GB1596920A - Cushioning material - Google Patents

Description

(54) A CUSHIONING MATERIAL (71) We, DERES DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of New York, United States of America, having a place of business at 100 Putman Green, Greenwich, State of Connecticut, United States of America, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The present invention relates to a cushioning material or construction thereof, and is concerned with improvements in mechanical support systems of the type described in United States Patent Specifications Nos.

3,790,150 and 4,033,567.

The cushioning material of the invention comprises a plurality of modules each having a plurality of displaceable bearing means. The term "displaceable bearing means" is used herein as synonymous with the term "displaceable load support means" used in United States Patent Specification No. 3,790,150; such a bearing means may support a load or bear against a load or be part of a system which supports a load against a surface or surfaces, or may bear against any other object to distribute forces through the module.

The cushioning material of the invention may be used as a shock-absorbing means (for example, in walls, stationary buildings, elevators, or vehicles) or may be employed to prevent or minimize damage or injury where objects or personnel are likely to fall or other wise be forced against a surface.

Accordingly, the present invention seeks to provide a cushioning material or construction thereof which can be used in footwear such as shoes and boots. Preferred forms of the invention can be formed, or cut into shape for incorporation into footwear as soles, or in other ways, and for various other cushioning purposes.

The cushioning material of the invention is a development of the mechanical support system for cushioning disclosed in United States Letters Patent Specification No.

3,790,150. The present invention provides for incorporation of cushioning material into shoes, boots, and footwear generally and production of the cushioning material in sheet form for use as shoe soles and for other cushioning purposes for footwear, as well as for cushioning purposes in other objects. The cushioning material serves for distributing, supporting and cushioning pressures over irregularly-shaped bodies, such as a human foot. Sheets of cushioning material in accordance with the invention can be cut to fit as show soles or may be made up in rolls of indetenninate length to be cut and applied to various types of construction for cushioning and shock absorbing purposes, for example, in vehicles and other structures where it is desired to incorporate cushioning or shock-absorbing into structures such as walls, stairs and packing materials.

Accordingly, the invention provides a cushioning material construction comprising a mechanical support system having a plurality of repeating module units, said module units each including a plurality of displaceable bearing means, particular ones of said bearing means being interconnected to others of said bearing means by a torsionally and flexurally resilient first lever-type arrangement so as to define a grouping of bearing means, said first lever-type arrangement being operative upon displacement of one of said bearing means in a first direction to apply a force to another of said bearing means in an opposite direction such that the displaceable bearing means will displace to conform to the shape of an imposed load and provide for resiliently constrained distribution of load supporting forces, selected groupings of interconnected bearing means being further interconnected to other groupings of interconnected bearing means by additional torsionally and flexurally resilient lever-type arrangements, wherein a plurality of module units are torsionally and flexurally joined together directly at like portions of like lever-type arrangements to thereby form a matrix of repeating module units.

The lever-type arrangements used in the cushioning material of the invention act as torsion connections; these torsion connections may be provided in a number of ways.

For example, an end of one lever may be centrally connected to the fulcrum area of another area by means of a torsion bushing such as that illustrated in Figure 7 of the aforementioned United States Patent Specification No. 3,790,150. Another way of providing the torsion connections is to make the levers of a springy material so that the connection between an end of one lever and the fulcrum area of another lever may be rotated to twist the springy material of the first lever end thereby permitting the connected lever to rotate at its fulcrum area.

This torsion means provides a first "torsional" mode for the system. The torsional mode allows initial rotation of the levers to readily conform to the shape of the load. A second "flexural" mode is imparted into the system through the stiffness of material in the levers necessary to support the load. The torsional spring constant may be very soft and the flexural spring constant relatively stiff. A tapered lever design greatly increases the spread possible between torsional and flexural spring constants, and also reduces the amount of material necessary for any given design by more nearly approaching uniform stress in each lever, also effecting a cost saving.

The term "load" is used herein to mean any force or weight of a mass or portion of body imposed upon the cushioning material.

Such a load could be the foot of a person upon the sole or other portion of a shoe including cushioning material of the invention or it could be any other object which the cushioning material of the invention is intended to support, cushion or relieve from the shock of impact. For example, in a vehicle a portion of a human body thrown against the cushioning material of the invention would form the "load".

Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described in more detail, though by way of illustration only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a top plan view of a first cushioning material of the invention; Figure 2 is a section along the line 2-2 in Figure 1; Figure 3 is an enlargement of part of Fig- ure 1, the bearing plates of the material being shown in broken lines; Figure 4 is an end elevation of the module shown in Figure 3; Figure 4(a) is a side elevation of the module shown in Figure 3; Figure 5 is an end elevation of a modified form of the module shown in Figure 3; Figure 6 is a top plan view of a second cushioning material of the invention; Figure 7 is a perspective view of a first ski boot incorporating cushioning material of the invention;; Figure 8 is a perspective view of a second ski boot incorporating cushioning material of the invention; Figure 9 is a section along the line 9-9 in Figure 7; Figure 10 is a section similar to that of Figure 9 through a modified form of the ski boot shown in Figure 7; Figure 11 is a section along the line 11-11 in Figure 8; Figure 12 is a top plan view of a third cushioning material of the invention; Figure 13 is a side elevation of the cushioning material shown in Figure 12; Figure 14 is a side elevation of an assembly formed from the cushioning material shown in Figures 12 and 13; and Figure 15 is a side elevation of a modified form of the cushioning material shown in Figures 12 and 13.

The first cushioning material 150 of the invention shown in Figures 1 to 4 and 4(a) comprises a plurality of modules 152 each having eight displaceable bearing means; each bearing means comprises the upper surface of one end of a lever A. The levers A constitute a first lever-type arrangement connecting the bearing means in pair groupings such that, if either of the bearing means within any pair is displaced in a first direction, the lever A associated with that pair will urge the other bearing means of that pair in the opposed direction, thereby permitting the displaceable bearing means to displace and hence conform to load forces imposed thereon and effect distribution of load supporting forces.Each pair of bearing means is connected to another pair by a lever B, which constitutes a second levertype arrangement; the opposed ends of the lever B are connected to the mid-points of the levers A of the two pairs of bearing means. In turn, the mid-points of the two levers B in each module 152 are connected by a lever C, which constitutes a third levertype arrangement which (in association with the levers B) connects each pair of bearing means to the three other pairs within the same module. The cushioning material is made thin (approximately 1/8 inch thick), and holds together well so that it is selfcontained and ready for use as a cushioning material. Such a material has many uses in cushioning and shock absorbing and may readily be employed in footwear, for example shoes and boots. It may be cut or die-cut into almost any shape (for example, shoe soles) and can be made in large sheets, long rolls or in pads of any desired size.

The material 150 shown in Figures 1 and 2 is of springy synthetic resin in sheet form.

The modules 152 are connected to one another at the ends of the levers B so that each lever A is connected to its adjoining lever A at 160 where the lever B is joined to another lever B, each lever A thus being common to two modules 152; the modules are thereby arranged in parallel rows, the modules in each row being staggered with respect to the modules in adjacent row(s) and all the levers B lie in rows parallel to one another, However, alternate levers B in each row form part of modules lying in rows on opposed sides of the row of levers B. If any given module 152 were notionally to be separated from the sheet, its centre would lie at a point 156 at the centre of its lever C.

The modules 152 are interconnected by displaceable load-bearing plates 158 connected to the bearing means at the ends of the levers A. Each plate 158 (for example that denoted 1 58a in Figure 1) is directly connected to four different levers A, which in turn are connected to levers B in four different modules 152.

Thus, a load imposed on any part of the plate 158a (or on any other plate 158) will affect the four modules to which it is connected through the levers A to which it is directly connected and through the connected levers of other modules 152 will affect other plates 158 so as to spread the forces of the load to yet other modules 152 of the cushioning material.

The central lowermost portion of each lever C is provided with a rocking point 162.

When the cushioning material 150 is placed on a surface (denoted 164 in Figure 4a) and a load placed on any of the plates 158, the lever C can rock about the point 162, and a cushioning material such as the material 150 is made up of a plurality of modules each having a rocking point 162 will provide a further cushioning effect by the ability of each lever C to rock in this matter.

