JPH0842617A - Cushioning material - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain the cushioning material, of which fabrication is facilitated and which has excellent flexibility, fitting ability and excellent cushioning effect, by forming a cushioning material of a sealed bag material or a hollow material made of thermoplastic elastomers and liquid or gel sealed inside thereof. CONSTITUTION:A liquid chamber 4 filled with the water 3 is formed in a bag material 2 made of thermoplastic elastomers, which is sealed at bonding parts 1 of both ends thereof. When the external force is applied to a part of this cushioning material, the water 3 in the cushioning material is moved so as to give the pressure to the whole of the bag material 2, and the bag material 2 is deformed so as to relax the impact. When the external force is eliminated, the bag material 2 is returned to the initial shape by the deformation restoring force of the bag material 2. With the synergistic effect of the pressure of the thermoplastic elastomers, which is evenly given to the liquid or the gel inside of the bag material, and deformation characteristic of the thermoplastic elastomers, the cushioning material has the excellent flexibility, and it can remarkably reduce the impact force.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a flexible cushioning material having excellent workability.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A cushioning material is intended to absorb a temporary and sudden force, that is, an impact force.
Various materials, structures, and shapes are used depending on the application, such as a cushioning rubber, a foam material using rubber or plastic, and a plastic bag containing air. Among them, the polymeric cushioning materials such as the cushioning rubber, the rubber or plastic foam material, and the air-filled plastic bag are widely used because they have a simple structure and can be easily molded into a desired shape. .

Among the anti-vibration rubbers for the purpose of reducing vibration, the above-mentioned shock-absorbing rubber has particularly improved shock-absorbing performance and is used in automobiles and precision equipment. Anti-vibration rubber changes the spring constant and loss coefficient, which are the main factors governing anti-vibration characteristics, by changing the type and shape of rubber used.
By adjusting it, it is possible to enhance the effect of cushioning and soundproofing in addition to the main purpose of vibration isolation. In particular, the shock absorbing rubber having improved shock absorbing performance emphasizes impact characteristics and load-deflection characteristics, and lowers the spring constant to enhance these characteristics.

The rubber or plastic foam material can have characteristics such as flexibility and cushioning property depending on the properties of the dispersed gas and rubber or plastic as a matrix. Foam rubber or polyurethane foam can be used as a mattress or the like. Polyethylene foam is used as a packaging material.

The plastic bag in which the air is sealed absorbs an impact by applying a uniform pressure to the entire plastic bag when an external force acts on a part of the plastic bag. It is used as an air mat or an intervening material for packaging.

However, among these conventional cushioning materials, the cushioning rubber has an excellent cushioning effect due to the flexibility, elasticity, viscoelasticity and the like of the rubber, but has the drawback of being rubber. However, there are drawbacks in that many steps such as kneading, molding (preforming), and vulcanization are required for molding processing, and an adhesive is required for bonding rubber once vulcanized. However, if the spring constant is made too small in order to improve the cushioning performance, the durability will be impaired and creep failure may occur.

As long as a foam material is used, there is no problem in terms of processing as described above as long as a thermoplastic material is used. However, in view of the structure of the foam material, generally, a softer material directly receives an external force. There is a tendency for extremely strong pressure to be applied to the exposed area, and there is a limit to the cushioning property when an external force acts on a small area.

Further, in the plastic bag, the plastic used does not have a deformation characteristic like rubber, and the bag to which tension is applied by air is hard as a whole. . Therefore, it is unsuitable for applications such as mounting on curved surfaces or uneven surfaces that require more flexibility and a good fit.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve these problems, and the molding process is very simple, it can be easily bonded without an adhesive, and it is extremely flexible. Rich in fit to curved and uneven surfaces, and
An object is to provide a cushioning material that exhibits an excellent cushioning effect.

[0010]

The cushioning material according to the present invention comprises:
Flexible and excellent in cushioning properties, consisting of a sealed bag or similar hollow body made of a thermoplastic elastomer that is easy to mold and has excellent rubber elasticity, and a liquid or gel enclosed inside. , A liquid-filled type cushioning material.

The thermoplastic elastomer used in the present invention exhibits excellent elongation and deformation characteristics equivalent to those of rubber (those capable of elongation and deformation about 3 to 10 times the original length at the maximum). A styrene-based thermoplastic elastomer that is excellent in strength, low-temperature characteristics, and has little deterioration (deterioration) with time is suitable. Therefore, a styrene-based thermoplastic elastomer that satisfies these requirements and is inexpensive is the most desirable. .

The liquid or gel used in the present invention may be any liquid as long as it does not have a chemical or physical adverse effect on the encapsulated thermoplastic elastomer. Water is the easiest and most common, but in addition, for example, when it is used below freezing, an antifreeze solution obtained by adding ethylene glycol to water is used.

The shape of the thermoplastic elastomer in the present invention is a completely sealed mat-shaped bag, donut-shaped bag, or both ends closed, provided that the liquid or gel inside does not leak. For example, a tubular hollow body may be changed as appropriate according to the intended use. Further, the thickness of the thermoplastic elastomer and the amount of the liquid or gel are factors that characterize the buffer performance of the present invention, and are appropriately adjusted according to the application. However, the thickness of the thermoplastic elastomer is 0. so that the present invention has high flexibility.
It is preferably within the range of about 1 to 1 mm.

