Intelligent rotary snore-ceasing pillow and design method thereof

Abstract

The invention discloses an intelligent rotating snore stopping pillow and a design method thereof. The snore stopping pillow comprises a rotating curved surface, a transmission bearing, a power source, an air bag, a motor, a control panel and a base plate. The rotating curved surface is fixed with a transmission bearing, and the transmission bearing is fixed on the chassis and is connected with a motor through a gear transmission mechanism; the motor controls the transmission bearing through the gear transmission mechanism so as to control the rotating curved surface, and the rotating curved surface controls the posture angle of the head of a user by changing the position. The air bag is mounted at the middle hollow part of the transmission bearing, and the air bag controls the head of the user to lie flat and lean back through inflation and deflation; the power source is electrically connected with the motor, the air bag and the control panel and supplies power to the motor, the air bag and the control panel. The control panel is used for controlling working conditions of the motor and the airbag. The air bag technology is combined with a mechanical structure, the position of the head can be effectively changed, therefore, the smoothness of the respiratory tract is improved, and the snoring phenomenon is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the technical field of medical devices, and in particular relates to an intelligent rotating anti-snoring pillow and a design method thereof. Background Art

[0002] Chronic respiratory diseases, especially obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), have become a serious health problem worldwide. OSA patients experience repeated apnea and hypopnea during sleep, leading to hypoxemia and frequent awakenings, which in turn lead to a variety of clinical complications, such as cardiovascular disease, hypertension and diabetes.

[0003] Snoring is mainly caused by turbulence caused by narrowing of the upper airway. Researchers have found that adjusting the position of the head during sleep has a positive effect on the snoring phenomenon itself: most people snore less when lying on their side and more heavily when lying on their back. Smart Anti-snoring Pillow (SAP), as a widely used medical device, has important reference value for automation and robotics in sleep care.

[0004] There are currently three types of SAP, all of which use positional intervention to intervene in sleeping postures to relieve snoring symptoms. The first is the NightBalance product, whose principles and efficacy have been fully verified in clinical practice. This product detects snoring during the patient's sleep. Once it is determined that the patient is snoring and sleeping on his back, it will perform vibration intervention to stimulate the patient to adjust his sleeping posture. However, the disadvantage of this product is that the patient needs to wear the NightBalance device, and the vibration intervention method will affect the patient's sleep quality. The user needs to have a long period of running-in with the vibration intervention method of the device to gradually reduce the impact on sleep quality. The second is to embed multiple micro airbags in the pillow, and inflate specific airbags through an air pump placed outside the pillow to change the head posture. However, the limitation of this design is the lack of accurate data about the head position when the pillow is activated, and it is precisely relying on these accurate data that the head can be kept in a position with minimal snoring. The third method uses mechanical structures, such as sliders, platforms and baffles, to apply external force to modify the head posture, thereby achieving precise control of the position of the head or neck to improve snoring. However, this method also has limitations. When the individual's torso is in a side-lying or prone position, the movement of the drive block cannot significantly enhance the position of the head and neck, and further improvement is needed.

[0005] In summary, although existing smart anti-snoring pillows can relieve snoring symptoms by adjusting the head posture, these products still have some shortcomings in practical applications. Summary of the invention

[0006] The present invention aims to solve the deficiencies of the prior art and provides the following solutions:

[0007] An intelligent rotating anti-snoring pillow comprises: a rotating curved surface, a transmission bearing, a power supply, an air bag, a motor, a control panel and a chassis;

[0008] The rotating curved surface is fixed to the transmission bearing, and the transmission bearing is fixed to the chassis and connected to the motor using a gear transmission mechanism;

[0009] The motor controls the transmission bearing through the gear transmission mechanism, thereby controlling the rotating curved surface, and the rotating curved surface controls the posture angle of the user's head by changing its position;

[0010] The airbag is installed in the middle hollow of the transmission bearing, and the airbag controls the user's head to lie flat or lean back by inflation and deflation;

[0011] The power supply is electrically connected to the motor, the airbag and the control board to supply power to the motor, the airbag and the control board;

[0012] The control board is used to control the working conditions of the motor and the airbag.

