Inflatable support article
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing inflatable support articles, such as mattresses and cushions, have complex and costly manufacturing processes that use environmentally unfriendly materials and are prone to mechanical failure or leakage due to limitations in strength.
Innovation Solution
A multi-layer woven fabric with an air impermeable layer covering its sides, where the woven layers cross through each other to form a strong, integral structure that eliminates the need for gluing or welding, and is coated with materials like rubber to ensure airtightness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If bonding, sealing, or welding methods are used to manufacture inflatable support articles, then the structure can be formed with impermeable material layers, but the manufacturing process becomes complex, expensive, and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple impermeable material layers (first impermeable layer, second impermeable layer, and third impermeable layer) into a single integrated inflatable structure. The layers are woven together to form chambers, eliminating the need for separate bonding, sealing, or welding operations. This merging of layers and functions simplifies the manufacturing process while maintaining airtightness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite material construction with multiple impermeable layers (including polymer sheets, textile reinforced materials, and membranes) woven together to create a structure that inherently provides both structural integrity and airtightness. The composite nature of the materials eliminates the need for additional sealing operations.
2Reliability
If bonding, sealing, or welding methods are used to manufacture inflatable support articles, then the structure can be formed, but manufacturing costs and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The manufacturing process merges the formation of multiple chambers and layers into a single weaving operation. The inflatable structure is created by weaving impermeable material layers together to form chambers, eliminating the need for separate bonding, sealing, or welding steps. This significantly improves manufacturing efficiency and reduces production time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and eliminates the complex bonding, sealing, and welding operations from the manufacturing process. By using a weaving-based construction method, these time-consuming and costly operations are removed entirely, leaving only the essential weaving process to create the inflatable structure.
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional impermeable material layers are used, then the structure can be made, but material strength is limited leading to mechanical failure or leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs composite material construction with multiple impermeable layers (polymer sheets, textile reinforced materials, membranes) woven together. This composite structure provides enhanced mechanical strength and durability compared to single-layer constructions, while the weaving process itself remains simple and straightforward.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple material layers into a single integrated woven structure that provides both the simplicity of manufacture and enhanced strength. The interconnected weaving of layers creates a robust structure resistant to mechanical failure and leakage.
4Reliability
If multiple separate layers are used with bonding or welding, then air impermeability can be achieved, but the number of manufacturing steps increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the formation of multiple chambers and impermeable layers into a single continuous weaving process. The inflatable structure comprises multiple chambers formed by weaving impermeable material layers together, eliminating the need for separate bonding or welding operations. This single-step process maintains air impermeability while dramatically reducing manufacturing time.
Data Source
AI summary
An inflatable support article containing a multi-layer woven fabric and an air impermeable layer covering the majority of the multi-layer woven fabric. The multi-layer woven fabric has a first and second side and a middle region. At least a portion of the multi-layer woven fabric is woven as four woven layers, layers A, B, C, and D. Each of the woven layers A-D within the multi-layer woven fabric contain a repeating pattern of a first section where the woven layer forms the first side of the multi-layer woven fabric, a second section where the woven layer travels through the multi-layer woven fabric in the middle region of the multi-layer woven fabric, and a third section wherein the woven layer forms the second side of the multi-layer woven fabric. The woven layers A, B, C, and D cross-through each other within the multi-layer woven fabric.