Foldable Bedding Foundation With L-Shaped Spacers and Low-Cost Locking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional collapsible box springs are expensive due to the use of costly hinges and are not affordable for manufacturers, and they lose collapsibility after being upholstered, making them costly for storage and shipment.
Innovation Solution
A collapsible bedding foundation with three hingedly secured sections, using upper and lower hinges, and locking members made of hollow tubing for easy collapse and expansion, allowing for repeated use and reduced storage and shipping costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional hinges are used to connect bedding foundation sections, then the foundation can be collapsed for storage and shipment, but the manufacturing cost increases substantially
Solution Approach 1:
The bedding foundation is divided into multiple sections that can be collapsed relative to each other. The foundation includes a first section, second section, and third section that can be folded together, allowing the entire structure to be collapsed for storage and shipment while using simpler, less expensive connection mechanisms between sections.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using expensive hinges to enable collapsing, the patent uses a simpler approach where the foundation sections are designed to collapse together through their structural configuration. The locking mechanism is simplified to a rod that engages with slots in the foundation sections, replacing the need for complex hinge assemblies while maintaining the collapsible function.
2Volume of stationary object
If the bedding foundation is made collapsible, then storage and shipping costs are reduced, but the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The foundation is segmented into multiple collapsible sections that can be folded together to reduce storage volume. Each section maintains its structural integrity while being capable of relative movement, allowing the entire foundation to be compacted into a smaller package for storage and shipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The foundation transitions from a static, rigid structure to a dynamic, collapsible structure. The sections are connected in a way that allows them to move relative to each other, enabling the foundation to change its configuration between an expanded usable state and a collapsed storage state, thereby reducing storage volume without permanently altering the structure.
3Stability of the object's composition
If locking members are added to maintain the erected position, then the foundation stability improves, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism uses simple, inexpensive rod members that can be easily manufactured and installed. These rods are basic cylindrical components that engage with slots in the foundation sections, providing effective locking without requiring complex or expensive mechanisms. The simplicity of these locking members keeps the manufacturing cost low while maintaining adequate stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking function is extracted from a complex integrated mechanism and implemented as separate, simple rod members that can be independently manufactured and installed. This separation allows for simpler manufacturing of each component while achieving the same stabilizing effect, reducing overall manufacturing cost while maintaining position stability.
Data Source
AI summary
A foldable bedding foundation comprising a first section is hingedly secured to a second section so that the bedding foundation may be folded for storage or transportation purposes. Each section has a base, an upper deck and a plurality of generally L-shaped spacers pivotally secured to the base and upper deck. Upper and lower hinges extend between the base and upper deck of each section. Locking members extending through the spacers maintain the foundation in its erected position.