Gelatinous cushions with buckling columns

• US 5,749,111 A
• Filed: 02/14/1996
• Issued: 05/12/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Edizone LC (Edizone)
• Original Assignee: Lc Teksource
• Inventors: Pearce, Tony M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Grosz, Alexander
• Application Number:
  US08/601,374
• Time in Patent Office: 818 Days
• Field of Search: 5/655.5, 5/654, 5/653, 5/740, 5/706, 5/420, 5/690, 5/953, 5/948, 5/909, 5/652.1, 5/652, 5/724, 428/137, 428/138, 428/131
• US Class Current: 5/652
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/04 Plastics, rubber or vulcanised fibre
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/085 of liquid type, e.g. filled with water or gel
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/144 inside the mattress or cushion
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/15 consisting of two or more layers A47C27/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 4/54 Inflatable chairs connection of valves to inflatable elastic bodies B60C29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/021 Detachable or loose seat cushions
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2793/009 after shaping
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/50 using pressure difference, e.g. by extrusion or by spraying B29C44/468 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/583 for making articles with cavities
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/022 characterised by the choice of material
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/08 flexible, e.g. films
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/11 comprising two or more partially or fully enclosed cavities, e.g. honeycomb-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/9135 of flat articles, e.g. using specially adapted supporting means
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/919 using a bath, e.g. extruding into an open bath to coagulate or cool the material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/04 cellular or porous
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/60 Multitubular or multicompartmented articles, e.g. honeycomb
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 5/0016 Plasticisers
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 5/01 Hydrocarbons C08K5/0091 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2666/02 Organic macromolecular compounds, natural resins, waxes or and bituminous materials
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 51/006 grafted on to block copolymers containing at least one sequence of polymer obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 53/02 : of vinyl-aromatic monomers and conjugated dienes
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 53/025 : modified
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 5/909 : Flowable viscous, e.g. gel material containing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 5/948 : Body support with unique, specific filler material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 5/953 : Comprising structurally defined foam material or configuration
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24322 : Composite web or sheet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24331 : including nonapertured component

Abstract

A cushion that includes a cushioning element. The cushioning element has a number of substantially parallel elongate columns formed in a gelatinous cushioning media. The columns are configured so that when a force is applied to the cushioning element in a direction that is generally parallel to the longitudinal axes of the columns, the cushioning element will yield by a combination of compressability of the cushioning media and bucklability of the walls of the columns. In particular, the walls of columns which are located beneath a protruberance on an object being cushioned tend to buckle, permitting the cushioning element to conform to the shape of the cushioned object while evenly distributing a supporting force across the contact area of the cushioned object and avoiding pressure peaks. The preferred cushioning media is a gelatinous elastomer or gelatinous viscoelastomer. Various configurations of cushioning elements, including sidewall supports, are disclosed.

Claims

1. A yieldable cushioning element that includes a flexible, resilient, gel cushioning media having shape memory and being substantially solid and non-flowable at temperatures below 130 degrees Fahrenheit, the cushioning element comprising:

a quantity of gel cushioning media formed to have a top, a bottom, and an outer periphery, the cushioning media being compressible so that it will deform under the compressive force of a cushioned object, and

a plurality of hollow columns situated in said cushioning media, each of said columns having a longitudinal axis along its length, each of said columns having a column wall which defines a column interior, and each of said columns having a column top and a column bottom;

wherein the cushioning element is adapted to have a cushioned object placed in contact with said cushioning element top;

wherein the column top and the column bottom of one of said columns are located at two different points on said longitudinal axis of said column;

wherein said column'"'"'s longitudinal axis is located generally parallel to the direction of a compressive force exerted on the cushioning element by a cushioned object in contact with said column top;

wherein at least one of said column walls is capable of buckling beneath a protuberance that is located on a cushioned object; and

wherein the cushioning element is yieldable as a result of compressibility of said cushioning media and bucklability of said column.

2. A cushioning element as recited in claim 1 wherein in at least one of said columns, said column top is open to said column interior.

3. A cushioning element as recited in claim 1 wherein in at least one of said columns, said column bottom is open to said column interior.

4. A cushioning element as recited in claim 3 wherein said column interior is hollow so that air may pass though said column to said column top in order to ventilate a cushioned object in contact with said top of the cushioning element.

