Stuffing, filler and pillow

Abstract

A stuffing or filler for use with pillows, cushions, comforters, duvets and textiles. In an embodiment, the stuffing is comprised of pieces of foam sheets. The foam sheets can contain encapsulated gas bubbles. The foam sheets are shredded or sheared into foam pieces. In a preferred embodiment, these foam pieces have a thickness of approximately 180-3200 microns and a length of approximately 0.5-10 cm. The foam sheets are comprised of polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon, polyester, polyvinylchloride or other polymeric material. The foam pieces exhibit positive characteristics as a stuffing or insulator and exhibit good loft and rebound characteristics. The foam pieces form stuffing, filler or insulators in pillows, cushions, duvets, and the like.

1 . A stuffing, comprising foam pieces comprised of plastic, wherein a plurality of said foam pieces include enveloped gas bubbles and wherein said plurality of foam pieces have a thickness of approximately 180-3200 microns, a length of approximately 1-8 cm, are non-uniform and contain bends.  
   
   
       2 . The stuffing of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of foam pieces have a thickness of approximately 520-800 microns.  
   
   
       3 . The stuffing of  claim 2  wherein the plastic is polypropylene.  
   
   
       4 . The stuffing of  claim 2  wherein the plastic is polyethylene.  
   
   
       5 . The stuffing of  claim 1 , wherein the foam pieces have a length to thickness ratio of approximately between 25:1 and 100:1.  
   
   
       6 . A stuffing, comprising: 
 foam pieces comprised of plastic, wherein a plurality of said foam pieces includes enveloped gas bubbles and wherein said plurality of foam pieces has a thickness of approximately 180-3200 microns and a length of approximately 1-8 cm, and    plastic film pieces, wherein said plastic film pieces have a thickness of approximately 10-50 microns and a length of approximately 0.5-10 cm.    
   
   
       7 . The stuffing of  claim 6  wherein the plastic film pieces and the plurality of foam pieces are comprised of one or more of the following: polyethylene or polypropylene.  
   
   
       8 . The stuffing of  claim 7  wherein the weight ratio of foam pieces to film pieces is approximately between 1 to 2 and 1 to 4.  
   
   
       9 . The stuffing of  claim 8  wherein said plurality of foam pieces have a thickness of less than approximately 800 microns and a length of approximately 1-8 cm, and wherein the plurality of foam pieces are non-uniform and contain bends.  
   
   
       10 . A filler comprising, 
 a plurality of thin foam pieces,    gas enveloped in at least one of said plurality of thin foam pieces,    wherein said plurality of foam pieces have a thickness of approximately between 180 and 1600 microns, a length of approximately between 1 and 6 centimeters, a melting point of no less than approximately 200 degrees Fahrenheit, and a length to thickness ratio of at least 25:1.    
   
   
       11 . The filler of  claim 10  further comprising an antimicrobial agent.  
   
   
       12 . The filler of  claim 11  wherein the antimicrobial agent is incorporated into the plurality of thin foam pieces during the melt stage of the plurality of thin foam pieces.  
   
   
       13 . The filler of  claim 10  wherein the plurality of foam pieces are comprised of one or more of the following: polyethylene or polypropylene, and the plurality of foam pieces comprise generally separate foam pieces that are generally not adhered to other foam pieces.  
   
   
       14 . The filler of  claim 10 , wherein the foam pieces have a thickness of approximately 520-540 microns and the filler has a loft coefficient of approximately 12-15.  
   
   
       15 . A pillow comprising, 
 A plurality of foam plastic members, 
 wherein said plurality of foam plastic members have a thickness of approximately between 360-800 microns and a length of between 1-6 centimeters, and  
   a pillow casing.    
   
   
       16 . The pillow of  claim 15  wherein the plurality of foam plastic members exhibit of loft coefficient of approximately 10-15 and the pillow has a rebound factor of less than approximately 3.5.  
   
   
       17 . A stuffing, comprising, 
 A plurality of plastic foam pieces,    Gas bubbles enveloped in at least one of said plurality of plastic foam pieces, and    An antimicrobial agent,    Wherein at least one of said plurality of plastic foam pieces 
 has a thickness of approximately between 360-800 microns,  
 has a length of approximately 2-4 cm, and  
 has a melting point of more than 200 degrees Fahrenheit.  
   
   
   
       18 . A pillow comprising, 
 A casing, and    A stuffing,    Said stuffing comprising a plurality of shredded plastic foam pieces with a length to thickness ratio of at least approximately 25 to 1, and a melting temperature of no less than approximately 200 degrees Fahrenheit, and wherein the stuffing has a loft coefficient of approximately 10-15, and the pillow has a rebound factor of less than approximately 3.5.    
   
   
       19 . The pillow of  claim 18  wherein the pillow further comprises a fire retardant.  
   
   
       20 . The pillow of  claim 18  wherein the plastic in the plurality of shredded plastic foam pieces is one or more of the following: polyethylene or polypropylene, and wherein at least a number of the plurality of shredded plastic foam include gas bubbles encompassed by the shredded plastic foam.