Furniture with body contour accommodating support system

Claim 2

An article of furniture for supporting a body resting thereon with a preselected support force distribution and conforming automatically to various contours of said body without changing said preselected support force distribution comprising, in combination: a frame; a support pad upon which said body rests, said pad having flexibility in the direction of the longitudinal axis of said body; a first set of low friction pulleys mounted along said frame at spaced mounting points; and a second set of low friction pulleys mounted at spaced support points along said pad corresponding to said mounting points and providing support forces to said pad, said pulleys having spacings therebetween related to said preselected support force distribution; and flexible cord means interconnecting said first and second sets of pulleys and suspending said pad from said frame so that by a redistribution of said cord means among said first and second sets of pulleys said pad can conform to changes in said contour by movement of said pad relative to said frame, said cord means having substantially constant tension therein independent of said movement so that said support forces remain constant thereby to maintain said preselected support force distribution.

Claim 3

An article of furniture for supporting a body resting thereon with a preselected support force distribution and conforming automatically to various contours of said body without changing said preselected support force distribution comprising, in combination: a frame; a support pad upon which said body rests, said pad having flexibility in the direction of the longitudinal axis of said body; a first set of low friction pulleys mounted along said frame at spaced mounting points; and a second set of low friction pulleys mounted at spaced support points along said pad corresponding to said mounting points and providing support forces to said pad, said pulleys having spacings therebetween related to said preselected support force distribution; and flexible cord means interconnecting said first and second sets of pulleys and suspending said pad from said frame so that by a redistribution of said cord means among said first and second sets of pulleys said pad can conform to changes in said contour by movement of said pad relative to said frame, said cord means having substantially constant tension therein independent of said movement so that said support forces remain constant thereby to maintain said preselected support force distribution.

Claim 4

An article of furniture for supporting a body resting thereon with a preselected support force distribution and conforming automatically to various contours of said body without changing said preselected support force distribution comprising, in combination: a frame; a support pad upon which said body rests, said pad having flexibility in the direction of the longitudinal axis of said body; a first set of low friction pulleys mounted along said frame at spaced mounting points; and a second set of low friction pulleys mounted at spaced support points along said pad corresponding to said mounting points and providing support forces to said pad, said pulleys having spacings therebetween related to said preselected support force distribution; and flexible cord means interconnecting said first and second sets of pulleys and suspending said pad from said frame so that by a redistribution of said cord means among said first and second sets of pulleys said pad can conform to changes in said contour by movement of said pad relative to said frame, said cord means having substantially constant tension therein independent of said movement so that said support forces remain constant thereby to maintain said preselected support force distribution.

Claim 5

Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said pad comprises first and second sections, said first section supporting a first portion of said body including the trunk and head thereof, said second section supporting a second portion of said body including the hips and legs thereof; said first and second sets of pulleys each comprises first and second groups of pulleys associated with said first and second sections, respectively; and said flexible cord means comprises separate flexible cords interconnecting said first and second groups of pulleys, respectively, and connecting said first and second sections, respectively, to said frame so that said first and second sections function substantially independently of each other.

Claim 6

Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 including auxiliary support means mounted to said pad between preselected ones of said support points for providing additional support forces when said movement of said pad at said preselected support points exceeds a predetermined magnitude, said auxiliary support means including a low friction pulley adapted to contact said flexible cord means when said movement equals said predetermined magnitude.

Claim 7

Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first set of pulleys is mounted on sides of said frame extending in the same direction as said longitudinal axis; said second set of pulleys is mounted along edges of said pad which lie in the same direction as said longitudinal axis; and said flexible cord means includes separate cords interconnecting said first and second sets of pulleys along said respective edges and sides.

Claim 8

Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said pad includes a plurality of support slats oriented substantially transverse to said longitudinal axis and having spacings therebetween substantially the same as said spacings between said support points, said second set of pulleys being mounted to the ends of said support slats; and bridging means oriented transverse to said support slats and connecting adjacent ones thereof when said spacing therebetween exceeds a predetermined amount so that said pad is prevented from sagging between said adjacent support slats.

