Innerspring coils and innersprings with non-helical segments

• US 20070169275A1
• Filed: 02/20/2007
• Published: 07/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sealy Technology LLC (Tempur Sealy International, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sealy Technology LLC (Tempur Sealy International, Inc.)
• Inventors: Manuszak, Brian, Beamon, James, DeMoss, Larry
• Granted Patent: US 7,404,223 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 5/716
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 23/043 using wound springs
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/064 Pocketed springs
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/065 of special shape

Abstract

Innerspring coils for innersprings for mattresses and other reflexive support structures, have generally helical coil bodies and at least one non-helical segment or step which extends between one or both axial ends of the coil body and one or both of the coil ends. The step or steps may be linear or non-linear, and parallel to or angularly disposed with respect to a longitudinal axis of the coil body. When located proximate to a coil end, the step extends out of the plane in which the coil end lies. One or more steps may alternatively be formed intermediate to helical turns of the helical coil body.

Claims

1. A wire coil for use in an innerspring, the coil comprising:

a generally cylindrical coil body formed by a plurality of generally helical turns between axial ends of the coil body,

a coil end at each axial end of the coil body, each coil end generally lying in a plane generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the coil body,

and a step segment which extends from one of the coil ends to one of the axial ends of the coil body, the step extending out of the plane of the coil end to the axial end of the coil body.

2. The coil of claim 1 wherein one of the coil ends is a base coil end and the other of the coil ends is a support coil end, the base coil end having a configuration which is different than the support coil end.

3. The coil of claim 2 wherein the step is non-helical.

4. The coil of claim 1 wherein each of the coil ends have at least one generally linear segment.

5. The coil of claim 2 wherein the step is contiguous with the base coil end.

6. The coil of claim 1 wherein the step has a height in an approximate range of 10 mm to 40 mm.

7. The coil of claim 1 further comprising a bend between the step and the coil body at an angle greater than 90 degrees.

8. The coil of claim 1 wherein the step is generally aligned with an outer extent of the coil body.

9. The coil of claim 1 wherein the coil body comprises two or more helical turns.

10. The coil of claim 2 wherein one of the coil ends has at least one segment more than the other coil end.

11. The coil of claim 1 further comprising a bend between the coil end and the step at an angle in a range of approximately 48 degrees to 120 degrees.

12. The coil of claim 1 wherein an angle between step and coil end is less than an angle between the step and the coil body.

13. The coil of claim 1 in combination with a plurality of similarly configured coils wherein the ends of the coils are arranged in generally parallel planes to form an innerspring.

14. An innerspring having a plurality of wire coils interconnected in an array, each of the wire coils having a generally cylindrical body with two or more helical turns of wire which form a helical path about a longitudinal axis of the coil, the coil body terminating at opposed axial ends,

a coil end at each axial end of the coil body, each coil end oriented in a plane which is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the coil, and a step which extends between one of the coil ends and the coil body and which does not follow the helical path of the coil body.

15. The innerspring of claim 14 wherein the step of each of the coils is located proximate to a base coil end of the coils which form a base of the innerspring.

16. The innerspring of claim 14 wherein the step in each of the coils is located proximate to a radial edge of the coil body.

17. The innerspring of claim 14 wherein the step in each of the coils is located proximate to the longitudinal axis of the coil body.

18. The innerspring of claim 14 wherein the step in each of the coils has a common length in an approximate range of 10 mm to 40 mm.

19. The innerspring of claim 14 wherein the each of the coil ends have at least one linear segment, and further comprising a lacing wire which extends between coils and is engaged with linear segments of the coil ends.

20. The innerspring of claim 14 wherein the coils further comprise a transition segment between the coil end and the step.

21. A wire coil for use in an innerspring, the coil having a plurality of helical turns which form a helical coil body about a longitudinal axis of the coil;

a first coil end which extends from one end of the helical coil body, the first coil end located in a plane which is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the coil;

a second coil end located proximate to an opposite end of the helical coil body, the second coil end located in a plane which is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the coil;

and a step which extends between the opposite end of the coil body and the second coil end, the step extending out of the plane in which the second coil end is located and not aligned with the helical turn at the opposite end of the coil body.

