Pneumatic Mattress Cell Interconnection to Prevent Anatomical Slipping
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Pneumatic mattresses face a trade-off between simplicity and support, with separate independent cells providing cost-effectiveness but lacking in preventing anatomical slipping between deflated cells, while integrally fabricated cells offer better support but at increased complexity.
Innovation Solution
The mattress features an array of inner cells connected by pneumatic connectors along the edges, allowing for physical and pneumatic interconnection of longitudinal and transverse cells, enabling cyclic pressurization and deflation sequences to simulate movement and prevent slipping.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If separate independent cells are used, then manufacturing simplicity and cost-effectiveness are improved, but support quality deteriorates due to anatomical slipping between deflated cells
Solution Approach 1:
The mattress is divided into separate independent cells that are connected through interconnection means, allowing each cell to function independently while maintaining overall structural integrity and support quality
Solution Approach 2:
Interconnection means are introduced as intermediary elements between separate cells to prevent anatomical slipping while maintaining the simplicity of independent cell construction
2Reliability
If integrally fabricated cells are used, then support quality is improved by preventing anatomical slipping, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using complex integrally fabricated cells, the patent segments the mattress into separate cells connected by interconnection means, achieving the same support function with simpler individual components
Solution Approach 2:
Interconnection means serve as intermediaries that provide the necessary structural continuity to prevent anatomical slipping without requiring complex integral fabrication of each cell
3Ease of manufacture
If cells are interconnected at edges only, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but structural stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The interconnection means merge multiple cells into a unified structure, providing structural stability through distributed connections while maintaining the simplicity of edge-based attachment
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
A pneumatic mattress (1) has two edge cells (2,3) and a even plurality of transverse inner cells, arranged in adjacent pairs as alternate cells (4) and cells (5). An umbilical inflation hose (6) is provided with three internal pipes (7,8,9). Pipe (7) receives constant pneumatic pressure and has a pipe extension (17) to pneumatic connectors (27) for the edge cells (2,3). Pipe (8) receives alternating pressure for cells (4) via extensions (18) to connectors (28). Pipe (9) receives alternating pressure for cells (5) via extensions (19) to connectors (29). The connectors (28,29) are T connectors having a stem welded into the bottom of their cells (4,5). The connectors (28,29) are in lines (38,39). Each cell has a connector at both ends, whereby there are lines (38 & 39) at both sides of the plurality of inner cells (4,5). The edge cells (2,3) are formed by folding and seaming a sheet of polyurethane material leaving a pair of strips (11) on top of each other. These have two lines of dumbbell apertures (48, 49) on the lines (38,39), rounded at both ends both for avoiding stress concentration. Each connector (28,29) is passed through its aperture (48,49) on the appropriate side of the mattress. Thus the edge cells are physically connected to the inner cells. The pipe extensions (18,19) are added between the respective connectors, establishing the pneumatic connections to the cells. The entire mattress is pneumatically and physically interconnected using only the connectors and the apertures in the flaps.