EP4051056B1 - Moving seat - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a movement seat, in particular an office chair, comprising a frame and a seat which is mechanically movable relative to the frame by means of a drive mechanism. The drive mechanism moves the seat at an actual speed along an actual trajectory relative to the frame.

Humans are evolutionarily designed to be in motion all day long and to walk for hours. Instead, our modern living and working environments primarily take place in a sitting posture and without movement. This one-sided stress and physical inactivity while sitting are the cause of common diseases such as back pain, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, obesity and depression.

In order to bring together the evolutionarily based needs of the human body with modern living and working environments, movement seats, especially office chairs, are being developed in which the one-sided strain when sitting is intended to be reduced through targeted movement of the seat surface.

The movement seat is intended to help the user vary their sitting posture in order to avoid remaining in the same posture for a long time. In addition, the user's metabolism should be stimulated. Science defines sitting behavior as problematic if the user remains in the same position and the metabolism is ≤1.5 metabolic equivalents (METs) (cf. https://www.sedentarybehaviour.org/what-is-sedentarybehaviour , accessed October 25, 2019).

Ergonomic office chairs are known to promote the user's movement through an unstable seat design. In practice, users rarely sit on the office chairs in the intended position and, despite the freedom of movement, they do not move enough. For example, in order to use a synchronous mechanism in an office chair, the user must actively carry out the movement. When concentrating on work, active movement can quickly be ignored.

A massage chair with motor-driven elements, for example, is from the US2008 0167 587 A1 known.

From the US 2008 0096 723 A1 A chair intended as a training aid is known which has a seat that rotates eccentrically about a vertical axis and whose speed can be adjusted.

From the WO 00/22964 and the EP 1 457 14 1 B9 a seat with an electric motor-driven seat surface is known, with a drive mechanism being set up in such a way that the seat surface executes a U-shaped, side-alternating back and forth movement. The user's body passively follows the back and forth movement of the seat. The desirable muscle work is guaranteed in the known seat by the user changing his posture in response to the passive movement.

The US 2017 / 0 095 088 A1 discloses a movable seat module of an office chair to activate the spine. The seat module is based on a tilting device for the seat and includes a fixed surface connected to the base of the office chair and a movable surface connected via tilt axes running parallel to the seat. The movable surface is connected to the fixed surface via an at least two-axis joint. The movable surface of the seat module is tilted around the two axes using actuators to change the user's sitting position. Furthermore, the module has a motion control to control the operation of at least two actuators for pivoting the seat. Finally, the device can have a load cell that informs the movement controller of the user's weight and whether a user is sitting on the seat. Furthermore, the weight distribution on the seat can be determined. Finally, a gyrometer can be provided to determine the user's sitting position. The seat position determined can be used to control the tilting device. After the motion control determines that a user is sitting on the work chair, a fixed motion pattern for the tilting mechanism is activated. In one embodiment, the movement control uses the sensor signals to determine the duration in which the user remains in the same position. Depending on the duration, the motion control activates a tilting of the seat by one of the actuators in order to cause the user to change their sitting position.

The object of the invention is to propose a movement seat, in particular an office chair, which... avoids problematic sitting behavior, especially when working in the office, which improves the health effects against lack of exercise and at the same time allows the seat to move, which distracts the user less from other activities, especially office work.

The invention is based on the idea of combining the passive movement of the user on the seat known from the prior art and the resulting posture corrections with an active movement of the user, which has an influence on the movement of the seat.

In detail, the task is solved by a movement seat with the features of claim 1.

Due to the additional, at least temporary active movement of the user, the applied useful forces change. The useful forces are the useful forces applied by the user to the seat surface, the useful forces comprising a passive portion resulting from the user's mass and an active portion resulting from the user's active movement. The active part is caused by the active muscle work of the user.

Due to the active component, the useful forces acting on the seat continually change. The useful forces acting on the seat are recorded using a measuring device. Taking into account the recorded useful forces, a processing unit supports or dampens the active movement and/or changes the movement path through targeted movement control of the seat surface and thus stimulates the user to further health effects improving active movement.

Despite the use of the machine drive of the seat during active movement, distractions of the user from other activities, such as office work, are effectively avoided by the fact that the processing unit specifies a closed target movement path of the machine-driven seat. The closed target movement path enables quiet and even movement of the seat. The seat, which can be in one or more parts, is moved mechanically by a drive mechanism that is arranged between the frame of the moving seat and the seat. For the mechanical movement, the drive mechanism preferably has a positioning system, the electric drives of which are controlled by the processing unit for controlling the movement of the seat. The use of the mechanical drive is necessary to enable automated movement of the seat and thus of the user.

The predetermined closed target movement path of the seat is in particular a closed curve. Simple closed curves without self-intersection points, such as circles or ellipses, but also closed curves with self-intersection points, such as a horizontal figure eight, can be considered. Furthermore, depending on the design of the drive mechanism, the closed target movement path can also be a closed spatial curve. The seat surface preferably moves along the target movement path in a translational manner, ie all points on the seat surface experience the same displacement when moving along the target movement path. Depending on the form of the However, the translational movement can also be superimposed on the target movement path with a rotation of the seat surface about its vertical axis in order to ensure a constant orientation of the seat surface to a reference point.

