Saddle-Shaped Seat Structure for Pressure Relief and Ventilation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing seating furniture fails to provide a balance of comfort, ergonomics, and flexibility, often resulting in discomfort and pressure points due to inadequate support and material limitations.

Innovation Solution

A saddle-shaped seat design with a seat surface stretched between front and rear saddle rails, using flexible materials like mesh fabric, which is clamped or welded to the rails for optimal connection and tension distribution, allowing for adjustable tension and breathability, and integrated into a rolling frame for mobility.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Area of moving object

If a conventional saddle seat or standing seat is used, then the structure is compact and simple, but the seating area is too small and does not support the entire buttocks area, causing discomfort and seat cavity formation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveseating areaVSAvoidseat structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The seat is divided into a frame structure with multiple saddle rails (front saddle rail, rear saddle rail, side saddle rails) that are segmented and connected, allowing the seat surface to be stretched across these segments to create a larger supportive area while maintaining structural simplicity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The seat transitions from a conventional two-dimensional flat or simple curved surface to a three-dimensional saddle shape defined by multiple rails in different orientations (front-to-back and side-to-side), creating a spacious seating area that contours to the buttocks while avoiding seat cavity formation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Adaptability or versatility

If highly flexible and thin materials like fabrics or foils are used for the seat surface, then the seat can adapt flexibly to user anatomy, but the materials are prone to tearing due to stress peaks

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveseat flexibilityVSAvoidmaterial durability
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The seat surface uses thin flexible materials such as fabrics or foils that are stretched and fixed to the saddle rails, allowing the material to conform flexibly to the user's anatomy and provide comfort while maintaining durability through proper tension distribution

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The saddle rails are designed with curved profiles that create a smoothly contoured seat surface, eliminating sharp edges and stress concentration points that would cause tearing, while the curvature enables the thin flexible material to adapt to the user's body shape

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

3Strength

If the seat surface is tightly connected to the saddle rails, then the connection strength is high, but pressure points are created at the connecting edges

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection strengthVSAvoidpressure points
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The saddle rails feature curved profiles with rounded edges instead of sharp corners, which distributes the connection interface area and reduces stress concentration at the edges where the seat surface meets the rails, eliminating pressure points while maintaining connection strength

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The seat surface is pre-stretched and fixed to the saddle rails during manufacturing to create optimal tension distribution before use, ensuring that the connection is strong while the rounded rail edges prevent pressure points from forming during actual seating

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

4Strength

If a solid covering material is used for the seat, then the structural integrity is high, but ventilation is poor and body heat cannot be dissipated

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidbody heat dissipation
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The seat covering uses mesh fabric with a porous structure that provides sufficient structural integrity to support the user while allowing air to pass through the material, enabling ventilation and body heat dissipation even during prolonged sitting

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

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 provides enhanced comfort and ergonomic support by distributing pressure evenly, preventing pressure points, and allowing for adjustable hardness and breathability, making it suitable for prolonged use in various positions.

Implementation Method 1

the fabric is clamped to the saddle rails and possibly also glued and/or welded to them

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAdhesive bonding: Adhesive

Implementation Method 2

the fabric is clamped to the saddle rails and possibly also glued and/or welded to them

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectWelding: Welding

Implementation Method 3

a mesh fabric, which allows good ventilation and makes sitting comfortable, particularly in summer... body heat given off by the user's body can be optimally dissipated through the covering

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Implementation Method 4

the covering, through which the seat is formed, to be connected to the front saddle rail... uniformly transfer the tensile stress, which is an important factor for the load-bearing capacity of thin coverings

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP2898795B1Seating furniture with a saddle-shaped seat base
Publication Date: 2018.12.26 SCHMITZ GMBH
  • EP2898795B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2898795B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2898795B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to seating furniture (1) with a saddle-shaped seat (2), the seat (2) being arranged on a seat post (3). The seat (2) is stretched between a front saddle rail (4) on a front rail support (5) and a rear saddle rail (6) on a rear rail support (7).