JP7675433B2 - Bedding manufacturing method - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to a method for manufacturing bedding.

JP 2006-76607 A describes a method for semi-compressing and storing a down comforter. This semi-compressing and storing method uses a comforter, a storage bag for storing the comforter, and a flexible restraining bag. The storage bag is provided with an airtight fastener on one longitudinal edge, an outlet for vacuum suction provided near the fastener, and a cap that is attached and detached to the outlet.

When storing the futon, the futon is placed in the storage bag and the fastener is closed, storing the futon in the storage bag. Next, the suction nozzle of a vacuum cleaner is fitted into the discharge port, and the air inside the storage bag is sucked in through the suction nozzle, compressing the futon into a flat shape along with the storage bag. Next, the discharge port is closed with a cap, so that the futon can be kept in a flat state. This flat futon is rolled into a cylindrical shape and stored in a restraining bag, allowing the futon to be stored in a compressed state.

JP 2006-76607 A

In the semi-compressed storage method for down comforters described above, a vacuum cleaner is used to compress the comforter inside the storage bag, so the comforter is compressed as much as the suction power of the vacuum cleaner will allow. This means that the contents of the comforter may be overly crushed, raising concerns that the quality of the comforter may decline. This concern is particularly pronounced with down products such as down comforters, where the feathers that make up the comforter's contents are easily damaged by compression.

The present disclosure aims to provide a method for manufacturing bedding that can compress the bedding while maintaining its quality.

As a result of intensive research by the inventors to solve the above-mentioned problems, it was found that the above problems can be solved by adjusting the thickness of the bedding stored in the storage member to a predetermined thickness when compressing the bedding. In other words, it was found that by compressing the bedding until it has a predetermined thickness, it is possible to restore the bedding to the thickness of the uncompressed bedding when the bedding is removed from the storage member. One aspect of the present disclosure is based on such findings.

The method for manufacturing bedding according to the present disclosure includes the steps of preparing bedding, a storage member that forms a storage space capable of storing the bedding and has a conductive part that can conduct air between the inside and outside of the storage space, and a compressor that compresses the bedding, storing the bedding in the storage space of the storage member, compressing the bedding with the compressor while the conductive part is capable of conducting air until the bedding reaches a predetermined thickness, and sealing the storage member by heat welding the conductive part while the bedding is in a compressed state, the predetermined thickness being a thickness that allows the bedding to be restored to the thickness of uncompressed bedding when removed from the storage member, and the steps of preparing, storing, compressing, and sealing are carried out in a sanitary room that is a space into which de-ionized air is released .

In the bedding manufacturing method according to the present disclosure, the compressor compresses the bedding until it reaches a predetermined thickness. This reduces the volume of the bedding and reduces the cost of transporting the bedding. In addition, the container can be sealed easily and reliably by heat-welding the conductive portion to seal the container. Furthermore, the predetermined thickness is set to a thickness that allows the bedding to be restored to the thickness of the uncompressed bedding when removed from the container. In this case, the bedding is not compressed to its maximum extent, so the bedding can be compressed without excessively crushing the contents of the bedding. This prevents the contents of the bedding from being damaged by compression. Therefore, the bedding can be compressed while maintaining its quality.

The storage member may have an opening/closing member that allows the storage member to be opened and closed by hand. In this case, after opening the storage member, the bedding can be stored in the storage member, and then the storage member can be closed. Therefore, the storage member can be reused.

The specified thickness may be 1/4 or more and 1/2 or less of the thickness of the uncompressed bedding. If the bedding is compressed to a thickness less than 1/4 of the thickness of the uncompressed bedding, the contents of the bedding may be compressed excessively, which may result in a decrease in the quality of the bedding. Furthermore, if the bedding is compressed to a thickness greater than 1/2 of the thickness of the uncompressed bedding, the bedding may not be compressed sufficiently, which may increase the cost of transporting the bedding. In this regard, by setting the specified thickness to 1/4 or more and 1/2 or less of the thickness of the uncompressed bedding, it is possible to suppress an increase in the cost of transporting the bedding while maintaining the quality of the bedding.

According to the present disclosure, bedding can be compressed while maintaining its quality.

1A is a diagram showing a schematic diagram of feathers in a duvet as an example of bedding, and FIG. 1B is a perspective view showing a duvet as an example of bedding. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a schematic diagram of a bag used in the method for manufacturing bedding according to the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a perspective view that illustrates a compressor used in the bedding manufacturing method according to the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of steps in a method for manufacturing bedding according to an embodiment. 1A is a perspective view showing a folded duvet, and FIG. 1B is a perspective view showing the duvet placed in a bag. 1A is a front view showing a state in which a down comforter contained in a bag is placed in a compressor, and FIG. 1B is a front view showing a state in which the down comforter contained in the bag is compressed. 1A is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the conductive portion of the bag is closed by a zipper, and FIG. 1B is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the conductive portion of the bag is sealed by heat welding. FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a typical example of a duvet sealed in a bag. FIG. 9 is a table showing the evaluation test results of down comforters.

