Inflatable Cushion Device

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to an air cushion device for sports goods, and more particularly to an air cushion device including an extension tube, connected in a plane, "S"-shaped or zig-zag arrangement formed integrally with the cushion, and disposed either between two integrally formed cushions or between a cushion and a pressure pump to give free adjustment of the spacing between cushions or between a cushion and a pump without the necessity of making the connection by means of other components. The invention also concerns a pressure-limiting chamber formed integrally with the pressure pump, and having a preset or variable capacity so as to set the maximum value for pressurizing the cushion, whereby the pressure pump automatically will stop supplying air to the cushion once the inner pressure of the cushion reaches the value preset by the pressure limiting chamber. The present invention can be applied to a seat or saddle cushion, protection gear, shoes and other objects requiring the installation of a cushion.

2. Description of the Prior Art

There is a wide range of articles using the application of an air cushion as generally found in the present market. The cushion typically may comprise two sheets of material overlapped and sealed by heat, or the cushion may be cast with hollow dies. No matter how such a cushion may be manufactured, the prior art designs achieve a connection between cushions or between a cushion and a pump by using a separate tube. However, such a method of connection although it will achieve its purpose, increases the production costs with further time consumption and inconveniences in production while there is no way to guarantee that potential air leakage from the connection can be avoided. Therefore, the prior art in which an additional connection tube is used between two cushions or between a cushion and other components (namely, a pump, or pressure valve) fails to provide optimal effectiveness with regard to air leakage.

In addition, different spacing requirements may be needed between two cushions or between a cushion and another component (such as if one cushion is required to be installed in the sole of a shoe while a pressurizing component and other components are required to be disposed in the top quarter) depending on the size of the shoes, and shape of the shoes, or the type of shoe, for example, jumping boots, or ordinary shoes have different size and shapes. To manufacturers, it could mean the more difficult processes, more inventory and failure to practice a proper control of the sizes and quantities to be produced since there is a wide range of product sizes involved.

Furthermore, the requirement of having an additional connection tube disposed between the cushion and the pump in the design of cushion featuring an automated pressure pump will present problems of being vulnerable to air leakage. Also, a design of cushion using the automated operation on the pressure pump which is alternatively depressed under impact of the foot to pressurize the cushion and then released, generally will include a pressure release valve on the cushion capable of presetting the pressure by automatically releasing the pressure from the cushion when exceeding the preset value of the valve so that the cushion is preset at a constant maximum pressure value. The prior art using an air release valve to protect the cushion not only causes hardening over a certain area on the cushion resulting from the air release valve being made of metal, but also may result in injuries to the athlete when installed in sports shoes. Even though an air release valve mechanism can be positioned at a safe and proper position of the product, the connection tube will be exposed, leading to possible falling off of the connection tube or air leakage.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved air cushion device for sports goods to eliminate or at least reduce the aforesaid flaws of the prior art.

With the above object in view, the present invention provides an air cushion with 1) an integrally formed extension tube, and using the unique design of said tube to comply with the application requirements for connection of the cushion to another cushion or pump at different spacings; 2) an integrally formed extension tube with variable length to avoid air leakage due to the absence of connecting points between the cushions; and 3) an integrally formed pressure limiting chamber connected to one side of an automated pressure pump, thus further eliminating the need for disposing a separate air release valve in the cushion and using the pressure limiting chamber either of fixed or variable volume to control the maximum inflation pressure of the cushion.

The present invention will become more readily apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of the invention illustrating an extension tube between two cushions;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view on line 2--2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 with the cushion extended;

FIG. 4 is another view similar to FIG. 1 with the cushion extended;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a second embodiment of the invention illustrating an extension tube between a cushion and another component;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6--6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 5 showing the tube extended;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a third embodiment of the invention showing a tube between a cushion and a pressure pump;

FIG. 9, is a sectional view on line 9--9 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a plan view of a fourth embodiment cushion according to this invention;

FIG. 10-1 is a sectional view on line B--B of FIG. 10;

FIG. 10-2 is a view similar to FIG. 10-1 showing how the cushion is folded on itself for use in an athletic shoe or the like;

FIG. 10-3 is a view similar to FIG. 10-2 showing the cushion folded;

FIG. 10-4 is a view on line A--A of FIG. 10;

FIG. 11 is a diagrammatic view of an adjustable volume inflation pressure controlling chamber system for cushion structures according to the invention;

FIG. 11-1 is a diagrammatic view of a piston used in the system shown in FIG. 11;

FIG. 12 is a plan view of an air cushion structure according to the invention for use in a bicycle saddle;

FIG. 12-1 is an elevational view of the cushion shown in FIG. 12;

FIG. 13 is a plan view of another air cushion structure according to the invention for use in a bicycle saddle;

FIG. 13-1 is an elevational view of the cushion shown in FIG. 13;

FIG. 14 is a plan view of still another cushion structure according to the invention for use in a bicycle saddle; and

FIG. 14-1 is an elevational view of the cushion shown in FIG. 14.

FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings illustrate a first embodiment of an integrally formed extension tube 3 between two inflatable cushions 1 and 2. Cushion (1) and cushion (2) can be made of two sheets of plastic or like materials sealed by thermal treatment around the perimeter or formed by air blowing plastic material into a hollow object in a mold. During the manufacturing process of integrally forming both cushions (1 and 2), the sheet material between cushion (1) and cushion (2) is also integrally formed with a preset length in a "S"-shaped or zig zag arrangement comprising several limbs of an extension tube (3) with opposite ends of said extension tube, also integrally formed, and connected with the interior of cushions (1 and 2). As illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, there may be a web 31 present between the parallel limbs of the extension tube so that when the spacing between two cushions (1 and 2) is required to be somewhat extended, the desired separating and spacing between cushions (1 and 2) can be achieved by cutting the required number of sheet material webs (31). Before such cutting of the sheet material webs (31), the two cushions (1 and 2) and extension tube (3) comprise a one-piece cushion. The greater the number of limbs cut by the sheet material webs (31) the larger can be the maximum extension spacing between the two cushions (1 and 2), and the smaller the number of webs cut, the smaller is the maximum extension spacing. The cushions (1 and 2) can be disposed immediately adjacent one another without cutting any webs (FIG. 1) or at an intermediate spacing (FIG. 3) by cutting some of the webs, or at a maximum spacing (FIG. 4) by cutting all of the webs. The spacing depends on the product in which the cushion is used.

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 illustrate an embodiment of the invention wherein an integrally formed extension tube 3 is provided between an air cushion and another component 4a which may be an air nozzle, an air regulating valve, an air release valve, a one-way valve, or the like. This arrangement is similar to the previous embodiment with the respective limbs of tube 3 being connected by integral webs 31. Tube end 4 can be connected to any one of the above components and the spacing between such component and cushion can again be selected by cutting the required number of webs 31 and pulling out the tubing 3 to the required amount to provide the required spacing between cushion 1 and said component.

FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate an integrally formed extension tube (3) between a cushion (1) and a pressure pump (5). The cushion (1), the pressure pump (5) and the extension tube (3) disposed therebetween with a preset length and zig zag shape are integrally formed as a one-piece cushion and pressure pump before cutting of the webs 31 for extending the tube (3). When the pump (5) is required to be pulled out to an extended position for installation, the webs are cut depending on the length of the extension required.

An outlet branch 5a of the pump is in communication on one side with a one-way inlet valve 61 in the end portion of tube 3. On its other side, the branch communicates with a one-way outlet valve 62 in tube 3. When the pump is squeezed, it forces air through valve 62 into the cushion and when it is released, it draws air in from the atmosphere through valve 61. A pressure release valve may be provided in branch 4 extending from tube 3 to extract air from the cushion for deflation. Furthermore, a pressure limiting chamber (51) of a preset area and capacity with the design to perform the function of the general pressure release valve is branched out from one side of the pressure pump (5) and integrally formed therewith of the resilient material constituting the pump. The pressure limiting chamber (51) of predetermined volume is connected through to the interior of the pressure pump (5). When the pressure within the cushion (1) has not yet reached the preset pressure value set by the pressure limiting chamber (51) depending on its volume, only the air within the pressure pump (5) is compressed into the pressure limiting chamber as the pressure pump (5) is sucking in the air from outside to the interior of the pressure pump and into the pressure limiting chamber (51) and since the pressure limiting chamber (51) will not be subject to the compression while the pressure pump (5) is. Because the pressure created during the pressurizing process is larger than the inner pressure of the cushion (1), part of the air within the pressure pump (5) is inputted to the cushion through the one-way air outlet valve (62) for pressurizing the cushion, and the pressure value increases within the cushion (1) with repeated pressurizing and release of the pressure pump (5). When the pressure pump (5) exercises a further pressing down before the air suction making the pressure limiting chamber be fully charged with the pressure reaching the preset pressure value, the pressure pump (5) is subject to the air current flowing back from the pressure limiting chamber (51) and the pressure being larger than that of the ambient pressure outside for the cycle of air suction by inflation from being pressurized to the restoration to its original shape at the pressure pump (5), there is no air supply further at the one-way air inlet valve (61) since the inner pressure is larger than the atmosphere pressure outside, except the air current of the backflow and pressure in the pressure limiting chamber (51), so that there is no air supply further to the cushion (1) even when the pressure pump (5) exercises another pressing down as the air only flows between the pressure pump (5) and the pressure limiting chamber (51). Also, because the inner pressure respectively in the pressure pump (5) and in the pressure limiting chamber (51) are larger than that of the outside ambient pressure as well as that the inner pressure of the cushion (1) is larger than that occurring when both the pressure pump (5) and the pressure limiting chamber (51) are under compression, no air will be sucked into the pressure pump (5) once the inner pressure of cushion (1) is larger than the inner compressing pressure of the pressure pump and the inner pressure is larger than the outside ambient pressure. Therefore, the pressure limiting chamber automatically achieves the safety benefit of stopping the pressurizing of the cushion once the preset pressure value is reached, the setting of the pressure value for said cushion (1) being determined by the area and capacity of the pressure limiting chamber (51). The larger the pressure limiting chamber is, the pressure inflated into the cushion (1) gets higher; and the smaller, the less.

