JP2006149986A - Cushioning body - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a cushioning body with simple structure having a plurality of air chambers communicating each other. <P>SOLUTION: The cushioning body has at least one cushion unit 2. The cushion unit 2 has at least three air chambers 9 formed by membrane-like bodies 4 and 5 surrounding the air chamber 9. Communicating ports 11 are provided in positions surrounded by the air chambers 9 for mutually communicating the air chambers. If the cushioning body is externally pressed by a human body or the like, a part of the air in the air chambers 9 having higher pressure than the other air chambers 9 is pushed toward the other air chambers 9 having lower pressure through the communicating ports 11. At this time, flow resistance works in the communicating ports 11 so that the air moves comparatively slowly from the air chambers 9 having higher pressure to the air chambers 9 having lower pressure. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention is used as a cushion, a pillow, a mattress for bedding (a mattress for a bed and a mattress), a sofa mattress, a cushion, a chair seat including a wheelchair, a headrest, a cushioning material, a soundproofing material, a heat insulating material, and the like. It is related with the cushion body suitable for.

  As this type of cushion body, there has conventionally been known one in which air is sealed inside. However, in such an air-filled type cushion body, (a) only one large air chamber is provided. And (b) many air chambers are supported by the base material, and these many air chambers communicate with each other (for example, see Patent Documents 1 and 2).

  However, the apparatus having only one large air chamber (a) has a problem that a support object such as a human body is supported very unstable and stability is not good. There is also a problem that so-called bottoming is likely to occur.

On the other hand, in the cushion body having a large number of air chambers communicated with each other (b), the above problem can be improved by having a large number of air chambers. In addition, since the air chambers are in communication with each other, they have the same pressure regardless of the amount of deformation they receive, so that a uniform pressure distribution can be obtained over a wide area, so that part of the user's body It is possible to prevent a risk that a large pressure continuously acts only on the skin and causes a disorder such as destruction of the user's skin and muscle tissue (for example, bed slipping that occurs in bedridden elderly people, etc.). .
U.S. Pat. No. 4,005,236 U.S. Pat. No. 4,541,136

  However, the cushion body disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 and the like, in which a large number of air chambers are supported by the base material, and the large number of air chambers are in communication with each other, is provided in a lattice shape vertically and horizontally. Since the air chambers are configured to communicate with each other through the communication path, the structure of the air chamber and the communication path is complicated, and there is a problem that the manufacturing cost is increased and the weight is relatively increased. .

  The present invention has been made in view of such conventional circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a cushion body that includes a plurality of air chambers that are in communication with each other and that can be very simple in structure. There is to do.

  Another object of the present invention is to provide a cushion body that can be manufactured at a very low cost.

  Another object of the present invention is to provide a cushion body that can be reduced in weight.

  Still other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description.

The cushion body according to the present invention comprises at least one cushion unit,
The cushion unit includes three or more gas chambers each surrounded by a film-like body, and a communication port that is provided at a position surrounded by the gas chambers and communicates with each other.

  In the cushion body of the present invention, when the gas chamber is filled with an appropriate amount of gas such as air, the gas chamber whose pressure is higher than the other gas chambers when pressed against the human body or the like from the outside. A part of the gas passes through the communication port and is pushed out to another gas chamber having a low pressure. At this time, the communication port becomes a fluid resistance, and the movement of the gas from the high-pressure gas chamber to the low-pressure gas chamber is performed not slowly but relatively slowly. Thus, after a certain period of time, the pressures of all the gas chambers of each cushion unit are finally equalized.

  Therefore, the portion pressed against the human body etc. from the outside is pushed down relatively gently, while the portion in the vicinity thereof expands relatively gently and presses the human body etc. from the cushion body side. It is supported in a wide area of the cushion body. In the process of gas flowing between the gas chambers through the communication port, although there is a slight pressure difference between the gas chambers of each cushion unit, each gas chamber eventually has the same pressure. The human body is supported with a uniform pressure over a wide area of the cushion body. Therefore, a large local pressure is continuously applied only to a part of the user's body, and the occurrence of a disorder such as destruction of the user's skin and muscle tissue can be prevented.

  In addition, when pressed by the human body from the outside, each part does not rapidly dent or swell, but as described above, the pressed part is pushed down relatively gently, while the part near it is Since it swells relatively slowly, it gives the user a very pleasant feel. Moreover, even if an impact load acts, it can be absorbed.

  Moreover, since it has several gas chambers, while being able to support a human body etc. stably, it can make it difficult to produce bottoming.

