GB2573864A

GB2573864A - Pillow

Info

Publication number: GB2573864A
Application number: GB1903854.6A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Moryoussef Bob
Original assignee: COMFY QUILTS Ltd
Current assignee: COMFY QUILTS Ltd
Priority date: 2018-03-21
Filing date: 2019-03-21
Publication date: 2019-11-20
Also published as: GB201903854D0; GB201804508D0

Abstract

Pillow 10 comprises an outer shell 11 and a web 15 that extends through the inside of the pillow between two sides 16, 17 of the pillow and/or two ends 12, 13 of the pillow. An aperture 18 provided in the web locates and captures an object, such as a Bluetooth speaker, within the confines of the aperture to secure the object in place by restricting movement in the plane of the web defining the aperture. The speaker may be controllable by a master device, such as a software application loaded on a computer, tablet or phone. The master device may detect a snoring sound by a microphone and the software application may process the snoring sound and control the speaker to emit a sound to encourage the user to stop snoring. There may be one or more cables that run from the speaker to a switch and/or power socket provided in a pocket at the exterior of the pillow. Also disclosed is an anti-snoring system having a microphone for detecting the sound of snoring. A software application processes the sound and reacts so as to control a speaker to emit a sound to encourage the user to stop snoring.

Description

PILLOW

The present invention relates to a pillow. In one embodiment the pillow comprises a speaker. The speaker may be used, in combination with software and a microphone, as part of a system to aid sleep and/or help reduce the snoring of a user.

US8325934 discloses an electronic pillow including a pillow unit encasing at least one error microphone and at least one loudspeaker in electrical connection with a controller unit. EP 2 757923 Bl discloses a sound pillow sleep system having a pillow with a speaker assembly and a method of manufacturing the pillow with the speaker assembly.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a pillow comprising an outer shell and a web extending through the inside of the pillow between two sides of the pillow and/or two ends of the pillow, an aperture being provided in the web, an object being located in and captured within the confines of the aperture so as to secure the object in place by restricting movement in the plane of the web defining the aperture.

The object may be a speaker. The size of the aperture may be selected such that the object, such as a speaker, fits in the aperture with a snug fit and is thus fixed in position within the pillow.

Further material may be provided above and/or below the object, such as fabric stuffing material, and/or foam, such that the object may not be easily detected via a user, ensuring pillow comfort. This further, optionally packing, material helps prevent movement of the object in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the web. The outer shell may comprise fabric. The web may comprise fabric. The web may comprise woven material.

One or more cables may run from the object to a switch and/or a power socket provided at or near the exterior of the pillow.

The switch and/or power socket may be provided in a pocket at the exterior of the pillow. This pocket may be closed and/or opened via, for example, a zip fastener.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a pillow comprising an outer shell and a web extending through the inside of the pillow between two sides of the pillow and/or two ends of the pillow, an aperture being provided in the web, a speaker being located in and captured within the confines of the aperture so as to secure the speaker in place by restricting movement in the plane of the web defining the aperture.

The speaker may be a Bluetooth speaker which may be controlled by a master device, such as a software application (app) loaded onto a computer, electronics tablet or mobile phone.

The master device may be operable to detect sound by a microphone located in the device, or connected to it.

Sounds such as snoring may be detected via the microphone and processed by the app. The app may then control the speaker to emit sound such as music to encourage the user to stop snoring.

According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided an anti-snoring system comprising a microphone for detecting the sound of snoring, a software application to process the sound and then react to the incoming sound so as to control a speaker to emit a further sound and thus encourage the user to stop snoring.

The sound emitted by the speaker may be designed to disturb or wake up the user, or to otherwise encourage restful sleep. The speaker may be located within a pillow.

In order that the present invention may be more readily understood a specific embodiment thereof will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a pillow in accordance with the invention in which part of the pillow is cut-away to show, in part, the contents thereof;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the pillow of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section through the middle of the pillow along the line X-X of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 shows the electrical components located within the pillow of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing a pillow 10 comprises an outer shell 11 within which padding material is retained. In the present embodiment the shell 11 is of quilted diamond micro fiber fabric with a weight of 120gsm. At the two ends 12, 13 of the pillow 10, the shell 11 has an air-mesh wall, only one of which is shown. A woven polypropylene fabric web 15 spans the inside of the shell 11 between the two sides 16, 17. An aperture 18 is provided through the middle of the web 15. The size of the aperture 18 is selected to receive a flat rectangular Bluetooth electronic speaker 19 with a snug fit. The weight of the polypropylene fabric forming the web 15 is 40gsm. Preferably, two layers of polypropylene are provided in the polypropylene fabric membrane providing the web 15. The chambers 20, 21 between the web 15 and the top 22 of the pillow, and the web 15 and the base 23 of the pillow are each filled with ball fibre 25 with a weight of 250gsm. The pillow shell 11 is sealed such that the speaker 19 may not be accessed.

