Foldable Sofa Mattress Spring Structure for Low-Profile Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Foldable mattresses struggle to provide both comfort and compact storage, especially in low-profile furniture designs, as they either become too bulky or too thin and soft, and existing collapsible spring designs compromise flexibility and stability for storage purposes.
Innovation Solution
A foldable mattress design featuring pivotably joined spring sections with a transition section and biasing straps to maintain upright posture, allowing for efficient storage while providing a stable and comfortable sleeping surface, utilizing coil and sinuous springs with a brace assembly for structural stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the mattress uses thick, firm materials for optimal sleeping comfort, then sleeping comfort is improved, but the mattress becomes too bulky to be folded into low-profile furniture
Solution Approach 1:
The mattress is divided into multiple sections with different spring configurations. The first section (head region) contains coil springs for comfort, while the second section (foot region) contains collapsible sinuous springs for compact storage. This segmentation allows each zone to be optimized for its specific function.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the mattress are assigned different spring types and densities. The head section uses softer coil springs for comfort, while the foot section uses firmer sinuous springs for structural support during folding. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between comfort and compactness.
2Volume of moving object
If the mattress uses collapsible sinuous springs to reduce thickness for storage, then storage compactness is improved, but the mattress becomes too soft and unstable to provide a comfortable sleeping surface
Solution Approach 1:
The mattress separates the comfort function (coil springs in head section) from the storage function (sinuous springs in foot section). This allows the sinuous springs to be optimized for collapse without compromising overall sleeping comfort.
Solution Approach 2:
The mattress combines two different spring systems (coil and sinuous) in a single structure. Each spring type contributes different properties: coil springs provide comfort and stability, while sinuous springs provide collapse capability. The composite structure achieves both contradictory requirements.
3Volume of moving object
If the mattress is designed to fold into the thinnest structure possible for compact storage, then storage efficiency is improved, but the structural stability and comfort are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The mattress is segmented into a stable head section with coil springs and a collapsible foot section with sinuous springs. The head section maintains structural integrity during folding, while the foot section provides the necessary thickness reduction.
Solution Approach 2:
The mattress transitions from a rigid, stable structure during use to a dynamic, collapsible structure during storage. The sinuous springs in the foot section are designed to collapse dynamically, reducing thickness while the head section remains stable.
4Stability of the object's composition
If the mattress uses a grid structure with laterally extending wires for stability, then structural stability is improved, but the flexibility and ease of folding are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The grid structure is segmented into different configurations in different sections. The head section uses a traditional stable grid, while the foot section uses a modified grid that allows collapse. This segmentation maintains overall stability while enabling folding flexibility.
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 achieves a compact storage footprint while maintaining comfort and stability, allowing the mattress to be stored in smaller spaces and easily manufactured at a lower cost, accommodating various furniture styles.
Implementation Method 1
the springs pivot about the wires comprising the grid so that the mattress upper surface is drawn closer and shifts longitudinally relative to the mattress lower surface
Implementation Method 2
The mattress includes a first section having coil springs, a second section having collapsible sinuous springs
Implementation Method 3
Straps are used to maintain the upright posture of the attached sections of collapsible sinuous springs
Data Source
AI summary
A foldable sofa mattress and method for storing within low profile furniture. The mattress includes a transition section disposed between different collapsible sinuous spring sections. The sinuous spring sections are pivotably joined to the transition section and the sections are affixed to upper and lower grids for support. A method for storing a foldable mattress includes the steps of providing a mattress with a transition section disposed between two collapsible sections, extending opposing pairs of straps from the transition section to each of the separate collapsible sections, and bending the mattress. The method further includes the steps of flattening the two collapsible sections, placing the flattened sections on top of one another, and storing the folded mattress in a cavity.