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US 5,634,224 AGranted
Inflatable cushioning device with self opening intake valve
OwnerStephen M. Gatesinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cushioning device comprising an envelope containing a fluid in which the envelope has a pressure relief valve and an intake valve to regulate the deformation of the envelope under the load and reformation of the envelope when the load is removed.
Claims27
A cushioning device comprising:
- a load bearing envelope containing fluid,
- a fluid supply reservoir,
- a fluid exhaust reservoir,
- a pressure relief valve in fluid communication with said envelope and said fluid exhaust reservoir to release fluid from said envelope to said exhaust reservoir when pressure in the envelope exceeds a predetermined relief pressure, and
- a self-opening intake valve in fluid communication with said envelope and said fluid supply reservoir, said intake valve being adapted to independently open itself when fluid pressure within the envelope is less than pressure in the fluid supply reservoir and permit fluid to re-enter the envelope from the supply reservoir,
- wherein the envelope deforms under the application of a load and reforms upon removal of said load thereby reducing the pressure within the envelope to a preselected level causing said self-opening intake valve to independently open itself and permit fluid to re-enter the envelope from the supply reservoir.
3 more elements
A cushioning device comprising:
- a plurality of load bearing envelopes containing a fluid,
- an unpressurized fluid supply reservoir, and
- a fluid exhaust reservoir, in which one or more of said envelopes has:
- a pressure relief valve means in communication with said envelope and said fluid exhaust reservoir to release fluid from said envelope to said exhaust reservoir when pressure in the envelope exceeds a predetermined relief pressure,
- a self-opening intake valve adapted to independently open when fluid pressure within the envelope is less than pressure in the fluid supply reservoir and permit fluid to re-enter the envelope from the supply reservoir,
- wherein each envelope deforms under the application of a load to provide a predetermined relief pressure and reforms upon removal of said load.
3 more elements
A method of cushioning a load, comprising:
- providing an envelope containing a fluid and a resilient material, said envelope being in fluid communication with a fluid exhaust reservoir via a pressure relief valve and in fluid communication with a fluid supply reservoir via an intake valve;
- applying a load to said envelope wherein application of the load deforms the envelope thereby increasing the air pressure within said envelope and causing a pressure relief valve to independently open itself when the pressure within said envelope exceeds a predetermined relief pressure;
- removing at least a portion of said load upon said envelope and at least partially reforming the envelope thereby causing a self-opening intake valve to independently open itself when the air pressure within the envelope falls below the pressure of the fluid supply reservoir and draw fluid into said envelope wherein the respective pressures substantially equilibrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.