Inflatable Mattress Control for Snoring Without Sleep Disruption
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bedding products fail to effectively prevent snoring by changing a person's sleeping position without disturbing their sleep, as they either pin the person in a specific position or frequently interrupt their sleep with vibrations or noise-based interventions.
Innovation Solution
A bedding product featuring a pocketed spring assembly with inflatable members and a sensor-activated air supply system that detects snoring sounds and subtly adjusts the mattress firmness to encourage a change in sleeping position, allowing the person to roll over and stop snoring without waking them.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a padded board is hinged and locked at an angle to force a side sleeping position, then snoring is prevented, but the sleeping person cannot turn around and is pinned in position
Solution Approach 1:
The mattress uses inflatable bladders that can dynamically adjust their inflation state in response to detected snoring, rather than maintaining a fixed rigid structure. This allows the mattress to adapt its position-changing mechanism based on real-time conditions, enabling position correction while preserving natural movement capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs inflatable bladders within the mattress structure that can be selectively inflated or deflated using pneumatic pressure. This pneumatic mechanism provides a gentler, more compliant method of encouraging position change compared to rigid mechanical boards, allowing the sleeper to roll over naturally while still receiving the necessary positional guidance to stop snoring.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a vibrator is activated to shake the head and wake the sleeping person, then snoring stops, but the person's sleep is interrupted frequently
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the mechanical vibration approach with a pneumatic inflation system. Instead of using vibrators that physically shake the sleeper's head, the system uses inflatable bladders that gently alter the mattress contour to encourage natural rolling. This substitution eliminates the disruptive mechanical vibration while achieving the same goal of stopping snoring through positional change.
Solution Approach 2:
The inflatable bladders act as an intermediary between the sensor detection system and the sleeper's body. Rather than directly applying vibration or force to wake the sleeper, the bladders subtly modify the sleeping surface to guide natural position adjustment, providing a mediating mechanism that achieves snoring cessation without sleep interruption.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If sound devices are used to subconsciously cause behavior change, then snoring may stop, but the effectiveness is insufficient and sleep position change is not guaranteed
Solution Approach 1:
The mattress system is self-regulating through a closed-loop control mechanism. Sensors detect snoring, trigger pneumatic inflation of bladders to encourage position change, and continue monitoring until snoring stops. This self-service approach reliably ensures position change occurs when needed, eliminating the uncertainty of subconscious influence methods while maintaining natural sleep continuity.
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 solution allows for effective snoring prevention by gently inducing a change in sleeping position, thereby reducing snoring without interrupting the sleeper's rest, offering a more restful night's sleep for both the snorer and their bedmates.
Implementation Method 1
a sensor assembly adapted to detect a sound associated with human snoring
Implementation Method 2
an air supply system operatively coupled to the sensor assembly and adapted to control a supply of air to the inflatable members
Data Source
AI summary
A bedding product having a pocketed spring assembly comprising a plurality of parallel strings of springs joined to each other. Each of the strings of springs has a length and a width and comprises a row of interconnected pockets. Each of the pockets contains at least one spring encased in fabric. The bedding product may have a plurality of inflatable members located underneath select portions of at least some of the strings of springs. Each of the inflatable members may be of a width substantially equal to the width one of the string of springs. The bedding product may have a sensor assembly adapted to detect a sound associated with human snoring and an air supply system operatively coupled to the sensor assembly and adapted to control a supply of air to the inflatable members.