Abstract:
A specially designed seat assembly allows a user to sit in lotus style meditation position while meditating. The seat assembly positions and elevates the user in order to provide comfort while holding the user in the correct position. The seat assembly can provide dual level support through an upper platform and lower platform. The seat assembly is specially shaped in order to conform to the contours of the user. The knees are elevated by the upper platform, and the feet and ankles are drawn inward and supported from the ground by the lower platform. The user is held in a traditional lotus style seating position. The seat assembly allows for the user to remain in a relaxed state, free from discomfort. The seat assembly is supported by a metal skeleton, which prevents the seat assembly from becoming deformed upon repeated use. The seat assembly has a cushion formed around the metal skeleton, which is stable, yet comfortable for the user.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of the U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/333,545, filed May 9, 2016, which is hereby incorporated by reference. The content of U.S. Design Patent Application No. 29/560,052 is hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not Applicable 
       THE NAMES OF PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT 
       [0003]    Not Applicable 
       INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC 
       [0004]    Not Applicable 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
       [0005]    The invention relates to chairs and seating, and in particular to seats to be used when meditating. 
       Description of the Related Art 
       [0006]    Meditation is a practice where an individual trains the mind or induces a mode of consciousness, either to realize some benefit or for the mind to simply acknowledge its content without becoming identified with that content, or as an end in itself. 
         [0007]    People who meditate often prefer to sit in a lotus style position. A lotus style position is a cross-legged sitting asana originating in meditative practices of ancient India, in which the feet are placed on opposing thighs. The asana is said to resemble a lotus, to encourage breathing proper to associated meditative practices, and to foster physical stability. 
         [0008]    Positioning oneself in the lotus position can be difficult and uncomfortable. Ordinarily, a person sits on a pillow or flat cushion in order to meditate more comfortably. The pillow or cushion is used to elevate a person&#39;s buttocks relative to his or her feet. The pillow cushions one&#39;s buttocks when meditating on a hard surface. When using a pillow, the person&#39;s feet remain on the hard floor. In addition, a pillow does not provide lateral support to the person&#39;s feet. Ordinary pillows and cushions fail to provide the optimal position and support. 
         [0009]    Meditation sessions can be greatly enhanced if the person is more comfortable while meditating. Often it is hard for people to find a comfortable position while meditating. When sitting in a traditional crossed leg position the meditating person&#39;s knees may feel tight and circulation may even be cut off, causing their legs to fall asleep. When discomfort arises, the posture will often suffer as well. The person may begin to slouch, which over time may cause soreness in the lower back. 
         [0010]    Often the pain and soreness increases to the point that the person can no longer meditate in the lotus style position. When this happens people then resort to meditating in a traditional four legged chair. This places the person&#39;s legs and back at a ninety degree (90°) angle, which brings them out of the lotus style position. 
         [0011]    Accordingly, a need exists for a seat to improve the support that the users experience during meditation sessions. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    The invention encompasses a meditation seat, which is also referred to as a seat assembly for positioning a person in lotus style meditation. 
         [0013]    An object of the invention is to support and situate the body in an optimal position to relieve discomfort. 
         [0014]    An object is to provide cushioned support for a person&#39;s feet, knees, and buttocks. 
         [0015]    An object is to provide a person with lateral stabilization while meditating in the lotus position. 
         [0016]    The seat assembly provides a seat for the person to place their buttocks. The present invention also provides foot stops for both the left and the right feet. The foot stops are located below the seat. The person using the seat assembly sits in a crossed manner in which their right foot is positioned toward the left side of the person and the left foot is positioned toward the right side of the person. Both feet, left and right, are forward of the person while the person is seated in the seat assembly. 
         [0017]    Each foot stop includes a lateral brace, which supports the bottom of the foot, and a medial support, which supports the side of the foot. 
         [0018]    The seat assembly includes support for the person&#39;s knees while seated in the seat assembly. When the person bends their legs and crosses their ankles, at least one of the person&#39;s knees are supported above their feet and forward relative to the seat on which the person is sitting. The interior portion of the knee support holds the feet of the person in an inward (i.e. bottom of the foot facing medially) and forward (relative to the seat for the buttocks) manner, placing the person in the lotus style meditation position. 
         [0019]    The knee support on the seat assembly is used to elevate the knee of the person above at least one of the right foot stop or the left foot stop. It is an object of the invention to support the knees above the feet to relieve pressure commonly caused when the knees rest on the feet in a traditional crossed leg seating style. 
