JPH1052886A - Laminate with elasticity - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent flow-out of water or oil and to rigidly fix gel to knitted fabric by covering the gel or low hardness rubber with the fabric having stretchability, and laminating a film of thermoplastic elastomer on an outside of the fabric. SOLUTION: A porous silicon gel 1 is covered on its overall surface with a knitted fabric 2 having stretchability, and further a film (polyurethane film) 3 of thermoplastic elastomer is laminated on an outside of the fabric 2 by heat fusion bonding. The gel 1 is invaded into the surface of the fabric 2, and does not arrive at the surface of the fabric 2. Since the film 3 is laminated on the outside of the gel 1, it can prevent water or oil from flowing out. Since the gel 1 is invaded into stitches of the fabric 2, the gel 1 is rigidly fixed to the fabric 2, and further the fabric 2 is heat fusion bonded to the film 3. Accordingly, since the three parties are integrated, the adhesive properties of the gel 1 to the film 3 are improved.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a pad, a knee pad, a back pain pad or a shoulder pad used for an artificial breast, a breast augmentation bra and the like for a woman whose breast has been resected by an operation such as breast cancer or mastopathy. The present invention relates to a layered product having elasticity used for, for example, the following.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Hitherto, a laminate using a porous silicone gel having flexibility, elasticity, or shock absorption for use in artificial breasts, pads, and the like has been known (for example, see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-157,009). See Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 61-40728 and Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 4-50110). FIGS. 6 and 7 show a conventional example of such a laminate.

[0003] In FIG. 6, a knitted material (polyester fiber) 2A having elasticity is laminated on the surface of a silicone gel 1. In this conventional laminate, the silicone gel 1
Since the water and oil contained therein leak out of the knitted fabric 2A, the feeling is poor and discomfort occurs.

[0004] Accordingly, it is a main object of the present invention to provide a laminate having elasticity from which water or oil does not exude.

FIG. 7 shows another conventional example. In FIG. 7, a urethane film 3A having rubber elasticity is laminated on the surface of the silicone gel 1. Therefore, it is possible to prevent water or oil from flowing out of the silicone gel 1.

However, the urethane film 3A and the silicone gel 1 are different from the -OH group of the urethane and the silicone gel 1.
And weak adhesion due to the functional group and adhesion due to adhesion (tackiness). Therefore, the interface between the urethane film 3 </ b> A and the silicone gel 1 is likely to shift due to external pressure or frictional force. As described above, when the displacement occurs, air enters from the outside through the thin urethane film 3A, and air bubbles may be generated at the interface between the urethane film 3A and the silicone gel 1. Further, if the urethane film 3A is damaged by a pin or a needle, the tear strength of the thin urethane film 3A is deteriorated, and the urethane film 3A may be easily torn.

Therefore, another object of the present invention is to provide a laminate having good adhesion between a gel or low-hardness rubber and a film and having excellent tear strength of the film.

By the way, in the conventional example shown in FIG.
In the case of a laminate in which the outer film and the knitted fabric are like a bag and are filled with a silicone gel, it is necessary to stitch the knitted fabric surrounding the silicone gel. Such a suturing process is troublesome, and therefore, the manufacturing cost cannot be reduced by another factor. Therefore, yet another object of the present invention is to reduce manufacturing costs.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the elastic laminate of the first invention comprises a gel or a low-hardness rubber (hereinafter, referred to as "gel or the like" in the present specification). It has a stretchable knit covering the gel and the like, and a thermoplastic elastomer film laminated on the outside of the knit. In the present invention, as the gel, a polyethylene gel, a urethane gel, or the like can be used in addition to the silicone gel. Further, silicone rubber or the like can be used as the low hardness rubber. The low-hardness rubber is, for example, a rubber hardened by oil or the like and has a hardness of 30 degrees or less as measured by a JISA type hardness meter.

According to the first aspect, since the thermoplastic elastomer film is laminated on the outside of the gel or the like, the outflow of water or oil from the gel or the like can be prevented. Also, by infiltrating the gel or the like between the stitches of the knitted fabric, the gel or the like and the knitted fabric can be physically and mechanically firmly fixed, and the knitted fabric and the thermoplastic elastomer film are firmly fixed. Can be. Therefore, because the three are united,
The adhesion between the gel or the like and the film is improved, and the tear strength of the film is also improved. In this specification, the term “lamination” does not mean a state in which the layers are simply stacked, but a state in which both are physically or chemically integrated.

