WO2012093414A1

WO2012093414A1 - A method for manufacturing a latex mattress or the like with a honeycomb structure, and a mattress or the like obtained thereby

Info

Publication number: WO2012093414A1
Application number: PCT/IT2011/000005
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mario Ballotta; Giovanni Caschetto; Veronia DIDONE'; Davide Nigro
Original assignee: Ecolatex S.R.L.
Priority date: 2011-01-07
Filing date: 2011-01-07
Publication date: 2012-07-12

Abstract

A method is described for manufacturing a latex mattress or the like to obtain a mattress with a honeycomb cell structure: in particular, the latex is concentrated at a high density in limited areas along the paths between the cells, so that a smaller quantity of latex is used than in the known latex mattresses for the same load- bearing qualities and elasticity.

Description

A METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A LATEX MATTRESS OR THE LIKE WITH A HONEYCOMB STRUCTURE, AND A MATTRESS OR THE LIKE OBTAINED THEREBY

Field of application of the invention

The present invention relates to the field of methods for manufacturing latex mattresses and more precisely to a method for manufacturing a latex mattress or the like with a honeycomb structure, and a mattress or the like obtained thereby. State of the art

Latex mattresses of the known type have been used for many years now for their excellent performance, especially in terms of load-bearing capacity, and for their durability characteristics. They consist of a portion full of latex in a given density, in which circular holes are created, which may or may not be through holes. A mattress may be made in one piece or composed of separate modules, joined together using various technologies.

The holes generally occupy a volume of the order of 0-20% max of the total volume of the mattress.

The known traditional production processes for manufacturing latex mattresses are those known, for example, by the names of "Dunlop" and "Talalay". The mattresses obtained are characterised by a considerable weight (60-80 grams/litre), due to the specific weight of latex foam by comparison with the weight of other types of mattress, such as a sprung or polyurethane mattress. Although traditional latex mattresses have excellent flexibility characteristics, better than those of sprung or polyurethane mattresses, they are unable to adapt to latest-generation bedsprings, which normally include a variable folding capacity and adjustability. In the case of traditional latex mattresses, although their volume can be reduced to optimise their transportation and storage, the stress caused when they are compacted induces strains in the mattress, which has difficulty returning to its original state when it is removed from its packaging.

This poses problems due to the need to reduce the weight and stiffness, and increase the flexibility and manageability, without sacrificing the load-bearing qualities of the latex mattress.

Summary of the invention

The object of the present invention is therefore to indicate a method for manufacturing a latex mattress or the like with a honeycomb structure, and a mattress or the like obtained thereby, designed to overcome the aforementioned problems in order to obtain products that are more comfortable and manageable, prefoldable and dynamic, of limited weight and stiffness, without sacrificing their load-bearing qualities.

The object of the present invention is a method for manufacturing a latex mattress or the like so as to obtain a mattress with a honeycomb cell structure: in particular, the latex is concentrated at a higher density in limited areas of the paths between the cells, so that a smaller quantity of latex is used than in the known latex mattresses for the same load-bearing qualities and elasticity.

The honeycomb cell structure may be hexagonal or polygonal in any regular or irregular shape.

A particular object of the present invention is a method for manufacturing a latex mattress or the like, characterised in that it comprises the following steps:

- preparing a mould comprising a base plate and a cover plate;

- attaching to said plates internal pins with a regular or irregular polygonal shape, at least in the area near the plates, and separated from one another so as to form a honeycomb structure; said pins being designed to create cavities in the mattress, and being attached in corresponding positions on said two plates;

- inserting the latex foam compound in the mould so as to fill the parts of the mould not occupied by the pins, obtaining a mattress in the shape of a honeycomb with through holes or non-through holes.

Another object of the present invention is a mattress, or a pillow, an armchair or a sofa, possibly incorporating a bed, obtained according to said method.

A particular object of the present invention is a method for manufacturing latex mattresses or the like with a honeycomb structure, and a mattress or the like obtained thereby, as described in the claims, which form an integral part of the present description.

Brief description of the figures

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become clear from the following detailed description of an embodiment of the invention (and its variants), and from the attached drawings, provided purely as a non-limiting example, wherein:

figure 1 shows a view from above and an internal cross-sectional view A-A of an embodiment of the latex mattress according to the invention, wherein the honeycomb structure, with areas of different diameter, is evident;

figure 2 shows an enlargement of an area of the internal cross-sectional view A-A in figure 1 ;

figures 3.1 and 3.2 show internal cross-sectional views of two component parts of the hollow piricores;

figure 4 shows a perspective view of a part of a mattress with a honeycomb structure made according to the invention.

