Chair For Extended Seating Periods

Abstract

In order to provide comfort during prolonged seating periods and facilitate proper sitting posture, a chair is configured to include a central chair portion defining a pair of seat back mounting sections, a pair of front leg mounting sections, a pair of rear leg mounting sections, and a seat surface. A seat back including a pair of seat back extensions is provided, with each of the seat back extensions mountable on one of the seat back mounting sections. A pair of front leg extensions is mountable on the front leg mounting sections of the central chair portion, while a pair of rear leg extensions is mountable on the rear leg mounting sections of the central chair portion. Such a chair construction permits the seat back, the front leg extensions, and the rear leg extensions all to be adjustable relative to the seat surface and lockable in any of a plurality of discrete positions with respect to the seat surface.

Description

[0001]The present application is a continuation application of application Ser. No. 11 / 689,861 filed Mar. 22, 2007, which claims the priorities of U.S. Provisional application Ser. No. 60 / 786,049, filed Mar. 27, 2006, and U.S. Provisional application Ser. No. 60 / 872,591, filed Dec. 4, 2006, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]1. Field of the Invention[0003]The present invention relates to the configuration of a chair, occasionally referred to as an ALCAT chair in the following description, that facilitates good, relaxed posture and, at the same time, provides adequate total back support when a user is properly seated, as well as certain methods of using such a chair to provide greater comfort during prolonged sitting sessions. The invention is ideal for musicians or other individuals who find it necessary or desirable to remain seated for extended time periods.[0004]2. Description of Related Art[0005]Chai...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The invention is a chair that provides good posture and proper support for the back when a user is seated. It is designed for individuals who need to stay seated for extended periods of time, such as musicians. The chair has a central portion with mounting sections for the seat back, front and rear legs, and a seat surface. The seat back has adjustable extensions that can be locked in different positions for added comfort. The central portion can be collapsible or rigid, and there are latches to secure the seat back and legs in place. The front and rear legs can be connected by a support strut, and there is also an arm rest assembly with adjustable positioning. The chair may also have rollers or casters for easy movement."

Problems solved by technology

Chairs in common use today have a number of basic problems.

A conventional chair construction tends to force a user to sit on gluteal muscles, impose a backward curve to the spine, and produce a caved-in chest, affecting heart and lung efficiency.

Shoulder tension may also affect the arms and hands of a user while seated on a conventionally configured chair, and a rounded lumbar and / or sacral area tends to produces muscle stress and potentially creates possible danger to vertebrae due to possible herniation or exacerbation of other existing conditions.

The user of a conventional chair construction such as that shown in FIG. 16 could have significant difficulty is achieving or maintaining this “good” sitting posture, i.e. a posture considered to provide the most relaxed sitting position, in which the pull of gravity on the user's body and associated stresses produced due to misalignment are minimized.

As it is difficult for the user to keep his or her torso in an essentially upright or perpendicular position relative to the seat surface, a relatively large body area is subjected to the force of gravity.

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