Device providing hold and comfort

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (1) providing hold and comfort and allowing any person who may have problems of discomfort or pain when in a seated or standing position to remain comfortably on any support (6) on which they wish to place the lower part of their body corresponding to its position, and comprising three parts freely movable independently of one another: a first part (8), which is referred to as the base of the device and which is at least partially rigid and bears vertically on said support (6) and tilts freely in all directions with respect to the latter, at least one second part (11) arranged above the first part and having a shape suitable for receiving the body segments of the lower part (9) of said person corresponding to their seated or standing position, and consisting of at least two pads (10i) each supporting a body segment of the lower part (9) of the person, and at least one third part (4) consisting of at least as many ball-and-socket dampers (5i) as there are pads (10i) and being arranged between the second part (11), which bears on these ball-and-socket dampers (5i), and the rigid first part (8) on which it bears.

Description

DESCRIPTION TITLE: SUPPORT AND COMFORT DEVICE Technical field of the invention Generally speaking, the present invention is in the orthopedic field and relates to a support and comfort device allowing any person having problems with discomfort or pain when sitting or standing to maintain posture and comfort. The invention relates more particularly not only to such a holding device capable of being placed on any type of pre-existing support, either for standing support (floor of any kind) or for sitting (chair, stool, armchair, car seat, mattress, etc.) whatever the rheological characteristics (hard, flexible, deformable or not, etc.) or geometric characteristics (flat, inclined, etc.) without degrading its effectiveness, but also to the addition of such a device either fixed to supports, in particular existing seats (chair, stool, armchair, car seat, mattress, etc.), or integrated from the design and manufacture of a new support. Technical background Adopting good posture is the central element of comfort. The term "posture" refers to the arrangement adopted by the different body segments in the face of gravity: a posture can be balanced or unbalanced. Good posture is a balanced position provided that joint and muscle tension is minimized. Whether sitting, standing, or lying down, gravity affects the body's active and passive structures in one way or another. Good posture distributes the forces constantly in action and relieves strain on muscles and joints. On the contrary, poor posture will gradually lead to the degradation of muscular and joint metabolism. Indeed, posture is built and changes throughout life in the face of external and internal constraints. The body must constantly adapt to maintain a certain balance in space (stature, balance, stability, symmetry). In response to internal and external inputs transmitted by sensory receptors—primarily the millions of proprioceptive sensors located in muscle fibers, tendons, and joints, as well as the eyes and inner ear—the brain, in turn, orders the correction or adoption of a particular posture. If the information received is not processed correctly, the chosen posture will be inadequate, and the body will implement a number of compensatory strategies that can give the illusion that everything is working properly.In reality, these lead to overuse of certain muscles or joints in a non-functional manner which can lead to: muscle tension, with numbness and limitation of mobility, or with the appearance of spasms; local back pain, shifted centrally or laterally, which can extend between the costal arch and the lower crease of the buttock, or even radiate towards a leg; neck pain; etc. More specifically, when sitting, the aim is for the neck to be well aligned with the trunk in a symmetrical manner, itself located at the same level and in the middle of the pelvis - alignment of the ear, shoulder, hip - This implies that the person must remain in an erect position when sitting. This requires remaining still. This ideal position is difficult to maintain. Therefore, there is a lack of seating that would naturally help people adopt an erect posture while freeing up movement. Academic literature points to two components of each body segment when analyzing the postural inertial chain: a supposedly rigid bone - or a set of solid bones constituting a set considered rigid like the pelvis or the trunk - and soft masses (skin, muscles, fat, tendons) which are anchored on or surround it. During a movement, these soft tissues are in motion - called micromovement - in relation to the bones. If the kinematics of the bone - called macromovement - is generally the most accessible and relevant clinical information during postural analysis, the artifact of micromovements of soft masses, by contraction or elongation, is a decisive element of postural regulation and postural comfort.

