Patent Grant
11432654
A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright or mask work protection. The copyright or mask work owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright or mask work rights whatsoever.
The present invention relates to a spine orienting and supporting device for use with a variety of types of seats, for example, automotive seats, heavy truck seats, airline seats, mass transit seats or office type seating, in order to properly position and support the sacrum, which in turn will properly position the spine of the individual using the seat. The spine orienting and supporting device, preferably made from thermoplastics, adjusts and/or supports the sacrum thereby orienting the pelvis to assist in maintaining the spine in neutral equilibrium. In some embodiments, the support is preferably separate from the seat and includes a main body and a support frame. In other embodiments, the support is preferably integrated into the frame of the existing seat of interest. The main body has a vented center relief area that flexes to relieve and/or redistribute localized pressure from the spine and to support the user's sacrum. In other embodiments, the center relief area of the main body is optionally vented. In still other embodiments, preferably in embodiments where the support is integrated into the seat frame, venting of the center relief area of the main body is typically not required and generally can be omitted, essentially providing an enlarged center relief portion absent any venting over the space occupied by both the center relief area and center relief portion. The integrated main body and support frame properly locate the device on the seat while providing resistance or pressure relief to different positions of the user's lower spine and pelvis, creating a spine orientation that is more conducive to user comfort, leading to reductions in work fatigue. The device will also fill an otherwise empty space between the bottom and rear seat sections, thereby further improving posture while seated.
Many types of spine supporting devices have been previously suggested. Primarily these have ranged from those that extend across the whole lumbar region to others that extend upwardly to fit against the upper back. Such devices have typically been in the form of a pillow or a shaped seat that will tend to fit the curvature of the lumbar region of a person's spine when seated in that seat.
Other types of spine supporting devices focus on the sacral region of the spine. Among these are U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,429,080 and 7,445,008. U.S. Pat. No. 7,429,080 is directed to a sacral support assembly for use with a seat and is reported to provide adjustable, stabilizing support to a user's sacrum and sacral-pelvic anatomy to reduce fatigue, increase comfort, stability and posture for a user, and a system for adjusting and controlling the load distribution from the sacral anatomy to the anatomical structures adjacent to a user's sacrum, for example, the pelvis and lumbar regions. U.S. Pat. No. 7,445,008 discloses a cushion for use with a variety of types of seats that can adjust the sacrum to assist in maintaining the spine in equilibrium. The central area of the cushion has a plurality of inserts that individually have varying compressibility. Through the use of such inserts or devices, a user can select an insert most nearly suited to the user and the seat to provide a compression result providing sufficient pressure concentrated on the sacrum of the user to properly position the sacrum.
Common types of seating products do not meet user expectations for lower back comfort and support. Seating comfort is a key reason for users to purchase these products or use these products. In order to improve lower back comfort, manufacturers often add additional support in the lumbar region of the seat back via contouring of the cushion, or by adding adjustable lumbar support devices to the seat back, under the cushion and upholstery. These lumbar contour changes or lumbar support devices may provide users short term comfort and relief of lower back pain, but they generally do not provide long term comfort and pain relief at least in part due to their shape and location in relation to the users spine.
The present invention is directed, in part, to portable sacral support devices comprising a main body, wherein the main body comprises a vented center relief portion surrounded by and connected to a center support portion; relief arms disposed laterally to the center support portion; an upper support portion connected to the center support portion and the relief arms; and a support skirt connected to the center support portion and to the relief arms; and a support frame attached to the main body, the support frame comprising an outer arch; an inner arch medial to the outer arch; and a pedestal connected to the inner and outer arches.
The present invention is also directed, in part, to integrated sacral support devices comprising a main body, wherein the main body comprises an optionally vented center relief portion surrounded by and connected to a center support portion; relief arms disposed laterally to the center support portion; an upper support portion connected to the center support portion and the relief arms; and a support skirt connected to the center support portion and to the relief arms; and a support frame attached to the main body, the support frame comprising an outer arch; an inner arch medial to the outer arch. In such embodiments where the support device is integrated, a pedestal is not typically required, but rather, the inner and outer arches are conjoined at the base portion of the support frame.
