Fluid-filled seat bladder having integral interface panel
DRIVE
May 11, 2005
An elastomeric seat bladder (44, 52, 62) has upper and lower sheets of peripherally welded elastomeric material (44a, 44b; 52a, 52b; 62a, 62b), and at least one of the upper and lower sheets of elastomeric material is sufficiently thick to effectively serve as an integral interface panel. In a first configuration, the lower sheet (44b) is formed of elastomeric material having a thickness in the range of 1mm (0.04 inch) to 2.54mm (0.100 inch), and the upper sheet (44a) is formed of elastomeric material having a thickness of approximately 0.375mm (0.015 inch). In second configuration, the relatively thick sheet of elastomeric material (52a) is utilized as the upper sheet of the bladder (52) instead of the lower sheet; and in a third configuration, both upper and lower sheets (62a, 62b) of the bladder (62) are formed of elastomeric material in the range of 1mm (0.04 inch) to 2.54mm (0.100 inch) in thickness.
Discussion in the ATmosphere