JP5034325B2 - Pad and manufacturing method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a pad which can sufficiently prevent a VOC(Volatile Organic Compound) from volatilizing even if the amountof a catcher agent used is small, and is high in manufacturing efficiency. <P>SOLUTION: The pad 1 is formed by foaming, and then released from a metallic mold, and is put through between crush rollers 2a, 2b-5a, 5b. In the middle, the catcher agent C is deposited from a nozzle 6 onto the pad 1. The catcher agent C infiltrates the pad 1 by following the air that is sucked into the pad 1 when the pad 1 is put through the crush rollers 5a, 5b to expand. The VOC to be generated from a sheet pad is caught by the infiltrated catcher agent. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&amp;INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a pad such as a vehicle seat pad made of a flexible foam such as polyurethane foam, and more particularly to a pad in which the emission of volatile organic compounds such as formaldehyde is suppressed. The present invention also relates to a method for manufacturing the pad.

  Since volatile organic compounds (VOC) such as formaldehyde cause sick house syndrome and chemical hypersensitivity, it is required that various compounds used indoors do not emit these compounds as much as possible. This situation is the same in the interior of a vehicle such as an automobile, and it is expected that such demand will increase further in the future.

  By the way, in general, seat pads made of soft polyurethane foam having a high cushioning property are used for automobile seats. These include formaldehyde contained in polyurethane foam raw materials or generated during the reaction of urethane. Some volatile organic compounds such as acetaldehyde and volatile organic compounds diffuse from the pad after foam molding, and countermeasures are required.

  Japanese Patent No. 3625141 describes that VOC volatilization is prevented by blending a catcher agent in this urethane composition.

Japanese Patent No. 3069845 describes that a deodorant component-containing liquid is coated on the surface of building materials, textile products, etc., and a hydrazide compound having an aldehyde decomposition action is described as the deodorant component.
Japanese Patent No. 3625141 Patent 3069845

  When a catcher agent is blended in a urethane composition, most of the catcher agent is incorporated into the urethane matrix of the pad product or reacts with the raw material, and is blended in order to obtain a sufficient VOC emission prevention effect. The amount of the catcher agent increases and the cost increases.

  Further, when the deodorant coating agent is simply applied to the pad surface, the next process cannot be started until the coating agent is dried, resulting in low pad manufacturing efficiency.

  The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, can sufficiently prevent or suppress (hereinafter referred to as prevention) VOC volatilization even if the amount of catcher agent used is small, and has a high production efficiency, It aims at providing the manufacturing method.

The method of manufacturing according to claim 1 pad is made of a soft foam, in the manufacturing method of a pad containing a catcher agent to capture the volatile organic compound, wherein the catcher agent is to accompany the air drawn into the pad Pad A method of manufacturing a pad that has penetrated into the inside , comprising a compression step of compressing the pad, an attachment step of attaching a catcher agent to the outer surface of the pad before, after, or during the compression step, and the attachment A penetration step of releasing the compression of the pad after or during the process to restore the pad and allowing the catcher agent to penetrate into the pad in association with the air sucked into the pad at the time of restoration. Is.

According to a second aspect of the present invention , there is provided a method for producing a pad according to the first aspect, wherein the pad is compressed by pressing with a roller .

The pad manufacturing method according to claim 3 is characterized in that, in claim 2, a plurality of pairs of the rollers are arranged, the pads are moved between the rollers, and a catcher agent is attached to the pads during the movement. To do.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the pad manufacturing method according to the third aspect, wherein the roller is a crush roller for breaking the pad .

The pad manufacturing method according to claim 5, wherein the pad is made of a flexible foam and contains a catcher agent that traps a volatile organic compound. The catcher agent is a pad that accompanies air sucked into the pad. A method of manufacturing a pad that has penetrated into the inside of the pressure-resistant container, wherein the pad is accommodated in a pressure-resistant container, the pressure-resistant container is depressurized, and then air is rapidly introduced into the pressure-resistant container. Then, air is sucked into the pad, and the catcher agent is allowed to permeate into the pad in association with the air .

