Support cushion with adjustable fill and casings for same

Abstract

A support cushion is provided that comprises one or more casings. A first fill material and a second fill material are deposited within the interior of the one or more casings, with the second fill material being different than the first fill material in composition and / or structure. The one or more casings can comprise a single casing defining an interior volume for depositing both the first fill material and the second fill material, and with a partition secured to an interior of the single casing to divide the interior volume into chambers. The one or more casings can also comprise a first casing and a second casing foldably secured together, with each casing defining an interior volume for depositing the respective fill materials. Kits for a support cushion are also provided and include the one or more casings and amounts of fill material.

Description

SUPPORT CUSHION WITH ADJUSTABLE FILL AND CASINGS FOR SAMERELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 63 / 562,803, filed March 8, 2024, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by this reference.TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present invention relates to support cushions with fill material that can be adjusted to accommodate user firmness and height preferences, as well as support cushion casings that can be utilized in the support cushions. In particular, certain embodiments of the present invention relate to support cushions that include multiple chambers into which one or more adjustable fill materials can be selectively deposited.BACKGROUND

[0003] An aspect of successful and restful sleep is individual sleep comfort. Medical research suggests that sleep deprivation (“sleep debt”) can have significant negative impacts on longevity, productivity, and overall mental, emotional, and physical health. Chronic sleep debt has been linked to weight gain and, more specifically, has been observed to not only affect the way the body processes and stores carbohydrates, but has also been observed to alter hormone levels that affect appetite. Moreover, sleep debt may result in irritability, impatience, inability to concentrate, and moodiness, which has led some researchers to suggest a link between sleep debt and worksite accidents, traffic incidents, and general afternoon inattentiveness. Furthermore, sleep disorders have been linked to hypertension, increased stress hormone levels, and irregularheartbeat, and additional research has recently suggested that a lack of sleep can affect immune function, resulting in increased susceptibility to illness and disease, e.g., cancer. In all, researchers have now suggested that sleep debt costs the United States billions of dollars annually in lost productivity due to these various effects.

[0004] The duration and quality of an individual’s sleep is partly associated with the degree to which the individual is comfortable while sleeping. For improved comfort during periods of rest, individuals often utilize body support cushions (or support cushions), such as pillows and mattresses. Typically, the firmness of such support cushions will correspond to an individual’s personal preference at the time of purchase. Accordingly, because support cushions of traditional construction are constructed as to provide a single, uniform firmness, an individual often must either purchase a new support cushion or continue to sleep in an undesirable sleeping arrangement in instances where the individual’s firmness preferences changes from the time of purchase.

[0005] Of course, it is desirable that a support cushion be comfortable to an individual for as long as possible, and there is a continuous desire to improve the customization of these products. Accordingly, support cushion casings and support cushions which accommodate changes in an individual’s firmness preferences and allow for such customization would be both highly desirable and beneficial.SUMMARY

[0006] The present invention includes support cushions with fill material that can be adjusted to accommodate user firmness and height preferences. In particular, certain embodiments of the present invention relate to support cushions that include one or more casings having multiple chambers into which one or more adjustable fill materials can be selectively deposited.

[0007] In one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a support cushion is provided comprising one or more casings. A first fill material is deposited within an interior of the one or more casings, along with a second fill material that is also deposited within the interior of the one or more casings. The second fill material is different in composition or structure as compared to the first fill material. In some embodiments, the first fill material comprises a foam plate and the second fill material comprises wool. For instance, in some embodiments that make use of wool as a second wool fill material, the second fill material comprises a wool plate and / or discrete tufts of wool.

[0008] With regard to the one or more casings, in some embodiments, the one or more casings comprises a single casing that defines an interior volume for depositing both the first fill material and the second fill material. A partition can be included in such embodiments and can be secured to the interior of the single casing, such that the partition divides the interior volume into a first chamber and a second chamber. In this way, the partition allows the first fill material to be deposited in the first chamber and the second fill material to be deposited in the second chamber.

[0009] In another embodiment, the one or more casings comprise a first casing and a second casing that are attached and, more specifically, foldably secured to one another. In some such embodiments, the first casing defines a first interior volume for depositing the first fill material and the second casing defines a second interior volume for depositing the second fill material, and a webbing then secures the first casing to the second casing. The webbing is, in certain embodiments, configured to secure the longitudinal edge of the first casing to a longitudinal edge of the second casing. The webbing can also be configured so that the first casing and the second casing are removably secured together, such as through the use of a zipper or other fastener.

[0010] To allow the support cushion to be filled with fill material in embodiments making use of one or more casings, the first casing generally defines a first opening that provides access to the first interior volume of the first casing, and the second casing generally defines a second opening that provides access to the second interior volume. Then, to ensure that the fill material is maintained within the respective interior volumes, the first casing includes a first closure that is configured to transition between a closed configuration to seal the first opening and an open configuration to unseal the first opening. The second casing similarly includes a second closure that is configured to transition between a closed configuration to seal the second opening and an open configuration to unseal the second opening.

[0011] Further provided, in some embodiments of the present invention, are kits for support cushions. In one exemplary embodiment, a kit for a support cushion is provided that comprises one or more casings defining multiple chambers, an amount of a first fill material for deposit into one of the multiple chambers, and an amount of a second fill material for deposit into another one of the multiple chambers, with the second fill material typically having a material composition and / or structure different from the first fill material. The kit further comprises a receptacle including at least one of a second amount of the first fill material or a second amount of the second fill material. In some embodiments of the kits, the first fill material comprises a foam plate and / or the second fill material comprises wool.

