NECK CHAIR WITH ARM RESTS
A system is provided for anatomically accommodating a user during the use of a reclinable chair. Structurally, the system includes a base clamp that is mounted to the chair and that defines a first axis. Further, the system includes an intermediate clamp connected to the base clamp and defining a second axis. Also, the system includes a pivot defining a pivot point. In order to support the arm of a user, an arm rest is connected to the pivot. With the cooperation between the components of the system, the arm rest can be selectively positioned with respect to the chair to anatomically accommodate the user. Specifically, the arm rest is positioned by selectively rotating the pivot about the pivot point, the pivot point about the second axis, and the second axis about the first axis.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/765,784, filed Feb. 7, 2006.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention pertains generally to systems and methods for supporting a person on an article of furniture. More particularly, the present invention pertains to a system for accommodating a person lying facedown on a reclined chair. The present invention is particularly, but not exclusively, useful as a system for providing proper anatomical support to a person lying facedown on a reclined chair.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONAdjustable chairs for supporting people in a variety of poses are well known. Specifically, chairs commonly used around pools are adjustable between orientations designed to support people whether seated, or partially or fully reclined. Often, people choose to lie in a prone position on such chairs. However, these chairs are typically uncomfortable for people when lying facedown. Specifically, these chairs require a prone user to turn his/her head to a side. Further, these chairs often flex toward the center of the person, causing uncomfortable pressure on the person.
Moreover, a person lying prone on a reclined chair typically cannot perform activities such as reading or writing since his/her arms are constrained to his/her side. To turn a page in a book or to use a writing instrument, the person must slide his/her shoulder to the edge of the chair and hang his/her arm below himself/herself to perform the task. While this may be acceptable for an infrequent action, it typically makes reading or writing while in a comfortable prone position impossible. Further, it causes stress on the person's head and spine.
In light of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a system for anatomically accommodating a person lying prone on a reclined chair. It is another object of the present invention to provide a system for supporting the arms of a prone person. It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a system for supporting the head of a prone person. Still another object of the present invention is to provide a system that allows selection of the position and orientation of arm rests and a head support for a prone person. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a system for providing anatomical support to a person which is easy to use, relatively simple to implement, and comparatively cost effective.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention is directed to a system for anatomically accommodating a person while lying facedown on a reclined chair. More specifically, the system is designed to accommodate the position of the person's face and to provide support to the person's arms to give proper anatomical support to the person when resting on the surface of the chair.
Structurally, the system includes two arm rests that can be placed at a desired spatial relationship to the chair. Specifically, each arm rest is provided with an adjustable mount. For purposes of the present invention, the adjustable mount includes a support member that is fixed to the chair. Further, the mount includes a base clamp that engages the support member, and defines a base axis. Connected to the base clamp is a cantilever that extends to an intermediate clamp that defines an intermediate axis. This intermediate axis is preferably parallel to the base axis. In addition to the support member, base clamp, cantilever and intermediate clamp, the mount includes an extension arm that is fixed to the intermediate clamp. The extension arm terminates at a pivot, such as a ball and socket joint, that defines a pivot point. Moreover, the mount includes a bracket that is connected to the pivot and connects to an arm rest.
In addition to the arm support, the system also provides for proper anatomical support for the person's head. Specifically, the system includes a collar that is connected to and suspended from the surface of the chair. In order to allow the person to lie facedown on the surface of the chair, the collar provides a void in the surface to accommodate the person's face. Structurally, the collar includes a pair of parallel tracks that are interconnected by cross bars. Further, the system includes a head support that slidingly connects to the tracks to allow the position of the void to be adjusted to the person's anatomy.
In operation, the person may lie facedown on the reclined chair and slide the head support to a desired position. Thereafter, the person may slide the base clamp along the base axis to a desired height. Further, for each arm rest, the person may rotate the intermediate axis about the base axis, and the pivot point about the intermediate axis to position the pivot point at a desired radially distance and angle from the support member. Also, the person may rotate the arm rest about the pivot point to attain a desired orientation of each arm rest. In this manner, the system provides for proper anatomical support of the person.
