Chair and chair structure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional chairs face issues with a deteriorated fine appearance due to overlapping members, loose elastomer seating boards, and discomfort from rigid attachments, as well as inadequate consideration for user contact with the seating surface.
Innovation Solution
A chair design featuring a seating board made of elastomer with a rigid first fixing portion and a support body secured using a specified securing member, where the first fixing portion is a frame member along the edge of the seating surface, reducing deformation and user discomfort, and a leg tip is housed in a recess to minimize protrusion and enhance stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the seating board is made of elastomer to improve comfort, then the seating comfort is improved, but the seating board becomes loose and screws get loosened and disengaged
Solution Approach 1:
The seating board is constructed as a composite structure combining elastomer material (for comfort) with a rigid frame member (for structural stability). The rigid frame member has higher rigidity than the elastomer seating portion, providing stable screw engagement while the elastomer maintains seating comfort. This composite approach resolves the contradiction between comfort and attachment reliability.
2Strength
If multiple members are arranged to overlap in the outer peripheral to provide structural support, then the structural strength is improved, but the fine appearance deteriorates due to thicker outer peripheral
Solution Approach 1:
The leg tip is housed within a recess formed on the columnar portion of the leg, creating a nested structure. This allows the leg tip to be integrated into the leg structure rather than protruding externally, maintaining structural support functionality while improving the fine appearance by minimizing visible thickness in the outer peripheral region.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the leg tip widely protrudes downward to protect the floor and reduce noise, then the protective function is improved, but the fine appearance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The leg tip is nested within a recess on the columnar portion, allowing it to extend downward for floor protection and noise reduction while being partially concealed. This nested arrangement maintains the protective function against floor scratches and reduces dragging noise, while simultaneously improving fine appearance by reducing the visible protrusion of the leg tip.
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
The design ensures secure attachment of the seating board, reduces deformation and user discomfort, improves sitting comfort, and maintains a refined appearance by minimizing the thickness of visible components and reducing the leg tip's protrusion.
Implementation Method 1
a front edge portion having at least one of a plate shape or a planar shape, the front edge portion being configured such that a front end of the front edge portion is elastically deformable in a top-bottom direction
Implementation Method 2
The seating board includes a seating portion forming a seating surface and made of at least elastomer
Data Source
Figure 1A~1G
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3
AI summary
Provided is a chair including a support member that is at least a seat body and a backrest to support an occupant. The support member includes a composite portion at least a part of an outer periphery of the support member. The composite portion includes a first outer periphery that is a part of the first member and a second outer periphery that is a part of the second member. The first outer periphery and the second outer periphery are arranged to overlap each other in a thickness direction of the support member. In the composite portion, at least a part of the first outer periphery is formed into a thin portion thinner in the thickness direction than a part located on an outside of at least the part of the first outer periphery in the first member.