Multi-chambered casing and support cushion

Abstract

A support cushion casing is provided that comprises a body defining an interior volume and a partition positioned within the interior volume. The partition divides the interior volume into multiple chambers such that the casing is configured to receive fill material. Support cushions are also provides and include a support cushion casing having a body defining an interior volume and a partition positioned within the interior volume and dividing the interior volume into a first chamber and a second chamber. A first fill material is deposited in the first chamber of the support cushion, and a second fill material is deposited in the second chamber.

Description

MULTI-CHAMBERED CASING AND SUPPORT CUSHIONRELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 63 / 562,823, filed March 8, 2024, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by this reference.TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present invention relates to support cushion casings including multiple interior chambers and support cushions making use of those casings. In particular, the present invention relates to support cushion casings including an interior partition which divides an interior volume of the support cushion casings into multiple chambers for receiving fill material.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 must either purchase a new support cushions 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 would be both highly desirable and beneficial.SUMMARY

[0006] The present invention includes support cushion casings having multiple interior chambers as well as support cushions making use of those casings. In particular, the present invention relates to support cushion casings that include an interior partition which divides an interior volume of the support cushion casings into multiple chambers for receiving fill material.

[0007] In one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a support cushion casing is provided that comprises a body defining an interior volume. A partition is positioned within theinterior volume and divides the interior volume into multiple chambers configured to receive fill material. In particular, in certain embodiments, the partition is joined to an interior of the body and / or the partition divides the interior volume into a first chamber configured to receive a first fill material and a second chamber configured to receive a second fill material. For instance, in some embodiments, the first fill material includes at least one of shredded foam and fibers, and the second fill material includes a foam plate.

[0008] To allow the support cushion casing to be used with various fill materials, a first end of the body of the casing defines a first opening that provides access to one of the multiple chambers, and a second end of the body defines a second opening that provides access to another one of the multiple chambers. In this regard, in some embodiments, the first opening and the second opening are generally positioned on opposing sides of the partition. A closure, in some embodiments, is associated with the first opening and is configured to be selectively transitioned between a first configuration and a second configuration for sealing and unsealing the first opening. In some embodiments, such a closure is a fastener such as a zipper.

[0009] In some embodiments, a closure is similarly associated with the second opening, with the closure associated with the second opening also being configured to be selectively transitioned between a first configuration and a second configuration for sealing and unsealing the second opening. In some embodiments, the closure associated with the second opening is also a fastener, such as a zipper, but, in other embodiments, can alternatively be an envelope closure defined by a portion of the body of the support cushion casing.

[0010] With further regard to the openings included in an exemplary support cushion casing of the present invention, in some embodiments, the first opening extends less than a full width ofthe body, and the second opening extends the full width of the body. In some embodiments, at least one of the body and the partition are comprised of a netted material.

[0011] Further provided, in some embodiments, are support cushions that include and make use of the exemplary support cushion casings of the present invention. In one exemplary embodiment, a support cushion, such as a pillow, is provided that includes a support cushion casing and one or more fill materials. In one embodiment of such a support cushion, the support cushion comprises a casing having a body defining an interior volume, and a partition that is positioned within the interior volume. The partition divides the interior volume into a first chamber and a second chamber. A first fill material is then deposited in the first chamber, and a second fill material is deposited in the second chamber.

[0012] With regard to the fill materials utilized in such support cushions, in some embodiments, at least one of the material composition and the structure of the first fill material and the second fill material is different. In some embodiments, the first fill material includes at least one of shredded foam and fibers. In some embodiments, the second fill material includes a foam plate. For example, in some particular embodiments, the first fill material includes a blend of shredded foam and fibers, and the second fill material includes a foam plate. In some embodiments, the shredded foam is comprised of shredded ethyl styrene foam and / or the foam plate is comprised of a viscoelastic foam that can have a hardness of about ION to about 80N, such as about 40N.

[0013] Still further provided by the present invention are methods for assembling a support cushion. In some embodiments, a method of assembling a support cushion is provided that includes an initial step of filling a first chamber within an interior volume defined by a body of a support cushion casing with a first fill material. A second chamber within the interior volume isthen filled with a second fill material, but with the first chamber and the second chamber being separated by a partition of the support cushion casing positioned in the interior volume such that the first fill material and second fill material are not in direct contact with one another. In some implementations, filling of the second chamber can occur after the filling of the first chamber and can occur until the support cushion has a predetermined weight. In some embodiments, at least one of the material composition and the structure of the first fill material and the second fill material is different. As one example, and as indicated above, the first fill material can be a foam plate, and the second fill material can be a blend of shredded foam and fibers.

