EP0761136A1 - Active dynamic seat - Google Patents

Abstract

The curved basic surface (1A) is spherically curved at least partially. A seat squab (2) is inclinable mounted, tilting to all sides, on a support point (3A). The support point lies either underneath the curvature centre point of the basic surface or is adjustable within a height range, the lower limit of which is located beneath the curvature centre point and its upper limit lies beneath the curvature centre point or coincides with it. On the seat part a connecting component (4) is fitted, which locates on a support. The connecting component is formed as an elastically sprung or bendable part, e.g. as a rubber plate. The support is a downwardly curved base, partic. a point, needle or dome, the highest point of which is the support point.

Description

The invention relates to a height-adjustable seat device and a joint (or: seat part storage) for a seat part of a seat device that can be tilted elastically on all sides.

Nowadays, the design of conventional seating devices, in particular office chairs, mostly takes place from the point of view of ergonomics, i.e. the physical design of the workplaces. In practice, office chairs are therefore often designed in such a way that the body is supported in an anatomically favorable position and stresses are largely avoided. Although the seats and backrests of conventional body furniture, especially the back, are usually perceived as comfortable when in use, they have the disadvantage that the back muscles, in particular the muscles that hold the spine, are hardly used. because the body only "sits passively". This can lead to degeneration of the back muscles and damage to the spine, such as wear on the intervertebral discs, damage to posture, etc.

In the case of seating furniture, it makes ergonomic sense to provide a seat part which is mounted so that it can be tilted to all sides with an elastic restoring force, so that active, dynamic sitting is ensured. Such a seat part enables the seated person to return to the starting position when tilting from the upright sitting position with relatively little body work.

Seat devices have therefore been developed in the prior art which enable more active sitting. What these seat devices have in common is that the seat is in an unstable position, that is to say the body is forced to actively keep its balance by operating the back muscles. Particularly noteworthy here is the so-called "Pezzi-Ball", an air-filled exercise ball made of plastic, in which the air filling causes a suspension in the vertical direction. Despite its relatively good overall physiological properties, the Pezzi Ball is primarily a physiotherapy device and not a seat device. When used as a seat device, it is in particular not secured against tipping over, since the seated person assumes an essentially unstable equilibrium position. In addition, it is also susceptible to destruction, since its plastic skin, particularly under load and when rolling over pointed objects, can be damaged relatively easily and leads to the ball bursting. Its relatively bulging volume also has a restrictive effect on its use as a seating device. The active-dynamic, real seating devices developed in the prior art, on the other hand, mostly have non-optimal physiological properties. The so-called "Tendel" from the company Thomas Möbel has an articulated joint halfway between a seat part and a foot part to tilt the seat part out of the equilibrium position. However, this seat device has the disadvantage that the seat height changes when tilted and the seat surface is no longer in a horizontal plane, which in use can lead to curvature of the spine. In addition, the seated person is in an unstable equilibrium with this seat device and only returns to the normal position after lateral deflection through active footwork.

However, the designs provided for tilting the seat part in the prior art are unsatisfactory for various reasons. The various in the state of the Known spring and tilt joints, by means of which the seat parts are designed to be tiltable, have either proved to be too complex or not ergonomically optimal.

From DE-OS 2314717 a seat device with two spring and tilt joints is known, in which, however, the seated person is also in an unstable equilibrium and only returns to the normal position after lateral deflection by active leg work. Furthermore, a work chair is known from DE 2944674, the rigid seat surface of which causes a physiologically undesirable curvature of the spine with each deflection.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a seat device which enables active sitting and which has improved physiological properties compared to the seat devices known in the prior art, does not exert any constraining forces on the spine and at the same time can be used in as many ways as possible, and a joint for a seat part To indicate, which is inexpensive to manufacture, on the one hand, and on the other hand offers the seated person the necessary dynamics while at the same time preventing tipping and adapting to individual factors such as body weight or comfort.

This object is solved by the features of claims 1 and 11, respectively. Advantageous refinements are specified in the subclaims.

The invention has the particular advantage that, compared to the "Pezzi" gymnastics ball, it has a genuine seating device that has at least as good, if not better, seat physiological properties as the "Pezzi Ball". The seat device according to the present invention has, like a gymnastics ball, a curved support surface. This is spherically shaped at least in a partial area around a support point located on the support surface. The seat device is provided with a seat part, that is stored in a support point. The support point is either below the center of curvature of the base or is adjustable within a height range, the lower limit of which is below the center of curvature and the upper limit of which is below or essentially coincides with the center of curvature. The seated person is therefore always in a stable equilibrium position even at larger tilt angles. When sitting on a ball, there is always an unstable equilibrium. It is only through the change in shape (flattening) of the air-filled ball on the seat and the support surface that a quasi-indifferent balance is created in use and at small tilt angles.

