Dynamic sitting device

Abstract

A dynamic sitting device includes a seat 20, a means for supporting the seat 30, and a novel floor-contacting element 40. Said novel floor-contacting element includes an outside edge 60 and a point 50. Said outside edge is circumferential to said point, and is positioned approximately perpendicular to said means for supporting seat. Said point is positioned near the center of said floor-contacting element and sits a short distance below a plane defined by said outside edge. A user can either balance the sitting device on said point in order to rock and spin, or rest the device on both said point and said outside edge in order to rest or to roll in a circular fashion. This invention promotes active sitting through the function of said floor-contacting element. The invention allows for both a dynamic sitting position that allows the body to be involved in maintaining balance and posture, and also a position of lesser activity and bodily involvement.

What is claimed as being new and desired to be protected is as follows:  
     
         1 . A sitting device comprising: 
 a floor-contacting element, a seat, and a means for supporting said seat at a predetermined distance from said floor-contacting element    said floor-contacting element is constructed in the form of a three dimensional surface that includes a recognizable point or apex and an outside edge    said point positioned a predetermined distance below a plane defined by said outside edge when measured perpendicular to said plane, so that said floor-contacting element is concave when said sitting device is viewed from above    said floor-contacting element is constructed so that said point and said outside edge are capable of resting in contact with a floor surface concurrently.    
     
     
         2 . The sitting device of  claim 1  wherein said outside edge is approximately circular in shape and measures slightly smaller in average diameter than said sitting device measures in overall height.  
     
     
         3 . The sitting device of  claim 1  wherein said point is located near the center of said floor-contacting element when said sitting device is viewed from above, and the lowest portion of said point is located a distance approximately {fraction (1/10)} th  the average diameter of said outside edge below the lowest portion of said outside edge.  
     
     
         4 . The sitting device of  claim 1  wherein said predetermined distance between said seat and said floor-contacting element is of the dimension that, when a user is sitting on said sitting device and said user's feet are resting flat on said floor surface, said user's upper leg is positioned at approximately a 60 to 70 degree angle when measured perpendicular to said floor surface up to the back of said user's leg.  
     
     
         5 . The sitting device of  claim 1  wherein said outside edge, through some suitable means, is adjustable so that its shape, diameter, and circumference can be varied, and said point, through some suitable means, is adjustable so that its position both parallel and perpendicular to said plane defined by said outside edge can be varied.  
     
     
         6 . The sitting device of  claim 1  wherein said means of supporting said seat is adjustable in both length and in angle with respect to said plane defined by said outside edge.  
     
     
         7 . The sitting device of  claim 1 , further including a durable protective coating applied to said floor-contacting element.  
     
     
         8 . The sitting device of  claim 1 , further including a foam pad covering the upper surface of said seat.  
     
     
         9 . A sitting device comprising: 
 a floor-contacting element, a seat, and a means for supporting said seat at a predetermined distance from said floor-contacting element    said floor-contacting element includes a plate and a point    said point positioned at a predetermined location on the bottom side of said plate so that said point is attached to the opposite side of said plate from said seat    said point mounted by some suitable means so that the distance of said point below said plate is adjustable    said plate and said point are positioned with respect to one another so that both said point and an outside edge of said plate are capable of resting in contact with a floor surface concurrently.    
     
     
         10 . The sitting device of  claim 9  wherein said outside edge of said plate is approximately circular in shape and measures slightly smaller in average diameter than said sitting device measures in overall height.  
     
     
         11 . The sitting device of  claim 9  wherein said point is located near the center of said floor-contacting element when said sitting device is viewed from above, and the lowest portion of said point is located a distance approximately {fraction (1/10)} th  the average diameter of said outside edge below said plate.  
     
     
         12 . The sitting device of  claim 9  wherein said predetermined distance between said seat and said floor-contacting element is of the dimension that, when a user is sitting on said sitting device and said user's feet are resting flat on said floor surface, said user's upper leg is positioned at approximately a 60 to 70 degree angle when measured perpendicular to said floor surface up to the back of said user's leg.  
     
     
         13 . The sitting device of  claim 9  wherein said floor-contacting element, through some suitable means, is adjustable so that said outside edge is variable in shape, diameter, and circumference, and that said point is movable parallel to said plate.  
     
     
         14 . The sitting device of  claim 9  wherein said means of supporting said seat is adjustable in both length and in angle with respect to said plate.  
     
     
         15 . The sitting device of  claim 9 , further including a durable protective coating applied to said floor-contacting element.  
     
     
         16 . The sitting device of  claim 9 , further including a foam pad covering the upper surface of said seat.  
     
     
         17 . A sitting device comprising: 
 a floor-contacting element, a seat, and a means for supporting said seat at a predetermined distance from said floor-contacting element    said floor-contacting element includes a point, a rim, and a means for attaching said rim to said point    said point positioned at a predetermined location within a boundary defined by said rim when said sitting device is viewed from above    said point positioned a predetermined distance below a plane defined by the lowest portion of said rim when measured perpendicular to said plane, so that a bottom surface of said point is positioned at a greater distance from said seat than said plane is positioned from said seat    said point, said rim, and said means for attaching said rim to said point are positioned with respect to one another so that both said point and said rim are capable of resting in contact with a floor surface concurrently.    
     
     
         18 . The sitting device of  claim 17  wherein said rim is approximately circular in shape and measures slightly smaller in average diameter than said sitting device measures in overall height.  
     
     
         19 . The sitting device of  claim 17  wherein said point is located near the center of said floor-contacting element when said sitting device is viewed from above, and the lowest portion of said point is located a distance approximately {fraction (1/10)} th  the average diameter of said rim below the lowest portion of said rim.  
     
     
         20 . The sitting device of  claim 17  wherein said predetermined distance between said seat and said floor-contacting element is of the dimension that, when a user is sitting on said sitting device and said user's feet are resting flat on said floor surface, said user's upper leg is positioned at approximately a 60 to 70 degree angle when measured perpendicular to said floor surface up to the back of said user's leg.  
     
     
         21 . The sitting device of  claim 17  wherein said floor-contacting element, through some suitable means, is adjustable so that said rim is variable in shape, diameter, and circumference, and said point is both movable parallel to said plane defined by said rim and variable in distance below said plane defined by said rim.  
     
     
         22 . The sitting device of  claim 17  wherein said means of supporting said seat is adjustable in both length and in angle with respect to said plane defined by said rim.  
     
     
         23 . The sitting device of  claim 17 , further including a durable protective coating applied to said floor-contacting element.  
     
     
         24 . The sitting device of  claim 17 , further including a foam pad covering the upper surface of said seat.