Portable Work Support And Keyboard/Mouse Tray and Work Station and Tethered Chair

Abstract

A portable work support device and support for a key board and a pointing device, such as a mouse, for use by occupants of reclining capable office chairs having an adjustable fitted footrest assembly connected to the chair that will provide the seated chair user the ability to achieve a desired pelvis/feet triangulation stabilization effect while reclined by having the seated user's feet placed correctly in an attached footrest thereby producing a tactile input or cue that will lead to the desired muscle or motor output, causing the seated user to actually sit all the way back in the chair, and to be in a posture biomechanically neutral for using and working on the portable work support device, a work station removably housing the portable work support device, and a foot rest assembly to which a chair can be tethered so that a computer user can be properly positioned in a reclining position in the chair and have reduced posture issues when using the work support device while using computer or like equipment.

Claims

1. A neutral posture inducing work station promoting a desired reclined sitting and work position fully back in a chair and to achieve a continual sensory input from a seated user's feet to achieve a biomechanically neutral posture, comprising: a support structure; a monitor adjustably mounted to the support structure so as to be visible by a work station user while in a reclined sitting and work neutral posture position in a chair; a foot rest assembly adjustably secured to a chair so as to provide a seated user a continual sensory input and weigh bearing capacity through that seated user's feet to achieve and facilitate a sustained biomechanically neutral posture; a portable, lap supported work support tray for use by the work station user while seated in the biomechanically neutral posture position, the portable, lap supported work support tray comprised of a top surface, a base structure for supporting the top surface at a height suitable for working with a key board on the top surface and at an angle bottom surface to provide dynamic support for the keyboard, a mouse or work so that when in use on the seated user's lap the lap supported work support tray will induce and promote the biomechanically neutral posture for that seated user; and a tray rack fixed to the work station and comprised of an open frame secured to the support structure for removably receiving and storing the portable lap supported work support tray therein.

2. A neutral posture inducing work station promoting a reclined sitting position fully back in a chair to facilitate and achieve a biomechanically neutral posture, comprising: a main support; a chair for use by a seated user of the work station; a monitor adjustably mounted to the main support so as to be visible by the seated work station user while in the biomechanically neutral posture position in the chair; an assembly adjustably secured to the chair so as to provide the seated user a weight bearing foot support platform to be used by the seated user to help achieve and to maintain the biomechanically neutral posture position and to produce a continual sensory input to the seated user's body through the seated user's legs, hips and back by way of that seated user's feet to achieve and facilitate a sustained biomechanically neutral posture; a portable, lap supported work support tray for use by the seated work station user while seated in the biomechanically neutral posture position, the portable, lap supported work support tray comprised of a top surface, a bottom surface, and a positioning pillow secured to the bottom surface to provide dynamic support for a detached keyboard, a mouse or items of work so that when in use on the seated user's lap the lap supported work support tray will induce and promote a neutral posture for that seated user.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

[0034] The invention is better understood by reading the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0035] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portable work support and for supporting a key board and mouse, according to the present invention;

[0036] FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the work support of FIG. 1 showing a fully inflated bottom support;

[0037] FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the work support of FIG. 1 showing a partially inflated bottom support;

[0038] FIG. 4 shows a top plan view of a molded liner for use with the work support;

[0039] FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the liner of FIG. 4;

[0040] FIG. 6 shows a top plan view of a positioning pillow for the work support device;

[0041] FIG. 7 is a bottom plan view of the positioning pillow of FIG. 6;

[0042] FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of the positioning pillow of FIG. 6;

[0043] FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of an inflated positioning pillow;

[0044] FIG. 10 is a front elevational view of the inflated positioning pillow as in FIG. 9;

[0045] FIG. 11 is a diagrammatic view of a truss bridge and supports therefor under load;

[0046] FIG. 12 is a front elevational view of the storage rack of FIG. 11;

[0047] FIG. 13 is a cross sectional view taken along line 13-13 in FIG. 12;

[0048] FIG. 14 is a perspective of a work support or tray without a liner in place;

