Portable Head Support with Adjustable Hinge for Confined Travel Spaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Travelers in confined spaces, such as planes, buses, and trains, face challenges in comfortably resting or sleeping due to the lack of suitable support for prone or side-sleeping positions, as traditional neck pillows and tray tables do not provide an optimal solution.
Innovation Solution
A portable head support system consisting of a baseboard and headrest connected by a hinge, allowing adjustable reclining angles, designed to fit within carry-on luggage, providing a compact and comfortable sleeping solution by supporting the head and torso when used with a backpack or carry-on item.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a neck pillow is used to provide head support, then head support is improved, but it does not provide optimal support for prone or side-sleeping positions
Solution Approach 1:
The head support device employs a hinge mechanism that allows dynamic adjustment of the headrest angle relative to the baseboard. This enables the device to adapt to multiple sleeping positions (prone, side-sleeping, and upright) by adjusting the reclining angle, thereby resolving the contradiction between providing reliable head support and adapting to different sleeping positions.
Solution Approach 2:
The device changes the geometric parameter of the headrest angle through the hinge mechanism. By adjusting this angle parameter, the device can provide optimal support for different sleeping positions, transforming a single-function neck pillow into a multi-position head support system.
2Ease of operation
If a portable head support is designed to provide comfortable sleeping position, then comfort is improved, but the device size increases making it difficult to fit in carry-on luggage
Solution Approach 1:
The head support device is designed to nest within a carry-on bag or backpack. The baseboard fits inside the bag while the headrest can be folded or positioned to minimize external dimensions. This nesting approach allows the device to provide comfortable sleeping support while maintaining a compact form factor that fits within standard carry-on luggage.
Solution Approach 2:
The device is segmented into two main components: a baseboard that fits inside the carry-on bag and a headrest that attaches via hinge. This segmentation allows the bulk of the device to remain compact within the bag while the headrest extends only when needed for use, resolving the contradiction between comfort and portability.
3Device complexity
If the headrest angle is made fixed to simplify the device, then device complexity is reduced, but the ability to adjust to different sleeping positions is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge mechanism provides adjustable headrest angle while maintaining relatively simple construction. The dynamic adjustment capability allows users to customize the reclining angle to their preference without requiring complex mechanisms, thereby resolving the contradiction between device complexity and adaptability.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention is directed to a portable head support designed to fit in the interior of a carry-on article carried by a passenger. The device provides head support for those who prefer sleeping in a face-down position and comprises a base and a head support connected along at least one of their abutting edges by a mechanism which permits the angle between the base and head support to be adjusted by the user.