Movement for a sleep pillow and sleep pillow

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a movement for a sleep pillow and a sleep pillow. The movement comprises a crank, a driving mechanism coupled to the crank to drive the crank to rotate, a follower bar movably coupled to the crank and moving with rotation of the crank, a slider movably coupled to the follower bar, a guide slot extending from an upper surface of the movement to an interior of the movement for accommodating at least a portion of the slider, and the guide slot for guiding the slider to reciprocate with movement of the follower bar while limiting lateral movement of the slider, and an executing mechanism covering at least a portion of the upper surface of the movement and connected with the slider so as to reciprocate with reciprocation of the slider.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of sleep, and more specifically to a movement and a sleep pillow including the movement. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, there is a type of sleep pillow on the market that uses guided breathing techniques—a natural, clinically proven method—to help relax and calm the user's mind, making it easier to fall asleep and improving sleep quality throughout the night. Guided breathing can evoke the body's natural relaxation response. This guided breathing can help with concentration, promote calmness, reduce stress, and thus make it easier for users to fall asleep.

[0003] A sleep pillow typically consists of a pillow core and a movement mechanism. The movement mechanism has a retractable section. The movement mechanism can expand and contract through this retractable section to undulate in accordance with the user's breathing rhythm, thereby causing the pillow core and the entire sleep pillow to undulate.

[0004] When a user hugs a sleep pillow, they can feel fluctuations in their breathing rhythm. For example, when a user's abdomen or palm touches the air cushion, they will feel the fluctuations created by the expandable parts. However, if the fluctuations are too small, the user may not feel anything. In other words, the amplitude of the fluctuations should be large enough to help the user fall asleep. Currently popular sleep pillows guide the user's breathing based on the inflation and deflation of expandable parts (e.g., air bladders). This inflation-and-deflation approach is insufficient to produce a sufficiently large fluctuation amplitude. Therefore, a new approach is needed to provide a sufficiently large fluctuation amplitude to improve the user experience. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of this disclosure is to provide an improved sleep pillow that uses a mechanical drive system to provide adjustable breathing simulation with significant fluctuations, thereby eliminating at least the aforementioned disadvantages of the prior art.

[0006] According to a first aspect of this disclosure, a movement for a sleep pillow is provided, comprising: a crank; a drive mechanism coupled to the crank to drive the crank to rotate; a driven rod movably coupled to the crank and moving with the rotation of the crank; a slider movably coupled to the driven rod; a guide groove extending from an upper surface of the movement into the movement for receiving at least a portion of the slider, and the guide groove for guiding the slider to reciprocate with the movement of the driven rod while limiting lateral movement of the slider; and an actuator covering at least a portion of the upper surface of the movement and connected to the slider to reciprocate with the reciprocating movement of the slider.

[0007] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the driven rod and the crank are movably coupled together by a first pin.

[0008] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the first end of the driven rod includes a first hole, and the crank includes a first pin that passes through the first hole to movably couple the driven rod and the crank together.

[0009] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the driven rod and the slider are movably coupled together by a second pin.

[0010] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the second end of the driven rod includes a second hole, and the slider includes a third hole extending through the slider, the second pin passing through the second hole and the third hole to movably couple the driven rod to the slider.

[0011] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the length of the crank is greater than half the amplitude of the reciprocating motion.

[0012] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the length of the crank is between 2.5 cm and 3.5 cm.

[0013] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the actuator includes a flat plate.

[0014] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the movement further includes one or more gears located between the drive mechanism and the crank for adjusting the rotational speed of the crank.

[0015] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the transmission ratio of the one or more gears is between 1:2 and 1:10.

[0016] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the movement includes a cavity for accommodating at least the drive mechanism, the crank, the driven rod, and the slider, and the cavity communicates with the guide groove.

[0017] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the mechanism further includes: a processor for controlling the drive mechanism; and a power supply unit for supplying power to the processor and the drive mechanism.

[0018] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the drive mechanism includes a motor.

[0019] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the slider and the actuator are connected together by any of the following methods: pin connection, threaded connection, and bayonet connection.

[0020] According to a second aspect of this disclosure, a sleep pillow is provided, comprising: a movement according to this disclosure; and a pillow core for enclosing the movement; wherein the surface of the pillow core is adapted to reciprocate in accompaniment to the reciprocating motion of the actuator.

