CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a division of application Ser. No. 16/589,075 filed Sep. 30, 2019 which has matured into U.S. Pat. No. ______. The parent application is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety:

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to the design of ergonomic sit/stand chairs. So-called “sit/stand” chairs provide an intermediary “perching” position that is a healthy alternative to sitting or standing. Sit/stand chairs are popular, particularly in the office and industrial environments, for use with desks and computer workstations. Sit/stand chairs are considered a subset of ergonomic chairs, with the differentiating features being an elevated seat height, forward sloping seat angle, and the ability to resist leaning loads.

Sit/stand chairs are often referred to as “active seating”, since the user is required to support part of their weight with their legs, which is essentially a low-level isostatic exercise, which stimulates blood flow to the legs. From a sit-stand or perching position, the transition to standing position is nearly effortless. The sit/stand posture is not intended as a primary seating position, but rather an alternative to augment sitting and standing.

The sit/stand posture is ideal for professions that require standing attention such as police and security guards, coaches, musicians, artists, draftsmen, trade show exhibitors, and lecturers. For example, salespersons attending trade shows would benefit greatly as they would eliminate the wasteful and exhausting repetition of the up-down motion required to rise from a conventional chair every time a potential customer passes by. The sit/stand position is also good for people who been seated for extended periods such as air travelers waiting between connecting flights.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are numerous deficiencies associated with the sit/stand chairs identified in the prior art, and this invention serves to address most of these issues in an elegant and novel way. Presently, the use of sit-stand chairs primarily limited to office and manufacturing environments.

Most of the available sit/stand chairs are equipped with large pedestal type bases that are intentionally heavy in order to provide ballast and resistance to tipping. These bases are typically flat and not suitable for rough or uneven surfaces. Other sit-stand chairs feature a flat “floor-like” platform from which the seat support pole is mounted, and on which the user is required to stand while perching. However, if the user lifts their feet of the platform, instability will ensue. Other vertical post-type sit/stand seats utilize a heavy and bulbous base, with a convex surface that enables and encourages a multi-directional rocking motion, which is thus inherently unstable.

The majority of the existing sit/stand seats cannot be folded. In addition, some of these designs are unconventional and unusual to the point of appearing awkward. Most of the existing ergonomic and sit/stand chairs are designed specifically for office and industrial environments are almost completely impractical for use elsewhere. Most are unsuitable for applications where weather resistance, weight, foldability; portability, cost, and style are important considerations.

The present invention will drastically increase the applications for sit/stand chairs, being more afford ability, practical and convenient, enabling utility in home, leisure, and recreational environments.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention comprises ergonomic chair providing a means for sitting in a substantially upright sit/stand position in which the users weight is distributed between their feet and buttocks while perching on an inclined seat, elegantly integrated with a seat and backrest in a unique minimalist design configuration that is strong, stable, comfortable, economical and promotes a healthy alternative to conventional seating. The three-legged base provides a solid, stable footing on, for example, on an uneven surface, and with exceptional structural efficiency, the chair is lightweight and portable with an aesthetically appealing form which follows the function. This novel apparatus combines affordability, functionality and utility in myriad applications and environments hitherto impractical with sit/stand chairs of the prior art.

Embodiments of the present invention include a pair of side panel members, each panel member each panel having opposed mutually parallel sides and

(1) a front leg and a rear chair leg, each chair leg including a chair foot, a seat support, and a chair-back sections, (2) the front edges of each panels are pivotally connected to each other to create a common front chair-foot and thereby enabling the panels to be pivotably spread apart with an included angle providing an appropriate spacing between the two rear chair feet, and (3) an upper frame including a chair back portion as well as a chair backrest member, each chair backrest having first and second of a side panel members; a cross-brace member, having first and second ends, each respective end being mechanically connected to respective side panel members distal to said chair backrest member; and a chair seat member, mechanically connected to each side panel members intermediate said cross-brace member and said chair backrest member, seat member pitched forward at an angle conducive to distributing the user's weight between the feet and buttocks, whereby, the three-legged base provides solid footing on uneven surface, and structural efficiency provided by a panel-type architecture the panels comprising a pyramidal structure with a minimum number of components and connections, resulting in a strong, stable, lightweight and portable design with a unique and aesthetically appealing form following function, this novel invention combines afford ability, functionality and utility in myriad applications and environments hitherto impractical with sit/stand chairs of the prior art.

