Pocketed bedding or seating product having strings of springs with vertically offset pockets

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6826796
  • Patent Number
    6,826,796
  • Date Filed
    Wednesday, August 6, 2003
    21 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, December 7, 2004
    20 years ago
Abstract
A bedding or seating product is provided comprising a pocketed spring assembly made up of a plurality of parallel strings of springs joined to each other. Each string of springs comprises a row of interconnected pocketed springs. The pockets of fabric are vertically shortened with seams to create pockets of the same height, each containing a spring. The springs are vertically offset from one another due to the location of the seams. Upon an initial load, only some of the pocketed springs are compressed.
Description




FIELD OF THE INVENTION




This invention relates generally to spring assemblies for mattress, cushions and other bedding or seating products and, more particularly, to a pocketed coil spring assembly and associated method of manufacturing such an assembly.




BACKGROUND ON THE INVENTION




A well known type of bedding or seating product comprises a spring assembly which includes a number of discrete coil springs, each of which is enclosed in a fabric pocket in a length of folded fabric material. Longitudinal axes of the coil springs are generally parallel with one another so that the top and bottom end turns of the coil springs define top and bottom faces of the spring assembly. A row of such pocketed springs is known in the industry as a string of pocketed springs. A bedding or seating product can be fabricated from such strings of pocketed springs by binding or adhering the individual rows or strings of pocketed springs together to form a spring assembly which may be padded and encased in an upholstered covering. U.S. Pat. No. 6,143,122, which is fully incorporated herein, discloses one such method of adhesively bonding strings of pocketed springs together to form a pocketed spring assembly.




This type of spring assembly is commonly referred to as a pocketed spring assembly due to the fact that each spring is contained within an individual pocket of fabric material. The construction of strings of pocketed coil springs in each pocket is well known in the art and, for example, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,439,977 which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. The system disclosed in that patent includes a spring coiler which forms a coil spring which is subsequently compressed and inserted between the plies of folded pocketing fabric material. Other systems for manufacturing pocketed coil spring assemblies are disclosed in PCT Patent Application No. WO 94/18116 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,101,697, each of which are expressly incorporated herein by reference.




Pocketed spring assemblies are generally recognized to have a unique and particular luxurious feel to them and mattresses manufactured of such pocketed spring assemblies provide a feeling of softness without lacking spring resilience or support. Mattresses and similar articles constructed of pocketed spring assemblies are often considered a high-end type of product because of the added benefits and features of the pocketed coil springs. Mattresses and the like of this type can be more costly to manufacture and assemble as a result of the considerable amount of time and labor which is involved in their manufacture, together with the fact that the method of fabrication and assembly of such pocketed spring assemblies can be complicated, particularly in an automated process.




One particular aspect of pocketed spring assemblies and the associated mattresses or the like is that the resulting product may have a “hard” feel due to the fact that all of the coil springs are identical and compressed to the same degree in individual pockets. Usually, the firmness of such a product is uniform across the width and along the length of the product.




Additionally, while pocketed spring assemblies are desirably provide a combination of softness and support, the ability to economically posturize a spring assembly or mattress of pocketed spring coils has heretofore been difficult. Posturization provides multiple zones or sections of differing firmnesses within a product such as a mattress. For example, the middle regions of the mattress, which typically support a person's torso, often require a firmer more resilient support while other areas of the mattress which support the feet and head of a person require a softer feel.




One known method of posturizing a pocketed spring unit has been to incorporate springs made of different gauge wire into the strings of springs. For example, the springs incorporated into the strings of springs within certain sections or zones of the spring assembly are made of a heavier gauge wire than the springs incorporated into the strings of springs of the other sections or zones of the spring assembly. Pat. No. 6,173,464 discloses this concept, albeit with continuous bands of springs as opposed to individual springs.




Therefore, there is a need for a pocketed spring assembly which has an initial soft feel but the firmness necessary to support heavy loads.




There is further a need for a posturized pocketed spring assembly and associated method of manufacture which offers the advantages of posturization of the pocketed spring assembly without the higher manufacturing costs, production difficulties and inefficiencies associated with known posturized pocketed spring assemblies.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




The invention of this application comprises a pocketed bedding or seating product and associated method of manufacture. The bedding or seating product comprises a pocketed spring assembly, one or more pads and an upholstered covering surrounding the pocketed spring assembly and pads. The product is preferably two sided and may be used on either side.