The material 150 may be die-cut into almost any shape; although the balance of the lever system comprising the interconnected levers A, B and C would be disturbed if a cut is made through any lever A, cuts made along any of the dash-dot lines 166, 168, 170 and 172 in Figure 1 would not necessarily disturb the balance of the system as they would not cut through any lever A.

In thin material (such as the material 150 for use in shoes or boots) the modules are so small (the material bemg only about 1/8 inch thick) that die-cutting of levers A at edges of the material, where the load is diminished, would leave an imbalance of little practical significance. Thus, for all practical purposes, the thin cushioning material 150 can be die-cut in the shape of a sole (or into any other shape) without impairing the balance of the lever system therein.

The sheet of cushioning material 150 shown in Figures 1 to 4 is finished off along the edges 174a and 174b; the edge 174a us provided with an elongate, strip-type loadbearing plate 176 and the edge 174b with a line of alternating normal size load-bearing plates 158 and shortened load-bearing plates 178. It will be understood that Figure 1 shows only one corner of a much larger sheet of material 150. The normal-sized plates 158 are longer than the levers B so that each plate is long enough to be connected to four levers A, though the shortened plates 178 are each connected to only two levers A.

It is preferred to use the cushioning material 150 in footwear such as a heavy shoe or a ski boot. A typical ski boot (see as the boot shown in Figure 7) is moulded from a urethane too stiff and cold to allow placing a foot directly into contact therewith. Whilst its stiffness provides good ski control it must be lined with resilient material that will conform to the foot, filling the space between the foot and the boot. This resilient material is usually foam within a bladder to provide maximum support, some portion of the filling operation being performed at the time of purchase to fit each customer.

The use of a cushioning material of the invention provides a lining for ski boots that will adapt to the peculiarities of individual feet and still provide the firmness desired for good ski control. It will also provide resilience (particularly under the heel) to reduce shock load, and will impede the flow of heat and still provide adequate ventilation to remove perspiration.

The boot shown in Figure 7 comprises an outer boot 180 of any known type and a solid, rigid outer sole 182 having a toe portion 184 and a heel portion 186 which are made with an external shape which fits and co-operates with skis and ski bindings. The sole 182 has a flat, solid upper surface 188 over which fits an inner boot 190. This inner boot 190 is in sock form having uppers 192, a tongue 194 and a sole portion 196. The bottom of the inner boot sole portion 196 fits over the top of the sole 188 of the outer boot 180 when the inner boot 190 is contained within the outer boot 180.

The cushioning material 150 is incorporated into the upper part of the sole portion 196 of the inner boot 190 by cementing it in place thereover so that the foot of the wearer will bear on the plates 158. A flexible cover 198 (preferably of leather or a similar material) may be glued or otherwise affixed over the bearing plates 158. Since the sole portion 196 of the inner boot 190 is of a soft or pliable material, when the inner boot is fitted into the outer boot (as shown in Figure 9) the bearing plates 158 will operate to distribute the load imposed by the wearer's foot over the hard upper sur face 188 of the outer boot sole 182 without hindrance from the soft material of the sole portion 196 of the inner boot 190.

The ski boot shown in Figure 10 is generally similar to that shown in Figures 7 and 9, but its outer sole 1 82a is provided with a plurality of substantially parallel grooves 200 running between the toe and heel of the boot along the upper surface 188a of the sole 182a and the levers C of the cushioning material 150 extend into these grooves 200.

The cushioning material 150 is die-cut from a sheet to fit over the boot sole 182a.

The grooves 200 m'ay be moulded into the boot sole's upper surface 188a, or fashioned in any other manner known to the art. The modules 152 forming the material 150 may be of varying heights so that more displacement can be allowed for under the heel when the dynamic pressures are greatest.

The pliable sole 196 of the soft inner boot 190 is placed directly over the plates 158.

The boot may alternatively be manufactured without an inner liner, such a boot comprising a sole similar to the sole 182 or 182a and the cushioning material 150. The wearer places his foot directly on the plates 158 and not on an inner boot 190.

