JP2001159052A - Elastic woven or knitted fabric and cushioning material excellent in cushioning property and resistance to permanent set in fatigue - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain an elastic woven or knitted fabric capable of exhibiting excellent elasticity and elastic recovery properties without causing slippage and suitable as a cushioning material. SOLUTION: This elastic woven or knitted fabric having 150-600 N/5 cm stress at 10% elongation in at least either one of directions of warp and weft and <=1% residual strain R after repeated deformation in the direction is obtained by heat-treating a woven or a knitted fabric comprising elastic yarns composed of two or more kinds of polyetherester-based elastomers different in melting point and arranged therein.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an elastic woven or knitted fabric and a cushioning material which are excellent in cushioning properties and resistance to set when subjected to repeated deformation, and which are particularly suitable for furniture and office chairs.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Urethane foam, polyester fiber-filled cotton, resin cotton or polyester cotton to which polyester fibers are bonded, and the like are conventionally used as cushion materials for furniture and beds. In order to obtain comfortable performance as a cushion, many devices that have been devised, such as combining materials having different cushioning properties or forming a double structure when forming the cushion, are used. All of these cushioning materials have the problem that they are bulky or cannot be obtained with a small volume and good cushioning properties.

[0003] From such a viewpoint, development of a material which is space-saving and has excellent cushioning properties is desired.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an elastic woven or knitted fabric, particularly an elastic woven or knitted fabric for a sheet which is excellent in cushioning property and settling resistance and which can be used as a cushioning material in a space-saving manner. is there.

[0005]

That is, the present invention provides:
Stress at 10% elongation in at least one direction is 15
An elastic woven or knitted fabric and a cushioning material characterized by having a residual strain R of not more than 0 N / 5 cm and not more than 600 N / 5 cm and being repeatedly deformed in the direction under the following conditions of 1% or less. (Conditions) Load: 15 ± 8 N per 1 cm width of the fabric Number of times of repeated deformation: 300,000 times Frequency of repeated deformation: 120 Hz (Calculation method of residual strain) After repeated deformation, the residual strain (R) is calculated by the following equation. . R = (L1−L0) / L0 × 100 L0: Sample length before repeated deformation, L1: Sample length after repeated deformation

[0006] The cushioning material referred to here is a component used for various applications utilizing cushioning performance, and the method of using the cushioning material is not particularly limited. For example, it can be used for the seat and / or back of an office chair, and can have a cushion function by itself, and the cushion material can be made of urethane foam, polyester fiber-filled cotton, resin cotton or solid cotton with polyester fiber bonded, spring, etc. Can be used as a part of the chair structure. Further, another fabric having a design property on the surface layer can be used in combination.

[0007] Specific applications of the elastic woven or knitted fabric and the cushioning material include, for example, the use of office chairs, living chairs, and seats for transportation equipment such as automobiles and trains.
The present invention is not limited to these.

[0008] The polyetherester elastomer used in the present invention is not particularly limited. However, in order to obtain strength and recovery after elongation required for a woven or knitted fabric for a sheet,
An aromatic polyester using an aromatic dicarboxylic acid and a glycol as main raw materials is preferred. Further, a polyester elastic yarn obtained by copolymerizing polybutylene terephthalate and polytetramethylene glycol is more preferable because of its good recoverability after elongation.

It is necessary to use a polyetherester-based elastic yarn in at least one of the woven and knitted materials according to the present invention in the weft direction. By using the polyetherester-based elastic yarn, the recoverability after elongation can be kept good.

As the elastic yarn according to the present invention, an elastic yarn composed of two or more kinds of polyetherester elastomers having different melting points is used. This is because the polyetherester-based elastomer having a low melting point is melted and re-solidified while maintaining the ratio, and the intersection of the woven or knitted fabric can be filled. Also,
When an elastic yarn made of a polyetherester elastomer having a different melting point is heat-treated, a low-melting polyetherester elastomer having flexibility and excellent elastic recovery is used at the intersection of the warp and weft of the woven fabric or the intersection of the yarns constituting the knitted fabric. Because of the fusion, a strong sealing property can be obtained without lowering the strength and elastic recovery rate of the woven or knitted fabric.

[0011] The melting point of the polyetherester elastomer having a low melting point is 100 ° C or more from spinnability and knitting and weaving properties.
From the intended use of the elastic yarn, a yarn having a temperature of 30 ° C. or lower than the melting point of the polyetherester elastomer having a high melting point can be used. The ratio of the polyetherester-based elastomer having a high melting point to the polyetherester-based elastomer having a lower melting point can be arbitrarily selected, but is preferably 95: 5 to 30:70 by weight in practical use. It is more preferably from 90:10 to 60:40. Further, the heat treatment is preferably performed at a temperature between 10 ° C. lower than the melting point of the elastic yarn having a higher melting point and 10 ° C. higher than the melting point of the elastic yarn having a lower melting point. By heat-treating the woven or knitted fabric, it is possible to sufficiently adhere to other yarns in the woven or knitted fabric. Needless to say, the melting point of the polyester yarn used for this woven or knitted fabric must be equal to or higher than the melting point of the polyetherester-based elastic yarn having a high melting point.

