Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47C—CHAIRS; SOFAS; BEDS
  • A47C7/00—Parts, details, or accessories of chairs or stools
  • A47C7/36—Support for the head or the back
  • A47C7/40—Support for the head or the back for the back
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47C—CHAIRS; SOFAS; BEDS
  • A47C7/00—Parts, details, or accessories of chairs or stools
  • A47C7/36—Support for the head or the back
  • A47C7/40—Support for the head or the back for the back
  • A47C7/46—Support for the head or the back for the back with special, e.g. adjustable, lumbar region support profile; "Ackerblom" profile chairs

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a chair and in particular to a back support for a chair which provides adjustable support to the vertebral column of a seated individual.
• the human back differs in size, shape and strength from individual to individual, and as a result the ideal type of back support will also differ from individual to individual.
• most available chairs are typically designed with the back support sized and shaped to accommodate an average person having an average build, and hence do not suit all individuals.
• most office type chairs are provided with various adjustment mechanisms to adjust the height and position of a variety of features of the chair, such as back support angle and height, however whilst this allows a variety of different configurations of the chair, they are typically limited in range and not always adjusted according to the correct postural needs of the individual.
• the present invention is a back support for a chair, comprising: a body for receiving a back of a user when said user is in a seated position on said chair; and one or more shape adaptive members attachable to said body wherein the shape of the or each shape adaptive member is variable in response to pressure applied thereto by the back of said user when said user is in said seated position; wherein, the one or more shape adaptive members are arranged proximal said user's vertebral column when the user is in said seated position.
• the body is a substantially vertical body having a support surface against which at least a portion of the user's back is received.
• a portion of the body proximal said support surface may be provided with a soft and flexible material, such as foam, to provide comfort to the user.
• the support surface may be a substantially flat surface. In another form, the support surface may be contoured to conform to the user's back.
• the one or more shape adaptive members may be in the form of a pouch containing a quantity of gel material.
• the gel material may be a hydrogel or a polymer gel.
• the gel material may be a viscoelastic polyurethane gel.
• the pouch containing the gel material may be a polyurethane film material which assumes the shape of the gel material contained therein.
• the shape of the pouch may readily change in response to pressure applied thereto by the back of the user. Such pressure causes a change in the distribution of the gel within the pouch.
• the pouch may be in the form of an elongate strip of gel material.
• one shape adaptive member may be positioned on the support surface of the body.
• the shape adaptive member may extend along the support surface for substantially the height of the body.
• the shape adaptive member may be positioned such that it extends centrally along the support surface of the body to be positioned adjacent the vertebral column of the user when in said seated position.
• the body may be formed with a recess provided therein for receiving the shape adaptive member.
• the shape adaptive member may be attached within the recess by way of an adhesive or the like.
• the shape adaptive member may be positioned to receive the vertebral column of the user and to adapt to the shape of the region of the user's back, adjacent the vertebral column. Such an arrangement may optimise the weight and pressure distribution between adjacent vertebrae of the vertebral column.
• two shape adaptive members may be positioned on the support surface of the body.
• the shape adaptive members may extend along the support surface for substantially the height of the body.
• the shape adaptive members may be positioned such that they extend centrally along the support surface of the body to be positioned adjacent the vertebral column of the user when in said seated position.
• shape adaptive members may be separated by a gap having a distance of between 25-75 mm.
• the gap may be recessed from the surface of the shape adaptive members defining an open space between the shape adaptive members.
• Each shape adaptive member may have a width of between 25-75 mm.
• the body may be formed with a pair of recesses provided therein for receiving the shape adaptive members.
• the shape adaptive members may be attached within the recesses by way of an adhesive or the like.
• the shape adaptive members may be positioned to receive the region of the user's back proximal the transverse processes of the vertical column, such that the spinous process may extend into the gap provided between the shape adaptive members.
• the shape adaptive members may adapt to the shape of the region of the user's back, adjacent the transverse processes of the vertebral column, to optimises the weight and pressure distribution between adjacent vertebrae of the vertebral column.
• the one or more shape adaptive members may be attached to the body such that they are substantially flush with the support surface of the body. In yet another embodiment, the shape adaptive members may be attached to the body such that they at least partially project beyond the support surface of the body.