The cushioning system of the invention may be utilized to form an entire inner boot, if desired since it has the ability to readily conform to a foot applied thereto and can accommodate a wide range of foot shapes and sizes without the need for adjustments or padding. Two or more die-cut shapes may be joined to cradle the foot. Sheets of injection-moulded thermoplastic material may be post-formed into contours approximating the foot shape. Some areas, such as the rear of the ankle, may require deeper modules to accommodate the foot to the footwear.

When the material 150 is used in footwear the pads 158 should face inwardly toward the foot, and because the pads 158 are discontinuous, it may be desirable to cover the inner surface with a continuous coating of flexible leather or some other flexible "breathable" material. As shown above levers C may lie directly against the boot's inner surface and the inner cover may be sewn or bonded to the modules 152. The levers C may also be joined by heat sealing the pads 158 together or by bonding the pads 158 by heat to the inner cover.

The cushioning material of the invention can also be incorporated in to other portions of a boot, for example into the upper portion of the inner boot 190, as shown in Figures 8 to 11. In the usual soft inner boot 190 of a ski boot, a large amount of padding is employed on the inside of the uppers as well as in the tongue. It is believed that no further explanation is necessary on this point, as various standard types of padding are well known to those skilled in the art.

Figure 11 of the accompanying drawings is a cross-section through the tongue 194 of the soft inner boot 190 shown in Figure 8.

The outer layer 206 of the inner boot 190 and the tongue 194 are of firm material such as a vinyl synthetic resin or of any other suitable material from which ski boots may be made. The liner 190 conventionally has padding in the space 208 between the outer layer 206 and an inner layer 210. In prior art boots, the padding in the space 208 may be synthetic resin foam, cotton, air space or any other type of padding presently known in the art. In a boot of the present invention space 208 houses a cushioning material of the invention (in this case the material 150) in place of, or in addition to, the prior art padding, the plates 158 of the cushioning material facing the inner layer 210 which in turn faces the leg of the wearer. The plates 158 may be just inside the layer 210 and may be glued or fastened to the layer 210 in any fashion known to the art.

The rocking points 162 of the levers C of the cushioning material 150 bear against the tough outer layer 206. Similar installations of cushioning material of the invention may be made in any other portion of the soft inner boot 190 (or in any portion of the outer boot 180) where deemed desirable by the manufacture.

When using the cushioning material of the invention in footwear, such as a dress shoe, made of a much softer material than a hard ski boot, it may be desirable to provide one or more foot portions adjacent the rocking point 162 of each lever C as shown in Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings, in which the foot portions, which extend laterally from opposed sides of each lever C, are designated 212. The cushioning material shown in Figure 5 may be used in footwear by forming it into an inner sole placed directly over the outer sole of the footwear, the outer sole (of leather, or some synthetic material) being made pliable so that the wearer may walk with ease. The foot portions 212 bear upon the outer sole of the shoe, and without the provision of the foot portions 212 the points 162 on the bases of the levers C might eventually wear through the sole. To finish off the bearing pad inner sole an upper layer of leather similar to the cover 198 (see Figure 9) may be incorporated if desired.

The cushioning material shown in Figure 5 may be glued into the shoe or it may be made in sheets which can be cut to size or prefinished in various sizes to permit its insertion into previously-fabricated shoes as an extra inner sole, or its insertion into a shoe as the only inner sole thereof without cementing the cushioning material to the shoe's outer sole.

The foot portions 212 may be moulded to the modules in the same fashion and of the same material as if they were extensions of the levers A, B or C.

The cushioning material 150 constitutes a two-mode elastomeric spring system. It has the ability to distribute loads evenly in the torsional mode and can provide a good fit without excessive pressure at any one point.

Its secondary load-carrying ability found in the flexure of the levers and can be designed to be as firm as desired for good control: the levers can be designed for a stress level such that at expected loads no siginficant permanent set is effected therein. Levers may be designed to accept a specific load in flexure but yield to much lower loads in torsion.

The stiffness of the moulded material may also be varied to suit subjective reactions.

Module size in the cushioning material of the invention is largely determined by the depth available. Larger modules obviously require longer and heavier levers and consequently greater depth. Because of the need to die-cut shapes from a sheet of cushioning material 150 and because of the limited height available, it is desirable to use a small module size when the material is to be used in footwear.

