EP0761136B1 - Active dynamic seat - Google Patents

Abstract

The seat is attached to an elastic plate (12A), which rests on the spherical top (11A) of the column and is fixed with a screw (12C) guided through a reinforced opening (12B). The tilting motion is terminated by a rubber ring (13B), radial positioned underneath the plate (12A). The column can be adjusted in height with an adjusting ring (14), joined to the column with a threaded area. The stool has a spherical base with a straight top surface, which is joined to a spherical seat by a vertical column (11). The relation between the dimensions of the parts protects the occupant from falling over in case of an extreme tilted position. The seat is attached to an elastic plate (12A), which rests on the spherical top (11A) of the column and is fixed with a screw (12C) guided through a reinforced opening (12B). The tilting motion is terminated by a rubber ring (13B), radial positioned underneath the plate (12A). The column can be adjusted in height with an adjusting ring (14), joined to the column with a threaded area.

Description

The invention relates to a height-adjustable seat device.

The design of conventional seating devices, in particular Office chairs, today mostly takes place from the point of view ergonomics, i.e. the fit of the body Jobs. In practice, office chairs are therefore often used designed so that the body is anatomically Favorable location is supported and thus burdens largely be avoided. The same with conventional seating the body shape, especially the back Seating and backrests are mostly used as felt comfortable, but they have the disadvantage that the Back muscles, especially the muscles, the holding functions on the spine, are hardly used, because the body only "sits passively". This can result in a Degeneration of the back muscles and damage to the Spine such as wear of the intervertebral discs, postural damage etc. lead.

With seating, it makes ergonomic sense to have a seat part to provide the after with an elastic restoring force is tilted on all sides, so that active-dynamic Sitting is guaranteed. Such a seat part makes it possible the seated person, when tilted from the upright sitting position back to the starting position with relatively little body work to get back.

There have therefore been seat devices in the prior art developed to enable more active sitting. This one Seat devices have in common that the seat is in a unstable situation, so the body is forced to be active - by operating the back muscles - the balance to keep. The so-called "Pezzi-Ball", an exercise ball filled with air Plastic, in which the air filling has a suspension in vertical Direction. Despite its overall relative The Pezzi ball has good physiological properties but primarily a physiotherapy device and no seat device. When used as a seat device in particular, it is not secured against tipping over, since the Sitting in a basically unstable equilibrium position. In addition, it is also prone to destruction because its plastic skin, especially under load and when rolling Damaged relatively easily through pointed objects can and leads to the ball bursting. Its relatively bulky Volume also has a restrictive effect its application as a seat device. The in State of the art developed active-dynamic, real Seating devices, however, usually have non-optimal physiological properties. The so-called "tendon" the company Thomas Möbel points out halfway between a seat part and a foot part attached to the joint Tilt the seat part out of the equilibrium position. However, this seat device has the disadvantage that when Tilting the seat height changes and the seat no longer lies in a horizontal plane, resulting in warping in use the spine can lead. Otherwise located the seated in this seat device in an unstable Balance and only comes through after lateral deflection active footwork back to normal.

For tilting the seat part in the prior art However, the proposed constructions are of different types Reasons unsatisfactory. The various in the state of the Technology known spring and tilt joints, through the seat parts are inclinable, have either been too expensive or as ergonomically not optimal.

From DE-OS 2314717 is a seat device with two Spring-tilt joints known, but in which the seated is also in an unstable balance and after lateral deflection only through active footwork the normal situation comes back. Furthermore, from DE 2944674 Known work chair, the rigid seat at each Deflection a physiologically undesirable curvature of the Spine enforces.

From DE-PS 48 348 is a rocking chair with a spherical curved foot part and one in relation to the foot part height-adjustable seat part known.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to Specify seat device that enables active sitting and compared to the seat devices known in the prior art has improved physiological properties, exerts no coercive forces on the spine and at the same time is as versatile as possible, and a joint for one Specify the seat part that is inexpensive to manufacture is, and on the other hand the necessary dynamics to the person sitting simultaneous tipping safety and adaptation to individual Offers factors such as body weight or comfort.

This object is achieved by the features of claim 1 solved. Advantageous embodiments are in the subclaims specified.

