Stackable chair

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing stacking chairs often suffer from damage due to frame-to-frame contact during stacking, get stuck together due to concentrated weight, and lack tilting functionality, which limits space efficiency and comfort.

Innovation Solution

A chair design featuring a rotating seating portion and backrest with matching profiles that distribute weight across large surfaces, reducing contact force and allowing for tilting, along with injection molded foam for comfort and structural rigidity, enabling easy stacking and storage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If chairs are designed for frame-to-frame contact to avoid surface-to-surface contact of upholstered seats, then chair stability during stacking is improved, but the contact area is reduced causing chairs to become stuck together due to concentrated weight

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvechair stabilityVSAvoidcontact area

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies nesting by designing the chair frame with an outer periphery that nests within the outer periphery of another chair when stacked. The legs of the upper chair insert into the leg openings of the lower chair, creating a nested configuration that distributes weight across multiple contact points rather than concentrated frame-to-frame contact, preventing chairs from sticking together while maintaining stacking stability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Ease of operation

If padding is added to increase comfort, then seating comfort is improved, but the chair height increases reducing the number of chairs that can be stacked within typical door heights

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveseating comfortVSAvoidchair height

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses a thin foam padding layer that is molded to conform to the user's body, providing comfort without adding significant height. The foam is integrated into the seat structure as a thin cushioning layer that maintains the compact profile needed for stacking while delivering ergonomic support.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Device complexity

If the seating surface is made stationary to simplify structure, then manufacturing complexity is reduced, but aisle space efficiency is reduced due to inability to tilt

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructure complexityVSAvoidaisle space

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a rotating seat mechanism that allows the seating surface to rotate relative to the backrest between a first position (tilted backward) and a second position (more upright). This dynamic adjustment capability enables the seat to tilt forward, reducing the space occupied in the aisle direction while maintaining structural feasibility through a simple rotation joint.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS10881210B2Stackable chair

Publication Date: 2021.01.05 SERIES INTERNATIONAL LLC

AI summary

A stacking chair with a frame connected to a rotating seating portion and backrest portion each of the seating portion and backrest portion having matching profiles such that when stacked the weight of the chairs is distributed across facing surfaces that nest together due to matching profiles, the seating portion may rotate through an angle of rotation greater than 90 degrees and the seating and/or backrest portions may include a injection molded foam interior surrounding an internal frame and with a removable cover on the outside of the foam.