FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention described herein pertains to an item of seating furniture for training an individual person's body, with a roll-off surface on which the seating furniture item rolls off along the floor. Furthermore, the invention described herein pertains to the use of this seating furniture item. STATE OF THE ART

Many types of seating furniture are known to have no back, forcing the seated individual to maintain balance while seated, thus preventing the individual from lapsing into an unergonomic and cramped posture when seated for a prolonged period of time. Known examples are kneeling stools or seating balls. When used frequently, such furniture items train and strengthen the seated individual's body, most particularly the muscles of the back and, under certain circumstances, the leg muscles. It is the task of the invention described herein to improve the torso-stabilizing effect of such seating furniture and to create a seating furniture item enabling the localized training of certain areas of the body, in particular the training of the back, preferably in the floor area of the pelvis, the area of the lumbar spinal column and/or in the area of the thoracic spinal column, and/or the training of the leg muscles. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The task is solved by means of a seating furniture item for training an individual persons' body, with a roll-off surface on which the seating furniture item rolls off along the floor, a weight being pendulously arrayed in the seating furniture item. Since the weight is pendulously arrayed in the seating furniture item, its relative position versus the seating furniture item changes when the seating furniture item starts to roll on the floor. The weight arrayed in the seating furniture item thus has the effect of causing the person seated on the seating furniture item to counterbalance the changed equilibrium by shifting her/his weight and/or active muscle action, particularly the musculature of the legs and back when the seating furniture item begins to roll on the floor, in order to maintain balance on the seating furniture item. Conversely, any shift of body weight and/or any active muscle action, particularly that of the leg and/or back musculature will cause the seating furniture item to begin rolling on the floor, such that a purposeful shift in weight of the weight arrayed in the seating furniture item can be brought about. It is therefore possible for a person seated on the seating furniture item to target certain parts of the body for training. The weight can basically be of random shape but should be symmetrical. The weight is preferably rounded, special preference being oval or round, i.e. ball-shaped. In one preferred implementation, the seating furniture item has an axis which essentially traverses the gravity center of the weight when the seating furniture item is at a standstill. Thus, the axis parallels the spine of an individual seated upright on the seating furniture item when the latter is at a standstill. Likewise preferred, the axis of the seating furniture item traverses the individual in that case. Particularly preferred, the roll-off surface of the seating furniture item is rounded. This makes it very easy for the roll-off surface to start rolling on the floor. Preferably, the weight is attached in the seating furniture item by means of at least one fastener, such that the weight continues to be preferably pendulously attached to the fastener while the fastener is pendulously attached to the seating furniture item. Due to this array of the weight on the fastener, the weight and the fastener jointly act as a pendulum arrayed in the seating furniture item which, by the individual's rhythmical motions, e.g. by straight or circular motion, can be stimulated to swing, such that the individual's rhythmic motion is supported by the pendulum. Localized and conscious movement of various parts of the body from various initial body positions can thus start the pendulum swinging. Furthermore, localized exercises are possible for shifting or stopping the weight, especially while the weight is swinging. The rhythmic movement mobilizes and maintains mobility in the individual segments of the spine. Besides, it promotes muscle coordination by conscious movement, activating in particular both the autochthonous and allochthonous back musculature and bringing about improved posture and stronger musculature. Promoting mobility in the individual segments of the spine, particularly in the lumbar spinal region, not only achieves the prevention of illness, but also reduction of pre-existing pain. In the shoulder girdle and the thoracic spinal region, it is possible to train for supportive strength, especially through various initial positions. Here, too, the training brings about stabilization of the torso and improved muscle coordination. Furthermore, the seating furniture item in this invention permits the training of the pelvic floor, promoting new growth and preventing incontinence. And, finally, the exercises particularly train the muscles of the legs in a proprioceptive manner. In a preferred implementation, the fastener is a cord, allowing the weight to swing in all circular directions. Preferably, the amount of weight can be adjusted to the size or weight of the individual's body. Likewise preferably, the length of the fastener is adjustable. This allows adjusting the degree of difficulty specifically for the individual and targeting various muscle functions for each individual.

Preferably the amount of weight is in the range from 0,5 to 15 Kg, more preferably in the range from 2 to 8 Kg; of particular preference is a weight of approximately 5 kg or 7Kg. It should range from 2% to 15% of the body weight of the person using the seating furniture item, with particular preference for approximately 5% to 10% of the person's body weight.