By way of further explanation of the functioning of the pressure limiting chamber, if this chamber was extremely large compared with the size of the pump, it is evident that the pump would have little pressurizing effect on the cushion, because the compression of the pump and its subsequent release would be accommodated in air flow between the pump and the resilient pressure limiting chamber and the latter would expand and contract slightly with the pumping action. Thus, air would not be drawn into the pump through valve 61 except at low pressures and the maximum inflation pressure of the cushion 1 would be low. On the other hand, if the pressure limiting chamber was minute compared with the size of the pump, it would have little influence on the operation of the pump and would not effectively interfere with the pumping action. Thus, the maximum inflation pressure of the cushion would be high. In practice, the size of the pressure limiting chamber is between these two extremes.

Also, by having a plurality of pressure limiting chambers of different size, selectively connectable to the pump, the maximum inflation pressure of the cushion can be adjusted. An embodiment of the invention provided with such an arrangement is shown in FIGS. 10 and 11.

Referring to FIGS. 10-1 to 10-4 a cushion structure suitable, for example, as a shoe insert has an inflatable cushion of similar form to those previously described and formed from sealed plastic sheeting or the like with recesses 11 dividing the cushion interior into intercommunicating compartments. Integrated with the cushion and extending from one end thereof is a pumping system including serpentine inflation conduits 3a, 3b terminating in a compressible pump 10 and connections between the conduit sections as will be described. Said connections include a first connection containing air inlet and outlet valves 101, 102 conforming to the valves 62, 61 of the previous embodiment with branches forming two different size pressure limiting chambers 51 which can be selectively connected to the pump 10 by means of a spool valve or piston 301 (see FIGS. 11 and 11-1) received in the second connection. The spool valve has suitable passages therein whereby rotation of the valve can connect either one of the chambers 51 with the pump so as to select the required maximum inflation pressure of the cushion while maintaining the flow connection between the pump and cushion through conduits 3a, 3b. Reference 103 denotes a pressure release valve for the cushion.

As shown in FIGS. 10-2 and 10-3 the pumping system can be folded so that pump 10 is received in a complimentary recess in the cushion denoted as 10a.

FIGS. 12-14 show embodiments of the invention wherein the respective inflatable cushions are shaped to fit in a bicycle saddle for adjusting the hardness of the saddle by inflating or deflating the cushion, the structures otherwise being similar to those previously described and like references being used to denote like parts.

In the FIG. 12 embodiment, the cushion has an integral tab at the back formed integrally with the compressible pump 10, and conduit for receiving the inlet and outlet valves 101, 102 and the pressure release valve 103. The tab can be folded under the cushion as shown in FIG. 12-1 when the cushion is incorporated in a bicycle saddle. The embodiment shown in FIG. 13 is similar except that the release valve 103 is received in an integral serpentine or zig-zag conduit, so that the release valve can be located at an adjustable distance from the cushion, for example, at the side of the saddle. Likewise in FIG. 14, the pump along with the inlet and outlet valves are on an integral serpentine or zig-zag conduit, so that these components can be located at adjustable distances from the cushion. It is to be understood that any of the cushion embodiments shown in FIGS. 12-14 could also be provided with a fixed volume pressure limiting chamber of the kind shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, or with selectively usable pressure limiting chambers of the kind shown in FIGS. 10 and 11.

To sum up, in practical applications, the present invention gives the following benefits: 1) by utilizing a zig zag or serpentine extension tube made of sheet materials cut according to the actual application needs the cushions connected to both ends of said extension tube or other components have a stretch capacity of a required range while maintaining one-piece integrity without any extension connections; 2) in addition to the leakage free aspect due to the cushions, extension tube, the hollow round tube providing for the displacement of the other components and the pressure pump being integrally formed, the present invention provides a design meeting the expedient and practical needs of a cushioning device suitable for various dimensions; 3) all components outside the cushion can be pulled by means of the extension tube to other places; 4) giving the automated pressure pump and an integrally formed pressure limiting chamber to replace the pressure relief valve so that the pressure value inside the cushion can maintain a constant pressure preset by the pressure limiting chamber, preventing the cycle of pressing and releasing motion of the pressure pump fail from sucking in the air for delivering into the cushion once the pressure inside the cushion reaches the preset value, while the same cycle of motion will suck in the air and deliver same into the cushion to supplement the pressure therein for reaching the preset value in the event that the pressure in the cushion is below the preset value; 5) eliminating an additional tube to connect and to pull between cushions or between a cushion and other component, and thereby preventing air leakage; and 6) one-piece integrated manufacturing to provide a leakage free, fast and simple process, low production cost, excellent practical effectiveness, and comprehensive application.

While only preferred embodiments of the invention have been described herein in detail, the invention is not limited thereby and modifications can be made within the scope of the attached claims.