Stackable bedding foundation

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6578213
  • Patent Number
    6,578,213
  • Date Filed
    Thursday, August 9, 2001
    23 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, June 17, 2003
    21 years ago
Abstract
A nestably stackable assembly for use in a bedding foundation. The assembly has a rectangular border wire with parallel sides and ends. Transversely spaced, parallel and longitudinally extending support wires are connected at their ends to the border wire ends. The support wires are formed so as to be generally corrugated along their lengths with peaks and valleys. The peaks are flattened at their tops, and the flattened tops are generally coplanar with a plane defined by the border wire. The valleys are vertically displaced beneath and intermediate of the flattened tops. Longitudinally spaced and transversely extending, upper connector wires are connected to the sides of border wires, and the upper connector wires are connected along their lengths to the flattened tops of the peaks of the support wires. The valleys have flattened bottoms, and adjacent pairs of the flattened bottoms of the valley are interconnected by resilient connectors.
Description




FIELD OF THE INVENTION




This invention relates generally to bedding, and more particularly to an improved testable and stackable bedding foundation.




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




There is a continuing search for a higher quality, more durable mattress and box spring combination that has a longer service life and can be manufactured more efficiently and for less cost. One example of an improved box spring design is one in which the wire core assembly within the box spring is testable and stackable with other wire core assemblies. Such stackability substantially reduces the cost of storing and/or shipping numerous wire core assemblies.




In known box spring-mattress combinations, box springs are generally used to provide predominately static support for a mattress and user, and the mattress is used to provide most, if not all, of the resilient support for the user. For example, the mattress deforms and conforms to the load presented by the shape and weight of the user, and the mattress resiliently returns to its original shape when the load of the user is removed. The box spring usually experiences little, if any, deformation under the load of the user.




A common practice in the design of a box spring or mattress support is to attempt to match the resiliency characteristics of a box spring with the resiliency of a mattress to provide a more comfortable sleeping surface. Heretofore, that has been difficult to accomplish using a box spring which has a testable, stackable wire core assembly because of the limited flexibility of known nestably flexible box springs such as the one described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,361,434.




Consequently, there is a need for an improved box spring and particularly an improved testable, stackable box spring in which the resiliency and load bearing capability of the box spring can be better matched to the resiliency and load bearing capability of a mattress, thereby creating an improved mattress-box spring combination.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




The present invention provides an improved nestably stackable box spring that provides better support for a mattress. The box spring of the present invention has a resilient load bearing capability that can be advantageously matched to the resiliently load bearing capability of a mattress. Further, the resilient load bearing capability of the box spring of the present invention is especially useful in improving the edge load bearing capability of a mattress-box spring combination. Therefore, the box spring of the present invention provides a higher quality, more durable, testable, stackable box spring that is potentially more efficient to manufacture.




According to the principles of the present invention and in accordance with the described embodiment, the invention provides a nestably stackable assembly for use in a bedding foundation. The assembly has a rectangular border wire with parallel sides and ends. Transversely spaced, parallel and longitudinally extending support wires are connected at their ends to the border wire ends. The support wires are formed so as to be generally corrugated along their lengths with peaks and valleys. The peaks are flattened at their tops, and the flattened tops are generally coplanar with a plane defined by the border wire. The valleys are vertically displaced beneath and intermediate of said flattened tops. Longitudinally spaced and transversely extending, upper connector wires are connected to the sides of border wire, and the upper connector wires are connected along their lengths to the flattened tops of the peaks of the support wires. The valleys have flat bottoms, and adjacent pairs of the flat bottoms of the valley are interconnected by flexible connectors. The flexible connectors of the nestably stackable assembly are attached to a rigid, generally wooden, base of the bedding foundation.




In one aspect of the invention, the flexible connectors are resilient; and the bedding foundation resiliently absorbs loads in partnership with a mattress. Such a box spring construction is especially useful in providing additional support along the edges of the mattress.




