"SEATING DEVICE"

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments described here concern a seating device, of the "sit-stand" type, usable by a user to perform activities that require him/her to assume a sitting and/or upright position. In particular, embodiments described here concern a seating device that allows a user to discharge part of their weight onto it, assuming an upright posture with support, also referred to as "sit-stand".

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is known that, in order to carry out some activities, it is required to assume an upright or substantially upright position instead of sitting, for example, to work at a cash desk or at a workstation, a machine tool, an assembly line or quality control line, to iron, or to carry out similar activities, in the work, industrial or domestic field.

To carry out these activities, it is known to use "sit-stand" seating devices that provide support for a user and allow to discharge at least part of their weight. This also allows to reduce the load acting on the lumbar muscles, and on the legs and feet of the user, but especially on the bone joints, making the posture more comfortable.

Seating devices are known comprising a seating element, a support base, and a support element connected with one end to the support base and with the other end to the seating element.

The known support base is circular, with a constant radius, and the support element is connected to a central zone thereof.

The support base is defined by at least one peripheral zone, which extends circumferentially near to the perimeter edge of the support base and from a central zone inside the peripheral zone and in continuity with the latter. The entire peripheral zone is inclined upward with respect to the central zone, so that under normal or static conditions, the central zone is resting on a support surface, for example the floor, while the peripheral zone is raised from the latter.

A solution of this type is known, for example, from DE 295 04 326.

This allows a user to swing and sway with respect to the floor in any direction. This, however, can cause accidental falls of the user, for example, if the user loses his balance sideways or backward, or is pushed sideways or backward by someone.

A seating device is also known from EP-A-2.172.135, comprising a support base and a support element connected to the base on which a seating element is installed. The support base comprises a plane rear portion and a front portion curved in a convex way both toward the front part and also laterally. This solution, therefore, allows the user to oscillate not only forward, where he has his feet, but also sideways, and therefore there may be problems of unbalancing and possibly accidental falls. Furthermore, the base has a substantially square shape with beveled corners which, if not provided with lateral curvature, allows a user only one-directional forward movement, greatly limiting the user's freedom of movement.

JP-U-S5536887 describes a seating device provided with a support base on which a support element provided with a seating element is installed. This solution has a support base curved in a convex way and with great thickness with respect to the overall extension of the seating device, and therefore its center of gravity is not at the level of the support surface but is positioned higher, making the seating device as a whole not very stable. In the solution shown, the support base also has a laterally curved shape, which does not allow to define a stably balanced position of the seating device.

There is therefore a need to perfect a seating device that can overcome at least one of the disadvantages of the state of the art.

In particular, one purpose of the present invention is to obtain a seating device, usable also for workstations, which is comfortable for a user and at the same time guarantees his safety.

Another purpose is to obtain a seating device that can also be used for workstations that prevents accidental falls of a user and, more generally, allows the user to have a psychological feeling of safety, that is, the feeling that he can use the device with the certainty that he will not fall backward or sideways.

Another purpose of the present invention is to supply a seating device that guarantees the safety of the user, while still guaranteeing his freedom of movement inside a frontal arc.

The Applicant has devised, tested and embodied the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the state of the art and to obtain these and other purposes and advantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is set forth and characterized in the independent claims, while the dependent claims describe other characteristics of the invention or variants to the main inventive idea.

In accordance with the above purposes, the present invention concerns a seating device of the "sit-stand" type, also usable for workstations.

Embodiments of the seating device in accordance with the present description comprise a seating element, a support base positionable on a support surface and a support element that connects the seating element to the support base. According to one embodiment, the support base comprises a plane base with a flat shape and an inclined front portion that extends inclined upward from the plane base, the plane base being provided with a central portion to which the support element is connected.

In possible embodiments, the inclined portion is delimited at the front by a front edge with, in particular, an arched shape, and the plane base is delimited at the rear by a rectilinear rear edge, opposite the inclined portion, and delimited laterally by rectilinear intermediate edges that can extend parallel to each other from the rear edge to the inclined portion. The intermediate edges are connected to the front edge.

The plane base is provided with at least a plane surface positionable, during use, completely resting on the support surface in order to prevent lateral and rearward oscillations of the plane base, and the inclined portion is provided with an inclined surface that extends toward the front edge, inclined upward with respect to the normal use of the seating element and with respect to the plane identified by the plane surface.

Other embodiments concern a support base for a seating device. In one embodiment, the support base comprises a plane base with a flat shape and an inclined front portion that extends inclined upward from the plane base, the plane base having a central portion to which a support element is connected.

