Work station system

Claim 2

A work station comprising: a chair for supporting a human operator in a seated position, said chair having means for supporting the thigh portion of a human and means for contacting a back portion of a human, said chair being rockable about a first horizontal axis; a carriage; a support surface upon which a first device is supportable, said device-supporting surface being attached to said carriage; and, carriage attaching means for attaching said carriage to said chair, said carriage attaching means including a position setting means for pivoting said carriage about a second horizontal axis whereby said carriage pivots toward or away from said back portion of said chair, and whereby once said carriage is positioned towards said back portion of said chair, the spatial distance between an operator seated in said chair and said device supporting surface remains essentially constant in a relationship determined by said position setting means as said chair is rocked about said first horizontal axis.

Claim 3

The work station of claim 1, further comprising: a second support surface upon which a second device is supportable, said second device-supporting surface being attached to said carriage.

Claim 4

The work station of claim 1, wherein a front edge of said means for supporting the thigh portion of a human rocks about said first horizontal axis through a range of approximately 20 degrees below the horizontal with to approximately 40 degrees above the horizontal.

Claim 5

A work station comprising: means for supporting a human operator in a seated position, said human supporting means having a first portion contactable by a thigh portion of the human anatomy and a second portion contactable by a back portion of the human anatomy, said human supporting means being rockable about a first horizontal axis; a carriage attaching means, one end of said carriage attaching means being secured proximate said first portion of said human supporting means; a carriage attached to said carriage attaching means and pivotable about a second horizontal axis positioned proximate the remaining end of said carriage attaching means, said carriage being pivotable from a first position farthest away from said back portion to a second position closest to said back portion of said human supporting means; means for supporting a first device, said first device supporting means being attached to said carriage; and, means for retaining the position of said carriage in said second position in a manner whereby a desired spatial distance separating said device supporting means from an operator seated in said human supporting means remains essentially constant as said human supporting means rocks about said first horizontal axis.

Claim 6

A work station comprising: means for supporting a human operator in a seated position, said human supporting means having a first portion contactable by a thigh portion of the human anatomy and a second portion contactable by a back portion of the human anatomy, said human supporting means being rockable about a first horizontal axis; a carriage attaching means, one end of said carriage attaching means being secured proximate said first portion of said human supporting means; a carriage attached to said carriage attaching means and pivotable about a second horizontal axis positioned proximate the remaining end of said carriage attaching means, said carriage being pivotable from a first position farthest away from said back portion to a second position closest to said back portion of said human supporting means; means for supporting a first device, said first device supporting means being attached to said carriage; and, means for retaining the position of said carriage in said second position in a manner whereby a desired spatial distance separating said device supporting means from an operator seated in said human supporting means remains essentially constant as said human supporting means rocks about said first horizontal axis.

Claim 7

The work station of claim 4, further comprising: means for supporting a second device, said second device supporting means being attached to said carriage.

Claim 8

The work station of claim 4, further comprising: a foot rest positioned proximate said second horizontal axis.

Claim 9

A work station of claim 4, further comprising: an arm support means, said arm support means allowing said human operator's arm to rest in a range of positions, said arm support means following the natural horizontal range of motion of said arms.

Claim 10

A work station of claim 7, wherein said arm support means pivots about an axis positioned proximate said second portion of said human operator supporting means.

Claim 11

The work station of claim 4, wherein a front edge of said first portion of said human supporting means rocks about said first horizontal axis through a range of approximately 20 degrees below the horizontal to approximately 40 degrees above the horizontal.

