A thoracic support for a seatback of a seat is provided. The thoracic support includes a center portion extending in an upright direction and adapted to be positioned adjacent the seatback to align adjacent a thoracic region a user's spine. The center portion is formed of a first foam material having a first hardness. A pair of side portions each disposed adjacent to and are connected with the center portion. The side portions are formed of a second foam material having a second hardness. The first hardness is greater than the second hardness so that the center portion provides support to at least a portion of the thoracic region of the user's spine.

A vehicle seat includes a seat base, a seat foam supported by the seat base, and a support pad positioned between the seat base and at least a portion of the seat foam. The support pad being formed of a combination of a first material and a second material. A seat cover covering the support pad and the seat foam. The first material has a first recovery hysteresis and the second material has a second recovery hysteresis that is less than the first recovery hysteresis.

To provide a vehicle seat with a function of reducing fatigue regardless of the physique of the seated person, a vehicle seat includes: an ischial tuberosity support device that is driven to change a position of a part of a seat cushion corresponding to ischial tuberosities of a seated person; a sacrum/ilium support device that is driven to change a position of a part of a seat back corresponding to the sacrum and ilia of the seated person; a ninth thoracic vertebra support device that is driven to change a position of a part of the seat back corresponding to a ninth thoracic vertebra of the seated person; and a control device, wherein the control device sequentially executes: an information acquisition step of acquiring physique information of the seated person; a decision step of deciding parameters regarding a driving amount of each of the ischial tuberosity support device, the sacrum/ilium support device, and the ninth thoracic vertebra support device based on the acquired physique information; and an output step of driving the ischial tuberosity support device, the sacrum/ilium support device, and the ninth thoracic vertebra support device based on the corresponding parameters.

A vehicle seat includes a pad configured to support a body of a seated occupant. The pad has a transverse air passage extending in a direction along a back surface of the pad and a plurality of longitudinal air passages each having one end connecting with the transverse air passage and the other end open to a front surface of the pad. The transverse air passage has a first transverse air passage connecting an air introduction hole from a fan or an air discharge hole to the fan and the longitudinal air passage directly with each other, and a second transverse air passage connecting the air introduction hole or the air discharge hole and the longitudinal air passage with each other via a resistant body having a resistance against an air flow.

A work machine includes an unload lever swingably supported by an operation box, the unload lever being configured to be swung to select whether or not to supply an operation fluid to the hydraulic actuator. The unload lever includes a second guide pin to move in a first guide groove in accordance with the swinging of the unload lever, the second guide pin being positioned on a first end of the first guide groove when the unload lever is positioned to a pushed-down position and positioned on a second end of the first guide groove when the unload lever is positioned to a pulled-up position. The first guide groove includes a first latch portion to latch the second guide pin at the first end of the first guide groove, and a second latch portion to latch the second guide pin at the second end of the first guide groove.

An upholstered element for a vehicle seat, with a padded core and an upholstery covering arranged thereon, wherein the padded core has a concave region and the upholstery covering is connected inside the concave region to the padded core by way of at least two linear connecting devices, wherein at least one end region of one connecting device is close to another connecting device. In order to permit an improved connection of the padded core and upholstery covering, the at least one end region is spaced from the other connecting device by a connection-free region and runs at an angle to the other connecting device.

A seating system for a vehicle has a positioning insert configured for attachment at a predetermined location to a portion of a seat cushion arrangement forming a part of the seating system such that the positioning insert facilitates positioning a seated occupant at a desired fore-aft position. The positioning insert may include a first side having a generally arcuate portion configured to be oriented toward a seated occupant and to receive a seated occupant's buttocks to facilitate positioning of the seated occupant at the desired fore-aft position.

The present invention relates to a rowing seat (1) for rowing and kayaking boats and exercise equipment, comprising a first face (2) adapted to support and carry a user, a second face (3) arranged opposite the first face, a first end (4) and a second end (5), a first side (6) and a second side (7), and a longitudinal axis (8) extending between the first end and the second end, wherein the first face (2) comprises a middle section (9) arranged substantially between the first and second sides (6, 7) and extending from the first end (4) towards the second end (5) with a length of at least 8 cm, the middle section (9) having a substantially convex support face (10) extending along the longitudinal axis, the support face (10) being adapted to support at least 50% of the user's weight during use of the rowing seat. The present invention also relates to a rowing, kayaking or exercise system comprising a rowing seat according to the present invention.

Ridge portions 9 are provided to be continuously present in orthogonally intersecting directions by forming plural recessed holes 8 in the upper surface of an under-thighs portion 2 and an under-buttocks portion 3 of a seat pad 1 for a vehicle. The height of each ridge portion 9, i.e. the depth h of each recessed hole 8, is preferably in the range of 2 to 40 mm, more preferably in the range of 5 to 20 mm, the width w of each recessed hole 8 is preferably in the range of 10 to 30 mm, more preferably in the range of 20 to 30 mm, and the area of an opening of each recessed hole 8 is preferably in the range of 50 to 1000 mm.sup.2, more preferably in the range of 100 to 900 mm.sup.2. Accordingly, the present invention can provide a seat pad, which is excellent in soft sensation of touch of a surface thereof, satisfactory in the properties of supporting an occupant, and can be produced by integral foam molding.

The purpose of the present invention is to improve the ride quality of an automobile or other vehicle at low cost. A vehicle seat is provided with a seat cushion for supporting the buttocks of a rider and a seat back for supporting the back of the rider. At a substantially central position in the width direction of the seat back in a location where the back of the rider is to be supported, a recessed part or an opening extending in the vertical direction is formed.