Acoustically transparent pillow

Abstract

An acoustically transparent pillow for use with a furniture assembly where one or more speakers are embedded in the armrest(s) or other components of the furniture system. The pillow can be positioned (e.g., for decoration or comfort) over the armrest speaker, with minimal effect to the sound emitted from said speaker, even where the pillow is positioned over where sound is emitted from the speaker. Pillows may similarly be positioned in other locations relative to other speakers embedded in the furniture system, providing desired decorative esthetics or comfort, while providing minimal interference with the sound from the speaker system embedded in the furniture assembly. Such a pillow may include a fabric envelope and a fill material, where at least portions of the fabric envelope and the fill material comprise acoustically transparent materials (e.g., acoustically transparent fabric, and acoustically transparent fill material, such as a highly porous, reticulated foam).

1 . An acoustically transparent pillow comprising:
 a fabric envelope; and   a fill material contained within the fabric envelope, wherein at least a portion of the fill material is acoustically transparent.   
     
     
         2 . The acoustically transparent pillow of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the fabric envelope is acoustically transparent. 
     
     
         3 . The acoustically transparent pillow of  claim 1 , wherein the fill material includes an acoustically transparent reticulated foam. 
     
     
         4 . The acoustically transparent pillow of  claim 3 , wherein the reticulated foam fill material has a void fraction of 90% or more. 
     
     
         5 . The acoustically transparent pillow of  claim 3 , wherein the reticulated foam fill material has a porosity value of 100 pores per inch (ppi) or less. 
     
     
         6 . The acoustically transparent pillow of  claim 3 , wherein the reticulated foam fill material is provided as a plurality of pieces of reticulated foam, rather than as a monolithic piece. 
     
     
         7 . The acoustically transparent pillow of  claim 6 , wherein the reticulated foam fill material is shredded or cut. 
     
     
         8 . The acoustically transparent pillow of  claim 6 , wherein the reticulated foam fill material is provided in multiple layers. 
     
     
         9 . The acoustically transparent pillow of  claim 1 , wherein the acoustically transparent portion of the fill material is aligned with a central portion of the pillow. 
     
     
         10 . The acoustically transparent pillow of  claim 9 , wherein at least a portion of the fabric envelope is acoustically transparent, and wherein the acoustically transparent portion of the fabric envelope is provided on major faces of the pillow. 
     
     
         11 . The acoustically transparent pillow of  claim 1 , wherein the pillow further comprises a non-acoustically transparent fill material, the pillow further comprising a separator secured to an interior of the fabric envelope for defining a central compartment in which the acoustically transparent fill material is housed, and one or more peripheral compartments, in which the non-acoustically transparent fill material is housed. 
     
     
         12 . An acoustically transparent pillow comprising:
 a fabric envelope, wherein at least a portion of the fabric envelope is acoustically transparent; and   a fill material contained within the fabric envelope, wherein at least a portion of the fill material is acoustically transparent;   wherein when the fabric envelope is filled with the fill material, the fabric envelope includes two major generally planar faces connected to one another around a periphery of the pillow, wherein the acoustically transparent portion of the fabric envelope and acoustically transparent portion of the fill material are aligned with one another, to provide an acoustically transparent pathway through the pillow, from the first major planar face to the second major planar face.   
     
     
         13 . The acoustically transparent pillow of  claim 12 , wherein the first and second major planar faces are indirectly connected to one another around the periphery of the pillow, through one or more edge faces of the fabric envelope disposed between the first and second major planar faces. 
     
     
         14 . The acoustically transparent pillow of  claim 12 , wherein the pillow further comprises a non-acoustically transparent fill material, the pillow further comprising a separator secured to an interior of the fabric envelope for defining a central compartment in which the acoustically transparent fill material is housed, and one or more peripheral compartments, in which the non-acoustically transparent fill material is housed. 
     
     
         15 . The acoustically transparent pillow of  claim 12 , wherein the fill material includes an acoustically transparent reticulated foam. 
     
     
         16 . The acoustically transparent pillow of  claim 15 , wherein the reticulated foam fill material is provided as a plurality of pieces of reticulated foam, rather than as a monolithic piece. 
     
     
         17 . An acoustically transparent pillow for use with a furniture system that includes a speaker embedded in an armrest or other location within the furniture system, the pillow comprising:
 a fabric envelope, wherein at least a portion of the fabric envelope is acoustically transparent; and   a fill material contained within the fabric envelope, wherein at least a portion of the fill material is acoustically transparent;   wherein when the fabric envelope is filled with the fill material, the fabric envelope includes two major generally planar faces connected to one another around a periphery of the pillow, wherein the acoustically transparent portion of the fabric envelope and acoustically transparent portion of the fill material are aligned with one another, to provide an acoustically transparent pathway through the pillow, from the speaker embedded in the furniture system, through the first major planar face of the fabric envelope, through the acoustically transparent fill material within the fabric envelope, and out the second major planar face of the fabric envelope of the pillow, allowing sound from the embedded speaker to pass through the pillow in an acoustically transparent manner.   
     
     
         18 . The acoustically transparent pillow of  claim 17 , wherein the first and second major planar faces are indirectly connected to one another around the periphery of the pillow, through one or more edge faces of the fabric envelope disposed between the first and second major planar faces. 
     
     
         19 . The acoustically transparent pillow of  claim 17 , wherein the pillow further comprises a non-acoustically transparent fill material, the pillow further comprising a separator secured to an interior of the fabric envelope for defining a central compartment in which the acoustically transparent fill material is housed, and one or more peripheral compartments, in which the non-acoustically transparent fill material is housed. 
     
     
         20 . The acoustically transparent pillow of  claim 17 , wherein the fill material includes an acoustically transparent reticulated foam. 
     
     
         21 . The acoustically transparent pillow of  claim 20 , wherein the reticulated foam fill material is provided as a plurality of pieces of reticulated foam, rather than as a monolithic piece.