MULTI-WALLED GELASTIC MATTRESS SYSTEM
First Claim
1. A gelastic cushion comprisingA. a first set of buckling walls(i) made of a first gelastic material having a first triblock polymer of the general configuration A-B-A and a first plasticizer;
- (ii) define a first opening area,(iii) are the tallest walls in the gelastic cushion with a first height ranging from the first set of buckling walls'"'"' bottom surface to the first set of buckling walls'"'"' top surface,(iv) have a first width that allows the first set of buckling walls to buckle, when a force is applied at the first set of buckling walls'"'"' top surface to the first set of buckling walls, into the first opening area or into(a) an adjacent second opening and/or(b) exterior to the perimeter of the gelastic cushion;
B. a second buckling wall(i) made of a second gelastic material having a second triblock polymer of the general configuration A-B-A and a second plasticizer;
(ii) positioned within the first opening area,(iii) interconnects to(a) a first wall of the first set of buckling walls at a first interconnection area that extends from the first set of buckling walls'"'"' bottom surface a distance greater than zero along the first wall toward the first set of buckling walls'"'"' top surface and(b) a second wall of the first set of buckling walls at a second interconnection area that extends from the first set of buckling walls'"'"' bottom surface a distance greater than zero along the second wall toward the first set of buckling walls'"'"' top surface wherein the first interconnection area is diametrical to the second interconnection area;
(iv) has a second height, which is less than the first height of the first set of buckling walls and the difference between the first height of the first set of buckling walls and the second height of the second buckling wall is a first differential distance; and
(v) has a second width that allows the second buckling wall to buckle into the first opening area if the force applied to the first set of buckling walls buckles the first set of buckling walls a distance greater than the first differential distance.
16 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention is directed to a gelastic cushion. The gelastic cushion is made from a conventional gelastic composition. The gelastic cushion has a structure having a first wall that defines an opening area and buckles when a force is applied to the first wall. When the first wall buckles a predetermined amount, a second wall, interconnected to the first wall, also buckles. The second wall decreases the chance that the first wall bottoms out. Bottoming out increases the pressure on the patient (a.k.a., the force) overlying the gelastic cushion. That increased pressure is undesirable.
111 Citations
35 Claims
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1. A gelastic cushion comprising
A. a first set of buckling walls (i) made of a first gelastic material having a first triblock polymer of the general configuration A-B-A and a first plasticizer; -
(ii) define a first opening area, (iii) are the tallest walls in the gelastic cushion with a first height ranging from the first set of buckling walls'"'"' bottom surface to the first set of buckling walls'"'"' top surface, (iv) have a first width that allows the first set of buckling walls to buckle, when a force is applied at the first set of buckling walls'"'"' top surface to the first set of buckling walls, into the first opening area or into (a) an adjacent second opening and/or (b) exterior to the perimeter of the gelastic cushion; B. a second buckling wall (i) made of a second gelastic material having a second triblock polymer of the general configuration A-B-A and a second plasticizer; (ii) positioned within the first opening area, (iii) interconnects to (a) a first wall of the first set of buckling walls at a first interconnection area that extends from the first set of buckling walls'"'"' bottom surface a distance greater than zero along the first wall toward the first set of buckling walls'"'"' top surface and (b) a second wall of the first set of buckling walls at a second interconnection area that extends from the first set of buckling walls'"'"' bottom surface a distance greater than zero along the second wall toward the first set of buckling walls'"'"' top surface wherein the first interconnection area is diametrical to the second interconnection area; (iv) has a second height, which is less than the first height of the first set of buckling walls and the difference between the first height of the first set of buckling walls and the second height of the second buckling wall is a first differential distance; and (v) has a second width that allows the second buckling wall to buckle into the first opening area if the force applied to the first set of buckling walls buckles the first set of buckling walls a distance greater than the first differential distance. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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16. A gelastic cushion comprising:
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a head section, a foot section and a torso/pelvic section made of a gelastic material having a triblock polymer of the general configuration A-B-A and a plasticizer; the torso/pelvic section contains a first gelastic structure having A. a first set of buckling walls (i) define a first opening area, (ii) are the tallest walls in the gelastic cushion with a first height ranging from the first set of the buckling walls'"'"' bottom surface to the first set of buckling walls'"'"' top surface, (iv) have a first width that allows the first set of buckling walls to buckle, when a force is applied at the first set of buckling walls'"'"' top surface to the first set of buckling walls, into the first opening area or into (a) an adjacent second opening and/or (b) exterior to the perimeter of the gelastic cushion; B. a second wall (i) positioned within the first opening area, (ii) interconnects to (a) a first interconnection area that extends from the first set of buckling walls'"'"' bottom surface a distance greater than zero along the first wall toward the first set of buckling walls'"'"' top surface and (b) a second interconnection area that extends from the first set of buckling walls'"'"' bottom surface a distance greater than zero along the first wall toward the first set of buckling walls'"'"' top surface wherein the first interconnection area is diametrical to the second interconnection area; (iii) has a second height, which is less than the first height of the first set of buckling walls and the difference between the first height of the first set of buckling walls and second height of the second wall is a first differential distance; (iv) has a second width that allows the second wall to buckle into the first opening area if the force applied to the first set of buckling walls buckles the first set of buckling walls a distance greater than the first differential distance; and the head section and the foot section contain a second gelastic structure having a fourth set of buckling walls that (i) define a second opening area, (ii) has a fourth height that is shorter than the first height of the first set of buckling walls, (iii) a fourth width that allows the fourth wall to buckle, when a force is applied to the fourth wall, into the second opening area or into (a) an adjacent second opening area, (b) the first opening area and/or (c) exterior to the perimeter of the gelastic structure; wherein the fourth wall and the first wall have top surfaces that are planar with each other. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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19. A method to produce a gelastic cushion comprising:
