Abstract: In order to present patients in the correct position for surgical or investigative procedures and in order to reduce the time required to place on and remove from operating surfaces on which such procedures are carried out on patients, a wheelchair of novel configuration is described. The wheelchair has a seating arrangement comprising a back rest portion, a seat portion and foot rest means, adapted to receive a patient in a semi-recumbent or sitting position. The seating arrangement can be tilted so that the back rest portion is substantially horizontal and the seat portion is divided so that the patient's legs can be moved apart, while still supported, to present the patient's ano-genital region for surgical or investigative procedures.

Abstract: An improved seat mechanism for use in supporting the operator of a bicycle, exercise machine, moped, motorcycle or similar device is described, having seat extensions pivotally connected to the sides of the rear seating area. The seat extensions are normally positioned at a downward angle when the seat is unloaded to facilitate easy mounting of the device and, upon mounting, the seat extensions automatically rotate upward to a substantially horizontal position adjacent the rear seating area of the seat to provide increased seating area and support for the operator, while at the same time easing the mounting/dismounting of the seat.

Abstract: An electrically operated relaxation chair has a floor engaging base, a padded seat-thigh rest member pivotally secured to the top of the base, and a padded back and head rest assembly pivotally secured to the top of the base at the rear of the seat-thigh rest. A calf rest is pivotally secured to the front of the seat-thigh rest. Padded arm rests are pivotally secured to each side of the back rest member. Controls in the arm rest control the operation of electric screw jack mechanisms to selectively move and position the seat-thigh rest, the calf rest, the back and head rest, and each arm rest relative to one another and to the base independently or as units. The arm rest members may have separate upper and forearm members pivotally connected and powered by electric screw jack mechanisms whereby the members pivot relative to one another and to the back and head rest assembly independently or as a unit.

Abstract: A controlled deflection front lip arrangement is provided for seating, such as chairs and the like of the type having a base, and a seat with a rearward portion positioned to contact a buttock area of an adult user, and a forward portion positioned to contact a thigh area of the user. The rearward portion of the seat is attached to the base for support thereon. A spring connects the forward portion of the seat with the base in a manner such that body movement of a seated user deflects the forward portion of the seat upwardly and downwardly independently of the rearward portion of the seat to alleviate undesirable pressure at the thigh area of the user.

Abstract: An improvement to the seat having relatively adjustable sections disclosed and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,749,442 to restrict the movement of each separate seat section to movement only back and forth in a longitudinal rocking motion as opposed to universal movement, to thereby more effectively and efficiently assist in the comfort of the individual and adjustment of the seat to movements of the user without causing undue fatigue over time. The improvement includes a seat rocking member such as a cylindrical rod affixed to the lower portion of each seat half and a pair of spaced apart resilient receiving members for each seat half to movably and rotatably support a seat half on the base of the seat. The resilience of the receiving members permits the the seat rocking members to vertically move downward within the receiving members when a force such as the weight of a person pushes downward on the seat.

Abstract: A lumbar support device for a vehicle seat, in which a lumbar support force is adjusted in a fine, stepless way at a desired degree. Springs are disposed between a slider and a arm having a lumbar support plate so as to give a force to the lumbar support plate. The slider is threadedly engaged with a drive shaft in a manner being movable thereon by operation of a handle fixed to the drive shaft.

Abstract: A hydraulically or pneumatically operated relaxation chair has a floor engaging base, a padded seat-thigh rest member pivotally secured to the top of the base, and a padded back and head rest assembly pivotally secured to the top of the base at the rear of the seat-thigh rest. A calf rest is pivotally secured to the front of the seat-thigh rest. Padded arm rests are pivotally secured to each side of the back rest member. Controls in the arm rest control the operation of fluid rams to selectively move and position the seat-thigh rest, the calf rest, the back and head rest, and each arm rest relative to one another and to the base independently or as units. The arm rest members may have separate upper and forearm members pivotally connected and powered by fluid rams whereby the members pivot relative to one another and to the back and head rest assembly independently or as a unit.

Abstract: A seat for an automobile or the like includes a seat cushion; a seat back connected to the seat cushion, a space being formed within a lower portion thereof; a rod pivotably interposed between opposite side frames of the seat back; a hip support secured an intermediate portion of the rod and disposed within the space provided within the seat back; a support or pressure board disposed upon a support frame provided within the hip support, in such a manner as to be inclined back and forth, an upper portion of the board serving as a member for pressing a lower region of the lumbar vertebrae during forward inclination thereof, and a lower portion thereof serving as a member for pressing the sacral vertebrae during rearward inclination thereof; a first operation handle for inclining the pressure on support board by means of a brake mechanism; and a second operation handle for pivoting the rod by means of another brake mechanism.

