Cushioning material

Abstract

To provide a cushioning material capable of preventing dust and a user's hair from being caught in a partition wall dividing a hollow chamber and of satisfactorily reducing stuffy feeling during use.SOLUTION: A cushioning material 100 includes a core material 10 and a covering material 20 that covers at least a main surface 30 of the core material 10. The covering material 20 includes a breathable sheet 21 and a partition region 24 having a partition 22 provided on the back surface of the sheet 21 in an area facing the main surface 30, and the partition 22 is constructed by using a flexible material.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cushioning material that is comfortable to use and prevents heat buildup and stuffiness from occurring inside. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, cushioning materials using cushioning materials such as polyurethane foam are known. Such cushioning materials fit the user's body well and provide a comfortable feel when first used. However, because the body fits the cushioning material well, heat is trapped inside the cushioning material and it tends to become stuffy, and discomfort may increase over time after first use.

[0003] In response to this, Patent Document 1 proposes a cushioning material (hereinafter also referred to as Prior Art 1) that includes a filler material formed by filling a bag with a filler and a sheet material that covers the filler material. Fig. 6 is shown to explain Prior Art 1. Fig. 6A and Fig. 6B are schematic cross-sectional views in the thickness direction of a conventional cushioning material 300, Fig. 6A shows a cross-section of the cushioning material 300 before use, and Fig. 6B shows a cross-section of the cushioning material 300 during use, conceptually showing the state of the partition wall 322 when an external pressure is applied to the cushioning material 300 from above.

[0004] As shown in FIG. 6A, the cushioning material 300 of the conventional technique 1 is composed of a sheet material 321 and a filler 310 accommodated inside the sheet material 321. The filler 310 is composed of a bag body (not shown) and a filler accommodated in the bag body. A surface layer portion 330 is provided on the surface of the sheet material 321. The surface layer portion 330 has a structure (partition wall 322) made of a thermoplastic elastomer, and a large number of columnar hollow chambers 323 are gathered together via the partition wall 322. The partition wall 322 in the surface layer portion 330 is erected from the sheet material 321 toward the upper side of the drawing, and the triangular prism-shaped hollow chambers 323 partitioned thereby are continuously provided so as to be adjacent to each other via the partition wall 322. Note that the fact that the hollow chambers 323 are triangular prism-shaped is omitted from the illustration.

[0005] According to Patent Document 1, in Prior Art 1, hollow chamber 323 partitioned by partition 322 is columnar and has an open top, so that when a user places part of their body on cushion material 300, only upper end surface 324 of partition 322 comes into contact with the user's body. Therefore, compared to conventional cushion materials, cushion material 300 of Prior Art 1 has a smaller area where filling material 310 and the body come into contact with each other, resulting in less stuffiness, and it is explained that this can provide a cooling effect to the user. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-023453 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] However, prior art 1 has the following problems. That is, as described above, in the conventional technique 1, the partition 322 made of a thermoplastic elastomer is provided on the surface of the sheet material 321, and is provided at a position where it comes into contact with the user's body. Therefore, there is a problem that dust adheres to the partition 322 made of a thermoplastic elastomer, and the user's hair gets caught in it. In addition, there is a risk that the plasticizer bleeds out from inside the thermoplastic elastomer over time, making the surface of the partition 322 sticky, which may exacerbate the above problems.

[0008] As described above, the prior art 1 intends to reduce the area of ​​contact between the cushioning material 300 and the body of the user compared to the prior art by bringing only the upper end surface 324 of the partition wall 322 into contact with the user, thereby reducing the stuffiness. However, when the upper end surface 324 of the partition wall 322, which is a thermoplastic elastomer structure, comes into line contact with the user, the partition wall 322 may be significantly tilted by the pressure of the contact, causing the hollow chamber 323 to be significantly crushed, as shown in Fig. 6B, and the distance between the user and the filling material 310 may become substantially closer. Therefore, it was presumed that the cushioning material 300 has a limited effect of reducing the stuffiness.

