Back to results
US 11,109,687 B1Granted
Configurable ergonomic pad
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorRebecca Cook
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An ergonomic pad includes a bladder formed of a pliable material and a granular material disposed within the bladder and at least partially filling the bladder. A port is coupled to the bladder and configured to enable evacuation of air from the bladder. The bladder also includes a sealable opening distinct from the port to add or remove the granular material.
Claims23
An ergonomic pad system comprising:
- a first ergonomic pad, the first ergonomic pad comprising:
- a first bladder;
- a first quantity of a packing material disposed within the first bladder, the packing material having a void fraction greater than 0.35;
- a first port coupled to the first bladder, the first port configured to enable evacuation of air from the first bladder;
- and
- a first connector coupled to the first port, wherein the first connector comprises a first valve configured to seal responsive to a first pressure differential between the first bladder and a first pressure outside the first valve;
- and
- a second ergonomic pad, the second ergonomic pad comprising:
- a second bladder;
- a second quantity of the packing material disposed within the second bladder;
- a second port coupled to the second bladder, the second port configured to enable evacuation of air from the second bladder;
- and
- a second connector coupled to the second port, the second connector configured to couple to the first valve to link the first bladder and the second bladder, wherein the second connector comprises a second valve configured to seal responsive to a second pressure differential between the second bladder and a second pressure outside the second valve.
10 more elements
A method comprising:
- inserting a granular material into a bladder of an ergonomic pad via a sealable opening;
- sealing the sealable opening;
- positioning the bladder with respect to surfaces in a work area, wherein positioning the bladder with respect to the surfaces causes the granular material disposed in the bladder to settle into a position conformed to the surfaces;
- activating a vacuum source that is in fluid communication with a port of the ergonomic pad to extract air from the bladder to cause the bladder to conform to the granular material such that sides of the ergonomic pad take on shapes complementary to the surfaces;
- and
- removing the granular material via the sealable opening.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.