Space-saving mattress support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mattress supports for emergency situations are either too rigid, leading to discomfort with thin mattresses or too bulky and prone to deformation under load, making them unsuitable for comfortable, lightweight, and volume-efficient use.
Innovation Solution
A mattress support design featuring longitudinal and transverse beams with a flexible support material and rotatable bracing elements that provide high resistance to inward forces, allowing for a thinner mattress to maintain comfort while being stackable and compact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a rigid steel base plate is used, then structural strength is improved, but mattress thickness must be increased to provide sufficient comfort
Solution Approach 1:
The mattress support is divided into modular components: a frame structure with longitudinal and transverse beams, flexible support material stretched between them, and rotatable bracing elements. This segmentation allows the rigid support function to be distributed across multiple flexible components rather than requiring a single thick rigid structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs flexible support material (such as fabric or membrane) stretched taut between the frame beams to provide the support surface. This thin flexible film replaces the need for thick rigid plates while maintaining structural integrity through the tensioned membrane effect.
2Ease of operation
If foldable legs with rigid frame are used, then ease of transport is improved, but resistance to warping under load is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The bracing elements are designed to be rotatable rather than fixed, allowing them to dynamically adjust their position. In transport mode, they can be rotated to a compact position; in use mode, they extend to provide bracing against warping forces from the tensioned flexible support material.
Solution Approach 2:
The bracing elements are pre-positioned in extended configurations that provide resistance to inward warping forces before the mattress is fully assembled or loaded. This preliminary bracing prevents frame distortion under anticipated loads.
3Stability of the object's composition
If ground support elements are made rigid and immobile, then structural stability is improved, but device bulk and vulnerability to damage increase
Solution Approach 1:
Ground support elements are designed with rotational joints allowing them to transition between extended stable positions during use and retracted compact positions for storage and transport. This dynamic capability provides structural stability when needed while reducing bulk during non-use periods.
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 ensures robustness and comfort with a thin mattress, enabling efficient stacking and transportation, reducing volume requirements for emergency and temporary applications.
Implementation Method 1
As the flexible support medium is elastically deformed (stretched) towards the longitudinal beams, the flexible support medium exerts an inward force on the longitudinal beams and the rotatable bracing element or elements are configured so as to bear the stress resulting from this inward force
Data Source
AI summary
A mattress support (10) consisting of longitudinal beams (11a, 11b) extending at a distance from each other, transverse beams (12a, 12b) rigidly connected at or near the ends of the longitudinal beams, a flexible support material (14) stretched between the longitudinal beams that is situated at a distance above the underside of the longitudinal beams, and at least one rotatable bracing element (13a, 13b) under the flexible support material surface that is loaded under pressure by the flexible support material surface. The rotatable bracing element can be rotated between an unfolded operational position in which the rotatable bracing element extends downwards at right angles to the flexible support material surface to allow for elastic deformation of the flexible support material surface, and a folded rest position. The rotatable bracing element (13a, 13b) including the rotation means (15a, 15b) can be at least partially enclosed within the space defined between the underside of the flexible support material, the underside of the longitudinal beams and the inner surfaces of the longitudinal beams facing each other.