Modular Mattress Foundation Structure for Lower Storage Volume

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional mattress foundations, such as box springs, are large, heavy, and costly due to their size and material requirements, leading to high storage and transportation expenses, as well as disposal challenges, and they often necessitate multiple materials that complicate handling and inventory management.

Innovation Solution

A multi-piece mattress foundation system comprising abutting support units with quadrilateral end units and planar surface supports, designed to minimize storage space and transportation costs by using modular components that can be easily stacked and shared across different sizes, eliminating the need for springs and outer cloth covers.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional box springs are used to provide mattress support, then adequate support function is achieved, but storage space requirements and transportation costs increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemattress support functionVSAvoidstorage space

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The mattress foundation is divided into multiple independent support units (first support unit, second support unit, third support unit, fourth support unit) that can be stored and transported separately. Each unit contains its own end units and planar surface support, eliminating the need for a single large box spring structure while maintaining full support functionality when assembled.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Strength

If conventional box springs with multiple materials are used, then structural strength is achieved, but handling and inventory management become complicated

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural strengthVSAvoidhandling complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

All support units are constructed from the same set of common components (end units with quadrilateral cross-sections and planar surface supports). This standardized design allows identical handling procedures and inventory management for all units regardless of the final mattress foundation size, simplifying operations while maintaining structural strength through consistent material selection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #33Homogeneity

3Adaptability or versatility

If traditional box springs are manufactured and stored in various sizes, then customer size requirements are met, but inventory expenses and transportation costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesize customizationVSAvoidinventory quantity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

A small set of universal components (different sized end units and planar surface supports) can be combined in multiple configurations to create various mattress foundation sizes. Instead of manufacturing and storing complete box springs in every possible size, the system uses these common parts to assemble the required size at the point of sale, dramatically reducing inventory quantity while maintaining adaptability to customer needs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS8904578B2Multi-piece mattress supporting foundation

Publication Date: 2014.12.09 DREAMWELL LTD

AI summary

Mattress foundations for supporting a mattress generally includes multiple support units that can be abutting arranged to for the mattress foundation. In one embodiment, the mattress foundation includes at least two support units in an abutting relationship that form a rectangular shape at each end of the mattress foundation and provide a planar support surface having length and width dimensions effective to support a mattress disposed thereon.