Removable, pressure-adjustable, shock-absorbing cushion device with an inflation pump for sports goods

• US 6,460,197 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2001
• Issued: 10/08/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ing-Chung Huang
• Original Assignee: Ing-Chung Huang
• Inventors: Huang, Ing-Chung
• Primary Examiner(s): Hale, Gloria M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, TAJASH D
• Application Number:
  US09/895,312
• Publication Number:
  US 20020026662A1
• Time in Patent Office: 418 Days
• Field of Search: 245/5, 226/7, 245/6, 2 6/9, 241/2-4-4, 216/11, 216/4, 2 2/2, 2 2/4, 2 9/7, 2DI/G 3, 2DI/G 1.0, 565/53, 571/0, 571/1, 36/29, 36/43, 36/54, 36/71, 36/30.R, 36/35.R, 361/53
• US Class Current: 2/455
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/203 provided with a pump or valve
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/206 provided with tubes or pipes or tubular shaped cushioning members
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/029 Pneumatic upper, e.g. gas filled
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/0407 inflatable
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 2/03 Inflatable garment

Abstract

A shock absorbing cushion device removable, pressure-adjustable for sports goods, comprising a cover and an air cushion enveloped in the cover, said cushion made as a hollow flat bag whose upper and lower sheets are provided and adhered with round rcesses or line recesses or the both combined, said recesses furnishing the air cushion with shock absorbing elasticity and flexibility whether said cushion is inflated or not. An inflation pump or an air nipple is provided in said cushion for inflating or deflating said cushion.

Claims

1. A molded shock-absorbing cushion for sports goods, comprising:

a pressurizable cushion having upper and lower sheets of synthetic plastic material each respectively generally residing in an upper and lower plane, said sheets being superimposed and bounding an interior space, said sheets extending lengthwise along a longitudinal direction and widthwise along a traverse direction generally perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, said sheets having a common peripheral edge and an inlet extending through the peripheral edge;

a plurality of upper recesses formed in the upper sheet, each upper recess having an open upper end generally located in the plane of the upper sheet, and upper side walls extending away from a respective upper end toward the lower sheet and terminating in a closed lower end;

a plurality of lower recesses formed in the lower sheet, each lower recess having an open lower end generally located in the plane of the lower sheet, and lower side walls extending away from a respective lower end toward the upper sheet and terminating in a closed upper end;

each upper recess being aligned and symmetrical with a respective lower recess, and each closed lower end of a respective upper recess being integral with each closed upper end of a respective lower recess to form a common closed end for each pair of aligned upper and lower recesses, said common closed end being located between the upper and lower sheets and connecting the upper and lower sheets together at each said common closed end; and

a closing means cooperating with the inlet, said inlet adapted to admit a fluid into the entire interior space of the cushion to space the upper and lower sheets apart from each other, said spaced apart upper and lower sheets generally positioned in respective planes and being free of upstanding projections, said fluid being selected from a group consisting of air, foamed polyurethane, water and oil.

2. The shock-absorbing cushion as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a foam layer on outer surfaces of the upper and lower sheets.

3. The shock-absorbing cushion as claimed in claim 2, wherein at least one of the surfaces of said foam layer is generally planar.

4. The shock-absorbing cushion as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a cover for containing the pressurized cushion, and means on the cover for fastening the shock-absorbing cushion to sports goods.

5. The shock-absorbing cushion as claimed in claim 4, wherein said fastening means are lacing eyelets on the cover for tying the shock-absorbing cushion to a tongue of a shoe.