BAG-LINED SPRING CORE WITH MONOLITHIC PERIMETER, AND REINFORCED AND STABILIZED EDGES

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application takes the benefit of and claims priority from Mexican Patent Application Serial No. MX/u/2018/000062 filed on Feb. 2, 2018, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention

The present utility model is comprised within the field of spring cores composed of a plurality of bag-lined springs used in the manufacture of seats for furniture and mattresses, and in particular, it is related to a bag-lined spring core with reinforced and stabilized edges.

Description of the Related Art

Various proposals are known to date to increase the structural strength of the terminal ends of a structure or core of springs, the foregoing, because experience has shown that the continuous use of a seat or mattress integrated from said structures or cores of springs quickly deforms the perimeter zone of the seat or mattress in use, a condition that reduces its useful life, even though, in its central part, the aforesaid seat or mattress has optimal conditions of use.

Example of the proposals currently known to prevent premature deformation of the springs arranged in the periphery, either of a structure or core of springs that integrates a seat or mattress, is found in the following documents.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,133,116 issued Jul. 28, 1992, wherein, Robert F. Wagner, disclosed a method for reinforcing and stabilizing an edge of spring, in particular, using a continuous length of elastic cord or strap wedged between turns of adjacent springs, a plurality of turns of said elastic cord or strap having around the perimeter of the set of springs.

In the patent MX 215,110 granted on Jul. 8, 2003 to Ohio Mattress Company Licensing and Components Group, under the title “Internal mattress wall structures interlocked with the assembly of internal springs of the mattress”, an Invention was unveiled. Refers to an internally enclosed mattress wall structure engaged with coils of an internal mattress springs assembly to serve as an internal elastic structural component of a mattress, the wall structure characterized in that it comprises: a main body section having a generally flat wall surface, upper and lower surfaces intersecting the wall surface, a series of parallel flanges extending laterally of the main body section away from the wall surface and adapted to be inserted between the turns of the perimeter spirals of a assembly of internal springs, each of the tabs it is spaced apart from the adjacent flanges and has end sections adapted for mechanical engagement with the turns of the perimeter spirals of an internal spring assembly, an edge rising from the upper and lower surfaces to a point laterally inward of the surfaces of wall, the flat wall surface of the wall structure is adapted to be placed at a perimeter of an assembly of internal springs wherein the edge of the upper and lower surfaces of the main body is positioned and adapted to be partially overlapped by spirals of an assembly of internal mattress springs such that the edge is positioned inwardly of an outer extension of the perimeter spirals, and the wall surface is adapted to extend at least from the upper part of the assembly of internal springs to the lower part of the assembly of internal springs to serve as a structural wall of a mattress.

In U.S. Pat. No. 5,210,890 dated May 18, 1993, John E. Hagglund disclosed a mattress base including upper and lower frame sections that are elastically interconnected and supported by a combination of springs and foam. In different embodiments of this invention, the springs are of the type: helical, torsional, torsion spring modules or a combination thereof. In another embodiment, the foam comprises an elongated piece of foam that extends peripherally around the base and wraps or coats the springs. The foam is softened in a pattern to receive portions of the springs. Alternatively, the foam comprises discrete blocks of foam spaced around the periphery of the base and between select pairs of adjacent springs.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,822,426 dated Jul. 9, 1974, owned by Sealy Incorporated, disclosed an upper pad and edge stabilizer for interior mattress springs units, comprising a unitary member of resilient material having a pad portion of mattress cover, and a portion of edge stabilizer. The upper pad portion covers the top or bottom of the spring unit. The edge stabilizer portion is inserted between at least one turn of each spring in the outer row of the spring unit to harden the action of said spring. In one embodiment of this invention, the edge stabilizer portion is preformed into the position it will assume on the mattress. In a second embodiment, the edge stabilizer portion is formed such that it must be bent 90° to be in the position it will assume on the mattress.

And finally, in the patent MX 352,312B dated Nov. 17, 2017, immediate antecedent of the utility model object of the present description, it is disclosed and protected in favor of Industrias Spum S.A. de C.V., a core of springs with monolithic perimeter frame, which is comprised of: an arrangement of springs; a band of retention and insulation that surrounds the arrangement of springs whose height is coincident with that of the arrangement and which prevents the foam material with which the monolithic perimeter frame is built in situ from penetrating into the interior of said arrangement of springs.

