Spring devices – Seat support
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-06
2001-11-13
Swann, J. J. (Department: 3611)
Spring devices
Seat support
C267S142000, C005S007000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06315276
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention generally relates to improvements in a spring seating support system for upholstered furniture. This invention is particularly well suited for use as a spring seating support system in sofas, love seats, chairs, and similar furniture. Although the present invention is in no sense limited to upholstered furniture, the herein illustrated forms which the present invention may take are particularly adapted for use in upholstered furniture. For this reason, the objects and advantages hereinafter disclosed will have specific reference to upholstered furniture, but such objects and advantages are intended to extend to other types of construction wherein any one of the desired characteristics of the spring seating support system would be advantageous.
Conventional box springs for upholstered furniture are comprised of a lower wooden or wire support frame and an upper support system. Between the upper support system and the lower support frame there are a plurality of coil springs which are generally helical or cylindrical coil springs. To insure that the axis of each of the coil springs remains vertical, each spring must be secured to both the upper support system and to the lower support frame.
Coil springs are typically aligned in successive rows in such a fashion that the coil springs are substantially aligned with corresponding coil springs in the adjacent row. Thus, the coil springs are aligned in spaced columns and rows. Presently, there is no standard in the industry regarding the spacing of the coil springs in rows or columns.
The edge of a conventional box spring unit is flexible because the padding and upholstery are directly covering the coil springs, which are flexible. The flexibility of the edge of a conventional box spring, however, complicates the manufacturing process at the stage when the padding and upholstery are applied because it is difficult to securely fasten the padding and upholstery to a nonrigid surface. In addition, the movement of the flexible coil springs when they are compressed under weight or pressure acts to loosen the padding and upholstery over time and thereby to reduce the effective life of the conventional box spring unit.
A conventional hard edge spring seating unit does not have these concerns. Conventional hard edge springs seating units have a hard front edge which allows for padding and upholstery to be attached in a secure manner. Conventional hard edge seating units, however, use sinuous springs to support the weight or pressure applied to the top of the unit. Sinuous springs do not provide as comfortable a level of support as do coil springs because each sinuous springs is sensitive to the movement of the other sinuous springs, and interference between sinuous springs leads to unsteady distribution of the weight or pressure.
The spring seating support system which is the subject of this invention provides the comfortable support of coil springs with the durability and ease of manufacture associated with a hard edge. It uses a flexible wire grid to link the coil springs and the hard front edge. This allows the coil springs to compress under weight or pressure while they are joined to the rigid hard front edge without damaging the connecting wire grid. The wire grid is able to pivot at the attachment point with the hard front edge, so that it can properly keep the coil springs aligned along the vertical axis while maintaining contact with the hard front edge so that the padding and upholstery are able to lie flat. In this way, the spring seating support system which is the subject of this invention provides the benefits of a hard front edge to which padding and upholstery can easily and durably be attached during the manufacturing of the unit and of a coil spring support system which allows for comfortable support of weight or pressure.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention achieves its objectives by installing a wire grid linking the coil springs both to each other and to the hard front edge, said grid being secured to the coil springs by clips insulated to reduce noise generation during compression and being secured to the hard front edge by staples.
The spring seating support system is made up of two or more rows of coil springs between a lower support frame and a wire grid. A border wire runs along and is attached, preferably by insulated clips, to the outside edge of the upper most portion of one row of coil springs, said row being an external row. The border wire also connects, preferably by insulated clips, the one or more remaining rows of coil springs to the external row and to each other along the outside edge of the uppermost portion of the outside coil springs in those remaining rows, framing the rows of coil springs on three sides. The wire grid, which is attached to the tops of the coil springs is composed of two latitudinal perimeter wires, a plurality of flexible longitudinal perpendicular support wires, and two latitudinal interior wires for each row of coil springs beyond the external or back row of coil springs. Every coil spring in the back row is connected to the border wire. One of the latitudinal perimeter wires attaches to the upper most portion of the coil springs in the back row of coil springs on the opposite side of the springs from the border wire. The back row of coil springs is now located between the border wire and one of the latitudinal perimeter wires. The hard front edge is generally perpendicularly attached to the lower support frame on the side opposite from where the back row of coil springs is attached. The second latitudinal perimeter wire attaches to the top of the hard front edge of the spring seating support system, parallel to the first latitudinal perimeter wire. For each row of coil springs other than the back row, two latitudinal interior wires attach, one on each side, to every coil in the row at the uppermost portion so that they are parallel to the two latitudinal perimeter wires. Thus, each row of coil springs other than the back row will be located between two latitudinal interior wires running parallel to the two latitudinal perimeter wires. Neither the latitudinal perimeter wires nor the latitudinal interior wires contact the border wire. A series of flexible longitudinal wires attaches to the latitudinal perimeter wires and the latitudinal interior wires. The longitudinal wires should be spaced closely enough that the padding will not penetrate or infiltrate the area of the coil springs. This forms a wire grid connected to the tops of the coil springs and to the top of the hard front edge.
The advantages of this spring seating support system comprising a wire grid atop rows of coil springs which attaches to a hard front edge are substantial. It allows the use of coil springs, which provide more comfortable support than sinuous springs, with a hard front edge. This simplifies the manufacturing process by allowing the padding and upholstery to be attached to a large rigid surface rather than attaching to several flexible coil springs. The attachment of the padding and upholstery is also more secure due to the rigid nature of the hard front edge. The points of attachment are not flexed as much as when they were attached directly to coil springs, reducing the wear on the attachment points so that the padding and upholstery remain fixed to the spring seating support system for a longer period of time. Essentially, the invention provides a comfortable sitting surface which is also durable and easy to manufacture.
It is an object of this invention to provide a spring seating support system in which the individual coil springs are connected to each other and to a hard front edge in a manner which deters displacement of the coil springs from the vertical axis while remaining attached to the hard front edge.
It is still another object of this invention to distribute the load across the coil springs.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a wire grid support system in which the wire grid is durable, flexible and sturdy.
It is ye
Divine David
Phelps Dunbar L.L.P.
Swann J. J.
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