Pocketed Spring Assembly Including Liquid Pods

Abstract

A pocketed spring assembly comprises a plurality of parallel strings of springs, each string joined to at least one adjacent string, each string comprising one piece of fabric folded into first and second opposed plies. Outer pockets are formed along each string by transverse seams joining the first and second plies. One pocketed spring and at least one liquid pod are positioned in each outer pocket. At least one cushion pad, at least one liquid pod or any combination thereof may be individually pocketed inside an outer pocket.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A bedding or seating product comprising:
 a pocketed spring assembly comprising a plurality of parallel strings of springs, each of said strings being joined to at least one adjacent string, each of said strings comprising a piece of fabric surrounding a plurality of inner pocketed springs and a plurality of liquid pods, first and second opposed plies of fabric being on opposite sides of the inner pocketed springs and liquid pods, a plurality of outer pockets formed along said string by a longitudinal seam and transverse seams joining said first and second plies, at least one inner pocketed spring and at least one liquid pod being in each of said outer pockets;   cushioning materials; and   a covering encasing said pocketed spring assembly and cushioning materials.   
     
     
         2 . A bedding or seating product comprising:
 a pocketed spring assembly comprising a plurality of parallel strings of springs, each of said strings being joined to at least one adjacent string, each of said strings comprising a piece of fabric surrounding a plurality of inner pocketed springs and a plurality of liquid pods, first and second opposed plies of fabric being on opposite sides of the inner pocketed springs and liquid pods, a plurality of outer pockets formed along said string by a longitudinal seam and transverse seams joining said first and second plies, at least one inner pocketed spring and at least one liquid pod being in each of said outer pockets.   
     
     
         3 . The product of  claim 2 , wherein each of the liquid pods is individually pocketed. 
     
     
         4 . The product of  claim 2 , wherein an upper end of each of said transverse seams is below an upper surface of the string to partially separate adjacent outer pockets. 
     
     
         5 . The product of  claim 2 , further comprising at least one cushion pad inside each of the outer pockets. 
     
     
         6 . The product of  claim 5 , wherein one of the cushion pads and one of the liquid pods are pocketed together inside one of the outer pockets. 
     
     
         7 . The product of  claim 2 , wherein at least one cushion pad and at least one liquid pod are above one of the inner pocketed springs inside each of the outer pockets. 
     
     
         8 . A pocketed spring assembly for a bedding or seating product, said pocketed spring assembly comprising:
 a plurality of parallel strings of springs, each of the strings being joined to at least one adjacent string, each of the strings comprising a plurality of interconnected outer pockets made from one piece of fabric, each of the outer pockets containing at least one inner pocketed spring, at least one cushion pad and at least one liquid pod, the piece of fabric being joined to itself along a longitudinal seam and having first and second opposed plies of fabric on opposite sides of the springs, the first and second plies being joined by transverse seams between adjacent inner pocketed springs.   
     
     
         9 . The pocketed spring assembly of  claim 8 , wherein two cushion pads and two liquid pods are in each of the outer pockets. 
     
     
         10 . The pocketed spring assembly of  claim 9 , wherein said at least one inner pocketed spring is between the cushion pads and between the liquid pods in each of the outer pockets. 
     
     
         11 . The pocketed spring assembly of  claim 8 , wherein each of said transverse seams forming adjacent outer pockets of said string has one end located below an upper surface of said string to partially separate adjacent outer pockets. 
     
     
         12 . The pocketed spring assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the inner pocketed springs are below the upper end of adjacent transverse seams. 
     
     
         13 . The pocketed spring assembly of  claim 8 , wherein each of said cushion pads is made at least partially of foam. 
     
     
         14 . The pocketed spring assembly of  claim 8 , wherein each of the cushion pads is individually pocketed. 
     
     
         15 . A pocketed spring assembly for a bedding or seating product, said pocketed spring assembly comprising:
 a plurality of parallel strings of springs, each of the strings being joined to an adjacent string, each of the strings comprising a plurality of interconnected outer pockets made from one piece of fabric, each of the outer pockets containing one inner pocketed spring, at least one liquid pod, the piece of fabric being joined to itself along a longitudinal seam and having first and second opposed plies of fabric on opposite sides of the inner pocketed springs, the fabric of said first and second plies being joined by transverse seams,   wherein each of said transverse seams forming adjacent pockets of said string has an upper end located below an upper surface of said string to partially separate said adjacent outer pockets and enable some of the liquid pods to compress without substantially compressing other liquid pods within other outer pockets.   
     
     
         16 . The pocketed spring assembly of  claim 15 , wherein each of said liquid pods comprises an outer pouch surrounding a plurality of beads. 
     
     
         17 . The pocketed spring assembly of  claim 15 , wherein each of said liquid pods comprises an outer pouch surrounding a volume of liquid. 
     
     
         18 . The pocketed spring assembly of  claim 17 , wherein said outer pouch is made of plastic. 
     
     
         19 . The pocketed spring assembly of  claim 15 , wherein further comprising a cushion pads inside each of the outer pockets. 
     
     
         20 . The pocketed spring assembly of  claim 19 , wherein each of the cushion pads is made at least partially of foam.