BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0028] Hereinafter, seat cushion assemblies according to the preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0029] FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a seat cushion assembly according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the seat cushion assembly shown in FIG. 3, and FIG. 5 is a view showing a state in which the seat cushion assembly shown in FIG. 3 is used.

[0030] Referring to FIGS. 3 to 5, a seat cushion assembly 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes a coat member 110 and a porous cushioning member 120. The coat member 110 includes a first cushion coat 112 in which a first space 112a is formed, and a second cushion coat 114 in which a second space 114a is formed. The first cushion coat 112 and the second cushion coat 114 are overlapped on each other. The porous cushioning member 120 is contained in the second space 114a defined by the second cushion coat 114 and is made from elastic material, thereby providing elasticity for the seat cushion assembly 100.

[0031] The first space 112a defined by the first cushion coat 112 is filled with gas such as air, and the second cushion coat 114 has an upper surface through which a plurality of pores 114b are formed, so that the second space 114a can communicate with an exterior space thereof. In this case, it goes without saying that the pores 114b may formed through a side surface of the second cushion coat 114.

[0032] Further, an air injection hole (not shown) is formed through the first cushion coat 112 of the coat member 110, so that air can be injected into and filled in the first space 112a. The air injection hole is equipped with a check valve (not shown) which allows air to flow in only one direction. The check valve prevents the air filled in the first space 112a from being discharged to the exterior.

[0033] It is preferred that the porous cushioning member 120 disposed in the second space 114a of the second cushion coat 114 is made from elastic and flexible material and the coat member 110 is made from synthetic resin such as Urethane.

[0034] In the seat cushion assembly 100 having the construction as described above, the first cushion coat 112 and the second cushion coat 114 are integrated with and overlapped on each other by a high-frequency junction, etc., while the first space 112a of the first cushion coat 112 and the second space 114a of the second cushion coat 114 are separated from each other.

[0035] Referring to FIG. 5, in the seat cushion assembly 100 having the construction as described above, when a user's weight M is loaded on the second cushion coat 114 of the coat member 110, the upper surface of the second cushion coat 114 is pressed downward while air in the second space 114a is discharged through the pores 114b, so that the porous cushioning member 120 is gradually compressed.

[0036] In a state that the second cushion coat 114 is compressed as described above, when the porous cushioning member 120 is compressed and reaches the interface between the first cushion coat 112 and the second cushion coat 114, the air in the first space 112a functions as a cushion while the porous cushioning member 120 in the second space 114a assists the cushioning function.

[0037] Therefore, the pressure compressing blood vessels in the user's hip is reduced.

[0038] Meanwhile, when the weight loaded on the second cushion coat 114 disappears, the coat member 110 restores its original shape by a self-restoring force of the porous cushioning member 120. In this case, while the porous cushioning member 120 is restored to its original state, external air is introduced through the pores 114b into the second space 114a.

[0039] FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a seat cushion assembly according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0040] Referring to FIG. 6, a seat cushion assembly 200 according to the second embodiment of the present invention includes a similar construction to the seat cushion assembly 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 3 to 5. That is to say, the seat cushion assembly 200 also includes a coat member 210 and a first porous cushioning member 220. The coat member 210 includes a first cushion coat 212 in which a first space 212a is formed, and a second cushion coat 214 in which a second space 214a is formed. The first cushion coat 212 and the second cushion coat 214 are overlapped on each other. The first porous cushioning member 220 is contained in the second space 214a defined by the second cushion coat 214 and is made from elastic material, thereby providing elasticity for the seat cushion assembly 200. However, differently from the seat cushion assembly 100, the seat cushion assembly 200 further includes a second porous cushioning member 220a which is contained in the first space 212a defined by the first cushion coat 212 and is made from elastic material, thereby providing elasticity for the seat cushion assembly 200.

[0041] In the seat cushion assembly 200 also, the first space 212a defined by the first cushion coat 212 is filled with gas such as air while containing the second porous cushioning member 220a, and the second cushion coat 214 has an upper surface through which a plurality of pores 214b are formed, so that the second space 214a can communicate with an exterior space thereof. In this case, it is preferred that the first space 212a of the first cushion coat 212 is filled with air whose quantity is smaller than a volume of an entire empty room of the first space 212a in a normal state, so that the first space 212a of the first cushion coat 212 can be compressed to some degree, thereby increasing the cushioning effect, when a user sits on the seat cushion assembly 200.

[0042] Meanwhile, even when the first space 212a has a poor air-tightness and the air in the first space 212a leaks little by little, the second porous cushioning member 220a disposed in the first space 212a of the first cushion coat 212 as described above can perform the cushioning function sufficiently well in place of the leaking air.

[0043] Although FIGS. 3 to 6 show the seat cushion assembly 100 and the seat cushion assembly 200 according to the first and second embodiments of the present invention, each of which has a shape of a rectangular solid, it goes without saying that the seat cushion assembly 100 and the seat cushion assembly 200 may have other shapes such as a circular shape, an ellipsoidal shape, and other polygonal shapes.

[0044] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a seat cushion assembly according to a third embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 8 is a longitudinal section of the seat cushion assembly shown in FIG. 7, and FIG. 9 is a sectional view showing a state in which the seat cushion assembly shown in FIG. 7 is used.

