Discrete orthoganol support system

Abstract

A “stratified” cushion assembly which can be used to support the human body under various conditions. The stratified cushion assembly generally includes alternating strata of supportive material, with each stratum having a different compression modulus than its adjacent strata. In the preferred embodiment the cushion assembly comprises alternating strata of visco-elastic memory foam and open-cell polyurethane foam. The strata are adhesively attached together with a foam adhesive.

1 . A cushion assembly comprising: a stratified foundation having alternating strata of support materials, said alternating strata of support materials including a first series of strata comprising a first support material and a second series of strata comprising a second support material, said first support material having a different compression modulus than said second support material, said alternating strata of support materials bonded together in a common horizontal plane such that each of said first series of strata is bonded to at least one of said second series of strata.  
     
     
         2 . The cushion assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a top layer of support material bonded to said stratified foundation such that top layer of support material is bonded to both said first series of strata and said second series of strata.  
     
     
         3 . The cushion assembly of  claim 1 , said first support material comprising visco-elastic memory foam.  
     
     
         4 . The cushion assembly of  claim 1 , said second support material comprising open-cell polyurethane foam.  
     
     
         5 . The cushion assembly of  claim 3 , said second support material comprising open-cell polyurethane foam.  
     
     
         6 . The cushion assembly of  claim 1 , wherein when said first series of strata and said second series of strata are arranged in said common horizontal plane, each of said first series of strata and said second series of strata have a height and a narrowest effective width, said height greater than said narrowest effective width.  
     
     
         7 . The cushion assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said alternating strata of support materials are bonded together with foam adhesive.  
     
     
         8 . A cushion assembly comprising: a first series of strata comprising a first support material and a second series of strata comprising a second support material, said first support material having a different compression modulus than said second support material, said first series of strata and said second series of strata bonded together in a common horizontal plane such that each of said first series of strata is bonded to at least one of said second series of strata.  
     
     
         9 . The cushion assembly of  claim 8 , wherein each of said first series of strata and said second series of strata comprise a substantially rectangular strip of foam material, having a first side face and second side face, said first side face and said second side face facing in opposite directions and having a height; wherein said first side face of each of said first series of strata is bonded to said second side face of one of said second series of strata, and said first side face of each of said second series of strata is bonded to said second side face of one of said first series of strata; each of said first series of strata separated from a neighboring one of said first series of strata by a width; wherein said height is greater than said width.  
     
     
         10 . The cushion assembly of  claim 8 , further comprising a top layer of support material bonded to both said first series of strata and said second series of strata.  
     
     
         11 . The cushion assembly of claim  18 , wherein said first series of strata and said second series of strata are bonded together with foam adhesive.  
     
     
         12 . The cushion assembly of  claim 8 , said first support material comprising visco-elastic memory foam.  
     
     
         13 . The cushion assembly of  claim 8 , said second support material comprising open-cell polyurethane foam.  
     
     
         14 . The cushion assembly of  claim 12 , said second support material comprising open-cell polyurethane foam.  
     
     
         15 . A cushion assembly comprising: alternating strips of a visco-elastic memory foam and a second foam bonded together in a common horizontal plane, said cushion assembly configured to support a load applied perpendicularly to said common horizontal plane.  
     
     
         16 . The cushion assembly of  claim 15 , said second foam comprising an open-cell polyurethane foam.  
     
     
         17 . The cushion assembly of  claim 15 , wherein said visco-elastic memory foam and said second foam are bonded together with a foam adhesive.