Abstract: An ergonomic weight support device for a seat comprising a housing having a channel defined by at least one guide boss, an extending element having an unanchored weight supporting end and an engaged end slidingly disposed within the channel of said housing and an actuator fixedly attached to said housing and in moving communication with said extending element whereby said actuator mediates the weight supporting end of said extending element between a substantially retracted position and an extended position.

Abstract: An adjustable lumbar support assembly for a seat has a curved lumbar support member that is made from a plastic material and an adjustment mechanism operatively connected to the curved lumbar support member for adjusting between various degrees of curvature. The curved lumbar support member may include a plurality of reinforcing ribs that allow a greater degree of curvature adjacent one end of the element than the degree of curvature adjacent the other end of the element. The reinforcing ribs allow for varying degrees of curvature because the cross section of the ribs varies. Further, the reinforcing ribs are integral with the curved lumbar support member. The adjustable lumbar assembly could also include at least one resilient metal strap connected to the curved lumbar support member that allows a greater degree of curvature adjacent one end of the curved lumbar support member than the degree of curvature adjacent the other end of the element.

Abstract: An apparatus for binding a transportable wire core including a binding table comprised of sections in spaced relation sufficient to allow passage between them of a binding wire, and a collapsible carrying spool having base members being in spaced relation sufficient to allow passage between them of a binding wires. The spool is positionable on the table such that the base members of the spool and the sections of the table are aligned in operative cooperation. Guide tracks have first sections attached to the table and in operative alignment between the spool base members and the table sections. Guide track second sections are translatable between a removed position that allows a wire core on a spool to be positioned on the binding tables and an engaged position that operatively engages the binding wire guide track first sections. The second guide track sections operatively align between the sections of the table and the base members of the spool.

Abstract: A ratcheting, locking actuator for selectively positioning ergonomic devices is disclosed. The actuator has an overrunning, locking clutch in a housing, a lever, a hanging ratchet and a pulley for anchoring a traction element. The pulley is driven by a gear which is driven by the one of two ratchet pawls in either of two selectable directions. The drive direction is controlled by a lever to which a ratchet post is attached. Engagement and disengagement of the ratchet pawls with the drive gear is controlled by steps on the housing. The actuator is especially useful for controlling traction elements such as bowden cables for ergonomic devices such as lumbar supports.

Abstract: A variable lumbar support has a support assembly mountable on a seat frame, a pressure element engaged with the support assembly to move in relation to it in a first direction and a second direction. The directions are substantially parallel and opposite and usually vertical. A first traction element engaged with the support assembly and the pressure element moves the pressure element in the first direction and a second traction element engaged with the support assembly and with the pressure element moves the pressure element in the second direction. At least one actuator engaged with the traction elements causes the movement.

Abstract: A method of predicting the future path of a hurricane using a wave model, isothermal or isobaric lines, and current hurricane direction.

Abstract: A lumbar support for a seat includes an archable pressure surface having an upper region and a lower region and a force actuator such as an electric motor. The force actuator is held in a housing. The actuator housing is fixedly attached to said archable pressure surface in a compact design. A force transmission element such as a cable is connected to at least one of the upper and lower regions of the pressure surface and the force transmission element is also connected to the actuator. When force is applied by the force actuator to the cable, the pressure surface arches from a substantially flat position to an arched position.

Abstract: A tensioning cable actuator has a housing with a nut held in the housing. The nut has threads which engage a lead screw that has corresponding threads. A pulley cradle is fixed to the lead screw. The pulley cradle is disposed within the housing to translate axially with the lead screw upon rotation of the nut. A pulley is disposed in the pulley cradle. A Bowden cable wire wraps around the pulley and is anchored to the housing so that the wire moves into or out of the Bowden cable sleeve twice far as the lead screw moves.

Abstract: Arching mechanism, for instance for backrests of seats, medical or orthopaedic apparatus or casings and the like, with a pressure element wherein at least one traction element connected with a tensioning mechanism engages, which, when the mechanism is actuated can produce bulging by preserving a relative elevation of apex of the convexity; the arching mechanism can comprise a frame with inserted pressure elements actuatable by adjusting device(s), whereby frame segments are length-variable pressure elements; traction elements provided with tensioning mechanism can engage a slitted, overlapping or bellows-like bulging body for the opening and closing of these areas, which produces a curving of the bulging body in a predetermined direction or directions.

Abstract: A braking drive for a control cable or shaft has a drive shaft with a radial journal. A contractible brake ring has opposing ends defining a gap, with the journal in the gap The ring has an exterior surface biased outwards and two interior detents. A stationary interior housing circumscribes the ring, with an interior surface in frictional contact with the ring. An exterior portion of the housing has bosses being disposed within the detents of the ring. Friction between the ring and the housing interior arrests rotation of the journal and drive shaft until a force on the exterior portion of the housing moves the bosses, transferring the force to the ring via the detents, whereby the ring is contracted, releasing the frictional brake between the housing and the ring, thereby allowing rotation of the drive shaft.

