JP2021007860A - Seat pad with duct and manufacturing method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a seat pad with a duct where weight saving is promoted and a manufacturing method thereof.SOLUTION: A seat pad 1 with a duct includes: an air distribution duct 3 having an air introduction port 31 and having air exhaust ports 32 arranged in a duct route; a pad body 2 where recessions 21 to be air outlets 210 communicating with the air exhaust ports 32 are formed in a front surface 2a on a passenger abutment side and the duct 3 is integrally foam molded as an insert article. An inner layer of the duct 3 is allowed to be a resin foam with an independent bubble structure, and the duct 3 is formed by integrally joining a pair of gutter-shaped half-split members 4, 5 to form the duct 3.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

The present invention relates to a seat pad having a duct in which a duct is embedded in a seat pad constituting a seat for a vehicle, and a method for manufacturing the same.

There are seat pads that form the seats and backrests of seats mounted on vehicles such as automobiles. Since the seat pad is a place where the seated occupant contacts through the skin and sweats in the summer and feels cold in the winter, various seat pads have been proposed in which an air-conditioning duct for sending air-conditioning air is embedded and integrated (for example, a patent). Document 1). Patent Document 1 is a seat pad in which a pipe-shaped duct for blow molding or the like is embedded, which is less likely to be deformed even when an occupant is seated, and is satisfied with the required air distribution amount of air-conditioning air.

JP 2011-110366

However, since the invention of Patent Document 1 is a sheet pad in which a duct made of polypropylene resin or the like is inserted and a urethane foam pad body is integrally foam-molded, the bonding force between the duct and the pad body is weak. Therefore, it is necessary to cover the duct and attach a backing material such as a non-woven fabric to the back surface of the pad body so that the duct does not come off.
In addition, the duct is made of solid resin and is heavy as it is. In recent years, there has been a movement to respond to further weight reduction by improving fuel efficiency, and there are expectations for duct weight reduction.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above problems, and to provide a ducted seat pad and a method for manufacturing the same, which promotes weight reduction.

In order to achieve the above object, the gist of the invention according to claim 1 is that an air distribution duct having an air introduction port and an air outlet provided in the duct path and an air blower communicating with the air outlet are provided. In a ducted seat pad comprising a pad body in which a recess serving as an outlet is formed on the surface on the occupant contact side and the duct is integrally foam-molded as an insert product, the inner layer of the duct has a closed cell structure. The duct-containing seat pad is made of the resin foam of the above, and the duct is formed by joining and integrating a pair of gutter-shaped half-split members forming the duct. The duct-filled seat pad according to claim 2, according to claim 1, has a flat cross-sectional shape whose vertical width is smaller than the horizontal width at a portion of the duct portion arranged in the horizontal direction of the duct. It is characterized in that a recess toward the inside of the flow path is formed in the central portion in the horizontal width direction . The ducted seat pad according to claim 3, according to claim 1 or 2, is characterized in that the duct is provided with a short tube portion on the peripheral edge of the air ejection port . The ducted seat pad according to claim 4, wherein the pair of gutter-shaped half-split members are provided with flanges on both side edges of the gutter-shaped member forming a recess for forming a flow path according to claims 1 to 3. One of the gutter-shaped members is provided with a hole for an air outlet to form one gutter-shaped half-split member, and the other gutter-shaped member is provided with a hole for an air inlet to form another gutter-shaped half-split member. To do. The ducted seat pad according to claim 5 , wherein the duct is provided with an outer layer integrated with the outer surface of the inner layer, and the outer layer is made of a foam or non-woven fabric having an open cell structure. It is characterized by being composed of a duct wall having a laminated structure.
The gist of the invention according to claim 6 is to set an air distribution duct provided with an air introduction portion and an air outlet in the duct path in a foam molding mold, and then inject and close the foam raw material. A ducted sheet in which the pad body that embeds and integrates the duct is foam-molded, and the recess formed on the surface of the pad body on the occupant contact side is made into an air outlet by matching the air outlet. A method for manufacturing a pad, in which the inner layer of the duct is made of a thermoplastic resin foam having a closed cell structure, and the duct is formed by joining and integrating a pair of gutter-shaped halves that form the duct. The duct-filled sheet is characterized in that the duct is set in a foam molding mold, and then the pad body in which the duct is embedded on the back surface side is foam-molded after injection of a foaming material and closing of the mold. It is in the pad manufacturing method. The method for manufacturing a seat pad with a duct, which is the invention of claim 7, is the method of claim 6, in which the cross-sectional shape of the duct portion arranged in the horizontal direction of the duct is flattened to be smaller than the horizontal width. Moreover, it is characterized in that a recess toward the inside of the flow path is formed in the central portion in the width direction thereof. The method for manufacturing a ducted seat pad according to claim 8 is the method according to claim 6 or 7 , wherein the duct is provided with a short tube portion on the peripheral edge of the air ejection port. The method for manufacturing a ducted seat pad according to claim 9, wherein the pair of gutter-shaped halves are provided with flanges on both side edges of the gutter-shaped member for forming a recess for forming a flow path in claims 6 to 8. , One of the pair of gutter-shaped members is provided with an air outlet hole to form one gutter-shaped half-split member, and the other gutter-shaped member is provided with an air inlet hole to be used as the other gutter-shaped half-split member. It is characterized by. The method for manufacturing a seat pad with a duct according to claim 10, wherein the duct provides an outer layer integrated with the outer surface of the inner layer, and the outer layer is a foam having an open cell structure or a foam having an open cell structure. It is characterized by having a duct wall having a laminated structure made of a porous body made of a non-woven fabric.