The present invention relates to spine-orienting devices for use with a variety of types of seats, for example, automotive seats, heavy truck seats, airline seats, mass transit seats or office type seating, in order to properly position and support the sacrum, which in turn will properly position and/or orient the spine of the individual using the seat. The devices are designed to be positioned in the gap or opening between the seat pan and the seat back and aligned to the centerline of the seat. The spine-orienting and/or supporting devices, preferably made from thermoplastics, adjusts and/or the sacrum thereby orienting the pelvis to assist in maintaining the spine in neutral equilibrium. In certain embodiments, the support devices are preferably separate from the seat and include a main body and a support frame, while in others, they are preferably directly attached and/or otherwise integrated into the frame of the seat of choice. In some embodiments, the main body has a slotted center relief area that flexes to provide resistance or pressure relief to different positions of the user's lower spine, creating a spine orientation that is more conducive to user comfort, leading to reductions in work fatigue. The device also fills an otherwise empty space between the bottom and rear seat sections, thereby further improving posture while seated. It was found that with many types of seating, for example, automotive seats, heavy truck seats, airline seats, mass transit seats or office type seating, there is usually a relatively large gap between certain portions of the seat back and the posterior of the seat user proximate to the user's sacral region. When the sacral area of the seat user's spine remains unsupported, the risk of fatigue, back pain and other related problems increases. The inventors have found that the prevalence of these conditions that may otherwise develop may be avoided through use of portable, or alternatively through integrated devices that work with a variety of seat types. Because individuals vary widely in terms of their total body weight, their frame size, and the amount of support necessary to achieve some measure of relief, the support devices would also need to be adjustable to each individual and to each seating environment.
This invention is directed to these and other important ends, and further achieves those requirements. The invention is a molded thermoplastic spinal support device that is easy to use, provides the ability to produce the desired isolated forces and relief on targeted sacral sub-regions of the user's anatomy, yet permits easy adjustment and fit to an individual user's back support requirements. Additionally, the present invention also achieves its effectiveness in being able to correctly position a user's sacrum in a variety of types of seats.
The molded device includes a main body, having an optionally vented center relief portion surrounded by and connected to a center support portion, relief arms disposed laterally to the center support portion, an upper support portion connected to the center support portion and the relief arms, and a support skirt connected to the center support portion and to the relief arms. In addition to the main body, the device also includes a support frame attached to the main body. The support frame comprises an outer arch; an inner arch medial to the outer arch, and a pedestal connected to the inner and outer arches.
The desired level for such an applied, and isolated, readjusting force should be enough to properly reposition the sacrum, yet not so much as might result in pain or discomfort to the user. The proper level of support, relief and/or pressure redistribution will be that which will make the support device virtually disappear as an additional seat component. Additionally, the main body is designed to permit those portions of the body adjacent the sacrum to be relatively less supported. While the sacrum itself needs to be supported, the adjacent body structure will desirably be able to move rearwardly, or fall back, by an amount needed to achieve the desired level of pelvic pivot to properly orient the spine.
Other objects, features, and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following description in the appended claims with reference to the accompanying drawings, all of which form a part of the specification, and wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding parts in the various figures.
The invention is better understood by reading the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
As used herein, the modifier “rearward or “rearwardly” refers to movement toward a seat back when the device is placed in use. For example, the rearward face of the main body is that face more proximate to the seat back. The term “rearward curving denotes that the arch is curving in the direction of the seat back. Conversely, an element curving “forward” denotes the element curving away from (in a direction forward of and distil to) the seat back in use.
As used herein, the term “thermoplastic” refers to a plastic material, or thermosoftening plastic, typically a polymer, that becomes pliable or moldable above a specific temperature and solidifies upon cooling. The intermolecular forces of the thermoplastic material weaken rapidly with increased temperature, allowing them to be reshaped by heating and are typically used to produce parts by various polymer processing techniques such as injection molding, compression molding, calendaring, and extrusion.
As used herein, the term “viscoelastic” refers to a material that exhibits both viscous and elastic properties when undergoing deformation, and, as such, exhibit time-dependent strain. Viscous materials, like honey, resist shear flow and strain linearly with time when a stress is applied. A viscoelastic substance changes shape when a stress is put on it and goes back to its original state when the stress is removed after a period of time.
As used herein, the term “flex modulus” refers to an intensive property that is computed as the ratio of stress to strain in flexural deformation, or the tendency for a material to bend. It is determined from the slope of a stress-strain curve produced by a flexural test (such as the ASTM D790 or ISO 178), and uses units of force per area.
As used herein, the term “elastomer”, or “thermoplastic elastomer”, or alternately “thermoplastic rubber” belong to a class of copolymers or a physical mix of polymers (usually a plastic and a rubber) which consist of materials with both thermoplastic and elastomeric properties. While most elastomers are thermosets, thermoplastics are in contrast relatively easy to use in manufacturing, for example, by injection molding. Thermoplastic elastomers show advantages typical of both rubbery materials and plastic materials. One benefit of using thermoplastic elastomers is the ability to stretch to moderate elongations and return to its near original shape creating a longer life and better physical range than other materials.