[0012] Further features and advantages of the present invention will become evident to those of ordinary skill in the art after a study of the description, figures, and non-limiting examples in this document.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary support cushion made in accordance with the present invention;

[0014] FIG. 2 is another perspective view of the support cushion of FIG. 1, and showing the partition of a casing positioned within the interior volume defined by the casing;

[0015] FIG. 3 is another perspective view of the support cushion of FIG. 1, and showing the opposing side of the support cushion;

[0016] FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view of the support cushion of FIG. 1, and showing a detailed view of the wool fill material;

[0017] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the support cushion of FIG. 1 taken along line 5’- 5’ of FIG. 1, and showing the arrangement of the first and second fill materials within the casing;

[0018] FIG. 6 is another perspective view of the support cushion of FIG. 1, and showing the support cushion placed within a cover;

[0019] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an exemplary receptacle for storing fill material, and which can be used in connection with the support cushion of FIG. 1;

[0020] FIG. 8A is a perspective view of another exemplary support cushion made in accordance with the present invention, and showing the support cushion in a first position;

[0021] FIG. 8B is another perspective view of the exemplary support cushion of FIG. 8A, and showing the support cushion in a second position;

[0022] FIG. 8C is another perspective view of the exemplary support cushion of FIG. 8A, and showing the support cushion in a third position;

[0023] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the support cushion of FIG. 8A taken along line 9’ -9’ of FIG. 8 A;

[0024] FIG. 10 is a partial perspective view of another exemplary support cushion made in accordance with the present invention; and

[0025] FIG. 11 is a cross sectional-view of the exemplary support cushion of FIG. 10, and showing the various layers included in the support cushion.DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[0026] The present invention relates to support cushions. In particular, the present invention includes support cushions that include multiple chambers in which one or more adjustable fdl materials can be selectively deposited. The adjustable fdl material can be comprised of one or more types of textile fibers, such that the volume and dimensions of the fill material in a particular chamber can be readily adjusted by adding textile fibers to or removing textile fibers from the chamber. The different chambers of the support cushions disclosed herein can also be filled with different fill materials to provide support cushions having areas of different firmness to accommodate changes or differences in an individual’s preferences.

[0027] Referring first to FIGS. 1-6, an exemplary support cushion 5 made in accordance with the present invention in the form of a pillow is provided. It should be appreciated, however, that the support cushions disclosed herein are not necessarily limited to a pillow structure, but, rather, may be embodied as various other structures that support additional or alternative portions of a user’s body without departing from the spirit and the scope of the present invention. In this regard, the term “support cushion” as used herein may include, as non-limiting examples, various types of supports including bedding and / or cushions for chairs and furniture, pillows, padding for medical devices and equipment (e.g., wheelchair seat pads, wheelchair padding, medical pads, hospital gurney pads, operating table pads, positioning pads), padding for furniture (e.g., upholstery padding, furniture cushions, furniture pads), padding for athletic equipment anddevices (e.g., athletic cushions, sports and athletic padding, gymnastic mats), padding for recreational equipment and devices (e.g., camping and sleeping mats), padding for apparel (e.g., bra straps, shoulder pads, shoe linings, boot linings), padding for household goods (e.g., antifatigue mats, mattress pads, mattress covers, mattress “toppers,” the pillow-top portion of pillow-top mattresses, pillows, and the like); padding accessories (e.g., briefcase shoulder straps, computer carrying cases, purses, gloves, and the like), pet beds, and the like. Thus any of these types of structures, and others, may fall within the scope of the term “support cushion” as used herein. Of course, in instances where the support cushion 5 is an alternative structure besides a pillow, it is appreciated that the dimensions of the support cushion 5 would be adapted to correspond to such an alternative structure. Moreover, as shown in FIG. 6, in some embodiments, it is contemplated that the support cushion 5 can be utilized in combination with a cover 50.

[0028] Referring still to FIGS. 1-6, the support cushion 5 includes: a casing 10; a first fill material 30 deposited within an interior of the casing 10; and a second fill material 40 deposited within the interior of the casing 10. As shown, the first fill material 30 and the second fill material 40 are of different material composition and / or structure so that the firmness (i.e., the resistance to pressure) of the portion of the support cushion 5 in which the first fill material 30 is located is different than the firmness of the portion of the support cushion 5 in which the second fill material 40 is located. In use, a user can thus selectively manipulate the support cushion 5 (e.g., by flipping or rotating the support cushion 5) to select the area of the support cushion 5 that will engage the user’s body at a given time and, in turn, adjust the firmness that the support cushion 5 will provide to the user’s body. In this way, the support cushion 5 can thus accommodate variations in a user’s preferences.

[0029] Referring now more specifically to FIGS. 1-5, in this exemplary embodiment, the casing 10 includes a body 11 which includes an upper section 12 and a lower section 14, and which defines an interior volume 13 in which the first fill material 30 and the second fill material 40 is deposited. Also included in the casing 10 is a partition 16 positioned within the interior volume 13 and joined to or otherwise integrally formed with the body 11 of the casing 10 such that the partition 16 divides the interior volume 13 into multiple chambers into which the first fill material 30 and the second fill material 40 can be more specifically deposited and separated from one another. In particular, in this exemplary embodiment, the partition 16 is positioned so as to bifurcate the interior volume 13 into a first chamber 13a in which the first fill material 30 is received, and a second chamber 13b in which the second fill material 40 is received.