The ducted seat pad of the present invention and the manufacturing method thereof are significantly lighter than the conventional solid resin duct, can promote weight reduction, and exhibit excellent effects.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the ducted seat pad of the first embodiment and the manufacturing method thereof. FIG. 2 is a view taken along the line II-II of FIG. FIG. 3 is a view taken along the line III-III of FIG. FIG. 6 is a view taken along the line IV-IV in FIG. It is a partially enlarged view of FIG. It is another aspect diagram which replaces FIG. (A) is a vertical cross-sectional view of the gutter-shaped member, and (b) is a vertical cross-sectional view of the half-split member. In FIG. 8, (a) is a cross-sectional view around the air ejection port of FIG. 5, (b) is another aspect diagram in place of (a), and (c) is a duct having a short tube portion of (b) set in the lower mold. It is a cross-sectional view. It is explanatory sectional view of the foaming mold which injects a foaming raw material in a mold open state. It is explanatory cross-sectional view of the foaming mold which closes the mold from the state of FIG. 9, and goes to foam molding. It is explanatory cross-sectional view which finished foam molding. (A) is an enlarged view around the raised portion of FIG. 10, and (b) is an explanatory view in which the foamed raw material has infiltrated into the porous body from the state of (a). It is a top view of the duct for air distribution in the seat pad containing a duct of Embodiment 2 and the manufacturing method thereof. (A) is a vertical cross-sectional view of the half-split member, and (b) is a vertical cross-sectional view of the duct in which the half-split member of (a) is joined and integrated. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a seat pad passing through a base corresponding to FIG. It is a vertical cross-sectional view of a seat pad passing through a duct part. (A) is a cross-sectional view of the seat pad passing through the duct portion, and (b) is a cross-sectional view of the seat pad showing how the duct of (a) changes when the occupant is seated.

Hereinafter, the ducted seat pad and the manufacturing method thereof according to the present invention will be described in detail.
(1) Embodiment 1
1 to 12 are a ducted seat pad of the present invention (hereinafter, also simply referred to as “seat pad”) and a form of a manufacturing method thereof. FIG. 1 is a plan view of the seat pad, and FIG. 2 is II of FIG. -II line arrow view, FIG. 3 is a III-III line arrow view of FIG. 1, FIG. 4 is an IV-IV line arrow view of FIG. 1, FIG. 5 is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 4, and FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the gutter-shaped member, and FIG. 7B is a cross-sectional view of the half-split member. 8 (a) is a cross-sectional view around the air ejection port of FIG. 5, (b) is a cross-sectional view of another aspect, and (c) is a cross-sectional view of (b) a duct with a short tube set in a lower mold. Is an explanatory cross-sectional view of a foaming mold in which a foaming raw material is injected in an open state, FIG. 10 is an explanatory cross-sectional view of a foaming mold that is closed and heads for foam molding, and FIG. 11 is an explanatory cross-sectional view after foam molding is completed. 12 (a) shows an enlarged view around the raised portion of FIG. 10, and (b) shows an explanatory view from (a) in which the foamed raw material has infiltrated into the porous body. In addition, in order to make the drawings easier to understand, each drawing emphasizes the main parts such as the duct 3, and omits parts not directly related to the present invention. The dents are shown only in FIGS. 3 and 4.

1) Ducted seat pad The ducted seat pad 1 is a back pad for a backrest and a cushion pad that supports the lower body of a seated occupant, and this embodiment is applied to a vehicle front cushion pad as shown in FIG. When the cushion pad is covered with a skin to form a seat cushion, a vehicle seat is formed by a backrest in which a known backpad is covered with a skin and a known headrest.
The ducted seat pad 1 includes a pad body 2 and a duct 3.

