Reinforcement straps for bed assembly with encased coils

Abstract

An encased coil bed assembly includes a plurality of rows of coil springs enclosed within fabric pockets and sandwiched between felt mat layers. The felt mat layers are connected about their periphery to border rods by a plurality of hog rings. The fabric material is glued together and hog-ringed to the border rods. A plurality of reinforcement straps are provided across the bed between border rods to provide added support to prevent bowing of the bed.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/232,266, filed Sep. 14, 2000.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present invention relates to a bed with encased coils and having a plurality of reinforcement straps extending between border rods at opposing sides of the bed.

BACKGROUND ART

[0003] Prior art bed assemblies typically include a plurality of coiled springs positioned within a border rod frame and interconnected for support in a vertical orientation.

[0004] Traditionally, adjacent rows of such coiled springs have been directly connected together, however this direct connection detracts from the ability of the spring assembly to conform to the body contours of a person reposed upon a mattress employing such a spring assembly.

[0005] So-called “pocketed coils” or “encased coils” were developed to address this problem. The term “pocketed coils” refers to bed assemblies with each spring coil enclosed in a fabric pocket or in a fabric strip which forms a plurality of pockets. One of the early pocketed coil assemblies is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,234,984, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. This patent provided a system and method for maintaining assemblies of pocketed spring coils in a square array without the direct inter-coil fasteners common in the prior art, thereby enhancing the ability of the spring coils to conform to the body contours of a person thereon. The system of the '984 patent contemplated the interconnection of adjacent pocketed strips by connecting the fabric strips together between springs, rather than by connecting the springs, so that, in effect, the interconnection of any spring with its adjacent springs in both of the perpendicular rows of which it is a part is accomplished in the same fashion, i.e., by the material of the pocket in which the spring is housed.

[0006] An example of such a prior art bed assembly 10 is shown in FIG. 1. As shown, a plurality of rows of coils 12 are shown pocketed within a fabric pocket material 14. The fabric 14 is glued together between adjacent rows (as opposed to the traditional direct attachment of adjacent springs). The fabric pocket material 14 is connected at opposing ends by hog rings to border rods 18,20.

[0007] FIG. 1 also shows two open spring assemblies 26. In the spring assemblies 26, the fabric pocket material 14 is shown cut-away to expose the coil 12 therein.

[0008] A major problem with the above-described prior art bed assembly 10 is that, along the sides of the bed assembly 10, the border rods 18,20 and encased coils 12 tend to bow outwardly. This bowing occurs when the beds are in use, or when the beds are stacked vertically in a warehouse. The bowing is primarily a result of glue breakage between adjacent pocket fabrics 14.

[0009] This bowing results in a considerable number of customer returns, which, of course, is highly undesirable.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

[0010] The present invention overcomes the above-referenced shortcomings of prior art pocketed coil or encased coil bed assemblies by providing at least one reinforcement strap across the bed between border rods to provide the added support needed to prevent bowing of the bed.

[0011] Preferably, three eight-inch flange cloths are attached across the top and bottom of the bed (when in the use position) between border rods. The flange cloths are preferably a non-woven fabric with high tensile strength. The non-woven fabric is hog-ringed to the border rods at opposing ends.

[0012] Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide an improved encased coil bed assembly which eliminates bowing along opposing edges of the bed assembly.

[0013] The above object and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention are readily apparent from the following detailed description of the best mode for carrying out the invention when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0014] FIG. 1 shows a partially cut-away perspective view of a prior art bed assembly;

[0015] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a bed assembly in accordance with the present invention;

[0016] FIG. 3 shows an enlarged partial perspective view of the bed assembly of FIG. 2; and

[0017] FIG. 4 shows a plan view of the bed assembly of FIG. 3, with the felt mat layer removed.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0018] Referring to FIGS. 2-4, a bed assembly 100 is shown in accordance with the present invention. The bed assembly 100 includes a plurality of rows of encased coils 112, which are encased within a fabric pocket material 114. The fabric pocket material of adjacent rows is glued together. A felt mat layer (or “SCRIM”) 116 is provided on the top and bottom of the bed assembly 100, and each felt mat layer 116 is connected about its periphery to a respective one of the upper and lower border rods 118,120.

[0019] The felt mat layers 116 are connected to the respective border rods 118,120 by the hog rings 122. Alternatively, the attachment could be made by O-rings, C-shaped rings, or any other known attachment. The hog rings 122 also secure the outer rows of coil springs to the border rods 118,120.