[0049] FIG. 15 is a side elevational of a work support or tray without a positioning pillow but with a liner in place;

[0050] FIG. 16 is a side elevational of a work support or tray with a positioning pillow inflated and with a liner in place;

[0051] FIG. 17 is a diagrammatic view of an individual standing at a work station showing the work support device removably stored in a mounted tray rack;

[0052] FIG. 18 is a diagrammatic view of a work table having a tray rack mounted there below and showing a separate tethered chair and foot support with the seated user having the work support in a desired lap position and a positioning pillow in a partially inflated condition;

[0053] FIG. 19 is a diagrammatic view of a seated user employing the work support device with the positioning pillow fully inflated;

[0054] FIG. 20 is a perspective view of a chair and a tethered foot rest;

[0055] FIG. 21 is a detailed rear perspective view of the tether to chair connection;

[0056] FIG. 22 is a detailed front perspective view of the tether to chair connection; and

[0057] FIG. 23 is a showing of three possible user postures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0058] A. Overview

[0059] To gain a better understanding of the invention, preferred embodiments will now be described in detail. Frequent reference will be made to the drawings. Reference numerals or letters will be used throughout to indicate certain parts or locations in the drawings. The same reference numerals or letters will be used to indicate the same parts and locations throughout the drawings, unless otherwise indicated.

[0060] B. Environment

[0061] The embodiments hereafter being described will be with respect to an office work environment, or to any work environment where a user will be seated in a chair and interacting with a computer of any form, including, for example, but not limited to a desk top computer, laptops, netbooks, tablets, ipods, ipads, smart phones and/or hand held devices, and it should be understood that the present invention applies equally well to chairs designed for home, outdoor or other environments. The scale of the embodiment, therefore, is to be understood with respect to this type of article and these types of work environments. It is to be understood as well, however, that the invention is applicable to other articles and its scale can vary accordingly.

[0062] C. Structure

[0063] Turning now to FIGS. 1-3 and 14-16, a work support device according to the present invention is shown generally at 10 can be comprised of a base layer 11, having a top surface 12 and a bottom surface 14. A separate raised U-shape raised member 13 is attached to the top surface 12, for example, mechanically or by a suitable adhesive. Raised member 13 includes an upper portion 15 outer side members 17 and 19. Together with base 11 define the raised members 15, 17 and 19 define a top or distal edge 16 and right and left side edges 18 and 20, respectively. The base 11 also has a front or proximal edge 22, which is preferably shaped as a curved area 22a, that is bounded by two outwardly extending projections 24 and 26. The work support can also be provided with an integral handle 27 positioned centrally along the distal edge.

[0064] FIG. 14 shows a modified tray 10-1 having a slightly different raised member with the top portion 13-1 being narrower than is 13 in FIG. 1. In FIG. 14 the proximal edge 23 is shown as being straight across, but could also have a curves edge as shown by the dashed line 25. The raised portio in FIG. 14 also includes the outer side members 17-1 and 19-1. The work supports or trays 10 or 10-1 could also be provided with an integral handle in the form of an opening 27 through base 11 as is shown in dashed lines in FIG. 14.

[0065] FIGS. 2 and 3 show the work support and a liner 100 along with a depending positioning pillow 30, and as shown in FIG. 2 that positing pillow 30 is partially inflated and it is fully inflated in FIG. 3.

[0066] FIG. 1 shows that the U-shaped raised member 13 and the side members 15 and 17 define there within a well area 24 that will receive an upper portion of the liner 100. The well area 24 is surrounded by the raised sides 15, 17 and 19 in order to keep a keyboard, as is shown at 50, or a mouse or pointed 52 from sliding off the support 10.

[0067] The work supports or trays 10 or 10-1 can be constructed using a variety of approaches. For example it could be formed from a laminated structure that is cut into a desired shape. Alternatively, for example, it could be molded from a moldable material including plastic materials, thermoplastics, synthetic or semi-synthetic resins, organic resins, polymers, polyamides, polyolefin, polyurethanes, polycarbonates, polystyrene, compressed wood fibers, wood, medium density fiberboard, metal, or other man made materials or combinations of materials. The lower portion, which will provide a resting area for a user's forearms, can be left uncovered, or provided with an upper or outer surface of fabric, or an antifriction material, or of a metal or soft foam.