Further details of the protected invention of the patent MX352,312B will be presented in the detailed description section of the invention, the foregoing, in order to make it evident that the present utility model results from a technical modification of said invention, modification that brings with it substantial improvements in strength and stability at the edges of a core of springs with a monolithic perimeter frame.

As it is possible to warn of the teachings that arise from the state of the aforementioned technique, are various proposals that over time have sought to increase the structural strength of the edges of a core springs used to make mattresses or other types of seats for furniture, however, the current known proposals refer to a mechanical connection between the peripheral springs of an arrangement of springs and an independent material such as elastic belts, or a structure of foamed material previously formed and incorporated as an additional element to the core or structure from which you want to integrate a mattress.

Unlike the known proposals, the present utility model achieves through a modification in the structure of the invention protected in the patent MX352,312B, integrating as the same elements the bag-lined perimetral springs of the core of springs; and the monolithic perimeter frame formed in situ, thus giving rise to a “pocket spring core with monolithic perimeter frame and reinforced and stabilized edges”, with which the following are intended:

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a bag-lined spring core with reinforced and stabilized edges.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a bag-lined spring core with a monolithic perimeter frame.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a bag-lined spring core with a monolithic perimeter frame and reinforced and stabilized edges used in the manufacture of furniture or mattress seats.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a bag-lined spring core with a monolithic perimeter frame and reinforced and stabilized edges, wherein said monolithic perimeter frame made of foaming material is attached to each of the bags containing the peripheral springs of the core, circumscribing them in at least a portion close to 50% of their circumference.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a bag-lined spring core with a monolithic perimeter frame and reinforced and stabilized edges, wherein the union of the monolithic perimeter frame and each of the bags containing the peripheral springs of the core is achieved in a during the process of foaming and drying the foaming material with which said perimeter frame is formed.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a bag-lined spring core with a monolithic perimeter frame and reinforced and stabilized edges, wherein the union of the monolithic perimeter frame and each of the bags containing the peripheral springs of the core allows to increase the resistance of the terminal ends of the springs core, to reduce the deformation effects that are generated with the continuous arrangement of loads on them, thus extending the useful life of furniture or mattresses manufactured from the proposed core.

The aforementioned objectives and others not mentioned, as well as the characteristic aspects and advantages of the proposed utility model, will be evident from the description and the figures that accompany it with an illustrative and non-limiting character, and that are presented below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 shows a conventional perspective of a core of springs with monolithic perimeter frame used in the manufacture of seats for furniture or mattresses, made in accordance with the invention protected in the patent MX352,312B;

FIG. 2 shows a conventional perspective of an array of bag-lined independent springs which forms an integral part of the protected invention in the patent MX352,312B, and which also forms an integral part of the present utility model;

FIG. 3 shows a conventional perspective of an arrangement of three sealable bags joined together, from which the springs integrating the arrangement of springs of FIG. 2 are pocketed;

FIG. 4 shows a conventional perspective of an arrangement of three springs bag-lined in sealed bags joined together, from which the spring arrangement of FIG. 2 is integrated;

FIG. 5 shows a conventional perspective of an arrangement of independent bag-lined springs that forms an integral part of the protected invention in the patent MX352.312B, where it is possible to appreciate a retention and isolation band that surrounds the arrangement of springs, and a layer of support material or background;

FIG. 6 shows a conventional perspective of the arrangement of springs of FIG. 5, when said arrangement is arranged on the layer of support material or background;

FIG. 7 shows a top plan view of the spring core of the invention protected in the patent MX352.312B;

FIG. 8 shows a conventional perspective of an arrangement of independent bag-lined springs disposed on a layer of support material or background, both elements forming an integral part of the proposed invention.

