Pocketed Spring Cushion With Edge Guard and Dual-Density Fiber Pad

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional furniture cushions, particularly foam and spring core cushions, face issues such as high costs, volatility in raw material prices, limited recyclability, early loss of support, flammability, and difficulty in manufacturing consistency, while also requiring labor-intensive construction methods.

Innovation Solution

A furniture cushion design featuring a matrix of interconnected pocketed springs with a dual-density polyester fiber pad that eliminates polyurethane foam, reduces labor and overhead, and maintains insulation from the feel of individual coils, using a matrix of pocketed springs with taller coils pre-loaded in fabric pockets and a dual-density fiber pad configuration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If foam core cushions are used, then ease of manufacture is improved, but cost and flammability increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of manufactureVSAvoidflammability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the material parameter from foam to fiberfill, fundamentally altering the cushion's composition to eliminate flammability while maintaining ease of manufacture through simple assembly processes

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses inexpensive fiberfill material that can be easily replaced, reducing both cost and flammability concerns associated with traditional foam cores

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

2Ease of manufacture

If foam core cushions are used, then ease of manufacture is improved, but support retention deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of manufactureVSAvoidsupport retention

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a composite structure combining fiberfill with a wire frame, where the wire frame provides structural support and the fiberfill provides comfort, achieving both ease of manufacture and support retention

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

3Reliability

If traditional spring core cushions are used, then support retention is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesupport retentionVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the cushion into distinct functional components: a wire frame for support and fiberfill for comfort, simplifying the overall structure compared to traditional multi-layer spring cushions while maintaining support retention

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the essential support function from complex spring assemblies and implements it through a simpler wire frame structure, eliminating unnecessary complexity while preserving support characteristics

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Ease of manufacture

If foam is used in cushion construction, then ease of manufacture is improved, but recyclability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of manufactureVSAvoidrecyclability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The patent designs the cushion with removable covers and separable components that can be easily cleaned, repaired, or replaced, enabling the user to maintain and recycle the cushion independently without specialized foam processing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS8671483B2Furniture cushion having at least one edge guard

Publication Date: 2014.03.18 L & P PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO

AI summary

A furniture cushion comprises a matrix of interconnected pocketed springs, each spring of which is contained within a pocket of fabric, and a fiber pad overlying an upper surface of the matrix of pocketed springs, the fiber pad having a first layer in contact with the upper surface of the matrix of pocketed springs and a second layer in contact with the first layer, the first layer having a first density and said second layer having a second density, the first density being greater than the second density. At least one edge guard may be secured to the matrix of pocketed springs.