Anti-Slip Pillowcase

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

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STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

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THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

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INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM.

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STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of the Invention

The disclosure relates to pillowcases and more particularly pertains to a new anti-slip pillowcase for minimizing or preventing relative movement of the pillowcase and the pillow therein. Pillowcases are generally form-fitted for pillows therein. However, the pillowcases and the pillows are made of generally smooth material that can allow for the pillow to slip or slide within the pillowcase. This movement can cause the pillow to slide out of the pillowcase or the pillowcase to slide off of the pillow, either in whole or in part. Such slippage or sliding can cause discomfort to the user as well as expose the pillow itself to soiling, such as by dirt and oils on the user's head and face. Even with sealed or zippered pillowcases, there can still be relative movement of the pillow within the pillowcase, which could cause bunching up of the pillow or the pillowcase, thereby possibly resulting in discomfort to the user and/or deformation or distortion of the pillow.

(2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98.

The prior art relates to pillowcases with an opening therein. Some pillowcases include a zipper or similar mechanism for closing the opening after insertion of the pillow therein. The pillowcases do not include any sort of anti-slip structure.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising an anti-slip pillowcase that includes an outer case having a rectangular shape. The outer case comprises an aperture that is positioned along an edge of the outer case. The aperture is designed to permit insertion of a pillow into the outer case. The pillowcase further includes a closing mechanism that is openable and closable to open and close the aperture. The pillowcase also includes at least one anti-slip structure that is disposed on an interior surface of the outer case. The anti-slip structure is designed to minimize or prevent relative movement between the outer case and a pillow disposed within the outer case.

The outer case has a traditional rectangular shape and includes a first rectangular portion or side and a second rectangular portion or side disposed opposite and facing one another. The two halves are connected at the edges, except for the side that includes the aperture or opening. In accordance with at least one possible embodiment, there are at least two or more anti-slip structures, such as four anti-slip structures. Any number of anti-slip structures is within the disclosure of the application. They can be in pairs or spaced or configured in any number of ways on the interior surface of either or both of the rectangular portions to produce a desired anti-slip or gripping effect. In accordance with at least one possible embodiment, the anti-slip structures can be in the form of an elongated strip that is oriented transverse or essentially perpendicular to the aperture to facilitate sliding insertion of a pillow.

In accordance with at least one possible embodiment, the aperture is disposed on or at a longer edge of the outer case. Most traditional pillowcases have an aperture or opening on the shorter side of a rectangular pillowcase. By making the aperture in one of the longer edges, it is much easier for a user to insert and slide the pillow into the pillowcase since the pillow only has to travel the length of its shorter side rather than the length of its longer side. In addition, the anti-slip structures can be positioned essentially perpendicular to the aperture and essentially parallel to the shorter sides of the outer case. Since the pillow engages the anti-slip structures at their thin or short end, there is less resistance to be overcome by the user during insertion.

Each of the anti-slip structures comprises an anti-slip material, such as a rubber or elastomer or similar material, that is designed to generate or provide sufficient friction to minimize or prevent relative movement between the outer case and the pillow. They can be connected or attached to the pillowcase by adhesive or stitching or other suitable attaching means. In accordance with at least one possible embodiment, the anti-slip structures are removable and replaceable in the event they become worn or lose their gripping properties.

In accordance with at least one possible embodiment, the closing mechanism is a zipper. The pillowcase can include two covering portions at the edges of the aperture that can overlap and conceal the zipper upon the zipper being closed. The outer case may also be made of a breathable and/or anti-bacterial material.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an anti-slip pillowcase according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a top or front view of the anti-slip pillowcase with a pillow inserted therein.

FIG. 3 is a bottom or back view of the anti-slip pillowcase with a pillow inserted therein.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the anti-slip pillowcase with a close-up of the zipper.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the anti-slip pillowcase with a pillow inserted therein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 5 thereof, a new pillowcase embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 5, the anti-slip pillowcase 10 generally comprises an outer case 12 having a rectangular shape, which is designed to match or follow the shape of a traditional rectangular pillow 14. The outer case 12 includes an aperture 16 that is positioned along an edge of the outer case 12, specifically one of the longer edges as seen in FIG. 1 to facilitate insertion of the pillow 14. The aperture 16 is designed to permit insertion of the pillow 14 into the outer case 12. The pillowcase 10 further includes a closing mechanism in the form of a zipper 18, as shown in FIG. 4, that is openable and closable to open and close the aperture 16. As shown in FIG. 1, the pillowcase also includes four anti-slip structures disposed on an interior surface of the outer case 12, namely first anti-slip structure 20, second anti-slip structure 22, third anti-slip structure 24, and fourth anti-slip structure 26. The first anti-slip structure 20 and the third anti-slip structure 24 are disposed on the interior of a top portion 28 (as viewed in the drawing) of the outer case 12, and the second anti-slip structure 22 and the fourth anti-slip structure 26 are disposed on the interior of a bottom portion 30 (as viewed in the drawing) of the outer case 12. In the embodiment shown, the first anti-slip structure 20 is disposed opposite to and in alignment with the second anti-slip structure 22, with the same being true for the third anti-slip structure 24 and the fourth anti-slip structure 26. The particular configuration shown in FIG. 1 is designed so the anti-slip structures 22, 24, 26, and 28 apply a friction or gripping force along the width of the pillow 14 and adjacent the outer edges thereof to promote minimal or no relative movement between the pillow 14 and the outer case 12. The anti-slip structures 22, 24, 26, and 28 are each in the form of an elongated strip that is oriented transverse or essentially perpendicular to the aperture 16 to facilitate sliding insertion of the pillow 14. However, it should be understood that the drawings show at least one possible embodiment and that many different configurations and designs of the anti-slip structures are within the scope of the application. It should also be noted that FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional view in which there is space between pillow 14 and each of the first anti-slip structure 20 and the second anti-slip structure 22. In use there would be not be such complete space as the first anti-slip structure 20 and the second anti-slip structure 22 would be in at least partial contact and frictional engagement with the pillow 14, but the space has been included in the drawings for purposes of showing the different components.

In accordance with at least one possible embodiment, the pillowcase 10 can include two covering portions 32 at the edges of the aperture 16 that can overlap and conceal the zipper 18 upon the zipper 18 being closed. Essentially only a pull tab 34 of the zipper 18 projects out or is visible upon closing.

In use, the user merely slides the pillow 14 into the outer case 12. The anti-slip structures 22, 24, 26, and 28 provide a frictional force such that as the user sleeps or rests and moves his or her head around on the pillowcase 10, the outer case 12 and pillow 14 do not move relative to one another, or at least move minimally.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present. unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.