Compliant seating structure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional seating structures often feature rigid frames or shells that limit flexibility and comfort, as they present hard contact points and restrict movement, such as flexing, twisting, or torsional movement.
Innovation Solution
A seating structure with a dual shell design, where a load-bearing shell with a central portion and outer peripheral edges is supported by biasing arrays composed of spaced support members connected by pivot joints, allowing for independent deflection and flexibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a rigid frame or shell is used to provide structural support, then structural strength is improved, but flexibility and comfort deteriorate due to hard contact points and restricted movement
Solution Approach 1:
The seating structure is divided into multiple segments including a load-bearing shell, a body-supporting shell, and biasing arrays with multiple support members. These segmented components allow independent movement and flexion, enabling the structure to maintain strength while providing flexibility and comfort through controlled segmental motion.
Solution Approach 2:
The biasing arrays incorporate pivot joints and living hinges that enable dynamic movement between support members. This dynamic configuration allows the seating structure to adapt to user movement, providing flexibility and comfort while maintaining structural support through controlled mechanical motion.
2Stability of the object's composition
If a rigid peripheral frame is used to support the seat or backrest, then structural stability is improved, but comfort deteriorates due to hard contact points at the periphery
Solution Approach 1:
The body-supporting shell is designed as a flexible component that can deflect independently at its outer peripheral edges. This flexible shell provides structural stability while eliminating hard contact points, allowing the periphery to conform to user movement and improve comfort.
Solution Approach 2:
The outer peripheral edges of the body-supporting shell are designed to deflect dynamically in response to applied loads. This dynamic deflection capability allows the structure to maintain stability while providing comfort through controlled movement at the periphery.
3Force
If a rigid shell is used to support the body, then load-bearing capacity is improved, but ergonomic responsiveness deteriorates due to restricted flexing and twisting
Solution Approach 1:
The load-bearing structure is segmented into a load-bearing shell and a body-supporting shell connected by biasing arrays. This segmentation allows the load-bearing shell to maintain high load-bearing capacity while the body-supporting shell and its biasing arrays provide ergonomic responsiveness through controlled flexing and twisting movements.
Solution Approach 2:
The biasing arrays incorporate pivot joints and living hinges that enable dynamic flexing and twisting movements. This dynamic configuration allows the seating structure to maintain load-bearing capacity while adapting to user movement patterns, thereby improving ergonomic responsiveness.
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 provides a soft outer peripheral edge that flexes without hard contact points, enhancing user comfort and ergonomic responsiveness by allowing for various degrees of movement and support adjustment.
Implementation Method 1
The connectors provide for relative movement between the support members, and in one embodiment define pivot joints, for example living hinges, such that the support members are pivotable about the connectors relative to each other and/or to the central portion
Implementation Method 2
Each of the opposite outer peripheral edges is independently deflectable in a fore and aft direction in response to a load being applied to the second body supporting shell
Data Source
AI summary
A seating structure includes a shell having a central portion, opposite outer peripheral edges laterally spaced from opposite sides of the central portion, and at least one biasing array disposed between each of the opposite sides of the central portion and a respective 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. The biasing array may include a plurality of biasing arrays, with at least one connector connecting adjacent biasing arrays. A second shell may be connected to the outer peripheral edges of the first shell, with an open space defined there between. Each of the opposite outer peripheral edges is independently deflectable in response to a load being applied to the second shell.