Therapeutic Chair
A therapeutic recumbent chair having back and leg cushions and including an adjustable lumbar support member and an adjustable scapula region support member, each within the back cushion and movable toward and away from a front surface of the back cushion for adjustment of the support members against the back cushion for comfortably supporting the back of a user when the user is seated in the chair. Varying the positions of the adjustable lumbar support member and of the adjustable scapula region support member allows the chair to be configured to properly support a user's back when the user is in a recumbent position, for minimizing back problems of a user and for treating back disorders.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a therapeutic chair. More particularly, the present invention relates to a therapeutic recumbent chair that is adjustable for providing support surfaces to properly support a user's back when in a recumbent position, for minimizing back problems of a user and for treating back disorders.
2. Description of the Related Art
As reported by the Cornell University Ergonomics web, “An estimated 50% of people in the industrialized world suffer some form of back complaint and many of these are related to poor seat design.” It further notes that the lumbar region of the back is most often the affected part. Many different configurations of chairs having back support arrangements have been proposed and developed. But because of the complexity of the human vertebral column, few of those chairs, although adjustable, function sufficiently well to be suitable for providing proper back support, as well as for treating back disorders.
The human spine is a complex bony structure that includes several successive regions having different curvatures when it is viewed from the side of a standing person. Those regions include the cervical spine region adjacent to the neck of the person and that normally has a convex curvature when viewed from the side, and below it the thoracic region that normally has a concave curvature when viewed from the side. Below the thoracic region is the lumbar region, which also normally has a concave curvature, and below the lumbar region is the sacrum region.
Most back support devices are configured to provide support to the lumbar region, because that region is under stress when the person is in the sitting position. In order to relieve that stress, good posture is required that serves to dispose the back muscles and the vertebrae in proper alignment with firm support, or in time painful back disorders can develop. It is important that the back support be provided at proper positions of the vertebral column.
Another stress point on the back while a person is in the sitting position are the pressure points associated with the lower portion of the scapula, which is the bone that defines the shoulder blade and that connects the upper arm bone, or humerus, with the collar bone, or clavicle. The scapula is a flat bone, roughly triangular in shape, and includes an outwardly-projecting region. The outwardly-projecting regions result in stress on the body when the person is in a recumbent sitting position. Prior recumbent seating arrangements provide back support that does not address the scapular region stress. In instances in which the seating arrangement includes seat back side edges, or wings, that protrude forward of the center of the seat back, such as those founds in automobile seats and some office chairs, cause increased pressure on the scapula region by cupping the person's back, thereby resulting in discomfort that could later lead to a back disorder.
Prior seating arrangements are generally directed to treating back conditions, not on preventing them in the first instance. Persons prone to experiencing back problems would find it desirable to have an appealing piece of furniture that serves as a recumbent chair for relaxation, one that helps to prevent back problems, as well as one to treat back disorders in a comfortable, convenient, and passive way.
There is therefore a need for a chair that both prevents back problems and also treats back disorders when the person is in a recumbent position.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONBriefly stated, in accordance with one aspect of the present invention, an embodiment of a therapeutic chair is provided for preventing back problems of a user, and also for alleviating back disorders when the user is in the chair in a static, recumbent position. The chair includes a frame that can formed from a pair of parallel side panels supported in spaced relationship by frame support members that extend between and that are connected with each of the frame side panels. The frame support members hold the frame side panels in parallel, laterally spaced relationship.
As used herein, the term “recumbent” is intended to mean reclining with the back of the user of the chair oriented at an angle of from about 10° to about 80° relative to the plane on which the recumbent chair rests.
The frame side panels can include respective opposed, inwardly-extending back cushion support flanges for supporting a back cushion, and respective opposed, inwardly-extending seat cushion support flanges for supporting a seat cushion. The back cushion support flanges are disposed at an obtuse angle relative to the seat cushion support flanges. A back cushion is connected with and is supported by the back cushion support flanges, and it includes a rigid rear surface for supporting the back cushion. A seat cushion is connected with and is supported by the seat cushion support flanges and has a rigid lower surface for supporting the seat cushion.
In a further embodiment of the invention, a pair of laterally spaced, substantially horizontally extending, elongated arm rests can be pivotally connected to and supported by respective ones of the frame side panels to support a user's arms while the user is seated in the chair. The arm rests are supported for limited pivotal movement in an upward and rearward direction to allow easy access to and egress from the chair. To limit pivotal movement of the arm rests the frame side panels each include a respective stop to limit an angular range of pivotal movement of the arm rests from a first, substantially horizontal position of the arm rests to a second, upwardly directed position in order to facilitate entry onto and egress from the chair.
