JP2005059319A - Cushioning member and its manufacturing method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a cushioning member having sufficient cushioning properties and compression resistance, reduced in impact sound and hardly deformed during long-term use. <P>SOLUTION: The cushioning member 1 is constituted by integrating both of a base material layer 2 comprising a hard resin and the cushioning layer 3 comprising an elastomer provided on the upper surface of the base material layer 2. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a cushion member that has both compression resistance and cushioning properties and can be suitably used for, for example, a folding cellular phone.

  For example, a foldable mobile phone 41 as shown in FIG. 9 has an operation unit main body 42 mainly provided with various buttons, a lid 43 mainly provided with a liquid crystal screen 47, and these can be folded. Generally, it is composed of a hinge member 44 to be connected. One or both of the operation unit main body 42 and the lid 43 in the foldable mobile phone 41 includes various buttons 46, a liquid crystal screen 47, the lid 43 and the operation unit main body 42 when folded. The cushion member 45 is provided for the purpose of protecting the facing surface of the case (in FIG. 9, the cushion member 45 is provided on the lid body 43) (see, for example, Patent Document 1). ).

  The cushion member 45 has (1) “cushioning property” for protecting various buttons 46, the liquid crystal screen 47, and the facing surface of the case from the impact when the foldable mobile phone 41 is vigorously closed. 2) “Compression resistance” that can maintain a gap for preventing the liquid crystal screen 47 from being damaged when various buttons are pressed against the liquid crystal screen 47 when the folding mobile phone 41 is closed. Two conflicting performances are required.

In the prior art, the cushion member 45 is composed of only one elastomer, and has cushioning properties and compression resistance by adjusting the rubber hardness and thickness of the elastomer. Here, if the cushioning property is emphasized and the hardness of the elastomer is reduced, satisfactory compression resistance cannot be obtained. When the folding mobile phone 41 is closed, the cushion member 45 remains compressed and deformed. Since the button 46 touches and the liquid crystal screen 47 is damaged, the rubber hardness is increased with emphasis on compression resistance.
JP 11-275191 A

  However, in this conventional technique, since the hardness of the elastomer is increased with emphasis on compression resistance, satisfactory cushioning properties cannot be obtained, and when the folding mobile phone 41 is closed, various buttons 46 are used. In addition to giving an impact to the liquid crystal screen 47 and the opposing surface of the case, there is a problem that the impact sound when the opposing surface hits the cushion member 45 is annoying.

  Moreover, since it is comprised only with an elastomer, when there was especially thickness, there existed a problem of deform | transforming greatly by compression during use.

  Furthermore, when it is composed only of elastomer, if it is formed to a thickness that is practically necessary, the transmittance of the cushion layer decreases, so it is virtually impossible to decorate the bottom of the cushion layer such as printing or coloring. Met.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a cushion member that has sufficient cushioning properties and compression resistance, has a small impact sound, and does not easily deform its shape due to long-term use. Another object is to provide a cushion member having a high degree of freedom in terms of design.

  In order to solve this problem, the invention described in claim 1 includes a base material layer made of a hard resin and a cushion layer made of an elastomer provided on the upper surface of the base material layer, The cushion layer is integrated.

  The invention described in claim 2 is characterized in that, in addition to the configuration described in claim 1, the elastomer has adhesiveness to the hard resin.

  In addition to the structure of Claim 1 or 2, the invention of Claim 3 has an ultraviolet irradiation process, a plasma process, a corona treatment, a base printing process, etc. on the surface of the base material layer facing the cushion layer. The surface modification treatment is performed.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration according to any one of the first to third aspects, the cushion layer is transparent or translucent, and the surface of the base material layer facing the cushion layer Is provided with a decorative layer.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the structure according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, the base material layer and the cushion layer are transparent or translucent, and are formed on the bottom surface of the base material layer. It is characterized by a decorative layer.

  Invention of Claim 6 is a manufacturing method of the cushion member as described in any one of Claim 1 thru | or 5, Comprising: On the hard resin as said base material layer, it is uncured as said cushion layer. The base material layer and the cushion layer are integrated by disposing and curing the elastomer.

