Quilted border loop sidewall panel for bed mattress or foundation and method of making same

Abstract

A method is provided for making, with a programmable multi-needle quilting machine, a quilted border loop sidewall panel for a bed mattress or foundation. The method involves executing programming on the machine to run a stitch pattern having a repeat length equal to or greater than a length of a side or end of the mattress or foundation, and preferably corresponding to the length around its perimeter. The stitch pattern presented in the programmed pattern repeat length includes a “prime pattern” having plural stitch pattern elements arranged to provide aperiodic pattern element variation along its length, which length is also equal to or greater than the length of the side or end of the mattress. Once made, the border loop sidewall panel is integrated into a mattress or foundation such that the pattern elements are placed in predetermined registry with selected other portions of the mattress or foundation. In this manner, it is possible to form a desired, reproducible aesthetic effect with high production efficiency.

Claims

1. A method of making a quilted border loop sidewall panel of material for a bed mattress or foundation, wherein plural layers of material are fed from one or more rolls through a programmable multi-needle quilting machine in registry with each other and are pressed and stitched together to form a quilted material, said plural layers of material being controllably moveable laterally with respect to a material feed direction and at least one needle bar-mounted needle of the machine in order to form, during stitching, stitch pattern elements which extend in both the material feed direction and laterally thereto, said method comprising: executing on a controller of the multi-needle quilting machine a program to stitch one or more lines of stitching following a programmed stitch pattern, said stitch pattern having a repeat length set equal to or greater than a length of a side or end of said mattress or foundation, wherein said stitch pattern includes a prime pattern comprising plural said stitch pattern elements arranged to provide aperiodic pattern element variation along its length, which length is equal to or greater than the length of the side or end of the mattress or foundation; carrying out stitching of said plural layers of material on said multi-needle quilting machine in accordance with said programming, in order to form a quilted material comprising said prime pattern; and cutting said quilted material into segments of predetermined length corresponding to a perimeter length of said mattress or foundation and comprising said prime pattern to thus form a said quilted border loop sidewall panel of material with said pattern elements arranged at predetermined positions therealong; wherein said quilted border loop sidewall panel is configured to form part of a said mattress or foundation with predetermined registry of the pattern elements with selected other portions of the mattress or foundation, to thus form a desired, reproducible aesthetic effect with said aperiodic pattern variation appearing along said side or end of the mattress or foundation.

2. The method of making a quilted border loop sidewall panel according to claim 1, wherein both said repeat length and the prime pattern length are set to be approximately equal to said perimeter length of said mattress or foundation.

3. The method of making a quilted border loop sidewall panel according to claim 2, wherein the mattress or foundation is rectangular in shape and the perimeter length is equal to the sum of the lengths of the sidewalls and end walls of the rectangular mattress or foundation.

4. The method of making a quilted border loop sidewall panel according to claim 3, wherein said predetermined registry of the pattern elements with selected other portions of the mattress or foundation comprises predetermined registry of the pattern elements with one or more of the corners, sidewalls and end walls of the mattress or foundation.

5. The method of making a quilted border loop sidewall panel according to claim 1, further comprising, before said cutting, slitting said quilted material into multiple elongated strips of material, each said strip of material subsequently being cut into segments in order to form multiple said quilted border loop sidewall panels.

6. The method of making a quilted border loop sidewall panel according to claim 5, further comprising stitching together the ends of the quilted border loop sidewall panels in order to form closed loops.

7. The method of making a quilted border loop sidewall panel according to claim 1, wherein said stitch pattern elements comprise differentiated parts of a continuous line of stitching running the length of the border loop sidewall panel.

8. The method of making a quilted border loop sidewall panel according to claim 1, wherein said stitch pattern elements comprise a visually distinguished region of parallel stitch lines, each line having a first segment which extends straight lengthwise along said border loop sidewall panel for a first predetermined distance, a second segment that angles laterally for a second, relatively short, predetermined distance from the first segment, a third segment that extends straight lengthwise from the second segment for a third predetermined distance offset laterally from said first segment, a fourth segment that angles laterally from the third segment for a fourth, relatively short, predetermined distance equal and opposite to that of the second segment, and a fifth segment that extends from said fourth segment straight lengthwise along said border loop sidewall panel for a fifth predetermined distance, in line with said first segment; wherein a said visually distinguished region of parallel stitch lines is provided in centered registration with each of the two sidewalls of the mattress or foundation.

9. The method of making a quilted border loop sidewall panel according to claim 8, wherein a said visually distinguished region of parallel stitch lines is further provided on at least one end wall of the mattress or foundation.

10. The method of making a quilted border loop sidewall panel according to claim 9, wherein said visually distinguished region of parallel stitch lines provided on at least one end wall of the mattress or foundation is provided in offset registration with said at least one endwall, in relative proximity to a corner of the mattress or foundation.