FIG. 9 shows a conventional perspective of a bag-lined spring core with monolithic perimeter frame and reinforced and stabilized edges, made in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 10 shows a conventional perspective illustrating in detail section “A” of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 shows a top plan view of the bag-lined spring core with monolithic perimeter frame and reinforced and stabilized edges of FIG. 9;

FIG. 12 shows a top plan view illustrating in detail section “B” of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 shows a front elevation view of a section of the bag-lined spring core with monolithic perimeter frame and reinforced and stabilized edges of FIG. 9, where the arrangement of a loading press in its upper position is appreciated, press to from which tests of pressure and deformation were carried out at the edges of the core; Y

FIG. 14 shows a front elevation view of a core section of bag-lined springs with monolithic perimeter frame and reinforced and stabilized edges of FIG. 9, wherein the arrangement of the loading press in its lower position is seen.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL EMBODIMENTS

As mentioned above, the present utility model is the result of a structural modification in the configuration of the invention protected in the patent MX352,312B, modification that results in substantial improvements in strength and stability at the edges of a core of springs with monolithic perimeter frame, a condition that is achieved from the joint work of two elements that integrate said core springs, namely: the peripheral bag-lined springs of the core of springs; and a monolithic perimeter frame formed in situ. The integration of both elements into one is achieved when the foaming material from which the monolithic perimeter frame is formed in-situ adheres to each of the bags containing the springs that together define the periphery of the spring core.

In this order of ideas, prior to describing the technical characteristics that together define the proposed utility model, a brief description of the protected invention in the following is disclosed below and based on what is illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 7, referred to Mexican patent, property of applicant requesting the present registration of the present utility model.

The invention described, illustrated and protected in the patent MX352,312B, consists of a core of springs with monolithic perimeter frame 100 used in the manufacture of seats for furniture or mattresses, which is comprised of: an arrangement of springs 10, a band of retention and insulation 30 made of woven or non-woven fabric or similar material surrounding the arrangement of springs 10 and whose height is coincident with that of the arrangement; a layer of support or bottom material 20 on which the arrangement of springs 10 is arranged and a surface 22 is defined on which a perimeter frame rests; and a monolithic perimeter frame 40 made in situ of foaming material which surrounds and reinforces the arrangement of springs 10 which is firmly attached as part of the chemical reaction of its foaming process and adhesion to both the support material 20 and the retaining band and insulation 30.

In one embodiment of this Mexican patent, it has been defined that the arrangement of springs 10 can be made from bag-lined independent springs as shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, where each of the springs 12 that defines the arrangement 10, is placed inside a sealable bag 14 which in turn is attached to other sealable bags 14 by means of an adhesive, or by a seam, or even by electronic sealing, and in this embodiment of the invention, the shape, separation and dimensions of the arrangement of springs 10, obeys in its entirety to the predefined itself for the arrangement of bags 14 that contain them, this being the same as the dimensions of length, width and height of the measurements of the furniture seat or mattress that you want to manufacture. The bags 14 used to introduce each of the springs 12 of the arrangement 10 are preferably made of woven or non-woven fabric, but may be constructed from a variety of other materials, including, but not limited to, paper, plastic, or other materials flexible permeable or waterproof.

In the embodiment of the arrangement of springs 10 made from independent bag-lined springs 12, each of the springs 12 which are preferably of the cylindrical type, is separated from the other springs 12 of the arrangement at a uniform distance, however, in other embodiments of this invention, it is established that the springs 12 can be arranged in arrangements of irregular separations, for example, if a variation in the amount of the support is desired through the surface of the furniture or mattress seat that is manufactured.

From the illustrated details in FIGS. 3 and 4, it is possible to see three sealable bags 14 joined together, of the type that are preferably used in the invention protected by the patent MX352,312B for bagging inside to each of the springs 12 that as a whole, define the arrangement of springs 10, wherein, each of the sealable bags 14 are joined together to form a desired array of sealable bags 14 by means of a thermal adhesive 16 which is applied over the joint flanges 15 which form an integral part of each of said sealable bags 14. Although it should be kept in mind that as previously indicated, the connection can be by means of a seam, or even by electronic sealing.

In the core of springs with monolithic perimeter frame 100 of the Mexican patent, the retaining band 30 that surrounds the arrangement of springs 10, allows on the one hand, to preserve the alignment and arrangement previously determined for said arrangement 10, and on the other hand, preventing the foaming material with which the monolithic perimeter frame 40 surrounding and reinforcing said arrangement 10 is built in situ, penetrates and undesirably solidifies in the empty spaces defined between the bag-lined springs 12, reason why which band 30 is made of woven or nonwoven materials similar to those referred to above for the sealable bags 14, with the particularity that preferably impermeable materials are used in it.

