WO2005000499A1

WO2005000499A1 - Machine for the frames assembly with the innersprings of closed and opened type for the production of spring mattresses

Info

Publication number: WO2005000499A1
Application number: PCT/IB2004/002154
Authority: WO
Inventors: Sofianos Markopouliotis
Original assignee: Innovatech International Sa
Priority date: 2003-06-30
Filing date: 2004-06-25
Publication date: 2005-01-06

Abstract

The metallic frames used in the production of spring mattresses are formed in the right dimension according to the mattress size required, and are attached to the innersprings assembly (1) with different types rings which are applied around the perimeter. The absence of an automated application of the Hog Ring clipping media, has created the present invention, where the metallic frames are getting pre-clipped outside the machine, manually on their four corners, and then are placed on the machine's table. From there, automatic indexing feeding of the belt (9), passes the innerspring assembly (1) in front of two or more clipping heads. The clipping heads, automatically, are fed with Hog Rings. The clipping heads are applying the Hog Rings in between the frame and the spring, and simultaneously being synchronized with the Servo motion of the feeding belt (9), transports the innerspring assembly (1) in the next clipping position. When each side of the innerspring assembly (1) is completed, a turning mechanism, turns the innerspring assembly 90 degrees in order for the next side to be clipped. The process is continuing until all the four innerspring sides are clipped. All machine's operating steps are executed by a servo system and controlled by an Industrial computer.

Description

Innovatech International SA

Machine for the frames assembly with the innersprings of closed and opened type for the production of spring mattresses

The present invention refers to a method and a machine which assemblies metallic or non metallic edge wires frames with the spring assemblies of various dimensions and sizes, closed or opened type, for the production of ^• innerspring mattresses.

In the closed type, the springs are jointed together by means of a metallic wire, while on the opened type the springs are staying independent amongst them selves, by place them inside cloth pockets.

The metallic frames are fitted on, in order the innerspring assembly to acquire the required stiffness, and are usually manufactured from high tensile strength material of circular cross sectional area or alternatively from high tensile strength material of parallelogram cross sectional area (Drawing 1A) .

The dimension of the frames, in the case of the open type innersprings corresponds to the perimeter of the finished assembly (Drawing IB) , while in the case of the pocketed springs the final dimension may vary from the final assembly dimension (Drawing 1C) , since the technique to achieve the required stiffness is different (Drawing ID) .

This reinforcing of the innersprings' perimeter is absolutely necessary in the mattress production process.

The most commonly used method to secure the frames on the innersprings is the use of specially designed and manufactured metallic clips, which are applied with specially designed pneumatic guns. This procedure is taking place usually manually, by means of an operator applying the clips one by one around the innerspring, and having completed the one side, repeats the same procedure on the other side.

This manual procedure requires a lot of muscle effort whose repeatability characteristic makes it very difficult, with a non-consistent quality result. The metallic clips are of three types:

A. Hartco (Drawing 2A)

B. Independent type of Hog-Ring (Drawing 2B)

C. Continuous clipping material (Drawing 3C) .

The type #A joints are more expensive than the type #B joints and the type #C joints, but the good quality characteristics is a reason for their wide spread use. The wide spread use has lead to designing and manufacturing of automated machines utilizing the type #A clips, with increased manufacturing efficiency.

On the other hand there are no automated machines to utilize the #B & #C type as clipping media, and their use is restricted to a manual use.

It is obvious that this production method is resulted on loss of the efficiency by means of more wastage of production time, and higher labor cost.

It is an object of this invention to create a machine for the automated production or assembly of wire metallic frames with innersprings with the utilization of Hog-ring type metallic rings (Drawing 2B) as well as continuous strip material with the use of an easy to use, simple on the design and reliable during operation machine.

This object is achieved by a machine according to claims 1 and 13.

The present invention is offering a method and a machine for the automated assembly process of the metallic wire frames of various cross section with the innersprings of closed or opened type, with the utilization of two

G 5360 pet 22.06.2004 clipping media, the Hog-Rings and the continuous metal strip.

More details of the present invention will be more clearly understood, from the description of one embodiment. One specific application of the above invention is being described on the following drawings with the specific explanations .

Description of the drawings

Drawing 1A shows the cross section of the materials used for the production of the metallic frames. Drawing IB shows the configuration where the frame is fitted around the innersprings, in the case of mattresses with open type springs.

Drawing 1C shows the configuration where the frame is fitted around the springs, in the case of close type springs i.e. Pocketed.

