Pillow Cooling System with Blower and Breathable Core for Heat Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional molded foam pillows become warm or hot during use, leading to sweating and potential illness, and lose resiliency over time, with a need for improved breathability and an active cooling system.
Innovation Solution
A pillow cooling system comprising a core and a foam shell with an air passage and a blower unit that pushes ambient air through the pillow, enhancing airflow and providing active cooling, with options for noise reduction and remote control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional molded foam pillows are made with uniform foam properties throughout, then the pillow structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the sleeping surface becomes warm or hot over time causing sweating and discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The pillow is divided into two distinct parts: an outer shell made of conventional molded foam and an inner core made of breathable foam or breathable material. This segmentation allows the core to provide active cooling through superior breathability while the outer shell maintains structural integrity and simplicity. The air passage system further segments the pillow into cooling channels that direct airflow through the core, actively removing heat from the sleeping surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The breathable core is strategically positioned in the inner region where heat generation from the sleeper's head and neck occurs. This local quality enhancement focuses the cooling function exactly where it is most needed, while the outer shell maintains its conventional properties for support and durability. The air passage system concentrates cooling airflow at the sleeping surface contact points.
2Productivity
If the pillow foam is made dense for durability and support, then the pillow maintains its shape and resiliency, but airflow through the pillow is restricted causing heat buildup
Solution Approach 1:
The pillow is segmented into an outer shell using dense, durable foam for structural support and an inner core using breathable foam or breathable material for optimal airflow. This segmentation allows each layer to fulfill its primary function: the outer shell provides durability and shape retention, while the inner core maximizes breathability and heat dissipation without compromising overall pillow reliability.
3Temperature
If no active cooling system is added to the pillow, then the pillow structure remains simple, but the sleeping surface becomes hot causing sweating and potential illness
Solution Approach 1:
An air passage system is integrated into the pillow structure, consisting of channels or tubes that allow ambient air to flow through the breathable core. This pneumatic system actively transports cool air through the pillow core and expels warm air, creating a continuous cooling cycle that actively removes heat from the sleeping surface without requiring complex mechanical components.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling system is designed to operate passively using natural convection and temperature differences. Ambient air enters the pillow, is cooled by contact with the breathable core and air passages, and rises naturally as warm air is expelled. The system self-regulates based on temperature gradients without requiring external power sources or complex control mechanisms.
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 system effectively cools the sleeping surface, maintaining comfort and preventing sweating, while also improving the pillow's breathability and maintaining its resiliency.
Implementation Method 1
the fan of the blower unit pushes ambient air through an air tube of the blower unit and through an air passage of the pillow into a core of the pillow
Implementation Method 2
The breathability of the core of the pillow allows the air to pass through the core into the foam shell of the pillow
Data Source
AI summary
A pillow cooling system uses a blower unit spaced from the pillow to cool the sleeping surface of the pillow. The blower unit uses a fan to either push or pull air through an air tube extending between the blower unit and the pillow. A distal end of the air tube is joined to an air passage extending from a central core of the pillow through a foam shell of the pillow which surrounds the core of the pillow. The core of the pillow allows air to pass therethrough more easily than the foam shell of the pillow, facilitating the breathability of the pillow.