specifically explained, but they are not limited to the material, shape, and size 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 part 23a, 23b: Side parts 24: Inhalation part 25: Inhalation port 26: Cylindrical part 27: Outlet 30a, 30b: Core material 40: Cover body 41: Main body cover part 44: Inhalation cover part

Claims

1. A hollow main body portion; a hollow suction portion extending integrally from the main body portion and having a suction port at its tip; a cylindrical portion formed of a flexible material inside the suction portion, The bedding is characterized in that the tubular portion extends toward the main body portion and has an outlet for allowing air inhaled from the inlet to flow out to the main body portion.

2. 2. The bedding according to claim 1, wherein the tubular portion is deflated by the pressure of the air flowing into the main body portion, thereby blocking the outlet and functioning as a check valve.

3. The bedding according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the tubular portion is rolled toward the main body portion together with the suction portion by rolling the suction portion toward the main body portion, thereby sealing the main body portion.

4. the suction section has a core member disposed along the opening of the suction port, 4. The bedding according to claim 3, wherein when the suction portion is rolled up toward the main body portion, the suction portion is rolled up around the core member.

5. The outlet is 5. The bedding according to claim 1, wherein the air intake portion is positioned close to the boundary between the main body portion and the suction portion.

6. The main body portion is The bedding described in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it has a rear portion that covers the user's neck from the back and a pair of side portions that cover the user's neck from the left and right, and surrounds the user's neck.

7. a cover body that covers the main body and the suction portion, 7. The bedding according to claim 1, wherein the cover body is detachable from the main body and the suction portion.

8. The cover body is The nozzle includes a main body cover that covers the main body and an intake cover that covers the intake, The bedding described in claim 7, characterized in that by rolling the intake cover portion toward the main body cover portion, the tubular portion is rolled toward the main body cover portion together with the intake cover portion and the intake portion, thereby sealing the main body portion.

Images