In the present invention, the elastic yarn constituting the woven or knitted fabric may be used in any of the weft and weft directions, but is preferably used as the weft in view of the knitting and weaving properties and the woven and knitted article.

The elastic yarn according to the present invention is more preferably a monofilament. Even with multifilaments, there is no problem with mechanical properties such as recoverability after elongation,
Due to low resistance to friction, durability may be poor. Preferred monofilament fineness is 100 dtex or more
6000 dtex or less. If it is less than 100 dtex, resistance to friction is low, and sufficient durability may not be obtained. If it exceeds 6000 dtex, handling of woven or knitted fabric production becomes difficult. More preferable fineness range is 300dtex or more and 3000dte
x or less. Also, a multifilament having a single yarn of 100 dtex or more can be used.

The polyester yarn used in the woven fabric according to the present invention may be a non-processed yarn, a looped yarn or a false twisted yarn, or a mixture of both. I don't care. As the yarn, a dyed yarn or a dyed yarn can be used. The use of polyester yarn is preferable because all yarns constituting the woven or knitted fabric are of a polyester type and recycling is easy.

The sliding resistance of the polyetherester-based elastic yarn in the woven or knitted fabric according to the present invention is an important physical property as a cushioning material for a seat. This value is preferably 2N or more. If the sliding resistance is less than 2N, misalignment or fraying occurs, which is not preferable. A more preferred sliding resistance is 5 N or more, and even more preferably 10 N or more.

The breaking strength in the warp and weft directions of the woven or knitted fabric according to the present invention is also an important physical property as a cushioning material for a seat. This value is desirably 250 N / 5 cm width or more. If the breaking strength is less than 250 N / 5 cm width, the woven or knitted fabric may be broken by a load applied to the surface when used as a cushion material, which is not preferable. More preferably 350N / 5
cm width or more.

The woven or knitted fabric according to the present invention has a stress at 10% elongation in at least one direction of not less than 150 N / 5 cm and not more than 600 N / 5 cm.
Preferably it should be 200-400. If it is less than 150 N / 5 cm, the amount of sinking when used as a cushioning material is large, and discomfort occurs especially when sitting as a seat. Also, if it is larger than 600N / 5cm, on the contrary, the sinking amount as the seat will be too small, causing pain when sitting,
Does not withstand prolonged use. In addition, the residual strain R after repeatedly deforming under the following conditions in the direction where the stress at 10% elongation is 200 N / 5 cm or more and 500 N / 5 cm or less is 1% or less, preferably 0.7% or less. No. (Conditions) Load: 15 ± 8 N per 1 cm width of the fabric Number of times of repeated deformation: 300,000 times Frequency of repeated deformation: 120 Hz (Calculation method of residual strain) After repeated deformation, the residual strain (R) is calculated by the following equation. . R = (L1−L0) / L0 × 100 L0: Sample length before repetitive deformation, L1: Sample length after repetitive deformation If residual strain is 1% or more, when used as a cushioning material, it is used together with woven and knitted fabric. This is because sagging occurs, and the initial cushioning property and sitting feeling disappear.

The recovery rate after elongation in the direction in which the elastic yarn is used is preferably 90% or more. The recovery rate after elongation here is measured as follows. First, the upper end of the woven or knitted fabric is fixed, an initial load is applied to the lower end of the woven or knitted fabric so that the woven or knitted fabric is not loosened, and marks are made at intervals of 50 cm. A load is applied to the lower end of the woven or knitted fabric so that the length of the woven fabric becomes 55 cm, and the woven fabric is allowed to stand for 24 hours. The length between marks of the woven fabric after standing for 24 hours is measured, and this is defined as L1. Next, after removing the load and leaving to stand for 3 hours, an initial load is applied again, and the length between the marks of the woven fabric after the elongation and the release of the load is measured, and this is defined as L2. Using the numerical value thus obtained, ((L1-L2) / (L1-50)) * 100 (%) is set as the recovery rate after elongation. If the recovery rate after elongation is less than 90%, when this woven or knitted fabric is used as a cushioning material for supporting the buttocks of a seat, once sitting and standing, the woven or knitted fabric remains loose, which is not preferable.

