Monolithic Resilient Rocking Element for Quiet Furniture Motion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Furniture members with coiled springs often produce frictional and spring noise due to displacement motion during rocking, which increases over time, requiring a spring housing that adds complexity and noise.
Innovation Solution
An elastically resilient member made of a monolithic material, such as rubber or synthetic polymeric materials, is used to provide a rocking motion without the need for a spring housing, allowing for elastic deflection and expansion to support the furniture member, reducing noise and complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If coiled springs are used to permit rocking motion, then the furniture member can rock backwards and forwards within a predefined angular range of motion, but frictional noise and spring noise increase over time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from traditional coiled spring steel to elastomeric material, which fundamentally alters the mechanical behavior from metallic elastic deformation to polymer elastic deformation. This material parameter change eliminates the frictional contact and metallic spring noise while maintaining the rocking motion capability through the elastomeric material's inherent elasticity and damping properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastomeric material replaces the durable but noisy coiled spring with a material that, while potentially having different lifespan characteristics, provides superior noise reduction. The elastomeric element absorbs energy through internal damping rather than metallic elastic deformation, significantly reducing operational noise even if the material requires replacement sooner.
2Reliability
If coiled springs with spring housing are used to support the springs, then the springs can be supported and function properly, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the spring housing component entirely by replacing the coiled spring mechanism with a monolithic elastomeric element. The elastomeric material itself provides both the structural support and the elastic function previously requiring a separate housing, thereby simplifying the overall device structure while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the functions of the spring housing and the spring into a single integrated elastomeric element. The elastomeric material simultaneously provides structural support, elastic deformation capability, and noise damping, eliminating the need for separate housing components and reducing overall device complexity.
3Ease of operation
If coiled springs are used to permit rocking motion, then the furniture member can rock within a predefined angular range, but displacement motion between ends of coil members and furniture member frame creates frictional noise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes the mechanical coiled spring system with an elastomeric material-based system. The elastomeric material deforms through polymer chain flexibility rather than metallic coil compression, eliminating the displacement motion between coil ends and frame that causes frictional noise. The elastomeric element maintains continuous contact without relative displacement, thereby eliminating the noise source.
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 solution effectively reduces noise and simplifies the mechanism by using a monolithic resilient member for elastic deflection, allowing for smooth rocking motion without the need for a spring housing, thus minimizing frictional noise and extending the furniture's operational life.
Implementation Method 1
an elastically resilient member adapted to provide a rocking motion for a furniture member includes an elastically resilient material member body positioned between first and second portions of the furniture member to permit the first portion to rock forwardly and rearwardly with respect to the second portion
Data Source
AI summary
A rocking furniture member includes an occupant support member supporting an occupant of the furniture member. A frame is connected to the occupant support member and supports the seat portion for rocking motion with respect to a furniture member support surface. An elastically resilient member connecting the occupant support member to the frame permits occupant induced rocking motion of the occupant support member with respect to the support surface. The resilient member is a monolithic bar having a uniform cross section.