Seat Locking Mechanism for Body-Balance Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing seat positioning mechanisms require users to raise themselves from the seat to adjust the position, lacking the ability to adjust by body balance and not allowing initial positioning based on user's body balance, which complicates quick and force-free adjustments.
Innovation Solution
A seat design featuring a seating part and backrest part on rotational mechanisms with locking elements, where the rotation axis aligns with the user's center of gravity, and support arms with locking mechanisms that allow positioning without leaving the seat, enabling adjustments by body balance and versatile placement options.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional screw mechanisms or eccentric mechanisms are used for seat positioning, then the seat can be positioned at different angles, but the user must raise themselves from the seat to adjust the position
Solution Approach 1:
The patent positions the rotation axis of the bolt on which the seat frame is mounted approximately on a vertical axis passing through the user's centre of gravity. This creates an equipotential condition where the user's body weight naturally balances the seat at any angular position, eliminating the need to raise oneself from the seat during adjustment. The support arms with locking mechanisms allow positioning while seated by utilizing the user's own body balance.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking mechanism allows the user to lock the support arms and seat frame at the desired position using only their body movements while seated. The user can operate the lock without raising themselves from the seat, making the system self-servicing in terms of positioning capability. The mechanism uses the user's body weight and balance to achieve positioning rather than requiring external force application.
2Ease of operation
If the rotation axis is placed on the user's centre of gravity vertical axis, then body balance positioning becomes possible, but the locking mechanism placement becomes more constrained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the support arms and locking mechanism to serve multiple functions: they provide structural support, enable rotational movement around the vertical axis through the user's center of gravity, and incorporate locking capability. The locking mechanism can be placed in zones near the support arms or on the support arms themselves, providing versatility in placement while maintaining the body balance positioning capability. The mechanism works whether the mounting axes are placed before, after, or on the axis of rotation of the seating.
Data Source
AI summary
A seating apparatus has a seat with a seat frame, a backrest extending upwardly from said seat, a support mechanism mounted to the seat frame, a locking mechanism cooperative with the support mechanism, said a lock cooperative with the locking mechanism. The locking mechanism has an upper arm mounted rotationally to the seat frame and to the support mechanism. The lock is affixed to at least one of the first and second arms and extends outwardly of a side of the seat. The lock is suitable for locking a position of the arms and the seat frame.