CUSHION AND METHOD FOR USING SAME, CHAIR COMPRISING A CUSHION OF THIS TYPE AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for using a cushion, in particular for a chair, said cushion having a first cushion element (6) that can be moved with an associated degree of freedom. In said method, a sensor (98a, 98b, 98c, 98d) integrated into the cushion is used to sense the position or the change in position relative to at least one first cushion element (6), with respect to at least one degree of freedom associated with said element. The sensor (98a, 38b, 98c, 98d) is coupled to an interface (93) for the wireless output of measured values. The sensor (98a, 98b, 98c, 98d) senses measured values and sends at least some of the measured values over the interface (93) to a device (70, 80) outside the cushion, said device (70, 80) receiving and evaluating the measured values and emitting an output signal.

Claims

1-16. (canceled)

17. A method for using a cushion, in particular for a chair, preferably for an office, work or leisure chair, wherein the cushion comprises a cushion element, which can be moved with at least one degree of freedom associated with the cushion element, and has at least one sensor, which is integrated into the cushion, for sensing the position or the change in position to at least the cushion element with respect to at least one associated degree of freedom, wherein the sensor is coupled to an interface for the wireless output of measured values, wherein in the method, the at least one sensor senses measured values and sends at least some of the sensed measured values over the interface to a device outside the cushion, the device receives and evaluates the measured values and emits an output signal, the method is used in the case of a chair, in the case of which the at least one cushion is placed onto a seat rest or is integrated into a seat rest of this type, which is supported so as to be capable of wobbling, and wherein at least two sensors sense the position or change in position of two different regions of the seat rest and send corresponding measured values to the device, and the cushion comprises a pneumatic wobble cushion, which has a plurality of deformable air chambers, which are connected to one another, and rests on an elastically deformable hollow body, which acts as pump for pumping up the air chambers every time someone sits down on the cushion, and which fills with air again as a result of its elastic expansion every time someone gets up from the cushion.

18. The method according to claim 17, which is used in the case of a cushion, which is placed onto a chair or is integrated into said chair, which has at least one device for setting, by means of which at least one of the cushion elements and at least one of the degrees of freedom associated therewith can be set, to what extent a movement can be attained at all or with which application of force a certain movement can be attained, wherein the output signal gives an instruction for actuating a device of the at least one device for setting.

19. The method according to claim 17, in the case of which a control signal is output as output signal.

20. The method according to claim 19, in the case of which the device outside the cushion is or comprises a data processing device, in particular computer, smartphone, tablet computer, which has an output device, wherein the control signal controls the output device.

21. The method according to claim 20, in the case of which the sensor continuously senses measured values, said measured values are continuously sent to the data processing device and said measured values are continuously received by said data processing device, and an output made on the output device varies in time as a function of the measured values.

22. The method according to claim 20, in the case of which the control signal is used to control a user input for a program, in particular to control a cursor and/or as input signal for an application, a game or the like.

23. The method according to claim 17, in the case of which the output signal is or comprises an optical, acoustic or haptically acting output signal, which can be sensed by a person.

24. The method according to claim 17, in the case of which the device makes outputs outside the cushion, by means of which a person sitting or standing on the cushion element is prompted to make movements on the cushion, in particular predetermined movements.

25. A cushion, in particular for a chair, preferably for an office, work or leisure chair, comprising at least one cushion element and a sensor integrated into the cushion for sensing the position or the change in position to the cushion element with respect to at least one degree of freedom associated with said cushion element, wherein the sensor is coupled to an interface for the wireless output of measured values, wherein the cushion comprises a pneumatic wobble cushion, which has a plurality of deformable air chambers, which are connected to one another, and rests on an elastically deformable hollow body, which acts as pump for pumping up the air chambers every time someone sits down on the cushion, and which fills with air again as a result of its elastic expansion every time someone gets up from the cushion.

26. The cushion according to claim 25, which is designed to sense and wirelessly output measured values when a weight of at least 40 to 100 kg for the weight and preferably of 30 to 120 kg for the weight is applied to the cushion element over the complete region.