[0020] The encased coil springs 112 are preferably heat-tempered steel, which are electronically tempered to 600° F., which provides improved “shape memory.” Shape memory is the propensity of a component to return to a previous equilibrium or uncompressed configuration after being compressed, stretched or distorted. The coils 112 and fabric pocket material 114 are available from Barber Manufacturing Company of Anderson, Indiana or Leggett and Platt of Carthage, Mo.

[0021] The present invention is particularly characterized by the reinforcement straps 130,132,134 which are connected across the upper border rod 118 between opposing edges of the bed assembly 100 by hog rings 136 to prevent bowing of the bed assembly 100. Three similar reinforcement straps are attached across the lower border rod 120 on the bottom of the bed assembly also.

[0022] The reinforcement straps 130,132,134 are preferably flange cloth material, such as the eight-inch wide flange cloths available from Hanes Corporation of Conover, N.C. This flange cloth is a soft, non-woven fabric with high tensile strength, which allows it to be hog ringed to the border rods 118,120 without tearing.

[0023] The flange cloths 130,132,134 have proven highly effective in eliminating bowing of the bed assembly 100. Of course, the reinforcement straps 130,132,134 could be manufactured of any durable material having a high tensile strength which does not adversely affect bed comfort.

[0024] As shown cut-away in FIG. 2, upholstery layer(s) 117 are applied over the felt mat layers 116 and straps 130,132 and 134. A quilting layer is then applied over the upholstery layer 117.

[0025] An alternative method of connecting rows of encased or “pocketed” coils is to not join the coils together on the sides (using glue) but rather to hold the rows of coils together by “sandwiching” them between two pieces of fabric. The fabric is attached to the coils with a glue adhesive, thus holding the coils in place. A heavy-gauge, one-piece rectangular-shape border rod is then attached to the perimeter coils of the encased coil assembly, using hog-rings. These so-called encased coil spring units are available from the aforementioned Leggett & Platt or Barber Manufacturing. The reinforcement straps are then attached across the border rods.

[0026] While the best mode for carrying out the invention has been described in detail, those familiar with the art to which this invention relates will recognize various alternative designs and embodiments for practicing the invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention defined herein.

Claims

1. An encased coil bed assembly comprising:

a plurality of rows of coil springs enclosed within corresponding pockets of a fabric material;

upper and lower border rods defining the outer periphery of the bed assembly;

said fabric material being secured to the border rods; and

a plurality of reinforcement straps secured across the upper border rods and across the lower border rods to provide lateral support to prevent bowing of the bed assembly.

2. The encased coil bed assembly of claim 1, wherein said reinforcement straps comprise a non-woven fabric material to provide high tensile strength.

3. The encased coil bed assembly of claim 2, wherein said non-woven fabric comprises a flange cloth material.

4. The encased coil bed assembly of claim 1, wherein said upper and lower border rods are each formed in a substantially rectangular configuration.

5. The encased coil bed assembly of claim 1, wherein said reinforcement straps a re attached to the respective upper and lower border rods by hog rings.

6. The encased coil bed assembly of claim 1, further comprising upper and lower felt mat layers secured about their peripheral edges to the respective upper and lower border rods.

7. The encased coil bed assembly of claim 3, wherein each said flange cloth is approximately eight inches wide.

8. An encased coil bed assembly comprising:

a plurality of rows of coil springs enclosed within corresponding fabric pockets;

upper and lower border rods each formed in a substantially rectangular configuration to define the outer periphery of the bed assembly; and

at least one upper reinforcement strap secured across the upper border rod and at least one lower reinforcement strap secured across the lower border rod, said upper and lower reinforcement straps comprising a soft, non-stretchable material.

9. The encased coil bed assembly of claim 8, wherein said soft, non-stretchable material comprises a non-woven fabric.

10. The encased coil bed assembly of claim 9, wherein said non-woven fabric comprises a flange cloth.

11. The encased coil bed assembly of claim 8, wherein adjacent rows of said fabric pockets are glued together.

12. The encased coil bed assembly of claim 8, wherein said reinforcement straps are attached to the respective upper and lower border rods by hog rings.

13. The encased coil bed assembly of claim 8, further comprising upper and lower felt mat layers secured about their peripheral edges to the respective upper and lower border rods.

14. The encased coil bed assembly of claim 10, wherein each said flange cloth is approximately eight inches wide.

15. A method of manufacturing an encased coil bed assembly comprising:

providing a plurality of rows of coil springs enclosed within corresponding pockets of a fabric material which is secured to upper and lower border rods defining the outer periphery of the bed assembly; and

attaching a plurality of non-woven fabric straps across the upper border rods and across the lower border rods to provide lateral support to prevent bowing of the bed assembly.