Abstract:
An apparatus that supports a user in a variety of positions to comfortably perform tasks, such as applying one or more tattoos to skin of a subject is herein disclosed. The apparatus can be reconfigured to optimally position and support the arms and/or chest of the user. A method for using a stool can involve rotating armrests of the apparatus from a stowed position to a deployed position. The armrests can support the user&#39;s forearms while supporting the user&#39;s chest such that the user can comfortably perform tasks in front of a chest support of the stool.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to application Ser. No. 14/151,753, filed Jan. 9, 2014, entitled “TATTOO STOOLS AND CHAIRS AND METHODS USING THE SAME” and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/048,184, filed Sep. 9, 2014, entitled “TATTOO STOOLS, CHAIRS AND METHODS USING THE SAME”, “which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The present technology is related to support apparatuses and associated methods of using the same. In particular, the present technology is related to reconfigurable stools and chairs. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Conventional stools and chairs are not designed to support an occupant&#39;s chest and arms when the occupant leans forward. In tattoo parlors, tattoo artists often sit on stools or chairs while applying tattoos. Unfortunately, conventional stools and chairs are not ergonomically designed for tattoo artists and are not comfortable when, for example, leaning forward and applying tattoos. For example, a tattoo artist&#39;s arms and shoulders can experience significant fatigue when applying large intricate tattoos. Additionally, when a tattoo artist leans forward for a significant period of time, the artist&#39;s lower back may experience fatigue and discomfort. In medical environments, physicians, nurses, or other medical personnel frequently sit and lean forward to perform tasks, which may cause lower back pain. Accordingly, there is a need for stools or chairs that comfortably support an occupant&#39;s body without hindering movement of the occupant&#39;s shoulders, arms, hands, or other body parts. 
       SUMMARY OF TECHNOLOGY 
       [0004]    An exemplary embodiment is a support apparatus for supporting a user. The support apparatus can place the user&#39;s body in ergonomic positions to help reduce or limit fatigue (e.g., muscle fatigue in the user&#39;s arms, shoulders, back, etc.), discomfort, and/or pain. The user can straddle the apparatus and can lean forward against a padded chest support. The padded chest support can be narrower than the user&#39;s chest and/or shoulders to provide unrestricted movement of the user&#39;s arms on the front side of the chest support. The support apparatus can have armrests that are shorter than the user&#39;s forearms to provide unrestricted movement of the user&#39;s wrists and/or hands while the user&#39;s forearms rest on the armrests. The user can sit in different directions on the support apparatus. When sitting facing the chest support, the user can lean forward against the chest support. When facing the opposite direction, the chest support can function as a back support, and the armrests can be stowed to help support the sides of the user&#39;s back. 
         [0005]    The support apparatus can be a stool, a chair, or other reconfigurable equipment capable of supporting the user&#39;s body in ergonomic positions. In tattoo parlors, the support apparatus can place a tattoo artist&#39;s body in different ergonomic positions to help eliminate, reduce, or limit fatigue associated with tattooing. The support apparatus can also be used by a client (i.e., a person obtaining a tattoo). In one embodiment, a tattooing stool can support a tattoo artist in a variety of positions to comfortably apply one or more tattoos to skin of a client. The apparatus can be reconfigured to optimally position and support the arm(s) and/or chest of the tattoo artist. A method for using a tattoo stool can involve rotating armrests between a stowed position for supporting the tattoos artist&#39;s chest and/or shoulders to a deployed position for supporting the tattoo artist&#39;s arms. For example, armrests can support the user&#39;s forearms while a chest support supports the user&#39;s chest such that the artist can comfortably tattoo a body part of the subject positioned in front of the tattoo stool. In medical settings, a doctor, a nurse, lab technician, or other medical personnel can use the support apparatus to perform tasks, such as laboratory work, blood drawing, etc. The support apparatus can also be used in massage parlors, salons, spas, or other desired locations. 
         [0006]    In some embodiments, a stool comprises a seat assembly and a chest support assembly. The chest support assembly can include a padded support and at least one armrest moveable between a stowed position and a deployed position. The padded support is configured to support the chest of a user (e.g., a tattoo artist) sitting on the seat assembly while allowing the user&#39;s arms to move freely on a front side of the padded support. The armrest, in the deployed position, can extend away from the padded support such that the user&#39;s arm is capable of resting on the portion of the armrest located in front of the padded support. The user can adjust the configuration of the stool any number of times during use (e.g., a tattoo session). The seat assembly, in some embodiments, includes a seat, a pedestal, hydraulics, mechanisms (e.g., locking mechanisms, tilt adjustment mechanisms, etc.), and/or a plurality of wheels for rolling along a support surface. When straddling the stool (e.g., a user straddles a vertical support of the chest assembly), the user can conveniently wheel the stool along the support surface. The seat assembly can include a swiveling padded seat to permit convenient rotation. In the stowed position, the armrest can be positioned alongside the padded support. In the deployed position, an elongated main body of the armrest can extend substantially perpendicular to the padded support. The armrest can also be located at other orientations. 