[0030] Referring now even more specifically to FIGS. 1-4, the upper section 12 and the lower section 14 of the body 11 of the casing 10 are defined by a single piece of material, which is folded and joined to itself so as to define the closed peripheral edges 15 and the interior volume 13 of the casing 10. Accordingly, in this exemplary embodiment, the upper section 12 and the lower section 14 collectively define the outer periphery of the casing 10, which, in turn, informs the shape of the various amount of fill material deposited within the casing 10 and thus the overall shape of the support cushion 5. Alternative embodiments in which the body 11 includes, and the upper section 12 and the lower section 14 of the casing 10 are defined by, two or more separate pieces of material joined together, are of course also contemplated. In this way, the upper section 12 and the lower section 14 of the body 11 of the casing 10 can be joined together using known joining techniques including, but not limited to, sewing and ultrasonic welding (i.e., welding).

[0031] Referring still to FIGS. 1-4, in this exemplary embodiment, the casing 10 has a generally rectangular peripheral shape, such that the casing 10 can be filled with the first fill material 30 and the second fill material 40 to cause the upper section 12 and the lower section 14 to define upper and lower arcuate surfaces, respectively, and which meet at the closed peripheral edges 15 of the casing 10. Of course, the dimensions of the respective sections of the body 11 of the casing 10 can readily be adapted so that the casing 10 assumes different shapes as may be desired by a particular individual or for a particular application without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0032] As perhaps best shown in FIGS. 1-3 and 5, a partition 16 is positioned within the interior volume 13 so as to be substantially parallel to an interior surface of the upper section 12 and the lower section 14 of the casing 10 and to divide the interior volume 13 into two chambers 13a, 13b of equal or substantially equal volume, although chambers having differing volumes are within the scope of the present invention as well. Specifically, in this exemplary embodiment, the partition 16 is joined to an inner surface of the upper section 12 of the casing 10 proximal to the closed peripheral edges 15 of the casing 10, as perhaps shown best in FIG. 5. Of course, the partition 16 can alternatively be similarly joined to an inner surface of the lower section 14 of the casing 10 or to both an inner surface of the upper section 12 and an inner surface of the lower section 14 of the casing 10 without departing from the spirt and scope of the present invention.

[0033] The partition 16 can be joined to the inner surface of the upper section 12 and / or the inner surface of the lower section 14 of the body 11 of the casing 10 using joining techniques known those skilled in the art including, but not limited to, sewing and ultrasonic welding (i.e., welding) to divide the interior volume 13 into the two equal chambers 13a, 13b. However, it should also be appreciated that in alternative embodiments, the partition 16 may be alternativelypositioned within the interior volume 13 and secured in a manner which causes one of the two chambers 13 a, 13b to have a greater volume than the other. In this regard, the positioning of the partition 16 within the interior volume 13 and / or joinder of the partition 16 to the upper section 12 and / or lower section 14 may be informed or dictated by the volumetric characteristics of the layers of fill material intended to be deposited within the casing 10 and / or by the desired amounts of the fill material intended or desired to be deposited in the two chambers 13 a, 13b of the casing.

[0034] Referring now more specifically to FIGS. 1-3, the body 11 and the partition 16 of the casing 10 are each generally comprised of a netted material, which may comprise any textile in which the yarns or fibers thereof are fused, looped, or knotted at their intersections, resulting in a fabric with open spaces between the yams or fibers. Depending on the type of yarn or filament that is used to make up the textile, its characteristics can vary in durability. The netting material can be formed of single knit jersey, double knit jersey, double rib knit, can be made of fire resistant or non-fire-resistant textiles and can have a porosity of from about 50 to about 850 CFM. Exemplary fire-resistant textiles can include, as non-limiting examples, fire resistant rayon, modified acrylics, Kevlar, nomax and others. Non-fire-resistant textiles can include, as non-limiting examples, untreated polyester, rayon, or cotton.

[0035] Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, in this exemplary embodiment, a first end of the body 11 defines a first opening 17 which is positioned at a midsection along the lateral edge of the casing 10, and through which the first chamber 13a of the interior volume 13 can be accessed. In this case, the first opening 17 extends the full width of the casing 10 to accommodate the insertion of the first fill material 30, which, in this case, substantially spans thewidth of the casing 10. Of course, the dimensions of the first opening 17 may vary depending on the type of fill material which is anticipated to be inserted in the first chamber 13a.

[0036] In this exemplary embodiment, the casing 10 also includes a first closure 19 that is associated with the first opening 17, such that the first closure 19 can be selectively transitioned between a first (or closed) configuration (FIG. 6) and a second (or open) configuration (FIGS. 1 and 2) to seal the first opening 17 (e.g., to prevent first layer of fill material 30 from inadvertently exiting the first chamber 13a) and unseal the first opening 17 (e.g., to facilitate the deposit of the first layer of fill material 30 into the first chamber 13a), respectively. In this exemplary embodiment, the first closure 19 is a zipper. Of course, closures of other types suitable for selectively sealing and unsealing the first opening 17 can alternatively be utilized as the first closure 19 without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Such alternative closures which can be utilized as the first closure 19 include but, are not limited to, buttons, snaps, hook and loop fasteners, and the like, as well as folds defined by the casing 10, such as French (or “j”) folds, which can be selectively manipulated so as to seal and unseal the first opening 17.

