Adaptive support

Abstract

Adaptive-support furniture includes several support rungs, a first and second frame members, several pulleys as well as first and second elongate flexible members. The support rungs each have first and second ends. The first frame member at least partially houses the first ends of the support rungs while the second frame member at least partially houses the second ends of the support rungs. The pulleys are provided to the first and second ends of the support rungs and to the first and second frame members. The elongate flexible members are threaded through the pulleys of the frame members and the pulleys of the ends of the support rungs such that motion of the ends of the support rungs is interdependent.

1 . Adaptive-support furniture, comprising:
 a plurality of support rungs each having first and second ends;   a first frame member;   a second frame member;   a plurality of pulleys provided to first and second ends of the support rungs and to the first and second frame members;   a first elongate flexible member threaded through the pulleys of the first frame member and the pulleys of the first ends of the support rungs such that motion of the first ends of the support rungs is interdependent;   a second elongate flexible member threaded through the pulleys of the second frame member and the pulleys of the second ends of the support rungs such that motion of the second ends of the support rungs is interdependent; and   tethers holding the support rungs together.   
     
     
         2 . The furniture as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the elongate flexible members, the pulleys of the frame members and the pulleys of the support rungs are configured to cooperate to equalize force among the support rungs. 
     
     
         3 . The furniture as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the frame members are configured to constrain the first and second ends of the support rungs. 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . The furniture as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the first ends of the support rungs are constrained by slots in the first frame member and the second ends of the support rungs are constrained by slots in the second frame member. 
     
     
         6 . The furniture as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein two or more of the slots are relatively angled. 
     
     
         7 . The furniture as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein each support rung end is constrained to a single dimension of translation. 
     
     
         8 . The furniture as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising an elongate flexible member reel. 
     
     
         9 . The furniture as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein the elongate flexible member reel is configured to rotate. 
     
     
         10 . The furniture as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein the elongate flexible member reel is configured to adjust a baseline position of the support rungs. 
     
     
         11 . The furniture as set forth in  claim 8 , further comprising a dog and biasing member configured to selectively prevent movement of the elongate flexible member reel. 
     
     
         12 - 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . The furniture as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the first frame member at least partially houses the first ends of the support rungs and the second frame member at least partially houses the second end of the support rungs. 
     
     
         23 . The furniture as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the tethers are configured to limit the spacing between the first ends of the support rungs and limit the spacing between the second ends of the support rungs.