Angled Mattress Sections with Cradle Surface to Reduce Sleep Apnea
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current sleep disorder treatment systems, including mattresses, lack effective features to maintain proper body positioning during sleep, which can exacerbate conditions like sleep apnea due to inadequate support and stability.
Innovation Solution
A mattress design featuring sloped head, torso, and leg support sections with a cradle surface, along with an air control system that allows lateral tilting, to maintain optimal body alignment and reduce respiratory tract restriction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the head support surface is sloped at an angle of 10-30 degrees in the lateral direction, then respiratory tract restriction is reduced and airway rigidity is increased, but the complexity of the mattress structure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mattress is divided into multiple support sections (head, torso, leg) with different lateral angles, where the head section has the steepest angle (10-30 degrees) to maximize respiratory benefit while the torso and leg sections have progressively smaller angles to maintain comfort and stability
Solution Approach 2:
Different sections of the mattress are assigned different lateral angles tailored to their specific functions: the head section uses 10-30 degrees to open the airway, the torso section uses a moderate angle for comfort, and the leg section uses a minimal angle for stability
2Ease of operation
If the mattress provides lateral tilting capability through air control system, then comfort and stability are enhanced, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The mattress incorporates an air control system with adjustable air chambers that allow the mattress to dynamically change its lateral tilt angle during sleep, enabling the user to find and maintain the most comfortable and therapeutically effective position
Solution Approach 2:
Air chambers are integrated into the mattress structure, controlled by an air pump and valve system, allowing lateral tilting by inflating or deflating specific air chambers to shift the mattress angle without mechanical moving parts
3Stability of the object's composition
If the cradle surface extends with a curvature and lateral width of 12-36 inches, then body positioning is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cradle surface incorporates a gentle curvature across its 12-36 inch lateral width to cradle and support the user's body, distributing weight evenly and maintaining stable body positioning throughout the night
Data Source
AI summary
A sleep system is provided comprising a head support section, a torso support section, a leg support section, and a cradle surface provided on at least an upper portion of the torso support section. The head support section is generally laterally angled at an angle greater than the lateral angle of the torso support section and the leg support section. The cradle surface has at least a partial curvature and a lateral width of from about 12 inches to about 36 inches. The lateral angle of the head support section is at least about 10 degrees, the lateral angle of the torso support section is greater than the lateral angle of the leg support section, and the lateral angle of the leg support section is less than about 10 degrees.