[0037] Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, a second end of the body 11 of the casing 10 defines a second opening 21, which is positioned at a midsection along the depth of the casing 10, and through which the second chamber 13b of the interior volume 13 can be accessed. The second opening 21 is sized to accommodate insertion of the second fill material 40. As the first opening 17 and the second opening 21 correspond and provide access to different chambers 13a, 13b of the interior volume 13, the first opening 17 and the second opening 21 are provided on opposing sides of the partition 16. The casing 10 also includes a second closure 23, which can be selectively transitioned between a first (or closed) configuration (not shown) and a second (oropen) configuration (FIGS. 3 and 4) to seal the second opening 21 (e.g., to prevent the second layer of fill material 40 from inadvertently exiting the second chamber 13b) and unseal the second opening 21 (e.g., to facilitate the deposit of the second layer of fill material 40 into the second chamber 13b), respectively. In this exemplary embodiment, the second closure 23 is also a zipper, but closures of other types suitable for selectively sealing and unsealing the second opening 21 can of course also alternatively be utilized as the second closure 23 without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Again, such alternative closures which may be utilized include, but are not limited to, button, snaps, hook and loop fasteners, and the like, as well as folds defined by the casing 10, such as French (or “j”) folds, which can be selectively manipulated as to seal and unseal the second opening 21.

[0038] Referring now again to FIGS. 1-5, as noted above, to better accommodate fluctuations in a user’s firmness preferences, the composition and / or structure of the first fill material 30 and the second fill material 40 can be different. In the support cushion 5, both the composition and the structure of the first fill material 30 and the second fill material 40 are different. In particular, in the support cushion 5, the first fill material 30 is in the form of a molded foam plate that is denser and thus firmer in construction (i.e., less readily compressed) than the second fill material 40 which, in this case, comprises a plurality of textile fibers.

[0039] With regard to the foam plate comprising the first fill material 30, the foam plate is comprised of a viscoelastic foam (sometimes referred to as “memory foam”), such as open-celled non-reticulated viscoelastic foam that has sufficient density and hardness to allow pressure to be absorbed uniformly and distributed evenly across the foam plate. Generally viscoelastic foams of the type utilized for the exemplary foam plate forming the first fill material 30 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 have a hardness of at least about 10 N to no greater than about 80 N, as measured byexerting pressure from a plate against a sample of the material to a compression of at least 40% of an original thickness of the material at approximately room temperature (i.e., 21° C. to 23° C.), where the 40% compression, is held for a set period of time as established by the International Organization of Standardization (ISO) 2439 hardness measuring standard. In some embodiments, the foam plate forming the first layer of fill material 30 can be comprised of viscoelastic foam with a hardness of about 10 N to about 40 N. In some other exemplary embodiments, the viscoelastic foam has a hardness of about 10 N, about 20N, about 30 N, or about 40 N to provide a desired degree of comfort and body-conforming qualities. In one exemplary embodiment, the foam plate foaming the second layer of fill material 40 is comprised of a viscoelastic foam having a hardness of about 40 N.

[0040] The viscoelastic foam described herein for use in support cushion 5 can also have a density that assists in providing a desired degree of comfort and body-conforming qualities, as well as an increased degree of material durability. In some embodiments, the density of the viscoelastic foam used in the foam plate forming the first fill material 30 has a density of no less than about 30 kg / m3to no greater than about 150 kg / m3. In some embodiments, the density of the viscoelastic foam used in the foam plate forming the first fill material 30 in the support cushion 5 is about 30 kg / m3, about 40 kg / m3, about 50 kg / m3, about 60 kg / m3, about 70 kg / m3, about 80 kg / m3, about 90 kg / m3, about 100 kg / m3, about 110 kg / m3, about 120 kg / m3, about 130 kg / m3, about 140 kg / m3, or about 150 kg / m3. Of course, the selection of a viscoelastic foam having a particular density will affect other characteristics of the foam, including its hardness, the manner in which the foam responds to pressure, and the overall feel of the foam, but it is appreciated that a viscoelastic foam having a desired density and hardness can readily be selected for a particular application as desired.

[0041] Although the first layer of fill material 30 of the support cushion 5 is primarily described above in the context of being defined by a viscoelastic foam plate, it should be appreciated that the first fill material 30 is not necessarily limited to such a construction. Rather, a variety of other foam materials may be alternatively utilized for the first fill material 30. In this regard, alternative foams which may be utilized in the first fill material 30 to customize the support cushion 5 to user firmness and / or height profile preferences include, but are not limited to: non-viscoelastic foam, such as reticulated non-viscoelastic foam; latex foam; ethyl styrene (ES) foam; foams which are temperature responsive in a range of a user’s body temperatures (or in a range of temperatures to which the support cushion 5 is exposed by contact or proximity to a user's body resting thereon); foams which are substantially insensitive to temperature changes; polyurethane high-resilience foam; expanded polymer foams (e.g., expanded ethylene vinyl acetate, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyethylene), and the like. Except where context precludes or specifically stated otherwise, in various embodiments of the support cushions disclosed herein, the foam materials disclosed herein can be provided and utilized within the support cushions as a collection of shredded foam particulates or as a unitary body of foam. In some embodiments, combinations of different foam materials may be utilized in providing a fill material within the support cushions. In some embodiments, the foam materials disclosed herein can be provided in combination with fibers to form a layer of fill material within the support cushions. For instance, in one embodiment, the first layer of fill material can comprise a collection of shredded ethyl styrene (ES) foam that is blended with one or more fibers consistent with that described below in a ratio of about 80% foam and 20% fiber by volume. Of course, the shredded foam-to-fiber ratio and / or the particular shredded foam or fibers utilized for the first fillmaterial 30 can vary to customize the support cushions to a user’s preferences (e.g., a desired firmness profile).

