Foldable Cot Structure With Synchronized Mattress Folding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing foldable cots for infants are complex to fold and transport, often requiring the mattress to be removed, which can lead to difficulties in storage and safety hazards like finger traps, and take excessive time to transition between configurations.
Innovation Solution
A foldable cot design featuring hinged side-bars and a base that fold synchronously, allowing the cot to be easily converted between deployed and stowed configurations with the mattress integrated, using a spring-loaded locking mechanism and castors for efficient movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional cot structures are used, then the cot provides stable support, but the cot becomes complex to fold and stow
Solution Approach 1:
The cot is divided into modular components including a base unit, side rail assemblies, and end pieces that can be independently manufactured and assembled. The base includes separate leg portions and support structures that can be folded independently, simplifying the overall folding process while maintaining structural integrity during use.
Solution Approach 2:
The folded side rails nest within the space defined by the base and end pieces, with the mattress positioning assembly nesting within the side rail structure. This nested configuration allows the cot to collapse into a compact form factor suitable for storage and transport while maintaining full structural functionality when deployed.
2Ease of operation
If the mattress is removed before folding, then the cot can be folded more easily, but the mattress may become separated and lost
Solution Approach 1:
The mattress positioning assembly integrates the mattress retention function directly into the cot's structural framework. The assembly includes engagement features on both the base and side rails that work together to secure the mattress in place during folding operations, eliminating the need to remove the mattress while preventing it from becoming separated or lost.
3Volume of moving object
If complex folding mechanisms are used, then the cot can be compact when stowed, but the folding process takes excessive time
Solution Approach 1:
The cot employs dynamic folding mechanisms with movable connections between the base, side rails, and end pieces that allow smooth transitions between deployed and stowed configurations. The leg portions and support structures are designed with articulated joints that enable coordinated folding movements, reducing the time required to collapse the cot while achieving a compact stowed volume.
4Stability of the object's composition
If traditional hinge arrangements are used, then the cot provides structural stability, but finger trap hazards are created
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge arrangements and connection points are designed with enlarged surfaces and rounded edges at locations where fingers might be trapped. The structural members incorporate protective features such as covered joints and smooth transitions at critical folding points, maintaining structural stability while eliminating finger trap hazards through localized design modifications.
Data Source
AI summary
A foldable cot including a base attached to a first end and a second end and side-bars connected between the first and second ends above opposite sides of the base, with the first side-bar 0 positioned further from the base than the second side-bar, and the side-bars hinged such that they may fold toward one another, and the base hinged so that it may fold towards the first and second side-bars, such that folding of the base causes folding of the side-bars, with the cot moveable between a first configuration in which the base, first, and second side-bars are substantially un-folded, into a second configuration in which the base is folded in the direction of the first and second side-bars, the first and second side-bars are folded such that the first side-bar folds above the second side-bar, and the first and second ends are brought together with the folded base and the folded first and second side-bars between them.