Body support assembly and methods for the use and assembly thereof
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing body support assemblies, such as office chair backrests, require complex and expensive mechanisms to accommodate flexing and provide support, as they struggle to efficiently distribute loads and maintain user comfort.
Innovation Solution
A body support assembly featuring a frame with laterally spaced support locations, a leaf spring extending between these locations, and a flexible shell coupled to the leaf spring, which provides both support and energy through its flexible design and connection to the frame.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If complex mechanisms are incorporated to accommodate flexing and provide biasing force, then support and energy are provided to the body support member, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a flexible shell as the body support member that can bend and deform to accommodate user flexing. The shell's inherent flexibility allows it to absorb and provide energy through elastic deformation, eliminating the need for separate complex biasing mechanisms while maintaining reliable support functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible shell serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides structural support, accommodates flexing motion, and stores/releases energy through its elastic properties. This multi-functionality consolidates what would traditionally require separate mechanisms into a single integrated component, reducing overall device complexity
2Reliability
If complex mechanisms are incorporated to accommodate flexing and provide biasing force, then support and energy are provided to the body support member, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible shell can be manufactured using cost-effective processes such as molding or forming operations. By replacing complex mechanical mechanisms with a single flexible component, the manufacturing process is simplified, reducing both direct costs and indirect costs associated with assembly and quality control
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts and eliminates unnecessary complex mechanisms from the design, retaining only the essential flexible shell component that performs all required functions. This reduction in component count directly lowers manufacturing costs while maintaining the necessary support and energy provision capabilities
3Ease of operation
If the body support member is made flexible to accommodate user flexing, then user comfort is improved, but structural stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible shell transitions from a static rigid structure to a dynamic component that can adapt its shape and stiffness in response to user interaction. The shell's ability to deform and recover provides comfort during use while maintaining structural integrity through its elastic properties and proper support location design
Solution Approach 2:
The shell is designed with varying local properties, being more flexible in areas where user contact occurs to provide comfort, while maintaining adequate structural stability in regions requiring support. The support locations are strategically positioned to provide stability without compromising the flexible response needed for user comfort
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 offers enhanced support and energy distribution, allowing for effective load management and user comfort by utilizing a leaf spring that flexes and returns to its nominal position, reducing the complexity and cost of the assembly.
Implementation Method 1
A leaf spring has a longitudinal axis and extends between the first and second support locations. The leaf spring includes opposite first and second ends coupled to the frame along the longitudinal axis.
Data Source
AI summary
A frame includes laterally spaced apart first and second support locations. A leaf spring has a longitudinal axis and extends between the first and second support locations. The leaf spring includes opposite first and second ends coupled to the frame along the longitudinal axis. A flexible shell is coupled to the frame at a third support location longitudinally spaced apart from the first and second support locations. The flexible shell is coupled to the leaf spring between the first and second support locations.