Abstract:
An exercise chair comprising a base frame having a frame vertical axis and a seat movably coupled to the base frame and having a seat vertical axis, wherein the seat is configured such that the seat vertical axis describes bidirectional orbital motion around the frame vertical axis when the seat is in motion. A method of manufacturing an exercise chair is also provided.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This Application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/744,248 filed on Apr. 4, 2006, entitled “Hula Chair,” commonly assigned with the present invention and incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention is directed, in general, to fitness equipment and, more particularly, to an exercise chair that simulates the motions of a Hawaiian hula dancer in an occupant and a method of manufacturing such exercise chair. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Various motorized chairs have been developed over many decades. One early design simulated the motions of a parent vigorously bouncing a child on the parent&#39;s knee or alternatively sliding the seat in a reciprocating motion much as a parent would comfort a crying child. A later design created a slow-speed, sideways rocking with back and forth tilting of the seat to hopefully induce sleep. Both of these designs are extremely mechanically complex. A motor-driven exercise chair has also been described wherein the chair main frame, i.e., legs, seat base, seat back and arms, remain fixed relative to the floor, and the seat effects a limited, rotary reciprocating motion of about 45 degrees. This design purports to passively exercise the leg muscles when the feet are on the floor, arm muscles when arms or hands are engaging the arms of the chair, and the back muscles through the arms or directly if the user&#39;s back is against the chair back. A more recent powered chair design addresses the need for an effective device to passively motivate the spines of paraplegic and quadriplegic patients, thereby reducing susceptibility to necrosis, or pressure sores, resulting from prolonged immobilization. In this design, an ischial pad is caused to undulate about two orthogonal, horizontal axes. This causes the patient&#39;s spine to be flexed in a manner simulating the natural motion of the patient&#39;s spine. Another powered chair mechanically employs multiple cams and rollers to create a Hawaiian hula-like motion in three dimensions with continuous unidirectional rotary motion. The embodiment is very mechanically complicated using sliding blocks and shafts, a complex U-joint, and seven cams to create swivel-rock, vertical and curvilinear-circular motion. While the disclosure asserts that the chair&#39;s movement can be adjusted for the user&#39;s taste by changing different sets of cams; in practice, the changing of any one or more of the cams would require virtually a complete tear-down and rebuild of the chair and would, therefore, be impractical for the average user. 
         [0004]    Accordingly, what is needed in the art is an exercise chair that provides a reasonable hula-like motion to a seated user without complicated mechanical structure while enabling easy modification of exercise parameters by the user. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    To address the above-discussed deficiencies of the prior art, the present invention provides, in one aspect, an exercise chair comprising a base frame having a frame vertical axis and a seat movably coupled to the base frame and having a seat vertical axis, wherein the seat is configured such that the seat vertical axis describes bidirectional orbital motion around the frame vertical axis when the seat is in motion. A method of manufacturing an exercise chair is also provided. 
         [0006]    The foregoing has outlined preferred and alternative features of the present invention so that those skilled in the pertinent art may better understand the detailed description of the invention that follows. Additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter that form the subject of the claims of the invention. Those skilled in the pertinent art should appreciate that they can readily use the disclosed conception and specific embodiment as a basis for designing or modifying other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. Those skilled in the pertinent art should also realize that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which: 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  illustrates an exploded view of one embodiment of a hula chair constructed according to the principles of the present invention; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  illustrates a plan view of the control cover panel of  FIG. 1 ; and 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  illustrates an electrical wiring diagram of one embodiment of circuitry necessary to operate the hula chair of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0011]    Referring initially to  FIG. 1 , illustrated is an exploded view of one embodiment of an exercise chair  100  constructed according to the principles of the present invention. In one embodiment, the exercise chair  100  imparts a reversing, planar rotary motion to a human-carrying seat in relation to stationary structure of the exercise chair  100 . The planar rotary motion of the human-carrying seat imparts a hula-like motion to the buttocks and torso of a human seated thereon. The illustrated embodiment of the hula chair  100  includes a base frame  110 , a back frame  120 , a left arm rest  121 , a right arm rest  122 , a backrest  130 , a seat  140 , an electric motor  150 , a drive wheel  160 , a drive belt  170 , and a control board  180 . 