In some embodiments, the inclined portion is delimited at the front by a front edge, in particular with an arched shape, and the plane base is delimited at the rear by a rectilinear rear edge, opposite the inclined portion, and by rectilinear intermediate edges that can extend parallel to each other from the rear edge to the inclined portion. The intermediate edges are connected to the front edge.

The plane base is provided with at least a plane surface positionable, during use, completely resting on a support surface in order to prevent lateral and rearward oscillations of the plane base, and the inclined portion is provided with an inclined lower surface that extends toward the front edge, inclined upward so that the front edge is raised with respect to the plane identified by the plane surface.

Other embodiments concern, in particular, a support base that is provided with a desired shape configured to function as a lateral and rear anti-tipping element for the seating device; it provides, in particular, a plane base, able to achieve a stable support and to prevent rear and lateral oscillations and overturning, and the upward inclined portion which allows a front inclination toward the zone where the user normally stably rests his feet, in this way, in practice, cancelling any risk of forward falls.

According to some embodiments, therefore, the seating device comprises the seating element, the support base positionable on a support surface, for example the floor, and the support element that connects the seating element to the support base.

According to some embodiments, therefore, the support base is provided with a front edge and a rear edge, opposite the front edge.

The front and rear edge in practice define the front side and the rear side of the seating device. In some embodiments, the support base is also defined by the base, or plane portion, and by the inclined portion.

The plane base is provided with at least a plane surface positionable, during use, on the support surface, and that extends from the rear edge toward the inclined portion. The plane surface, lower during use, is in fact flat, with a reduced thickness, therefore advantageously promoting the stability of the seating device, in particular with respect to rearward and lateral oscillations, since the center of gravity of the user, seated on the seating element, is kept as low as possible.

The inclined portion is provided with the inclined surface that extends from the plane base toward the front edge, inclined with respect to the lying plane of the plane surface.

According to a variant, the inclined portion is shaped at least partly rounded, that is, curved, convex, or round.

In accordance with some embodiments, the rear edge has an at least partly rectilinear shape, just as the lateral edges are rectilinear and preferably but not restrictively parallel with respect to each other, so as to prevent lateral and/or rearward oscillations of the plane base.

In accordance with some embodiments, the front edge can have an arched shape.

In accordance with other embodiments, the support element can be fixed with respect to the seating element and the support base, preventing a reciprocal rotation of the latter.

According to these embodiments, in particular thanks to the arched conformation of the front edge of the inclined front portion, the user can easily rotate even by 360°, pivoting on the front edge without losing direction, that is keeping the seating directionality with respect to the front/inclined edge of the support base and therefore keeping a safe control of the seating device. The advantages of this are connected both to the safe use of the seating device, and the possibility of rotating/moving in semi-seated position without twisting the spinal column.

Advantageously, thanks to the support base and the seating device according to the embodiments described here, the user finds it very comfortable to use the support base and the respective seating device, and at the same time is guaranteed that it is safe.

Furthermore, advantageously, the user has the psychological feeling of safety during use, that is, the feeling that he can use the device with the certainty that he will not fall backward or sideways. In this sense, the particular shape of the base gives the user a resistance against lateral and backward movement which he feels as a sense of security.

Moreover, the support base and the seating device according to the embodiments described here guarantee the user's safety, while still guaranteeing his freedom of movement inside a front arc. These and other aspects, characteristics and advantages of the present disclosure will be better understood with reference to the following description, drawings and attached claims. The drawings, which are integrated and form part of the present description, show some embodiments of the present invention, and together with the description, are intended to describe the principles of the disclosure.

The various aspects and characteristics described in the present description can be applied individually where possible. These individual aspects, for example aspects and characteristics described in the attached dependent claims, can be the object of divisional applications.

It is understood that any aspect or characteristic that is discovered, during the patenting process, to be already known, shall not be claimed and shall be the object of a disclaimer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of some embodiments, given as a non-restrictive example with reference to the attached drawings wherein:

- fig. 1 is a three-dimensional view of a seating device in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention;

- fig. 2 is a lateral view of the seating device in fig. 1 ;

- fig. 3 is a view from above of the seating device in fig. 1 ;

- fig. 4 is a section from IV to IV of fig. 3.

To facilitate comprehension, the same reference numbers have been used, where possible, to identify identical common elements in the drawings. It is understood that elements and characteristics of one embodiment can conveniently be incorporated into other embodiments without further clarifications.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME EMBODIMENTS

We shall now refer in detail to the various embodiments of the present invention, of which one or more examples are shown in the attached drawings. Each example is supplied by way of illustration of the invention and shall not be understood as a limitation thereof. For example, the characteristics shown or described insomuch as they are part of one embodiment can be adopted on, or in association with, other embodiments to produce another embodiment. It is understood that the present invention shall comprise all such modifications and variants.