  According to a seventh aspect of the invention, in addition to the configuration of the sixth aspect, an intermediate member is formed by integrating an elastomer as a cushion layer having a convex portion on a hard resin layer, and the convex portion of the intermediate member is formed. The cushion member is formed by punching the inner side from the outer periphery of the part in a substantially vertical direction.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the base material layer and the cushion layer are included, the base material layer can ensure the compression resistance and the cushion layer can ensure the cushioning property. It is easy to plan. Therefore, it is possible to provide a cushion member that can effectively reduce the impact sound by adjusting the rubber hardness of the cushion layer and that can prevent deformation of the shape due to long-term use by adjusting the thickness of the base material layer. .

  According to invention of Claim 2, since an elastomer has adhesiveness with respect to hard resin, it is easy to integrally form a base material layer and a cushion layer.

  According to invention of Claim 3, since the specific process is performed to the opposing surface of a base material layer and a cushion layer, the cushion member which adhesiveness improved further can be provided.

  According to the inventions of claims 4 and 5, the cushion layer or both layers are made transparent or translucent, and the decorative layer is provided between the cushion layer and the base material layer or on the bottom surface of the base material layer. The decorative layer can be visually recognized from the outside, and design properties can be imparted to the cushion member. Moreover, it is also possible to improve the adhesiveness of a base material layer and a cushion layer by devising the component of a decoration layer.

  According to the invention described in claim 6, since the uncured elastomer is cured on the hard resin, it is easy to integrate both, and the manufacturing process can be simplified as compared with the case of separately molding and joining, The initial investment for the manufacturing apparatus can be reduced.

  According to the invention described in claim 7, since the intermediate member having the convex portion is formed and the inner side is punched out from the outer periphery of the convex portion, the eccentricity of the convex portion becomes inconspicuous even if the outer shape is displaced, The manufacturing method of the cushion member which is easy to ensure functionality can be provided.

Below, the cushion member of this invention is demonstrated concretely using drawing.
[Embodiment 1]

  FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing one embodiment of the cushion member of the present invention.

  A cushion member 1 according to the present invention is attached to an opposing surface of an open / close structure such as a folding mobile phone, and includes a base material layer 2 made of a hard resin and a cushion layer 3 made of an elastomer. The cushion layer 3 is provided on the upper surface of the layer 2 and integrated.

  The base material layer 2 plays a role of imparting compression resistance to the cushion member 1 among two properties that the cushion member 1 is required, that is, cushioning property and compression resistance. Accordingly, the hard resin for forming the base material layer 2 is not particularly limited as long as it is harder than the cushion layer 3 and can impart compression resistance to the cushion member 1. Can be used. Among them, it is preferable to use a hard plastic. Specifically, ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer) resin, AS (acrylonitrile-styrene copolymer) resin, styrene resin, vinyl chloride resin, acrylic resin, Conventionally known thermosetting plastics such as polycarbonate, polyethylene, polypropylene, polybutene, polymethylpentene, ethylene-propylene copolymer, ethylene-propylene-butene copolymer, nylon 6, nylon 66, polybutylene terephthalate, etc. And thermoplastic plastics can be used, and polycarbonate is particularly preferable.

  The cushion layer 3 plays a role of imparting cushioning properties among the two properties required of the cushion member 1. Therefore, the elastomer forming the cushion layer 3 is not particularly limited as long as it is softer than the base material layer 2 and can impart cushioning properties to the cushion member 1, but silicone rubber, NBR ( (Acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber), natural rubber, rubber such as butyl rubber, urethane rubber, thermoplastic elastomer, and the like can be used, and a resin having adhesiveness to the base material layer 2 is preferable. Among them, silicone rubber is preferable, and the composition of the silicone rubber includes (a) an alkenyl group-containing organopolysiloxane, (b) an organohydrogenpolysiloxane having at least two hydrogen atoms directly bonded to a silicon atom in a molecule, ( Those containing an addition reaction catalyst and (d) an adhesion-imparting component are particularly preferred (see Japanese Patent No. 2687832). Here, the adhesion-imparting component is selected from a group having at least one hydrogen atom directly bonded to a silicon atom in one molecule and having a phenyl skeleton, an alkoxysilyl group, a glycidyl group, and an acid anhydride group. It is a compound containing a group, and among them, a compound having at least one, more preferably two or more Si—H groups and at least one phenyl skeleton in one molecule is particularly preferable.

  When the silicone rubber composition containing the above (a) to (d) is used as an elastomer, an aliphatic unsaturated group-containing polycarbonate resin or a normal polycarbonate containing the aliphatic unsaturated group-containing polycarbonate resin as a hard resin. It is preferable to use a composition containing.