[0042] As used herein, a material is considered “responsive” to temperature changes if the material exhibits a change in hardness of at least 10% measured by International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Standard 3386 through the range of temperatures between 10 and 40 degrees Celsius. As used herein, a material is “substantially insensitive” to temperature changes if the material exhibits a change in hardness of less than 10% measured by ISO Standard 3386 through the range of temperatures between 10 and 40 degrees Celsius.

[0043] Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, in this exemplary embodiment, the fibers making up the second fill material 40 are provided in a manner which enables a user to readily add fibers to or remove fibers from the fibers present within the second chamber 13b to adjust an amount of the second fill material 40 to the meet the user’s preference. In this regard, the fibers making up the second fill material 40 can be provided in discrete tufts (or “pearls”) comprising clusters of fibers, as shown in FIGS. 3-5, or, alternatively can be provided as loose fibers. Due to the temperature regulation and natural anti-microbial benefits provided by wool, in this exemplary embodiment, the second fill material 40 is comprised of wool provided in the form of wool pearls. Accordingly, in use, a user can add additional wool pearls to the aggregation of fibers within the second chamber 13b to increase the height profile (or loft) and reduce the firmness of the second fill material 40, or, conversely, remove wool pearls from the aggregation of fibers to decrease the height profile and increase the firmness of the second layer of fill material 40. Accordingly, and referring now to FIG. 7, in some instances, a bag 60 or other receptacle defining an interior volume in which additional wool is stored may be sold or otherwise provided in conjunction with the support cushion 5. The bag 60 in FIG. 7 can be constructed of the samematerial as the casing 10. Various types of wool which may be utilized in the second layer of fill material 40 include but are not necessarily limited to lamb’s wool, merino wool, Shetland wool, mohair, cashmere, angora, camel hair, alpaca, vicuna, and qiviut.

[0044] Although the use of wool as the second fill material 40 is generally preferred due to the temperature regulation and natural anti-microbial benefits provided by such textile fibers as well as the ease with which it can be added to or removed, the support cushion 5 is again not necessarily limited to such a construction. Rather, a variety of other fibers can alternatively be utilized in the second layer of fill material 40 to customize the support cushion 5 to a user’s desired firmness and height profile. Such fibers include, but are not limited to: non-woven fibers; non-densified fibers; high-loft fibers; polyester fibers; polypropylene fibers; nylon fibers; silk fibers; acrylic fibers; acetate fibers; rayon fibers; natural fibers, such as down, or the like; as well as combinations thereof. The term “non-woven fibers” as used herein refers to engineered fibers that are typically manufactured by putting small fibers together in the form of a sheet or web, and then bonding them together by chemical, mechanical, heat or solvent treatment. The term “non- densified fibers” as used herein refers to fibers which have not bonded to each other through the melting and re-solidification of bonding fibers. “High-loft fibers” as used herein refers to fibers with a fiber structure that contains more air than fiber. In general, high-loft fibers retain more warmth. Such high-loft material is a lofty, low-density material that is used in such applications as fiberfill, insulation, and the like.

[0045] With further regard to the use of fibers in connection with the exemplary support cushions described herein, although the first fill material 30 of the support cushion 5 is typically described in connection with the support cushions as a foam material, alternative embodiments in which the first fill material is comprised exclusively by a collection of fibers of a single type ordifferent types consistent with those described herein are also contemplated. Likewise, while the second layer of fill material 40 is typically described herein as being comprised of a collection of fibers, alternative embodiments in which the second fill material comprises one or more foam materials as well as embodiments in which the second fill material comprises a combination of fibers and one or more foam materials are also contemplated herein.

[0046] Furthermore, while the fibers of the second layer of fill material 40 are typically described herein as being in the form of discrete tufts comprising clusters of fibers, alternative embodiments in which the second fill material comprises a single body (or plate) of clustered fibers as well as embodiments in which the second fill material comprises a combination of discrete tufts of fibers and a plate of clustered fibers are also contemplated herein. For instance, FIGS. 10 and 11 show another exemplary support cushion 400 made in accordance with the present invention that makes use of a casing 10 having an upper section 12 and a lower section 14 with a partition dividing an interior volume 13 of the casing into two chambers 13a, 13b. In the support cushion 400, the upper chamber 13a is again filled with a first fill material 30 in the form of a foam plate. However, in the support cushion 400, the second chamber 13b is filled with and includes a second layer of fill material 440 comprising a needled wool plate 412 and wool pearls 414 consistent with those described above. In some such embodiments, the needled wool plate 412 has a weight between about 300 grams per square meter (gsm) to about 1000 gsm. In some embodiments, the needled wool plate 412 has a weight of about 750gsm. In some embodiments, the thickness of the needled wool plate 412 ranges between about 0.5 inches and about 1.5 inches. Aside from the materials utilized in the second layer of fill material 410, the support cushion 400 in this exemplary embodiment is of identical construction to the supportcushion 5 described above with reference to FIGS. 1-6. In this regard, like reference numerals correspond to like components within the drawings.

