Lumbar Support Element Surface Roughness for Slip-Stick Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lumbar support devices with plate-like support elements and air cushions face challenges in material separation during recycling, increased assembly complexity, and higher costs due to the use of different materials like felt or fleece for reducing the slip-stick effect.
Innovation Solution
A plate-like support element with a surface structure having a mean roughness of 0.4 μm to 20 μm, which reduces static friction and prevents the slip-stick effect, is used, where the surface structure is integrated with the support element, either through injection molding or post-treatment, allowing for a unified material composition and simplified assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If felt or fleece is used as a cover layer to reduce the slip-stick effect, then the air cushion can slide smoothly on the support element, but the material separation during recycling becomes more complex and assembly complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the support element and the anti-slip surface into a single integrated component. The support element is provided with a surface structure having increased roughness directly on its surface, eliminating the need for a separate felt or fleece cover layer. This merging of functions reduces material separation complexity during recycling while maintaining the sliding performance of the air cushion.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the surface parameter (roughness) of the support element by providing a surface structure with increased roughness compared to the surrounding surface. This parameter change allows the support element to provide sufficient friction for the air cushion to slide smoothly without requiring a different material, thus avoiding recycling complexity while achieving the desired operational effect.
2Ease of operation
If felt or fleece is used as a cover layer to reduce the slip-stick effect, then the air cushion can slide smoothly on the support element, but assembly complexity and manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The support element and the anti-slip surface are merged into a single component. The surface structure with increased roughness is directly formed on the support element, either as an integral part or through post-treatment, eliminating the need for a separate assembly step of attaching a cover layer. This reduces assembly complexity and manufacturing costs while maintaining the sliding function.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If a separate cover layer is used to prevent the slip-stick effect, then noise generation is reduced, but the overall structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The noise-reducing function and the structural support function are merged into a single support element. The surface structure with increased roughness is directly formed on the support element, eliminating the need for a separate cover layer that would otherwise be required to reduce noise from the slip-stick effect. This reduces structural complexity while maintaining noise reduction.
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 prevents the slip-stick effect and noise generation by ensuring similar static and sliding friction between the air cushion casing and the support element, while simplifying the recycling process and reducing material and operational costs.
Implementation Method 1
The first side has a surface structure having a mean roughness Ra between 0.4 μm and 20 μm at least in one first region. The first region is a region in which the air cushion, or a casing of the air cushion, with which the first side of the support element can be in contact when assembled.
Data Source
AI summary
A support element for a lumbar support device that includes: a plate-like body having a first side and an opposing second side, the first side supports at least one air cushion that can be filled with air, and at least one attaching device for the at least one air cushion, the first side of the support element has a surface structure having a mean roughness Ra between 0.4 μm and 20 μm in a first region and/or or a surface modification that reduces static friction.