  The cushion member 1 is obtained by integrating the base material layer 2 and the cushion layer 3. In order to integrate, the engaging part and the engaged part may be provided and engaged with each other, or both may be bonded with an adhesive, but considering the simplification of the manufacturing process and the degree of completion of the finished product Then, it is preferable to join directly using both adhesiveness.

  The shape of the cushion member 1 is not particularly limited, and can be arbitrarily set according to the application of the cushion member 1. For example, when used for a folding mobile phone, the shape is generally rectangular or circular. In view of the purpose of preventing the case on the opposite side from being damaged when closed, it is more preferable that the shape is circular and the upper surface of the cushion layer 3 is not a flat surface but a curved surface. Moreover, in order to give sufficient compression resistance and cushioning properties, the thickness of the base material layer is arbitrary, the thickness of the cushion layer 3 is 0.5 to 5.0 mm, and is measured with a JIS-A type hardness meter. The rubber hardness of the cushion layer 3 is preferably 30 to 80 degrees.

  Next, the manufacturing method of such a cushion member 1 is demonstrated. FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a mold for explaining a manufacturing process of the cushion member 1 shown in FIG. Here, a mold 20 composed of a lower mold 21 and an upper mold 22 is used, and the base material layer 2 and the cushion layer 3 are integrated in a molding space 20a corresponding to the shape of one cushion member 1 to cushion members. Get one.

  First, a hard resin is formed in the shape of the base material layer 2 in advance, and placed in the molding space 20 a of the mold 20. The upper surface 2a of the base material layer 2 made of the hard resin may be previously subjected to ultraviolet irradiation treatment, plasma treatment, or corona treatment. By performing such a surface modification treatment, it is considered that -OH groups and -COOH groups existing on the upper surface 2a of the base material layer 2 increase, and the base material layer 2 and a cushion formed on the upper surface 2a Adhesiveness with the layer 3 can be improved.

  Next, an uncured silicone rubber component is disposed on the upper surface of the hard resin disposed in the molding space 20a, the mold is closed, and the base layer 2 and the cushion layer 3 are cured by heating and pressurizing. Integrate. When the polycarbonate layer is used for the base material layer 2 and the silicone rubber composition is used for the cushion layer 3, the silicone rubber adheres well to the polycarbonate. It is preferable because it can be well integrated.

  And in order to use the cushion member 1 obtained in this way for a folding-type mobile phone etc., it fixes and uses with the adhesive etc. to the predetermined position of the opposing surface of a case. In this predetermined position, a recess having a depth substantially the same as the outer periphery of the cushion member 1 and deep enough to fill a part of the base material layer 2 is provided, and if the cushion member 1 is fixed in the recess, the aesthetic appearance is improved. It is preferable from the viewpoint. Moreover, if the screw hole for assembling a case is provided in a recessed part, the screw fixed to the screw hole can be hidden by fixing the cushion member 1 from the top. In the foldable mobile phone equipped with the cushion member 1 as described above, when the case is closed, a predetermined position of the facing surface of the case comes into contact with the cushion layer 3 of the cushion member 1, and the cushion layer 3 is compressed to cause an impact. Is absorbed. In addition, when the cushion layer 3 is deformed over time while the case is kept closed, the opposing surfaces of the case can be kept close to each other without the base material layer 2 being deformed.

  Therefore, according to the cushion member 1 as described above, since the base material layer 2 and the cushion layer 3 are provided, the base material layer 2 can ensure compression resistance and the cushion layer 3 provides cushioning properties. The impact sound can be suppressed by forming the cushion layer 3 softer. Moreover, if the thickness of the base material layer 2 is adjusted, deformation due to long-term use can be easily prevented.

  Furthermore, if such a cushion member 1 is manufactured as described above, there is no need to form the base material layer 2 and the cushion layer 3 separately or to join them, and the manufacturing process can be simplified easily. Therefore, it is easy to reduce the initial investment because no equipment is required.

  In the manufacturing method of the cushion member 1, a preferable manufacturing method has been described when a thermosetting elastomer is used. However, when a thermoplastic elastomer is used, for example, there is an injection portion 23 as shown in FIG. In a state where a hard resin having a predetermined shape is arranged using a mold, the molten elastomer may be injected from the injection portion 23 under high temperature and high pressure to be integrally formed.

