US 5,018,790 · Granted 1991-05-28
The Modular Seat Cushion That Fits Your Body, Not the Other Way Around
Imagine a seat cushion that's built just for you — with removable foam pieces you can snap on or off to match your body's unique shape. A fluid-filled pad underneath molds to your contours, and the whole thing stays in place with fasteners, so you get custom comfort without buying a new chair.
The plain-English version
What it protects
The claim covers a seat cushion system made of three main parts working together: a shaped tray (the structural base), removable supports that attach to specific spots on that tray, and a fluid-filled pad that covers everything and locks it all in place. What's protected is this exact combination — the way the supports are positioned on the tray, how they connect, and how the pad seals the whole assembly into one cohesive customized cushion.
Why it matters
This patent represents a smart shift in cushion design: instead of one-size-fits-all seating, it let manufacturers build cushions that could be tuned to individual body shapes and comfort needs. By making the supports removable and the tray customizable, the design could theoretically serve a much wider range of users without requiring completely different products. This kind of modular approach was valuable in medical and ergonomic seating markets where fit directly impacts comfort and health.
Real-world use
You'd encounter this technology in custom wheelchair seat systems, pressure-relief cushions prescribed after surgery, or premium office chair inserts designed to reduce back pain by conforming exactly to your spine.
Original USPTO abstract
A customized seat cushion for the human body comprises securable, removable supports which are used in combination with a shaped tray and a pad containing a fluid filling material. In the preferred embodiment, the supports are fastened to selected contours of the shaped tray, and the surface presented by the supports and shaped tray are covered by the pad which is fastened to the exposed surfaces of the tray and pads to form a customized seat cushion.
Patent details
- Publication number
- US 5,018,790
- Filing date
- 1990-03-12
- Grant date
- 1991-05-28
- Assignee
- Jay Medical, Ltd.
- Inventor(s)
- JAY; ERIC C.
- CPC class
- A47C7/021
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