Adaptable support cushion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional support pillows cannot be individually adapted to the specific needs and requirements of users, leading to the need for manufacturers to offer multiple variants to accommodate different users, which increases production and marketing costs.
Innovation Solution
A support pillow with a viscoelastic filling material and adjustable inner and outer covers that allow users to customize the filling volume, thickness, and hardness by adding or removing filling material through a reversible opening, enabling personalized adaptation without altering the pillow's structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional support pillows are produced in multiple variants to meet individual user requirements, then user needs can be partially satisfied, but production and marketing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The pillow is divided into an inner cover containing filling material and an outer cover, with the inner cover being removable through a reversible opening. This segmentation allows users to adjust the filling volume independently while the manufacturer produces a single standardized product structure, reducing the need for multiple variants.
Solution Approach 2:
The pillow transitions from a fixed configuration to a dynamic, adjustable configuration through the reversible opening mechanism. Users can modify the filling volume and pillow characteristics as needed, providing adaptability without requiring multiple static product variants from the manufacturer.
2Adaptability or versatility
If conventional support pillows are produced in multiple variants to meet individual user requirements, then user needs can be partially satisfied, but the number of product variants increases
Solution Approach 1:
A single pillow design with a reversible opening and adjustable filling volume serves multiple user needs that would otherwise require different pillow variants. The universal design allows one product to fulfill the function of multiple specialized products, reducing overall complexity.
3Ease of operation
If the inner cover is made air-permeable and breathable, then deformability and comfort are improved, but structural integrity may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The inner cover is designed with localized air-permeable and breathable properties in specific areas to provide comfort and deformability where needed, while maintaining sufficient structural integrity in other areas. This selective application of material properties resolves the contradiction between comfort and strength.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables users to tailor the pillow's support and comfort to their needs, reducing the need for multiple variants and allowing for cost-effective production and marketing, while maintaining comfort and hygiene through washable materials and improved support properties.
Implementation Method 1
The support pillow has an at least partially viscoelastic filling material
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a support cushion (10) for supporting a head and/or neck of a user. The support cushion (10) has an at least partly viscoelastic filling material (24), an inner cover (18) which is at least partly filled with the filling material (24) and encloses the filling material (24), and an outer cover (16), which encloses the inner cover (18). The inner cover (18) has an opening (20), via which additional filling material (24) can be put into the inner cover (18) by the user and/or at least part of the filling material (24) can be removed from the inner cover (18), such that a fill volume, thickness and/or a hardness of the support cushion (10) can be adapted individually by the user.