The duct 3 is a wind distribution duct provided with an air introduction port 31 and an air outlet 32 provided in the duct path. The air distribution duct 3 has a laminated structure in which the inner layer 3A is a foam made of a thermoplastic resin having a closed cell structure and the outer layer 3B is a porous body made of a non-woven fabric 3B2 (or a foam 3B1 having an open cell structure). It is composed of walls (Figs. 4 to 6). Here, in the duct 3 having a substantially H-shaped air distribution flow path u as shown in FIG. 1, a pair of pipe-shaped duct portions 3D extend in the vehicle front-rear direction from both ends of the flat hollow base portion 3K in the vehicle width direction. A plurality of air outlets 32 are provided on the surface side of the duct 3. The "surface" side of the present invention refers to the side of the surface that the occupant comes into contact with when sitting on the seat.
In the duct 3, the base portion 3K and each duct portion 3D are arranged in the horizontal direction on the back surface 1b side of the seat pad (FIGS. 2 and 3). The duct portion 3D is a portion whose cross-sectional shape is not circular but is arranged in the horizontal direction, and the cross-sectional shape is a flat hollow oval shape having a vertical width 3T smaller than a horizontal width 3Y (FIG. 4). In the seat pad 1 whose thickness h tends to decrease due to weight reduction, the vertical width 3T of the duct portion is made as small as possible, and a large cushioning thickness width of the pad body 2 is secured.

In each duct portion 3D of the duct 3, a recess 36 toward the inside of the flow path u is appropriately formed in the central portion in the lateral width direction. The recess 36 having a cross-sectional shape shown in FIG. 4 is formed continuously or intermittently in the extending direction of the duct 3. As described above, the duct 3 has a duct wall having a laminated structure of the inner layer 3A of the closed cell structure foam and the outer layer 3B of the non-woven fabric 3B2, and the duct 3 may be crushed by a seated occupant. .. Therefore, before being crushed, the flow path side contact portion 39 of the recess 36 is bottomed out, and in FIG. 4, the required air volume is secured by the flow paths u remaining on the left and right sides of the recess 36. The base portion 3K is provided with a recess 36 toward the inside of the base portion 3K in the central portion in the vehicle width direction on both the front surface side and the back surface side to secure the required flow path u (FIG. 3).

The duct 3 of the present embodiment is formed by joining and integrating a pair of gutter-shaped half-split members 4 and 5 that form the duct 3. After molding the pair of gutter-shaped members 41, 51 divided into upper and lower parts as shown in FIG. 7 (a), a pair of air inlet holes 42 and air outlet holes 52 are opened as shown in FIG. 7 (b). The halved members 4 and 5 are formed, and then the two are joined and integrated to form the duct 3 of FIGS. 1 and 2 (details will be described later).

Resins constituting the thermoplastic resin foam having a closed cell structure serving as the inner layer 3A of the duct 3 include expanded polypropylene, expanded polyethylene, expanded polystyrene and the like. Polyurethane foam is not a foam made of thermoplastic resin, but is included in the foam made of thermoplastic resin referred to in the present invention. The inner layer 3A can also be made of foamed polyurethane.
Resins constituting the porous non-woven fabric 3B2 to be the outer layer 3B of the duct 3 include polypropylene, polyethylene, polyester, nylon, PET and the like. The non-woven fabric 3B2 includes those in which fibers are bonded to each other using an adhesive, and those in which fibers are fused to each other by heat treatment using thermoplastic synthetic fibers. When the porous body is the foam 3B1 having an open cell structure instead of the non-woven fabric 3B2, the resin constituting the foam includes urethane foam, polyethylene foam and the like. It is also possible to compress a foam having a closed cell structure to form an open cell structure. If the porous body constituting the outer layer 3B is also made of a thermoplastic resin such as foamed polyethylene in addition to the foam constituting the inner layer 3A, the gutter-shaped members 41 and 51 can be easily vacuum formed, which is more preferable. If the foam forming the inner layer 3A and the porous body forming the outer layer 3B are made of the same thermoplastic resin, vacuum forming of the gutter-shaped members 41 and 51 becomes easier and more preferable.

The pad body 2 is a foam formed by injecting a flexible polyurethane foam raw material g or the like into a foam molding mold 7, and constitutes a main part of a vehicle seat pad 1. A plurality of recesses 21 serving as air outlets 210 communicating with each air outlet 32 are formed on the surface 2a on the occupant contact side, and the duct 3 is used as an insert product to be integrally foam-molded. The air introduction port 31 is exposed on the back surface 2b side of the pad body 2. Side portions 2B are provided on both sides of the main portion 2A constituting the main portion of the seat pad, and suspension grooves 27 are provided at both boundaries on the seat pad surface 1a side. Reference numeral 27a indicates a vertical groove, reference numeral 27b indicates a horizontal groove, and reference numeral 2C indicates a mating portion with the backrest.

