ORTHOPAEDIC SUPPORT STRUCTURE

DESCRIPTION

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to an orthopaedic support structure that is adapted to a daily use, for example, at home, at office and, more in general, where a person remains sitting for prolonged periods.

Furthermore, the invention can be exploited to make such resting surfaces as mattress surfaces and other flat surfaces, as well as to make vehicle sits such as lorry seats, car sits and the like, and even to make pillows, to improve comfort level, but also to achieve a better lying- down or sitting posture.

Description of the prior art

Many kinds of chairs, armchairs or orthopaedic mattresses are known for resting, relaxing or sleeping purposes, which improve the functionality of traditional ones, such that a higher comfort when sitting or lying-down is offered to a user. In fact, in any sitting or lying-down posture it is desirable to attain a comfortable position in order to feel as less as possible the contact with the support surfaces, in particular if such posture is maintained for a long period of time. For this reason, the sit and lie-down dynamic aspects affect and are a part of and healthcare, therapeutic and rehabilitative practices, and so on.

For example, a mattress usually comprises a flat surface on which a user rests, as much as possible in a way that is compliant with the shape of the body and with the weight of the person, and in a way that a desirable body/support surface ratio is achieved at any moment. However, when a body lies down on a surface, the different portions of the body do not rest upon it the same way. For this reason, some portions rest more intensely than other portions, therefore they receive a higher static load and stress which cause an irritating sensation and, as a whole, tiredness, fatigue and wellbeing loss.

Traditional mattresses and seats are usually made of spongy materials that have a variable elasticity, consistency and density, inside which springs are normally housed to maintain a desired volume and a surface, in order to avoid excessive flattening and, as a consequence, comfort loss.

Advanced mattresses and seats are also known, which carry out such function by means of water, air or latex, in order to increase the comfort and to limit the reaction force. Water mattresses and seats exploit the capacity of water to flow quickly from a compartment to another in a sort of flexible wrapper that contains water and at the same time permits its movement. However, the most important limitation of water is its incompressibility, which, in spite of its movement, cannot prevent the problems of a prolonged and continuous lying-down or sitting posture.

Other systems, instead, provide air to dampen a prolonged lying-down posture. However, a problem with air arises from the unavoidable stiffness owing to low extensibility of the containing layer and to the large surface of the body, with respect to the reaction forces the support can exert on the body.

Other devices are suitable for periodically and predeterminably changing the stiffness of different support portions, in order to obtain an uneven reaction of the plane upon which the weight is exerted, as described in US5586067. This system comprises, in fact, a plurality of pressure chambers, whose stiffness is adjusted by suitable program means responsive to the load exerted on the support surface. To this purpose, a pressure sensor is provided that continuously detects variation of an applied load. However, such a device is very complex and structurally complicated and, furthermore, it does not ensure the adjustability that is needed to prevent lying-down and sitting posture related problems.

Instead, further devices, which are generally used in sofas, armchairs and seats, perform a massage by displacing rolls and other mechanical devices to produce a beneficial movement only when they are operated. An example of such devices is disclosed in EP0717974, which relates to feet stimulating applications, according to the principles of plantar reflexology. Also DE4417886 describes a system that allows obtaining a twirling movement, about an axis, of active members that are arranged close to each other along the surface of a mattress. The operation provides then an active massage that is performed by such members. EP0934740 describes a mattress which has a plurality of massage units that are adjacent to each other and are independent from one another and can actively move according to at least one vertical direction. Other devices, like that disclosed in US2006217644 , carry out, instead, an active massage by means of vibrating units that are used in car seats. The vibrating device is adopted, in particular, for acting on the back of a sitting driver. In GB1540336A a device is described that carries out massages through active units that are arranged alternated with passive units; the system requires a hydraulic circuit.

Furthermore, pneumatic and/or hydraulic devices are known which globally dam the seat, which have however the drawback of distributing unevenly the load responsive to the position of the user and, therefore, of not assisting a correct posture. In view of the above, the above mentioned sit and lie- down systems pertain to massage devices that only ensure a partial comfort and, in particular, are not suitable for assisting the user to detect the stress due to a prolonged posture.

Summary of the invention

It is therefore a feature of the present invention to provide an orthopaedic support structure that assists a correct posture and an ideal comfort, in particular with a prolonged lying-down or sitting posture.

It is also a feature of the invention to provide an orthopaedic support structure that can be implemented in any kind of use, for example associated to the seat of a car, of a lorry, of a plane and the like, but also to a mattress, an armchair and other structures.

It is another feature of the invention to provide an orthopaedic support structure that can adjust the comfort and the posture of the support surface responsive to parameters as desired by a user.

