Patent ID: 12239237

For a better understanding of the invention, it is presented in more detail in the following embodiments, which are only illustrative examples and are not intended to limit the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The arrangement of the recesses in the following implementations takes into account dimensions of adult human pelvis, developed on the basis of generally available graphs of percentile grids. In other implementations, the seats have individual angles of inclination and recesses, taking into account dimensions appropriate for population of children and adolescents. However, regardless of the final dimensions in the individual embodiments, the proportions of the shape of the upper surface of the seat, as well as the arrangement and the shape of the recesses comply with the scope of the desired protection as defined by the appended claims.

In the present exemplary embodiments, the seat shapes have been made on the basis of the available databases analysis in terms of dimensions characteristic for given age groups.

The applicable EU standards, for example for school furniture, were also included.

In the exemplary implementation shown in the accompanying drawingsFIGS.1-5, the seat is intended for adults, so its dimensions are selected to match the statistically determined sizes.

In this form, the seat has a profiled upper surface with recesses and inclinations in a part of the upper surface. The upper surface1of the seat is variously shaped such that from the side of the rear edge2it slopes downwards towards the front edge3of the seat. This slope runs gently, following an arc, supporting pelvic muscles, particularly gluteal muscles, which in turn increases the effect of the pelvic bones relief. At the same time, the profiling of the back of the seat helps to maintain the proper angular position of the pelvis, which can be easily verified by measuring the Whitman-Ferguson's angle. The rear part of the seat has a rounded apex, the maximum height of which corresponds to approximately ⅙ of the length of the seat. An arc-like slope extends from the apex of the rear edge of the seat to the edge from the rear side of the central recess5which is situated at approximately 1/10 of the height of the seat.

On the upper surface1, there are arranged, symmetrically in relation to the longitudinal symmetry axis of the seat, rear recesses4to position the ramus of the ischial bone, central recesses5to position the ischial tuberosities, front recesses6to position the sciatic nerves, and side recesses7to relieve the trochanter of the femur. All recesses are placed within the profiled ergonomic niche8with a shape similar to the letter H. The transverse arm9of the profiled ergonomic niche8connects the longitudinal arms10of the profiled ergonomic niche8forming a relief groove13. The rear recesses4, central recesses5, and front recesses6have different length and depth, and have an ellipsoidal shape; they are arranged one after the other along the longitudinal arm10of the profiled ergonomic niche8. The rear recesses4are arranged on an inclination, following the arc of the rear part, and have the shape of an elongated ellipse with the maximum length close to the height of the apex of the rear part, while the maximum width of this recess is about ⅕ of its length, while the rear recesses4have the greatest depth in their central part. The rear recesses4are approximately twice as long as the central recesses5.

In this embodiment, the longer axes of the ellipsoidal rear recesses4, central recesses5, and front recesses6extend along the length of the seat, with the rear recesses4extending over about ⅕ of the length of the seat, the central recesses5extending over about 1/7 of the length of the seat, and the front recesses6extending over about ⅗ of the length of the seat. The longer axes of the ellipsoidal side recesses7are arranged at an angle in relation to the longitudinal arms10of the profiled ergonomic niche8.

The central recesses5are the deepest ones, and they are situated 15 cm from the rear edge2of the seat and 12.5 cm from the side edge11of the seat. The side recesses7are situated between the central recesses5and front recesses6and the side edges11of the seat; and in this embodiment, they are located 11.5 cm from the rear edge2of the seat and 5.5 cm from the side edge11. The central recesses5are situated at about 2/7 of the length of the seat from its rear edge2and at about 1/7 of the width of the seat from its side edge11, respectively.

The deepest points of individual recesses are located centrally in individual recesses.

If a line was drawn between the apex of the rear edge2and the foremost point of the seat, then in this exemplary embodiment, the deepest point of the rear recess4is situated 37 mm from this hypothetical line, the deepest point of the central recess5is situated 45 mm from this line, the deepest point of the front recess6is situated 26 mm from this line, and the deepest point of the side recess7is situated 23 mm from this line.

At the same time, the rear recesses4, central recesses5, and front recesses6are arranged one after the other in a line, and are situated at an angle in relation to the longitudinal symmetry axis of the seat, and this angle is variable along the length. From the side of the rear edge2to the point of the deepest central recess5, this angle is 12 degrees, and from the point of the deepest central recess5through the front recesses6towards the front edge3, the said angle is 18 degrees. The different angles between the longitudinal recesses4and the recesses6position the pelvis as favourably as possible, for greater comfort of use. Moreover, an obtuse angle between the front recesses6allows the relaxation of the ligamentous-capsular system of the hip joints as well as for the intermediate positioning of the sacroiliac joints, in which, in the sitting position, there is a tendency to excessive nutation of the sacrum.

The upper surface1of the seat, from the rear recesses4, central recesses5, and front recesses6towards the side edges, forms bulges12which decrease in height from the rear edge2towards the front edge3; and in the front part from the side of the front edge3, the seat surface1is flat.

The side recesses7are located on the bulges12of the upper surface1of the seat, which are situated halfway across the bulges12, between the side edges and the longitudinal arm of the profiled ergonomic niche.

In this embodiment, the profiled ergonomic niche has a contour with a shape similar to the letter H which encompasses all the recesses.

