Shock-absorbing floor material
A three-layered flooring structure with a resin foam under-floor material and load-distributing intermediate layer addresses cushioning and mobility issues, ensuring safe and practical use for wheelchairs.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- JP2024080849
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-05-17
- Publication Date
- 2025-11-28
AI Technical Summary
Existing impact-absorbing flooring materials either suffer from insufficient cushioning performance due to bottoming out or excessive deformation, leading to safety and practicality issues, particularly when used with wheelchairs and mobile beds.
A three-layered flooring structure comprising an upper floor material, an under-floor material made of resin with a foam structure, and an intermediate material that distributes load, ensuring the floor material trolley mobility (Fp, Fn) satisfies specific ratios to balance cushioning and mobility.
The solution provides a flooring material with sufficient cushioning, enhanced safety, and reduced resistance when moving, making it highly practical for wheelchairs and other devices.
Smart Images

Figure 2025174457000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
[Technical Field]
[0001] The present disclosure relates to impact absorbing flooring. [Background technology]
[0002] In recent years, flooring materials that reduce the risk of injury to elderly people and others by absorbing the impact when they fall have been proposed, such as flooring materials in which a foam and a resin sheet are laminated on a base material (Patent Document 1) and flooring materials with an elastomeric surface structure and a deformable structure that absorbs impact energy (Patent Document 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]
[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2019-178519 [Patent Document 2] U.S. Patent No. 8,241,726 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]
[0004] However, flooring materials with foam such as those described in Patent Document 1 are prone to bottoming out, where the foam at the point of the fall is completely crushed when a localized impact is applied, such as when a pedestrian falls. This results in insufficient cushioning performance, posing safety issues. Furthermore, for example, wheelchairs and mobile beds are prone to deformation of the flooring due to deformation of the foam at the point where they come into contact with the flooring. This poses a practical issue, as it increases the sense of resistance when moving these devices. Furthermore, flooring materials such as those described in Patent Document 2 have excellent cushioning performance, but are prone to deformation due to localized loads, posing the same practicality issues as Patent Document 1.
[0005] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of these problems, and aims to provide an impact-absorbing flooring material that has sufficient cushioning performance, is excellent in safety, and is also highly practical, with little resistance when moving around in a wheelchair or the like. [Means for solving the problem]
[0006] To solve the above-mentioned problems, an impact-absorbing floor material according to one aspect of the present disclosure comprises an upper floor material, an under-floor material provided below the upper floor material, and an intermediate material provided between the upper floor material and the under-floor material. The under-floor material of this impact-absorbing floor material is made of a resin material and has a foam structure, and the floor material trolley mobility (Fp, Fn) of the impact-absorbing floor material satisfies the following formulas (1) and (2), respectively. 1<(Fp / fp)<2 (1) 1<(Fn / fn)<2 (2) (In the formula, fp is the starting force of a hand truck with a maximum load of 150 kg measured in the straight-line starting performance test in accordance with JIS B8920:2014, and fn is the starting force of the hand truck measured in the 90-degree angle starting performance test. Also, Fp is the starting force of the hand truck measured in the straight-line starting performance test with an impact-absorbing floor material placed between the inspection table and the hand truck, and Fn is the starting force of the hand truck measured in the 90-degree angle starting performance test with an impact-absorbing floor material placed between the inspection table and the hand truck.) [Effects of the Invention]
[0007] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide an impact-absorbing flooring material that has sufficient cushioning performance, is excellent in safety, and is also highly practical in that it provides little resistance when moving a wheelchair or the like. [Brief explanation of the drawings]
[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the method for measuring the starting force of a single-arm hand truck in the starting performance test in JIS B8920:2014. [Figure 2A] This is a schematic diagram showing the method for measuring the starting force of a single-arm hand truck in the starting performance test (straight-line running starting performance test) in JIS B8920:2014. [Figure 2B]This is a schematic diagram showing the method for measuring the starting force of a single-arm hand truck in the starting performance test (90° angle running starting performance test) in JIS B8920:2014. [Figure 3] 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of an impact-absorbing floor material according to the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, this description is intended to exemplify devices and methods for embodying the technical idea of the present technology. Furthermore, the technical idea of the present technology can be modified in various ways within the technical scope described in the claims.
