Supporting a persons head while providing respiratory protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Air travelers face challenges in achieving comfortable rest due to the discomfort of wearing face masks and neck pillows, especially when trying to sleep in upright positions, and the added burden of carrying separate eye masks, which can lead to incomplete or disrupted sleep.
Innovation Solution
A combined neck pillow and face mask assembly with a storage pocket for an eye mask, featuring detachable cord portions that secure the mask in front of the user, providing respiratory protection and comfort, and a C-shaped pillow design with adjustable channels for cord placement, along with a zippered pocket for the eye mask.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a face mask is worn for respiratory protection, then protection from pathogens is improved, but comfort and ease of operation deteriorate due to elastic straps and cords interfering with head and neck support
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the face mask and neck pillow into a single integrated assembly. The mask is positioned within the C-shaped pillow structure, with cords extending through openings in the pillow body. This merging eliminates the need for separate elastic straps on the mask, as the pillow itself provides the support and retention function, thereby improving comfort while maintaining respiratory protection.
2Ease of operation
If a neck pillow is used for head support, then comfort and prevention of neck cricks is improved, but the ability to achieve complete R.E.M. sleep deteriorates due to interference with face mask straps and cords
Solution Approach 1:
The pillow incorporates adjustable channels that allow the cords to be positioned at different locations. This dynamic adjustability enables optimization of both the mask retention and the overall comfort/sleep quality. Users can reposition cords to minimize interference with sleep while maintaining adequate mask support.
3Reliability
If eye masks are carried separately for light blocking, then ability to block light is improved, but device complexity and risk of loss increases due to additional separate items
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates a storage pocket into the neck pillow assembly specifically for holding an eye mask. This merging of the eye mask storage function into the existing pillow structure eliminates the need to carry separate eye masks, reducing the total number of items while ensuring light-blocking capability remains available when needed.
4Reliability
If multiple separate items (face mask, neck pillow, eye mask) are used, then functional requirements are met, but ease of operation deteriorates due to discomfort from cords between head and seat cushion
Solution Approach 1:
By integrating the face mask, neck pillow, and eye mask storage into a single unified assembly, the patent eliminates the need for separate cords and straps that cause discomfort between the head and seat cushion. The unified design allows cords to be routed through the pillow structure itself, removing the source of discomfort while maintaining all necessary functions.
Data Source
AI summary
A device includes a neck pillow, a face mask, and a storage pocket for storing an eye mask in one assembly.