[0021] This disclosure overcomes the problem of insufficient undulation amplitude in existing sleep pillows by using a mechanical drive system comprising a drive mechanism (e.g., a motor), a crank driven by the drive mechanism, a driven rod, a slider, and an actuator. This design significantly enhances the undulation amplitude, providing a more realistic breathing simulation and improving the effectiveness of the sleep pillow. During operation, the actuator can reciprocate at a certain frequency, thereby causing the surface of the sleep pillow to undulate. The frequency of this undulating motion (e.g., up-and-down movement) matches the user's breathing rate and can be adjusted according to the user's needs, improving user comfort.

[0022] It should also be understood that the content described in this disclosure section is not intended to limit the key or essential features of the embodiments of this disclosure, nor is it intended to restrict the scope of this disclosure. Other features of the embodiments of this disclosure will become readily apparent from the following description. Attached Figure Description

[0023] The above and other features, advantages, and aspects of the embodiments of this disclosure will become more apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description. In the drawings, the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements, wherein:

[0024] Figure 1 A side view of a movement according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0025] Figure 2 An exploded structural schematic diagram of a mechanical drive system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0026] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the overall structure of a mechanical drive system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0027] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of a mechanical drive system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0028] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the motion of a mechanical drive system according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0029] Figure 6 A first schematic diagram of a movement according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0030] Figure 7 A second schematic diagram of a movement according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0031] Figure 8 An exploded structural schematic diagram of a sleep pillow according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure is shown; and

[0032] Figure 9 Another exploded structural schematic diagram of a sleep pillow according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0033] Embodiments of this disclosure will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While some embodiments of this disclosure are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that this disclosure can be implemented in various forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to provide a more thorough and complete understanding of this disclosure. It should be understood that the accompanying drawings and embodiments of this disclosure are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0034] Figure 1 A side view of a movement according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 1 As shown, movement 100 has a box-shaped structure. In other embodiments, movement 100 is implemented as having an elliptical three-dimensional structure. It should be understood that movement 101 can be implemented as any suitable structure and shape.

[0035] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the movement 100 may be made of, for example, rigid plastic (e.g., ABS and PC). Further, the dimensions of the movement 100 are preferably 30cm × 20cm × 5cm. The edges of the movement 100 are flexible and variable, thereby facilitating controlled expansion and contraction.

[0036] The movement 100 has an upper housing 101 and a lower housing 102, which together define a cavity 103. This cavity 103 accommodates multiple components, such as a drive mechanism 120, a crank 110, a driven rod 130, and a slider 140. These components are interconnected. The upper housing 101 of the movement 101 has a through guide groove 160. This guide groove 160 extends from the upper surface of the movement 100 into the interior of the movement 100 and guides the reciprocating motion of the slider 140. Figure 1The slider 140 (which moves up and down reciprocatingly) restricts the lateral movement of the slider 140. A guide groove 160 is configured to communicate with the cavity 103. Further, the slider 140 is connected to the actuator 150 via the guide groove 160. Preferably, the actuator 150 is implemented in the form of a flat plate to cover at least a portion of the upper surface of the mechanism 100. Since the actuator 150 is connected to the slider 140, the movement of the slider 140 will in turn drive the movement of the actuator 150. In this disclosure, the actuator 150 and the slider 140 can be connected by any suitable mechanical connection method, such as a threaded connection, a pin connection, a snap-fit ​​connection, etc.

[0037] In one embodiment, the flat plate measures 28cm × 18cm × 0.5cm and is preferably made of a suitable material such as rigid plastic or lightweight aluminum alloy. In other embodiments of this disclosure, the actuator 150 can be implemented in various other forms, such as a plate with a curved arc, to better engage with the upper surface of the movement 100, thereby further improving the user's comfort when the sleep pillow vibrates. In one embodiment of this disclosure, the actuator 150 may additionally include a downwardly protruding portion adapted to insert into the guide groove 160 and connect with the slider 140. The connection relationships and motion principles of the various components in the movement 100 will be further explained below with the aid of the accompanying drawings.