[0014] 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

[0015] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a support cushion including an exemplary support cushion casing made in accordance with the present invention;

[0016] FIG. 2 is another perspective view of the support cushion of FIG. 1;

[0017] FIG. 3 is cross-sectional view of the support cushion of FIG. 1 taken along line 3 ’-3’ shown in FIG. 1;

[0018] FIG. 4 is another perspective view of the support cushion of FIG. 1 and showing the closures positioned on each side of the support cushion;

[0019] FIG. 5A is a perspective view of the support cushion casing of the support cushion of FIG. 1 in a first position;

[0020] FIG. 5B is another perspective view of the support cushion casing of the support cushion of FIG. 1, and showing the support cushion casing in a second position;

[0021] FIG. 5C is another perspective view of the support cushion casing of the support cushion of FIG. 1, and showing the support cushion casing in a third position;

[0022] FIG. 5D is another perspective view of the support cushion casing of the support cushion of FIG. 1, and showing the support cushion casing in a fourth position;

[0023] FIG. 5E is another perspective view of the support cushion casing of the support cushion of FIG. 1, and showing the support cushion casing in a fifth position;

[0024] FIG. 5F is another perspective view of the support cushion casing of the support cushion of FIG. 1, and showing the support cushion casing in a sixth position;

[0025] FIG. 5G is another perspective view of the exemplary support cushion casing of the support cushion of FIG. 1, and showing the support cushion casing in a seventh position;

[0026] FIG. 6A is a perspective view of the exemplary support cushion casing utilized with the support cushion of FIG. 1, and showing the closure of the exemplary support cushion casing in a closed configuration;

[0027] FIG. 6B is another partial perspective view of the support cushion casing utilized with the support cushion of FIG. 1, and showing the closure of the support cushion casing in an open configuration;

[0028] FIG. 6C is another partial perspective view of the exemplary support cushion casing utilized with the support cushion of FIG. 1, further showing the closure of the exemplary support cushion casing in the open configuration to show the partition included in the support cushion casing;

[0029] FIG. 7A is a perspective view of another exemplary support cushion casing made in accordance with the present invention, and showing a closure of the exemplary support cushion casing in a closed configuration;

[0030] FIG. 7B is another perspective view of the exemplary support cushion casing shown in FIG. 7A, but showing the closure of the exemplary support cushion casing in an open configuration;

[0031] FIG. 7C is another perspective view of the exemplary support cushion casing of FIG. 7A, with the closure of the exemplary support cushion casing in the open configuration to show the partition included in the support cushion casing; and

[0032] FIG. 8 is another partial perspective view of the exemplary support cushion casing of FIG. 7A, with another closure of the exemplary support cushion casing on an opposite side of the casing in an open configuration.DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[0033] The present invention includes support cushion casings and support cushions that make use of those casings. In particular, the present invention includes support cushion casings with an interior partition that divides an interior volume of the support cushion casing into multiple chambers for receiving fill material. The different chambers of the support cushion casings disclosed herein can be filled with different fill materials to provide support cushions with discrete areas having different firmness profiles to accommodate an individual’s preferences.

[0034] Referring first to FIGS. 1, 2, and 4, a support cushion 5 in the form of a pillow and including an exemplary support cushion casing (or casing) 10 made in accordance with the present invention is provided. It should be appreciated, however, that a support cushion which includes a casing made in accordance with the present invention is not necessarily limited to a pillow structure, but, rather, can be embodied as various other structures which support additional or alternative portions of a user’s body without departing from the spirit and the scopeof 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 and devices (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., anti-fatigue 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 is an alternative structure besides a pillow, it is appreciated that the dimensions of the casing would be adapted to correspond to such alternative structure.

[0035] Referring now more generally to FIGS. 1-4, the support cushion 5 includes the exemplary 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. The first fill material 30 and the second fill material 40 can be 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 positioned is different than the firmness of the portion of the support cushion 5 in which the second layer of fill material 40 is positioned. In use, a user can thus selectively manipulate the support cushion 5 (e.g., by flipping or rotating the support cushion 5) to select thearea of the support cushion 5 that will engage the user’s body at a given time, and thus selected a firmness of the support cushion 5 to provide to the user’s body. In this way, the support cushion 5 can thus accommodate a user’s preferences.

