U.S. patent application number 11/997531 was filed with the patent office on 2008-09-11 for lordosis support.
Invention is credited to Werner Hagen, Veit Stossel.
Application Number | 20080217978 11/997531 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37103260 |
Filed Date | 2008-09-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080217978 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Stossel; Veit ; et
al. |
September 11, 2008 |
Lordosis Support
Abstract
The invention relates to a lumbar support for a seat backrest,
having a lumbar support basket 12 arranged in a frame 10 of a seat
backrest, a pulling device which changes the position of the lumbar
support basket 12 relative to the frame, characterised in that the
pulling device has two pull cables 16, 17 which are coupled to the
lumbar support basket 12 and the frame in such a way that when
tension is exerted on the pulling device the lumbar support basket
12 is moved relative to the plane defined by the frame 10 of the
seat backrest.
Inventors: |
Stossel; Veit; (Nurnberg,
DE) ; Hagen; Werner; (Hagenbuchach-Brauersdorf,
DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MICHAEL BEST & FRIEDRICH LLP
Two Prudential Plaza, 180 North Stetson Avenue, Suite 2000
CHICAGO
IL
60601
US
|
Family ID: |
37103260 |
Appl. No.: |
11/997531 |
Filed: |
August 3, 2006 |
PCT Filed: |
August 3, 2006 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP06/07696 |
371 Date: |
February 21, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
297/284.4 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60N 2/6671 20150401;
A47C 7/465 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
297/284.4 |
International
Class: |
A47C 7/46 20060101
A47C007/46 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 4, 2005 |
DE |
10 2005 036 774.7 |
Claims
1-8. (canceled)
9. Lumbar support for a seat backrest, having a lumbar support
basket arranged in a frame of a seat backrest, a pulling device
with a Bowden cable, the actuator of the Bowden cable being
attached to the frame, wherein the pulling device changes the
position of the lumbar support basket relative to the frame and has
two pull cables which are coupled to the lumbar support basket and
the frame in such a way that when tension is exerted on the pulling
device the lumbar support basket is moved relative to the plane
defined by the frame of the seat backrest, wherein the first pull
cable runs from one frame side to the other frame side, and the
second pull cable runs from the actuator up to a guiding device
attached to the lumbar support basket, in which the pull cables are
movably guided, the two pull cables being coupled to each other at
the guiding device in such a way that when tension is exerted on
the second pull cable the cable length of the first pull cable
between the two frame sides is effectively shortened.
10. Lumbar support for a seat backrest, having a lumbar support
basket arranged in a frame of a seat backrest, a pulling device
which changes the position of the lumbar support basket relative to
the frame and which has two pull cables which are coupled to the
lumbar support basket and the frame in such a way that when tension
is exerted on the pulling device the lumbar support basket is moved
relative to the plane defined by the frame of the seat backrest,
wherein the pulling device is a Bowden cable, the actuator of the
Bowden cable being attached to the frame, wherein the pull cables
are running from the actuator together up to a guiding device
attached to the lumbar support basket in which the pull cables are
movably guided, and are branching at the guiding device, each pull
cable running from the branching up to the frame, to which it is
fastened.
11. Lumbar support according to claim 10, wherein both pull cables
are fastened by one of their ends to the frame.
12. Lumbar support according to claim 10, the pull cables upon the
branching being diverted in opposite directions and fastened to
opposite sides of the frame.
13. Lumbar support according to claim 10, wherein when tension is
exerted on the pulling device the regions of the pull cable from
the fastening to the frame up to the guiding device are shortened,
whereby the lumbar support basket is displaced relative to the
plane defined by the frame.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to a lumbar support for a seat
backrest. The invention relates in particular to a lumbar support
fitted in backrests of motor vehicle seats, office furniture seats,
or domestic furniture seats.
[0002] Lumbar supports are fitted in seat backrests in order to
provide sufficient support in the lumbar-vertebra or lordosis
region of a person seating on the seat by forming a corresponding
supporting surface. For this, the lumbar support customarily has a
lumbar support basket which is fastened to a frame arranged in the
seat backrest. Furthermore, a pulling device by which the position
of the lumbar support basket can be changed relative to the frame
is customarily provided.
[0003] In the prior art, a lumbar support basket is known which is
fastened on one side to the support frame, while the other side is
fastened via a Bowden cable to the other frame side, the position
of the support basket relative to the plane defined by the frame
being changed when tension is exerted on the Bowden cable. The
unilateral tensile load results in an asymmetrical action of the
tensile load, so that the lumbar support basket is also moved
laterally when tension is exerted on the Bowden cable, and not just
perpendicularly to the plane defined by the frame. Furthermore, the
movement does not take place symmetrically to the axis which is
perpendicular to the plane defined by the frame, so that the person
sitting on the seat feels unsymmetrical relief of the strain on the
lordosis region when tension is exerted on the Bowden cable.