[0010] 1. Flooring trolley mobility The flooring cart mobility defined in the impact-absorbing flooring according to the present disclosure will be described below. The flooring trolley mobility (Fp, Fn) specified in this disclosure is an index of the ease of movement of a four-wheeled, single-arm hand truck (cart) on a flooring material, and is measured by moving a cart with a maximum load capacity of 150 kg that complies with JIS B8920:2014 on the flooring material in a specified manner.
[0011] Hereinafter, with reference to Figures 1, 2A and 2B, the measurement method for the starting performance test specified in JIS B8920:2014 and the measurement method for floor material trolley mobility (Fp, Fn) and floor material trolley mobility (Fp, Fn) specified in this disclosure will be described. JIS B8920:2014 specifies two starting performance tests: a straight-line running starting performance test and a 90° angle running starting performance test.
[0012] As shown in Figures 1 and 2A, the straight-line starting performance test specifies a method for measuring the starting force in the straight-line direction of a single-arm hand truck 102, which is a trolley. Specifically, the starting force in the straight-line direction is measured by placing the hand truck 102, with weight 103 evenly loaded to the maximum load mass, on an inspection table 101 with its wheels 102A aligned with the direction of travel, for five minutes, and then applying a horizontal force to the hand of the hand truck 102 to start it. The inspection table 101 is a horizontally placed surface plate or a flat steel plate with a thickness of 12 mm or more. The starting force is measured using a measuring device 104 attached to the hand of the hand truck 102. In this way, the starting force in the straight-ahead traveling direction measured using the hand truck 102 on the inspection table 101 on which no shock-absorbing floor material is placed is defined as the starting force fp in the straight-ahead traveling direction.
[0013] 1 and 2B, the 90° angle starting performance test specifies a method for measuring the starting force in the 90° angle traveling direction of the above-mentioned single-arm hand truck 102. Specifically, the starting force in the 90° angle traveling direction is measured in the same way as the starting force in the straight traveling direction, except that both wheels 102A are left facing outward at 90° with respect to the traveling direction. In this way, the starting force in the 90° angle travel direction measured using the hand truck 102 on the inspection table 101 on which no shock-absorbing floor material is placed is defined as the 90° angle travel direction starting force fn. Furthermore, standard values for the straight-ahead travel direction starting force fp and the 90° angle travel direction starting force fn are specified by maximum load mass in JIS B8920:2014. When using a hand truck with a maximum load mass of 150 kg, the standard value for the straight-ahead travel direction starting force fp is 98 N or less, and the standard value for the 90° angle travel direction starting force fn is 221 N or less.
[0014] The floor trolley mobility Fp is the starting force in the straight-line running direction when using a hand truck 102 with a maximum load mass of 150 kg, measured by conducting a straight-line running starting performance test in accordance with JIS B8920:2014, with an impact-absorbing floor material placed between the inspection table 101 and the hand truck 102 (the trolley). In addition, the floor material trolley mobility Fn is the starting force in the 90° angle travel direction when using a hand truck 102 with a maximum load mass of 150 kg, measured by conducting a 90° angle travel starting performance test in accordance with JIS B8920:2014, with an impact-absorbing floor material placed between the inspection table 101 and the hand truck 102, which is the trolley.
[0015] 2. Embodiment (2.1) Basic composition of flooring The shock-absorbing floor material 1 according to the present disclosure will be described below with reference to FIG. The impact-absorbing floor material 1 comprises an upper floor material 11, an underfloor material 12 provided below the upper floor material 11 (the attachment surface of the impact-absorbing floor material 1), and an intermediate material 13 provided between the upper floor material 11 and the underfloor material 12. The upper floor material 11 has surface functions such as improving the scratch resistance and stain resistance of the impact absorbing floor material 1 and adding design features to the impact absorbing floor material 1. The underfloor material 12 has the function of absorbing pressure when a user falls, thereby increasing the cushioning properties of the impact absorbing floor material 1. The intermediate material 13 distributes the load applied from the upper floor material 11 to the underfloor material 12, thereby improving the impact absorption properties when a fall occurs, and suppressing local deformation of the impact absorbing floor material 1 due to the load, thereby suppressing an increase in the sense of resistance when moving around in a wheelchair or the like.
