Patent ID: 9215933
Filing Date: 2015-12-22
Classification: A47C,B29C,B29D,F16F,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A load bearing surface comprising: a support structure having a plurality of protrusions, each protrusion having an outer edge, at least a portion of said outer edge being tapered and including first and second sidewalls facing in a first direction, said outer edge further including third and fourth sidewalls in a second direction, said first and second sidewalls having a greater degree of taper than said third and fourth sidewalls; a molded elastomeric membrane, at least a portion of said membrane being oriented, in tension, to have a crystalline structure with a greater alignment in the second direction than in the first direction, said membrane molded to include mechanical structure decoupling said membrane between said first direction and said second direction; and an attachment region configured to support said membrane in tension on said support structure, said attachment region including an integral edge molded into said membrane, said integral edge defining a plurality of receptacles, wherein said protrusions are inserted into a corresponding one of said receptacles, and wherein the mechanical structure is one or more of one or more apertures, undulations, nodes, slack regions and ribs in the membrane, and wherein portions of said membrane have a greater degree of orientation than other portions of said membrane, said portions of greater orientation having a greater degree of elasticity than said other portions.