Patents Represented by Law Firm Gravely, Lieder & Woodruff Gravely, Lieder & WWoodruff
  • Patent number: 4541136
    Abstract: An inflatable air cushion has a base and air cells arranged in rows upon and projecting away from the base, with the outer ends of the air cells forming a supporting surface. The base and air cells are formed from a flexible elastomeric material and are in communication through the base, so that when some of the air cells are deflected by a supported load, all the air cells nevertheless remain at the same internal pressure. Thus, those air cells that are against the load exert equal forces on the load, irrespective of the amount of deflection. Adjacent air cells when inflated are adapted to contact each other along their sides so as to provide a generally continuous supporting surface. To this end, each air cell when deflated has four fins arranged symmetrically about its axis, with each fin having spaced apart side walls. The side walls of adjacent fins are connected near the center of the air cell to provide depressions that open out of the air cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 1983
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1985
    Inventor: Robert H. Graebe