Transportation apparatus and method

    公开(公告)号:US11305941B2

    公开(公告)日:2022-04-19

    申请号:US16616081

    申请日:2018-05-30

    摘要: A conveyor (400) for transporting articles, such as coils springs, is described. The conveyor comprises a substrate (420) for supporting articles during transportation, and a plurality of retaining members (520) located on the substrate for retaining the articles during transportation. The retaining members (520) each comprise a mounting portion (530) for mounting to the substrate (420). A containment portion (540) comprises proximal and distal parts (540a) and (540b) define a space therebetween for receiving a coil spring (100) under compression. Slots (550a) and (550b) in the containment parts are aligned for receiving pushers.

    POCKETED SPRING UNIT AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE

    公开(公告)号:US20210309507A1

    公开(公告)日:2021-10-07

    申请号:US17349899

    申请日:2021-06-16

    IPC分类号: B68G9/00 A47C27/06

    摘要: A pocketed spring unit comprising an array of springs 120 located in pockets 180 formed by discrete superposed webs 140 of pocketing material joined together by welds W between the springs, wherein the welds are located at alternately opposite ends of the pocketed springs.
    FIG. 1 shows generally a pocketed spring unit at a first stage of manufacture. A row of coil springs 120 (only the end one of which is visible) is introduced by an inserter mechanism 130 into position between axially disposed webs 140a and 140b of pocketing material. The webs 140a and 140b are fed from supply reels (not shown via guide rollers 150. The springs 120 are partly compressed and are pushed between plates 160 towards the webs 140 by the inserter 130 in the direction of Arrow A1. Once the springs are between the webs 140 a pair of ultrasonic welding tools 170a and 170b joins the webs together at weld locations W between the springs to form individual pockets 180 for the springs. One of the tools is a sonotrode/horn and the other is a base/anvil. Successive rows of springs are encapsulated by welds W that alternate between the axial ends of the springs, so that one is at an upper axial end and the next is at a lower axial end. The webs 140 may also be welded together along their edges (not shown)—i.e. at the ends of the rows—and between adjacent springs in the same row, to fully form the pockets.

    Pocketed spring unit and method of manufacture

    公开(公告)号:US11412860B2

    公开(公告)日:2022-08-16

    申请号:US16615993

    申请日:2018-05-30

    摘要: A resilient unit has strings of individual coil springs (not shown) inside pockets 120 are arranged in an array. The strings together form a spring unit and are each secured to a common cover sheet S, which comprises a non-woven elastic fabric. It is welded ultrasonically or thermally whilst under tension in one or both of its major dimensions—i.e. in-plane—to the pockets 120, the material of which is substantially inelastic and non-woven. In this example the welds, labelled W, are located substantially centrally with respect to the generally circular end surfaces of the pockets.