Piece of seating furniture and fitting for a headrest

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing headrests for seating furniture are often complex, expensive, and aesthetically unappealing, with limited flexibility and increased assembly complexity, while also failing to provide satisfactory positioning and storage solutions.

Innovation Solution

A seating furniture design featuring a headrest with a double strap system for guided mobility, utilizing support straps attached to pivot axes on the backrest or base, allowing parallel and non-parallel movement, and an optional electric motor with a lifting rod for easy adjustment and secure locking, integrated with a headrest fitting for simplified assembly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Shape

If conventional movable headrest designs are used, then the headrest can be lowered to maintain aesthetic appearance, but the technical design becomes complex and expensive

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaesthetic appearanceVSAvoidtechnical design complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ShapeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The headrest system is divided into separate functional components: a headrest support element with pivot brackets, a separate backrest, and a base. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, simplifying the overall design while maintaining aesthetic and functional requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of hiding the headrest mechanism within the backrest as in conventional designs, this invention inverts the approach by mounting the headrest support on the base and allowing it to pivot independently. The pivot brackets are designed to be aesthetically pleasing rather than hidden, turning a potential aesthetic liability into a design feature.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Ease of operation

If conventional headrest mechanisms are used, then the headrest can be moved, but the positioning flexibility is unsatisfactory

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning flexibilityVSAvoidpositioning satisfaction
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The headrest support element is designed with pivot brackets that allow dynamic movement in multiple directions. The first pivot bracket enables rotation about a first axis, while the second pivot bracket allows rotation about a second axis, creating a dynamically adjustable positioning system that adapts to user needs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system allows continuous adjustment of multiple parameters including the angle of rotation about the first axis, the angle of rotation about the second axis, and the extension length. This multi-parameter adjustability provides superior positioning flexibility compared to conventional fixed or single-axis mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Adaptability or versatility

If conventional headrest designs are used, then the headrest can be lowered for storage, but the installation becomes significantly more complicated

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestorage capabilityVSAvoidassembly complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The base is designed with universal mounting features that can accommodate the headrest support element in multiple configurations. The pivot brackets are designed to be mounted on the base in a standardized manner, allowing the same base structure to serve both as structural support and as a mounting platform for the movable headrest.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The pivot brackets are pre-assembled with the headrest support element, creating a pre-integrated unit that simplifies final installation. The brackets are designed to be mounted as a complete assembly rather than requiring separate installation of multiple individual components, reducing assembly complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4403072A1Piece of seating furniture and fitting for a headrest
Publication Date: 2024.07.24 VERMEULEN BEHEER EN MANAGEMENT BV
  • EP4403072A1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP4403072A1 patent drawingFigure 4A~4C
  • EP4403072A1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

Seating furniture (10) in the form of an armchair or a sofa with headrests is known. Such a piece of seating furniture (10) has a base (12), a seat (14), and a backrest (16), as well as the aforementioned headrest (20) with a padded headrest section (22) that can be moved relative to the backrest (16). The headrest (20) has a headrest support (24) by means of which the headrest section (22) is attached to the backrest or a base (12) of the seating furniture. It is proposed that the headrest support (24) is movable by means of at least two support tabs (34, 36) on the backrest or on a base (12) of the seating furniture, wherein the at least two support tabs (34, 36) are pivotably attached to the headrest support (24) on one side and to the base (12) or the backrest on the other side about pivot axes (34A, 34B, 36A, 36B) that differ from each other.