5. A cushioning element as recited in claim 1 wherein said gel cushioning media is selected from the group consisting of gelatinous elastomers and gelatinous viscoelastomers.

6. A cushioning element as recited in claim 1, wherein a cross section of one of said columns taken orthogonal to said longitudinal axis of said column has a shape selected from the group consisting of triangular, square, rectangular, pentagonal, heptagonal, octagonal, round, oval,-and n-sided polygonal where n is an integer.

7. A cushioning element as recited in claim 1, wherein a cross section of one of said columns taken orthogonal to said longitudinal axis of said column is hexagonal.

8. A cushioning element as recited in claim 1 wherein said cushioning element has shape memory so that when a cushioned object is removed from contact with the cushioning element, the cushioning element has a tendency to return to a shape that approximates the shape of the cushioning element before the cushioning element and the cushioned object came into contact with each other.

9. A cushioning element as recited in claim 1 wherein said gel cushioning element is configured to have a low overall thermal mass and a low rate of thermal transfer in order to provide a comfortable cushioning element.

10. A cushioning element as recited in claim 1 wherein said periphery of the cushioning element has a shape selected from the group consisting of triangular, square, rectangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, heptagonal, octagonal, round, oval, elliptical, heart-shaped, and n-sided polygonal.

11. A cushioning element as recited in claim 1 wherein said cushioning media includes a quantity of gas bubbles within it, said gas bubbles serving to increase the compressibility of the cushioning element.

12. A cushioning element as recited in claim 11 wherein said gas bubbles are dispersed throughout said cushioning media of the cushioning element.

13. A cushioning element as recited in claim 11 wherein a plurality of said gas bubbles are present in said column walls, said gas bubbles in said column walls serving to decrease the level of compressive force required to be exerted on a column in order to cause the column to buckle.

14. A cushioning element as recited in claim 1 wherein a plurality of said column walls have openings in them to permit movement of a liquid or gas between adjacent columns.

15. A cushioning element as recited in claim 1 wherein at least one of said columns has a column interior that has a greater radial measurement orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of that column at a first point on the longitudinal axis of the column than at a second point on said longitudinal axis.

16. A cushioning element as recited in claim 15 wherein said column is tapered between said column top and said column bottom.

17. A cushioning element as recited in claim 15 wherein said column is stepped between said column top and said column bottom.

18. A cushioning element as recited in claim 1 wherein in at least one column, said column top and said column bottom are sealed so that said column interior is not in fluid or air communication with a region outside of said column interior.

19. A cushioning element as recited in claim 18 wherein said column interior includes a quantity of fluid cushioning media within it.

20. A cushioning element as recited in claim 1 wherein at least one of said columns has a column interior that contains a quantity of foam within it, said foam being selected from the group consisting of open cell foam and closed cell foam.

21. A cushioning element as recited in claim 1 wherein at least one of said columns has a firmness protrusion located at its column bottom, said firmness protrusion being adapted to provide support within said column when said column buckles so that the cushioning element can readily yield in the vicinity of said column under a cushioned object until the cushioned object begins to compress said firmness protrusion, whereupon said firmness protrusion retards further movement of the cushioned object into the cushioning element.

22. A cushioning element as recited in claim 1 wherein at least one of said columns is adapted to buckle by having a portion of its column wall bulge outward away from the column interior.

23. A cushioning element as recited in claim 1 wherein at least one of said columns is adapted to buckle by having a portion of its column wall bulge inward toward the column interior.

24. A cushioning element as recited in claim 1 wherein at least one of said columns is adapted to yield along its longitudinal axis by buckling of its column wall.

25. A cushioning element as recited in claim 1, wherein the cushioning element has a total volume contained within the boundaries of the cushioning element top, bottom and outer periphery;

and wherein said cushioning element total volume is occupied by not more than about 50% by volume of cushioning media.

26. A cushioning element as recited in claim 1 wherein said gel cushioning media is selected from the group consisting of elastomers and viscoelastomers.

27. A cushioning element as recited in claim 26 wherein said gel cushioning media has a Shore A hardness of less than 15.

28. A cushioning element as recited in claim 26 wherein said gel cushioning media has a Shore A hardness of less than 3.

29. A cushioning element as recited in claim 26 wherein said gel cushioning media has a gram Bloom of less than 800.

30. A cushioning element as recited in claim 26 wherein said gel cushioning media comprises a high viscosity triblock copolymer.

