JP4845449B2 - Compressed wood products - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a wood processing method for processing wood into a predetermined shape and a compressed wood product formed by compressing wood.

  In recent years, natural wood has attracted attention. Since wood has various grain patterns, individual differences occur depending on the location of the raw wood, and the individual differences are the individuality of each product. In addition, scratches and changes in color caused by long-term use may also have a unique texture and may be familiar to the user. For these reasons, wood is attracting attention as a material that can produce unique and tasty products that are not found in products using synthetic resins and light metals, and its processing technology is also making dramatic progress.

  Conventionally, as a processing technique for such wood, after compressing one piece of softened water, and cutting the wood substantially parallel to the compression direction to obtain a plate-like primary fixed product, this primary fixed product is heated and absorbed by water. There is known a technique of forming a predetermined three-dimensional shape while performing the process (for example, see Patent Document 1). There is also known a technique in which a piece of wood compressed in a softened state is temporarily fixed, and this wood is put into a mold and recovered to mold (for example, see Patent Document 2). In these techniques, the thickness and compression rate of wood are determined in consideration of various points including individual differences and types of wood, strength of wood after processing, and its use.

Japanese Patent No. 3078452 JP-A-11-77619

  By the way, when wood is compression-molded, the strength in the direction intersecting the fiber direction is generally weaker than the strength in the direction along the fiber direction of the wood. In order to solve this problem, it is conceivable to provide an appropriate reinforcing member for reinforcing the strength in the direction intersecting with the fiber direction of the wood. There was a problem that man-hours increased and cost increased.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above, and provides a wood processing method and a compressed wood product that can reinforce wood easily and at low cost without increasing the number of parts and work man-hours. Objective.

In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve the object, a wood processing method according to the present invention is a wood processing method for processing wood into a predetermined shape, and has a surface along the wood fiber direction. A shape forming step of forming a timber having a ridge line oriented in a direction intersecting with the wood fiber direction and projecting in a rib shape from the surface from the raw wood, and the shape forming step A compression step of compressing the wood.

  The “rib shape” in the present invention includes all shapes in which the portion protruding uniformly in the ridge line direction is significantly larger than the portion not protruding.

In the wood processing method according to the present invention, in the above invention, the compressing step applies a compressive force at least in a thickness direction of the surface along the wood fiber direction.

The wood processing method according to the present invention is characterized in that, in the above-described invention, the surface along the wood fiber direction forms a flat surface.

The wood processing method according to the present invention is characterized in that, in the above-mentioned invention, the ridge line of the protruding portion is directed in a direction substantially orthogonal to the wood fiber direction.

The wood processing method according to the present invention is characterized in that, in the above invention, the compression step applies a compression force by sandwiching the wood to be processed by a pair of molds.

The compressed wood product according to the present invention is a compressed wood product processed into a predetermined shape by compressing wood, and the fiber density of a portion having a surface along the wood fiber direction varies along the wood fiber direction. It is characterized by doing.

The compressed wood product according to the present invention, in the above invention, has at least a ridge line oriented in a direction intersecting with the wood fiber direction and provided with a protruding portion protruding in a rib shape from the surface along the wood fiber direction. It is formed by applying a compressive force in the thickness direction of the surface.

The compressed wood product according to the present invention is characterized in that, in the above-mentioned invention, the surface along the wood fiber direction is a flat surface.

The compressed wood product according to the present invention is characterized in that, in the above-mentioned invention, the ridge line of the protrusion is oriented in a direction substantially orthogonal to the wood fiber direction.

  According to the present invention, a wood having a surface along a wood fiber direction and having a ridge line oriented in a direction intersecting the wood fiber direction and having a protruding portion protruding in a rib shape from the surface is obtained from the raw wood. By shaping and compressing the shaped wood, it is possible to reinforce the wood easily and at low cost without increasing the number of parts and the number of work steps.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention (hereinafter referred to as an embodiment) will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a compressed wood product according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. A compressed wood product 1 shown in these drawings is a flat main plate portion 1a having a substantially rectangular surface, and extends along the longitudinal direction of the main plate portion 1a at a predetermined angle with respect to the main plate portion 1a. One side plate portion 1b and two side plate portions 1c extending along the short direction of the main plate portion 1a and extending at a predetermined angle with respect to the main plate portion 1a are formed in a substantially bowl shape as a whole. The thickness r of the compressed wood product 1 is substantially uniform.

