JP7539680B2 - Elastic pillowcase - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a pillow cover, and more specifically, to a pillow cover that does not require treatment to prevent fraying at the opening because at least one side is made of seamless fabric, and can be applied to pillows of a wide range of sizes and shapes. The present invention also relates to an efficient method for manufacturing such pillow covers.

In recent years, pillow covers, especially bedding covers, have come to be sold in a variety of sizes and shapes, so it is necessary to prepare a dedicated cover that fits perfectly with each pillow, and there are very few pillow covers that can be used universally for different types of pillows. Furthermore, pillow covers are used every day, and because people sweat from their heads while sleeping, it is desirable to change them frequently to keep them clean, but because putting them on and taking them off is time-consuming and laborious, they are replaced less frequently.

To address these issues, pillow covers have been proposed that have large openings and can be easily attached and removed by opening and closing with a zipper or snap buttons (Patent Document 1). In addition, pillow covers made of elastic circular knit fabric (Patent Document 2) and pillow covers made by sewing together fabric made of elastic thread have also been proposed, with the aim of being somewhat versatile and easily removable, even for pillows of different sizes and shapes (Patent Document 3).

JP 2013-42856 A Utility Model Registration No. 3166050 Utility Model Registration No. 3202245

However, when opening and closing with a zipper or snap buttons, the opening and closing parts must be attached separately, which increases the manufacturing process and increases costs, and there is a possibility that the opening and closing parts may come into contact with the head and disturb sleep when changing posture while sleeping. In addition, in the case of pillow covers using elastic circular knitted fabric, the entire pillow cover must be formed as a single piece, which means that the structure lacks flexibility, for example, it is not possible to combine parts with other materials depending on the desired function or use. In addition, in the case of pillow covers manufactured by sewing together fabric made of elastic thread, in addition to the process of sewing together the periphery, a separate sewing process is required to improve durability, such as preventing fraying, at the opening for inserting the pillow, which requires skilled techniques and makes the manufacturing process complicated. There was a need for a pillow cover that could solve these problems.

After extensive research into the above-mentioned problems, the inventors have found that by using a seamless fabric used for innerwear, etc., for the lining where the opening for inserting the pillow is formed, the cut parts of the fabric do not fray, making it unnecessary to sew around the edges of the opening to prevent fraying, and furthermore, due to the stretchy fabric properties, it is possible to provide a pillow cover that can be used for pillows of various sizes and shapes, is easy to replace, and does not shift or wrinkle. Furthermore, because such a pillow cover does not require sewing to prevent fraying and does not require opening and closing members such as zippers or buttons, it is possible to simplify the manufacturing process compared to conventional pillow covers, and reduce manufacturing costs and time required. The present invention is based on such findings.

The pillowcase according to the present invention comprises:
A lining surface having a pillow insertion opening for inserting a pillow body therein;
A pillow cover having an outer surface that is a fabric surface that contacts the head when the pillow is used, and an outer surface that is sewn or joined at the periphery of the inner surface,
At least the lining surface is stretchable, the opening for inserting a pillow in the lining surface is cut and formed, and there is no sewing portion around the opening edge of the opening for inserting a pillow to prevent fraying.

In an embodiment of the present invention, it is preferable that the outer surface has the same shape as the inner surface.

In an embodiment of the present invention, it is preferable that the pillow cover has a rectangular shape.

In this embodiment of the present invention, it is preferable that the lining is made of seamless fabric.

In this embodiment of the present invention, it is preferable that the lining and the outer surface are made of different fabrics.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the method for producing the pillowcase described above comprises the steps of:
Prepare the fabric for the lining and the fabric for the outer surface.
The respective fabrics are cut into a predetermined shape, and a pillow insertion opening for inserting a pillow body is cut and formed in the fabric for the lining surface,
The cut inner surface and outer surface are sewn or joined together at their respective peripheral edges.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a pillow cover that does not require sewing around the periphery of the opening to prevent fraying, can be used for pillows of various sizes and shapes, is easy to replace, and does not shift or wrinkle when in use. Furthermore, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a method for manufacturing a pillow cover that can easily manufacture such a pillow cover with fewer steps than conventional methods, requires less capital investment, does not require skilled craftsmen, reduces labor costs, and shortens the time required.

A diagram showing the front and back surfaces of a pillowcase in one embodiment of the present invention. 2 is an example of a pillow insertion opening in the lining of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the state in which a pillow is attached to the pillow cover of the present invention.

Below, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that in the drawings attached to this specification, the scale and aspect ratios have been appropriately altered and exaggerated from those of the actual objects for the sake of ease of illustration and understanding.

