Patent ID: 6908152

Claim:
An ergonomic weight support apparatus for a seat comprising: a housing having an arcuate channel; an extending element having a pressure surface end, said pressure surface end being convex toward a seat occupant and being flexible in response to pressure, said extending element also having an arcuate encapsulated end slidingly disposed within said arcuate channel of said housing; said sliding disposition of said arcuate encapsulated end of said extending element in said arcuate channel being such that sliding travel of said arcuate encapsulated end of said extending element along said arcuate channel causes said pressure surface end of said extending element to extend outwards towards a seat occupant; an actuator anchored to said housing; a traction element having a first end engaged with said actuator and a second end in tractive communication with said arcuate encapsulated end of said extending element; and a pressure plate attached to said pressure surface end of said extending element; whereby said actuator mediates travel of said extending element between a retracted position and an extended, weight supporting position via application of a tractive force in a direction substantially collinear with said sliding travel of said arcuate encapsulated end of said extending element in said arcuate channel.