JP2002103366A - Method for manufacturing long-sized foamed rubber flooring and manufacturing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a long-sized highly foamed rubber flooring having a desired expansion ratio and a desired surface pattern by vulcanizing an unvulcanized rubber sheet while controlling the degree of its foaming. SOLUTION: When the long-sized foamed rubber flooring is manufactured using the nuvulcanized rubber sheet 1, a manufacturing device 2 for the continuous foamed rubber flooring is used which comprises a pair of belts 3 and 4 formed of a net using at least one kind of material selected from the group of a metal wire, fiber and plastics, feed rollers 5 and 6 and heating devices 7 and 8. A conveyance passage 9 for the unvulcanized rubber sheet 1 is provided between the belts 3 and 4, and the belts 3 and 4 are fed by the feed rollers 5 and 6 and further, the unvulcanized rubber sheet 1 is conveyed into the conveyance passage 9 by means of the belts 3 and 4. In this case, the unvulcanized rubber sheet 1 is heated by the heating devices 7 and 8 and is forcibly brought into contact with the belts 3 and 4 by expanding the unvulcanized rubber sheet 1. Thus the surface pattern of the belts 3 and 4 is transferred to the unvulcanized rubber sheet 1 and at the same time, the unvulcanized rubber sheet 1 is vulcanized and molded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for producing a long foamed rubber flooring. In particular, the present invention, nursing homes, schools, hospitals and other places using general shoes, golf courses,
Manufacture of long-foam rubber flooring that absorbs the impact of overturning and prevents injuries, even if it falls down, in the event of a fall, such as golf practice ranges, athletics stadiums, etc. It is about the method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, long rubber flooring materials are mainly formed by a press molding method (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 61-141737), a roto-curing method (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-151604), and a rolled steaming method. It is produced using a sulfuric acid method.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a conventional apparatus for manufacturing a long rubber flooring material. The manufacturing apparatus 21 shown in FIG. 3 is of a roto-cure system, and includes a heating drum 22, pressure rolls 23, 2
4, a tension roll 25, a drive roll 26, an endless steel band 27, and a heating device 28.

In the roto-cure method, the dough or the dispensing sheet 29 is composed of a heating drum 22 and an endless band 2.
The product 30 is vulcanized while being pressurized by the press roll 23 and the like sandwiched between 7, and the product 30 is obtained.

[0005]

However, the present inventor has
With these conventional methods, it was found that a long rubber flooring material having a desired expansion ratio could not be obtained, and the degree of expansion could not be controlled.

An object of the present invention is to obtain a long, highly foamed rubber flooring material having a desired expansion ratio and surface pattern by vulcanizing while controlling the degree of foaming.

[0007]

According to the present invention, in obtaining a long foamed rubber flooring material from an unvulcanized rubber sheet, the apparatus for producing a long foamed rubber flooring material comprises a group consisting of a metal wire, a fiber and a plastic. A pair of belts formed from a net using at least one material selected from the group consisting of a belt, a feed roller, and a heating device, and a conveying path for the unvulcanized rubber sheet between the belts. Is provided, the belt is fed by the feed roller, the unvulcanized rubber sheet is transported into the transport path by the belt, and at this time, the unvulcanized rubber sheet is heated by the heating device, The unvulcanized rubber sheet is foamed and pressed against the belt, and the surface pattern of the belt is transferred to the unvulcanized rubber sheet and the unvulcanized rubber sheet is vulcanized and molded at the same time. That is one of the manufacturing method and a manufacturing apparatus of a long foamed rubber flooring.

Further, according to the present invention, in obtaining a long foamed rubber flooring material from an unvulcanized rubber sheet, the apparatus for producing a long foamed rubber flooring material comprises: a pair of belts formed from punched metal; Equipped with a roller and a heating device,
A conveyance path for the unvulcanized rubber sheet is provided between the respective belts, the belt is fed by the feed roller, and the unvulcanized rubber sheet is conveyed into the conveyance path by the belt. At this time, the unvulcanized rubber sheet is heated by the heating device, the unvulcanized rubber sheet is foamed and pressed against the belt, and the surface pattern of the belt is transferred to the unvulcanized rubber sheet, and The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for producing a long foamed rubber floor material, which comprises vulcanizing and molding a vulcanized rubber sheet.

