JP5716539B2 - Fabric composite manufacturing method and pressure roller device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a fiber composite manufacturing method and a pressure roller device. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method for producing a fiber composite having a structure in which reinforcing fibers are bound by a thermoplastic resin, and a pressure roller device used in this method.

  In recent years, in view of environmental problems, there is an increasing demand for weight reduction of vehicle members and the like in order to improve fuel efficiency. For this purpose, for example, there is a method of reducing the basis weight of the fiber base material, but there is a problem that it is difficult to obtain sufficient rigidity. In order to solve this problem, a method of manufacturing a fiber composite that is excellent in lightness and rigidity due to expansion of thermally expandable capsules between reinforcing fibers is known (Patent Document 1).

JP 2009-179896 A

In the above method, it is disclosed that the thermally expandable capsule can be dispersed in the mat by supplying the thermally expandable capsule to one surface of the mat and then pressing the surface using a roller.
An object of the present invention is to provide a fiber composite method and a pressing roller device for the fiber composite that can be more effectively dispersed by the roller than in the prior art.

In order to solve the above problems, the method for producing a fiber composite according to claim 1 is a method for producing a fiber composite having a structure in which reinforcing fibers are bound together by a thermoplastic resin,
Supplying a thermally expandable capsule having a shell wall made of a thermoplastic resin on one surface of the mat containing the reinforcing fibers and the thermoplastic resin fibers;
A dispersion step of dispersing the thermally expandable capsule supplied to one surface of the mat toward the other surface side of the mat by pressing one surface of the mat with a pressing roller device;
A melting step of melting the thermoplastic resin fibers constituting the mat;
An expansion step of heating and expanding the thermally expandable capsules dispersed in the mat,
The pressing roller device includes a plurality of rotating shafts, and each of the rotating shafts includes a plurality of roller portions,
Assuming a first imaginary line that is located at the center in the width direction of each roller portion provided on the first rotating shaft among the rotating shafts and is orthogonal to the first rotating shaft,
Assuming a second imaginary line that is located at the center in the width direction of each roller portion provided on the second rotation shaft adjacent to the first rotation shaft and is orthogonal to the second rotation shaft,
Each roller part is arranged so that the first imaginary line and the second imaginary line do not overlap ,
A first locus on the mat by each roller portion provided on the first rotating shaft and a second locus on the mat by each roller portion provided on the second rotating shaft overlap each other. The gist of the invention is that each of the roller portions is arranged so as not to become .
The manufacturing method of the fiber composite according to claim 2 is characterized in that, in the manufacturing method of the fiber composite according to claim 1 , no gap is formed between the first trajectory and the second trajectory. .
The fiber composite manufacturing method according to claim 3 is the fiber composite manufacturing method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the difference between the radius of the rotating shaft and the radius of the roller portion is pressed. The gist is that the average thickness of the mat is 50% or more and 200% or less.
The pressing roller device according to claim 4 , wherein a supply step of supplying a thermally expandable capsule having a shell wall made of a thermoplastic resin to one surface of a mat containing reinforcing fibers and thermoplastic resin fibers;
A dispersion step of dispersing the thermally expandable capsule supplied to one surface of the mat toward the other surface side of the mat by pressing one surface of the mat with a pressing roller device;
A melting step of melting the thermoplastic resin fibers constituting the mat;
An expansion step of heating and expanding the thermally expandable capsules dispersed in the mat, and a method of manufacturing a fiber composite having a structure in which reinforcing fibers are bound by a thermoplastic resin. The pressure roller device used,
A plurality of rotating shafts, each of which includes a plurality of roller portions;
Assuming a first imaginary line that is located at the center in the width direction of each roller portion provided on the first rotating shaft among the rotating shafts and is orthogonal to the first rotating shaft,
Assuming a second imaginary line that is located at the center in the width direction of each roller portion provided on the second rotation shaft adjacent to the first rotation shaft and is orthogonal to the second rotation shaft,
Each roller part is arranged so that the first imaginary line and the second imaginary line do not overlap ,
A first locus on the mat by each roller portion provided on the first rotating shaft and a second locus on the mat by each roller portion provided on the second rotating shaft overlap each other. The gist of the invention is that each of the roller portions is arranged so as not to become .
The gist of the press roller device according to claim 5 is that, in the press roller device according to claim 4, no gap is formed between the first trajectory and the second trajectory.
The pressure roller device according to claim 6 is the pressure roller device according to claim 4 or 5, wherein a difference between the radius of the rotation shaft and the radius of the roller portion is an average thickness of the mat to be pressed. The gist is that it is 50% or more and 200% or less.

According to the method for producing a fiber composite of the present invention, unintentional biting of the mat by a pressing roller or the like can be prevented, and the thermally expandable capsule can be efficiently dispersed in the mat. As a result, the reinforcing fibers are bound to each other by the thermoplastic resin derived from the shell wall of the thermally expandable capsule well dispersed in the mat, and a lightweight fiber composite having excellent mechanical properties is obtained. be able to.
In the method for producing a fiber composite of the present invention, the heat-expandable capsules can be dispersed in the mat while the uneven distribution of the heat-expandable capsules is more effectively suppressed due to the absence of overlapping loci of the rollers.
According to the pressure roller device of the present invention, unintentional biting of the mat by the pressure roller or the like can be prevented, and the thermally expandable capsule can be efficiently dispersed in the mat. As a result, the reinforcing fibers are bound to each other by the thermoplastic resin derived from the shell wall of the thermally expandable capsule well dispersed in the mat, and a lightweight fiber composite having excellent mechanical properties is obtained. be able to.
In the pressing roller device of the present invention, the heat-expandable capsules can be dispersed in the mat while the uneven distribution is more effectively suppressed due to the absence of the overlapping of the loci of the roller portions.

The present invention will be further described in the following detailed description with reference to the drawings referred to, with reference to non-limiting examples of exemplary embodiments according to the present invention. Similar parts are shown throughout the several figures.
It is a perspective view which shows the rotating shaft and roller part of a press roller apparatus exemplarily. It is explanatory drawing which shows a rotating shaft and a roller part, and these correlation. It is explanatory drawing which shows a roller part, its locus | trajectory, and an imaginary line. It is explanatory drawing which shows the correlation between roller parts, and these imaginary lines. It is explanatory drawing which shows the correlation between roller parts, and these imaginary lines. It is explanatory drawing which shows the mode of the mat at the time of the press by the press roller apparatus of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the mode of the mat at the time of the press by the conventional roller. It is explanatory drawing which shows the outline | summary of the manufacturing method of a fiber composite, and its apparatus. It is explanatory drawing which shows the outline | summary of the manufacturing method of the fiber composite_body | complex following FIG. 8, and its apparatus. It is explanatory drawing which shows each process of the manufacturing method of a fiber composite.

  The items shown here are for illustrative purposes and exemplary embodiments of the present invention, and are the most effective and easy-to-understand explanations of the principles and conceptual features of the present invention. It is stated for the purpose of providing what seems to be. In this respect, it is not intended to illustrate the structural details of the present invention beyond what is necessary for a fundamental understanding of the present invention. It will be clear to those skilled in the art how it is actually implemented.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail.
First, the pressing roller device of the present invention and the pressing roller device used in the method for producing the fiber composite of the present invention will be described.
In the following description, it is assumed that the rotation axis numbers are arranged in the order of the numbers. That is, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the first rotation shaft, the second rotation shaft, the third rotation shaft, and the fourth rotation shaft are arranged in this order.
Further, the Nth rotation axis is the “Nth rotation axis”, the roller part provided in the Nth rotation axis is the “Nth roller part”, the virtual line set in the Nth roller part is “Nth virtual line” The locus of the N roller portion is also referred to as an “Nth locus”.

