Chair Armrest Lock-Head Assembly for Tool-Free Connection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional chair armrests are bulky, difficult to assemble, and lack structural strength and tightness, leading to increased manufacturing costs and potential safety risks during use.
Innovation Solution
An easily assembled chair armrest design featuring a connecting portion with a lock head and locking slot, allowing for secure assembly and adjustment, which includes a lock head that can be vertically mounted into a locking hole and rotated within a locking slot to couple the armrest and armrest support, enhancing structural integrity and ease of assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the armrest and armrest support are assembled into one part in advance on the manufacturing end, then the volume is reduced for package and transportation, but the assembly process becomes complex and requires extra fastening parts and tools
Solution Approach 1:
The armrest assembly is divided into separate components (armrest body and armrest support) that can be easily connected and disconnected. The connecting portion with lock head and locking slot mechanism allows simple one-piece connection without complex fastening parts, enabling both compact packaging when assembled and easy separation when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The lock head is inserted into the locking slot within the locking hole, creating a nested structure where the connecting portion fits inside the armrest body. This nested design allows the components to be compact when assembled while maintaining simple connection without requiring external fastening parts.
2Volume of moving object
If the armrest and armrest support are assembled into one part in advance on the manufacturing end, then the volume is reduced for package and transportation, but the structural strength and tightness may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The lock head is pre-formed with a shape that matches the locking slot geometry. During assembly, the lock head is inserted into the locking slot and then rotated horizontally to engage with the slot walls, creating a preliminary locked state that ensures proper alignment and structural strength before final tightening.
Solution Approach 2:
The connecting mechanism allows dynamic adjustment through horizontal rotation of the lock head within the locking slot. This rotation enables the lock head to engage at different positions, ensuring optimal structural strength and tightness while maintaining the ability to accommodate manufacturing tolerances.
3Ease of operation
If conventional fastening parts and tools are used for assembly, then the assembly can be performed at the client end, but the assembly process is difficult and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The traditional fastening parts (screws, bolts, nuts) and tools (screwdrivers, wrenches) are completely removed from the assembly system. The connecting portion uses a simple lock head and locking slot mechanism that requires no external fastening parts or tools, enabling tool-free assembly at the client end while significantly reducing assembly time.
Solution Approach 2:
The lock head and locking slot mechanism is designed to be self-assembling. The lock head is inserted into the locking hole, and by rotating it horizontally, it automatically engages with the locking slot to secure the armrest to the support. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for external fastening parts and tools, making assembly simple and quick.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the armrest and armrest support are assembled into one part in advance, then manufacturing cost is increased, but the product competitiveness is improved
Solution Approach 1:
The armrest is designed as separable components (armrest body and armrest support) that can be manufactured independently and then easily assembled using the simple connecting portion mechanism. This segmentation allows for flexible manufacturing strategies, including outsourcing or modular production, which can reduce manufacturing costs while maintaining product competitiveness through easy assembly and potential adjustment functions.
Data Source
AI summary
An easily assembled chair armrest composed an armrest support, a connecting portion, and an armrest revealed. The connecting portion with a lock head is selectively disposed on the armrest or the armrest support while a locking hole is arranged at the armrest or the armrest support without the connecting portion. A locking slot communicates with the inner side of the locking hole. The armrest and the armrest support are in a first assembled state when the lock head is mounted into the locking slot through the lock hole. Then the lock head is horizontally rotated a staggered angle within the locking slot so that a lengthwise central axis of the armrest and a lengthwise central axis of the armrest support are coupled. Now the armrest and the armrest support are fastened into one part to be in a second assembled state.Thereby both structural strength and tightness are improved.