An adjustable support neck pillow with self-inflating and double-layer dynamic support system

Abstract

The application discloses an adjustable supporting neck pillow with self-inflating and double-layer dynamic supporting system, which comprises an upper air cushion unit and a lower air bag unit arranged in a vertical stack, and the two units jointly form a double-layer supporting body; an interlayer airflow guide assembly is arranged between the upper and lower units, the assembly comprises a guide air path provided with a one-way valve structure and a constant-passing type flow-limiting air path; the neck pillow body is provided with a double-mode air inlet valve in communication with the upper air cushion unit, and has two working positions of self-inflating and sealing. When the head is locally pressed, the gas flows into the lower layer through the guide air path to disperse the instantaneous concentrated load; after the load is stable, the gas slowly returns through the flow-limiting air path to compensate the supporting force, thereby forming a dynamically adaptive graded supporting state. The application can effectively reduce the peak value of local pressure on the neck and shoulder, realize self-inflating with health and convenience, improve the dynamic supporting stability and the adjusting precision, and adapt to the use requirements in multiple scenes.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of ergonomic support products and gas support control technology, and more specifically, to an adjustable support neck pillow with a self-inflating and dual-layer dynamic support system. Background Technology

[0002] With the increasing prevalence of business travel and sedentary office work, the demand for U-shaped neck pillows, as a common support product for relieving neck fatigue and maintaining the physiological curvature of the cervical spine, continues to rise. Existing neck pillow products are mainly divided into two categories: memory foam solid neck pillows and inflatable neck pillows. Memory foam neck pillows offer basic fit, but their continuous solid material structure leads to concentrated load transfer under stress, making them prone to localized collapse and pressure concentration issues. Furthermore, their fixed size makes them inconvenient to store, failing to meet the needs of travel. Inflatable neck pillows, while offering portability, generally use a single airbag structure. The internal air is transmitted as a whole under stress, easily creating localized high-pressure areas in the neck and shoulders when head posture changes or weight is applied, resulting in insufficient support stability and comfort.

[0003] To address the aforementioned issues, existing technologies have introduced dual-layer inflatable neck pillow solutions. These utilize upper and lower airbags with a one-way valve for inflation adjustment. However, their airflow only supports unidirectional gas transmission, allowing for height adjustment only in the initial inflation state. They cannot dynamically adapt to changes in head pressure. When the head continuously presses on a localized area, the outflowing gas cannot compensate, easily leading to insufficient support and excessive collapse in the pressure area. Furthermore, existing inflatable neck pillows have limited valve functionality, relying heavily on mouth inflation or external air sources, resulting in poor hygiene. The dual-layer structure, consisting entirely of airbags, fails to achieve a balanced balance of stable support and comfortable fit. Moreover, existing inflation valves cannot prevent the internal rebound material from sticking to the valve opening during inhalation, causing airflow blockage. This results in insufficient inflation / deflation efficiency and product reliability, and the pressure adjustment accuracy is insufficient to meet personalized support needs. Overall, existing technologies have not yet developed a neck pillow solution that simultaneously achieves convenient self-inflation, tiered support, dynamic pressure adaptation, and structural reliability. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present invention provides an adjustable support neck pillow with self-inflation and a double-layer dynamic support system. The problem to be solved is that existing inflatable neck pillows cannot simultaneously achieve hygienic and convenient self-inflation, graded and dispersed support effect, and dynamic adaptation to the support performance according to the stress state. Moreover, the existing self-inflation valve is prone to internal blockage and has a single functional mode. The double-layer air circuit structure can only achieve unidirectional gas conduction and cannot compensate for the support force in the pressure area after the load stabilizes. As a result, the neck pillow has local pressure concentration, insufficient support stability, and poor convenience and reliability in dynamic use scenarios.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: An adjustable neck pillow with a self-inflating and dual-layer dynamic support system includes a neck pillow body. The neck pillow body comprises an upper air cushion unit and a lower air bladder unit stacked vertically, together forming a dual-layer support structure. An interlayer airflow guiding component is provided between the upper air cushion unit and the lower air bladder unit. The interlayer airflow guiding component includes a guiding air path and a limiting air path. A one-way valve structure is provided in the guiding air path, which restricts gas flow only from the upper air cushion unit to the lower air bladder unit. The limiting air path is a constant-flow air path used to achieve unidirectional flow between the upper air cushion unit and the lower air bladder unit. Gas flows slowly in both directions between the airbag units. The neck pillow body is equipped with a dual-mode air intake valve, which has a self-inflating working position and a sealing working position. In the self-inflating working position, automatic air intake can be achieved by means of the elastic rebound of the upper air cushion unit. In the sealing working position, the air passage is sealed. When the head load is applied to a local area of ​​the upper air cushion unit, the gas in the pressure area flows quickly into the lower airbag unit through the guide air passage to disperse the instantaneous concentrated load. When the load state stabilizes, the gas can slowly flow back to the pressure area through the flow-limiting air passage to compensate for the support force, thereby forming a dynamically adapted graded support state.

