Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
21 87827
ADJUSTABLE LUMBAR SUPPORT
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to lumbar supports for the human
back, and more particularly, to an adjustable lumbar support having an adjustment
for the anatomy of the lumbar spine, to fit the needs of different types of patients.
Background of the Invention
Many people suffer back pain by not being able to m~int~in a proper
lumbar lordosis (curve) while being seated. Frequently, this portion of the backaffects other areas of the back by causing pain. However, for many, the pain is
located in the lumbar region of the back. In some situations, the pain can be
alleviated by the placement of a backrest or support between the person's back and
some other object such as the back of a chair or a bed when the person is sitting or
laying down. Due to differences in anatomy, some people need more or less
support than others.
The size and position of the backrest are important so that undue ples~u,e is
not placed on the kidneys or other critical areas. Adjustability of size, thickness,
~iUl ~ Ul`e, and position of the backrest or cushion can be critical to providing the
2 0 right amount of proper support.
Support for more than one person by using the same lumbar cushioning
should be avoided. The size of the lumbar region, height or position of the lumbar
region when a person sits down, the depth of the lumbar curve and the shape of the
curve at the top and bottom is different from person to person. A curvature that is
2 5 mid range for one individual may be end-range flexation or extension for another.
In addition, body size and contour, physical ~len ~n-l~ of the activity or task
performed and the presence of a lumbar pathology may neces~ le additional
adjustments of the support.
The particular size and shape of the support required depends on the chair
3 o in which a person is seated as the amount of support required in a soft cushioned
chair is not necessarily the same as required in a firm chair. Sitting and typing,
sitting and driving, sitting up straight in an office chair and other sitting activities
all have a profound effect on the amount of pres~ule exerted on the lumbar disc
2 1 878~7
and the amount of flex of the lumbar curve, as the degree to which the lumbar
region curves at different points will vary. For back pain sufferers, an unsùpported
or hll~loperly supported back can cause excruci~ting pain.
Backrests or supports are well-known in the art (see U.S. Patent Nos.
4,597,386; 4,471,993; S,335,965; 5,101,811; 4,718,724 and 3,296,634 and German
Patentschrift Nr. 181203). Some backrests or supports provide mech~nicm~ for thestabilization and support of the entire back, resulting in devices which are much
larger than necessary when support is only required in the lumbar region of the
back. As a result, not only are such devices bulky and heavy to carry, they intrude
1 o on the portion of the back that does not require support and are not conveniently
portable as a person moves from place to place. Lumbar rolls have commonly
been employed in the lumbar region, but suffer from a common problem with
many supports in that they cross the entire back, intruding on the kidney and other
vital organs in the region causing pain and other problems. A further problem with
many portable supports is that if they are moved from chair to chair, with each
chair providing a different level of support, the overall level of support provided by
a non-adjustable device is not sufficient or con~i~tent As mentioned above, not
only does the level of support required vary from chair to chair, it varies fromactivity to activity and person to person. A non-adjustable device cannot treat
2 o these varying needs.
Moreover, many backrests or :~UppOllS are limited in the form of adjustment
provided. With most devices, the degree of adjustment is limited to the positioning
of the device relative to the person's back, with no adjustment possible with
respect to the shape of the person's back. Foam pads and back rolls fall into this
2 5 category.
Another category of lumbar support which allows for some degree of
adjustment is inflatable pads. However such inflatable pads suffer from
deficiencies in that they cannot be adjusted for the correct degree of curvature and
they flatten as ples~ule is applied with the result that they do not provide support at
3 o each point in the lumbar region. This problem is particularly noticeable at the
upper and lower regions of the lumbar curve where different curvatures of support
may be required. Inflatable pads also suffer from the problem of flattening and
2 1 8~827
deflation over a period of time, which is ~letrim~nt~l to the level of support
- provided.
