Infant Float with Variable-Height Support for Reclined Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing recreational flotation devices are not suitable for younger infants as they require sufficient muscular control to remain upright and often submerge more of the user's body in water than desired, necessitating a device that supports the infant partially above the water and retains them securely.
Innovation Solution
An inflatable flotation device with a cradle and wall portion that allows the infant to be positioned between upright and supine, with a support member and buoyant wall portion that maintains the infant's head, torso, and upper legs above water while keeping the lower body partially submerged, featuring adjustable heights and a segmented inflatable bladder for comfort and retention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If known recreational flotation devices are used for infants, then the device structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the infant cannot be supported above water and lacks secure retention
Solution Approach 1:
The flotation device is divided into multiple functional segments: a cradle portion for supporting the infant's body, a wall portion for retention, and a base portion for flotation. The support member is also segmented with portions at different heights to provide differentiated support for the head, torso, and legs.
Solution Approach 2:
The support member is disposed within the cradle portion, and the wall portion is disposed about the cradle portion, creating a nested structure where smaller functional elements are contained within larger structural components, maximizing space utilization and structural efficiency.
2Ease of operation
If known flotation devices require the user to sit upright, then the device structure is simple, but infants without sufficient muscular control cannot maintain the upright position
Solution Approach 1:
The support member has varying heights at different locations: a first portion at a first height for head support, a second portion at a second height for torso support, and a third portion at a third height for leg support. This localized variation in support height allows the infant to be positioned between upright and supine without requiring muscular control.
Solution Approach 2:
The flotation device allows the infant to be positioned between upright and supine, providing dynamic positioning capability that adapts to the infant's developmental stage and comfort needs, rather than requiring a fixed upright position.
3Reliability
If known flotation devices allow the user to sit upright, then the device structure is simple, but more of the user's lower body is submerged in water than desired
Solution Approach 1:
The support member provides differentiated support at various body locations with varying heights, ensuring that the infant's head, torso, and upper legs are supported above water while allowing the lower body to remain partially submerged for comfort and retention.
Solution Approach 2:
The flotation device transitions from supporting the infant in a traditional upright坐姿 to a reclined position between upright and supine, utilizing the dimensional space above and below the water surface more effectively to keep the upper body above water while allowing partial submersion of the lower body.
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 device effectively supports and retains infants partially above water, preventing them from rolling over and reducing water entry, while allowing for comfortable positioning and secure retention, addressing the limitations of existing devices.
Implementation Method 1
a support member disposed within an inner perimeter of the wall portion and configured for the infant to be disposed thereon
Data Source
AI summary
This application relates to flotation devices generally, and particularly to inflatable flotation devices configured for use by an infant to support the infant at least partially above the water and to at least partially retain the infant therein. In some embodiments, an apparatus is a flotation member having an inner perimeter, a top portion and a bottom portion. The flotation member has a first height between its bottom portion and its top portion at a first location of the flotation member. The flotation member has a second height between the top portion and the bottom portion at a second location of the flotation member, the second height different from the first height. The flotation member includes a support member at least partially disposed within the inner perimeter of the flotation member. The support member has a first portion coupled to the top portion of the flotation member at the first location. The support member has a second portion coupled to the top portion of the flotation member at the second location. The support member has a third portion between the first portion and the second portion, and the third portion is coupled to the bottom portion of the flotation member at a third location different from the first location of the flotation member and the second location of the flotation member.