The quiet and uniform movement of the seat is preferably further supported by the fact that the specified target speed of the seat does not assume the value 0 at any point on the closed target movement path. Preferably, the vector of the predetermined target speed of the seat surface at each point of the closed target movement path points to the nearest location point of the closed target movement path in the direction of movement, i.e. the direction of movement is not reversed. Such a reversal always requires the seat surface to be completely braked before the direction of movement is reversed and then accelerated, which creates considerable unrest in the seat movement, which runs counter to distraction-free work on an office chair.

Since a target movement path cannot be identified as ideal either among health experts or among users of movement seats, the invention pursues the further idea of enabling a selection of target movement paths, as long as they ensure a quiet and uniform movement of the seat surface. In one embodiment of the invention, the respective user can therefore decide for themselves which closed target movement path is suitable for them; For example, he can select this himself and individually using an input device, such as a mobile phone (smartphone) with a corresponding software (app), especially with regard to the target speed adjust. Alternatively, the target movement path can be changed by a control impulse applied to the seat by the user. The control impulse can be a briefly applied, high useful force that is above the usual level of useful forces.

For an office chair, target movement paths of the seat are preferred, in which the head and hands of the user of the seat remain largely at rest for the operation of a PC workstation. To the extent that the target movement path imitates the movement pattern of human gait, such a target movement path is particularly suitable for use as an office chair because the corresponding movement of the seat primarily leads to a movement of the pelvic girdle, while the shoulder girdle is hardly moved.

The processing unit of the movement seat is set up to control the movement of the seat surface at an actual speed along a closed actual movement path by means of the drive mechanism, taking into account the direction and amount of the recorded useful forces. In a basic mode of the movement seat, the actual speed of the seat is changed compared to a predetermined target speed of the seat by the useful forces acting on the seat and / or the actual movement path is changed compared to a predetermined closed target movement path by the useful forces acting on the seat .

In order to record the useful forces acting on the seat surface, the movement seat has a measuring device. On the The driving forces of the drive mechanism and the useful forces applied to the seat by the user act on the seat surface. The useful forces allow the user's sitting behavior to be recognized.

The measuring device can be a force sensor or an acceleration sensor for detecting the useful forces, e.g. flanged under the seat. However, the useful forces can also be recorded without a separate sensor. For this purpose, the measuring device evaluates the forces of the electromotive drives of the drive mechanism, in particular the current consumption, which, as indirect signals, also allow a determination of the useful force acting on the seat surface, because the forces of the electromotive drives are the counterforces to the useful forces.

1. a) dass ein Nutzkraftvektor, der sich aus der Richtung und dem Betrag der erfassten Nutzkräfte ergibt, fortlaufend mit der Richtung eines Soll-Geschwindigkeitsvektors an einem Punkt der Soll-Bewegungsbahn verglichen wird, wobei sich der Nutzkraftvektor auf denselben Punkt oder einen der benachbarten Punkte auf der Soll-Bewegungsbahn bezieht und eine Komponente des Nutzkraftvektors in oder entgegen der Richtung des Soll-Geschwindigkeitsvektors eine Änderung der Ist-Geschwindigkeit der Sitzfläche gegenüber der Soll-Geschwindigkeit der Sitzfläche bewirkt und/oder
2. b) dass ein Punkt auf der Soll-Bewegungsbahn in die Richtung und um einen skalierten Betrag des Nutzkraftvektors verschoben wird, wobei sich der Nutzkraftvektor auf denselben Punkt oder einen der benachbarten Punkte auf der Soll-Bewegungsbahn bezieht, um die Ist-Bewegungsbahn der Sitzfläche gegenüber der Soll-Bewegungsbahn zu verändern, sobald der Betrag des Nutzkraftvektor einen vorgegebenen Schwellwert überschreitet.
   Der Schwellwert kann konstant sein, und/oder durch den Nutzer im Eingabegerät verändert werden, und/oder als Funktionen in Abhängigkeit von verschiedenen Eingangsparametern gestaltet werden.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention according to claim 2, the processing unit is designed in such a way that

1. a) that a useful force vector, which results from the direction and the amount of the detected useful forces, is continuously compared with the direction of a target speed vector at a point on the target trajectory, with the useful force vector focusing on the same point or one of the neighboring points the target trajectory and a component of the useful force vector in or against the direction of the target speed vector causes a change in the actual speed of the seat compared to the target speed of the seat and or
2. b) that a point on the target trajectory is displaced in the direction and by a scaled amount of the useful force vector, the useful force vector referring to the same point or one of the adjacent points on the target trajectory, by the actual trajectory of the seat to change the target trajectory as soon as the amount of the useful force vector exceeds a predetermined threshold value.
   The threshold value can be constant and/or changed by the user in the input device and/or designed as functions depending on different input parameters.

The basic mode of the motion seat includes a support mode and/or a resistance mode and/or a shape changing mode.

