U.S. patent application number 11/056460 was filed with the patent office on 2005-08-18 for adjustable cross-legged support seat.
Invention is credited to Brodeur, Carl Christopher.
Application Number | 20050179291 11/056460 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43027692 |
Filed Date | 2005-08-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050179291 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Brodeur, Carl Christopher |
August 18, 2005 |
Adjustable cross-legged support seat
Abstract
A seating apparatus for allowing a user to sit in either a
cross-legged yoga position or in a conventional manner. The
apparatus may also include a seat for supporting a user and two
adjustable leg supports for supporting the user's left and right
thighs at a desired angle when the user sits in a cross-legged
position. The seat may also have an attached back support. In
another embodiment the apparatus includes a seat having a surface
area wide enough to allow a user to sit on the seat in a
cross-legged position and having a tapered front to allow a user's
legs to hang comfortably over the front of seat while the user sits
in a conventional manner; and a base operatively connected to the
seat for supporting the seat, the base for allowing use of the
seating apparatus in a conventional chair-height environment.
Inventors: |
Brodeur, Carl Christopher;
(Banff, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BLAKELY SOKOLOFF TAYLOR & ZAFMAN
12400 WILSHIRE BOULEVARD
SEVENTH FLOOR
LOS ANGELES
CA
90025-1030
US
|
Family ID: |
43027692 |
Appl. No.: |
11/056460 |
Filed: |
February 11, 2005 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60543678 |
Feb 12, 2004 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
297/284.9 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47C 7/503 20130101;
A47C 7/024 20130101; A47C 9/00 20130101; A47C 9/002 20130101; A47C
15/004 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
297/284.9 |
International
Class: |
A47C 007/50 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A seating apparatus for supporting a user sitting in either a
cross-legged position or a regular position comprising: (a) a seat
having a surface area wide enough to allow a user to sit on the
seat in a cross-legged position and having tapered recesses in the
front of the seat for allowing a user's legs to hang comfortably
over the front of the seat; and (b) a base operatively connected to
the seat for supporting the seat, the base for allowing use of the
apparatus in a conventional chair-height environment.
2. The apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the base is a regular chair
with a multiplicity of legs.
3. The apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the base has a stem for
adjusting the height of the seat and a floor base having wheels for
providing mobility.
4. An apparatus for supporting a user sitting in a cross-legged
position comprising: (a) a seat; (b) a base operatively connected
to the seat for supporting the seat; and (c) adjustable leg
supports each hingedly connected to either side of the seat for
providing support for each of the user's legs while the user sits
in a cross-legged position.
5. The apparatus as in claim 4 wherein the seat includes an
adjustable arm for hingedly connecting each of the leg supports to
the seat.
6. The apparatus as in claim 5 wherein the adjustable arm consists
of an arm slider and receptacle.
7. The apparatus as in claim 5 wherein the adjustable arm includes
a locking device for fixing the adjusted position.
8. The apparatus as in claim 6 wherein the receptacle includes an
elastic spring system for reciprocating the slider.
9. The apparatus as in claim 6 wherein the receptacle includes an
air pressure system for reciprocating the slider.
10. The apparatus as in claim 6 wherein the receptacle includes an
oil pressure system for reciprocating the slider.
11. The apparatus as in claim 6 wherein the receptacle includes a
hydraulic pressure system for reciprocating the slider.
12. An apparatus for supporting a user sitting in a cross-legged
position comprising: (a) a seat; (b) an apparatus base operatively
connected to the seat for supporting the seat; (c) adjustable leg
supports each hingedly connected to either side of the seat for
providing adjustable support for each of the user's legs while the
user sits in a cross-legged position; (d) a bracket attached to the
seat for supporting strongly the leg supports and allowing each leg
support to move in a broader range of angle.
13. An apparatus for supporting a user sitting in a cross-legged
position comprising: (a) a seat; (b) an apparatus base operatively
connected to the seat for supporting the seat; (c) leg supports
each hingedly connected to the seat for providing adjustable
support for each of the user's legs while the user sits in a
cross-legged position; and (d) a back support hingedly connected to
the rear of the seat.
14. The apparatus as in claim 13 wherein the back support includes
an adjustable back rest for supporting a user's back.
15. A method for allowing a user to sit in either a cross-legged or
in a regular sitting position comprising the step of: (a) providing
the user an apparatus including a seat having a surface area wide
enough to allow a user to sit on the seat in a cross-legged
position and having a tapered front to allow a user's legs to hang
comfortably over the front of seat while the user sits in a
conventional position and an apparatus base operatively connected
to the seat for supporting the seat.