[0038] Figure 2 An exploded structural schematic diagram of a mechanical drive system 200 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0039] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the overall structure of a mechanical drive system 200 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. The mechanical drive system 200 includes components such as a crank 210, a drive mechanism 220, a driven rod 230, and a slider 240, and is adapted to be housed within a movement 100. These components are preferably made of durable materials such as stainless steel or aluminum, but may also be made of common engineering plastics (e.g., PPS, PA, POM).

[0040] The drive mechanism 220 can be implemented, for example, as a motor. In one embodiment of this disclosure, the motor speed is configured such that the crank 210 rotates at 30 revolutions per minute. This can be achieved, for example, by providing a separate motor, or by having a motor engage with one or more gears (see below). Preferably, the motor has a rated voltage of 6V. Further, the drive mechanism 220 is coupled to the crank 210, thereby enabling the crank 210 to rotate.

[0041] In one embodiment of this disclosure, one or more gears (not shown) are provided between the crank 210 and the drive mechanism 220. Alternatively, the one or more gears may be located within the drive mechanism 220. Preferably, the one or more gears provide a gear ratio between 1:2 and 1:10 to ensure that the crank 210 can rotate at a desired rotational speed.

[0042] The length of crank 210 is set to be slightly more than half of the desired fluctuation range. Preferably, the length of crank 210 is between 2.5 cm and 3.5 cm.

[0043] See Figure 2 The upper part of the crank 210 has a pin 205. Holes 207 and 208 are respectively provided at the upper and lower ends of the driven rod 230. In one embodiment of this disclosure, the length of the driven rod 230 is 5 cm. The pin 205 passes through the hole 207 and engages with it, thereby enabling the driven rod 230 to move as the crank 210 rotates. Preferably, the driven rod 230 is configured to be narrower at the top and wider at the bottom to maintain stability of movement. The slider 240 is preferably configured as a cylindrical structure, and the height of the slider 240 is preferably 5 cm. The lower end of the slider 240 has a hollow structure to accommodate the upper end of the driven rod 230. The slider 240 has a hole 209 penetrating through it; by passing a pin (not shown) through the hole 209 and the hole 208 of the driven rod 230, the driven rod 230 and the slider 240 can be movably coupled together. In one example of this disclosure, the upper end of the slider 240 is configured with a threaded structure for use with... Figure 1 The actuator 150 is fixedly connected. The actuator 150 has a central hole with a corresponding threaded structure to match the threaded structure at the upper end of the slider 240. In this way, the slider 240 is fixedly connected to the actuator 150. Thus, the rotational motion of the crank 210 is converted into the reciprocating motion of the slider 240 via the driven rod 230, and thereby into the reciprocating motion of the actuator 150. Further, as Figure 1 As shown, the slider 240 will reciprocate within the guide groove 160, and the lateral displacement of the slider 240 is limited by the guide groove 160, thereby better maintaining the reciprocating motion of the slider 240 and the actuator 150.

[0044] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of a mechanical drive system according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the motion of a mechanical drive system according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 4 In the mechanical drive system 300, the slider 340 is located at the top, which is also the position where the upward fluctuation amplitude provided by the mechanical drive system 300 is the largest. In actual operation, such as Figure 5As shown, with the drive mechanism 320, the crank 310 will also rotate in a circle, for example, along the direction of arrow D. As previously mentioned, since the driven rod 330 is movably coupled to the crank 310, the rotation of the crank 310 will also cause the driven rod 330 to perform a corresponding quasi-circular rotation. Furthermore, since the slider 340 is movably coupled to the driven rod 330 and is... Figure 1 The guide groove 160 restricts the lateral movement of the crank 310, so the circumferential rotation of the crank 310 is ultimately converted into the reciprocating motion of the slider 340 under the influence of the guide groove 160 and the transmission of the driven rod 330. Furthermore, as mentioned earlier, the reciprocating motion of the slider 340 will in turn drive the reciprocating motion of the actuator 150 (in... Figure 1 (The middle part is a reciprocating motion).