11. A quilted border loop sidewall panel for a bed mattress or foundation, made by the method of claim 1.

12. A method of making a bed mattress or foundation comprising: providing a quilted border loop sidewall panel made according to the method of claim 1; and incorporating said quilted border loop sidewall panel as a border wall of the mattress or foundation.

13. A method of making a bed mattress or foundation according to claim 12, wherein said incorporating comprises attaching the border loop sidewall panel to a bottom sidewall panel, wherein a seam attaching the ends of the sidewall panel to form a closed loop is positioned in registry with indicia provided along an edge of said bottom panel, thus ensuring, in the completed mattress, said predetermined registry of the pattern elements with the selected other portions of the mattress or foundation.

14. A bed mattress or foundation made by the method of claim 12.

15. A bed or mattress foundation made by the method of claim 13.

16. A method of making multiple quilted border loop sidewall panels of material for bed mattresses or foundations in different sizes, wherein plural layers of material are fed from one or more rolls through a programmable multi-needle quilting machine in registry with each other and are pressed and stitched together to form a quilted material, said plural layers of material being controllably moveable laterally with respect to a material feed direction and at least one needle bar-mounted needle of the machine in order to form, during stitching, stitch pattern elements which extend in both the material feed direction and laterally thereto, said method comprising: executing on a controller of the multi-needle quilting machine a first program to stitch one or more lines of stitching following a first programmed stitch pattern, said first programmed stitch pattern having a repeat length set equal to or greater than a length of a side or end of a first said mattress or foundation of a first size, wherein said first programmed stitch pattern includes a first prime pattern comprising plural said stitch pattern elements arranged to provide aperiodic pattern element variation along its length, which length is equal to or greater than the length of the side or end of the first mattress or foundation; carrying out stitching of said plural layers of material on said multi-needle quilting machine in accordance with said first program, in order to form a quilted material comprising said prime pattern; executing on the controller of the multi-needle quilting machine a second program to stitch one or more lines of stitching following a second programmed stitch pattern, said second programmed stitch pattern having a repeat length set equal to or greater than a length of a side or end of a second said mattress or foundation having a size different from said first size, wherein said second programmed stitch pattern includes a second prime pattern comprising plural said stitch pattern elements arranged to provide aperiodic pattern element variation along said repeat length, which length is equal to or greater than the length of the side or end of the second mattress or foundation, said second prime pattern emulating said first prime pattern, but being scaled to said mattress or foundation of said second size; cutting said quilted material into segments of predetermined lengths corresponding to the perimeter lengths of said mattress or foundation of said first size and said second side and comprising, respectively, said first and second prime patterns, to thus form a first said quilted border loop sidewall panel of material of a first length with said pattern elements arranged at predetermined positions therealong, and a second said quilted border loop sidewall panel of material of a second length with said pattern elements arranged at predetermined positions therealong; wherein said first and second quilted border loop sidewall panels are configured to form part of a said mattress or foundation of said first and second sizes, respectively, with predetermined registry of the pattern elements with selected other portions of the respective mattress or foundation, to thus form a desired, reproducible aesthetic effect with said aperiodic pattern variation appearing along said side or end of the respective mattress or foundation.

17. The method of making multiple quilted border loop sidewall panels of material for bed mattresses or foundations in different sizes according to claim 16, wherein said repeat lengths are set to be approximately equal to said perimeter lengths of said first and second mattress or foundation, respectively.

18. The method of making multiple quilted border loop sidewall panels of material for bed mattresses or foundations in different sizes according to claim 16, wherein the first and second mattresses or foundations are rectangular in shape and their perimeter lengths are equal to the sum of the lengths of the sidewalls and end walls of the respective rectangular mattress or foundation.

19. The method of making multiple quilted border loop sidewall panels of material for bed mattresses or foundations in different sizes according to claim 18, wherein said predetermined registry of the pattern elements with selected other portions of the mattress or foundation comprises predetermined registry of the pattern elements with one or more of the corners, sidewalls and end walls of the mattress or foundation.

20. The method of making multiple quilted border loop sidewall panels of material for bed mattresses or foundations in different sizes according to claim 1, further comprising, before said cutting, slitting said quilted material into multiple elongated strips of material, each said strip of material subsequently being cut into segments in order to form multiple said quilted border loop sidewall panels.

21. The method of making multiple quilted border loop sidewall panels of material for bed mattresses or foundations in different sizes according to claim 5, further comprising stitching together the ends of the quilted border loop sidewall panels in order to form closed loops.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows a known-type chain stitch multi-needle sewing/quilting machine in a schematically represented side view.

(2) FIG. 2 shows the chain stitch multi-needle sewing/quilting machine according to FIG. 1 in a perspective view.

(3) FIG. 3 is a lateral view of a part of another configuration of a multiple-needle sewing/quilting machine, employing the same general principles of the machine shown in FIG. 1.

