Arm support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current arm supports for chairs and desks lack the necessary flexibility and adjustability to accommodate users who engage in activities like gaming or streaming, as they do not provide sufficient degrees of freedom for comfortable and intuitive use of devices like mice or controllers.
Innovation Solution
The arm support system includes a mounting bracket, a track with a linear bearing for linear movement, a rotary bearing for rotational movement, and a gimbal joint for pivoting, allowing three degrees of freedom for the forearm support, enabling users to adjust the position and orientation of the armrest dynamically during use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional fixed arm supports are used, then the structure is simple and stable, but the adaptability and flexibility for different user positions and activities are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The arm support transitions from a fixed structure to a dynamic one with three degrees of freedom: linear movement along the track, rotation about the longitudinal axis, and pivoting at the gimbal joint. This allows the arm support to adapt to different user positions and activities while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements nested movement mechanisms where the forearm support is received within the armrest, and multiple bearing assemblies are nested within each other (linear bearing, rotary bearing, and gimbal joint). This nesting approach enables complex multi-axis movement while keeping the structure compact and manageable.
2Ease of operation
If multi-degree of freedom mechanisms are added to allow dynamic adjustment, then the flexibility and comfort are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The arm support incorporates three independent degrees of freedom: linear movement along the track via the linear bearing assembly, rotation about the longitudinal axis via the rotary bearing assembly, and pivoting motion via the gimbal joint. Each degree of freedom is implemented with dedicated bearing assemblies that work independently, providing flexibility without excessive complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The movement system is divided into three separate functional segments: the linear bearing assembly for translational movement, the rotary bearing assembly for rotational movement, and the gimbal joint for pivoting. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and simplifies the overall design by breaking down the complex multi-axis movement into manageable independent functions.
Data Source
AI summary
An arm support including a mounting bracket configured to mount the arm support to a supporting structure, a track supported by the mounting bracket, a forearm support configured to support a forearm of a user, a linear bearing allowing a first degree of freedom of movement for the forearm support, a rotary bearing allowing a second degree of freedom of movement for the forearm support, and a gimbal joint allowing a third degree of freedom of movement for the forearm support.