JP3654366B2

JP3654366B2 - Fibrous wadding material and method for producing the same

Info

Publication number: JP3654366B2
Application number: JP13583094A
Authority: JP
Inventors: 健司田中; 忠昭濱口; 英夫磯田
Original assignee: Toyobo Co Ltd
Current assignee: Toyobo Co Ltd
Priority date: 1994-06-17
Filing date: 1994-06-17
Publication date: 2005-06-02
Anticipated expiration: 2020-06-02
Also published as: JPH08851A

Description

【０００１】
【産業上の利用分野】
本発明は、優れた伸縮性、蒸れ難く、良好なクッション性と耐熱耐久性及び振動吸収性とを有し快適な座り心地を提供でき、リサイクルも可能な繊維系ワディング材と製法に関する。
【０００２】
【従来の技術】
現在、家具、ベッド、電車、自動車等のクッション用ワデイング材に、発泡ウレタン、非弾性捲縮繊維詰綿、及び非弾性捲縮繊維を接着した樹脂綿や硬綿などが使用されているが、極めて過酷な耐久性を要求される電車、自動車等のクッション用ワデイング材には発泡ウレタンしか使用されていないのが現状である。
【０００３】
しかしながら、発泡−架橋型ウレタンはワディング材としての耐久性は極めて良好だが、透湿透水性に劣り蓄熱性があるため蒸れやすく、かつ、熱可塑性では無いためリサイクルが困難となり焼却される場合、焼却炉の損傷が大きく、かつ、有毒ガス除去に経費が掛かる。このため埋め立てされることが多くなったが、地盤の安定化が困難なため埋め立て場所が限定され経費も高くなっていく問題がある。また、加工性は優れるが製造中に使用される薬品の公害問題などもある。また、熱可塑性ポリエステル繊維詰綿では繊維間が固定されていないため、使用時形態が崩れたり、繊維が移動して、かつ、捲縮のへたりで嵩高性の低下や弾力性の低下が問題になる。
【０００４】
ポリエステル繊維を接着剤で接着した樹脂綿、例えば接着剤にゴム系を用いたものとして特開昭６０−１１３５２号公報、特開昭６１−１４１３８８号公報、特開昭６１−１４１３９１号公報等がある。又、架橋性ウレタンを用いたものとして特開昭６１−１３７７３２号公報等がある。これらの繊維系成形材は耐久性に劣り、且つ、熱可塑性でなく、単一組成でもないためリサイクルも出来ない等の問題、及び加工性の煩雑さや製造中に使用される薬品の公害問題などもある。
【０００５】
ポリエステル硬綿、例えば特開昭５８−３１１５０号公報、特開平２−１５４０５０号公報、特開平３−２２０３５４号公報等があるが、用いている熱接着繊維の接着成分が脆い非晶性のポリマ−を用いるため（例えば特開昭５８−１３６８２８号公報、特開平３−２４９２１３号公報等）接着部分が脆く、使用中に接着部分が簡単に破壊されて形態や弾力性が低下するなどの耐久性に劣る問題がある。改良法として、交絡処理する方法が特開平４−２４５９６５号公報等で提案されているが、接着部分の脆さは解決されず弾力性の低下が大きい問題がある。また、加工時の煩雑さもある。更には接着部分が変形しにくくソフトなクッション性を付与しにくい問題もある。このため、接着部分を柔らかい、且つある程度変形しても回復するポリエステルエラストマ−を用い、芯成分に非弾性ポリエステルを用いた熱接着繊維が特開平４−２４０２１９号公報で、同繊維を用いたポリエステル硬綿がＷＯ−９１／１９０３２号公報、特開平５−１５６５６１号公報、特開平５−１６３６５４号公報等で提案されている。この繊維構造物に使われる接着成分がポリエステルエラストマ−のソフトセグメントとしてはポリアルキレングリコ−ルの含有量が３０〜５０重量％、ハ−ドセグメントの酸成分にテレフタル酸を５０〜８０モル％含有し、他の酸成分組成として特公昭６０−１４０４号公報に記載された繊維と同様にイソフタル酸を含有して非晶性が増すことにより、融点を１８０℃以下として低溶融粘度として熱接着部分の形成を良くしてアメーバー状の接着部を形成しているが塑性変形しやいため、及び芯成分が非弾性ポリエステルのため、特に加熱下での塑性変形が著しくなり、耐熱抗圧縮性が低下する問題点がある。これらの改良法として、特開平５−１６３６５４号公報にシ−ス成分にイソフタル酸を含有するポリエステルエラストマ−、コア成分に非弾性ポリエステルを用いた熱接着複合繊維のみからなる構造体が提案されているが上述の理由で加熱下での塑性変形が著しくなり、耐熱抗圧縮性が低下し、クッション用ワディング材に使用するには問題がある。他方、硬綿の母材にシリコ−ン油剤を付与して繊維の摩擦係数を下げて耐久性を向上し、風合いを良くする方法が特開昭６３−１５８０９４号公報で提案されている。が、熱接着繊維の接着性に問題があり、耐久性が劣るのでクッション用ワディング材に使用するには好ましくない。なお、表皮材の皺防止を配慮した伸縮性をもつワディング材は発泡ウレタン以外に見当たらない。
【０００６】
【発明が解決しようとする課題】
上記問題点を解決し、伸縮性を有し、耐熱性、耐久性、クッション性の優れた蒸れ難い、クッション用ワディング材に最適な繊維系ワディング材と製法及び繊維系ワディング材を用いた布団、家具、ベッド、車両用クッション等の製品を提供することを目的とする。
【０００７】
【課題を解決するための手段】
上記課題を解決するための手段、即ち本発明は、熱可塑性非弾性樹脂からなる繊度が１〜１０デニ−ルの潜在巻縮能に基づく立体巻縮を発現した巻縮繊維と１〜６デニールのソフトセグメント含有量が１５重量％以上８０重量％以下である熱可塑性弾性樹脂を熱接着成分とした熱接着複合繊維とが開繊混合され、前記巻縮繊維同士あるいは接巻縮繊維と熱接着繊維とが立体巻縮により絡まって三次元構造化され、熱接着繊維同志あるいは熱接着繊維と巻縮繊維の接触点の大部分が融着一体化された構造体であり、該構造体は両面が実質的にフラット化されており、厚みが１〜３０mm、見掛け密度が０．０１〜０．１０ｇ／cm³であり、熱可塑性弾性樹脂成分は、示差走査型熱量計で測定した融解曲線に室温以上融点以下の範囲に吸熱ピークを有することを特徴とする繊維系ワディング材および潜在巻縮能（１／ρ）が５mm^-1以上の熱可塑性非弾性樹脂からなる巻縮が未発現の巻縮繊維とソフトセグメント含有量が１５重量％以上８０重量％以下である熱可塑性弾性樹脂を熱接着成分にした複合構造を有する熱接着繊維を混合開繊して、熱接着繊維を巻縮が未発現の巻縮繊維マトリックス中に分散させて三次元構造を形成し、次いで、熱接着成分の融点より１０℃〜４０℃高い温度で熱処理する際、昇温過程で巻縮が未発現の巻縮繊維に細かい立体巻縮を発現させて立体巻縮により絡まり三次元構造化させた後、熱接着繊維との接触部の大部分を熱接着成分を溶融して熱可塑性弾性樹脂からなる熱接着点を形成し、一旦冷却後又は連続して、熱接着成分の融点より少なくとも１０℃以上低い温度で熱処理する繊維系ワディング材の製法である。
【０００８】
本発明における熱可塑性弾性樹脂とは、ソフトセグメントとして分子量３００〜５０００のポリエ−テル系グリコ−ル、ポリエステル系グリコ−ル、ポリカ−ボネ−ト系グリコ−ルまたは長鎖の炭化水素末端をカルボン酸または水酸基にしたオレフィン系化合物等をブロック共重合したポリエステル系エラストマ−、ポリアミド系エラストマ−、ポリウレタン系エラストマ−、ポリオレフィン系エラストマ−などが挙げられる。熱可塑性弾性樹脂とすることで、再溶融により再生が可能となるため、リサイクルが容易となる。例えば、ポリエステル系エラストマ−としては、熱可塑性ポリエステルをハ−ドセグメントとし、ポリアルキレンジオ−ルをソフトセグメントとするポリエステルエ−テルブロック共重合体、または、脂肪族ポリエステルをソフトセグメントとするポリエステルエステルブロック共重合体が例示できる。ポリエステルエ−テルブロック共重合体のより具体的な事例としては、テレフタル酸、イソフタル酸、ナフタレン２・６ジカルボン酸、ナフタレン２・７ジカルボン酸、ジフェニル４・４’ジカルボン酸等の芳香族ジカルボン酸、１・４シクロヘキサンジカルボン酸等の脂環族ジカルボン酸、琥珀酸、アジピン酸、セバチン酸ダイマ−酸等の脂肪族ジカルボン酸または、これらのエステル形成性誘導体などから選ばれたジカルボン酸の少なくとも１種と、１・４ブタンジオ−ル、エチレングリコ−ル、トリメチレングリコ−ル、テトレメチレングリコ−ル、ペンタメチレングリコ−ル、ヘキサメチレングリコ−ル等の脂肪族ジオ−ル、１・１シクロヘキサンジメタノ−ル、１・４シクロヘキサンジメタノ−ル等の脂環族ジオ−ル、またはこれらのエステル形成性誘導体などから選ばれたジオ−ル成分の少なくとも１種、および平均分子量が約３００〜５０００のポリエチレングリコ−ル、ポリプロピレングリコ−ル、ポリテトラメチレングリコ−ル、エチレンオキシド−プロピレンオキシド共重合体からなるグリコ−ル等のポリアルキレンジオ−ルのうち少なくとも１種から構成される三元ブロック共重合体である。ポリエステルエステルブロック共重合体としては、上記ジカルボン酸とジオ−ル及び平均分子量が約３００〜５０００のポリラクトン等のポリエステルジオ−ルのうち少なくとも各１種から構成される三元ブロック共重合体である。熱接着性、耐加水分解性、伸縮性、耐熱性等を考慮すると、ジカルボン酸としてはテレフタル酸、または、及びナフタレン２・６ジカルボン酸、ジオ−ル成分としては１・４ブタンジオ−ル、ポリアルキレンジオ−ルとしてはポリテトラメチレングリコ−ルの３元ブロック共重合体または、ポリエステルジオ−ルとしてポリラクトンの３元ブロック共重合体が特に好ましい。特殊な例では、ポリシロキサン系のソフトセグメントを導入したものも使うこたができる。また、上記エラストマ−に非エラストマ−成分をブレンドされたもの、共重合したもの、ポリオレフィン系成分をソフトセグメントにしたもの等も本発明の熱可塑性弾性樹脂に包含される。ポリアミド系エラストマ−としては、ハ−ドセグメントにナイロン６、ナイロン６６、ナイロン６１０、ナイロン６１２、ナイロン１１、ナイロン１２等及びそれらの共重合ナイロンを骨格とし、ソフトセグメントには、平均分子量が約３００〜５０００のポリエチレングリコ−ル、ポリプロピレングリコ−ル、ポリテトラメチレングリコ−ル、エチレンオキシド−プロピレンオキシド共重合体からなるグリコ−ル等のポリアルキレンジオ−ルのうち少なくとも１種から構成されるブロック共重合体を単独または２種類以上混合して用いてもよい。更には、非エラストマ−成分をブレンドされたもの、共重合したもの等も本発明に使用できる。ポリウレタン系エラストマ−としては、通常の溶媒（ジメチルホルムアミド、ジメチルアセトアミド等）の存在または不存在下に、（Ａ）数平均分子量１０００〜６０００の末端に水酸基を有するポリエ−テル及び又はポリエステルと（Ｂ）有機ジイソシアネ−トを主成分とするポリイソシアネ−トを反応させた両末端がイソシアネ−ト基であるプレポリマ−に、（Ｃ）ジアミンを主成分とするポリアミンにより鎖延長したポリウレタンエラストマ−を代表例として例示できる。（Ａ）のポリエステル、ポリエ−テル類としては、平均分子量が約１０００〜６０００、好ましくは１３００〜５０００のポリブチレンアジペ−ト共重合ポリエステルやポリエチレングリコ−ル、ポリプロピレングリコ−ル、ポリテトラメチレングリコ−ル、エチレンオキシド−プロピレンオキシド共重合体からなるグリコ−ル等のポリアルキレンジオ−ルが好ましく、（Ｂ）のポリイソシアネ−トとしては、従来公知のポリイソシアネ−トを用いることができるが、ジフェニルメタン４・４’ジイソシアネ−トを主体としたイソシアネ−トを用い、必要に応じ従来公知のトリイソシアネ−ト等を微量添加使用してもよい。（Ｃ）のポリアミンとしては、エチレンジアミン、１・２プロピレンジアミン等公知のジアミンを主体とし、必要に応じて微量のトリアミン、テトラアミンを併用してもよい。これらのポリウレタン系エラストマ−は単独又は２種類以上混合して用いてもよい。なお、本発明の熱可塑性弾性樹脂の融点は耐熱耐久性が保持できる１５０℃以上が好ましく、１７０℃以上のものを用いると耐熱耐久性が向上するのでより好ましい。なお、必要に応じ、抗酸化剤や耐光剤等を添加して耐久性を向上させることができる。本発明の目的である振動や応力の吸収機能をもたせる成分を構成する熱可塑性弾性樹脂のソフトセグメント含有量は好ましくは１５重量％以上、より好ましくは３０重量％以上であり、耐熱耐へたり性からは８０重量％以下が好ましく、より好ましくは７０重量％以下である。即ち、本発明の繊維系ワディング材を構成する熱接着成分の振動や応力の吸収機能をもたせる成分のソフトセグメント含有量は好ましくは１５重量％以上８０重量％以下であり、より好ましくは３０重量％以上７０重量％以下である。
【０００９】
本発明の繊維系ワディング材を構成する熱可塑性弾性樹脂からなる成分は、示差走査型熱量計にて測定した融解曲線において、融点以下に吸熱ピ−クを有するのが好ましい。融点以下に吸熱ピ−クを有するものは、耐熱耐へたり性が吸熱ピ−クを有しないものより著しく向上する。例えば、本発明の好ましいポリエステル系熱可塑性樹脂として、ハ−ドセグメントの酸成分に剛直性のあるテレフタル酸やナフタレン２・６ジカルボン酸などを９０モル％以上含有するもの、より好ましくはテレフタル酸やナフタレン２・６ジカルボン酸の含有量は９５モル％以上、特に好ましくは１００モル％とグリコ−ル成分をエステル交換後、必要な重合度まで重合し、次いで、ポリアルキレンジオ−ルとして、好ましくは平均分子量が５００以上５０００以下、特に好ましくは１０００以上３０００以下のポリテトラメチレングリコ−ルを１５重量％以上７０重量％以下、より好ましくは３０重量％以上６０重量％以下共重合量させた場合、ハ−ドセグメントの酸成分に剛直性のあるテレフタル酸やナフタレン２・６ジカルボン酸の含有量が多いとハ−ドセグメントの結晶性が向上し、塑性変形しにくく、かつ、耐熱抗へたり性が向上するが、溶融熱接着後更に融点より少なくとも１０℃以上低い温度でアニ−リング処理するとより耐熱抗へたり性が向上する。圧縮歪みを付与してからアニ−リングすると更に耐熱抗へたり性が向上する。このような処理をした繊維系ワディング材を構成する熱可塑性弾性樹脂からなる成分を示差走査型熱量計で測定した融解曲線に室温以上融点以下の温度で吸熱ピークをより明確に発現する。なおアニ−リングしない場合は融解曲線に室温以上融点以下に吸熱ピ−クを発現しない。このことから類推するに、アニ−リングにより、ハ−ドセグメントが再配列され、疑似結晶化様の架橋点が形成され、耐熱抗へたり性が向上しているのではないかとも考えられる。（この処理を疑似結晶化処理と定義する）この疑似結晶化処理効果は、ポリアミド系弾性樹脂やポリウレタン系弾性樹脂にも有効である。
【００１０】
本発明における熱可塑性非弾性樹脂とは、ポリエステル、ポリアミド、ポリオレフィン等が例示できる。なお、本発明ではガラス転移点温度が少なくとも４０℃以上のものを使用するのが好ましい。例えば、ポリエステルでは、ポリエチレンテレフタレ−ト（ＰＥＴ）、ポリエチレンナフタレ−ト（ＰＥＮ）、ポリシクロヘキシレンジメチレンテレフタレ−ト（ＰＣＨＤＴ）、ポリシクロヘキシレンジメチレンナフタレ−ト（ＰＣＨＤＮ）、ポリブチレンテレフタレ−ト（ＰＢＴ）、ポリブチレンナフタレ−ト（ＰＢＮ）、ポリアリレ−ト等、及びそれらの共重合ポリエステル等が例示できる。ポリアミドでは、ポリカプロラクタム（ＮＹ６）、ポリヘキサメチレンアジパミド（ＮＹ６６）、ポリヘキサメチレンセバカミド（ＮＹ６−１０）等が例示できる。ポリオレフィンとしては、ポリプロピレン（ＰＰ）、ポリブテン・１（ＰＢ・１）等が例示できる。本発明に用いる熱可塑性非弾性樹脂としては、クッション材の側地にポリエステルを用いて、ワディング材と接着されている場合が多いので、廃棄する場合に分離せずにリサイクルが可能なクッション素材として、耐熱性も良好なＰＥＴ、ＰＥＮ、ＰＢＮ、ＰＣＨＤＴ等のポリエステルが特に好ましい。更には、ＰＥＴ、ＰＥＮ、ＰＢＮ、ＰＣＨＤＴ等と重縮合して燐含有エステル形成性化合物を共重合または燐含有難燃剤を含有してなる難燃性ポリエステル（以下難燃性ポリエステルと略す）が好ましく、例えば、特開昭５１−８２３９２号公報、特開昭５５−７８８８号公報、特公昭５５−４１６１０号公報等に例示されたものが挙げられる。なお、塩化ビニ−ルは自己消火性を有するが燃焼すると有毒ガスを多く発生するので本発明に用いるのは好ましくない。本発明の伸縮性を有するワディング材を構成する細かい立体巻縮を発現した巻縮繊維は収縮差に基ずく高度の潜在巻縮能を必要とするので、複合成分の片成分は抗へたり性を付与する必要から高配向させ高温延伸した高モジュラス成分とする延伸を行っても収縮差を保持できる高収縮成分が必要である。本発明の好ましい実施形態として、ポリエステルを用いる場合の高収縮成分としては、上記ＰＥＴ，ＰＥＮ，ＰＢＴ，ＰＢＮ，ＰＣＨＤＴの酸成分に金属塩スルホネ−ト基を含有するイソフタレ−ト又は、及びイソフタレ−トを共重合したポリエステルを用いるのが好ましい。特に好ましくは金属塩スルホネ−ト基を含有するイソフタレ−トを１〜３モル％共重合したポリエステルとイソフタレ−トを２〜１０モル％共重合したポリエステルを混合して非晶性を抑制して塑性変形を少なくできるものを用いる。混合比は２０／８０重量比〜７０／３０重量比が好ましい。より好ましくは５０／５０重量比である。なお、必要に応じ、抗酸化剤、耐光剤、艶消し剤、難燃剤、抗菌剤、抗黴剤、着色剤等を添加して他の特性も向上させることができる。
【００１１】
本発明は１〜１０デニ−ルの潜在巻縮能に基ずく細かい立体巻縮を発現した熱可塑性非弾性樹脂からなる巻縮繊維と１〜６デニールのソフトセグメント含有量が１５重量％以上８０重量％以下である熱可塑性弾性樹脂を熱接着成分とした複合構造を有する熱接着繊維とが開繊混合され、該巻縮繊維同士及び該熱接着繊維とが立体巻縮により絡まり三次元構造化されて、該熱接着繊維と該巻縮繊維、及び該熱接着繊維同士の接触点の大部分が熱接着成分により融着一体化されて両面が実質的にフラット化された、厚みが１〜３０mm、見掛け密度が０．０１ｇ／cm³から０．１０ｇ／cm³で、熱可塑性弾性樹脂からなる成分を示差走査型熱量計で測定した融解曲線に室温以上融点以下の温度に吸熱ピークを持つことを特徴とする繊維系ワディング材である。クッション材の機能は、クッション層は基本の繊度を太くして少し硬くして体型保持を受け持つ層と振動減衰性の良い成分で密度を少し高くし振動を吸収して振動を遮断する層で構成し、表面層は繊度を細くし構成繊維本数を多くした柔らかな層として適度の沈み込みにより快適な臀部のタッチを与えて臀部の圧力分布を均一分散化させると共にクッション層で吸収できなかった振動を吸収して人体の共振部分の振動を遮断する層が一体化されることで、応力や振動を一体で変形し吸収させ座り心地を向上させることができる。更に自動車用座席に使用する表面層では、運転による踏ん張りが極めて過酷な剪断変形を表面層に与えられる。このため表面層機能に伸縮性が不可欠となり、従来公知の素材ではこの機能を満たす素材が発泡ウレタン以外になかった。本発明では、ソフトセグメント含有量が１５重量％以上８０重量％以下である熱可塑性弾性樹脂を熱接着成分とした熱接着繊維と熱可塑性非弾性樹脂からなる潜在巻縮能に基ずく立体巻縮を発現した熱可塑性非弾性樹脂からなる巻縮繊維とが立体巻縮により絡まり三次元構造化されて融着一体化した三次元スプリング構造とし、両面を実質的にフラット化させて、局部的な臀部の圧縮応力を面で受け止め応力分散性を向上させると同時に細かな立体巻縮で適度の抗圧縮性と、融着一体化した三次元スプリングのネットワ−ク構造と熱可塑性弾性樹脂のゴム弾性が合いまって、適度の沈み込みによる快適な臀部のタッチを与えつつ、圧縮応力を変形が容易な熱可塑性弾性樹脂部分が大変形を起こし、三次元スプリングのネットワ−ク構造のスプリング機能で巻縮繊維の変形を弾性限界内に抑制しがら構造体全体が変形して変形応力を分散吸収させて巻縮繊維の塑性変形を少なくし、更に熱可塑性弾性樹脂を疑似結晶化させて熱接着点の伸張回復性を著しく向上させて、変形応力を除くと熱可塑性弾性樹脂部分のゴム弾性と巻縮繊維の弾性回復で直ちに回復し、良好な抗へたり性を保持させ、更には、三次元スプリングのネットワ−ク構造と熱可塑性弾性樹脂のゴム弾性が合いまって伸縮性をも発現するため極めて過酷な剪断変形をも構造全体が伸縮変形して吸収し、熱可塑性弾性樹脂の振動吸収性が振動遮断層として働く好ましい表面層の機能を付与した繊維系ワディング材である。本発明の繊維系ワディング材を構成する熱接着繊維は適度の沈み込みにより快適な臀部のタッチを与え、振動吸収機能と三次元スプリングネットワ−ク構造の形態維持機能を分担するため、熱接着成分が熱可塑性弾性樹脂からなる（好ましい熱接着成分量は、振動吸収機能と変形応力吸収機能が充足できる４０重量％以上、７０重量％を越えると繊維形態の保持性が低下してネットワ−クの連結強度が低下するので７０重量％以下）繊度が１〜６デニ−ルの複合繊維からなる。熱接着繊維の繊度が６デニ−ルを越えると構成本数が少なくなり、巻縮繊維が形成するスプリング機能を持つ細かい立体巻縮を接続して三次元スプリングのネットワ−ク構造とする接着点が少なくなり変形応力の分散が悪くなり、接着点での応力集中が大きくなって耐へたり性が低下し、更には緻密な構造体としての特徴が出ず快適なタッチを損なうので好ましくない。他方、繊度が細すぎると巻縮繊維とのマイグレ−ションが悪くなり、熱接着繊維がつくる熱接着点に斑が発生し、変形応力の分散が悪くなり応力分散性が低下するので好ましくない。好ましい熱接着繊維の繊度は１デニ−ル〜５デニ−ル、より好ましくは２デニ−ル〜４デニ−ルである。本発明の熱接着繊維は熱可塑性弾性樹脂が大変形してクッション層でエネルギ−変換できない振動を吸収し、局部的な大変形応力を構造体全体で変形してエネルギ−変換して回復できる立体３次元スプリングネットワ−ク構造を融着接合する熱接着機能を保持するために熱接着繊維表面の５０％以上を柔らかい熱可塑性弾性樹脂が占めるシ−スコア構造またはサイドバイサイド構造及びそれらの組合せ構造などの複合構造を持つ。複合構造としては、熱接着繊維が接触する接触点を確実に熱接着できる熱接着成分をシ−ス成分としたシ−スコア構造が好ましい。コア成分は繊維形態を保持し易い熱可塑性非弾性樹脂から構成されていてもよいが、熱可塑性弾性樹脂で構成されることで振動吸収機能と変形応力吸収機能が著しく向上できるのでより好ましい。すなわち、シ−スコア構造ではシ−ス成分は振動や変形応力をエネルギ−変換が容易なソフトセグメント含有量が多い熱可塑性弾性樹脂とし、コア成分はソフトセグメント含有量の少ない熱可塑性弾性樹脂とし、繊維形態を保持して三次元コイルスプリング構造のネットワ−クにゴム弾性をもつ伸縮性を与えることができるので熱接着繊維が独立して存在するネットワ−ク部分は弱い抗圧縮性を示しつつ変形応力に対してはソフトセグメント含有量が多い熱可塑性弾性樹脂部分で融着した接着点の変形より少ない中変形を生じて接着点の変形負担を逓減できると共に熱可塑性非弾性樹脂からなるコイルスプリング機能を分担する巻縮繊維の変形をも弾性限界内に逓減できるので、抗へたり性を格段に向上するので最も好ましい。他の好ましい構造としは、サイドバイサイド構造では振動や変形応力をエネルギ−変換が容易なソフトセグメント含有量が多い熱可塑性弾性樹脂の溶融粘度を抗圧縮性を示すソフトセグメント含有量の少ない熱可塑性弾性樹脂の溶融粘度より低くして線状の表面を占めるソフトセグメント含有量が多い熱可塑性弾性樹脂の割合を多くした構造（比喩的には偏芯シ−ス・コア構造のシ−スに熱可塑性弾性樹脂を配した様な構造）として繊維の表面を占めるソフトセグメント含有量が多い熱可塑性弾性樹脂の割合を８０％以上としたものがより好ましく、最も好ましくは線状の表面を占めるソフトセグメント含有量が多い熱可塑性弾性樹脂の割合を１００％とした前記シ−スコアである。ソフトセグメント含有量が多い熱可塑性弾性樹脂の繊維の表面を占める割合が多くなると、溶融して融着するときの流動性が高いので接着が強固になる効果があり、構造が一体で変形する場合、接着点の応力集中に対する耐疲労性が向上し、耐熱性や耐久性がより向上する。熱接着繊維で融着一体化されていない場合は形態が保持できず、局部的な圧力を面で受け止め、圧力分布を均一分散化できず、更に構造体全体は変形せず、局部的に変形して構造全体でエネルギ−変換出来ないので応力集中が局部的に生じ、構成繊維が塑性変形や疲労が促進され耐久性が劣り好ましくない。本発明の融着の程度は熱接着繊維の接触部が大部分が融着した状態であり、好ましくは接触部が全て融着した状態である。熱接着繊維が振動吸収性の良好な熱可塑性弾性樹脂から構成されているので、クッション層で吸収できなかった振動も吸収して人体の共振部分の振動を遮断する層としての機能をはたすが、熱接着成分が熱可塑性非弾性樹脂からなる場合は、局部的な変形応力に接着点が追随出来ないため、応力集中により構造が破壊されていき回復性が劣るので好ましくない。また、熱可塑性非弾性樹脂は振動吸収性が悪いので振動を遮断する層としての機能が劣り好ましくない。巻縮繊維は、変形応力に対して適度の抗圧縮性を示しつつ変形して体型保持するコイルスプリング機能を分担するため、潜在巻縮能に基ずく細かい立体巻縮を形成した１〜１０デニ−ルの熱可塑性非弾性樹脂からなる巻縮繊維で構成される。熱可塑性非弾性樹脂からなる巻縮繊維の繊度が太い場合には、本発明の好ましい見掛け密度である０．１ｇ／cm³から０．０１ｇ／cm³とした時、構成本数が少なくなりタッチの良好な緻密構造が得られなくなる。又、繊度が太くなるに従い接着点が少なくなり接着点が応力の伝達点となるため接着点に著しい応力集中が起こり構造破壊を生じ耐熱耐久性が劣り好ましくない。更には、繊度が１０デニ−ルを越える太さになると、断面二次モ−メントが著しく大きくなり、耐熱耐久性と適度の抗圧縮性付与するために高い配向度として繊維のモジュラスを高くする必要から、大きい収縮差を付与しても曲げモ−メントが著しく大きくなり、本発明に必要な細かい立体巻縮を得られなくなるので好ましくない。巻縮繊維は適度の沈み込みを付与する弾発性を保持する必要から好ましくは１デニ−ル〜８デニ−ル、より好ましくは２デニ−ル〜６デニ−ルである。巻縮繊維は、変形応力に対して適度の抗圧縮性を示しつつ変形して体型保持するコイルスプリング機能を分担するため、潜在巻縮能に基ずく細かい立体巻縮を形成している。本発明で言う細かい立体巻縮とは、巻縮数が１５個／インチから６０個／インチで巻縮度が１０％〜６０％の細かいピッチの巻縮数で立体的な巻縮形態を有するものである。立体巻縮でない場合は、伸縮性を有するコイルスプリング機能を発現しないので好ましくない。立体巻縮が荒い場合は嵩だか性は良好だが、抗圧縮性が劣り、緻密な構造にできないためタッチも悪くなり、かつ潜在巻縮能に基ずく細かい立体巻縮同士が絡み合ってコイルスプリング同士が伸縮する機能が低下するので接着点に応力が集中して耐へたり性も低下するので好ましくない。巻縮数が６０個／インチより多くなると巻縮度が１５％〜５０％でも嵩高性がなくなり本発明の好ましい見掛け密度である０．１ｇ／cm³から０．０１ｇ／cm³にすることが出来ないので好ましくない。巻縮数が１５個／インチ未満では巻縮度が１５％〜５０％でも巻縮が荒くなり上記理由で好ましくない。巻縮度が１０％未満では巻縮数が２０個／インチ〜６０個／インチでも巻縮の立体性が劣りコイルスプリング機能が悪くなり耐久性が低下し易く、抗圧縮性が低下し、緻密構造化できなくなるのでタッチも悪くなり好ましくない。巻縮度が６０％を越えると緻密構造が固くなり過ぎて適度の沈み込みによる好ましいタッチが失われるので好ましくない。本発明の好ましい細かい立体巻縮は、巻縮数が２０個／インチ〜６０個／インチ、巻縮度が１５％〜５０％であり、より好ましくは巻縮数が３０個／インチ〜５０個／インチ、巻縮度が２５％〜４０％である。本発明の好ましい巻縮数と巻縮度を付与できる高度の潜在巻縮はサイドバイサイド又は偏芯シ−スコア等の複合構造として片成分に高収縮成分を用い、他の成分に高モジュラスで耐熱耐久性を保持できる低収縮成分で構成することにより高度の潜在巻縮能を付与するのが好ましい。高収縮成分としては、前記の金属塩スルホネ−トを含有するイソフタレ−トやイソフタレ−トを共重合したポリエステルとし、低収縮成分はホモ成分のＰＥＴ，ＰＥＮ，ＰＢＮ，ＰＣＨＤＴ等の単独組成を用い、高収縮成分が収縮しても付与した高モジュラスを保持できる高温高配向延伸した複合構造が好ましい。高モジュラスを保持することで、弾性限界の応力が高くなり、高い変形応力を受けても変形しにくくなり、熱接着成分の熱可塑性弾性樹脂が融着一体化しているので、熱可塑性弾性樹脂が変形してエネルギ−変換により変形応力を吸収し、実質的には巻縮繊維の変形は弾性限界内でコイルスプリングが変形するに止まり、変形応力が解除されると熱可塑性弾性樹脂のゴム弾性とコイルスプリングを形成する巻縮繊維の弾性回復で容易に元の形態に回復できるので好ましい耐久性を発現できる。更には、コイルスプリングの耐熱耐久性が保持できる。前記の熱可塑性弾性樹脂を融点が１８０℃以上のものを用いて耐熱耐久性の良い巻縮繊維で構成した本発
明の繊維系ワディング材は７０℃での圧縮残留歪みが３５％以下の好ましい耐熱耐久性が付与できる。が、更に疑似結晶化処理した場合は７０℃での圧縮残留歪みが２５％以下のより好ましい耐熱耐久性が付与できる。本発明の細かい巻縮を発現した巻縮繊維の好ましい保持すべきモジュラスは、初期引張り抵抗度で３５ｇ／デニ−ル以上、より好ましくが４０ｇ／デニ−ル以上である。しかして巻縮発現した繊維は、巻縮発現の為収縮処理が必要なので通常の巻縮発現しない繊維のように１００ｇ／デニ−ル以上の初期引張り抵抗度を保持することは不可能であり、最も好ましくは５０ｇ／デニ−ル以上１００ｇ／デニ−ル以下である。仮に充分な結晶化処理により１００ｇ／デニ−ル以上に出来た場合は、伸度が低下しておりコイルスプリングのタフさが無くなって、繰り返し圧縮回復が必要な本発明のようなワディング材として使用する場合は、非常に脆くなる欠点が出て疲労が著しくなり耐久性が低下するので注意が必要である。伸度が５０％以上と高すぎると伸張変形し易くなるのでコイルスプリング機能が低下し耐久性が劣るので好ましくない。このため本発明の巻縮繊維の伸度は少なくとも１０％以上、１５％以上４０％以下が好ましく、より好ましくは２０％〜３５％である。本発明を構成する巻縮繊維の断面形状は特には限定されないが、中空断面や異形断面にすることで好ましい抗圧縮性（反発力）やタッチを付与することができるので特に好ましい。抗圧縮性は繊度や用いる素材のモジュラスにより調整して、繊度を細くしたり、柔らかい素材では中空率や異形度を高くし初期圧縮応力の勾配を調整できるし、繊度をやや太くしたり、ややモジュラスの高い素材では中空率や異形度を低くして座り心地が良好な抗圧縮性を付与する。中空断面や異形断面の他の効果として中空率や異形度を高くすることで、同一の抗圧縮性を付与した場合、より軽量化が可能となり、自動車等の座席に用いると省エネルギ−化ができ、布団などの場合は、上げ下ろし時の取扱性が向上する。かくして本発明の好ましい実施形態で構成された繊維系ワディング材は、熱可塑性弾性樹脂を熱接着成分とした熱接着繊維と熱可塑性非弾性樹脂からなる潜在巻縮能に基ずく立体巻縮を発現した熱可塑性非弾性樹脂からなる巻縮繊維とが立体巻縮により絡まり三次元構造化されて融着一体化した三次元スプリング構造とし、両面を実質的にフラット化させて、局部的な臀部の圧縮応力を面で受け止め応力分散性を向上させると同時に細かな立体巻縮で適度の抗圧縮性と、融着一体化した三次元スプリングのネットワ−ク構造と熱可塑性弾性樹脂のゴム弾性が合いまって、適度の沈み込みによる快適な臀部のタッチを与えつつ、圧縮応力を変形が容易な熱可塑性弾性樹脂部分が大変形を起こし、三次元スプリングのネットワ−ク構造のスプリング機能で巻縮繊維の変形を弾性限界内に抑制しがら構造体全体が変形して変形応力を分散吸収させて巻縮繊維の塑性変形を少なくし、更に熱可塑性弾性樹脂を疑似結晶化させて熱接着点の伸張回復性を著しく向上させて、変形応力を除くと熱可塑性弾性樹脂部分のゴム弾性と巻縮繊維の弾性回復で直ちに回復し、良好な抗へたり性を保持させ、更には、三次元スプリングのネットワ−ク構造と熱可塑性弾性樹脂のゴム弾性が合いまって伸縮性をも発現するため極めて過酷な剪断変形をも構造全体が伸縮変形して吸収し熱可塑性弾性樹脂の振動吸収性が振動遮断層として働く好ましい表面層の機能を付与した繊維系ワディング材となる。本発明の繊維系ワディング材の厚みは１mm〜３０mmである。１mm以下では表面層機能が発現できないので好ましくない。３０mmを越えるとクッション層機能が必要となり、繊度の細い緻密層からなる本発明の構造では沈み込みが大きくなり好ましくない。本発明の好ましい繊維系ワディング材の厚みは表面層機能が発現できる３mm〜２５mmであり、５mm〜２０mmが特に好ましい。本発明の繊維系ワディング材の見掛け密度は０．０１ｇ／cm³から０．１ｇ／cm³である。見掛け密度が０．０１ｇ／cm³未満では構成繊維の構成本数が少なくなり、柔らか過ぎて沈み込みがやや大きくなり体型保持機能の抗圧縮性が発現できなくなり床つき感を与えると共に変形し過ぎて構成繊維の損傷が大きくなるので耐へたり性が悪くなる欠点がでてくる。見掛け密度が０．１ｇ／cm³を越える場合は本発明のように繊度が比較的細い繊維から構成される緻密な構造では、緻密化し過ぎて適度の沈み込みが出来なくなるので臀部全体を包み込んで支えることが困難になり、固く感じると共に、臀部に局部的に応力が集中して鬱血した状態になりやすく長時間の着座が困難になるので好ましくない。発明の繊維系ワディング材の好ましい見掛け密度は０．０３ｇ／cm³から０．０６ｇ／cm³、より好ましくは０．０４ｇ／cm³から０．０５ｇ／cm³である。なお、過酷な剪断変形を吸収するための好ましい本発明の伸張回復性は２５％伸張後の回復率が６０％以上であり、より好ましくは８０％以上である。２５％伸張後の回復率が２０％以下では過酷な剪断変形を吸収することが困難となるので好ましくない。本発明の繊維系ワディング材は、従来公知の繊維を用いた成形体では付与することが困難であった発泡ウレタンに近い過酷な剪断変形を吸収力できる極めて優れた表面層機能をもつのが大きい特徴である。
【００１２】
熱可塑性弾性樹脂を熱接着成分とした熱接着繊維と細かい巻縮を発現した巻縮繊維が混合三次元構造を形成して融着一体化されて、実質的に両面がフラット化された両面の熱可塑性弾性樹脂成分が熱接着機能を有する本発明の繊維系ワディング材であるので、他の網状体、不織布、編織物、硬綿、フイルム、発泡体、金属等の被熱接着体とを接着するのに、そのまま熱接着するか、又は他の熱接着成分（熱接着不織布、熱接着繊維、熱接着フィルム、熱接着レジン等）や接着剤等を用いて一体積層構造体化し、車両用座席、船舶用座席、車両用、船舶用、病院用等の業務用及び家庭用ベット、家具用椅子、事務用椅子、布団類等の製品を得る場合、被接着体面との接触面積を広くできるので、接着面積が広くなり強固に接着した接着耐久性も良好な製品を得ることができる。なお、繊維系ワディング材形成段階から製品化される任意の段階で上述の疑似結晶化処理を施すことにより、繊維系ワディング材積層した成形体中の熱可塑性弾性樹脂からなる成分を示差走査型熱量計で測定した融解曲線に室温以上融点以下の温度に吸熱ピークを持つようにすると製品の耐熱耐久性が格段に向上するのでより好ましい。本発明の繊維系ワディング材両面の熱可塑性弾性樹脂成分が熱接着機能を有するので、その儘熱接着層として使用できるが、好ましくは熱接着成分をソフトセグメント含有量が多い低融点の熱可塑性弾性樹脂とすることで、振動や変形応力のエネルギ−変換を良好とできると共に良好な熱接着機能も付与できる。熱接着機能を発現させるに好ましい繊維系ワディング材を形成する熱接着成分の融点は高融点成分の融点より１５℃から８０℃低い融点であり、より好ましくは２０℃から６０℃低い融点である。本発明の繊維系ワディング材は伸縮性を有するので、熱接着時に被接着体を伸張した状態で接着すると、被接着体は接着層のゴム弾性で伸張された状態が緩和しないので張りのある、皺になりにくい成形体とすることもできる。
【００１３】
次に本発明の製法を述べる。潜在巻縮能（１／ρ）が５mm^-1以上の熱可塑性非弾性樹脂からなる巻縮が未発現の巻縮繊維とソフトセグメント含有量が１５重量％以上８０重量％以下である熱可塑性弾性樹脂を熱接着成分にした複合構造を有する熱接着繊維を混合開繊して、熱接着繊維を巻縮が未発現の巻縮繊維マトリックス中に分散させて三次元構造を形成し、次いで、熱接着成分の融点より１０℃〜４０℃高い温度で熱処理する際、昇温過程で巻縮が未発現の巻縮繊維に細かい立体巻縮を発現させて立体巻縮により絡まり三次元構造化させた後、熱接着繊維との接触部の大部分を熱接着成分を溶融して熱可塑性弾性樹脂からなる熱接着点を形成し、一旦冷却後又は連続して、熱接着成分の融点より少なくとも１０℃以上低い温度で熱処理する繊維系ワディング材の製法であり、冷却後から一体成形して製品化に至る工程で熱可塑性弾性樹脂の融点より少なくとも１０℃以下の温度でアニ−リングする繊維系ワディング材及び製品の製法である。潜在巻縮能（１／ρ）が５mm^-1以上の熱可塑性非弾性樹脂からなる巻縮が未発現の巻縮繊維は、一般的な多成分押出機を用い、公知の複合紡糸法を用いて前記した高収縮成分と低収縮成分の熱可塑性非弾性樹脂を各単独成分毎に別々に溶融し、ノズルオリフィス背面で複合化できるように分配合流させて、好ましくはサイドバイサイド構造に分配合流させ、溶融温度は好ましくは、各成分の融点より１０℃以上、８０℃以下の同一の溶融温度で、各成分の層が所望の分配率となるよう所望の吐出量になるよう各成分を各ギヤポンプにてノズルへ溶融状態で熱可塑非弾性樹脂を送り、各オリフィスより吐出させる。この時の溶融温度は、低融点成分の融点より８０℃を越える高い溶融温度にすると熱分解が著しくなり熱可塑性樹脂の特性が低下するので好ましくない。他方、高融点成分の融点より１０℃以上高くしないとメルトフラクチャ−を発生し正常な繊維形成が出来なくなる。好ましい溶融温度は低融点成分の融点より２０℃から６０℃高い温度、より好ましくは融点より２５℃から３５℃高い温度であり、高融点成分の融点より１５℃から４０℃高い温度、より好ましくは融点より２０℃から３０℃高い温度となる同一の溶融温度で吐出する。複合紡糸の場合は合流直前の溶融温度差は１０℃以下にしないと異常流動を発生し複合形態の形成が損なわれる場合がある。オリフィスの形状は特に限定されないが、中空断面（例えば三角中空、丸型中空、突起つきの中空等となるよう形状）及び、又は異形断面（例えば三角形、Ｙ型、星型等の断面二次モ−メントが高くなる形状）とすることで前記効果以外に溶融状態の吐出したときの溶融粘度差による孔曲がりを防止し易くなる。また、サイドバイサイド構造では、低収縮成分と高収縮成分の接着面積が少なくなり、高収縮成分の収縮力が低収縮成分に拘束されにくくなって巻縮発現能が向上するので好ましい。また、見掛けの嵩を高くでき軽量化になり、断面二次モ−メントが高くなって抗圧縮性が向上し、弾発性も改良でき、耐へたり性が向上するので好ましい。中空断面では中空率が６０％を越えると断面が潰れ易くなるので、好ましくは抗圧縮性の効果が発現できる５％以上５０％以下、より好ましくは１０％以上４０％以下である。紡糸速度は特に限定されないが配向結晶化すると収縮差が少なくなるので好ましくは配向結晶化しない４０００ｍ／分未満である。かくして得られた未延伸糸は、１段目の延伸温度はガラス転移点温度以上、結晶化開始温度以下の温度、ＰＥＴでは６５℃〜９０℃で破断延伸倍率の０．７〜０．７５倍（ＰＥＮでは１２０℃以上）、２段目は結晶化開始温度以上、結晶融解温度以下の温度、ＰＥＴでは１５０℃〜１８０℃（ＰＥＮでは１８０℃以上）で破断延伸倍率の０．８５〜０．９５倍で延伸する。延伸倍率が０．９５倍以上では構造破壊を生じるので好ましくない。次いで機械巻縮付与後、切断して潜在巻縮能（１／ρ；ρは巻縮の曲率半径、単位mm）が５mm^-1以上の巻縮未発現繊維が得られる。他方、熱接着繊維は、低融点の熱可塑性弾性樹脂と高融点の熱可塑性弾性樹脂、又は高融点の熱可塑性非弾性樹脂とを個々に溶融し、公知の複合紡糸により紡糸する。この時の溶融温度は好ましくは、各成分の融点より１０℃以上、１００℃以下の同一の溶融温度で、各成分の層が所望の分配率となるよう所望の吐出量になるよう各成分を各ギヤポンプにてノズルへ溶融状態で熱可塑非弾性樹脂を送り、各オリフィスより吐出させる。この時の溶融温度は、低融点成分の融点より１００℃を越える高い溶融温度にすると熱分解が著しくなり熱可塑性樹脂の特性が低下するので好ましくない。他方、高融点成分の融点より１０℃以上高くしないとメルトフラクチャ−を発生し正常な繊維形成が出来なくなる。好ましい溶融温度は低融点成分の融点より２０℃から８０℃高い温度、より好ましくは融点より２５℃から６５℃高い温度であり、高融点成分の融点より１０℃から４０℃高い温度、より好ましくは融点より２０℃から３０℃高い温度となる同一の溶融温度で吐出する。次いで、延伸して完成糸を得られる。が、この方法では、熱接着成分の融点が低いので、延伸時に高温で熱セットできないため収縮率が３０％から８０％と高いものしか得られないので、ウエッブを熱成形する際ウエッブ収縮による成形寸法不良を生じる。本発明ではこの問題を解決するため、３０００ｍ／分以上の高速紡糸により収縮率を１０％以下に低収縮化して一気に完成糸にする方法で得るのが好ましい。次いで、巻縮を付与し、所望のカット長に切断して熱接着繊維を得る。本発明に使用する熱接着繊維の複合形態は特には限定されないが、熱接着繊維としての機能が必要なのでサイドバイサイドまたはシ−スコアで、低融点成分が繊維の表面の５０％以上を占めるのが好ましく、低融点成分が繊維の表面の１００％以上を占めるシ−スコア構造がより好ましい。かくして得られた潜在巻縮能をもつ巻縮が未発現の巻縮繊維と熱接着繊維を好ましくは、５０／５０重量比から８０／２０重量比として、オ−プナ−等で予備開繊混合した後カ−ド等で開繊し、熱接着繊維を巻縮が未発現の巻縮繊維マトリックス中に分散させて三次元構造を形成し、次いで、熱接着成分の融点より１０℃〜４０℃高い温度で熱処理する際、昇温過程で巻縮が未発現の巻縮繊維に細かい立体巻縮を発現させて立体巻縮により絡まり三次元構造化させた後、熱接着成分の融点より１０℃〜４０℃高い温度で熱処理する際、昇温過程で巻縮が未発現の巻縮繊維に細かい立体巻縮を発現させて立体巻縮により絡まり三次元構造化させた後、熱接着繊維との接触部の大部分を熱接着成分を溶融して熱可塑性弾性樹脂からなる熱接着点を形成する。細かい立体巻縮を発現した巻縮繊維は、初期引張り抵抗度が少なくとも３５ｇ／デニ−ル以上で、７０℃での初期引張り抵抗度が少なくとも１０ｇ／デニ−ル以上にしたものが好ましい。嵩高性と抗圧縮性からの立体捲縮の捲縮度は１５％以上、捲縮数は２０個／インチ以上とする。本発明の好ましい方法としては、該繊維系ワディング材を形成する際から該繊維系ワディング材を積層し、成形加工により製品化に至る任意の工程で熱可塑性弾性樹脂の融点より少なくとも１０℃以下の温度でアニ−リングよる疑似結晶化処理を行い該繊維系ワディング材又は製品を得るのがより好ましい製法である。疑似結晶化処理温度は、少なくとも融点（Ｔｍ）より１０℃以上低く、Ｔａｎδのα分散立ち上がり温度（Ｔαｃｒ）以上で行う。この処理で、融点以下に吸熱ピ−クを持ち、疑似結晶化処理しないもの（吸熱ピ−クを有しないもの）より耐熱耐へたり性が著しく向上する。本発明の好ましい疑似結晶化処理温度は（Ｔαｃｒ＋１０℃）から（Ｔｍ−２０℃）である。単なる熱処理により疑似結晶化させると耐熱耐へたり性が向上する。が更には、１０％以上の圧縮変形を付与してアニ−リングすることで耐熱耐へたり性が著しく向上するのでより好ましい。次いで所望の長さまたは形状に切断してクッション用ワディング材に用いる。
【００１４】
本発明の繊維系ワディング材を表面層に用いる場合、その使用目的、使用部位により使用する樹脂、繊度、嵩密度等を選択する必要がある。例えば、ソフトなタッチと適度の沈み込みと張りのある膨らみを付与するためには、やや高密度で細い繊度の緻密な構造が好ましく、共振振動数を低くし、適度の硬さと圧縮時のヒステリシスを直線的に変化させて体型保持性を良くし、耐久性を保持させるために、中密度で太い繊度、やや低密度で細い繊度の構造にするのが好ましい。本発明の繊維系ワディング材は用途との関係で要求性能に合うべき他の素材、例えば、異なる網状体、短繊維集合体からなる硬綿クッション材、不織布等と組合せて、３次元構造を損なわない程度に成形型等を用いて使用目的にあった形状に成形して一体成形すれば側地を被せるのみで車両用座席、船舶用座席、ベット、椅子、家具等に用いることができる。繊維製造過程以外でも性能を低下させない範囲で製造過程から成形体に加工し、製品化する任意の段階で難燃化、防虫抗菌化、耐熱化、撥水撥油化、着色、芳香等の機能付与を薬剤添加等の処理加工ができる。
【００１５】
【実施例】
以下に実施例で本発明を詳述する。
【００１６】
なお、実施例中の評価は以下の方法で行った。
1.融点（Ｔｍ）および融点以下の吸熱ピ−ク
島津製作所製ＴＡ５０，ＤＳＣ５０型示差熱分析計を使用し、昇温速度２０℃／分で測定した吸発熱曲線から吸熱ピ−ク（融解ピ−ク）温度を求めた。
2.Ｔαｃｒ
ポリマ−を融点＋１０℃に加熱して、厚み約３００μm のフイルムを作成して、オリエンテック社製バイブロンＤＤＶII型を用い、１１０Ｈｚ、昇温速度１℃／分で測定したＴａｎδ（虚数弾性率Ｍ”と弾性率の実数部分Ｍ’との比Ｍ”／Ｍ’）のゴム弾性領域から融解領域への転移点温度に相当するα分散の立ち上がり温度。
3.見掛け密度
試料を１５cm×１５cmの大きさに切断し、４か所の高さを測定し、体積を求め試料の重さを体積で徐した値で示す。（ｎ＝４の平均値）
4.繊度
試料を１０箇所から各繊維部分を切り出し、アクリル樹脂で包埋して断面を削り出し切片を作成して断面写真を得る。各部分の断面写真より各部の断面積（Ｓｉ）を求める。また、同様にして得た切片をアセトンでアクリル樹脂を溶解し、真空脱泡して密度勾配管を用いて４０℃にて測定した比重（ＳＧｉ）を求める。ついで次式より線状の９０００ｍの重さを求める。（単位ｃｇｓ）
繊度＝〔（１／ｎ）ΣＳｉ×ＳＧｉ〕×９０００００
5.巻縮特性
(1) 巻縮数：ＪＩＳ−Ｌ−１０１５（１９９２）の方法による。
(2) 巻縮度：ＪＩＳ−Ｌ−１０１５（１９９２）の方法による。
(3) １／ρ：短繊維を５cmに切断してフリ−にて乾熱１６０℃雰囲気で２分間熱処理し、巻縮の山から山のピッチＬｉmm，巻縮の山から谷の高さＤｊmm，各試料５本を１本で各１０個を投影機で測定し、以下の計算で求めた。
１／ρ＝（１／ｎ）Σ〔２π／（πＤ_i ²＋Ｌ_j ²）〕：単位mm^-1
６．融着
試料を目視判断で融着しているか否かを接着している繊維同士を手で引っ張って外れないか否かで外れないものを融着していると判断する。
7.耐熱耐久性（７０℃残留歪）
試料を１５cm×１５cmの大きさに切断し、５０％圧縮して７０℃乾熱中２２時間放置後冷却して圧縮歪みを除き１日放置後の厚み（ｂ）を求め処理前の厚み（ａ）から次式、即ち（ａ−ｂ）／ａ×１００より算出する。単位％（ｎ＝３の平均値）
8.繰返し圧縮歪
試料を１５cm×１５cmの大きさに切断し、島津製作所製サ−ボパルサ−にて、２５℃６５％ＲＨ室内にて５０％の厚みまで１Ｈｚのサイクルで圧縮回復を繰り返し２万回後の試料を１日放置後の厚みと（ｂ）を求め処理前の厚み（ａ）から次式、即ち（ａ−ｂ）／ａ×１００より算出する。単位％（ｎ＝３の平均値）
9.伸張回復
試料の縦方向及び横方向に各１０枚を幅２cm、長さ１０cmに切断し、オリエンテック社製テンシロンで試料長８cmとして両端を保持具で掴み、伸張速度５cm／分にて２５％伸張し、一旦伸張を止め５分間放置した後、伸張速度５cm／分にて０％まで戻して１分間放置後、再度伸張速度５cm／分にて２５％まで伸張した時の、再度伸張した時の応力の立ち上がり点と始めに伸張した時の応力の立ち上がり点との長さＬ_immと２５％伸張した時の長さＬ₀mm の差をＬ₀mm で除した値を％で示す。（ｎ＝２０の平均値）
10. 座り心地
東洋紡績製熱接着繊維４−６４−ＴＥ５と東洋紡績製立体巻縮ステープル１０−６４−７４５を３０／７０重量比で混合開繊して得たカ−ドウエッブをクッションにした時の平均の見掛けの嵩密度を０．０５ｇ／cm³となるように積層して熱成形用雌金型に入れ、牡金型で圧縮して詰め込み２００℃の熱風にて１０分間熱接着成形してバケットシ−ト状に成形したクッション層に表面とサイドをくるむように繊維系ワディング材で包み、東洋紡績製ハイムからなるポリエステルモケットの側地を被って座席用フレ−ムにセットして座部は４か所、背部は６か所の側地止めを入れた座席を作成し、３０℃ＲＨ７５％室内で作成した座席にパネラ−を座らせ以下の評価をおこなった。（ｎ＝５）
(1) 床つき感：座ったときの「どすん」と床に当たった感じの程度を感覚的に定性評価した。感じない；◎、殆ど感じない；○、やや感じる；△、感じる；×
(2) 蒸れ感：２時間座っていて、臀部やふと股の内側の座席と接する部分が蒸れた感じを感覚的に定性評価した。殆ど感じない：◎、僅かに蒸れを感じる；○、やや蒸れを感じる；△、蒸れを著しく感じる；×
(3) タッチ：座っているときの臀部の保持感を官能評価した。柔らかく支えられている：◎、保持感がよい：○、やや沈み込みあり：△、保持感が悪い：×
(4) ８時間以内でどの程度我慢して座席に座っていられるか：１時間以内；×、２時間以内；△、４時間以内；○、４時間以上；◎
(5) ４時間座席に座らせたときの腰の疲れ程度を感覚的に定性評価した。無し；◎、殆ど疲れない；○、やや疲れる；△、非常に疲れる；×
(6) 総合評価：(1) から(5) までの評価の◎を４点、○を３点、△を２点、×を１点として１６点以上で△を含まないもの；非常に良い（◎）、１５点以上で△を含むもの；良い（○）、１２点以上で×を含まないもの；やや悪い（△）、×を含むもの；悪い（×）として評価した。
【００１７】
実施例１
ポリエステル系エラストマ−として、ジメチルテレフタレ−ト（ＤＭＴ）又は、ジメチルナフタレ−ト（ＤＭＮ）と１・４ブタンジオ−ル（１・４ＢＤ）を少量の触媒と仕込み、常法によりエステル交換後、ポリテトラメチレングリコ−ル（ＰＴＭＧ）を添加して昇温減圧しつつ重縮合せしめポリエ−テルエステルブロック共重合エラストマ−を生成させ、次いで抗酸化剤２％を添加混合練込み後ペレット化し、５０℃４８時間真空乾燥して得られた熱可塑性弾性樹脂原料の処方を表１に示す。
【００１８】
【表１】