(4) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the front-end of known-type production line for producing, with a multi-needle sewing/quilting machine, quilted border loop sidewall panels for a mattress.

(5) FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a portion of a known-type multi-needle sewing/quilting machine showing three needle bars (and needles mounted thereon), as may be used in the production line of FIG. 4.

(6) FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the multi-needle sewing/quilting machine in the production line of FIG. 4, on the down-stream side of the sewing station where the quilted material is being slit into strips that will become quilted border loop sidewall panels; also shown are the loopers associated with the sewing needles in accordance with a known arrangement of the machine.

(7) FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the back-end of the production line of FIGS. 4-6, where the parallel slit strips of border loop sidewall panel material are wound into rolls.

(8) FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the rolls of quilted border loop sidewall panel material shown in FIG. 7, removed from the take-up roll, stacked on a pallet and ready to be wrapped for shipment for use in making mattresses.

(9) FIG. 9 is a screen-shot of programming software being used in programming of a known-type repeating “Onion” pattern on a CNC multi-needle quilting machine, in accordance with a known method.

(10) FIG. 10 is a plan view of quilted material quilted with an “Onion” pattern representing the composite of two half-patterns as shown in FIG. 9, in accordance with a known method.

(11) FIG. 11 is an isometric view of a mattress in accordance with the invention, including a quilted border loop sidewall panel quilted with the programmed “prime pattern” pattern shown in FIG. 14, and illustrating registration of pattern features with parts of the mattress.

(12) FIG. 12 shows side and end views of the mattress depicted in FIG. 11, and maintenance of the pattern feature registration of FIG. 11 across a range of standard mattress sizes.

(13) FIG. 13 shows plan views of the quilted border loop sidewall panels corresponding to the mattress sizes shown in FIG. 12 prior to the ends thereof being stitched together to form a closed loop.

(14) FIG. 14 is a screen-shot of programing software being used for programming of the long repeat length quilting pattern of the queen-size bed embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 11-13.

(15) FIG. 15 is an isometric view of a mattress including a quilted border loop sidewall panel quilted with a handles-added variation on the programmed pattern shown in FIG. 14, and illustrating registration of pattern features with parts of the mattress, in accordance with aspects of the invention.

(16) FIG. 16 shows side and end views of the mattress depicted in FIG. 15, and maintenance of the pattern feature registration of FIG. 15 across a range of standard mattress sizes.

(17) FIG. 17 shows plan views of the quilted border loop sidewall panels corresponding to the mattress sizes shown in FIG. 16, prior to the ends thereof being stitched together to form a closed loop.

(18) FIG. 18 is a perspective view showing yet another variation on the inventive mattress construction shown in FIG. 11.

(19) FIG. 19 is an isometric view of a mattress including a quilted border loop sidewall panel stitched with a further variation on the programmed pattern shown in FIG. 14, and illustrating registration of pattern features with parts of the mattress, in accordance with aspects of the invention.

(20) FIG. 20 shows side and end views of the mattress depicted in FIG. 12, and maintenance of the pattern feature registration of FIG. 19 across a range of standard mattress sizes.

(21) FIG. 21 shows plan views of the quilted border loop sidewall panels corresponding to the mattress sizes shown in FIG. 20, prior to the ends thereof being stitched together to form a closed loop.

(22) FIG. 22 shows, in a side view similar to those shown in FIGS. 13, 16 and 20, an example of a “prime pattern” having a shorter length equal to the length of a sidewall of a mattress/foundation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

(23) With reference to FIG. 11, illustrated is a mattress 150 of rectangular shape and including a quilted border wall 152 in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The top of sleeping surface 154 of the mattress may be of any suitable construction/finish. It may be selected to coordinate aesthetically with the quilt pattern of the border wall 152. The internal structure of the mattress may be of any known (or subsequently developed) construction, for providing sleeping comfort.

(24) Generally speaking, border loop quilt patterns in accordance with the invention may be configured to visually accentuate particular mattress parts, e.g., the sidewalls or corners thereof. As an example, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 11, the parallel channels (formed between spaced parallel stitch lines 153), extend from the mattress corners along the sides. They reach a point 155 where they jog downward at an angle to a lower (horizontal) level. They extend at that level a predetermined distance and then angle back up to the higher level, at 157, thus forming in a central sidewall region a centered and symmetrical depression 158 which is visually distinguished from the regions at either end of the sidewall, where the channels extend straight and uninterruptedly around the respective mattress corners and onto the opposite ends.

(25) As seen in FIGS. 11 and 19, on the foot end of the mattress, another similar channel depression 159a or 159b may be formed, which may be of differing (e.g., smaller) size. As is the case in the embodiment of FIG. 11, this channel depression 159a may be offset rather than centered (as it is in the embodiment of FIG. 19, described further below), thus forming a distinctive region for sewing-on or otherwise adhering a brand label, or for purely aesthetic purposes.

