Hinged Floating Lounge Back Support for Adjustable Body Conformance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Common floating mattresses or lounges have fixed headrests or back supports that often provide less than optimum comfort, as they do not adequately conform to the user's body.
Innovation Solution
A recreational floatation device with a buoyant member shaped in a 'figure 8' configuration, featuring a back support cushion that is inflatable and attached to the bladder via hinge mechanisms, allowing it to rotate between an upright and a flat position, providing adjustable support and comfort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed headrest or back support is used in traditional floating lounges, then the device structure is simple, but the comfort and body conformance are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The back support member is made movable rather than fixed, allowing it to rotate between an upright position for back support and a lowered position for lying flat. This dynamic adjustment enables the device to adapt to different user positions and body conformations, resolving the contradiction between simplicity and adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The back support member can change its orientation parameter through rotation, transitioning from an upright configuration to a lowered configuration. This parameter change allows the same structural element to serve multiple functions and adapt to different user needs without requiring multiple separate components.
2Ease of operation
If an adjustable back support cushion is added to the floating lounge, then user comfort and positioning flexibility are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge mechanism enables the back support cushion to rotate dynamically between different positions, providing users with positioning flexibility for enhanced comfort. The mechanical hinge design achieves this adjustability through simple rotational movement rather than complex actuation systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The back support function is segmented into a separate movable cushion component rather than being integrated into the fixed lounge structure. This segmentation allows the cushion to be independently positioned and adjusted, improving ease of operation while keeping each individual component relatively simple.
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 adjustable back support enhances user comfort by conforming to the body and allowing for customizable positioning, addressing the limitations of fixed headrests or back supports in traditional lounges.
Implementation Method 1
a body portion comprising an inflatable member
Data Source
AI summary
According to one aspect, embodiments of the invention provide a recreational floatation device comprising a body portion comprising an inflatable member having a first inner perimeter surrounding a first inner area, a first support portion comprising a layer of material extending through the first inner area and attached to the inflatable member at its first inner perimeter to support a user of the device, a back support member located within said first inner area, a hinge mechanism coupled to the back support member and the first inner perimeter and configured to allow the back support member to rotate between a first position, wherein a substantial portion of the back support member extends generally away from the first inner area, and a second position, in which the back support member lies substantially within the first inner area.