JP4996169B2 - Seat cushion - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a sitting cushion on which a person can sit.

  As a sitting cushion laid on the seat surface of a chair or the like, a cushion with cotton, an elastic cushion made of a urethane material, an air cushion filled with air, or the like is usually used. These cushions are inferior in durability and have problems such as difficulty in following the shape of the buttock when seated. Recently, a low-rebound cushion made of a low-repulsion material has been proposed to solve such problems.

On the other hand, instead of the cushion made of the elastic member as described above, a water cushion having water or the like enclosed therein has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1). According to such a water cushion, when a load is applied by the seating, the internal water moves and the applied load can be dispersed, and the seating for a long time can be facilitated.
JP-A-2005-118111

However, the conventional seat cushion has the following problems.
In other words, in the low resilience cushion, it can be deformed following the shape of the buttocks in the seated state, but since the restoration to the initial shape is extremely slow, it takes time to reappear the shape of the buttocks again when the posture is changed There was a problem that the followability was poor. In addition, the conventional water cushion has a drawback that the cushion is sensitively responsive to the movement of a person and swaying and lacking stability although it has a sitting pressure dispersion effect.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and is excellent in the followability of the cushion with respect to the buttocks at the time of sitting, and is adapted to the shape of the buttocks and is subjected to deformation according to the seating site to reduce the seating pressure. It is to provide a seating cushion that can be dispersed.

The invention according to claim 1 is a seating cushion in which a person can sit, a cushion main body made of a flexible member, a storage space that is formed in the cushion main body and can enclose fluid in a flowable manner, and the storage A dam section that divides the space into areas having a size corresponding to a person's seating position, and an orifice section through which the liquid flows in and out between the areas divided by the dam section; The accommodation space is divided into a hip region where the person is seated and a thigh region where the thigh is located, and each of the divided regions is divided into left and right, the hip region being a thigh region It is characterized by being formed with a larger area than

The invention according to claim 2 is a seating cushion in which a person can sit, a cushion main body made of a flexible member, a storage space formed in the cushion main body and capable of enclosing a fluid in a flowable manner, and the storage It comprises a dam portion for dividing a region of a size corresponding to space seating position, between segmented regions where at weir portion, said liquid inlet, and a orifice part that flows out, the dam portion, said housing The space is divided into a buttocks area and a thigh area where the thighs are located when a person is seated, and an intermediate area is formed between the buttocks area and the thigh area, and the buttocks The region is formed with a larger area than the thigh region .

The invention according to claim 3 is the seating cushion according to claim 1, wherein the weir portion further forms an intermediate region between the buttocks region and the thigh region.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the seat cushion according to any one of the first to third aspects , the liquid follows the orifice portion with a certain time delay when a person is seated and when the center of gravity of the upper body is moved. It is formed so that it can flow .

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the seating cushion according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, an arc shape that gently changes a flow direction of the liquid is formed on a peripheral edge of the accommodation space. characterized in that was.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the seating cushion according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, a mat member made of an elastic member such as urethane is disposed on the seating surface or the back surface of the cushion body. It is possible to sit down.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the weir portion that divides the accommodation space in the cushion main body into a region having a size corresponding to the seating position of the person, and the orifice through which the liquid flows in and out between the region divided by the dam portion Therefore, it is possible to disperse the seating pressure by performing deformation according to the seating site while conforming to the shape of the buttocks. According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the load is applied to the right region at the time of sitting by the orifice portion provided between the dam portions, the liquid flows toward the left region and the left side When a load is applied to the region, the liquid can flow toward the right region. Thus, when a load is applied to the cushion body at the time of sitting, the internal liquid flows in a desired direction in substantially the entire area of the accommodation space by the weir portion and the orifice portion, and stable cushioning and seat pressure distribution are achieved. be able to.

