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Back support, orientation mechanism and method

  • US 8,567,863 B2
  • Filed: 03/02/2011
  • Issued: 10/29/2013
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2011
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. Apparatus for supporting a back support from a frame of a seating device with the back support adaptively contacting an upper torso of a user when a pelvic skeletal structure of the user is supported from a seat support located on the frame of the seating device with gluteal and buttocks tissue of the user located above a rear portion of the seat support, comprising:

  • a substantially rigid back shell adapted to orient and retain the back support to contact and support the upper torso and posterior superior iliac spines of the pelvic skeletal structure of the user, the back shell having a lower edge; and

    a back support orientation mechanism connected between the back shell and the frame of the seating device to adaptively position and orient the back support relative to the upper torso and the posterior superior iliac spines of the user while the pelvic skeletal structure is supported from the seat support, and wherein;

    the back support orientation mechanism includes a pivot mechanism which is operative to pivot the back shell about a pivot point;

    the back support orientation mechanism is operative to adaptively position the lower edge of the back shell below a reference extending between the pivot point and posterior superior iliac spines while the pelvic skeletal structure is supported from the seat support and to adaptively position the lower edge of the back shell above a substantial majority of the gluteal and buttocks tissue;

    the back support includes a back support cushion;

    the back support cushion includes an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion is retained by the back shell to adaptively contact the upper torso and to adaptively transfer support to the posterior superior iliac spines, the lower portion of the back support cushion extends from the upper portion of the back support cushion to a position below the lower edge of the back shell to adaptively contact the gluteal and buttocks tissue of the user;

    the back support cushion includes at least one stay member which extends within the back support cushion from the upper portion to the lower portion, the stay member adjustably orienting the lower portion at a predetermined angular orientation relative to the upper portion independently of a pivot orientation of the back shell and the upper portion retained by the back shell, the stay member resisting changes in and maintaining the predetermined angular orientation of the lower portion relative to the upper portion of the back support cushion and the back shell.

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