  Moreover, since each cushion unit can be comprised by providing the communication port which mutually connects each gas chamber in the position enclosed by each gas chamber, a structure can be simplified very much. As a result, the manufacturing cost can be extremely low and the weight can be extremely light.

  Further, the hardness of the cushion body can be adjusted by adjusting the filling amount of gas such as air into the gas chamber.

  Moreover, in one aspect of the present invention, one cushion body includes a plurality of cushion units. According to this aspect, a cushion body having a large area can be configured, and the hardness of the cushion body can be made different depending on the region by changing the gas filling amount into the gas chamber of each cushion unit. It becomes possible.

In the cushion body of the present invention,
(I) The structure can be made very simple.
(B) The manufacturing cost can be extremely low.
(C) It can be extremely lightweight,
(D) By providing a plurality of cushion units and changing the amount of gas filled into the gas chamber of each cushion unit, the hardness of the cushion body can be made different depending on the part.
Such excellent effects can be obtained.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described based on embodiments shown in the drawings.

  FIGS. 1-6 has shown Example 1 of this invention, Among these, FIGS. 1-5 show the outer skin 3 (it demonstrates in detail later) the cushion unit 2 in the cushion body 1 (refer FIG. 6) of a present Example. The state taken out from FIG. 6) is shown. The cushion unit 2 is made of thermoplastic elastomer such as thermoplastic polyurethane resin, EVA, styrene elastomer, olefin elastomer, etc., and has two rectangular films having gas barrier properties, flexibility or flexibility, and stretchability. Forms (films or sheets) 4 and 5 are sealed as described below.

  The two film-like bodies 4 and 5 are welded to each other at the peripheral seal portion 6, the partition seal portion 7, and the reinforcing seal portion 8 by a heat seal method, an impulse seal method, a high-frequency seal method, or an ultrasonic seal method. By sealing, four gas chambers 9 are formed. The peripheral seal portion 6 is provided in a quadrangular shape along the four sides in the vicinity of the four sides of the film-like bodies 4 and 5. Four of the partition seal portions 7 are provided so that the film-like bodies 4 and 5 extend in the longitudinal and lateral center portions so as to extend linearly in a state where the film-like bodies 4 and 5 are held on a plane. The outer end portion of the partition seal portion 7 is continuous with the peripheral seal portion 6, and the inner end portion is located near the center of the film-like bodies 4 and 5. The gas chambers 9 are partitioned from each other by these partition seal portions 7. The reinforcing seal portion 8 has an annular shape and is provided between the inner end portions of the four partition seal portions 7. The non-seal portion provided between the inner end portion of the four partition seal portions 7 and the reinforcing seal portion 8 forms a set of communication ports 11 (in this embodiment, four partition seals). There are non-sealed portions at four locations between the inner end portion of the portion 7 and the reinforcing seal portion 8, but these can be considered as one communication port 11 functionally) 9 communicate with each other in common. Accordingly, the four gas chambers 9 each having a quadrangular shape are communicated with each other via the communication port 11 at a portion where one corner thereof is in contact with each other. In other words, the communication port 11 is provided at a position surrounded by the gas chambers 9 and communicates the gas chambers 9 with each other. The distance between the inner end portion of the partition seal portion 7 and the reinforcing seal portion 8 is preferably about 4 to 8 mm. 4 and 5 schematically show the partition seal portion 7 and the reinforcing seal portion 8, and it should be noted that the actual seal portion is not necessarily drawn faithfully.

  One of the gas chambers 9 is provided with a conventionally known gas injection / exhaust port 12 made of soft plastic with a built-in check valve. The gas injection / exhaust port 12 is a plug provided integrally. 12a can be opened and closed.

  FIG. 6 shows the entirety of the cushion body 1 of the present embodiment, and one cushion unit 2 is accommodated in an outer shell 3 that is formed into a bag shape (therefore, in this embodiment, the cushion body 1 is shown). Has only one cushion unit 2). The outer skin 3 is made of flexible film-like bodies 4 and 5 such as cloth, plastic film or sheet. In addition, the material of the outer skin 3 is air permeable or provided with a vent so as not to constitute a sealed air chamber and impede the characteristics of the cushion body 1. Preferably it is.

  In this cushion body 1, when air is injected from the gas injection / exhaust port 12 into the gas chamber 9 provided with the gas injection / exhaust port 12, the air also passes through the communication port 11 to the other gas chambers 9. Go injected.

