Pillow with rod-shaped insert
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pillows designed to alleviate neck pain often require multiple purchases to accommodate varying sleeping patterns and pain treatment needs, as they are typically not adaptable.
Innovation Solution
A therapeutic pillow with a semi-circular trough and a removably insertable insert, where the insert is designed to fit within the trough, providing adjustable support and pressure distribution for optimal comfort and pain relief.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a specialized pillow with fixed firmness or massaging ridges is used, then neck pain relief is provided, but the pillow cannot accommodate variations in sleeping pattern and multiple pillows are required
Solution Approach 1:
The pillow is divided into a base pillow structure and a separate removable insert. The insert can be taken out and replaced independently, allowing different configurations for different sleeping patterns without needing multiple complete pillows.
Solution Approach 2:
The pillow design allows dynamic adjustment of firmness and support characteristics by replacing the insert. This transforms a static pillow into a dynamically adjustable system that can adapt to varying sleeping needs.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple specialized pillows are purchased to accommodate varying sleeping patterns, then pain relief for different patterns is achieved, but cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
A single pillow base is designed to work with multiple different inserts, making it a universal platform that can serve multiple sleeping pattern requirements. This eliminates the need to purchase multiple specialized pillows.
Solution Approach 2:
The removable insert can be discarded (removed) and replaced with a different insert when sleeping patterns change, rather than discarding the entire pillow and purchasing a new one.
3Quantity of substance
If a single pillow is designed to be adaptable for varying pain treatment needs, then cost and quantity are reduced, but the pillow structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the pillow into a simple base structure and a separate functional insert, the overall system achieves adaptability without making the base pillow structure complex. The complexity is isolated to the removable component.
4Reliability
If the trough depth is too great, then insert stability is improved, but the pillow height becomes excessive and comfort is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The trough depth parameter is optimized to achieve sufficient insert stability while maintaining appropriate pillow height for comfort. This represents a parameter optimization to balance two competing requirements.
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 pillow offers a single solution for varying pain treatment needs by allowing the insert to be easily swapped, providing customizable support and pressure distribution for effective neck pain relief.
Implementation Method 1
the insert remains stationary relative to the therapeutic pillow while unequal pressure is applied to each of the extended legs resulting from friction between the textured surface of the insert and the surface of the trough
Data Source
AI summary
A pillow with a removable rod-shaped insert is described herein. The rod-shaped insert is removably insertable into a cavity and/or trough within the pillow. Both the rod-shaped insert and the cavity and/or trough are substantially semi-circular at each vertically oriented cross-section thereof. The cavity includes an opening in a side of the pillow opposite a side thereof which is in contact with a user's head and/or body. The rod-shaped insert has a plurality of parallel ridges on at least one outer surface thereof and extends between both lateral sides of the pillow.In some configurations, the rod-shaped insert is a single substantially planar structure which is folded into a substantially semi-circular shape. In some configurations, the rod-shaped insert has an internal removably-insertable structure.