U-Shaped Neck Pillow With Elastic Wing Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
U-shaped pillows often suffer from wings that splay during use, failing to provide sufficient head support, and existing solutions like straps with hook-and-loop arrangements can be cumbersome and less effective.
Innovation Solution
A pillow design featuring two wings connected by a bridging section with an elastic member that can be stretched to wrap around the neck, using an elastic material with low extension stiffness and a connecting means to urge the wings together for support, and retracting for a neater arrangement when not in use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a strap with hook-and-loop arrangement or clip, buckle or toggle fastener is used to prevent wings splaying, then the wings can be held together to support the head, but the adjustment process becomes cumbersome and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical fastening systems (hook-and-loop, clips, buckles, toggles) with a simple elastic member that uses elastic force to automatically hold the wings together. The elastic member stretches to allow wing separation for head insertion, then contracts to urge the wings toward one another for support, eliminating the need for manual fastening operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic member provides self-adjusting functionality by automatically urging the wings toward one another through its elastic recovery force after being stretched. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for user intervention to maintain wing positioning, as the elastic force continuously maintains the wings in the supportive position without requiring fastening or adjustment operations.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the elastic member is made longer to allow greater wing splay, then the pillow can accommodate larger head sizes, but the material usage and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent addresses head size accommodation by changing the physical parameters of the elastic member, specifically its length and extension stiffness. By selecting an elastic member with appropriate length and low extension stiffness (Young's modulus ≤ 0.1 GPa), the pillow can accommodate various head sizes without requiring complex adjustable mechanisms. The elastic member simply stretches further for larger heads while maintaining the same basic structure.
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
Provides improved and quicker adjustment for head support, maintaining the wings' position effectively while allowing for easy storage by utilizing an elastic member that stretches and returns to its original length, ensuring consistent support and a compact form.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic member... the elastic member can be stretched to wrap around the neck... the elastic member will return to its original length and will urge the wings towards one another
Data Source
AI summary
A pillow comprising two wings and a bridging section connecting the wings, so that the wings and bridging section form a substantially U-shaped shape. An elastic member and a connecting assembly connect one portion of the elastic member to a first fixing point on a wing or the bridging section and another portion of the elastic member to a second fixing point on a wing or the bridging section, so that the elastic member or the connecting assembly, or both, can pass from one wing to the other, and the elastic member can urge the wings towards one another. The invention provides a more convenient and quicker way of lengthening the elastic member or connecting assembly passing from one wing to the other.