Contour-Fit Travel Head Support for Upright Chin and Neck Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional travel pillows fail to provide adequate support for a user's head in an upright position, particularly lacking support at the front of the neck and being aesthetically unpleasing, with issues such as chin forward tilt, inadequate neck size accommodation, and instability during use.
Innovation Solution
A support structure with a frame that follows the user's body contours, featuring a head engaging portion and a shoulder engaging portion, which can be concealed under a scarf, and includes hingedly connected limbs and bridging means to distribute the head's weight over the shoulder, using a resilient flexible sheet that compresses under load for improved comfort and stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional travel pillows (C-shaped, O-shaped, L-shaped) are used, then they provide some neck support, but they fail to support the head at the front below the chin, causing the chin to fall forward and the neck to lie at an awkward angle
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure is divided into distinct segments: a head-engaging portion with chin support, a neck-engaging portion, and a shoulder-engaging portion. This segmentation allows each part to perform its specific function independently, ensuring proper head and neck alignment while distributing weight effectively.
Solution Approach 2:
The support structure extends into multiple spatial dimensions by incorporating front chin support, side neck support, and rear shoulder support simultaneously. This multi-dimensional approach creates comprehensive head and neck stabilization that conventional single-plane pillows cannot achieve.
2Reliability
If conventional travel pillows are used, then they are visible and aesthetically unpleasant, but providing adequate support requires a visible structure
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure is nested within a scarf or shawl, with the functional support elements concealed inside the fabric covering. This nesting allows the device to maintain its aesthetic appearance as a normal accessory while providing comprehensive head and neck support when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
A scarf or shawl acts as an intermediary element that conceals the support structure while still allowing it to function. The fabric covering masks the mechanical components, presenting an aesthetically pleasing appearance to others while the user benefits from the support function.
3Strength
If bead-filled pillows are used, then they can be quite firm, but they lack support in the upright position at the front of the neck
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure incorporates firm support elements specifically at the front chin area and along the neck, while maintaining appropriate flexibility in other areas. This localized firmness ensures proper support in the upright position without compromising overall comfort and adaptability.
4Ease of operation
If the frame is made resilient and flexible, then it compresses under load for comfort, but it may lack structural stability
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure combines resilient flexible material for comfort with rigid connecting elements and anchoring mechanisms for stability. This composite construction allows the frame to compress and adapt to the user's head and neck while maintaining sufficient structural integrity to provide reliable support.
Solution Approach 2:
The support structure is pre-configured with hinged connections and anchoring means that automatically engage when the scarf is worn. This preliminary arrangement ensures that the structure maintains its stable configuration while allowing controlled compression for comfort during use.
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 solution provides effective support for users' heads in an upright position, accommodating different neck lengths and sizes, while being aesthetically unobtrusive and comfortable, with the ability to compress and resist further weight, allowing for secure and comfortable sleep during travel.
Implementation Method 1
The frame may be resilient. The frame may be a flexible sheet. adapted to compress under the weight of a user's head
Data Source
AI summary
A support structure for at least partially supporting a user's head is described. The support structure comprises a frame having a head engaging portion and a shoulder engaging portion, the shoulder engaging portion adapted to spread the load of the user's head over a user's shoulder, the frame being shaped to the contour of the user's body from the head engaging portion to the shoulder engaging portion.