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US4139920A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Polymorphic support systems

Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1977-05-26
•
Granted: 1979-02-20
•
Expires: 1997-05-26
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Abstract

Abstract A polymorphic body support system wherein the surface which engages the body is provided by a plurality of support elements to effect a contour support to the person thereon. Each support element is a closed flexible bag partially filled with a plurality of beads characterized as non-absorbent, non-compressible and capable of free flow with respect to each other within said bag when subjected to the weight of a body member. Varying degrees of bag filling produce varying support characteristics.

Inventors

  • 👤 Franklin T. Evans

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-25 23:23
CPC Classifications
A; A47; A47C; A47C27/00; A47C27/08; A47C27/086; A47C27/12; A47C3/00; A47C3/16; A47G; A47G9/00; A61; A61G; A61G7/00; A61G7/05; A61G7/057; A61G7/05738

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 4
Claim 1
Independent Claim 208 words
A polymorphic body support system comprising a base structure including a generally planar supporting surface dimensioned to receive a person thereon, a plurality of unattached, individual closed flexible and expandable bags contiguously arranged on said base structure, said contiguous arrangement including at least a single layer of said expandable bags, said expandable bags being filled to between 20-50 volume percent with said beads, said contiguous arrangement between said unattached, individual bags and the quantity of said bags being infinitely variable, at the discretion of the user prior to or during use, at least some of said bags being folded over to increase the resistance of said folded bags to intrusion by the body of said person, each of said bags containing a plurality of beads, said beads being characterized as non-absorbent, non-compressible and capable of free flow with respect to each other within said bag when subjected to the weight of a body member so that the upper surface of the bag conforms to the body member supported thereon, each of said contiguous flexible bags being independently responsive to the compressive force component resulting from the presence of the body member and jointly responsive to the lateral force components to provide a comfortable contour support for the person.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 208 words
A polymorphic body support system comprising a base structure including a generally planar supporting surface dimensioned to receive a person thereon, a plurality of unattached, individual closed flexible and expandable bags contiguously arranged on said base structure, said contiguous arrangement including at least a single layer of said expandable bags, said expandable bags being filled to between 20-50 volume percent with said beads, said contiguous arrangement between said unattached, individual bags and the quantity of said bags being infinitely variable, at the discretion of the user prior to or during use, at least some of said bags being folded over to increase the resistance of said folded bags to intrusion by the body of said person, each of said bags containing a plurality of beads, said beads being characterized as non-absorbent, non-compressible and capable of free flow with respect to each other within said bag when subjected to the weight of a body member so that the upper surface of the bag conforms to the body member supported thereon, each of said contiguous flexible bags being independently responsive to the compressive force component resulting from the presence of the body member and jointly responsive to the lateral force components to provide a comfortable contour support for the person.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 21 words
A polymorphic support system of claim 1 further comprising bags in the range of 70-90 volume percent filled with said beads.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 16 words
A polymorphic support system of claim 2 further comprising a plurality of layers of said bags.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US395043A Cited
US1212515A Cited
US2547840A Cited
US3459179A Cited
US3616171A Cited
US4011611A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1982-02-19 1982-08-21 1983-02-20 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1986-02-19 1986-08-21 1987-02-20 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1990-02-19 1990-08-21 1991-02-20 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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