How to wash and dry a mattress

Abstract

This invention provides a mattress washing and drying method that can efficiently and inexpensively regenerate mattresses made of mesh fibers of chemical fibers such as polyethylene into a reusable state. [Solution] A method for washing and drying a mattress body 2 made of polyethylene mesh fibers, comprising a washing step of washing the mattress body 2 with a chemical solution, and a ventilation drying step of placing the mattress body 2 washed in the washing step horizontally and drying the mattress body 2 by blowing unheated drying air from a horizontal direction. For drying, multiple mattress bodies 2 are stacked in a laminated state, and drying air is blown onto one of the short sides of the stacked mattress bodies 2. At that time, the drying air is blown diagonally from the outside onto one of the short sides of the mattress body 2.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a method for washing and drying a mattress, and more particularly, to a technique for washing and drying a rental mattress, such as a nursing mattress, so that it can be reused after being collected from the rental destination.

Background Art

[0002] With the progress of an aging society, the number of households renting nursing mattresses under the application of nursing insurance is increasing. Such nursing mattresses are often collected from the rental destination and reused after the rental ends, and used mattresses are collected at a washing factory and washed to a reusable state.

[0003] FIG. 4 shows an example of the mattress recycling procedure in a washing factory. As shown in the figure, used mattresses whose rental has ended are collected at a washing factory (see step S1 in FIG. 4). The used mattresses collected at the factory are sorted by inspection to determine whether the mattresses are in a reusable state, such as the presence or absence of damaged parts, mold growth, stains, deformation, or discoloration. Mattresses that are damaged or deteriorated to the extent that they cannot be reused are excluded from the recycling target (see step S2 in FIG. 4). In this inspection, the used mattress is separated into a cover and a mattress body housed inside the cover.

[0004] The used mattresses (cover and mattress body) that have completed the inspection are introduced into the washing and disinfection process (see step S3 in FIG. 4). In the washing and disinfection process, the cover and the mattress body of the mattress are washed separately. For washing, washing and disinfection are performed using predetermined chemical solutions (such as surfactants, bleaching agents, washing aids, bactericides, deodorants, etc.).

[0005] The washed and disinfected mattresses are then introduced to the drying process (see step S4 in Figure 4). Here, a tumble dryer is preferably used to dry the cover by blowing hot air onto it while rotating it. On the other hand, a dedicated mattress dryer is used to dry the mattress body. The dedicated mattress dryer dries the mattress body in a high-temperature environment, and the drying temperature and drying time are set according to the material of the mattress body to be dried. In this case, the drying time can be shortened by raising the drying temperature, so the drying temperature is set to a higher level. For example, in the case of a urethane mattress body, the dryer is set to a temperature of about 100°C and the drying time to about 30 minutes. In the case of a polyester fiber mattress body, the set temperature is set to about 70-100°C (see, for example, paragraph 0018 of Patent Document 1).

[0006] Once drying is complete, the mattresses are introduced into the disinfection process (see Figure 4, Step S5), where they undergo disinfection treatments such as ozone disinfection. After disinfection, the mattresses are inspected again to ensure they are in a reusable condition, checking for damage, mold, stains, deformation, and discoloration (see Figure 4, Step S6). Mattresses that pass the inspection are then packaged for shipment (see Figure 4, Step S7). During packaging, a cover is attached to the mattress, and a certificate indicating that the mattress has been cleaned is attached to the packaged mattress. The packaged mattresses are then shipped from the factory for reuse (see Figure 4, Step S8). [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2013-71048 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0008] However, the process for recycling these used mattresses had the following problems, and improvements were desired.

[0009] In other words, the applicant provides a nursing care mattress that uses a polyethylene mesh fiber with excellent breathability in the mattress body. However, as is well known, polyethylene has a lower heat resistance temperature than urethane or polyester, and therefore cannot be dried in drying processes that are carried out at high temperatures exceeding 70°C. For this reason, mattresses using polyethylene mesh fiber in the mattress body could not be recycled using the same recycling procedures (existing cleaning plants) as urethane or polyester mattresses.

