Three-dimensional filament connected body manufacturing device

Abstract

To provide a three-dimensional filament connected body manufacturing device capable of suppressing defect caused by wrinkling of a water permeable sheet on a chute.SOLUTION: A three-dimensional filament connected body manufacturing device comprises: a fused filament supply part to discharge a fused filament group formed by moving a plurality of fused filaments downward in parallel; and a fused connection formation part to form a three-dimensional filament connected body. The fused connection formation part has a base plate having an inclined surface and a water permeable sheet that is at least partially disposed on the inclined surface. The manufacturing device comprises: a chute to receive at least a portion of the fused filament group and guide the portion into a water tank by making the portion slide on the water permeable sheet on the inclined surface; and a fixing mechanism to fix the water permeable sheet so that positional deviation caused by the sliding of the portion is suppressed at whole area in a width direction of the water permeable sheet.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4B

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus for producing a three-dimensional filament assembly. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, a bonded body (a three-dimensional bonded filament body) obtained by three-dimensionally fusing and bonding filaments made of a thermoplastic resin has been used as a cushion body for various applications. As a method for manufacturing such a three-dimensional bonded filament body, for example, the method disclosed in Patent Document 1 is known.

[0003] According to the method of Patent Document 1, after a molten thermoplastic resin is extruded downward from a plurality of nozzles, a group of molten filaments (a linear aggregate) is dropped into water, and loops are formed by the buoyancy of the water, and at the same time, the looped molten filaments are fused and bonded three-dimensionally to each other to produce a three-dimensional filament bond. At this time, the end molten filament groups located on both sides in the thickness direction of the molten filament group (both ends in the front-rear direction) are received on an inclined receiving plate (chute), and then slid on the surface of the receiving plate in the inclined direction to drop into a water tank.

[0004] The filaments that have fallen into the water tank are transported downward by an underwater conveyor (puller) and are completely cooled in the water. In the manufacturing device disclosed in Patent Document 1, a water-permeable sheet is arranged to cover the upper surface of the chute. This water-permeable sheet is fixed onto the chute by a clip (fastener).

[0005] Fig. 12 shows a schematic configuration of the chute in the manufacturing apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1. The chutes 831p, 831q shown in this figure have water-permeable sheets 852p, 852q arranged on the upper surfaces of left and right substrates 851p, 851q arranged to be inclined, respectively, and are configured to receive the falling molten filament group, slide the water-permeable sheets 852p, 852q, and guide them downward. The water-permeable sheets 852p, 852q have their upper ends fixed to the substrates 851p, 851q by clips 853p, 853q, and their lower ends fixed to the substrates 851p, 851q by screws 854p, 854q. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] JP 2016-194190 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] As the filaments are transported by the underwater conveyor, the molten filaments on the water-permeable sheet are also pulled downward, and the water-permeable sheet fixed on the chute is also constantly pulled downward by friction with the molten filaments.

[0008] Therefore, when the water-permeable sheet is fixed by the clips 853p and 853q as described above, the unfixed portion moves in the pulling direction, causing distortion of the water-permeable sheet, which may cause wrinkles. Fig. 13 shows a schematic diagram of the water-permeable sheet 852p having wrinkles due to such a reason. As a result, the frictional resistance on the upper surface side of the water-permeable sheet becomes uneven, which causes problems such as poor sliding of the molten filaments on the water-permeable sheet and unstable shape of the filament loop.

[0009] In view of the above problems, the present invention aims to provide a manufacturing apparatus for a three-dimensional filament assembly that can suppress problems caused by wrinkles in the water-permeable sheet on the chute. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] The manufacturing apparatus of the present invention is an apparatus for manufacturing a three-dimensional filament bond, the apparatus having a molten filament supply section that discharges a group of molten filaments formed by translating a plurality of molten filaments downward, and a fusion bond forming section that forms a three-dimensional filament bond by fusion bonding the molten filaments to each other in a water tank, the fusion bond forming section having a substrate having an inclined surface and a water-permeable sheet, at least a portion of which is arranged on the inclined surface, a chute that receives at least a portion of the group of molten filaments and slides the water-permeable sheet on the inclined surface to guide it into the water tank, and a fixing mechanism that fixes the water-permeable sheet so that positional deviation caused by the sliding is suppressed across the entire width of the water-permeable sheet.

[0011] According to this configuration, it is possible to suppress defects caused by wrinkles in the water-permeable sheet on the chute. The "width direction" refers to a direction on the surface of the water-permeable sheet (a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction of the water-permeable sheet) and a direction perpendicular to the inclination direction of the inclined surface when viewed from above (the direction in which the molten filament group slides down due to gravity and the opposite direction). As the fixing mechanism of the present invention, it is preferable to use one fixing mechanism having a length that is 100% of the entire width of the water-permeable sheet, that is, the length in the width direction, but multiple fixing mechanisms having a length of 50% or less of the width of the water-permeable sheet may be used by arranging them side by side in the width direction. When multiple fixing mechanisms are used, it is preferable to install each fixing mechanism without any gaps, but a gap of 0% to 20% of the width of the fixing mechanism may be provided within a range that does not impair the effects of the present invention. In that case, it is preferable to install the fixing mechanism with a width length of 10 cm or more and a gap of 2 cm or less, and it is even more preferable to install the fixing mechanism with a width length of 15 cm or more and a gap of 1 cm or less.

