JP7126680B2 - Knitted Resin Structure Shaping Machine, Knitted Resin Structure Manufacturing Apparatus, and Knitted Resin Structure Manufacturing Method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a knitted resin structure shaping machine, a knitted resin structure manufacturing apparatus, and a knitted resin structure manufacturing method that can be used for mattresses, cushion materials, daily necessities, and the like.

BACKGROUND ART A knitted resin structure having a network-like three-dimensional structure in which a large number of resins are randomly entangled and partially heat-sealed is used for mattresses and the like. A knitted resin structure can be obtained by cooling an aggregate of molten resin.
For example, in Patent Document 1, a molten thermoplastic resin is extruded downward from a plurality of nozzles, allowed to naturally descend between a pair of partially submerged belt conveyors, and pulled back at a slower speed than the descending speed to produce a three-dimensional network structure. The space between the pair of belt conveyors is narrower than the width of the extruded molten resin bundle, and both sides or one side of the molten resin bundle is in contact with the belt conveyor before the belt conveyor is submerged. A method of making a network is disclosed. In the three-dimensional network structure obtained by the manufacturing method described in Patent Document 1, the side surface that does not contact the belt conveyor has an uneven surface state where the resin protrudes, so the side surface is cut and finished to a predetermined size. . However, since the cross section of the cut resin appears on the side surface, the surface condition is not smooth, and there is a problem that the touch is not good and the cover is caught.
Patent Document 2 discloses a loop formation of a network structure composed of opposing chutes, water supply units that supply water to the surfaces of the chutes, and width setting plates that are provided facing each other so as to intersect the longitudinal direction of the chutes. An apparatus is disclosed. According to this method, the thickness of the network structure is determined by the width of the lower end of the valley of the shoot, and the width of the network structure is determined by the interval of the width setting plates, so that the side surface having a higher bulk density than the inner layer A network with layers is formed. However, it is required to increase the strength by increasing the bulk density of the side surfaces.

JP-A-11-241264 WO2012/035736

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a knitted resin structure shaping machine for shaping the side surfaces of a knitted resin structure into a smooth state by increasing the bulk density. Another object of the present invention is to provide a knitted resin structure manufacturing apparatus including the knitted resin structure shaping machine. It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for manufacturing a knitted resin structure in which the side surfaces of the knitted resin structure are smoothed by increasing the bulk density thereof.

The woven resin structure shaping machine of the present invention described in claim 1 has a network three-dimensional structure in which a large number of resins are randomly entangled and partially thermally welded, and the upper surface, lower surface and corners are smooth surface conditions. a heating chamber for heating a knitted resin structure formed on a side surface in a surface state in which the resin protrudes from the corner to 70 ° C. or more and 150 ° C. or less; and the knitted resin structure in the heating chamber. and a side surface shaping unit for shaping the side surface of the knitted resin structure, wherein the heated knitted resin structure is heated in the heating room so that the side surface is the side surface shaping unit. The side face of the knitted resin structure is shaped by sliding along the side face shaping portion so as to come into contact with each other.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the knitted resin structure shaping machine according to the first aspect, wherein a heating fluid discharging portion for discharging a heating fluid is disposed in the heating chamber, and the heating fluid is discharged from the heating chamber. The knitted resin structure is heated by discharging the heating fluid from a fluid discharge portion toward the knitted resin structure.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the knitted resin structure shaping machine according to the second aspect, the heating fluid discharged from the heating fluid discharging portion is steam.

The present invention according to claim 4 is the knitted resin structure shaping machine according to claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the heating fluid discharging part is directed toward the upper surface of the knitted resin structure. It is characterized by having an upper surface side fluid discharge portion for discharging fluid and a lower surface side fluid discharge portion for discharging the heating fluid toward the lower surface of the knitted resin structure.

The present invention according to claim 5 is the knitted resin structure shaping machine according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the side surface shaping section contacts one side surface of the knitted resin structure. It has a first side shaping portion and a second side shaping portion that contacts the other side surface of the knitted resin structure, and the distance between the first side shaping portion and the second side shaping portion is variable. characterized by

The present invention according to claim 6 is the knitted resin structure shaping machine according to claim 5, wherein the moving unit has a plurality of rotating bodies provided at predetermined intervals in the moving direction of the knitted resin structure. The knitted resin structure placed on the rotating body is moved by the rotation of the rotating body, and the side surface shaping portions are provided in a plurality of directions perpendicular to the moving direction of the knitted resin structure. wherein the rod-shaped body is arranged between the rotating bodies.

The present invention according to claim 7 is the knitted resin structure shaping machine according to claim 6, wherein the rod-shaped body is a round bar having a circular cross section, and rotates by contact with the side surface of the knitted resin structure. characterized by

The present invention according to claim 8 is the knitted resin structure shaping machine according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the knitted resin structure is heated in the heating chamber, and has an upper unevenness forming unit. The unevenness is formed on the upper surface of the knitted resin structure by the upper unevenness forming section when the body is slid along the side shaping section.

According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the knitted resin structure shaping machine according to the eighth aspect of the invention, wherein the upper surface unevenness forming unit includes a plurality of uneven pressers provided at predetermined intervals in the moving direction of the knitted resin structure. A rotating body is provided, and the unevenness is formed by pressing the upper surface of the knitted resin structure with the uneven pressing rotating body.

