Functional mat manufacturing apparatus and manufacturing method, and method for manufacturing insole including functional mat

Abstract

To provide a functional mat manufacturing apparatus which can uniformly seal a porous body or can highly accurately change a content of a porous body as necessary, and a manufacturing method of the same.SOLUTION: A manufacturing apparatus Z for manufacturing a functional mat X sandwiching a granular porous body 2 in an overlapped part of two or more sheet materials 1 includes: a feeding device 3 for moving the sheet materials 1 in a predetermined direction and making the sheet materials sandwich the porous body 2; a spraying device 4 for spraying the porous body 2 onto one surface of the sheet material 1; and an entangling device 5 for entangling and connecting the sheet materials 1 sandwiching the porous body 2, in which the spraying device 4 has an adjustment part P capable of adjusting the spray amount of the porous body 2.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a manufacturing apparatus capable of manufacturing functional mats that are used as materials for building interiors and daily necessities and have excellent moisture absorption and deodorizing properties. [Background technology]

[0002] Moisture absorption and deodorization are required in a wide variety of situations, including ventilation inside buildings, preventing mold on bedding, and preventing shoes from getting sweaty. Porous materials such as activated carbon and silica gel are used for these purposes, and these materials are sandwiched between highly breathable sheets to be applied to various forms such as walls and filters. Since porous materials cannot perform their functions of moisture absorption and deodorization unless they come into contact with air, it was necessary to devise a way to properly expose the porous material between the sheets while simultaneously preventing the air from spilling out of the sheets. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 3100336 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The functional mat described in Patent Document 1 has a configuration in which silica gel is dispersed between two mat bodies and sandwiched, and the fibers of the nonwoven fabric are entangled by needle punching to hold the silica gel inside. However, it is preferable that such a functional mat has silica gel dispersed evenly or that the amount of silica gel dispersed can be flexibly changed as needed.

[0005] In view of the above problems, the present invention aims to provide a functional mat manufacturing device that can uniformly encapsulate porous materials or, as needed, change the content of porous materials with high precision, and a manufacturing method thereof. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention, which solves the above-mentioned problems, is a manufacturing device for producing a functional mat in which a granular porous body is sandwiched between the overlapping portions of two or more sheet materials, and is equipped with a feeding device that moves the sheet materials in a predetermined direction and sandwiches the porous body, a spraying device that sprays the porous body on one side of the sheet materials, and an entanglement device that entangles and connects the sheet materials sandwiching the porous body, and the spraying device has an adjustment section that can adjust the amount of porous body sprayed. With this configuration, in the production of a functional mat, it is possible to uniformly encapsulate the porous body, or to change the content of silica gel with high precision as required.

[0007] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the sprinkling device has a hopper, and the adjusting section is provided with a sprinkling amount adjusting member at the discharge outlet of the hopper. With this configuration, the amount of porous material dispersed per unit time can be easily adjusted.

[0008] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the spray amount adjusting member is a rotating body that is rotatable about one rotation axis, and is provided on its outer circumferential surface with a holding portion that is capable of holding the porous granules. With this configuration, the particle size of the porous material can be restricted while the amount of the porous material to be dispersed can be easily adjusted.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the adjustment portion further includes a basis weight member whose position is adjustable in the gap between the discharge port and the spray amount adjustment member. With this configuration, the porous body can be dispersed more uniformly.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus further comprises a heating unit capable of heat-treating the functional mat. With this configuration, the properties of the functional mat can be easily changed.

[0011] The present invention, which solves the above-mentioned problems, is a manufacturing method for producing a functional mat in which a granular porous body is sandwiched between overlapping portions of two or more sheet materials, and includes a spraying step of spraying the porous body on one side of the sheet materials, a feeding step of moving the sheet materials in a predetermined direction and sandwiching the porous body, and an entanglement step of entangling and connecting the sheet materials sandwiching the porous body, and the spraying step further includes a spray amount adjustment step in which the amount of porous body sprayed can be adjusted using a spraying device having an adjustment unit. By using such a manufacturing method, in manufacturing a functional mat, it is possible to uniformly encapsulate the porous material, or to change the content of silica gel with high precision as required.

