Patent Grant
9433288
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to computer workstations, and more particularly to adjustable workstations designed to promote an ergonomically advantageous work environment involving extended interaction with a computer system and screens, and still more particularly to an ergonomic workstation having an adjustable chair, monitor, input device support, and work tray providing coordinated and harmonized movement: of a head rest, back rest, seat, leg rest, arm rests, monitor support, input device support, and work tray, through a variety of configurations, including standing, sitting, and reclining.
2. Background Discussion
Increasingly both vocations and avocations involve spending extended periods of time interacting directly with a computer (and, indirectly, with computers connected through networks) through input devices and a video display typically while sitting at some kind of desk or computer supporting workstation. Hours upon hours are spent in an upright sitting posture, remaining relatively static and perhaps occasionally shifting positions in small and incidental ways, all while staring at a screen and making small repetitive motions of the hands and fingers with the arms and hands and the back and neck held in positions of varying degrees of discomfort and stress. The end result is a growing epidemic of repetitive motion and overuse injuries originating in the workplace. The cost to business in productivity and money is socially and economically significant.
Human factors specialists have been working for the past few decades to develop ergonomic office and residential furniture that reduces or eliminates user fatigue and injury by adapting the workspace to the particular Physical dimensions and preferences of the users and the jobs. Aside from injury prevention, it is also hoped that worker productivity and morale will increase. In the residential and recreational setting, it is hoped that comfort, gaming versatility, and gaming performance will be enhanced.
To address the foregoing concerns, several ergonomic workstations and workstation components have been designed. Among them:
U.S. Pat. No. 7,322,653, to Dragusin, teaches a chair suitable for a video gaming and computer workstation that includes a vertically adjustable undercarriage; a tillable seat; and tillable backrest that can be moved independently of the seat, wherein when the backrest is tilted backward, the seat is moved forward and a back end of the seat is tilts down one distance and a front end of the seat tilts down a second distance, and vice versa when the backrest is tilted forward. Tilting mechanisms are also provided for peripheral devices on a support assembly, but no coordinated movement of the seat and support assembly is provided.
U.S. Pat. Appl. No. 2007/0278834, by Kielland, discloses a workstation having a base, a working platform and a supporting member between the base and the working platform for use with an ergonomically adjustable chair. The workstation includes a pair of leg rests adjustably fixed to the supporting member such that the user can hilly extend and support their legs in a comfortable manner. The angle and position of the working platform and leg rests are adjusted in concert with adjustments to the chair's height and seating angle to optimize the user's posture while operating a computer.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,922,249, to Marchand, describes a modular office desk and chair set embedded in a variable angular positioning mechanism. The mechanism enables a user to define the required angle of tilting of which the desk and chair are set, and other angular positioning and positioning of each element of the workstation in relation to other elements may be set. thus the proposed invention provides the user with multiple levels of freedom in multiple directions to achieve customization of the orientation and position of the workstation.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,092,868 to Wynn, discloses a computer work station including a reclining chair with a back rest, a seat, a leg rest, and a pair of arm rests, supported on a support base. A computer is mounted to the chair and each of the arm rests has a key pad swivelably attached thereto for controlling the computer. A monitor is pivotally connected to the back rest and is electrically connected to the computer for displaying visual images from the computer.
And U.S. Pat. No. 7,887,130 to Zvolena, teaches a workstation including a chair and operator equipment that move together in a pivoting motion through an automatic, time-controlled program, in which an orientation of the chair relative to the operator equipment is maintained during the pivoting motion.
In addition to the devices described in the foregoing patents, many, if not all of which have never been seen in the public marketplace or otherwise commercialized, there are a number of ergonomic workstations that have at least gestured in the general direction taken by the instant invention. Among them are included the Nethrone (Classic) Workstation, by Nethrone of Herzelyah, Israel. This workstation includes a massage chair with a seat adjustably and slidably mounted on arcuate rails and having a tiltable backrest. The video display is also mounted on an arcuate scaffold and can be adjusted vertically and tilted to harmonize with the adjustments of the seat and backrest. All adjustments, however, are manual and independent of one another.
The iClubby workstation by Gravitonus, Inc., of Fairfax, Va., is a computer workstation with a seat, display support, keyboard and input tray, and armrests, all mourned on a vertically oriented ring and all of which can be rotated or tilted, including into reclining positions, with all seating and workspace surfaces and elements moving in concert.