【００１９】
常法により公知の複合紡糸機にて、熱可塑性弾性樹脂Ａ−１をシ−ス成分、Ａ−２をコア成分となるように個々に溶融してオリフィス直前で分配し、各吐出量を５０／５０重量比で、単孔当たり１．６ｇ／分孔（０．８ｇ／分：０．８ｇ／分）として紡糸温度２４５℃にて吐出し、紡糸速度３５００ｍ／分にて得た繊度が４．１デニ−ル、乾熱１６０℃での収縮率８％の糸を収束してトウ状でクリンパ−にて機械巻縮を付与し、６４mmに切断してシ−スコア断面の熱可塑性弾性樹脂からなる熱接着繊維を得た。別途、酸成分としてテレフタレ−トを９２モル％、スルホン酸ナトリュウムを含有するイソフタレ−トを２モル％とグリコ−ル成分としてエチレングリコ−ル、及び少量の触媒を加え常法によりエステル交換後、重縮合した後ペレット化して極限粘度０．５０の共重合ポリエステル（Ｐ−１）を得た。又、酸成分としてテレフタレ−トを９５モル％、イソフタレ−トを５モル％とグリコ−ル成分としてエチレングリコ−ル、及び少量の触媒を加え常法によりエステル交換後、重縮合した後ペレット化して極限粘度０．６２の共重合ポリエステル（Ｐ−２）を得た。得られた共重合ポリエステルＰ−１とＰ−２を混合比５０／５０重量比で乾燥機に仕込み、混合しつつ１１０℃２０時間真空乾燥して得られた共重合ポリエステルを高収縮成分とし、極限粘度０．６３のＰＥＴを低収縮成分として、重量比５０／５０に分配して単孔当たり３．０ｇ／分孔（１．５ｇ／分：１．５ｇ／分）として紡糸温度２８５℃にてＣ型オリフィスより吐出し、紡糸速度２５００ｍ／分で複合紡糸し、次いで、７０℃及び１８０℃にて２段延伸して得た延伸糸を機械巻縮を付与して６４mmに切断し、中空断面で中空率３２％のサイドバイサイド構造の繊度５デニ−ル、初期引張り抵抗度５８ｇ／デニ−ル、潜在巻縮能が７．２mm^-1の立体捲縮が未発現の潜在巻縮繊維を得た。得られた熱接着繊維と潜在巻縮繊維を４０／６０重量比で混合し、オ−プナ−にて予備開繊した後カ−ドで開繊して得たウエッブを目付け８００ｇ／ｍ²に積層し、ニ−ドルパンチにて４個／cm³の交絡処理を行い、次いで２００℃熱風にて１分間で２００℃まで昇温させつつフリ−熱処理して潜在巻縮繊維に巻縮を発現させて立体巻縮により絡まった三次元構造化させた後、引き続き、見掛けの密度が０．０４ｇ／cm³となるように圧縮して２００℃熱風にて５分間熱処理して細かい巻縮を発現した（巻縮数４８個／in、巻縮度３８％）巻縮繊維と熱接着繊維との接触部の大部分を熱接着成分を溶融して熱可塑性弾性樹脂からなる熱接着点を形成し、一旦冷却後、厚みの８０％に圧縮して１００℃熱風にて２０分間疑似結晶化処理して得た表面が実質的にフラット化した厚み２０mmの繊維系ワディング材の性能を表２に示す。表２で明らかなごとく、実施例１は柔らかい弾性樹脂の特性が生かせた繊維系ワディング材のため耐熱性、常温での耐久性、伸縮性に優れ、保持感が改善された座り心地の優れたクッション材であった。評価用に作成した座席も性能が優れていることが判る。
【００２０】
【表２】