The pocketed spring assembly comprises a plurality of parallel strings of springs joined together. Each of the strings of springs comprises a row of interconnected pocketed springs. Each of the pocketed springs comprises a spring surrounded with a pocket of fabric, as is conventional. Although coil springs are preferably used, other types of springs may be used in accordance with the present invention. Each of the coil springs has an upper end turn, a lower end turn and a plurality of central convolutions between the end turns.




Preferably, each string of springs is made of one piece of fabric folded to create two opposed plies which are joined together in select locations to form a plurality of pockets, each of the pockets containing a spring. The opposed plies of fabric of the string of springs may be joined together by sewing, gluing, sonic welding, as known in the art or any other means. Adjacent pockets within a string of springs are separated by generally vertically oriented lines of attachment or seams of the opposed plies to each other. The height of the pocket is determined either by: 1) the distance between the bottom surface of the string of springs and one longitudinal segment of attachment or seam of the opposed plies to each other or 2) the distance between top and bottom seams of the pocket.




In several preferred embodiments of the present invention, each string of springs, or at least long sections of each string of springs, has pockets of the same height along its length. However, the pockets are vertically offset from one another, i.e. located at different heights, due to the location of the seams. In one preferred embodiment, every other pocket of fabric is located slightly above the adjacent pockets of fabric, so that every other pocketed spring is higher than the adjacent pocketed springs in at least some strings of springs. For purposes of this document, the higher pocketed springs will be called “high” pocketed springs and the lower pocketed springs will be called “low” pocketed springs. Similarly, the higher pockets will be called “high” pockets and the lower pockets will be called “low” pockets.




When a load is initially placed on the product from above, the “high” pocketed springs are the only pocketed springs initially compressed. These “high” pocketed springs are initially compressed downwardly until their upper end turns are generally coplanar with the upper end turns of the “low” pocketed springs. If the load is sufficient, the “low” pocketed springs will be compressed as well as the “high” pocketed springs.




Preferably, the springs are identical in a string of springs, i.e. have the same height, diameter, pitch, etc. However, the springs may be different in a string of springs, i.e. have different physical characteristics. Again, although coil springs are preferred, any type of spring may be used in accordance with the present invention.




The concept of the present invention may also be used to posturize a bedding or seating product, i.e., make certain regions or portions firmer than other areas or portions of the bedding or seating product. This is accomplished by grouping together multiple strings of springs of the same configuration. For example, each string of springs in a pocketed spring assembly used in a posturized product may have several “high” pocketed coil springs next to each other in a group and a plurality of “low” pocketed coil springs in another group. The strings of springs may have any number of such groups of pocketed springs. Each group of pocketed springs is located at the same height, thereby defining one region of a bedding or seating product. The strings of springs of the other regions of the product have pocketed coil springs at different heights so as to impart different firmnesses to the different regions.




In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the perimeter of the product has pocketed springs which are larger than the springs in an internal portion of the product. The perimeter pocketed springs provide edge support to the product. In one such preferred embodiment having longitudinally extending strings of springs, the outermost strings of springs along the sides of the product have higher pockets containing larger springs along the entire length of the string of springs. The internal strings of springs therebetween have at least one larger pocketed spring at each end of the string of springs, between which may be alternating “high” and “low” pocketed springs or at least some “low” pocketed springs of a lesser height than the perimeter pocketed springs. The “high” and “low” pocketed springs of a portion of the internal strings of springs are the same height, but vertically offset from one another due to the location of the seams of the pockets. The springs are preferably identical coil springs, although they may be different from one another in some regard.




The bedding or seating product typically has a longitudinal dimension and a transverse dimension, the longitudinal dimension being greater than the transverse dimension. However, the longitudinal dimension and transverse dimension may be identical in a square bedding or seating product. In the invention of the present application, the strings of springs may extend longitudinally or transversely, depending upon the desired effect.