As shown in FIG. 5, a part of the pad body 2 goes beyond the duct outer surface 3a in contact with the duct 3 and penetrates into the fibers of the non-woven fabric 3B2 related to the porous body and is cured. When the porous body is a foam 3B1 having an open cell structure, it penetrates into the bubbles of the foam and is cured as shown in FIG. In the case of the non-woven fabric 3B2 having voids on the outer surface 3a of the duct or the foam 3B1 having an open cell structure, the foamed raw material g easily infiltrates and hardens there in the foam molding process of the pad body 2, and the pad body 2 and the duct 3 are cured. Is integrated with. The desired ducted seat pad 1 has a bonded surface layer Z in which the cured layer of the foamed raw material g and the porous body are entangled in the surface layer region where the foamed raw material g has penetrated from the duct outer surface 3a of the outer layer 3B.

Furthermore, the pad body 2 is integrally foam-molded with the duct 3 as an insert product, but the area around the air outlet 32 provided in the duct 3 is shown in the same figure (b) instead of FIG. 8 (a) of the present embodiment. ), (
If the air outlet 32 is such that the short tube portion 33 projects from the peripheral edge as in (c), the seat pad 1 with a duct is more preferable. This is because the foam molding of the pad body 2 can effectively prevent the infiltration of the foamed raw material g from the air outlet 32 into the duct 3 by the raised portion 82 of the lower mold 8 (details will be described later).

2) Method for manufacturing a seat pad with a duct In the seat pad 1 with a duct, the duct 3 is set in the foam molding mold 7 by using the duct 3 and the foam molding mold 7, and then the foam raw material g is injected and the mold is closed. It is obtained by foam molding the pad main body 2 in which the duct 3 is embedded and integrated. The air distribution duct 3 provided with the air introduction port 31 and the air outlet 32 provided in the duct path is set in the foam molding mold 7, and the pad body 2 is foam molded to form the pad body surface 2a on the occupant contact side. A ducted seat pad 1 is formed in which the recess 21 formed in the above is matched with the air outlet 32 to form an air outlet 210.

The foam molding mold 7 includes an upper mold 9 and a lower mold 8 as shown in FIG. When the mold is closed as shown in FIG. 10 with a hinge (not shown) as a fulcrum, the lower cavity surface 81 having a large degree of denting as a whole and the upper cavity surface 91 having a dent in part but being substantially flat have a ducted seat pad. Create cavity C of 1. The foam molding mold 7 of FIGS. 9 to 12 has a mold structure in which the pad body 2 integrated with the duct is foam-molded in an upside-down position with the seat pad 1 of FIG. 2 in the vehicle installed state. ..

As described above, the duct 3 has a laminated structure in which the inner layer 3A is made of a thermoplastic resin foam having a closed cell structure and the outer layer 3B is made of a non-woven fabric 3B2 (or a foam 3B1 having an open cell structure). It consists of a duct wall. Since the duct 3 of the present invention does not have rigidity like a solid resin, it is difficult to open the air ejection port 32 after making it into a pipe shape. Therefore, prior to the foam molding of the pad body 2, the duct 3 is formed as follows, for example.

First, a sheet-like material for a duct having a two-layer structure in which a foam made of a thermoplastic resin having a closed cell structure and a porous body made of a non-woven fabric 3B2 are integrated is prepared. The thermoplastic resin foam for the inner layer 3A and the non-woven fabric 3B2 for the outer layer 3B are laminated and integrated via an adhesive layer. The adhesive layer is formed by heat fusion of the thermoplastic resin foam and the non-woven fabric 3B2 at the joint surface, a low melting point film interposed in the joint surface, or the like.
Next, the sheet-like material is vacuum-formed (or compressed air-formed) so that the inner layer 3A is a foam made of a thermoplastic resin and the outer layer 3B is a non-woven fabric 3B2. The gutter-shaped members 41,51 of FIG. 7 (a) Mold into. Flange portions 4b, 5b as shown in the figure are provided on both side edges of the gutter-shaped members 41, 51 forming the flow path forming recesses 410, 510. Subsequently, one gutter-shaped member 51 is provided with an air ejection port hole 52 to form one half-split member 5, and the other gutter-shaped member 41 is provided with an air inlet hole 42 to be combined with the other half-split member 4. To do. After that, the flanges 4b and 5b of the half-split members 4 and 5 are joined and integrated to form the duct 3. Unlike the solid resin, the duct 3 is flexible, and it is extremely difficult to provide the air introduction port 31 and the air outlet 32 under the state of the pipe-shaped duct. Therefore, the gutter-shaped members 41 and 51 formed from the sheet members are provided with the air inlet hole 42 and the air outlet hole 52 to form the half-split members 4, 5, and then the two-half split members 4, 5 are formed. Glue. As shown in FIG. 7B, the recess 510 is directed downward, the flange portion 5b extending on both side edges of the gutter main body 5a provided with the air outlet hole 52, and the recess 410 is directed upward for the air inlet. The duct 3 is completed by adhering the flange portions 4b extending to both side edges of the gutter main body 4a provided with the holes 42. At the stage of becoming the duct 3, the air outlet hole 52 becomes the air outlet 32, and the air inlet hole 42 becomes the air inlet 31.
In the duct 3, the base portion 3K and the duct portion 3D arranged in the horizontal direction have a flat cross-sectional shape having a vertical width 3T smaller than the horizontal width 3Y, and a flow path u in the central portion in the horizontal direction. Inward recesses 36 are appropriately formed (FIGS. 4 and 9).

