High-Chair Tray Snap Coupling for Rear-Leg Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing high-chairs face difficulties in easily coupling and separating a removable tray from the legs, particularly when the chair is moved, and the tray is not easily associated with the rear legs when not in use.
Innovation Solution
The high-chair design incorporates coupling elements with spiral springs and flexible linkages that allow the tray to be securely attached to the arm rests and rear legs, enabling easy detachment and reattachment through a handle mechanism, ensuring the tray remains associated with the chair structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the tray is made removable from the arm rests, then the child can be brought close to a table, but the tray may separate from the high-chair legs when the chair is moved
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling elements are designed to be movable within their respective seats, allowing the tray to be dynamically coupled to different parts of the high-chair structure. The elements can shift position to engage with either the arm rests or the rear legs, providing adaptive attachment while maintaining stability through the spring mechanism that ensures continuous contact and engagement.
2Reliability
If a coupling mechanism is added to attach the tray to the rear legs, then the tray remains associated with the high-chair, but the coupling process becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The spring-loaded coupling elements automatically engage with the seats on the arm rests or rear legs without requiring manual intervention. When the tray is placed in position, the springs drive the coupling elements into the seats, creating secure attachment automatically. This eliminates the need for complex manual coupling operations while maintaining reliable attachment.
3Ease of operation
If the coupling elements are made movable within their seats, then the tray can be easily coupled and separated, but the construction complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling mechanism is segmented into independent coupling elements, each with its own spring and seat, distributed at different locations on the tray and high-chair structure. This segmentation allows each element to operate independently, simplifying the overall design while providing easy coupling and separation capabilities through the movable nature of each individual element within its seat.
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 simplifies the process of coupling and separating the tray, reducing the risk of separation during chair movement and maintaining tray association with the high-chair structure, while being easy to use and constructed with fewer components, thereby reducing costs.
Implementation Method 1
at least one coupling element (41) projects from a seat (40) of the shoulder (29) of each shoulder pair (28) on a side (29A) thereof external to the seat (31) and is movable within said seat (40) to cooperate with a counter-element or recess (42) made in a corresponding rear leg (6 and 7)... Each support (45) presents two projecting parts (60 and 61) on the two major-length sides (57 and 58). The projecting part (60) defines a recess (60A), open towards the interior of the support (45), which houses a first end (63) of a spiral spring (64)
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5
AI summary
A high-chair (1 ) comprising a support structure (2) for a seat (3) adapted to contain a child, the structure (2) having a pair of front legs (4, 5) and a pair of rear legs (6, 7), the seat (3) having arm rests (11, 12) to which a tray (15) is removably coupled, said tray (15) being able to be associated, when not in use, with the rear legs (6, 7) of the structure (2). The tray (15) comprises movable coupling elements (41 ) arranged to cooperate with counter-elements (42) associated with the legs (6, 7), said coupling elements (41 ) being movable within respective seats (40) provided in the tray (15) against the action of a corresponding elastic thrust element (62), this enabling rapid snap-coupling of said elements (41 ) and counter-elements (42) when brought into a facing position.