CUSHIONING GRID WITH TAPERED WALLS

Abstract

The walls of a cushion with a plurality of interconnected walls that define hollow columns may be tapered. The tapering may reduce a weight and/or a thickness of the cushion relative to a conventionally configured cushion with a patterned grid defined by interconnected walls, while substantially maintaining a buckling profile and other cushioning characteristics of the conventionally configured cushion. In addition, the taper may have a draft that facilitates removal of the cushion (e.g., a cushion formed from an elastomeric gel, etc.) from a mold. Methods of designing cushions with reduced weights and/or thicknesses are also disclosed, as are methods of designing cushions to facilitate their release from molds and methods for manufacturing cushions.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates generally to cushions in which a plurality walls are interconnected to define hollow columns and, more specifically, to techniques for maintaining the cushioning characteristics of such cushions while optimizing (e.g., reducing, etc.) their wall-to-wall distance or spacing (i.e., distance across each cell), height or thickness, wall thickness, weight, and/or density. Even more specifically, a cushion that includes a plurality of interconnected walls defining a plurality of hollow columns may include one or more stiffeners in the walls that define the hollow columns. Methods for designing a cushion with interconnected walls that define hollow columns to optimize (e.g., minimize, etc.) the wall-to-wall distance, height or thickness, wall thickness, weight, and/or density of such a cushion are also disclosed.

DISCLOSURE

A cushion of this disclosure includes a plurality of interconnected walls that define a plurality of cells, with the walls that define each cell comprising a hollow column. Walls of the plurality of interconnected walls may be formed from an elastomeric material, such as a so-called “gel” (i.e., an elastomeric gel or gel elastomer). The walls may be arranged in such a way as to define a grid (e.g., a square grid, a rectangular grid, a triangular grid, a hexagonal grid, etc.), with the hollow columns defining the cells or spaces of the grid. Such an arrangement may be referred to as a “patterned layer” or, when formed from a gel, it may be referred to as a “patterned gel layer.” The hollow columns and the cells they define may be arranged in an array. For example, the walls may be arranged to create a square grid with each hollow column being substantially square. In some embodiments, the walls may be arranged to create a hexagonal grid with each hollow column being substantially hexagonal (i.e., a “honeycomb” arrangement). In some embodiments, the walls of the plurality of interconnected walls are arranged such that some regions of the cushion have a grid of one shape (e.g., square) and some regions have a grid of another shape (e.g., hexagonal).

The hollow columns and the cells they define may extend completely through a thickness of the cushion, substantially through the thickness of the cushion, or partially through the thickness of the cushion. A thin layer or film of a material (e.g., the material from which the interconnected walls are formed, etc.) may extend transversely across an end or an intermediate location of a hollow column and its cell that extend substantially through the thickness of the cushion. Such a thin layer or film may have a thickness that is about 5% or less of the thickness of the portion of the cushion through which the hollow column and its cell extend. A hollow column that extends partially through the cushion may include one section or a plurality of sections that, in combination, extend through less than 95% of the thickness of the portion of the cushion through which the hollow column and its cell extend.

In some embodiments, the cushion includes one or more layers of elastomeric material, with each layer comprising a plurality of interconnected walls that define a plurality of hollow columns. In some embodiments, the plurality of hollow columns in a first layer are offset (e.g., laterally offset) from, or not fully aligned with, the plurality of hollow columns in a second layer. Such an offset arrangement can provide greater support to an individual (and feel firmer) than embodiments of cushions with fewer layers (e.g., single layer embodiments, etc.) or embodiments of cushions in which the hollow columns of a plurality of adjacent superimposed layers are aligned (which embodiments are also within the scope of this disclosure). The offset arrangement can provide greater support while still optimizing a wall-to-wall distance or spacing (i.e., distance across each cell), height or thickness, wall thickness, weight, and/or density of the cushion.

