Armrest Assembly with Spindle Guide for Stepless Sliding and Swinging
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional armrests in chairs require excessive force for adjustment, leading to inconveniences such as dull operating noises, limited positional adjustment, and increased manufacturing costs due to complex structures and separate components for sliding and swinging movements.
Innovation Solution
An armrest assembly with a stepless structure featuring a spindle guide unit that allows sliding and swinging movements at any desired position, using damping pinion gears and damping fluid to adjust based on applied force, reducing the need for separate components and detent structures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a detent structure is used in conventional armrests, then the armrest can be stopped at predefined positions, but excessive force is required to move past the detent structure and the user may stop beyond the desired position
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the detent structure entirely from the armrest system. Instead of using a soft material structure that must overcome detent irregularities, the invention uses a rigid armrest support pad with a spindle guide unit that enables continuous smooth movement without predefined stopping points, eliminating the need for excessive force to overcome detents.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical detent-based positioning system with a spindle guide unit system. The spindle guide unit with its guide grooves and rolling elements provides a completely different mechanical approach that allows continuous adjustment without the forceful engagement and disengagement characteristic of detent structures.
2Ease of operation
If a detent structure is used in conventional armrests, then the armrest can be stopped at predefined positions, but dull operating noise occurs during adjustment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the detent structure that causes dull operating noise. By eliminating the irregularities in the soft material structure and replacing it with a rigid pad and spindle guide system, the noise-generating mechanism is completely removed from the armrest adjustment process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes the noise-prone soft material detent system with a rigid spindle guide system. The rolling elements in the spindle guide unit create a smoother, quieter operation compared to the friction and impact noise generated by soft material structures overcoming detent irregularities.
3Manufacturing precision
If the number of steps in the detent structure is increased for fine positional adjustment, then positioning precision is improved, but the design becomes significantly complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the multi-step detent structure entirely and replaces it with a continuous adjustment mechanism. The spindle guide unit allows the armrest support pad to be positioned at any location along its range of motion, providing fine positional adjustment without requiring multiple discrete steps or a complicated detent design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a static, discrete-step positioning system to a dynamic, continuous positioning system. The spindle guide unit enables the armrest support pad to move smoothly to any position within its range, providing infinite positional possibilities rather than a fixed number of predetermined steps.
4Adaptability or versatility
If separate structures and components are provided for sliding movement and swinging movement in conventional armrests, then both movements can be achieved, but the assembly structure becomes significantly complex and manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the sliding and swinging movement mechanisms into a single integrated spindle guide unit. The guide grooves in the spindle guide unit are designed to simultaneously accommodate both types of movement, eliminating the need for separate structures and components for each movement type and significantly simplifying the overall assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The spindle guide unit is designed as a universal component that performs multiple functions: it guides both sliding movement and swinging movement of the armrest support pad. This multi-functional design replaces what would traditionally require separate dedicated structures for each type of movement, reducing complexity and manufacturing cost.
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
Enables smooth, flexible adjustment without detent structures, improving user convenience, reducing manufacturing costs, and enhancing emotional quality by allowing fine positional adjustments without design limitations.
Implementation Method 1
configured to damp an external manipulation force applied by a user
Implementation Method 2
damping pinion gears and damping fluid to adjust based on applied force
Data Source
AI summary
An armrest assembly, includes: an armrest support pad configured to support an arm of a user and perform sliding movement in a forward and backward direction and swinging movement in a leftward and rightward direction on an upper end of an armrest support; and a spindle guide unit secured to the upper end of the armrest support, and configured to guide the sliding movement and the swinging movement of the armrest support pad. The sliding movement and the swinging movement of the armrest support pad are guided, with the armrest support pad gear-engaged with the spindle guide unit.