No-glue pocketed spring unit construction
OwnerMartin Wolfsoninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and systems for no-glue pocketed spring unit construction. Rows of pocketed springs, preferably arranged into modules of more than two pocketed springs surrounding a central hole, are welded together when paired probes and anvils press layers of pocketed spring fabric from the rows of pocketed springs together and a welding pulse of current is transmitted through wires on the probes to heat the wire it is pressed against the fabric. Non-stick material interposed between the wires and the fabric prevents melted fabric from sticking to the wires.
Claims20
A mechanism for glueless assembly of pocketed spring units, comprising:
- multiple alternating rows of probes and anvils, said probes and anvils configured to be inserted into openings in pocketed spring modules, individual ones of said modules comprising more than two pocketed springs which together surround one of said openings, and individual ones of said pocketed springs each comprising a spring inside a pocket made of a flexible material;
- and
- at least one heating element mounted on each of the anvil-facing sides of ones of said probes and configured to thermally weld pocketed spring fabric when ones of said probes and ones of said anvils press together and current is propagated through said heating element;
- ones of said anvils having at least one contact region on at least two probe-facing sides, said contact regions configured to press flush against said heating element when said probe and anvil are closed together.
A method for glueless assembly of pocketed spring units, comprising:
- a) inserting multiple alternating rows of probes and anvils into corresponding openings in multiple continuous rows of connected multiple-coil modules, individual ones of said modules comprising more than two pocketed springs which together surround one of said openings, individual ones of said pocketed springs each comprising a spring inside a pocket made of a flexible material;
- b) moving adjacent pairs of said probes and anvils together such that said anvils press said material against at least one heating element disposed along facing sides of said probes, and applying current across said heating elements to thereby weld together pairs of modules in said rows of modules;
- and
- c) repeating said moving such that said probes and anvils close together with the other adjacent anvil or probe, and repeating said applying current to thereby weld together different pairs of modules in said rows of modules.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.