These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent during the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings herein.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS




The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with a general description of the invention given above and the detailed description of the embodiments given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention.





FIG. 1

is a perspective view, partially broken away, of a bedding foundation assembly in accordance with the principles of the present invention.





FIG. 2

is a full perspective view of a flexible connector used in a wire core assembly of the bedding foundation of FIG.


1


.





FIG. 3

is a partial end view of the wire core assembly of the bedding foundation of FIG.


1


.





FIG. 4

is a partial perspective view of two wire core assemblies as shown in

FIG. 1

that are in the process of being stacked and nested for shipment.





FIG. 5

is a partial end view of two wire core assemblies as shown in

FIG. 1

that are fully stacked and nested for shipment.





FIG. 6A

is a side view of one alternative embodiment of the flexible connector used in the wire core assembly of the bedding foundation of FIG.


1


.





FIG. 6B

is a top view of the one alternative embodiment of the flexible connector illustrated in FIG.


6


A.





FIG. 7A

is a side view of another alternative embodiment of the flexible connector used in the wire core assembly of the bedding foundation of FIG.


1


.





FIG. 7B

is a top view of the other alternative embodiment of the flexible connector illustrated in FIG.


7


A.





FIG. 8A

is a side view of a further alternative embodiment of the flexible connector used in the wire core assembly of the bedding foundation of FIG.


1


.





FIG. 8B

is a top view of the further alternative embodiment of the flexible connector illustrated in FIG.


8


A.





FIG. 9A

is a side view of a still further alternative embodiment of the flexible connector used in the wire core assembly of the bedding foundation of FIG.


1


.





FIG. 9B

is a top view of the still further alternative embodiment of the flexible connector illustrated in FIG.


9


A.





FIG. 10A

is a side view of still another alternative embodiment of the flexible connector used in the wire core assembly of the bedding foundation of FIG.


1


.





FIG. 10B

is a top view of the still other alternative embodiment of the flexible connector illustrated in FIG.


10


A.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION




Referring to

FIG. 1

, a bedding foundation or box spring


1


is illustrated. The foundation


1


has a rectangular wooden base


2


comprised of a frame


7


on which are attached transverse wooden slats


3


. Atop these transverse slats


3


is the nestably stackable wire core assembly


4


. A foam pad


5


overlies the wire core assembly


4


, and a fabric covering


6


overlies the foam pad


5


and surrounds the wire core assembly


4


and the base


2


.




The wire core assembly


4


comprises a rectangular steel border wire


10


having two parallel sides


11


,


11


extending over the length of the assembly


4


. Two parallel ends extend over the width of the assembly


4


, and one end is shown at


12


. Steel support wires


13


are spaced across the width of the assembly


4


and extend over the length of the assembly


4


parallel to the border wire sides


11


,


11


. The steel support wires


13


have ends


14


that are crimped or wrapped around each of the ends


12


of the border wire


10


. The support wires


13


are formed so as to be generally corrugatedly-shaped along their lengths, having peaks


15


and valleys


16


. These peaks


15


and valleys


16


have respective flattened tops and bottoms


17


,


18


, respectively. The flattened tops


17


of the peaks


15


are generally coplanar with the plane defined by the border wire


10


, and the flattened bottoms


18


of the valleys


16


are vertically spaced beneath and intermediate the flattened tops


17


of the peaks


15


.




Steel upper connector wires


19


are spaced along the length of the wire core assembly


4


and extend over the width of the assembly


4


parallel to each of the border wire ends


12


. The steel upper connector wires


19


have ends


20


which are crimped or wrapped around sides


11


,


11


of the border wire


10


. The upper connector wires


19


are welded intermediate of their ends along their lengths to the flattened tops


17


of the peaks


15


of the support wires


13


.




