Frameless Flexible Bed Suspension for Rollable Mattress Support

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional sleeping or reclining furniture with slatted frames has a bulky and inflexible base suspension that is difficult to handle and adapt to different sleeping habits and purposes, limiting its versatility and adjustability.

Innovation Solution

A modular, frameless base suspension system with flexible side strands and adjustable suspension elements that can be rolled up for easy transport, allowing individual customization of the distance between slats and incorporation of movable bearing means for enhanced comfort and adaptability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If a rigid frame with spring strips is used as base suspension, then the structural stability is improved, but the ease of handling and transport deteriorates due to bulky structure

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidease of handling
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The base suspension is divided into separate components: side strands (23) that can be independently folded, bearing means (21) that can be detached, and slats (16) that are removable. This segmentation allows the frameless base suspension to be collapsed and stored compactly while maintaining structural stability during use.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The side strands (23) are designed as flexible, foldable elements that can dynamically transition between an extended configuration during use (providing structural support) and a collapsed configuration for storage and transport. This dynamic adaptability resolves the contradiction between stability during use and ease of handling during transport.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Stability of the object's composition

If bearing means are fixed to side strands, then the base suspension stability is improved, but the adaptability to different sleeping habits deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebase suspension stabilityVSAvoidadaptability to sleeping habits
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The bearing means (21) are designed with movable or oscillating capabilities, allowing them to dynamically adjust to different loading conditions and sleeping positions. This enables the base suspension to adapt to various sleeping habits while maintaining stability through the resilient support provided by the bearing means.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The bearing means (21) can be positioned at different locations along the side strands (23), and their spacing can be adjusted to change the characteristics of the base suspension. This parameter adjustment capability allows adaptation to different sleeping habits and requirements while maintaining structural stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Stability of the object's composition

If a frame structure is used for base suspension, then the support stability is improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesupport stabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The traditional rigid frame structure is completely removed from the base suspension design. Instead, support stability is achieved through the interaction of flexible side strands (23), bearing means (21), and slats (16), eliminating the complexity of frame construction, corners, and joints while maintaining adequate support stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The side strands (23) function as flexible structural elements that replace the rigid frame. These flexible elements provide the necessary support and stability through their tension and resilience properties, simplifying the overall structure while eliminating the need for complex frame assemblies.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

4Adaptability or versatility

If the number of slats is increased to improve support distribution, then the comfort is improved, but the handling difficulty and storage space requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesupport distributionVSAvoidhandling ease
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The slats (16) are designed as separate, removable components that can be individually adjusted or removed. This allows the number of slats to be optimized for support distribution while maintaining ease of handling, as the slats can be detached and stored separately when not in use, unlike integrated frame structures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

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 solution enables easy handling and adaptation of the furniture to various uses and sleeping cultures, providing improved comfort and flexibility through adjustable suspension and movable bearing elements, allowing for customizable support and vibration features.

Implementation Method 1

The base suspension has several strips 16 running transversely to the longitudinal direction 15 of the bed 10, which may optionally be spring strips

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

The side strands 23 are formed from flat belts in the exemplary embodiment shown. The flat sides of the belts of both side strands 23 lie in a horizontal plane in the flat base spring 13 shown here

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFlexibility: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP2403383B1Resting furniture, in particular sleeping or reclining furniture
Publication Date: 2014.07.02 THOMAS BETEILIGUNGS UND VERMOGENS GMBH & CO KG
  • EP2403383B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2403383B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2403383B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Beds (10) usually have a supporting spring system (13) for a mattress (14) which has a rigid frame. It is required that such supporting spring systems (13) are adapted to the bed (10), in particular to the bed frame (11). Therefore, an individual supporting spring system (13) is required for each bed (10). Moreover, the supporting spring system (13) having a rigid frame is bulky and thus difficult to transport. The invention provides a bed (10) having a frameless flexible supporting spring system (13). The flexible supporting spring system (13) is supported by a carrying frame (12) or directly by the bed frame (11). The flexible supporting spring system (13) can be rolled and is thus easy to transport. In particular, the flexible supporting spring system (13) allows for the use with different beds (10) and for individual adaptation to different sleeping habits.