[0010] In this regard, if we were to attempt to dry polyethylene mattresses using the equipment of an existing cleaning plant, the temperature of the drying chamber, which had risen due to the drying of urethane or polyester mattresses, would have to be lowered to below the heat resistance temperature of polyethylene. However, it would take a considerable amount of time to sufficiently lower the temperature of the drying chamber, which would result in a decrease in work efficiency when drying polyethylene mattresses at an existing cleaning plant.

[0011] Furthermore, the conventional drying process described above requires fuel to raise the temperature of the drying chamber to a high drying temperature, resulting in high fuel costs associated with carrying out the drying process.

[0012] This invention has been made in view of the above problems, and its objective is to provide a mattress washing and drying method that can efficiently and inexpensively regenerate mattresses made of mesh fibers of chemical fibers such as polyethylene into a reusable state. [Means for solving the problem]

[0013] To achieve the above objective, the present invention provides a method for washing and drying a mattress, comprising a washing step of washing the mattress body with a chemical solution, and a ventilation drying step of placing the mattress body washed in the washing step horizontally and drying the mattress body by blowing unheated drying air from a horizontal direction.

[0014] In this invention, as a drying process after cleaning a mattress body made of mesh fibers made of chemical fibers such as polyethylene with a chemical solution, the cleaned mattress body is placed horizontally, and unheated drying air is blown onto the horizontally placed mattress body from a horizontal direction to dry it. Therefore, the mattress body can be dried without using hot air or a high-temperature drying chamber. As a result, according to this invention, fuel for generating hot air is unnecessary, and the mattress body can be dried at a low cost. In addition, since the drying air blown onto the mattress body passes horizontally through the mattress body when it is placed horizontally, the drying air can be passed through the entire mattress body, and the mattress body can be dried efficiently.

[0015] Furthermore, the mattress washing and drying method according to the present invention employs the following configuration as a preferred embodiment.

[0016] (1) The drying air is characterized by being blown onto one of the shorter sides of the mattress body. As a result, the air blowing mechanism that generates the drying air is positioned at the rear in the longitudinal direction of the mattress body 2, so that the ventilation drying process of the present invention can be carried out even in a relatively narrow space.

[0017] (2) The drying air is characterized in that it is blown diagonally from the outside of the mattress body to one of the short sides of the mattress body. This allows the air blowing mechanism to be positioned without interfering with the mattress body's transport means (for example, a conveyor).

[0018] (3) The ventilation drying process is characterized in that it is carried out with a plurality of mattress bodies stacked. Thereby, a plurality of mattress bodies can be dried at once, and the ventilation drying process can be carried out efficiently.

[0019] (4) The stacked mattress body is characterized in that a ventilation space is formed between it and other adjacent mattress bodies above and below. Thereby, drying air can flow between the adjacent mattress bodies above and below, and the drying time of the mattress body can be shortened.

Effect of the Invention

[0020] According to the present invention, the drying process after washing a mattress body composed of a net-like fiber made of a chemical fiber containing polyethylene with a chemical solution is a ventilation drying process in which the mattress body washed in the washing process is placed horizontally, and non-heated drying air is blown from the horizontal direction to dry the mattress body. Therefore, no fuel for generating warm air is required, and the mattress body can be dried at a low cost.

[0021] Also, in drying, by stacking a plurality of mattress bodies, a plurality of mattress bodies can be dried at once, and the mattress bodies can be dried efficiently.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0022] [Figure 1] An example of the drying process in the method for washing and drying a mattress according to the present invention is schematically shown. FIG. 1(a) shows a front view of the stacked mattress body, and FIG. 1(b) shows a plan view of the same mattress body. [Figure 2] It is a flowchart showing an example of the regeneration procedure of a used mattress including the method for washing and drying the same mattress. [Figure 3] It is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a mattress to which the method for washing and drying the same mattress is applied. [Figure 4]It is a flowchart showing the recycling procedure of a conventional mattress for reuse.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0023] Hereinafter, embodiments of the mattress washing and drying method according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In this specification and the drawings, components having substantially the same functional configuration are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted.