The Emperor 1510 and Emperor 200 workstations by MWE Lab of Quebec, QC, Canada. each provide independent and coordinated, monitor and seat adjustment. Configurations range from a fully upright sitting position to a fully reclined or supine position. The systems are prohibitively expensive, however, the former costing approximately $6,000 and the latter $50,000 at the time of this writing.
Without question each of the foregoing products would be characterized as high end, luxury workstations, and most would be considered exotic (and possibly ostentatious) by most consumers. Some provide a wide range of positions, from seated to reclined, but none fully coordinate the movements of the user, the monitor(s), the input devices, and the workspace, while truly enabling the user to achieve a fully reclined position as well as a fully standing position. In fact, to achieve coordinated movement of the various workstation apparatus, the prior art devices essentially keep users in a fixed posture, generally suitable for sitting and reclining slightly, but unsound ergonomically for a fully reclined position. Moreover, in even the most upright positions, these products give the impression of being somewhat recreational in nature: when a user achieves a semi-reclined or reclined position, it appears as if they are engaged in a leisurely activity, and it can feel similarly to the user. Some of this relates to the design choices made by the product designers; some, however, is inherent in the technical features of the workstation chairs. That is, they tend to depart dramatically in appearance from conventional task chairs and in their unusual appearance may signify either luxury or recreation or both, and as such they are certain to meet with resistance from department managers and others in office settings responsible for furniture purchasing decisions. Even if a workstation were truly successful in enhancing productivity, companies simply do not want to suggest to their employees or to visiting colleagues that workers are at leisure in the company workplace.
The present invention provides functionality and versatility beyond that offered by any of the prior art products mentioned above, and at a price substantially lower. Further, it does so without creating the appearance of either luxury or leisure. It achieves this by using the general design of a task chair for the seating portion of the inventive workstation.
It will be appreciated from the foregoing that ergonomic workstations have been fashioned in a number of different ways, with a principal focus variously placed on seating, desk apparatus, computer peripheral mounting and adjustment systems, or some combination thereof. None of the extant systems—including each of the exemplary systems referenced and described above, whether only a paper prototype in the form of a patent disclosure or an actual product in the marketplace—provides the features achieved by the workstation of the present invention. Specifically, no known system enables a user, without the assistance of other apparatus and without considerable expenditure of time, to adjust the workstation to configure it for work while sitting, standing, reclining, or collaborating with one or more colleagues standing at the side of the workstation, and to do so while maintaining an optimally ergonomic relationship between the user and various input devices and with more than one video display monitor.
The foregoing patents, patent applications, and commercially available products reflect the current state of the art of which the present inventors are aware. Reference to, and discussion of, these references is intended to aid in discharging. Applicants' acknowledged duty of candor in disclosing information that may be relevant to the examination of claims to the present invention. However, it is respectfully submitted that none of the above-indicated patents disclose, teach, suggest, show, or otherwise render obvious, either singly or when considered in combination, the invention described and claimed herein.
The present invention is the concrete distillation and synthesis of numerous insights obtained from a lengthy and detailed study of how users interact with computer peripherals at computer workstations. The result is an ergonomic workstation that provides users with a very natural feel throughout as broad range of positions and postures. The inventive apparatus includes an adjustable task seat (including a seat bottom, back rest, head rest, leg rest and, optionally, arm rests), as well as monitor and work tray supports, all of which move in a highly coordinated and harmonized fashion in relation to a user's head and arms through a. variety of configurations, including standing, sitting, and reclining. In a first preferred embodiment, the inventive workstation employs a single arm on which to mount and support workstation monitors, keyboard trays, and mini-desk work surface. In a second preferred embodiment, the monitors are disposed on a first support arm and the input device trays and any work surfaces are disposed on a second support arm.