Below, an embodiment of the bedding manufacturing method according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In the description of the drawings, the same or corresponding elements are given the same reference numerals, and duplicated descriptions will be omitted as appropriate. In addition, the drawings may be partially simplified or exaggerated to facilitate understanding, and the dimensional ratios and the like are not limited to those shown in the drawings.

The manufacturing method of bedding according to the present disclosure is used in the process of manufacturing or selling bedding. "Bedding" refers to anything that a user's body rests against when resting or sleeping. "Bedding" is typically a mattress, a futon, a comforter, a cushion, a bed pad, a cushion, or a pillow. Bedding includes, for example, feather products. In this disclosure, "feather products" refers to products that contain feathers, for example, products in which feathers are filled inside the cover. "Feather products" refers to products made from feathers, for example, feather bedding such as feather blankets or feather towels. Furthermore, "feather bedding" includes, for example, feather duvets (including feather duvets and feather futons), feather duvets, feather pillows, feather cushions, feather cushions, feather mattresses, feather bed pads, and feather sofas.

Figure 1(a) is a schematic diagram of feathers F according to this embodiment. Figure 1(b) is a perspective view showing an exemplary duvet 1 made from feathers F. As shown in Figures 1(a) and 1(b), this embodiment describes an example in which bedding is a duvet 1 made from feathers F.

The duvet 1 is, for example, a feather comforter. The shape of the duvet 1 in a plan view is, for example, rectangular. The duvet 1 comprises a rectangular outer fabric 2 and a lining located on the back side of the outer fabric 2. The materials of the outer fabric 2 and the lining may be, for example, cotton, polyester, rayon, or lyocell, and various materials can be used for the outer fabric 2 and the lining.

The duvet 1 has straight stitches 3 (sewn quilt) that divide the internal space between the outer fabric 2 and the lining. For example, the duvet 1 has multiple straight stitches 3 extending in the longitudinal direction of the duvet 1 and multiple straight stitches 3 extending in the lateral direction of the duvet 1, and the multiple straight stitches 3 are perpendicular to each other. The duvet 1 may have a gusset section (three-dimensional quilt) instead of the straight stitches 3 or in addition to the straight stitches 3.

For example, the duvet 1 is divided into multiple internal spaces (for example, 55) by multiple straight stitches 3, and each of the divided internal spaces is filled with feathers F. The feathers F include, for example, down and feathers, which are the fluff of birds (such as geese or ducks).

The proportion of down in the feathers F in the duvet 1 is, for example, 90% or more. However, the proportion of down and the proportion of feathers in the feathers F in the duvet 1 can be changed as appropriate. The feathers F contain more air as the temperature drops and contract as the temperature rises. The duvet 1 is able to trap heat within the expanded feathers F, providing excellent heat retention.

Next, the bag 10 (storage member) used in the manufacturing method of bedding according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 2. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a schematic diagram of the bag 10 used in the manufacturing method of bedding according to this embodiment. The bag 10 shown in the figure is, for example, a vacuum bag. The bag 10 may be a bag that can be used repeatedly multiple times, or may be a bag that can be used for other purposes. The bag 10 forms a storage space S capable of storing the down comforter 1. The volume of the storage space S is a volume capable of storing the down comforter 1 described above.

The bag 10 has, for example, a rectangular shape. However, the shape of the bag 10 is not particularly limited. The bag 10 is formed by a pair of sheet members 11 and a bottom member 12 that forms the bottom of the bag 10. A storage space S is formed between the pair of rectangular sheet members 11. When viewed from the out-of-plane direction of one sheet member 11, two opposing sides of the four sides of the rectangular sheet member 11 are continuous with two sides of the other sheet member 11. In addition, one side of the remaining two sides excluding the two sides is connected to one side of the other sheet member 11 via the bottom member 12. In addition, the other side of the remaining two sides of the sheet member 11 is separated from the side of the other sheet member 11. As a result, an opening 11b (conductive portion) is formed in the sheet member 11. The opening 11b can conduct air to the inside and outside of the storage space S of the bag 10.

The sheet member 11 is made of, for example, a mixed material of polyethylene and nylon. In this embodiment, a part of the sheet member 11 is made opaque to the extent that the duvet 1 cannot be seen from the outside. The opaque part may be provided with, for example, a package design and may be labeled with the product name of the duvet 1. A transparent portion 11c is formed on one of the pair of sheet members 11. The inside of the sheet member 11 can be seen through the transparent portion 11c. As an example, the transparent portion 11c has a circular shape. The transparent portion 11c does not have to be provided. The shape of the transparent portion 11c can be changed as appropriate.

The bag 10 has a zipper 13 (opening/closing member) that allows the bag 10 to be opened and closed by hand. The zipper 13 is provided, for example, at a position adjacent to the opening 11b of the bag 10. The zipper 13 is composed of an opening/closing portion 13a provided on each of the pair of sheet members 11. The opening/closing portion 13a includes, for example, a recess formed on one of the pair of sheet members 11 and a protrusion formed on the other of the pair of sheet members 11 and fitting into the recess. The bag 10 can be closed by fitting the protrusion into the recess along the extension direction of the opening/closing portion 13a. The bag 10 can be opened by releasing the fitting of the protrusion into the recess along the extension direction of the opening/closing portion 13a. In this way, the bag 10 can be freely opened and closed by hand using the zipper 13. The zipper 13 does not have to be provided at a position adjacent to the opening 11b of the bag 10. The zipper 13 may be provided at a position different from the above-mentioned position.

