(12) INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION PUBLISHED UNDER THE PATENT COOPERATION TREATY (PCT)
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`(19) World Intellectual Property Organization
`International Bureau
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`(43) International Publication Date
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`21 January 2010 (21.01.2010) (10) International Publication Number
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`WO 2010/006372 A1
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`(51)
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`(21)
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`International Patent Classification:
`A47G 9/10 (2006.01)
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`International Application Number:
`PCT/AU2009/000910
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`(22)
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`International Filing Date:
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`(25)
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`(26)
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`(30)
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`(71)
`(72)
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`(74)
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`(81)
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`Filing Language:
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`Publication Language:
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`16 July 2009 (16.07.2009)
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`English
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`English
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`Priority Data:
`2008903637
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`16 July 2008 (16.07.2008)
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`AU
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`Applicant and
`Inventor: KAPLAN, David, Michael [AU/AU]; 14 Nar-
`rawong Road South, Caulfield, VIC 3162 (AU).
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`Agent: SYN, Roger; ROGER SYN & CO., P.O.Box 777,
`3 Epworth Court, Glen Waverly, Victoria 3150 (AU).
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`Designated States (unless otherwise indicated, for every
`kind ofnational protection available): AE, AG, AL, AM,
`AO, AT, AU, AZ, BA, BB, BG, BH, BR, BW, BY, BZ,
`
`CA, CH, CL, CN, CO, CR, CU, CZ, DE, DK, DM, DO,
`Dz, EC, EE, EG, ES, FI, GB, GD, GE, GH, GM, GT,
`IIN, IIR, IIU, ID, IL, IN, Is, JP, KE, KG, KM, KN, KP,
`KR, KZ, LA, LC, LK, LR, LS, LT, LU, LY, MA, MD,
`ME, MG, MK, MN, MW, MX, MY, MZ, NA, NG, NI,
`NO, NZ, OM, PE, PG, PH, PL, PT, RO, Rs, RU, SC, sD,
`SE, sG, SK, sL, sM, sT, sv, SY, TJ, TM, TN, TR, TT,
`Tz, UA, UG, Us, UZ, VC, VN, ZA, ZM, zw.
`
`(84)
`
`Designated States (unless otherwise indicated, for every
`kind of regional protection available): ARIPO (BW, GH,
`GM, KE, LS, MW, MZ, NA, SD, SL, SZ, TZ, UG, ZM,
`ZW), Eurasian (AM, AZ, BY, KG, KZ, MD, RU, TJ,
`TM), European (AT, BE, BG, CH, CY, CZ, DE, DK, EE,
`ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HR, HU, IE, IS, IT, LT, LU, LV,
`MC, MK, MT, NL, NO, PL, PT, RO, SE, SI, SK, SM,
`TR), OAPI (BF, BJ, CF, CG, CI, CM, GA, GN, GQ, GW,
`ML, MR, NE, SN, TD, TG).
`Published:
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`with international search report (Art. 21(3))
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`(54) Title: PILLOW COVER
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`
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`Figure 4C
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`(57) Abstract: A pillow enclosure—casing is used to enclose a pillow or pillow-filler material. The pillow casing has a Vent
`through which air inside the pillow case is able to escape rapidly. Aside from the VeI1t, the material of the rest of the casiI1g, aside
`from the Vent, is both moisture-impermeable as well as air-Vapor-permeable. This material prevents airflow therethrough, and in-
`stead only allows air to pass through by an air-transfer processes that is significantly slower than air-flow. When the enclosure-
`casing is pressed, the trapped air is able to escape rapidly from the enclosure—casing through the vent.
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`Pillow Cover
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`Field of Invention
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`The present invention relates to pillows and/or pillow covers.
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`Background of the Invention
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`It is common for a person to rest his or her head on a pillow while sleeping.
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`Pillows are usually covered with a pillow case or pillow protector. The pillows and pillow
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`cases are usually made of a cloth fabric, and these materials are generally porous.
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`It is known that a substantial amount of moisture emanates from a person’s head,
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`and this moisture can end up being absorbed by the pillow. The moisture can originate
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`either from the person’s mouth, typically in the form of saliva, or also from the facial skin
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`or scalp area. As a result, over a long period, this moisture can impregnate the fabric of
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`the pillow, causing ugly staining on the surface of the pillow material.