In each of the preferred embodiments of the invention, the workstation operates to establish and preserve an optimal kinematic relationship between the body and the workstation throughout a range of working positions (synonymously referred to herein as “zones of operation” or “operative zones”). To accomplish the desired motions, the pivot axes of 4-bar mechanical linkages on the workstation are configured to be in close alignment with corresponding effective pivot points (or axes) of rotation on the human body. A first axis on the workstation is that of the seat back and seat bottom. These share an axis of rotation that is closely aligned with the effective trunk/thigh pivot axis of the body which passes approximately through the center of the hip joint femoral head (and may thus be referred to variously herein as either the “effective hip axis” or “the seat back axis”). A second axis on the workstation is a monitor/seat back rotation axis, which is closely or generally aligned, with the effective head/trunk pivot axis of the body, found in testing to pass approximately through the spine at approximately C7, in close alignment with a axis passing through the gleno-humeral joint at the shoulder (and may thus be referred to variously herein as either the “head rotation axis” or the “shoulder pivot axis” or the “monitor axis”. A third axis is that of the input device support tray/seat back rotation axis, and this is closely aligned with the effective forearm/trunk pivot axis of the body, which passes approximately through the center of the elbow joint capitulum when the arm is relaxed at the side of the body (and may thus be referred to variously herein as either the “elbow axis” or the “input device tray axis”).
Alignment or coupling of the workstation and anatomical axes is accomplished by locating workstation pivot hardware substantially at the level of, and generally passing through (in close alignment with) the axes. This is established in a purely mechanical fashion in the second preferred embodiment, discussed below. It is also accomplished by producing virtual pivot axes, as is in the first preferred embodiment, as discussed in detail below.
It is thus a first and principal object and advantage of the present invention that it provides continuous comfort for the user, from the user's standing position to a fully reclined position.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a workstation that moves through a broad range of functional positions while maintaining a fixed eye-to-monitor distance and fixed angle between the user's head and the monitor throughout a significant portion of the workstation range of motion, and a fixed distance from the user's elbow to an input device throughout the entire range of motion.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved workstation that increases productivity by increasing comfort during use over long periods of time.
A further object or feature of the present invention is to provide an improved workstation that permits the user and a colleague to collaborate at the workstation (use concurrently) by allowing the user and colleague to easily view the user's workstation monitor or monitors while the primary user continues to interact with the input devices.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide an improved workstation that meets the foregoing objects and advantages in a size compact enough to be suitable for standard office use.
Yet another object and advantage of the present invention is that it provides coordinated and harmonized movement of the head rest, back rest, seat bottom, foot and leg rest, arm rests (optionally), monitor, and keyboard tray; “coordinated and harmonized movement” meaning that these structures all move together so as to maintain an ergonomically optimal position for the user, whether in the standing, sitting, reclining, or collaboration configuration.
It is still another object and advantage of the present invention that at the user's option, a primary monitor can be set to adjust in coordination with adjustments to the other workstation features, while a secondary monitor can remain independently adjustable.
A still further object and advantage of the present invention is that it provides a vertical arm or arms supporting the monitor and keyboard trays that not only tilts for adjustment relative to the user, but also pivots in a horizontal plane to allow easy mounting and dismounting of the seat and to facilitate the collaboration configuration.
An even further object and advantage, in keeping with the goal of providing a workstation for use in a conventional office setting, is to provide a workstation chair having a retractable/foldable leg rest that at least partially folds beneath the seat, resulting in a footprint comparable to a task chair, yet also provides full length or partial leg support when in sitting and reclined positions, according to user preferences.
A still further object of the present invention, one clearly distinguishing over all known prior art devices, is to provide coordinated and harmonized motion of the seat back, seat bottom, monitor supports, and input device support and work tray, through a range of seating/postural zones, wherein the ratios of movement of the elements in relation to one another changes in the various zones so as to maintain optimally ergonomic positioning.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide all of the above-indicated functions and features through either purely mechanical means or using programmable (software, electrical, or other) control.
The foregoing summary broadly sets out the more important features of the present invention so that the detailed description that follows may be better understood, and so that the present contributions to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described in the detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention which will form the subject matter of the claims, which will be filed with a non-provisional patent application claiming the benefit of the filing date of the instant application.
Accordingly, before explaining the preferred embodiment of the disclosure in detail, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited in its application to the details of the construction and the arrangements set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The inventive apparatus described herein is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways.
Also, it is to be understood that the terminology and phraseology employed herein are for descriptive purposes only, and not limitation. Where specific dimensional and material specifications have been included or omitted from the specification or the claims, or both, it is to be understood that the same are not to be incorporated into the appended claims.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be used as a basis for designing other structures, methods, and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims are regarded as including such equivalent constructions as far as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Rather, the fundamental aspects of the invention, along with the various features and structures that characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and firming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the present invention, its advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated the preferred embodiment.
