An adjustable chair support system includes a first seat back support member spaced from a second seat back support member, and a seat back tensioning assembly that extends between the first and second seat back support members. The seat back tensioning assembly includes a carrier coupled to the first seat back support member, the carrier including an adjustable tension member and a first guide member, a pair of second guide members coupled to the second seat back support member, and a cable extending from the adjustable tension member into engagement with one of the pair of second guide members, with the first guide member, with the other of the pair of second guide members, and then returning to the adjustable tension member.

An office chair including a chair back assembly that is independently adjustable to adjust the vertical height of the chair back and to provide lumbar support. The chair back assembly includes a flexible back shell that is movable vertically along a back support yoke. The vertical movement of the flexible back shell adjusts the vertical height of the chair back assembly relative to the seat. The chair back assembly further includes a lumbar adjustment mechanism having an adjustment cable connected to a bottom end of the flexible back shell. Operation of the lumbar adjustment mechanism moves the bottom end of the flexible back shell vertically within a pair of spaced lower movement slots. The movement of the bottom end of the flexible back shell increases the amount that the flexible back shell protrudes from the back support yoke, thereby increasing the lumbar support.

A seat assembly having a seat back and a thoracic support mechanism. The thoracic support mechanism may have a flex plate that may be movably disposed on a support member of the seat back frame. A first actuator may flex the flex plate. A second actuator may actuate the flex plate along the support 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 chair component assembly includes a support component adapted to support a portion of a seated user and including a shell member having an outer peripheral edge, the support component further including at least one coupler having an interior and an opening facing the outer peripheral edge of the shell member, and at least one tab member located substantially proximate the opening of the at least one coupler, and an upholstery cover assembly wrapped about at least a portion of the support component and including an edge that is retained within the interior of the at least one cupler by the at least one tab member.

A new easy-assemble seatback includes a seatback frame adapted to be connected to a seat. The seat back frame has a pair of opposite sides. The frame supports at least two flexible panels from a top panel connection so the panels hang and rotate freely from the connection on the frame. The panels are formed from a flexible material which may include wood, metal, metal alloy or plastic. Panel-to-frame assembly is done by hand. The frame includes a stop member connected to the frame that impedes free rotation of the flexible panels. Since the panels cover most all of the load bearing seatback area, fewer metal supportive elements are necessary. The new seatback is longer lasting, lighter in weight and more deployable as a result.

A lordosis support for a seat back rest, includes a support plate, tension members for holding the support plate between two frame legs of the seat back rest, the support plate having on each side at least one point of attack for a respective tension member, and an adjusting device for adjusting a tension force of the tension members by changing the distance between the two points of attack, wherein the distance between the two points of attack is adjustable and the adjusting device is configured to change this distance, wherein the support plate is a one-piece support plate, and the two points of attack are linearly moveably arranged at the one-piece support plate for translational movement.

An office chair including a chair back assembly that is independently adjustable to adjust the vertical height of the chair back and to provide lumbar support. The chair back assembly includes a flexible back shell that is movable vertically along a back support yoke. The vertical movement of the flexible back shell adjusts the vertical height of the chair back assembly relative to the seat. The chair back assembly further includes a lumbar adjustment mechanism having an adjustment cable connected to a bottom end of the flexible back shell. Operation of the lumbar adjustment mechanism moves the bottom end of the flexible back shell vertically within a pair of spaced lower movement slots. The movement of the bottom end of the flexible back shell increases the amount that the flexible back shell protrudes from the back support yoke, thereby increasing the lumbar support.

A chair back assembly includes a substantially rigid peripheral frame defining a central opening, and a substantially flexible back shell coupled to the peripheral frame and spanning at least a portion of the central opening, wherein a first portion of the back shell is fixed with respect to the frame at a first position, a second portion of the back shell is fixed with respect to the frame at a second position that is different than the first position, a third portion of the back shell is constrained with respect to the frame in at least one direction of motion at a third position located between the first position and the second position, and wherein a fourth portion of the back shell is free from constraint with respect to the frame at a fourth position located between the third position and the second position.

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.