Mattress Suspension Element With Ventilated Load-Spreading Core
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mattress and cushion materials, particularly high-density foams, are costly and heavy, and lack ventilation, while stiffener elements provide firmness but not damping characteristics.
Innovation Solution
A cushion or mattress suspension element featuring a compressible core with stiffer bearing parts connected at both ends, allowing load distribution over larger areas, reducing material and weight, and incorporating ventilation orifices for improved airflow, combined with springs for enhanced mechanical response.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If high-density foams are used to provide firm support, then firmness is improved, but weight and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The mattress is divided into multiple independent suspension elements, each containing a compressible core surrounded by a bearing structure. This segmentation allows each element to provide localized firm support while using less dense materials overall, reducing total weight while maintaining firmness.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention combines different materials with complementary properties: a compressible core material (such as foam) surrounded by a bearing structure made of stiffer material. This composite structure achieves firm support through the bearing structure rather than requiring high-density foam throughout, thereby reducing weight.
2Strength
If high-density foams are used to provide firm support, then firmness is improved, but cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the mattress into individual suspension elements with bearing structures, the design allows use of lower-cost, less dense core materials while concentrating firmness support in the bearing structure. This reduces overall material cost while maintaining firmness.
Solution Approach 2:
The composite structure of compressible core plus bearing structure allows optimization of material placement, using expensive firm materials only where needed for support rather than throughout the entire mattress volume, thereby reducing cost.
3Strength
If closed-cell foams are used to provide firm support, then firmness is improved, but ventilation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The bearing structure is designed with a porous or open structure that allows air circulation around the compressible core. This porous design enables ventilation while the bearing structure itself provides the necessary firmness support, eliminating the need for closed-cell foams.
4Quantity of substance
If a small-section compressible core is used, then material quantity is reduced, but load distribution deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The combination of a small compressible core with a surrounding bearing structure allows the core to be small (reducing material quantity) while the bearing structure provides the load distribution function, achieving both goals simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The bearing structure extends the load distribution function into a different spatial dimension by surrounding the core, allowing the core itself to remain small while load distribution is achieved through the extended bearing structure.
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 design achieves a balance of firmness, damping, and ventilation, enhancing user comfort and durability while reducing costs and weight, and offering better thermal insulation.
Implementation Method 1
a compressible core (102) made of flexible material, that is preferably deformable in a manner that is at least partially elastic
Implementation Method 2
each part presenting an outer bearing area that is substantially perpendicular to the compression axis and, in at least one direction perpendicular to the compression axis, that is substantially larger than the compressible core in its relaxed position
Implementation Method 3
at least one of the bearing parts presents at least one through orifice for ventilation
Implementation Method 4
A foam thus presents advantages of flexibility and lightness, and also better thermal insulation
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to the field of furniture, and in particular to a cushion or mattress suspension element 101, 201, . . . , 901 comprising a compressible core 102, 202, . . . , 902 of flexible material and presenting at least one compression axis Z, and also comprising two bearing parts 103, 203, . . . , 903 of material that is substantially more rigid than the material of the compressible core 102, 202, . . . , 902, with at least a first bearing part being connected to one end of the compressible core 102, 202, . . . , 902 and at least one second bearing part being connected to an end of the compressible core 102, 202, . . . , 902 that is opposite along the compression axis Z, and with each bearing part presenting an outer bearing area 103a, 203a, . . . , 903a that is substantially perpendicular to said compression axis Z and, in at least one direction perpendicular to the compression axis Z, that is substantially larger than the compressible core 102, 202, . . . , 902 in its relaxed position.