Self-Inflating Stowable Bed with Vacuum Compression and Foam Chambers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current self-inflating beds are unwieldy and difficult to compress for storage, lacking in comfort, adjustability, and durability, and often fail to meet consumer expectations for stability and fire safety standards.
Innovation Solution
A stowable self-inflating bed design featuring a core assembly with air impervious enclosures filled with breathable resilient foam, controlled by vacuum and comfort adjustment valves, allowing for easy deflation and inflation, and meeting fire safety standards through compliant ticking materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a self-inflating bed is designed with traditional air mattresses, then it provides basic sleeping functionality, but it becomes unwieldy and impossible to compress for storage in standard shipping boxes
Solution Approach 1:
The bed is divided into multiple independent air chambers that can be separately evacuated and compressed. Each chamber can be independently deflated through separate vacuum valves, allowing the entire bed to be systematically compressed into a compact state that fits within standard shipping box dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The bed incorporates a vacuum evacuation system using pneumatic principles. Vacuum valves connected to household vacuum cleaners or shop vacuums remove air from the air chambers, causing the bed to collapse and compress into a compact, stowable configuration that fits within standard shipping boxes.
2Reliability
If the bed is made fully air-impermeable for inflation retention, then it maintains pressure well, but it cannot provide comfort adjustment or gradual inflation control
Solution Approach 1:
Different regions of the bed have different permeability characteristics. The air chambers use air-impermeable materials for pressure retention, while specific localized areas incorporate one-way valves and comfort adjustment mechanisms that allow controlled air flow. This enables both reliable pressure retention and comfort adjustability in different parts of the same system.
Solution Approach 2:
The bed system transitions from a static, fully impermeable design to a dynamic system with adjustable permeability. Comfort adjustment valves allow users to modify air flow characteristics in real-time, enabling the bed to adapt its firmness and comfort level while maintaining overall pressure retention through the air-impermeable chamber structure.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple air chambers are added for comfort adjustment, then comfort control improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The vacuum valve serves multiple functions: it enables initial inflation by allowing air intake, facilitates deflation through vacuum evacuation, and provides a access point for comfort adjustment. This multi-functional design reduces the need for separate dedicated components for each function, thereby managing complexity while maintaining comfort control capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the vacuum evacuation function with the comfort adjustment system through integrated valve mechanisms. The same valve infrastructure used for vacuum deflation also supports comfort-level adjustments, merging multiple control functions into a unified system that reduces overall complexity compared to having entirely separate systems.
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
Enables compact storage and transport, adjustable comfort, and compliance with fire safety regulations, providing a high-quality sleeping experience while being pumpless and suitable for off-grid use.
Implementation Method 1
A core assembly of the bed includes one or more air impervious enclosures which form plenums filled with and bonded to a breathable resilient foam-like material
Implementation Method 2
A vacuum valve is provided which allows a consumer to attach a household vacuum or shop vacuum to draw a vacuum on an inflated bed
Data Source
AI summary
A self-inflating stowable bed. The bed includes one or more self-inflating chambers, with each of the self-inflating chambers having one or more polyurethane foam sections therein, with the chamber defined between a first air impervious layer and a second air impervious layer. The self-inflating bed may be evacuated by a household or shop vacuum, and then sealed, rolled or folded, and easily stored or shipped. The polyurethane foam sections may be provided with different members having different indentation force deflection specifications suitable for bed portions and edge of bed portions.