In the above description, the base material layer 2 is formed separately from the case. However, the case is disposed in the mold, and the case and the cushion layer are integrally formed by the same method as described above. You can also
[Embodiment 2]

  FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a mold for explaining a manufacturing process for manufacturing the cushion member 1 by a method different from that of the first embodiment. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the intermediate member 4 obtained in the manufacturing process of the second embodiment. Here, the cushion member 1 is manufactured by molding the intermediate member 4 having a plurality of convex portions 3a and punching out the convex portions 3a.

  In order to mold the intermediate member 4, as shown in FIG. 4, a mold 25 in which a space 25 a formed by the lower mold 21 a and the upper mold 22 a has a plurality of recesses 24 is used.

  The hard resin sheet 2 is disposed on the lower mold 21a, the uncured elastomer is disposed thereon, and the upper mold 22a provided with a plurality of dome-shaped recesses 24 is covered and heated to be cured. When taken out from the mold 25, as shown in FIG. 5, a sheet-like base material layer 2, a cushion layer 3 comprising a sheet-like thin film portion 3b and a plurality of convex portions 3a on the thin film portion are integrally formed. An intermediate member 4 is obtained.

  FIG. 6A is a cross-sectional view of an essential part showing a manufacturing process in which the intermediate member 4 is punched with the punching die 30. FIG. 6B is an AA arrow view. A punching die 30 is set on the upper portion of the convex portion 3 a of the intermediate member 4. The punching die 30 is configured to be movable up and down in a substantially vertical direction. The tip of the punching die 30 is cylindrical, and the outer diameter of the cross section 31 of the cylinder is smaller than the outer peripheral portion 5 of the convex portion 3a that is the boundary with the thin film portion 3b.

  In order to cut the intermediate member 4 using such a die 30, the die 30 is set so that the cross section 31 is disposed inside the outer peripheral portion 5 of the convex portion 3 a as shown in FIG. This is done by lowering the punching die 30. At this time, since the punching die 30 having a smaller diameter than the outer peripheral portion 5 of the convex portion 3a is used, the cross section 31 of the punching die 30 is located on the inner side of the outer peripheral portion 5 of the convex portion 3a even if there is a slight shift in the center of each other (See FIG. 6-c), the thin film portion 3b of the intermediate member 4 does not remain on the cushion member 1 after being pulled out, and the curved surface of the convex portion 3a is slightly decentered, but the beauty and functionality are impaired. Absent.

  FIG. 7A is a cross-sectional view of the main part showing a manufacturing process in the case where the intermediate member 4 is punched in a state where the deviation between the outer peripheral portion 5 of the convex portion 3a and the central portion of the cross section 31 of the punching die 30 is large. FIG. 7B is a cross-sectional view of the cushion member obtained by the process. If the deviation between the center portions of each other is large, the eccentricity of the curved surface becomes extreme as shown in FIG. 7B, which may affect aesthetics and functionality, but can be prevented by reducing the curvature of the convex portion 3a. .

  Moreover, a some cushion member can be efficiently manufactured at once by shape | molding the some convex part 3a and punching the convex part 3a at once.

Other configurations and the manufacturing method are the same as those of the first embodiment, and the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals and the description thereof is omitted.
[Embodiment 3]

  FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing another embodiment of the cushion member 1 of the present invention.

  In the cushion member 1 of the present invention shown in FIG. 8, a decorative layer 8 is provided between the base material layer 2 and the cushion layer 3. The decorative layer 8 also serves as a base printing process, and as an ink for forming the decorative layer 8, for example, Norifane HTR (trade name, manufactured by Prowl) can be suitably used.

  If such a decorative layer 8 is provided and an ink containing a lot of —OH groups or —COOH groups is used, the base layer 2 and the surface layer treatment 2 can be performed in the same manner as the surface modification treatment such as the ultraviolet irradiation treatment, plasma treatment, corona treatment and the like. The effect of improving the adhesion of the cushion layer 3 can be obtained.

  Moreover, the design property can be added by the decorative layer 8. In that case, at least the cushion layer 3 is transparent or translucent. The cushion layer 3 can be colored as long as it maintains transparency or translucency.

