Prone Breast Support Cushion Structure for Pressure Relief
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cushioning devices do not effectively provide support to a woman's breasts without applying pressure, which can be uncomfortable, especially for women post-operation or with breast augmentation, and fail to accommodate different body sizes and proportions.
Innovation Solution
A cushioned support device with a conformable body featuring spaced openings for receiving breasts, made from materials like foam or inflatable bodies, designed to reduce pressure by raising the body off a surface and accommodating various sizes, optionally covered with a removable and adjustable fabric cover.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If cushioning devices include holes or recesses to accommodate breasts, then support is provided, but pressure is applied to the breasts causing discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful pressure application by removing the traditional recessed hole design and replacing it with a raised cushion structure that cradles the breasts without compression. The cushioning material is positioned to support the breast tissue from below rather than containing it within indentations, thereby eliminating the pressure-related discomfort while maintaining support functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of creating recesses or holes in the cushioning device to accommodate breasts (inward design), the patent inverts the approach by creating outward-protruding cushioning elements that gently lift and support the breasts. This inversion transforms the interaction from compressive (breasts pressed into holes) to supportive (breasts resting on raised surfaces), resolving the pressure-discomfort contradiction.
2Manufacturing precision
If cushioning devices are designed for specific body sizes, then support is optimized, but adaptability to different women's sizes and proportions is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the cushioning device with universal adaptability by incorporating adjustable components and scalable dimensions that can accommodate various breast sizes and body proportions. The cushioning structure includes adjustable straps, removable inserts, or modular sections that allow the same device to be customized for different users, thereby achieving both manufacturing simplicity and broad adaptability without requiring multiple size-specific models.
Data Source
AI summary
The female cushion/pillow support devices described herein may provide comfort and/or support to a woman's breasts while lying in a prone position, e.g., on their stomach. For example, the support devices herein may enhance comfort for women after an operation and/or experiencing other medical issues, women with breast augmentation, and the like, to facilitate them lying in the prone position. In addition, the support devices may protect the breasts when flattened by the woman's weight. The support device may have a thickness sufficient to raise the user's body away from the support surface to reduce or substantially eliminate pressure on the breasts received within the openings.