阅读说明：本技术 袋装弹簧线轴 (Bagged spring bobbin ) 是由 B·范德贝肯 N·弗曼德勒 W·德斯梅特 M·梅弗里德 于 2020-03-26 设计创作，主要内容包括：公开了一种袋装弹簧的线性串(110、210、310、410)的线轴(100)。袋装弹簧的线性串包括弹簧(212、312、412),每个弹簧设置在纺织袋(214、314、414)中。弹簧(212、312、412)包括螺旋卷绕的钢丝弹簧。纺织袋(214、314、414)沿线性方向彼此组装。线性串(110、210、310、410)具有一个纺织袋(214、314、414)的宽度。袋装弹簧串(110、210、310、410)螺旋缠绕在线轴(100)中并处于压缩状态,使得袋装弹簧(212、312、412)可以在袋装弹簧串(110、210、310、410)从线轴(100)上解开缠绕时膨胀。(A spool (100) of a linear string (110, 210, 310, 410) of pocketed springs is disclosed. The linear string of pocketed springs comprises springs (212, 312, 412), each spring being arranged in a textile pocket (214, 314, 414). The spring (212, 312, 412) comprises a helically wound wire spring. The textile bags (214, 314, 414) are assembled to each other in a linear direction. The linear string (110, 210, 310, 410) has a width of one textile pocket (214, 314, 414). The string of pocketed springs (110, 210, 310, 410) is helically wound in the spool (100) and in a compressed state such that the pocketed springs (212, 312, 412) can expand when the string of pocketed springs (110, 210, 310, 410) is unwound from the spool (100).)

1. A spool of a linear string of pocketed springs,

wherein the linear string of pocketed springs comprises springs, each spring disposed in a textile pocket, wherein the springs comprise helically wound wire springs;

wherein the textile bags are assembled to each other in a linear direction; wherein the linear string has a width of one textile pocket;

wherein the string of pocketed springs is helically wound in the spool and in a compressed state such that the pocketed springs can expand when the string of pocketed springs is unwound from the spool.

2. The spool according to claim 1 wherein the linear string of pocketed springs is present as a plurality of layers in a radial direction of the spool.

3. The spool according to claim 2 wherein successive layers of a linear string of pocketed springs are in direct contact.

4. The spool according to claim 2 wherein an interlayer material is provided between the layers.

5. The spool according to any of the preceding claims wherein a plurality of pockets are arranged adjacent to each other in the longitudinal direction of the spool axis.

6. The spool according to any one of the preceding claims,

wherein the linear string of pocketed springs is wound into alternating first and second layers in a width direction of the spool;

wherein after winding the string of pocketed springs into a first layer in a first width direction of the spool, the string of pocketed springs is wound into a second layer in a direction opposite to the first width direction across a width of the spool.

7. The spool according to any one of the preceding claims,

wherein, the height direction of the pocket is vertical to the length direction of the pocket spring string;

and wherein the spring is disposed in the pocket such that a height direction of the spirally wound wire spring is perpendicular to a height direction of the pocket.

8. The spool according to any of the preceding claims wherein the height direction of the pockets is arranged in a radial direction of the spool.

9. The spool according to any one of the preceding claims,

wherein the linear string of pocketed springs in the spool comprises pockets in a first arrangement and pockets in a second arrangement;

wherein the pockets in the second arrangement differ from the pockets in the first arrangement in that the pockets have been turned 180 ° or multiples of 180 ° around the length direction of the string, preferably the pockets alternate with the pockets of the second arrangement along the length of the linear string of pocketed springs in the bobbin according to the first arrangement.

10. The spool according to any one of the preceding claims wherein a strip of fabric, preferably having the width of a string of pocketed springs, is glued on the top and/or bottom of the string of pocketed springs.

