Contoured Pillow Structure for Cervical Alignment and Snoring Relief
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional pillows fail to adequately support the head and neck, leading to muscle stiffness and discomfort, especially when sleeping on the back or side, which can result in snoring and muscle pain due to improper alignment of the cervical spine and shoulder muscles.
Innovation Solution
A pillow design featuring a shoulder rest with an inclined surface, a cervical spine rest with a convex protruding end, and an occipital region rest with a recessed surface, along with wing portions that adjust to accommodate varying shoulder widths, distributing head weight evenly and maintaining proper spinal alignment, thus preventing snoring and reducing muscle strain.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional pillow with a simple curved shape is used, then the manufacturing cost is low and the structure is simple, but the pillow cannot adequately support the cervical spine and head, leading to muscle stiffness and discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The pillow is divided into multiple functional regions: a shoulder rest region with first inclined surface, a cervical spine rest region with rounded protruding end, and an occipital region rest with second inclined surface and recess portion. Each region is specifically designed to support different parts of the head and neck, providing targeted support while maintaining overall structural coherence.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the pillow have different shapes and inclinations tailored to specific anatomical needs. The shoulder rest has a steeper incline to elevate the shoulder, the cervical spine rest has a rounded protrusion to cradle the neck curve, and the occipital rest has a recess to accommodate the back of the head. This localized optimization provides effective support without requiring complete structural redesign.
2Reliability
If a pillow with complex functional regions is used, then the support effectiveness is improved, but the manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The pillow incorporates multiple curved surfaces including a rounded protruding end for the cervical spine rest, inclined surfaces that curve smoothly into each other, and a recess portion with rounded contours. These curved geometries naturally conform to the human head and neck anatomy while being manufacturable using standard foam molding or sewing techniques, avoiding complex mechanical structures.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the pillow does not accommodate varying shoulder widths, then the structure remains simple, but the pillow cannot provide comfortable sleep for different sleeping postures and body types
Solution Approach 1:
The wing portions extend laterally from the body to provide shoulder support that works for both back sleeping and side sleeping positions. The same wing structure accommodates different shoulder widths by providing a broad support surface that can adapt to various body types without requiring adjustable mechanisms or multiple pillow variants.
Data Source
AI summary
A pillow includes a body including a shoulder rest, a cervical spine rest and an occipital region rest; a first wing portion extending from the body to one side; and a second wing portion extending from the body to the other side. The occipital region rest includes a second inclined surface inclining downward at a predetermined angle toward a rear of the body and a recess portion recessed from an end of the second inclined surface toward an inside of the body to bring an upper occipital region into contact with a floor surface. According to the pillow, the respiratory tract is maximally opened when lying flat such that snoring is prevented and nose breathing is enabled, and since the load of the head is dispersed on the entire floor, the burden applied to the cervical vertebrae and shoulders by weight of the head itself can be reduced.