         [0007]    In some embodiments, a support apparatus comprises a seat assembly, a chest support, and an armrest. The chest support can be carried by the seat assembly and is positioned to contact the front of the user&#39;s chest while the user sits on the seat assembly. An end of the armrest can move away from the user&#39;s chest when the armrest rotates from a raised position to a lowered position. In the raised position, the armrest can support the user&#39;s chest and/or shoulders for enhanced comfort. In the fully lowered position, the armrest can be positioned to support a user&#39;s forearm. For example, the lowered armrest can be oriented generally horizontally. The end of the lowered armrest and seat assembly can be positioned on opposite sides of a chest pad of the chest support. In some embodiments, most of the length of the armrest (e.g., 70%, 80%, 90%, or 95% of the total length of the armrest) and most of the seat are located on opposite sides of an imaginary vertical plane (e.g., a vertical plane positioned along the chest support). 
         [0008]    The support apparatus, in some embodiments, can include a pair of armrests rotatably coupled to opposing sides of the chest support. The armrests rotate together or independently relative to the chest support. For example, a pivoting mechanism can rotatably couple one armrest to the left side of the chest support, and another pivoting mechanism can rotatably couple the other armrest to the right side of the chest support. The pivoting mechanisms can have different states of operation, such as a locked state and an unlocked state. In one embodiment, the pivoting mechanisms can be biased toward the locked state. 
         [0009]    In further embodiments, a support apparatus can comprise a seat assembly, means for supporting a user&#39;s chest, and means for supporting the user&#39;s arm. The seat assembly can carry the means for supporting the chest of the user. The means for supporting the user&#39;s arm can support a user&#39;s arm while the user sits on the seat assembly and the user&#39;s chest rests against the means for supporting the user&#39;s chest. In one embodiment, the means for supporting the user&#39;s chest includes a padded chest support and a vertical rod, which couples the padded chest support to the seat assembly. The means for supporting the user&#39;s arm can include one or more rotatable armrests, which can be padded for enhanced comfort. 
         [0010]    In yet further embodiments, a method for using a stool or a chair is provided. The method comprises rotating at least one armrest of the stool or chair from a stowed position to a lowered position. In one embodiment, a tattoo artist can tattoo at least a portion of a subject (e.g., a client) while the lowered armrest supports the artist&#39;s arm and also while the artist&#39;s chest rests against a chest support of the stool. The artist can comfortably lean against the chest support, which is movable between vertical and inclined positions. Alternatively, the client can sit on the stool, and the client&#39;s arm can rest on the armrest while it is tattooed. The method can also be performed using a chair that includes a chest support and armrests. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a stool with raised armrests in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is an isometric view of the stool of  FIG. 1  with lowered armrests. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the stool of  FIG. 1  with raised armrests and a user sitting on the stool. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a side view of the stool of  FIG. 1  with lowered armrests and the user sitting on the stool. 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a side view of a chest support in different positions in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology. 
           [0016]      FIGS. 6 and 7  are back views of the stool of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 8  is an isometric view of a stool with raised armrests in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology. 
           [0018]      FIG. 9  is a back view of the stool of  FIG. 8 . 
           [0019]      FIG. 10  is a back view of the stool of  FIG. 8  with an upper chest support in a raised position. 
           [0020]      FIG. 11  is an isometric view of a chest support assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology. 
           [0021]      FIG. 12  is a side view of the chest support assembly of  FIG. 11  with a tilted chest support. 
           [0022]      FIG. 13  is a side view of the chest support assembly of  FIG. 11  in different positions. 
           [0023]      FIG. 14  is a side view of a chair in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology. 
           [0024]      FIG. 15  is an isometric view of a stool with a tilted chest support, an inclined right armrest, and a declined left armrest in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology. 
           [0025]      FIG. 16  is an isometric view of the stool with stowed armrests. 
           [0026]      FIG. 17  is an isometric view of the stool with partially lowered armrests. 
           [0027]      FIG. 18  is a back view of the stool with stowed armrests and a user sitting on the stool. 
           [0028]      FIGS. 19-23  are side views of the stool with armrests in different positions. 
           [0029]      FIG. 24  is an exploded isometric view of components of an armrest positioner assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology. 
           [0030]      FIG. 25  shows components of the armrest positioner assembly. 
           [0031]      FIG. 26  is a front view of a chest support with stowed armrests in laterally undeployed positions. 
           [0032]      FIG. 27  is a front view of the chest support with armrests in laterally deployed positions. 
           [0033]      FIG. 28  is a front view of the chest support with armrests removed. 
           [0034]      FIG. 29  is an isometric view of a portion of a stool with multi-piece armrests. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0035]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a stool  100  in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology. The stool  100  can include a seat assembly  102  and a chest support assembly  104 . A user can sit on the seat assembly  102  such that the user&#39;s chest rests against the chest support assembly  104 . The chest support assembly  104  can help position the user&#39;s upper body and can include armrests  110   a ,  110   b  (collectively “armrests  110 ”) movable between stowed or raised positions ( FIG. 1 ) and lowered or deployed positions ( FIG. 2 ). The raised armrests  110  of  FIG. 1  are positioned to contact and support the user&#39;s chest whereas the lowered armrests  110  of  FIG. 2  can support the user&#39;s forearms. The armrests  110  can be raised and lowered any number of times to position the user&#39;s arms at different locations. If the user is a tattoo artist (“artist”), the armrests  110  can be moved to different positions to tattoo different parts of a person&#39;s body. 
