Modular Chair Membrane Constraint Using Slider-Guide Coupling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current chair designs face issues with effectively constraining new generation fabrics with variable localized behavior, leading to discomfort, incorrect postures, and potential breakage due to uneven tensile stresses and release of fabric, which compromises the chair's functionality and longevity.
Innovation Solution
A modular chair design featuring a complex 3D frame with protuberances and a coupling mechanism using a slider and guide system that integrates secondary filaments to control the membrane's behavior, ensuring homogeneous constraint and maintaining the fabric's performance without altering its mechanical properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If simple constraint mechanisms are used to attach fabric to the frame, then the manufacturing process is simplified, but the fabric performance is nullified and the chair becomes uncomfortable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary coupling mechanism consisting of a sheath with internal gripping elements that mediates between the frame and the fabric. This sheath contains the fabric edge through friction and mechanical interlocking, providing effective constraint without requiring complex attachment procedures. The sheath acts as a mediator that transforms the simple frame structure into an effective fabric constraint system.
2Reliability
If the fabric is constrained homogeneously along the frame, then the chair comfort is improved, but the constraint mechanism becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by distributing multiple sheath elements along the fabric edge at different locations. Each sheath provides localized constraint with identical simple structure, and the collective arrangement achieves homogeneous constraint along the entire fabric-perimeter. This avoids the need for a single complex constraint mechanism while maintaining uniform fabric tension and chair comfort.
Data Source
AI summary
It is provided a modular chair (1) comprising a support structure including a frame (2) developing at least in part along a expansion trajectory (2a), a membrane (3) including a support surface (30) suitable for allowing the support of a user, an edge (31) capable of being at least partially constrained to said frame (2) and a tubular guide (32) arranged in correspondence with the edge (31), a cursor (4) defining an extension direction (4a) parallel at least partially with respect to the expansion trajectory (2a) and housed within at least part of the guide (32), wherein the frame (2) includes at least a protrusion (20) protruding in the incident direction with respect to the expansion trajectory (2a), and the slider (4) includes at least a receiving portion (40) configured to at least partially house the protuberance (20) in such a way as to rigidly constrain, in correspondence with at least one fixed point, the frame (2), the membrane (3) and the slider (4).