[0036] Referring now to FIGS. 1-4, 5A-5G, and 6A-6C, the exemplary casing 10 includes a body 11 which includes an upper section 12 and a lower section 14, and which defines an interior volume or chamber 13 in which the first fill material 30 and the second fill material 40 is positioned. A partition 16 is positioned within the interior volume 13 and is joined to or is 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 deposited. 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 positioned, and a second chamber 13b in which the second fill material 40 is positioned.

[0037] Referring now specifically to FIGS. 1, 2, 4, 5A-5G, and 6A-6C, the upper section 12 and the lower section 14 of the body 11 of the casing 10 are generally 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 fill materials 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 also contemplated herein. The upper section 12 and the lower section 14 of the body 11 of the casing 10 can be joined together usingknown joining techniques including, but not limited to, sewing and ultrasonic welding (i.e., welding).

[0038] Referring now again to FIGS. 1-4, 5A-5G, and 6A-6C, the casing 10 has a generally rectangular peripheral shape, such that, when the casing 10 is filled with the first fill material 30 and the second fill material 40, the upper section 12 and the lower section 14 define upper and lower arcuate surfaces, respectively, 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 may be adapted so that the casing 10 assumes different shapes without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. As perhaps best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, in this exemplary embodiment, the length of the upper section 12 is greater than that of the lower section 14, such that a portion 14a of the upper section 12 can be folded back and joined to the casing 10 such that the portion 14a extends over an area of the lower section 14 to form an envelope closure 23, which also may be characterized as a “French fold” or a “j-fold,” the importance of which is further discussed below.

[0039] Referring now specifically to FIGS. 3, 5A, and 6C, the 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 of different dimensions and volumes are also contemplated as being within the scope of the present invention. Specifically, in the casing 10, 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, as indicated by the dashed lines in FIG. 3. Of course, the partition 16 may 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 uppersection 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. The partition 16 may 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 known joining techniques including, but not limited to, sewing and ultrasonic welding (i.e., welding). It should also be appreciated that, in alternative embodiments, the partition 16 may be alternatively positioned within the interior volume 13 in a manner which causes one of the two chambers 13 a, 13b to have a greater volumetric capacity 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 fdl material intended to be deposited within the casing 10.

[0040] Referring still to FIGS. 1-4, 5A-5G, and 6A-6C, the body 11 and the partition 16 of the casing 10 are comprised of a netted material, which may comprise any textile in which the yams 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 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.

[0041] Referring now specifically to FIGS. 4 and 6A-6C, in this exemplary embodiment, a first end 1 la of the body 11 defines a first opening 17 which is positioned at a midsection alongthe depth of the casing 10, and through which the first chamber 13a of the interior volume 13 can be accessed. 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. 6A) and a second (or open) configuration (FIGS. 6B and 6C) to seal the first opening 17 (e.g., to prevent the 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 may alternatively be utilized as the first closure 19 without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Thus, alternative closures which may be utilized as the first closure 19 include, but are not limited to, buttons, snaps, hook and loop fasteners, and folds defined by the casing 10, such as French folds, which can be selectively manipulated so as to seal and unseal the first opening 17.

[0042] Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 5A-5G, in this support cushion 5, a second end 1 lb of the body 11 of the casing 10 defines a second opening 21, which is positioned at a midsection along the width of the casing 10, and through which the second chamber 13b of the interior volume 13 can be accessed. The length of the second opening 21 extends substantially the full width of the casing 10 to accommodate insertion of the second fill material 40, which, in this case, has a width that substantially corresponds to the width of the casing 10. 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. In this exemplary embodiment, the French fold 23 defined by the folded portion 14a of the upper section 12 of the body 11 acts as a second closure for the casing 10,which can be selectively transitioned between a first (or closed) configuration (FIGS. 2 and 5G) and a second (or open) configuration (FIG. 5 A) 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. To transition the French fold 23 from the open configuration to the closed configuration, the second end 1 lb of the casing 10 is folded so that the French fold 23 is skyward facing, as shown by viewing FIGS. 5A-5D in sequence. More specifically, to arrange the French fold 23 in such a position, the casing 10 is first positioned so that the lower section 14 is positioned above the upper section 12 forming the French fold 23, as shown in FIG. 5A, and the upper section 12 is laid flat against the lower portion 14, as shown in FIG. 5B. The upper section 12 and the portion 14a of the upper section 12 forming the French fold 23 are then lifted together, as shown in FIG. 5C. The portion 14a of the upper section 12 forming the French fold 23 is then turned inside out so that a pocket formed by the French fold 23 envelops a portion of the lower section 14 of the casing 10, as shown by viewing FIGS. 5D- 5G in sequence. The portion 14a of the upper section 12 which is folded over the lower section 14 to form the French fold 23 is about four inches in length to ensure the second opening 21 is properly sealed when the French fold 23 is in the closed configuration. Of course, the dimensions of this portion 14a of the upper section 12 of the casing 10 may vary depending on the overall dimensions of the casing 10 and / or the materials utilized for the first layer of fill material 30 and the second layer of fill material 40.

