JP2001333864A - Material for cushion to use in bathroom and its manufacturing method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a material for a cushion to use in a bathroom which is water-resistant, has an excellent look, lasts long, is comfortable, and does not make an user feel cold when he/she sits on the cushion even in winter. SOLUTION: A material for a cushion to use in a bathroom is comprised of an outer cover 18, made of a resilient resin, a resilient material 21, which is put in the outer cover 18, and a heating means 19. Since water-resistance is improved by using a waterproof material for the outer cover 18, a resilient material 21 of good quality can be used without taking its water-resistance into consideration. As a result, comfortableness of the cushion is greatly increased.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cushion material, and more particularly to a cushion material for improving safety and comfort in a bathroom.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as this kind of cushioning material,
A footrest as described in JP-A-7-236586 is known. This is shown in FIGS. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a bathtub main body, which has a flange 2 at the upper end over the entire circumference. Reference numeral 3 denotes an outer peripheral wall of the bathtub body 1. Reference numeral 4 denotes a footrest, which is entirely made of a soft elastic material such as foamed polyurethane rubber. As shown in FIG. 7, the footrest 4 is a flange mounting portion 5 mounted on the upper surface of the flange 2, and is connected to the flange mounting portion 5 and engages with the inner surface of the upper end of the inner wall 6 of the bathtub body 1. And a joining portion 7, and the cross-sectional shape is a U-shape.

[0003]

However, since the conventional footrest is made of a single material, a material having no water resistance cannot be used in the bathroom. If a foam material is used to provide elasticity, the surface becomes rough. There is a problem in that water is generated, water is absorbed, or the appearance cannot be improved.
Further, when a foamed material is used, it gives a feeling of discomfort such as feeling cold when the skin is pressed by water adhered to the surface or absorbed water. Furthermore, since a bathtub shape is used, there is a problem that the shape is restricted.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a bathroom cushion comprising a skin made of elastic resin, an elastic material contained in the skin and heating means. It was done.

According to the present invention, the skin and the elastic material can be made of different materials. Therefore, by making the skin a waterproof material, the elastic material can be made of a material having poor water resistance. Even when a foam material is used as the elastic material, the appearance, the touch, and the usability can be improved. Furthermore, the epidermis does not absorb water, and the heating means included in the epidermis warms the epidermis and water droplets attached to the epidermis, so that the discomfort of cold can be wiped out.

[0006]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The invention according to claim 1 of the present invention is characterized in that a bathroom cushion material is constituted by a skin made of an elastic resin, an elastic material contained in the skin and heating means. is there.

Since the skin and the elastic material can be made of different materials, by using a waterproof material for the skin, it is possible to use a material having poor water resistance as the elastic material. Even when a foam material or the like is used, the appearance, touch, and feeling of use can be improved. Further, the epidermis does not absorb water, and the enclosed heating means warms the epidermis and water droplets adhering to the epidermis, thereby eliminating the discomfort of being cold.

[0008] The invention according to claim 2 of the present invention provides:
The skin is a cushion material for a bathroom, which is a waterproof material.

Since water is not absorbed into the interior, there is no need to consider the water resistance of the elastic material, and the durability can be improved. When the heating means contained in the epidermis uses an electric heating means, the waterproofness is maintained, so that safety such as electric shock or electric leakage can be secured.

Further, in the invention according to claim 3 of the present invention, the outer skin is a bathroom cushion material formed into a bag shape having an opening.

The heating means can be inserted into the skin through the opening in the skin, and the elastic material can be injected from the opening.

Further, in the invention according to claim 4 of the present invention, the cushioning material is formed by injecting an elastic material from an opening of the bag-shaped outer skin, and the opening absorbs water into the interior. The seal member to be prevented is joined.

The elastic material can be easily waterproofed by joining the opening and the seal member, and water is not absorbed into the inside. Therefore, it is not necessary to consider the water resistance of the elastic material, and the durability can be improved. When the electric heating means is used as the heating means, the waterproof property is maintained, so that safety such as electric shock or electric leakage can be secured.

Further, in the invention according to claim 5 of the present invention, the heating means comprises a heater wire and an interlining for fixing the heater wire.

