Filler manufacturing device, filler manufacturing method, and filler

Abstract

To provide a device for manufacturing a filler having high heat retention, deodorizing, mildew prevention, bacteriostatic, anti-mite, moisture absorbing and releasing, moisture absorbing and heat generating properties, and washing resistance, a method for manufacturing this filler, and this filler.SOLUTION: A device for manufacturing a filler containing kapok fiber and feathers includes a stirring tank into which the kapok fiber and feathers are introduced, a rotating shaft arranged to extend in a predetermined direction within the stirring tank, stirring blades attached to the rotating shaft, and a gas blowing unit for blowing gas in a direction intersecting the direction in which the rotating shaft extends. Only non-ionized gas having a flow rate of 1 m / sec or more is blown into the stirring tank from the gas blowing unit. A method for manufacturing a filler containing kapok fiber and feathers includes a mixing step of introducing kapok fiber and feathers into a stirrer having a rotating shaft extending in a predetermined direction and stirring blades attached to the rotating shaft and then mixing the kapok fiber and feathers while blowing only non-ionized gas having a flow rate of 1 m / sec or more in a direction intersecting the axial direction of the rotating shaft.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a filler manufacturing apparatus, a filler manufacturing method, and a filler. [Background technology]

[0002] Kapok is a deciduous tree of the Malvaceae family that grows primarily in Southeast Asia. It can be cultivated without the use of pesticides or chemical fertilizers. Kapok fiber is harvested from fruit without cutting down trees, making it known as an environmentally friendly material. Kapok fiber (fiber length approximately 3-20 mm) has an extremely high hollowness (approximately 80%) and its air-pack effect results in low thermal conductivity, making it highly insulating. Furthermore, kapok fiber is extremely light (its density is 1 / 8 that of cotton) and possesses the luster, suppleness, softness, and water-repellency of natural silk. It also has high elasticity, is resistant to pilling, and retains its resilience even after washing. These characteristics make kapok fiber a popular natural material.

[0003] Fabrics blended with kapok fiber and other fiber materials such as cotton and polyester are considered to be soft, light, and moist, making them comfortable to wear, and are being commercialized as "natural materials that are gentle on the environment and comfortable." Patent Document 1 discloses cotton blended with kapok fiber, cellulose fiber other than kapok fiber, and hydrophobic fiber such as polyester fiber. Patent Document 2 describes a cotton blend containing ion-exchange fiber and natural fiber such as kapok fiber. Patent Document 3 discloses a flame-retardant fiber product containing a halogen-containing flame-retardant fiber and natural fiber such as kapok fiber.

[0004] On the other hand, feathers are known to have high thermal insulation properties. However, feathers are expensive and have a strong odor. Furthermore, washing feather-containing products reduces their thermal insulation properties, making them difficult to wash frequently and prone to bacterial growth. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6873093 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-69142 [Patent Document 3] International Publication No. 2014 / 046087 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] In recent years, there has been a demand for fillers that have high heat-retaining, antibacterial, and anti-mite properties.

[0007] The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an apparatus for manufacturing a filler having high heat-retaining, antibacterial, and anti-mite properties, a method for manufacturing the filler, and the filler. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The present inventors have conducted extensive research in light of the above-mentioned problems and have found that a method for producing a filler in which kapok fiber and feathers are agitated and mixed while blowing in only non-ionized gas at a flow rate of 1 m / sec or more can produce the above-mentioned filler. The present invention has been completed based on these findings.

[0009] The present invention relates to a filler manufacturing device containing kapok fiber and feathers, which is equipped with a stirring tank into which the kapok fiber and feathers are introduced, a rotating shaft arranged to extend in a predetermined direction within the stirring tank, stirring blades attached to the rotating shaft, and a gas injection unit that blows gas in a direction intersecting the direction in which the rotating shaft extends, and in which only non-ionized gas at a flow rate of 1 m / sec or more is blown into the stirring tank from the gas injection unit.

[0010] The present invention also relates to a method for producing a filler containing kapok fiber and feathers, which includes a mixing step of mixing kapok fiber and feathers in an agitator having a rotating shaft extending in a predetermined direction and an agitating blade attached to the rotating shaft, while blowing only non-ionized gas at a flow rate of 1 m / sec or more in a direction intersecting the axial direction of the rotating shaft, wherein the kapok fiber content in the filler is in the range of 10 to 49% by mass and the feather content in the filler is in the range of 51 to 90% by mass.