The same numbers and the same letters used for reference purposes in the figures identify the same elements or components.

Detailed description of embodiments

The object of the present invention is a latex mattress with honeycomb cell structure; in particular, in which the latex is concentrated at a high density in limited areas of the paths between the cells, so that a smaller quantity of latex is used than in the known latex mattresses for the same load-bearing qualities and elasticity.

With reference to the figures, and especially figure 2 for instance, it is evident that the mattress contains empty holes 3, in which there is no latex, coming between areas 4 containing latex. In this embodiment, these pincore holes have a hexagonal shape to create the honeycomb structure, and in this particular case they are through holes, i.e. the hole passes through the full thickness of the mattress, especially to increase its breathability. The dimensions of the holes varies, and may even vary within the same mattress, thus creating areas with a different load-bearing capacity.

The ratio of the areas containing latex to the empty areas in the holes is approximately 50% of the mattress, e.g. it may vary between 40% and 60%, as opposed to the approximately 15% of a traditional latex mattress.

The number of pincore holes is approximately twice as many as in the known type of mattress.

The density of the latex foam in the latex-filled areas of the mattress is approximately twice the density in the known type of mattress, and is obtained for instance by modulating the quantity of air insufflated during the manufacturing process.

The material used in the manufacturing process, i.e. the latex, may be of known type, either natural or synthetic.

By comparison with a latex mattress of known type, a greater load-bearing capacity is obtained for the same total apparent density; likewise, for the same load-bearing capacity, the total apparent density is lower, and so is the weight, so a smaller quantity of material is used.

More in particular, the latex mattress according to the invention has a macroscopic honeycomb cell structure consisting of cells with dimensions varying, for instance, between 10 mm and 30 mm, while the filled space between one cell and the next may vary between 4 mm and 10 mm.

The real density of the latex foam in the mattress may vary between 80 and 150 grams/litre, as opposed to the approximately 65-80 grams/litre of a traditional mattress, while the total apparent density of the mattress is 40-80 grams/litre.

As for the production process, in one embodiment, the Dunlop method is used to produce the (synthetic or natural) latex mattress with a honeycomb structure, which involves the mechanical foaming of the compound, followed by jellifying with sodium fluosilicate and vulcanising in steam at 100°C for approximately 30 minutes inside the mould.

A typical formula for the production of the mattress may be as follows:

latex 100% D.R.C.; vulcanising base 9%, soap 0.9%; TKPP 0.5%; sodium fluosilicate 2-2.5%; latex foam density as above.

A closed mould may be used to produce the mattress, into which the latex is injected using a process of substantially known type, e.g. "Dunlop" or "Talalay".

The mould contains pins with a shape designed to obtain cavities in the mattress, which may be hexagonal in shape, for instance.

Examples of embodiments are shown in figures 2, 3.1 , 3.2.

The pins may vary in shape, e.g. they may be hexagonal or polygonal, in any regular or irregular shape.

For instance, the pins may have a shape that is initially hexagonal at the ends 1a, 1 b of the mattress (corresponding to the sides of the mould), becoming conical in the central area 2 of the mould, with a narrower mean radial/transversal dimension, to facilitate the extraction of the mattress from the mould at the end of the process.

The outermost part may also have a depth of constant cross-section 8, and then be tapered towards the inside.

Alternatively, in a variant, the polygonal cross-section may be maintained throughout the thickness of the mattress, possibly varying the radial/transversal dimension towards the centre of the mattress - this enables an even greater concentration of material, increasing the load-bearing capacity of the mattress without increasing its size. This second variant demands the use of a hydraulic press to detach the mould.

The mattress usually remains attached to the plate with the longer pincores, which are movable and can be displaced outwards by a plate driven by oil-hydraulic cylinders.

To facilitate the speedy heating and cooling of the mould during the manufacturing process, it is preferable for the pincores to be hollow 9.

In the embodiment shown in figures 3.1 and 3.2, the pins are divided into two parts, attached to the two shells of the mould, which come together when the mould is closed: there is an extension 5 in the central area 2 of one part, and a corresponding cavity 6 in which said extension engages on the other. The two parts of the pin come together, bringing the pincore parts attached to the base plate into line with those attached to the cover of the mould. In possible variants, the central area 2 of the two pincore parts may also have a juxtaposed, flat shape, or the two parts may have the same or different lengths.