Using the duct 3 and the foam molding mold 7, the ducted seat pad 1 is manufactured, for example, as follows.
First, the foam molding mold 7 is set to the mold open state shown in FIG. The duct 3 is set in the lower mold 8 under the mold open state so that the back surface side thereof faces upward. The lower mold 8 forms a duct 3 formed by joining and integrating a pair of gutter-shaped halves 4 and 5 in a non-woven fabric 3B2 (or a foam 3B1 having an open cell structure) which is a porous body of the outer layer 3B and made of a thermoplastic resin. Set to. The duct 3 is pretreated so that the air introduction port 31 is closed with sealing tape. The non-woven fabric 3B2 (or the foam 3B1 having an open cell structure) of the outer layer 3B is more preferably the same thermoplastic resin as the thermoplastic resin foam having a closed cell structure of the inner layer 3A.
The duct 3 is set in the lower mold 8 so as to insert the tip portion of the raised portion 82 of the lower mold 8 into each of the air outlets 32 facing downward and close the air outlet 32.

Next, a predetermined amount of foaming raw material g such as urethane foam stock solution for sheet pad molding is injected onto the lower mold cavity surface 81 in the mold open state using an injection hose NL or the like.
Subsequently, the upper mold 9 is operated to close the mold (FIG. 10). By closing the upper mold 9 and the lower mold 8, a cavity C for the seat pad 1 in which the duct 3 is insert-set is formed. With this mold closing, the elastic duct 3 is pressed by the upper mold 9, and by reaction, the tip portion of the truncated cone-shaped raised portion 82 strongly adheres to the inner peripheral wall of the air outlet 32 and is sealed in the air outlet 32. do.

By the way, if the short tube portion 33 as shown in FIG. 8 (c) is provided on the peripheral edge of the air outlet 32, the air outlet 32 by the raised portion 82 can be sealed with higher accuracy when the mold is closed, which is preferable. The short cylinder portion 33 has an inner layer 3A whose inner diameter side is made of a foam having a closed cell structure. When the mold is closed, the inner layer 3A having a closed cell structure into which the raised portion 82 is inserted and abuts can serve as an elastic gasket, so that the air outlet 32 can be more reliably sealed. The short cylinder portion 53 can be provided by shaping the tip portion of the punch T as shown in FIG. 8 (b) or adjusting the heating temperature of the punch T or the like when opening the air ejection port hole 52. .. The short cylinder portion 53 provided in the gutter-shaped member 51 becomes the short cylinder portion 33 when it becomes the duct 3.

After closing the mold, the process moves to the main process of foam molding. The pad body 2 made of a flexible polyurethane foam molded body having a contact side portion of a seated occupant on the surface 2a side is foam molded. With the air outlet 32 sealed by the raised portion 82, the pad body 2 in which the duct 3 is embedded on the back surface 2b side is foam-molded.
Here, in the initial stage of foam molding after the mold is closed, the foaming raw material g is foamed as shown in FIG. 12A, and the upper surface thereof rises. Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 12B, the foamed raw material g reaches the duct outer surface 3a, but since the outer layer 3B of the duct 3 is the non-woven fabric 3B2, the foamed raw material g easily enters the interfibers. A part of the foaming raw material g crosses the duct outer surface 3a in contact with the duct 3 and enters the interfibers (or the bubbles of the foam 3B1 having an open cell structure) constituting the non-woven fabric 3B2 related to the porous body. Infiltrates and cures. The foamed raw material g soaked into the duct outer surface 3a side of the outer layer 3B is entangled with the non-woven fabric 3B2 to form a bonded surface layer Z that is cured and integrated.

