A supporting device for use in a kneeling-like sitting posture

The present invention relates to a supporting device for use in a kneeling-like sitting posture.

Particularly among younger people, it is popular to sit or kneel on the floor in connection with various activities, for example having a meal at a low table. This posture is quite frequently rather exhausting for the leg and ankle portions if suitable support of the leg portions or parts thereof is not provided. This is particularly the case for people not particularly used to such a posture. It is often advantageous to assume a kneeling posture in carrying out a working operation at a table in order to obtain a suitable working posture. In many applications it is preferable to have an angle of greater than 90 degrees between the back and the thighs, a condition which is normally fulfilled when assuming a kneeling posture.

The prior art support devices for use in a kneeling posture are, however, cumbersome to use. There are various previously known pieces of furniture of this kind, and Norwegian Patent No. 122,609 discloses a device where the sitting surface is in the shape of a saddle and where supporting means are provided on each side of the saddle to form rearwardly inclined faces for supporting the legs of the user. The user is forced to place the legs at a relatively great distance from each other. In addition, the upper part of the body assumes a posture which makes it difficult to sit at a low surface, for example a low table.

A further supporting device is known from U.S. Patent No. 2,627,301 which discloses cement finishing knee boards intended to support cement finishers upon unset concrete in such a manner that their weight will be distributed over a wide area. Each board has a supporting face for the knee of a respective leg, a U-shaped leg supporting member for supporting a middle portion of the leg and a rear-supporting device for engagement with the shoe of that leg of the finisher. The leg supporting means has a generally U-shaped cross-section and is provided with a strap to ensure that the board is attached to the finisher to move with the finisher in carrying out the necessary work. Such a board is, however, not suitable as a supporting device in a kneeling-like sitting posture, since the ankle portion of the user is not provided with any satisfactory support. Further it is impossible to move about in an upright position with such a board attached.

The present invention therefore has as its primary object the provision of a supporting device for use in a kneeling-like sitting posture, such that the device is easy to manufacture and use.

According to the invention there is provided a supporting device for use in a kneeling-like sitting posture, characterised by means for simultaneously supporting the seat and ankle portions of the user in such a manner that at least the thigh portions of the legs of the user are forwardly and downwardly inclined relative to the horizontal. Further means may be provided for supporting the leg portions of the user, and said further means may conveniently be integral with said means for supporting the ankle portions of the user.

Said means for simultaneously supporting the seat and ankle portions of the user may be so designed as to be arranged about the ankle portion of the user. The said seat and ankle portion supporting means may have a U-shaped or an 0-shaped cross-section and may be provided with integral leg supporting means.

Said means for supporting the seat portion may be provided by a stool, and said means for supporting the leg portions may be provided by a cushion member connected to said stool,for example by hinges or sliding elements, for movement backwards and forwards relative to said stool.

The invention will now be described, by way of example, in terms of preferred embodiments and modifications thereof, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

• FIGURE 1 is a side elevation illustrating a first embodiment of the device according to the invention;
• FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the device of Figure l;
• FIGURES 3 and 4 are a side elevation and a perspective, respectively,of a second embodiment of the device according to the invention;
• FIGURE 5 is a side elevation of a third embodiment of the device according to the invention;
• FIGURE 6 is a perspective of the device shown in Figure 5;
• FIGURE 7 is a side elevation of one leg of the user while he or she is standing up with the device of Figures 5 and 6 attached to the leg;
• FIGURES 8 and 9 are perspective views of a fourth embodiment of the device according to the invention;
• FIGURES 10 and 11 are side and rear perspective views, respectively, of a kneeling user sitting on the device of Figures 8 and 9;
• FIGURE 12 is a view corresponding to Figure 7 but showing the device of Figures 8 to 11;
• FIGURES 13 and l4 are a side elevation and a rear perspective of a kneeling user sitting on a fifth embodiment of the device according to the invention;
• FIGURE 15 is a rear perspective of the device of Figure 14, but without the user illustrated;
• FIGURES 16 and 17 are rear perspectives and and Figures 18 and 19 are side elevations of a sixth embodiment of the device according to the invention, but with Figures 17 and 19 showing the leg support portion deployed and Figures 16 and 18 showing the leg support portion stowed away.

The device according to Figures 1 and 2 consists of a frame 3 upon which is mounted a seat 1 having a "sitting" face to support the seat portion of the user and supporting cushions or cushion 2 having "kneeling"faces for supporting the lower leg portion of the user, as indicated in Figure 1. The level of "sitting" face I may possibly be adjustable. As will be apparent from Figure l, it is the base surface, for example a floor, which supports the knees of the user.

The frame 3 (Figure 2) may possibly be made as a U-shaped member whose two parallel branches are horizontal, one of these branches supporting the seat 1 and the other fixed to the leg-supporting cushion 2, as is the case in Figures 8 to 12 to be discussed later.

In the alternative embodiment shown in Figures 3 and 4, the cushion 2 of Figures 1 and 2 has been replaced by a leg-supporting cushion 4 which extends over substantially the complete length of the lower leg portion of the user. The said cushion 4 is inclined downwardly and forwardly and is mounted on a sub-frame 5.

In Figures 5 to 7, the device is comprised by an L-shaped portion 6 and an oblong portion 7 which are connected together, preferably integrally, to let the L-shaped portion 6 together with one end of the oblong portion 7 form a U-shaped portion intended to be arranged at the ankle of the user in order to let the device provide a good support in the intended posture both at the ankle and the remainder of the leg portion when the user is kneeling, as shown in Figure 5. Even in the case when the user is standing, as indicated in Figure 3, the device will remain on the leg. The device may be of soft upholstered construction stiffened by an insert 8.

Figures 8 to 12 disclose a modification of the embodiment of Figures 5 to 7, this modification being particularly suitable where the base surface is soft, e.g. a carpeted floor. The device has a U-shaped cross-section with parallel branches 9 and 10 and an intermediate portion 11 and consists of a soft body portion on a stiffening insert 7. As indicated in Figures 10 and 11. the device provides a good support for the seat portion and the ankle portion of the user when the user assumes the kneeling-like sitting posture. The device will remain on the ankle, as in Figure 3, by clamp action when the user stands up.

The embodiment of Figures 13 to 15 is a slightly modified form of the embodiment shown in Figures 5 to 7. The device is comprised by a pair of ankle-and seat-supporting portions 13 each having a passage 14 to enable the user to pass the respective foot therethrough. The ankle-and seat-supporting portion 13 has a generally 0-shaped cross-section and completely surrounds the ankle portion of the user. A leg-supporting portion 15 is integrally connected to the portion 13.

In Figures 16 to 19 there is shown a stool 16 with a frame 18 to which a leg-supporting cushion member 17 is connected by hinges or sliding elements (not shown). In the situation illustrated in Figures 16 and 18 the cushion has been stowed away and the user has assumed a conventional sitting posture on the stool 16. In Figure 19 the user has assumed a kneeling-like sitting posture after pulling the cushion member 17 into a deployed position in front of the stool 16 to provide means for supporting the leg portions of the user.

As seen from the embodiments of Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 13-15 and 16-19, the seat supporting means for the seat portion of the user offers a preferably forwardly and downwardly inclined "sitting" face.