Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47C—CHAIRS; SOFAS; BEDS
  • A47C23/00—Spring mattresses with rigid frame or forming part of the bedstead, e.g. box springs; Divan bases; Slatted bed bases
  • A47C23/04—Spring mattresses with rigid frame or forming part of the bedstead, e.g. box springs; Divan bases; Slatted bed bases using springs in compression, e.g. coiled
  • A47C23/043—Spring mattresses with rigid frame or forming part of the bedstead, e.g. box springs; Divan bases; Slatted bed bases using springs in compression, e.g. coiled using wound springs
  • A47C23/0433—Spring mattresses with rigid frame or forming part of the bedstead, e.g. box springs; Divan bases; Slatted bed bases using springs in compression, e.g. coiled using wound springs of different resilience
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47C—CHAIRS; SOFAS; BEDS
  • A47C27/00—Spring, stuffed or fluid mattresses or cushions specially adapted for chairs, beds or sofas
  • A47C27/04—Spring, stuffed or fluid mattresses or cushions specially adapted for chairs, beds or sofas with spring inlays
  • A47C27/06—Spring inlays
  • A47C27/062—Spring inlays of different resiliencies
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47C—CHAIRS; SOFAS; BEDS
  • A47C31/00—Details or accessories for chairs, beds, or the like, not provided for in other groups of this subclass, e.g. upholstery fasteners, mattress protectors, stretching devices for mattress nets
  • A47C31/12—Means, e.g. measuring means for adapting chairs, beds or mattresses to the shape or weight of persons
  • A47C31/123—Means, e.g. measuring means for adapting chairs, beds or mattresses to the shape or weight of persons for beds or mattresses
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B21—MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
  • B21F—WORKING OR PROCESSING OF METAL WIRE
  • B21F33/00—Tools or devices specially designed for handling or processing wire fabrics or the like
  • B21F33/04—Connecting ends of helical springs for mattresses
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B21—MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
  • B21F—WORKING OR PROCESSING OF METAL WIRE
  • B21F35/00—Making springs from wire

Definitions

• the present invention relates to spring interiors and the manufacture of spring interiors and springs therefor that are of differing degrees of firmness.
• Interior spring mattresses consist of a multitude of steel springs joined together in a regular grid. Typically, the end rings of the neighboring steel springs are directly connected to one another by way of wire spirals. Alternatively, barrel shaped springs are often sewn or welded into pockets in rows and in turn the pockets lying next to one another are connected to one another. With inexpensive mattresses, all the springs used are designed to be identical, i.e. they have the same spring constants and the mattress is uniformly hard or soft over the whole surface. In order to achieve a greater sleeping comfort there is the desire to design the mattress with different hard or soft zones, in particular to reinforce the heavily loaded zones. The differing hardnesses in the individual mattress regions have up to now been produced in different ways.
• springs with differing wire strengths may be manufactured and used, in which springs with thicker wires are applied in the regions of greater firmness, e.g. in the central region, and springs with thinner wires are applied in regions that are softer, e.g. in the region of the head or feet.
• the manufacture of springs of different thicknesses does not present a problem in itself, but on later assembly of the mattress, these springs must be arranged at the correct locations in the spring interior. This is not possible with fully automatically operating machines of the present art since typically springs of different types are usually alternately transferred from the winding machine and inserted into the automatic assembly machine.
• the springs are laid behind one another in rows and the rows one after the another are connected to each o ⁇ er by wire spirals.
• Another possibility of producing various hardness regions within a mattress lies in arranging the springs to lie closer to one another in the region of desired reinforcement. Then, the grid in which the springs are then arranged in the spring interior will no longer be uniform. Two springs may also be directly inserted one into another.
• the manufacture of a mattress with a non-uniform spring grid as well as also the manufacture of a mattress with springs of differing wire strengths is only possible by way of large scale conversions of conventional machines. In one case, the setup of the assembly machine must be changed, which leads to stoppage time and thus to higher manufacturing costs; in another case, two automatic spring winding machines would be necessary, but differing springs could only be arranged in rows.
• An object of the present invention is to provide a method which permits the fully automatic manufacture of mattresses with freely definable hardness zones in the spring interior on conventional automatic spring interior assembly machines.