A further problem with many support devices is that such devices are not
conci~tently firm, and do not m~int~in their shape as they are used. Foam and
inflatable pads are prone to this problem. Finally, fixed devices are not easilytransferable from person to person, as each person requires adjustment for a
different degree of support as noted above.
The closest prior art of which the applicant is aware as of the filing of this
application, is U.S. Patent 4,597,386 (Goldstein). This patent teaches a plurality of
vertically arranged slots for receiving adjllstm~-nt straps. However, these slots and
straps are not used to provide any curvature adjustment for varying the degree of
human back support. Tncte~fl, the slots and straps of Goldstein are provided to
allow the support to be attached and conform to the back of a chair. Cu~ e is
adjusted in Goldstein by selecting and positioning one or more foam inserts, as
discussed above in connection with the other well known prior art.
Summary of the Invention
According to the present invention, a lumbar support is provided which
offers independent adjustment of size, position, curvature and degree of bend at2 o both the upper and lower points of curvature, provide differing levels of support
which can be adjusted to fit different person's requirements. Also, the reduced size
of the lumbar support according to the present invention allows support to be
provided and adjusted to the region of the back that requires the support by easy
placement of the lumbar support at the required region. The shape and size of the
2 5 lumbar support of the present invention is such that its application does not
aggravate other areas of the body, such as the kidneys. Nor does the lumbar
support of the present invention provide support to areas where it is not needed.
The lumbar support of the present invention can be placed at the specific lumbarregion of each person's back, which can vary from person to person. Furthermore,3 o the reduced size and weight allow the lumbar support of the present invention to be
lightweight, portable, easily moved and carried from place to place for each
application. The inventive lumbar support can be adjusted to work in conjunction
2 1 87~27
with other objects of support such as different chairbacks of varying levels of
firmness, with the support being adjustable relative to the chairback to provide a
con.ci~tent level of back support. The lumbar support of the present invention can
also be adjusted for different radius of curvature to match the degree of curve of
the back. The bend itseIf can be adjusted at both the upper and lower regions ofthe curve to tune the support to the specific needs of each individual person. With
multiple adjll~tm~ntc available, the lumbar support of the present invention can be
used by more than one person and adjusted to meet the specific needs of each
person and their task.
The lumbar support of the present invention colllahls a stiff panel which
exhibits resistance as plC~UlC iS applied to m~int~in its contour and firmness so
that a con.ci~tent shape and level of support may be obtained.
In one embodiment of the invention, the invention can be described as an
adjustable lumbar support for supporting the lumbar region of a human back
comprising: an elliptically shaped flexible panel that exhibits re-ci~t~nce as flex is
applied; and an adjustment means connected to said flexible panel for adjustment of
cul~ ule of said flexible panel to accommodate varying degrees of lower back
support.
2 o Brief Description of the Drawin~s
A detailed description of the preferred embodiment is provided herein
below, with reference to the following drawings, in which:
Figure l is a perspective view of the backrest according to the present
invention utilized by a person for lumbar support while seated at a chair;
2 5 Figure 2 is a front perspective view of the support according to the present
invention;
Figures 3a and 3b are cross-sectional views showing curvature adjustment of
the lumbar support according to the present invention;
Figure 4 is a rear perspective view of the support according to the present
3 o invention;
Figure 5 shows a first alternative embodiment of the present invention; and
Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view of a further embodiment of the
21878~7
mventlon.
Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment
Turning first to Figure 1, the lumbar support 10 of the present invention is
shown positioned between a chairback and the lumbar region of a person's back.
The depth and curvature of the lumbar support can be adjusted and the support can
be positioned as required relative to the specific region of the person's back which
requires support. The small size and weight of the lumbar support 10 make it
easily portable and transportable from one chair to another and usable in various
l o sitting positions, including a car seat.
Turning to Figure 2, the lumbar support 10 of the present invention is
shown comprising a generally elliptical portion and an adj~ctTnent strap 20. Thelumbar support is covered with foam and a suitable cover to cushion the human
back, as ~ cucsed in greater detail below.