If desired, continuous longitudinal wires


31


may be added either before or after the stackable assembly


4


has reached its final assembly destination. The longitudinal wires


31


have their ends


32


crimped around respective ones of the border wire ends


12


. The wires


31


may be welded along their lengths to the upper connector wires


19


as desired. The wires


31


provide additional stiffness to the stackable assembly


4


at the ends of the assembly


4


so as to prevent the ends


12


of the border wire


10


from deflecting and permanently distorting when a person sits on the end of a bed which is supported by the foundation


1


.




In this embodiment, the upper connector wires


19


are welded intermediate of their ends along their lengths to the underneath sides of the flattened tops


17


of the peaks


15


of the support wires


13


. This allows the longitudinal wires


31


to rest atop and be generally coplanar with the flattened tops


17


of the peaks


15


.




Referring to

FIG. 1

, adjacent pairs of the flattened bottoms


18


of the valleys


16


extending laterally between the sides


11


are connected by flexible, arcuate connectors


33


. The connectors


33


are attached to the transverse cross slats


3


by a staple or other fastener


34


that is applied at about the center of each connector


33


where it contacts a respective transverse slat


3


.




Referring to

FIGS. 2 and 3

, each connector


33


has a body


40


with a generally C-shaped side profile and a generally U-shaped cross-sectional profile transverse to its length. The body


40


has a bottom wall


41


and opposed side walls


42


. The body


40


has a center section


47


that is attached to the base


2


with a staple or other fastener


34


. Opposed arm sections


48


extend upward and outward from the center section


47


, and the opposed arm sections


48


terminate with clip sections


35


. Each clip section


35


has a substantially circular hole


37


extending longitudinally through the clip section. The clip hole


37


is sized to receive a wire forming a flattened bottom


18


of a valley


16


as shown in FIG.


1


. The hole


37


in each clip section


35


opens up on one side to form a slot or mouth


38


. The slot


38


has side walls that are separated by a distance that is slightly smaller than the diameter of the hole


37


; and thus, the hole


37


and mouth


38


are generally keyhole shaped. As shown in

FIG. 3

, each clip section


35


is attached to a flattened bottom


18


by pressing the slot


38


over the flattened bottom


18


until the slot


38


spreads sufficiently to permit the flattened bottom


18


to snap into the hole


37


. The smaller size of the slot


38


effectively locks the end


36


of the connector


33


onto the flattened bottom


18


of the valley


16


.




The connector


33


is resilient and functions as a spring that adds about 1.00 inch to the height or thickness of the finished foundation


1


. The connector


33


normally has a working deflection of about 0.75 inch. The resilient spring connector


33


is made of any material that provides a desired spring constant of, for example, about 1.1 Kg/mm and a full deflection force of, for example, about 21-42 Kg at 19 mm full deflection. Examples of such materials are a natural polypropylene or a “BAYPOLENE” 5072.




In use, the wire core assembly


4


of the bedding foundation


1


is often manufactured by a supplier, who then ships it to an assembler. The assembler mounts the wire core assembly


4


on a wooden base


2


and slats


3


and adds padding


5


and upholstery


6


to make a completed foundation product


1


. With reference to

FIG. 4

, a first stackable wire core assembly


4




a


may be attached, for example, with staples


34




a


, to a surface such as transverse slats


3




a


. In

FIG. 4

as well as other FIGS., like numbered elements with those in

FIGS. 1 and 2

are substantially identical to the elements illustrated in

FIGS. 1 and 2

. The connectors


33




a


are oriented downwardly and the flattened peaks


17




a


of the support wires


13




a


are oriented upwardly. Next, a second wire core assembly


4




b


is placed atop the first assembly


4




a


, with its connectors


33




b


and flattened support wire peaks


17




b


likewise oriented downwardly and upwardly, respectively. The connectors


33




b


and flattened valleys


18




b


of the second assembly


4




b


enter into the voids between the flattened peaks


17




a


of the first assembly


4




a


. The second assembly


4




b


nestles downwardly within the first assembly


4




a


until the ends


36




b


of the connectors


33




b


contact the ends


36




a


of the connectors


33




a


as shown in FIG.