[0010] To perfect postural comfort, it is therefore necessary to be able to accompany and support in a coordinated manner all postural movements - the macromovements of the bony part of the body segment but also the micromovements of postural regulation of the soft parts so as not to put them under tension. So it is necessary to allow natural mobility to maintain posture and feel comfort and this is understood at four levels, namely for the sitting position: Positional macro-movements: the body segment that constitutes the pelvis forms the support base in the sitting position on which the trunk, head and upper limbs permanently rest. When a person sits or corrects their position on a seat, they coordinate their pelvis and torso in combined movements inscribed in a cone (global movement called "inverted pendulum"); more specifically, the pelvis is subjected to a tilt in retroversion or anteversion, and the torso to a rotation or flexion of the torso. These movements - which we call positional macro-movements - condition the position of the center of gravity of the upper body and its projection on the seat. The objective is to achieve gravitational balance. Natural movements of comfort: the person must be able to constantly perform natural movements without hindrance or discomfort, such as turning or tilting the head, raising the arm to pick up a glass or the telephone, scratching oneself, moving a leg forward, etc. All of these movements of varying intensity and impact - which we call natural movements of comfort - contribute to modifying the conditions of the so-called gravitational balance. Regulatory micro-movements: To respond to the permanent variations in gravitational balance, the brain commands a set of low-intensity movements - which we call regulatory micro-movements - to regulate the maintenance of gravitational balance. There is thus a permanent, most often unconscious, solicitation which results in joint and muscle tension that can have an impact on the comfort felt, fatigue, or the stress on nerves that can be painful. Micro-movements of solicitation: when the pelvis is subjected to a macromovement inscribed in the inverted cone, it generates pressure and shear on the soft parts - for example the glutes in a sitting position - driven by the kinematics of movement, but stuck on the seat support. Also releasing the articular-muscular tensions of the soft parts is essential to release in return the permanent solicitation of the proprioceptive system on the brain and the associated fatigue and stress, but also to naturally stimulate the inhibition of pain. For standing, there are balance boards whose operating principle is based on the use of proprioception, which is the body's ability to perceive its position and movements in space. Balance boards are designed to engage the body's stabilizing muscles, creating a constant imbalance that must be compensated for by muscular adjustments. These balance boards are a versatile tool for improving stability, coordination, strength, posture, and relaxation. They also help improve proprioception. Existing devices most often consist of a board intended to support the person in a standing position: this board is generally placed on a hemisphere (movement in all directions) or a roller or a circular hoop (which limits the movement to tilting in the sagittal or lateral plane), the person's feet rest flat on the board. However, the regulation of postural balance, by design, is done by macro-movements - sometimes abrupt displacement of body segments - more than by micro-movements - tension of muscle fibers and tendons. These balance boards do not allow to work on balance and therefore proprioception with the precision required by the finesse of the proprioceptors. In the seated position, there are also footrests, which, by design, cause a certain immobilization of the feet, while mobility is recommended in the seated position to avoid the occurrence of disorders. Some footrests are flat and others inclined. The trend is to allow adjustment of height and inclination. However, no current footrest allows support for the mobility of body segments (lower limbs) or micro-movements of the feet, and does not provide support for the soft parts of the sole of the foot. For the application of the invention to seating devices, existing complementary devices - intended to improve sitting on a usual support constituting furniture - chair, armchair, stool, bench, etc. - are generally used on the one hand to help the person improve their posture in a sitting position, and relieve their pain and physiological damage occurring in this sitting position, and on the other hand in extreme cases to allow the sitting position to people suffering from chronic pain waking up or worsening in a sitting position, making it painful or even unbearable, as well as to prevent the occurrence of damage such as bedsores, for people at risk. Thus, many known seating devices aim to provide additional comfort, by aiming to support macromovements to maintain gravitational balance and facilitate the adoption of good posture - alignment of ears, hips, pelvis - such as, for example, the devices described in the patent applications filed by the American company Backjoy Orthopedics (EP2381817 published on July 10, 2013, WO2016 / 053321 published on April 7, 2016, US2021 / 0022512 published on July 28, 2021 ...) and relating to orthopedic devices for improving posture in a sitting position, all comprising a base element comprising a front portion for the upper legs, a rigid bowl portion (to accommodate a user's lower pelvic area), a peripheral crown portion surrounding this bowl with an upwardly inclined lateral portion, these peripheral and lateral portions comprising regions of variable flexibility: the innovation of such devices is based on a. concave shape of the seat to, on the one hand, partially envelop the pelvis and thus wedge it in anteversion, promoting the adoption of the correct posture, and on the other hand to allow a front-back tilt, as well as, in one of these patent applications, lateral tilt, and, in another application, with a lumbar backrest which forces the spine into a good position relative to the pelvis. We also know the patent application US2007057562 filed by Mr. Gregory and Mr. Gaddis and published on March 15, 2007 which describes other seating devices following a different principle: the seat, although also adapted to the morphology of the back, buttocks and thighs with a raised rear part, a hollow central part and a doubly curved front part capable of matching the shape of the thighs, is not free to rotate, but is fixed, resting on a shock-absorbing device itself resting on a seat support.The correct posture is then imposed by the angles given to the different elements in relation to the horizontal: thus the part supporting the thighs has an inclination at an angle preferably of 7.5° directed downwards and comes into contact with the seat support, while the hollow part supporting the buttocks has a preferential inclination of 4.5° upwards, while the shock absorber device can be modified or controlled to adjust the two angles and allow the optimization of a seat in anteversion with lordosis. These seating devices aim to support gravitational balance by providing a uniform distribution of pressure on the seat base in the event of macro movements, facilitating the adoption of good posture through the shape of this seat base. However, they do not support natural low-intensity movements, and even less so regulatory micro movements, which means that joint and muscle tension persists, as well as the resulting discomfort and fatigue. These devices favor pelvic anteversion, while at the anatomical level, posture results from the equation: posture = pelvic incidence + lordosis. Given the distribution of pelvic incidence in the population, the natural profile of postural balance is in anteversion for 40% of the population, while 40% are in retroversion and 20% in neutral position. A postural seat must be able to adapt to these different anatomical typologies. There are also seat devices that can be customized to each user by adjusting the position and spacing of a plurality of elements together forming a seat, as in the patent application WO 2013 / 103188 of Korean origin, or the patent US 621139 of 1899, which teach the example of a bicycle saddle, and whose objective is to reduce the pressure on the parts of the body in close contact with the seat, thanks to the combination of ball joints, articulation arms adjustable in rotation and length and springs, but once this adjustment is made, the seat thus customized is locked in position relative to the support which carries it, such as the frame of a bicycle. Furthermore, pain covering the region from the sacrum to the pubis, which we will subsequently refer to by the general term perineal pain, is numerous and is most often aroused or greatly accentuated in a sitting position. Perineal pain "without cause" is particularly difficult to treat and frequently requires a multidisciplinary approach. Among these are increasingly well-characterized pudendal, ilioinguinal, iliohypogastric, and genitofemoral neuralgia, pain with an osteo-ligamentous component such as coccydynia, myofascial syndrome, pain of muscular and venous origin such as the consequences of advanced-stage hemorrhoids, etc. These pathologies can be highly disabling: for example, for chronic cases of coccydynia and pudendal neuralgia that last for several years, sitting cannot exceed a few dozen minutes with suitable supports and the use of analgesics whose effectiveness decreases over time. They require a complete reorganization of the lives of the people concerned (for example, systematization of the standing position for meals or for work, etc.) There are certainly devices to help the person at least to bear such pain and