PILLOW FOR BABIES AND/OR INFANTS

Abstract

A pillow for babies and/or infants includes a deformable core, which is not flat, in order to accommodate the form of the head of the baby or infant. The deformable core includes externally a three-dimensional woven layer surrounding a barrier that is impermeable to gases and liquids in order to prevent gases and liquids from reaching the interior of the core.

Claims

1. Pillow for babies and/or infants, comprising a deformable core, which is not flat, in order to accommodate the form of the head of the baby or infant, characterised in that the deformable core comprises externally a three-dimensional woven layer surrounding a barrier that is impermeable to gases and liquids in order to prevent the said gases and liquids from reaching the interior of the core.

2. Pillow according to claim 1, characterised in that the impermeable barrier has a rounded shape free from flat areas.

3. Pillow according to claim 1, characterised in that the said layer has a maximum thickness equal to or less than 8 mm.

4. Pillow according to claim 1, characterised in that the said layer has a maximum thickness equal to or less than 7 mm.

5. Pillow according to claim 1, characterised in that the said layer has a minimum thickness equal to or greater than 2 mm.

6. Pillow according to claim 1, characterised in that the said layer has a minimum thickness equal to or greater than 5 mm.

7. Pillow according to claim 1, characterised in that the three-dimensional material is hollow in at least 90% of its interior volume.

8. Pillow according to claim 1, characterised in that the said barrier impermeable to gases and liquids consists of an impermeable exterior cover that in turn surrounds the core of deformable material.

9. Pillow according to claim 1, characterised in that the said barrier impermeable to gases and liquids consists of a core of impermeable material.

10. Pillow according to claim 1, characterised in that it comprises a depression for receiving the head, the said depression consisting of a curved and sloped area situated around an opening that is filled by a supporting area for the head of the baby or infant, situated at median height of the pillow, wherein the slope forms an angle greater than 135 with the said supporting area in the area of confluence between the slope and the supporting area.

11. Pillow according to claim 10, characterised in that the said supporting area has a thickness of between 5 and 9 mm.

12. Pillow according to claim 10, characterised in that the central supporting area is flat.

13. Pillow according to claim 10, characterised in that it has an isolating cord that isolates the central supporting area from the rest of the pillow.

14. Pillow according to claim 10, characterised in that the said angle between the slope and the supporting area is greater than 135 and equal to or less than 150.

15. Pillow according to claim 10, characterised in that the central supporting area has a circular shape and a diameter equal to or less than 50 mm.

16. Pillow according to claim 10, characterised in that the central supporting area has a circular shape and a diameter equal to or less than 40 mm.

17. Pillow according to claim 1, characterised in that the said layer is surrounded by a textile sleeve.

18. Pillow according to claim 1, characterised in that it has a Shore 00 hardness of between 45 and 55.

19. Pillow according to claim 1, characterised in that it has an air-permeability of at least 900 mm/s.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] For a clearer understanding, by way of explanatory but non-limitative example, some drawings are attached of an embodiment of the pillow that forms the subject of the present invention.

[0028] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a first embodiment of the pillow according to the present invention.

[0029] FIG. 2 shows a transverse cross-section of the embodiment of FIG. 1 through the plane II-II.

[0030] FIG. 3 shows a transverse cross-section of a second preferred embodiment of the invention through the same plane II-II.

[0031] FIG. 4 shows a graph illustrating the temporal variation of CO.sub.2 concentration in different materials, including the pillow of the present invention, wherein the X axis represents time and the Y axis represents CO.sub.2 concentration as a percentage.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0032] FIGS. 1 and 2 show a first preferred embodiment of the present invention. The pillow -1- has a central opening -2- which is covered at medium height by an air-permeable textile layer -21-. The pillow has a deformable core -3-, which is not flat, and is covered by a barrier -7- that is impermeable to gases and liquids. A three-dimensional fabric layer -4- surrounds the said barrier -7-, and on top of the said layer -4- is a final layer in the form of a fixed or removable sleeve made of a textile material -5-, preferably also a three-dimensional weave.