27. The cushion according to claim 25, in the case of which a position sensor or a sensor sensing changes in position is arranged in a movable cushion element and in the case of which the measured values thereof are influenced by a device arranged outside the movable cushion element.

28. The cushion according to claim 25, in the case of which a position sensor or sensor sensing changes in position is arranged outside a movable cushion element and in the case of which the measured values thereof are influenced by a device arranged in or at the movable cushion element.

29. A chair, in particular office, work or leisure chair, comprising a cushion according to claim 25.

30. A computer program product comprising a program code, which, when it runs on a device, has the effect that measured values are received by a sensor of a cushion comprising the features according to claim 25, and that an output signal, which is a function of the measured values, is output.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0028] The invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the drawing, in which

[0029] FIG. 1 shows a chair, as it can cooperate according to the invention with a cushion element and a smartphone located outside the chair and/or a personal computer (PC) located outside the chair;

[0030] FIG. 2 illustrates the chair according to the invention according to a second embodiment in an exploded drawing;

[0031] FIG. 3 shows a hose ring as wobble cushion comprising four air chambers, which are each connected to an adjacent air chamber via a hose;

[0032] FIG. 4 shows a gate or template valve, respectively, for the metered opening and closing of the connecting hoses between the air chambers;

[0033] FIG. 5 shows four individual cushions as wobble cushion, which are connected by means of connecting hoses, as option for the hose ring from FIG. 11;

[0034] FIG. 6 shows the chair from FIG. 2 comprising in particular four individual cushions when open on the bottom and viewed from the front;

[0035] FIG. 7 shows the measuring arrangement of Hall sensor and permanent magnet used in the chair according to the invention in a preferred embodiment;

[0036] FIG. 8 shows a flowchart for describing an embodiment of the method according to the invention; and

[0037] FIG. 9 shows a two-dimensional illustration of measured values obtained with the help of a chair according to the invention, as it can be displayed on a screen.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0038] An office, work and leisure chair referred to as a whole with 1, which effects subliminal movements of the sitting person, is illustrated in perspective illustration in FIG. 1. A gas spring support 2, which is arranged centrally here, but can also be arranged shifted laterally, e.g., in the very back, can be seen on the bottom, whereby the gas spring support 2 is supported on a star base, which, in the case at hand, has legs, in the example of FIG. 1 five legs, leading away from a center point. A freely articulated roller 4 is mounted to each leg 3a. An interface plate 5 as carrier plate can be seen on the top of the gas spring support 2, on which all components for the wobbling capacity of the seat surface are constructed. A chair mechanism can also be arranged below this interface plate, so that the interface plate 5 on this chair mechanism can be displaced freely back and forth on the gas spring support. The actual seat rest or the cushion element 6, respectively, is located on the interface plate 5. The chair furthermore has a backrest 7 and armrests 8 on both sides of the seat rest 6. The embodiments described below have two degrees of freedom of a movement, namely for the seat rest 6 in the present case, which is specified in FIG. 1 by the two arrows P1 and P2.

[0039] Sensors (not shown in FIG. 1 and described below) for sensing a position or change in position of the seat rest 6, in particular according to the movement, as it is specified by the arrows P1 and P2, are located in the chair according to FIG. 1. These sensors are able to wirelessly transfer measured values outside the chair 1, for example over a Bluetooth® interface to a smartphone 70 comprising a corresponding Bluetooth® interface 71, or to a personal computer (PC) 80 comprising a corresponding Bluetooth® interface 81. The Bluetooth® signals are identified with reference numeral 90 in FIG. 1.

[0040] While the invention will be described below essentially based on a chair comprising a cushion, the cushion can also be used as independent component and can also be placed onto other seat surfaces or be integrated into them. It is further also possible that the cushion is used as support for a standing user. The movements of said user can then be sensed and processed in the same way. It is to be considered in this case that the cushion has to have the necessary mechanical stability, in order to support a standing person in the usual weight range of an adult. When being used in a chair, the cushion can form the seat rest as a whole, can be placed onto it or can form only a portion of the eat rest. In the following, the mentioned seat rest 6 is to be understood as cushion in terms of the invention, or comprises a cushion of this type.