【００２１】
実施例２
ジメチルイソフタレ−ト（ＤＭＩ）２０モル％とＤＭＴ８０モル％及び１・４ブタンジオ−ル（１・４ＢＤ）を少量の触媒と仕込み、実施例１の方法と同様にして得たポリエステル系熱可塑性弾性樹脂の処方を表−１に示す。得られたＡ−３をシース成分に、相対粘度１．０のＰＢＴをコア成分にし、紡糸温度を２６５℃とした以外、実施例１と同様にして繊度４デニ−ル、収縮率４％の熱接着繊維を得た。極限粘度０．５４のＰＥＴと極限粘度０．６５のＰＥＴを丸ノズルより５０／５０重量比で単孔吐出量５．８ｇ／分孔で紡糸温度２８８℃とした以外、実施例１と同様にして、繊度６デニ−ル、初期引張り抵抗度３８ｇ／デニ−ル、潜在巻縮能５．０mm^-1の巻縮が未発現の潜在巻縮繊維を得た。得られた熱接着繊維と潜在巻縮繊維を実施例１と同様にして得た、発現した巻縮（巻縮数３２個／in、巻縮度２８％）が三次元的に絡まり、巻縮繊維と熱接着繊維との接触部の大部分を熱接着成分が熱接着点を形成した表面が実質的にフラット化した厚み２０mmの繊維系ワディング材の性能を表２に示す。表２で明らかなごとく、実施例２は耐熱性、常温での耐久性が実用使用が可能、伸縮性も良好で、座り心地の優れたクッション材用繊維系ワディング材あった。評価用に作成した座席も性能が優れていることが判る。
【００２２】
実施例３
ポリウレタン系エラストマ−として、４・４’ジフェニルメタンジイソシアネ−ト（ＭＤＩ）とＰＴＭＧ及び鎖延長剤として１・４ＢＤを添加して重合し次いで抗酸化剤２％を添加混合練込み後ペレット化し真空乾燥してポリエ−テル系ウレタンポリマ−の処方を表３に示す。
【００２３】
【表３】

