Patent Application
20140361584
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a seating assembly with one or more adjustable extension arms attachable to a seat member of the seating device to hold a support structure adapted to provide a work surface. More particularly, this invention relates to a seating device with an adjustable extension arm assembly that is mounted on the seat member of the seating device to support a portable device such as computer component, tablet computer, or reading material. The seating device allows a user to rotate and pivot the support structure between a horizontal and a vertical stand so as to manipulate the portable device, such as to type on the tablet or to view the screen of the tablet. The seating device also allows the user to change from a seated to a standing position without removing the support structure from the seating device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the workplace, providing a work station that is user friendly and flexible is important. The increased use of portable devices such as technology-related devices, necessitates work surfaces be adapted to allow the use of said devices for all their intended purposes such as for writing or for reading or inputting information.
In the workplace, persons are often required to perform repetitive manual tasks in a sedentary position. By maintaining a sedentary position throughout the workday, the person can become fatigued without proper support. Remaining in that sedentary position may reduce blood flow through the legs as well. Utilizing ergonomic principles when designing furniture may increase worker productivity, decrease worker fatigue and absenteeism, decrease injuries, improve wellness, and improve blood flow throughout the body.
It is known in the workstation design industry that by varying a person's body position, fatigue is reduced. Without changing positions periodically, proper circulation is hampered. By changing body positions at multiple times throughout the day, a person can reduce stress and increase productivity.
One desirable way of changing body position is for a worker to switch from a seated to a standing position. Alternating from a seated to a standing position facilitates blood flow through the legs, which helps prevent fatigue and improves worker comfort. This sit-and-stand method of reducing worker fatigue is known in the furniture design field.
Several attempts at providing a comfortable work surface for a seated person are known. For example, it is known in the workplace design industry that it is possible to provide keyboard supports for use by a person in a seated position. For example, the approach of Trimnell described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,893,607 utilizes a computer keyboard holder attached to a chair. Trimnell's keyboard holder attaches to the chair legs, and is for use by a person in the seated position, not the standing position. Alternatively, U.S. Pat. No. 4,779,922 to Cooper describes a chair with a built-in computer workstation. U.S. Pat. No. 5,104,073 to VanBeek describes the holder in front of a chair to reduce the chance of the user incurring repetitive stress injuries. U.S. Pat. No. 5,452,950 to Crenshaw describes a school desk computer workstation, while Dearing (U.S. Pat. No. 5,490,710) describes the holder built into a chair arm.
Commercial products such as X-TENSION ARM by Cal Trak, Inc. of Broomfield, Colo., and ERGOREST by Ergonomic Design, Inc. of Northglenn, Colo., are available which provide for the attachment of a keyboard support to a chair, the support being mounted at a given height for a seated user. It is also known to use flexible tubing arms for holding a support structure such as in a desk lamp. However, known commercially-available flexible tubing lacks structural rigidity and has been shown not to be able to hold a support structure. However, if flexible technology improves, utilizing flexible technology could be used in an embodiment of this invention, as would be realized by one of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this disclosure.
In each of these approaches, the holder is designed for one position of a user, generally seated. None describe a system for providing a support for use by a person standing near a chair. Further, when a user is practicing those prior designs, but would like to stand to take advantage of the sit-and-stand principle, modifications to the work area would be required. For instance, combining two prior design support systems could possibly be used to accommodate different user positions.
It is known to provide two computer apparatus supports at one workstation: one permanently mounted at a height suitable to a person in a seated position, and one permanently mounted at a height suitable to a person in a standing position. However, the addition of another piece of furniture in the work area is not desirable in many space-limited workplace designs. Further, the same keyboard, mouse, and/or computer may be utilized by multiple workers throughout the day. Therefore, it is desirable to have accessory supports, which are capable of adjusting to the different depths, angles, and heights to accommodate the differently-statured individuals who may utilize the same computer support.
It is known to provide adjustable, full-motion rotatable floor stands for tablet computers, which are free-standing, separate accessories for use by a person in a chair, in bed, or on a couch. Commercial products include the T0-HS01 Easy Adjustable Full-Motion Floor Stand by TAO TRONICS® and the Deluxe Floor Stand for Tablet Computers by LEVO. However, some of these devices are not compliant with workplace industry standards such as BIFMA (Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association), and therefore it is advantageous to have portable device attachable to a seating assembly to minimize the amount of furniture in the workspace, as described above.