The present inventor has attempted to produce a long foam rubber flooring material by a conventional press molding method, a roto-cure method, and a steam vulcanization method.

However, according to the study of the present inventors, it has been found that the press molding method cannot produce a long floor material in the first place, and it is difficult to control the degree of foaming.

In addition, in the roto-cure method, since pressure is applied by a metal sheet or the like, uniform foaming does not occur, and it has been found that a particularly high foaming ratio cannot be realized. When fabricating a foamed flooring material by the roto-cure method, when the foaming agent is vaporized inside the unvulcanized rubber sheet, the sheet is hardly expanded because the sheet is suppressed by pressure, so that the foaming agent is Before contributing to foaming, it was easy for air to escape from the sheet.

Further, in the steamed vulcanization method, in which an unvulcanized rubber sheet is wound and vulcanized, the heat transfer is different between the outer sheet and the inner sheet. A phenomenon that the expansion ratio differs between the two was observed.

According to the study of the present inventor, the press molding method or the roto-cure method requires enormous costs for the equipment, and the roll-cure vulcanization method requires a small investment in equipment,
As described above, the manner in which heat is transmitted is not constant, and it has been difficult to obtain excellent quality flooring materials having a uniform expansion ratio.

Based on such knowledge, the present inventors have studied various means for obtaining a long, highly foamed rubber flooring material while controlling the degree of foaming.

The inventor of the present invention is particularly concerned with physical properties such as required shock absorption in places where the impact energy at the time of falling is different, such as nursing homes, schools, hospitals, golf courses, driving ranges, and athletic fields. In order to obtain a floor material with a controlled expansion ratio in accordance with the value, a suitable mix and production method were examined.

As a result, the present inventor has proposed that the unvulcanized rubber sheet be formed from a belt or a punched metal formed from a net using at least one material selected from the group consisting of metal wires, fibers and plastics. The present inventors have found that a long foamed rubber flooring material having a controlled expansion ratio can be obtained by being conveyed while being sandwiched between heating belts, and the present invention.

According to the present invention, a belt formed from a net or a belt formed from punched metal using at least one material selected from the group consisting of metal wires, fibers and plastics is formed by foaming an unvulcanized rubber sheet. And a function of easily causing expansion.

In the present invention, the unvulcanized rubber sheet heated by being sandwiched between the belts is pressed against the belt by foaming and expansion, and the surface pattern of the belt is transferred and simultaneously vulcanized.

According to the present invention, it is possible to manufacture a long foamed rubber flooring material by controlling the expansion ratio in accordance with the required physical properties such as the required impact absorption rate.

Further, according to the present invention, the expansion ratio of the long foamed rubber flooring material can be controlled, and the surface pattern of a predetermined belt can be transferred onto the long foamed rubber flooring material.

Further, according to the present invention, in places where general shoes are used, such as nursing homes, schools, and hospitals, and in places where spiked shoes are used, such as golf courses, driving ranges, and athletic fields, Even in the case of a fall, a long foamed rubber flooring material that is less likely to be injured by absorbing a fall impact can be efficiently manufactured.

[0022]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described.
The unvulcanized rubber sheet used in the present invention is a rubber sheet before vulcanization and foaming. Such an unvulcanized rubber sheet is
The unvulcanized rubber may be rolled by a calender roll, a roller head, or the like, and may be formed as a single layer or a laminate.

Examples of unvulcanized rubber include rubber {NR (natural rubber), SBR (styrene butadiene rubber), BR (butadiene rubber), IR (isoprene rubber), IIR (butyl rubber), and RB (syndiotactic 1,2). -Polybutadiene), U (urethane rubber), Q (silicone rubber), E
PDM (ethylene propylene diene methylene), CR
(Chloroprene rubber), NBR (nitrile rubber), etc.},
A mixture of a vulcanizing agent, a vulcanization accelerator, a filler, a foaming agent, a pigment, and the like can be used.

The belt used in the present invention is at least one selected from the group consisting of metal wires, fibers and plastics.
It is formed from a net or punched metal using various materials.

As the net using a metal wire, nets of various materials and shapes can be used. For example, a stainless wire or the like may be used as the metal wire, and a three-dimensional net such as a mat weave net, a flat weave, or a flat net such as a rhombus wire net may be used.

