Foldable Mattress Pad Locking Across Vehicle Cab Seats

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing portable mattress solutions do not provide a comfortable and supportive way for users to rest across seats within the cab of a vehicle, lacking a combination of a padded pallet and a rigid support surface.

Innovation Solution

A portable mattress pad with three pivotably attached sections, allowing it to transition between a flat configuration for user support and a folded configuration for storage, featuring a locking mechanism to secure the flat configuration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a portable mattress uses a rigid frame or cot structure to provide support across vehicle seats, then support and comfort are improved, but weight and portability deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesupport and comfortVSAvoidweight and portability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The mattress is divided into multiple sections (first section, second section, third section) that can be pivotably attached together. This segmentation allows the mattress to be collapsed into a compact folded configuration for easy portability while maintaining the ability to form a supportive surface when assembled

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The mattress incorporates pivotable connections between sections that allow dynamic transformation between a flat extended configuration for use and a folded compact configuration for storage and transport, providing adaptability without requiring heavy rigid framing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Ease of operation

If a portable mattress uses a folded compact design for easy storage, then portability and storage convenience are improved, but structural stability and user comfort deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveportability and storage convenienceVSAvoidstructural stability and user comfort

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The mattress is divided into multiple sections (first section, second section, third section) that can be pivotably attached together. This segmentation allows the mattress to be collapsed into a compact folded configuration for easy portability while maintaining the ability to form a supportive surface when assembled

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The mattress uses a lightweight padded construction without heavy rigid framing, accepting that the structure is temporary and portable rather than permanent and heavily fortified, which is appropriate for the intended mobile application

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Ease of operation

If a portable mattress uses multiple pivotable sections for compact folding, then storage convenience is improved, but device complexity and assembly difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestorage convenienceVSAvoiddevice complexity and assembly difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The mattress is divided into multiple sections (first section, second section, third section) that can be pivotably attached together. This segmentation allows the mattress to be collapsed into a compact folded configuration for easy portability while maintaining the ability to form a supportive surface when assembled

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The mattress sections are designed to fold nested against each other in a compact configuration, with the first, second, and third sections collapsing together to minimize storage space while maintaining structural integrity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Data Source

PatentUS20250127308A1Portable padding device

Publication Date: 2025.04.24 LOPEZ ALFREDO

AI summary

A portable padding device for comfortably supporting a user across seats in a cab of a vehicle includes a mattress pad having a first section, a second section, and a third section. Each of the first and third sections are pivotably attached to the second section. The mattress pad has a flat configuration, wherein each of the first and third sections are pivoted away from the second section. The mattress pad also has a folded configuration, wherein each of the first and third sections are pivoted toward the second section. A locking mechanism is attached to the mattress pad to releasably retain each of the first and third sections in the flat configuration with respect to the second section. The locking mechanism includes a first pin that secures the first section to the second section and a second pin that secures the third section to the second section.