COMFORT SYSTEM

Abstract

The present disclosure is a pillow/headrest designed to keep a user cool and comfortable when sunbathing, using a tanning bed or reclining near a pool, a beach, a lake, adapted for use at the beach, or pool side, where such pillow includes a water absorbent cover for use in or near water. The pillow system comprises a housing in a generally rectangular configuration having a top surface and a bottom surface with a front edge and a rear edge and side edges. The pillow utilizes an inflatable bladder and water absorbent material such as, terry cloth to give comfort to the user.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to comfort systems and more particularly to pillows which accommodate the user and which is conveniently portable.

BACKGROUND

[0002] The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art, and therefore, nothing herein should be construed as an admission by the inventor or his/her legal representative that the information disclosed herein is prior art.

[0003] A frequent scene at resort beaches, lakes, swimming; pools, and the like is a person or group struggling from their vehicle to a selected site on the beach, carrying a variety of beach supplies. While food and drink coolers, balls, pails, and the like may or may not be included, almost universally the burden will include assorted blankets and towels, and pillows.

[0004] Beach towels are known that are made of a variety of materials such as, for example, cotton, terry cloth, polyester, or other natural and man-made fabrics. Beach towels may have a rectangular shape and may be elongated in one direction to allow the user to lay the towel on the sand, chaise lounge, or pool side surface in order to provide a barrier between the user and the sand, chaise lounge, or pool side surface. One essential drawback of these beach towels is that they provide little to no comfort and act merely as a barrier to dirt and sand. In addition, the towels are large and inconvenient to carry about, especially when carried in addition to chairs, coolers, pails, and beach toys.

[0005] Additionally, most deployed soldiers do not have pillows but instead use their laundry bags as pillows. In fact, many military personnel members sleep in trenches, streets, and other outdoor locations during deployment. Deployment overseas significantly influences the sleep quality and quantity in the population of military personnel.

[0006] Although, there are various types of pillows available to be used in different environments. Most of these pillows or pillow-like articles are stuffed with foam, cotton cloth and may become misshaped with use. Further, such pillows are not particularly suitable for the beach or other outdoor environments where they may be subject to sunlight, water and/or exposed to sand. Additionally, such pillows may not be particularly suitable for use by military personnel where such pillows may be subject to extreme temperatures, chemical compounds, and/or other harsh environments.

BRIEF SUMMARY

[0007] The present disclosure involves a comfort system involving a temperature controlled, mildew resistant, ultra violet ("UV") ray resistant, flame resistant, fire retardant, abrasion resistant, water proof, electrical sensitive, damage resistant, skin sensitive, sweat management, chemical and biological protective, thermoregulatory active, chlorine resistant, anti-microbial, anti-fungal, hypoallergenic, fade resistant, recyclable, air flowing, cooling yarn, wick moisture, eco-friendly, insect repellant, aromatherapy, biodegradable pillow cover and a hypoallergenic, recyclable, biodegradable inflatable bladder that includes a cooling panel, a heating panel, and/or an air vent panel. The inflatable bladder may also be configured to adapt into a pillow configuration. The comfort system of the present disclosure provides reduced weight and reduced storage volume consumption and portable configuration for general use. More particularly, the present disclosure is directed to pillow for use at the beach, pool side, camping, and military deployments to enhance the user's comfort.

[0008] It is an object of the present disclosure to provide a comfortable setting for a person to enjoy the sun at the beach or poolside.

[0009] It is still another object of this disclosure to provide a water proof cover to allow the use of the pillow in the water as a headrest.

[0010] It is yet another object of the present disclosure to alleviate the inconveniences associated with bringing necessary paraphernalia to the beach.

[0011] It is a further object of the present disclosure to provide a pillow which is configured for convenient folding into a compact arrangement requiring reduced weight and reduced storage space, which may be easily carried as desired.

[0012] It is another object of the present disclosure to provide a compact, weather resistant comfort system for camping or use by military personnel during deployment.

[0013] These and other objects will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description, particularly when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] Accordingly, the present disclosure will be understood best through the Consideration, of and with reference to, the following drawing Figures, viewed in conjunction with the Detailed Description of the Preferred and Selected Alternate Embodiments referring thereto, in which like reference numbers throughout the various Figures designate like structure, and in which:

[0015] FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the exemplary comfort system in a closed position.

[0016] FIG. 2 is front perspective view of the exemplary comfort system in an open position.

[0017] It is to be noted that the figures presented are intended solely for the purpose of illustration and that they are, therefore, neither desired nor intended to limit the disclosure to any or all of the exact details, steps, flow or order as shown, except insofar as they may be deemed essential to the claimed disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] In describing the example embodiments of the present disclosure illustrated in FIGS. 1-2 specific terminology is employed for the sake of clarity. The claimed disclosure, however, is not intended to be limited to the example embodiments discussed or the specific terminology used herein, and it is to be understood that each specific element includes all technical equivalents that operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar purpose. However, it should be noted that existing systems, processes, methods, and sub-elements thereof that operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar purpose of an element or sub-element of the present disclosure shall not necessarily be considered prior art or necessarily be used to render any claim herein or claim having priority hereto as lacking novelty or as obvious.