The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above Will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:
FM. 34B is a top plan view showing the mounting/dismounting configuration;
Referring first to
Turning initially to the general views,
The task seat includes a seat bottom 122, a seat back 124 having a unique seat back pinch guard 125, a three-panel leg rest 126, and a headrest 128. A headrest pull-back mechanism 130 is disposed on the back side 132 of the seat back 124, and the head rest is operatively coupled to the head rest pull-back mechanism through an adjustable head rest support 131.
As indicated, a horizontal monitor arm 118 extends forwardly from the top of the vertical support 104. It is pivotally connected to the vertical support at its proximal end 134. Pivotally attached to the distal end 136 of the horizontal monitor arm is a vertical monitor arm 138, having an upper support bracket 140 proximate its terminal end 142, on which are pivotally and adjustably disposed a primary monitor 144 and a secondary monitor 146. A medial support bracket 148 provides for a pivotal connection of a mini-desk 150 and one or more input device trays 152, such as a keyboard tray 152a, and mouse trays 152b.
Turning next to
The reference pivot axes include the femoral-acetabular joint at the hip 176 (which may be referred to herein either as the “hip axis” or the “seat back axis”), the humeral-ulnar joint at the elbow 178 (which may also be referred to as the “elbow axis” or the “input device tray axis”), and the gleno-humeral joint at the shoulder 180 (which may be referred to as “the monitor axis” or “the shoulder axis”). The datum reference line for the trunk angle 162 is a trunk line 182 extending through the gleno-humeral joint 180 and the femoral-acetabular joint 176. The datum reference line 184 for the neck-to-trunk angle 172 is an imaginary line from the crown 186 of the head through the horizontal axis through the effective pivot axis 180, which, for purposes of the instant application, is considered to be generally coincident with a horizontal line running transversely through the gleno-humeral joint comprising each shoulder of a user of average size. Critical distances include the monitor-to-eye distance 188 and the keyboard distance 190, both of which are typically set by the user after initially settling into the workstation upon mounting it. Note should be made that the monitor-to-eye distance 188 is shown here as extending to the datum reference line 184 for the neck-to-trunk angle 172; this is for simplicity in the views. The essential feature and concept is that once the distance and angle from the monitor to a reference point in the user's head is set by the user, the monitor axis and input device tray axis (shoulder and elbow axes) of rotation are set, and neither the angle of, nor the distance from, those axes to the monitor or input device tray will change as the workstation is moved through its operational zones.
Continuing with a survey of the table 10 of
Referring next to
Note should be made that in the sitting zone there is an important relationship between the trunk and the head. The center of mass of the head is optimally balanced directly above the effective pivot axis between the trunk and head/neck 180. If the head is angled too far forward, extensor muscles in the back of the neck must be contracted (isometrically in a stationary position) to keep the head from falling forward. If the head is angled too far back, flexor muscles in the front of the neck need to be contracted (again, isometrically) to keep the head from falling backward. Because of these potential strains, the body naturally seeks and finds a generally relaxed position as the seat back is tilted back. This is depicted schematically as the “neck-to-ground” angle, which preferably remains substantially static at approximately 90 degrees as the user tilts the seat back in order to keep his head balanced over its optimal support point.
When the user mounts the seat in the workstation, he or she is usually sitting in a fully upright position. In that position he or she will then adjust a monitor to a “monitor distance” and “eye depression angle” according to his preferences and needs. Thereafter, the inventive workstation maintains a constant monitor distance and eye depression angle as the user leans the seat backward and forward. This same coordinated and harmonized movement applies to the input devices (keyboard, pad, mouse, etc), i.e., to the “keyboard distance” and “forearm angle.” These, too, are set to suit the user's needs, and again the invention maintains a constant “keyboard distance” and “forearm angle” as the user moves the workstation through the zones of operation in both directions.
As the user tilts the seat back to a reasonably small angle, up to between 35 and 45 degrees, inclusive, for instance (see
However, when the user transitions fully into the transition zone of operation,
When the user finally does lean his or her head back against a head rest, the “neck-to-trunk angle” changes slightly. Then, for the workstation to maintain the user's preferred “monitor distance” and “eye depression angle” the monitor must move up and back, as illustrated in
Without headrest support, it is expected that most users will not desire to remain long in the transition zone of operation. This has been borne out by testing conducted over an extended period of time with a small cohort of experimental users. As users lean back, they generally enter the transition zone with the head upright and exit the transition zone into the reclining zone with the head fully supported by the head rest. Such support, is then maintained throughout operation in the reclining zone. However, the headrest may be adjusted to provide support earlier in the transition zone, making sitting positions in this zone both productive and comfortable.