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`Another disagreeable fact is that a substantial amount of skin debris comes off a
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`person’s head, and such skin debris tends to be deposited on the pillow. This skin debris
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`can pass through the pores of the pillow fabric or pillow case, and thus accumulate inside.
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`Anecdotally, it has been said that if the interior of a pillow is vacuumed, after the pillow
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`has been used for several years without cleaning, there would be a considerable amount
`of accumulated skindebris.
`T
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`Skin debris is a food-source for dust mites. The accumulation of debris inside the
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`pillow or pillow case can attract dust mites to the pillow, with consequential
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`disadvantages for the person’s health.
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`An object of the present invention is to overcome or at least ameliorate one or
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`more of the problems in the prior art, or to provide an improved alternative.
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`Summary of Invention
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`According to the present invention, there is provided a pillow enclosure-casing
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`adapted to fully enclose a pillow or pillow-filler material inserted therein, the enclosure-
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`casing comprising:
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`a vent-arrangement through which air, that is trapped in the enclosure-casing
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`when the pillow or filler is inserted and sealed therein, is able to escape rapidly
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`therefrom;
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`wherein the material of the rest of the enclosure-casing, aside from the vent-
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`arrangement, is a material that is both moisture-impermeable as well as air-vapor-
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`permeable;
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`and wherein the material of the rest of the enclosure-casing, aside from the vent-
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`arrangement, prevents airflow therethrough, and instead only allows air to pass
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`therethrough by an air-transfer processes that is significantly slower than air-flow;
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`and wherein the vent—arrangement comprises material which has a composition
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`that allows faster air-throughput therethrough compared to air—throughput capability of
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`the material of the rest of the enclosure-casing such that, in use, when the enclosure-
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`casing is pressed, the trapped air is able to escape rapidly from the enclosure-casing
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`through the vent-arrangement.
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`Preferably, the vent-arrangement comprises a fabric material through which any
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`trapped air in the enclosure-casing can flow therethrough to exit the enclosure-casing '
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`substantially faster through the vent-arrangement compared to the significantly slower
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`rate of air-transfer achievable through the material of the rest of the enclosure-casing.
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`Preferably, the vent-arrangement is in the form of a fabric vent through which air
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`can flow, and which fabric vent is made entirely of fabric and is therefore devoid of any
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`structural or other physical components aside from the fabric material of the vent-
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`arrangement.
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`Preferably, the material of the vent-arrangement and the material of the rest of the
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`enclosure-casing, aside from the vent-arrangement, are both provided with identical
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`color, pattern and ornamentation in order to not provide a visual indication to the user
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`that the two materials are different.
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`Preferably, the material of the rest of the enclosure—casing, aside from the vent-
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`arrangement, functions as a breathable, waterproof, liquid-and-skin—particle—barrier
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`capable of preventing passage of liquid and skin particles therethrough into the interior of
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`the enclosure—casing, while its air—permeability allows air to enter the pillow enclosure-
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`casing interior.
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`The air-transfer processes may be significantly slower than air-flow and
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`preferably is, or is akin to, osmosis and/or diffiision.
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`Preferably, the material of the rest of the enclosure-casing, aside from the vent-
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`arrangement, comprises a polyurethane sheet material laminated to a fabric—layer.
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`Preferably, the fabric—layer is a knitted fibre made of eucalyptus wood material.
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`Preferably, the pillow enclosure—casing comprises an insertion-arrangement which
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`includes a scalable opening through which the pillow or filler is able to be inserted into
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`and sealed in the interior of the enclosure-casing.
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`The insertion-arrangement may be at a distal end of the enclosure-casing, and the
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`vent—arrangement is the opposite distal end of the enclosure-casing.
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`The insertion-arrangement may comprise a zipper.
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`Preferably, the vent—arrangement is located on a lateral surface of the enclosure-
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`20
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`casing.
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`Preferably, the amount of pillow-filler, or the amount of pillow-filler in the pillow
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`that is inserted, can be varied by the user to vary the size of the pillow enclosure—casing in
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`use.
