WO2021096386A1 - Device for accommodating a person in a vehicle (seat), automatically adjusting to the size and shape of the user's body - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to seats on vehicles, furnishings on vehicles, furnishings, medical furnishings, work furnishings and household soft furnishings. The invention allows a person to be accommodated with a greater degree of comfort. The invention makes it possible to automatically adjust the seat to conform to the size and shape of a user's body.

Description

A device for placing a person in a vehicle (chair), automatically adjusting to the size and shape of the user's body

Description of the invention

1. Name of the invention: "A device for placing a person in a vehicle (chair), automatically adjusting to the size and shape of the user's body."

2. Field of technology.

The invention relates to vehicle chairs, vehicle furniture, work furniture, medical furniture, home upholstered furniture.

3. State of the art.

Today, vehicle seat designs are known with adjustments to adjust the size and shape of the seat in accordance with the size and shape of the user's body, such as:

-Adjusting the shift of the chair forward or backward,

-Adjusting lumbar support,

-Adjusting the backrest tilt forward or backward,

-Adjusting the height of the seat,

-Adjusting the seat tilt forward or backward,

-Adjusting the length of the seat by means of a retractable thigh support, -Adjusting the length of the back by adjusting the height of the headrest,

-Adjustment of the headrest in depth,

-Use of inflatable elements in the chair structure (see https://www.popmech.ru/vehicles/416372-chto-pryachetsya-v-kreslah-mercedes- benz-s-klassa /)

These known solutions do not allow precise adjustment of the shape of the chair in accordance with the parameters of the user's body, since they do not allow changing the shape of the chair as a whole, but only allow changing the parameters of individual structural elements of the chair in a narrow range (such as the size of the lumbar support, extension of the popliteal support or headrest height and depth).

Also known is the solution (https://signsign.ru/blog/2012/07/16/gonochnye-sideniya.html) used in racing cars, when the seat is made individually according to a cast of the body of a particular racer. In contrast to the present invention, this solution does not allow adjusting the seat to another passenger, which is necessary for normal use of vehicles and other public transport. There is a known solution (https: //ru/wikipedia.org/wiki/BHH63r), used in upholstered furniture, called a "chair-bag", or "bean-bag", which is the closest analogue of this invention, but, in contrast from the present invention, this solution does not allow a certain shape to be fixed, so that the elements of the seat can be used as support when accelerating the vehicle or in order to lean on the seat to change the position of the body.

In addition, the known solutions do not allow automatic adjustment of the chair in accordance with the size and shape of the user's body.

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SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) in order to control and maintain the correct posture of the user and thus provide the user with better health and greater safety.

For the invention according to claim 4 of the formula, the closest analogue is the Russian application 2018120825 dated 06/05/2018, the author Lukashev P.A. This invention differs from the analogue in that it provides the ability to adjust the amount of filler, which increases the possibilities of adjustments and settings. Disclosure of the essence of the invention.

The object of the invention is to provide vehicle seats that provide the user with greater convenience, health and safety. In the modern world, people use transport regularly, many people spend several hours in transport every day, sitting in armchairs in a forced position. This is becoming a significant factor affecting human health. If the chair does not match the size and shape of the user's body, then the user is in the chair in an uncomfortable, anatomically incorrect posture with poor posture. At the same time, even if the chair can be adjusted so that the user's posture is anatomically correct, users rarely know how to do this, especially if it is not about their own car. Prolonged stay in a posture with poor posture leads to numerous health problems. To solve this problem, the authors consider it necessary:

1. Provide the ability to adjust the chair according to the size and shape of the user's body to maintain the correct posture and ergonomically correct position for the user.

2. Provide the ability to automatically adjust the chair.

A method that the authors believe can be applied to address the problem of maintaining correct posture for users is that the seat control system should offer the user an automatic adjustment to ensure correct posture and positioning. The proposed parameters can be changed at the request of the user, if the user has not made any changes, the parameters set automatically remain.

The technical result of the invention is the ability to automatically adjust the position and shape of the chair to ensure the anatomically and ergonomically correct seating position of the user.

