Office or conference seating furniture
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional office and conference chair backrest connections lack the necessary complexity and resilience to allow for natural, ergonomic movements such as tilting and rotating, often requiring multiple parts and complex assembly processes.
Innovation Solution
An office or conference chair with a backrest and armrests coupled to a seat support via a connector assembly, featuring a crossbeam element, transverse bearing, and a connecting section formed from elastomeric material that allows for resilient movement and rotation, potentially incorporating spring elements for enhanced mobility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional connection arrangements are used for backrests, then structural stability is maintained, but mobility and ergonomic movement range are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the connecting section and transverse bearing into a single integrated component made of elastomeric material. This merging eliminates the need for separate connection parts and complex assembly procedures, while still providing both structural stability and dorsokinetic mobility through the elastomeric material's inherent properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material parameter from rigid conventional materials to elastomeric material, which possesses both flexibility and structural integrity. This parameter change enables the connection arrangement to provide ergonomic mobility while maintaining structural stability, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and device complexity.
2Ease of manufacture
If multiple separate parts are used for connection arrangements, then structural stability is ensured, but manufacturing complexity and assembly time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting section and transverse bearing are merged into a single elastomeric component, significantly simplifying manufacturing processes and reducing assembly time. The integrated design eliminates multiple parts while maintaining connection stability through the elastomeric material's properties and the component's geometric design.
Solution Approach 2:
The use of elastomeric material provides a composite solution that combines the benefits of flexibility and structural integrity in a single material, eliminating the need for complex multi-material assemblies while ensuring reliable and stable connections.
3Adaptability or versatility
If rigid connection arrangements are used, then manufacturing is simple, but ergonomic mobility and user comfort are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from rigid to elastomeric, enabling the connection structure to adapt to user movements while maintaining structural integrity. This parameter change provides dorsokinetic mobility and ergonomic comfort without requiring complex adjustable mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastomeric connecting section provides dynamic adaptability, allowing the backrest to move naturally with the user's body movements. This dynamic behavior enhances ergonomics and movement range while keeping the connection structure relatively simple.
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
This solution provides ergonomic and economically advantageous dorsokinetic mobility by simplifying production, reducing the number of parts, and enhancing user movement range, while being easy to manufacture and assemble.
Implementation Method 1
a connecting section (5), which connects the crossbeam element (3) to the backrest structural element (4) and which is arranged and designed such that the backrest structural element (4) is resiliently movable relative to the cross member element (3), wherein the connecting portion (5) is formed integrally from an elastomeric material
Implementation Method 2
a transverse bearing (6), via which the backrest structural element (4) is rotatably coupled to the crossbeam element (3) perpendicular to a transverse direction
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The present invention relates to a connection arrangement (1) for a backrest (2), in particular of an office or conference chair (10), such as an office swivel chair, comprising a backrest structure element (4), a crossbeam element (3), a transverse bearing (6) by means of which the backrest structure element (4) is rotatably coupled to the crossbeam element (3) perpendicular to a transverse direction, and a connecting section (5) which connects the crossbeam element (3) to the backrest structure element (4) and which is arranged and designed such that the backrest structure element (4) is spring-elastically movable relative to the crossbeam element (3). The invention further relates to an office or conference chair (10) with such a connection arrangement (1).