Horizontal lumbar suspension for vehicle seats

1. An adjustable lumbar assembly for a vehicle seat comprising:

a wireframe for attachment to a frame of a vehicle seat, the wireframe having first and second spaced apart side members;

a flexible lumbar support band having a first outboard portion affixed to the first wireframe side member, a first lateral portion extending inboard from the first outboard portion and pivotally connected to the first outboard portion offset from the first wireframe side member, a central portion pivotally connected to the first lateral portion and extending laterally across a central region of the wireframe towards the second wireframe side member, a second lateral portion pivotally connected to the central portion extending laterally towards the second wireframe side member, a second outboard portion affixed to the second wireframe side member and pivotally connected to the second lateral portion offset from the second wireframe side member, and a pair of hinges each providing the pivotal connection between one of the outboard portions and the corresponding lateral portion; and

a cable assembly mounted to each of the outboard portions of the lumbar support band and cooperating with each of the lateral portions and the central portion for extension and retraction of the lateral portions and the central portion relative to the wireframe for providing adjustment of the lumbar assembly;

wherein the lumbar support band is structurally enhanced between each hinge and an attachment of the corresponding outboard portion to the wireframe side member; and

wherein each structural enhancement further comprises a first segment extending in a fore/aft direction from the attachment to the wireframe side member, a second segment extending laterally from the first segment, a third segment extending in a fore/aft direction from the second segment, and a plurality of ribs extending between the first and third segments.

2. The lumbar assembly of claim 1 wherein the pivotal connection of each lateral portion relative to the corresponding outboard portion is offset inboard relative to the corresponding wireframe side member.

3. The lumbar assembly of claim 1 wherein each outboard portion is affixed to the corresponding wireframe side member to prevent rotation of each outboard portion relative to the corresponding wireframe side member.

4. The lumbar assembly of claim 1 wherein each hinge is provided by a weakened portion in the lumbar support band.

5. The lumbar assembly of claim 1 wherein each hinge is provided by at least one groove formed in the lumbar support band.

6. The lumbar assembly of claim 1 wherein each hinge is provided by a plurality of grooves formed in the lumbar support band.

7. The lumbar assembly of claim 1 wherein each structural enhancement is adjacent to the corresponding hinge and the attachment to the wireframe side member.

8. The lumbar assembly of claim 1 wherein the wireframe further comprises a laterally extending cross member having a central region, a pair of lateral regions extending outboard from the central region and canted relative to the central region in a fore direction, wherein the first and second side members each extend from one of the lateral regions in a direction of a seat back frame.

9. A vehicle seat comprising:

a seat back frame for supporting a back of an occupant having a pair of spaced apart side supports and at least one cross support connected to the pair of side supports;

an active head restraint system mounted to the seat back frame;

a head restraint mounted to the active head restraint system to extend from the seat back for supporting a head of the occupant; and

the lumbar assembly of claim 1 connected to the active head restraint system for receiving an input force for actuating the active head restraint system for moving the head restraint to an actuated position.

10. The vehicle seat of claim 9 wherein the active head restraint system further comprises:

an armature pivotally connected to the pair of side supports; and

a pair of posts extending from the armature for supporting the head restraint;

wherein the lumbar assembly is connected to the armature for actuating the armature in response to the input force.

11. The vehicle seat of claim 10 wherein the wireframe further comprises a pair of upright wires extending above the lumbar support band and connected to the armature.

12. The vehicle seat of claim 11 wherein the pair of upright wires extend below the lumbar support band; and

wherein the wireframe further comprises a cross wire mounted to a lower end of the upright wires, the cross wire being connected to the seat back frame to translate upward and rearward and to pivot forward upon actuation from the lumbar assembly.

13. The vehicle seat of claim 12 wherein the wireframe further comprises a laterally extending cross member having a central region, a pair of lateral regions extending outboard from the central region and canted relative to the central region in a fore direction, wherein the first and second side members each extend from one of the lateral regions in a downward direction of the seat back frame.

14. The vehicle seat of claim 13 wherein the wireframe further comprises a second pair of lateral regions extending inboard from the side members, and each connected to one of the upright wires.

15. A lumbar suspension for a vehicle seat comprising:

a wireframe for attachment to a frame of a vehicle seat, the wireframe having first and second space apart side members; and

a flexible lumbar support band having a first outboard portion affixed to the first wireframe side member, a first lateral portion extending inboard from the first outboard portion and connected to the first outboard portion offset from the first wireframe side member, a central portion connected to the first lateral portion and extending laterally across a central region of the wireframe towards the second wireframe side member, a second lateral portion connected to the central portion extending laterally towards the second wireframe side member, and a second outboard portion affixed to the second wireframe side member and connected to the second lateral portion offset from the second wireframe side member;

wherein the lumbar support band is structurally enhanced adjacent to an attachment of the corresponding outboard portion to the wireframe side member by a first segment extending in a fore/aft direction from the attachment to the wireframe side member, a second segment extending laterally from the first segment, a third segment extending in a fore/aft direction from the second segment, and a plurality of ribs extending between the first and third segments.

16. The lumbar suspension of claim 15 further comprising a cable assembly mounted to each of the outboard portions of the lumbar support band and cooperating with each of the lateral portions and the central portion for extension and retraction of the lateral portions and the central portion relative to the wireframe for providing adjustment of the lumbar assembly.

17. The lumbar suspension of claim 15 wherein the flexible lumbar support band further comprises a pair of hinges each providing the pivotal connection between one of the outboard portions and the corresponding lateral portion; and

wherein the lumbar support band is structurally enhanced between each hinge and the attachment of the corresponding outboard portion to the wireframe side member.

18. A vehicle seat comprising:

a seat back frame for supporting a back of an occupant having a pair of spaced apart side supports and at least one cross support connected to the pair of side supports;

an armature pivotally connected to the pair of side supports; and

a pair of posts extending from the armature for supporting the head restraint;

a head restraint mounted to the pair of posts to extend from the seat back for supporting a head of the occupant;

a wireframe for receiving an input force, the wireframe comprising a laterally extending cross member having a central region, a pair of lateral regions extending outboard from the central region and canted relative to the central region in a fore direction, and first and second space apart side members each extending from one of the lateral regions in a direction of a seat back frame;

a pair of upright wires extending to the armature for receiving an input force upon the wireframe and actuating the armature for moving the head restraint to an actuated position; and

a pair of overmolded connectors each connecting one of the pair of upright wires to the wireframe.

19. The vehicle seat of claim 18 wherein the wireframe further comprises a second pair of lateral regions extending inboard from the side members; and

wherein the vehicle seat further comprises:

a flexible lumbar support band having a first outboard portion overmolded upon the first wireframe side member, a first lateral portion extending inboard from the first outboard portion and connected to the first outboard portion offset from the first wireframe side member, a central portion connected to the first lateral portion and extending laterally across the central region of the wireframe towards the second wireframe side member, a second lateral portion connected to the central portion extending laterally towards the second wireframe side member, and a second outboard portion overmolded upon the second wireframe side member and connected to the second lateral portion offset from the second wireframe side member, wherein the pair of upright wires extend below the lumbar support band,

a cross wire connected to the seat back frame to translate upward and rearward and to pivot forward upon actuation from the lumbar assembly,

an overmolded connector connecting the cross wire to a lower end of the pair of upright wires, and

another pair of overmolded connectors connecting the upright wires to the second pair fo lateral regions of the wireframe.

20. The vehicle seat of claim 18 further comprising a pair of hooks each overmolded upon one of the pair of upright wires for connecting to apertures formed through the armature.