To achieve this technical result in the design of the chair, in addition to the known technical solutions (mechanisms with electric drives, allowing to set, maintain and change the amount of seat shift forward or backward relative to the front footrest or pedal assembly of the car, seat height, seat tilt angle relative to the vehicle floor , the angle between the seat and the back of the chair), new technical solutions have been applied. Namely:

1. The seat and back of the chair are given the ability to adjust the length in accordance with the length of the back and hips of the user. At the same time, this solution, in contrast to the known ones, such as adjusting the height of the headrest or the distance of the thigh support, allows for a continuous adherence of the body to the chair.

2. The seat and back of the chair are reshaped for precise adjustment to the shape and size of the user's body to ensure correct posture. This is achieved through the use of

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SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) technology of transformable soft furniture elements with regulation of the amount of filler (item 4 of this application), pneumatic support system for the user's spine, lateral support system for the user's torso (item 6 of this application), support system for the user's head, pneumatic support system for the user's legs.

3. The dental chair control device has a function to automatically detect the dental chair settings. This is achieved through automatic remote measurement of the user's body size using 2 video cameras and a computer video processing device that selects objects in the video image and determines the size of these objects using a formula expressing the relationship between the size of the object, the size of the object's image, the distance to the object and the focal length of the camera lens ... The distance from the cameras to the object is determined using ultrasonic positioning sensors. Also, using ultrasonic positioning sensors, the settings of the user's pneumatic spine support system, the user's lateral torso support system, the user's pneumatic head support system, and the user's pneumatic leg support system are determined. Brief description of the drawings.

The drawings are shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 6.

FIG. 1 shows an assembled chair (1), shows its parts: seat (2), back (3), shows the possible installation locations of video cameras with ultrasonic positioning sensors in the outer (4) and inner (5) rear-view mirrors.

FIG. 2 shows the rigid base of the chair (frame). Parts marked back (6), seat (7), retractable backrest (8), retractable seat

(10), hinges and folding and unfolding mechanisms connecting the back and seat (9).

FIG. 3 shows the arrangement of the backrest soft elements.

Legend:

(11) - the central part of the back,

(12) - movable lateral support pillows for the user's torso,

(13) - soft belts for adjusting the height of the lateral support pillows of the user's torso,

(14) - reels of winding belts, driven by digitally controlled electric motors,

(15) - side parts of the back,

(16) - pneumatic elements of the user's spine support system,

(17) - ultrasonic sensors that determine the distance to the user's head and spine,

(18) - user neck support roller,

(19) - pneumatic element to support the user's neck,

(20) - pneumatic element for adjusting the angle of inclination of the user's head,

(21) - user's head support pillow,

(22) - fillable elements to support the user's shoulders.

FIG. 4 shows the arrangement of the soft elements of the seat.

Legend:

(23) - the main body of the seat cushion supporting the user's pelvis and hips,

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SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) (24) - a retractable part of the seat cushion that supports the knees and lower legs of the user,

(25) - pneumatic elements for supporting the user's pelvis,

(26) - pneumatic elements to support the user's thighs,

(27) - pneumatic elements to support the user's shins,

(28) - Refillable hip and knee support elements of the user.

FIG. 5 shows the device of transformable soft elements according to claim 4 of the formula.

Legend:

(29) - transformable soft element,

(30) - a container containing a stock of filler,

(31) - inlet from the air pump to the container,

(32) - inlet for the filler from the container,

(33) - inlet from the air pump to the transformable soft element,

(34) - entrance for filler into a transformable soft element,

(35) - electric air damper,

(36) - motorized damper that allows you to close or open the movement of air and filler,

(37) - electric air damper,

(38) - motorized damper that allows you to close or open the movement of air and filler,

(39) - electric air damper,

(40) - exit to the vehicle air preparation system,

(41) - a fan driven by an electric motor, which allows both pumping air out of the transformable soft element and pumping air into the transformable soft element,

(42) - a fan driven by an electric motor, which allows both to evacuate air from the container (30) and to pump air into the container,

(43) - granular elastic filler.

FIG. 6 shows the device for lateral support of the user's body according to claim 6 of the formula.

Legend:

(44) - backrest frame,

(45) - pneumatic elements of the lateral support cushion,

(46) - reels of winding belts, driven by digitally controlled electric motors,

(47) - electromagnets,

(48) - magnetic pad. Implementation of the invention.

