Seating arrangement

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing seating arrangements lack efficient mechanisms for adjusting seat and backrest positions, limiting user comfort and flexibility.

Innovation Solution

A seating arrangement with a seat assembly that slides between forward and rearward positions, featuring a flexibly resilient structure and stop members to prevent excessive movement, and a back assembly with a lumbar support that adjusts vertically and adjusts to user comfort needs and flexibility.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the seat assembly is made flexibly resilient to enhance comfort, then user comfort is improved, but the structural stability and control over movement limits deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser comfortVSAvoidstructural stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The seat assembly is divided into distinct functional components: a flexibly resilient seat support structure for comfort, and separate stop members integrated with slide bearings to define movement limits. This segmentation allows the flexible seat to maintain comfort while the rigid stop members provide structural stability and control over the range of motion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Slide bearings act as intermediary components between the flexible seat support structure and the frame assembly. These bearings incorporate stop members that mediate the interaction between the flexible seat and the frame, preventing excessive movement while allowing the seat to maintain its flexible, comfortable characteristics.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If the seat assembly allows extensive movement between forward and rearward positions to enhance flexibility, then user flexibility is improved, but the risk of excessive movement beyond intended limits increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser flexibilityVSAvoidmovement control

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Stop members are pre-positioned on the slide bearings to define the forward and rearward movement limits of the seat assembly. This preliminary action ensures that the seat can move flexibly within the intended range while automatically preventing movement beyond these pre-established limits, maintaining both user flexibility and movement control reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The stop members integrated with the slide bearings provide self-service movement control by automatically engaging to prevent the seat assembly from moving beyond its designated forward and rearward positions. This self-limiting mechanism ensures reliable movement control without requiring additional active control systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Device complexity

If the slide bearing and stop member are integrated as a single piece to simplify structure, then device complexity is reduced, but the precision of movement limiting may deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural complexityVSAvoidmovement limit precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The slide bearing and stop member are merged into a single integrated component. This combination simplifies the overall structure by reducing the number of separate parts while the stop member's geometric design ensures precise movement limiting through its interaction with corresponding features on the frame assembly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 seating arrangement provides enhanced comfort and flexibility in adjusting seat and backrest positions, enhancing user comfort and flexibility.

Implementation Method 1

at least one elongated slide bearing attached to the seat support structure and including a bearing surface and at least one stop member, wherein the bearing surface and the at least one stop member are a single, integral piece, and at least one slide support member that slidably supports the slide bearing thereon

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Implementation Method 2

the seat support structure is flexibly resilient, and at least one elongated slide bearing attached to the seat support structure thereby structurally reinforcing the seat support structure from flexure

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS12514369B2Seating arrangement

Publication Date: 2026.01.06 STEELCASE INC

AI summary

A seating arrangement includes a seat assembly slidably movable between a forward most position and a rearward most position and that includes a seat support structure configured to support a seated user thereon, and at least one elongated slide bearing attached to the seat support structure and including a bearing surface and at least one stop member, wherein the bearing surface and the at least one stop member are a single, integral piece. The seating arrangement further includes at least one slide support member that slidably supports the slide bearing thereon between the forward most position and the rearward most position, wherein the at least one stop member is configured to prevent the seat assembly from being moved beyond at least one of the forward most position and the rearward most position.