structions.

A taller seat could have a greater travel, but at the expense of proper ergonomics.

The shock absorbing attributes of the platforms of the prior art are difficult to adjust. For example, the shock absorbing platform disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,086,742 to Severson requires disassembly and re-assembly of the apparatus to replace a first set of spacer members with a second set of spacer members when a primary adjustment means is inad- equate.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,550,740, to the present inventor discloses a shock absorbing platform having multiple dampers that per- form a shock absorbing function. However, although the plat- form provides easy access to adjustment knobs when mounted in a pedestal, it provides no adjustment means as a stand-alone device.

There is a need, then, for a shock absorbing platform that is adjustable to accommodate a user’s weight so that it restores full extension quickly, thereby readying the platform to absorb the next impact.

However, in view of the prior art considered as a whole at the time the present invention was made, it was not obvious to those of ordinary skill in the pertinent art how the identified needs could be fulfilled.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The long-standing but heretofore unfulfilled need for an adjustable shock absorbing platform that provides easy access to adjustment means, which may be used without a pedestal as a platform upon which to stand or sit, and which quickly recovers to an equilibrium position of repose after absorbing a shock, is now met by a new, useful, and nonob- vious invention.

Moreover, the long-standing but heretofore unfulfilled need for a seat bottom construction having a bias means and a damping means that enable the seat bottom to undergo a high degree of compression during shock administration yet which eBiciently returns the seat bottom to a position of repose is also met by such new, useful and nonobvious inven- tion.

The novel platform includes a substantially flat bottom plate of predetermined geometrical configuration and a sub- stantially flat top plate, also of predetermined geometrical configuration, disposed in vertically spaced apart, parallel relation to the substantially flat bottom plate. In a preferred embodiment, the preferred geometrical configuration is square. However, a rectangular platform is also well within

of many differing sizes, shapes, and materials.

At least two pairs of elongate rigid links are positioned on at least two sides of the top plate and the bottom plate in interconnecting relation thereto. Each elongate rigid link of each pair of elongate rigid links is interconnected to its coun- terpart in a scissors-like interconnection so that the top plate and bottom plate remain in parallel relation to one another when the respective positions of the top and bottom plate are displaced relative to one another by the effects of an abruptly applied shock.

The pairs of elongate rigid links may be positioned along any two sides of the bottom and top plates. For example, in a first embodiment a first pair of elongate rigid links may be positioned on a first side of the platform and a second pair of elongate rigid links may be positioned on a second, opposite side of the platform so that the two pairs ofelongate rigid links are in parallel relation to one another. In a second embodi- ment, the first pair of elongate rigid links may be positioned on the trailing side of the platform and a second pair of elongate rigid links may be positioned on said second side of the platform as in the first embodiment so that the first and second pairs of elongate rigid links are disposed at a ninety degree angle relative to one another. In additional embodi- ments, a third and a fourth pair of elongate rigid links may be employed, although it is believed that two pairs of said elon- gate rigid links, disposed in any parallel or perpendicular orientation to one another, are suBicient to maintain the bot- tom and top plates in parallel relation to one another.