• a method for manufacturing a spring interior for an interior spring mattress or for cushioned furniture with zones of differing hardness, in which die springs are produced on spring winding means, are joined together in rows, and are subsequently connected to one another.
• die springs are produced on spring winding means, are joined together in rows, and are subsequently connected to one another.
• the mean radius of one or more inner winding lying between the two end rings is changed so that the spring constant of individual springs or several springs produced after one another is changed.
• the springs are then transferred directly from the spring winding means to an automatic spring interior assembly machine where they are subsequently, in the sequence of their manufacture, joined together to a spring interior.
• a spring interior for a mattress or for cushioned furniture comprising a multitude of rows arranged parallel next to one another, consisting of a multitude of individual springs with end rings of the same diameter and produced from wire of the same diameter and same material, characterized in that springs with differing mean winding radii of d e windings lying between the two end rings are arranged next to one another in the rows and form zones of differing hardness widiin the spring interior.
• the springs which are fully automatically continuously manufactured on a winding machine with the average winding radii of the windings lying between die end rings of a different size without rearranging the stations subsequent to the winding machine such as the handling, the knotting and die heat treating stations, and without rearranging the spring interior assembly machines.
• Each spring interior is preferably produced widi individually formed, customer-specific hardness zones of differing hardness, position and size, without there being required an adjustment or conversion of the further processing stations or of the transport mechanism between the winding machine and the automatic spring interior assembly machine. Differing hardnesses are provided among longitudinal rows as well as transverse rows.
• All springs so formed may comprise the same end ring diameter and essentially the same height, while the central sections of the springs, i.e. the central winding of the spring, which gripping and handling tools grasp, hold and convey on manufacture and further processing, are always located at die same predetermined location.
• springs widi different spring constants may be arranged selectively behind one another within each row of springs, and springs of different spring constants may be arranged from spring row to spring row.
• the appropriate springs of differing hardness are produced by changing the winding diameter in the correct sequence, with the sequence of their manufacture determining their predetermined location at the assembly machine. With this, it is not important whether the spring interior is narrow or wide or whether this mattress is long or standard length.
• the spring interior need not externally differ from a conventional one and as a result may be further processed in subsequent steps without adaptation of diose steps, using the known methods and machines for finishing mattresses, e.g. providing with covers and surrounding them with material.
• Figure 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of one preferred embodiment of a spring interior for a mattress according to the present invention.
• Figure 2 is a perspective view of a hard spring with windings having a small average diameter.
• Figure 3 a view, similar to Figure 2, of standard spring with a normal hardness.
• Figure 4 is a view, similar to Figures 2 and 3, of a soft spring with windings having a larger average diameter.
• Fig. 5 is a perspective representation of a spring winding machine showing a spring shortly before the completion of its formation by the spring coiling machine.
• Fig. 6 is a perspective representation of the machine of Figure 5 showing a completed spring being picked up by the gripping hand.
• Figure 7 is a diagram of one example of a control system for operation of the coil forming elements of the spring coiling machine of Figures 5 and 6.
• Figures 8, 8A and 8B are diagrammatic illustrations of a user interface for the control system of Figure 7.
• a spring interior 10, in the schematic representation of Figure 1, includes, for example, a rectangular array of positions 11, arranged in twenty-four rows a, b, c, ..x, y of springs 12.
• Each spring row a, b, c,...x, y consists of, for example, nine springs 12 with end rings 14 dimensioned equally, these being connected by wire spirals 16.
• springs 13 are sequentially manufactured in rows, for example, of each nine springs 12, and dien transferred to a row into an assembly machine where subsequently the rows or groups of rows are successfully joined togetiier widi wire spirals 16 to form a spring interior 10.
• Devices with which springs 12 are manufactured are known from the state of the art.
• One such device with which the springs 12 may be individually manufactured and joined together to form a spring interior 10 is described in U.S. Patent No. 4,413,569 and German Patent No. 3020727, expressly incorporated by reference herein.
• the springs 12 which lie at die edge of the spring interior 10, and those in a region A on which the shoulder of a person resting on the mattress will come to lie, as well as in a region B on which the hip region of the person will come to lie, are shown in thicker lines. These springs 12 with the thicker lines have a higher spring constant and form regions of the mattress which are harder in order to be able to accommodate and support larger weights in these regions.
