Segmented Spring Tube Mattress for Uniform Softness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing spring mattresses assembled from spring packs exhibit asymmetrical softness due to uneven load distribution, depending on whether weight is applied longitudinally or transversally, leading to discomfort as the mattress reacts elastically differently in these orientations.
Innovation Solution
The spring mattress design involves spring tubes with parallel welding lines that are cut to form tubular segments, allowing independent axial compression of each spring, and joined with vertically aligned glue spots to ensure homogeneous load distribution and reaction across the mattress.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If springs are enclosed in a continuous plastic tube with welded sections, then the springs are kept firmly side by side at a prefixed reciprocal distance, but the mattress exhibits asymmetrical softness with different elastic reaction depending on load orientation (longitudinal vs transversal)
Solution Approach 1:
The continuous plastic tube is segmented into multiple independent spring packs by making longitudinal cuts along the tube. Each spring pack contains one or more springs enclosed in a separate tube section. This segmentation prevents load transfer between adjacent springs through the tube wall, ensuring that each spring responds independently to applied loads regardless of whether the load is applied longitudinally or transversally, thereby eliminating asymmetrical softness.
2Strength
If the tube walls are welded between adjacent springs, then each spring is contained in a closed and separated portion, but load is transferred to adjacent springs through the tube, causing uneven load distribution
Solution Approach 1:
The tube is divided into separate sealed sections (spring packs) through longitudinal cuts. Each spring pack is independently sealed, preventing load transfer through the tube wall to adjacent springs. This ensures that each spring bears its own load independently, achieving uniform load distribution across the mattress while maintaining sealed portions for each spring.
3Ease of manufacture
If spring packs are joined only in central areas with glue spots, then the assembly can be formed, but load is not effectively transferred to transversal springs, exacerbating softness asymmetry
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the tube into separate spring packs with longitudinal cuts, each spring pack becomes an independent load-bearing unit. The glue spots joining spring packs together no longer need to transfer significant loads, as each spring already responds independently. This segmentation approach maintains manufacturing simplicity while achieving homogeneous load distribution and eliminating softness asymmetry.
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
This design achieves homogeneous softness and improved comfort by allowing each spring to compress independently, regardless of load orientation, eliminating the asymmetrical softness issues present in traditional mattresses.
Implementation Method 1
This is obtained by welding the facing parts of the tube walls comprised between adjacent springs to each other, for example by ultrasonic welding
Implementation Method 2
The joint between one spring pack and another is obtained, e.g. by a plurality of glue-spots, applied centered with respect to the spring height, in the touching areas between one spring pack and another
Data Source
Figure 1a
Figure 1b
Figure 2~4
AI summary
A spring tube (1) encloses in known way a plurality of springs (2) arranged side by side, with facing parts of the wall (11) of the tube (10) joined, between one spring (2) and a subsequent spring, by welding lines (12), so that each spring (2) is contained in a portion (13) of tube (10), closed and separated from adjacent portions (13). The welding lines (12) have a predetermined minimum width (L) and are cut from one side of the tube inwards, so that each of the closed portions (13), containing a spring (2), can be compressed without any effect on the adjacent portions (13). this improves comfort while using a mattress manufactured with grouped spring packs (S) obtained from the spring tube (1). According to a second preferred embodiment, the spring tube (1) is cut along the welding lines at both sides.