[1] Pressing roller device The “pressing roller device (25)” (see FIGS. 1 to 6 and 9) is a device used for a method of manufacturing a fiber composite, and includes a plurality of rotating shafts 251; Each of the rotating shafts 251 includes a plurality of roller portions 252.
Assuming a first imaginary line La that is located at the center in the width direction of each roller portion 252a provided on the first rotating shaft 251a among the rotating shafts 251, and is orthogonal to the first rotating shaft 251a,
A second imaginary line Lb that is positioned at the center in the width direction of each roller portion 252b provided on the second rotation shaft 251b adjacent to the first rotation shaft 251a and orthogonal to the second rotation shaft 251b. Assuming that
Each roller portion 252 is arranged so that the first virtual line La and the second virtual line Lb do not overlap.

The “rotating shaft (251)” is a portion that has a smaller diameter than the roller portion 252 and serves as a common shaft for the plurality of roller portions 252 included in one rotating shaft 251. The pressing roller device 25 includes a plurality of the rotating shafts 251. Furthermore, the rotating shafts 251 provided in the pressing roller device 25 are usually arranged in parallel to each other.
By providing a plurality of rotating shafts 251, it is possible to obtain the same effect as that in the process of pressing the mat, and to effectively disperse the thermally expandable capsules in the mat.
(1) The rotating shaft 251 and the roller portion 252 may be integrated, and the roller portion 252 may rotate together at the same rotational speed as the rotating shaft 251 rotates. Further, (2) the rotating shaft 251 and the roller portion 252 are separated from each other, and the rotating shaft 251 does not rotate, and only the roller portion 252 pressed by the mat rotates with the back-and-forth motion. May be.

  The “roller portion (252)” has a surface that contacts the mat 14 and presses the mat 14. A plurality of roller portions 252 are provided on one rotating shaft. The number of roller parts 252 with which one rotating shaft 251 is provided is not limited, and can be 2 to 20, for example. In addition, each roller portion 252 provided on one rotating shaft 251 has a structure that rotates coaxially with each other as the rotating shaft 251 rotates.

Further, a plurality of roller portions 252 are provided for one rotating shaft 251, and the first imaginary line La and the second imaginary line Lb are arranged so as not to overlap each other.
As shown in FIG. 2, the first imaginary line La is located at the center in the width direction of each roller portion 252a provided on the first rotation shaft 251a and is orthogonal to the first rotation shaft 251a. (See FIG. 2). Similarly, the second imaginary line Lb is an imaginary line that is positioned at the center in the width direction of each roller portion 252b provided on the second rotating shaft 251b and orthogonal to the second rotating shaft 251b (FIG. 2). reference).

By arranging the roller portions so that the virtual lines La and Lb do not overlap with each other in this way, it is possible to prevent biting of the mat between the roller portions of the adjacent rotating shafts.
Similarly, when there are three or more rotation axes, the Nth imaginary line and the (N + 1) th imaginary line are arranged so as not to overlap. However, imaginary lines set in the roller portions of the rotating shafts that are not adjacent to each other may overlap. That is, for example, the Nth virtual line and the N + 2 virtual line may overlap (see FIG. 2).

Furthermore, normally, the second roller portion 252b is disposed so as not to overlap the first virtual line La (see FIG. 2). In other words, the first imaginary line La is not located on the second locus Tb on the mat by the second roller portion 252b (see FIG. 3, the arrow in FIG. 3 is the traveling direction of the roller portion). That is, a roller portion of a certain rotation shaft is arranged so as not to overlap with an imaginary line set in a roller portion of an adjacent rotation shaft. Thereby, the biting of the mat between the roller portions of the adjacent rotating shafts can be prevented more reliably.
The same applies to the case where three or more rotation shafts are provided, and it is preferable that the (N + 1) th roller portion is disposed so as not to overlap the Nth imaginary line. However, in the case where three or more rotation shafts are provided, the (N + 2) th roller portion may be arranged so as to overlap the Nth imaginary line. That is, the Nth virtual line may be located on the N + 2 locus.

Further, the respective roller portions are arranged so that the first trajectory Ta on the mat by the first roller portion 252a and the second trajectory Tb on the mat by the second roller portion do not overlap (see FIG. 3). ). That is, it is preferable that the trajectories of the roller portions provided in the adjacent rotating shafts do not overlap each other. Further, it is preferable that no gap is generated between these trajectories (for example, no gap is generated between the first trajectory Tb and the second trajectory Tb).
In other words, it is preferable that the trajectories of the roller portions provided in the adjacent rotating shafts do not overlap and that no trajectory is lost between all the roller portions. Thereby, uniform pressing can be performed, and better dispersion of the thermally expandable capsule can be obtained.
However, the first trajectory may overlap with the trajectory due to the roller portion of the rotating shaft that is not adjacent to the first rotating shaft. That is, for example, the Nth trajectory and the N + 2 trajectory may overlap.

  In addition, the roller portions 252 provided on the adjacent rotating shafts 251 can be arranged without gaps and without overlapping with respect to the traveling direction (meaning that D = 0 in FIG. 4), and adjacent to each other. The roller portions 252 included in the rotation shafts 251 may be separated in the traveling direction (meaning that D> 0 in FIG. 4) or may overlap (see FIG. 5, FIG. 4). D <0 in the above). Among these, it is preferable that they are separated. This is because the effect of dispersing the thermally expandable capsules is higher when they are separated than when they are overlapped. However, the separation distance is preferably such that the mat does not enter the gap D (see FIG. 4), and specifically, it is preferably 200% or less of the thickness of the mat.

Further, the radius of the roller portion 252 is not particularly limited, but the difference between the radius of the rotating shaft 251 and the radius of the roller portion 252 is 50% or more (usually 200% or less) of the average thickness of the mat to be pressed. preferable. When this value is 50% or more, an effect of performing vibration more effectively is obtained, and the dispersibility of the thermally expandable capsule in the mat can be improved.
Furthermore, it is preferable to use a roller portion 252 having a diameter of 20 mm or more (usually 100 mm or less). This is because the action of pushing the thermally expandable capsule into the mat can be obtained particularly effectively if the diameter of the roller is 20 mm or more.

  The pressure roller device 25 may be configured so that the roller unit 252 rotates as a result with respect to the mat. (1) The roller unit 252 may move and the roller unit 252 may rotate without moving the mat. 2) The mat may move without moving the roller portion 252 and the roller portion 252 may rotate, and (3) both of them may move. Among these, (2) can be selected in particular.

  In the form (2), other parts can be provided in addition to the rotating shaft 251 and the roller part 252. As another part, as illustrated in FIG. 9, a movable table 253 and movable means for moving the movable table 253 can be provided. As the movable means, for example, a motor 256, a ball screw 254, and a movable table 253 can be provided. The motor 256 rotates the ball screw 254, and the movable base 253 interlocked with the ball screw 254 can be moved along with the rotation of the ball screw 254. On the other hand, the rotating shaft 251 and the roller unit 252 can include a buffer unit that suppresses an excessive pressure load when pressed. As the buffer means, for example, a support unit 257 that rotatably supports the roller unit 252 is provided, and a buffer device (air) is provided above the support unit 257 (on the side opposite to the side including the roller unit 252 via the support unit 257). Cylinder 258).