• a counter holding device 31 which is pivotally mounted about a horizontal axis Y comprises a holding plate 33 which essentially has a U-shaped cross section.
• the holding plate 33 is likewise pivotally mounted about an axis Z and is infinitely operated by a pivoting drive 35.
• a pivoting drive 35 which is preferably a servodrive
• a flexible shaft 37 leads to die pivoting device 39 of the holding plate 33.
• die pivoting device 39 diere is seated at die end of die flexible shaft 37 an eccentric disk 41 which engages on a pivoting arm 43 which carries the holding plate 33.
• springs 12 With the continuous manufacture of springs 12 of differing stiffness, at least die two coils neighboring the end rings 14 are varied, synchronously adjusting die wire bending elements of the coil forming machine, i.e. bending rollers, die deflector etc. (all not shown) as well as die geometric position of the holding plate 33.
• die holding plate 33 lies at a more acute angle to the axis X of the spring 12 dian for a spring which is softer with a the winding 13 of a larger diameter, where the holding plate 33 is set to a larger angle to the axis X.
• the gripping head 27 moves against die spring 12.
• the counter holding device 31 pivots about die axis Y (die pivoting drive is not shown in die Figures 5 and 6) until die holding plate 33, in contact widi the central winding 15 and die winding 13 which lies neighboring the end winding 14 and die winding 13, presses the spring 12 into die slot of the gripping head 27 where it is rigidly held by a gripping hook 28.
• die spring 12 is securely held by die gripping head 27 the end of die spring 12 is separated by a separating device 45 from the end of die wire being supplied, diis later forming the front end of die subsequent spring 12.
• the counter holding device 31 dien pivots back into the original position ( Figure 5) and die gripping hand 25 transports die spring 12 to die next processing station, for example a knotting device widi which the spring wire ends at the end winding 14 are knotted.
• Control of the spring interior making machine can be accomplished by controlling the coiling machine 21 to produce springs 12 of differing stiffnesses, by controlling the radii of the intermediate coil windings 13 while keeping constant die radii of die center winding 15 and die end windings 14 of each coil 12.
• the remaining components of the apparatus may be controlled in die same manner as in the manufacture of spring interiors 10 as if the springs 12 were of identical stiffness. This may be provided through die use of a programmed controller that stores spring interior pattern data specifying die stiffnesses of die springs 12 at the different positions 11 of a rectangular array of the springs 12, and also stores spring parameter data of the spring coil radii needed for the intermediate windings 13 diat will produce springs 12 of the programmed stiffnesses.
• FIG. 7 An example of a control for the coiling machine 21 diat will carry out the preferred method is illustrated in Figure 7, in which a controller 50 is provided having outputs connected to the various operable elements of the machine, including die pivoting drive 35, a drive 36 for the gripper arm 25 and head 27, and spring forming elements.
• the spring forming controls may include conventional spring forming elements, which are diagrammatically represented as elements for controlling three parameters of a formed spring, namely a wire feeder 51 which controls die length of wire being feed, a coil radius former 52 which controls the curvature of the wire being fed, and a pitch former 53 which controls die pitch or axial displacement of me wire that is being bent into coils of die controlled radius. While die machine is capable of varying the radius and pitch continuously during die formation of any given spring 12, with die preferred embodiment of die present invention, die radius is changed from coil to coil of a given spring, but the pitch is kept constant.
• the controller 50 includes a processor 54 which connects through various outputs, which connect through appropriate drivers (not shown), to the controlled elements 35, 36, ..., 51, 52 and 53.
• the controller 50 includes non-volatile memory 55 and an operator interface 60.
• job schedule data is stored in a portion 56 of the memory 55
• a program is stored which contains die logic to operate the interface 60, to accept entered data or commands and to display information to the operator, and to automatically operate the elements of die machine 21 in accordance widi die operator entered information.
• the memory 55 also includes a portion 58 in which is stored data of variously defined patterns of spring assemblies 10, including primarily data on the dimensions of die array of individual springs 12 of which the assembly 10 is made, and die types of springs which occupy each of the positions 11 of die array.
• the memory 55 further includes a portion 59 which includes a table of the various parameters of each of a plurality of spring types that are available to occupy the positions 11 of the spring assembly arrays.
