GB2523584A

GB2523584A - Chair

Info

Publication number: GB2523584A
Application number: GB1403559.6A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stuart James Robinson
Original assignee: SITTING COMFORTABLY Ltd
Current assignee: SITTING COMFORTABLY Ltd
Priority date: 2014-02-28
Filing date: 2014-02-28
Publication date: 2015-09-02
Anticipated expiration: 2034-02-28
Also published as: GB2523584B; GB201403559D0

Abstract

A chair with a backrest 1 wherein the backrest 1 has curved regions to support a users spine in the neck 9, mid back 10 and lower back 11 regions and wherein a gap is provided in the region by a users shoulders. The curves may support the cervical lordosis, thoracic kyphosis and lumbar lordosis and ensure they are in a neutral position. The backrest 1 may be arranged to so that its angle can be adjusted and so that it can slide forwards and backwards relative to a seat pan 3 and arm rests 4 may be attached to the backrest 1 so that they translate with it. The shoulder gaps may be a cut out which allows the shoulder blades to rest backwards to prevent slouching. The chair may be used when working at a desk.

Description

The Proposed chair keeps the user supported in a neutral spinal posture. It enables all areas of the spine to be supported and prevents slouching of the user.

Sustained poor sitting postures [or "slouching") are a recognised cause of pain in the muscles and joints of the spine and shoulders. The backrest of the proposed chair curves in three directions to ensure all areas of the spine (as well as the head) are supported and thus the proposed chair back prevents slouching. The backrest has cut outs for the shoulders and shoulder blades to help promote a sitting posture with the shoulders backwards rather than being forward drawn and rounded. Forward drawn, rounded sitting postures (even without spinal slouching) are also a recognised source of neck and shoulder problems. Other chair designs have back rests that are slightly concave and therefore promote a rounded shoulder position that over time can cause problems in the shoulders and neck of the user.

When working at a desk most individuals sit forward on the seat pan of a chair, in this position their spine has little or no contact with the backrest of the chair.

This sitting posture usually occurs because the user wishes to get close enough to their computer, book or papers in order to read or write clearly. The proposed chair mechanism enables the user to slide the backrest up to 30cm forwards to meet their spine in their preferred position for that task and then whilst sat down slide the backrest back again if they wish to alter their position for a different task. The backrest also has an adjustment mechanism that allows the angulation of the backrest to be adjusted according to the users preferred position. The combinations of these adjustments conveys the advantage of the user being able to find the position they need to be sat in and then moving the proposed chair's backrest to support them in this position. Some adjustable chairs have seat pans that slide backwards and forwards; these chairs actually move the position of the user relative to the backrest. This moveable seat pan design means that the user then has to move themselves and the chair relative to their desk or computer because their sitting position has been altered as a result of moving the seat pan. Additionally the amount of seat depth adjustment (by moving the seat pan) is often only small and so the user will still often sit too far forward for the backrest to offer their spine support. The proposed chair allows the backrest to move to make contact with the user's spine in the position where they wish to sit, rather than the user having to move the seat pan and therefore their whole body to make any use of the chair's back rest. The forward and backward translation of the backrest of the proposed chair can be up to 75% of the total depth of the seat pan (equating to over 30cm). This ensures that wherever on the seat pan the user wishes to sit they can still be supported by the backrest in a neutral spinal posture. Additionally because the arm rests are mounted to the backrest and the forward sliding mechanism, the armrests are also moved forwards with the backrest This enables the armrests to be fully utilised in a variety of positions. The armrests may also be folded backwards if the user does not require them. The proposed chair supports the user's head, neck, mid back and lower back and allows the shoulders to be held in a neutral posture.

Statement of invention

The Proposed chair supports the user's head, neck, mid back and lower back and allows the shoulders to be held in a neutral posture. The Proposed chair's backrest has 3 curvatures corresponding to the neck curve (cervical lordosis] the mid back curve (thoracic kyphosis) and the lower back curve (lumbar lordosis] of the human body. This ensures that the users' head and spine are supported in a neutral posture.

The backrest of the proposed chair has cut outs to enable the user's shoulders and shoulder blades to be rested slightly backwards which will help to discourage rounding of the shoulders and stumping of the spine angles by the user.

The Proposed chair allows the user to sit in the position on the seat pan that they wish to be in relative to a desk, computer or other furniture and then slide the backrest forwards or backwards to support them in this desired position.