According to the invention of claim 2, the weir portion that divides the accommodation space in the cushion main body into a region having a size corresponding to the seating position of the person, and the orifice through which the liquid flows in and out between the region divided by the dam portion Therefore, it is possible to disperse the seating pressure by performing deformation according to the seating site while conforming to the shape of the buttocks. Further, according to the invention of claim 2, the orifice unit provided between the dam portion, causes to flow toward the liquid of the hip region to the intermediate region when the load in the buttocks region is added at the time of seating When a load is applied to the intermediate region, the liquid in the intermediate region can flow toward the buttocks region and the thigh region. In addition, when a load is applied to the thigh region during sitting, the liquid in the thigh region flows toward the intermediate region, and when a load is applied to the intermediate region, the liquid in the intermediate region is allowed to flow. The liquid can flow toward the buttocks region and the thigh region. Thus, when a load is applied to the cushion body at the time of sitting, the internal liquid flows in a desired direction in substantially the entire area of the accommodation space by the weir portion and the orifice portion, and stable cushioning and seat pressure distribution are achieved. be able to.

According to the invention of claim 3, in the invention of claim 1 , when a load is applied to the buttock region during seating by the orifice portion provided between the dam portions, the liquid in the buttock region is transferred to the intermediate region. When the load is applied to the intermediate region, the liquid in the intermediate region can flow toward the buttocks region and the thigh region. In addition, when a load is applied to the thigh region during sitting, the liquid in the thigh region flows toward the intermediate region, and when a load is applied to the intermediate region, the liquid in the intermediate region is allowed to flow. The liquid can flow toward the buttocks region and the thigh region. Thus, when a load is applied to the cushion body at the time of sitting, the internal liquid flows in a desired direction in substantially the entire area of the accommodation space by the weir portion and the orifice portion, and stable cushioning and seat pressure distribution are achieved. be able to.

According to the invention of claim 4, since the orifice portion is formed so that the liquid can follow and flow with a certain time delay when the person sits and moves the center of gravity of the upper body, In addition, a person can perceive that the liquid is following the change in the posture of the person well.

According to the invention of claim 5, since the arc shape that gently changes the flow direction of the liquid is formed at the periphery of the accommodation space, the flow rate of the liquid is suppressed, and the cushion body is It can suppress that an edge part is damaged and the said liquid leaks outside.

According to the invention of claim 6, since the mat member made of an elastic member such as urethane can be placed on the seating surface or the back surface of the cushion body, the cushioning property is further improved and the seating for a long time is further facilitated. It can be. In addition, by configuring the cushion body with a flexible synthetic resin sheet, the cushion body smoothly bulges in the thickness direction as the liquid flows, and it supports the additional load elastically, while cutting the contour shape and The weir can be easily formed. Furthermore, if the liquid enclosed in the accommodation space is water, a seating cushion can be manufactured at a lower cost, and the liquid enclosed in the accommodation space is used as a mixed liquid of water and polyhydric alcohol. As a result, it is possible to prevent the liquid from freezing in the cushion main body, and to prevent the liquid from permeating through the cushion main body and spreading to the outside even when used for a long period of time.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.
The sitting cushion according to the first embodiment is for laying on a seating surface of a chair or the like to support a person's buttocks with elasticity, and as shown in FIGS. A cushion main body 1 formed by heat-welding a flexible synthetic resin sheet to form a storage space 2 capable of storing a liquid therein, and a region (region A to region) having a size corresponding to a person's seating position. C) mainly composed of dam portions 3 to 8 and orifice portions (a to j) capable of allowing liquid to flow between the regions (region A to region C) divided by the dam portions 3 to 8. ing.

  The cushion body 1 is formed so that the overall shape can be placed in conformity with the seat surface of the chair, and in FIG. 1, the upper portion of the cushion body 1 is the leg side (the side opposite to the backrest) of the person sitting. Lay on the seat. The material of the cushion body 1 is rich in elasticity, has a predetermined durability and flexibility, does not allow liquid to permeate substantially in a short time, and seals the liquid for at least three months. For example, an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) or another material (such as various plastics or synthetic resins) can be used. Thus, the cushion body 1 is hermetically sealed by the welded portion 1a at the edge, and can hold the liquid in the accommodating space 2 so that it can flow and can be sealed for a long time.