[0016] The total thickness of the impact absorbing flooring material 1 is preferably more than 7 mm and not more than 25 mm. If the total thickness of the impact absorbing flooring material 1 is more than 7 mm, it is easier to balance shock absorption, walking comfort, and durability. Furthermore, if the total thickness of the impact absorbing flooring material 1 is 25 mm or less, the thickness of the impact absorbing flooring material 1 will not be too large, and the difference in level between the installed and non-installed areas of the impact absorbing flooring material 1 will not be too large, resulting in good fit of the impact absorbing flooring material 1 during installation. The top floor material 11, underfloor material 12, and intermediate material 13 will be described in detail below.
[0017] The shock-absorbing floor material 1 has a predetermined floor material carriage mobility (Fp, Fn). Specifically, the floor material carriage mobility (Fp, Fn) of the shock-absorbing floor material 1 satisfies the following formulas (1) and (2). 1<(Fp / fp)<2 (1) 1<(Fn / fn)<2 (2) In the formula, fp is the starting force of a hand truck with a maximum load mass of 150 kg measured in a straight-line running starting performance test among the starting performance tests conforming to JIS B8920:2014, and fn is the starting force of the hand truck measured in a 90° angle running starting performance test among the starting performance tests. Also, Fp is the starting force of the hand truck measured in the straight-line running starting performance test with the impact-absorbing floor material placed between the inspection table and the hand truck, and Fn is the starting force of the hand truck measured in the 90° angle running starting performance test with the impact-absorbing floor material placed between the inspection table and the hand truck.
[0018] Furthermore, it is preferable that the floor material carriage mobility (Fp, Fn) of the shock-absorbing floor material 1 satisfies the following formulas (3) and (4), respectively. 1<(Fp / fp)<1.5 (3) 1<(Fn / fn)<1.5 (4) As described above, Fp, Fn, fp, and fn shown in formulas (1) to (4) can be measured by the measurement method for the starting performance test specified in JIS B8920:2014. (Fp / fp) and (Fn / fn) shown in equations (1) to (4) are parameters that indicate the influence they have on the ease of movement of a wheelchair or other device on the impact absorbing flooring material 1. The theoretical minimum values of (Fp / fp) and (Fn / fn) are 1, and the larger the values of (Fp / fp) and (Fn / fn), the greater the increase in resistance a user will feel when moving on the impact absorbing flooring material 1 in a wheelchair or other device. (Fp / fp) and (Fn / fn) are less than 2, and preferably less than 1.5. When (Fp / fp) and (Fn / fn) are less than 2, the sense of resistance when moving in a wheelchair or the like is significantly reduced. Furthermore, when (Fp / fp) and (Fn / fn) are less than 2, the sense of resistance when moving in a wheelchair or the like is further reduced, which is preferable. Each layer of the impact-absorbing floor material 1 will be described below.
[0019] <Floor materials> The over-floor material 11 is a layer that constitutes the surface of the shock-absorbing floor material 1, and is made of a harder material than the under-floor material 12. It is preferable that the thickness of the floor covering material 11 is 5 mm or less. If the thickness of the floor covering material 11 is 5 mm or less, the weight of the shock-absorbing floor material 1 will not be too heavy, and the burden during installation can be reduced. Common materials such as long vinyl chloride sheets or vinyl chloride tiles can be used for the floor covering material 11. Methods for laminating the floor covering material 11 and the intermediate material 13 include adhesion using adhesive tape or glue. The floor covering material 11 may be laminated to the intermediate material 13 by thermal lamination in a process subsequent to the manufacturing process of the intermediate material 13.
[0020] <Underfloor materials> The underfloor material 12 is provided below the top floor material 11. The underfloor material 12 is made of a resin material, has a foam structure, and has the function of absorbing impact on the shock-absorbing floor material 1 by deforming appropriately in the event of a fall. The underfloor material 12 is preferably softer than the top floor material 11. The underfloor material 12 is made of a resin material such as polyolefins such as polyethylene or polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer, polystyrene, polyurethane, etc., and has a closed-cell or open-cell structure produced by methods such as chemical foaming or physical foaming.
[0021] The Asker C hardness of the underfloor material 12 is preferably 20 or more and 60 or less when measured in a 23°C environment. Here, "Asker C" is a measuring instrument for measuring hardness, and is one of the durometers (spring-type hardness testers) specified in SRIS0101 (the Society of Rubber Industry, Japan Standard). Also, "Asker C hardness" refers to a value measured using the Asker C hardness tester described above. If the Asker C hardness of the underfloor material 12 measured at 23°C is 20 or higher, the underfloor material 12 will be difficult to deform, resulting in a decrease in safety, such as an uncomfortable feeling when walking or the risk of pedestrians losing their balance and falling. Also, if the Asker C hardness measured at 23°C is 60 or less, sufficient shock absorption effect will be obtained when an impact is applied to the impact-absorbing floor material 1.
