Infant Cradle Bed Spring Layout for Stable 3D Rocking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional infant cradles fail to replicate the soothing three-dimensional stochastic movements found in environments like prams and cars, leading to difficulties in helping infants fall asleep, and existing solutions with helical coils or long springs result in instability or impracticality.
Innovation Solution
The use of elongated spring elements extending from the legs of the bed, which provide a harmonic, waved movement in three dimensions, allowing the child to self-rock to sleep while maintaining stability and ease of mobility, and are designed to minimize the risk of tipping over and toe/foot injuries.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If helical coils are used between the legs and the floor to provide cradle function, then the bed can rock, but the movement becomes too bumpy and unstable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the spring parameters by using elongated spring elements (10-20 cm length) with specific thickness (5-10 mm) and width (20-50 mm), and by positioning them at an angle (30-60 degrees) from the vertical, creating a harmonic waved movement instead of the bumpy motion produced by conventional helical coils
Solution Approach 2:
The spring elements are arranged to extend in opposite directions from each leg, creating movement in multiple dimensions. This three-dimensional spring configuration produces stochastic movements similar to pram or car motion, improving the cradle function while maintaining stability
2Ease of operation
If very long protruding bars with soft springs are used to obtain pleasant movement, then the cradle movement is smooth, but the product size increases and it cannot be moved in a home
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the spring element dimensions to a specific range (10-20 cm length, 5-10 mm thickness, 20-50 mm width) that produces harmonic movement while keeping the overall bed size compact enough for home movement and storage
Solution Approach 2:
The spring elements are designed with adjustable positioning at an angle of 30-60 degrees from the vertical, allowing the bed to adapt its rocking characteristics while maintaining a compact form factor that can be easily moved throughout the home
3Ease of operation
If the spring elements are made short to enable easy movement through door openings, then the bed is mobile, but the risk of tipping over increases
Solution Approach 1:
The spring elements are positioned at an angle of 30-60 degrees from the vertical rather than extending horizontally, which provides adequate stability against tipping while keeping the protrusion length limited (10-20 cm), enabling the bed to be moved through door openings and hallways
4Ease of operation
If elongated spring elements extend from the legs, then harmonic three-dimensional movement is achieved, but the spring elements may protrude and pose injury risk
Solution Approach 1:
The spring element dimensions are controlled (10-20 cm length, 5-10 mm thickness) and positioned at an angled orientation (30-60 degrees from vertical), which limits their protrusion distance from the bed legs, reducing the risk of injury to toes or feet while maintaining effective cradle movement
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 effectively mimics the soothing movements that help infants fall asleep, ensuring stability and safety while allowing the bed to be easily moved and stored, reducing the burden on parents and adhering to safety regulations.
Implementation Method 1
elongated spring elements, which extend in opposite directions from a leg... The movement of the spring element under stress can be described as waved... By adapting length, thickness, width and a certain bias an harmonic movement in three dimensions is obtained
Data Source
Figure 1~3
AI summary
A bed for infants with cradle function comprising a bed structure (1) and legs (3, 4) attached thereto, wherein the bed has two legs (3, 4) mounted to the bed structure (1) diametrically opposite to each other, seen in a longitudinal direction of the bed, that the respective leg (3, 4) has laterally protruding elements (9, 10; 11, 12) made of a resilient material at its free end, and in that said protruding resilient elements (9, 10; 11, 12) are arranged to protrude obliquely downwards from the leg to a floor so that the lower part of the leg is situated at a distance from said floor.