These and other objects are achieved by an orthopaedic support structure that is adapted to support a user in a predetermined sit or lie-down posture characterised in that it comprises:

- an array of mobile elements, each mobile element having a support end point, said mobile elements with their support end points forming a set that defines a support surface and that is adapted to support said user;

- a damping means that is adapted to allow each support end point to move according to a translational movement that is substantially orthogonal to said support surface, said damping means generating a respective resistant force;

- a connecting means that is adapted to connect said damping means to one another, wherein said damping means in combination with said connecting means are adapted to allow an overall movement of said mobile elements in such a way that:

- said support surface changes its shape under the user's weight;

- each mobile element reacts to a user' s weight with said resistant force;

- the resistant forces of the set of said mobile elements are uniformly distributed on a surface covered by said user.

This way, the support surface is divided into a plurality of support end points, each support end point arranged to independently react to the weight, by a measured resistant force, but also to react cooperatively, by communicating the resistant force among the damping units, through the closed circuit. This remarkably improves the comfort of the posture and reduces the negative consequences that can derive from a prolonged lying-down or sitting posture. In other words, when the user's weight acts on the support end point set, the mobile elements move cooperatively according to said translational movement, in such a way that the set of the movements of said mobile elements deforms said support surface and adjusts it at any time according to the shape and to weight distribution.

Advantageously, said damping means are fluid shock absorbers and said connecting means define a closed circuit of said fluid for any of said fluid shock absorbers.

Preferably, said fluid damping means are selected from the group comprised of: pneumatic shock absorbers or hydraulic shock absorbers.

In particular, an adjustment means is provided for adjusting said fluid damping means that is adapted to modify and to control said resistant force according to the user' s need. Advantageously, said adjustment means controls a preloading pressure of said fluid in said closed circuit. This way, an adjustment is possible of the dynamic response of the shock absorbers and of the resistant force, said adjustment according to the user's weight, for instance, but also to the user's preferences, by practically modifying the stiffness of the support surface.

Advantageously, each fluid shock absorber is a cylinder-piston device in which said mobile element is integral to said piston.

In particular, said cylinder-piston device provides a communication mouth with said closed circuit in a compression chamber of said cylinder where said piston protrudes .

Advantageously, said connecting means provides at least one network of ducts that connects said compression chambers to one another, said network of ducts comprising a feeding mouth in which said adjustment means operates for feeding said fluid in said closed circuit.

In particular, said feeding mouth is connected to a supplying device of said fluid in order to adjust an inlet or an outlet of said fluid into/from said closed circuit and such that said resistant force, which is developed by said damping means, is then adjusted. This way, it is possible to feed the circuit with fluid, such that the response of the mobile elements and, therefore, the resistant force, which is developed by the mobile elements, can be increased or can be kept unchanged.

Alternatively, said feeding mouth allows the connection of a compressor, in particular of a hand compressor, which supplies compressed air to said closed circuit.

Preferably, said fluid is air, in particular said adjustment means controls the pressure of said air in said closed circuit. In this case, the adjustment means of the damping means controls the air pressure in said closed circuit .

Alternatively, said fluid is a liquid. In this case, the adjustment means provides a pressurized gas that is contained by a membrane in said closed circuit, in order to adjust the pressure of said liquid.

Advantageously, said shock absorbers are regularly arranged on a plurality of crosspieces that are parallel to one another, at a predetermined distance such that said support end points form said support surface. This way, to the comfort due to the series of shock absorbers the structural elasticity of the crosspieces is added. In particular, spherical support end points are located at such a distance from one another that a support surface is obtained that is comfortable as well, owing to a particular surface density of the spherical support end points, that does not require an additional pillow. In other words, by increasing the number of the actuators and of the respective spherical support end points, it is possible to obtain a ratio between pressure and support force that is always more favourable to the latter, in particular using low pressures within the circuit and choosing a desired number of elements responsive to the portion of the body that rests upon it and to the body weight.

Advantageously, said support end point is a spherical support end point with a diameter set between 20 mm and 35 mm.

Advantageously, above said support surface, which is defined by the regular arrangement of said support end points, a pillow is provided, which is suitable to receive the differential action of said mobile elements, with a resulting profile that actively follows the body point by point .

Advantageously, said support structure defines a surface selected from the group comprised of: a chair back, a chair seat, an armchair arm, a couch plane. This allows obtaining a support surface that carries out the principles of the invention at a seating portion of the body, as well as at the back, at the arms, and at a whole lying body.

