Abstract:
An ergonomic chair that serves the conventional chair functions such as an office, desk or side chair and that functions as a motion or exercise chair as well. The exercise components include armrests and a headrest that convert to apparatus for exercising muscles in the shoulders, chest, arms, back and lateral thoracic area of a person seated in the chair. Additional apparatus is provided for exercising the legs of the person seated in the chair.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of Invention  
         [0002]     This invention relates to chairs that have exercise apparatus incorporated into them, and that may be used by a person while seated in the chair. More particularly, the chair is suitable for use as a desk chair and enables the chair occupant to perform one or more exercises even while doing desk work in the chair.  
         [0003]     2. Discussion of Related Art  
         [0004]     It is well recognized that regular exercise is very beneficial and that providing a convenient means for exercising for those who spend long hours at a desk is very desirable. A number of patents and published applications are directed to chairs that provide means for exercising while seated in them including the following: U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,738,649; 4,913,423; 4,921,247; 5,044,633; 5,599,260; 5,690,594; 5,755,650, 6,099,445 and Publication No. US2002/0142898.  
         [0005]     The present invention enables the occupant of the chair to exercise muscles located in the shoulders, chest, arms, back, legs and lateral thoracic area. In particular, a person seated in the chair can perform one or more of the following: shoulder press, pull-down, seated row, chest press, forearm exercise and leg press.  
         [0006]     The invention is embodied in an ergonomic chair which addresses everyday long term seating issues. In one form, the chair ideally functions as an office chair, but it may take other forms. The chair also functions as a motion or exercise chair. The exercise components are an integral part of the chair, particularly those components that exercise the shoulder, chest, back and lateral thoracic area. In particular, the chair addresses the health concerns of sedentary people in an office environment. This is accomplished by incorporating into the armrests and headrest of the chair, components that enable those parts of the chair to perform their ordinary functions for one seated in the chair but further convert to apparatus enabling the person seated in the chair to exercise muscles in the shoulders, chest, arms, back and lateral thoracic area. In one embodiment, additional apparatus is incorporated into a legrest as well. The various exercise facilities may each be used independently of the others. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       [0007]     The accompanying drawings, are not intended to be drawn to scale. In the drawings, each identical or nearly identical component that is illustrated in various figures is represented by a like numeral. For purposes of clarity, not every component may be labeled in every drawing. In the drawings:  
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a chair in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0009]      FIG. 2  is a side perspective view of the chair shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0010]      FIG. 3  is a fragmentary perspective view of the armrest assembly;  
         [0011]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of one armrest subassembly illustrating the action of the armrest;  
         [0012]      FIG. 4A  is a diagrammatic view of one of the cylinder/piston assemblies;  
         [0013]      FIG. 5  is a fragmentary rear perspective view of the backrest and headrest of the chair;  
         [0014]      FIGS. 6 &amp; 7  are fragmentary perspective views of the headrest support of  FIG. 5 , showing it in different positions;  
         [0015]      FIG. 8  is a fragmentary perspective view of an embodiment of this invention including a footrest/leg exerciser; and  
         [0016]      FIGS. 9 and 10  are fragmentary views of the pedestal and footrest of the chair shown in  FIG. 9  and showing how the footrest may be detached from the chair. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0017]     This invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having,” “containing,” “involving,” and variations thereof herein, is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items.  
         [0018]     One embodiment of the chair of this invention shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  in its general organization includes a pedestal/swivel base  20 , seat  22 , backrest  24 , armrest assemblies  26  and headrest assembly  28 . An optional legrest/exerciser  30  is shown in  FIGS. 8-10 . The armrest and headrest assemblies incorporate mechanisms that enable each to be used independently of the other as exercise facilities by the chair occupant. In the embodiment of  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the arm assemblies enable the chair occupant to perform seated row and chest press exercises and forearm exercises, and the headrest assembly enables the chair occupant to perform shoulder press and pull down exercises. The legrest  30  enables the chair occupant to do leg press exercises. In addition, handles  128  are provided in the backrest and/or seat enabling a chair occupant to do stretching exercises. All of these various components of the chair and the various exercises that may be performed with them are described below.  
