Load bearing surface
US9173496B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 30, 2008 |
| Grant date | Nov 3, 2015 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 8, 2032 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T428/24975
- WIPO fieldFurniture, games
- WIPO sectorOther fields
Abstract
An elastomeric load bearing surface with different load support characteristics in different directions. In one embodiment, the surface includes an elastomeric membrane that is oriented in only a single direction, for example, by compression or stretching. In another embodiment, the surface includes mechanical structures, such as connectors, variations in thickness and apertures, that vary the load support characteristics in different directions. In another aspect, the present invention provides a multilayer load bearing surface in which the layers cooperate to provide a controlled force/deflection profile that is variable in different regions of the surface. In one embodiment, the upper layer includes a plurality of loosely connected nodes and a lower layer having a plurality of resilient elements that separately support each node.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.