According to claim 10, there is provided a knitted resin structure manufacturing apparatus comprising: the knitted resin structure shaping machine according to any one of claims 1 to 9; and a knitted resin structure forming machine. The knitted resin structure forming machine includes a supply section for supplying molten resin, a linearization section for linearizing the molten resin supplied from the supply section by flowing it out from a hole, and a linearized resin structure forming machine. A cooling tank in which a cooling liquid for cooling the molten resin is stored, a guider part that guides the linear assembly of the molten resin to the cooling tank while compressing it in the thickness direction, and the assembly of the molten resin. A knitted resin structure having a network-like three-dimensional structure in which a large number of resins are randomly entangled and partially heat-sealed, which is formed by cooling the body with the cooling liquid, and is sent out of the cooling bath. The guider section is provided with a corner forming section for compressing a region forming a corner of the knitted resin structure in the aggregate, and the guider section sent out of the cooling tank by the sending section. The knitted resin structure has an upper surface and a lower surface which are formed in a smooth surface state by compression in the guider section, the corners which are formed in a smooth surface state by compression in the corner forming section, and the resin is formed from the corners. The knitted resin structure shaping machine shapes the side surfaces of the knitted resin structure sent out of the cooling tank.

According to the eleventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided the knitted resin structure manufacturing apparatus of the tenth aspect, wherein the knitted resin structure forming machine determines the type of the molten resin flowing out from the linearizing section to the aggregate. The knitted resin structure is characterized by forming the knitted resin structure having a laminated structure in which the types of resins of adjacent layers are different by varying the thicknesses for each predetermined thickness.

According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the knitted resin structure manufacturing apparatus according to the tenth or eleventh aspect, further comprising a cooling machine for cooling the knitted resin structure, The woven resin structure sent out from the greenhouse is cooled by the cooler.

According to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the knitted resin structure manufacturing apparatus according to the twelfth aspect of the invention, wherein a cooling fluid discharging portion for discharging a cooling fluid is arranged in the cooler, and the cooling fluid discharging portion The woven resin structure is cooled by discharging the cooling fluid from the woven resin structure toward the woven resin structure.

In the method for manufacturing a knitted resin structure according to claim 14 of the present invention, an assembly formed by gathering linear molten resin is cooled with a cooling liquid stored in a cooling tank, and a large number of resins are randomly entangled. A knitted resin structure manufacturing method for forming a knitted resin structure having a mesh-like three-dimensional structure in which joints are partially heat-sealed, wherein the assembly falling toward the cooling tank is guided by a guider in the thickness direction. In addition, by compressing the corner regions of the knitted resin structure in the assembly by the corner forming part provided in the guider part, the upper surface, the lower surface and the forming the knitted resin structure having a corner and a side surface on which the resin protrudes from the corner; sending the knitted resin structure out of the cooling tank; The knitted resin structure delivered to the outside is heated to 70 ° C. or more and 150 ° C. or less, and the warmed knitted resin structure is slid along the side shaping portion so that the side surface contacts the side shaping portion. The side surface of the knitted resin structure is shaped by moving.

According to a fifteenth aspect of the present invention, in the method for manufacturing a knitted resin structure according to the fourteenth aspect, when the warmed knitted resin structure is slid along the side shaping portion, the knitted resin structure unevenness is formed on the upper surface of the

The present invention according to claim 16 is the knitted resin structure manufacturing method according to claim 14 or 15, characterized in that the knitted resin structure is heated to shape the side surface, and then cooled. do.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a knitted resin structure shaping machine for shaping the side surface of a knitted resin structure into a smooth state by increasing the bulk density. Further, it is possible to provide a knitted resin structure manufacturing apparatus equipped with the knitted resin structure shaping machine. Further, it is possible to provide a method for manufacturing a knitted resin structure in which the side surface of the knitted resin structure is shaped into a smooth state by increasing the bulk density.

1 is a configuration diagram of a knitted resin structure manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. A view showing the bottom surface of the linearization part Top view of the same guider Structural diagram of the homoangulation part FIG. 2 is a front view of a knitted resin structure formed by the same knitted resin structure forming machine; Configuration diagram of the same knitting resin structure shaping machine Front view of the same cooler viewed from the inlet side FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a knitted resin structure shaping machine according to another embodiment of the present invention; Diagram showing an example of a body of rotation

A knitted resin structure shaping machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention comprises a heating chamber for heating a knitted resin structure to 70 ° C. or more and 150 ° C. or less, and a moving section for moving the knitted resin structure in the heating chamber. and a side surface shaping section for shaping the side surface of the knitted resin structure, and in the heating room, the heated knitted resin structure is slid along the side surface shaping section so that the side surface contacts the side surface shaping section. Thus, the side surface of the knitted resin structure is shaped.
According to the present embodiment, it is possible to perform side shaping on a knitted resin structure having uneven surface conditions on the side surfaces, and to shape the side surfaces into a smooth state with a higher bulk density. In addition, the knitted resin structure can be annealed concurrently therewith.

According to a second embodiment of the present invention, in the knitted resin structure shaping machine according to the first embodiment, a heating fluid discharge section for discharging a heating fluid is disposed in the heating chamber, and the heating fluid The knitted resin structure is heated by discharging the heating fluid from the discharge part toward the knitted resin structure.
According to this embodiment, the knitted resin structure can be directly heated by using the heating fluid.

According to a third embodiment of the present invention, in the knitted resin structure shaping machine according to the second embodiment, steam is used as the heating fluid discharged from the heating fluid discharging portion.
According to this embodiment, the knitted resin structure can be heated more uniformly.

A fourth embodiment of the present invention is the knitted resin structure shaping machine according to the second or third embodiment, wherein the heating fluid discharging section discharges a warming fluid toward the upper surface of the knitted resin structure. and a lower surface side fluid emitting portion for discharging the heating fluid toward the lower surface of the knitted resin structure.
According to this embodiment, the knitted resin structure can be heated more uniformly by applying the heating fluid to the knitted resin structure from two directions above and below.