As the net using fibers, nets of various materials and shapes can be used. For example, as the fiber, glass fiber, carbon fiber, polyamide fiber or the like,
It is possible to use a net that has been subjected to fluororesin processing and has improved releasability from rubber.

As the net using plastic, nets of various materials and shapes can be used. For example,
Using PET (polyethylene terephthalate) and PA (polyamide) as plastics,
A net formed like plain weave, cedar twill weave, or satin weave can be used.

As the net, a net using a metal wire is preferable. This is because a net using a metal wire is resistant to a heat source for foaming and vulcanizing an unvulcanized rubber sheet, and has little deterioration or the like.

The punching metal is a metal plate in which holes are punched out in advance, and is used in which holes are punched out in a desired pattern or pattern. Commercially available punching metal can also be used.

Such a net or punched metal has a function of transferring those patterns to the unvulcanized rubber sheet, and at the same time, assists the foaming and expansion of the unvulcanized rubber sheet by allowing foaming gas to pass through the meshes and holes. . In a flat plate having no holes, the surface pattern is not transferred to the unvulcanized rubber sheet, and foaming and expansion of the unvulcanized rubber sheet are prevented.

The belt according to the present invention is fed by a feed roller. Various feed rollers can be used without any particular limitation.

In the present invention, a conveyor in which a belt and a feed roller are integrated can be used. As the conveyor, a net conveyor wound with a belt formed of a net using a metal wire or a steel conveyor wound with a belt formed of a punching metal can be used.

In the present invention, such a belt has at least one
An unvulcanized rubber sheet conveying path is provided between each pair of belts. The unvulcanized rubber sheet is sandwiched between the belts and transported.

The unvulcanized rubber sheet according to the present invention is heated by a heating device and foamed and vulcanized while being conveyed by each belt.

The heating device according to the present invention refers to a heat source for foaming and vulcanizing an unvulcanized rubber sheet.
A press heater or a vulcanizing tank generally used in the rubber industry may be used. Various types such as a heating plate can also be used.

In the present invention, the pressure during vulcanization and foaming is preferably relatively low, and is preferably 196 to 980.665 k.
It may be about Pa ( ^{2 to} 10 kg / cm ² ). If it exceeds this range, foaming, expansion and vulcanization of the unvulcanized rubber sheet may be hindered.

In the present invention, the thickness of the obtained long foam rubber flooring material can be adjusted by arranging spacers of a desired thickness on both sides in the width direction of each belt. Such a spacer can be arranged, for example, between heating devices provided above and below the transport path.

The spacer regulates the interval between the belts, whereby the width of the unvulcanized rubber sheet when foamed,
The thickness becomes stable. As a result, the width and thickness of the obtained long foam rubber flooring material are stabilized, and the expansion ratio is stabilized.

Further, with such a spacer, the depth of the surface pattern of the long foam rubber flooring material, the degree of unevenness, and the like can be easily adjusted.

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to manufacture a long foamed rubber flooring material in which required physical properties such as a shock absorption rate are uniformly maintained with simple and inexpensive capital investment. .

The present invention will be described in further detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a manufacturing process of an example of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a manufacturing process of another example of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, in the present invention, a long foamed rubber flooring production apparatus 2 can be used to obtain a long foamed rubber flooring from the unvulcanized rubber sheet 1.

The manufacturing apparatus 2 includes a pair of belts 3 and 4 formed of a net using at least one material selected from the group consisting of a metal wire, a fiber, and a plastic; Devices 7 and 8 are provided. A transport path 9 for the unvulcanized rubber sheet 1 is provided between the belts 3 and 4.

The belts 3 and 4 are fed by feed rollers 5 and 6, respectively, and the unvulcanized rubber sheet 1 is conveyed into the conveyance path 9 by the belts 3 and 4. As shown in FIG. 1, in this example, a conveyor is used in which the belts 3 and 4 are integrated with feed rollers 5 and 6, respectively.

At this time, in the present invention, the unvulcanized rubber sheet 1
Is heated by heating devices 7 and 8, and the unvulcanized rubber sheet 1 is heated.
Is foamed and pressed against the belts 3 and 4. At this time, the surface pattern of the belts 3 and 4 is transferred to the front and back surfaces of the unvulcanized rubber sheet 1 and the unvulcanized rubber sheet 1 is vulcanized and molded. Is done.