  The wood fiber direction L of the compressed wood product 1 is substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the main plate portion 1a. Further, the grain direction of the compressed wood product 1 is along the longitudinal direction of the main plate portion 1a. In this sense, the compressed wood product 1 shown in FIG.

  Next, a method for processing wood according to the present embodiment will be described. In the following description, the case where the compressed wood product 1 having the above-described configuration is formed will be described. However, the wood processing method according to this embodiment can be applied to compressed wood products having other configurations.

  First, the wood used as the raw material of the compressed wood product 1 is shaped from the uncompressed solid wood that is the raw wood (the shaping process). At this time, the volume of the timber to be shaped is set to a volume obtained by adding in advance a volume reduced by a compression process described later. As solid wood, if you choose the most suitable one according to the use of the compressed wood product 1 from among bamboo shoots, maple leaves, paulownia, cedar, pine, cherry blossom, bud, ebony, bamboo, teak, mahogany, rosewood, etc. Good.

  FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a configuration of wood shaped from a solid material. The wood 11 shown in the figure is a grid material having a substantially bowl shape like the compressed wood product 1, and includes a main plate portion 11 a (corresponding to the processed main plate portion 1 a), side plate portions 11 b and 11 c (processed side plate portion 1 b and 1c). In the wood 11, three projecting portions 12 projecting in a rib shape from the surface of the main plate portion 11 a are formed alternately and regularly with the flat portions 13. As shown also in FIG. 3, the ridge line directions M of the projections 12 are parallel to each other and are directed in a direction orthogonal to the wood fiber direction L of the main plate portion 11a. The wood 11 having such a shape can be formed by cutting using, for example, NC processing technology.

  It should be noted that the “rib shape” in the present embodiment includes all shapes in which the portion that protrudes uniformly in the ridge line direction is significantly more than the portion that does not protrude.

  Subsequently, the wood 11 shaped as described above is compressed (compression step). In this compression step, the wood 11 is left in a high-temperature and high-pressure steam atmosphere for a predetermined time, so that moisture is excessively absorbed and softened. The high temperature and high pressure here means that the temperature is 100 to 230 ° C., more preferably about 180 to 230 ° C., and the pressure is 0.1 to 3 MPa (megapascal), more preferably about 0.45 to 2.5 MPa. Refers to the state. Instead of leaving the wood 11 in the water vapor atmosphere described above, for example, the wood 11 may be heated by a high-frequency electromagnetic wave such as a microwave.

  Thereafter, the wood 11 is sandwiched between a pair of molds in the same water vapor atmosphere as when softened, and a predetermined compressive force is applied to the wood 11. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an outline of a compression process of the wood 11 using a pair of molds 41 and 51. FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. As shown in these drawings, the mold 41 for applying a compressive force from above the wood 11 during compression has a shape that fits to the inner side surfaces of the wood 11 that are curved from the main plate portion 11a toward the side plate portions 11b and 11c, respectively. It has the convex part 42 to make. If the radius of curvature of the inner surface of the curved surface 11ac that curves from the main plate portion 11a to the side plate portion 11c among the inner surface of the wood 11 is RI, and the radius of curvature of the curved surface that contacts the curved surface 11ac of the convex portion 42 is RA. There is a relationship of RI> RA between the radii of curvature.

  On the other hand, the mold 51 for applying a compressive force to the wood 11 from below the wood 11 at the time of compression has a concave portion 52 that fits the curved outer surface rising from the main plate portion 11a of the wood 11 to the side plate portions 11b and 11c. Have. If the curvature radius of the outer surface of the wood 11 is the outer surface of the curved surface 11ac is RO, and the curvature radius of the curved surface of the recess 52 that is in contact with the outer surface of the curved surface 11ac is RB, the RO is between the two curvature radii. > RB.

  Although not shown, the radius of curvature of the curved inner surface rising from the main plate portion 11a to the side plate portion 11b is also larger than the radius of curvature of the curved surface of the mold 41 contacting the inner surface. Further, the radius of curvature of the curved outer surface rising from the main plate portion 11a to the side plate portion 11b is larger than the radius of curvature of the curved surface of the mold 51 in contact with the outer surface.

In the following description, the thickness of the projection 12 of the main plate portion 11a and R _1, the thickness of the flat portion 13 and R ₂ (<R ₁₎ (see Figure 5).