[0011] Furthermore, the present invention relates to a filler containing kapok fiber and feathers, wherein the kapok fiber is entangled with the barbs of the feathers, the kapok fiber content in the filler is in the range of 10 to 49% by mass, and the feather content in the filler is in the range of 51 to 90% by mass. The filler is preferably produced by a method for producing the filler. The filling material is preferably for bedding or clothing. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] The filling material manufacturing apparatus of the present invention provides a filling material manufacturing apparatus having high heat retention, antibacterial, and anti-mite properties. The filling material manufacturing method of the present invention provides the filling material. The filling material of the present invention provides the filling material. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing one embodiment of the manufacturing apparatus of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing another embodiment of the manufacturing apparatus of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] The present invention will now be described in further detail. Unless otherwise specified, the symbol "to" in a numerical range indicates a range from above to below, and both ends of the range are included. Furthermore, when a numerical range is indicated, the upper and lower limits can be combined as appropriate, and the resulting numerical range is also considered to be disclosed. Furthermore, in the description of the drawings, the same elements are denoted by the same reference numerals, and duplicate explanations will be omitted. Also, the dimensional proportions of the drawings are exaggerated for the convenience of explanation and may differ from the actual proportions.

[0015] [Filling material manufacturing equipment] 1 is an explanatory diagram showing one embodiment of the manufacturing apparatus for a filler containing kapok fiber and feathers of the present invention. The manufacturing apparatus 1 includes an agitation tank 2 into which kapok fiber and feathers are introduced, a rotating shaft 3 arranged to extend in a predetermined direction within the agitation tank 2, and an agitation blade 4 attached to the rotating shaft 3. A partition wall does not need to be installed inside the agitation tank 2.

[0016] The number of the rotating shafts 3 may be one or more, and the extension direction of the rotating shafts 3 may be set appropriately as long as the agitating blades 4 do not collide with each other. When the number of the rotating shafts 3 is two or more, all of the rotating shafts 3 may be parallel. In FIG. 1, two rotating shafts 3a and 3b extend parallel to each other. The rotation directions of the rotating shafts 3a and 3b may be the same or different. The rotation speeds of the rotating shafts 3a and 3b may also be set appropriately. The shape and number of the agitating blades 4 may be set appropriately as long as the agitating blades 4 do not collide with each other. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the manufacturing apparatus 1. In this embodiment, three blades are arranged so that the rotating shaft 3 is at the center. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing another embodiment of the manufacturing apparatus of the present invention. The manufacturing apparatus of the another embodiment has one rotating shaft 3, and three blades are arranged so that the rotating shaft 3 is at the center.

[0017] The manufacturing apparatus 1 includes a gas blowing unit 5 that blows gas in a direction intersecting the direction in which the rotation shaft 3 extends. When two or more rotation shafts 3 are present, the gas blowing unit 5 is arranged to blow gas in a direction intersecting the direction in which at least one of the rotation shafts 3 extends. The shape and number of the gas blowing units 5 may be appropriately determined. The gas blowing unit 5 may be two or more gas blowing ports. The gas blowing ports may be arranged parallel to at least one of the rotation shafts 3. In FIG. 1, multiple gas blowing ports are provided at the bottom of the stirring tank 2 so that gas is blown in a direction intersecting (vertical) the direction in which the two rotation shafts 3a and 3b extend. The multiple gas blowing ports are connected to a blower pipe (not shown).

[0018] The gas may contain at least one selected from the group consisting of air, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, helium, neon, argon, krypton, and xenon, preferably at least one selected from the group consisting of air, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen, more preferably air, and even more preferably compressed air. The gas is not ionized. The gas is blown into the stirring tank from the gas blowing unit 5 at a flow rate of 1 m / s or more. The flow rate is preferably 1.5 m / s or more, more preferably 2 m / s or more, and even more preferably 3 m / s or more.

[0019] The manufacturing apparatus 1 is equipped with a supply port 6 through which the kapok fibers and feathers are supplied to the stirring tank 2, and a discharge port 7 through which the mixture of kapok fibers and feathers is discharged from the stirring tank 2. The locations of the supply port 6 and the discharge port 7 are not limited. In FIG. 1, the supply port 6 and the discharge port 7 are provided at the top of the stirring tank 2. The manufacturing apparatus 1 may be equipped with a gas discharge port (not shown) through which gas is discharged.

