Pocketed Coil Spring Unit With Dual-Surface Comfort Layers
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing resilient units, such as pads and mattresses, lack versatility in providing comfort, convenience, and protection due to uniform material properties, which restrict their adaptability to various applications and user needs.
Innovation Solution
A resilient unit comprising a pad with coil springs encapsulated in discrete pockets formed by layers differing in thermal characteristics, such as optical, tactile, and physical properties, allowing for customizable comfort and protection by varying the thickness, weight, and properties of the layers, and incorporating additional substrate layers for enhanced performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If uniform material properties are used in resilient units, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but adaptability to various applications and user needs deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by using different materials for the first and second layers of the resilient unit. Each layer can have distinct properties (e.g., one layer waterproof, another breathable) to provide different functions in different zones of the same product, thereby improving adaptability without requiring multiple complete product variants
Solution Approach 2:
The resilient unit employs composite materials by combining at least two different materials in the first and second layers. This allows the product to integrate multiple functionalities (comfort, protection, moisture management) within a single unified structure, enhancing versatility while maintaining manufacturing efficiency
2Adaptability or versatility
If single-layer construction is used, then manufacturing process is simple, but functional versatility and comfort customization deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The resilient unit is segmented into at least two distinct layers (first layer and second layer), each potentially serving different functions. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each layer's properties for specific applications while maintaining a relatively simple overall construction that can be manufactured efficiently
3Reliability
If different materials are used for first and second layers, then application-specific performance is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The two-layer construction with different materials is designed to provide multiple functions within a single product structure. For example, one layer can provide waterproofing while another provides breathability or comfort, allowing a single resilient unit to serve multiple purposes across different applications without requiring complex assembly processes
Data Source
Figure 1~3
AI summary
A resilient unit comprises a number of wire coil springs (12), each of which is located within its own discrete pocket (14) formed by first, upper and second, lower layers (14a) and (14b) of material, preferably of non-woven material. The two layers (14a) and (14b) have been thermally, or ultrasonically, welded together at points (16) between the adjacent springs to create the pockets. The upper layer of material (14a) differs from the lower layer of material (14b) in respect of at least one characteristic.