Importantly, it should be noted that the keyboard distance 190 and the eye-to-monitor distance 188, as well as the eye depression angle 174 does not appreciably or noticeably change through the sitting and reclining zones of operation. It follows, moreover, that the distance from the monitor to any given reference point on the seat back does not appreciably or noticeably change through the sitting and reclining zones of operation. This is achieved by having precisely coordinated and harmonized movement of the seat back, monitor, and input device support. Just as importantly, the horizontal arm 118 remains at a fixed angle relative to the horizontal (ground) throughout seat back angle changes over the full range of the sitting zone; it remains at a fixed angle in relation to the seat back in the reclining zone; but it elevates approximately 25 degrees as the seat back moves approximately 10 degrees through the reclining zone. This brings the monitors over and above the user for viewing in the reclined position.
Looking at both
Further, the “neck-to-trunk angle” changes from approximately 0 degrees in the most upright sitting position,
Still referring to
The monitor distance 188 and the eye depression angle 174 must be maintained in the reclining zone. As the user's head is rested on the head rest, the head rest moves directly and coincidentally (radially degree by degree) with the seat back. That is to say, it remains fixed. Therefore, the monitor, input devices, and the head and trunk, all move as a unit with the seat back as the seat back pivots around the effective pivot axis 176 between the thigh and trunk.
Referring next to
Then, when users wish to stand, they can push the keyboard tray or monitor support away, and when either is pushed, the motion is transmitted to the rest of the system, so that once again the motion allows for an easy and expeditious exit to a standing position. This mode can accessed only if the user has moved the seat back to the upright sitting position.
Next, and turning now to
Referring next to
As may be appreciated from the views, the first of the parallelogram linkages maintains the vertical monitor arm 138 and the frame at the back of the seat back 124 in a parallel relationship. The second and third of the parallelograms linkages maintain a parallel relationship between the horizontal monitor arm 118, the upper edge of arm 230, and the upper edge of arm 234 (though it will be appreciated that these features of the arms 230 and 234 are for reference only, inasmuch as by setting an arbitrary line on the arms defining their respective parallelograms in any initial position, it will be observed that as to that line, the parallel relationship is maintained, whether or not the line corresponds to a physical feature, e.g., the upper edges, of the respective arms).
The three parallelogram linkages are concealed within the tubular arms comprising support structures in the workstation. These linkages operate slightly differently in the standup mode due to the presence of the collapsible ball joint link 228 that can be collapsed in length. When the workstation is in stand up mode, the linkage inside the horizontal monitor arm keeps the vertical monitor arm upright, and the linkage inside the vertical, monitor arm becomes inactive, as the collapsible ball joint link, collapses.
Referring next to
Next, and turning now to
Each linear slide 342, 344 includes a ratchet 346, 348 shaft disposed on its outer end, and each ratchet shaft is engaged by two pawls 350, 352 and 354, 356, respectively, each urged into the ratchet shaft splines by springs 358, 360. Compression springs 362, 364 are employed to drive each arm downwardly so as to keep the locking, tab 340 engaged with the slide stop holes 330.
Deployment and retraction of the first through third panels in relation to one another is accomplished by a plurality of gas springs and linear actuators disposed under the main seat and panels and operatively coupled to one another. To accomplish retraction, a system of linear actuators is employed, the system including a first linear actuator 386 pivotally connected to bracket 388, which moves the first panel 374. A second linear actuator 390 is operatively connected to cable 392 and routed around pulleys 394, 396 and terminates in coupling 398 disposed on the underside of the second panel 378. A third linear actuator 400 is operatively connected to cable 402, which is routed through pulleys 404, 406, 408, 410, and 412, each disposed on the underside of the panels, before it terminates in coupling 414 on the underside of the third panel 382.
A pair of compressed gas springs 416 and 418, disposed between each pair of the first and second panels 374, 378, respectively, and the second and third panels 378, 382, respectively maintain the panels in a deployed configuration.
