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Adjustable chair station and method of useAdjustable chair station and method of use description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070035164, Adjustable chair station and method of use. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/707,485, filed Aug. 11, 2005, which is incorporated herein by reference. FIELD [0002] Apparatus and methods described herein relate generally to an adjustable chair station, and more particularly to an adjustable chair station, and methods of use, for providing ergonomic support during various activities. BACKGROUND [0003] Many chair and chair stations have attempted to provide a system for supporting a user in an ergonomically proper position while the user is involved in a particular activity. As used herein, an ergonomically proper position can be defined to mean a position, or posture, of the body which promotes the safety, comfort, or efficiency of a user during a particular activity. Typically, proper ergonomics is important in activities requiring prolonged periods of immobility or repetitive physical actions. For example, such activities can include, but are not limited to, reading, watching television, sleeping, operating a computer, playing a video game or driving a motorized vehicle. [0004] Recently, as related to one particular activity, the increased use of computers at school, home, work and other places has raised concerns regarding proper ergonomic positioning while using a computer. Computers are used in all aspects of life for a variety of purposes, such as educational, recreational and employment. Computers, along with associated peripheral, or user interface, devices, such as keyboards, monitors, touch pads and mice, conventionally make up a computing terminal at which one or more users can be positioned to use the computer. As is often the case in today's society, a user is positioned at a terminal in a seated position and remains in the seated positioned for prolonged periods of time. Moreover, use of a computer's user interface device, such as typing on a keyboard or manipulation of a mouse, typically requires a substantial number of repetitive physical or manual activities. [0005] Numerous injuries have been linked to poor circulation commonly brought on by prolonged periods of immobility, such as when sitting at a computer terminal. For example, deep vein thrombosis is an injury resulting from a blood clot that develops in a deep vein, such as in the lower leg. Deep vein thrombosis can cause pain in the leg and can potentially lead to serious complications. Other common injuries associated with prolonged periods of immobility can be general soreness, fatigue, or strain of various portions, muscles, or joints of the body, such as the neck and back. [0006] The risk of injuries related to prolonged periods of immobility can be mitigated by proper positioning of a user's body and/or periodically moving one or more body parts susceptible to such injuries, such as the upper and lower legs. However, as is often the case, a particular activity may require a user to remain immobilized for an extended period of time without an opportunity to engage in such preventative movement. [0007] Similarly, injuries related to repetitive manual activities have become increasingly prevalent as computers have become more commonplace in society. For example, carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition in which pressure applied to the median nerve in the carpal tunnel causes undesirable and often painful symptoms and which is often caused by repetitive manual activities. During use of computer interface devices, the risk of developing carpel tunnel syndrome can be augmented by improper positioning, inadequate support or misalignment of one or more portions of a user's body relative to the interface devices. [0008] The risk of injuries related to repetitive manual activities can be mitigated by properly positioning and supporting the user's body such that during repetitive manual activities, the user's body is correctly aligned. This can be difficult since many users are unable to adjust their position or provide proper support, or simply do not know the proper position to place their body to be correct aligned for a specific activity. [0009] To help mitigate the risks associated with injuries related to immobility and repetitive manual activities during use of a computer at a work station, several seating systems have been developed. Such seating systems attempt to provide generally an ergonomic chair or station for use with a computer. Such prior seating systems, despite having numerous features, each have certain disadvantages. [0010] For example, a reclining computer chair apparatus for use with a monitor and keyboard is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,056,363 ('363 Patent). The apparatus includes a carriage slidably mounted to a base, a seat member carried on the carriage, a back member pivotally mounted to the seat member, a leg member pivoted to the seat member, an arm member carried by the carriage, and a monitor arm carried by the carriage. Motorized threaded screws are used to move the carriage on the base and move the back and leg members relative to the carriage. [0011] The '363 Patent apparatus, however, is not sufficient adjustability to provide for the varying physical dimensions of multiple computer users. Although the '363 apparatus may allow a user to pivotally adjust the back member with respect to seat member, pivotally adjust the arm member with respect to the back member, pivotally adjust the leg member with respect to the seat member, and view a computer monitor and type on a keyboard in an upright sitting position, in a prone position, or in multiple positions therebetween, among other things the '363 patent apparatus does not allow a user to adjust the distance between the seat member and the leg member to account for differing upper leg lengths of multiple users, does not allow rotational adjustability of the chair about a central chair axis, does not allow for linear adjustability of the