Adjustable, lower back restoration device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional pillows fail to maintain optimal leg positioning for alleviating lower back pain, as they are often too hard or soft, and lack adjustability to accommodate individual anatomical variations, leading to instability and discomfort during sleep or rest.
Innovation Solution
An inflatable, adjustable pillow with a unique design featuring a base with leg receiving channels and inflatable layers, allowing for customizable height and pressure adjustment to maintain the upper legs at a 90-degree angle relative to the torso, ensuring neutral positioning of the lower back muscles, and a front flap for stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional pillow is used to support the legs, then the legs can be elevated, but the pillow cannot maintain stable positioning and slips out during movement
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into multiple functional segments: a base portion for stability, an upstanding portion for leg support, and lateral sides for confinement. This segmentation allows each part to perform its specific function - the base remains stationary while the leg support maintains positioning, resolving the contradiction between stability and movement freedom
Solution Approach 2:
The device acts as an intermediary structure between the user's legs and the bed surface. The lateral sides and upstanding portion serve as mediating elements that prevent direct contact between legs and bed, maintaining leg separation and positioning stability while allowing natural movement within the confined space
2Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed-design pillow is used, then the structure is simple, but it cannot accommodate individual anatomical variations and preferences
Solution Approach 1:
The device incorporates local quality variations through different firmness levels in different zones - the base portion provides firm stability while the leg support areas offer adjustable comfort. This allows the same device structure to accommodate different anatomical needs at different locations, achieving adaptability without requiring multiple design variants
Solution Approach 2:
The device transitions from a static fixed-design pillow to a dynamic system where the leg support portions can be adjusted in height and position. This dynamic adjustment capability allows the device to adapt to individual anatomical variations while maintaining a relatively simple base structure, balancing adaptability with design complexity
3Ease of operation
If a pillow made of very soft material is used, then comfort is improved, but adequate stability and effectiveness are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The device uses different material firmness levels in different zones - the base portion uses firm material for stability while the leg support areas use softer material for comfort. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by providing softness where comfort is needed and firmness where stability is required
Solution Approach 2:
The device employs composite construction combining materials of different firmness characteristics. The base is made of firm, stable material while the leg support portions use softer, more comfortable material. This composite approach allows the device to simultaneously achieve both comfort and stability, which cannot be achieved with a single material type
4Reliability
If a pillow made of very hard material is used, then structural stability is improved, but normal blood circulation and movement are restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The device applies firm material locally at the base for structural stability while using softer material at the leg contact points to allow natural movement and maintain blood circulation. This localized material selection resolves the contradiction between structural stability and circulation freedom
Solution Approach 2:
The leg support portions use flexible, softer material that can conform to the natural shape and movement of the legs. This flexibility allows normal circulation and movement while the firm base provides overall structural stability, resolving the contradiction between hardness and flexibility
Data Source
AI summary
An adjustable lower back restoration device comprising an elevated base portion and a set of leg receiving channels divided by an upwardly upstanding central portion to position the legs of the user bent at the knees at approximately 90 degrees. The base has a height adjustment system to adjust the height of the base to the length of the upper legs of the user.