WO2004021837A1 - Enhanced impact/trauma mitigating seating devices - Google Patents

Abstract

An improved spinal disc protection and seat impact mitigation system includes apparatus (38) having a density differential based upon the enhanced trauma mitigating effects of a composition of a SEREFLEX ® (220) type of material, or one that combines a viscous fluid and macro- and/or microparticulates to shiled a user's spinal complex and ischial tuberosities (222).

Description

ENHANCED IMPACT/TRAUMA MITIGATING SEATING DEVICES

Cross-Reference to Related Applications

This application claims all Paris Convention Priority rights from United Stated Patent Letters Patent Application Serial Number 10/238,983 filed 09/09/2002, which continues U.S.S.N. 09/602,344 filed currently issued as United States Letters Patent No. 6,447,058 by the USPTO. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of Invention The present invention relates generally to compositions imparting enhanced impact/trauma resistance, particularly to protect human spinal and lower back regions. Particularly, the present invention realtes to an improved system for padding the area which receives the ischial tuberosity and back of a user to prevent mechanical loading and insult thereto, generally embodied in seat means, or the like layered system for preventing spinal shock, particularly to an enhanced ergonomic seat cushion design for use in blocking ameliorating or mitigating lower back insult, pain and debilitation. Related Art

The following United States Letters Patents are expressly incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein: Nos. 5,475,430; 5,475,882; 6,447,058 and 6,509,385 B2.

Each of these documents has been studied and found to be technically distinct from the instant teachings, and those material are distinguished below, and /or expressly incorporated herein by reference., as if fully set forth herein. As leading experts opine that lower back pain comprises a cost approaching $100 billion per annum in the United States alone, and almost 20% of the population in the U.S. is impacted during their lifetime, little attention has been focused upon simple mechanical and gross anatomic factors to treat this problem. Plethoric attempts in the art merely highlight the long unrequited need for the instant teachings. Summary of the Invention

The present invention combines a seat having, in one embodiment, a raised middle portion to receive a user's ischial tuberosities, which compresses from the user's body weight to tilt the user's pelvis and shields the users from trauma. Likewise, the present invention features packs of viscous material variously embedded in, and comprising, 'wings' which engage or otherwise are placed contiguously with the instant enhanced seating device.

The instant systems are characterized by combining all of the elements and components necessary for preventing negative impact/shock to a user's spine while seated, child car-seated, or otherwise disposed on a seating device. More particularly, the packs used with the present invention include low density compositions having macrospheres and / or microspheres embedded therein. For example, using a macrosphere [ such as EPRAN, from Kaneka of Texas,USA] which may be any of a series of foamed polymeric particulates (eg. polystyrene, polypropylene, PTFE) and / or another microspherically based system (eg. ceramic miscrospheres ) [such as EXTENDOSPHERES® CG] or the like, suitably disposed in glycerin/water or oil,preservative and a thickener or an oil/water emulsion and/or water/oil emulsion using (for example) Pemulen TR 2 . The packs are part of or added to, for example, seating or lifting devices for high performance driving and or endurance seating/lying endeavors (for example, in an airplane, boat, office chair, golf cart, tractor, weight bench) in addition to proven applications within the trucking context (for example, ' 18 wheelers), bicycles, automobiles, office chairs, cushions, airplanes, trains, boats, children's car seats, and motorcycles, inter alia. Briefly stated, there is provided an improved spinal disc protection and seat shock prevention system, having an enhanced composition with macro/microparticulates which means which provides a density differential based means for cradling and bracingly protecting a user's spinal orientation by angles means for receiving a user's ischial tuberosity in combination with a

043003.ρct substantially vertical member comprised of foam, gel and the like silicones or polysiloxane, or the enhanced composition.

According to a feature of the instant teachings there is provided a an enhanced trauma mitigating composition used to make seating components where each of said components defined by at least a dual density construction having an external portion which is of relatively higher density than an inner portion whereby the spine is aligned in a fixed spatial relationship with the dual density construction when a user is disposed therein, or vise versa.