[0012] The present invention, which solves the above-mentioned problems, is a manufacturing method for producing an insole including a functional mat in which a granular porous body is sandwiched between overlapping portions of two or more sheet materials, and includes a spraying step of spraying the porous body on one side of the sheet material, a feeding step of moving the sheet material in a predetermined direction and sandwiching the porous body, an entanglement step of intertwining and connecting the sheet materials sandwiching the porous body, a cutting step of cutting the functional mat into a predetermined shape, and a sewing step of sewing together the peripheral edges of the cut-out functional mat, and the spraying step further includes a spray amount adjustment step in which the amount of porous body sprayed can be adjusted using a spraying device having an adjustment unit. By using this manufacturing method, it is possible to manufacture insoles in which the porous material can be uniformly enclosed, or in which the silica gel content can be changed with high precision as required. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] The present invention, which solves the above problems, provides a manufacturing device for a functional mat that can uniformly encapsulate a porous body or that can change the content of the porous body with high precision as needed, and a manufacturing method thereof. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a functional mat according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 2]1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a manufacturing device for a functional mat according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a sprinkling device in a functional mat manufacturing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a functional mat and a manufacturing device thereof according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a functional mat manufacturing apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a functional mat according to a third embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] Hereinafter, the functional mat X and manufacturing device Z according to each embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The description will be made in detail in the order of the configuration of the embodiment, the method of implementation, and other examples. It should be noted that the following embodiments are merely examples of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments.

[0016] First Embodiment 1(a) and 1(b), the functional mat X according to this embodiment has a configuration in which a granular porous body 2 is sandwiched between overlapping portions (overlapping portions; the same applies hereinafter) of at least two (two or more) sheet materials 1. As a result, the porous body 2 absorbs moisture and deodorizes inside the functional mat X.

[0017] The sheet material 1 is a breathable, easily deformable material, and is preferably an aggregate of fibers such as nonwoven fabric, cotton, spunlace, etc. This configuration ensures a space for introducing air into the sandwiched porous body 2, making it possible to fully utilize the moisture absorption and deodorizing properties of the porous body 2.

[0018] The porous body 2 is a granular material with numerous irregularities on its surface, and the recesses hold and retain gases, moisture, etc., enabling it to absorb moisture and deodorize the surrounding area. There are no particular limitations on the material of the porous body 2 as long as it has moisture absorption and deodorizing properties, but from the perspective of granular materials with a uniform particle size, as in this embodiment, silica gel, pumice, etc. are preferred.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 1(b), in the layer where the porous body 2 is sandwiched between the sheet materials 1, bridging fibers 11 extend from the sheet material 1. The bridging fibers 11 are fibers extracted from the sheet material 1, and are entangled with the sheet material 1 on the opposite side of the layer of porous body 2, thereby bridging between the two sheet materials 1 and maintaining the shape of the functional mat X and the porous body 2, which does not have a holding means such as an adhesive. With this configuration, gaps are secured around the granules of the porous body 2, maintaining the shape of the functional mat X, and making it possible to utilize the moisture absorption and deodorizing properties of the porous body 2.

[0020] Figure 1(c) shows an insole Y, which is made by cutting the functional mat X into the shape of a shoe sole. The insole Y is made by cutting the functional mat X shown in Figures 1(a) and 1(b) into a predetermined shape (such as the shape of a shoe sole or the shape of a foot), and sewing two sheets 1 together at the periphery to form a bag. This configuration ensures high moisture absorption and deodorizing properties inside the shoe, improving the comfort of use.

[0021] The insole Y may be a cup insole formed by adding a thermosetting resin or other thermoformed resin layer to one side of the sheet material 1 of the functional mat X, with the other sheet material 1 having a raised peripheral edge. This configuration allows the insole Y to contact the user's foot more stably, improving the comfort of use. The insole Y may also be further laminated with a shock-absorbing layer (mesh fabric, etc.), a strength-improving layer (knit fabric, etc.), a non-slip layer (rubber sheet, etc.), a heat-retaining layer (fleece fabric, etc.), etc.

