Adjustable pillow for supporting an infant

Abstract

A pillow that provides support for an infant, especially during feeding. The pillow is preferably adjustable to accommodate for the varying lengths and thicknesses of different caretakers' arms. Further preferably, the pillow is also adjustable to help secure the pillow about the upper portion of the caretaker's arm. Still further preferably, the pillow is adjustable to help secure the pillow about the lower portion of caretaker's arm.

1 . A pillow for supporting an infant comprising: 
 a substantially tubular body having a substantially uniform width and having a first open end and a second open end and defining a bore therebetween, said bore dimensioned to retain an arm of a user inserted through one of said first open end and said second open end so that said substantially tubular body covers substantially all of said arm of said user and said substantially tubular body having a length sufficient to support a substantial portion of a body of an infant, said substantially tubular body comprising:    an inner surface;    an outer surface coupled to said inner surface to form a void defined by and located between said inner surface and said outer surface; and    filling inserted within and distributed substantially equally between said inner surface and said outer surface of said substantially tubular body thereby providing said substantially tubular body with a substantially uniform thickness; and    at least one adjustment device coupled to at least one of said first open end and said second open end, said at least one adjustment device allowing at least one of said first open end and said second open end to be securely coupled about at least one of an upper portion of said arm of said user and a lower portion of said arm of said user.    
   
   
       2 . The pillow of  claim 1  having a first adjustment device coupled to said first open end and having a second adjustment device coupled to said second open end.  
   
   
       3 . The pillow of  claim 1  wherein at least one of said first open end and said second open end defining a slit, said slit extending substantially perpendicularly from said at least one of said first open end and said second open end towards a middle area of said substantially tubular body proximate said at least one of said first open end and said second open end, at least one of said first open end and said second open end defining a first edge and a second edge proximate said slit.  
   
   
       4 . The pillow of  claim 3  wherein said at least one adjustment device comprises: 
 a band, one edge of said band being coupled to one of said first open end and said second open end of said substantially tubular body so that a first end of said band being proximate said first edge proximate said slit and a second end of said band being proximate said second edge proximate said slit;    a first coupling mechanism coupled to said first end of said band;    a second coupling mechanism dimensioned to mate with said first coupling mechanism and coupled to said second end of said band in order to maintain a desired circumference of said band.    
   
   
       5 . The pillow of  claim 3  wherein said at least one adjustment device comprises a zipper, a first half of said zipper being coupled along said first edge proximate said slit and a second half of said zipper being coupled along said second edge proximate said slit.  
   
   
       6 . The pillow of  claim 1  wherein said at least one adjustment device comprises at least one annular elastic strip, said at least one annular elastic strip being coupled to said inner surface of said substantially tubular body and being coupled proximate at least one of said first open end and said second open end such that a portion of said substantially tubular body extends beyond said at least one annular elastic strip.  
   
   
       7 . The pillow of  claim 6  wherein said portion of said substantially tubular body extending beyond said annular elastic strip being capable of folding back upon itself and thereby shortening a length of said substantially tubular body.  
   
   
       8 . The pillow of  claim 7  wherein said outer surface and at least a portion of said inner surface proximate said annular elastic strip comprising a substantially soft material so that when said portion of said substantially tubular body extending beyond said annular elastic strip is folded back upon itself, said substantially soft material of said at least a portion of said inner surface being exposed.  
   
   
       9 . The pillow of  claim 6  wherein said at least one adjustment device further comprises: 
 at least one strap, a first end of said at least one strap being coupled to said substantially tubular body proximate at least one of said first open end and said second open end and a second end of said at least one strap being disposed opposite said first end of said at least one strap and extending beyond one of said first open end and said second open end;    a first coupling mechanism coupled to a bottom surface of said strap proximate said second end of said strap;    a second coupling mechanism coupled to said outer surface of said substantially tubular body proximate one of said first open end and said second open end so that said first coupling mechanism and said second coupling mechanism being dimensioned to be mated such that said portion of said substantially tubular body extending beyond said annular elastic strip being gathered and thereby shortening a length of said substantially tubular body.    
   
   
       10 . The pillow of  claim 1  further comprising at least one pocket coupled to said outer surface of said substantially tubular body and coupled at a distance from at least one of said first open end and said second open end such that said at least one pocket being accessible to said user despite any length adjustment of said substantially tubular body.  
   
   
       11 . The pillow of  claim 10  wherein said at least one pocket being oriented such that an opening of said pocket being proximate said second open end.  
   
   
       12 . The pillow of  claim 1  further comprising at least one loop coupled to said outer surface of said substantially tubular body, said loop being dimensioned such that an infant feeding accessory may be passed therethrough and secured to said pillow.  
   
   
       13 . A pillow for supporting an infant comprising: 
 a substantially tubular body having a substantially tapered width and having a first open end and a second open end and defining a bore therebetween, said bore dimensioned to retain an arm of a user inserted through one of said first open end and said second open end so that said substantially tubular body covers substantially all of said arm of said user and said substantially tubular body having a length sufficient to support a substantial portion of a body of an infant, said substantially tubular body comprising:    an inner surface;    an outer surface coupled to said inner surface to form a void defined by and located between said inner surface and said outer surface; and    filling inserted within and distributed substantially equally between said inner surface and said outer surface of said substantially tubular body thereby providing said substantially tubular body with a substantially uniform thickness.    
   
   
       14 . The pillow of  claim 13  further comprising at least one adjustment device coupled to at least one of said first open end and said second open end, said at least one adjustment device allowing at least one of said first open end and said second open end to be securely coupled about at least one of an upper portion of said arm of said user and a lower portion of said arm of said user.  
   