In a still further embodiment of the invention, a lumbar adjustment member is positioned within the back cushion for providing support for the lumbar region of a user who is seated in the chair. The lumbar adjustment member includes an adjustably positioned deflecting member positioned within the back cushion for providing support for the lumbar region of the spine of the user. The deflecting member has an adjustment member extending outwardly from a back surface of the back cushion. The adjustment member includes a series of longitudinally spaced, transversely-extending apertures for receiving a lumbar region retaining member in one of the apertures for retaining the adjustment member at a desired outward extension position relative to the back cushion back surface to provide a desired degree of lumbar support for a user.
In another embodiment of the invention, the chair can include an overhead grab bar above the back cushion to allow the user to grasp the grab bar, or, alternatively, to reach underneath and past the grab bar with the hands for contact with the forearm so as to use it as a lever point to stretch the user's arms, shoulders, and back. The grab bar also serves for facilitating a comfortable alternate recumbent posture wherein the user grasps the overhead grab bar to maintain a secure position. The grab bar can also be made adjustable in height in spaced relation with the upper edge of the back cushion.
The structure, operation, and advantages of the present invention will become further apparent upon consideration of the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
Referring now to the drawings in more detail, and initially to
Chair 10 includes a frame, which as shown in the drawings includes a pair of parallel frame side panels 12 that are spaced from and that face each other. The side frame panels can each be unitary elements, or, as shown in
As best seen in
As best seen in
Chair 10 includes a back cushion 36 and a leg cushion 38. Each of cushions 36, 38 includes a rigid back panel 40 (see
Although the chair frame is illustrated and described herein as formed from planar side panels interconnected by tubular cross members, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that other forms of frame construction could also be utilized. For example, elongated angle members can be interconnected to define an open frame structure to support a back cushion and a leg cushion in the relative positional arrangement as those cushions are shown in
As shown in
As shown in
Similarly, back cushion 36 includes an inner, adjustable scapula region support member 68 at a position within back cushion 36 and spaced upwardly from lumbar support member 66 to lie opposite the scapula region of the back of a user of chair 10. Scapula region support member 68 is shown in
As best seen in
Each of adjustment rods 70 includes a plurality of transversely-extending, longitudinally spaced throughbores 74, as shown in
In addition to the lumbar and scapula region support members 66, 68, and as shown in
Adjustment of the position of pillow 88 along the outer surface of back cushion 36 is effected by a retaining component 90 that is connected with pillow 88 to extend rearwardly of pillow 88 and to pass over and around the upper end of back cushion 36, as shown in
As can be seen in
If desired, and also during assembly of the chair components, the position of back cushion 36 along frame back side panel 14 can be adjusted by grasping the two back cushion moving handles 100 shown in
Although particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Accordingly, it is intended to encompass within the appended claims all such changes and modifications that fall within the scope of the present invention.
Claims
1. A recumbent therapeutic chair comprising:
- a. a frame including a seat cushion support for supporting a seat cushion, and a back cushion support for supporting a back cushion;
- b. a seat cushion supported by the seat cushion support and a back cushion supported by the back cushion support, wherein the back cushion includes a longitudinal central axis, and wherein the back cushion is inclined relative to the seat cushion to support the back of a user of the chair at an angle of from about 10° to about 80° relative to a horizontal plane on which the frame rests.
2. A recumbent therapeutic chair in accordance with claim 1, including a substantially horizontally extending overhead grab bar supported from at least one of a back cushion back panel and a back cushion side panel, and positioned above and spaced from an upper edge of the back cushion.
3. A recumbent therapeutic chair in accordance with claim 1, including an adjustable lumbar region support member positioned within the back cushion and movable within the back cushion toward and away from a front surface of the back cushion for providing support for the lumbar region of the back of a user.
4. A recumbent therapeutic chair in accordance with claim 1, including an adjustable scapula region support member positioned within the back cushion and movable within the back cushion toward and away from a front surface of the back cushion for providing support for the scapula region of the back of a user.