  When pressing using only one conventional roller (full width roller), the problem of biting does not occur, but two or more rollers are arranged in parallel to improve the efficiency of pressing and dispersing. If used, the mat 14 may be bitten between two rollers as shown in FIG. 7 (the arrow in the figure is the discharge direction of the mat 14). In such a case, the mat 14 cannot be pressed by the second roller 252b. It is considered that this occurs because the rear end of the mat 14 is turned up when pressed by the first roller 252a and bites between the rollers in front of the second roller 252b.

  However, in the configuration of the present invention illustrated in FIG. 6 (the arrow in the drawing is the discharge direction of the mat 14), the roller portion 252b of the second rotating shaft 251b does not exist when pressed by the first roller portion 252a. In the portion, the rear end of the mat 14 is turned up, but the turn is suppressed in the portion where the second roller portion 252b is present, and the mat 14 enters between the rollers of the first roller portion 252a and the second roller portion 252b. There is no. In addition, when the alternate roller portions 252 are arranged as shown in FIG. 6, the portion of the mat 14 pressed by the first roller portion 252a is pressed under the next second rotating shaft 251b. After that, it is pressed by the third roller portion 252c. In this way, when the roller portions 252 are alternately arranged, the roller portions 252 are restrained and then released from the pressing, and the mat 14 is waved and repeatedly pressed and released with good rhythm. And the dispersibility of the thermally expandable capsule can be improved particularly well.

[2] Manufacturing method of fiber composite The manufacturing method of a fiber composite using the pressure roller device of the present invention is a manufacturing method of a fiber composite having a structure in which reinforcing fibers are bound by a thermoplastic resin. A supply process, a dispersion process, a melting process, and an expansion process,
The pressing roller device includes a plurality of rotating shafts, and each of the rotating shafts includes a plurality of roller portions,
Assuming a first imaginary line that is located at the center in the width direction of each roller portion provided on the first rotating shaft among the rotating shafts and is orthogonal to the first rotating shaft,
Assuming a second imaginary line that is located at the center in the width direction of each roller portion provided on the second rotation shaft adjacent to the first rotation shaft and is orthogonal to the second rotation shaft,
The roller portions are arranged so that the first virtual line and the second virtual line do not overlap.

  That is, as shown in FIG. 10, the present method includes a “feeding step”, a “dispersing step”, a “melting step”, and an “expansion step”. Can be provided. Of these steps, the supplying step and the dispersing step are performed in this order. The melting step and the expansion step are performed after the dispersion step. Furthermore, the melting step and the expansion step may be performed simultaneously or separately.

  The “supplying step” is a step of supplying a thermally expandable capsule having a shell wall made of a thermoplastic resin on one surface of a mat containing reinforcing fibers and thermoplastic resin fibers.

The “mat” is a molded body obtained by blending reinforcing fibers and thermoplastic resin fibers into a mat (nonwoven fabric), and is usually obtained by using various dry blending methods for producing a nonwoven fabric. Examples of the mixed cotton method include an air array method and a card method, and the air array method is preferable. The air array method is a method of obtaining a deposit in which reinforcing fibers and thermoplastic resin fibers are mutually dispersed by dispersing and projecting reinforcing fibers and thermoplastic resin fibers on a conveyor surface or the like by an air flow. The mat includes the deposit, a stacked entangled product in which two or more layers of the deposit are stacked and entangled (needling), and a compressed product obtained by compressing them.
In this method, the mat may be formed by a wet method (such as a papermaking method) or may be formed by a dry method. However, when the wet method is used, an advanced drying process is required, so that the dry method is used. preferable. In particular, when plant fiber is used as the reinforcing fiber, the dry method is particularly preferable because the plant fiber has water absorption.

The basis weight, thickness, etc. of the mat are not particularly limited, and can vary depending on the type and blending ratio of the reinforcing fibers. For example, if the reinforcing fibers are vegetable fibers, basis weight is preferably ^{400~3000g / m 2, 600~2000g / m} 2 is more preferable. On the other hand, if the reinforcing fibers are glass fibers, the basis weight is preferably ^{300~1000g / m 2, 350~500g / m} 2 is more preferable.
Further, the thickness of the mat can be 10 mm or more (usually 50 mm or less, more preferably 10 to 30 mm, particularly 15 to 25 mm).

  The “reinforcing fiber” is a fiber material that functions as a reinforcing material in the obtained fiber composite. By having a structure in which these reinforcing fibers are bound by a thermoplastic resin, the strength of the entire fiber composite can be ensured. The material of the reinforcing fiber is not particularly limited, and includes vegetable fiber and inorganic fiber.

The “vegetable fiber” is a fiber derived from a plant. The fiber taken out from the plant and the fiber etc. which used the fiber taken out from the plant for various processes are contained.
These plant fibers include kenaf, jute hemp, manila hemp, sisal hemp, crust, cocoon, cocoon, banana, pineapple, coconut palm, corn, sugar cane, bagasse, palm, papyrus, persimmon, esparto, sabaigrass, wheat, rice, bamboo And plant fibers obtained from various plant bodies such as various conifers (such as cedar and cypress), broad-leaved trees and cotton. This vegetable fiber may use only 1 type and may use 2 or more types together. Among these, kenaf (that is, kenaf fiber as a vegetable fiber) is preferable. This is because kenaf is an annual plant that grows very fast and has excellent carbon dioxide absorptivity, which contributes to reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and effectively using forest resources.
Moreover, the site | part of the plant body used as said plant fiber is not specifically limited, Any site | part which comprises plant bodies, such as a wood part, a non-wood part, a leaf part, a stem part, and a root part, may be sufficient. Furthermore, only a specific part may be used and two or more different parts may be used in combination.

The kenaf is a plant having a woody stem and classified as a mallow family. This kenaf includes hibiscus cannabinus and hibiscus sabdariffa in scientific names, and includes common names such as red hemp, cuban kenaf, western hemp, taykenaf, mesta, bimli, ambari and bombay.
The jute is a fiber obtained from jute hemp. This jute hemp shall include hemp and linden plants including jute (Chorus corpus capsularis L.), and hemp (Tunaso), Shimatsunaso and Morohaya.
The vegetable fibers may be used alone or in combination.

Examples of the “inorganic fiber” include glass fiber (glass wool and the like), carbon fiber and the like. These inorganic fibers may be used alone or in combination.
Furthermore, only one of the vegetable fiber and the inorganic fiber may be used alone, or the vegetable fiber and the inorganic fiber may be used in combination. Among these, vegetable fiber is preferable because of its excellent reinforcing effect and good handleability, and glass fiber is preferable among inorganic fibers. Furthermore, among these, kenaf fibers among plant fibers are particularly preferable from the environmental viewpoint.

The shape and size of the reinforcing fiber are not particularly limited, but the fiber length is preferably 10 mm or more. Thereby, high strength (such as bending strength and bending elastic modulus, etc.) can be imparted to the fiber composite obtained. The fiber length is more preferably 10 to 150 mm, still more preferably 20 to 100 mm, and particularly preferably 30 to 80 mm.
The fiber diameter is preferably 1 mm or less, more preferably 0.01 to 1 mm, still more preferably 0.02 to 0.7 mm, and particularly preferably 0.03 to 0.5 mm. When this fiber diameter is in the above range, a fiber composite having particularly high strength can be obtained. The reinforcing fiber may include those that deviate from the above fiber length and fiber diameter, but the fiber content is 0.5 to 10% by mass (particularly 0.5 to 3% by mass) with respect to the entire reinforcing fiber. ) Is preferable. Thereby, the strength of the fiber composite obtained can be maintained high.
In addition, the said fiber length means an average fiber length (hereinafter the same), according to JIS L1015, the single fiber is taken out one by one at random by the direct method, and the fiber length is measured on a measuring scale. It is the average value measured about 200 pieces. Further, the above fiber diameter means an average fiber diameter (hereinafter the same), one single fiber is randomly taken out one by one, and the fiber diameter at the center in the length direction of the fiber is measured using an optical microscope, for a total of 200. It is the average value measured about the book.