According to a fifth embodiment of the present invention, in the knitted resin structure shaping machine according to any one of the first to fourth embodiments, the side surface shaping section has a first side surface that contacts one side surface of the knitted resin structure. It has a shaping portion and a second side shaping portion that contacts the other side surface of the knitted resin structure, and the interval between the first side shaping portion and the second side shaping portion is variable.
According to the present embodiment, it is possible to adjust the distance between the first side shaping portion and the second side shaping portion according to the width of the knitted resin structure, which makes it easier to shape the side surface of the knitted resin structure.

A sixth embodiment of the present invention is the knitted resin structure shaping machine according to the fifth embodiment, wherein the moving unit has a plurality of rotating bodies provided at predetermined intervals in the moving direction of the knitted resin structure, The knitted resin structure placed on the rotating body is moved by the rotation of the rotating body, and the side shaping part is a plurality of rod-shaped bodies provided perpendicular to the moving direction of the knitted resin structure, A movable rod-like body is arranged between the rotating bodies.
According to this embodiment, the distance between the first side shaping portion and the second side shaping portion can be adjusted by moving the rod-shaped body between the rotating bodies.

According to a seventh embodiment of the present invention, in the knitted resin structure shaping machine according to the sixth embodiment, the rod-shaped body is a round bar having a circular cross section and is rotated by contact with the side surface of the knitted resin structure. is.
According to this embodiment, it is possible to prevent the rod-shaped body and the knitted resin structure from being caught, and to smoothly move the knitted resin structure.

An eighth embodiment of the present invention is a knitted resin structure shaping machine according to any one of the first to seventh embodiments, wherein the knitted resin structure shaping machine is provided with an upper unevenness forming section, and the knitted resin structure heated in a heating room is The upper surface unevenness forming portion forms unevenness on the upper surface of the knitted resin structure when the knitted resin structure is slid along the shaping portion.
According to this embodiment, in addition to the annealing treatment and the shaping of the side surfaces, the uneven formation of the upper surface can be simultaneously performed on the knitted resin structure.

A ninth embodiment of the present invention is the knitted resin structure shaping machine according to the eighth embodiment, wherein the upper surface unevenness forming unit includes a plurality of uneven pressing rotations provided at predetermined intervals in the moving direction of the knitted resin structure. The unevenness is formed by pressing the upper surface of the knitted resin structure with the uneven pressing rotating body.
According to this embodiment, it is possible to form unevenness on the upper surface of the knitted resin structure by the pressing rotary body with unevenness.

A tenth embodiment of the present invention is a knitted resin structure shaping machine according to any one of the first to ninth embodiments, and includes a cooling machine for cooling the knitted resin structure, and A cooler is used to cool the resin structure.
According to this embodiment, the resin of the knitted resin structure can be stabilized.

According to an eleventh embodiment of the present invention, in the knitted resin structure shaping machine according to the tenth embodiment, a cooling fluid discharging section for discharging a cooling fluid is arranged in the cooler, and the cooling fluid discharging section The knitted resin structure is cooled by discharging a cooling fluid toward the knitted resin structure.
According to this embodiment, the knitted resin structure can be directly cooled by using the cooling fluid.

A knitted resin structure forming machine according to a twelfth embodiment of the present invention includes a supply section that supplies molten resin, and a linearization section that linearizes the molten resin supplied from the supply section by causing it to flow out through holes. A cooling tank in which a cooling liquid for cooling the linear molten resin is stored, a guider part that guides the linear molten resin assembly to the cooling tank while compressing it in the thickness direction, and the molten resin a feeding section for feeding out of the cooling tank the knitted resin structure formed by cooling the assembly of the above with a cooling liquid, and the guider section includes corners and corners of the knitted resin structure of the assembly. The knitted resin structure fed out of the cooling tank by the feeder has an upper surface and a lower surface smoothed by compression in the guider, and the corner formed portion. It has corners formed in a smooth surface state by compression in the step and side surfaces formed in a non-uniform surface state in which the resin protrudes from the corners.
According to this embodiment, it is possible to form a knitted resin structure having corners formed in a smooth surface state and side surfaces formed in a non-uniform surface state in which the resin protrudes from the corners.

A thirteenth embodiment of the present invention is a knitted resin structure forming machine according to the twelfth embodiment, in which the type of molten resin flowing out from the linearizing section is varied for each predetermined thickness of the aggregate, thereby forming adjacent resin structures. A knitted resin structure having a laminated structure in which the types of resin between the layers are different is formed.
According to this embodiment, it is possible to form a knitted resin structure having a multi-layer laminated structure.

A knitted resin structure manufacturing apparatus according to a fourteenth embodiment of the present invention comprises a knitted resin structure forming machine according to the twelfth or thirteenth embodiment and a knitted resin structure according to any one of the first to eleventh embodiments. and a body shaping machine.
According to this embodiment, a knitted resin structure having corners formed in a smooth surface state and side surfaces formed in a non-uniform surface state in which the resin protrudes from the corners is formed, and the knitted resin structure , the side surface can be shaped into a smooth state with a higher bulk density. In addition, the knitted resin structure can be annealed concurrently therewith.

