Pillow

Abstract

A pillow includes a foam cushion with vents extending through a thickness thereof. The vents may be concentrated in or toward a center of the foam cushion. The vents may effectively soften, or reduce an indentation load deflection (ILD) of the portion(s) of the foam cushion in which the vents are located. Thus, the foam cushion may cradle an individual's head. The vents may also facilitate the flow of heat away from an individual's head, which may provide a cooling effect. Methods of designing, manufacturing, and using pillows that cradle an individual's head and/or facilitate the flow of heat away from an individual's head are also disclosed.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A pillow, comprising:
 a foam cushion including a top surface, a bottom surface, and an outer periphery; and   a plurality of vents extending directly through the foam cushion, opening to both the top surface and the bottom surface, the plurality of vents including central vents through a central region of the foam cushion and having a central density that exceeds a peripheral density of peripheral vents through peripheral regions of the foam cushion.   
     
     
         2 . The pillow of  claim 1 , wherein the foam cushion comprises a slow rebound foam. 
     
     
         3 . The pillow of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of vents includes transitional vents between the central vents and the peripheral vents. 
     
     
         4 . The pillow of  claim 3 , wherein the transitional vents have a transitional density between the central density and the peripheral density. 
     
     
         5 . The pillow of  claim 4 , wherein the transitional vents are arranged to provide a graded transition between the central density of the central vents and the peripheral density of the peripheral vents. 
     
     
         6 . The pillow of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a cushioning grid over the top surface of the foam cushion.   
     
     
         7 . The pillow of  claim 6 , wherein the cushioning grid is positioned over an entirety of the top surface of the foam cushion. 
     
     
         8 . The pillow of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a scrim fabric beneath the cushioning grid, a material of the cushioning grid impregnating the scrim fabric.   
     
     
         9 . The pillow of  claim 8 , wherein portions of the scrim fabric extend beyond an outer periphery of the cushioning grid to provide a waterfall that extends over the outer periphery of the foam cushion. 
     
     
         10 . The pillow of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a base scrim beneath the bottom surface of the foam cushion, outer edges of the base scrim being secured to outer edges of the scrim fabric to secure the cushioning grid in place over the foam cushion.   
     
     
         11 . The pillow of  claim 6 , wherein the cushioning grid is secured to the top surface of the foam cushion. 
     
     
         12 . The pillow of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a cover that opens along a length of the pillow positionable over the foam cushion.   
     
     
         13 . The pillow of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 at least one removable booster positionable beneath the bottom surface of the foam cushion.   
     
     
         14 . The pillow of  claim 13 , wherein the cover is stretchable. 
     
     
         15 . A pillow, comprising:
 a foam cushion including a top surface, a bottom surface, and an outer periphery;   a plurality of vents extending directly through the foam cushion, opening to both the top surface and the bottom surface, the plurality of vents including central vents through a central region of the foam cushion and having a central density that exceeds a peripheral density of peripheral vents through peripheral regions of the foam cushion;   a cover that opens along a length of the pillow positionable over the foam cushion; and   at least one removable booster positionable beneath the bottom surface of the foam cushion.   
     
     
         16 . The pillow of  claim 15 , wherein the foam cushion comprises a slow rebound foam. 
     
     
         17 . The pillow of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 a cushioning grid over the top surface of the foam cushion.   
     
     
         18 . The pillow of  claim 17 , wherein the cushioning grid includes a center and an outer periphery, with the center being thicker than the outer periphery. 
     
     
         19 . The pillow of  claim 15 , wherein the top surface of the foam cushion is contoured. 
     
     
         20 . The pillow of  claim 19 , wherein the bottom surface of the foam cushion is substantially flat. 
     
     
         21 . The pillow of  claim 20 , wherein the center of the foam cushion is thicker than the outer periphery of the foam cushion. 
     
     
         22 . The pillow of  claim 15 , wherein the cover opens along a length thereof to facilitate introduction of the at least one removable booster therein and removal of the at least one removable booster therefrom. 
     
     
         23 . The pillow of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one booster is covered with a fabric that facilitates introduction of the at least one removable booster into the cover, beneath the bottom surface of the foam cushion and removal of the at least one removable booster from beneath the bottom surface of the foam cushion and from the cover. 
     
     
         24 . The pillow of  claim 15 , wherein the cover is stretchable to enable it to form fit to the foam cushion and any removable boosters positioned beneath the bottom surface of the foam cushion.