The seat part is tiltably mounted in the support point in order to enable the seated person to sit upright at every tilt angle. This can e.g. by a connecting element attached to the seat part, e.g. a rubber plate, which is supported by a suitable support, whereby the seat part can be tilted to all sides.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the seat part can additionally be cushioned in the vertical direction for physiological reasons.

Fig. 1

eine bevorzugte Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemäßen Sitzvorrichtung;

Fig. 2

eine bevorzugte Ausführungsform des oberen Teils einer Sitzvorrichtung nach Fig. 1;

Fig. 3

eine mögliche weitere Ausführungsform des oberen Teils einer Sitzvorrichtung nach Fig. 1; und

Fig. 4

eine bevorzugte Ausführungsform des erfindungsgemäßen Sitzteilgelenks (nicht maßstabsgetreu).

The invention is explained below with reference to the particularly preferred embodiments shown in the figures. Show it:

Fig. 1

a preferred embodiment of the seat device according to the invention;

Fig. 2

a preferred embodiment of the upper part of a seat device according to Fig. 1;

Fig. 3

a possible further embodiment of the upper part of a seat device according to Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4

a preferred embodiment of the seat part joint according to the invention (not to scale).

The seat device 10 shown schematically in FIG. 1 contains a foot part 1 which has a curved support surface 1A, so that the seat device 10 rests in equilibrium in a support point 1B of the support surface 1A on a flat surface and can be tilted. The seat device 10 also has a seat part 2, which is supported by a column part 3 at a point 3A. The seat part 2 can spring in the vertical direction. In the support or support point 3A there is a joint, for example a ball joint, which causes the seat part 2 to be tiltable in all directions with respect to the column part 3. Instead of a joint, a support can also be provided on a calotte, a tip or a needle, as will be explained below. In the case of a "Pezzi ball" used as a seat device, these elements are all connected to one another in one piece, the seat surface being spaced apart from the support surface by the diameter of the ball. This has the disadvantage that the equilibrium position is fundamentally unstable. This is practically mitigated by the fact that the plastic skin of the air-filled ball resiliently springs under load and thus the top and bottom of the ball are flattened horizontally when sitting, which results in a quasi-indifferent equilibrium position with small tilt angles. As the angle of tilt increases, however, the equilibrium position becomes increasingly unstable and the seated person is no longer sufficiently secured against tipping over. In the seating device according to the invention, this problem is mitigated from the outset in that the support surface 1A is formed as part of a spherical surface at least in a partial area around the equilibrium support point 1B of the foot part 1, the center of curvature 1C being the Ball surface is above the support or support point 3A of the seat part 2 or essentially coincides with this. This means that the seated person is always in a stable state of equilibrium when the seat device is tilted. The seat device can be designed such that the support point is at a constant height H below the center of curvature of the support surface. However, as is provided in FIG. 1, a height adjustment 3B, for example in the form of a gas pressure spring, can be arranged in the column part 3, by means of which the support point 3A and thus the seat part 2 can be adjusted in a height range. This height range has a lower limit, which is in any case below the center of curvature. The upper limit can either be below the center of curvature or essentially coincide with it. With the last-mentioned height adjustment, the seated person moves in an indifferent balance when tilted at a constant height (like the hub of a rolling wheel), while he is always in a stable balance at all other height settings. It is important that the seat follows every movement of the seated person without resistance, that no undesirable constraining forces are exerted on the spine and that no footwork has to be used to return to the normal position after tilting. This is the case with the seat device according to the invention, since a restoring moment is generated in the event of a tilt when the support point is below the center of curvature. If the support point is set to a height H which corresponds to the radius of curvature of the contact surface, there is an indifferent equilibrium. Such an adjustment has the advantage of the seat height remaining the same when tilted. Particularly in the case of applications for children, however, one should rather think of the stable embodiment, in which the height of the support point below the center of curvature is continuously adjusted as the child grows. This The height of the support point can be adjusted, for example, by means of a gas pressure spring or a screw thread, or by a discontinuous locking device, in which tubes can be pushed into one another and can be locked in certain relative positions by means of pins and holes (such as with crutches, for example).

The seat is advantageously arranged so that it can be tilted on all sides so that it does not become skewed in the event of lateral deflections and consequently exerted forces on the spine and holding device and, in particular, no lateral curvature of the spine, which is undesirable from a health point of view, with corresponding incorrect loading. The inclinability of the seat also allows the pelvis to be tilted forward (as with the "knee chair"), even in the zero position. Finally, the seat, which can be tilted to all sides and therefore remains horizontal, prevents you from having to constantly resist foot slipping from an oblique seat surface when the chair is deflected sideways.