In this embodiment, the zipper 13 is provided at a position spaced apart from the opening 11b (the upper end of the sheet member 11 in FIG. 2). As a result, a welding margin 14 for thermally welding the sheet member 11 is formed between the opening 11b and the zipper 13. For example, the bag 10 has a pair of handle holes 15 provided in each of the pair of sheet members 11. The handle holes 15 penetrate the sheet member 11, for example, at the position where the welding margin 14 is formed. The handle hole 15 is provided, for example, in the center of the welding margin 14 in the extension direction. The pair of handle holes 15 are provided at positions where they overlap each other.

When the sheet member 11 of the bag 10 is heat-sealed (when the opening 11b is closed), the water vapor permeability of the bag 10 is, for example, 2.6 g/( ^m2 ·d). The measurement environment at this time is, for example, an air temperature of 40° C. and a relative humidity of 90%. Furthermore, when the sheet member 11 of the bag 10 is heat-sealed, the oxygen permeability of the bag 10 is, for example, 44 ml/( ^m2 ·d·MPa). The measurement environment at this time is, for example, an air temperature of 20° C. and a relative humidity of 65%.

Next, the compressor 20 used in the bedding manufacturing method according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 3. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a schematic diagram of the compressor 20 used in the bedding manufacturing method according to this embodiment. The compressor 20 shown in the figure is a machine for compressing the down comforter 1. The compressor 20 has a main body section 21, a compression section 22, and a heat-sealing section 23.

The main body 21 has, for example, a rectangular parallelepiped shape. The main body 21 has a base 31, a support 32, a top plate 33, and a workbench 34. The base 31 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape. The base 31 has an upper surface 31a on which the down comforter 1 contained in the bag 10 is placed. As an example, the upper surface 31a has a rectangular shape.

For example, the main body 21 has a plurality of pillars 32. Each of the plurality of pillars 32 intersects (for example, perpendicular to) the upper surface 31a of the base 31 and extends from the upper surface 31a in the height direction of the compressor 20. For example, the main body 21 has four pillars 32. One end of the pillar 32 is connected to the upper surface 31a of the base 31, and the other end of the pillar 32 is connected to the top plate 33.

The compressor 20 has, for example, a pair of rails 35. Each of the pair of rails 35 is provided on two of the four pillars 32. The pair of rails 35 extend on the side surfaces of the pillars 32 in the extension direction of the pillars 32 (the height direction of the compressor 20). The pair of rails 35 also protrude in the same direction from the side surfaces of the pillars 32.

The top plate portion 33 constitutes the upper surface of the compressor 20. For example, the corners of the top plate portion 33 are supported by each of the multiple supports 32. As an example, the top plate portion 33 has a rectangular shape, and the four corners of the top plate portion 33 are supported by each of the multiple supports 32. The work table 34 is a table used when thermally welding the opening 11b (see FIG. 2) of the bag 10. The work table 34 extends, for example, from one side of the top surface portion 31a of the base portion 31 in a direction parallel to the top surface portion 31a. For example, the top surface portion 34a of the work table 34 is flush with the top surface portion 31a of the base portion 31.

The compression section 22 compresses the duvet 1 contained in the bag 10. The compression section 22 has, for example, a compression plate 41 that pressurizes the duvet 1 contained in the bag 10, and an extension rod 42 that can be extended and retracted in the height direction of the compressor 20. As an example, the compression section 22 has five extension rods 42. Each extension rod 42 crosses the compression plate 41 (for example, perpendicularly) and extends in the same direction from the four corners and the center of the compression plate 41. One end of the extension rod 42 is connected to the compression plate 41, and the other end of the extension rod 42 is connected to the top plate portion 33.

When compressing the duvet 1, the duvet 1 contained in the bag 10 is placed on the upper surface 31a of the base 31. Next, the telescopic rod 42 extends in the height direction of the compressor 20, causing the compression plate 41 to descend. The bag 10 is sandwiched between the base 31 and the descending compression plate 41. As the compression plate 41 continues to pressurize the bag 10, the compression section 22 compresses the duvet 1 contained in the bag 10 in the height direction.

The compressor 20 may be equipped with a control unit that controls the thickness of the down comforter 1 stored in the bag 10 when compressed (in the most compressed state). The control unit may have an input device such as a touch panel, keyboard, and mouse for receiving operations by the user. The user may input the thickness at the time of compression to the control unit in advance via the input device. The user is, for example, an operator who operates the compressor 20 to compress the down comforter 1. In this case, the compressor 20 can stop in a state in which the down comforter 1 stored in the bag 10 has been compressed until it reaches the input thickness. The control unit may be composed of at least one computer or electronic device such as a smartphone. In addition to the above-mentioned input device, the control unit may also be equipped with an output device such as a display. Furthermore, the control unit may be provided integrally with the compressor 20 or may be provided separately from the compressor 20.

