Ventilation mat

Abstract

To provide a ventilation mat that combines breathability and heating properties, and is easily recyclable due to the easy separation of its linear components. [Solution] The ventilation mat 1 comprises a base material 12 having a breathable three-dimensional structure, a breathable planar body 11 disposed on one side of the base material, and a linear body 10 fixed to the planar body 11 by fusion, wherein the base material 12 and the planar body 11 are fixed by fastening with an engaging member 30. The ventilation mat 1 is characterized in that the linear body 10 is either a heater wire or a sensor wire or both.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a ventilation mat installed and used in, for example, an automobile seat or the like, and particularly relates to a configuration that is suitable for performing air blowing or the like through a seat and can warm a user by heating.

Background Art

[0002] For example, when sitting on a seat in an automobile or the like for a long time, particularly under conditions where the surrounding temperature and humidity are high, "sweating" and "sticky feeling" occur at the contact portion between the surface of the seat and the human body. Since this "sweating" and "sticky feeling" cause discomfort to the seated person, various countermeasures against such problems have been conventionally studied.

[0003] Also, even in the same seat, the countermeasures prioritized vary depending on the season. In summer, countermeasures against the aforementioned "sweating" and "sticky feeling" are required, but in winter, countermeasures against "cold" and "freezing" may be prioritized. Therefore, in the market, a countermeasure plan that eliminates all of these is required.

[0004] As one of such countermeasures, for example, proposals such as those in Patent Documents 1 to 4 have been made. Patent Documents 1 to 4 disclose a base material having a breathable three-dimensional structure (also referred to as a ventilation mat body) and heater wires fixed to the base material. Patent Document 2 also shows a fan unit communicating with the ventilation mat body. The ventilation mat bodies of these patent documents can improve the aforementioned "sweating" and "sticky feeling", and the heater wires can improve "cold" and "freezing". In addition, as related technologies, for example, Patent Documents 5 to 8 can also be cited. In addition, the applicant of this patent application has also made proposals such as those in Patent Documents 9 to 11.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

[0006] Generally, the ventilation mat body and the heater wire (i.e., the wire) are manufactured as separate parts and assembled before installation on the seat. There are various methods for assembling these two parts. When fixing the heater wire to the ventilation mat body, there are methods such as fixing the heater wire with sewing thread or fixing the heater wire to the ventilation mat body by sewing it in with sewing thread. However, fixing the heater wire with sewing thread may cause the heater wire to deviate from the designed wiring path in areas where the sewing thread is not applied. In addition, fixing with sewing thread can cause the surface to become more uneven due to the sewing thread, and sewing the heater wire in with sewing thread is particularly complicated and inefficient, leading to a significant increase in cost. Furthermore, these methods and techniques result in the ventilation mat body and heater wire being fixed more firmly and intricately than necessary, which makes it difficult to separate the parts when recycling the product at the end of its lifespan.

[0007] This invention was made to solve the problems of the prior art, and its objective is to provide a ventilation mat that combines breathability and heating properties, and is easily recyclable because the linear elements can be easily separated. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To achieve the above objective, the ventilation mat according to the present invention comprises a base material having a breathable three-dimensional structure, a breathable planar body disposed on one side of the base material, and a linear body fixed to the planar body by fusion, wherein the base material and the planar body are fixed together by fastening with engaging members. Furthermore, the linear body may be either a heater wire, a sensor wire, or both. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the ventilation mat of the present invention, linear bodies are fixed to a breathable planar body, and the fixation is achieved by fusion. Therefore, in special environments such as temperatures higher than those during normal use, it is possible to separate the planar body and the linear bodies by applying a certain force, and because the linear bodies have good separability, they are excellent for sorting during recycling. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] These are exploded perspective views and perspective views of an embodiment of the ventilation mat of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a schematic diagram of a seat equipped with the ventilation mat of the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a seat equipped with the ventilation mat of the present invention, and is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV' in Figure 2. [Figure 4] This is a partially cutaway side view showing an example of a linear body used in the present invention. [Figure 5] This figure shows an embodiment of the present invention, and is a partially cutaway perspective view showing the structure of the planar body. [Figure 6] This figure shows an embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the configuration of a hot-press type surface processing apparatus. [Figure 7] This is a partial perspective view showing how linear bodies are arranged in a predetermined pattern shape on a planar body according to the present invention. [Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention]

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The ventilation mat described below is provided on at least one of the seat surface and the backrest of the seat. The ventilation mat according to the present embodiment is disposed between a cushion material of a seat in which recesses are formed and a skin cover that covers the cushion material, and in the recessed portion of the cushion material. Further, a fan as a blowing source is connected to the ventilation mat, and by this fan, air is sucked from the ventilation mat or air is flowed into the ventilation mat.