         [0036]      FIG. 1  shows the seat assembly  102  including a seat  116  and a base assembly  120 . The seat  116  can be padded for comfortable sitting. The base assembly  120  can include a base member  119 , a foot rest  122 , and wheels  124   a ,  124   b ,  124   c ,  124   d ,  124   e  (collectively “wheels  124 ”). The base member  119  can include a hydraulic assembly  130  used to raise (indicated by arrow  132 ) and lower (indicated by arrow  136 ) the seat  116 . The hydraulic assembly  130  can include a bearing mount or pivot that allows rotation (indicated by arrow  121 ) of the seat  116  about a vertical axis of rotation  117 . A control element in the form of a lever  140  can be used to lower the seat  116 . The foot rest  122  can be a ring fixedly coupled to the hydraulic assembly  130  or other component of the base member  119 . The wheels  126  can be casters configured to roll along a support surface. The base assembly  120  can have other configurations that provide desired functionality. 
         [0037]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , chest support assembly  104  can include a chest support  150  and an elongate member  152 . The chest support  150  has a front side  160  facing away from an occupant and a backside  162  facing the occupant during use. The chest support  150  can include armrest-receiving portions  170   a ,  170   b  having complementary shapes with the armrests  110   a ,  110   b , respectively. When the armrests  110  are in the stowed position ( FIG. 1 ), the armrests  110   a ,  110   b  can be received by the armrest-receiving portions  170   a ,  170   b , respectively, such that the chest support assembly  104  (i.e., the chest support  150  and armrests  110 ) has an upside down U-shape configuration or partially elliptical configuration. The size and configuration of the chest support assembly  104  can be selected based on the desired amount of cushion, size of the user, and/or desired range of motion of the user. 
         [0038]    The armrests  110   a ,  110   b  can be generally similar to each other, and accordingly, the description of one armrest  110   a ,  110   b  applies equal to the other armrest  110   a ,  110   b , unless indicated otherwise. The armrest  110   a  can include a mounting end  180 , a terminal end  182 , and an elongated main body  184  therebetween. The mounting end  180  can be pivotally coupled to the chest support  150 . The elongated main body  184  can have an upper surface  196  upon which the user&#39;s arm can rest. A rod (not shown) within the chest support  150  can couple the armrests  110   a ,  110   b  together. As such, the armrests  110  can rotate together about an axis of rotation  190 . In other embodiments, the armrests  110  are independently rotatable about the axis of rotation  190 . For example, one armrest  110  can be in the stowed position while the other armrest  110  can be in the deployed position. The axis of rotation  190  can be a horizontally oriented axis for up and down rotation of the armrests  110 , but the axis of rotation  190  can be other orientations. 
         [0039]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the stool  100  with raised armrests  110 .  FIG. 4  is a side view of the stool  100  with lowered armrests  110 . Referring now to  FIG. 3 , the stowed armrests  110  can be at an upright or substantially vertical orientation. As used herein, the term “substantially vertical” includes ranges of small angles from vertical, for example, angles between about 0 degrees and 10 degrees from vertical, such as angles less than about 5 degrees, for example, angles less than about 3 degrees, 2.5 degrees, or 2 degrees. The upper surface  196  can be approximately flush with a surface  202  of the chest support  150 , illustrated in a substantially vertical orientation. The chest support  150  and the armrests  110  provide a relatively large surface area for contacting the user&#39;s chest and/or shoulders. 
         [0040]    Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the armrest  110  can rotate (indicated by arrow  212  in  FIG. 3 ) about the axis of rotation  190  an angle α ( FIG. 4 ). In some embodiments, the angle α ( FIG. 4 ) can be about 70 degrees to about 100 degrees. In one embodiment, the armrest  110   a  is rotatable along an arc of about 80 degrees to about 90 degrees. In one embodiment, the angle α is about 90 degrees. The armrest  110  can be rotated from an upright position in which a longitudinal axis  214  of the armrest  110   a  is substantially vertical ( FIG. 3 ) to the fully deployed position in which the longitudinal axis  214  is substantially horizontal ( FIG. 4 ). As used herein, the term “substantially horizontal” includes ranges of small angles from horizontal, for example, angles between about 0 degree and 10 degrees from horizontal, such as angles less than about 5 degrees, for example, angles less than about 2.5 degrees. In other embodiments, the fully lowered armrest  110  can be located at other orientations, such as a declined orientation, selected based on the desired body position of the user. 
         [0041]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , the armrest  110  can extend substantially perpendicular to the vertically oriented chest support  150  and away from the user&#39;s torso during use. The user&#39;s chest  181  (illustrated in phantom line) can contact the backside  162  of the chest support  150 , and the user&#39;s arm  215  can rest on the armrest  110 , which extends outwardly on the front side  160  of the chest support  150 . As such, the armrests  110  and seat  116  extend away from opposite sides of a coronal plane  193  of the chest support  150 . The armrest  110  can be shorter than the user&#39;s forearm to provide unrestricted movement of the user&#39;s wrist and/or hand. In some embodiments, the length of the armrest  110  is in a range of about 5 inches (12.7 cm) to about 1 ft. (30.5 cm), but other lengths can be selected based on, for example, the length of the user&#39;s forearm. Longer armrests can be used to support the user&#39;s forearm and hand. In some embodiments, the length of the armrest  110  is between about 5 inches and 10 inches, between about 6 inches and about 10 inches, and between about 8 inches and 9 inches. In one embodiment, the armrest has a length of about 8.75 inches. As shown in  FIG. 4 , the user&#39;s leg  278  can be positioned generally underneath the armrest  110  to help keep the user&#39;s body properly aligned with the chest support  150 . The user&#39;s arm  215  can freely move in front of the stool  100  while the chest support  150  comfortably supports the user&#39;s chest/stomach  181  to reduce, limit, or substantially eliminate fatigue (e.g., muscle fatigue in the user&#39;s arms, shoulders, and/or back), discomfort, and/or pain. 
