U.S. patent application number 12/231585 was filed with the patent office on 2009-03-26 for lumbar support.
Invention is credited to Egidio Marcantoni.
Application Number | 20090079245 12/231585 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38984459 |
Filed Date | 2009-03-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090079245 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Marcantoni; Egidio |
March 26, 2009 |
Lumbar support
Abstract
The lumbar support for a seat backrest according to the
invention has a lumbar pad and a toggle linkage to adjust the
position of the lumbar pad. Furthermore, it comprises a motor with
a spindle and a nut, wherein the motor rotates the spindle to move
the nut along the spindle and wherein the nut is coupled to the
toggle linkage, which includes an arm member which is pivotably
connected to a frame and bears the lumbar pad and a link coupled to
the nut and the arm member.
Inventors: |
Marcantoni; Egidio;
(Persaro, IT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
RENNER KENNER GREIVE BOBAK TAYLOR & WEBER
FIRST NATIONAL TOWER FOURTH FLOOR, 106 S. MAIN STREET
AKRON
OH
44308
US
|
Family ID: |
38984459 |
Appl. No.: |
12/231585 |
Filed: |
September 4, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
297/284.4 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47C 7/465 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
297/284.4 |
International
Class: |
A47C 7/40 20060101
A47C007/40 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 21, 2007 |
EP |
07 116 922.1 |
Claims
1. Lumbar support for a seat backrest with a lumbar pad, a linkage
to adjust the position of the lumbar pad and a motor with a spindle
and a nut, wherein the motor rotates the spindle to move the nut
along the spindle and wherein the nut is coupled to the linkage,
characterized in that the linkage is a toggle linkage including an
arm member which is pivotably connected to a frame and bears the
lumbar pad and a link coupled to the nut and the arm member.
2. Lumbar support according to claim 1, characterized by a frame
for supporting the motor with the spindle and for providing a pivot
point for the toggle linkage.
3. Lumbar support according to claim 1, characterized in that the
link is coupled to the arm member in a middle region between the
connection of the arm member to the frame and the connection of the
lumbar pad to the arm member.
4. Lumbar support according to claim 1, characterized in that the
spindle is pivotably fixed to the frame with one end and is
connected to the arm member via the nut.
5. Lumbar support according to claim 1, characterized in that
toggle linkage has a scissor-type construction.
6. Lumbar support according to claim 1, characterized by a control
unit to move the lumbar pad by actuating the motor.
7. Lumbar support according to claim 4, characterized in that
control unit has a time setting device to set at time period for
periodically activating the motor to move the nut in order to
change the position of the lumbar pad.
Description
[0001] The invention refers to a lumbar support for a seat backrest
with a lumbar pad and a toggle linkage to adjust the position of
the lumbar pad.
[0002] U.S. Pat. No. 4,182,533 discloses a seat backrest having an
upholstered cushion portion supported by a rigid frame portion
including means to produce a desired supporting contour in the
lumbar region of the seat occupant. The contour-producing means
includes a lumbar pad resiliently biased pivoted arm members
connecting the lumbar pad to the frame through a toggle linkage,
and handle means operable from the side of the backrest for
adjustably positioning the lumbar pad in a plurality of fixed
positions forward of the frame.
[0003] DE-A1-29 35 352 relates to a seat backrest with a lumbar pad
formed of a flexible plate which is adjustable by a motor with a
spindle and a nut, wherein the motor rotates the spindle to move
the nut along the spindle and wherein the nut is coupled to the
lumbar pad via a rope or cable. A similar construction is known
from DE-U1-299 12 855.
[0004] EP-A1-1 566 119 discloses a lordosis support including a
plate that is adapted to be curved, and an adjusting mechanism for
adjusting the curvature of the plate wherein the plate is
elastically biased into a curved position and the adjusting
mechanism is adapted to reduce the curvature of the plate.
[0005] The object of the invention is to improve the adjustment of
the lumbar support.
[0006] According to the invention, that object is achieved by the
features of claim 1.
[0007] The lumbar support for a seat backrest according to the
invention has a lumbar pad and a toggle linkage to adjust the
position of the lumbar pad. Furthermore, it comprises a motor with
a spindle and a nut, wherein the motor rotates the spindle to move
the nut along the spindle and wherein the nut is coupled to the
toggle linkage, which includes an arm member which is pivotably
connected to a frame and bears the lumbar pad and a link coupled to
the nut and the arm member.