Other embodiments further include a pair of elongated armrest members extending generally horizontally with respective top surfaces that are coplanar with frontward and rearward extremities, said rearward first ends mechanically connected to said side panels intermediate said chair backrest member and chair seat member, said respective frontward ends being spaced apart more than said respective rearward extremities whereby, the armrests support the user's arms to reduce the weight on the user's feet and buttocks, while also providing a means of stabilizing the arm to hold various items.

In some forms of the present invention one or more of the structural members are connected by means of pivotal and releasable connections enabling the chair members to be folded into a compact flat form approximately the thickness of the two side panels, thus maximizing portability, carrying convenience, storage efficiency, and overall utility in a novel design.

A chair backrest may comprises first and second planar side members and each respective planar side member may be pivotally connected to a respective upper frame. In some embodiments the first and second planar side members are coupled together by a hinge. The first and second planar side members may be coupled together by a barrel type hinge and the first and second planar side members may be coupled together at a vertical centerline of the chair.

Some embodiments include a cross-brace member, having two ends, the ends pivot-ally connected to the side panels, each of the cross-brace members comprises two equal length half-sections in some embodiments that are pivotally connected at a vertical centerline.

Embodiments may include a pair of armrest members having first and second ends, the rearward first ends pivotally connected to the upper portion of the side panels, and the second ends extending forward at a generally horizontal angle and diverging to an appropriate width, and a pair of armrest support members having first and second ends, the lower first ends pivotally connected to the side panels members, and the upper second ends releasably connecting to and supporting the forward second ends of the armrest members.

The chair backrest members may be pivotally connected at a vertical centerline and the pivotal connection may also be releasable at the pivot axis thus enabling the upper portions of the side panels to be separable, and the side panels being split about a horizontal axis in the approximate mid-height of the panels, with the upper and lower halves of the panels being pivotally connected enabling the upper halves of the panels to fold outward and downward into a position in parallel contact with the lower sides of the panels, whereby, the overall folded height of the chair can be reduced by approximately 50% while the overall thickness of the folded chair will increase to approximately four times the thickness of the side panels.

One or more of the structural members may comprises a fabric, webbing, or rope material. One or more of the mechanical connections are pivotal connections, and/or releasable connections that are enabled by means of a flexible joint or hinge comprising a fabric, webbing or rope material. Some forms of the chair may comprise a means of adjusting one or more positions of the seat, backrest, armrests, and feet locations, to accommodate the size and proportions of the user's body as well as seating preferences. The means of adjustments may comprises electronically controlled electro-mechanical actuators with wired or wireless power, and wired or wireless controls.

The chair may include means of independently adjusting the height of each of the legs, enabling the chair to be leveled for use on significantly uneven surfaces swell as rolling elements selected from the group consisting of wheels or casters, with or without locking brakes, on one or more of the chair feet in addition to means of achieving a rocking motion, either by means of a conventional convex rocking rail or by means of spring/damper type elements incorporated into the chair feet.

Some forms of the chair further comprising a means of receiving and releasably connecting with a desk-type work surface enabling the chair function as a base for transformation as a standing desk in addition to means provided for the quick and easy disassembly of the structural members enabling the chairs to be broken-down to a level sufficiently convenient for storage or transportation. Embodiments comprise one or more footrests and one or more of the seat, backrest or armrest members may be contoured, padded, and or covered with materials suitable for maximizing comfort and or support.

Additional features and advantages are realized through the techniques of the present invention. Other embodiments and aspects of the invention are described in detail herein and are considered a part of the claimed invention.

The recitation herein of desirable objects which are met by various embodiments of the present invention is not meant to imply or suggest that any or all of these objects are present as essential features, either individually or collectively, in the most general embodiment of the present invention or in any of its more specific embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The subject matter which is regarded as the invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. Although specific features of various exemplary embodiments of the invention may be shown in some drawings and not in others, this is for convenience only. In accordance with the principles of the invention, any feature of a drawing maybe referenced and/or claimed in combination with any feature of any other drawing.

The invention, however, both as to organization and method of practice, together with the further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective isometric view of the chair in accordance with the present embodiment of this invention, this embodiment comprising a foldable geometry comprising a primarily flat panel type member.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the embodiment of FIG. 1, shown in an unfolded seating position.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 1, shown in an unfolded seating position.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the embodiment of FIG. 1, shown folded into a flat position.

