The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 18, 2003
Filed:
Sep. 14, 1999
Applicant:
Inventors:
Paul H. Mitchell, Chesterfield, MO (US);
James C. Sell, Jr., Battleground, WA (US);
Henry W. Bonk, Wallingford, CT (US);
Assignee:
Other;
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
A43B 1/302 ; A43B 1/314 ; A43B 1/340 ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
A43B 1/302 ; A43B 1/314 ; A43B 1/340 ;
Abstract
Products in the form of cushioning devices made from flexible membranes employing at least one layer including thermoplastic urethane and at least one layer of a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl alcohol are inflatable to a relatively high pressure. The cushioning devices maintain the internal inflatant pressure for extended periods of time by employing a phenomenon referred to in the industry as diffusion pumping. Ideally, the cushioning devices of the present invention can be permanently inflated with gases such as nitrogen or air.