         [0020]    The knee support portion of the seat assembly is positioned to place the legs of the person above the waistline of the person. The elevation of the leg will vary depending on the height of the person. The taller the person using the seat assembly, the higher their leg will be relative to their waistline. 
         [0021]    It is an object of the invention to provide support to the person using the seat assembly. The area between the left foot stop and the right foot stop can form a bed. The bed is used to elevate the person&#39;s feet off the floor during use. By elevating and supporting the feet of the person, the person&#39;s comfort level will be optimized. 
         [0022]    The bed that is formed between the left foot stop and the right foot stop may be convex in shape in one embodiment. By being convex in shape, the bed will receive and hold the feet of the person over a longer surface area of the person&#39;s feet. The convex shape contours to the person&#39;s ankles. In other embodiments, of the present invention, the bed may be flat or be concave in shape. 
         [0023]    The medial foot support is the area of the bed that can hold the side of the person&#39;s feet and their ankles. Note: the medial foot support may be completely absent from the seat assembly. In an embodiment without the medial foot support, the person using the seat assembly can press their feet against the lateral foot stop. 
         [0024]    It is an object of the present invention to contour to the shape of the person using the seat assembly. The left lateral brace and the left medial foot support meet and form an angle. The angle formed can be acute, which places the person&#39;s foot in a preferred position. In other embodiments, this angle may vary, be at ninety degree (90°) or even be obtuse. 
         [0025]    The right lateral brace and the right medial foot support meet and form a similar angle to the angle formed on the left side. In the preferred embodiment, the angles formed on both the left and right side match, but in other embodiments the angles formed may differ from the right to the left. 
         [0026]    It is an object of the invention to provide for repeated use. To allow for repeated use the seat assembly must be structurally sound and the contouring of the seat assembly must remain viable. In one embodiment, the structural rigidity is provided with the use of an interior skeleton. The skeleton provides for the framing of the seat assembly to allow a person to use the seat assembly over and over without deformation. In other embodiments, the structural rigidity of the seat assembly may be provided in other ways, including but not limited to being formed from a more rigid material that does not need an interior skeleton to maintain shape. 
         [0027]    It is an object of the present invention to provide both optimal comfort and stability. In embodiments with a structural skeleton incorporated, the skeleton is surrounded by a cushion. This cushion provides comfort by acting as a shock absorber for the various members of the person&#39;s body. The cushion mitigates the pain that may occur if the seat assembly were stiff. 
         [0028]    In embodiments using the skeleton, the skeleton must retain its shape. In an effort to retain the shape, the skeleton may be composed of metal. Metal may be used for structural strength. By using metal as the base material for the composition of the skeleton, the seat assembly will be useful for persons of varying weight and size. In other embodiments the skeleton may be made from less durable materials such as plastics. 
         [0029]    It is an object of the invention to provide comfort during meditation sessions. The cushion is utilized to provide comfort. This cushion may be composed of neoprene foam. Neoprene is a flexible and durable material. Neoprene foam can resist breakdown by water, which allows for repeated use without degradation of the seat assembly. 
         [0030]    It is an object of the invention to provide comfort for the person during use. In embodiments incorporating a cushion, the cushion forms the seat, knee support, and the lateral braces. It is vital to provide comfort in all areas in which the person is contacting the seat assembly. 
         [0031]    In embodiments incorporating a bed between the left foot stop and the right foot stop, the bed may be composed of a cushion. The bed includes the left medial foot support and the right medial foot support. By being composed of a cushion material, the left medial foot support and the right medial foot support will maintain the feet and ankles of the person in a soft but supportive manner. The cushion may relieve the pain that would be associated with an overly stiff material. 
         [0032]    It is an object of the present invention to place the person in a lotus style position for meditation. The left lateral brace and the left medial brace of the seat assembly are designed to receive the right foot of the person. The left lateral brace and the left medial brace are stationed forward of the seat. By placing the left lateral brace and the left medial brace forward of the seat, the person is able to place their weight upon the seat which relieves the pressure that would occur if the feet were positioned below the seat. By relieving pressure from the feet, the person will achieve a more sustained relaxed state, which is optimal for meditation. 
