US20160135623A1 - Two-opening pillow case - Google Patents

A pillowcase having two complementary sections are provided with multiple holes on the edges of the two sections or adjacent to the edges of the sections. A first hole is dimensioned to accept a pillow, as is common practice in the art, and can be the length of a transverse edge of the pillow case, or substantially the length of a transverse edge. A second hole is disposed on a second portion of the pillowcase, opposite to the pillow opening, and is optionally the size of the width of a human hand, such as between 3 inches and 6 inches in length. The second hole permits a user to access the interior of the pillowcase and simplifies insertion of a pillow and orientation of a pillow within the interior of the pillowcase.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

• This application is a non-provisional of and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/081,729, entitled “Easy Fit Pillowcase”, filed on Nov. 19, 2014; and to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/081,748, entitled “Easy Fit Pillowcase”, filed on Dec. 24, 2014, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF INVENTION

• This invention relates to pillow coverings. Specifically, the invention is a pillow case or covering having two opposing holes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

• Pillows are commonly used to support the head or other body parts of a user, or for decoration. Modern pillows comprise an outer material, commonly a textile such as a natural or synthetic fabric, and an inner filler material, commonly feathers, synthetic foam, an air bladder, buckwheat, or synthetic beads. Most pillows used for sleeping, and occasionally decorative pillows and/or support pillows are encased in a fabric covering, known as a pillowcase or pillow case. In some instances, a pillow may be covered by a sham, which is similar to a pillow case, but typically possesses stitched, i.e. closed sides, with a slit in the back wall through which the pillow is inserted.

• Pillow cases are used to protect a pillow from direct contact with a user or from direct contact with the general environment. The pillow cases permit easy and hygenic maintenance of the pillow through removal and laundering of the pillow case.

• A pillow case may be manufactured with natural or synthetic textiles, or blends of natural and synthetic fibers. Examples include cotton cloth, silk, and sateen. A pillow case usually has a single enclosure that receives a single pillow, and is typically square, tubular or oblong, such as rectangular, to accommodate the shape of the pillow. Bed pillow cases commonly have an open edge for inserting the pillow into the pillow case. However, pillow cases may include a zippered opening, buttoned opening or a flap.

• Bed pillow cases are typically made using two generally rectangular panels of fabric material enclosed along both longitudinal (long) edges and one transverse (narrow) edge, with the remaining transverse edge open tier inserting and removing a pillow. Although this type of pillow case has been in use for a considerable length of time, the design it not conducive to efficient insertion of a pillow. As such, the present invention is designed to address this shortcoming.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

• As described herein, the novel pillowcase includes a first pillowcase section which is attached to a complementary, second pillowcase section, such as by stitching, heat bonding, or other attachment means known in the art. A pillow opening, dimensioned to accept a pillow of approximately the same shape and size as the interior void of the pillowcase, is disposed on a first portion of the pillowcase. A secondary, auxiliary opening is disposed on a second portion of the pillowcase, opposite to the pillow opening. The auxiliary opening is optionally the size of the width of a human hand, such as between 3 inches and 6 inches in length.

• In specific variations of the invention, the pillowcase is quadrilateral in shape. In these variations, the first pillowcase section includes a first longitudinal edge, a second transverse edge, a third longitudinal edge, and a fourth transverse edge and the second pillowcase section includes a fifth longitudinal edge, a sixth transverse edge, a seventh longitudinal edge, and an eighth transverse edge. The first and second pillowcase sections are attached to one another, directly or indirectly via a wall section between the first and second pillowcase sections. The first and second pillowcase sections are attached via attachment of first and fifth longitudinal edges, the second and sixth transverse edges, third and seventh longitudinal edges, and fourth and eighth transverse edges. Moreover, in these variations, the pillow opening is disposed along the second and sixth transverse edges, on the first pillowcase section adjacent to the second transverse edge, or on the second pillowcase section adjacent to the sixth transverse edge. Optionally, the pillow opening is substantially the length of the second transverse edge or sixth transverse edge. Alternatively, the pillow opening is between 6 inches and 20 inches in length. The auxiliary opening is disposed along the fourth and eighth transverse edges, on the first pillowcase section adjacent to the fourth transverse edge, or on the second pillowcase section adjacent to the eighth transverse edge. In some variations, the auxiliary opening is substantially the length of the fourth transverse edge or eighth transverse edge.

• The pillowcase is alternatively tubular in shape. In these variations, the first pillowcase section comprises a circular or substantially circular first edge, a complementary second pillowcase section having a circular or substantially circular second edge, and a pillowcase wall disposed between the first pillowcase section and the second pillowcase section and attached to the first circular edge and the second circular edge. The pillow opening is disposed on the first wall edge or on the pillowcase wall and dimensioned to accept a pillow. The auxiliary opening is disposed on the second wall edge or on the pillowcase wall.

• The pillowcases of the invention can be cotton, polyester, cotton-polyester blend, percale, mercerized cotton, linen, acrylic, tencel, modal, flannel, cashmere, satin, velvet, fleece, silk, rayon, rayon-cotton blend nylon, nylon-cotton blend, suede, linen-rayon blend, rayon-cotton blend. Notable examples include where the pillowcase sections, and wall in those embodiments, are made from a 50% cotton-50% polyester cloth, 100% cotton, or a 100% nylon wipe-able fabric.

• The auxiliary opening and pillow opening are optionally closed when not being used to insert a pillow. Useful materials for closing the openings include a flap or fasteners, as may be known in the art. Non-limiting examples of fasteners include buttons, zippers, snaps, hooks, buckles, fabric loops, or stitched loops, or hook and loop fasteners, such as Velcro™.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

• For a fuller understanding of the invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

• FIG. 1

  is an isometric view of a first embodiment of the pillowcase.