The walls and/or hollow columns of each layer of such a cushion may include features that enable the cushion to have predetermined cushioning characteristics (e.g., firmness/softness, deformability (e.g., the ability of hollow columns to buckle and the extent to which the hollow columns can buckle, etc.), conformability, support, rebound rate, etc.) and, thus, to cushion an object (e.g., an individual, etc.) in a predetermined manner while optimizing (e.g., minimizing, etc.) one or more of a wall-to-wall distance or spacing (i.e., distance across each cell), height or thickness, wall thickness, weight, and/or density of the cushion. In this regard, the walls and/or hollow columns of a cushion according to this disclosure may have configurations (e.g., tapered walls, stiffeners, etc.) that impart the cushion with a predetermined stiffness and/or weight.

The elastomeric material that forms the plurality of interconnected walls may comprise any suitable material that will readily deform when placed under a load and resiliently rebound (i.e., return to its original shape) upon removal of the load. In various embodiments, the elastomeric material may comprise a gel or a gel-like material. In a specific, but non-limiting example, the gel or gel-like material may comprise a block copolymer that has been extended with a plasticizer. A non-limiting example of a block copolymer is a triblock copolymer, such as a so-called A-B-A triblock copolymer. A nonlimiting example of a plasticizer is mineral oil. Other so-called “synthetic rubber” materials and other materials that may be used to form the walls include, without limitation, rubber, foams (e.g., polyurethane foams, etc.), and other materials that deform when placed under a load and resilient rebound (e.g., to their original shape, etc.) upon removing the load.

The cushion may include tapers in at least one wall that defines at least one hollow column. In some embodiments each wall of the cushion may include at least one taper. Each taper may comprise an intermediate portion having a first thickness, which is relatively thick, a base portion extending downwardly from the intermediate portion and tapering from the first thickness to a second thickness, which is relatively thin, and an upper portion extending upwardly from the intermediate portion and tapering from the first thickness to a third thickness, which is also relatively thin and made be the same as the second thickness. In some embodiments, each wall defining at least one hollow column comprises an intermediate portion having a first thickness, a base portion extending downwardly from the intermediate portion and tapering from the first thickness to a second thickness, and an upper portion extending upwardly from the intermediate portion and tapering from the first thickness to a third thickness.

Each taper may have a draft, or amount or dimensions (e.g., height and thickness), that enables the cushion to be readily released from a mold following use of the mold to form the cushion from the elastomeric material.

The draft of each taper may facilitate the elimination of material from at least a portion of the wall, thereby reducing the weight of the wall and the weight and density of the cushion of which the wall is a part, without significantly changing the desired cushioning characteristics of the cushion. In some embodiments, the incorporation of tapers into the walls of a cushion with interconnected walls that define hollow columns may facilitate a reduction in the thickness of the cushion.

An arrangement of tapers in the walls across the cushion may at least partially define one or more cushioning characteristics of the cushion at different locations over a cushioning surface thereof. As an example, tapers may be arranged evenly across the cushion (i.e., its lateral dimensions, or x-axis and y-axis) to impart the cushion with the same mold release and cushioning characteristics across an entirety of the cushioning surface or substantially across the cushioning surface (e.g., with the possible exception of edges of the cushion, regions of the cushion adjacent to the edges, etc.).

Each taper occurs in a direction along at least a portion of a height of its corresponding wall, or at least partially through the thickness of the cushion (i.e., in a direction parallel to a z-axis of the cushion). Each taper may extend laterally along the length of the wall (i.e., in directions along an x-y plane through the cushion).

In some embodiments, the cushion may include a plurality of interconnected walls defining at least one hollow column, where an upper edge of at least one wall of the plurality of interconnected walls includes at least one chamfer. For example, the upper edge can include a transition edge between a face of the wall (i.e., a side or surface of the wall) and the upper edge. In some embodiments, the transition edge can extend between a face of the wall and a top surface of the upper edge of the wall. In some embodiments, the upper edge of the wall includes two transitional edges between each face (e.g., opposing faces) the of the wall and the upper edge.

