This invention relates generally to bedding or seating products and, more particularly, to a spring interior, spring assembly or innerspring for a mattress.
Traditionally, spring assemblies for mattresses have consisted of a plurality of spaced parallel rows of helical coil springs mounted between border wires; coil springs adjacent the border wires being attached thereto via helical lacing wires, sheet metal clips or other connectors. The upper and lower end turns of adjacent coil springs are generally connected to each other by helical lacing wires. Coil springs are arranged in longitudinally extending columns and transversely extending rows. Padding and upholstery commonly are secured to opposed surfaces of the spring assembly, thereby resulting in what is known in the industry as a two-sided mattress for use on either side.
Spring assemblies have also been developed having only one border wire to which the end turns of the outermost coil springs are secured. After padding and/or other materials are placed over the upper surface of the spring assembly in which the border wire is located, an upholstered covering is sewn or secured around the spring assembly and cushioning materials, thereby creating what is known in the industry as a one-sided or single-sided mattress.
Another form of spring assembly for use in a bedding or seating product comprises a plurality of longitudinally extending bands of springs disposed side-by-side and connected by helical lacing wires which extend transversely of the bands and embrace portions of the bands. One kind of band, which is the subject of British Patent No. 2,143,371, will hereinafter be referred to as a band of interlocked or interlaced springs. Each such band comprises a single length of spring wire shaped to form a plurality of individual coil springs arranged in a row, one end turn of each coil spring lying adjacent to a top face of the band and the other end turn of each coil spring lying adjacent to a bottom face of the band. Each coil spring has a central portion of a uniform diameter and is of a rotational hand opposite to the rotational hand of the adjacent coils immediately before and after it in the row and is joined to the adjacent coil springs by a plurality of innerconnecting segments of wire integral with the coil springs. One of the pair of innerconnecting segments is located in the bottom face of the band and the other of the pair of innerconnecting segments is located in the top face of the band. Each innerconnecting segment comprises a bridging portion between adjacent coils, which bridging portion extends lengthwise of the row.
When bands of interlocked springs of the type described hereinabove are assembled to form a spring interior, they are disposed side-by-side and interconnected with helical lacing wires, some of which lie in the top face of the spring interior and others of which lie in the bottom face of the spring interior. The top and bottom faces of the spring interior are the faces defined by the top and bottom faces of the bands of springs incorporated into the spring interior. Each helical lacing wire extends across the bands of springs and embraces portions of wires of the bands that extend transversely of the bands from the ends of the bridging portions of the innerconnecting segments. In the top and bottom faces of the spring interior, the helical lacing wires are disposed at uniform intervals along the bands of springs such that there are two coil springs disposed in the interval between each helical lacing wire and the next adjacent helical lacing wire.
It is customary for a bedding spring interior to be incorporated into an upholstered article. In such an article, at least one of the main faces of the spring interior is covered by a layer or layers of padding. This, in turn, is covered by a cover made of sheet material, such as ticking or upholstery fabric. U.S. Pat. No. 5,649,332 discloses such a product.
Historically, innersprings made of bands of continuous wire have consisted of cylindrical type coil springs with an even compression rate throughout most of the spring. It would be desirable to achieve a similar compression rate and feel with fewer coil springs or wire of a smaller gauge to reduce the amount of wire in the unit. It further would be desirable to prevent material, i.e., the padding on top of the innerspring from entering the barrel of the coil springs.
This invention comprises a bedding or seating product comprising a spring assembly, padding overlying the spring assembly and a fabric covering encasing the padding and spring assembly. The product has a longitudinal dimension and a transverse dimension, the longitudinal dimension usually being greater than the transverse dimension. However, the longitudinal and transverse dimensions may be the same.