[0006] Furthermore, the upper air cushion unit is filled with a biomimetic honeycomb structure porous elastic material with an open porosity of 90% to 98%. The rebound properties of the porous elastic material provide the driving force for the self-inflation process of the dual-mode air intake valve.

[0007] Furthermore, the opening and closing pressure of the one-way valve structure is 0.1kPa to 1.5kPa. When the upper air cushion unit is pressurized to the opening and closing pressure, the guiding air path is opened, and the gas flows from the upper air cushion unit into the lower airbag unit in one direction.

[0008] Furthermore, the dual-mode intake valve includes a valve body, a fixed cylinder, and a flexible valve core. The fixed cylinder is located inside the valve body, and the flexible valve core is sleeved on the fixed cylinder. The fixed cylinder is provided with at least two layers of locking structures. When the flexible valve core is locked in different locking positions, it corresponds to the self-inflating working position and the sealing working position, respectively.

[0009] Furthermore, there are two dual-mode air intake valves, which are connected to the upper air cushion unit and the lower airbag unit respectively; The dual-mode air intake valve, which is connected to the upper air cushion unit, has its elastic valve core engaged in the first-layer locking position. There is a reserved amount of movement between the elastic valve core and the valve port. When the upper air cushion unit is pressed, the internal air pressure increases, pushing the elastic valve core to move towards the valve port and close, preventing gas backflow. After releasing the press, the upper air cushion unit rebounds and generates negative pressure, and the elastic valve core automatically opens to draw in external air. The inflation process can be completed by repeatedly pressing the valve core. The dual-mode air intake valve, which is connected to the lower airbag unit, has its elastic valve core engaged in the second-layer locking position. The elastic valve core is tightly fitted to the valve port and is in a sealed working position. The support height of the lower airbag unit can be adjusted within the range of 0cm to 8cm.

[0010] Furthermore, an inner extension structure is provided at the end of the valve body facing the inside of the neck pillow body. The inner extension structure forms an airflow buffer space between the inner port of the air valve and the filling material of the upper air cushion unit, which is used to prevent the filling material from sticking to the valve port and causing air passage blockage.

[0011] Furthermore, the flow-limiting gas path is a microporous structure, a narrow slit structure, or a capillary channel structure, and the gas flow capacity of the flow-limiting gas path is less than that of the flow-guiding gas path.

[0012] Furthermore, the neck pillow body adopts an asymmetrical curved surface structure that is higher in the front and lower in the back, which is used to guide the head load to tilt onto the double-layer support body, promoting the spread and even distribution of the load.

[0013] Furthermore, the neck pillow body has detachable connection structures at both ends. The connection structures are magnetic, snap-on, or latch-on, which are used to adjust the opening circumference of the neck pillow and improve wearing stability.

[0014] Furthermore, by adjusting the gas pressure distribution between the upper air cushion unit and the lower air bladder unit, the neck pillow can be switched to at least one of the following usage modes: neck support mode, lumbar support mode, and prone support mode.