In some embodiments, the cushion may include stiffeners, or stiffeners. A stiffener, or stiffener, may be defined by the material (e.g., the elastomeric material, etc.) that defines the plurality of interconnected walls. Without limitation, a stiffener, or stiffener, may comprise an enlarged junction between interconnected walls at a corner of a hollow column, or cell, of the cushion. An enlarged junction may include one or more filleted (i.e., radiused) interior corners within the interior of a hollow column (i.e., a “filleted junction”) or any other suitable enlarged shape (e.g., a round cross-section, such as a circle, oval, ellipse, etc.; a polygonal cross-section, such as a diamond, square, etc.); etc.). Each dimension across each end of such an enlarged junction (e.g., in-line with the interconnected walls, diagonals, etc.) may exceed a thickness of each wall of the plurality of interconnected walls joined at the enlarged junction.

Each stiffener may also be tapered. In some embodiments, a stiffener may include an intermediate portion with a uniform cross-section and cross-sectional dimensions, a tapered upper portion extending from an upper side of the intermediate portion, and a tapered base portion extending from a lower side, or base side, of the intermediate portion.

An arrangement of stiffeners across the cushion may at least partially define one or more cushioning characteristics of the cushion at different locations over a cushioning surface thereof. As an example, stiffeners may be arranged evenly (e.g., uniformly) across the cushion to impart the cushion with the same cushioning characteristics across an entirety of the cushioning surface or substantially across the cushioning surface (e.g., with the possible exception of edges of the cushion, etc.). As another example, locations of the cushioning surface that are intended to be relatively firm may include a firm arrangement of stiffeners (e.g., more stiffeners, larger stiffeners, etc.), while locations of the cushion that are intended to be relatively soft may include a soft arrangement of stiffeners (e.g., fewer stiffeners, smaller stiffeners, etc.).

A hollow column may include an enlarged junction (e.g., a filleted junction, etc.) at one corner. A hollow column may include enlarged junctions (e.g., filleted junctions, etc.) at a plurality of corners (e.g., opposite corners of the hollow column, etc.). Each corner of a hollow column may include an enlarged junction (e.g., a filleted junction, etc.) (i.e., all of the corners of the hollow column may include enlarged junctions).

All of the hollow columns of the cushion may include at least one stiffener. Alternatively, only selected hollow columns of the cushion (e.g., hollow columns at corners of the cushion, hollow columns at outer edges of the cushion, hollow columns at locations of the cushion that are expected to receive the greatest load (e.g., midway between the head and foot of a mattress etc.), etc.) may include at least one stiffener.

Each hollow column of a cushion that includes at least one stiffener (e.g., one or more enlarged junctions, etc.) may be stiffened in the same manner (e.g., it may have the same number of enlarged junctions, etc.) as every other hollow column that includes at least one stiffener. As another option, the manner and extent to which each hollow column is stiffened (e.g., the type, number, and arrangement of stiffeners, such as enlarged junctions of the hollow column, etc.) may correspond to a location of the hollow column on the cushion. In some embodiments, the incorporation of stiffeners into a cushion with interconnected walls that define hollow columns may facilitate a reduction in the thickness of the cushion.

A method for designing a cushion with a plurality of interconnected walls that define hollow columns may include determining one or more cushioning characteristics of the cushion (e.g., firmness/softness, deformability (e.g., the ability of hollow columns to buckle and the extent to which the hollow columns can buckle, etc.), conformability, support, rebound rate, etc.) and optimizing (e.g., minimizing, etc.) one or more of a wall-to-wall distance or spacing (i.e., distance across each cell), height or thickness, wall thickness, weight, and density of the cushion to achieve the one or more cushioning characteristics. Such a method may include incorporating features into the cushion that optimize the weight and/or density of the cushion. Such a method may include designing features that enable the cushion to be thinner than it would be if the features were not included in the cushion design. As an example, such a method may include designing the plurality of interconnected walls to include tapers that reduce the amount of material required to define the plurality of interconnected walls while having little or no impact on the cushioning characteristics (e.g., firmness/softness, deformability (e.g., the ability of hollow columns to buckle and the extent to which the hollow columns can buckle, etc.), conformability, support, rebound rate, etc.) of the cushion vis-à-vis a cushion that lacks such tapers. As another example, such a method may include designing stiffeners into the walls of the cushion (e.g., enlarged junctions between walls of the plurality of interconnected walls, etc.). A method for designing a cushion may also include providing the cushion with features (e.g., tapers, etc.) that facilitate its release from a mold following its manufacture.