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`V
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`T
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`Preferably, the trapped air is able to escape rapidly when the enclosure-casingl and
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`the pillow or filler therein is pressed in such a manner that air pressure in the enclosure-
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`casing is temporarily increased.
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`Drawings
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`In order that the present invention might be more fully understood, embodiments
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`of the invention will be described, by way of example only, with reference to the
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`accompanying drawings, in which:
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`Figure l is a side view of an embodiment of a pillow—cover, shown in use on a
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`pillow;
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`Figure 2 is a perspective side view of the embodiment of Figure I, seen from the
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`same side as Figure 1;
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`Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the pillow-insertion-end of the embodiment
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`of Figures 1 and 2;
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`Figure 4A shows an end View of the opposite side of the embodiment of Figures 1
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`to 3, namely the vent-end of the pillow;
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`Figure 4B is the identical View to Figure 4A, except here shown with the flap
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`arranged in a slightly different manner;
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`Figure 4C is a perspective view of the embodiment of Figures 1 to 4B, oriented to
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`show detail of the vent-end of the pillow (also seen in Figures 4A and 4B);
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`Figure 5 represents a notional cross-section of part of the fabric of most of the
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`pillow—cover; and
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`Figure 6 represents a cross-section of the material used for the fabric vent.
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`In this provisional patent application, the Views of Figures 1 to 4C are portions
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`extracted from photographs of an embodiment.
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`In the embodiments, like components are labeled with like reference numerals
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`merely for the sake of ease of understanding the different embodiments and
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`25
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`modifications.
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`Description of Embodiments
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`Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows a side View of an
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`30
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`embodiment of a pillow enclosure—casing in the form of a pillow—cover l0, shown in use
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`on a pillow. (In the diagrams, the pillow is not shown since it is inserted inside the
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`pillow-cover 10).
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`The pillow-cover 10 is adapted to fully enclose the pillow.
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`5
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`Pillow—cover Structure
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`The pillow-cover 10 includes an insertion-arrangement which comprises an end
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`with an opening 20 through which the pillow is inserted.
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`The opening 20 of the insertion-arrangement is sealable. The pillow is inserted
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`10
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`through the sealable opening and sealed in the interior of the pillow-cover 10.
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`In the embodiment, the insertion-arrangement comprises a zipper 21, shown in
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`Figure 3.
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`In other embodiments, the gap or opening of the insertion arrangement is sealed
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`by sewing the opening in order to close the opening, i.e. a permanent seal.
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`1 5
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`Pillow—cover Material: Moisture
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`In the embodiment of Figure I, most of the pillow-cover is made of a material that
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`fimctions as a breathable, waterproof, 1iquid-and-skin-particle-barrier capable of
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`20
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`preventing passage of liquid and skin particles into the interior of the pillow-cover 10.
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`To achieve this function, in the embodiment, the material of the rest of the
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`enclosure-casing prevents airflow through the material. Instead, in the embodiment, the
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`material only allows air to pass through, not by airflow, but, instead, by an air-transfer
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`process that is significantly slower than air-flow. Without being limited by theory, it is
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`believed that this slower air transmission process is, or is akin to, osmosis and/or
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`diffusion. Throughout this specification, any references to osmosis or diffusion as the
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`actual mechanism is not limited by theory, but merely an attempt to describe the
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`significantly slower air-transfer through the examples of liquid—impermeable pillow-
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`cover material used in the exemplary embodiment. In essence, the passage of air vapor
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`through the polyurethane material is something different from the normal air flow that
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`occurs through a porous fabric such as found on typical garments, for example, cotton
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`fabric, and that it is significantly and substantially slower than that normal air flow.
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`The material of most of the pillow-cover 10 (except for the vent, described below)
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`includes a layer of polyurethane 11, or substantially polyurethane sheet material 1 1. A
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`characteristic of such polyurethane sheet material is that it is breathable or air—vapor—
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`permeable, such that air can very slowly diffuse through it, however, it is, at the same
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`time, waterproof such that water or liquid carmot seep or flow through it. In tests, when
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`water is poured onto the polyurethane sheet used in the embodiment, no liquid passes
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`through the sheet material.