(26) Collectively speaking, in each of the example embodiments of FIGS. 11-13 and 18-21, the stitch pattern elements comprise a visually distinguished region of parallel stitch lines. Each line has a first segment which extends straight lengthwise along the border loop sidewall panel for a first predetermined distance, a second segment that angles laterally for a second, relatively short, predetermined distance from the first segment, a third segment that extends straight lengthwise from the second segment for a third predetermined distance offset laterally from said first segment, a fourth segment that angles laterally from the third segment for a fourth, relatively short, predetermined distance equal and opposite to that of the second segment, and a fifth segment that extends from said fourth segment straight lengthwise along the border loop sidewall panel for a fifth predetermined distance, in line with said first segment. The channel depression thus formed may contribute to an interesting and attractive visual effect, serving to enhance the apparent three-dimensionality of the quilting.

(27) In the embodiment of FIGS. 11, 18 and 19, one such visually distinguished region is provided in centered registration with each of the two sidewalls of the mattress. Further, another such visually distinguished region of parallel stitch lines is provided on at least one end wall of the mattress. In the embodiments of FIGS. 11, 15 and 18, the visually distinguished region of parallel stitch lines provided on the foot end wall is provided in offset registration with the end wall, in relative proximity to a corner of the mattress.

(28) Referring now to FIG. 12, shown are side and end views of a mattress as depicted in FIG. 11, but in a range of standard bed sizes: Twin, TwinXL, Full, Full XL, Queen and King. These views illustrate the manner in which the pattern feature registration with parts of the mattress as shown in FIG. 11 may be maintained across a range of standard mattress sizes.

(29) FIG. 13 shows in full-length the corresponding border loop sidewall panels for each of the mattress sizes shown in FIG. 12. As is evident from these views, each illustrated stitch pattern has a repeat length corresponding to (approximately equal to) the length around the perimeter of the mattress, i.e., perimeter length. Further, the stitch pattern is a “prime pattern” (a coined term) comprising plural stitch pattern elements arranged to provide aperiodic pattern element variation along the repeat length, such that the overall pattern is not capable of replication by mere repeat of a sub-part of the overall pattern. Herein, “prime pattern” will be understood to mean a pattern incapable of being fully subdivided over its length into smaller identical parts. Stated conversely, it is a pattern that is incapable of replication by mere repeat of a smaller subpart of the pattern.

(30) Further, it will be appreciated from FIG. 13 that each prime pattern emulates each of the other prime patterns in the set (including its registration with corresponding other parts of the mattress), while being scaled to a particular size of the mattress (or foundation).

(31) A mattress 150′ representing a variation on the embodiments of FIG. 11 is shown in FIGS. 15, wherein like elements are labelled with like reference numbers. In this embodiment, while the foot end of the mattress is configured in the same matter as the FIG. 11 embodiment, the sidewalls are configured differently. The stitch pattern of each of the two sidewalls has a pair of spaced, relatively short sidewall depressions 158′, each one defining/visually anchoring a mounting location for a handle or strap 160 of the mattress.

(32) FIGS. 16 and 17 are views of the mattress border walls and border loop sidewall panel corresponding to those of FIGS. 12 and 13, but for the embodiment of FIG. 15. In like fashion, the views of FIG. 16 illustrate the manner in which the pattern feature registration with parts of the mattress as shown in FIG. 15 is maintained across a range of standard mattress sizes. And the views of FIG. 17 show in full-length the corresponding border loop sidewall panels for each of the mattress sizes shown in FIG. 16.

(33) As is evident from these views, each illustrated stitch pattern has a repeat length corresponding to (approximately equal to) the length around the perimeter of the mattress, i.e., perimeter length. Further, the stitch pattern is a “prime pattern” comprising plural stitch pattern elements arranged to provide aperiodic pattern element variation along the repeat length. And as with the first embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, each prime pattern emulates each of the other prime patterns in the set (including its registration with corresponding other parts of the mattress), while being scaled to a particular size of the mattress (or foundation).

(34) FIG. 18 illustrates another variation on the embodiment of FIG. 11. Here, the channel depression regions are similarly configured and situated: one relatively long symmetrical one 158″ in registration with a central sidewall region of the mattress, and a relatively small one 159a′ at the foot end of the mattress, offset rather than centered and in relative proximity to a corner of the mattress. In this embodiment, the difference relative to the FIG. 11 embodiment is that there is variation laterally (vertically as seen in FIG. 18) across the border loop sidewall panel. In particular, the stitch lines forming the channels have spacings that vary across the width of the sidewall panel. As shown in this example, the spacings (and hence the channels formed by the stitch lines) are wider toward the top of the mattress, as compared to the channels formed at the middle and lower parts of the mattress border walls, thus adding to the visually distinctive appearance of the walls of the mattress.