FIG. 5 is another isometric view of the embodiment of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is another side view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 shown with an approximation of critical dimensions.

FIG. 7 is another side view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 shown with an approximation of the critical forces and load conditions.

FIG. 8 is a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 shown in a folded position.

FIG. 9 is an isometric view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 shown in a folded position;

FIG. 10 is a side view of the chair in accordance with another alternate embodiment of the present invention, this embodiment being similar to the chair of FIG. 1, without the optional armrests.

FIG. 11 is a front view of the chair of FIG. 1, further comprising an optional desk type work surface supported by the armrests of the chair.

FIG. 12 is a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 is a top view of the embodiment of FIG. 11.

FIG. 14 is another isometric view of the embodiment of FIG. 11.

FIG. 15 is a side view of the chair in accordance with another alternate embodiment of the present invention comprising a foldable geometry comprising primarily flat panel type members, with armrests, armrest supports, and a seat that fold in an upward direction.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The significant components of the various configurations of the invention are shown notionally and numerically labeled. The dimensional ranges associated with the most significant geometric features are shown. All dimensions are approximate. Directions of motion associated with folding versions of the chair are also shown. Ordinary and inconsequential components such as fasteners and connecting hardware, that would be obvious to an individual skilled in the art, have been omitted for clarity. The following is a listing of item numbers:

- 1. Rear Legs
- 2. Front Leg
- 3. Upper Frame (an extension of the front leg 2.)
- 4. Backrest
- 5. Armrest
- 6. Seat (aka Saddle)
- 7. Footrest
- 8. Adjustment Holes (or slots)
- 9. Hinge Pins (scissor-type)
- 10. Backrest (flexible)
- 11. Hinge (barrel-type)
- 12. Fastener (fixed type)
- 13. Joint (fixed)
- 14. Integrated Front Leg, Seat, Upper Frame, and Backrest
- 15. Integrated Front Leg, Rear Legs, Front/Rear Leg Connector, and Upper Frame
- 16. Rear Leg to Rear Leg Connector
- 17. Armrest
- 18. Rocking Chair Rails
- 19. Overall Width Dimension
- 20. Overall Depth Dimension
- 21. Height at Front of Seat
- 22. Downward Slope Angle of the Seat
- 23. Height of the Armrest
- 24. Overall Height
- 25. Reaction Forces at Floor
- 26. Force Loads applied to Seat, Backrest, and Armrests
- 27. Center of Gravity and location of users Sitz Bones (approximate)
- 28. Cutout for Armrest (while nesting in folded position)
- 29. Front/Rear Leg Connector and Footrest
- 30. Direction of Rotation of Rear Leg (while folding)
- 31. Direction of Rotation of Front/Rear Leg Connector (while folding)
- 32. Direction of Rotation of Seat (while folding)
- 33. Direction of Rotation of Armrest Support (while folding)
- 34. Desktop/Work Surface
- 35. Angle Between Spine and Thighs while Perched in Sit/Stand Position
- 36. Direction of Rotation of Armrest Support (while folding)
- 37. Forward/Rearward Seat Pivot Feature
- 38. Range of Motion of Seat Pivot (from Horizontal Reference)
- 39. Pivot Adjustment and Locking Feature

In the present embodiments, the novel invention features include a panel-type frame structure wherein exceptional structural efficiency is provided by a panel-type construction with a minimum number of components, and the load-bearing members arranged in triangulated pyramidal architecture. In a folding version of this panel-type design barrel-type hinge connections enabling the predominantly flat chair members to be sequentially folded into a compact flat form thereby maximizing portability, carrying convenience, storage efficiency, and overall utility.

Further, this invention includes means for adjustability of each of the support surfaces, to accommodate anatomical size and user preferences, as well as to promote comfort and good posture. The user may adjust the position base on their own personal estimation of fit and comfort, or they may follow recommended position guidelines derived from anthropometric studies and established based on the user's height and gender, body mass index, or physical handicaps. Some embodiments of this invention enable complex folding and a broad range of adjustability by varying a combination of simple pivot locations, rotational positions, and lengths of the members that comprise this chair. The adjustments may be locked in position by any suitable means of retention. The particular means by which these adjustable and lockable functions may be achieved are well known and obvious to those skilled in the art.