22. The coil of claim 21 wherein the step is generally located at an outer radial extent of the coil body.

23. The coil of claim 21 wherein the step is located proximate to the longitudinal axis of the coil.

24. The coil of claim 21 assembled in an innerspring and wherein the step is substantially perpendicular to support surfaces of the innerspring.

25. The coil of claim 21 wherein the step is coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the coil.

26. The coil of claim 21 further comprising a transition segment between the step and the first end or second end of the coil.

27. The coils of claim 21 wherein the first end and second end of the coil body each have at least one linear segment.

28. The coil of claim 21 wherein the step has a linear extend in an approximate range of 10 mm to 40 mm.

29. The coil of claim 21 in combination with an innerspring comprising a plurality of the coils of claim 21 arranged in an array and interconnected by lacing wires which engage the first and second ends of the coils, wherein the step in each of the coils is located proximate to the second end of the coils which form a bottom of the innerspring.

30. The coil of claim 21 having a total length measured from the first coil end to the second coil end in the approximate range of 140 mm to 190 mm.

32. The innerspring of claim 30 wherein the step in each of the coils is generally parallel with the longitudinal axis of each of the coils.

33. The innerspring of claim 30 wherein the step of each of the coils is substantially perpendicular to the second coil end of each of the coils.

34. The innerspring of claim 30 wherein the second coil ends of the coils are in a common plane which forms a base surface of the innerspring.

35. The innerspring of claim 30 wherein the first coil ends of the coils are in a common plane which forms a support surface of the innerspring.

36. The innerspring of claim 30 wherein the step in each of the coils is located proximate to a radial extent of at least one of the helical turns of the coil body.

37. The innerspring of claim 30 wherein the step in each of the coils is substantially coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the coil body.

38. The innerspring of claim 30 wherein each coil further comprises a transition segment between the second coil end and the step.

39. The innerspring of claim 30 wherein the step in each of the coils has a linear extent in an approximate range of 10 mm to 50 mm.

40. The innerspring of claim 30 wherein the first and second ends of each of the coils comprise at least one linear segment.

41. The innerspring of claim 30 wherein a distal end of each of the steps of the coils is attached to a distal end of the cylindrical body through a radiused bend.

42. The innerspring of claim 30 in a one-sided mattress.

31. An innerspring comprising:

a plurality of wire coils, each coil having a plurality of helical turns which form a generally cylindrical body with a longitudinal axis, a first coil end attached to one of the helical turns at one end of the cylindrical body, and a step extending from a second coil end to one of the helical turns of the cylindrical body;

each of the coils arranged in an array and with the first coil ends located in a common plane and the second coil ends located in a common plane.

43. A wire coil having a first coil end and a generally helical coil body which extends from the first coil end about a longitudinal axis which is generally perpendicular to the first coil end,

a step at an end of the coil body opposite the first coil end, the step having a segment which is angled with respect to the longitudinal axis of the generally helical coil body, the step being connected to a second coil end which lies in a plane generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the coil body, the step being substantially perpendicular to the plane in which the second coil end lies so that the helical coil body is spaced from the second coil end by the step.

44. The wire coil of claim 43 wherein the step is linear.

45. The wire coil of claim 43 wherein the step is curvilinear.

46. An innerspring coil comprising:

a generally helical coil body having a plurality of helical turns about a longitudinal axis, the coil body terminating at opposite axial ends,

a coil end proximate proximate to each axial end of the coil body, each coil end generally lying in a plane which is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the coil body,

at least one step extending between one of the coil ends and one of the axial ends of the coil body, the at least one step extending out of the plane of the coil end from which it extends to space the respective axial end of the coil body from the respective coil end.

47. The innerspring coil of claim 46 comprising a first step extending between a first coil end and a first axial end of the coil body, and a second step extending between a second coil end and a second axial end of the coil body.

48. The innerspring coil of claim 47 wherein the first and second steps are substantially identically configured.

49. An innerspring coil comprising:

a coil body formed by a first set of helical turns about a longitudinal axis, and a second set of helical turns about the longitudinal axis, and a non-helical step which connects the first and second sets of helical turns, the coil body terminating at opposite axial ends, and

a coil end at each axial end of the coil body, each coil end located in a plane which is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the coil body

50. The innerspring coil of claim 49 wherein the step is generally aligned with the longitudinal axis of the coil body and generally perpendicular to the coil ends.