the most recommended by the medical profession to relieve coccygodynia and hemorrhoidal attacks are also the simplest because they are in fact foam cushions, often with a viscoelastic component shape memory forming a “buoy”, but this solution has the disadvantage of not facilitating the maintenance of good posture and causes lower back pain. To help the person both improve their posture when sitting and relieve their perineal pain, another solution is also a cushion - most often made of viscoelastic foam - on the one hand in the shape of a wedge inclined from back to front to force anteversion of the pelvis - once again the bias of anteversion - with an angle between the thighs and the trunk generally between 90 and 100 ° and on the other hand a recess in the recto-anal area - for non-contact of the area to be protected. A more elaborate version is based on the combination of this type of seat cushion with a lumbar support cushion. The two types of cushions above have existed on the market for a long time and no longer present any particular inventive character, and the specialists and people who use them readily admit limitations to these solutions due to their orientation towards the relief of a single pathology - coccygodynia - and an effectiveness which is further degraded as with the use of such seat cushions become soft and / or too inclined. Finally, we must also mention bedsores, which are generally wounds occurring in weakened people following compression of tissues in areas where the underlying bones are exposed. This compression causes a process of reduction or cessation of blood flow in the capillaries called ischemia. Tissue hypoxia then occurs in one to two hours and the bedsore sets in, initially in the form of redness (persistent erythema, stage 1) which will progress to the appearance of more or less deep wounds, which may become purulent, and lead to tissue necrosis. Therefore, existing devices are intended to relieve / reduce the pressure exerted on the body at the targeted areas and there are currently many devices proposed for the prevention of sacral pressure ulcers (which cover the area of ​​the intergluteal fold, the coccyx and the sacrum itself). All of them are cushion or mattress type supports. And according to the opinions established in France by the National Commission for the Evaluation of Medical Devices and Health Technologies, it is appropriate to distinguish between static supports called "low tech" according to Anglo-Saxon terminology, and dynamic supports called "high tech". The complementary "low tech" seating devices for preventing pressure sores consist of cushions of different shapes to protect bony prominences when sitting (sacrum and coccyx, ischial bones), and reduce pressure when sitting (stabilize forward sliding). "High-tech" supplementary seating devices are intended to assist with treatment once a pressure ulcer has occurred or for people at high risk of developing pressure ulcers. These are "dynamic," motorized supports that rely on the motorization of an alternating inflation / deflation cycle of modules that make up the support. Summary of the invention The problem then posed is to provide answers to the shortcomings, gaps or weaknesses of the above existing solutions, which ignore the stresses on the soft parts in shear and compression, for people who may have or suffer from pain when standing or sitting or at risk of pressure sores in the latter position, by proposing a complementary support device, to be placed on a support or to be integrated into an existing or new support, and aiming on the one hand to provide comfort by allowing these people - on the basis of the natural profile of postural balance - to maintain posture and comfort in the standing or sitting position and on the other hand to relieve their back and lumbar pain and their perineal pain in the broad sense (including the areas from the pubis to the sacrum), and moreover to prevent pressure sores in this region of the pelvis in the sitting position. Thus, a solution to the problem posed is a support and comfort device allowing anyone who may have problems with discomfort or pain when sitting or standing to maintain themselves comfortably on any support on which she wants to place the lower part of her body corresponding to her sitting position (in this case her pelvis) or standing position (in this case the soles of her feet), and comprising: - a first part, called the base of the device, which is at least partially rigid and which rests on the said support, - at least a second part arranged above the first and having a shape adapted to receive the soft parts of the body segments of the lower part of said person corresponding to his sitting position (in this case his pelvis) or standing position (in this case his soles), and consisting of at least two pads, each supporting a soft part of a body segment of said lower part of the person, and - at least a third part consisting of at least as many ball-joint shock absorbers as pads and arranged between the second part, which presses on these ball-joint shock absorbers, and the first rigid part on which the third part itself presses. And according to the invention: the first rigid part rests vertically on the support and is free to tilt relative to it in all directions around a vertical axis, like an inverted pendulum, and, thus accompanying the macro-movements of the body segments mobilized when the person adopts the sitting or standing position, this first rigid part is able to achieve gravitational balance following these macro-movements the second part secured to the third part is made up of articulated pads which, independently of each other, support each of the soft parts constituting the body segments and, thus accompanying the micro-movements of postural regulation, they are able to allow a release of joint-muscular tensions and each of these three parts constituting the device is free to move independently of each other and accompanies, in a coordinated and permanent manner,micro-movements of solicitation and postural regulation of the soft parts and macro-movements of postural balance of the person., Thus, the solution of the invention is based on permanent accompaniment and support of all the movements explained previously - macro-movements of position, natural movements of comfort, micro-movements of regulation and micro-movements of stress, - and this accompaniment allows each movement to be independent of one another, while all the movements are accomplished in a coordinated manner in order to avoid putting joint-muscular tension beyond a threshold of discomfort or pain, whereas to date there is no device which combines these different permanent actions of accompaniment of these movements within the scope of the invention.The production of devices according to the invention, as stated above and described below, combine, by combining them in a permanent and coordinated manner, the macromovements of postural balance and the micromovements of postural regulation, while ensuring at the same time permanent support and a homogeneous distribution of pressure on the soft parts, and this whatever the posture adopted by the person in a seated position. In fact, the device of the invention represents a radical innovation in the field of the postural chain by making possible a dynamic postural balance, unlike the static seats of the state of the art which weaken the muscular tone; by design the device of the invention is a dynamic seat which allows active positions - therefore freedom of movement - around the balance, stimulating the natural adoption of an erect posture. Such a support and comfort device according to the invention is thus a device for accompanying dynamic postural balance for any person in a sitting or standing position because it permanently and independently combines: a first part which accompanies the macro-movements, of the inverted pendulum type, for the pelvis in a sitting position, for the lower limbs in a standing position, or for the legs when the feet rest on a footrest, a second part, integral with the first by ball joint shock absorbers, which permanently and uniformly supports each of the soft parts to accompany the micro-movements completely independently and avoid the tensioning of muscle fibers and tendons, seat of the proprioceptive system, brain of the postural chain. The first part, called the base of the device, is constituted, in a preferred embodiment (and with reference to the prior art constituted, with regard to a device for maintaining and providing comfort in a seated position, patent EP2381817 from the company Backjoy Orthopedics), by a completely rigid hollow part whose lower surface, curved and convex in shape, is rounded in all directions, including the sagittal and lateral planes, In the present invention, on the one hand, the term "pad" refers to any part, forming the second part of the device of the invention, made of a more or less hard rigid material and whose upper face, supporting in the case of the seated position the buttocks and thighs of the person sitting on it, has a shape adapted to the pelvis and thighs, preferably slightly curved, and on the other hand, the term "ball joint shock absorber" refers to any device or material made, with an upper face receiving a pad and a lower face pressing on the rigid part, a person skilled in the art being capable of producing such a device or material with his or her technical knowledge alone, and which allows on the one hand to crush itself when it is subjected to a vertical force such as the weight of a person and whose upper face can tilt, relative to its lower face,by rotation in all directions: by way of example (as represented in the figures attached as preferred embodiments) these ball-joint shock absorbers can each be constituted by at least one block of high resilience foam, by an elastomer block or by at least one spring, and the external perimeter of which, including that of the upper face, is included inside the surface of the pad, to which they are each associated., In another embodiment, the "damper-ball joint / pad" assembly can be made in one piece, as is done for the pads as used in pad bases. The “shock absorber-ball joint / pad” assembly is designed to support natural comfort movements and the micro-regulation movements defined previously. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention for a support and comfort seating device, the second part of this device is made up of at least four pads independent of each other, at least two of which each support a thigh of the person and at least two others each support soft parts (right buttock and left buttock) anchored to the pelvis and each resting on at least one ball-joint shock absorber. Preferably, at least the second part, for a support and comfort seating device according to the invention, comprises a recess whose location and shape correspond at least to the surface of the area at risk of pain occurring - such as pelvic-perineal pain - or damage, such as bedsores, to the person in a seated position, when this area is put under pressure. And the device according to the invention may also comprise, whether for the sitting or standing position, a fourth part arranged above the second part and made of flexible contact material supporting the lower part of the person's body, corresponding to their position, The result is a new device, in particular for the sitting position, which addresses the problem posed and allows, according to the characteristics above and those described below in the description of the figures: to increase seating comfort and in particular: to optimize the load-bearing surface of the body - load which represents around 2 / 3 of the body weight) and distribute the pressure and reduce the pressure peak zones, or even eliminate them; to maintain the bust in a good position called "erect" - alignment ears / shoulders / hips - while allowing support for the movements (previously called "macro") of tilting of the pelvis, micro-movements of regulating the gravitational balance, as well as micro-movements of stress and the natural movements of the person such as turning or tilting the head, raising an arm, scratching, moving a leg forward, etc.; and the present invention thus has micro and macro support systems which can act in concert and independently of each other whereas the devices of the prior art only respond to macro mobility. to have a reference base insensitive to the nature of the seat, on which to rest the seating device which is the subject of the present invention; to allow by adding wedges (see below) under the base a preferential inclination of said base in order to adapt to the natural balance profile specific to each individual - anteversion, retroversion, or neutral, the first condition for adopting the correct posture, and by offering a good thigh - spine inclination (angle often recommended around 100° between the thighs and the vertical trunk);to be able to be assisted by a system that can support the lumbar region to maintain a good, constant sacral slope specific to each individual; to best wrap the pelvis to keep it firmly in position on the seating device to prevent the appearance of pain or damage due to prolonged sitting and the pressure exerted and, above all, to eliminate any contact or risk of contact with painful areas (such as pudendal neuralgia, coccygodynia, hemorrhoids, pilonidal cysts, etc.) or at risk of damage such as bedsores in the lower pelvic area (coccyx, ischium, sacrum). to ensure the skin can breathe and stimulate blood circulation.; Thus, the present invention satisfies the prevention of painful positions and the alleviation of the feeling of pain, as well as the prevention of pathological deterioration such as bedsores and this list is not exhaustive of the comfort and prevention situations which can be satisfied by this seating device. The device, in particular for the comfortable sitting position according to the invention, in fact allows anyone experiencing pain when sitting to maintain posture and sitting comfort by combining several functions: adaptation to the natural balance profile specific to each individual, by adding wedges under the base at the front or at the back, facilitation by design of a thigh-spine inclination preferably between 90 and 100 °, achieving, like the prior art, gravitational balance following macromovements (flexion of the bust and swings of the pelvis on the seat so as to facilitate the alignment of the spine on the pelvis) accompany the regulation of gravitational balance for the maintenance of good posture, which allows both the person to make natural movements while maintaining their comfort and to carry out the necessary micro-regulation movements without muscular tension - in other words allowing a cone of deviation around the gravitational balance without creating joint-muscular tension which is totally innovative: the seating device according to the invention thus widens the range of good posture configurations admissible by the seat; In addition, the use of the device according to the invention in a seated position can integrate the management of localized pain occurring in the area from the sacrum to the pubis by taking into account several complementary functionalities: . elimination of contact - and therefore pressure, friction, shearing - at the level of the areas at risk of pain or damage; . optimum lift allowing pressure distribution without hard points. Brief description of the figures For the description of the invention and the understanding of the claims, the vertical, longitudinal and transverse orientations according to the V, L, T reference system indicated in the figures will be adopted, without limitation and without limiting reference to Earth's gravity, and the longitudinal L and transverse T axes of which extend in a horizontal plane. By convention, the longitudinal axis L (and along which the longitudinal sections are made) is oriented from the back to the front of the device, i.e. from the pelvis to the thighs of the person sitting on it, the lateral or transverse axis T (and along which the transverse sections are made) is oriented from the right to the left for the person sitting on the device and the vertical axis V is oriented from below to above the device on which the person sits, and, in such a frame of reference following the direction of the vertical axis V, the lower surfaces are thus those located below, and what is called upper is located above. In the following description, identical, similar or analogous elements will be designated by the same reference numbers and the embodiments described do not restrict the scope of the invention, other embodiments being possible within the scope of the present invention. Thus, in the embodiment and application examples described below, seating devices are described as such and a single example (in figure 12) of a device integrated into its support to produce a stool that can be used in particular by a dentist who must be able to lean and move on it while maintaining comfort, but the use of the device according to the invention can be broader and, for example, be integrated into automobile seats or other types of chair, stool, armchair, etc. Other characteristics, particularities and advantages of the invention will appear during the reading of the detailed description below of several exemplary embodiments and for the understanding of which reference will be made to the appended drawings, in which: [Fig. 1] represents a person ready to sit on a first example of embodiment of a seating device according to the invention, and an exploded perspective view before assembly of this device according to the invention, also represented in a schematic view from below in Figure 8; [Fig. 2] schematically represents a rear view in cross-section along II, II' of figure 4 of an embodiment of a device according to the invention for the standing position, that is to say of a balance board, or for a footrest; [Fig. 3] schematically represents a side view in longitudinal section along III, III' of the exemplary embodiment of the device of figure 4; [Fig. 4] schematically represents a top view of an example of embodiment of the device according to the invention for the standing position, i.e. a balance board, or for a footrest; [Fig. 5] schematically represents a cross-sectional view along V,V' of figures 6 and 8 of an exemplary embodiment of a device according to the invention which can be either for the seated position or, as in figures 2 to 4, for the standing position; [Fig. 6] schematically represents a bottom view of an exemplary embodiment of the device according to the invention, comprising two pads for the sitting position; [Fig. 7] schematically represents a bottom view of another exemplary embodiment of the device according to the invention, comprising three pads for the sitting position; [Fig. 8] schematically represents a schematic bottom view of the first example of embodiment of the device according to the invention shown in Figure 1, and comprising four pads for the sitting position; [Fig. 9] represent an example of a shock absorber-ball joint consisting of three springs 17i, but there could be only one or two or on the contrary more, in side view 9A and 9B and in view from below or from above 9C; [Fig. 10] schematically represents a longitudinal sectional view along X,X' of figure 8 of the first exemplary embodiment of the device according to the invention; [Fig. 11a] represents a top view of the first example of embodiment of the device according to the invention shown in figures 1 and 8, but here provided with sliders in an arc of a circle centered on the hip joint allowing the natural