arm members to maintain the arm members in an ergonomically proper position, does not allow for cooperative linear adjustability of a head support and the monitor to maintain the monitor in an ergonomically proper position. [0012] Additionally, although the '363 apparatus may disclose a leg member that is pivotally connected to the seat member, the apparatus does not provide periodic adjustment of the leg member while occupied by a user, which can help to reduce the risk of developing immobility-based injuries, such as deep vein thrombosis. [0013] Also, the '363 apparatus does not provide a compact design. For example, the base or footprint of the apparatus extends at least the entire length of the chair. [0014] In another example, a work station system is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,779,922; 4,880,270; and 4,915,450 (Work Station Patents). The Work Station Patents describe a work station for supporting a human operator in a seated position while the human operates equipment located on the work station. The work station includes a rockable chair, a carriage secured to the front portion of the chair, two surfaces for supporting an input device and a visual display device, respectively, are attached to the carriage, movable along the carriage and securable to the carriage by manually tightening a knob. [0015] Although the Work Station Patents disclose numerous components and features, the apparatus disclosed in the Work Station Patents do not provide adequate adjustability of the chair and automated adjustability of at least the positioning of the two surfaces for supporting the input device and visual display device. The chair described in the Work Station Patents does not allow for adjustment of the length of the seat or the linear adjustment of positioning of the arm support and head rest with respect to the back support. Further, the two surfaces for supporting the input device and visual display device described in the Work Station Patents are designed to be adjusted by manually turning and physically moving the surfaces to a desirable height. For practical purposes, the manual adjustment of the input device and visual display device support surfaces described in the Work Station Patents is suitable for use by a single user. Otherwise, each time a different user with different body proportions desires to use the work station, he/she must physically adjust and readjust the support surfaces until the surfaces are positioned at a desired height. Such manual adjustability can result in an inefficient use of time and energy. [0016] In yet another example, an ergonomic chair providing a seating system that allows a seated occupant to shift his/her position while exercising major muscle groups is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,450,578 ('578 Patent). The chair includes a seatrest and backrest that are connected and pivot relative to each other. The backrest moves along backrest tracks between a lower resting position and a raised extended position. The seatrest is allowed to move such that as the backrest moves the seatrest correspondingly translates and rotates. In use, a user of the chair can push against the backrest, translate the backrest along the backrest tracks, stretch out into the extended position and then return to the resting position. [0017] The '578 Patent chair, however, provides a seatrest that freely pivots with respect to the backrest and thus does not remain in an ergonomically proper position. Further, the '578 Patent chair does not provide adequate support or allow for adequate adjustability to ensure proper ergonomic orientation of a user's body. More specifically, the chair does not provide support for a user's arms above or below the elbows, nor does the chair provide adequate lower leg support. [0018] In addition, the '578 chair does not allow for adjustment of the seatrest length, adjustment of the headrest height, nor rotation of the chair about a central axis. Further, for those portions of the '578 chair that are adjustable, such adjustments are not performed automatically much less without significant human effort. SUMMARY [0019] The present application relates to a chair station that provides sufficient bodily support, adjustability, and, if desired, other features to allow users having various dimensions to remain in an ergonomically proper position while performing any of a variety of activities. In certain embodiments, the chair can orient the user in an ergonomically proper position, which, in certain embodiments, can help reduce the risk of injuries related to immobility, such as deep vein thrombosis, and repetitive manual activities, such as carpel tunnel syndrome. [0020] In some embodiments, the chair station provides a substantially versatile and compact adjustable device for supporting a user. Certain embodiments of the chair station can provide the ability to adjust one or more body supporting components to support one or more portions of a user's body in an ergonomically proper seated position. In one embodiment, when using the chair station for a particular application, such as a computer station having at least a keyboard and monitor, the chair station can, in some implementations, adjustably support a user's body in an ergonomic position, or other position if desired, for typing on the keyboard and viewing the monitor in a very large, and if desired, infinite number of horizontal or vertical orientations. Continue reading about Adjustable chair station and method of use... Full patent description for Adjustable chair station and method of use Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Adjustable chair station and method of use patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Adjustable chair station and method of use or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Headrest insert Next Patent Application: Seat trim cover attachment component and related method Industry Class: Chairs and seats ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Adjustable chair station and method of use patent info. 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