Multi-directional molded spring assembly

• US 3,280,410 A
• Filed: 03/03/1964
• Issued: 10/25/1966
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/1964
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Beckman, Ronald H., Propst, Robert L.
• Original Assignee: Beckman, Ronald H., Propst, Robert L.
• Inventors: Propst, Robert L., Beckman, Ronald H.
• Application Number:
  US04/349,102
• Time in Patent Office: 966 Days
• US Class Current: 267/119
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 4/54 Inflatable chairs connection of valves to inflatable elastic bodies B60C29/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 297/08 Inflatable bellows

Claims

1. A RESILIENT FLEXIBLE LOAD SUPPORT, COMPRISING:

A PLURALITY OF BELLOWS SPRINGS MOUNTED ON A SUPPORT PANEL;

EACH SPRING BEING A COLUMN OF INTEGRALLY CONNECTED BELLOWS OF A RESILIENT POLYMER AND FORMING A HOLLOW INTERIOR CHAMBER VENTED TO THE ATMOSPHERE;

EACH BELLOWS FORMED BY A PAIR OF OUTWARDLY CONVERGING LEGS HAVING AN OUTER JUNCTURE FORMING A RESILIENT HINGE BIASED TO AN EXPANDED ATTITUDE;

SAID BELLOWS CAPABLE OF BEING COMPRESSED VARYING AMOUNTS UNDER LOAD TO FLEX SAID HINGE, AND OF RETURNING TO THE ORIGINAL EXPANDED ATTITUDE UPON REMOVAL OF SAID LOAD DUE TO ITS INHERENT RESILIENCE, ALL WITHOUT SIGNIFICANT PNEUMATIC HINDRANCE FROM AIR IN SAID SPRING;

A PLURALITY OF SPACED, GENERALLY RIDIG AREAS COLLECTIVELY FORMING A SUPPORT FACE OF SAID PANEL;

SAID SPRINGS RESTING GENERALLY ON SAID AREAS;

SAID AREAS BEING SEPARATED FROM EACH OTHER BY INTERSECTING GROOVES HAVING SIDE WALLS;

THE BOTTOMS OF SAID GROOVES BEING INTEGRAL WITH THE WALLS THEREOF AND FORMING RESILIENT BENDABLE HINGES ALLOWING MOVEMENT OF SAID AREAS WITH RESPECT TO EACH OTHER WITHOUT DISTORTION OF SAID AREAS;

SAID HINGES BEING OFFSET FROM THE PLANE OF SAID RIGID AREAS;

SAID SUPPORT BEING BENDABLE AS A UNIT IN COMPOUND CURVATURE AND BEING RESILIENTLY COMPRESSIBLE AND FLEXIBLE UNDER LOAD.