A knitted resin structure manufacturing method according to a fifteenth embodiment of the present invention forms a knitted resin structure by cooling an assembly formed by gathering linear molten resin with a cooling liquid stored in a cooling tank. In the knitted resin structure manufacturing method, the aggregate falling toward the cooling tank is compressed in the thickness direction, and the regions of the aggregate that become the corners of the knitted resin structure are compressed to smooth the forming a knitted resin structure having an upper surface, a lower surface, and corners formed in a uniform surface state and side surfaces formed in an uneven surface state in which the resin protrudes from the corners; The knitted resin structure delivered to the outside of the cooling tank is heated to 70 ° C. or more and 150 ° C. or less, and the side surface of the heated knitted resin structure is brought into contact with the side shaping portion. The side surface of the knitted resin structure is shaped by sliding along the .
According to this embodiment, a knitted resin structure having corners formed in a smooth surface state and side surfaces formed in a non-uniform surface state in which the resin protrudes from the corners is formed, and the knitted resin structure , the side surface can be shaped into a smooth state with a higher bulk density. In addition, the knitted resin structure can be annealed concurrently therewith.

A sixteenth embodiment of the present invention is a method for manufacturing a knitted resin structure according to the fifteenth embodiment, wherein when the heated knitted resin structure is slid along the side shaping portion, the upper surface of the knitted resin structure is It forms unevenness.
According to this embodiment, in addition to the annealing treatment and the shaping of the side surfaces, the uneven formation of the upper surface can be simultaneously performed on the knitted resin structure.

A seventeenth embodiment of the present invention is a method of manufacturing a knitted resin structure according to the fifteenth or sixteenth embodiment, in which the knitted resin structure is heated to shape the side surface, and then cooled.
According to this embodiment, the resin of the knitted resin structure can be stabilized.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a knitted resin structure manufacturing apparatus.
A knitted resin structure manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a knitted resin structure forming machine 1 , a knitted resin structure shaping machine 2 , and a cooling machine 3 .
In the knitted resin structure forming machine 1, the molten resin is made into a linear shape and poured down, and the linear molten resin assembly 4 is immersed in a liquid and cooled, so that a large number of resins are randomly entangled. A knitted resin structure 5 having a net-like three-dimensional structure that is thermally welded is continuously formed.
The knitted resin structure shaping machine 2 performs annealing and lateral shaping on the knitted resin structure 5 formed by the knitted resin structure forming machine 1 .
The cooler 3 cools the knitted resin structure 5 annealed and laterally shaped by the knitted resin structure shaping machine 2 to stabilize the resin.
The completed knitted resin structure 5 is used as a mattress, a cushion, or the like.

The knitted resin structure forming machine 1 includes a supply section 10 for supplying molten resin, a linearization section 20 for linearizing the molten resin, and a cooling liquid for cooling the linear molten resin. A cooling bath 30, a guider portion 40 through which a linear assembly 4 of molten resin flowing down from the linearization unit 20 toward the cooling bath 30 passes, and a cooling bath formed by cooling the assembly 4 with a cooling liquid. A lead-in section 50 for drawing the knitted resin structure 5 to the bottom side of the cooling tank 30 and a sending section 60 for sending the knitted resin structure 5 out of the cooling tank 30 are provided.

The supply unit 10 melt-kneads a thermoplastic resin at a predetermined temperature to obtain a molten resin, extrudes the molten resin at a predetermined extrusion speed, and supplies the molten resin to the linearization unit 20 .
As the thermoplastic resin, for example, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, polyvinyl acetate, polytetrafluoroethylene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene resin, etc. are used singly or in combination.
The supply unit 10 has a first resin supply unit 10A that supplies the first resin and a second resin supply unit 10B that supplies the second resin. When the knitted resin structure 5 has a two-layer laminated structure in which the first layer and the second layer in the thickness direction are different in type such as resin material or color, the first resin supply unit 10A and the second resin supply The material or color of the resin to be supplied is made different from that of the part 10B.

A lead-in section 50 and a delivery section 60 are arranged in the cooling bath 30 .
The lead-in portion 50 is arranged at a position where the assembly 4 that has passed through the guider portion 40 flows down into the cooling bath 30 . The lead-in section 50 has a plurality of pairs of rotating bodies in the vertical direction, each of which includes an upper surface-side rotating body 51 that contacts the upper surface of the knitted resin structure 5 and a lower surface-side rotating body 52 that contacts the lower surface of the knitted resin structure 5 . . The upper rotating body 51 and the lower rotating body 52 are columnar rollers, and are arranged so that their longitudinal directions are horizontal. The distance between the upper rotating body 51 and the lower rotating body 52 is substantially the same as the thickness of the assembly 4 that has passed through the guider portion 40 .
The delivery section 60 has an inclined conveyor 61 . The lower end of the inclined conveyor 61 is positioned below the lead-in portion 50 . The knitted resin structure 5 pulled into the bottom side of the cooling tank 30 is lifted obliquely upward by the inclined conveyor 61 and sent out of the cooling tank 30 . Incidentally, instead of the inclined conveyor 61, a rotating body such as a roller can be used to pull up the knitted resin structure 5 and send it out of the cooling tank 30. FIG.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the bottom surface of the linearization unit 20. As shown in FIG.
The linearization unit 20 has a receiving port at its top for receiving the molten resin extruded from the supply unit 10, and has an outflow port at its bottom for outflowing the received molten resin. A plurality of small holes are arranged in a rectangular shape in the outflow port. The molten resin supplied from the supply unit 10 flows out from the small holes 21 and becomes linear.
The interior of the linearizing section 20 is divided into a first section 20A containing resin supplied from the first resin supply section 10A and a second section 20B containing resin supplied from the second resin supply section 10B. 22. As a result, the type of molten resin flowing out from the linearization section 20 is made different for each predetermined thickness of the assembly 4, and the knitted resin structure having a two-layer laminated structure in which the types of resins between adjacent layers are different. 5 can be formed. Further, as in this embodiment, when the diameter or the number of the small holes are different between the first section 20A and the second section 20B, the knitted resin structure 5 is divided into the resin diameters of the adjacent layers. Alternatively, a laminated structure of two layers having different types such as bulk density can be used. It is also possible to divide the interior of the linearized portion 20 into three or more sections to form the knitted resin structure 5 having a laminated structure of three or more layers.
The linear molten resin flowing out from each small hole 21 forms a substantially rectangular aggregate 4 and flows down toward the cooling tank 30 .