[0013] The present invention also provides a design method for an intelligent rotating anti-snoring pillow, and the design method is used to design the above-mentioned intelligent rotating anti-snoring pillow, comprising the following steps:

[0014] Collect point cloud data of the user's head and generate a three-dimensional model of the head;

[0015] Slicing the three-dimensional head model and generating a pillow curved surface based on the sliced ​​area, wherein the pillow curved surface is a contact surface between the user's head and the pillow;

[0016] Calculating a natural rotation path of the head based on the sliced ​​area, and connecting the natural rotation path of the head in each sliced ​​area to form a closed surface, thereby obtaining a three-dimensional model of a rotational curved surface;

[0017] Designing the transmission bearing using the three-dimensional model of the rotating curved surface;

[0018] Based on the three-dimensional models of the pillow curved surface and the rotation curved surface, the pillow and the rotation curved surface are manufactured by 3D printing technology.

[0019] Preferably, the user's head is scanned using a 3D scanner to obtain the point cloud data, and the three-dimensional model of the user's head is generated based on the point cloud data.

[0020] Preferably, the three-dimensional model is sliced ​​to obtain a plurality of horizontal slices from the ear roots to the chin area, and the pillow surface is generated based on the sliced ​​data through Boolean operations.

[0021] Preferably, the method for obtaining the three-dimensional model of the rotational surface includes:

[0022] Based on the points on the slice area, calculating the rotation path of each of the slice areas;

[0023] Connect the rotation paths, create a grid plane and adjust the height of each vertex to obtain a rotation path plane;

[0024] Use a smooth modifier and a subdivision modifier to optimize the presented rotation path to obtain a rotation path plane;

[0025] A three-dimensional model of a rotating curved surface is generated based on the rotating path plane.

[0026] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0027] (1) The present invention uses laser radar technology to obtain point cloud data of the patient's head and generates a rotating anti-snoring pillow that conforms to the individual head shape, realizing customized product design for each patient and significantly improving the adaptability and effectiveness of the pillow;

[0028] (2) The present invention designs a rotating disk that can dynamically adjust the slope of the contact surface with the user's head, uses physical principles to induce natural rotation of the head, and combines airbag technology with mechanical structure to effectively change the position of the head, thereby improving airway patency and reducing snoring. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solution of the present invention, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying creative labor.

[0030] Figure 1 This is a schematic structural diagram of an anti-snoring pillow according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a three-dimensional model of a rotating surface according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Description of reference numerals:

[0033] 1. Rotating surface; 2. Transmission bearing; 7. Chassis. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0035] In order to make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention more obvious and easy to understand, the present invention is further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0036] Embodiment 1

[0037] In this embodiment, if Figure 1 As shown, an intelligent rotating anti-snoring pillow comprises: a rotating curved surface 1, a transmission bearing 2, a power supply, an air bag, a motor, a control board and a chassis 7. The power supply, the air bag, the motor and the control board are not marked in the figure.

[0038] The rotating curved surface 1 is fixed to the transmission bearing 2, the transmission bearing 2 is fixed on the chassis 7, and is connected to the motor using a gear transmission mechanism; the motor controls the transmission bearing 2 through the gear transmission mechanism, and then controls the rotating curved surface 1, and the rotating curved surface 1 controls the posture angle of the user's head by changing its position; the airbag is installed in the middle hollow part of the transmission bearing 2, and the airbag controls the user's head to lie flat and lean back by inflation and deflation; the power supply is electrically connected to the motor, the airbag and the control board to supply power to the motor, the airbag and the control board; the control board is used to control the working conditions of the motor and the airbag.

[0039] In this embodiment, once the system determines that the head posture needs to be adjusted, the control logic will instruct the motor to start. The motor will drive the rotating surface 1 to rotate accordingly to change the user's head posture. The angle and direction of rotation will be accurately calculated according to the specific situation of the user to ensure the effectiveness and comfort of the adjustment. At the same time, the system will control the inflation and deflation of the airbag. The adjustment of the airbag can provide additional support to help the user's head maintain a new posture. The inflation and deflation volume of the airbag will be dynamically adjusted according to the user's weight, head posture and comfort feedback to ensure the user's comfort in the new posture.

[0040] Embodiment 2

[0041] In this embodiment, a design method of a smart rotating anti-snoring pillow includes the following steps:

[0042] Collect point cloud data of the user's head and generate a three-dimensional model of the head. Scan the user's head with a 3D scanner to obtain point cloud data, and generate a three-dimensional model of the user's head based on the point cloud data. In this embodiment, a laser radar or a 3D scanner is used to collect point cloud data of the user's head to generate a three-dimensional model of the head. Existing head model data sets can also be used to ensure that the model accurately captures the key shape features of the head, especially the posture of the cervical spine area.