[0043] Referring now to FIG. 3, as noted above, to better accommodate fluctuations in a user’s firmness preferences, the composition and / or structure of the first layer of fill material 30 and the second layer of fill material 40 can be different. In the construction shown in FIG. 3,both the composition and the structure of the first fill material 30 and the second fill material 40 are different. In particular, the first fill material 30 is comprised of a collection of loose particulates which include shredded foam and fibers that are blended together in a predetermined ratio, while the second fill material 40 is in the form of a molded foam plate that is denser and thus firmer in construction (i.e., less readily compressed) than the collection of loose particulates of the first fill material 30. Specifically, the first fill material 30 includes a collection of shredded ethyl styrene (ES) foam that is blended with fibers in a ratio of 80% foam and 20% fiber by volume, and the foam plate forming the second layer of fill material 40 is comprised of a viscoelastic foam that has sufficient density and hardness to allow pressure to be absorbed uniformly and distributed evenly across the second foam plate. Of course, the shredded foam-to- fiber ratio and / or the particular shredded foam or fibers utilized in the first layer of fill material 30 can vary so as to customize the support cushion 5 to a user’s preferences. In this regard, it is appreciated that the various foams and fibers disclosed herein may be utilized to form the first fill material 30 without departing from the present invention. Likewise, one of skill in the art will further appreciate that the foam utilized in the second fill material 40 may vary to customize the support cushion 5 to user firmness preferences, and, as such, that the various foams disclosed herein may be utilized to form the second fill material 40.

[0044] Various foams which may be utilized in the first layer of fill material 30 and / or the second layer of fill material 40 to customize the support cushion 5 to user firmness preferences include, but are not limited to: viscoelastic foam (sometimes referred to as “memory foam” or “low resilience foam”), such as open-celled non-reticulated viscoelastic foam; non-viscoelastic foam, such as reticulated non-viscoelastic foam; latex foam; ES foam; foams which are temperature responsive in a range of a user’s body temperatures (or in a range of temperatures towhich 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 foregoing foam materials may 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 for the first layer of fill material 30 and / or the second layer of fill material 40. 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.

[0045] Generally viscoelastic foams of the type utilized for the exemplary foam plate forming the second layer of fill material shown in FIG. 3 have a hardness of at least about 10 N to no greater than about 80 N, as measured by exerting 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 second layer of fill material 40 may be comprised of viscoelastic foam with a hardness of about 25 N to about 50 N. In some other exemplary embodiments, the viscoelastic foam has a hardness ofabout IO N, about 30 N, about 40 N, about 40 N, about 50 N, about 60 N, about 70 N, or about80 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.

[0046] The viscoelastic foam described herein for use in support cushion 5 may 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 second layer of fill material 40 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 second layer of fill material 40 in the support cushion 5 is 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.

[0047] Various fibers which may be utilized in the first layer of fill material 30 to customize the support cushion 5 to user firmness preferences 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 wool, down, or the like; and 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 orweb, 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.

[0048] Referring now to FIGS. 3, 4, 5A-5G and 6A-6C, in one exemplary method of assembling the support cushion 5, the exemplary foam plate forming the second fill material 40 is first deposited in the second chamber 13b by inserting the foam plate through the second opening 21 defined by the second end 1 lb of the casing 10. Once the foam plate is deposited, the French fold 23 is transitioned to the closed configuration, thereby sealing the foam plate in the second chamber 13b and forming a first half of the support cushion 5. After the second fill material 40 is deposited in the second chamber 13b, a collection of shredded foam and fiber forming the first fill material 30 is deposited into the first chamber 13a through the opening 17 until the support cushion 5 reaches a predetermined weight. In some exemplary embodiments and implementations, the shredded foam and fiber forming the first fill material 30 may be deposited into the first chamber 13a until the support cushion 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 second fill material may weigh between about 2.0 pounds to about 6.0 pounds and the first chamber 13a may be filled with about 1.0 to about 2.0 pounds of the first fill material 30, such as, in some embodiments, about 1.6 pounds of the first fill material 30.

