1.1 Introduction
The self-folding and unfolding dining table makes use of dual motor drive along with IR Sensors and dual motor folding and unfolding mechanism to achieve this operation. The system is integrated with a controller based speech recognition system to enable the open and close operation via spoken commands. When user instructs then dining table to open the command is captured by the controller mic and processed. Now the system checks for obstacles on both sides o divide which side to open on. If the user command said open the table half, the machine will only open half table on the open side. It user command says open full then the table will move itself on the pen side and then open both the sides to serve as a full dining table. This unfolding processes activates the motorized mechanism that uses a geared arrangement to move a connected rod to drive another support rod with a wheel arrangement to push the sides of the table into a horizontal alignment parallel to the centre table plate. This mechanism allows to open the table on both or any one side as needed. The same mechanism is used to unfold the table and move back to the wall itself after folding so that it frees up the space. Also the unfolding happens simply on users commands, all user needs it to ask the dining table to close itself.
Dining tables are used only during lunch and dinner, yet they occupy large spaces in a room for the entire duration of day and night. There are some folding dining tables but manually dragging the dining tables, then unfolding and folding dining tables manually 2 times a day is a strenuous task. Well what if the table could automatically move itself to the centre of the room and then unfold itself when you tell it to? Also automatically fold itself and move itself to the corner of the room to act as a side table on your command. Well such tables are not just a future concept now that we design an automatic dining table with the exact functioning as mentioned above.
As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Limitations of the Study and Definition of technical terms.
1.2 Statement of Problems
The design process enabled us to follow a systematic approach to design. The most important step of the design process is identifying the customer need. As we know, there already had so much table on the market but there are many customer desirer on the folding table because they need such flexible table which can be fold easily, portable and only one person to carried out the table. For example when the customer had a picnic no need for more than one person to carried out the table from then van, and lastly why customer need a folding table we can see when customer need to store table but the table big and not enough space to store it and it make a space in home of customer became smaller and limits. So, the folding table as a solution to this problem because no need big space to store this type of table.
1.3 Aim and Objectives of Study
The aim of the study is to Design and Fabricate of a Self Folding Dining Table. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:
- To design new concept of the folding dining table
- To fabricate dining folding table
- To demonstrate a series of different kinds of foldable dining table furniture for different environments, spaces, and usage.
1.4 Significance of Study
The relevance of the study is stated as follows:
- The proposed self folding dining table, only occupies 1/3rd of the space when not in use
- The table automatically folds on a Button Press without manual effort
- The table can move itself to room centre before unfolding
- The proposed dining table system will be able to detect obstacle before opening for safety
This study will be of immense benefit to other researchers who intend to know more on this study and can also be used by non-researchers to build more on their research work. This study contributes to knowledge and could serve as a guide for other study.
1.5 Scope of Study
The study focuses on the automatic Self Folding Dining Table, and it’s limited to the design and fabrication process on self-folding dining table.
1.6 Limitations of the Study
During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:
- Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
- Research material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
- Frequent power failure: This made the researcher append more money on fuel to ensure sustainable power.
- Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet).
1.7 Methodology
Data used in this work is derived primary from secondary sources. The methodology therefore, is basically documentary in nature. This involves learning new facts and principles through the study of documents and records. The documents and records include journals, textbooks, newspapers, magazines, official publications etc. By putting together logically evidence derived from documents and records. Conclusion which either established facts hitherto unknown or sound generalization can be obtained.
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