The “thermoplastic resin fiber” is a component that can be contained in the mat as a thermoplastic resin fiber and melted in a melting step to bind the reinforcing fibers.
Examples of the thermoplastic resin constituting the thermoplastic resin fiber include polyolefin, polyester resin, polystyrene, acrylic resin, polyamide resin, polycarbonate resin, polyacetal resin, and ABS resin. Among these, examples of the polyolefin include polypropylene, polyethylene, and ethylene / propylene random copolymer. Examples of the polyester resin include aliphatic polyester resins such as polylactic acid, polycaprolactone, and polybutylene succinate, and aromatic polyester resins such as polyethylene terephthalate, polytrimethylene terephthalate, and polybutylene terephthalate. The acrylic resin is a resin obtained using methacrylate and / or acrylate. These thermoplastic resins may be resins modified to increase the affinity for reinforcing fibers (particularly the surface of the reinforcing fibers). The thermoplastic resins may be used alone or in combination.

  Examples of the modified resin include polyolefin having enhanced affinity for reinforcing fibers (materials constituting the reinforcing fibers). More specifically, when the reinforcing fiber is a vegetable fiber, it is preferable to use a polyolefin that is acid-modified with a compound having a carboxyl group or a derivative thereof (anhydride group or the like). Furthermore, it is more preferable to use unmodified polyolefin and maleic anhydride-modified polyolefin in combination, and it is particularly preferable to use unmodified polypropylene and maleic anhydride-modified polypropylene in combination.

  The maleic anhydride-modified polypropylene is preferably a low molecular weight type. Specifically, for example, the weight average molecular weight (by GPC method) is preferably 25,000 to 45,000. The acid value (according to JIS K0070) is preferably 20-60. In this method, it is particularly preferable to use maleic anhydride-modified polypropylene having a weight average molecular weight of 25,000 to 45000 and an acid value of 20 to 60, and it is particularly preferable to use this maleic anhydride-modified polypropylene in combination with unmodified polypropylene. In this combined use, when the total of the modified polypropylene and the unmodified polypropylene is 100% by mass, the modified polypropylene is preferably 1 to 10% by mass, and more preferably 2 to 6% by mass. In this range, particularly high mechanical properties can be obtained.

Of these thermoplastic resins, polyolefins and polyester resins are preferred. Of the above polyolefins, polypropylene is preferred.
The polyester resin is preferably a biodegradable polyester resin (hereinafter also simply referred to as “biodegradable resin”). This biodegradable resin is illustrated below.
(1) Homopolymers of hydroxycarboxylic acids such as lactic acid, malic acid, glucose acid and 3-hydroxybutyric acid; hydroxycarboxylic acid aliphatics such as copolymers using at least one of these hydroxycarboxylic acids polyester.
(2) Caprolactone-based aliphatic polyesters such as a copolymer of polycaprolactone and at least one of the above hydroxycarboxylic acids and caprolactone.
(3) Dibasic acid polyesters such as polybutylene succinate, polyethylene succinate and polybutylene adipate.
Among these, polylactic acid, a copolymer of lactic acid and the above hydroxycarboxylic acid other than lactic acid, polycaprolactone, and a copolymer of at least one of the above hydroxycarboxylic acids and caprolactone are preferable. Polylactic acid is particularly preferred. These biodegradable resins may be used alone or in combination of two or more. In addition, the said lactic acid shall contain L-lactic acid and D-lactic acid, and these lactic acid may be used independently and may be used together.

The shape and size of the thermoplastic resin fiber are not particularly limited, but the fiber length is preferably 10 mm or more. Thereby, high strength (such as bending strength and bending elastic modulus, etc.) can be imparted to the fiber composite obtained. The fiber length is more preferably 10 to 150 mm, still more preferably 20 to 100 mm, and particularly preferably 30 to 80 mm.
The fiber diameter is preferably 0.001 to 1.5 mm, more preferably 0.005 to 0.7 mm, still more preferably 0.008 to 0.5 mm, and particularly preferably 0.01 to 0.3 mm. When this fiber diameter is in the above range, the thermoplastic resin fibers can be entangled with the reinforcing fibers with good dispersibility without being cut. In particular, it is particularly suitable when the reinforcing fiber is a vegetable fiber.

The ratio of the reinforcing fiber and the thermoplastic resin fiber constituting the mat is not particularly limited, but when the total of the reinforcing fiber and the thermoplastic resin fiber is 100% by volume, the reinforcing fiber is 10 to 95% by volume (preferably 20 to 90% by volume, more preferably 30 to 80% by volume). This is because, within this range, it is easy to achieve both excellent lightness and high strength by this method.
In particular, when the reinforcing fiber is a vegetable fiber, the vegetable fiber is preferably 10 to 95% by mass when the total amount of the vegetable fiber and the thermoplastic resin fiber is 100% by mass. It is more preferable to set it as 20-90 mass%, and it is especially preferable to set it as 30-80 mass%.
In addition to the reinforcing fiber and the thermoplastic resin fiber, the mat includes additives (antioxidants, plasticizers, antistatic agents, flame retardants, antibacterial agents, fungicides, coloring agents). Agent etc.) may be included.

The “thermally expandable capsule” has a shell wall (capsule) made of a thermoplastic resin, and the volume expands by heating. Thermally expandable capsules typically have a foaming agent (expanding component) contained within the shell wall. When the thermally expandable capsule is heated, the foaming agent begins to expand at a predetermined temperature, and the shell wall is softened, thereby increasing the volume of the entire thermally expandable capsule.
The shape of the thermally expandable capsule is not particularly limited, but is usually substantially spherical. The thermally expandable capsule may be expanded and then bubbled to make the shell wall amorphous, or the shell wall may maintain the capsule shape without breaking the bubble. Further, when a foaming agent is used, the foaming agent may be released to the outside of the shell wall, or a part or all of the foaming agent may remain in the expanded shell wall.

  Moreover, the kind of thermoplastic resin which comprises the shell wall of the said thermally expansible capsule is not specifically limited, The thermoplastic resin which comprises the said thermoplastic resin fiber may be the same, or may differ. That is, the various resins described above can be used as the thermoplastic resin constituting the thermoplastic resin fiber. In addition, a copolymer having a structural unit derived from an unsaturated nitrile compound and a homopolymer (hereinafter, also simply referred to as “acrylonitrile resin”) can be used. Examples of the unsaturated nitrile compound include acrylonitrile and methacrylonitrile. Other structural units other than the structural unit derived from the unsaturated nitrile compound constituting the acrylonitrile-based resin may be derived from any compound, such as an unsaturated acid (such as acrylic acid), an acrylic ester, Examples thereof include methacrylic acid esters, aromatic vinyl compounds, aliphatic vinyl compounds, vinyl chloride, vinylidene chloride, and crosslinkable monomers. These monomers may use only 1 type and may use 2 or more types together. Specific examples of the copolymer include vinylidene chloride-acrylonitrile copolymer.