In another possible variant, the holes created in the mattress may also not be through holes. For instance, the two parts of the pins may not be juxtaposed, their length being reduced, so that a central portion of the mattress is not perforated. The diameter of the holes is inversely proportional to the load-bearing capacity required in the various points, so areas of the mattress with a different load- bearing capacity can be obtained by varying the diameter of the holes (figs 1 , 4). The mould used to produce the mattress could have the following characteristics, for instance. The mould may comprise a flat lower plate with sides (e.g. 170 mm height), and a flat upper plate, which serves as a cover. The two plates can be made of anticorodal aluminium alloy.

The corresponding parts of the pins are attached to the two plates.

The total number of pins is 5500 for a size 80 x 200 mattress (in a traditional mattress mould there are approximately 3000 pincores), while for a size 120 x 200 mattress it is 8000. The pins are cones with a hexagonal base (see drawings), that come in three maximum diagonal sizes, 24, 20 and 18. Suitably arranged in the mould, they enable areas of the mattress to be obtained with a different proportion of empty space, so that they have differentiated load-bearing capacities (stiffness). The pins are attached to the mould with a stainless steel double screw 7.

The above-described method for manufacturing a latex mattress may also be applied to the production of pillows and to other types of product, such as the padding for armchairs, sofas, and sofa beds.

The advantages deriving from the present invention are evident.

A mattress with a honeycomb structure is obtained, the particular features of which include:

- light weight;

- a greater load-bearing capacity for the same weight by comparison with a traditional mattress;

- a greater breathability (more macro holes, all of them through holes);

- a greater flexibility, and a consequently greater adaptability to folding supporting means;

- a greater capacity to be compacted without becoming irreversibly deformed (and a consequent reduction in the volumes during transit).

From the above description, a person skilled in the art is capable of achieving the object according to the invention without introducing further details.

In particular, machinery and devices of known type may be used to manufacture either the semi-processed parts or the end product.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A method for manufacturing a latex mattress or the like, characterised in that it comprises the following steps:

- preparing a mould comprising a base plate and a cover plate;

- attaching to said mould internal pins with a regular or irregular polygonal shape, in an area near said plates at least, and separated from one another so as to form a honeycomb structure; said pins are designed to create empty cavities in the mattress and are attached in corresponding positions on said plates;

- inserting the latex compound in the mould so as to fill the areas of the mould not occupied by the pincores, obtaining a mattress with a honeycomb cell structure with holes that may or may not be through holes.

2. A method for manufacturing a latex mattress or the like according to claim 1 , wherein said pins coincide when the mould is closed, thereby achieving through holes in the mattress.

3. A method for manufacturing a latex mattress or the like according to claim 1 , wherein said pins have said hexagonal shape at least in the area near said plates (1a, 1 b), and gradually become conical in the central area (2) of the mould, diminishing in mean radial/transversal dimensions.

4. A method for manufacturing a latex mattress or the like according to claim 1 , wherein said hexagonal shape is maintained over the full length of the pins.

5. A method for manufacturing a latex mattress or the like according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the cross-section of the pins remains constant in said area near said plates.

6. A method for manufacturing a latex mattress or the like according to claim 3 or 4, wherein said pins are hollow.

7. A method for manufacturing a latex mattress or the like according to claim 1 , comprising:

- a step for inserting sheets, perforated in correspondence with the pins, on the inside surface of the two plates comprising the mould, when the mould is open, before the latex compound is injected; - a step for pushing said sheets out of the mould when it is opened at the end of the production process to facilitate the uniform detachment of the mattress from all points of the mould.

8. A method for manufacturing a latex mattress or the like according to claim 1 , wherein the ratio of the areas containing latex to the empty areas in the holes is approximately 50%, and variable in particular between 40% and 60%.

9. A method for manufacturing a latex mattress or the like according to claim 1 , wherein the density of the latex compound in the mattress varies between 80 and 150 g/l.

10. A method for manufacturing a latex mattress or the like according to claim 1 , wherein the cells have dimensions variable between 10 mm and 30 mm, and said distance between the pins ranges between 4 and 10 mm.

11. A method for manufacturing a latex mattress or the like according to claim 10, wherein the dimension of the cells and/or the distance between the pins is constant or variable within the mould.

12. A latex mattress or the like, made according to the method described in any of the previous claims.

13. A latex pillow made according to the method described in any of the claims from 1 to 11.

14. A part of padding for an armchair, made according to the method described in any of the claims from 1 to 11.

15. A part of padding for a sofa, or sofa bed, made according to the method described in any of the claims from 1 to 11.