4


. Referring to

FIG. 5

, for optimum stacking, the distance separating the centerlines of the holes


37




a


,


37




b


in the respective clip sections


35




a


,


35




b


is about 10 mm. When the second wire core assembly


4




b


is fully nested or stacked within the first wire core assembly


4




a


, the overall height of the nested assemblies


4




a


,


4




b


is substantially less than the sum of the heights of the individual assemblies


4




a


,


4




b


. Any number of assemblies


4


may be nested and stacked together for storage or shipment.




Thus, the flexible, resilient connectors


33


are interposed between a lowermost portion of the wire core assembly


4


and the base or frame


2


,


3


of the box spring or foundation


1


. The connectors


33


give the box spring a resilient load bearing capability that can be advantageously matched to the resilient load bearing capability of a mattress (not shown). With the resilient connectors


33


, the box spring


1


resiliently absorbs the load of the user in partnership with the mattress. A box spring


1


having the resilient connectors


33


is especially useful in providing additional edge support when the mattress-box spring combination is subjected to loading, for example, when the user sits on the edge of the mattress. Therefore, the box spring construction described herein provides a higher quality, more durable mattress-box spring combination that is potentially more efficient to manufacture.




While the invention has been illustrated by the description of one embodiment, and while the embodiment has been described in considerable detail, there is no intention to restrict nor in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those who are skilled in the art. For example, one embodiment of a connector


33


for resiliently supporting the wire core assembly


4


is shown in FIG.


2


. As will be appreciated, such a connector can have many different configurations and shapes. Examples of alternative configurations and shapes of the connector


33


are shown in

FIGS. 6-9

.




One alternative embodiment is illustrated in

FIGS. 6A and 6B

in which a connector


33




a


has a body


40




a


with a generally C-shaped side profile and a center section


47




a


that is attached to the base


2


with a staple or other fastener


34


. Opposed arm sections


48




a


extend upward and outward from the center section


47




a,


and the opposed arm sections


48




a


terminate with clip sections


39




a.


Referring to

FIG. 6B

, the center section


47




a


is comprised of a center torsion bar


50


. Each of the opposed arm sections


48




a


is comprised of a connecting arm


51


that is connected at a substantially right angle to one end of an end section


52


. An opposite end of the connecting arm


51


is connected at a substantially right angle to one end of the torsion bar


50


. The end sections


52


are substantially parallel to the center torsion bar


50


, and the body


40




a


has a generally S-shape. The clip sections


39




a


are mounted on end sections


52


of the body


40




a.


Further, depending on the application, the clip sections


39




a


may be adhered, bonded, mechanically fastened to or otherwise appropriately secured to the end sections


52


as required. The body


40




a


may be made from conventional spring wire or other material that provides the desired resilient or spring properties to the body


40




a.


The clip section


39




a


can be molded from plastic or other material or manufactured by any other appropriate process. Other than the portion for mounting the clip section


39




a


to the end section


52


, the clip section


39




a


can be substantially identical in size and shape to the clip section


35


described with respect to FIG.


2


.




Another alternative embodiment is illustrated in

FIGS. 7A and 7B

in which a connector


33




b


has a body


40




b


with a generally C-shaped side profile and a center section


47




b


that is attached to the base


2


with a staple or other fastener


34


. Opposed arm sections


48




b


extend upward and outward from the center section


47




b,


and the opposed arm sections


48




b


terminate with clip sections


39




b.


Referring to

FIG. 7B

, the center section


47




b


is comprised of a center torsion bar


53


. Each of the opposed arm sections


48




b


is comprised of a connecting arm


54


that is connected at an angle to one end of an end section


55


. An opposite end of the connecting arm


54


is connected at an angle to one end of the torsion bar


53


. The end sections


55


are substantially parallel to the center torsion bar


53


, and the center torsion bar


53


forms a Z-shape with each of the connecting arms


54


and associated end sections


55


. The clip sections


39




b


are mounted on end sections


55


of the body


40




b.