The foaming agent is a component that expands by heating. Examples of the foaming agent include hydrocarbons having a low boiling point (about −50 to 150 ° C.). Specifically, for example, propane, n-butane, isobutane, n-pentane, isopentane, n-hexane, isohexane, isooctane and other aliphatic hydrocarbons, cyclopentane, cyclohexane, methylcyclohexane and other alicyclic hydrocarbons, Examples thereof include chlorinated hydrocarbons such as methyl chloride and ethyl chloride, and halogenated hydrocarbons such as fluorinated hydrocarbons such as 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane and 1,1-difluoroethane. Among these blowing agents, aliphatic hydrocarbons are preferable, and aliphatic hydrocarbons having 4 to 10 carbon atoms are particularly preferable. Although the amount of the foaming agent is not limited, it can be, for example, 5 to 60% by mass (preferably 10 to 50% by mass, more preferably 20 to 30% by mass) with respect to the entire thermally expandable capsule.
The expansion ratio (average particle diameter after expansion / average particle diameter before expansion) of the thermally expandable capsule is not particularly limited, and can be, for example, 1.2 to 5 times.

  The expansion start temperature of the thermally expandable capsule is not particularly limited, and can be selected depending on the type of thermoplastic resin constituting the shell wall. Further, the expansion start temperature of the thermally expandable capsule and the softening temperature of the thermoplastic resin constituting the thermoplastic resin fiber of the mat may be the same or different. The level of the expansion start temperature can be selected, for example, according to the order of steps of the method. That is, (1) when the melting step of melting the thermoplastic resin fiber is performed first and the expansion step of expanding the thermally expandable capsule is performed later, the softening temperature of the thermoplastic resin constituting the thermoplastic resin fiber is set as follows: It is preferable that the temperature be lower than the expansion start temperature of the thermally expandable capsule. On the other hand, when (2) the melting step of melting the thermoplastic resin fiber and the expansion step of expanding the thermally expandable capsule are performed simultaneously, the softening temperature and thermal expansion of the thermoplastic resin constituting the thermoplastic resin fiber The expansion start temperature of the sex capsule can be made the same.

For example, in the case of (1) above, that is, when the melting step and the expansion step are performed in this order, the expansion start temperature of the thermally expandable capsule is 0 to + 60 ° C. with respect to the softening temperature of the thermoplastic resin fiber. (More preferably +10 to + 40 ° C.). More specifically, when the thermoplastic resin constituting the thermoplastic resin fiber is a propylene-based polymer such as polypropylene or an ethylene / propylene copolymer, the softening temperature is 140 to 170 ° C. In this case, the expansion start temperature of the thermally expandable capsule is preferably 110 to 230 ° C, more preferably 140 to 210 ° C after having the above temperature difference. Furthermore, the maximum expansion temperature is preferably 170 to 235 ° C, more preferably 190 to 210 ° C.
On the other hand, in the case of the above (2), that is, when it is performed simultaneously with the melting step and the expansion step, the expansion start temperature of the thermally expandable capsule is −30 to + 60 ° C. (more than the softening temperature of the thermoplastic resin fiber) Preferably, the range is −10 to + 40 ° C.

  In the present invention, the use of a thermally expandable capsule makes it possible to achieve both light weight and high strength simultaneously and extremely effectively. The reason is not clear, but can be considered as follows. That is, the thermally expandable capsules that are uniformly dispersed in the gap formed by the reinforcing fibers of the mat in the dispersion process are heated in the expansion process to expand the encapsulated foaming agent and soften the shell wall. And is expanded in the gap. The shell wall is pressed against the reinforcing fibers constituting the gap, and the heating temperature is raised to melt the thermoplastic resin constituting the shell wall, thereby binding the reinforcing fibers in a wide range from the inside of the gap. That is, when the thermoplastic resin fiber is melted, it is bound at an entanglement point with the reinforcing fiber, whereas the thermally expandable capsule can bind a plurality of reinforcing fibers together in a plane by the shell wall. Therefore, a small amount of thermoplastic resin can be efficiently used for binding reinforcing fibers, and the amount of binding between reinforcing fibers can be increased while reducing the amount of thermoplastic resin that contributes to binding of reinforcing fibers. It is thought that

  In the supplying step, each thermally expandable capsule is supplied to either one of the front and back surfaces of the mat. Any supply method may be used as long as the thermally expandable capsule can be supplied to the mat surface. For example, (1) the thermally expandable capsule may be supplied to the mat supply surface by charging the thermally expandable capsule and the mat supply surface to different polarities using an electrostatic coating method. (2) The supply surface of the mat may be disposed below and the thermally expandable capsule may be dropped from above and supplied. (3) The thermally expandable capsule may be placed on the airflow and attached to the supply surface of the mat. (4) Further, other methods may be used. These methods (1) to (4) may be used in combination.

  Among these methods, the above (1) or (2) is preferable, and the above (1) is particularly preferable because supply loss can be reduced. In particular, when vegetable fiber is used as the reinforcing fiber of the mat, the method (1) is particularly preferable. This is because plant fibers, unlike inorganic fibers, have an average moisture content of about 10%, so that they can be more easily charged and heat expandable capsules can be attached more reliably.

  In the supply method (1), the thermally expandable capsule before electrostatic coating may be charged to either the anode or the cathode, but when the anode is charged, the mat is charged to the cathode as the counter electrode. . In particular, it is preferable that the thermally expandable capsule charged by a DC voltage is discharged to the grounded mat supply surface and adhered by electrostatic attraction.

  The form of the electrostatic coating apparatus used for electrostatic coating is not particularly limited. For example, (1) a charging means for charging a thermally expandable capsule and a charged thermally expandable capsule on a mat. An apparatus provided with a discharge means for discharging the liquid can be used. (2) discharge means for discharging an uncharged thermally expandable capsule; and charging means provided outside the discharge means on the discharged thermally expandable capsule to charge the thermally expandable capsule; A device equipped with can be used. Any of these devices may be used, or only one of them may be used. Examples of the charging means include a corona charging device and a friction charging device. These may be used alone or in combination.

Furthermore, when each thermally expandable capsule is applied, the discharge amount, the air flow rate to the mat, the application time, and the like are appropriately adjusted. Among them, air flow rate when performing the electrostatic coating is preferably set to 1 to 10 m ³ / time, and more preferably in the 3 to 6 m ³ / hour. When the air flow rate is in the above range, the thermally expandable capsule can be efficiently held on the mat while reducing loss, and the finally obtained fiber composite is excellent in lightness and rigidity. .

  Examples of the method (2) include a supply method using a so-called sinter machine. In other words, a sinter machine means that when a thermally expandable capsule is dropped from above a roller whose surface has been roughened by knurling or the like, the thermally expandable capsule is caught in the concave portion on the roller surface, and the roller rotates. Thus, the machine has a mechanism of dropping when the concave portion is directed downward. In this sinter machine, the supply amount can be adjusted by the size and density of the recesses.

  The supply amount of each thermally expandable capsule in this supplying step is not particularly limited and may be an appropriate amount depending on the purpose. Usually, when the entire mat is 100% by mass, each thermally expandable capsule is added in total. It is preferable to supply 1 to 15% by mass. The supply amount here is the amount actually held on the mat, and does not include the thermally expandable capsules that are scattered after the supply, or that pass through the mat and fall downward. The supply amount is more preferably 3 to 12% by mass, and further preferably 5 to 10% by mass.

  Furthermore, the one surface of the mat for supplying the thermally expandable capsule is usually the upper surface when the thickness direction of the mat is arranged vertically. That is, each thermally expandable capsule is preferably supplied to the upper surface of the mat. Thereby, it becomes easy to supply irrespective of the supply method of a thermally expansible capsule, and also it can suppress that a thermally expansible capsule scatters after being supplied, As a result, the loss of a thermally expansible capsule can be suppressed.

  The thermal expansion capsule may be supplied by mixing a plurality of types of thermally expandable capsules into a thermally expandable capsule mixture, or separately for each type of thermally expandable capsule. May be.