[0009] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and specifically, the present invention provides a cushioning material that prevents dirt and the user's hair from getting caught in a partition that creates a space between the user and the core material, and that can effectively reduce the feeling of stuffiness during use. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] The cushioning material of the present invention comprises a core material and a covering material covering at least a main surface of the core material, the covering material comprising a breathable sheet and a partition region having a partition provided on the rear surface of the sheet in an area facing the main surface, the partition being constructed using a flexible material. Effect of the Invention

[0011] In the cushioning material of the present invention having the above-mentioned configuration, the partition made of a flexible member is provided on the back side of the sheet constituting the covering material, and the partition does not come into direct contact with the user. Therefore, there is no risk of the user's hair getting caught in the partition, and dirt is less likely to adhere to it. Even if dirt adheres to the partition, the partition with the dirt adhered to it is on the back side of the sheet, so there is no direct contact with the user and there is no risk of the user feeling uncomfortable.

[0012] In the present invention, the partition is provided on the core side via the sheet. That is, in the present invention, the end of the partition (partition end) faces the cushioned core. Therefore, when used, the user does not make line contact with the partition end as in the prior art 1, but makes surface contact with the sheet surface supported by the partition. This distributes the external pressure of such contact in the planar direction, and reduces the concentration of stress on the partition. Therefore, in the cushioning material of the present invention, the partition is unlikely to tilt when used, and the space partitioned by the partitions between the sheet and the core tends to remain significantly. In this way, the present invention makes it possible to provide a cushioning material that maintains good breathability and effectively reduces stuffiness, since a significant space can be secured between the sheet and the core when used. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a cushioning material according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] 2A is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II of the cushioning material shown in FIG. 1, with the internal core material 10 omitted, and (2B) is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II of FIG. 1, with the internal core material 10 also shown. [Diagram 3] 2 is a top view of the partition region facing the main surface 30 of the covering material provided on the cushion material shown in FIG. 1, with the inside out. [Figure 4] 4A is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV of the covering material shown in FIG. 3, and FIG. 4B is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV of a covering material which is a modified example. [Diagram 5] 5A to 5D are explanatory diagrams showing examples of partition walls and hollow chambers with different designs. [Figure 6] (6A) and (6B) are schematic cross-sectional views in the thickness direction of a conventional cushioning material, where (6A) shows a schematic cross-section before use and (6B) shows a schematic cross-section when external pressure is applied from above. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0014] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention and an example of a manufacturing method thereof will be described with reference to the drawings. In all the drawings, the same components are given the same reference numerals, and duplicated descriptions will be omitted as appropriate. In the illustrated embodiments of the present invention, certain components may be shown relatively large or small in order to make them easier to understand, but neither of these is intended to limit the dimensional ratios of each component of the present invention. In the present invention, the cushioning material broadly includes articles that exhibit cushioning properties, such as pillows, cushions, seats of sofas or chairs, mattresses, and bedding.

[0015] A cushioning material 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to Figs. Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a cushioning material 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2A is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in Fig. 1, in which the inner core material 10 is omitted, and Fig. 2B is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in Fig. 1, in which the inner core material 10 is also shown. Fig. 3 is a top view of the partition region 24 facing the main surface 30 of the covering material 20 with the inside facing out, Fig. 4A is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV of the covering material 20 in Fig. 3, and Fig. 4B is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV of a covering material 20' which is a modified example of the covering material 20 in Fig. 3. Figs. 5A to 5D are explanatory views showing examples of partition walls 22 and hollow chambers 25 with different designs.

[0016] 1, the cushioning material 100 of this embodiment has a core material 10 and a covering material 20 that covers at least a main surface 30 of the core material 10. Here, the main surface 30 refers to an area of ​​the core material 10 that is expected to primarily support the user's body. More specifically, the cushioning material 100 of this embodiment is a pillow, and the surface that faces upward when placed on a floor surface is the main surface 30, and the side surfaces between the main surface 30 and the lower surface opposite the main surface 30 are referred to as the longitudinal side surface 31 and the lateral side surface 32.

[0017] 1 is merely one example of the present invention, and for example, in the core material of a cushion material that is a pillow, both the surface that faces upward when placed on a floor (upper surface) and the lower surface opposite the upper surface can be regarded as the main surface. Also, when the cushion material of the present invention is used as a general cushion, the entire circumferential surface or any surface of the core material of the cushion can be regarded as the main surface.

