Chest support

Abstract

A chest support that supports the weight of a user's torso, and more particularly an adjustable chest support that is operative to be adjusted by a user “hands free” (i.e., without the use of the hands). The angular position or tilt of the chest support may be adjusted forward and rearward relative to a seat (e.g., a seat of a chair attached to the chest support), allowing the user to bend, or tilt, his or her torso toward and away from a work area. The chest support is operative to support the torso of a user at the chest area, thereby permitting the user to perform a task while reducing the likelihood of lower back pain and body fatigue. In some embodiments, arm support assemblies may also be mounted to the chest support to effect corresponding movement of the arm support assemblies toward and away from the work area upon adjustment of the angular position or tilt of the chest support.

1 . A chest support for attachment to a seat and supporting the chest of a human such that the human may comfortably perform a task over a work area, comprising:
 a chest support base adapted to be coupled to the seat;   an elongate support arm pivotably coupled to the chest support base and extending therefrom, the support arm sized to support the chest of the human while sitting on the seat; and   an adjustment mechanism operative to permit selective adjustment of the angular position of the support arm relative to the chest support base, the adjustment mechanism comprising a lever that when enabled causes the adjustment mechanism to permit adjustment of the angular position of the support arm relative to the chest support base, and when disabled causes the adjustment mechanism to fix the angular position of the support arm relative to the chest support base, wherein the lever is configured and positioned to be operated hands free by the human while sitting on the seat.   
     
     
         2 . The chest support of  claim 1 , wherein the adjustment mechanism comprises a pneumatic cylinder coupled to the chest support base and the support arm, the pneumatic cylinder being operative to be locked and unlocked by operation of the lever. 
     
     
         3 . The chest support of  claim 2 , wherein, when unlocked, the pneumatic cylinder biases the support arm toward an upright position. 
     
     
         4 . The chest support of  claim 1 , wherein the angular position of the support arm relative to the chest support base is adjustable over a range of at least 30 degrees. 
     
     
         5 . The chest support of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a chest pad pivotably coupled to the support arm and configured to be comfortably engaged by the chest of the human while sitting on the seat.   
     
     
         6 . The chest support of  claim 5 , wherein the chest pad is configured to be selectively adjustable relative to the support arm by the human while sitting on the seat. 
     
     
         7 . The chest support of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first arm support assembly selectively coupled to the support arm and extending laterally outward therefrom to the left, the first arm support assembly configured to support at least a portion of the left arm of the human; and   a second arm support assembly selectively coupled to the support arm and extending laterally outward therefrom to the right, the second arm support assembly configured to support at least a portion of the right arm of the human.   
     
     
         8 . The chest support of  claim 7 , wherein the position of each of the first arm support assembly and the second arm support assembly relative to the support arm is independently adjustable. 
     
     
         9 . The chest support of  claim 7 , wherein each of the first arm support assembly and the second arm support assembly are configured for slidable engagement with a rail positioned on the support arm. 
     
     
         10 . The chest support of  claim 1 , wherein the lever comprises a substantially planar portion configured to be operated by at least a portion of an arm of a human while using the chest support. 
     
     
         11 . The chest support of  claim 1 , wherein the chest support comprises a portion of one of a surgical chair and a dentist's chair. 
     
     
         12 . The chest support of  claim 1 , wherein the adjustment mechanism comprises at least one of a hydraulic cylinder, an electronic actuator, and a spring. 
     
     
         13 . A method for performing a task in a work area, comprising:
 providing a chest support, comprising:
 a chest support base adapted to be coupled to a seat; 
 an elongate support arm pivotably coupled to the chest support base and extending therefrom, the support arm sized to support the chest of a human while sitting on the seat; and 
 an adjustment mechanism operative to permit selective adjustment of the angular position of the support arm relative to the chest support base, the adjustment mechanism comprising a lever that when enabled causes the adjustment mechanism to permit adjustment of the angular position of the support arm relative to the chest support base, and when disabled causes the adjustment mechanism to fix the angular position of the support arm relative to the chest support base, wherein the lever is configured and positioned to be operated hands free by the human while sitting on the seat; 
   sitting on a seat coupled to the chest support; and   adjusting the angular position of the support arm relative to the chest support base by moving the lever.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the adjusting comprises:
 applying body weight to the support arm;   enabling the lever of the adjustment mechanism by applying a force to the lever using a portion of an arm of the human not including the hands; and   disabling the lever of the adjustment mechanism by removing the force applied to the lever.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the adjusting comprises:
 removing body weight from the support arm;   enabling the lever of the adjustment mechanism by applying a force to the lever using a portion of an arm of the human not including the hands; and   disabling the lever of the adjustment mechanism by removing the force applied to the lever.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the chest support further comprises a first arm support assembly selectively coupled to the support arm and extending laterally outward therefrom to the left, the first arm support assembly configured to support at least a portion of the left arm of the human, and a second arm support assembly selectively coupled to the support arm and extending laterally outward therefrom to the right, the second arm support assembly configured to support at least a portion of the right arm of the human, the method further comprising:
 adjusting the position of at least one of the first arm support assembly and the second arm support assembly relative to the support arm.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the adjusting comprises sliding at least one of the first arm support assembly and the second arm support assembly along a rail positioned on the support arm. 
     
     
         18 . A chest support for attachment to a seat and supporting the chest of a human such that the human may comfortably perform a task over a work area, comprising:
 a chest support base adapted to be coupled to the seat;   an elongate support arm pivotably coupled to the chest support base and extending therefrom, the support arm sized to support the chest of the human while sitting on the seat; and   means for permitting selective adjustment of the angular position of the support arm relative to the chest support base configured and positioned to be operated hands free by the human while sitting on the seat.   
     
     
         19 . A chest support for attachment to a seat and supporting the chest of a human such that the human may comfortably perform a task over a work area, comprising:
 an elongate support arm pivotably coupled to the seat and extending therefrom, the support arm sized to support the chest of the human while sitting on the seat; and   an adjustment mechanism operative to permit selective adjustment of the angular position of the support arm relative to the seat, the adjustment mechanism comprising a lever that when enabled causes the adjustment mechanism to permit adjustment of the angular position of the support arm relative to the seat, and when disabled causes the adjustment mechanism to fix the angular position of the support arm relative to the seat, wherein the lever is configured and positioned to be operated hands free by the human while sitting on the seat.   
     
     
         20 . The chest support of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 a first arm support assembly selectively coupled to the support arm and extending laterally outward therefrom to the left, the first arm support assembly configured to support at least a portion of the left arm of the human; and   a second arm support assembly selectively coupled to the support arm and extending laterally outward therefrom to the right, the second arm support assembly configured to support at least a portion of the right arm of the human.   
     
     
         21 . A chair for supporting the chest of a human such that the human may comfortably perform a task over a work area, comprising:
 a seat;   an elongate support arm pivotably coupled to the seat and extending therefrom, the support arm sized to support the chest of the human while sitting on the seat;   an adjustment mechanism operative to permit selective adjustment of the angular position of the support arm relative to the seat, the adjustment mechanism comprising a lever that when enabled causes the adjustment mechanism to permit adjustment of the angular position of the support arm relative to the seat, and when disabled causes the adjustment mechanism to fix the angular position of the support arm relative to the seat, wherein the lever is configured and positioned to be operated hands free by the human while sitting on the seat; and   a chair base coupled to the seat, the chair base being configured to support the seat, the support arm, the adjustment mechanism, and the weight of the human.