Implementation of the invention according to claim 1 and claim 2 of the formula. To achieve the technical result, a device (chair) (1) in FIG. 1, consisting of parts: seat (2), back (3), which consist of elements of a rigid base (frame), to which soft elements (cushions) are attached. The elements of the seat frame and backrest are interconnected by means of hinge assemblies (9) in FIG. 2 and an electric folding and unfolding mechanism that allows you to set, maintain and change the angle between the seat and back in the range from 90 degrees to 180 degrees. The design of the folding and unfolding mechanism belongs to the known technical solutions, therefore, this invention is not considered in detail. The seat frame is connected to the vehicle body

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SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) means by means of mechanisms with electric drives, allowing to set, maintain and change the height of the seat, the angle of inclination of the seat relative to the floor of the vehicle, the amount of seat displacement forward or backward relative to the user's footrest. These mechanisms also relate to known technical solutions and are not discussed in detail in this invention. The material from which the parts of the chair frame are made must have high strength properties with a low specific gravity; as an option for such a material, a composite material based on carbon fiber is proposed. In order to ensure the possibility of changing the length of the seat and back of the chair, their frames have retractable elements. FIG. 2 shows a pull-out element (10) of the seat frame and a pull-out element (8) of the back frame. The movement of the sliding elements is carried out by screw-ball mechanisms with electric drives. On the frames of the seat and backrest, soft elements of the seat (23), (24), backrest (I), (15), head part (18), (19), (20), (21) are fixed, which are made using the technology of transformable soft elements with regulation of the amount of filler (item 4 of this application) are elastic soft airtight shells filled with granules of elastic filler, also containing systems for supporting the user's spine (16), lateral support for the user's torso (12), supporting the user's head (20), (21), supporting the user's legs (25), (26), (27). The retractable elements of the seat frame and backrest are equipped with inflatable soft elements for supporting the user's hips and knees (28), inflatable soft elements for supporting the user's shoulders (22), made using the technology of transformable soft elements with regulation of the amount of filler. At the same time, these parts of the soft elements of the seat and backrest are emptied from the elastic filler granules with a decrease in the length of the seat and backrest, or filled with elastic filler granules with an increase in the length of the seat and back, using a pneumatic filler transport system.

The device works as follows.

When the device is turned on and the mode of automatic adjustment to the user is turned on, the video camera (4) is turned on by pressing a special button for selecting a seat, which the user must press when choosing a seat in a large interior of a vehicle or in a room, the device can be turned on with the same button. Alternatively, an automatic mode of operation of the device and user identification can be realized using, for example, a motion sensor, the choice depends on the design of the installation site of the device. For a car, a mode can be implemented when the device is turned on when the door is opened, while cameras (4), together with ultrasonic distance sensors, can be located in the mirror housings and be directed to the door zones. For the device to work, it is necessary for the user to get into the shooting area of the video camera (4) in full growth. After receiving the user's video image (the minimum number of frames for customizing per user may be 1, but depending on the video processing algorithm used, more frames may be used, for example, to improve accuracy), the video image processing device first extracts the user's image in the frame. Algorithms for processing video images that allow you to do this, today

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SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) are known. These algorithms are not the subject of this application, so they are not described in detail here. You can indicate that the attributes by which this or that pixel of the frame can be attributed to the elements of the background or the user's image can be 1. Distance to the pixel (determined by the ultrasonic distance sensor) 2. Illumination. After determining the pixels of the user's image in the frame, the image processing device calculates the dimensions of the user's body, according to which the chair will be adjusted. The user's body size is calculated by the device using a formula that expresses the relationship between the size of the object, the size of the object's image, the distance to the object and the focal length of the camera lens. It is important to configure the device to determine the points in the image, between which the size is measured, in order to calculate the size of the object. To adjust the chair, the user needs such body dimensions as the distance from the tailbone to the crown of the user's head (to adjust the length of the back of the chair and the height of the seat), the distance from the tailbone to the popliteal folds (to adjust the length of the seat), the length of the shins in shoes from the knee to the heels ( for adjusting the backward shift of the seat relative to the front footrest or pedal assembly), arm length (for adjusting the steering column), width of the user's torso in the upper pelvis in the iliac region (for adjusting the pneumatic lateral torso support). The more sophisticated the algorithm will be used to determine these dimensions, the higher the possible accuracy of the settings will be. The minimum necessary for the operation of the device is an algorithm that allows you to determine the height of the user. To do this, pixels with the minimum and maximum ordinates are selected on the user's image and the distance between them along the ordinate is calculated, then the height of the user H is calculated using the formula. Further, to adjust the chair, it is taken:

1. The distance from the tailbone to the crown of the user's head (back length) = 4 / 7.5 N

2. The distance from the tailbone to the popliteal folds (seat length) = 2 / 7.5 N

3. Leg length = 2 / 7.5 N

4. Arm length = 3 / 7.5 N

5. The width of the trunk in the region of the ilium = 1.4 / 7.5 N.

Other, more advanced algorithms can be used to calculate the size of the user.

The chair position adjustments are made further according to the standards for the optimal position of the user. For drivers, these standards, for example, are studied in driving schools. The values for some parameters (for cars, for example, seat height) are set depending on the specific vehicle model, the location and functionality of the chair, or the specific project of the workplace (if the chair is part of the equipment of the workplace in the building). The control device calculates the height of the seat, the angle of inclination of the seat to the floor, the shift of the seat back relative to the user's front footrest, the angle of inclination of the backrest, and transmits commands to the electric drives according to the given standards. At the same time, in order to control the position of the chair, the control system must receive data from position sensors in digital form and be able to save the settings data. Today, there are technical solutions that allow you to do this, therefore, this issue is not considered in detail in this application.

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SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) According to a predetermined algorithm, the control device, based on the data received from the video camera, calculates the length of the back and seat and sends commands to the actuator ball-screw drives for extending the seat (10] and back (8] elements. (22) and (28). Next, preparation is made for adjusting the soft elements of the seat for the user. For this, first, using air pumps, air is injected into the soft elastic airtight shells of the soft elements of the seat and back and the head part until a pressure of 2% is reached. The device is then ready to receive the user.

Further, when the user is seated in the chair, the video camera (5), together with the ultrasonic distance sensor, records video from the front of the seated user. The ultrasonic sensors of the chair (17) determine the distance to the user's body (the ultrasonic sensors of the chair for determining the distance are adjusted to the solid elements of the user's body: skull bones, vertebrae, pelvic bones, femurs). The data collection control first checks whether the seat length has been set correctly. If necessary, issues a command to correct the length of the seat. Further, if the seat length adjustment is correct, the control device instructs the air pump of the seat cushion to evacuate the soft elastic airtight seat shell to create a vacuum to secure the seat shape adjustment to the user's body shape. Further, the control device checks, according to the readings of the sensors, whether the length of the back of the chair is correctly set. If necessary, the control device issues a command to the electric drive for adjusting the length of the back of the chair to correct the length of the back of the chair so that the center of the neck support roller is under the 4th cervical vertebra of the user. Next, the pneumatic system for supporting the user's spine is configured. According to the algorithm, the control device calculates the pressure parameters for the pneumatic elements of the user's spine support system and issues commands to the compressor system and solenoid valves of the switching system of the pneumatic spine support system, the pneumatic elements of the system (16) are filled in accordance with the calculated parameters, sequentially, starting from the bottom. After filling the upper active pneumatic element of the spine support system, the pneumatic element (20) for adjusting the position of the user's head is filled to ensure the vertical position of the head soft element (21). Next, the user's trunk lateral support system is configured. The control device according to the data of the video camera (5), the ultrasonic distance sensor, the ultrasonic sensors of the chair (17) determines the width of the user's torso in the zone of lateral support of the torso and, according to the algorithm that links the width of the user's torso and the settings of the lateral support system of the user's torso, determines the height and width of the installation the user's trunk lateral support cushions (12), which pneumatic elements are filled and the inflation pressure, and transmits commands to the electric motors (14), (46), the compressor system and the solenoid valves of the switching system of the user's lateral torso pneumatic system. Further, upon completion of the adjustment of the user's torso lateral support system, the control device issues a command to the air

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SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) the backrest cushion pump to evacuate the soft, elastic, airtight backrest shell to create a vacuum to secure the backrest adjustment to the user's body shape. The chair user setup is now complete.