[0018] As can be seen from Fig. 2A in which the core material 10 is omitted, the covering material 20 in the cushioning material 100 includes a breathable sheet 21 and a partition region 24 having partition walls 22 provided in an area facing the main surface 30 on the back surface of the sheet 21. The partition walls 22 are made of a flexible material.

[0019] The cushioning material 100 having the above-mentioned configuration has partitions 22 between the core material 10 and the human body, and a space (a hollow chamber 25 in this embodiment) is provided between one partition 22 and another partition 22 adjacent thereto. Therefore, compared with cushioning materials made of general urethane foam, etc., it is difficult for the cushioning material to become stuffy during use, and it is possible to provide a comfortable feel when using the cushioning material. Moreover, since the partitions 22 are provided on the back surface of the sheet 21, it is possible to prevent dust from adhering to the partitions 22 or the user's hair from getting caught in the partitions 22.

[0020] Also, unlike the conventional technique 1, when the cushioning material 100 is used, the user comes into direct contact with the surface of the sheet 21 supported by the partition wall 22, and the partition wall end 221 of the partition wall 22 faces the core material 10 having cushioning properties. Therefore, when the cushioning material 100 comes into surface contact with the user during use, the external pressure applied by the user is dispersed in the surface direction of the sheet 21, and at least a part of the external pressure transmitted to the partition wall 22 is absorbed by the core material 10. Therefore, compared to the conventional technique 1 (see FIG. 6B ), in which the partition wall 322 is easily tilted during use, the volume of the space (hollow chamber 25) between the partition walls 22 is less likely to be reduced. Therefore, in the cushioning material 100, the space (hollow chamber 25) that actually exists during use functions as a ventilating section, and stuffiness during use is effectively reduced.

[0021] In addition, since the partitions 22 in the cushioning material 100 are provided on the back surface of the sheet 21, they do not come into direct contact with the user. Therefore, the user is unlikely to feel uncomfortable due to contact with the partitions 22. Furthermore, since the partitions 22 are provided on the back surface of the sheet 21, the partitions 22 are prevented from being directly exposed to sunlight, and discoloration due to ultraviolet rays is prevented, and the partitions 22 are unlikely to be damaged due to physical contact. The cushioning material 100 will be described in further detail below.

[0022] (Core material) The core material 10 is a structure for exerting the cushioning properties of the cushioning material 100. The core material 10 may be any material capable of exerting cushioning properties, but is preferably made of urethane foam from the viewpoint of pressure dispersion, and is more preferably made of low-resilience urethane foam. Here, low-resilience urethane foam generally refers to soft polyurethane foam with a rebound resilience (%) of 15% or less as measured based on JIS K6400-3 (2011).

[0023] The core material 10 in this embodiment is an integrally molded product made of a material that exhibits cushioning properties, such as urethane foam, and the integrally molded core material 10 is directly covered with the covering material 20. Examples of the integrally molded product include a slab product formed into a plate (or block) by supplying a urethane raw material onto a conveyor and allowing it to foam continuously, or a product obtained by cutting the slab product into a predetermined shape, and a molded product of a predetermined shape obtained by supplying a foamable raw material, such as the urethane raw material, to a mold of a predetermined shape and allowing it to foam. According to such a configuration, the partition 22 provided on the back surface of the sheet 21 in the covering material 20 comes into direct contact with the core material 10, which can generate friction, and therefore the core material 10 and the covering material 20 are less likely to shift during use, which is preferable.

[0024] From the viewpoint of providing a cushioning material in which the core material 10 and the covering material 20 are less likely to slip and which provides a good feel when used, it is preferable that the partitions 22 are made of a thermoplastic elastomer and the core material 10 is made of a urethane foam, so that the partitions 22 and the core material 10 are in direct contact with each other. The thermoplastic elastomer and the urethane foam are less likely to slip, so that the cushioning material 100 is less likely to slip when used.