Embodiments of the portable sacral support device of the present invention include a main body 2 and a support frame 130 attached to the main body 2. The main bodies in these embodiments have a center support portion, an upper support portion connected to the center support portion, and a support skirt connected to the center support portion. The main bodies may also include at least one of, and preferably each of the following: (1) a vented center relief portion surrounded by and connected to the center support portion; and (2) relief arms disposed laterally to the center support portion and/or connected to the support skirt portion. The support frames attached to the main bodies in these embodiments includes an inner arch and a pedestal connected to the inner arch. The support frames may further include an outer arch. In certain embodiments, the support frame comprises an outer arch; an inner arch medial to the outer arch, wherein the outer arch and the inner arch are connected to the pedestal. Turning to the drawings, principally
The rearward surface (shown in
In certain embodiments, at least some of the ribs are notched to provide a further degree of flexibility to portions of the main body to locally assist bending or otherwise conforming better to the individual lower back shape of the user, vertically or laterally, while maintaining overall structure, rigidity and/or strength to the molded material in the various portions of the main body. For example, notches 75 in the lateral ribs associated with the upper support portion, act as a flexing point to improve a degree of flexibility in the lateral relief portions (
The main body 2 also optionally includes a pair of notched shoulders 60 and a pair of notched shoulders 65. The positioning of the two pairs of notched shoulders create an upper and lower portion of the main body 2 that is slightly more narrow than the shoulders' widest points. An optional hourglass shaped cover 155, preferably padded or cushioned, having a lower pocket 160 and/or upper pocket 165 suitable for receiving a portion of the support skirt 5 and/or a portion of the upper support portion 30 may be fitted over the forward face of the device. Preferably, the lower and/or upper portion of the main body 2 that are each slightly more narrow than the skirt's or shoulders' widest points may be received into the lower and/or upper pocket of the cover, respectively, as described immediately hereinabove. The cover overlays at least a portion of at least one of the slotted center relief portion, center support portion, upper support portion and support skirt, preferably at least a portion of each of the slotted (or vented) center relief portion, center support portion, upper support portion and support skirt. If desired, the cover cushion may be held in place by adding elongated connectable tabs 170, preferably Velcro™ tabs, to each of the lower and upper pockets. See
The main body may be prepared by an injection molded process employing a thermoplastic in the mold. The thermoplastic should have viscoelastic behavior. The type of thermoplastic is not critical so long as the thermoplastic has viscoelastic behavior. Exemplary plastics include nylon, polypropylene, acrylonitrile butadiene-styrene (ABS) and the like. The flex modulus as determined by the ASTM D790 or ISO 178 method is typically in the range of from about 1000 to about 3000, preferably from about 1200 to about 2500, and more preferably from about 1400 to about 2000, and all combinations and subcombinations of ranges thereof. Thermoplastic elastomers, such as polyester elastomers, are preferred materials for preparation of the main body.
The support frame 130 is attached to the rearward side of the main body 2. The support frame 130 includes an inner arch 110, an outer arch 90, and a pedestal 80 connected to both the inner and outer arches. The angle of connection of the pedestal 80 with the inner and outer arches is approximately 90 degrees. When the device is placed in position on a seat of interest to the user, the pedestal is designed to rest on the seat pan, preferably seat pan cushion, and assist in positioning and stabilizing the device against the seat surface. The outer arch 90, while curving forward, tilts inward (i.e., the upper portion of the outer arch is relatively closer in proximity to the seat back than the lower portion (portion in proximity to the pedestal) against the seat back and acts like a spring reacting against the relief arms 25. The outer arch 90, which curves forward from the pedestal 80 toward the relief arms, is designed when in use so that at least an upper portion of the outer arch rests against the seat back, preferably seat back cushion, and interacts with various support elements found therein. For example, interactions may occur between the seat back (or its cushion materials), its inner springs and seat back surface when the device is in use. The forward curvature creates resistance to the lateral relief arms of the main body, and further provides a sliding surface on which the relief arms may rock and/or flex laterally as the main body 2 adjusts to contact by the user's back. The inner arch 110, curves initially forward from the pedestal 80 to provide a flexible fulcrum from which the attached main body 2 may cantilever or rock. The inner arch provides for resistance against the center support portion of the main body, as well the connection between the main body 2 and the support frame. Its contact with the center relief portion permits a surface for bending and rolling contact with the inner arch when pressure is applied to the center support portion, directing the main body 2 rearward and upward. The bending of the inner arch causes a natural upward lift of the center support portion, helping to support the pelvis. The inner arch has means for attaching to the main body, such as orifices 95 through which typical fastening means can be utilized to attach the frame support to the main body. The inner arch 110 also defines a portal 100 that corresponds to the vented center relief portion 10, to create additional space for the slotted relief portion to flex rearward of the device and toward or onto the seat back. The outer arch 90, inner arch 110 and pedestal together define a generally horseshoe-shaped slot 105, which permits the inner and outer arches to independently flex to respond to and to the main body and resist deflections at the points in contact with the main body. In certain embodiments, the frame support also includes a retaining bracket (or seat clip) 145, which is hingeably attached to the frame support. The retaining bracket 145 is designed to insert between the seat back, preferably seat back cushion, and the seat pan, preferably seat pan cushion, to assist in stabilizing the device in use (
The support frame 130 may be prepared by an injection molded process employing a thermoplastic in the mold. The thermoplastic should have viscoelastic behavior. The type of thermoplastic is not critical so long as the thermoplastic has viscoelastic behavior. Exemplary plastics include nylon, polypropylene, acrylonitrile butadiene-styrene (ABS) and the like. The flex modulus as determined by the ASTM D790 or ISO 178 method is typically in the range of from about 1000 to about 3000, preferably from about 1200 to about 2500, and more preferably from about 1400 to about 2000, and all combinations and subcombinations of ranges thereof. Elastomers, such as polyester elastomers, are preferred materials for preparation of the support frame.