         [0012]    In a preferred embodiment, the base frame  110  comprises right and left rear legs  111 ,  112 , respectively, a post  113 , an aperture  114 , front legs  115 , jackets  116 , coupling  117 , upper leg extensions  118 , rubber feet  119 , and lower leg extensions  119   a . The back frame  120  is coupled to the base frame  110  with vertical (in the chair&#39;s normal, floor-supported, operational orientation) frame members  123 ,  124  sliding onto right and left rear legs  111 ,  112 , respectively. Intermediate jackets  116  may extend between vertical frame members  123 ,  124  and rear legs  111 ,  112 , respectively. The left and right armrests  121 ,  122  are coupled to left and right frame extensions  125 ,  126 , respectively. The backrest  130  is coupled to the back frame  120  with brackets  127  and screws  128 . 
         [0013]    The seat  140  comprises a base plate  141  coupled to a cushion  142  with screws  143 . A flange  144  is coupled to the base plate  141  with screws  145 . A shaft  146  of flange  144  extends vertically downward into an upper bearing  161  that rides in an upper bearing race  162 . The upper bearing race  162  is coupled within an eccentric column  163  of drive wheel  160 . Drive wheel  160  further comprises a central bearing column  164  extending downwardly with lower bearing race  165  and lower bearing  166  located on the post  113  coupled to the base frame  110 . The central bearing column  164  has a first centerline  167  and the eccentric column  163  has a second centerline  168 . The first centerline  167  may also be considered a base frame vertical axis  167  as the post  113  remains fixed with respect to a surface (not shown) on which the exercise chair  110  rests. The first centerline  167  of the central bearing column  164  and the second centerline  168  of the eccentric column  163  are substantially vertical and parallel, but offset by about three inches. The first centerline  167  also passes through the center of the lower bearing race  165 , lower bearing  166 , and post  113 . The second centerline  168  also passes through the center of the upper bearing  161 , upper bearing race  162 , shaft  146 , and a center  147  of the seat  140 . The second centerline  168  may also be considered a seat vertical axis  168  because the second centerline  168  passes through the center of the seat  140 . 
         [0014]    A bottom mechanism cover  171  comprises a bottom cover aperture  175  and couples to the base frame  110  with screws  172 . A top mechanism cover  173 , over drive wheel  160  and drive belt  170 , comprises a top cover aperture  176  and couples to the base frame  110  with screws  174 . The top cover aperture  176  is sufficiently large to permit complete rotation of drive wheel  160  with eccentric column  163  extending therethrough. The central bearing column  164  extends through bottom cover aperture  175  to rest on post  113 . 
         [0015]    The drive motor  150  is coupled to the base frame  110  at aperture  114 , with the motor drive shaft  151  extending through aperture  114  and above the base frame  110 . The drive motor  150  receives power from a power supply circuit board  182 . Power supply circuit board  182  receives 110-120 VAC from commercial power through removable power cord  183  connected to a power socket  184 . Of course, other commercial power sources may be used when appropriate circuitry is configured to adapt the commercial power to that needed by the drive motor  150 . Power cord  183  is intentionally removable from the exercise chair  100  as a safety feature to avoid use of the chair by unskilled persons or unsupervised children. One who is skilled in the art will realize that either AC or DC power may be used to power the drive motor  150  provided that necessary electrical circuitry is provided and that the motor  150  has appropriate power, speed, and reversing capability. In a preferred embodiment, the drive motor  150  is a DC motor. Drive pulley  152  is mechanically coupled to the motor drive shaft  151  in a conventional manner. Drive belt  170  dynamically couples drive pulley  152  and drive wheel  160 . Top mechanism cover  173  conceals and shields the drive pulley  152 , part of drive wheel  160  and the drive belt  170 , all of which are in motion when the chair is in use. Eccentric column  163  of drive wheel  162  extends vertically through top cover aperture  176  and supports the seat assembly  140 . 
         [0016]    The control board  180  is electrically coupled to the power supply circuit board  182  with control wires  181  which are routed from power supply circuit board  182  through right rear leg  111 , vertical frame member  123  and right horizontal arm member  125  to right armrest  122  and control board  180 . 
         [0017]    A control head assembly  190  comprises the control circuit board  180 , a control box base  191 , a control box cover  192 , and a control cover panel  193 . The control cover panel  193  further comprises a keyboard area  194  and a display area  195 . The control head assembly  190  couples to the right armrest  122  near a distal end thereof and is convenient to thumb operation of the keyboard area  194  which sets the controls for the motor  150 . The control circuit board  180  controls the speed and duration of the motor  150  as well as the interval between changes of rotation direction of the seat  140 . 