31. A cushioning element as recited in claim 30 wherein said copolymer has the general configuration of poly(styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene).

32. A cushioning element as recited in claim 26 wherein said gel cushioning media comprises about 100 parts by weight of a triblock copolymer and from about 200 to about 1600 parts by weight of a plasticizing oil.

33. A cushioning element as recited in claim 32 wherein said copolymer has the general configuration of poly(styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene).

34. A yieldable cushion that includes a flexible, resilient, gelatinous cushioning media having shape memory and being substantially solid and non-flowable at temperatures below 130 degrees Fahrenheit, the cushion comprising:

a cushioning element having a top, a bottom, a center and a side wall, said cushioning element comprising a quantity of gelatinous cushioning media and a plurality of contiguous, adjacent hollow columns located within said cushioning media, said columns each having a column interior and a column wall,

a base configured to be placed in contact with said cushioning element bottom, said base being rigid in order to provide support beneath said cushioning element when a cushioned object is in contact with the cushion such that a compressive force is exerted against said cushioning element top by the cushioned object, and

a side wall support, said side wall support being configured to tend to constrain said side wall of said cushioning element from moving outward from said cushioning element center;

wherein said cushion is yieldable in response to a compressive force exerted upon it by a cushioned object; and

wherein said yieldability of the cushion results from said cushioning media being compressible and from said columns being bucklable, so that the cushion is able to substantially conform to the shape of a cushioned object.

35. A cushion as recited in claim 34 wherein in at least one of said columns, said column top is open to said column interior.

36. A cushion as recited in claim 34 wherein in at least one of said columns, said column bottom is open to said column interior.

37. A cushion as recited in claim 34 wherein in at least one of said columns, both said column top and said column bottom are open to said column interior.

38. A cushion as recited in claim 37 wherein said column interior is hollow so that air may pass though said column to said column top in order to ventilate a cushioned object in contact with said top of the cushioning element.

39. A cushion as recited in claim 34 wherein said gel cushioning media is selected from the group consisting of gelatinous elastomers and gelatinous viscoelastomers.

40. A cushion as recited in claim 34, wherein a cross section of one of said columns taken orthogonal to said longitudinal axis of said column has a shape selected from the group consisting of triangular, square, rectangular, pentagonal, heptagonal, octagonal, round, oval, and n-sided polygonal where n is an integer.

41. A cushion as recited in claim 34 wherein said gel cushioning element is configured to have a low overall thermal mass and a low overall rate of thermal transfer in order to provide a comfortable cushioning element.

42. A cushion as recited in claim 34 wherein said periphery of the cushioning element has a shape selected from the group consisting of triangular, square, rectangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, heptagonal, octagonal, round, oval, elliptical, heart-shaped, and n-sided polygonal.

43. A cushion as recited in claim 34 wherein said cushioning media includes a quantity of gas bubbles within it, said gas bubbles serving to enhance the compressibility of the cushioning element.

44. A cushion as recited in claim 43 wherein said gas bubbles are dispersed throughout said cushioning media of the cushioning element.

45. A cushion as recited in claim 44 wherein a plurality of said gas bubbles are present in said column walls, said gas bubbles in said column walls serving to decrease the level of compressive force required to be exerted on a column in order to cause the column to buckle.

46. A cushion as recited in claim 34 wherein a plurality of said column walls have openings in them to permit movement of a liquid or gas between adjacent columns.

47. A cushion as recited in claim 34 wherein at least one of said columns has a column interior that has a greater radial measurement orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of that column at a first point on the longitudinal axis of the column than at a second point on said longitudinal axis.

48. A cushion as recited in claim 47 wherein said column is tapered between said column top and said column bottom.

49. A cushion as recited in claim 48 wherein said column is stepped between said column top and said column bottom.

50. A cushion as recited in claim 34 wherein in at least one column, said column top and said column bottom are sealed so that said column interior is not in fluid or air communication with a region outside of said column interior.

51. A cushion as recited in claim 50 wherein said column interior includes a quantity of fluid cushioning media within it.

52. A cushion as recited in claim 34 wherein at least one of said columns has a column interior that contains a quantity of foam within it, said foam being selected from the group consisting of open cell foam and closed cell foam.