Before describing these embodiments, we must also clarify that the present description is not limited in its application to details of the construction and disposition of the components as described in the following description using the attached drawings. The present description can provide other embodiments and can be obtained or executed in various other ways. We must also clarify that the phraseology and terminology used here is for the purposes of description only, and cannot be considered as limitative.

Embodiments described here with reference to figs. 1 to 4 concern a seating device 10 also usable for workstations, and a respective support base 12 for said seating device 10.

In particular, the seating device 10 can be the "sit-stand" type, which allows a user to rest partly on it while remaining substantially standing.

According to some embodiments described with reference to figs. 1 to 4, the seating device 10 comprises a seating element 11, a support base 12, and a support element 13 that connects the seating element 11 and the support base 12.

The support element 13 keeps the support base 12 and the seating element 11 distanced by a desired distance, defining at least one axis X.

According to some embodiments, the support element 13 has an oblong conformation along the X-axis. In particular, the support element 13 can be configured as an extendable vertical upright, adjustable or fixed.

The support base 12, during use, is at least partly positioned on a support surface S.

According to some embodiments, the projection of the seating element 11 on the support base 12 and a plane orthogonal to the axis X is comprised in the overall bulk of the support base 12 (fig. 3).

This allows to guarantee the stability of the seating device 10 both in a condition of static balance, that is, when the seating device 10 is not used by a user, and also in a condition of dynamic balance, that is, when used by a user, preventing unwanted overturning of the seating device 10 itself.

According to some embodiments, the support base 12 is defined by a base or plane portion 18, with a flat shape, and an inclined front portion 19 that extends upward from the plane base 18.

According to some embodiments, the plane base 18 is provided with a central portion 20, to which the support element 13 is connected. For example, the central portion 20 can be an attachment plate or base, advantageously circular. According to some embodiments, the central portion 20 of the plane base 18 can be disposed in a region that is substantially central in the support base 12, for example near the connection zone between the plane base 18 and the inclined portion 19.

According to some embodiments, the plane base 18 has a substantially flat shape, that is, it has a constant thickness and much less than the overall vertical development of the seating device 10.

According to other embodiments, the support base 12 is plane, that is, the respective plane base 18 and inclined portion 19 can have the same thickness. The thickness, by way of example, can be comprised between about 2 and about 5 cm.

The support base 12 comprises a front edge 21 and a rectilinear rear edge 22, opposite the inclined portion 19, in particular opposite the front edge 21. The front edge 21 delimits the inclined portion 19 at the front, while the rectilinear edge 22 delimits the plane base 18 at the rear.

The front edge 21 and the rear edge 22 can be disposed on the periphery of the support base 12.

The front edge 21 and the rear edge 22 can be continuous with each other and connect in correspondence with the central portion 20.

According to possible variant embodiments, the front edge 21 and the rear edge 22 can be connected to each other by intermediate edges 38. According to some embodiments, the intermediate edges 38 can be at least partly rectilinear and can be parallel to one another, extending from the rear edge 22 to the inclined portion and connecting with the front edge 21.

According to some embodiments, the plane base 18 is defined peripherally by the rear edge 22, and by the intermediate edges 38.

According to these solutions, the plane base 18 has a quasi-rectangular shape, possibly with the rear corners rounded.

According to further embodiments, the inclined portion 19 is peripherally defined by the front edge 21, which connects to the intermediate edges 38.

The plane base 18 is provided with a plane surface 18a that extends from the rear edge 22 toward the inclined portion 19 and is positioned on the support surface S on which the seating device 10 is positioned. The plane surface 18a is opposite a surface of the support base 12 which faces the seating element 1 1.

The plane surface 18a in particular can be positioned completely resting on the support surface S, so as to prevent lateral and rearward oscillations of the plane base 18 and guarantee a stable positioning of the seating device 10. The inclined portion 19 is provided with an inclined surface 19a that extends inclined toward the seating element 1 1, from the central portion 20 toward the front edge 21 and faces the support surface S.

By the term "inclined" here and hereafter in the description, we mean that the inclined surface 19a can be both plane or curved, or also a combination of plane and curved and lying on at least one plane other than the lying plane of the plane surface 18a.

According to some embodiments, the plane surface 18a and the inclined surface 19a are connected to each other.

According to a variant, the inclined surface 19a is at least partly curved.

According to some embodiments, the inclined surface 19a can have a constant curvature, for example with a partly cylindrical shape.

According to a possible variant, the inclined surface 19a can have a rounded shape, for example a spherical cap.

