Wireless Chair Charging Mat for Cord-Free Ergonomic Seating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing powered office chairs and sit-stand desks face challenges in providing efficient and convenient power solutions, leading to reduced user engagement with health-promoting features due to impractical battery maintenance, entanglement issues with power cords, inadequate power generation from movement, and alignment requirements for wireless charging systems.
Innovation Solution
A powered chair with a wireless charging system that includes a primary coil embedded in a floor mat and a secondary coil in the chair, allowing for automatic alignment and charging, along with sensors to track user position and chair movement, ensuring continuous operation without compromising mobility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If batteries are used to power chair features, then portability and freedom from power cords are improved, but battery maintenance burden and operational continuity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The charging system automatically activates when the chair is positioned on the mat, eliminating the need for user intervention. The control circuit detects coil alignment and autonomously initiates power transfer, then monitors and terminates charging when complete, making the entire process self-service oriented
Solution Approach 2:
The primary coil is pre-installed in the floor mat at a predetermined location, and the secondary coil is pre-positioned in the chair base. This preliminary arrangement enables automatic alignment and charging activation simply by placing the chair on the mat, without requiring users to manually connect power sources
2Reliability
If power cords are used to supply electricity to the chair, then continuous power supply is improved, but cord entanglement and mobility restrictions worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The power cord is completely removed from the system. Instead of using traditional wired power delivery, the invention extracts the cord function and replaces it with wireless electromagnetic induction charging, eliminating all associated entanglement and mobility restrictions
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical connection system (power cord and plug) is replaced with an electromagnetic field-based wireless power transfer system. The primary coil generates an alternating magnetic field that induces current in the secondary coil, substituting mechanical electrical connection with electromagnetic energy transfer
3Ease of operation
If wireless charging coils are used, then automatic alignment and ease of charging are improved, but positioning precision and power transfer efficiency deteriorate without proper alignment mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The control circuit receives feedback signals from the alignment detection mechanism to determine whether the primary and secondary coils are properly aligned. Based on this feedback, the system activates or deactivates the charging function, ensuring power transfer only occurs when alignment precision requirements are met
Solution Approach 2:
The control circuit acts as an intermediary between the coil alignment status and the power transfer activation. It monitors the alignment condition and mediates the connection between the primary and secondary coils, enabling power flow only when proper alignment is detected
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 solution ensures continuous power supply to the chair's features, encouraging user engagement with health-promoting features by simplifying power management and maintaining chair functionality without the burdens of battery maintenance or cord entanglement.
Implementation Method 1
A powered chair with a wireless charging system that includes a primary coil embedded in a floor mat and a secondary coil in the chair
Data Source
AI summary
A system for guiding a user while changing the juxtaposition of one furniture component with respect to another furniture component on a furniture assembly, the system comprising a sensor for sensing the position of the first component with respect to the second component, an indicator for indicating when the position of the first component with respect to the second component should be changed by the user from a current position to another position, a control mechanism activatable by the user for changing the position of the first component with respect to the second component and a processor programmed to use sensor signals to track the position of the first component and to provide periodic first reminders to change the position of the first component from the current position to another position, the processor continuing to track the first component position as a user moves the first component toward the another position and, when the repositioning stops short of the another position, controlling the indicator to generate a first alert.