3 is a top view of the guider portion 40. FIG.
The guider section 40 is arranged between the linearization section 20 and the cooling bath 30 . The guider part 40 guides the assembly 4 to the cooling bath 30 while compressing it in the thickness direction.
The guider part 40 is arranged at a position where a first inclined plate 41 is arranged in the aggregate 4 at a position in contact with a region serving as the upper surface of the knitted resin structure 5, and at a position in contact with a region serving as the lower surface of the knitted resin structure 5. It has a second inclined plate 42 arranged thereon. The assembly 4 passes between the first inclined plate 41 and the second inclined plate 42 .
The first sloping plate 41 and the second sloping plate 42 are arranged facing each other, and the gap between them gradually narrows from the top to the bottom. The upper spacing is greater than the thickness of the assembly 4 before reaching the guider portion 40 and the lower spacing is less than the thickness of the assembly 4 before reaching the guider portion 40 . Therefore, after passing between the first inclined plate 41 and the second inclined plate 42, the aggregate 4 has a smaller thickness than before passing.
In addition, the area of the aggregate 4 that has passed through the guider portion 40 while being compressed by contact with the first inclined plate 41 or the second inclined plate 42 flows into the cooling tank 30 after the surface is leveled by the contact. , the area that has passed through the guider portion 40 without contacting the first inclined plate 41 or the second inclined plate 42 flows into the cooling tank 30 as it is without the surface being leveled. As a result, the knitted resin structure 5 formed by cooling the assembly 4 with the liquid in the cooling bath 30 has smooth upper and lower surfaces, and uneven surface conditions in which the resin protrudes from the side surfaces. becomes.
In the guider portion 40, two corner forming portions 70 are provided between the first inclined plate 41 and the second inclined plate 42 for forming the corners of the knitted resin structure 5 in a smooth surface state. there is The corner forming portions 70 are arranged at positions through which the four corners of the assembly 4 pass.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of the corner forming section 70. As shown in FIG.
The corner forming part 70 includes a first corner forming part 71 that contacts a region of the assembly 4 that is the corner between the upper surface and the side surface of the knitted resin structure 5 , and the lower surface of the knitted resin structure 5 of the assembly 4 . It has a second angled portion 72 that contacts the area that forms the corner with the side surface. The first angled portion 71 and the second angled portion 72 are slanted downward. Areas of the aggregate 4 that form the corners of the knitted resin structure 5 are compressed by contact with the corner forming portion 70 when the aggregate 4 passes through the guider portion 40 . As a result, the corners of the knitted resin structure 5 formed by cooling the assembly 4 have a smooth surface.
A space 73 is formed between the first angled portion 71 and the second angled portion 72 . A region of the assembly 4 that becomes the side surface of the knitted resin structure 5 passes through the space 73 and therefore flows down to the cooling tank 30 without being compressed by the corner forming portion 70 .
The corner forming portion 70 includes a first mounting portion 74 provided in contact with the outside of the first corner forming portion 71 and a second mounting portion 75 provided in contact with the outside of the second corner forming portion 72 . have The angle forming portion 70 can be attached to the guider portion 40 by locking the first mounting portion 74 to the first inclined plate 41 and locking the second mounting portion 75 to the second inclined plate 42 .
In addition, the corner forming portion 70 has a bridge portion 76 spanning the space 73 at its rear end. One end of the bridging portion 76 is fixed to the first mounting portion 74 , and the other end of the bridging portion 75 is fixed to the second mounting portion 75 .

FIG. 5 is a front view of the knitted resin structure 5 formed by the knitted resin structure forming machine 1. As shown in FIG.
The knitted resin structure 5 has a two-layer laminated structure having a first layer and a second layer formed of a different resin from the first layer.
The upper surface 5A, the lower surface 5B, and the corners 5D of the knitted resin structure 5 are compressed by contact with the guider portion 40 or the corner forming portion 70 and have a smooth surface state. On the other hand, since the side surface 5C is not formed by compression, it has an uneven surface state in which the resin protrudes from the corner.

6A and 6B are configuration diagrams of a knitted resin structure shaping machine 2 according to this embodiment, FIG. 6A being a front view seen from the inlet side, and FIG. 6B being a side view.
The knitted resin structure 5 delivered to the outside of the cooling tank 30 is sent to the knitted resin structure shaping machine 2 while the side surface is in a non-uniform surface state. The knitted resin structure 5 to be sent may be in a long state after being cut to a predetermined length by a cutting machine (not shown) or before being cut.
The knitted resin structure shaping machine 2 performs annealing and side surface shaping on the knitted resin structure 5 fed thereto.
The knitted resin structure shaping machine 2 includes a heating chamber 110 that heats the knitted resin structure 5, a moving unit 120 that moves the knitted resin structure 5 in the heating chamber 110, and a side surface of the knitted resin structure 5. A side face shaping portion 130 is provided for. In addition, in FIG. 6B, the housing of the heating chamber 110 is omitted in order to show the configuration inside the heating chamber 110. As shown in FIG.