[0012] More specifically, the fixing mechanism may have a sheet fixing member that fixes the entire width of the water-permeable sheet between the substrate and the sheet fixing member on the upstream side in the specific direction from the position where the molten filaments are received. The "specific direction" refers to a direction on the surface of the water-permeable sheet (a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction of the water-permeable sheet) and is the same direction as the inclination direction of the inclined surface (the direction in which the molten filaments slide down due to gravity and the opposite direction) when viewed from above. The "upstream side" refers to the opposite side of the direction in which the molten filaments slide down the inclined surface, among both sides of the specific direction.

[0013] More specifically, the sheet fixing member may have a surface that comes into contact with the water-permeable sheet and is treated with an anti-slip coating. Also, more specifically, the fixing mechanism may fix both ends of the water-permeable sheet in a specific direction to maintain the water-permeable sheet in contact with the inclined surface.

[0014] More specifically, as the above configuration, the water-permeable sheet may be formed into an endless belt extending in a specific direction, the fixing mechanism may extend in the width direction and have a rod-shaped fixing member arranged on the inside of the endless belt, and the rod-shaped fixing member, together with the substrate arranged on the inside of the endless belt, may suspend the water-permeable sheet and rotate the rod-shaped fixing member to rotate the water-permeable sheet. Effect of the Invention

[0015] According to the manufacturing apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to suppress problems caused by wrinkles occurring in the water-permeable sheet on the chute. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a manufacturing apparatus for a filament three-dimensional combined body according to the first embodiment. [Diagram 2] 2 is a cross-sectional view of the manufacturing apparatus taken along line AA' in FIG. 1. [Diagram 3] FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram of a nozzle portion as viewed from below. [Figure 4A] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the chute of the first embodiment as viewed from the right. [Figure 4B] FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of the chute of the first embodiment as viewed from above. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the state near the chute in the first embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of a chute according to a second embodiment, viewed from the right. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of a chute according to a third embodiment, viewed from the right. [Figure 8] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of a chute according to a fourth embodiment, viewed from the right. [Figure 9] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram of a chute according to a fifth embodiment, viewed from the right. [Figure 10] FIG. 13 is a schematic configuration diagram of a chute according to a sixth embodiment as viewed from above. [Figure 11] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic cross-sectional configuration of the chute. [Figure 12] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of a chute according to the prior art. [Figure 13] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a state in which wrinkles are formed in a water-permeable sheet. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0017] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The chute, cooling water supply unit, and conveyor described below are configured to be symmetrical in the front-rear direction with respect to the imaginary plane VP shown in Fig. 1 etc. As for the reference numerals of components having such a symmetrical configuration, the reference numerals with "p" at the end indicate the rear element, and the reference numerals with "q" at the end indicate the front element.

[0018] 1. First embodiment First, the first embodiment will be described. Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a manufacturing apparatus 1 for a three-dimensional filament assembly according to this embodiment, in which the manufacturing apparatus 1 is shown from the viewpoint of a cross-sectional view when cut along a plane that divides the apparatus into left and right halves. Fig. 2 is an arrow view of the A-A' cross section of the manufacturing apparatus 1 shown in Fig. 1. Note that the up-down, left-right, and front-back directions (directions perpendicular to each other) in the description of the manufacturing apparatus 1 are as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The up-down direction is the vertical direction.

[0019] The manufacturing apparatus 1 for manufacturing a three-dimensional filament bond includes a molten filament supply section 10 that discharges a molten filament group MFz consisting of a plurality of molten filaments MF with diameters of approximately 0.3 to 3.0 mm vertically downward, and a fusion bond forming section 20 that three-dimensionally entangles the molten filaments MF to fusion bond the contact points, and then cools and solidifies the fusion bond to form a three-dimensional filament bond 3DF.

[0020] The molten filament supply section 10 includes a pressure melting section 11 (extruder) and a filament discharge section 12 (die). The pressure melting section 11 includes a material input section 13 (hopper), a screw 14, a screw motor 15 that drives the screw 14, a screw heater 16, and a plurality of temperature sensors (not shown). Inside the pressure melting section 11, a cylinder 11a is formed for transporting the thermoplastic resin supplied from the material input section 13 while heating and melting it with the screw heater 16.

[0021] A screw 14 is rotatably housed in the cylinder 11a. A cylinder outlet 11b is formed at the downstream end of the cylinder 11a for discharging the thermoplastic resin toward the filament discharge section 12. The heating temperature of the screw heater 16 is controlled based on a detection signal of a temperature sensor provided in the molten filament supply section 10, for example.

[0022] The filament discharge section 12 includes a nozzle section 17, a die heater 18, and a plurality of temperature sensors (not shown), and is formed therein with a guide channel 12a that guides the molten thermoplastic resin discharged from the cylinder discharge port 11b to the nozzle section 17.

[0023] The nozzle portion 17 is a thick metal plate having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape in which a plurality of openings are formed, and is provided below the filament discharge portion 12, which corresponds to the most downstream portion of the guide channel 12a.

[0024] Fig. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram of the nozzle section 17 as viewed from below. A plurality of nozzle openings 17a for discharging the molten filament MF are formed in the nozzle section 17. In the example shown in Fig. 3, the openings 17a are arranged in a staggered manner in the front-rear and left-right directions, and the distance (pitch) between adjacent openings 17 is about 10 mm. However, the specific shape of the openings 17 is not particularly limited.

[0025] A plurality of die heaters 18 (six, 18a to 18f, in the example shown in FIG. 2) are provided in the left-right direction and heat the filament discharge section 12. The heating temperature of the die heater 18 is controlled based on a detection signal of a temperature sensor provided in the filament discharge section 12, for example.

