Abstract:
A novel concept of ergodynamic desktops with slowly varying configurations for ergonomic purposes is provided. Very slow motions are incorporated into the design of desktops, usually used by computer users. The introduced motion is at such a slow pace that it is hardly noticeable, similar to the adiabatic motions of hour or minute hands on a clock. Users of the desktops are therefore induced to adjust their body posture accordingly in a gradual and healthy manner, while still continuing to perform their normal activities without interruption. These desktop designs allow a natural and effortless combination of normal life and exercise. When used in a working environment, they will be useful to improve the health and to enhance the efficiency of workers.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims priority to U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/623,960 filed Nov. 1, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     A. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     This invention relates to an ergodynamic desktop, allowing users to avoid problems consistent with remaining in the same positions for long periods of time.  
         [0004]     B. Description of the Prior Art  
         [0005]     Along with the advancement of modern technology, people spend more and more time in front of desks, especially when computers are used. Programmers, secretaries, and many other workers spend long hours each day sitting with a fixed posture in front of a computer, staring at a fixed monitor screen, and typing on a fixed keyboard. This kind of a working habit is known to have notoriously harmful effects on health, causing complaints, serious physical damage, stress, depression, and other illnesses. It is especially tiring for the eyes, resulting in vision reduction. Many companies pay to have their employees treated with massage therapy as means of relaxation from the stressful working conditions.  
         [0006]     Various types of desks have been designed in order to optimize the ergonomics of the working environments. However, the great disadvantage of all such designs is that they are limited to static configurations, i.e. the desk is adjusted to an “ideal” position and then fixed, hoping that this position would be the best for the users. It has been realized that, in fact, no “ideal” position is really ideal, as long as the same position is kept long enough. Clinical studies have shown that even if the “best” configurations recommended by the health professionals are chosen, undesired negative effects can result when the users have been kept at these configurations for an extended period of time, as only a limited group of muscles are used and the regions of worn out are not well distributed but rather focused on few localized hot spots. In other words, no configuration is absolutely the best, as long as the configuration remains static.  
         [0007]     Therefore, workers get tired in any position if they have to keep the same position for extended periods of time. In addition, with the increased use of computers, requiring their users to have extended working hours with intensive concentration and attention, there are increasingly large numbers of medical problems reported.  
         [0008]     Some attempts have been made to design furniture with adjustable configurations to best fit the user&#39;s specific need for “optimized” ergonomics: for example, office chairs with several levers for posture adjustments, or computer desks with adjustable height, angle, etc. have been made available on the market. However, these types of furniture still have the problems associated with the furniture that is not adjustable because the adjustable designs are still only adjustable to a limited number of preset positions, with few degrees of freedom, and once these pieces of furniture are adjusted, they still restrict the users to the same static positions.  
         [0009]     What is, therefore, needed is a dynamic desktop that will allow its users to gradually and continuously change positions over time so that they are not locked in any one position, which causes fatigue, muscle cramps, eye strain, and other related problems such as back and neck pain and carpal tunnel syndrome.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0010]     This invention meets the current need for a superior dynamic desktop. A novel ergodynamic desktop is provided by introducing the new concept of slowly varying configurations to dynamic desktops, allowing people to perform physical and mental exercises effortlessly while working at the desktops, and thus reducing the risk of developing related illnesses.  
         [0011]     As a highly dynamic system, the human body is in constant physiological motion, e.g. cardiac, respiratory, and gastrointestinal motions, and is best kept healthy with frequent movement and exercise. It is, therefore, very desirable to introduce slowly varying configurations into the designs of furniture. The present invention is designed to have slowly and constantly varying configurations, which are subsequently followed by the user, gradually in a way very much like practicing the oriental exercises of Tai-Chi or Yoga. This type of adiabatic follow up can be considered a form of physical and mental massage, which provides the user with pleasant feelings, as well as greatly reduces tension and stress. For example, different muscle groups will be used and the pressure will be well distributed over broad regions. The long-term effects will be the reduced risks of illness leading to an improvement of physical condition and efficiency of the workers.  