The heating chamber 110 is provided with one opening 110A and the other opening 110B. The knitted resin structure 5 is fed into the heating chamber 110 from one opening 110A and sent out from the other opening 110B. The white arrow in FIG. 6(b) indicates the moving direction of the knitted resin structure 5. As shown in FIG. The knitted resin structure 5 moves in the heating chamber 110 with its upper surface facing upward.
The temperature applied to the knitted resin structure 5 in the heating chamber 110 is a temperature suitable for the annealing treatment and a temperature at which the resin constituting the knitted resin structure 5 becomes soft. Although this temperature is set according to the type of resin, it is preferably 70 ° C. or higher and 150 ° C. or lower, more preferably 90 ° C. or higher and 100 ° C. or lower. Further, by performing the annealing treatment for a predetermined time, an effect of reducing the deterioration of the cushioning properties of the knitted resin structure 5 due to use can be obtained, but the effect saturates when the annealing treatment time exceeds a certain period. Therefore, the heating time is preferably 1 minute or more and 5 minutes or less, and more preferably 1 minute 30 seconds or more and 2 minutes or less.

A heating fluid discharge part 111 for discharging a heating fluid is provided in the heating chamber 110, and the heating fluid discharged from the heating fluid discharge part 111 toward the knitted resin structure 5 The knitted resin structure 5 is heated by. By using the heating fluid, the knitted resin structure 5 can be directly heated.
Preferably, the warming fluid is steam. By using steam, the knitted resin structure 5 can be heated more uniformly.
The heating fluid discharge section 111 includes an upper surface side fluid discharge section 111A that discharges the heating fluid toward the upper surface of the knitted resin structure 5, and a heating fluid discharger that discharges the heating fluid toward the lower surface of the knitted resin structure 5. It has a lower surface side fluid discharge portion 111B. The upper surface side fluid discharge part 111A is arranged in the upper part inside the heating chamber 110, and the lower surface side fluid discharge part 111B is arranged in the lower part inside the heating room 110. As shown in FIG. The upper surface side fluid discharge portion 111A and the lower surface side fluid discharge portion 111B in this embodiment are steam pipes in which a plurality of discharge ports are provided at predetermined intervals. High-temperature steam flows through the steam pipe, and the high-temperature steam is released from the outlet. As a result, high-temperature steam can be applied to the knitted resin structure 5 from above and below, and the knitted resin structure 5 can be heated more uniformly. The dotted arrow in FIG. 6(b) indicates the discharge direction of the high-temperature steam.

The moving unit 120 moves the knitted resin structure 5 to the other opening 110B that serves as an exit. The moving speed of the knitted resin structure 5 is set based on the heating time described above.
The moving part 120 has a plurality of rotating bodies 121 provided at predetermined intervals in the moving direction of the knitted resin structure 5 . The rotating body 121 is arranged in the lower part of the heating chamber 110, and the knitted resin structure 5 is mounted on the rotating body 121 facing upward. The rotating body 121 is, for example, a cylindrical rubber roller. A power source (not shown) is connected to the rotating body 121, and the rotating body 121 to which power is applied rotates on the spot. As a result, the knitted resin structure 5 placed on the rotating body 121 moves toward the opening 110B.
Note that a belt conveyor or the like may be used instead of the rotating body 121 to move the knitted resin structure 5 . Further, the rotating body 121 can also be provided in the upper part of the heating chamber 110 so that the knitted resin structure 5 can be moved while sandwiching it from the upper surface side and the lower surface side.

The side shaping portion 130 has a first side shaping portion 131 that contacts one side surface of the knitted resin structure 5 and a second side shaping portion 132 that contacts the other side surface of the knitted resin structure 5 . At least one of the first side shaping portion 131 and the second side shaping portion 132 is configured to be movable so that the interval between the side shaping portions 130 (the interval between the first side shaping portion 131 and the second side shaping portion 132) can be changed. It is As a result, the first side shaping portion 131 or the second side shaping portion 132 can be moved according to the width of the knitted resin structure 5 to adjust the interval between the side shaping portions 130. Makes it easier to shape the sides.
The side shaping portions 130 are a plurality of rod-shaped bodies provided perpendicularly to the moving direction of the knitted resin structure 5 . The bar is preferably a stainless steel round bar with a circular cross section.
The rod-shaped body is movably arranged between the rotating bodies 121 and 121 . By moving the rod-shaped body between the rotating bodies 121 and 121, the interval between the side surface shaping portions 130 can be adjusted.
The rod-like body is rotatable by being held by a holding plate (not shown) via a bearing at its lower end, and is rotated by contact with the side surface of the knitted resin structure 5 moving toward the opening 110B. do. As a result, the rod-shaped body and the knitted resin structure 5 can be prevented from being caught, and the knitted resin structure 5 can be moved smoothly.

The knitted resin structure shaping machine 2 configured as described above can anneal the knitted resin structure 5 in the heating chamber 110, thereby reducing the decrease in the cushioning properties of the knitted resin structure 5 due to use. be able to.
Further, concurrently with the annealing treatment, the knitted resin structure 5 in a state where the resin is softened by heating is slid along the side shaping portion 130 so that the side surface is in contact with the side shaping portion 130, The side surface of the knitted resin structure 5 can be shaped. As a result, of the surface of the knitted resin structure 5, the uneven side surface where the resin protrudes from the corner is compressed and shaped by the contact with the side surface shaping portion 130, and becomes a smooth surface state. At this time, the side surface of the knitted resin structure 5 is pressed together with the protruding resin and finished to a predetermined size. Also, the strength can be increased by increasing the bulk density of the side surface. In particular, when the knitted resin structure 5 has a two-layer laminated structure as in the present embodiment, the first layer and the second layer appearing on the side surface, for example, when the knitted resin structure 5 is exhibited at a store. Some mischievous attempts are made to separate the first layer from the second layer by applying force to the boundary between the layers, and this is a very effective means of countering such attempts.

