Ergonomic Seat Structure for Pelvis and Spinal Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ergonomic seats fail to maintain a correct and stable spinal position while providing comfort, often leading to spinal issues due to incorrect pelvis rotation and pressure on the ischial tuberosities, as they primarily focus on lumbar support without addressing the overall spinal alignment and pelvis positioning.
Innovation Solution
The ergonomic seat features a convex lumbar support that adjoins a sloping seating portion with a rear oval hollow portion, designed to relieve ischial tuberosities, maintaining an obtuse angle between the spine and lower limbs, and incorporating a resilient material for pressure absorption, thereby stabilizing the pelvis and spine.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If lumbar support is emphasized to maintain spinal position, then spinal support is improved, but pelvis positioning is neglected leading to incorrect pelvis rotation
Solution Approach 1:
The seat is divided into functionally independent components: a lumbar support element for spinal support and a pelvis support element with hollow portions for pelvic positioning. This segmentation allows each element to perform its specific function optimally without compromising the other, resolving the contradiction between spinal support and pelvis positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the seat are designed with different properties: the lumbar support provides firm support for spinal alignment, while the pelvis support features hollow portions that adapt to the user's pelvic anatomy. This local differentiation enables simultaneous optimization of both spinal and pelvic support.
2Ease of manufacture
If uniform board construction is used for simplicity, then manufacturing is easier, but ergonomic functionality is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
Rather than using a uniform construction, the seat is segmented into distinct functional elements (lumbar support, pelvis support with hollow portions, back support) that can be manufactured separately and assembled, maintaining ease of manufacture while achieving complex ergonomic functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The seat employs local quality variations with hollow portions strategically positioned to accommodate ischial tuberosities and other anatomical features, transforming a simple uniform construction into an ergonomically adaptive structure without significantly complicating manufacturing.
3Ease of operation
If hollow portions are added to accommodate ischial tuberosities, then comfort is improved, but structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Hollow portions are added only in specific locations where they are most needed (under the ischial tuberosities and other pressure points) rather than throughout the entire seat structure. This localized approach maximizes comfort while minimizing structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The hollow portions are integrated into separate pelvis support elements that can be manufactured and assembled independently, reducing the complexity of the overall structure compared to creating a single complex molded seat.
4Adaptability or versatility
If self-adjusting materials are used to adapt to user ergonomics, then adaptability is improved, but constant spine-thigh angle cannot be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The seat uses segmentation to separate adaptability functions (hollow portions that conform to user anatomy) from stability functions (rigid structural elements that maintain fixed angles). This allows the seat to simultaneously adapt to individual users while maintaining the constant spine-thigh angle required for proper ergonomics.
Solution Approach 2:
Different parts of the seat have different degrees of flexibility: hollow portions provide local adaptation to user anatomy, while the overall structural geometry maintains fixed, stable angles. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between adaptability and stability.
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
This design effectively minimizes harmful sitting effects by maintaining proper spinal curvature and comfort, reducing pressure on the ischial tuberosities and preventing incorrect pelvis rotation, making it suitable for various sitting structures.
Implementation Method 1
the resiliency of the material, absorbs pressure forces applied to the pelvis, relieving in particular the ischial tuberosities
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
The ergonomic seat comprises a specially shaped back support and a specially shaped seating portion, the back support (1) having a convexly shaped support (2) for the lumbar region, adjoining at the bottom to the seating portion thus creating the adjoining line (3), and the upper surface (4) of the seating portion being inclined towards the front of the seat at the angle a and having a rear oval hollow portion (5) situated below the inclination line of the angle a. The seat can be used in sitting structures of all sorts, as well as an overlay for a sitting structure.