Method of packaging resiliently compressible articles

- Simmons Company

A method of packaging a resiliently compressible article comprises the steps of inserting the article into a tube of deformable material such that excess material is provided at the ends of the tube. A first end of the tube is then sealed closed. Air is then evacuated from the tube through the second end thereby deforming the tube around the article and causing the article to compress. While a vacuum is maintained in the tube, the second end of the tube is sealed closed. A containment sleeve is fitted over the sealed tube to maintain the article in a compressed state. When the article is unpackaged, the containment sleeve is severed and the tube is allowed to expand in a gradual controlled fashion by the bleeding of air back into the tube.

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Claims

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said first end of said tube is sealed after gathering the excess material of said first end.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said evacuating step includes gathering said second end of said tube around a vacuum, evacuating means.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said tube is cut to said predetermined length from a continuous length of tube material..Iadd.

5. A method of packaging a mattress assembly constructed of coil springs wherein each spring is contained within an individual pocket of fabric, comprising the steps of:

providing a tube of deformable material, said tube having a predetermined length;
inserting a mattress assembly constructed of pocketed coil springs into said tube, said mattress assembly having a length which is less than the length of said tube, thereby defining first and second tube ends of excess material;
sealing a first end of said tube;
evacuating air from said tube through said second end thereby deforming said tube around said mattress assembly and causing said mattress assembly to compress;
sealing said second end of said tube after evacuating said tube to a predetermined state;
inserting said evacuated tube into a containment sleeve which is dimensioned and configured to retain said compressed mattress assembly in a compressed state for shipment;
removing said evacuated tube from said containment sleeve; and
allowing said mattress assembly in said tube to gradually return to an uncompressed state..Iaddend..Iadd.

6. A method of packaging a mattress assembly constructed of coil springs wherein each spring is contained within an individual pocket of fabric, comprising the steps of:

providing a tube of deformable material, said tube having a predetermined length;
inserting a mattress assembly constructed of pocketed coil springs into said tube, said mattress assembly having a length which is less than the length of said tube, thereby defining first and second tube ends of excess material;
sealing a first end of said tube;
evacuating air from said tube through said second end thereby deforming said tube around said mattress assembly and causing said mattress assembly to compress;
sealing said second end of said tube while said tube is being evacuated to a predetermined state;
inserting said evacuated tube into a containment sleeve which is dimensioned and configured to retain said compressed mattress assembly in a compressed state for shipment;
removing said evacuated tube from said containment sleeve; and
allowing said mattress assembly in said tube to gradually return to an uncompressed state..Iaddend..Iadd.

7. A method of packaging a mattress assembly constructed of coil springs wherein each spring is contained within an individual pocket of fabric, comprising the steps of:

providing a tube of deformable material, said tube having a predetermined length;
inserting a mattress assembly constructed of pocketed coil springs into said tube, said mattress assembly having a length which is less than the length of said tube, thereby defining first and second tube ends of excess material;
sealing a first end of said tube;
evacuating air from said tube through said second end thereby deforming said tube around said mattress assembly and causing said mattress assembly to compress;
inserting said evacuated tube into a containment sleeve which is dimensioned and configured to retain said compressed mattress assembly in a compressed state for shipment;
removing said evacuated tube from said containment sleeve; and
allowing said mattress assembly in said tube to gradually return to an uncompressed state; and
said evacuated tube is punctured to allow said mattress assembly in said tube to gradually return to said uncompressed state..Iaddend..Iadd.

8. A method of packaging a mattress assembly constructed of coil springs wherein each spring is contained within an individual pocket of fabric, comprising the steps of:

providing a tube of deformable material, said tube having a predetermined length;
inserting a mattress assembly constructed of pocketed coil springs into said tube, said mattress assembly having a length which is less than the length of said tube, thereby defining first and second tube ends of excess material;
sealing a first end of said tube;
evacuating air from said tube through said second end thereby deforming said tube around said mattress assembly and causing said mattress assembly to compress;
inserting said evacuated tube into a containment sleeve which is dimensioned and configured to retain said compressed mattress assembly in a compressed state for shipment;
removing said evacuated tube from said containment sleeve;
allowing said mattress assembly in said tube to gradually return to an uncompressed state; and
said containment sleeve is severed to allow said mattress assembly in said tube to gradually return to said uncompressed state..Iaddend..Iadd.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said evacuated tube inserted into said containment sleeve is allowed to expand within said containment sleeve..Iaddend.

Referenced Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
1861429 May 1932 Schneider et al.
3585700 June 1971 Jansson
3611524 October 1971 Broyles
4234983 November 25, 1980 Stumpf
4575990 March 18, 1986 von Bismarck
4854023 August 8, 1989 Stumpf
Patent History
Patent number: RE36142
Type: Grant
Filed: Aug 28, 1997
Date of Patent: Mar 16, 1999
Assignee: Simmons Company (Atlanta, GA)
Inventors: C. Edward Steed (Alpharetta, GA), Ricky F. Gladney (Fairburn, GA)
Primary Examiner: James F. Coan
Assistant Examiner: Gene L. Kim
Law Firm: Jones, Day, Reavis & Pogue
Application Number: 8/919,655