[0019] The present disclosure relates to a comfort system such as, for example, a pillow or headrest designed to keep a user cool and comfortable when sunbathing, using a tanning bed or reclining near a pool, a beach, a lake, and/or for use by military soldiers in harsh and/or outdoor environments. The comfort system may be adapted for use at the beach, or pool side, where such pillow includes a water proof cover for use in or near water. The comfort system of the present invention provides reduced weight and reduced storage volume consumption and portable configuration for general use. The comfort system may include a housing in a generally rectangular configuration having a top surface and a bottom surface with a front edge and a rear edge and side edges. The comfort system may utilize an inflatable bladder and water proof material. Alternatively, the comfort system may integrate properties of sensitivity, information and intelligence into single materials such as, for example, technical textiles, smart textiles, and/or other textiles. For example, the comfort system may use technical textiles, smart textiles, and/or other textiles that may detect, react, and adapt to the environmental conditions. For example, the comfort system may be configured to react to hot temperatures and/or cold temperatures, light, pressure, moisture, and time. To this end, the comfort system may be configured to change colors at a particular temperature. Additionally, the comfort system may be configured to adapt to changes in the weather, monitor a soldier's physical condition, and adapt color to the environmental surroundings for camouflage purposes.

[0020] Additionally, the housing may include a temperature controlled fabric or material. For example, housing fabric or material may be configured to change colors at predetermined temperatures.

[0021] The housing may also mildew resistant material. To this end, the housing may comprise a fabric or material that is specially formulated with microbicidal additives that resist mold, mildew and algae growth, and inhibit the growth of bacterial odors.

[0022] Additionally, the housing may include an ultra violet ray resistant fabric or material. For example, the housing fabric or material may minimize the amount of ultra violet light that passes through the housing. This can be important for the preservation of the fabric or material as ultra violet rays are a cause of degradation to textiles, as ultra violet rays excite the polymer molecules and break polymer chains thereby resulting in significant damage to the fibre depending on the intensity of the ultra violet ray and the duration of exposure.

[0023] Further, the housing may include a fabric or material that is flame resistant and/or flame retardant. Flame resistant fabrics are made from materials that are inherently nonflammable--the materials have flame resistance built into their chemical structures. Fabrics made with these types of materials are designed to prevent the spread of fire and will not melt or drip when in close proximity to a flame. Because flame resistant fabrics are not usually made from 100% flame resistant materials, they will burn, but will do so very, very slowly and are often self-extinguishing. Flame retardant fabrics are chemically treated to be slowing burning or self-extinguishing when exposed to an open flame. These fabrics can be made from any material, but they must be treated with special chemicals to qualify as flame retardant.

[0024] Additionally, the housing may be comprised of a fabric or material that is electrical sensitive. To this end, the housing fabric or material may have electrostatic discharge (ESD) which is the release of static electricity.

[0025] The comfort system may also be damage resistant and abrasion resistant. To this end, the comfort system may include a housing fabric or material that is durable. The housing fabric or material may not be easily ripped or torn.

[0026] Also, the comfort system may include a housing fabric or material that manages sweat. For example, the comfort system may include a fabric or material that either repels or absorbs moisture. To this end, the comfort system may include sweat management fabric or material that may soak up and retain sweat or repel sweat and push it outward.

[0027] Additionally, the comfort system may include a housing fabric or material that is sensitive to the skin. For example, the housing fabric or material may be soft such that the housing fabric or material does not scratch or irritate the skin of a person using the comfort system.

[0028] Also, the comfort system may be comprised of a protective material or fabric which may cause the comfort system to be resistant to chemicals and biological elements. The hazards addressed by protective fabric or material include physical, electrical, heat, chemicals, biohazards, and airborne particulate matter.

[0029] Further, the housing fabric or material may be thermoregulatory active, anti-microbial, anti-fungal, fade resistant, recyclable, and breathable, cooling yarn, wick moisture, hypoallergenic, eco-friendly, insect repellant, aromatherapy, and biodegradable material. Moreover, the inflatable bladder may include a heating mechanism, a cooling mechanism, and an air vent mechanism. Additionally, the inflatable bladder may also include a hypoallergenic, recyclable, and biodegradable material.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 1, a comfort system 10 comprises a housing or cover such as, for example, a cloth, material, or fabric such as cotton, cotton blend, terry cloth, polyester, paper, plastic, or any other man-made or natural fiber or material depending on the required need of the user. In some embodiments, the housing 12 may comprise a washable material or fabric. The comfort system 10 is suitable for use in various environments including a pool, a beach, a lake, a boat, and/or other environments.

[0031] The housing 12 preferably is a soft, foldable, water proof material such that the water proof material may inherently, or may have been treated to become, resistant to penetration by water and wetting. The housing 12 is preferably rectangular in shape and may be stitched along the front edge 14, rear edge 16 and at least one of the side edges 16a . . . 16b. When the comfort system 10 is in a closed position as show in FIG. 1, at least one of the side edges 16a . . . 16b may include a zipper and/or other mechanism for binding the edges of fabric or other flexible material.

