Portable seating design: Exo rocker/Lounger
3rd Year Studio 2018
5 weeks
Background
This assignment consisted of designing and fabricating a collapsible, portable, comfortable stool or chair.
Prior to ideation, I studied various types of mechanisms used in everyday products were researched to understand typical structures and components. Iterative prototyping was employed throughout the design process to better understand manufacturing and structural principles, also where comfort was a key goal, it was important to also test ergonomics. Multiple small and full scale models were generated.
Context
Much of my life has been spent lakeside and that mood and aesthetic have become integral to my identity—I chose this environment. Research of preexisting lake chairs showed that comfort far exceeded portability, though movable, chairs tended to be heavy and/or unwieldy, likely due to being left in place for a season as compared to their beach counterparts which are much more portable due to day use. A lounge chair that could span both environments became my goal, possessing a portability and good level of adjustability to provide comfort to any user, my rationale— in the quest for universal comfort, user empowerment is imperative.
Ideation
The eXo Lounger allows the user to adjust both the angle of the seat and the tensity of the sling in order to increase comfort, and to switch between rocking and lounging. The transition into the lounge configuration allows the rocker struts to create a “rack” to hang a towel or blanket, beach users may wish to keep towels and bags off the sand. Once collapsed, the eXo can be easily and efficiently stored flat.
Prototyping
Through iterative prototyping it was determined that the struts were in flexure when in chair was in use and they gave way as seen to the right. This dictated a material change from plywood to hardwood (maple) to better support the user. Also moved to smaller hardware as larger holes compromise the structural integrity of the wood. The struts were redesigned to have more character and weight. By increasing the width at the point where it broke, I was able to increase strength and provide a more abstract aesthetic.
exo
Rocker
Three angles of repose to fit the preference of the user.
Lounger
Rocking struts can be used as a shelf to hang bags, or towels/blankets.
tension/loose
Turning the locking mechanism away from the user decreases tension and makes the chair fit more like a bucket chair.
Lock
In a bit of nostalgia inspired by Tinkertoy, the locking mechanism allows the user to change the tension of the hammock sling to their preference.
Tension/Taut
Turning the locking mechanism towards the user increases the tension of the seat like a sling.
Fold/Port
Exo can be folded near flat for portability and for long-term storage. Sling may be removed from the front of the chair and rolled up for storage.
For more information regarding the design process check out my report.