Apparatus and method for varying coeffiecients of friction in a variable apex back support

Abstract

A back support for use in seats such as automobile seats or office chairs, includes a flexible support member mounted to the seatback. The shape of the flexible support member changes responsively to a load imposed by a person's back, and may also be changed by an actuator system. Noise, galling, wear and rough movement between moving parts of the flexible back support are reduced by selectively controlling the properties of the surfaces of the flexible support member, the mounting structures, or both. In particular, at least a portion of these surfaces are treated to provide friction surfaces, protection surfaces or both are used. Any combination of devices can be used to treat the surfaces, including tapes, lubricants, extrusions, sleeves, coatings, films, and self-lubricated material sections. These treatment options are especially useful at interface locations, wear surfaces, and contact surfaces, and a substantial portion of the flexible support member or the mounting structures may remain free of these treatments.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A back support for use within a seatback, comprising: 
 a flexible support member,    a means for mounting said flexible support member in the seatback; and    wherein at least one of said flexible support member and said mounting means further comprises a surface region and a treated surface region, said treated surface region comprising a portion of said surface region and wherein a portion of at least one of said flexible support member and said mounting means is free from said treated surface region.    
     
     
         2 . The back support of  claim 1 , wherein said treated surface region is no more than approximately half of said surface region.  
     
     
         3 . The back support of  claim 1 , wherein a substantial portion of at least one of said flexible support member and said mounting means is free from wherein said treated surface region.  
     
     
         4 . The back support of  claim 1 , wherein said treated surface region is selected from the group of treatments consisting of a low friction surface, an impact resistant surface, an abrasive resistant surface, a shock-absorbing surface, a protective surface, a smoothed surface, a self-lubricated surface, and any combination thereof, wherein said treated surface region has, with respect to said surface region, at least one of a lower coefficient of friction, a higher impact resistance, a higher abrasive resistance, a higher shock-absorbing surface, a more protective surface, a more smooth surface, and a more lubricated surface.  
     
     
         5 . The back support of  claim 4 , wherein said treatments are selected from the group of treatment options consisting of a tape, a lubricant, an extrusion, a sleeve, a coating, a film, and a self-lubricated material section, and any combination thereof.  
     
     
         6 . The back support of  claim 5 , wherein said coating is comprised of at least one of a powder coat and a liquid coat.  
     
     
         7 . The back support of  claim 6 , wherein said coating is further comprised of a baked coating, wherein at least one of said powder coat and said liquid coat comprise a resin and a solvent.  
     
     
         8 . The back support of  claim 5 , wherein said self-lubricated material section is further comprised of a material different from said surface region.  
     
     
         9 . The back support of  claim 5 , wherein said self-lubricated material section is further comprised of a material equivalent to said surface region and at least one of a tape, an extrusion, a sleeve, a coating, and a film.  
     
     
         10 . The back support of  claim 5 , wherein said treated surface region is no more than approximately 30% of said surface region.  
     
     
         11 . The back support of  claim 1 , wherein said flexible support member comprises at least one of a coating, a film, and a tape at said treated surface region, wherein a substantial portion of said surface region is free from said coating, said film, and said tape, and wherein at least one of said coating, said film and said tape comprises at least one of a protective surface and a low friction surface in comparison with said surface region.  
     
     
         12 . The back support of  claim 11 , wherein said flexible support member is comprised substantially of metal.  
     
     
         13 . The back support of  claim 11 , wherein said flexible support member is comprised of metal and plastic.  
     
     
         14 . The back support of  claim 11 , wherein said flexible support member is comprised substantially of plastic and at least one of said coating, said film and said tape further comprises at least one of an impact resistant surface, an abrasive resistant surface, a shock-absorbing surface, a protective surface and any combination thereof.  
     
     
         15 . The back support of  claim 11 , wherein said treated surface region is no more than approximately 30% of said surface region.  
     
     
         16 . The back support of  claim 11 , wherein said treated surface region is no more than approximately 15% of said surface region.  
     
     
         17 . The back support of  claim 11 , wherein said treated surface region is no more than approximately 10% of said surface region.  
     
     
         18 . The back support of  claim 11 , wherein said treated surface is located at a contact surface location.  
     
     
         19 . The back support of  claim 18 , wherein said contact surface location is selected from the group of locations consisting of an interface between said mounting means and said flexible support member, a contact surface between said mounting means and the seatback, a wear surface between said flexible support member and the seatback, and any combination thereof.  
     
