Customizable Pressure Offloading Cushioning Device

Abstract

The subject invention is a device intended for use where support or restriction of motion of a body part is desired. The subject of the present invention is the formation of a network of lattice intrusions into the matrix of the device so that elements of the lattice can be removed to form a depression in the matrix of the device that conforms to the anatomy of the region that is being supported and positioned while offloading pressure.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cushioning device for the contours of an anatomical region that is conformable for purposes of supporting the position of the anatomical region by said device; by redistribution of the weight of the anatomical region by said device; by total offloading of weight to sub-regions of the anatomy supported by said device comprising; a foam assembly wherein a lattice of cuts are in said device to a partial depth of the matrix to form an array of adjoining pillars of matrix continuously joined to the intact base matrix whereby individual pillars of said device are manually adjusted to form a conforming depression in said device for the purpose of support, positioning, weight redistribution, offloading. 
     
     
         2 . A cushioning device according to  claim 1 , wherein the device matrix is composed of polyurethane foam, viscoelastic foam, polyvinyl foam, natural and synthetic rubber. 
     
     
         3 . A cushioning device according to  claim 1 , wherein the scoring of the lattice array is on the anatomical contact side of the device. 
     
     
         4 . A cushioning device according to  claim 1 , wherein the lattice array of the device is scored on one side of the matrix to form pillars to a partial depth of the matrix where in the depth of the scoring ranges from 51% to 99% of the full depth; more preferably 60% to 95% of the depth; most preferably 65% to 90% of the depth of the device. 
     
     
         5 . A cushioning device according to  claim 1 , wherein the pillars have a surface dimension that ranges from 0.1 cm square to 100 cm square; more preferably 0.5 cm square to 16 cm square; most preferably 1 cm square to 2 cm square. 
     
     
         6 . A cushioning device according to  claim 1 , wherein the lattice array of the device is scored to a partial depth of the matrix by a mechanical process such as cutting. 
     
     
         7 . A cushioning device according to  claim 1 , wherein the lattice array of the device is scored to a partial depth of the matrix by molding during the formation of the foam. 
     
     
         8 . A cushioning device for the contours of an anatomical region that is conformable for purposes of supporting the position of the head and neck region of the anatomy by said device; by redistribution of the weight of the anatomical region by said device; by total offloading of weight to sub-regions of the anatomy supported by said device comprising; a foam assembly wherein a lattice of cuts are in said device to a partial depth of the matrix to form an array of adjoining pillars of matrix continuously joined to the intact base matrix whereby individual pillars of said device are manually adjusted to form a conforming depression in said device for the purpose of support, positioning, weight redistribution, offloading. 
     
     
         9 . A cushioning device according to  claim 8 , wherein the device matrix is composed of polyurethane foam, viscoelastic foam, polyvinyl foam, natural and synthetic rubber. 
     
     
         10 . A cushioning device according to  claim 8 , wherein the scoring of the lattice array is on the anatomical contact side of the device. 
     
     
         11 . A cushioning device according to  claim 8 , wherein the lattice array of the device is scored on one side of the matrix to form pillars to a partial depth of the matrix where in the depth of the scoring ranges from 51% to 99% of the full depth; more preferably 60% to 95% of the depth; most preferably 65% to 90% of the depth of the device. 
     
     
         12 . A cushioning device according to  claim 8 , wherein the pillars have a surface dimension that ranges from 0.1 cm square to 100 cm square; more preferably 0.5 cm square to 16 cm square; most preferably 1 cm square to 2 cm square. 
     
     
         13 . A cushioning device according to  claim 8 , wherein the lattice array of the device is scored to a partial depth of the matrix by a mechanical process such as cutting. 
     
     
         14 . A cushioning device according to  claim 8 , wherein the lattice array of the device is scored to a partial depth of the matrix by molding during the formation of the foam. 
     
     
         15 . A cushioning device for the contours of an anatomical region that is conformable for purposes of supporting the position of the sacral and coccyx region of the anatomy by said device; by redistribution of the weight of the anatomical region by said device; by total offloading of weight to sub-regions of the anatomy supported by said device comprising; a foam assembly wherein a lattice of cuts are in said device to a partial depth of the matrix to form an array of adjoining pillars of matrix continuously joined to the intact base matrix whereby individual pillars of said device are manually adjusted to form a conforming depression in said device for the purpose of support, positioning, weight redistribution, offloading. 
     
     
         16 . A cushioning device according to  claim 15 , wherein the device matrix is composed of polyurethane foam, viscoelastic foam, polyvinyl foam, natural and synthetic rubber. 
     
     
         17 . A cushioning device according to  claim 15 , wherein the scoring of the lattice array is on the anatomical contact side of the device. 
     
     
         18 . A cushioning device according to  claim 15 , wherein the lattice array of the device is scored on one side of the matrix to form pillars to a partial depth of the matrix where in the depth of the scoring ranges from 51% to 99% of the full depth; more preferably 60% to 95% of the depth; most preferably 65% to 90% of the depth of the device. 
     
     
         19 . A cushioning device according to  claim 15 , wherein the pillars have a surface dimension that ranges from 0.1 cm square to 100 cm square; more preferably 0.5 cm square to 16 cm square; most preferably 1 cm square to 2 cm square. 
     
     
         20 . A cushioning device according to  claim 15 , wherein the lattice array of the device is scored to a partial depth of the matrix by a mechanical process such as cutting. 
     