         [0042]    The chest support  150  can be rotationally fixed to the elongate member  152  and can remain in a substantially vertical orientation during use. In other embodiments, the chest support  150  can be rotated relative to the elongate member  152  for enhanced comfort.  FIG. 5  is a side view of the chest support  150  rotated in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology. A pivoting or tilt mechanism  230  (illustrated in phantom line) has an unlocked state and a locked state. In the unlocked state, the pivoting mechanism  230  allows rotation of the chest support  150  about an axis of rotation  232  to move the chest support  150  between a first orientation (e.g., a vertical orientation) to another orientation (e.g., a non-vertical orientation). The axis of rotation  232  can be aligned with the axis of rotation  190  ( FIGS. 2 and 3 ). For example, the axis of rotation  232  can be generally parallel to the axis of rotation  190 . However, the axes of rotation  190 ,  232  can be at other orientations. 
         [0043]    The pivoting mechanism  230  can include, without limitation, one or more release mechanisms, hinges, bearings, pins, or combinations thereof and may be capable of manual locking and unlocking. In the locked state, the pivoting mechanism  230  inhibits or prevents rotation of the chest support  150  about the axis of rotation  232 . In the unlocked state, the chest support  150  can be rotated about the axis of rotation  232  an angle of rotation β equal to or less than a maximum angle, such as about 70 degrees, 80 degrees, or 90 degrees. In push-button embodiments, the pivoting mechanism  230  can include a button that can be depressed to switch the state of the pivoting mechanism  230 . The configuration and operation of the pivoting mechanism  230  can be selected based on the desired reconfigurability of the stool  100 . Pivoting mechanisms can also be incorporated into armrests, and in certain embodiments, such pivoting mechanisms can lock armrests at multiple orientations (e.g., a declined orientation, a horizontal orientation, an inclined orientation, a vertical orientation, etc.). 
         [0044]    The chest support  150  can be positioned at different angles of inclination ω (i.e., the angle defined by the chest support  150  and a generally horizontal imaginary plane  240 ). In some embodiments, the angle of inclination ω is equal to or greater than about 30 degrees, 40 degrees, 50 degrees, 60 degrees, 70 degrees, 80 degrees, or 85 degrees. In particular embodiments, the angle of inclination ω is in a range of about 45 degree to about 90 degrees. The chest support  150  can be repositioned at any time during use to minimize, limit, or substantially eliminate fatigue discomfort and/or pain. If the user has to lean over for a significant length of time, the inclination of the chest support  150  can be varied as desired, and the armrest  110   a  (or armrest  110   b ) can be locked at a desired position relative to the inclined chest support  150 . For example, the angle of inclination w can be about 45 degrees while one or both armrests  110  are substantially horizontal. 
         [0045]      FIG. 6  is a back view of the stool  100  with the chest support  150  at a lowered position.  FIG. 7  is a back view of the stool  100  with the chest support  150  at a raised position. The stool  100  can include a vertical adjustment mechanism  260  coupling the elongate member  152  to the seat assembly  102 . A user can operate a control element  272  (illustrated as a lever) to switch the adjustment mechanism  260  between a locked state and an unlocked state. In the unlocked state, the adjustment mechanism  260  allows vertical movement of chest support  150  relative to the seat  116  to adjust a height H of a leg-receiving gap  276 . In the locked state, the adjustment mechanism  260  can prevent vertical movement of the chest support  150 . When the user straddles the elongate member  152 , the user&#39;s legs can be positioned in the leg-receiving gap  276  and securely held between a bottom  280  of the chest support  150  and the seat  116 . 
         [0046]      FIG. 6  shows the chest support assembly  104  overlaying a user&#39;s torso. Laterally-extending side portions or wings  233  (“side portions  233 ”) of the chest support  150  can extend across most or substantially all the width of the armrest ends  182 . In some embodiments, at least about ¼, ½, or ¾ of the width of each armrest  110  is positioned directly underneath respective side portions  233 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , the armrests  110  can be positioned vertically between the side portions  233  and the seat  116 . The armrests  110  can be at other positions and have other configurations. 