Further, depending on the application, the clip sections


39




b


may be adhered, bonded, mechanically fastened to or otherwise appropriately secured to the end sections


55


as required. The body


40




b


may be made from conventional spring wire or other material that provides the desired resilient or spring properties to the body


40




b


. The clip section


39




b


can be molded from plastic or other material or manufactured by any other appropriate process. Other than the portion for mounting the clip section


39




b


to the end section


55


, the clip section


39




b


is substantially identical in size and shape to the clip section


35


described with respect to FIG.


2


.




A further alternative embodiment is illustrated in

FIGS. 8A and 8B

in which a connector


33




c


has a body


40




c


with a generally C-shaped side profile and a center section


47




c


that is attached to the base


2


with a staple or other fastener


34


. Opposed arm sections


48




c


extend upward and outward from the center section


47




c,


and the opposed arm sections


48




c


terminate with clip sections


39




c.


Referring to

FIG. 8B

, the center section


47




c


is comprised of a center torsion bar


56


. Each of the opposed arm sections


48




a


is comprised of a first and second connecting arms


57


,


59


, respectively, outer torsion bars


58


and end sections


60


. The first connecting arms


57


are connected at substantially right angles between the ends of the center torsion bar


56


and the ends of outer torsion bars


58


. Second connecting arms


59


are connected at substantially right angles between the ends of the outer torsion bars


58


and end sections


60


. The center torsion bar


56


, outer torsion bars


58


and end sections


60


are substantially parallel; and the first connecting arms


57


are substantially parallel to the second connecting arms


59


. The clip sections


39




c


are mounted on end sections


60


of the body


40




c.


Further, depending on the application, the clip sections


39




c


may be adhered, bonded, mechanically fastened to or otherwise appropriately secured to the end sections


60


as required. The body


40




c


may be made from conventional spring wire or other material that provides the desired resilient or spring properties to the body


40




c.


The clip section


39




c


can be molded from plastic or other material or manufactured by any other appropriate process. Other than the portion for mounting the clip section


39




c


to the end section


60


, the clip section


39




c


is substantially identical in size and shape to the clip section


35


described with respect to FIG.


2


.




A still further alternative embodiment is illustrated in

FIGS. 9A and 9B

in which a connector


33




d


has a body


40




d


with a generally C-shaped side profile and a center section


47




d


that is attached to the base


2


with a staple or other fastener


34


. Opposed arm sections


48




d


extend upward and outward from the center section


47




d,


and the opposed arm sections


48




d


terminate with clip sections


39




d.


Referring to

FIG. 9B

, the center section


47




d


is comprised of a center torsion bar


63


. Each of the opposed arm sections


48




d


is sinuous and comprised of with a plurality of semicircular connecting arm sections


61


interconnecting a plurality of torsion bars


62


. Each arm section


48




d


terminates with end sections


64


. The clip sections


39




d


are mounted on end sections


64


. Further, depending on the application, the clip sections


39




d


may be adhered, bonded, mechanically fastened to or otherwise appropriately secured to the end sections


64


as required. The body


40




d


may be made from conventional spring wire or other material that provides the desired resilient or spring properties to the body


40




d.


The clip section


39




d


can be molded from plastic or other material or manufactured by any other appropriate process. Other than the portion for mounting the clip section


39




d


to the end section


64


, the clip section


39




d


is substantially identical in size and shape to the clip section


35


described with respect to FIG.


2


.




Still another alternative embodiment is illustrated in

FIGS. 10A and 10B

in which a connector


33




e


has a body


40




e


with a generally C-shaped side profile and a center section


47




e


that is attached to the base


2


with a staple or other fastener


34


. Opposed arm sections


48




e


extend upward and outward from about their center, and the opposed arm sections


48




e


terminate with clip sections


39




e.


