Shock absorbing component and construction method
AssigneeRetama Technology Corporation
InventorsMartyn R. Shorten, Joseph J. Skaja
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A shock absorbing component having a pair of surfaces with a plurality of inwardly extending indentations in the top and bottom surfaces. The indentations extend between the surfaces to provide support members for the shock absorbing component. At least some of the indentations are hemispherical. The surfaces may be formed of mesh material to allow the passage of gas or fluid therethrough. One or more inserts may be placed in the indentations. The shock absorbing component can be constructed by molding upper and lower shock absorbing component halves wherein the molds are configured to provide indentations in the top and bottom surfaces. The upper and lower halves are then joined to complete the shock absorbing component.
Claims21
A shock absorbing component comprising:
- (a) a top surface made of flexible high polymer resin;
- (b) a bottom surface made of flexible high polymer resin, in at least partially coextensive relation to said top surface to define a cavity therebetween, said coextensive relation defining opposing corresponding portions of said top and bottom surfaces;
- (c) a plurality of support members comprising inwardly directed indentations in both of said top and bottom surfaces extending into the cavity, a plurality of the indentations in each of the top and bottom surfaces having a hemispherical shape and an outwardly facing recess, a plurality of the indentations in said top surface abutting said indentations in the bottom surface.
A shock absorbing component comprising:
- (a) a flexible high polymer resin top surface;
- (b) a flexible high polymer resin bottom surface in at least partially coextensive relation to said top surface to form a cavity between the top and bottom surfaces, said coextensive relationship defining opposing corresponding portions between said top and bottom surfaces;
- at least one of the top and bottom surfaces having a plurality of passages therethrough;
- (c) a wall member coextensive with at least a portion of the periphery of said top and bottom surfaces, said wall member joining said top and bottom surfaces;
- and a plurality of internal support members comprising inwardly directed indentations in one or both of said top and bottom surfaces extending into the cavity, said indentations having a hemispherical shape configured to extend between said top and bottom surfaces and an outwardly facing recess.
A shock absorbing structure comprising:
- (a) first and second generally planar thermoplastic surfaces, a cavity between the first and second thermoplastic surfaces, each thermoplastic surface having a plurality of generally hemispherical shaped indentations therein, the crest of each hemispherical indentation in the first thermoplastic surface extending into the cavity and contacting the crest of each hemispherical indentation in the second thermoplastic surface;
- and
- (b) a plurality of linear indentations in the first thermoplastic surface, the linear indentations extending into the cavity and contacting the second thermoplastic surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.