         [0047]    The user&#39;s shoulders  282   a ,  282   b  can be spaced apart from the chest support  150  and armrests  110  to permit free movement of the user&#39;s arms  284   a ,  284   b . In some embodiments, the chest support assembly  104  is generally narrower than the width of the user&#39;s torso such that the user can move their elbows along their sides without contacting the chest support assembly  104 . In some embodiments, a height H c  ( FIG. 7 ) of the chest support  150  can be in a range of about 5 inches (12.7 cm) to about 1 ft. (30.5 cm), about 6 inches (15 cm) to about 14 inches (36 cm), or other suitable heights selected such that the chest support  150  comfortably supports a user&#39;s chest. In one embodiment, the height H c  ( FIG. 7 ) is about 11 inches (28 cm), about 11.5 inches (29 cm), or about 1 ft. (30.5 cm). The width W c  ( FIG. 7 ) of the chest support assembly  104  can be in a range of about 8 inches (20.3 cm) to about 2 ft. (61 cm), about 16 inches (40.6 cm) to about 20 inches (51 cm), about 17 inches (43 cm) to about 19 inches (48 cm). As such, the chest support assembly  104  can be narrower than the user&#39;s chest to provide generally unrestricted movement of the user&#39;s arms on the front side of the stool  100 . In one embodiment, the chest support  150  and armrests  110  are dimensioned to overlay the chest of the user such that most of the surfaces  196 ,  202  contact the user&#39;s chest. The thickness t ( FIG. 5 ) of the chest support  150  and/or armrests  110  can be in a range of about 0.5 inch (1.3 cm) to 2 inches (5 cm). The dimensions of the components of the chest support assembly  104  can be selected based on, for example, the size of the user, desired amount of support, and/or type of activity to be performed. Accordingly, other dimensions can be used, if needed or desired. 
         [0048]      FIG. 8  is an isometric view of a stool  300  in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The description of the stool  100  discussed in connection with  FIGS. 1 to 7  applies equally to the stool  300 , except as detailed below. The stool  300  can include a chest support assembly  304  with armrests  310   a ,  310   b , a chest support  350 , and an upper chest support member  324  (“upper support member  324 ”). The upper support member  324  is moveable between a lowered position ( FIGS. 8 and 9 ) and a raised position ( FIG. 10 ). When the support member  324  is in the lowered position, the chest support assembly  304  is in an unexpanded configuration such that the upper chest support  324  and the chest support  350  define a generally continuous surface for contacting the user&#39;s torso. When the support member  324  is in the raised position and spaced apart from the chest support  350 , the chest support assembly  304  is in an expanded configuration. The armrests  310  can be raised and lowered independent of the position of the upper support member  324 . 
         [0049]    Referring now to  FIG. 10 , the upper support member  324  can include a main body  330  and a pair of rods  332   a ,  332   b  (collectively “rods  332 ”). The main body  330  can be padded and can include a lower portion  340  configured to mate with the armrests  310   a ,  310   b  and the chest support  350 . The chest support  350  can have a generally square shape (shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 ) or rectangular shape, but it can have other configurations. When the upper support member  324  is in the lowered position ( FIG. 9 ), the rods  332  can be positioned within the chest support  350 . A user can lift upwardly on the main body  330  to raise the support member  324  relative to the chest support  350 . The rods  332  can extend from the chest support  350  until the upper support member  324  is at the desired height. In some embodiments, a locking mechanism can be used to lock and unlock the upper support member  324 . The amount of travel of the upper support member  324  can be in a range of about 2 inches (5 cm) to about 6 inches (15 cm), about 2 inches (5 cm) to about 5 inches (12.7 cm), or about 2 inches (5 cm) to about 4 inches (10 cm). In certain embodiments, the upper support member  324  can be separated from the chest support  350  by distance equal to or greater than about 1 inch (2.5 cm), 2 inches (5 cm), 3 inches (7.6 cm), 4 inches (10 cm), or 5 inches (12.7 cm) when in the fully deployed position. 
         [0050]      FIG. 11  is an isometric view of a portion of a stool  400  in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology. The stool  400  can include a chest support assembly  410  and a seat assembly  412 . The chest support assembly  410  can include a chest support  420  and a frame  422 , which couples the chest support  420  to a seat  430 . The chest support  420  can have an upside down V-shape or U-shape. The frame  422  can be fixedly coupled to the chest support  420  by, for example, one or more brackets, fasteners (e.g., screws, nut and bolt assembles, etc.), or the like. The frame  422  can include rods  440   a ,  440   b  (collectively “rods  440 ”) slidably received by receivers  450   a ,  450   b , respectively, of the seat assembly  412 . One or more pins can be removed from holes  460  to vertically move the frame  422 , and the pins can be inserted in the holes  460  to lock the chest support assembly  410  to the seat assembly  412 . 
         [0051]      FIG. 12  is a side view of the chest support assembly  410  of  FIG. 11 . A hinge (not shown in  FIG. 12 ) can rotatably couple the chest support  420  to the frame  422 . A tilt mechanism  461  can be unlocked by removing a pin, and the chest support  420  can be rotated about an axis of rotation  462 . The pin can be inserted into one of the holes  464  to lock the chest support  420  at the desired angle of inclination. Other types of mechanisms (e.g., tilt mechanisms, pivot mechanisms, etc.) can be utilized. 
         [0052]      FIG. 13  is a side view of a tilt mechanism  484  for tilting the chest support assembly  410 . A pin can be removed from one of the holes  480  to rotate the frame  422 , as indicated by arrow  490 . When the chest support  420  (shown at two different positions) is at the desired orientation, the pin can be inserted through the appropriate hole  480  to lock the chest support assembly  410 . 