   
       15 . The pillow of  claim 14  having a first adjustment device coupled to said first open end and having a second adjustment device coupled to said second open end.  
   
   
       16 . The pillow of  claim 14  wherein at least one of said first open end and said second open end defining a slit, said slit extending substantially perpendicularly from said at least one of said first open end and said second open end towards a middle area of said substantially tubular body proximate said at least one of said first open end and said second open end, at least one of said first open end and said second open end defining a first edge and a second edge proximate said slit.  
   
   
       17 . The pillow of  claim 16  wherein said at least one adjustment device comprises: 
 a band, one edge of said band being coupled to one of said first open end and said second open end of said substantially tubular body so that a first end of said band being proximate said first edge proximate said slit and a second end of said band being proximate said second edge proximate said slit;    a first coupling mechanism coupled to said first end of said band;    a second coupling mechanism dimensioned to mate with said first coupling mechanism and coupled to said second end of said band in order to maintain a desired circumference of said band.    
   
   
       18 . The pillow of  claim 16  wherein said at least one adjustment device comprises a zipper, a first half of said zipper being coupled along said first edge proximate said slit and a second half of said zipper being coupled along said second edge proximate said slit.  
   
   
       19 . The pillow of  claim 14  wherein said at least one adjustment device comprises at least one annular elastic strip, said at least one annular elastic strip being coupled to said inner surface of said substantially tubular body and being coupled proximate at least one of said first open end and said second open end such that a portion of said substantially tubular body extends beyond said at least one annular elastic strip.  
   
   
       20 . The pillow of  claim 19  wherein said portion of said substantially tubular body extending beyond said annular elastic strip being capable of folding back upon itself and thereby shortening a length of said substantially tubular body.  
   
   
       21 . The pillow of  claim 20  wherein said outer surface and at least a portion of said inner surface proximate said annular elastic strip comprising a substantially soft material so that when said portion of said substantially tubular body extending beyond said annular elastic strip is folded back upon itself, said substantially soft material of said at least a portion of said inner surface being exposed.  
   
   
       22 . The pillow of  claim 19  wherein said at least one adjustment device further comprises: 
 at least one strap, a first end of said at least one strap being coupled to said substantially tubular body proximate at least one of said first open end and said second open end and a second end of said at least one strap being disposed opposite said first end of said at least one strap and extending beyond one of said first open end and said second open end;    a first coupling mechanism coupled to a bottom surface of said strap proximate said second end of said strap;    a second coupling mechanism coupled to said outer surface of said substantially tubular body proximate one of said first open end and said second open end so that said first coupling mechanism and said second coupling mechanism being dimensioned to be mated such that said portion of said substantially tubular body extending beyond said annular elastic strip being gathered and thereby shortening a length of said substantially tubular body.    
   
   
       23 . The pillow of  claim 14  further comprising at least one pocket coupled to said outer surface of said substantially tubular body and coupled at a distance from at least one of said first open end and said second open end such that said at least one pocket being accessible to said user despite any length adjustment of said substantially tubular body.  
   
   
       24 . The pillow of  claim 23  wherein said pocket being oriented such that an opening of said pocket being proximate said second open end.  
   
   
       25 . The pillow of  claim 13  further comprising at least one loop coupled to said outer surface of said substantially tubular body, said loop being dimensioned such that an infant feeding accessory may be passed therethrough and secured to said pillow.  
   
   
       26 . A pillow for supporting an infant comprising: 
 a substantially tubular body having a substantially tapered width and having a first open end and a second open end and defining a bore therebetween, said bore dimensioned to retain an arm of a user inserted through one of said first open end and said second open end so that said substantially tubular body covers substantially all of said arm of said user and said substantially tubular body having a length sufficient to support a substantial portion of a body of an infant, said substantially tubular body comprising:    an inner surface;    an outer surface coupled to said inner surface to form a void defined by and located between said inner surface and said outer surface; and    filling inserted within and distributed substantially equally between said inner surface and said outer surface of said substantially tubular body thereby providing said substantially tubular body with a substantially uniform thickness;    a first annular elastic strip, said first annular elastic strip being coupled to said inner surface of said substantially tubular body and being coupled proximate said first open end such that a portion of said substantially tubular body extends beyond said first annular elastic strip, said portion of said substantially tubular body extending beyond said first annular elastic strip being capable of folding back upon itself and thereby shortening a length of said substantially tubular body;    a second annular elastic strip, said second annular elastic strip being coupled to said inner surface of said substantially tubular body and being coupled proximate said second open end such that a portion of said substantially tubular body extends beyond said second annular elastic strip, said portion of said substantially tubular body extending beyond said second annular elastic strip being capable of folding back upon itself and thereby shortening said length of said substantially tubular body, wherein said outer surface and at least a portion of said inner surface comprising a substantially soft material so that when at least one of said portion of said substantially tubular body extending beyond said first annular elastic strip and said portion of said substantially tubular body extending beyond said second annular elastic strip is folded back upon itself, said substantially soft material of said at least a portion of said inner surface being exposed;    at least one pocket coupled to said outer surface of said substantially tubular body, said at least one pocket being oriented such that an opening defined by said at least one pocket being proximate said second open end and said at least one pocket coupled at a distance from said second open end such that said at least one pocket being accessible to said user despite any length adjustment of said substantially tubular body; and    at least one loop coupled to said outer surface of said substantially tubular body, said loop being dimensioned such that an infant feeding accessory may be passed therethrough and secured to said pillow.