         [0033]    It is an object of the invention to create comfort for both body and mind. One aspect of this comfort is security from belief that the seat assembly will not tip over. To refrain from tipping over, the surface areas are strategically designed. In the preferred embodiment, the top surface area of the seat assembly to the bottom surface area of the seat assembly is a ratio of one and one tenth to one (1.1:1.0). By having a top surface area 10 percent larger than the bottom surface area, the seat assembly provides increased seating area while not being so large in scale as to allow the seat assembly to tip over during use. In other embodiments, the ratio may increase or decrease in size so long as the ratio remains useable without tipping over. 
         [0034]    The seat assembly may be viewed as a dual platform design. The dual platform includes both an upper platform and a lower platform. The upper platform is designed to support the buttocks, the left knee, and the right knee of the person. The lower platform is designed to support the left and right feet of the person. The upper platform is placed at a higher elevation relative to the lower platform. 
         [0035]    The lower platform of the seat assembly may be convex in shape. The lower platform is utilized for the feet of the person. When the person is sitting in the seat assembly, his or her feet are crossed. By being convex in shape, the lower platform will fill the gap that is formed when the feet are crossed. The convex shape will provide more support than if the lower platform were flat. In other embodiments, the lower platform may be flat or concave in shape without deviating from the primary objective of the seat assembly, which is to provide a seat for lotus style meditation. 
         [0036]    One objective of the upper platform of the seat assembly is to position the person by raising the knees of the person. The upper platform elevates both the left and right knee of the person above the waistline of the person. The buttocks of the person are placed on the seat, located on the rear portion of the upper platform. The feet are placed on the lower platform in a crossed manner. The feet are drawn inward, which then causes the knees to be elevated above the waistline. This positioning relieves pressure associated with having body parts rest against one another. 
         [0037]    An objective of the seat assembly is to provide support and position the user in the lotus style meditation position. This is achieved by placing the buttocks on a seat, placing a left foot against a brace below the seat, placing a right foot against a brace below the seat, and supporting the left and right knees above the brace for the feet. By supporting the separate body parts of the person using the seat assembly in their individual capacity, optimal comfort is provided. The different body parts are allowed to rest on the seat assembly instead of resting on one another. This alleviates the pressure that occurs when the body parts do rest on one another. 
         [0038]    One embodiment of the present invention is a seat assembly composed of two separate members, one upper platform and one lower platform. The upper and lower platform of the invention may be joined together as one uniform member, or may be two separate members. The embodiment with one uniform member is configured to have the left foot stop and the right foot stop connected to the upper platform, which includes seat for the person. 
         [0039]    The seating assembly is formed to create a place of comfort and tranquility for the person using the seat assembly. An important aspect of tranquility is the knowledge that when using the seat assembly that the seat assembly will not tip over. In order to provide this assurance, the design is adequately balanced to create a center of gravity that is forward of the rear fulcrum pivot point of the seat assembly. The combination of the person and the seat creates this center of gravity. So long as this center of gravity is forward of the rear fulcrum pivot point of the seat assembly the user will not feel the sensation that they are going to tip over. When meditating, maintaining a relaxed state is important. By designing the seat assembly in a balanced manner, and considering all parameters, the seat assembly will provide the user with this relaxed state. 
         [0040]    Other features of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. 
         [0041]    Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied, the invention is not limited to the details shown because various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing from the invention and the equivalents of the claims. However, the construction and method of operation of the invention together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
         [0042]      FIG. 1  is a perspective front side view of a seat assembly according to the invention with a person sitting in the lotus position. 
           [0043]      FIG. 2  is an isometric front view of a skeleton, which is within the seat assembly shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0044]      FIG. 3  is a front perspective view of the seat assembly shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0045]      FIG. 4  is a top side view of the seat assembly shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0046]      FIG. 5  is a bottom side view of the seat assembly shown in  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0047]    Embodiments of the invention are described below and are shown in the figures of the drawing. 
         [0048]      FIG. 1-5  show a preferred embodiment of a seat assembly  100 . 
         [0049]      FIG. 1  shows a person  600  sitting in the seat assembly  100  according to the present invention. The person  600  is seated in the seat assembly  100  in a lotus style meditation position. The lotus style position is one in which the person  600  has their left ankle  606 A crossed over their right ankle  606 B. The person  600  may also sit with their right ankle  606 B crossed over their left ankle  606 A; this alternate position is not shown in the figures. The person  600  is in an upright position with their buttocks  601  at the rear  101  of the seat assembly  100 . The left knee  604 A and the right knee  604 B are raised above the waistline  602  by the seat assembly  100 . The leg  603  of the person  600  is in a bent but relaxed state. The left foot  605 A and the right foot  605 B of the person  600  are below and forward of the buttocks  601 . The left foot  605 A and the right foot  605 B are comfortably supported by an angle  900  formed by the seat assembly  100 . The seat assembly  100  is composed of a cushion  800  to provide comfort for the person  600  while in use. 