After the foam molding of the pad body 2 is completed, the desired ducted seat pad 1 in which the duct 3 and the pad body 2 are firmly bonded and integrated by the formation of the bonding surface layer Z is obtained without relying on a backing material. It is built (Fig. 5). Even when the outer layer 3B is a foam 3B1 having an open cell structure instead of the non-woven fabric 3B2, the foaming raw material g can penetrate and harden into the cells communicating with each other to form the bonded surface layer Z (FIG. 6), and the duct 3 It is possible to manufacture a desired ducted seat pad 1 in which the pad body 2 and the pad body 2 are coupled and integrated.
Reference numeral 88 indicates a raised portion for forming a suspension groove, and reference numerals 89 and 99 indicate a mold matching surface. Other configurations are the same as those of the ducted seat pad 1 described in 1), and the description thereof will be omitted. The same reference numerals as 1) indicate the same or corresponding parts.

(2) Embodiment 2
In the ducted seat pad of the present embodiment and the manufacturing method thereof, as shown in FIGS. 13 to 16, the air introduction port 31 is not provided on the back surface side of the duct 3, but is horizontally arranged on the side of the duct 3. The pipe hole exposed on one side of the pipe-shaped duct 3 is used as the air introduction port 31.
The duct 3 has a cross shape in a plan view as shown in FIG. 13, and the duct portion 3D extends from the base portion 3K of the intersection in the vehicle front-rear direction and the vehicle width direction. The right side of FIG. 13 is in front of the vehicle, and the tip portion of the duct portion 3D in the front portion is closed. In the vehicle rear duct portion 3D on the left side, the pipe-shaped flow path u is exposed as it is, and the opening at the left end portion serves as the air introduction port 31.

The duct 3 forms a pair of gutter-shaped members 41, 51 from the sheet-shaped material in the same manner as in the first embodiment. Flange portions 4b and 5b are provided on both side edges of the gutter-shaped members 41 and 51 for forming the flow path forming recesses 410 and 510. Next, an air outlet hole 52 is provided in the gutter-shaped member 51 arranged on the surface side, and a gutter-shaped opening gutter-shaped portion 59 having a gutter shape in a side view is formed on one side (one end side) thereof. , The surface side half-split member 5. Here, since the flow path forming recess 510 of the gutter-shaped member 51 appears in a gutter shape on one side, it is not particularly necessary to form the gutter-shaped portion 59 for opening. Further, the gutter-shaped member 41 arranged on the back surface side also has an opening gutter-shaped portion 49 formed at a portion facing the opening gutter-shaped portion 59, but the flow path forming recess 410 of the gutter-shaped member 41. Appears in a gutter shape on one side, so that it is not necessary to form a gutter-shaped portion 49 for opening, and the gutter-shaped member 41 becomes a back surface side half-split member 4. After that, as shown in FIG. 14 (a), the flanges 4b and 5b of the half-split members 4 and 5 are opposed to each other, and the two half-split members 4 and 5 are joined and integrated to form both openings as shown in the figure (b). A duct 3 having an air introduction port 31 is formed at the gutter-shaped portions 49 and 59. Reference numeral L indicates a joining line of the half-split members 4 and 5.

Then, in the ducted seat pad 1 provided with the pad body 2 integrally foam-molded by using the duct 3 as an insert product, the inner layer 3A of the duct wall is made of a foam having a closed cell structure, and the outer layer 3B of the duct wall is formed. A duct wall having a laminated structure made of non-woven fabric 3B2 (or foam 3B1 having an open cell structure), and a part 25 of the pad body passes through the duct outer surface 3a to foam inside the fibers of the non-woven fabric 3B2 (or foam related to a porous body). It is a seat pad 1 with a duct that has penetrated into the air bubbles of the body and is cured.
FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 3, which is similar to that of FIG. On the other hand, FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 2, in which the air introduction port 31 opens toward the rear of the vehicle on the back surface 1b side of the seat pad, and the air conditioning unit is further located on the rear side of the vehicle of the air introduction port 31. The space for the connection piping from is secured.
Further, FIG. 17A shows a cross-sectional view of the duct portion 3D of FIG. 16, but the same recess 36 as in the first embodiment is formed in the duct portion 3D. When the occupant is seated, before the duct flow path u is crushed by the weight of the occupant indicated by the middle black arrow, the flow path side contact portion 39 of the dent 36 bottoms out as shown in FIG. The required air volume is secured in the flow path u left in. The recess 36 is provided continuously or intermittently in the extending direction of the duct portion 3D, but FIGS. 13 to 16 are not shown. The symbol M indicates the buttocks of the seated occupant. Other configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment, and the description thereof will be omitted. The same reference numerals as those in the first embodiment indicate the same or corresponding parts.

