Posturized bedding or seating product incorporating Bonnell coil springs with tapered middle portions
A posturized bedding or seating product is provided comprising a spring assembly made up of a plurality of parallel rows and columns of coil springs joined to each other. Each coil spring comprises a pair of knotted end turns with a plurality of conically tapered central convolutions therebetween. Certain sections of the product are made firmer than other sections by inverting the coil springs of one section relative to another section.
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This invention relates to a posturized bedding or seating product in which certain sections are firmer than other sections of the product and the associated method of manufacturing such a product.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONConventional bedding or seating products have a spring core made of a plurality of coil springs arranged into a matrix of rows and columns. Each of the coil springs has an upper end turn, a lower end turn and a plurality of central convolutions therebetween. The end turns may be knotted or unknotted. Coil springs having knotted end turns are known as Bonnell springs in the industry. The diameter of the end turns may be identical to the diameter of the central convolutions of the coil spring. Alternatively, the end turns of the coil springs may be of a larger or smaller diameter than the central convolutions of the coil spring. In some coil springs, the central convolutions taper from one end turn to the other. In other coil springs the central convolutions taper to a smaller diameter and then return to a larger diameter as they approach the end turns, thereby creating an “hourglass” shape. Typically, the coil springs are of the same height for ease of assembly.
The coil springs are usually connected or joined together by securing the end turns of adjacent coil springs to each other using helical lacing wire. The helical lacing wire encircles the end turns of adjacent coil springs, thus securing adjacent rows or adjacent columns of coil springs together. By lacing all of the coil springs together, a unitary spring core or spring assembly is made. Often one or two generally rectangular border wires are secured to the outermost coil springs of a spring core or spring assembly.
The spring core is commonly covered on one or both surfaces with padding and then wrapped in an upholstered material. Bedding or seating products made in this manner using identical coil springs typically have a uniform feel or firmness across the entire surface of the product due, at least in part, to the coil springs being identical and oriented the same direction within the spring core.
Other types of products are posturized, that is, different sections or zones of the bedding or seating product have different levels of firmness within the product. For example, the middle region of the mattress, which typically supports a person's torso, often requires a firmer less resilient support while other areas of the mattress which support the feet and head of a person require less support.
One known method of posturizing a spring unit has been to incorporate coil springs made of different gauge wire into the spring core. For example, rows of coil springs within certain sections or zones of the spring assembly are made of a heavier gauge wire than the springs incorporated into rows of the other sections or zones of the spring assembly. U.S. Pat. No. 6,173,464 discloses this concept, albeit with continuous bands of springs as opposed to individual springs. Due to the fact that different coil springs must be incorporated into the assembled spring core, the manufacturing cost of producing such a posturized product may be relatively high and assembly may be difficult.
Therefore, there is a need for a posturized spring assembly and associated method of manufacture which offers the advantages of posturization of the spring assembly without the higher manufacturing costs, production difficulties and inefficiencies associated with known posturized spring assemblies.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention comprises a posturized bedding or seating product made of identical coil springs and its associated method of manufacture. The bedding or seating product comprises a posturized spring assembly, one or more pads and an upholstered covering surrounding the spring assembly and pad(s). The product is preferably two sided, but may be one sided.
The spring assembly or spring core within the product comprises a plurality of identical coil springs arranged in rows and columns and joined together with helical lacing wires at the end turns of the coil springs. Each of the coil springs comprises a first knotted end turn, a second knotted end turn and a plurality of central convolutions between the knotted end turns. In accordance with the practice of this invention, the central convolutions of the spring are conically tapered in diameter from the first knotted end turn to the second knotted end turn. Such springs are hereinafter referred to as conically tapered coil springs and are to be distinguished from cylindrical coil springs which have all of the central convolutions of approximately the same diameter or hourglass-shaped springs which have the central convolutions varying in diameter so as to form an hourglass shape from top to bottom.
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, the helical lacing wires may extend longitudinally or transversely, depending upon the desired effect.
At least one border wire may extend around the perimeter of the spring assembly of the bedding or seating product and be secured to select outermost coil springs. A first or lower border may be secured to the lower end turns of the outermost or perimeter coil springs. A second or upper border wire may be secured to the upper end turns of the outermost or perimeter coil springs. Alternatively, either border wire may be secured to intermediate convolutions of the outermost coil springs.
The spring core or assembly is divided into zones or sections of differing firmness, each of the sections comprising a plurality of rows or a plurality of columns of coil springs secured together. The zones or sections may extend from side-to-side (transversely) or from end-to-end (longitudinally) of the product.
