Ear-Relief Pillow Geometry for Pressure-Free Side Sleeping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Side sleepers, especially those who have undergone facial surgery, experience accelerated aging and compromised surgical results due to pressure from conventional pillows on the cheek and frontal jaw areas, leading to premature skin elasticity loss and wrinkles.
Innovation Solution
A trapezoidal-shaped pillow with ear depressions and an angled lateral margin that supports the head without touching the anterior facial surfaces, specifically designed to prevent pressure on the cheek, jaw, and neck, allowing side sleepers to maintain proper head positioning and reduce skin pressure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a conventional pillow is used for side sleeping, then head support is provided, but pressure is applied to the cheek and frontal jaw causing accelerated aging and compromised surgical results
Solution Approach 1:
The pillow is segmented into distinct functional zones: an ear depression area, an angled lateral margin, and a main support body. This segmentation allows the pillow to provide head support while creating a pressure-free zone for the face by directing the support function to specific anatomical locations (ear and head) rather than distributing pressure across the face.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the pillow have different geometries and support characteristics. The ear depression provides localized support for the ear, the angled lateral margin provides support for the side of the head, and the main body provides support for the back of the head. This local differentiation of support quality prevents pressure on sensitive facial areas while maintaining overall head support.
2Reliability
If patients sleep on their back after facial surgery, then facial results are preserved, but consistent back sleeping is difficult to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The angled lateral margin acts as an intermediary support structure that enables side sleeping without direct contact between the pillow and anterior facial surfaces. It mediates between the need for side sleeping comfort and the requirement to protect facial surgical results, allowing patients to sleep on their side while maintaining surgical outcomes.
3Ease of operation
If the pillow supports the face, then head comfort is improved, but anterior facial surfaces of the mandible and neck are contacted causing pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The pillow features an asymmetric angled lateral margin that is positioned and oriented to support the head along a specific anatomical line while deliberately avoiding contact with the anterior facial surfaces. This asymmetric geometry creates a support path that bypasses sensitive areas like the mandible and neck, providing comfort without harmful contact.
Data Source
AI summary
A pillow for supporting a person's head comprises an ear depression having an ear depression surface and shaped to hold an ear, the ear depression disposed 2 to 3 inches from a lateral edge of the pillow and an angled lateral margin between the ear depression and the lateral edge, the angled lateral margin having an angled lateral margin surface lying above said ear depression surface, the angled lateral margin disposed to support a face when an ear is disposed in the ear depression.