• the present invention is a chair comprising: a base; a seat supported on said base; and a back support attachable to said base and extending substantially vertically therefrom, said back support comprising: a body for receiving a back of a user when said user is seated on said seat and one or more shape adaptive members attachable to said body, wherein the shape of the or each shape adaptive member is variable in response to pressure applied thereto by the back of said user when said user is seated on said seat; wherein, the one or more shape adaptive members are arranged proximal said user's vertebral column when the user is seated on said seat.
• Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a chair incorporating one embodiment of the present invention
• Fig. 2 is a front view of a chair incorporating a second embodiment of the present invention
• Fig. 3 is a top cross sectional view of the back support of the chair of Fig. 1;
• Fig. 4 is a top cross-sectional view of the back support of the chair of Fig. 2.
• a chair incorporating the back support of the present invention is generally shown in the accompanying drawings as 10. Whilst the present invention will be described in relation to a standard office chair 10, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the shape and type of the chair 10 could be any desired shape and type as desired.
• the chair 10 generally comprises a base 12, a seat portion 14, arm rests 16 and a back support 18.
• the chair 10 is provided to accommodate a user in a sitting position with their posterior supported on the seat portion 14 such that the user's feet are able to be positioned on the ground which supports the base 12 of the chair 10.
• the base portion 12 has been shown as incorporating wheels or castors 11 to enable the chair to be movable across a support surface, it will be appreciated that the chair 10 could incorporate standard legs having stopper elements or the like provided thereon, to prevent movement/slippage of the chair 10 across the support surface.
• arm rests 16 are shown, it will be appreciated that the present invention could be equally applied to a chair 10 without arm rests 16.
• the seat portion 14 comprises a cushion which receives the posterior of the user and provides comfort and support to the user to maintain a substantially upright seating posture.
• the seat portion 14 can be configured in a number of ways and may be adjustable such that it can slope forward to ensure that the user is positioned with a straight back, and can be raised and lowered, by way of a handle 15 (Fig. 2), to accommodate users of variable heights and sizes.
• the seat portion 14 may have more than one cushion provided thereon.
• a forward and a rearward cushion may be provided, with the rearward cushion having a higher resistance to resilient deformation than the forward cushion, or vice versa, to provide the desired amount and type of back alignment.
• the cushion(s) of the seat portion 14 may be made from a foam material, in the form of cut or moulded foam.
• the foam material can be a rubber latex foam and/or a polyurethane foam comprising a network of cellular shapes, thereby increasing the resilient flexibility of the seat portion 14.
• the cushion(s) of the seat portion 14 may be layered with a variety of materials, such as foams and/or gel material to provide the desired support to the pelvis of the user and to ensure that the user is positioned upon the chair in a comfortable manner which ensures correct posture.
• the back support 18 of the chair 10 extends upwardly from the rearward edge of the seat portion 14, as is shown in Figs. 1 and 2.
• the back support 18 may be adjustable in both a vertical and lateral direction in accordance with the needs of the individual user.
• the back support 18 forms a flat or contoured support surface 20 which is provided to gently cradle the back of the user seated in the chair 10.
• the back support 18 comprises a frame portion 22, in the form of a rear shell or internal skeleton which provides the general shape/structure of the back support 18.
• a foam material 24 shown more clearly in Figs. 3 and 4.
• the foam material 24 forms the majority of the support surface 20 of the back support 18 and may be a rubber latex foam or a polyurethane foam which is cut or moulded to form the desired surface contour. Typically this contour is slightly concave such that the surface 20 is able to gently cradle the back of the user.
• the foam material 24 is flexible to provide comfort to the user and may have a variable density and firmness depending upon the desired requirements of the user.
• a cover 21 in the form of a fabric covering may be provided to surround the foam material 24 before being mounted to the fame portion 22.
• the foam material 24 may be Dunlop Enduro® - EN36-100 or Dunlop Enduro® - EN36-130 which has a resistance to resilient deformation of about 80 - 95 Newtons. However other types of foams are also envisaged to be used in concert with the present invention.
• a shape adaptive member in the form of a spinal support 25 is provided to receive and support the vertebral column of the user seated in the chair 10.
• the spinal support 25 extends substantially the height of the back support 18 in a central region which corresponds to the vertebral column of the user when seated in the chair. Whilst the spinal support 25 is shown as extending the entire height of the back support 18, it will be appreciated that the support 25 could extend along only a portion of the height of the back support 18 as necessary to provide sufficient support to the vertebral column of the user.
• the spinal support 25 is a shape adaptive flexible pouch 30 provided in a single strip that extends along the central region of the back support 18.