[0068] FIGS. 4 and 5 show a liner for use with the work support of the present invention and is generally shown at 60 and includes a top section 62 that is comprised of an exposed surface 82 and a lower portion 64, that also has an exposed top surface 85, includes a curved bottom edge 66 and projections 68 and 70 that are encompassed within bottom edge 66. Here the top section 62 has a top edge 72 and right and left side edges 74 and 76, respectively, that are inset from the outer boundary established by side edges 86 and 88 of the lower portion 64. The lower portion 64 has a top surface 85 that is raised relative to the exposed surface 82 of the top section thereby forming a raised edge 84 that defines a lower end for the top section 62.

[0069] The liner 60 is preferably a molded, one piece element and can be fabricated from a soft molded material, for example, a foam, polyurethane foam, self skinning foams, or other soft plastic material. It is also possible to include a fabric as the exposed surfaces 82 and 85, or surfaces 82/85 could be formed from an anti-friction material, for example a rubber or soft plastic layer, or that material could be an over laid surface as shown in phantom at 90 in FIG. 5.

[0070] FIG. 15 shows the work support or tray 10 having a liner 60 positioned within the work support and this tray does not include a positioning pillow connected to the bottom of the work support or tray. FIG. 16 shows a work support or tray but with a positioning pillow 100 attached to the bottom of the work support and in an inflated condition.

[0071] FIG. 6 shows a positioning pillow, generally shown at 100, for use with the work support device 10. The positioning pillow 100 has an uninflated arced inside or proximal wall 102 that mirrors the proximal curve of the work support device 22a and is provided with smaller projections 104 and 106 to fit beneath projections 24 and 26. The positioning pillow 100 also has a distal wall 108 and left and right side walls 110 and 112. As discussed more below, the positioning pillow has two chambers, 130 and 132 that are separated from one another and are independently inflatable. Walls 102, 108, 110 and 112 are the outer walls of the lower chamber 132. The positioning pillow 100 also has a top wall 114 and a bottom wall 120, shown in FIG. 7. Two Velcro pads 116 and 118 are affixed, for example, by being adhesively attached at two, spaced apart locations as shown, thereby permitting the positioning pillow 100 to be removably attached to the bottom of the work support device or tray 10 using complementary Velcro pads thereon. It should be understood that the positioning pillow 100 can also be removably attached across the whole of the surface of wall 114 and likewise the whole surface of the work support or tray 10, or the positioning pillow can be permanently affixed to the work support device 10. Velcro strips 116/18 can also be sown or otherwise fixed to wall 114.

[0072] FIG. 7 shows a bottom view of the positioning pillow 100 with a plurality of ribs 122 that can be formed, for example, by sewing the ribs onto the bottom wall 120. The ribs or ribbing 122 can also be formed using stiffeners that can be enclosing by fabric and suitable sewing to enclose the stiffeners therein. The ribbing 122 will extend in a direction parallel to a user's thighs and provide an area for some amount of ventilation or air flow between the bottom wall 120 and the user.

[0073] As discussed above, the positioning pillow 100 has upper and lower chambers 130 and 132, respectively, as shown in FIG. 10, and either can be inflated meaning that only one of the two can be inflated, or the two chambers can each be partially inflated. The lower chamber can also be filled from about one quarter to being fully filled with foam beads, for example polystyrene beads, yet still have room for inflating fluid to be added therein as well, preferably air. FIGS. 8 shows a side view of the lower chamber 132 of the positioning pillow 100 in a partially inflated condition. The side wall 110 includes a closeable polystyrene bead inlet 124, as well as a bottom air inlet 126 to which can be attached a hose for manual filling or an outlet nozzle from a suitable air pump, (not shown).