According to a feature of the present invention, there is provided a seat means for maintaining a user's spine in a substantially lordotic position, which comprises a composition dispersed in packs that dissipate heat based upon the in According to yet a still further feature of the invention there is provided a spinal disc protection and seat shock prevention system comprising a substantially vertical member with a first density having a grooved face for receiving a user's back of a second density comprised of foam, gel and the like silicones or polysiloxanes, angles cushion means for receiving a user's ischial tuberosity integral therewith, and likewise being of at least two respective densities, wherein the angle between said substantially vertical member and the angled cushion means is between about 1 and about 15 degrees, while the distal end of the cushion angles upward from between about 1 to about 3 degrees. Improved ergonomic seat design constitutes an area for which longstanding needs remain to be met, despite rapid advances in materials' science and biomedical engineering. Namely, although reams if data have been generated relative to the effects of seated postural loading upon the human spinal system, and concomitant advances in bioprosthetics subsume many artisans' attentions, nary have the two been wedded prior to the advent of the present invention.

The above described and many other features and attendant advantages of the present invention will become apparent by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

043003.pet Brief Description of the Drawings

Preferred embodiments of the invention are now described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of dims used to provide a plurality of strips of constituent material for use with a device according to embodiments of the present inventions;

FIG. 2 is a mold for generation of an aspect of a device according to embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a view of a system according to the present invention for molding an aspect of the device according to embodiments of the present invention, for example, as used with FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of dims used to provide a triangular member of constituent material for use with a device according to embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 4B shows an angularly inclined pre-form to the v-shaped cushion member, according to embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view of a final assembly used with any number of conventional seating means according to embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 6 is an additional view of a final assembly used with any number of conventional seating means according to embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a top view of a final assembly used with any number of conventional seating means according to embodiments of the present invention, for example, as shown in FIG. 5; FIG. 8 is a schematized view of a conventional seat means showing the addition of a final assembly used with any number of conventional seating means according to embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 9 shows an enhanced design of the present invention; FIG. 10 illustrates compositions useful with the present invention; and, FIG. 11 is a detailed view of seating wings embodying enhancements.

043003.pet DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present inventor has discovered that by varying the density of seating materials and uniquely positioning the same, it impossible mitigate spinal insult through anatomical support of the spine and tailbone complex, which protects the same from both impact and constant vibration damage. Heretofore no approach has combined the position of a bottom cushion and back support to impart a proper angle and load mitigating design, along with particulate enhanced mitigation that dissipates heat and prevents insult and injury.

Human bodies feature fat as padding around essential structures. What this fat does, owing to the various stearic combinations of its sub-units and related molecules, is dissipate deleterious impacts by chanelling away heat and other things that would harm the involved structures. The composition of the present invention leverages off of this engineering concept and imporves upon it. Considering the spinal disk as the 'shock-absorbers' or major weight bearing portions of the human body, its' inner portion further comprises a dynamic system made up of a viscous material which equilibrates itself by drawing fluid from surrounding areas. A nuclear aspect of the innermost portion of the disk is designed to resist mechanically compressive forces.

Movement and postural changes induce a pump-like mechanism that alters intradiscal pressure, often narrowing the disk in a harmful way over time. As the function of each involved disk as a shock absorber is operationalized in terms of its gross anatomy, the problem becomes clear in that the wrong stresses flatten both the individual; disks and desired emergent spinal contours. The teachings of the present invention address and correct these issues by providing a mechanism to alleviate the ongoing human suffering caused by stationary and vehicle seating.

In short, chronic back pain is often derived from a deformation of disc structure owing to deviations from the natural lordotic or "s'Vsigmoid curved

043003.pet posture. When the human spine is 'slumped' the natural curve disappears and the spines' vertebrae receive pressure, owing to unfavorable mechanical loading and issues enumerated above, ter alia

Likewise, by providing a deformable, low density trauma mitigation or pressure reducing composition made up of a viscous fluid in an amount of at least about 50 - 80 % by weight of the total composition, with particulates making up at least about 20 - 50% by weight of the total compostion, the instant seating devices have unprecedented impact resistance.

In embodiments of the present invention, a longitudinal vertical region receives the spine of one disposed upon a seat means, and a density differential between peripheral and central portions of the longitudinal vertical region houses and shields the user's spine from insult, using packs of viscous material and/or particulates ranging from at least about .85:5 to about 1:22 in ratio, based on weight of the entire composition.. Likewise, according to an embodiment, a 'v-shaped'bottom cushion angles upward from a point of contact near the back cushion to a height of about four inches, having a mean angle of between about 2.2 to about 2.7 degrees, more preferably about 2.5 degrees. This angle has been discovered to facilitate an optimized lordotic loading or impart to the spine a pareto-optimal sigmoid curvature asymptotically approaching the minimized loading posture.