The material of the invention will provide good insulation. Because of its open construction it is possible to achieve ventilation around the foot to carry off moisture. A dry enclosure around the foot provides better insulation than one saturated with moisture.

The construction of the cushioning material also provides a long narrow path to reduce heat flow by conduction.

Sole pads made of cushioning material in accordance with the invention may be used in conjunction with any type of footwear and positioned immediately below the foot of the wearer within or upon such footwear.

In addition, the cushioning material may be made in piece goods fashion by the yard and cut to size for any particular use in connection with footwear and cemented to the outside or inside of any footwear.

The third cushioning material 222 of the invention shown in Figures 12 to 14 comprises a plurality of modules 224 each formed as a continuous module strip 220.

Each module 224 comprises a third lever C having branches 226 and 228, a pair of second levers B having branches 232 and 234 disposed perpendicular to the length of the lever C and four first levers A, each having branches 238 and 240. The branches 238 and 240 of each first lever A support a displaceable bearing means 242. A series of modules 224 in alignment provide a planelike surface comprising groupings of bearing means 242.

In this embodiment of the invention, the modules are arranged as strips for connection to other module strips to provide double-faced assemblies of strips or relatively thick sheets requiring no foot portions; these assemblies or sheets may be utilized as mattresses, or for other cushioning or shock-absorbing purposes.

To provide such double-faced assemblies, each lever C of each module strip 220 is provided with a coupling means (in the form of a coupling portion 252) by which the module strip can be connected to another module strip. A plurality of module strips thus interconnected back-to-back from the material 222 having opposed surfaces 244a and 244b formed by a plurality of bearing means 242. Either surface 244a or 244b can serve as the base of the material 222, which is self-supporting.

As best seen in Figure 14, longitudinal strips 248 of the modules 224 can be connected together by their coupling means (which coupling means are located in a central portion of each lever C) back-to-back to form an assembly having an upper row of module strips and a lower row of module strips, said upper and lower rows being substantially perpendicular to one another.

The coupling portions 252 on the levers C permit coupling 250 to be formed between the coupling portions 252 on various module strips. Each coupling portion 252 comprises a notch portion 254 at the bottom of the associated lever C and a solid portion 256 above the notch portion 254, both portions being bordered by stepped shoulders 256 having steps 260.

The module strips 248 may be coupled together back-to-back in the following manner. Two levers C are held back-to-back and mutually perpendicular. The coupling portions 252 on these levers C are pressed together and the springy material thereof permits the shoulders 258 of the notch portions 254 and inner wall portions 262 of each module 224 to stretch apart and pass over the corresponding portions of the other module 224. The inner wall portions 262 and the shoulders 258 of each module 224 will then snap into place over wall portions 266 and the steps 260 of the other module 224. Thus, when a coupling 250 is completed, the notch portions 254 snap around the solid portions 256 and are held in place by the steps 260 and the shoulders 258 to keep the modules 224 together.The springiness of the material of the levers provides the flexibility necessary for the fit to be made, though some pressing and squeezing may be required to make the coupling.

The couplings 250 provide strong joints.

If the levers C are flexed in one direction by a load the notch portions 254 will squeeze against the solid portions 256 to withstand the force of the load on the levers. If the flexing of the levers is in the oppossed direc tion, the solid portion 256 of the lever C will withstand the force of that flexing. The couplings 250 thus provide a firm assembly.

Each lever C has a tubular portion 268 on either side of its coupling portion 252, each tubular portion 268 is provided with a central aperture 270, which permits the inner walls or wall of the tubular portion 268 to be flexed and thus provides for longitudinal compression of the branches 228 and 226 of the lever C and a "hinging action" between the lever C and the attached levers B.

The module strips 248 may be of indeterminate length or sized to make cushioning materials of predetermined sizes and may for convenience be made with a standard number of modules.

Module strips 248 may be also joined end to end to form longer strips and for this purpose each strip is provided with a connecting means 274 (see Figure 14) to connect its bearing means 242 resting on a surface and a connecting means 276 on the levers C at either end of the strips. Each connecting means 276 comprises a coupling formation including a post 278, and a socket 280 at one end of the strip 248, or, at the other end of strip 248, a post 282 and a socket 284.

