Presentation of an improved adjustable lumbar support mechanism with a remote control push-button and cable (10) for use in a seat backrest. The cable is routed to a hydraulic (or pneumatic) positioning cylinder (12) which has a locking capability and integral spring-load force to permanently preload a lumbar support panel (20) in a direction opposing the pressure from the seat occupant's back. A new principle of operation of the "manual" lumbar support is utilized, in which the force from a human's back is used to conveniently readjust the lumbar position (counterbalancing the spring), not the force in the operator's hand. The new lumbar system is a fast-acting device compared to traditional knob-driven units and permits frequent, quick, and easy readjustment of lumbar position whenever the push-button is depressed.
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation application of my U.S. Ser. No. 799,400 filed Nov. 27, 1991, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,174,526. The priority date of Nov. 27, 1991 is hereby claimed for the subject matter in this application that is common to the earlier-filed application.
In a passenger seat, an aircraft passenger seat in particular, one seat component, such as seat carrier (9), seat element, backrest (3), and arm rest, can be placed at selected positions relative to other seat components and locked in these positions by a controllable fastening mechanism. The seat bottom (7) of the seat element is mounted to be pivotable about at least one pivot axis (15, 19) in relation to the seat carrier (9).
An apparatus for adjusting the arching of a resiliently flexible support element for supporting the pelvic and/or lumbular vertebrae in a back rest of a seat including an arching device comprising a spring and an operating device. The spring is included in the force transmission tract for adjusting the arching. Preferably a spring is fitted between one end of the support element and the force transmission member of the arching means and/or a spring is fitted to the free end of the force transmission member of the arching device behind the operating device.
A mattress may include one or more sections movable relative to one another, such as an adjustable head portion or an adjustable foot portion. Motors and/or other drive systems may be integrated within the mattress, and the mattress may be adapted for use with a convention frame or a conventional foundation.
A vehicle seat includes posture enhancing systems to increase occupant comfort. In addition to pelvis support, the seat includes a pivotable thorax and a height adjustment therefor, having a range of adjustment of about 100 mm to accommodate different female and male occupants having different skeletal lengths. The correct positioning of the second pivot point is designed to provide a lumbar curvature which simulates that of a standing occupant. In its most simple form, the seat includes a pelvis support, a thorax pivot mechanism to allow forward movement of the thorax area and reclining of the shoulders and a linear actuator mechanism to allow accurate positioning of this pivot mechanism for the skeletal height for the occupant.
An upper back support in a vehicle seat, with the vehicle seat having a base assembly including a seat support. The seat member is supported on the base assembly and a back frame is pivoted to the base assembly for movement. A back shell is connected to the back frame and an upper back support is coupled to the back shell. The upper back support comprises a panel having a lower portion and an upper portion, with the lower portion flexibly coupled to the back shell of the vehicle seat. A resilient member is coupled to the panel proximate the upper portion and to the back shell of the vehicle seat. An additional resilient member can be coupled to the panel proximate the upper portion and to the back shell of the vehicle seat in a spaced apart relationship to the other resilient member.
