Travel pillow

Abstract

A travel pillow comprising a front having a thin planar portion for receiving the user's head and one or two lateral forwardly projecting cushioning portions. The distance the lateral cushioning portions project forward gradually increases from the thin planar portion to a peripheral portion of the travel pillow in an arced manner. The back of the pillow comprises an anti-skid material such as silicone coated fiberglass weave which keeps the pillow stationary when the user rests his/her head against the pillow. The user places the pillow on the seat and then rest the back of his/her head on the thin planar portion of the pillow. The user can then tilt or turn his/her head in many different positions on a lateral cushion and the pillow will remain stationary.

1 . A travel pillow having a front and back surface said front surface having a thin planar portion for receiving the user's head and one or two forwardly-projecting lateral cushioning portions, said back surface having an anti-skid material which maintains said pillow's position on the seat when light pressure is applied by a user's head resting against the pillow. 
     
     
         2 . The travel pillow in  claim 1  wherein the distance said lateral cushioning portion(s) forwardly projects increases in an arcuate manner from said thin planar portion to a peripheral portion of said travel pillow to provide a contoured resting surface for the user's head. 
     
     
         3 . The travel pillow in  claim 1  wherein said travel pillow includes a cover having releasable closing means. 
     
     
         4 . The travel pillow in  claim 3  wherein said cover encloses said front surface of said pillow and does not enclose said anti-skid material on said back surface of said pillow. 
     
     
         5 . The travel pillow in  claim 1  wherein said anti-skid material comprises silicone. 
     
     
         6 . The travel pillow in  claim 1  wherein said anti-skid material includes a second component which increases the structural integrity of the anti-skid material and lessens deformation of said anti-skid material when contacting said seat. 
     
     
         7 . The travel pillow in  claim 1  wherein said anti-skid material comprises a silicone-coated fiberglass weave material. 
     
     
         8 . The travel pillow in  claim 1  wherein said anti-skid material has a tacky exterior surface. 
     
     
         9 . The travel pillow in  claim 2  wherein one or both lateral cushioning portions are contoured to include a projecting notch which projects outwardly from an initial arced projection of the lateral cushioning portion from the thin planar portion in a manner that provides a ledge-like face on the portion of the notch closest to the thin planar portion for providing additional support for the user's head. 
     
     
         10 . The travel pillow in  claim 1 , wherein said one or two forwardly-projecting lateral cushioning portions have lateral edges, at least one of said one or two forwardly-projecting lateral cushioning portions projects forward in an arcuate manner from said lateral edge to a peak of said lateral cushioning portion. 
     
     
         11 . The travel pillow in  claim 1  wherein said front of said pillow has two forwardly projecting lateral cushioning portions of different sizes. 
     
     
         12 . The travel pillow in  claim 1  wherein:
 a first lateral cushioning portion has a thickness that forwardly projects from the thin planar portion approximately 5-6 inches, is approximately 5-6 inches long and 6-8 inches wide;   a second lateral cushioning portion has a thickness that forwardly projects from the thin planar portion approximately 2-3.5 inches, is approximately 2-3.5 inches long and 6-8 inches wide; and   said thin planar portion is approximately 6-8 inches wide, 3-5 inches long and ⅛-1.5 inches thick.   
     
     
         13 . The travel pillow in  claim 12  wherein said travel pillow has cushioning comprising first, second, and third cushioning members:
 said first cushioning member comprising a relatively firm cushioning material which extends the entire length and width of the travel pillow;   said second cushioning member comprises a softer cushioning material than said first cushioning member, said second cushioning member being placed or otherwise affixed on a forward edge of said first cushioning member on a first lateral side of said first cushioning member and providing cushioning for said first lateral cushioning portion; and   said third cushioning member comprising a softer cushioning material than said first cushioning member, said third cushioning member being placed or otherwise affixed on a forward edge of said first cushioning member on a second lateral side of said first cushioning member and providing cushioning for said second lateral cushioning portion.   
     
     
         14 . The travel pillow in  claim 13  wherein said first cushioning member is comprised of 21-45 lb foam, and said second and third cushioning members are comprised of 12-16 lb foam. 
     
     
         15 . The travel pillow in  claim 13  wherein said first cushioning member has a length of approximately 11-13 inches and a width of approximately 6-8 inches, said second cushioning member has a width of approximately 6-8 inches, a length of approximately 6-7 inches, and a thickness of approximately 1.5-2 inches, and said third cushioning member has a width of approximately 6-8 inches, a length of approximately 3 inches, and a thickness of approximately ½-1 inch. 
     
     
         16 . The travel pillow in  claim 1  wherein:
 a first lateral cushioning portion has a thickness that forwardly projects away from the thin planar portion approximately 5-6 inches at its peak, is approximately 5-7 inches long and 6-8 inches wide;   a second lateral cushioning portion has a thickness that forwardly projects away from the thin planar portion approximately 1.5-3.5 inches, is approximately 1.5-3.5 inches long and 6-8 inches wide;   said thin planar portion is approximately 3-5 inches long, 6-8 inches wide, and ¼-1.5 inches thick; and   said first lateral cushioning portion having an initial arcuate portion adjacent to said thin planar portion and projecting from said thin planar portion, said first lateral cushioning portion having a notch at the end of the initial arcuate portion providing a ledge-like face.   
     
     
         17 . The travel pillow in  claim 16  wherein said cushioning comprises first, second, and third cushioning members:
 said first cushioning member comprising a relatively firm cushioning material which extends the entire length and width of the travel pillow;   said second cushioning member comprises a softer cushioning material than said first cushioning member, said second cushioning member being placed or otherwise affixed on a forward edge of said first cushioning member on a first lateral side of said first cushioning member and providing cushioning for said first lateral cushioning portion; and   said third cushioning member comprising a softer cushioning material than said first cushioning member, said third cushioning member being placed or otherwise affixed on a forward edge of said first cushioning member on a second lateral side of said first cushioning member and providing cushioning for said second lateral cushioning portion.   
     
     
         18 . The travel pillow in  claim 17  wherein said first cushioning member has a length of approximately 11-13 inches and a width of approximately 6-8 inches, said second cushioning member has a width of approximately 6-8 inches, a length of approximately 6-7 inches, and a thickness of approximately 1.5-2 inches for said initial arcuate portion and having a thickness increasing to 2.75 inches for said notch, and said third cushioning member has a width of approximately 6-8 inches, a length of approximately 2-3 inches, and a thickness of approximately 0.5-1 inch. 
     
     
         19 . The travel pillow in  claim 16  wherein said first lateral cushioning portion projects forward at a lateral edge in an arcuate manner and forms a peak approximately 5-6 inches from said lateral edge. 
     
     
         20 . The travel pillow in  claim 1  wherein said anti-skid material has a length in the range of 5-13 inches, a width of between 3-8 inches and a thickness up to ¼ inch. 
     
     
         21 . A travel pillow cover comprising a front and back surface, said front and back surface defining a cavity therebetween for receiving a pillow, said back surface having an anti-skid material which maintains the position of the pillow on the seat when light pressure is applied against said back surface. 
     
     
         22 . The travel pillow cover in  claim 21  wherein said cover defines a thin planar portion and one or two forwardly projecting lateral cushioning portions on said front. 
     
     
         23 . The travel pillow cover in  claim 21  wherein said cover has releasable closing means. 
     
     
         24 . The travel pillow cover in  claim 21  wherein said anti-skid material comprises a silicone-coated fiberglass weave material. 
     
     
         25 . A travel pillow having a front and back surface said back having an anti-skid material which maintains the pillow's position on the seat when light pressure is applied against said back surface. 
     
     
         26 . The travel pillow in  claim 25  wherein said anti-skid material comprises a silicone-coated fiberglass weave material. 
     
     
         27 . The travel pillow in  claim 25  wherein said pillow comprises a wedge-shaped pillow. 
     
     
         28 . The travel pillow in  claim 27  wherein said wedge-shaped pillow has a length of approximately 4-9 inches, a width of approximately 5-7 inches and a thickness which reaches 3-6 inches at its peak, wherein said wedge-shaped cushion gradually slopes in an arc. 
     
     
         29 . A pillow backing comprising:
 a body;   said body includes an anti-skid material; and   attachment means for attaching the backing to a pillow.   
     
     
         30 . The pillow backing in  claim 29  wherein said anti-skid material comprises a silicone-coated fiberglass weave material.