     
         20 . The back support of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of said coating, said film, and said tape has a thickness of less than approximately 0.1 inch.  
     
     
         21 . The back support of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of said coating, said film, and said tape has a thickness of less than approximately 0.05 inch.  
     
     
         22 . The back support of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of said coating, said film, and said tape has a thickness of less than approximately 0.01 inch.  
     
     
         23 . The back support of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of said coating, said film, and said tape has an approximate thickness between 0.001 inch and 0.01 inch, inclusive.  
     
     
         24 . The back support of  claim 11 , wherein said tape is comprised of a laminated tape.  
     
     
         25 . The back support of  claim 1  further comprising a means for actuating said flexible support member.  
     
     
         26 . The back support of  claim 25 , wherein said mounting means further comprises at least one of a bar and a guide rod and wherein said actuating means further comprises a Bowden cable and a Bowden cable actuator.  
     
     
         27 . The back support of  claim 25 , wherein said flexible support element further comprises a clamping member.  
     
     
         27 . The back support of  claim 25 , wherein said flexible support element further comprises at least one of a bar, a web, a single-piece member and a body portion with an attachment portion.  
     
     
         28 . The back support of  claim 25 , wherein said flexible support element further comprises a single-piece member.  
     
     
         29 . A back support for use within a seatback, comprising: 
 a flexible support member,    a means for mounting said flexible support member in the seatback; and    wherein at least one of said flexible support member and said mounting means further comprises a surface region and a treated surface region, said treated surface region comprising a portion of said surface region and wherein a substantial portion of at least one of said flexible support member and said mounting means is free from said treated surface region.    
     
     
         30 . The back support of  claim 29 , wherein said treated surface region is selected from the group of treatments consisting of a low friction surface, an impact resistant surface, an abrasive resistant surface, a shock-absorbing surface, a protective surface, a smoothed surface, a self-lubricated surface, and any combination thereof, wherein said treated surface region has, with respect to said surface region, at least one of a lower coefficient of friction, a higher impact resistance, a higher abrasive resistance, a higher shock-absorbing surface, a more protective surface, a more smooth surface, and a more lubricated surface.  
     
     
         31 . The back support of  claim 30 , wherein said treatments are selected from the group of treatment options consisting of a tape, a lubricant, an extrusion, a sleeve, a coating, a film, and a self-lubricated material section, and any combination thereof.  
     
     
         32 . The back support of  claim 31 , wherein said treated surface region is no more than approximately 30% of said surface region, and wherein at least one of said coating, said film, and said tape has an approximate thickness between 0.001 inch and 0.01 inch, inclusive.  
     
     
         33 . The back support of  claim 29 , wherein said treated surface is located at a contact surface location selected from the group of locations consisting of an interface between said mounting means and said flexible support member, a contact surface between said mounting means and the seatback, a wear surface between said flexible support member and the seatback, and any combination thereof.  
     
     
         34 . The back support of  claim 29 , wherein said flexible support element further comprises a single-piece member.  
     
     
         35 . A back support for use within a seatback, comprising: 
 a flexible support member,    a means for mounting said flexible support member in the seatback; and    wherein said flexible support member further comprises a surface region and a treated surface region selected from the group of treatment options consisting of a tape, a coating, a film, and any combination thereof, and wherein at least one of said coating, said film, and said tape has an approximate thickness between 0.001 inch and 0.01 inch, inclusive.    
     
     
         36 . The back support of  claim 35 , wherein said treated surface region is selected from the group of treatments consisting of a low friction surface, an impact resistant surface, an abrasive resistant surface, a shock-absorbing surface, a protective surface, a smoothed surface, a self-lubricated surface, and any combination thereof, wherein said treated surface region has, with respect to said surface region, at least one of a lower coefficient of friction, a higher impact resistance, a higher abrasive resistance, a higher shock-absorbing surface, a more protective surface, a more smooth surface, and a more lubricated surface.  
     
     
         37 . The back support of  claim 35 , wherein said treated surface region is no more than approximately half of said surface region.  
     
     
         38 . The back support of  claim 35 , wherein said treated surface region is no more than approximately 30% of said surface region,  
     
     
         39 . The back support of  claim 35 , wherein said treated surface is located at a contact surface location selected from the group of locations consisting of an interface between said mounting means and said flexible support member, a contact surface between said mounting means and the seatback, a wear surface between said flexible support member and the seatback, and any combination thereof.  
     
     
         40 . The back support of  claim 35 , wherein said mounting means further comprises a guide wire and a plastic coating around said guide wire.