[0022] As shown in Fig. 2(a), the manufacturing apparatus Z is capable of manufacturing the above-mentioned functional mat X, and includes a feeding device 3, a spraying device 4, and an entanglement device 5. The spraying device 4 also has an adjustment section P that can adjust the amount of the porous body 2 sprayed per unit time (hereinafter simply referred to as the "spraying amount"). This allows the amount of the porous body 2 contained in the functional mat X to be adjusted as needed.

[0023] The feeding device 3 feeds the continuous strip-like sheet material 1 in its length direction at a predetermined speed, forming a production line of the manufacturing device Z. The feeding device 3 also has, in order from upstream, a feed roller 31, a clamping roller 32, and a take-up roller 33, and may further have a direction change roller 34 as necessary.

[0024] The delivery roller 31 is a columnar or tubular member provided at the most upstream portion for delivering the sheet material 1, and has a rotation axis that is horizontal and perpendicular to the direction of delivery of the sheet material 1 (hereinafter referred to as the width direction). This causes the delivery roller 31 to rotate, and the sheet material 1 wound around the side (around the rotation axis) is pulled out and delivered to a downstream process.

[0025] The nipping rollers 32 are a pair of rollers that sandwich the porous body 2 dispersed between two or more sheets 1 fed from the feed roller 31. Each of the pair of rollers constituting the nipping rollers 32 has a rotation axis in the width direction and is a cylindrical or cylindrical member. In addition, it is preferable that the gap between the pair of nipping rollers 32 is configured to be adjustable as needed. With this configuration, the thickness of the functional mat X can be changed according to the thickness of the sheet material 1 and the amount of the porous body 2.

[0026] The winding roller 33 is a columnar or tubular member provided at the most downstream portion of the manufacturing device Z, and has a rotation axis in the width direction. This causes the winding roller 33 to rotate, and the functional mat X is wound around the side (around the rotation axis) and collected.

[0027] The direction-changing roller 34 is a roller for changing and adjusting the direction in which the sheet material 1 or the functional mat X is fed, and is a cylindrical or tubular member having a rotation axis in the width direction. In this embodiment, by appropriately providing the direction-changing roller 34, it is possible to ensure space for installing other devices between the paths for feeding the two sheets of sheet material 1, and to keep the overall size of the manufacturing apparatus Z small. For example, in FIG. 2(a), a direction change roller 34 is provided on the path for feeding the upper sheet material 1 in order to ensure a space for providing a sprinkling device 4 between the paths for feeding two sheets of sheet material 1.

[0028] The spraying device 4 is a device capable of spraying the porous body 2 onto the surface of the sheet material 1 fed by the feeding device 3, and has a hopper 41, a spray amount adjusting member 42, and a basis weight member 43. The aforementioned adjusting section P is a collective name for the spray amount adjusting member 42 and the basis weight member 43.

[0029] Hopper 41 is a tank capable of storing and discharging a certain amount of granular material, and has a storage section 411 and a discharge port 412. The width of hopper 41 is preferably configured to be approximately the same as the width of sheet material 1 or each roller in the direction in which sheet material 1 is fed. With this configuration, granules of porous body 2 can be sprayed from a single spraying device 4.

[0030] Storage unit 411 is a tank capable of storing a predetermined amount of granular material, and is a box-shaped member having the same width as the above-mentioned hopper 41. Discharge outlet 412 is a hole provided in the bottom of storage unit 411, and discharges the material stored in storage unit 411, for example, granules of porous body 2, downward. The discharge port 412 has approximately the same width as the storage section 411, and the length in the direction in which the sheet material 1 is fed is determined in correspondence with the adjustment section P described later. Furthermore, it is preferable that the bottom surface of storage section 411 be configured to slope downwards toward discharge outlet 412. With such a configuration, the material inside storage section 411 flows more reliably to discharge outlet 412, and uneven spraying can be reduced.

[0031] Spray amount adjusting member 42 is a cylindrical or tubular member that closes part of discharge outlet 412 and is a rotating body that has a rotation axis in one direction. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 3(a), the rotation axis is in the width direction, and the central axis of the cylindrical or tubular member and the rotation axis are the same, so that it rotates to sweep discharge outlet 412.