[0047] Referring now again to FIGS. 1-4, to assemble the support cushion 5, the exemplary foam plate forming the first layer of fill material 30 is generally first deposited in the first chamber 13a by inserting the foam plate through the first opening 17 defined by the first end of the casing 10. Once the foam plate is deposited, the first closure 19 comprised of a zipper is transitioned to the closed configuration, thereby sealing the foam plate in the first chamber 13a and forming a first half of the support cushion 5. After the first fill material 30 is deposited in the first chamber 13 a, the wool pearls are then deposited into the second chamber 13b until the support cushion 5 reaches a predetermined weight. In some exemplary embodiments and implementations, the wool pearls can be deposited into the second chamber 13b until the support cushion 5 reaches a weight ranging between about 4.5 pounds and about 5.0 pounds. In some exemplary embodiments and implementations, the foam plate forming the first layer of fill material may weigh between about 2.0 pounds to about 6.0 pounds and the second chamber may be filled with about 1.0 pounds to about 2.0 pounds of wool pearls. In some embodiments, the second chamber may be filled with about 1.6 pounds of wool pearls. Alternatively, the second chamber 13b may be filled with wool pearls until it reaches a user’s preference. In either case, once the support cushion 5 is filled with the desired amount of wool pearls, the zipper comprising the second closure 23 is then transitioned to the closed configuration, thereby sealing the second layer of fill material 40 in the second chamber 13b and forming a second half of the support cushion 5.

[0048] Referring now to FIGS. 8A-8C and 9, another exemplary support cushion 100 made in accordance with the present invention in the form of a pillow is provided. As shown, thesupport cushion 100 in this exemplary embodiment includes a first pillow body 200 and a second pillow body 300 that is foldably secured to the first pillow body 200, such that the support cushion 100 can be selectively transitioned between an unfolded configuration (FIG. 8A) and a folded configuration (FIG. 8C). Specifically, in this exemplary embodiment, a longitudinal peripheral edge of the first pillow body 200 is secured to a longitudinal peripheral edge of the second pillow body 300 via a webbing 150. As shown by viewing FIGS. 8A-8C in sequence, the webbing 150 is wide enough to allow the first pillow body 200 and the second pillow body 300 to be folded together so that the first pillow body 200 and the second pillow body 300 can assume a stacked arrangement to provide a multi-layered support for supporting a portion of a user’s body.

[0049] Referring still to FIGS. 8A-8C and 9, the first pillow body 200 and the second pillow body 300 each include a casing 210, 310 and a layer of fill material 220, 320 deposited within an interior of the casing 210, 310. As perhaps shown best in FIG. 9, the fill material 220 deposited within the interior of the casing 210 of the first pillow 200 (or the “first fill material 220”) and the fill material 320 deposited within the interior of the casing 310 of the second pillow body 300 (or the “second fill material 320”) can be of different material composition and / or structure so that the firmness (i.e., the resistance to pressure) of the first pillow body 200 is different than the firmness of the second pillow body 300. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 8A-8C and 9, the first fill material 220 is in the form of a molded foam plate that is consistent with the foam plate of the first fill material 30 of the support cushion 5 described above with reference to FIGS. 1-6. The foam plate defining the first fill material 220 is denser and thus firmer in construction (i.e., less readily compressed) than the second fill material 320 provided in the second pillow body 300 which, in this case, is defined by a plurality of wool pearls. The woolpearls comprising the second layer of fill material 320 are similar or identical to those forming the second fill material 40 of the support cushion 5 described above with reference to FIGS. 1-6 and can be selectively added to the second pillow 300 in similar fashion as described above. Accordingly, in use, a user can selectively manipulate the support cushion 100 (e.g., by flipping or rotating the support cushion 100) while in the folded configuration (FIG. 8C) to select the area of the support cushion 100 that will engage the user’s body at a given time, and to thereby select the firmness the support cushion 100 will provide to the user’s body. In this way, the support cushion 100 can thus accommodate variations in a user’s firmness preferences.

[0050] Although the first fill material 220 of the first pillow body 200 and the second fill material 320 of the second pillow body 300 are primarily referred to herein as comprising a foam plate and a plurality of wool pearls, respectively, it is appreciated that the first fill material 220 and / or the second fill material 320 can comprise alternative fill materials and still fall within the scope of the present disclosure. In this regard, in alternative embodiments, the first fill material 220 of the first pillow body 200 and / or the second fill material 320 of the second pillow body 300 can comprise any of the fill material options described above with respect to the first fill material 30 and the second fill material 40, respectively, of the support cushion 5 shown in FIGS. 1-6.