[0012] In the following description, with respect to the cushion material of the seat, the surface that the seated person contacts is referred to as the front surface, and the surface that the seated person does not contact is referred to as the back surface.

[0013] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the ventilation mat 1. FIG. 1 shows the configuration of the ventilation mat 1 according to the present embodiment.

[0014] First, the linear body 10 fixed to the sheet-like body 11 by fusion will be described. The linear body 10 in the present embodiment has a configuration as shown in FIG. 4. First, there is a core material 3, and around the outer periphery of the core material 3, a structure formed by arranging five conductor strands 5a in parallel is spirally wound. An insulator layer 7 is extruded and coated on the outer periphery of the core material 3 with the conductor strands 5a wound thereon. Further, a heat fusion layer 9 is extruded and coated on its outer periphery. The linear body 10 has such a configuration, and its finished outer diameter is 1.1 mm. Also, when considering flexibility and tensile strength, the above core material 3 is effective, but it is also conceivable to use a plurality of conductor strands 5a arranged in parallel or twisted together instead of the core material 3. This linear body 10 can be treated as a heater wire that generates heat by energization, and can also be treated as a sensor wire having a capacitance detection function by treating it as an electrode wire.

[0015] Next, the structure of the planar body 11 that fuses and fixes the linear body 10 having the above structure will be described. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 5, the planar body 11 is made by plain weaving fiber yarn 11a, sandwiching it between a pair of nonwoven fabrics 11b (basis weight 27 g / m2, apparent thickness 1 mm), and attaching them with adhesive. The planar body 11 with this structure has a total basis weight of 100 g / m2. Furthermore, it is preferable that the planar body 11 contains heat-fusible fibers.

[0016] Next, a configuration for arranging and bonding / fixing the linear body 10 on the planar body 11 in a meandering shape will be described. In this embodiment, the meandering interval is set to 20 mm. Figure 6 shows the configuration of a hot press type heater manufacturing apparatus 13 for bonding and fixing the linear body 10 on the planar body 11. First, there is a hot press jig 15, on which a plurality of locking mechanisms 17 are provided. As shown in Figure 7, the locking mechanism 17 is equipped with a pin 19, which is inserted from below into a hole 21 drilled in the hot press jig 15. A locking member 23 is attached to the upper part of the pin 19 so as to be movable in the axial direction and is constantly biased upward by a coil spring 25. Then, as shown by the dashed lines in Figure 7, the linear body 10 is arranged in a meandering shape by hooking it onto the locking members 23 of these plurality of locking mechanisms 17.

[0017] Returning to Figure 6, a press heating plate 27 is positioned above the multiple locking mechanisms 17 so as to be able to move up and down. That is, the linear body 10 is arranged in a meandering shape, hooked onto the locking members 23 of the multiple locking mechanisms 17, and the planar body 11 is placed on top of it. In this state, the press heating plate 27 is lowered to apply heat and pressure to the linear body 10 and the planar body 11, for example, at 230°C for 5 seconds. As a result, the heat-fused portion 9 on the linear body 10 side and the heat-fused fibers on the planar body 11 side fuse together, and as a result, the linear body 10 and the planar body 11 are fused and fixed together. When heating and pressurizing occur due to the lowering of the press heating plate 27, the locking members 23 of the multiple locking mechanisms 17 move downward against the biasing force of the coil spring 25.

[0018] The planar body 11, which is created in this way and used to fix the linear body 10 by fusion, can be treated as a heater unit because the linear body 10 is used as a heater wire.

[0019] Furthermore, the structure and manufacturing method of these linear bodies 10 and planar bodies 11 may be appropriately adapted from the following patent documents 12 to 16 by the said patent applicant.

[0020] [Patent Document 12] International release WO2014 / 103981 [Patent Document 13] International release WO2022 / 054701 [Patent Document 14] International release WO2023 / 162409 [Patent Document 15] Patent No. 4202071 [Patent Document 16] International release WO2022 / 153919

[0021] Next, a configuration in which two parts, a base material 12 (ventilation mat body) having a breathable three-dimensional structure and a planar body 11, are connected by an engaging member will be described. In this embodiment, the two parts are connected using a sewing machine and sewing thread. It is preferable to overlap the two parts, set them in the sewing machine, and sew them together with a tension that does not crush the three-dimensional structure of the base material 12. When overlapping, the side of the planar body 11 that fixes the linear body 10 may face the base material 12 side or the opposite side of the base material 12. The optimal setting will differ depending on the vertical rigidity of the base material 12 and the stitching pitch, but it is particularly preferable that the sum of the lengths of the upper and lower threads of the sewing machine between two adjacent connecting points (stitch 1 pitch) is 250 to 350% of the thickness of the base material 12. By having the sum of the lengths of the upper and lower threads within the above range, the base material 12 and the planar body 11 can be fixed together while maintaining the three-dimensional structure of the base material 12. If the combined length of the upper and lower threads falls below the above range, the sewing thread may break, and the three-dimensional structure of the base material 12 may be crushed, resulting in a wavy structure and potentially a deterioration in tactile feel. If the combined length of the upper and lower threads exceeds the above range, the two parts may not be properly connected, and each part may slip sideways.