(35) FIG. 19 illustrates yet another variation on the embodiment of FIG. 11. Mattress 150″ has sidewalls configured in the same matter as the FIG. 11 embodiment, while the foot end wall is configured differently. In this embodiment, instead of there being a relatively short and offset depression region 159a, a relatively long depression region 159b is centered along the foot end wall, generally similar to the arrangement of channel depression feature 158 provided along the sidewalls.

(36) FIGS. 20 and 21 are views of the mattress border walls and border loop sidewall panel corresponding to those of FIGS. 12 and 13, but for the embodiment of FIG. 19. In like fashion, the views of FIG. 20 illustrate the manner in which the pattern feature registration with parts of the mattress as shown in FIG. 19 is maintained across a range of standard mattress sizes. And the views of FIG. 21 show in full-length the corresponding border loop sidewall panels for each of the mattress sizes shown in FIG. 20.

(37) As is evident from these views, each illustrated stitch pattern has a repeat length corresponding to (approximately equal to) the length around the perimeter of the mattress, i.e., perimeter length. Further, the stitch pattern is a “prime pattern” comprising plural stitch pattern elements arranged to provide aperiodic pattern element variation along the repeat length. And as with the first embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 20 and 21, each prime pattern emulates each of the other prime patterns in the set (including its registration with corresponding other parts of the mattress), while being scaled to a particular size of the mattress (or foundation).

(38) Some further explanation and examples will make the “prime pattern” concept clearer. Referring to the embodiments of FIGS. 12-21, in each case the program repeat is set equal to the perimeter length of the mattress. The pattern of each stitch line laid down on the border wall/border loop sidewall panel has repeating elements within its overall pattern length. For example, the pattern portion visible on one sidewall of the mattress is the same as the pattern portion visible on the opposite sidewall. Further, looking at just the sidewalls of the mattress, that pattern portion of a Twin and Full mattress would be the same. Similarly, the sidewall pattern portions of the TwinXL, FullXL, Queen, and King size mattresses would be the same. See the Side Views in each of FIGS. 13, 16 and 20.

(39) But in none of these cases does the pattern as a whole consist of identical periodically repeating elements. As most evident from FIGS. 13, 17 and 21, in none of these cases is the pattern divisible over its length into a set of smaller identical subparts. Conversely, the pattern cannot be replicated by mere repeat of any smaller identical subpart. For each of these examples, in the manufacturing process, the programmed pattern length is set to the perimeter length of the mattress, and the pattern varies aperiodically within that length. The pattern presented within the programmed pattern length is thus a “prime pattern.”

(40) In other embodiments, the program pattern length and/or “prime pattern” length, while being much longer than what is conventional, may be something short of the entire length of the border loop/mattress perimeter. For example, the prime pattern may be one-half of the length of the perimeter of the mattress. This is the case in an embodiment representing another variation on the embodiment of FIGS. 11-13. Therein, the same “channels” stitch pattern is to be provided at both the foot end and head end of the bed. To achieve this, a “prime” pattern having a length equal to one-half the length of the perimeter of the mattress could be stitched and repeated once to cover the full mattress perimeter. In other words, two identical halves of the border loop pattern could be as follows: one-half of the foot end+side 1+one-half of the head end=the other half of the foot end+side 2+other half of the head end (in mirror-image relation).

(41) On the other hand, decorative or aesthetic patterning at the “head” end of the bed might be deemed unimportant, since it won't be visible on installation due to the presence of a wall or headboard. Accordingly, it could be decided to include some differentiated distinctive patterning at the foot end and the sides, but not at the head end. This is the case with each of the illustrative embodiments of FIGS. 11-13, 15-17 and 19-21. For each, since there would be no full pattern repeat short of the full perimeter of the mattress, the prime pattern (and the programmed pattern repeat) would be as long as the perimeter length of the mattress.

(42) In accordance with an aspect of the invention, the prime pattern length (and the corresponding programmed pattern repeat of the quilting machine) preferably will be at least equal to or greater than an entire length of an end wall or a sidewall of the mattress, to thus allow formation of a desired distinctive aesthetic effect through registry of pattern elements with particular corresponding parts of the mattress. An illustrative “prime pattern” 162 having a length equal to the length of a sidewall of the mattress is depicted in FIG. 22. Therein, quilt stitch lines running in parallel with each other start out (at the left side) with a wavy sinusoidal shape 164 of a given amplitude and period. That then transitions into a segment with a much flatter sinusoidal variation 166, extending over a central region of the mattress sidewall, before transitioning back to an opposite end segment like the starting segment. If, for example, a mattress had equal length sides (i.e., a non-standard square shape), such a pattern could be repeated to appear four times (once for each side of the mattress) over the length of the border loop sidewall panel. In this case, the differentiated central portion of the design would be, upon integration of the sidewall panel into the mattress, positioned in registration with each of the four corresponding central sidewall portions of the mattress.

