Digital Upholstery Model for Virtual Body Loading
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for selecting upholstery elements, such as mattresses and seat cushions, are inefficient as they rely on physical try-outs, which can lead to false perceptions of comfort due to changing restoring forces, and online selections often fail to account for individual mechanical cushioning preferences, resulting in suboptimal choices.
Innovation Solution
A method using precomputed digital upholstery models and body models to simulate virtual body loading, determining a loading index that helps select the most suitable upholstery element based on mechanical cushioning properties and user preferences without physical try-outs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If physical try-outs of upholstery elements are conducted in specialist shops, then users can directly perceive comfort, but the selection process is time-consuming and often leads to false perception due to changing restoring forces during loading
Solution Approach 1:
The patent precomputes digital upholstery models containing mechanical cushioning properties (restoring forces as functions of loading duration and penetration depth) before the user visits the shop. This preliminary computation of comfort characteristics allows the system to predict long-term comfort accuracy without requiring the user to spend time on extended physical try-outs, resolving the contradiction between measurement precision and time loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates digital copies (upholstery models) that replicate the mechanical behavior of physical upholstery elements. These digital models contain precomputed restoring force characteristics that accurately represent the physical element's behavior under various loading conditions, allowing users to assess comfort based on accurate digital representations rather than time-consuming physical tests, thus improving measurement precision while reducing time investment.
2Ease of operation
If online selection of upholstery elements is performed using only user preferences, then the selection process is simplified, but the selection accuracy deteriorates because individual mechanical cushioning perception is not accounted for
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates digital copies (upholstery models) that replicate the mechanical behavior of physical upholstery elements. These digital models contain precomputed restoring force characteristics that accurately represent the physical element's behavior under various loading conditions, allowing users to assess comfort based on accurate digital representations rather than time-consuming physical tests, thus improving measurement precision while reducing time investment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical try-out process with computational simulations. The computing unit automatically computes virtual body loading and determines loading indices by processing digital model data, substituting the mechanical interaction of physically testing upholstery elements with an automated computational system. This maintains high selection accuracy while dramatically improving ease of operation and reducing time requirements.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple upholstery elements are available for selection, then user choices increase, but the complexity of the selection process increases due to the need to evaluate multiple mechanical cushioning properties
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates digital copies (upholstery models) that replicate the mechanical behavior of physical upholstery elements. These digital models contain precomputed restoring force characteristics that accurately represent the physical element's behavior under various loading conditions, allowing users to assess comfort based on accurate digital representations rather than time-consuming physical tests, thus improving measurement precision while reducing time investment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical try-out process with computational simulations. The computing unit automatically computes virtual body loading and determines loading indices by processing digital model data, substituting the mechanical interaction of physically testing upholstery elements with an automated computational system. This maintains high selection accuracy while dramatically improving ease of operation and reducing time requirements.
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 the determination of an optimal upholstery element without physical testing, ensuring a comfortable and suitable choice by simulating person-related loading and mechanical interactions, thus reducing the need for lengthy testing and potential returns.
Implementation Method 1
the upholstery core, which is at least partially surrounded by the upholstered surface, is elastically deformable
Implementation Method 2
a mechanical cushioning property being defined for each area... may for example define a restoring force upon deformation of the upholstered surface in the area in question
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for determining at least one upholstery element from a set of mutually different upholstery elements in relation to a specific person, wherein the upholstery elements are able to be elastically deformed as a result of person-related loading on an upholstered surface of the respective upholstery element, wherein the method comprises the following steps:Providing a plurality of precomputed digital upholstery models that are each assigned to a specific upholstery element from the set of upholstery elements, wherein each digital upholstery model defines a respective mechanical cushioning property for a multiplicity of areas on the upholstered surface of the upholstery element;Providing a body model of the person in question for whom the upholstery element is to be determined, wherein the body model contains a description of physiological body properties of the person in question;wherein, for each provided cushion model or a subset thereof, the following is performed individually by way of a computing unit of a data processing system:Computing a virtual body loading on a selected body surface of the body of the person in question in relation to person-related loading of the upholstered surface of the upholstery element assigned to the respective upholstery model as a function of the corresponding mechanical cushioning properties of the respective upholstery model and the physiological body properties of the body model of the person in question, andDetermining at least one loading index as a function of the computed virtual body loading and assigning the at least one loading index to the upholstery element concerning the respective upholstery model;wherein at least one upholstery element is then determined from the set of mutually different upholstery elements as a function of the loading indices assigned to the respective upholstery elements by way of the computing unit.