IE20040519U1 - Apparatus for producing a pocketed innerspring construction mattress - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT An apparatus for assembling innerspring construction mattresses from rows of pocketed coil springs. Rows of pocketed coil springs are retained on a planar support surface with the longitudinal axes of the coil springs all disposed normal to the surface. A cradle receives a first row of pocketed coil springs to which bonding material is applied with the cradle in a first position. The cradle is movable between the first position and a second position in which the first row of coil springs is pushed into contact with and secured to a second row of coil springs retained on the support surface.

Description

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING A POCKETED INNERSPRING CONSTRUCTION MATTRESS The present invention relates generally to innerspring constructions for mattresses.

More particularly, the invention relates to an apparatus for producing pocketed innerspring constructions mattresses.

Mattress innerspring construction is well known in the bedding industry. One well known type of innerspring construction is known as Marshall construction in which coil springs are pocketed within fabric to create finite lengths or springs of pocketedcoils. The coil spring pockets are defined by sewing transverse and longitudinal seams, or have more recently been formed by the use of ultrasonic thermal welding as disclosed in U.S. 4,234,983 Stumpf.

Once the strings of pocketed coils are constructed, they may be assembled to form an innerspring construction for a mattress by a variety of methods and apparatus. The most common approach involves securing a row or string of pocketed coils to an adjacent row by applying hot melt adhesive techniques as disclosed in U.S. 4,566,926, Stumpf. In this method, lengths of strings of pocketed coils are assembled on a table to form mattress innersprlngs by applying hot melt adhesive to the sides of the pocket fabric and then using a pusher bar to force an adjacent row or string of pocketed coils into contact with the applied adhesive. One disadvantage of the apparatus disclosed for use in this method is that it is limited to one size of the pocketed coil. 6 U.S. 5,746,877 discloses an apparatus for assembling innerspring constructions from strings of pocketed coils. The apparatus comprises a bonding material applicator for applying bonding material to a first row of pocketed coils retained by a pressure plate. A pusher bar assembly pushes a second row of pocketed coils into contact with the first and they become bonded together. The pusher bar assembly includes a fixture having two opposed sides with differently spaced dividers for receiving different sizes of pocketed coils. The fixture is. manually rotatable and the bonding material applicator includes means for synchronising application of bonding material depending on the pocketed coil size being assembled.

Although satisfactory innerspring constructions are provided using the methods and apparatus of the above-referenced prior art, an improved apparatus for creating innerspring constructions which exhibit improved physical properties such as firmness and dimensional stability is desirable. it is an object of the present invention to provide such an improved apparatus for producing innerspring constructions. it is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved innerspring construction for use in mattresses, box springs, cushions, or the like.

Accordingly, the present invention provides an apparatus for assembling innerspring constructions from rows of pocketed coil springs, comprising: a generally planar support surface; means for retaining rows of pocketed coil springs on the support surface with the longitudinal axes of the coil springs all disposed normal to the surface; a cradle, the cradle including means for receiving a first row of pocketed coil springs; means for applying bonding material to the first row of coil springs; means for pushing the first row of coil springs into contact with a second row of pocketed coil springs retained by the retaining means; wherein the cradle is movable between a first position in which bonding material is applied to the first row of coil springs and a second position in which the first row of coil springs is pushed into contact with the second row of coil springs.

Ideally, in the first position the cradle is horizontal.

Preferably, in the second position the cradle is at 90° to the horizontal and disposed normal to the support surface.

Optionally, the cradle can be moved between the first and second positions by pivoting means.

Conveniently, the cradle is movable between positions by hydraulic, pneumatic or mechanical means.

|E01iO519 Ideally, the cradle comprises a plurality of V-shaped holders disposed within a frame and defining a plurality of receivers for a row of pocketed coil springs.

Preferably, the pushing means pushes the V-shaped holders containing a row of pocketed coil springs laterally away from the frame when the cradle is in the second position.

Alternatively, the pushing means pushes the frame when the cradle is in the second position.

Advantageously, the V-shaped holders are slideable to and lockable in different positions along the frame of the cradle allowing for different orientations of the rows of coil springs in any given innerspring construction.

Conveniently, the V-shaped holders are removable and replaceable with holders of different size allowing assembly of coil springs of different sizes.

Conveniently, the retaining means comprises a pressure plate mounted above and parallel to the support surface.

Advantageously, the pressure plate is adjustable to different spacings above the support surface allowing assembly of pocketed coil springs of different sizes.

Preferably, the apparatus further comprises means for controlling the application of bonding material to a row of coil springs.

The present invention further provides an improved innerspring construction comprising a first and a second elongate string of pocketed coil springs each including a plurality of individually spaced-apart spring coils; and a first and a second elongate tube of fabric each having transverse seams spaced along the length of the tube and defining individual coil pockets corresponding to and containing the individual spring coils; wherein the second string of pocketed coil springs is attached to the first string of pocketed coil springs by bonds formed between the circumferentially abutting surfaces of the coil pockets in the first tube of fabric and the transverse seams in the second tube of fabric.

Conveniently, the transverse seams are thermally welded by ultrasonics.

Preferably, the bonds between the first and second tubes of the fabric are formed by adhesive. ideally, the adhesive is hot-melt glue.

The above construction provides for greater innerspring firmness and dimensional stability. This is in contrast to the majority of common constructions which involve pocketed coils in contact in a “belly-to-belly” fashion. Conventionally, a belly-to—belly type construction is employed when a softer mattress is required.