[0032] The spray amount adjusting member 42 has a large number of holding portions 421 on its outer peripheral surface. The holding portions 421 are recesses or holes provided on the outer peripheral surface of the spray amount adjusting member 42 that faces the inside of the hopper 41 upon rotation, and hold the granules of the porous body 2. As a result, as shown in FIG. 3(c), the granules of the porous body 2 are held in the holding portions 421 and are removed from the hopper 41 as the spray amount adjusting member 42 rotates. Thereafter, when the opening of the holding portion 421 faces vertically downward upon rotation, the porous body 2 falls from the holding portion 421 and is sprayed onto the sheet material 1.

[0033] The gap between the spray amount adjusting member 42 and the discharge outlet 412 of the hopper 41 is preferably configured such that, at the holding portion 421, it is approximately equal to or slightly larger than the diameter of the granules of the porous body 2. With this configuration, of the granules of the porous body 2 in the hopper 41, only those that enter the holding portion 421 are sprayed onto the sheet material 1, and therefore the spray amount can be easily adjusted by the angular velocity at which the spray amount adjusting member 42 rotates.

[0034] The basis weight member 43 is a member provided near the gap between the spray rate adjusting member 42 and the discharge port 412, and adjusts the spray rate of the porous body 2. As shown in FIG. 3(c), the basis weight member 43 translates in a direction that expands or contracts the gap between the spray rate adjusting member 42 and the discharge port 412, and adjusts the amount of granules of the porous body 2 that are discharged at one time through the gap. With this configuration, the spray rate can be easily adjusted even when the gap is wider than the particle size of the granules of the porous body 2, or when a spray rate that exceeds the adjustment range of the angular velocity of the spray rate adjusting member 42 is required. The shape of the weighting member 43 is not particularly limited as long as it can adjust the amount of the porous body 2 sprayed or can change the gap between the discharge outlet 412 and the spray amount adjusting member 42. However, a shape that corresponds to the actual handling or the shape of the discharge outlet 412 is preferred, and examples include a flat plate, a columnar shape, a wedge shape, etc.

[0035] The entanglement device 5 is equipped with a drive device 51 and needles 52, and is a device that entangles and connects a plurality of sheet materials 1 sandwiching granules of the porous body 2. A needle punch is used to connect the sheet materials 1, and the drive device 51 swings the needles 52 up and down to an extent that the needles 52 penetrate all of the sheet materials 1.

[0036] 2(b), the needle 52 has a needle body 521 and a protrusion 522 protruding from the side of the needle body 521, and penetrates the sheet material 1 and pulls it back, loosening and pulling out the fibers contained in the sheet material 1. As a result, the fibers of the multiple sheet materials 1 bridge each other with the layer of porous material 2 sandwiched between them, connecting the sheet materials 1 together. In addition, the bridging fibers 11 connecting the sheet materials 1 surround the granules of the porous material 2 and become able to hold them between the sheet materials 1.

[0037] 2(a) and 2(b), for the sake of explanation, only one needle 52 is shown, but it is preferable that a plurality of needles 52 be provided in one entangling device 5. More preferably, a predetermined number of needles are provided in the feed direction and width direction (e.g., m rows and n columns) in accordance with the width and feed speed of the sheet material 1. With such a configuration, the sheet materials 1 can be efficiently and firmly connected to each other, and the granules of the porous body 2 can also be stably held.

[0038] In a system that operates the manufacturing apparatus Z of this embodiment, the operating state of the feed device 3 (which may be either the angular velocity at which one of the rollers rotates or the speed at which the sheet material 1 is fed) and the operating state (angular velocity) of the spray amount adjusting member 42 may be individually controllable, or may be linked depending on one of them. Preferably, both can be switched. With this configuration, the amount of porous body 2 contained in the functional mat X can be easily changed.

[0039] The manufacturing apparatus Z may have the following configuration. However, the configuration shown below is merely an example, and the presence or absence of the configuration can be determined arbitrarily unless otherwise specified.