[0043] The 3D head model is sliced, and a pillow surface is generated based on the sliced ​​area. The 3D model is sliced ​​to obtain a number of horizontal slices from the ear roots to the chin area, and a pillow surface is generated based on the sliced ​​data through Boolean operations. In this embodiment, the head point cloud data is sliced, and the step length d is set to 1 cm to generate a series of horizontal slices from the ear roots to the chin area. Specifically:

[0044] (I) Algorithm 1 generates the head slice area:

[0045] Input: plane object P, head model object H, step d = 1 cm, starting position Z, ending position E; output: slice area S.

[0046] Step 1: Initialize the slice area S as an empty set, which means that before starting the process, no head slice area has been generated; Step 2: Move the position of the plane object P to the starting position Z. This step is to ensure that the starting position of the slice is aligned with the corresponding part of the head model H so that the subsequent Boolean operation can be performed correctly; Step 3: Apply the Boolean modifier to the plane object P and set the target object to the head model H. The purpose of this operation is to cut out the part that intersects with the plane object P from the head model H through a Boolean operation (intersection, union, or difference). After applying the changes, the plane object P will only retain the area that intersects with the head model H, forming a New slice area; Step 4: Add the currently generated new slice area to the slice set S. This step is to store each generated slice area in the set S for subsequent use or analysis; Step 5: Reduce the height of the starting position Z by one step d (1 cm). This step is to prepare for the generation of the next slice area and ensure that the height interval of each slice is fixed, so as to obtain slices of different heights; Repeat steps 2 to 5 until the end position E is reached, which means that the algorithm will continue to generate slice areas until all predetermined height intervals are processed. Each cycle will generate a new slice area and add it to the set S. Through the above steps, the algorithm can generate a series of slice areas S from the head model H, which represent the plane parts that intersect with the head model at different heights. Each slice data will be used to generate the pillow surface; This step is implemented by Boolean operation (Boolean Modifier), and the sliced ​​head model is used as the basis for subsequent calculations.

[0047] The natural rotation path of the head is calculated based on the slice area, and the natural rotation path of the head in each slice area is connected to form a closed surface to obtain a three-dimensional model of the rotation surface 1.

[0048] The method for obtaining a three-dimensional model of a rotation surface 1 includes: calculating a rotation path of each slice area based on points on the slice area; connecting the rotation paths, creating a mesh plane and adjusting the height of each vertex to obtain a rotation path plane; optimizing the rotation path using a smoothing modifier and a subdivision modifier to obtain a rotation path plane; and generating a three-dimensional model of the rotation surface 1 based on the rotation path plane.

[0049] In this embodiment, based on the point set of each slice, the rotation path of the head area of ​​each slice is calculated with the center of the neck as the rotation axis, and a special path generation algorithm is used to calculate a path that allows the head to rotate naturally. Each path point set is connected, and a mesh plane is created and the height of each vertex is adjusted to generate a complete surface path. The algorithm generates a smooth surface based on the natural rotation center of the head and its geometric characteristics, ensuring that the pillow surface fits the shape of the head perfectly. Specifically:

[0050] (II) Algorithm 2 Generate Path from Slice

[0051] In order to design a pillow that adapts to the human head in both supine and side-lying postures, it is crucial to consider the shape and rotational properties of the head. It is important to note that a horizontal cross-section of the human head resembles a cam, while its center of rotation is different from its geometric center. Therefore, to achieve this goal, the problem is broken down into smaller sub-problems, focusing on each slice head region. For each slice of the head, a set of points, called a "path", is calculated, which enables the specified slice head region to roll on it while keeping the neck center stable. Considering that at some specific coordinate x with respect to the head model, the vertical height of the surface that the head contacts in different postures is p(x), and the distance from the vertex on the edge of the slice head region to the neck center is r(x). We can also express r in polar coordinates as r(θ). Two equations must always be satisfied:

[0052] p(x)+r(x)=H (1)

[0053] dx=r(θ)dθ (2)