The invention will hereinafter be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings which show, by way of example only, one embodiment of an apparatus for pocketed innerspring construction. in the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus for pocketed innerspring construction according to the invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the cradle of the apparatus in a first position; Figure 3 is a perspective view of cradle of the apparatus in a second position; Figure 4 is a perspective view of a row of pocketed coil springs; Figure 5 is a perspective view of a first innerspring construction; and Figure 6 is a perspective view of a second innerspring construction.

Referring to the drawings and initially to Figure 1, the apparatus for assembling innerspring constructions from rows of pocketed coil springs, indicated generally by reference numeral 1, is shown and for brevity will be referred to as the apparatus 1.

The apparatus 1 comprises a generally planar table surface 2 and an adjustable pressure plate 4 for retaining rows of pocketed coil springs 3 in an upright position. An adhesive IE040519 applicator 5 is supported for transverse movement along the apparatus and above a cradle 6. Adhesive is supplied to the applicator 5 through a tube 7 connected to a suitable reservoir (not shown).

The cradle is pivotably mounted on cams 8 which may be mechanically, hydraulically or pneumatically operated. The cradle is disposed adjacent the table surface 2 parallel to the retained rows of coil springs 3. The cradle 6 comprises a plurality of V-shaped holders 9 disposed within a frame 10. Openings 11 defined by the V-shaped holders 9 are dimensioned to receive an individual pocketed coil spring. The cradle arrangement receives a row of pocketed coil springs for assembly into an innerspring construction. The apparatus will now be described in use. initially, the cradle 6 is in a horizontal position as shown in Figure 1. Referring to Figure 2, a string or row of pocketed coil springs 12 is placed in the cradle and is received by the openings 11. Adhesive is delivered by the applicator 5 in discrete deposits at predetermined locations along the length of the string 12. This is usually at the circumferentially abutting surfaces of the coil pockets but may also be at the transverse seams of the pocketing fabric.

Once adhesive (not shown) has been applied to the string 12, the cams 8 activate pivoting the cradle 6 containing the string 12 into a position 90° to the horizontal and normal to the table surface 2 as shown in Figure 3. A pusher bar assembly 13 is provided to push the cradle 6 and protruding string of coil springs 12 into intimate contact with the retained rows 3. The adhesive bonds the string 12 to the outermost row of the retained rows of pocketed coil springs 3 and the pusher bar assembly 13 retracts. The cradle 6 returns to it’s initial horizontal position, another string 12 of pocketed coil springs is loaded, and the process is repeated resulting in the assembly of an innerspring construction.

Figures 5 and 6 illustrate different innerspring constructions possible using the apparatus of the invention. Figure 4 illustrates a string of pocketed coil springs of five pockets in length. Figure 6 shows the conventional belly-to-belly type innerspring construction suitable for use when a soft mattress is required. Figure 5 illustrates another construction whereby the circumferentially abutting surfaces 14 of coil pockets on one string are bonded to transverse seams 15 in the pocket fabric of another string. This type of construction requires a greater number of strings of pocketed coil springs for a given |E040519 mattress size compared with a belly-to-belly type construction. As a result greater innerspring and mattress firmness can be achieved as well as a reduced tendency for “leaning coils”.

The construction depicted in Figure 5 can be achieved by alternating the orientation of a string 12 on the cradle 6 for every other string which is added to the retained rows 3. This is done simply by moving the v-shaped track 9 to obtain the necessary alignment. The track 9 can be moved manually or automatically by control means 16 as are indicated in Figure 3.

It will of course be understood that the present invention is not limited to the specific details herein described which are given by way of example only, and that various alterations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

MACLACHLAN & DONALDSON, Applicant’s Agents, Merrion Square, DUBLIN 2.

Claims (5)

CLAIMS:

1. An apparatus for assembling a mattress innerspring construction from rows of pocketed coil springs, comprising: a generally planar support surface; means for retaining rows of pocketed coil springs on the support surface with the longitudinal axes of the coil springs all disposed normal to the surface; a cradle, which includes means for receiving a first row of pocketed coil springs; means for applying bonding material to the first row of coil springs; means for pushing the first row of coil springs into contact with a second row of pocketed coil springs retained by the retaining means; wherein the cradle is movable between a first position in which bonding material is applied to the first row of coil springs and a second position in which the first row of coil springs is pushed into contact with the second row of coil springs.

2. An apparatus for assembling a mattress innerspring construction as claimed in Claim 1 in which the cradle is horizontally disposed in the first position, at generally 90° to the horizontal and disposed normal to the support in the second position, and moveable between the first and second positions by pivoting means.

3. An apparatus for assembling a mattress innerspring construction as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, in which the cradle comprises a plurality of V-shaped holders disposed within a frame and defining a plurality of receivers for a row of pocketed coil springs, the pushing means being operable to push the V-shaped holders containing a row of pocketed coil springs laterally away from the frame when the cradle is in the second position or alternatively the pushing means being operable to push the frame when the cradle is in the second position; the V-shaped holders being slideable to and lockable in different positions along the frame of the cradle and removable and replaceable with holders of different size.

4. An apparatus for assembling a mattress innerspring construction as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the retaining means comprises a pressure plate mounted above and parallel to the support surface; the pressure plate being adjustable to different spacings above the support surface allowing assembly of pocketed coil springs of different sizes; the apparatus further comprising means for controlling the application of bonding material to a row of coil springs.

5. An apparatus for assembling a mattress innerspring construction from rows of pocketed coil springs substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings. MACLACHLAN & DONALDSON Applicant's Agents, 47 Merrion Square,