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`As an example, the pillow-cover 10 can be made of a breathable polyurethane
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`sheet film. In an embodiment, by way of example only, the polyurethane sheet had
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`resistance to water penetration (hydrostatic method) in excess of 1000 cm (i.e. 10 In).
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`Such a polyurethane material is waterproof at hydrostatic pressures of up to 10 In head of
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`water. This polyurethane material has a water vapor permeability of 913 g/m2/24h. This
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`value may exceed the amount of insensible perspiration that can be expected for a typical
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`adult. In other words, the polyurethane material of the embodiment provides sufficient
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`moisture—impermeability, while at the same time offering air-permeability to allow air to
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`enter the interior of the pillow-cover to keep the interior fresh.
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`An advantage of these characteristics is that air can enter the interior of the pillow
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`because the material is air-perrneable (i.e. not air-impermeable), however, the moisture
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`that emanates from the head of the user carmot similarly enter the interior of the pillow.
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`That moisture is blocked by the liquid-imperrneable layer of polyurethane sheet material.
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`When such a pillow-cover 10 is used to protect a pillow inside, the pillow is shielded
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`from facial and head moisture, and thus the risk of moisture-staining of the enclosed
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`pillow is minimized.
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`In particular, in the embodiment, the material of most of the pillow-cover 10
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`(except for the vent, described below) exhibits two characteristics:
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`i)
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`the material is moisture-imperrneable, at least to the extent where the
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`material prevents moisture from the user’s head from penetrating into the interior of the
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`pillow, that would otherwise impregnate the material of the pillow itself, as described
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`above in the prior art preamble; and
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`ii)
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`the material is air-vapor—perrneable. In other words, the material allows air
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`vapor to pass through the material and into the interior of the pillow, for example, to
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`allow air to have access to all parts of the surface of the pillow, in order to avoid staleness
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`that can arise from lack of sufficient contact with air.
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`Therefore, the material that is suitable for the material of most of the pillow-cover
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`10 (except for the vent, described below) should exhibit both of the above two features.
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`The moisture—impermeable as well as air-Vapor—permeable material, firstly, allows
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`air to enter the interior of the pillow—case to keep its interior fresh. Secondly, it prevents
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`moisture from the user’s skin from entering the interior of the pillow—case, thus avoiding
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`long-terrn staining of the pillow that is inside, and, thirdly, the physically-impenetrable
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`nature of the material prevents skin particles and dust mites from entering into the pillow
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`case through the material, thus preventing or minimising the likelihood of the pillow
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`becoming infested with dust mites.
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`Thus, the invention, in its broadest aspect, specifically excludes any pillow case
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`that is made from an air-and-moisture-imperrneable—materia1. Such a material would be
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`unsuitable for the present invention because it offers only one feature (i.e. the moisture-
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`imperrneability), but does not offer the other of the two desirable features (i.e. it does not
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`offer the air-permeability).
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`In other words, in any embodiment of the invention, it would be unsuitable to use
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`an air—and-moisture-imperrneable-material, because such an unsuitable material would
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`possess the first of the above two features, but would not possess the second of the above
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`two features.
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`Pillow-cover Material: Skin Debris
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`Another benefit of the polyurethane sheet material is that it lacks pores or holes,
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`of sufficient size, that would otherwise enable skin debris to pass through the sheet to
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`enter into the interior of the pillow-cover 10. Thus, the pillow-cover acts as a barrier
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`which prevents the entrance of skin debris.
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`As a result, without skin debris entering into the pillow—case, the risk of dust mites
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`thriving inside the pillow-cover, and/or inside the pillow, is thus minimized.
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`Membrane Layer
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`In Figure 5, the polyurethane sheet material 11 is covered by a layer of cloth or
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`fabric 12, such as cotton or blended material. The dual layers are in the form of a fabric
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`laminate. A cross—sectional of the laminate is notionally represented in Figure 5, although
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`detail of the layers are not provided.
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`The fabric outer layer of the laminate provides the material with the appearance of
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`conventional fabric, and to allow the user’s face to rest against, for example, a
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`10
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`conventional fabric 12, rather than directly against the polyurethane sheet material 1 1.
