Self-Inflating Stowable Bed with Vacuum Deflation for Compact Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current self-inflating beds are unwieldy and difficult to repack into shipping boxes, lacking features for convenient storage, comfort adjustment, and fail to meet fire safety standards, leading to consumer dissatisfaction.
Innovation Solution
A stowable self-inflating bed design with air impervious enclosures, breathable resilient foam, and adjustable valves for inflation/deflation, allowing easy storage and comfort customization, while meeting fire safety requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a self-inflating bed is designed with air impervious enclosures and foam material, then comfort and support are improved, but storage volume and ease of repackaging worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The bed is divided into multiple independent air chambers (first and second chambers) with separate inflation/deflation capabilities. This segmentation allows the bed to be deflated in sections, reducing overall storage volume while maintaining structural integrity and comfort features when inflated.
Solution Approach 2:
The bed utilizes controllable air pressure parameters through vacuum valves and inflation/deflation valves. By adjusting the air pressure and volume in the chambers, the bed transitions between a comfortable inflated state and a compact deflated state for storage, directly addressing the volume contradiction.
2Device complexity
If a self-inflating bed is designed without vacuum connection capability, then device complexity is reduced, but storage convenience and compactness worsen
Solution Approach 1:
A vacuum connection interface is provided that allows the bed to connect to external vacuum sources (like household vacuums) through a simple interface. This intermediary connection enables easy deflation without requiring complex built-in vacuum mechanisms, maintaining low device complexity while improving storage convenience.
Solution Approach 2:
The bed includes self-inflating chambers that automatically inflate when air is introduced, requiring no active pumping mechanism. The user simply needs to provide air (or remove air via vacuum connection), and the bed's inherent elasticity and air impervious chambers handle the inflation/deflation process automatically.
3Device complexity
If a self-inflating bed is designed with single chamber, then device complexity is reduced, but comfort adjustability and user customization worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The bed is divided into multiple independent air chambers that can be inflated and deflated separately. This allows different firmness levels in different regions of the bed, enabling comfort adjustability and user customization without requiring complex control systems for each chamber.
Solution Approach 2:
The bed incorporates dynamic adjustability through separate inflation/deflation valves for each chamber, allowing users to modify the firmness and volume of individual chambers based on personal comfort preferences, making the bed adaptable to different users and conditions.
4Device complexity
If a self-inflating bed is designed without separate inflation/deflation valves, then device complexity is reduced, but comfort control and user preference adjustment worsen
Solution Approach 1:
Separate inflation and deflation valves are provided for each air chamber, allowing independent control of each chamber's air pressure and volume. This segmentation enables precise comfort control without requiring complex integrated valve systems.
Solution Approach 2:
Each air chamber is equipped with its own inflation and deflation valves, allowing localized adjustment of firmness and comfort in specific regions of the bed. This local control capability enables users to customize different areas of the bed according to personal preferences.
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 design enables compact storage, easy shipment, and customizable comfort, meeting fire safety standards, thus addressing consumer needs and improving user satisfaction.
Implementation Method 1
allowing the resilient foam-like material to inhale air through the vacuum port
Implementation Method 2
connection to a vacuum source for removal of air from the self-inflating 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.