Versatile furniture item

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing furniture solutions are inefficient and risky to manage in multi-purpose environments, requiring frequent rearrangement and often resulting in wasted time and potential damage, as they lack versatility and space optimization.

Innovation Solution

A motorized furniture item that can transform into various configurations, such as a chair, sofa, bed, or chaise longue, using a polyhedral main body with movable parts and a control unit, allowing for easy adjustment and connection with other items via electromagnetic plates, driven by linear and rotational actuators for efficient space use.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If traditional separate furniture pieces (sofa, bed, chair) are used to furnish an environment for multiple destinations, then the environment can be fully furnished for different uses, but it requires significant time and effort to move and rearrange the furniture, and increases the risk of damage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefurnishing versatilityVSAvoidrearrangement time
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies multi-functionality by designing a single furniture item that can transform into multiple configurations (sofa, bed, chair, chaise longue) through motorized adjustment of its components. This eliminates the need for multiple separate furniture pieces and allows one item to serve multiple destinations and purposes, directly resolving the contradiction between furnishing versatility and rearrangement time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements dynamics through motorized actuators that enable the furniture to dynamically change its configuration between different seating and sleeping positions. The movable backrests, seat portions, and footrests can be automatically adjusted to transform the furniture from a compact chair configuration to an extended bed configuration, providing adaptability without manual rearrangement effort.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If traditional separate furniture pieces are used to furnish an environment, then different furniture items can be alternatively put in and removed, but it implies a significant waste of time and a relevant risk of damaging the furniture or the surrounding environment

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefurniture transformation capabilityVSAvoiddamage risk
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

By designing a single versatile furniture item that can transform into multiple configurations, the patent eliminates the need to move multiple separate furniture pieces in and out of the environment. This reduces handling operations and associated damage risks while maintaining the ability to adapt to different destinations and usage scenarios.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The motorized transformation system allows the furniture to reconfigure itself automatically without requiring manual manipulation. The actuators and control systems enable the furniture to transform between configurations autonomously, eliminating the physical handling that would otherwise be required and thereby reducing the risk of damage to both the furniture and surrounding environment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple separate furniture items are used to provide full furnishing functionality, then different destinations of use can be supported, but it requires having multiple separate pieces (sofa, bed, chair, chaise longue) which increases space requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefurnishing functionalityVSAvoidspace occupation
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies multi-functionality by designing a single furniture item that can transform into multiple configurations (sofa, bed, chair, chaise longue) through motorized adjustment of its components. This eliminates the need for multiple separate furniture pieces and allows one item to serve multiple destinations and purposes, directly resolving the contradiction between furnishing versatility and rearrangement time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The furniture design allows components to be nested or folded into each other in compact configurations. When transformed to a compact chair configuration, the footrests and backrests are positioned to minimize the overall footprint, allowing the furniture to occupy minimal space when not in use while still providing full furnishing functionality when transformed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

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

Enables quick and safe transformation of furniture configurations without additional components, optimizing space usage and reducing the time and risk associated with traditional furniture rearrangement.

Implementation Method 1

The furniture item (1) comprises connection means (9) for a removable attachment to one or more equal furniture items, realized by means of an electromagnetic plate system, which inverts the polarity of the system and makes the items be joined/separated by virtue of the electromagnetic attraction/repulsion force between the systems provided by each item.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic attraction/repulsion: Electromagnet

Data Source

PatentEP3397116B1Versatile furniture item
Publication Date: 2020.07.01 HSIGN SRL
  • EP3397116B1 patent drawingFigure 1~5
  • EP3397116B1 patent drawingFigure 6~9
  • EP3397116B1 patent drawingFigure 10~12

AI summary

A motorized furniture item (1) configured to assume a plurality of different configurations, like a stool, a chair, a sofa or other, which motorized furniture item comprises: ■ a main body (2) having an upper supporting face (20); ■ a first (31 ) and a second (32) movable body, capable of supporting a user's body and arranged side by side upon said upper supporting face (20), wherein said first movable body (31) is rotatably connected to said main body (2) and said second movable body (32) is rotatably connected to said first movable body (31); ■ driving means (4) of said first (31) and a second (32) movable body, housed inside said main body (2) and/or the two movable bodies; and ■ an extractable table unit (5), configured so that it can assume a firt minimal-encumbrance arrangement, wherein it is housed inside said main body (2) and a second use arrangement, wherein it is extracted from said main body and provides a support surface (50).