JP2010148763A - Exercise mat and method of manufacturing the same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an exercise mat without projections on the surface, having better tension strength on the whole, and having far more excellent peeling resistance of surface layers, especially the upper surface layer; and a method of manufacturing the same. <P>SOLUTION: The exercise mat includes a core layer and two upper and lower surface layers which are thermocompressed and fixed to two upper and lower surfaces of the core layer to hold the core layer between them. The two upper and lower surface layers are both made of a foam material, and have a plurality of through holes bored to the core layer. The core layer is made of an elastic material which is thermally compatible with the foam material and whose density is higher than that of the foam material. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an exercise mat, and more particularly to an exercise mat used during exercise performed on the floor, such as yoga and pilates, and a method for manufacturing the same.

  Usually, exercise mats are often used as auxiliary tools when exercising on the floor, such as yoga, pilates, abdominal exercises, and push-ups.

  As such an exercise mat, it is most popular to have a soft surface layer made of a foam material because it can function well to prevent damage (see the seventh embodiment of Patent Document 1 below).

  However, until now, the manufacturing method of an exercise mat having such a foamed surface layer has been basically to pressurize and heat with a mold in addition to superposing two foamed layers. Air or a gas generated in this manufacturing process is involved between the layers, and remains there to provide protrusions that cause discomfort during movement on the mat surface of the product, and also adversely affects the bonding force between the layers.

  In addition, since the tensile strength of the entire mat of the product works only with the foam material, the mat is crushed, deformed or ruptured due to the intense movement, and the call for improvement is increasing.

By the way, there has also been proposed a woven mesh layer sandwiched between the two foamed surface layers as described above and having a higher tensile strength than the conventional one (see Patent Document 2 below), but this is used as it is. Even if quoted in the structure, the thermal compatibility between the foam layer and the network layer is not very good, and there is also a problem with the air and gas, so the bonding force is somewhat weak and the shear force due to friction generated during movement is still weak. There is a drawback that the top layer is easily peeled off.
Taiwan Yuri New Type Notification No. M31342 New Taiwan Announcement No. M251621

  In order to solve the above problems, the inventor has no protrusions on the surface, the overall tensile strength is better than before, and the surface layer, particularly the anti-peeling force of the upper surface layer is much better than before. An object is to provide an exercise mat and a method of manufacturing the same.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present inventor first comprises a core layer, and an upper and lower two-sided layer that is fixed to the upper and lower two surfaces of the core layer so as to sandwich the core layer. The exercise mat, wherein the upper and lower two-sided layers are both made of a foam material, and a plurality of through-holes reaching the core layer are opened on those surfaces, and the core layer is There is provided an exercise mat characterized by being made of an elastic material which is thermally compatible with a foam material and has a higher density.

  And as a manufacturing method of the exercise mat, there is a two-sided layer forming step of forming upper and lower two-sided layers with foamed material plates each having two upper and lower surfaces, thermal compatibility with the foamed material plate, and density A core layer forming step for forming a core layer with a higher elastic material, and a through-hole for forming a plurality of through-holes penetrating the upper and lower two surfaces in the two-sided layer formed in the two-sided layer forming step An exercise mat is manufactured by a forming step and a hot pressing step in which the core layer formed in the core layer forming step is sandwiched between the two-sided layers after the through-hole forming step and placed in a mold and hot pressed. A method for producing an exercise mat characterized by the following:

  It is preferable that forced evacuation is performed on the mold during the hot pressing process.

  Further, if necessary, the present invention can further increase the tensile strength of the entire mat by sandwiching a fabric layer in the mat as in the prior art.

  The fabric layer may be sandwiched between the core layer and the upper surface layer, or between the core layer and the lower surface layer, but may be sandwiched between both.

  However, in particular, if it is dedicated to intense exercise, the fabric layer should be sandwiched between the core layer and the lower surface layer in order to ensure even a little anti-peeling force of the upper surface layer. good.