[0022] The thickness of the underfloor material 12 is preferably 4 mm or more and 15 mm or less. If the thickness of the underfloor material 12 is 4 mm or more, a sufficient cushioning effect is obtained when a pedestrian or the like falls. If the thickness is 15 mm or less, deformation of the shock-absorbing floor material 1 due to load is reduced, load-bearing capacity is further improved, and sinking during walking is reduced, reducing the risk of pedestrians or the like falling.
[0023] <Intermediate material> The intermediate material 13 is provided between the upper floor material 11 and the underfloor material 12, and functions as a support layer to distribute the load applied from the upper floor material 11 to the underfloor material 12, thereby improving the shock absorption and load-bearing capacity of the shock-absorbing floor material 1. It also plays a role in suppressing local deformation of the shock-absorbing floor material 1 due to the load, and suppressing an increase in the sense of resistance when moving around in a wheelchair or the like.
[0024] The intermediate material 13 may be a wood substrate such as plywood, particle board, medium-density fiberboard (MDF), hardboard (HB), or other fiberboard, or a resin substrate containing a resin such as polyethylene, polypropylene, or polyvinyl chloride. It is preferable to add an inorganic filler when using a resin base material for the intermediate material 13. If an inorganic filler is not added, the shock-absorbing floor material 1 may not have sufficient cushioning properties and may not be safe. As the inorganic filler, silica, talc, calcium carbonate, barium sulfate, aluminum hydroxide, carbon fiber, glass fiber, etc. can be used. The content of the inorganic filler varies depending on the type of resin and filler, but is usually 30% by mass or more and 85% by mass or less of the total mass of the intermediate material 13. By setting the content within this range, the intermediate material can be endowed with the appropriate rigidity required for shock absorption and strength against deformation in the thickness direction. When a wood base material is used for the intermediate material 13, it is preferable that the density is 0.9 g / cc or more. If the density is less than 0.9 g / cc, the cushioning effect of the flooring material may be insufficient. An example of a wood base material with a density of 0.9 g / cc or more is hardboard.
[0025] The thickness of the intermediate material 13 is preferably 2 mm or more and 8 mm or less. When the thickness of the intermediate material 13 is 2 mm or more, the deflection of the intermediate material in the event of a fall is reduced, providing sufficient cushioning effect, thereby reducing the possibility of breakage when an impact is applied during use. Furthermore, when the thickness of the intermediate material 13 is 8 mm or less, the mass of the shock-absorbing flooring 1 does not become too large, improving workability during installation and effectively dispersing the load when an impact is applied to the shock-absorbing flooring 1, improving the cushioning effect of the entire shock-absorbing flooring 1.
[0026] Even if the thickness and Asker C hardness of each layer are within the above-mentioned ranges, and the materials and structure of each layer are as described above, desirable practicality and safety may not be achieved if the combination of properties results in (Fp / fp) and (Fn / fn) being 2 or greater. In the impact-absorbing flooring material 1, each layer must be designed so that (Fp / fp) and (Fn / fn) are less than 2.
[0027] (2.2) Effects The impact-absorbing floor material according to this embodiment has the following effects.
[0028] (1) The impact-absorbing floor material according to this embodiment comprises an upper floor material, a sub-floor material provided below the upper floor material, and an intermediate material provided between the upper floor material and the sub-floor material. The sub-floor material is formed of a resin material and has a foam structure. The floor material trolley mobility (Fp, Fn) of the impact-absorbing floor material satisfies the following formulas (1) and (2), respectively. 1<(Fp / fp)<2 (1) 1<(Fn / fn)<2 (2) (In the formula, fp is the starting force of a hand truck with a maximum load of 150 kg measured in the straight-line starting performance test in accordance with JIS B8920:2014, and fn is the starting force of the hand truck measured in the 90-degree angle starting performance test. Also, Fp is the starting force of the hand truck measured in the straight-line starting performance test with an impact-absorbing floor material placed between the inspection table and the hand truck, and Fn is the starting force of the hand truck measured in the 90-degree angle starting performance test with an impact-absorbing floor material placed between the inspection table and the hand truck.) This makes it possible to obtain a shock-absorbing floor material that has sufficient cushioning performance, is excellent in safety, and has little resistance when moving around in a wheelchair, making it highly practical.
