Patent ID: 7396079

Claim:
A back construction for a seating unit comprising: an articulating back frame including perimeter frame sections defining at least a thoracic region and a flexible lumbar region including a flexible joint and an open center area; and a back support supported by the articulating back frame and suspended between parts of the perimeter frame sections, the back support including suspension material that extends across the open center area and that is anchored at least top to bottom on the back frame to define a shaped suspension surface in at least one of the thoracic and lumbar regions that is adapted to support a seated user, the suspension material having at least one area with a greater stretchability in a first direction along the shaped suspension surface than in a different second direction along the shaped suspension surface, wherein the back frame includes a front link having a cross bar and having upwardly-extending link members that extend to the flexible joint and form part of the flexible joint.