separation of the thighs to be accompanied; [Fig. 11 b] represents a longitudinal sectional view along XI XI' of figure 11a. [Fig. 12] schematically represents an elevation and front view of an example of a seat, here a stool on casters, incorporating an embodiment of a seating device according to the invention. [Fig. 13] schematically represents a sectional and front view of another example of a seat, here an armchair, incorporating another embodiment of a seating device according to the invention. [Fig. 14a] schematically represents a longitudinal sectional view (i.e. perpendicular to the section W' of figures 6 and 8 and in the sectional plane passing through the ball joint shock absorbers 5I, 52) of an exemplary embodiment of a seating device according to the invention, and which comprises at least one shim for adjusting the inclination of the base in the retroversion position. [Fig. 14b] schematically represents a cross-sectional view like Fig. 14a but with a shim to adjust the inclination of the base in the anteversion position. Detailed description of the invention Figures 1 to 8 and 10 and 11 represent views of several examples of support and comfort devices capable of allowing any person, who may have problems with discomfort or pain in a sitting or standing position, to maintain themselves comfortably on any support 6, on which they wish to place the lower part of their body corresponding to their position, and comprising - a first part 8, called the base of the device which is at least partially rigid, is able to come to rest on said support 6, - at least one second part 11 arranged above the first and having a shape adapted to receive the soft parts of the body segments of the lower part 9 of said person corresponding to his sitting or standing position, and consisting of at least two pads 10i each supporting one of the soft parts of a body segment of the lower part 9 of the person, and - at least a third part 4 consisting of at least as many shock absorbers-ball joints 5i as pads 10i and arranged between the second part 11 which presses on these shock absorbers-ball joints 5i and the first rigid part 8 on which it rests: All the devices according to the invention are such that: -the first rigid part 8 rests vertically on the support 6 and is free to tilt, without blocking, relative to the latter in all directions around a vertical axis, like a pendulum inverted, and, thus accompanying the macro-movements of the body segments, mobilized when adopting the sitting or standing position, of the person, this first rigid part 8 is able to achieve gravitational balance following these macro-movements - the second part, attached to the third part, is made up of articulated pads which, independently of each other, support each of the soft parts of the body segments and, thus accompanying the micro-movements of postural regulation, they are able to allow a release of joint-muscular tensions - and each of these three parts constituting the device is free to move independently of one another and accompany in a coordinated and permanent manner the macro movements of postural balance of the person and the micro movements of postural regulation of the soft parts. In the exemplary embodiments shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, 5, 10 and 11b the free tilting of the first part 8, for accompanying macro-movements, is obtained by a base of the device which is a completely rigid hollow part 8 whose lower surface is curved and convex in shape, rounded in all directions (including the sagittal and lateral planes), and moreover the upper surface of this hollow part 8 is curved, concave and rounded at least in the longitudinal direction, or even equally in all directions, and in this case the part 8 can have a quasi-constant thickness. In another embodiment, this free tilting, for accompanying macro-movements, in all directions is obtained, as shown in Figure 12, by a base of the device 8, which is here a seating device 8, which comprises a rigid part 8' supporting the third part 4 of the device 1 and an articulation 16 (such as a silent-block which ensures this articulation function while limiting the tilting angle) fixed under this rigid part 8' and capable of being fixed itself to its lower part on the support 61 which is here the foot of a stool, shown in elevation and from the front and thus integrating a seating device according to the invention. When it is a seating device and the second part 11 is made up of at least three or four pads 10i independent of each other (as shown in Figure 7 where there are three and in Figures 1, 8 and 11 where there are four), at least two of which each support a thigh 3 of the person and at least one other (and even two in the four-pad configuration) his pelvis 9, and each resting on at least one shock absorber-ball joint 5i, the tilting of the first part can be obtained, as shown in Figure 13 for integration in a box 62 of an armchair (or car seat), by a base of the seat 8 which comprises a rigid part 8' fixed at its lower part on the support 6 (which is here the bottom of the box 62 of an armchair) and an articulation system capable of tilting in all directions, located above and integral with this rigid part 8',which articulation system comprises at least as many fingers 8i as shock absorbers-ball joints 5i, each finger 8i supporting a shock absorber-ball joint 5i of the third part 4., This last embodiment of the base of a seating device therefore aims in particular, like that shown in Figure 12, at the integration of the device according to the invention into an existing or new seat or seating support (armchair as in this Figure 13, chair, stool as in Figure 12, ...): the articulation system of said seat base 8 can thus comprise a tri- or quadripod mechanism (or more) of which the three or four constituent elements 8i at least, which have been called fingers above, form at their lower end (or rest on) the rigid part 8' forming a common base fixed on the support 6 which is an element of the frame of the seat integrating the device according to the invention. These fingers 8i are articulated in rotation relative to the common base 8', while their upper distal ends each support a “shock absorber-ball joint / pad” assembly, each element or finger 8i being limited in its possible rotation under the effect of the weight transmitted by the “shock absorber-ball joint / pad” assembly, for example by a return spring: to achieve the rotation of these elements or fingers 8i: - these can each be made by an S-shaped spring blade forming at its lower end the rigid part 8' forming a base (with the other ends of the other spring blades; or it can be the same spring blade, as in the example of figure 13, in the shape of an inverted omega which constitutes two diametrically opposed fingers, the top of the omegas forming the rigid part 8'); which base 8' being fixed on the support 6, - or these fingers 8i can all be rigid and their lower end fixed on a ball joint, forming the rigid part or base 8' and itself fixed to the support 6 (this embodiment is not shown), - and in all cases the upper ends of these fingers 8i each receive the shock absorber-ball joint 5i which is associated with it and which rests on it. To allow tilting, for the accompaniment of micromovements, both forwards and backwards and to the sides, of the second part 1 1 , and of the pads 10i which constitute it, relative to the base of the device 8 and without risk of coming into abutment against it, which is especially useful and even necessary when it is a seating device, on the one hand the height of the shock absorber-ball joints 5i must be calculated accordingly but also the projection S8 of the surface of the first part 8 on that Su defined by the periphery (because this is valid even when the second part is made up of several independent pads as in the embodiments shown in figures 6 to 8) of the second part 1 1 , and perpendicular to it, is located inside the periphery of the surface S1 1 of the second part 1 1 , as shown in figures 2, 5, 10 and 1 1 b. In figures 2 (which is a back view) and 6 (which is a bottom view), the second part 11 of the device 1 is made up of two independent pads 10i supporting, - when it is a seating device, one 10i,102 the left side of the pelvis 9 and the left thigh 32 and the other 103,104 the right side of the pelvis 9 and the right thigh 32 of the person, and - when it is a device for standing, then called a balance board, or a footrest, one pad I O3 supports the right foot and the other I O2 the left foot of the person, each pad resting on at least one shock absorber-ball joint 5i. And according to the embodiment of figure 7 for a seating device 1, the second part 11 of the seating device 1 is made up of at least three pads 10i independent of each other, at least two of them 102, 10s each supporting a thigh 3i of the person and at least one other 10i and / or 104 his pelvis 9, and each resting on at least one shock absorber-ball joint 5i. And according to the embodiment of figure 8 for a seating device 1, the second part 11 of the seating device 1 is made up of at least four pads 10i independent of each other, of which at least two of them each support a thigh 3 of the person and at least two others each support soft parts (right buttocks and left buttocks) anchored on the pelvis 9, and each resting on at least one shock absorber-ball joint 5i. In all embodiments for a seating device 1 and comprising independent pads 10i for the thighs and the pelvis (as in figures 1, 7, 8, 10 and 11), the length of the pads receiving the pelvis 9 is greater than that of the pads receiving the thighs 3. According to the embodiment of figures 1 1 for a seating device 1 the two pads 10i each supporting a thigh 3 can each perform a lateral rotation and their rotational separation angle is between 0 and 40° relative to the sagittal