Paper Ergonomic Chair With Posture Sensing and Counterweight Balance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing ergonomic chairs often require frequent maintenance, rely on mechanical parts for movement, lack customization, and fail to promote user awareness of posture and physical activity, leading to reduced physical and mental awareness and potential harm from improper adjustments.

Innovation Solution

A chair made from folded paper substrate with a counterweight and embedded accelerometer that communicates wirelessly with a computing device to provide feedback on posture and movement, allowing for customization and reducing the need for mechanical parts.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional mechanical parts are used for chair movement and adjustment, then the chair can provide ergonomic support and adjustability, but the chair requires frequent maintenance and repair

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemaintenance frequencyVSAvoidmechanical parts

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces mechanical adjustment mechanisms with an inflatable bladder system controlled by air pressure. The seat and backrest contours are adjusted by inflating or deflating specific bladder sections, eliminating bolts, screws, hydraulic cylinders, and casters that require maintenance. This pneumatic/inflatable system substitutes complex mechanical assemblies with simpler air pressure control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the physical state of the support structure from rigid mechanical components to flexible inflatable bladders. By varying air pressure parameters within the bladders, the system achieves continuous adjustment of seat firmness, contour, and ergonomic support without mechanical moving parts that wear or loosen over time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If standardized chair designs are used, then manufacturing is simplified, but the chair cannot be customized to individual user dimensions

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovecustomizationVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the seat and backrest into multiple independent inflatable bladder sections. Each section can be individually inflated or deflated to customize the contour and support for different user body shapes and sizes. This segmentation allows a single standardized chair structure to be adapted to numerous individual configurations through controlled air pressure in each segment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transforms the chair from a static, fixed-configuration structure to a dynamic, adjustable system. The inflatable bladders can be real-time adjusted by the user or automatically controlled to adapt to different users, activities, and ergonomic requirements, providing continuous customization without requiring multiple standardized models.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Ease of operation

If comfortable ergonomic support is maximized, then user comfort is improved, but user awareness of posture and physical activity is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser comfortVSAvoidposture awareness

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent incorporates sensors that detect user posture, movement, and physiological parameters, providing real-time feedback to the user through the control system. This feedback mechanism maintains user awareness of their sitting habits and posture while still providing comfortable ergonomic support, allowing users to self-correct improper positioning without sacrificing comfort.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent enables the chair to automatically adjust its ergonomic support and provide corrective feedback without constant user intervention. The system monitors user posture and autonomously modifies bladder inflation to maintain proper ergonomics, while also notifying users of poor posture habits, combining automated service with user awareness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

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 chair offers reduced maintenance, customizable ergonomic support, and increased user awareness of posture through feedback, encouraging active movement and healthier sitting habits while being environmentally sustainable.

Implementation Method 1

an accelerometer for providing position data

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGravitation: Gravitation

Data Source

PatentUS11432656B2Ergonomic chair made from paper substrate with embedded sensor, computer readable medium for interacting with the chair, method of making the chair or other structures from paper substrate

Publication Date: 2022.09.06 DANIELSON PATRICK ALLEN

AI summary

There is provided an ergonomic chair which is produced from flat components. The components may be made of paper. The components are designed using parametric equations which take the targeted user's proportions into account. The components are then folded, joined, and coated with strengthening material. The chair has a seat, a base, and three legs connecting the seat to the base. The base contains a counterweight mass for keeping the chair in a default upright position. The base contains an accelerometer which can transmit data to a computing device to track a user's posture and other health-related data.