U.S. patent application number 15/678026 was filed with the patent office on 2018-02-22 for smart pillow to avoid neck pain.
The applicant listed for this patent is Fu Tai Hua Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd., HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to YEN-YU CHEN, CHIA-JUI HU, LEI HU, HAO-YUAN HUANG, CHUN-KAI PENG, JIAN-GUO WU, WEI WU.
Application Number | 20180049569 15/678026 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 61190615 |
Filed Date | 2018-02-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20180049569 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
PENG; CHUN-KAI ; et
al. |
February 22, 2018 |
SMART PILLOW TO AVOID NECK PAIN
Abstract
A smart pillow to avoid neck pain and pressure sores and promote
healthy sleep includes a body, a processing unit, a plurality of
pressure sensors, and a plurality of air bags. The pressure sensors
and the air bags are mounted in the body. Each air bag includes a
bi-directional valve. The pressure sensors can detect values of
pressure on the body and thus the body of a user, and transmit the
detected pressure values to the processing unit. The processing
unit can control the bi-directional valves of the air bags in
accordance with the received pressure values to adjust air amounts
of each of the air bags by indrawing or releasing air. The smart
pillow guides and supports a user's neck.
Inventors: |
PENG; CHUN-KAI; (New Taipei,
TW) ; WU; WEI; (Shenzhen, CN) ; HUANG;
HAO-YUAN; (New Taipei, TW) ; HU; LEI;
(Shenzhen, CN) ; CHEN; YEN-YU; (New Taipei,
TW) ; WU; JIAN-GUO; (Shenzhen, CN) ; HU;
CHIA-JUI; (New Taipei, TW) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Fu Tai Hua Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd.
HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD. |
Shenzhen
New Taipei |
|
CN
TW |
|
|
Family ID: |
61190615 |
Appl. No.: |
15/678026 |
Filed: |
August 15, 2017 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47G 9/1027 20130101;
A47G 2009/006 20130101; A47G 9/109 20130101; A47G 2009/003
20130101; A47G 9/1036 20130101; A47G 2200/20 20130101; A47G
2200/166 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A47G 9/10 20060101
A47G009/10 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 18, 2016 |
CN |
201610684323.6 |
Claims
1. A smart pillow comprising: a body; a processing unit; a
plurality of pressure sensors mounted in the body; and a plurality
of air bags mounted in the body, and each air bag comprising a
bi-directional valve; wherein the pressure sensors are used to
detect values of pressure on the body, and transmit the detected
pressure values to the processing unit; and wherein the processing
unit is used to receive the pressure values transmitted by the
pressure sensors, and control the bi-directional valves of the air
bags in accordance with the received pressure values to adjust an
intake air amounts or an outlet air amounts of the air bags.
2. The smart pillow of claim 1, wherein the body comprises a head
portion and two neck portions connected to opposite ends of the
head portion.
3. The smart pillow of claim 2, wherein the pressure sensors
comprise at least one first pressure sensor and at least one second
pressure sensor; wherein the air bags comprise at least one first
air bag and at least one second air bag; wherein the first pressure
sensor and the first air bag are mounted in the head portion, and
the second pressure sensor and the second air bag are mounted in
the neck portion; wherein the processing unit is used to receive a
pressure value detected by the first pressure sensor, and control
the bi-directional valve of the first air bag in accordance with
the pressure value detected by the first pressure sensor to adjust
an intake air amount or an outlet air amount of the first air bag;
and wherein the processing unit is used to receive a pressure value
detected by the second pressure sensor, and control the
bi-directional valve of the second air bag in accordance with the
pressure value detected by the second pressure sensor to adjust an
intake air amount or an outlet air amount of the second air
bag.
4. The smart pillow of claim 3, wherein the body is U-shaped.
5. The smart pillow of claim 1, wherein the body is made of a
silicone material.
6. The smart pillow of claim 2, wherein the body is made of a
silicone material.
7. The smart pillow of claim 1, further comprising a temperature
sensor and a heating unit; wherein the temperature sensor is used
to detect a temperature of the body, and transmit the detected
temperature value to the processing unit; and wherein the
processing unit is used to receive the temperature value detected
by the temperature sensor, and control the heating unit in
accordance with the received temperature value to maintain the body
within a predefined temperature range.
