GB2488114A - Device for placing a pillow in a pillowcase - Google Patents

Abstract

A bedding accessory 10 comprises a sheet of material which is self-supporting. The sheet 10 provides a surface 12 on which a face of a pillow can be placed, in use. Retaining formations 18 are associated with the surface 12, for retaining the pillow on the surface 12. First and second regions 12a, 12b of the surface 12 are not parallel with each other, to accommodate a partially folded pillow. In use, the device assists in covering the pillow with a conventional textile fabric pillowcase or pillowslip, or in placing the pillow therein, the device being withdrawn once the pillow is inside the pillowcase.

Description

Improvements in or relating to bedding The present invention concerns improvements in or relating to bedding.

Pillows for bedding were traditionally filled with a soft material such as feathers.

Synthetic analogue materials were also used. More recently, new technologies and materials have resulted in the production of heavier, denser and stiffer pillows. Examples include hollow fibre, gel, modular foam, memory foam and other materials. These materials have allowed pillows to be preformed to a particular shape for various reasons, such as to provide increased support for the neck, to reduce pressure sores, to increase comfort by allowing air circulation, etc. These heavier, denser and stiffer pillows are found to be more difficult to insert into a conventional pillowcase, which is an envelope or sack of textile fabric.

Examples of the present invention provide a bedding accessory, comprising: a sheet of material which is self-supporting; the sheet providing a surface on which a face of a pillow can be placed, in use; there being retaining formations associated with the surface, for retaining a pillow accommodated on the surface; and wherein the surface has first and second regions which together provide the surface and which are not parallel with each other, to accommodate a partially folded pillow.

Each of the regions may be planar. The regions may meet at an edge extending across the surface. The regions may meet at a curve in the surface.

The regions may provide a V-shaped surface.

The retaining formations may include channel sections for receiving, in use, respective edges of a pillow. The first and second regions and the channel sections may be provided by respective regions of a single sheet member.

The surface may be tapered to have one edge which is shorter than its opposite edge. The retaining formations may extend along the edges which define the taper.

The accessory may be formed by a sheet of synthetic plastics material. The accessory may carry an anti-bacterial surface coating.

Examples of the present invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an example bedding accessory; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the bedding accessory of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an end view of the accessory of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is an end view of a pillow; Fig. 5 is an end view of the pillow of Fig. 4, accommodated in the accessory of Fig. 1;and Fig. 6 is a schematic perspective view of the accessory of Fig. 1 being used to insert the pillow of Fig. 4 into a pillow case.

Turning to the drawings, Fig. 1 illustrates a bedding accessory 10. The accessory 10 comprises a sheet of material which is self-supporting. The sheet provides a surface 12 on which a face 14 of a pillow 16 (Fig. 4) can be placed, in use. Retaining formations 18 are associated with the surface 12, for retaining a pillow 16 accommodated on the surface 12. The surface has first and second regions 1 2a, 1 2b which together provide the surface 12 and which are not parallel with each other, to accommodate a partially folded pillow, as will be described.

In more detail, the sheet 10 is self-supporting in order to hold its illustrated form without outside support. The sheet 10 is generally in the form of a single sheet of material formed by a moulding or forming operation into the shape illustrated.

The first region 1 2a is generally planar, as is the second region 1 2b. The regions 12a, 12b meet at an edge 20 which runs along the sheet 10 from a leading edge 22 to trailing edge 24. (In this respect, it is to be noted that the edge 20 is called an "edge" by reference to the language of three-dimensional bodies, in which adjacent "faces" meet at "edges". The edges 22, 24 are "edges" by reference to the language of "sheets", which are bounded by "edges"). In this example, the edge 20 is a sharp edge, that is, a sudden discontinuity between the planes of the two regions 1 2a, 1 2b. In other examples, the two regions 1 2a, 1 2b could be connected by an intermediate region of curved form. The edge 20 results in the regions 12a, 12b providing a V-shaped surface 12 (see particularly Fig. 3).

The leading and trailing edges 22, 24 of the surface 12 are connected by side edges 26 along which the retaining formations 18 are provided. Each of the retaining formations 18 is provided by two further strips of material 28, 30 which turn in across the surface 12 to form a channel 32. In use, the channels 32 receive respective edges of a pillow 16, as will be described.

It can readily be seen from Fig. 2 that the leading edge 22 is slightly shorter than the opposite edge, which is the trailing edge 24. Consequently, the side edges 26 taper inwardly from the trailing edge 24 toward the leading edge 22.

Consequently, the surface 12 is tapered in the same direction. The retaining formations 18 extend along the edges 26 which define the taper.

The sheet 10 may be formed of many different materials, but a synthetic plastic material is preferred, particularly one which can readily be moulded or formed by heat to the required shape. Example materials include a moulded glass-reinforced plastic, fibre-reinforced plastic, wood or metal..

Fig. 4 illustrates an example of a modern pillow 16. This has a lower face 34 which is generally flat, and an upper face 36 which is shaped to provide a trough 38, between two peaks 40. In use, the user's head can be supported in the trough 38, with the neck extending over one of the peaks 40, to provide comfortable support for the head, with appropriate support for the neck. The pillow 16 is made of a modern self-supporting material of the type discussed above, and is consequently relatively heavy and dense in comparison with a traditional, feather-filled pillow. These modern pillows may often be difficult to compress. However, the existence of the trough 38 provides a clear line of relative weakness along the pillow 16, forming a fold line along which the pillow 16 can relatively easily be folded.