     
         21 . A cushioning device according to  claim 15 , wherein the lattice array of the device is scored to a partial depth of the matrix by molding during the formation of the foam. 
     
     
         22 . A cushioning device for the contours of an anatomical region that is conformable for purposes of supporting the position of the scrotum region of the anatomy by said device; by redistribution of the weight of the anatomical region by said device; by total offloading of weight to sub-regions of the anatomy supported by said device comprising; a foam assembly wherein a lattice of cuts are in said device to a partial depth of the matrix to form an array of adjoining pillars of matrix continuously joined to the intact base matrix whereby individual pillars of said device are manually adjusted to form a conforming depression in said device for the purpose of support, positioning, weight redistribution, offloading. 
     
     
         23 . A cushioning device according to  claim 22 , wherein the device matrix is composed of polyurethane foam, viscoelastic foam, polyvinyl foam, natural and synthetic rubber. 
     
     
         24 . A cushioning device according to  claim 22 , wherein the scoring of the lattice array is on the anatomical contact side of the device. 
     
     
         25 . A cushioning device according to  claim 22 , wherein the lattice array of the device is scored on one side of the matrix to form pillars to a partial depth of the matrix where in the the depth of the scoring ranges from 51% to 99% of the full depth; more preferably 60% to 95% of the depth; most preferably 65% to 90% of the depth of the device. 
     
     
         26 . A cushioning device according to  claim 22 , wherein the pillars have a surface dimension that ranges from 0.1 cm square to 100 cm square; more preferably 0.5 cm square to 16 cm square; most preferably 1 cm square to 2 cm square. 
     
     
         27 . A cushioning device according to  claim 22 , wherein the lattice array of the device is scored to a partial depth of the matrix by a mechanical process such as cutting. 
     
     
         28 . A cushioning device according to  claim 22 , wherein the lattice array of the device is scored to a partial depth of the matrix by molding during the formation of the foam. 
     
     
         29 . A cushioning device for the contours of an anatomical region that is conformable for purposes of supporting the position of the torso region of the anatomy by said device; by redistribution of the weight of the anatomical region by said device; by total offloading of weight to sub-regions of the anatomy supported by said device comprising; a foam assembly wherein a lattice of cuts are in said device to a partial depth of the matrix to form an array of adjoining pillars of matrix continuously joined to the intact base matrix whereby individual pillars of said device are manually adjusted to form a conforming depression in said device for the purpose of support, positioning, weight redistribution, offloading. 
     
     
         30 . A cushioning device according to  claim 29 , wherein the device matrix is composed of polyurethane foam, viscoelastic foam, polyvinyl foam, natural and synthetic rubber. 
     
     
         31 . A cushioning device according to  claim 29 , wherein the scoring of the lattice array is on the anatomical contact side of the device. 
     
     
         32 . A cushioning device according to  claim 29 , wherein the lattice array of the device is scored on one side of the matrix to form pillars to a partial depth of the matrix where in the the depth of the scoring ranges from 51% to 99% of the full depth; more preferably 60% to 95% of the depth; most preferably 65% to 90% of the depth of the device. 
     
     
         33 . A cushioning device according to  claim 29 , wherein the pillars have a surface dimension that ranges from 0.1 cm square to 100 cm square; more preferably 0.5 cm square to 16 cm square; most preferably 1 cm square to 2 cm square. 
     
     
         34 . A cushioning device according to  claim 29 , wherein the lattice array of the device is scored to a partial depth of the matrix by a mechanical process such as cutting. 
     
     
         35 . A cushioning device according to  claim 29 , wherein the lattice array of the device is scored to a partial depth of the matrix by molding during the formation of the foam. 
     
     
         36 . A cushioning device for the contours of an anatomical region that is conformable for purposes of supporting the extremity regions of the anatomy such as hand, elbow, arm, foot, leg by said device; by redistribution of the weight of the anatomical region by said device; by total offloading of weight to sub-regions of the anatomy supported by said device comprising; a foam assembly wherein a lattice of cuts are in said device to a partial depth of the matrix to form an array of adjoining pillars of matrix continuously joined to the intact base matrix whereby individual pillars of said device are manually adjusted to form a conforming depression in said device for the purpose of support, positioning, weight redistribution, offloading. 
     
     
         37 . A cushioning device according to  claim 36 , wherein the device matrix is composed of polyurethane foam, viscoelastic foam, polyvinyl foam, natural and synthetic rubber. 
     
     
         38 . A cushioning device according to  claim 36 , wherein the scoring of the lattice array is on the anatomical contact side of the device. 
     
     
         39 . A cushioning device according to  claim 36 , wherein the lattice array of the device is scored on one side of the matrix to form pillars to a partial depth of the matrix where in the the depth of the scoring ranges from 51% to 99% of the full depth; more preferably 60% to 95% of the depth; most preferably 65% to 90% of the depth of the device. 
     
     
         40 . A cushioning device according to  claim 36 , wherein the pillars have a surface dimension that ranges from 0.1 cm square to 100 cm square; more preferably 0.5 cm square to 16 cm square; most preferably 1 cm square to 2 cm square. 
     
     
         41 . A cushioning device according to  claim 36 , wherein the lattice array of the device is scored to a partial depth of the matrix by a mechanical process such as cutting. 
     
     
         42 . A cushioning device according to  claim 36 , wherein the lattice array of the device is scored to a partial depth of the matrix by molding during the formation of the foam.