Adjacent strings of springs of the bedding or seating product are preferably glued together but may be otherwise secured to each other. At least one border wire may extend around the perimeter of the pocketed spring assembly of the bedding or seating product and be secured to select outermost pocketed coil springs. A first or lower border may be secured to the lower end turns of the coil springs of the outermost strings. A second or upper border wire may be secured to the upper end turns of the coil springs of the outermost strings or, alternatively, either border wire may be secured to intermediate convolutions of the coil springs of the outermost strings of springs.




Due to select coil springs being pocketed at a higher location than other pocketed coil springs in at least one section or region of the pocketed spring assembly, at least one section of the pocketed spring assembly has a “soft” feel when a load is placed thereon. Once such “high” pocketed coil springs are compressed to the level of the “low” pocketed coil springs, all the pocketed coil springs of the region of the pocketed spring assembly may be compressed, if necessary to support the load.




One method of manufacturing the pocketed spring assembly of the present invention comprises inserting at least one spring between opposed plies of fabric of a string of springs. The opposed plies of the string of springs are then joined in select locations with seams to create a pocket. A plurality of pocketed springs are created in this manner within each string of springs. Each pocket is the same height and contains at least one spring. In one preferred embodiment, every other pocket within the string of springs is vertically offset from adjacent pockets such that every other pocketed coil spring is located slightly above adjacent pocketed coil springs. In such an embodiment, every other spring is located at a height less or greater than the adjacent pocketed springs in the string of springs. The strings of springs are then joined together to form the pocketed spring assembly and the pocketed spring assembly encased in an upholstered covering to create the product.




The method of manufacturing the posturized spring assembly of the present invention varies depending upon the desired posturization. However, in each of the applications of the present invention whenever pocketed springs are vertically spaced above other pocketed springs and incorporated into a portion of a string of springs, that region or section of the pocketed spring assembly has an initial “soft” feel when a load is placed thereon. This initial “soft” feel is desirable to many customers or users of the product.




In each of the embodiments of the present invention, incorporating pockets of the same height but vertically offset from one another into at least several strings of springs results in a pocketed spring assembly having an initial “soft” feel in a portion thereof. Such a product may be made in accordance with a customer's needs and desires quickly and easily.




These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be more readily apparent from the following drawings.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is a perspective view of a bedding product made in accordance with the present invention comprising a pocketed spring assembly having a plurality of longitudinally extending strings of springs surrounded by generally rectangular border wires;





FIG. 1A

is a perspective view of a bedding product made in accordance with the present invention, the strings of springs of the pocketed spring assembly extending transversely;





FIG. 2

is a side elevational view, partially broken away, of a string of springs made in accordance with the present invention;





FIG. 3

is a side elevational view, partially cut away, of a portion of the string of springs of

FIG. 2

;





FIG. 4

is a side elevational view, partially broken away, of a string of springs made in accordance with the present invention;





FIG. 5

is a top plan view of an alternative embodiment of pocketed spring assembly made in accordance with the present invention;





FIG. 5A

is a cross-sectional view taken along the line


5


A-


5


A of

FIG. 5

;





FIG. 6

is a top plan view of another alternative embodiment of pocketed spring assembly made in accordance with the present invention; and





FIG. 6A

is a cross-sectional view taken along the line


6


A-


6


A of FIG.


6


.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS




Referring to the drawings, and particularly to

FIG. 1

, there is illustrated a bedding or seating product in the form of a mattress


10


. Although a mattress


10


is illustrated, the present invention may be used to construct any bedding or seating product. The mattress


10


comprises a pocketed spring assembly


12


having a generally planar top surface


14


in a top plane P


1


and a parallel generally planar bottom surface


16


in a bottom plane P


2


. Covering pads


18


(only one being shown) may be located on the top and bottom surfaces


14


,


16


of the pocketed spring assembly


12


. An upholstered covering


20


encases the pocketed spring assembly


12


and the covering pads


18


.




The mattress


10


has a height H defined as the distance between the top and bottom surfaces


14


,


16


of the spring assembly


12


. Similarly, the mattress


10


has a transverse dimension or width W defined between opposed side surfaces


22


and a longitudinal dimension or length L defined as the distance between the opposed end surfaces


24


of the mattress


10


. The longitudinal dimension is illustrated as being larger than the transverse dimension of the mattress


10


, although it is within the contemplation of the present invention that the longitudinal and transverse dimensions be identical, such as in a square product.