16. A method for allowing a user to sit in either a cross-legged
position or in a regular sitting position comprising the step of:
(a) providing an apparatus including a seat, an apparatus base
operatively connected to the seat for supporting the seat, and
adjustable leg supports each hingedly connected to either side of
the seat for providing support for each of the user's legs while
the user sits in a cross-legged position.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Application No. 60/543,678, filed Feb. 12, 2004, which is
incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to a chair for supporting a
user in a cross-legged yoga position. More particularly, the
present invention includes a chair having leg supports which can be
adjusted according to a user's comfort level while sitting in a
cross-legged yoga position.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Chairs are used by many people every day without much second
thought. However, the effects of chair use are profound, both
mentally and physically. Many physical and mental aliments,
including depression, lower back pain and arthritis can be
attributed to the regular use of chairs.
[0004] Meditation and yoga are becoming more and more common in
North America and these practices have been proven to benefit those
practicing them as well as those around them; such practices
include sitting cross-legged which is more common globally than
sitting in chairs for the simple economic reason that most people
globally cannot afford to buy chairs. Unfortunately, conventional
North American chairs do not take advantage of these practices. The
present invention is intended to blend the skills and insight of
eastern and western cultures by allowing conventional North
American chairs to take advantage of these practices.
[0005] There are many inventions pertaining to aiding one to sit in
a cross-legged position. However, most of these devices are
comprised of a cushion or wooden platform that is placed at floor
level or just slightly above, such as U.S. Pat. No. 5,374,109, U.S.
Pat. No. 5,876,098, U.S. Pat. No. 5,490,717, U.S. Pat. No.
4,673,216, U.S. Pat. No. 5,029,350, U.S. Pat. No. 5,134,740, U.S.
Pat. No. 3,890,004, French Patent 2769813 and Japanese patent
7204059A2. While the devices taught by these patents are useful for
meditation while sitting on the floor they are not a practical tool
in an environment designed around chairs.
[0006] A further cross legged sitting device is taught in U.S. Pat.
No. 5,605,379 which discloses a chair with its height and its seat
adapted to the contour of a user's body such contour resulting from
the user's legs. However, this chair cannot be adjusted to improve
the comfort level of different users.
[0007] Accordingly, in view of the above-mentioned in the art, it
is desirable to provide a chair for allowing a user to sit in a
cross-legged yoga position in any environment such as an office,
home, school and restaurant and which will accommodate the user
sitting in either a cross-legged position or a conventional seated
position, and which adjusts to overcome the shortcomings of the
prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] It is another object of the present invention to provide a
chair for allowing a user to sit in a cross-legged yoga position
comprising: a seat; a chair base operatively connected to the seat
for supporting the seat; leg support members for providing support
for each of a user's legs while the user sits in a cross-legged
position; and an adjustable support system including an adjustable
arm connected to the seat and each leg support member for allowing
a user to adjust the height of each leg support member according to
the user's comfort level.
[0009] It is another object of the present invention to provide a
chair including a seat having a surface area wide enough to allow a
user to sit on the seat in a cross-legged position and having a
tapered front to allow a user's legs to hang comfortably over the
front of seat while the user sits in a conventional manner; and a
chair base operatively connected to the seat for supporting the
seat, the chair base for allowing use of the chair in an office
environment or other environments where conventional chairs are
usually used. Such a chair provides flexibility by allowing users
to choose how they wish to sit thereby increasing the versatility
of the chair.
[0010] In one embodiment, the present invention includes a seat
which accommodates a user sitting in a cross-legged meditation or
yogic meditation or exercise posture or which is equally capable of
supporting the user sitting in a conventional manner.
[0011] In another embodiment, the present invention employs a
highly effective method of adjusting the leg support members,
allowing a user to select the desired angle of thigh support when
sitting in a cross-legged position.
[0012] The present invention may also include a fully adjustable or
fixed back support connected to the rear of the seat for providing
back support to the user.
[0013] The present invention combines the functionality of
conventional chairs' heights which is suitable for use in a
plurality of environments typically found in North America with an
effective adjustable support system to allow a user to sit in a
cross-legged position to experience the benefits of sitting in a
meditation or yogic meditation or exercise posture.
[0014] Other aspects and features of the present invention will
become apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art upon review
of the following description of specific embodiments of the present
invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] The present invention will be described in more detail below
with reference to the accompanying drawings which are provided by
way of example only, in which:
[0016] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a chair in accordance with
an embodiment of the present invention.
[0017] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a chair having raised
adjustable leg supports in accordance with an embodiment of the
present invention.
[0018] FIG. 3 is a side view of an adjustable support system in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
[0019] FIG. 4 is a side view of an adjustable support system in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
[0020] FIG. 5 is a top view of a seat and leg supports in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
[0021] FIG. 6 is a front view of a back support in accordance with
an embodiment of the present invention.
[0022] FIG. 7 is a side view of a back support in accordance with
an embodiment of the present invention.
