Bed Topper Airflow Resistance Layout for Targeted Microclimate Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Microclimate control toppers for beds do not uniformly distribute airflow, leading to inadequate cooling and humidity reduction over the occupant's skin, particularly in regions like the torso and back, due to non-uniform skin temperature and sweat gland distribution, and are exacerbated by adjustable bed profiles that cause tissue shear and perfusion degradation.
Innovation Solution
A bed topper with a fluid flowpath exhibiting nonuniform resistance in longitudinal and lateral directions, utilizing varying filler material properties such as height, density, pore density, and orientation to preferentially direct airflow to target regions like the torso, ensuring a larger proportion of airflow reaches these areas while minimizing bypass.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If uniform airflow distribution is used in the topper, then the structure is simple and manufacturing is easy, but the cooling and humidity reduction effectiveness is insufficient in critical regions like the torso and back
Solution Approach 1:
The topper incorporates filler material with spatially varying properties (height, density, pore density, orientation) to create nonuniform flow resistance distributed throughout the topper volume. This local variation in resistance properties directs airflow preferentially to regions requiring enhanced microclimate control while maintaining overall system simplicity and manufacturability
2Reliability
If the topper directs more airflow to target regions, then cooling and humidity reduction improve, but the airflow distribution becomes nonuniform requiring complex resistance management
Solution Approach 1:
The invention varies physical parameters of the filler material (height, density, pore density, orientation) throughout the topper volume to create the desired nonuniform flow resistance distribution. This approach achieves preferential airflow direction to target regions through gradual parameter transitions rather than abrupt structural changes, balancing effectiveness with manufacturability
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 nonuniform resistance design effectively directs a greater proportion of airflow to critical skin regions, enhancing cooling and humidity reduction, thereby improving microclimate control and mitigating skin breakdown risks.
Implementation Method 1
The flowpath exhibits a nonuniform resistance to fluid flow in at least one of the longitudinal and lateral directions... configured to preferentially drive fluid flow through the topper so that a larger proportion of the fluid flowing through the topper flows under a target region
Data Source
AI summary
A bed comprises a mattress and a topper resting atop the mattress and extending in longitudinal and lateral directions. The topper has a fluid flowpath having an inlet and an outlet. The flowpath exhibits a nonuniform resistance to fluid flow in at least one of the longitudinal and lateral directions. The bed also includes a blower connected to the inlet for supplying air to the flowpath. The resistance may be a monotonically varying resistance to fluid flow in at least one of the longitudinal and lateral directions and configured to preferentially drive fluid flow through the topper so that a larger proportion of the fluid flowing through the topper flows under a target region and a relatively smaller portion bypasses the target region.