According to some embodiments, the inclined surface 19a can have a radius of curvature comprised between about 40 cm and about 120 cm.

According to some embodiments, the inclined surface 19a can have a radius of curvature comprised between about 50 cm to about 90 cm.

According to other embodiments, the inclined surface 19a can have a radius of curvature comprised between about 60 cm and about 80 cm.

According to some embodiments, the plane base 18 and the inclined portion 19 have the same width W at least in correspondence with the central portion 20.

According to some embodiments, the plane base 18 and the inclined portion 19 have respective lengths LI, L2 evaluated along a median axis that intersects the front edge 21 and the rear edge 22 and lies on the plane surface 18a. In some embodiments, length LI and length L2 can be equal to each other. According to other embodiments, if the front edge 21 is semi-circular, the length L2 can correspond to a radius of curvature of the front edge 21.

The radius of curvature can be comprised, for example, between 20 and 30 cm.

In some embodiments, the length LI and the length L2 can be different, for example, the length L2 of the inclined portion 19 can be comprised between about 0.8 and about 1.2 times the length LI.

In accordance with some embodiments, the terminal end of the front edge 21 can be distanced with respect to a lying plane on which the plane surface 18a lies, in the case shown by way of example, the support surface S, by a distance D.

The distance D can be comprised, by way of example only, between 1 cm and 10 cm.

According to some example solutions, the distance D can be comprised between 5% and 25% of the length L2 of the inclined portion 19.

According to other example solutions, the distance D can be comprised between 10% and 20% of the length L2 of the inclined portion 19.

According to yet other example solutions, the distance D can be comprised between 13% and 17% of the length L2 of the inclined portion 19.

The curvature of the inclined surface 19a allows the user to make a variable oscillation, for example between 1° and 35°, with respect to the horizontal plane, that is, to the support surface S.

In particular, the user can move his center of gravity toward the front edge 21 so as to bring the inclined surface 19a in contact with the support surface S. This causes a consequent lifting of the plane surface 18a which varies, for example, between 1° and 35°.

According to some embodiments, the support base 12, comprising the plane base 18 and the inclined portion 19, can have a shape other than that shown in the drawings, for example a rectangular, triangular or rhomboid shape, possibly with beveled edges, or can comprise a combination of polygonal, circular or oval shapes. These variants are advantageously functional to obtain the desired stability of the seating device 10, with the possibility of making a front oscillation, avoiding any unwanted backward and sideways overturning. In some embodiments, the rear edge 22 can have at least one rectilinear segment 22a opposite the central portion 20 with respect to the plane base 18.

According to some embodiments, the front edge 21 can be at least partly arched or completely arched.

The at least partly arched shape of the front edge 21 can advantageously allow the user to move slightly sideways after bending toward the front part and after resting his weight essentially on his feet, that is, in a position of safety. Indeed, the arched conformation of the front edge 21 allows the user to rotate slightly right or left, moving his feet in one direction or the other, and in any case remaining resting stably on the seating element 11, in the "sit-stand" position.

According to possible variants, the front edge 21 can have a semi-circular shape.

According to other variants, the front edge 21 can have a semi-ellipsoidal configuration.

In a balanced condition of the seating device 10, the plane surface 18a is in contact with the support surface S, while the inclined surface 19a is at least partly raised with respect to the support surface S.

In a condition of use, the seating device 10 can be positioned with the front edge 21 facing for example toward a workstation.

In particular, in the condition of use of the seating device 10, the legs and feet of a user are disposed on the side of the inclined portion 19, with the heels facing toward the front edge 21.

The user can bend in the front direction, shifting his center of gravity toward the front edge 21, bringing the inclined surface 19a into contact with the support surface S in the direction in which the feet are facing, and thus performing an oscillation along the curvature of the inclined surface 19a.

According to these embodiments, the user can also easily rotate by 360°, pivoting on the front edge 21 of the support base 12 without losing directionality, that is, maintaining the seating direction with respect to the front/inclined portion 19 of the support base 12, and hence keeping a sure control over the seating device 10.

However, thanks to the special conformation of the support base 12, the user does not risk leaning in the rear direction, nor laterally, except possibly for an anterolateral portion defined by the distance L2, and in any case in total safety. In fact, when the user moves his center of gravity again toward the central portion 20, the plane surface 18a goes back into contact with the support surface S, defining a stable and uniform abutment against the backward or lateral imbalance, except, possibly, for the anterolateral condition as described above.

According to some embodiments, at least the rear edge 22 and possibly the front edge 21 and any intermediate portions can have an oblique lateral surface, defining an acute angle with respect to the respective plane surface 18a and inclined surface 19a, which acts as a further stable abutment element when the surfaces 18a, 19a are in contact with the support surface S.