While the leg rest and seat bottom cooperate to place the user in optimal positions so as to minimize pressure on pressure points in the legs and so as to facilitate healthy circulation in the extremities, the motions and angles of the seat bottom and leg rest do not affect the motions of the monitor and keyboard trays; those remain operatively independent,
This expression of the inventive concept includes a rolling base 502 having a height adjustable vertical support post 504 on which a frame member 506 of a task chair 508 is mounted. The task chair includes a seat bottom 510 and a seat back 512, a lower lumbar pinch guard 514 disposed between the seat bottom and seat back, a three-panel fully extendable and fully retractable leg rest 516, and a head rest 518 supported by adjustable vertical and horizontal head rest supports 520, 522.
The system further includes a telescopically adjustable lower input device horizontal support arm 524 pivotally connected through a linkage assembly at its proximal end 526 to a vertical support 528 and having a control brake 530 at its distal end 532.
A second, upper, telescopically adjustable horizontal monitor arm 534 is pivotally connected at its proximal end 536 through a linkage assembly to the seat back 512 and seat frame 506 through the seat master pivot axis 538 disposed through a right seat side plate 540. The axis extends geometrically through a second axis point 542 in a left seat side plate 544.
Mounted on the lower horizontal support arm 524 is an input device rail and tray 546. Disposed upwardly from the distal end 548 of the upper horizontal support arm 534 is a vertical monitor post 550 to which is clamped a vertically and pivotally adjustable horizontal monitor rail 552 and a monitor 554 mounted thereon.
Looking now at
As in the first preferred embodiment, the head rest linkage 578 does not bring the head rest 518 into engagement with the head for support until the seat back is sufficiently tilted (angled back to about 45 degrees at the end of the transition zone), though such an operation is not prohibited under the essential principle of operation of the workstation. Indeed, it may be desirable for some users to have head support earlier in the transition zone, and considerable range of adjustments or different settings are contemplated and within the scope of the invention.
Power to move the linkage systems may be provided by electric actuators, and in the preferred embodiment shown, two electric actuators are included: a first electric actuator 580 for the seat back and connected linkage and cam systems; and a second actuator 582 for the leg rest.
Referring next to
Looking first at
Mechanical features that contribute to the mobility of arm 524 include mounting brackets 594, 596, onto which vertical support tube 528 is pivotally mounted. The horizontal arm pivot pin 526 is co-located with and defines pivot axis, thus also 526 herein, The arm is held up by a pawl and ratchet assembly 590 including a ratchet wheel 600 and ratchet pawl 598. Pulling release lever 530 pulls cable 592, disengaging the pawl 598 from the ratchet wheel 600 and allowing the arm to be moved vertically. Simultaneously, pulling release lever 530 pulls link 602, which in turn pulls a brake lock 602 out of engagement by rotating it about a rotation point 606, allowing the arm 532 to telescopically slide inside tube 524, thus adjusting the keyboard distance.
Turning now to
Looking now at
Finally,
It will be appreciated from the foregoing that in its most essential aspect, the present invention is an ergonomic workstation that includes A chair, comprising: a base for placement on a surface having a ground plane; an effective hip axis affixed to said base; a seat bottom that rotates about said effective hip axis; a seat back that rotates about said effective hip axis; an effective shoulder axis positionally fixed to said seat back; an effective elbow axis positionally fixed to said seat back; a monitor support having a monitor mount and configured such that said monitor mount rotates about said shoulder axis; and an input device tray support configured such that an input device tray mounted on said input device tray support rotates about said elbow axis.
Seen in another aspect, the inventive ergonomic workstation includes an adjustable task seat including a seat bottom, a seat back, a head rest, and a leg rest; a monitor support; and at least one input device support having an input device support. tray mounted thereon; wherein the seat back is operatively connected to the seat bottom, the head rest, the leg rest, the monitor support, and the input device support through mechanical linkages configured in such a manner that when the workstation is moved through a range of operative zones, including a sitting zone, a transition zone, and a reclined zone (“the operative zones”), the monitor support maintains a fixed distance to a given reference point on the seat back over a large range of both the transition and reclined zones.
In still another aspect, the inventive workstation is seen to be a workstation that includes a ground-engaging base; a seat back supported by and pivotally attached to the base at a hip axis so as to enable forward and rearward tilting of said seat back in relation to the base; a monitor support pivotally attached to said the back at a shoulder axis; and an input device support pivotally attached to the seat back at an elbow axis; wherein the mechanical connection of the seat back in relation to said base, the mechanical connection of the monitor support in relation to the seat back, and the mechanical connection of the input device support in relation to the seat back are configured so as to fix the shoulder axis and the elbow axis in relation to the seat back.
