Armrest Structure With Independent Height and Sliding Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional armrest structures face challenges in precise adjustment due to the fragility of fine teeth gears and unintended disengagement of height adjustment mechanisms, leading to manufacturing cost issues and operational inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
The armrest structure incorporates a cover with a controlling member, a sliding plate, and a height adjustment device featuring a lever and inclined slot, allowing for independent horizontal and vertical adjustments without relying on precise teeth engagement, enhancing structural strength and reducing external impact interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If fine teeth gears are used for precise adjustment, then measurement precision is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to fragility
Solution Approach 1:
The gear system is segmented into a rack portion with coarse teeth and a toothed portion with fine teeth. The rack portion handles large movements with robust coarse teeth, while the toothed portion provides precise adjustments with fine teeth. This segmentation allows the system to achieve both precision and durability by distributing different functions to different segments.
Solution Approach 2:
The rack portion performs preliminary action by handling the initial large movements and positioning. Once the armrest is near the desired position, the fine teeth of the toothed portion engage to provide precise final adjustments. This preliminary action by the robust rack portion protects the fragile fine teeth from excessive stress.
2Ease of operation
If height adjustment mechanism is made easily operable, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to unintended disengagement
Solution Approach 1:
The lever is designed with a specific movement path that preliminarily counteracts unintended disengagement. The lever must be pulled in a predetermined direction along a defined path to disengage the hook from the slot, preventing accidental disengagement while maintaining ease of intentional adjustment. This preliminary anti-action ensures that only deliberate operations result in disengagement.
Solution Approach 2:
The height adjustment mechanism uses dynamic movement of the lever along an inclined slot rather than simple linear motion. The lever's movement path is designed to naturally guide the hook along the slot, providing stability during normal operation while allowing controlled disengagement when the lever is pulled in the correct direction. This dynamic design balances ease of operation with engagement stability.
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
This design enables precise and durable armrest adjustments with improved structural strength, allowing for easy positioning and height adjustment without external interference, reducing manufacturing costs and enhancing user control.
Implementation Method 1
the spring 863 of the adjustment member 86 is located between the controlling portion 864 and the stop 811 of the case 81. When adjusting the armrest back and forth, the adjustment member 86 is pressed to compress the spring 863
Implementation Method 2
the pivotal shaft 971 of the engaging rod 97 is engaged with the positioning recesses 96. The engaging rod 97 has a hook 972 at the bottom thereof and an operation portion 973 is formed on the top of the engaging rod 97. When adjusting the height of the armrest, the user pivots the operation portion 973 located outside of the movable case 95, the engaging rod 97 is pivoted about the pivotal shaft 971 to shift the hook 972 away from the slot 94
Data Source
AI summary
An armrest structure includes a cover and a controlling member which has a pressing portion and a rack portion respectively formed on two sides thereof. A sliding plate has a sliding protrusion and multiple teeth which are engaged with the rack portion. A fixing plate has a sliding groove and the sliding protrusion is slidably engaged with the sliding groove. A fixing device has a sliding area and two first rails. The sliding plate is engaged with the first rails. The fixing device has a recessed area in which the fixing plate is located. The fixing device has multiple engaging teeth engaged with the rack portion, and two guide grooves. A base is connected with the cover and has two second rails which are engaged with the two guide grooves. A height adjustment device is connected to a slot of the fixing device and fixed to the fixing plate.