In the support mode according to claim 4, the component of the useful force vector in the direction of the target speed vector leads to an increase in the actual speed of the seat compared to the predetermined target speed.

In the resistance mode according to claim 5, the component of the useful force vector, contrary to the direction of the target speed vector, leads to a reduction in the actual speed of the seat compared to the predetermined target speed.

In addition to or as an alternative to the support and/or resistance mode, the shape change mode offers the possibility of deviating from the predetermined closed target movement path by applying useful force. For this purpose, a point on the target trajectory is shifted in the direction and by a scaled amount of the useful force vector. The shifted point is one of the points that make up the actual trajectory. The scaling, which can also include the value 1, is required to determine the length of the displacement path from the amount of the useful force vector. However, the actual trajectory only deviates from the target trajectory when the amount of the useful force vector exceeds a predetermined threshold value. This threshold value can be extremely low, so that practically every application of useful force leads to a change in the actual trajectory compared to the target trajectory. By raising the threshold value, a passive movement of the user on the seat surface along the target movement path can be caused when sitting largely inactive, so that the user only causes a change in the actual movement path through active movements that go beyond posture corrections.

The user can "scale" the actual movement path (e.g. a circle) through the targeted, active introduction of useful forces, i.e. make it larger or smaller than is provided for by the specified target movement path.

In the shape change mode according to claim 6, the processing unit is further set up such that the scaled amount of the useful force vector is determined by means of a constant in order to determine the useful force-dependent To determine the displacement of the actual trajectory. Alternatively, in the shape change mode according to claim 6, the processing unit is set up such that the scaled amount of the useful force vector is determined using a variable that depends on one or more input parameters, for example the level of the actual speed or the direction of the target speed vector.

In the in Figure 8 In the example shown of a circular target movement path, a deflection of the actual movement path towards an outer or inner movement limit, depending on the distance to the specified target movement path, generates an increasingly larger returning component of the driving forces in the direction of the specified target movement path. At the outer and inner movement limits, the returning components of the driving forces run towards infinity in the direction of the specified target movement path.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the processing unit is further set up such that the movement control of the seat beyond the basic mode is optionally carried out in at least one further operating mode.

In at least one further operating mode, the actual trajectory and the actual speed of the seat are not changed compared to the predetermined closed target trajectory and target speed of the seat by the useful forces acting on the seat. The user is passively moved on the seat on the target movement path at the target speed. However, it changes its posture in response to the passive movement on the target trajectory. In this further operating mode, the actual trajectory and the actual speed of the seat correspond to the specified target trajectory and the target speed, regardless of the useful forces applied. The shape of the target movement path and the target movement speed of the seat can be constant or follow a changing profile.

The processing unit is preferably programmed in such a way that the basic mode, taking into account the useful forces, and the aforementioned further operating mode automatically alternate. This can be event-controlled or at set intervals.

Event-controlled, a change between the operating modes can be triggered by the processing unit if, for example, the useful forces applied by the user to the seat change. The processing unit automatically switches from the further operating mode to the basic mode when the user begins to apply a higher useful force to the seat during passive movement. The processing unit switches back to the further operating mode with passive movement when the user only applies small useful forces to the seat, for example as a result of posture corrections. Depending on user behavior, there may be frequent and rapid changes between the operating modes during a rotation of the seat on the actual trajectory.

Regardless of whether the change between the basic mode and the additional operating mode is event-oriented or cyclical, the change should keep the user in the Support movement execution in order to enable a greater range of movement at the end of a working day without overwhelming the user.

In a further operating mode provided in addition to the shape change mode, the damping mode according to claim 8, driving forces acting against the direction of movement of the seat along the actual movement path dampen the movement of the seat.

In order to achieve the health goal of relieving or preventing back pain even better, it is possible to train the user's sensorimotor system with the movement seat described. The processing unit provides such a training program in addition to the basic mode and possibly any other operating mode. The training program can be activated if regular operations are interrupted for a few minutes during a work break. The distraction-free use of the movement seat is not the focus of this training program. To train the sensorimotor system, the seat surface is moved along a movement path by the movement mechanics and controlled by the processing unit, with the processing unit constantly applying unpredictable movements to the seat surface (perturbations). The user has to balance these externally stimulated balance disorders. This trains his sensorimotor system, which is beneficial for relieving or preventing back pain.

The drive mechanism of the movement seat includes a positioning system, in particular an XY traversing unit which allows all forms of closed actual movement trajectories of the seat to be created in one plane.

If the positioning system has a first curved guide and a second curved guide, the two curved guides are arranged at an angle other than 0°, preferably at right angles to one another, and the curvature of both guides preferably matches, the actual movement paths of the seat can be expanded, in particular Not only two-dimensional actual movement trajectories can be generated, but also actual movement trajectories designed as spatial curves. The curvature of the guides can, but does not have to be, constant over their entire length. If the radius of curvature is not constant, spherical bearings would have to be provided in the sliding elements of the slides so that they can slide on the varying radii of curvature. The use of curved guides can be used, for example, to keep the height of the user's shoulder girdle at a constant height during movement, which is particularly important for office chairs.