         [0019]     The base  20  of the chair in the embodiment shown has radial legs  40  with casters  41  that extend outwardly from a hub  42 , which in turn supports an upwardly extending seat post  44 . The seat post  44  preferably includes a mechanism (not shown) for raising and lowering the seat  22  and backrest  24  as a unit as is well known in the art. The seat post  44  preferably also carries a spring mechanism seat frame (not shown) that enables the occupant to change the seat angle to the horizontal so as to achieve a comfortable position. Furthermore, the mechanism customarily includes a device that enables the angular relationship of the seat and backrest to be varied. Such mechanisms and devices are all well known in the art and the details of such mechanisms are not illustrated. While the chair shown has a pedestal base, it should be appreciated that the invention is not limited to a chair having such a base, but when the chair is to function as an office or desk chair, such a base is preferred. The backrest may or may not be pivotable to a semi-reclined position, and this motion may be in tandem with the seat so that the two have a fixed angular relationship, or as is ordinarily preferred, the backrest may move with respect to the seat by virtue of a flexible frame yieldably biased to an erect position. Those features also are well known in the art and their details do not form part of this invention.  
         [0020]     The seat  22  carries beneath it a transverse horizontal tubular support  54  that defines a pivotal axis for each of the arm subassemblies  26   a  and  26   b . Each arm subassembly  26  includes a post  60 , the lower end  62  of which telescopically receives the tubular support  54  disposed beneath the seat  22 . The upper end of the post  60  comprises a sleeve  65  that carries an extendable hand grip  64  telescopically received within the sleeve and that also forms part of the post. The sleeve  65  also carries a bracket  67  adjacent its top which supports an arm pad  68  that provides a comfortable support for the forearm and/or elbow of a person seated in the chair while working at a desk, computer, etc. In the embodiment shown, the rear end  69  of the arm pad  68  is recessed so as to expose the top of the sleeve body  65  to enable the hand grip  64  to be extended upwardly from the body as shown in  FIG. 4 . The top of the grip  64  may carry a knob  71  to facilitate withdrawing and reinserting the grip with respect to the sleeve  65 .  
         [0021]     In  FIG. 2 , the armrest is shown in its position for use as a conventional armrest for the chair occupant with the pad  68  disposed substantially in a horizontal position. The extendable hand grip  64  is shown retracted into the sleeve  65  so as not to interfere with use of the armrest pad as a comfortable arm support.  
         [0022]     In  FIGS. 1-4 , an extension  70  is shown depending from the lower end  62  of the armrest assembly post  60 , and a piston rod  140  of cylinder assembly  72  is pivotally connected at its free end  73  to the extension  70 . At its other end the cylinder assembly  72  is pivotally mounted to a bracket  74  attached to the underside of the rear portion of the seat frame. In order to pivot the armrest assembly post  60  about the horizontal axis established by the tubular support  54  in the manner suggested in  FIG. 4 , the resistance imposed on the motion by the piston in the cylinder assembly  72  must be overcome.  
         [0023]     The cylinder assembly  72  is shown schematically in  FIG. 4A . In the embodiment shown, cylinder  72  is double acting, having a piston  75  carried by the piston rod  140 , and a piston bypass  77  is connected to the cylinder interior adjacent both ends. The cylinder  72  and bypass  77  are filled with fluid that may be a gas such as air, or a liquid such as water, oil or other lubricant. An adjustable valve  79  determines the force required to move the piston  75  in each direction within the cylinder. Because in this type of system it is difficult to insure that no liquid leaks from it, air may be the preferable fluid. When the valve is fully open, minimum resistance will be encountered to move the piston as the fluid filling the cylinder and bypass flows relatively freely from one side of the piston to the other, but when the valve opening is reduced, the flow of fluid will be impaired and a greater resistance will be encountered when the piston is moved.  
         [0024]     As the piston rod  140  is connected to the armrest post  60  by means of the extension  70  and the opposite end of the cylinder  72  is connected to the seat frame, the load imposed on the post to resist the pivotal motion about the axis of the tubular support  54  may be readily adjusted by means of the valve  79 . Moreover, the load is double acting, that is, it resists pivotal motion of the post both toward and away from the backrest.  
         [0025]     The exercise performed with the armrest assembly  26  is suggest in  FIG. 4  wherein the assembly is shown in its extreme positions. In position A the assembly is shown in its normal position for use as a conventional armrest by the occupant of the chair. That position may also be the rearmost position of the assembly. In position B the assembly is shown in the forwardmost position, and the stroke between the two extreme positions may be approximately 50°. While the stroke suggested is approximately 50°, it should be appreciated that the invention is not limited to that degree of angular motion, and means may be provided to vary the length of the stroke and/or the extreme positions A and B. The neutral position of the armrest assembly shown in  FIG. 1  need not serve as both an extreme exercise position and the armrest use position. By closing the valve  79  the armrest may effectively be locked in any position chosen by the user. In use as exercise apparatus the handles  64  are elevated and the occupant may grip the handles  64  and pivot the posts  60  back and forth toward and away from his/her body between the extreme positions. Because each of the arm posts moves independently of the other, the user may typically exercise with the posts synchronized, that is, moving simultaneously in the same direction, or they may be out of phase 180 degrees, or any other time relationship between them may be selected. When the post handles  64  are pulled back toward the body of the occupant, the exercise uses the latissimus dorsi (outer back) muscle, the trapezius muscle (along the back of the neck), and the major and minor rhomboideus muscle (deep muscles that lie under the trapezius and assist with scapular stabilization). Secondary muscles used during this motion are the biceps and rear deltoid muscles (back and shoulder). This exercise is excellent for posture.  