When the accessory 10 is to be used to assist in covering a pillow 16 with a conventional textile fabric pillowcase, the pillow 16 is first folded. In the case of a pillow similar to that illustrated in Fig. 4, the fold will be formed along the relative weakness provided by the trough 38. The folded pillow 16 is then placed into the accessory 10 (Fig. 5) with the face 34 placed against the surface 12. The edges of the peaks 40 are tucked into the channels 32. This results in the arrangement illustrated in Fig. 5. The pillow 16 is in a partially folded condition. Any tendency of the pillow 16 to relax back to its original condition (Fig. 4) is prevented by the hold applied by the channels 32, preventing the peaks 40 from moving apart as would be required for the pillow 16 to relax. Consequently, the pillow 16 is held in the slightly folded condition illustrated in Fig. 5. This holds the pillow 16 in a S condition which is slightly more compact as compared with the mouth of a pillow case, indicated by the broken line 42.

Fig. 6 illustrates this in more detail. The pillow 16, held in the accessory 10, is slightly folded, readily allowing the pillowcase 44 to be offered over and around the sheet 10 and pillow 16, until the sheet 10 has fully entered the pillowcase 44, taking the pillow 16 with it. This is a relatively simple operation for the user, particularly because the tendency of the pillow 16 to spring back to the original condition is resisted by the grip of the sheet 10, for which the user does not need to provide any force. :ts

Insertion of the sheet 10 and pillow 16 into the pillowcase 44 is further assisted by the taper of the sheet 10. That is, the leading edge 22 of the sheet 10 will conveniently be the first edge introduced into the pillowcase 44, so that the first part of the pillow 16 entering the pillowcase 44 is relatively tightly folded.

Once the pillow 16 has been fully inserted in the pillowcase 44, the sheet 10 can be withdrawn by sliding out from the pillowcase 44 while the user presses on the pillow 16 to keep the pillow 16 from sliding out with the sheet 10. This leaves the pillow 16 covered by the pillowcase 44 and able to relax to its natural condition (Fig. 4) as the sheet 10 withdraws. The pillow 16 is then correctly covered by the pillowcase 44, and ready for use.

An aperture 46 may be cut out, near the trailing edge, to assist in gripping the accessory 10 during use, and also to allow the accessory 10 to be hung for storage.

In using the accessory 10 in the manner just described, it is expected that the operation of covering the pillow with a pillowcase will be achieved more quickly and with less difficulty than in the absence of the accessory 10. This is expected to be a significant advantage in situations in which large numbers of pillows (particularly modern, relatively heavy and dense pillows) must be covered quickly, such as in hospitals, hotels or the like. Furthermore, the process is expected to be simplified by using the device, particularly with modern, relatively heavy and dense pillows. For example, some users may find it difficult to retain a pillow in the necessary compressed, folded and/or deformed condition required for covering, without using the accessory 10. By contrast, the pillow can relatively easily be pushed into the accessory 10, deforming to the necessary condition, as it is introduced. This is a relatively simple operation following which, the folded state of the pillow 16 is maintained by the accessory 10, not by the user, who is therefore free to concentrate on passing the pillowcase 44 over the accessory 10 and pillow 16.

The accessory 10 may be coated with an anti-bacterial coating, for reasons of hygiene, or with an alternative coating for enhancing hygiene.

Many variations modifications can be made to the apparatus described above, without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, many different materials can be used. Shapes, sizes and relative shapes and sizes of the various parts of the accessory can all vary, particularly according to be sized and/or shape of pillows and/or pillow cases with which the device is intended to be used.

Whilst endeavouring in the foregoing specification to draw attention to those features of the invention believed to be of particular importance it should be understood that the Applicant claims protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbefore referred to and/or shown in the drawings whether or not particular emphasis has been placed thereon.

Claims (13)

1. CLAIMS1. A bedding accessory, comprising: a sheet of material which is self-supporting; the sheet providing a surface on which a face of a pillow can be placed, in use; there being retaining formations associated with the surface, for retaining a pillow accommodated on the surface; and wherein the surface has first and second regions which together provide the surface and which are not parallel with each other, to accommodate a partially folded pillow.
2. 2. An accessory according to claim 1, wherein each of the regions is planar.

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3. 3. An accessory according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the regions meet at an edge extending across the surface.

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4. 4. An accessory according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the regions meet at a curve in * the surface * I
5. 5. An accessory according to any preceding claim, wherein the regions provide a V-shaped surface.
6. 6. An accessory according to any preceding claim, wherein the retaining formations include channel sections for receiving, in use, respective edges of a pillow.
7. 7. An accessory according to claim 6, wherein the first and second regions and the channel sections are provided by respective regions of a single sheet member.
8. 8. An accessory according to any preceding claim, wherein the surface is tapered to have one edge which is shorter than its opposite edge.
9. 9. An accessory according to any preceding claim, wherein the retaining formations extend along the edges which define the taper.
10. 10. An accessory according to any preceding claim, formed by a sheet of synthetic plastics material.
11. 11. An accessory according to any preceding claim, carrying an anti-bacterial surface coating.
12. 12. A bedding accessory, substantially as described above, with reference to the accompanying drawings. S. S * *1* *
13. 13. Any novel subject mailer or combination including novel subject matter disclosed * ***** * herein, whether or not within the scope of or relating to the same invention as any of the C'. preceding claims. * 0S * S *ss r **Ss**. *