The invention has the particular advantage that through it a real seat device compared to the "Pezzi" gymnastic ball, the at least as good, if not even better physiological properties like the "Pezzi-Ball" having. The seat device according to the present invention has a curved support surface like a gymnastic ball on. This is at least in one area a support point located on the support surface is spherical shaped. 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 area or is within a height range adjustable, the lower limit below the Center of curvature lies and its upper limit below of the center of curvature or substantially coincides with this. The seated is thus Always in a stable equilibrium position even with larger tilt angles. Basically, when sitting on a ball an unstable equilibrium. Just by the shape change (flattening) of the air-filled ball the seat and the contact surface is in use and with small tilt angles a quasi-indifferent balance generated.

The seat part is tilted in the support point, an upright sitting position around the seated person at every angle to enable. This can e.g. by one at that Connection element attached to the seat part, e.g. a rubber sheet, be made possible by a suitable support is supported, whereby the seat part on all sides is inclinable.

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

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 has, so that the seat device 10 in balance a support point 1B of the support surface 1A on a flat Pad rests and can be tilted. The seat device 10 also has a seat part 2, which by a column part 3 is supported in a point 3A. The seat part 2 can spring in the vertical direction. By doing Support or support point 3A is a joint, e.g. a ball joint, which causes the seat part 2 is inclinable to the column part 3 on all sides. Instead of a joint, a support can also be used a calotte, a tip or needle may be provided, such as will still be running. With one as a seat device "Pezzi-Ball" used, these elements are all in one piece connected to each other, the seat surface of the support surface is spaced by the diameter of the ball. This has the disadvantage that the equilibrium position in principle is unstable. This is practically mitigated by the fact that the plastic skin of the air-filled ball under load elastic springs and thus the top and bottom of the ball flattened horizontally when sitting, resulting in a quasi-indifferent equilibrium position with small tilt angles results. With increasing tilt angles the equilibrium becomes increasingly unstable and the Seated person is no longer adequately secured against tipping over. This problem is with the seat device according to the invention mitigated from the outset by the fact that the contact surface 1A at least in a partial area around the equilibrium support point 1B of the foot part 1 as part of a spherical surface is formed, the center of curvature 1C of the Sphere surface above the support or support point 3A of the seat part 2 is or essentially with this coincides. This causes the seated when tilting the seat device always in a stable State of equilibrium. The seat device can be designed so that the support point at a constant height H below the center of curvature the contact surface is located. But it can also as provided in Fig. 1, e.g. in the column part 3 a Height adjustment 3B, e.g. in the form of a gas pressure spring, be arranged through which the support point 3A and so that the seat part 2 is adjustable in a height range. This height range has a lower limit, the in any case lies below the center of curvature. The upper limit can either be below the center of curvature lie or essentially coincide with this. Moved at the latter height setting then the seated person tilts at a constant height in the indifferent balance (like the hub of a rolling Rades) while looking at all other height settings is always in a stable equilibrium. Important is making sure that the seat is resistant to every movement of the seated person participates in the fact that there are no undesirable effects on the spine Coercive forces are exerted and that for the return movement in the normal position after tilting no footwork must become. This is the case with the seat device according to the invention the case because a tilting is a resetting Moment is generated when the support point located below the center of curvature. If the support point is set to a height H which corresponds to the Radius of curvature corresponds to the contact surface, so lies indifferent balance. Has such an attitude the advantage of the seat height remaining the same when tilted. Especially with applications for children, however, is more likely to be stable Embodiment to think about as the child grows continuously the height of below the center of curvature support point is adjusted. This The height of the support point can be adjusted, for example by a gas pressure spring or a screw thread be realized or by a discontinuous Locking, in which tubes can be slid into each other and at certain relative positions by pins and holes can be locked (such as with crutches).

The seat can advantageously be tilted on all sides arranged so that they do not with lateral deflections becomes lopsided and thereby forces on the spine and Holding apparatus are exercised and in particular none below health-related undesirable curvature of the spine with corresponding incorrect loading becomes. The inclination of the seat also allows the physiologically desired tilting of the pelvis forward (as with the "knee chair") also in the zero position. After all, it prevents the all-inclinable and therefore Horizontal seat that one can look at from the side Deflection of the chair constantly by footwork against one Slip off an oblique seat.

An additional suspension of the seat part 2 in vertical From a medical point of view, direction leads to a kind "Pump effect" on the intervertebral discs. The suspension can be in their elasticity can be made adjustable to them individual requirements - such as body weight. Instead of an elastic spring can also a rigid connecting element, e.g. a rigid rod, be provided. The vertical suspension can then e.g. by an elastic foot part can be provided.

