Volume-Adjustable Cushion Cover for Spinal Alignment Maintenance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional pillows and mattresses fail to maintain neutral spinal alignment during sleep, leading to disrupted cerebrospinal fluid flow and inadequate toxin removal, which can prevent rejuvenative sleep and increase the risk of diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
Innovation Solution
A volume-adjustable cover system for cushions that allows for micro-adjustments in length and volume, using gathering elements to control the migration of cushioning materials and maintain optimal support and loft without introducing noticeable tension, thereby ensuring proper spinal alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional pillows and mattresses are used, then they provide basic cushioning support, but they fail to maintain neutral spinal alignment and allow cushioning material migration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic adjustment system with gathering elements that can be repositioned along the longitudinal axis to change the volume and shape of the cushioning element. This allows the pillow to adapt to different body types, sleeping positions, and stages of decomposition, resolving the contradiction between providing reliable spinal alignment and lacking adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the volume parameter of the cushioning element by adjusting the gathering elements, which compresses or expands the infill material to maintain optimal loft and spinal alignment. This parameter adjustment resolves the contradiction by enabling the same pillow to provide reliable support across different adaptability requirements.
2Reliability
If the cover is made adjustable to control cushioning material migration, then spinal alignment is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a flexible cover with integrated gathering elements that can be adjusted along the longitudinal axis. This flexible shell design allows for volume adjustment to prevent cushioning material migration while maintaining simplicity, as the gathering elements are integrated into the cover rather than being separate complex mechanisms.
3Strength
If the cushioning element volume is increased to maintain loft, then support capability is improved, but the weight and bulk of the pillow increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic volume adjustment system where the cushioning element's volume can be increased or decreased by repositioning gathering elements. This allows the pillow to maintain optimal support capability with minimal infill material, reducing weight while providing sufficient loft and support when needed.
Data Source
AI summary
A cover for a cushioning element, such as a pillow, volume adjustable. The cover includes one or more gathering elements that can alter a length and a volume of the cover. Each gathering element may extend around an end of the cover (e.g., circumferentially, helically around a circumference of the cover, etc.). Each gathering element may enable adjustment of the length and volume of the cover in extremely small increments or even continuously (i.e., in micro adjustments). The length and volume of the cover may be adjusted in a manner that limits or prevents migration of a cushioning element (e.g., an infill material, etc.) within the cover. A cushion, such as a pillow, may include a volume-adjustable cover with a cushioning element therein. Methods for adjusting the manner in which a cushioning element supports, molds around, underfills, and/or backfills a load and its form are also disclosed.