Collapsible and foldable portable bench
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional benches are uncomfortable for long periods due to their rigid construction, difficult to transport, and cannot be easily folded or configured for intimate seating or storage.
Innovation Solution
A foldable and portable bench with pivotally connected frames and flexible, tear-resistant seats that can be configured into axially expanded, folded, or collapsed positions using applied forces, featuring X-shaped braces and U-shaped couplers for easy manipulation and storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a conventional rigid bench is used, then structural strength is ensured, but comfort and transportability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The bench is divided into multiple individual seat units (typically 3-6 seats) that are connected through pivotable couplers. Each seat unit can be independently positioned, allowing the bench to be configured in various arrangements (straight line, curved, or collapsed) while maintaining structural integrity through the connection mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The bench incorporates pivotable couplers that allow dynamic reconfiguration between different configurations. The couplers enable the seat units to rotate relative to each other, transforming the bench from a rigid straight-line structure to a curved seating arrangement or a compact collapsed state for transport, thus providing both strength and adaptability.
2Quantity of substance
If a conventional rigid bench is used, then seating capacity is provided, but adaptability for different configurations deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The pivotable couplers enable the bench to dynamically change its configuration while maintaining seating capacity. The same set of seat units can be arranged in a straight line for maximum capacity, curved for intimate seating around a campfire or round table, or collapsed for transport, providing versatile adaptability without compromising seating capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The bench design allows a single structure to serve multiple functions: it can provide continuous seating in a straight line for large groups, curve to create intimate seating arrangements for small groups around a focal point, or collapse into a compact form for transport and storage. The pivotable couplers enable this multi-functionality.
3Stability of the object's composition
If a conventional rigid bench is used, then structural stability is maintained, but ease of transport and storage deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The bench transitions from a stable rigid structure when in use to a flexible collapsible structure for transport. The pivotable couplers allow the seat units to be collapsed together while maintaining connection, enabling easy transport and storage while ensuring structural stability when deployed in any configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
When collapsed, the seat units are nested together in a compact arrangement, with each unit positioned within or adjacent to the others, similar to nested dolls. This nesting reduces the overall size for transport and storage while maintaining the connection between units through the pivotable couplers.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a collapsible and foldable portable bench having a number of flexible seats that are aligned side-by-side one another upon which a corresponding number of individuals can be seated. The seats are attached to and held up by respective frames that are pivotally connected together by C-shaped couplers to enable the frames to rotate relative to one another and the bench to be moved between axially expanded (i.e., straight line), folded (i.e., curved) and collapsed (i.e., compressed) configurations in response to pulling, pushing and bending forces applied thereto. In its collapsed configuration, the bench has a compact size that is suitable for storage or transport in a backpack or inside the hatch of a motor vehicle. To facilitate the manipulation of the bench from one configuration to another, a flexible triangular web is attached between each pair of adjacent seats.