The monolithic perimeter frame 40 made of foam material which surrounds and reinforces the arrangement of bag-lined springs 10, is formed in situ on the surface 22 defining the surplus material of the support layer 20 and around the arrangement of springs 10, having as penetration barrier towards said arrangement of springs 10 to the retaining and insulating band 30, and as a result of a chemical reaction of the foaming material from which it is manufactured, said perimeter frame 40 adheres firmly to both the surface 22 of the material of support 20 as to the retaining band 30, and in the case of using the retention and isolation band 30 with a plurality of holes 31, to the bags 14 containing all the peripheral springs 12 of the spring arrangement 10. In the same patent, it is noted that the penetration of the foaming material through the holes 31 of the retaining and insulation band 30 towards the bags 14 of the peripheral springs 12 is minimal and barely sufficient to join the foaming material with said bags 14.

The patent MX352,312B also protects a process for manufacturing the core of springs with monolithic perimeter frame 100, which is perfected from an injection mold or emptying capable of housing inside a semi-determined core of springs with the dimensions and proper forms of length, width and height of a furniture and mattress seat that is required to satisfy a specific need, wherein, said mold comprises arranged around its periphery various sectioned lid elements that from a movement of turning allow to define an open mold or closed mold position, so that elements such as staples, presses or clamps allow to ensure the closed mold position, in the understanding that the release or withdrawal of said elements allows transit to the position of open mold by freely rotating the lid elements; process that generally comprises the following stages:

a) surrounding a spring arrangement previously made with a retaining band and insulation whose height is coincident with that of the arrangement of springs and on which are configured a plurality of holes, through which a foaming material with which a perimeter frame is able to penetrate the band in the direction of the arrangement of springs,

b) arranging the arrangement of springs surrounded by the retaining band and insulation on a layer of support material inside the injection or casting mold;

c) injecting through a mixing nozzle and injector foaming material, or manually empty a mixture for flexible foam polyurethane or any other foaming material desired to the interior of the mold for injection or emptying in the space comprised between the retaining band and insulation surrounding the arrangement of springs and the side walls of said mold;

d) rotating the various sectioned lid elements of the injection or casting mold from its open mold position to that of closed mold once the injection or emptying of stage c) has been performed on each section corresponding to one of the various elements of injection mold cap or emptying;

e) securing the closed mold position in each of the various lid elements from the elements that allow securing this position, such as staples, presses or clamps;

f) wait long enough for the liquid foam injected or emptied to cure and convert to the solid state, thus forming the monolithic reinforcing perimeter around the arrangement of springs that has been obtained from the previous stages;

g) releasing or removing the elements that allow to ensure the closed mold position;

h) rotating the various sectioned lid elements of the injection or emptying mold from its closed mold position to that of open mold;

and

i) removing the spring arrangement from the inside of the injection or emptying mold, which is now attached to a monolithic reinforcement perimeter frame.

From the above information and the one that can be seen from the Mexican patent of reference, it is possible to notice that in the invention protected in it, with the retaining band and insulation 30 it is sought to prevent from penetrating into the arrangement of springs 10 the foaming material with which the monolithic perimeter frame 40 is built in situ, that is, in the invention known today, the contact of the foaming material surrounding and reinforcing the arrangement of springs 10 is limited both to the support material 20 and to the retention and insulation band 30, a condition that technically implies an independent operation of both the monolithic perimeter frame 40 and the arrangement of springs 10 contained therein.

The technical contribution of the present utility model, consists of achieving a joint operation of the arrangement of springs 10 and the monolithic perimeter frame 40, said joint operation that allows to support greater efforts of continuous loading, in particular, at the edges of the resulting core, condition which is achieved by suppressing or eliminating from the spring core 100 the retention band and insulation 30 that of origin prevents or limits the penetration of the foaming material towards the arrangement of springs.

In the proposed utility model, the effect of stabilizing and increasing the structural strength of the edges of a bag-lined spring core with a monolithic perimeter frame is achieved by eliminating the retention and insulation band 30, in such a way that shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the arrangement of bag-lined springs 10′ is arranged directly on a layer of support material or bottom 20′ from which a surface 22′ is defined on which a monolithic perimeter frame 40′ will be formed in situ and around of said arrangement of bag-lined springs 10′.

