US4033567A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Cushioning material construction
Assignee: Deres Development Corp
•
Filing: 1973-04-02
•
Granted: 1977-07-05
•
Expires: 1993-04-02
Abstract
Abstract A cushioning material system or construction having at least one module comprising balanced levers and displaceable bearing means.
Inventors
- 👤 Donald Ernest Lipfert
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 06:47
CPC Classifications
A; A42; A42B; A42B3/00; A42B3/04; A42B3/10; A42B3/12; A43; A43B; A43B17/00; A43B17/02; A43B7/00; A43B7/14; A43B7/1405; A43B7/1455; A43B7/1464; A47; A47C; A47C23/00; A47C23/002; A47C7/00; A47C7/02; A47C7/024; A47C7/029; A47C7/14; A47C7/36; A47C7/40; A47C7/405; A61; A61G; A61G13/00; A61G13/009; A61G7/00; A61G7/05; A61G7/057; A61G7/0573; B; B65; B65D; B65D81/00; B65D81/02; B65D81/05; B65D81/07; B65D81/107; B65D81/1075; A61G5/00; A61G5/06; A61G5/063; A61G5/065
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 45
Claim 1
Independent Claim
162 words
A cushioning material construction comprising a mechanical support system comprising at least one module comprising a plurality of displaceable bearing means, particular ones of said bearing means being interconnected to others of said bearing means by a first lever-type arrangement, so as to define a grouping of bearing means, said first lever-type arrangement being operative upon displacement of one of said load support means in a first direction to apply a force to another of said bearing means in an opposite direction, such that the displaceable bearing means will displace to conform to the shape of an imposed load and provide for distribution of load supporting forces; wherein selected groupings of interconnected bearing means are further interconnected to other groupings of interconnected bearing means by means comprising a second lever-type arrangement in combination with main support means comprising at least one module holder for holding and positioning at least one module in a selected position with relation to the main support means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
162 words
A cushioning material construction comprising a mechanical support system comprising at least one module comprising a plurality of displaceable bearing means, particular ones of said bearing means being interconnected to others of said bearing means by a first lever-type arrangement, so as to define a grouping of bearing means, said first lever-type arrangement being operative upon displacement of one of said load support means in a first direction to apply a force to another of said bearing means in an opposite direction, such that the displaceable bearing means will displace to conform to the shape of an imposed load and provide for distribution of load supporting forces; wherein selected groupings of interconnected bearing means are further interconnected to other groupings of interconnected bearing means by means comprising a second lever-type arrangement in combination with main support means comprising at least one module holder for holding and positioning at least one module in a selected position with relation to the main support means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
The combination as claimed in claim 1, in which the main support means comprises at least one recess to accommodate at least a portion of at least one module.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
The combination as claimed in claim 2, in which the main support means comprises a plurality of recesses each provided with means to receive at least one module.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
The combination as claimed in claim 3, in which the recesses are in the form of H-shaped wells and the modules comprise at least one mounting lug complementary to at least one lug receiving journal comprised in an H-shaped well.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
The combination as claimed in claim 4, in which there are a plurality of modules having their bearing means arranged to form a displaceable load support surface.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
33 words
The combination as claimed in claim 5, in which the modules comprise secondary displaceable bearing means positioned beneath the unstressed surface of the load support surface formed by the first mentioned bearing means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
The combination as claimed in claim 6, in which the modules comprise tertiary displaceable bearing means positioned below the secondary bearing means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
The combination as claimed in claim 7, in which the lowermost module lever comprises a centrally located rocker means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
37 words
The combination as claimed in claim 8, in which a plurality of modules are mounted within a plurality of wells with the rocker means of the modules in contacting rocking relationship with the floors of the wells.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
The combination as claimed in claim 5, in which the displaceable load support surface comprises at least one sheet of covering material.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
The combination as claimed in claim 10, in which the displaceable load support surface comprises a layer of fabric laminated to a layer of foam.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
The combination as claimed in claim 11, in which the layer of foam is a dual layer of foam of different stiffnesses.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
44 words
The combination as claimed in claim 2, in which the module comprises a plurality of lever-type arrangements on different levels positioned to be accommodated in said recess and in which the greatest depth of the recess is shallower than the height of the module.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
34 words
The combination as claimed in claim 13, in which the width of the recess in the main support means is less than the greatest width of at least one lever-type arrangement of the module.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
31 words
The combination as claimed in claim 2, in which at least a portion of the main support means is flexible and comprises rocker means between at least one pair of recesses.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
23 words
The combination as claimed in claim 4, in which the main support means is made up of a plurality of adjoining articulated sections.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
23 words
The combination as claimed in claim 16, in which the articulated sections are joined together by at least one strip of flexible material.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
21 words
The combination as claimed in claim 17, in which there are a plurality of strips comprising at least one notch means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
16 words
The combination as claimed in claim 1, in which the module holder is a clamping means.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
29 words
