Inflatable V-Shaped Travel Pillow for Natural Head Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional inflatable pillows, particularly U-shaped 'collar' types, provide limited lateral support and prevent the head and neck from resting naturally due to their design, causing the head to be unnaturally pushed forward and potentially constricting the throat area.
Innovation Solution
A pillow with a V-shaped profile formed by two sheets of flexible material, featuring a channel that increases in width from the centerline to create a 'pinch-point' between the wings, securing the head and providing greater support and stability by channeling the head towards the apex of the V-shape, thus maintaining a wedge-shaped gap that allows the head to rest securely and naturally.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a U-shaped profile is used to surround the user's neck, then lateral support is provided, but the head cannot fully rotate backwards to lie flat on the surface
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional U-shaped profile into a V-shaped profile where the base portion is removed or minimized. This inversion allows the head to rotate backwards freely while the wings provide lateral support, resolving the contradiction between head rotation freedom and lateral support.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts or removes the base portion of the U-shaped profile that causes the harmful effect. By taking out this restrictive base section and replacing it with a V-shaped configuration, the head can lie flat on the surface while still receiving lateral support from the wings.
2Ease of operation
If the base portion of the U-shape is reduced to allow head rotation, then head positioning improves, but lateral support and throat constriction issues remain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs asymmetry by creating a V-shaped profile with wings of specific geometry that are optimized for both lateral support and head rotation. The asymmetric V-shape allows the head to rotate freely while the wing structure maintains reliable lateral support without throat constriction.
3Ease of operation
If an inflated collar pillow is used, then neck support is provided, but the pillow tends to wrap around and constrict the throat area
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the base portion of the traditional collar pillow that causes throat constriction. By removing this wrapping base section and replacing it with a V-shaped configuration, neck support is maintained while throat constriction is eliminated.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent inverts the collar design from a closed U-shape that wraps around the neck into an open V-shape. This inversion provides neck support through the wings while preventing the throat constriction caused by the traditional collar's base portion.
Data Source
AI summary
A pillow that includes two sheets of flexible material, joined together to define a space and that is inflatable to provide a cushioned support. The pillow has a head zone that provides cushioning for a user's head and two wings that are configured to extend away from the head zone such that the pillow is substantially U-shaped in the plane of the pillow, when deflated. A channel extends between the sheets of flexible material to connect the wings. The channel is positioned at a point in the head zone furthermost from the wing ends. The width of the channel increases from the center line such that when the pillow is inflated, the pillow has a substantially V-shaped profile that is formed about the centerline and centered on the channel.