Optionally, the chair may be equipped with a footrest that may be adjustable and could fold out of the way when unwanted or for stowage. The invention may also have one or more of the legs equipped with wheels, casters or rocking members. Additionally, the invention also encompasses accessories such as desktop type work surface, which further contribute to the utility and comfort of the seating system and experience.

In another embodiment of the invention, the chair comprises means by which to enable a rocking motion. The rocking action may be achieved via a conventional pair of curved rocking rails typically used on rocking chairs.

Additionally, any number of complimentary optional features and accessories may be incorporated into the design of the chair to increase the convenience or comfort or utility. Such accessories may include wheels or casters, carrying handles or slings, stowage cases straps or hangers. A particularly useful accessory for the invention, comprises, an armrest with an integrated desktop type surface could be used to support reading and writing materials, as well as tablet and laptop computers. The chair may be equipped with provisions to accommodate any number of critical everyday carry items such as smart phones, food, and beverages. For example, the chair may be equipped to hold a fishing rod or hunting implement.

Several design variations, methods, materials, and functional elements associated with the construction of the invention, some of which are presented hereafter.

Fabric type materials are suitable for constructing certain elements of the invention. The seat, backrests, and armrests may be comprised of any suitable material including fabric, webbing, rope, mesh, belting, leather, polymer, composite, or foam. Contact surfaces may be contoured to distribute the force on the user's anatomy thereby reducing pressure and increasing comfort. The surfaces that contact and support the user may be filled with any suitable cushioning materials such as such as foams, memory foam, gels, air, or granular filling. The seating surfaces may be textured to resist slippage and insulated to conserve heat, or vented to promote cooling.

Alternately, the seating members may comprise of bow-type structural members that are axially stiff, yet relatively flexible in bending along at least one axis. By adjusting the constraint conditions and preload on these bowed elements, the shape and stiffness of the chair may be permanently or adjustably manipulated. Moreover, the ends of the bowed elements may also be cantilevered out beyond the supports wherein their bending stiffness is reduced. The bowed elements may be sized, shaped, and formed to maximize comfort or style. Any number of relatively strong and stiff materials such as fiber-reinforced composites, spring-steel, plastic, metal, or wood, would be suitable for construction of these bowed elements.

While this invention can be executed any number of suitable materials, extruded custom or stock aluminum profiles in particular, are ideal for the design and construction of many of the required components. Aluminum is provides good combination of strength, lightweight, corrosion resistance, machinability, and relatively low cost. Similarly, fiberglass reinforced structural composite materials can be produced the form of custom profiles via a pultrusion process. Custom aluminum or fiberglass profiles may provide many advantages. The exterior and interior profile features can be specifically designed for receiving hardware for interconnecting the chair members and or for mounting accessories.

Within certain limitations, aluminum profile can be rolled, bent, or formed into curved members.

However, in an alternate method of construction method, the profiles comprising the frame structure may be segmented at angles. The segments may be arranged in order to introduce a form fitting curvature to the structure. One method comprises the use of a reinforcing member such as a wire rope or cable. The cable provides both an axial alignment means as well as a tensioning capability which provides a flexural stiffening effect on the member. In another embodiment of the invention, the angular relationship between the segments may be varied or adjusted by using wedged or adjustable spacer inserts. In the above arrangement, the segments act in a manner analogous to the vertebrae in a spine, while the reinforcing members act in a manner analogous to a structurally significant spinal cord.

Telescoping structural tubing could be utilized to enable adjustability and provides the ability to minimize size in the folded or stowed condition. The telescoping members may adjusted by locking collet-type clamps. Alternately, the telescopic or male/female tube members may feature detent holes with button-type locking means or adjustable position pins. The telescopic members may be circular or of the non-circular non-rotating type that would enable the members to support of torsional loads and may also be held together by means of an in internal bungee-cord in a shock-pole configuration.

Alternately, the chair could be formed or molded from plastic resins, composites, or vacuum formed from thermoplastic sheet stock Similarly, the chair may be formed, welded, or rigidly bolted from metal. By eliminating the need for the pivoting joints, the structure of the chair is transformed from a three dimensional linkage to a structurally superior three-dimensional space frame.

With respect to connecting hardware, rigid or semi-rigid locking features may be integrated into the design enabling the individual components of the chair to be secured in both the folded and unfolded condition. Custom hinged and rotating joints could be used to maximize strength and minimize the stresses on the structural members of the chair. Elastomeric bearings may be integrated into the joints to absorb shock and distribute force, while also pre-tensioning the critical hinge joints.

