WO2001000062A1

WO2001000062A1 - A chair and a separable seat available on the common chair

Info

Publication number: WO2001000062A1
Application number: PCT/KR2000/000676
Authority: WO
Inventors: Kyung Seek Park
Original assignee: Kyung Seek Park
Priority date: 1999-06-30
Filing date: 2000-06-28
Publication date: 2001-01-04
Also published as: KR19990073282A

Abstract

The present invention relates to a chair for keeping the straight posture of the user, including a seat base, a back rest connected at a desired angle to the seat base, and a head rest mounted on the top center portion of the back rest. The seat base is comprised of an upper seat surface with its front portion inclined to the ground E at a desired angle, and a venting hole or a groove formed on a center portion of the seat base with a predetermined depth, the size of the venting hole corresponding to about 20% to 40% of the entire area of the upper seat surface, so that when the user sits thereon the groin region between the thighs of the user is not compressed. Also, the present invention relates to a detachable seat base for a chair for keeping the straight posture of the user.

Description

A CHAIR AND A SEPARABLE SEAT AVAILABLE ON THE COMMON CHAIR

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a chair for keeping the straight posture of the user while sitting thereon, and a detachable seat base therefor.

Background Art

Generally, chairs have a variety of shapes and functions depending on types of desks, space applications, work and learning.

The construction of such a common chair has been improved in consideration of the health of the user, but such an improved function is usually limited to the height adjustment of the chair, the angle adjustment of the back rest, the rotation of a seat base or the like.

Because the mass center of the upper body of the user, M . O . , and the mass center of the chair, CO., as shown in FIG 1, are not located on an identical line, the user feels uneasiness while sitting on the chair. Accordingly, the user bends his upper body unconsciously to take a comfortable posture, thereby leading his backbone being bowed forward.

The use of such a chair for a long time may lead the user to suffer from injury, such as a slipped disk, lumbago, or the like, because the backbone is repeatedly bent while sitting in that position.

The above drawbacks related to the prior chair are caused by a seat base 200 consisting of a chair 100.

More particularly, the seat base 200 of the prior chair 100, as shown in FIG. 2, comprises a cover 200 of textile or leather, a sponge or cushion 200 , accommodated in the cover 200 , for reducing the oppressive sensation due to the sitting state, and a rigid frame 230 of synthetic resin, wood or metal for supporting the cushion 220. An upper surface, seat surface 250 of the seat base 200 positions in parallel with the ground E, and the mass center of the user's upper body, M.O. , and the mass center of the chair, CO., differ with each other. Accordingly, the user feels uneasiness when sitting on such a chair . Accordingly, the user bends his upper body unconsciously to take a comfortable posture , thereby leading to the vertebra being bowed forward.

The above sitting habit may cause the user to feel fatigue due to suffering from indigestion and obstruction of blood circulation because of the compression of the internal organs, as well as injury related to the backbone and lumbago, so that work or study efficiency is reduced.

Also, the chair 100 has a horizontal seat surface 250 which is the upper surface of the seat base 200. The seat surface 250 may cause the perinaeum to be compressed. The chronic stimulation of the perinaeum may cause the user to suffer from prostatitis due to the compression of the seat surface 250 on his perinaeum. It is assumed that about 50% of adult men have prostatitis caused by the obstruction of blood circulation due to sitting on a common chair for a long time. There has until now been no chair for the prevention of prostatitis. Also, no means for suppressing sweat excretion between testes have been suggested yet, so that working efficiency may be reduced by the discomfort associated with sitting for a long time.

For the convenience of the user, the chair 100 has a pair of arm rests 240 on both sides of the seat base 200, thereby restricting the spread of the legs and increasing the above diseases . Therefore, in order to minimize the sweat excretion of the hip or the thigh, the chair 100 is often provided with a number of venting holes on the seat portion, and a separate cushion having an air pump or self-venting functions is laid on the seat surface 250 of the seat base 200. Since the upper surface of the separate cushion is in parallel with the seat base 200, the user bends his upper body unconsciously to posture comfortably, thereby leading to the vertebra being bowed forward. Accordingly, the use of a separate cushion does not cure the user of injury to the vertebra and lumbago.

Also, the separate cushion functions merely to suppress the sweat excretion of the hip and the thigh, so it is not help of curing the eczema of the groin region. A forcefully venting type of a cushion which uses an air pump to provide a proper air circulation has been suggested, but such a cushion cannot provide air circulation in the groin region, without the effect of suppressing the sweat excretion of the hip and the thigh. Therefore, a separate cushion is not of practical use.