In a likewise preferred implementation, the fastener is flexible, which permits the weight to swing up and down in the seating furniture item. In an additional preferred implementation, the weight is attached in the seating furniture item by several fasteners in several directions, with the fasteners being flexible. The weight thus remains pendulous even when attached by several flexible fasteners in the seating furniture item and its position can be shifted relative to the seating ball. Preferably, the seating furniture item is hollow and filled with a fluid, in particular with a gas. Being hollow, it is light and easy to move. Moreover, the weight in the cavity of the hollow body is freely pendulous. Air is an especially suitable fluid. But, in principle, an implementation is also possible in which it is filled with a liquid such as water, although the liquid will delay and thus slow down the change in the weight's relative position. In principle, the seating furniture item may have any shape. In a preferred implementation the seating furniture item is a seating ball, with such a seating ball being, for example, circular, oval, or ellipsoid.

Preferably, the seating furniture item is made of cloth, synthetic or leather; furthermore preferred is its elasticity. It thus adapts to the changed body shape and to flooring irregularities in the course of the exercises and provides a pleasant texture.

Preferred use of the seating furniture item according to this invention is as an office chair, a sport device, or a device for therapeutic gymnastics. It therefore lends itself for use as a training device in a medical office, at home, at the workplace, or in a fitness studio.

LIST OF THE FIGURES

Below, an implementation of the invention is described on the basis of a drawing. The figures in the drawing are only examples and do not impinge on the general innovative idea. The figures in the drawing show the following: Fig. 1 a seating furniture item according to this invention,

Fig. 2 the seating furniture item in Fig. 1. showing one person seated on the seating furniture item, and

Fig. 3 the seating furniture item in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 viewed from a different side.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Fig. 1 shows a seating furniture item 1 according to this invention at rest R. The seating furniture item is provided with a roll-off surface 3, on which it rolls off on floor

5. A weight 2 is pendulously arrayed in seating furniture item 1. Weight 2 is essentially circular in design and attached to the inside of seating furniture item 1 by means of a fastener 8, which is a cord here. On its surface, seating furniture item 1 is provided with a seat 4 which can be occupied by a person 6 as shown in Fig. 2 and

Fig. 3. Fastener 8 is pendulously arrayed in the area of seat 4 in seating furniture item

1 .

Seating furniture item 1 has a midline 7, relative to which it is essentially symmetrical.

When seating ball 1 is at rest R, midline 7 traverses fastener 8 and weight 2 vertically. Seating furniture item 1 is implemented here as seating ball 1 having a diameter in the range from 40 to 90 cm, preferably in the range from 53 to 80 cm. The terms seating furniture item 1 and seating ball 1 are therefore used synonymously below. The seating ball is hollow, made particularly of plastic material and filled with air, such that weight 2 can swing freely in the cavity of seating ball 1. The outer surface of the hollow body comprises both seat 4 and roll-off surface 3, such that roll-off surface 3 and seat 4 are essentially arrayed on opposite sides of the outer surface of seating ball 1. To increase comfort, seat 4 may be provided with a padded cushion. Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 show the seating furniture item 1 , i.e. seating ball 1 , of Fig. 1 from two different sides, with a person 6 seated on seating ball 1 , Fig. 2 showing person 6 from the side and Fig. 3 showing person 6 from the front. Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 also show weight 2 arrayed in seating ball 1 by means of fastener 8. Jointly, weight 2 and fastener 8 constitute a pendulum arrayed in seating ball 1. The term pendulum is therefore used below for the conjoined weight 2 and fastener 8. Preferably the weight of the pendulum is in the range from 0,5 to 15 Kg, more preferably in the range from 2 to 8 Kg.

Seating ball 1 is not at rest R as shown in Fig. 1 , but shows the pendulum consisting of weight 2 and fastener 8 being swayed by the movements of person 6 in seating ball 1 , while roll-off surface 3 of seating ball 1 is rolling off on floor 5. As a result, the pendulum will, for example, execute a swinging motion along a straight line, along a spiral line, or along a circular line. When the pendulum leaves its resting position, fastener 8 and weight 2 sway from midline 7. In the exercise shown, midline 7 of seating ball 1 traverses the body of person 6 seated on seat 4 and, because person 6 is in an upright position, is essentially parallel with the spinal column of person 6. Seating furniture item 1 according to this invention allows active and localized training of the muscles and mobility of a person 6 using seating furniture item 1. Thus, seating furniture item 1 is suited for the rehabilitation of bodily afflictions such as herniation of intervertebral disks, or for their prevention. It may be used as a sport device at home, in the fitness studio, or in a medical practice, particularly for therapeutic gymnastics, but is also appropriate as an office chair or desk chair. Reference List

1 Seating Furniture Item

2 Weight

3 Roll-off Surface

4 Seat

5 Floor

6 Person

7 Midline

8 Fastener, Cord

R At-Rest Position