When ends of module strips 248 are connected together, the post 278 fits into the socket 284 and post 282 into the socket 280.

The use of a plurality of module strips 248 connected by their coupling means 250 in perpendicular back-to-back fashion with one or more rows parallel against one or more perpendicular ranks provides a sheet of cushioning material having a double surface of displaceable bearing means or pads.

Where it is desired to use the cushioning material of the invention for a single-sided displaceable bearing pad area (such as the top of a seating area or in a shoe sole), the connections between the modules at the surface area and the structure to which it is to be attached are made in the same manner except that instead of having modules 224 arranged back-to-back, the lever C are connected to foot portions 290 placed against the structure or object on which the strips 248 are to be used, as shown in Figure 15.

The foot portions 290 act as levers operating against the levers C. The branches 292 of the foot portions 290 slope away from the levers C so that when the branches 292 are flexed by a load placed on the levers C, the foot portions 290 spread their branches 292 over the surface 294 on which they rest, so providing a greater area of contact between the branches 292 and the surface 294. This results in a stiffening of the levers C.

In the double-surface material 222 shown in Figure 14 the upper and lower strips 248 form rows in which the bearing means 242 are laterally offset between upper and lower edges of the material. An edge member 294 of foam or other suitable material is used to finish bff all the edges of the material. A mattress or other cushioning article may be formed in this way and finished with a cover 296.

The cushioning material shown in Figure 6 differs from that shown in Figures lto 4 by having its load-bearing plates 300 provided with notches 302 and perforations 304 which aid the material's flexing. Such a material may be used, for example, in a dress shoe.

Another double-surfaced material of the invention may be made by placing two sheets of material 150 back-to-back with their rows of modules 152 perpendicular and fastening their rocking points 162 together to form a double thickness sheet having plates 158 on both surfaces. The points 162 are evenly spaced from one another and may be fastened by heat sealing adhesive, or any other means.

The cushioning material of the invention is preferably formed of urethane or some other shock-absorbing type of material having a similar degree of springiness. Suitable materials include natural materials such as rubber, synthetic materials such as various types of springy synthetic resin, or imitation rubbers, and light springy metals. Such light springy material may in and of itself provide the torsion means for the desired torsional mode.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A cushioning material construction comprising a mechanical support system having a plurality of repeating module units, said module units each including a plurality of displaceable bearing means, particular ones of said bearing means being interconnected to others of said bearing means by a torsionally and flexurally resilient first levertype arrangement so as to define a grouping of bearing means, said first lever-type arrangement being operative upon displacement of one of said bearing means in a first direction to apply a force to another of said bearing means in an opposite direction, such that the displaceable bearing means will displace to conform to the shape of an imposed load and provide for resiliently constrained distribution of load supporting forces, selected groupings of interconnected bearing means being further interconnected to other groupings of interconnected bearing means by additional torsionally and flexurally resilient lever-type arrangements, wherein a plurality of module units are torsionally and flexurally joined together directly at like portions of like lever-type arrangements to thereby form a matrix of repeating module units.

2. The cushioning material construction as claimed in claim 1 in which the additional torsionally and flexurally resilient lever-type