If desired, at least one border wire may be secured to the pocketed spring assembly


12


with hog rings or any other conventional fastener


13


.

FIG. 1

illustrates an upper border wire


26


and a lower border wire


28


, both of which are generally rectangular, secured to the pocketed spring assembly


12


. However, only one border wire may be used, if desired or none at all, as shown in FIG.


1


A.




The pocketed spring assembly


12


comprises a plurality of longitudinally extending strings of springs


30


joined to each other. Adjacent strings of springs are preferably glued together as shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,143,122, but may be joined to each other using any known technology.




Referring to

FIGS. 2 and 3

, each string of springs


30


has a top or upper surface


31


and a bottom or lower surface


33


, the distance between which defines the height H


1


of the string of springs


30


. Each string of springs


30


comprises a row of interconnected fabric pockets


32


, each fabric pocket


32


containing a coil spring


34


. As best illustrated in

FIG. 3

, each coil spring


34


has an upper end turn


36


, a lower end turn


38


and a plurality of central convolutions


40


between the end turns


36


,


38


.




Preferably, only one piece of fabric is used to form a string of springs


30


, the piece of fabric being folded over onto itself around the coil springs


34


to create a first ply


42


and a second ply


44


. As illustrated in

FIG. 3

, the first ply


42


is behind the second ply


44


. As is known in the art, opposite sides or plies of the fabric are sewn, welded or otherwise secured together in order to create a pair of outermost seams


46


, a plurality of internal seams


48


and a plurality of longitudinal seams


50


,


51


and


52


. Longitudinal seam


50


extends from one outermost seam


46


to the opposite outermost seam


46


, approximately the entire length of the string of springs


30


. Longitudinal seams


51


,


52


are much shorter than longitudinal seam


50


and extend approximately the length of one pocket


32


. Longitudinal seams


51


are located below the pockets


32


while longitudinal seams


52


are located above the pockets


32


. The internal seams


48


separate adjacent pockets


32


and therefore adjacent coil springs


34


. Although the seams


46


,


48


,


50


,


51


and


52


are illustrated as being a plurality of spaced, linear segments


54


, they may comprise continuous lines or a series of dots or other arrangement without departing from the spirit of this application.





FIGS. 2 and 3

illustrate one preferred embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, each string of springs


30


has pockets of the same height H


2


. However, due to the location of seams


50


,


51


and


52


every other pocket


32


is located either above or below adjacent pockets


32


. Referring to

FIGS. 2 and 3

, the outermost pocket and every other pocket is a “high” pocket


32


′ whose height is defined by the distance between longitudinal seams or segments


50


and


51


. The outermost pocket


32


′ is defined by the longitudinal seams


50


,


51


along with outermost seam


46


and an internal seam


48


. As best illustrated in

FIG. 3

, the seam


51


is spaced a distance D from the bottom surface


33


of the string of springs


30


. Coil spring


34


′ is located inside the “high” pocket


32


′ and once the pocket


32


′ is closed is considered a “high” pocketed coil spring


34


′.




Immediately adjacent each “high” pocketed coil spring


34


′ is at least one “low” pocketed coil spring


34


″ secured inside a “low” pocket


32


″. Each low“pocket


32


” is the same height H2 as the “high” pocket


32


′ but is vertically offset therefrom a distance D. See FIG.


3


. Each “low” pocket


34


″ is defined by two internal seams


48


, the lower surface


33


of the string of springs


30


and a longitudinal seam


52


spaced below the longitudinal seam


50


a distance D.




Immediately adjacent to “low” pocketed coil spring


34


′ is at least one “high” pocketed coil spring


34


′ secured inside a “high” pocket


32


′. Thus, every other “high” pocketed coil spring


34


′ is held in a “high” pocket


32


′. Similarly, every other “low” pocketed coil spring


34


″ is held in a “low” pocket


32


″. The height of each of the “high” pockets


32


′ is preferably substantially identical and defined by the distance between the longitudinal seams


50


,


51


, each seam


51


being inwardly spaced from the bottom surface


33


of the string of springs


30


. The height of each of the “low” pockets


32


″ is preferably substantially identical and defined by the distance between the bottom surface


33


of the string of springs


30


and one of the longitudinal seams


52


.




