Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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BEDDING PRODUCT PACKAGING AND PROCESS
BACKGROUND
[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to packaging and
protective covering, and more particularly, to packaging for bedding product
or
other products of similar characteristics, shapes or dimensions.
[0002] The packaging of bedding products for shipping, distribution,
handling and eventual sale presents a formidable challenge given the size and
nature of the product. For example, mattresses are generally considered too
large for practical packaging in a separate container such as a box, yet must
have substantial protection from damage and soiling to maintain the "as new"
condition required for retail marketing and sale. This has led to the
widespread
use of heavier gauge plastic film as a wrapping material, which encapsulates
and protects the mattress from the external environment. The formation of a
plastic film package about a mattress has been automated, as described for
example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,934,041, 6,178,723 and 6,273,257. These
packages typically produce a single fused seam of the plastic sheet material
about the entire perimeter of the mattress which, although strong enough to
keep the sealed plastic package intact, does not address the difficult in
handling
a large, heavy and flexible product such as the mattress.
[0003] Prior art FIG. 1 depicts a mattress M, which may be of any of
the custom or conventional sizes made in the U.S. or in other countries of the
world, which may be enclosed in a bag-like structure 10, as shown in prior art
FIG. 1. The material of the bag 12 may be any material which is suitable for
packaging, which preferably provides a sufficiently durable barrier to dirt or
debris coming into direct contact with the mattress M, and which resists
mechanical damage to some degree, and which can also mold up to forces and
stresses applied in the routine handling of a mattress so packaged. The bag 12
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is also referred to by those skilled in the art as a "barrier layer". When
manufactured using two sheets of plastic, a seal 14 is disposed about the
periphery joining the two sheets of plastic to form the bag. The bag as sealed
is
generally configured to conform and encapsulate the mattress with minimal
excess material.
[0004] Once sealed in the plastic, the mattress must then be manually
moved. However, because such packaging has no built-in gripping points, the
plastic material is further stressed by gripping a section of the material by
the
handlers, which can lead to tears. Once the plastic is torn, either as a
result of
handling or from abrasion, the mattress upholstery is readily exposed to
soiling
and damage, which significantly reduces the retail value or even prevents
retail
sale of the product. Given the substantial cost and handling requirements of
these types of products, returns and recalls due to failure of the packaging
are
extremely costly to the manufacturer.
BRIEF SUMMARY
[0005] Disclosed herein are packaged bedding products and processes
for forming the bedding product package. In one embodiment, a packaged
bedding product having a depth defined between opposed first and second
surfaces, a length defined between a pair of opposed end surfaces and a width
defined between a pair of opposed side surfaces, said bedding product being
encased in a plastic film package comprises a first plastic film; a second
plastic
film; a first seam joining the first plastic film to the second plastic film,
wherein
the first seam is disposed about a periphery of the bedding product; at least
one
second seam joining an end of the first plastic film to an end of the second
plastic film, wherein the at least one second seam is spaced apart from the
first
seam to define excess plastic film material therebetween, and wherein the at
least one second seam and excess plastic film material is provided at one or
more of the opposed end surfaces and/or one or more of the opposed side
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surfaces of the bedding product; and one or more gripper openings disposed in
the excess plastic film material.
[0006] A process of forming a packaged bedding product having a
generally planar first surface and a parallel generally planar second surface
comprises simultaneously passing a first web and a second web of plastic film
past the first and second surfaces on opposite sides of the bedding product;
cutting the first and second webs so as to create first and second pieces of
the
plastic film about the bedding product; joining the first and second pieces of
plastic film together about a periphery of the bedding product to form a first
seam enclosing the bedding product in a plastic film package; joining an end
of
the first piece to an end of the second piece to form at least one second
seam,
wherein the at least one second seam is spaced apart from the first seam to
define excess plastic film material therebetween; and forming hand-hold
openings in the excess material.
[0007] The disclosure may be understood more readily by reference to
the following detailed description of the various features of the disclosure
and
the examples included therein.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] Prior art Figure (FIG.) 1 illustrates a perspective view of a
mattress encapsulated in a plastic wrap.
[0009] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of first and second pieces of
extruded plastic film located above and below a bedding product.
