Adjustable Breast Support Cushion for Prone Massage Tables
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional flat treatment tables fail to provide adequate comfort and support for individuals, particularly women, when lying in a prone position, leading to discomfort, pain, and potential injury due to breast tissue pressure and distortion, as they do not account for the natural contours of the human body.
Innovation Solution
An adjustable personal treatment apparatus with a controllable breast support cushion system using linear motor assemblies and an inflatable airbag support system, allowing for customizable positioning to alleviate pressure and provide comfort during massage or therapy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a flat treatment table is used, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but it causes discomfort, pain, and potential injury to breast tissue when lying in prone position
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies curvature by replacing the flat table surface with a contoured surface that includes a depression or recessed area shaped to accommodate the natural curvature of the human body, specifically creating a cradle-like structure that supports the breasts and allows the body to sink in comfortably, thereby eliminating harmful pressure points while maintaining manufacturing feasibility
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements local quality by creating a specifically shaped depression in the treatment surface that provides differentiated support zones - the contoured area accommodates breast tissue with appropriate cushioning and positioning, while the rest of the table surface maintains its structural integrity, allowing localized adaptation without redesigning the entire table structure
2Ease of operation
If the treatment table is designed to accommodate body contours, then comfort is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The contoured surface with integrated depression is designed as a unified structural element rather than separate components, allowing the complex shape to be manufactured as a single piece or integrated assembly, thereby providing enhanced comfort through body accommodation while minimizing the increase in device complexity through design integration
3Adaptability or versatility
If an adjustable support system is added, then adaptability to different body sizes is improved, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates adjustability through mechanisms that allow the depression depth, position, or shape to be modified to accommodate different body sizes and shapes, enabling the same contoured table to adapt to various patients without requiring multiple specialized tables, thereby improving versatility while controlling complexity through standardized adjustable mechanisms
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 comfortable and safe massage or therapy by allowing for optimal support and pressure distribution, accommodating various body sizes and shapes, and is easy to operate and maintain.
Implementation Method 1
a breast support cushion (32) positioned within the receiving chamber (28), and a linear motor assembly (34) connected to the breast support cushion (32) for moving the breast support cushion (32) from an elevated position to a lowered position
Implementation Method 2
an inflatable airbag support system
Data Source
AI summary
An adjustable personal treatment apparatus that is usable by women of all sizes to enable them to enjoy, without harm, the full healthful benefits of proper and necessary massage and therapy. More particularly, the apparatus permits the proper pressure to be applied to a female patient during massage, or therapeutic treatment, without causing discomfort and possible damage to breast tissue or breast implants.