[0015] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: This invention utilizes a dual-air-path structure consisting of an upper and lower double-layer support body and a flow-guiding air path and a flow-limiting air path to achieve a dynamic adjustment mechanism that rapidly disperses load under instantaneous pressure and slowly compensates for steady-state stress through backflow. The head load is evenly distributed after being transmitted in stages, effectively reducing the local pressure peak of the neck and shoulders, adapting to changes in head posture, and improving the comfort and support stability of long-term wear.

[0016] This invention employs a dual-mode air intake valve in conjunction with the rebound characteristics of the upper porous elastic material, enabling automatic inflation without the need for an external air source or mouth blowing, simplifying operation and avoiding hygiene hazards; the dual-station design is adapted to both the self-inflation process and the sealed pressure-holding state, taking into account both inflation efficiency and sealing reliability.

[0017] The air intake valve of this invention is equipped with an inner extension buffer structure, which forms a stable airflow space between the valve port and the internal filling material. This effectively avoids the air passage blockage caused by the rebound material sticking to the valve port, ensuring a smooth inflation and deflation process and extending the product's service life.

[0018] The lower airbag unit of this invention can achieve precise adjustment of support height and air pressure through a dual-mode air intake valve, adapting to different cervical curvatures and personalized support needs; the overall structure is lightweight and easy to store, and can switch between multiple support modes, making it suitable for various scenarios such as travel, office, and rest. Attached Figure Description

[0019] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an adjustable support neck pillow with a self-inflating and double-layer dynamic support system according to the present invention.

[0020] Figure 2 For the present invention Figure 1 Internal structure diagram.

[0021] Figure 3 This is a gas flow diagram for an adjustable support neck pillow with a self-inflating and double-layer dynamic support system according to the present invention.

[0022] Figure 4 This is a diagram illustrating the use of an adjustable support neck pillow with a self-inflating and double-layer dynamic support system according to the present invention.

[0023] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the dual-mode intake valve in this invention.

[0024] Figure 6 This is a side view of the dual-mode intake valve of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the elastic valve core in the dual-mode intake valve of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 8 This is a cross-sectional view of the elastic valve core in the dual-mode intake valve of the present invention.

[0027] In the diagram: 1-Neck pillow body; 2-Upper air cushion unit; 3-Lower airbag unit; 4-Dual-mode air intake valve; 5-Guiding air path; 6-Valve body; 7-Fixed cylinder; 8-Elastic valve core; 9-First layer locking position; 10-Second layer locking position; 11-Inner extension end structure; 12-Connecting structure; 13-One-way valve structure; 14-Flow limiting air path. Detailed Implementation

[0028] The present application will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the following specific embodiments are only used to further illustrate the present application and should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the present application. Those skilled in the art can make some non-essential improvements and adjustments to the present application based on the above application content.

[0029] like Figures 1 to 8As shown, this embodiment provides an adjustable support neck pillow with a self-inflating and dual-layer dynamic support system. The overall structure is U-shaped and includes a neck pillow body 1. The neck pillow body 1 is composed of an upper air cushion unit 2 and a lower air bladder unit 3 stacked vertically to form a dual-layer support body, and is covered with a removable and washable cooling antibacterial pillowcase. The upper air cushion unit 2 is a buffer layer that directly contacts the head and neck, and the lower air bladder unit 3 is the main support layer. An interlayer airflow guiding component is provided between the two. The sides of the neck pillow body 1 are respectively provided with dual-mode air intake valves 4 that communicate with the upper air cushion unit 2 and the lower air bladder unit 3.

[0030] The upper air cushion unit 2 is filled with a biomimetic honeycomb structure of porous elastic material. In this embodiment, silicone sponge with an open porosity of 95±3% is preferred. This material combines high resilience with a porous structure. On the one hand, the independent porous honeycomb units can initially disperse the instantaneous impact load when pressure is applied to the head, converting the concentrated point load into a surface load and reducing the local stress peak from the source. On the other hand, when the dual-mode air intake valve 4 is open, the negative pressure generated by the material's own rebound can automatically draw in external air, forming the power source for the self-inflating structure, which can complete inflation without an external air source or mouth blowing.

