Pivotable Beam Seating Support for High-Tension Elastic Sheet Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sofa support arrangements lack a simple and strong mechanism for easily achieving high tension in elastic sheets during assembly, limiting their use in larger furniture pieces.
Innovation Solution
A seating furniture support arrangement featuring pivotable longitudinal beams and elastic sheets, where the beams pivot around a central axis to stretch the sheets to maximum tension, allowing for easy operation and high rigidity, with the tension force of one sheet facilitating further stretching of another.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a stretching mechanism is designed to achieve high tension in elastic sheets, then the rigidity of the support is improved, but the complexity of the mechanism increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the stretching function with the longitudinal beam itself. The first longitudinal beam is made pivotable and serves dual purposes: as a structural support element and as the stretching member. By connecting the elastic sheet to the beam at an offset from the pivot axis, the beam's own motion creates the stretching action, eliminating the need for separate complex stretching mechanisms while achieving high tension and rigidity
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses self-service by having the longitudinal beam's pivotable motion automatically stretch the elastic sheet. When the beam pivots during assembly or adjustment, the offset connection causes the beam to pull and tension the sheet without requiring external actuation mechanisms. The tension in one sheet also facilitates stretching of another sheet, creating a self-reinforcing system
2Ease of operation
If a stretching mechanism is designed to be easy to operate, then the ease of operation is improved, but the achievable tension in the elastic sheet is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
By combining the stretching function with the beam's inherent pivotable motion, the system achieves high tension through simple beam movement rather than requiring complex mechanical advantage systems. The offset connection transforms the beam's rotational motion into linear stretching motion, providing both ease of operation and high achievable tension
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the resistive tension force into a beneficial effect. As the beam pivots and stretches the sheet, the increasing tension initially resists further motion, but once maximum tension is reached, the tension force facilitates further pivoting and helps lock the beam in its final position, converting what would be a harmful resistive force into a useful locking mechanism
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 easy assembly with high tension in elastic sheets, providing good rigidity for larger furniture pieces and allowing for the use of less external force to achieve maximum tension, resulting in a durable and easy-to-manufacture support system.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic sheet for providing support for one of the seat and the backrest
Implementation Method 2
a mechanism for stretching the elastic sheet between the first longitudinal beam and the second longitudinal beam. The mechanism comprises a stretching member pivotable on the frame around a pivot axis
Data Source
Figure 1A~1C
Figure 2A
Figure 2B
AI summary
A seating furniture support arrangement (6) for a seat or a backrest, suitable, e.g., for a sofa, comprises a first (8) and a second (10; 12) load-carrying longitudinal beam, each being mountable to a seating furniture frame comprising one or more parts; an elastic sheet (16; 14); and a mechanism for stretching the elastic sheet (16; 14) between the first longitudinal beam (8) and the second longitudinal beam (10; 12). The mechanism comprises a first longitudinal beam (8) pivotable on the frame. The elastic sheet (16; 14), with the said seating furniture support arrangement (6) in installed position, is connected to the first longitudinal beam (8) in such a way that the first longitudinal beam (8) pivoting with respect to the frame, in response to an application of an external force or torque, stretches the elastic sheet (16; 14), the external force or torque working against the tension force of the elastic sheet (16; 14) until a point of maximum tension is reached, past which point of maximum tension the tension force facilitates further pivoting of said first longitudinal beam (8), acting to keep the first longitudinal beam (8) in place in a final position. Further, a piece of seating furniture comprising the seating furniture support arrangement, a kit and a method for assembling the piece of seating furniture are disclosed.