Description related to drawings

The backrest (1] is attached on either side to a metal fixing bracket (2) that overhangs the lateral margins of the seat pan (3). Each metal fixing bracket is mounted onto the armrests (4) via a mounting plate (13) on both sides of the proposed chair. The armrest (4) and the backrest (1) are thus attached together.

The Metal fixing bracket has a 4cm long horizontal notch cut out ofit (14). When the backrest angle adjustment screws (15) that attach the backrest to the metal fixing bracket are loosened the backrest is enabled to pivot about the metal fixing bracket within the confines of the horizontal notch, such that the backrest can be angled up to a 30-degree recline from the vertical. This allows the user to lean back in the chair whilst still being fully supported by the backrest. The armrests are mounted onto the proposed chair's chassis (5) via hollow metal runners (6) for the metal bars to house each runner on the underside of the proposed chair's seat pan (3). The proposed chair's chassis has 2 parallel bars (7) that allow the hollow metal runners (6) to slide forwards or backwards thus moving the whole backrest (1] and both armrests (4). The hollow metal runners (6) have tensioning knobs [8) that allows the user to lock the backrest once the desired position has been found. These can then be easily loosened when the user wishes to change the position of the backrest again.

The backrest has 3 curvatures in it corresponding to the neck curve (9) (cervical lordosis) the mid back curve (10) (thoracic kyphosis) and the lower back curve (11) (lumbar lordosis]. The backrest (1) has cut outs (12) that allow the user to hold their shoulders and shoulder Nades slightly backwards to maintain a neutral spinal and shoulder position.

Claims

Claims The Proposed chair supports the user's head, neck, mid back and lower back and allows the shoulders to be held in a neutral posture. The proposed chair back has 3 curvatures corresponding to the neck curve (cervical lordosis] the mid back curve (thoracic kyphosis) and the lower back curve (lumbar lordosis). This ensures that the users' head and spine are supported in a neutral posture.The backrest of the proposed chair has cut outs to enable the user's shoulders and shoulder blades to be rested slightly backwards which will help to discourage rounding of the shoulders and slumping of the spine angles by the user.The proposed chair mechanism enables the user to slide the backrest forwards or backwards in relation to the seat pan to meet their spine in their preferred position for that task and then whilst sat down slide the backrest back again if they wish to alter their position for a different task. The seat back also has an adjustment mechanism that allows the angulation of the seat back to be adjusted according to the user's preferred position.Claim 1: The Proposed chair's backrest has three curves to support the three curves of the human spine; the backrest has shoulder cut outs.Claim 2: The backrest (described in claim 1) may be moved forwards and backwards relative to the seat pan.Claim 3: The armrests translate forwards and backwards with the backrest; the backrest and armrests are coupled.Amendments to the claims have been made as follows: Claims 1. A chair having a seat pan and a backrest, the backrest suitable for supporting a user's back, wherein the backrest has three curves corresponding to the user's neck curve, mid back curve and lower back curve, and wherein the backrest is arranged to translate forward and backward by sliding in relation to the seat pan so that the backrest can be moved into contact with the user's back if the user decides to sit toward the front of the seat pan or toward the rear of the seat pan and thereby support the user's head and spine in a neutral posture. The backrest of the chair is arranged to slide from the rear of the seat pan up to 75% of the depth of the seat pan toward the front of the chair.
2. A chair in accordance with claim 1, wherein the backrest is arranged to tilt in a forward and backward direction about an axis parallel to a rear edge of the seat pan.
3. A chair in accordance with claim I or claim 2, wherein the backrest has cut-out portions in a region corresponding to the user's shoulder blades.
4. A chair in accordance with any preceding claim, wherein the chair has a chassis upon which the seat pan is mounted, and wherein the chassis is provided with parallel bars and the backrest is provided with hoD ow runners that slide along the parallel bars of the chassis to allow the backrest to slide.
5. A chair in accordance with any preceding claim wherein at least one releasable fastener is provided to secure the backrest in a selected position.
6. A chair in accordance with any preceding claim, wherein armrests are provided coupled to the backrest so that the armrests move with the backrest.
7. A chair in accordance with claim 6, wherein the armrests are pivotally connected to the backrest so that they may be folded * * away.
8. A chair as substantially described herein and as shown in the accompanying drawings. S..S * S *S** assS