The compression section 22 and the heat sealing section 23, for example, operate independently of each other. For example, both the compression section 22 and the heat sealing section 23 are capable of ascending and descending. In this embodiment, the compression section 22 (compression plate 41) descends to compress the duvet 1, and then the compression section 22 ascends. After the compression section 22 ascends, the heat sealing section 23 descends to heat seal the sheet member 11 of the bag 10.

The heat-sealing section 23 seals the bag 10 by heat-sealing the opening 11b in the sheet member 11 of the bag 10. The heat-sealing section 23 has a beam 51, an extendable rod 52 that can extend and retract in the height direction of the compressor 20, and a heat application section 53 that applies heat for heat-sealing. The beam 51 may be made of, for example, channel steel. The beam 51 is, for example, horizontally supported so as to connect two supports 32 together. In addition, both ends of the beam 51 in the extension direction are engaged with each of a pair of rails 35. This allows the beam 51 to move up and down along the rails 35.

The telescopic rod 52 extends in a direction intersecting (for example, perpendicular to) the extension direction of the beam 51. For example, one end of the telescopic rod 52 is connected to the beam 51, and the other end of the telescopic rod 52 is connected to the top plate portion 33. As an example, one end of the telescopic rod 52 is connected to the center of the beam 51 in the extension direction. The heat application portion 53 is disposed below the beam 51 so as to extend along the extension direction of the beam 51. By extending the telescopic rod 52, the beam 51 and the heat application portion 53 are lowered.

For example, the compressor 20 may be equipped with a cable (not shown) extending from the base 31 and a foot switch (not shown) provided at the end of the cable, and the thermal sealing unit 23 may be operated by operating the foot switch. In this case, when the foot switch is stepped on by an operator, the thermal sealing unit 23 (beam 51 and heat application unit 53) descends and thermal sealing to the bag 10 is performed.

When performing heat welding, the worker extends the welding allowance 14 of the bag 10 on the workbench 34, and extends the telescopic rod 52 in the height direction of the compressor 20, for example, by stepping on the foot switch described above. This causes the heat application part 53 to abut against the welding allowance 14. At this time, the heat application part 53 abuts against the welding allowance 14 located between the chuck 13 and the handle hole 15. The heat application part 53 abutting against the welding allowance 14 applies heat to the welding allowance 14, so that the heat welding part 23 can heat-seal the welding allowance 14 to seal the opening 11b of the bag 10. Note that the position where the heat welding part 23 performs heat welding is not limited to between the chuck 13 and the handle hole 15 in the welding allowance 14. As an example, the heat application part 53 may abut between the chuck 13 and the opening 11b in the welding allowance 14. That is, the heat-sealed portion 23 may be heat-sealed over the entire width of the weld margin 14. In this case, the bag 10 can be sealed more reliably than if only the area between the zipper 13 and the handle hole 15 in the weld margin 14 was heat-sealed.

Next, an example of a manufacturing method for bedding according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 4 etc. The manufacturing method for bedding may be used for the down comforter 1 described above, or may be used for bedding other than the down comforter 1. First, in a factory that manufactures the down comforter 1, the down comforter 1, bag 10, and compressor 20 are prepared as shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 3 (preparation process, step S1). Below, an example of the process from preparation of the down F to storage of the down F will be described.

(Feather preparation process)
In preparing the feathers F, for example, raw feathers F that have been washed overseas and imported are packed in a bag, and a plurality of such bags are bundled together for preparation. Alternatively, unwashed feathers F may be prepared in a bag. Then, the bag containing the raw feathers F is opened, and the raw feathers F are inspected for quality.

(Process for removing impurities from feathers)
Impurities such as dust are removed from the raw material of the feathers F. Specifically, the raw material of the feathers F is put into a dust remover to separate and remove dust from the raw material of the feathers F. This process may be a dust removal process in which the feathers F are pre-dusted before washing.

(Feather cleaning process)
Next, the feathers F are washed. At this time, the feathers F are put into a washing machine and washed with water and detergent. For example, the feathers F are rinsed until the wastewater from the washing machine after the feathers are washed becomes clean. As a specific example, the wastewater obtained by washing the feathers F may be placed in a transparency meter, and the purity of the wastewater may be inspected by determining whether the mark on the transparency meter is visible. The volume of the transparency meter is, for example, 1000 ml (milliliters).

(Drying feathers)
Next, the feathers F are washed and then dried. For example, the feathers F are placed in a dryer and dried and sterilized by blowing hot air onto the feathers F. As an example, the temperature of the hot air is 100°C or higher. Also, after blowing hot air onto the feathers F to dry them, the feathers F may be cooled and cooled for dust removal. In this case, it is possible to further increase the cleanliness of the feathers F. The time required from the process of preparing the feathers F to the process of drying the feathers F is, for example, about 2 hours, and the above-mentioned processes can be carried out on 350 kg of feathers F per day.