Due to the conically tapered coil springs in one section, zone or region of the spring core being oriented differently than the coil springs in another section of the spring assembly, at least one section of the spring assembly has a “softer” feel when a load is placed thereon than at least one other section.
One aspect of the invention is a bedding or seating product which includes a spring core having a plurality of identical conically tapered coil springs. Each of the coil springs has a first knotted end turn, a second knotted end turn, and a plurality of central convolutions between the knotted end turns. The central convolutions taper in diameter from the first knotted end turn to the second knotted end turn. The spring core is divided into sections of differing firmness. All of the coil springs of at least one of the sections have the first knotted end turn above the second knotted end turn. All of the coil springs of at least one other section are inverted so as to have the first knotted end turn below the second knotted end turn. The bedding or seating product also includes padding located above the spring core and an upholstered covering surrounding the padding and the spring core.
Helical lacing wires join the coil springs together and can join them in adjacent rows or columns, i.e., extend laterally or longitudinally of the product. In addition, in some embodiments, a border wire is secured to some of the coil springs. The differing firmness sections can extend from one side of the product to the other side of the product, or, can extend from end-to-end in different embodiments. In some embodiments, the diameter of the knotted end turns of the coil springs are identical and in others, they may differ.
Another aspect of the invention is a method of manufacturing a posturized bedding or seating product having sections of different firmness. The method includes providing a plurality of identical coil springs arranged in rows and columns. Each of the coil springs has a first knotted end turn, a second knotted end turn and a plurality of central convolutions between the knotted end turns. The central convolutions are tapered conically in diameter from the first knotted end turn towards the second knotted end turn. The method also includes arranging the coil springs into rows and columns. The coil springs of several adjacent rows are oriented such that the first knotted end turn is above the second knotted end turn, and the coil springs of other adjacent rows are inverted and oriented such that the second knotted end turn is above the first knotted end turn. The method also includes joining the coil springs together with helical lacing wires.
Yet another aspect of the invention is a method of manufacturing a posturized bedding or seating product having sections of different firmness. The method includes providing a plurality of identical coil springs arranged in rows and columns. Each of the coil springs has a first knotted end turn, a second knotted end turn and a plurality of central convolutions between the knotted end turns. The central convolutions taper conically in diameter from the first knotted end turn towards the second knotted end turn. The method also includes arranging the coil springs into rows and columns. The coil springs of several adjacent columns or rows are oriented such that the first knotted end turn is above the second knotted end turn. The coil springs of other adjacent columns or rows are inverted and oriented such that the second knotted end turn is above the first knotted end turn. The method also includes joining the coil springs together with helical lacing wires.
These and other features of the present invention will be more readily apparent from the following drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Referring to the drawings, and particularly to
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.
The spring assembly or core 12 is divided into two sections 26, 28 in the embodiment illustrated in
Referring now to
For example, in the embodiment illustrated in
Referring to
For example, placing the spring 30 of
Referring now to
All of the springs 30 are joined together using the helical lacing wires 42.
Referring now to
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 spring core comprising a plurality of identical coil springs, each of said coil springs having a first knotted end turn, a second knotted end turn and a plurality of central convolutions between said knotted end turns, said central convolutions tapering in diameter from said first knotted end turn to said second knotted end turn, said spring core being divided into sections of differing firmness, each of said sections comprising a plurality of said coil springs, all of said coil springs of at least one of said sections having said first knotted end turn above said second knotted end turn and all of the coil springs of at least one other section having the springs inverted to locate said first knotted end turn below said second knotted end turn;
- padding located above said spring core; and
- an upholstered covering surrounding said padding and said spring core.
2. A bedding or seating product comprising:
- a spring core comprising a plurality of identical coil springs arranged in rows and columns, each of said coil springs having a first knotted end turn, a second knotted end turn and a plurality of central convolutions between said knotted end turns, said central convolutions tapering in diameter from said first knotted end turn to said second knotted end turn, said spring core being divided into sections of differing firmness, each of said sections comprising a plurality of said coil springs, all of said coil springs of at least one of said sections having said first knotted end turn above said second knotted end turn and all of the coil springs of at least one other section having the springs inverted to locate said first knotted end turn below said second knotted end turn.