【００２４】
得られた熱可塑性弾性樹脂Ｂ−１をシ−ス成分に、Ｂ−２をコア成分にして、紡糸温度２００℃とした以外実施例１と同様にして得た繊度４デニ−ル、収縮率１２％（１５０℃にて測定した）の熱接着繊維を得た。次いで、実施例１の巻縮繊維を用いて、実施例１と同様にして得た発現した巻縮（巻縮数４５個／in、巻縮度４０％）が三次元的に絡まり、巻縮繊維と熱接着繊維との接触部の大部分を熱接着成分が熱接着点を形成した表面が実質的にフラット化した厚み２０mmの繊維系ワディング材の性能を表２に示す。表２で明らかなごとく、実施例３は耐熱性、常温での耐久性、伸縮性にも優れ、座り心地の優れたクッション材用繊維系ワディング材あった。評価用に作成した座席も性能が優れていることが判る。
【００２５】
比較例１
熱接着繊維に熱可塑性非弾性樹脂を熱接着成分とした東洋紡績社製４−４４−ＥＥ７を用いて、実施例２で得た潜在巻縮繊維を用いて、疑似結晶化処理しなかった以外実施例２と同様にして得た発現した巻縮（巻縮数３０個／in、巻縮度２８％）が三次元的に絡まり、巻縮繊維と熱接着繊維との接触部の大部分を熱接着成分が熱接着点を形成した表面が実質的にフラット化した厚み２０mmの繊維系ワディング材の性能を表２に示す。表２で明らかなごとく、比較例１は耐熱性、常温での耐久性が劣り、伸縮性が無く、座り心地も劣るクッション材用繊維系ワディング材あった。
【００２６】
比較例２
極限粘度０．６３のＰＥＴをＣ型ノズルより紡糸温度２８２℃で、単孔吐出量６ｇ／分孔にて吐出し、ノズル下３０mmより風速３ｍ／秒の冷却風で非対称冷却して１３００ｍ／分にて引取り、一段目７８℃、２段目１６０℃にて延伸し、クリンパ−にて機械巻縮を付与して得た中空断面で中空率が２２％、繊度が１２デニ−ル、潜在巻縮能が２．８mm^-1の潜在巻縮繊維と実施例２で得た熱接着繊維を用い、疑似結晶化処理しなかった以外実施例２と同様にして得た発現した巻縮（巻縮数１６個／in、巻縮度１８％）が三次元的に絡まり、巻縮繊維と熱接着繊維との接触部の大部分を熱接着成分が熱接着点を形成した表面が実質的にフラット化した厚み２０mmの繊維系ワディング材の性能を表２に示す。表２で明らかなごとく、比較例２は伸縮性は有るが、耐熱性、常温での耐久性がやや劣り、座り心地もやや劣るクッション材用繊維系ワディング材あった。
【００２７】
比較例３
極限粘度０．５４のＰＥＴと極限粘度０．６５のＰＥＴを丸ノズルより５０／５０重量比で単孔吐出量０．３ｇ／分孔で紡糸速度１３００ｍ／分にて引き取った以外、実施例２と同様にして得た繊度が０．９デニ−ル、潜在巻縮能が３．２mm^-1の巻縮が未発現の潜在巻縮繊維と、実施例２で得た熱接着繊維とを用いて、見掛け密度が０．０２ｇ／cm³、厚み１５mmとなるように熱成形し、疑似結晶化処理しない以外実施例２と同様にして得た発現した巻縮（巻縮数１５個／in、巻縮度１２％）が三次元的に絡まり、巻縮繊維と熱接着繊維との接触部の大部分を熱接着成分が熱接着点を形成した表面が実質的にフラット化した厚み１５mmの繊維系ワディング材の性能を表２に示す。表２で明らかなごとく、比較例２は伸縮性は有るが、耐熱性、常温での耐久性がやや劣り、座り心地が劣るクッション材用繊維系ワディング材あった。
【００２８】
比較例４
単孔吐出量０．２５ｇ／分孔とした以外実施例２と同様にして得た、繊度０．９デニ−ル、収縮率１３％の熱接着繊維と実施例２で得た潜在巻縮繊維を用い、見掛け密度が０．０２ｇ／cm³、厚み１０mmとなるように熱成形した以外、比較例３と同様にして得た発現した巻縮（巻縮数３１個／in、巻縮度２７％）が三次元的に絡まり、巻縮繊維と熱接着繊維との接触部の大部分を熱接着成分が熱接着点を形成した表面が実質的にフラット化した厚み１０mmの繊維系ワディング材の性能を表２に示す。表２で明らかなごとく、比較例２は伸縮性は有るが、耐熱性、常温での耐久性がやや劣り、座り心地がやや劣るクッション材用繊維系ワディング材あった。
【００２９】
比較例５
単孔４ｇ／分孔とし、紡糸速度１３００ｍ／分にて引取り、１段目７８℃にて延伸した以外実施例２と同様にして得た、繊度１１デニ−ル、収縮率３４％の熱接着繊維と実施例２で得た潜在巻縮繊維を用い、見掛け密度が０．０５ｇ／cm³、厚み２０mmとなるように熱成形した以外、比較例３と同様にして得た発現した巻縮（巻縮数３０個／in、巻縮度２６％）が三次元的に絡まり、巻縮繊維と熱接着繊維との接触部の大部分を熱接着成分が熱接着点を形成した表面が実質的にフラット化した厚み２０mmの繊維系ワディング材の性能を表２に示す。表２で明らかなごとく、比較例２は伸縮性、耐熱性、常温での耐久性がやや劣り、座り心地がやや劣るクッション材用繊維系ワディング材あった。
【００３０】
比較例６
実施例２と同様にして得た開繊ウエッブをそのまま見掛け密度が０．０１ｇ／cm³となるように評価用座席に装着して座り心地を評価した結果、極めて悪い座り心地であった。
【００３１】
比較例７
実施例２で得た熱接着繊維と潜在巻縮繊維を用い、混合比５０／５０重量％で混合開繊し、見掛け密度が０．００８ｇ／cm³、厚み３０mmとなるよう熱成形した以外、比較例３と同様にして得た発現した巻縮（巻縮数３２個／in、巻縮度２６％）が三次元的に絡まり、巻縮繊維と熱接着繊維との接触部の大部分を熱接着成分が熱接着点を形成した表面が実質的にフラット化した厚み３０mmの繊維系ワディング材の性能を表２に示す。表２で明らかなごとく、比較例７は伸縮性はあるが、耐熱性、常温での耐久性がやや劣り、座り心地の劣るクッション材用繊維系ワディング材あった。
【００３２】
比較例８
見掛け密度を０．１３ｇ／cm³、厚みを１０mmとなるようにした以外、比較例７と同様にして得た発現した巻縮（巻縮数３１個／in、巻縮度２５％）が三次元的に絡まり、巻縮繊維と熱接着繊維との接触部の大部分を熱接着成分が熱接着点を形成した表面が実質的にフラット化した厚み３０mmの繊維系ワディング材の性能を表２に示す。表２で明らかなごとく、比較例７は伸縮性が無く、耐熱性、常温での耐久性も劣り、座り心地のやや劣るクッション材用繊維系ワディング材あった。
【００３３】
比較例９
見掛け密度を０．０８ｇ／cm³、厚みを０．８mmとなるようにした以外、比較例７と同様にして得た発現した巻縮（巻縮数３２個／in、巻縮度２５％）が三次元的に絡まり、巻縮繊維と熱接着繊維との接触部の大部分を熱接着成分が熱接着点を形成した表面が実質的にフラット化した厚み０．８mmの繊維系ワディング材の性能を表２に示す。表２で明らかなごとく、比較例７は伸縮性は有るが、耐熱性も劣り、座り心地が劣悪なクッション材用繊維系ワディング材あった。なお、常温での耐久性は評価していない。
【００３４】
比較例１０
見掛け密度を０．０２ｇ／cm³、厚みを５０mmとなるようにした以外、比較例７と同様にして得た発現した巻縮（巻縮数３２個／in、巻縮度２５％）が三次元的に絡まり、巻縮繊維と熱接着繊維との接触部の大部分を熱接着成分が熱接着点を形成した表面が実質的にフラット化した厚み０．８mmの繊維系ワディング材の性能を表２に示す。表２で明らかなごとく、比較例７は伸縮性は有るが、耐熱性、常温での耐久性がやや劣り、座り心地が劣悪なクッション材用繊維系ワディング材あった。
【００３５】
比較例１１
表面が凸凹で円錐状突起を多数有する多孔板で両面を圧縮し、見掛け密度を０．０８ｇ／cm³、厚みを３０mmとなるようにした以外、比較例７と同様にして得た発現した巻縮（巻縮数３０個／in、巻縮度２４％）が三次元的に絡まり、巻縮繊維と熱接着繊維との接触部の大部分を熱接着成分が熱接着点を形成した表面が円錐状突起で凸凹化した厚み３０mmの繊維系ワディング材の性能を表２に示す。表２で明らかなごとく、比較例７は伸縮性、耐熱性、常温での耐久性が劣り、臀部に異物感を与える座り心地が悪いクッション材用繊維系ワディング材あった。
【００３６】
実施例５
座り心地の評価に用いた熱接着繊維と母材を用いて作成した両面がフラットな厚み５０mm、見掛け密度０．０５ｇ／cm³の硬綿を長さ１２０cmに切断して、実施例１で得たクッション材用繊維系ワディング材を表面に積層熱接着して、厚み５cm、幅１２０cm、長さ５０cm毎にキルティングした幅１２０cm、長さ２００cmの側地に入れマットレスを作成した。このマットレスをベッドに設置し、２５℃ＲＨ６５％室内にてパネラ−４人に７時間使用させて寝心地を官能評価した。なお、ベットにはシ−ツを掛け、掛け布団は１．８kgのダウン／フェザ−：９０／１０を中綿にしたもの、枕はパネラ−が毎日使用しているものを着用させた。評価結果は、床つき感がなく、沈み込みが適度で、蒸れを感じない快適な寝心地のベットであった。比較のため、密度０．０４ｇ／cm³で厚み１０cmの発泡ウレタン板状体で同様のマットレスを作成し、ベットに設置して寝心地を評価した結果、床つき感は少ないが沈み込みが大きくやや蒸れを感じる寝心地の悪いベットであった。
【００３７】
【発明の効果】
巻縮繊維同士及び熱可塑性弾性樹脂を熱接着成分とした熱接着繊維とが細かい立体巻縮により絡まり三次元構造化されて接触点が融着一体化して伸縮性を付与し、両面がフラット化された熱可塑性弾性樹脂からなる成分を示差走査型熱量計で測定した融解曲線に室温以上融点以下の温度に吸熱ピークを持つので、振動遮断性、耐熱耐久性、嵩高性、体型保持が改善された座り心地の良好な、蒸れにくいクッション材用繊維系ワディング材であり、クッション層に積層して側地を被せて又は、他の素材との併用して、上記の好ましい特性を付与した車両用座席、船舶用座席、車両用、船舶用、病院やホテル等の業務用ベット、家具用クッション、寝装用品等の製品を提供できる。更には、車両用や建築資材としての内装材や断熱材等にも有用である。[0001]
[Industrial application fields]
The present invention relates to a fiber-based wadding material and a production method that can provide a comfortable sitting comfort and have excellent cushioning properties, heat resistance and vibration absorption properties, and can be recycled.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Currently, cushioned wading materials for furniture, beds, trains, automobiles, etc., foamed urethane, non-elastic crimped fiber-filled cotton, and resin cotton or hard cotton bonded with non-elastic crimped fiber are used. At present, only urethane foam is used for cushion wading materials for trains, automobiles, etc., which require extremely severe durability.
[0003]
However, although foam-crosslinked urethane has extremely good durability as a wading material, it is easily stuffy because it has poor moisture permeability and heat storage, and it is not thermoplastic. Furnace damage is significant and toxic gas removal is expensive. As a result, landfills are often used. However, since it is difficult to stabilize the ground, there is a problem that the landfill site is limited and the cost increases. In addition, the processability is excellent, but there is a problem of pollution of chemicals used during production. In addition, because the fibers between thermoplastic polyester fiber-filled cotton are not fixed, the shape of the product is lost during use, the fibers move, and there is a problem of reduced bulkiness and reduced elasticity due to crimping. become.
[0004]
Resin cotton in which polyester fibers are bonded with an adhesive, for example, those using a rubber system as an adhesive include JP-A-60-11352, JP-A-61-141388, JP-A-61-141391, and the like. is there. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 61-137732 discloses a crosslinkable urethane. These fiber-based molding materials are inferior in durability, are not thermoplastic, are not a single composition, and therefore cannot be recycled, and the complexity of processability and pollution problems of chemicals used during production, etc. There is also.
[0005]
Polyester hard cotton, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 58-31150, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-154050, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 3-220354, and the like. -(For example, JP-A-58-136828, JP-A-3-249213, etc.) The adhesive part is fragile, and the adhesive part is easily broken during use, resulting in a decrease in form and elasticity. There is an inferior problem. As an improved method, a method of entanglement treatment has been proposed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4-245965 and the like, but there is a problem that the brittleness of the bonded portion is not solved and the elasticity is greatly lowered. Moreover, there is also complexity during processing. Furthermore, there is also a problem that it is difficult to impart a soft cushioning property to the bonded portion that is difficult to deform. For this reason, a heat-bonding fiber using a polyester elastomer that softens the adhesive part and recovers even if deformed to some extent and uses a non-elastic polyester as a core component is disclosed in JP-A-4-240219. Hard cotton has been proposed in WO-91 / 19032, JP-A-5-156561, JP-A-5-163654, and the like. The adhesive component used in this fiber structure is a polyester elastomer soft segment containing 30-50% by weight of polyalkylene glycol, and the hard segment acid component containing 50-80% by mole of terephthalic acid. As the other acid component composition, like the fiber described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 60-1404, isophthalic acid is contained to increase the amorphous property. The formation of an amoeba-like adhesive part is improved, but it is easy to plastically deform, and the core component is non-elastic polyester. There is a problem to do. As an improved method of these, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-163654 proposed a structure comprising only a heat-adhesive conjugate fiber using a polyester elastomer containing isophthalic acid as a sheath component and an inelastic polyester as a core component. However, for the reasons described above, the plastic deformation under heating becomes remarkable, the heat resistance and compression resistance is lowered, and there is a problem in using it for the wadding material for cushion. On the other hand, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 63-158094 proposes a method for improving durability by imparting a silicone oil to a base material of hard cotton to lower the coefficient of friction of the fiber to improve durability. However, there is a problem in the adhesiveness of the heat-bonding fibers, and the durability is inferior. In addition, there is no other wadding material that has elasticity to prevent wrinkling of the skin material other than urethane foam.
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
A futon using the fiber-based wadding material and manufacturing method and fiber-based wadding material, which solves the above-mentioned problems, has stretchability, heat resistance, durability, cushioning and is not easily stuffy, and optimal for cushioning wadding materials, The object is to provide products such as furniture, beds, and cushions for vehicles.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
Means for solving the above-mentioned problem, that is, the present invention is a wound fiber and a 1 to 6 denier that expresses a three-dimensional crimp based on a latent crimping ability of a fineness of 1 to 10 denier made of a thermoplastic inelastic resin. ofSoft segment content is 15 wt% or more and 80 wt% or lessA heat-bonding composite fiber containing a thermoplastic elastic resin as a heat-bonding component is spread and mixed, and the wound fibers or the tangled-wound fibers and the heat-bonded fibers are entangled by three-dimensional winding to form a three-dimensional structure. Adhesive fibers or a structure in which most of the contact points of the heat-bonding fiber and the crimped fiber are fused and integrated, and the structure is substantially flattened on both sides and has a thickness of 1 to 30 mm. Apparent density 0.01 ~ 0.10g / cm^ThreeThe thermoplastic elastic resin component has an endothermic peak in the range of room temperature to the melting point in the melting curve measured with a differential scanning calorimeter, and the latent wrapping capacity and potential shrinkage capacity (1 / ρ ) Is 5mm^-1A crimped fiber made of the above thermoplastic inelastic resin and yet undevelopedSoft segment content is 15 wt% or more and 80 wt% or lessA heat-bonding fiber having a composite structure in which a thermoplastic elastic resin is used as a heat-bonding component is mixed and opened, and the heat-bonding fiber is dispersed in a wound fiber matrix that has not yet been crimped to form a three-dimensional structure. Next, when heat treatment is performed at a temperature 10 ° C. to 40 ° C. higher than the melting point of the thermal bonding component, a fine three-dimensional crimp is expressed in the crimped fiber that has not yet been crimped during the temperature rising process, and the three-dimensional structure is entangled by the three-dimensional crimp. After the heat treatment, the most part of the contact portion with the heat-bonding fiber is melted with the heat-bonding component to form a heat-bonding point made of a thermoplastic elastic resin, and once cooled or continuously, from the melting point of the heat-bonding component. This is a method for producing a fiber-based wadding material that is heat-treated at a temperature lower by at least 10 ° C.
[0008]
The thermoplastic elastic resin in the present invention refers to a polyether glycol having a molecular weight of 300 to 5000, a polyester glycol, a polycarbonate glycol or a long chain hydrocarbon terminal as a soft segment. Examples thereof include polyester elastomers, polyamide elastomers, polyurethane elastomers, polyolefin elastomers and the like obtained by block copolymerization of acid or hydroxyl group olefin compounds. By using a thermoplastic elastic resin, it becomes possible to recycle by remelting, so that recycling becomes easy. For example, as a polyester elastomer, a polyester ether block copolymer having a thermoplastic polyester as a hard segment and a polyalkylenediol as a soft segment, or a polyester ester having an aliphatic polyester as a soft segment. A block copolymer can be illustrated. Specific examples of polyester ether block copolymers include aromatic dicarboxylic acids such as terephthalic acid, isophthalic acid, naphthalene 2,6 dicarboxylic acid, naphthalene 2,7 dicarboxylic acid, diphenyl 4,4 'dicarboxylic acid, etc. At least one dicarboxylic acid selected from alicyclic dicarboxylic acids such as 1,4 cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid, aliphatic dicarboxylic acids such as succinic acid, adipic acid, and sebacic acid dimer acid, or ester-forming derivatives thereof. Species, aliphatic diols such as 1,4 butanediol, ethylene glycol, trimethylene glycol, tetremethylene glycol, pentamethylene glycol, hexamethylene glycol, 1,1 cyclohexane Diethanolol, alicyclic diol such as 1,4 cyclohexane dimethanol, or this At least one of diol components selected from the ester-forming derivatives, and polyethylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, polytetramethylene glycol, ethylene oxide-propylene oxide copolymer having an average molecular weight of about 300 to 5,000. It is a ternary block copolymer composed of at least one of polyalkylenediols such as glycol made of a polymer. The polyester ester block copolymer is a ternary block copolymer composed of at least one of the dicarboxylic acid, a diol and a polyester diol such as a polylactone having an average molecular weight of about 300 to 5,000. . Considering thermal adhesiveness, hydrolysis resistance, stretchability, heat resistance, etc., dicarboxylic acid is terephthalic acid, or naphthalene 2,6 dicarboxylic acid, diol component is 1.4 butanediol, poly As the alkylene diol, a polytetramethylene glycol ternary block copolymer, or as the polyester diol, a polylactone ternary block copolymer is particularly preferable. In a special case, a polysiloxane-based soft segment can also be used. Also, the thermoplastic elastomer resin of the present invention includes those obtained by blending the above elastomer with a non-elastomer component, those obtained by copolymerization, those obtained by using a polyolefin-based component as a soft segment, and the like. As the polyamide elastomer, the hard segment has nylon 6, nylon 66, nylon 610, nylon 612, nylon 11, nylon 12, etc. and their copolymer nylon as a skeleton, and the soft segment has an average molecular weight of about 300. A block copolymer composed of at least one of polyalkylenediols such as polyethylene glycol of ˜5000, polypropylene glycol, polytetramethylene glycol, glycol composed of ethylene oxide-propylene oxide copolymer, etc. You may use a polymer individually or in mixture of 2 or more types. Further, blended or copolymerized non-elastomer components can be used in the present invention. Polyurethane elastomers include (A) a polyester and / or polyester having a hydroxyl group at the terminal with a number average molecular weight of 1000 to 6000 in the presence or absence of a normal solvent (dimethylformamide, dimethylacetamide, etc.) (B A typical example is a polyurethane elastomer in which a chain is extended with a polyamine containing (C) a diamine as a main component to a prepolymer obtained by reacting a polyisocyanate containing an organic diisocyanate as a main component with both ends being isocyanate groups. It can be illustrated as Polyesters and polyethers of (A) include polybutylene adipate copolymer polyester, polyethylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, polytetramethylene having an average molecular weight of about 1000 to 6000, preferably 1300 to 5000. Polyalkylenediols such as glycols and glycols composed of ethylene oxide-propylene oxide copolymers are preferred. As the polyisocyanate (B), conventionally known polyisocyanates can be used, but diphenylmethane can be used. An isocyanate mainly composed of 4 · 4 ′ diisocyanate may be used, and if necessary, a conventionally known triisocyanate or the like may be added in a small amount. As the polyamine (C), known diamines such as ethylene diamine and 1,2 propylene diamine are mainly used, and a trace amount of triamine and tetraamine may be used in combination as necessary. These polyurethane elastomers may be used alone or in combination of two or more. In addition, the melting point of the thermoplastic elastic resin of the present invention is preferably 150 ° C. or higher, which can maintain the heat durability, and more preferably 170 ° C. or higher because the heat durability is improved. In addition, an antioxidant, a light-resistant agent, etc. can be added as needed and durability can be improved. The soft segment content of the thermoplastic elastic resin constituting the component having the function of absorbing vibration and stress, which is the object of the present invention, is preferably 15% by weight or more, more preferably 30% by weight or more. Is preferably 80% by weight or less, more preferably 70% by weight or less. That is, the soft segment content of the component having the vibration and stress absorbing function of the thermal bonding component constituting the fiber-based wadding material of the present invention is preferably 15% by weight to 80% by weight, more preferably 30% by weight. More than 70% by weight.
[0009]
The component comprising the thermoplastic elastic resin constituting the fiber wadding material of the present invention preferably has an endothermic peak below the melting point in the melting curve measured with a differential scanning calorimeter. Those having an endothermic peak below the melting point are significantly improved in heat and sag resistance than those having no endothermic peak. For example, as a preferable polyester-based thermoplastic resin of the present invention, those containing 90 mol% or more of terephthalic acid or naphthalene 2,6 dicarboxylic acid having a rigid hard segment acid component, and more preferably terephthalic acid or The content of naphthalene 2.6 dicarboxylic acid is 95 mol% or more, particularly preferably 100 mol% and the glycol component is polymerized to the required degree of polymerization after transesterification, and is then preferably used as a polyalkylenediol. When polytetramethylene glycol having an average molecular weight of 500 or more and 5000 or less, particularly preferably 1000 or more and 3000 or less is 15% by weight or more and 70% by weight or less, more preferably 30% by weight or more and 60% by weight or less, Terephthalic acid or naphthalene 2,6 dicarboxylic acid, which has a rigid acid component in the hard segment, When the amount is large, the crystallinity of the hard segment is improved, plastic deformation hardly occurs, and heat sag resistance is improved. However, after melting and heat bonding, annealing is performed at a temperature lower by at least 10 ° C. than the melting point. When treated, heat resistance and sag resistance are improved. Heat annealing resistance is further improved by annealing after applying compressive strain. An endothermic peak is more clearly expressed in a melting curve measured with a differential scanning calorimeter at a temperature not lower than the room temperature and not higher than the melting point on a component composed of a thermoplastic elastic resin constituting the fiber-based wadding material subjected to such treatment. When annealing is not performed, the endothermic peak does not appear in the melting curve above the room temperature and below the melting point. By analogy with this, it is considered that the hard segments are rearranged by annealing and pseudo-crystallization-like cross-linking points are formed, and the heat resistance and sag resistance are improved. (This treatment is defined as pseudo-crystallization treatment) This pseudo-crystallization treatment effect is also effective for polyamide-based elastic resins and polyurethane-based elastic resins.
[0010]
Examples of the thermoplastic inelastic resin in the present invention include polyester, polyamide, and polyolefin. In the present invention, it is preferable to use a glass transition temperature of at least 40 ° C. or higher. For example, in polyester, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polycyclohexylene dimethylene terephthalate (PCHDT), polycyclohexylene dimethylene naphthalate (PCHDN), poly Examples include butylene terephthalate (PBT), polybutylene naphthalate (PBN), polyarylate, and their copolyesters. Examples of the polyamide include polycaprolactam (NY6), polyhexamethylene adipamide (NY66), polyhexamethylene sebacamide (NY6-10) and the like. Examples of the polyolefin include polypropylene (PP) and polybutene · 1 (PB · 1). As the thermoplastic non-elastic resin used in the present invention, polyester is used for the side of the cushion material, and it is often bonded to the wadding material, so that it can be recycled without separation when discarded. Polyesters such as PET, PEN, PBN, PCHDT and the like having good heat resistance are particularly preferable. Further, a flame retardant polyester (hereinafter abbreviated as a flame retardant polyester) obtained by copolymerizing a phosphorus-containing ester-forming compound by polycondensation with PET, PEN, PBN, PCHDT or the like or containing a phosphorus-containing flame retardant is preferable. Examples thereof include those exemplified in JP-A-51-82392, JP-A-55-7888, and JP-B-55-41610. Although vinyl chloride has a self-extinguishing property, it generates a large amount of toxic gas when burned, and therefore is not preferred for use in the present invention. Since the wound fiber expressing the fine three-dimensional crimping constituting the elastic wadding material of the present invention requires a high potential crimping ability based on the shrinkage difference, one component of the composite component is anti-sagging Therefore, a high shrinkage component that can maintain a shrinkage difference even when stretched to a high modulus component that is highly oriented and stretched at a high temperature is necessary. As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, as the high shrinkage component in the case of using polyester, an isophthalate containing a metal salt sulfonate group in the acid component of PET, PEN, PBT, PBN, or PCHDT, or an isophthalate It is preferable to use a polyester obtained by copolymerizing a polymer. Particularly preferably, a polyester obtained by copolymerizing 1 to 3 mol% of an isophthalate containing a metal salt sulfonate group and a polyester obtained by copolymerizing 2 to 10 mol% of an isophthalate are mixed to suppress non-crystalline properties. Use one that can reduce plastic deformation. The mixing ratio is preferably 20/80 weight ratio to 70/30 weight ratio. More preferred is a 50/50 weight ratio. If necessary, other properties can be improved by adding an antioxidant, a light-resistant agent, a matting agent, a flame retardant, an antibacterial agent, an antifungal agent, a colorant, and the like.
[0011]
The present invention relates to a wound fiber composed of a thermoplastic inelastic resin and a 1 to 6 denier, which expresses a fine three-dimensional crimp based on a latent crimping ability of 1 to 10 denier.Soft segment content is 15 wt% or more and 80 wt% or lessThe heat-bonding fibers having a composite structure including a thermoplastic elastic resin as a heat-bonding component are spread and mixed, and the wound fibers and the heat-bonding fibers are entangled by three-dimensional winding to form a three-dimensional structure. Most of the contact points between the adhesive fibers and the crimped fibers and the heat-bonding fibers are fused and integrated by the heat-bonding component, and both surfaces are substantially flattened, the thickness is 1 to 30 mm, and the apparent density is 0.01g / cm^ThreeTo 0.10 g / cm^ThreeThe fiber wadding material is characterized by having an endothermic peak at a temperature not lower than room temperature and not higher than the melting point in a melting curve obtained by measuring a component composed of a thermoplastic elastic resin with a differential scanning calorimeter. The cushioning material is composed of a layer that thickens the basic fineness and makes it harder and has a body shape retention, and a layer that absorbs vibration and blocks vibration by increasing the density with a component with good vibration damping. In addition, the surface layer is a soft layer with a finer fineness and a larger number of constituent fibers, providing a comfortable buttocks touch by moderate sinking to uniformly disperse the buttocks pressure distribution and vibration that could not be absorbed by the cushion layer By integrating the layer that absorbs the vibration and blocks the vibration of the resonance part of the human body, the stress and vibration can be deformed and absorbed to improve the sitting comfort. Furthermore, in the surface layer used for an automobile seat, the struts caused by driving can give an extremely severe shear deformation to the surface layer. For this reason, stretchability is indispensable for the surface layer function, and conventionally known materials have no material other than urethane foam to satisfy this function. In the present invention,Soft segment content is 15 wt% or more and 80 wt% or lessThree-dimensional crimping produces a heat-bonded fiber composed of a thermoplastic elastic resin as a heat-bonding component and a three-dimensional crimped fiber composed of a thermoplastic non-elastic resin that exhibits a three-dimensional crimp based on the latent crimping ability composed of a thermoplastic non-elastic resin. A three-dimensional spring structure with a three-dimensional tangled structure that is fused and integrated, and both surfaces are substantially flattened to receive the local compressive stress of the buttocks on the surface, improving the stress dispersibility and simultaneously Combined with a moderate anti-compression property by winding and shrinking, the network structure of the three-dimensional spring integrated with the rubber elasticity of the thermoplastic elastic resin, giving a comfortable touch of the buttocks by moderate sinking, The thermoplastic elastic resin part that easily deforms compressive stress undergoes large deformation, and the entire structure is deformed while suppressing the deformation of the crimped fiber within the elastic limit by the spring function of the network structure of the three-dimensional spring. Disperse and absorb the shape stress to reduce the plastic deformation of the crimped fiber, further pseudo-crystallize the thermoplastic elastic resin to remarkably improve the stretch recovery property of the thermal bonding point, and remove the deformation stress, the thermoplastic elastic resin The rubber elasticity of the part and the elastic recovery of the crimped fiber recover immediately, maintaining good anti-sagging properties, and furthermore, the network structure of the three-dimensional spring and the rubber elasticity of the thermoplastic elastic resin are combined to expand and contract It is a fiber-based wadding material that has the function of a desirable surface layer that absorbs vibrations of the thermoplastic elastic resin by acting as a vibration blocking layer. is there. The thermal bonding fiber constituting the fiber-based wading material of the present invention provides a comfortable touch of the buttocks by moderate sinking, and shares the vibration absorbing function and the shape maintaining function of the three-dimensional spring network structure. (Preferably the amount of the thermal adhesive component is 40% by weight or more that can satisfy the vibration absorbing function and the deformation stress absorbing function. 70% by weight or less because the connection strength is reduced. When the fineness of the heat-bonding fiber exceeds 6 denier, the number of components decreases, and the bonding point to form a three-dimensional spring network structure by connecting fine three-dimensional crimps having a spring function formed by the crimped fibers. This is not preferred because the deformation stress distribution is reduced, the stress concentration at the adhesion point is increased, the sag resistance is lowered, and the feature as a dense structure does not appear and the comfortable touch is impaired. On the other hand, if the fineness is too thin, the migration with the crimped fiber is deteriorated, spots are generated at the heat bonding points formed by the heat bonding fibers, the deformation stress is deteriorated, and the stress dispersibility is lowered. The fineness of the heat-bonding fiber is preferably 1 denier to 5 denier, more preferably 2 denier to 4 denier. The heat-bonding fiber of the present invention absorbs vibrations that cannot be converted into energy by the cushion layer due to large deformation of the thermoplastic elastic resin, and can be recovered by transforming and energy-converting local large deformation stress in the entire structure. In order to maintain a thermal bonding function for fusion bonding of a three-dimensional spring network structure, a sheath core structure or a side-by-side structure in which a soft thermoplastic elastic resin occupies 50% or more of the surface of the thermal bonding fiber, or a combination structure thereof, etc. Has a composite structure. As the composite structure, a sheath structure in which a heat bonding component capable of reliably heat-bonding a contact point with which the heat-bonding fiber contacts is a sheath component is preferable. The core component may be made of a thermoplastic inelastic resin that easily maintains the fiber form, but is preferably made of a thermoplastic elastic resin because the vibration absorbing function and the deformation stress absorbing function can be remarkably improved. That is, in the sheath-core structure, the sheath component is a thermoplastic elastic resin with a large soft segment content that allows easy energy conversion of vibration and deformation stress, and the core component is a thermoplastic elastic resin with a small soft segment content, The network part where the heat-bonding fibers exist independently can be deformed while exhibiting weak anti-compression property, because it retains the fiber form and gives the network with rubber elasticity to the network of the three-dimensional coil spring structure. Coil spring function consisting of thermoplastic non-elastic resin and capable of reducing the deformation load of the adhesive point by reducing the deformation of the adhesive point less than the deformation of the adhesive point fused with the thermoplastic elastic resin part having a high soft segment content against stress Since the deformation of the crimped fiber sharing the same can be gradually reduced within the elastic limit, the anti-sag property is remarkably improved, which is most preferable. Another preferred structure is a thermoplastic elastic resin with a low soft segment content that exhibits anti-compressibility with a melt viscosity of a thermoplastic elastic resin with a high soft segment content that can easily convert vibration and deformation stress into a side-by-side structure. A structure in which the proportion of thermoplastic elastic resin with a high soft segment content that occupies a linear surface and lower than the melt viscosity of the resin is increased (metaphorically the case of the eccentric sheath / core structure is thermoplastic elastic More preferably, the ratio of the thermoplastic elastic resin having a large soft segment content occupying the surface of the fiber is 80% or more, and most preferably the soft segment content occupying a linear surface. It is the said score which made the ratio of thermoplastic elastic resin with much 100%. When the proportion of the thermoplastic elastic resin fiber with a large soft segment content occupying the surface of the fiber increases, there is an effect of strengthening the adhesion because the fluidity when melted and fused is high, and the structure deforms integrally Further, fatigue resistance against stress concentration at the adhesion point is improved, and heat resistance and durability are further improved. If the heat-bonding fibers are not fused and integrated, the shape cannot be maintained, local pressure is received on the surface, the pressure distribution cannot be uniformly distributed, and the entire structure is not deformed and locally deformed. Since energy cannot be converted in the entire structure, stress concentration is locally generated, and plastic deformation and fatigue of the constituent fibers are promoted, resulting in inferior durability. The degree of fusion of the present invention is a state in which most of the contact portions of the heat-bonding fiber are fused, and preferably all of the contact portions are fused. Since the thermal bonding fiber is composed of a thermoplastic elastic resin with good vibration absorption, it also functions as a layer that absorbs vibration that could not be absorbed by the cushion layer and blocks vibration of the resonance part of the human body, When the thermoadhesive component is made of a thermoplastic inelastic resin, the adhesion point cannot follow the local deformation stress. This is not preferable because the structure is destroyed by the stress concentration and the recoverability is poor. Further, since the thermoplastic inelastic resin has poor vibration absorption, its function as a layer for blocking vibration is inferior. The wound fibers share a coil spring function that deforms and holds the body shape while exhibiting an appropriate anti-compression property against deformation stress. -It is comprised by the crimped fiber which consists of a thermoplastic nonelastic resin of a steel. When the fineness of the crimped fiber made of a thermoplastic inelastic resin is large, the preferred apparent density of the present invention is 0.1 g / cm.