(Feather compression process)
As described above, after the feathers F are washed and dried, the feathers F are compressed. In the process of compressing the feathers F, a bag for compressing and storing the feathers is prepared. As an example, the bag is a vinyl vacuum bag. The bag may be a bag that can be used multiple times or a bag that can be reused.

In the process of compressing the feathers F, for example, the bag is opened and filled with washed and dried feathers F, and the air inside the bag is sucked out using a suction device capable of sucking in air. Next, the feathers F inside the bag are compressed while the air inside the bag is being sucked out. This compression is performed, for example, by applying an external force to the bag. As an example, an operator applies an external force to the bag by pressing the bag from the outside with his or her hand, thereby compressing the feathers F inside the bag.

The bag is evacuated from the inside and an external force is applied to compress the feathers inside the bag, creating a vacuum (or a state close to a vacuum) inside the bag. After confirming that the bag is sealed, the compressed bag and feathers F are temporarily stored.

In this embodiment, "temporary storage" refers to storing the feathers F before manufacturing feather products such as the feather duvet 1, and the period for storing the feathers F is, for example, within one year (as an example, several months). However, the period for storing the feathers F is not particularly limited, and it is possible to use feathers F that have been appropriately stored as needed.

In this way, by storing the feathers F in a bag, compressing the feathers F, and sealing the bag, it is possible to prevent the feathers F inside the bag from coming into contact with air. This makes it possible to prevent the feathers F from absorbing moisture and from developing an odor. Furthermore, since the feathers F do not become bulky when compressed, large amounts of feathers F can be stored for long periods of time.

After a certain period of time has passed since the storage of the feathers F, a process of compressing the feathers F again may be carried out. Specifically, the bag of stored feathers F may be opened after a certain period of time (e.g., 1 to 3 months) from the storage, and the feathers F may be placed in another bag, after which a process of compressing the feathers F again may be carried out. In this case, it is possible to store the feathers F in a better condition.

(The process of removing feathers)
Next, the bag in which the feathers were temporarily stored is opened and the feathers F are taken out from the bag. The taken-out feathers F are then subjected to Fresh Up Processing (registered trademark). In this case, it is possible to increase the heat retention of the feathers F and increase the thermal resistance of the feather product containing the feathers F. In the Fresh Up Processing step, steam is sprayed onto the feathers F taken out from the bag to expand the feathers F. This returns the compressed feathers F to their original state. For example, high temperature steam of 100°C or more may be sprayed onto the feathers F to dry and sterilize them. This drying brings out the fluffy feel and texture of the feathers F.

(Feather sorting process)
Next, the dried feathers F are put into a sorting machine to sort the feathers F. At this time, only high-quality feathers F are selected from the feathers F. Specifically, the sorting machine has, for example, multiple compartments for storing the feathers F, and blows air onto the feathers F to select only the feathers F that have flown to the farthest compartment. This sorting method corresponds to a method of selecting the feathers F that have flown farthest as high-quality down, since feathers, immature down, and fibers do not fly very far even when air is blown onto them, whereas high-quality down flies farther.

In the feather sorting process, the feathers F may be subjected to plasma processing by blowing de-electrified air onto the feathers F. Specifically, when air is blown onto the feathers F as described above, de-electrified air is blown onto the feathers F to remove static electricity from the feathers F. This makes it possible to prevent the feathers F from tangling, and also makes it possible to more reliably separate impurities and the like from the feathers F.

For example, the de-electrified air may be sprayed onto the feathers F from a plasma discharger (Plasmacluster (registered trademark) is one example) that generates active oxygen through plasma discharge, generating positive and negative ions and releasing them into the air. As described above, the time required to perform the freshening process and the plasma processing is, for example, about one hour. Therefore, it is possible to perform the freshening process and the plasma processing on 1,000 kg of feathers F per day.

(Process for making duvets)
Next, the feathers F that have been subjected to the above-mentioned process of drying the feathers F and the process of selecting the feathers F are introduced into a bag body. At this time, the bag body is filled with the feathers F to produce a feather product. In this disclosure, the "bag body" refers to a bag-shaped object filled with the feathers F. The "bag body" serves as a cover that covers the feathers F, and refers to a fabric part filled with the feathers F, such as an outer fabric, an outer fabric, a lining, or an interlining.

After the feathers F are filled into the bag, the bag is sewn. When making a feather duvet 1 as a feather product from the feathers F, for example, the outer fabric 2 is layered on the lining and a part of the lining and the outer fabric 2 are sewn together to form a bag, the bag is filled with feathers F, and then the straight stitched portion 3 is formed and the edges of the lining and the outer fabric 2 are sewn together, thereby completing the production and preparation of the feather duvet 1.

The duvet 1 thus produced is compressed by the compressor 20 and the bag 10 is heat-sealed. As shown in Fig. 5(a) and Fig. 5(b), the duvet 1 is accommodated in the accommodation space S of the bag 10 (storing process, step S2). In step S2, the duvet 1 is first folded. At this time, for example, the duvet 1 described above is folded in three. Next, with the opening 11b of the bag 10 open, the folded duvet 1 is accommodated in the accommodation space S of the bag 10. The manner in which the duvet 1 is folded is not limited to the aforementioned three-fold, and may be, for example, four-fold, and is not particularly limited.