Referring to Fig. 1 a plan view of dims 20 as known to those skilled in the art, such as is used to provide a plurality of strips of first constituent material 22 for use with apparatus 38 (not shown) according to embodiments of the present invention. Those having a modicum of skill in the art will readily comprehend that material strips 22 consisting essentially of foam, silicone and mixtures or combinations thereof alone, or in combination with SEREFLEX ® (220) brand of impact/trauma mitigating composition, a viscous admixture with particulates and a range of densities tailotred to the individual usage being targeted.

Polymeric polysiloxanes, silicones, gels, admixtures, and the entire surrounding family of plastic and mbber molecules have been explored by the

043003. pet instant inventor, a leading and Certified Prosthetist for the last two decades. What has been discovered is that by varying regions of relative density and actual mechanical and structural enhancements of existing seat designs are possible.

Likewise, as discussed in WO99/20210 [PCT/US98/22205] formulaic and formulational generation of the instant dims 20, housing material strips 22 is either known or taught by applicant's technological disclosures including any required know-how and show-how, in addition to sources of the actual compounds used. The substitution of related materials is similarly conventional. It is also understood that for use with, for example, airplane seating certain FAA regulations and design requirements related to foam densities are complied with. Likewise, the same are expressly contemplated by the instant teachings. As fully enumerated within the claims appended hereto, respective foam densities on the order of from about 10 lbs pressure sensitivity to about 220 lbs pressure sensitivity are functionally operational within the context of the instant teachings. Both closed cell and open cell foam are also useful for the purposes of the instant teachings.

Referring now to Fig.2 and to Fig. 3, mold 24 has a trough-like means 26 for receiving a gel-like precursor to the second constituent material, which may be, for example, injected with a work piece 28 having properties of a conventional piston-loaded dispenser, cured and removed. It is noted that for the second constituent material, foam densities on the order of from about 1 lb pressure to about 83 lbs pressure sensitivity are functionally operational within the context of the instant teachings.

Referring now to Fig. 4, dims 33 used to provide a desired portion 31 of triangular member 40 has a proximate end 32 which is attached to the rest of the assembly and is made of first constituent material for use with apparatus 38 according to embodiments of the present invention. As fully enumerated within the claims appended hereto, respective foam densities on the order of from at least about 10 to at least about 220 lbs pressure sensitivity are functionally

043003.pct operational within the context of the instant teachings. Both closed cell and open cell foam are also useful for the purposes of the instant teachings.

Referring now to Fig. 4B, a detailed view of bottom cushion 40 is shown as the same is still part of dims 33. A distal end of assembly 31 is angled measured by 37 upward toward proximate end 32. The angled v-shaped cushion portion significantly is angled from a distal to a proximate end of the cushion measured by inclination angle 37 preferably from at least about 1 to about 3 degrees. Likewise, it is readily apparent to those having a modicum of skill that there is no angle with weight benches, and different angles with child car seats. Those skilled likewise shall adjust this angle and the angle between the cushion means and the substantially vertical member as needed based upon the involved use and seat.

Fig. 5 shows apparatus 38 fully assembled, as would be conventionally known to those skilled in the art in terms of assembly, triangular member 33 has been angles and molded to yield a pre-form used with strips 22 to form apparatus 38. It is noted that known silicones, gels, and/or foams involved can be mixed and matched to achieve desired densities.

Likewise, referring to Fig. 6 substantially vertical portion M angles in one ordinal plane, while substantially horizontal portions J and L are defined by an axis substantially orthogonal to M, or as shown in a horizontal plane

Referring now to Fig. 7, a top view shows the desired portion of triangular member 33 has been integrated as bottom cushion 40 of apparatus 38. It is noted that dimension N is variable and may be altered between different sizes based upon the application in question. Turning now to Fig. 8, to impart a proper angle to the spine of a user v- shaped bottom cushion 44 of assembly 38 angles upward at an angle [theta] 48 from a point of contact 50 near the back of cushion 44 to a height of [for example, in the illustration of at least about 4 inches], having a means angle of between at least about 1 and about 15 degrees.

043003.pet It is further noted that referring back to Fig. 4B, the angled v-shaped cushion portion likewise is angled from a distal to a proximate end of the cushion measured by inclination angle 37 angled from a distal to a proximal end of the cushion measured by inclination angle 37 preferably from about 2.0 to about 2.8 degrees, most preferably under about 2.2 degrees. This angle has been discovered to facilitate an optimized lordotic or impart to the spine a pareto- optimal sigmoid curvature asymptotically approaching the minimized loading posture.