[0041] An embodiment, which will be described below with reference to FIGS. 2 to 6, is known from WO 2016/067219 A1, but here without measuring device for the wobbling capacity, whereby this publication is incorporated into the present application by reference.

[0042] In the case of this embodiment, the chair comprises a hollow body 40, and a hose ring 41 on the hollow body. The entire construction of interface plate 5, hollow body 40, and hose ring 41 is concealed on the chair together with a skirt 46, which, in the assembled state of the chair, protrudes downward slightly beyond the interface plate 5, so that the entire construction for the wobbling capacity of the seat plate of the seat rest 6 is concealed, even in the case of a maximal wobble tendency of the seat rest 6.

[0043] The hollow body 40 has a bellows-like connection 43 to its conical top side 53, wherein this cone 53 can be formed with a much larger angle on its tip than is shown here. The height of the cone is to be between 0.5 and 4 cm, e.g. approximately 1 cm to 3 cm. The conical shape is not mandatory, the hollow body 40 can even be embodied in a completely planar manner. The hollow body 40 is equipped with a one-way valve 42a, so that it can absorb air from the surrounding area. A further one-way valve acting in the reverse direction leads via hose 49 into the hose ring 41 located above the hollow body. The hollow body 40 is furthermore equipped with a pressure relief valve 42b. Every time a person sits down on the chair, the conical top side of the hollow body 40 is pushed axially against the base plate 52 thereof, by elastically folding up the bellows-like connection 43, until the conical top side 53 bears with its edge on the base plate 52. This hollow body 40 thereby acts as pump: It pumps air through the connecting hose 49 and into the hose ring 41, because its volume reduces. When a person gets up from the chair, the bellows-like connection 43, which is elastic and acts as spring, pushes the conical top side of the hollow body 40 upwards again, back into its initial position and thereby lifts all of the elements bearing on it. Due to the expansion of the hollow body volume and of the negative pressure, which thus forms in its interior, air flows through the inlet valve 42a into its interior, so that the hollow body 40 is filled for the next pumping movement. The pressure relief valve 42b in the hollow body 40 regulates the pressure to a maximum value.

[0044] One or a plurality of air cushions, which form a wobble cushion comprising at least one air chamber 44, come to rest on the conical top side 53. In the shown example, the wobble cushion is formed by the ring-shaped hose ring 41, similar to an inflatable swim ring or inner tube. The hose ring 41 has four separating walls 45, which divide it into four air chambers 44. In the case of a pronounced conical shape of the hollow body 40, the hose ring 41 is centered and held on the cone. Two adjacent air chamber 44 are in each case connected to one another via hose connections 48. The actual seat plate 47 bears on the hose ring 41, the seat rest 6 bears on said seat plate. The seat rest 6 is immovably placed onto the seat plate 47. In FIG. 2, it is shown again in an exemplary manner as being constructed in a laminated manner comprising two or more layers.

[0045] FIG. 3 shows the hose ring 41 as wobble cushion comprising air chambers 44, comprising four separating walls 45 running radially for forming the hoses 48. At least one of the air chambers 44 is equipped with a hose 61 comprising a controllable outlet valve 62, so that controlled air can be discharged therefrom. The outlet valve 62 can be, for example, a screw valve or simply one, as it is common at an inner tube, so as to discharge air in a metered manner to the outside from the wobble cushion 41 or the air chambers 44, respectively, when the wobbling capacity is to be increased. It can alternatively be actuated by means of the cables of a push-pull cable.

[0046] The supply hose 49, which has already been mentioned, is equipped with a one-way valve 60, so that compressed air can only reach from the hollow body 40 into the hose ring 41, and not the other way around.

[0047] FIG. 4 shows a gate-template valve comprising an upper disk 64 and a lower disk 65. A perforated disk, which is not identified, is located between them. By changing the rotational position of the perforated disk, for example by means of a pivot lever 55, the holes of the perforated disk can close the bores in a metered manner, completely close them or completely open them. The air exchange between the chambers 44 can thus be set via the hoses 27.