[0014]

When an external force acts on a part of the cushioning material according to the present invention, the liquid or gel inside moves and uniformly applies pressure to the entire thermoplastic elastomer. The shock is buffered by being easily stretched and deformed. When external force is removed from the deformed invention, the invention returns to the initial shape due to the deformation recovery force of the thermoplastic elastomer. As described above, the present invention does not exist in the conventional cushioning material due to the synergistic effect of the internal liquid or gel uniformly exerting pressure on the entire thermoplastic elastomer and the excellent elongation and deformation characteristics of the thermoplastic elastomer. It has excellent flexibility and
The impact force can be greatly attenuated.

Further, according to the present invention, utilizing its excellent heat-sealing property, the thermoplastic elastomer facing each other through the chamber filled with the liquid or gel is partially heat-welded to partition the chamber. By providing a plurality of continuous or independent chambers, when the present invention is tilted for use or mounted on a curved surface, the liquid or gel inside easily moves by the action of gravity, and It is possible to prevent a part of the present invention from being biasedly deformed and causing a regional difference in the cushioning effect.

Further, even in the case of a large-sized one, since the amount of liquid or gel moving inside is large in a single chamber and the range thereof is wide, in order to obtain a more stable buffering effect, the method described above is used. It is effective to limit the movement of liquid or gel to some extent or completely.

The structure having a single chamber according to the present invention is used as one unit, and a plurality of the units are heat-sealed to be connected to each other. Can be manufactured.

Further, the present invention is an excellent cushioning material, and at the same time, has excellent sealing properties and sound deadening properties, and can be greatly expected in applications where these properties are required at the same time.

[0019]

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described.
It is not limited by this.

1 and 2 show a first embodiment of the present invention.

In this embodiment, a liquid chamber 4 filled with water 3 is formed in a bag body 2 made of SEBS (styrene-based thermoplastic elastomer) which is closed by joints 1 at both ends. . The size of this embodiment is 10 cm × 11 c
m, the thickness of the central part is 1 cm, the width of the joint part 1 is 5 mm,
The film thickness of the SEBS bag 2 is 0.2 mm, and the size of the liquid chamber 4 is 10 cm × 10 cm.

When an external force is applied to this embodiment, water 3
Moves to apply a uniform pressure to the entire SEBS bag body 2, and the SEBS 2 is easily stretched and deformed by the pressure, thereby alleviating the impact. When the external force is removed from the deformed embodiment, the SEBS bag body 2 returns to the initial shape due to the deformation recovery force.

FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of the present invention.

In this embodiment, the SEBS bag 6 sealed by the joints 5 at both ends has nine independent uniform liquid chambers 8 partitioned by the joints 7 in the vertical and horizontal directions. It is formed, and its inside is filled with water 9. The size of this embodiment is 31 cm × 32 cm,
The thickness of the central part is 1 cm, and the width of the joints 5 and 7 is 5 m.
m, the film thickness of the SEBS bag 6 is 0.2 mm, and the size of the liquid chamber 8 is 10 cm × 10 cm.

When an external force is applied to this embodiment, the impact is mitigated in the same manner as in the first embodiment, and furthermore, it can be mounted on a curved surface and exhibits a stable cushioning effect.

In the third embodiment of the present invention, a gel chamber filled with gel polyurethane is formed in a bag made of an olefinic thermoplastic elastomer which is closed by joints at both ends. The shape and size of this embodiment and the dimensions of each part are the same as those of the first embodiment. The gel polyurethane has a composition of 100 parts by weight of polypropylene glycol, 1 part by weight of toluene diisocyanate, and 0.03 parts by weight of a lead octenoate-based catalyst, and a mixed solution of these is sealed in advance in the bag body at 80 ° C. × 20. It is produced by gelling under the crosslinking condition of minutes.

When an external force is applied to this embodiment, the impact is alleviated in the same manner as the first embodiment.

In a fourth embodiment of the present invention, an SEBS tube sealed by joints at both ends is separated by 10 joints perpendicularly to the length direction.
Individual uniform liquid chambers are formed, and the inside thereof is filled with water. The size of this embodiment has an outer diameter of 1 cm × 10.
The width of each joint is 2 mm, the film thickness of the SEBS tube is 0.2 mm, and the length of the liquid chamber is 10 cm.

When an external force is applied to this embodiment, the impact is mitigated in the same manner as in the first embodiment. For example, when it is used as a door liner, it has a stable cushioning effect, an excellent sealing effect, and a sound deadening effect. It is effective.

[0030]

As described above, the cushioning material according to the present invention has a structure in which a liquid or gel is covered with a thermoplastic elastomer which is flexible and has excellent rubber elasticity. Manufacturing cost is low. (B) It is extremely flexible and has excellent mountability on a curved surface or an uneven surface, and can exhibit a stable cushioning effect. (C) It has an excellent cushioning effect as well as an excellent sealing effect and sound deadening effect, and it can be expected to be used for applications that make use of these characteristics. And so on.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the first embodiment taken along the line AA in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view according to a perspective view showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 joining part 2 SEBS bag body 3 water 4 liquid chamber 5 joining part 6 SEBS bag body 7 joining part 8 liquid chamber 9 water

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Akio Okawa, 8 Osanuki, Meiwa-mura, Emura-gun, Gunma Mochida Shoko Co., Ltd., Meiwa Plant (72) Inventor, Kiyoko Sakana, 8 Osanuki, Meiwa-mura, Gunma-gun, Mochida Showa Co., Ltd. Meiwa Plant

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A cushioning material comprising a closed bag or a similar hollow body made of a thermoplastic elastomer, and a liquid or a gel enclosed therein. 2. The cushioning material according to claim 1, wherein in the bag body or a hollow body similar thereto, thermoplastic elastomers facing each other are partially joined to form a plurality of continuous or independent chambers.