8. The smart pillow of claim 2, further comprising a temperature
sensor and a heating unit; wherein the temperature sensor is used
to detect a temperature value of the body, and transmit the
detected temperature value to the processing unit; and wherein the
processing unit is used to receive the temperature value detected
by the temperature sensor, and control the heating unit in
accordance with the received temperature value to maintain the body
within a predefined temperature range.
9. The smart pillow of claim 3, further comprising a temperature
sensor and a heating unit; wherein the temperature sensor is used
to detect a temperature value of the body, and transmit the
detected temperature value to the processing unit; and wherein the
processing unit is used to receive the temperature value detected
by the temperature sensor, and control the heating unit in
accordance with the received temperature value to maintain the body
within a predefined temperature range.
10. The smart pillow of claim 4, further comprising a temperature
sensor and a heating unit; wherein the temperature sensor is used
to detect a temperature value of the body, and transmit the
detected temperature value to the processing unit; and wherein the
processing unit is used to receive the temperature value detected
by the temperature sensor, and control the heating unit in
accordance with the received temperature value to maintain the body
within a predefined temperature range.
11. The smart pillow of claim 5, further comprising a temperature
sensor and a heating unit; wherein the temperature sensor is used
to detect a temperature value of the body, and transmit the
detected temperature value to the processing unit; and wherein the
processing unit is used to receive the temperature value detected
by the temperature sensor, and control the heating unit in
accordance with the received temperature value to maintain the body
within a predefined temperature range.
12. The smart pillow of claim 6, further comprising a temperature
sensor and a heating unit; wherein the temperature sensor is used
to detect a temperature value of the body, and transmit the
detected temperature value to the processing unit; and wherein the
processing unit is used to receive the temperature value detected
by the temperature sensor, and control the heating unit in
accordance with the received temperature value to maintain the body
within a predefined temperature range.
13. The smart pillow of claim 7, wherein the heating unit is an
infrared emitting device.
14. The smart pillow of claim 8, wherein the heating unit is an
infrared emitting device.
15. The smart pillow of claim 9, wherein the heating unit is an
infrared emitting device.
16. The smart pillow of claim 10, wherein the heating unit is an
infrared emitting device.
17. The smart pillow of claim 11, wherein the heating unit is an
infrared emitting device.
18. The smart pillow of claim 1, further comprising a music player
unit; wherein the processing unit is used to receive the pressure
value detected by the pressure sensor, and determine whether or not
the received pressure value is greater than a predefined pressure
value; and wherein the processing unit is used to control the music
player unit to start playing music when the received pressure value
is greater than the predefined pressure value.
19. The smart pillow of claim 1, further comprising a vibration
sensor; wherein the vibration sensor is used to detect a number of
breaths of a user and a time of each breath.
20. The smart pillow of claim 19, wherein the processing unit is
used to record signals detected by the pressure sensors and the
vibration sensor.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent
Application No. 201610684323.6, filed Aug. 18, 2016, the disclosure
of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
FIELD
[0002] The present disclosure relates to pillows, and more
particularly to a smart pillow to avoid neck pain and pressure
sores on the skin.
BACKGROUND
[0003] A pillow is used to support a user's head and neck while
lying down or sitting. However, the user's neck may get strained
because of poor posture or pressure sores can result from constant
pressure on one spot of the neck.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0004] Many aspects of the disclosure can be better understood with
reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings
are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being
placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the disclosure.
Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate
corresponding parts throughout the several views.
[0005] FIG. 1 is a schematic top view of a smart pillow.
[0006] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the smart pillow of FIG. 1.
[0007] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an air bag of the smart pillow
of FIG. 1.
[0008] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a correspondence table
stored in a body of the smart pillow of FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0009] It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of
illustration, where appropriate, reference numerals have been
repeated among the different figures to indicate corresponding or
analogous elements. In addition, numerous specific details are set
forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the exemplary
embodiments described herein. However, it will be understood by
those of ordinary skill in the art that the exemplary embodiments
described herein can be practiced without these specific details.
In other instances, methods, procedures, and components have not
been described in detail so as not to obscure the related relevant
feature being described. Also, the description is not to be
considered as limiting the scope of the exemplary embodiments
described herein. The drawings are not necessarily to scale and the
proportions of certain parts may be exaggerated to better
illustrate details and features of the present disclosure.
[0010] The term "comprising" means "including but not limited to";
it specifically indicates open-ended inclusion or membership in the
so-described combination, group, series, and the like.