[0031] The lower airbag unit 3 is a sealed airbag structure, serving as the main support layer. It bears the load dispersed by the upper air cushion unit 2 and further evenly distributes the load through the flow of internal gas, avoiding discomfort caused by single-point pressure. The lower airbag unit 3 uses a dual-mode air intake valve 4 for air pressure regulation, with an accuracy of ±0.3psi. By adjusting the internal air volume, the support height can be continuously varied within the range of 0cm to 8cm, adapting to personalized support needs under different cervical curvatures and usage postures.

[0032] In this embodiment, the overall height of the adjustable neck pillow is 3-12cm.

[0033] The interlayer airflow conduction component is located between the upper air cushion unit 2 and the lower airbag unit 3. It includes two types of airflow channels: the guiding air path 5 and the limiting air path 14, which together realize the graded conduction and dynamic adjustment of gas.

[0034] The airflow path 5 is equipped with a one-way valve structure 13. The one-way valve is made of medical-grade silicone and has an opening and closing pressure of 0.1 to 1.5 kPa, which limits the gas flow to the lower airbag unit 3 only from the upper air cushion unit 2. When the head is rapidly compressed and the local pressure in the upper layer reaches the opening and closing pressure, the one-way valve opens, and the gas in the compressed area flows rapidly into the lower airbag unit 3 through the airflow path 5, realizing rapid load distribution and avoiding discomfort in the neck and shoulders caused by instantaneous high pressure.

[0035] The flow-limiting air passage 14 is a constant-flow air passage, which can adopt a microporous structure, a narrow slit structure, or a capillary air passage structure. Its gas flow capacity is much smaller than that of the guiding air passage 5, which can realize slow bidirectional gas flow between the upper and lower layers. When the head load tends to stabilize and the pressure difference between the upper and lower layers decreases, the one-way valve closes and the guiding air passage 5 stops the large-flow gas conduction. At this time, the gas in the lower airbag unit 3 can slowly flow back to the upper pressure area through the flow-limiting air passage 14 to compensate for the support force in this area and prevent the pressure area from continuously collapsing, thereby forming a support effect that dynamically adapts to the stress state.

[0036] Two dual-mode air intake valves 4 are installed on the side of the neck pillow body 1 and are respectively connected to the upper air cushion unit 2 and the lower airbag unit 3. Each valve includes a valve body 6, a fixed cylinder 7, and a flexible valve core 8. The fixed cylinder 7 is axially positioned inside the valve body 6. The flexible valve core 8, made of silicone gasket material, is fitted onto the fixed cylinder 7. The fixed cylinder 7 has at least two layers of locking structures; when the flexible valve core 8 is engaged in different positions, it corresponds to two different operating modes.

[0037] The dual-mode air intake valve 4, which is connected to the upper air cushion unit 2, has its elastic valve core engaged in the first-layer locking position 9. There is a reserved amount of movement between the elastic valve core and the valve port. It is in the self-inflating working position: when the upper air cushion unit 2 is pressed, the internal air pressure increases and pushes the elastic valve core to move towards the valve port and close, preventing gas backflow; after releasing the press, the porous elastic material rebounds and generates negative pressure, and the elastic valve core automatically opens to draw in external air. The inflation process can be completed by repeatedly pressing.

[0038] A dual-mode air intake valve 4 is connected to the lower airbag unit 3. Its elastic valve core engages with the second-layer locking position 10, and the elastic valve core is tightly fitted to the valve port, in a sealed working position, which can maintain the air pressure stability of the lower airbag unit 3. It can achieve a reliable seal when used with the valve cover; at the same time, a small amount of air can be released by pressing the center of the elastic valve core, and the support height and rigidity of the lower airbag unit 3 can be adjusted.

