Cushions including a coated elastomeric cushioning element and related methods
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cushioning materials, such as mattresses, are bulky and costly to transport due to their traditional flat packaging, and they often fail to return to their original shape after compression, leading to sticking issues that hinder quick expansion and use.
Innovation Solution
A cushioning element with intersecting buckling walls made of elastomeric material coated with an olefin powder to prevent adhesion when compressed, allowing for easy transformation back to the expanded form upon removal from packaging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If cushioning materials are compressed for packaging and transport, then the volume and transport cost are reduced, but the material sticks together and fails to return to its original shape
Solution Approach 1:
A release agent is applied as an intermediary substance between the compressed cushioning material layers to prevent adhesion. The release agent creates a non-stick interface that allows the material to maintain its compressed form for transport while preventing the material from sticking to itself, enabling reliable shape recovery after unpacking.
2Loss of energy
If cushioning materials are compressed for transport, then the transport efficiency is improved, but the expansion time and usability are delayed
Solution Approach 1:
The release agent is applied in advance to the cushioning material before compression. This preliminary action ensures that the anti-adhesion property is already in place, so when the material is unpacked, it can immediately begin expanding without delay caused by material sticking or binding during the expansion process.
3Reliability
If traditional flat packaging is used, then the shape recovery is maintained, but the transport cost and bulkiness increase
Solution Approach 1:
The release agent serves as a mediator that enables the cushioning material to be compressed into a compact form for cost-effective transport while maintaining the ability to recover its original shape. Without the release agent, compression would cause adhesion and prevent shape recovery, making the release agent essential for achieving both compact transport and reliable shape retention.
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 cushions to return to their original shape immediately or within a short time after unpacking, facilitating easier handling and immediate use by preventing the buckling walls from sticking together during compression.
Implementation Method 1
The coating comprises an olefin powder formulated to hinder adhesion of the elastomeric material when the cushioning element is in a compressed form in which the plurality of intersecting buckling walls are pressed together
Implementation Method 2
Cushioning materials may be formulated and/or configured to reduce peak pressure on a cushioned body... Cushioning materials may be formed of materials that deflect or deform under load, such as polyethylene or polyurethane foams
Implementation Method 3
A first wall buckles when a threshold force is applied. Buckling of the first wall may cause buckling of a second wall, which may decrease the chance that the first wall will 'bottom out'
Data Source
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AI summary
A cushion includes a cushioning element and a coating provided on a surface of the cushioning element. The cushioning element comprises an elastomeric material forming a plurality of intersecting buckling walls defining a plurality of hollow columns in an expanded form. The elastomeric material comprises an elastomeric polymer and a plasticizer. The coating comprising an olefin powder formulated to hinder adhesion of the elastomeric material when the cushioning element is in a compressed form such that the plurality of intersecting buckling walls is pressed together. The cushioning element is configured to be compressed by a roll packing machine into the compressed form and subsequently released from the compressed form to transform to the expanded form. Methods of forming the cushion include forming the cushioning element comprising an elastomeric material, coating a surface of the cushioning element with olefin powder, and compressing the cushioning element into a compressed form.