5. A therapeutic chair comprising:
- a. a frame formed from a pair of parallel frame side panels supported in spaced relationship by frame support members extending between and connected with each of the frame side panels to hold the frame side panels in parallel, laterally spaced relationship, the frame side panels including respective opposed, inwardly-extending back cushion support flanges for supporting a back cushion and respective opposed, inwardly-extending seat cushion support flanges for supporting a seat cushion, wherein the back cushion support flanges are disposed at an angle of from about 60° to about 135° relative to the seat cushion support flanges;
- b. a back cushion connected with and supported by the back cushion support flanges and having a rigid rear surface for supporting the back cushion, and a seat cushion connected with and supported by the seat cushion support flanges and having a rigid lower surface for supporting the seat cushion;
- c. a pair of laterally spaced, substantially horizontally extending elongated arm rests pivotally connected to and supported by respective ones of the frame side panels to support a user's arms while seated in the chair and for limited pivotal movement in an upward and rearward direction to allow easy access to and egress from the chair, wherein the frame side panels include respective stops to engage with an arm rest pivot member to define an angular range of pivotal movement of the arm rests from a first, substantially horizontal position of the arm rests to a second, upwardly directed position;
- d. a lumbar adjustment component positioned within the back cushion for providing support for the lumbar region of a user seated in the chair, the lumbar adjustment component including a deflecting member positioned within the back cushion and movable toward and away from a front surface of the back cushion for providing support for the lumbar region of the spine of the user, the deflecting member having a lumbar adjustment member extending outwardly from a back surface of the back cushion, the lumbar adjustment member including a series of longitudinally spaced, transversely-extending apertures for receiving a lumbar region retaining member in one of the apertures for retaining the lumbar adjustment member at a desired outward extension position relative to the back cushion back surface to provide a desired degree of lumbar support for a user.
6. A therapeutic chair in accordance with claim 5, wherein the frame side panels each include a front foot that underlies the seat cushion and a rear foot that underlies the back cushion.
7. A therapeutic chair in accordance with claim 5, wherein the frame side panels each include a front side panel and a rear side panel, and each of the front and rear side panels are connected by a respective side panel connection member to provide a rigid connection of the respective frame side panels.
8. A therapeutic chair in accordance with claim 6, wherein the frame side panels each include a parabolic arch between the respective front foot and the respective rear foot.
9. A therapeutic chair in accordance with claim 5, wherein the seat cushion includes a thigh support region for supporting the thighs of a user's legs and a calf support region for supporting a user's lower leg, the thigh support region extending at an acute angle of from about 0° to about 45° relative to a horizontal floor surface and the calf support region extending at an acute angle of from about 0° to about 45° relative to and below a horizontal floor surface.
10. A therapeutic chair in accordance with claim 5, wherein the arm rests each include a respective arm rest support member that extends from the arm rest to the arm rest pivot member that is pivotally mounted to a respective frame side panel, wherein each arm rest pivot member is pivotable relative to a stop member connected to the respective frame side panel.
11. A therapeutic chair in accordance with claim 5, including a pillow that rests against the back cushion and is adjustable along the back cushion for supporting the neck of a user.
12. A therapeutic chair in accordance with claim 11, wherein the pillow extends between and within outer side ends of the back cushion and has a wedge shape when viewed in a transverse cross-sectional direction of the pillow.
13. A therapeutic chair in accordance with claim 12, wherein the pillow has a wedge angle of a magnitude such that the pillow does not completely fill the area behind the user's neck.
14. A therapeutic chair in accordance with claim 11, wherein a pillow connecting panel is attached to the pillow and extends from the pillow over an uppermost surface of the back cushion to engage with a pillow position retaining arrangement to support the pillow in a comfortable position along the back cushion for supporting the neck of a reclining user.
15. A therapeutic chair in accordance with claim 14, wherein the pillow position retaining arrangement includes openings formed in the pillow connecting panel and the back cushion back surface includes a plurality of projections spaced along the back cushion back surface for engagement with an opening in the pillow connecting panel for retaining the pillow at a desired position on the outer surface of the back cushion.
16. A therapeutic chair in accordance with claim 5, including a grab bar supported by and extending from the back cushion to a position above the uppermost edge of the back cushion for grasping by the user's arms to allow the user to grasp the grab bar to stretch the user's arms, shoulder, and back.