[0040] <Example of change> 2(a), the feed roller 31 may be a mounting portion (such as a support base supported by bearings or rollers) on which a columnar member having a rotation axis in the width direction can be rotatably mounted. In this case, the sheet material 1 wound around the rotation axis is supported by the feed roller 31, and the sheet material 1 is fed by rotating the take-up roller 33 and pulling it out toward the take-up roller 33. This configuration simplifies the process of mounting the sheet material 1 in the manufacturing device Z, and improves the efficiency of the work involved in manufacturing the functional mat X.

[0041] The nip rollers 32 may be configured so that the distance between the pair of rollers can be changed. For example, the upper roller can be configured so that it can be moved up and down in the vertical direction. With this configuration, the thickness of the functional mat X passing between the two rollers can be adjusted to a desired thickness.

[0042] 2 and 3, the spraying device 4 may have a slope 44. The slope 44 is a flat plate-like member that extends from near the outer peripheral surface of the spray amount adjusting member 42 to near the height of the sheet material 1 onto which the porous body 2 is sprayed, and is inclined downward toward the sheet material 1, allowing the granules of the porous body 2 to slide down the slope. This reduces the length of time that the porous body 2 travels freely from the holding portion 421 to the sheet material 1, thereby reducing the variation in the point at which the sheet material 1 falls, and allowing the porous body 2 to be sprayed more uniformly onto the sheet material 1.

[0043] Hereinafter, a method for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The ...

[0044] <<Implementation Method>> The user first mounts the sheet material 1 on the feeding device 3. At this time, the sheet material 1 is wound around the feed roller 31, passed between the clamping rollers 32, and then mounted so that the leading edge of the sheet material 1 is wound around the take-up roller 33. Furthermore, if auxiliary cloths with a length from the feed roller 31 to the take-up roller 33 are mounted on both ends of the sheet material 1 in the feeding direction, the porous body 2 can be automatically spread over the entire sheet material 1, improving production efficiency.

[0045] Next, the user places granular porous body 2 in hopper 41 and determines the angular velocity of sprinkling amount adjusting member 42 and the position of basis weight member 43 (sprinkling amount adjusting step). Thereafter, feed device 3 is operated to move sheet material 1 toward take-up roller 33 (feeding step), and sprinkling amount adjusting member 42 is rotated accordingly to sprinkle porous body 2 onto the surface of sheet material 1 (sprinkling step). At this time, the operating states of feed device 3 and sprinkling amount adjusting member 42 may be controlled separately, or may be linked and dependent on one another.

[0046] After the plurality of sheet materials 1 sandwich the granules of the porous body 2, or in synchronization with the start of operation of the feeding device 3, the user operates the entangling device 5 to entangle and connect the fibers of the plurality of sheet materials 1 (entanglement process). This generates crosslinked fibers 11, and the granules of the porous body 2 are held between the layers of the sheet material 1.

[0047] The user then removes the functional mat X wound around the winding roller 33, cuts or punches the functional mat X into a strip or any other shape (cutting process), and sews the edges to connect the sheet materials 1 together (sewing process). This prevents the granules of porous material 2 enclosed inside the functional mat X from leaking out. First, the strip-shaped functional mat X can be used for bedding (futons, mattresses, etc.) and other items that require a certain size. Other shapes that can be cut out include, for example, a circle or a shoe sole. The former can be used for filters for piping or ventilation systems, and the latter can be used for the insole Y shown in FIG. 1(c). In particular, when other fabrics are to be laminated or attached to the functional mat X, it is preferable to attach all of the fabrics before the cutting step.

[0048] In addition to the above, the functional mat X can be used as a moisture absorbent or deodorizing material in factories, logistics facilities (warehouses, containers, etc.), homes (closets, shoe cabinets, entrances, toilets, etc.), nursing care facilities, medical facilities, etc. However, these are merely examples, and the functional mat X may also be used in other environments.

[0049] Hereinafter, a functional mat X and a manufacturing device Z according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the same components as those in the first embodiment will be designated by the same reference numerals and will not be described again.