  The “dispersing step” is a step of dispersing the thermally expandable capsule supplied to one surface of the mat toward the other surface side of the mat by pressing one surface of the mat 14 with the pressing roller device 25. That is, for example, when the thermally expandable capsule is supplied to the upper surface of the mat 14, the upper surface of the mat 14 is pressed by the pressing roller device 25 to disperse the thermally expandable capsule toward the lower surface side of the mat. is there.

The “pressing” is to press the one surface of the mat 14 while the roller portion 252 included in the pressing roller device 25 is brought into contact with the one surface of the mat 14 and the roller portion is rotated. By pressing the mat from one side, the thermally expandable capsule supplied to one side of the mat is pushed into the mat.
When pressing by the pressing roller device 25, the pressing roller device 25 may be pressed against the mat 14 and may be pressed, or the mat 14 may be pressed against the pressing roller device 25 and pressed. Further, the roller portion 252 may be rotated by moving the pressing roller device 25 with respect to the mat 14 to rotate the roller portion 252, or by moving the mat 14 with respect to the pressing roller device 25. May be rotated. When the mat 14 is moved, these movements can be performed by moving a fixed base or conveyor on which the mat 14 is placed.

  Further, when pressing is performed, the mat 14 can be vibrated simultaneously. In this vibration, the pressing roller device 25 itself may be vibrated to vibrate the mat 14, or the mat 14 may be vibrated by vibrating a fixed table or a conveyor on which the mat 14 is placed.

  The condition of pressing by the pressing roller device 25 is not particularly limited, but the mat thickness just below the roller portion 252 is 5 to 80% (more preferably 10 to 70%, more preferably 20 to 50%) of the total thickness of the mat. It is preferable to press so that it becomes. In the above range, the effect of pushing the thermally expandable capsule into the mat is particularly high.

The “melting step” is a step of melting the thermoplastic resin fibers constituting the mat. The “expansion step” is a step of heating and expanding the thermally expandable capsules dispersed in the mat.
These two steps can be performed in any order. That is, (1) the melting step may be performed first, and then the expansion step may be performed later, (2) the melting step and the expansion step may be performed simultaneously, (3) the expansion step is performed first, The melting step may be performed later. Among these, the above (1) or (2) is preferable.

  Furthermore, in the case of (1) above, and when the softening point of the thermoplastic resin constituting the thermoplastic resin fiber is lower than the expansion start temperature of the thermally expandable capsule, the melting step is pressurized. The thermal expansibility is suppressed by heating to a temperature not lower than the softening point of the thermoplastic resin constituting the thermoplastic resin fiber and not exceeding the expansion start temperature of the thermal expandable capsule while suppressing expansion of the thermally expandable capsule. It is possible to obtain a molded body (mat, board, etc.) in which the reinforcing fibers are bound by the thermoplastic resin constituting the thermoplastic resin fibers while the capsules remain in the mat without being expanded. That is, it is possible to obtain a molded body (hereinafter referred to as “pre-expanded molded body”) in which thermally expandable capsules are dispersed and contained in the gap between the reinforcing fibers bound by the thermoplastic resin constituting the thermoplastic resin fiber. it can. Since this molded body before expansion has a smaller volume than the expanded body after expansion, transportation costs, storage costs, and the like can be reduced. Furthermore, when this molded body before expansion is subsequently subjected to an expansion process, it is easier to control the thickness, density and the like than in the case of (2) above.

  In this melting step, it is only necessary that the thermoplastic resin constituting the thermoplastic resin fiber can be melted, and at least heating is usually performed. Furthermore, in the melting step, pressurization can be performed together with heating. By performing pressurization, it is possible to further improve the binding property between the thermoplastic resin constituting the thermoplastic resin fiber and the reinforcing fiber, and to freely control the thickness of the obtained fiber composite. Further, when the melting step is performed first as in (1) and then the expansion process is performed later, the expansion of the thermally expandable capsule can be more reliably suppressed. The heating temperature at the time of heating can be set to an appropriate temperature (at least equal to or higher than the softening point of the thermoplastic resin constituting the thermoplastic resin fiber) depending on the type of the thermoplastic resin constituting the thermoplastic resin fiber. Further, when pressurization is performed, either heating or pressurization may be performed first or simultaneously. Moreover, the pressurization pressure at the time of performing pressurization can be 1-10 MPa, for example, and 1-5 MPa is preferable.

In the expansion step, it is sufficient if the thermally expandable capsule can be expanded, and the heating conditions and the like are not particularly limited.
Moreover, at the expansion | swelling process, shaping | molding of the fiber composite obtained can be performed simultaneously. That is, the thickness and shape can be controlled. For example, it is possible to obtain a fiber composite having a desired thickness by compressing and compressing the molded body after expansion after sufficiently expanding the molded body before expansion in the expansion step (that is, including a molding step). In the expansion step, a desired thickness can be obtained by lowering the temperature of the thermoplastic resin while appropriately restraining the expansion using a mold capable of maintaining a clearance of a desired thickness when expanding the thermally expandable capsule. The fiber composite can be obtained. Furthermore, the fiber composite which has uneven | corrugated shape can also be obtained by providing desired uneven | corrugated shape to a metal mold | die.

  The shape, size, thickness and the like of the fiber composite obtained by the production method of the present invention are not particularly limited. Further, its use is not particularly limited. This fiber composite is used, for example, as an interior material such as an automobile, a railway vehicle, a ship, and an airplane, an exterior material, and a structural material. Among these, examples of the automobile article include an automobile interior material, an automobile instrument panel, and an automobile exterior material. Specifically, door base material, package tray, pillar garnish, switch base, quarter panel, armrest core material, automotive door trim, seat structure material, seat backboard, ceiling material, console box, automotive dashboard, various types Instrument panel, deck trim, bumper, spoiler and cowling. Furthermore, for example, interior materials such as buildings and furniture, exterior materials, and structural materials may be mentioned. That is, a door cover material, a door structure material, a cover material of various furniture (desk, chair, shelf, bag, etc.), a structural material, etc. are mentioned. In addition, a package, a container (such as a tray), a protective member, a partition member, and the like can be given.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described specifically by way of examples.
[1] Embodiment 1
The following pressing roller device of Embodiment 1 was prepared. Four rotating shafts 251 having a diameter of 30 mm and a width of 1400 mm are arranged in parallel with a distance of 45 mm between the shaft centers. Each rotating shaft 251 is provided with seven roller portions 252 having a diameter of 40 mm and a width of 100 mm (that is, gaps having a width of 100 mm or more are formed between the coaxial roller portions 252). Further, the first roller portion 252a, the second roller portion 252b, the second roller portion 252b, the third roller portion 252c, and the third roller portion 252c and the fourth roller portion 252d are each 5 mm (FIG. 4). A gap of D = 5 mm) is formed.
Further, in the roller part 252, the first virtual line La of the first roller part 252a and the second virtual line Lb of the second roller part 252b are arranged so as not to overlap. Similarly, the second virtual line Lb, the third virtual line Lc, the third virtual line Lc, and the fourth virtual line Ld are also arranged so as not to overlap each other. Furthermore, the first trajectory Ta on the mat by the first roller portion 252a and the second trajectory Tb on the mat by the second roller portion 252b are arranged so as not to overlap.

[2] Embodiment 2
Except that each rotating shaft 251 is provided with three or four roller portions 252 having a diameter of 40 mm and a width of 200 mm (that is, a gap of 200 mm width is formed between the coaxial roller portions 252). A pressing roller device according to the second embodiment, which is the same as the first embodiment, was prepared.