In this way, when the retaining and insulation band 30 is removed, during the forming process of the monolithic perimeter frame 40′ made in situ, the foaming material surrounding and reinforcing the spring arrangement 10′ will now be firmly attached as part of the chemical reaction of your foaming process and adhesion both to the support material 20′ and to each of the bags containing the peripheral springs of the core, said foaming material also penetrating, in each of the empty spaces that are defined between each of the bags containing the peripheral springs of spring arrangement 10′.

According to what is illustrated in FIGS. 9 to 12, with the proposed new configuration, it is achieved that the monolithic perimeter frame 40′ formed in situ, penetrates into the empty spaces that are defined between each of the bags containing the peripheral springs of the spring arrangement 10′ and having the possibility of coming into direct contact with each of said bags, work together with the arrangement of springs. With this new configuration it is achieved that the monolithic perimeter frame 40′ embraces each peripheral bag in at least a portion close to 50% of its circumference, while, in the case of the bags containing the springs defining each of the four corners of the spring arrangement, the portion surrounded by the monolithic perimeter frame 40′ is close to 75% of its total circumference.

Based on the foregoing, it is possible to establish that the present utility model consists of a bag-lined spring core with monolithic perimeter frame and reinforced and stabilized edges 100′ used in the manufacture of seats for furniture or mattresses, which is comprised of: arrangement of springs 10′; a layer of support material or bottom 20′ on which the arrangement of springs 10′ is arranged and a surface 22′ on which a perimeter frame rests; and a monolithic perimeter frame 40′ made in situ of foaming material which surrounds, reinforces and bonds firmly as part of the chemical reaction of its foaming and adhesion process both to the support material 20′ and to each of the bags containing the peripheral springs of the nucleus.

It should be mentioned that the new configuration of the bag-lined spring core with monolithic perimeter frame and reinforced and stabilized edges 100′ that is proposed, is not intended to claim protection for the fact of having removed the retention and isolation band 30 from the core of the patent MX352,312B, but for the technical effect of making the peripheral springs of the spring arrangement 10′ work in combination with the monolithic perimeter frame 40′ to withstand compressive stresses whose magnitude could cause permanent or premature deformations to both the peripheral springs and the monolithic perimeter frame 40′ if these will support them independently.

In this regard it must be said that the solidifying effect of the foaming material around the bags 14′ containing the peripheral springs of the spring arrangement 10′ integrates these two elements into one, a condition that, in itself, increases the load resistance that both elements could have it in isolation.

In a preferred embodiment of the present utility model, the foaming material with which the monolithic perimeter frame 40′ is constructed results, but is not limited to, a mixture for flexible polyurethane foam.

In order to check the stability and increase of the structural strength at the edges of the proposed new core, said core has been subjected to stress and fatigue tests, in particular, as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the edges of the core were subjected with the help of a loading press 200 with a cycle of 1000 repetitions applying a dead load between 75 kg and 100 kg. The results obtained demonstrated, on the one hand, that the union between the monolithic perimeter frame 40′ and the bags 14′ containing the peripheral springs of the spring arrangement 10′ stabilizes and increases the structural strength of the edges of the proposed core, and on the other, that the resistance to fatigue and deformation both of the peripheral springs of the spring arrangement 10′ and of the monolithic perimeter frame 40′ is greater when both elements are firmly joined and work together.

On the other hand, it should be mentioned that the present utility model can be manufactured from the process claimed in the patent MX352.312B, for which purpose step (a) must be omitted, which consists in enclosing a previously prepared arrangement of springs with a band of retention and isolation, and in relation to step b) should be arranged directly the arrangement of springs on a layer of support material inside the mold of injection or emptying, that is, without that arrangement is surrounded by a band of retention and isolation, stages c) to i) do not undergo any modification and together with them it is possible to obtain the new proposed nucleus.

According to all the previously described and illustrated, it is possible to notice that the invention proposed as a “bag-lined spring core with monolithic perimeter frame and reinforced and stabilized edges”, offers a practical, efficient and economic solution to overcome the current inconveniences in the technical field to which it belongs, specifically those that refer to prevent premature deformation of both the springs arranged on the periphery of a core of springs, or the own perimeter frame of foaming material.

BAG-LINED SPRING CORE WITH MONOLITHIC PERIMETER, AND REINFORCED AND STABILIZED EDGES

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Priority Claims (1)