[0032] The comfort system 10 may be converted into the unfolded inflated configuration as shown in FIG. 1 by providing a housing element 12 with at least one of the side edges 16a . . . 16b in an open position, inserting an inflatable pillow element into the housing element 10, and inflating the inflatable pillow element.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 2, the comfort system 10 has an inflatable pillow element 20 positioned within (hidden in) at least one of the side edges 16a . . . 16b for permitting the user to inflate the pillow element 20. In one exemplary embodiment, the pillow element 20 may be hidden from view and to be covered by soft cloth type material (fabric) when the comfort system is in either its folded or unfolded position. The pillow element 20 is preferably made of an air impermeable (inflatable) plastic material. The pillow element 20 may include an air tube for permitting atmospheric air to be forced into the inflatable pillow element 20 by conventional means such as a pump or by using lung pressure. The air tube may allow the user to seal the pillow element 20 after inflation by threading the cap onto the air tube. Conversely, the air cap may be removed in order to allow the user to deflate the pillow element 20 for easier storage. The pillow element 20 is preferably rectangular (square) in shape and substantially 11 inches in width and 17 inches in length.

[0034] It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the sole Embodiment described above, accordingly, while a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure is described herein, it is appreciated that modifications are possible that are within the scope of the present disclosure. One should note that conditional language, such as, among others, "can," "could," "Might," or "may," unless specifically stated otherwise, or otherwise understood within the context as used, is generally intended to convey that certain embodiments include, while other embodiments do not include certain features, elements and/or steps. Thus, such conditional language is not generally intended to imply that features, elements and/or steps are in any way required for one or more particular embodiments or that one or more particular embodiments necessarily include logic for deciding, with or without user input or prompting, whether these features, elements and/or steps are included or are to be performed in any particular embodiment.

[0035] It should be emphasized that the above-described embodiments are merely possible examples of implementations merely set forth for a clear understanding of the principles of the present disclosure. Many variations and modifications may be made to the above described embodiment(s) without departing substantially from the spirit and principles of the present disclosure. Further, the scope of the present disclosure is intended to cover any and all combinations and sub-combinations of all elements, features, and aspects discussed above. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of the present disclosure, and all possible claims to individual aspects or combinations of elements or steps are intended to be supported by the present disclosure. One skilled in the art with the benefit of this disclosure would appreciate that a multitude of variations and modifications are possible and would be within the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A comfort system comprising: a housing, the housing having a top surface, and a bottom surface, a front edge, a rear edge, and a plurality of side edges, wherein the housing is adaptable to cover an inflatable bladder, wherein the housing comprises a temperature controlled, mildew resistant, ultra violet ray resistant, flame resistant, fire retardant, abrasion resistant, water proof, electrical sensitive, damage resistant, skin sensitive, sweat management, chemical resistant, biological protective, thermoregulatory active, anti-microbial, anti-fungal, fade resistant, recyclable, breathable, cooling yarn, wick moisture, hypoallergenic, eco-friendly, insect repellant, aromatherapy, biodegradable material and combinations thereof; and wherein the inflatable bladder comprises a heating mechanism, a cooling mechanism, an air vent mechanism, wherein the inflatable bladder may comprise a hypoallergenic, recyclable, biodegradable material.

2. The comfort system of claim 1, wherein the at least on the side edges is configured to be adjusted into an open position or a closed position.

3. The comfort system of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a man-made material.

4. The comfort system of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a natural material.

5. The comfort system of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a technical textile.

6. The comfort system of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises smart textile.

7. The comfort system of claim 1, wherein the housing is configured to change colors based at least in part on a set of colors in an environment associated with a location of the housing.

8. The comfort system of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a cavity configured to encapsulate the inflatable bladder.

8. The comfort system of claim 1, wherein the housing is configured to be removable attached to the inflatable bladder.

9. The comfort system of claim 1, wherein the housing having a rectangular configuration.

10. A method comprising the steps of: providing a housing element, the housing element comprising a top surface, a bottom surface, a front edge, a rear edge, and a plurality of side edges, wherein at least one of the side edges being configured to be adjusted into an open position and a closed position wherein the housing element comprises a temperature controlled, mildew resistant, ultra violet ray resistant, flame resistant, fire retardant, abrasion resistant, water proof, electrical sensitive, damage resistant, skin sensitive, sweat management, chemical protective, biological protective, thermoregulatory active, chlorine resistant, anti-microbial, anti-fungal, fade resistant, recyclable, breathable, cooling yarn, wick moisture, hypoallergenic, eco-friendly, insect repellant, aromatherapy, biodegradable material and combinations thereof; inserting an inflatable pillow element into the housing element; and inflating the inflatable pillow element wherein the inflatable pillow element comprises a heating mechanism, a cooling mechanism, an air vent mechanism, wherein the inflatable bladder may comprise a hypoallergenic, recyclable, biodegradable material.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the housing element comprises a man-made material.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the housing element comprises a natural material.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the housing comprises a rectangular configuration.