^ThreeTo 0.01g / cm^ThreeIn this case, the number of components is reduced and a dense structure with good touch cannot be obtained. Also, as the fineness increases, the number of adhesion points decreases and the adhesion point becomes a point of transmission of stress, so that significant stress concentration occurs at the adhesion point, resulting in structural failure and poor heat resistance and durability. Furthermore, when the fineness exceeds 10 denier, the cross-sectional secondary moment is remarkably increased, and the fiber modulus is increased as a high degree of orientation in order to impart heat resistance and appropriate anti-compression properties. From the necessity, even if a large shrinkage difference is given, the bending moment becomes remarkably large, and the fine three-dimensional winding necessary for the present invention cannot be obtained. The wound fiber is preferably 1 denier to 8 denier, more preferably 2 denier to 6 denier, because it is necessary to maintain the elasticity to impart a moderate sink. The wound fiber shares a coil spring function that deforms and retains its body shape while exhibiting an appropriate compressibility against deformation stress, and thus forms a fine three-dimensional crimp based on the potential crimping ability. The fine three-dimensional reduction referred to in the present invention has a three-dimensional reduction with a fine pitch reduction number of 15 to 60 pieces / inch and a degree of reduction of 10% to 60%. Is. If it is not three-dimensional winding, the coil spring function having elasticity is not exhibited, which is not preferable. If the three-dimensional winding is rough, the bulkiness is good, but the anti-compression property is inferior, the touch is bad because it cannot be made into a dense structure, and the fine three-dimensional windings are entangled with each other based on the potential winding ability, and the coil springs Since the function of expanding and contracting decreases, stress concentrates on the adhesion point and the sag resistance also decreases, which is not preferable. When the number of crimps is more than 60 pieces / inch, even if the degree of crimp is 15% to 50%, the bulkiness is lost and the preferred apparent density of the present invention is 0.1 g / cm.^ThreeTo 0.01g / cm^ThreeIt is not preferable because it cannot be made. When the number of crimps is less than 15 / inch, even if the degree of crimp is 15% to 50%, the crimp becomes rough, which is not preferable for the above reason. When the degree of crimp is less than 10%, even if the number of crimps is 20 / inch to 60 / inch, the three-dimensionality of the crimp is inferior, the coil spring function is deteriorated, the durability is easily lowered, the anti-compression property is lowered, and the denseness is reduced. Since it becomes impossible to structure, a touch will also worsen and it is unpreferable. If the degree of winding is over 60%, the dense structure becomes too hard and a preferable touch due to moderate sinking is lost, which is not preferable. The preferable fine three-dimensional crimping of the present invention has a number of crimps of 20 / inch to 60 / inch, a degree of crimping of 15% to 50%, and more preferably a number of crimps of 30 / inch to 50. / Inch and the degree of winding is 25% to 40%. High potential latent crimping that can give the preferred number of crimps and degree of crimping of the present invention is a composite structure such as side-by-side or eccentric sheath core, using a high shrinkage component in one component and high modulus and heat resistance and durability in other components It is preferable to provide a high degree of potential crimping ability by constituting with a low shrinkage component capable of maintaining the property. The high shrinkage component is an isophthalate containing the above metal salt sulfonate or a polyester copolymerized with isophthalate, and the low shrinkage component is a single component such as PET, PEN, PBN, PCHDT, etc. A high-temperature highly-oriented stretched composite structure that can maintain the high modulus imparted even when the high shrinkage component shrinks is preferable. By maintaining a high modulus, the stress at the elastic limit becomes high, it becomes difficult to deform even when subjected to high deformation stress, and the thermoplastic elastic resin of the thermal adhesive component is fused and integrated. It deforms and absorbs the deformation stress by energy conversion, and the deformation of the wound fiber is substantially limited to the deformation of the coil spring within the elastic limit, and when the deformation stress is released, the rubber elasticity of the thermoplastic elastic resin Since the wound fiber forming the coil spring can be easily restored to its original form by elastic recovery, preferable durability can be exhibited. Furthermore, the heat resistance and durability of the coil spring can be maintained. The above-mentioned thermoplastic elastic resin having a melting point of 180 ° C. or higher and made of wound fiber with good heat resistance and durability.
The bright fiber-based wadding material can impart a preferable heat resistance with a compression residual strain at 70 ° C. of 35% or less. However, when the pseudo-crystallization treatment is further performed, more preferable heat resistance durability with a compressive residual strain at 70 ° C. of 25% or less can be imparted. The modulus to be retained of the crimped fiber expressing the fine crimp of the present invention is preferably 35 g / denier or more, more preferably 40 g / denier or more in terms of initial tensile resistance. Therefore, since the fiber that has been crimped requires a shrinkage treatment for the expression of crimping, it is impossible to maintain an initial tensile resistance of 100 g / denier or more like a normal fiber that does not crimp. Most preferably, it is 50 g / denier or more and 100 g / denier or less. If it is possible to achieve 100 g / denier or more by sufficient crystallization treatment, it is used as a wadding material like the present invention in which the elongation is lowered and the coil spring is not tough and repeated compression recovery is required. In such a case, it is necessary to pay attention to the disadvantage that it becomes very brittle, fatigue becomes remarkable, and durability is lowered. If the elongation is too high, such as 50% or more, it tends to stretch and deform, so the coil spring function is lowered and the durability is inferior. For this reason, the elongation of the crimped fiber of the present invention is preferably at least 10% or more, 15% or more and 40% or less, more preferably 20% to 35%. Although the cross-sectional shape of the crimped fiber constituting the present invention is not particularly limited, a hollow cross-section or an irregular cross-section is particularly preferable because a preferable anti-compression property (repulsive force) and touch can be imparted. The anti-compressibility can be adjusted according to the fineness and the modulus of the material used, and the fineness can be made thin.With a soft material, the hollowness and profile can be increased to adjust the gradient of the initial compressive stress, and the fineness can be made slightly thicker. A material with a high modulus gives the anti-compressibility with a good sitting comfort by lowering the hollowness and the profile. As another effect of the hollow cross section and the deformed cross section, by increasing the hollow ratio and the degree of deformity, when the same anti-compression property is given, the weight can be further reduced, and when used for a seat of an automobile or the like, energy saving can be achieved. Yes, in the case of futons, the handleability when raising and lowering is improved. Thus, the fiber-based wadding material configured in the preferred embodiment of the present invention exhibits three-dimensional crimping based on the latent crimping ability composed of a thermobonding fiber and a thermoplastic nonelastic resin, each having a thermoplastic elastic resin as a heat bonding component. A three-dimensional spring structure in which three-dimensional structure is entangled with a wound fiber made of thermoplastic non-elastic resin and fused and integrated, and both sides are substantially flattened, Receives compressive stress on the surface and improves stress dispersibility, and at the same time, combines moderate anti-compression with fine three-dimensional winding, and the network structure of the fused three-dimensional spring and the rubber elasticity of the thermoplastic elastic resin. The thermoplastic elastic resin part that easily deforms compressive stress causes large deformation while giving a comfortable touch of the buttocks due to moderate sinking, and a network structure spring of a three-dimensional spring. While suppressing the deformation of the crimped fiber within the elastic limit by the function, the entire structure is deformed to disperse and absorb the deformation stress to reduce the plastic deformation of the crimped fiber, and further to pseudo-crystallize the thermoplastic elastic resin. By significantly improving the stretch recovery property of the thermal bonding point and removing the deformation stress, it recovers immediately by the rubber elasticity of the thermoplastic elastic resin part and the elastic recovery of the crimped fiber, and maintains good anti-sag property, Since the network structure of the three-dimensional spring and the rubber elasticity of the thermoplastic elastic resin are combined to express elasticity, the entire structure is also elastically deformed to absorb even the most severe shear deformation, and the vibration of the thermoplastic elastic resin is absorbed. It becomes a fiber-based wadding material having a function of a preferable surface layer that absorbs as a vibration blocking layer. The thickness of the fiber wadding material of the present invention is 1 mm to 30 mm. If it is 1 mm or less, the surface layer function cannot be expressed, which is not preferable. If it exceeds 30 mm, a cushion layer function is required, and the structure of the present invention comprising a dense layer with a fine fineness is not preferable because the sinking becomes large. The thickness of the preferred fiber-based wadding material of the present invention is 3 mm to 25 mm where the surface layer function can be expressed, and 5 mm to 20 mm is particularly preferable. The apparent density of the fiber-based wadding material of the present invention is 0.01 g / cm^ThreeTo 0.1 g / cm^ThreeIt is. Apparent density 0.01g / cm^ThreeIf it is less than 1, the number of constituent fibers will be small, and it will be too soft and the sinking will be slightly large, the anti-compressibility of the body shape retention function will not be expressed, it will give a feeling of flooring and it will be deformed too much and damage to the constituent fibers will increase. There is a drawback that it becomes difficult to set. Apparent density 0.1g / cm^ThreeIn the case of a dense structure composed of fibers with a relatively fine fineness as in the present invention, it is difficult to wrap and support the entire buttocks because it becomes too dense and cannot be submerged properly. At the same time, stress is concentrated locally on the buttocks, and it tends to become congested, making it difficult to sit for a long time. The preferred apparent density of the inventive fiber wadding material is 0.03 g / cm.^ThreeTo 0.06g / cm^Three, More preferably 0.04 g / cm^ThreeTo 0.05g / cm^ThreeIt is. The preferred stretch recovery property of the present invention for absorbing severe shear deformation is that the recovery rate after 25% stretching is 60% or more, more preferably 80% or more. If the recovery rate after 25% elongation is 20% or less, it is difficult to absorb severe shear deformation, which is not preferable. The fiber-based wadding material of the present invention has a very excellent surface layer function capable of absorbing severe shear deformation close to foamed urethane, which was difficult to apply with a molded body using a conventionally known fiber. It is a feature.
[0012]
A heat-bonded fiber using a thermoplastic elastic resin as a heat-bonding component and a wound fiber that expresses fine winding are mixed and integrated to form a mixed three-dimensional structure. Since the thermoplastic elastic resin component is the fiber-based wadding material of the present invention having a heat bonding function, it bonds other heat-bonded materials such as nets, nonwoven fabrics, knitted fabrics, hard cotton, films, foams, metals, etc. To achieve this, it is possible to heat-adhere as it is, or to form a monolithic laminated structure using other heat-adhesive components (heat-bonded nonwoven fabric, heat-bonded fiber, heat-bonded film, heat-bonded resin, etc.) and adhesives, etc. In order to obtain products such as ship seats, vehicles, ships, hospitals, etc. and household beds, furniture chairs, office chairs, futons, etc., the contact area with the adherend surface can be increased. Adhesive durability with a large adhesion area and strong adhesion It can be obtained a good product. It should be noted that by performing the above-described pseudo-crystallization treatment at an arbitrary stage from the fiber-based wadding material forming stage to the product, the component composed of the thermoplastic elastic resin in the molded body laminated with the fiber-based wadding material is subjected to differential scanning calorific value. It is more preferable that the melting curve measured by the meter has an endothermic peak at a temperature between room temperature and below the melting point, because the heat resistance and durability of the product is significantly improved. Since the thermoplastic elastic resin component on both sides of the fiber-based wadding material of the present invention has a thermal bonding function, it can be used as a flame-bonding adhesive layer. Preferably, the thermal bonding component is a low-melting thermoplastic elastomer having a high soft segment content. By using resin, energy conversion of vibration and deformation stress can be improved and a good thermal bonding function can be provided. The melting point of the thermal bonding component forming the preferred fiber-based wadding material for developing the thermal bonding function is a melting point 15 to 80 ° C. lower than the melting point of the high melting point component, and more preferably a melting point lower by 20 to 60 ° C. Since the fiber-based wadding material of the present invention has stretchability, if the adherend is bonded in a stretched state during thermal bonding, the adherend is stretched because the stretched state due to the rubber elasticity of the adhesive layer is not relaxed. It can also be used as a molded object which is hard to become wrinkles.
[0013]
Next, the production method of the present invention will be described. Latent winding capacity (1 / ρ) is 5mm^-1A crimped fiber made of the above thermoplastic inelastic resin and yet undevelopedSoft segment content is 15 wt% or more and 80 wt% or lessA heat-bonding fiber having a composite structure in which a thermoplastic elastic resin is used as a heat-bonding component is mixed and opened, and the heat-bonding fiber is dispersed in a wound fiber matrix that has not yet been crimped to form a three-dimensional structure. Next, when heat treatment is performed at a temperature 10 ° C. to 40 ° C. higher than the melting point of the thermal bonding component, a fine three-dimensional crimp is expressed in the crimped fiber that has not yet been crimped during the temperature rising process, and the three-dimensional structure is entangled by the three-dimensional crimp. After the heat treatment, the most part of the contact portion with the heat-bonding fiber is melted with the heat-bonding component to form a heat-bonding point made of a thermoplastic elastic resin, and once cooled or continuously, from the melting point of the heat-bonding component. A fiber-based wadding material that is heat-treated at a temperature lower by at least 10 ° C., and is annealed at a temperature that is at least 10 ° C. lower than the melting point of the thermoplastic elastic resin in the process of being integrally formed after cooling and being commercialized. Wading material and product Which is a process. Latent winding capacity (1 / ρ) is 5mm^-1The above-mentioned crimped fibers made of the thermoplastic non-elastic resin with undeveloped crimps are obtained by using a general multi-component extruder, and using the known composite spinning method, the thermoplasticity of the high-shrinkage component and the low-shrinkage component described above. The inelastic resin is melted separately for each individual component, and is mixed and flowed so that it can be compounded at the back of the nozzle orifice, preferably the side-by-side structure, and the melting temperature is preferably 10 ° C. from the melting point of each component. As described above, at the same melting temperature of 80 ° C. or less, the thermoplastic inelastic resin is sent in a molten state to the nozzle by each gear pump so that each component layer has a desired discharge rate so as to achieve a desired distribution rate. The liquid is discharged from each orifice. If the melting temperature at this time is higher than the melting point of the low melting point component, it is not preferable because the thermal decomposition becomes remarkable and the properties of the thermoplastic resin deteriorate. On the other hand, unless it is higher than the melting point of the high melting point component by 10 ° C. or more, melt fracture occurs and normal fiber formation cannot be performed. The preferred melting temperature is 20 to 60 ° C. higher than the melting point of the low melting point component, more preferably 25 to 35 ° C. higher than the melting point, more preferably 15 to 40 ° C. higher than the melting point of the high melting point component, more preferably It is discharged at the same melting temperature that is 20 to 30 ° C. higher than the melting point. In the case of composite spinning, if the difference in melting temperature immediately before joining is not less than 10 ° C., abnormal flow may occur and the formation of composite form may be impaired. The shape of the orifice is not particularly limited, but a hollow cross section (for example, a triangular hollow, a round hollow, a hollow with a protrusion, etc.) and a deformed cross section (for example, a triangular, Y, star, etc.) In addition to the above effects, it becomes easy to prevent the bending of a hole due to a difference in melt viscosity when discharged in a molten state. In addition, the side-by-side structure is preferable because the adhesion area between the low shrinkage component and the high shrinkage component is reduced, and the shrinkage force of the high shrinkage component is less likely to be restrained by the low shrinkage component, so Further, the apparent bulk can be increased, the weight can be reduced, the secondary moment can be increased, the compression resistance can be improved, the elasticity can be improved, and the sag resistance can be improved. In the hollow cross section, if the hollow ratio exceeds 60%, the cross section is liable to be crushed. Therefore, it is preferably 5% or more and 50% or less, more preferably 10% or more and 40% or less, in which an anti-compressive effect can be exhibited. Although the spinning speed is not particularly limited, it is preferably less than 4000 m / min at which orientation crystallization does not occur because orientation shrinkage reduces the shrinkage difference. The undrawn yarn thus obtained has a first stage drawing temperature not lower than the glass transition temperature and not higher than the crystallization start temperature. In PET, it is 65 to 90 ° C. and 0.7 to 0.75 times the breaking draw ratio. (120 ° C. or higher for PEN) The second stage is a temperature not lower than the crystallization start temperature and not higher than the crystal melting temperature, and for PET, it is 150 ° C. to 180 ° C. (180 ° C. or higher for PEN). Stretch at 95 times. A draw ratio of 0.95 or more is not preferable because structural breakage occurs. Next, after applying mechanical crimping, it is cut and the potential crimping ability (1 / ρ; ρ is the radius of curvature of the crimping, unit mm) is 5 mm.^-1The above-described unfolded fibers are obtained. On the other hand, in the thermobonding fiber, a low-melting thermoplastic elastic resin and a high-melting thermoplastic elastic resin or a high-melting thermoplastic inelastic resin are individually melted and spun by known composite spinning. The melting temperature at this time is preferably 10 ° C. or more and 100 ° C. or less from the melting point of each component, and each component is adjusted to have a desired discharge rate so that each component layer has a desired distribution rate. Each gear pump feeds thermoplastic inelastic resin in a molten state to the nozzle and discharges it from each orifice. If the melting temperature at this time is higher than the melting point of the low melting point component, it is not preferable because the thermal decomposition becomes remarkable and the properties of the thermoplastic resin deteriorate. On the other hand, unless it is higher than the melting point of the high melting point component by 10 ° C. or more, melt fracture occurs and normal fiber formation cannot be performed. The preferred melting temperature is 20 to 80 ° C. higher than the melting point of the low melting point component, more preferably 25 to 65 ° C. higher than the melting point, more preferably 10 to 40 ° C. higher than the melting point of the high melting point component, more preferably It is discharged at the same melting temperature that is 20 to 30 ° C. higher than the melting point. Subsequently, a finished yarn can be obtained by drawing. However, in this method, since the melting point of the heat bonding component is low, it cannot be heat-set at a high temperature at the time of stretching, so that only a high shrinkage rate of 30% to 80% can be obtained. Causes dimensional defects. In the present invention, in order to solve this problem, it is preferable to obtain a finished yarn at once by reducing the shrinkage rate to 10% or less by high-speed spinning at 3000 m / min or more. Next, crimping is applied and cut into a desired cut length to obtain a heat-bonded fiber. Although the composite form of the heat-bonding fiber used in the present invention is not particularly limited, it is preferable that the low-melting-point component occupies 50% or more of the surface of the fiber by side-by-side or shiscore because a function as a heat-bonding fiber is necessary. A sheath core structure in which the low melting point component occupies 100% or more of the fiber surface is more preferable. Pre-opening mixing with an opener or the like is preferably carried out with the wound fiber and the heat-bonded fiber having no latent crimping capability thus obtained, preferably in a 50/50 to 80/20 weight ratio. After that, the card is opened with a card or the like, and the heat-bonded fibers are dispersed in a wound fiber matrix that has not yet been crimped to form a three-dimensional structure. When heat treatment is performed at a high temperature, a fine three-dimensional crimp is developed in a crimped fiber that has not yet been crimped in the temperature rising process, and is entangled by three-dimensional crimping to form a three-dimensional structure. When heat-treating at a high temperature of -40 ° C., a fine three-dimensional crimp is expressed in the unfolded crimped fiber in the temperature rising process, and is entangled by three-dimensional crimping to form a three-dimensional structure. Most of the contact area has a thermal bonding point made of thermoplastic elastic resin by melting the thermal bonding component. It is formed. The crimped fiber expressing a fine three-dimensional crimp is preferably one having an initial tensile resistance of at least 35 g / denier and an initial tensile resistance at 70 ° C. of at least 10 g / denier. The degree of crimp of the three-dimensional crimp from the bulkiness and the anti-compression property is 15% or more, and the number of crimps is 20 pieces / inch or more. As a preferred method of the present invention, the fiber-based wadding material is laminated from the formation of the fiber-based wadding material, and at least 10 ° C. or less from the melting point of the thermoplastic elastic resin in any process leading to commercialization by molding. It is a more preferable production method to obtain the fiber-based wadding material or product by performing pseudo-crystallization treatment by annealing at a temperature. The pseudo-crystallization temperature is at least 10 ° C. lower than the melting point (Tm) and is equal to or higher than the Tan dispersion α dispersion rising temperature (Tαcr). By this treatment, the heat sag resistance is remarkably improved from those having an endothermic peak below the melting point and not having a pseudo crystallization treatment (no endothermic peak). The preferred pseudocrystallization temperature of the present invention is from (Tαcr + 10 ° C.) to (Tm−20 ° C.). When pseudo-crystallization is performed by simple heat treatment, heat sag resistance is improved. However, it is more preferable to anneal by applying a compressive deformation of 10% or more because the heat sag resistance is remarkably improved. Next, it is cut into a desired length or shape and used as a cushion wadding material.
[0014]
When the fiber-based wadding material of the present invention is used for the surface layer, it is necessary to select a resin to be used, a fineness, a bulk density, and the like depending on the purpose of use and the use site. For example, in order to give a soft touch, moderate subsidence and tight bulge, a dense structure with a slightly higher density and finer fineness is preferable, the resonance frequency is lowered, moderate hardness and hysteresis at the time of compression In order to improve the body shape retention and to maintain the durability by changing the length linearly, it is preferable to have a structure with a medium fine density and a thin fineness with a medium density. The fiber-based wadding material of the present invention impairs the three-dimensional structure in combination with other materials that should meet the required performance in relation to the application, for example, different mesh bodies, hard cotton cushion materials made of short fiber aggregates, nonwoven fabrics, etc. If it is molded into a shape suitable for the purpose of use by using a molding die or the like and integrally molded, it can be used for a vehicle seat, a ship seat, a bed, a chair, furniture, etc. only by covering the side ground. Functions such as flame retardant, antibacterial and antibacterial, heat resistance, water and oil repellency, coloring, fragrance, etc. at any stage where the product is processed from the manufacturing process to a molded product within a range that does not deteriorate the performance even outside the fiber manufacturing process Application processing can be performed such as drug addition.
[0015]
【Example】
The present invention is described in detail below with reference to examples.
[0016]
In addition, evaluation in an Example was performed with the following method.
1. Melting point (Tm) and endothermic peak below melting point
The endothermic peak (melting peak) temperature was determined from the endothermic curve measured at 20 ° C./min using a TA50, DSC50 type differential thermal analyzer manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation.
2.Tαcr
The polymer was heated to the melting point + 10 ° C. to prepare a film having a thickness of about 300 μm, and Tanδ (imaginary modulus M ”measured at 110 Hz with a heating rate of 1 ° C./min using an orientec Vibron DDVII type. The rising temperature of α dispersion corresponding to the transition temperature from the rubber elastic region to the melting region of the ratio M ″ / M ′) of the elastic part and the real part M ′ of the elastic modulus.
3. Apparent density
The sample is cut into a size of 15 cm × 15 cm, the heights at four locations are measured, the volume is obtained, and the weight of the sample is shown as a value that is gradually reduced by the volume. (Average value of n = 4)
4. Fineness
Each fiber part is cut out from 10 places of the sample, embedded with acrylic resin, the cross section is cut out, a section is created, and a cross-sectional photograph is obtained. The cross-sectional area (Si) of each part is obtained from the cross-sectional photograph of each part. Further, an acrylic resin is dissolved in acetone in the same manner, vacuum degassed, and the specific gravity (SGi) measured at 40 ° C. using a density gradient tube is obtained. Next, a linear weight of 9000 m is obtained from the following equation. (Unit: cgs)
Fineness = [(1 / n) ΣSi × SGi] × 900000
5.Crimp characteristics
(1) Number of contractions: According to JIS-L-1015 (1992).
(2) Degree of contraction: According to the method of JIS-L-1015 (1992).
(3) 1 / ρ: Short fibers are cut to 5 cm and heat-treated in a free-heated atmosphere at 160 ° C. for 2 minutes, and the pitch Lim from the crests and the height Djmm from the crests to the valleys , 5 samples were measured, and 10 samples were measured with a projector.
1 / ρ = (1 / n) Σ [2π / (πD_i ²+ L_j ²)]: Unit mm^-1
6). Fusion
Whether the sample is fused by visual judgment or not is determined by pulling the bonded fibers by hand or not by whether or not the sample is fused.
7. Heat resistance (70 ° C residual strain)
The sample was cut to a size of 15 cm × 15 cm, compressed 50%, left to stand in dry heat at 70 ° C. for 22 hours, then cooled to remove the compression strain, and the thickness (b) after standing for 1 day was obtained to obtain the thickness before processing (a) From the following equation, that is, (ab) / a × 100. Unit% (average value of n = 3)
8.Repetitive compression strain
The sample is cut into a size of 15 cm × 15 cm, and compression recovery is repeated at a cycle of 1 Hz up to a thickness of 50% in a 25 ° C. 65% RH chamber with a Shimadzu servo pulsar, and the sample after 20,000 times is obtained. The thickness after standing for 1 day and (b) are obtained and calculated from the thickness (a) before processing from the following equation, that is, (ab) / a × 100. Unit% (average value of n = 3)
9.Stretch recovery
10 pieces each in the longitudinal and transverse directions of the sample are cut into 2 cm width and 10 cm length, the sample length is 8 cm with Tensilon made by Orientec, and both ends are held with a holder, and stretched 25% at a stretching speed of 5 cm / min. Once the extension is stopped and left for 5 minutes, it is returned to 0% at an extension speed of 5 cm / min, left for 1 minute, and then extended to 25% again at an extension speed of 5 cm / min. The length L between the rising point of the stress and the rising point of the stress when it first stretches_imm and length L when stretched 25%₀mm difference to L₀The value divided by mm is shown in%. (Average value of n = 20)
10. Sitting comfort
Average appearance when card web obtained by mixing and opening Toyobo thermal bonding fiber 4-64-TE5 and Toyobo three-dimensional wound staple 10-64-745 in a 30/70 weight ratio is used as a cushion. The bulk density of 0.05 g / cm^ThreeLayered and placed in a female mold for thermoforming, compressed with an oyster mold and packed into a cushion layer formed into a bucket sheet by hot bonding with hot air at 200 ° C. for 10 minutes. Wrapped in a textile wadding material, wrapped in a polyester moquette made of Toyobo's Heim, set in a seat frame, with four seats on the back and six side stops on the back A seat was created, and a panel was seated in the seat created in the room at 30 ° C RH 75%, and the following evaluation was performed. (N = 5)
(1) Feeling with the floor: A qualitative evaluation was performed on the degree of feeling of “sudden” when sitting on the floor and the feeling of hitting the floor. Do not feel; ◎, feel almost; ○, feel a little; △, feel; ×
(2) Feeling of stuffiness: Sitting qualitatively and qualitatively assessing the feeling of stuffiness at the part of the buttocks, crotch, and crotch that touched the seat inside. Almost feelless: ◎, feel slightly stuffy; ○, feel slightly stuffy; △, noticeably stuffy; ×
(3) Touch: Sensory evaluation of the feeling of holding the buttock while sitting. Softly supported: ◎, good holding feeling: ○, slightly depressed: △, poor holding feeling: ×
(4) How much patient you can sit in the seat within 8 hours: Within 1 hour; × Within 2 hours; △ Within 4 hours; ○ Over 4 hours;
(5) The degree of fatigue of the hips when sitting on the seat for 4 hours was qualitatively evaluated. None; ◎, almost never tired; ○, slightly tired; △, very tired; ×
(6) Comprehensive evaluation: (1) to (5) in which ◎ is 4 points, ○ is 3 points, △ is 2 points, × is 1 point and is 16 points or more and does not contain △; (A), 15 points or more including Δ; Good (O), 12 points or more not including x; Slightly bad (Δ), including x; Bad (×).
[0017]
Example 1
As a polyester elastomer, dimethyl terephthalate (DMT) or dimethyl naphthalate (DMN) and 1.4 butanediol (1 / 4BD) are charged with a small amount of catalyst, and after ester exchange by a conventional method, Polytetramethylene glycol (PTMG) was added and polycondensed while raising the temperature and reduced pressure to produce a polyester ester block copolymer elastomer. Then, 2% antioxidant was added, mixed, kneaded and pelletized. Table 1 shows the formulation of the thermoplastic elastic resin raw material obtained by vacuum drying at 48 ° C for 48 hours.
[0018]
[Table 1]