It is also known to provide one device that is mountable to a chair at various locations, such that the sit-and-stand principle may be employed. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 6,604,786 to Benden et al., issued Aug. 12, 2003, incorporated by reference in its entirety herein (and commonly-owned by the present assignee, Neutral Posture, Inc. of Bryan, Tex.) describes using a support apparatus that is removably attachable to an armrest of a chair, the back of a chair, or to a desk. In this way, accessories, such as a computer, keyboard, and/or a mouse, can be utilized by a person seated in the chair or standing near the chair. When the apparatus is attached to the back of the chair, the apparatus may be utilized by a person in a standing position. The height of the apparatus may be adjusted by adjusting the height of the chair.
It is also known to provide a vertical adjustment apparatus for a keyboard, such that the sit-and-stand principle may be employed. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 7,048,236 to Benden et al., issued May 23, 2006, incorporated by reference in its entirety herein, (and commonly-owned by the present assignee, Neutral Posture, Inc. of Bryan, Tex.) describes using a support apparatus for a keyboard that is attachable to a workstation and operates to selectively raise and lower a device such as a keyboard such that the device may be utilized by a user in a seated position as well as by the user in a standing position. Commercial products, such as the STANDUP® workplace accessory, provides methods of adjusting for height of a keyboard for a sit-and-stand workstation.
It is also known to provide some keyboard adjustment through the use of an industry-standard keyboard mechanism, such as those provided by CompX Waterloo Inc., Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, for example. The prior art keyboard mechanism systems may provide sufficient adjustment of a keyboard for a seated user, in some situations. However, the adjustability of prior art units may be limited such that the same equipment may not be utilized in conjunction with the sit-and-stand principle described above—at least not to the degree as dictated for an ergonomically-correct standing height of a 95th percentile male.
It is known to provide an articulated support arm for a computer accessory or a tablet computer, which is attached to a workstation, such as the Concerto arm obtained from CompX ErgonomX. However, it would be beneficial to provide such a device to be attachable directly to a seat of a seating device, especially a seat that is height-adjustable, such that the benefits discussed above can be achieved.
Thus, it would be desirable to have a seating device that would have an apparatus attached to the seat of the seating device, and to be capable of elevating a portable device such as a computer or a computer tablet or other technological accessory or reading material for utilization by a user in a seated position and in a standing position. It would be desirable to have a work surface in which tablet portable device can either be positioned in a horizontal plane to allow typing by the user or at a vertical angle so as to allow reading from said device. It would also be desirable that the unit be able to be installed on a seat member of the seating device for practical and functional reasons. It is therefore desirable that the attachment mechanism be simple to use so that the user can change positions and the height of the portable device as desired.
In one aspect, the current invention provides a seating assembly with a seat member, a first adjustable arm rotationally attached to the seat member by a first connecting means, an attachment assembly for removably attaching a first adjustable arm to the seat member, a second adjustable arm attached to the first adjustable arm by a second connecting means such that the first and second connecting means permit the second adjustable arm to be pivoted and rotated to any desired position; and a support structure attached to the second adjustable arm by a third connecting means such that the support structure is adapted to provide a work surface. In an embodiment of the invention, the second connecting means could provide a universal adjustment to the second adjustable arm. In a further embodiment of the invention, the attachment assembly comprises a bar member (or a seat mount bar) and a mounting assembly. The mounting assembly may be attached to the right or the left side of the bar member so as to permit the use of the seating device by a left-handed or a right-handed user. Alternatively the seating assembly may have two mounting assemblies on either side of the seat member. In a preferred embodiment, the mounting assembly includes a plate attachable to the bar member of the attachment assembly and a male component adapted to mate with a female component of the first connecting means. In a preferred embodiment, the male and female components are tubular in shape such that the female component rotates around the male component. In other embodiments, the male component may comprise a sphere, and the female component may include a complementary surface. The second and third connector means may include a hinge and a spring to allow the pivotal as well as the rotational movement of the second adjustable arm and the support structure. The support structure provides a work surface for a portable device such as by way of example a computer component, a tablet computer, or reading material such as books. In a further embodiment, the second connecting means is adapted to permit a universal adjustment of said second adjustable arm.