[0010] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a bedding product individually
wrapped in a plastic film package after the first and second pieces of
extruded
plastic film shown in FIG. 2 are welded together.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0011] The mattress packaging and process of the present disclosure
generally includes a plastic wrapping or bag with excess material at least
along
opposing peripheral sides of the mattress, wherein the excess material is
configured with openings to permit gripping and handling of the mattress. The
mattress packaging and process generally includes forming two spaced apart
weld seams in the excess material and forming gripper openings (i.e., hand-
hold
openings) between the spaced apart weld seams. Advantageously, the mattress
packaging and process provide sufficient protection to the mattress and
permits
the packaged mattress to be easily handled and carried. Although the
disclosure is described with reference to the packaging and protection of a
mattress M, the packaging concepts are equally applicable to other types of
complimentary or comparable products such as foam or foldable mattress or
cushions, foundations or box springs or similarly configured home furnishing
articles.
[0012] Turning now to FIG. 2, there is shown an exemplary mattress
M, which has a generally planar first surface 12 and a parallel generally
planar
second surface 14. The generally planar first and second surfaces 12, 14 are
spaced apart at a uniform distance d defining the depth of the bedding
product.
The mattress M also has a pair of opposed generally planar, parallel end
surfaces 16 which are spaced apart from one another a distance L which is the
length or longitudinal dimension of the mattress. Similarly, the mattress has
a
pair of opposed generally planar side surfaces 18 which are spaced apart from
one another and generally parallel. The distance between the opposed side
surfaces 18 is equal to the width or transverse dimension W of the bedding or
seating product. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the mattress M may be horizontally
oriented so that the first and second surfaces are generally horizontal.
Alternatively, the bedding product may be oriented such that the first and
second surfaces are generally vertical, although such an orientation is not
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illustrated. Other orientations may be utilized in accordance with the present
disclosure as well.
[0013] The mattress M is shown being supported by a plurality of
spaced rollers 20. However the mattress M may be supported by any number of
different mechanisms such as an endless conveyor belt. A first web 22 of
extruded plastic film is wound about a first web roll 24. The first web 22 has
a
pair of opposed side edges 26, the distance between the side edges 26 defines
the width of the first web. The first web 22 is a unitary piece of plastic and
may
have a uniform thickness or a variable thickness. A second web 28 of extruded
plastic film is wound about a second web roll 30. Like the first web, the
second
web 28 has a pair of opposed side edges 32, the distance between the side
edges 42 defining the width of the second web. As seen in FIG. 2, the widths
of
the first and second webs 20, 28, respectively, are approximately identical,
although they need not necessarily be so.
[0014] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the first web roll 24 is spaced below the
second web roll 30. A pair of spaced rollers 40 and 42 are located between the
web rolls 24, 30, respectively and slightly in front thereof. However, the web
rolls 24, 30 may be at other locations not specifically illustrated as may be
desired in other packaging machines. Similarly, the location of the rollers
may
be changed from the locations without departing from the scope of the present
disclosure. Exemplary mattress packaging machines suitable for use in the
present disclosure are disclosed in US Pat. No. 7,383,676, incorporated by
reference in its entirety, can be readily configured to provide the excess
material and the gripper openings.
[0015] The first and second webs 22, 28 are pulled from the first and
second web rolls 24, 30, respectively, passed between the spaced rollers 40
and
42 and past the mattress M. The mattress M is oriented so that the end
surfaces 16 of the mattress M and transverse dimension of the bedding product
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are generally parallel the opposed side edges 26, 32 of the aligned first and
second webs 22, 28, respectively. The first web 22 of extruded plastic film is
passed under the surface 14 of the mattress M slightly below the surface 12 of
the mattress M. Similarly, the second web 28 is passed over the second surface
14 of the bedding product 10 slightly over the second surface. Each of the
first
and second webs are pulled in the direction of arrow 44 across the entire
width
W of the mattress M.
[0016] As the first and second webs 22, 28 are being pulled off of the
first and second web rolls 24, 30, respectively, the first web roll 24 rotates
in
the direction of arrow 54 about a transversely extending axis, and the second
web roll 30 rotates in the direction of arrow 56 about a transversely
extending
axis. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the first and second web rolls 24, 30 rotate
in
opposite directions. Contact between the first web 22 and the first roller 40
causes the first roller to rotate in a direction opposite to the direction of
rotation the first web roll 24 (see arrow 54). Similarly, as the second web 28
passes over and contacts the second roller 42, the second roller rotates in
the
direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the second web roll 40 (see
arrow 56).