Referring to

FIG. 10B

, each of the opposed arm sections


48




e


is comprised of a pair of parallel arms


65


,


66


that are connected at one end by an end


67


. Thus, the arms


65


,


66


and end


67


have a generally U-shaped configuration. Further, the ends of each of the arm sections


48




a,




48




a


are connected such that the arm sections


48




a,




48




a


are configured for form a quadrilateral shape, for example, a rectangle. The clip sections


39




e


are mounted on ends


67


. Further, depending on the application, the clip sections


39




e


may be adhered, bonded, mechanically fastened to or otherwise appropriately secured to the ends


67


as required. The body


40




e


may be made from conventional spring wire or other material that provides the desired resilient or spring properties to the body


40




e.


The clip sections


39




e


can be molded from plastic or other material or manufactured by any other appropriate process. Other than the portion for mounting the clip section


39




e


to the ends


67


, the clip section


39




e


is substantially identical in size and shape to the clip section


35


described with respect to FIG.


2


.




The above-described embodiments are exemplary, and the connector


33


can have any configuration and shape and be made from any material that provides the connector


33


with the desired resilient load bearing support of the wire core assembly


4


of the foundation


1


. Further, while several variations of clips designs have been illustrated and described, as will be appreciated, other clip designs may be used that perform the desired function of connecting the connectors


33


to the bottoms


18


of the support wires


13


.




Therefore, the invention in its broadest aspects is not limited to the specific details shown and described. Consequently, departures may be made from the details described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims which follow.