[0022] Regarding the position where the two components, the base material 12 and the planar body 11, are connected by the engaging member, the peripheral edge of the base material 12 and the planar body 11 is preferred, and it is preferable that the entire peripheral edge is not connected. Connecting the peripheral edge prevents the edge of the planar body 11 from curling up from the base material 12. Also, if the entire peripheral edge is connected, it becomes difficult to install a lead portion (not shown) for connecting the linear body 10 to an external power supply, so it is preferable that at least one point on the peripheral edge is not connected. On the central side of the base material 12 and the planar body 11, which is not the peripheral side, the connection can be made anywhere as long as the linear body 10 is not fused and fixed to the planar body 11. Connecting the central side with the engaging member is preferable because it can suppress lifting and displacement of the central part of the planar body 11.

[0023] Any type of fastening member can be used for securing the components; this may include sewing thread, bannock pins, rivets, or even staples, as long as they do not crush the three-dimensional structure of the base material 12. In the case of bannock pins, using pins with a length of 75-100% of the thickness of the base material 12 can prevent the three-dimensional structure of the base material 12 from being crushed.

[0024] As described above, by connecting the base material 12 (ventilation mat body) and the planar body 11, a ventilation mat 1 as shown in Figure 1 can be created. Such a ventilation mat 1 is placed on the cushioning material 64 of the sheet as shown in Figures 2-3. When the linear body 10, planar body 11, and base material 12 are laminated and arranged in the order of linear body 10, planar body 11, and base material 12 from the surface side, the warming effect on the user is best, and the thermal efficiency is also good because the base material 12 functions as an insulating layer. When the planar body 11, linear body 10, and base material 12 are laminated and arranged in the order of planar body 11, the unevenness of the linear body 10 felt by the user is reduced by the planar body 11. When the base material 12 is on the surface side and the linear body 10 and planar body 11 are laminated in any order on the back side, the cushioning effect is best, and the warming effect on the user is relatively reduced. At this time, a ventilation guide 22 is connected to the base material 12 of the ventilation mat 1. This ventilation guide 22 may be replaced by a through-hole (not shown) formed in the cushioning material 64. A fan 40 is connected to either the ventilation guide 22 or the through-hole, and exhaust or intake air is performed through the ventilation mat 1.

[0025] In this embodiment, the base material 12 functions as a spacer and is a sheet with a breathable three-dimensional structure. The base material 12 is, for example, a 3D mesh sheet made by knitting fibers in a three-dimensional manner. When cutting this 3D mesh sheet into a predetermined shape, it is preferable to process it by laser cutting. This prevents the generation of fiber scraps due to fraying of the edges.

[0026] In this embodiment, the base material 12 and the planar body 11 are mechanically fixed by the engaging member 30. For example, if fixing is done by adhesive or heat fusion, there is a risk that the adhesive or heat fusion will deteriorate and peel off in high-temperature environments or over long periods of time, but this does not happen with the engaging member 30. When using sewing thread, bannock pins, rivets, or staples, it is preferable because it does not hinder the breathability of the base material 12. Furthermore, since the linear body 10 is fixed to the planar body 11 by fusion, it is relatively easy to separate, resulting in excellent sortability during recycling.

[0027] Furthermore, since the ventilation mat 1 according to this embodiment is formed by combining parts with simple shapes, the material utilization efficiency of the components of the ventilation mat 1 is high (for example, the ratio of usable material to waste material in one material is high). In other words, by increasing the material utilization efficiency, the manufacturing cost of the ventilation mat 1 according to this embodiment can be reduced.

[0028] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, in a form different from this embodiment, the ventilation mat 1 can be placed on the backrest 61 side instead of the seat 62 side, or it can be placed on both the seat 62 side and the backrest 61 side.

[0029] In this embodiment, there is only one ventilation mat, but for example, a first ventilation mat and a second ventilation mat may be connected by a connecting mat. This connecting mat can have the same structure as the ventilation mat. Of course, there may be one connecting mat or two or more. Furthermore, there may be a third or fourth ventilation mat. In addition, although this embodiment discloses a ventilation mat comprising one base material 12 and one planar body 11, a ventilation mat in which a planar body 11 is sandwiched between two base materials 12 may also be used to improve cushioning.