2 is a practical embodiment of the seat device 1 and a possible type of edition shown schematically on support point 3A. It reference numerals were chosen in a corresponding manner. In this embodiment, the column part 3 is with provided a cap 5, in the highest point 3A the Seat part is supported. The seat part 2 has one its lower area attached hard rubber plate 4, which in the support point 3A of the calotte 5 on all sides is tilted. The hard rubber plate 4 takes over thus the function of a vertical suspension of the seat part. As an alternative to storage on a spherical cap, a Point or needle bearings can be provided.

3 can also have a second hard rubber washer 6, which are provided below the hard rubber plate 4 is arranged in a ring around the column part 3, around which in Use of the seat device with a hard rubber plate loaded from above 4 to provide a resilient resistance from below. This second suspension can vary depending on individual requirements - e.g. Body weight - can be adjusted, e.g. thereby that it is adjustable in height on the column part 3, as in the Fig. 2 is indicated schematically by the screw thread. During a tilting process, the column part 3 is moved by the tilt angle inclined and at the same angle tilts in reverse Direction the hard rubber plate 4 with the seat part 2 around the support point 3A of the calotte 5. In the result remains So the seat part 2 due to its opposite tilt relative position in relation to support point 3A. The The elasticity of the hard rubber plate 4 ensures that vertical suspension of the seat device. The setting of the Seat height can be adjusted relatively easily by varying the thickness of the Hard rubber plate 4 take place.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 1 shows one Support surface 1A, in its entirety as a spherical surface is trained. Instead, one can Support surface can be provided, which is only in a central Partial area around the equilibrium support point 1B is formed, but outside of this range one of the spherical surface has a different shape. This can be done in can be used advantageously to the invention Secure the seat device against tipping over.

A radially outer area is to this Purpose shaped in such a way that at large angles of tilt a resetting moment is generated, for example by in this area the radius of curvature steadily outwards increases, e.g. like a parabola or hyperbola. A appropriately designed tilt-proof embodiment of the present invention is particularly for children or Disabled beneficial.

In a further advantageous manner, as in the in the preferred embodiments shown in the figures executed, the seat 2B have a convex shape, to free movement, especially for the To ensure thighs and thus the whole To activate leg muscles when sitting. In continue The support point 3A eccentrically so far back that when sitting tipping the pelvis forward is forced.

The tiltability of the seat part 2 through the support in the Support point 3A can also be used as an elastic joint suspension be carried out with a restoring force. In this The case becomes out of equilibrium which is indifferent without restoring force an overall stable balance.

Column and foot section can also be used as a single, design Unit, such as a cone or Cylinder with (at least partially) spherical base. For the rest, the construction leaves designs in all Materials, i.e. in plastic, metal or wood or their Combinations too. This has the further advantage of being significant higher resistance to destruction than the known air-filled gymnastics balls made of plastic like that "Pezzi Ball". As with the Pezzi Ball, it can also be used for the seat device according to the invention the foot part elastic be carried out, for example in the form of an inflatable, air-filled hollow body, which has an elastic membrane.

In such an embodiment, a vertical Suspension created by the foot section.

The seating device according to the invention is good physiological properties also as a work or office chair usable. It is particularly adjustable due to its height can be used universally for all body sizes. Thanks to its safety against tipping over, the application is ideal Children or disabled.

4, a seat device contains a support part 11, a curved bearing surface 11A at its upper end has, so for example as a dome with a central flattened spherical surface is formed. A seat part is in its lower part with a plate 12A made of rubber or another elastic material that is firmly connected in contains a through hole in a central area. The Through hole is ring-shaped through the inside Metal or plastic reinforcement 12B formed in cross section Is U-shaped. Instead of a U shape, one could L-shape or a simple socket can be selected. The reinforcement is firmly connected to the elastic plate. The through hole serves the defined fastening of the elastic plate to the support part by a screw 12C. The screw 12C can through a through hole in the top surface of the support part inserted and on the inside of the top surface with a Screw nut are attached. The attachment can naturally also take place in another suitable way.

Around the support part there is an annular, rubber-reinforced limiter 13 attached. This consists of an annular carrier 13A and one therein formed recess for receiving a ring 13B made of rubber or another elastic material.