[0045] In summary, this disclosure configures the rotational frequency of the crank 31 to match the user's breathing rhythm. This can be achieved, for example, by a processor (described below) sending drive information to the drive mechanism, setting one or more gears, and / or selecting a suitable drive mechanism. Furthermore, as previously mentioned, the rotational motion of the crank 31 is ultimately converted into the reciprocating motion of the slider and the actuator. This also means that the rotational frequency of the crank 31 will determine the frequency of the reciprocating motion of the slider and the actuator. Therefore, in practice, the frequency of this reciprocating motion can also be achieved by adjusting the rotational speed of the drive mechanism, adjusting the gear ratio, and / or changing the drive information sent by the processor. Moreover, the amplitude of the reciprocating motion can be achieved by adjusting the length of the crank 31. For example, the amplitude can be increased by increasing the length of the crank 31. Therefore, the frequency and amplitude of the reciprocating motion of this disclosure can be specifically tailored to the user's breathing frequency and desired amplitude, thereby improving user comfort.

[0046] Figure 6 A first schematic diagram of a movement according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 7 A second schematic diagram of a movement according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 6 In this movement 600, the actuator 650 covers at least a portion of the upper surface of the movement 600. And... Figure 7 In the middle, the actuator 750 of the movement 700 is lifted by the mechanical drive system described above.

[0047] Figure 8An exploded structural diagram of a sleep pillow according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. The sleep pillow includes a pillow core 900, which is composed of an upper shell 901 and a lower shell 902. The upper shell 901 and the lower shell 902 together define a cavity for accommodating the movement 800. In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the pillow core may be made of a soft, high-quality memory foam material. The overall dimensions of the pillow core may be approximately 50cm × 30cm × 10cm. The Shore hardness of the memory foam material is preferably between 40 and 50 degrees.

[0048] The movement 800 includes an upper housing 801 and a lower housing 802, which together define a cavity 885 to accommodate various components housed within the movement 800. These components include the aforementioned mechanical drive system 200, and preferably also include a processor 870 and a power supply unit 880. The power supply unit 880 is preferably implemented as a battery to power the processor 870 and the drive mechanism. The processor 870 is preferably implemented as a PCBA circuit board 870. This PCBA circuit board 870 integrates a suitable processor unit such as a microprocessor and MOS for sending drive information, such as control signals, to the drive mechanism in the mechanical drive system 200. As previously described, the slider in the mechanical drive system 200 is adapted to insert upward into a guide slot in the movement 801, thereby connecting with the actuator 850. In one embodiment of this disclosure, the processor 870 sends a PWM signal to the drive mechanism to adjust the rotational frequency of the drive mechanism (and, if necessary, can cooperate with one or more gears and drive mechanisms as described above), controlling the frequency of the reciprocating motion of the slider of the mechanical drive system and the actuator 850, so that the frequency is adapted to the user's breathing frequency. Furthermore, the pillow core 900 also includes a control unit 890, which is embedded in a recess on the outer side of the junction of the upper housing 901 and the lower housing 902 of the pillow core 900, and is adapted to connect to the processor 870, thereby facilitating the user to adjust the rotational frequency of the drive mechanism and, consequently, the reciprocating motion frequency of the actuator 850 from outside the pillow core 900 by controlling the processor 870, so that the frequency matches the user's breathing frequency. The control unit 890 may be, for example, an external button, including, for example, a power button for the pillow core 900, a button for adjusting the rotational frequency of the drive mechanism and thus the reciprocating motion frequency of the actuator, or other suitable buttons.

[0049] Figure 9 Another exploded structural diagram of a sleep pillow according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 9As shown, the movement 950 has been assembled and is adapted to be housed within the cavity defined by the upper housing 901 and lower housing 902 of the pillow core 900. The upper housing 901 and lower housing 902 can be adapted to be joined together in any manner suitable in the art. Once the upper housing 901 and lower housing 902 are joined together, the sleep pillow will be shaped to suit user use.

[0050] In one example disclosed herein, during the actual assembly process, the aforementioned mechanical drive system is first placed within the movement. Next, the actuator is placed on the upper surface of the movement and connected to the mechanical drive system. The movement is then encapsulated within the sleep pillow.