Brief description of the drawings

The invention will be now shown with the following description of an exemplary embodiment thereof, exemplifying but not limitative, with reference to the attached drawings in which:

- figure 1 shows an elevational front view of the orthopaedic support structure, according to the invention;

- figure 2 shows an enlarged view of the orthopaedic support structure of Fig. 1, which shows an ordered arrangement of the fluid pneumatic damping means;

- figure 3 shows an elevational side view of the orthopaedic support structure on which a user is present in a predetermined posture;

- figure 4 shows an enlarged view from below of the orthopaedic support structure of Fig. 3 that depicts the functionality of the pneumatic shock absorbers.

Description of a preferred exemplary embodiment

With reference to Fig. 1, an orthopaedic support structure 10 is shown, which is made on a chair 100 that is adapted to support a user 30 (Fig. 3) in a predetermined lying-down posture.

In the present exemplary embodiment, orthopaedic support structure 10 is made in the form of a chair 100 but it could also be adapted to other purposes, for example, for a structure of a car seat, of a lorry seat, or of a plane seat but also for a mattress or for a portable pillow to be used, for instance, in a stadium, cinema and so on.

In particular, the orthopaedic support structure comprises an array of single mobile elements 20, each of them equipped with a support end point 21, that are arranged in such a way that, as a whole, the support end points 21 define a support surface 22; moreover, a damper 31 is associated to each mobile element, and preferably the damper is a fluid damper, which allows respective mobile element 20 to translate substantially orthogonally to support surface 22 and is such that a respective resistant force 24 is generated (Fig. 4).

In addition, the structure has a network 52 of ducts which is adapted to connect a plurality of shock absorbers 31 to one another, such that a closed circuit is formed, and such that shock absorbers 31, in combination with connecting network 52, allow an overall movement of mobile elements 21. Advantageously, network 52 comprises a feeding mouth in which an adjustment means causes the fluid to be fed into said closed circuit, as described below.

Such closed circuit allows support surface 22 to change its shape under the user's weight, providing a resistant force of each mobile element 20 to react against the user's weight and allows the resistant forces of the set of mobile elements 20 to be uniformly distributed on a surface on which the user rests.

This way, support surface 22 is divided into a plurality of support end points; each of these support end points is arranged to independently react against the weight, with a predetermined resistant force, but also to react cooperatively, by communicating the resistant force among the damping units 31, through closed circuit 52. This remarkably improves the posture comfort and reduces the negative consequences of a prolonged lying-down or sitting posture. In other words, when the user's weight acts on the set of support end points 21, the mobile elements perform a translational movement, such that the movements, as a whole, cause a deformation of support surface 22 which steadily fits with the user' s body and the distribution of the weight.

In particular, the fluid shock absorbers, which are shown in the drawings, are cylinder-piston devices where each mobile element 21 is integral to the respective piston, not shown. More precisely, with reference to Fig. 2, each cylinder-piston device 31 comprises a communication mouth 34 with closed circuit 52 in a compression chamber of a cylinder 32 in which the piston protrudes, not shown. This way, closed circuit 52 causes an equal pressure to act at any end 21. This pressure is the result of the compression caused by the set of the shock absorbers that are pushed by the user's weight, such that the weight is distributed on all the shock absorbers covered by the user' s body, thus preventing a concentration of forces at certain points on the user's body. Furthermore, the position of each support end point is compliant under the action of a force that is responsive to the fluid pressure, and is therefore unable to apply a concentrated load on the user. In fact, the support end points displacements create a force that causes a pressure increase that is distributed to all the support end points engaged by the user's body.

In particular, shock absorbers 31 are regularly arranged at a predetermined distance on a plurality of crosspieces 42 that are parallel to each other, such that support end points 21 form substantially rectangular support surface 22. This further improves the comfort transmitted by the series of shock absorbers 31, according to the invention, since the structural compliance of crosspieces 42 is added to this comfort.

In particular, as above described, the structure provides an adjustment means that is associated to fluid shock absorbers 31, and that is adapted to adjust the resistant force according to the user's need. More precisely, the adjustment means controls the pre-loading pressure of the fluid in closed circuit 52 in order to adjust the dynamic response of shock absorbers 31 and, therefore, the resistant force, according to the user's weight, for instance, but also to the user's preferences, by practically changing the stiffness of the support surface .

In the exemplary alternative embodiment shown in the drawings, the adjustment is made through a feeding mouth that is connected to a supplier of the fluid and that is adjustable in order to adjust the inlet or the outlet fluid flow rate into/from the closed circuit, and therefore to adjust the resistant force developed by shock absorbers 31. This way, the circuit is fed by fluid, such that the response of the mobile elements, and therefore the resistant force that is developed by them, is increased or is kept unchanged. Alternatively, the feeding mouth allows the connection of a compressor, in particular of a hand compressor, which supplies compressed air to the closed circuit .

Fig. 2 shows an enlarged view of shock absorbers 31, which are selected among pneumatic shock absorbers or hydraulic shock absorbers.

