U.S. patent application number 10/885134 was filed with the patent office on 2004-12-02 for health chair.
This patent application is currently assigned to Lite-On Technology Corporation. Invention is credited to Lee, Shih-Yang.
Application Number | 20040239161 10/885134 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46301450 |
Filed Date | 2004-12-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040239161 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lee, Shih-Yang |
December 2, 2004 |
Health chair
Abstract
A health chair includes a chair body, a pressure detection
device located within the chair body and composed of a plurality of
piezoelectric sensors for generating conduction signals at a
conducting stage, wherein the conducting stage is triggered at a
predetermined pressure, an alarm device, and a logic processing
unit electrically connected to the pressure detection device and
the alarm device for analyzing the conduction signals from the
pressure detection device, so as to determine whether to trigger
the alarm device and, thereby, to notify the user on the chair
body.
Inventors: |
Lee, Shih-Yang;
(US) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BIRCH STEWART KOLASCH & BIRCH
PO BOX 747
FALLS CHURCH
VA
22040-0747
US
|
Assignee: |
Lite-On Technology
Corporation
|
Family ID: |
46301450 |
Appl. No.: |
10/885134 |
Filed: |
July 7, 2004 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
10885134 |
Jul 7, 2004 |
|
|
|
10372824 |
Feb 26, 2003 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
297/217.3 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47C 7/72 20130101; A47C
31/126 20130101; A47C 7/727 20180801 |
Class at
Publication: |
297/217.3 |
International
Class: |
A47C 007/62 |
Claims
I claim:
1. A health chair comprising: a chair body; a pressure detection
device located within said chair body and composed of a plurality
of piezoelectric sensors, the pressure detection device generating
a weight distribution signal for user and generating conduction
signals at a conducting stage, wherein said conducting stage is
triggered at a predetermined pressure; an alarm device; and a logic
processing unit electrically connected to said pressure detection
device and said alarm device for identifying weight distribution
signal and counting said conduction signals from said pressure
detection device, when a user is identified to sit on the health
chair and a counting number of the conduction signals exceeds a
predetermined value, the logic processing unit triggers said alarm
device and thereby notifying the user on said chair body.
2. The health chair as claimed in claim 1, wherein said logic
processing unit is a logic processor having functions of operating,
power providing, and timing.
3. The health chair as claimed in claim 1, wherein said alarm
device is a buzzer.
4. The health chair as claimed in claim 1, wherein said alarm
device is a vibrator.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S.
application Ser. No. 10/372,824, filed on 26 February, 2003 and
entitle "health chair".
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to a health chair and, more
particularly, to a chair, which is used in offices and has the
functions of detection, operation and alarm to prevent a user
sitting thereon from physical harms due to sitting for a long
time.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
[0003] A person who sits in front of an office desk unavoidably
maintains an almost still posture for such a long period of time,
resulting in symptoms such as sore shoulder, cyrtosis and so on.
According to medical research, periodically changing the sitting
postures can keep some of these kinds of symptoms or injuries away.
However, currently existent office chairs have no related specific
designs to help people avoid aforementioned symptoms or
injuries.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The present invention is directed towards a health chair,
which can prevent people from physical harms due to remaining
seated too long. The present invention is characterized by the
measurement of how long a person has been on the chair, with
maintaining the same posture. If the time is too long and exceeds
the time advised by doctors, a sound or vibration is generated,
serving as a warning message, to inform the user on the chair of
that it is right time to change his/her postures, while the
measurement of calculating the time that the user has been on the
chair continues. Once the user on the chair has changed postures,
the accumulated time is going to be reset. Therefore, the present
invention can prevent a chair user from physical harms due to
sitting too long on the chair. To achieve the above object, in the
present invention, a sheet-type conducting rubber film is placed in
the cushion of a chair, and a logic processing unit is connected to
an alarm device and electric contacts on the conducting rubber
film, so as to obtain the information regarding how long that the
user has been on the chair and maintained the same posture unmoved.
If the positions of a considerable number of the electric contacts
of the conducting rubber film within a certain period change,
representing the user has changed his/her postures, and then reset
the accumulated time which is for calculating how long the same
posture of the user has maintained. If the accumulated time exceeds
a predetermined value, meaning the user has maintained the same
posture too long, and an alarm (sound or vibration) is generated to
notify the user that it is the high time to change his/her
postures.
[0005] The above logic processing unit is a logic processor having
functions of operating, power supply, and timing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] The various objects and advantages of the present invention
will be more readily understood from the following detailed
description when read in conjunction with the appended drawing, in
which:
[0007] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention;
[0008] FIG. 2 is a partly enlarged view of FIG. 1;
[0009] FIG. 3 is a circuit block diagram of the present
invention;
[0010] FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the algorithm of the present
invention; and
[0011] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating the conducting
rubber film having a plurality of switching devices arranged
thereon.
[0012] FIG. 6 shows the block diagram of another preferred
embodiment of the present invention.
[0013] FIG. 7 shows a schematic view of the arrangement of the
switching matrix.