In an alternate embodiment, a seating assembly is described to which adjustable arms that support a work surface are attached. The seating assembly includes a seat member and a base member. The seat member is attached to a first adjustable arm by an attachment assembly and by a first connecting means that includes a mounting assembly to permit rotation of the adjustable arms. The first adjustable arm is connected to a second adjustable arm by a second connecting means that may include a hinge. The second connecting means allows rotational and pivotal articulation of the second adjustable arm which supports a work surface that is adapted by way of example for a computer such as a tablet. In an embodiment of the invention, the attachment assembly includes a bar member and a mounting assembly such that the mounting assembly has a plate member and a male component that is adapted to mate with a female component that may be located on the first connecting means.
In an alternate embodiment, the present invention provides a seating assembly including a base structure and a seat structure and that further includes one or more adjustable arms such that at least one of the adjustable arms is functionally attached to a support structure adapted to support one or more portable devices. The seat member includes and attachment assembly for removably attaching a first adjustable arm to the seating member. The attachment assembly includes a seat mount assembly, a plate, and a female component of a first adjustable arm. The attachment means includes a male component of a first connecting means, and the first adjustable arm includes a female component adapted to be functionally associated with the male component of the attachment assembly so as to rotatably connect the first adjustable arm to the attachment assembly. The first connecting means permits the first adjustable arm to rotate about a vertical axis through the first connecting means wherein the vertical axis is substantially perpendicular to the plane defined by the seat member.
The seating assembly also includes a second adjustable arm functionally attached to the first adjustable arm by a second connecting means that permits a rotational and a pivotal movement of the second arm and a support structure attached to the second adjustable arm by a third connecting means that is functionally adapted to permit rotational and a pivotal movement of the support structure. The second connecting means and/or third connecting means may comprise a hinge and/or a spring.
The support structure is functionally adapted to hold a portable device at an adjustable height above the seating device wherein the predetermined height may be adjusted from a first height to accommodate a user utilizing the device in a seated position, to a second height to accommodate the user in a standing position. The support structure also allows adjusting the work surface from a horizontal to a vertical position to accommodate for the various uses of the portable device such writing, reading or inputting information. In a further embodiment, the seating assembly has one or more mounting assemblies attached to the right or the left of the seat member so as to permit the use of the seating assembly by a left-handed or right-handed user.
In another embodiment, the attachment assembly may comprise a slidable attachment assembly which advantageously allows for adjustment of the width of the relevant components.
While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail herein. However, it should be understood that the invention is not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
The invention relates to a seating assembly with an extension arm that is attachable to the bottom of a seat member to support a work surface. The extension arm includes one or more adjustable arms to allow the use of the work surface by a user or operator in both a seated and standing position as desired. The extension arm also allows the use of the work surface to support a portable device such as a computer tablet or other computer accessories in a horizontal or vertical position so as to permit the use of the tablet to type or read. According to the present invention, the seating assembly can be adjusted to provide a work surface for a left handed and/or a right handed user, or both if the seating assembly is used by multiple persons, by easily altering components in the novel attachment assembly described more fully herein. Further, by having the extension arm attachable to the bottom of the seat member, as the height of the seat member is adjusted, the height of the arm and thus the portable device such as a computer tablet, is also further adjustable. Additional height adjustment is provided in the first connecting means, as described more fully below, which advantageously provides flexibility and facilitates practicing proper ergonomic principles while utilizing the seating device. Further, by attaching the arm to the seat member, no additional stand-alone apparatus is required to be placed in the workspace. Advantageously, with the improvements described herein, none of the functions of the prior art seating device is hindered.
The invention relates particularly to a seating assembly having an extension arm affixed to the seating device by a mounting assembly. The mounting assembly may be attached to the seat member of the seating assembly by a seat mount bar or bar member affixed to the bottom part of the seat member preferably in a horizontal orientation. The mounting assembly includes a plate and a male component. The male component is configured to mate with a female component of a connection means linking the mount assembly (and hence the seat member) to the extension arm such that the female component rotates around the male component to allow the rotational movement of the extension arm. In an embodiment of the present invention, the male and female components are tubular. Certain embodiments of the present invention may have one or more mounting assemblies so to permit connecting the extension arm to the right and/or the left side of the seat member.
The extension arm in an embodiment of the invention includes a first adjustable arm, a second adjustable arm and a support structure as described more fully below.
The support structure maybe adapted to hold any portable device, such as a computer, a tablet computer, a book, etc so as to allow the ergonomic use of said portable device. The support structure is mounted on the second adjustable arm by a third connector means.
