Abstract:
A therapeutic massage chair is reclinable between a horizontal and inclined position. The chair includes an upper back support member and a lower support member that is axially movable along a support frame and is also rotatable about an axis which is perpendicular to the plane of the upper back support member. Electric linear actuators are provided to both axially move and oscillate the lower body support member.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    This invention is directed to a reclinable chair for use in the alleviation of back pain. The chair may be used by Chiropractors as part of their treatment of clients in an office environment or may be used by individuals at home for example. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Several devices have been proposed for use as treatment apparatus for pain but few have been commercially successful due to their high cost and complexity. Examples of such reclinable chairs are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,654,974; 7,341,565; and 6,277,141. These devices are cumbersome to use and are quite uncomfortable. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The present invention is a relatively inexpensive and comfortable back pain treatment device designed for use in either a home or office environment, 
         [0006]    A cushioned chair is tiltable from a horizontal position to an inclined orientation. The chair includes a back support portion and a second tower back, upper leg and tower leg support section that is movable in a first axial direction with respect to the back support section and is also arcuately movable about a pivot axis that is perpendicular to the axial direction. The chair includes remotely controlled linear actuators to control the relative movement of the different sections of the device. The chair may also include heaters and vibrators for additional therapeutic treatment. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention showing the chair in an inclined position. 
           [0008]    FIG,  2  is a perspective view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  showing the chair in a horizontal position. 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the reciprocating and oscillating mechanism for the lower portion of the chair. 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a detailed showing of an embodiment of the pivoting mechanism of the lower portion of the chair. 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a portion of the support frame for an embodiment of the lower portion of the chair. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    Referring to  FIG. 1  the chair  2  of an embodiment of the invention includes a chair support frame  4  that is pivotably attached at  21  to a floor support assembly that includes vertical support posts  5 . The floor support assembly for chair frame member  4  includes two parallel horizontal members  6  and  28 , a cross support  7 , and two vertical support posts  5 , as more clearly shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0013]    Horizontal support members  6  and  28  may have suitable castors  29  on their outer ends. Referring again to  FIG. 1 , chair  2  further includes an upper back support  16  secured to chair support frame  4 , A head rest portion  15  may be provided for upper back support  16 . A pair of underarm supports  9  are attached to the frame  4  by bars  8  and tubes  30  that fit within sockets  45  shown in FIG,  3 . Cylindrical cushions  9  extend outwardly from supports  8  and are adapted to be located at the arm pits of a user. The length of the bars  8  may be adjusted by telescoping members  10  that slide within bars  8  and are lockable by a pin or detent  22  and holes  3  as is known in the art. Upper back support  16  may be formed as a cushion supported by a planar member attached to frame  4 . Frame  4  includes a bottom closure  61 . 
         [0014]    Chair  2  also includes a. lower body support member  17  that has three support sections  18 ,  19 , and  20  integrally formed together as a unit. Surface  18  is adapted to support the lower back portion of a user, surface  19  supports the upper thighs of a user and surface  20  conforms to the lower legs beneath the knees. In use, the back of a user&#39;s knees will be located at point  22  of the lower support member, Lower body support member  17  is secured to a platform  27  which is mounted for reciprocal and oscillatory motion as will be explained later. As shown in  FIG. 2 , an electric linear actuator is mounted on a cross support member  26  and extends to box frame  4  for pivoting the chair about pivot point  21  shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0015]    The internal mechanism for extending and retracting lower body support member with respect to box frame  4  will now be discussed with reference to  FIG. 3 . A carriage member  50  is slidably supported on rails  59  that are attached to a stationary frame  60  which is secured to box frame  4 . Box frame  4  includes an upper and lower rectangular frames  42  and  46  as well as side walls  102  and  103 . 