A method for designing a cushion with a plurality of interconnected walls that define hollow columns may include designing the interconnected walls to have a draft that facilitates removal of the cushion from a mold. In embodiments where the interconnected walls of the cushion are formed from a gel elastomer, the draft of the walls may counteract a tendency of the elastomeric gel to stick to surfaces of the mold; thus, the draft of the interconnected walls may be designed to enable the cushion to be more readily released from the mold (e.g., with a minimal amount of a mold release agent, with no mold release agent, etc.), or to optimize release of the cushion from the mold.

A method for manufacturing a cushion may include manufacturing a mold that includes cavities that define a plurality of interconnected walls with a draft. A configuration of the draft may minimize an amount of elastomeric material required to impart the cushion with one or more desired cushioning characteristics (e.g., firmness/softness, deformability (e.g., the ability of hollow columns to buckle and the extent to which the hollow columns can buckle, etc.), conformability, support, rebound rate, etc.). A configuration of the draft may facilitate removal of the cushion from the mold or even optimize release of the cushion from the mold.

Other aspects of this disclosure, as well as features and advantages of various aspects of the disclosed subject matter, should be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art through consideration of the ensuing description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the Drawings:

FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a section of an existing cushion and FIG. 1B is a perspective view of a section of a cushion that has been designed with an embodiment of stiffeners and/or tapers to provide the same or substantially the same cushioning characteristics as the section of the existing cushion shown in FIG. 1, but with less height or thickness, wall thickness, weight, and/or density than the section of the existing cushion shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 2A is a close-up view and dimensions of a taper and FIG. 2B is a close-up view and dimensions of a chamfer;

FIG. 3 is a perspective close-up view of a section of an embodiment of a cushion that has been designed with a chamfer to provide the same or substantially the same cushioning characteristics as the section of the existing cushion shown in FIG. 1, but with less height or thickness, wall thickness, weight, and/or density than the section of the existing cushion shown in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 4A to 4E are sequential deformation contours (deformation from a load applied normal to a plane (the x-y plane) across a surface) of a section of a cushion that has been designed with chamfers and/or tapers to provide the same or substantially the same cushioning characteristics as the section of the existing cushion shown in FIG. 1A, but with less height or thickness, wall thickness, weight, and/or density than the section of the existing cushion shown in FIG. 1A;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are graphs illustrating the displacement of a section of disclosed cushions achieved under incremental loads normal to (i.e., perpendicular to) a plane (the x-y plane) across a surface of each cushion; and

FIG. 7 is a chart showing the buckling force, volume, and differences there between for an existing cushion in comparison to a cushion according to the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1A illustrates an embodiment of an existing cushion 15 that comprises a patterned layer and FIG. 1B illustrates an embodiment of a cushion 10 comprising a patterned layer that has been designed to provide the same or substantially the same cushioning characteristics and/or buckling profile as the section of the existing cushion 15 shown in FIG. 1A, but with less height or thickness, wall thickness, weight, and/or density than the section of the existing cushion 15 shown in FIG. 1A. Thus, while the cushion 10 may include less material and weigh less than the existing cushion 15, the functionality of the existing cushion 15 remains intact in the cushion 10 of this disclosure.

The patterned layer of the cushion 10 includes and is defined by a plurality of walls 20, with each wall 20 having an upper edge 21 and a base edge (not visible in FIG. 1B). The walls 20 (and upper edges 21) are connected to each other at junctions 22 and, thus, may be referred to as “interconnected walls.” The walls 20 are arranged in such a way as to define an array of cells. Together, the walls that define each cell comprise a hollow column 30. As illustrated, the walls 20 are arranged in a grid pattern and define hollow columns 30 that have or exhibit cross sections, taken transverse to the heights of the hollow columns 30, that are substantially square in shape (e.g., with rounded corners, etc.), although hollow columns 30 with other cross-sectional shapes (e.g., hexagonal, triangular, diamond, etc.) are also within the scope of this disclosure.