         [0026]     When the post handles are pushed forward (away) from the chest, the major and minor pectoralis (chest) muscles as well as the anterior deltoid (front and shoulder) muscles are exercised. Secondary muscles used in this exercise are the triceps brachii and serratus anterior.  
         [0027]     In the embodiment shown the load imposed by the cylinder  72  is substantially equal when the posts are moved toward and away (backward and forward) from the person. The load, however, is not exactly the same because the piston rod is confined to one side of the piston and diminishes the quantity of fluid that must be displaced per inch of piston movement in the direction of the rod as compared to the opposite direction. The valve arrangement may be modified to enable the load to be varied separately for movement in each direction. For example, separate, parallel, one way valve passages may be provided in the bypass, each in turn being controlled by its own valve that would allow fluid to flow more easily to one side of the piston and with more difficulty to the other side. Numerous such arrangements are available. This modification would enable the system to simulate a rowing action.  
         [0028]     While in the embodiment illustrated the armrest pad  68  with the bracket  67  are fixed with respect to the seat post  60 , the pad may be pivotally mounted with respect to the post if it is deemed desirable to move it to a less prominent location when the chair is used for exercise For example, the bracket supporting the pad may be pivotally mounted on the post  60  so as to enable the pad and bracket to lie against the cylinder  66  when the arm pad is not being used. As another alternative, the height of the handle may be varied by providing the cylinder with a facility for locking the handle at different extended positions. For example, in the embodiment shown in  FIG. 4 , the height of the handles  64  may be independently adjusted and locked in a selected operative position by means of the latch  73  and series of holes  73   a  in the lower end of the hand grip. Simply by freeing the latch from the holes, the grip may be moved to the desired position, and then by reconnecting the latch  73  to the another of the holes aligned with it, the grip may be locked in any elevation selected. Other arrangements may also be used to accomplish the same purpose.  
         [0029]     In  FIGS. 5-7  the headrest assembly for providing a shoulder press/pull down exercise facility is shown. The headrest assembly generally designated  28  is shown in the drawings to include a headrest  80 , support rods  82 , a cylinder assembly  84 , guide  86  and an enclosure  88 , the latter being mounted on the rear surface  90  of the backrest  24  (see  FIG. 5 ). The headrest in the embodiment shown is substantially wider than the upper edge  92  of the backrest  24 , and its sides  97  are contoured forwardly to provide lateral support for the head. Hand grips  95  are built into the forwardly contoured sides  97  to enable the occupant to grip the hand rest to perform the overhead lift-pull exercise. The shape of the headrest and slender shape of the upper portion  99  of the backrest also enable the occupant to grasp the headrest even when the headrest is in the lowermost position in close proximity to the upper edge  92  of the backrest. The gripping facilities  95  may take many different forms but being confined to the back surface preserves the clean look of the chair.  
         [0030]     The height of the cushion may be adjusted to comfortably accommodate the person occupying the chair either for relaxation or for exercise. The adjustment may be made by means of the stop  91  carried on the rods  82 . In the embodiment shown, the stop may be raised or lowered by loosening the set screws  93  in the sleeves  101  of the stop through which the rods  82  pass. A lowermost position of the headrest is established by the stop engaging the top of the guide. To raise the “at rest” position of the headrest, the stop  91  is lowered on the rods. The screws  93  are merely representative of the type of fastener that may be used to lock the stop in any chosen position on the rods. Knobs and thumb screws are typical of other fasteners that may be used for the same purpose. Furthermore, other and different arrangements may be used to establish the “at rest” position. Typically that “at rest” position of the headrest may be adjusted over a range of approximately 4 inches to comfortably accommodate persons of different height using the chair.  
         [0031]     The cylinder assembly  84  may be essentially identical to that employed in the armrest assembly  26 . The cylinder assembly  84  is double-acting, that is, it restrains movement of the headrest  80 , as described below, in both an upward and downward course by virtue of the bypass  98  connected to each end of the cylinder  99  and the fluid flow adjusting valve  102 . The cylinder houses a piston  103  movable up and down between the ends of the cylinder, and the piston is connected to piston rod  107 . The lower end  107  of the piston rod is connected to plate  109  that also is connected to the lower ends of the rods  82  that carry the headrest  80 , so that the rods move together. The upper end  111  of the cylinder  99  is connected by means of its extension  104  to bracket  115  that is carried by the fixed guide  86 . Guide  86  is in turn mounted in a fixed position on the backrest of the chair within the enclosure  88 . Movement of the headrest  80  either in an upwardly or downwardly direction is opposed by the cylinder assembly  84 . A convenient knob forming part of the valve  102  extends out of the enclosure  88  for adjusting the size of the fluid passage through the valve for changing the resistance to movement of the headrest.  