[0011] With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, an exemplary embodiment of
a smart pillow (smart pillow 1) includes a body 11, a processing
unit 12, a plurality of pressure sensors 13, and a plurality of air
bags 14. The processing unit 12, the pressure sensors 13, and the
air bags 14 are mounted in the body 11. The pressure sensors 13 can
detect values of pressure on the body 11, and transmit the detected
pressure values to the processing unit 12. With further reference
to FIG. 3, each air bag 14 includes a bi-directional valve 141. The
bi-directional valve 141 can adjust an intake air amount and an
outlet air amount of the air bag 14. The processing unit 12 can
receive and record the pressure values transmitted by the pressure
sensors 13, and control the bi-directional valves 141 of the air
bags 14 in accordance with the received pressure values to adjust
the intake air amounts or the outlet air amounts of the air bags
14.
[0012] When a user uses the smart pillow 1, the processing unit 12
controls the bi-directional valves 141 of the air bags 14 to adjust
volumes of each of the air bags 14 in the body 11. The smart pillow
1 guides and supports the user's neck to avoid neck pain due to
poor posture and prevents a constant and excessive pressure at one
location of the body.
[0013] In the present exemplary embodiment, the body 11 is made of
a silicone material. The body 11 is U-shaped, and includes a head
portion 101 and two neck portions 102 connected to opposite ends of
the head portion 101. The head portion 101 can support the user's
head, and the neck portions 102 can support the user's neck. The
pressure sensors 13 include at least one first pressure sensor 131
and at least one second pressure sensor 132. The air bags 14
include at least one first air bag 1401 and at least one second air
bag 1402. The first pressure sensor 131 and the first air bag 1401
are mounted in the head portion 101, and the second pressure sensor
132 and the second air bag 1402 are mounted in the neck portions
102. The processing unit 12 can receive a pressure value detected
by the first pressure sensor 131, and control the bi-directional
valve 141 of the first air bag 1401 to adjust an intake air amount
or an outlet air amount of the first air bag 1401 in accordance
with the pressure value detected by the first pressure sensor 131.
The processing unit 12 can also receive a pressure value detected
by the second pressure sensor 132, and control the bi-directional
valve 141 of the second air bag 1402 in a similar manner.
[0014] With reference to FIG. 4, in the present exemplary
embodiment, the body 11 stores a correspondence table 2. The
correspondence table 2 defines a relationship between pressure
value ranges of the body 11 and indrawn and released air amounts of
each of the air bags 14. The processing unit 12 can receive the
pressure values detected by the first and second pressure sensors
131 and 132, and make determinations based on the correspondence
table 2. The processing unit 12 can then control the bi-directional
valves 141 of the first and second air bags 1401 and 1402
accordingly, and adjust volumes of the first and second air bags
1401 and 1402.
[0015] With reference to FIG. 2, in the present exemplary
embodiment, the smart pillow 1 further includes a temperature
sensor 15 and a heating unit 16. The temperature sensor 15 can
detect a temperature of the body 11, and transmit the detected
temperature value to the processing unit 12. The heating unit 16
may be an infrared emitting device. The processing unit 12 can
receive the temperature value detected by the temperature sensor
15, and control the heating unit 16 in accordance with the received
temperature value to maintain the body 11 within a predefined
temperature range. Therefore, the user's neck can be kept optimally
warm, and blood circulation in the neck is promoted.
[0016] The smart pillow 1 further includes a music player unit 17.
The processing unit 12 can receive the pressure value detected by
the pressure sensor 13, and determine whether or not the received
pressure value is greater than a predefined pressure value. The
processing unit 12 can control the music player unit 17 to start
playing music when the received pressure value is greater than the
predefined pressure value as a pacifier for the sleeping user.
[0017] The smart pillow 1 further includes a vibration sensor 18.
The vibration sensor 18 can detect a number of breaths of the user
and a time of each breath. The processing unit 12 can thus record
the user's sleeping characteristics.
[0018] The exemplary embodiments shown and described above are only
examples. Many details are often found in the art such as the other
features of a pillow. Therefore, many such details are neither
shown nor described. Even though numerous characteristics and
advantages of the present technology have been set forth in the
foregoing description, together with details of the structure and
function of the present disclosure, the disclosure is illustrative
only, and changes may be made in the detail, especially in matters
of shape, size, and arrangement of the parts within the principles
of the present disclosure, up to and including the full extent
established by the broad general meaning of the terms used in the
claims. It will therefore be appreciated that the exemplary
embodiments described above may be modified within the scope of the
claims.
* * * * *