Drawing 2A shows the metallic ring of Hartco type as a clipping media of the frames with the springs' assembly.

Drawing 2B shows the Hog-Ring type of clipping media of the frames with the springs' assembly.

Drawing 2C shows the continuous strip as clipping media of the frames with the springs' assembly.

Drawing 3 shows the initial manual clipping points of the frames with the innersprings' assembly.

Drawing 4 shows the machine's loading table. Drawing 5 shows the innerspring' s position on the machine's driving belt.

Drawing 6 shows the indexing step motion of the innerspring' s assembly.

Drawing 7 shows the driving belt and the clipping heads motion through the Servo motor.

Drawing 8 shows the two clipping heads and the innersprings' position relative to the clipping heads guides.

Drawing 9 shows a detail of the clipping heads.

G 5360 pet 22.06.2004 Drawing 10 shows the connection of the two clipping heads with the square screw in order their Y- axis movement to be achieved. Drawing 11 shows the Hog-ring feeding mechanism. Drawing 12 shows the front innerspring side turn table Drawing 13 shows the machine's automation diagram Drawing 14 shows an alternative substantiation of the invention where the two clipping heads remain steady while the innerspring assembly is indexed by two moving jaws. These moving jaws could be replaced by two extra clipping heads thus increasing the machine's productivity.

Under this invention the operator takes two ready wire frames and manually clips them o to the innerspring assembly on the four corners - top and bottom (Drawing 3 and view Z), then he places the frame-innerspring assembly on the machine's specially designed loading table (Drawing 4) . The loading table is rotating on a circular 0-90 degrees motion, started from the horizontal position and finishing on a perpendicular position through a shaft and bearing housing system which is activated with two pneumatic pistons, fitted under the table. Having placed the springs - frames assembly on the machine's table, the operator activates the machine's operating cycle and then he begins to manually clip the frames for the NEXT innerspring subassembly 1. When the table reaches the maximum of the travel path, the assembly 1 is in a vertical position on a transfer belt (item 9 - Drawing 5) , which is driven by Servo Motor (item 8 - Drawing 7) .

The motors of such technology, have got the capability to perform indexing type controlled motion by means of determine the starting and the finishing position. In this machine the above two points are entered into the Servo motor control card via an Industrial Computer and executed via a Programmable Logic Control (PLC) device, and they corresponding in the springs' center distance S (Drawing 6) .

G 5360 pet 22.06.2004 The Servo motor 8 is fixed on the machine's structure. Via a reduction unit and a sprocket - belt transmission system

11 (Drawing 7) , it drives the belt 9 on an indexed type motion.

The indexing movement transfers the frame / innerspring assembly in front of a sensor, e.g. an electronic light sensor 1, which detects the beginning of the assembly springs - frames 1 (Drawing 5) .

When the sensor 2 is activated with the presence of the frame's metal surface, the assembly 1 is indexed to the first clipping position (Drawing 6) , in front of the two specially designed clipping heads (Drawing 8 detail K) , where clipping guided jaws 19 (drawing 9) have been fitted on, in order the assembly springs - frames to be always in the correct clipping position.

The clipping jaws 19 are activated with the action of two pneumatic pistons 16 and 17.

When the assembly 1 performs the first indexed motion and is in clipping position, the jaws 19 are closing with the activation of the pneumatic piston 17. The closing action of the jaws 19 fits the clipping media Hog-ring (2B) around the spring and the frame surfaces, thus performing the clipping process (Drawing 9) .

The clipping heads are mounted on specially designed guides, which permit their movement on a three axes XYZ coordinates system, where the X-axis corresponds to the belt axis of movement. With the x-axis movement the required indexing of the assembly 1 is achieved via the motion of the clipping heads which is synchronized with the motion of the driving belt.9. The synchronized motion is achieved with a specially designed shaft 14 - roller 6 and sliding plate 5 system (drawings 7 and 8) and is operating as is described below.

One pneumatic piston 4 is pressing the mechanical assembly shaft 14 - roller 6, which is driven through the motion of the driving belt 9 and transmits the motion on the sliding

G 5360 pet 22.06.2004 plate 5. The sliding plate is connected with the clipping heads through two metal connectors 13 and 3 and transmits the required indexing motion (S) .

Both clipping heads are placed on 45 degrees angle relative to the sliding plates 15 (Drawing 8) . The motion is transmitted as long as the pneumatic piston 4 is remained activated. When the piston 4 is dis-activated a return spring 10 forces the clipping heads to their initial position, thus be ready to perform the next indexed motion (S) and clipping step.

