Pocket coil mattress fractional disassembly method

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a fractional disassembly method for fractional disassembly of a pocket coil mattress. [Solution] This mattress fractional disassembly method involves placing a mattress 1 opposite a laser cutter such that a long part of the mattress is perpendicular to a ground surface and therefore does not involve steps that are limited by the size of the mattress. Moreover, because a laser cutter is used to cut fabric in a non-contact manner, there is no degradation due to wear at a blade part, and cutting is relatively quick. As a result, this mattress fractional disassembly method makes it possible to uniformly process a large quantity of differently sized mattresses.

Description

Method for Separating and Disassembling a Pocket Coil Mattress

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for separating and disassembling a pocket coil mattress.

[0002] In recent years, the number of discarded pocket coil mattresses (hereinafter referred to as mattresses) used for beds and the like has been increasing. When disposing of a mattress, it is necessary to separate it into a spring, which is metal, and combustible waste such as fabric and cotton. Regarding this separation work, various studies have been conducted, such as manual work and a method of removing the remaining spring after incinerating the entire mattress.

[0003] Regarding the separation of mattresses, in Patent Document 1, a disassembling device is proposed that can easily separate and remove the exterior body from the spring unit of the mattress. In Patent Document 2, a method is proposed that can efficiently separate the main material of the pocket coil in the mattress into the fabric constituting it and the compressed coil spring wrapped in this fabric. Also, in Utility Model Document 1, a separation processing device for a discarded spring mattress is proposed that improves the working efficiency of the disposal work by separating and processing the fabric and the coil spring.

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-96265, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-152280, Utility Model Registration No. 3174663

[0005] However, in Patent Document 1 and Utility Model Document 1, the size of the mattress that can be processed by one device is fixed by the device that winds the fabric. Furthermore, in the separation of mattresses, even when disassembling only one mattress, a large amount of fabric cutting is required, so the wear of the blade part is significant. Also, considering the supply and drainage of a large amount of water required for the method in Patent Document 2, it is difficult to make a profit compared to the income obtained by separating mattresses as a business.

[0006] Thus, it is hard to say that the prior art assumes a practical situation where a large number of mattresses of multiple sizes are disassembled.

[0007] Therefore, in light of the circumstances described above, the present invention aims to provide a method for disassembling pocket coil mattresses in a practical scenario where a large number of mattresses of multiple sizes are to be disassembled.

[0008] To achieve the above objective, the present invention provides a method for separating and disassembling a pocket coil mattress, which includes at least a nonwoven fabric and pocket coils, characterized in that it includes at least a first step of exposing the pocket coils by making predetermined cuts on the surface of the nonwoven fabric that encloses the pocket coils using a laser cutter in order to remove the pocket coils.

[0009] Furthermore, the method for separating and disassembling a pocket coil mattress according to the present invention is characterized by further comprising a second step of removing the exposed pocket coils.

[0010] Furthermore, in the separate dismantling method according to the present invention, it is preferable that the second step involves removing the exposed pocket coils using a puller-shaped member equipped with one or more hook portions.

[0011] Furthermore, in the separate dismantling method according to the present invention, it is preferable that the second step involves removing the exposed pocket coil using a magnetic lift member equipped with a permanent magnet or electromagnet.

[0012] Furthermore, in the separate dismantling method according to the present invention, it is preferable that the second step involves removing the exposed pocket coil using a rotating blade member.

[0013] Furthermore, in the separation and dismantling method according to the present invention, it is preferable to further cut the outer casing of the pocket coil mattress using the laser cutter before the first step.

[0014] Furthermore, in the method for separating and disassembling a pocket coil mattress according to the present invention, it is preferable to further use the laser cutter to cut the fabric containing at least the nonwoven fabric that is included in the pocket coil mattress after the pocket coils have been removed.

[0015] Furthermore, in the method for separating and disassembling a pocket coil mattress according to the present invention, it is preferable to further use a hot air heater after the second step to cut the fabric containing at least the nonwoven fabric that is included in the pocket coil mattress after the pocket coils have been removed.

[0016] Furthermore, it is preferable that the predetermined cuts according to the present invention are made in a single or multiple cross shape on the surface of the pocket coil mattress.

[0017] Furthermore, the laser cutter according to the present invention is preferably a CO2 laser cutter.

[0018] Furthermore, the present invention is a pocket coil mattress disassembly device that realizes the method for disassembling a pocket coil mattress.

[0019] According to the pocket coil mattress separation and dismantling method of the present invention, there are no constraints on the size of the mattress at each step. Furthermore, since the fabric is cut non-contact using a laser cutter, deterioration due to wear of the blade does not occur. As a result, it is possible to provide a separation and dismantling method that can uniformly and in large quantities dismantle mattresses of multiple sizes, assuming a practical situation.

[0020] Furthermore, according to the pocket coil mattress separation and dismantling method of the present invention, there is no process of winding up and removing the fabric constituting the mattress, including the cut nonwoven fabric, thus reducing the risk of industrial accidents and the need for equipment maintenance.