Turning to the r~ g Figures 3a, 3b and 4, the details of the
construction of the preferred embodiment are illustrated. A panel 32, preferably of
flexible plastic, forms the central portion of the lumbar support to which all of the
other parts are attached. The panel 32 contains a plurality of slots 34 through
which adjustment strap 20 is threaded. The breadth and radius of ~;U~ lu~e of the
2 o lumbar support is varied by threading adjustment strap 20 through different
combinations of adjustment slots 34. The radius of ~;ul~lule and depth of support
is varied by increasing or decreasing tension on adjustment strap 20, with tension
m~int~ined by strap buckle 36. As tension on adjuctment strap 20 is increased, the
panel 32 bends, ch~nging its radius of ~;ul~lule, as illustrated by the difference
2 5 between Figures 3a and 3b. By threading adjustment strap 20 through different
combinations of upper and lower slots 34, the degree of bend at each of the upper
and lower portions of the support can be changed as tension is increased or
decreased on adjustment skap 20. Adjustment strap 20 is fixed to panel 32 by an
appropl;ate f~tPning device such as bolt 38, washer 39 and nut 37, or alternatively
3 o by a rivet and washer (not shown). As shown in Figures 1, 2, 3a, 3b and 4, the
lumbar support 10 is covered by a foam portion 40 and surfaced by a suitable
fabric 30 to provide a soft cushion for receiving the human back. The fabric 30
2 1 8782/
envelops the foam portion 40, is attached to the panel 32 via elasticized portion 33
and is detachable and may be removed from the panel 32 to gain access to the slots
34 for rethreading the strap 20.
A first alternative embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in
Figure 5. This alternative embodiment is similar in many respects to the
embodiment shown in Figures 1-4. Where the features are identical, no additionaldescription is provided herein. However, the following differences are to be noted
between the two embodiments.
The plurality of slots 34 of the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1-4 has
1 o been reduced to a single pair of slots 50 through which adjustment strap 20 is
threaded. While both radius of curvature and depth of support is varied the sameas with the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1-4, i.e. by increasing and decreasing
tension on adjustment strap 20, there is no separate adjustment available tailored
specifically for the upper and lower portions of the lumbar curve. In the alternate
embodiment of the present invention, the degree of bend for support for the upper
and lower portions of the lumbar curve is determincd by the placement of slots 50
relative to the edge of panel 32. The closer that each of slots 50 has been placed
relative to the edge of panel 32, the greater the possibIe bend that is available at
the upper and lower parts of the support. The curvature, shape and bend at the
2 0 upper and lower portions of the support of the alternate embodiment is adjusted
solely by increasing or decreasing tension on adjustment strap 20.
The further alternative embodiment shown in Figure 6 is similar to the
embodiment of Figure 5 in that only a single pair of slots is provided, and in that
the curvature, shape and bend at the upper and lower portions of the support in
2 5 Figure 6 is also adjusted solely by increasing or decreasing tension or adjustment
strap 20. However, in the embodiment of Figure 6, the slots 52 are raised from the
plane of panel 32 by virtue of being implemented in a pair of loop plates 54, one
of which is shown in position while the other is shown removed from panel 32.
As can be seen, panel 32 is provided with a pair of apertures 56 into which the
3 o loop plates 54 are cormected via a snap-fit engagement. By raising the slots 52
above the plane of panel 32, the strap 20 may be threaded therethrough somewhat
more easily than in the embodiments of Figures 1-5. Also, in the embodiment of
2 1 87~27
Figure 6, a separate trim ring 56 is provided for securing the fabric cover 30 and
foam pad 40 to the panel 32, rather than elasticizing the circumference of the fabric
cover as in the embodiments of Figures 1-5.
Further alt~ tive embodiments and modifications of the invention are
5 possible without departing from the sphere and scope as set forth in the claims
appended hereto.