Preferably, all of the coil springs


34


within a string of springs


30


are all the same height before being compressed and inserted into the pockets


32


of the strings of springs


30


. Due to the identical heights of the “high” and “low” pockets,


32


′,


32


″, the coil springs


34


″ located in the “low” pockets


32


″ are compressed or loaded the same degree as the coil springs


34


″ located in the tall pockets


32


′. In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the coil springs


34


in the pockets


32


are not compressed at all, but rather in a relaxed condition.




The practical result of each of the strings of springs


30


being made of alternating “high” and “low” pockets of the same height, each pocket containing a coil spring, is that the pocketed spring assembly


12


has a checkerboard pattern. Consequently, the mattress


10


has an initial“soft” feel when a load is placed thereon due to the coil springs


34


′ in the “high” pockets


32


′ initially compressing before the coil springs


34


″ in the “low” pockets


32


″ are affected. This is true when the mattress or bedding or seating product is used on either side. For example, when a person initially lays on the mattress


10


, the coil springs


34


′ in the “high” pockets


32


′ compress a first distance D to the upper end turns of the coil springs


34


″ in the “low” pockets


32


″. Then, all of the coil springs which are placed under a load regardless of whether they are in a “high” or “low” pocket.





FIG. 1A

illustrates an alternative embodiment of the present invention comprising a mattress


10




a


. The mattress


10




a


comprises a pocketed spring assembly


12




a


having a generally planar top surface


14




a


in a top plane P


1


and a parallel generally planar bottom surface


16




a


in a bottom plane P


2


. Covering pads


18




a


(only one being shown) may be located on the top and bottom surfaces


14




a


,


16




a


of the pocketed spring assembly


12




a


. An upholstered covering


20




a


encases the pocketed spring assembly


12




a


and the covering pads


18




a.






The pocketed spring assembly


12




a


comprises a plurality of transversely extending strings of springs


30




a


joined to each other. Adjacent strings of springs


30




a


are preferably glued together but may be joined to each other using any known technology. The strings of springs


30




a


are similar to those described above with regard to the embodiment shown in FIG.


1


and made in same manner. Like the embodiment of

FIG. 1

, this embodiment has a uniform composition or construction along its length and width.




The mattress


10




a


has a transverse dimension or width Wa defined between opposed side surfaces


22




a


and a longitudinal dimension or length La defined as the distance between the opposed end surfaces


24




a


of the mattress


10




a


. The longitudinal dimension is illustrated as being larger than the transverse dimension of the mattress


10




a


, although it is within the contemplation of the present invention that the longitudinal and transverse dimensions be identical, such as in a square product.





FIG. 4

illustrates an alternative embodiment of the present invention in which several identical strings of springs are grouped together in a posturized bedding or seating product having regions of differing firmness.

FIG. 4

illustrates one such string of springs


30




a


′ having an upper or top surface


31




a


and a lower or bottom surface


33




a


. In this preferred embodiment, each string of springs


30




a


′ has extending from left to right in

FIG. 4

, an outermost “high” pocket


32




a


′, three “short” pockets


32




a


″, two “high” pockets


32




a


′, three “low” pockets


32




a


″, etc. Each “high” pocket


32




a


′ has a coil spring


34




a


′ therein and each “low” pocket


32




a


″ has a coil spring


34




a


″ therein. The regions of the string of springs


30




a


′ having “high” pocketed coil springs


34




a


′ provide an initial “soft” feeling when a load is placed thereon. Although one particular pattern of string of springs


30




a


′ is illustrated and described, any other configurations of strings of springs may be used to create a posturized bedding or seating product in accordance with the present invention.