53. A cushion as recited in claim 34 wherein at least one of said columns has a firmness protrusion located at its column bottom, said firmness protrusion being adapted to provide support within said column when said column buckles so that the cushioning element can readily yield in the vicinity of said column under a cushioned object until the cushioned object begins to compress said firmness protrusion, whereupon said firmness protrusion retards further movement of the cushioned object into the cushioning element.

54. A cushion as recited in claim 34 wherein at least one of said columns is adapted to buckle by having a portion of its column wall bulge outward away from the column interior.

55. A cushion as recited in claim 34 wherein at least one of said columns is adapted to buckle by having a portion of its column wall bulge inward toward the column interior.

56. A cushion as recited in claim 34 wherein at least one of said columns is adapted to yield along its longitudinal axis by buckling of its column wall.

57. A cushion as recited in claim 34, wherein the cushioning element has a total volume contained within the boundaries of the cushioning element top, bottom and outer periphery;

and wherein said cushioning element total volume is occupied by not more than about 50% by volume of cushioning media.

58. A cushion as recited in claim 34 wherein said gelatinous cushioning media is selected from the group consisting of gelatinous elastomers and viscoelastomers.

59. A cushion as recited in claim 34 wherein said gel cushioning media has a Shore A hardness of less than 15.

60. A cushion as recited in claim 34 wherein said gel cushioning media has a Shore A hardness of less than 3.

61. A cushion as recited in claim 34 wherein said gel cushioning media has a gram Bloom of less than 800.

62. A cushion as recited in claim 34 wherein said gel cushioning media comprises a high viscosity triblock copolymer.

63. A cushion as recited in claim 62 wherein said copolymer has the general configuration of poly(styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene).

64. A cushion as recited in claim 34 wherein said gel cushioning media comprises about 100 parts by weight of a triblock copolymer and from about 200 to about 1600 parts by weight of a plasticizing oil.

65. A cushion as recited in claim 64 wherein said copolymer has the general configuration of poly(styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene).

66. A yieldable cushion that includes a flexible, resilient, gelatinous cushioning media having shape memory and being substantially solid and non-flowable at temperatures below 130 degrees Fahrenheit, the cushion comprising:

a cushioning element having a top, a bottom, a center and an outer periphery, said cushioning element comprising a quantity of gelatinous cushioning media and a plurality of columns located within said cushioning media, said columns each having a longitudinal axis, a column interior and a column wall,

a container in which said cushioning element is placeable, said container having a container base configured to be in contact with said cushioning element bottom, said base being rigid in order to provide support beneath said cushioning element when a cushioned object is in contact with the cushion such that a compressive force is exerted against said cushioning element top by the cushioned object, said container also having a rigid outer periphery support, said rigid outer periphery support being configured to provide support to said cushioning element outer periphery in order to impede its tendency to move outward away from said cushioning element center when a cushioned object exerts a compressive force on the cushion,

wherein said cushion is yieldable in response to a compressive force exerted upon it by a cushioned object; and

wherein said yieldability of the cushion results from said cushioning media being compressible and from said columns being bucklable generally in the direction of their longitudinal axes, so that the cushion is able to substantially conform to the shape of a cushioned object.

67. A cushion as recited in claim 66 wherein in at least one of said columns, said column top is open to said column interior.

68. A cushion as recited in claim 66 wherein in at least one of said columns, said column bottom is open to said column interior.

69. A cushion as recited in claim 66 wherein in at least one of said columns, both said column top and said column bottom are open to said column interior.

70. A cushion as recited in claim 69 wherein said column interior is hollow so that air may pass though said column to said column top in order to ventilate a cushioned object in contact with said top of the cushioning element.

71. A cushion as recited in claim 69, wherein a cross section of one of said columns taken orthogonal to said longitudinal axis of said column has a shape selected from the group consisting of triangular, square, rectangular, pentagonal, heptagonal, octagonal, round, oval, and n-sided polygonal where n is an integer.

72. A cushion as recited in claim 66 wherein said gel cushioning media is selected from the group consisting of gelatinous elastomers and gelatinous viscoelastomers.

73. A cushion as recited in claim 66, wherein a cross section of one of said columns taken orthogonal to said longitudinal axis of said column has a hexagonal shape.

