Furniture Latch Mechanism for Stable Nesting and Stacking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing furniture designs for tables and chairs often face issues with maintaining configurations for nesting or stacking, as ease of adjustability can lead to unintended position changes, potentially causing injuries and making it difficult to preserve space efficiently.
Innovation Solution
A latch mechanism with an actuation mechanism, detent mechanisms, and an articulation mechanism that allows controlled movement from a use position to a stacked or nested position, utilizing a guide member and biasing mechanisms to ensure secure locking and easy transition between positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the article of furniture is designed to be easily adjusted from stacked/nested position to use position, then the ease of operation is improved, but the stability of the position is worsened (unintended position changes occur)
Solution Approach 1:
The latch mechanism transitions between locked and unlocked states dynamically. The biasing mechanism provides a spring force that automatically returns the latch to the locked position after actuation, enabling easy position changes while maintaining stability during use. The detent mechanism provides discrete stable states (locked/unlocked) rather than continuous positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The biasing mechanism automatically returns the latch to the locked position without requiring user intervention. After the user actuates the latch to unlock the furniture, the spring force self-returns the latch to secure the furniture in its new position, eliminating the need for manual re-locking and ensuring position stability.
2Ease of operation
If the article of furniture is designed to be easily adjusted, then the ease of operation is improved, but the safety is worsened (users may become injured)
Solution Approach 1:
The latch mechanism is actuated before the furniture is moved or adjusted. The user must consciously engage the latch release mechanism before the furniture can change position, ensuring that the adjustment is intentional rather than accidental. This preliminary action prevents unintended movements that could cause injury.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanism provides controlled, deliberate position transitions through the latch system rather than allowing free, uncontrolled movement. The biasing mechanism ensures that once the latch is released, the furniture moves in a predictable manner to the next stable position, reducing the risk of sudden unexpected movements that could injure users.
3Reliability
If the latch mechanism includes multiple detent mechanisms and articulation mechanisms, then the reliability of secure locking is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple detent mechanisms are combined within a single integrated latch assembly. The first and second detent mechanisms work together to secure the furniture at different positions or provide redundant locking. The articulation mechanism connects these detents to the actuator, merging multiple functions into one coordinated system that achieves reliable locking without requiring separate independent mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The latch mechanism serves multiple functions: it locks the furniture in various positions using different detents, provides automatic return through the biasing mechanism, and enables controlled transitions between positions. This multi-functionality is achieved through a single integrated mechanism rather than multiple separate systems, managing complexity while maintaining reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
An article of furniture can include a latch mechanism. The latch mechanism can include an actuation mechanism having a housing that is moveable relative to a guide member from a first position to a second position, at least one detent mechanism comprising a first detent mechanism having a first detent member that is moveable from a first position to a second position, and an articulation mechanism positioned between the actuation mechanism and the first detent mechanism. The articulation mechanism can connect the first detent mechanism to the housing such that motion of the housing from the first position of the housing to the second position of the housing causes the first detent member to move from the first position of the first detent member to the second position of the first detent member.