The walls 20 of the cushion 10 may be formed from any suitable material including, but not limited to, an elastomeric material. The elastomeric material may comprise a gel, which may be referred to as an “elastomeric gel” or as a “gel elastomer.” Examples of elastomeric materials that comprise gels include, but are not limited to, plasticizer-extended block copolymers (e.g., plasticizer-extended diblock copolymers, plasticizer-extended triblock copolymers, etc.). U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,994,450, 6,797,765, and 7,964,664, the entire disclosures of which are hereby incorporated herein, disclose various embodiments of A-B-A triblock copolymers that may be used to form the walls 20 of the cushion 10. Purple Innovation, LLC's Hyper-Elastic Polymer 4.0 mix, which comprises a mineral oil-extended A-B-A triblock copolymer, is a specific example of a gel that may be used to define the walls 20 of the cushion 10. In embodiments where the walls 20 are formed from a gel, the cushion 10 may comprise a patterned gel layer.

When the cushion 10 is placed under a load, the hollow columns 30 may buckle, as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,730,566 and 8,919,750, the entire disclosures of which are hereby incorporated herein, or bulge, as described in U.S. Patent Application Publication US 2019/0075884 A1, the entire disclosure of which are hereby incorporated herein.

As illustrated by FIG. 1B, each junction 22 between interconnected walls 20 may be enlarged relative to the thicknesses of the walls 20 that define the junction 22. More specifically, such a junction 22 may define a filleted (i.e., radiused) interior corner within the interior of a hollow column 30 and, thus, comprise a “filleted junction,” or stiffener. Each dimension across each axis of such a junction 22 (e.g., in-line with the interconnected walls 20, diagonals, the x-axis and/or the z-axis, etc.) may exceed a thickness of each wall 20 that extends to the junction 22. U.S. Patent Application Publication US 2024/0023723 A1, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein, provides further details regarding the inclusion of enlarged junctions 22 in a cushion 10. Optionally, junctions 22 may define exterior fillets (i.e., radiused protrusions) at exterior edges 10e and/or corners 10c of the cushion 10.

Each junction 22 may also be tapered. A junction 22 may include an intermediate portion with a uniform cross-section and cross-sectional dimensions, a tapered upper portion extending from an upper side of the intermediate portion, and a tapered base portion extending from a lower side, or base side, of the intermediate portion.

In addition, FIG. 1B shows an embodiment of a cushion 10 that includes tapers 28 in the walls 20 that define portions of the hollow columns 30. More specifically, the height of each wall 20 comprises an intermediate portion 23, a base portion 25, and an upper portion 27. Outer ends of the base portions 25 of the walls 20 collectively define a base surface of the cushion 10. Outer ends of the upper portions 27 of the walls 20 collectively define an upper surface of the cushion 10. The intermediate portion 23 has a constant, first thickness T1. The base portion 25 of each wall 20 extends downwardly from the intermediate portion 23 and tapers from the first thickness T1 at a junction with the intermediate portion 23 to a second thickness T2 at an outer end of the base portion 25, where the second thickness T2 is less than the first thickness T1. Similarly, the upper portion 27 of each wall 20 extends upwardly from the intermediate portion 23 and tapers from the first thickness T1 at a junction with the intermediate portion 23 to a third thickness T3 at an outer end of the upper portion 27, where the third thickness T3 is less than the first thickness T1. In some embodiments, the second thickness T2 equals or substantially equals the third thickness T3. The tapers 28 may extend any length upwardly on the walls 20 from the base 25 and may be positioned on each wall 20 or on selected walls 20. FIG. 2A illustrates the shape and dimensions of a specific embodiment of a taper 28.