         [0012]     Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a dynamically moving desktop to increase the efficiency and productivity of workers, especially workers using computers.  
         [0013]     Another object of the invention is to provide a dynamically moving desktop to reduce the strain on workers, especially workers using computers, thus reducing the number of illnesses these workers experience that are related to the use of static desktops.  
         [0014]     Still other objects and intentions will become obvious and/or apparent from the following description, drawings and appended claims.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]     The features, aspects and advantages of the new ergodynamic desktop will become further understood with reference to the following description, appended claims and accompanying drawings wherein:  
         [0016]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the ergodynamic desktop having one assembly providing linear sinusoidal movement;  
         [0017]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the ergodynamic desktop having a first assembly providing linear sinusoidal movement (see  FIG. 1 ) and having a second assembly providing parallel movement along a circular path;  
         [0018]      FIG. 3  is a plan view showing the component parts located on the lower supporting element of the assembly of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0019]      FIG. 4  is a plan cross-sectional view of the upper tray element of the assembly of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0020]      FIG. 5  is a plan cross-sectional view of the assembly of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0021]      FIG. 6  is a partially cut-away plan view of the second assembly of  FIG. 2 , with the top board partially removed;  
         [0022]      FIG. 7  is a side elevational view in cross-section along line  7 - 7  of the second assembly of  FIG. 6 ;  
         [0023]      FIG. 8  is an enlarged side elevational view in cross-section, showing cutout A of  FIG. 6 ; and  
         [0024]      FIG. 9  is an enlarged side elevational view in cross-section, showing cutout B of  FIG. 6 .  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0025]     The present invention is directed to a novel ergodynamic desktop, used to prevent health problems related to remaining in the same position behind desks for long periods of time and therefore used to improve the efficiency and well-being of workers.  
         [0026]     Several specific preferred embodiments of such an ergodynamic desktop, in the form of dynamic computer desktops, are described herein to address the health issues mentioned above. Applying the concept of slowly varying configurations, additive attachments to standard desks are proposed as a simple and inexpensive but effective solution to the problem. These examples are only used to illustrate rather than limit the applications of the invention. The specific design is accomplished with a number of practical considerations, such as cost, ease of use, robustness, and simplicity. Numerous variations, combinations, extensions, and improvements of these designs are possible, based upon the general principles disclosed, which are impossible to list here exhaustively.  
         [0027]     One preferred embodiment of the ergodynamic desktop is shown in  FIG. 1 . With reference to  FIG. 1 , the preferred embodiment is an assembly  10 , which can be placed on top of a standard computer desk (or any table, as shown on the octagonal table surface in  FIG. 1 ), allowing for a slow motion of anything placed on the assembly  10 , thus forming a dynamically moving desktop. The assembly  10  has two trays. The lower tray  20  is in touch with the computer desk or table, without motion. The lower tray  20  may simply be placed on top of the desk, or it may be secured to the top of the desk for additional stability and to prevent accidental dislocation of the assembly  10 . The upper tray  30  is in constant but very slow motion. Anything placed on the upper tray  30  of the assembly  10 , e.g. computer monitor, keyboard, and mouse, will move along with the upper tray  30 . A typical moving pattern can be a left to right or right to left motion (shown by the directional arrows on the surface of the table in  FIG. 1 ) in a sinusoidal linear form, similar to a pendulum. A typical time period for a complete motion cycle is four (4) minutes. It should be noted that the assembly  10  is a dynamic desktop that does not have to be used with a computer. It can be used simply as a general purpose dynamic desktop, whenever slow motion needs to be introduced. For example, it can be used as a dynamic reading table to reduce the stress on the eyes of the readers.  