Furthermore, a relatively long pull length is necessary for a
relatively small movement of the lumbar support basket.
[0004] An object of the present invention is to provide a lumbar
support which enables a symmetrical movement of the lumbar support
basket while achieving a greatest possible adjustment of the lumbar
support basket for a small pulling movement.
[0005] This object is achieved according to the invention by the
independent claim. Preferred embodiments of the invention are
described in the dependent claims.
[0006] According to the invention, the lumbar support for a seat
backrest has a lumbar support basket arranged in a frame of a seat
backrest. Furthermore, a pulling device which changes the position
of the lumbar support basket relative to the frame is provided. The
pulling device has two pull cables which are coupled to the lumbar
support basket and the frame in such a way that when tension is
exerted on the pulling device the lumbar support basket is moved
relative to the plane defined by the frame of the seat backrest.
Symmetrical tension on the lumbar support basket is achieved by
means of the two pull cables of the pulling device, so that a
symmetrical movement of the lumbar support basket with respect to
an axis which is perpendicular to the plane defined by the frame of
the seat backrest is achieved. At the same time, by means of the
two pull cables, for the same pull length twice the adjusting
travel is achieved compared with the prior art, in which the lumbar
support basket is equipped with only one pull cable.
[0007] Preferably, the lumbar support basket has a guiding device
in which the pulling device is movably guided. According to a
preferred embodiment, the two pull cables are movably located in
the guiding device. Preferably, the pulling device is a Bowden
cable, the actuator for actuating the Bowden cable being attached
to the frame.
[0008] According to a further preferred embodiment, both pull
cables are fastened at their one end to the frame. In this
embodiment, the respective other ends of the pull cables are
fastened to the actuator. The pull cables can, in one embodiment,
run together from the actuator up to the guiding device, the pull
cables branching at the guiding device and each pull cable running
from the branching up to the frame, where it is fastened.
[0009] Furthermore, preferably the pull cables run upon the
branching at the guiding device in opposite directions and are
fastened to opposite sides of the frame. These two lateral parts of
the pull cables from the branching up to the frame are responsible
for the position of the lumbar support basket relative to the
frame.
[0010] When tension is exerted on the pull cables, the region of
the pull cables from the fastening to the frame up to the guiding
device can be shortened, whereby the lumbar support basket is
displaced relative to the plane defined by the frame. In this case,
the region in which the two pull cables run jointly up to the
guiding device lengthens. The region of one pull cable from the
guiding device to the lateral frame is shortened, this region
likewise for the other pull cable from the guiding device to the
other frame side likewise being shortened, whereby the adjusting
travel of the lumbar support basket is doubled for a given pull
length.
[0011] According to another embodiment, the two pull cables are
arranged in such a way that the second pull cable runs from the
actuator up to the guiding device. The first pull cable runs from
one frame side via the guiding device to the other frame side and
is coupled to the second pull cable in such a way that when tension
is exerted on the second pull cable the effective cable length of
the first pull cable between the two frame sides is shortened. In
this case, when tension is exerted on the second pull cable a
subregion of the first pull cable is moved in the direction of the
second pull cable perpendicularly to the course of the first pull
cable, so that the effective cable length of the first pull cable
from the first frame side to the second frame side shortens.
[0012] The invention is explained in more detail below using an
exemplary embodiment with reference to the accompanying schematic
drawings, in which:
[0013] FIG. 1 shows a front view of the lumbar support arranged in
the frame of a seat backrest,
[0014] FIG. 2 shows a rear view of the lumbar support in the
frame,
[0015] FIG. 3 shows a plan view of the lumbar support in an
unloaded position,
[0016] FIG. 4 shows a plan view of the lumbar support in a loaded
position,
[0017] FIG. 5 shows an enlarged view of the lumbar support in a
front view,
[0018] FIG. 6 shows an enlarged rear view of the lumbar
support,
[0019] FIG. 7 shows a detail view of the guiding device in the
unloaded position of the Bowden cable, and
[0020] FIG. 8 shows a detail view of the guiding device in the
loaded position of the Bowden cable.
[0021] FIG. 1 shows a front view of a frame 10 which is part of a
seat backrest (not illustrated) of a motor vehicle seat.
Furthermore, in the lower region of the seat frame a lumbar support
11 having a lumbar support basket 12 is provided. The lumbar
support basket is actuated via a Bowden cable, an actuator 13
fastened to one side of the frame 10 being provided in order to
actuate the Bowden cable. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1,
two different positions of the actuator 13 are illustrated, the
actuator 13a and the actuator 13b. The two actuators 13a and 13b
show only different possible arrangements of a single actuator in
the backrest frame, there being no provision for two actuators.
