Head stabilizing travel pillow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing travel pillows fail to adequately support the user's chin, leading to discomfort and heat trapping around the neck, as they either apply pressure on the throat or do not provide sufficient forward support, causing the head to fall forward and resulting in neck strain.
Innovation Solution
A pillow design featuring a pair of framing portions made of soft material, with connecting shells and straps that stabilize the head in all directions, incorporating ventilation for heat management and using minimal fabric to prevent heat trapping, while providing support under the jaw and on both sides of the head.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a front member is used to join the side portions of the pillow, then forward motion support is provided, but the pillow becomes uncomfortable by pressing on the user's throat or chin
Solution Approach 1:
The pillow is divided into separate side portions (first and second portions) that are joined by a flexible connecting portion rather than a rigid front member. This segmentation allows each side portion to independently support the head while the flexible connector adapts to the user's anatomy without pressing on the throat or chin, resolving the contradiction between providing forward support and maintaining comfort.
Solution Approach 2:
The connecting portion is designed to be flexible rather than rigid, allowing it to dynamically adapt to different user positions and anatomies. This flexibility enables the pillow to provide forward support when needed while automatically adjusting to avoid uncomfortable pressure points on the throat and chin area.
2Ease of operation
If the pillow is made with sufficient fabric coverage, then comfort is improved, but heat is trapped around the user's neck and head
Solution Approach 1:
The pillow incorporates a breathable fabric layer with porous structure that allows air circulation between the pillow and the user's skin. This breathable layer maintains comfort through soft contact while simultaneously preventing heat trapping by enabling thermal exchange, thus resolving the contradiction between comfort and temperature management.
3Reliability
If the pillow provides adequate chin support, then head stability is improved, but the pillow structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The pillow uses segmented side portions that can be independently positioned to support the head and chin areas. Rather than a complex integrated structure, the segmentation allows simple adjustment of each portion to achieve adequate chin support while maintaining overall structural simplicity.
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
The pillow effectively stabilizes the head in any direction, maintains neck ventilation for heat management, and provides comfortable support without applying pressure on the throat, reducing neck strain and heat trapping.
Implementation Method 1
a pair of framing portions made of a soft material that conforms to applied pressure while providing support when a user's head leans against the framing portions
Implementation Method 2
The extending portion between the framing portions includes a vent to permit air to flow through for a cooling effect
Implementation Method 3
A pair of shells is configured to fit in corresponding framing portions. The pair of shells made of a strong flexible material
Data Source
AI summary
A pillow for supporting a user's head having comprising framing portions made of a soft material that conforms to applied pressure while providing support when a user's head leans against the framing portions. A connecting portion extends between the framing portions to form a pillow body with the framing portions. The pillow body is configured to surround a user's head and to position the framing portions in front of and on opposing sides of the user's head. A pair of shells are attached to corresponding framing portions. The pair of shells are made of a strong flexible material. At least one strap extends from at least one of the pair of shells. The at least one strap is configured to connect one of the framing portions to the other framing portion thereby stabilizing the user's head within the pillow.