Liquid to be housed in the housing space 2, 1-5000 centipoise viscosity at normal temperature (cp), in particular rather by long flowable liquid 10～2000Cp, for example, water or a polyhydric alcohol aqueous solution (especially water An antifreeze mixed liquid obtained by mixing propylene glycol or the like). If the liquid is water, a seating cushion can be manufactured at a lower cost, and if the liquid enclosed in the accommodation space is a mixture of water and polyhydric alcohol, the liquid will freeze in the cushion body. Moreover, even if it uses for a long time, it can suppress that it permeate | transmits a cushion main body and diverges outside. The liquid stored in the storage space 2 may be water only (including a liquid containing a small amount of additive) or only polyhydric alcohol.

  The weir portions 3 to 8 are formed by thermally welding two synthetic resin sheets (thickness of a synthetic resin sheet having a thickness of 10 to 1000 μm, particularly 50 to 800 μm), so that the accommodation space 2 is formed with the hip region A and the thighs. The region C is divided into an intermediate region B between the buttock region A and the thigh region C, and the buttock region A, the intermediate region B, and the thigh region C are divided into left and right. That is, the weir portions 3 to 6 are formed so that the region located on the thigh when a person is seated is the thigh region C, the region located on the buttocks is the buttocks region A, and the middle region is the intermediate region B. At the same time, weir portions 7 and 8 are formed to divide the regions into left and right.

  Here, the buttocks region A is set to have a larger area than the other regions, and is configured to reliably hold the buttocks of the person who is seated. Further, the intermediate area B is set to have a smaller area than other areas, and when the liquid flows, it can be deformed more greatly (swells upward) and presses the vicinity of the leg of the seated person. It is like that. Furthermore, an arc shape R that gently changes the flow direction of the liquid is formed at the peripheral edge of the accommodation space 2 (inner peripheral portion of the welded portion 1a), and the liquid flow rate is suppressed and the liquid rapidly flows. As a result, the edge of the cushion body 1 is damaged, and the liquid can be prevented from leaking to the outside.

  On the other hand, the weir portions 3 and 5 are for separating the buttock region A and the intermediate region B, and the orifice portions a, b, e, and f are formed with both ends thereof being separated. The orifices a, b, e, and f can flow in and out of the liquid between the buttock region A and the intermediate region B, and when the load is applied to the buttock region A during sitting, The liquid flows in the region A toward the intermediate region B. When a load is applied to the intermediate region B, the liquid flows in the intermediate region B toward the buttocks region A and the thigh region C. It is configured to

  The weir portions 4 and 6 are for separating the thigh region C and the intermediate region B, and the orifice portions c, d, g, and h are formed by separating both ends thereof. The orifices c, d, g, and h can cause liquid to flow between the thigh region C and the intermediate region B, and when the load is applied to the thigh region C during sitting, The liquid flows through the liquid in the thigh region C toward the intermediate region B, and when a load is applied to the intermediate region B, the liquid in the intermediate region B flows toward the buttocks region A and the thigh region C. It is configured to flow.

  The dam portions 7 and 8 are for dividing the buttock region A, the intermediate region B, and the thigh region C into right and left, and both ends of the dam portion 7 and one end of the dam portion 8 are separated from each other so that the orifice portion i, j is formed. The orifice part i can flow the liquid between the left and right buttocks area A, and when a load is applied to the right side of the buttocks area A at the time of sitting, the liquid flows toward the left buttocks area A. At the same time, when a load is applied to the left side of the buttock area A, the liquid flows toward the buttock area A on the right side.

  The orifice portion j is formed in communication with the orifice portions b and f, and when a load is applied to the left side of the cushion body 1, the right buttocks region A and intermediate region B, and further the thigh region C. The liquid flows toward the right side, and when a load is applied to the right side of the cushion body 1, the liquid flows toward the left buttock area A and intermediate area B, and further toward the thigh area C. .

  Furthermore, each orifice portion is formed so that the liquid can follow and flow with a certain time delay when the person is seated and when the center of gravity of the upper body moves, so that the cushion body 1 can follow the posture change of the person well. it can.

