Improved mattress assembly

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional mattresses are difficult to customize after purchase, as users' body changes, sleeping habits, and preferences evolve over time, leading to issues like back pain and discomfort due to inadequate support and firmness.

Innovation Solution

A modular mattress arrangement comprising interchangeable elements with adjustable hardness and grooves, allowing users to customize the firmness and support by selecting inserts and rotating elements based on weight and preference, ensuring optimal spinal alignment and comfort.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a conventional mattress is manufactured with fixed firmness and structure, then manufacturing is simple and cost-effective, but the mattress cannot be adapted to changing user needs and body conditions over time

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptability to changing user needsVSAvoidmattress structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The mattress is divided into multiple independent elements including a base element, comfort elements, and support elements that can be individually selected and combined. This segmentation allows users to customize the mattress firmness and support characteristics by choosing different combinations of elements, thereby achieving adaptability without requiring a completely complex new mattress design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The mattress elements are designed with universal interfaces and standardized dimensions that allow them to be used in various configurations. The same base element can support different comfort elements, and the system can be adapted for different sleeping positions and body types, providing multi-functionality while maintaining relatively simple individual component designs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Ease of operation

If a mattress is designed as a single fixed structure, then it is easy to manufacture and sell, but users experience back pain and discomfort as their bodies change over the years

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser ability to customizeVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple mattress elements are pre-manufactured with standardized interfaces and specifications before being shipped to the customer. This preliminary preparation allows users to easily assemble and customize their mattress configuration at home without requiring complex manufacturing processes or specialized tools, thereby improving ease of operation while keeping manufacturing relatively simple.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If distance selling of mattresses is implemented, then online sales are enabled, but users cannot test the mattress before purchase leading to higher return rates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveonline sales capabilityVSAvoidcustomer satisfaction
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The mattress system is designed to be easily assembled and reconfigured by the user themselves without requiring professional assistance or extensive tools. Users can independently adjust the mattress elements to achieve their desired firmness and support levels, enabling them to effectively test and evaluate the mattress in their own home before committing to a purchase, thereby improving customer satisfaction for distance selling.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP3409145B1Improved mattress assembly
Publication Date: 2020.01.08 SQ LAB
  • EP3409145B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3409145B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3409145B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention discloses a mattress assembly (100; 200) comprising: - a first mattress element (102) having a recess (103) in an area which in use is beneath the user and between a users shoulder and hip; - An interchangeable insert (104) which can be releasably inserted into the recess (103) of the first mattress element (102) and is held releasably by the first mattress element (102); and - a second mattress element (106) which in use is located over the first mattress element (102) and which in an area under the users shoulders and/or in an area under the users legs has a plurality of grooves (108, 110) having, which extend at least partially along the transverse direction of the second mattress element (106).