Embodiments of the device are designed to provide both X axis and/or Y axis bend or flex independently through the interaction of the main body 2 with the support frame 130 and contact in use with the seat back and seat pan (
When correctly positioned on the seat, the surface portions of the main body 2 orient and conform themselves with regard to the sacrum, pelvis and spine of the seated occupant as shown in
In use, the device provides a system of spring forces and flexible surfaces working in parallel or series to support and flex the main body 2 surfaces when pressure is applied by the user. For example, when a user's spine comes into contact with the device, user pressure against the main body 2 of the device 1 is offset by opposite forces arising from the inner arch 110, as it curves initially forward from the pedestal 80 to provide a flexible fulcrum from which the attached main body 2 may cantilever or rock. In doing so, the inner arch also provides resistance against the center support portion of the main body. This resistance and rigidity of the center support portion is sufficient to support the sacrum, but not so much as to pressure the nerves in the pelvic region. The inner arch's contact with the center relief portion permits a surface for rolling contact with the inner arch, when pressure is applied to the center support portion, directing the main body 2 inward and upward. In addition, the relief the outer arch 90, which curves rearward from the pedestal 80, is designed when in use so that at least an upper portion of the outer arch rests against the seat back and interacts with various support elements found therein. The curvature of the outer arch creates resistance to any flex of the relief arms in the Z direction as well as further providing a sliding surface on which the relief arms may rock about an axis parallel to the device's X-axis as the main body adjusts to contact by the user's back. As would be understood by the skilled artisan, the seat back support cushions and/or springs independently assist the support frame 130 in providing structured resistance to the device.
An alternate embodiment of the portable sacral support device of the present invention is generally shown in
Other embodiments of lower back and posture supporting devices of the present invention are capable of being integrated into common seating products. Accordingly, the present invention includes support devices capable of attachment and/or integration into a wide range of seating products, as well as the seats having the lower back and posture supporting devices integrated into the seat frames.
The lower back and posture support devices of the present invention can be modified, enabling it to be attached/integrated into these common types of seats. Given the advantages described herein regarding the superior comfort and support provided by the portable devices of the present invention, it appeared advantageous to further modify the devices allowing them to integrate into existing types of seating products to improve lower back comfort and relieve lower back pain.
Any type of seating product may be considered for integration with the devices of the present invention. Examples of such seats include but are not limited to automotive and/or light truck seating, heavy truck seating, bus and/or train seating, residential recliner seating, office seating, and airline cabin seating, and the like. Generally speaking, integrating the present inventive device into common seats should be feasible on any seating product that is typically constructed from an inner frame support structure and covered by cushion materials such as polyurethane foam and fabric.
A typical construction for common seating products includes a back support frame assembly surrounded by cushion materials and fabric. The back support frame is typically a weldment of steel or other common metal, or a wood frame. An array of metal wire or elastic springs often attaches to the support frame and supports the cushion material, or in other cases, the frame supports the cushion material directly.
The devices capable of integration into common seating types include a main body and support frame as disclosed herein. Means for attaching the support frame of the device to the wire springs or suspension in the back frame assembly integrate the devices into the seat. This means can include includes features allowing attachment to the wire springs or suspension in the back frame assembly. The support frames can be manufactured from any materials that provide the functionality as described herein and further enable attachment to the desired seat frames.
