Student chair
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing task chairs with ambidextrous pivoting work surfaces lack a modular and cost-effective design that allows for easy assembly and retrofitting, limiting their versatility and adaptability in academic settings.
Innovation Solution
A chair design featuring a seat pivotably mounted to a seat base via a swivel connector, with a work surface assembly pivotably mounted above the seat base and utilizing a bushing for a low-friction interface, enabling functional independence between the seat and work surface pivots, facilitating assembly and retrofitting to existing chairs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the work surface assembly is integrated with the seat structure, then structural stability is improved, but assembly complexity and difficulty of retrofitting increase
Solution Approach 1:
The chair is divided into separate functional modules: the seat assembly with swivel connector and the work surface assembly with independent pivot mounting. This segmentation allows each module to be manufactured and assembled independently, reducing overall assembly complexity while maintaining structural stability through standardized connection interfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The swivel connector is designed with a universal interface that can accommodate both the seat mounting and work surface assembly mounting. This universal design enables the work surface assembly to be retrofitted to existing chairs with swivel connectors, reducing assembly complexity without compromising structural stability.
2Device complexity
If the work surface assembly shares the pivot mechanism with the seat, then device complexity is reduced, but adaptability and ease of retrofitting decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The pivot mechanisms are segmented into two independent systems: the seat pivot on the swivel connector and the work surface pivot on the bushing. This functional independence allows the work surface assembly to be adapted to different chair types with swivel connectors, enhancing retrofitting adaptability while maintaining reasonable device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The bushing acts as an intermediary component between the work surface assembly and the swivel connector, providing a standardized interface that enables retrofitting to existing chairs. This intermediary element allows adaptability without significantly increasing overall device complexity.
3Ease of operation
If a bushing is added to create a low-friction interface, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bushing serves as a mediator between the work surface assembly and the swivel connector, providing a low-friction interface that enhances ease of pivoting. The bushing is a simple, standardized component that achieves the desired operational ease without significantly increasing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The bushing changes the friction parameter at the pivot interface, reducing friction to improve ease of operation. This parameter change is achieved through a simple geometric component rather than a complex mechanism, minimizing the increase in device complexity.
4Ease of manufacture
If the chair is designed for mass production, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but adaptability for retrofitting may be limited
Solution Approach 1:
The swivel connector and bushing are designed as universal components that can be mass-produced using standardized manufacturing processes. The universal interface design allows these mass-produced components to be adapted to existing chairs, maintaining both manufacturing cost efficiency and retrofitting capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The chair components are segmented into independently manufacturable modules with standardized interfaces. This segmentation enables mass production of individual components at low cost while allowing flexible assembly and retrofitting applications.
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 design allows for efficient, cost-effective production in large quantities, providing a high degree of comfort, convenience, and versatility, enabling easy reconfiguration and retrofitting of the work surface assembly to existing chairs, while maintaining a compact footprint.
Implementation Method 1
a bushing may be attached to an outer surface of the swivel connector in a manner in which the bushing is axially fixed, yet rotatable relative to the swivel connector... the bushing provides a low-friction interface between work surface assembly and the seat
Data Source
AI summary
A seat pivotably mounted to a seat base via a swivel connector, and a work surface assembly pivotably mounted above the seat base and below the seat via the swivel connector. In particular, a bushing may be attached to an outer surface of the swivel connector in a manner in which the bushing is axially fixed, yet rotatable relative to the swivel connector, such as via an arrangement of protrusions and grooves on the bushing and connector, respectively. A portion of the tablet arm is received over the bushing, such that the bushing provides a low-friction interface between work surface assembly and the seat. In this arrangement, the pivot connection between the work surface assembly and the chair is functionally independent of the pivot connection between the seat and seat base. This functional independence facilitates assembly of the work surface assembly to the chair, and allows the pivotable work surface to be retrofit to preexisting swivel chairs.