• the program in location 55 operates the elements 35, 36, ... and 51-53 to successively form each of the springs 12 of a selected pattern array defmed by information in memory portion 58 in accordance widi die spring parameter data stored in memory portion 59.
• the interface 60 may take any of many forms, one of which is illustrated in Figure 8 as including a touch screen which may be controlled by software to display various forms, some or all of which may be open at any given time.
• the forms may, for example, include a MAIN form 61 on which is provided a SCHEDULE command button 62 and a number of other commands and odier objects (not shown) that relate to features of the machine 21 and odier related equipment that are not important to the description of the present invention.
• a KEYPAD form 63 is also provided and displayed on the screen of the interface 60 whenever data entry by the operator is an available option.
• a SCHEDULE form 64 is displayed on the screen of the interface 60.
• This form may be used to monitor the progress of the various jobs being produced on a spring assembly manufacturing apparatus of which die spring coiling machine 21 is a part.
• the form 64 includes a table 69 of different scheduled batches diat are each made up of identical spring assemblies 10.
• the data record for each batch may include a batch identification number, the number of identical units in die batch, a number or identification code of die pattern which defines die configuration of the spring interior assembly units 10 of the batch and a field containing information on the production status or progress of the batch.
• An operator may RUN or STOP the running of any batch of spring interiors by selecting the appropriate respective button 66,67, and may move a pointer by selecting up or down arrows 68, or by touching the selected batch on a table, to change select a batch diat is die next to be run.
• the SCHEDULE form 64 relates to data in die memory portion 56.
• the form 64 may be provided widi command objects that enable an operator to change the data defining die batches diat are scheduled to be produced. These command objects may include EDIT and NEW buttons 71 ,72 which open a SCHEDULE
• EDIT form 70 for example, by which the data defining die number of units or the pattern type of the spring interiors 10 of the batch may be defined, or by which a new batch may be identified and its number of units and pattern type may be entered in die schedule.
• the pattern type may be selected from a list of defmed pattern types dirough a list box 73 on die form 70. Additional buttons 74 may be provided to allow data in die batch records in the schedule to be changed from the form 70.
• the form 64 is also provided widi a SET ⁇
• the PATTERN SET-UP form 77 may include a NEW command button 78 and an EDIT command button 79, which, when pushed, present a grid display area 80 that contains an array of cells 81, each corresponding to one of die positions 11 of the springs 12 of a spring interior assembly 10 to be made according to a pattern of a given batch.
• die EDIT button 79 is pressed, die grid 80 is filled with data from memory portion 58 for the pattern for the units of the batch diat is selected on die SCHEDULE form 64. The number of the pattern applicable to the current batch is displayed in a pattern number box 82 on the form 77.
• die data for the pattern corresponding to the entered number is displayed.
• the pattern data will be retrieved from the memory portion 58, and includes fields defining die number of rows in the pattern array and die number of coils per row. These row and coil numbers are displayed in boxes 83,84 respectively provided on the form 77.
• the dimensions of the displayed array in grid area 80 are automatically resized to conform to the dimensions of die pattern array. In the figure, an array of 24 rows of 9 coils each is illustrated.
• the form 77 also includes a box 85 diat displays coil or spring assembly height and a box 86 diat displays wire type of the coils of die spring assembly.
• the wire type coil height may be indicated as variable, where different coils of the spring assembly are to be made of different wire, but in the preferred embodiment of die invention die wire type and coil height are the same for all springs 12 of die spring assembly 10.
• die EDIT button 79 die operator may change the data in me boxes 82-86 of die form 77 and in die various cells 81 of the grid 80.
• the data in die cells 81 of die grid 80 each represents an identification code or number which identifies a record in a table in memory portion 59 that contains parameter data defining a particular configuration of a spring 12.
• the operator may highlight individual cells 81 or a selected rectangular block 99 of cells 81 and enter a spring type identification code via die keypad 63 or by selecting a number from a list box 91 presented by a SPRING
• ID form 90 which opens when the operator selects one or more cells or presses a SELECT SPRING button 87.
• die data is saved by pressing the SAVE button 88 or the changes may be canceled by pressing CANCEL button 89 on the form 77.