In one embodiment of the invention, the positioning system is additionally set up for mechanical rotation of the seat surface about its vertical axis (Z-axis). This makes it possible, for example, with a target movement path of the seat along a figure of eight lying in one plane, for the seat to be rotated during the movement, depending on the position, so that the legs of the person being moved always point towards a fixed point, such as a desk or a Show computer workstation. The rotation around the vertical axis can be done using a turntable which is arranged on the XY traversing unit and is therefore moved with it.

In a further embodiment, the positioning system can additionally have a seat tilt adjustment with a mechanical adjustment drive. Manual seat tilt adjustments are known for office chairs and allow you to adjust the tilt angle of the seat. The slightly sloping seat counteracts a backward shift of the pelvis. A small pelvic angle caused by the backward shift promotes the health-stressing posture with a rounded back. The seat tilt adjustment compensates for incorrect posture when working forward and is suitable for users who work a lot on the computer. However, sitting permanently in an inclined seat is not comfortable, so it makes sense to continually adjust the tilt angle. The mechanical drive of the seat tilt adjustment allows the automated, situation-dependent adjustment of the seat tilt by the processing unit of the movement seat according to the invention.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, several independently, at least partially movable segments of a backrest are mounted on the frame of a movement seat designed as a chair, in particular an office chair. The segments support the user's back during active and passive movement.

The task of the backrest is to support the user when the seat is moved and when the movement function is deactivated. Since the user's shoulder girdle also during movement To remain as still as possible while the lower body moves, the backrest consists of at least two segments, which are preferably arranged one above the other. The upper segment of the backrest is located in the shoulder girdle area; It is intended to stabilize the user at this point and keep him as calm as possible, as movement here should be minimal. The lower segment or segments of the backrest are intended to support the user during active and passive movement.

In order to correct the user's posture when sitting, in particular to prevent a hunched back when sitting, the initial position of at least one movably mounted segment can be adjustable in relation to the frame by means of a mechanical drive.

If at least one sensor for detecting the user's sitting behavior is arranged on the backrest or at least one segment of the backrest, the processing unit can specifically change the movement control of the seat and/or activate the seat tilt adjustment and/or the initial position of the at least one depending on the detected sitting behavior change movably mounted segment.

For example, if the sensors detect that the user is sitting with a rounded back, the processing unit can use the seat tilt adjustment to automatically change the inclination of the seat so that the user's pelvic angle increases. This encourages the user to sit upright. The sensors detect that the user is back in one If the posture is correct, the inclination can be reduced again, if necessary with a time delay.

Pressure/force sensors that detect contact between the back and the segments and/or the pressure intensity between the back and the segments of the backrest can be considered as sensors for detecting the user's sitting behavior.

The sensors can be integrated into the cushions or arranged on the bearings of the segments.

Alternatively, the backrest only consists of an upper, frame-fixed segment and a lower, movable segment. The movable segment of the backrest supports the lumbar spine during movement and lies continuously against the back during movement. The lower segment is driven by the existing drive mechanism for the seat, i.e. without its own drive. For this purpose, the lower segment is connected, for example, via a two-axis joint to the output side of the drive mechanism for the seat that supports the seat and via another two-axis joint that can be moved in the Z direction to the part of the frame that supports the backrest.

The processing unit for controlling the movement of the moving seat can be accommodated on the frame, for example in a housing for accommodating the drive mechanism. However, the processing unit can also be connected to the drive mechanism in a wired or wireless manner, for example via a radio link.

Finally, the useful force applied to the seat surface, particularly in the damping mode, can be partially used to generate energy, in particular to charge an accumulator for supplying the drives of the drive mechanism and the processing unit.

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to Figures 1 - 9:
Figures 1 A), 1 B) show the essential components of a first exemplary embodiment of a movement seat 1 according to the invention. The movement seat 1 comprises a frame 2, a backrest 3 arranged on the frame 2 and a seat 4. A movement module 5 accommodates a drive mechanism 6, which is set up to move the seat 4 in the XY direction relative to the frame 2. The frame 2 is supported on the contact area via a base with castors and brakes.

The drive mechanism 6 has an XY movement unit 7. The XY movement unit 7 includes a first and a second carriage 8,9, which can be moved at right angles to one another. The first carriage 8 is slidably guided along a first set of guide rails 11 by means of sliding bushings 10. The first set of guide rails 11 is arranged on a base plate 12 of a housing 13 of the movement module 5. The first carriage 8 is driven via a first belt 14, which is driven by a first electric motor 15 arranged on the base plate 12. On the first carriage 8 there is a second set of guide rails 16 at right angles to the first set of guide rails 11 arranged. The second carriage 9 is slidably guided along the second set of guide rails 16 by means of sliding bushings 10. The second carriage 9 is driven via a second belt 17, which is driven by a second electric motor 18 arranged on the first carriage 8. The second carriage 9 is connected to a flange 21 for fastening the seat 4 with the interposition of a force sensor 19. The XY traversing unit 7 is housed in the housing 13, with the base plate 12 of the housing 13 being attached to a horizontal section of the frame 2. The backrest 3 of the movement seat 1 is attached to a vertical section of the frame 2.