Implementation of the invention according to claim 3 of the formula.

To maintain the health and performance of the user during a long stay in the chair, the authors consider the most important factor to ensure blood circulation and prevent blood stagnation in all parts of the body. To this end, the chair is designed to maintain the correct posture of the user, which improves blood flow to the body. But with a long stay, this alone is not enough. To improve blood circulation and prevent blood stagnation, the chair needs to move with the user's body. The technical result will be the performance of the chair of constant micromovements, coordinated with the body of the user and preventing blood stagnation. To improve the blood supply to the user's body, the authors suggest adjusting the chair systems in accordance with the rhythm of the user's body, in particular, with the breathing rhythm. For this purpose, a contact-type breathing sensor (known in medical technology) is placed in the back of the chair. Further, by analogy with a living body, a mode is set for the soft elements of the chair when they expand and contract, like parts of a living body, during breathing and blood pulsation. For this, for the pneumatic elements of the chair, the control device with a period coordinated with the user's breathing period sets the pulsation mode, cyclical pressure increase and decrease within the specified values, for example, + - 10%. The very design of the pressure maintenance systems, which makes it possible to create such a pulsation, belongs to the known technical solutions, therefore, it is not considered in this invention. The specific figures, the most effective, of the pressure pulsation settings for the various pneumatic elements of the chair must be selected empirically. Thus, the chair, together with the user's body, undergoes constant micromovements that prevent blood stagnation (clause 3 of the formula). Implementation of the invention according to claim 4 and claim 5.

The structure of the transformable soft elements is shown in FIG. 6. The device works as follows. When it is necessary to add filler (43) from the container with a supply (30) to the transformable soft element (29), the flaps (35), (36), (37), (38), (39) are opened, the fan (42) is turned on and pumps air from the atmosphere or from the preparation system (filtration, dehumidification, heating) of the vehicle air into the container (30) and creates an increased air pressure in it at the inlet (31). The fan (41) turns on and evacuates air from the transformable soft element (29), creating a reduced air pressure in the transformable soft element (29). As a result, when the shutters (36) and (38) are open, air will begin to move together with the filler granules from the zone of increased pressure in the container (30) to the zone of reduced pressure in the transformable soft element (29). The air entering the transformable soft element (29) is separated from the filler granules by means of a separation device (mesh) at the outlet (33) and is again pumped out by the fan (41), while the filler granules remain in the transformable soft element (29). When it is necessary to reduce the amount of filler in the transformable soft element (29) and move the excess filler into the container (30), open

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SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) dampers (35), (36), (37), (38), (39), fan (41) turns on and pumps air from the atmosphere or from the system of preparation (filtration, dehumidification, heating) of vehicle air into a transformable soft element ( 29) and creates an increased air pressure in it at the inlet (33). The fan (42) turns on and evacuates air from the container (30), creating a reduced air pressure in the container (30). As a result, when the shutters (36) and (38) are open, air will begin to move along with the filler granules from the zone of increased pressure in the transformable soft element (29) to the zone of reduced pressure in the container (30). The air entering the container (30) is separated from the filler granules by means of a separation device (mesh) at the outlet (31) and is pumped out again by the fan (42), while the filler granules remain in the container (30). When the transformable soft element (29) is sufficiently filled, the flaps (35), (36), (38) are closed. To adjust the amount of air in the transformable soft element (29), the flap (37) is opened and the fan (41) either pumps air into the transformable soft element (29) to be able to adjust to the shape of the user's body, or pumps out air from the transformable soft element (29) for creating a vacuum and fixing the resulting shape. Thus, the technical result is achieved: the amount of filler in the transformable soft element is regulated, and the transformable soft element is adjusted to the shape of the user's body.

Implementation of the invention according to claim 6 of the formula.

The user's torso lateral support device is shown in FIG. 6. The device works as follows. Based on the commands received from the seat control device, the digitally controlled electric motors (46) wind on or from the reels of the belts (13) so that the cushions (12) move to a predetermined position in the height and width of the back (44) of the chair ... In the variant of using the structure with electromagnets (clause 8 of the formula), after adjusting the pillows (12), they are fixed in the selected position when the electromagnets (47) are turned on on a pad of magnetic material (48). Further, by adjusting the pressure in the pneumatic elements (45), the filling of the lateral support cushions is adjusted. Thus, the technical result is achieved: the lateral support cushions are located in the right places along the height and width of the back of the chair and their fullness is adjusted.