The combination as claimed in claim 1, in which the module holder has a portion adapted to be fastened to the module by means of a rivet or bolt.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
26 words
The combination as claimed in claim 1, in which the module holder is a means about which at least one portion of the module is molded.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
20 words
The combination as claimed in claim 21, in which the module holder forms a section of the main support means.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
20 words
The combination as claimed in claim 21, in which the module holder is an extension of the main support means.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
30 words
The combination as claimed in claim 21, in which the main support means comprises a wire type frame and the module holder is a wire portion part of the frame.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
44 words
The combination as claimed in claim 21, in which there are a plurality of module holders, each with a portion of at least one module molded around it and positioned so that the bearing surfaces of the modules form a displaceable support surface means.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
37 words
The combination as claimed in claim 1, in which the main support means comprises a wire frame including at least one sheet formed element having bends to form at least one recess to form a module holder.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
35 words
The combination as claimed in claim 26 which includes a plurality of recesses positioned to hold a plurality of modules so that their bearing elements will form a bearing surface area in a desired position.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
34 words
The combination as claimed in claim 1, in which at least one module has a laterally extending bracket member adapted to be positioned into a bracket member holder comprised in the main support means.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
23 words
The combination as claimed in claim 28, in which the bracket member holder comprised in the main support means is a tubular member.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
38 words
The combination as claimed in claim 29, in which there are a plurality of tubular module bracket holder members positioned to support modules to form a supporting surface area comprised of the bearing surfaces of the said modules.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
39 words
The combination as claimed in claim 1, in which the main support means comprises a flat sheet of material and at least one module comprises a laterally extending bracket adapted to be fastened to the flat sheet of material.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
42 words
The combination as claimed in claim 1, in which the main support means is a plate having means for fastening said plate to a structure, said plate including at least one tubular formation for receiving a portion of at least one module.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
20 words
The combination as claimed in claim 1, in which the main support means is a continuous strip of indeterminate length.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
27 words
The combination as claimed in claim 33, in which the main support means has a series of levers of modules connected at regular intervals along its length.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
27 words
The combination as claimed in claim 34, in which the modules are arranged to present a continuous bearing surface area comprising the bearing surfaces of the modules.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
17 words
The combination as claimed in claim 1, in which the main support means comprises a grid structure.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
26 words
The combination as claimed in claim 36, in which the grid structure of the main support means is connected at regular intervals to levers of modules.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
20 words
The combination as claimed in claim 37, in which there is a layer of material combined with the grid structure.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
13 words
The combination as claimed in claim 37 being made of a springy material.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
135 words
A module for a cushioning material construction comprising a plurality of displaceable bearing means, particular ones of said bearing means being interconnected to others of said bearing means by a first lever-type arrangement, so as to define a grouping of bearing means, said first lever-type arrangement being operative upon displacement of one of said load support means in a first direction to apply a force to another of said bearing means in an opposite direction, such that the displaceable bearing means will displace to conform to the shape of an imposed load and provide for distribution of load supporting forces; wherein selected groupings of interconnected bearing means are further interconnected to other groupings of interconnected bearing means by a second lever-type arrangement further comprising secondary displaceable bearing means positioned below the first mentioned bearing means.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
135 words
A module for a cushioning material construction comprising a plurality of displaceable bearing means, particular ones of said bearing means being interconnected to others of said bearing means by a first lever-type arrangement, so as to define a grouping of bearing means, said first lever-type arrangement being operative upon displacement of one of said load support means in a first direction to apply a force to another of said bearing means in an opposite direction, such that the displaceable bearing means will displace to conform to the shape of an imposed load and provide for distribution of load supporting forces; wherein selected groupings of interconnected bearing means are further interconnected to other groupings of interconnected bearing means by a second lever-type arrangement further comprising secondary displaceable bearing means positioned below the first mentioned bearing means.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
26 words
The module for a cushioning material construction as claimed in claim 40 which further comprises tertiary displaceable bearing means positioned beneath the secondary displaceable bearing means.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
27 words
The module for a cushioning material construction as claimed in claim 40, in which at least one lever-type arrangement is provided with at least one mounting means.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
21 words
The module for a cushioning material construction as claimed in claim 40, in which at least one lever comprises rocker means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3790150A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-07-04 | 1981-01-03 | 1981-07-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-07-04 | 1985-01-03 | 1985-07-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-07-04 | 1989-01-03 | 1989-07-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |