Chairs and seats – Bottom or back with means to alter contour – Providing support for lower back region
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-29
2001-09-18
Brown, Peter R. (Department: 3636)
Chairs and seats
Bottom or back with means to alter contour
Providing support for lower back region
C005S655300, C005S708000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06290295
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a chair. More particularly, this invention relates to a pump assembly for use with a chair having a chair back equipped with an expandable fluid bladder for lumbar support.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the workplace, persons such as machine operators and secretaries are often required to perform tasks in a sedentary position. Without proper support of the back, the person can become fatigued and possibly subjected to back strain. It is now known that utilizing ergonomic principles in chair design can increase a worker's productivity, reduce back fatigue, and reduce the likelihood of the incidences of back strain.
One area in which this proper support is especially necessary is the support of the lumbar or lower region of a seated person's back. It is known in the chair design industry that it is possible to provide a solid cushion in the lumbar region of the back of the chair for back support. Typically, these cushions are made of foam material. However, it has been found that such a foam cushion proves uncomfortable to the user over time.
It is also known in the chair design industry to provide lumbar support into the back of a chair in another way: by using an expandable fluid bladder. Expandable fluid bladders have proven to be more comfortable than foam cushions. One type of expandable fluid bladder—an air bladder—is described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,758,925 to Schrewe, et al. and in 4,518,200 to Armstrong.
Recently, chairs have been designed incorporating these expandable fluid bladders directly into the back of chairs. Pump means in the form of rubber bulb pumps have been incorporated into chair backs to inflate the expandable fluid bladders. Some of these chair backs have the pump means hidden behind a foam cushion; some of these chair backs have a rubber bulb pump protruding from the back of the chair back. In either event, a person sitting the in the chair cannot easily inflate the lumbar support while seated in these chairs. This is problematic since a person should be seated to properly determine whether the inflation level of the expandable fluid bladder is adequate to support the back. With these chairs the person must get out of the chair, then inflate the expandable fluid bladder, and then return to the seat to test the lumbar support. Accordingly, these prior chairs are inconvenient because much time is wasted in adjusting the lumbar support.
It is also known in the chair design industry that expandable fluid bladders must be deflatable as well as inflatable in order to be practical. To that end, conventional chair backs with air bladders are provided with a fluid release or button located somewhere on the chair. By depressing this fluid release or button, the air bladder is deflated.
However, in these prior chairs, one tool is used to inflate the expandable fluid bladder and a different mechanism is used to deflate the expandable fluid bladder. For instance, the rubber bulb pump may be used to inflate the air bladder, while the fluid release or button is used to deflate the air bladder. Because at least two different mechanisms are manipulated to adjust the air bladder, a user cannot conveniently adjust the air bladder from a seated position to attain proper lumbar support.
Portable cushions with air bladders for lumbar support are also well-known as discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,518,200 to Armstrong. However, these portable supports are not practical for use in the modem workplace where durable furniture is preferred.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a pump assembly that can overcome, or at least minimize, one or more problems set forth above.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In some aspects, the present invention relates to an apparatus and a method to inflate and deflate an expandable fluid bladder. In these aspects, the present invention (1) allows the user to use the same actuator to both inflate and deflate a lumber support, and (2) allows the user to remain seated while adjusting the lumber support. Thus, a person can conveniently adjust the amount of support provided by the lumbar support without getting out of the chair. Further, in the present invention, the convenience to the user is enhanced because she does not have to be familiar with the location of two different actuators to adjust the lumbar support.
According to one aspect of the invention, a pump assembly for use in combination with a chair back having an expandable fluid bladder for lumbar support, said expandable fluid bladder being inflatable and deflatable by a person seated in a chair which includes as one component said chair back, is comprised of pump means for transferring fluid into the expandable fluid bladder, said expandable fluid bladder being located in the chair back, an actuator adapted to engage the pump means to transfer fluid into said expandable fluid bladder, and valve means functionally adapted to release fluid from said expandable fluid bladder based on contact with said actuator. In some embodiments, the pump assembly further comprises tubing, and the valve means further comprises a first end, a second end, and a fluid release, the first end of the valve means connected to the pump means, the second end of the valve means connected to the expandable fluid bladder by the tubing, and the actuator contacting the fluid release to release fluid from said expandable fluid bladder.
In some embodiments, the pump assembly further comprises a biasing means connected to the actuator, the biasing means adapted to resist the actuator's contact with the fluid release. In some embodiments, the biasing means further comprises a clip, a first post connected to the chair back, a second post connected to the chair back, and a third post located on the actuator, the clip being associated with each post. In some aspects, the pump assembly further comprises a buffer pivotally mounted on the chair back between the pump means and the actuator. In some embodiments, a contact is adapted to movably secure the buffer onto the chair back.
In some embodiments, a wall is mounted on the chair back and positioned adjacent to the pump means. In some embodiments, a valve means cover is connected to the chair back by a screw, the valve means being positioned between the valve means cover and the chair back. In some embodiments, the fluid is air.
In some aspects, a pump assembly is provided for use in combination with a chair back having an air bladder for lumbar support, said air bladder being inflatable and deflatable by a person seated in a chair which includes as one component said chair back, comprising pump means for transferring air into the air bladder, said air bladder being located in the chair back, an actuator adapted to engage the pump means to transfer air into said air bladder, and valve means functionally adapted to release air from said air bladder based on contact with said actuator, tubing, the valve means further comprising a first end, a second end, and a fluid release, the first end of the valve means connected to the pump means, the second end of the valve means connected to the air bladder by tubing, the actuator contacting the fluid release to release fluid from said air bladder, a buffer pivotally mounted on the chair back between the pump means and the actuator, a contact adapted to movably secure the buffer onto the chair back, a wall mounted on the chair back, the wall adjacent to the pump means, a biasing means connected to the actuator adapted to resist the actuator contacting the valve means, the biasing means further comprising a clip, a first post connected to the chair back, a second post connected to the chair back, and a third post located on the actuator, the clip associated with each post, and a valve means cover connected to the chair back by a screw, the valve means being positioned between the valve cover and the chair back.
In some aspects, a pump assembly for use with a chair back having an expandable fluid bladder is provided, the expandable fl
Belt Kendall A.
Benden Mark E.
Boenigk Rebecca C.
Ebner David W.
Brown Peter R.
Howrey Simon Arnold & White , LLP
Neutral Posture Ergonomics, Inc.
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