The spring assembly has top and bottom main faces and comprises upper and lower generally rectangular border wires, each border wire having two parallel sides and two parallel ends. The spring assembly further comprises a plurality of generally parallel bands of springs. The bands may extend longitudinally or alternatively transversely. Each of the bands of springs comprises a single length of wire shaped to form a plurality of coil springs arranged in a row. Each of the coil springs has a central spiral portion defining a central spring axis and terminates at opposed ends with upper and lower end turns lying adjacent the top and bottom main faces of the spring assembly. Each of the coil springs is of a hand opposite to the hand of the adjacent coil springs of the same row and is interlaced with the adjacent coil springs of the same row. Each of the coil springs is joined to the adjacent coil springs by innerconnecting segments integral with the coil springs, one of the innerconnecting segments being located substantially in the top face of the band and the other of the innerconnecting segments being located substantially in the bottom face of the band. Each innerconnecting segment comprises a pair of offset bridging portions which extend lengthwise of the row and are connected to each other with a center portion. The bands are interconnected with helical lacing wires lying in the top and bottom main faces of the spring assembly and extending transversely across the bands. Each helical lacing wire encircles portions of the bands from the ends of the bridging portions thereof, two coil springs being in the interval between adjacent helical lacing wires in the same main face of the spring assembly.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the bedding or seating product comprises a spring assembly having top and bottom main faces and comprising a plurality of generally parallel bands of springs surrounded by upper and lower border wires. Each of the bands of springs comprises a single length of wire shaped to form a plurality of coil springs arranged in a row. Each of the coil springs has a central spiral portion defining a central spring axis and terminates at opposed ends with upper and lower end turns lying adjacent the top and bottom main faces of the spring assembly. Each of the coil springs is of a hand opposite to the hand of the adjacent coil springs of the same row and is interlaced with the adjacent coil springs of the same row. Each of the coil springs is joined to the adjacent coil springs by innerconnecting segments integral with the coil springs, one of the innerconnecting segments being located substantially in the top face of the band and the other of the innerconnecting segments being located substantially in the bottom face of the band. Each innerconnecting segment comprises a pair of end portions and a pair of offset bridging portions which extend lengthwise of the row and are connected to each other with a center portion parallel the end portions. The bands are interconnected with helical lacing wires lying in the top and bottom faces of the spring assembly and extending transversely across the bands. Each helical lacing wire encircles the end portions of the innerconnecting segments of the bands, two coil springs being in the interval between adjacent helical lacing wires in the same main face of the spring assembly.
Although several types of spring assemblies have been described, the spring assembly of this invention may be used in any bedding or seating product. For example, padding may be on both sides of any of the spring assemblies disclosed herein and encased by the fabric covering.
The objectives and features of the invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
Referring to the drawings and, particularly to
The mattress 10 comprises a spring core or spring assembly 12 comprising a plurality of parallel bands of springs 14 held together with helical lacing wires 16. The spring assembly 12 further comprises generally rectangular upper and lower border wires 17, 18, respectively. The upper border wire 17 is located generally in a top or upper main face 4 of the spring assembly 12, and the lower border wire 18 is located generally in a bottom or lower main face 6 of the spring assembly 12. See
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As shown in
Each coil spring 28 is joined to the adjacent coil springs 28 by two innerconnecting segments 44, 46 of the wire integral with the coil springs. One of the innerconnecting segments 44 is in the top face 40 of the band 14, and the other innerconnecting segment 46 is in the bottom face 42 of the band 14. For example, as shown in
Each innerconnecting segment 44, 46 comprises a pair of offset bridging portions 48 which extend lengthwise of the row 30 of coil springs 28 in a parallel manner, and a center portion 50 extending between the offset bridging portions 48 and two end portions 52 which extend parallel the center portion 50 and perpendicular to the offset bridging portions 48. The end portions 52 of each innerconnecting segment 44, 46 lie in the top and bottom faces 40, 42, respectively, of the band 14. Adjacent end portions 52 of adjacent innerconnecting segments 44, 46 are encircled by one of the helical lacing wires 16 which extend generally perpendicular to the direction of the bands 14 of springs. The helical lacing wires 16 are located generally in the top and bottom main faces 4, 6, respectively, of the spring assembly 12. The center portion 50 of each innerconnecting segment 44, 46 connects the two offset bridging portions 48 of each innerconnecting segment and is generally parallel the two end portions 52 of each innerconnecting segment.
Each of the innerconnecting segments 44, 46 of the band 14 of coil springs 28 is shaped or configured to provide a maximum amount of support to a person lying on top of the innerspring assembly 12. This configuration of the innerconnecting segments 44, 46 of the bands 14 helps prevent dimpling or indentations in the padding 20 formed from external pressure applied by a person lying or sitting on the mattress or product, thereby potentially causing the padding 20 to sink into the interior of the innerspring assembly 12.
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The spring assembly 12 of mattress 10 is generally manufactured by a supplier, who then ships it to an assembler. The assembler adds to the spring assembly 12 padding 20, and covers the components with upholstery 22 to make a completed product.
One advantage of the spring assembly and associated bedding or seating product, such as a mattress according to this invention, is that each of the bands of springs is uniquely configured to use fewer coils or smaller wire gauges to a similar compression rate and feel when compared to existing continuous wire units.
One of ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize that the alternative embodiments of the mattress shown and described herein are exemplary of a wide variety of alternative configurations that are readily possible within the scope of this invention.
From the above disclosure of the general principles of the present invention, and the preceding detailed description of at least one preferred embodiment, those skilled in the art will readily comprehend the various modifications to which this invention is susceptible. Therefore, we desire to be limited only by the scope of the following claims and equivalents thereof.