Furniture member having lumbar adjustment mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional lumbar adjustment mechanisms in furniture are often bulky, limiting design aesthetics and functionality, especially in wider seating configurations, and fail to provide adequate support across a wider range of motion.
Innovation Solution
A compact lumbar adjustment assembly featuring a rail, threaded rod with opposite handedness sections, slider blocks, and links that allow for independent movement of a lumbar pad, enabling adjustable lumbar support without sacrificing space or stability, and can be powered by a motor for enhanced functionality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a conventional lumbar adjustment mechanism is used, then lumbar support functionality is provided, but the mechanism is bulky and limits design aesthetics and space utilization
Solution Approach 1:
The lumbar pad is nested within the seatback frame structure, with the adjustment mechanism integrated into the existing furniture framework. The rail system is mounted within the seatback frame, and the lumbar pad moves along this integrated path, allowing the mechanism to fit within the furniture's existing volume rather than adding external bulk.
Solution Approach 2:
The lumbar pad movement is constrained to a specific dimensional path along the rail, transitioning from multi-degree-of-freedom movement to single-degree-of-freedom movement along a defined trajectory. This dimensional constraint reduces the space required for the mechanism while maintaining adjustment functionality.
2Volume of moving object
If a compact lumbar adjustment assembly is used to save space, then volume is reduced, but providing adequate support across a wider range of motion becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The lumbar pad is designed to move dynamically along the rail between multiple fixed positions, allowing adjustment across a wide range of motion. The mechanism transitions from a static, bulky structure to a dynamic, space-efficient system that provides the same functional range through controlled movement rather than fixed structural elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The adjustment mechanism is segmented into discrete components: the rail, the lumbar pad, and the motor assembly. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function while minimizing overall volume, with the rail providing the movement path and the motor providing compact actuation.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the lumbar pad moves perpendicular to the slider block movement direction, then support coverage is improved, but the mechanism complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The linkages connecting the slider blocks to the lumbar pad are arranged asymmetrically, with links of different lengths and orientations. This asymmetric arrangement transforms the linear motion of the slider blocks into perpendicular motion of the lumbar pad, achieving the desired movement direction through geometric configuration rather than complex mechanical transformations.
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
The solution provides a versatile and aesthetically flexible lumbar support system that maintains functionality across a wider range of motion, ensuring appropriate support in various seating configurations, including oversized chairs, while minimizing space usage.
Implementation Method 1
a threaded rod disposed within the rail, first slider block slidably engaging the rail, a second slider block slidably engaging the rail... The threaded rod may include a first threaded section having threads with a first handedness and a second threaded section having threads with a second handedness that is opposite the first handedness
Data Source
AI summary
A seating or furniture assembly may include a seat bottom, a seatback, and a lumbar adjustment assembly. The seatback is disposed adjacent the seat bottom and includes a seatback frame. The lumbar adjustment assembly may be mounted to the seatback frame and may include a rail, a threaded rod disposed within the rail, a first slider block slidably engaging the rail, a second slider block slidably engaging the rail, a third slider block engaging the rail, a lumbar pad, and a plurality of links connecting the lumbar pad to the first, second, and third slider blocks. The threaded rod includes a first threaded section having threads with a first handedness and a second threaded section having threads with a second handedness that is opposite the first handedness. The first and second slider blocks threadably engage the first threaded section. The third slider block threadably engage the second threaded section.