74. A cushion as recited in claim 66 wherein said gel cushioning element is configured to have a low overall thermal mass and a low overall rate of thermal transfer in order to provide a comfortable cushioning element.

75. A cushion as recited in claim 66 wherein said periphery of the cushioning element has a shape selected from the group consisting of triangular, square, rectangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, heptagonal, octagonal, round, oval, elliptical, heart-shaped, and n-sided polygonal.

76. A cushion as recited in claim 66 wherein said cushioning media includes a quantity of gas bubbles within it, said gas bubbles serving to enhance the compressibility of the cushioning element.

77. A cushion as recited in claim 76 wherein said gas bubbles are dispersed throughout said cushioning media of the cushioning element.

78. A cushion as recited in claim 76 wherein a plurality of said gas bubbles are present in said column walls, said gas bubbles in said column walls serving to decrease the level of compressive force required to be exerted on a column in order to cause the column to buckle.

79. A cushion as recited in claim 66 wherein a plurality of said column walls have openings in them to permit movement of a liquid or gas between adjacent columns.

80. A cushion as recited in claim 66 wherein at least one of said columns has a column interior that has a greater radial measurement orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of that column at a first point on the longitudinal axis of the column than at a second point on said longitudinal axis.

81. A cushion as recited in claim 80 wherein said column is tapered between said column top and said column bottom.

82. A cushion as recited in claim 80 wherein said column is stepped between said column top and said column bottom.

83. A cushion as recited in claim 66 wherein in at least one column, said column top and said column bottom are sealed so that said column interior is not in fluid or air communication with a region outside of said column interior.

84. A cushion as recited in claim 83 wherein said column interior includes a quantity of fluid cushioning media within it.

85. A cushion as recited in claim 66 wherein at least one of said columns has a column interior that contains a quantity of foam within it, said foam being selected from the group consisting of open cell foam and closed cell foam.

86. A cushion as recited in claim 66 wherein at least one of said columns has a firmness protrusion located at its column bottom, said firmness protrusion being adapted to provide support within said column when said column buckles so that the cushioning element can readily yield in the vicinity of said column under a cushioned object until the cushioned object begins to compress said firmness protrusion, whereupon said firmness protrusion retards further movement of the cushioned object into the cushioning element.

87. A cushion as recited in claim 66 wherein at least one of said columns is adapted to buckle by having a portion of its column wall bulge outward away from the column interior.

88. A cushion as recited in claim 66 wherein at least one of said columns is adapted to buckle by having a portion of its column wall bulge inward toward the column interior.

89. A cushion as recited in claim 66 wherein at least one of said columns is adapted to yield along its longitudinal axis by buckling of its column wall.

90. A cushion as recited in claim 66, wherein the cushioning element has a total volume contained within the boundaries of the cushioning element top, bottom and outer periphery;

and wherein said cushioning element total volume is occupied by not more than about 50% by volume of cushioning media.

91. A cushion as recited in claim 66 wherein said gel cushioning media is selected from the group consisting of elastomers and viscoelastomers.

92. A cushion as recited in claim 66 wherein said gel cushioning media has a Shore A hardness of less than 15.

93. A cushion as recited in claim 66 wherein said gel cushioning media has a Shore A hardness of less than 3.

94. A cushion as recited in claim 66 wherein said gel cushioning media has a gram Bloom of less than 700.

95. A cushion as recited in claim 66 wherein said gel cushioning media comprises a high viscosity triblock copolymer.

96. A cushion as recited in claim 95 wherein said copolymer has the general configuration of poly(styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene).

97. A cushion as recited in claim 66 wherein said gel cushioning media comprises about 100 parts by weight of a triblock copolymer and from about 200 to about 1600 parts by weight of a plasticizing oil.

98. A cushion as recited in claim 97 wherein said copolymer has the general configuration of poly(styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene).

