APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PACKAGING MATTRESSES, AND A MATTRESS

Technical field

This invention relates to a machine and a method for packaging mattresses, and in particular for preparing the mattress in a configuration suitable for packaging to a reduced size.

Background art

It is known that mattresses, in particular double mattresses, have dimensions (usually 180x180x35 cm or, in any case, close to these values) which make transport difficult, making it necessary to use nonstandard delivery sizes, which are therefore very costly, especially in the case of dispatch by express couriers.

Moreover, the traditional systems for vacuum packaging require the covering of the mattress with an impermeable material and this, as well as implying the need for care during handling so as to avoid holes, may adversely affect the correct drying of the mattress if it is made with water- based adhesives, which require an adequate ventilation.

Disclosure of the invention

The aim of this invention is therefore to provide a machine and a method for packaging mattresses which can overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks.

More specifically, the aim of the invention is to provide a machine and a method for packaging mattresses which allow the overall dimensions of the mattress to be optimised in the transport configuration and therefore allow reduction of the transport costs.

Another aim of the invention to provide a machine and a method for packaging mattresses which allows a suitable drying process in the case of making the mattress with water-based adhesives.

The preset aims are achieved by a machine and a method for packaging mattresses according to one or more of the appended claims.

Brief description of the drawings A non-limiting example embodiment of a machine for packaging mattresses according to this invention is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a non-limiting embodiment of it, and in which:

- Figure 1 is a schematic view of a machine for packaging mattresses according to this invention;

- Figure 2 shows a view of the pressing station of the machine of Figure 1 ;

- Figures 3 to 6 schematically show the pressing station of Figure 2 in four successive operating steps;

- Figure 7 shows the covering station of the machine of Figure 1 ;

- Figure 8 shows the winding station, in combination with the covering station, of the machine of Figure 1 ;

- Figure 9 shows a mattress packaged according to the method according to the invention and by means of the machine of Figure 1.

Detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention

With reference to the accompanying drawings, the numeral 1 denotes in its entirety a machine for packaging mattresses according to this invention. The machine 1 mainly comprises the following stations:

- a pressing station 2 configured to mechanically compress a mattress 100;

- a covering station 3, positioned downstream of the pressing station 2, configured to introduce the mattress 100 into an outer wrapper;

- a winding station 4, positioned downstream of the covering station 3, configured to wind the mattress 100 on itself to obtain a substantially cylindrical final profile;

- a closing station (not illustrated in the accompanying drawings), for the final stabilisation of the profile adopted by the mattress 100.

The apparatus also comprises mechanical containment means configured to keep the compressed shape of the mattress 100 leaving the pressing station 2 until at least the winding station 4.

In this way the mattress 100 is pressed by the pressing station into a predetermined shape, and this shape is maintained, at least up to the outfeed of the winding station.

Figures 2 and 3 to 6 show a perspective view and a transversal view of the pressing station 2 in different operating configurations.

The pressing station 2 comprises a lower supporting member 5 made preferably in the form of a continuous conveyor belt or by a support with a bed of rollers, and which is preferably motor-driven. The lower supporting member 5 defines a flat upper supporting surface 5a defining a support lying horizontally for a mattress 100.

The pressing station 2 also comprises first mechanical compression means 6, positioned above the lower supporting member 5, and second mechanical compression means 7 positioned at the side, on one side of the lower supporting member 5. The compression means are said to be of the "mechanical" type since they do not use any pneumatic negative pressure, which is an advantageous feature according to one aspect of this invention.

An opposing wall 8 is preferably positioned on the side opposite the second compression means 6.

The lower supporting member 5, the compression means 6, 7 and the opposing wall 8 delimit between them a receiving area 9 accessible at the front and at the rear along a direction for feeding a mattress 100. The compression of the mattress 100 occurs in the receiving area 9 according to the methods described below.

The first compression means 6 are configured to flatten the mattress 100, arranged in the receiving area 9, along a first direction which is perpendicular to the lying plane of the mattress 100 in the receiving area, whilst the second compression means 7 are configured to flatten the side of the mattress, arranged in the receiving area, along a second direction lying in the lying plane of the mattress 100.

Advantageously, as shown in Figures 2 to 6, the first compression means 6 comprise at least one first upper compression member 10, which is able to move away from and towards the lower supporting member 5 to mechanically flatten of the mattress 100 perpendicularly to the lying plane of the mattress 100 in the receiving area 9.

In the preferred embodiment illustrated, the first compression means 6 also comprise a second upper compression member 1 1 , alongside the first upper compression member 10 and also movable away from and towards the lower supporting member 5 to mechanically flatten of the mattress 100 perpendicularly to the lying plane of the mattress 100 in the receiving area 9, but on a portion of the mattress 100 different from the portion on which the first upper compression member 10 acts.

Moreover, advantageously, the first compression means 6 are configured in such a way that the first upper compression member 10 has a stroke, from and towards the lower supporting member 5, which is greater than the second upper compression member 1 1 , to achieve the operation which will be described below.