[0015] When the heater wire is energized, the heat can be transferred to the surface of the cushion material to warm it, thereby increasing comfort. In addition, by changing the arrangement of the heater wire fixed to the interlining, the heat distribution can be reduced. It can be arbitrarily controlled.

Further, the invention according to claim 6 of the present invention is configured such that the heating means is disposed in the elastic material.

Further, it is possible to eliminate the adverse effects such as deformation due to the local heating of the skin due to the heat of the heating means, and to have a gentle and uniform temperature distribution. Further, the appearance of the heater wire in appearance and the uncomfortable feeling of cushioning due to the provision of the heating means can be eliminated.

Further, the invention according to claim 7 of the present invention has a structure in which a temperature detection means or a temperature control means is provided in a portion included in the epidermis.

Then, by detecting and controlling the temperature by means of a temperature detecting means or a temperature controlling means provided in the skin, safety by providing the heating means can be ensured.

Further, the invention according to claim 8 of the present invention provides a primary foam smaller than the skin having a skin made of a resilient resin as a cushion material for a bathroom and a heating means included in the skin. And a secondary foam that fills the gap between the skin and the primary foam.

[0021] By using a primary foam having a heating means and smaller than the skin shape, the heating means can be arranged at an appropriate position in the cushion material. In addition, by filling the voids with the secondary foam, the cushioning property is not impaired, and it is possible to obtain a cushioning material for a bathroom having excellent adhesion in each material.

Further, according to a ninth aspect of the present invention, a heating means is inserted into a bag-shaped skin having an opening through an opening in the skin, a gap is provided from an inner surface of the skin, and the elastic member is provided. Is filled from an opening or an injection port provided at another location, and the opening and the injection port are sealed with a sealing member.

The heating means is integrally buried in the elastic material while maintaining a predetermined distance from the skin, protects the skin from deformation due to local heating of the skin, and provides a gentle and uniform temperature distribution for the bathroom. A cushion material can be obtained.

Further, according to a tenth aspect of the present invention, the elastic material and the heating means are inserted into the bag-shaped skin having an opening from the opening of the skin, and the elastic material and the heating means are arranged in this order from the inner surface of the skin. After disposing, the elastic material was filled from the opening or the injection port of the skin, and the opening and the injection port were sealed with a sealing member. This is a method for manufacturing a cushion material for a bathroom, which is manufactured by filling an elastic material through an opening or an injection port provided at another position and sealing the opening and the injection port with a sealing member.

The heating means is buried sandwiched between the elastic members while reliably maintaining a predetermined distance from the skin, protects the skin from deformation due to local heating of the skin, and has a gentle and uniform temperature distribution. A bathroom cushion can be obtained.

[0026]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

(Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a bathroom equipped with a cushioning material according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 11 denotes a bathroom, which comprises a bathtub 12, a counter 13, a washing place 14, and a wall 15. Further, the counter 13 is provided along the wall 15 from the upper surface of the bathtub 12 through the drainage section 16,
It is installed at a height of 350 to 550 mm from the floor. Reference numeral 17 denotes a cushion material, which is mounted on the upper surface of the counter 13 so that the respective concaves and convexes can be fitted and removed.

When taking a bath in this bathroom, a bather sits on a cushion member 17 attached to a counter 13 to wash his body. When the body is washed in such a posture, it is not necessary to take a forcibly bent position, and it is possible to sit comfortably, and it is possible to perform the showering operation easily and safely. A sufficient space for performing these operations is secured around the cushion member 17. Bathers,
The buttock comes in contact with the cushioning material and sits down. The cushioning properties make it comfortable to sit on, and the heating means (described later) warms the surface of the cushioning material 17 so that the cushion does not feel cold even in winter. Lumber 1
7 can sit on the surface.

FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the cushioning material 17.
Reference numeral 18 denotes a bag-shaped skin made of elastic resin, which has a concave portion (not shown) formed on the back surface, and is detachably fitted to a convex portion (not shown) provided on the counter to sit. To prevent misalignment in the event of Reference numeral 19 denotes an electric heater as a heating means, and a surface 18 on the surface side of the cushion material 17.
It is fixed to the back surface using an adhesive or a double-sided tape.
The electric heater 19 can be inserted into the bag-shaped skin by providing an opening on the back surface of the bag-shaped skin 18, and the opening is sealed with a sealing material after insertion. A lead wire 20 for supplying electricity protrudes from the skin from the back surface of the cushion material. An elastic body 21 is filled in the skin 18.