[0048] FIG. 5 shows an alternative option of the wobble cushion, in the case of which the wobble capacity is attained by means of four different individual cushions 50, which bear on the conical top side 53 of the hollow body 41. These four hose sections 48 can in each case be closed more or less by means of a gate or template valve, rotary valve or squeeze valve, in order to ensure a setting.

[0049] FIG. 6 shows the chair according to this second option open on the bottom, so that the individual cushions 44 or 50, respectively, can be seen here; the individual cushion located in the front is not shown, in order to clear the view into the interior.

[0050] In the case of this embodiment of the invention, permanent magnets and Hall sensors are provided in both options. It is illustrated in an exemplary manner in FIG. 2 that the permanent magnets are arranged in the interior of the air chambers 44, identified there as 99a, 99b, 99c, and 99d. The Hall sensors are provided in the interior of the hollow body 40 and are identified there with 98a, 98b, 98c, and 98d.

[0051] Alternatively, the permanent magnets can also be provided in the seat rest 6, with the same position of the Hall sensors. In the case of both above options with respect to the arrangement of the permanent magnets, the Hall sensors can further alternatively also be provided on the interface plate 5 or in the latter. It would generally also be possible to implement a reversal of the situation, in the case of which the permanent magnets are provided in or on the interface plate or are provided by the interface plate 5 itself (magnetic plate, in particular ring magnet). They can also be provided as part of the base plate 52. They can also be provided inside the hollow body 40. To that end, it is significant that when, vice versa, the Hall sensors wobble, which are provided for example on the seat rest 6, a supply of electrical energy for the operation of the sensors is ensured in spite of the wobbling movement, for example by means of a battery of the seat rest 6.

[0052] The principle of the Hall measurement will be described below on the basis of the schematic FIG. 7:

[0053] A permanent magnet 99 has a north pole N and a south pole S. A recess 96, into which an external magnetic field can enter, is provided in a Hall sensor 98. (A recess is not mandatory). A voltage, which is provided by a battery 94, applies between two electrodes 95a and 95b. The Hall effect effects the generation of a (counter) voltage in a manner, which is known per se (perpendicular to the applied voltage). The measured value is transferred to an interface 93, which is provided for the wireless sending of, for example, Bluetooth® signals 90 to the smartphone (mobile radio telephone) shown in FIG. 1 or to the personal computer 80.

[0054] Instead of using a Hall sensor, other measuring principles can also be used. For example, a squeezing process, which is sensed by means of one or a plurality of piezoelectric sensors, can be effected by means of the wobbling movement.

[0055] An acceleration sensor inside the movable part can also sense, how the speed of the wobbling movement varies and a conclusion can be drawn therefrom to the wobble coordinates. Such acceleration sensors are known from conventional smartphones. They comprise a mechanical oscillator, wherein the frequency of the oscillation or the amplitude or another variable changes when changing the position with respect to the earth's gravitational field.

[0056] In a further option, a laser device comprising a laser can be provided at one of the parts (movable or immovable part) and a receiving device at the respective other part. A laser is preferably combined with a mirror, as it is known from distance measurements.

[0057] As a further option, a toothed rack can mesh with a toothed wheel and an angle of the toothed wheel can be sensed.

[0058] Finally, a plunger coil can also be moved via a permanent magnet.

[0059] The component, which does not require an electrical wiring, should generally be located at the movable part, and an electrical evaluation device at the immovable part of the chair. However, a reversal of this situation is also always possible. Optionally, a power supply by a battery or by inductive coupling of electrical energy into the movable chair element is to be ensured.

[0060] The embodiment according to FIG. 2 with the embodiment 200 and the corresponding option 201 according to FIG. 6, on the other hand, have in common that there is a setting option for setting the extent of the wobbling movement. In the case of the chair 200/201, the setting option lies, for example, in the rotation of the perforated ring by the pivot lever 55 from FIG. 4.