Provided above the lumbar support basket 12 is a wire mat 14 which
can be connected to the frame 10, for example, via springs (not
illustrated). The wire mat 14 can also be connected to the lumbar
support basket 12. A connection between lumbar support basket 12
and wire mat 14 is not absolutely necessary, however.
[0022] As can also be seen in FIG. 2 inter alia, two pull cables 16
and 17 of the Bowden cable are guided in a cable sleeve 15.
Starting from the actuator 13, these two pull cables run jointly in
the cable sleeve 15 up to a guiding device 18, at which they
branch, one pull cable 16 being fastened to one side 10a of the
frame 10, and the pull cable 17 branching off at the guiding
device, running to the other side of the frame 10 and being
fastened there. As can be seen in FIGS. 5 and 6 inter alia, the
lumbar support basket is designed in the form of a plate and is
slightly concavely curved in order to guide the lower lumbar
region. The lumbar support basket has a middle section 20, to which
the guiding device 18 is attached. Furthermore, two lateral
sections 21 and 22 are provided. Braces 23 are provided on the side
of the lumbar support basket facing away from the back of the
person leaning against the seat backrest.
[0023] As can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 6, the cable sleeve 15 is
attached to the guiding device 18. The guiding device 18 has two
arcuate guiding sections 24 and 25 which effect the diversion of
the two pull cables 16 and 17. The two pull cables 16 and 17 are
movably arranged in the guiding device and are diverted by about
90.degree. substantially in opposite directions at the diversions
24 and 25 and guided in guiding eyes 26 on the lumbar support
basket before being fastened to the frame 10 by fixing elements
27.
[0024] In FIGS. 3 and 4, the different positions of the lumbar
support basket relative to the frame are depicted. In the position
illustrated in FIG. 3, no tension is exerted on the pull cables 16
and 17 and the lumbar support basket is in a rest position where it
is pushed by upholstery (not illustrated) of the seat into the
position illustrated in FIG. 3. In this position of FIG. 3, the two
cables run together, as illustrated in FIG. 7, up to a joining
nipple 28 which joins the two pull cables 16 and 17, before they
are guided by the diversions to the sides of the frame. If the
actuator 13 is now actuated, tension is exerted on the two pull
cables 16 and 17, which moves the joining nipple and the jointly
running region of the pull cables, as illustrated in FIG. 8, in the
direction of the cable sleeve 15. As a result, the region of the
pull cables 16 and 17 which previously ran horizontally, diverted
by the diversions 24 and 25, is in each case shortened by the
height h. Overall, the region of the pull cables which runs
horizontally between the two sides 10a and 10b of the frame 10 is
shortened by the height 2h. Overall, the effective horizontal pull
cable length thus shortens by the height 2h. This horizontal pull
cable length is responsible for the position of the lumbar support
basket 12 relative to the plane defined by the frame. As a result,
the lumbar support basket is, as illustrated in FIG. 4, pushed in
the direction of the back (not illustrated).
[0025] From the foregoing description, the following advantage is
thus obtained for a person skilled in the art by means of the
invention.
[0026] Firstly, the lumbar support basket is moved symmetrically
perpendicularly to the plane defined by the frame. Furthermore, an
adjustment of the lumbar support basket by the length 2h is
achieved by a pull length h at the actuator. The actuator for
actuating the pull cable can be actuated either manually or by an
electric motor.
[0027] Instead of the two pull cables 16 and 17 illustrated in the
figures, it is also possible to provide a first pull cable running
from one side 10a of the frame to the other side 10b, while
providing a second pull cable running from the actuator up to the
joining nipple 28. The first pull cable is in this case joined to
the second pull cable at the joining nipple 28. When tension is
exerted on the second pull cable, which is fastened to the
actuator, this pull cable lifts the other pull cable in the
direction of the cable sleeve 15, so that once again the lumbar
support basket is moved into the position illustrated in FIG. 4,
since the length of the pull cable stretching between the two sides
of the frame is shortened by the length 2h.
LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS
[0028] 10 Frame [0029] 10a Side [0030] 10b Side [0031] 11 Lumbar
support [0032] 12 Lumbar support basket [0033] 13 Actuator [0034]
14 Wire mat [0035] 15 Cable sleeve [0036] 16, 17 Pull cables [0037]
18 Guiding device [0038] 20 Middle section [0039] 21, 22 Lateral
sections [0040] 23 Brace [0041] 24, 25 Diversion [0042] 26 Guiding
eyes [0043] 27 Fixing elements [0044] 28 Joining nipple
* * * * *