Elastic Module and Elastic Cushion

This application claims priority to Chinese patent application number 202410587659.5, filed on May 13, 2024. Chinese patent application number 202410587659.5 is incorporated herein by reference.

The present disclosure relates to the field of furniture, and in particular to an elastic module and an elastic cushion.

Mattresses and other furniture products are increasingly prevalent in people's daily lives. With the development of modern lifestyles, there is a growing demand for furniture, such as mattresses, to be disassembled and reassembled to accommodate population migration and outdoor recreation needs. This has led to the development of mattresses formed by detachable independent springs.

Most existing detachable independent springs are tapered springs. When subjected to force, tapered springs are prone to tilting due to uneven stress distribution. Therefore, current individual elastic modules using tapered springs typically install flexible straps around the outer perimeter of the springs to prevent tilting under pressure.

When tapered springs tilt from uneven force application, multiple flexible straps arranged around an exterior of the spring can provide restoring forces to counteract the tilting.

However, when all flexible straps are positioned on the outer side of the tapered spring, only the straps on one side of the tilting direction effectively restrain movement of the spring. This configuration generates limited restoring force and offers insufficient anti-tilting capability, potentially still allowing the tapered spring to tilt.

The technical problem to be solved by the present disclosure is to provide an elastic module and an elastic cushion that prevent noise caused by friction between compressed spring wires.

In order to solve the above technical problems, the present disclosure provides an elastic module comprising a tapered spring and a spring supporting frame configured to hold and secure the tapered spring. The spring supporting frame comprises a base and an end cover arranged opposite to each other, and two ends of the tapered spring are respectively fixed to the base and the end cover to be mounted between the base and the end cover.

The spring supporting frame comprises a plurality of flexible straps, and the plurality of flexible straps are evenly spaced and arranged between the base and the end cover. The tapered spring is divided into a large end and a small end according to an area size. When the tapered spring is mounted between the base and the end cover, a part of the tapered spring defining the large end is located outside at least one of the plurality of flexible straps, and a spring wire of the tapered spring except the part of the tapered spring is located inside the plurality of flexible straps.

In a preferred embodiment, at least ⅔ of the part of the tapered spring defining the large end are located outside the at least one of the plurality of flexible straps.

In some embodiments, the plurality of flexible straps extend from an outer side surface of the base toward the end cover until the plurality of flexible straps extend to an inner side surface of the end cover, and the part of the tapered spring surrounds an outside of the at least one of the plurality of flexible straps to be fixedly connected to the end cover.

In some embodiments, a spiral radius of the tapered spring gradually widens along an axial direction of the tapered spring. When the tapered spring is mounted between the base and the end cover, a large-end portion of the spring wire with a largest spiral radius is located outside the at least one of the plurality of flexible straps.

In some embodiments, the end cover has a first spring fixing member for fixing an end of the tapered spring, and the part of the tapered spring surrounds the outside of the at least one of the plurality of flexible straps to be connected to the first spring fixing member to be fixedly connected to the end cover.

In some embodiments, an end of the part of the tapered spring is buckled to or abuts the first spring fixing member to enable the tapered spring to be fixedly connected to the end cover.

In some embodiments, the inner side surface of the end cover between adjacent two of the plurality of flexible straps extends toward the base to form a first enclosure, and the end cover extends toward the base on an outer side of the first enclosure to form a second enclosure. An annular groove for fixing the tapered spring is formed between the first enclosure and the second enclosure as the first spring fixing member.

In some embodiments, an end of the tapered spring abuts and is disposed in the annular groove.

In some embodiments, the tapered spring abuts a side of the base facing the end cover or is buckled to the base to be fixedly connected to the base.

In some embodiments, a first mounting structure is provided on the base, and the first mounting structure is configured to enable the elastic module to be mounted on a base plate of an elastic cushion.