From a medical point of view, additional suspension of the seat part 2 in the vertical direction leads to a kind of "pumping effect" on the intervertebral discs. The elasticity of the suspension can be adjusted to adapt it to individual requirements, such as body weight. Instead of an elastic spring, a rigid connecting element, e.g. a rigid rod may be provided. The vertical suspension can then e.g. be provided by an elastic foot part.

In Fig. 2, a practical embodiment of the seat device according to Fig. 1 and a possible type of support on the support point 3A is shown schematically. Reference symbols were chosen in a corresponding manner. In this embodiment, the column part 3 is provided with a cap 5, in the highest point 3A of which Seat part is supported. The seat part 2 has a hard rubber plate 4 fastened to its lower region, which is mounted in the support point 3A of the calotte 5 so that it can be tilted on all sides. The hard rubber plate 4 thus takes over the function of a vertical suspension of the seat part. As an alternative to storage on a spherical cap, a point or needle bearing can also be provided.

According to FIG. 3, a second hard rubber disk 6 can also be additionally provided, which is arranged below the hard rubber plate 4 in a ring around the column part 3 in order to oppose the resilient resistance from below when the seat device is loaded from above. This second suspension can, depending on the individual requirements - e.g. Body weight - can be adjusted, e.g. in that it is adjustable in height on the column part 3, as indicated schematically in FIG. 2 by the screw thread. During a tilting process, the column part 3 is tilted by the tilt angle and the hard rubber plate 4 with the seat part 2 tilts in the opposite direction around the support point 3A of the calotte 5 in the opposite direction. As a result, the seat part 2 retains its relative position due to its counter-tilting with regard to support point 3A. The elasticity of the hard rubber plate 4 thus ensures the vertical suspension of the seat device. The seat height can be adjusted relatively easily by varying the thickness of the hard rubber plate 4.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 1 shows a support surface 1A, which is designed as a spherical surface in its entirety. Instead, however, a support surface can also be provided, which is spherical only in a central partial area around the equilibrium support point 1B, but outside of this area has a shape deviating from the spherical surface. This can be used in an advantageous manner to secure the seating device according to the invention against tipping over.

For this purpose, a radially outer area is shaped in such a way that a restoring torque is generated at large tilting angles, for example by the radius of curvature continuously increasing outwards in this area, e.g. like a parabola or hyperbola. A correspondingly designed tilt-proof embodiment of the present invention is particularly advantageous for children or the disabled.

In a further advantageous manner, as also embodied in the preferred exemplary embodiments shown in the figures, the seat surface 2B has a convex shape in order to ensure unimpeded freedom of movement, in particular for the thighs, and thus also to activate the entire leg muscles when sitting. In a further advantageous manner, the support point 3A can be arranged eccentrically so far to the rear that the pelvis is forced to tilt forward when sitting.

The inclination of the seat part 2 by the support in the support point 3A can also be designed as an elastic joint suspension with a restoring force. In this case, the balance, which is indifferent without restoring force, becomes an overall stable balance.

The column and foot part can also be designed as a single, design unit, for example as a cone or cylinder with an (at least partially) spherical base. For the rest, the construction permits designs in all materials, i.e. in plastic, metal or wood or their combinations. This has the further advantage of being considerably more resistant to destruction than the known air-filled gymnastics balls made of plastic such as the "Pezzi-Ball". As with the Pezzi ball, the foot part of the seating device according to the invention can also be elastic, for example in the form of an inflatable, air-filled hollow body which has an elastic membrane.

In such an embodiment, a vertical suspension would then be generated by the foot part.

Due to its good physiological properties, the seating device according to the invention can also be used as a work or office chair. Thanks to its height adjustment, it can be used universally for all body sizes. Due to their safety against tipping, they can be used by children or the disabled.

According to FIG. 4, a seat device contains a support part 11 which has a curved support surface 11A at its upper end, that is to say, for example, it is designed as a spherical cap with a centrally flattened spherical surface. A seat part is fixedly connected in its lower region to a plate 12A made of rubber or another elastic material, which contains a through hole in a central region. The through hole is formed by the interior of an annular metal or plastic reinforcement 12B, which is U-shaped in cross section. Instead of a U shape, an L shape or a simple socket could also be selected. The reinforcement is firmly connected to the elastic plate. The through hole serves for the defined fastening of the elastic plate to the support part by means of a screw 12C. The screw 12C can be inserted through a through hole in the top surface of the support part and fastened on the inside of the top surface with a screw nut. The attachment can of course also be carried out in another suitable manner.