11. A method of manufacturing a two-dimensional pocket spring core, for example for a mattress or a cushion, comprising the steps of:

-providing a spool of a linear string of pocketed springs according to any of the preceding claims 1 to 10;

unwinding the linear string of pocketed springs from the spool and allowing the pocketed springs to relax to their uncompressed state; and

-assembling a linear string of pocketed springs into a two-dimensional pocketed spring core.

12. The method of manufacturing a two-dimensional pocket spring core of claim 11, comprising the steps of:

-providing a plurality of spools of a linear string of pocketed springs according to any of the preceding claims 1 to 10; preferably, wherein the spring characteristics of the pocketed springs of at least two spools of the plurality of spools of the linear string of pocketed springs are different;

unwinding the linear string of pocketed springs from the spool and allowing the pocketed springs to relax to their uncompressed state; and

-assembling a linear string of pocketed springs into a two-dimensional pocketed spring core; preferably a two-dimensional pocket spring core comprising areas with different spring properties is thereby manufactured.

13. Method for manufacturing a two-dimensional pocket spring core according to any of the preceding claims 11 or 12, comprising the steps of:

-providing one or more spools of a linear string of pocketed springs according to any of the preceding claims 1-10;

-providing one or more machines for manufacturing strings of pocketed springs;

-unwinding a linear string from one or more of the one or more spools, thereby allowing the pocketed springs to relax to their uncompressed state; and

-assembling the unwound linear string into a two-dimensional spring core together with a string or strings of pocketed springs produced in an assembly process on said one or more machines.

14. An apparatus for assembling two-dimensional pocket spring cores, comprising

-one or more payoff stands, each for holding a spool of a linear string of pocketed springs according to any of the preceding claims 1 to 10;

-one or more machines for manufacturing strings of pocketed springs;

-an assembling station for assembling a length of strings of pocketed springs to each other, thereby obtaining a two-dimensional pocketed spring core;

wherein the one or more machines are provided for manufacturing strings of pocketed springs in accordance with the assembly on the assembly station;

wherein an assembly station is provided for assembling a string of lengths of pocketed springs unwound from spools on the one or more payoff stands into a two-dimensional spring core while allowing the pocketed springs to relax to their uncompressed state, and the string of lengths of pocketed springs is produced in-line by the one or more machines.

15. Apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the apparatus comprises a control unit for controlling the feeding of the string of pocketed springs from the spool and/or the machine to the assembly station.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to the field of pocketed spring cores for mattresses or cushions, such as for sofas. The present invention relates to spools providing such linear strings of pocketed springs; and a method of making such a spool. The invention also relates to a method of manufacturing a pocketed spring core using spools of linear springs of pocketed springs, and an apparatus for assembling linear strings of pocketed springs into a two-dimensional spring core.

Background

Pocketed spring cores for mattresses or cushions are well known. The core comprises a two-dimensional array of helically wound springs, each spring being arranged in a pocket made of woven fabric. Such cores are made by assembling linear strings of pocketed springs cut to the appropriate length parallel to each other. The assembly may be performed by a suitable adhesive. In most cases, the woven fabric from which the bag is made is a woven non-woven fabric, such as a spunbond fabric. The use of a spunbond fabric allows the bag to be manufactured by thermal welding.

US5,613,287 discloses a method of forming a string of pocketed springs. The spring is first inserted into the pocket in a compressed state such that the height direction of the spring is perpendicular to the height direction of the pocket, and then the spring is turned by 90 ° to expand the spring and make the height direction of the spring coincide with the height direction of the pocket.

In the known method, the manufacture of the pocketed spring core is performed in accordance with the production of strings of pocketed springs. A middle bin is provided as a middle storage for the string of pocketed springs. US4,406,391 provides an example of such a method. Alternatively, the production process of the string of pocketed springs and the process of assembling the pocketed springs to construct the pocketed spring mattress core are separate. The string of pocketed springs is stored in a magazine after manufacture. The bins are then transported at appropriate times to an assembly line where a two-dimensional pocketed spring mattress core is assembled using a linear string of pocketed springs removed from one or more bins.

