Tubular Foam Spring Structure for Predictable Mattress Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing foam springs for pillows and mattresses are prone to fatigue, damage during handling, and unpredictable elastic behavior due to the need for additional components and complex manufacturing processes, which increases costs and environmental impact.
Innovation Solution
A foam spring with a tubular resilient body featuring staggered diamond-shaped holes and longitudinal reinforcement ribs, eliminating the need for metal springs or varying foam densities, allowing for improved force distribution and reduced material costs while maintaining static and dynamic properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If additional components like wire springs or reinforcing cores are added to foam springs, then the resilience and durability are improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the reinforcing function into the foam structure itself by creating densified foam regions that extend along the longitudinal axis. These densified regions are formed by varying the foam density during manufacturing, eliminating the need for separate wire springs or reinforcing cores while maintaining the structural support and resilience functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite foam structures with varying density regions. The foam spring consists of low-density regions for comfort and high-density regions for structural support, creating a composite material system that provides both resilience and durability without additional components.
2Reliability
If varying foam densities are used to provide structural support, then the resilience is improved, but the manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the density parameter of the foam material during manufacturing to create regions of varying density. By controlling the foam expansion and curing process, densified regions are formed along the longitudinal axis while maintaining overall structural integrity, achieving improved resilience through a relatively simple manufacturing process.
3Reliability
If complex manufacturing processes are used to create specific spring shapes, then the functionality is improved, but the productivity and environmental sustainability decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the foam spring into regions of different density along its longitudinal axis. This segmentation allows the spring to provide different functions in different regions - low-density regions for comfort and conformability, and high-density regions for structural support and durability - while being manufactured as a single integrated component, improving productivity.
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 enhances the durability and predictability of the foam spring's behavior, reducing production costs and environmental impact, while providing better comfort and adaptability to user preferences without the need for additional components.
Implementation Method 1
the foam layer is made of what is called a visco-elastic foam
Implementation Method 2
a tubular body, made of synthetic foam material or the like
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
A foam spring for use in pillows, cushions, mattresses or the like, the foam spring having a tubular resilient body (2) made of foam and forming an outer wall, with holes (3) extending inwardly from an outside surface (4) to an inside surface (5), those holes (3) being arranged in a staggered symmetry and mainly being diamond shaped, characterised in that the tubular body (2) displays said holes (3) only over a limited part (16) of its surface (4), and that this limited part (16) is regularly alternating with a limited part (18) of the surface (4) that is not provided with said holes (3) and which forms longitudinal reinforcement ribs (7) in the wall of the tubular body (2) of the spring (1).