The production cycle time per clip is estimated to 1 second.

For clipping of innersprings of various heights (Drawing 10) , a Y-axis movement is necessary.

The clipping heads having being fixed on the two sliding plates 24, through their guides 15 are connected with a square screw 22 (Drawing 10) , which is located on two ball bearing housings 23, and is driven from an electrical motor with a reduction unit.

The spring's height is set via the Industrial computer by the machine's operator.

The two clipping heads plates 24 are capable to slide on two guides 20 and 21, to the right or to the left via the action of the square screw 24.

This is causing the alteration of the distance of the clipping heads, thus giving the machine the capability to process innerspring assemblies 1 of various heights (Drawing 10) .

The z-axis movement is necessary to permit the clipping of opened type innersprings (Pocketed) , where the frames are not always located around the bed's perimeter (Drawing 1C) .

The procedure of clipping the frame on to the innerspring assembly is taking place on both sides of the assembly simultaneously (View Z - Drawing 3) .

G 5360 pet 22.06.2004 The clipping media - metallic rings - are fed to the machine with a specially designed and manufactured back stop mechanism 11, where the advancing step corresponds to the metallic ring's thickness. The complete mechanism is described below.

Two heat treated rollers 28, having a surface profile the exact profile of the clipping rings (drawing 2B) , are fixed on two independent shafts 32 and are fitted with back stop bearings 17 which allows only the forward movement . The feeding shafts 32 are carrying one sprocket 31 on their end.

One rack an pinion 30, with the same module to the sprocket 31, is getting linear motion from a pneumatic piston 29. This motion is transferred to the two rollers 28 through the sprockets 32. This circular rollers' motion advances the clipping rings (Drawing 2B) on the clipping position one at the time. For this reason the rack and pinion's linear motion corresponds to the rings' thickness, and its travel distance is determined and adjusted from the screw 33.

The clipping rings feeding mechanism is following the machine's operating cycle according to the described diagram as outlined on drawing 13.

The pressure between the clipping rings' (2B) feeding rollers 28 is adjusted with the screw 26 and a spring 25. This enables the machine to accept clipping rings (2B) of various sizes, dependent upon the cross sectional area of the spring's and frame material.

When the clipping on one side has been completed, a specially designed overturn table, which is mounted in the front of the machine (Drawing 12) turns the innerspring / frame assembly 90 degrees in order the next side to be clipped. The same procedure is continuing until all the mattress sides are clipped.

The overturn table is fitted with special designed hangers which are activated only when the assembly 1 requires to

G 5360 pet 22.06.2004 turn 90 degrees and their scope is to keep it steady during the turning process (detail Drawing 12) .

The machine's operation is driven by an industrial microprocessor, where the operator inputs the information of the number of springs on the two sides of the subassembly 1, in order for the computer to calculate, coordinate and execute all the machine's operations (Drawing 13) , in order for the clipping process to be properly completed.

An advantage of such invention is that, in contrast to up today's manual practices, the use of the metallic Hog Ring clips in conjunction to the machine, automates the production process of the assembly of innersprings to the frames, with the utilization of a cheap, low cost clipping media.

In the following some aspects of the invention are further described.

The scope of the invention includes a method and a machine for the assembly of metallic and non metallic frames of any cross sectional area and material (drawing 1A) , which undertakes elastic deformation for the closed (drawing 1C) and opened (drawing 1C) type innersprings, by the utilization of metallic clips Hog-rings (drawing 2B) , in the mattresses production process.

The machine is complying of two moving clipping heads, fitted with specially designed guides (drawings 8 and 9) , one loading table for the innersprings' assembly, one driving belt 9 for the indexing of the assembly springs/ frame 1, one feeding mechanism (drawing 11) of the clipping media Hog rings (drawing 2B) on each side of the machine, one turning table (drawing 12) , one Servo 8 system for the indexing feeding (S) of the driving belt (9), one mechanism (drawing 7), which synchronizes the motion of the clipping heads with the driving belt 9 and an automation system according to drawing 13.

G 5360 pet 22.06.2004 Two or more clipping heads 34 may be synchronized with the horizontal motion of the driving belt 9, thus achieving indexed type advancing (S) of the frame/innerspring subassembly 1, which corresponds to the clipping position of the frame with the springs (drawing IB) and performing the clipping process simultaneously. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the frame / innerspring assembly 1 is movable horizontal on the driving belt.