In each of these embodiments, the advantage of using one piece of furniture to support the work surface while the user is seated or standing is utilized, with a further advantage of having the seat attachment member attachable to the seat member directly, as opposed to being attached to neighboring apparatus or resting on the floor. Thus, cost and space is reduced compared to using two pieces of furniture such as separate seating devices and desks to employ the sit-and-stand principle.
Illustrative embodiments of the invention are described below. In the interest of clarity, not all features of an actual implementation are described in this specification. It will of course be appreciated that in the development of any such actual embodiment, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developers' specific goals, such as compliance with system-related and business-related constraints, which will vary from one implementation to another. Moreover, it will be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time-consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking for those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this disclosure.
Further aspects and advantages of the various embodiments of the invention will become apparent from consideration of the following description and drawings.
Referring to
Referring to
In this embodiment, it can be seen that an attachment assembly 290 includes the mounting assembly 200 (i.e. the male component 220 connected to the plate 210) and bar member 250. The male component 220 is pressed into place and secured within the plate 210. However, other configurations could be utilized as one of ordinary skill in the art would realize. For instance, the entire attachment assembly 290 (i.e. the mounting assembly 200 and the bar member 250) could comprise one singular unit, welded together or casted into a single component, by way of example only. Other well-known methods of constructing the attachment assembly 290 would be well-known to others, having the benefit of this disclosure. Further, the mounting assembly could include a female component 322 instead of the male component 220 as described more fully hereinafter.
Referring to
It would be realized by one of ordinary skill in the art that in other embodiments, the male component 220 may be attached to the first adjustable arm 350 and the female component 322 could be part of the mounting assembly 220. That is, the male and female components 220 and 322 comprise the first connector means, regardless of which is connected to the first adjustable arm 350, the other being part of the mount assembly 200.
Again referring to
Referring again to
By attaching the claimed device to the seat member 20 of the prior art seating assembly 100, advantageously no additional furniture is required in a workspace. Further, since most seat members 20 of prior art seating assemblies 100 are adjustable for the height of the user, then by adjusting the height of the seats, then adjustment of the height of the support structure is similarly adjustable, which is advantageous over prior art units. Further, by adding the attachment assembly 290 to the seat member 20 of the seating assembly 100, the adjustable arm can be added or removed from the seating assembly without the use of tools. Further, since the attachment assembly 290 includes a simple yet robust means to connect that arm to the seat member 20 via the first connecting means 320, the arm can be removed quickly and stored when not in use. Referring to
It should be noted that the aforementioned inventive seat member attachment 290 comprises the bar member 250 of
Referring to
It should be mentioned that alternative embodiments, each, any, or all of the first, second, and third connecting means could provide for universal adjustment. For instance the connector means could comprise a ball-and-socket joint between the respective two components (i.e. between the first adjustable arm and the second adjustable arm in the case of the second connecting means) thus allowing rotation about the x, y, and z axes providing for universal adjustment of the second adjustable arm. Similarly, the male component 220, which is shown in the Figures as tubular, of the first connector means could be formed in the shape of a sphere, and the female component 322 of the first connecting means could be provided with a complementary mating spherical surface, thus providing universal (i.e. in the x, y, and z axes) adjustment of the first adjustment arm with respect to the mounting assembly.
The second connecting means could provide for universal adjustment of the second adjustable arm. For instance the first connector means could comprise a ball-and-socket joint thus allowing rotation about the x, y, and z axis providing for universal adjustment of the second adjustable arm 360 with respect to the mount assembly 200. With this configuration, yet another method of altering the height of the support structure is provided. That is, by lowering the first adjustable arm with respect to the seat member 20 via the first connecting means.
Similarly, the third connecting means 340 could comprise a ball on the end of the second adjustable arm 360 mating with a complementary surface on the support structure, thus allowing rotation about the x, y, and z axes providing for universal adjustment of the support structure 370.
In yet another embodiment, the mounting assembly 200 can be attached to the other end of the bar member 250. For instance, in
Describing an embodiment of the present invention in operation as shown in
Referring to
Specifically,
In operation, the housing 450 is attached to the underside of the seat member 20. The mounting assembly 200 is longitudinally inserted into the housing 450, as shown by the directional arrows in
It should be noted that the remaining features shown in
Although various embodiments have been shown and described, the invention is not so limited and will be understood to include all such modifications and variations as would be apparent to one skilled in the art.
The following table lists the description and the reference numbers as used herein and in the drawings attached hereto for use as reference only, and do not limit the scope of the claims in any way.
