Foldable Seating Structure for Compact Storage and Stability

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing seating furniture is not compact or stable, requiring significant effort to transform between storage and seating forms, and often lacks comfort and stability.

Innovation Solution

A foldable seating furniture design featuring a support structure with angled leg panels, a rigid plate, and a cover that extends to cover the support structure, providing stability and comfort while allowing for easy storage and transport, with additional features like adjustable backrests, lighting, and temperature control.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Volume of moving object

If the seating furniture is made foldable for compact storage, then the storage volume is reduced, but the stability and load-bearing capacity deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestorage volumeVSAvoidstability
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The support structure is divided into multiple leg panels that can be folded together, allowing the chair to be disassembled into compact segments for storage while maintaining structural integrity when assembled. The rigid plate is also segmented with recesses that accommodate the leg panels, enabling stable configuration when unfolded.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The leg panels are designed to be dynamically foldable between extended (stable seating) and retracted (compact storage) positions. This dynamic capability allows the same structure to provide both stability during use and compactness for storage, resolving the contradiction between these two states.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Weight of moving object

If the support structure is made lightweight for easy transport, then the ease of operation is improved, but the load-bearing capacity deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveweightVSAvoidload-bearing capacity
Core Design Contradiction:
Weight of moving objectVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The support structure combines lightweight materials with strategic reinforcement through the rigid plate design. The rigid plate with recesses creates a composite structural system that provides high load-bearing capacity relative to the overall weight, enabling easy transport while maintaining strength.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The rigid plate is segmented with recesses that accommodate the leg panels, creating an efficient load distribution system. This segmentation allows the structure to bear significant weight through optimized geometry rather than adding material mass, maintaining strength while keeping weight low.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Shape

If the cover extends fully to cover the support structure, then the aesthetic appearance is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaesthetic appearanceVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ShapeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The cover is designed as a single piece that extends along the leg panels, creating a seamless aesthetic appearance. This unified cover design simplifies manufacturing by eliminating the need for multiple separate components, while still achieving full coverage of the support structure for enhanced visual appeal.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP2816933B1Seating furniture
Publication Date: 2018.04.18 WINKEL GEORG
  • EP2816933B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2816933B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2C
  • EP2816933B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a seating furniture which comprises a seating surface (132), a supporting structure (160, 161, 162, 163), and a cover (134). The supporting structure (160, 161, 162, 163) is designed to support the seating surface (132) with respect to a base (131) and to keep the supporting structure at a distance from said base. The supporting structure (160, 161, 162, 163) is designed to be foldable such that said structure can be releasably fixed in an unfolded state. The cover (134) is designed to at least partly cover the supporting structure (160, 161, 162, 163), said cover (134) extending outward from an edge (135) of the seating surface (132) in a direction away from the seating surface (132).