Hinged Panel and Bladder Mattress Apparatus for Sleep Apnea Elevation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current devices and systems for treating sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea and snoring, lack effectiveness in providing adequate head and torso elevation to alleviate these conditions, indicating a need for improved solutions that can be integrated with existing bed structures.
Innovation Solution
A head elevation apparatus positioned under a mattress, featuring hinged panels and inflatable bladders, allows for adjustable lateral and longitudinal angles of the mattress, enabling graduated lateral rotation (GLR) therapy by incorporating a base panel with hinged center, upper, and lower flaps, and bladders to alter the mattress's angle for enhanced comfort and therapeutic benefits.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If current devices for treating sleep disorders are used, then treatment is provided, but adequate head and torso elevation cannot be achieved to effectively alleviate sleep apnea and snoring
Solution Approach 1:
The mattress is divided into multiple independent hinged panels (head panel, upper torso panel, lower torso panel, foot panel) that can be elevated separately. This segmentation allows each section to be adjusted to optimal angles for treating sleep apnea and snoring, achieving adequate head and torso elevation that current unified devices cannot provide.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinged panel mechanism enables dynamic adjustment of mattress sections to different elevation angles. The panels can be raised and lowered independently through pneumatic or mechanical actuators, allowing the mattress to adapt to therapeutic requirements for head and torso elevation while maintaining effectiveness in treating sleep disorders.
2Reliability
If hinged panels and bladders are added to enable adjustable angles for GLR therapy, then treatment effectiveness is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple hinged panels are nested within the mattress structure, with each panel containing integrated pneumatic bladders and hinge mechanisms. The head panel, upper torso panel, lower torso panel, and foot panel are arranged in a nested configuration that allows independent adjustment while maintaining a relatively compact overall structure, managing the complexity of GLR therapy delivery.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinged panel system with bladders serves multiple functions: providing graduated lateral rotation therapy, enabling adjustable head and torso elevation for sleep apnea treatment, and maintaining mattress support. This multi-functionality consolidates several therapeutic mechanisms into a single integrated system, reducing overall device complexity despite the advanced capabilities.
3Ease of operation
If the mattress angle is made adjustable for therapeutic benefits, then patient comfort and treatment efficacy are enhanced, but mattress wear and tear increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hinged panels and support structures are pre-installed within the mattress during manufacturing, with reinforced attachment points and stress-distribution mechanisms built into the design. This preliminary structural preparation allows the mattress to withstand repeated angle adjustments without compromising integrity, extending mattress lifespan while maintaining patient comfort and treatment efficacy.
Solution Approach 2:
The mattress uses controlled parameter changes in the form of gradual, incremental angle adjustments rather than abrupt movements. The pneumatic bladders provide smooth, regulated pressure changes that minimize stress on mattress materials during angle transitions, reducing wear and tear while preserving the therapeutic benefits of adjustable positioning for patient comfort.
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 apparatus provides effective treatment for sleep disorders by allowing customizable angles to improve breathing and reduce snoring, while also extending the life of the mattress through continuous support and reducing wear and tear.
Implementation Method 1
A bladder may be positioned between the base panel and the center panel. The bladder may be inflatable and deflatable to move the center panel between the collapsed position and the raised position.
Data Source
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AI summary
A head elevation apparatus configured to be positioned under a mattress may include a base panel and a top panel positioned on the base panel. The top panel may include a center panel hingedly coupled to the base panel. An upper flap may be hingedly coupled to the center panel. A lower flap may be hingedly coupled to the center panel.