The novel features of this invention, as well as the invention itself, both as to its structure and its operation, will be best understood from the accompanying drawings, taken in conjunction with the accompanying description, in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts, and in which:
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In operation, the system 10 facilitates proper anatomical support of a user 100. Initially, the chair 12 may be in the seated orientation 96 shown in
After the chair 12 is in the fully reclined orientation 98 and the tray 104 is in the in-use orientation 1087 as shown in
When the user 100 is lying facedown on the chair 12, each arm rest 28 may be positioned as desired to provide proper anatomical support to the user 100. Specifically, for each arm rest 28, the base clamp 34 may be loosened and raised or lowered along the base axis 38 in the direction of arrows 118. Further, the base clamp 34 may be rotated about the base axis 38 in the direction of arrows 120. After the base clamp 34 is positioned as desired, it may be tightened and locked in place. Thereafter, the intermediate clamp 48 may be loosened and pivoted about the intermediate axis 50 to position the pivot 60 at a predetermined spatial relationship to the void 82 or user's face 116, i.e., at a predetermined distance from, and angle to, a component of the chair 12, and a user 100 on the chair. In this manner, a radial distance and angle, designated by line 122, between the base axis 38 and the pivot point 62 is established, and the pivot point 62 is located at a selected axial relationship to the void 82 or person's face 116. When the desired spatial relationship is attained, the intermediate clamp 48 is tightened and locked. Finally, the orientation of the arm rest 28 is modified to the user's preference by loosening the pivot 60 and rotating the pivot 60 about the pivot point 62. After the desired orientation of the arm rest 28 is found, the pivot 60 is tightened and locked. The process may then be repeated for the other arm rest 28 so that the user 100 is given proper anatomical support while lying facedown on the chair 12.
While the particular Neck Chair With Arm Rests as herein shown and disclosed in detail is fully capable of obtaining the objects and providing the advantages herein before stated, it is to be understood that it is merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention and that no limitations are intended to the details of construction or design herein shown other than as described in the appended claims.
Claims
1. A system for anatomically accommodating a user during the use of a chair, said system comprising:
- a support member fixed to the chair;
- a base clamp mounted to the support member, said base clamp defining a first axis;
- a cantilever having a first end and a second end, with said first end being fixed to the base clamp;
- an intermediate clamp connected to the second end of the cantilever, said intermediate clamp defining a second axis, with said second axis being substantially parallel to the first axis;
- an extension arm having a first end and a second end, with said first end being fixed to the intermediate clamp;
- a pivot connected to the second end of the extension arm, with said pivot defining a pivot point; and
- an arm rest mounted to the pivot, with said arm rest being rotatable about the pivot point, said pivot point being rotatable about the second axis, said second axis being rotatable about the first axis, and said base clamp being movable along the first axis to establish a position and orientation for the arm rest relative to the chair to anatomically accommodate the user.
2. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein the support member serves as a leg for the chair.
3. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein the pivot is formed by a ball and socket, and the pivot point is at the center of the ball.
4. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein the chair includes a back portion comprising a frame and a covering extended across the frame to support the user, and wherein the system further includes a collar connected to and suspended by said covering, and further wherein said collar provides a void in the covering to accommodate a user's face.
5. A system as recited in claim 4 wherein said collar comprises a first track and a second track distanced from and substantially parallel to the first track to bound the void, and said system further comprises a head support slidingly connected to the first and second tracks to adjust the position of the void.
6. A system as recited in claim 4 further comprising a tray connected to the back portion of the chair for use by the user when lying facedown on the surface, with said tray being positionable substantially directly below the void in the covering.
7. A system for anatomically accommodating a user during the use of a chair defining an axis, said system comprising:
- a mechanical means for positioning a pivot at a predetermined distance from, and angle to, the axis of the chair, with said positioning means being mounted to the chair, and with said pivot defining a pivot point and being rotatable about the pivot point; and
- an arm rest mounted to the pivot, with said arm rest being rotatable about the pivot point to establish an orientation for the arm rest relative to the chair to anatomically accommodate the user.
8. A system as recited in claim 7 further comprising
- a mechanical means for positioning a second pivot at a predetermined spatial relationship to the chair, with said positioning means being mounted to the chair, and with said second pivot defining a second pivot point and being rotatable about the second pivot point; and
- a second arm rest mounted to the second pivot, with said second arm rest being rotatable about the second pivot point to establish an orientation for the second arm rest relative to the chair to anatomically accommodate the user.
