Patent ID: 6109688
Filing Date: 2000-08-29
Classification: A47C

Abstract:
Air-permeable upholstery comprising channels through which air can flow via a valve means which control the flow of air through the channels, the valve means being positively controlled to open by loading of the upholstery, the valve means including closing and restoring members being constituted by pliable elements, characterized in that the closing and restoring members form component parts of the upholstery itself, and that the upholstery including the closing and restoring members are supported on a base (42, 69, 88, 113) and the upholstery characterized in that a plurality of cylindrical foam elements (36) including stamps (25) and stamp pads (27, 28) are arranged below an open-pore upper cushion (37), the stamps and stamp pads being separated from each other by an air-impermeable, flexible intermediate layer (26) such that, under pressure loading by a sitting or lying person, the intermediate layer (26) is pressed into the soft stamp pads (27, 28), thereby becoming deformed so that the intermediate layer (26) dents one of said plurality of cylindrical foam elements (36) to form an annular cavity (31), whereby fluid communication is established between said open-pore upper cushion (37) and an open-pore base layer (33, 34) and drainage channels (41).