Reclining seat
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional reclining seats often face limitations when the seat back is positioned against a wall, as they cannot recline, and existing mechanisms like 4-bar linkages may not provide smooth motion, affecting user comfort.
Innovation Solution
A seat design featuring a spine within the seat back and bottom, where the spine rotates about a pivot as the seat bottom translates forward, using a cam follower and guide ramp to recline the seat back, with an optional locking mechanism and return spring for controlled movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a 4-bar linkage mechanism is used to assist reclining when the seat back is positioned against a wall, then the seat can recline in constrained spaces, but the motion is not smooth and user comfort is affected
Solution Approach 1:
The guide ramp employs a curved surface geometry instead of straight-line guides. The cam follower traverses this curved path, which naturally generates smooth rotational motion of the seat back during reclining. The curvature of the guide ramp ensures continuous, jerk-free movement even in constrained wall-mounted configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The cam follower acts as an intermediary element between the translating seat bottom and the rotating seat back. As the seat bottom translates forward, the cam follower moves along the guide ramp's curved surface, converting linear translation into smooth rotational motion of the seat back, thereby mediating the motion transformation.
2Ease of repair
If the reclining mechanism is exposed, then the mechanism is accessible for adjustment and maintenance, but the aesthetics and user comfort are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The reclining mechanism components (spine, cam follower, guide ramp) are nested within the seat structure. The spine is positioned inside the seat back, and the guide ramp is integrated into the seat assembly, allowing the mechanism to be concealed during normal use while remaining accessible when needed for maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
The seat back and seat bottom are designed as continuous, smooth surfaces that conceal the underlying mechanism. The upholstery and structural shells are shaped to hide the spine and guide ramp components, presenting a clean aesthetic exterior while encapsulating the functional elements within.
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 smooth and controlled reclining motion of the seat back, maintaining user comfort and aesthetics by hiding the reclining mechanism within the seat structure, allowing the seat to function as both a seating and a bed-like position.
Implementation Method 1
A cam follower at a forward end of the spine in the seat bottom is located within a guide ramp. As the seat bottom translates forward, the cam follower follows the path of the guide ramp. The path of the guide ramp forces the spine to rotate about the pivot, causing the seat back to recline.
Implementation Method 2
with an optional locking mechanism and return spring for controlled movement
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
Reclining seat having a seat back (110), a seat bottom (120), and a spine (140) within the seat back and seat bottom. The seat bottom is coupled to a base (130) and translates relative to the base. The seat includes a guide ramp (132) coupled to the base. A portion of the spine is located within the guide ramp. In response to translation of the seat bottom, the guide ramp applies a torque on the spine, causing the seat back to recline.