US 4,965,899 · Granted 1990-10-30
The Inflatable Seat Cushion That Adjusts to Your Shape
Imagine a chair cushion that's actually an air-filled balloon inside, made of layered fabric and plastic. You can pump air in or let it out through a valve to make the cushion firmer or softer — kind of like adjusting an air mattress, but designed specifically for car and furniture seats.
The plain-English version
What it protects
The claim covers a seat cushion built around an inflatable bag made from laminated fabric layers (mesh sandwiched between two plastic sheets) held together by reinforcing ribs. What's protected is the specific construction method: the way the plastic layers are bonded only at their outer edges while the mesh stays in the middle, plus the valve system that lets air in and out. Anyone making an inflatable seat cushion using this exact sandwich-and-rib design would be infringing.
Why it matters
This patent locks down a practical solution for vehicle and furniture seating where comfort needs vary by user. Rather than a fixed foam cushion that works the same for everyone, the inflatable approach lets each person adjust firmness and support. The layered construction keeps the cushion durable while the air-adjustability feature adds customization — valuable for cars, office chairs, and specialty seating where one-size-fits-all doesn't work well.
Real-world use
Truck seats and high-end car seats that let drivers pump the cushion up or down for long-haul comfort; some office chairs with air-adjustable lumbar support use similar inflatable technology.
Original USPTO abstract
A vehicle seat assembly is provided having a inflatable bag positioned within its seat cushion. The bag comprises first and second fabric members joined by a rib fabric member. Each first and second member is a laminate consisting of a meshed middle fabric sandwiched between two thermoplastic resin layers adhered to one another via the meshes. Only the outer peripheries of the two resin layers are in direct sealing contact with one another. An air port is sealingly connected to the first or second member to allow air to be supplied or removed from the bag to change its contour.
Patent details
- Publication number
- US 4,965,899
- Filing date
- 1989-04-14
- Grant date
- 1990-10-30
- Assignee
- Okamoto Industries,Inc.
- Inventor(s)
- SEKIDO; HIROSHI, HIOKI; TOSHIMICHI
- CPC class
- B60N2/914
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