[0026] Examples of thermoplastic resins that can be used as materials for the filament three-dimensional bonded body include polyolefin resins such as polyethylene and polypropylene, polyester resins such as polyethylene terephthalate, polyamide resins such as nylon 66, polyvinyl chloride resins, and polystyrene resins, as well as thermoplastic elastomers such as styrene-based elastomers, PVC-based elastomers, olefin-based elastomers, urethane-based elastomers, polyester-based elastomers, nitrile-based elastomers, polyamide-based elastomers, and fluorine-based elastomers.

[0027] The thermoplastic resin supplied from the material input unit 13 is heated and melted in the cylinder 11a, and is supplied as a molten thermoplastic resin from the cylinder outlet 11b to the guide channel 12a of the filament discharge unit 12, for example, by being extruded by the screw 14. Thereafter, a group of molten filaments MFz is discharged from each of the multiple nozzle openings 17a of the nozzle unit 17 so as to move downward in translation.

[0028] The fusion bond forming section 20 includes a cooling water tank 21, a pair of front and rear conveyors 24 (24p, 24q), a plurality of transport rollers 25a to 25h, a chute 31, and a pair of front and rear cooling water supply sections 41 (41p, 41q).

[0029] The cooling water tank 21 is a tank that contains water W used to cool the molten filament MF, and can store a sufficient amount of water W as shown in Fig. 1. The water W serves as a coolant that provides buoyancy to the molten filament MF to bend it, and cools and solidifies the molten filament MF after the contact points between the molten filaments formed by the bending are fused together. A pair of conveyors 24p, 24q and a plurality of transport rollers 25a to 25h are disposed inside the cooling water tank 21. The pair of conveyors 24p, 24q and the plurality of transport rollers 25a to 25h are driven by a drive motor (not shown).

[0030] The molten filament group MFz discharged from the nozzle portion 17 has its thickness (front-rear dimension) adjusted by the chute 31, and each molten filament MF therein is deflected by the buoyancy of the water W in the cooling water tank 21 to form a random loop. The random loops are three-dimensionally entangled with adjacent random loops in a molten state, and the contact points are fused and bonded to form a three-dimensional filament bond (filament three-dimensional bond 3DF).

[0031] The three-dimensional filament combined body 3DF is sandwiched between a pair of conveyors 24p, 24q and transported downward, and is further transported while being cooled by the water W in the cooling water tank 21 by a plurality of transport rollers 25a to 25h, and is finally discharged to the outside of the cooling water tank 21. In this manner, the manufacturing apparatus 1 manufactures the three-dimensional filament combined body 3DF.

[0032] Next, the configuration of the chute 31 will be described in more detail. FIG. 4A is a schematic diagram of the chute 31 as viewed from the right. FIG. 4B is a schematic diagram of the chute 31 as viewed from above. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of the chute 31 during the production of the filament three-dimensional combined body 3DF. As shown in FIG. 5, the chute 31 has substrates 51p, 51q having inclined surfaces and water-permeable sheets 52p, 52q at least a part of which is disposed on the inclined surfaces, and is configured to receive at least a part of the molten filament group MFz (in this embodiment, the part near both front and rear ends) in the region α and guide it into the cooling water tank 21 by sliding the water-permeable sheets 52p, 52q on the inclined surfaces.

[0033] The rear chute 31p and the front chute 31q are symmetrical with respect to the front and rear with respect to the imaginary plane VP. In the following description of the configuration of the chute 31, the rear chute 31p will be described, and a description of the front chute 31q may be omitted.

[0034] The chute 31p is symmetrical and includes a base plate 51p, a water-permeable sheet 52p, a portion of which is disposed on the inclined surface of the base plate 51p, and a sheet fixing member 53p. The base plate 51p can be formed, for example, by bending a metal plate (such as a plate of stainless steel), and is formed so that an inclined portion 511p and a vertical portion 512p are connected to each other. The inclined portion 511p is in the form of a flat plate having an inclined surface that slopes downward as it advances forward. The vertical portion 512p is in the form of a flat plate having a vertical surface, and its upper end is connected to the lower end of the inclined portion 511p.

[0035] The water-permeable sheet 52p may be, for example, a sheet of bleached fabric or a sheet of denim fabric for cotton jeans. In the description of each embodiment, the direction on the surface of the water-permeable sheet, a part of which is disposed on the inclined surface of the substrate (the direction perpendicular to the thickness direction of the water-permeable sheet), may be referred to as the "width direction Dx" in the top view, and the same direction as the inclination direction (the direction in which the molten filament group MFz slides down due to gravity and the opposite direction) may be referred to as the "width direction Dx", and the same direction as the inclination direction (the direction perpendicular to the width direction Dx) may be referred to as the "specific direction Dy". In addition, in the specific direction Dy, the side in which the molten filament group MF slides down the inclined surface may be referred to as the downstream side, and the opposite side may be referred to as the upstream side.

[0036] The water-permeable sheet 52p is a sheet with a rectangular outer edge laid on the upper surface of the substrate 51p. Of the two pairs of opposite sides of the rectangular shape, one pair of opposite sides extends in a width direction Dx that coincides with the left-right direction, and the other pair of opposite sides extends in a specific direction Dy. The size of the water-permeable sheet 52p in the width direction Dx is slightly smaller than the left-right size of the substrate 51p and the sheet fixing member 53p.