[0049] To facilitate the deposit of the first fill material 30 into the first chamber, a blowing apparatus (or “blower”) (not shown) configured to pneumatically disperse particulates through anozzle or hose may be utilized. In this exemplary embodiment, the first opening 17 defined by the first end 1 la of the casing 10 is sized to accommodate the nozzle or hose of the blower. Unlike the second opening 21 defined by the second end 1 lb of the casing 10, in this exemplary embodiment, the first opening 17 does not substantially span the full width of the casing 10, but, rather, extends less than half of the width of the casing 10 to reduce the likelihood of the collection of particulates forming the first layer of fill material from inadvertently exiting the first chamber 13a while the blower is operational. Of course, it should be appreciated that the extent to which the first opening 17 extends relative to the width of the casing 10 may vary depending on the type of material utilized for the first fill material 30. For instance, alternative embodiments in which the first chamber 13a is additionally or alternatively filled with a foam plate and the first opening 17 is sized to accommodate the foam plate are also contemplated herein. Once the support cushion 5 is filled to the predetermined weight through deposit of the first fill material 30, the first closure 19 is transitioned to the closed configuration, thereby sealing the first fill material 30 in the first chamber 13a and forming a second half of the support cushion 5.

[0050] FIGS. 7A-7C and 8 show another exemplary casing 100 made in accordance with the present invention. In this exemplary embodiment, the casing 100 is of identical construction to the casing 10 described above with reference to FIGS. 1-4, 5A-5G, and 6A-6C, except that, instead of a French-fold, the second closure 110 of the casing 100 is a zipper. Throughout the present application, like reference numerals are provided with like components. Alternative embodiments in which other non-French-fold closures, such as snaps, buttons, or hook and loop fasteners, are also contemplated herein. In use, the exemplary casing of 100 can be filled with a first layer of fill material and a second layer of fill material in the same manner as the exemplarycasing 10 described above with reference to FIGS. 1-4, 5A-5G, and 6A-6C to provide a support cushion which accommodates changes in a user’s firmness preferences.

[0051] Although the first layer of fill material 30 is primarily described herein as comprising a blend of shredded foam and fibers, it should be appreciated that the support cushions disclosed herein are not necessarily limited to such constructions. Rather, alternative embodiments in which the first fill material 30 is comprised entirely of shredded foam of one or more of the various foam types disclosed herein as well as alternative embodiments in which the first fill material 30 is comprised entirely of one or more of the various fiber types disclosed herein. Furthermore, while the second fill material 40 is primarily described herein as comprising a foam plate, it should also be appreciated that the support cushions disclosed herein are not necessarily limited to such constructions either. In this regard, alternative embodiments in which the second layer of fill material 40 is comprised of shredded foam of one or more of the various foam types disclosed herein, alternative embodiments in which the second fill material 40 is comprised of a blend of shredded foam of one or more of the various foam types disclosed herein and one or more of the various fibers disclosed herein, and alternative embodiments in which the second fill material 40 is comprised entirely of one or more of the various fiber types disclosed herein are also contemplated herein.

[0052] Although the body 11 of the exemplary casings 10, 100 is primarily referred to herein as including only the upper section 12 and the lower section 14, alternative embodiments in which the casings 10, 100 include additional sections are also contemplated herein. For instance, in one alternative embodiment, the body 11 of the casings 10, 100 can further include a gusset section (not shown) which is positioned between and joined to or integrally formed with the upper section 12 and the lower section 14 of the casings 10, 100 to increase the depth of the body11 of the casings 10, 100, and thus the interior volume 13 defined thereby. In some embodiments, the partition 16 may be joined or integrally formed with the gusset. In some embodiments, the gusset may have a width which ranges between about 2.5 inches and 3 inches.

[0053] One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that additional embodiments 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 modifications will 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 casing, comprising: a body defining an interior volume; and a partition positioned within the interior volume, the partition dividing the interior volume into multiple chambers configured to receive fill material.

2. The support cushion casing of claim 1, wherein the partition is joined to an interior of the body.

3. The support cushion casing of claim 1, wherein the partition divides the interior volume into a first chamber configured to receive a first fill material and a second chamber configured to receive a second fill material.

4. The support cushion casing of claim 3, wherein the first fill material includes at least one of shredded foam and fibers, and the second fill material includes a foam plate.

5. The support cushion casing of claim 1, wherein a first end of the body defines a first opening providing access to one of the multiple chambers, and wherein a second end of the body defines a second opening providing access to another one of the multiple chambers.

