US Patent 10058185 Thermoplastic chair flexor

A seating structure employing a thermoplastic flexor defining the flexibility and stiffness of a seatback is provided. The seating structure may comprise a seat portion for supporting a user, a seatback portion for supporting a user, a frame for supporting the seat portion and the seatback portion, one or more base portions extending at an angle from the seatback portion, and one or more thermoplastic flexors affixed to or within the seatback and base portions of the seating structure. The thermoplastic flexor has certain material characteristics which define and limit the deflection and a rebound of the seatback portion relative to the base portion when under load. The seating structure may further comprise one or more anchors securing the seatback portion, base portion, and thermoplastic flexor to the frame. The seat portion, seatback portion, and base portion may comprise a unibody or multipiece chair shell, and the thermoplastic flexor may be completely enveloped within the shell, or partially disposed behind the shell in a nested mechanical relationship.