[0051] Referring still to FIGS. 8A-8C and 9, the casings 210, 310 of the first pillow body 200 and the second pillow body 300 include a body section 211, 311 which includes an upper section 212, 312 and a lower section 214, 314 which define an interior volume in which the first fill material 220 or the second fill material 320 are received. In this exemplary embodiment, the upper section 212, 312 and the lower section 214, 314 of each respective pillow body 200, 300 are defined by a single piece of material which is folded and joined to itself so as to define theclosed peripheral edges 215, 315 and the interior volume the pillow bodies 200, 300. As the interior volume of the first pillow body 200 and the interior volume of the second pillow body 300 only include one layer of fill material each, the interior volume defined by the first pillow body 200 and the interior volume of the second pillow body 300 can also be characterized as a “first chamber for the first fill material 220” and a “second chamber for the second fill material 320,” respectively. Accordingly, in this exemplary embodiment, the upper section 212, 312 and the lower section 214, 314 collectively define the outer periphery of the casing 210, 310 of each respective pillow body 200, 300, which, in turn, informs the shape of the layers of fill material deposited within the casings 210, 310 and thus the overall shape of the first pillow body 200 and the second pillow body 300. Alternative embodiments, however, in which the upper sections 212, 312 and the lower sections 214, 314 of the casings 210, 310 are defined by two or more separate pieces of material joined together are also contemplated herein. In this regard, the upper section 212, 312 and the lower section 214, 314 of the casing 210, 310 of each respective pillow body 200, 300 may likewise be joined together using known joining techniques including, but not limited to, sewing and ultrasonic welding (i.e., welding). Similarly, the webbing 150 can be secured to the first pillow body 200 and the second pillow body 300 using known joining techniques including, but not limited to, sewing and sonic welding. Although the webbing 150 is primarily described herein in the context of being a component of the support cushion 100 which is separate and apart from the first pillow body 200 and the second pillow body 300, alternative embodiments in which the webbing 150 is defined by a portion of the first pillow body 200 or the second pillow body 300 are also contemplated herein.

[0052] Referring now specifically to FIGS. 8A-8C, in this exemplary embodiment, the casing 210, 310 of each respective pillow body 200, 300 of the support cushion 100 has agenerally rectangular peripheral shape, such that the casing 210, 310 can be filled with the first fill material 220 or the second fill material 320 to cause the upper section 212, 312 and the lower section 214, 314 of the casing 210, 310 to define upper and lower arcuate surfaces, respectively, which meet at the closed peripheral edges 215, 315 of the casing 210, 310. Of course, the dimensions of the respective sections of the body 211, 311 of the casing 210, 310 of each respective pillow body 200, 300 of the support cushion 100 can be adapted so that the casing 210, 310 assumes different shapes without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0053] Referring now to FIGS. 8A-8C, in this exemplary embodiment, the body 211, 311 of the casing 210, 310 of each respective pillow body 200, 300 and the webbing 150 are each comprised of a netted material, which may comprise any textile in which the yarns or fibers thereof are fused, looped, or knotted at their intersections, resulting in a fabric with open spaces between the yarns or fibers. Depending on the type of yarn or filament that is used to make up the textile, its characteristics can vary in durability. The netting material may be formed of single knit jersey, double knit jersey, double rib knit, may be made of fire resistant or non-fire-resistant textiles and may have a porosity of from about 50 to about 850 CFM. The fire-resistant textiles may include, as non-limiting examples, fire resistant rayon, modified acrylics, Kevlar, nomax and others. Non-fire-resistant textiles may include, as non-limiting examples, untreated polyester, rayon, or cotton.

[0054] Referring still to FIGS. 8A-8C, in this exemplary embodiment, a first end of the casing 210 of the first pillow body 200 defines a first opening (not shown as a result of a first closure 219 being in a closed configuration in FIGS. 8A-8C) which is positioned at a midsection along the lateral edge of the casing 210, and through which the interior volume of the first pillowbody 200 can be accessed. In this case, the first opening extends along part of the width of the casing 210 to accommodate the insertion of the first layer of fill material 220. Of course, the dimensions of the first opening may vary depending on the type of fill material which is anticipated to be inserted into the interior volume of the first pillow 200. In this exemplary embodiment, the casing 210 of the first pillow body 200 also includes a first closure 219 that is associated with the first opening, such that the first closure 219 can be selectively transitioned between a first (or closed) configuration (FIGS. 8A-8C) and a second (or open) configuration (not shown) to seal the first opening and unseal the first opening 17, respectively. In this exemplary embodiment, the first closure 219 is a zipper. Of course, closures of other types suitable for selectively sealing and unsealing the first opening may alternatively be utilized as the first closure 219 without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Thus, alternative closures which may be utilized as the first closure 219 include but are not limited to button, snaps, hook and loop fasteners, and the like, as well as folds defined by the casing 210, such as French (or “j”) folds, which can be selectively manipulated as to seal and unseal the first opening.

[0055] Referring still to FIGS. 8A-8C, in this exemplary embodiment, a first end of the casing 310 of the second pillow body 300 defines a second opening (not shown due to a second closure 319 of the second pillow 300 being in a closed configuration in FIGS. 8A-8C), which is positioned at a midsection along the depth of the casing 310, and through which the interior volume of the second pillow body 300 can be accessed. In this exemplary embodiment, the second opening extends part of the width of the casing 310 to facilitate insertion of the second fill material 320 into the interior volume of the second pillow body 300. The casing 310 of the second pillow body 300 also includes a second closure 319, which can be selectively transitionedbetween a first (or closed) configuration (FIGS. 8A-8C) and a second (or open) configuration (not shown) to seal the and unseal the second opening 319, respectively. In this exemplary embodiment, the second closure 319 is again a zipper. Of course, closures of other types suitable for selectively sealing and unsealing the second opening may alternatively be utilized as the second closure 319 without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Thus, alternative closures which may be utilized as the second closure 319 include but are not limited to button, snaps, hook and loop fasteners, and the like, as well as folds defined by the casing 310, such as French (or “j”) folds, which can be selectively manipulated as to seal and unseal the second opening.