9. A system as recited in claim 7 wherein the positioning means comprises:
- a base clamp mounted to the chair, said base clamp defining a first axis; and
- an intermediate clamp interconnected between the base clamp and the pivot, said intermediate clamp defining a second axis, with said second axis being substantially parallel to the first axis, and with said pivot point being rotatable about the second axis, said second axis being rotatable about the first axis, and said base clamp being movable along the first axis to establish a position and orientation for the arm rest relative to the chair to anatomically accommodate the user.
10. A system as recited in claim 7 wherein the chair includes a surface comprising a frame and a covering connected to the frame to support the user, and wherein the system further comprises a means for providing a void in the covering to accommodate the user's face when the user lies facedown on the surface, and a means for adjusting the position of the void in the covering to cooperate with the arm rest to anatomically accommodate the user.
11. A system as recited in claim 10 further comprising a tray connected to the back portion of the chair for use by the user when lying facedown on the surface, with said tray being positionable substantially directly below the void in the covering.
12. A system for anatomically accommodating a user during the use of a chair having a surface for supporting the user, said system comprising:
- a means for providing a void in the surface of the chair to receive the user's face when the user lies facedown on the surface of the chair;
- a means for positioning a pivot at a predetermined distance from, and angle to, the void, with said positioning means being mounted to the chair, and with said pivot defining a pivot point and being rotatable about the pivot point; and
- an arm rest mounted to the pivot, with said arm rest being rotatable about the pivot point to establish an orientation for the arm rest relative to the void to anatomically accommodate the user.
13. A system as recited in claim 12 further comprising a means for adjusting the position of the void in the covering to cooperate with the arm rest to anatomically accommodate the user.
14. A system as recited in claim 12 further comprising:
- a means for positioning a second pivot at a predetermined spatial relationship to the void, with said second pivot defining a second pivot point and being rotatable about the second pivot point; and
- a second arm rest mounted to the second pivot, with said second arm rest being rotatable about the second pivot point to establish an orientation for the second arm rest relative to the void to anatomically accommodate the user.
15. A system as recited in claim 12 wherein the positioning means includes a base clamp mounted to the chair, with said base clamp defining a first axis, and wherein the positioning means further includes means for establishing a radial distance between the first axis and the pivot point and means for locating the pivot point in an axial relationship to the void.
16. A system as recited in claim 12 wherein the positioning means comprises:
- a base clamp mounted to the chair, said base clamp defining a first axis; and
- an intermediate clamp interconnected between the base clamp and the pivot, said intermediate clamp defining a second axis, with said second axis being substantially parallel to the first axis, and with said pivot point being rotatable about the second axis, said second axis being rotatable about the first axis, and said base clamp being movable along the first axis to establish a position and orientation for the arm rest relative to the chair to anatomically accommodate the user.
17. A system as recited in claim 12 wherein the chair includes a frame and a covering extended across the frame to serve as the surface, and wherein the providing means includes a collar connected to and suspended by said covering, and further wherein said collar defines the void in the surface.
18. A system as recited in claim 17 wherein said collar comprises a first track and a second track distanced from and substantially parallel to the first track to bound the void, and said system further comprises a head support slidingly connected to the first and second tracks to provide for selective adjustment of the position of the void.
19. A system as recited in claim 12 wherein the chair includes a seat portion, a back portion pivotably connected to the seat portion, and a prop arm pivotably connected to the back portion and engageable with the seat portion to hold the back portion at a desired angle to the seat portion, and wherein the system further comprises a tray pivotably connected to the prop arm for use by the user when lying facedown on the surface, with said tray being positionable substantially directly below the void in the surface when said back portion and said seat portion are substantially coplanar.
20. A system as recited in claim 19 wherein the tray has a first orientation in which the tray and the prop arm are substantially coplanar, and a second orientation in which the tray is substantially parallel to the back portion of the chair and the prop arm is disengaged from the seat portion of the chair.
Type: Application
Filed: Feb 5, 2007
Publication Date: Aug 9, 2007
Inventor: Robert M. Boyko (Tustin, CA)
Application Number: 11/671,217
International Classification: A47C 7/54 (20060101);