[0037] The sheet fixing member 53p is formed in a flat plate shape with the left-right direction as the longitudinal direction, and the left-right size is larger than the left-right size of the water-permeable sheet 52p. In the example of this embodiment, the left-right size of the sheet fixing member 53p is 1 m or more. The sheet fixing member 53p is arranged so as to sandwich the entire area of ​​the water-permeable sheet 52p in the width direction Dx between the sheet fixing member 53p and the inclined portion 511p, upstream of the region (region α shown in FIG. 5) receiving the molten filament group MFz in the specific direction Dy. Note that the left end vicinity of the sheet fixing member 53p extends leftward beyond the left end of the water-permeable sheet 52p, and the right end vicinity of the sheet fixing member 53p extends rightward beyond the right end of the water-permeable sheet 52p. Each of these extending portions is fixed to the inclined portion 511p by using a screw 54p.

[0038] As a result, the sheet fixing member 53p plays a role in sandwiching and fixing the entire area of ​​the water-permeable sheet 52p in the width direction Dx between the sheet fixing member 53p and the inclined portion 511p. The water-permeable sheet 52p is maintained in a state where it is pressed against the inclined portion 511p by the sheet fixing member 53p in a continuous area from the left end to the right end.

[0039] The lower surface of the sheet fixing member 53p (the surface in contact with the water-permeable sheet 52p) may be treated with an anti-slip coating to more reliably prevent the water-permeable sheet 52p from slipping. Examples of this anti-slip coating include a process in which multiple needle-like protrusions of about 1 mm are provided on the lower surface of the sheet fixing member 53p.

[0040] In the vicinity of the chute 31, the molten filament group MFz is supplied from the upper nozzle portion 17 to the region β shown in FIG. 4B. In the region β where the inclined portion 511p is arranged as viewed from above (i.e., the region α shown in FIG. 5), the molten filament group MFz hits the water-permeable sheet 52p on the inclined portion 511p, and is guided into the cooling water tank 21 by sliding the water-permeable sheet 52p downstream in the specific direction Dy due to the inclination. In the region β where the inclined portion 511p is not arranged as viewed from above, the molten filament group MFz is guided directly into the cooling water tank 21 through between the front and rear chutes 31. The inclination angle of the inclined portion 511p may be determined, for example, by taking into consideration the balance between the ease of sliding of the molten filament MF and the progress of the loop formation described above.

[0041] The cooling water supply unit 41p serves to supply cooling water to the entire width direction Dx of the water-permeable sheet 52p at a position upstream in the specific direction Dy from the region α shown in Fig. 5. By supplying cooling water to the water-permeable sheet 52p, the cooling water spreads evenly over the water-permeable sheet 52p, improving the slippage of the molten filaments MF and enabling the molten filaments MF to be cooled.

[0042] 2. Second embodiment Next, the second embodiment will be described. The second embodiment is basically the same as the first embodiment, except for the chute and related points. In the following description, the emphasis will be placed on the differences from the first embodiment, and the description of the commonalities with the first embodiment may be omitted.

[0043] 6 is a schematic diagram of the configuration of chute 131 according to the second embodiment (corresponding to chute 31 in the first embodiment) as seen from the right. In this embodiment as well, rear chute 131p and front chute 131q of chute 131 are symmetrical in the front-rear direction with respect to the imaginary plane VP. In the following explanation of the configuration of chute 131, the rear chute 131p will be described, and an explanation of front chute 131q may be omitted.

[0044] The chute 131p has a substrate 151p, a water-permeable sheet 152p, a portion of which is disposed on the inclined surface of the substrate 151p, and a sheet fixing member 153p. The substrate 151p is formed so that a first vertical portion 1512p, an inclined portion 1511p, and a second vertical portion 1513p are connected in this order in a direction perpendicular to the left-right direction. The inclined portion 1511p is a flat plate having an inclined surface on the upper side that inclines downward as it advances forward. The first vertical portion 1512p is a flat plate having a vertical surface on the left side, and its upper end is connected to the rear end of the inclined portion 1511p. The second vertical portion 1513p is a flat plate having a vertical surface on the right side, and its upper end is connected to the front end of the inclined portion 1511p.

[0045] The water-permeable sheet 152p is a sheet with a rectangular outer edge, and is laid on the surface of the substrate 151p (the inclined surface of the inclined portion 1511p and the vertical surfaces of the vertical portions 1512p and 1513p). Of the two pairs of opposite sides of this rectangle, one pair of opposite sides extends in the width direction Dx (which corresponds to the left-right direction in this embodiment), and the other pair of opposite sides extends in a specific direction Dy.

[0046] The sheet fixing member 153p is disposed so as to sandwich the entire area of ​​the water-permeable sheet 152p in the width direction Dx between the sheet fixing member 153p and the first vertical portion 1513p. The left end vicinity of the sheet fixing member 153p extends leftward beyond the left end of the water-permeable sheet 152p, and the right end vicinity of the sheet fixing member 153p extends rightward beyond the right end of the water-permeable sheet 152p. Each of these extending portions is fixed to the first vertical portion 1512p by using a screw 154p.

[0047] As a result, the sheet fixing member 153p plays a role in sandwiching and fixing the entire area of ​​the water-permeable sheet 152p in the width direction Dx between the sheet fixing member 153p and the first vertical portion 1512p. The water-permeable sheet 152p is maintained in a state of being pressed against the first vertical portion 1512p by the sheet fixing member 153p in a continuous area from the left end to the right end. The sheet fixing member 153p may also be subjected to an anti-slip treatment similar to that in the first embodiment.

[0048] 6, the vicinities of both ends of the water-permeable sheet 152p in the specific direction Dy are disposed below the water surface position of the water W in the cooling water tank 21. This makes it easier for the water-permeable sheet 152p to absorb the water W in the cooling water tank 21, and it is possible to appropriately supply cooling water to the entire water-permeable sheet 152p without providing anything equivalent to the cooling water supply unit 41 of the first embodiment.

