Motorized Bed Frame with Linkage Part for Actuator Force Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Motorized beds with reduced wall thickness in their frames face structural weakness, requiring additional legs that detract from appearance and potentially hinder user access, and may not withstand actuator forces, leading to bending issues.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a linkage part between cross bars in the bed frame to distribute forces from footrest and backrest actuators, allowing for reduced wall thickness while maintaining structural strength and enabling optional additional interior support legs for improved aesthetics and stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the wall thickness of tubes in the bed frame is reduced to lower material cost, then the manufacturing cost decreases, but the structural strength and ability to support payload deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The bed frame is divided into multiple segments including first and second cross bars, and a linkage part connecting them. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, enabling the use of thinner walls in non-critical areas while maintaining overall structural integrity through the distributed framework.
Solution Approach 2:
Different wall thicknesses are applied to different parts of the frame based on their specific functional requirements. The linkage part and cross bars have walls of first thickness designed for actuator force resistance, while other frame portions may use walls of second thickness for payload support, optimizing material usage and cost.
2Strength
If additional legs are added to the middle of the bed to support the payload, then the structural strength improves, but the appearance deteriorates and user access is hindered
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of adding vertical support legs that protrude outward, the patent uses a horizontal linkage part connecting cross bars within the bed frame structure. This dimensional shift moves the support mechanism from an external vertical arrangement to an internal horizontal arrangement, maintaining strength while preserving appearance and user access.
3Ease of manufacture
If the wall thickness of cross tubes supporting actuators is reduced, then the material cost decreases, but the tubes cannot resist actuator forces and bend
Solution Approach 1:
The cross bars and linkage part that directly support actuators are designed with walls of first thickness specifically optimized for withstanding actuator forces, while other frame components may use walls of second thickness. This localized quality differentiation ensures actuator support capability is maintained where critical while reducing material cost in non-critical areas.
Data Source
AI summary
A motorized bed includes a bed frame, a foot rest, a footrest actuator, a backrest, a backrest actuator, and a linkage part. The bed frame includes a first cross bar and a second cross bar. The footrest is rotatably mounted to the bed frame. The footrest actuator is mounted between the footrest and the first cross bar and configured to drive the footrest to rotate relative to the bed frame. The backrest is rotatably mounted to the bed frame. The backrest actuator is mounted between the backrest and the second cross bar and configured to drive the backrest to rotate relative to the bed frame. The linkage part is fixedly connected between the first cross bar and the second cross bar such that a force introduced by either of the footrest motor and the backrest motor is supported by both of the first cross bar and the second cross bar.