[0021] This is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of a typical mattress 1. This is a table showing examples of the shapes of the compression coil springs 21. This is a table showing the arrangement of the compression coil springs 21. This is a diagram showing the structure of the outer edge of a typical mattress 1. This is a diagram showing the procedure in one embodiment of the present invention. This is a diagram showing an example of a method for removing the exposed compression coil springs 21 in one embodiment of the present invention. This is a diagram showing the cutting locations of the cushion part 3 and the outer part 4 in one embodiment of the present invention. This is a schematic diagram of an apparatus for realizing the method of the present invention. This is a three-view drawing of an apparatus for realizing the method of the present invention. This is an explanatory diagram showing another example of a spring removal part 104 for removing the compression coil springs 21 from a mattress a hooking jig for hooking onto a compression coil spring. This is an explanatory diagram showing the schematic configuration of a sorting and dismantling apparatus 110 that realizes the first alternative method in the sorting and dismantling method of the present invention. This is a perspective view showing the configuration of the first dismantling section 112A. This is a plan view showing the configuration of the cutter section 202 related to the sorting and dismantling apparatus 110. This is an explanatory diagram showing a sorting and dismantling apparatus 110 that realizes the second alternative method in the sorting and dismantling method of the present invention. This is a perspective view showing the appearance of the rotating blades of the spring removal section 135. This is an explanatory diagram showing a sorting and dismantling apparatus 110 that realizes the third alternative method in the sorting and dismantling method of the present invention. This is an enlarged view showing the configuration of the third dismantling section 144A, 144B and the spring removal sections 145A, 145B in Figure 16A. This is an explanatory diagram showing a sorting and dismantling apparatus 110 that realizes the fourth alternative method in the sorting and dismantling method of the present invention. This is an enlarged view showing the main part of the third dismantling section 154A in Figure 17A.

[0022] The present invention will be specifically described below using preferred embodiments. However, the embodiments described below are merely examples of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0023] Before describing the present invention, a general pocket coil mattress will be explained. In the present invention, a pocket coil mattress refers to a mattress whose main material is an assembly of metal coils (spring units), and is bedding mainly used on a bed. Depending on the size of the bed, there are six standard sizes for mattresses: single (width 97 cm x length 195 cm), semi-double (width 120 cm x length 195 cm), double (width 140 cm x length 195 cm), queen (width 160 cm x length 195 cm), king (width 180 cm x length 195 cm), and long (width 97 cm to width 180 cm x length 207 cm). Thus, in the standard sizes for mattresses, five of the four sizes, excluding the long size, have the same length.

[0024] Next, the structure of the mattress 1 will be described. Figure 1 shows a cross-sectional view illustrating the structure of a typical mattress 1. In this specification, when indicating the direction of the mattress 1, the direction of the arrow in Figure 1 will be used as the reference. As shown in Figure 1, the mattress 1 has a spring unit 2, and a cushion part 3, an outer part 4, and an outer edge part 5 at the front and back of the spring unit 2 (in the direction of the arrow Z in Figure 1). Details of each part are shown below.

[0025] The spring unit 2 is composed of a tubular pocket made of nonwoven fabric and an arrangement of metal compression coil springs 21 inserted and enclosed within the pocket. The compression coil springs enclosed in the pocket are also called pocket coils. The nonwoven fabric 20 used in the spring unit 2 is made of polypropylene and polyethylene terephthalate, or a thermoplastic resin including polypropylene. The compression coil springs 21 are generally made of metal wire including copper or iron. As shown in Figure 2, there are various shapes of compression coil springs 21. There are also multiple ways of arranging the compression coil springs 21, and Figure 3 shows a commonly used arrangement of the spring unit 2. With this structure, the spring unit 2 has the role of supporting the human body by having a resilient force, and by supporting the human body with multiple compression coil springs 21, body pressure is distributed and it has excellent breathability.

[0026] The cushion section 3 has a layered structure consisting of quilted fabric, urethane foam, cotton, non-woven fabric, and protective materials such as sisal or coconut fiber. The number of layers and the layering order of each component vary depending on the mattress. This structure helps to reduce the rebound from the metal spring unit 2, thereby alleviating pain felt by the body.

[0027] The outer casing 4 is located on the outermost surface of the mattress 1 and is made of fabric that covers the spring unit 2 and the cushioning 3. If the side of the outer casing 4 that contacts the mattress is considered the inside, the spring unit 2 and the outer casing 4 are connected and fixed by the outer edge 5. In this way, the cushioning 3, which is sandwiched between the spring unit 2 and the outer casing 4, is also fixed.

[0028] The outer edge portion 5 consists of a metal wire frame and metal clips connected to the wire frame. The metal clips are connected to the spring unit 2 at numerous points, thereby fixing the outer casing portion 4, the cushion portion 3, and the spring unit 2 together. A schematic representation of this outer edge portion is shown in Figure 4.

[0029] A method for disassembling a mattress 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 5. The method for disassembling a mattress 1 is characterized by including at least a first step of exposing the compression coil springs 21 by making predetermined cuts on the surface of the spring unit 2 that encloses the compression coil springs 21 using a laser cutter.

[0030] In the method for separating and disassembling a mattress 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention, the mattress 1 may be installed in a orientation such that the direction of arrow X in Figure 1 is parallel to the ground. That is, the longitudinal portion of the mattress 1 is positioned perpendicular to the ground, so the position of the laser cutter can be fixed regardless of the size of the mattress 1, except for the long size. The way in which the mattress 1 is installed relative to the ground can be set as appropriate.

[0031] It is preferable that the laser beam from the laser cutter is irradiated onto mattress 1 in the direction of arrow Z in Figure 1. The placement of the laser cutter itself is not limited to a specific location and can be designed as appropriate, as long as it is within a range where this irradiation can be achieved, taking into account amplification, reflection, etc.