[0025] However, the present invention is not limited to the above configuration, and for example, it is not prohibited to cover the above-mentioned integrally molded product with a cover and then cover it with the covering material 20. For example, the present invention includes a cushioning material in which the above-mentioned integrally molded product is covered with a bag-shaped or tubular cover and only any area including the area corresponding to the main surface 30 is covered with the covering material 20. In another embodiment, the present invention can also be applied to a core material 10 by filling a bag-shaped cover with a plurality of small-diameter cushioning members and handling them as a single unit. Examples of the plurality of small-diameter cushioning members include a plurality of cut pieces of urethane foam.

[0026] 1, the core material 10 in this embodiment is a rectangular parallelepiped having a main surface 30, a bottom surface opposite to the main surface 30, and longitudinal side surfaces 31 and lateral side surfaces 32 continuing between the main surface 30 and the bottom surface. This shape is merely one embodiment of the present invention, and the present invention can employ core materials of any shape through various designs according to the purpose.

[0027] (Coating material 20) The covering material 20 is a sheet-like member that includes a sheet 21 and a partition region 24 having partitions 22, and directly or indirectly covers the core material 10. In this embodiment, the covering material 20 directly covers the core material 10. In the present invention, when the covering material 20 directly covers the core material 10, it means that the core material 10 is covered by the covering material 20 in a state where the core material 10 and the partitions 22 are in direct contact with each other. On the other hand, in the present invention, when the covering material 20 indirectly covers the core material 10, it means that an arbitrary member such as the above-mentioned cover (not shown) is present between the core material 10 and the partitions 22.

[0028] The covering material 20 needs to cover at least the main surface 30 of the core material 10. In this embodiment, the covering material 20 is a bag-shaped body, and by accommodating the core material 10 inside, the covering material 20 covers the entire core material 10. The main surface 30 of the core material 10 accommodated in the bag-shaped covering material 20 and the partition region 24 provided in the covering material 20 face each other.

[0029] In a different embodiment not shown, the covering material 20 may cover the entire core material 10, and the partition region 24 may be provided in a region facing the main surface 30 of the core material 10 and in a region facing any other side surface (for example, the longitudinal side surface 31 and / or the lateral side surface 32) of the core material 10. By providing the partition region 24 in a region other than the region facing the main surface 30 in this manner, friction generated between the partition end portion 221 of the partition 22 and the core material 10 increases, making it even more difficult for the core material 10 and the covering material 20 to slip during use, which is preferable. In a different embodiment not shown, the covering material 20 may partially cover the core material 10 to the extent that it covers at least the main surface 30 of the core material 10. The covering material 20 that partially covers the core material 10 may be attached to the core material 10 or a cover that houses the core material 10 by an attachment means such as a dot fastener, a wire fastener, or a hook-and-loop fastener, or a string member or a rubber member may be attached to the covering material 20 to fasten the covering material 20 to the core material 10.

[0030] Seat: The breathable sheet 21 can be a base material for the partition wall 22 provided on the back surface, and may be any material that exhibits appropriate breathability. For example, the sheet 21 may be a fabric such as a woven fabric or a knitted fabric, or a porous resin sheet. Fabrics used for the sheet 21 may include fabrics using natural fibers, fabrics using chemical fibers, or fabrics using both natural and chemical fibers. Examples of the natural fibers include cotton fibers, hemp fibers, Tencel (registered trademark) which is a fiber made from wood pulp, and bamboo fibers made from bamboo fibers. Examples of the chemical fibers include polyester fibers, rayon fibers, and woolly fibers (false twisted yarns).

[0031] From the viewpoint of reducing the uncomfortable feeling felt by the user at the start of use or during use and imparting a cool sensation, the sheet 21 in the cushioning material 100 is preferably made of a cool-to-the-touch fabric with high thermal conductivity. Examples of fibers constituting the cool-to-the-touch fabric include one or a combination of two or more fibers selected from the group consisting of hemp fiber, polyester fiber, polyethylene fiber, rayon fiber, woolly fiber, and the like. For example, one preferred embodiment is a fabric containing 80% by weight or more and 97% by weight or less of polyester fiber, 3% by weight or more and 20% by weight or less of woolly fiber, and 0% by weight or more and 17% by weight or less of one or more other optional fibers.

