Shear cushion with interconnected columns of cushioning elements

Abstract

In accordance with one implementation, a cushion includes at least two columns of axially aligned cushioning elements and one or more binding layers elastically connecting the at least two columns together. The binding layer may be oriented in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axial alignment at an intersection of two or more cushioning elements. In one implementation, the shear reduction may be directionally tuned so as to provide for different shear force mitigation in different directions.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A shear cushion comprising:
 a first column of two or more interconnected cushioning elements;   a second column of two or more additional interconnected cushioning elements, wherein the first column is oriented substantially parallel and adjacent to the second column; and   a first binding layer elastically connecting the first column to the second column, wherein the first column and the second column are both extend in a direction substantially normal to the first binding layer.   
     
     
         2 . The shear cushion of  claim 1 , wherein the first column and the second column each extend from a fixed surface, further comprising:
 an occupant interface surface oriented substantially parallel to the first binding layer and positioned at an end of the first column and the second column opposite from the fixed surface, and wherein the first binding layer is positioned between the fixed surface and the occupant interface surface.   
     
     
         3 . The shear cushion of  claim 2 , wherein a shear force applied to the occupant interface surface causes the occupant interface surface to shift in a direction of the shear force and the first column and the second column to each tilt in the direction of the shear force. 
     
     
         4 . The shear cushion of  claim 3 , wherein the tilted first column and the tilted second column remain substantially parallel. 
     
     
         5 . The shear cushion of  claim 3 , wherein the first binding layer elastically stretches to accommodate the tilt of the first column and the second column. 
     
     
         6 . The shear cushion of  claim 3 , wherein the cushioning elements remain substantially uncompressed in response to the tilt of the first column and the second column. 
     
     
         7 . The shear cushion of  claim 1 , wherein the cushioning elements elastically compress in response to a normal force applied to the cushion. 
     
     
         8 . The shear cushion of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a third column of two or more additional interconnected cushioning elements oriented substantially parallel to the first column and the second column, wherein the first binding layer elastically connects the third column to the first column and the second column.   
     
     
         9 . The shear cushion of  claim 8 , wherein a cushioning element of the first column and a cushioning element of the second column form a first row of cushioning elements extending in a first direction substantially parallel to the first binding layer, and wherein a cushioning element of the first column and a cushioning element of the third column form a second row of cushioning elements extending in a second direction substantially parallel to the binding layer. 
     
     
         10 . The shear cushion of  claim 8 , wherein each of the first column, the second column, and the third column possess a resistance to tilting that is different in the first direction than in the second direction. 
     
     
         11 . The shear cushion of  claim 1 , wherein the first binding layer elastically connects the first column to the second column at first interfaces between adjacent cushioning elements in the first column and adjacent cushioning elements in the second column, further comprising:
 a second binding layer elastically connecting the first column to the second column at second interfaces between adjacent cushioning elements in the first column and a fourth interface between two cushioning elements in the second column, wherein the second binding layer is offset from and oriented substantially parallel to the first binding layer.   
     
     
         12 . The shear cushion of  claim 1 , wherein each of the cushioning elements includes two opposing void cells joined at a void cell interface. 
     
     
         13 . The shear cushion of  claim 1 , wherein each of the cushioning elements have an elongated rectangular shape. 
     
     
         14 . The shear cushion of  claim 1 , wherein a peak shear reaction force on an occupant of the shear cushion is less than a peak shear force applied to the shear cushion. 
     
     
         15 . The shear cushion of  claim 1 , wherein the two or more interconnected cushioning elements of the first column are in different layers of the shear cushion than the two or more interconnected cushioning elements of the second column. 
     
     
         16 . The shear cushion of  claim 1 , wherein each of the two or more interconnected cushioning elements of the first column and each of the two or more interconnected cushioning elements of the second column vary in size. 
     
     
         17 . A method of using a shear cushion to reduce peak shear force on an occupant of the shear cushion comprising:
 tilting a first column of two or more interconnected cushioning elements and a second column of two or more additional interconnected cushioning elements in a direction of a shear force applied to the shear cushion, wherein the first column is elastically connected to the second column with a first binding layer, and wherein the first column is oriented substantially parallel to the second column.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 shifting an occupant interface surface of the shear cushion oriented substantially parallel to the first binding layer at an end of the first column and the second column distal from a fixed surface in the direction of the shear force, wherein the binding layer is positioned between the fixed surface and the occupant interface surface.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 applying the shear force to the occupant interface surface of the shear cushion, wherein the shear force causes the shifting of the occupant interface surface and the tilting of the first column and the second column in the direction of the shear force.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the first binding layer elastically stretches to accommodate the tilting of the first column and the second column. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the cushioning elements remain substantially uncompressed in response to the tilt of the first column and the second column. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 compressing one or more of the interconnected cushioning elements of the shear cushion in a direction substantially normal to the first binding layer.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the first column and the second column possess a resistance to tilting that is different in a first direction than in a second direction. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein a peak shear reaction force on the occupant of the shear cushion is less than a peak shear force applied to the shear cushion via the occupant of the shear cushion. 
     
     
         25 . A shear cushion comprising:
 a first column of two or more interconnected cushioning elements;   a second column of two or more additional interconnected cushioning elements;   a third column of two or more additional interconnected cushioning elements;   a fourth column of two or more additional interconnected cushioning elements;   wherein each of the first column, the second column, the third column, and the fourth column are oriented substantially parallel;   a first binding layer elastically connecting the first column, the second column, the third column, and the fourth column at first interfaces between adjacent cushioning elements in each of the first column, the second column, the third column, and the fourth column; and   a second binding layer elastically connecting the first column, the second column, the third column, and the fourth column at second interfaces between adjacent cushioning elements in each of the first column, the second column, the third column, and the fourth column, wherein the second binding layer is offset from and oriented substantially parallel to the first binding layer, and wherein the first column, the second column, the third column, and the fourth column are all oriented substantially normal to the first binding layer and the second binding layer.