According to other embodiments, the support base 12 can also comprise a non- slip coating 36, configured to prevent slippage of the support base 12 with respect to the support surface S, guaranteeing a controlled oscillation of the seating device 10.

The non-slip coating 36 can at least partly cover the inclined surface 19a, preventing slipping of the seating device 10 when the user is imbalanced forward.

According to possible solutions, the non-slip coating 36 can also cover the plane surface 18a, that is, it can cover the entire support surface of the support base 12.

In accordance with some embodiments, the support base 12 is rigidly constrained to the support element 13 and in turn the support element 13 is rigidly constrained to the seating element 11.

In particular, connections 40 can be provided between the seating element 11 and the support element 13 and between the support element 13 and the support base 12, configured to prevent a reciprocal rotation of the seating element 11 and of the support base 12 with respect to the axis X.

In accordance with embodiments described with reference to fig. 4, the connections 40 can comprise a first housing seating 25, suitable to house a first flange 23 to connect and attach the support element 13 to the support base 12. The first housing seating 25 can be made in the support base 12, in correspondence with a surface of the latter facing toward the seating element 11.

The support base 12 and the first flange 23 can be provided with holes 24 in which to insert attachment members 35, such as screws, and define the reciprocal attachment of the support base 12 and the first flange 23.

According to some embodiments, the first flange 23 can comprise an annular plate 26 and a tubular portion 27 protruding from the annular plate 26 and in which an end of the support element 13 is inserted.

In accordance with possible variant embodiments, the tubular portion 27 can be made in a single body with the support base 12.

According to some embodiments, described with reference to fig. 4, the connections 40 can comprise a sleeve 29 attached to the seating element 11 and provided with a second housing seating 28 to house and attach an end of the support element 13 to the seating element 11.

In some embodiments, the attachment of the support member 13 to the first flange 23 and to the sleeve 29 can be performed by snap-in or same-shape coupling.

In accordance with possible solutions, the support element 13 can have a fixed length.

In accordance with possible variant embodiments, for example shown in figs. 1 and 2, the support element 13 can have a variable length and be extendable in a direction along the axis X.

According to these embodiments, the support element 13 can comprise a mechanism to adjust the height of the seating plane for the user. It can comprise, for example, a piston device 30 to adjust the height of the seating element 11 according to needs, for example depending on the activities to be performed, the height of the user, or other.

The piston device 30 can be, for example, pneumatic, and comprise a cylinder 31 and a piston 33 sliding in the cylinder 31.

The piston device 30 can also comprise a drive member, not shown, by means of which a user can drive the piston device 30 to make the piston 33 slide in the cylinder 31 and thus adjust the height of the seating element 11 with respect to the support base 12.

According to some embodiments, the piston 33 and the cylinder 31 are reciprocally mobile only in an axial direction, and are not able to rotate one with respect to each other.

According to other embodiments, it can be provided that the piston 33 and the cylinder 31 can rotate one with respect to the other by an angle of up to ± 60°, preferably up to ± 45°, or even more preferably ± 30° with respect to the median axis, or an angle corresponding to the extension of the inclined portion 19. For example, it can be provided that the piston 33 and the cylinder 31 can rotate one with respect to the other by an angle comprised up to ± 10°, in particular up to ± 5°.

According to possible solutions, described with reference to fig. 4, the seating element 11 can comprise a support plane 14 made of rigid material, suitable to form a support structure, for example wood, metal, or plastic material.

According to other embodiments, the seating element 11 can also comprise a covering layer 15, disposed above the support plane 14 on which a user sits. The covering layer 15 can be made of soft material or padding, possibly covered with textile material, leather, fake leather, or suchlike, to improve the ergonomics of the seating element 11.

In accordance with possible solutions, the covering layer 15 can be made for example of polymer material foam.

According to some embodiments, the seating element 11 can have a suitably shaped anatomical shape, to make it comfortable for a user to sit and lean on. According to these embodiments, the seating element 11 can comprise a seating portion 16 on which a user's buttocks can be positioned, and a tapered portion 17 suitable to be partly inserted between the legs of a user to improve the ergonomics of the seating device 10.

It is clear that modifications and/or additions of parts may be made to the seating device 10 as described heretofore, without departing from the field and scope of the present invention.

It is also clear that, although the present invention has been described with reference to some specific examples, a person of skill in the art shall certainly be able to achieve many other equivalent forms of seating device 10, having the characteristics as set forth in the claims and hence all coming within the field of protection defined thereby.