Abstract: The invention relates to a spring pre-assembly for a mattress foundation unit having a wooden base, a plurality of spring units and a mattress supporting wire grid that is supported above the wooden base by the spring units. The spring pre-assembly comprises a plurality of spring units connected to a wire grid consisting of a plurality of grid wire pairs arranged orthogonally to one another. The spring units include a base portion, a pair of divergently extending leg portions and a pair of engagement portions extending in opposite directions from the distal ends of the leg portions. The engagement portions can be engaged with adjacent grid wire pairs, the resulting arrangement being such that the spring units are pre-stressed.

Abstract: A presently-preferred electrical connector comprises an electrically insulative base member having a first surface, a substantially planar second surface, and a plurality of stud members projecting from the second surface. The base member has a plurality of through holes formed therein. The through holes each extend from the first surface to a respective stud member. At least a portion of each of the stud members is coated with an electrically conductive material. The electrical connector also comprises an electrically-insulative plate member mounted on the base member, and a conducting member. The conducting member comprises a lead portion at least partially disposed within the plate member, and a contact portion at least partially disposed within the stud member.

Abstract: The invention relates to a spring pre-assembly for a mattress foundation unit having a wooden base, a plurality of spring units and a mattress supporting wire grid that is supported above the wooden base by the spring units. The spring pre-assembly comprises a plurality of spring units connected to a wire grid consisting of a plurality of grid wire pairs arranged orthogonally to one another. The spring units include a base portion, a pair of divergently extending leg portions and a pair of engagement portions extending in opposite directions from the distal ends of the leg portions. The engagement portions can be engaged with adjacent grid wire pairs, the resulting arrangement being such that the spring units are pre-stressed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a modular spring for a mattress foundation unit having a wooden base a plurality of modular springs and a mattress supporting wire grid that is supported above the wooden base by the modular springs. The modular spring comprises a planar top portion which can be attached to the wire grid, four straight legs and each leg terminating in a transverse foot portion. The top portion includes four partially curved spaced apart members. The legs extend downwardly from the top portion in an obtuse angular relation to the top portion and each leg interlinks two adjacent partially curved members.

Abstract: A novel dialogue design system is provided for creating dialogue applications of the type understood and used by automatic speech recognition systems. The dialogue design system is loaded into a computer having a display and a control keyboard and comprises a novel Dialogue Assistant (DA). The DA is controlled from the keyboard and comprises a navigator screen for defining and connecting compartments of the dialogue application. Each said compartment of a dialogue application is provided with an associated design and editing screen which enables the designer to create, build and edit compartments with associated sounds and variables. Compartments or parts of the dialogue may be played back or used in an actual or simulated environment until the application is proven and ready for use. The dialogue flow may be converted into a machine readable code used by interactive voice response systems with a minimum requirement for manual or machine software implementation.