6(a) and 6(b), the compressor 20 compresses the duvet 1 until it reaches a predetermined thickness with the opening 11b allowing air to pass through (with the opening 11b open) (compression process, step S3). In step S3, the duvet 1 stored in the bag 10 is placed on the upper surface 31a of the base 31 with the telescopic rod 42 of the compression section 22 in a contracted state, i.e., with the compression plate 41 located above the compressor 20. At this time, the bag 10 is positioned so that the opening 11b faces the heat-sealed section 23 in a plan view. The opening 11b of the bag 10 is placed on the workbench 34. Next, the compression plate 41 is lowered by extending the telescopic rod 42 of the compression section 22, and the compression plate 41 compresses the duvet 1 stored in the bag 10.

In step S3, the compressor 20 compresses the duvet 1 contained in the bag 10 until the duvet 1 reaches a predetermined thickness. For example, the control unit of the compressor 20 stores the predetermined thickness in advance. The compressor 20 may automatically stop compressing the duvet 1 when the duvet 1 reaches the predetermined thickness. In addition, if an operator operates the compressor 20, the operator may stop compressing the duvet 1 when he or she confirms that the duvet 1 has reached the predetermined thickness. Various methods can be used for the compressor 20 to stop compressing the duvet 1 when the duvet 1 has been compressed to the predetermined thickness.

Here, the thickness of the uncompressed duvet 1 is thickness H0 (see FIG. 5(a)), and the predetermined thickness (thickness after compression) is thickness H1. The predetermined thickness H1 is set to a thickness that allows the duvet 1 to restore to the thickness H0 of the uncompressed duvet 1 when the duvet 1 is taken out of the bag 10. The thickness of the duvet 1 taken out of the bag 10 becomes approximately the same as the thickness H0 of the uncompressed duvet 1 after a certain period of time has passed after being left alone.

For example, the predetermined thickness H1 is 1/4 or more and 1/2 or less of the thickness H0 of the uncompressed duvet 1. As an example, if the thickness H0 of the uncompressed duvet 1 is 50 cm, the predetermined thickness H1 is 12.5 cm or more and 25 cm or less. The predetermined thickness H1 may be determined, for example, according to the down ratio of the duvet 1. As an example, if the down ratio of the duvet 1 is 85%, it is preferable that the predetermined thickness H1 is about 1/3 of the thickness H0 of the uncompressed duvet 1.

"Restoring the duvet" refers to expanding the compressed duvet 1 by leaving the bag for a certain period of time after removing it from the duvet. The certain period of time is, for example, several hours (three hours as an example) from the time the bag 10 is opened. The thickness of the restored duvet 1 does not necessarily have to be strictly equal to the thickness H0 of the uncompressed duvet 1. In other words, the thickness of the restored duvet 1 may be greater or smaller than the thickness H0 of the uncompressed duvet 1 within a certain range.

Next, as shown in FIG. 7(a), the opening 11b of the bag 10 is closed while the duvet 1 is compressed (step S4). In this embodiment, the worker who operates the compressor 20 uses the zipper 13 to close the opening 11b of the bag 10. At this time, the worker closes the opening 11b of the bag 10 by fitting the convex portion of one opening/closing portion 13a into the concave portion of the other opening/closing portion 13a. Also, in step S4, the compressor 20 or another device may automatically close the opening 11b.

Next, as shown in FIG. 7(b), the sheet member 11 is heat-sealed while the duvet 1 is compressed, thereby sealing the bag 10 (sealing process, step S5). As a specific example, the worker closes the opening 11b of the bag 10 using the zipper 13, and then contracts the telescopic rod 42 of the compression unit 22 in the height direction of the compressor 20 to raise the compression plate 41. Next, the worker extends the telescopic rod 52 of the heat-sealing unit 23 in the height direction of the compressor 20, with the welding margin 14 of the bag 10 extended on the workbench 34. As a result, the heat application unit 53 comes into contact with the welding margin 14, and the heat application unit 53 applies heat to the welding margin 14, causing the heat-sealing unit 23 to heat-seal the sheet member 11 of the bag 10. Through the above steps, a series of steps in the manufacturing method for the duvet 1 contained in the bag 10 is completed.

The above-mentioned series of steps S1 to S5 are preferably carried out in a hygienic room. A hygienic room refers to, for example, a space in which multiple plasma dischargers that emit the above-mentioned static elimination air into the air are placed. In this case, compression by the compressor 20 and sealing of the bag 10 are carried out in the space into which the static elimination air is emitted. Therefore, compression and sealing can be carried out in a hygienic environment, so the down comforter 1 can be kept clean until it reaches the purchaser.

