L&p Property Management Company

Flex-o-lators, Inc.

L & P Property Management

Donald David Mundell

John P Gowing

Harold D Long

Joe Reu

Lloyd E Tieman

The invention relates to a thin profile adjustable lumbar support system, particularly for use in automotive seat backs and other equipment used for sitting and reclining. The lumbar support system is assembled utilizing injection molding and overmolding technology to form some components and connect other components.

Overmolded lumbar support apparatus and method

A suspension system for a vehicle seat comprising a support wire having a first end, a second end, and a middle portion between the first and second ends, such that the support wire is folded approximately in half at the middle portion. The suspension system further comprises a coating of overmolded plastic applied to the first and second ends such that the first end second ends are held together by the coating; a bend in the middle portion of the support wire to attach the support wire to a frame of the vehicle seat, wherein the bend is coated with overmolded plastic; a crossbar overmolded on the support wire; an integral attachment clip molded onto the crossbar; and a seat cushion module held adjacent the support wire using the integral attachment clip.

Seat suspension system and seat cushion module holder

An adjustable lumbar support for a seat comprising a pair of parallel lateral rails, wherein each of the lateral rails has a lower end and an upper end, a support panel having a top end and a bottom end, the support panel pivoting at the top end while remaining fixed with respect to the lateral rails, a rail bracket slidably attached to the lateral rails, a spring operatively connected to the rail bracket, wherein the spring biases the rail bracket in a first position, a cable operatively connected to the rail bracket, wherein the cable pulls the bracket from the first position to a second position, and a lift wire pivotably attaching the support panel to the rail bracket.

Lift wire lumbar

A lumbar support device has a seat frame, a pair of brackets connected to opposite sided of the seat frame, a pair of flexible members connected to the pair of brackets in such a manner as to respectively form a pair of center sections across the seat frame, and an actuator assembly operatively connected to each one of the flexible members. Each one of the flexible members preferably has a pair of levers on opposite sides of the center sections that rotate about the brackets. In operation, the actuator assembly selectively bows the center portions of the flexible members. The actuator assembly preferably includes a reversible gear and a pair of bowden cables that move one pair of levers when the reversible gear is rotated clockwise and move the other pair of levers when the reversible gear is rotated counter-clockwise.

Single actuator four-way power lumbar

A lumbar support device has a seat frame, a pair of brackets connected to the seat frame, a spring assembly connected to the pair of brackets in such a manner as to form a center section traversing the seat frame and a pair of cantilevered ends on opposite sides of the center section, and an actuator assembly operatively connecting the cantilevered ends. The pair of brackets respectively provide a pair of fulcrums about which the cantilevered ends can rotate. In operation, the actuator assembly moves the cantilevered ends of the spring assembly to bow the center portion. The lumbar support device may also have a single cantilevered end.

Lumbar support device

Simplified strap lumbar support device

An actuator for manipulating a bowden cable assembly of a lumbar support structure includes a housing having a longitudinal passage and a screw coupled to a cable and operable for moving in the housing passage. A threaded nut is operable for rotating and moving the screw through the housing passage. A barrel is configured for receiving the bowden cable assembly and is operable for providing movement of the cable of a bowden cable assembly completely therethrough and further operable for engaging a sleeve of the bowden cable assembly for preventing movement of the sleeve completely therethrough. The barrel is fixedly coupled to the housing to fix the movement of the bowden cable sleeve with respect to the housing passage such that movement of the screw in the housing is operable for drawing the cable through the fixed sleeve of the bowden cable structure for manipulating a lumbar support structure.

Lumbar support screw actuator

A lumbar support mechanism for incorporating in a seat comprises a pair of opposing triangular brackets each having a base and a peak, wherein the brackets are positioned such that said peaks are facing one another. Elongated flexible border elements have ends pivotally coupled proximate the base of each of said brackets. One of the brackets is movable with respect to the other of the brackets to move said peaks together, and the flexible border elements pivot at their ends and flex outwardly away from the brackets to thereby provide support to the lumbar region of a person in the seat.

Lumbar support structure for automotive vehicle

A spring base for upholstered seating, particularly automotive seats having upwardly and outwardly inclined 'wings' or bolsters at the sides thereof, consisting of a pair of spaced apart side bolster wires each adapted to be supported by spaced helical springs attached thereto and extending outwardly therefrom for connection at their outer ends to a fixed frame, and a series of relatively closely spaced spring cross wires extending between the bolster wires and connected thereto, certain of the cross wires being of relatively small gauge and extending only between the bolster wires, and certain of the cross wires being relatively heavy gauge and extending beyond the bolster wires and being angled upwardly and outwardly to provide spring support for the bolsters, all with the purpose of providing the necessary spring strength in the various areas of the seat, as well as the necessary closeness of the wires to provide adequate support for the helical springs and adequate support for the cushioning material applied thereover, with a minimum of wire weight, and hence the greatest possible economy of cost.

Spring base for upholstered seating

A connector terminus for an elongated member consisting of a pair of spaced apart generally parallel wires, said terminus being formed entirely of the wires themselves and consisting of a loop formed in each of the wires in spaced relation from its end, the loops being coaxial transversely of said member for receiving a retainer pin to complete an actual connection, the extreme end portion of each wire being looped around the side of its standing portion distal from the other wire and extended toward and connected to the other wire to form lever arms resisting any force tending to pull the wires free of the retainer pin.

Connector terminus for wire members

A support grid for upholstered seating of the 'bucket' type, consisting of a series of closely space transversely extending spring cross wires defining the main cushion area of either a seat bottom or a seat back, connected at their respective ends to a pair of side spring wires, and angled upwardly and outwardly from the side wires to form the seat 'wings' or bolsters, the novelty of the invention lying in the connection of the cross wires to the side wires, in which each cross wire has an S-bend formed therein in a plane normal to the main cushion area, the loop of the S-bend adjoining the main cushion area containing the associated side wire, whereby loading of the associated wing portion tends to open said loop rather than clamping it more tightly about the side wire, so that metal fatigue is reduced, and the other loop of the S-bend opening outwardly, tending to distribute the flexure strains along a longer section of the wire to further reduce metal fatigue, selection of the radius of curvature of this last named loop serving to adjust the stiffness or resistance to flexure of the wing portion. The grid may be used as a spring base for upholstery padding by suspending the side wires thereof resiliently from a rigid seating frame, or may be completely encapsulated in an elastic foam pad supported in a 'pan' formed by the seating frame, in which case it serves as reinforcement for the pad.

Growing community of inventors

Carthage, MO, United States of America

Donald David Mundell