The pad and the elastic cylinder used for the pad

Abstract

This invention relates to a pad comprising a foam layer and at least one elastic cylinder. The foam layer has a top surface, a bottom surface, and at least one receiving hole penetrating the top and bottom surfaces. The elastic cylinder includes a tube portion received in the receiving hole, an upper baffle disposed above the foam layer at the upper edge of the tube portion, a lower baffle disposed below the foam layer at the lower edge of the tube portion, and at least one vent hole disposed in the tube portion. The upper baffle has a first annular portion and a plurality of first extension portions extending outward from the first annular portion, making the outer edge of the upper baffle non-circular. Therefore, the pad eliminates the feeling of foreign objects and provides better breathability. It offers excellent support and cushioning, and the support of each part can be set as needed, or the required firmness can be adjusted.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This invention relates to a pad, and in particular to a pad that can eliminate the feeling of foreign objects and has good breathability and support, and an elastic cylinder for the pad. [Previous Technology]

[0002] Most cushioning materials, such as chair cushions, are made of foam. While they provide cushioning, their breathability is generally poor, making people feel stuffy in hot weather. If the foaming process is adjusted to increase the number of pores in the cushion to improve breathability, then insufficient support is encountered. Therefore, how to balance breathability, support, and cushioning has become a technical issue that the industry urgently needs to address.

[0003] To address the aforementioned issues, our research team proposed an innovative structure (TWI742988) in which multiple columnar breathable elastic supports are housed within perforations in a support pad. Human trials have confirmed that this structure achieves the desired efficacy. Each columnar breathable elastic support has an upper and lower ring edge protruding radially outwards from its top and bottom edges. When combined, the four adjacent columnar breathable elastic supports in a matrix arrangement create a height difference between the upper and lower ring edges and the support pad. This results in some subjects experiencing a foreign body sensation when their skin comes into contact with two diagonally opposite columnar breathable elastic supports. This sensation arises because the distance between the two objects exceeds the human two-point threshold for dermal perception. The minimum distance between two points that a person can perceive as two points rather than one is called the two-point threshold. One solution is to arrange the columnar breathable elastic supports more closely in a matrix arrangement. While this shortens the distance between two diagonally opposite columnar breathable elastic supports, thus eliminating the feeling of foreign objects, it also makes the distance between two adjacent breathable elastic supports in the horizontal or vertical direction too close. This narrows the air-guiding path for removing moisture and heat, reducing heat dissipation. Moreover, shortening the distance between the columnar breathable elastic supports means that more columnar breathable elastic supports need to be configured on the same support pad area, which increases production costs and reduces market competitiveness.

[0004] In addition, the support of a cushion is generally uniform in all parts, and it is not possible to set different support for different parts. For example, the support required for the buttocks and the legs is different, and personal preferences also vary. Some people prefer softer cushions, while others prefer slightly firmer cushions. [Summary of the Invention]

[0005] One objective of the present invention is to provide a pad and an elastic cylinder for the pad, which can eliminate the feeling of foreign objects and provide better breathability, and has good support and cushioning. Another objective of the present invention is to provide a pad that can set the support size of each part as needed, or adjust and change the required softness and hardness.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the pad of the present invention includes a foam layer and at least one elastic cylinder. The foam layer has a top surface, a bottom surface, and at least one receiving hole penetrating the top surface and the bottom surface. The elastic cylinder includes a tube portion received in the receiving hole, an upper baffle disposed on the upper edge of the tube portion and located above the foam layer, a lower baffle disposed on the lower edge of the tube portion and located below the foam layer, and at least one vent hole disposed on the tube portion. The upper baffle has a first annular portion and a plurality of first extension portions extending outward from the first annular portion, making the outer edge of the upper baffle non-circular. Therefore, the pad can eliminate the feeling of foreign objects and provide better breathability. It has excellent support and cushioning properties, and the support level of each part can be set as needed, or the required softness and hardness can be adjusted.

Implementation Method

[0007] The technical content and features of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to a preferred embodiment and the accompanying drawings. As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the pad 1 provided by a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a foam layer 10 and a plurality of elastic cylinders 20.

[0008] The foam layer 10 has a top surface 11, a bottom surface 12, and a plurality of receiving holes 14 penetrating the top surface 11 and the bottom surface 12. The foam layer 10 is made of a polymer material such as PU through microporous foaming technology, so that the foam layer 10 has countless micropores that allow air to circulate smoothly. The receiving holes 14 are cylindrical and arranged in a matrix at intervals, and are evenly distributed in the foam layer 10. Each receiving hole 14 has two positioning grooves 16 spaced 180° apart from each other.