Claims
  • 1. A nestably stackable assembly for use in a bedding foundation comprising:a rectangular border wire having two parallel sides and two parallel ends, transversely spaced, parallel and longitudinally extending support wires parallel to said border wire sides and having ends connected to said border wire ends, said support wires being formed so as to be generally corrugated along their lengths, said corrugatedly formed support wires having peaks and valleys, said peaks being flattened at their tops, said flattened peaks being generally coplanar with a plane defined by said border wire, said valleys being vertically displaced beneath and intermediate of said flattened peaks, longitudinally spaced, parallel and transversely extending upper connector wires parallel to said border wire ends and having ends connected to said border wire sides, said upper connector wires being connected intermediate of their ends along their lengths to said flattened peaks of said support wires, and the improvement wherein adjacent valleys of a common support wire are interconnected by flexible curvilinear connectors, such that said valleys are adapted to be nestably stackable with valleys of support wires of an assembly having an identical construction.
  • 2. The nestably stackable assembly of claim 1 wherein each of said flexible connectors comprises:one end connected to one of said valleys of a support wire, another end connected to a valley of an adjacent support wire, and each of said connectors having an intermediate section located beneath said ends of said connectors, said intermediate section being adapted to be connected to a rigid base of a bedding foundation.
  • 3. The nestably stackable assembly of claim 2 wherein each of said flexible connectors comprises opposite ends terminating with clip sections for attaching said opposite ends of said flexible connector to said valleys of adjacent support wires.
  • 4. The nestably stackable assembly of claim 3 wherein each of said flexible connectors comprises:a center section; arm sections extending upward and outward from opposite sides of said center section, said center section and arms providing said flexible connector with a generally C-shaped side profile.
  • 5. The nestably stackable assembly of claim 4 wherein each of said flexible connectors is made of a resilient material.
  • 6. The nestably stackable assembly of claim 5 wherein each of said flexible connectors comprises a generally U-shaped cross-sectional profile transverse to its length and is molded as a unitary part with said clip sections.
  • 7. The nestably stackable assembly of claim 5 wherein each of said flexible connectors is made from a resilient, sinuous wire.
  • 8. The nestably stackable assembly of claim 7 wherein each of said flexible connectors further comprises:a plurality of torsion bars; two end sections; and a plurality of connecting arm sections, said plurality of torsion bars and said end sections being interconnected by said connecting arm sections.
  • 9. The nestably stackable assembly of claim 8 wherein said connecting arm sections are connected to said torsion bars and said end sections at substantially right angles.
  • 10. The nestably stackable assembly of claim 8 wherein each of said connecting arm sections is substantially semicircular.
  • 11. The nestably stackable assembly of claim 3 wherein each of said flexible connectors comprises:a pair of generally C-shaped arm sections; and a pair of end sections, the end sections having ends connected to ends of respective pairs of arm sections to form a generally rectangular shaped flexible connector.
  • 12. The nestably stackable assembly of claim 11 wherein each of said flexible connectors is made of a resilient material.
  • 13. The nestably stackable assembly of claim 12 wherein each of said flexible connectors is made from a resilient wire.
  • 14. A nestably stackable assembly for use in a bedding foundation comprising:a rectangular border wire having two parallel sides and two parallel ends, transversely spaced, parallel and longitudinaly extending support wires parallel to said border wire sides and having ends connected to said border wire ends, said support wires being formed so as to be generally corrugated along their lengths, said corrugatedly formed support wires having peaks and valleys, said peaks being flattened at their tops, said flattened peaks being generally coplanar with a plane defined by said border wire, said valleys being vertically displaced beneath and intermediate of said flattened peaks, longitudinally spaced, parallel and transversely extending upper connector wires parallel to said border wire ends and having ends connected to said border wire sides, said upper connector wires being connected intermediate of their ends along their lengths to said flattened peaks of said support wires, and a plurality of nonlinear connectors, each connector comprising a center torsion bar; two arm sections, each arm section connected at one end to one end of said center torsion bar; and two end sections, each end section connected to an opposite end of one of said arm sections.
  • 15. The nestably stackable assembly of claim 14 wherein said center torsion bar, arm sections and end sections are made from a continuous piece of wire.
  • 16. The nestably stackable assembly of claim 15 wherein each of said arm sections is connected diagonally between one end of said center torsion bar and one end of one of said arm sections, and said torsion bar and said end sections are parallel.
  • 17. The nestably stackable assembly of claim 14 wherein said arm sections are connected at substantially right angles to said center torsion bar and said end sections are connected at substantially right angles to said arm sections.
  • 18. A bedding foundation comprising:a base; a nestably stackable assembly comprising: a rectangular border wire having two parallel sides and two parallel ends, transversely spaced, parallel and longitudinally extending support wires parallel to said border wire sides and having ends connected to said border wire ends, said support wires being formed so as to be generally corrugated along their lengths, said corrugatedly formed support wires having peaks and valleys, said peaks being flattened at their tops, said flattened peaks being generally coplanar with a plane defined by said border wire, said valleys being vertically displaced beneath and intermediate of said flattened peaks, longitudinally spaced, parallel and transversely extending upper connector wires parallel to said border wire ends and having ends connected to said border wire sides, said upper connector wires being connected intermediate of their ends along their lengths to said flattened peaks of said support wires, and flexible connectors interconnecting said valleys of adjacent pairs of support wires and elevating said valleys above the base, a plurality of the flexible connectors being attached to the base; and a covering disposed around the a nestably stackable assembly.