  Here, the gas chambers 9 are not communicated in common (simultaneously) via the communication port 11 as in the cushion body 1, but when a plurality of gas chambers 9 are communicated in series, When gas is to be injected into the entire gas chamber 9 by injecting gas from the outside into the gas chamber 9, until the air reaches the terminal gas chamber 9 after starting to inject air into the first gas chamber 9. However, in the cushion body 1, there is no such fear.

  When air was injected as described above and each gas chamber 9 was filled with an appropriate amount of air, when pressed against the human body or the like from the outside, the pressure became higher than the other gas chambers 9 by being pressed. Part of the air in the gas chamber 9 is pushed out through the communication port 11 to another gas chamber 9 having a low pressure. At this time, the communication port 11 becomes fluid (air) resistance, and the movement of the air from the high-pressure gas chamber 9 to the low-pressure gas chamber 9 is not abrupt and is performed relatively slowly. Thus, after a certain time has elapsed, the pressures of all the gas chambers 9 are finally equalized.

  Accordingly, the portion pressed against the human body or the like from the outside is pushed down relatively gently, while the portion in the vicinity thereof expands relatively gently and presses the human body or the like from the cushion body 1 side. Are supported in a wide area of the cushion body 1. In the process of air flowing between the gas chambers 9 through the communication port 11, although there is a slight pressure difference between the gas chambers 9, each gas chamber 9 eventually has the same pressure. The human body is supported with a uniform pressure in a wide area of the cushion body 1. Therefore, a large local pressure is continuously applied only to a part of the user's body, and the occurrence of a disorder such as destruction of the user's skin and muscle tissue can be prevented.

  In addition, when pressed by the human body from the outside, each part does not rapidly dent or swell, but as described above, the pressed part is pushed down relatively gently, while the part near it is Since it swells relatively slowly, it gives the user a very pleasant feel. Moreover, even if an impact load acts, it can be absorbed.

  Moreover, since it has the several gas chamber 9, while being able to support a human body etc. stably, it can be made hard to produce bottoming.

  In addition, the cushion unit 2 can be configured by providing the communication port 11 that allows the gas chambers 9 to communicate with each other at a position surrounded by the gas chambers 9, so that the structure can be greatly simplified. As a result, the manufacturing cost can be extremely low and the weight can be extremely light.

  Further, the hardness of the cushion body 1 can be adjusted by adjusting the amount of air filled into the gas chamber 9 from the gas inlet / outlet 12.

  Further, in this embodiment, since the reinforcing seal portion 8 is provided, it is possible to prevent a possibility that the concentrated load acts on the inner end portion of the partition seal portion 7 and the portion is damaged. However, the reinforcing seal portion 8 is not necessarily annular, and may have another closed shape such as a polygonal shape, or may be an unclosed shape. In some cases, the reinforcing seal portion 8 is not provided. May be.

  7 and 8 show Example 2 of the present invention. In the present embodiment, a plurality of cushion units 2 of the first embodiment are accommodated in a bag-like outer skin 3. A partition film 13 made of a flexible film-like material such as cloth, a plastic film or a sheet is provided between the opposing surfaces (front surface and back surface) of the outer skin 3, and these partition films 13 are provided in the outer skin 3. The movement of each cushion unit 2 is restricted, and the opposing surfaces of the outer skin 3 are restricted so as not to be spaced apart from each other by a certain distance. Other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment.

  In the present embodiment, the cushion body 1 having a large area can be configured by providing a plurality of cushion units 2. Further, by changing the amount of air filled into the gas chamber 9 of each cushion unit 2, for example, a portion where a large force is applied is hardened, while a portion where a large force is not applied is softened. In addition, the hardness of the cushion body 1 can be made different depending on the portion of the cushion body 1.

  The partition film 13 is not necessarily provided. However, if the partition film 13 is provided, it is possible to prevent the cushion unit 2 from moving excessively in the outer skin 3 and deviating from a desired position.

  In the first embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 5, depending on the case, even if pressure is applied from the outside, as shown in FIG. While the inner surfaces are stuck to each other and are in close contact with each other, the communication port 11 remains closed, and air may not flow between the gas chambers 9. 11, the inner surfaces of the film-like bodies 4 and 5 are greatly separated from each other, so that the communication port 11 is greatly opened, and suddenly a large amount of air is circulated between the gas chambers 9. There is.

  FIG. 10 shows a third embodiment of the present invention that can prevent such an inconvenience. In this embodiment, irregularities 14 and 15 are provided on the inner surfaces of the non-sealed film-like bodies 4 and 5 forming the communication port 11, respectively. Other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment.

  In this embodiment, the inner surfaces of the film-like bodies 4 and 5 are adhered and adhered to each other by the irregularities 14 and 15, thereby preventing the communication port 11 from being closed, and consequently the air between the gas chambers 9. The moving operation can be performed stably.