In addition, the rear recesses4, central recesses5, front recesses6, and side recesses7are arranged such that drawing a line through the deepest central recess5and the farthest point towards the front edge3of the front recess6forms an ascending line, and drawing a line through the side recess7and the farthest point towards the front edge3of the front recess6forms a descending line; the lines intersect to form a flattened letter X.

According to the problem to be solved, the subject seat is made of materials that are easy to disinfect. In this implementation embodiment, it is made of wood-based materials, but in other embodiments, the seat is made of plastic or metal. These materials allow easy cleaning and disinfection of the surface, which result in the maintenance of hygiene.

According to the present invention, the seat developed by the Applicants is a seat part of chairs, but in other embodiments it can also be mounted to benches with seats as stadium seats. In another embodiment, the seat with the above-described recesses in the upper surface can also be used for toilet seats.

In the embodiment shown inFIG.6andFIG.7, the seat is a toilet seat which has a centrally located pear-shaped opening. A wider pear-shaped part of the opening is situated at the rear part of the seat, and the edge of the opening overlaps the part of the central recess and the relief groove. In this embodiment, the opening14has a taper in the front part of the seat that extends over about ⅓ of the opening. Thanks to this shape of the opening, in the front part of the seat, widened side surfaces have been provided to ensure comfortable positioning of the user's thighs.

Combining the seat described in the above exemplary embodiments with an additional element in the form of a lumbar support enables an appropriate influence of these elements on the spine. Such a solution is another variant of the solution presented inFIG.8andFIG.10. Due to the as-proposed shape, the lumbar support affects the most delicate connection in the spine, i.e. the L5S1 segment. The combination of the seat and the backrest according to the present invention is based on the principle of a closed kinematic chain. Supporting the pelvis and the lumbar section allows the muscles that have attachments to this anatomical part of the locomotor system to be used to build the appropriate shape of the upper spine. This applies mainly to the extensor muscles of the spine. Thanks to the appropriate shape of the seat and the lumbar support, the proper support of the pelvis and the lumbar spine is achieved, limiting the mobility of these parts, and thereby enabling the proper positioning of the thoracic and cervical sections. The shape of the seat and the lumbar support developed by the Inventors, including the convex lumbar support located in the recess, with the simultaneous side support for these muscles, engages the muscles connecting the pelvis with the thorax. Such stabilization guarantees the formation of the closed kinematic chain.

In the seats presented so far, the lumbar support causes the pelvis to slide forward and to rotate backwards, which are coexisting phenomena leading to kyphotization of this section of the locomotor system. As a result of such positioning of the pelvis, the thoracic kyphosis worsens while the cervical lordosis is abolished. This is a typical posture mistake, especially of young people, which is referred to as “round back”. This very often leads to irreversible changes in the form of Scheuermann's disease.

In another preferred embodiment shown inFIGS.8-10, the seat is additionally provided with a lumbar support which is connected to the seat via a holder attached to the bottom surface of the seat and to the rear surface of the lumbar support. The lumbar support is an element having a substantially flat rectangular back and a profiled contact part that has a recessed central part and side surfaces obliquely situated in relation to the recessed central part, wherein the surface of the recessed central part and the obliquely situated side surfaces are convex, and between the recessed central part and the obliquely situated side surfaces, there are arranged concave triangular surfaces.

In this variant of the embodiment, apart from the part of the backrest supporting the lumbar lordosis of the spine, a new shape of the backrest surface was applied, in the form of triangular surfaces located between the lordosis supporting surface and the side surface stabilizing the person sitting on the seat. The function of these triangular surfaces is to relieve the part of the sitting person's skeletal system. The upper concave triangular surfaces are made to relieve the free ribs in their distal sections, while the lower concave triangular surfaces are made to relieve the posterior superior iliac spines.

Preferably, when the profiled contact part of the lumbar support is bulged along its longer symmetry axis along the radius R 25°, the profiled recessed central part is half the width of the lumbar support, and the remaining width of the backrest is formed by two obliquely situated side surfaces. Along the side edges of the profiled recessed central part in the direction of the longer axis, there are substantially triangular recesses with a radius R 100° and a width at the base of the triangle in the range of 15-25 mm, preferably 20 mm, the apices of which meet at the height of the longer axis of symmetry. The profiled side surfaces extend from the edge of the concave triangular surfaces towards the outer side edge of the lumbar support, and their inclination angle α is in the range of 20-30°, preferably 24°, and the length of these side surfaces is in the range of 55-75 mm, preferably 65 mm.

Additional Marks:

A—the starting point of the rear recess under the ramus of the ischial bone in the seatB—the rear recess under the ramus of the ischial bone in the seatC—the side recess for the trochanter of the femur in the seatD—the central point of the central recess for the ischial tuberosity in the seatE—the central part of the front recess that relieves the sciatic nerve in the seatF—the ending point of the front recess that relieves the sciatic nerve in the seatG-D-G1—the line connecting the recesses that extend along the seat in the seatZ-D—the line connecting the centre of the central recess for the ischial tuberosity with the ending point of the front recess that relieves the sciatic nerve in the seatY-C—the line connecting the side recess for the trochanter of the femur with the ending point of the front recess that relieves the sciatic nerve in the seat