         [0016]    Stationary frame  60  includes a front wall portion  65  to which an electric linear actuator  56  including extension rod  57  is secured. The end of the extension rod  57  is attached to a cross beam  53  of the carriage member  50 . Carriage member  50  includes upper and lower elongated plates  55  and  54  on each side and a vertical plate  91  extending between plates  55  and  54  on each side of the carriage. These plates are welded together and to an end plate  64 . Each inner surface of vertical plate members  91  carries a longitudinally extending track member  58  which slides along a complimentary shaped track support  59  attached to the outer vertical surface of stationary frame  60 . In this manner, as extension rod  57  of linear actuator  56  is extended or retreated, carriage member  50  will move accordingly. 
         [0017]    Referring now to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , a hinge mechanism  70 , which may be for example a roller bearing weld-on hinge sold by Hardware Source and available at HardwareSource.com, is rigidly attached to end plate  64  of carriage member  50 . Hinge mechanism  70  includes a pivot pin  71 , a cylindrical bearing housing  101  and a block  112  secured to the bearing housing  101  such that housing  101  and block  112  can rotate about pivot pin  71 . A flange plate  74  is secured to block  112 . The lower body support  17  includes a first rectangular tube portion  72 , a second. rectangular tube portion  76  extending vertically above tube portion  72  and a third rectangular tube portion  81  extending generally parallel to tube portion  72 . A flat mounting plate  77  rests atop the junction of tubes  76  and  81 . Plate  77  includes a pair of apertures  78  for securing platform  27  thereto. A second flange plate  73  is secured to tube portion  72  and to flange plate  74  so that support assembly  72 .  76 ,  81 , and  77  pivots about pin  71 . End plate  64  is provided with an aperture  92  through which linear actuator rod  51  extends. An electric linear actuator  48  and rod  51  is supported by and carried with carriage member  50 , as seen in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0018]    As shown in  FIG. 5 , frame member  81  supports a plate member  91  having apertures  92  for securing the lower portion of the chair to the frame. Member  81  has a flange  96  at its end for attachment to a further frame member  85  via a second flange  95 . Bolts  97  may be used to secure the flanges together. 
         [0019]    Frame member  85  extends upwardly at an angle from frame member  81 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , a pair of support plates  86 ,  87  with suitable apertures are mounted on frame member  85  to support lower body member portion  19 , Also a crank arm  82  is attached at one end to extension rod  51  via a link  62  which is rotatably attached to crank arm  82  at one end and to rod  51  at its second end by pivot pins  64  and  65  as shown, and at its other end to support  76  in order to oscillate the lower support frame  96  about pivot pin  71 . 
         [0020]    The chair may be equipped with vibrators at various locations and also with heaters in any convenient location, Also a hand held wireless remote control or a wired controller may be used to control the various electronic elements of the chair including the vibrators, heaters, and electric linear actuators as known in the art. Electronic timers may also be included in the electronics to control the duration of the devices. 
         [0021]    In use, a user may either lie horizontally on the chair in the position shown in  FIG. 2  or begin by sitting in the chair in the position shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0022]    In either instance, the upper back of the user would be positioned along support section  16  of the chair. The user&#39;s lower back would be supported by section  18  of the chair. The user&#39;s legs would be supported at the thighs by section  19  and the lower legs would be supported by section  20 . 
         [0023]    Lower body support member  17  including sections  18 ,  19 , and  20  can be moved back and forth as shown at  96  in  FIG. 2  relative to tipper back support  16 . This will gently massage and exercise the muscles as necessary. When support member  17  is moved to the left in  FIG. 2 , it may then be oscillated about pivot  71  to laterally move and exercise the lumbar and hip region of the back. While in the upright position shown in  FIG. 1 , supports  9  may be positioned under the user&#39;s arm pits to support the upper body while the lower support  17  is moved downwardly so as to enable the user&#39;s lower back muscles to be massaged and exercised, Lower support  17  may also be oscillated about pivot  71  in this position. 
         [0024]    Although the present invention has been described with respect to specific details of an embodiment of the invention, it is not intended that such details should be regarded as limitations on the scope of the invention, except to the extent that they are included in the accompanying claims.