Mattress layer assembly including at least one layer including phase change materials
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mattress technologies incorporating phase change materials (PCMs) face high costs due to expensive microencapsulation processes, which limit the volume of PCM used and result in short transition times from solid to liquid or liquid to solid, typically lasting only a few minutes to an hour.
Innovation Solution
The use of preformed capsulate sheets with interconnected cells filled with phase change materials, allowing for a higher volume of PCM per unit area, reducing encapsulation material surface area, and extending the transition time to several hours by using hundreds of grams or pounds of PCM, rather than milligrams to grams.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If microencapsulation process is used to disperse PCM in pre-formed foams, then uniform distribution of PCM is achieved, but manufacturing cost increases significantly and PCM volume is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the encapsulation function into two parts: (1) pre-formed foam structure provides the matrix, and (2) PCM is dispersed within foam cells without requiring microencapsulation. This eliminates the expensive microencapsulation process while maintaining uniform distribution through the foam cell structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The foam structure is pre-formed before PCM incorporation. The foam cells are already created with their wall structures, and PCM is then introduced into these pre-formed cells. This preliminary formation of the foam matrix eliminates the need for subsequent microencapsulation steps.
2Manufacturing precision
If microencapsulation process is used to disperse PCM in pre-formed foams, then PCM is distributed throughout foam, but additional manufacturing step is required after foam formation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines foam formation and PCM incorporation into a single integrated process. PCM is introduced during foam formation or immediately afterward, merging what would otherwise be separate steps (foam formation, then microencapsulation) into one unified manufacturing sequence.
Solution Approach 2:
The foam structure is pre-formed with cell walls already in place before PCM is introduced. This preliminary structuring allows PCM to be distributed through the existing cell network without requiring additional encapsulation steps, simplifying the overall manufacturing process.
3Ease of manufacture
If smaller volume of microencapsulated PCM is used, then cost is reduced, but transition time from solid to liquid decreases to only a few minutes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from micro-scale encapsulation to macro-scale foam cell incorporation. Instead of using tiny microencapsulated particles, the PCM occupies entire foam cells or large portions of them, increasing the effective volume of PCM by several orders of magnitude while maintaining cost-effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The foam structure provides natural segmentation into cells that can each contain PCM. This segmentation allows large total volumes of PCM to be distributed throughout the foam while maintaining individual cell integrity, enabling both cost-effectiveness and extended transition duration.
4Duration of action of moving object
If larger volume of PCM is used to extend transition time, then cooling duration increases to several hours, but manufacturing cost increases with microencapsulation
Solution Approach 1:
The foam structure provides natural segmentation into cells that can each contain PCM. This segmentation allows large total volumes of PCM to be distributed throughout the foam while maintaining individual cell integrity, enabling both cost-effectiveness and extended transition duration.
Solution Approach 2:
The foam is a porous material with a network of cells that can accommodate PCM. This porous structure allows large volumes of PCM to be incorporated without requiring dense microencapsulation, reducing manufacturing cost while enabling extended transition times through increased PCM volume.
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
This approach significantly reduces manufacturing costs and extends the effective cooling or heating duration of PCMs in mattresses from minutes to several hours, providing enhanced thermal comfort during a full sleep cycle.
Implementation Method 1
Phase change is a term used to describe a reversible process in which a solid turns into a liquid or a gas. The process of phase change from a solid to a liquid requires energy to be absorbed by the solid. When a phase change material ('PCM') liquefies, energy is absorbed from the immediate environment as it changes from the solid to the liquid.
Implementation Method 2
When a phase change material ('PCM') liquefies, energy is absorbed from the immediate environment as it changes from the solid to the liquid.
Implementation Method 3
Phase change is a term used to describe a reversible process in which a solid turns into a liquid or a gas. The process of phase change from a solid to a liquid requires energy to be absorbed by the solid.
Implementation Method 4
Phase change materials, therefore, include materials that liquefy (melt) to absorb heat and solidify (freeze) to release heat.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
AI summary
Mattress assemblies including at least one panel or layer including a preformed capsulate sheet including a plurality of cells, and a phase change material within at least a portion of the cells.