[0033] Where it passes over the opening -2-, the three-dimensional textile material has a mechanical behaviour different from the rest of the sheet -4- that covers the barrier -7- thanks to a stitched cord -6- that isolates the layer -21- where it passes over the rest of the layer -4-.

[0034] As can be seen in FIG. 2, the core -3- forms a valley with rounded slopes, which form an angle -A- with the textile layer -21- that covers the opening -2-.

[0035] The membrane -21- that covers the opening -2- is made of a deformable material, for example the same three-dimensional fabric of which the layer -4- is made. This deformable material reduces the pressure on the rear portion of the baby's cranium. This is combined with an angle -A- between the slope and the textile sheet -21- that is equal to or greater than 130 for a more adequate distribution of pressure on the head.

[0036] The deformable core -3- is covered by a barrier -7- made of a sheet that is impermeable to gases and liquids. The barrier has a rounded shape in order to prevent the accumulation of liquids that could occur in flat areas. In addition, the gas-impermeable barrier prevents the accumulation of CO.sub.2 exhaled by the baby or infant towards the interior of the pillow.

[0037] On the other hand, the layer -4- that surrounds the barrier -7- is composed of a three-dimensional structure that is hollow in at least 90% of its interior volume, making it highly porous and permeable.

[0038] Preferably, the thickness of the deformable material sheet -4- is equal to or less than 8 mm, more preferably 6 mm, and the minimum thickness of the said sheet is equal to or greater than 2 mm, more preferably 5 mm.

[0039] Preferably, the opening -2- is circular and measures less than 50 mm, more preferably between 40 mm and 50 mm.

[0040] FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of the invention, wherein components that are equal or similar to those of the previous figure have been identified with identical numbering. In this embodiment, the impermeable barrier is formed by the core itself -43-, -43-, where the said core is made of an impermeable material. A deformable material sheet -4- surrounds the said core. In this embodiment, the core may also be made of a foam-type material with a surface finish that is free from openings and ensures impermeability.

[0041] The structure of the pillow that forms the subject of the present invention allows the manufacture of pillows that have the ability to prevent the capture of CO.sub.2 in their interior, and promotes the immediate evacuation of liquids from their surface, thus avoiding asphyxiation due to mechanical blockage of respiratory tracts. The said structure also makes it possible to prevent and even correct cranial malformations in babies and infants of different ages.

[0042] In order to demonstrate the effect related to CO.sub.2, an experiment was carried out in which a gas of similar composition to that exhaled by humans is driven against different materials, including the material of the pillow that forms the subject of the present invention. The materials were subjected for one hour to an expulsion of air at a rate of 25 respirations per minute. A sensor measured the level of CO.sub.2 accumulated in 10-minute periods in order to make a comparison between the different materials forming the subject of the experiment. FIG. 4 shows the temporal variation of CO.sub.2 concentration in different materials, with the time axis (X) in seconds and the CO.sub.2 axis (Y) as a percentage. As can be seen, the CO.sub.2 concentration in the pillow of the present invention -300- is close to that of a mattress with cotton sheet -400-, which is considered to be a material with a low risk of CO.sub.2 accumulation, and is considerably lower than that of sheepskin -200- or of a pillow made of polystyrene surrounded by a textile -100-, which cause concentration levels known to result in baby and infant deaths caused by Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

[0043] An air-permeability test was also performed for a pillow according to the present invention, with a 4 mm thickness of the three-dimensional material layer -4-. The test was performed according to DIN EN ISO 9237 Determination of permeability of fabrics to air, obtaining a value of 946 mm/s and 953 mm/s after ten washings.

[0044] While the invention has been described with respect to preferred examples of embodiments, these shall not be considered to be limitative of the present invention, which shall be defined by the broadest interpretation of the following claims.