• FIG. 2

  is an isometric view of a first embodiment of the pillowcase showing the auxiliary opening.

• FIG. 3

  is an isometric view of a first embodiment of the pillowcase showing the auxiliary opening and pillow opening.

• FIG. 4

  is an illustration showing the methods for inserting a pillow into the first embodiment of the pillowcase.

• FIG. 5

  is an isometric view of a second embodiment of the pillowcase showing the alternative auxiliary opening.

• FIG. 6

  is an illustration showing the methods for inserting a pillow into the first embodiment of the pillowcase showing the alternative auxiliary opening.

• FIG. 7

  is an isometric view of a second embodiment of the pillowcase.

• FIG. 8

  is an isometric view of a second embodiment of the pillowcase showing the auxiliary opening and pillow opening.

• FIG. 9

  is an isometric view of a second embodiment of the pillowcase showing the auxiliary opening and pillow opening.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

• The novel pillowcase provides a plurality of holes, permitting a user to access the interior void of the pillowcase opposite from the insertion point of a pillow. This allows for simpler insertion of pillows into the pillowcase, as the user can guide the pillow into the pillowcase.

• As used herein, “complementary” means the strands or elements are sized and shaped to allow at least one element from one complementary half to engage at least one element from the opposing complementary half.

• As used herein, “substantially” means more than 50%, such as 60%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 99%, or 100%. Preferably, “substantially” refers to at least 90%.

Example 1
• Pillowcase

  1 is comprised of

  pillowcase sections

  4 and 7 attached by

  seam line

  10, as seen in

  FIG. 1

  .

  Pillowcase sections

  4 and 7 are shown as substantially rectangular in shape, but may be other shapes, such as tubular. The pillowcase sections are fabric, such as cotton, attached to form an envelope for protecting a pillow after such has been inserted through pillow opening 17.

• Pillowcase

  1 includes

  auxiliary opening

  14, which is a slit along a partial traverse edge of

  seam line

  10, shown in

  FIG. 2

  , a slit on pillowcase section 7 adjacent to a traverse edge of

  seam line

  10, or is a slit found on a transverse wall attached to the transverse edge of

  pillowcase sections

  4 and 7.

  Auxiliary opening

  12 is dimensioned to be just large enough to permit a user to insert his or her hand through

  auxiliary opening

  14.

  Pillow opening

  17 is either a slit along a traverse edge of

  seam line

  10, shown in

  FIG. 3

  , a slit on pillowcase section 7 adjacent to a traverse edge of

  seam line

  10, or is a slit found on a transverse wall attached to the transverse edge of

  pillowcase sections

  4 and

• Pillowcase

  1 simplifies insertion of a pillow into the pillowcase. User's

  hand

  19 is placed through

  auxiliary opening

  14 and into the interior void of

  pillowcase

  1. A pillow is placed adjacent to, or just inside,

  pillow opening

  17 and the user grasps the pillow and pulls it to the transverse edge of

  pillowcase

  1 containing

  auxiliary opening

  14, as seen in

  FIG. 4

  .

• Alternatively,

  auxiliary opening

  15 is larger than that required for a user to access the interior void of the pillowcase. For example,

  auxiliary opening

  15 runs along the entire length of a transverse edge of

  seam line

  10, a substantial portion of a transverse edge, a slit traversing the entire transverse length of pillowcase section 7 adjacent to a traverse edge of

  seam line

  10, a slit traversing a substantial transverse length of pillowcase section 7 adjacent to a traverse edge of

  seam line

  10, or is a slit found on a transverse wall attached to the transverse edge of

  pillowcase sections

  4 and 7, as seen in

  FIG. 5

  . As with the previous embodiment, user's

  hand

  19 accesses the interior void via

  auxiliary opening

  15, thereby allowing the use to guide a pillow into the interior void of

  pillowcase

  1, as seen in

  FIG. 6

  .

Example 2
• Tubular pillowcase

  2 is comprised of

  circular pillowcase sections

  4 and 7, and

  pillowcase wall

  12 attached by

  upper seam line

  11 a and

  lower seam line

  11 b, as seen in

  FIG. 7

  .

  Pillowcase

  2 includes

  auxiliary opening

  16, which is a slit along a partial section of

  seam line

  11 a, or a slit on

  pillowcase wall

  12 adjacent to a seam line, shown in

  FIG. 7

  .

  Auxiliary opening

  16 is dimensioned to be just large enough to permit a user to insert his or her hand through

  auxiliary opening

  16.

  Pillow opening

  18 is either a slit along a section of

  seam line

  11 a or 11 b, or a slit on

  pillowcase wall

  12 adjacent to a traverse edge of a seam line, shown in

  FIGS. 8 and 9

  . As in Example 1, the user places his or her hand into the interior void of the pillowcase via

  auxiliary opening

  16, and positions his or her hand adjacent to

  pillow opening

  18. The user then grasps a pillow and guides the pillow into the interior void of

  pillowcase

  2.

• In the preceding specification, all documents, acts, or information disclosed do not constitute an admission that the document, act, or information of any combination thereof was publicly available, known to the public, part of the general knowledge in the art, or was known to be relevant to solve any problem at the time of priority.

• The disclosures of all publications cited above are expressly incorporated herein by reference, each in its entirety, to the same extent as if each were incorporated by reference individually.

• While there has been described and illustrated specific embodiments of a pillowcase cover and method of use, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variations and modifications are possible without deviating from the broad spirit and principle of the present invention. It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.