         [0053]    To perform a task at relative low locations (e.g., to tattoo a lower body part, such as a client&#39;s leg when the client is sitting in a chair), the chest support  420  can be tilted forward. Once the chest support  420  is at the desired orientation, the tilt mechanism  481  can be locked. The user can straddle the chest support assembly  410  and can comfortably lean on the chest support  420  for a relatively long period time to perform the task. Although not shown in  FIGS. 11-13 , armrests can be incorporated into the chest support assembly  410 . For example, armrests can be rotatably coupled to the sides of the chest support  420 . 
         [0054]      FIG. 14  is a side view of a chair  500  in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology. The chair  500  can include a chest support assembly  510 , a back support assembly  512 , and a seat assembly  514 . The chest support assembly  510  can include a chest support  520  and a connector apparatus  542 . In some embodiments, including the illustrated embodiment, the connector apparatus  542  includes members  540 ,  545  and pivots  530   a ,  530   b ,  530   c . The elongated member  540  can extend between the pivots  530   a ,  530   b . The elongated member  545  can extend between the pivots  530   b ,  530   c . The back support assembly  512  can include a back support  560  for supporting the user&#39;s back. The user can sit on a seat  562  and either lean rearward against the back  560  or lean forward against the chest support  520 . 
         [0055]      FIG. 15  is an isometric view of a stool  600  in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology. The stool  600  can include a seat assembly  602  and a chest support assembly  604 . When a user sits on the seat assembly  602 , the user&#39;s chest can rest comfortably against the chest support assembly  604  such that the user&#39;s arms are free to move in front of the stool  600 . Armrests  610   a ,  610   b  can be moved between preset positions to ergonomically support the user&#39;s arms and, in some embodiments, can be removed from a chest support  650 . The chest support  650  can be rotated (indicated by arrow  651 ) and the armrests  610   a ,  610   b  (collectively “armrests  610 ”) can be rotated (indicated by arrows  653 ,  654 ) to provide a large number of ergonomic configurations. The illustrated chest support  650  and right armrest  610   a  are at inclined orientations, and the left armrest  610   b  is at a declined orientation. 
         [0056]    The seat assembly  602  can include a contoured seat  616  and a base assembly  620  carrying the seat  616 . The seat  616  has flared or sloped regions  621 ,  622  and a central region  624 . The regions  621 ,  622  can be sufficiently sloped or angled to help keep the user generally centered on the central region  624 . The base assembly  620  can include a base member  619  and wheels  624   a ,  624   b ,  624   c ,  624   d ,  624   e  (collectively “wheels  624 ”). The base member  619  can include a hydraulic assembly that can raise and lower the seat  616 , which can rotate (indicated by arrow  641 ) about a vertical axis of rotation  617 . The chest support  650  has a backside  660  for supporting an occupant, a front side  662  facing away from the occupant, and armrest-receiving portions  670   a ,  670   b  having complementary shapes with the armrests  610   a ,  610   b , respectively. 
         [0057]      FIG. 16  is an isometric view of the stool  600  with stowed armrests  610 , and  FIG. 17  is an isometric view of the stool  600  with lowered armrests  610 . Referring now to  FIG. 16 , the stowed armrests  610   a ,  610   b  are located in the armrest-receiving portions  670   a ,  670   b , respectively, such that when a user straddles an elongate member  652  of the chest support assembly  604 , the sloped seat regions  621 ,  622  can inhibit lateral movement of the user to help keep the user&#39;s torso centered relative to the chest support  650 . The chest support  650  can have a contoured upper portion  672  that is complementary (e.g., shaped to receive) with a portion of the user&#39;s body. In some embodiments, the upper portion  672  can be a concaved or recessed region with a U-shaped profile, a V-shaped profile, or other shaped profile for matching the user&#39;s body, such as the user&#39;s neck and/or chin. 
         [0058]      FIG. 18  shows a user (illustrated in dashed line) sitting on the seat  616 . The user&#39;s chin is positioned generally above the contoured upper portion  672  positioned centrally along the chest support  650  to provide a relatively large amount of unrestricted movement of the user&#39;s head. The shoulder regions or wings  673 ,  674  can extend laterally outward from the upper portion  672  and can support the user&#39;s shoulders when the user leans forward. The armrests  610   a ,  610   b  can be moved away from a center plane  677  of the stool  600  to unlock the armrests such that the armrests are freely rotatable about an axis of rotation  679 . Locking/unlocking the armrests  610  is discussed in connection with  FIGS. 24 and 25 . 
         [0059]      FIGS. 19-23  show the armrests  610  at different angular positions. In particular,  FIG. 19  shows the armrests  610  at stowed positions.  FIG. 20  shows the armrests  610  at inclined orientations.  FIG. 21  shows the armrests  610  at generally horizontal orientations.  FIG. 22  shows the armrests  610  at declined orientations.  FIG. 23  shows the armrests  610  in fully lowered positions in which the armrests  610  extend in a direction that is generally parallel to a plane of the chest support  650 . The lowered armrests  610  of  FIG. 23  can help support a user&#39;s lower back or buttock when the user&#39;s back is against the chest support  650  serving as a back support. The number of angular positions of the armrests  610   a ,  610   b  can be selected based on the use of the stool  600  and can be, for example, 2 to 25 preset positions, 5 to 20 preset positions, etc. In some embodiments, an armrest positioner assembly  700  ( FIG. 23 ) can allow the armrests  610  to be moved between about 15 preset angular positions and can include one or more pivoting mechanisms, release mechanisms, hinges, bearings, pins, or combinations thereof. One embodiment of the armrest positioner assembly  700  is discussed in connection with  FIGS. 24 and 25 . 