In the present invention, an apparatus 12 for producing a long foamed rubber flooring as shown in FIG. 2 can be used.
The manufacturing device 12 includes a pair of belts 13 and 14 formed of punched metal, feed rollers 15 and 16, and heating devices 17 and 18.
A transport path 19 for the unvulcanized rubber sheet 11 is provided therebetween.

In the example shown in FIG. 2, the belts 13, 14 and the feed rollers 15, 16 are provided separately without forming a conveyor as shown in FIG.

Also in this manufacturing apparatus 12, as in FIG.
The belts 13 and 14 are fed by feed rollers 15 and 16, and the unvulcanized rubber sheet 11 is conveyed into the conveying path 19 by the belts 13 and 14.
Is heated by heating devices 17 and 18, the unvulcanized rubber sheet 11 is foamed and pressed against the belts 13 and 14, and the surface pattern of the belts 13 and 14 is transferred to the unvulcanized rubber sheet 11 and simultaneously the unvulcanized rubber The sheet 11 is vulcanized and molded.

[0049]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG.
This will be described in further detail. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment.

Example 1 An unvulcanized rubber compounded at a compounding ratio shown in Table 1 was uniformly kneaded, and rolled to 8 mm with a roller head to prepare a dough (unvulcanized rubber sheet).

[0051]

[Table 1]

In this example, a long foamed rubber flooring material of 15 m long made of this cloth is continuously heated at 6 m / h, foamed and vulcanized by using the apparatus shown in FIG. To manufacture.

In the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, a net of a mat-woven metal wire (mesh size 5 mm, mesh thickness 5 mm) is wound around a feed roller as an upper conveyor, and a net of a plain-woven metal wire (lower conveyor). Aperture 10m
m, a net thickness of 3 mm) is wound around a feed roller.

A heating plate is used as a heating device. The heating plate is used for heating by releasing steam from the iron plate.

In this example, a spacer having a thickness of 16 mm is sandwiched between ends of a heating plate protruding from both ends in the width direction of the net conveyor.

The obtained long foamed rubber flooring material was sampled every 3 m, and its physical properties were measured. Table 2 shows the results.

The measurement of the test items in Table 2 is based on JIS K-6301 for the thickness and hardness, JIS A-6519 for the collision acceleration, and the International Federation of Athletics (Athletics) for shock absorption and displacement. IAAF).

[0058]

[Table 2]

Example 2 Unvulcanized rubber compounded in the compounding ratio shown in Table 3 is uniformly kneaded and rolled by a calender to produce a 3 mm upper cloth and a 4 mm lower cloth. One upper fabric and two lower fabrics are laminated in advance with a pressure roller to produce a 10 mm unvulcanized fabric (unvulcanized rubber sheet).

[0060]

[Table 3]

In this example, the laminated fabric is fed to a device as shown in FIG. 2 at a rate of 50 cm every 5 minutes, heated, foamed and vulcanized to produce a 5 m long foamed rubber flooring.

In the apparatus shown in FIG. 2, an in-house manufactured belt (thickness: 4.5 mm) in which an iron plate is punched in advance is used as an upper belt, and a hole diameter is 25 mm, a pitch is 30 mm, and a thickness is lower. 6 mm punched metal is used.

As the heating device, a heating plate similar to that of the first embodiment is used, and a spacer having a thickness of 20 mm is sandwiched between both ends of the heating plate as in the first embodiment.

The obtained long foamed rubber flooring material is sampled every 1 m, and its physical properties are measured in the same manner as in Example 1. The measuring method is the same as in Table 2. Table 4 shows the results.

[0065]

[Table 4]

As shown in Tables 2 and 4, Examples 1 and 2
In either case, a long foamed rubber flooring material having a uniform expansion ratio can be obtained. Further, in this embodiment, a long foamed rubber flooring material having a desired surface hardness and a desired hardness, collision acceleration, impact absorption rate and displacement can be obtained.