The outer skin 18 can be formed into a bag-like outer skin by rotation molding in which a mold is rotated to perform molding, or blow molding. As the elastic resin, a soft PVC resin or a polyolefin-based elastomer can be used.

As a heating means, an electric heating means using a sheet heater or a heater wire, a heating means using a heat storage material, or the like can be used as appropriate.

As the elastic material 24, soft foamed polyurethane, other resin foamed materials, gel-like rubber-based materials, and the like can be used. In particular, when a soft foamed polyurethane is used, it has excellent cushioning properties, and can be easily injected into the skin 18, foamed, and filled therein.

With such a structure, the skin and the elastic material can be made of different materials. By making the skin a waterproof material, the elastic material can be made of a material having poor water resistance. In addition, the appearance, the touch, and the usability can be improved even if a foam material is used as the elastic material. Furthermore, since the skin does not absorb water and the surface of the cushioning material is warmed by the included heating means, it can be seated on the cushioning material without feeling cold even in winter or the like. Further, since the skin is made of a waterproof material, water is not absorbed into the inside, so that it is not necessary to consider the water resistance of the elastic material, the durability can be improved, and the heating means included in the skin is electrically operated. When the heating means is used, the waterproofness is maintained, so that safety such as electric shock and electric leakage can be secured.

By joining the seal member to the opening, the elastic material can be easily waterproofed, and water is not absorbed into the inside. Therefore, it is not necessary to consider the water resistance of the elastic material, and the durability can be improved. When the heating means used is an electric heating means, the waterproofness is maintained, so that safety such as electric shock or electric leakage can be ensured.

(Embodiment 2) In FIG. 2, the heating means is provided on the back surface of the skin on the front side of the cushion material.
As shown in FIG. 3, the heating means may be disposed in the elastic member 21.

In this way, it is possible to eliminate the adverse effects such as deformation due to the local heating of the skin due to the heat of the heating means, and to obtain a gentle and uniform temperature distribution. Further, the appearance of the heater wire in appearance and the uncomfortable feeling of cushioning due to the provision of the heating means can be eliminated.

(Embodiment 3) The description of the same parts as in Embodiment 1 is omitted. As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the heating means 19 has a configuration including a heater wire 22 and an interlining 23 for fixing the heater wire 22, and is embedded in the elastic material 21.

The top view of the cushion material and the pattern of the heater wires 22 are indicated by dotted lines. Although the patterns are shown at substantially equal intervals, the pattern can be replaced to give a strong or weak temperature distribution.

As the interlining, a polyester nonwoven fabric or other film is used, and the heater wire 22 is sewn to the interlining 23 with a thread, or the heater wire 22 is connected to the interlining 2 by hot melt.
Fix to 3.

When the heater wire 22 is energized, the heat can be transferred to the surface of the cushion material to warm it up, thereby increasing comfort.
Since 2 is fixed, the heat distribution of the cushion material can be arbitrarily controlled by the pattern of the heater wire 22.

In this embodiment, a temperature control means 24 is provided in a portion included in the epidermis. Examples of the temperature control unit 24 include a thermostat and a thermistor. Although the example of the temperature control means has been described, the temperature can be detected by the temperature detection means and the temperature can be controlled by another electronic control box.

(Embodiment 4) In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, the cushioning material for the bathroom is smaller than a skin shape provided with a skin 18 made of elastic resin and a heating means 19 included in the skin. It comprises a primary foam 25, and a secondary foam 26 filling the gap between the skin 18 and the primary foam 25.

By using the primary foam 25 slightly smaller than the skin shape provided with the heating means 19, the elastic material 21
The heater wire 22 can be disposed at an appropriate position inside. Further, by filling the voids with the secondary foam 26, the cushioning property is not impaired, and the cushioning material for bathrooms has excellent adhesion at the interface between the skin 18 and the urethane foam as the elastic material or at the interface between the urethane foam and the interlining 23. Can be obtained.

Next, one of the production methods of these cushion materials is described.
The outline of the embodiment is shown.