[0023] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a chair in accordance with
an embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0024] As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 8, the present invention
generally includes a seat 11, adjustable leg supports 12 and 13 and
a conventional chair base 40 connected to and supporting the seat
11. Leg supports 12 and 13 are hingedly connected to seat 11 and
thus to conventional chair base 40. In operation, a user sits
cross-legged on seat 11 and adjusts the leg supports 12 and 13 up
or down as required to change the angle at which the user's legs
will be supported to maximize the user's comfort level. The leg
supports 12 and 13 are adjusted by pivoting the leg supports about
hinges 21 and 22, which are connected to the seat 11. The leg
supports 12 and 13 may then be held in place using any mechanism 25
which is adjustable in length. The seat 11 is also designed to
allow a user to sit in a conventional fashion if desired.
[0025] As shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, the leg supports 12 and 13 are
each connected to the seat 11 by an adjustable arm 25 to allow the
leg supports 12 and 13 to be adjusted by the user. The adjustable
arm 25 includes an arm slider 26 and a receptacle 27. An arm slider
26 and receptacle 27 are hingedly mounted between the seat 11 and
each of the leg supports 12 and 13, respectively. Alternatively,
the arm slider 26 and receptacle 27 may be hingedly mounted on a
bracket 23 which is attached to the seat 11 and each of the leg
supports 12 and 13. The bracket 23 is adapted to ensure a strong
connection between the seat 11 and each of the leg supports 12 and
13 to increase the support for the legs supports 12 and 13 and to
allow the leg supports 12 and 13 to be raised higher. The bracket
23 also allows the adjustable arm 25 to adjust smoothly through the
full range of motion allowing for abroad range of angles for the
leg supports 12 and 13, in particular when near-flat or at low
relative angles to the seat.
[0026] In one embodiment, the receptacle 27 includes an elastic
spring 24 which compresses and extends depending upon the weight
placed upon the leg support 12 or 13. In operation, when a user
sits cross-legged on seat 11, the leg supports 12 and 13 are loaded
from the weight of the user's legs, which then apply downward
pressure on the adjustable arm 25. As a result, the arm slider 26
slides into the receptacle 27 and compresses the elastic spring 24.
When the user gets off the seat 11, the arm slider 26 slides out of
receptacle 27 by the restoration force of elastic spring 24.
Therefore, the user leg supports 12 and 13 allow the user to adjust
the angle of the leg supports 12 and 13 independently of each other
anywhere between 0 and about 50 degrees relative to the plane of
the seat 11. The arm slider 26 and the receptacle 27 also maybe
operated by an air pressure system, an oil pressure system, a
hydraulic system or any other appropriate mechanism known to those
skilled in the art.
[0027] Alternatively, the adjustable arm 25 may also include a
locking device (not shown) for allowing a user to lock the leg
supports 12 and 13 in a stable position based upon the desired
angle of thigh support when sitting in a cross-legged position. To
adjust the leg supports 12 and 13, a user unlocks the locking
device and lifts the leg supports 12 and 13 to desired angle. A
user then locks the locking device to secure the adjustable arm 25
to prevent movement to the leg supports 12 and 13.
[0028] In one embodiment of the present invention as illustrated in
FIGS. 6 to 8, the chair may include a lower back support 30. The
back support 30 is connected to the seat 11. The top of the back
support 30 consists of a back rest 14 for supporting a user's back.
The back rest 14 is hingedly connected to the back support 30 to
allow adjustment to increase the user's comfort level. The back
support 30 also may have a shape for aligning the pelvic bone with
the rest of the user's spinal column for maximizing the postural
benefits of sitting in the chair.
[0029] In any of the above embodiments, set 11 may have a
particulars shape to ensure that it supports both cross-legged and
conventional seating. In one embodiment shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 8,
seat 11 tapers inward from the user's hips to accommodate the leg
supports 12 and 13 and then curves outward to accommodate a user's
feet while sitting in a cross-legged position. Further, the front
of seat 11 defines tapered recesses which are meant to allow room
for a user's legs when sitting in a conventional manner on the
chair.
[0030] In any of the above embodiments, the surface of the seat 11,
leg supports 12 and 13 and the lower back support 30 may be
optionally padded with foam or other padding material, and then
covered with suitable upholstery (not shown).
[0031] In any of the above embodiments, chair base 40 is any chair
base of a suitable height for work environments typically found in
North America, such as an office chair base or wooden chair base.
For example, as illustrated in FIG. 8, office chair base 50 is a
type typically found on office chairs. More specifically, the
office chair base 50 includes a stem (not shown) and a floor base
51. The floor base 51 may include wheels 52 for providing mobility.
The stem may be height adjustable to ensure that the chair can be
adjusted to a height suitable for the user's environment.
[0032] The embodiments of the present invention described above are
intended to be examples only. Alterations, modifications and
variations may be effect to the particular embodiments by those of
skill in the art without departing from the scope of the
invention.
* * * * *