Vehicle seating orthotic system and method

Abstract

A thoracic-lumbar-sacral orthosis for vehicle is provided which provides back support to a vehicle occupant is disclosed. A vehicle occupant has a thoracic-lumbar-sacral orthosis prepared which represents a cast of his back. The device is placed within a pocket formed in a seat back cover. The original seat back cover is removed from the vehicle and is replaced with the seat back cover having the personalized thoracic-lumbar-sacral orthosis built in. As an alternative, a vehicle seat back cover having a forward-facing pocket is provided by the manufacturer as original equipment. A seat occupant may optionally have a thoracic-lumbar-sacral orthosis prepared and may slip the device into the forward-facing pocket. However, the seat having the forward-facing pocket may be fully functional without a device being provided in the forward-facing pocket.

1 . A seat back system for providing personalized back support to an occupant, the seat back system comprising:
 a vehicle seat having a seat back and a seat base;   a cover provided over said vehicle seat back, said cover having an orthotic device-receiving pocket formed therein;   an orthotic device fitted within said orthotic device-receiving pocket; and   supplemental padded material fitted within said pocket and around the orthotic device to substantially fill out said pocket.   
   
   
       2 . The seat back system of  claim 1  in which said orthotic device is formed from a substantially rigid polymerized material. 
   
   
       3 . The seat back system of  claim 1  in which said cover is a replacement cover. 
   
   
       4 . The seat back system of  claim 1  wherein said orthotic device is substantially a positive cast of a portion of an occupant's back configuration. 
   
   
       5 . (canceled) 
   
   
       6 . The seat back system of  claim 1  in which said supplemental padded material is a foamed polymerized material. 
   
   
       7 . The seat back system of  claim 1  wherein said seat back cover includes an inside and wherein said pocket is formed on said inside of said seat back cover. 
   
   
       8 . The seat back system of  claim 1  wherein said seat back cover includes an outside and wherein said pocket is formed on said outside of said seat back cover. 
   
   
       9 . An orthotic seat back cover assembly placeable over a seat back of a vehicle and usable by a seat occupant, the orthotic seat back cover assembly comprising:
 an orthotic device for providing selective support to the back of the occupant;   a seat back cover having an inside and an outside;   a pocket for receiving said orthotic device; and   supplemental padded material fitted within said pocket and around the orthotic device to substantially fill out said pocket.   
   
   
       10 . The orthotic seat back cover assembly of  claim 9  in which said orthotic device is formed from a substantially rigid polymerized material. 
   
   
       11 . The orthotic seat back cover assembly of  claim 10  in which said cover is a replacement cover. 
   
   
       12 . The orthotic seat back cover assembly of  claim 10  wherein said orthotic device is substantially a mirror image of a portion of an occupant's back configuration. 
   
   
       13 . (canceled) 
   
   
       14 . The orthotic seat back cover assembly of  claim 9  in which said supplemental padded material is a foamed polymerized material. 
   
   
       15 . The orthotic seat back cover assembly of  claim 10  wherein said pocket is formed on said inside of said cover. 
   
   
       16 . (canceled) 
   
   
       17 . A method of preparing a seat back having an orthotic device for use in a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:
 forming a seat back cover having an orthotic device-receiving pocket;   forming an orthotic device based on a profile of at least a portion of an occupant's back; and   inserting the orthotic device into said orthotic device-receiving pocket of said seat back.   
   
   
       18 . The method of preparing a seat back according to  claim 17  including the step of:
 replacing the original seat back cover of the vehicle with said seat back cover having said orthotic device-receiving pocket.   
   
   
       19 . The method of preparing a seat back according to  claim 18 , including the step of:
 providing a seat back cover having an outside and forming said orthotic device-receiving pocket on said outside of said seat back cover.   
   
   
       20 . The method of preparing a seat back cover according to  claim 19  including the step of:
 providing padding around said orthotic device within said orthotic device-receiving pocket.