[0020] In this specification, "feathers" refers to any mixture of 0 to 100% of down, which is known as fluff and has excellent heat retention properties, and large feathers (usually 6 cm or less) known as feathers. Down feathers are feathers with thread-like barbs growing all at the tip of the rachis (which was attached to the bird's cuticle via the base), and large feathers have many barbs growing in a row on the rachis, and further barbs growing in a row on the barb (see "World Encyclopedia," First Edition, Heibonsha). Kapok fiber is a commonly used natural fiber. The preferred fiber length of the kapok fiber is 7 to 28 mm, and the preferred fiber fineness is 0.15 to 30 dtex.

[0021] [Filler manufacturing method] The method for producing a filler containing kapok fiber and feathers of the present invention includes a mixing step of mixing kapok fiber and feathers in an agitator 2 having a rotating shaft 3 extending in a predetermined direction and an agitating blade 4 attached to the rotating shaft 3, while blowing only non-ionized gas at a flow rate of 1 m / sec or more in a direction intersecting the axial direction of the rotating shaft 3. The method for producing a filler containing kapok fiber and feathers of the present invention may be either a batch method or a continuous method.

[0022] The raw kapok fiber may be defibrated and separated into kapok fiber and impurities using an airflow that utilizes the difference in specific gravity. Fibers other than kapok fiber may be identified using a camera and removed from the kapok fiber from which the impurities have been removed. The kapok fiber from which the impurities have been removed may be carded to remove fine impurities and short kapok fibers, thereby preparing refined kapok fiber.

[0023] The raw feathers may be sprayed with high-temperature steam, and then the steam-treated feathers may be dried. The refined kapok fiber and the dried feathers may be subjected to the mixing process.

[0024] When the method for producing a filler containing kapok fiber and feathers of the present invention is a batch process, the kapok fiber and the feathers may be introduced simultaneously or sequentially into the stirring tank 2. The number of introductions may be one or more. When the kapok fiber and the feathers are introduced sequentially, the order of introduction is appropriately determined.

[0025] The kapok fiber and feathers are agitated while gas is blown in a direction intersecting the axial direction of the rotating shaft 3, and the kapok fiber becomes entangled with the barbs and is uniformly mixed. Because the properties of kapok fiber and feathers are different, if they are agitated without blowing gas, the kapok fiber will not become entangled with the barbs and a uniform mixture will not be obtained.

[0026] The pressure of the gas to be blown in is preferably higher than the pressure inside the stirring tank 2 by 0.1 MPa or more.

[0027] [Filling material] The filling material of the present invention contains kapok fiber and feathers. The kapok fiber is entangled in the barbs of the feathers. The kapok fiber content in the filling material of the present invention is in the range of 10 to 49% by mass, and the feather content in the filling material is in the range of 51 to 90% by mass. Preferably, the kapok fiber content in the filling material of the present invention is in the range of 25 to 40% by mass, and the feather content in the filling material is in the range of 60 to 75% by mass. If the kapok fiber content in the filling material is too low, the deodorizing, antifungal, antibacterial, antimite, moisture absorption / release, and moisture absorption / heat generation performance of the filling material will be reduced. If the amount of feathers in the filling material is too low, the heat retention of the filling material will be reduced.

[0028] The filler of the present invention may or may not contain fibers other than kapok fiber and feathers. The content of kapok fiber and feathers in the filler of the present invention is preferably in the range of 50 to 100% by mass, more preferably in the range of 70 to 100% by mass, even more preferably in the range of 80 to 100% by mass, and particularly preferably 100% by mass, i.e., the filler of the present invention does not contain fibers other than kapok fiber and feathers.

[0029] When the filler of the present invention is produced by the method for producing a filler of the present invention, the kapok fibers are entangled with the barbs, and the kapok fibers and the feathers are mixed more uniformly.

[0030] <Impossible / impractical circumstances> When kapok fiber in a range of 10 to 49% by mass and feathers in a range of 51 to 90% by mass are mixed without blowing gas in a direction intersecting the axial direction of the rotating shaft, the kapok fiber does not become entangled with the barbs of the feathers, and the kapok fiber and the feathers are not mixed uniformly. It is impossible or impractical to quantitatively measure the uniformity of the kapok fiber and feather mixture using a device. Therefore, the filler of the present invention, in which the kapok fiber and the feathers are mixed more uniformly, may be specified by the manufacturing method.

[0031] Preferably, the filler of the present invention has a down power of 300 or more, a deodorizing property against ammonia, acetic acid, and isovaleric acid of 90 or more, an antibacterial activity value of 3.0 or more, a mite repellency rate of 60% or more, a moisture absorption heat generation value of 3 to 8°C, and a heat retention rate of 85% or more.