plane, these pads 10i being thus able to accompany the natural spacing of the thighs: for this two rails 13i are integrated into the base of the seat 8 (and on each side of the latter corresponding to the pads 102, 103 supporting the thighs), and each following an arc of a circle having: - for center 12i and 122 the vertical projection of the center of rotation respectively of each of the hips of the person to sit on the device 1, and - for radius the distance between the center 12i and the center of each of the shock absorbers - ball joints 5i which are each integral with a support 14i fixed on a slide 15i which housed in the corresponding rail 13i is guided by it. Preferably, as shown in Figure 1, the comfort seating device 1 according to the invention also comprises a fourth part 7 arranged above the second part 11 and made of flexible contact material, supporting, for a seating device, the pelvis 9 and the thighs 3 of the person, and, for a balance board or a footrest, the soles of the latter's feet, and this fourth part 7 can be made up of as many independent elements as the second part 11, each of these elements being arranged above the pads 10 which constitute the second part 11 and having at least the same surface dimensions as the latter. According to figures 2 to 4, for a balance board or a footrest, the device according to the invention can consist of a shell with a spherical base 8 or any other device - rigid arch structure or made up of a spring blade, board bridged on springs, board mounted on a silent block, etc. - which rests on any flat support 6, which in this case is generally the ground, making it possible to accompany the general postural movement of an inverted pendulum, inscribed in an inverted cone of more or less large diameter. On the shell 8 are fixed at least two independent pads 10i and 102 each articulated by a shock-absorbing ball joint, represented, in figures 2 and 3 in one embodiment, by springs 5i and 52 but which can - as described previously for the realizations of "seat cushions" - be made by a block of high density foam, an elastomer, a silent block articulation - ... intended to receive the soles of the feet and to finely accompany the movements of these two body segments, which makes it possible to facilitate muscular work without inducing harmful or painful tensions, and allowing an extension of the use of the balance board. The pads I O2 and I O3 must adapt to the natural spacing of the feet, which generally corresponds to the width of the shoulders (on average from 35 to 50 cm for women and from 40 to 55 cm for men) and taking into account the average width of the feet (from 8 to 10 cm for women and from 9 to 1 1 cm for men) and their length (from 22 to 26 cm for women and from 24 to 28 cm for men) these pads may preferably be sized with a width of 20 cm and a length of 35 cm and the ball joint shock absorbers 5i of these pads 10i supporting the soles of the feet are fixed at their lower part on self-locking guides 20 inserted and sliding in at least one rail 19 secured to the first part 8 and arranged transversely: these guides 20 are thus able to adjust themselves thus, by displacement N'N along the rail 19, at the distance between the person's feet: the rail 19, forming a width adjustment rule,can allow a distance between the internal edges of the I O2 and I O3 pads of the order of 10 cm in the minimum spacing position and 35 cm in the maximum spacing position, The embodiments of such a rail 19, forming an adjustment rule, with sliding guides 20 are accessible to any person skilled in the art, and the shell 8 with a spherical base can have a projected surface, on the support 6 which is therefore in this case the ground, of 75 cm in the transverse direction by 25 cm in the longitudinal direction. But any other configuration is possible (hull with circular projection, cross-shaped hull, etc.) The invention device also aims to adapt the sitting conditions to the different “natural” postural balance profiles of each person because, as already explained previously, the erect position of the human being and bipedal walking are possible thanks to a spino-pelvic balance which responds to a coherence between parameters specific to the pelvis and others to the spine, and each individual has specific spino-pelvic anatomical characteristics which are the result of all the postures adopted during childhood, and fixed at the end of growth and the most important anatomical parameter for evaluating spino-pelvic stability is the pelvic incidence which reflects the base on which the spine rests. However, the variability of the pelvic incidence in the human population is 53° ± 10°. This then defines 3 types of distinct natural balance profiles as already indicated previously: . - neutral natural profile characterized by a non-tilted pelvis - - pelvic incidence = 53° ± 3° - and lordosis with a moderate arch. - natural retroverted profile characterized by a rearward tilt of the pelvis - pelvic incidence < 50° - and a right lordosis; this is typically the profile adopted by dancers in their young age to obtain a haughty, tall carriage, which induces hypolordosis of the spine established at the end of adolescence. - natural retroverted profile characterized by a forward tilt of the pelvis - pelvic incidence > 56° - and a lordosis with a pronounced arch. Postural regulation is then done around the natural balance profile of each type of profile and to reproduce this natural postural balance in a sitting position, it is necessary to be able to maintain the initial tilting of the pelvis linked to each of the natural profiles, in order to to then be able to regulate postural balance around this reference position. To do this, it is sufficient to be able to adjust the inclination of the base as a reference position around which the postural regulation will then continue to act by the free tilting of the base around this reference position. Thus, to reproduce the natural postural balance in a sitting position, it is proposed to have shims 21 for adjusting the tilt of the base of the seat in order to force it either into retroversion (inclined backwards) or into anteversion (inclined forwards). And there is no shim available to leave the seat free in a neutral position (i.e. horizontal in balance). Thus according to figures 14 (where it will be noted, in these examples of embodiment of seating devices, and moreover as for those of figures 2 and 3 of balance boards but in this case in the direction of the width, the projection of the surface of this base or first part 8 on that of the second part 1 1 , or pads 10, and perpendicular to it, has a length situated outside that of this second part 1 1 , unlike the other examples of embodiment where the projection of the surface of the first part 8 on that of the second part 1 1 , and perpendicular to it, is situated inside the periphery of the surface of the second part 1 1 ) the inclination of the base 8 is adjusted to adapt to the natural balance profile specific to each person by placing a wedge 21 under the base 8: - wedge 21 arranged at the front on the side of the pads 102 (I O3) supporting the person's thighs, for people with a retroverted profile (figure 14a), when their natural profile is characterized by a rearward tilt and a right lordosis - wedge 21 placed at the rear on the side of the pads 10i (104) supporting the person's buttocks, for people with a profile in anteversion (figure 14 b), when the natural profile of these is characterized by a forward tilting of the pelvis and a strongly arched lordosis; - and of course no wedge (as in figure 5) for people with a neutral profile, in order to leave the base 8 of the seat free to move in a neutral position (horizontal inclination) when the natural profile of these people is characterized by a straight pelvis and a lordosis with a slight arch.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. Device (1) for support and comfort allowing any person, who may have problems with discomfort or pain when sitting or standing, to maintain themselves comfortably on any support (6) on which they wish to place the lower part of their body corresponding to their position, and comprising: - a first part (8), called the base of the device which is at least partially rigid and rests on said support (6) - at least a second part (1 1 ) arranged above the first, having a shape adapted to receive the soft parts of the body segments of the lower part (9) of said person corresponding to his sitting or standing position, and consisting of at least two pads, (1 Oi) each supporting a soft part of a body segment of the lower part (9) of the person, and - at least a third part (4) consisting of at least as many ball-joint dampers (5i) as pads (10i) and arranged between the second part (11) which presses on these ball-joint dampers (5i) and the first rigid part (8) on which it rests: characterized in that: - the first rigid part (8) rests vertically on the support (6) and tilts freely relative to the latter in all directions around a vertical axis, like an inverted pendulum, and, thus accompanying the macro-movements of the body segments, mobilized when the person adopts the sitting or standing position, this first rigid part (8) is capable of achieving gravitational equilibrium following these macro-movements - the second part, integral with the third part, is made up of articulated pads which, independently of each other, support each of the soft parts of the body segments and, thus accompanying the micro-movements of postural regulation, they are able to allow a release of joint-muscular tensions and, - each of these three parts constituting the device is free to move independently of one another and accompany in a coordinated and permanent macromovements of postural balance of the person and micromovements of postural regulation of the soft parts.