Figure 8 is a perspective view showing a duvet 1 sealed in a bag 10. In the example of Figure 8, the parts where the welding margin 14 is heat-sealed are drawn with dashed lines. As described above, one side of the pair of sheet members 11 is connected to each other via the bottom member 12. This allows the bag 10 to stand on its own with the bottom member 12 as the bottom when the duvet 1 is stored inside. In addition, a part of the sheet member 11 is made opaque to the extent that the duvet 1 cannot be seen from the outside, and a transparent part 11c is formed on one of the pair of sheet members 11. This protects the privacy of the user even when carrying the duvet 1 to a laundromat or the like, and allows the pattern of the duvet 1 to be seen from the outside of the bag 10 through the transparent part 11c. Furthermore, the pair of handle holes 15 are provided at positions where they overlap each other. As a result, when the welding margin 14 is heat-sealed, the pair of handle holes 15 form the handles of the bag 10. Therefore, the bag 10 can be easily carried. By using such a bag 10, the down comforter 1 stored in the self-supporting bag 10 can be displayed in a store as is, and the purchaser of the down comforter 1 can take the down comforter 1 stored in the bag 10 home as is.

Next, the effects of the method for manufacturing bedding according to this embodiment will be described in more detail. In the method for manufacturing bedding according to this embodiment, the compressor 20 compresses the duvet 1 until the duvet 1 has a predetermined thickness H1. This reduces the volume of the duvet 1, and reduces the cost of transporting the duvet 1. In addition, the bag 10 can be sealed easily and reliably by heat-sealing the sheet member 11 to seal the bag 10. Furthermore, the predetermined thickness H1 is set to a thickness that allows the duvet 1 to be restored to the thickness H0 of the uncompressed duvet 1 when the duvet 1 is removed from the bag 10. In this case, the duvet 1 is not compressed to its maximum extent, so the duvet 1 can be compressed so that the feathers F, which are the contents of the duvet 1, are not excessively crushed. This prevents the feathers F, which are the contents of the duvet 1, from being damaged by compression. Therefore, the bedding can be compressed while maintaining its quality.

In this embodiment, the bag 10 has a zipper 13 that allows the bag 10 to be opened and closed by hand. In this case, after opening the bag 10, the duvet 1 can be placed in the bag 10 and then the bag 10 can be closed. Therefore, the bag 10 can be reused.

In this embodiment, the specified thickness H1 is 1/4 or more and 1/2 or less of the thickness H0 of the uncompressed duvet 1. If the duvet 1 is compressed to a thickness less than 1/4 of the thickness H0 of the uncompressed duvet 1, the feathers F, which are the contents of the duvet 1, will be compressed excessively, which may result in a deterioration in the quality of the duvet 1. Furthermore, if the duvet 1 is compressed to a thickness greater than 1/2 of the thickness H0 of the uncompressed duvet 1, the duvet 1 will not be compressed sufficiently, which may increase the transportation costs of the duvet 1. In this regard, by setting the specified thickness H1 to 1/4 or more and 1/2 or less of the thickness H0 of the uncompressed duvet 1, it is possible to suppress an increase in the transportation costs of the bedding while maintaining the quality of the bedding.

Next, using FIG. 9, the results of an evaluation test of the down comforter 1 manufactured by the bedding manufacturing method according to this embodiment will be described. In this evaluation test, first, the down comforter 1 of the embodiment compressed inside the bag 10 and an uncompressed down comforter as a comparison example were prepared. The down comforter 1 of the embodiment is an example of bedding compressed by the method described above, and the down comforter of the comparison example is an example of bedding that is not compressed.

(Example)
The down comforter 1 of the embodiment was placed in the bag 10 as described above, and the compressor 20 compressed the down comforter 1 until it became 1/3 of the thickness H0 of the down comforter 1. That is, in this evaluation test, the above-mentioned predetermined thickness H1 was set to 1/3 of the thickness H0 of the uncompressed down comforter 1. Next, the down comforter 1 was taken out of the bag 10 (the bag 10 was opened), and the duvet 1 folded in three was unfolded and left for a predetermined time under standard conditions. Here, "standard conditions" refers to a state where the temperature is 20°C and the relative humidity is 65%.

Comparative Example
The feather duvet of the comparative example was left under standard conditions for a predetermined period of time.

The duvet 1 of the embodiment and the duvet of the comparative example prepared as described above were folded in four, and a rectangular acrylic plate was placed on each duvet. Next, the height of each corner of the acrylic plate was measured. Here, "the height of the corner of the acrylic plate" refers to the distance between the surface on which the duvet was placed and the lower end of the corner of the acrylic plate. In this evaluation test, the distance between the surface on which the duvet was placed and the lower end of the four corners of the acrylic plate was calculated, and the average of the four calculated distances was taken as the thickness of the duvet. In this evaluation test, the thickness of the compressed product (embodiment) was measured immediately after the bag 10 was opened, the thickness one hour after the bag 10 was opened, and the thickness three hours after the bag 10 was opened. In addition, the thickness of the uncompressed product (comparative example) was measured 12 hours after the duvet was unfolded under standard conditions.

