Method for manufacturing a multi-layered support structure

A method for manufacturing a layered support structure, comprising:

• providing a first layer comprising:
• a support rail comprising:
• a first strap comprising multiple pre-alignment regions and unaligned regions defined along the first strap;
• a second strap substantially parallel to the first strap and comprising multiple pre-aligned regions and unaligned regions defined along the second strap;
• multiple nodes connected between the first and second straps;
• and
• multiple openings defined along the support rail between an inside edge of adjacent nodes, an inside edge of the first strap, and an inside edge of the second strap, where the inside edges of adjacent nodes substantially face each other and the inside edges of the first and second straps substantially face each other;
• aligning each of the multiple pre-alignment regions of the first and second straps to form multiple aligned regions defined along the first strap and the second strap;
• stretching the first layer in a direction substantially parallel to the direction of the first and second straps;
• and
• inserting a node locator into each of the multiple openings.

A method for manufacturing a layered support structure, comprising:

• providing a first layer comprising:
• a support rail comprising:
• a first strap comprising multiple pre-alignment regions and unaligned regions defined along the first strap;
• a second strap substantially parallel to the first strap and comprising multiple pre-aligned regions and unaligned regions defined along the second strap;
• multiple nodes connected between the first and second straps;
• and
• multiple openings defined along the support rail between an inside edge of adjacent nodes, an inside edge of the first strap, and an inside edge of the second strap, where the inside edges of adjacent nodes substantially face each other and the inside edges of the first and second straps substantially face each other;
• providing a second layer comprising multiples spring elements supported by the multiple nodes;
• providing a third layer comprising multiple interconnected pixels supported by the second layer;
• connecting the second layer to the first layer, where the second layer is positioned below the first layer after the connecting;
• and
• connecting the third layer to the second layer, where the third layer is positioned below the second layer after the connecting.