2. Device (1) for support and comfort according to claim 1 characterized in that the base of the device (8) is a completely rigid hollow part, and its lower surface of curved and convex shape is rounded in all directions including the sagittal and lateral planes.

3. Device (1) for support and comfort according to any one of claims 1 and 2 characterized in that the base of the device (8) comprises a rigid part supporting the third part (4) and an articulation fixed under this rigid part and capable of being fixed itself to its lower part on the support (6).

4. Device (1) for support and comfort according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the device is a seating device whose second part (11) is made up of two independent pads (10i), one supporting the right side of the pelvis (9) and the right thigh (31) and the other the left side of the pelvis (9) and the left thigh (32) of the person, and each resting on at least one shock absorber-ball joint (5i).

5. Device (1) for support and comfort according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the device is a seating device whose second part (1 1 ) is made up of at least three pads (1 Oi) independent of each other, at least two of them each supporting a thigh (3) of the person and at least one other their pelvis (9), and each resting on at least one shock absorber-ball joint (5i).

6. Device (1) for support and comfort according to claim 5 characterized in that the second part (1 1 ) is made up of at least four pads (1 Oi) independent of each other, two of which at least they each support one thigh (3) of the person and two others each support soft parts (right buttocks and left buttocks) anchored on the pelvis (9), and each resting on at least one shock absorber-ball joint (5i).