FIG. 7 is a front view of the cooler 140 viewed from the inlet side.
The cooler 140 is provided with a cooling fluid discharge part 141 for discharging cooling fluid in the upper part of the housing, and a cooling fluid receiving part 142 as a receiving tray for the discharged cooling fluid is provided in the lower part of the housing. . The temperature of the cooling fluid discharged from the cooling fluid discharge portion 141 is set to 0 ° C. or more and 35 ° C. or less. Between the cooling fluid discharge part 141 and the cooling fluid receiving part 142, a cooler inside moving part 143 for moving the knitted resin structure 5 inside the cooler 140 is provided. The in-cooler moving part 143 has a plurality of cylindrical rubber rollers, and the rubber rollers powered by a power source (not shown) rotate on the spot.
In the cooler 140, the knitted resin structure 5 sent out from the heating chamber 110 is placed upward on the cooler-inside moving section 143, and is cooled by the cooling fluid falling from above while moving toward the outlet. be. By cooling the knitted resin structure 5 that has been annealed in the heating chamber 110, the resin can be stabilized. Further, by using the cooling liquid, the knitted resin structure 5 can be directly cooled.

Next, a knitted resin structure shaping machine according to another embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that members having the same functions as those of the above-described embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and descriptions thereof are omitted.
8A and 8B are configuration diagrams of a knitted resin structure shaping machine according to another embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 8A being a front view seen from the entrance side, and FIG. 8B being a side view.
A knitted resin structure shaping machine 200 in this embodiment differs from the above-described embodiments in that it includes an upper unevenness forming section 210 . In the knitted resin structure shaping machine 200, when the warmed knitted resin structure 5 is slid along the side shaping portion 130 in the heating chamber 110, the upper surface unevenness forming portion 210 moves the knitted resin structure 3 to the upper surface side. By pressing from the upper surface of the knitted resin structure 5, unevenness is formed. As a result, in addition to the annealing treatment and the shaping of the side surface of the knitted resin structure 5, the formation of unevenness on the upper surface can be performed simultaneously.
The upper unevenness forming section 210 has a plurality of uneven pressing rotating bodies 211 provided at predetermined intervals in the movement direction of the knitted resin structure 5 in the upper part of the heating chamber 110 . The uneven pressing rotary body 211 is, for example, a cylindrical roller. A power source (not shown) is connected to the rugged pressing rotor 211, and the rugged pressing rotator 211 to which the power is applied rotates on the spot. As a result, unevenness is formed on the upper surface of the knitted resin structure 5, and the knitted resin structure 5 can be moved while being sandwiched between the pressing rotating body 211 with unevenness and the rotating body 121 of the moving section 120. FIG. The rotating body 211 is configured to be able to move up and down, and can be moved up and down according to the thickness of the knitted resin structure 5 .

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of the rotating body 211. As shown in FIG.
An uneven portion is formed on the surface of the rotating body 211 , and the uneven portion forms an uneven upper surface of the knitted resin structure 5 .
FIG. 9(a) is a diagram showing a first example of the uneven portion, the left side being a front view and the right side being a side view. In the first example, a plurality of annular ring portions 220A are provided on the outer circumference of the rotating body 211 . The upper surface of the knitted resin structure 5 is formed with unevenness by forming grooves where it contacts the ring portion 220A.
FIG. 9(b) is a diagram showing a second example of the uneven portion, the left side being a front view and the right side being a side view.
In the second example, a plurality of linear protrusions 220B extending in the longitudinal direction are provided on the outer periphery of the rotor 211 . The upper surface of the knitted resin structure 5 is formed with unevenness by forming grooves where the linear protrusions 220B come into contact with each other.
FIG. 9(c) is a diagram showing a third example of the uneven portion, the left side being a front view and the right side being a side view.
In the third example, a plurality of circular protrusions 220C are provided on the outer circumference of the rotating body 211 . The upper surface of the knitted resin structure 5 is formed with unevenness by forming grooves where the circular protrusions 220C come into contact with each other.
FIG. 9(d) is a diagram showing a fourth example of the uneven portion, the left side being a front view and the right side being a side view.
In the fourth example, a plurality of circular holes 220</b>D are provided on the outer circumference of the rotating body 211 . The upper surface of the knitted resin structure 5 has projections and depressions formed at portions that come into contact with the circular holes 220D.

1 Knitted resin structure forming machine 2 Knitted resin structure shaping machine 3 Cooling machine 4 Aggregate 5 Knitted resin structure 10 Supply part 20 Linearization part 21 Hole 30 Cooling tank 40 Guider part 50 Pull-in part 60 Sending part 70 Angle formation Part 110 Heating room 111 Heating fluid discharge part 111A Top side fluid discharge part 111B Bottom side fluid discharge part 120 Moving part 121 Rotating body 130 Side face shaping part 131 First side face shaping part 132 Second side face shaping part 141 Cooling fluid release Part 210 Upper surface unevenness forming part 211 Pressing rotary body with unevenness

Claims (16)

