Rotating Headrest with Cooling Gel for Cervical Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional vehicle headrests provide inadequate support for the head and neck during normal driving operations, leading to potential neck and spine injuries during sudden impacts, as they do not maintain direct contact with the occupant's head and neck, resulting in insufficient protection against shearing motions and impacts.
Innovation Solution
A headrest apparatus with a rotation mechanism that adjusts its position in response to applied forces, maintaining contact with the occupant's neck and head, and featuring a cooling gel layer and perforations for comfort and heat dissipation, designed to conform to the cervical spine curvature and absorb energy during impacts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional headrest is positioned behind the occupant's head, then the headrest structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the headrest provides little to no head or neck support during normal operation and causes sudden impact injuries during driving events
Solution Approach 1:
The headrest is designed with rotational capability around a horizontal axis, allowing it to dynamically adjust its position from a retracted first position to an extended second position. The rotation mechanism enables the headrest to adapt its configuration based on operational conditions, transitioning from a compact state during normal driving to an extended state during impact events, thereby providing continuous support while maintaining structural simplicity.
2Reliability
If the headrest is positioned to contact the head during normal operation, then head and neck support is improved, but the headrest may cause discomfort or interfere with the occupant's natural head position
Solution Approach 1:
The headrest is pre-configured in a retracted first position that does not contact the occupant's head during normal operation, allowing natural head positioning and comfort. Upon detection of a driving event or upon occupant request, the headrest rotates to an extended second position that provides cervical spine support, thus preliminarily preparing the support function without interfering with normal comfort.
Solution Approach 2:
The headrest system changes its positional parameter from a retracted configuration to an extended configuration through rotational movement. This parameter change allows the headrest to transition between non-intrusive and supportive states, adapting to different operational conditions while maintaining occupant comfort during normal driving.
3Reliability
If the headrest uses a rotation mechanism to adjust position, then the headrest can maintain contact with the head and neck, but the device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The headrest system is divided into distinct functional components: a headrest body, a rotation mechanism with pivot points, and support rods. This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured independently using standard manufacturing processes, reducing overall complexity while enabling the rotational adjustment function necessary for continuous head and neck contact.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If the headrest is designed to rotate from first position to second position upon impact, then energy absorption and injury prevention are improved, but the response time and force detection capability must be precisely controlled
Solution Approach 1:
The headrest system is pre-configured with a rotation mechanism that can quickly transition from a retracted to an extended position upon detection of a driving event. By having the rotational capability pre-established, the system can respond immediately to impact forces, applying counter-action to reduce the harmful effects of sudden deceleration and prevent whiplash injuries.
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 headrest apparatus provides continuous support and reduces the risk of neck and spine injuries by maintaining contact with the occupant's head and neck, dissipating energy during impacts, and alleviating discomfort through cooling features.
Implementation Method 1
a layer of cooling gel disposed beneath a surface of the headrest underneath the front face
Data Source
AI summary
A headrest apparatus in accordance with this disclosure supports the head and cervical spine during driving and driving events. The headrest apparatus including a headrest, one or more rods extending from the headrest, and a rotation mechanism located in the headrest coupled between the headrest and the plurality of rods. The headrest may include at least a front face, a rear face opposite the front face, a bottom face located between a lower portion of the front face and a lower portion of the rear face, and two side faces located opposite each other between the front face and the rear face. In a first position a profile of the front face may conform to a normal cervical spine curvature of an occupant in a seated position.