[0017] Once a sufficient length of the first and second webs 22, 28 are
pulled from the first and second web rolls 24, 30, respectively, pass between
the first and second rollers 40, 42, respectively, and across the width of the
mattress M, the first and second webs are cut with a cutting instrument (not
shown). The length of the first and second webs across the width of the
mattress are configured to provide excess material on the opposing peripheral
sides of the mattress M, i.e., opposed generally planar side surfaces 18.
Alternatively, excess material may be provided for opposing planar side
surfaces 16 by itself, or in combination with excess material provided on
opposing side surfaces 18. As shown more clearly in FIG. 3, excess material is
designated by reference numeral 60 and refers to an amount sufficient to
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provide two seams: a first seam 60 abutting or in close proximity to the side
surfaces 16 and 18, and a second seam 62 spaced apart from the first seam and
at a distance effective to provide one or more gripping holes 66 therein. In
Figure 3, the excess material 60 is shown only at opposed generally planar
side
surfaces 18 although as discussed above, the excess material 64 defined by the
first and second seams could extend about the entire periphery of mattress M
or selected ones of the generally planar side surfaces 16 or 18.
[0018] The cutting instrument is not intended to be limited and may be
a knife, a laser, a heated bar, a cutting wheel, or the like. The cutting
instrument passes transversely across the width of the first and second webs
22,
28 so as to create first and second pieces of extruded plastic film from the
first
and second webs. The first and second pieces of extruded plastic film are
located on opposite sides of the bedding product and extend beyond the
periphery of the bedding product in order for the first and second pieces to
be
joined together about the periphery of the bedding product and to provide
excess material about at least one of the selected opposed generally planar
side
surfaces 16, 18.
[0019] The final step in the method of packaging the mattress M in
accordance with the present disclosure is to form the seams in the pieces of
extruded plastic film 22, 28 together about the periphery of the bedding
product with a seam 62 and 64 such as is shown in FIG. 3.. Because the webs
22, 28 can be cut to have equal dimensions, the seam 62 about the periphery
can extend halfway up the end and side surfaces of the bedding product but
may be located in other positions as well. The seams may be formed using any
conventional method including staples, glue, etc. but are preferably welded or
heat sealed together.
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[0020] The joining of the first and second pieces of extruded plastic
film may be accomplished using any of numerous methods. For example, one or
two spaced apart welding bars may be located along the opposed generally
planar side surfaces 16 and/or 18 of the mattress. The welding bars are heated
to a sufficient temperature in order to melt the plastic film of the first and
second webs together.
[0021] The extruded plastic film used in accordance with the method of
the present invention may be any plastic material. One type of plastic
material
which has proven to work well using the present invention is high density
polyethylene. However, this application is not intended to limit the plastic
material used in accordance with the present invention.
[0022] Once the cut webs 22, 28 of extruded plastic film are joined
together along all four sides of the bedding product, the result is a single
ply
plastic film package with at least one of opposed generally planar side
surfaces
16 and/or 18 of the mattress have excess material. One or more gripper
openings 66 are then cut into the excess material. In one embodiment, the
periphery of the gripper opening is sealed such as by welding.
[0023] The extruded plastic film used in accordance with the method of
the present disclosure may be any plastic material. One type of plastic
material
which has proven to work well using the present invention is high density
polyethylene. However, this application is not intended to limit the plastic
material used in accordance with the present invention.
[0024] Although not specifically illustrated, the bedding product may
be oriented so that the side surfaces of the mattress are generally parallel
the
side edges of the first and second webs. If the mattress is so oriented, the
longitudinal dimension and side surfaces of the mattress are generally
parallel
the side edges of the first and second webs, respectively, and the resulting
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packaged product can be configured to provide excess material with gripper
openings about generally planar first surface 12 and a parallel generally
planar
second surface 14.
[0025] Advantageously, the one or more gripper openings provide
built-in gripping points, which markedly improve handling and transport of the
packaged bedding product.
[0026] This written description uses examples to disclose the invention,
including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to
make and use the invention. The patentable scope of the invention is defined
by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in
the
art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if
they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of
the
claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial
differences from the literal languages of the claims.
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