Elastic Open Coil Spring Assembly for Reduced Motion Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional open coil spring assemblies suffer from excessive motion transfer due to rigid helical wire lacing, limiting their conformity to a user's body and reducing the independence of individual coils, unlike pocketed coil spring assemblies which are more desirable but more expensive to produce.
Innovation Solution
The use of elastic lacing or alternative connecting methods, such as shock cord or discrete flexible bands, to join open coil springs, allowing for greater independence and reduced motion transfer, while maintaining a more economical production cost.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If rigid helical wire lacing is used to join open coil springs, then structural stability is improved, but motion transfer between coils increases and coil independence decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical parameter of the lacing material from rigid (traditional wire) to elastic (rubber or elastic cord), fundamentally altering the mechanical properties of the connection between springs. This parameter change allows the lacing to maintain structural stability while reducing motion transfer, as the elastic material can deform and absorb movements between coils rather than transmitting them rigidly.
2Ease of manufacture
If rigid helical wire lacing is used to join open coil springs, then ease of manufacture is improved, but coil independence and conformity to body decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical parameter of the lacing material from rigid to elastic, allowing the spring assembly to conform to the contours of the user's body. The elastic lacing can stretch and flex to accommodate body shapes and movements, providing adaptability and versatility that rigid wire lacing cannot achieve, while still maintaining relatively simple manufacturing processes.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If pocketed coil spring assemblies are used instead of open coil springs, then coil independence and motion transfer reduction is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent copies the functional effect of pocketed coil assemblies by using elastic lacing on traditional open coil springs. Instead of replacing the entire spring assembly structure with expensive pocketed coils, the invention replicates the motion isolation benefit by having each spring individually laced with elastic material, achieving similar performance at lower cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses inexpensive elastic lacing material (such as rubber cord or elastic string) to achieve the motion transfer reduction effect that would otherwise require expensive pocketed coil constructions. The elastic lacing provides a cost-effective alternative that delivers the desired performance without the high manufacturing costs of pocketed assemblies.
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 open coil spring assemblies with elastic lacing or connections reduce motion transfer and bounce, enabling each coil to move more independently, similar to pocketed coil spring assemblies, while maintaining economic viability.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic lacing extending between pairs of adjacent rows of the plurality of rows of open coil springs
Data Source
AI summary
Present embodiments provide various open coil spring assemblies which perform like an encased spring assembly. The embodiments have elastic lacings or connections which connect springs to springs or springs to lacings. Various spring embodiments are provided as well as various arrangements for the elastic lacings. All of these features improve compliance and stability while reducing motion transfer.