Alternatively, the force sensor 19 can be dispensed with if the motor signals are evaluated instead. The processing unit and the input device for controlling the movement of the seat 4 is in the Figure 1 A), 1 B) not shown for clarity.

The drive mechanism 6 can in one embodiment Figure 2 additionally enable a mechanical rotation of the seat 4 about its vertical axis (Z-axis). With the drive mechanics illustration 1 Matching components have matching reference numbers.

A rotary drive is arranged on the second carriage 9. The rotary drive comprises a worm wheel 23 which can be rotated about the vertical axis and is mounted in an axial bearing and which engages with an output-side worm 24 of an electric motor 25 fastened on the top of the second carriage 9. The force sensor is rotationally fixed to the worm wheel 23 19 attached, to which the flange 21 is screwed for attaching the seat 2. Due to its high gear ratio, the worm gear allows precise rotation of the seat 4 through small angles and, due to its self-locking, at the same time prevents the seat 4 from being rotated by useful forces applied by the user.

In an embodiment according to Figures 3 and 4, the drive mechanism 6 can execute three-dimensional actual trajectories. With the drive mechanics illustration 1 Matching components have matching reference numbers. The drive mechanism 6 also has a travel unit 7. The movement unit 7 includes a first and a second carriage 8,9, which can be moved at right angles to one another. The first carriage 8 is slidably guided along a first set of guide rails 11 by means of sliding bushings 10. The first set of curved guide rails 11 is arranged on a base plate 12 of a housing 13 of the movement module 5. The first carriage 8 is driven via a first belt 14, which is driven by a first electric motor 15 arranged on the base plate 12. A second set of curved guide rails 16 is arranged on the first carriage 8 at right angles to the first set of guide rails 11. The second carriage 9 is slidably guided along the second set of curved guide rails 16 by means of sliding bushings 10. The second carriage 9 is driven via a second belt 17, which is driven by a second electric motor 18 arranged on the first carriage 8. The second carriage 9 is connected to a flange 21 for fastening the seat 4 with the interposition of a force sensor 19. The main difference to Embodiment according to illustration 1 is that the first set and the second set of guide rails 11, 16 have a matching curvature. If the curvature of the first and second sets of guide rails 11, 16 matches and the pivot points of the two curved guide rails 11, 16 fall on the same location, height fluctuations of the seat surface 2 can be avoided with a circular target movement path. The pivot point refers to the origin of the radius of curvature, which defines the curvature of the guide rails. However, if the pivot points do not fall on the same location, slight periodic fluctuations in the height of the seat surface 2 occur when the seat surface 2 moves along a circular path. These slight fluctuations in height can be used specifically to stimulate the user's movement and to cyclically relieve the strain on the spine.

In an embodiment according to Figures 5A, 5B, the drive mechanism 6 can additionally have a seat tilt adjustment 26 with a mechanical adjustment drive 27. Components that match the drive mechanism according to Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 have matching reference numbers. The seat tilt adjustment 26 allows the tilt angle of the seat 4 to be adjusted. The seat tilt adjustment 26 comprises two swivel joints 28 arranged on the frame 2 and aligned with one another, which pivotally connects the base plate 12 of the housing 13 to the frame 2. The pivot axis is located on the front edge of the base plate 12. The mechanical adjustment drive 27 is formed by two linear drives 29 arranged on the frame 2, which are applied to the rear edge of the base plate 12 on the output side.

In the embodiment according to illustration 1 The drive mechanism 6 and the processing unit for motion control include those listed below and in Figure 9 Electrical or electronic components shown: component Includes function Input device e.g. a mobile phone (smartphone) with software (app) Setting the target trajectory and/or the target speed microelectronics Circuit board with microcontroller Processing of the algorithms for moving the seat 2 Motor driver -Receive a control signal (the actual position) as an input signal output is the current required for the electric motors 15, 18 so that they move to the actual position Electric motors Position encoder integrated in the motors -The electric motors 15,18 carry out the mechanical movement specified by the motor drivers -The position encoders in the electric motors 15,18 return a signal with the current motor position Force sensor The force sensor records the useful forces that act on the seat 2. accumulator Supplies power to the entire system.

The battery supplies the electric motors 15,18 and the processing unit with power. The measuring device 19, here in the form of the force sensor 19, transmits a signal with the detected force in the x and y directions to the microelectronics of the processing unit at each time cycle of the control. The algorithm uses these signals and the target trajectory and target speed specified by the input device to calculate the position for the electric motors 15, 18 and thus the actual position of the seat 2 and sends these actual values to the motor drivers. The motor drivers use appropriate electrical currents to control the motor movement in order to move to the actual positions. The motor drivers have their own control system that receives the actual position (from the microelectronics) and the current position (from the motor encoders) as an input signal and regulates the motor current as an output.

