Foldable Box Spring Frame Design for Compact Postal Shipping

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing box springs are difficult for customers to assemble and transport due to their large and heavy components, which exceed standard postal parcel sizes, making shipping costly and assembly cumbersome.

Innovation Solution

A foldable box spring design featuring a U-shaped profile with folding joints and swivel connections allows for easy assembly and compact packaging, enabling the frame to fit within standard postal dimensions, reducing shipping costs and simplifying assembly by eliminating the need for screwing components together.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the box spring is delivered as a complete assembled unit, then the customer receives a ready-to-use product, but the transport dimensions exceed standard postal parcel sizes and shipping costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecustomer convenienceVSAvoidtransport dimensions
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The box spring frame is divided into multiple separable components: a central frame section, a head section with headboard, and a foot section with footboard. These segments can be disassembled and packaged separately to fit within standard postal parcel dimensions (maximum 80cm x 80cm x 120cm), reducing shipping costs while allowing customers to assemble the complete unit at home.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The frame sections are connected through foldable joints and swivel connections that allow the structure to be dynamically collapsed into a compact configuration for shipping, then expanded to its full functional size at the customer's location. This dynamic transformation enables the box spring to transition between small transport volume and large operational volume.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Stability of the object's composition

If the box spring components are connected with multiple fastening elements, then the structural stability is improved, but the assembly process becomes time-consuming and complex for customers

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveframe stabilityVSAvoidassembly time
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple fastening functions are merged into integrated connection elements. The swivel connections and foldable joints incorporate both the structural connection and the stabilization mechanisms in single components, eliminating the need for separate fastening operations. This merging reduces the number of assembly steps while maintaining frame stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The frame sections are designed with self-aligning connection features that guide the assembly process. The swivel connections and foldable joints automatically position components correctly during assembly, reducing the need for precise alignment and manual adjustment by the customer. This self-service design simplifies the assembly process while ensuring stable construction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Ease of manufacture

If the box spring is designed as a single rigid structure, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the transport and handling become tedious for customers

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidcustomer handling
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The box spring is manufactured as separate modular sections (central frame, head section, foot section) that can be independently produced and packaged. This segmentation makes each component lightweight and easy for customers to handle and transport, while the sections are designed to connect together to form the complete rigid structure when assembled.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The connection joints are designed to be flexible during transport and assembly, allowing the sections to be easily manipulated and connected. Once assembled, the structure becomes rigid and stable for use. This dynamic characteristic enables easy customer handling during assembly while providing structural rigidity during operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

4Loss of energy

If standard postal services are used for shipping, then the shipping cost is reduced, but the box spring components must fit within strict size limitations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveshipping costVSAvoidparcel size
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The box spring is divided into multiple components that can each be packaged within the maximum postal parcel dimensions (80cm x 80cm x 120cm). The central frame section, head section, and foot section are designed to disassemble into compact units that fit these size constraints, enabling use of cost-effective standard postal services rather than expensive freight forwarding.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The frame sections incorporate foldable and collapsible elements that reduce the three-dimensional volume of the components during shipping. By collapsing the structure into a more compact configuration, the components fit within standard postal parcel size limitations while maintaining their full functional dimensions when assembled and deployed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP3659470B1Box spring
Publication Date: 2021.07.07 SCHWARZ DIETER
  • EP3659470B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3659470B1 patent drawingFigure 3a
  • EP3659470B1 patent drawingFigure 3b

AI summary

The invention relates to a springboard with a suspension, a number of slats to support the suspension, a frame (20) to receive the slats and a number of feet to space the frame (20) away from the ground.Creating a box spring that can be delivered to the customer cost-effectively and that the customer can assemble easily without much effort is achieved by the frame (20) having a head segment (56) held on a central crossbar (30) according to claim 1 and by the frame (20) having a foot segment (58) held on the central crossbar (30) according to claim 2, wherein the head segment (56) is provided on a first side of the central crossbar (30), while the foot segment (58) is provided on a second side of the central crossbar (30) opposite the first side, so that the head segment (56) and/or the foot segment (58) can be pushed together in such a way that the box spring can be shipped with standard postal parcels.