[0032] The first step aims to make cuts in the nonwoven fabric 20 provided in the spring unit 2. For this step, a laser cutter containing a CO2 laser with a wavelength of about 10 μm may be used, such as the Ti100 FAN from SYNRAD or the 95W CO2 laser (SR10i) from Luxinar. These lasers emit far-infrared rays with relatively long wavelengths, so they do not penetrate the skin. In addition, the irradiation power of the laser in this example is about 80 W, so even if the skin of a worker comes into contact with it, burns will not occur due to the amount of heat absorbed, thus ensuring safety compared to using a sharp blade. The cuts in the nonwoven fabric 20 may be made in a cross shape in the center of the nonwoven fabric, or they may be made in a grid pattern around all four sides of the compression coil spring 21, so as to make a grid pattern on the entire nonwoven fabric 20. For example, if 13 cuts are made vertically (in the direction of the Y arrow in Figure 1) and 27 cuts are made horizontally (in the direction of the X arrow in Figure 1), the cutting of one mattress can be completed in approximately 5 to 10 minutes.

[0033] By performing the first step, the compression coil spring 21, which was originally compressed and housed in the spring unit 2, is exposed by its own repulsive force. In the separation and dismantling method according to the present invention, as a second step, the exposed compression coil spring 21 may be removed by compressing it from the lower end using a metal arm or bar that moves vertically. An example of this removal method is shown in Figure 6. Furthermore, the method of removing the exposed compression coil spring 21 is not limited to the above, and can be designed as appropriate, such as a method in which a metal rod-shaped device is passed through the inside of the compression coil spring 21 and hooked onto it.

[0034] In one embodiment of the present invention, the cutting of all spring units 2 may be performed before removing the compression coil springs 21, or the cutting with a laser cutter and the removal of the compression coil springs 21 may be treated as a set and this operation may be repeated for each row of spring units 2.

[0035] Furthermore, in the separate dismantling method according to the present invention, it is preferable to cut the cushion portion 3 and the outer casing portion 4 into a square shape before performing the first step. As shown in Figure 7, the cutting point is located on the inside of the outer edge portion 5. This eliminates the need to remove the outer edge portion 5, which is firmly fixed with a metal clip, from the spring unit 2.

[0036] Furthermore, in the separation and dismantling method according to the present invention, it is preferable to use a laser cutter to cut the fabric containing at least the nonwoven fabric included in the mattress 1 after the compression coil springs 21 have been removed. This completely separates the outer edge 5 from the mattress 1. The separated outer edge 5 can be removed by a belt conveyor or by hand after the entire process is completed, and can be folded into a pantograph shape to save space.

[0037] Furthermore, throughout the entire process of the mattress disassembly method according to the present invention, it is desirable that at least one of the cushion portion 3, outer casing portion 4, and compression coil spring 21 removed from the mattress 1 fall to the bottom of the mattress 1 by gravity. This falling may occur naturally with each step, or it may be artificially caused by impacting the mattress 1 at each step. The fallen parts may also be recovered using a belt conveyor or the like.

[0038] Thus, according to the mattress separation and dismantling method of the present invention, the mattress 1 is positioned so that its longitudinal portion is perpendicular to the ground when facing the laser cutter, eliminating any constraints on the size of the mattress during the process. Furthermore, since the fabric is cut non-contact using a laser cutter, deterioration due to wear of the blade does not occur, and the cutting speed is relatively fast. Therefore, by using the mattress separation and dismantling method of the present invention, it becomes possible to process a large quantity of mattresses of multiple sizes uniformly.

[0039] In one embodiment of the present invention, since each compressed coil spring 21 weighs approximately 20 g, by using the mattress separation and dismantling method according to the present invention, a total of 351 compressed coil springs 21 can be separated from the entire spring unit 2, and approximately 7 kg of iron can be recovered per mattress. In conventional methods, the compressed coil springs are recovered after the mattress, which includes both fabric and compressed coil springs, is incinerated, resulting in impurities being mixed into the recovered iron, thus reducing its value. However, this can be avoided by using the process method of the present invention.

[0040] Furthermore, in one embodiment of the present invention, since there is no process for winding up the fabric, the risk of workplace accidents to the user in the winding device and the maintenance effort due to the fabric getting caught in the winding part can be reduced. In the case of a mattress with multiple layers of pocket coils (for example, two layers), the first and second steps may be repeated multiple times to remove the pocket coils.

[0041] Furthermore, Figures 8 and 9 show an example of a mattress separation and dismantling device that realizes the mattress separation and dismantling method according to the present invention. In Figures 8 and 9, the separation and dismantling device 100 includes a mattress loading unit 102 that takes out mattresses one by one from a stocker 101 that stores mattresses before dismantling and tilts the mattresses at a predetermined angle (for example, 160°), a dismantling unit 103 used in the first step, and a spring removal unit 104 having a metal rod-shaped member used in the second step. The separation and dismantling device 100 performs the first and second steps with the mattress loading unit 102 taking out mattresses from the stocker 101 and the mattresses tilted at a predetermined angle. By tilting the mattress at a predetermined angle, the outer edge 5 is separated from the mattress 1, and then the central part of the mattress 1 is more likely to fall downward, making it easier to separate it from the outer edge 5.

[0042] As described above, one embodiment of the present invention has been explained. However, the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the above-described embodiments. For example, in the above-described embodiments, in order to exclude the compression coil spring 21, a metal arm or bar is used as the spring removal part 104, but it is not limited thereto.

[0043] Figs. 10A to 10E are explanatory views showing other examples of the spring removal part 104 that excludes the compression coil spring 21 from the mattress.

[0044] The spring removal part 104 shown in Fig. 10A includes one or a plurality of hook parts and is composed of a pulley-shaped member for hooking and pulling out the exposed compression coil spring with the hook parts. The spring removal part 104 arranges the engaging jig 51 or the engaging jig 52 shown in Fig. 11 on the arm 50. The arm 50 is movable along the surface of the mattress and in the direction toward the surface. The engaging jig 51 or the engaging jig 52 is arranged along the longitudinal direction of the arm 50 at the same pitch as the pitch at which the compression coil spring 21 is arranged.