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`For some users, if the outermost pillow-case surface-—the part that touches the
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`user’s face and cheeks—were to be only of the polyurethane sheet material, some users
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`may find that uncomfortable. Therefore, in the embodiment, the layer of cloth, which is
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`laminated to the polyurethane sheet material, provides a more comfortable surface on
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`which the user can rest his or her head.
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`In various embodiments, the cloth materials that can be laminated or joined to the
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`“moisture-impermeable as well as air-vapor-permeable material” include, for example:
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`terry toweling material, polyester etc.
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`In another modification, a suitable fabric-layer, for lamination to the polyurethane
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`sheet material, is a knitted fibre made of eucalyptus wood material which has natural
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`thermo-regulating properties. Such a fabric—layer has natural anti-bacterial properties
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`without the need for added chemicals, and is beneficial for users who have very sensitive
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`skin. The eucalyptus-wood-fiber is found to be cool in hot weather, and warm in colder
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`weather. The wood-fiber also is very efficient at drawing away moisture from the user’s
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`skin surface, e.g. perspiration.
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`Preferably, the membrane, comprising the polyurethane-and-fabric laminate, is
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`able to exhibit stretchability in all directions. This allows the material of the faces of the
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`pillow-cover, to readily conform to the variable pressure of the user’s face on the pillow.
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`In other modifications, the material of the rest of the enclosure—casing, aside from
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`the vent—arrangement, can be made from other materials apart from the polyurethane
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`laminate, provided it has similar fiinctionality.
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`Vent: Avoidance of Ballooning Effect
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`Without being limited by theory, it is believed that air passes through the
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`polyurethane sheet material 11 by a process of diffusion or osmosis (as compared to air-
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`flow, as is the case with conventional cotton or similar fabric), however, regardless of the
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`precise description of the transfer mechanism, such material provides benefits as
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`described above.
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`The upside of using the polyurethane sheet material 11 is that it acts as a
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`breathable, 1iquid-and-skin-particle-barrier capable of preventing passage of liquid and
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`skin particles.
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`‘
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`A potential downside, however, is that air cannot rapidly flow through the
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`polyurethane sheet material 11. Air movement, perhaps by diffusion or osmosis (as
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`discussed above) is far slower than airflow through porous conventional fabric found on
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`conventional pillow cases. As a result, when the pillow-case, which is made of the
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`polyurethane sheet material 11 is sealed by the zipper 21, or other sealing means, air can
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`be trapped inside the pillow—case 10. Just as the polyurethane sheet material 11 only
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`allows slow diffusion of air into the pillow-cover 10, it also only permits slow diffusion
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`of air out of the pillow-cover. This means that, when the user presses, or compresses the
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`pillow by lying his or her head on the pillow, the compressed air, trapped inside the
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`pillow-cover 10, cannot rapidly escape through the walls of the cover (as would be the
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`case in a conventional pillow-cover). Hence, if this problem were not addressed, the air
`would have to seep out throughthe zipper 21.
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`If this were to be allowed to occur, the pillow, when compressed, would feel to
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`the user as if it akin to a balloon filled with air. If allowed to occur to a significant degree,
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`the ballooning effect would cause discomfort to the user, who is forced to rest his or her
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`head on a pillow that, even temporarily, feels like a balloon, at least until the entrapped
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`air can escape slowly through the zipper.
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`Hence, in the embodiment of Figure 1, in order to avoid or substantially minimize
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`this ballooning effect, the other end 30 of the embodiment is provided with a vent-
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`arrangement in the form of a vent 40.
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`Advantage Of A Vent
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`This vent 40 is not made of the polyurethane sheet material 11 that is used for the
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`rest of the pillow—cover 10.
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`Instead, the vent 40 comprises fabric material which has a composition that allows
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`faster air-throughput compared to the air-throughput capability of the polyurethane sheet
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`material 11 that is used for the rest of the pillow—cover 10. Thus, when the pillow—cover
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`10 is pressed, the trapped air escapes rapidly through the vent 40.
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`10
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`15
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`Any trapped air in the pillow-cover 10 can flow through the vent 40 to exit the
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`pillow-cover 10 substantially faster through the vent 40, compared to the significantly
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`slower rate of air-transfer achievable through the material of the rest of the pillow-cover.
