Patent Application
20250082101
The present disclosure is in the field of ergonomic seat cushions suited for portable use. More particularly, the present disclosure provides systems and methods of a seat cushion that promotes surface-free, non-contact experience for user tailbone, providing sustained relief and comfort.
Seat cushions have grown in popularity as users seek increased comfort while being seated. Seat cushions, either stationary or portable, may be directed to alleviating discomfort and enhancing overall sitting experiences. Contoured cushions, known for their ability to provide enhanced comfort, have been available for quite some time.
Additionally, many cushion types are recognized for their effectiveness in relieving tailbone pressure and contributing to pain alleviation. This has led to the creation of specialized cushion variants explicitly tailored to reduce tailbone pressure and minimize discomfort.
While cushions provided by previous implementations may deliver ergonomic benefits to some users, they have exhibited limitations. The “U” shape of a gap toward the tailbone in many such implementations may not be sufficiently spacious, which may lead to localized discomfort in the lower back and tailbone after prolonged sitting.
Previous implementations provided by the related arts provide various types of seats, cushions, and other items designed to offer extra support and comfort. Sitting for long periods can often lead to discomfort, especially in the lower back and buttocks areas. To address this discomfort, seat cushions and pads provided by previous implementations have become popular choices. Such cushions may be available in either fixed or portable forms and may make sitting more comfortable.
An orthopedic seat cushion provided by international patent publication WO2020167281A1 comprises two interconnected lateral supports. The cushion further comprises a raised mound on an upper surface of the cushion.
The mound is in a region where the supports connect near a front side surface of the cushion opposite an opening formed between said supports. The upper surface slopes upward from the front side surface in the longitudinal cross-section and is elevated at the outer side surfaces in the transverse cross-section of the supports.
U.S. Pat. No. 9,609,951 B2 claims a foam seat cushion that is ergonomically shaped, is equipped with a notch to for proper sitting and to promote the user to center his/her body on a seat and features a plurality of channels running through the cushion to provide cooling.
U.S. Pat. No. 9,332,850 B2 describes a reversible orthopedic seat cushion which includes a right leg support channel, a left leg support channel, a rear cutout, and a front contoured protuberance. A cut-out in a rear area of the cushion may promote reduced pressure on the coccyx and the leg support areas. Contoured channels support positioning and may guide and support the legs.
U.S. Pat. No. 11,191,363 B2 claims a dual-use support cushion which includes a seat cushion side and a back cushion side. The seat cushion side provides seat support. The back cushion side provides back support. On the seat cushion side is a pressure relief coccyx cut out and a contour adding additional user comfort.
The previous implementations described above and as well as other implementations not specifically described herein may provide ergonomic benefits to some users, but the implementations also exhibit limitations. The “U” shape of described cushions' gaps toward the tailbone is often not big enough, resulting in localized pain in the lower back and tailbone after extended sitting periods. Additionally, users who are physically heavy may face issues related to inadequate vertical thickness of seat cushions. These issues may result in squishing of the cushion and user tailbone touching the seat, resulting in discomfort.
The present disclosure provides a surface contact-free ergonomic cushion for providing relief to the lower back. The system is directed to problems of tailbone discomfort during prolonged sitting by maintaining a surface-free noncontact mode for the tailbone. This design offers consistent relief to users when the cushion is placed on top of regular permanent seat cushions in various applications such as with chairs and vehicles.
The present disclosure promotes a portable cushion for placement on top of regular seats such as chairs or car seats such that user tailbone does not touch the cushion underneath. This is achieved by using adequate length and width gaps, as well as proper angle and height of the cushion.
The cushion is designed to make sitting more comfortable while using chairs, car seats, wheelchairs, airline seats, and gym benches. A principal objective herein is to reduce pressure on the coccyx bone and lower back during these different sitting positions, ultimately offering relief and enhanced comfort.
In one aspect of system and methods provided herein, a “U” shape gap or cut out in a rear part of the cushion is configured through use of metrics such as a length gap ratio (LGR) and a width gap ratio (WGR). The LGR, which is length gap to length should be within 0.25 to 0.50, supporting a balanced gap that accommodates both heavier individuals and structural considerations.
Similarly, the WGR, which is width gap to width, should be between 0.25 and 0.50, which may result in an appropriate balance between relief and structural integrity. These ratios, alongside strategic minimum cushion heights, may create a supportive environment for a variety of body types and sitting preferences.
In another aspect of the system and methods provided herein, to support the specified ranges of gap ratios and to support the cushion's durability and structural integrity, the system includes minimum height requirements. The cushion's rear minimum height ranges from three to seven inches, while the front ranges to two inches. This adaptive cushion structure may promote consistent comfort without sacrificing stability.
In yet another aspect, the cushion may incorporate a sensor system to measure pressure distribution across its surface. This feature enables monitoring of pressure at various points during use, potentially enhancing user experience and further fine tuning the design for maximum relief. Through its approach to alleviating tailbone discomfort, this seat cushion may provide sitting comfort for a variety of users in different settings.
Other aspects of the present disclosure are described in the next section.
This portable cushion is designed to alleviate discomfort in the lower back, especially for individuals with lower back pain. The cushion may be placed on chairs, car seats, wheelchairs, airline seats, or gym benches for enhanced comfort. A primary function involves diminishing pressure exerted on the coccyx bone and lower back region, thereby granting relief and comfort in a variety of seated positions.
The ergonomic seat cushion 100 effectively overcomes the limitations commonly associated with conventional seat cushions. The portable seat cushion 100 consists of a memory foam layer that encompasses a top surface 110, a bottom surface 120, a series of sides comprising a front side 130, a lateral side 140 and a rear side 150. On the rear side there is coccyx cut out 160.