         [0050]    The seat assembly  100  is used for meditation in a lotus style seating position. The person  600  is comfortably supported by the seat assembly  100 . The left foot  605 A and the right foot  605 B are pulled inward, relative to the buttocks  601 , in front of the person  600  and supported by the seat assembly  100 . The buttocks  601  are placed in an elevated position on the rear section  101  of the seat assembly  100 . The left knee  604 A and the right knee  604 B are elevated to a position higher than the left foot  605 A and the right foot  605 B. The left ankle  606 A and the right ankle  606 B are also supported by the seat assembly  100 . The person  600  is removed from the floor and placed in order to provide optimal comfort and relation. By supporting the various body parts, the seat assembly  100  supports the person  600  in a comfortable upright posture optimal for meditation. 
         [0051]    The cushion  800  is composed of neoprene foam in the preferred embodiment, but may be formed by other sponge-like material in other embodiments. The actual composition is not pertinent so long as the person  600  is accommodated comfortably in the seat assembly  100 . The seat assembly  100  is composed of the cushion  800  in order to support the person  600  optimally. The cushion  800  compresses slightly, which alleviates the pressure on the various body parts on the person  600 . By alleviating pressure on the person  600 , the seat assembly  100  removes stress and allows for peaceful meditation. 
         [0052]      FIG. 2  shows a skeleton  500  located within the seat assembly  100 . The skeleton  500  is surrounded by a cushion  800  (as shown in  FIG. 1 ). 
         [0053]    The skeleton  500  supports the person  600  seated on the seat assembly  100 . The skeleton  500  provides the seat assembly  100  with the structural rigidity necessary to maintain the person  600  in the correct position. The seat assembly  100  is designed for repeated use. With the use of the skeleton  500  inside the seat assembly  100 , the seat assembly  100  will retain the shape in each use. The skeleton  500  provides both support and shape of the seat assembly  100 . The skeleton  500  may be composed of one continuous piece of metal in one embodiment. The skeleton  500  may be composed of separate pieces of metal, preferably steel tubing, in separate embodiments. The skeleton  500  may also be composed of any other structurally rigid material capable of supporting the seat assembly  100  in the desired shape. In other embodiments, which are not shown, the seat assembly  100  may be formed without the use of the skeleton  500 , and may stand on its own by way of the cushion  800  (as shown in  FIG. 1 ) being rigid to retain shape. 
         [0054]      FIG. 3  shows a preferred seat assembly  100  according to the present invention. The seat assembly  100  provides support for the person  600  (as shown in  FIG. 1 ), while positioning the person  600  in the lotus style meditation position. The buttocks  601  (as shown in  FIG. 1 ) of the person  600  are placed on the seat  101  during use. The left knee  106 A (as shown in  FIG. 1 ) of the person  600  rests on the left knee support  106 A. The right knee  106 B (as shown in  FIG. 1 ) of the person  600  rests on the right knee support  106 B. The left medial foot support  103 A and the right medial foot support  103 B extend toward one another to form a bed  105 . The bed  105  supports the left foot  605 A, the right foot  605 B, the left ankle  606 A, and the right ankle  606 B of the person  600  (as shown in  FIG. 1 ). In the shown embodiment, the bed  105  has a convex shape; however, in alternative embodiments, the bed  105  may be flat or be concave in shape. The left foot  605 A of the person  600  is crossed over to the right foot stop  102 B and the right foot  605 B of the person  600  is crossed over to the left foot stop  102 A. The left ankle  606 A is supported by the right medial foot support  103 B and the right ankle  606 B is supported by the right medial foot support  103 A. The left lateral brace  104 A, left foot stop  102 A, and the left medial foot support  103 A join together to form an angle  900  (shown in  FIG. 1 ). In the embodiment shown, the angle  900  is acute. Although in other embodiments the angle  900  may vary in degree. The right lateral brace  104 B, right foot stop  102 B, and the right medial foot support  103 B form a similar angle  900  on the right side of the seat assembly  100 . 
