Multiple sitting position chair

Abstract

A reconfigurable chair includes features that open up new sitting and resting positions for the user. The chair includes rotatable lateral side rests and a tilt adjustable back rest which when reconfigured, provide auxiliary resting platforms to support the body in different sitting and resting positions. The backrest may include a rotatable feature so that the backrest may be moved from an upright position to a flat position adding another level of support. A height adjustment mechanism may adjust the height of the backrest to add to the reconfigurability of the chair. Some embodiments include one or more gas pistons providing user-controlled adjustment of elements into any of an infinite number of user-controlled positions.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A reconfigurable chair, comprising:
 a base;   a support housing coupled to the base;   a first seat coupled to the support housing;   a post coupled to the support housing;   a first hinge coupled to the support housing and to a bottom end of the post; and   a backrest coupled to a top end of the post via a second hinge, wherein:
 the backrest is configured to slide vertically relative to the base, 
 the backrest is configured to rotate backward and away from the seat, via the first hinge, and 
 the backrest is configured to rotate around the second hinge from a first, upright position, into a second, flat position as a second seat. 
   
     
     
         2 . The reconfigurable chair of  claim 1 , wherein the top end of the post is positioned angled away from a top surface of the first seat when the backrest is in the flat position as the second seat. 
     
     
         3 . The reconfigurable chair of  claim 1 , wherein the second seat is positioned relative to the first seat in an arrangement configured to support a user sitting on the second seat while elevated from the first seat. 
     
     
         4 . The reconfigurable chair of  claim 1 , further comprising a pair of side mounted rests coupled to the backrest, wherein a first of the side mounted rests is positioned on a left side of the first seat, and the second side mounted rest is positioned on a right side of the first seat, and the backrest is positioned to a rear side of the first seat. 
     
     
         5 . The reconfigurable chair of  claim 4 , wherein each side mounted rest is configured to pivot from a respective edge of each side mounted rest coupled to the backrest. 
     
     
         6 . The reconfigurable chair of  claim 5 , wherein each side mounted rest pivots independently of the other side mounted rest. 
     
     
         7 . The reconfigurable chair of  claim 4 , wherein at least one side mounted rest is configured to pivot upright while the backrest is positioned in the second, flat position. 
     
     
         8 . The reconfigurable chair of  claim 4 , wherein the side mounted rests, in a first position relative to the first seat, a top surface of each side mounted rest follows a slope in alignment with a top surface of the first seat. 
     
     
         9 . The reconfigurable chair of  claim 4 , wherein a first of the side mounted rests is positionable upright as a back support while the second of the side mounted rests is positioned flat. 
     
     
         10 . The reconfigurable chair of  claim 1 , further comprising a gas piston and a trigger coupled to the backrest, wherein operation of the trigger is configured to actuate the gas piston and controllably adjust an amount of rotation of the backrest into any position from the first, upright position to the second, flat position. 
     
     
         11 . A reconfigurable chair, comprising:
 a base; and   a plurality of seat surfaces, including:
 a first seat surface coupled to the base, wherein the first seat surface is positioned parallel to a ground surface; and 
 a second seat surface coupled to a rear side of the first seat surface, wherein the second seat surface is positioned parallel with the first seat surface. 
   
     
     
         12 . The reconfigurable chair of  claim 11 , wherein the second seat surface is elevated from the first seat surface. 
     
     
         13 . The reconfigurable chair of  claim 11 , further comprising a side mounted rest coupled to an edge of the first seat surface. 
     
     
         14 . The reconfigurable chair of  claim 11 , wherein the side mounted rest is movable in a range from an upright position to a flat position. 
     
     
         15 . The reconfigurable chair of  claim 14 , wherein the side mounted rest is configured to be secured in multiple positions between the upright position and the flat position. 
     
     
         16 . The reconfigurable chair of  claim 11 , further comprising a gas piston coupled to the side mounted rest, wherein operation of the gas piston controls a setting of the side mounted rest into one of an infinite number of positions within a defined range of rotation of the side mounted rest. 
     
     
         17 . The reconfigurable chair of  claim 16 , further comprising a handle coupled to the gas piston, wherein operation of the handle actuates the gas piston for setting the side mounted rest into the one of the infinite number of positions. 
     
     
         18 . The reconfigurable chair of  claim 11 , wherein the second seat surface is rotatable from an upright position to a flat position. 
     
     
         19 . The reconfigurable chair of  claim 18 , wherein the second seat surface is configured to be secured in multiple positions between the upright position and the flat position. 
     
     
         20 . The reconfigurable chair of  claim 19 , wherein the second seat surface is configured to be tilted away from the first seat surface.