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 hybrid seat pan and diaphragm apparatus includes a seat pan that has a concave portion and a diaphragm positioned at an occupant-facing side of the seat pan and stretched across the seat pan at a first distance above the concave portion of the seat pan.

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 novel, flexible substrate assembly including a flexible substrate member having an inner surface and an outer surface, and a plurality of rigid or semi-rigid ribs associated with at least one of the inner and outer surfaces of the flexible substrate member. A chair assembly including a seat member, a back support member with an optional headrest, an optional left arm, an optional right arm, a floor-engaging base member which may form part of a frame assembly, a left side, a right side, a front side, and a back side, and a novel, flexible substrate assembly, wherein the novel flexible substrate assembly comprises a flexible substrate member having an inner surface and an outer surface, and a plurality of rigid or semi-rigid ribs associated with at least one of the inner and outer surfaces of the flexible substrate member.

A seating structure includes a body support member having laterally spaced opposite sides and longitudinally spaced ends. The body support member has a curvature in least one of the lateral and longitudinal directions, wherein the curvature is changeable between at least first and second configurations. The body support member includes a shape memory material extending in at least one of the lateral and longitudinal directions, wherein the shape memory material is attached to the body support member at two spaced apart locations. The shape memory material is contractible between at least a non-energized state and an energized state in response to an application of energy. The shape memory material biases the flexible body support member between the first and second configurations when the shape memory material is contracted to the energized state. Other office systems incorporating shape memory materials are also provided.

A seat assembly is provided having a seat bottom and a seat back mounted adjacent the seat bottom. A cushion is disposed on at least one of the seat bottom and seat back and defines a seating surface. The seating surface has a plurality of regions. A controller is in communication with the cushion and is programmed to independently vary a stiffness of each of the regions along the seating surface.

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.

Apparatus, methods and systems for a flex-back banquet chair are provided. The chair may include a flex bracket. The flex bracket may include sheet metal that is bent at an angle. The flex bracket may include a first mounting space extending in a first direction and a second mounting space. The flex bracket may include three nerves, each nerve including an indentation in the sheet metal. Each nerve may extend from a bottom edge of the first mounting space in a direction that is orthogonal to the first direction. When the first mounting space is mounted to a back side of the chair and the second mounting space is mounted on the underside the chair, a backboard frame together with the first mounting space may recline, in response to a force applied to the backboard frame, about a junction of a base frame and the second mounting space.

A seat cushion structure of chair is provided, in which a seat cushion body has a chamber provided on its upper end surface. The chamber has holders provided on its two opposite walls, and a plurality of spring steel wires have their two ends fixed on the holders provided on the opposite walls of the chamber so as to span across the chamber. An elastic pad covers correspondingly the upper end surface of the seat cushion body in such a manner that user, when sits on the elastic pad, enjoys comfortable and elastic feeling by the support of the elastic pad and the spring steel wires provided under the elastic pad. Furthermore, user's body heat can be dissipated through perforations provided on the elastic pad to the chamber of the seat cushion and thus to the outside, so as to enhance user's comfort.

A seat cushion structure of chair is provided, in which a seat cushion body has a chamber provided on its upper end surface. The chamber has holders provided on its two opposite walls, and a plurality of spring steel wires have their two ends fixed on the holders provided on the opposite walls of the chamber so as to span across the chamber. An elastic pad covers correspondingly the upper end surface of the seat cushion body in such a manner that user, when sits on the elastic pad, enjoys comfortable and elastic feeling by the support of the elastic pad and the spring steel wires provided under the elastic pad. Furthermore, user's body heat can be dissipated through perforations provided on the elastic pad to the chamber of the seat cushion and thus to the outside, so as to enhance user's comfort.