FIGS. 5 and 5A

illustrate an alternative embodiment of the present invention in which the mattress


10




b


is posturized, the mattress


10




b


having multiple regions of differing firmness. In this embodiment, the mattress


10




b


has a pocketed spring assembly


12




b


which is divided into multiple regions or sections as one moves longitudinally down the side of the mattress. At least one border wire


64


is secured to the pocketed spring assembly


12




b


. However, if desired the border wire may be omitted. Around the perimeter of the mattress


10




b


is an edge portion


60


surrounding an internal portion


62


. The edge portion


60


comprises two longitudinally extending strings of springs


30




b


′ on each side of the mattress


10




c


. Each of these strings of springs


30




b


′ has a uniform composition along its length. Each of the pockets


66


in each string of springs


30




b


′ is the same height, higher than the “high” and “low” pockets


70


,


72


, respectively, of the internal portion


62


of the product


10




b


. Each of the larger pockets


66


contains a larger or taller coil spring


68


than the coil springs


69


contained in the “high” and “low” pockets


70


,


72


, respectively, of the internal portion


62


of the product


10




b


. See FIG.


5


A. The coil springs


69


contained in the “high” and “low” pockets


70


,


72


, respectively, of the internal portion


62


of the product


10




b


are preferably the same height.




In this preferred embodiment shown in

FIGS. 5 and 5A

, the internal portion


62


of the pocketed spring assembly


12




b


comprises a plurality of longitudinally extending strings of springs


30




b


located between longitudinally extending strings of springs


30




b


′. One such longitudinally extending string of springs


30




b


is shown in detail in FIG.


5


A. Longitudinally extending strings of springs


30




b


are secured to each other in a known manner, such as by glueing for example. The two pocketed coil springs


68


at each end of each string of springs


30




b


are larger pocketed coil springs than the coil springs


69


contained in the “high” and “low” pockets


70


,


72


therebetween. These pocketed coil springs


68


at each end of each string of springs


30




b


make up part of the edge portion


60


of the pocketed spring assembly


12




b


. The remaining pockets of each string of springs


30




b


between the outermost larger pockets


66


contain both “high” and “low” pockets


70


,


72


, respectively, containing coil springs


69


in a manner as described above.




The internal portion


62


of the pocketed spring assembly


12




b


has a head section


74


, immediately adjacent head section


74


is an upper lumbar section


76


, immediately adjacent upper lumbar section


76


is center section


78


, immediately adjacent center section


78


is a lower lumbar section


80


and at the other end of the internal portion


62


of the pocketed spring assembly


12




b


is a foot section


82


.




The practical result of this configuration of pocketed spring assembly


12




b


is that the head section


74


, center section


78


and foot section


82


have a checkerboard pattern which results in an initial “soft” feel when a load is placed thereon; however these sections have additional support provided by the springs


69


in “low” pockets


72


. The portions of each string of springs


30




b


in the head section


74


, center section


78


and foot section


82


have alternating “high” and “low” pockets


70


,


72


, each containing a spring


69


.




On the other hand, the portions of each string of springs


30




b


in the upper and lower lumbar sections


76


,


80


contain only “high” pockets


70


containing springs


69


. Therefore, the upper and lower lumbar sections


76


,


80


have a “softer” firmness when compared to the head section


74


, center section


78


and foot section


82


.




Although the strings of springs


30




b


and


30




b


′ are illustrated as being longitudinally extending, this embodiment of the present invention may also be accomplished with transversely extending strings of springs. If the strings of springs were transversely extending, each string of springs in the upper and lower lumbar sections


58


,


62


would have only “high” pocketed springs and each string of springs in the head, center and foot sections


74


,


78


and


82


would have alternating “low” and “high” pocketed springs, except the outermost pockets which form part of the edge portion.




Although the edge portion


60


of this preferred embodiment is illustrated and described as having larger pocketed springs


66


than the pocketed springs


69


of the internal portion


62


; the edge portion


60


may be made of “high” or “low” pocketed springs


69


.