[0049] 3. Third embodiment Next, the third embodiment will be described. The third embodiment is basically the same as the first embodiment, except for the chute and related points. In the following description, the emphasis will be placed on the differences from the first embodiment, and the description of the commonalities with the first embodiment may be omitted.

[0050] 7 is a schematic diagram of the configuration of chute 231 according to the third embodiment (corresponding to chute 31 in the first embodiment) as seen from the right. In this embodiment as well, the rear chute 231p and the front chute 231q of chute 231 are symmetrical in the front-rear direction with respect to the imaginary plane VP. In the following explanation of the configuration of chute 231, the rear chute 231p will be described, and an explanation of the front chute 231q may be omitted.

[0051] The chute 231p has a base plate 251p, a water-permeable sheet 252p partly arranged on the inclined surface of the base plate 251, an upper sheet fixing member 253p, and a lower sheet fixing member 254p. The base plate 251p is in the form of a plate having an inclined surface that slopes downward as it advances forward. The front end of the base plate 251p is gently bent downward to form a rounded shape, as shown in FIG.

[0052] The water-permeable sheet 252p is a sheet with a rectangular outer edge that is partially laid on the upper surface of the substrate 251p. Of two pairs of opposite sides of the rectangular shape, one pair of opposite sides extends in the width direction Dx (which corresponds to the left-right direction in this embodiment), and the other pair of opposite sides extends in a specific direction Dy.

[0053] The upper sheet fixing member 255p is installed on the rear side of the upper end of the substrate 251p, and has a gap into which the end of the water-permeable sheet 252p can be inserted from the front. The size of this gap can be adjusted using a screw 256p. This allows the upper sheet fixing member 255p to grip and fix one end of the water-permeable sheet 252p inserted from the front in a specific direction Dy using a screw 257p. The upper sheet fixing member 255p is set to have a left-right size larger than the left-right size of the water-permeable sheet 252p, and is configured to vertically sandwich the entire area of ​​the water-permeable sheet 252p in the width direction Dx.

[0054] As a result, the upper sheet fixing member 255p plays a role in fixing the entire area in the width direction Dx at the upstream end of the water-permeable sheet 252p in the specific direction Dy. The water-permeable sheet 252p is maintained fixed by the upper sheet fixing member 255p in a continuous area from the left end to the right end at the upstream end in the specific direction Dy.

[0055] The lower sheet fixing member 256p is installed below the upper sheet fixing member 255p, and has a gap into which the end of the water-permeable sheet 252p can be inserted from the front. The size of this gap can be adjusted using a screw 258p. This allows the lower sheet fixing member 256p to grip and fix the other end of the water-permeable sheet 252p in the specific direction Dy inserted from the front using the screw 258p. The lower sheet fixing member 256p is set to have a left-right size larger than the left-right size of the water-permeable sheet 252p, and is configured to vertically sandwich the entire area of ​​the water-permeable sheet 252p in the width direction Dx.

[0056] As a result, the lower sheet fixing member 256p plays a role in fixing the entire area in the width direction Dx at the downstream end of the water-permeable sheet 252p in the specific direction Dy. The water-permeable sheet 252p is maintained fixed by the lower sheet fixing member 256p in a continuous area from the left end to the right end at the downstream end in the specific direction Dy. Note that each fixing member 255p, 256p may also be subjected to an anti-slip treatment similar to that in the first embodiment.

[0057] As shown in Fig. 7, the water-permeable sheet 252p has a region extending horizontally from the upper sheet fixing member 255p to the upper end of the substrate 251p, a region extending along the surface of the substrate 251p, and a region extending horizontally from the lower end of the substrate 251p to the lower sheet fixing member 256p, which are connected in this order. Note that the water-permeable sheet 252p shown in Fig. 7 has both ends in the specific direction Dy fixed to the fixing members 255p and 256p in a state where it is pulled in the specific direction Dy with an appropriate force so as not to cause slack in the specific direction Dy.

[0058] 4. Fourth embodiment Next, the fourth embodiment will be described. The fourth embodiment is basically the same as the first embodiment, except for the chute and points related thereto. In the following description, the emphasis will be placed on the points that are different from the first embodiment, and the points that are common to the first embodiment may be omitted.

[0059] 8 is a schematic diagram of the configuration of chute 331 according to the fourth embodiment (corresponding to chute 31 in the first embodiment) as seen from the right. In this embodiment as well, rear chute 331p and front chute 331q of chute 331 are symmetrical in the front-rear direction with respect to the imaginary plane VP. In the following explanation of the configuration of chute 331, only rear chute 331p will be explained, and explanation of front chute 331q may be omitted.

[0060] The chute 331p includes a base plate 351p, a water-permeable sheet 352p, a portion of which is disposed on the inclined surface of the base plate 351p, a sheet fixing member 353p, an upper cylindrical member 359p, and a lower cylindrical member 360p. The base plate 351p is in the form of a plate having an inclined surface that slopes downward as it advances forward. The front end of the base plate 351p is gently bent downward to form a rounded shape, as shown in FIG. 8.

[0061] The water-permeable sheet 352p is a sheet with a rectangular outer edge, a part of which is laid on the upper surface of the substrate 351p. Of two pairs of opposite sides of the rectangular shape, one pair of opposite sides extends in the width direction Dx (which corresponds to the left-right direction in this embodiment), and the other pair of opposite sides extends in a specific direction Dy.

