Method of improving the impact-protective properties of a conformable substrate

Abstract

A method of improving an impact-protective property of a conformable substrate is provided. The method includes positioning a central core adjacent the conformable substrate. The central core includes a plurality of rigid plates. A first of the plates is joined by at least one hinge to a second of the plates.

1 - 25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . A passenger seat comprising:
 a lower support member and a back support member, each of the lower support member and the back support member having a conformable substrate; and   a central core positioned adjacent to at least one of the conformable substrate of the lower support member and the conformable substrate of the back support member, the central core having a plurality of rigid plates, a first of the plates being joined by at least one hinge to a second of the plates.   
     
     
         27 . The passenger seat of  claim 26 , wherein the central core is positioned beneath a rear surface of the back support member to disperse a load from a passenger or object behind the passenger seat making contact with the passenger seat. 
     
     
         28 . The passenger seat of  claim 26 , wherein the hinge is a living hinge formed from the same material as the rigid plates. 
     
     
         29 . The passenger seat of  claim 26 , wherein each of the rigid plates is joined by at least one hinge to another of the rigid plates. 
     
     
         30 . The passenger seat of  claim 26  further comprising:
 a flexible fabric membrane comprised of natural or synthetic fibers positioned adjacent to at least one of the conformable substrate and the central core. 
 
     
     
         31 . The passenger seat of  claim 26 , wherein the hinge hingedly attaches an edge of the first plate to an edge of the second plate. 
     
     
         32 . The passenger seat of  claim 31 , wherein the hinge joins less than the entire edge of the first plate to less than the entire edge of the second plate. 
     
     
         33 . The passenger seat of  claim 26 , wherein the hinge is integrally connected to each of the first plate and the second plate. 
     
     
         34 . The passenger seat of  claim 26 , wherein the first plate is hexagonal in shape. 
     
     
         35 . The passenger seat of  claim 26 , wherein the central core is positioned adjacent to the conformable substrate of the lower support member. 
     
     
         36 . The passenger seat of  claim 26 , wherein the central core is positioned adjacent to the conformable substrate of the back support member. 
     
     
         37 . The passenger seat of  claim 26 , wherein the passenger seat is configured to attach to a floor of a vehicle. 
     
     
         38 . The passenger seat of  claim 37 , wherein the vehicle comprises an airplane. 
     
     
         39 . A passenger seat comprising:
 a base to attach to a vehicle;   a support member to support a human user, wherein the support member comprises:
 a core including a plurality of plates, a first one of the plurality of plates being hingedly attached, at one or more edges of the first plate, to one or more substantially adjacent other plates in the plurality of plates, wherein each hinge hingedly attaching an edge of the first plate to another plate joins less than the entire respective hingedly attached edge to a corresponding one of the one or more substantially adjacent other plates and is integrally connected to the first plate. 
   
     
     
         40 . The passenger seat of  claim 39 , wherein the support member further comprises a conformable substrate, wherein the core reinforces the conformable substrate. 
     
     
         41 . The passenger seat of  claim 40 , wherein the core is positioned adhered to a surface of the conformable substrate. 
     
     
         42 . The passenger seat of  claim 40 , wherein the core is integrated within the conformable substrate. 
     
     
         43 . The passenger seat of  claim 39 , wherein the hinges facilitate multidirectional rotation of the core. 
     
     
         44 . The passenger seat of  claim 39 , wherein the base is to attach to a floor of the vehicle.