[0019]
In a conventional compound spinning machine, the thermoplastic elastic resin A-1 is melted individually so that it becomes a seed component and A-2 becomes a core component, and distributed immediately before the orifice, using a conventional spinning machine. The fineness obtained at a spinning speed of 3500 m / min was 4 at a spinning speed of 245 ° C. at a weight ratio of 50/50 and 1.6 g / min per hole (0.8 g / min: 0.8 g / min). .1 denier, dry heat at 160 ° C. with a shrinkage rate of 8%, converged, tow-shaped and crimped with a crimper, cut to 64 mm, thermoplastic elastic resin with a cross section of the sheath A heat-bonding fiber consisting of Separately, 92 mol% of terephthalate as an acid component, 2 mol% of isophthalate containing sodium sulfonate, ethylene glycol as a glycol component, and a small amount of a catalyst were added, and after ester exchange by a conventional method, After polycondensation, it was pelletized to obtain a copolyester (P-1) having an intrinsic viscosity of 0.50. Also, 95 mol% of terephthalate as an acid component, 5 mol% of isophthalate and ethylene glycol as a glycol component and a small amount of a catalyst are added, transesterified by a conventional method, polycondensed, and then pelletized. Thus, a copolyester (P-2) having an intrinsic viscosity of 0.62 was obtained. The obtained copolyester P-1 and P-2 were charged in a dryer at a mixing ratio of 50/50 by weight, and the copolyester obtained by vacuum drying at 110 ° C. for 20 hours while mixing was used as a high shrinkage component, PET having an intrinsic viscosity of 0.63 as a low shrinkage component was distributed at a weight ratio of 50/50 and 3.0 g / min per single hole (1.5 g / min: 1.5 g / min) at a spinning temperature of 285 ° C. The composite yarn was discharged from the C-shaped orifice, compositely spun at a spinning speed of 2500 m / min, and then the drawn yarn obtained by two-stage drawing at 70 ° C. and 180 ° C. was cut into 64 mm by applying mechanical winding. Side-by-side structure with a hollowness of 32% and a fineness of 5 denier, an initial tensile resistance of 58 g / denier, and a potential crimping capacity of 7.2 mm^-1Thus, a latently-crimped fiber in which the three-dimensional crimp was not developed was obtained. The obtained heat-bonding fibers and latently-contracted fibers are mixed at a weight ratio of 40/60, pre-opened with an opener, and then opened with a card, with a basis weight of 800 g / m.²4 pieces / cm with needle punch^ThreeNext, a free heat treatment was performed while raising the temperature to 200 ° C. in 200 minutes with hot air at 200 ° C., and the constricted fibers were expressed by the free-winding to form a three-dimensional structure entangled by three-dimensional winding. Later, the apparent density was 0.04 g / cm.^ThreeAnd was subjected to heat treatment with hot air at 200 ° C. for 5 minutes to express fine crimping (number of crimps 48 / in, degree of crimping 38%) of the contact portion between the crimped fiber and the thermal bonding fiber Mostly, the heat-bonding component was melted to form a heat-bonding point made of a thermoplastic elastic resin, and after cooling, it was compressed to 80% of the thickness and obtained by quasi-crystallization treatment with hot air at 100 ° C. for 20 minutes. Table 2 shows the performance of a fiber-type wadding material having a thickness of 20 mm and having a substantially flat surface. As is apparent from Table 2, Example 1 is a fiber-based wadding material that makes use of the characteristics of a soft elastic resin, so it has excellent heat resistance, durability at room temperature, stretchability, and excellent sitting comfort with improved holding feeling. It was a cushioning material. It can be seen that the seats created for evaluation are also excellent in performance.
[0020]
[Table 2]

