EP2886016A1

EP2886016A1 - Cushion

Info

Publication number: EP2886016A1
Application number: EP14197949.2A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Toshimitsu Kaga; Mie Kaga
Original assignee: Shinohara Chemical Corp
Current assignee: Shinohara Chemical Corp
Priority date: 2013-12-17
Filing date: 2014-12-15
Publication date: 2015-06-24
Also published as: JP5576978B2; CN104706085A; JP2015116470A; JP2014079636A

Abstract

Provided is a plate-like cushion (1) laid underneath a user's buttocks comprising a left-leg positioning slot (30) and a right-leg positioning slot (40). The left-leg positioning slot (30) is a concavity formed on a front edge (5) of the cushion (1) towards a back edge (4) of the cushion (1) at a part, which is a given distance away from the center of the front edge (5) towards one of the side edges, and is configured to create a void connecting a top surface (10) side and a bottom surface (50) side of the cushion (1) so as to position the user's left thigh. The right-leg positioning slot (40) is a concavity formed on the front edge (5) of the cushion (1) towards the back edge (4) at a part, which is a given distance away from the center of the front edge (5) towards the other side edge, and is configured to create a void connecting the top surface (10) side and the bottom surface (50) side of the cushion (1) so as to position the user's right thigh.

Description

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to a cushion that is laid underneath a user's buttocks.
A cushion that has a concavity formed at the rear-center of a top surface thereof to receive a user's ischium part is conventionally known among cushions used by being laid on a seat of a chair (for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-000394 ).
When the user sits on such conventional cushion with his ischium received in the concave part, pressure is not concentrated on the ischium part and a pain in the buttocks can be reduced.

SUMMARY

If a user sits with his legs crossed or spread out, his posture becomes bad, and if the user keeps sitting for a long time, the user easily becomes increasingly fatigued.
It is favorable to provide a cushion that allows the user to easily maintain a good posture.
An invention of the present application is a plate-like cushion that is laid underneath a user's buttocks and is provided with a left-leg positioning slot and a right-leg positioning slot; the left-leg positioning slot is a concavity formed on a front edge of the cushion towards a back edge of the cushion at a part, which is a given distance away from the center of the front edge towards one of the side edges, and creates a void connecting a top surface side and a bottom surface side of the cushion to position the user's left thigh; the right-leg positioning slot is a concavity formed on the front edge of the cushion towards the back edge of the cushion at a part, which is a given distance away from the center of the front edge towards the other side edge, and creates a void connecting the top surface side and the bottom surface side of the cushion to position the user's right thigh.
If the user sits on a chair, on a seat of which the above cushion is laid, and positions his left thigh and right thigh at the left-leg positioning slot and the right-leg positioning slot formed on the front edge of the cushion, the user's knees are positioned low and the user's pelvis is positioned upright by the above configuration. Thus, the user unconsciously uses his abdominal muscles and psoas major muscles, etc., easily maintains a shape (semi-stand position) forming a physiologic spine curvature (S-shaped curve), and can easily take a good posture. Further in this state, the user unconsciously uses his right and left adductor muscles; thus the user becomes less likely to sit with his legs crossed or spread out too much and easily maintains a good posture.
Embodiments of the present invention are explained hereinafter with reference to the drawings. Nevertheless, an embodiment of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below, and can be in various modes as long as it is within the technical scope of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cushion according to the present embodiment.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a main-body part of the cushion according to the present embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a side view of the main-body part of the cushion according to the present embodiment.
FIG. 4 is a front view of a top surface of the main-body part of the cushion according to the present embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[Explanation of Configuration]

The cushion 1 is configured with a main-body part 3 (see FIGs. 2 to 4) and a cover 2, which is formed in accordance with the shape of the main-body part 3 and covers the main-body part 3, and is laid for use on a seat of a chair, for example.
The main-body part 3 is configured to be an elastic plate-like cushion member and is composed of, for example, a synthetic resin such as urethane.
It goes without saying that, without being limited to the above, the main-body part 3 may be composed of, for example, a sac-like member filled with a filling member (for example; foamed beads, resin material chips, a fiber material such as cotton, buckwheat chaffs, feathers, and water). The main-body part 3 may also be configured as a hollow floater filled with air from an unillustrated air valve, for example.
A top surface 10 and a bottom surface 50 of the main-body part 3 are formed in approximate rectangular shape.
Corrugations 11 in a shape of straight grooves running from a left edge 7 to a right edge 6 are formed on the top surface 10 (hereinafter, the side with the left edge 7 is referred to as left side, the side with the right edge 6 is referred to as right side).
The shape of the corrugations on the top surface 10 is not limited to the above; for example, the corrugations may also be configured by forming multiple ribbed projections extending towards the right and left, or may also be configured by arranging multiple projections in a front-back direction and/or in a right-left direction. Meanwhile, the bottom surface 50 is formed into a flat surface, for example.
When the main-body part 3 is placed on a flat surface with the bottom surface 50 facing down, the top surface 10 and the bottom surface 50 are configured such that the top surface 10 forms a downward inclination from a back edge 4 to a front edge 5 with reference to the flat surface.
In the present embodiment, a straight line connecting a top 14 of a side surface with the back edge 4 and a top 15 of a side surface with the front edge 5 is configured to have an angle of, for example, 7° with reference to the flat surface; tops of projected parts formed by the corrugations 11 on the top surface 10 are arranged along the straight line. Although the angle is not limited to 7°, it is favorable to set the angle between 5° and 10° inclusive.
A sacrum positioning slot 20 is arranged at the center part of the back edge 4 of the main-body part 3 (where a user's sacrum part is assumed to be placed).
The sacrum positioning slot 20 is a concavity formed on a section at the center part of the back edge 4 towards the front edge 5, and creates a triangular void connecting an area on the side of the top surface 10 and an area on the side of the bottom surface 50 of the main-body part 3 to position the sacrum part of the user of the cushion 1.
The sacrum positioning slot 20 may also be formed by notching a part next to a section at the center part of the back edge 4 of the main-body part 3 into a triangle shape to penetrate from the top surface 10 through the bottom surface 50. It goes without saying that the shape of the sacrum positioning slot 20 is not limited to a triangle shape; it may be formed into a U-shape, a rectangular shape, or a trapezoidal shape, for example.
A left-leg positioning slot 30 is arranged on the front edge 5 at a left side part thereof, which is a given distance away from the center of the front edge 5 towards the left side (where the left thigh is assumed to be positioned). The left-leg positioning slot 30 is a concavity formed on a section at the left side part of the front edge 5 towards the back edge 4, and creates a trapezoidal void connecting an area on the top surface 10 and an area on the bottom surface 50 of the main-body part 3 to position the user's left thigh therein.
The right-leg positioning slot 40 is arranged on the front edge 5 at a right side part thereof, which is the same distance away from the center of the front edge 5 towards the right side (where the right thigh is assumed to be positioned). The right-leg positioning slot 40 is a concavity formed on a section at the right side part of the front edge 5 towards the back edge 4, and creates a trapezoidal void connecting an area on the top surface 10 and an area on the bottom surface 50 of the main-body part 3 to position the user's right thigh therein.
The left-leg positioning slot 30 may be formed by notching a part next to the section at the left side part of the front edge 5 of the main-body part 3 into a trapezoidal shape to penetrate from the top surface 10 through the bottom surface 50. The right-leg positioning slot 40 may also be formed likewise by notching a part next to the section at the right side part of the front edge 5 of the main-body part 3 into a trapezoidal shape to penetrate from the top surface 10 through the bottom surface 50.
It goes without saying that the shape of the left-leg positioning slot 30 and the right-leg positioning slot 40 is not limited to a trapezoidal shape; it may be formed into a U-shape, a rectangular shape, or a triangular shape, for example.
A linear left-slit 12 is formed on the top surface 10 of the main-body part 3 from a location at the left side of the sacrum positioning slot 20 to a location where the left-leg positioning slot 30 is formed. A linear right-slit 13 is also formed on the top surface 10 from a location at the right side of the sacrum positioning slot 20 to a location where the right-leg positioning slot 40 is formed. The left-slit 12 and the right-slit 13 are as deep as the grooves formed by the corrugations 11 with reference to the tops of the corrugations 11 on the top surface 10.
Although the left-slit 12 and the right-slit 13 are linearly formed in the present embodiment, they are not limited thereto and they may be formed into, for example, a curved line in accordance with a shape of the user's buttocks. The configuration may also be without forming the top surface 10, left-slit 12, and the right-slit 13 of the main-body part 3.

[Effect]

According to the cushion 1 of the present embodiment, when the user sits on a chair, on a seat of which the above cushion is laid, the user's knees are positioned low and the pelvis is positioned upright because of a downward inclination formed on the top surface 10 of the main-body part 3 towards the front edge 5. Thus, the user unconsciously uses his abdominal muscles and psoas major muscles, etc., easily maintains a shape (semi-stand position) forming a physiologic spine curvature (S-shaped curve), and can easily take a good posture.
If the user's left thigh and right thigh are positioned at the left-leg positioning slot 30 and the right-leg positioning slot 40 formed on the front edge 5 of the main-body part 3, the user unconsciously uses his right and left adductor muscles; thus, the user becomes less likely to sit with his legs crossed or spread out too much, and easily maintains a good posture.
Further, when the user's sacrum part is positioned in the sacrum positioning slot 20 formed at the back edge 4 of the main-body part 3, pressure is not concentrated on the sacrum part and a pain in the buttocks can be reduced, and at the same time, the pressure on the buttocks is distributed by the corrugations 11 formed on the top surface 10 of the main-body part 3. Thus the user can sit in the same posture for a long time and easily maintain a good posture.
Air permeability is improved by the corrugations 11 formed on the top surface 10 of the main-body part 3, resulting in fewer uncomfortable feelings caused by stuffiness on the buttocks; thus, the user does not need to change his posture to reduce the uncomfortable feelings caused by the stuffiness, and easily maintains a good posture. Air permeability can be attained without providing the top surface 10 with the corrugations 11 depends on materials used for the main-body part 3.
When the user sits on the cushion 1, the cushion 1 easily curves as both side edges rise up with the help of the left slit 12 and the right slit 13; thus, the cushion 1 can support the user's buttocks by wrapping from right and left, fit to the buttocks better, and improve the comfortableness. Consequently, the user easily maintains a good posture.
The corrugations 11 of the top surface 10 are formed in a shape having grooves extending from one of the side edges to the other side edge of the cushion 1; thus, the pressure on the user's buttocks can be distributed more favorably. Consequently, the user can sit in the same posture for a long time and easily maintains a good posture.
As the angle of the top surface 10 is set between 5°and 10° inclusive, it is possible to favorably set how low the knees are and how upright the pelvis is for the user of the cushion 1; thus, the user can take a good posture more easily.

[Other Embodiments]

(1) The cushion 1 of the present embodiment may be used as a seiza cushion that is used by being disposed between the back of thighs and the calves when sitting in seiza (sit with one's legs underneath the thighs and rest one's buttocks on the heels), other than being used by being laid on a seat of a chair.
In such a case, the cushion 1 can presumably be used by placing the top surface 10 at the back of the user's thighs, the bottom surface 50 on the calves, the front edge 5 behind the knees, and the back edge 4 on the buttocks. Accordingly, the user unconsciously uses his abdominal muscles and psoas major muscles, etc. by the downward inclination of the top surface 10, easily maintains a shape forming a physiologic spine curvature (S-shaped curve), and can easily take a good posture. Further, the cushion 1 works as a shock absorbing material between the back of the user's thighs and the calves, and prevents hyperflexion of the knees.
When the user's sacrum part is positioned in the sacrum positioning slot 20 formed on the back edge 4 of the main-body part 3, pressure is not concentrated on the sacrum part and a pain in the buttocks can be reduced, and at the same time, pressure on the back of thighs is distributed by the corrugations 11 formed on the top surface 10 of the main-body part 3. Thus the user can sit in the same posture for a long time and easily maintains a good posture.
Air permeability is improved by the corrugations 11 formed on the top surface 10 of the main-body part 3, resulting in fewer uncomfortable feelings caused by stuffiness on the back of thighs; thus, the user does not need to change his postures to reduce the uncomfortable feelings caused by the stuffiness, and easily maintains a good posture.
(2) Although the top surface 10 and the bottom surface 50 of the main-body part 3 of the cushion 1 in the present embodiment are formed into rectangles, they are not limited thereto and may be formed into, for example, trapezoidal shapes, oval shapes, and pentagonal shapes. Although the front edge 5, the back edge 4, the left edge 7, and the right edge 6 of the main-body part 3 are linearly formed, they are not limited thereto and may be formed into, for example, curved shapes and shapes with corrugations. The same effects can be obtained from these cases.
(3) Although the sacrum positioning slot 20 is formed at the center part of the back edge 4 of the cushion 1 in the present embodiment, the sacrum positioning slot 20 does not have to be formed. Although the corrugations 11 are formed on the top surface 10 of the cushion 1, the top surface 10 may be made flat without forming the corrugations 11 thereon. Although a downward inclination from the back edge 4 towards the front edge 5 is formed on the top surface 10, the top surface 10 and the bottom surface 50 may be made parallel to each other without forming the downward inclination, or an upward inclination from the back edge 4 towards the front edge 5 may be formed on the top surface 10, for example. The same effects can be obtained from these cases.

EXPLANATION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

1... cushion, 2... cover, 3... main-body part, 4...back edge, 5... front edge, 6... right edge, 7... left edge, 10...top surface, 11... corrugations, 12... left slit, 13...right slit, 14... top, 15... top, 20... sacrum positioning slot, 30...left-leg positioning slot, 40...right-leg positioning slot, 50...bottom surface

Claims

A plate-like cushion (1) laid underneath buttocks of a user comprising;
a left-leg positioning slot (30); and
a right-leg positioning slot (40);
wherein the left-leg positioning slot (30) is a concavity formed on a front edge (5) of the cushion (1) towards a back edge (4) of the cushion (1) at a part, which is a given distance away from the center of the front edge (5) towards one of side edges, and creates a void connecting a top surface (10) side and a bottom surface (50) side of the cushion (1) to position the user's left thigh; and
wherein the right-leg positioning slot (40) is a concavity formed on the front edge (5) of the cushion (1) towards the back edge (4) at a part, which is a given distance away from the center of the front edge (5) towards the other side edge, and creates a void connecting the top surface (10) side and the bottom surface (50) side of the cushion (1) to position the user's right thigh.