[0008] The motor driven lumbar support allows an adjustment of the
lumbar pad while the user is sitting in his normal position. In
addition, the position of the lumbar pad is not limited to fixed
positions.
[0009] Further embodiments of the invention are the subject matter
of the subordinate claims.
[0010] In one embodiment of the invention, the lumbar support
comprises a frame for supporting the motor with the spindle and
provides a pivot point for the toggle linkage. Preferably, the link
is coupled to the arm member in a middle region between the
connection of the arm member to the frame and the connection of the
lumber pad to the arm member.
[0011] In a second embodiment, the spindle is pivotably fixed to
the frame with one end and is connected to the arm member via the
nut. It is also possible that the toggle linkage has a scissor-type
construction.
[0012] Furthermore, the lumbar support has a control unit to move
the lumbar pad by actuating the motor. According to a preferred
embodiment of the invention, the control unit has a time setting
device to set a time period for periodically activating the motor
to move the nut in order to change the position of the lumbar pad.
This function has a very positive influence on the spinal column
because the sitting position of the user changes periodically.
[0013] Further advantages and embodiments of the invention will be
explained by the following description and the drawings.
[0014] In the drawings
[0015] FIG. 1 shows a side elevation of a seat furniture with a
lumbar support,
[0016] FIG. 2 shows a three dimensional view of the seat frame and
the lumbar support,
[0017] FIGS. 3a and 3b show a side elevation of the lumbar support
in two different positions of the lumbar pad,
[0018] FIG. 4 shows a side elevation of the lumbar support of a
second embodiment and
[0019] FIG. 5 shows a side elevation of the lumbar support of a
third embodiment.
[0020] FIG. 1 discloses a seat furniture 1 with a seat backrest 2
having a lumbar support 3.
[0021] As can be seen in FIGS. 2, 3a, and 3b, the lumbar support 3
has a frame 4 which is fixed to a backrest frame 5 of the seat
backrest 2. The lumbar support 3 further comprises an actuator with
a motor 6, a spindle 7, and a nut 8 wherein the motor rotates the
spindle to move the nut along the spindle. Furthermore, the lumbar
support has a toggle linkage 9 which comprises an arm member 9a
which is pivotably connected to the frame 4 and a link 9b coupled
to the nut 8 and the arm member 9a.
[0022] The arm member 9a is coupled to frame 4 at one end and bears
a lumbar pad 10 at the other end. The link 9b is coupled to the arm
member 9a in a middle region between the connection of the arm
member to the frame 4 and the connection of the lumbar pad 10 to
the arm member.
[0023] As can be seen from FIGS. 3 and 3b, it is possible to change
the position of the lumbar pad 10 by moving the nut 8 by rotation
of the spindle 7. For actuating the motor 6 a control unit 11 is
provided, which may be integrated in the seat furniture 1 (see FIG.
1). However, it is also possible to use a remote control or a
control unit which is connected to the motor via a cable.
[0024] FIG. 4 discloses a second embodiment of the lumbar support.
It differs from the first embodiment in that the spindle 7 is
pivotably fixed to frame 4 at pivot point 12 with one end and is
connected to the arm member 9'a via nut 8 and a link 9'b. By
actuating the motor of spindle 7, the nut will move along the
spindle. As a consequence, arm member 9'a with lumbar pad 10 will
pivot around pivot point 13.
[0025] The toggle linkage 9'' of a third embodiment according to
FIG. 5 has a scissor-type construction. It comprises an arm member
9''a consisting of a first link 9.1''a, a second link 9.2''a and a
third link 9.3''a and a sliding element 9.4''a. The scissor-type
construction also has a link 9''b which is an extension of second
link 9.2''a which is pivotably connected to the first link 9.1''a
at point 14. Link 9''a is pivotably connected to nut 8 and third
link 9.3''a bears lumbar pad 10. By moving the nut 8 along the
spindle 7, the third link 9.3''a is guided in sliding element
9.4''a and thereby adjusting lumbar pad 10.
[0026] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the control unit
comprises a time setting device 11a to set a time period for
periodically activating the motor to move the nut in order to
change the position of the lumbar. Accordingly, it is possible to
set a time period of, for instance, two minutes and as a
consequence, the position of the lumbar pad will be changed every
two minutes a little bit. This has the effect that the position of
the user changes every two minutes which has a positive influence
on the spinal column of the user.
* * * * *