[0051] The foregoing has described the movement and sleep pillow according to this disclosure through various embodiments. In actual operation, the user can activate the sleep pillow via a control unit. The drive mechanism will rotate at a predetermined frequency, such as 0.5 Hz (this frequency is similar to the user's breathing rate). Preferably, the user can also adjust the rotation frequency of the drive mechanism via a processor so that the frequency matches the user's own current breathing rate. The rotational motion of the drive mechanism (e.g., a motor) is transmitted to a crank. In one embodiment of this disclosure, the rotational motion can be transmitted to the crank via one or more gears. These gears are adapted to further adjust the frequency of the rotational motion. When the crank rotates, it drives a driven rod to move, which is then converted into the reciprocating motion of a slider along a guide groove in the movement. Since the slider is connected to an actuator, the actuator also reciprocates as a result. For example, when the slider moves upward, it pushes the actuator upward, and the actuator pushes the upper surface of the sleep pillow upward, thus causing the sleep pillow to bulge upward. For example, when the slider moves downward, the actuator also moves downward, thus causing the sleep pillow to sag downward. The above process occurs continuously and repeatedly, causing the sleep pillow to oscillate at a certain frequency and amplitude. The frequency of oscillation can be adjusted, for example, by changing the rotational speed of the drive mechanism, or by changing the length of the crank. For example, if a higher oscillation amplitude is required, a longer crank can be installed. For example, the rotational frequency of the drive mechanism and the rotational frequency of the crank can be adjusted by the gear ratio, the PWM signal, and / or by selecting a suitable drive mechanism (e.g., a motor).

[0052] While this disclosure has been detailed and described in the accompanying drawings and foregoing description, such descriptions and illustrations should be considered illustrative or exemplary rather than restrictive; this disclosure is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Other variations of the disclosed embodiments can be understood and practiced by those skilled in the art in practicing the claimed disclosure, by studying the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims.

[0053] In the claims, the word "comprising" does not exclude other elements, and the indefinite articles "a" or "an" do not exclude a plurality. A single element or other unit may fulfill the function of multiple items set forth in the claims. The mere fact that certain features are recited only in dissimilar embodiments or dependent claims does not imply that combinations of these features cannot be used advantageously. Without departing from the spirit and scope of this application, the scope of protection of this application covers any possible combination of the various features recited in the various embodiments or dependent claims.

Claims

1. A mechanism for a sleep pillow, characterized in that, include: crank; A drive mechanism coupled to the crank to drive the crank to rotate; A driven rod, which is movably coupled to the crank and moves as the crank rotates; A slider, which is movably coupled to the driven rod; A guide groove, extending from the upper surface of the movement into the movement, is used to receive at least a portion of the slider, and the guide groove guides the slider in reciprocating motion with the movement of the driven rod, while restricting the lateral movement of the slider; and An actuator that covers at least a portion of the upper surface of the movement and is connected to the slider so as to reciprocate in response to the reciprocating motion of the slider.

2. The movement according to claim 1, characterized in that, The driven rod and the crank are movably coupled together by a first pin.

3. The movement according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first end of the driven rod includes a first hole, and the crank includes a first pin that passes through the first hole to movably couple the driven rod and the crank together.

4. The movement according to claim 3, characterized in that, The driven rod and the slider are movably coupled together by a second pin.

5. The movement according to claim 4, characterized in that, The second end of the driven rod includes a second hole, and the slider includes a third hole through the slider, with the second pin passing through the second hole and the third hole to movably couple the driven rod to the slider.

6. The movement according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The length of the crank is greater than half the amplitude of the reciprocating motion.

7. The movement according to claim 6, characterized in that, The length of the crank is between 2.5 cm and 3.5 cm.

8. The movement according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The actuator includes a flat plate.

9. The movement according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The mechanism also includes one or more gears located between the drive mechanism and the crank for adjusting the rotational speed of the crank.

10. The movement according to claim 9, characterized in that, The transmission ratio of the one or more gears is between 1:2 and 1:

10.

11. The movement according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The mechanism includes a cavity for accommodating at least the drive mechanism, the crank, the driven rod, and the slider, and the cavity communicates with the guide groove.

12. The movement according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The movement also includes: A processor for controlling the drive mechanism; and A power supply unit for supplying power to the processor and the drive mechanism.

13. The movement according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The drive mechanism includes a motor.

14. The movement according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The slider and the actuator are connected together by any of the following methods: pin connection, threaded connection, and snap-fit ​​connection.

15. A sleep pillow, characterized in that, include: The movement according to any one of claims 1 to 14; Pillow insert, used to enclose the movement; and The surface of the pillow core is adapted to reciprocate in sync with the reciprocating motion of the actuator.

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