         [0028]     Another preferred embodiment is shown in  FIG. 2 . The embodiment further comprises an assembly  40 , which can be used independently of or in combination with the assembly  10 . Similarly to the assembly  10 , the assembly  40  has two trays. The lower tray  50  of the assembly  40  is placed on top of or is secured to the upper tray  30  of assembly  10 . The upper tray  60  of the assembly  40  is in a slow circular parallel motion, either clockwise or counterclockwise, as shown by the semi-circular directional arrow in  FIG. 2 . Exactly speaking, the motion is a parallel motion but along a circular path. A typical time period for a complete motion cycle is approximately three (3) minutes. The assembly  40  can be used independently or in combination with the assembly  10 . When the assembly  40  is used in combination with the assembly  10 , rather complex motion patterns can be generated as a summation of a liner sinusoidal motion of the assembly  10  and a circular constant motion of the assembly  40 . With reference to  FIG. 2 , the system can be used with a typical desktop computer as follows: the mouse and keyboard placed on the assembly  10  undergo a linear sinusoidal motion in the left to right or right to left direction, while the monitor placed on the assembly  40  moves in a more complex pattern as a summation of a circular motion on top of the assembly  40 , in addition to the linear sinusoidal motion of assembly  10 .  
         [0029]     As said previously, the assembly  10  can be separated into two component parts, a lower tray  20  that has a baseboard  70  (the bottom surface of the lower tray  20 , see  FIG. 3 ), which is placed on top of an ordinary desk, and an upper tray  30  that is moving slowly in the left to right or right to left direction.  
         [0030]      FIG. 3  shows more details of the lower tray  20  of the assembly  10 . The electric motor  80  is mounted on an extended area, located at the top of the drawing. A large spur gear  90  is mounted at the upper-centre of the baseboard  70 . The large spur gear  90  is also linked with a small gear  100  attached to the motor  80 . A pin  110  is positioned near the rim on the large spur gear  90 , which forces the upper tray  30  of the assembly  10  to move back and forth. A door slide  120  is mounted at the lower-centre of the base board  70  and guides the moving upper tray  30  to move only in the left to right or right to left direction.  
         [0031]      FIG. 4  shows more details of the upper tray  30  of the assembly  10 . There is a top surface (not shown) mounted on a large frame  130 , with small rollers (wheels)  140  distributed all around the frame  130 . The top surface may be made out of transparent materials, such as Lexan glass, showing the internal mechanisms at work. Two parallel bars  150  are also mounted on the frame  130 , as well as on the moving plate of the door slide  120 , preferably by using mounting screws  160 .  
         [0032]      FIG. 5  illustrates an assembled assembly  10  in a working condition, after the upper tray  30  and the lower tray  20  are put together (the top surface of the upper tray  30  is not shown, but it may be made from a transparent material). The large spur gear  90  fixed on the lower tray  20  of the assembly  10 , between the upper tray  30  and the baseboard  70  of the lower tray  20 , is driven by the small gear  100  directly fixed on a slow moving electric motor. When the gear  90  rotates, the parallel bars  150  will be pushed by the pin  110  back and forth in the right-and-left directions along the door slide  120 , together with the upper tray  30  of the assembly  10 . Small rollers  140  are distributed along the frame  130  of the upper tray  30 , taking the weight of loading and reducing the friction as much as possible.  
         [0033]      FIG. 6  illustrates the assembly  40  with the upper tray  60  partially removed. It can be seen that there are four corner elements  170 , as well as one central element  180 . Each of the corner elements has a small wheel  190 , supporting the weight loaded on the upper tray  60  as shown in  FIG. 7 , while allowing it to freely undergo a circular parallel motion. Five solid dots indicate five pins  230  connecting the upper tray  60  to the four corner elements  170  as well as the central element  180 . The central element  180  has a circular shape. It contains an internal gear  200  driven by a small gear  210  attached to a slow moving electric motor  220  mounted underneath the baseboard, shown in  FIG. 7 . When the central element  180  rotates, it enables the upper tray  60  to perform a circularly parallel motion defined together with all four corner elements  170  connected to the upper tray  60 .  
         [0034]      FIG. 7  shows the side view schematics of the assembly  40 . The relationship between the internal gear system and the electric motor  220  is also shown.  FIG. 7  further shows the vertical positions of all components in the system, including the upper tray  60  and the lower tray  50 .  