[0074] FIG. 9 shows the same side view of the positioning pillow as was shown in FIG. 8, but here both chambers 130 and 132 of the positioning pillow 100 are fully inflated. This figure also shows second and separate air inlet 128 for the upper air chamber 130 as well as a proximal wall 134 and a distal wall 136. Both proximal walls 102 and 134 can be about two inches high, and distal wall 108 can have a height of about four inches and distal wall 136 can have a fully inflated height of about 6 inches. Thus, the front or proximal wall area can have an inflated height of about four inches and a combined distal wall height of about ten inches. It should be understood that these dimensions are exemplary and can be varied for different users, and can have other wall heights. For example, the combined height of the proximal walls 102 and 134 could vary from one inch to about six inches, and the rear or distal walls 108 and 136 could have a combined height ranging from about four to about eighteen inches.

[0075] Much of the medical research of today focused on ergonomics, human-computer interaction and the resultant musculoskeletal disorders (MSD's) biomechanically inefficient posture can provoke, advocate for a separation of the computer monitor from the keyboard and pointing device to allow for less orthopedically stressful wrist, elbow, shoulder, neck, middle, and low back angles. It is important to note that the primary purpose in combining an attached footrest and detached keyboard tray is that, together, these components most easily facilitate the sitter's separation of computer screen or monitor from keyboard and pointing device, and the sitter's resultant high degree of biomechanically neutral posture while interacting with their devices of choice in addition to all the leg muscle activation benefits that having an attached footrest provides.

[0076] If a sitter is using the attached footrest, for example, but keyboarding on a keyboard tray located anywhere but in the general vicinity of their lap, then studies have shown that they will forego comfort and neutral posture to lean forward/hunch over to reach their keyboard and pointing device. Or, if a seated computer user places their laptop on their lap to work, thereby NOT separating keyboard from monitor, then the resultant excessive neck flexion (downward neck bending) to see the screen will cause neck pain and pathology, such as text neck, over time.

[0077] If a sitter is holding their computer tablet in-hand, again, not separating their monitor from keyboard, then the resultant posture can include excessive neck flexion, in addition to excessive neck rotation or twisting, depending on how the user is holding the device, and in which hand. This combining of excessive neck flexion and rotation has shown to significantly accelerate degenerative processes at the neck and upper extremities. Thus, it is simple to understand the physiological need for chronic computer users to habitualize the practice of separating the monitor from the keyboard and pointing device, as much as possible, as soon as chronic computer use occurs in one's life, which is happening far sooner in the life cycle of children born in industrialized nations today.

[0078] At minimum, to achieve a biomechanically neutral position while interacting with a computer, the most important feature is to have the keyboard and pointing device separated from the monitor, and to have the detached keyboard tray in the general vicinity of one's lap. The monitor/computer screen can be placed one arm's length away from the users eye's, with minimal neck bending, by a host of conventional means including, but not limited to, a standard or height adjustable notebook/monitor/tablet riser, a stack of books or reams of paper, or by simply placing the screen or monitor atop a static or height adjustable table. Most recently in office settings, articulating monitor arms are the tool of choice for correct monitor height and proximity to the seated user.

[0079] Thus, some degree of biomechanically neutral posture and comfort can be achieved with the detached keyboard tray, alone. However, optimal biomechanically neutral positioning while seated using a computer is best achieved when the detached keyboard tray is used in conjunction with the attached footrest designed to increase leg muscle activation and the time spent in neutral by physiological means and methods described elsewhere in this application.