In some embodiments, the base extends toward the end cover to form a conical protruding cavity, and a conical protrusion extends in a cavity of the conical protruding cavity in a direction away from the end cover as the first mounting structure. An inner cavity surface of the conical protruding cavity and an outer surface of the conical protrusion form a double-conical self-locking structure configured to be self-locked with an insertion structure on the base plate of the elastic cushion.

In some embodiments, an end of the tapered spring abuts between an outer side of the conical protruding cavity and the plurality of flexible straps.

In some embodiments, a second mounting structure is provided on the end cover, and the second mounting structure is configured to enable the elastic module to be mounted on a cushion layer of the elastic cushion.

In some embodiments, a plurality of protrusions are arranged at intervals on a side of the end cover facing the base as the second mounting structure, and the plurality of protrusions are configured to be connected to the cushion layer of the elastic cushion by insertion.

In order to solve the above technical problems, the present disclosure further provides an elastic cushion comprising the elastic module.

Compared to existing technologies, the beneficial effects of the present disclosure lie in winding the part of the tapered spring around an exterior of some of the plurality of flexible straps, and symmetrically arranging each of a second subset of the plurality of flexible straps on an outer side of the tapered spring and a corresponding one of a first subset of the plurality of flexible straps on an inner side of the tapered spring. When the tapered spring tilts, not only do the plurality of flexible straps on a tilting side provide a restoring force opposing a tilt direction, but the spring wire of the tapered spring located outside the at least one of the plurality of flexible straps also encounters resistance from the at least one of the plurality of flexible straps on an opposite side. This configuration enhances a restoring force resisting tilting, significantly improves anti-tilting effectiveness, and consequently prevents noise caused by friction between tilted springs and adjacent ones during compression under external forces.

The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present disclosure will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present disclosure. It is obvious that the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present disclosure, rather than all the embodiments, and all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field based on the embodiments of the present disclosure without making creative work are within the scope of protection of the present disclosure.

In the description of the present disclosure, it should be noted that the terms “upper”, “lower”, “inner”, “outer”, “top”, “bottom”, and the like indicate positions or positional relationships based on the positions or positional relationships shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present disclosure and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific position, or be constructed and operated in a specific position, and therefore should not be understood as limiting the present disclosure. In addition, the terms “first” and “second” are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance.

In the description of the present disclosure, it should be noted that, unless otherwise clearly stipulated and limited, the terms “installed”, “provided with”, “mounted”, “connected”, etc. should be understood in a broad sense. For example, “connection” can be a wall-mounted connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection. It can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection. It can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. It can be the internal connection of two components. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present disclosure can be understood according to specific circumstances.

Referring to, the present embodiment provides an elastic module. As shown in the figures, the elastic module comprises a spring supporting frameconfigured to hold and secure a tapered spring, and the tapered springis disposed in the spring supporting frame. The spring supporting frameenables the elastic module to be detachably mounted between a base plateand a cushion layerof an elastic cushion, such as a mattress or a sofa cushion.

The spring supporting framecomprises a baseand an end cover, and the baseand the end coverare arranged opposite to each other. Two ends of the tapered springare respectively fixed to the baseand the end coverto be mounted in a space between the baseand the end cover. The spring supporting framefurther comprises a plurality of flexible straps, and in a preferred embodiment, the plurality of flexible strapsare four flexible strapsevenly spaced and arranged between the baseand the end coveron a periphery of the spring supporting frame. Alternatively, a number of the plurality of flexible strapscan be 2, 6, or other numbers. Specifically, at a center of the end coveris an opening, and the plurality of flexible strapsextend from an outer side surface of the basetoward the end coveruntil the plurality of flexible strapsextend to an inner side surface of the end cover, which is an edge of the openingof the end cover. When the tapered springis mounted between the baseand the end coverof the spring supporting frame, a part of a spring wire of the tapered springis fixed to the end coverafter being wrapped around an outer side of a first subset of the plurality of flexible straps, and each of a second subset of the plurality of flexible strapson an outer side of the tapered springand a corresponding one of the first subset of the plurality of flexible strapson an inner side of the tapered springare symmetrically arranged.