[3] Embodiment 3
Embodiments except that each rotary shaft 251 has 14 roller portions 252 having a diameter of 40 mm and a width of 50 mm (that is, a gap of 50 mm width is formed between the coaxial roller portions 252). The pressure roller device of Embodiment 2 which is the same as 1 was prepared.

[4] Comparative form 1
As Comparative Example 1 below, a pressing roller device comprising one roller having a diameter of 40 mm and a width of 1400 mm was prepared.

[5] Production of fiber composite A fiber composite was produced as follows (see FIGS. 8 to 10).
<1> Production of fiber composite of Example 1 (using the pressing roller device of Embodiment 1)
(1) Production of mat A mat using plant fibers (kenaf fibers) as reinforcing fibers was produced using a mat production apparatus shown in FIG. In this mat manufacturing apparatus, mixed fibers 1 and 4 of vegetable fibers and thermoplastic resin fibers are used to form two webs (first web 7) using two air lay devices (first air lay device 3 and second air lay device 6). And after preparing the second web 8) and laminating these webs, the needle punch (the first entanglement means 11 and the second entanglement means 12) is performed to entangle the two layers of webs into one layer. The mat 14 is manufactured by cutting with the cutting device 13.
Further, as shown in FIG. 9, a heat-expandable capsule supply device 22 for supplying a heat-expandable capsule 23 is connected to the mat manufacturing apparatus. Thereafter, the heat-expandable capsule 23 is placed in the mat 14. By connecting the pressure roller device 25 to be dispersed, the mat 15 in which the thermally expandable capsules 23 are dispersed can be obtained.

Specifically, vegetable fiber (kenaf fiber, average diameter 0.09 mm, average fiber length 70 mm) is used as the reinforcing fiber, and polypropylene fiber (trade name “NOVATEC SA01” manufactured by Nippon Polypro Co., Ltd.) is used as the thermoplastic resin fiber. And an average diameter of 0.02 mm and an average fiber length of 51 mm) are mixed at a mass ratio of 40:60, and the resulting mixture (kenaf fiber / polypropylene fiber mixture) 1 and 4 is stored in a first storage unit (not shown). ) And a second storage unit (not shown). Subsequently, the contained mixtures 1 and 4 are supplied from the first fiber supply unit 2 and the second fiber supply unit 5 connected to the first storage unit and the second storage unit to the first air array device 3 and the second air array device 6. The first web 7 (lower layer side web) having a thickness of about 75 mm is deposited on the conveyor 10 which is continuously fed at a constant feed rate to the web and then rotated at a speed of 3.2 m / sec. A laminated web 9 having a thickness of about 150 mm was formed by laminating the second web 8 (upper layer web).
Next, using the first entanglement means (needle punch processing apparatus) 11, the needle density is 70 / cm ² from above the conveyed laminated web 9, that is, from the second web 8 side (upper surface side). Needling was performed at a depth of 10 mm. Then, using the second entanglement means (needle punch processing device) 12 under the same conditions, needling is performed under the same conditions from the lower side of the laminated web 9, that is, from the first web 7 side (bottom side). A fiber mat having a length of about 8 mm and a basis weight of 1000 g / m ² was produced. Thereafter, the fiber mat was cut with a cutter 13 to obtain a mat 14 (1300 × 800 × 8 mm).

(2) Supplying Step The mat 14 obtained in the above (1) is subsequently conveyed to the thermally expandable capsule supply device 22 connected to the mat manufacturing device (see FIGS. 9 and 10). In the thermally expandable capsule supply device 22, the thermally expandable capsule 23 is supplied to the upper surface of the mat 14.
In this embodiment, an electrostatic coating device is used as the thermally expandable capsule supply device 22, and the thermally expandable capsule 23 charged by a DC high voltage is sprayed (discharged), and the mat 14 is electrostatically attracted. Can be supplied and attached to one side. Specifically, a thermally expandable capsule (average particle diameter 50 μm, foaming start temperature 200 to 210 ° C.) is placed on the upper surface of the mat 14 by an electrostatic coating apparatus {(Landsburg Gema, product name “Optiflex 1S (stirring)”. Formula) Hand gun unit "} was used for electrostatic coating.
The application conditions were such that the distance from the gun head tip (not shown) to the mat 14 was about 30 cm, the application gun applied voltage was −100 kV, the current value was 22 μA, the air flow rate was 4.0 m ³ / hour, and the discharge rate was 40%. The rinsing air was 0.1 m ³ / hour, and the conveying speed of the conveying conveyor 21 was 3 m / min. The coating amount of the thermally expandable capsule 23 is 6% by mass with respect to the mat 14.

(3) Dispersing Step The mat 14 to which the thermally expandable capsule 23 was supplied in (2) above was subjected to the dispersing step using the pressing roller device 25 of [1] Embodiment 1 above. Specifically, the pressing roller device 25 presses the mat 14 with a pressure (0.4 MPa) at which the thickness of the mat 14 is compressed to 50%. Further, in the meantime, the mat 14 is fixed to the movable table 253 that can move horizontally in conjunction with the ball screw 254, and is 10 reciprocations at a speed of 6 m / min as the ball screw 254 is driven by the motor 256. A reciprocal movement (horizontal movement) is performed in minutes. With this reciprocation, the roller part 252 is pressed while rotating, and the thermally expandable capsule is dispersed in the mat 14. The rotating shaft 251 and the roller portion 252 are rotatably supported by the support base 257, and an air cylinder 258 is provided as a shock absorber above the support base to suppress an excessive pressing load.

(4) Melting step The mat 15 in which the thermally expandable capsules 23 obtained in the above (3) are dispersed is sandwiched between Teflon sheets (thickness: 0.3 mm), and the melting step is performed in the flat plate mold of the heating press device 61. It was used for. This heating press was performed under the conditions of a mold temperature of 210 ° C., a press pressure of 1 MPa, and a heating time of 60 seconds. At this time, the internal temperature of the heated press was increased to 210 ° C.
Then, it cooled for 60 seconds until it became 25 degreeC with the pressure of 2 MPa with the cooling press, and obtained the fiber composite 16 before expansion | swelling with a plate | board thickness of 2.3 mm and a fabric weight of 1.0 kg / m < ² >. That is, in the pre-expansion fiber composite, the thermoplastic resin fibers are melted and the reinforcing fibers are bound to each other, but the thermally expandable capsules 23 are not expanded due to pressurization.

(5) Expansion Step and Molding Step The pre-expansion fiber composite 16 obtained in (4) above is heated in an oven 62 set at 235 ° C. (heating time: 120 seconds), and the thermally expandable capsule 23 is After the expansion, the fiber was cooled with a cooling press 63 at a pressure of 2 MPa for 60 seconds until it reached 25 ° C., and the fiber composite 17 of Example 1 having a plate thickness of 4 mm and a basis weight of 1.0 kg / m ² was obtained.

<2> Production of fiber composite of Example 2 (using the pressing roller device of Embodiment 2)
In the above <1> (3) dispersion step, the fiber composite 17 of Example 2 was manufactured in the same manner as in the above <1> except that the pressure roller device 25 of [2] Embodiment 2 was used.

<3> Manufacture of the fiber composite of Example 3 (using the pressing roller device of Embodiment 3)
In the above <1> (3) dispersion step, the fiber composite 17 of Example 3 was produced in the same manner as in the above <1> except that the pressing roller device 25 of [3] Embodiment 3 was used.

<4> Manufacture of the fiber composite of Comparative Example 1 (using the pressing roller device of Comparative Form 1)
<1> (3) In the dispersing step, [4] In the same manner as in the above <1>, except that the pressing roller device 25 of the comparative form 1 is used and the reciprocating motion of the mat 14 is 20 reciprocating. A fiber composite 17 of Comparative Example 1 was produced.