[0021]
Example 2
Polyester thermoplastic elasticity obtained in the same manner as in Example 1, except that 20 mol% of dimethyl isophthalate (DMI), 80 mol% of DMT and 1.4 butanediol (1.4BD) were charged with a small amount of catalyst. Table 1 shows the formulation of the resin. The same A-3 as the sheath component, PBT having a relative viscosity of 1.0 as the core component, and a spinning temperature of 265 ° C. A thermally bonded fiber was obtained. A PET with an intrinsic viscosity of 0.54 and an PET with an intrinsic viscosity of 0.65 were made in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the spinning temperature was 288 ° C. with a single nozzle discharge rate of 5.8 g / min. Fineness 6 denier, initial tensile resistance 38g / denier, latent winding capacity 5.0mm^-1A latently crimped fiber with no unfolding was obtained. The obtained heat-bonded fibers and latent crimped fibers were obtained in the same manner as in Example 1, and the expressed crimps (32 crimps / in, 28% crimp) were entangled three-dimensionally. Table 2 shows the performance of a fiber-type wadding material having a thickness of 20 mm in which most of the contact portion between the fiber and the heat-bonding fiber is substantially flattened on the surface where the heat-bonding component forms a heat-bonding point. As is apparent from Table 2, Example 2 was a fiber-based wadding material for a cushioning material that had excellent heat resistance, durability at normal temperature, practical use, good stretchability, and excellent sitting comfort. It can be seen that the seats created for evaluation are also excellent in performance.
[0022]
Example 3
Polyurethane elastomer, 4.4 'diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI), PTMG and 1.4BD as chain extender are added and polymerized, then 2% antioxidant is added, mixed, kneaded, pelletized, and vacuumed Table 3 shows the formulation of the polyether-based urethane polymer after drying.
[0023]
[Table 3]