7. Device (1) for support and comfort according to any one of claims 5 and 6, characterized in that two of the pads (10i) each supporting a thigh (3) can each perform a lateral rotation and their rotational separation angle is between 0 and 35° relative to the sagittal plane, these pads (10i) thus being able to accompany the natural separation of the thighs.

8. Device (1) for support and comfort according to any one of claims 5 and 6, characterized in that the base of the seat (8) comprises a rigid part fixed at its lower part to the support (6) and an articulation system comprising as many fingers as there are shock absorbers-ball joints (5i), located above and integral with this rigid part, and each finger supporting a shock absorber-ball joint (5i) of the third part (4).

9. Device (1) for support and comfort according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the projection of the surface of the first part (8) onto that of the second part (11), and perpendicular to the latter, is located inside the periphery of the surface of the second part (11).

10. Device (1) for support and comfort according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the device is a device for support and comfort in the standing position, the second part (11) of which is made up of two independent pads (10i), one supporting the right foot and the other the left foot of the person, and each resting on at least one shock absorber-ball joint (5i). 1 1 . Device (1) for support and comfort according to claim 10 characterized in that the two shock absorber-ball joints (5i) of the pads (10i) are fixed at their lower part on guides (20) inserted and sliding in at least one rail (19) integral with the first part (8), and capable of thus adjusting to the spacing of the person's feet.

12. Device (1) for support and comfort according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the shock absorbers-ball joints (5i) are constituted by blocks of foam or elastomers, the perimeters of the upper faces of which are included inside the surfaces of the pads (10i) with which they are each associated.

13. Device (1) for support and comfort according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the shock absorbers-ball joints (5i) are constituted by at least one spring, the external perimeter of which is included inside that of the pads (10i) with which they are each associated.

14. Device (1) for support and comfort according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that it comprises a fourth part (7) arranged above the second part (11) and made of flexible contact material supporting the lower part of the person's body corresponding to their position, 15. Device (1) for support and comfort according to claim 14 characterized in that the fourth part (7) is made up of as many independent elements as the second part (11), each of these elements being arranged above the pads (10) which constitute the second part (11) and having at least the same surface dimensions as the latter.

16. Device (1) for support and comfort according to any one of claims 1, 2, 4 to 7, 9, 12 to 16 characterized in that the device is a seating device and the inclination of its base (8) is adjusted by placing a shim (21) either under the front or under the rear of the base (8).

17. Device (1) for support and comfort according to any one of claims 1 to 9 and 12 to 16, characterized in that the device is a seating device of which at least the second part (11) comprises a recess (2) whose location and shape correspond at least to the surface of the zone at risk of pain or damage occurring, when this zone is put under pressure.

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