EP0101529A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
A method of making a contoured cushion for a human body
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1982-08-25
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2002-08-25
Abstract
Abstract A method of making a cushion which conforms to the shape of the body of a particular user comprises placing a flexible bag (18) containing flowable particles of a plastics material (22) such as styrofoam in a recess provided by a mobile support (10,12), seating the user on the bag (18) and causing the user to move about so that the particles (22) move to shape the bag to conform with the user's body and the recess. A partial vacuum is then applied to the interior (19) of the bag (18) to cause the particles (22) to be compressed and to coalesce. Then the vacuum is released and either the surface of the shaped bag (18) is coated with a material which will form a supporting shell (38) about the bag (18) so as to form the cushion, or the shaped bag (18) is wrapped carefully in bandages soaked in a material which hardens to form a mould shell (38) from which the particles (22) with or without the bag (18) can be removed and replaced by a polymerizable fluid to mould the cushion. The cushion then locates on the mobile support (10, 12) and provides a comfortable well-fitting cushion for the particular user.
Inventors
- 👤 John Edward Rogers
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 20:45
CPC Classifications
A; A47; A47C; A47C7/00; A47C7/36; A47C7/40; A47C7/46; A47C27/00; A47C27/08; A47C27/086; A47C31/00; A47C31/12; A47C31/126; A61; A61F; A61F5/00; A61F5/01; A61G; A61G7/00; A61G7/05; A61G7/057; A61G7/05738; A61G7/05753; B; B29; B29C; B29C33/00; B29C33/38; B29C33/3821; B29C33/3842; B29C33/3857; B29C44/00; B29C44/02; B29C44/12; B29C44/1204; B29C2033/3871; B29C44/14; B29L; B29L2031/00; B29L2031/58; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S264/00; Y10S264/30; Y10S264/78; Y10S297/00; Y10S297/03; Y10S5/00; Y10S5/91; Y10S5/911; Y10S5/913
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
186 words
A method of making a cushion in combination with a support defining a recess which cushion conforms to a portion of the body of a particular person and is capable of being removably disposed in said recess to hold said user, which method includes the steps of disposing in the recess a pliable closed bag substantially filled with a plurality of particles capable of flowing relative to one another when subjected to pressure; positioning said person on said bag in said recess and subsequently causing said person to move relative to said recess, whereby the weight of said person induces said particles in said bag to flow relative to one another to cause a first portion of said bag in contact with said body of said person to conform to the contour thereof, and to cause a second portion of said bag in said recess to assume the shape of the recess; and then applying a partial vacuum to the interior of said bag to hold the same in the configuration to which it has been deformed by the weight of said person being supported thereon.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
186 words
A method of making a cushion in combination with a support defining a recess which cushion conforms to a portion of the body of a particular person and is capable of being removably disposed in said recess to hold said user, which method includes the steps of disposing in the recess a pliable closed bag substantially filled with a plurality of particles capable of flowing relative to one another when subjected to pressure; positioning said person on said bag in said recess and subsequently causing said person to move relative to said recess, whereby the weight of said person induces said particles in said bag to flow relative to one another to cause a first portion of said bag in contact with said body of said person to conform to the contour thereof, and to cause a second portion of said bag in said recess to assume the shape of the recess; and then applying a partial vacuum to the interior of said bag to hold the same in the configuration to which it has been deformed by the weight of said person being supported thereon.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
82 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, comprising the further steps of then applying a solidifiable material which is in a fluid condition to the exterior of said bag while maintaining said partial vacuum thereon substantially to envelop said bag, said material being of a type that solidifies upon standing for a period of time; releasing said partial vacuum after said material has solidified and disposing said bag in said recess to serve as said cushion for said person to rest thereon.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
47 words
A method as claimed in claim 2 comprising the further step of applying a film of a resilient material to said cushion after said solidifiable fluid has solidified, said resilient material having a high coefficient of friction for preventing said user from inadvertently sliding from said cushion.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
126 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, comprising the further steps of applying a film of fluid material to the exterior surface of said bag while maintaining said vacuum thereon to substantially envelop said bag, which material is adapted to solidify and form a rigid shell about the bag, releasing said vacuum, cutting an opening in said shell and bag, removing said bag and substantially all of said particles through said opening, pouring a liquid polymerizable resin together with a catalyst into the interior of said shell, allowing said resin to polymerize to define a non-flowable core, cutting said shell from said core, enveloping said core in a film of resilient material, and disposing said resilient film coated core in said recess to provide said cushion.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
74 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bag made from a polymerized resin sheet of sufficient thickness that it will not wrinkle substantially when said bag is deformed, wherein a polymerizable resin is mixed with the flowable particles at the time of filling the bag, and wherein said polymerizable resin is caused to polymerize to bond the interior of said bag to said particles, thereby to complete the formation of the cushion.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
64 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, comprising the further steps of applying a film of a polymerizable resin to the exterior of said bag while maintaining said vacuum on the interior thereof, polymerizing said resin to provide an envelope in which said bag is disposed, releasing said vacuum; and disposing said envelope and the enclosed bag in said recess to constitute said cushion.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
33 words
A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6 in which said particles are styrofoam beads which when subjected to pressure causing them to be pressed together become bonded together.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
31 words
A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7 in which said support is mounted on wheels for enabling the support to be moved from place to place.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
A resilient body contour conforming cushion made in accordance with the method of any one of claims 1 to 8.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
FR1456231A
Cited
FR2162020A1
Cited
FR2187269A1
Cited
DE2250681A1
Cited
FR2271805A1
Cited
GB1591024A
Cited
DE2832026A1
Cited
GB2069917A
Cited
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