Aquatic Seating Structure With Ballast Self-Righting Stability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing aquatic furniture lacks stability and self-righting capabilities when submerged in water, and fails to accommodate human anatomical features effectively, leading to discomfort and instability.

Innovation Solution

A seating device with a conical body, weighted base, and contoured surfaces that includes footrests and holes for fluid flow, designed to maintain stability and comfort by distributing weight and accommodating human anatomy, while a floating table with recesses and notches enhances buoyancy and stability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If aquatic furniture is designed with simple structure, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but stability and self-righting capabilities are insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidstability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies the counterweight principle by positioning a weighted base at the bottom of the seating device. This weighted base creates a low center of gravity that enables the device to self-right when tilted, directly resolving the stability issue while maintaining structural simplicity. The weighted base is integrated into the overall design rather than added as a complex mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #8Anti-weight (Counterweight)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs curved and contoured surfaces throughout the seating device, including a contoured seating surface that accommodates human anatomy and a conical body shape. These curved forms improve both comfort and stability without significantly increasing manufacturing complexity, as they can be achieved through molding processes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

2Ease of manufacture

If seating surface is flat, then manufacturing is simpler, but human anatomical features are not accommodated leading to discomfort

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidcomfort

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by creating a contoured seating surface with varying shapes in different regions to accommodate specific human anatomical features. The contoured surface includes areas designed for the buttocks, lumbar region, and footrests, providing localized comfort zones while maintaining overall structural simplicity through integral forming.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses contoured and curved surfaces throughout the seating device, including a contoured seating surface that follows human body anatomy and conical body shape. These curved forms improve comfort by accommodating anatomical features while can be manufactured through molding processes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

3Stability of the object's composition

If holes are formed in seating surface for fluid flow, then buoyancy control is improved, but structural integrity is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebuoyancy controlVSAvoidstructural integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies the porous materials principle by forming multiple holes through the seating surface to enable fluid flow. These holes provide buoyancy control and drainage functionality while the overall structural integrity is maintained through the strength of the molded material and the distribution of hole locations and sizes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #31Porous materials

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 seating device provides enhanced stability and comfort by self-righting and accommodating anatomical features, while the table remains stable and buoyant, suitable for aquatic environments.

Implementation Method 1

The body defines an end cavity disposed about a periphery of the closed second end. The seating device further includes a weighting material disposed within the end cavity.

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectBallast:

Implementation Method 2

The closed first end defines a seating surface having one or more holes formed therethrough, the one or more holes enabling flow of a fluid therethrough as the seating device is submerged in the liquid.

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFluid flow:

Implementation Method 3

The body is generally of a conical shape, such that a diameter (d1) of the first end is less than a diameter (d2) of the second end. The larger base (e.g., as achieved by the diameter (d2) being larger than the diameter (d1)) of the seating device reduces or otherwise inhibits any tendency for the seating device to tip

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectBuoyancy: Archimedes' Principle (Buoyancy)

Data Source

PatentUS9044091B2Aquatic furniture

Publication Date: 2015.06.02 PURE LIQUID POOL PRODS

AI summary

A seating device for use in a liquid, the seating device including a body having a closed first end, an open second end and a wall running between the closed first end and the open second end, the closed first end and the wall defining a cavity that is accessible through the open second end, the closed first end defining a seating surface having one or more holes formed therethrough, the one or more holes enabling flow of a fluid therethrough as the seating device is submerged in the liquid.