GB2422537A

GB2422537A - Rear-supported self-sprung ergonomic cantilevered chair and accompanying footstool

Info

Publication number: GB2422537A
Application number: GB0501712A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gerard James Locke
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-01-26
Filing date: 2005-01-26
Publication date: 2006-08-02
Also published as: GB0501712D0

Abstract

The chair comprises a base which includes a lower frame member 1 which extends upwards behind a user's seating position to create an upper frame member section 2 which supports straps 3 stretched taught across the frame side sections. The upper and lower frame members may be reinforced with cross members 4,5. Several bends (7,Fig.2) may be included in the chair framework to accommodate the shape of a user's body. The footstool includes a lower frame member section (8) which extends upwards to form an upper frame member section (9). The chair and footstool may be formed of various materials including: a composite; metal; plastic; wood; ceramic; glass or any combination of these materials. The chair straps may be formed of a fabric(s), e.g. cloth, leather, mesh, plastic, or other soft material, or a combination of these.

Description

Chair and accompanying footstool (split chaise longue) This invention relates to an ergonomic chair and accompanying footstool (split chaise longue).

Traditionally, when using furniture, particularly in the home, the design is traditional and does not accommodate the ergonomic principles associated with correct posture. In particular, most furniture is angled at approximately 90 degrees (seat/back relationship). According to various principles including Somatic and Ergonomic, this is unhealthy for the body. These more tradi- tional furntiure designs also often use an array of construction methods and materials in order to create the final product, creating an ecological/environmental impact. To overcome these two main problems (unhealthy posture and complicated construction methods) this chair was de- signed to not only be anatomically-supportive of the body but also using a minimal amount of parts in order to make the whole construction less complicated.

The one-piece frame construction method, using the unique cantilever design creates a "self- sprung" design which allows the structure the give' required to do away with most of the up- holstery, leaving either a single fabric strap or preferrably several fabric straps stretched taught across the frame side sections. It is common for a cantilever design to feature at the front of the chair (with the lever section to the rear), which reinforces the design from the front direction.

However, this design does the opposite, that is, the cantilever is achieved from the rear so that the lever' end is the part that the user sits on at the front of the chair. Not the rear. Therefore the frame forms part of the cushioning and the straps form the rest of the cushioning.

The cushioning means may be adjusted by using a range of fabrics and materials for both the frame section and the strap (upholstciy) section. The amount that the frame gives' by is depend- ent on the weight of the user and whether the user uses the separate accompanying footstool section. The footstool section works in a similar way to the chair section, however the feet of the user are supported by the lever' end of the cantilever and therefore the lever is reversed.

The chair section may be used with or without the accompany footstool. However the footstool maximises the ergonomic effect compared with if the chair is used without it.

An object of this invention is to provide a comfortable chair for any environment in order to maintain good posture. The invention also comes with a head support as part of the ergonomic design.

Preferrably, the chair and its accompanying footstool are made of a composite material, metal, plastic however, it may instead be made of wood to match other furniture or a ceramic or glass material or any combination of these materials. In addition to this, the fabric that is stretched across the frame sides can consist of a single piece of fabric, or several pieces of fabric. The fab- ric material can be cloth, leather or other natural fabric, a mesh, a plastic or other soft material, or a combination of these.

The invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accom- panying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows the chair (front perspective view) complete with accompanying footstool.

Figure 2 shows the chair (side profile view) complete with accompanying footstool.

Figure 3 shows the chair (reai perspective view) complete with accompanying footstopl.

Description (cont).

As shown in figure 1. The chair comprises a base that uses its lower member section (1) to sup- port itself by reaching up behind the user's seating position to create the upper member section (2) that is used to support the strap(s) (3). The upper and lower member sections can be reinforced with crossmembers, such as the front positioned crossmember (4) or the base positioned crossmember (5), however these crossmembers can be placed anywhere along the frame to rein- force it. The headrest sits across the upper member section anywhere. The material (upholstery) that stretches across the frame (3) is secured to the frame by either wrapping, use of fasteners, glue or bonding, or a combination of these methods.

As shown in figure 2. The frame section features several bends (7) to accommodate the shape of the body. The accompanying footstool also features a cantilever design where the lower member section (8) reaches up to form the upper member section (9). If the sitter uses the accompanying footstool, this will have a greater ergonomic effect and will lighten the load placed on the chair section. The footstool section may also be permanently attached to the chair section by way of a brace via mechanical or permanently moulded or bonded construction techniques to ensure the footstool is used.

As shown in figure 3. The chair comprises a base that reaches up towards the rear and comes for- ward creating the lever (upper member) section of the cantilever at the front. Therefore the chair is only supported from the rear of the frame and not from the front (many chairs already exist with the support at the front of the chair rather than the rear).

Claims

Claims 1. A chair unit with accompanying footstool, both of a cantilevered

design with the chair sec- tion supported from the rear (behind the user) and the footstool section supported from the front (ahead of the user's feet) allowing the cantilevered design the means to give' on each of the sections, which varies based on the weight of the individual user (load placed on each sec- tion) and whether or not the sitter uses only the chair section or both.
2. A chair unit with accompanying footstool according to claim 1, in which the shape of the up- per member of the chair section has at least one ergonomic contour to the human body.
3. A chair unit with accompanying footstool according to claim 1, in which the comfort is provided by a combination of the give' of the chair section design, and the matenal/fabric section(s) that is/are stretched across the upper member sections and the footstool upper mem- ber sections.