The bag-like skin made of the thermoplastic elastomer is formed by a molding method in which a sol-like raw material is injected into a mold, the mold is rotated, and the raw material adheres to the surface of the mold. An opening is provided in the bag-shaped skin, and a heater wire fixed to the nonwoven fabric and a spacer fixed in the same manner are inserted through the opening to bond the spacer to the inner surface of the skin. The lead wire is sealed with a sealing member made of the same material as that of the skin in a state of being taken out from the opening, and has a waterproof structure.

Next, the foamed mold is mounted, and an ether-based urethane foam material is injected from an injection port, and foamed and filled in an epidermis to form an elastic body. After foaming is completed, the foamed article is removed from the mold and the injection port is sealed with a sealing member. To obtain a cushion material.

The cushion material obtained as described above is mounted in a detachable manner by fitting a concave portion of the cushion material to a convex portion (not shown) formed on the counter. The lead wire is pulled out of the hole (not shown) formed in the convex portion (not shown) of the counter with a margin below the counter, taken out of the bathroom below the wall, and connected to a control device (not shown). Have been.

In the above manufacturing method, the heater is fixed in the elastic body of urethane foam by fixing the heater to the back surface of the skin with the spacer interposed and injecting the urethane foam material. After fixing the heating means 19 with the primary foam 25 and inserting it into the epidermis and fixing the primary foam 25 to the back of the epidermis, a certain gap between the heating means 19 and the epidermis 18 is secured, and then the secondary foam 26 can be filled to produce a cushioning material.

At the time of bathing, the cushion material 17 is heated in advance from approximately 30 ° C. to 50 ° C. at which there is no fear of low-temperature burns, so that the bather does not feel cold even when sitting down. You can take a shower or wash your body comfortably. Applying a sudden cold to the body when taking a bath causes a strong stress and causes an increase in the burden on the heart and the like. The present invention reduces the burden on the body by washing the body in a comfortable posture while sitting on a relatively high surface of the seat without strongly bending the body when taking a bath. By installing the cushion material 17 having the wire 22 built therein, it is possible to reduce stress caused by coldness when sitting.

The outer skin 18 is made of a thermoplastic elastomer. When the electric heater 22 is in contact with the outer skin 18, the outer skin 18 is easily subjected to local heating, and the strength of the outer skin 18 becomes uneven, resulting in a local unevenness. Since the cushion material 17 is damaged by stretching or tearing, the electric heater 22
Is made to be included in the elastic body 21 so as not to directly contact the skin 18. With this structure, the temperature unevenness of the cushion material 17 was eliminated, and an effect of giving uniform and gentle warmth to the body of the bather was obtained.

As described above, in the cushion material, the bag-like outer skin 1 formed of the waterproof thermoplastic elastomer is used.
Since the surface is constituted by 8 to prevent water from entering the internal elastic material 21, use of urethane foam having low moisture resistance despite the use of a cushioning material installed in a humid environment such as a bathroom. This makes it possible to realize a cushioning material having a good feeling of use and excellent elastic durability. In particular, the opening is provided in a concave portion, and the opening is made waterproof by a sealing member, thereby realizing more reliable waterproofing. Water does not accumulate inside, so that noise during use does not occur. 23 is 0.
Since a thickness of 2 mm or more is provided, even if some surface is scratched, water does not enter the inside.

In this embodiment, the skin is made of a thermoplastic elastomer. However, if soft vinyl chloride is used, moldability and material strength can be improved, and the thickness can be easily made uniform. Further, texture and water resistance can be improved.

[0053]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, since the skin and the elastic material can be made of different materials, by making the skin a waterproof material, the elastic material becomes water-resistant. It is possible to use scarce materials, and it is possible to improve the appearance, touch, and feeling of use by using a foam material or the like as the elastic material. Furthermore, the outer skin does not absorb water, and the surface of the cushioning material can be heated by the included heating means, so that when the user sits down, it feels comfortable and sits down even in winter without feeling cold. be able to.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, since water is not absorbed into the inside, there is no need to consider the water resistance of the elastic material, and the durability can be improved. When the heating means included in the epidermis uses an electric heating means, the waterproof property is maintained, so that safety such as electric shock or electric leakage can be secured.