Those pad of claim 6 is made of flexible foam, the pad containing a catcher agent to capture the volatile organic compound, wherein the catcher agent which has penetrated into the pad accompany the air drawn into the pad The pad is manufactured by the pad manufacturing method according to any one of claims 1 to 4 .

Those pad of claim 7, made of a soft foam, in pad containing a catcher agent to capture the volatile organic compound, wherein the catcher agent which has penetrated into the pad accompany the air drawn into the pad The pad is manufactured by the pad manufacturing method according to claim 5 .

Pad according to claim 8, in claim 6 or 7, wherein the flexible foam is characterized in that a urethane foam.
The pad according to claim 9 is the pad according to claim 8, wherein the pad is a vehicle seat pad.

  In the pad of the present invention, the catcher agent for capturing VOC after the urethane reaction is completed is allowed to penetrate into the pad in association with the air sucked into the pad, so that the catcher agent is blended in the urethane composition. Even if the amount of the catcher agent used is small compared to the case, the VOC emission preventing effect can be sufficiently obtained.

  In the pad manufacturing method of the present invention, the catcher agent permeates into the pad accompanying the air sucked into the pad, so that the catcher agent is not dried on the pad surface unlike the method of spraying the catcher agent. There is no adhesion residue. Therefore, after the injection of the catcher agent, the pad can be sent to the next process without going through a long drying process, and the pad manufacturing efficiency is improved.

  In order to permeate the catcher agent, the pad can be compressed and then restored, air can be sucked into the pad at the time of restoration, and the catcher agent can be allowed to permeate the air. In order to perform this compression, it is preferable to sandwich the pad with a roller.

  The method of compressing the pad by performing the clamping pressure by the roller is particularly suitable for application to a vehicle seat pad. The vehicle seat pad is usually made of urethane foam and is foam-molded using a mold. The pad released from the mold is usually passed through a crush roller and subjected to foam breaking treatment on the urethane foam. In the present invention, the catcher agent is attached to the pad during the crash process by the crash roller, and the catcher agent is allowed to permeate into the pad by accompanying the air sucked into the pad when restored after passing through the crash roller. Manufacturing efficiency can be increased.

  In the present invention, the pad is accommodated in a pressure resistant container, and the pad is expanded by reducing the pressure in the pressure resistant container, and then the air is rapidly aspirated into the pressure resistant container (for example, the atmospheric pressure is reached within 4 seconds). The pad can be efficiently manufactured also by compressing the pad by introducing, then sucking air into the pad, and allowing the catcher agent to penetrate into the pad accompanying the air.

  A method of introducing air by decompression and opening by accommodating in the pressure vessel is also suitable for application to a vehicle seat pad. Of the vehicle seat pads, those that cannot be broken by roller crushing are put in a pressure-resistant container and decompressed, and the pad is inflated to break the bubbles. In the present invention, in this vacuum crushing process, the decompression is released, air is rapidly introduced into the container, and the catcher agent penetrates into the pad accompanying the air flowing into the pad when the pad is restored. As a result, the pad manufacturing efficiency can be increased.

  Of course, it is not a method of releasing after reducing the pressure, but air can be introduced into the pad simply by applying a sudden pressurization, but it is expensive to provide a dedicated pressurizing step, It is most efficient to use the above process.

  Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a method of performing bubble breaking treatment and infiltrating a catcher agent on a vehicle seat pad according to an embodiment.

  This vehicle seat pad 1 is obtained by supplying a urethane stock solution into a molding die, heating and foaming it, and then removing it from the die.

  The pad 1 is sequentially passed between the crash rollers 2a and 2b, between the crash rollers 3a and 3b, between the crash rollers 4a and 4b, and between the crash rollers 5a and 5b. The roller interval gradually decreases from the rollers 2a and 2b to the rollers 5a and 5b.

