Adjustable Folding Backrest Structure for Smooth Upholstery Motion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing seating/reclining furniture designs with pivotable folding sections lack flexibility in length ratios, leading to predetermined height or length in the upright position and potential disruptive deformations or folds in the upholstery when folded, due to the use of forced lever guides.
Innovation Solution
A bendable functional part with a fixed base section and a length-adjustable folding section connected by padding, where the padding's extension or compression allows for variable length changes, eliminating the need for forced guidance mechanisms and ensuring natural movement of the upholstery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If forced lever guides are used to enable the folding section to have variable length, then the length ratios can be adjusted, but the structure becomes complex and the height in upright position is unchangeably predetermined
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the forced guidance mechanism from the system and replaces it with the upholstery material itself serving as the coupling element. The upholstery is directly connected to the folding section and base section, allowing length adjustment through the natural stretching and compressing of the upholstery material during pivoting, thereby eliminating complex guide mechanisms while maintaining adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The upholstery material serves its dual function: it provides the coupling between folding section and base section, and simultaneously acts as the length-adjustment mechanism through its elastic properties. The upholstery naturally stretches and compresses during pivoting motion, enabling the folding section length to vary without requiring external control mechanisms.
2Device complexity
If the folding section length is fixed by the fitting, then the structure is simple, but the upholstery experiences disruptive deformations and folds when folded
Solution Approach 1:
The invention makes the folding section length dynamic rather than fixed. The upholstery material naturally adjusts the folding section length during pivoting motion through elastic deformation - stretching when the folding section extends and compressing when it retracts. This dynamic adaptation prevents disruptive deformations and folds in the upholstery by allowing it to move naturally with the changing geometry.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the upholstery is used as a control for the length-adjustable folding section, then design flexibility increases, but the coupling between base section and folding section becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the upholstery material with the coupling function between base section and folding section. Instead of having separate coupling mechanisms and using upholstery merely as a cover, the upholstery is directly integrated as the coupling element that transmits forces and enables length adjustment. This merging eliminates additional coupling components while providing full design flexibility through the upholstery's elastic properties.
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 solution provides flexible design options without requiring different fittings, maintains the upholstery's natural movement and appearance, and prevents disruptive folds, allowing for optimal length adaptation and usability.
Implementation Method 1
when the folding section is pivoted relative to the base section, extensions and/or compression of the padding serving as a power or energy store cause a change in length of the folding section
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
A piece of seating/lying furniture has a functional part that can be bent, in particular a back or side part, which comprises a fixed base section and a folding section that can be pivoted relative to the base section and that is length-adjustable in a direction perpendicular to the pivot axis, the base section and the folding section being connected by a coupling part , in particular padding of the functional part, are connected to one another and when the folding section is pivoted relative to the base section, stretching and/or compression of the coupling part cause a change in length of the folding section.