Ergonomic productivity workstation having coordinated and harmonized movement of head rest, backrest, seat, leg rest, arm rests, monitor support, and work trays through sitting, standing, and reclining configurations

• US 8,939,500 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2014
• Issued: 01/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sv Tool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Sv Tool Corporation
• Inventors: Voigt, Che, Speicher, John M.
• Primary Examiner(s): WHITE, RODNEY BARNETT
• Application Number:
  US14/216,426
• Publication Number:
  US 20140265460A1
• Time in Patent Office: 316 Days
• Field of Search: 297/217.3, 297/161, 297/170, 297/172, 297/173
• US Class Current: 297/173
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2083/025 Computer workstation with integrated seat
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/0242 by electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/036 the parts including a head-rest
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/037 in combination with a leg-rest or foot-rest
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/004 for chairs or stools with central column, e.g. office chairs
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/006 with castors
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/72 Adaptations for incorporating lamps, radio sets, bars, telephones, ventilation, heating or cooling arrangements or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/723 with display screens

Abstract

An ergonomic workstation that includes a base; an effective hip axis affixed to the base; a seat bottom that rotates about the effective hip axis; a seat back that rotates about the effective hip axis; an effective shoulder axis positionally fixed to the seat back; an effective elbow axis positionally fixed to the seat back; a monitor support having a monitor mount that rotates about the shoulder axis; and an input device tray support configured such that an input device tray on the support rotates about the elbow axis. As the workstation moves through a broad range of operational zones, it maintains a fixed eye-to-monitor distance and fixed angle between the user'"'"'s head and the monitor throughout a significant portion of the range of motion, and a fixed distance from the user'"'"'s elbow to an input device throughout the entire range of motion.

Claims

1. A chair, comprising:

a base for placement on a surface having a ground plane;

an effective hip axis affixed to said base;

a seat bottom that rotates about said effective hip axis;

a seat back that rotates about said effective hip axis;

an effective shoulder axis positionally fixed to said seat back;

an effective elbow axis positionally fixed to said seat back;

a monitor support configured such that a monitor mounted on said monitor support rotates about said effective shoulder axis; and

an input device tray support configured such that an input device tray mounted on said input device tray support rotates about said effective elbow axis;

wherein said chair has a sitting range of motion, a reclining range of motion, and a transition range of motion between said sitting and reclining ranges in which said input device tray and a monitor mounted on said monitor support move down and back toward said seat back and said seat bottom while maintaining a fixed angle relative to a ground plane as said seat back rotates back through said sitting range of motion.

2. The chair of claim 1, wherein said input device tray and a monitor mounted on said monitor support are held at approximately fixed angles relative to said seat back as said seat back rotates about said hip axis though said reclining range of motion.

3. The chair of claim 1, wherein the angle of said input device tray and a monitor mounted on said monitor support changes at a faster rate than the rate at which the angle of said seat back changes as said seat back rotates in said transition range of motion.

4. The chair of claim 1, wherein said seat bottom rotates in the direction of said seat back as said seat back rotates through a predetermined range of motion and then remains at a fixed angle as said seat back is further rotated.

5. The chair of claim 1, wherein said chair may be configured for use in a plurality of zones of operation, including a sitting zone, a transition zone, and a reclining zone, and wherein said chair further includes a moveable head rest mounted to said seat back that is driven forward to support a user'"'"'s head in the reclining zone, begins to withdraw from the user'"'"'s head in the transition zone, and is held clear of the user'"'"'s head in at least a portion of the sitting zone.

6. The chair of claim 1, further including a retractable leg rest affixed to said seat bottom.

7. The chair of claim 6, wherein said leg rest includes a plurality of panels.

8. The chair of claim 7, wherein said leg rest moves from a retracted position to a deployed position using linear actuators and from a deployed position to a less deployed position or a fully retracted position using at least one cable routed over and around a plurality of pulleys disposed on the underside of said panels.

9. The chair of claim 1, wherein said effective hip axis, said effective elbow axis, and said effective shoulder axis are positioned so as to be generally aligned with the hip, elbow, and shoulder joints, respectively, of a human user sitting on said seat bottom and leaning against said seat back.

10. The chair of claim 1, wherein said seat back motion about said hip axis, said seat bottom motion about said hip axis, said input device tray motion about said elbow axis, and said monitor mount motion about said hip axis are each constrained by a mechanical pivot located on the respective axis.

11. The chair of claim 1, wherein said seat back motion and said seat bottom motion about said hip axis, said input device tray motion about said elbow axis, and said monitor mount motion about said shoulder axis, are each defined by mechanisms not mechanically aligned with said axes but which produce virtual axes corresponding to each of said hip axis, said elbow axis, and said shoulder axis.

12. The chair of claim 1, wherein the distance from said hip axis to the ground can be adjusted.

13. The chair of claim 1, wherein said monitor mount and said input device tray rotate about a vertical axis so as to facilitate mounting and dismounting said chair and so as to enable a user to stand directly in front of a monitor mounted on said monitor mount and an input device tray mounted on said input device tray support.

14. An ergonomic workstation, comprising:

a base for placement on a surface having a ground plane;

a hip axis affixed to said base;

a seat bottom that rotates about said hip axis;

a seat back that rotates about said hip axis;

an elbow axis fixed to said seat back; and

an input device tray support configured such that an input device tray mounted on said input device tray support rotates about said elbow axis;

wherein said ergonomic workstation has a sitting range of motion, a reclining range of motion, and a transition range of motion between said sitting and reclining ranges in which said input device tray moves down and back toward said seat back and said seat bottom while maintaining a fixed angle relative to a ground plane as said seat back rotates back through said sitting range of motion.

15. The workstation of claim 14, wherein said workstation has a reclining range of motion in which said input device tray is held at an approximately fixed angle relative to said seat back as said seat back rotates about said hip axis.

16. The workstation of claim 14, wherein said workstation has a sitting range of motion, a reclining range of motion, and a transition range of motion between said sitting and reclining ranges, wherein when in said transition range of motion the angle of said input device tray changes at a faster rate than the rate at which the angle of said seat back changes as said seat back rotates through said transition range of motion.

17. The workstation of claim 14, further including:

a shoulder axis positionally fixed to said seat back; and

a monitor support configured such that a monitor mounted on said monitor support rotates about said shoulder axis.

18. The workstation of claim 17, wherein said workstation has a sitting range of motion in which said input device tray and a monitor mounted on said monitor support are held at approximately fixed angles relative to one another as said seat back rotates about said hip axis.