Washable pillow

Abstract

A washable pillow includes a quilted sleeve comprising a viscoelastic foam layer and a till material that can comprise viscoelastic foam. the pillow may be washed and dried using conventional household methods without damage or lass of mechanical properties.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A washable pillow comprising:
 a sleeve defining a cavity; and   a filler material positioned within the cavity,   wherein the filler material includes a viscoelastic foam having a hydrophobicity expressed in terms of water uptake between about 0% (w/w) and about 5% (w/w), an average cell size between about 0.16 mm and about 0.19 mm, and an air permeability between about 1.0 liters per second and about 5.0 liters per second.   
     
     
         2 . The washable pillow of  claim 1 , wherein the viscoelastic foam has a hydrophobicity between about 1% (w/w) and about 3% (w/w). 
     
     
         3 . The washable pillow of  claim 1 , wherein the viscoelastic foam has an average cell size between about 0.17 mm and about 0.19 mm. 
     
     
         4 . The washable pillow of  claim 1 , wherein the viscoelastic foam has an air permeability between about 2.0 liters per second and about 4.0 liters per second. 
     
     
         5 . The washable pillow of  claim 1 , wherein the sleeve includes a first viscoelastic foam layer and a second viscoelastic foam layer, and wherein the first and second viscoelastic foam layers are connected together to form the cavity therebetween. 
     
     
         6 . The washable pillow of  claim 5 , wherein each of the first and second viscoelastic foam layers has a hydrophobicity expressed in terms of water uptake of less than about 5% (w/w), an average cell size between about 0.17 mm and about 19 mm, and an air permeability of at least about 1.0 liters per second. 
     
     
         7 . The washable pillow of  claim 5 , wherein each of the first and second viscoelastic foam layers has a thickness of about 10 cm. 
     
     
         8 . The washable pillow of  claim 5 , wherein the sleeve further includes a first fabric layer covering an exterior surface of the first viscoelastic foam layer and a second fabric layer covering an exterior surface of the second viscoelastic foam layer, and wherein the first and second fabric layers are connected to the first and second viscoelastic foam layers, respectively. 
     
     
         9 . The washable pillow of  claim 8 , wherein the first and second fabric layers are stitched to the first and second viscoelastic foam layers, respectively, along edges of each of the layers. 
     
     
         10 . The washable pillow of  claim 9 , wherein the sleeve further includes a first netting layer covering an interior surface of the first viscoelastic foam layer and a second netting layer covering an interior surface of the second viscoelastic foam layer, and wherein the first and second netting layers are connected to the first and second viscoelastic foam layers, respectively. 
     
     
         11 . The washable pillow of  claim 10 , wherein the first and second netting layers are stitched to the first and second viscoelastic foam layers, respectively, along edges of each of the layers. 
     
     
         12 . The washable pillow of  claim 11 , wherein the first fabric layer, the first viscoelastic foam layer, and the first netting layer are quilted between the edges of the connected layers. 
     
     
         13 . The washable pillow of  claim 12 , wherein the second fabric layer, the second viscoelastic foam layer, and the second netting layer are quilted between the edges of the connected layers. 
     
     
         14 . The washable pillow of  claim 1 , wherein the viscoelastic foam is granulated. 
     
     
         15 . A washable pillow comprising:
 a sleeve including a first panel and a second panel connected to the first panel along edges of the respective panels to form a cavity therebetween;   a filler material positioned within the cavity, the filler material including a viscoelastic foam having a hydrophobicity expressed in terms of water uptake between about 0% (w/w) and about 5% (w/w); and   stitching extending through each of the first and second panels to define a quilting pattern between the edges of the connected panels,   wherein each of the first and second panels includes a viscoelastic foam layer, a netting layer adjacent an interior surface of the viscoelastic foam layer, and a fabric layer adjacent an exterior surface of the viscoelastic foam layer.   
     
     
         16 . The washable pillow of  claim 15 , wherein the quilting pattern is on a face of each of the panels. 
     
     
         17 . The washable pillow of  claim 16 , wherein the quilting pattern includes waveforms having a wavelength of about 26 centimeters. 
     
     
         18 . The washable pillow of  claim 17 , wherein a maximum distance between adjacent waveforms is about 12 centimeters, and wherein a minimum distance between adjacent waveforms is about 3 cm. 
     
     
         19 . The washable pillow of  claim 15 , wherein the netting layers of the first and second panels, respectively, are in facing relationship with the viscoelastic foam filler material being disposed therebetween. 
     
     
         20 . The washable pillow of  claim 15 , wherein the viscoelastic foam is granulated. 
     
     
         21 . The washable pillow of  claim 15 , wherein the viscoelastic foam filler material and the viscoelastic foam layers of the first and second panels, respectively, have a hydrophobicity between about 2% (w/w) and about 4% (w/w). 
     
     
         22 . The washable pillow of  claim 15 , wherein the viscoelastic foam filler material and the viscoelastic foam layers of the first and second panels, respectively, have an average cell size between about 0.16 mm and about 0.19 mm. 
     
     
         23 . The washable pillow of  claim 22 , wherein the viscoelastic foam filler material and the viscoelastic foam layers of the first and second panels, respectively, have an average cell size between about 0.17 mm and about 0.19 mm. 
     
     
         24 . The washable pillow of  claim 15 , wherein the viscoelastic foam filler material and the viscoelastic foam layers of the first and second panels, respectively, have an air permeability between about 1.0 liters per second and about 5.0 liters per second. 
     
     
         25 . The washable pillow of  claim 24 , wherein the viscoelastic foam filler material and the viscoelastic foam layers of the first and second panels, respectively, have an air permeability between about 2.0 liters per second and about 5.0 liters per second.