[0054] Formula (1) indicates that at position x, the sum of the height p(x) and the distance r(x) from this position to the center of the neck is equal to a constant H. In other words, this equation ensures that at each position x, the height of the road surface plus the distance from the edge of the head to the center of the neck is exactly equal to the ideal support height H of the head, which is to ensure that the relationship between the contact surface of the head and the pillow remains consistent in different postures, thereby providing appropriate support. Formula (2) represents the relationship between the position change dx and the angle change dθ when the edge point of the head rolls on the slice area in the polar coordinate system. r(θ) refers to the distance from the edge of the head to the center of the neck at angle θ. This formula is used to describe the corresponding horizontal displacement on the slice area when the head rotates, ensuring that the movement of the head on the pillow is smooth and can adapt to different postures. Through these two equations, formula (1) and formula (2), it is possible to calculate how the design of the pillow can adapt to the shape and rotation characteristics of the human head at different positions and angles. Specifically, this will help design a pillow that can provide appropriate support in both supine and side-lying postures, ensuring the stability and comfort of the neck. Through these calculations, designers can generate pillow surfaces that are suitable for different head shapes and postures, thereby achieving a better user experience. By using this algorithm, we can generate a suitable set of path points for any given human head area. Specifically: Input: initial point A, slice area S, slice area neck center point O; Output: Desired Road R.

[0055] Step 1: Initialize an empty set R to store the generated path points. This set will eventually contain all the calculated path points for subsequent use. Step 2: Select a starting point A and sort the point set S. The sorting can be counterclockwise or clockwise, depending on the design requirements or the direction of movement of the head. The purpose of this step is to prepare for subsequent path generation. Step 3: Select the next node B from the sorted point set S and calculate the angle dθ between point A, O (neck center) and B. This angle represents the angle required for the head to rotate from position A to position B. Step 4: Calculate the distance r from point A to the neck center O, and calculate the distance s moved along the path (i.e., the product of r and dθ) based on the angle dθ. This distance s will be used to determine the step length of the path; Step 5: According to the current direction of movement (counterclockwise or relative to the -x axis), move the path point R along the +x axis by a distance s. This step ensures that the generated path point is in the correct direction; Step 6: Add the newly calculated point [0, -r] to the set R. This point represents the coordinates of the head position relative to the center of the neck under the current head posture; Step 7: According to the rotation direction selected in step 2 (counterclockwise or clockwise), rotate all points in the point set S by an angle of dθ around the center of the neck O. This step is to update the point set S to adapt it to the new posture of the head; Step 8: Update the current point A to B, prepare for the next round of iteration, the algorithm will return to step 3, continue to select the next node B and calculate the new angle dθ until the accumulated angle dθ reaches π, indicating that a full half-circle rotation has been completed. Through the above steps, the algorithm starts from an initial point and gradually generates a series of path points that simulate the movement trajectory of the head in different postures. These steps ensure the smoothness and adaptability of the path by selecting, sorting, calculating angles and distances, thereby providing the necessary data support for designing a pillow suitable for the human head.

[0056] Create a mesh plane and adjust the height of each vertex to generate a complete surface path. Specifically:

[0057] (III) Algorithm 3 Generate a plane from a path

[0058] Input: Point set of Roads S; Output: Required plane R.

[0059] Step 1: Initialize a plane mesh R so that its size matches the height and width of the point set S. The purpose of this step is to create a basic mesh structure so that subsequent operations can be performed on this mesh; Step 2: R will be used as the final generated path surface. A point P is selected from the plane mesh R. This point P will be used as the mesh vertex currently being processed. It will be adjusted based on the data in the point set S. The process of selecting P may be performed point by point to ensure that each mesh point can be processed; Step 3: Find the node Q closest to the current point P in the point set S. The purpose of this step is to find the point of the head shape corresponding to P so that its height information can be applied to P. In this way, each vertex of R can correspond to a point in S; Step 4: Set the height of point P to the same height as Q, which means that the head shape information in S is passed to the mesh vertices of R, thereby ensuring that the generated mesh can accurately reflect the shape and contour of the head. Repeat steps 2 and 3 until all vertices in R are processed and set to the corresponding heights. This cycle ensures that the entire plane mesh R is updated to match the shape features of the point set S. Through the above steps, the algorithm starts from an initial plane mesh and gradually adjusts the height of each mesh vertex to match the shape of the head; Step 6: Through smoothing, a smooth surface that conforms to the contour of the human head is generated, which provides a basis for subsequent pillow design. This process ensures that the design of the pillow can effectively adapt to different head shapes, thereby improving the comfort of the user. Afterwards, the smoothing modifier and subdivision modifier are used to optimize the presented rotation path to obtain the rotation path plane; based on the rotation path plane, a three-dimensional model of the rotation surface 1 is generated, such as Figure 2 shown.

[0060] The transmission bearing 2 is designed using the three-dimensional model of the rotation surface 1. Based on the three-dimensional models of the pillow surface and the rotation surface 1, the pillow and the rotation surface 1 are manufactured by 3D printing technology.