<Pillowcase>
1 to 3 are diagrams for explaining one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, a pillow cover 10 has a front surface 11 and a back surface 12. In addition, in the pillow cover 10 according to the present invention, an opening 13 for inserting a pillow is formed in the back surface 12. The peripheral portion 15 of the front surface 11 and the peripheral portion 15' of the back surface 12 are sewn or joined. In addition, at least the back surface 12 has elasticity, and the opening peripheral portion 14 of the opening 13 for inserting a pillow does not have a sewn portion for preventing fraying. Each member constituting the pillow cover 10 according to the present invention will be described below.

<Opening for inserting pillow>
As shown in FIG. 1, the pillow insertion opening 13 of the pillow cover 10 according to the present invention is an opening provided for inserting a pillow into the pillow cover 10, and is formed on the lining 12 opposite to the front surface 11, which is the fabric surface that contacts the head during use. As shown in FIG. 2, the shape of the pillow insertion opening 13 can be, but is not limited to, a straight line, a wavy line, a circle, an ellipse, a triangle, a rectangle, or other polygonal shape. By making the lining 12 forming the pillow insertion opening 13 a seamless fabric as described below, the edge of the fabric at the opening periphery 14 does not fray even when cut, and therefore there is no need to sew to prevent fraying. Since there is no sewn part at the opening periphery 14, it looks beautiful and feels good to the touch, so it does not disturb the user's sleep, and there is no problem of dirt accumulation due to long-term use, as seen in the three-fold sewn part. Furthermore, since there is no need for a sewing process to prevent fraying, it is possible to simplify the manufacturing process, and it is excellent in terms of cost and manufacturing efficiency.

<Lining surface>
As shown in Fig. 1, the lining surface 12 of the pillow cover 10 according to the present invention is the fabric surface on the opposite side to the front surface 11, which is the fabric surface that contacts the head during use. The shape of the lining surface 12 is preferably the same as that of the front surface 11, but may be different depending on the size and shape of the pillow to which it is applied, or the properties of the materials used for the front surface 11 and the lining surface 12. The material used for the lining surface 12 is preferably a stretchable material, and it is particularly preferable to use a seamless fabric that does not fray even when the cut edges of the fabric are left as they are.

<Seamless fabric>
The seamless fabric used in the pillow cover 10 of the present invention is a fabric without seams or joints, has elasticity so as to fit snugly to the pillow when in use, and is processed so that the cut edges do not require sewing to prevent fraying. There are no particular limitations as long as the fabric has such characteristics. By making the lining surface 12 forming the pillow insertion opening 13 a seamless fabric, it is advantageous in that it is not necessary to sew the opening periphery 14 to prevent fraying.

Such seamless fabric preferably has a stretch rate of about 0.5 to 2 times its normal size, and the reversible change in size allows the size of the pillow insertion opening 13 to be smaller than the pillow body contained therein. By making the size of the pillow insertion opening 13 smaller than the pillow body, the pillow will not come out of the pillow insertion opening 13 during use, even if a member such as a fastener or snap button for opening and closing the pillow insertion opening 13 is not attached. In addition, since there is no need to open and close a fastener or button when replacing the pillow, it is also excellent in that it saves time and effort.

＜Front surface＞
The outer surface 11 used in the pillow cover 10 of the present invention is the fabric surface that comes into contact with the head during use. The shape of the outer surface 11 is preferably the same as that of the lining surface 12, but may be different depending on the size and shape of the pillow to which it is applied, or the characteristics of the fabrics used for the outer surface 11 and the lining surface 12.

The fabric used for the front surface 11 may be the same as or different from the back surface 12. For example, a material that provides a cool feeling can be used for a pillow cover 10 used in the summer, and a material that provides a warm feeling such as a brushed material can be used for a pillow cover used in the winter. Fabrics that can be used for such front surface 11 include, but are not limited to, pile, woven fabric, quilted fabric, knit, and other fabrics. Fabrics with special functionality, such as fabrics with deodorizing functions or antibacterial and antifungal functions, can also be used. In this way, the ability to use different materials for the front surface 11 and back surface 12 can expand consumer choices.

In addition, by using a stretchy fabric for the outer surface 11, for example, the pillowcase 10 can be very compact during distribution, but can contain a pillow that is somewhat larger than the pillowcase 10 when in use. This characteristic not only reduces distribution and storage costs, but also reduces packaging and wrapping materials, and creates strong interest and curiosity for consumers, as they can fit a large pillow into a small pillowcase 10.