[0039] The valve body 6 has an inner extension structure 11 at one end facing the inside of the neck pillow body 1, which forms an airflow buffer space between the inner port of the air valve and the upper porous elastic material, preventing the material from directly sticking to the valve port during the rebound or compression process and causing air passage blockage, thus ensuring a smooth and stable inflation and deflation process.

[0040] The neck pillow body 1 adopts an asymmetrical curved surface structure that is higher in the front and lower in the back, so that the weight of the head is applied to the double-layer support body in an inclined manner, guiding the load to be transmitted and spread along a preset path, which better conforms to the natural physiological curvature of the human cervical spine. The two ends of the neck pillow body 1 are provided with detachable connection structures 12, which can adopt magnetic, snap-on, or fastening structures to adjust the opening circumference of the neck pillow to adapt to different neck circumference sizes, while improving stability during wearing.

[0041] By adjusting the gas pressure and distribution of the upper air cushion unit 2 and the lower air bladder unit 3, this neck pillow can be switched to multiple usage modes: in its normal state, it is a neck support mode, suitable for travel and office sitting scenarios; after adjusting the air volume, it can be used as a lumbar support mode for chair back support; it can also be adjusted to a prone sleeping support mode, suitable for desktop rest scenarios.

[0042] The specific working process of this embodiment is as follows: Inflation adjustment stage: By adjusting the dual-mode air intake valve 4 connected to the upper air cushion unit 2 to the self-inflation working position, the porous elastic material in the upper air cushion unit 2 automatically rebounds and draws in air, completing the initial expansion; the user repeatedly presses the upper air cushion unit 2, and the gas flows continuously into the lower air bladder unit 3 through the one-way valve, causing the lower air bladder unit 3 to gradually rise to near the target support height; the lower air pressure is finely adjusted by the dual-mode air intake valve 4 connected to the lower air bladder unit 3 until the support height and firmness reach a comfortable state.

[0043] Dynamic support phase: When the head leans against the neck pillow and is subjected to rapid localized pressure, the honeycomb structure of the upper air cushion unit 2 first disperses the instantaneous impact force. At the same time, the air pressure in the pressure area rises rapidly. After reaching the opening and closing pressure of the one-way valve, the gas flows rapidly into the lower airbag unit 3 through the guide air path 5. The load is spread to a larger support area by the gas conduction, avoiding localized high pressure. When the head posture stabilizes and the pressure tends to ease, the one-way valve closes, and the lower air slowly flows back to the upper pressure area through the flow-limiting air path 14, gradually compensating for the support force in that area and making the pressure distribution on the head and neck contact surface tend to be uniform. When the user turns their head or adjusts their posture, causing the force position to change, the system will repeat the above process of rapid dispersion with high flow rate and slow compensation with low flow rate, always maintaining a support state that adapts to the current posture.

[0044] Tests have shown that the neck pillow in this embodiment can effectively reduce local pressure on the cervical spine by about 20% to 35%, and its overall weight is about 270g, combining good support performance with portability.

[0045] Meanwhile, this application can be applied to neck pillows, lumbar supports, or pillows by switching between neck support mode, lumbar support mode, and prone support mode to achieve the above effects.

[0046] The above embodiments merely illustrate several implementation methods of the present invention, and their descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, but they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention, and these all fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An adjustable neck support pillow with a self-inflating and dual-layer dynamic support system, comprising a neck pillow body, characterized in that: The neck pillow body includes an upper air cushion unit and a lower air bladder unit stacked vertically, together forming a double-layer support structure. An interlayer airflow guiding component is provided between the upper air cushion unit and the lower air bladder unit. This component includes a guiding air path and a limiting air path. The guiding air path includes a one-way valve structure, which restricts gas flow only from the upper air cushion unit to the lower air bladder unit. The limiting air path is a constant-flow air path, used to achieve slow bidirectional gas flow between the upper air cushion unit and the lower air bladder unit. The neck pillow body is equipped with a dual-mode air intake valve, which has a self-inflating working position and a sealing working position. In the self-inflating working position, it can automatically draw in air by means of the elastic rebound of the upper air cushion unit. In the sealing working position, it can seal the air passage. When the head load is applied to a local area of ​​the upper air cushion unit, the gas in the pressurized area flows into the lower airbag unit quickly through the guide air passage to disperse the instantaneous concentrated load. When the load state stabilizes, the gas can slowly flow back to the pressurized area through the flow-limiting air passage to compensate for the support force, thereby forming a dynamically adapted graded support state.