FIGS. 6 and 6A

illustrate an alternative preferred embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, mattress


10




c


has a pocketed spring assembly


12




c


comprising longitudinally extending strings of springs


30




c


,


30




c


′ joined to each other in a conventional manner. The pocketed spring assembly


12




c


has an edge portion


60




c


around the perimeter of an internal portion


62




c


. The edge portion


60




c


comprises two longitudinally extending strings of springs


30




c


′ on each side of the mattress


10




c


. Each of these strings of springs


30




c


′ has a uniform composition along its length. Each of the pockets


75


in each string of springs


30




c


′ is the same height, higher than the “high” and “low” pockets


76


,


78


, respectively, of the internal portion


62




c


of the product


10




c


. Each of the larger pockets


75


contains a larger or taller coil spring


80


than the coil springs


82


contained in the “high” and “low” pockets


76


,


78


of the internal portion


62




c


of the product


10




c


. See FIG.


6


A. The coil springs


82


contained in the “high” and “low” pockets


76


,


78


of the internal portion


62




c


of the product


10




c


are preferably the same height.




In this preferred embodiment shown in

FIGS. 6 and 6A

, the internal portion


62




c


of the pocketed spring assembly


12




c


comprises a plurality of longitudinally extending strings of springs


30




c


located between longitudinally extending strings of springs


30




c


′. One such longitudinally extending string of springs


30




c


is shown in detail in FIG.


6


A. Longitudinally extending strings of springs


30




c


are secured to each other in a known manner, such as by glueing for example. The two pocketed coil springs


80


at each end of each string of springs


30




c


are larger pocketed coil springs than the coil springs


82


contained in the “high” and “low” pockets


76


,


78


therebetween. These pocketed coil springs


80


at each end of each string of springs


30




c


make up part of the edge portion


60




c


of the pocketed spring assembly


12




c


. The remaining pockets of each string of springs


30




c


between the outermost larger pockets


75


contain both “high” and “low” pockets


76


,


78


, respectively, containing coil springs


82


in a manner as described above.




Although the strings of springs


30




c


,


30




c


′ are longitudinally extending, this embodiment of the present invention may also be manufactured with transversely extending strings of springs.




Although the edge portion


60




c


of this preferred embodiment is illustrated and described as having larger pocketed springs


80


than the pocketed springs


82


of the internal portion


62




c


; the edge portion


60




c


may be made of “high” or “low” pocketed springs


82


.




Although I have described several preferred embodiments of our invention, I do not intend to be limited except by the scope of the following claims.



