Flexible substrate assembly and associated furniture using the same

A chair assembly, comprising:

• a seat member, a back support member with an optional headrest, an optional left arm, an optional right arm, a floor-engaging base member which may form part of a frame assembly, a left side, a right side, a front side, and a back side;
• a flexible substrate assembly, wherein the flexible substrate assembly comprises a plurality of rigid or semi-rigid ribs, wherein each one of the plurality of rigid or semi-rigid ribs include a length, a left end and a right end, and a flexible substrate member having an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the flexible substrate member is over-molded onto at least a portion of the plurality of rigid or semi-rigid ribs such that the left end and the right end of each one of the plurality of rigid or semi-rigid ribs are not over-molded with the flexible substrate member;
• wherein the flexible substrate assembly is flexible and articulable along a first axis that is orthogonal to the length of each one of the plurality of rigid or semi-rigid ribs, but non-flexible and non-articulable along a second axis that is orthogonal to the first axis;
• wherein the seat member and the back support member comprise the flexible substrate assembly;
• wherein the flexible substrate assembly of the seat member is displaceable between a non-extended configuration and an extended configuration proximate a front end thereof;
• and
• wherein the flexible substrate assembly of the back support member is displaceable between a non-extended configuration and an extended configuration proximate an upper end thereof.

A chair assembly, comprising:

• a seat member, a back support member with an optional headrest, an optional left arm, an optional right arm, a floor-engaging base member which may form part of a frame assembly, a left side, a right side, a front side, and a back side;
• a flexible substrate assembly, wherein the flexible substrate assembly comprises a plurality of rigid or semi-rigid ribs, wherein each one of the plurality of rigid or semi-rigid ribs include a length, a left end and a right end, and a flexible substrate member having an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the flexible substrate member is over-molded onto at least a portion of the plurality of rigid or semi-rigid ribs such that the left end and the right end of each one of the plurality of rigid or semi-rigid ribs are not over-molded with the flexible substrate member, and wherein the left end and the right end of each one of the plurality of rigid or semi-rigid ribs are positioned within channels of guide plates;
• wherein the flexible substrate assembly is flexible and articulable along a first axis that is orthogonal to the length of each one of the plurality of rigid or semi-rigid ribs, but non-flexible and non-articulable along a second axis that is orthogonal to the first axis;
• wherein the seat member and the back support member comprise the flexible substrate assembly;
• wherein the flexible substrate assembly of the seat member is displaceable between a non-extended configuration and an extended configuration proximate a front end thereof;
• and
• wherein the flexible substrate assembly of the back support member is displaceable between a non-extended configuration and an extended configuration proximate an upper end thereof.