Reclining therapeutic chair with multiple acoustic sources

Abstract

A therapeutic reclining chair includes a base unit and a reclining chair unit pivotally connected to the base unit, with a motor drive unit for smoothly moving the chair unit between an upright and a reclining position; and further includes three independent audio sources which provide signals to two sets of speakers or transducer units for generating acoustic and tactile output to a user's body through the structure of the chair unit, and one set of speakers, preferably but not necessarily limited to headphones, for providing sounds to a user's ears. A user of the therapeutic chair experiences a combination of partial sensory deprivation in a floating-like orientation, two distinct, but coordinated tactile/auditory sensations, and a third, also coordinated, auditory sensation through the headphones, all cooperating to induce a state of deep relaxation in which conscious mental activity is discouraged and subconscious mental activity and receptivity is enhanced.

1 . A therapeutic reclining chair apparatus, comprising, 
 a base unit to be disposed upon a generally horizontal supporting surface;    a seat unit disposed upon and pivotally connected to said base unit such that said seat unit is rotatable relative to said base unit between a first, generally upright position and a second, generally reclining position, said seat unit including a seat plate having a rear edge and a front edge and an upper surface and a lower surface, a back rest plate having a lower edge and an upper surface and a lower surface, said back rest plate connected to and extending outwardly from said seat plate with said lower edge of said back rest plate aligned with said rear edge of said seat plate, and a leg rest plate having an upper edge and a lower edge and an upper surface and a lower surface, said leg rest plate connected to and extending outwardly from said seat plate in generally opposed relation to said back rest plate with said upper edge of said leg rest plate aligned with said front edge of said seat plate;    a drive means connected between said base and said seat unit for rotating said seat unit relative to said base;    a back rest plate acoustic transducer connected to said lower surface of said back rest plate for transmitting tactilely perceivable vibrations to said back rest plate upon activation of said back rest plate transducer;    a seat plate acoustic transducer connected to said lower surface of said seat plate for transmitting tactilely perceivable vibrations to said seat plate upon activation of said seat plate acoustic transducer;    a leg rest plate acoustic transducer connected to said lower surface of said leg rest plate for transmitting tactilely perceivable vibrations to said leg rest plate upon activation of said leg rest plate transducer;    an auditory speaker for emitting audibly perceivable sounds;    a first audio source operatively connected to said back rest plate acoustic transducer;    a second audio source operatively connected to said seat plate acoustic transducer and to said leg rest plate acoustic transducer; and    a third audio source operatively connected to said auditory speaker.