There is a growing trend to produce pocketed spring cores with strings of different characteristics. This technique allows the manufacture of mattresses comprising zones with different spring characteristics to improve the comfort of the mattress. EP0624545a1 gives an example of a method of producing such a pocket spring core using strings with different elasticity and/or different damping properties.

Many trends in the mattress industry and consumer preferences require improvements in the process of producing pocketed spring mattress cores. An increasing trend is mattress personalization, such as mattresses with different compression zones designed specifically to meet individual needs. This trend has greatly increased the variety of types of mattress cores that need to be produced, requiring more versatility and flexibility in the production process. Spring winding speeds are increasing, which places limitations on the in-line process because all steps of the manufacturing process must be able to follow higher spring winding speeds. The different technical skill requirements for manufacturing pocketed spring strings (including spring coiling and insertion into textile pockets) and core assemblies provide further arguments for separating the manufacture of pocketed spring strings from their assembly in mattress cores. The mentioned trend has been directed to increasing the intermediate storage of strings of pocketed springs. All these trends require new methods and cost optimization of the manufacturing process of pocket spring cores.

Disclosure of Invention

A first aspect of the invention is a spool of a linear string of pocketed springs. The linear string of pocketed springs comprises springs, each spring being disposed in a textile pocket. The spring comprises and preferably consists of a helically wound wire spring. The textile bags are assembled to each other in a linear direction. The linear string has the width of one textile pocket. The string of pocketed springs is helically wound in the spool and in a compressed state such that the pocketed springs can expand as the string of pocketed springs is unwound from the spool.

The present invention provides a compact way of storing and transporting a linear string of pocketed springs. Because the strings and pocketed springs are in a compressed state in the spool, they occupy less volume than prior art ways of storing and transporting linear strings in bins. Storing the linear string of pocketed springs in a compressed state has the further advantage that the pocketed springs will exhibit less permanent deformation when used in a mattress core, since holding the pocketed springs in a compressed state on a spool already eliminates at least partial relaxation of the springs.

When the linear string of pocketed springs is unwound from the spool, the pocketed springs may be allowed to relax to an uncompressed state for assembly into a two-dimensional pocketed spring core.

Spools including pocketed springs having different characteristics may be used to assemble two-dimensional pocketed spring cores including regions having different spring characteristics. This approach reduces the warehouse area required to store the strings of pocketed springs and provides versatility and flexibility in mattress core manufacture.

Preferably, the bag is made of a spunbonded nonwoven by welding, more preferably by heat welding.

Preferably, the linear string of pocketed springs is present as a plurality of layers in a radial direction of the bobbin.

In a preferred embodiment, a sandwich material (e.g. paper, cardboard, tape or woven fabric) is arranged between the layers. A benefit of such an embodiment is that the sandwich material may help to compress the pocketed spring during winding and hold the pocketed spring in a compressed state on the bobbin. The interlayer material also facilitates the unwinding of the bobbin by effectively preventing entanglement between the layers on the bobbin.

In a preferred alternative embodiment, successive layers of the linear string of pocketed springs are in direct contact. This approach is cost effective and reduces waste because there is no interlayer material between successive layers of the linear string of pocketed springs; the sandwich material needs to be discarded when the spool is unwound.

Preferably, a plurality of pouches are provided adjacent to each other in the longitudinal direction of the spool axis.

In a preferred bobbin, a linear string of pocketed springs is wound in alternating first and second layers across the width of the bobbin. After winding the string of pocketed springs into a first layer in a first width direction of the spool, the string of pocketed springs is wound into a second layer in a direction opposite the first width direction across the width of the spool. Such an embodiment has the advantage that space is used in a very economical way and the spool can be unwound in a simple way, minimizing the risk of unwinding problems that may occur due to tangling of strings of pocketed springs on the spool. In a more preferred such embodiment, the wrapping is done with minimal space between adjacent bags in a layer, but without overlap.