(43) Such a border loop sidewall panel could be stitched with the programmed pattern repeat length set equal to the prime pattern length, in which case the pattern would be carried out a total of four times to complete the border loop sidewall panel. Alternatively, the programmed pattern repeat could be set equal to 2× or 4× the prime pattern length (with the prime pattern being repeated within the programmed pattern repeat length), in which cases completion of the border loop sidewall panel would be accomplished after running the programmed pattern a total of two times or one time, respectively.

(44) A process for making the inventive border loop sidewall panels is now further described. As in the conventional production process discussed in the Background section, plural layers of material are fed from one or more rolls through a programmable multi-needle quilting machine in registry with each other and are pressed and stitched together to form a quilted material. The plural layers of material are also controllably moveable laterally with respect to a material feed direction and at least one needle bar-mounted needle of the machine. This allows, during stitching, stitch pattern elements to be formed which extend in both the material feed direction and laterally thereto.

(45) Suitable apparatus for carrying out the inventive processes may include known equipment arranged in a production line for the production of quilted border loop sidewall panels from rolls of material, as shown in FIGS. 4-7, e.g., including a Mammut VMK multi-needle quilting machine.

(46) The method includes the step of executing on a controller of the multi-needle quilting machine a program to stitch one or more lines of stitching following a programmed stitch pattern. Diverging from the known process, in accordance with the invention, a program is written which specifies a stitch pattern that has a repeat length set equal to or greater than a length of a side or end of the mattress or foundation. The stitch pattern includes a “prime pattern” comprising plural of the stitch pattern elements arranged to provide aperiodic pattern element variation along its length. This length, like the repeat length, is equal to or greater than a length of the side or end of the mattress or foundation.

(47) Stitching of the plural layers of material is carried out on the multi-needle quilting machine in accordance with the programming, in order to form a quilted material comprising the prime pattern.

(48) As in the known method, following the stitching, the quilted material is slit lengthwise in order to form multiple strips of material 96 (three of seven strips labelled in FIG. 6), e.g., 5 to 15 inches wide, each of which ultimately will be cut into segments in order to form mattress border loop sidewall panels of a corresponding width. The segments are to be of predetermined length corresponding to a perimeter length of the mattress or foundation and comprising the prime pattern, to thus form quilted border loop sidewall panels of material with the pattern elements arranged at predetermined positions therealong.

(49) The quilted border loop sidewall panels thus produced are configured to form part of a mattress or foundation with predetermined registry of the pattern elements with selected other portions of the mattress or foundation. In this way, a desired, reproducible aesthetic effect may be achieved with the aperiodic pattern variation appearing along the side or end of the mattress or foundation.

(50) Exemplary programming of a programmable multi-needle quilting machine in accordance with the invention is now described, with reference to FIG. 14. FIG. 14 provides, similar to FIG. 9, a screen shot 210 of a Windows®-type graphic user interface (GUI) of programming software for the Mammut VMK machine. In the upper left-hand corner of the screen is a sub-window 212 within which are shown the programmed steps for production of the quilted border loop sidewall panel of the exemplary embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 11-13, for a Queen-size mattress. The stitch path for this programmed pattern is plotted out in a main window 214, as seen at 216. This path would be carried out by multiple needles (one for each row of stitching) mounted on a single needle bar of the machine as seen in FIG. 5. The software allows sew lines to be created by establishing intermediate points with dimensions related to a “0” X-Y position.

(51) In contrast to the typical short programmed pattern repeats of the prior art (e.g., 300 mm), the illustrated programmed pattern has a length of 7366 mm (Y), with 51 mm of side-to-side movement (X). These dimensions are indicated in the screen shot by the largest value given for the Y coordinate (7366), and the difference between the largest and smallest values of the X coordinate (51 and 0), respectively, as seen in the list of program steps appearing in sub-window 212. The shape of the line segments are also specified using the programming software, e.g., straight, arc, circle, using the illustrated buttons 218. The type of segment may be accessed through the buttons, while the parameters of the segment (e.g., length, direction, radius, endpoint) may be entered as numerical values. This may be done from a separate parameters screen, along with the input of other details. For a trial run, the machine can be set to run the specified program pattern a single time. For a production run, the number of repeats of the specified program pattern may be set to continuous, whereby the program pattern will repeat over and over until stopped by an operator or due to an operating condition. In this manner, the programmed pattern may be repeated a sufficient number of times (and by each of the needles mounted on the operative needle bar(s)) to cover the length of one or more (typically many) border loop sidewall panels, both one after the other, and side-by-side. After stitching, the material will be slit lengthwise to form multiple individual strips of material, such as in the manner (and with the equipment) described in the Background section.

