Ergonomic seat assembly

Abstract

An ergonomical seat assembly for supporting a seated human body in correct posture to maintain proper and healthy spine, hip, and pelvic alignment. The seat assembly includes a back panel for supporting the back of a user in an upright sitting position and side support members for engaging the sides of the user's torso. Included is a lumbar support member for engaging the lower back of the user just above the hips. The back panel is secured to a base panel upon which is arranged hip support members for engaging the seated user's hips. Together the elements of the seat assembly maintain proper and healthy posture of a seated user and comfortable long or short term seating.

1 . An ergonomical seat assembly for supporting a seated human body in correct posture to maintain proper and healthy spine, hip and pelvis alignment, comprising:
 back panel means for supporting the back of a human person in an upright sitting position;   side support means attached with said back panel means for engaging the sides of the torso of a human person in a seated position with the back of the person against the back panel means;   lumbar support means attached with said back panel means for engaging the lower back portion of a human person in a seated position;   base panel means secured to said back panel means for supporting a human person in a seated position;   hip support means attached with said base panel means for snugly engaging the hip areas of a human person in a seated position; and   said back panel means, side support means, lumbar support means, base panel means, and hip support means constructed and arranged such that when a human person is seated on said base panel means with the person's back against said back panel means, and said side support means are in engagement with the sides of the person's torso, and said lumbar support means in engagement with the person's lower back, and said hip support means in engagement with the person's hips proper and healthy spinal alignment is maintained, toeing out and splaying of legs prevented, outward rotation of the hips avoided, keeping the person's body in proper alignment to effect correct and healthy posture.   
   
   
       2 . The ergonomical seat assembly as set for the in  claim 1  wherein said side support means includes a pair of elongated side support members, one each selectively attachable and laterally, and upwardly and downwardly movably disposed on opposite lateral side sections of said back panel means, each of said side support members sized and shaped for engaging the side of the torso of a human person in a seated position. 
   
   
       3 . The ergonomical seat assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said base panel means is pivotably secured at its inner end section to a lower end section of said back panel means. 
   
   
       4 . The ergonomical seat assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said hip support means includes a pair of elongated hip support members, one each selectively attachable and laterally, forwardly and rearwardly movably disposed on opposite lateral side sections of said base panel means, each of said hip support members sized and shaped for snugly engaging the hip area of a person in a seated position. 
   
   
       5 . The ergonomical seat assembly as set forth in  claim 4  wherein at least one of said hip support members has side sections of different slopes or angles sized and shaped for snugly engaging different shaped hip areas of different persons, each person in a seated position. 
   
   
       6 . The ergonomical seat assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said hip support means is disposed on said base panel means in a position for limiting the movement of said back panel means to a generally right angle position relative to the position of said base panel means. 
   
   
       7 . The ergonomical seat assembly as set forth in  claim 4  wherein at least one of said hip support members having its inner end disposed at the inner end of said base panel means for limiting the movement of said back panel means to a generally right angle position relative the position of said base panel means. 
   
   
       8 . The ergonomical seat assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said back panel means is sized and shaped and selectively rotatable to a generally parallel position relative to said base panel means with said hip support means attached to said base panel means. 
   
   
       9 . The ergonomical seat assembly as set forth in  claim 8  including holding means for securing said back panel means to said base panel means when they are in a generally parallel position to each other. 
   
   
       10 . The ergonomical seat assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said base panel means defines an opening generally centrally disposed at the inner end position thereof for receiving the tailbone portion of the person's lower back. 
   
   
       11 . An ergonomically adjustable seat assembly for supporting a human body in correct posture to maintain proper and healthy spinal alignment, comprising:
 back panel means for supporting the back of a human person in an upright position;   a pair of elongated side support members, one each selectively attachable and laterally, and upwardly and downwardly movably disposed on opposite lateral side sections of said back panel means, each of said side support members sized and shaped for engaging the side of the torso of a human person in a seated position;   base panel means pivotably secured at its inner end section to a lower end section of said back panel means for supporting a human person in a seated position;   an elongated lumbar support member selectively attachable and upwardly and downwardly movably disposed at a lower portion of said back panel means sized and shaped for snugly engaging a lower back portion of a human person in a seated position;   a pair of elongated hip support members, one each selectively attachable and laterally, forwardly and rearwardly movably disposed on opposite lateral side sections of said base panel means, each of said hip support members sized and shaped for snugly engaging the hip area of a human person in a seated position;   at least one of said hip support members having its inner end disposed at the inner end of said bare panel means for limiting the movement of said back panel means to a generally right angle position relative to the position of said base panel means; and   said back panel means, side support members, said lumbar support member, said base panel means, and hip support means sized, shaped, constructed and arranged such that when a human person is seated on said base panel means with the person's back against said back panel means and said side support members are in engagement with the sides of the person's torso, and said lumbar support member in engagement with the person's lower back, and said hip support members in engagement with the person's hips, proper and healthy spinal alignment is maintained, toeing out and splaying of legs prevented, outward rotation of the hips avoided, keeping the person's body in proper alignment to effect correct and healthy posture.   
   
   
       12 . The ergonomically adjustable seat assembly as set forth in  claim 11  wherein said back panel means is sized, shaped and secured to said base panel means and is arranged for selective rotation to a generally parallel position relative to said base panel means with said hip support members attached to said base panel means and said side support members removed from said back panel means. 
   
   
       13 . The ergonomically adjustable seat assembly as set forth in  claim 12  including holding means for securing said back panel means to said base panel means when they are in a generally parallel position to each other. 
   
   
       14 . The ergonomically adjustable seat assembly as set forth in  claim 12  whereby said side support members are removably secured on said base panel means. 
   
   
       15 . The ergonomically adjustable seat assembly as set forth in  claim 11  wherein said base panel means defines an opening generally centrally disposed at the inner end position thereof for receiving the tailbone portion of the person's lower back. 
   
   
       16 . The ergonomically adjustable seat assembly as set forth in  claim 11  including bracing means secured to both rear back panel means and base panel means for securing said back panel means in an upright position relative to said base panel means.