3. The product of claim 2 wherein said sections extend from one side of the product to an opposing side of the product.
4. The product of claim 2 wherein said sections extend from one end of the product to an opposing end of the product.
5. The product of claim 2 wherein all of the coil springs are the same vertical height.
6. The product of claim 2 wherein said coil springs are joined together with helical lacing wires.
7. The product of claim 6 wherein said helical lacing wires join coil springs of adjacent rows.
8. The product of claim 6 wherein said helical lacing wires join coil springs of adjacent columns.
9. The product of claim 2 further comprising at least one border wire secured to at least some of said coil springs.
10. The product of claim 2 wherein said first and second knotted end turns of each of said coil springs of said spring core are of approximately the same diameter.
11. A bedding or seating product having a longitudinal dimension and a transverse dimension, said longitudinal dimension being greater than said transverse dimension, said product comprising:
- a spring core comprising a plurality of coil springs arranged in transversely extending rows and longitudinally extending columns, each of said coil springs having a first knotted end turn, a second knotted end turn and a plurality of central convolutions between said knotted end turns, said central convolutions tapering in diameter from said first knotted end turn to said second knotted end turn, said spring core being divided into sections of differing firmness, each of said sections comprising a plurality of said coil springs, all of said coil springs of at least one of said sections having said first knotted end turn above said second knotted end turn and all of the coil springs of at least one other section having said coil springs inverted to locate said first knotted end turn below said second knotted end turn.
12. The product of claim 11 wherein all of said coil springs are substantially identical.
13. The product of claim 11 wherein said spring core further comprises helical lacing wires encircling adjacent end turns of adjacent rows of coil springs.
14. The product of claim 11 wherein said spring core further comprises helical lacing wires encircling adjacent end turns of adjacent columns of coil springs.
15. The product of claim 11 wherein said spring core further comprises at least one border wire.
16. The product of claim 11 wherein said first and second end turns of each of said coil springs have the same diameter.
17. A bedding or seating product comprising:
- a spring core comprising a plurality of coil springs arranged in transversely extending rows and longitudinally extending columns, each of said coil springs having a first and second knotted end turn of the same diameter and a plurality of central convolutions between said knotted end turns, said central convolutions tapering in diameter from said first knotted end turn to said second knotted end turn, wherein said spring core has at least one soft section and at least one firm section, each of said sections comprising a plurality of said coil springs, all of said coil springs of said at least one soft section having said coil springs oriented such that said first knotted end turn is above said second knotted end turn and all of said coil springs of said at least one firm section having said coil springs inverted and oriented such that said second knotted end turn is above said first knotted end turn.
18. The product of claim 17 wherein said spring core further comprises helical lacing wires joining the end turns of adjacent coil springs.
19. The product of claim 18 wherein said spring core further comprises at least one border wire secured to the end turns of the outermost coil springs of said spring core.
20. The product of claim 17 wherein each of said coil springs is identical.
21. A method of manufacturing a posturized bedding or seating product having sections of different firmness comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a plurality of identical coil springs arranged in rows and columns, each of said coil springs having a first knotted end turn, a second knotted end turn and a plurality of central convolutions between said knotted end turns, said central convolutions tapering in diameter from said first knotted end turn towards said second knotted end turn;
- b) arranging said coil springs into rows and columns such that the coil springs of several adjacent rows are inverted and oriented such that said first knotted end turn is above said second knotted end turn and the coil springs of other adjacent rows are oriented such that said second knotted end turn is above said first knotted end turn; and
- c) joining said coil springs together with helical lacing wires.
22. The method of claim 21 wherein said rows alternate between inverted and non-inverted coil springs from one end of said product to an opposing end of said product.
23. A method of manufacturing a posturized bedding or seating product having sections of different firmness comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a plurality of identical coil springs arranged in rows and columns, each of said coil springs having a first knotted end turn, a second knotted end turn and a plurality of central convolutions between said knotted end turns, said central convolutions conically tapering in diameter from said first knotted end turn towards said second knotted end turn;
- b) arranging said coil springs into rows and columns such that the coil springs of several adjacent columns are oriented such that said first knotted end turn is above said second knotted end turn and the coil springs of other adjacent columns are inverted and oriented such that said second knotted end is above said first knotted end turn; and
- c) joining said coil springs together with helical lacing wires.
24. The method of claim 23 wherein said columns alternate between inverted and non-inverted coil springs from one side of said product to another side of said product.
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 31, 2005
Publication Date: May 3, 2007
Applicant:
Inventor: Thomas Wells (Joplin, MO)
Application Number: 11/263,338
International Classification: A47C 23/04 (20060101);