Fire-Resistant Mattress with Compartmentalized Combustible Layers
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fire-resistant mattresses lack an additional barrier to prevent rapid fire spread once the outer layer is breached, which can lead to complete mattress engulfment and increased risk of bedroom fires.
Innovation Solution
A mattress design incorporating multiple layers of fire-resistant material to compartmentalize combustible materials, creating a fire-containing compartment between the sleeping side and the inner support compartment, slowing fire advancement and containment within specific layers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single fire-resistant barrier is placed on the outside of the mattress, then fire resistance is improved, but the mattress surface becomes hard and uncomfortable
Solution Approach 1:
The fire-resistant barrier is divided into multiple separate layers distributed throughout the mattress construction rather than placing one thick barrier on the outside. This segmentation allows the fire protection function to be distributed without compromising the comfort of the mattress surface, as each layer is thin and integrated into different structural components.
Solution Approach 2:
Fire-resistant properties are applied locally to specific components and layers within the mattress rather than uniformly across the entire surface. This allows fire protection to be concentrated where needed while maintaining comfort in the sleeping surface areas.
2Reliability
If fire-resistant material is applied to the outer layer, then fire spread is slowed, but the outer layer becomes less comfortable to the touch
Solution Approach 1:
The fire-resistant function is segmented into multiple thin layers distributed throughout the mattress rather than one thick fire-resistant outer layer. This allows the outer surface to remain comfortable while fire resistance is maintained through the distributed layering.
Solution Approach 2:
Fire-resistant layers are nested within the mattress structure, with layers positioned between comfort layers and support structures. This nesting allows the fire-resistant materials to be embedded within the mattress without being exposed at the surface, thus maintaining comfort while providing fire protection.
3Reliability
If multiple layers of fire-resistant material are used to compartmentalize combustible materials, then fire containment is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mattress is divided into multiple compartments with fire-resistant barriers between them, creating a segmented structure that contains fire to specific zones. This segmentation naturally provides fire containment while the modular nature of the segmentation makes the complex structure manageable and systematic.
Solution Approach 2:
Fire-resistant materials are applied selectively to specific layers and compartments based on their fire risk and containment needs, rather than uniformly throughout the entire mattress. This localized application provides effective fire containment while reducing the overall complexity compared to universal application.
Data Source
AI summary
A mattress is disclosed that includes a sleeping side, a cushioning layer, an inner support compartment, and a fire-containing compartment disposed between the sleeping side and the inner support compartment. The fire-containing compartment includes first and second layers of fire-resistant material selected from the group consisting of a barrier sheet, a high loft batt, and a fire-resistant chemical. The cushioning layer is disposed between the first and second layers of fire-resistant material.