In an alternative embodiment, wherein the linear string of pocketed springs is present as a plurality of layers in the radial direction of the bobbin, each layer has only the width of one pocketed spring in the longitudinal direction of the bobbin axis. More preferably, such a spool has a core on which a linear string of pocketed springs is wound and one (more preferably two) flanges.

In a preferred bobbin, the pockets have a height direction perpendicular to the length direction of the string of pocketed springs. The spring is disposed in the pocket such that a height direction of the spirally wound wire spring is perpendicular to a height direction of the pocket. The height direction of the pockets is the direction that will provide the thickness of the 2D core made of the string of pocketed springs. A benefit of such embodiments is that when the spring is present in the pocket in a position rotated 90 ° relative to its final position in the 2D spring core, the geometric constraints in the pocket create a compression of the coil spring that facilitates winding of the string of pocketed springs in a compressed state into the spool. When unwinding the string from the spool, the helical spring can easily be turned to its final position, where the height direction of the helical spring coincides with the height direction of the pocket, which is also the thickness direction of a 2D core made of a linear string of pocketed springs. Such an embodiment has further benefits. A common type of machine for manufacturing linear strings of pocketed springs manufactures the pocketed springs such that the helically wound wire springs are inserted into the pockets with the height direction of the wire springs perpendicular to the height direction of the pockets. After sealing the bag, the spring is rotated in the bag so that the height direction of the spring coincides with the height direction of the bag. When manufacturing a spool according to this embodiment of the invention, such rotation is not required on the string manufacturing machine.

In an alternative preferred embodiment, the pockets have a height direction perpendicular to the length direction of the string of pocketed springs, and the springs are arranged in the pockets such that the height direction of the springs coincides with the height direction of the pockets.

In a preferred embodiment, the linear string of pocketed springs in the spool comprises pockets in a first arrangement and pockets in a second arrangement. The pouches in the second arrangement differ from the pouches in the first arrangement in that the pouches have been turned 180 ° or a multiple of 180 ° around the length of the string. More preferably, the pockets according to the first arrangement alternate with the pockets of the second arrangement along the length of the linear string of pocketed springs in the bobbin. By rotation at the connection of the pockets, it can be easily noticed that the string of pocketed springs is switched from a pocket of the first arrangement to a pocket of the second arrangement: the connection has been turned 180 deg. or multiples of 180 deg.. Rotation of the pockets may be performed while winding the string of pocketed springs on the spool. When unwinding the string of pocketed springs from the spool, the rotation can be removed again. A benefit of such an embodiment is that the fabric from which the bag is made compresses the springs in the bag as the bag rotates relative to the previous bag in the linear string. Thus, it is convenient to wind the bag onto the bobbin in a compressed state and it is easier to maintain the compressed state of the bag on the bobbin.

In a preferred bobbin according to any embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention, the last wound portion of the linear string is fixed in the bobbin, thereby maintaining a compressive tension on the bag. The securing may be performed on a previously wound length of linear spring or, when the spool comprises a spool carrier, on a portion of the spool carrier. Such a wire bearing carrier may be a core or may be a core with one or two transverse flanges.

Preferably, the height direction of the bag is arranged in the radial direction of the bobbin. In such embodiments, the winding tension as the spool is wound helps to compress the pocketed spring. However, alternatively, the height direction of the bag may be arranged in the axial direction of the bobbin.

In an embodiment of the first aspect of the invention, the bobbin comprises a core. A linear string of pocketed springs is wound on the core. The core may for example be a cardboard core; such as a tube made of cardboard. More preferably, the linear string of pocketed springs is secured to the core at the beginning of winding the linear pocketed springs onto the core.

Alternatively, a bobbin without a core may be provided. Such a spool may be made, for example, by winding a string of pocketed springs around a core and removing the core after winding the spool. To unwind such a spool, a shaft or core may be inserted, for example, in the center of a coreless spool.