[0061] An airbag structure is designed and installed on the back of the pillow to control the supine and tilted positions of the user's head. The height of the airbag is adjusted by dynamic inflation or deflation to ensure balanced support for the head in different positions. The airbag can adjust the user's head position in real time according to the snoring condition, thereby effectively alleviating snoring symptoms.

[0062] Embodiment 3

[0063] In this embodiment, 10 test subjects were recruited to conduct experiments on the anti-snoring pillow.

[0064] In the actual test, the degree to which the subject's head tilts to the left or right after the rotation surface 1 is rotated to a specific angle is studied. When the rotation reaches the maximum angle, the actual tilt angle of the human head is different from the simulation result. In the simulation environment, the posture angle of the human head can be tilted from 90° to 23°, and the resulting angle change is 67°. However, in the actual test, the maximum change in the head posture angle during the rotation process is 54° on average. However, the research conducted by Shi Nee Tan et al. shows that the anti-snoring pillow of the present invention still has a significant effect on improving airway obstruction because it can greatly change the posture of the human head.

[0065] At the same time, this embodiment evaluates the accuracy of the rotating curved surface 1 anti-snoring pillow in controlling the head posture. By repeatedly rotating the disk clockwise and then counterclockwise, it is ensured that the human head is always aligned vertically upward each time it returns to the starting position.

[0066] In addition, this embodiment also evaluates the ability of the prototype to adjust the head posture. The support of the back of the human head is adjusted by inflating or deflating the airbag, thereby affecting its tilt. The experimental results demonstrate that the present invention can tilt the human head posture backward by an average of 20°. Consistent with the results of Ahn et al., tilting the human head backward by 15° increases the oropharyngeal area by more than 50%, while a 25° tilt results in an increase of more than 70%.

[0067] The embodiments described above are only descriptions of the preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Without departing from the design spirit of the present invention, various modifications and improvements made to the technical solutions of the present invention by ordinary technicians in this field should all fall within the protection scope determined by the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. An intelligent rotating anti-snoring pillow, characterized in that: include: Rotating surfaces, transmission bearings, power supplies, air bags, motors, control panels and chassis; The rotating curved surface is fixed to the transmission bearing, and the transmission bearing is fixed to the chassis and connected to the motor using a gear transmission mechanism; The motor controls the transmission bearing through the gear transmission mechanism, thereby controlling the rotating curved surface, and the rotating curved surface controls the posture angle of the user's head by changing its position; The airbag is installed in the middle hollow of the transmission bearing, and the airbag controls the user's head to lie flat or lean back by inflation and deflation; The power supply is electrically connected to the motor, the airbag and the control board to supply power to the motor, the airbag and the control board; The control board is used to control the working conditions of the motor and the airbag.

2. A design method for an intelligent rotating anti-snoring pillow, the design method being used to design the intelligent rotating anti-snoring pillow according to claim 1, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: Collect point cloud data of the user's head and generate a three-dimensional model of the head; Slicing the three-dimensional head model and generating a pillow curved surface based on the sliced ​​area, wherein the pillow curved surface is a contact surface between the user's head and the pillow; Calculating a natural rotation path of the head based on the sliced ​​area, and connecting the natural rotation path of the head in each sliced ​​area to form a closed surface, thereby obtaining a three-dimensional model of a rotational curved surface; Designing the transmission bearing using the three-dimensional model of the rotating curved surface; Based on the three-dimensional models of the pillow curved surface and the rotation curved surface, the pillow and the rotation curved surface are manufactured by 3D printing technology.

3. The design method of a smart rotating anti-snoring pillow according to claim 2 is characterized in that: The user's head is scanned using a 3D scanner to obtain the point cloud data, and the three-dimensional model of the user's head is generated based on the point cloud data.

4. The design method of a smart rotating anti-snoring pillow according to claim 2 is characterized in that: The three-dimensional model is sliced ​​to obtain a plurality of horizontal slices from the ear roots to the chin area, and the pillow surface is generated based on the sliced ​​data through Boolean operations.

5. The design method of a smart rotating anti-snoring pillow according to claim 2 is characterized in that: The method for obtaining the three-dimensional model of the rotational surface includes: Based on the points on the slice area, calculating the rotation path of each of the slice areas; Connect the rotation paths, create a grid plane and adjust the height of each vertex to obtain a rotation path plane; Use a smooth modifier and a subdivision modifier to optimize the presented rotation path to obtain a rotation path plane; A three-dimensional model of a rotating curved surface is generated based on the rotating path plane.

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