[0045] As shown in Fig. 11, the engaging jig 51 is composed of an X-shaped connector in which two rod-shaped members with hooked tips are pivotally supported at the central part so as to be rotatable. As shown in Fig. 11, the engaging jig 52 is formed in a coil shape.

[0046] Then, as the arm 50 moves along the surface of the mattress where the compression coil spring 21 is exposed, the compression coil spring 21 is caught by the engaging jigs 51 and 52 and pulled out. In particular, in the case of the engaging jig 51, it is inserted into the center of the compression coil spring in the closed state, and the engaging jig 51 is opened to catch and remove the compression coil spring 21.

[0047] The spring removal member 104 shown in FIG. 10B consists of a magnet lift member that adsorbs the compression coil spring 21 to a permanent magnet or an electromagnet and pulls out the compression coil spring 21 while maintaining that state. The magnet lift member has magnets arranged on the arm 50 at the same pitch as the compression coil spring 21. Then, as the arm 50 moves along the surface of the mattress where the compression coil spring 21 is exposed, the compression coil spring 21 is adsorbed by the magnets and pulled out. The magnet may be a permanent magnet or an electromagnet. Also, the arm 50 itself may be given magnetic force.

[0048] FIG. 10C shows a spring removal member 104 that turns the mattress over, presses down on the upper surface (back surface), and causes the compression coil spring 21 to project downward from the lower surface.

[0049] As shown in FIG. 10D, FIG. 10C shows a spring removal member 104 that uses a scraper 53 moving along the lower surface of the mattress to catch the compression coil spring 21 from the side and drop it downward as the compression coil spring 21 projects downward from the lower surface.

[0050] FIG. 10E shows a spring removal member 104 in which one roller 55 is arranged on the upper surface of the mattress, two rollers 56 and 57 are arranged on the lower surface of the mattress, and when the mattress is viewed in plan, they are arranged in parallel in the order of roller 56, roller 55, and roller 57. The spring removal member 104 compresses both surfaces of the mattress with the rollers 55, 56, and 57, causing the compression coil spring 21 to project from the region between the rollers 56 and 57 on the lower surface side. The projected compression coil spring 21 is taken out by manual work by an operator or using a jig as shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B.

[0051] Also, in the separation and disassembly device shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the mattress is disassembled using one disassembly part 103, but as shown in FIG. 12, disassembly may also be performed using a plurality of disassembly parts.

[0052] Figure 12 is an explanatory diagram showing the schematic configuration of a separation and dismantling device 110 that realizes the first alternative method in the separation and dismantling method of the present invention. The separation and dismantling device 110 comprises a first dismantling section 112A, a second dismantling section 112B, a third dismantling section 112C, and a spring removal section 114. The first dismantling section 112A cuts the cushion section 3 on the front and back surfaces of the mattress, i.e., performs a quilting cut. The second dismantling section 112B performs a nonwoven fabric cross cut, which corresponds to the second step. The spring removal section 114 comprises one of the spring removal sections 104 shown in Figures 10A to 10E, and removes the compressed coil springs 21 from the mattress. The third dismantling section 112C cuts the nonwoven fabric of the mattress from which the compressed coil springs 21 have been removed.

[0053] Figure 13 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the first dismantling unit 112A. The first dismantling unit 112A includes a base unit 201 on which the mattress to be dismantled is placed, a cutter unit 202 for cutting the mattress placed on the base unit 201, a transport unit 203 which has a transport table on which the mattress taken out of the stocker is placed and moves the mattress to be dismantled from the transport table to the base unit 201, and moves the dismantled mattress to the transport table, and an installation frame 204 for which the base unit 201 and the cutter unit 202 are installed.

[0054] The base portion 201 is installed in the center of the installation frame 204, and the first disassembly portion 112A is installed on the upper part of the installation frame 204.

[0055] The base unit 201 is equipped with a lift mechanism for lifting the placed mattress. The lift mechanism lifts the mattress when cutting with the cutter unit 202, and lowers the mattress to its designated position when moving the mattress after cutting.

[0056] Figure 14 is a plan view showing the configuration of the cutter section 202 related to the sorting and dismantling device 110. As shown in Figure 14, the cutter section 202 comprises a laser device frame 210, a laser device 211, a guide rail 212, a movable rail 213, a mirror 214, an irradiation unit 215, and a retaining frame 218.

[0057] The laser device frame 210 is a rectangular frame composed of two long beams and two short beams. The laser device frame 210 also serves as the uppermost frame of the installation frame 204. For the purposes of the following explanation, the longitudinal direction of the laser device frame 210 will be referred to as the front-to-back direction, and the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the laser device frame 210 will be referred to as the left-to-right direction.

[0058] The laser device 211 is a device that generates laser light. The laser device 211 is fixed to the left end of the front short beam and irradiates laser light toward the rear.

[0059] The guide rail 212 is made of steel material that extends along the front-to-back direction, is fixed to the long beam on the right side of the laser device frame 210, and extends in the front-to-back direction.

[0060] The movable rail 213 is made of steel material that extends along the left-right direction and is supported by the guide rail 212 so that it can slide freely in the front-rear direction.

[0061] The mirror 214 is fixed to the left end of the movable rail 213 and polarizes the laser light generated by the laser device 211, guiding the laser light to the right along the movable rail 213.