To support the cushion's integrity while delivering relief, minimum dimensions are provided. The cushion's back should have a minimum height of three to seven inches (denoted by A-A′), while the minimum height at the front of the cushion should be up to two inches (denoted by B-B′). These height variations preserve the cushion's structural balance and provide the desired slant of cushion with minimum heights while delivering comfort for various users.
An objective of systems and methods provided herein is to maintain the tailbone in a surface-free and non-contact position during seated activities, promoting consistent relief. Specific metrics are provided for clarity: the LGR and the WGR, the “U” shaped rear cut out with regard to the length and width of the cushion, and the cushion's slant coupled with minimum heights.
For the “U” shaped cut-out, length gap is defined along a length axis of the cushion denoted by Y-Y′, as the distance between top and bottom of the “U” shaped cut-out, denoted by W-W′ in
Length gap ratio (LGR), calculated as a length gap divided by the length of the cushion, ideally falls within a range of 0.25 to 0.50. A ratio below 0.25 would inadequately address relief needs for overweight individuals during prolonged sitting, while a ratio surpassing 0.50 could lead to structural challenges where the tailbone might touch the surface.
Similarly, the WGR, calculated as width gap divided by width of the cushion, ideally falls within 0.25 to 0.50. A ratio under 0.25 would not provide sufficient relief for overweight individuals, whereas a ratio exceeding 0.50 could result in structural issues and tailbone contact. In some embodiments, both LGR and WGR fall within a range from 0.25 to 0.50.
In
The top surface of the cushion is denoted as 110. This surface is the part where the user sits and comes into direct contact. Its design is aimed at promoting comfort during various seated activities, such as sitting on chairs, car seats, wheelchairs, or other seating arrangements. On the sides of the cushion, the lateral surfaces are marked as 210 and 140. These lateral surfaces provide support and maintain the overall structure of the cushion.
This side perspective illustrates the cushion's design elements including the slant that prevents tailbone contact and further illustrates height variations that contribute to the cushion's overall functionality. This slant is designed to promote the tailbone to remain clear of contact with the underlying surface.
To maintain the cushion's structural integrity while promoting comfort, specific minimum heights are provided. At the rear side 150 of the cushion, these minimum heights range from three to seven inches. At the front side 130, the minimum height is limited up to two inches. This variation in heights across the cushion serves to create a balanced and supportive structure and may offer relief and comfort to users.
In an embodiment, an additional feature is a sensor within the cushion. This sensor measures pressure across distinct areas of the cushion's surface. This functionality gathers real-time data on pressure distribution during sitting.
In another embodiment of the present disclosure, the cushion may be manufactured with an inner core employing alternative cushioning or upholstery materials. Such materials may include gel, memory foam, viscoelastic polyurethane foam and may promote versatility in catering to varying comfort preferences. These foam materials may offer performance, comfort, and support characteristics to address individual preferences and requirements.
The selected upholstery foam is designed to be sufficiently high-resilience and adequately dense which may promote the foam maintaining its form and structure even after prolonged use, preventing undesirable flattening and enabling the cushion to consistently regain its original shape.
The provided embodiments are not intended to define limits as to the structure or method of the cushion but only to provide exemplary constructions. The embodiments are permissive rather than mandatory and illustrative rather than exhaustive.
In an embodiment, what has been described above as the “U” cut-out shaped may be shaped in other manners. For example, the cut-out may be shaped in a “V” shape. While this embodiment is not depicted in the drawings, the cut-out is otherwise not different than the “U”-shaped embodiment other shape.
In an embodiment, an ergonomic seat cushion is provided. The cushion comprises a top surface, a bottom surface with lateral, front and rear sides. The cushion also comprises a “U” shaped indentation or cut out on the rear side and variable front and rear cushion heights providing a slant shape.
The “U” shaped cut out alleviates pressure on a coccyx region of a user. An upholstery foam incorporated into the seat cushion is resilient and dense, is directed to maintain form and structure of the cushion after prolonged use and is further directed to preventing undesirable flattening and enable the cushion to consistently regain its original shape. The upholstery foam is at least one a memory foam, a viscoelastic polyurethane foam and a gel. A length gap ratio of the “U” shaped indentation or cut out falls within a range of 0.25 to 0.50 and a width gap ratio falls within a range of 0.25 to 0.50.
The length gap ratio and the width gap ratio of the rear cut out is with regard to a side width of the cushion. The length gap ratio is calculated as a length gap divided by length and wherein the width gap ratio is calculated as a width gap divided by width.
A ratio below 0.25 inadequately addresses relief needs for overweight users during prolonged sitting and wherein a ratio surpassing 0.50 presents structural problems in which a user tailbone is at risk of touching a surface upon which the cushion is placed. A back of the cushion has a minimum height of three to seven inches, wherein a front of the cushion has a minimum height up to 2 inches, and wherein height variations are directed to preserving structural balance of the cushion.
The front and rear height variations lead to formation of a slant near the “U” shaped cut out. The slant is designed to promote that a user tailbone remains clear of contact with an underlying surface.
Alternatively, the indentation or cut out is “V” shaped. In another embodiment, an ergonomic seat cushion housing a sensor system to measure pressure distribution across its surface is provided, the system directed to monitoring of pressure at various locations of the cushion.
The present non-provisional patent application is related to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/537,220 filed Sep. 8, 2023, the contents of which are incorporated herein in their entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63537220 | Sep 2023 | US |