[0029] (2) It is preferable that the floor material trolley mobility (Fp, Fn) of the shock-absorbing floor material according to this embodiment satisfies the following formulas (3) and (4), respectively. 1<(Fp / fp)<1.5 (3) 1<(Fn / fn)<1.5 (4) This provides higher cushioning performance, and improves safety and practicality.
[0030] (3) In the impact-absorbing floor material according to this embodiment, the Asker C hardness of the underfloor material is preferably 20 or more and 60 or less. This makes it difficult for the underfloor material to deform, making it less likely that a decrease in safety will occur, such as an uncomfortable feeling when walking or a pedestrian losing their balance and falling, and also provides a sufficient shock absorbing effect when an impact is applied to the shock absorbing floor material.
[0031] (4) In the impact-absorbing floor material according to this embodiment, it is preferable that the thickness of the underfloor material is 4 mm or more and 15 mm or less. This provides sufficient cushioning when a pedestrian or other person falls, reduces deformation of the impact-absorbing floor material 1 due to load, improves load-bearing capacity, and reduces sinking when walking, reducing the risk of pedestrians or other people falling.
[0032] (5) In the impact-absorbing floor material according to this embodiment, the thickness of the intermediate material is preferably 2 mm or more and 8 mm or less. This provides a sufficient cushioning effect, reducing the possibility of breakage when an impact is applied, improving workability during installation, and improving the load distribution effect when an impact is applied to the impact-absorbing flooring material, as well as the cushioning effect of the entire impact-absorbing flooring material.
[0033] (6) In the impact-absorbing floor material according to this embodiment, it is preferable that the thickness of the floor covering material is 5 mm or less. This prevents the impact-absorbing floor material from becoming too heavy, reducing the burden during installation.
[0034] (7) In the impact absorbing floor material according to this embodiment, it is preferable that the total thickness of the impact absorbing floor material is more than 7 mm and 25 mm or less. This makes it easier to balance shock absorption, walking comfort, and durability, and also prevents the difference in level between the installed and non-installed areas of the shock-absorbing flooring material from becoming too large, allowing the shock-absorbing flooring material to fit in well during installation. [Example]
[0035] The flooring material according to the present disclosure will be described below with reference to examples, but the flooring material according to the present disclosure is not limited to these examples.
[0036] Example 1 A flooring panel was created by bonding a floor underlayment (polyethylene (PE) foam, Asker C hardness 40, dimensions 900mm x 900mm x 6mm thick) and an intermediate material (rigid polyvinyl chloride (PVC) resin plate, dimensions 900mm x 900mm x 4mm thick, calcium carbonate content 65wt%) with a two-component urethane adhesive. A steel plate (1800mm x 900mm x 12mm thick) was placed on the concrete floor surface, and two flooring panels were fixed so that the floor underlayment was in contact with the steel plate surface. Next, a long vinyl chloride sheet (Toli Hospilium NW, 1800mm x 900mm x 2mm thick) was fixed with double-sided tape on top of the intermediate material of the flooring panel fixed to the steel plate, forming the impact-absorbing flooring of Example 1 on the steel plate.
[0037] The flooring cart mobility (Fp, Fn) of the impact-absorbing flooring material of Example 1 was measured as follows. A four-wheeled cart conforming to JIS B8920:2014 with a maximum load capacity of 150 kg was prepared, and loaded with 15 tent weights of 10 kg each (150 kg). The cart was placed on a shock-absorbing floor and left there for 5 minutes. Next, as shown in Figure 2A, a horizontal force was applied to the pusher of the cart via a digital hanging scale, and the force (Fp) at which the cart started to move was measured.Similarly, as shown in Figure 2B, a horizontal force was applied to the pusher of the cart via a digital hanging scale, and the force (Fn) at which the cart started to move was measured.
[0038] Furthermore, using the above-mentioned trolley with a maximum load mass of 150 kg, the starting force for straight-line travel (fp) and starting force for angular travel (fn) of the trolley with a maximum load mass of 150 kg were measured using a measurement method conforming to JIS B8920: 2014. fp and fn were measured by placing the trolley directly on the steel plate without installing any shock-absorbing floor material on top of the steel plate, using the method shown in Figures 2A and 2B, and the results were fp = 40 N and fn = 90 N.