• the flexible pouch 30 contains a gel material within a suitable protective layer which forms a relatively soft and conformable surface for receiving and supporting the spine of the user.
• the gel material may be a hydrogel or a polymer gel, such as a viscoelastic polyurethane gel.
• Such a gel is sold under the trademark "ISOGEL” by Pittsburgh Plastics Manufacturing, Inc. of Zelienople, PA, United States of America.
• the protective outer layer can comprise a polyurethane film material.
• the pouch 30 is positioned atop the foam material 24 and has a width of between 50 - 100 mm.
• the foam material is moulded to define a space for receiving the pouch 30 which is secured within the space by way of an adhesive material or the like.
• the outer surface of the pouch 30 is substantially flush with the surface 30 of the back support 18 to define a surface that is capable of readily adapting to the shape of the person's spine, thereby adjusting to the ongoing needs of the spine and providing optimal weight and pressure distribution from the spine against the back support 18 of the chair 10.
• the pouch 30 simulates body fat tissue and cradles the back to minimise lordosis of the spine.
• vertebrae 35 the vertebral column of an individual is composed of a series of thirty-one separate bones known as vertebrae 35. There are seven cervical or neck vertebrae, twelve thoracic vertebrae, and five lumbar vertebrae. Each vertebrae 35, as represented diagrammatically in Figs. 3 and 4, comprises an anterior body 36 and a posterior arch 37.
• the arch 37 encloses an opening 38 which forms a canal in which the spinal cord is housed.
• the arch 37 comprises three bony elements, namely the spinous process 39 which extends from the posterior of the arch 37, and a pair of transverse processes 40 which extend laterally from the arch 37. These bony elements serve as important sites of attachment of deep back muscles and also serve as important protective means for protecting the spinal cord.
• invertebral discs adjacent vertebrae in the vertebral column are connected by specialised cartilaginous joints known as invertebral discs.
• Each disc is composed of a central core of gelatinous material and a surrounding series of fibrous rings.
• Body weight of an individual is transmitted through the disc by loading the gelatinous material, which then compresses and transfers its loading to the fibrous rings of the disc.
• the fibres of the fibrous discs resist this load, but in some instances they may not, resulting in the gelatinous material being forced out of the disc, and the disc becoming herniated/ruptured, which can have a profound effect on the adjacent spinal nerve.
• the chair 10 is able to better assist in distributing the weight and pressure experienced between the vertebrae
• Figs. 2 and 4 show another embodiment of the shape adaptive members 25 of the present invention.
• the shape adaptive member/spinal support 25 is also shown as extending the height of the back support 18 of the chair 10, however it will be appreciated that the spinal support 25 could extend only a portion of the height of the back support 18 as required.
• a pair of shape adaptive members or pouches 32 are provided in the form of strips which extend centrally along the back support 18 of the chair 10 atop the foam material 24.
• the foam material 24 is moulded/shaped to receive the pouches 32 in the manner as shown in Fig. 4.
• the pouches 32 are made from the same materials as the pouch 30 discussed above, and provide malleable surfaces which are able to conform to the back of the user in the manner as discussed above.
• Each of the pouches 32 are separated by a distance of between 25-75mm and have a width of between 25-75mm.
• the foam material 24 provided in the gap between the pouches 32 is recessed from the outer surface of the pouches 32 to provide a recess 33.
• the pouches 32 act to support the transverse processes 40 such that the spinous process 39 is received within the recess 33.
• This arrangement provides maximum weight/pressure distribution between the vertebrae if the vertebral column providing additional comfort and support to the user.
• a chair 10 having such a spinal support 25 formed therein increases spinal stability of the user of the chair.
• Such a chair 10 is particularly useful for users suffering from back related problems, such as ruptured or herniated discs and ensures that weight is evenly distributed against the chair.

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• Prostheses (AREA)
• Orthopedics, Nursing, And Contraception (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

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• 2006
  • 2006-09-15 US US12/066,899 patent/US20090051199A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2006-09-15 NZ NZ567503A patent/NZ567503A/en not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2006-09-15 CA CA002622572A patent/CA2622572A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2006-09-15 AU AU2006292038A patent/AU2006292038B2/en not_active Ceased
  • 2006-09-15 EP EP06774990A patent/EP1933670A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2006-09-15 WO PCT/AU2006/001362 patent/WO2007030893A1/en active Application Filing

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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