  In the present embodiment, the projections and recesses 15 and 15 have shapes in which straight projections and grooves are alternately provided, and the projections and grooves of the projections and depressions 14 and the projections and grooves of the projections and depressions 15 are defined as follows. They extend in the vertical direction. However, the irregularities 14 and 15 may have other appropriate shapes. Moreover, you may perform a roughening process on the inner surface of the film-like bodies 4 and 5 instead of providing unevenness. In addition, not only both of the film-like bodies 4 and 5, but only the inner surface of one of the film-like bodies may be provided with unevenness or roughened. Further, the unevenness and rough surface treatment may be provided on the entire inner surfaces of the film-like bodies 4 and 5 in advance, or may be performed not only on the non-sealed portion forming the communication port 11.

  11 and 12 show Example 4 of the present invention. In this embodiment, an anti-sticking body 16 made of an O-ring is inserted into the non-sealed portion between the end of the partition seal portion 7 and the reinforcing seal portion 8 so as to surround the reinforcing seal portion 8. Yes. The sticking prevention body 16 is not fixed to the film-like bodies 4 and 5.

  In the present embodiment, the sticking prevention body 16 is inserted into the non-seal portion that forms the communication port 11, thereby more reliably preventing the sticking between the inner surfaces of the film-like bodies 4 and 5. The air movement operation between them can be performed stably.

  In addition, the sticking prevention body 16 does not necessarily need to be an O-ring. Moreover, the constituent material of the sticking prevention body 16 does not necessarily need to be rubber, and may be made of other types of materials such as felt, plastic, elastomer, and metal. However, it is preferably made of a flexible material.

  Further, the sticking prevention body 16 is not limited to an annular shape, and may have other shapes. However, if a closed shape having a space formed therein, such as an annular shape, a polygonal shape, a triangular shape, or an elliptical shape, is provided so as to surround the reinforcing seal portion 8, the cushion body can be easily manufactured and the communication port 11 can be manufactured. On the other hand, the existence range of the sticking prevention body 16 can be reliably positioned.

  Further, the sticking prevention body 16 may be fixed to either one or both of the film-like bodies 4 and 5.

  FIG. 13 shows a fifth embodiment of the present invention. In each of the above embodiments, one cushion unit 2 has only one set of communication ports 11, but in this embodiment, one cushion unit 2 has a plurality of sets of communication ports 11. These communication ports 11 communicate with each other four gas chambers 9 having different combinations. Next, this will be described in detail.

  The cushion unit 2 has two film-like bodies 4 and 5 welded and sealed to each other at the peripheral seal portion 6, the partition seal portion 7, and the reinforcing seal portion 8, so that 16 rectangular gas chambers 9 are formed. Is formed. Each gas chamber 9 is partitioned from each other by a partition seal portion 7. In addition, one reinforcing seal portion 8 and a set of communication ports 11 are provided for each portion where the corner portions of the four gas chambers 9 are in contact with each other, and surrounds the communication ports 11 via the communication ports 11. Four gas chambers 9 communicate with each other. Therefore, in this embodiment, one cushion unit 2 has nine sets of communication ports 11 for communicating the four gas chambers 9 having different combinations with each other. All the gas chambers 9 communicate with each other through nine sets of communication ports 11. One of the gas chambers 9 is provided with a gas injection / discharge port 12.

  In the present embodiment, the number of gas chambers 9 in one cushion unit 2 can be increased. However, since there is a gas chamber 9 that communicates indirectly with another gas chamber 9 with respect to the gas chamber 9 provided with the gas injection / discharge port 12, air is supplied from the gas injection / discharge port 12. The time from the start of injection until the air reaches the end gas chamber 9 becomes longer.

FIG. 14 shows a sixth embodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, the cushion body 1 suitable for use as a pillow or the like is configured by housing the cushion unit 2 of the first embodiment in a folded state in the outer skin 3. A plurality of cushion units 2 may be stacked and accommodated in the outer skin 3.

In each of the above embodiments, each gas chamber 9 is partitioned by the partition seal portion 7. However, in the present invention, each gas chamber 9 may be partitioned by means other than the seal.

  Further, in each of the above embodiments, the communication port 11 is constituted by the non-seal portion between the partition seal portion 7 and the reinforcing seal portion 8, but in the present invention, another means, for example, two sheets The portions corresponding to the seal portions 7 and 8 of the film-like bodies 4 and 5 are sandwiched from the outside so as to be in close contact with each other by an appropriate sandwiching member, while the portion corresponding to the non-seal portion is not sandwiched by the sandwiching member. By doing so, you may make it form a communicating port by the part corresponded to the said non-seal | sticker part.