If it is necessary to impart flame retardancy and light resistance to the woven or knitted fabric according to the present invention, a yarn containing a flame retardant and a light resistance agent may be used, or the flame retardant and the light resistance agent may be woven. It can be applied to a knit. For the elastic yarn, a method of adding melamine cyanurate as a flame retardant or adding a phosphorus compound as a material to be mixed with the raw material resin is known, but the method is not particularly limited thereto. In addition, as the light-proofing agent, a light-resistant formulation by adding carbon black or the like is used, but the light-proofing agent is not particularly limited to this.

If it is necessary to impart a color to the elastic yarn used in the woven or knitted fabric according to the present invention, a dye or a pigment may be contained. As the pigment, a method of adding an inorganic pigment such as a phthalocyanine-based organic pigment, carbon black, titanium oxide, or zinc oxide is known, but is not particularly limited thereto. The use of the dyed yarn containing the pigment can save the labor of dyeing.

[0021]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below based on embodiments.
The present invention is not particularly limited by the examples.
The measuring method used in the examples is as follows.

(Strength and elongation of raw yarn) Based on JIS L 1013, using a constant-speed elongation type testing machine, gripping distance 100 mm, pulling speed 100
It was measured in mm / min.

(Strength and elongation of woven fabric and stress at 10% elongation)
Based on JIS L 1096, the measurement was performed using a constant-speed elongation type testing machine at a gripping interval of 200 mm, a test piece width of 50 mm, and a tensile speed of 100 mm / min.

(Residual strain (settling resistance of woven fabric)) Using a servo pulser (manufactured by Shimadzu), the residual strain R after repeatedly deforming the woven fabric was calculated under the following conditions. [Measurement conditions] Sample size: 4 cm width Grasping interval: 30 cm Load: 15 ± 8 N per 1 cm of fabric width Number of repeated deformations: 300,000 times Deformation rate: 120 Hz [Calculation method of residual strain] After repeated deformation, remaining by the following formula Calculate the distortion (R). R = (L1−L0) / L0 × 100 L0: Sample length before repeated deformation, L1: Sample length after repeated deformation

(Amount of sinking, amount of recovery after elongation) A woven or knitted fabric was fixed on a 40 cm square iron frame in a horizontal plane.
Weight 65 kg with a 5 mm radius chamfered on each ridge at cm x 10 cm
In the case of a woven fabric containing an elastic yarn, the weight was placed on the center of the woven or knitted fabric so that the long side was parallel to the elastic yarn, and left for 24 hours. Based on the vertical position of the woven or knitted fabric surface before the load was applied, the difference from the position of the woven or knitted fabric surface when the load was applied and left for 24 hours was determined as the sinking amount of the woven or knitted fabric. After measuring the sinking amount, remove the weight applied to the surface of the woven or knitted fabric.
Left for hours. The difference between the vertical position of the woven or knitted surface after standing for 24 hours and the position of the woven or knitted surface after removing weights for 3 hours was determined as the recovery amount of the woven or knitted fabric after elongation.

(Fraying = sealability) The slip-out resistance by the yarn pulling-out method A was measured based on JIS L 1096. Using a constant speed elongation type testing machine, grip distance 30 mm, sample piece width 20 m
m, measured at a tensile speed of 30 mm / min.

(Feeling of sitting) The woven / knitted fabric was fixed on a 40 cm square iron frame in a horizontal plane, and the feeling was examined by sitting on the upper part thereof.

(Example 1) Polyetherester elastomer having a melting point of 222 ° C as a core component was used as a weft, and a melting point was 182 ° C.
The polyetherester elastomer of the sheath component,
A 2050 dtex elastic yarn having a core: sheath = 80: 20 weight ratio of 20 / inch and a 830 dtex polyester multifilament yarn as a warp yarn having a density of 28 yarns / inch were produced. . The woven fabric was subjected to a dry heat treatment at 200 ° C. for 1 minute. In the woven fabric after the heat treatment, it was confirmed that the low-melting-point polyetherester elastomer was adhered and solidified at the intersection of the warp and the weft of the woven fabric. Also, the seating feeling of the sample after heat treatment is very good,
It could be sufficiently used as a cushion material for seats in living chairs, automobiles, trains, and the like. Table 1 shows the physical properties and performance of the yarn and the woven fabric.

Example 2 The same test as in Example 1 was conducted except that the structure of the woven fabric was changed to that shown in FIG.

(Comparative Example 1) 1110 dtex polyester yarn was used for both warp and weft, and both warp density and weft density were 27 yarns / inch.
Was created. The feeling of sitting is very hard, and the fabric has settling (residual distortion) after using seating.
It was unsuitable as an office chair, a chair for living, or a cushion material for seats on automobiles and trains. Table 1 shows the physical properties and performance of the yarn and the woven fabric.