Referring to FIG. 2A, a height of the intermediate portion 23 along the height of each wall 20 can range from about 0.15 inch (about 0.38 cm) to about 0.35 inch (about 0.89 cm), such as a height of about 0.2 inch (about 0.51 cm), about 0.25 inch (about 0.64 cm), about 0.28 inch (about 0.71 cm), about 0.3 inch (about 0.76 cm), or a height within a range defined by any two of the foregoing values. A height of the base portion 25 along the height of each wall 20 can range from about 0.75 inch (about 1.9 cm) to about 0.95 inch (about 2.4 cm), such as a height of about 0.8 inch (about 2.0 cm), about 0.84 inch (about 2.1 cm), about 0.86 inch (about 2.2 cm), about 0.9 inch (about 2.3 cm), or a height within a range defined by any two of the foregoing values. A height of the upper portion 27 along the height of each wall 20 can range from about 0.75 inch (about 1.9 cm) to about 0.95 inch (about 2.4 cm), such as a height of about 0.8 inch (about 2.0 cm), about 0.84 inch (about 2.1 cm), about 0.86 inch (about 2.2 cm), about 0.9 inch (about 2.3 cm), or a height within a range defined by any two of the foregoing values. In some embodiments, the height of each of the intermediate portion 23, base portion 25, and upper portion 27 is correlated to an overall height of the wall 20, or an overall height or thickness of the cushion 10.

In some embodiments, the base portion 25 and upper portion 27 of each wall symmetrically extend (e.g., downwardly or upwardly, respectively) from the intermediate portion 23 of the wall 20. In some embodiments, the base portion 25 and upper portion 27 asymmetrically extend from the intermediate portion 23. In some embodiments, the base portion and upper portion 27 symmetrically taper from the first thickness T1 of the intermediate portion 23 to the second thickness T2 and third thickness T3, respectively. In some embodiments, the base portion 25 and upper portion 27 taper from the intermediate portion 23 at an angle ranging from about one (1) degree to about three (3) degrees, such as 1.4, 1.5, 1.8, 2.0, 2.2, 2.5, 2.8 degrees, or an angle within a range defined by any two of the foregoing values. In some embodiments, the base portion 25 and upper portion 27 taper from the intermediate portion 23 at an angle of 2.5 degrees or less.

The dimensions (e.g., height, thicknesses, etc.) and angle of each taper 28 may comprise a draft. The draft of each taper 28 may enable the cushion to be readily released from a mold following use of the mold to form the cushion 10 from the elastomeric material. The draft of each taper 28 may facilitate the elimination of material from at least a portion of the wall 20, thereby reducing the weight of the wall 20 and the weight and density of the cushion 10 of which the wall 20 is a part, without significantly changing the desired cushioning characteristics of the cushion 10. In some embodiments, the incorporation of tapers 28 into the walls 20 of a cushion 10 with interconnected walls 20 that define hollow columns 30 may facilitate a reduction in the thickness of the cushion 10.

Any stiffness that may be lost or other cushioning characteristic (e.g., firmness/softness, deformability (e.g., the ability of hollow columns to buckle and the extent to which the hollow columns can buckle, etc.), conformability, support, rebound rate, etc.) that may be altered by providing a wall 20 with a taper 28 may be replaced or restored by providing one or more corners of each hollow column 30 with an enlarged junction 22, or a stiffener. Thus, any number of corners of a hollow column 30, from zero corners to all of the corners or the hollow column 30, or any number of junctions 22 between the walls 20 that define the hollow column 30, may be enlarged to impart the hollow column 30 and the cushion 10 of which the hollow column 30 is a part with a desired stiffness and/or other desired cushioning characteristics.

FIG. 2B provides a close-up view of an edge 21 (e.g., an upper edge, a lower edge, etc.) of a wall 20 of the plurality of interconnected walls 20, where the edge 21 is chamfered or beveled. Specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 2B, the edge 21 includes two transition edges 29 between the edge 21 and each opposing face of the wall 20. In some embodiments, the wall 20 having a chamfered edge 21 may also include a taper 28. In some embodiments, the wall 20 having a chamfered edge 21 does not having a taper 28.