(52) These strips are thereafter cut into segments corresponding to the length of the border loop sidewall panels under production, for one or more mattress sizes, which in this example also corresponds to the length of the programmed pattern repeat, as well as the length of the prime pattern presented therein. This cutting could be carried out manually by an operator or automatically by a cutting station operating under program control of the quilting machine during a production run. Alternatively, an entire roll of material could be run first, and that could be subsequently cut into segments corresponding to the border loop sidewall panels. In contrast to the conventional approach, this would involve identifying the established start and end points of each border loop sidewall panel as the cut points.

(53) In the above example setting forth a program for quilt-stitching border loop sidewall panels for a Queen-size bed, the programmed pattern repeat was set on the high side, at 7366 mm, for testing purposes. With a 4″ seam allowance, the programmed pattern repeat lengths could be as follows:

(54) TABLE-US-00001 Twin 5842 mm TwinXL 6096 mm Full 6604 mm FullXL 6858 mm Queen 7213 mm King 8229 mm.

(55) Material, fill, pattern, and mattress design may warrant that adjustments be made to achieve the correct fit and appearance.

(56) Notably, generally speaking, the programmed pattern length need not equal the actual repeat length of a given pattern (whether or not a “prime pattern”). This is because a programmed pattern may consist of a sub-pattern (which may be a “prime pattern”) that is repeated multiple times within the programmed pattern length. For example, as mentioned in the Background section, a stitch pattern consisting of a straight line may have a programmed pattern length equal to the length of a single stitch, and that may be repeated over and over. Alternatively, the programmed pattern could be specified as a line of relatively long length, such that the relatively long line is stitched for each repeat of the pattern. The result is the same either way—a long straight line. In the latter case, a program pattern consists solely of stitch pattern elements (straight line segments) which repeat identically within the programmed repeat.

(57) In contrast, in accordance with the invention, to at least some degree, the programmed pattern comprises a pattern that varies aperiodically over its length such that itis not capable of replication by mere repeat of a sub-part of the pattern; this pattern includes pattern elements that do not repeat identically and periodically within a given length (which may be equal to or less than the programmed repeat length). Such a pattern may be considered a “prime pattern,” as previously described. And in accordance with an aspect of the invention, that prime pattern may have a length approximately equal to the perimeter length of the mattress (or foundation) into which the border loop sidewall panel will be incorporated. It is at least equal to the length of a side or end of the mattress (or foundation).

(58) In a conventional process, a single production run of short pattern repeat border loop sidewall panel material may be used to form a roll of material that can be cut to different lengths for use in making like mattresses in different standard sizes, without regard to the start and end points of the pattern repeat. On the other hand, in accordance with an aspect of the invention, a production run of long pattern repeat “prime pattern” border loop sidewall panel material may include a switch-over from running a pattern program for one prime pattern and size of border loop sidewall panel to a second, and optionally further, pattern programs for producing one or more different sizes of border loop sidewall panels of like prime-patterning.

(59) For example, a production run that would ordinarily produce 50 yard rolls of border loop sidewall panel material of short pattern repeat undifferentiated along the length of material may be adapted to form, consecutively, two or more of the different inventive border loop sidewall panels of FIGS. 14, 17 and 21 (with equivalent “prime patterns” adapted for different standard bed sizes). Thus, with the introduction of one or more simple switches of program pattern during the production run, a set of border loop sidewall panels of like “prime pattern,” adapted for different sizes of mattress, may be obtained—with an efficiency rivaling the conventional technique for producing short pattern repeat border loop sidewall panels in different sizes.

(60) In such a process, the production line could provide for the cutting of the strips of material into the border loop sidewall panels of different lengths in correspondence to the switch-overs of the program pattern. This could be carried out manually by an operator or automatically by a cutting station operating under program control of the quilting machine during a production run. Alternatively, an entire roll of material could be run first, and that could be subsequently cut into segments corresponding to the border loop sidewall panels provided in different lengths (for different size mattresses).

(61) In such a process, plural layers of material are fed from one or more rolls through a programmable multi-needle quilting machine in registry with each other and are pressed and stitched together to form a quilted material. The plural layers of material are controllably moveable laterally with respect to a material feed direction and at least one needle bar-mounted needle of the machine in order to form, during stitching, stitch pattern elements which extend in both the material feed direction and laterally thereto.

(62) The method includes the step of executing on a controller of the multi-needle quilting machine a first program to stitch one or more lines of stitching following a first programmed stitch pattern. The first programmed stitch pattern has a repeat length set equal to or greater than a length of a side or end of a first mattress or foundation of a first size, and the first programmed stitch pattern includes a first prime pattern comprising plural of the stitch pattern elements arranged to provide aperiodic pattern element variation along its length. As with the repeat length, the prime pattern length is equal to or greater than the length of the side or end of the first mattress or foundation.

(63) Stitching of the plural layers of material on the multi-needle quilting machine is carried out in accordance with the first program, in order to form a quilted material comprising the prime pattern.