[0062] The irradiation unit 215 comprises a mirror 216 and a hot air heater 217, and is supported on a movable rail 213 so as to be able to slide freely in the left-right direction. The movable rail 213 and the irradiation unit 215 are driven by a drive mechanism (not shown), with the movable rail 213 moving in the front-back direction and the irradiation unit 215 moving in the left-right direction. The irradiation unit 215 moves on the mattress by a drive control circuit (not shown) which controls the drive mechanism.

[0063] Mirror 216 faces mirror 214 and polarizes the laser light polarized by mirror 214 downwards. Hot air heater 217 blows high-temperature hot air downwards. Hot air heater 217 has one end of a duct attached to a hot air generator (not shown) located outside the sorting and dismantling device 110, and a high-pressure nozzle attached to the other end of the duct. This high-pressure nozzle is fixed to the irradiation unit 215, and hot air is blown downwards from the high-pressure nozzle. Thus, the first dismantling section 112A has the function of cutting the surface of the mattress with laser light and the function of cutting the surface of the mattress with hot air. Note that the second dismantling section 112B and the third dismantling section 112C have the same configuration as the first dismantling section 112A, so a detailed explanation is omitted.

[0064] The retaining frame 218 is a frame whose outer surface is larger than the mattress and whose inner surface is smaller than the mattress. The retaining frame 218 is positioned between the laser device frame 210 and the base portion 201, and faces the base portion 201. Therefore, when the base portion 201 is lifted while the mattress is placed on it, the outer edge of the mattress comes into contact with the lower surface of the retaining frame 218. This fixes the mattress between the base portion 201 and the retaining frame 218.

[0065] Next, the dismantling of a mattress using the dismantling and separation device 110 will be described. First, the mattress to be dismantled is placed on the transport unit 203, and the transport unit 203 moves the mattress to the base unit 201. Next, the base unit 201 is lifted, causing the mattress to come into contact with the retaining frame 218 and be fixed in a predetermined position. Next, the laser device 211, the movable rail 213, and the drive mechanism of the irradiation unit 215 are driven, causing the laser light emitted from the laser device 211 to be polarized in the order of mirror 214 and then mirror 216. This makes it possible to freely burn through the mattress and the nonwoven fabric inside the mattress, which are fixed by the retaining frame 218, with the laser light. Similarly, the hot air heater 217, the movable rail 213, and the drive mechanism of the irradiation unit 215 are driven, causing the hot air emitted from the hot air heater 217 to irradiate the mattress, which are fixed by the retaining frame 218. This makes it possible to cut through the mattress and the nonwoven fabric inside the mattress.

[0066] The separate dismantling device 110 used in the first alternative method of separate dismantling performs the following nine steps, from step 1 to step 9. These steps will be explained with reference to Figure 12. Step 1 is to load the mattress into the first dismantling section 112A. Step 2 is to perform quilting cuts on the top side of the mattress using the first dismantling section 112A. Step 3 is to return the mattress to the transport table of the first dismantling section 112A, invert it, and load it into the first dismantling section 112A. Step 4 is to perform quilting cuts on the back side of the mattress using the first dismantling section 112A. Note that the hot air heater 217 of the first dismantling section 112A is not used in steps 2 and 4, so the hot air heater 217 may be removed. Step 5 is to photograph the compressed coil springs. Step 6 is to transfer the mattress from the first dismantling section 112A to the second dismantling section 112B and perform nonwoven fabric cross cuts. The mattress, after being cross-cut in the nonwoven fabric, is returned to the transport table of the second dismantling section 112B and transferred to the spring removal section 114. Step 7 involves removing the compression coil springs using the spring removal section 114. Step 8 involves cutting the nonwoven fabric using the third dismantling section 112C. In step 8, both laser cutting and hot air cutting can be used. Here, since the nonwoven fabric from which the compression coil springs have been removed has a honeycomb structure and is deep, cutting with a hot air heater is more suitable. However, in this case, it may be more costly than cutting with a laser. Thus, depending on the mattress, cutting with a hot air heater may be more advantageous, or using a laser may be more advantageous. According to the separation and dismantling device 110 shown in Figure 14, since it is equipped with a laser device 211 and a hot air heater 217, it is possible to cut the nonwoven fabric from which the compression coil springs have been removed by combining laser light and a hot air heater. This makes it possible to cut the nonwoven fabric from which the compression coil springs have been removed efficiently. Step 9 involves removing only the edges (the scraps of the mattress obtained by cutting off the outer perimeter).

[0067] By performing steps 1 to 9 using the disassembly and dismantling device 110 shown in Figure 12, it becomes possible to dismantle one mattress in approximately 6 minutes. In other words, by providing multiple dismantling sections (first dismantling section 112A, second dismantling section 112B, third dismantling section 112C), it becomes possible to distribute the process (systematize it). It is also possible to dismantle mattresses using Bonnell coils and sofas using the disassembly and dismantling device 110 shown in Figure 12. In this way, the dismantling time can be shortened. Furthermore, by fixing the mattress by pressing the edge of the mattress with the retaining frame 218, it is possible to stabilize the mattress and enhance the exposure of the compression coil springs.

[0068] Figure 15A is an explanatory diagram showing a separate dismantling device 110 that realizes a second alternative method in the separate dismantling method of the present invention. The separate dismantling device 110 shown in Figure 15A includes a measuring unit 130, a first dismantling unit 131, a mattress inversion unit 132, a second dismantling unit 133, a third dismantling unit 134, a spring removal unit 135, a fourth dismantling unit 136, and a wire frame cutting unit 137. The measuring unit 130 measures the size of the mattress. The first dismantling unit 131, the second dismantling unit 133, and the fourth dismantling unit 136 have the same configuration as the first dismantling unit 112A shown in Figure 12. In particular, the second dismantling unit 133 is equipped with a shooting function. The third dismantling unit 134 includes a first cutter unit that irradiates the mattress with laser light to make cuts in the front-to-back direction, and a second cutter unit that irradiates the mattress sent from the first cutter unit with laser light to make cuts in the left-to-right direction. In other words, the cutting direction of the first cutter section and the cutting direction of the second cutter section are reversed by 90 degrees.