FIG. 3 provides another close-up view of a plurality of edges 21 meeting at a junction 22 of the plurality of interconnected walls 20, where the edges 21 are chamfered. Specifically, as illustrated, each upper edge 21 includes two transition edges 29 between the edge 21 and each opposing face of the wall 20. In some embodiments, each transition edge 29 is disposed at an angle ranging from about 39 degrees to 50 degrees, such as an angle of about 40, 42, 45, 48 degrees, or an angle within a range defined by any two of the foregoing values. In some embodiments, each transition edge 29 extends from a surface of each edge 21 to the upper portion 27 having the third thickness T3 or, although not shown in FIG. 3, to the base portion 25 having the second thickness T2.

In some embodiments, the surface of the edge 21 has a thickness of about 0.058 inch (about 0.15 cm) to about 0.07 inch (about 0.18 cm), such as about 0.06 inch (about 0.152 cm), about 0.064 inch (about 0.163 cm), about 0.065 inch (about 0.165 cm), about 0.068 inch (about 0.173 cm), or a thickness within a range defined by any two of the foregoing values. In some embodiments, the base portion 25 has a second thickness and/or the upper portion 27 has a third thickness T3, with thickness T2 and thickness T3 ranging from about 0.07 inch (about 0.18 cm) to about 0.09 inch (about 0.23 cm), such as about 0.075 inch (about 0.191 cm), about 0.08 inch (about 0.203 cm), about 0.085 inch (about 0.216 cm), about 0.086 inch (about 0.218 cm), about 0.088 inch (about 0.224 cm), or a thickness within a range defined by any two of the foregoing values.

FIGS. 4A to 4E are sequential deformation contour maps of the results of a simulated study that was conducted by fixing the location of a base (i.e., the bottom or base edges of the base portions 25 of the walls 20) of a section of a cushion 10 and applying a compressive force to a top surface (i.e., the upper edges of the walls 20) of the section of the cushion 10. In FIGS. 4A to 4E, the simulation was conducted on simulated square section of a 2 inch (about 5.1 cm) thick cushion 10. FIGS. 4A to 4E show the manner in which a hollow column 30 and its tapered walls 20 buckle when placed under a load. The results of the studies depicted by FIGS. 4A to 4E revealed the extent to which the walls 20 of the cushion 10 buckle, or are displaced, when placed under a load.

FIG. 5 shows the results of a simulation of displacement of a section of a cushion 10 of this disclosure. The study was simulated on a 3 inch (about 7.5 cm) by 3 inch (about 7.5 cm) section of the embodiment of cushion 10 shown in FIG. 1B, which has a thickness of 1¾ inch (about 4.4 cm), hollow columns 30 with 0.10 inch (about 2.5 mm) radiused inner corners, and tapers 28 with the dimensions shown in FIG. 2A.

FIG. 6 shows actual results achieved while displacing 3 inch (about 7.5 cm) by 3 inch (about 7.5 cm) sections of existing 2 inch (about 5 cm) thick existing cushions 15, as shown in FIG. 1A, to provide an experimental baseline.

FIG. 7 is a chart showing a comparison of the buckling force and volume of an existing cushion 15 (FIG. 1A) and a cushion 10 (FIG. 1B) of this disclosure. For example, the hollow columns of an existing cushion 15 buckle under a load of about 6 pounds of force (lb-f) (about 26.7 N). A cushion 10 with walls 20 that include tapers 28 designed to provide the same or substantially the same cushioning characteristics as the existing cushion 15 buckles under a force of about 5.5 lb-f (about 24.5 N). That is, embodiments of the disclosed cushions 10 have a buckling force differential of about 9.6% compared to an existing cushion 15.

Additionally, the volume of a hollow column of an existing cushion 15 (FIG. 1A) is about 1.66 cubic inches (about 27.2 cm²), compared with a volume of about 1.50 cubic inches (about 24.6 cm²) for the hollow columns of the cushion 10 (FIG. 1B). As shown in FIG. 7, embodiments of disclosed cushions 10 are designed with features (e.g., stiffeners and/or tapers) that provide the same or substantially the same cushioning characteristics as the existing cushion 15 (FIG. 1A), while optimizing (i.e., reducing, minimizing, etc.) a wall-to-wall distance or spacing (i.e., distance across each cell), height or thickness, wall thickness, weight, and/or density of the disclosed cushion 10 and/or facilitating removal of the cushion 10 from a mold.