The elastic laminate of the second invention comprises a gel or the like, a film of a thermoplastic elastomer surrounding the gel or the like, and a stretchable knit laminated on the outside of the film.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the gel and the like are wrapped in the thermoplastic elastomer film, the outflow of water and oil from the gel and the like can be prevented. In addition, by integrally welding the film and the knit, the tear strength of the film can be improved. In addition, since molding can be performed by heat-welding each other with the thermoplastic elastomer film inside, the sewing step can be omitted, and the manufacturing cost can be greatly reduced.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the first invention will be described below with reference to FIG. In FIG. 1A, the upper portion of the laminate bulges in a substantially hemispherical shape. The entire surface of the porous silicone gel 1 is covered with a knitted material 2 having elasticity, and a thermoplastic elastomer film (polyurethane film) 3 is laminated on the outside of the knitted material 2 by heat welding. The silicone gel 1 has penetrated into the surface of the knit 2 and the silicone gel 1 has not reached the surface of the knit 2.

In the above configuration, since the polyurethane film 3 is laminated on the outside of the silicone gel 1,
Water and oil can be prevented from flowing out of the silicone gel 1.

Since the silicone gel 1 penetrates between the stitches of the knitted fabric 2, the silicone gel 1 and the knitted fabric 2 are firmly fixed, and the knitted fabric 2 and the polyurethane film 3 are thermally welded. I have. Therefore, since the three are integrated, the adhesiveness between the silicone gel 1 and the film 3 is improved.

In the first invention, “covering” means
This does not necessarily mean that the entire surface of the silicone gel 1 is covered with the knitted fabric 2. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, only a part may be covered with the knitted fabric 2 to which the polyurethane film 3 is fixed.

Further, as the stretchable knitted fabric 2 in the present invention, a tricot knitted fabric or various circular knitted fabrics (for example, sheeting) can be used. Further, as a material constituting the stretchable knitted fabric 2, a thermoplastic resin such as polyester fiber or polyamide fiber can be preferably used. Furthermore, polyurethane-based fibers, which themselves have elasticity, can be mixed and used.

The thermoplastic elastomer film 3
In addition to the polyurethane film, for example, a thermoplastic elastomer having elasticity such as polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) can be used.

Further, the polyurethane film 3 and the knitted fabric 2
When the polyurethane film 3 and the knitted fabric 2 are heat-welded to each other, for example, a product obtained by laminating the polyurethane film 3 on the knitted fabric 2 can be used.

The silicone gel 1 may be open cells or closed cells. Further, open cells and closed cells may coexist. Also,
Silicone gel 1 may contain small particles at the bottom or top to partially increase hardness. Further, small particles may be contained in the whole. In addition, silicone gel 1
A porous material based on a silicone gel having a penetration of 40 to 60 as measured by IS (K2207-1980, 50 g load) may be used. Furthermore, the apparent density of the silicone gel 1 is elasticity, flexibility, shock absorption,
0.3 to 0.7 g / cm ³ from the viewpoint of appropriate touch weight
It is preferable to use those in the range described above.

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the second invention. 3A and 3B, the upper portion of the laminate bulges in a substantially hemispherical shape. The entire surface of the silicone gel 1 is wrapped with a polyurethane film 3, and a knit 2 is laminated on the outside of the polyurethane film 3 by heat welding.

Next, a method for manufacturing the laminate of FIG. 3 will be described.
As shown in FIG. 4A, first, a polyurethane film 3 is heat-welded to one side of the knitted fabric 2. After this heat welding, FIG.
As shown in (b), the knit 2 and the polyurethane film 3 are set in the vacuum mold 4. Thereafter, air is sucked from the air holes 41 of the mold 4 to vacuum-mold the knitted fabric 2 and the polyurethane film 3 into a substantially hemispherical shell shape.

After this vacuum molding, as shown in FIG. 4C, the silicone gel 1 is poured into the concave portion, and the knitted fabric 2 and the polyurethane film 3 which have been previously heat-sealed are laminated. After this lamination, the mold is sealed with an upper mold (not shown), and the mold 4 is heated to form the silicone gel 1 and, at the same time, the contact surfaces 31 between the polyurethane films 3 are thermally welded.

As described above, since the contact surface 31 of the polyurethane film 3 is thermally welded, a complicated suturing step can be omitted, so that the manufacturing cost can be greatly reduced.