[0024] The mattress washing and drying method according to the present invention is mainly for collecting a rental nursing mattress and recycling it into a reusable state, and is particularly suitable for washing and drying a mattress 1 composed of a net-like fiber made of polyethylene as an intermediate material.

[0025] Therefore, first, the mattress 1 to which the present invention is applied will be described. As shown in FIG. 3, the mattress 1 is mainly composed of a mattress body 2 constituting the intermediate material and a cover 3 attached to the mattress body 2. More specifically, the mattress 1 is developed as a mattress with excellent breathability that can provide a user with a good night's sleep, and for this purpose, a net-like fiber made of polyethylene is used as the material of the mattress body 2.

[0026] The net-like fiber used here is a braided resin net-like structure composed of a polyethylene resin (PE), and is formed by three-dimensionally (stereoscopically) combining filamentous polyethylene resins (for example, "PRIMAREX" manufactured by Yamakatsu Sangyo Co., Ltd.). This braided resin net-like structure is composed of more than 90% of an air layer, and has excellent breathability and water permeability. Therefore, it functions to release moisture in summer, while retaining heat and providing warmth in winter.

[0027] The mattress body 2 shown in this embodiment is constructed by cutting such mesh fibers (knitted resin mesh structure) into the shape of a mattress, for example, into a rectangular parallelepiped with a width of 91 cm, a length of 191 cm, and a thickness of 6 cm.

[0028] The cover 3 is a cover that covers the mattress body 2, and as shown in the figure, it is in the form of a bag that can cover the entire mattress body 2, and has a zippered opening (not shown) along the longitudinal direction for inserting and removing the mattress body 2. In this embodiment, the cover 3 is made of quilted fabric with padding on the surface side and double raschel fabric made of breathable polyester on the back side.

[0029] Next, the procedure for collecting and recycling mattress 1, as configured in this manner, will be explained based on Figures 1 and 2.

[0030] (1) After the rental period ends and the used mattresses 1 are collected, they are gathered at a designated cleaning plant where the cleaning and drying processes for mattresses 1 described later can be carried out (see Figure 2, step S1). At that time, among the collected mattresses 1, mattresses that may be contaminated with bacteria, etc., such as mattresses used by people with infectious diseases, are introduced into a separate decontamination process (not shown) to remove the contamination before the inspection upon arrival described later, and after decontamination, they are introduced into the inspection upon arrival described later.

[0031] (2) Used mattresses 1 that arrive at the factory undergo an inspection to determine whether they are in a condition to be reused (incoming inspection) (see Figure 2, Step S2). Specifically, the incoming mattresses 1 are inspected for damage, mold growth, stains, deformation, discoloration, and odors. Mattresses 1 that are damaged or deteriorated to the point of being unusable are excluded from the recycling process at this stage. Mattresses that do not require exclusion but need pretreatment before the washing process (for example, mattresses that need to have mold, stains, or odors removed) undergo the pretreatment (mold, stain, and odor removal process) before the washing and disinfection process described later. At this inspection stage, the cover 3 is removed from the mattress body 2, separating the mattress body 2 from the cover 3.

[0032] (3) Once the inspection upon arrival is complete, the used mattresses 1 that have passed inspection are introduced to the washing and disinfection process (see step S3 in Figure 2). The washing and disinfection process involves washing and disinfecting the mattress body 2 and cover 3 with chemical solutions, with the mattress body 2 and cover 3 being washed and disinfected separately. Here, a washing machine specifically for mattresses (for example, the "MTE-6" manufactured by Tokyo Washing Machinery Co., Ltd.) is preferably used for washing the mattress body 2. On the other hand, a general-purpose commercial drum-type washing machine (for example, the "MOX-C" series manufactured by Tokyo Washing Machinery Co., Ltd.) is preferably used for washing the cover 3. Chemical solutions used for washing include, for example, surfactants, bleaches, cleaning aids, disinfectants, and deodorizers. In the aforementioned washing machines specifically for mattresses and drum-type washing machines, the mattress body 2 and cover 3 undergo washing, rinsing, and spinning processes to wash them. In this washing process, disinfection with disinfectants, etc., is also performed as needed.

