Independent Air Bladder Control for Adjustable Bed Massage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current adjustable beds and furnishings lack advanced control over massage features, limiting user customization and comfort.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus featuring independently adjustable air bladders within an enclosure, pneumatically coupled to an air pump, allowing for controlled inflation and deflation to vary the height and angle of different sections, providing a customizable massage function.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional mechanical components and pistons are used for adjusting bed sections, then the bed can be moved into various positions, but the control over massage features is limited and user customization is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The bed is divided into multiple independently controllable sections, each with its own air bladder that can be adjusted separately. This segmentation allows different zones (head, torso, legs) to be customized independently for massage and positioning, greatly enhancing adaptability without requiring complex mechanical linkages between sections
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical pistons and linkages with a pneumatic system using air bladders and an air pump. This allows electronic control of each bed section through air pressure adjustment, enabling precise massage control and position customization while reducing mechanical complexity
2Ease of operation
If air bladders are used to control height and angle of enclosure sections, then precise massage control is enabled, but the device complexity increases due to pneumatic coupling requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The air pump and pneumatic coupling system serves multiple functions: it adjusts the height of enclosure sections, controls the angle of different zones, and provides massage through pressure variation. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate mechanical actuators for each function, actually simplifying the overall system despite the pneumatic components
Solution Approach 2:
The air bladders provide dynamic adjustment capability, allowing real-time changes in volume and pressure to control the height, angle, and massage intensity of each section. This dynamic pneumatic system replaces static mechanical structures, enabling precise and adaptable control through electronic regulation of air flow
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
Enables precise control over the massage experience, allowing users to customize the height, angle, and massage intensity of various parts of the enclosure, enhancing comfort and functionality.
Implementation Method 1
The air pump may be pneumatically coupled to each grouping of air bladders with a supply valve, such as a one-way check valve, that allows control of the supply of pressurized air from the pump to each grouping of air bladders
Implementation Method 2
The air bladders in each grouping may further be pneumatically coupled to an outlet valve that allows selective release of pressurized air from each grouping of air bladders to decrease the pressure and volume of the air bladders
Data Source
AI summary
An adjustable air bladder apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes an outer enclosure, a first interior section within the outer enclosure that contains a plurality of air bladders, a second interior section within the outer enclosure that contains a support layer, and an air pump pneumatically coupled to the plurality of air bladders, where the air pump is configured to selectively supply pressurized air to the air bladders independently through a pneumatic coupling. The pneumatic coupling includes one or more supply valves, outlet valves, and pressure sensors coupled to each air bladder or to one or more groupings of air bladders. A control device is provided for monitoring the pressure within the air bladders and for controlling an amount of air provided to or released from the bladders or groupings of bladders. A method of providing rolling massage with the apparatus is also disclosed.