[0045] Referring to FIGS. 7 to 9, a seat cushion assembly 300 according to the third embodiment of the present invention includes a seat coat 310, a backrest coat 320, and a connecting tube 330. The seat coat 310 serves as a seat on which a user's hip is laid, and a first space 312 is formed in the seat coat 310. The backrest coat 320 is foldably connected to one end of the seat coat 310 and serves as a backrest, and a second space 322 is formed in the backrest coat 320. The connecting tube 330 connects the first space 312 and the second space 322 with each other.

[0046] In the seat cushion assembly 300 according to the third embodiment of the present invention as described above, the first space 312, the second space 322, and the connecting tube 330 connected with each other form a closed space which is insulated from an exterior space thereof and filled with a predetermined quantity of gas such as air. Due to such a construction, when a load is placed on the seat coat 310, air in the first space 312 flows through the connecting tube 330 into the second space 322 of the backrest coat 320.

[0047] In other words, the seat cushion assembly 300 according to the third embodiment of the present invention includes a seat coat 310 made from flexible material, which defines the first space 312 filled with a predetermined quantity of air, so as to seat a user's hip thereon, a backrest coat 320 foldably connected with an upper end of the seat coat 310 and serving as a backrest, which defines the second space 322 into which a portion of air in the first space 312 flows when a load is laid on the seat coat 310, and a connecting tube 330 connecting the first space 312 of the seat coat 310 and the second space 322 of the backrest coat 320 with each other, so that air can flow between the first space 312 of the seat coat 310 and the second space 322 of the backrest coat 320.

[0048] In the seat cushion assembly 300 having the construction described above, a porous cushioning member 340 having elasticity is disposed in the first space 312 of the seat coat 310. Therefore, even when air leaks out of the first space 312 little by little, the porous cushioning member 340 can perform the cushioning function sufficiently well in place of the leaking air.

[0049] In the construction described above, it is preferred that the seat coat 310, the backrest coat 320, and the connecting tube 330 are made from flexible material, especially synthetic resin such as Urethane. Further, it is preferred that the connecting tube 330 is made from material having a larger stiffness than that of the backrest coat 320.

[0050] The seat coat 310 is formed by attaching flexible sheets of artificial resin to each other through a high-frequency adhesion while forming the first space 312 in the seat coat 310. The porous cushioning member 340 such as sponge is placed in the first space 312 of the seat coat 310 formed in this way.

[0051] Further, when the backrest coat 320 is formed, an edge of a flexible sheet of artificial resin is attached to another flexible sheet of artificial resin which is attached to or integrally formed with the seat coat 310 through a high-frequency adhesion so that the second space 322 is formed the backrest coat 320.

[0052] After the seat coat 310 and the backrest coat 320 are formed in the way described above, both ends of the connecting tube 330 are connected to the first space 312 and the second space 322 so as to enable the first space 312 of the seat coat 310 and the second space 322 of the backrest coat 320 to communicate with each other.

[0053] The first space 312, the second space 322, and the connecting tube 330 having the construction described above contain air capable of freely flowing in them. In this case, most of the air has soaked in the porous cushioning member 340 in the first space 312. Therefore, in this state, the seat coat 310 maintains its shape as the shape of the porous cushioning member 340, while the backrest coat 320 is in a flat state.

[0054] Meanwhile, the first space 312, the second space 322, and the connecting tube 330 are filled with a proper quantity of air, which enables pressure of the air to prevent the porous cushioning member 340 from being completely compressed when a user sits on the seat cushion assembly 300.

[0055] Further, an air injection hole (not shown) is formed through the first space 312 of the seat coat 310, so that air can be injected into and filled in the first space 312. The air injection hole is equipped with a check valve (not shown) which allows air to flow in only one direction.

[0056] Hereinafter, the operation of the seat cushion assembly 300 having the construction described above will be described. First, the seat coat 310 is placed on a seat of a chair C, and the backrest coat 320 is hanged over a backrest of the chair C while being in tight contact with the backrest. In this state, when a user sits on the seat coat 310, the porous cushioning member 340 is gradually compressed, while the air in the first space 312 moves through the connecting tube 330 into the second space 322 of the backrest coat 320, so that the second space 322 is inflated, so as to play a good role as the backrest.

[0057] As described above, the seat coat 310 and the backrest coat 320 cushion a user's hip and back by means of the air filled in the first space 312 and the second space 322, thereby preventing blood vessels in the user's hip and back from being compressed.

[0058] From this state, when the load laid on the seat coat 310 disappears, the first space 312 is inflated by the restoring force of the porous cushioning member 340, so that the air in the second space 322 moves through the connecting tube 330 back into the first space 312 and soaks into the porous cushioning member 340. Then, the backrest coat 320 is compressed and becomes flat.

[0059] FIG. 10 is a sectional view showing another state in which the seat cushion assembly shown in FIG. 7 is used.

[0060] Meanwhile, the seat cushion assembly 300 according to the third embodiment can be used as a cushion without a backrest by folding the backrest coat 320 on the seat coat 310 as shown in FIG. 10. In this case, it is preferred that the quantity of the air is smaller than that in the case where the seat cushion assembly 300 is used as shown in FIG. 9, so that the seat coat 310 can be compressed more, thereby functioning better as a cushion.

[0061] As can be seen from the foregoing, in a seat cushion assembly according to the present invention provides, the cushioning effect by the seat cushion assembly can be maintained even when a user sits on the seat cushion assembly for long time, thereby providing the user with more improved comfort and overcoming the problems of the conventional seat cushion such as trouble in the circulation of blood.

[0062] While this invention has been described in connection with what are presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments and the drawings, but, on the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and variations within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.