Claim 9

Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 including weights affixed to said pad at preselected ones of said support points, said weights opposing said support forces provided by said pulleys at said support points so that said support forces provided to said pad at said preselected support points can be varied by varying said weights.

Claim 10

Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 including stabilizer means for limiting said movement of said pad with respect to said frame for facilitating movements of said body such as required for mounting and dismounting said article of furniture.

Claim 11

Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 including: first mounting means for mounting said first set of pulleys to said frame so that said mounting points can be varied in correspondence with variations in said support points; and second mounting means for mounting said second set of low friction pulleys to said pad so that said spacings between said support points can be varied whereby said support force distribution can be adjusted for said body being supported.

Claim 12

Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said support pad includes a cushion having first and second portions joined by a relatively flexible portion, said first portion supporting the head of said body and said second portion supporting the remainder of said boDy, said flexible portion accommodating changes in said contour between said head and said remainder of said body.

Claim 13

An article of furniture having a frame with sides and a support system mounted to said frame for supporting a body resting thereon including a support pad upon which said body rests having flexibility in the direction of the longitudinal axis of said body, said pad having longitudinal edges opposing said sides of said frame, characterized in that said support system includes: a first series of low friction pulleys mounted at spaced mounting points along said sides of said frame; a second series of low friction pulleys mounted at spaced support points along said longitudinal edges corresponding to said mounting points and providing support forces to said pad; and flexible cords interconnecting said first and second series of pulleys along respective ones of said edges and said sides and suspending said pad within said frame so that by a redistribution of said cords among said first and second series of pulleys said pad can move relative to said frame to conform to changes in contour of said body, respective ones of said flexible cords maintaining substantially constant tension therein so that said support forces provided to said pad by said second series of pulleys remain constant regardless of said changes in contour.

Claim 14

An article of furniture having a frame with sides and a support system mounted to said frame for supporting a body resting thereon including a support pad upon which said body rests having flexibility in the direction of the longitudinal axis of said body, said pad having longitudinal edges opposing said sides of said frame, characterized in that said support system includes: a first series of low friction pulleys mounted at spaced mounting points along said sides of said frame; a second series of low friction pulleys mounted at spaced support points along said longitudinal edges corresponding to said mounting points and providing support forces to said pad; and flexible cords interconnecting said first and second series of pulleys along respective ones of said edges and said sides and suspending said pad within said frame so that by a redistribution of said cords among said first and second series of pulleys said pad can move relative to said frame to conform to changes in contour of said body, respective ones of said flexible cords maintaining substantially constant tension therein so that said support forces provided to said pad by said second series of pulleys remain constant regardless of said changes in contour.

Claim 15

A support apparatus for supporting a body resting thereon with a preselected support force distribution ad conforming automatically to various contours of said body without changing said preselected support force distribution, comprising, in combination: a frame; a support pad upon which said body rests, said pad having flexibility in the direction of the longitudinal axis of said body; a set of support means connected to said support pad at support points therealong having spacings therebetween related to said preselected support force distribution, said set of support means comprises a plurality of second low friction pulleys mounted to said support pad; a plurality of first low friction pulleys mounted to said frame at spaced points corresponding to said support points; and a force transmitting means comprising a flexible cord means interconnecting said pluralities of first and second low friction pulleys and suspending said support pad from said frame so that by a redistribution of said cord means among said pluralities of first and second pulleys said pad can move relative to said frame and thereby conform to changes in said contour; said cord means having substantially constant tension therein independent of movements of said pad so that said plurality of second pulleys provide constant support forces to said support pad.

Claim 16

A support apparatus for supporting a body resting thereon with a preselected support force distribution ad conforming automatically to various contours of said body without changing said preselected support force distribution, comprising, in combination: a frame; a support pad upon which said body rests, said pad having flexibility in the direction of the longitudinal axis of said body; a set of support means connected to said support pad at support points therealong having spacings therebetween related to said preselected support force distribution, said set of support means comprises a plurality of second low friction pulleys mounted to said support pad; a plurality of first low friction pulleys mounted to said frame at spaced points corresponding to said support points; and a force transmitting means comprising a flexible cord means interconnecting said pluralities of first and second low friction pulleys and suspending said support pad from said frame so that by a redistribution of said cord means among said pluralities of first and second pulleys said pad can move relative to said frame and thereby conform to changes in said contour; said cord means having substantially constant tension therein independent of movements of said pad so that said plurality of second pulleys provide constant support forces to said support pad.