(64) The method further includes executing on the controller of the multi-needle quilting machine a second program to stitch one or more lines of stitching following a second programmed stitch pattern. The second programmed stitch pattern has a repeat length set equal to or greater than a length of a side or end of a second said mattress or foundation having a size different from the first size. The second programmed stitch pattern includes a second prime pattern comprising plural of the stitch pattern elements arranged to provide aperiodic pattern element variation along its length. As with the repeat length, the prime pattern length is equal to or greater than the length of the length of the side or end of the second mattress or foundation of the second size. The second prime pattern emulates the first prime pattern, while being scaled to the mattress or foundation of the second size.

(65) Further in the method, the quilted material is cut into segments of predetermined lengths corresponding to the perimeter lengths of the mattress or foundation of the first size and the second size and comprising, respectively, the first and second prime patterns. In this manner, formed is a first quilted border loop sidewall panel of material of a first length with the pattern elements arranged at predetermined positions therealong, and a second quilted border loop sidewall panel of material of a second length with the pattern elements arranged at predetermined positions therealong.

(66) The first and second quilted border loop sidewall panels are configured to form part of a mattress or foundation of the first and second sizes, respectively, with predetermined registry of the pattern elements with selected other portions of the respective mattress or foundation, to thus form a desired, reproducible aesthetic effect with said aperiodic pattern variation appearing along the side or end of the respective mattress or foundation.

(67) Whereas in the prior art process, rolls of border loop sidewall panel material having a short repeat quilt pattern are typically shipped to a mattress manufacturer customer, and cut from the rolls as needed without any concern for where the cuts occur in relation to the undifferentiated pattern repeats, this is generally not the case in accordance with the inventive process. Rather, in accordance with an aspect of the invention, the border sidewall panels are to be cut from the slit, continuous strips of quilted material produced, at particular points corresponding to the end of one border loop sidewall panel and the start of another (which points will correspond to the start and end of each programmed pattern repeat, where the length of that repeat corresponds to the length of each border loop sidewall panel). These sidewall panels may be precut as part of the production line where the quilt-stitching is carried out, and then shipped to the customer in this form (e.g., as border loop sidewall panels individually folded-up or rolled). This can be seen as beneficial to the customer, since it would otherwise have to identify and cut the material from the roll at the appropriate points in order to form the individual border loop sidewall panels.

(68) Generally, and as in the known process, after the quilt-stitching and preparatory to making a mattress, the length-wise edges of the rolled border loop sidewall panel material are closed by serging. With the inventive process, this may be done prior to cutting the roll of material into the individual border loop sidewall panels. Once this cutting has taken place, the ends of the sidewall panels (where typically several inches of extra length will have been provided for a seam) may be stitched together to form a closed loop.

(69) A method of incorporating the quilted border loop sidewall panels of the invention into a mattress is now described. The closed border loop sidewall panel may be sewn along its bottom edge to the edge of a rectangular bottom panel of material (which may or may not be quilted, and which may comprise a layer of fire retardant fabric), that will serve as the bottom surface of the mattress. This stitching may be done with decorative cording to enhance the aesthetics. As in the known process, this forms an open-top rectangular fabric box within which the various internal components of the mattress may be assembled. Differing from the known process, however, the closed border loop sidewall panel is purposely positioned at the time of its attachment so as to provide for registration of the stitch pattern elements therealong in relation to other parts of the mattress, e.g., corners and sidewalls, or in predetermined locations for registration with quilt pattern elements that will be provided on the top surface of the mattress.

(70) Since the position of the pattern elements along the length of the border loop sidewall panel (and with respect to the seam attaching the ends to form a closed loop) is already predetermined—in contrast to the short undifferentiated pattern repeats of the prior art—the desired positioning of the pattern elements can be accomplished using the stitched seam as a marker for alignment with a predetermined point along the perimeter of the bottom panel of material, e.g., at the center of the head-end of the mattress where the seam will be least visible. Such alignment of the seam may be provided by the provision of indicia on the bottom panel of material, such as a mark, tack stitch, notch or the like. The center of the bottom panels may be indicated with a notch or a mark that is applied along the edge of the material when the panel is cut. Further in accordance with the known process, once the internal components (e.g., springs and/or foam layers) are assembled within the box, a second rectangular panel of material (typically quilted, and complimenting the border loop sidewall panel pattern) may be attached along its edge to the upper edge of the border loop sidewall panel, along its entire perimeter, in order to close the box structure and complete the mattress.

(71) As persons skilled in the art will appreciate, similar processes may be used to incorporate a border loop sidewall panel as taught herein into a bed foundation instead of a mattress.

(72) The present invention has been described in terms of preferred and exemplary embodiments thereof. Numerous other embodiments, modifications and variations within the scope and spirit of the appended claims will occur to persons of ordinary skill in the art from a review of this disclosure.