Chair Back Biasing Assembly With Assisted Recline Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing chair mechanisms lack efficient adjustment systems for reclining back support, requiring significant user input to change biasing forces and often compromising comfort and ease of use.
Innovation Solution
A chair assembly with a seat and back support structure that includes adjustable biasing assemblies and an assist feature, allowing users to easily adjust the recline position by reducing the input force required through a mechanism involving spring support and control linkages.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If a biasing assembly is used to exert biasing force on the back support structure, then the back support can be biased from reclined position towards upright position, but the input force required to adjust the biasing force is significant and difficult to operate
Solution Approach 1:
The assist feature functions as a counterweight mechanism that provides an assist force opposing the biasing force during adjustment. When the user operates the adjustment assembly to change the biasing force magnitude, the assist feature generates a counterbalancing force that reduces the net input force the user must apply, making the adjustment operation easier while still allowing full control over the biasing force magnitude.
Solution Approach 2:
The adjustment assembly serves as an intermediary mechanism between the user and the biasing assembly. It translates small user inputs into larger adjustments of the biasing force while incorporating the assist feature that provides mechanical advantage. This intermediary mechanism allows indirect control of the biasing assembly, reducing the direct force requirement while maintaining precise adjustment capability.
2Reliability
If the biasing force is increased to provide stronger back support, then the support effectiveness is improved, but the input force required to adjust the biasing force increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The assist feature provides a counterbalancing assist force that becomes particularly valuable when adjusting higher magnitudes of biasing force. As the biasing force increases to provide stronger back support, the assist feature proportionally increases its counterbalancing effect, ensuring that the input force requirement does not increase linearly with the biasing force magnitude, thus maintaining ease of operation across the full range of support effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the assist force based on the current biasing force magnitude and the position of the adjustment assembly. The assist feature is designed to provide variable assistance that adapts to the instantaneous mechanical conditions, ensuring optimal ease of operation regardless of whether the user is adjusting to a low or high biasing force setting. This dynamic response allows strong back support to be achieved without proportionally increasing adjustment difficulty.
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
Enhances user comfort by allowing seamless adjustment of the recline position with reduced effort, improving the overall usability and adaptability of the chair.
Implementation Method 1
at least one biasing assembly exerting a biasing force that biases the back support structure from the reclined position towards the upright position
Implementation Method 2
an assist feature exerting an assist force on the biasing assembly, thereby reducing an input force required to be applied by a user to adjust the biasing force
Data Source
AI summary
A chair assembly includes seat support and structures each operably coupled to a base structure, wherein the back support structure is movable between upright and reclined positions, and a biasing assembly exerting a biasing force biasing the back support structure towards the upright position, wherein the biasing force is adjustable between first and second magnitudes, and wherein the second magnitude is greater than the first magnitude. The chair assembly further includes an adjustment assembly operably coupled to the biasing assembly allowing a user to adjust the biasing force between the first and second magnitudes, wherein the adjustment assembly adjusts the biasing assembly between a first configuration corresponding to the first magnitude and a second configuration corresponding to the second magnitude, and an assist feature exerting an assist force on the biasing assembly, thereby reducing an input force required to be applied by a user.