  6 is a view showing a state in which the wood 11 is sandwiched and compressed by the molds 41 and 51 having the above-described configuration (a state in which the deformation of the wood 11 is almost completed), and has the same cut surface as FIG. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view. As shown in FIG. 6, the wood 11 is deformed into a three-dimensional shape corresponding to the gap between the mold 41 and the mold 51 by being compressed. At this time, the projecting portion 12 starts to receive a compressive force before the flat portion 13. Thereafter, when the wood 11 is deformed to the state shown in FIG. 6, the distinction between the projecting portion 12 and the flat portion 13 is lost, and the main plate portion 11a has a flat plate shape.

After leaving in the state shown in FIG. 6 for a predetermined time, the mold 41 and the mold 51 are separated to release the compression, and the wood 11 is dried by releasing the water vapor atmosphere described above, whereby the compressed wood product 1 is completed. The compression ratio in the thickness direction of the main plate portion 11a (the ratio ΔR / R of the reduction in thickness of the wood due to compression ΔR and the thickness R before compression of the wood) is about 0.4 to 0.7. is there. Therefore, the compression rate C ₁ = (R ₁ −r) / R _{1 of} the protrusion 12 and the compression rate C ₂ = (R ₂ −r) / R _{2 of the} flat portion 13 are included in the ranges described above. the way take, it may be set and thickness R ₂ of thickness R ₁ and the flat portion 13 of the projection 12. Since between the thickness R ₂ of thickness R ₁ and the flat portion 13 of the protrusion 12 R _1> R ₂ is satisfied, the compression ratio C ₁ and C _2, the relationship of C _1> C ₂ Fulfill.

Here, a specific numerical example is given. When the thickness R ₁ of the projection 12 before compression is 5 mm, the thickness R ₂ of the flat portion 13 is 3 mm, and the thickness r of the main plate 1 a after compression is 1.6 mm, the compression rate C of the projection 12 _{While 1} is 0.68, the compression ratio C ₂ of the flat portion 13 is 0.47.

  In this compression step, components such as cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin contained in the wood 11 are sufficiently softened, so that wrinkles and steps are prevented from occurring near the boundary between the protruding portion 12 and the flat portion 13. be able to. In the sense of reliably preventing the occurrence of such wrinkles and steps, it is more preferable that the boundary between the protrusion 12 and the flat portion 13 has an R shape as shown in FIG. In such a case, among the fibers of the wood 11, a part of the fibers bent in the protruding direction of the protruding portion 12 does not have to be cut by cutting or the like, and therefore has a length compared to the case where the shape is not R-shaped. More fibers can be left, which is preferable from the viewpoint of strength.

  FIG. 7 is an explanatory view schematically showing a density distribution along the main plate portion 1a of the compressed wooden product 1 completed through the compression process. In the figure, the horizontal axis represents the position in the main plate portion 1a, and the vertical axis represents the fiber density. As shown in FIG. 7, the fiber density at the position where the protrusion 12 is formed before compression is larger than the fiber density at the position where the flat portion 13 is formed. As apparent from FIG. 3, the protrusions 12 protruded uniformly along the ridge line direction M, and therefore the compressed main plate 1 a has a direction perpendicular to the wood fiber direction L (original ridge line). A portion having a fiber density larger than the other is formed along a direction parallel to the direction M). That is, it can be seen that the compressed wood product 1 is reinforced in the direction orthogonal to the wood fiber direction L.

  FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of application of the compressed wood product 1, and more specifically, a perspective view illustrating an external configuration of a digital camera covered with a cover member formed from the compressed wood product 1. A digital camera 100 shown in FIG. 1 includes an image pickup unit 101 including an image pickup lens, a flash 102, and a shutter button 103, and is packaged by two cover members 2 and 3. Inside the digital camera 100, a control circuit that performs drive control related to imaging processing, a solid-state imaging device such as a CCD or CMOS, a microphone or speaker that inputs and outputs audio, and each functional member under the control of the control circuit Various electronic members and optical members that realize the functions of the digital camera 100 are housed (not shown).

  FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of the cover members 2 and 3 constituting the exterior material of the digital camera 100. FIG. Among these, the cylindrical plate opening 21 that exposes the imaging unit 101 and the rectangular parallelepiped opening 22 that exposes the flash 102 are formed in the main plate portion 2 a of the cover member 2 that covers the front side of the digital camera 100. Has been. The side plate 2b of the cover member 2 is provided with a semi-cylindrical cutout 23.

  On the other hand, on the main plate portion 3a of the cover member 3 that covers the back side of the digital camera 100, a display unit realized by using a liquid crystal display, a plasma display, an organic EL display, or the like in order to display image information or character information A rectangular parallelepiped opening 31 that exposes (not shown) is formed. The side plate portion 3b of the cover member 3 is provided with a semi-cylindrical cutout 32 that forms an opening 231 for exposing the shutter button 103 in combination with the cutout 23 of the cover member 2.