  Further, the decorative layer 8 may be provided on the bottom surface of the base material layer 2. For example, the design property can be further enhanced by coloring characters on the top surface of the base material layer 2 on the bottom surface. In this case, both the base material layer 2 and the cushion layer 3 are transparent or translucent.

  Other configurations and manufacturing methods are the same as those in the first or second embodiment, and the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted.

［比較例１］ A design was printed on a plate material made of polycarbonate with a thickness of 2 mm using Noriphan HTR (trade name, manufactured by Prol Co.) to form an integrated body of the base material layer 2 and the decorative layer 8. Set in the lower mold 21a with the decorative layer 8 up, and 100 parts by mass of silicone rubber compound (KE9510-U: manufactured by Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.) as the main agent at a predetermined location 1 part by weight of an agent (C-25A: Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.), 1 part by weight of an addition-reactive crosslinking agent (C-25B: Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.), and 1 part by weight of a compound represented by the following chemical formula 1 Then, the intermediate member 4 was obtained by covering the upper die 22a on which the dome-shaped concave portion 24 was formed from above and integrally forming it by heating at 120 ° C. for 210 seconds. After taking out from the mold 25, a cut-out mold 30 was used to obtain a cushion member having a maximum thickness of 3.5 mm, a diameter of 4 mm, and a rubber hardness of the cushion layer 3 of 50 degrees.

[Comparative Example 1]

   1 part by mass of a radical reactive crosslinking agent (C-8B: Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.) is added to 100 parts by mass of a silicone rubber compound (KE981T-U: Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.). It was placed in the mold 21a to a thickness of 3.7 mm and cured by heating at 180 ° C. for 210 seconds. After taking out from the mold 25, a design was printed on the bottom surface, cut out with a punching die 30, and a cushion member having the same shape as in Example 1 and a rubber hardness of 80 degrees was obtained.

  The cushion member 1 obtained in each of Example 1 and Comparative Example 1 was adhered to a case of a folding mobile phone and compared. The results are shown in Table 1.

It is sectional drawing of the cushion member of Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the manufacturing method of the cushion member of the same Embodiment 1. It is sectional drawing which shows another manufacturing method of the cushion member of the same Embodiment 1. It is sectional drawing which shows the manufacturing method of the intermediate member of the cushion member of Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the intermediate member of the same Embodiment 2. It is principal part sectional drawing which shows the process of punching the intermediate member of the same Embodiment 2. It is an AA arrow line view of Drawing 6-a. FIG. 7 is a view corresponding to the arrow AA in FIG. It is principal part sectional drawing of the unpreferable state which shows the process of punching out the intermediate member of the same Embodiment 2. It is sectional drawing of the cushion member obtained by the process shown to FIG. 7-a. It is sectional drawing of the cushion member of the same Embodiment 3. It is a top view of the conventional foldable mobile phone.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Cushion member 2 Base material layer 3 Cushion layer 3a Convex part 3b Thin film part 5 Peripheral part 8 Decorating layer 20, 25 Mold 21, 21a Lower mold 22, 22a Upper mold 30 Cutting mold

Claims (7)

  A cushion member comprising: a base material layer made of a hard resin; and a cushion layer made of an elastomer provided on an upper surface of the base material layer, wherein the base material layer and the cushion layer are integrated. .   The cushion member according to claim 1, wherein the elastomer has adhesiveness to the hard resin.   The surface of the substrate layer facing the cushion layer is subjected to surface modification treatment such as ultraviolet irradiation treatment, plasma treatment, corona treatment, and base printing treatment. Cushion member.   The said cushion layer is transparent or semi-transparent, The decorating layer is provided in the opposing surface with the said cushion layer of the said base material layer, The Claim 1 thru | or 3 characterized by the above-mentioned. Cushion member.   The said base material layer and the said cushion layer are transparent or translucent, Comprising: The decorating layer is provided in the bottom face of the said base material layer, The Claim 1 characterized by the above-mentioned. Cushion member. It is a manufacturing method of the cushion member according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
A cushion member characterized in that the base material layer and the cushion layer are integrated by disposing and curing an uncured elastomer as the cushion layer on the hard resin as the base material layer. Manufacturing method. An intermediate member in which an elastomer as a cushion layer having a convex portion is integrated on a hard resin layer is formed, and the cushion member is formed by punching the inner side from the outer periphery of the convex portion of the intermediate member in a substantially vertical direction. The method for manufacturing a cushion member according to claim 6.

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