[0039] <Example 2> The impact-absorbing flooring material of Example 2 was formed in the same manner as Example 1, except that a flooring material that is a multi-layer vinyl flooring sheet with a foam structure (Mediwalk manufactured by Sangetsu, 1800 mm x 900 mm x 4.5 mm thick) was used as the flooring material. For the impact-absorbing floor material of Example 2, the force at which the trolley starts to move (Fp) was 75 N, and the force at which the trolley starts to move (Fn) was 140 N. Furthermore, the value (Fp / fp) of the force at which the trolley starts to move relative to the starting force (fp) of the trolley as specified in JIS B8920:2014 was 1.9, and the value (Fp / fp) of the force at which the trolley starts to move relative to the starting force (fn) of the trolley was 1.6.
[0040] Example 3 The impact-absorbing floor material of Example 3 was formed in the same manner as in Example 1, except that an ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) foam with an Asker C hardness of 40 and dimensions of 900 mm x 900 mm x thickness of 6 mm was used as the floor underlayment material. For the impact-absorbing floor material of Example 3, the force at which the trolley starts to move (Fp) was 50 N, and the force at which the trolley starts to move (Fn) was 110 N. Furthermore, the value (Fp / fp) of the force at which the trolley starts to move relative to the starting force (fp) of the trolley as specified in JIS B8920:2014 was 1.3, and the value (Fp / fp) of the force at which the trolley starts to move relative to the starting force (fn) of the trolley was 1.2.
[0041] Example 4 An impact-absorbing floor material of Example 4 was formed in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the Asker C hardness of the underfloor material was set to 20. For the impact-absorbing floor material of Example 4, the force at which the trolley starts to move (Fp) was 75 N, and the force at which the trolley starts to move (Fn) was 140 N. Furthermore, the value (Fp / fp) of the force at which the trolley starts to move relative to the starting force (fp) of the trolley as specified in JIS B8920:2014 was 1.9, and the value (Fp / fp) of the force at which the trolley starts to move relative to the starting force (fn) of the trolley was 1.6.
[0042] <Example 5> An impact-absorbing floor material of Example 5 was formed in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the Asker C hardness of the underfloor material was set to 20. For the impact-absorbing floor material of Example 5, the force at which the trolley starts to move (Fp) was 50 N, and the force at which the trolley starts to move (Fn) was 110 N. Furthermore, the value (Fp / fp) of the force at which the trolley starts to move relative to the starting force (fp) of the trolley as specified in JIS B8920:2014 was 1.3, and the value (Fp / fp) of the force at which the trolley starts to move relative to the starting force (fn) of the trolley was 1.2.
[0043] Example 6 An impact-absorbing floor material of Example 6 was formed in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the thickness of the underfloor material was set to 4 mm. For the impact-absorbing floor material of Example 6, the force at which the trolley starts to move (Fp) was 50 N, and the force at which the trolley starts to move (Fn) was 110 N. Furthermore, the value (Fp / fp) of the force at which the trolley starts to move relative to the starting force (fp) of the trolley as specified in JIS B8920:2014 was 1.3, and the value (Fp / fp) of the force at which the trolley starts to move relative to the starting force (fn) of the trolley was 1.2.
[0044] Example 7 An impact-absorbing floor material of Example 7 was formed in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the thickness of the underfloor material was set to 15 mm. For the impact-absorbing floor material of Example 7, the force at which the trolley starts to move (Fp) was 75 N, and the force at which the trolley starts to move (Fn) was 150 N. Furthermore, the value (Fp / fp) of the force at which the trolley starts to move relative to the starting force (fp) of the trolley as specified in JIS B8920:2014 was 1.9, and the value (Fp / fp) of the force at which the trolley starts to move relative to the starting force (fn) of the trolley was 1.7.
[0045] Example 8 An impact-absorbing floor material of Example 8 was produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the thickness of the intermediate material was set to 2 mm. For the impact-absorbing floor material of Example 8, the force at which the trolley starts to move (Fp) was 75 N, and the force at which the trolley starts to move (Fn) was 150 N. Furthermore, the value (Fp / fp) of the force at which the trolley starts to move relative to the starting force (fp) of the trolley as specified in JIS B8920:2014 was 1.9, and the value (Fp / fp) of the force at which the trolley starts to move relative to the starting force (fn) of the trolley was 1.7.