[0032] From the viewpoint of providing a cushioning material 100 with an even better cooling sensation, the thermal conductivity of the sheet 21 is preferably 0.2 W / m·K or more and 10 W / m·K or less, and more preferably 0.5 W / m·K or more and 7 W / m·K or less. The thermal conductivity of the sheet 21 can be measured by a method in accordance with ASTM D 1518-85 (2003).

[0033] Bulkhead, bulkhead area: The partitions 22 are made of a flexible material and are provided on the back surface of the sheet 21. As shown in Fig. 2A, a plurality of partitions 22 are identified in a cross section in the thickness direction of the cushioning material 100, and collectively form a partition region 24. Each partition 22 is a wall-like structure of a predetermined height that extends from the back surface of the sheet 21 toward the core material 10. As shown in Fig. 2B, a partition end 221 of the partitions 22 directly or indirectly abuts against the core material 10, thereby forming a hollow chamber 25 between adjacent partitions 22.

[0034] Examples of the flexible member constituting the partition wall 22 include thermoplastic elastomers and rubber. Examples of rubber include resin-based elastomers such as natural rubber, vulcanized rubber which is a synthetic rubber, urethane rubber, silicone rubber, and fluororubber. From the viewpoint of excellent cool touch feeling, the partition 22 is preferably made of a thermoplastic elastomer.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 3, the partition region 24 in this embodiment has partitions 22 formed so as to continuously arrange hexagonal hollow spaces 25 between the sheet 21 and the core material 10 when viewed from above. However, the partition walls 22 are not limited to this, and may be, for example, as shown in FIG. 5A, a lattice-shaped partition wall 22 configured to continuously arrange rectangular hollow chambers 25 when viewed from above. As shown in FIG. 5B, the partition wall 22 may be configured so that triangular hollow spaces 25 are continuously arranged between the sheet 21 and the core material 10 when viewed from above. 5A and 5B, the partition walls 22 are formed in a continuous manner, and adjacent hollow chambers 25 are provided in a continuous manner. However, as a different embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5C, a design may be made in which a plurality of partition walls 22 individually partition the hollow chambers 25, and continuous spaces 27 communicating between the hollow chambers 25 are provided. Furthermore, the present invention does not have hollow chamber 25 which is a closed space surrounded in the circumferential direction by partition walls 22, and may have a plurality of linear partition walls 22 extending in one direction, as shown in Fig. 5D, and continuous spaces 27 may be provided between the partition walls 22. Note that, in Fig. 5D, wavy-line-shaped partition walls 22 are designed to be arranged at equal intervals, but the linear partition walls 22 may be linear or may have a non-linear shape other than a wavy line. That is, in the present invention, a hollow chamber 25 and / or a continuous space 27 which is a closed space is provided between the core material 10 and the sheet 21 by the partition wall 22 provided on the back surface of the sheet 21 .

[0036] Fig. 4A shows a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV of the covering material 20 shown in Fig. 3. As shown in Fig. 2A and Fig. 4A, the partition walls 22 in the cushion material 100 of this embodiment have a uniform height.

[0037] The height of the partition walls 22 is not particularly limited, but if the average height of the partition walls 22 is too low, the volume of the space provided between the sheet 21 and the core material 10 will be small, and there is a concern that the effect of preventing stuffiness will be insufficient. On the other hand, if the average height of the partition walls 22 is too high, the middle parts of the partition walls 22 will be easily bent during use, and there is a concern that the volume of the space provided between the sheet 21 and the core material 10 will be substantially small. In consideration of these circumstances, the average height of the partition walls 22 in the center parts 26 (see FIG. 3) of the partition wall regions 24 provided in the region facing the main surface 30 is preferably 2 mm or more and 25 mm or less, and more preferably 4 mm or more and 20 mm or less. Furthermore, when considering the more preferable height of partition 22 depending on the application of cushion material 100, for example, in cushion material 100 which is a pillow, it is preferable that the average height of partition 22 in central portion 26 is 5 mm or more and 10 mm or less, and in cushion material 100 which is a mattress, it is preferable that the average height of partition 22 in central portion 26 is 5 mm or more and 20 mm or less.