Further, according to the third aspect of the present invention, the heating means can be inserted into the skin through the opening in the skin, and the elastic material can be injected from the opening.

Furthermore, according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the elastic member can be easily waterproofed by joining the opening with a seal member, and since water cannot enter the inside, there is no need to consider the water resistance of the elastic member and the durability is improved. In addition to being able to improve the performance, when the heating means included in the epidermis uses an electric heating means, the waterproofness is maintained, so that the safety such as electric shock or electric leakage can be secured.

Furthermore, according to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the heater wire is energized to transfer the heat to the surface of the cushion material to warm it up, so that the comfort can be increased and the arrangement of the heater wire fixed to the interlining is improved. By changing the distribution, the heat distribution can be arbitrarily controlled.

Further, according to the sixth aspect of the present invention, by disposing the heating means in the elastic material, adverse effects such as deformation due to local heating of the skin due to heat of the heating means can be eliminated, and a gentle and uniform temperature distribution can be achieved. Can be provided. Further, the appearance of the heater wire in appearance and the uncomfortable feeling of cushioning due to the provision of the heating means can be eliminated.

Further, according to the invention of claim 7, safety can be ensured by providing the heating means by detecting and controlling the temperature by the temperature detecting means or the temperature controlling means provided in the skin.

Further, according to the eighth aspect of the present invention, the heating means is fixed at an appropriate position in the cushion material by fixing the heating means using a primary foam having a heating means and smaller than the skin shape. be able to. In addition, by filling the voids with the secondary foam, the cushioning property is not impaired, and it is possible to obtain a cushioning material for a bathroom having excellent adhesion in each material.

Further, according to the ninth and tenth aspects of the present invention, the heating means is integrally embedded in the elastic material while maintaining a predetermined distance from the skin, and protects the skin from deformation due to local heating of the skin, A bathroom cushion material having a gentle and even temperature distribution can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a bathroom in a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the cushion material.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a cushion material according to the second embodiment.

FIGS. 4A and 4B are cross-sectional views of a cushion material according to the third embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view and a top view of the cushion material according to the fourth embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a conventional bathtub.

FIG. 7 is a partial sectional view of the bathtub.

[Explanation of symbols]

 17 Cushion material 18 Skin 19 Heating means 21 Elastic body 22 Heater wire 23 Interlining 24 Temperature control means 25 Primary foam 26 Secondary foam

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Masaaki Yonemura 1006 Kazuma Kadoma, Kadoma City, Osaka Prefecture Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. F-term (reference) 2D005 FA00 2D032 AA11 AB03 GA00

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. A cushioning material for a bathroom comprising a skin made of an elastic resin, an elastic material contained in the skin and heating means. 2. The bathroom cushion material according to claim 1, wherein the skin is a waterproof material. 3. The cushion material for a bathroom according to claim 1, wherein the skin is formed into a bag shape having an opening. 4. The cushion material is formed by injecting an elastic material from an opening of a bag-shaped outer skin, and a seal member for preventing water from entering the inside is joined to the opening. Bathroom cushioning material. 5. The cushioning material for a bathroom according to claim 1, wherein the heating means comprises a heater wire and an interlining for fixing the heater wire. 6. The cushioning material for a bathroom according to claim 1, wherein the heating means is provided in the elastic material. 7. The cushioning material for a bathroom according to claim 1, wherein a temperature detecting means or a temperature controlling means is provided in the skin. 8. A skin made of an elastic resin, a primary foam having a shape smaller than the skin provided with a heating means included in the skin, and a secondary filling the gap between the skin and the primary foam. Bathroom cushion material made of foam. 9. A heating means is inserted from the opening of the skin into the bag-shaped skin having the opening, and a gap is provided from the inner surface of the skin, and then the elastic material is provided at the opening of the skin or elsewhere. A method for manufacturing a cushion material for a bathroom, comprising filling from an inlet and closing an opening and an inlet with a sealing member. 10. A foam material having a heating element and a primary foam having a shape smaller than the skin shape is inserted into the bag-shaped skin having an opening from the opening of the skin, and the primary foam is fixed to the back surface of the skin. From a filling port of the epidermis, and sealing the filling port with a sealing member.