Claims
  • 1. A bedding or seating product comprising:a pocketed spring assembly comprising a plurality of parallel strings of springs, each of said strings of springs comprising a row of interconnected pocketed springs, each of said pocketed springs comprising a spring surrounded by a pocket of fabric, wherein within some of said strings of springs some of said pockets of fabric are of an identical vertical height and vertically offset relative to one another; and an upholstered covering surrounding said pocketed spring assembly.
  • 2. A bedding or seating product comprising:a pocketed spring assembly comprising a plurality of parallel strings of springs, each of said strings of springs comprising a row of interconnected pocketed springs, each of said pocketed springs comprising a spring surrounded by a pocket of fabric, wherein within some of said strings of springs some of said pockets of fabric are of an identical vertical height and vertically offset relative to one another.
  • 3. The product of claim 2 wherein within some of said strings of springs every other one of said pockets is above adjacent pockets.
  • 4. The product of claim 2 wherein all of said springs are the same vertical height.
  • 5. The product of claim 2 wherein said product has a longitudinal dimension and a transverse dimension, said longitudinal dimension being greater than said transverse dimension, said strings of springs extending longitudinally.
  • 6. The product of claim 2 wherein said product has a longitudinal dimension and a transverse dimension, said longitudinal dimension being greater than said transverse dimension, said strings of springs extending transversely.
  • 7. The product of claim 2 wherein at least one border wire is secured to said pockets spring assembly.
  • 8. The product of claim 2 wherein adjacent strings of springs are glued together.
  • 9. The product of claim 2 wherein said springs are coil springs.
  • 10. A bedding or seating product comprising:a pocketed spring assembly comprising a plurality of parallel strings of springs joined to each other, each of said strings of springs comprising a row of interconnected pocketed springs, each of said pocketed springs comprising a spring surrounded by a pocket of fabric, wherein said pocketed spring assembly has multiple regions of differing firmness, at least one of said regions having pockets of an identical height vertically offset from one another.
  • 11. The product of claim 10 wherein springs are identical.
  • 12. The product of claim 10 wherein said strings of springs extend longitudinally.
  • 13. The product of claim 10 wherein said strings of springs extend transversely.
  • 14. The product of claim 10 further comprising at least one border wire surrounding said pocketed spring assembly.
  • 15. A bedding or seating product comprising:a pocketed spring assembly comprising a plurality of parallel strings of springs, each of said strings of springs comprising a piece of fabric wrapped around a row of aligned springs and secured along a longitudinal line of attachment, opposed plies of said piece of fabric being on opposite sides of the springs, said opposed plies of fabric being joined together between springs to create a plurality of pocketed springs of the same height, wherein said opposed plies of fabric are joined together in select locations to vertically offset some of the pocketed springs from other pocketed springs.
  • 16. The product of claim 15 wherein said strings of springs extend longitudinally.
  • 17. The product of claim 15 wherein said strings of springs extend transversely.
  • 18. The product of claim 15 wherein each of said springs is identical.
  • 19. A string of springs for inclusion in a bedding or seating product, said string of springs comprising a tow of interconnected pocketed springs, each of said pocketed springs comprising a spring surrounded with a pocket of fabric, adjacent pocketed springs being the same height and vertically offset from one another in a portion of said string of springs.
  • 20. The string of springs of claim 19 wherein each of said springs is identical.
  • 21. The string of springs of claim 19 wherein said string of springs is joined to other similar strings of springs by gluing strings of springs together to create a pocketed spring assembly.
  • 22. A string of springs for inclusion in a bedding or seating product, said string of springs comprising a piece of fabric wrapped around a row of aligned springs and secured along a seam, opposed plies of said piece of fabric being on opposite sides of the springs, said opposed plies of fabric being joined together between springs to create a plurality of pocketed springs of the same height and vertically offset relative to one another, wherein said opposed plies of fabric are joined together in select locations to vary the location of the pocketed springs.
  • 23. The string of springs of claim 22 wherein each of said springs is identical.
  • 24. The string of springs of claim 22 wherein each of said springs is a coil spring.
  • 25. A method of manufacturing a pocketed spring assembly for use in a bedding or seating product, said method comprising:inserting a spring between opposed plies of fabric of a string of springs, joining said opposed plies of said fabric with seams to form a plurality of pockets, each of said pockets being the same height and encasing at least one spring, some of said springs being vertically offset from other springs in said string of springs due to the location of said seams, and joining said string of springs to adjacent strings of springs to form the pocketed spring assembly.
  • 26. The method of claim 25 wherein joining opposed plies of said fabric comprises welding said plies together.
  • 27. A method of manufacturing a pocketed spring assembly for use in a bedding or seating product, said pocketed spring assembly made of a plurality of strings of springs joined to each other, each of said string of springs comprising a piece of fabric folded such that said piece of fabric has opposed plies on opposite sides of a row of springs, said opposed plies being joined together between adjacent springs in said string of springs, said method comprising:inserting at least one spring between said opposed plies of fabric of a string of springs, joining said opposed plies in said string of springs in select locations to create a plurality of pockets of the same height such that said fabric encases said at least one spring in each of said pockets, wherein every other pocket within said string of springs is vertically offset from adjacent pockets, and joining said string of springs to adjacent strings of springs to form the pocketed spring assembly.
  • 28. The method of claim 27 wherein closing said pockets of said string of springs comprising welding said fabric.
  • 29. A method of manufacturing a pocketed spring assembly for use in a bedding or seating product, said pocketed spring assembly made of a plurality of strings of springs joined to each other, each of said string of springs comprising a piece of fabric folded such that said piece of fabric has opposed plies on opposite sides of a row of springs, said opposed plies being joined together between adjacent springs in said string of springs, said method comprising:inserting at least one spring between said opposed plies of fabric of a string of springs, joining said opposed plies in said string of springs in select locations to create a plurality of pockets such that said fabric encases said at least one spring in each of said pockets, wherein every pocket within a portion of said string of springs is of the same vertical height and every other pocket within said portion of said string of springs is vertically offset from adjacent pockets, and joining said string of springs to adjacent strings of springs to form the pocketed spring assembly.
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Entry
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