[0062] The upper cylindrical member 359p is configured in a cylindrical shape extending in the left-right direction, and is installed at a position behind the rear end of the substrate 351p. The left-right size of the upper cylindrical member 354p is larger than the left-right size of the water-permeable sheet 352p, the left end of the upper cylindrical member 354p is located to the left of the left end of the water-permeable sheet 352p, and the right end of the upper cylindrical member 354p is located to the right of the right end of the water-permeable sheet 352p.

[0063] The lower cylindrical member 360p has the same shape and size as the upper cylindrical member 354p and is installed below the upper cylindrical member 359p. The left end of the lower cylindrical member 360p is located to the left of the left end of the water-permeable sheet 352p, and the right end of the lower cylindrical member 360p is located to the right of the right end of the water-permeable sheet 352p.

[0064] The sheet fixing member 353p is installed below the lower cylindrical member 360p, and has a gap through which both ends of the overlapped water-permeable sheet 352p can be inserted from above. The size of this gap can be adjusted using the screws 354p. This allows the sheet fixing member 353p to grip and fix both ends of the water-permeable sheet 352p inserted from above in a specific direction Dy using the screws 354p. The sheet fixing member 353p is set to have a left-right size larger than the left-right size of the water-permeable sheet 352p, and is configured to vertically sandwich the entire area of ​​the water-permeable sheet 352p in the width direction Dx.

[0065] As a result, the sheet fixing member 353p plays a role in fixing the entire area in the width direction Dx at both ends of the water-permeable sheet 352p in the specific direction Dy. The water-permeable sheet 352p is maintained fixed by the sheet fixing member 353p in a continuous area from the left end to the right end at both ends in the specific direction Dy. The sheet fixing member 353p may also be subjected to an anti-slip treatment similar to that in the first embodiment.

[0066] In the water-permeable sheet 352p shown in Fig. 8, there are, in order from one end in the specific direction Dy fixed to the sheet fixing member 353p, a portion in contact with a part of the outer circumferential surface of the upper cylindrical member 359p, a portion in contact with the top surface of the substrate 351, a portion in contact with a part of the outer circumferential surface of the lower cylindrical member 360p, and the other end in the specific direction Dy fixed to the sheet fixing member 353p. Note that the water-permeable sheet 352p shown in Fig. 8 has both ends in the specific direction Dy fixed to the sheet fixing member 353p in a state where it is pulled in the specific direction Dy with an appropriate force so as not to cause slack in the specific direction Dy.

[0067] 8, the vicinities of both ends of the water-permeable sheet 352p in the specific direction Dy are disposed below the water surface position of the water W in the cooling water tank 21. This makes it easier for the water-permeable sheet 352p to absorb the water W in the cooling water tank 21, and it is possible to appropriately supply cooling water to the entire water-permeable sheet 352p without providing anything equivalent to the cooling water supply unit 41 of the first embodiment.

[0068] 5. Fifth embodiment Next, the fifth embodiment will be described. The fifth embodiment is basically the same as the first embodiment, except for the chute and related points. In the following description, the emphasis will be placed on the differences from the first embodiment, and the description of the commonalities with the first embodiment may be omitted.

[0069] 9 is a schematic configuration diagram of chute 431 (corresponding to chute 31 in the first embodiment) according to the fifth embodiment as seen from the right. In this embodiment as well, rear chute 431p and front chute 431q of chute 431 are symmetrical in the front-rear direction with respect to imaginary plane VP. In the following explanation of the configuration of chute 431, the rear chute 431p will be described, and explanation of front chute 431q may be omitted.

[0070] The chute 431p includes a substrate 451p, a water-permeable sheet 452p, a portion of which is disposed on the inclined surface of the substrate 451p, and a rod-shaped fixing member 461p. The substrate 451p is in the form of a plate having an inclined surface that slopes downward as it advances forward. The front end of the substrate 451p is gently bent downward to form a rounded shape, as shown in FIG. 9.

[0071] The rod-shaped fixing member 461p is configured in a cylindrical shape extending in the left-right direction (the same direction as the width direction Dx) and is installed on the rear side of the substrate 451p. The left-right size of the rod-shaped fixing member 461p is larger than the left-right size of the water-permeable sheet 452p, the left end of the rod-shaped fixing member 461p is located to the left of the left end of the water-permeable sheet 452p, and the right end of the rod-shaped fixing member 461p is located to the right of the right end of the water-permeable sheet 452p.

[0072] The water-permeable sheet 452p is formed in the shape of an endless belt extending in a specific direction Dy (a direction perpendicular to the width direction Dx). The substrate 451p and the rod-shaped fixing member 461p are disposed on the inside of the endless belt.

[0073] The rod-shaped fixing member 461p is arranged to suspend the endless belt-like water-permeable sheet 452p together with the substrate 451p. As a result, as shown in Fig. 9, the inner surface of the water-permeable sheet 452p has a portion that contacts the inclined surface of the substrate 451p and a portion that contacts the outer peripheral surface of the rod-shaped fixing member 461. In addition, the rod-shaped fixing member 461p plays a role in fixing the water-permeable sheet 452p so as to suppress positional deviation caused by sliding the molten filament group MFz on the inclined surface of the substrate 451p over the entire area of ​​the width direction Dx of the water-permeable sheet 452p.

[0074] Furthermore, the rod-shaped fixing member 461p can rotate in the direction indicated by the arrow Yp in Fig. 9 around a central axis Dp extending left and right as a rotation axis. By rotating the rod-shaped fixing member 461p in this manner, it is possible to rotate the water-permeable sheet 452p in the same direction. The rotation of the rod-shaped fixing member 461 can be realized, for example, by using the driving force of a motor, and in this embodiment, as an example, the rod-shaped fixing member 461 is set to rotate so as to rotate the water-permeable sheet 452p by 2 to 3 cm per day.