  According to the embodiment, the liquid is between the weir portions 3 to 8 that divide the accommodation space 2 in the cushion main body 1 by the region having the size according to the seating position of the person, and the region that is divided by the dam portions 3 to 8. And flow orifices a to j, so that it has excellent followability to the buttocks at the time of sitting, and the seat pressure is dispersed by performing deformation according to the seating site while conforming to the shape of the buttocks. be able to. That is, when a load is applied to the cushion main body 1 at the time of sitting, the internal liquid flows in a desired direction in the substantially entire area of the accommodation space 2 by the weir portions 3 to 8 and the orifice portions a to j, and stable cushioning properties. In addition, the seating pressure can be dispersed.

  Instead of the embodiment as described above, for example, as shown in FIG. 3, it may be a cushion for sitting as curved weir portions 3 ′ to 6 ′ convex toward the thigh region C, or FIG. As shown by, the bulging portion α may be formed by bulging the edge of the thigh region C. Further, in the present embodiment, it is divided into a hip region A, an intermediate region B, and a thigh region C, but is further divided into a number of regions, a region divided only by a hip region and a thigh region, Or it is good also as what is not divided into right and left.

Next, experimental results for demonstrating the effect of the sitting cushion will be described.
The pressure (seat pressure) applied to the subject's buttocks was measured when nothing was laid on the seating surface of the chair and when the seating cushion as shown in FIG. 1 was laid. The subjects were an elderly subject A (64-year-old man) and a young subject B (23-year-old man), and the height of the chair was adjusted so that the subject's knees were at right angles with nothing sitting on the seating surface. .

  The cushion for sitting is made of an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (vinyl acetate unit 20%), the thickness of the seat forming the cushion body is 600 μm, and the types of liquid are water 50 and propylene glycol 50. The liquid mixture (room temperature viscosity: 1000 cp) and the sheet fusion method are high frequency fusion methods. The chair used was made of sponge with a cloth stuck on its seating surface and backrest.

(Comparative Example 1)
Subject A was seated on the seating surface of a chair on which nothing was laid, and the sitting pressure distribution of the buttocks in a posture facing front, a posture in which the center of gravity was moved forward, and a posture in which the center of gravity was moved backward was measured. The measurement results are shown in FIGS.

Example 1
Subject A was seated on the seating surface of a chair on which a seating cushion was laid, and the sitting pressure distribution of the buttocks was measured in a posture facing front, a posture in which the center of gravity was moved forward, and a posture in which the center of gravity was moved backward. . The measurement results are shown in FIGS.

(Comparative Example 2)
Subject B was seated on the seating surface of a chair on which nothing was laid, and the sitting pressure distribution of the buttocks in a posture facing front, a posture in which the center of gravity was moved forward, and a posture in which the center of gravity was moved backward was measured. The measurement results are shown in FIGS.

(Example 2)
Subject B was seated on the seating surface of a chair on which a seating cushion was laid, and the sitting pressure distribution of the buttocks in a posture facing front, a posture in which the center of gravity was moved forward, and a posture in which the center of gravity was moved backward was measured. . The measurement results are shown in FIGS.

  From the above measurement results, the ones in Examples 1 and 2 were any of the postures facing front, the posture in which the center of gravity was moved forward, and the posture in which the center of gravity was moved backward compared to those in Comparative Examples 1 and 2. It can be seen that the sitting pressure in the buttocks is widely dispersed even in the posture. In particular, in the posture in which the center of gravity is moved rearward, it can be clearly seen that the seat pressure is well dispersed in Examples 1 and 2.

  Therefore, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to achieve the effect of dispersing the sitting pressure at the time of sitting when used by a healthy person, an elderly person, or a wheelchair handicapped person, and a person works while sitting on the chair. Even when the posture is moved back and forth as much as possible, the sitting pressure dispersion effect can be maintained in any posture, and a seating cushion having excellent stability can be provided.

  Next, the one shown in FIG. 17 (substantially the same as the one shown in FIG. 1) and the one having an arc shape R ′ at the edge in the thigh region C as shown in FIG. 18 are prepared. An experiment was conducted on the displacement of another part when a load was applied to one part. However, propylene glycol and water are enclosed in a ratio of 1: 1 in both the accommodation spaces.

  As a first experimental procedure, as shown in FIGS. 17 and 18, the center of gravity D and G of the triangle assumed for the left and right objects are obtained, and the center of gravity E and F of the quadrangle assumed to be symmetrical are obtained, and then the measurement is started. 5 seconds later, a weight (1.5 kg) is placed on the center of gravity E, and after 15 seconds, the weight (same) is placed on the center of gravity F. After 40 seconds, the weight at the center of gravity F is removed, and after 60 seconds, the weight is placed on the center of gravity E. A weight was removed. Then, in the course of the above procedure, the displacement of the center of gravity D (the upward bulging dimension) was measured with a laser displacement meter. The experimental results at that time are shown in FIG.

  As a second experimental procedure, a weight (1.5 kg) is placed on the center of gravity F 5 seconds after the start of measurement, and then a weight (same) is placed on the center of gravity E 15 seconds later, and then a weight at the center of gravity E 40 seconds later. After 60 seconds, the weight at the center of gravity F was removed. Then, in the course of the above procedure, the displacement of the center of gravity D (the upward bulging dimension) was measured with a laser displacement meter. The experimental results at that time are shown in FIG.

  As a third experimental procedure, a weight (1.5 kg) is placed on the center of gravity D after 5 seconds from the start of measurement, and subsequently a weight (same) is placed on the center of gravity G after 15 seconds. After 60 seconds, the weight at the center of gravity D was removed. And in the process of the said procedure, the displacement (bulging dimension to the upper direction) of the gravity center E was measured with the laser displacement meter. The experimental results at that time are shown in FIG.

  As a fourth experimental procedure, a weight (1.5 kg) is placed on the center of gravity G after 5 seconds from the start of measurement, and subsequently a weight (same) is placed on the center of gravity D after 15 seconds, and then a weight at the center of gravity D after 40 seconds. After 60 seconds, the weight at the center of gravity G was removed. And in the process of the said procedure, the displacement (bulging dimension to the upper direction) of the gravity center E was measured with the laser displacement meter. The experimental results at that time are shown in FIG.

  As is apparent from the graphs of FIGS. 19 to 22, the response curve (dotted line) in FIG. 17 is close to a rectangle, but the response curve (solid line) in FIG. 18 is gentle and the time delay of displacement with respect to load application is smooth. Has occurred. Therefore, not only the size of the orifice but also the change in each region, for example, in the case where the edge in the thigh region C has an arc shape R ′ as in this experiment, the portion is formed in a straight line. Compared to the above, the displacement (deformation) in each region accompanying the posture change can be delayed to some extent.

  The seat cushion according to this embodiment has been described above. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a mat made of an elastic member such as urethane on the seat surface (upper surface) or back surface (lower surface) of the cushion body 1. You may comprise so that a member may be arrange | positioned and seated. In particular, if the mat member is made of urethane foam, the seat pressure dispersion effect is excellent.

  Further, for example, by changing the type of liquid stored in the storage space 2 and adjusting the viscosity thereof, when the liquid flows between the hip region A, the intermediate region B, and the thigh region C, a time delay is caused. You may comprise so that it may produce. Further, the cushion body may be made of another flexible member instead of the soft synthetic resin sheet.

  A cushion main body made of a flexible member, a storage space formed in the cushion main body and capable of enclosing a fluid in a flowable manner, and a weir portion that divides the storage space into a region having a size corresponding to a seating position; As long as it is a cushion for seating provided with an orifice part through which a liquid flows between the areas divided by the weir part, it can be applied to a cushion having a different appearance or having another function added.