In the second aspect of the present invention, "wrapping"
It does not necessarily mean that the entire surface of the silicone gel 1 is wrapped, but it is sufficient that at least a part of the silicone gel 1 is wrapped so as to have a heat welding surface between the polyurethane films 3 as shown in FIG.

Next, a third embodiment will be described. As the laminate, a second knitted fabric is adhered to the surface layer of the polyurethane film 3 in FIG. 1, and a thin silicone rubber preformed on the second knitted fabric in a state close to human skin (eg, breast skin) May be adhered. In this laminate, since the second knitted fabric is bonded to the silicone rubber, a sufficiently large tear strength can be obtained even when the silicone rubber is formed into an extremely thin film. On the other hand, since the layer below the silicone rubber includes the layer of the polyurethane film 3 shown in FIG. 1 (b), oil bleeding can be prevented and the flow inhibition caused by the compatibility between the silicone gel 1 and the silicone rubber ( (Either gel or rubber is not cured). Furthermore, silicone gel 1
Since the silicone gel 1 is soft and the silicone gel 1 is porous, it has a specific gravity similar to that of body fat, and the skin of the silicone rubber has a feeling close to that of the human body.
Therefore, the laminate according to the third embodiment is preferable as an artificial breast.

In the third embodiment, when silicone rubber is adhered to the surface layer of the knitted fabric 2 of the laminate shown in FIG.
Similar effects can be obtained.

Hereinafter, another embodiment will be described. As a laminate forming an artificial breast, FIGS. 1 (a) and 1 (b)
The knitted fabric 2 may be impregnated with a hot-melt resin (for example, a urethane-based hot-melt film or a liquid urethane low-hardness rubber) to obtain a hot-melt resin-impregnated knitted fabric. Further, as another laminated body forming an artificial breast, FIG.
A hot melt resin film (for example, a urethane hot melt film) may be interposed between the urethane film 3 and the knitted fabric 2 in (a) and (b).

As a saddle pad for a mountain bike, a polyethylene gel is used in place of the silicone gel 1 shown in FIG. 1, and another hot melt film (for example, a polyethylene film) is used in place of the urethane film 3. Further, a second knitted fabric is laminated on the surface layer of the film. As another saddle pad for a mountain bike, one using a polyethylene gel instead of the silicone gel 1 in FIG. 1 and using another hot melt film (for example, a polyethylene-based film) instead of the urethane film 3 is used. be able to.

The elastic laminate according to the present invention comprises:
It can be used for artificial breasts for women whose breasts have been removed as described above, pads used for breast augmentation brassiere, back pain pads or shoulder pads, etc. Support parts, supporters for keeping warm and cool, pads such as ski pants, etc. And so on.

[0031]

As described above, in the elastic laminate of the first invention, since the thermoplastic elastomer film is laminated on the outer side of the knitted material covering the gel or the like, water from the gel or the like is removed. Oil spill can be prevented. In addition, by injecting a gel or the like between the stitches of the knit, the gel or the like and the knit can be firmly fixed, and the knit and the thermoplastic elastomer film can be fixed. Therefore, since the three are integrated, the adhesiveness between the gel or the like and the film is improved.

In the elastic laminate according to the second aspect of the present invention, since the gel and the like are wrapped in the thermoplastic elastomer film, the outflow of water and oil from the gel and the like can be prevented.
Further, by forming the thermoplastic elastomer film by heat welding, the sewing step can be omitted, so that the manufacturing cost can be significantly reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1A is a sectional view of a laminate according to a first invention, and FIG. 1B is a partially enlarged view thereof.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a laminate showing a modification of the first invention.

FIG. 3A is a sectional view of a laminate according to a second invention, and FIG. 3B is a partially enlarged view thereof.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a manufacturing method according to the second invention.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a laminate showing a modification of the second invention.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing another conventional example.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1: silicone gel 2: knitted fabric 3: thermoplastic elastomer film

Claims (2)

[Claims] An elastic laminate comprising a gel or low-hardness rubber, a stretchable knitted material covering the rubber or the low-hardness rubber, and a thermoplastic elastomer film stacked on the outside of the knitted material. . 2. A gel or low hardness rubber, and a thermoplastic elastomer film enclosing the gel or low hardness rubber,
And a knitted material having elasticity laminated on the outside of the film.