Claim 12

A work station comprising: chair for supporting a human operator in a seated position, said chair having means for supporting the thigh portion of a human, means for contacting the back portion of a human, and a side frame for positioning said back portion rearward relative to said thigh portion, said chair being rockable about a first horizontal axis located a predetermined distance above a floor proximate said thigh portion of said chair; a carriage attaching means having one end attached to said side frame of said chair proximate the intersection of a first edge of said side frame proximate said thigh portion and a second edge of said side frame proximate said floor, the remaining end of said carriage attaching means having an extension portion which forms a stop block; a carriage having one end attached to said carriage attaching means proximate said stop block, said first end of said carriage being shaped so as to have a first stopper edge and a second stopper edge, said carriage being pivotable about a second horizontal axis located proximate said extension portion of said carriage attaching means, said carriage pivoting about said second horizontal axis from a first position wherein said first stopper edge is proximate said stop block to a second position wherein said second stopper edge is proximate said stop block; a support surface upon which a first device is supportable, said device-supporting surface being attached proximate a second end of said carriage; and, means for retaining the position of said carriage in said second position with respect to said human supporting means in a manner whereby a desired spatial distance separating said device-supporting surface from said operator seated in said chair remains essentially constant as said chair rocks about said first horizontal axis.

Claim 13

A work station comprising: chair for supporting a human operator in a seated position, said chair having means for supporting the thigh portion of a human, means for contacting the back portion of a human, and a side frame for positioning said back portion rearward relative to said thigh portion, said chair being rockable about a first horizontal axis located a predetermined distance above a floor proximate said thigh portion of said chair; a carriage attaching means having one end attached to said side frame of said chair proximate the intersection of a first edge of said side frame proximate said thigh portion and a second edge of said side frame proximate said floor, the remaining end of said carriage attaching means having an extension portion which forms a stop block; a carriage having one end attached to said carriage attaching means proximate said stop block, said first end of said carriage being shaped so as to have a first stopper edge and a second stopper edge, said carriage being pivotable about a second horizontal axis located proximate said extension portion of said carriage attaching means, said carriage pivoting about said second horizontal axis from a first position wherein said first stopper edge is proximate said stop block to a second position wherein said second stopper edge is proximate said stop block; a support surface upon which a first device is supportable, said device-supporting surface being attached proximate a second end of said carriage; and, means for retaining the position of said carriage in said second position with respect to said human supporting means in a manner whereby a desired spatial distance separating said device-supporting surface from said operator seated in said chair remains essentially constant as said chair rocks about said first horizontal axis.

Claim 14

The work station of claim 10, further comprising: means for supporting a second device, said second device supporting means being attached to said carriage.

Claim 15

The work station of claim 10, further comprising: a foot rest positioned proximate said second horizontal axis.

Claim 16

A work station of claim 10, further comprising: an arm support means, said arm support means allowing said human operator's arm to rest in a range of positions, said arm support means following the natural horizontal range of motion of said arms.

Claim 17

A work station of claim 13, wherein said arm support means pivots about an axis positioned proximate said second portion of said human operator supporting means.

Claim 18

The work station of claim 10, wherein a front edge of said means for supporting the thigh portion of a human rocks about said first horizontal axis through a range of approximately 20 degrees below the horizontal to approximately 40 degrees above the horizontal.

Claim 19

The work station of claim 10 wherein the pivoting range of said carriage from said first position to said second position is adjustable.

Claim 20

The work station of claim 1, further comprising arm support means connected to said means for supporting a back portion of a human.

Claim 21

The work station of claim 17, wherein said arm support means is pivotally connected to said means for supporting a back portion of a human at an axis located approximately half-way between the shoulder to seat surface distance for a 97.5 percentile male and 2.5 percentile female.

Claim 22

The work station of claim 7, wherein said arm support means is connected to said second portion of said human supporting means.

Claim 23

The work station of claim 19, wherein said support means is pivotally connected to said second portion of said human supporting means.

Claim 24

The work station of claim 20, wherein said arm support means is pivotally connected to said second portion of said human supporting means at an axis located approximately half-way between the shoulder to seat surface distance for a 97.5 percentile male and 2.5 percentile female.

Claim 25

The work station of claim 13, wherein said arm support means is pivotally connected to said chair.

Claim 26

The work station of claim 22, wherein said arm support means is pivotally connected to said chair at an axis located approximately half-way between the shoulder to seat surface distance for a 97.5 percentile male and 2.5 percentile female.