Claim 17

A support apparatus for supporting a body resting thereon with a preselected support force distribution and conforming automatically to various contours of said body without changing said preselected support force distribution, comprising, in combination; a frame; a support pad upon which said body rests, said pad having flexibility in the direction of the longitudinal axis of said body; a set of support means connected to said support pad at support points therealong having spacings therebetween related to said preselected support force distribution, said support means comprises a plurality of fluid force means mounted to said support pad; and a force transmitting means comprising a closed, fluid-filled system mounted on said frame and interconnecting said plurality of fluid force means, said system being adapted to permit movement of said fluid among said fluid force means so that said fluid force means can deflect to to permit movement of said support pad relative to said frame to conform thereby to changes in said contour; said fluid having a substantially constant pressure therein independent of said pad movements so that said plurality of fluid force means provides constant support forces to said support pad.

Claim 18

A support apparatus for supporting a body resting thereon with a preselected support force distribution and conforming automatically to various contours of said body without changing said preselected support force distribution, comprising, in combination; a frame; a support pad upon which said body rests, said pad having flexibility in the direction of the longitudinal axis of said body; a set of support means connected to said support pad at support points therealong having spacings therebetween related to said preselected support force distribution, said support means comprises a plurality of fluid force means mounted to said support pad; and a force transmitting means comprising a closed, fluid-filled system mounted on said frame and interconnecting said plurality of fluid force means, said system being adapted to permit movement of said fluid among said fluid force means so that said fluid force means can deflect to to permit movement of said support pad relative to said frame to conform thereby to changes in said contour; said fluid having a substantially constant pressure therein independent of said pad movements so that said plurality of fluid force means provides constant support forces to said support pad.

Claim 19

A support apparatus for supporting a body resting thereon with a preselected support force distribution and conforming automatically to various contours of said body without changing said preselected support force distribution, comprising, in combination, a frame; a support pad upon which said body rests, said pad having flexibility in the direction of the longitudinal axis of said body; a set of support means connected to said support pad at support pints therealong having spacings therebetween related to said preselected support force distribution, said set of support means comprises a plurality of rigid rods each pivotably mounted on one end thereof to said support pad and having one of a plurality off second low friction pulleys on the other end thereof; a plurality of first low friction pulleys mounted to said frame at spaced points corresponding to said support points; and a force transmitting means comprising flexible cord means interconnecting said pluralities of first and second low friction pulleys and supporting said support pad from said frame so that by a redistribution of said cord means among said pluralities of first and second pulleys said pad can move relative to said frame and hereby conform to changes in said contour; said cord means having substantially constant tension therein independent of said movements of said pad so that said plurality of rods provides a constant support force to said support pad.

Claim 20

A support apparatus for supporting a body resting thereon with a preselected support force distribution and conforming automatically to various contours of said body without changing said preselected support force distribution, comprising, in combination, a frame; a support pad upon which said body rests, said pad having flexibility in the direction of the longitudinal axis of said body; a set of support means connected to said support pad at support pints therealong having spacings therebetween related to said preselected support force distribution, said set of support means comprises a plurality of rigid rods each pivotably mounted on one end thereof to said support pad and having one of a plurality off second low friction pulleys on the other end thereof; a plurality of first low friction pulleys mounted to said frame at spaced points corresponding to said support points; and a force transmitting means comprising flexible cord means interconnecting said pluralities of first and second low friction pulleys and supporting said support pad from said frame so that by a redistribution of said cord means among said pluralities of first and second pulleys said pad can move relative to said frame and hereby conform to changes in said contour; said cord means having substantially constant tension therein independent of said movements of said pad so that said plurality of rods provides a constant support force to said support pad.