Elastic Bed Rest Support Element With Sliding Pulley Guidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bed rests with slats and support elements are complex, expensive, and prone to mechanical friction and maintenance issues, leading to early wear and discomfort due to their intricate mechanical components and weight, which fail to provide optimal support for the vertebral column and promote deep sleep.
Innovation Solution
A bed rest with flexible, elastically yielding slats connected through a simple mechanical system using pulleys and sliding guides, allowing active reaction to body weight and anatomy, ensuring orthopedic support and comfort, and manufactured using inexpensive materials and a single mold for reduced production costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a plurality of mechanical elements (pistons, springs, connection elements) are used to provide support, then the support function is improved, but the device complexity increases and manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple mechanical elements (pistons, springs, connection elements) into a single integrated support element that can be produced in one piece. This merging eliminates the need for separate components while maintaining the support function, thereby reducing device complexity and manufacturing cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated support element performs multiple functions simultaneously: it provides elastic support, enables slat movement, and absorbs mechanical stresses. This multi-functionality replaces the need for separate specialized components, simplifying the overall structure while maintaining reliability.
2Reliability
If multiple mechanical components are used to react to body pressure, then the orthopedic support is improved, but mechanical friction increases leading to early wear
Solution Approach 1:
By integrating the piston, spring, and connection elements into a single piece, the patent eliminates multiple contact interfaces between separate components. This reduction in contact points minimizes mechanical friction and wear, thereby extending the service life while maintaining orthopedic support functionality.
3Device complexity
If mechanical components are placed inside the bed frame, then the structure is compact, but the ease of repair deteriorates due to inaccessibility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the bed rest structure into modular components, with each support element being a self-contained unit that can be independently accessed and replaced. This segmentation allows for easy maintenance while maintaining a compact overall structure, as individual elements can be serviced without disassembling the entire frame.
4Adaptability or versatility
If a high number of mechanical elements are provided, then the support adaptability is improved, but the weight increases and breakage risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple functional elements into a single lightweight support element, reducing the overall weight compared to using separate components. The integrated design maintains adaptability through the elastic properties of the single-piece construction while eliminating the weight penalty of multiple discrete parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The support element is made from elastic material that combines structural strength with flexibility. This composite approach allows the single element to perform multiple functions previously requiring separate mechanical components, reducing weight while maintaining adaptability.
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 solution provides a lightweight, cost-effective, and easy-to-maintain bed rest that adapts to individual body shapes and positions, ensuring orthopedic support, relaxation, and hygiene, while reducing mechanical friction and wear, thus enhancing sleep quality and comfort.
Implementation Method 1
Each support element (11) has a respective central portion (13), which is substantially vertical and which is rigidly connected to the pair of slats (12). Furthermore, each central portion (13) is associated with an arc shaped and elastically yielding portion (14), which is positioned between the pair of slats (12), to which is rigidly connected, and the end (15), opposed to the slats (12), of the central portion (13), to which is slidably connected.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a support element (11) for a bed rest, in particular with slats (12), comprising a central portion (13) with a mainly vertical extension, that is connected to the bed rest and that is provided with a free end (15), and an arc-shaped and elastically yielding portion (14), which is slidably connected to the free end (15) of the central portion (13); in particular, the free end (15) of the central portion (13) has a first seat (23) for housing a pulley or sliding guide (16) and the elastically yielding portion (14) has a second seat (25), for each side, for housing respective pulleys or sliding guides (18), motion transmitting elements (19) being also placed on the pulleys or sliding guides (16, 18). The invention further relates to a bed rest equipped with a plurality of the above mentioned support elements (11).