Cushion structure

Claim 2

A cushion structure according to claim 1, in which the gel is a reaction product of a methyl polysiloxane containing silicon-bonded vinyl groups and a methyl polysiloxane containing SiH groups in which said reaction is catalyzed by platinum.

Claim 3

A cushion structure according to claim 1, wherein said sheet of material comprises a plastic, mesh-like fabric.

Claim 4

A cushion structure according to claim 4, wherein said sheet of material comprises a dacron mesh.

Claim 5

A cushion structure according to claim 4, wherein said sheet of fabric is disposed approximately midway between the major surfaces and extends substantially coextensively with said major surfaces.

Claim 6

A cushion structure according to claim 4, in which the cushion consists essentially of an organosiloxane gel which is the reaction product of an intimate mixture consisting essentially of (1) an organosiloxane having a viscosity of from 100 to 10,000 cs. at 25* C. and being a copolymer consisting essentially of units of the formula RViSiO, R2SiO and CH3R2SiO.5 where each R individually is selected from the group consisting of methyl and phenyl radicals and Vi represents a vinyl radical, at least 0.174 molar percent of the units in said copolymer being the said RViSiO units, (2) a liquid hydrogenosiloxane of the average formula HRCH3SiO (R2SiO)nSiCH3RH where each R is as above defined and n has an average value such that the viscosity of the hydrogenosiloxane is no more than 10,000 cs. at 25* C., no more than 25 molar percent of the total R radicals present in (1)and (2) being phenyl: the proportions of (1) and (2) being such that prior to reaction there is an average of from 1.4 to 1.8 gram atoms of the silicon-bonded H atoms in (2) per gram molecular weight of (1) and there being at least one RViSiO unit in (1) for every silicon-bonded H atom in (2), the molecular weight of (1) being calculated by the equation: log visc. 1.00 + 0.0123M.5 where M is the molecular weight and ''''visc.'''' is the viscosity of (1) in cs. at 25* C., and (3) a dimethyl polysiloxane fluid having a viscosity of about 1,000 cs. at 25* C. and comprising from approximately 10 percent to 50 percent by weight of said cushion.

Claim 7

A cushion structure according to claim 4, wherein said gel is hypoallergenic, stable over a selected temperature range and incapable of supporting the growth of bacteria.

Claim 8

A cushion structure for protecting a mammal body against the application on the body of injurious localized pressures, comprising: a one-piece cushion made of an elastic, nonfriable, nonporous, semisolid gel of a synthetic organic material, the gel having a hydrostatic property so that it is capable of easily flowing laterally under pressure and is capable of returning toward its original shape as a result of its internal restoring force when the pressure is removed; a thin, flexible sheet of mesh-like fabric securely bonded to the gel of said cushion, said sheet of fabric being substantially coextensive with one of the external surfaces of said cushion, whereby said sheet of mesh-like fabric resists damage to the gel cushion due to forces applied to said cushion in a direction substantially parallel with said fabric; and flexible cover means surrounding and totally enclosing said cushion and said sheet of fabric.

Claim 9

A cushion structure according to claim 9, wherein said sheet of fabric is disposed totally within the gel cushion so as to form gel layers on opposite sides of the sheet of mesh-like fabric with the porosity of the mesh-like fabric permitting the gel layers to be integrally interconnected so that the gel of the cushion is effectively a single monolithic mass.