  The exercise mat having the above structure first deviates from the plurality of through holes in which all of the original air and the gas generated during the execution of the process are opened in the upper and lower two layers in the hot-pressing process at the time of manufacture, Since it is not sandwiched between layers, it does not adversely affect the bonding force between the core layer and the upper and lower two-sided layers, and there is no protrusion due to the presence of air or the like on the surface of the mat.

  The core layer is made of an elastic material that is thermally compatible with the foam material constituting the upper and lower two-sided layers, and air and gas are not sandwiched between the upper and lower two-sided layers. It is firmly bonded to the two-sided layer, has a considerably good anti-peeling force, and has a higher density than the foamed material, so that the tensile strength of the upper and lower two-sided layers or the entire mat can be increased.

  Further, as in the prior art, if the fabric layer is sandwiched in the mat, the tensile strength of the entire mat can be increased. In particular, in the method in which the fabric layer is sandwiched only between the core layer and the bottom layer, the top layer Since it does not affect the anti-peeling force even slightly, it is considered to be a configuration and manufacturing method that meet demand.

  First, the first embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 will be described.

  FIG. 1 is an exploded cross-sectional view of the first embodiment of the exercise mat of the present invention before hot pressing, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the mold being subjected to a hot pressing process in the mold during manufacture. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the product after the hot pressing.

  Since this exercise mat is manufactured by (A) a double-sided layer forming step, (B) a core layer forming step, (C) a through-hole forming step, and (D) a hot-pressing step, First, the steps will be described step by step with reference to the drawings as follows.

(A) Two-sided layer forming step The two-sided layer forming step (A) is a step of forming the upper surface layer 10 and the lower surface layer 20 with foamed material plates each having two upper and lower surfaces (see FIG. 1).

  Examples of the foam material constituting the foam plate include thermoplastic polyurethane elastic body, thermoplastic rubber, polyolefin-based elastic body, nitrile butadiene rubber (Mitryl Butadiene Rubber), methacrylate butadiene rubber (Methacrylate Butaline Rubber) or styrene butadiene rubber ( Examples thereof include foams of thermoplastic elastic bodies such as Styrene Butadiene Rubber.

  In principle, the upper surface layer 10 is a surface layer in contact with the user, and the lower surface layer 20 is a surface layer in contact with the floor, but the materials used may be different or the same, For this reason, the same material can be used for the following three core layers.

  The upper surface layer 10 and the lower surface layer 20 manufactured in this step in the present embodiment are both flat plates having a thickness of about 2 to 3 mm.

(B) Core layer forming step The core layer forming step (B) is a step in which the core layer 30 is formed of an elastic material having a higher density than that of the foam material plate and heat compatibility.

  The elastic material here is not only an elastic material having a density higher than that of the foamed material, but also a material that is not foamed. Examples include thermoplastic polyurethane elastic bodies, thermoplastic rubbers, polyolefin-based elastic bodies, nitrile butadiene rubber, methacrylate butadiene rubber, styrene butadiene rubber, etc., and thermoplastic elastic bodies that are both thermally compatible with the upper layer 10 and the lower layer 20. Non-foamed material.

  The core layer 30 manufactured in this step in the present embodiment is a flat plate having a thickness of about 1 to 2 mm.

(C) Through-hole forming step In the through-hole forming step (C), the upper surface layer 10 and the lower surface layer 20 formed in the step (A) are arranged on the upper and lower surfaces (namely, the upper surface layer 10 and the lower surface layer 20). In this step, a plurality of through holes 13 and 23 penetrating the upper surface 12 of the upper surface layer, the lower surface 11 of the upper surface layer, the upper surface 21 of the lower surface layer, and the lower surface 22 of the lower surface layer are formed.

  The through hole forming method in the present embodiment is a method of pressing through the upper surface layer 10 and the lower surface layer 20 that are passed by a conveyor while rotating a roller having a plurality of needles on the peripheral surface, 23 was formed.