Software is operated on the processing unit (e.g. the microelectronics). The software is used to control the movement of the seat. In Figure 6 a block diagram is shown using the example of the movement seat 1 illustration 1 the movement control according to the invention using the processing unit and the drive mechanism is explained in more detail.

• $$\mathrm{x}=\sin \left(\mathrm{t}\right)$$
  
• $$y=\sin \left(\mathrm{t}+\pi /2\right)$$
  

If the user sits on the movement seat 1 and activates the processing unit, then the seat 4 and thus the user are initially moved in a further operating mode on a predetermined target movement path with a predetermined constant or variable target speed. Both values are pre-programmed and can be set by the user, for example changed by the input device. The following is based on a circular, predetermined target movement path. The x and y position of the initially set target movement path results from the formulas:

• $$\mathrm{x}=\sin \left(\mathrm{t}\right)$$
  
• $$y=\sin \left(\mathrm{t}+\pi /2\right)$$
  

If the user starts the movement, the seat 4 initially moves on the circular path as a target movement path with the initial target radius r ₀ and with the initial target speed v ₀ in the further operating mode, i.e. with a passive movement of the user. In all operating modes, the movement is automatically stopped when the user gets up from the movement seat 1.

The software control automatically switches between the further operating mode with passive and the basic mode with active movement. By automatically switching between the user's active movements and support through passive movement times, the user can be activated to active movements and still remain in motion for as long as possible. This beneficial functional approach for automated switching between active and passive movement is described below:
The user is initially in a further operating mode, for example on a circular path with the radius r ₀ and the driving speed v ₀ . The uniform movement on the target trajectory can now be carried out by the user in the Speed on the circular path and / or the shape of the trajectory can be changed. To do this, the user must apply additional force to the seat 4 that goes beyond mere posture corrections. This is possible, for example, because the user has his feet on the ground and can transmit force through them. The useful forces that the user additionally applies to the seat 4 are recorded by the force sensor 19 under the seat 4. The sensor 19 measures the useful forces between the seat 4 and the drive mechanism 6.

The control consists of two functional units. A speed adjustment unit is responsible for changing the actual speed on the specified target trajectory (in our example, the circular path). A unit of shape change is responsible for the deviation of the actual trajectory from the specified target trajectory. The results of both functional units are merged and passed on to the motor drivers. The algorithms behind these functional units and their design can be varied as desired. Regardless of the exact design, they influence the actual speed and the actual trajectory, i.e. the shape of the trajectory on which the seat 4 actually moves and its actual speed.

The entire control uses as an input signal the useful forces acting on the seat surface 4 detected by the force sensor 19 as well as the target movement path and target speed specified by the input device.

Functional unit of speed adjustment:

The useful force values measured by the force sensor 19 in the x and y directions result in a useful force vector. The target speed in the x and y directions is determined from the inputs of the target speed and the target trajectory. The target speed vector is formed from both values. The target speed vector is first standardized for further calculation. If a directional component of the useful force vector points in the target direction of movement, the user wants to accelerate in the direction of movement by applying the useful force. If a directional component of the useful force vector points in a direction opposite to the target direction of movement, braking is caused.

• Ist das Skalarprodukt > 0, dann bringt der Nutzer Nutzkraftanteile in Bewegungsrichtung auf. Die Steuerung beschleunigt in einem Unterstützungsmodus daraufhin auf der Bewegungsbahn. Die Ist-Geschwindigkeit ist höher als die vorgegebene Soll-Geschwindigkeit.
• Ist das Skalarprodukt = 0, dann sinkt die Ist-Geschwindigkeit, bedingt durch den Tiefpassfilter, langsam wieder auf die Soll-Geschwindigkeit v₀, wenn der Nutzer nicht vorher wieder eine Kraft aufbringt. Die Steuerung wechselt ggf. in den weiteren Betriebsmodus.
• Ist das Skalarprodukt < 0, dann bringt der Anwender Kraftanteile entgegen der Bewegungsrichtung auf. Die Steuerung bremst in diesem Widerstandsmodus daraufhin auf der vorgegebenen Bewegungsbahn. Durch das "Abbremsen" des Nutzers kann die anfängliche Soll-Geschwindigkeit v₀ auf eine geringere Ist-Geschwindigkeit v_min der Sitzfläche 4 sinken. Dabei bildet v_min den unteren Wert der Geschwindigkeit (v_min ≤ v₀), der auch durch eine zusätzliche Nutzkraftaufbringung des Nutzers nicht mehr unterschritten werden kann.

In the unit of speed adjustment, the dot product is formed from the useful force vector and the standardized target speed vector.

• If the dot product > 0, then the user applies useful force in the direction of movement. The control then accelerates along the trajectory in a support mode. The actual speed is higher than the specified target speed.
• If the dot product = 0, then the actual speed, due to the low-pass filter, slowly drops back to the target speed v ₀ if the user does not apply force again beforehand. If necessary, the control switches to the other operating mode.
• If the scalar product is < 0, then the user applies force against the direction of movement. In this resistance mode, the control then brakes along the specified trajectory. By "braking" the user, the initial target speed v ₀ can drop to a lower actual speed v _min of the seat 4. In this case, v _min forms the lower value of the speed (v _min ≤ v ₀ ), which cannot be undershot even by additional application of the user's useful force.