99. A yieldable cushion that includes a flexible, resilient, gelatinous cushioning media having shape memory and being substantially solid and non-flowable at temperatures below 130 degrees Fahrenheit, the cushion comprising:

a cushioning element having a top, a bottom, a center and a side wall, said cushioning element comprising a quantity of gelatinous cushioning media and a plurality of columns located within said cushioning media, said columns each having longitudinal axis, a column interior and a column wall,

a base configured to be placed in contact with said cushioning element bottom, said base providing support beneath said cushioning element when a cushioned object is in contact with the cushion such that a compressive force is exerted against said cushioning element top by the cushioned object, and

a cover adapted to cover and protect said cushioning element;

wherein said cushion is yieldable in response to a compressive force exerted upon it by a cushioned object; and

wherein said yieldability of the cushion results from said cushioning media being compressible and from said columns being bucklable in the direction of their longitudinal axes, so that the cushion is able to substantially conform to the shape of a cushioned object.

100. A cushion as recited in claim 99 wherein said cover is an elastic cover that permits air flow between said cushioning element top and a cushioned object adjacent thereto.

101. A cushion as recited in claim 99 further comprising:

a side wall support, said side wall support being configured to tend to constrain said side wall of said cushioning element from moving in an outward direction.

102. A cushion as recited in claim 99 wherein said sidewall support is a rigid plate adapted to be placed between said cover and said cushioning element.

103. A yieldable cushion that includes a flexible, resilient, gelatinous cushioning media having shape memory and being substantially solid and non-flowable at temperatures below 130 degrees Fahrenheit, the cushion comprising:

cushioning element having a top, a bottom, a center and an outer periphery, said cushioning element comprising a quantity of gelatinous cushioning media and a plurality of columns located within said cushioning media, said columns each having a longitudinal axis, a column interior and a column wall, and

a girdle placeable about said outer periphery of said cushioning element, said girdle serving to retard movement of said outer periphery when a cushioned object exerts a compressive force on the cushioning element,

wherein said cushion is yieldable in response to a compressive force exerted upon it by a cushioned object; and

wherein said yieldability of the cushion results from said cushioning media being compressible and from said columns being bucklable generally in the direction of their longitudinal axes, so that the cushion is able to substantially conform to the shape of a cushioned object.

104. A cushion as recited in claim 103 wherein said girdle is a strap.

105. A yieldable cushioning element that includes a flexible, resilient, gel cushioning media having shape memory and being substantially solid and non-flowable at temperatures below 130 degrees Fahrenheit, the cushioning element comprising:

a quantity of gel cushioning media formed to have a top, a bottom, and an outer periphery, the cushioning media being compressible so that it will deform under the compressive force of a cushioned object, and

a plurality of hollow columns situated in said cushioning media, each of said columns having a longitudinal axis along its length, each of said columns having a column wall which defines a column interior, and each of said columns having a column top and a column bottom;

wherein the cushioning element is adapted to have a cushioned object placed in contact with said cushioning element top;

wherein the column top and the column bottom of one of said columns are located at two different points on said longitudinal axis of said column;

wherein said column'"'"'s longitudinal axis is located generally parallel to the direction of a compressive force exerted on the cushioning element by a cushioned object in contact with said column top;

wherein at least one of said columns is capable of buckling beneath a protuberance that is located on a cushioned object;

wherein the cushioning element is yieldable as a result of compressibility of said cushioning media and bucklability of said column;

wherein said cushioning media comprises thermoplastic, heat formable and heat reversible gelatinous elastomer composition, G, which is physically interlocked with a selected material Mn, said gelatinous elastomer composition formed from (a) 100 parts by weight of a high viscosity triblock copolymer of the general configuration poly(styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene);

(b) from about 200 to about 1,600 parts by weight of a plasticizing oil;

said composition characterized by a gel rigidity of from about 20 to about 800 gram Bloom;

said composition formed from the combination GnMnGn, MnGnMn, MnGnGn, GnGnMn, MnGnGnMn, GnMnGnGn, GnMnMnGn, GnMnMnGn, GnGnMnMn, GnGnMnGnMn, GnMnGnGn, GnGnMn, GnMnGnMnMn, MnGnMnGnMnGn, GnGnMnMnGn, or GnGnMnGnMnGn, wherein when n is a subscript of M, n is selected from the group consisting of foam, plastic, fabric, metal, concrete, wood, glass, ceramics, synthetic resin, synthetic fibers or refractory materials; and

wherein when n is a subscript of G, n denotes the same or a different gel rigidity.

106. A cushioning element as recited in claim 105 wherein said styrene end block to ethylene and butylene center block ratio is from about 20:

80 to about 40;

60.