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (41)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. tion, the solid portion 256 of the lever C will withstand the force of that flexing. The couplings 250 thus provide a firm assembly. Each lever C has a tubular portion 268 on either side of its coupling portion 252, each tubular portion 268 is provided with a central aperture 270, which permits the inner walls or wall of the tubular portion 268 to be flexed and thus provides for longitudinal compression of the branches 228 and 226 of the lever C and a "hinging action" between the lever C and the attached levers B. The module strips 248 may be of indeterminate length or sized to make cushioning materials of predetermined sizes and may for convenience be made with a standard number of modules. Module strips 248 may be also joined end to end to form longer strips and for this purpose each strip is provided with a connecting means 274 (see Figure 14) to connect its bearing means 242 resting on a surface and a connecting means 276 on the levers C at either end of the strips. Each connecting means 276 comprises a coupling formation including a post 278, and a socket 280 at one end of the strip 248, or, at the other end of strip 248, a post 282 and a socket 284. When ends of module strips 248 are connected together, the post 278 fits into the socket 284 and post 282 into the socket 280. The use of a plurality of module strips 248 connected by their coupling means 250 in perpendicular back-to-back fashion with one or more rows parallel against one or more perpendicular ranks provides a sheet of cushioning material having a double surface of displaceable bearing means or pads. Where it is desired to use the cushioning material of the invention for a single-sided displaceable bearing pad area (such as the top of a seating area or in a shoe sole), the connections between the modules at the surface area and the structure to which it is to be attached are made in the same manner except that instead of having modules 224 arranged back-to-back, the lever C are connected to foot portions 290 placed against the structure or object on which the strips 248 are to be used, as shown in Figure 15. The foot portions 290 act as levers operating against the levers C. The branches 292 of the foot portions 290 slope away from the levers C so that when the branches 292 are flexed by a load placed on the levers C, the foot portions 290 spread their branches 292 over the surface 294 on which they rest, so providing a greater area of contact between the branches 292 and the surface 294. This results in a stiffening of the levers C. In the double-surface material 222 shown in Figure 14 the upper and lower strips 248 form rows in which the bearing means 242 are laterally offset between upper and lower edges of the material. An edge member 294 of foam or other suitable material is used to finish bff all the edges of the material. A mattress or other cushioning article may be formed in this way and finished with a cover 296. The cushioning material shown in Figure 6 differs from that shown in Figures lto 4 by having its load-bearing plates 300 provided with notches 302 and perforations 304 which aid the material's flexing. Such a material may be used, for example, in a dress shoe. Another double-surfaced material of the invention may be made by placing two sheets of material 150 back-to-back with their rows of modules 152 perpendicular and fastening their rocking points 162 together to form a double thickness sheet having plates 158 on both surfaces. The points 162 are evenly spaced from one another and may be fastened by heat sealing adhesive, or any other means. The cushioning material of the invention is preferably formed of urethane or some other shock-absorbing type of material having a similar degree of springiness. Suitable materials include natural materials such as rubber, synthetic materials such as various types of springy synthetic resin, or imitation rubbers, and light springy metals. Such light springy material may in and of itself provide the torsion means for the desired torsional mode. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A cushioning material construction comprising a mechanical support system having a plurality of repeating module units, said module units each including a plurality of displaceable bearing means, particular ones of said bearing means being interconnected to others of said bearing means by a torsionally and flexurally resilient first levertype arrangement so as to define a grouping of bearing means, said first lever-type arrangement being operative upon displacement of one of said bearing means in a first direction to apply a force to another of said bearing means in an opposite direction, such that the displaceable bearing means will displace to conform to the shape of an imposed load and provide for resiliently constrained distribution of load supporting forces, selected groupings of interconnected bearing means being further interconnected to other groupings of interconnected bearing means by additional torsionally and flexurally resilient lever-type arrangements, wherein a plurality of module units are torsionally and flexurally joined together directly at like portions of like lever-type arrangements to thereby form a matrix of repeating module units.

2. The cushioning material construction as claimed in claim 1 in which the additional torsionally and flexurally resilient lever-type

arrangements include second and third lever-type arrangements.

3. The cushioning material construction as claimed in claim 2, in which the modules are connected together at the ends of the second lever-type arrangement.

4. The cushioning material construction as claimed in claim 3, in which the modules are arranged in rows in staggered relation sh'p.

3. The cushioning material construction as claimed in claim 4, in which selected groupings of interconnected bearing means are further connected to other groups of interconnected bearing means by means comprising a third lever-type arrangement.

6. The cushioning material construction as claimed in claim 5, in which the third lever-type arrangement comprises levers having centrally located rocker means.

7. The cushioning material construction as claimed in claim 5, in which the modules are further interconnected by bearing means in the form of displaceable bearing plates which are connected to the first lever-type arrangement of a plurality of modules.

8. The cushioning material construction as claimed in claim 7, in which the said bearing plates are interconnected at least to one of the lever-type arrangements of four of the modules.

9. The cushioning material construction as claimed in claim 5, in which at least one module comprises at least one footing extending laterally from at least one lever of the third lever-type arrangement.

