Ergonomically responsive chair
First Claim
1. An apparatus for use by a person in a seated or other position on a platform, comprising:
- a base, for supporting the platform, and adapted for coupling to the platform by rolling or low-friction sliding engagement so as to allow repetitive travel of the platform toward and away from a neutral position over an allowed range of travel in response to forces exerted by the person via the platform, wherein in the allowed range of travel the platform moves at least horizontally toward and away from the neutral position;
wherein the coupling of the base to the platform is such as to provide a restoring force tending to always move or hold the platform in the neutral position in respect to the base with the person supported on the platform and so always urging the platform toward the neutral position, wherein the coupling of the base to the platform is so that the restoring force acting on the platform in the neutral position or even only slightly displaced from the neutral position is adjustable so as to be at least comparable to a force tending to push the platform away from the neutral position caused by the person merely sitting on or being otherwise positioned on the platform in a relaxed state, and further wherein the coupling of the base to the platform is so that the platform remains in a substantially horizontal orientation throughout the range of travel, and the orientation does not changes so that the platform remains level while the platform moves throughout the range of travel;
wherein the coupling of the base to the platform comprises an adjustable post.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus—which could be a chair (10), but could also be an apparatus that supports a person in other than a seated position—comprising a moveable platform (including a seat (12) in case of a chair) urged always toward a neutral position when a person is seated or otherwise positioned on the apparatus (10). The motion of the platform/seat (12) toward and away from the neutral position is constrained so that the platform/seat (12) remains at least approximately horizontal in its orientation relative to the floor on which the apparatus/chair (10) is positioned even when traveling along a path not horizontal to the floor, i.e. e.g. along a path inclined to the floor. A method is also provided in which the apparatus/chair (10) is used to provide lower-back therapy.
40 Citations
24 Claims
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1. An apparatus for use by a person in a seated or other position on a platform, comprising:
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a base, for supporting the platform, and adapted for coupling to the platform by rolling or low-friction sliding engagement so as to allow repetitive travel of the platform toward and away from a neutral position over an allowed range of travel in response to forces exerted by the person via the platform, wherein in the allowed range of travel the platform moves at least horizontally toward and away from the neutral position; wherein the coupling of the base to the platform is such as to provide a restoring force tending to always move or hold the platform in the neutral position in respect to the base with the person supported on the platform and so always urging the platform toward the neutral position, wherein the coupling of the base to the platform is so that the restoring force acting on the platform in the neutral position or even only slightly displaced from the neutral position is adjustable so as to be at least comparable to a force tending to push the platform away from the neutral position caused by the person merely sitting on or being otherwise positioned on the platform in a relaxed state, and further wherein the coupling of the base to the platform is so that the platform remains in a substantially horizontal orientation throughout the range of travel, and the orientation does not changes so that the platform remains level while the platform moves throughout the range of travel; wherein the coupling of the base to the platform comprises an adjustable post. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 17)
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11. An apparatus for use with a platform for supporting a person in a seated or other position, comprising:
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a base, for supporting the platform, and adapted for coupling to the platform by rolling or low-friction sliding engagement so as to allow repetitive travel of the platform at least horizontally toward and away from a neutral position over an allowed range of travel in response to forces exerted by a person via the platform; wherein the base is adapted for coupling to the platform so as to provide that the allowed range of travel is also upward when moving away from the neutral position for at least part of the allowed range of travel so that gravity acts as a restoring force when the platform is moved away from the neutral position, and further wherein the coupling of the platform to the base is so that the platform remains in a substantially hirizontal orientation throughout the range of travel and the orientation does not changes so that the platform remains level while the platform moves throughout the range of travel; wherein the coupling of the base to the platform comprises an adjustable post. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18)
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19. An apparatus for use by a person in a seated or other position on a platform, comprising:
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a base, for supporting the platform, and adapted for coupling to the platform by rolling or low-friction sliding engagement so as to allow repetitive travel of the platform toward and away from a neutral position over an allowed range of travel in response to forces exerted by the person via the platform, wherein in the allowed range of travel the platform moves at least horizontally toward and away from the neutral position; wherein the coupling of the base to the platform is such as to provide a restoring force tending to always move or hold the platform in the neutral position in respect to the base with the person supported on the platform and so always urging the platform toward the neutral position, wherein the coupling of the base to the platform is so that the restoring force acting on the platform in the neutral position or even only slightly displaced from the neutral position is adjustable so as to be at least comparable to a force tending to push the platform away from the neutral position caused by the person merely sitting on or being otherwise positioned on the platform in a relaxed state, and further wherein the coupling of the base to the platform is so that the platform remains in a substantially horizontal orientation throughout the range of travel and the orientation does not changes so that the platform remains level while the platform moves throughout the range of travel; wherein the coupling of the base to the platform comprises an adjustable spring for providing the restoring force acting on the platform in the neutral position or even only slightly displaced from the neutral position. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification