Adjustable Headrest with Pivoting Side Supports for Neck Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicle headrests often fail to provide adequate comfort and support, leading to aches and pains during long trips due to lack of adjustability and inadequate lateral support for the upper body.
Innovation Solution
A headrest assembly with a centrally disposed bun and adjustable side supports that can pivot between upright and deployed positions, allowing the headrest to transition between a neutral and surround configuration, mimicking a travel pillow for enhanced support.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a conventional fixed headrest is used, then the structure is simple, but it cannot provide adequate lateral support and comfort for the upper body
Solution Approach 1:
The headrest is divided into multiple independent components: a central headrest bun and at least one side support element. These segments can move independently relative to each other, allowing the side supports to deploy laterally to provide enhanced lateral support while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The side support elements are designed to be movable rather than fixed, capable of transitioning between retracted and deployed positions. This dynamic capability allows the headrest to adapt its lateral support provision based on user needs while maintaining structural simplicity when in a neutral state.
2Ease of operation
If the headrest is made adjustable with multiple components, then comfort and support are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The side support elements are designed to be manually adjustable by the user without requiring complex control mechanisms. The user can directly position the side supports according to their comfort needs, eliminating the need for motors, sensors, or electronic controls, thus maintaining ease of operation while minimizing device complexity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the lower portion of the headrest bun is extended, then surround configuration is achieved for better support, but the space requirement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lower portion of the headrest bun is designed to be extendable rather than permanently extended. It can be adjusted to provide the surround configuration when needed for enhanced support, and retracted when not required, thereby providing adaptability without permanently increasing the volume of the headrest assembly.
Data Source
AI summary
A headrest assembly includes a centrally disposed headrest bun having an upper portion and an adjustable lower portion. The adjustable lower portion is configured to move between extended and retracted positions relative to the upper portion. First and second side supports are operably coupled to the headrest bun on opposite sides of the headrest bun. The first and second side supports are operable between upright and deployed positions relative to the headrest bun. The adjustable components of the headrest assembly make for a headrest assembly that is operable between neutral and surround configurations.