Abstract: A seat for an automobile or the like includes a seat cushion; a seat back connected to the seat cushion, a space being formed within a lower portion of the seat back; a rod which is pivotably interposed between opposed side frames of the seat back and to one end of which a link plate is secured to an; a hip support secured intermedate portion of the rod and disposed within the space provided within the seat back; an operation handle provided upon one of the side frames; a pinion to which the rotation of the operation handle is transmitted by means of a brake mechanism; and a driven gear pivotably disposed upon onthe same axis as that of the rod and upon the aforenoted side frame for meshing engagement with the pinion, a pivoting end portion thereof being connected to a pivoting end portion of the link plate.

Abstract: The seat of a chair comprises stepped engaging portions provided at the rear portion of the seat plate and stepped engaging portions provided at the lower portion of the reclining back seat are fitted with stepped engaging portions provided at the front portion and the upper portion of a connecting plate bending with a gentle obtuse angle, respectively, opposing sides of the stepped engaging portions of the seat plate and the stepped engaging portions of the connecting plate are pivotally fixed by connecting members which energize the connecting plate upwardly, and opposing sides of the stepped engaging portions of the connecting plate and the stepped engaging portions of the reclining back seat are pivotally fixed by connecting members which energize the reclining back seat forwardly.

Abstract: An automobile seat having an infinitely adjustable thigh support is disclosed. The seat includes an air operated bladder mounted between a rigid extension on the seat bottom frame and a padded thigh support member pivotably mounted to the seat bottom frame at the thigh location of an occupant of the seat. The thigh support member is positionable at any of an infinite number of intermediate support positions with the thigh support cushion maintained in contact with the seat cushion at all positions of the thigh support.

Abstract: A chair has a seat connected to the seat support (1) by means of a front guide rod (11). The seat includes front and rear seat portion (8) hinged to each other. The rear seat portion (8) is secured to the seat support (1) by means of a rigidly connected downwardly extending element to which one end of a second guide rod (16) is hinged by a bearing (17). The other end of the second guide rod is connected by another bearing (15) to a section (14) of the back rest support (3). The back rest support is hinged at the seat support (1). A force storage member (13) is connected by joints to both the seat support (1) and to the seat.

Abstract: In a seat having a seat squab portion carried on a support structure, the seat squab portion includes a seat plate which comprises a rearward section fixed to the support structure and a forward section separate from the rearward section. The forward section is adjustable relative to the rearward section by a pivotal movement to vary its angle of inclination and by a sliding movement to vary the depth of the squab portion from front to back. A single control member is provided for both modes of adjustment.

Abstract: An adjustable chair is described comprising a body supported by a base and having a frame constituted by two parts and hingedly connected together.The main characteristic of the present invention lies in the fact that it includes a mechanism having a first body hinged about a pin rigidly connected to the base and having its front end rigidly connected to the part associated with the seat, and a second body and having a rear end fixed to the part associated with the seat back and a front end connected, by spring means, to a central portion of the said first body.

Abstract: A work chair (10) has a seat (15) divided into a forward seat part (15.1) and a rear seat part (15.3) of which the forward seat frame part (17.1) and rear seat and back frame part (17.2) are connected with one another by a hinge joint with a hinge axis (18). The frame parts are supported on a pedestal (11) by seat frame supports (20,21). On the column (13) of the pedestal there is provided a column support part (25) which carries the pivot axis (23) and a swivel support part (28). On the pivot axis (23) seat frame supports (21) are mounted. The swivel support part (28) is tiltable by means of an inclination adjusting device with an actuating handle (6) for tilting the plane (E). The swivel support part (28) has forwardly an elongated bearing opening in which the sliding axis (22) is slidable against the force of an adjustable spring. The sliding axis (22) carries the seat frame support (20).

Abstract: A biophysiometer having two seat sections which support the right and left sides respectively of a person's body, and are adapted for relative vertical movement and relative tilting movement to positions displacing the two sides of the body relative to one another in a manner tending to correct an abnormal posture condition or otherwise attain a desired treatment effect. The two seat sections are preferably supported by a balancing connection operatively interconnecting them in a relation in which downward movement of one of the sections causes upward movement of the other section, and vice-a-versa. Desirably, the apparatus includes automatic control means which respond to displacement of the two seat sections relative to one another by the weight or positioning of a person's body, and then automatically actuate the seat sections to changed relative positions tending to correct the posture or other abnormal condition sensed by the device.

Abstract: A seat for use in a vehicle such as a motor car is disclosed in which a thigh support portion and a bottom support portion are integrally foamed with each other, and separate lower frame wires are embedded independently of each other within the respective support portions, whereby the thigh support portion can be smoothly moved up and down by a thigh support device provided therein.

Abstract: A cycle seat of a type having a housing adapted to be attached to a bicycle or tricycle. A first buttock-supporting member having a front end and a rear end thereof is pivotally attached to the rear end of the first buttock-supporting member, and a second buttock-supporting member having a front and a rear end thereof is pivotally attached at the rear end thereof to the housing along a substantially horizontal axis. A coordinating apparatus is provided for supporting bottom portions of the first and second buttock-supporting members and including an elongated member pivotally attached intermediate the ends thereof along a substantially transverse axis which is disposed generally transversely to and lower than the other horizontal axes.