(Comparative Example 2) As a weft, a polyetherester elastomer having a melting point of 200 ° C was used as a core component, and a polyetherester elastomer having a melting point of 160 ° C was used as a sheath component. The weight ratio of the core: sheath = 80: 20. All tests were performed in the same manner as in Example 1 except that an elastic yarn of 2080 dtex was used. Since the sinking amount at the time of sitting is very large, it is unsuitable as an office chair, a living chair, a seat cushion material for a car or a train, and the like. Table 1 shows the physical properties and performance of the yarn and the woven fabric.

(Comparative Example 3) The same test as in Comparative Example 1 was performed except that 1110 dtex polyester yarn was used for both the warp and the weft, and the warp density was 27 yarns / inch and the weft density was 13 yarns / inch. Was. Although the seating feeling at the initial stage was good, sagging (residual distortion) was left on the fabric after seating, so it was not suitable as a cushion material for seats in office chairs, living chairs, automobiles and trains, and the like. Was. Table 1 shows the physical properties and performance of the yarn and the woven fabric.

[0033]

[Table 1]

The following are confirmed from the results of the examples and comparative examples. That is, Examples 1 and 2 are woven fabrics in which the weft yarn is an elastic yarn made of two kinds of polyetherester elastomers having different melting points, and the other is a polyester yarn as the warp yarn, and is subjected to dry heat treatment to perform filling. A woven fabric that satisfies all the properties required for cushioning materials because it has a good elastic recovery after elongation, has excellent elasticity, has slipping resistance, has no fraying and misalignment, and has an excellent seating feeling. Met.

Comparative Example 1 was a woven fabric using no polyetherester-based elastic yarn, and had little recovery after elongation and showed no elasticity. In Comparative Example 2, since the polyetherester-based elastomer was used, the recovery amount after elongation was sufficient, but the sinking amount at the time of sitting was too large to be suitable as a cushion material.
In Comparative Example 3, although the sinking amount at the time of sitting is moderate,
The woven fabric did not use a polyetherester-based elastic yarn, had little recovery after elongation, and did not exhibit elasticity.

All of these woven fabrics prepared in Comparative Examples were not preferable as cushioning materials.

[0037]

According to the woven fabric satisfying the requirements of the present invention, it is possible to obtain an elastic woven or knitted fabric which exhibits excellent elasticity and elastic recovery without misalignment and is suitable as a cushion material.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a structural diagram of a woven fabric used in Example 1.

FIG. 2 is a structural diagram of a woven fabric used in Example 2.

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Claims (9)

[Claims] (1) A stress at the time of 10% elongation in at least one of the directions is 150 N / 5 cm to 600 N / 5 cm, and a residual strain R after repeated deformation in the direction is 1% or less. Elastic woven or knitted fabric. However, the repeated deformation is under the following conditions. Load: 15 ± 8 N per 1 cm width of woven or knitted fabric Number of times of repeated deformation: 300,000 times Frequency of repeated deformation: 120 Hz (Calculation method of residual strain) After repeated deformation, residual strain (R) is calculated by the following equation. R = (L1−L0) / L0 × 100 L0: Sample length before repeated deformation, L1: Sample length after repeated deformation 2. The elastic woven or knitted fabric according to claim 1, wherein the woven or knitted fabric provided with elastic yarns of two or more kinds of polyetherester elastomers having different melting points has the following physical properties obtained by heat treatment. (1) The breaking strength in the warp and weft directions of the woven fabric is 250N / 5cm width or more. (2) The slip resistance of the elastic yarn of the fabric is 2N or more. 3. The elastic woven or knitted fabric according to claim 1, wherein the low-melting point polyetherester elastomer resin is fused and solidified at the intersections of the yarns of the woven or knitted fabric by heat treatment. 4. A woven or knitted fabric containing at least 25% by weight of an elastic yarn comprising at least two kinds of polyetherester elastomers having different melting points.
An elastic woven or knitted fabric according to the above. 5. The elastic woven fabric according to claim 1, wherein the elastic yarn comprising two or more kinds of polyetherester elastomers having different melting points is a monofilament. 6. The elastic woven or knitted fabric according to claim 1, wherein at least one of a warp and a weft is provided with an elastic yarn made of two or more kinds of polyetherester elastomers having different melting points, and the other is provided with a polyester yarn. 7. An elastic yarn comprising at least two kinds of polyetherester elastomers having different melting points has a core-sheath structure,
The elastic woven or knitted fabric according to any of claims 1 to 6, wherein the melting point of the core component polyetherester elastomer is higher than the melting point of the sheath component polyetherester elastomer by 30C or more. 8. The weight ratio of the core component and the sheath component is 95: 5 to 3
The elastic woven or knitted fabric according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the ratio is 0:70. 9. A cushion material comprising the elastic woven or knitted fabric according to claim 1.