6. The support cushion casing of claim 5, further comprising a closure associated with the first opening, the closure associated with the first opening configured to be selectively transitioned between a first configuration and a second configuration for sealing and unsealing the first opening.

7. The support cushion casing of claim 6, wherein the first closure is a zipper.

8. The support cushion casing of claim 5, further comprising a closure associated with the second opening, the closure associated with the second opening configured to be selectively transitioned between a first configuration and a second configuration for sealing and unsealing the second opening.

9. The support cushion casing of claim 8, wherein the closure is an envelope closure defined by a portion of the body.

10. The support cushion casing of claim 8, wherein the closure is a zipper.

11. The support cushion casing of claim 5, wherein the first opening and the second opening are positioned on opposing sides of the partition.

12. The support cushion casing of claim 11, further comprising:a first closure associated with the second opening, the first closure configured to be selectively transitioned between a first configuration and a second configuration for sealing and unsealing the first opening; and a second closure associated with the second opening, the second closure configured to be selectively transitioned between a first configuration and a second configuration for sealing and unsealing the second opening.

13. The support cushion casing of claim 12, wherein the first closure is a zipper, and wherein the second closure is one of a zipper and an envelope closure defined by a portion of the body.

14. The support cushion casing of claim 5, wherein the first opening extends less than a full width of the body, and the second opening extends the full width of the body.

15. The support cushion casing of claim 1, wherein at least one of the body and the partition are comprised of a netted material.

16. A support cushion, comprising: a support cushion casing, including a body defining an interior volume, and a partition positioned within the interior volume, the partition dividing the interior volume into a first chamber and a second chamber; a first fill material deposited in the first chamber; and a second fill material deposited in the second chamber.

17. The support cushion of claim 16, wherein at least one of the material composition and the structure of the first fill material and the second fill material is different.

18. The support cushion of claim 17, wherein the first fill material includes at least one of shredded foam and fibers.

19. The support cushion of claim 17, wherein the second fill material includes a foam plate.

20. The support cushion of claim 17, wherein the first fill material includes a blend of shredded foam and fibers, and wherein the second fill material includes a foam plate.

21. The support cushion of claim 20, wherein the first fill material includes shredded ethyl styrene foam.

22. The support cushion of claim 20, wherein the foam plate is comprised of a viscoelastic foam.

23. The support cushion of claim 22, wherein viscoelastic foam has a hardness of about ION to about 80N.

24. The support cushion of claim 23, wherein the viscoelastic foam has a hardness of about25. The support cushion of claim 16, wherein a first end of the body defines a first opening providing access to the first chamber, and wherein a second end of the body defines a second opening providing access to the second chamber.

26. The support cushion of claim 25, further comprising a closure associated with the first opening, such that the closure can be selectively transitioned between a first configuration and a second configuration to seal and unseal the first opening.

27. The support cushion of claim 26, wherein the closure is a zipper.

28. The support cushion of claim 25, further comprising a closure associated with the second opening, the closure configured to be selectively transitioned between a first configuration and a second configuration for sealing and unsealing the second opening.

29. The support cushion of claim 28, wherein the closure is an envelope closure defined by a portion of the body.

30. The support cushion of claim 28, wherein the closure is a zipper.

31. The support cushion of claim 25, further comprising:a first closure associated with the second opening, the first closure configured to be selectively transitioned between a first configuration and a second configuration for sealing and unsealing the first opening; and a second closure associated with the second opening, the second closure configured to be selectively transitioned between a first configuration and a second configuration for sealing and unsealing the second opening.

32. The support cushion of claim 31, wherein at least one of the material composition and the structure of the first layer of fill material and the second layer of fill material is different.

33. The support cushion of claim 16, wherein at least one of the body and the partition are comprised of a netted material.

34. The support cushion of claim 16, wherein the support cushion is a pillow.

35. A method of assembling a support cushion, comprising: filling a first chamber within an interior volume defined by a body of a support cushion casing with a first fill material; and filling a second chamber within the interior volume with a second fill material, the first chamber and the second chamber separated by a partition of the support cushion casing positioned in the interior volume.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein filling of the second chamber occurs after the filling of the first chamber, and wherein filling of the second chamber comprises filling the second chamber with the second fill material until the support cushion is of a predetermined weight.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein at least one of the material composition and the structure of the first fill material and the second fill material is different.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the first fill material is a foam plate, and wherein the second fill material is a blend of shredded foam and fibers.

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