A body support structure including a plurality of spaced apart support members defining a first surface and a plurality of spaced apart base portions defining a second surface. A plurality of connectors connects each base portion with the at least the two adjacent support members. In one embodiment, a body support structure includes a first plurality of spaced apart first support members and a second plurality of spaced apart second support members arranged in a checkboard pattern.

A method for conditioning a load bearing surface includes positioning an oriented polymeric membrane in a mount and applying a force to the polymeric membrane so as to create a stress in the membrane. The stressed membrane is heated to a temperature no less than about a temperature that the load bearing surface is expected endure in use. The membrane is maintained at the temperature for a first period of time sufficient to heat the entirety of the membrane and the it is cooled while maintaining the stress on the membrane. Following a predetermined cool down period, the applied stress is removed for availability of the end use product. A seating surface for use in a vehicle that is subjected to an elevated temperature is also disclosed.

Lightweight passenger seats that are especially adapted for use in aircraft cabins. The seats will include a seat back and a seat bottom having a basin which defines a recessed central interior space, a plurality of straps having opposed ends connected to respective upper edge regions of the basin so as to be positioned under tension over the recessed central interior space; and a cover cushion covering the straps and connected to the basin. The seat back may be connected at opposed sides thereof to upright support members adjacent a lumbar region thereof so as to establish an upper region of the seat back above the lumbar region which is capable of being resiliently flexed between upright and rearwardly inclined positions.

A body-supporting component may have a main body. A 3D lattice structure of the main body may have deflection properties portions of the main body. The main body may be formed by a flexible material according to the 3D lattice structure combined with the deflection properties portions.

A seat assembly includes a base and a support platform spaced above the base. The support platform includes a pad having a hinge portion defining a flex region, wherein the pad is pivotable about the flex region. A link has a lower portion coupled to the base and an upper portion coupled to the pad, wherein the upper portion is pivotable with the pad about the flex region.

A seat assembly includes a frame made from a first material having a first hardness, the frame including a first side and a second side opposite the first side. The seat assembly further includes a fabric component coupled to the first side of the frame, and a plurality of grooves are disposed within the second side of the frame. Each insert of a plurality of inserts are disposed within each respective groove in the plurality of grooves. Each insert of the plurality of inserts comprises a second material and the second material has a second hardness that is less than the first hardness.

An elastomeric load hearing surface with different load support characteristics in different directions. In one embodiment, the surface includes an elastomeric membrane that is oriented in only a single direction, for example, by compression or stretching. In another embodiment, the surface includes mechanical structures, such as connectors and variations in thickness that vary the load support characteristics in different directions. In another embodiment, a surface is both oriented and includes mechanical structures.

A seating structure includes a shell having a central portion, opposite outer peripheral edges laterally spaced from opposite sides of the central portion, and at least one biasing array disposed between each of the opposite sides of the central portion and a respective outer peripheral edge. Each of the biasing arrays includes a plurality of spaced apart support members and at least one connector connecting adjacent support members within each array. The biasing array may include a plurality of biasing arrays, with at least one connector connecting adjacent biasing arrays. A second shell may be connected to the outer peripheral edges of the first shell, with an open space defined there between. Each of the opposite outer peripheral edges is independently deflectable in response to a load being applied to the second shell.

Shell for a seat that comprises: at least a frame, conformed and consisting of one or more sub-frames; at least part of the sub-frames being obtained with at least a metal round piece and configured to define at least one functional zone of the shell; at least a net or a plurality of nets structurally associated with at least a part of the sub-frames; possibly at least a padding, made of expanded material, with defined density and rigidity, structurally associated with the individual nets and/or with the individual sub-frames to configure the functional zones with personalized density and rigidity; possibly at least a covering of enhancing material; possibly at least a support base configured to connect the shell to a support. The present invention also concerns the corresponding method to obtain the shell.

A portable chair may include a first front leg and a second front leg connected by a front sled and a first back leg and a second back leg connected by a back sled. The front sled may include a first front foot and a second front foot and the back sled may include a first back foot and a second back foot. Each of the feet attached to the front and back sleds may include retention feature holes configured to allow water to drain from the sled/foot interface. The portable chair may further include a seat including a seat frame border including a plurality of protrusions. The seat frame border may be rigidly attached to the seat via an injection molding process. The portable chair may also include a seat frame to which the plurality of protrusions of the seat frame border is configured to be removably attached.