         [0018]    Referring now to  FIG. 2 , illustrated is a plan view of the control cover panel  193  of  FIG. 1 . The keyboard area  194  enables the operator to input data to control the speed of the motor  150 , the total operating time for the hula chair, and the interval of operation in one operating direction before reversing to the other operating direction. The keyboard area  194  comprises four membrane switches  201 - 204 . The first membrane switch  201  is labeled START (L-R). The second membrane switch  202  is labeled STOP (RESET). The third membrane switch  203  is labeled A and is an increment switch. The fourth membrane switch  204  is labeled V and is a decrement switch. The status of the chair, i.e., speed level and selected operating time, are displayed in the display area  195 . 
         [0019]    The speed of the motor  150  is controlled by selecting from a slowest speed level  1 , a slow speed level  2 , a moderate speed level  3 , a fast speed level  4 , to a fastest speed level  5 . The speed is changed while the chair is operating by pressing the third membrane switch  203  to increment the speed, or pressing the fourth membrane switch  204  to decrement the speed. To set the reverse motion timing interval, the chair  100  must be halted. To enter the set mode for reverse motion timing interval, the operator presses the second membrane switch  202  labeled STOP (RESET). Four timing modes for reverse motion timing interval are available and indicated by four indicator lights  205 - 208 : 30 seconds indicated by indicator light # 1   205 , 60 seconds indicated by indicator light # 2   206 , 90 seconds indicated by indicator light # 3   207 , and 120 seconds indicated indicator light # 4   208 . Each press of the second membrane switch  202  labeled STOP (RESET) advances the reverse motion timing interval one step. 
         [0020]    Referring now to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , to operate the chair  100 , the power cord  183  is connected to the socket  184  and to a commercial AC power line. The display area  195  indicates “1:05”, meaning the default speed of the motor  150  is the slowest speed “1” and the operating time is 5 minutes “:05”, the least increment of operating time. To simulate the motions of a hula dancer, the operator sits on the seat  147 , and adjusts the controls to the desired settings. As stated above, the reverse motion timing interval may be set at this time with the seat halted by repeatedly pressing the second membrane switch  202  labeled STOP (RESET). After pressing the first membrane switch  201  labeled START (L-R), the speed may be increased by pressing the third membrane switch  203  to increment the speed, or by pressing the fourth membrane switch  204  to decrement the speed. At the expiration of each of the selected increment of the reverse motion timing interval, i.e., 30 seconds to 120 seconds, the seat  140  will reverse its rotation direction until the selected operating time expires. To enter the set mode for operating run time, the operator presses the second membrane switch  202  labeled STOP (RESET). Four operating run times are available: 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes, and 20 minutes. While in operating run time set mode, pressing the third membrane switch  203  to increment the run time, or pressing the fourth membrane switch  204  to decrement the run time will step the system through the four available run times. The illustrated embodiment of the hula exercise chair  100  automatically ceases operation when the selected operating time expires. In the illustrated embodiment, the exercise time never exceeds 20 minutes; the hula exercise chair must be restarted after 20 minutes or the expiration of the selected operating time, whichever is less. 
         [0021]    These inputs, i.e., speed, operating time, and reverse motion timing interval, are directed to the power supply circuit board  182  which controls DC power to the motor  150  to achieve the desired speed and duration of unidirectional rotation of the motor  150 . As the motor  150  turns drive pulley  152 , the drive belt  170  causes the drive wheel  160  to rotate on post  113  of the base frame  110 . As the drive wheel  160  rotates, eccentric column  163  rotates eccentrically about the post  113 . This causes a center  147  of the seat  140  to describe a circular motion around the frame vertical axis  167 . This may also be stated as the seat vertical axis  168  is caused to perform an bidirectional orbital motion around the frame vertical axis  167  when the seat  140  is in motion, while the weight of the operator holds the seat  140  to substantially non-rotation about the frame vertical axis  168 . This causes a hula-like motion of seat  140  as well as the hips and buttocks of the operator. This motion strengthens the abdominal muscles and improves the limberness of the operator&#39;s spine. The direction of rotation of the drive wheel  160  changes in accordance with the reverse motion timing interval input to the control circuit board  180 . It should be noted that the chair  100  can also be used to exercise the knees, more specifically, by the operator lying on the floor with his/her feet/calves resting on the seat  140 . 
         [0022]    Referring now to  FIG. 3 , illustrated is an electrical wiring diagram of one embodiment of circuitry necessary to operate the hula chair of  FIG. 1 . One skilled in the pertinent art is familiar with the conventional electronics shown in the diagram. Reference numbers correspond to the same element as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
         [0023]    Although the present invention has been described in detail, those skilled in the pertinent art should understand that they can make various changes, substitutions and alterations herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention in its broadest form.