[0046] Example 9 An impact-absorbing floor material of Example 9 was produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the thickness of the intermediate material was set to 6 mm. For the impact-absorbing floor material of Example 9, the force at which the trolley starts to move (Fp) was 50 N, and the force at which the trolley starts to move (Fn) was 110 N. Furthermore, the value (Fp / fp) of the force at which the trolley starts to move relative to the starting force (fp) of the trolley as specified in JIS B8920:2014 was 1.3, and the value (Fp / fp) of the force at which the trolley starts to move relative to the starting force (fn) of the trolley was 1.2.
[0047] Example 10 An impact-absorbing floor material of Example 10 was produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that a hardboard (HB) having a thickness of 3.5 mm and a density of 0.9 was used as the intermediate material. For the impact-absorbing floor material of Example 10, the force at which the trolley starts to move (Fp) was 50 N, and the force at which the trolley starts to move (Fn) was 110 N. Furthermore, the value (Fp / fp) of the force at which the trolley starts to move relative to the starting force (fp) of the trolley as specified in JIS B8920:2014 was 1.3, and the value (Fp / fp) of the force at which the trolley starts to move relative to the starting force (fn) of the trolley was 1.2.
[0048] Example 11 An impact-absorbing floor material of Example 11 was produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that a medium density fiberboard (MDF) with a thickness of 4 mm and a density of 0.4 was used as the intermediate material. For the impact-absorbing floor material of Example 11, the force at which the trolley starts to move (Fp) was 70 N, and the force at which the trolley starts to move (Fn) was 140 N. Furthermore, the value (Fp / fp) of the force at which the trolley starts to move relative to the starting force (fp) of the trolley as specified in JIS B8920:2014 was 1.8, and the value (Fp / fp) of the force at which the trolley starts to move relative to the starting force (fn) of the trolley was 1.6.
[0049] <Comparative Example 1> An impact-absorbing floor material of Comparative Example 1 was formed in the same manner as in Example 2, except that the thickness of the underfloor material was 7 mm and the thickness of the intermediate material was 3 mm. For the impact-absorbing floor material of Comparative Example 1, the force at which the trolley starts to move (Fp) was 90 N, and the force at which the trolley starts to move (Fn) was 160 N. Furthermore, the value (Fp / fp) of the force at which the trolley starts to move relative to the starting force (fp) of the trolley as specified in JIS B8920:2014 was 2.3, and the value (Fp / fp) of the force at which the trolley starts to move relative to the starting force (fn) of the trolley was 1.8.
[0050] <Comparative Example 2> An impact-absorbing floor material of Comparative Example 2 was formed in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the underfloor material and intermediate material were not used. For the impact-absorbing floor material of Comparative Example 2, the force at which the trolley starts to move (Fp) was 65 N, and the force at which the trolley starts to move (Fn) was 120 N. Furthermore, the value (Fp / fp) of the force at which the trolley starts to move relative to the starting force (fp) of the trolley as specified in JIS B8920:2014 was 1.6, and the value (Fp / fp) of the force at which the trolley starts to move relative to the starting force (fn) of the trolley was 1.3.
[0051] <Comparative Example 3> An impact-absorbing floor material of Comparative Example 3 was formed in the same manner as in Example 1, except that no intermediate material was used. For the impact-absorbing floor material of Comparative Example 3, the force at which the trolley starts to move (Fp) was 160 N, and the force at which the trolley starts to move (Fn) was 200 N. Furthermore, the value (Fp / fp) of the force at which the trolley starts to move relative to the starting force (fp) of the trolley as specified in JIS B8920:2014 was 4.0, and the value (Fp / fp) of the force at which the trolley starts to move relative to the starting force (fn) of the trolley was 2.2.
[0052] [evaluation] The following evaluations were carried out using the impact-absorbing floor materials of the above-mentioned Examples and Comparative Examples.