  In addition to the openings and notches described above, an opening for attaching a finder, an opening for displaying an input key that accepts an input of an operation instruction signal, and an interface (DC for connection to an external device) An opening that exposes an input terminal, a USB connection terminal, and the like may be provided. Furthermore, a sound output hole for outputting sound generated by a speaker inside the digital camera 100 may be provided.

  The compressed wood product according to the present embodiment is an electronic device other than a digital camera, for example, a portable communication terminal such as a mobile phone, PHS or PDA, a portable audio device, an IC recorder, a portable television, a portable radio, and various home appliances. It can also be used as exterior materials for product remote control and digital video. When a compressed wood product is applied as an exterior material for such a small portable electronic device, the thickness after compression is most preferably about 1.6 mm.

  According to the embodiment of the present invention described above, the protrusion having a surface along the direction of the wood fiber and having a ridge line oriented in a direction intersecting the direction of the wood fiber and protruding in a rib shape from the surface By shaping the wood with the part from the raw wood and compressing the shaped wood, it is possible to reinforce the wood easily and at low cost without increasing the number of parts and the number of work steps.

  Moreover, according to this Embodiment, since the protrusion part and the flat part are alternately formed in the timber before compression in the flat main board part, the fiber density after compression repeats strength periodically. Distribution. Therefore, it is possible to provide a material having a different strength for each place in one material.

  Although the best mode for carrying out the present invention has been described in detail so far, the present invention should not be limited only by such an embodiment. For example, in the above-described embodiment, a case has been described in which a protrusion having a ridge line oriented in a direction orthogonal to the wood fiber direction of the main plate portion is provided on the main plate portion of the wood formed from the raw wood. May be provided with a protrusion having a ridge line oriented in a direction intersecting the wood fiber direction of the main plate portion.

  In the compressed wood product according to the present invention, the main plate portion only needs to have a surface along the wood fiber direction, and the surface may be a curved surface instead of a flat surface.

  Further, as the wood to be shaped from the solid material, in addition to the above-mentioned wood grain material, a plate grain material, a memorial material, a mouthpiece material, etc. may be used. Regardless of the implementation.

  In addition, the shape and number of protrusions formed on the wood when shaping the wood from the raw wood is the optimum shape and number according to various conditions such as the shape of the compressed wood product after processing, its use, and the type of wood used. Should be set.

  Thus, the present invention can include various embodiments and the like not described herein, and various design changes and the like can be made without departing from the technical idea specified by the claims. It is possible to apply.

It is a perspective view which shows the structure of the compression wooden product which concerns on one embodiment of this invention. It is the sectional view on the AA line of FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of the timber which is the raw material of the compressed wood product which concerns on one embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the outline | summary of the compression process of the processing method of the wood which concerns on one embodiment of this invention. It is the BB sectional view taken on the line of FIG. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the state at the time of wood compression in a compression process. It is a figure which shows typically the density distribution in the main board part of the compression wooden product which concerns on one embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the external appearance structure of the digital camera which applied the compressed wood product which concerns on one embodiment of this invention as an exterior material. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of the cover member which exteriorizes the digital camera of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Compression wood product 2, 3 Cover member 1a, 2a, 3a, 11a Main board part 1b, 1c, 2b, 2c, 3b, 3c, 11b, 11c Side board part 11 Wood 11ac Curved surface 12 Protrusion part 13 Flat part 21, 22, 31, 231 Opening 23, 32 Notch 41, 51 Mold 42 Convex 52 Concave 100 Digital camera 101 Imaging unit 102 Flash 103 Shutter button L Wood fiber direction M Ridge direction R, R ₁ , R ₂ , r Thickness

Claims (4)

A compressed wooden product processed into a predetermined shape by compressing wood,
A compressed wood product, wherein a fiber density of a portion having a surface along a wood fiber direction varies along the wood fiber direction. Applying a compressive force to at least the thickness of the surface of the wood having a ridge line oriented in a direction intersecting the wood fiber direction and having a protruding portion protruding in a rib shape from the surface along the wood fiber direction The compressed wood product according to claim 1, wherein the compressed wood product is formed by: The compressed wood product according to claim 2, wherein a ridge line of the protruding portion is oriented in a direction substantially orthogonal to the wood fiber direction. The compressed wood product according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the surface along the wood fiber direction forms a flat surface.

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