Tubular Foam Spring with Reinforcement Ribs for Fatigue Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing foam springs for pillows and mattresses are prone to fatigue, damage during handling, and complex manufacturing processes, leading to higher production costs and environmental impact, with unpredictable elastic behavior affecting user comfort and adaptability.
Innovation Solution
A foam spring design featuring reinforcement ribs formed within a tubular body with staggered holes, eliminating the need for additional reinforcements and allowing even distribution of compression forces, reducing material costs and energy consumption while enhancing resilience and predictability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If additional reinforcing components (wire springs, cores, or separate reinforcing layers) are added to foam springs, then durability and resistance to damage during handling are improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the reinforcing function directly into the foam spring body by creating integrated reinforcement ribs through selective slit patterns. Instead of adding separate wire springs, cores, or reinforcing layers as in prior art, the reinforcement structure is built-in during the foam forming process itself, eliminating additional components and simplifying manufacturing while maintaining durability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by creating reinforcement ribs only in specific areas where structural support is needed, while leaving other areas with slits for elasticity and comfort. The selective slit pattern creates localized reinforcement zones that provide strength exactly where required without unnecessarily complicating the entire spring structure
2Reliability
If more components (wire springs, reinforcing layers, backings) are added to foam springs, then resilience and fatigue resistance are improved, but production time and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the foam formation process with the creation of reinforcement ribs in a single integrated step. The selective slit pattern is applied during foam extrusion or molding, eliminating the need for separate operations to add wire springs, reinforcing layers, or backings, thereby reducing production time and energy consumption while maintaining fatigue resistance
Solution Approach 2:
The reinforcement structure is prepared in advance during the foam forming process itself. The selective slit pattern creates pre-formed reinforcement ribs that provide fatigue resistance before the spring is even assembled into the final product, eliminating the need for subsequent reinforcement steps
3Adaptability or versatility
If complex slit patterns are applied to foam layers to create holes, then elastic behavior is improved, but manufacturing precision and consistency become harder to control
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the foam layer into distinct zones: areas with slits that create holes for elasticity and comfort, and areas without slits that form reinforcement ribs for structural support. This segmentation allows each zone to be optimized independently while maintaining overall manufacturing consistency through standardized patterning
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different properties to different parts of the foam spring by using a selective slit pattern. Some areas have slits for elasticity, while adjacent areas have no slits for reinforcement, allowing localized optimization of elastic behavior while maintaining manufacturing precision through controlled patterning
4Ease of operation
If foam springs are made with uniform hole distribution, then comfort is improved, but structural strength and resistance to deformation decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating reinforcement ribs in specific areas where structural strength is needed, while maintaining hole distribution in areas where comfort is prioritized. This allows the spring to provide both comfort and strength in appropriate locations rather than compromising one for the other throughout the entire structure
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the spring structure into comfort zones with holes and strength zones with reinforcement ribs. This segmentation allows uniform hole distribution in comfort-critical areas while providing localized reinforcement in areas requiring structural strength, resolving the contradiction between comfort and strength
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 foam spring with reinforcement ribs provides improved durability, reduced material costs, and enhanced comfort and adaptability, allowing for better prediction of elastic behavior and easier customization to user preferences, while simplifying production and reducing environmental impact.
Implementation Method 1
a tubular resilient body made of foam
Implementation Method 2
the foam layer is made of what is called a visco-elastic foam
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
A foam layer (6) for forming a tubular resilient body (2) of a foam spring (1), the foam layer (6) having areas (16) with slits (17) alternating with areas (18) without slits (17), whereby, after having made a tubular body (2) out of the foam layer (6), said slits (17) form holes (3) in the tubular body (2) and said areas (16) with slits (17) form a limited part (16) of the tubular body (2) displaying holes (3) and said areas (18) without slits (17) form a limited part (18) of the tubular body (2) that is not provided with holes (3).