Supporting Device for Use in a Kneeling-Like Sitting Posture

1. A device for supporting a human subject in a kneeling position comprising means adapted for simultaneously providing support for the ankle of each leg of the subject and for the subject's posterior, said support means including: a first member having a bottom portion which is adapted for engaging and resting on a base surface and an upper portion adapted to engage the ankle of each leg of the subject to provide support for each ankle with respect to said base surface, and a second member separate from said first member and having a seat portion adapted for engaging and supporting the posterior of the subject while kneeling, said second member being formed with a storage section below its storage portions, said first member being storable in said storage section.

2. A device as in claim 1 wherein said second member comprises a seat having a frame as its bottom adapted for engaging and resting on said base surface, said frame extending forardly with its front end terminating to the rear of the front edge of said seat portion, and the lower portion of said first member having a recess which permits it to be moved toward the end of said frame with the upper portion of said first member extending close to the front edge of said seat portion.

3. A device as in claim 2 wherein the front of said seat portion is inclined downwardly.

4. A device as in claim 2 wherein said first member is a cushion.

5. A unit for each leg of a human subject for supporting the body in a kneeling-sitting position, each said unit comprising a cushioned member which can be worn while standing integrally formed with a first part and a second part extending therefrom and both parts defining an opening through which the ankle of the human extends to hold the device to the ankle, said first part for overlying the front of the ankle and having a lower surface for engaging a base surface to support the leg when the human is in a kneeling position, said second part overlying substantially only the rear of the ankle portion of the leg and extending outwardly from the ankle and having means when the human is kneeling and sitting on the outer surface thereof for engaging and supporting the posterior of the human in a sitting position.

6. A unit as in claim 5 wherein each said unit is generally C-shaped.

7. A unit as in claim 5 wherein the means of said second part for engaging and supporting the posterior is generally flat.

8. A device for supporting a human subject in a kneeling-like sitting posture in which the legs are bent at the knees comprising: a base and a substantially flat seat, means for interconnecting said base and seat for simultaneously and respectively engaging and supporting the seat and ankle portions of the subject, said interconnecting means including an upwardly extending vertical member having is lower end connected to said base, said seat being connected to the upper end of said vertical member at generally the center thereof and being slanted downardly in such a manner that the thigh portions of both legs of the subject are forwardly and downwardly inclined relative to the horizontal, said seat having a portion cantilevered from each side of said vertical member, said cantilevered portions of the seat lying above ankle supporting portions of said base, said vertical member formed such that when a subject is on said seat and the ankles of the subject are engaging and being supported by said base an ankle of the subject is positioned on each side of said vertical member with the ankles positioned close to each other and to allow the knees of the subject to be close to each other, the ankle supporting portion of said base being shaped to allow the feet of the subject to be placed in a configuration such that a line joining the center of the heel to the center of the toe of each foot is generally in a vertical plane which is substantially perpendicular to the axis of the skin.

9. A device as in claim 8 wherein the upper surface of said base is shaped to support each ankle with respect to the ground surface such that only the part of each leg of the subject is engaged and supported by said base, each knee being permitted to rest on said ground surface.

10. A device as in claim 8 wherein the upper surface of said base is slanted upwardly from said ground surface and is sufficiently long that the highest part of the upper surface of said base is adapted for engaging the ankles of the subject and the lowest part of the upper surface of said base is adapted for having both knees resting thereon.

11. A device as in claim 8 wherein said seat and the upper surface of said base for engaging the ankles are both slanted in generally the same direction.

12. A device as in either of claim 9 or 10 wherein said upper surface of said base includes a cushion.

13. A device as in claim 5 wherein said first portions of said unit further comprises an elongated extension which extends toward the knee of the subject.

14. A device as in claim 13 wherein an extension is provided on the first part of said first portion which engages the base member to elevate the ankle relative to the knee from the base member.

15. A unit as in claim 6 wherein a said unit covers substantially only the ankle.

16. A unit as in either of claim 13 or 14 wherein said extension terminates below the knee-cap of the subject.