[0038] The central portion 26 refers to a region located at the center when the partition region 24 facing the main surface 30 is divided into thirds in the longitudinal direction and thirds in the lateral direction when viewed from above as shown in Fig. 3. The average height of the partition walls 22 is obtained by measuring the heights of the partition walls 22 at 20 randomly selected points in the central portion 26 and calculating the arithmetic average. The height of the partition walls 22 refers to the length from the partition wall base end 222 (see Fig. 4), which is the end of the partition wall 22 on the sheet 21 side, to the partition wall end 221. When the partition region 24 is not generally rectangular, the region can be divided into nine squares, three vertically and three horizontally, and the region located in the center can be recognized as the central portion 26.

[0039] As described above, the partition walls 22 in this embodiment have a uniform height, but the present invention encompasses an embodiment in which the height of the partition walls 22 in the partition region 24 is not uniform.

[0040] That is, the present invention includes modified examples in which the height of the partition walls 22 is partially different in the partition wall region 24. An example of such a modified example is a covering material 20′ shown in FIG 4B in which the height of the partition walls 22 is different in a central portion 26 of the partition wall region 24 from the height of the partition walls 22 in an outer edge portion 29 of the partition wall region 24. Specifically, in FIG. 4B, the height of the partition 22 in the central portion 26 is configured to be higher than the height of the partition 22 in the outer edge portion 29. In FIG. 4B, the height of the partition 22 continuously decreases from the central portion 26 toward the outer edge portion 29. By configuring the height of the partition in the central portion 26 to be higher than the outer edge portion 29 in this manner, the central portion 26 can firmly support the user's body. For example, in the cushion material 100, which is a pillow, when the user lies on his / her back, the partition 22 in the central portion 26 can firmly support the back of the user's head, and in the region outside the central portion 26 including the outer edge portion 29, the partition 22 is relatively low, so that pressure on the user's neck can be suppressed. In addition, when turning over in bed, the soft parts of the user, such as the cheeks, come into contact with the region having the partition 22 that is closer to the outer edge portion 29 than the central portion 26 and has a relatively low height, so that the effect of not causing discomfort is exerted. The outer edge portion 29 here refers to the outermost partition 22 and its vicinity that can be seen when the partition region 24 is viewed from above.

[0041] 4B, the height of the partition wall 22 in the central portion 26 may be configured to be lower than the height of the partition wall 22 in the outer peripheral portion 29. According to such a configuration, the human body fits well in the central portion 26, and the volume of the space (hollow chamber 25) in the region surrounding the central portion 26 can be increased, so that heat trapped in the central portion 26 can be easily released through the space (hollow chamber 25) toward the outer peripheral portion 29, making it easy to prevent stuffiness.

[0042] The area of ​​the hollow chamber 25, which is a closed space surrounded by the partitions 22 and is confirmed when the partition region 24 is viewed from above, is not particularly limited. For example, the average area of ​​the central portion 26 is 40 mm 2 More than 900mm 2 It is preferable that the thickness is less than 40 mm. 2 If the thickness is less than 900 mm, the partition walls 22 will be close to each other, and when external pressure is applied, the partition walls 22 may not be able to deform sufficiently. Also, adjacent partition walls 22 may come into contact with each other, and sufficient cushioning may not be obtained. 2 If it exceeds this value, a part of the user's body may come into contact with the core material 10 via the sheet 21, and the space provided by the partitions 22 may not be substantially maintained, resulting in a failure to sufficiently prevent stuffiness. The average area of ​​the hollow chambers 25 can be found by measuring the areas of 20 hollow chambers 25 randomly selected from the central portion 26 described above and taking the arithmetic average. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the area of ​​the hollow chamber 25 surrounded by the partition wall 22 is uniform, but the area of ​​the hollow chamber 25 may be partially different in the partition wall region .

[0043] The thickness of the partition wall 22 is not particularly limited, but for example, it is preferable that the average thickness obtained in the central portion 26 is 1 mm or more and 3 mm or less. By setting the average thickness to 1 mm or more, the partition wall 22 is less likely to be damaged even when external pressure is repeatedly applied, and by setting the average thickness to 3 mm or less, the partition wall 22 can be appropriately deformed when external pressure is applied, thereby exhibiting good cushioning properties. The average thickness of the partition wall 22 can be obtained by measuring the thickness of the partition wall 22 at 20 points randomly selected from the central portion 26 described above and calculating the arithmetic average. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2A and FIG. 4A, the thickness of the partition walls 22 is uniform. However, the thickness of the partition walls 22 may vary partially in the partition region .

[0044] From the viewpoint of providing a cushioning material 100 with an even better cooling sensation, the thermal conductivity of the partition walls 22 is preferably 0.1 W / m·K or more and 0.5 W / m·K or less, and more preferably 0.2 W / m·K or more and 0.3 W / m·K or less. From the viewpoint of facilitating obtaining such thermal conductivity, the partition walls 22 are preferably made of a thermoplastic elastomer. The thermal conductivity of the partition walls 22 can be measured by a method in accordance with ASTM D 1518-85 (2003).

[0045] From the viewpoint of providing a cushioning material 100 with an even better cooling sensation, it is preferable that the thermal conductivity of the sheet 21 is 0.5 W / m·K or more and 7 W / m·K or less, and that the thermal conductivity of the partition wall 22 is 0.2 W / m·K or more and 0.3 W / m·K or less.

[0046] The present invention has been described above using the cushioning material 100, but the cushioning material of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and includes embodiments in which appropriate modifications or additions of any configuration are made within the scope that does not deviate from the spirit of the present invention. For example, in FIG. 2 described above, the partition 22 provided on the back surface of the sheet 21 (the surface facing the core material 10) is in direct contact with the core material 10. However, as another embodiment different from the above embodiment, a breathable sheet member covering the entire partition region 24 in which the partition 22 is provided may be provided on the back surface of the sheet 21. This prevents the partition 22 from getting caught on the core material 10 when the core material is accommodated inside a bag-shaped or cylindrical covering material, and facilitates the accommodation operation. In addition, by covering the partition region 24 with the breathable sheet member described above, damage to the partition 22 can be prevented, for example, when the covering material from which the core material 10 has been removed is washed. The breathable sheet member may be any sheet-like member having breathability to the extent that it does not interfere with the prevention of stuffiness during use, which is the object of the present invention, and may be, for example, a mesh sheet.

[0047] The present invention described above encompasses the following technical ideas. (1) a core material; A coating material that covers at least the main surface of the core material, The covering material includes a breathable sheet and a partition region having a partition provided on a back surface of the sheet facing the main surface, The cushioning material is characterized in that the partition is made of a flexible material. (2) The cushioning material according to (1) above, wherein the average height of the partition walls at the center of the partition wall region is 2 mm or more and 25 mm or less. (3) The cushioning material according to (1) or (2) above, in which the height of the partition wall at the center of the partition wall region is different from the height of the partition wall at the outer edge of the partition wall region. (4) The thermal conductivity of the sheet is 0.5 W / m K or more and 7 W / m K or less, The cushioning material according to any one of (1) to (3) above, wherein the thermal conductivity of the flexible member constituting the partition wall is 0.2 W / m·K or more and 0.3 W / m·K or less. [Explanation of symbols]

[0048] 10...Core material 20, 20'...covering material 21... sheets 22...bulkhead 24...Bulkhead area 25...Hollow chamber 26...Central part 27. Continuous Space 29...Outer edge 30...Main surface 31...Longitudinal side 32 Short side 100···Cushioning material 221...End of bulkhead 222...Base of septum 300···Cushioning material 310...Filling material 321 Sheet material 322...Bulkhead 323...Hollow chamber 324...Top end surface 330...surface layer

Claims

1. A core material; A coating material that covers at least a main surface of the core material, The covering material includes a breathable sheet and a partition region having a partition provided on a back surface of the sheet facing the main surface, The cushioning material is characterized in that the partition is made of a flexible material.

2. 2. The cushioning material according to claim 1, wherein an average height of the partition walls at a central portion of the partition region is 2 mm or more and 25 mm or less.

3. 3. The cushioning material according to claim 1, wherein a height of the partition wall at a central portion of the partition wall region is different from a height of the partition wall at an outer edge portion of the partition wall region.

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