  The size of the through-holes 13 and 23 is to deviate air and gas existing between the face layer (the upper face layer 10 and the lower face layer 20) and the core layer 30 by the pressure applied in the following hot press process (D). In particular, if forced evacuation is performed on the mold, it may be made smaller, but may be made a little larger as long as it does not cause discomfort to the user, and there is no limit.

(D) Hot-pressing step The hot-pressing step (D) is the upper layer 10 and the lower layer 20 after the step (C), sandwiching the core layer 30 formed in the step (B), and placed on the mold 200 to heat It is a process to press.

  This hot pressing process is performed at a temperature of 90 to 120 ° C., and a time of 3 to 5 seconds is sufficient.

  As shown in FIG. 2, since the upper surface layer 10 and the lower surface layer 20 have a plurality of through holes 13 and 23, respectively, when this step (D) is performed, pressure is applied through the mold. Entrained air or other gas generated due to heat pressure can deviate from the plurality of through holes 13 and 23, and does not cause protrusions on the surface of the mat as in the prior art.

  Although not shown in the drawings, in this step of this embodiment, a vacuum suction pump is also used to forcibly evacuate the mold, and the air entrained between the layers and the generated gas are completely discharged. As a result, no air or gas is sandwiched between the completed layers, the bonding force between the core layer 30 and the upper and lower bilayer layers 10 and 20 is not adversely affected, and there is no protrusion on the surface due to the inclusion of air or gas. Absent.

  The finished product in this step (D) is usually the final product (see FIG. 3), but if there are burrs or warps on the periphery, it may be given a little finishing.

  FIG. 3 shows a core layer 30 and upper and lower two-sided layers that are fixed to the upper and lower surfaces (that is, the upper surface 31 and the lower surface 32) of the core layer 30 with the core layer 30 interposed therebetween. (In other words, the exercise mat 100 is a completed product of the present embodiment. In addition to the fact that a plurality of through-holes reaching the core layer 30 are formed on the respective surfaces of the upper and lower two-sided layers 10 and 20, the core layer 30 is made of the foam material. In addition to being thermally compatible, it may be invisible because it is made of an elastic material with a higher density. Moreover, when the finished product is examined more closely, there are no protrusions due to the inclusion of air or other gases on the surface.

  Moreover, in the said hot-pressing process, it presses on the laminated body of the upper surface layer 10, the core layer 30, and the lower surface layer 20 which is passed by the conveyor, rotating a pair of heating rollers instead of a metal mold | die. May be performed.

  The surfaces of the upper and lower bilayers 10 and 20 in the exercise mat 100 may of course be formed as smooth surfaces, but may also be formed in an uneven surface as shown in FIG. Usually, it is better that the upper surface layer 10 is formed on a smooth surface and the lower surface layer 20 is formed on an uneven surface, but the upper surface layer 10 is also formed with an uneven surface in order to provide a massage function. Also good.

  And although the finished product formed in this embodiment has several kinds of thicknesses of the entire mat, it is preferably in the range of 6 to 8 mm, and is flexible and deforms or bursts. Since the face layer does not peel off, the quality is very good.

  FIG. 4 is an exploded cross-sectional view of the second embodiment of the exercise mat of the present invention before hot pressing, and FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing that it is subjected to a hot pressing process in the mold during manufacture. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the product after the hot pressing.

  The exercise mat 300 of the second embodiment has the same structure as that of the first embodiment except that the in-structure fabric layer 40 is further sandwiched.

  The fabric layer 40 in the second embodiment is net-like, and is sandwiched between the lower surface layer 20 and the core layer 30, so that the strength of the entire mat is further increased, and the core layer 30 of the upper surface layer 10 is increased. The anti-peeling force raised by the contrivance is not affected by the insertion of the fabric layer 40.

  Of course, the fabric layer 40 may be inserted between the upper surface layer 10 and the core layer 30 in accordance with the use of the mat.

