Cellular cushion

A cushion comprising a generally flat and thin base formed from a flexible material and containing passageways;

• a plurality of flexible hollow cells attached to the base and projecting away from it, the cells being detached from each other beyond the base and having sides and outer ends, the cells being expandable laterally when the pressure within the cells is increased, so that the sides of adjacent cells contact each other and the outer ends form a supporting surface, the cells being arranged in two spaced apart end zones, a single center zone located between the end zones, and at least two intermediate zones, with the intermediate zones being located between the center zone and the end zones, the cells of the end zones being longer than the cells of the intermediate zones and the cells of the intermediate zones being longer than the cells of the center zone, whereby the supporting surface formed by the outer ends of the cells possesses a cradle-like contour, the cells of each zone being in communication with each other through the passageways of the base, so that within each zone the cells exist at equal pressure, but the cells of any zone being isolated from the cells of the other zones so that the cells of different zones may exist at different pressures;
• and means connected with the cells of each zone for admitting an inflating fluid into such cells and for thereafter retaining the fluid in the cells.