Chair Structure with Slidable Lumbar Support for Adjustable Stiffness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing chair structures for long-term use, such as office chairs, lack flexibility in lumbar support stiffness adjustment, requiring complex mechanisms that increase production costs and assembly time, and are difficult to install as additional components on existing chairs.
Innovation Solution
A chair structure with a flexible member anchored to a supporting frame, featuring a movable member that adjusts the length of the arm interacting with the user's lumbar area, allowing variable stiffness without complex mechanisms, and utilizing snap-on locking means for easy assembly and installation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a complex mechanism is used to adjust lumbar support stiffness, then stiffness adjustability is improved, but device complexity and production cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the lumbar support arm movable relative to the backrest, allowing it to be positioned at different locations along the backrest's height. This dynamic positioning capability enables variable stiffness adjustment without requiring complex mechanical mechanisms - the arm can be freely moved to different vertical positions to achieve different support characteristics, thus resolving the contradiction between stiffness adjustability and device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the lumbar support system into distinct components: the backrest, the lumbar support arm, and the connection mechanism. The arm is divided into a first portion connected to the backrest and a second portion forming the support surface. This segmentation allows independent adjustment of the arm's position along the backrest while maintaining structural simplicity, enabling stiffness variation without complex mechanisms
2Adaptability or versatility
If a complex mechanism is used to adjust lumbar support stiffness, then stiffness adjustability is improved, but assembly time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The dynamic positioning system allows the lumbar support arm to be freely moved to different vertical positions on the backrest during assembly and use. This eliminates the need for complex pre-configured adjustment mechanisms, significantly reducing assembly time while maintaining full stiffness adjustability capability throughout the product lifecycle
3Adaptability or versatility
If a complex mechanism is used to adjust lumbar support stiffness, then stiffness adjustability is improved, but installation difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamically adjustable lumbar support where the arm can be positioned at any vertical location on the backrest. This dynamic design simplifies installation to basic attachment of the arm to the backrest structure, eliminating complex installation procedures while preserving full adjustability for end users
Solution Approach 2:
The lumbar support arm is designed with universal compatibility, capable of being installed on various backrest types and configurations. The simple connection mechanism allows the same component to be easily installed on different chair models, enhancing ease of manufacture and installation while maintaining stiffness adjustability functionality
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 chair structure is simpler, quicker to assemble, and more flexible, offering adjustable stiffness suitable for a wide range of chair types, reducing production costs and installation complexity while enhancing user comfort.
Implementation Method 1
a flexible member (5) designed to be anchored to a supporting frame (2) in proximity to said rigid member (3)
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4B
AI summary
The invention is a chair structure comprising a supporting frame (2), a flexible member (5), a movable member (15); the supporting frame (2) comprises at least one rigid member (3); the flexible member (5) can be anchored to said frame (2) in proximity to said at least one rigid member (3) and has at least one first end (7) suited to be anchored to the frame (2) and a second end (8) designed to support the lumbar area of the user's back; the movable member (15) is slidably mounted on the flexible member (5) and/or on said at least one rigid member (3) in order to promote a selective variation of the mechanical stiffness provided by the flexible member (5) for the user's back. The movable member (15) can be directly seized by the user in order to promote its selective sliding movement on the flexible member (5) and/or on said at least one rigid member (3); the movable member (15) has a first outer surface (17) designed to directly contact the outer surface (14) of the flexible member (5) and a second outer surface (18) designed to directly contact the outer surface (19) of the rigid member (3).