[0033] (4) After the washing and disinfection process is complete, the mattress body 2 and cover 3 are introduced to the drying process (see step S4 in Figure 2). Here, for drying the cover 3, a tumble dryer that dries the cover by blowing hot air on it while rotating it is preferably used, as in the conventional method. In contrast, for drying the mattress body 2, the ventilation drying method shown in Figure 1 is used.

[0034] In other words, in the washing factory shown in this embodiment, the mattress body 2 is dried by placing the washed mattress body 2 horizontally and blowing unheated drying air A onto the placed mattress body 2 from a horizontal direction, as shown in Figure 1(a) (ventilation drying process: see step S4 in Figure 2).

[0035] Specifically, as shown in Figure 1(a), multiple mattress bodies 2 (seven in the illustrated example) are stacked, and drying air A is blown onto the sides of the stacked mattress bodies 2. By drying multiple mattress bodies 2 in this stacked state, many mattress bodies 2, 2... can be dried at once, allowing for efficient drying of the mattress bodies 2. Furthermore, by blowing drying air A from a horizontal direction onto the horizontally placed mattress bodies 2, the drying air A passes over the entire mattress body 2, effectively drying the mattress body 2.

[0036] Here, the blowing of drying air A onto the mattress body 2 is performed using a blower (blowing mechanism) not shown. Specifically, the blower is positioned on one of the short sides of the mattress body 2 (the short side indicated by 1a in the figure), and is configured to blow drying air A onto the short side surface of the mattress body 2. By positioning the blower on one of the short sides of the mattress body 2 in this way, the blower can be placed even in a relatively narrow space. Therefore, the ventilation drying process can be carried out even in a narrow space.

[0037] In this embodiment, multiple (specifically two) blowers are used as the blowers. In the example shown in Figure 1(b), the two blowers are positioned to diagonally blow drying air A onto one of the short sides of the mattress body 2 (the short side indicated by reference numeral 1a) from the outside of both short sides of the mattress body 2. By positioning the blowers on the outside of both short sides of the mattress body 2 in this way, the blowers can be positioned without interfering with the mattress body's transport means (for example, a conveyor).

[0038] Here, it is desirable to use low-humidity air as the unheated drying air A, but any air from a room with ventilation equipment can be used, for example, ambient temperature air from a washing plant. By using ambient temperature air from a room as drying air A in this way, the fuel that was conventionally required to raise the temperature of the drying room becomes unnecessary, and drying can be performed at a low cost.

[0039] The drying time using unheated drying air A is set appropriately according to the blower's capacity and number, the humidity of the environment in which the blowers are placed, etc. In particular, in this invention, since the polyethylene mesh fiber material of the mattress body 2 has excellent breathability and water permeability as described above, the mattress body 2 can be dried in a relatively short time, such as a few minutes to a few tens of minutes (details will be described later).

[0040] (5) Once drying is complete, the mattress body 2 and cover 3 are introduced into the disinfection process (see step S5 in Figure 2). In the disinfection process, disinfection with gas, such as ozone disinfection with ozone gas, is carried out.

[0041] (6) Once disinfection is complete, a pre-shipment inspection is performed (see Figure 2, Step S6). During the pre-shipment inspection, the washed and disinfected mattress body 2 and cover 3 are inspected again to see if they have been restored to a reusable condition. Specifically, the inspection checks for any damage, mold, stains, deformation, or discoloration. At the same time, needle detection is also performed to check for any foreign objects. The mattress body 2 and cover 3 that pass the inspection have the cover 3 attached to the mattress body 2 before the packaging process described later. In other words, the used mattress 1 is restored to a new mattress 1.

[0042] (7) The recycled mattress 1 is introduced into the packaging process (see step S7 in Figure 2). In this packaging process, the recycled mattress 1 is placed in a designated packaging bag and other packaging processes are carried out. At this time, a certificate indicating that the mattress 1 has been cleaned is attached to the mattress 1 placed in the packaging bag.

[0043] (8) The mattress 1, packaged in this manner, is then shipped from the factory for reuse (see step S8 in Figure 2).