         [0035]      FIG. 8 , an enlarged cutout A of  FIG. 7 , shows details of any one of the four identical corner elements  170  from a side view. A small wheel  190 , capable of supporting a significant amount of weigh loaded on the upper tray  60 , is mounted to a horizontal metal bar  240  that is free to rotate about the axis defined by the vertical pin on the right. The vertical pin is fixed to the baseboard  245  as part of a Chicago screw  250  at a location of one of four feet near the corners. A rubber foot  260  helps the baseboard  245  of the assembly  40  remain in the same position, without slipping. Note that the assembly  40  may also be secured to the upper tray  30  of the assembly  10  for superior stability and to prevent it from slipping, but in that case the assembly  40  cannot be as freely repositioned anywhere on the upper tray  30  as in the preferred configuration.  
         [0036]      FIG. 9 , an enlarged cutout B of  FIG. 7 , shows the details of the central element  180 . The large internal gear  200  is linked to a small gear  210  that is attached to a slow moving electric motor  220  mounted under the baseboard  245 . A horizontal metal bar  270  is mounted on the internal gear  200  along a radial direction. The vertical pin is fixed to the baseboard  245  as part of a Chicago screw  280 . As the internal gear  200  rotates, the horizontal metal bar  270  will push the top board  275  of the upper tray  60  into a circular parallel motion.  
         [0037]     The slow moving motors  80  and  220  can be either DC or AC type, or they could be stepping motors. The stepping motor is particularly suited for a computer desktop because the motor can be controlled by software run on the computer. The user can then easily choose the style of the motion and even develop user-defined programs to control the movements in a desired fashion. Motion parameters such as direction, amplitude, and speed can all be easily altered at the user&#39;s discretion.  
         [0038]     The ergodynamic desktop described above is only one of many inventive possibilities. The descriptions on the preferred embodiments are only intended to serve as illustrations rather than limitations of the invention. Variations, modifications, and extensions are unlimited based on the general principles of the invention.  
         [0039]     For example, the present invention may further incorporate dynamic motion into the design of the computer monitor itself. The latest model monitor using a liquid crystal display (LCD) screen is particularly suited for such designs, since the significantly reduced weight and size would allow various types of motion, including nodding, tilting, left-and-right turning.  
         [0040]     Indeed, to achieve the same goals as the ergodynamic desktop of the invention, it is not necessary to create special hardware at all. Software approach sometimes can do even better. For example, the display on a computer screen can be easily made a lot healthier by introducing the concept of slow varying configurations. Today, most computer software applications use framed display areas called “windows.” These windows usually occupy only part of the entire screen, leaving some room for possible movement. It is conceivable to have a display option of any software as turning “on” or “off” a drifting function of the windows. At most times, the drifting function is “on”, but it can be easily turned off when performing careful tasks such as detailed drawing, etc.  
         [0041]     Besides the location of windows, many other parameters or configurations of a computer display can be easily made slowly varying, given the tremendous flexibility and possibilities in computer programming. Candidates of these parameters include font size, color, brightness, contrast, or even focus. A slightly defocused but dynamically drifting display might be healthier than a very sharp but static one. In fact, many types of display software that constantly vary these parameters have already been developed for years. They serve some other purposes however, and are typically called “screen savers,” but similar techniques can protect the people&#39;s eyes as well.  
         [0042]     Another very important application of the concept of slowly varying configurations is environment control. People usually try to find the most comfortable parameter settings (such as temperature), keeping the environment at these parameter levels. As briefly discussed before, this philosophy may not necessarily be healthy. Human bodies are very different from machines. They are naturally capable of adjusting themselves to follow the environment. More importantly, they need constant variations, stimuli, massages, and exercise to keep alive. Therefore, slowly varying a large family of parameters may be beneficial to a human body. A partial list of these parameters is given below: temperature, humidity, air pressure, airflow, oxygen level, dust concentration, gravity, magnetic fields, and even noise levels. (It has been reported that absolute silence can drive people crazy.) One thing is almost certain, the healthiest settings must be dynamic.  
         [0043]     The scope of the invention will now be indicated in the claims.