[0080] Thus, by placing the keyboard tray in the right place for the user to keep their feet on the attached, tension resisting footrest, while remaining in overall neutral postural angles from the feet and upwards, the sitter's capacity to contract the large postural support muscles in the legs while seated, including the glutes and quads, has also proven to produce a suite of beneficial biochemical molecules. Most notably, the activation of these muscles activates an enzyme called lipoprotein lipase, which acts as a virtual vacuum cleaner for fats in the blood stream. When these muscles remain inactive for too long by virtue of, for example, prolonged sitting without breaks, even in neutral, lipoprotein lipase activity becomes virtually nonexistent, eliminating the body's ability of their muscles to remove noxious fats from the bloodstream, as well as a significant decrease in HDL cholesterol, aka the good cholesterol. In fact, research has shown that just a few hours of sitting without breaks suppresses a gene that helps keep your cardiovascular system healthy by controlling inflammation and blood clotting. Research has shown that after just one day of sitting, exercise does not turn the gene back on, even for runners. What has shown to turn this gene back on for sitters is periodic and routine breaks from sitting.

[0081] Thus, leg muscle activation and biomechanically neutral posture while seated does not exclude the sitter's requirement to takes frequent breaks from sitting to help decelerate the degenerative effects and disorders prolonged sitting can create in other systems of the human body besides just the musculoskeletal. Studies have found that simply interrupting one's sitting time with short breaks of just standing, pacing or walking slowly has beneficial effects. Pinpointing just exactly how long or frequent these breaks need to be is still up for investigation. More recent research show signs of improved glucose metabolism with 1 minute and 40 seconds of pacing every 30 minutes, for a nine-hour sitting period, as well as 2 minute bouts of light intensity walking every 20 minutes throughout a five-hour sitting period. In short, getting up and either standing or walking around for about two minutes at least twice per hour can help keep your skeletal muscles turned on and lower the risk of disease. A battery operated timer or alarm can help acclimate sitters to the frequency and duration of required rest breaks for more healthful, and less detrimental prolonged interaction with their computers and other electronic devices.

[0082] With reference to FIGS. 11-13 and 17, FIGS. 11-13 show a mounting rack 250 for removably holding a work support device, for example as shown at 10 in FIG. 1, within a work station 200 shown in FIG. 17. Work station 200 in FIG. 17 includes a main stand 202 having a base 204, a vertical upright 206 into which a smaller vertical section 208 slidingly fits and is height adjustable within upright 206 by a removable pin 210. A horizontal support 212 is connected to and supported by the 4 vertical section 208 and separately supports an upright member 214 which, in turn, supports a keyboard tray 216 and a support 218.

[0083] Turning to FIGS. 11-13 tray rack 250 includes a rear support 252 having welded at each end a separate side supports 254 and 256. Each of supports 252-256 include a plurality of holes 258 permitting the rack 250 to be mounted. A pair of L-shaped supports 260 and 262 are secured at opposite ends of the rear support 252, for example by welding, and to one of the side supports 254/256, again for example, by welding, by suitable adhesives or by a suitable mechanical system of screws or bolts (not shown). The side supports 254/256 can be about six inches long, the rear support 252 can be about 24 inches long and the L-shaped supports can have a length of about 13-15 inches and can have a rear depth or drop for rear support 252 of about 3-5 inches. It is also preferred if the angle between the rear vertical portion 260-1 of the L-shaped supports 260/262 and the forwardly extending portion 260-2 is at an acute angle of about 89-80 degrees, with the preferred angle being about 87 degrees.

[0084] FIG. 14 also shows the tray rack 250 being mounted at a rear part of a bottom surface 215 of the horizontal support 212 by means of the rear support 252 and the side supports 254/256 being secured as by screws (not shown). As is also shown in FIG. 14 the work support device 10 has been slid into the rack 250 and is being supported by the L-shaped side supports 260/262.

[0085] FIG. 17 additionally shows a chair 270 that is tethered by an adjustable rail system 272 to the work station base 204. The rail system 272 includes a securing collar 274 attached to the chair base 276 and a pivotal connection 278 onto which a member 280 is movably secured. Member 280 slidingly fits into a second member 282 and is secured in a desired position therein by, for example, a pin 284. An opposite end of member 282 is movably secured to the work station base 204 by a pivot connection 286. A foot rest 290 is attached to the work station base 204 and includes a frame 292 and a foot rest plate 294. Frame 292 includes two spaced apart frames each having an upper bar member 291, a front vertical bar member 293 and a rear vertical bar member (not shown). The foot rest plate 294 includes two slots 295 and 297, as shown in FIG. 20, and those slots 295/297 will slide along and move about the top bar 291 and the front bars 293 so that the foot rest plate 294 can articulate to accommodate a user's foot movement. To help hold the foot rest plate 294 on the frame 292 a metal bracket 299 is welded or attached at the corner of the upper bar 291 and the front bar 293 which supports a rubber bumper 301 that is slightly longer than the width of the slots 295/297. Those slots can be pushed over the bumpers 301 and then the bumpers 301 will assist in holding the foot rest plate 294 on the frame 292 yet not impede the articulation motion that is desired.