[0061] By sensing the measured values, it is possible to instruct the user to make a setting, which is optimal for him (and his weight). He can do so with the aid of the smartphone 70 or the personal computer 80, respectively. A suitable application (app) can run there, which provides instructions to the user.

[0062] Instead of the setting of the extent of the wobbling movement by the user, it is also possible to provide electric motors. In the case of the embodiment according to FIGS. 2 to 6, an actuator would be able to engage with the lever arm 55 from FIG. 4. The device outside the chair (smartphone 70 or personal computer 80) can directly send control signals for an electric motor of this type or the control circuit thereof and can effect a setting.

[0063] The method will be described in more detail below with reference to the flowchart in FIG. 8:

[0064] In step S10 (“start”), it starts with the activation of an app on the smartphone 70 or opening of a function on the personal computer 80, wherein the app or function is assigned to the chair. At the start, it can also be necessary to turn on the measuring devices inside the chair.

[0065] In step S12, the user is now requested to move on the chair in a very specific way. This can include, for example, the request of holding a glass of water in his hand and to transfer it from the right hand to the left hand and the other way around again.

[0066] In step S14, measured values are sensed by the sensors in the chair, and are sent over the interface 93 to the smartphone 70 or the personal computer 80, respectively.

[0067] There, the measured values are received and evaluated in step S16. A display according to step S18 thereby can, but does not have to take place on the screen or touchscreen of the used device. The display can specify, for example, points in those angles, in which the wobbling movement has taken place to the bottom, and can thus reproduce in a two-dimensional manner, how the movement took place.

[0068] In step S20, a predetermined criterion is used to check, whether the measured values are complete. The criterion can include on the one hand that a certain minimum number of measured values has to be sensed. It can alternatively or additionally include the criterion that the wobbling movement has taken place within a certain tightness. It can thus be the case that it is a requirement that a measured value exists for each angular range with a predetermined width (for example between 5° and 15°). If the measured values are not complete, the sensing of the measured values is continued according to step S14. The request to move according to step S12 can optionally also be made again.

[0069] As soon as it is determined in step S20 that the measured values are complete, it is checked in step S22, whether the sensed settings are okay. The settings of the chair have to take into account the weight of the person sitting on the chair. In the case of a heavier person, the springs have to be slightly more tensioned or the air chambers have to be filled slightly more, respectively, than in the case of a lighter person. As long as the settings are not okay, the user is requested according to step S24 to change the settings. The request can simply include: “please tighten spring/operate lever 23 forward”, or the like or “operate pivot lever 55 clockwise”, respectively, or a corresponding operating element, such as a lever.

[0070] Depending on the request for setting, the user is requested to move again, and the process is run through again. As a rule, the user should approach optimal settings little by little. If the criterion, according to which the settings are okay, has been met, the process is ended (step S26: “end”).

[0071] FIG. 9 shows in an exemplary manner, what a display can look like, which is provided, for example in step S18:

[0072] Based on a center point M, which can be defined in the chair, it is displayed, how large and in what angle the cable movement took place. The multitude of points, which is identified with I, shows a sequence of measured values, which were captured little by little with predetermined settings, in the case of which the wobbling movement is too small, thus the setting is too hard. The multitude of measured values, which is identified with A, shows measured values, in the case of which the settings are too soft, i.e. the wobbling movement is too large. A region, within which the wobbling movements usually fall, is limited by the contours K1 and K2. The multitude of points, which is identified with Z, falls virtually completely between the contours K1 and K2. As soon as a certain percentage of measurement points falls between the contours K1 and K2, the criterion has been met, for example, that the settings are okay. In the case of the measured values of the multitude I and A, the settings are not okay. The measured values can be individual points, which the user will pass through little by little while moving on the chair with the help of the cursor, which moves on the screen/the display device as a function of the movement of the chair and thus of the measured values. The user can thus actively try for the cursor to at some point be located in every angular range. As shown in FIG. 17, the contours K1 and K2 thereby do not need to be circular, but can, for example, also be formed elliptical or kidney-shaped.