(3) Effect In the ducted seat pad and its manufacturing method configured in this way, the duct wall of the duct 3 has an inner layer 3A made of a thermoplastic resin foam having a closed cell structure, so that airtightness can be ensured and the arrangement is made. It functions as a wind duct 3. Since the inner layer 3A is made of a foam and the outer layer 3B is made of a porous body made of a foam 3B1 having an open cell structure or a non-woven fabric 3B2, compared with a conventional solid, rigid and heavy blow-molded duct. It can be significantly reduced in weight. It is expected that the weight of each part of the vehicle will be reduced toward the widespread use of hybrid vehicles and electric vehicles, and the seat pad 1 adopting the duct 3 having such a configuration can fully meet the expectation. It is a seat pad 1 with a duct that is useful for improving fuel efficiency.

On the other hand, if the inner layer 3A is a foam having a closed cell structure and the outer layer 3B is a porous body made of a foam 3B1 having an open cell structure or a non-woven fabric 3B2, there is concern about a decrease in rigidity. .. However, the outer layer 3B is the non-woven fabric 3B2 or the foam 3B1 having an open cell structure, and in the foam molding of the pad body 2, a part of the foam raw material g is transferred from the duct outer surface 3a into the mesh space of the non-woven fabric 3B2 or the bubbles of the open cells. Since a hard bonded surface layer Z that penetrates and hardens is formed on the duct outer surface 3a side of the outer layer 3B, the duct 3 made of foam or non-woven fabric 3B2 has increased rigidity and is not easily crushed by a seated occupant. ..

Further, at the portion where the duct 3 is arranged in the horizontal direction, the cross-sectional shape is made flat with a vertical width 3T smaller than the horizontal width 3Y, and the thickness of the cushioning pad body 2 is set to be as large as possible. Further, the required air volume of the duct 3 is secured by forming a recess 36 toward the inside of the flow path u in the central portion of the duct 3 in the horizontal width direction. For example, when an occupant sits on the seat pad 1 in the state of FIG. 17 (a), the flow path side contact portion 39 of the recess 36 bottoms out as shown in the figure (b) before it bends and the duct 3 is crushed. , The flow paths u formed on both sides of the recess 36 remain, and the required air volume is secured.

In addition, the conventional blow-molded duct made of polypropylene resin or the like has a weak adhesive force with the urethane foam raw material g of the pad body 2, and even if the seat pad 1 in which the duct is embedded is manufactured, the duct easily peels off. Although a backing material such as non-woven fabric 3B2 is required (Patent Document 1), the present invention is excellent in integrating the duct 3 and the pad body 2 and does not require a backing material. When the outer layer 3B of the duct 3 is a foam 3B1 or a non-woven fabric 3B2 having an open cell structure, a part of the foam raw material g exceeds the duct outer surface 3a in the foam molding process of the pad body 2 and is inside the bubbles of the foam or. The non-woven fabric 3B2 penetrates into the fibers constituting the non-woven fabric and is cured. Then, since the bonded surface layer Z that firmly connects the duct 3 and the pad body 2 is formed on the duct outer surface 3a side of the outer layer 3B, strong joining and integration of the two can be achieved without a backing material. It is also possible to reduce the number of parts of the backing material.

If the porous body of the duct 3 is made of a thermoplastic resin, both the inner layer 3A and the outer layer 3B of the duct 3 are made of a thermoplastic resin, so that the duct 3 can be easily molded. If the foam of the inner layer 3A of the duct wall and the porous body of the outer layer 3B are made of the same thermoplastic resin, the molding of the duct 3 becomes easier.

Further, when the duct 3 is formed by joining and integrating a pair of gutter-shaped half-split members 4 and 5 forming the duct 3, even in the flexible duct 3, the half-split with the air outlet hole 52 formed. Since the duct 3 is formed by joining the members 5 and then joining them, the duct 3 can be easily manufactured.
A pair of gutter-shaped members 41 and 51 are formed from the sheet-like material for the duct 3, and then an air ejection hole 52 is provided in one gutter-shaped member 51 to form one half member 5, and the other. When the gutter-shaped member 41 is provided with the air inlet hole 42 to form another half-split member 4, and then both half-split members 4 and 5 are joined and integrated to form a duct 3, the duct 3 becomes extremely. It can be manufactured easily and reliably. The air inlet hole 42 becomes the air inlet 31 of the duct, and the air outlet hole 52 becomes the air outlet 32 of the duct. Further, instead of providing the air outlet hole 52 in one gutter-shaped member 51 to form one half-split member 5, the gutter-shaped member 51 is provided with the air outlet hole 52 and the air outlet hole 52 thereof. An opening gutter-shaped portion 59 is formed on one side to form one half-split member 5, and the other half-split member 4 also has an opening gutter-shaped portion 49 at a portion facing the opening gutter-shaped portion 59. When the air introduction port 31 is provided at the gutter-shaped portions 49,59 for both openings by forming and integrating the two halves members 4 and 5, the air introduction port 31 can be easily provided on one side of the duct 3. Can be provided. In addition, the arrangement of the air introduction port 31 is expanded, and the duct design is flexible.
As described above, the seat pad containing the duct and the method for manufacturing the same are extremely useful because they exhibit various excellent effects as described above.