An electrical cable 26 runs from the speaker 19 to an on/off switch 27 at the exterior of the pillow 10 near one of the pillow corners and to a micro USB power socket 28 located in a small pocket 29 near one end of the pillow 10. The pocket 29 for the micro USB charger socket 28 may be accessed from the exterior of the pillow 10 via a zipped opening 30.

In use the speaker 19 may be charged via the micro USB charger socket 28. During charging the micro USB charging socket 28 may be protruded through the open zip at the mouth of the zipped opening 30, after first having pulled back the zip slider to separate the zip’s interlocked teeth. Once the speaker is charged the micro-USB socket 28 may once again be stowed in the pocket 29 and the zip closed by pulling the zip slider in the opposite direction.

Once the speaker 19 is charged it may be turned on and off via the on/off switch 27.

When switched on the Bluetooth speaker 19 may communicate with another master device (not shown), typically a mobile phone. Here a software application (app) may be used to control the volume of the speaker 19 and the contents of sounds, such as music, which are produced and emitted from the speaker.

The pillow 10 of Fig. 1 has application as part of an anti-snoring system.

The master device may comprise, or otherwise be connected to, a microphone. This master device may then recognise whether a person, using the pillow 10 to rest his head, is snoring by detecting the sound through the microphone and processes that via the app. If snoring is taking place the app is then programmed to play sound through the speaker to encourage the person to stop snoring. This may be by playing meditation/ relaxing sounds to aid sleep, or a sharp sound to wake up the person/encourage them to 5 move position. The sound level may be altered via the app. The app may play sounds, such as music to encourage the person to breathe in time with the sound to assist sleep without snoring.

The app would be programmed to work even if the phone is set to a ‘Do Not Disturb’ mode.

The speaker 19 may be used to play music for a set period to help sleep and then automatically switch to an anti-snore mode as described previously

The above embodiment is described by way of example only. Many variations are possible.

Claims

1. Pillow comprising an outer shell and a web extending through the inside of the shell between two of its sides and/or its two ends, an aperture being provided in the web, an object being located in and captured within the confines of the aperture so as to secure the object in place by restricting movement in the plane of the web defining the aperture.

2. Pillow as claimed in claim 1 wherein the object is a speaker.

3. Pillow as claimed in claim 2 wherein the speaker is a Bluetooth speaker.

4. Pillow as claimed in claim 2 or 3 wherein the speaker is controllable by a master device.

5. Pillow as claimed in claim 4 wherein the master device is a software application loaded onto a computer, electronics tablet or mobile phone.

6. Pillow as claimed in claim 4 or 5 wherein the master device is operable to detect a sound by a microphone located in the device, or connected to the device.

7. Pillow as claimed in claim 6 when dependent on claim 5 wherein the microphone is configured to detect a snoring sound and the software application is configured to process the snoring sound, the software application being configured to control the speaker to emit a sound to encourage a user to stop snoring.

8. Pillow as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the size of the aperture is selected such that the object fits in the aperture with a snug fit and is thus fixed in position within the pillow.

9. Pillow as claimed in any preceding claim wherein further material is provided above and/or below the object and/or foam, such that the object may not be easily detected via a user.

10. Pillow as claimed in claim 9 wherein the further material helps prevent movement of the object in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the web.

11. Pillow as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the outer shell comprises fabric.

12. Pillow as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the web comprises fabric.

13. Pillow as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the web comprises woven material.

14. Pillow as claimed in any preceding claim wherein one or more cables run from the object to a switch and/or a power socket provided at or near the exterior of the pillow.

15. Pillow as claimed in claim 14 wherein the switch and/or the power socket are provided in a pocket at the exterior of the pillow.

16. Anti-snoring system comprising a microphone for detecting the sound of snoring, a software application to process the sound and then react to the incoming sound so as to control a speaker to emit a further sound and thus encourage the user to stop snoring.

17. Anti-snoring system as claimed in claim 16 wherein the sound emitted by the speaker is designed to disturb or wake up the user, or to otherwise encourage restful sleep.

18. Anti-snoring system as claimed in claim 16 or 17 wherein the speaker is located within a pillow.