Contour shaped support pillow

Abstract

A contour shaped support pillow is provided including a trough located at an upper center of a front surface of the pillow, side support areas on the front surface at sides of the trough, and first and second neck support areas above and below the trough. A substantially flat back surface adjoins the front surface at an outer rear edge. A parting line is on the front surface following the outer rear edge and terminates on each side of the first neck support area at the outer rear edge. An edge region is between the parting line and the outer rear edge. The trough, the side support areas, and the first and second neck support areas within the parting line form a concave surface. A top of the front surface between the parting line and the outer rear edge of the back surface has a concave shape.

1 . A contour shaped support pillow for balancing and maintaining a person's head in a neutral resting position, comprising:
 a trough located at an upper center of a front surface of the pillow;   side support areas on the front surface at a right side of the trough and a left side of the trough;   a first neck support area on the front surface below the trough;   a second neck support area on the front surface above the trough;   a substantially flat back surface adjoining the front surface at an outer rear edge;   a parting line on the front surface of the pillow following the outer rear edge and terminating on each side of the first neck support area at the outer rear edge of the back surface; and   an edge region between the parting line and the outer rear edge of the back surface,   wherein the trough, the side support areas, the first neck support area, and the second neck support area within the parting line form a concave surface for balancing and maintaining the person's head in the neutral resting position,   wherein a top of the front surface above the second neck support area between the parting line and the outer rear edge of the back surface has a concave shape.   
   
   
       2 . The contour shaped support pillow of  claim 1 , wherein the side support areas are configured to provide side support to the person's head in a first alignment and to provide side support to a person's head and neck in a second alignment, the first alignment and the second alignment being 180° out of alignment. 
   
   
       3 . The contour shaped support pillow of  claim 1 , wherein a contour of the front surface smoothly transitions between the trough and the side support and the neck support areas in the shape of parabolic and logarithmic approximated curves. 
   
   
       4 . The contour shaped support pillow of  claim 1 , wherein the edge region is sloping. 
   
   
       5 . The contour shaped support pillow of  claim 1 , wherein the pillow is shaped like a heart with the side support areas being lobes of the heart, the second neck support area and the concave shape of the top of the front surface being a bridge between the lobes, and the first neck support area being a bottom rounded edge of the heart. 
   
   
       6 . The contour shaped support pillow of  claim 1 , wherein the pillow contains elastomeric fill selected from the group consisting of an elastomer, a gel filled pouch, an air filled bladder, a polyurethane foam, a latex foam, a memory foam, cotton, and feathers. 
   
   
       7 . The contour shaped support pillow of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first hook and loop fastener strip at the center of the trough; and   a cover having a second hook and loop fastener strip for attaching to the first hook and loop fastener strip such that the cover conforms to the concave surface.   
   
   
       8 . The contour shaped support pillow of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a side pocket in the cover to which a portable media player can be attached or within which a portable media player can be inserted.   
   
   
       9 . The contour shaped support pillow of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 an interior pocket interior to the cover; and   a zip fastener attached to the cover for opening and closing the cover and for providing access to the interior pocket.   
   
   
       10 . The contour shaped support pillow of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the pillow is rollable and insertable into a tube shaped container; and   the pillow expands to a designed form when removed from the container.   
   
   
       11 . The contour shaped support pillow of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 hook and loop fastener strips on the back surface for attaching to an underlying surface.   
   
   
       12 . The contour shaped support pillow of  claim 7 , wherein the cover is a material selected from the group consisting of leather, synthetic leather, fabric, and plastic. 
   
   
       13 . The contour shaped support pillow of  claim 7 , wherein:
 a width of the contour shaped support pillow between edges of the side support areas is between 150 mm and 300 mm;   a height of the contour shaped support pillow between edges of the first neck support area and the second neck support area is between 100 mm and 260 mm;   a thickness of a thickest portion of the side support areas is between 20 mm and 120 mm; and   a thickness of a center of the trough is between 0 mm and 20 mm.   
   
   
       14 . The contour shaped support pillow of  claim 13 , wherein a difference in thickness between the trough and the thickest portion of the side support areas is between 0 mm and 120 mm. 
   