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SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26)

Claims

Device for placing a person in a vehicle (chair) automatically adjusting to the size and shape of the user's body 1. A device for accommodating a person in a vehicle (chair), consisting of parts: a seat, a backrest containing a rigid base (frame), including electric drives that allow you to adjust the position of the chair in height, adjust the position of the chair by sliding forward or backward, adjust the seat tilt forward or backward, adjust the backrest forward or backward, characterized in that the design of the seat and backrest allows you to adjust their length, the seat and backrest contain transformable soft elements (cushions) that can be adjusted to the shape of the user's body, a pneumatic support system for the user's spine, a system of lateral support for the user's torso, a pneumatic system for supporting the user's head, a pneumatic system for supporting the user's legs, a compressor system, the device contains a video camera placed on the chair or near the chair, which takes video recording of an approaching user, a video camera placed in front of the chair m, which performs video recording of a seated user, connected to an image processing device that allows you to select and classify objects in the image and determine the size of objects, contains ultrasound sensors located in the back that allow you to determine the distance to the user's body, contains a contact-type breathing sensor that allows you to adjust the operation of the chair coordinated with the user's breathing, contains a control device that allows the chair to automatically adjust in accordance with the shape and size of the user's body for convenience and safety. 2. A method for automatically adjusting the device for accommodating a person (chair) in accordance with the size and shape of the user's body, which consists in the fact that first the dimensions of the user's body are determined by the control device of the chair when the user approaches the chair using a video camera placed on the chair or near the chair, taking pictures of approaching objects, connected to a video processing device that selects objects in the video image and determines the size of these objects according to the formula expressing the relationship between the size of the object, the size of the image, the distance to the object, and the focal length of the camera lens, then, when the user is seated in the chair, the chair control device according to the formula expressing the relationship between the user's body size and the adjustment parameters, calculates the parameters and sends commands to the adjustment electric drives - seat length - back length - seat height - seat tilt -shifting the seat forward or backward (distances to the pedal assembly or front footrest) 10 SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) - backrest tilt -adjustments of the steering column in length and height [in the case of a driver's seat of a car), then the control device specifies the shape of the user's body using a video camera placed in front of the seat and filming the user sitting in the seat, Uz-sensors in the back of the seat, and generates commands for the systems lateral support of the user's torso and head and the pneumatic support system for the user's spine, then the transformable soft elements of the chair are adjusted. 3. The method of micromassage of the user's body in the chair according to claim 1, wherein the pressure pulsation (cyclical increase and decrease within preset values) in the pneumatic elements of the chair is set in a rhythm consistent with the user's breathing. 4. The device of transformable soft furniture elements containing a soft airtight outer shell filled with granules of elastic material, an air pump that allows both to inject air into the outer shell and to pump out air from the outer shell, shut-off devices (air valves) to block the access of air from the outside into the outer shell in one position and open air access in another position, characterized in that it contains a container with a reserve of reserve filler, a pneumatic system that allows the filler to be transported from the stock to the inside of the outer shell or from the outer shell to the stock. 5. A method of controlling the fullness of the transformable soft furniture elements according to claim 4 by adjusting the amount of filler using pneumatic conveying. 6. Device for lateral support of the user's torso in the chair, containing lateral support cushions, inflatable elements, characterized in that for more precise adjustment in accordance with the shape of the user's body, the cushions during adjustment can move along the back of the chair in the up-down and to the middle to the sides ”by means of a system of soft belts wound on reels, driven by digitally controlled electric motors. 7. The device according to claim 6, wherein the lateral support cushions can only move in up-down directions. 8. The device according to claim. 6, where the lateral support cushions contain electromagnets, and the back of the chair is made of magnetic metal for better fixation of the cushions in the selected position. 9. The device according to claim 6, where the lateral support cushions are made using the technology of transformable soft elements (claim 4 of this application). eleven SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26)