Apparatus and method for manufacturing a waterproof pillow

Claim 1

A waterproof pillow for use in aqueous environments comprising, in combination: a hollow pillow body constructed of closed cell foam material and enclosing an airtight interior chamber, said pillow body having a base sheet of closed cell foam material, first and second bell-shaped side members of closed cell foam material extending along opposite sides of the base sheet, the two side members each having a convex contour along a curved upper surface, the lower surface of each side member being bonded to the base sheet, and a covering sheet of closed cell foam material being bonded to the convex curved surfaces of the side members, and being bonded onto opposite edge portions of the base sheet to define a body having a planar base surface, a convex upper surface, and planar side surfaces extending transversely to the upper and lower surfaces; and an insert block of open cell foam material disposed within the airtight chamber intermediate said base sheet and said covering sheet, said insert block being spaced from said curved covering sheet, thereby defining first and second air pockets on opposite sides of said insert block; whereby external pressure exerted on the pillow body is absorbed by compression of air contained within the airtight interior chamber acting in cooperation with compression of said insert block.