In the present invention, the present invention is not limited to the one shown in the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the present invention according to the purpose and application. The shape, size, number, material, etc. of the pad body 2, duct 3, half-split member 4, 5, foam molding mold 7, etc. can be appropriately selected according to the application. Although the embodiment is applied to a cushion pad, it can also be applied to a back pad for a backrest.

1 Seat pad 2 Pad body 2a Surface 21 Depression 210 Air outlet 3 Duct (air distribution duct)
3A Inner layer 3B Outer layer 3B1 Foam with open cell structure 3B2 Non-woven fabric 3a Duct outer surface 31 Air inlet 32 Air outlet 36 Recess 4,5 Half-split member 41,51 Gutter-shaped member 42 Air inlet hole 49,59 Opening Gutter-shaped part 52 Air outlet hole 7 Foam molding type g Foam raw material

Claims (10)

An air distribution duct having an air inlet and an air outlet in the duct path and a recess that serves as an air outlet communicating with the air outlet are formed on the surface on the occupant contact side to form the duct. In a ducted seat pad provided with a pad body that is integrally foam-molded as an insert product,
A seat pad with a duct, wherein the inner layer of the duct is a resin foam having a closed cell structure, and the duct is formed by joining and integrating a pair of gutter-shaped halves forming the duct. .. A claim that a portion of a duct portion arranged in the horizontal direction of the duct has a flat cross-sectional shape whose vertical width is smaller than the horizontal width, and a recess is formed in the central portion in the horizontal direction toward the inside of the flow path. Item 1. The ducted seat pad according to item 1. The seat pad containing a duct according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the duct is provided with a short tube portion on the periphery of the air ejection port. The pair of gutter-shaped half-split members are provided with flanges on both side edges of the gutter-shaped member for forming a recess for forming a flow path, and one of the pair of gutter-shaped members is provided with an air outlet hole to form a single gutter. The ducted seat pad according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the gutter-shaped member is a half-split member, and the other gutter-shaped member is provided with a hole for an air introduction port to be another gutter-shaped half-split member. The third or fourth aspect of the present invention, wherein the duct is provided with an outer layer integrated with the outer surface of the inner layer, and the outer layer is a laminated duct wall made of a foam having an open cell structure or a porous body made of a non-woven fabric. Ducted seat pad. A pad for air distribution, which is provided with an air introduction part and an air outlet in the duct path, is set in a foam molding mold, and then the duct is embedded and integrated through injection of a foaming material and closing of the mold. A method for manufacturing a ducted seat pad in which a main body is foam-molded and a recess formed on the surface of the pad body on the occupant contact side is made into an air outlet by matching the air outlet.
The duct is formed so that the inner layer of the duct is made of a thermoplastic resin foam having a closed cell structure, and the duct is formed by joining and integrating a pair of girdle-shaped halves forming the duct. A method for manufacturing a ducted seat pad, which comprises setting in a foam molding mold, then injecting a foaming raw material and closing the mold , and then foam molding the pad body in which a duct is embedded on the back surface side . At the portion of the duct portion arranged in the horizontal direction of the duct, the cross-sectional shape is made flat with a vertical width smaller than the horizontal width, and a recess toward the inside of the flow path is formed in the central portion in the horizontal width direction. The method for manufacturing a ducted seat pad according to claim 6. The method for manufacturing a ducted seat pad according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the duct is provided with a short tube portion on the periphery of the air ejection port. The pair of gutter-shaped half-split members are provided with flanges on both side edges of the gutter-shaped member for forming a recess for forming a flow path, and one of the pair of gutter-shaped members is provided with an air ejection hole to form a single gutter. The method for manufacturing a ducted seat pad according to any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the gutter-shaped member is a half-split member, and the other gutter-shaped member is provided with a hole for an air introduction port to be another gutter-shaped half-split member. Any of claims 6 to 9, wherein the duct is provided with an outer layer integrated with the outer surface of the inner layer, and the outer layer is a duct wall having a laminated structure made of a foam having an open cell structure or a porous body made of a non-woven fabric. The method for manufacturing a ducted seat pad according to item 1.

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