The value of the dot product is scaled by a factor V1. The factor V1 can be set by the user (via the input device) and influences the response behavior of the control. It indicates the extent to which the user reacts to a given application of useful force. A higher value means that the user can accelerate more with the same amount of useful force. The factor V1 can be constant or can be designed as a function depending on various input parameters.

The control described would be unstable if it reacted immediately to the user's smallest changes in useful force. With the aim of avoiding sudden movements of the seat surface 4, which can be caused by rapid movements of the user, damping elements such as low-pass filters are built into the control.

If a user suddenly applies a maximum useful force in the direction of movement to the seat 4, then the processing unit does not react immediately by changing the actual speed is increased to a maximum in this direction, but the low-pass filters cause a delayed build-up of the speed (damped acceleration). The same applies when braking or dropping from a higher actual speed to the target speed if the user does not apply force again as before.

The actual speed results in the functional unit of speed adaptation from the sum of the target speed and the result of scaling with the factor V1 and the adaptation using the low-pass filter.

Functional unit of shape change:

The second functional unit determines the shape of the actual trajectory on which the seat 4 moves. It enables a shape changing mode. To do this, the measured force value is multiplied (scaled) by a factor. The force component in the x direction with X2, the force component in the y direction with Y2. These two factors can also be constant, changed by the user using the input device, or designed as functions that vary depending on different input parameters. To the in Figure 8 In order to realize the progressively increasing resistance shown as a function of the deflection from the specified target movement path, X2 and Y2 must be mapped as functions and cannot be constant. This makes it possible to achieve an “elastic” behavior, whereby the user is even more exposed to a deflection of the actual trajectory from the originally intended target trajectory the target trajectory is returned, the further away it is from it. In addition, the factors X2 and Y2 can become smaller the further the actual trajectory deviates from the target trajectory. This optional embodiment is in Figure 6 not shown.

The shape change takes place in the direction of application of the useful force by the user by adding the scaled force components to the target movement path. It is possible in all spatial directions (360°), but can also be limited to certain spatial directions by software.

The actual positions of the seat surface 4 to be approached by the motor drivers in the x and y directions are calculated from the actual movement path of the functional unit of shape change and the actual speed of the functional unit of speed adjustment (cf. Figure 6 ). In the example of the circular path as a target trajectory, changes in the actual trajectory and the actual speed compared to the target trajectory and target speed are restricted in the software by a minimum radius r _min (r _min ≤ r ₀ ) and a minimum travel speed v _min .

On the frame 2 of a movement seat 1 designed as a chair, in particular an office chair, there are in one Figure 7 illustrated embodiment of the invention three independently movable segments 30 of the backrest 3 are stored.

The upper segment 30.1 of the backrest is located in the area of the shoulder girdle; it should remind the user of this Stabilize the area and keep it as calm as possible. The two lower segments 30.2, 30.3 of the backrest 3 are intended to support the user during passive and active movement. The two lower segments 30.2., 30.3. are movable from an initial position to the side edges of the seat. In order to correct the user's posture when sitting, in particular to prevent a hunched back when sitting, the initial position of the two lower movably mounted segments 30.2, 30.3 in relation to the frame 2 can be adjusted by means of a mechanical drive. The segments 30.2, 30.3 can be adjusted in particular in the direction of the seat depth in the manner of a lumbar support.

A sensor 32 for detecting the user's sitting behavior is arranged on all segments 30 of the backrest 3. Pressure sensors are provided as sensors, which detect the pressure intensity between the back and the individual segments 30. The sensors 32 are arranged between the frame 2 and the movably mounted segments 30.

The processing unit is set up in such a way that, depending on the seating behavior detected by the sensors 32, it specifically activates one of the operating modes for controlling the movement of the seat and/or the seat tilt adjustment 26 and/or changes the initial position of the two movably mounted segments 30.2, 30.3.

Reference symbol list

1

Movement seat

2

frame

3

backrest

4

Seat

5

Motion module

6

Drive mechanics

7

Tracking unit

8th

first sleigh

9

second sleigh

10

sliding bushings

11

first set of guide rails

12

base plate

13

Housing

14

first strap

15

first electric motor

16

second set of guide rails

17

second strap

18

second electric motor

19

Force sensor/measuring device

20

-

21

flange

22

-

23

worm wheel

24

Snail

25

Electric motor

26

Seat tilt adjustment

27

Adjustment drive

28

Swivel joint

29

linear actuator

30

segment

31

Connection of the backrest segments

32

sensor

Claims (20)

1. Moving seat (1) comprising

   - a frame (2),

   - a seat surface (4),

   - a drive mechanism (6), set up to perform a machine-driven movement of the seat surface (4) with an actual speed along a closed two or three-dimensional actual motion path with respect to the frame (2),

   - a measuring device (19), set up at least for detecting the direction and magnitude of the effective forces applied by a user to the seat surface (4),