[6] Mechanical properties of the fiber composites of Examples 1 to 3 and Comparative Example 1 The maximum bending load was measured according to JIS K7171. In this measurement, a test piece (length 150 mm, width 50 mm, and thickness 4 mm) in a state where the water content is about 10% was used. And while supporting the test piece at two fulcrums (curvature radius 5.0 mm) with a distance (L) between the fulcrums of 100 mm, the working point (curvature radius 3.2 mm) arranged at the center between the fulcrums was changed to a speed of 50 mm / min. Then, the load was loaded and the characteristics were measured. The results are shown below.

"Maximum bending load"
Example 1; 50.1 N (10 reciprocations, roller width 100 mm, number of rotating shafts 4)
Example 2; 49.2N (10 reciprocations, 200 mm roller width, 4 rotating shafts)
Example 3; 49.9N (10 reciprocations, 50 mm roller width, 4 rotation shafts)
Comparative Example 1; 48.7N (20 reciprocations, 500 mm roller width, 1 rotation shaft)

[7] Effects of Example and Comparative Example In Examples 1 to 3 and Comparative Example 1, the total distance of the locus on the mat 14 by the roller portion 252 is the same, and the maximum of Examples 1 to 3 and Comparative Example 1 is the same. The bending load was equivalent. However, the number of reciprocations by the pressing roller device 25 is 10 times in the first to third embodiments, whereas it is 20 times in the first comparative example. That is, it can be seen that the number of reciprocations required to obtain the same maximum bending load is half that of Comparative Example 1 in Examples 1 to 3. From this, it can be seen that when the pressing roller device 25 of the present invention is used, the thermally expandable capsules 23 can be dispersed in the mat 14 in a shorter time as in the conventional case. That is, the pressure roller device 25 of the present invention is excellent in the dispersion efficiency of the thermally expandable capsules 23 in the mat 14 and can disperse the thermally expandable capsules 23 with high efficiency in a shorter time. Furthermore, biting of the mat 14 during the pressing process can be prevented.

  The foregoing examples are for illustrative purposes only and are not to be construed as limiting the invention. Although the invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the language used in the description and illustration of the invention is illustrative and exemplary rather than limiting. As detailed herein, changes may be made in its form within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. Although specific structures, materials and examples have been referred to in the detailed description of the invention herein, it is not intended to limit the invention to the disclosures presented herein, but rather, the invention is claimed. It covers all functionally equivalent structures, methods and uses within the scope of

  The fiber composite manufacturing method and the pressure roller device of the present invention are widely used in vehicle-related fields such as automobiles, ship-related fields, aircraft-related fields, and building-related fields. The fiber composite obtained from the method of the present invention and the apparatus of the present invention is suitable as an interior material, exterior material, structural material, etc. in the above-mentioned fields. Among the above-mentioned fields related to the vehicle, examples of the automobile article include an automobile interior material, an automobile instrument panel, and an automobile exterior material. Specifically, door base material, package tray, pillar garnish, switch base, quarter panel, armrest core material, automotive door trim, seat structure material, seat backboard, ceiling material, console box, automotive dashboard, various types Instrument panel, deck trim, bumper, spoiler and cowling. Furthermore, for example, interior materials such as buildings and furniture, exterior materials, and structural materials may be mentioned. That is, a door cover material, a door structure material, a cover material of various furniture (desks, chairs, shelves, bags, etc.), a structural material, and the like. In addition, a package, a container (such as a tray), a protective member, a partition member, and the like can be given.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1; Mixture, 2; 1st fiber supply part, 3; 1st air array apparatus, 4; Mixture, 5; 2nd fiber supply part, 6; 2nd air array apparatus, 7; 1st web, 8; 9; laminated web, 10; conveyor, 11; first entanglement means (first needling device), 12; second entanglement means (second needling device), 13; cutter, 14; mat, 15; Capsule dispersion mat, 16; Fiber composite before expansion, 17; Fiber composite (fiber composite after expansion), 21; Conveyor, 22; Powder coating means (thermally expandable capsule supply device), 23; Thermal expansion Sex capsule,
25; a pressure roller device,
251, 251a, 251b, 251c, 251d; rotating shaft,
252, 252a, 252b, 252c, 252d; roller section,
253; movable base, 254, ball screw, 256; motor, 257; support base, 258; air cylinder,
61; melting means, 62; expansion means, 63; molding means.

Claims (6)

A method for producing a fiber composite having a structure in which reinforcing fibers are bound together by a thermoplastic resin,
Supplying a thermally expandable capsule having a shell wall made of a thermoplastic resin on one surface of the mat containing the reinforcing fibers and the thermoplastic resin fibers;
A dispersion step of dispersing the thermally expandable capsule supplied to one surface of the mat toward the other surface side of the mat by pressing one surface of the mat with a pressing roller device;
A melting step of melting the thermoplastic resin fibers constituting the mat;
An expansion step of heating and expanding the thermally expandable capsules dispersed in the mat,
The pressing roller device includes a plurality of rotating shafts, and each of the rotating shafts includes a plurality of roller portions,
Assuming a first imaginary line that is located at the center in the width direction of each roller portion provided on the first rotating shaft among the rotating shafts and is orthogonal to the first rotating shaft,
Assuming a second imaginary line that is located at the center in the width direction of each roller portion provided on the second rotation shaft adjacent to the first rotation shaft and is orthogonal to the second rotation shaft,
Each roller part is arranged so that the first imaginary line and the second imaginary line do not overlap ,
A first locus on the mat by each roller portion provided on the first rotating shaft and a second locus on the mat by each roller portion provided on the second rotating shaft overlap each other. Each of the roller portions is arranged so as not to become a fiber composite manufacturing method. The method for producing a fiber composite according to claim 1, wherein no gap is generated between the first locus and the second locus. The method for producing a fiber composite according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a difference between a radius of the rotating shaft and a radius of the roller portion is 50% or more and 200% or less of an average thickness of the mat to be pressed. Supplying a thermally expandable capsule having a shell wall made of thermoplastic resin on one surface of a mat containing reinforcing fibers and thermoplastic resin fibers;
A dispersion step of dispersing the thermally expandable capsule supplied to one surface of the mat toward the other surface side of the mat by pressing one surface of the mat with a pressing roller device;
A melting step of melting the thermoplastic resin fibers constituting the mat;
An expansion step of heating and expanding the thermally expandable capsules dispersed in the mat, and a method of manufacturing a fiber composite having a structure in which reinforcing fibers are bound by a thermoplastic resin. The pressure roller device used,
A plurality of rotating shafts, each of which includes a plurality of roller portions;
Assuming a first imaginary line that is located at the center in the width direction of each roller portion provided on the first rotating shaft among the rotating shafts and is orthogonal to the first rotating shaft,
Assuming a second imaginary line that is located at the center in the width direction of each roller portion provided on the second rotation shaft adjacent to the first rotation shaft and is orthogonal to the second rotation shaft,
Each roller part is arranged so that the first imaginary line and the second imaginary line do not overlap ,
A first locus on the mat by each roller portion provided on the first rotating shaft and a second locus on the mat by each roller portion provided on the second rotating shaft overlap each other. Each of the roller portions is arranged so as not to become a pressing roller device. The manufacturing method of the fiber composite_body | complex of Claim 4 which does not produce a clearance gap between the said 1st locus | trajectory and the said 2nd locus | trajectory. The method for producing a fiber composite according to claim 4 or 5, wherein a difference between a radius of the rotating shaft and a radius of the roller portion is 50% or more and 200% or less of an average thickness of the mat to be pressed.

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