The flow chart in drawing 13 illustrates a possibility for automatic processing in the machine. It may be stored as a computer program in an industrial computer. Said computer may be part of the machine. The Servo system which may include one or a plurality of servo motors is designed to execute instructions of the computer program. The invention includes machines and processes designed to clip manually or automatically the four corners of the frame to the innerspring prior to the loading of the machine or during the machine's processing. The machine may include a Servo synchronized motion system (drawings 7 and 8), two or more clipping heads 34 and a feeding belt 9 for innerspring assembly 1.

The machine may comprise a specially designed mechanism as illustrated in drawing 11 for automated supply of the metallic clips Hog Rings (drawing 2B) or similar clipping media. The mechanism includes a back stop principle, whose index step feeding motion corresponds to the clip's thickness .

G 5360 pet 22.06.2004

Claims

A machine for securing a border wire on a mattress inner spring comprising: a machine frame; a support, movably mounted on said frame, for supporting the mattress inner spring and border wire; a clip applicator, movably mounted on said frame, for applying clips to the mattress inner spring and the border wire to secure the border wire to the mattress inner spring; a first motion generating mechanism, mounted on said frame, for moving said support on said frame and for moving said clip applicator on said frame in synchronous motion with said support; and a controller controlling movement of said support, movement of said clip applicator and activation and deactivation of said clip applicator.

The machine of claim 1 further including a second motion generating mechanism for rotating the mattress inner spring and border wire 90° to present another edge of the mattress inner spring and border wire to said clip applicator for application of clips thereto.

The machine of claim 1 wherein the mattress inner spring has a pair of border wires positioned in opposed relation on opposite sides thereof, and wherein said machine comprises a pair. of clip applicators for applying clips to the mattress inner spring and the pair of border wires to secure the border wires to the mattress inner spring.

The machine of claim 1 wherein said support comprises a belt, and wherein said first motion generating mechanism comprises a motor for driving said belt.

G 5360 pot 22.06.2004

5. The machine of claim 4 wherein said first motion generating mechanism further comprises a transmission mechanism for selectively transmitting motion of said motor to said clip applicator. '

6. The machine of claim 5 wherein said transmission mechanism comprises a roller driven by said motor and mounted on said frame for selective operable contact with said clip applicator to move said clip applicator relative to said frame.

7. The machine of claim 6 wherein said transmission mechanism further comprises a pneumatic piston and cylinder for selectively moving said roller into operable contact with said clip applicator.

8. The machine of claim 7 wherein said clip applicator has a sliding plate operably mounted thereto, said pneumatic piston and cylinder selectively moving said roller into contact with said sliding plate.

9. The machine of claim 8 further including a return mechanism for returning said clip applicator to its original position prior to movement therefrom by said roller contacting said sliding plate.

10. The machine of claim 9 wherein said return mechanism comprises a tension spring.

11. The machine of claim 1 wherein said clip applicator is movably mounted to said frame for movement normal to a plane defined by the mattress inner spring and border wire in order to accommodate mattress inner springs of varying thicknesses.

12. The machine of claim 1 wherein said clip applicator is movably mounted to said frame for movement parallel to a plane defined by the mattress inner spring and border wire in order to permit application

G 5360 pet 22.06.2004 of clips within a perimeter of the mattress inner spring.

13. A machine for securing a border wire on a mattress inner spring comprising: - a support for supporting the mattress inner spring and border wire; - a clip applicator for applying clips to the mattress inner spring an the border wire to secure the border wire to the mattress inner spring; and - a clip feed mechanism for feeding clips to said clip applicator, said clip feed mechanism comprising: - a pair of rollers having cooperating surface profiles matching the profile of the clips; - a rack and pinion mechanism operably associated with said pair of rollers; and - a source of linear motion for said rack and pinion mechanism, said source of linear motion imparting rotational motion to said pair of rollers and in turn feeding the clips.

14. The machine of claim 13 wherein said source of linear motion is a pneumatic piston and cylinder.

15. The machine of claim 13 wherein the distance between the surface profiles of said pair of rollers is adjustable thereby enabling said clip feed mechanism to accommodate various sizes of clips.

16. The machine of claim 13 wherein said pair of rollers can rotate in only one direction.

17. The machine of claim 13 wherein said pair of rollers index in response to the linear motion imparted by said pneumatic cylinder upon said rack and pinion mechanism in an amount equal to the thickness of one clip.

G 5360 pet 22.06.2004