The top view which shows the cushion for seating which concerns on embodiment of this invention II-II sectional view in FIG. The top view which shows the cushion for seating which concerns on other embodiment of this invention. The top view which shows the cushion for seating which concerns on other embodiment of this invention. The graph which shows the seating pressure distribution of the buttocks in the attitude | position which the test subject in the comparative example 1 faced the front The graph which shows the sitting pressure distribution of the buttocks in the attitude | position which the test subject in Example 1 faced the front The graph which shows the seat pressure distribution of the buttocks in the attitude | position which the test subject in the comparative example 1 moved the gravity center ahead The graph which shows the seat pressure distribution of the buttocks in the attitude | position which the test subject in Example 1 moved the gravity center ahead The graph which shows the seating pressure distribution of the buttocks in the attitude | position which the test subject in the comparative example 1 moved the gravity center back The graph which shows the seat pressure distribution of the buttocks in the attitude | position which the test subject in Example 1 moved the gravity center back. The graph which shows the sitting pressure distribution of the buttocks in the attitude | position in which the test subject in the comparative example 2 faced the front The graph which shows the seating pressure distribution of the buttocks in the attitude | position which the test subject in Example 2 faced the front The graph which shows the seat pressure distribution of the buttocks in the attitude | position which the test subject in the comparative example 2 moved the gravity center ahead The graph which shows the seat pressure distribution of the buttocks in the attitude | position which the test subject in Example 2 moved the gravity center ahead The graph which shows the sitting pressure distribution of the buttocks in the attitude | position which the test subject in Comparative Example 2 moved the gravity center back The graph which shows the sitting pressure distribution of the buttocks in the attitude | position which the test subject in Example 2 moved the gravity center back. The schematic diagram which shows the measurement point (position which puts a weight, and the measurement position by a laser displacement meter) in the Example of this invention. The schematic diagram which shows the measurement point (position which puts a weight, and the measurement position by a laser displacement meter) in the other Example of this invention. The graph which shows the measured value at the time of measuring the displacement (upward bulging dimension) of the gravity center D with the laser displacement meter in the 1st experiment procedure of the Example. The graph which shows the measured value at the time of measuring the displacement (upward bulging dimension) of the gravity center D with the laser displacement meter in the 2nd experiment procedure of the Example. The graph which shows the measured value at the time of measuring the displacement (upward bulging dimension) of the gravity center E with the laser displacement meter in the 3rd experimental procedure of the Example. The graph which shows the measured value at the time of measuring the displacement (upward bulging dimension) of the gravity center E with the laser displacement meter in the 4th experimental procedure of the Example.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Cushion body 2 Storage space 3-8 Weir part aj Orifice part A Hip part area B Middle area C Thigh area

Claims (6)

In a sitting cushion that a person can sit on,
A cushion body made of a flexible member;
A storage space formed in the cushion body and capable of enclosing a fluid in a flowable manner;
A weir portion that divides the housing space into an area having a size corresponding to a seating position;
An orifice part through which the liquid flows in and out between the areas separated by the weir part; and
With
The weir section is divided into a buttocks area and a thigh area where the thighs are located, respectively, in the accommodating space when a person is seated, and each divided area is divided into left and right,
The seat cushion is characterized in that the buttocks region is formed with a larger area than the thigh region. In a sitting cushion that a person can sit on,
A cushion body made of a flexible member;
A storage space formed in the cushion body and capable of enclosing a fluid in a flowable manner;
A weir portion that divides the housing space into an area having a size corresponding to a seating position;
An orifice part through which the liquid flows in and out between the areas separated by the weir part; and
With
The weir portion is divided into a buttocks region and a thigh region where a thigh is located, respectively , between the buttocks region and the thigh region. Forming a region ,
The seat cushion is characterized in that the buttocks region is formed with a larger area than the thigh region . The seat cushion according to claim 1, wherein the dam portion further forms an intermediate region between the buttocks region and the thigh region.   The said orifice part was formed so that a liquid could follow and flow with a certain time delay at the time of a person's seating and upper body gravity center movement, The Claim 1 characterized by the above-mentioned. Seating cushion.   The seating cushion according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein an arc shape that gently changes a flow direction of the liquid is formed at a peripheral edge of the accommodation space. The seating cushion according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a mat member made of an elastic member such as urethane can be disposed and seated on a seating surface or a back surface of the cushion body.

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