Foam cushions having an orthogonal alternating structure
AssigneeZiwi LLC
InventorTony M. Pearce
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Foam cushions having an orthogonal alternating structure and cushioning articles formed of or containing such foam cushions are provided. The orthogonal alternating structure can be formed by assembling layers of foam and bonding all of or part of the interface where the layers are formed from at least two types or stiffnesses of foam. The layered arrangement of foam can be cut, if necessary, to create a foam cushion where the layers extend along a length or width of the foam cushion, or orthogonal to the direction of the force that the foam cushion is intended to support. Foam cushion components having bases and layers that emanate from the bases could be used to form the foam cushion.
Claims54
A cushioning article comprising:
- a first foam cushion comprising:
- a first foam cushion component having a first base and first layers that emanate from the first base;
- a second foam cushion component having a second base and second layers that emanate from the second base;
- wherein the first layers are alternated with and positioned between the second layers along a length of the cushioning article;
- wherein each layer of the first and second foam cushion components has a height and a thickness, and wherein a ratio of the height to the thickness is at least 2.5, the ratio being selected to enable collapsing of individual layers in response to a compressive load;
- wherein, in response to a compressive load, individual layers are configured to collapse in a lateral direction relative to the compressive load, thereby causing adjacent layers to separate and define spaces therebetween.
A cushioning article comprising:
- a first foam cushion comprising opposing first and second foam cushion components, each of the first and second foam cushion components including layers that emanate from a base and the layers of the first foam cushion component are alternated with the layers of the second foam cushion component along a length of the cushioning article;
- wherein each layer of the first and second foam cushion components has a height and a thickness, and wherein a ratio of the height to the thickness is at least 2.5;
- wherein an adhesive is applied between each layer of the first and second foam cushion components only to ends of the layers to thereby enable the layers to collapse.
A method for assembling a cushioning article, the method comprising:
- obtaining a first foam cushion component, the first foam cushion component having a first base and first layers that emanate from the first base;
- obtaining a second foam cushion component, the second foam cushion component having a second base and second layers that emanate from the second base;
- and
- inserting the first layers of the first foam cushion component between the second layers of the second foam cushion component to form a first foam cushion of the cushioning article such that the first lavers are alternated with and positioned between the second layers along a length of the cushioning article;
- wherein each layer of the first and second foam cushion components has a height and a thickness, and wherein a ratio of the height to the thickness is at least 2.5, the ratio being selected to enable collapsing of individual lavers in response to a compressive load:
- wherein, in response to a compressive load, individual layers are configured to collapse in a lateral direction relative to the compressive load, thereby causing adjacent layers to separate and define spaces therebetween.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.