Abstract: An ergonomic device actuator has a housing and a nut disposed to rotate within the housing. The nut has right handed threads at a first end and left handed threads at a second end. A first lead screw has right handed threads and is extendingly engaged with the first end of the nut. A second lead screw has left handed threads and is engaged with the second end of the nut to extend in the opposite direction from the first lead screw. A seat in the first lead screw is adapted to anchor a tension cable wire end axially with the lead screws and a collar on the second lead screw is adapted to anchor a tension cable sleeve end axially with the lead screws. Thereby, rotation of the nut drives the first lead screw and the second lead screw apart, tensioning the tension cable by urging the tension cable wire end apart from the tension cable sleeve end, and actuating an attached ergonomic device.

Abstract: An ergonomic support for an automobile seat includes a pivoting bolster on a mounting rod. Behind the bolster is a slide rod. A lever is disposed between the bolster and the slide rod. The lever is pivotally attached to a medial position of the bolster and the lever is slidingly engaged with the slide rod. A traction cable has a sleeve mounted to a bracket on the mounting rod and a wire attached to the lever. Traction on the traction cable moves the lever, which causes the bolster to extend.

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: 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 scissors lumbar support includes a hinge axle and two arms each having a forward portion and a rearward portion. The forward portions are lumbar support pads. At least one of the rearward portions of the arms are adapted to operatively engage a force applicator. Each of the arms hinge around a hinge axle upon application of force by a force applicator. At least one of the rearward portions of the arms are mountable on a seat frame.

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: 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: 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 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: An ergonomic weight support device for a seat has a flexible pressure plate attached to an extending paddle for lumbar support. The paddle extends from a housing having a channel into which the paddle may be retracted for the lumbar support to be flat, or from which the paddle may be extended for lumbar support. The flexible pressure plate distributes lumbar supporting pressure across a greater area for comfort.

Abstract: An ergonomic device actuator has a housing and a nut disposed to rotate within the housing. The nut has right handed threads at a first end and left handed threads at a second end. A first lead screw has right handed threads and is extendingly engaged with the first end of the nut. A second lead screw has left handed threads and is engaged with the second end of the nut to extend in the opposite direction from the first lead screw. A seat in the first lead screw is adapted to anchor a tension cable wire end axially with the lead screws and a collar on the second lead screw is adapted to anchor a tension cable sleeve end axially with the lead screws. Thereby, rotation of the nut drives the first lead screw and the second lead screw apart, tensioning the tension cable by urging the tension cable wire end apart from the tension cable sleeve end, and actuating an attached ergonomic device.

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: 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 lumbar support to be installed in a seat has an apex that varies vertically along a guide rail. The said 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 portion 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 said 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: Process for formation of a hardened, insoluble or crosslinked stencil or resist image on a substrate, e.g., having a metal surface such as copper, and modifying the substrate or image surface comprising:A. forming an image on the substrate by applying a solvent-soluble thermoplastic copolymer of ethylene and .alpha.,.beta.-ethylenically unsaturated acid having an acid number of at least about 30, the copolymer reacting thermochemically with the substrate;B. fusing at a temperature and for a duration to induce the thermochemical reaction at a rate sufficient to partially insolubilize, harden or crosslink the polymeric image and adhere the polymeric image to the substrate surface to facilitate subsequent removal therefrom;C. modifying the uncovered substrate surface or the polymeric image surface, e.g., etching, plating, depositing, soldering; andD. removing the polymeric image.The image can be formed on the substrate by printing, electrostatic means, etc.