Method of making a continuous string of pocketed springs

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11109686-B2
Application number	US-201916418041-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 21, 2019
Priority date	Jun 13, 2018
Publication date	Sep 7, 2021
Grant date	Sep 7, 2021

Abstract

A pocketed spring assembly comprises parallel strings, each string joined to at least one adjacent string. At least some of the strings have springs of different gauge wire and some of the pockets of the strings having springs of different gauge wire are spliced together. At least some of the strings have springs of different geometries and some of the pockets of the strings having springs of different geometries are spliced together. At least some strings may have end sections with springs different than a middle section therebetween, the springs of the end sections being firmer than the springs of the middle section.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of making a sectioned continuous string of pocketed springs for use in an assembler, said method comprising:
providing a welding apparatus;
cutting a string of pocketed springs to create a starting string of pocketed springs downstream of the welding apparatus and a first supply string of pocketed springs upstream of the welding apparatus, the starting string of pocketed springs having an upstream tab and the first supply string of pocketed springs having a downstream tab;
moving the first supply string of pocketed springs to an offset position using clamps;
moving a second supply string of pocketed springs to an in-line position with the starting string of pocketed springs such that the upstream tab of the starting string of pocketed springs and a downstream tab of the second supply string of pocketed springs are overlapping; and
welding the overlapping upstream tab of the starting string of pocketed springs and the downstream tab of the second supply strings of pocketed springs using the welding apparatus.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the springs of the first supply string of pocketed springs are different than the springs of the second supply string of pocketed springs.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the springs of the first supply string of pocketed springs are a different gauge than the springs of the second string of pocketed springs.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the springs of the first supply string of pocketed springs are a different geometry than the springs of the second string of pocketed springs.

5. A method of making a sectioned continuous string of springs for use in an assembler, said method comprising:
providing a welding apparatus;
providing a starting string of pocketed springs downstream of the welding apparatus, the starting string of pocketed springs having an upstream tab;
providing a first supply string of pocketed springs upstream of the welding apparatus, the first supply string of pocketed springs having a downstream tab held in place and moved with clamps, the pockets of the first supply string of pocketed springs and the pockets of the starting string of pocketed springs containing first springs;
cutting the first supply string of pocketed springs to separate the starting string of springs from the first supply string of springs;
moving the first supply string to an offset position from an in-line position with the starting string of pocketed springs;
moving a second supply string of pocketed springs upstream of the welding apparatus to an in-line position with the starting string of pocketed springs, the second supply string of pocketed springs having a downstream tab held in place and being moved with clamps, the pockets of the second supply string containing springs different than the first springs;
overlapping the upstream tab of the starting string of springs with the downstream tab of the second supply string of springs to create overlapping tabs;
welding the overlapping tabs to create a combined string of pocketed springs.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the pocketed springs within the first supply string of pocketed springs have a different gauge than the pocketed springs within the second supply string of pocketed springs.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the pocketed springs within the first supply string of pocketed springs have a different geometry than the pocketed springs within the second supply string of pocketed springs.

8. A method of making a sectioned continuous string of springs for use in an assembler, said method comprising:
providing a starting string of pocketed springs having a starting tab;
providing a first supply string of pocketed springs containing first springs and having a first tab;
providing a second supply string of pocketed springs containing springs different than the first springs and having a second tab;
moving the first supply string of pocketed springs in-line with the starting string of pocketed springs such that the first tab overlaps the starting tab;
welding the overlapped first and starting tabs together to create a combined string of pocketed springs;
moving the combined string of springs downstream;
cutting the combined string of pocketed springs at a desired location to create a combined tab;
moving the first supply string of pocketed springs out-of-line with the combined string;
moving the second supply string in-line with the combined string of pocketed springs such that the second tab overlaps the combined tab;
welding the overlapped second and combined tabs together to create a long string of pocketed springs;
moving the long string of springs downstream;
cutting the second supply string of pocketed springs at a desired location to create a long tab.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising moving the second supply string of pocketed springs out-of-line with the long string of pocketed springs and moving the first supply string of pocketed springs in-line with the long string of pocketed springs to repeat the process.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the pocketed springs of the first supply string of pocketed springs are made of a different gauge wire than the pocketed springs of the second supply string of pocketed springs.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the pocketed springs within the first supply string of pocketed springs have a different geometry than the pocketed springs within the second supply string of pocketed springs.

12. A method of making a sectioned continuous string of springs for use in an assembler, said method comprising:
providing a starting string of pocketed springs having a starting tab;
providing a first supply string of pocketed springs, each of the springs of the first supply string being first springs, the first supply string having a first tab;
providing a second supply string of pocketed springs, each of the springs of the second supply string being second springs different than the first springs, the second supply string having a second tab;
moving the first supply string of pocketed springs in-line with the starting string of pocketed springs such that the first tab overlaps the starting tab;
welding the overlapped first and starting tabs together to create a combined string of pocketed springs;
moving the combined string of springs downstream;
cutting the combined string of pocketed springs at a desired location to create a combined tab;
moving the first supply string of pocketed springs out-of-line with the combined string;
moving the second supply string in-line with the combined string of pocketed springs such that the second tab overlaps the combined tab;
welding the overlapped second and combined tabs together to create a long string of pocketed springs;
moving the long string of springs downstream;
cutting the second supply string of pocketed springs at a desired location to create a long tab.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising moving the second supply string of pocketed springs out-of-line with the long string of pocketed springs and moving the first supply string of pocketed springs in-line with the long string of pocketed springs to repeat the process of claim 12 .

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the pocketed springs of the first supply string of pocketed springs are made of a different gauge wire than the pocketed springs of the second supply string of pocketed springs.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the pocketed springs within the first supply string of pocketed springs have a different geometry than the pocketed springs within the second supply string of pocketed springs

Assignees

• L&P Property Man Co

Inventors

• Eigenmann Guido
• Richmond Darrell A
• Bauer Bernhard
• Liechti Urs
• Meier Andreas

Classifications

• B29C66/83221

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