CUSHIONS COMPRISING CORE STRUCTURES HAVING JOINER RIBS AND RELATED METHODS

• US 20100223730A1
• Filed: 05/20/2010
• Published: 09/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Edizone LC (Edizone)
• Original Assignee: Edizone LC (Edizone)
• Inventors: Pearce, Terry V., Pearce, Tony M.
• Application Number:
  US12/784,381
• Publication Number:
  US 20100223730A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 5/655.500
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/144 inside the mattress or cushion
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/148 of different resilience
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/15 consisting of two or more layers A47C27/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/16 reinforced with sheet-like or rigid elements, e.g. profiled
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/20 with springs moulded in, or situated in cavities or openings in foamed material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

Cushions include a plurality of core structures wherein each core structure of the plurality of core structures is interconnected along a length thereof to at least one other core structure of the plurality of core structures. Each of the core structures may be configured as a column having a column axis. The core structures may be connected by a joiner rib. The joiner ribs may be integrally formed with the core structures. Methods of forming cushions include forming a plurality of core structures and configuring each core structure to be interconnected along at least a portion of a length thereof to at least one other core structure.

Claims

1. A cushion, comprising:

a plurality of core structures, each core structure of the plurality of core structures comprising a deformable polymer material, each core structure of the plurality of core structures configured as a column having a column axis;

wherein each core structure of the plurality of core structures is interconnected along at least a portion of a length thereof to at least one other core structure of the plurality of core structures.

2. The cushion of claim 1, wherein each core structure of the plurality of core structures is interconnected along a length thereof to at least one other core structure of the plurality of core structures by a joiner rib extending along at least a portion of a length of each core structure of the plurality of core structures.

3. The cushion of claim 2, wherein the joiner rib is integrally formed with each core structure of the plurality of core structures.

4. The cushion of claim 2, wherein the joiner rib extends along the entire length of each core structure of the plurality of core structures.

5. The cushion of claim 2, wherein the joiner rib extends along a middle portion of the length of each core structure of the plurality of core structures.

6. The cushion of claim 2, wherein the joiner rib comprises the deformable polymer material of each core structure of the plurality of core structures.

7. The cushion of claim 2, wherein each core structure comprises:

a first joiner rib extending along at least a portion of a length of the core structure on a first side of the core structure; and

a second joiner rib extending along at least a portion of the length of the core structure on an opposite second side of the core structure.

8. The cushion of claim 1, wherein the plurality of core structures comprises a plurality of lines of interconnected core structures, the core structures in each line of interconnected core structures being interconnected to at least one other core structure in the line of interconnected core structures.

9. The cushion of claim 1, wherein each core structure of the plurality of core structures is configured to buckle when compressed along the column axis of the core structure to a pressure beyond a threshold pressure level.

10. The cushion of claim 1, wherein the deformable polymer material comprises gel.

11. The cushion of claim 1, wherein the column axes of the core structures of the plurality of core structures are oriented generally parallel to one another, and the column axes of the core structures of the plurality of core structures are oriented generally perpendicular to a cushioning surface of the cushion.

12. The cushion of claim 1, wherein at least one of top ends and bottom ends of the core structures of the plurality of core structures are interconnected by at least one of fabric and a skin layer.

13. A cushion, comprising:

a plurality of core structures, each core structure of the plurality of core structures comprising a gel material, each core structure of the plurality of core structures configured as a column having a column axis, each core structure of the plurality of core structures being interconnected along at least a portion of a length thereof to at least one other core structure of the plurality of core structures by at least one joiner rib;

wherein each core structure of the plurality of core structures is configured to buckle when compressed along the column axis of the core structure to a pressure beyond a threshold pressure level.

14. The cushion of claim 13, wherein the at least one joiner rib is integrally formed with each core structure of the plurality of core structures.

15. The cushion of claim 13, wherein the plurality of core structures comprises a plurality of lines of interconnected core structures, the core structures in each line of interconnected core structures being interconnected to at least one other core structure in the line of interconnected core structures by the at least one joiner rib.

16. The cushion of claim 15, wherein the core structures in each line of interconnected core structures are staggered.

17. The cushion of claim 13, wherein the at least one joiner rib comprises:

a first joiner rib extending along at least a portion of a length of a first core structure of the plurality of core structures on a first side of the first core structure, the first joiner rib connecting the first core structure to a second core structure of the plurality of core structures; and

a second joiner rib extending along at least a portion of the length of the first core structure on an opposite second side of the first core structure, the second joiner rib connecting the first core structure to a third core structure of the plurality of core structures.

18. The cushion of claim 13, wherein the column axes of the core structures of the plurality of core structures are oriented generally parallel to one another, and the column axes of the core structures of the plurality of core structures are oriented perpendicular to a cushioning surface of the cushion.

19. The cushion of claim 18, wherein the at least one joiner rib extends between core structures of the plurality of core structures in a direction generally parallel with the cushioning surface.

20. A method of forming a cushion, comprising:

forming a plurality of core structures each comprising a deformable polymer material and configured as a column having a column axis; and

configuring each core structure of the plurality of core structures to be interconnected along at least a portion of a length thereof to at least one other core structure of the plurality of core structures by a joiner rib.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein configuring each core structure of the plurality of core structures to be interconnected along at least a portion of a length thereof to at least one other core structure of the plurality of core structures comprises configuring each core structure of the plurality of core structures to be integrally interconnected along at least a portion of a length thereof to at least one other core structure of the plurality of core structures by an integral joiner rib.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

orienting the column axes of the core structures of the plurality of core structures generally parallel to one another; and

orienting the column axes of the core structures of the plurality of core structures perpendicular to a cushioning surface of the cushion.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising integrally forming the joiner rib with at least two core structures of the plurality of core structures.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising forming the plurality of core structures to comprise a plurality of lines of interconnected core structures by interconnecting the core structures in each line of interconnected core structures to at least one other core structure in the line of interconnected core structures with the integral joiner rib.

25. The method of claim 20, further comprising configuring each core structure of the plurality of core structures to buckle when compressed along a column axis of the core structure to a pressure beyond a threshold pressure level.

26. The method of claim 20, further comprising selecting the deformable polymer material to comprise gel.

27. The method of claim 20, further comprising interconnecting at least one of top ends and bottom ends of the core structures of the plurality of core structures using at least one of fabric and a skin layer.