[0075] In this way, by changing the position of the water-permeable sheet 452p in the rotational direction, for example, every day, it is possible to disperse the area on the water-permeable sheet 452p where the molten filaments MF slide. As a result, it is possible to minimize the occurrence of holes due to wear of the water-permeable sheet 452p, and minimize the frequency of replacement of the water-permeable sheet 452p.

[0076] In this embodiment, the water-permeable sheet 452p is formed in an endless belt shape, and a part of it is disposed below the water surface position of the water W in the cooling water tank 21. This makes it possible to appropriately supply cooling water to the entire water-permeable sheet 452p without providing anything equivalent to the cooling water supply unit 41 of the first embodiment.

[0077] 6. Sixth embodiment Next, the sixth embodiment will be described. The sixth embodiment is basically the same as the first embodiment, except for the chute and related points. In the following description, the emphasis will be placed on the differences from the first embodiment, and the description of the commonalities with the first embodiment may be omitted.

[0078] Fig. 10 is a schematic diagram of a chute 531 according to a sixth embodiment (corresponding to the chute 31 in the first embodiment) as viewed from above. Fig. 11 shows a schematic cross-sectional configuration of the chute 531 taken along the B-B' plane shown in Fig. 10.

[0079] The chute 531 has a substrate 551, a water-permeable sheet 552 partially disposed on the inclined surface of the substrate 551, and a sheet fixing member 553. The substrate 551 has a horizontal surface portion 5511, an inclined portion 5512 provided on the inside of the horizontal surface portion 5511 when viewed from above, and a vertical surface portion 5513 provided on the inside of the inclined portion 5512 when viewed from above. The inside of the vertical surface 5513 when viewed from above is a through hole 552a provided in a region toward the center of the substrate 551 when viewed from above.

[0080] 11, the water-permeable sheet 552 is disposed so as to cover the entire outer surface of the substrate 551. The sheet fixing member 553 is ring-shaped when viewed from above, and is disposed so as to sandwich the water-permeable sheet 552p located on the horizontal surface portion 5511 between the sheet fixing member 553 and the horizontal surface portion 5511 over the entire circumference when viewed from above. The sheet fixing member 553 can be fixed to the horizontal surface portion 5511 by its own weight or by screw fastening, etc., in a state in which the water-permeable sheet 52p is sandwiched between the sheet fixing member 553. The sheet fixing member 553 may also be subjected to an anti-slip treatment similar to that in the first embodiment.

[0081] A frame R shown in FIG. 10 indicates the boundary between the horizontal surface portion 5511 and the inclined portion 5512 in the substrate 551. The dashed arrow in FIG. 10 also shows the downward inclination direction of the inclined surface (upper surface) of the inclined portion 5512. In this manner, each portion of the inclined surface is inclined downward as it approaches the through hole 552a. In this embodiment, the specific direction Dy coincides with the direction of the dashed arrow and the reverse direction thereof when viewed from above, and the width direction Dx coincides with the direction perpendicular to the dashed arrow when viewed from above. The sheet fixing member 553 plays a role of sandwiching and fixing the entire width direction Dx of the water-permeable sheet 552p between the horizontal surface portion 5511 and the water-permeable sheet 552p upstream of the specific direction Dy from the position receiving the molten filament group MFz.

[0082] In the vicinity of the chute 531, the molten filament group MFz is supplied from the upper nozzle portion 17 into the region β shown in FIG. 10. When viewed from above, the edge of the through hole 552a is contained in the region β, and the region β is contained inside the dotted frame R described above. In the region β where the inclined portion 5512 is arranged when viewed from above, the molten filament group MFz hits the water-permeable sheet 52 on the inclined portion 5512, and slides down the water-permeable sheet 552 due to the inclination, falling into the through hole 552a, and is guided into the cooling water tank 21. In the region β where the inclined portion 5512 is not arranged when viewed from above, the molten filament group MFz is guided directly into the cooling water tank 21 through the through hole 552a.

[0083] The shape and size of the edge of the through hole 552a as viewed from above are set to match the shape and size of the pillow as viewed from the side, which is bedding. Therefore, if the filament three-dimensional combined body 3DF manufactured by the manufacturing device 1 having the chute 531 of this embodiment is cut at intervals that match the width of the pillow, it is possible to easily manufacture the pillow.

[0084] 7.Other As described above, the manufacturing apparatus 1 of each embodiment is an apparatus for manufacturing a three-dimensional filament bond, which includes a molten filament supply section 10 that discharges a group of molten filaments MFz formed by translating a plurality of molten filaments MF downward, and a fusion bond formation section 20 that forms a three-dimensional filament bond 3DF by fusion bonding the molten filaments MF to each other in a cooling water tank 21.

[0085] The fusion bond forming unit 20 further includes a chute and a fixing mechanism. The chute includes a substrate having an inclined surface and a water-permeable sheet at least a portion of which is disposed on the inclined surface, and receives at least a portion of the molten filament group MFz, and guides the molten filament group MFz by sliding the water-permeable sheet on the inclined surface into the cooling water tank 21. The fixing mechanism fixes the water-permeable sheet so that positional deviation caused by sliding the molten filament group MFz is suppressed over the entire area of ​​the water-permeable sheet in the width direction Dx.

