A seating system includes a seat, with structures for supporting a user thereon, and actuators. Each actuator includes a deformable shell with an enclosed internal cavity containing a fluid dielectric contained, a pair of electrodes disposed on opposing sides of the deformable shell. The actuators are integrated into the structures and configured for providing at least one function, such as haptic feedback, seat adjustment, alert notification, vibratory signal, user input receiving, and massage function. A portion of the plurality of actuators may be enclosed within an encapsulating shell to form an encapsulated sheet of actuators. Each actuator may be a part of a button-on-demand system, wherein the actuator is normally in a collapsed position such that a user-facing surface of the encapsulating shell is substantially flat and, when activated by a user, the actuator is configured to expand such that the encapsulating shell is raised to form a button.

An articulating chair and a method of using same, include at least one actuator, a programmable controller, and movable upper back, lower back and seat bottom sections. In another aspect, an articulating wheelchair and a method of using same, include a seat bottom section, a lower frame to which the seat bottom section is coupled, floor-contacting wheels rotatably coupled to the lower frame, an upper back section, a lower back section, a back frame to which the upper back section and the lower back section are movably coupled, electromagnetic actuators coupled to the back sections, a battery mounted to at least one of the frames, and a programmable controller connected to the actuators and the battery.

A chair having a backrest coupled to a seat. The backrest has at least one spinal support plate for supporting a user's spine, in use, and the seat has at least one support pad for supporting a user's buttocks, A motive means is coupled to the at least one spinal support plate for selectively moving the spinal support plate toward or away from a user's thorax, to increase or decrease the pressure exerted. A pressure monitor monitors pressure exerted on the user's thorax when using the chair, and a control system receives data representative of the pressure exerted on the user's thorax, compares it with a pressure threshold or range, and, if the monitored pressure falls outside of the pressure threshold or range, generates control data and transmits it to the motive means, to cause movement of a spinal support plate toward or away from the user's thorax.

An apparatus (1) for positioning the body of a user (100), wherein the apparatus can be used in a seat or in the form of a rest, comprising a seating element (20), a pelvis and lumbar-spine module (13) and a computer unit (40), wherein the pelvis and lumbar-spine module comprises an adjusting element (117) and a sensor (113), and the seating element comprises an adjusting element (108) and three sensors (111, 112), wherein the sensors (111, 112, 113) sense seat-related and rest-related pressures, wherein the computer unit activates the adjusting elements, wherein a first and second sensor (112) and a third sensor (111) sense the seat-related pressure of the first and second ischial tuberosities (102) and of the coccyx (104), wherein the first and the second ischial tuberosities define an ischial-tuberosity level, wherein the adjusting element of the seating element compensates for the ischial-tuberosity level horizontally about the user's sagittal axis, and whereupon the adjusting element of the pelvis and lumbar-spine module tilts the user's pelvis (101) about the horizontal axis of the same until the seat-related and/or rest-related pressure of the coccyx has a value substantially equal to zero.

Novel Seats having a plurality of defined zones for supporting the human anatomy are disclosed. Seats including one or more recoil shields and/or inserts to assist in supporting or isolating certain desired portions of the human anatomy, as well as seats including both seat back structures and seat pan structures, with one or both including zoned configurations designed to support and stabilize specific structures of the human anatomy in a defined manner are also disclosed. The novel seats are useful, inter alia, for individually supporting certain anatomical areas and provide seat zones that collectively support, cradle and permit the human anatomy to be supported in a comfortable manner.

Novel Seats having a plurality of defined zones for supporting the human anatomy are disclosed. Seats including one or more recoil shields and/or inserts to assist in supporting or isolating certain desired portions of the human anatomy, as well as seats including both seat back structures and seat pan structures, with one or both including zoned configurations designed to support and stabilize specific structures of the human anatomy in a defined manner are also disclosed. The novel seats are useful, inter alia, for individually supporting certain anatomical areas and provide seat zones that collectively support, cradle and permit the human anatomy to be supported in a comfortable manner.

Furniture is assembled from elastic modules enabling rapid and convenient assembly and disassembly. The elastic module has a spring, an outer covering layer, and an end member attached to an end face of the outer covering layer. A mattress includes a plurality of individual spring assemblies (145), with each spring assembly including at least one spring (134) and a spring cap (144, 150, 161, 164, 171, 184, 194, 204). Each spring cap has at least one first attachment fitting (168, 178, 174, 186, 196) and at least one second attachment fitting (169, 180, 176, 187) with each first attachment fitting engageable into or onto and removable from a second attachment fitting of an adjoining spring cap. The spring assemblies are attached to each other via the first and second attachment fittings, forming the individual spring assemblies into a spring core. A top pad is positioned on top of the spring core.

A system of controlling various actuators associated with human support surfaces is disclosed. Such a system is made up of a support surface, a controller, and an actuator. The system may optionally include batteries, a means of charging the batteries, and a graphical user interface as well as a communication link between the graphical user interface and the support surfaces. The actuators are capable of altering contour and/or firmness, of a support surface, they may be vibrational or heating/cooling in nature, and they may also alter the overall relative position of a support surface.

A method for manufacturing a multi-layered support structure provides ergonomic, adaptable seating support. The method providing multiple cooperative layers to maximize global comfort and support while enhancing adaptation to localized variations in a load, such as in the load applied when a person sits in a chair. The cooperative layers each include elements such as pixels, springs, support rails, and other elements to provide this adaptable comfort and support. The method for manufacturing the multi-layered support structure uses aligned material to provide a flexible yet durable support structure. Accordingly, the method provides a multi-layered support structure, which provides maximum comfort for a wide range of body shapes and sizes.

An extendable seating interconnected mechanism and a seating supporting frame, including an interconnected assembly, a seating frame, and a backrest mount, wherein the backrest mount is rotatably connected to the interconnected assembly and the seating frame, respectively; the interconnected assembly includes a mounting plate and a driving link, wherein the mounting plate includes a lateral-plate part and a supporting part; the driving link is rotatably connected between the seating frame and the lateral-plate part; an end of the supporting part is connected to the lateral-plate part; and an opposite end of the supporting part is rotatably connected to the backrest mount. The interconnected mechanism and the seating supporting frame optimize and simplify the structure, leading to a compression of the height of the seating supporting frame; different seating positions may be adjusted smoother by connecting the extendable and retractable footrest mechanism and interconnected assembly, which improves the seating comfort.