         [0055]    The seat assembly  100  is optimal for meditation in the lotus style meditation position. The person  600  is placed in an upright position with buttocks  601  placed on the seat  101 . The left knee  604 A and the right knee  604 B are raised above the ground and off of the left foot  605 A or the right foot  605 B. By raising the knees off of the ground and feet the person  600  is able to remain comfortable during the meditation session. Optimal comfort during meditation is critical in order to obtain a fulfilling meditation experience. In the shown embodiment the left foot  605 A and the right foot  605 B remain off of the ground. In alternative embodiment the knees of person  600  may remain off of the ground while the feet remain rested on the ground. It is the objective of the seat assembly  100  to provide the best comfort possible for the person  600  to utilize the seat assembly  100  during meditation. 
         [0056]      FIG. 4  shows a preferred embodiment of a seat assembly  100  according to the present invention. The seat assembly  100  positions the person  600  (as shown in  FIG. 1 ) on an upper platform  200  and a lower platform  300 . The upper platform  200  is located above and around the exterior of the lower platform  300 . The person  600  places their buttocks  601  on the upper platform  200  with the left foot  605 A and the right foot  605 B being placed on the lower platform  300 . In one embodiment, the upper platform  200  and the lower platform  300  are one continuous member. In another embodiment, which is not shown, the upper platform  200  and the lower platform  300  are separate members. 
         [0057]    The seat assembly  100  includes an upper platform  200  and a lower platform  300  in one embodiment. In a separate embodiment, the upper platform  200  stands alone as the sole platform for supporting the person  600 . The embodiment shown includes both the upper platform  200  and the lower platform  300 . The upper platform  200  supports the left knee  604 A at the left knee support  106 A (as shown in  FIG. 3 ), right knee  604 B at the right knee support  106 B (as shown in  FIG. 3 ), and the buttocks  601  at the seat  101  (as shown in  FIG. 3 ). The lower platform  300  supports the left foot  605 A at the right foot stop  102 B (as shown in  FIG. 3 ), right foot  605 B at the left foot stop  102 A (as shown in  FIG. 3 ), left ankle  606 A at the right medial foot support  103 B (as shown in  FIG. 3 ), and right ankle  606 B at the left medial foot support  103 A (as shown in  FIG. 3 ). The leg  603  of the person  600  is bent while sitting in the seat assembly  100 . The leg  603  is elevated above the waistline  602  of the person  600 , placing them in the lotus position. The use of an upper platform  200  removes the buttocks  601  of the person  600  from the floor which allows sustained comfort for the duration of the use of the seat assembly  100 . 
         [0058]      FIG. 5  shows a preferred seat assembly  100  according to the present invention. The invention as shown depicts a seat assembly  100  with both the upper platform  200  and the lower platform  300  joined together. The outer perimeter of the upper platform  200  forms a top surface area  401 . The bottom surface area  400  is the area in which the seat assembly  100  rests on the ground. The seat assembly  100  has a rear fulcrum pivot point  700  located at the rear of the seat assembly  100 . The seat assembly  100  has a center of gravity  701  which is located based on the combination of the seat assembly  100  and the person  600  (as shown in  FIG. 1 ). The center of gravity  701  of the seat assembly  100  and the person  600  is forward of the rear fulcrum pivot point  700 . 
         [0059]    The seat assembly  100  is structured to provide balance for the person  600 . The ratio of the top surface area  401  to the bottom surface area  400  is 1.1 to 1.0 in the embodiment shown, but is not limited to this ratio. The ratio of the top surface area  401  to the bottom surface area  400  is set to provide optimal area for the person  600 , while preventing the seat assembly  100  from tipping while the person  600  is using the seat assembly  100 . The center of gravity  701  of the seat assembly  100  should remain forward of the rear fulcrum pivot point  700  in order to prevent the seat assembly  100  from tipping over backwards. By creating a center of gravity  701  forward of the rear fulcrum pivot point  700  the person  600  will feel supported and unconcerned about tipping backward. It is an object of the present invention to provide comfort to the person  600  while using the seat assembly  100 . One aspect of this comfort is the removal of the fear that is present in an unstable seat. 
         [0060]    The seat assembly is made according to the following procedure. A skeleton, as shown in  FIG. 2 , is assembled from steel tubing. Next a block of foam corresponding to the shape of the chair is placed over the skeleton. Next upholstery is placed over the block; the upholstery is contoured to the shape of the block. Preferred types of upholstery include leather or fabric. 
         [0061]    Unless otherwise mentioned the reference numbers are used consistently throughout the figures.