Claims
- 1. A back support for use within a seatback, comprising:
a flexible support member having a longitudinal axis and first and second longitudinal ends; at least one of said first longitudinal end and said second longitudinal end being relatively displaceable within said seatback; mounts on at least one of said first and second longitudinal ends, said mounts being configured to be in moving communication with attachment elements that attach said flexible support member to said seatback such that said first longitudinal end and said second longitudinal end are relatively displaceable; said moving communication of said mounts with said attachment elements having a selectively varying coefficient of friction.
- 2. The back support of claim 1 wherein said selectively varying coefficient of friction at said moving communication of said mounts and said attachment elements is by coating at least a portion of said flexible support member.
- 3. The back support of claim 1 wherein said attachment elements are substantially horizontal bars.
- 4. The back support of claim 1 wherein said attachment elements are substantially vertical guide wires.
- 5. The back support of claim 3 wherein said selective varying of the coefficient of friction at said moving communication of said mounts and said bars is by coating at least a portion of said bars.
- 6. The back support of claim 4 wherein said selective varying of the coefficient of friction at said moving communication of said mounts and said guide wires is by coating at least a portion of said guide wires.
- 7. The back support of claim 1 wherein said flexible support member is metal.
- 8. The back support of claim 1 wherein said selective varying of the coefficient of friction is by coating any portion of said flexible support member.
- 9. The back support of claim 1 wherein said selective varying of the coefficient of friction is by a vibratory material removal process over any portion of said flexible support member.
- 10. The back support of claim 9 wherein said vibratory removal process is a burnishing process.
- 11. The back support of claim 8, wherein said coated portion is over no more than about 30% of the flexible support member surface.
- 12. The back support of claim 8 wherein said coated portion is over no more than about 15% of the flexible support member surface.
- 13. The back support of claim 2 wherein said coated portion includes a layer of adhesive in bonding contact with a low friction plastic.
- 14. The back support of claim 13 wherein said low friction plastic is PTFE.
- 15. The back support of claim 13 wherein said low friction plastic is ultra high molecular weight polyethylene.
- 16. The back support of claim 1 wherein said selectively varying coefficient of friction at said moving communication of said mounts and said attachment elements is by lubricating at least a portion of said flexible support member.
- 17. The back support of claim 16 wherein said lubricant has properties that correspond with the oil grades provided by DuPont under the name Krytox®.
- 18. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said coated portion includes a lubricant.
- 19. The back support of claim 1 wherein said selectively varying coefficient of friction at said moving communication of said mounts and said attachment elements is by interposing a plastic element between said flexible support member and said attachment elements.
- 20. The back support of claim 19 wherein said plastic element is an extruded plastic tube over said attachment elements.
- 21. The back support of claim 20 wherein said attachment elements are treated by cross head extruding a wire with a plastic.
- 22. The back support of claim 1 wherein said selectively varying coefficient of friction at said moving communication of said mounts and said attachment elements is by interposing tape between said flexible support member and said attachment elements.
- 23. The back support of claim 22 wherein said tape further comprises a layer of metal.
- 24. The back support of claim 22 wherein said tape further comprises a layer of metal foil.
- 25. The back support of claim 22 wherein said tape further comprises a layer of aluminum foil.
- 26. The seat of claim 7 wherein said flexible support member comprises a single-stamped piece of low carbon, alloy-free, pretempered cold rolled steel.
- 27. The back support of claim 7 further comprising a plurality of support fingers extending outwardly from said longitudinal axis of said flexible support member, said support fingers having rounded ends distal from said flexible support member, and having folded perimeters, said folded perimeters being bent toward a back of said seatback.
- 28. The back support of claim 1 wherein said selective varying of the coefficient of friction is by a vibratory material removal process and a coating over any portion of said flexible support member.
- 29. The back support of claim 1 further comprising means for relatively displacing said first longitudinal end and said second longitudinal end of said flexible support member.
- 30. The back support of claim 29 wherein said means is a Bowden cable.
- 31. The back support of claim 30 wherein a plastic element is interposed between said flexible support member and said Bowden cable.
- 32. The back support of claim 30 wherein tape is interposed between said flexible support member and said Bowden cable.
- 33. A seat comprising:
a base member; a seatback member attached to one end of said base member, said seatback member having first and second horizontally disposed bars, each having a longitudinal axis and a fixed position relative to a top of said seatback member; a single-piece flexible support member having two longitudinal ends, a first longitudinal end having a clamping member rotatably attaching said first end to said first horizontally disposed bar and a second longitudinal end having a holding member pivotably and slidably attaching said second end to said second horizontally disposed bar such that said holding member pivots about and relative to said longitudinal axis of said second horizontally disposed bar; and means, attached to said support member proximate said longitudinal end, for longitudinally subtending said support member, whereby said support member arches outwardly to support a user's back; wherein said flexible support member is coated over a portion of its surface for selectively varying the coefficient of friction at said coated portions.
- 34. A seat comprising:
a seatback member attached to one end of said base member, said seatback member having first and second horizontally disposed bars, each having a longitudinal axis and a fixed position relative to a top of said seatback member; a single-piece flexible support member having two longitudinal ends, a first longitudinal end having a clamping member rotatably attaching said first end to said first horizontally disposed bar and a second longitudinal end having a holding member pivotably and slidably attaching said second end to said second horizontally disposed bar such that said holding member pivots about and relative to said longitudinal axis of said second horizontally disposed bar; and means, attached to said support member proximate said longitudinal end, for longitudinally subtending said support member, whereby said support member arches outwardly to support a user's back; wherein at least a portion of at least one of said bars is treated to have a low friction surface.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. Sec. 119(e) to provisional application No. 60/279,786 filed Mar. 29, 2001 and to provisional application No. 60/312,869 filed Aug. 16, 2001.
Provisional Applications (2)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60279786 |
Mar 2001 |
US |
|
60312869 |
Aug 2001 |
US |