Seating sofa with laminated readily reboundable cooling-effect seating cushions
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Cushioned furniture experiences reduced rebound performance and increased thermal discomfort due to feather breakdown and body heat retention, leading to permanent valleys and aesthetic issues over time.
Innovation Solution
The use of gel infused viscoelastic pads sandwiching a core foam pad, which wicks body heat and rebounds to a relaxed state, reducing perceived temperature changes and maintaining the cushion's appearance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional feather and down cushions are used, then initial comfort and softness are provided, but rebound performance deteriorates over time due to feather breakdown and clumping
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameters from traditional feathers and down to viscoelastic foam with specific density (1.5-2.5 lbs/ft³) and ILD (10-20 lbs). This material parameter change ensures consistent rebound performance over time while maintaining comfort, eliminating the feather breakdown issue entirely.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite material construction by combining viscoelastic foam with fabric coverings and optional down inserts. This composite structure provides both the rebound performance of foam and the comfort characteristics of traditional cushions, while preventing the clumping and breakdown issues of pure feather/down construction.
2Stability of the object's composition
If dense cushion materials are used to maintain shape, then structural stability is improved, but thermal comfort deteriorates due to body heat retention
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by using a breathable fabric covering on the seating surface that allows heat dissipation, while the internal foam core maintains structural stability. The fabric layer acts as a thermal management interface, providing local cooling at the seating surface while the dense foam core maintains overall shape stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent specifies that the viscoelastic foam has an open-cell structure with specific porosity characteristics that allow air circulation and heat dissipation. This porous material structure enables the cushion to maintain shape stability while preventing excessive heat retention, improving thermal comfort.
3Shape
If manual fluffing is performed to maintain cushion appearance, then aesthetic appearance is improved temporarily, but maintenance complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the cushion with self-maintaining properties through the use of high-rebound viscoelastic foam that automatically returns to its original shape after compression. This eliminates the need for manual fluffing and maintenance, as the material inherently resists permanent deformation and maintains aesthetic appearance without user intervention.
4Duration of action of moving object
If occupancy time increases, then comfort duration is improved, but rebound recovery time increases leaving permanent valleys
Solution Approach 1:
The patent specifies dynamic rebound characteristics with a rebound time of 1-5 seconds, allowing the cushion to recover quickly even after prolonged occupancy. The viscoelastic foam's dynamic properties enable it to maintain reliability and rebound performance regardless of occupancy duration, preventing permanent valley formation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively reduces thermal discomfort by cooling the seating surface and maintaining the cushion's rebound performance and aesthetic appeal, extending its useful life.
Implementation Method 1
wicks body heat from the person inwardly of the seating cushion to reduce perceived changes in seating temperature
Implementation Method 2
The laminated gel infused viscoelastic pads have a first state and a second state, the second state having a recessed valley defined in the sitting side... while readily rebounding to the first state upon egress from sitting
Data Source
AI summary
A cushion having a foam core sandwiched by opposing gel infused viscoelastic pads adhesively attached to the core, the assembly wrapped in a non-woven and received in an upholstery casing, for seating use of the cushion in a furniture piece that during use for seating, the upper one of the pads wicking body heat into the seating cushion away from the person sitting thereon to provide a perception of cooling and the compressed pad readily reboundable to a noncompressed state after occupancy, and the cushion rotatable to selectively alternate the seating pad for use.