Patent ID: 7003830

Claim:
A support structure for supporting a portion of a body, the support structure comprising: a support member having a support surface, wherein said support surface is divided into a plurality of pieces; and a flexible mechanism configured to couple said plurality of pieces to each other, said flexible mechanism comprising: a fixed side member having a first plurality of overlapping plates which are arranged in parallel at intervals; a tilted side member having a second plurality of overlapping plates which alternately overlap on said first overlapping plates of said fixed side member; a coupling shaft which pierces an overlapping position of said first plurality of overlapping plates and said second plurality of overlapping plates to fasten said first plurality of overlapping plates and said second plurality of overlapping plates together, wherein said tilted side member is adapted to rotate around said coupling shaft to impart an angle on the support member; and impetus giving means for providing an impetus to said first plurality of overlapping plates and said second plurality of overlapping plates in an overlapping direction, whereby a frictional force is created in a contact portion of said first plurality of overlapping plates and said second plurality of overlapping plates, wherein said frictional force maintains said angle, thereby retaining an angled shape of said support surface.