[0044] <Examples> Next, we will describe an experimental example regarding the drying effect of the mattress body 2 to which the present invention is applied. The experiment was conducted on drying time and drying rate. For the experiment, the core material (a polyethylene mesh fiber) of the "PRIMAREX-CARE BASIC BL60" mattress manufactured by Yamajin Bussan Co., Ltd. was used as the mattress body 2. The core material measured 91 cm in width, 191 cm in length, and 6 cm in thickness. In addition, the pre-drying cleaning process involved soaking in distilled water for 30 minutes, followed by a 30-second spin cycle in a washing machine.

[0045] In the experiment, the dewatered mattress body 2 was placed horizontally, and unheated drying air A was blown onto it from the horizontal. As a result, the drying rate reached 91.7% after 5 minutes from the start of supply, and 100% after 10 minutes. In other words, it was found that by applying the present invention to the mattress body 2, which is made of polyethylene mesh fibers, the drying process can be completed in a significantly shorter time than conventional drying times for mattress bodies made of urethane or polyester.

[0046] Thus, according to the present invention, the drying process after washing the mattress body 2, which is made of polyethylene mesh fibers, with a chemical solution is carried out by placing the washed mattress body 2 horizontally and blowing unheated drying air A from a horizontal direction. Therefore, the mattress body 2 can be dried at low cost without requiring fuel for generating hot air. Furthermore, by stacking multiple mattress bodies 2 during drying, multiple mattress bodies 2 can be dried at once, allowing for efficient drying of the mattress body 2.

[0047] The embodiments described above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to these, with various design modifications possible within its scope.

[0048] For example, in the embodiment described above, the drying process was shown as a stacked state in which multiple mattress bodies 2 are stacked and the drying air A is blown onto them (a batch process). However, it is also possible to blow the drying air A onto each mattress individually. Furthermore, when stacking the mattress bodies 2, it is possible to interpose spacers that do not obstruct the airflow of the drying air A between adjacent mattress bodies 2, thereby creating a space for ventilation between the mattress bodies 2. By creating a space for ventilation between the mattress bodies 2 in this way, the contact area between the drying air A and the mattress bodies 2 is increased, and the drying process can be completed in a shorter time.

[0049] Furthermore, although the above-described embodiment shows a configuration in which drying air A is blown onto the short side 1a of the mattress body 2, if space for the blower can be secured, it is also possible to change the position in which the drying air A is blown, such as by placing the blower on the long side of the mattress body 2, or by placing dryers on both the short side and the long side.

[0050] In the embodiments described above, the present invention was shown to be applied to the refurbishment of nursing care mattresses that are rented out. However, as long as the present invention is applied to the washing and drying of the mattress body 2, its use is not limited to the refurbishment of rental items or nursing care mattresses.

[0051] Furthermore, although the above-described embodiment showed a case where polyethylene mesh fibers were used as the material for the mattress body 2, it is also possible to use mesh fibers made of chemical fibers other than polyethylene as the material for the mattress body 2, such as mesh fibers made of polyether ester elastomer fibers or mesh fibers made of polypropylene resin. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0052] 1 Mattress 2. Mattress body 3 Cover A. Drying air

Claims

1. A method for washing and drying a mattress body made of a mesh-like fiber composed of chemical fibers including polyethylene, A cleaning step in which the mattress body is cleaned with a chemical solution, The process includes a ventilation drying step in which the mattress body, which has been cleaned in the washing step, is placed horizontally, and non-heated drying air is blown onto the mattress body from a horizontal direction to dry it. A method for washing and drying a mattress, characterized by the following features.

2. The drying air is blown onto one of the shorter sides of the mattress body. The method for washing and drying a mattress according to feature 1.

3. The drying air is blown diagonally from the outside of the mattress body towards one of the shorter sides of the mattress body. The method for washing and drying a mattress according to feature 2.

4. The aforementioned ventilation and drying process is carried out with multiple mattress bodies stacked on top of each other. A method for washing and drying a mattress according to any one of the features 1 to 3.

5. In the aforementioned stacked state, a ventilation space is formed between the stacked mattresses and the adjacent mattresses above and below them. The method for washing and drying a mattress according to feature 4.

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