[0053] 1) Safety testing G-value In accordance with JIS A6519:2018, the impact (G value) was measured when a device with a mass of 3.85 kg was allowed to freely fall from the specified height of 20 cm onto the impact-absorbing flooring material of each example and comparative example, and safety was evaluated based on this G value. The G value and its evaluation are shown in Table 1 below. The evaluation criteria for the G value are as follows: ○: G value less than 70 (pass) △: G value is between 70 and 100 (pass) ×: G value is 100 or more (fail)
[0054] 2) Practicality test ·Wheelchair operability A wheelchair loaded with six 10 kg tent weights (60 kg) was prepared, and a questionnaire survey was conducted on 40 subjects regarding the operability of the wheelchair when it was freely moved on the shock-absorbing flooring materials of each Example and Comparative Example. The answer options (ratings) were (A) almost no discomfort (1 point), (B) discomfort but tolerable level (2 points), and (C) discomfort beyond the tolerable level (3 points), and the evaluation was based on the average score. The average scores and evaluations are shown in Table 1 below. The evaluation criteria for the average scores are as follows: ○: Average score is less than 1.5 points (pass) △: Average score is 1.5 or more but less than 2 points (pass) ×: Average score is 2 or more (fail)
[0055] Table 1 below shows the evaluation results of each of the examples and comparative examples.
[0056] [Table 1]
[0057] As shown in Table 1, the impact-absorbing floor materials of Examples 1 to 11, whose floor material trolley mobility (Fp, Fn) satisfies the following formulas (1) and (2), had good safety and practicality. In particular, the impact-absorbing floor materials of Examples 1, 3, 5, 6, 9, and 10, whose floor material trolley mobility (Fp, Fn) satisfies the following formulas (3) and (4), had particularly good practicality compared to Examples 2, 4, 7, 8, and 11, which satisfied formulas (1) and (2) but did not satisfy formulas (3) and (4). 1<(Fp / fp)<2 (1) 1<(Fn / fn)<2 (2) 1<(Fp / fp)<1.5 (3) 1<(Fn / fn)<1.5 (4)
[0058] On the other hand, Comparative Example 1, in which (Fp / fp) is 2 or more, and Comparative Example 3, in which both (Fp / fp) and (Fn / fn) are 2 or more, showed reduced practicality, and in particular Comparative Example 3, in which both (Fp / fp) and (Fn / fn) are 2 or more, showed a significant reduction in practicality and a slight reduction in safety. Furthermore, Comparative Example 2, in which the flooring material layer thickness was less than 7 nm, showed high practicality but reduced safety.
[0059] The scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the exemplary embodiments shown and described, but also includes all embodiments that achieve equivalent effects to those intended by the present disclosure. Furthermore, the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the combination of inventive features defined by the claims, but may be defined by any desired combination of specific features from among all the respective disclosed features. [Explanation of symbols]
[0060] 1. Shock-absorbing flooring 11 Flooring material 12 Underfloor materials 13 Intermediate materials 101 Examination Table 102 Hand Truck 102A wheels 103 Tent Weight 104 Measuring instruments
Claims
1. Floor coverings and A floor underlayment material provided below the floor covering material; an intermediate material provided between the floor covering material and the underfloor material; An impact absorbing floor material comprising: The underfloor material is made of a resin material and has a foam structure, The floor material trolley mobility (Fp, Fn) of the impact absorbing floor material satisfies the following formulas (1) and (2), respectively. Shock absorbing flooring. 1<(Fp / fp)<2...(1) 1<(Fn / fn)<2...(2) (In the formula, fp is the starting force of a hand truck with a maximum load mass of 150 kg measured in a straight-line running starting performance test among the starting performance tests conforming to JIS B8920:2014, and fn is the starting force of the hand truck measured in a 90° angle running starting performance test among the starting performance tests. Also, Fp is the starting force of the hand truck measured in the straight-line running starting performance test with the impact-absorbing floor material placed between the inspection table and the hand truck, and Fn is the starting force of the hand truck measured in the 90° angle running starting performance test with the impact-absorbing floor material placed between the inspection table and the hand truck.)
2. The floor material carriage mobility (Fp, Fn) satisfies the following formulas (3) and (4), respectively. The impact-absorbing floor material according to claim 1. 1<(Fp / fp)<1.5...(3) 1<(Fn / fn)<1.5...(4)
3. The Asker C hardness of the underfloor material is 20 or more and 60 or less. The impact-absorbing floor material according to claim 1 or 2.
4. The thickness of the underfloor material is 4 mm or more and 15 mm or less. The impact-absorbing floor material according to claim 1 or 2.
5. The thickness of the intermediate material is 2 mm or more and 8 mm or less. The impact-absorbing floor material according to claim 1 or 2.
6. The thickness of the floor covering is 5 mm or less. The impact-absorbing floor material according to claim 1 or 2.
7. The total thickness of the impact absorbing floor material is more than 7 mm and 25 mm or less. The impact-absorbing floor material according to claim 1 or 2.
Citation Information
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