9, the thickness of the down comforter 1 of the embodiment was 18.8 cm immediately after the bag 10 was opened. The thickness of the down comforter 1 of the embodiment was 26.0 cm one hour after the bag 10 was opened. The thickness of the down comforter 1 of the embodiment was 29.0 cm three hours after the bag 10 was opened. On the other hand, the thickness of the uncompressed down comforter of the comparative example was 28.8 cm after 12 hours under standard conditions. As described above, the thickness of the down comforter 1 of the embodiment became the same as that of the down comforter of the comparative example three hours after the bag 10 was opened. Therefore, it was confirmed that the down comforter 1 manufactured by the manufacturing method of bedding according to this embodiment can be restored to the thickness of the uncompressed down comforter when it is taken out of the bag 10.

The above describes the method for manufacturing bedding according to the present disclosure. However, the content and order of each step of the method for manufacturing bedding according to the present disclosure are not limited to the above-described embodiment and can be modified as appropriate.

For example, in the above embodiment, an example was described in which an operator performs the steps of placing the duvet 1 in the bag 10, compressing the duvet 1 placed in the bag 10, and heat-sealing the opening 11b of the bag 10. However, the above steps may be performed automatically by a specified device.

In the above embodiment, the duvet 1 is placed in the bag 10 having the sheet member 11, the bottom member 12, and the zipper 13, and the bag 10 is compressed and sealed. However, the bag may be a bag other than the bag 10, and the shape, size, material, and structure of the bag can be changed as appropriate. For example, instead of the bag 10 that is already in a bag shape, a sheet member such as a film that will be in a bag shape may be used. In this case, for example, first, the sheet member is wrapped around the duvet 1. Next, the duvet 1 wrapped with the sheet member is compressed. Then, the end of the sheet member is heat-sealed to make the sheet member into a bag shape, and the storage space of the bag-shaped sheet member is sealed. Even when the above steps are performed, the same effect as in the above embodiment can be obtained.

In the above embodiment, an example was described in which the compressed feathers F were removed and then steam was sprayed onto the feathers F to separate them. However, the process after the feathers are removed from the bag is not limited to the above example and can be modified as appropriate. For example, the separated feathers F may be compressed and stored in a bag 10.

In the above embodiment, an example was described in which the down comforter 1 is compressed in a factory, and the compressed down comforter 1 is transported to a store and sold to a purchaser. However, the process of compressing the down comforter 1 may be carried out at a location other than a factory. For example, the compression process may be carried out at a store, and a store clerk may place the down comforter 1 in a bag 10 and compress the down comforter 1.

In the above embodiment, an example was described in which the feathers are washed, dried, compressed and stored when a new duvet 1 is manufactured. However, the manufacturing method of the duvet 1 can be applied to other times besides when a new duvet 1 is manufactured. For example, when maintaining the duvet 1, the duvet 1 may be disassembled and the feathers F inside the duvet 1 may be washed, dried and compressed, or the duvet 1 that has undergone maintenance may be placed in a bag 10 and transported to a store or a customer's home in a compressed state.

In this way, the bedding manufacturing method according to the present disclosure can be applied at various times. The bedding manufacturing method according to the present disclosure is not limited to the duvet 1, but can be used for various feather products. Furthermore, the bedding manufacturing method according to the present disclosure can also be used for bedding other than feather products. The bedding manufacturing method according to the present disclosure can also be used for, for example, comforters, futons, mattresses, cushions, bed pads, cushions, or pillows other than duvets.

1...feather duvet (bedding), 2...outer fabric, 3...straight stitching, 10...bag (storage member), 11...sheet member, 11b...opening (conductive portion), 11c...transparent portion, 12...bottom member, 13...zipper (opening/closing member), 13a...opening/closing portion, 14...welding allowance, 15...handle hole, 20...compressor, 21...main body, 22...compression portion, 23...thermal welding portion, 31...base portion, 31a...top portion, 32...support, 33...top plate portion, 34...work table, 35...rail, 34a...top portion, 41...compression plate, 42, 52...extending rod, 51...beam, 53...heat application portion, F...feather, H0...thickness of uncompressed feather duvet (bedding), H1...predetermined thickness, S...storage space.

Claims (3)

A step of preparing bedding, a storage member that forms a storage space capable of storing the bedding and has a conductive portion that allows air to flow between the inside and the outside of the storage space, and a compressor that compresses the bedding;
storing the bedding in the storage space of the storage member;
a step of compressing the bedding with the compressor until the bedding has a predetermined thickness while the conductive portion is capable of conducting the air;
a step of sealing the container by heat welding the conductive portion while the bedding is compressed;
Equipped with
The predetermined thickness is a thickness that allows the bedding to be restored to the thickness of the uncompressed bedding when the bedding is removed from the storage member,
The preparing step, the containing step, the compressing step, and the sealing step are performed in a sanitarily controlled room which is a space into which the static elimination air is discharged.
A method for manufacturing bedding. The method for manufacturing bedding according to claim 1, wherein the storage member has an opening and closing member that allows the storage member to be opened and closed by hand. The method for manufacturing bedding according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the predetermined thickness is greater than or equal to 1/4 and less than or equal to 1/2 of the thickness of the uncompressed bedding.

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