System and method for packaging a foam product

Abstract

A system for packaging a foam product includes a first lateral compressor that applies pressure to a first lateral side of the foam product in a second lateral compressor that applies pressure to a second lateral side of the foam product so as to compress the foam product to a reduced width. The system also includes a roller device configured to roll the compressed foam product into a cylindrical packaged product.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for packaging a foam product, the system comprising:
 a first lateral compressor that applies pressure to a first lateral side of the foam product and a second lateral compressor that applies pressure to a second lateral side of the foam product to compress the foam product to a reduced width; and   a roller device configured to roll the compressed foam product into a cylindrical packaged product.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a top vertical compressor that applies pressure to a top side of the foam product and a bottom vertical compressor that applies pressure to a bottom side of the foam product to a reduced depth prior to rolling. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2  wherein at least one of the first lateral compressor, the second lateral compressor, the top vertical compressor, or the bottom vertical compressor is controlled to apply no more than a predefined maximum force to the foam product. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the roller device wraps the cylindrical packaged product in a film to retain its cylindrical shape and size. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4  further comprising an infeed film assembly that covers a top portion and a bottom portion of the foam product in a film prior to compressing the product. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5  wherein the infeed film system comprises a top film roll supplying a top film feed, a bottom film roll supplying a bottom film feed, and a seamer to connect the top film feed to the bottom film feed. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6  wherein the film is comprised of polyethylene and the seamer is a heat bar that melts the top film feed to the bottom film feed. 
     
     
         8 . A method of packaging a foam product, the method comprising:
 receiving a foam product having a length, an uncompressed width, and an uncompressed depth;   laterally compressing the foam product to a reduced width;   vertically compressing the foam product to a reduced depth; and   sealing the compressed foam product in a first film to maintain the reduced width and the reduced depth.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising rolling the compressed foam product along its length to form a cylindrical packaged product. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising wrapping the cylindrical packaged product in a second film to retain its shape and size. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the first film is comprised of a polyethylene material and the second film comprised of a casted poly film with high cling properties. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising covering a top portion and a bottom portion of the foam product in the film prior to compressing the foam product, wherein the film has a width that is less than the uncompressed width of the foam product; and
 wherein the reduced width of the compressed foam product is less than the width of the film. 
 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the step of sealing comprises applying heat to the film around the compressed foam product. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising pulling film taut prior to sealing. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the reduced width is no more than 70 percent of the uncompressed width. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the reduced width is no more than 60 percent of the uncompressed width. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the step of laterally compressing is controlled to apply no more than a predetermined maximum lateral force on the foam product, and the step of vertically compressing is controlled to apply no more than a predetermined maximum vertical force on the foam product. 
     
     
         18 . A mattress packaging system comprising:
 an infeed apparatus that receives a foam mattress and covers a top portion and a bottom portion of the foam mattress in a first film;   a tamp apparatus that compresses the foam mattress, the tamp apparatus comprising:
 a first lateral compressor that applies pressure on a first lateral side of the foam mattress and a second later compressor that applies pressure on a second lateral side of the foam mattress to compress the foam mattress to a reduced width; 
 a sealing mechanism that seals the film around the compressed foam mattress to retain the reduced width; 
   a roller device that rolls the compressed foam product into a cylindrical packaged product and wraps the cylindrical packaged product in a second film.   
     
     
         19 . The mattress packaging system of  claim 18  wherein the tamp apparatus further comprises a first vertical compressor that applies pressure on a top side of the foam product and a second vertical compressor that applies pressure on a bottom side of the foam product to a reduced depth prior to rolling. 
     
     
         20 . The mattress packaging system of  claim 18  wherein the sealing mechanism is one or more heat bars. 
     
     
         21 . A cylindrical packaged product, the packaged product comprising:
 a compressed foam product rolled along its length to form a cylinder having a width and a circumference, the compressed foam product having an uncompressed width that is laterally compressed to a reduced width and an uncompressed depth that is vertically compressed to a reduced depth; and   the cylinder wrapped in a film to retain the width and the circumference.   
     
     
         22 . The cylindrical packaged product of  claim 21  further comprising the compressed foam product being contained in a film to maintain the reduced width and the reduced depth. 
     
     
         23 . The cylindrical packaged product of  claim 21  wherein the width of the cylindrical packaged product is approximately equal to the reduced width of the compressed foam product. 
     
     
         24 . The packaged product of  claim 23  wherein the reduced width no more than 70 percent of the uncompressed width.