Foldable Bed Backrest Actuator Positioning to Reduce Folded Height

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional electric beds with downwardly protruding extension portions for actuator devices increase their overall height when folded, affecting transport dimensions and costs.

Innovation Solution

A foldable bed design with a bed frame unit that pivots into a stacked configuration and a backrest actuating mechanism that adjusts its angle and position to minimize protrusion during storage, using a backrest connecting member and driving assembly to facilitate folding and unfolding.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the actuator device is mounted to an extension portion protruding downwardly from the bed frame to increase the included angle, then the backrest unit can be effectively driven, but the overall height of the folded bed increases, affecting transport dimensions and costs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebackrest driving effectivenessVSAvoidoverall height of folded bed

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The actuator device is designed with a movable mounting position that can be adjusted between a first position (protruding downwardly) for effective backrest driving and a second position (retracted) for reduced overall height during folding and transport. This dynamic repositioning resolves the contradiction between driving effectiveness and compact storage dimension.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The actuator device utilizes the widthwise direction as an additional dimension for movement, allowing it to shift between protruding and retracted positions laterally rather than solely in the vertical direction. This dimensional approach enables the device to maintain driving effectiveness while reducing the overall height when folded.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Ease of operation

If the bed frame is designed to be foldable for convenient transport, then transport convenience improves, but the extension portion protruding downwardly adversely affects the overall height and transport dimension

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetransport convenienceVSAvoidoverall height of folded bed

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The actuator device's mounting position is made dynamic, allowing it to be relocated to a retracted position when the bed is folded for transport. This eliminates the adverse effect of the extension portion on overall height while preserving the foldable design's transport convenience.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The bed frame is divided into separable sub-units that can be folded relative to each other, and the actuator device is designed as an independent component that can be repositioned. This segmentation allows the actuator to be moved out of the way during folding, reducing the overall height without compromising transport convenience.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If the backrest actuating mechanism is in the usage state with the connecting end pivoted downwardly away from the first bed frame, then the backrest frame can be driven effectively, but the mechanism occupies more space, increasing the storage angle

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebackrest driving effectivenessVSAvoidspace occupied by backrest actuating mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The backrest actuating mechanism is designed with dynamic positioning capability, allowing the connecting end to pivot between a downward position (for effective driving) and an upward retracted position (for compact storage). This reduces the storage angle and space occupied when not in use.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of the connecting end always protruding downwardly, the mechanism is designed to invert its position, pivoting the connecting end upward toward the first bed frame during storage. This inversion reduces the storage angle and minimizes the volume occupied by the actuating mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

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 design reduces the overall height of the folded bed, minimizing transport dimensions and costs while maintaining functionality, and prevents interference between components.

Implementation Method 1

a weight of the backrest driving assembly drives the connecting end of the backrest connecting member to pivot downwardly away from the first bed frame

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGravity: Gravitation

Data Source

PatentUS20250295242A1Foldable bed

Publication Date: 2025.09.25 ULIFE HEALTHCARE

AI summary

A foldable bed includes a bed frame unit that includes a first bed frame subunit and a second bed frame subunit, and that is foldable to a bed flat state, where the first bed frame subunit and the second bed frame subunit are arranged in a lengthwise direction. A backrest actuating mechanism includes a backrest connecting member and a backrest driving assembly. The backrest connecting member has a pivotal end and a connecting end. When the bed frame unit is in the bed flat state, the backrest actuating mechanism is operable to convert between a usage state, where a weight of the backrest driving assembly drives the connecting end to move away from the first bed frame, and a storage state, where the connecting end is adjacent to the first bed frame and the backrest driving assembly is moved closer to the backrest frame.