107. A cushioning element as recited in claim 105, wherein said triblock copolymer is characterized by a Brookfield Viscosity of a 20 weight percent solids solution in toluene at 25°

C. of substantially greater than 1,800 cps.

108. A cushioning element as recited in claim 105 wherein said cushioning media is a gelatinous elastomer composition comprising:

(a) about 100 parts by weight of a triblock copolymer of the general configuration poly(styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene) wherein said styrene end block to ethylene and butylene center block ratio is within the range of from between 31;

69 to 40;

60;

(b) from about 200 to about 1,600 parts by weight of an plasticizing oil selected from the group consisting of petroleum paraffinic oils, petroleum naphthenic oils, synthetic polybutene oils, synthetic polypropene oils, synthetic polyterpene oils and mixtures thereof;

said oils having an average molecular weight of between about 200 to about 800; and

(c) said gelatinous elastomer composition being characterized as having an elongation at break of at least about 1,600%, an ultimate tensile strength of at least about 8×

10⁵ dyne/cm², and a gel rigidity of substantially not greater than about 800 gram Bloom.

109. A cushioning element as recited in claim 108 wherein said cushioning media exhibits the following properties:

(a) tensile strength of about 8×

10⁵ dyne/cm² to about 10⁷ dyne/cm² as measured with crosshead separation speed of 25 cm per minute at 23°

C.;

(b) elongation of about 1,600% to about 3,000% as measured with crosshead separation speed of 25 cm per minute at 23°

C.;

(c) elasticity modulus of about 10⁴ dyne/cm² to about 10⁶ dyne/cm² as measured with crosshead separation speed of 25 cm per minute at 23°

C.;

(d) shear modulus of about 10⁴ dyne/cm² to about 10⁶ dyne/cm² as measured with a 1, 2, and 3 kilogram load at 23°

C.;

(e) gel rigidity of about 20 gram Bloom to about 800 gram Bloom as measured by the gram weight required to depress a gel a distance of 4 mm with a piston having a cross-sectional area of 1 square cm at 23°

C.;

(f) tear propagation resistance of at least 5×

10⁵ dyne/cm² as measured at a crosshead separation speed of 25 cm/minute at 23°

C.;

(g) and substantially 100% snap back recovery when extended at a crosshead separation speed of 25 cm/minute to 1,200% at 23°

C.

110. A cushioning element as recited in claim 105 wherein said cushioning media is a gelatinous elastomer composition consisting essentially of:

(a) about 100 parts by weight of a triblock copolymer of the general configuration poly(styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene) wherein said styrene end block to ethylene and butylene center block ratio is about 32;

68 to about 38;

62;

(b) from about 200 to about 1,600 parts by weight of an plasticizing oil selected from the group consisting of petroleum paraffinic oils, petroleumnaphthenic oils, synthetic polybutene oils, synthetic polypropene oils, synthetic polyterpene oils and mixtures thereof;

said oils having an average molecular weight of between about 200 to about 800; and

(c) said gelatinous elastomer composition being characterized as having an elongation at break of at least about 1,600%, an ultimate tensile strength of at least about 8×

10⁵ dyne/cm², and a gel rigidity of substantially not greater than about 800 gram Bloom.

111. A cushioning element as recited in claim 110 wherein said cushioning media is a gelatinous elastomer composition comprising:

(a) about 100 parts by weight of a triblock copolymer of the general configuration poly(styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene) wherein said styrene end block to ethylene and butylene center block ratio is about 32;

68 to about 36;

64;

(b) from about 200 to about 1,600 parts by weight of an plasticizing oil selected from the group consisting of petroleum paraffinic oils, petroleum naphthenic oils, synthetic polybutene oils, synthetic polypropene oils, synthetic polyterpene oils and mixtures thereof;

said oils having an average molecular weight of between about 200 to about 800; and

(c) said gelatinous elastomer composition being characterized as having an elongation at break of at least about 1,600%, an ultimate tensile strength of at least about 8×

10⁵ dyne/cm², and a gel rigidity of substantially not greater than about 800 gram Bloom.

112. A cushioning element as recited in claim 111, said cushioning media being a gelatinous elastomer composition comprising:

(a) about 100 parts by weight of triblock copolymer of the general configuration poly(styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene) wherein said styrene end block to ethylene and butylene center block ratio is within the range of from between 31;

69 to 40;

60;

(b) from about 200 to about 1,600 parts by weight of a plasticizing oil;

(c) said gelatinous elastomer composition having a gel rigidity of about 20 gram to about 800 gram Bloom.