[0032] The filler of the present invention may be used in bedding such as mattresses, quilts, and pillows, clothing such as winter clothing, cushions, and stuffed toys. [Example]

[0033] The present invention will be described in more detail below based on examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0034] In the examples and comparative examples, various physical properties were measured or calculated as follows. <Down power> The down power of the filler was measured according to JIS L1903-2011. 30 g of filler was placed in a cylinder with an inner diameter of 29 cm, and the height of the filler was measured when a 94.3 g loading disk was applied, and the volume of the filler was calculated. The volume of 1 g of filler was calculated as the down power.

[0035] <Deodorizing effect against ammonia, acetic acid, and isovaleric acid> The test was conducted based on the SEK Mark textile product certification standard (deodorizing test) of the Japan Textile Evaluation Technology Council. 0.5 g of filler was placed in a 500 ml Erlenmeyer flask, and an ethanol solution of odor components (ammonia, acetic acid, and isovaleric acid) was added dropwise to the flask to achieve the specified initial concentrations (ammonia 100 ppm, acetic acid 50 ppm, isovaleric acid 38 ppm), and the flask was sealed. After two hours, a sample was taken using a syringe and measured by gas chromatography. The blank test concentration (a) and the sample test concentration after two hours (b) were measured, and the reduction rate (%) was calculated according to the following formula (2): Decrease rate (%) [(ab) / a]×100...(2)

[0036] <Antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Moraxella> The antibacterial activity against each of the above bacteria based on JIS L 1902 was calculated as the following activity value. A 0.4 g sample of the filler material was placed in a vial, and 0.2 ml of the test bacterial solution was inoculated into the sample. Immediately thereafter, 20 ml of physiological saline containing 0.2% by mass of a nonionic surfactant (Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd., Polysorbate 80, from Plants) was added to the vial to wash out the bacteria from the sample. The number of bacteria in the wash solution was measured as ATP using a luminescence measuring device (Mettler Toledo). Another 0.4 g sample of the cotton was placed in another vial, and 0.2 ml of the test bacterial solution was inoculated into this sample. The sample was then cultured at 37 ± 1 °C for 18 ± 1 hours. The number of bacteria in the wash solution was then measured in the same manner as above. The activity value was calculated using the following formula (1). Activity value = log (number of bacteria immediately after inoculation) - log (number of bacteria after cultivation) (1)

[0037] <Mite repellency rate> The anti-mite properties based on the JIS L 1920 glass A tube method were calculated as the following repellency rate. One end of a glass tube (inner diameter 2 cm, length 10 cm) was sealed with adhesive tape, and 0.01 g of lure feed was placed in the glass tube and uniformly attached to the adhesive tape. Next, 0.4 g of the filler sample was packed to a thickness of 2 cm, and a 2 cm thick mite culture medium was packed from the other end of the glass tube. The other end of the glass tube was sealed with a high-density woven fabric and left in a dark place at 25 ± 2 °C and 75 ± 5% RH. After 48 ± 1 hours, the number of attracted mites (the number of mites in the adhesive tape, lure feed, and filler sample) was counted, and the repellency rate was calculated using the following formula (2). Mite repellency rate = (number of mites attracted to the cotton sample without filler – number of mites attracted to the cotton sample with filler) / number of mites attracted to the cotton sample without filler × 100 (2)

[0038] <Hygroscopic heat generation> A 20cm x 20cm piece of filler and cotton was folded in four and a thermocouple temperature sensor was attached inside. After being placed in a thermo-hygrostat at 20°C and 40% RH for two hours, the temperature was then changed to 20°C and 90% RH, and the temperature change was measured every minute for 15 minutes. The filler and cotton were measured simultaneously, and the temperature rise of the filler was compared to that of the cotton.

