US-12616322-B2 - Modular compartment pillow with multi-layered pads

Abstract

A modular compartment pillow includes a main body, a plurality of compartments housed in a cavity in the main body, and at least one opening. The opening provides access to at least one compartment.

Inventors

• Jia Wei Yu

Assignees

• Jia Wei Yu

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20230606

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A modular compartment pillow comprising: a main body; a plurality of coplanar compartments housed in a cavity in the main body, the plurality of coplanar compartments divided to form a top compartment, a bottom compartment, and three central compartments disposed between the top compartment and the bottom compartment; and at least one opening in the main body, the opening providing access to at least one compartment, wherein: a length of the top compartment and a length of the bottom compartment are each equivalent to a sum of a length of each of the three central compartments, a width of each of the central compartments is greater than a width of the top compartment and a width of the bottom compartment, and a height of each of the central compartments is equivalent to a height of the top compartment and a height of the bottom compartment.
2. 2 . The modular compartment pillow of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the compartments are formed by at least one dividing means disposed in the cavity of the main body.
3. 3 . The modular compartment pillow of claim 2 , wherein the dividing means is at least one separator integral within the main body of the modular compartment pillow.
4. 4 . The modular compartment pillow of claim 1 , wherein the compartment includes at least one dividing means disposed in the cavity of the main body configured to form the top compartment, the bottom compartment, and the three central compartments.
5. 5 . The modular compartment pillow of claim 1 , further comprising: at least one insert, each insert corresponding to a size and a shape of a corresponding compartment.
6. 6 . The modular compartment pillow of claim 5 , wherein each insert can be inserted and removed from a corresponding compartment using at least one opening.
7. 7 . The modular compartment pillow of claim 5 , wherein each insert can be removably fastened to another insert.
8. 8 . The modular compartment pillow of claim 5 , wherein each insert includes a plurality of stacked materials.
9. 9 . The modular compartment pillow of claim 5 , wherein the insert is being maintained within one or more of the compartments formed by at least one dividing means disposed in the cavity of the main body.
10. 10 . The modular compartment pillow of claim 5 , wherein each insert includes a member selected from a group consisting of feathers, down, alternative filling, foam, polyfill material, memory foam, cotton, polyester, gel, buckwheat, kapok, wool, latex, and combinations thereof.
11. 11 . The modular compartment pillow of claim 5 , wherein each insert contains a phase change material that imparts an endothermic or exothermic effect.
12. 12 . The modular compartment pillow of claim 5 , wherein at least one insert is a long rectangular insert and at least one insert is a square insert.
13. 13 . The modular compartment pillow of claim 12 , wherein the long rectangular insert is configured to be removably disposed within only the top compartment and the bottom compartment.
14. 14 . The modular compartment pillow of claim 12 , wherein the square insert is configured to be removably disposed within each of the three central compartments.
15. 15 . The modular compartment pillow of claim 1 , wherein one or both of at least one divider disposed in the cavity of the main body and at least one separator integral with the main body create five compartments in the cavity of the main body.
16. 16 . The modular compartment pillow of claim 15 , wherein the five compartments include three rows with a center row having three columns.
17. 17 . A method of using a modular compartment pillow, comprising the steps of: providing the modular compartment pillow having a main body, a plurality of coplanar compartments housed in a cavity in the main body, the plurality of coplanar compartments divided to form a top compartment, a bottom compartment, and three central compartments disposed between the top compartment and the bottom compartment, and at least one opening, the opening providing access to at least one compartment, wherein a length of the top compartment and a length of the bottom compartment are each equivalent to a sum of a length of each of the three central compartments, a width of each of the central compartments is greater than a width of the top compartment and a width of the bottom compartment, and a height of each of the central compartments is equivalent to a height of the top compartment and a height of the bottom compartment; layering one or more inserts; placing the one or more inserts into a corresponding compartment; and adjusting a firmness of each compartment by changing the amount and type of insert in each compartment.
18. 18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein each insert corresponds to a size and a shape of the corresponding compartment.