In a preferred embodiment of the first aspect of the invention, the fabric strip is glued on the top and/or bottom of the string of pocketed springs. The benefit of such embodiments is to prevent tangling between the layers of the string of pocketed springs and to provide a cushioning or protective layer for the pocketed spring core to be made using the bobbin of pocketed springs. Such cushioning or protective layers may replace fabric layers that are conventionally applied to the top and/or bottom of a two-dimensional pocketed spring core. The fabric strip may for example be a non-woven strip, preferably a non-woven strip having a certain bulk. The tape may also have multiple layers. The fabric tape may be glued to the top and/or bottom of the string of pocketed springs before or during winding of the pocketed springs on the spools. Preferably, the band has a width of the string of pocketed springs in an uncompressed state.

A second aspect of the present invention is an apparatus for winding a string of pocketed springs into a spool of pocketed springs as in any of the embodiments of the first aspect of the present invention. The apparatus comprises a compression device for compressing the pocketed spring as it is wound into the spool. Preferably, the apparatus comprises a compression unit for compressing the pockets before the string of pocketed springs reaches the point where the string of springs is wound into the spool.

In a preferred apparatus for winding a string of pocketed springs into a spool of pocketed springs, the compression device is one or more rollers, or the compression device is an endless belt that surrounds a portion of the surface of the spool as it is wound.

A third aspect of the invention is a method of manufacturing a spool of a linear string of pocketed springs as in any embodiment of the first aspect of the invention. The method comprises the following steps: providing a linear string of pocketed springs; and winding a spool as in the first aspect of the invention using an apparatus as in any embodiment of the second aspect of the invention.

A fourth aspect of the invention is a method of manufacturing a two-dimensional pocket spring core, for example for a mattress or for a cushion, for example for a seating product. The method comprises the following steps: providing a spool of a linear string of pocketed springs as in any embodiment of the first aspect of the invention; unwinding the linear string of pocketed springs from the spool and allowing the pocketed springs to relax to their uncompressed state; and assembling the linear string of pocketed springs into a two-dimensional pocketed spring core. Preferably, the assembling is performed by gluing a length of strings of pocketed springs parallel to each other.

A preferred method according to the fourth aspect of the invention comprises the steps of: providing a plurality of spools of linear strings of pocketed springs as in any embodiment of the first aspect of the invention; unwinding the linear string of pocketed springs from the spool and allowing the pocketed springs to relax to their uncompressed state; and assembling the linear string of pocketed springs into a two-dimensional pocketed spring core. Preferably, the pocketed springs of at least two of the plurality of spools of the linear string of pocketed springs differ in spring characteristics, such as in spring geometry and/or spring rate. In a preferred such embodiment, the two-dimensional pocket spring core is manufactured to include regions having different spring characteristics, such as regions having different stiffness characteristics.

A preferred method according to any embodiment of the fourth aspect of the invention comprises the steps of: providing one or more spools of a linear string of pocketed springs as in any embodiment of the first aspect of the invention; providing one or more machines for manufacturing strings of pocketed springs; unwinding a linear string from one or more of the one or more spools, thereby allowing the pocketed springs to relax to their uncompressed state; and assembling the unwound linear string into a two-dimensional spring core with one string or a plurality of strings of pocketed springs produced on the one or more machines according to an assembly process. An advantage of this embodiment is that a spring core comprising springs with different characteristics can be manufactured in a very efficient manner. The one or more machines for manufacturing strings of pocketed springs may be arranged for manufacturing the type of pocketed springs used in all or almost all spring cores to be manufactured and therefore required in large batches and almost continuously. The spool may contain a string of pocketed springs having a low use and/or low use characteristic. In this way, spring cores of different designs and characteristics may be manufactured in a more efficient assembly process. The spool is replaced more quickly, easily and inexpensively than the type of pocketed spring manufactured by a pocketed spring manufacturing machine. In a multi-spool setup, changing spools may even be automated. In a more preferred embodiment, the replacement is electronically controlled.