  A nozzle 6 for spraying or discharging a catcher agent is disposed above the rollers 3a, 3b and the rollers 4a, 4b. The nozzle 6 is connected to a catcher agent supply line (not shown), and the catcher agent injection line is provided with an open / close valve such as an electromagnetic valve. When the pad 1 comes to a position directly below the nozzle 6, the on-off valve is opened, and the catcher agent is sprayed or discharged from the nozzle 6 toward the pad 1.

  The pad 1 is gradually compressed while passing between the rollers 2a, 2b to 5a, 5b, and bubbles are broken during this time. During this movement, the catcher agent C from the nozzle 6 adheres to the pad 1.

  The pad 1 that has passed through the last rollers 5a and 5b is restored and expanded by its own elasticity. At the time of this restoring expansion, air is sucked into the inside from the outer surface of the pad 1, and the catcher agent C permeates the pad 1 along with this air. The catcher agent C penetrates the entire pad 1 uniformly by the accompanying air.

  Thus, since the catcher agent sufficiently permeates the pad 1, volatilization of VOC from the vehicle seat pad 1 is efficiently prevented.

  In FIG. 1, the nozzle 6 is disposed between the rollers 3a and 3b and the rollers 4a and 4b in the middle of the crash process, but may be disposed at a later stage than the rollers 5a and 3b. You may provide the nozzle 6 in the position immediately after 5b passage.

  Further, the nozzles 6 may be provided at a plurality of positions. The nozzle 6 may also be disposed on the side or below the pad.

  FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a bubble breaking and catcher agent permeation treatment method according to another embodiment.

  In this embodiment, a chamber 10 is used as a pressure vessel having a nozzle 11 for spraying a catcher agent on the top. The nozzle 11 is connected to a catcher agent supply line (not shown).

  Note that the upper half of the chamber 10 can be opened like a lid by a hinge (not shown).

  The chamber 10 is provided with an opening 12 for supplying and exhausting air. The opening 12 is connected to the atmosphere release pipe 14 via a three-way valve 13 and is connected to a vacuum source 16 such as a vacuum pump via the three-way valve 13 and a pipe 15.

  The pad 1 for performing the catcher agent infiltration treatment using the chamber 10 is a closed cell state before foam breaking treatment obtained by foaming a urethane stock solution in a mold and then demolding. The bubble breaking process and the catcher agent infiltration process are performed together.

  First, as shown in FIG. 2A, the pad 1 is placed in the chamber 10 and the chamber 10 is sealed. Next, as shown in FIG. 2 (b), the three-way valve 13 is switched so that the opening 12 and the pipe 15 communicate with each other and the opening 12 and the atmosphere opening pipe 14 are not communicated with each other, and the inside of the chamber 10 is vacuum-sourced. 16, the inside of the chamber 10 is depressurized. At this time, the inside of the chamber 10 is preferably decompressed to about 0.05 to 0.2 atm.

  Since the bubbles in the pad 1 are independent bubbles, the pad 1 expands as the pressure in the chamber 10 is reduced, and the bubbles in the pad 1 are broken.

  Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 2 (c), the three-way valve 13 is communicated with the atmosphere release pipe 14, the pipe 15 is not communicated, and air is caused to flow into the chamber 10. Although this air is also sucked into the pad 1, since the pad 1 has a fine porous shape, the inflow resistance of the air is large. During this period, the pad 1 is compressed by the air pressure.

  Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2 (d), the catcher agent is sprayed from the nozzle 11 toward the pad 1, and the catcher agent is adhered to the upper surface of the pad 1. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 2 (e), spraying of the catcher agent from the nozzle 11 is stopped. During this time, air continues to be sucked into the pad 1 through the outer surface of the pad 1 and eventually the pad 1 is restored to the original size shown in FIG.

  Thus, while air is gradually sucked into the pad 1 through the outer surface of the pad 1, the catcher agent C adhering to the upper surface of the pad 1 permeates into the pad 1 along with the sucked air.