All publications and patent applications mentioned in this specification are indicative of the level of skill of those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains. All publications and patent applications are herein incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual publication or patent application was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference.

It will be understood that, in general, terms used herein, and especially in the appended claims, are generally intended as “open” terms (e.g., the term “including” should be interpreted as “including but not limited to,” the term “having” should be interpreted as “having at least,” the term “includes” should be interpreted as “includes but is not limited to,” etc.). It will be further understood that if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is intended such an intent will be explicitly recited in the claim, and in the absence of such recitation no such intent is present. For example, as an aid to understanding, the following appended claims may contain usage of introductory phrases such as “at least one” or “one or more” to introduce claim recitations. However, the use of such phrases should not be construed to imply that the introduction of a claim recitation by the indefinite articles “a” or “an” limits any particular claim containing such introduced claim recitation to inventions containing only one such recitation, even when the same claim includes the introductory phrases “one or more” or “at least one” and indefinite articles such as “a” or “an” (e.g., “an imager” should typically be interpreted to mean “at least one imager”); the same holds true for the use of definite articles used to introduce claim recitations. In addition, even if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is explicitly recited, it will be recognized that such recitation should typically be interpreted to mean at least the recited number (e.g., the bare recitation of “two images,” or “a plurality of images,” without other modifiers, typically means at least two images). Furthermore, in those instances where a phrase such as “at least one of A, B, and C,” “at least one of A, B, or C,” or “an [item] selected from the group consisting of A, B, and C,” is used, in general such a construction is intended to be disjunctive (e.g., any of these phrases would include but not be limited to systems that have A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, or A, B, and C together, and may further include more than one of A, B, or C, such as A1, A2, and C together, A, B1, B2, C1, and C2 together, or B1 and B2 together). It will be further understood that virtually any disjunctive word or phrase presenting two or more alternative terms, whether in the description, claims, or drawings, should be understood to contemplate the possibilities of including one of the terms, either of the terms, or both terms. For example, the phrase “A or B” will be understood to include the possibilities of “A” or “B” or “A and B.”

Although the description above contains many specifics, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention, but as merely providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of this invention. Thus, the scope of this invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents. Therefore, it will be appreciated that the scope of the present invention fully encompasses other embodiments which may become obvious to those skilled in the art, and that the scope of the present invention is accordingly to be limited by the appended claims, in which reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean “one and only one” unless explicitly so stated, but rather “one or more.” All structural, chemical, and functional equivalents to the elements of the above-described preferred embodiment that are known to those of ordinary skill in the art are expressly incorporated herein by reference and are intended to be encompassed by the present claims. Moreover, it is not necessary for a device or method to address each and every problem sought to be solved by the present invention, for it to be encompassed by the present claims. Furthermore, no element, component, or method step in the present disclosure is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether the element, component, or method step is explicitly recited in the claims. No claim element herein is to be construed under the provisions of 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, unless the element is expressly recited using the phrase “means for.”

This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal language of the claims.

While the invention has been described in terms of various specific embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the claims. While certain embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, various modifications are contemplated and can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is intended that the invention is not to be limited, except as by the appended claim(s).

The teachings disclosed herein may be applied to other systems and may not necessarily be limited to any described herein. The elements and acts of the various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments. All of the above patents and applications and other references, including any that may be listed in accompanying filing papers, are incorporated herein by reference. Aspects of the invention can be modified, if necessary, to employ the systems, functions and concepts of the various references described above to provide yet further embodiments of the invention.

Particular terminology used when describing certain features or aspects of the invention should not be taken to imply that the terminology is being refined herein to be restricted to any specific characteristics, features, or aspects of the present invention with which that terminology is associated. In general, the terms used in the following claims should not be constructed to limit the present invention to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification unless the above description section explicitly define such terms. Accordingly, the actual scope encompasses not only the disclosed embodiments, but also all equivalent ways of practicing or implementing the disclosed present invention. The above description of embodiments of the present invention is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the precise form disclosed above or to a particular field of usage.

While certain aspects of the present invention are presented below in particular claim forms, various aspects of the present invention are contemplated in any number of claim forms. Thus, the inventor reserves the right to add additional claims after filing the application to pursue such additional claim forms for other aspects of the present invention.