The above disclosure is sufficient to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to practice the invention, and provides the best mode of practicing the invention presently contemplated by the inventor. While there is provided herein a full and complete disclosure of the preferred embodiments of this invention, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction, dimensional relationships, and operation shown and described. Various modifications, alternative constructions, changes and equivalents will readily occur to those skilled in the art and may be employed, as suitable, without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention. Such changes might involve alternative materials, components, structural arrangements, sizes, shapes, forms, functions, operational features or the like. As an example, the monitor arm in the second preferred embodiment could be movable by an electric actuator so as to replace the cam system. Such an alternative is considered to be within the scope of this disclosure and consonant with the spirit of the invention.
Therefore, the above description and illustrations should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention, which is defined by the appended claims.
The present application is a continuation of U.S. Utility patent application Ser. No. 14/216,426, filed Mar. 17, 2014, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,989,500, issued Jan. 27, 2015, which in turn claims the benefit of United States Provisional Patent Application No. 61/800,457, filed Mar. 15, 2013.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4779922 | Cooper | Oct 1988 | A |
| 4915450 | Cooper | Apr 1990 | A |
| 5028016 | Kelvin | Jul 1991 | A |
| 5116098 | Wooten | May 1992 | A |
| 5174223 | Nagy | Dec 1992 | A |
| 5624312 | Collier | Apr 1997 | A |
| 5765910 | Larkin | Jun 1998 | A |
| 5779305 | Hocking | Jul 1998 | A |
| 5909934 | McGraw | Jun 1999 | A |
| 6056363 | Maddox | May 2000 | A |
| 6092868 | Wynn | Jul 2000 | A |
| 6102476 | May | Aug 2000 | A |
| 6145926 | Lin | Nov 2000 | A |
| 6248014 | Collier | Jun 2001 | B1 |
| 6270157 | Kapushinski | Aug 2001 | B1 |
| 6296408 | Larkin | Oct 2001 | B1 |
| 6315358 | Baru | Nov 2001 | B1 |
| 6374752 | Walser | Apr 2002 | B1 |
| 6394402 | Coonan | May 2002 | B2 |
| 6425631 | Lin | Jul 2002 | B1 |
| 6450578 | Taggett | Sep 2002 | B1 |
| 6712008 | Habenicht | Mar 2004 | B1 |
| 6769318 | Gabiniewicz | Aug 2004 | B2 |
| 6832560 | Seiler | Dec 2004 | B2 |
| 6874431 | Danna | Apr 2005 | B1 |
| 7100517 | Godwin | Sep 2006 | B1 |
| 7134719 | Moglin | Nov 2006 | B2 |
| 7322653 | Dragusin | Jan 2008 | B2 |
| 7823973 | Dragusin | Nov 2010 | B2 |
| 7878476 | Carson | Feb 2011 | B2 |
| 7887103 | Evans et al. | Feb 2011 | B2 |
| 7887130 | Zvolena | Feb 2011 | B1 |
| 7922249 | Marchand | Apr 2011 | B2 |
| 8141949 | Baru | Mar 2012 | B2 |
| 8567808 | Tholkes | Oct 2013 | B2 |
| 8596599 | Carson | Dec 2013 | B1 |
| 8939500 | Voigt | Jan 2015 | B2 |
| 20060119233 | Thomas | Jun 2006 | A1 |
| 20070035164 | North | Feb 2007 | A1 |
| 20070278834 | Kielland | Dec 2007 | A1 |
| 20080164737 | Fowlds | Jul 2008 | A1 |
| 20100194155 | Dankovich | Aug 2010 | A1 |
| 20100201165 | Dankovich | Aug 2010 | A1 |
| 20110031788 | Kosik | Feb 2011 | A1 |
| 20130134744 | Dehli | May 2013 | A1 |
| 20140225402 | Dehli | Aug 2014 | A1 |
| 20140306075 | Stieler | Oct 2014 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| WO 2012153920 | Nov 2012 | KR |
| WO 9922624 | May 1999 | MX |
| WO 2011016707 | Feb 2011 | MX |
| Entry |
|---|
| http://gravitonus.com/lang/en-us/index/iclubby/2001-2015. |
| https://www.mwelab.com/index.php/en/2015. |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20150216302 A1 | Aug 2015 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61800457 | Mar 2013 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 14216426 | Mar 2014 | US |
| Child | 14605797 | US |