17. A therapeutic chair in accordance with claim 5, including a scapula region adjustment component positioned within the back cushion for providing back support between right and left scapula bones of the back of a user seated in the chair, the scapula region adjustment component including a deflecting member positioned within the back cushion and movable toward and away from a front surface of the back cushion for providing support between right and left scapula bones of the back of the user, the deflecting member having a scapula region adjustment member extending outwardly from a back surface of the back cushion, the scapula region adjustment member including a series of longitudinally spaced, transversely-extending apertures for receiving a scapula region retaining member in one of the apertures for retaining the scapula adjustment member at a desired outward extension position relative to the back cushion back surface to provide a desired degree of back support between right and left scapula bones of the back of a user.
18. A therapeutic chair in accordance with claim 5, wherein the frame side panels and the seat cushion define an opening within which a user can operate a floor cleaning implement to clean beneath the chair.
19. A therapeutic chair in accordance with claim 5, wherein the frame support members are of U-shaped form with respective legs of the U connected to a respective frame side panel.
20. A therapeutic chair in accordance with claim 5, wherein the rear surface of the back cushion includes at least one outwardly-extending handle for grasping by a user for moving the chair.
21. A therapeutic chair in accordance with claim 10, wherein the arm rest pivot members are selectively individually pivotable about respective pivot axes, and each arm rest pivot member includes first and second stop pads positioned to limit pivotal movement of the respective arm rest pivot members between a first, substantially horizontal orientation of an arm rest surface of the arm rest, to a second substantially vertical orientation of the arm rest surface of the arm rest.
22. A therapeutic chair in accordance with claim 21, wherein the arm rest pivot members are pivotable through an angle of from about 75° to about 120°.
23. A therapeutic chair in accordance with claim 19, wherein the frame support members are connected with the respective frame side panels in an inverted U orientation to allow unimpeded access to a floor below the chair by a suitable cleaning implement for cleaning the floor below the chair.
24. A therapeutic chair comprising:
- a. a frame formed from a pair of parallel frame side panels supported in spaced relationship by frame support members extending between and connected with each of the frame side panels to hold the frame side panels in parallel, laterally spaced relationship, the frame side panels including respective opposed, inwardly-extending back cushion support flanges for supporting a back cushion and respective opposed, inwardly-extending seat cushion support flanges for supporting a seat cushion, wherein the back cushion support flanges are disposed at an angle of from about 60° to about 135° relative to the seat cushion support flanges;
- b. a back cushion connected with and supported by the back cushion support flanges and having a rigid rear surface for supporting the back cushion, and a seat cushion connected with and supported by the seat cushion support flanges and having a rigid lower surface for supporting the seat cushion;
- c. a substantially horizontally extending overhead grab bar supported from a least one of a back cushion back panel and a back cushion side panel and positioned above and spaced from an upper edge of the back cushion.
25. A recumbent therapeutic chair in accordance with claim 24, including an adjustable lumbar region support member positioned within the back cushion and movable within the back cushion toward and away from a front surface of the back cushion for providing support for the lumbar region of the back of a user.
26. A recumbent therapeutic chair in accordance with claim 24, including an adjustable scapula region support member positioned within the back cushion and movable within the back cushion toward and away from a front surface of the back cushion for providing support for the scapula region of the back of a user.
27. A recumbent therapeutic chair in accordance with claim 24, including a pair of laterally spaced, substantially horizontally extending elongated arm rests pivotally connected to and supported by respective ones of the frame side panels to support a user's arms while seated in the chair and for limited pivotal movement in an upward and rearward direction to allow easy access to and egress from the chair, wherein the frame side panels include respective stops to engage with an arm rest pivot member to define an angular range of pivotal movement of the arm rests from a first, substantially horizontal position of the arm rests to a second, upwardly directed position;
28. A therapeutic chair in accordance with claim 24, wherein the frame side panels each include a front side panel and a rear side panel, and each of the front and rear side panels are connected by a respective side panel connection member to provide a rigid connection of the respective frame side panels.
29. A therapeutic chair in accordance with claim 24, including a pillow that rests against the back cushion for supporting the neck of a user.
30. A therapeutic chair in accordance with claim 24, wherein the overhead grab bar includes a tubular member that is movable toward and away from an upper edge of the back cushion.
31. A therapeutic chair in accordance with claim 24, wherein the frame support members are of U-shaped form with respective legs of the U connected to a respective frame side panel.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 10, 2012
Publication Date: Jun 12, 2014
Inventor: Jeffrey T. QUINT (Cincinnati, OH)
Application Number: 13/709,454
International Classification: A47C 7/46 (20060101); A47C 7/02 (20060101); A47C 1/02 (20060101);