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`Air, that has been trapped in the pillow-cover 10 when the pillow is inserted and
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`sealed, is able to escape rapidly when the pillow-cover IO and the pillow inside, are
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`pressed in such a manner that air pressure in the enclosure-casing is temporarily
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`increased. This happens, for instance, when the person rests his or her head on the pillow.
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`The vent 40 serves to avoid, or substantially reduce, the likelihood of the potential
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`ballooning effect, by allowing entrapped air to rapidly exit the pillow-cover.
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`Fabric Panel Vent
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`In the embodiment of Figure 1, the vent 40 is not a physical opening, aperture, slit
`or other empty opening. If it were, such a physical opening could act as an entrance ‘for '
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`skin debris. Moreover, such a physical opening, during sleep, could inadvertently be
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`prised open by the user, thus potentially allowing skin debris from the user to enter the
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`pillow case through such an opening.
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`Hence, in the embodiment of Figure 1, the vent 40 is in the form of a fabric vent,
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`and comprises a material through which any trapped air can flow through to exit the
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`pillow-cover 10.
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`In the embodiment, the fabric vent is made entirely of fabric and is therefore, by
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`definition, devoid of any structural or other physical components aside from the fabric
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`material of the vent-arrangement. An advantage of this is that the embodiment avoids the
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`need for vents that are in the form of physical structures that would appear unsightly.
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`Traditionally, pillow cases are made entirely out of fabric, and the undesirable addition of
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`a physical-structural vent would mar the appearance of the pillow.
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`The vent of the present embodiment is made totally of fabric, so that the user does
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`not realize that there is a vent. This is helped by the fact that the material of the fabric
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`vent, and the material of the rest of the pillow case, aside from the vent, are both provided
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`with identical color, pattern and ornamentation in order to not provide a visual indication
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`to the user that the two materials are different. Thus, as far as the user is concerned, the
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`fabric of the vent, and the fabric of the rest of the pillow case, are preferably visually-
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`identical, whereas, in fact, the two portions are made of different materials so as to create
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`a vent in the side of the pillow case.
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`Figure 6 represents a cross-section of the material used for the fabric vent.
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`To the user, the vent 40 is visually indistinguishable from the material of the rest
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`of the pillow-cover 10, since the vent 40 is made of fabric, while the rest of the pillow-
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`cover is a laminate material that has an outer layer of fabric as well.
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`For example, the vent 40 can be made of a piece of flat cotton, sheet-fabric, or
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`other fabric through which air can flow through.
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`For the rest of the pillow-cover, apart from this vent 40, the entrapped air cannot
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`exit through the walls of the rest of the pillow-cover 10. (As mentioned, the air-
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`breatheability of the polyurethane sheet material 1 1 is believed to occur by the far slower
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`process of osmosis or diffusion.) Hence, when the pillow is compressed by the user, the
`air will tend to exit the pillow-cover through‘ thisvent 40.
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`In the embodiment, the vent 40 is made from a panel of sheet material, however,
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`in other modifications, the vent could be made of crimped material or other non-flat
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`texture.
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`Cover Flap
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`Since, in the embodiment, the vent 40 is made of porous fabric, through which air
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`can flow, a corollary of this is that, potentially, skin debris and moisture may enter into
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`the vent 40. For instance, the porosity of the vent material means that it is not waterproof.
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`In some modifications, the vent material may be made of a material that has
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`surface tension characteristics that repel moisture, while having sufficient porosity to
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`enable air flow to pass through.
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`In the embodiment of Figure 1, in order to minimize the entrance of moisture
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`and/or skin debris into the pillow-cover 10 through the vent 40, the vent is provided with
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`a flap 50.
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`In Figures 4A, 4B and 4C, the flap 50 is shown lifted up to reveal the vent 40
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`beneath, however, in use, the flap is designed to be laid flat over the vent 40 so as to
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`provide a maximum of protection for the vent 40 against ingress of moisture and/or skin
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`debris. The flap is preferably made of the same material as the rest of the pillow-cover
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`l0, namely the polyurethane sheet material 1 1 and fabric laminate.