It has a network-like three-dimensional structure in which a large number of resins are randomly entangled and partially thermally fused, the upper surface, the lower surface, and the corners are formed in a smooth surface state, and the resin protrudes from the corners on the side surfaces. a heating room for heating the knitted resin structure formed in the state to 70 ° C. or more and 150 ° C. or less;
a moving unit that moves the knitted resin structure in the heating room;
a side surface shaping section for shaping the side surface of the knitted resin structure;
In the heating chamber, the side surface of the knitted resin structure is shaped by sliding the heated knitted resin structure along the side surface shaping portion so that the side surface contacts the side surface shaping portion. A knitted resin structure shaping machine characterized by: A heating fluid discharge unit for discharging a heating fluid is disposed in the heating chamber,
2. The knitted resin structure according to claim 1, wherein the knitted resin structure is heated by discharging the heating fluid from the heating fluid discharging portion toward the knitted resin structure. body shaper. 3. The machine for shaping a knitted resin structure according to claim 2, wherein the heating fluid discharged from the heating fluid discharging portion is steam. The heating fluid discharge part includes an upper surface side fluid discharge part that discharges the heating fluid toward the upper surface of the knitted resin structure, and a heating fluid that discharges the heating fluid toward the lower surface of the knitted resin structure. 4. The machine for shaping a knitted resin structure according to claim 2, further comprising a lower surface side fluid discharging portion for discharging the fluid. The side shaping portion has a first side shaping portion that contacts one side surface of the knitted resin structure and a second side shaping portion that contacts the other side surface of the knitted resin structure,
The knitted resin structure shaping machine according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the distance between the first side shaping section and the second side shaping section is variable. The moving unit has a plurality of rotating bodies provided at predetermined intervals in the movement direction of the knitted resin structure, and moves the knitted resin structure placed on the rotating bodies by rotating the rotating bodies. is a
The side shaping part is a plurality of rod-shaped bodies provided perpendicular to the movement direction of the knitted resin structure,
6. The machine for shaping a knitted resin structure according to claim 5, wherein said movable rod-shaped body is arranged between said rotating bodies. 7. The knitted resin structure shaping machine according to claim 6, wherein the rod-shaped body is a round bar having a circular cross section and is rotated by contact with the side surface of the knitted resin structure. An upper unevenness forming portion is provided, and when the knitted resin structure heated in the heating chamber is slid along the side shaping portion, unevenness is formed on the upper surface of the knitted resin structure by the upper unevenness forming portion. The knitted resin structure shaping machine according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: The upper surface unevenness forming unit has a plurality of uneven pressing rotary bodies provided at predetermined intervals in the moving direction of the knitted resin structure,
9. The knitted resin structure shaping machine according to claim 8, wherein the unevenness is formed by pressing the upper surface of the knitted resin structure with the uneven pressing rotating body. a knitted resin structure shaping machine according to any one of claims 1 to 9;
and a knitted resin structure forming machine,
The knitted resin structure forming machine includes:
a supply unit for supplying molten resin;
a linearization unit that linearizes the molten resin supplied from the supply unit by causing it to flow out through holes;
a cooling tank in which a cooling liquid for cooling the linear molten resin is stored;
a guider section that guides the linear assembly of the molten resin to the cooling tank while compressing it in the thickness direction;
A knitted resin structure having a network-like three-dimensional structure in which a large number of resins are randomly entangled and partially thermally welded, which is formed by cooling the assembly of the molten resin with the cooling liquid. A delivery unit for delivering out of the tank,
The guider section is provided with a corner forming section for compressing a region forming a corner of the knitted resin structure in the assembly,
The knitted resin structure delivered to the outside of the cooling tank by the delivery section has an upper surface and a lower surface that are formed into smooth surfaces by compression in the guider section, and a smooth surface state by compression in the corner forming section. and a side surface formed in a surface state in which the resin protrudes from the corner,
The knitted resin structure manufacturing apparatus, wherein the knitted resin structure shaping machine shapes the side surface of the knitted resin structure sent out of the cooling tank. The knitted resin structure forming machine forms a laminated structure in which adjacent layers are different in type of resin by varying the type of the molten resin flowing out from the linearizing section for each predetermined thickness of the assembly. 11. The apparatus for manufacturing a knitted resin structure according to claim 10, wherein the knitted resin structure having a structure is formed. A cooling machine for cooling the knitted resin structure,
12. The knitted resin structure manufacturing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the knitted resin structure sent out from the heating chamber of the knitted resin structure shaping machine is cooled by the cooling machine. A cooling fluid discharge unit for discharging a cooling fluid is arranged in the cooler,
13. The knitted resin structure manufacturing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the knitted resin structure is cooled by discharging the cooling fluid from the cooling fluid discharge unit toward the knitted resin structure. . Knitted resin having a network-like three-dimensional structure in which a large number of resins are randomly entangled and partially thermally welded by cooling an aggregate formed by aggregating linear molten resins with a cooling liquid stored in a cooling tank. A knitted resin structure manufacturing method for forming a structure, comprising:
The aggregate falling toward the cooling tank is compressed in the thickness direction by a guider section, and a corner forming area of the aggregate that becomes a corner of the knitted resin structure is provided in the guider section. forming the knitted resin structure having an upper surface, a lower surface, and corners formed in a smooth surface state and side surfaces formed in a surface state in which the resin protrudes from the corners by compressing with a part;
delivering the knitted resin structure to the outside of the cooling bath;
The knitted resin structure delivered to the outside of the cooling tank is heated to 70 ° C. or more and 150 ° C. or less, and the heated knitted resin structure is moved to the side shaping portion so that the side surface of the warmed knitted resin structure is in contact with the side shaping portion. A method for manufacturing a knitted resin structure, characterized in that the side surface of the knitted resin structure is shaped by sliding along. 15. The knitted resin structure according to claim 14, wherein irregularities are formed on the upper surface of the knitted resin structure when the warmed knitted resin structure is slid along the side shaping portion. Production method. 16. The method for manufacturing a knitted resin structure according to claim 14, wherein the knitted resin structure is heated to shape the side surface, and then cooled.

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