[0069] The spring removal section 135 tilts the mattress and moves the rotating blades 138 (see Figure 15B) downwards while applying them to the underside of the mattress, thereby scraping the compressed coil spring downwards.

[0070] Figure 15B is a perspective view showing the external appearance of the rotating vane of the spring removal section 135. The rotating vane 138 comprises a long cylindrical rotating shaft section 138A and a plurality of plate-shaped vane sections 138B that protrude from the surface of the rotating shaft section 138A. The base portion of the vane section 138B extends along the rotating shaft section 138A, and the tip portion is oriented in a direction inclined with respect to the radial direction of the rotating shaft section 138A. The rotating vane 138 is applied to the upper part of the underside of the mattress from which the compression coil spring 21 protrudes, and moves downward while rotating so that the tip portion of the vane section 138B contacts the surface of the mattress from the counter-direction. This causes the compression coil spring 21 to be scraped downward. It is possible to use a rack and pinion mechanism for rotating the rotating vane 138. For example, pinions are placed on both sides of the rotating shaft section 138A, and two racks are placed on the underside of the mattress along the longitudinal direction. Then, the rotating blades 138 are positioned opposite the mattress so that the rack and pinion mesh, and the rotating blades 138 are moved back and forth. As a result, the rotation of the pinion causes the rotating blades 138 to rotate.

[0071] The wire frame cutting section 137 is equipped with a rotating blade, which cuts the wire frame.

[0072] The dismantling and separation device 110 shown in Figure 15A performs nine steps, from steps 1 to 9, as described below. Step 1 involves measuring the size of the mattress with the measuring unit 130. After measurement, the mattress is transferred to the first dismantling unit 131. Step 2 involves performing quilting cuts on the top side of the mattress using the first dismantling unit 131. After quilting cuts, the mattress is transferred back to the first dismantling unit 131. Step 3 involves inverting the mattress using the mattress inversion unit 132. The inverted mattress is then transferred to the second dismantling unit 133. Step 4 involves performing quilting cuts on the underside of the mattress using the second dismantling unit 133. Step 5 involves photographing the compression coil springs in the second dismantling unit 133. After photography, step 6 involves transferring the mattress to the third dismantling unit 134, where the nonwoven fabric cross cut is performed using the third dismantling unit 134. Specifically, first, the third dismantling unit 134 uses the first cutter unit to make incisions in one direction on the surface of the mattress. Next, the mattress is transferred to the second cutter section, where it is used to make incisions in one direction on the surface of the mattress. This creates a cross-cut in the nonwoven fabric of the mattress. After this, the mattress is transferred to the spring removal section 135. Step 7 involves using the spring removal section 135 to remove the compressed coil springs from the mattress. The mattress, from which the compressed coil springs have been removed, is transferred to the fourth dismantling section 136. Step 8 involves using the fourth dismantling section 136 to cut the nonwoven fabric. In this step 8, a hot air heater 217 is used to perform cutting with hot air. The mattress, from which the nonwoven fabric has been cut, is transferred to the wire frame cutting section 137. Step 9 involves using the wire frame cutting section 137 to cut the wire frame. The mattress, from which the wire frame has been cut, is then transported outside. Thus, in the dismantling operation by the separate dismantling device 110 shown in Figure 12, the mattress is returned and its direction changed at the cross-cut stage. However, in the dismantling operation using the sorting and dismantling device 110 shown in Figure 15A, the mattress is cut vertically by the first cutter section, and then transported to the second cutter section for horizontal cutting. Therefore, in the cross-cutting process, the dismantling operation using the sorting and dismantling device 110 shown in Figure 15A can be made faster.

[0073] Figure 16A is an explanatory diagram showing a separate dismantling device 110 that realizes a third alternative method in the separate dismantling method of the present invention. The separate dismantling device 110 shown in Figure 16A includes a measuring unit 140 for measuring the size of the mattress, a first dismantling unit 141, a mattress inversion unit 142, a second dismantling unit 143, a third dismantling unit 144A, a third dismantling unit 144B, a spring removal unit 145A, a spring removal unit 145B, a fourth dismantling unit 146, and a wire frame cutting unit 147.

[0074] Since the measurement unit 140 of the sorting and dismantling device 110 shown in Figure 16A and the measurement unit 130 of the sorting and dismantling device 110 shown in Figure 15A are identical, a detailed explanation is omitted. Similarly, since the first dismantling unit 141 and the first dismantling unit 131, the mattress inversion unit 142 and the mattress inversion unit 132, the second dismantling unit 143 and the second dismantling unit 133, the spring removal unit 145A and the spring removal unit 145B and the spring removal unit 135, the fourth dismantling unit 146 and the fourth dismantling unit 136, and the wire frame cutting unit 147 and the wire frame cutting unit 137 are identical, a detailed explanation is omitted.