[0086] FIGS. 18 and 20 show another embodiment and here the tray rack 250 is mounted to a bottom surface 302 of a top 3003 of a worktable 300. The worktable 300 includes an upright support 304 that is connected to the top 303 and holds a movable arm 306 that supports a monitor screen 308. That upright support 304 could also be a monitor riser for laptops, netbooks, tablets or other hand held devices. Worktable 300 also can have legs 310 secured thereto to position the top 303 at a desired height. The chair 320 is similar to that described in FIG. 17, but here the tether assembly 330 includes a chair connection 340. The tether assembly 330 includes a first rail member 332 that is slidingly received within a second rail member 334 and a pin connection 336 provides a way to adjust the relative position there between. Proximal end of rail member 332 is pivotally secured to the chair connection 340 and an opposite end of member 334 is pivotally connected to a bracket 338 provided on a roller member 360 by a pin 339.

[0087] The roller member 360 has a base frame 362 onto which four wheels or casters 364 are suitable attached. An upstanding frame 366 includes front vertical bars 368 and 370, top bars 372 and 374, and rear vertical bars 376, only one of which is shown. There can also be cross bars, for example as shown at 378 for a rear bar that would extend between the bottoms of rear bars 376, and a front cross bar 380 that would extend between front bars 368 and 370. An adjustable foot rest 294 that can be positioned at a variety of angles on frame 362 as it was in the FIG. 17 embodiment as the foot rest plate 294 will be the same. The slots 295/297 can have an anti-slip coating applied there within or the slots could be provided with a brush member on each inwardly facing surfaces, and either the coating or the brushes will interact with the top and front bars to provide some resist ace to a user in positioning the angle of the footrest plate 294.

[0088] FIG. 18 also shows the portable work support device 10 in a detached or unracked form, having been slid out of tray rack 250 and is being used by a seated user so that the inflated supports 30 are resting on the users legs and supporting the users arms

[0089] FIG. 19 shows the portable work support device 10 being used in a manner that the inflatable bottom supports are fully inflated and provide a dynamic support for a keyboard or work that permits the seated user to remain in a fully back position in a reclining chair, as sown at 270 in FIGS. 14 and 15.

[0090] FIGS. 21 and 22 show a more detailed view of the chair connection 340 as being comprised of front and rear mounting blocks 400 and 402, that are held together and adjustably connectable to a vertical upright 404 of a chair by screws 406. The front block 400 includes a bracket 408 and a connecting pin 410 that pivotally holds rail member 332 thereto.

[0091] When introducing elements of various aspects of the present invention or embodiments thereof, the articles a, an, the and said are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements, unless stated otherwise. The terms comprising, including and having, and their derivatives, are intended to be open-ended terms that specify the presence of the stated features, elements, components, groups, and/or steps, but do not exclude the presence of other unstated features, elements, components, groups, and/or steps and mean that there may be additional features, elements, components, groups, and/or steps other than those listed. Moreover, the use of top and bottom, front and rear, above, and below and variations thereof and other terms of orientation are made for convenience, but does not require any particular orientation of the components. The terms of degree such as substantially, about and approximate, and any derivatives, as used herein mean a reasonable amount of deviation of the modified term such that the end result is not significantly changed. For example, these terms can be construed as including a deviation of at least +/5% of the modified term if this deviation would not negate the meaning of the word it modifies.

[0092] While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiment, but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.