Although this disclosure provides many specifics, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of any of the claims that follow, but merely as providing illustrations of some embodiments of elements and features of the disclosed subject matter. Other embodiments of the disclosed subject matter, and of their elements and features, may be devised which do not depart from the spirit or scope of any of the claims. Features from different embodiments may be employed in combination. Accordingly, the scope of each claim is limited only by its plain language and the legal equivalents thereto.

Claims

1. A cushion, comprising: a plurality of walls formed from a compressible, resilient material, each wall of the plurality of walls including: an intermediate portion having a first thickness;a base portion extending downwardly from the intermediate portion and tapering from the first thickness to a second thickness adjacent to a base edge of the wall; andan upper portion extending upwardly from the intermediate portion and tapering from the first thickness to a third thickness adjacent to an upper edge of the wall,the plurality of walls interconnected to define an array of cells extending between a base surface of the cushion defined by base edges of the plurality of walls and an upper surface of the cushion defined by upper edges of the plurality of walls.

2. The cushion of claim 1, wherein the second thickness and the third thickness are the same.

3. The cushion of claim 1, wherein edges of the plurality of walls are chamfered.

4. The cushion of claim 1, wherein a taper of each wall of the plurality of walls comprises a draft.

5. The cushion of claim 4, wherein the draft facilitates release of the cushion from a mold.

6. The cushion of claim 1, further comprising: at least one stiffener at a junction between interconnected walls of the plurality of walls.

7. The cushion of claim 6, wherein the at least one stiffener replaces or restores at least one cushioning characteristic altered by a taper of each wall of the plurality of walls.

8. A cushion, comprising: a plurality of interconnected walls formed from an elastomeric material, defining a plurality of hollow columns, with each wall of the plurality of interconnected walls including at least one taper.

9. The cushion of claim 8, wherein the at least one taper comprises: an intermediate portion having a first thickness;a base portion extending downwardly from the intermediate portion and tapering from the first thickness to a second thickness adjacent to a base edge of the wall of the plurality of interconnected walls; andan upper portion extending upwardly from the intermediate portion and tapering from the first thickness to a third thickness adjacent to an upper edge of the wall of the plurality of interconnected walls.

10. The cushion of claim 9, wherein the second thickness and the third thickness are the same.

11. The cushion of claim 8, wherein the at least one taper comprises a draft that facilitates release of the cushion from a mold.

12. The cushion of claim 8, further comprising: at least one stiffener in a junction between intersecting walls of the plurality of walls.

13. The cushion of claim 12, wherein the at least one stiffener comprises an enlarged junction at the junction between the intersecting walls of the plurality of walls.

14. The cushion of claim 12, wherein each dimension across each end of the enlarged junction exceeds a thickness of each wall of the plurality of interconnected walls joined at the enlarged junction.

15. The cushion of claim 8, wherein the plurality of hollow columns buckle when at least a portion of the cushion is placed under a load.

16. A method for designing a cushion with a plurality of interconnected walls defining an array of hollow columns, comprising: designing the plurality of interconnected walls to include tapers comprises designing the plurality of interconnected walls to include: an intermediate portion having a first thickness across an entirety of the intermediate portion;a base portion extending downwardly from the intermediate portion and tapering from the first thickness to a second thickness adjacent to a base edge of the wall of the plurality of interconnected walls; andan upper portion extending upwardly from the intermediate portion and tapering from the first thickness to a third thickness adjacent to an upper edge of the wall of the plurality of interconnected walls.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein designing the plurality of interconnected walls comprises designing the second thickness and the third thickness to be the same.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein designing the plurality of interconnected walls includes: designing at least one of the upper edge and the lower edge to include a chamfer.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising: designing stiffeners on at least portions of the plurality of interconnected walls.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein designing the stiffeners comprises designing the stiffeners to include tapered portions, with at least one end of each stiffener having smaller cross-sectional dimensions that an intermediate portion of the stiffener.