10. The cushioning material construction as claimed in claim 9, in which there are at least one pair of footings extending laterally from opposite sides of said lever of the third lever-type arrangement.

11. The cushioning material construction as claimed in claim 7, in which the said bearing plates are provided with at least one notched means.

12. The cushioning material construction as claimed in claim 10, in which the said bearing plates are provided with at least one perforation means.

13. The cushioning material structure as claimed in claim 2 which comprises a footwear construction.

14. A footwear construction as claimed in claim 13, in which the cushioning material construction is positioned over an outer sole.

15. The footwear construction as claimed in claim 14, in which said outer sole has rows of grooves on its upper surface and at least a portion of a lever of a module of said cushioning material construction is positioned in said groove.

16. A footwear construction as claimed in claim 14, which comprises an outer shell having an outer sole and an inner shell having a sole portion in which the cushioning material construction is positioned between the mentioned shells.

17. A footwear construction as claimed in claim 14, which comprises an outer shell having an outer sole and an inner shell having a sole portion in which the cushioning material construction is positioned over the sole of the inner shell which in turn is positioned over the sole of the outer shell.

18. A footwear construction as claimed in claim 17, in which the cushioning material construction is covered.

19. A footwear construction as claimed in claim 17, which comprises a tongue portion in which a cushioning material construction is positioned.

20. The cushioning material construction as claimed in claim 1, wherein each module unit is formed as a continuous module strip.

21. The cushioning material construction as claimed in claim 20, in which the module strip comprises means to connect said module to another module strip; said means comprising coupling means comprised in a third lever-type arrangement.

22. The construction as claimed in claim 21, which comprises at least one module connected to at least a portion of a lever in a third lever-type arrangement adapted to be connected to other similar modules or in the connection as made.

23. The construction as claimed in claim 22, comprising a plurality of modules connected through the ends of said lever-type arrangements.

24. The construction as claimed in claim 23, made of springy material in which at least one of the levers comprising the third lever-type arrangement comprises coupling means for coupling said module strip in back-to-back arrangement with another module strip.

25. The construction as claimed in claim 24, in which the coupling means comprises a coupling portion comprising a notched portion and a solid portion wherein the notched portion is adapted to fit over the solid portion of another strip in making the coupling.

26. The construction as claimed in claim 25, in which the notched and solid portions of said coupling portion comprises at least one shoulder.

27. The construction as claimed in claim 26, in which the said shoulder comprises at least one stepped portion.

28. A cushioning material construction comprising a plurality of module strips as claimed in claim 2, in which the said strips are connected at a central portion of at least one lever of the third lever arrangment in a back-to-back arrangement to form at least one module strip upper row and at least one module strip lower row; said rows being substantially perpendicular to each other.

29. A construction as claimed in claim 2, in which the third lever-type arrangement forms an elongated strip having a first connection means at one end of a lever and a second connection means at another end of a lever.

30. The construction as claimed in claim 29, in which the connecting means comprises at least one post and at least one post receiver.

31. The construction as claimed in claim 29, which comprises at least one tubular portion adjacent at least one end of a third lever-type arrangement lever.

32. The cushioning material construction as claimed in claim 28, which comprises a plurality of upper and lower rows of module strips.

33. The cushioning material construction as claimed in claim 32, in which the rows of module strips are connected by at least one connecting means at the ends of a third lever-type arrangement and at least one coupling means at the center of a third lever type arrangement.

34. A cushioning material construction as claimed in claim 32, further comprising at least one edge to finish the material at an edge formed by offset upper and lower module strip bearing means.

35. A cushioning material construction as claimed in claim 34, further comprising at least one cover.

36. A cushioning material as claimed in claim 35, comprised in a mattress.

37. A cushioning material construction as claimed in claim 2, comprised in a shock absorbing material.

38. A cushioning material construction as claimed in claim 2, comprised in a vehicle.

39. A cushioning material construction as claimed in claim 2, comprised in a stationary structure.

40. A cushioning material construction as claimed in claim 2, comprised in a moving structure.

41. A cushioning material construction as claimed in claim 1 and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any one of the embodiments illustrated in the accomp~a~nyiIlgdrawings.