3D Seat Cushion Structure for Pelvic Mobility and Spinal Relief

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional seating furniture often leads to hip and spine complaints due to inadequate alignment and mobility, particularly for individuals who spend extended periods sitting, and poses difficulties for older individuals in sitting and standing.

Innovation Solution

A seat cushion with a three-dimensional surface featuring seat knuckle recesses and a U-shaped ridge that accommodates the user's ischial tuberosities and coccyx, allowing for free pelvic movement and alignment, reducing friction and load on the spinal column, and facilitating easier standing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If a flat seat surface is used, then the seat cushion is simple to manufacture, but it causes blockage of the pelvis and heavy loads in the spinal column and pelvic area

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesimplicity of seat cushion manufacturingVSAvoidfrictional resistance blocking pelvis movement and spinal load
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The seat cushion features localized three-dimensional surface structures including seat knuckle recesses, U-shaped ridge, and coccyx depression rather than a uniformly flat surface. These localized geometric modifications create specific functional zones that reduce frictional resistance at critical contact points while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through foam molding techniques.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The seat cushion employs curved and contoured surfaces including a U-shaped ridge with rounded edges, seat knuckle recesses with curved bottoms, and a coccyx depression. These curved geometries distribute pressure more evenly and reduce frictional resistance compared to sharp edges or flat surfaces, facilitating natural pelvic movement while remaining compatible with standard foam manufacturing processes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

2Ease of operation

If the seat surface is designed with three-dimensional shape adapted to human skeleton, then sitting comfort and pelvic mobility are improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepelvic mobility and sitting comfortVSAvoidcomplexity of seat cushion structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Rather than creating a completely complex three-dimensional structure, the invention applies localized geometric features (seat knuckle recesses, U-shaped ridge, coccyx depression) to an otherwise relatively simple cushion form. This approach improves pelvic mobility and sitting comfort by modifying only the specific areas that contact the body, while keeping the overall device complexity manageable.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The three-dimensional surface structures serve multiple functions simultaneously: the seat knuckle recesses reduce friction at the ischial tuberosities, the U-shaped ridge provides structural support and defines the seating area, and the coccyx depression accommodates the tailbone. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If seat knuckle recesses are provided to free the seat knuckles, then pelvic movement is enabled and spinal load is reduced, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereduction of spinal and pelvic loadVSAvoidprecision of recess positioning and dimensions
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The seat knuckle recesses are designed with specific dimensional parameters (depth, diameter, positioning) that can be directly controlled during foam molding manufacturing. By optimizing these parameters within standard manufacturing tolerances, the invention achieves the desired effect of freeing seat knuckles and reducing spinal load without requiring ultra-precise or custom manufacturing processes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The three-dimensional surface structures including seat knuckle recesses are pre-formed during the foam cushion manufacturing process itself, rather than requiring subsequent assembly or adjustment steps. This preliminary formation of the functional geometry integrates the precision requirements into the primary manufacturing process, avoiding the need for additional precision operations and simplifying overall production.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3047757B1Multifunctional and multidimensional seating furniture
Publication Date: 2019.04.03 PURNER CHRISTOPH
  • EP3047757B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3047757B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3047757B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention relates to a seat cushion to be placed on a piece of seating furniture or to be installed in a piece of seating furniture or a corresponding piece of seating furniture, with a basic plate-like shape which has a width, a length and a height, the seat cushion comprising a seat surface (8) which is located on an upper side of the basic shape and extends along the width and length of the basic shape and has a three-dimensional surface shape with elevations and depressions in the thickness direction compared to a plane spanned by the width and length, the seat surface having a front side (6) along the width direction , on which the user's legs can be arranged when sitting, and has a rear side (7) on which the user's back can be arranged when sitting, the seat surface (8) having at least one, preferably two, seat knob recesses (11) for receiving the seat knob of a user has, wherein the seat has a top view of the seat U - shaped ridge (12) with a U-shape with a base (16) and two legs (14,15) arranged thereon, which is arranged in relation to the seat knuckle recesses (11) that the user with the thighs and buttocks comes to sit within an area enclosed in a U-shape by the ridge in such a way that the seat knobs protrude into the seat knob depressions.