  • 19. The bedding foundation of claim 18 wherein the flexible connectors are made of a resilient material.
  • 20. A nestably stackable assembly for use in a bedding foundation comprising:a rectangular border wire having two parallel sides and two parallel ends; transversely spaced, parallel and longitudinally extending support wires parallel to the border wire sides and having ends connected to the border wire ends, the support wires being formed so as to be generally corrugated along their lengths, the corrugatedly formed support wires having peaks and valleys, the peaks being flattened at their tops, the flattened peaks being generally coplanar with a plane defined by the border wire, the valleys being vertically displaced beneath and intermediate of the flattened peaks; longitudinally spaced, parallel and transversely extending upper connector wires parallel to the border wire ends and having ends connected to the border wire sides, the upper connector wires being connected intermediate of their ends along their lengths to the flattened peaks of the support wires; and a plurality of connectors, each of the connectors comprising two opposed ends, each end being attached to a different one of two adjacent valleys, and a curvilinear intermediate section between the opposed ends extending downward away from and elevating the valleys, the intermediate section adapted to add height to the bedding foundation.
  • 21. A nestably stackable assembly for use in a bedding foundation comprising:a rectangular border wire having two parallel sides and two parallel ends; transversely spaced, parallel and longitudinally extending support wires parallel to the border wire sides and having ends connected to the border wire ends, the support wires being formed so as to be generally corrugated along their lengths, the corrugatedly formed support wires having peaks and valleys, the peaks being flattened at their tops, the flattened peaks being generally coplanar with a plane defined by the border wire, the valleys being vertically displaced beneath and intermediate of the flattened peaks; longitudinally spaced, parallel and transversely extending upper connector wires parallel to the border wire ends and having ends connected to the border wire sides, the upper connector wires being connected intermediate of their ends along their lengths to the flattened peaks of the support wires; and a plurality of connectors, each of the connectors comprising two opposed ends, each end being nonrigidly attached to a different one of two transversely extending adjacent valleys.
  • 22. A nestably stackable assembly for use in a bedding foundation comprising:a rectangular border wire having two parallel sides and two parallel ends; transversely spaced, parallel and longitudinally extending support wires parallel to the border wire sides and having ends connected to the border wire ends, the support wires being formed so as to be generally corrugated along their lengths, the corrugatedly formed support wires having peaks and valleys; the peaks being flattened at their tops, the flattened peaks being generally coplanar with a plane defined by the border wire, the valleys being vertically displaced beneath and intermediate of the flattened peaks; longitudinally spaced, parallel and transversely extending upper connector wires parallel to the border wire ends and having ends connected to the border wire sides, the upper connector wires being connected intermediate of their ends along their lengths to the flattened peaks of the support wires; and a plurality of connectors, each of the connectors comprising two opposed ends, each end being removably attached to a different one of two transversely extending adjacent valleys.
  • 23. A nestably stackable assembly for use in a bedding foundation comprising:a rectangular border wire having two parallel sides and two parallel ends; transversely spaced, parallel and longitudinally extending support wires parallel to the border wire sides and having ends connected to the border wire ends, the support wires being formed so as to be generally corrugated along their lengths, the corrugatedly formed support wires having peaks and valleys; the peaks being flattened at their tops, the flattened peaks being generally coplanar with a plane defined by the border wire, the valleys being vertically displaced beneath and intermediate of the flattened peaks; longitudinally spaced, parallel and transversely extending upper connector wires parallel to the border wire ends and having ends connected to the border wire sides, the upper connector wires being connected intermediate of their ends along their lengths to the flattened peaks of the support wires; and a plurality of resilient connectors, each of the connectors being connected to a pair of adjacent valleys, and the connectors not connecting adjacent pairs of adjacent valleys.
  • 24. A nestably stackable assembly for use in a bedding foundation comprising:a rectangular border wire having two parallel sides and two parallel ends; transversely spaced, parallel and longitudinally extending support wires parallel to the border wire sides and having ends connected to the border wire ends, the support wires being formed so as to be generally corrugated along their lengths, the corrugatedly formed support wires having peaks and valleys, the peaks being flattened at their tops, the flattened peaks being generally coplanar with a plane defined by the border wire, the valleys being vertically displaced beneath and intermediate of the flattened peaks; longitudinally spaced, parallel and transversely extending first upper connector wires parallel to the border wire ends and having ends connected to the border wire sides, the first upper connector wires being connected intermediate of their ends along their lengths to the flattened peaks of the support wires; transversely spaced, parallel and longitudinally extending second upper connector wires parallel to the border wire sides and having ends connected to the border wire ends; and a plurality of curvilinear resilient connectors, each of the connectors being connected to a pair of adjacent valleys.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/254,122 filed Dec. 8, 2000 entitled “Stackable Bedding Foundation.”

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Provisional Applications (1)
Number Date Country
60/254122 Dec 2000 US