Backrest Designs in Meeting Chairs

Abstract

Our purpose was to design the backrest of meeting chairs. We investigated how a backrest structure influenced the sitting comfort of a meeting chair. Sensory values of sitting comfort were measured through a paired comparison method and body pressure distributions. Subjects were selected from a consumer group and an expert group who worked at an office furniture company. Body pressures and contact areas between the human body and the chairs were measured. As a market test, 663 people sat on the sample chairs. The sensory evaluation results were examined through a factor analysis. The results were as follows: (1) The sitting comfort evaluated by the consumers had a positive correlation with those of the experts. (2) Two factors were common and significant in evaluating sitting comfort of meeting chair in both groups: “soft at back” and “not tiring.” (3) The adjectives related to “sitting comfort” had a relationship with the body pressure distribution and the bending properties of the backrest. (4) The “sitting comfort” of the meeting chair could be predicted by its physical properties. (5) The results of the market test conform with the results of the sensory test.