As described above, in the present invention, the mold,
Punches patterns on nets, punched metals, metal plates, etc. made of at least one material selected from the group consisting of commercially available metal wires, fibers and plastics without engraving on rolls and without requiring large-scale equipment By sandwiching an unvulcanized rubber sheet that has been sheeted in advance and applying a slight pressure between them, it is possible to manufacture an inexpensive, easily foamed, long foamed rubber flooring material that is easily and uniformly foamed.

[0068]

According to the present invention, a long foamed rubber flooring can be manufactured by controlling the expansion ratio in accordance with the required physical properties such as the required shock absorption rate. According to the present invention, the expansion ratio of the long foam rubber flooring can be controlled,
A surface pattern of a predetermined belt can be transferred to the long foam rubber flooring.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a manufacturing process according to an example of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a manufacturing process of another example of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a conventional long rubber flooring manufacturing apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1,11 Unvulcanized rubber sheet 2,12 Manufacturing device for long foamed rubber flooring 3,4,13,14 Belt 5,6,15,16 Feed roller 7,8,17,18 Heating device 9,19 Conveyance Road

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 4F201 AA45 AB02 AE07 AG01 AG20 AH48 AJ02 AJ03 BA03 BC02 BC13 BD10 BM12 4F212 AA45 AB02 AE07 AG01 AG20 AH48 AJ02 AJ03 UA09 UB02 UG02 UN03 UN08 UP02 UP04

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A method for producing a long foamed rubber flooring material from an unvulcanized rubber sheet, wherein the apparatus for producing the long foamed rubber flooring material comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of a metal wire, a fiber and a plastic. A pair of belts formed from a net using the same, a feed roller, and a heating device, and a conveyance path for the unvulcanized rubber sheet is provided between the respective belts. The unvulcanized rubber sheet is fed by the feed roller, and the unvulcanized rubber sheet is conveyed into the conveyance path by the belt. At this time, the unvulcanized rubber sheet is heated by the heating device to foam the unvulcanized rubber sheet. And press-bonded to the belt, and simultaneously transferring the surface pattern of the belt to the unvulcanized rubber sheet and vulcanizing and molding the unvulcanized rubber sheet. Production method. 2. A method for producing a long foamed rubber flooring material from an unvulcanized rubber sheet, wherein the long foamed rubber flooring manufacturing apparatus comprises: a pair of belts formed from punched metal; a feed roller; A conveying path of the unvulcanized rubber sheet is provided between each of the belts, the belt is fed by the feed roller, and the unvulcanized rubber sheet is conveyed by the belt. The unvulcanized rubber sheet is heated by the heating device at this time, the unvulcanized rubber sheet is foamed and pressed against the belt, and the surface pattern of the belt is unvulcanized rubber. A method for producing a long foamed rubber flooring, wherein the unvulcanized rubber sheet is vulcanized and molded at the same time as transferring to a sheet. 3. An apparatus for producing a long foamed rubber flooring material from an unvulcanized rubber sheet, wherein the production equipment is selected from the group consisting of a metal wire, a fiber and a plastic. A pair of belts formed from a net using at least one kind of material, a feed roller, and a heating device, and a conveyance path for the unvulcanized rubber sheet is provided between the respective belts. The belt is fed by the feed roller, the unvulcanized rubber sheet is transported into the transport path by the belt, at this time, the unvulcanized rubber sheet is heated by the heating device, The unvulcanized rubber sheet is foamed and pressed against the belt, and the surface pattern of the belt is transferred to the unvulcanized rubber sheet and the unvulcanized rubber sheet is vulcanized and molded at the same time. Apparatus for manufacturing a long foamed rubber flooring. 4. An apparatus for producing a long foamed rubber flooring material from an unvulcanized rubber sheet, comprising: a pair of belts formed from punched metal; , A feed roller, and a heating device, a conveyance path of the unvulcanized rubber sheet is provided between the respective belts, the belt is fed by the feed roller, the unvulcanized rubber The sheet is conveyed into the conveyance path by the belt, and at this time, the unvulcanized rubber sheet is heated by the heating device, the unvulcanized rubber sheet foams and is pressed against the belt, and the surface of the belt is An apparatus for producing a long foamed rubber flooring, wherein a pattern is transferred to the unvulcanized rubber sheet and the unvulcanized rubber sheet is vulcanized and molded at the same time.