2. The adjustable support neck pillow with self-inflating and double-layer dynamic support system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper air cushion unit is filled with a biomimetic honeycomb structure porous elastic material with an open porosity of 90% to 98%. The rebound characteristics of the porous elastic material provide driving force for the self-inflation process of the dual-mode air intake valve.

3. The adjustable support neck pillow with a self-inflating and double-layer dynamic support system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The opening and closing pressure of the one-way valve structure is 0.1kPa to 1.5kPa. When the upper air cushion unit is pressurized to the opening and closing pressure, the guiding air path is opened, and the gas flows unidirectionally from the upper air cushion unit into the lower airbag unit.

4. The adjustable support neck pillow with a self-inflating and double-layer dynamic support system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The dual-mode intake valve includes a valve body, a fixed cylinder, and a flexible valve core. The fixed cylinder is disposed inside the valve body, and the flexible valve core is sleeved on the fixed cylinder. The fixed cylinder is provided with at least two layers of locking structures. When the flexible valve core is engaged in different locking positions, it corresponds to the self-inflating working position and the sealing working position, respectively.

5. An adjustable neck support pillow with a self-inflating and double-layer dynamic support system according to claim 4, characterized in that: The dual-mode air intake valve is provided in two parts, which are respectively connected to the upper air cushion unit and the lower airbag unit; The dual-mode air intake valve, connected to the upper air cushion unit, has its elastic valve core engaged in the first locking position. A margin of movement is allowed between the elastic valve core and the valve opening. In the self-inflating working position, pressing the upper air cushion unit increases internal air pressure, pushing the elastic valve core towards the valve opening and closing it to prevent backflow of gas. Releasing the pressure causes the upper air cushion unit to rebound, generating negative pressure, and the elastic valve core automatically opens to draw in external air. Repeated pressing completes the inflation process. The dual-mode air intake valve, connected to the lower airbag unit, has its elastic valve core engaged in the second locking position. The elastic valve core fits tightly against the valve opening and is in the sealed working position. The support height of the lower airbag unit can be adjusted within the range of 0cm to 8cm.

6. An adjustable support neck pillow with a self-inflating and double-layer dynamic support system according to claim 5, characterized in that: The valve body has an inner extension structure at one end facing the inside of the neck pillow body. The inner extension structure forms an airflow buffer space between the inner port of the air valve and the filling material of the upper air cushion unit, which is used to prevent the filling material from sticking to the valve port and causing air passage blockage.

7. An adjustable neck support pillow with a self-inflating and double-layer dynamic support system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The flow-limiting gas path is a microporous structure, a narrow slit structure, or a capillary gas channel structure, and the gas flow capacity of the flow-limiting gas path is less than that of the flow-guiding gas path.

8. An adjustable neck support pillow with a self-inflating and double-layer dynamic support system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The neck pillow body adopts an asymmetrical curved surface structure that is higher in the front and lower in the back, which is used to guide the head load to tilt onto the double-layer support body, promoting the spread and even distribution of the load.

9. An adjustable neck support pillow with a self-inflating and double-layer dynamic support system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The neck pillow body has detachable connection structures at both ends. These connection structures can be magnetic, snap-on, or buckle-on, and are used to adjust the opening circumference of the neck pillow and improve wearing stability.

10. An adjustable support neck pillow with a self-inflating and double-layer dynamic support system according to claim 1, characterized in that: By adjusting the gas pressure distribution between the upper air cushion unit and the lower air bladder unit, the neck pillow can be switched to at least one of the following usage modes: neck support mode, lumbar support mode, and prone sleeping support mode.

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