[0009] Each of the elastic cylinders 20 includes a tube portion 21 housed in the receiving hole 14, an upper baffle 22 disposed on the upper edge of the tube portion 21 and located above the foam layer 10, a lower baffle 30 disposed on the lower edge of the tube portion 21 and located below the foam layer 10, eight vent holes 38 disposed on the tube portion 21, and two positioning ribs 39 extending outward from the tube portion 21 and spaced 180° apart from each other. The cross-section of the tube portion 21 is circular and abuts against the inner wall of the receiving hole 14. The two positioning ribs 39 are respectively connected at their two ends to the upper baffle 22 and the lower baffle 30. The two positioning ribs 39 are respectively housed in the two positioning grooves 16 to fix the position of the elastic cylinders 20 and prevent the elastic cylinders 20 from rotating relative to the foam layer 10. During assembly, the elastic cylinders 20 can be arranged more orderly. The upper baffle 22 is attached to the top surface 11 of the foam layer 10, and the lower baffle 30 is attached to the bottom surface 12 of the foam layer 10, so that the tube 21 will not come out of the receiving hole 14. The vent holes 38 are paired and pass through the tube 21 and are spaced 90° apart from each other.

[0010] The upper baffle 22 has a first annular portion 23, four first extension portions 26 extending outward from the first annular portion 23, four radially extending upper guide grooves 27 connecting the inner edge 221 and the outer edge 222 of the upper baffle 22, and a circular upper connecting groove 28 connecting the upper guide grooves 27. The first annular portion 23 is circular and has a first inner ring 24 extending inward from the tube portion 21 and a first outer ring 25 extending outward from the tube portion 21 and connected to the first extension portions 26; the outer edge of the first annular portion 23 is circular, as shown by the dotted line A in FIG2. The first extension portions 26 make the outer edge of the upper baffle 22 slightly square with chamfered corners. The upper guide grooves 27 are located on the top surface of the upper baffle 22 and are spaced 90° apart from each other. The upper connecting groove 28 is located on the top surface of the first outer ring 25, but the upper connecting groove 28 can also be provided in other parts of the upper baffle 22.

[0011] The structure and shape of the lower baffle 30 are similar to those of the upper baffle 22. It has a second ring portion 31, four second extension portions 34 extending outward from the second ring portion 31, four radially extending lower guide grooves 35 connecting the inner edge 301 and the outer edge 302 of the lower baffle 30, and a circular lower connecting groove 36 connecting the lower guide grooves 35. The second annular portion 31 is circular and has a second inner ring 32 extending inward from the tube portion 21 and a second outer ring 33 extending outward from the tube portion 21 and connected to the second extension portions 34; the outer edge of the second annular portion 31 is circular, as shown by the dotted line B in FIG2. The second extension portions 34 make the outer edge of the lower baffle 30 a square with chamfered corners. The lower guide grooves 35 are located on the bottom surface of the lower baffle 30 and are spaced 90° apart from each other. The lower connecting groove 36 is located on the bottom surface of the second outer ring 33, but the lower connecting groove 36 can also be provided in other parts of the lower baffle 30.

[0012] The elastic cylinder 20 is made of polymeric materials such as thermoplastic elastomers, gels, silicone or rubber, such as the styrene-ethylene / diene block copolymer (SEBS) used in this embodiment, which has excellent elasticity and support.

[0013] The combination of the elastic cylinders 20 and the foam layer 10 not only provides excellent support and cushioning, but also, due to the hollow structure of the tube 21, facilitates air convection, giving the pad 1 excellent breathability. Furthermore, since the tube 21 is provided with vent holes 38, airflow can be guided from inside the tube 21 to the foam layer 10, and vice versa, further enhancing the breathability of the pad 1. The top surface 11 and bottom surface 12 of the foam layer 10 are slightly protruding, forming a slightly undulating surface on the upper and lower parts of the pad body 1. This also creates numerous gaps between the human body and the foam layer 10 to allow air circulation. In addition, the guide groove 27 on the top surface of the upper baffle 22 allows airflow to flow between the inner edge 221 and the outer edge 222. The upper connecting groove 28 allows airflow to flow freely between these upper guide grooves 27, preventing the human body from contacting these elastic cylinders 20 and causing a stuffy feeling.

[0014] In addition to the first annular portion 23, the upper baffle 22 extends outward with four first extension portions 26, making the outer edge of the upper baffle 22 slightly square. When a majority of the elastic cylinders 20 are arranged in a matrix, compared with the conventional structure, the distance between the upper baffles 22 of two diagonally opposite elastic cylinders 20 can be reduced. This not only allows the elastic cylinders 20 to provide better support for the human body, but also, when the distance between the upper baffles 22 is less than the two-point threshold of human skin sensation, the human body's tactile sensation will be uniform and it will be impossible to distinguish multiple elastic cylinders 20. Only a uniform support body will be felt, providing more comfortable support for the human body. Moreover, when the outer edge side length of the slightly square upper baffle 22 is the same as the diameter of the annular portion in the conventional technology, under the same elastic cylinder 20 configuration spacing, the air guiding path formed by two adjacent upper baffles 22 in the horizontal and vertical directions can still remain consistent, maintaining good heat dissipation performance. Similarly, in addition to the second annular portion 31, the lower baffle 30 extends outward with four second extension portions 34, making the lower baffle 30 a hollow square. This reduces the distance between adjacent lower baffles 30, allowing the elastic cylinders 20 to fit more densely against the lower surface and provide better support. Furthermore, the two positioning ribs 39 are housed in the positioning groove 16, ensuring that the elastic cylinders 20 are aligned during assembly, that the outer edges 222 of the upper baffles 22 are parallel to each other, and that the distance between adjacent upper baffles 22 remains consistent. This allows the pad 1 to provide uniform support and cushioning. In addition, the two positioning ribs 39 provide axial support between the upper baffles 22 and the lower baffle 30, further enhancing the support of the elastic cylinders 20.

