Therapeutic pillow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pillows designed to maintain a supine sleeping position are not comfortable and often feel constricting, failing to provide adequate support for the head and neck, which limits their acceptance and effectiveness in preventing facial wrinkles, promoting spinal alignment, and alleviating sinus conditions.
Innovation Solution
A composite pillow with a soft central section for head support and firm bolster segments that restrain the head from turning, featuring a 'U' shaped transverse cross section and a spherical cap depression for occipital comfort, combined with a firm buttress for cervical lordosis support, ensuring proper spinal alignment and reducing pressure points.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If existing pillows are designed to maintain supine position, then facial wrinkle prevention is improved, but comfort and ease of operation deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The pillow employs different firmness levels in different zones: a firm lower buttress for cervical support and a softer upper central section for head comfort. This local differentiation maintains supine positioning to prevent wrinkles while ensuring comfort through appropriate softness at the head contact area.
Solution Approach 2:
The pillow is divided into distinct functional segments: a lower buttress portion for spinal alignment and an upper head support portion for comfort. This segmentation allows each zone to perform its specific function optimally - the firm buttress maintains posture while the softer head section provides comfort.
2Stability of the object's composition
If firm structures are used to maintain supine position, then spinal alignment is improved, but comfort deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The pillow uses a firm lower buttress for stable cervical lordosis support while incorporating a softer upper central section for head comfort. This local quality differentiation resolves the contradiction by providing firmness where structural support is needed and softness where comfort is required.
Solution Approach 2:
The pillow structure is segmented into a firm lower portion for spinal alignment stability and a softer upper portion for comfort. This segmentation enables the firm buttress to maintain spinal alignment while the separate head support section provides comfort without compromising stability.
3Ease of operation
If soft materials are used for head support, then comfort is improved, but ability to maintain supine position deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The pillow is segmented into a firm lower buttress for maintaining supine position and a softer upper head support for comfort. The softer head support materials provide comfort while the firm lower structure ensures the pillow maintains its shape and continues to support the head in the correct position throughout sleep.
Data Source
AI summary
A therapeutic pillow includes a soft central section which received the back of one's head and pair of bolster segments for restraining the head from turning to either side. Underlying the central section is a dense buttress. The lateral ends of the buttress project upwardly and comprise a stiffening outer portion of each bolster. Both the central section and the buttress have a generally “U” shaped transverse cross section such that central section nests within the buttress when the composite pillow is assembled. A convex gradient neck extends forwardly from the central section and transitions to a convex cervical lordosis support at the central section. The buttress includes a central spherical cap depression. A portion of the central section occupies the depression to provide increased comfort for the occipital protuberance at the back of one's head.