Patent ID: 8075981

Claim:
An alternating pattern gel cushioning element comprising: a gel cushioning element comprising a sheet of gel material having a first face, a second face, and an outer periphery, a plurality of first face gel protrusions extending from the first face of the gel cushioning element, the plurality of first face gel protrusions protruding away from the first face of the gel cushioning element in a direction generally orthogonal to the first face of the gel cushioning element; a plurality of first face gel recesses formed in the first face of the gel cushioning element, each of the plurality of first face gel recesses being located adjacent to at least one of the plurality of first face gel protrusions; a plurality of second face gel protrusions extending from the second face of the gel cushioning element, the plurality of second face gel protrusions protruding away from the second face of the gel cushioning element in a direction generally orthogonal to the second face of the gel cushioning element; and a plurality of second face gel recesses formed in the second face of the gel cushioning element, each of the plurality of second face gel recesses being located adjacent to at least one of the plurality of second face gel protrusions; wherein a combination of the plurality of first face gel protrusions and the plurality of first face gel recesses form a first face pattern; wherein a combination of the plurality of second face gel protrusions and the plurality of second face gel recesses form a second face pattern; and wherein the recesses of the plurality of first face gel recesses are aligned with and extend into the protrusions of the plurality of second face gel protrusions, and the recesses of the plurality of second face gel recesses are aligned with and extend into the protrusions of the plurality of first face gel protrusions.