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A. selecting a mold material; B. cutting the mold material to create a gelastic structure having (1) a first set of buckling walls (i) define a first opening area, (ii) are the tallest walls in the gelastic cushion with a first height ranging from the first set of buckling walls'"'"' bottom surface to the first set of buckling walls'"'"' top surface, (iii) have a first width that allows the first set of buckling walls to buckle, when a force is applied at the first set of buckling walls'"'"' top surface to the first set of buckling walls, into the first opening area or into (a) an adjacent second opening and/or (b) exterior to the perimeter of the gelastic cushion; (2) a second wall (i) positioned within the first opening area, (ii) interconnects to (a) a first interconnection area that extends from the first set of buckling walls'"'"' bottom surface a distance greater than zero along the first wall toward the first set of buckling walls'"'"' top surface and (b) a second interconnection area that extends from the first set of buckling walls'"'"' bottom surface a distance greater than zero along the first wall toward the first set of buckling walls'"'"' top surface wherein the first interconnection area is diametrical to the second interconnection area; (iii) has a second height, which is less than the first height of the first set of buckling walls and the difference between the first height of the first set of buckling walls and second height of the second wall is a first differential distance; (iv) has a second width that allows the second wall to buckle into the first opening area if the force applied to the first set of buckling walls buckles the first set of buckling walls a distance greater than the first differential distance; C. pouring a gelastic material into the mold to form the gelastic cushion. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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33. A method to produce a gelastic cushion comprising:
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A. selecting a first mold material, and cutting the first mold material to create a first set of buckling walls (i) define a first opening area, (ii) are the tallest walls in the gelastic cushion with a first height ranging from the first set of buckling walls'"'"' bottom surface to the first set of buckling walls'"'"' top surface, (iii) have a first width that allows the first set of buckling walls to buckle, when a force is applied at the first set of buckling walls'"'"' top surface to the first set of buckling walls, into the first opening area or into (a) an adjacent second opening and/or (b) exterior to the perimeter of the gelastic cushion; and (iv) forms a first interconnection area that extends from the first set of buckling walls'"'"' bottom surface a distance greater than zero along the first wall toward the first set of buckling walls'"'"' top surface and a second interconnection area that extends from the first set of buckling walls'"'"' bottom surface a distance greater than zero along the first wall toward the first set of buckling walls'"'"' top surface wherein the first interconnection area is diametrical to the second interconnection area; B. selecting a second mold material, and cutting the second mold material to create a second wall that (i) is positioned within the first opening area, (ii) has a first interconnection projection that fits within the first interconnection area and a second interconnection projection that fits within the second interconnection area (iii) has a second height, which is less than the first height of the first set of buckling walls and the difference between the first height of the first set of buckling walls and second height of the second wall is a first differential distance; (iv) has a second width that allows the second wall to buckle into the first opening area if the force applied to the first set of buckling walls buckles the first set of buckling walls a distance greater than the first differential distance; C. pouring a first gelastic material into the first mold to form the first set of buckling walls and a second gelastic material into the second mold to form the second wall; D. interconnecting the first set of buckling walls to the second wall.
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34. A gelastic cushion comprising:
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a head section, a foot section, a thigh section and a torso/pelvic section that are defined on the left by a first side rail and right side by a second side rail; the torso/pelvic section and the foot section have an upper surface made of a gelastic material having a triblock polymer of the general configuration A-B-A and a plasticizer; the torso/pelvic section contains a first gelastic structure having a first ILD value, A. a first set of buckling walls having a first ILD value, (i) define a first opening area, (ii) are the tallest walls in the gelastic cushion with a first height ranging from the first set of the buckling walls'"'"' bottom surface to the first set of buckling walls'"'"' top surface, (iv) have a first width that allows the first set of buckling walls to buckle, when a force is applied at the first set of buckling walls'"'"' top surface to the first set of buckling walls, into the first opening area or into (a) an adjacent second opening and/or (b) exterior to the perimeter of the gelastic cushion; B. a second wall having a second ILD value (i) positioned within the first opening area, (ii) interconnects to (a) a first interconnection area that extends from the first set of buckling walls'"'"' bottom surface a distance greater than zero along the first wall toward the first set of buckling walls'"'"' top surface and (b) a second interconnection area that extends from the first set of buckling walls'"'"' bottom surface a distance greater than zero along the first wall toward the first set of buckling walls'"'"' top surface wherein the first interconnection area is diametrical to the second interconnection area; (iii) has a second height, which is less than the first height of the first set of buckling walls and the difference between the first height of the first set of buckling walls and second height of the second wall is a first differential distance; (iv) has a second width that allows the second wall to buckle into the first opening area if the force applied to the first set of buckling walls buckles the first set of buckling walls a distance greater than the first differential distance; and the foot section has a second gelastic structure on its upper surface; the head section'"'"'s upper surface, the thigh section'"'"'s upper surface, the lower surface of the head section, torso/pelvic section, the thigh section, and the foot section are selected from the group consisting of layered foam, convoluted foam, conventional foam;
gelastic materials, rotating bladders, percussion bladders, wave motion bladders, low-air loss bladders, non-powered self-adjusting bladders, sof-care bladders, zoned sof-care bladders or combinations thereof;each side rail has an interior side positioned against the head section, the foot section, the thigh section and the torso/pelvic section, the interior side'"'"'s height is not equal and does not extend beyond the first wall'"'"'s height; each side rail has an uphill sloped top surface in relation to the interior side that extends toward side rail'"'"'s exterior side; each side rail has a third ILD value that is greater than the first ILD value. - View Dependent Claims (35)
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Specification