An annular, rubber-reinforced limiter 13 is attached to the support part at a short distance therefrom. This consists of an annular carrier 13A and a recess formed therein for receiving a ring 13B made of rubber or another elastic material.

Underneath the limiter, an adjusting ring 14 is attached around the support part, which in the preferred embodiment is in screw connection with the support part and accordingly has a thread on its inside, which engages in a corresponding thread on the outside of the support part. The limiter supported by the adjusting ring can thus be adjusted in height by turning the adjusting ring.

If the limiter is shaped cylindrically symmetrically to the axis of the support part, it can also be made in one piece with the adjusting ring in a cost-effective manner. In the preferred exemplary embodiment shown in the figure, however, the limiter and the adjusting ring are separate components, so that the limiter does not rotate when the height is adjusted and can therefore also be non-cylindrically symmetrical to the axis. This can advantageously be used to provide a different elasticity and deflection limitation when tilted in different directions of the seat device. For example, the elastic ring can have different shapes and thicknesses along its circumference, e.g. be higher at the back than at the front in order to achieve a greater elastic limitation at the rear than at the front. It can also be wedge-shaped along a certain circumferential section. It can also be longitudinally oval and positioned eccentrically to the center of the column part. In the same way, the carrier 3A can also be shaped non-cylindrically symmetrically.

The height adjustment can also be made possible by a discontinuous adjustment using bolts and holes made on the support part instead of a screw thread.

The seat part storage according to the invention enables tilting with an elastic restoring force and offers sufficient tipping safety due to the limiter and also an adaptation to different body weights and individual Convenience. It is therefore inexpensive to manufacture and can be used universally with any type of seating device.

The joint according to the invention (or: the seat part bearing) is characterized in particular in that the adjusting ring 14 has a thread on its inside which engages in a corresponding thread on the outside of the support part and by the rotation of which the limiter is adjustable in height, and / or in that the Limiter and the collar are separate components or coherent.

The joint according to the invention is furthermore particularly characterized in that the ring 13B and / or the carrier 13A are not cylindrically symmetrical, in particular are oval or have an enlarged thickness or width in part of their circumference. In addition, the elastic material of the plate 12 and / or the ring 13B can be made of rubber.

Claims (15)

Active-dynamic seat device (10) with a foot part (1), which has an upwardly curved base surface (1A) for a tilting movement, the curved base surface (1A) lying directly on the floor and being spherically curved in at least one partial area, and with a seat part (2) which can be tilted on all sides in a support point (3A), the support point (3A) either being below the center of curvature of the base area or adjustable within a height range whose lower limit lies below the center of curvature and whose upper limit is below or essentially coincides with the center of curvature. Active-dynamic seat device according to claim 1, characterized in that a connecting element (4) is attached to the seat part and rests on a support (5). Active-dynamic seating device according to claim 2, characterized in that the connecting element (4) is designed as an elastically resilient or bendable element, for example as a rubber plate. Active-dynamic seating device according to claim 3, characterized in that the support (5) is a downwardly curved support, in particular a point, a needle or a calotte, the highest point of the support being the support point (3A). Active-dynamic seat device according to claim 3, characterized in that the connecting element is an elastically resilient element with adjustable spring force. Active-dynamic seating device according to claim 2, characterized in that the connecting element (4) is a rigid element. Active-dynamic seating device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the adjustability of the height of the support point is ensured by a gas pressure spring, a screw thread or by other suitable mechanical locks. Active-dynamic seating device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the radius of curvature of the base (1A) increases outwards. Active-dynamic seating device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the foot part (1), which contains the base area (1A), is connected to a column part (3), which contains the support point (3A). Active-dynamic seat device according to claim 9, characterized in that the foot part (1) and the column part (3) are formed in one piece and / or the foot part (1) is designed to be elastically resilient. Hinge for a seat part, characterized by a support part (11) with a downwardly curved upper support surface (11A) and a plate (12A) made of an elastic material and attached to the seat part and inclinable on all sides and around the support part ring-shaped limiter (13) for the plate (12A). Joint according to claim 11, characterized in that the limiter contains a ring (13B) made of an elastic material, which is fastened to an annular support (13A). Joint according to claim 11 or 12, characterized by a height-adjustable adjusting ring (14) arranged below the limiter around the support part. Joint according to one of claims 11 to 13, characterized in that the elastic plate for fixing it to the support part by means of a screw (12C) contains a central through hole which is delimited by an annular metal or plastic reinforcement (12B). Seat device with a joint according to one of claims 11 to 14.

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