Embodiments of the integrated sacral support device of the present invention include a main body 2 and a support frame 130 attached to the main body 2. The main bodies in these embodiments have a center support portion 195, an upper support portion 30 connected to the center support portion 195, and a support skirt 5 connected to the center support portion. The main bodies may also include at least one of: (1) a vented center relief portion surrounded by and connected to the center support portion; and (2) relief arms disposed laterally to the center support portion and/or connected to the support skirt portion, preferably relief arms. The support frames attached to the main bodies in these embodiments comprise an outer arch and an inner arch medial to the outer arch. In such embodiments where the support device is integrated, a pedestal is not typically required, but rather, the inner and outer arches are conjoined at the base portion 200 of the support frame. Turning to the drawings, principally
The rearward surface (shown in
In certain embodiments, at least some of the ribs are notched to provide a further degree of flexibility to portions of the main body to locally assist bending or otherwise conforming better to the individual lower back shape of the user, vertically or laterally, while maintaining overall structure, rigidity and/or strength to the molded material in the various portions of the main body. For example, notches 75 in the lateral ribs associated with the upper support portion, act as a flexing point to improve a degree of flexibility in the lateral relief portions. Notches 55 allow the support skirt to flex rearward to relieve pressure exerted by user contact and to improve conformation with the shape of the user's buttocks. Notches 140 allow rearward flex in the upper support portion to relieve pressure to the lumbar area of the spine and to improve conformation with the shape of the user's lumbar spine. Contouring in the lumbar area is primarily the result of bending of the upper support portion 30 about the notches 140. An alternate embodiment (See
The main body may be prepared by an injection molded process employing a thermoplastic in the mold. The thermoplastic should have viscoelastic behavior. The type of thermoplastic is not critical so long as the thermoplastic has viscoelastic behavior. Exemplary plastics include nylon, polypropylene, acrylonitrile butadiene-styrene (ABS) and the like. The flex modulus as determined by the ASTM D790 or ISO 178 method is typically in the range of from about 1000 to about 3000, preferably from about 1200 to about 2500, and more preferably from about 1400 to about 2000, and all combinations and subcombinations of ranges thereof. Thermoplastic elastomers, such as polyester elastomers, are preferred materials for preparation of the main body.
The support frame 175 is attached to the rearward side of the main body 2. The support frame 175 includes an outer arch 90 and an inner arch 110 medial to the outer arch 90, conjoined at the support frame base portion 200. See principally
Alternatively, the support frame 175 may be molded into the seat back frame to form a single continuous seat back support structure to which the main body may be attached or otherwise adjoined in some embodiments. The continuous support structure may comprise one or more materials of differing composition, so that the strength, flexibility and other physical properties required by the various portions of the support structure including the integrated support device are not adversely impacted, and so maintain each aspect of the support structure's physical properties necessary for its intended function. Similarly to the portable device, the outer arch 90, while curving forward, tilts inward (i.e., the upper portion of the outer arch is relatively closer in proximity to the seat back than the lower portion (portion in proximity to support frame base portion 200, where the two arches are conjoined) against the seat back and acts like a spring reacting against the relief arms (25, 25a). The outer arch 90, which curves forward from the conjoining base portion 200 of the support frame toward the relief arms, is designed when in use so that at least an upper portion of the outer arch rests against the seat frame, and interacts with various support elements found therein. For example, interactions may occur between the seat back (or its cushion materials 185), its inner springs and seat back surface when the device is in use. The forward curvature creates resistance to the lateral relief arms (25, 25a) of the main body 2, and further provides a sliding surface on which the relief arms may rock and/or flex laterally as the main body 2 adjusts to contact by the user's back. The inner arch 110, curves initially forward from the conjoining base portion 200 of the support frame to provide a flexible fulcrum from which the attached main body 2 may cantilever or rock. The inner arch provides for resistance against the center support portion 195 of the main body, as well the connection between the main body 2 and the support frame 175. The support frame's contact with the center relief portion permits a surface for bending and rolling contact with the inner arch when pressure is applied to the center support portion, directing the main body 2 rearward and upward. The bending of the inner arch 110 causes a natural upward lift of the center support portion, helping to support the pelvis. The inner arch has means for attaching to the main body, such as exemplary orifices 95 through which typical fastening means can be utilized to attach the frame support to the main body through its exemplary corresponding orifices 205. The inner arch 110 also defines a portal 100 that corresponds to the vented center relief portion 10 or enlarged center support portion 15 (when vented center relief portion is absent), to create additional space for the slotted relief portion or center support portion, respectively, to flex rearward of the device and toward or onto the seat back. The outer arch 90, inner arch 110 and support frame base portion 200 together define a generally horseshoe-shaped slot 105, which permits the inner and outer arches to independently flex to respond to and to the main body and resist deflections at the points in contact with the main body.
The support frame 175 may be prepared by an injection molded process employing a thermoplastic in the mold. The thermoplastic should have viscoelastic behavior. The type of thermoplastic is not critical so long as the thermoplastic has viscoelastic behavior. Exemplary plastics include nylon, polypropylene, acrylonitrile butadiene-styrene (ABS) and the like. The flex modulus as determined by the ASTM D790 or ISO 178 method is typically in the range of from about 1000 to about 3000, preferably from about 1200 to about 2500, and more preferably from about 1400 to about 2000, and all combinations and subcombinations of ranges thereof. Elastomers, such as polyester elastomers, are preferred materials for preparation of the support frame.