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`Structure Of The Pillow-Cover & Variations
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`In the embodiment of Figures 1 to 4C, the insertion-arrangement is at a distal end
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`of the enclosure-casing, and the vent-arrangement is the opposite distal end of the
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`enclosure-casing. In the diagrams, the end of the pillow-cover l0 that has the sealable
`opening 20 is opposite the end 30 that has the vent 40.
`I
`I
`p
`In other variations, the opening, through which the pillow is inserted, need not be
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`at an end, and may be located laterally along a longitudinal side 31.
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`In the illustrated embodiment, the vent 40 is located at an end of the pillow-cover,
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`however, in other modifications, a vent-arrangement is located on a lateral surface of the
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`enclosure-casing, such as on the longitudinal sides 31.
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`In other modifications, there can be a plurality of vent-arrangements that allow
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`exit of entrapped air. For instance, the vents can be on two longitudinal sides 31, or can
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`comprise a row of several vents 40.
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`In other variations, one or more Vents can be anywhere, for instance, the vent can
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`be directly proximate to the zipper 21.
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`There may be two vents, one at either distal end of the pillow-cover.
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`Adjustable Size of Pillow
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`In a modification, the amount of pillow-filler, or the amount of pillow—filler in the
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`pillow that is inserted, can be Varied by the user to vary the size of the pillow enclosure-
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`casing in use. The user is able to open up the pillow and fill it with as much or little
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`pillow—filler material, contained within the pillow-cover, to achieve a level of softness or
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`hardness as desired.
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`The filler may be in the form of ball—fibre that forms clumps, so that the user can
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`easily add or remove filler, as desired.
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`l5
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`Pillows and Pillow-covers
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`In the above description, the embodiment has been described in the context of a
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`pillow—cover, in which a pillow is inserted into the pillow-cover, however, other
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`embodiments of the invention can pertain to the pillow itself, where filler material is
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`stuffed directly into the casing, such that the vent 40 is on the pillow itself, rather than on
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`a cover 10 for the pillow.
`In the embodiment, the polyurethane laminate is considered waterproof, because,
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`u
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`when liquid or water is splashed or poured on the laminate, the water cannot readily or
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`immediately penetrate the laminate material. Hence, the degree of waterproofing is to be
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`assessed under normal atmospheric conditions where most pillows are used for sleeping,
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`rather than artificial high pressure atmospheres.
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`In this specification, the singular term “material” is not to be restricted to a
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`material that is of single or uniform composition, but can also include materials that
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`include multiple substances or components, such as composite materials, blends of
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`different materials, multiple layers each of a different material, for example. Thus, the
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`term “material” includes the plural concept of materials.
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`The embodiments have been advanced by way of example only, and
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`modifications are possible within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended
`
`claims.
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`In this specification, where the words comprise or comprises or derivatives
`
`thereof are used in relation to elements, integers, steps or features, this is to indicate that
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`those elements, steps or features are present but it is not to be taken to preclude the
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`possibility of other elements, integers, steps or features being present.
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`THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS:
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`15
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`1.
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`A pillow enclosure-casing adapted to fiilly enclose a pillow or pillow—filler
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`material inserted therein, the enclosure-casing comprising:
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`a vent-arrangement through which air, that is trapped in the enclosure-casing
`
`when the pillow or filler is inserted and sealed therein, is able to escape rapidly
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`therefrom;
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`wherein the material of the rest of the enclosure-casing, aside from the vent-
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`arrangement, is a material that is both moisture-impermeable as well as air-vapor-
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`permeable;
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`and wherein the material of the rest of the enclosure-casing, aside from the vent-
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`arrangement, prevents airflow therethrough, and instead only allows air to pass
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`therethrough by an air-transfer processes that is significantly slower than air-flow;
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`and wherein the vent-arrangement comprises material which has a composition
`
`that allows faster air-throughput therethrough compared to air-throughput capability of
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`the material of the rest of the enclosure-casing such that, in use, when the enclosure-
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`casing is pressed, the trapped air is able to escape rapidly from the enclosure-casing
`
`through the vent-arrangement.
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`2.
`
`A pillow enclosure-casing of claim 1 wherein the vent-arrangement comprises a
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`fabric material through which any trapped air in the enclosure-casing can flow
`
`therethrough to exit the en