Collapsible Chair with Pole-Coupled Junctions for Compact Portability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional chairs lack portability and adaptability for outdoor use, particularly for hiking and skiing, as they are not designed to collapse into a compact form for easy carrying and may not provide sufficient support for tall or large individuals.
Innovation Solution
A collapsible chair design featuring a collapsible lateral support rod, pair of front legs, and mechanical junctions that couple with poles, allowing the chair to fold into a compact volume for storage, with shock-cord coupling and locking mechanisms for easy assembly and disassembly, and a trapezoidal footprint for enhanced stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional chairs are used, then seating comfort is provided, but portability and ease of carrying are poor
Solution Approach 1:
The chair is divided into multiple separable components including legs, seat, backrest, and support rods that can be independently assembled and disassembled. The mechanical junctions allow each component to be coupled or separated, enabling the chair to be broken down for portable storage while maintaining structural integrity when assembled.
Solution Approach 2:
The chair incorporates collapsible support rods with mechanical junctions that can transition between extended and retracted states. The locking mechanisms enable dynamic adjustment between a deployed seating configuration and a collapsed portable configuration, allowing the chair to adapt its form factor based on usage needs.
2Volume of moving object
If the chair is designed to collapse into compact form, then portability is improved, but structural stability and support may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The collapsible support rods are designed to nest within each other when retracted, with telescoping sections that slide into one another. This nesting arrangement minimizes the volume of the collapsed chair while maintaining the structural capability to extend to full length for stable deployment, effectively hiding the structural elements within themselves during storage.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical junctions include pre-positioned locking mechanisms and alignment features that ensure proper structural configuration before full deployment. The locking elements are prepared in advance to engage at specific positions, ensuring that when the chair is assembled, the support rods are securely locked to provide immediate structural stability without requiring additional adjustment steps.
3Weight of moving object
If the chair integrates with trekking poles, then carrying weight is minimized, but assembly complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mechanical junctions are designed with universal coupling capabilities that can interface with standard trekking pole configurations. The same junction mechanism handles both chair components and pole attachments, allowing the poles to serve dual functions as both trekking equipment and chair support legs, thereby eliminating the need for separate chair legs and reducing overall carrying weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The assembly process utilizes the user's existing trekking poles as self-provided structural elements. The mechanical junctions are designed to automatically recognize and lock onto the pole configurations, with the poles themselves serving as the support structure. This self-service approach leverages equipment the user already carries, reducing the need for additional specialized components while maintaining straightforward assembly through the universal coupling interface.
Data Source
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AI summary
Apparatus and associated methods relate to a collapsible chair having a collapsible lateral support rod, a pair of front legs, a pair of front chair support rods, and a pair of mechanical junctions configured to couple with an associated pair of poles, such that the collapsible chair is adapted to collapse into an easy-to-carry volume. In an illustrative example, the mechanical junctions may be releasably and/or shock-cord-coupled to various support rods and/or legs. The mechanical junctions may include locking mechanisms to lock the associated poles into a fixed position relative to the mechanical junctions, for example. The collapsible chair may include gear loops for hanging of gear from the collapsible chair. In various embodiments, a collapsible chair may advantageously provide a full size, lightweight chair configured for compact storage in a stowage bag for high portability during outdoor hiking.