[0075] Figure 16B is an enlarged view showing the configuration around the third dismantling section 144A, 144B and the spring removal section 145A, 145B in Figure 16A. The third dismantling section 144A includes a first cutter section 202A that irradiates a laser beam onto the mattress sent from the second dismantling section 143 to make cuts in the front-to-back direction, a second cutter section 202B that irradiates a laser beam onto the mattress sent from the first cutter section 202A to make cuts in the left-to-right direction, and a transport section that transports the mattress cut by the second cutter section 202B to the spring removal section 145A. The third dismantling section 144B has the same configuration as the third dismantling section 144A and includes a first cutter section 202A that irradiates a laser beam onto the mattress sent from the spring removal section 145A to make cuts in the front-to-back direction, a second cutter section 202B that irradiates a laser beam onto the mattress sent from the first cutter section 202A to make cuts in the left-to-right direction, and a transport section that transports the mattress cut by the second cutter section 202B to the spring removal section 145B.

[0076] The dismantling and separation device 110 shown in Figure 16A performs 11 steps, from step 1 to step 11. Step 1 involves measuring the size of the mattress in the measuring unit 140. After measurement, the mattress is transferred to the first dismantling unit 141. Step 2 involves performing quilting cuts on the top side of the mattress using the first dismantling unit 141. After quilting cuts, the mattress is transferred back to the first dismantling unit 141. Step 3 involves inverting the mattress using the mattress inversion unit 142. The inverted mattress is then transferred to the second dismantling unit 143. Step 4 involves performing quilting cuts on the underside of the mattress using the second dismantling unit 143. Step 5 involves photographing the compression coil springs in the second dismantling unit 143. After photography, the mattress is transferred to the third dismantling unit 144A. Step 6 involves performing nonwoven fabric cross cuts using the third dismantling unit 144A. This results in nonwoven fabric cross cuts being applied to the mattress. After this, the mattress is transferred to the spring removal unit 145A. Step 7 involves bringing the rotating blades of the spring removal section 145A into contact with the underside of the mattress surface that was cross-cut in the nonwoven fabric in Step 6, and removing the compression coil springs from the mattress. The mattress from which the compression coil springs have been removed is inverted and then transferred to the third dismantling section 144B. Step 8 involves using the third dismantling section 144B to perform a cross-cut of the nonwoven fabric in the same manner as in Step 7. This gives the mattress a cross-cut of the nonwoven fabric. After this, the mattress is transferred to the spring removal section 145B. Step 9 involves bringing the rotating blades of the spring removal section 145B into contact with the underside of the mattress surface that was cross-cut in the nonwoven fabric in Step 8, and removing the compression coil springs. The mattress from which the compression coil springs have been removed is transferred to the fourth dismantling section 146. Step 10 involves using the fourth dismantling section 146 to cut the nonwoven fabric. A hot air heater is used in this step. The mattress from which the nonwoven fabric has been cut is transferred to the wire frame cutting section 147. Step 11 involves cutting the wire frame using the wire frame cutting unit 147. The mattress, after the wire frame has been cut, is then transported outside.

[0077] If the mattress has two layers of compressed coil springs, the compressed coil springs can be removed from the mattress by performing steps 1 through 11. If the mattress has one layer of compressed coil springs, steps 8 and 9 may be omitted, and the process may proceed from step 7 to step 10.

[0078] Figure 17A is an explanatory diagram showing a separation and dismantling device 110 that realizes a fourth alternative method in the separation and dismantling method of the present invention. The separation and dismantling device 110 shown in Figure 17A includes a measuring unit 150 for measuring the size of the mattress, a first dismantling unit 151, a mattress inversion unit 152, a second dismantling unit 153, a third dismantling unit 154A, a third dismantling unit 154B, a spring removal unit 155A, a spring removal unit 155B, a fourth dismantling unit 156, and a wire frame cutting unit 157.

[0079] Since the measurement unit 150 of the sorting and dismantling device 110 shown in Figure 17A and the measurement unit 140 of the sorting and dismantling device 110 shown in Figure 16A are identical, a detailed explanation is omitted. Similarly, since the first dismantling unit 151 and the first dismantling unit 141, the mattress inversion unit 152 and the mattress inversion unit 142, the second dismantling unit 153 and the second dismantling unit 143, the spring removal unit 155A and the spring removal unit 155B and the spring removal unit 145A and the spring removal unit 145B, the fourth dismantling unit 156 and the fourth dismantling unit 146, and the wire frame cutting unit 157 and the wire frame cutting unit 147 are identical, a detailed explanation is omitted.

[0080] Figure 17B is an enlarged view showing the main part of the third dismantling section 154A in Figure 17A. The third dismantling section 154A is the third dismantling section 134 in Figure 15A with the addition of a rotating blade 160.

[0081] The rotating blade 160 has a cylindrical rotating shaft portion 161, a disc-shaped blade portion 162, and arm portions 163 that rotatably support both ends and the center of the cylindrical rotating shaft portion 161. Multiple blade portions 162 are fixed to the rotating shaft portion 161 at equal intervals. The centers of the multiple blade portions 162 are positioned on the axis of the rotating shaft portion 161.

[0082] The rotating blade 160 has its rotating shaft 161 positioned in the front-to-back direction, and in its normal state, the rotating shaft 161 is positioned on the left or right side of the mattress. After cutting the mattress in the front-to-back direction with a laser beam, the arm 163 is driven to press the rotating blade 160 against the surface of the mattress and move it to the left or right, thereby cutting the mattress in the left-to-right direction. This makes it possible to create a cross-shaped cut on the surface of the mattress.