Abstract: A unitized back plate and lumbar support device for a seat including a back plate, a housing with a channel, which housing is fixedly attached to the back plate, and an extending paddle. The extending paddle has a free end with a pressure surface, the surface being a load bearing element proximal to a seat occupant, and the extending paddle has an encapsulated end in extendible communication with the channel in the housing. An actuator mediates travel of the extending paddle between a substantially retracted position and an extended position.

Abstract: A lumbar support to be installed in a seat has an apex that varies vertically along a guide rail. The guide rail has an upper stop and a lower stop. A bowing element disposed on the guide rail travels in a substantially vertical plane. A first bowden cable draws an upper of the bowing element downward until a lower portion of the bowing element is in abutment with the lower stop such that a low convexity is formed in the bowing element as the bowden cable continues to draw the upper portion of said bowing element further towards the lower stop. A second bowden cable draws a lower portion of the bowing element upward until the upper portion of the bowing element is in abutment with the upper stop and such that a high convexity is formed in the bowing element as the bowing element continues to draw said lower portion of the bowing element further towards the upper stop.

Abstract: The invention relates to an adjusting device for an adjusting element which is arranged on a shaft, can be adjusted as desired in both directions of rotation by means of a drive and can be locked in any set position. The device has two jaws which can be moved together in a housing by means of the drive and, at least one end, are each in zero-play contact with an arm of a scissors-type arrangement, the opposing arms of the scissors-type arrangement being in zero-play contact with an output drive element which is rotatably mounted and connected to the adjusting element.

Abstract: An adjustable seat basket for providing lumbar support mountable on a seat back has mounting tabs, hinges adjacent the mounting tabs, a basket adjacent the hinge, and pivoting tabs for attaching an adjustment mechanism, all of a unitary construction of a resilient material, preferably spring steel. The hinge is a living hinge formed by bending the resilient material between the mounting tabs and the basket in a gentle curve. The basket is trapezoidal when in a flat position and viewed from the side.

Abstract: A guide track for a strap with which to bind a bale of bulk material. The guide track includes a convex portion and a restraining portion. Two lateral guide track halves are biased together. On their internal faces the guide track section halves have channels. The baling strap or baling wire is driven through the channels and guided around the material to be baled. The channels widen from a small diameter to a wide aperture at the receiving end of the guide track sections for receiving a lead end of a wire or strap that is propelled across a gap from a preceding guide track section.

Abstract: Shaped bodies, containing at least one shaped body with an unstressed three-dimensional inherent volume form that has at least one integrated curved part and can be displaced and/or partially or wholly transformed into another three-dimensional volume form by means of an active element connected to the shaped body, using a variable force of pressure/tensile force.

Abstract: A powered lumbar support device includes a panel having a first end and a second end. The panel is biased in a forward direction for providing an arch in a seat back. A lumbar frame extends downwardly from a support element for slideably supoprting the panel. A first cable is affixed to one of the ends of the panel and to an arching rack of a first gear box. Linear movement of the arching rack transfers motion to one of the ends to change the distance between the ends by moving the first cable. The powered lumbar support device includes a second gear box having a moving rack and a moving pinion for vertically shifting the lumbar support device. The second gear box may also be used to actuate additional support features, such as a bolster.

Abstract: A control system for a bulk material baler embodied in a machine readable data structure and including an instruction to a moveable guide track to move from a removed position to a closed position to create a guide track loop around a volume of bulk material to be baled while that bulk material is under compression and also including in instruction to a bale strap feed drive to feed a pre-determined length of strapping around the guide track loop, and including an instruction to a cutter to cut the end of the bale strap and including an instruction to a strap fastener to fasten together the ends of the bale strap and including an instruction to remove the moveable guide track section from around the bale and an instruction to release compression and an instruction to eject a bound bale.

Abstract: A multi-lobed, low friction vane, thrust vector controller is disclosed. Low friction vanes are independently movable into and out of the thrust of the exhaust of a jet engine. All vanes may be used together to adjust exhaust surface area to maximize thrust and fuel efficiency in varying conditions. Vanes also move independently to impart directional force to roll, pitch and yaw traditional aircraft and hover VTOL aircraft. A bleed air pressure actuator for moving the vanes is disclosed.

Abstract: An ergonomic weight support device for a seat comprising a housing having a channel defined by at least one guide boss, an extending element having an unanchored weight supporting end and an engaged end slidingly disposed within the channel of said housing and an actuator fixedly attached to said housing and in moving communication with said extending element whereby said actuator mediates the weight supporting end of said extending element between a substantially retracted position and an extended position.