Segmented Origami Armrest for Portable Arm Support and Compact Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
The prolonged use of handheld electronic devices leads to arm and shoulder fatigue, hunched posture, and potential motion sickness due to the need to extend arms and lower gaze, with existing solutions being non-portable and not addressing the need for both hands to be free for device interaction.
Innovation Solution
A portable armrest with a segmented panel and hinge joints that allows for a deployed configuration to support arms vertically, enabling users to maintain an upright posture and easily view devices, while also being foldable for portability and compact storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a portable armrest is designed to be foldable for portability, then the device can be easily stored and transported, but the structural complexity increases to achieve both folded and deployed configurations
Solution Approach 1:
The armrest is divided into multiple rigid plates connected by hinge joints, allowing the structure to be segmented into foldable units that can be collapsed into a compact form while maintaining structural integrity when deployed
Solution Approach 2:
The armrest transitions between static folded and deployed states through dynamic hinge joints that enable controlled movement, allowing the structure to adapt its configuration based on portability needs versus support functionality
2Volume of moving object
If the armrest uses multiple rigid plates and hinge joints to achieve portability, then the folded configuration becomes compact, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The armrest is constructed from multiple identical or similar rigid plate segments that can be manufactured using standardized processes, reducing overall manufacturing complexity despite the multi-component structure
Solution Approach 2:
The rigid plates are arranged to nest within each other when folded, with plates overlapping in a nested configuration that minimizes the overall volume while maintaining a systematic assembly approach
3Ease of operation
If the armrest is designed to support arm weight vertically, then it effectively reduces arm and shoulder fatigue, but the device becomes less portable
Solution Approach 1:
The armrest employs dynamic hinge joints that allow the structure to be deployed into a vertical support configuration when needed for arm resting, while enabling easy folding into a compact portable form when portability is the priority
Solution Approach 2:
The armrest serves multiple functions: it provides vertical arm support when deployed and becomes a compact portable accessory when folded, allowing the same structure to adapt to different usage scenarios including arm support and general portability needs
Data Source
AI summary
A portable armrest is manually convertible between a deployed configuration and a folded configuration and includes a lap portion, an arm portion, and a support portion. The support portion vertically spaces the arm portion from the lap portion when the lap portion is positioned on the lap of a seated user with the armrest in a deployed configuration, and the weight of an extended arm of the user is transferred to the lap when the arm is rested on the arm portion. The armrest is formed as a segmented panel including a plurality of rigid segments interconnected into a unitary piece by flexible joints along the perimeter of each segment. The deployed armrest enables users to relax their extended arms while bringing a handheld device into viewing range without lowering their heads. The armrest can be folded into a small packaging space for portability.