Abstract: A chair comprising a supporting element adapted to tilt about a horizontal axis can be constructed in an ergometrically acceptable way when the supporting element is coupled with the frame through both a torsional spring and a gas spring. In this manner the supporting element can be simply set in the correct position.

Abstract: A seating unit including a concavely curved seat element and a concavely curved thigh support flexibly connected by leaf springs, a stop bracket to define a gap therebetween, having a stop bracket and tabs on the thigh support to reduce the gap at the sides of the seating unit, and having arms which mask the gap at the sides of the seating unit. The thigh support resiliently and resistively deflects downward to a point at which it contacts the stop bracket, and the leaf springs lie parallel in the same plane so that the ends of the leaf springs do not separate as the thigh support is deflected.

Abstract: An adjustable thigh support for an automotive vehicle seat wherein the tilting angle may be adjusted with reduced operational force. The adjusting mechanism comprises a rotatable shaft cooperative with a manually operative lever and lever structure for lifting up the thigh support in response to rotation of the rotatable shaft. The lever structure includes a member converting the rotational force applied to the rotatable shaft into a substantially horizontal reciprocating force and a member for converting the horizontal reciprocating force into a substantially vertical reciprocating force. The vertical force is applied to the thigh support for lifting up the latter. The member converting the horizontal force to vertical force is associated with a means for receiving and absorbing a vertical and downwards force working as reacting force against the operational force.

Abstract: The invention relates to a seat for a chair for persons having hip and/or leg stiffness, the seat including at least one pivotable portion (1, 2) pivoting around a pivot axis (3) extending in the lateral direction of the seat, the forward edge of each pivotable portion forming part of the front edge of the seat, whereby each pivotable portion (1, 2) is arranged for pivoting movement between a substantially horizontal position and a position where it is directed forwardly and downwardly, a locking device (5) being arranged for locking each pivotable portions (1, 2) in the desired position. The object of the invention is to improve a seat of this kind, so that a person having hip and/or leg stiffness may have a better sitting position than is possible in previously known seats of this kind.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a seat at patient-lifting devices, said seat comprising a carrier frame (6) mounted on a hoisting gear (2) and support means (9, 10) extending between outwardly directed carrier frame portions (7, 8).Since the seats at patient-lifting devices often become very dirty, they need to be cleaned in special cleaning devices, so called decontamination devices. However, the present seats are not suitable for cleaning in cleaning devices of this type and time-consuming measurements are required to loosen and reengage the seats.

Abstract: A reclining chair includes a seat including a rearward portion pivoted for reclining of the chair and a backrest having an upper portion linked to the seat for pivotal motion therewith. The necessary linkage is provided by rigid arm portions of the chair, and the seat and backrest include load-bearing diaphragms conforming to the user's body during the full range of motion of the chair.

Abstract: An adjustable seat for a vehicle having separated rear and front cushions. The front cushion is adapted to steplessly shift forward and backward with respect to the rear cushion at an inclination equal to that of the thigh of a seated man. Therefore, the seat supports the thigh of a seated man to increase his comfort.

Abstract: An improved G-seat system for providing kinesthetic cues to the operator of a vehicle simulator in which the motion sensations associated with the "G" forces are simulated by the motion of a single seat plate (62) having a pair of passive thigh ramps (78) mounted thereon and the variation in the degree of inflation of thin bladders (82A,B) which overlie the seat plate. Raised surfaces (80) may be provided on the plate beneath the ischial tuberosity region of the operator to increase the dynamic range of perceived g-loading effects. A backrest plate (92) may be provided for motion in conjunction with the seat plate and a thin bladder (128) may likewise be provided theron. Driven radial elements (108,110) may then be positioned on the lower part of the backrest plate to augment pressure cues at selected areas of the operator's back.

Abstract: This invention relates to a load-supporting frame.A load-supporting frame has load-supporting means e.g. in the form of filaments stretched across the frame, the filaments being secured at one end to one of the frame sides and at the other end to a variable tensioning device which itself is connected to the opposite frame side. The tensioning device comprises a spinal column of links each secured to one of the filaments and connected at its opposite end to the adjacent frame side by springs. Intermediate the springs is a variable tension coupling comprising a carriage slidable along the flexible column of links, a slider slidable along the frame side, and a screw connection connecting the slider to the carriage and operable to vary the tension in the filaments adjacent thereto. The frame is particularly intended to provide variable-position lumbar support in the back rest of a vehicle seat.

Abstract: A chair or couch with a base member, a first support carrying a seating surface for supporting the seat of a user and a second support carrying a backrest member for supporting the back of a user, both supports being connected to the base member by hinge means so as each to be pivotably displaceable about a horizontal axis independently of one another under load, clockwise or anti-clockwise, and at least one resilient means so connected to the second support that the latter is resiliently urged towards the back of a user, and the hinge means being so located relative to the first support, that the part of the latter projecting forwardly beyond the axis of rotation is of sufficient extent to permit a user to adjust the inclination of the first support by varying the pressure exerted by his thighs on said part.