Below the limiter there is an adjusting ring around the support part 14 attached, which in the preferred embodiment with the Support part is in screw connection and accordingly has a thread on its inside, which in a corresponding Thread engages on the outside of the support part. The limiter supported by the collar is thus height adjustable by turning the adjusting ring.

If the limiter is cylindrically symmetrical to the axis of the support part is shaped, it can be inexpensive also be made in one piece with the adjusting ring. In the in preferred embodiment shown in the figure however, the limiter and the collar separate components, so that the limiter does not turn when the height is adjusted and therefore also non-cylindrical symmetry to the axis can be shaped. This can be done in an advantageous manner be used in different directions of the seat device different elasticity and limitation of deflection to be provided in case of tilting. So the elastic Ring varies in shape and thickness along its circumference executed, e.g. back higher than front to to achieve a greater elastic limitation at the rear than at the front. It can also run along a certain circumferential section be wedge-shaped. It can also be longitudinal oval and be positioned eccentrically to the center of the column part. In the same way, the carrier 3A can also be non-cylindrical symmetrical be shaped.

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

The seat part storage according to the invention enables tilting with an elastic restoring force and offers through the limiter sufficient tipping safety and also a Adaptation to different body weights and individual Convenience. It is thus inexpensive to manufacture and universally applicable to any type of seat device.

The joint according to the invention (or: the seat part storage) is in particular characterized in that the collar 14 a Has thread on its inside, which in a corresponding Thread engages on the outside of the support part and the height of the limiter can be adjusted by rotating it is, and / or that the limiter and the collar separate Components or coherent are formed.

The joint according to the invention is also particularly characterized characterized in that the ring 13B and / or the carrier 13A are not are cylindrical, in particular oval or an enlarged thickness in part of its circumference, or Width. In addition, the elastic material of the Plate 12 and / or ring 13B made of rubber.

Claims (14)

1. An active-dynamic seat device (10) with a foot part (1) which has an upwardly curved base surface (1A) for tilting movement, wherein the curved base surface (1A) lies directly on the floor and is spherically curved in at least a partial region, and with a seat part (2) fitted at a support point (3A), characterized in that the seat part (2) is mounted on the support point (3A) so that it can tilt in all directions, and the support point (3A) is either below the centre of curvature of the base surface (1A) or is adjustable within a range of heights whose lower limit lies below the centre of curvature and whose upper limit lies below or substantially coincides with the centre of curvature.
2. An active-dynamic seat device according to claim 1, characterized in that a connecting element (4) is fitted on the seat part and bears on a support pad (5).
3. An active-dynamic seat device according to claim 2, characterized in that the connecting element (4) is in the form of an elastically yielding or flexible element, e.g. a rubber plate.
4. An active-dynamic seat device according to claim 3, characterized in that the support pad (5) is a downwardly curved pad, especially a point, a needle or a spherical surface, the highest point of the pad being the support point (3A).
5. An active-dynamic seat device according to claim 3, characterized in that the connecting element is an elastically resilient element with adjustable elasticity.
6. An active-dynamic seat device according to claim 2, characterized in that the connecting element (4) is a rigid element.
7. An active-dynamic seat device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the adjustability of the height of the support point is provided for by a gas spring, a screw thread or other suitable mechanical arresting means.
8. An active-dynamic seat device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the radius of curvature of the base surface (1A) increases to the outside.
9. An active-dynamic seat device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the foot part (1), which comprises the base surface (1A), is connected to a column part (3) which includes the support point (3A).
10. An 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 made elastically resilient.
11. An active-dynamic seat device according to any of the preceding claims 1 to 10, characterized in that a joint is fitted on the seat part (2) and comprises a support pad part (11) with a downwardly curved upper support surface (11A) and plate (12A) of an elastic material attached to the seat part (2) and fixed on the support surface so that it can tilt in all directions, and an annularly arranged limiter (13) for the plate (12A) is provided round the support pad part.
12. An active-dynamic seat device according to claim 11, characterized in that the limiter (13) includes a ring (13B) of an elastic material, which is fixed on an annular support (13A).
13. An active-dynamic seat device according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that a height adjustable positioning ring is arranged round the support pad part below the limiter (13).
14. An active-dynamic seat device according to any of claims 11 to 13, characterized in that the elastic plate has a central through hole for fixing it on the support pad part by means of a screw (12C), the hole being bounded by an annular metal or plastics reinforcement (12B).

Images