  As described above, the exercise mat of the present invention has a plurality of through-holes in which the original air and the gas generated during the process are all opened in the upper and lower two layers in the hot press process at the time of manufacture. Since air and gas are not sandwiched between layers, the bonding force between the core layer and the upper and lower two-sided layers is not adversely affected, and there is no protrusion due to the presence of air or gas on the mat surface. It looks good and does not discomfort the user.

  The core layer is made of an elastic material that is thermally compatible with the foam material constituting the upper and lower two-sided layers, and air and gas are not sandwiched between the upper and lower two-sided layers. Strongly bonded to the two-sided layer, anti-peeling force is considerably better, and its density is higher than the foam material, so the tensile strength of the upper and lower two-sided layers or the entire mat can be increased, so that The quality is better than before.

FIG. 3 is an exploded cross-sectional view of the first embodiment of the exercise mat of the present invention before hot pressing. It is sectional drawing in which the hot press process is received in the metal mold | die at the time of manufacture of the said 1st Embodiment. It is sectional drawing when it becomes a product after the hot press of the said 1st Embodiment. It is a disassembled sectional view of the second embodiment of the exercise mat of the present invention before hot pressing. It is sectional drawing in which the hot press process is received in the metal mold | die at the time of manufacture of the said 2nd Embodiment. It is sectional drawing when it becomes a product after the hot press of the said 2nd Embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Upper surface layer 11 Lower surface 12 of upper surface layer Upper surface 13 of upper surface layer Through hole 20 of upper surface layer Lower surface layer 21 Upper surface of lower surface layer 22 Lower surface of lower surface layer 23 Through hole 30 of lower surface layer Core layer 31 Upper surface of core layer Surface 32 Lower surface of core layer 40 Textile layer 100 Exercise mat 200 Mold 300 Exercise mat

Claims (8)

An exercise mat comprising: a core layer; and an upper and lower two-sided layer that is fixed to the upper and lower surfaces of the core layer so as to sandwich the core layer,
Each of the upper and lower two-sided layers is made of a foam material, and a plurality of through-holes reaching the core layer are opened on those surfaces,
The exercise mat is characterized in that the core layer is made of an elastic material that is thermally compatible with the foam material and has a higher density.   The foam material and the elastic material are all selected from the group consisting of a thermoplastic polyurethane elastic body, a thermoplastic rubber, a polyolefin-based elastic body, a nitrile butadiene rubber, a methacrylate butadiene rubber, and a styrene butadiene rubber. The exercise mat according to Item 1.   The exercise mat according to claim 1, wherein a fabric layer is further sandwiched between at least one surface layer of the upper and lower two-surface layers and the core layer.   The exercise mat according to claim 1, wherein a fabric layer is further sandwiched between the lower surface layer and the core layer. A two-sided layer forming step of forming upper and lower two-sided layers with foam plate bodies each having two upper and lower sides;
A core layer forming step of forming a core layer with an elastic material having a higher density than that of the foam plate and heat compatibility;
A through hole forming step of forming a plurality of through holes penetrating the upper and lower two surfaces of each of the two surface layers in the two surface layer formed in the two surface layer forming step;
A hot pressing step of hot pressing the core layer formed in the core layer forming step with the two-sided layer after the through hole forming step;
A method for producing an exercise mat, characterized by producing an exercise mat with   6. The forced pressurization is also performed on the mold after placing the two-sided layer and the core layer after the through-hole forming process in the mold in the hot pressing process. A method of manufacturing an exercise mat.   Both as a foam material plate in the two-sided layer forming step and as an elastic material in the core layer forming step, thermoplastic polyurethane elastic body, thermoplastic rubber, polyolefin-based elastic body, nitrile butadiene rubber, methacrylate butadiene rubber, 6. The method for manufacturing an exercise mat according to claim 5, wherein a material selected from the group consisting of styrene butadiene rubber or a plate made of the material is used. 6. The method for manufacturing an exercise mat according to claim 5, wherein a fabric layer is further sandwiched between at least one of the upper and lower two-sided layers and the core layer in the hot pressing step.

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