         [0032]     When the headrest is used in a conventional manner to support the head of the chair occupant, the headrest is adjusted for the proper height by the adjustable stop  91  described above. When used as an exercise device, the headrest assembly is placed in a position that enables the occupant of the chair to grasp the grips  95  on the back of the headrest cushion  80  and from that position, the occupant may press the cushion upwardly in the manner of a conventional overhead press exercise, and pulling the headrest down from the raised position is a standard pulldown. The overhead press is an upper body strength exercise. The primary muscles used in the press are the front and side deltoid and pectoralis major. Secondary muscle groups used are the triceps brachii and serratus anterior as well as a number of stabilizing muscles of the shoulder joint. When doing the pulldown exercise, the upper back muscles are strengthened. The primary muscles used are the latissimus dorsi, trapezius and rhomboideus major and minor. Secondary muscles used are the biceps brachii and rear deltoid. It should also be appreciated that the push and pull exercises may be performed with one arm. An additional center handle may be provided in the headrest  80  for that purpose.  
         [0033]     In  FIGS. 8-10  a leg apparatus is shown that enables a person seated in the chair to perform leg exercises. The apparatus  30  includes a horizontal tubular member  111  that extends radially outward from the hub  42  of the pedestal base  20 , and the tubular member carries a bar  110  having a footrest  112  at its outer end. The free end of the bar  110  is supported by a leg  115  carrying a caster  114 . The bar  110  is movable in the tubular member  111  as suggested by the two positions of the footrest  112  and leg  115  shown in  FIG. 8 . As is evident in  FIG. 8 , the tubular member  111 , and bar  110  will not interfere with the motion of the base  20  of the chair as they are disposed above the plane of the legs  40  of the base, and the leg  115  and caster  114  are radially beyond the ends of the legs  40  of the base. Thus, the pedestal base  20  may turn freely under the leg exercise device. A load is applied to the bar  110  that opposes the bar&#39;s movement out of the member  111 . That load may be imposed by any number of different mechanisms, such as a tension spring within the tubular member attached between the inner ends of the tubular member and bar, or a cylinder and piston connected between the member and bar, or any similar such device. In the embodiment shown, a peg  116  is also illustrated, that may be used to lock the bar  110  in a fixed radial position with respect to the tubular member so that the footrest  112  may serve as a comfortable rest for the chair occupant. For adjustability, a number of holes may be provided in the bar to receive the peg. The leg exercise provided by the apparatus is achieved by moving the feet essentially in a horizontal plane away from the axis of the base. When the pressure is relieved, the spring, air cylinder or other mechanism used will retract the bar.  
         [0034]     When not being used for exercise, the leg exercise apparatus may readily be detached from the base of the chair. As shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10  the inner end  117  of the tubular member  111  is connected to the hub  42  by means of a pin  118  and anchor  120  and the appropriate holes  122  and  124  provided in the member  111  and anchor. By simply pulling the pin the member can be separated from the chair. However, the leg exercise assembly may remain connected to the chair as it will roll about with the pedestal base and will provide comfort to the occupant of the chair as a footrest.  
         [0035]     The leg press exercise afforded by the footrest assembly  30  involves extending the legs away from the body. That exercise involves the quadriceps and hamstring muscles and the gluteus maximus, and builds lower body strength.  
         [0036]     Yet another exercise facility is provided on the chair. In  FIGS. 5 and 8 , handles  128  are shown provided on the sides of the backrest  24 . These also may be used as a stretching exercise while seated in the chair. The handles  128  are intended to be grasped by the hand of the occupant reaching across the mid-line of his/her body from the opposite side. When the arm reaches across the body to grasp the handle  128  on the opposite side, a stretch is initiated in the following muscles: posterior deltoid (back of shoulder), supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor and teres major (these are the muscles that make up the rotator cuff), trapezius, rhomboideus major, rhomboideus minor and the latissimus dorsi. Similar exercise may be performed by providing handle on the side edges of the seat  22 , as also suggested in  FIG. 2 .  
         [0037]     Having thus described several aspects of this invention, it is to be appreciated that various alterations, modifications, and improvements will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Such alterations, modifications, and improvements are intended to be part of this disclosure, and are intended to be within the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the foregoing description and drawings are by way of example only.