[0086] Thus, according to the manufacturing apparatus 1 of each embodiment, the water-permeable sheet is fixed so that the positional deviation caused by the sliding of the molten filament group MFz is suppressed in the entire region continuing from one end to the other end in the width direction Dx, and it is possible to suppress defects caused by wrinkles on the water-permeable sheet on the chute. As a result, the frictional resistance on the water-permeable sheet becomes uniform, the sliding of the molten filaments on the water-permeable sheet is smooth, and it is possible to maintain a uniform filament loop shape for a long time.

[0087] In the first, second, and sixth embodiments, the fixing mechanism includes a sheet fixing member 53, 153, 553 that sandwiches and fixes the entire area of ​​the water-permeable sheet in the width direction Dx between the sheet fixing member 53, 153, 553 and the substrate, upstream of the position receiving the molten filament group MFz in the specific direction Dy. Therefore, it is possible to realize fixing of the water-permeable sheet with a relatively simple configuration by using the substrate.

[0088] In the third and fourth embodiments, the fixing mechanism fixes both ends of the water-permeable sheet in the specific direction Dy and maintains the water-permeable sheet in contact with the inclined surface of the substrate. Therefore, by fixing both ends in the specific direction Dy, it is possible to more reliably prevent the water-permeable sheet from wrinkling.

[0089] In the manufacturing apparatus 1 of the fifth embodiment, the water-permeable sheet is formed in an endless belt shape extending in a direction (specific direction Dy) perpendicular to the width direction Dx, and the fixing mechanism has a rod-shaped fixing member extending in the width direction Dx and arranged on the inside of the endless belt shape. Furthermore, the rod-shaped fixing member stretches the water-permeable sheet together with a substrate arranged on the inside of the endless belt shape, and the water-permeable sheet is rotated by rotating the rod-shaped fixing member.

[0090] In addition, as the water permeable sheet in each embodiment, a water absorbent sheet having a relatively strong ability to absorb or draw up water may be used. Examples of the water absorbent sheet include a cotton fabric having a thickness of 1 mm, a cloth containing cellulose-based fibers having hydroxyl groups or acrylate-based fibers having carboxylates, and a sponge-like porous hydrophilic resin.

[0091] Methods for increasing the water absorbing ability of the absorbent sheet include a method for increasing wettability by decreasing the contact angle of the fiber material, and a method for increasing the surface area by decreasing the fiber diameter (enhancing the capillary phenomenon). The absorbent sheet preferably has a thickness of 0.5 mm or more and 5 mm or less, and may be used as a single piece of fabric or a stack of multiple fabrics. If the absorbent sheet is too thin, the amount of water in the cooling water film formed is small, and it becomes easy to dry. On the other hand, if the absorbent sheet is too thick, unevenness is likely to occur on the surface, making it difficult for the molten filament MF to slide smoothly.

[0092] Although each embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the configuration of the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. In other words, the above-mentioned embodiments are illustrative in all respects and should be considered as not restrictive. The technical scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims, not the description of the above-mentioned embodiments, and should be understood to include all modifications that fall within the meaning and scope of the claims. [Industrial Applicability]

[0093] The present invention can be used in an apparatus for producing a three-dimensional filament bond. [Explanation of symbols]

[0094] 1 Manufacturing equipment 10 Molten filament supply section 11 Pressurized fusion zone 11a Cylinder 11b Cylinder outlet 12 Filament outlet 12a Channel 13 Material input section 14 Screw 15 Screw motor 16 Screw heater 17 Nozzle section 17a Nozzle opening 18 Die heater 20 Fusion joint forming part 21 Cooling Water Tank 24 Conveyor 25a~25h Transport roller 31, 131, 231, 331, 431, 531 shots 51, 151, 251, 351, 451, 551 board 52, 152, 252, 352, 452, 552 Permeable sheet 53, 153, 353, 553 Seat fixing member 255 Upper seat fixing member 256 Lower seat fixing member 461 Rod-shaped fixing member 3DF Filament 3D Binding Body MF Fused Filament MFz fused filament group

Claims

1. a molten filament supply section that discharges a group of molten filaments formed by translating a plurality of molten filaments downward; a fusion bond forming section for forming a three-dimensional filament bond by fusion bonding the molten filaments together in a water tank; A manufacturing apparatus for a filament three-dimensional assembly comprising: The fusion bond forming portion is a chute having a substrate having an inclined surface and a water-permeable sheet at least a portion of which is disposed on the inclined surface, the chute receiving at least a portion of the molten filament group and guiding the molten filament group into the water tank by sliding the water-permeable sheet on the inclined surface; A fixing mechanism for fixing the water-permeable sheet so as to suppress displacement caused by the sliding across the entire width of the water-permeable sheet; A manufacturing apparatus comprising:

2. The fixing mechanism includes: The manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that it has a sheet fixing member that clamps and fixes the entire width of the water-permeable sheet between the substrate and the sheet fixing member, upstream in a specific direction from a position where the group of molten filaments is received.

3. The sheet fixing member is 3. The manufacturing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the surface in contact with the water-permeable sheet is treated with an anti-slip coating.

4. The fixing mechanism includes:

2. The manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that both ends of the water-permeable sheet in a specific direction are fixed, and the water-permeable sheet is maintained in a state of contact with the inclined surface.

5. The water-permeable sheet is formed in an endless belt shape extending in a specific direction, The fixing mechanism includes a rod-shaped fixing member extending in the width direction and disposed on the inside of the endless belt. The rod-shaped fixing member stretches the water-permeable sheet together with the substrate arranged on the inside of the endless belt, 2. The manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the water-permeable sheet is rotated by rotating a rod-shaped fixing member.

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