Furthermore, a spiral radius of the tapered springgradually widens along an axial direction of the tapered springto form a conical shape, and the spring wire of the tapered springis wound from a small-end portionof the spring wire with a smallest spiral radius to a large-end portionof the spring wire with a largest spiral radius. One end of the small-end portionis fixedly connected to the base, and the large-end portionis fixedly connected to the end cover. A radius of the baseis also smaller than a radius of the end cover, and the spring supporting framepresents a conical structure. The one end of the small-end portionof the tapered springis fixedly connected to the base, and a portion of the spring wire between the small-end portionand the large-end portionis entirely located on the inner side of the plurality of flexible straps. The large-end portionwith the largest spiral radius is wrapped around an outer side of two of the plurality of flexible straps(i.e., the first subset of the plurality of flexible straps), and a remaining portion of the spring wire is located on an inner side of the plurality of flexible straps. An endof the large-end portionis fixed to the end coverto form the elastic module of this embodiment. Half of the large-end portion is located on the outer side of the plurality of flexible straps, so that the other two of the plurality of flexible strapson the outer side of the tapered springare symmetrically distributed with the two of the plurality of flexible strapson the inner side of the tapered spring.

The elastic modules of this embodiment are mounted in an array on the base plate, and the cushion layeris mounted on the elastic modules to form the elastic cushion. The existing elastic cushion also basically comprises a cushion layer, elastic modules arranged in an array, and a base plate. The tapered spring of the elastic module in the existing elastic cushion is completely located inside the plurality of flexible straps.

Therefore, when the user uses the elastic cushion and performs turning activities on the elastic cushion, a force applied to the elastic module is uneven when using the existing elastic cushion. At this time, the tapered spring in the elastic module will tilt due to the uneven force. When the tapered spring tilts, the plurality of flexible straps of the elastic module will give the tapered spring a restoring force in an opposite direction of the conical spring tilting to prevent the tapered spring from tilting. When the tapered spring is entirely located on the inner side of the plurality of flexible straps, only flexible straps of the plurality of flexible straps on one side of the tapered spring will work when the tapered spring tilts, giving the tapered spring a restoring force. When the user makes large movement or uses the elastic cushion for too long, a degree by which the tapered spring is prevented from tilting is limited due to only flexible straps of the plurality of flexible straps on one side of the tapered spring working when the tapered spring tilts.

With the elastic cushion formed by the elastic modules in this embodiment, when the tapered springtilts, each of the second subset of the plurality of flexible strapson an outer side of the tapered springwill give the tapered springa restoring force in an opposite direction of a direction in which the tapered springtilts. At the same time, the large-end portionis located on the outer side of a symmetrical one of the first subset of the plurality of flexible straps, and the symmetrical one of the first subset of the plurality of flexible strapshere will also give the large-end portiona blocking force in the opposite direction of the direction in which the tapered springtilts to prevent the tapered springfrom tilting. Under a simultaneous action of the restoring force of each of the second subset of the plurality of flexible strapson the outer side of the tapered spring and the blocking force of the symmetrical one of the first subset of the plurality of flexible strapson the inner side of the tapered spring, the tapered springcan better maintain balance to prevent tilting, so that the tapered spring can be prevented from tipping over when compressed and rubbing against other tapered springs to generate noise, and the elastic cushion is more comfortable and has a longer service life.

In order to secure the tapered springon the end cover, the end coverhas a first spring fixing member for fixing the endof the large-end portionof the tapered spring. The large-end portionis connected to the first spring fixing member after wrapping around the outer side of the two of the plurality of flexible strapsto be fixedly connected to the end cover.

Specifically, an inner side surface of the end coverbetween adjacent two of the plurality of flexible strapsextends toward the baseto form a first enclosure, and the end coverextends toward the baseon an outer side of the first enclosureto form a second enclosure. An annular groovefor fixing the tapered springis formed between the first enclosureand the second enclosureas the first spring fixing member.