In a preferred embodiment of the fourth aspect of the invention, an electronic control unit is provided for selecting and feeding strings of pocketed springs to the assembly process.

A fifth aspect of the present invention is an apparatus for assembling a two-dimensional pocket spring core. The apparatus comprises: one or more payoff stands; one or more machines for manufacturing strings of pocketed springs; and an assembly station. The one or more payoff stands are provided for holding each spool of a linear string of pocketed springs as in any embodiment of the first aspect of the invention. An assembly station is provided for assembling a string of lengths of pocketed springs unwound from spools on the one or more payoff stands into a two-dimensional spring core while allowing the pocketed springs to relax to their uncompressed state, and the string of lengths of pocketed springs is produced on-line by the one or more machines. Preferably, the apparatus comprises an applicator for applying glue to at least one side surface of the strings of pocketed springs, in order to glue the lengths of strings of pocketed springs parallel to each other when assembling the two-dimensional pocketed spring core.

A preferred apparatus includes a buffer (e.g., a bin) for temporarily buffering a length of string of pocketed springs produced by a pocketed spring making machine. In this way, the machine can continuously produce pocketed springs even if the assembly station does not continuously consume the string of pocketed springs produced by the production machine.

A preferred apparatus according to the fifth aspect of the invention comprises a control unit for controlling the feeding of the string of pocketed springs from the spool and/or from the machine to the assembly station.

Drawings

Figure 1 shows spools of a linear string of pocketed springs according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 shows an arrangement of linear strings of pocketed springs that can be used in the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows another arrangement of a linear string of pocketed springs useful in the present invention.

FIG. 4 shows another arrangement of a linear string of pocketed springs that can be used with the present invention.

Fig. 5 shows an example of a device according to the fifth aspect of the invention.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 shows an exemplary spool 100 of a linear string of pocketed springs according to a first aspect of the present invention. The exemplary spool includes a core 102 and a linear string of pocketed springs 110. The string of pocketed springs 110 is helically wound in the spool and in a compressed state such that the pocketed springs can expand as the string of pocketed springs is unwound from the spool. The linear string of pocketed springs 110 is wound in layers in the radial direction of the bobbin. A linear string 110 of pocketed springs is wound in alternating first and second layers across the width of the spool. After winding the string of pocketed springs into a first layer in a first width direction of the spool, the string of pocketed springs is wound into a second layer in a direction opposite the first width direction across the width of the spool. In this example, successive layers of the linear string of pocketed springs are in direct contact. However, it is also possible (not shown in fig. 1) to provide an interlayer material (e.g. paper, cardboard, tape or woven fabric) between the layers. The core may be, for example, a paperboard tube. A linear string of pocketed springs may be secured to the core at the beginning of winding of the linear pocketed springs onto the core. The last wound portion of the linear string may be secured in the spool to maintain the compressive tension on the bag. The fixing may be on a previously wound length of linear spring or on a cardboard core. The example of fig. 1 shows the height direction of the bag in the radial direction of the bobbin.

A first example of an arrangement of a linear string of pocketed springs in a spool is shown in fig. 2. For clarity of illustration, FIG. 2 shows a linear string 210 of pocketed springs in an uncompressed state. On the spool, the linear string and bag are compressed. The linear string of pocketed springs 210 includes springs 212, each of which is disposed in a textile pocket (or fabric pocket) 214. The spring is a helically wound wire spring. The textile bags are assembled to each other in a linear direction. The linear string has the width of one textile pocket. The bag is made of a spunbonded non-woven (or non-woven fabric) by welding, more preferably by heat welding. The weld lines 216 are provided between the textile bags. The height direction of the bag is indicated by H in fig. 2. The height direction of the pockets is the direction that will provide the thickness of the 2D core made of the string of pocketed springs. The length direction of the string is indicated by L in fig. 2. The height direction of the pocket is perpendicular to the length direction of the pocket spring string. The spring is disposed in the pocket such that a height direction of the spirally wound wire spring is perpendicular to a height direction of the pocket. During or after unwinding the string from the spool, the spring needs to be turned 90 ° so that the height direction of the spring coincides with the height direction of the bag. The spring can be turned over without difficulty by simple mechanical means.