  The film bodies 4 and 5 constituting each gas chamber 9 can be used for film bodies such as films or sheets made of materials other than the above as long as they have flexibility or flexibility. In some cases, a film-like body having poor stretchability can also be used.

  In each of the above embodiments, the number of gas chambers 9 in one cushion unit 2 is four or sixteen. However, in the present invention, the number of gas chambers in one cushion unit 2 is three or more. If so, it may be a number other than 4 or 16.

  In each of the embodiments, each gas chamber 9 has a quadrangular shape. However, in the present invention, each gas chamber 9 may have a shape other than the quadrangular shape.

  In each of the above embodiments, each gas chamber 9 has the same shape and size. However, in the present invention, the shape and size of each gas chamber 9 may be different.

  Moreover, in each said Example, although the air was accommodated in the gas chamber 9, you may accommodate gases other than air in the gas chamber 9 in this invention.

  In addition, since the cushion body of the present invention contains a large amount of gas such as air, the cushion body according to the present invention serves not only as a cushioning material but also as a sealing material, a soundproofing material, a heat insulating material, etc. in order to achieve soundproofing and heat insulation. Can also be used.

  As described above, the cushion body according to the present invention is used as a cushion, a pillow, a mattress for bedding, a mattress for sofa, a cushion, a chair seat including a wheelchair, a headrest, a cushioning material, a sealing material, a soundproofing material, a heat insulating material, and the like. Useful for.

It is a perspective view which shows the cushion unit in Example 1 of the cushion body of this invention. It is a top view which shows the cushion unit in the said Example 1. FIG. It is a front view which shows the cushion unit in Example 1 partially fractured | ruptured. It is an expanded sectional view in the IV-IV line of FIG. It is an expanded sectional view in the VV line of FIG. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view showing an entire example of a cushion body of the present invention (a cushion unit is not sectioned). It is a horizontal sectional view showing Example 2 of the cushion body of the present invention (the cushion unit is not sectioned). FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII in FIG. 7 (the cushion unit is not cross-sectional). It is sectional drawing which shows the state which the inner surfaces of the non-seal part which forms a communicating port in Example 1 adhered. It is an expanded sectional view which shows the communicating port vicinity in Example 3 of the cushion body of this invention. It is an enlarged plan view which shows the communicating port vicinity in Example 4 of the cushion body of this invention. FIG. 6 is an enlarged vertical sectional view showing the vicinity of a communication port in Example 4. It is a top view which shows the cushion unit in Example 5 of the cushion body of this invention. It is a vertical sectional view showing Example 6 of the cushion body of the present invention (the cushion unit is not sectioned).

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Cushion body 2 Cushion unit 3 Outer skin 4,5 Membrane 7 Partition seal part 8 Reinforcement seal part 9 Gas chamber 11 Communication port 14,15 Concavity and convexity 16 Sticking prevention body

Claims (8)

Having at least one cushion unit,
The cushion unit includes three or more gas chambers each surrounded by a film-like body and a communication port provided at a position surrounded by the gas chambers and communicating with each other. The cushion body according to claim 1, wherein one cushion unit includes a plurality of sets of the communication ports that respectively communicate three or more gas chambers having different combinations. Each of the gas chambers is partitioned from each other by a partition seal portion that seals mutually opposed portions of the film-like body, and the communication port is formed by a non-seal portion provided between the partition seal portions. Item 3. The cushion body according to Item 1 or 2. The cushion body according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the at least one inner surface of the non-sealed portion is provided with unevenness to prevent sticking between the inner surfaces of the non-sealed portion or is subjected to a rough surface treatment. A reinforcing seal portion provided between the end portions of the partition seal portion, wherein the opposing portions of the film-like body are sealed to each other; and the communication port is connected to the end portion of the partition seal portion and the reinforcing seal portion. The cushion body in any one of Claims 1 thru | or 4 currently formed of the non-seal part between. The cushion body according to any one of claims 1 to 5 which has a sticking prevention object inserted in said non-seal part. The cushion body according to claim 5, further comprising a sticking prevention body having a closed shape inserted so as to surround the reinforcing seal portion in a non-sealed portion between an end portion of the partition seal portion and the reinforcing seal portion. . A plurality of the cushion units are provided, and at least one of the cushion units has a different hardness from the other cushion units by adjusting the amount of gas filled in the gas chamber. The cushion body according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

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