GB2487985A

GB2487985A - Conformal seat

Info

Publication number: GB2487985A
Application number: GB1102534.3A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alexander Neil Paterson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2011-02-14
Filing date: 2011-02-14
Publication date: 2012-08-15
Anticipated expiration: 2031-02-14
Also published as: GB201102534D0; GB2487985B

Abstract

A seat which is comfortable for prolonged sitting comprises a single length of transverse webbing 3, continuous over side supports 1 and returned by bobbins 7 mounted below on side plates 6. The webbing 3 is interwoven with separate pieces of longitudinal webbing 4 attached to a rear support 2. The front central part of the webbing is supported on a shaped centre support 5 pinned at the back and supported at the front on a spring 8. This arrangement permits the webbing to slide relative to the supports, to the bobbins and to itself to create a seat shape that automatically fits to the sitter's buttocks and thighs. The centre support spring allows the centre support to retract when sitting forward. The webbing is made of breathable material.

Description

COMFORTABLE SEAT

This invention relates to a seat which is comfortable for prolonged sitting.

Almost all contemporary seats cornpdse a thick elastic foam material that is supported firmly all over from below and is covered all over above by a fabric.

Normally the shape of the upper surface of such a seat is relatively flat and is not

adjustable.

The sitting surface shape of the human buttocks and thighs is not flat but a rather complicated three dimensional shape which varies considerably from person to person and with sitting posture. Local compression by the buttocks and thighs of the foam material of contemporary seats produces only limited fitting of the two surfaces that soon leads to discomfort from high peak contact pressures, particularly on the flesh below the pelvic bones and thighs. Because of this lack of fit, when the sitter leans back for lumbar support, the resulting horizontal reaction tends to push the sitter forwards off the relatively flat seat. This reaction has to be resisted by a horizontal shear friction force between the sitter and the seat that soon causes discomfort from high peak shear stresses, particularly on the flesh below the pelvic bones and thighs. Also the impermeability of such seats soon results in an increase in skin temperature and sweating at the seat surface due to poor ventilation.

An object of this invention is to provide a seat which adjusts to automatically fit the shape of the sitter's buttocks and thighs so minimising seating contact pressures, which assists the sitter's posture by providing distributed pressures so resisting the horizontal forward reaction from lumbar support and which also allows good ventilation at the seat surface.

According to the present invention there is provided a seat comprising a single length of transverse webbing, continuous over side supports and returned by bobbins mounted below the side supports, that is interwoven with separate lengths of longitudinal webbing, with the front central part of the woven webbing supported on a shaped, sprung centre support such that the webbing can slide relative to the supports, to the bobbins and to itself to create a seat shape which fits to the sitter's buttocks and thighs.

Preferably the webbing is made of a breathable material and means are provided for adjusting the active lengths of the webbing. Preferably the transverse webbing, after passing over the side supports, is reversed in direction and suitably spaced by passing down under a fixed device such as a bobbin mounted on a sloping side plate below the side supports, before returning up over the side supports. Preferably the centre support is shaped, pinned at the back and spring supported at the front to allow the centre support to retract when sitting forward.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:-Figure 1 shows in perspective the proposed seat; (To facilitate comprehension of the drawing, very wide webbing is pictured and very big gaps are shown between adjacent lengths of webbing. In practice, about 20 traverses of much narrower webbing with much smaller gaps are used.) Figure 2 shows a central longitudinal section 22 of the seat; Figure 3 shows a forward transverse section 33 of the seat; Figure 4 shows a rearward transverse section 44 of the seat, Figure 5 shows a view normal to the sloping side plate mounting the bobbins and Figure 6 shows a section through the side support, sloping side plate and a bobbin.

Referring to the drawings, the seat comprises a support framework consisting of a rear support 2 and two side supports 1. A separate, shaped centre support 5 is pinned at the rear, slopes upwards underneath the front part of the seat, and is supported at the front on a spring 8.

Attached below each of the two side supports I is a sloping side plate 6 on which is mounted a series of bobbins 7.

A single piece of transverse webbing 3 is attached to the side support I near the rear support 2. The webbing traverses the width of the seat before passing over the opposite side support. The webbing twists 90 degrees as it passes down under a bobbin 7 and then untwists 90 degree as it passes back up and over the side support before traversing back across to the opposite side support. This pattern is repeated with the webbing traversing to and fro across the seat, including over the front centre support 5, being returned each time by the bobbins mounted below each of the two side supports. Finally the webbing is re-attached to the side support at the front.

Separate pieces of longitudinal webbing 4 are attached to the rear support 2 before being taken forward, alternately passing under and over the transverse webbing until they reach the front of the seat where they are attached to the front transverse webbing by a loop.

Means are provided at the webbing attachment positions to adjust the active length of webbing between the supports and hence to control the overall depth of the seat.

Means are also provided to adjust the height and slope of the centre support relative to the side and rear supports and hence to control the overall shape of the seat.

When sitting, differential vertical depression of the webbing over the seat area occurs by sliding of the webbing over the supports, over the bobbins and over itself that automatically and immediately fits the seat to the shape of the sitter's buttocks and thighs.

Claims

CLAIMS1 A seat comprising a single length of transverse webbing, continuous over side supports and returned by bobbins mounted below the side supports, that is interwoven with separate lengths of longitudinal webbing, with the front central part of the woven webbing supported on a shaped, sprung centre support such that the webbing can slide relative to the supports, to the bobbins and to itself to create a seat shape which fits to the sitter's buttocks and thighs.
2 A seat as claimed in Claim I in which the seating surface is formed entirely from interwoven webbing of a breathable material.
3 A seat as claimed in Claim I with means for adjusting the active length of the transverse webbing.
4 A seat as claimed in Claim I with means for adjusting the active length of the longitudinal webbing.
A seat as claimed in Claim 1 with means for adjusting the height of the centre support relative to the side and rear supports.
6 A seat as claimed in Claim 1 with means for adjusting the shape of the centre support.
7 A seat as claimed in Claim I with means for adjusting the spring rate of the spring supporting the centre support.
8 A seat substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 1-6 of the accompanying drawings.