An alternative arrangement of a linear string of pocketed springs in a spool is shown in fig. 3. For clarity of illustration, fig. 3 shows a linear string 310 of pocketed springs in an uncompressed state. On the spool, the linear string and bag are compressed. The linear string of pocketed springs 310 comprises springs 312, each of which is disposed in a textile pocket 314. The spring is a helically wound wire spring. The textile bags are assembled to each other in a linear direction. The linear string has the width of one textile pocket. The bag is made of a spunbonded non-woven (or non-woven fabric) by welding, more preferably by heat welding. The weld lines 316 are provided between the textile bags. The spring 312 is disposed in the pocket 314 such that the height direction of the spring coincides with the height direction of the pocket. This is the orientation that the spring has in a two-dimensional pocketed spring core.

Another particularly advantageous arrangement of a linear string of pocketed springs in a spool is shown in fig. 4. For clarity of illustration, fig. 4 shows a linear string 410 of pocketed springs in an uncompressed state. On the spool, the linear string and bag are compressed. The linear string of pocketed springs 410 comprises springs 412, each spring being arranged in a textile pocket 414, 415. The spring is a helically wound wire spring. The textile bags are assembled to each other in a linear direction. The linear string has the width of one textile pocket. The bag is made of a spunbonded non-woven (or non-woven fabric) by welding, more preferably by heat welding. The weld lines 416 are disposed between the textile bags. The linear string of pocketed springs in the spool includes pockets 414 in a first arrangement and pockets 415 in a second arrangement. The bags in the second arrangement differ from the bags in the first arrangement in that the bags have been turned 180 ° around the length of the string. This inversion will result in compression of the pockets (however, figure 4 shows the pockets in an uncompressed state to illustrate the arrangement of the springs and pockets in the linear string). In the example of fig. 4, pockets 414 in accordance with the first arrangement alternate with pockets 415 in the second arrangement along the length of the linear string of pocketed springs in the bobbin. By rotation at the connection 416 of the pockets, it can be easily noticed that the string of pocketed springs is switched from the pockets 414 of the first arrangement to the pockets 415 of the second arrangement: the connection has been turned over 180. In fig. 4, the springs are oriented such that the height direction of the springs coincides with the height direction of the pockets as in fig. 3. However, the springs may also be oriented in the manner shown in FIG. 2.

Fig. 5 schematically shows an example of a device 500 according to the fifth aspect of the invention. The apparatus 500 is provided for assembling a two-dimensional pocketed spring core 530 using a linear string of pocketed springs. The apparatus comprises: a creel 540 including a plurality of payoff stands; a machine 550 for manufacturing strings of pocketed springs; and an assembly station 560. The wire 552 and the non-woven fabric 554 are supplied to a machine 550 to make a string of pocketed wire springs. Each pay-off stand is provided for holding a spool of a linear string of pocketed springs as in any embodiment of the first aspect of the invention. An assembly station is provided for assembling in an otherwise known manner a string of lengths of pocketed springs unwound from spools on a plurality of payoff stands into a two-dimensional spring core while allowing the pocketed springs to relax to their uncompressed state, and the string of lengths of pocketed springs is produced on-line by one or more machines. The apparatus may comprise a feeding device 562 for selecting and feeding strings of pocketed springs, whether taken from a spool or produced on-line by a pocketed spring maker, to an assembly station. The apparatus may include a buffer 564 (e.g., a bin) for temporarily buffering a length of string of pocketed springs produced by the pocketed spring making machine 550. In this way, the machine can continuously manufacture pocketed springs. The apparatus may comprise a control unit for controlling the supply of strings of pocketed springs from the spool and/or the pocketed spring manufacturing machine to the assembly station.