[0015] Since the elasticity of these elastic cylinders 20 is better than that of the foam layer 10, the combination of the two gives the pad 1 a special cushioning and shock absorption effect, which is different from traditional products. The special structure of the elastic cylinder 20 can also greatly increase the breathability of the pad 1, which helps to dissipate heat and remove moisture. Moreover, the composition of the elastic cylinder 20 can be changed to make its elasticity, toughness and support different. Users can choose to set a specific type of elastic cylinder 20 as needed, or put elastic cylinders 20 with different characteristics (such as support or softness and hardness) into different receiving holes 14, which is highly flexible in use, thereby achieving the purpose of the present invention.

[0016] Based on the design spirit of the present invention, the structure of the pad 1 can have other variations. For example, the shape of the first extension is not limited; the tube 21 of the elastic cylinder 20 may not abut against the inner wall of the receiving hole 14; the cross section of the tube 21 may be elliptical, rectangular, or polygonal and the cross section of the receiving hole 14 may match it; the vent hole 38 may also be provided at any position of the tube 21; the first inner ring 24 of the upper baffle 22 and the lower... The second inner ring 32 of the baffle 30 can be omitted. The top surface of the upper baffle 22 can be flush with the top surface 11 of the foam layer 10, and the bottom surface of the lower baffle 30 can be flush with the bottom surface 12 of the foam layer 10. A fabric layer can be covered on the outside of the pad 1 as needed. The upper guide groove 27, the upper connecting groove 28, the lower guide groove 35, and the lower connecting groove 36 can all be omitted. The number of positioning ribs 39 and positioning grooves 16 can be increased or decreased, or even omitted. The aforementioned additions, reductions, or omissions do not indicate that the equivalent sample is mechanically or thermally equivalent. The resulting performance differences can be obtained by those in the art through limited simulations or experiments. The outer edges of the upper baffle 22 and the lower baffle 30 can be rectangular, hexagonal, octagonal, or other shapes. All such easily conceivable structural variations should be covered by the scope of the patent application of this invention. [Simplified Explanation of the Diagram]

[0017] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the pad body according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the pad body according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 is an exploded view of the pad body according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. An elastic cylinder for a pad, comprising: a tube; an upper baffle disposed at the upper edge of the tube; a lower baffle disposed at the lower edge of the tube; and at least one vent hole disposed in the tube; wherein, The upper baffle has a first annular portion and a plurality of first extension portions extending outward from the first annular portion, so that the outer edge of the upper baffle is non-circular; and the tube portion extends outward with at least one positioning rib, the two ends of which are respectively connected to the upper baffle and the lower baffle.

2. The elastic cylinder for the pad as described in claim 1, wherein the first annular portion has a first inner ring extending inward from the tube portion and a first outer ring extending outward from the tube portion and connected to the first extension portions.

3. The elastic cylinder for the pad as described in claim 1, wherein the top surface of the upper baffle is provided with at least one upper guide groove connecting the inner edge and the outer edge of the upper baffle.

4. The elastic cylinder for the pad as described in claim 3, wherein the top surface of the upper baffle is provided with an upper connecting groove communicating with the upper guide grooves.

5. The elastic cylinder for the pad as described in claim 1, wherein the upper baffle is generally rectangular.

6. The elastic cylinder for the pad as described in claim 1, wherein the lower baffle has a second annular portion and a plurality of second extensions extending outward from the second annular portion, such that the outer edge of the lower baffle is non-circular.

7. The elastic cylinder for a pad as described in claim 6, wherein the second annular portion has a second inner ring extending inward from the tube portion and a second outer ring extending outward from the tube portion and connected to the second extension portions.

8. The elastic cylinder for the pad as described in claim 6, wherein the bottom surface of the lower baffle is provided with at least one guide groove connecting the inner edge and the outer edge of the lower baffle.

9. The elastic cylinder for the pad as described in claim 8, wherein the bottom surface of the lower baffle is provided with a connecting groove communicating with the lower guide grooves.

10. A cushion body comprising: a foam layer having a top surface, a bottom surface, and at least one receiving hole penetrating the top surface and the bottom surface; and at least one resilient cylinder for the cushion body as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, the tubular portion of the resilient cylinder being received in the receiving hole, the upper baffle being located above the foam layer, and the lower baffle being located below the foam layer.

11. The pad as claimed in claim 10, wherein the receiving hole of the foam layer is recessed with at least one positioning groove for receiving the positioning rib.

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