   
       15 . The contour shaped support pillow of  claim 7 , wherein:
 a width of the contour shaped support pillow between edges of the side support areas is between 190 mm and 300 mm;   a height of the contour shaped support pillow between edges of the first neck support area and the second neck support area is between 150 mm and 260 mm;   a thickness of a thickest portion of the side support areas is between 30 mm and 60 mm; and   a thickness of a center of the trough is between 0 mm and 20 mm.   
   
   
       16 . The contour shaped support pillow of  claim 15 , wherein a difference in thickness between the trough and the thickest portion of the side support areas is between 0 mm and 60 mm. 
   
   
       17 . The contour shaped support pillow of  claim 7 , wherein:
 a thickness of the first neck support area is between 30 mm and 50 mm, and   a thickness of the second neck support area is between 10 mm and 20 mm.   
   
   
       18 . A contour shaped support pillow for balancing and maintaining a person's head in a neutral resting position, comprising:
 a trough located at an upper center of a front surface of the pillow;   side support areas on the front surface at a right side of the trough and a left side of the trough;   a first neck support area on the front surface below the trough;   a second neck support area on the front surface above the trough;   a substantially flat back surface adjoining the front surface at an outer rear edge;   a parting line on the front surface of the pillow following the outer rear edge and terminating on each side of the first neck support area at the outer rear edge of the back surface;   an edge region between the parting line and the outer rear edge of the back surface;   a first hook and loop fastener strip at the center of the trough; and   a cover having a second hook and loop fastener strip for attaching to the first hook and loop fastener strip such that the cover conforms to the concave surface,   wherein the trough, the side support areas, the first neck support area, and the second neck support area within the parting line form a concave surface for balancing and maintaining the person's head in the neutral resting position,   wherein a top of the front surface above the second neck support area between the parting line and the outer rear edge of the back surface has a concave shape,   wherein the pillow is shaped like a heart with the side support areas being lobes of the heart, the second neck support area and the concave shape of the top of the front surface being a bridge between the lobes, and the first neck support area being a bottom rounded edge of the heart,   wherein the pillow contains elastomeric fill selected from the group consisting of an elastomer, a gel filled pouch, an air filled bladder, a polyurethane foam, a latex foam, a memory foam, cotton, and feathers,   wherein a width of the contour shaped support pillow between edges of the side support areas is between 190 mm and 300 mm; a height of the contour shaped support pillow between edges of the first neck support area and the second neck support area is between 150 mm and 260 mm; a thickness of a thickest portion of the side support areas is between 30 mm and 60 mm; a thickness of a center of the trough is between 0 mm and 20 mm; a difference in thickness between the trough and the thickest portion of the side support areas is between 0 mm and 60 mm, a thickness of the first neck support area is between 30 mm and 50 mm, and a thickness of the second neck support area is between 10 mm and 20 mm, and   wherein the side support areas are configured to provide side support to the person's head in a first alignment and to provide side support to a person's head and neck in a second alignment, the first alignment and the second alignment being 180° out of alignment.   
   
   
       19 . The contour shaped support pillow of  claim 18 , wherein the edge region is sloping. 
   
   
       20 . The contour shaped support pillow of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 a side pocket in the cover to which a portable media player can be attached or within which a portable media player can be inserted.   
   
   
       21 . The contour shaped support pillow of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 an interior pocket interior to the cover; and   a zip fastener attached to the cover for opening and closing the cover and for providing access to the interior pocket.   
   
   
       22 . The contour shaped support pillow of  claim 18 , wherein:
 the pillow is rollable and insertable into a tube shaped container; and   the pillow expands to a designed form when removed from the container.   
   
   
       23 . The contour shaped support pillow of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 hook and loop fastener strips on the back surface for attaching to an underlying surface.   
   
   
       24 . The contour shaped support pillow of  claim 18 , wherein the cover is a material selected from the group consisting of leather, synthetic leather, fabric, and plastic. 
   
   
       25 . The contour shaped support pillow of  claim 18 , wherein a contour of the front surface smoothly transitions between the trough the side support and the neck support areas in the shape of parabolic and logarithmic approximated curves.