[0014] FIG. 8 shows the addressing clock timing for the health
chair.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0015] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the present invention provides a
health chair that is particularly for office use includes a chair
body, a pressure detection device 2, a logic processing unit 3, and
an alarm device 4. The chair body 1 is designed in accordance with
ergonomics.
[0016] The pressure detection device 2 is a sheet-type conducting
rubber film in this embodiment, and is placed in a cushion of the
chair body 1. A plurality of switching devices are arranged on the
conducting rubber film to form a switch array, as shown in FIG. 5.
When an electric contact of any of the switching devices is subject
to a predetermined pressure, conduction signals are sent to the
logic processing unit 3.
[0017] The above conducting rubber film is formed by arranging a
plurality of electric contacts 22 on a film plate 21. A rubber
switch 23 is provided at a position corresponding to that of each
of the electric contacts 22. A conducting portion 24 is provided at
the bottom surface of each of the rubber switches 23. When the
conducting portion 24 contacts the electric contact 22, a
conducting stage is triggered. The alarm device 4 is a buzzer or a
vibrator.
[0018] The logic processing unit 3 is connected to the electric
contacts 22 of the pressure detection device 2 and the alarm device
4, and has functions of operating, power supply, and timing. The
logic processing unit 3 analyzes conduction signals from the
pressure detection device 2 to determine whether to trigger the
alarm device 4.
[0019] When a user sits on the cushion of the chair body 1 to allow
some of the rubber switches 23 to contact some of the electric
contacts of the pressure detection device 2, therefore to reach to
a conducting stage and having the conduction signals sent out, the
logic processing unit 2 analyzes the conduction signals of the
pressure detection device 2. If the user has changed postures so as
to change the positions of a considerable number of the electric
contacts 22 of the pressure detection device 2 within a certain
period, the accumulated time for recording how long the user has
been on the chair and how long he/she has maintained the same
posture is going to be reset. If the accumulated time exceeds a
predetermined value, meaning the user has maintained the same
posture too long, and then the alarm device is triggered to
generate a sound or vibration to notify the user it is high time to
change his/her postures.
[0020] As shown in FIG. 4, the flowchart of the present invention
comprises the following steps:
[0021] Step 41: All the devices/units are initiated.
[0022] Step 42: The timer is reset.
[0023] Step 43: All signals of the pressure detection device are
read and sent to the logic processing unit for analysis.
[0024] Step 44: If the user is sitting on the chair, the flow
proceeds to Step 45; otherwise, returns to Step 42.
[0025] Step 45: Whether it is necessary to reset the timer, which
is to calculate the accumulated time the user maintains the same
posture, and if the user sitting on the chair has changed positions
of a considerable of electric contacts of the pressure detection
device, the timer will be reset (go to Step 42); otherwise go to
Step 47,
[0026] Step 46: Whether the user has maintained the same posture
too long is determined, if yes, go to Step 47; otherwise, returns
to Step 43.
[0027] Step 47: An alarm (sound or vibration) is generated to
notify the user that it is high time to change his/her postures,
and back then, the process returns to Step 43.
[0028] FIG. 6 shows the block diagram of another preferred
embodiment of the present invention. The health chair comprises a
switching matrix 52 with piezoelectric sensors, a processor 53 and
a buzzer 54. FIG. 7 shows a schematic view of the arrangement of
the switching matrix 52, which is exemplified with 4.times.4
piezoelectric sensors 520. When one piezoelectric sensor is
activated through 4 column addressing lines P0-P3 and 4 row
addressing lines P4-P7, the force applied on the piezoelectric
sensor 520 is detected and output through one of output lines
G1-G4. FIG. 8 shows the addressing clock timing for the health
chair, wherein the 4.times.4 piezoelectric sensors 520 are
activated in sequential way.
[0029] Different to previous example, the health chair in this
embodiment can identify whether a human being sits on the chair
because the piezoelectric sensor 520 can detect the magnitude of
applied force. A threshold value database or a look-up table can be
stored in the processor 53. The processor 53 will compare the value
stored in the threshold value database (or the look-up table) and
the measured values from the piezoelectric sensors 520. After the
processor 53 identifies that a human being sits thereon, the
processor 53 performs steps as those shown in the flowchart of FIG.
4.
[0030] In prior art health chair with conductive switches, the
health chair cannot identify the weight exerted thereon comes from
human being or non human being article such as a book. The health
chair in the present invention is equipped with piezoelectric
sensors to prevent wrong judgment.
[0031] To sum up, through the components and circuits arranged in
the chair body and the operation rules, the present invention is to
generate a warning to the user as he/she has maintained the same
posture too long, thus to protect the user from physical harms due
to sitting for work for a long time.
[0032] Although the present invention has been described with
reference to the preferred embodiment thereof, it will be
understood that the invention is not limited to the details
thereof. Various substitutions and modifications have been
suggested in the foregoing description, and other will occur to
those of ordinary skill in the art. Therefore, all such
substitutions and modifications are intended to be embraced within
the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.
* * * * *