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Gelatinous cushions with buckling columns

DC CAFC
  • US 6,026,527 A
  • Filed: 08/13/1997
  • Issued: 02/22/2000
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/14/1996
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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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 medium formed to have a top, a bottom, and an outer periphery, said cushioning medium being compressible so that it will deform under the compressive force of a cushioned object,a plurality of hollow columns formed in said cushioning medium, 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 two ends;

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

    wherein each of said column ends is positioned at two different points of said column axis;

    wherein at least one of said columns is positioned within said cushioning medium such that said column axis is positioned generally parallel to the direction of a compressive force exerted on the cushioning element by a cushioned object in contact with said cushioning medium; and

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

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