[0083] The dismantling and separation device 110 shown in Figure 16(A) performs the following 11 steps, from step 1 to step 11. Step 1 is to measure the size of the mattress in the measuring unit 150. After measurement, the mattress is transferred to the first dismantling unit 151. Step 2 is to perform quilting cuts on the top side of the mattress using the first dismantling unit 151. After quilting cuts, the mattress is transferred to the first dismantling unit 151. Step 3 is to invert the mattress using the mattress inversion unit 152. The inverted mattress is transferred to the second dismantling unit 153. Step 4 is to perform quilting cuts on the underside of the mattress using the second dismantling unit 153. Step 5 is to photograph the compression coil springs in the second dismantling unit 153. After photography, the mattress is transferred to the third dismantling unit 154A. Step 6 is to perform nonwoven fabric cross cuts using the third dismantling unit 154A. Specifically, first, the third dismantling unit 154A makes cuts in the front-to-back direction using a laser beam. Next, the rotating blade 160 is moved to make cuts on the mattress surface in the left-right direction. This creates a nonwoven fabric cross cut in the mattress. After this, the mattress is transferred to the spring removal section 155A. Step 7 is to remove the compression coil springs from the mattress using the spring removal section 155A. After the compression coil springs have been removed, the mattress is inverted and then transferred to the third dismantling section 154B. Step 8 is to perform a nonwoven fabric cross cut in the same way as in step 6 using the third dismantling section 154B. After this, the mattress is transferred to the spring removal section 155B. In steps 6 and 8 described above, first, cuts are made in the front-back direction using a laser beam, and then cuts are made in the left-right direction using the rotating blade 160. However, it is also possible to use the rotating blade 160 only for the first half of the cross cut (for example, the vertical part of the cross) and use the laser beam for the second half (for example, the horizontal part of the cross). Thus, a combination of laser beam and rotating blade 160 may be used. Alternatively, the rotary blade 160 can be used alone, making a vertical cut in the first half, then rotating the rotary blade 160 by 90 degrees to make a vertical cut in the second half. Furthermore, compared to laser light, the rotary blade has higher cutting capacity. However, cutting with a rotary blade may also crush compressed coil springs and similar materials.Therefore, metal fragments generated during the crushing of compressed coil springs and other materials may become mixed into the nonwoven fabric, potentially hindering recycling. Furthermore, during the cross-cutting process, especially in the latter half, there is a high possibility that compressed coil springs will fly out, and these flying springs are more likely to come into contact with the rotating blades, thus increasing the aforementioned risk. Therefore, by combining laser cutting with cutting using rotating blades, the aforementioned possibilities can be reduced. In step 9, the rotating blades of the spring removal section 155B are brought into contact with the back side of the mattress surface that was cross-cut in step 8, and the compressed coil springs are removed. The mattress from which the compressed coil springs have been removed is transferred to the fourth dismantling section 156. In step 10, the nonwoven fabric is cut using the fourth dismantling section 156. A hot air heater is used in this step. The mattress from which the nonwoven fabric has been cut is transferred to the wire frame cutting section 157. In step 11, the wire frame is cut using the wire frame cutting section 157. The mattress from which the wire frame has been cut is transported outside. If the mattress has two layers of compression coil springs, the compression coil springs can be removed from the mattress by performing steps 1 through 11. If the mattress has one layer of compression coil springs, steps 8 and 9 may be omitted, and the process may proceed from step 7 to step 10. Comparing the dismantling device 110 shown in Figure 16A with the dismantling device 110 shown in Figure 17A, the dismantling device 110 shown in Figure 17A can process steps 7 and 9 in a shorter time. Therefore, the dismantling device 110 shown in Figure 17A can perform the dismantling process faster. On the other hand, since the dismantling device 110 shown in Figure 17A uses a rotating blade, there is a risk of cutting debris scattering. Therefore, the dismantling device 110 shown in Figure 16A can maintain a better working environment for dismantling work.

[0084] 1: Mattress 2: Spring unit 20: Non-woven fabric 21: Compressed coil spring 3: Cushion part 4: Outer part 5: Outer edge part

Claims

1. A method for separating and disassembling a pocket coil mattress, comprising at least a nonwoven fabric and pocket coils, characterized in that it includes at least a first step of exposing the pocket coils by making predetermined cuts on the surface of the nonwoven fabric enclosing the pocket coils using a laser cutter, in order to remove the pocket coils.

2. A method for separating and disassembling a pocket coil mattress according to claim 1, further comprising a second step of removing the exposed pocket coils.

3. The method for separating and disassembling a pocket coil mattress according to claim 2, wherein the second step is to remove the exposed pocket coils using a puller-like member having one or more hooks.

4. The method for disassembling a pocket coil mattress according to claim 2, wherein the second step involves removing the exposed pocket coils using a magnetic lift member equipped with a permanent magnet or electromagnet.

5. The method for disassembling a pocket coil mattress according to claim 2, wherein the second step is to remove the exposed pocket coils using a rotating vane member.

6. The method for separating and disassembling a pocket coil mattress according to claim 1, wherein, before the first step, the outer casing of the pocket coil mattress is further cut using the laser cutter.

7. The method for separating and disassembling a pocket coil mattress according to claim 2, further comprising using the laser cutter to cut the fabric containing at least the nonwoven fabric included in the pocket coil mattress after the pocket coils have been removed, following the second step.

8. The method for separating and disassembling a pocket coil mattress according to claim 2, further comprising using a hot air heater after the second step to cut the fabric containing at least the nonwoven fabric that has been removed from the pocket coil mattress.

9. The method for separating and disassembling a pocket coil mattress according to claim 1, characterized in that the predetermined cuts are made in a single or multiple cross shape on the surface of the pocket coil mattress.

10. The method for separating and dismantling a pocket coil mattress according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the laser cutter is a CO2 laser cutter.

11. A device for separating and disassembling a pocket coil mattress that realizes the method for separating and disassembling a pocket coil mattress as described in claim 10.

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