When the large-end portionof the tapered springsurrounds the outer side of the two of the plurality of flexible straps, the endof the large-end portionabuts and is disposed in the annular groove. Since the tapered springis in a compressed state when mounted in the spring supporting frame, an elastic restoring force of the tapered springin the compressed state causes the endof the large-end portionto firmly abut the annular groove, so that movement of the tapered springis inhibited in the axial direction of the tapered spring. At the same time, the first enclosureand the second enclosureon two sides of the annular grooveinhibit movement of the endof the large-end portionin a horizontal direction, so that one end of the tapered springis fixedly connected to the end cover.

The tapered springmay be fixed to the end coverin more than one manner by abutment, and other spring fixing methods may be used, such as bucking the endof the large-end portionwith the first spring fixing member or other methods to secure the tapered springto the end cover.

In order to secure the tapered springon the base, in this embodiment, the tapered springabuts a side of the basefacing the end coveror is fixedly buckled to the base. Specifically, an endof the small-end portionalso abuts the base. As mentioned above, the tapered springis in the compressed state when mounted in the spring supporting frame. Therefore, the elastic restoring force of the tapered springin the compressed state makes the endof the small-end portionfirmly abut the side of the basefacing the end cover.

More specifically, in this embodiment, the baseextends toward the end coverto form a conical protruding cavity, and a space is formed between an outer side surface of the conical protruding cavityand the plurality of flexible strapson the outer side surface of the baseto receive the small-end portion. After the small-end portionis inserted into the space, the endof the small-end portionabuts a surface of the base, thereby fixing the tapered springon the base.

Similarly, the tapered springmay be fixedly connected to the basein more than one manner by abutment, and other spring fixing methods may be used, such as buckling the endof the small-end portionto the baseor other methods to fix the tapered springto the base.

In order to detachably mount the elastic modules between the base plateand the cushion layerof the elastic cushion, such as the mattress or the sofa cushion, in this embodiment, a first mounting structure connected to the base plateis provided on the baseof the spring supporting frameso as to mount the elastic module on the base plateof the elastic cushion. A second mounting structure connected to the cushion layeris provided on the end coverof the spring supporting frame.

Specifically, in this embodiment, the baseextends toward the end coverto form the conical protruding cavity, and a conical protrusionextends in a cavity of the conical protruding cavityin a direction away from the end coveras the first mounting structure. An inner cavity surface of the conical protruding cavityand an outer surface of the conical protrusionform a double-conical self-locking structure. When the elastic module is inserted into an insertion structure on the base plateof the elastic cushion, the conical protrusionon the basecan be self-locked with the insertion structure on the base plateof the elastic cushion. The elastic module that is self-locked with the base platecan be fixedly connected to the base platewhen there is no interference from external forces, and the elastic module can be pulled out by using external force, so that the elastic module can be detachably mounted on the base plateof the elastic cushion.

Four protrusionsare arranged at intervals on a side of the end coverfacing the baseas a second mounting structure. In the present embodiment, a lower surface of the cushion layerof the elastic cushion extends in a vertical downward direction to form a plurality of conical protrusions, and a distance between adjacent protrusionsof the plurality of conical protrusionsis equal to a distance between two symmetrical protrusionsof the four protrusions. The end coveris disposed in a space surrounded by four symmetrically arranged conical protrusionsof the plurality of conical protrusions, and the four protrusionsare aligned with the four symmetrically arranged conical protrusions. Friction between the four protrusionsand the four symmetrically arranged conical protrusionsenables the elastic module to be firmly mounted on the cushion layer, thereby securing the cushion layerand the elastic module together.

The above is only a preferred specific implementation of the present disclosure, but the design concept of the present disclosure is not limited to this. Any technician familiar with the technical field who uses this concept to make non-substantial changes to the present disclosure within the technical scope disclosed by the present disclosure shall be deemed to infringe the protection scope of the present disclosure.