Variable stiffness apparatuses using an interconnected dual layer fluid-filled cell array. One example of the present apparatuses comprises: a substrate having a first side and a second side; and a plurality of structures coupled to the substrate, where each structure comprises: a flexible first portion having a first end, a second end, and a sidewall extending between the first end and the second end, the first portion defining a first chamber; and a second portion having a first end, a second end, and a sidewall extending between the first end and the second end, the second portion defining a second chamber in fluid communication with the first chamber; where each of the plurality of structures is coupled to the substrate such that the first portion is disposed on the first side of the substrate, and the second chamber is disposed on the first side or the second side of the substrate.

A shape memory alloy (SMA) controlled hinge assembly is provided, including assemblies and combinations for adjusting a shape or position of an occupant support component, such as a vehicle seat support component or other seating component. The assembly includes an occupant support component and a hinge assembly configured to adjust a shape or position of at least a portion of the occupant support component. The hinge assembly includes a stationary plate and a movable plate rotatable relative to the base plate about a fixed axis of rotation. The hinge assembly includes a shape memory alloy wire coupling the stationary plate with the movable plate. An actuator is provided and configured to transform the phase of the shape memory alloy wire. In various aspects, the occupant support component is selected from one of a seat bottom; a seatback; a seat bolster; a seat head rest, and the like.

At a vehicle seat, resistance to relative displacement of a passenger in a left-right direction is larger at both left-right direction side portions of a front surface of an upper portion of a backrest than at a left-right direction central portion. Further, a seat cushion has left and right side reinforcing portions that reinforce portions of a cushion pad from outer sides in a left-right direction, and from obliquely lower sides, of front-rear direction central portions of thigh portions of the passenger, and left and right lower surface reinforcing portions that reinforce portions of a lower surface of the cushion pad at outer sides in a left-right direction, and at obliquely lower sides, of buttock portions of the passenger.

Disclosed herein is a position-adjustable cervical vertebrae support apparatus. The cervical vertebrae support apparatus includes: a cervical vertebrae supporting member (50) which supports the cervical vertebrae of a driver; a front-back distance adjusting unit (60) in which a mounting plate (68) is brought into close contact with and fastened to the back of the cervical vertebrae supporting member (50), a left-handed screw rod (61) and a right-handed screw rod (62) are located at a distance from the back of the mounting plate (68), movable nuts (63 and 64) are disposed around the left-handed screw rod (61) and the right-handed screw rod (62), respectively, distance adjustment rods (74) are coupled to the movable nuts (63 and 64), is also coupled to both sides hinges (76) in a crossed manner and is rotatable around a central pin (72); and an up-down distance adjusting unit (80).

An aircraft passenger seat configured to facilitate ergonomic alignment of a passenger while in a sleeping position, including a seat bottom; and a seatback including a central opening corresponding to a shoulder region of a passenger, and a sleep support assembly mounted within the central opening, the sleep support assembly including an adjustable support member spanning a central portion of the seatback, where the adjustable support member is configured for at least one of translation and deformation; where, when the seat bottom is aligned with the seatback in a lie-flat seating position, a load provided by the shoulder region of the passenger, at least in a side-sleeping position, causes translation and/or deformation of the adjustable support member toward a floor of an aircraft cabin, thereby facilitating ergonomic alignment of the spine.

The present disclosure provides a multi-joint seat back for a vehicle, which may include a plurality of partitioned seat back components provided to have a structure in which a seat pad is inserted into a front portion of a skeletal frame and configured to be hinged to one another in a manner of rotating angularly in a forward or backward direction; elastic wires, each of which is connected between two partitioned seat back components selected from the plurality of partitioned seat back components; pulling wires bound to predetermined positions of the elastic wires respectively; and a drive unit connected to the pulling wires such that it winds the pulling wires to pull the elastic wires or otherwise releases the pulling wires to restore the elastic wires.

An inflatable lumbar support cushion for seats including a seat cushion assembly connected with an air bladder that has a hollow body and is covered by a lumbar support that is hollow. The air bladder is inflated by a pump unit assembly which includes a pump unit that blows air to the air bladder by an air hose adapting the size of the lumbar support as required and defining a lumbar support portion which provides comfort to a user. The air bladder configured as a cushion for a sofa. The pump unit can be electronic or manual. The seat cushion can be adapted to different seats by an attaching base located to a bottom surface thereof and the lumbar support may be attached to a backrest by a strap allowing to fasten the inflatable lumbar support cushion to any suitable seat.

A backrest part for a vehicle seat having a seatback frame in which is arranged an upper seatback adjustment device that allows continuous adjustment in the upper region of the backrest part. Provision is made that the upper seatback adjustment device includes at least one surface element that is movably mounted in the seatback frame and at least one elastic impact absorber integrated into the at least one surface element, which are arranged so as to be jointly adjustable opposite to and in a direction of travel (+/x-direction) with respect to the top section of the seatback frame.

An ISS is a seating system that actively adjusts to improve an occupant's comfort, performance, and safety in a specific driving environment. The ISS determines the occupant's posture, position on the seat surface, and/or physiological state, for example, by applying a machine vision process. The ISS can further determine a driving environment. The ISS adjusts its settings and settings of the vehicle according to one or more factors such as an occupant's posture, the occupant's physiological state, the occupant's preferences, and/or the driving environment. The ISS can include a state machine that determines a current state and determines if a change has occurred such that the system should shift to another state that best suits this change. The ISS makes adjustment according to system settings associated with the best suitable state.

A seat back pad 70 has a groove 73 for tucking a skin material therein, formed at borders between a central portion 71 and side portions 72. A hole (slot hole 74) is formed in a bottom of the groove 73 along the groove 73. A tuck-in wire 76 for tucking the skin material in includes a plurality of tuck-in portions 76A provided along the groove 73, and a connecting portion (detour portion 76B) detouring around the hole and connecting the tuck-in portions 76A. With this configuration, when an upper body of an occupant P subsides into a seat back S2 in a rear-end collision of a vehicle, the central portion 71, defined by the groove 73 as a border, is easily and sufficiently moved rearward relative to the left and right side portions 72. Furthermore, the tuck-in wire 76 is not exposed through the hole, and thus adhesion between the seat back pad 70 and the tuck-in wire 76 can be improved.