19. 19 . A kit for a modular compartment pillow, comprising: a modular compartment pillow comprising: a main body; a plurality of coplanar compartments housed in a cavity in the main body, the plurality of coplanar compartments divided to form a top compartment, a bottom compartment, and three central compartments disposed between the top compartment and the bottom compartment wherein a length of the top compartment and a length of the bottom compartment are each equivalent to a sum of a length of each of the three central compartments, a width of each of the central compartments is greater than a width of the top compartment and a width of the bottom compartment, and a height of each of the central compartments is equivalent to a height of the top compartment and a height of the bottom compartment; at least one opening in the main body, the opening providing access to at least one compartment; and a plurality of inserts which correspond to the size and shape of the plurality of compartments.
20. 20 . The kit of claim 19 , wherein the kit includes a plurality of long rectangular inserts and a plurality of square inserts.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 63/349,283, filed on Jun. 6, 2022. The entire disclosure of the above application is incorporated herein by reference. FIELD The present invention relates generally to a pillow and, more particularly, to a modular compartment pillow. INTRODUCTION This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art. Various conditions such as pain, stiffness, sleep apnea, insomnia, snoring, and acid reflux may be associated with or aggravated by improper head or neck positioning during sleep. Pillows that are too thick or too stiff can strain the human body, which can result in general pain, muscle aches, and obstruction to the airway. Conversely, pillows without sufficient support can also result in pain, strained muscles, reduced airflow, and headaches. Pillows are typically designed to conform to the generalized needs of the entire market. However, there are numerous variations of pillows intended to meet specific needs. These variations include different sizes, shapes, levels of firmness, and fill materials. Some variations are designed for a specific purpose, such as a neck support pillow, and are seldom used. Other variations only conform to a specific part of the body, resulting in limited applicability. Adjustable pillows allow a user to adjust the size, shape, or firmness through various means. Some are inflatable, others have different types of inserts, and some are sold in different sizes or shapes. However, many adjustable pillows require additional components that increase the difficulty of adjusting a pillow, creating a tradeoff between customizability and ease of operation. Known pillows, such as the pillow described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,681,263, do not provide a means for easily repositioning and making minor adjustments to inserts positioned in individual compartments within a pillow. What is more, the degree of customization allowable for each of the different areas of the pillow is lacking, and when it is possible, selectively varying the firmness and/or size of the pillow is a cumbersome process. Accordingly, there is a need for a modular compartment pillow that allows a user to quickly adjust individual compartments of the pillow and easily customize and conform a pillow to individual preferences. SUMMARY In concordance with the instant disclosure, a modular compartment pillow which allows a user to quickly adjust individual compartments of the pillow and easily customize and conform the pillow to individual preferences, has surprisingly been discovered. In certain embodiments, a modular compartment pillow includes a main body, a plurality of compartments housed in a cavity in the main body, and at least one opening in the main body. The opening in the main body provides access to at least one compartment within the main body. In certain embodiments, a method for using a modular compartment pillow includes a first step of providing a modular compartment pillow having a main body, a plurality of compartments housed in a cavity in the main body, and at least one opening in the main body, the opening providing access to at least one compartment. Additional steps may include layering one or more inserts, placing the one or more inserts into a corresponding compartment, and adjusting firmness of each compartment by changing the amount and type of insert in each compartment. In certain embodiments, a kit for a modular compartment pillow includes a modular compartment pillow having a main body, a plurality of compartments housed in a cavity in the main body, at least one opening in the main body, the opening providing access to at least one compartment, and a plurality of inserts which correspond to the size and shape of the plurality of compartments. Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. The description and specific examples in this summary are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected embodiments and not all possible implementations, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a modular compartment pillow according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the modular compartment pillow kit according to another embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the modular compartment pillow of FIG. 1 shown with the zippered opening in an open position; FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional, side elevational view of the modular compartment pillow of FIG. 1, shown at cross-section 4-4 in FIG. 1; FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional, front elevational view of the modular compartment pillow of FIG. 1, shown at cross-s