Compliant seating structure

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional seating structures have rigid frames or shells that limit flexibility and comfort, restricting the ability of body-supporting structures to adapt to user movement and providing hard contact points that reduce ergonomic responsiveness.

Innovation Solution

A seating structure featuring a dual shell design with biasing arrays between the central portion and outer peripheral edges, allowing for independent deflection and flexibility, and incorporating connectors that enable pivot joints and relative movement between support members, providing a soft outer edge and adjustable support.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If a rigid frame or shell is used to provide structural support, then structural integrity is improved, but flexibility and comfort are worsened due to hard contact points and restricted movement

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidflexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The shell is divided into multiple segments or zones with varying degrees of rigidity. The peripheral regions are made more flexible while the central region maintains higher rigidity, allowing different parts of the shell to adapt independently to user body contours while preserving overall structural support.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the shell are assigned different mechanical properties. The peripheral edges are designed with lower stiffness to provide flexibility and comfort, while the central portion maintains higher stiffness for structural integrity, creating a gradient of rigidity across the shell structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Stability of the object's composition

If a rigid peripheral frame is used to define the seating structure, then structural stability is improved, but ergonomic responsiveness is worsened due to hard contact points at the edges

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidergonomic responsiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The peripheral frame is replaced or supplemented with flexible shell structures that can deform under user contact. These flexible edges conform to user body shapes and movements, eliminating hard contact points while maintaining the overall structural definition and stability of the seating form.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The seating structure transitions from a static rigid frame to a dynamic system where peripheral elements can move and adapt in response to user interaction. The flexible edges allow the structure to respond ergonomically to user positioning and movement while the central structure provides stable support.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Adaptability or versatility

If a rigid central spine is used to allow twisting about the longitudinal axis, then rotational flexibility is improved, but hard contact points are created at the connection points

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverotational flexibilityVSAvoidhard contact points

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The rigid central spine and its connection points are replaced with flexible shell structures that allow twisting and rotational movement without creating hard contact points. The flexible material distributes contact forces across a larger area, eliminating localized hard points while maintaining rotational adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

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 dual shell structure enhances user comfort by eliminating hard contact points and allowing for flexible support, enabling the seating structure to adapt to various body regions, such as the lumbar, thoracic, and pelvic areas, while maintaining structural integrity.

Implementation Method 1

at least one biasing array disposed between each of the opposite sides of the central portion and a respective laterally spaced outer peripheral edge. Each of the biasing arrays includes a plurality of spaced apart support members and at least one connector connecting adjacent support members within each array.

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS11324322B2Compliant seating structure

Publication Date: 2022.05.10 STEELCASE INC

AI summary

A body support structure includes a shell having a central region, an outer peripheral region spaced from the central region, and at least one array extending between the central region and the outer peripheral region. The at least one array includes a plurality of spaced apart support members and at least one connector connecting adjacent support members within each array. The support members of the at least one array are progressively divided between the central portion and the outer peripheral edge.