Spring Slat Suspension With Guided Flexible Supports for Stable Deflection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing spring bases for upholstered furniture, such as beds, face challenges in maintaining consistent deflection behavior over time and are costly to manufacture and assemble, with the prior art relying on elastomeric components that degrade and requiring complex adjustments.
Innovation Solution
A spring base design featuring elastically flexible suspension elements with high tensile strength, guided in longitudinal and radial directions, connecting spring slats and allowing for adjustable deflection behavior through the use of flexible rods or tubes, which are easy to install and maintain, ensuring durability and adaptability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If elastomeric components are used to connect spring slats to frame members, then the suspension provides initial elasticity and comfort, but the elasticity degrades over time reducing reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces elastomeric components with a steel spring element that has substantially constant stiffness over its service life. The spring element connects the spring slat to the frame member, providing consistent elastic support without the degradation issues of elastomers. This substitution maintains the desired comfort while ensuring long-term reliability and consistent deflection behavior.
2Adaptability or versatility
If double sprung slats with adjustable sliders are used to modify deflection behavior, then firmness can be individually adjusted, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates zones with different deflection characteristics by selectively positioning spring slats with modified deflection behavior in specific areas (shoulder and hip zones) rather than modifying all slats uniformly. This is achieved by applying the adjustable spring element system locally to specific slats in these zones, maintaining overall system simplicity while providing targeted adaptability where needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables dynamic adjustment of deflection behavior through sliders that can be repositioned along the spring slats. The sliders modify the effective length and stiffness of the spring element, allowing the system to adapt its characteristics. This dynamic adjustability is combined with the localized approach to create adaptable zones without requiring complex assemblies on all slats.
3Ease of operation
If spring slats are directly attached to frame members, then the structure is simple, but sleeping comfort is reduced due to limited deflection capability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a spring element as an intermediary component between the spring slat and the frame member. This spring element acts as a mediator that provides elastic connection, enabling the spring slat to deflect and adapt to body contours while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure. The spring element absorbs the complexity of the elastic connection, allowing direct attachment benefits to be retained while adding comfort capability.
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 provides a durable and adaptable spring base with consistent deflection behavior over time, allowing for easy adjustment of deflection characteristics without additional restoring means, enhancing comfort and reducing manufacturing complexity.
Implementation Method 1
each support element is elastically flexible but tensile-resistant and extends from the first support spring strip over at least one spring strip supported by it to the second support spring strip
Implementation Method 2
the spring strips connected by the support element each have a support element guide in which the support element is guided slidably in the direction of its longitudinal extension and is held in a form-fitting manner in the radial direction to the support element
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
Described is a suspension system 2 for an upholstered piece of furniture 1, comprising a frame 4 and a number of spring slats 7 spanning the base enclosed by the frame 4 and held on two opposing side rails 5 of the frame 4 in a side-by-side arrangement, of which at least two are connected to the side rails 5 as support spring slats 11, 11.1 directly or via spring slat holders 9, between which at least one spring slat 12, 12.1 not supported on the side rail is arranged, and the spring slat group 10 formed from the two support spring slats 11, 11.1 and the at least one spring slat 12, 12.1 arranged between them is connected by support elements 14 connecting the end sections of these spring slats 11, 11.1, 12, 12.1, wherein each support element 14 is elastically flexible but tensile-resistant and extends from the first spring rail 11 via the spring rail 12, 12 which is supported by it.1 to the second spring bar 11.1 and that the spring bars 11, 11.1, 12, 12.1 connected by the support means 14 each have a support means guide in which the support means 14 is guided slidably in the direction of its longitudinal extension and is held in a form-fitting manner in the radial direction to the support means 14.