Modular Furniture Seat Frame Assembly for Flat-Pack Repairability
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Solution Overview
Problem
The bulkiness of traditional armchairs and sofas leads to high transportation and storage costs, and their complex design makes assembly and repair difficult for non-professionals, resulting in elevated after-sales service costs.
Innovation Solution
A modular design comprising rectangular frames, connecting pieces, and spacers that can be easily assembled and disassembled, allowing for compact storage and transportation, and enabling non-professionals to assemble the furniture with minimal complexity, with damaged parts being replaceable rather than the entire sofa.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If traditional armchairs and sofas are designed as complete assembled units, then they provide structural stability and comfort, but they occupy large storage and transportation space, increasing costs
Solution Approach 1:
The furniture is divided into modular components including a base unit with leg elements, backrest elements, and seat elements that can be assembled and disassembled independently. This segmentation reduces the volume required for storage and transportation while maintaining the functional integrity of the complete furniture piece when assembled.
2Ease of operation
If complex metal parts and adjustment mechanisms are used to enable modular assembly, then the furniture can be disassembled for compact storage, but the assembly process becomes difficult for non-professionals
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting elements are designed with simple insertion and locking mechanisms that allow end-users to assemble and disassemble the furniture without requiring specialized tools or technical expertise. The self-service design enables non-professionals to easily configure and reconfigure the modular components.
3Ease of repair
If the entire sofa is returned for repair when a part is damaged, then proper repair can be ensured, but high transportation and service costs are incurred
Solution Approach 1:
The modular design allows individual components such as legs, backrests, or seat elements to be independently replaced. When a part is damaged, only that specific module needs to be disassembled and swapped out, eliminating the need to transport the entire furniture piece for repair and significantly reducing after-sales service costs.
4Device complexity
If kit furniture is offered with multiple constituent elements and fixing means, then low cost and transport efficiency are achieved, but the assembly becomes too complex for non-professionals
Solution Approach 1:
The design integrates the base unit with leg elements as a single modular component, and combines backrest and seat elements into cohesive units. This merging reduces the total number of separate parts and fixing mechanisms compared to traditional kit furniture, simplifying the assembly process while maintaining modularity and transport efficiency.
Data Source
Figure 1~6
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
The assembly of pieces (1) has a rectangular frame and another rectangular frame (11) whose dimensions correspond to those of base of furniture after assembly of the furniture. Webbing band system (10f) is fixed on the former frame. Four parallelepiped connection parts (13) respectively have through holes to receive fixation units such as screws, for assembling the furniture. Lateral elements (14) respectively form armrests of the furniture, and a center rail forming unit (16) is placed in the base for reinforcing the base. An independent claim is also included for a method for assembling pieces for forming a base of furniture.