[0039] <Heat retention> The heat retention test was conducted based on "JIS L 1096 Testing Methods for Woven and Knit Fabrics." The filler was placed on the hot plate of a heat retention tester set at a constant temperature (36±0.5°C), and the amount of heat (a) dissipated through the test piece after two hours was measured. Meanwhile, the amount of heat (b) dissipated after two hours without the filler was measured, and the heat retention rate (%) was calculated according to the following formula (3). Heat retention rate (%)=(1-a / b)×100...(3)

[0040] <Washing durability> A sample of filler material measuring 30cm x 30cm x 2cm (weight 100g / cm 2) was wrapped in a polyester plain weave fabric (warp fineness: 56 dtex, weft fineness: 84 dtex, warp density: 48 threads / cm, weft density: 35 threads / cm) and sewn on all four sides to prepare a laundered sample. The laundered sample was washed three times for 10 minutes in a commercial dry cleaning machine (one set), the polyester plain weave fabric was removed, and the shape and unevenness of the filler sample were visually evaluated according to the following criteria. Ten sets of washing were performed, and the number of times a rating of A was given is shown in Table 1. -Evaluation criteria for shape and bias of cotton samples- A: No shape or deviation was observed. B: Slight shape and deviation were observed. C: Damage confirmed.

[0041] [Examples 1 to 3 and Control Example 1] The raw kapok fiber was defibrated and separated into kapok fiber and impurities using an airflow that takes advantage of the difference in specific gravity. Fibers other than kapok fiber were identified using a camera and removed from the kapok fiber from which the impurities had been removed. The kapok fiber from which the impurities had been removed was carded to remove fine impurities and short kapok fibers, thereby preparing refined kapok fiber.

[0042] Meanwhile, high temperature steam was sprayed onto the raw feathers, and then the steam-treated feathers were dried. The refined kapok fiber and the dry feathers were stirred in the ratios shown in Table 1 in the stirring tank of the manufacturing apparatus shown in Figure 1 while blowing in compressed air at 0.6 MPa, to prepare fillers. In Example 1, the refined kapok fiber and the dry feathers were simultaneously introduced into the stirring tank. In Examples 2 and 3, the refined kapok fiber was introduced into the stirring tank, and then the dry feathers were introduced into the stirring tank to prepare fillers. Furthermore, only the dry feathers were introduced into the manufacturing apparatus 1 to prepare fillers (Control Example 1). The physical properties of these fillers are shown in Table 1.

[0043] [Table 1]

[0044] The kapok fibers constituting the fillers of Examples 1 to 3 were entangled with the barbs of the feathers. The down power of the fillers was equivalent to that of the filler of Control Example 1, which consisted only of feathers. Furthermore, the fillers of Examples 1 to 3 had high deodorizing properties, antibacterial activity, mite repellency, moisture-absorbing heat-generating properties, and washing durability. The filler of Control Example 1, which consisted only of feathers, did not have deodorizing, antibacterial activity, or mite repellency, and its moisture-absorbing heat-generating properties, heat-retaining properties, and washing durability were not measured.

[0045] [Comparative Example 1] The refined kapok fibers and the dry feathers were agitated in the same manner as in Example 1, except that gas was not blown in from the gas blowing unit 5 of the manufacturing apparatus shown in Fig. 1. However, a filler in which the refined kapok fibers and the dry feathers were uniformly mixed was not prepared. [Explanation of symbols]

[0046] 1 Manufacturing equipment, 2 Mixing tank, 3 Rotating shaft, 4 Mixing blade, 5 Gas injection unit, 6 Supply port, 7 Discharge port

Claims

1. An apparatus for producing a filling material containing kapok fiber and feathers, a stirring tank into which the kapok fibers and the feathers are introduced; a rotating shaft disposed in the mixing tank so as to extend in a predetermined direction; A stirring blade provided on the rotating shaft; and a gas blowing unit that blows gas in a direction intersecting the direction in which the rotation axis extends, A filler manufacturing apparatus, wherein only non-ionized gas having a flow rate of 1 m / sec or more is blown into the stirring tank from the gas blowing unit.

2. A method for producing a filling material containing kapok fiber and feathers, The method includes a mixing step of mixing kapok fibers and feathers in a mixer having a rotating shaft extending in a predetermined direction and a stirring blade attached to the rotating shaft, while blowing only non-ionized gas at a flow rate of 1 m / sec or more in a direction intersecting the axial direction of the rotating shaft, A method for producing a filler, wherein the content of the kapok fiber in the filler is in the range of 10 to 49% by mass, and the content of the feathers in the filler is in the range of 51 to 90% by mass.

3. A filling material comprising kapok fiber and feathers, The kapok fibers are entangled in the barbs of the feathers, The content of the kapok fiber in the filler is in the range of 10 to 49% by mass, A filler in which the content of the feathers in the filler is in the range of 51 to 90 mass.

4. 4. A filler according to claim 3, produced by the method for producing a filler according to claim 2.

5. 5. The filler according to claim 3 or 4, which is for bedding or clothing.

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