Contourable pneumatic cushions

Claim 1

A SELF-CONTAINED, HERMETICALLY SEALED, CONTOURABLE PNEUMATIC CUSHION, COMPRISING IN COMBINATION, A RIGID BACK PLATE, A PLURALITY OF INDIVIDUAL AIR CELLS MOUNTED IN JUXTAPOSED RELATION ON SAID BACK PLATE, SAID PLATE PROVIDING A RIGID BACKING FOR SAID AIR CELLS WHEREBY THE CELLS MAY BE CONSTRAINED AGAINST THE BACK PLATE BY PRESSURE OF A USER''S BODY APPLIED TO THE CELLS, A SINGLE MANUAL CONTROL VALVE HAVING A PLENUM CHAMBER, A PLURALITY OF AIR CONDUITS CONNECTING THE RESPECTIVE AIR CELLS TO SAID PLENUM CHAMBER OF SAID VALVE IN A HERMETICALLY CLOSED CYCLE, SAID VALVE HAVING AN OPEN POSITION WHEREIN UNDER BODY PRESSURE APPLIED TO THE CELLS AIR MAY FLOW ANY OF THE CELLS INTO OTHERS THROUGH SAID PLENUM CHAMBER AND CONDUITS, SAID VALVE ALSO HAVING A CLOSED POSITION WHEREIN SAID CONDUITS AND THE ASSOCIATED AIR CELLS ARE HEMETICALLY ISOLATED FROM EACH OTHER AT THE PLENUM CHAMBER WHEREBY TO PREVENT TRANSFER OF AIR BETWEEN THE CELLS, AND MEANS FOR OPENING AND CLOSING SAID VALVE.