Apparatus and method for lumbar support with variable apex

A lumbar support, apex technology, applied in home appliances, applications, transportation and packaging, etc., can solve the problems of limiting the marketability and reducing durability of luxury vehicles

Inactive Publication Date: 2005-02-02
L & P PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

However, the size of these units limits the incorporation of other devices such as air ductwork into the seats, the

Method used

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  • Apparatus and method for lumbar support with variable apex
  • Apparatus and method for lumbar support with variable apex
  • Apparatus and method for lumbar support with variable apex

Examples

Experimental program
Comparison scheme
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Embodiment Construction

[0027] figure 1 It is a rear perspective view of the lumbar support of the present invention. A flexible, bowable pressure surface 10 has a top end 12 and a bottom end 14 , both of which are mounted to slide on a pair of rails 16 . In the alternative embodiment depicted, the guide rail 16 is a single wire fabricated in a generally U-shaped fashion providing two lengths of wire 16 guiding the arcuate pressure surface 10 . The rail has a top end stop 20 and a bottom end stop 22 which prevent the bowable pressure surface 10 from slipping out of the stop. The bowable pressure surface is metal or plastic. It tends to stay flat. This inherent tendency is very weak and it can be overcome by means of pulling ropes such as soft steel cables.

[0028] When the bowable pressure surface 10 is flat, the distance between the ends 12 and 14 of the slide thereon is substantially equal to the distance between the end stops 20 and 22 of the rail. However, when the pressure surface is arcua...

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PUM

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Abstract

A lumbar support to be installed in a seat has an apex that varies vertically along a guide rail. The guide rail has an upper stop and a lower stop. A bowing element disposed on the guide rail travels in a substantially vertical plane. A first bowden cable draws an upper of the bowing element downward until a lower portion of the bowing element is in abutment with the lower stop such that a low convexity is formed in the bowing element as the bowden cable continues to draw the upper portion of said bowing element further towards the lower stop. A second bowden cable draws a lower portion of the bowing element upward until the upper portion of the bowing element is in abutment with the upper stop and such that a high convexity is formed in the bowing element as the bowing element continues to draw said lower portion of the bowing element further towards the upper stop.

Description

technical field [0001] The methods and devices of the present invention are in the field of lumbar supports with arched apexes where the apex height is variable. Background technique [0002] Lumbar supports known to have archable pressure surfaces are actuated by traction cables. Typically, the flexible pressure surface is mounted on rails with a flexible steel cable sleeve attached to one end of the pressure surface and a flexible steel cable lead attached to the other end of the pressure surface. The traction that draws the wire into the sleeve simultaneously draws both ends of the flexible surface to arch it toward the seat occupant. These simple devices are unable to raise or lower the apex of the resulting bow in a significant or controlled manner. [0003] Lumbar supports with arcuate pressure surfaces that move the apex of the arcuate vertically are expensive, complex and bulky. Typically, vertical movement (and often arcuate movement) is actuated by electric moto...

Claims

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Application Information

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IPC IPC(8): A47C7/46B60N2/02B60N2/66
CPCB60N2/0232B60N2/0228A47C7/465B60N2/66B60N2/666B60N2/6673B60N2/6671B60N2/02246B60N2/64
Inventor R·麦克米伦
Owner L & P PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO
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