   - a processing unit, set up for the movement control of the seat surface (4) with the actual speed along the closed actual motion path by means of the drive mechanism (6) taking into account the direction and magnitude of the detected effective forces, wherein the actual speed of the seat surface (4) changes with respect to a predefined target speed of the seat surface (4) by the effective forces acting on the seat surface (4) and/or the actual motion path changes with respect to a predefined closed target motion path by the effective forces acting on the seat surface (4).
2. Moving seat according to claim 1, characterised in that the processing unit is further set up such that

   a) an effective force vector, which results from the direction and magnitude of the detected effective forces, is continuously compared with the direction of a target speed vector at a point of the target motion path, wherein the effective force vector relates to the same point or one of the adjacent points on the target motion path, and a component of the effective force vector in or opposite to the direction of the target speed vector causes a change in the actual speed of the seat surface (4) with respect to the target speed of the seat surface (4)
   and/or

   b) a point on the target motion path is displaced in the direction and by a scaled magnitude of the effective force vector, wherein the effective force vector relates to the same point or one of the adjacent points on the target motion path, in order to change the actual motion path of the seat surface with respect to the target motion path, as soon as the magnitude of the effective force vector exceeds a predefined threshold value.
3. Moving seat according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the drive forces of the drive mechanism (6) and the effective forces applied by the user to the seat surface (4) act on the seat surface (4), wherein the effective forces comprise a passive portion resulting from the mass of the user and an active portion resulting from the active movement of the user.
4. Moving seat according to one of claims 2 or 3,
   characterised in that the processing unit is further set up such that the component of the effective force vector in the direction of the speed vector leads to an increase in the actual speed of the seat surface (4) with respect to the predefined target speed.
5. Moving seat according to one of claims 2 to 4,
   characterised in that the processing unit is further set up such that the component of the effective force vector against the direction of the speed vector leads to a reduction of the actual speed of the seat surface (4) with respect to the predefined target speed.
6. Moving seat according to one of claims 2 to 5,
   characterised in that the processing unit is further set up such that the scaled magnitude of the effective force vector is determined by means of a constant or variable which depends on one or more of the motion parameters of the seat surface (4) and/or other input parameters.
7. Moving seat according to one of claims 2 to 6,
   characterised in that the processing unit is further set up such that a restoring component of the drive force increases with increasing distance of the actual motion path from the closed target motion path.
8. Moving seat according to one of claims 5 to 7,
   characterised in that drive forces acting against the direction of the speed vector dampen the movement of the seat surface (4).
9. Moving seat (1) according to one of claims 1 to 8,
   characterised in that the processing unit is further set up such that the movement control of the seat surface (4) with the actual speed along the actual motion path by means of the drive mechanism (6) optionally takes place in at least one further operating mode, wherein in the at least one further operating mode the actual speed of the seat surface (4) is not changed with respect to a predefined target speed of the seat surface (4) by the effective forces acting on the seat surface (4) and the actual motion path is not changed with respect to a predefined closed target motion path by the effective forces acting on the seat surface (4).
10. Moving seat according to claim 9, characterised in that the processing unit is further set up such that different operating modes change automatically in an event-controlled manner or at defined intervals.
11. Moving seat according to one of claims 1 to 10,
    characterised in that the processing unit is set up such that the predefined closed target motion path of the seat surface (4) is a closed curve, preferably a smooth closed curve.
12. Moving seat according to one of claims 1 to 11,
    characterised in that the processing unit is set up such that the predefined target speed of the seat surface (4) does not assume the value "0" at any point of the closed target motion path and/or the target speed vector of the seat surface points at each point of the closed target motion path in the direction of the next point in the direction of motion on the target motion path.
13. Moving seat according to one of claims 1 to 12,
    characterised in that the drive mechanism (6) comprises a positioning system.
14. Moving seat according to claim 13, characterised in that the positioning system comprises an X-Y displacement unit (7) .
15. Moving seat according to claim 13, characterised in that the positioning system comprises a first curved guide and/or a second curved guide and the two guides are arranged at right angles to one another.
16. Moving seat according to claim 14 or 15, characterised in that the positioning system is further set up for machine-driven rotation of the seat surface (4) about its vertical axis.
17. Moving seat according to one of claims 14 to 16,
    characterised in that the multi-axis positioning system further comprises a seat tilt adjustment (26) with a mechanical adjustment drive (27).
18. Moving seat according to one of claims 1 to 17,
    characterised in that a backrest (3) comprising multiple segments (30) is arranged on the frame (2) and at least one of the segments (30) is movably mounted in relation to the frame.
19. Moving seat according to claim 18, characterised in that an initial position of the at least one movably mounted segment (30) in relation to the frame (2) is adjustable by means of a mechanical drive.
20. Moving seat according to claim 18 or 19, characterised in that at least one sensor (32) is arranged on the backrest (3) or at least one segment (30) of the backrest (3) to recognise the sitting behaviour of the user, and the processing unit is set up such that depending on the detected sitting behaviour it changes the movement control of the seat surface (4) and/or activates the seat tilt adjustment (26) and/or changes the initial position of the at least one movably mounted segment (30).

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