Honeycomb Gel Cushion Structure for Easier Mold Release
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gel structures with a hexagonal columnar shape face challenges in mold removal, leading to low productivity and poor molding completeness, and adhesion issues result in poor fixability and increased defects, degrading seating pressure performance.
Innovation Solution
A bedding filler with a gel cushion featuring a honeycomb structure and adhesive medium integrated with a gel structure, including barrier ribs with varying thicknesses and through-holes, allowing easy mold separation and direct bonding without additional adhesives.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the thickness of barrier rib is increased to facilitate mold removal, then ease of manufacture is improved, but seating pressure performance is degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The barrier rib is designed with asymmetric thickness distribution: thicker at the lower end (for easy mold removal) and thinner at the upper end (for maintaining seating pressure performance). This asymmetric design resolves the contradiction by optimizing different sections for different functions.
Solution Approach 2:
Different sections of the barrier rib have different thicknesses tailored to local requirements: the lower end has increased thickness for manufacturing ease, while the upper end maintains thinner profile for pressure performance. This local differentiation resolves the global contradiction.
2Length of stationary object
If separate cushion material is bonded to gel structure to increase height, then cushion height is improved, but device complexity increases due to multiple adhesion operations
Solution Approach 1:
The adhesive medium is integrated into the gel structure itself rather than being a separate bonding operation. The adhesive medium forms an integral part of the gel structure during a single injection molding process, eliminating the need for separate adhesion operations between gel structure and cushion material.
Solution Approach 2:
The adhesive medium is pre-formed as part of the gel structure during injection molding, before the cushion material is applied. This preliminary formation of the adhesive layer simplifies subsequent bonding operations and reduces overall manufacturing complexity.
3Length of stationary object
If multiple materials are adhered together to achieve sufficient height, then cushion height is improved, but productivity is reduced due to increased adhesion portions and defect possibilities
Solution Approach 1:
The gel structure and adhesive medium are merged into a single integrated component manufactured in one injection molding process. This eliminates multiple adhesion operations and associated productivity losses while maintaining the ability to achieve sufficient cushion height.
4Ease of manufacture
If hexagonal columnar gel structure is manufactured with standard thickness, then manufacturing is simplified, but mold removal becomes difficult resulting in low productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The barrier rib employs asymmetric thickness with the lower end being thicker than the upper end. This asymmetric design creates a tapered geometry that facilitates easy mold removal while maintaining structural integrity, thereby improving productivity without complicating the manufacturing process.
Data Source
AI summary
A bedding filler using gel cushion is disclosed. A bedding filler using a gel cushion is formed of a material having fluidity and elasticity and includes: a gel structure having a honeycomb structure; and a cushion bonded to the gel structure, wherein the gel structure is configured to include a plurality of barrier ribs forming through-holes having a downwardly recessed regular hexagonal cross-section, and an adhesive medium provided at the bottom of the barrier ribs.