In particular, each damper 31 comprises a cylinder 32 inside which a piston, not shown, slides, said piston having an extended axis 33 that communicates with the outside of cylinder 32 itself. Constructively, cylinders 32 are housed in holes that are located along the plurality of crosspieces 42 in order to give the orthopaedic support structure a further and strictly structural compliant flexibility. Furthermore, cylinder 32 is supplied with fluid through two holes that are made at its two ends, such that the pre-loading of fluid in the circuit can be adjusted.

In particular, the piston is arranged coaxially to the load line and under the action of an external pushing load 25 compresses the air that is contained between its free surface and a nozzle 34 downstream of cylinder 32. When the load is over the piston is still pushed by the air contained in the compression chamber and tends to rise again, and takes up the empty portion that is created within cylinder 32. Nozzle 35 on top of cylinder 32 allows air to be exchanged between the upper portion of cylinder 32 and the outer environment. In this case, therefore, the pre-loading adjustment that is carried out by an adjustment means 50 is practically carried out by adjusting the pressure of the air that is present in each cylinder 32 that is opposed to external force 25.

Fig. 2, furthermore, shows the closed circuit that comprises a network of gas-tight ducts and articulated fittings 52 to allow the reciprocal movement of a plurality of shock absorbers 31. In particular, the pneumatic circuit may provide a compressor (not shown) that is adapted to maintain the pressure within a predetermined operation range, as well as to adjust it according to the user's weight, to his/her anatomic features and to his/her movements. The compressor is operated by a signal from a pressure switch that can be adjusted responsive to the user' s needs .

Furthermore, it is pointed out that the pressure is set about 0,5 bar, which is such a low value that no risk is associated with the use of the device. More precisely, such low pressure values can be adopted since the subdivision of support surface 22 into a plurality of supporting elements allows applying low pressures at each point, obtaining at the same time an overall effect that is adapted to support a remarkable weight. In addition, to contain the fluid the circuit may provide an external container (not shown) that is connected in such a way that the circuit can be fed by air introduction, whereby the response of mobile elements 20, and therefore the resistant force 24, can be increased or kept unchanged.

Moreover, in a different exemplary embodiment, the damping means can be selected among hydraulic shock absorbers, electromechanical shock absorbers and magnetic shock absorbers.

Still with reference to Fig. 2, a spherical support end point is shown at the free end of extended axis 33, which embodies the support end point 21 and whose size is set between 20 mm and 35 mm, which presents a surface at which the interaction with the body surface is kept at a minimum.

Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 show two side views of support structure 10 that depict what happens at support surface 22 when user 30 sits down. In particular, for each mobile element 20 that is less charged by load pressure, a corresponding damper 31 is ready to receive the weight at another point. Therefore, the user's body 30, by resting on surface 22, initially produces at some points of it a predetermined high force, in other points a lower force, whereas in other points no force is produced yet. Fig. 4 highlights a detail of this effect, by which an extended axis 33 is shown with respective spherical support end points 21, that are shifted at various height with respect to one another such that the anatomic features of a sitting user 30 are reproduced.

To compensate and minimize this effect, a pillow 51 is arranged above support surface 22, which is defined by the regular arrangement of support end point 21, such that the acuity of the support is distributed on spherical support end points 21, and at the same time the differential force is transferred to the plane of pillow 51 with a resulting force that actively follows the body step by step.

In particular, Fig. 4 depicts how a plurality of resistant forces 24 at each actuator 31 opposes load 25, which is distributed on the surface of pillow 51 and represents external force 25, i.e. the weight of user 30. Besides supporting the person that leans on the pillow, this allows his/her posture to be optimized without any stress due to a prolonged lying-down or seating position.

Furthermore, the basic elements are assembled to from a whole that amplifies their number and their surface density. For instance, if a more precise adjustment is desired, as well as a finer resolution, the number of units 31 is increased and a more sharp and precise effect is obtained.

Advantageously, a chair back or arms of an armchair may be equipped with the support structure of the invention. This allows obtaining a support surface that carries out the principles of the invention at the back, as well as at the arms.

In alternative, said fluid is a liquid. In this case, the adjustment means associated with the dampers provide a pressurized gas that is contained by a membrane within said closed circuit, in order to adjust the pressure of the liquid. What described above for the case of pneumatic shock absorbers applies also to this case.

The foregoing description of a specific embodiment will so fully reveal the invention according to the conceptual point of view, so that others, by applying current knowledge, will be able to modify and/or adapt for various applications such an embodiment without further research and without parting from the invention, and it is therefore to be understood that such adaptations and modifications will have to be considered as equivalent to the specific embodiment. The means, and the materials to realise the different functions described herein could have a different nature without, for this reason, departing from the field of the invention. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.