The device is designed to provide both X axis and/or Y axis bend or flex independently through the interaction of the main body 2 with the support frame 130 and contact in use with the seat back and seat pan (
When correctly positioned on the seat, the surface portions of the main body 2 orient and conform themselves with regard to the sacrum, pelvis and spine of the seated occupant as shown in
In use, the device provides a system of spring forces and flexible surfaces working in parallel or series to support and flex the main body 2 surfaces when pressure is applied by the user. For example, when a user's spine comes into contact with the device, user pressure against the main body 2 of the device 1 is offset by opposite forces arising from the inner arch 110, as it curves initially forward from the base portion of the support frame 200 to provide a flexible fulcrum from which the attached main body 2 may cantilever or rock. In doing so, the inner arch also provides resistance against the center support portion of the main body. This resistance and rigidity of the center support portion is sufficient to support the sacrum, but not so much as to pressure the nerves in the pelvic region. The inner arch's contact with the center relief portion or enlarged center support portion permits a surface for rolling contact with the inner arch, when pressure is applied to the center support portion, directing the main body 2 inward and upward. In addition, the relief in the outer arch 90, which curves rearward from the conjoining base portion of the support frame 200, is designed when in use so that at least an upper portion of the outer arch rests against the seat back and interacts with various support elements found therein. The curvature of the outer arch creates resistance to any flex of the relief arms in the Z direction as well as further providing a sliding surface on which the relief arms may rock about an axis parallel to the device's X-axis as the main body adjusts to contact by the user's back. As would be understood by the skilled artisan, the seat back support cushions and/or springs independently assist the support frame 175 in providing structured resistance to the device.
An alternate embodiment of the integrated sacral support device of the present invention is generally shown in
Once armed with the disclosures provided herein, the skilled artisan will be able to appreciate and employ to great advantage the many teachings of the present invention, including those directed to lower back and posture support, particularly as it relates to improvement in seating comfort and/or seat design.
The disclosures of each of the foregoing documents are hereby incorporated herein by reference, in their entireties.
The invention illustratively disclosed herein suitably may be practiced in the absence of any element which is not specifically disclosed herein. The invention illustratively disclosed herein suitably may also be practiced in the absence of any element which is not specifically disclosed herein and that does not materially affect the basic and novel characteristics of the claimed invention.
While the present invention has been described in connection with what are presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments, but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements as can be included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
This is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 16/047,173, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/538,525 filed Jul. 28, 2017, and U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/580,180 filed Nov. 1, 2017, the disclosure of each of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1510187 | Martin | Sep 1924 | A |
| 1667626 | Epstein | Apr 1928 | A |
| 1716871 | Weldon | Jun 1929 | A |
| 2139028 | Mensendicck et al. | Dec 1938 | A |
| 2219475 | Flaherty | Oct 1940 | A |
| 2255464 | Hall, Jr. | Sep 1941 | A |