[0030] As the base material 12, for example, three-dimensional knitted fabrics made by knitting fibers in a three-dimensional manner, such as double raschel or 3D mesh sheets; structures made by intricately intertwining fibers in three dimensions; foam materials (sponges) with open cells; and arrangements of rubber tubes can be used. Examples of three-dimensional knitted fabrics include Fusion® from Asahi Kasei Corporation, Swingnet® from Suminoe Textile Co., Ltd., 3mesh® from Müller Textiles Ltd., and Cubic Eye® from Unitika Corporation. Examples of structures made by intertwining fibers in three dimensions include Breathair® from Toyobo Co., Ltd. Materials used to constitute foam materials with open cells and rubber tubes include, for example, urethane, EPDM, chloroprene, isoprene, silicone, and various thermoplastic elastomers. These base materials 12 may also have directions such as directions that allow for easy airflow and directions that do not. For example, in the case of a three-dimensional knitted fabric, there are directions in which the density of fibers per cross-section is intermittently high (the number of fibers is high), and directions in which the density of fibers is continuously low (the number of fibers is low). In this case, the areas with lower fiber density (fewer fibers) allow for better airflow. When using a base material 12 with such directional properties, it is preferable that the airflow direction, which is the direction in which airflow actually occurs, is the same as the direction in the base material 12 that allows for good airflow, for example, the direction in which the density of fibers is continuously low (the number of fibers is low).

[0031] In this embodiment, the planar body 11 is required to have high-temperature processability so as not to deteriorate during the hot pressing process, but the base material 12 does not need to have the same high-temperature processability as the planar body 11. Therefore, the range of materials that can be selected as the base material 12 is broadened, and the base material 12 can be selected from the viewpoint of cushioning properties and cost. The high-temperature processability referred to here is the ability to maintain normal function as a part even when high-temperature processing is performed during manufacturing, and the better the performance, the more processing in high-temperature environments is possible. In terms of heat resistance temperature, the planar body 11 is 265 degrees and the base material 12 is 265 degrees, which is in the same temperature range, but in terms of high-temperature processability, the planar body 11 is superior to the base material 12.

[0032] Furthermore, the structure and manufacturing method of the linear body 10 according to the present invention may be appropriately adapted from the following Patent Documents 17-18 by the said patent applicant. Specifically, by using any arbitrary conductor strand as an electrode wire, it becomes possible to have a capacitance detection function. By configuring at least two of the wound conductor strands as electrode wires capable of measuring the capacitance value between strands, it can be used as a two-electrode type capacitance sensor. For detailed structure, refer to Patent Document 17 below, and other known capacitance detection mechanisms can also be adapted. With this configuration, the distance between strands between the two electrodes can be fixed to a constant value, making it possible to provide stable detection accuracy. In addition, it is also possible to use any arbitrary conductor strand as a temperature detection wire, and by adapting the structure of Patent Document 18 below to the present invention, a single linear body can combine a heating wire, a capacitance detection wire, and a temperature detection wire.

[0033] [Patent Document 17] Patent No. 6851730 [Patent Document 18] Patent No. 6771975 [Industrial applicability]

[0034] As detailed above, the ventilation mat of the present invention combines breathability and heating properties, and has a structure that allows for easy separation of the linear elements. Its applications are not limited to automobile seats, but can also include seats in vehicles such as motorcycles and railway cars, as well as automobile armrests, footrests, floors, or other automobile interior parts, child seats, seats in heavy construction machinery, seats in ships and aircraft, seats in amusement park Ferris wheels, grandstands in various sports venues, seats in theaters and cinemas, benches installed in stations, theme parks, and outdoor parks, sofas and chairs used in homes and offices, chairs in barber shops, and medical chairs used in various medical facilities. Furthermore, it can be applied to a wide range of items beyond seats, such as beds and strollers. [Explanation of symbols]

[0035] 1. Ventilation Mat 3 Core material 5a Conductor strand 7. Insulator layer 9. Heat-sealed layer 10 linear body 11 Planar body 12 Base material 22 Ventilation Guide 24 fan mounting holes 30 Engaging member 40 Fans 50 Peripheral area 60 seats 61 Backrest 62 seat 64 Cushioning material 65 Skin cover

Claims

1. A base material with a breathable three-dimensional structure, A breathable surface body is placed on one side of the substrate, It comprises a linear body fixed to the planar body by fusion, A ventilation mat characterized in that the base material and the planar body are fixed together by fastening with an engaging member.

2. The ventilation mat according to claim 1, characterized in that the linear body is either a heater wire or a sensor wire or both.

Images