In addition, the chair 100 comprises a back rest 300. The head rest 310 integrally formed on the top center portion of the back rest 300, and the head rest 310 is inclined rearward at a predetermined angle. When the user sits in a straight posture, i.e. , the thigh and backbone are straightened at a right angle, the head of the user is not positioned on the head rest 310. Accordingly, the user can utilize the head rest 310 only when taking a rest, so that the head rest cannot provide a function of relieving the muscular tension of the neck. Disclosure of the Invention

In order to solve the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a chair for keeping a straight posture and a seat base therefor, in which it can prevent and cure lumbago by decreasing the force compressing on the backbone, and can prevent and cure prostatitis by protecting the prostate against pressure and avoiding the obstruction of the blood circulation . Another object of the present invention is to provide a chair for keeping a straight posture and a seat base therefor, in which it can promote digestion by decreasing pressure on the internal organs, when a user sits in the chair for a long time. Another object of the present invention is to provide a chair for keeping a straight posture and a seat base therefor, in which it can prevent the testis or vagina from eczema by venting the groin region between the thighs.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a chair for keeping a straight posture and a seat base therefor, in which it can relieve the muscular tension of the neck, thereby maintaining comfort during long periods of working or studying, since the head can be positioned at an ideal angle on the head rest mounted on the back rest installed on the chair.

One aspect of the present invention is that there is provided a chair for keeping a straight posture of a user, including a seat base, a back rest connected at a desired angle to the seat base, and a head rest mounted on the top center portion of the back rest, wherein the seat base comprises an upper seat surface with its front portion inclined to the ground at a desired angle, and a venting hole or a groove formed on a center portion of the seat base with a predetermined depth, the size of the venting hole corresponding to about 20% to 40% of the entire area of the upper seat surface, so that when the user sits thereon the groin region between thighs of the user is not compressed.

The chair further comprises a seat plate for adjusting the hole size, the seat plate including an adjusting cushion of elastic material, and a cover sheet for covering the seat surface when the gap of the venting hole is closed.

The back rest is connected to the seat base at about 90 degrees to the ground, and the head rest is mounted on the back rest at about 100 to 110 degrees to the ground. A common chair can adopt the detachable seat base according to the present invention.

In addition, the seat base according to the present invention may be used for a cushion, a saddle, a fancy mattress, and a back rest . Brief Description of the Drawings

The above object, other aspects, and advantages of the invention will become apparent by describing the preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :

FIG. 1 is a side view showing the construction of a common chair, with a user sitting thereon.

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of a seat base in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a side view showing the construction of a chair according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of a seat base in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a side view of a seat base in FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is an exploded side view of a head rest, which is indicated by a legend "F" in FIG. 3.

FIGs. 7 and 8 show, respectively, another seat base according to another embodiment of the present invention, in which its assembling process is changed depending on size of the venting hole. FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view of the detachable seat base capable of being adapted to a common chair.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

FIG.3 is a side view illustrating an overall construction of a chair according to the present invention, and FIGs.4 and 5 are a top plan view and a cross sectional view of a seat base, respectively, which the seat base is a major part of the chair according to the present invention. In the accompanying drawings, like elements such as elements shown in FIGs. 1 and 2 are indicated by the same reference numerals.

The chair 100 of the present invention comprises a seat base 200 , a back rest 300 connected at a desired angle to the seat base 200, and a head rest 310 mounted on the upper center of the back rest 310.

The seat base 200 comprises an upper seat surface 250 with its front portion inclined to the ground E at a desired angle, and a venting hole 260 formed on a center portion of the seat base, the size of the venting hole corresponding to about 20% to 40% of the entire area of the upper seat surface, so that when the user sits thereon the groin region between thighs of the user is not compressed. Alternatively, the center portion of the seat base may be formed with a groove with a predetermined depth. The inclined angle of the upper seat surface 250 of the seat base 200 should be in the range of 5 to 25 degrees, preferably 10 degrees, to the horizontal ground E.

With the above arrangement, because the seat surface 250 of the seat base 200 is inclined in a forward direction, if the user bends forward which is a common sitting habit when sitting thereon, it causes unstableness . The user then unconsciously straightens himself out when sitting thereon, thereby curing the user of poor sitting posture. Therefore, the chair according to the present invention provides the effect of reducing the force applied to the vertebra, thereby preventing lumbago from occuring.

