Pendulum Stool With Spherical Foot for Isometric Seated Exercise
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dynamic stools and office chairs fail to effectively strain the muscles of the legs and back, leading to spinal muscle degeneration and vertebral damage due to poor posture, and existing exercise devices are either bulky or require movement, making them unsuitable for office use or difficult to implement.
Innovation Solution
A dynamic pendulum stool with a telescopic column and a spherical foot that allows isometric contraction of the muscle groups of the lower limbs and abdominal belt in a seated position, featuring a joint with three degrees of freedom and a small footprint, enabling occasional or continuous use as a conventional office chair.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a conventional office chair is used to support the body in an ideal sitting position, then user comfort is improved, but muscle strain is reduced leading to spinal muscle degeneration and vertebral damage
Solution Approach 1:
The stool employs a dynamic unstable equilibrium design where the seat is mounted on a connecting element consisting of an elastic element (spring) that allows the seat to tilt and move. This dynamic structure requires the user to actively engage leg and back muscles to maintain balance, transforming a static supportive chair into an active exercise device that prevents muscle degeneration while maintaining comfort
2Reliability
If a Pezzi ball is used to exercise leg and back muscles, then muscle strain is improved, but the device becomes bulky and unsuitable for office use
Solution Approach 1:
The invention integrates the exercise function within a compact stool structure that can be nested or folded. The seat, column, and foot components are arranged in a space-efficient configuration that allows the device to occupy minimal office space while maintaining the unstable equilibrium necessary for effective muscle exercise
Solution Approach 2:
The patent specifies precise geometric parameters including a foot with spherical curvature radius R between 5-15cm and column height H between 30-60cm, optimizing the device for both exercise effectiveness and compact footprint suitable for office environments
3Reliability
If gymnastic devices like bicycle or press are used to exercise leg and abdominal muscles, then muscle exercise is improved, but the devices require movement and lack mobility
Solution Approach 1:
The stool serves multiple functions: it provides seating support, enables muscle exercise through unstable equilibrium, and maintains mobility by being a standalone portable device. The foot with spherical curvature allows tilting movement in multiple directions, enabling comprehensive leg and abdominal muscle exercise without requiring the user to perform separate exercise movements
4Reliability
If electrostimulation devices are used to achieve isometric contraction of leg and abdominal muscles, then muscle exercise is improved, but the installation becomes complex requiring undressing
Solution Approach 1:
The device achieves isometric muscle contraction through passive mechanical means rather than active electrostimulation. The unstable equilibrium design automatically engages the user's leg and abdominal muscles to maintain balance, eliminating the need for complex electrode installation, wiring, or technical setup while achieving the same muscle exercise效果
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The stool provides isometric muscle contraction of the gastrocnemius, hamstrings, quadriceps, glutes, lumbar dorsal, and abdominal muscles through proprioception and equilibrium, improving muscle engagement without the need for bulky equipment or movement, while being compact and easy to use in an office setting.
Implementation Method 1
a foot (1), a column (2) secured to said foot (1) and a seat (3) secured to the upper end of said column (2), noteworthy in that the column consists of a telescopic column comprising a lower part integral with a spherical foot having a diameter less than or equal to 20 cm
Implementation Method 2
The German patent application DE 19533558 describes an active-dynamic seat comprising a foot which has a curved base surface, with concavity facing upwards, to allow a tilting movement, a column integral with the foot and a mounted seat at a fulcrum at the upper end of said column... The seat is mounted on a connecting element consisting of an elastic element forming a spring
Implementation Method 3
the column consists of a telescopic column comprising a lower part integral with a spherical foot having a diameter less than or equal to 20 cm and an upper part whose free end is provided with a joint comprising three degrees of freedom
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a dynamic pendula stool comprising a foot (1), a leg (2) secured to said foot (1) and a seat (3) secured to the top end of said leg (2); said stool is notable in that the leg (2) consists of a telescopic column having a lower part (2a) secured to a spherical foot (1) of a diameter of 20 cm or less, and an upper part (2b) the free end of which is provided with an articulation (9) that has 3° of freedom and is secured to the underside of the seat (3) so that when a user rests against the seat (3), the leg (2) makes an angle of between 30 and 90° with respect to the horizontal thus allowing an isometric contraction of the muscle groups of the lower limbs and of the abdominal girdle in the seated position.