| 2554337 | Lampert | May 1951 | A |
| 2663359 | Wood | Dec 1953 | A |
| 2756808 | Eichorst | Jul 1956 | A |
| 2769485 | Shapiro | Nov 1956 | A |
| 2831533 | Pasquarelli | Apr 1958 | A |
| 2847061 | Morton | Aug 1958 | A |
| 2855986 | Engelen, Sr. | Oct 1958 | A |
| 3024784 | Monfardini | Mar 1962 | A |
| 3081129 | Ridder | Mar 1963 | A |
| 3112137 | Nth | Nov 1963 | A |
| 3138404 | Newton | Jun 1964 | A |
| 3145054 | Spoko, Jr. | Aug 1964 | A |
| 3189917 | Sims | Jun 1965 | A |
| 3288525 | Cerf | Nov 1966 | A |
| 3348880 | Swann | Oct 1967 | A |
| 3362402 | Loeffel et al. | Jan 1968 | A |
| 3497872 | Mitchell | Mar 1970 | A |
| 3501197 | Burton | Mar 1970 | A |
| 3512835 | Flototto | May 1970 | A |
| 3540776 | Wilson | Nov 1970 | A |
| 3568670 | Gaylor, Jr. | Mar 1971 | A |
| 3642319 | Berchicci | Feb 1972 | A |
| 3657739 | Holmes, Sr. | Apr 1972 | A |
| 3713657 | Presta | Jan 1973 | A |
| 3717143 | Johnson | Feb 1973 | A |
| 3720441 | Corchran | Mar 1973 | A |
| 3740096 | Bridger | Jun 1973 | A |
| 3807794 | Beyer | Apr 1974 | A |
| 3855631 | Ettinger | Dec 1974 | A |
| 3900896 | Ackerman | Aug 1975 | A |
| 3904242 | Koepke et al. | Sep 1975 | A |
| 3926183 | Spiro | Dec 1975 | A |
| 3927665 | Wax | Dec 1975 | A |
| 3964474 | Fox | Jun 1976 | A |
| 3982786 | Burgin et al. | Sep 1976 | A |
| 4017118 | Cawley | Apr 1977 | A |
| 4034747 | Leroy | Jul 1977 | A |
| 4078842 | Zur | Mar 1978 | A |
| 4099524 | Cueman et al. | Jul 1978 | A |
| 4156544 | Swenson et al. | May 1979 | A |
| 4175553 | Rosenberg | Nov 1979 | A |
| 4182553 | Arndt et al. | Jan 1980 | A |
| 4219193 | Newman | Aug 1980 | A |
| 4295681 | Gregory | Oct 1981 | A |
| 4313637 | Barley | Feb 1982 | A |
| 4338685 | LaPorta, Jr. | Jul 1982 | A |
| 4437702 | Agosta | Mar 1984 | A |
| 4471993 | Watson | Sep 1984 | A |
| 4475543 | Brooks et al. | Oct 1984 | A |
| 4489982 | Morrow | Dec 1984 | A |
| D277316 | Meares | Jan 1985 | S |
| 4501023 | Bilberry | Feb 1985 | A |
| 4502728 | Sheldon et al. | Mar 1985 | A |
| 4516568 | Baxter et al. | May 1985 | A |
| 4522447 | Snyder et al. | Jun 1985 | A |
| 4535495 | Oldfield | Aug 1985 | A |
| 4556254 | Roberts | Dec 1985 | A |
| 4559933 | Batard et al. | Dec 1985 | A |
| 4564235 | Hatsutta et al. | Jan 1986 | A |
| 4572578 | Perkins | Feb 1986 | A |
| 4576154 | Hyman et al. | Mar 1986 | A |
| 4597386 | Goldstein | Jul 1986 | A |
| 4634176 | Scott | Jan 1987 | A |
| 4638510 | Hubbard | Jan 1987 | A |
| 4643174 | Horiuchi | Feb 1987 | A |
| 4715362 | Scott | Dec 1987 | A |
| 4718724 | Quinton et al. | Jan 1988 | A |
| 4752067 | Colonello | Jun 1988 | A |
| 4753478 | Weinreich | Jun 1988 | A |
| D296930 | Carabelli | Jul 1988 | S |
| 4757554 | Blair | Jul 1988 | A |
| 4789202 | Alter | Dec 1988 | A |
| 4821339 | Fair | Apr 1989 | A |
| 4824169 | Jarrell | Apr 1989 | A |
| 4835801 | Walpin et al. | Jun 1989 | A |
| 4836194 | Sebastian et al. | Jun 1989 | A |
| 4854306 | Pujals, Jr. | Aug 1989 | A |
| 4862536 | Pruit | Sep 1989 | A |
| 4870705 | Higby et al. | Oct 1989 | A |
| 4876755 | Parrish | Oct 1989 | A |
| 4881529 | Santos | Nov 1989 | A |
| 4883320 | Izumida et al. | Nov 1989 | A |
| 4890235 | Reger et al. | Dec 1989 | A |
| 4926845 | Harris | May 1990 | A |
| 4930499 | Rowe | Jun 1990 | A |
| 4944554 | Gross et al. | Jul 1990 | A |
| 4969684 | Zarotti | Nov 1990 | A |
| 4981325 | Zacharkow | Jan 1991 | A |
| 4996720 | Fair | Mar 1991 | A |
| 5054854 | Pruit | Oct 1991 | A |
| D321760 | Carney | Nov 1991 | S |
| D325087 | Brinker | Mar 1992 | S |
| 5105806 | Woodhouse et al. | Apr 1992 | A |
| 5114209 | Dunn | May 1992 | A |
| 5188585 | Peters | Feb 1993 | A |
| 5190347 | Shiow-Lan | Mar 1993 | A |
| 5201761 | Serola | Apr 1993 | A |
| 5240308 | Goldstein et al. | Aug 1993 | A |
| 5314235 | Johnson | May 1994 | A |
| 5320409 | Katoh et al. | Jun 1994 | A |
| 5328245 | Marks et al. | Jul 1994 | A |
| 5335965 | Sessini | Aug 1994 | A |
| 5397164 | Schuster et al. | Mar 1995 | A |
| 5452728 | Iams | Sep 1995 | A |
