Patent · US Expired

Adjustable seat assembly bladder sealing method

US5096529A · kind A · utility

40Cited by
10References
9Claims
0Family size

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateApr 1, 1991
Grant dateMar 17, 1992
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 1, 2011

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T156/1034
  • WIPO fieldFurniture, games
  • WIPO sectorOther fields

Abstract

An adjustable seat assembly bladder for altering the surface contour of a seat and an associated bladder sealing method is provided. The seat assembly bladder comprises a pair of inflatable chambers, each having inner and outer chamber walls. At least a portion of the inner walls of the chambers are joined and an opening is provided at a point at which such walls are joined to establish fluid communications between the chambers. The walls of the chambers are fabricated from a laminated material having a plurality of layers, and air or gas is prevented from escaping through the laminated inner walls by sealing selected edge portions of the inner walls. The sealing process of the present invention by which the layers of the inner walls are sealed includes applying heat to one or more fusible or moldable washers to produce a seal covering selected edges of the inner walls, or, alternatively, applying heat directly to selected edge portions of the inner walls to fuse the layers comprising the inner walls together.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.