[0050] Second Embodiment As shown in Fig. 4(a), the feeding device 3 has three feed rollers 31. This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that another sheet material 1 is added below the sheet material 1 onto which the granules of the porous body 2 are scattered, and as shown in Fig. 4(b), a functional mat X is produced in which two layers of sheet material 1 are provided on only one side.

[0051] As shown in Fig. 4(b), the functional mat X has a porous body 2 sandwiched between two sheets 1, and another sheet 1 laminated on one side of the two sheets 1. This third sheet 1 has a pattern printed on it, which allows the functional mat X to have a pattern.

[0052] As shown in Figure 4(a), the clamping roller 32 sandwiches the granules of porous material 2 between two layers of sheet material 1 while simultaneously stacking a third sheet material 1. This makes it possible to stack three or more sheet materials 1 while reducing the number of parts. Furthermore, by using a manufacturing device Z and manufacturing method that stacks sheet materials 1 on which a pattern or the like has been printed in advance, printing can be performed on an object with a thin and simple configuration, making the process easier and more efficient than printing a pattern or the like on a completed functional mat X.

[0053] The entanglement device 5 swings the needles 52 up and down to the extent that they penetrate three sheet materials 1 at once, and entangles and connects the fibers of each sheet material 1 by needle punching. This allows the sheet materials 1 to be stably connected to each other.

[0054] Hereinafter, a functional mat X and a manufacturing device Z according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the same reference numerals will be used to designate the same components as those in the first and second embodiments, and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0055] Third Embodiment As shown in Figures 5(a) and 5(b), the manufacturing apparatus Z is provided with a heating section 6 downstream of the entangling device 5, which is capable of heat-treating the functional mat X. The heating section 6 is an apparatus capable of heating the sheet material 1 to a predetermined temperature range. With this configuration, the sheet material 1 can be heat-treated to impart appropriate properties (such as strength) to the functional mat X.

[0056] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5(a), the heating unit 6 is a heating roller 61. The heating roller 61 is a pair of rollers that clamp the functional mat X fed by the feeding device 3 in the same manner as the clamping roller 32, and each roller is a cylindrical or tubular member having a rotation axis in the width direction of the sheet material 1. Furthermore, the rotation can heat the surface portion that may come into contact with the sheet material 1, and the heat of the surface portion is conducted to the sheet material 1, thereby heating the sheet material 1.

[0057] The heating roller 61 may be configured so that the distance between the pair of rollers is changeable. This is similar to the modified example of the clamping roller 32 described above, in that the upper roller is movable up and down in the vertical direction. With this configuration, the thickness of the functional mat X passing between the two rollers can be adjusted to a desired thickness in conjunction with the heat treatment.

[0058] 5(b), the heating unit 6 is a housing-type heating device 62. The housing-type heating device 62 has a path through which the functional mat X fed by the feeding device 3 passes, and heating means (electric heating wire, hot air heater, etc.) above and below (at least on one side of) the path, and is a device that can heat the functional mat X by heat transfer or radiation.

[0059] The functional mat X to be heat-treated through the heating unit 6 preferably has a form in which low-melting-point fibers 12 are contained in the sheet material 1. As shown in Fig. 6(b), the low-melting-point fibers 12 are blended into the fibers of the sheet material 1 and are fibrous members having a lower melting point compared to other fibers, and examples of such fibers include low-melting-point cotton and thermoplastic resins.

[0060] In the functional mat X shown in FIG. 6(b), the left figure shows the state before passing through the heating unit 6 (i.e., before heat treatment), and the right figure shows the state after passing through the heating unit 6 (after heat treatment). In the functional mat X before heat treatment, the sheet material 1 contains low-melting-point fibers 12 therein, and the low-melting-point fibers 12 are entangled with other fibers of the sheet material 1. When this functional mat X is appropriately heated, only the low-melting-point fibers 12 melt, and when the functional mat X is subsequently cooled, the melted low-melting-point fibers 12 bond some of the fibers of the sheet material 1, improving its strength. This improves the strength of the manufactured functional mat X.

[0061] The heating unit 6 is preferably configured to have a thermometer capable of measuring its own temperature or the surface temperature of the functional mat X. This allows the heat treatment to be carried out while maintaining a temperature range that will not damage the sheet material 1, and also makes it easier to maintain a temperature range in which only the low-melting-point fibers 12 melt. Furthermore, it is more preferable that the heating unit 6 has a system that can feed back temperature data acquired by the thermometer and automatically control the strength of heating by the heating unit 6.

[0062] 5(a) and 5(b), the heating unit 6 described in this embodiment is provided integrally with other components of the manufacturing apparatus Z, but the heating unit 6 may be configured as a separate, independent unit. This separates the process of sandwiching the porous body 2 between the sheet material 1 and the process of heat-treating the functional mat X, thereby increasing the flexibility of the manufacturing process.

[0063] Hereinafter, a method for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The ...

[0064] <<Implementation Method>> After the sheet material 1 has been connected by the entangling device 5, or in conjunction with the start of operation of the feeding device 3, the user operates the heating unit 6 to heat the functional mat X, particularly the sheet material 1. At this time, the user adjusts the temperature of the heating unit 6 so that it is in an appropriate temperature range where only the low-melting-point fibers 12 melt. As a result, only the low-melting-point fibers 12 melt inside the sheet material 1, connecting the surrounding fibers, and fixing them after passing through the heating unit 6, improving the strength of the sheet material 1. [Explanation of symbols]

[0065] X Functional Mat Y insole Z manufacturing equipment 1 Sheet material 11 Cross-linked fibers 12 Low melting point fiber 2 Porous materials 3 Feeder 31 Feed roller 32 clamping roller 33 Winding roller 34 Directional Roller 4 Spraying equipment 41 Hopper 411 Storage Unit 412 Outlet 42 Spray amount adjustment member 421 Holding part 43 Welding material 44 Slope 5 Entanglement device 51 Drive unit 52 Needle 521 Needle body 522 Protrusion 6 Heating section 61 Heating roller 62 Enclosure-type heating device P adjustment part

Claims

1. A manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing a functional mat in which a granular porous body is sandwiched between overlapping portions of two or more sheet materials, The method comprises a feeding device that moves the sheet material in a predetermined direction and sandwiches the porous body between the sheet material, a spraying device that sprays the porous body on one surface of the sheet material, and an entanglement device that entangles and connects the sheet materials sandwiching the porous body, The spraying device has an adjusting unit that can adjust the amount of the porous body sprayed.

2. The spraying device has a hopper, The adjustment unit has a spray amount adjustment member provided at the discharge outlet of the hopper. The manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1 .

3. The spray amount adjusting member is a rotating body that can rotate about one rotation axis, and has an outer circumferential surface provided with a holding portion that can hold the porous body granules. The manufacturing apparatus according to claim 2 .

4. The adjustment unit further includes a basis member whose position is adjustable in the gap between the discharge port and the spray amount adjustment member. The manufacturing apparatus according to claim 2 .

5. Further provided is a heating unit capable of heat-treating the functional mat. The manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1 .

6. A manufacturing method for manufacturing a functional mat in which a granular porous body is sandwiched between overlapping portions of two or more sheet materials, a spraying step of spraying the porous body on one surface of the sheet material; a feeding step of moving the sheet material in a predetermined direction and sandwiching the porous body; an entanglement step of entangle and connect the sheet materials sandwiching the porous body, The spraying step further includes a spray amount adjusting step in which the amount of the porous body sprayed can be adjusted by a spraying device having an adjusting unit.

7. A manufacturing method for manufacturing an insole including a functional mat in which a granular porous body is sandwiched between overlapping portions of two or more sheet materials, a spraying step of spraying the porous body on one surface of the sheet material; a feeding step of moving the sheet material in a predetermined direction and sandwiching the porous body; an entanglement step of entangle and connect the sheet materials sandwiching the porous body; a cutting step of cutting the functional mat into a predetermined shape; a sewing step of sewing the peripheral edge of the cut-out functional mat, The spraying step further includes a spray amount adjusting step in which the amount of the porous body sprayed can be adjusted by a spraying device having an adjustment unit.

Images