[0056] In one exemplary method of assembling the support cushion 100, the exemplary foam plate forming the first fill material 220 is first deposited in the interior volume of the first pillow body 200 by inserting the foam plate through the first opening defined by the first end of the casing 210 of the first pillow body 200. Once the foam plate is deposited, the zipper defining the first closure 219 is transitioned to the closed configuration, thereby sealing the foam plate in the interior volume of the first pillow body 200 and forming a first half of the support cushion 100. After the first layer of fill material 220 is deposited, wool pearls are deposited into the interior volume of the second pillow body 300 until the support cushion 100 reaches a predetermined weight. In some exemplary embodiments and implementations, the wool pearls may be deposited into the interior volume of the second pillow 300 until the support cushion 100 reaches a weight ranging between about 3.0 pounds and about 8.0 pounds. In some exemplary embodiments and implementations, the foam plate forming the first layer of fill material 220 may weigh between about 2.0 pounds to about 6.0 pounds and the interior volume of the second pillow 300 may be filled with about 1.0 pounds to about 2.0 pounds of wool pearls. In some embodiments, thesecond chamber may be filled with about 1.6 pounds of wool pearls. Alternatively, the interior volume of the second pillow body 300 may be filled with wool pearls to a user’s preference. Once the support cushion 100 is filled with the desired amount of wool pearls, the zipper defining the second closure 319 is transitioned to the closed configuration, thereby sealing the second layer of fill material 320 in the interior volume of the second pillow body 300 and forming a second half of the support cushion 100.

[0057] In some embodiments, the first pillow body 200 and the second pillow body 300 may be removably secured together. In one such embodiment, the webbing 150 may include a zipper that may be positioned along the length of the webbing. The zipper can be transitioned between a zipped configuration and an unzipped configuration to join the first pillow body 200 with the second pillow body 300 together and to separate the first pillow body 200 and the second pillow body 300, respectively. Of course, other fasteners suitable for removably securing the first pillow body 200 and the second pillow 300 together, such as hook and loop fasteners, snap fasteners, and the like, may alternatively be utilized in such embodiments.

[0058] The respective components of the exemplary support cushions 5, 100, 400 disclosed herein may be provided along with additional fill material for the first layer of fill material 30, 220 and / or the second layer of fill material 40, 320 as a support cushion kit. Such additional fill material may be provided within a receptacle, such as the bag 60 shown in FIG. 7.

[0059] One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that additional embodiments and implementations are also possible without departing from the teachings of the present invention or the scope of the claims which follow. This detailed description, and particularly the specific details of the exemplary embodiments disclosed herein, is given primarily for clarity of understanding, and no unnecessary limitations are to be understood therefrom, for modificationswill become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading this disclosure and may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the claimed invention.

Claims

CLAIMSWhat is claimed is:

1. A support cushion, comprising: one or more casings; a first fill material deposited within an interior of the one or more casings; and a second fill material deposited within the interior of the one or more casings, wherein the second fill material is different in at least one of composition or structure as compared to the first fill material.

2. The support cushion of claim 1, wherein the first fill material comprises a foam plate.

3. The support cushion of claim 1, wherein the second fill material comprises wool.

4. The support cushion of claim 3, wherein the second fill material comprises a wool plate and discrete tufts of wool.

5. The support cushion of claim 1, wherein the one or more casings comprises a single casing defining an interior volume for depositing both the first fill material and the second fill material.

6. The support cushion of claim 5, further comprising a partition secured to an interior of the single casing, the partition dividing the interior volume into a first chamber and a second chamber, wherein the first fill material is deposited in the first chamber, and the second fill material is deposited in the second chamber.

7. The support cushion of claim 1, wherein the one or more casings comprise a first casing and a second casing foldably secured to the first casing, the first casing defining a first interior volume for depositing the first fill material, and the second casing defining a second interior volume for depositing the second fill material.

8. The support cushion of claim 7, further comprising a webbing securing together the first casing and the second casing.

9. The support cushion of claim 8, wherein a longitudinal edge of the first casing is secured to a longitudinal edge of the second casing by the webbing.

10. The support cushion of claim 7, wherein the first casing and the second casing are removably secured together.

11. The support cushion of claim 10, wherein the first casing and the second casing are removably secured together via a zipper.

12. The support cushion of claim 7, wherein the first casing defines a first opening providing access to the first interior volume, and the second casing defines a second opening providing access to the second interior volume.

13. The support cushion of claim 12, wherein the first casing includes a first closure configured to transition between a closed configuration to seal the first opening and an open configuration to unseal the first opening, and wherein the second casing includes a second closure configured to transition between a closed configuration to seal the second opening and an open configuration to unseal the second opening.

14. A support cushion casing, comprising: a first body defining a first interior volume for receiving a first fill material; and a second body foldably secured to the first body and defining a second interior volume for receiving a second fill material.

15. The support cushion casing of claim 14, further comprising a webbing securing the first body and the second body together.

16. The support cushion casing of claim 14, wherein the first body and the second body are removably secured together.

17. The support cushion casing of claim 16, wherein the first body and the second body are removably secured together by a zipper.

18. A kit for a support cushion, comprising: one or more casings defining multiple chambers; an amount of a first fill material for deposit into one of the multiple chambers; an amount of a second fill material for deposit into another one of the multiple chambers, the second fill material having a material composition and / or structure different from the first fill material; and a receptacle including at least one of a second amount of the first fill material or a second amount of the second fill material.

19. The kit of claim 18, wherein the first fill material comprises a foam plate.

20. The support cushion of claim 18, wherein the second fill material comprises wool.

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