In addition, by using such a stretchy fabric, pillows of various shapes can be used without slipping or twisting, and fit snugly to the body, for example, as shown in Figure 3, a rectangular pillow (a), a pillow with a convexly raised center (b), a pillow with a convexly raised upper part (c), and a pillow with a concave recessed portion that comes into contact with the neck (d).

<Manufacturing method of pillowcase>
The manufacturing method of the pillow cover 10 according to the present invention is characterized by a cutting process of the fabric and sewing or joining the cut outer surface 11 and inner surface 12 at the peripheral portion 15 (15'). The steps constituting the manufacturing method of the pillow cover 10 according to the present invention will be described below.

<Cutting the fabric>
The method for manufacturing the pillow cover 10 according to the present invention includes a step of cutting the front surface 11 and the back surface 12. The cutting method is not particularly limited as long as the fabric can be cut into the desired shape, but from the viewpoint of efficiency, it is preferable to cut using an automatic cutting machine. If the front surface 11 and the back surface 12 are to have the same shape, they may be cut in one go using the automatic cutting machine. In addition, for the back surface 12, an insertion opening 13 can be formed by forming a hole in the center of the fabric constituting the back surface 12 using the automatic cutting machine.

<Sewing/Joining Fabric>
The method for manufacturing the pillow cover 10 according to the present invention includes a step of sewing or joining the outer surface 11 cut into a desired shape in the cutting step and the lining surface 12 on which the pillow insertion opening 13 is formed, at their respective peripheral portions 15 (15'). The outer surface 11 and the lining surface 12 can be joined by any method, such as sewing with thread, bonding with an adhesive, or heat welding, as long as the outer surface 11 and the lining surface 12 can withstand continuous use. In addition, by making the lining surface 12 out of seamless fabric, there is no need to sew the opening peripheral portion 14 of the insertion opening 13 formed by an automatic cutting machine, so that the outer surface 11 and the lining surface 12 only need to be joined at their respective peripheral portions 15 (15'), which is simpler and requires fewer steps than the conventional manufacturing method.

In this way, the manufacturing method for the pillow cover 10 according to the present invention has fewer steps than the manufacturing method for a conventional envelope-type pillow cover, which consists of four steps: (1) cutting the fabric; (2) a triple-fold sewing process to prevent fraying around the edge of the pillow insertion opening of the outer fabric; (3) a triple-fold sewing process to prevent fraying around the edge of the pillow insertion opening of the lining; and (4) a sewing process to sew the outer fabric and the lining. As the process can be automated, it does not require skilled personnel, reducing labor costs and has the excellent effect of shortening the time required for manufacturing.

Although one embodiment has been described above using several specific examples, these specific examples are not intended to limit the one embodiment. The one embodiment described above can be implemented using various other specific examples, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the embodiment.

10 Pillow cover 11 Outer surface 12 Inner surface 13 Opening for inserting pillow 14 Periphery of opening for inserting pillow 15 Periphery of outer surface 15' Periphery of inner surface

Claims (7)

A back surface having a pillow insertion opening for inserting a pillow body, the pillow insertion opening being a hole-like opening having a size smaller than that of the pillow body;
A pillow cover having an outer surface that is a fabric surface that contacts the head when the pillow is used, and an outer surface that is sewn or joined at the periphery of the inner surface,
This pillow cover is characterized in that at least the lining is a seamless fabric that does not fray even when the cut edges are left as they are and has elasticity, the opening for inserting a pillow on the lining is formed by the cut edges of the seamless fabric, and there is no sewing portion to prevent fraying around the opening edge of the opening for inserting a pillow. The pillow cover according to claim 1, wherein the outer surface is stretchable and has the same shape as the inner surface. The pillow cover according to claim 1 or 2, which has a rectangular shape. The pillow cover according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the pillow insertion opening is formed in the center of the lining. The pillow cover according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the lining and the outer surface are made of different fabrics. The pillowcase according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the seamless fabric has a stretch rate of 0.5 to 2 times its normal size. A method for producing the pillowcase according to any one of claims 1 to 6 , comprising the steps of:
A seamless elastic fabric for the lining and a fabric for the outer surface are prepared;
Each of the fabrics is cut into a predetermined shape, and in the fabric for the backing surface, a pillow insertion opening for inserting a pillow body, which is a hole-shaped pillow insertion opening having a dimension smaller than that of the pillow body, is formed by cutting the seamless fabric with a cut end portion of the seamless fabric;
The method comprises sewing or joining the cut inner surface and outer surface at their respective peripheral edges.

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