Accordingly, the bad sitting posture found frequently in white-collar workers who work at a desk for long periods of time may be corrected by sitting on the chair according to the present invention, so that factors often associated with the cause of a slipped disk can be eliminated and prostatitis, generally as a -result of aging, can be effectively prevented. In the case of the user whose rump is relatively small, there is an alternative chair according to the present invention, as shown in FIGs. 7 and 8, comprised of a seat plate 270 for adjusting the hole size consisting of an adjusting cushion 280 of an elastic material, and a cover sheet 290 for covering the seat surface 250 with the gap of the venting hole being closed. The adjusting cushion 280 is at the same angle as the angle forming the seat surface 250 and can be adjusted to fit to the inner periphery and height of the venting hole 260.

Both ends of the cover sheet 290 of the seat plate 270 have a hole formed by sewing, and an elongated band or wire 291 inserted into the hole, so that the assembled state of the seat plate 270 is firmly tied by fastening the wire 291 together under the seat base 200. It will be noted that the width adjustment of the venting hole 260 of the present invention comprises a type of air injection such as a tube, which falls with in the scope of the invention. Also, a back rest 300 is provided to the seat base 200 at 90 degrees to the ground E, and a head rest 310 is provided at 100 to 110 degrees to the ground E. Preferably, the angle of slant of the head rest 310 to the ground is 100 degrees.

The slant construction of the back and head rests 300 and 310 may cause the user to unconsciously straighten him or herself due to the slant angle of the seat surface 250 when sitting on the chair of the present invention. The mass center of the head is positioned in the occipital on which the brain is concentrated, so that the head is naturally positioned on the head rest 310. Accordingly, the muscular tension of the rear portion of the neck can be minimized, and comfort can be maintained while working or studying for a long time.

The seat base 200 of the present invention also can be attached to a common chair as shown in FIG. 9. The seat base 200 is made of synthetic rubber 231, which has a great deal of resilience and a shock-absorber that provides better contact than the upper seat surface 250, because the synthetic rubber is harder than the material of the upper cushion and is softer than the frame 230.

Although not shown in the accompanying drawings, the detachable seat base 200 may be attached to the seat surface 250 of a common chair by using a surface fastener or a rubber band. Industrial Applicability

With the above construction, the present invention provides the following advantages: 1) It prevents the vertebra from damage by maintaining the erect sitting posture; 2) It prevents and cures lumbago, by decreasing the force on the vertebra; 3) It prevents and cures prostatitis, since the prostate is not pressed down and the circulation of blood is not obstructed; 4) During long periods of sitting, it promotes digestion by decreasing pressure in the internal organs; 5) It prevents the testis or vagina from being attacked by eczema by venting the groin region between the thighs; and 6) since the head can be positioned at an ideal angle on the head rest mounted on the back rest installed on the chair, it relieves the muscular tension of the neck, thereby maintaining comfort during long periods of working or studying. While the present invention has been described and illustrated herein with reference to the preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in the form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

Claims 1. A chair 100 for retaining the straight posture of the user, including a seat base 200, a back rest 300 connected at a desired angle to the seat base, and a head rest 310 mounted on the top center porton of the back rest; wherein the seat base 200 comprises an upper seat surface 250 with its front portion inclined to the ground E at a desired angle, and a venting hole 260 or a groove formed on a center portion of the seat base with a predetermined depth, the size of the venting hole corresponding to about 20% to 40% of the entire area of the upper seat surface, so that when the user sits thereon the groin region between the thighs of the user is not compressed.

2. The chair as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inclined angle of the upper seat surface 250 of the seat base 200 is in the range of 5 to 25 degrees to the horizontal ground E.

3. The chair as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a seat plate 270, including an adjusting cushion 280 of an elastic material, for adjusting the size of the hole; and a cover sheet 290 for covering the seat surface 250 with the gap of the venting hole being closed.

4. The chair as claimed in claim 1, wherein the back rest 300 is connected to the seat base 200 at about 90 degrees to the ground E, and the head rest 310 is mounted on the back rest at about 100 to 110 degrees to the ground E.

5. A detachable seat base for a chair for keeping the straight posture of the user, wherein the seat base comprises an upper seat surface 250 with its front portion inclined to the ground E at a desired angle, and a venting hole 260 or a groove formed on a center portion of the seat base with a predetermined depth, the size of the venting hole corresponding to about 20% to 40% of an entire area of the upper seat surface, so that when the user sits thereon the groin region between the thighs of the user is not compressed.

6. A cushion having the construction claimed in claim 5.

7. A saddle having the construction claimed in claim 5.

8. A fancy mattress having the construction claimed in claim 5.

9. A back rest having the construction claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4.