[0024]
Fineness 4 denier and shrinkage obtained in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the obtained thermoplastic elastic resin B-1 was used as a sheath component, B-2 was used as a core component, and the spinning temperature was 200 ° C. 12% (measured at 150 ° C.) of thermally bonded fibers was obtained. Next, using the crimped fibers of Example 1, the expressed crimps obtained in the same manner as Example 1 (number of crimps 45 / in, degree of crimping 40%) were entangled three-dimensionally, Table 2 shows the performance of a fiber-type wadding material having a thickness of 20 mm in which most of the contact portion between the fiber and the heat-bonding fiber is substantially flattened on the surface where the heat-bonding component forms a heat-bonding point. As is apparent from Table 2, Example 3 was a fibrous wadding material for a cushioning material that was excellent in heat resistance, durability at room temperature, and stretchability, and was excellent in sitting comfort. It can be seen that the seats created for evaluation are also excellent in performance.
[0025]
Comparative Example 1
Other than not using pseudo-crystallization treatment with latent crimped fiber obtained in Example 2, using 4-44-EE7 manufactured by Toyobo Co., Ltd. with thermoplastic inelastic resin as the thermal adhesive component for the thermal adhesive fiber The expressed crimps obtained in the same manner as in Example 2 (number of crimps 30 / in, degree of crimp 28%) are three-dimensionally entangled, and most of the contact portion between the crimped fibers and the heat-bonded fibers is covered. Table 2 shows the performance of a fiber-type wadding material having a thickness of 20 mm in which the surface on which the heat-bonding component has formed a heat-bonding point is substantially flattened. As is apparent from Table 2, Comparative Example 1 was a fiber-based wadding material for a cushioning material that was inferior in heat resistance and durability at room temperature, lacked elasticity, and inferior in comfort.
[0026]
Comparative Example 2
PET with an intrinsic viscosity of 0.63 is discharged from a C-type nozzle at a spinning temperature of 282 ° C. with a single hole discharge rate of 6 g / min. , Drawn at 78 ° C in the first stage and 160 ° C in the second stage and mechanically crimped by a crimper. The hollow section is 22% and the fineness is 12 denier. The retractability is 2.8mm^-1And the heat-bonded fiber obtained in Example 2 were used, and the expressed crimps obtained in the same manner as in Example 2 except that the pseudo-crystallization treatment was not performed (the number of crimps was 16 pieces / in, 18%) is a three-dimensional entanglement, and a fiber-type wadding with a thickness of 20 mm in which most of the contact portion between the crimped fiber and the heat-bonded fiber is flattened on the surface where the heat-bonding component forms a heat-bonding point. Table 2 shows the performance of the materials. As is apparent from Table 2, Comparative Example 2 was a fiber-based wadding material for a cushioning material that had stretchability, but was slightly inferior in heat resistance, durability at room temperature, and in sitting comfort.
[0027]
Comparative Example 3
Example 2 except that PET with an intrinsic viscosity of 0.54 and PET with an intrinsic viscosity of 0.65 were drawn from a round nozzle at a 50/50 weight ratio with a single hole discharge of 0.3 g / min and a spinning speed of 1300 m / min. The fineness obtained in the same manner as described above was 0.9 denier, and the potential reduction capacity was 3.2 mm.^-1Using the latently crimped fiber that is not yet developed and the heat-bonded fiber obtained in Example 2, the apparent density was 0.02 g / cm.^ThreeThe developed crimps (15 crimps / in, shrinkage 12%) obtained in the same manner as in Example 2 except that they were thermoformed to a thickness of 15 mm and were not subjected to pseudo-crystallization treatment were three-dimensionally. Table 2 shows the performance of a fiber-type wadding material having a thickness of 15 mm in which most of the contact portion between the crimped fiber and the heat-bonded fiber is substantially flattened on the surface where the heat-bonding component forms a heat-bonding point. As is apparent from Table 2, Comparative Example 2 was a fiber-based wadding material for a cushioning material that had elasticity, but was slightly inferior in heat resistance, durability at room temperature, and in sitting comfort.
[0028]
Comparative Example 4
A heat-bonded fiber having a fineness of 0.9 denier and a shrinkage rate of 13% obtained in the same manner as in Example 2 except that the single-hole discharge rate was 0.25 g / perforation, and the latent wound fiber obtained in Example 2. With an apparent density of 0.02 g / cm^ThreeExcept for thermoforming so as to have a thickness of 10 mm, the expressed crimping (31 crimps / in, 27% degree of crimping) obtained in the same manner as in Comparative Example 3 is three-dimensionally entangled, and the crimped fiber Table 2 shows the performance of a 10-mm thick fibrous wadding material in which the surface where the heat-bonding component formed the heat-bonding point was substantially flattened over most of the contact portion between the fiber and the heat-bonded fiber. As is apparent from Table 2, Comparative Example 2 was a fiber-based wadding material for cushioning material that had elasticity, but was slightly inferior in heat resistance, durability at normal temperature, and slightly inferior in comfort.
[0029]
Comparative Example 5
Heat having a fineness of 11 denier and a shrinkage of 34% was obtained in the same manner as in Example 2 except that the single hole was 4 g / min, drawn at a spinning speed of 1300 m / min and drawn at the first stage at 78 ° C. Using the adhesive fiber and the latently crimped fiber obtained in Example 2, the apparent density was 0.05 g / cm.^ThreeExcept for thermoforming so as to have a thickness of 20 mm, the expressed crimp (30 crimps / in, 26% crimp) obtained in the same manner as in Comparative Example 3 is three-dimensionally entangled, and the crimped fiber Table 2 shows the performance of a fiber-type wadding material having a thickness of 20 mm in which most of the contact portion between the heat-bonding fiber and the heat-bonding fiber is substantially flattened on the surface where the heat-bonding component forms a heat-bonding point. As is apparent from Table 2, Comparative Example 2 was a fiber-based wadding material for cushioning material that was slightly inferior in stretchability, heat resistance, durability at room temperature, and slightly inferior in sitting comfort.
[0030]
Comparative Example 6
An open web obtained in the same manner as in Example 2 has an apparent density of 0.01 g / cm.^ThreeAs a result of being mounted on the evaluation seat so that the sitting comfort was evaluated, the sitting comfort was extremely poor.
[0031]
Comparative Example 7
Using the heat-bonded fiber and latently crimped fiber obtained in Example 2, the fibers were mixed and opened at a mixing ratio of 50/50% by weight, and the apparent density was 0.008 g / cm.^ThreeExcept for thermoforming so as to have a thickness of 30 mm, the expressed crimp (32 crimps / in, 26% crimp) obtained in the same manner as in Comparative Example 3 is three-dimensionally entangled, Table 2 shows the performance of a 30-mm-thick fiber wadding material in which most of the contact portion with the heat-bonded fiber has a substantially flattened surface where the heat-bonding component has formed a heat-bonding point. As is apparent from Table 2, Comparative Example 7 was a fiber-based wadding material for a cushioning material that had elasticity, but was slightly inferior in heat resistance, durability at room temperature, and sitting comfort.
[0032]
Comparative Example 8
Apparent density 0.13g / cm^ThreeThe developed crimps (31 crimps / in, 25% of the crimps) obtained in the same manner as in Comparative Example 7 except that the thickness was 10 mm were entangled three-dimensionally, Table 2 shows the performance of a 30-mm-thick fiber wadding material in which most of the contact portion with the heat-bonded fiber has a substantially flattened surface where the heat-bonding component has formed a heat-bonding point. As is apparent from Table 2, Comparative Example 7 was a fiber-based wadding material for a cushioning material that was not stretchable, was inferior in heat resistance and durability at room temperature, and was slightly inferior in sitting comfort.
[0033]
Comparative Example 9
Apparent density 0.08g / cm^ThreeExcept for the thickness of 0.8 mm, the developed crimps obtained in the same manner as in Comparative Example 7 (32 crimps / in, 25% crimp) were entangled three-dimensionally. Table 2 shows the performance of a fiber-based wadding material having a thickness of 0.8 mm in which the surface where the heat-adhesive component formed the heat-bonding point is substantially flattened over most of the contact portion between the fiber and the heat-bonded fiber. As is apparent from Table 2, Comparative Example 7 was a fiber-based wadding material for cushioning material that had stretchability but also had poor heat resistance and poor sitting comfort. In addition, durability at normal temperature is not evaluated.
[0034]
Comparative Example 10
Apparent density 0.02g / cm^ThreeThe developed crimps (32 crimps / in, the degree of crimp 25%) obtained in the same manner as in Comparative Example 7 except that the thickness was 50 mm were entangled three-dimensionally, Table 2 shows the performance of a fiber-type wadding material having a thickness of 0.8 mm in which the surface where the heat-bonding component formed the heat-bonding point is substantially flattened over most of the contact portion with the heat-bonding fiber. As is apparent from Table 2, Comparative Example 7 was a fiber-based wadding material for cushioning material that had stretchability, but was slightly inferior in heat resistance, durability at room temperature, and sitting comfort.
[0035]
Comparative Example 11
Both sides are compressed with a perforated plate with uneven surface and many conical protrusions, and the apparent density is 0.08 g / cm.^ThreeExcept for the thickness being 30 mm, the expressed crimp (30 crimps / in, 24%) obtained in the same manner as in Comparative Example 7 is entangled three-dimensionally, Table 2 shows the performance of a 30-mm-thick fiber wading material in which the surface where the heat-bonding component formed the heat-bonding point on the most part of the contact portion with the heat-bonded fiber was uneven with conical protrusions. As is apparent from Table 2, Comparative Example 7 was a fiber-based wadding material for cushioning material that had poor stretchability, heat resistance, and durability at room temperature, and gave a feeling of foreign matter to the buttocks and poor sitting comfort.
[0036]
Example 5
The thickness of both sides is 50mm and the apparent density is 0.05g / cm, made using the heat-bonding fiber and the base material used for the evaluation of sitting comfort.^ThreeWas cut into a length of 120 cm, the fiber wadding material for cushioning material obtained in Example 1 was laminated and thermally bonded to the surface, and the thickness was 5 cm, the width was 120 cm, and the width was 120 cm, quilted every 50 cm, A mattress was made in a 200 cm long side. This mattress was placed on a bed, and panelists—four people in a room at 25 ° C. and RH 65% —use it for 7 hours to evaluate the comfort of sleep. The bed was covered with sheets, the comforter was 1.8 kg down / feather: 90/10 padded, and the pillow used daily by the panelists was worn. The evaluation result was a comfortable bed with no floor feeling, moderate sinking and no stuffiness. For comparison, density 0.04g / cm^ThreeAs a result of making a similar mattress with a foamed urethane plate having a thickness of 10 cm and placing it on the bed, the bed comfort was evaluated.
[0037]
【The invention's effect】
Wrapped fibers and heat-bonded fibers made of thermoplastic elastic resin as a heat-bonding component are entangled by fine three-dimensional crimping to form a three-dimensional structure. The contact points are fused and integrated to give elasticity, and both sides are flattened. Since the melting curve of the component made of thermoplastic elastomer resin measured with a differential scanning calorimeter has an endothermic peak at a temperature between room temperature and below melting point, vibration isolation, heat resistance, bulkiness and body shape retention are improved. It is a fiber-based wadding material for cushioning materials that has good sitting comfort and is hard to damp. For vehicles that have the above-mentioned desirable characteristics by being laminated on the cushion layer and covering the side or in combination with other materials Products such as seats, ship seats, vehicles, ships, commercial beds for hospitals and hotels, furniture cushions, bedding, etc. can be provided. Furthermore, it is also useful for interior materials and heat insulating materials for vehicles and building materials.

Claims

A crimped fiber that exhibits a three-dimensional crimp based on a latent crimping capacity of 1 to 10 denier and a soft segment content of 1 to 6 denier is 15% by weight to 80% by weight. a thermoplastic elastic resin thermal adhesive composite fibers with thermal bonding component is opened mixed, and the crimped fibers or Semmakichijimi fibers and thermal bonding fibers are three-dimensionally structured entangled by steric crimped is , A structure in which most of the contact points of the heat-bonding fibers or the heat-bonding fibers and the crimped fibers are fused and integrated, and the structure is substantially flat on both sides and has a thickness of 1 to 30 mm, apparent density is 0.01 to 0.10 g / cm ³ , and the thermoplastic elastic resin component has an endothermic peak in the melting curve measured with a differential scanning calorimeter in the range from room temperature to the melting point. Fiber-based wadding material.

The crimped fiber is a composite fiber, the fineness is 2 to 6 denier, the number of three-dimensional crimps based on the potential crimping ability is 20 to 60 / inch, and the degree of crimp is 15 to 50%. Item 10. A fiber-based wadding material according to Item 1.

The fiber-based wadding material according to claim 1, wherein the recovery rate at 25% elongation is 60% or more and the 70 ° C compression residual strain is 35% or less.

The fiber-based wadding material according to claim 1, wherein the wound fiber is a polyester fiber having a hollow cross section and / or a modified cross section, the heat-bonding fiber is made of polyester, and three-dimensional crimp is expressed.

The fiber-based wadding material according to claim 1, wherein the melting point of the adhesive component of the heat-bonding fiber is 150 to 220 ° C.

A crimped fiber made of a thermoplastic inelastic resin having a latent crimpability (1 / ρ) of 5 mm ⁻¹ or more and a thermoplastic elasticity having a soft segment content of 15 wt% or more and 80 wt% or less. A heat-bonding fiber having a composite structure containing a resin as a heat-bonding component is mixed and opened, and the heat-bonding fibers are dispersed in a wound fiber matrix that has not yet been crimped to form a three-dimensional structure. When heat-treating at a temperature 10 ° C to 40 ° C higher than the melting point of the adhesive component, a fine three-dimensional crimp was expressed in a crimped fiber that had not yet been crimped during the temperature rising process, and was entangled by a three-dimensional crimp to form a three-dimensional structure. After that, most of the contact portion with the heat-bonding fiber is melted with the heat-bonding component to form a heat-bonding point made of a thermoplastic elastic resin, and after cooling or continuously, at least 10 ° C. from the melting point of the heat-bonding component. A method for producing a fiber-based wadding material that is heat-treated at a lower temperature.

The method for treating a fiber-based wadding material according to claim 6, wherein annealing is performed at a temperature of at least 10 ° C. or less from the melting point of the thermoplastic elastic resin in a process from cooling to integral molding to commercialization.