With reference to the second compression means 7, they comprise a side compression unit 12 movable laterally along the lower supporting member 5 (that is to say, along a direction parallel to the main lying plane of the mattress 100) to lateral flatten the mattress 100 along a direction lying in the lying plane of the mattress 100.

In more detail, the side compression member 12 has a dimension (height, in the accompanying drawings) such as to move between the lower supporting member 5 and the second upper compression member 11 when the latter is in the relative operating configuration closest to the lower supporting member 5 (Figures 5 and 6).

In order to enclose in an optimum fashion the receiving area, above the side compression member 12 at the home position of the latter, that is to say, in the position furthest away from the opposing wall 8, there is a fixed wall 13 which substantially joins the side compression member 12 to the second upper compression member 1 1 .

Preferably, the side compression member 12 and/or the first upper compression member 1 1 are made in the form of a conveyor belt (continuous conveyor belt) or a support with a bed of rollers to favour an escape of the compressed mattress 100 from receiving area 9. For this purpose, preferably one of them (or both) is equipped with a drive unit for pushing the compressed mattress 100 outside the receiving area 9.

The covering station 3, as shown in Figure 7 or 8, is configured for positioning two belts 14, 15 of continuous material, unwound from respective reels 16, 17 in contact with respective large faces (upper and lower) of the compressed mattress 100, without, however, allowing that it can expand after the compression. For this purpose, any suitable means may be used to prevent the expansion of the mattress 100, for example an outlet section of a rigid conduit interposed between the pressing station 2 and the covering station 3.

The above-mentioned belts 14, 15 may subsequently be glued or sealed or in any case coupled to each other along opposite longitudinal edges of the mattress 100, defining a cover (which may be sealed or glued or in any case closed also at the ends).

Advantageously, the belts 14, 15 are made of breathable material, as it is not necessary to maintain any negative pneumatic pressure inside the cover.

With reference to the winding station 4, it may for example comprise a bed of rollers arranged according to a spiral path, as shown in Figure 8, in such a way as to convey the mattress along a path for winding on itself without allowing a re-expansion of the mattress.

The method for operation of the machine described above is as follows. A mattress 100 is fed along the relative main lying plane, until reaching the receiving area 9 the pressing station 2.

Subsequently, the mechanical compression of the mattress 100 is activated.

The mechanical compression comprises, if necessary, a preliminary step of compression perpendicularly to the lying plane of the mattress 100 applied to the entire surface of the mattress 100 to bring the mattress 100 to an intermediate thickness value which is less than the initial thickness (from Figure 3 to Figure 4). This preliminary compression, which occurs only if the initial thickness of the mattress 100 exceeds a predetermined limit value, is obtained by simultaneously moving the two upper compression members 10, 1 1 towards the lower supporting member 5 to a predetermined distance from the latter. This step, which may be defined as "approaching step", does not have a compression effect where the initial thickness of the mattress 100 has a value less than this predetermined distance.

Subsequently, the side compression member 12 is activated, which is moved towards the opposing wall 13 until achieving a desired side compression of the mattress 100, obtaining a value of reduced width "L" which is less than the initial uncompressed width (Figure 5).

In this step, the side compression member 12 translates in the space delimited by the lower supporting member 5 and the second upper compression member 1 1 , preferably without reaching the space beneath the first upper compression member 10.

Next, the first, upper compression member 10 is lowered further compressing the mattress 100 further in a direction perpendicular to its lying plane, bringing the thickness "s" to a final value less than the initial, uncompressed thickness value (Figure 6).

Advantageously, the final thickness "s" is between 3 and 8 cm and preferably equal to approximately 5 cm, and the value of reduced width "L" is between 80 and 1 10 cm and preferably equal to approximately 95 cm. The mattress 100 thus compressed is expelled from the receiving area 9 and sent firstly to the covering station 3, where it is covered with the breathable material, then to the winding station 4 where it is wound around itself preventing an expansion and finally to the closing station wherein the wound configuration is stabilised by clips or equivalent means.

The mattress 100 thus obtained, shown in Figure 9, has a transversal dimension which is not greater than 50 cm x 50 cm and a length "X", along a winding axis, which is not greater than 95 cm.

The invention described above can be modified in various ways, not expressly described here, all within the scope of the invention. For example, the same advantages can be achieved with a machine structure designed to operate on mattresses positioned on a side, that is, rotated through 90°, which is therefore considered to equally fall within the scope of the invention.

The present invention achieves the preset aims, overcoming the disadvantages of the prior art.

The embodiment of the machine according to the invention as described above allows packaging of a mattress with very reduced overall dimensions, allowing a cylindrical dispatch of compact dimensions within standard values having reduced costs.

Moreover, the mechanical compression rather than a vacuum packed compression allows the use of breathable covering materials. This allows a greater breathability of the mattress, which is ideal to allow an optimum drying process in the case of mattresses obtained by coupling layers with water-based adhesive.