Patent ID: 6460197
Filing Date: 2002-10-08
Classification: A43B,Y10S

Abstract:
A molded shock-absorbing cushion for sports goods, comprising:a pressurizable cushion having upper and lower sheets of synthetic plastic material each respectively generally residing in an upper and lower plane, said sheets being superimposed and bounding an interior space, said sheets extending lengthwise along a longitudinal direction and widthwise along a traverse direction generally perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, said sheets having a common peripheral edge and an inlet extending through the peripheral edge; a plurality of upper recesses formed in the upper sheet, each upper recess having an open upper end generally located in the plane of the upper sheet, and upper side walls extending away from a respective upper end toward the lower sheet and terminating in a closed lower end; a plurality of lower recesses formed in the lower sheet, each lower recess having an open lower end generally located in the plane of the lower sheet, and lower side walls extending away from a respective lower end toward the upper sheet and terminating in a closed upper end; each upper recess being aligned and symmetrical with a respective lower recess, and each closed lower end of a respective upper recess being integral with each closed upper end of a respective lower recess to form a common closed end for each pair of aligned upper and lower recesses, said common closed end being located between the upper and lower sheets and connecting the upper and lower sheets together at each said common closed end; and a closing means cooperating with the inlet, said inlet adapted to admit a fluid into the entire interior space of the cushion to space the upper and lower sheets apart from each other, said spaced apart upper and lower sheets generally positioned in respective planes and being free of upstanding projections, said fluid being selected from a group consisting of air, foamed polyurethane, water and oil.