Impact absorbing matting and padding system with elastomeric sub-surface structure
OwnerBryce L. Betteridge, Robert Samuel Bishopinventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cushioning and impact absorbing pad system with a surface layer of thickness t, and an elastomeric sub-surface structure of height h. The sub-surface structure comprises an array of elastomeric columns wherein each column has a frustoconical column wall surrounding a central void. The frustoconical column walls have a zone that is a more compressible, relatively collapsible zone in a region at an end of the column opposite the surface layer and a zone that is a relatively less compressible zone in a region at the end of the column abutting the surface layer. Column walls are tapered with draft angles in the range of greater than 6 degrees and less than 10 degrees.
Claims7
A resilient pad system comprising at least one pad, the pad comprising a plurality of supporting resilient substructure hollow columns, each such column having a column wall that is tapered from a first end to an enclosed second end;
- the column wall surrounding a central void, the void extending from the first end to the enclosed second end of the column;
- wherein the cross-sectional thickness of the column wall increases from the first end to the enclosed second end by a percentage within a range of greater than 125% and less than 140%;
- and
- further wherein the column wall is tapered both inside and out, with an outside wall draft angle greater than 6 degrees and less than 10 degrees, and an inside wall draft angle greater than 6 degrees and less than 10 degrees.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.