113. A cushioning element as recited in claim 112 wherein said plasticizing oil is selected from the group consisting of petroleum paraffinic oils, petroleum naphthenic oils, and mixtures thereof.

114. A cushioning element as recited in claim 112 wherein said plasticizing oil is selected from the group consisting of synthetic polybutene oils, synthetic polypropene oils, synthetic polyterpene oils and mixtures thereof.

115. A cushioning element as recited in claim 112 wherein said plasticizing oil is selected from the group consisting of petroleum paraffinic oils, petroleum naphthenic oils, synthetic polybutene oils, synthetic polypropylene oils, synthetic polyterpene oils and mixtures thereof;

said oils having an average molecular weight of between about 200 to about 800.

116. A cushioning element as recited in claim 112 wherein said oils having an average molecular weight of between about 200 to about 800.

117. A cushioning element as recited in claim 112 wherein said cushioning element exhibits high creep, craze, tear, and crack resistance and is substantially free from oil bleedout.

118. A yieldable cushioning element that includes a flexible, resilient, gel cushioning media having shape memory and being substantially solid and non-flowable at temperatures below 130 degrees Fahrenheit, the cushioning element comprising:

a quantity of gel cushioning media formed to have a top, a bottom, and an outer periphery, the cushioning media being compressible so that it will deform under the compressive force of a cushioned object, and

a plurality of hollow columns situated in said cushioning media, each of said columns having a longitudinal axis along its length, each of said columns having a column wall which defines a column interior, and each of said columns having a column top and a column bottom;

wherein the cushioning element is adapted to have a cushioned object placed in contact with said cushioning element top;

wherein the column top and the column bottom of one of said columns are located at two different points on said longitudinal axis of said column;

wherein said column'"'"'s longitudinal axis is located generally parallel to the direction of a compressive force exerted on the cushioning element by a cushioned object in contact with said column top;

wherein at least one of said columns is capable of buckling beneath a protuberance that is located on a cushioned object;

wherein the cushioning element is yieldable as a result of compressibility of said cushioning media and bucklability of said column;

wherein the cushioning media is a gelatinous elastomer composition comprising;

(a) about 100 parts by weight of a high viscosity triblock copolymer of the general configuration poly(styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene);

(b) from about 200 to about 1,600 parts by weight of a plasticizing oil;

said composition characterized by a gel rigidity of from about 20 to about 800 gram Bloom.

119. A yieldable cushioning element that includes a flexible, resilient, gel cushioning media having shape memory and being substantially solid and non-flowable at temperatures below 130 degrees Fahrenheit, the cushioning element comprising:

a quantity of gel cushioning media formed to have a top, a bottom, and an outer periphery, the cushioning media being compressible so that it will deform under the compressive force of a cushioned object, and

a plurality of hollow columns situated in said cushioning media, each of said columns having a longitudinal axis along its length, each of said columns having a column wall which defines a column interior, and each of said columns having a column top and a column bottom;

wherein the cushioning element is adapted to have a cushioned object placed in contact with said cushioning element top;

wherein the column top and the column bottom of one of said columns are located at two different points on said longitudinal axis of said column;

wherein said column'"'"'s longitudinal axis is located generally parallel to the direction of a compressive force exerted on the cushioning element by a cushioned object in contact with said column top;

wherein at least one of said columns is capable of buckling beneath a protuberance that is located on a cushioned object;

wherein the cushioning element is yieldable as a result of compressibility of said cushioning media and bucklability of said column;

wherein the cushioning media is a gelatinous elastomer composition comprising;

(a) about 100 parts by weight of a high viscosity triblock copolymer of the general configuration poly(styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene);

said styrene to ethylene and butylene is of a ratio of from about 20;

80 to about 40;

60; and

(b) from about 200 to about 1,600 parts by weight of a plasticizing oil;

said composition characterized by a gel rigidity of from about 20 to about 800 gram Bloom.

120. A cushioning element as recited in claim 119 wherein said triblock copolymer is characterized by a Brookfield Viscosity of a 20 weight percent solids solution in toluene at 25°

C. of at least about 1,800 cps.