| 5452940 | Maier | Sep 1995 | A |
| 5505520 | Frusti et al. | Apr 1996 | A |
| 5518294 | Ligon, Sr. et al. | May 1996 | A |
| 5520624 | Amato | May 1996 | A |
| 5547251 | Axelson | Aug 1996 | A |
| 5556169 | Parrish et al. | Sep 1996 | A |
| 5567010 | Sparks | Oct 1996 | A |
| 5567011 | Sessini | Oct 1996 | A |
| 5577811 | Ogg | Nov 1996 | A |
| 5586561 | Archer, III | Dec 1996 | A |
| 5587933 | Gross | Dec 1996 | A |
| 5588703 | Itou | Dec 1996 | A |
| 5626616 | Speece | May 1997 | A |
| 5657499 | Vaughn et al. | Aug 1997 | A |
| 5678891 | O'Neill et al. | Oct 1997 | A |
| 5695245 | Carlson et al. | Dec 1997 | A |
| 5704687 | Klinger | Jan 1998 | A |
| 5713631 | O'Neill et al. | Feb 1998 | A |
| 5718476 | De Pascal et al. | Feb 1998 | A |
| 5762397 | Venuto et al. | Jun 1998 | A |
| 5823620 | Le Caz | Oct 1998 | A |
| 5833319 | Davis | Nov 1998 | A |
| 5868463 | MacKenzie et al. | Feb 1999 | A |
| 5868466 | Massara et al. | Feb 1999 | A |
| 5975629 | Lorbiecki | Nov 1999 | A |
| 6033025 | Christofferson et al. | Mar 2000 | A |
| 6041457 | Summers | Mar 2000 | A |
| 6059370 | Kanyer et al. | May 2000 | A |
| 6088643 | Long et al. | Jul 2000 | A |
| 6092249 | Kamen et al. | Jul 2000 | A |
| 6092871 | Beaulieu | Jul 2000 | A |
| 6098000 | Long et al. | Aug 2000 | A |
| 6125851 | Walker et al. | Oct 2000 | A |
| 6129419 | Neale | Oct 2000 | A |
| 6206463 | Whingham | Mar 2001 | B1 |
| 6257664 | Chew et al. | Jul 2001 | B1 |
| 6334651 | Duan et al. | Jan 2002 | B1 |
| 6497454 | Davidsson | Dec 2002 | B1 |
| 6532962 | Walker et al. | Mar 2003 | B1 |
| 6543844 | Ryan et al. | Apr 2003 | B1 |
| 6578916 | Longhi et al. | Jun 2003 | B2 |
| 6619739 | McMillen | Sep 2003 | B2 |
| 6652029 | McMillen | Nov 2003 | B2 |
| 6676215 | Shah et al. | Jan 2004 | B1 |
| 6695402 | Sloan, Jr. | Feb 2004 | B2 |
| 6824214 | McMillen | Nov 2004 | B2 |
| 6969114 | Keilhauer | Nov 2005 | B2 |
| 7093898 | Ladron De Guevara | Aug 2006 | B2 |
| 7140057 | Hetzel et al. | Nov 2006 | B2 |
| 7152920 | Sugiyama et al. | Dec 2006 | B2 |
| 7273252 | Iijima et al. | Sep 2007 | B2 |
| 7322651 | Makhsous et al. | Jan 2008 | B2 |
| 7429080 | Walker et al. | Sep 2008 | B2 |
| 7445008 | Walker | Nov 2008 | B1 |
| 7537286 | Walker et al. | May 2009 | B2 |
| 7909402 | Chu et al. | Mar 2011 | B2 |
| 7931334 | Caruso | Apr 2011 | B1 |
| 8011044 | Jones | Sep 2011 | B1 |
| 8398170 | Walker | Mar 2013 | B2 |
| 20020008417 | Holst et al. | Jan 2002 | A1 |
| 20020109383 | Klingler | Aug 2002 | A1 |
| 20020175553 | Steifensand | Nov 2002 | A1 |
| 20030197407 | Sanchez | Oct 2003 | A1 |
| 20040075320 | Klinger | Apr 2004 | A1 |
| 20050104428 | Walker et al. | May 2005 | A1 |
| 20060001304 | Walker et al. | Jan 2006 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 3334864 | Apr 1985 | DE |
| G9317020.3 | Mar 1994 | DE |
| 29922030 | Jul 2000 | DE |
| 10114521 | Sep 2002 | DE |
| 20305074 | Aug 2004 | DE |
| 0423079 | Oct 1990 | EP |
| 0700653 | Mar 1996 | EP |
| 1611819 | Jan 2006 | EP |
| 2469315 | May 1981 | FR |
| 03029610 | Apr 1991 | JP |
| 08191734 | Jul 1996 | JP |
| 2002360375 | Dec 2002 | JP |
| 2015 0021341 | Mar 2015 | KR |
| WO 9214387 | Sep 1992 | WO |
| WO 200156428 | Aug 2001 | WO |
| WO 02028339 | Apr 2002 | WO |
| WO 2004026623 | Apr 2004 | WO |
| WO 2004089693 | Oct 2004 | WO |
| WO 2019023544 | Jan 2019 | WO |
| Entry |
|---|
| Supplementary European Search Report dated Apr. 16, 2013 for EP07839308. |
| International Search Report and Written Opinion dated Feb. 27, 2008 for PCT/US2007/021437 filed Oct. 5, 2007. |
| European Communication Pursuant to Article 94(3) in European Application No. 07 839 308.9 dated Jun. 13, 2014. |
| ISR and Written Opinion dated Sep. 20, 2018. |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20200405061 A1 | Dec 2020 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62580180 | Nov 2017 | US | |
| 62538525 | Jul 2017 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 16047173 | Jul 2018 | US |
| Child | 17005870 | US |
