Coil string staging area apparatus and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016304292-A1
Application number	US-201615003957-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 22, 2016
Priority date	Apr 15, 2015
Publication date	Oct 20, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A continuous coil string staging system is provided herein that includes at least one coiler configured to output at least one continuous coil string, at least one assembler configured to assemble the at least one continuous coil string into a mattress assembly, and at least one coil string staging apparatus disposed between the at least one coiler and at the least one assembler. The at least one coil string staging apparatus can have an input, a staging buffer, and an output such that the coil string staging apparatus receives the at least one continuous coil string that is output from the at least one coiler and outputs the at least one continuous coil string to the assembler such that there is a buffer of coil string available to the assembler. Various coil string staging apparatuses and methods are also provided herein.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A continuous coil string staging system, comprising:
at least one coiler configured to output at least one continuous coil string; at least one assembler configured to assemble the at least one continuous coil string into a mattress assembly; and at least one coil string staging apparatus disposed between the at least one coiler and at the least one assembler, the at least one coil string staging apparatus having an input, a staging buffer, and an output such that the coil string staging apparatus receives the at least one continuous coil string that is output from the at least one coiler and outputs the at least one continuous coil string to the assembler such that there is a buffer of coil string available to the assembler.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the input comprises at least one conveyor configured to transfer the continuous coil string from the at least one coiler to the at least one coil string staging apparatus.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the output comprises at least conveyor configured to actively output the continuous coil string from the coil string staging apparatus to the assembler.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the output comprises at least one conveyor configured to passively output the continuous coil string from the coil string staging apparatus to the assembler.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the staging buffer comprises a proximal input end, a distal output end, a first side wall, a second side wall, and a floor disposed therebetween such that the distance between the first side wall and second side wall is greater than a width of the continuous coil string.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the buffer of coil string available to the assembler is greater than or equal to an amount of continuous coil string sufficient to produce at least one mattress assembly.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the system has one staging apparatus for every one coiler.

8 . A coil string staging apparatus, comprising:
an input configured to receive a continuous coil string; a staging buffer configured to store at least a portion of the continuous coil string such that the staging buffer has a buffer capacity; and an output coupled to the staging buffer such that the continuous coil string stored in the staging buffer is configured to selectively discharge the continuous coil string.

9 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the input is configured to receive the continuous string directly from a coiler.

10 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the output is configured to output the continuous string to an assembler.

11 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the input comprises a conveyor.

12 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the output comprises at least conveyor configured to actively output the continuous coil string from the coil string staging apparatus to the assembler.

13 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the staging buffer comprises at least one transparent side such that the stored portion of the continuous coil string is visible.

14 . A method of staging coil strings for assembly into a mattress, comprising:
receiving a continuous coil string configured to be cut into a plurality of coil strings; staging the continuous coil string in a buffer such that the coil string is stored in a manner that allows the continuous coil string to remain untangled; and outputting the continuous coil string from the buffer such that the continuous coil string is output without interruption and without tangling.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein staging the continuous coil string in a buffer further includes maintaining a buffer of a portion of the coil string such that there is at least enough coil string in the buffer to assemble at least one mattress.

16 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising forming a continuous coil string by forming a plurality of coil springs and inserting the plurality of coil springs between plies of fabric.

17 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising assembling the continuous coil spring into a plurality of mattress assemblies.

18 . The method of claim 14 , wherein staging the continuous coil string in a buffer further includes staging the coil string in a coil string staging apparatus having an input, a staging buffer, and an output.

Assignees

• Dreamwell Ltd

Inventors

• Fowler Gregory
• Jan Francis G

Classifications

• B21F33/002

  Coiling or packing wire network · CPC title

• B68G15/00 Primary

  Auxiliary devices and tools specially for upholstery · CPC title

• B21F33/04

  Connecting ends of helical springs for mattresses · CPC title

• B65G47/5109

  first In - First Out systems: FIFO · CPC title

• B65G39/12

  mounted on framework · CPC title