         [0060]      FIG. 24  is an exploded isometric view of the armrest positioner assembly  700  including a biasing assembly  702  and a rod  704 . The biasing assembly  702  can bias the armrest  610  toward a locked state and can include a fastener  708  and a biasing member  710  surrounding the fastener  708 . The fastener  708  has an externally threaded end  730  for coupling to the rod  704 , a head  732  for contacting the biasing member  710 , and a main body  733 . The fastener  708  can be located in a passageway  720  of a receiver  722  such that the biasing member  710  is compressed between a stop or a shoulder inside the receiver  722  and the fastener head  732 . The biasing member  710  can include one or more springs (e.g., helical springs, compression springs, etc.) that can urge the receiver  722  towards engagement features  703  of the rod  704 . 
         [0061]    The receiver  722  can be a hollow member (e.g., a tubular member) or holder fixed to the armrest  610  and can have ends  742 ,  744  and a main body  745 . The end  742  is configured to receive the head  732  of the fastener  708 , and the end  744  is configured to receive a pin  762  threadably coupleable to the threaded end  730 .  FIG. 25  shows the receiver end  744  with engagement features in the form of teeth  723  for engaging teeth  703  of the rod  704 . In a locked state, the teeth  723  can mesh with the teeth  703  to rotationally fix the armrest  610  relative to the chest support. When a user manually moves the receiver  722  away from the teeth  703  (indicated by arrow  750  in  FIG. 24 ) by overcoming the biasing of the biasing member  710 , the teeth  723  ( FIG. 25 ) can disengage and move away from the teeth  703 . The armrest  610  can then freely rotate about the axis of rotation  679  ( FIGS. 18 and 24 ) defined by the fastener  708  and pin  762 . Once the armrest  610  is at a desired position, the user can allow the biasing member  710  to urge the armrest  610  back to the rotationally locked state in which the teeth  723  engage the teeth  703 . The number and size of the teeth can be selected based on the desired number of preset angular positions (e.g., 2-20 positions, 5-17 positions, 6-15 positions, 15 positions, etc.) of the armrest  610 . 
         [0062]      FIGS. 26 and 27  are front views of the chest support  650  with extension mechanisms  710   a ,  710   b  having locked configurations for laterally locking the respective armrests  610   a ,  610   b  and deployed configurations for allowing lateral movement of the respective armrests  610   a ,  610   b .  FIG. 26  shows the armrests  610  at laterally undeployed positions. The armrests  210  can be moved laterally outward (indicated by arrows  712   a ,  712   b  in  FIG. 26 ) to laterally deployed positions shown in  FIG. 27 . 
         [0063]    Referring now to  FIG. 27 , the extension mechanisms  710   a ,  710   b  can be generally similar to each other, and accordingly, the description of one extension mechanism  710   a ,  710   b  applies equally to the other extension mechanism  710   a ,  710   b  unless indicated otherwise. The extension mechanism  710   a  can include the rod  704 , a receiver  735  (e.g., a hollow tube) that receives the rod  704 , and a locking device  732 . The rod  704  can include an array of receiving-features  727  (e.g., holes) for receiving the locking device  732 , which can include one or more pins, handles, or other features for locking/unlocking the rod  704 . In one embodiment, the locking device  732  includes a handle  740  that can be rotated move a pin of the locking device  732  into and out of the holes  727 . When the locking device  732  is in an unlocked state, the rod  704  can be extended from the receiver  735  (indicated by arrow  747 ). The locking device  732  can be rotated to move a pin into one of the holes  727  when the armrest  610   a  is positioned at the desired lateral position. The extension mechanisms  710   a ,  710   b  can be used to increase or decrease the spacing between the armrests  610   a ,  610   b  based on, for example, the width of the user&#39;s shoulders, the desired spacing between the user&#39;s forearms, or other criteria. In some embodiments, the armrests  610   a ,  610   b  can be moved away from the chest support  650  at least about 1 inch (2.5 cm), 2 inches (5 cm), 3 inches (7.6 cm), 4 inches (10 cm), or 5 inches (12.7 cm). In one embodiment, each armrest  610   a ,  610   b  can be moved about 2.5 inches (6.4 cm) away from the chest support  650  to be moved to the fully deployed position. 
         [0064]    As shown in  FIG. 27 , when the armrests  610   a ,  610   b  are in the fully laterally deployed positions, the armrest  610   a  and the chest support  650  can be positioned on opposite sides of an imaginary vertical plane  681   a . The armrest  610   b  and the chest support  650  can be positioned on opposite sides of an imaginary vertical plane  681   b . Accordingly, the armrests  610   a ,  610   b  can be positioned completely outside of the armrest-receiving portions  670   a ,  670   b.    