  Thus, when the catcher agent C permeates the pad 1, volatilization of VOC from the pad 1 is prevented.

  In FIG. 2, the catcher agent is attached to the pad 1 in the chamber 1, but it may be set in the chamber 10 after the catcher agent is previously attached to the pad 1.

  In FIG. 2, the catcher agent is attached only to the upper surface of the pad 1, but the catcher agent may be attached to the side surface and the lower surface of the pad 1.

  In FIG. 2, the catcher agent is sprayed from the nozzle 11 and adhered to the pad 1. After the pressure is reduced, the catcher agent is added to the air when the three-way valve 13 introduces air (atmosphere) into the chamber 10. In this case, the catcher agent may adhere to the pad 1 and penetrate.

  In the present invention, the catcher agent is not particularly limited as long as it captures VOC. For example, amines, imines, amidines, amides, carbamides, hydrazides, and azoles that capture formaldehyde and acetaldehyde. Nitrogen-containing organic compounds that react chemically with aldehyde gas and exhibit a trapping action, such as azines and amino acids, can be used.

  In addition, since aldehydes such as acetaldehyde and formaldehyde in the polyurethane foam molded article are reduced by thiosulfate, sodium thiosulfate, potassium thiosulfate, and the like can also be used.

  The catcher agent is preferably dissolved or dispersed in water and sprayed or discharged.

  The catcher agent may contain an adsorbent such as activated carbon as necessary.

  The above embodiment is an example of the present invention, and the present invention may take forms other than those shown in the drawings.

It is an exploded sectional view of the pad concerning an embodiment. It is sectional drawing of the pad which concerns on another embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

1 Pad body 2a, 2b to 5a, 5b Crash roller 10 Chamber 13 Three-way valve 16 Vacuum source

Claims (9)

In a method of manufacturing a pad comprising a flexible foam and containing a catcher agent that traps volatile organic compounds,
The catcher agent is a method of manufacturing a pad that penetrates into the pad accompanying the air sucked into the pad ,
A compression step of compressing the pad;
An attaching step of attaching a catcher agent to the outer surface of the pad before, after or during the compression step;
The infiltration step of releasing the compression of the pad after or during the attaching step to restore the pad and allowing the catcher agent to penetrate into the pad accompanying the air sucked into the pad at the time of restoration,
A method for manufacturing a pad, comprising: The method for manufacturing a pad according to claim 1 , wherein the pad is compressed by pressing with a roller. 3. The pad manufacturing method according to claim 2 , wherein a plurality of pairs of the rollers are arranged, the pad is moved through the rollers, and a catcher agent is attached to the pad during the movement. 4. The pad manufacturing method according to claim 3 , wherein the roller is a crush roller for breaking the pad. In a method of manufacturing a pad comprising a flexible foam and containing a catcher agent that traps volatile organic compounds,
The catcher agent is a method of manufacturing a pad that penetrates into the pad accompanying the air sucked into the pad ,
The pad is housed in a pressure vessel, the pressure vessel is depressurized,
Then, by rapidly introducing air into the pressure vessel, the pad is compressed, and then the air is sucked into the pad,
A method for producing a pad, wherein a catcher agent is allowed to permeate into the pad in association with the air. In a pad made of a flexible foam and containing a catcher agent that traps volatile organic compounds,
The catcher agent is a pad that penetrates into the pad accompanying the air sucked into the pad ,
A pad manufactured by the pad manufacturing method according to claim 1 . In a pad made of a flexible foam and containing a catcher agent that traps volatile organic compounds,
The catcher agent is a pad that penetrates into the pad accompanying the air sucked into the pad,
A pad manufactured by the method for manufacturing a pad according to claim 5. The pad according to claim 6 or 7 , wherein the flexible foam is urethane foam. 9. The pad according to claim 8 , wherein the pad is a vehicle seat pad.

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