Referring still to Fig. 8, a full view shows a schematized view of a car seat or airplane seat version of the instant teachings, whereby there is shown a spinal disk protection and seat impact mitigation system which comprises a substantially vertical member with a first density, having a grooved face for receiving a user's back of a second density further comprised of at least foam, gel and the like silicones or polysiloxanes, angled cushion means having a distal and proximate end relative to the substantially vertical member, for receiving a user's ischial tuberosity integral therewith, and likewise being of at least two respective densities, wherein an angle of inclination from said proximate end to said distal end ranges from between at least about 1 and 3 degrees.

It is the case that most conventional seat cushions sit flat, or below the lumbar line and therefore most seats make the lumbar support strike users in the thoracic region. Alternately, users move forward in the seat and rest their scapulas on the back. According to the instant teachings, the angle 48 compels a proper positioning of a user's spine in groove 55, which is defined by the dual density structure underlying the seat means 100. Unlike any known teachings, by having a graduated v-shaped bottom section the gluteur region is positioned properly to impart lordosis in any conventional seat means 100, in which apparatus 38 is installed. Likewise, the instant structure 38, may be draped, attached on a top side of, embossed or layered onto, or otherwise matingly joined with or connected to any know seating means.

043003.pct Further, by angling 48 and altering the position of substantially vertical member the teachings function as an ideal weight bench for fitness training and the like.

FIG. 9 - 11 show an improved construction, whereby the middle of the cushion is raised to recive the ischial tuberosities. Optionally (not shown) their may be wells, or apertures for receiving the same. The user's body weight compresses the cushion and imparts the desired tilt angle to the pelvis.

In FIG. 10 and 11, it is appreciated that the composition of the present invention circulates within packs attached at various locations, or is simply housed in the wings, or chevron shaped attachments to the cushions. An example of the composition is the SEREFLEX ® (220) brand of material available in the United States of America. This material includes a viscous fluid and either plastic, rubber, ceramic or the like particulates disposed in the same. Altematley, the viscous fluid may be an emulsion, surfactant, preservative and thickener.

The viscous fluid may be a glycerin/water mixture or oil, preservative and thickner or water/oil emulsion or water/oil emulsion with Pemulan TR -2. As will be known to those skilled in the art, addition of PTFE particles and various subcombinations can bew used to adjust the realitve density. Likewise, in preferred embodiments packs of SEREFLEX ® (220) type of material may be used to reinforce the dual density construction, either along the grooved central portion of the seating system, in the cushions, on the cushions and or disposed around them, as shown in Fig. 10 & Fig.l 1

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations, and /or modifications may be made to the invention as shown in the specific embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as broadly described. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.

043003.pct

Claims

IN THE CLAIMS:

I Claim: 1. In a seating component, having a grooved region for maintaining a substantially lordotic posture in humans, the improvement comprising, in combination: an enhanced means for mitigating impact energies further comprising a composition having a multiplicity of dispersed elements suspended in a fluidic medium effective for dissipating significant forces and lowering pressures communicated through the seating component from a surface upon which it is disposed.

2. Apparatus for shielding a user's spinal region, comprising: at least a dual density seating construction with a means for cradling the spine of a human, the means includes a viscous medium having suspended members for spreading the force of impacts away from the user's spinal region, and into zones in the construction less critical than a centralized and slotted area.

3. In a novel enhanced spinal disk protection and seat shock prevention system, the improvement which comprises, in combination: a first member with a grooved face further comprising at least two different densities of material which are viscous and incorporate particulates; a means for receiving ischial tuberosities of a user; whereby the means for receiving ischial tuberosities of a user is compressed from a first position to a second position imparting an angled orientation to the pelvis of the users, when the user is disposed thereon

4. The system of claim 3, further comprising at least a pack of viscous material to mitigate pressure, shear and shock to the spinal process.

5. The system of claim 4, the at least a pack being in contiguous relationship with and remvoably attached to the grooved face.

043003. et

6. Apparatus of claim 2, wherein the means for cradling further comprises a plurality of packs of viscous material running vertically and permanently attached within an axis parallel to the axis defined by a seated user's spine.

7. The seating component of claim 1, wherein the enhanced means for mitigating impact energies is defined by a central structure where the walls of the structure function as a means for containing at least two sides of a pack of viscous material.

8. The system of claim 3, further comprising a cushion containing viscous material made up of wings disposed in a chevron pattern for surrounding the ischial processes.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising viscous material within or covering the chevrons and provided for and integrated with at least two tubes of viscous material.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising a cushion with indentation to receive the ischial tuberrosities of a user.

043003.ρct