         [0065]    Additionally, when the locking devices  732  are unlocked, the armrests  610  can be removed from the chest support  650 .  FIG. 28  is a front view of the chest support  650  after the armrests  610   a ,  610   b  have been removed. When a user faces the chest support  650 , the user&#39;s chest and shoulders can rest comfortably against the chest support  650  while the user&#39;s arms are unencumbered to provide a relatively large amount of arm movement. For example, the armrest-receiving portions  670   a ,  670   b  provide openings through which the user&#39;s arms can freely pass. The armrests  610  can be reinstalled by inserting the rods in the respective receivers  735  and sliding the rods to the desired position. Once the armrests  610  are at the desired location, the locking devices  732  can lock the armrests  610  to inhibit lateral movement of the armrests  610  relative to the chest support  650 . 
         [0066]      FIG. 29  is an isometric view of a portion of a stool  700  with extendable armrests. The stool  700  can be generally similar to the stool  600  of  FIG. 22  except as detailed below. The stool  700  includes multi-piece armrests  710   a ,  710   b  (collectively “armrests  710 ”) on opposite sides of a chest support  750 . Each armrest  710  can include a base  712  and a movable elongate body  720 . The base  712  can be connected to the chest support  750  by armrest positioner assemblies or connectors  730 . The elongate bodies  720  can each include one or more rods or connectors  740  that can be inserted into corresponding openings (not shown) in the base  712 . In some embodiments, the rods  740  can have notches or other features for locking the elongate body  720  at different positions relative to the bases  712 . The illustrated armrests  710  have been moved from an unextended configuration in which the elongate bodies  720  are adjacent to or contact the bases  712  to the illustrated extended configuration in which the elongate bodies  720  are spaced apart from the bases  712 . To remove one of the elongate bodies  720 , that elongate body  720  can be moved away from the base  712 . Other stools disclosed herein can also have multi-piece armrests with portions that can be moved away from or towards one another. 
         [0067]    The stools  100 ,  300 , or  400  discussed above can also include extension mechanisms for adjusting the lateral position of armrests. For example, the stool  100  of  FIG. 1  can include extension mechanisms that allow simultaneous or sequential horizontal movement of the armrests  110   a ,  110   b  to provide additional ergonomic positions of the user. The stools and chairs discussed herein can be used in a wide range of settings, including tattoo parlors, medical settings, massage parlors, salons, spas, or other desired settings. In tattoo parlors, a person receiving a tattoo can sit on the stools discussed in connection with  FIGS. 1-13 and 15-28  or the chair discussed in connection with  FIG. 14 . In a single tattoo session, stools  100 ,  300 ,  400 ,  600  or chair  500  can be alternatively used by the client. The client and tattoo artists can simultaneously sit on stools or chairs disclosed herein. In medical settings, patients and/or medical practitioners (e.g., physicians, nurses, etc.) can sit on stools disclosed herein. In some procedures in which a physician inspects or operates on a patient&#39;s arm, the patient can sit in one of the stools disclosed herein and the armrest can help support the patient&#39;s arm at a desired position. The physician can apply a relatively large amount of pressure to the patient&#39;s arm without causing significant movement of the patient&#39;s arm. Additionally, straps, restraints, or other features can be incorporated into the armrests (or other components of the stools or chairs) to inhibit or limit movement of the user&#39;s arms or other body parts. The stools and chairs disclosed herein can also be used to support a user&#39;s arms when typing or performing other repetitive tasks that can often cause discomfort or pain. 
         [0068]    Accordingly, the embodiments, features, and methods and techniques described herein may be incorporated into other types of support apparatuses (e.g., stools and chairs) used in a wide range of settings. In some embodiments, the apparatuses disclosed herein include one or more of the features, systems, devices, materials, methods and techniques described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/876,953 (now U.S. Pat. No. 8,651,569), which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. For example, the stools and chairs discussed herein can include hydraulics systems, hinges, locking mechanisms, or other components disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/876,953. In some procedures, a person receiving a tattoo can be supported by one of the apparatuses disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/876,953 while the tattoo artist sits on the stools disclosed herein. In addition, the embodiments, features, systems, devices, materials, methods and techniques described herein may, in certain embodiments, be applied to or used in connection with any one or more of the embodiments, features, systems, devices, materials, methods and techniques disclosed in the above-mentioned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/876,953. 
         [0069]    Unless the word “or” is expressly limited to mean only a single item exclusive from the other items in reference to a list of two or more items, then the use of “or” in such a list is to be interpreted as including (a) any single item in the list, (b) all of the items in the list, or (c) any combination of the items in the list. The term “comprising” is used throughout to mean including at least the recited feature(s) such that any greater number of the same feature and/or additional types of other features are not precluded. It will also be appreciated that specific embodiments have been described herein for purposes of illustration, but that various modifications may be made without deviating from the technology. Further, while advantages associated with certain embodiments of the technology have been described in the context of those embodiments, other embodiments may also exhibit such advantages, and not all embodiments need necessarily exhibit such advantages to fall within the scope of the technology. Accordingly, the disclosure and associated technology can encompass other embodiments not expressly shown or described herein. In general, in the following claims, the terms used should not be construed to limit the claims to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification and the claims, but should be construed to include all possible embodiments along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. Accordingly, the claims are not limited by the disclosure.