• the SPRING ID form 90 includes objects for selecting a coil type, such as a list box 91 by which a predefined coil type may be selected to be entered into selected cells of die grid 86 of die PATTERN SET ⁇
• the COIL TABLE form 95 illusu-ated in Figire 8B includes a list 96 of coils of various types, which includes a number of coil records or entries that include a field diat contains a coil type identification along with one or more fields diat contain data mat provides die coil widi die desired hardness or stiffness.
• the data defining die parameter that provides the differing stiffnesses of the coils is a single datum of die radius (or the winding diameter in centimeters in the illustrations) of the intermediate coils 13 of die coils of die particular type.
• Other data can be included such as coil height and wire type which preferably remains the same for all coils of a spring interior assembly or batch of spring interior assemblies.
• the radii of the center winding 15 and die end windings 14 of a spring 12 are the same for all such springs.
• the control can be programmed to allow inclusion of springs with a variety of parameters in die table 96, but widi the ability of the operator or an engineer to specify the constant parameters that are permitted, with die program disabling selection of springs from die list 96 diat do not have die specified wire type or height, for example.
• Various of die forms 70, 77, 90 or 95, for example, may be password protected and only available to a supervisor or manager.
• the coiling machine 21 produces springs 12 of each row in succession, with each spring possessing the stiffness resulting from the radius of the intermediate windings 13 of each spring 12 of die type programmed for the respective position 11 of the array.
• Each row of springs is so formed and die rows are transferred into a spring interior assembly apparatus where the coils 12 thereof are laced togedier and the rows of coils are laced to adjacent rows of coils.
• a spring interior 10 such as illustrated in Figure 1 is produced having die zones A, B, C, D of the various stiffnesses.
• Such spring interiors 10 are produced widi springs formed on conventional hardware, operated controlled in accordance with the present invention, widi only die radii of die intermediate windings 13 of the coil springs 12 differing from the springs 12 of one stiffness zone to anodier. All other parts of the automatic machine may remain as iey were before the present invention.
• the springs 12 so made have an exactly defined location of die central winding 15 widi respect to the gripping hand 25.
• the constantly equal geometry of the end rings 14 and of the central winding 15 permits a conventional automatic spring interior assembly machine already possessed by a manufacturer of spring interiors to be used to simultaneously and continuously process springs 12 of different hardnesses, without a need for adjusting work in die region of the gripper 25, of other coil handling or transfer mechanisms.
• die automatic spring interior assembly machine can process all springs 12 supplied to it independent of their hardness.
• a suitable software control of the spring winding machine 21 especially of its coil forming elements widi which the geometric shape is determined permits springs 12 with differing hardness to be produced in die desired sequence and subsequently in the conventional manner to be further processed in the same manner as exclusively identical springs 12.
• a spring interior with predetermined hardness zones A, B, C, D according to Figure 1 may be manufactured fully automatically in die same manner as a spring interior with equal springs throughout.
• Such springs 12 may be manufactured one after another on the spring winding machine 21 to whatever hardness is desired. They are then fed to die assembly automatic machines spring by spring in a conventional manner. Since all springs 12 have identical end rings 14, die end rings may be open or knotted. With all springs 12, die central winding 15 is located at the same location, so diat the automatic spring interior assembly machines may process die springs 12 as if they were identical. Only die user of the mattress or the one who exactly compares die springs 12 individually coming from the winding machine 21 with one anodier can determine that die geometric shape is not the same with all springs 12.
• mattresses and cushioned furniture may be manufactured which are matched to die customer or matched to changing habits and zones of differing hardness may be produced at die desired location.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Wire Processing (AREA)
• Mattresses And Other Support Structures For Chairs And Beds (AREA)
• Springs (AREA)
• Finger-Pressure Massage (AREA)
• Vehicle Interior And Exterior Ornaments, Soundproofing, And Insulation (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (5)

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Citations (5)

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• 1998
  • 1998-11-12 ES ES98957846T patent/ES2210842T3/es not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1998-11-12 AU AU14007/99A patent/AU1400799A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1998-11-12 AT AT98957846T patent/ATE258402T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1998-11-12 JP JP2000520932A patent/JP4623827B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1998-11-12 WO PCT/US1998/024110 patent/WO1999025509A1/en active IP Right Grant
  • 1998-11-12 DE DE69821394T patent/DE69821394T2/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1998-11-12 EP EP98957846A patent/EP1052920B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime

Patent Citations (5)

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