Height adjustable child's chair
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional highchairs with fixed footprint bases are susceptible to tipping over when the seat is raised, as the reduced tip-over force increases instability. Additionally, a fixed footprint occupies more space in the lowered position than necessary, which is problematic in space-limited environments.
Innovation Solution
The highchair features a base with rotatable and horizontally translatable legs, allowing the seat to adjust between raised and lowered positions while dynamically changing the footprint's size. In the raised position, the footprint increases to enhance stability, and in the lowered position, it decreases to minimize space usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If the seat is raised to a higher position, then the child can reach the table or island top, but the highchair becomes more susceptible to tipping over due to increased tip-over force requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The highchair employs a dynamic footprint mechanism where the base footprint automatically increases in size when the seat is raised and decreases when the seat is lowered. This is achieved through a mechanical linkage system connected to the seat height adjustment mechanism, which causes the base legs to splay outward or extend when the seat is in the raised position, thereby increasing the footprint area and enhancing stability without requiring manual intervention.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the base footprint is increased to enhance stability in the raised position, then the highchair is more stable, but the base occupies more space in the lowered position
Solution Approach 1:
The base footprint is designed as a dynamic structure that automatically adjusts its size based on the seat position. When the seat is raised, the footprint expands to provide enhanced stability; when the seat is lowered, the footprint contracts to minimize space occupation. This dynamic adaptation eliminates the need for a permanently large base, allowing the highchair to optimize both stability and space efficiency at different operational states.
3Area of stationary object
If the base footprint is kept small to save space in the lowered position, then space usage is optimized, but the highchair becomes more susceptible to tipping when the seat is raised
Solution Approach 1:
The highchair utilizes a mechanically coupled system where the seat height adjustment and base footprint size are linked. As the seat is raised to a higher position, the mechanical linkage automatically causes the base legs to splay outward or extend, increasing the footprint area. Conversely, when the seat is lowered, the footprint contracts. This dynamic coupling ensures that stability requirements are met at each height without permanently increasing the space occupation.
Data Source
AI summary
In one example, a highchair has a seat and a base. The base is attached to the seat such that, when the base is disposed on a surface, the base supports the seat above the surface. The base has a plurality of legs that are rotatable so as to transition the highchair between a raised position and a lowered position. In the raised position, the seat is disposed at a first height and the plurality of legs together define a first footprint that has a first cross-sectional area in a select plane. In the lowered position, the seat is disposed at a second height, lower than the first height, and the plurality of legs together define a second footprint that has a second cross-sectional area in the select plane that is less than the first cross-sectional area.