Armrests and resin foam for armrests

Abstract

Prevents objects from getting into the installation area. [Solution] The armrest 10 comprises a main body 12 constructed by assembling chips 14 of resin foam, an installation section 18 formed in a recessed shape that opens on one side of the main body 12 and on which a functional member 20 is installed, and a protective section 26 provided on the edge of the opening of the installation section 18 in the main body 12. The protective section 26 is provided on the edge of the opening of the installation section 18 adjacent to a main section 25 on which the arm is placed in the main body 12, and has a higher apparent density than the main section 25.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an armrest having a main body formed from chips of a resin foam, a method for manufacturing the armrest, and a molding die for manufacturing the armrest. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, there is an armrest that can be tilted forward from a state in which it is stored in a recess in the seat back of the rear seat, and placed on the seat cushion to serve as an armrest (see, for example, Patent Document 1). This type of armrest has an installation recess formed in the armrest body having cushioning properties, and a cup holder made of hard resin is fitted into the installation recess so that a beverage container can be held by the cup holder when in the armrest state. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2001-253290 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The armrest described above is designed to support the user's arm gently because the armrest body is soft and cushioned, so there is a risk that the armrest body may bend and fingers or other objects may get caught between the cup holder installed in the installation recess and the armrest body.

[0005] The present invention has been proposed in view of the above-mentioned problems associated with the conventional technology, and aims to provide an armrest that can prevent objects from getting caught between the functional component installed in the installation portion, a method for manufacturing the armrest, and a molding die for manufacturing the armrest. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The armrest of the first invention is: A main body portion formed by assembling chips of a resin foam; a mounting portion provided in the main body portion in a recessed shape that opens to one surface of the main body portion, the mounting portion being adapted to mount a functional member; a protective portion provided on an opening edge of the installation portion adjacent to a main portion on which an arm is placed in the main body portion, The protective portion is configured to have a higher apparent density than the main portion. According to the first invention, by providing a protective portion with high apparent density on the opening edge of the installation portion, the opening edge of the installation portion can be made less likely to bend, and objects can be prevented from getting between the functional component installed in the installation portion and the main body portion.

[0007] The second invention is characterized in that a slit resulting from molding of the main body portion is provided at the boundary between the main portion and the protective portion so as to open onto one side of the main body portion where the installation portion opens. According to the second aspect of the present invention, it is possible to form a protective portion that is appropriately harder than the main portion.

[0008] A third invention is characterized in that the protective portion is provided in a position corresponding to a portion on which an outer periphery of the functional component, which is fitted into and installed in the installation portion, is placed. According to the third aspect of the present invention, the outer periphery of the functional component placed on the placement portion can be supported by the protective portion, which is relatively less likely to bend.

[0009] A fourth invention is summarized as follows: the main body portion includes the protective portion provided in a range from one surface of the main body portion to a thickness thinner than that of the main body portion. According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the formation of the protective portion can prevent the main body from becoming too hard.

[0010] The manufacturing method of the armrest of the fifth invention is as follows: A method for manufacturing an armrest having a main body portion obtained by molding chips of a resin foam, comprising the steps of: In a molding die, more chips are packed between an inner mold surface which molds a mounting portion formed in a concave shape opening on one surface of the main body portion and a dam portion facing the inner mold surface than between an outer mold surface which extends facing the dam portion and molds a surface which intersects with one surface of the main body portion and the dam portion; The gist of the method is that the chip filled in the cavity of the mold is compression molded to form the installation portion, and a protective portion having a higher apparent density than the main portion of the main body where the arm is placed is formed at the opening edge of the installation portion. According to the fifth invention, the chips can be held by the dam portion, making it easier to fill the area corresponding to the opening edge of the installation portion with chips, and a protective portion with high apparent density can be stably provided on the opening edge of the installation portion.

[0011] A sixth invention is summarized as follows: a distance between the inner mold surface and the dam portion is set narrower than a distance between the dam portion and the outer mold surface. According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to more easily load chips into the area corresponding to the opening edge of the mounting portion.

[0012] A seventh invention is summarized as follows: the dam portion is set lower than the outer mold surface. According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, chips can be more easily loaded into the area corresponding to the opening edge of the mounting portion without being hindered by the dam portion.

[0013] An eighth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that chips harder than the chips packed between the outer mold surface and the dam portion are packed between the inner mold surface and the dam portion. According to the eighth aspect of the present invention, the hardness of the protective part can be improved.

[0014] The molding die of the ninth invention is A mold for manufacturing a main body of an armrest by compression molding chips of a resin foam, A first outer mold surface that molds one surface of the outer surface of the main body portion; A second outer mold surface that forms a surface that intersects with the one surface on the outer surface of the main body portion; an inner mold surface that rises from the first outer mold surface and molds a mounting portion that is formed in a concave shape and opens to one surface of the main body; The gist of the invention is that it comprises a dam portion between the second outer mold surface and the inner mold surface, the dam portion being positioned closer to the inner mold surface than the second outer mold surface and rising from the first outer mold surface to face the inner mold surface. According to the ninth invention, the chips can be held by the dam portion, making it easier to fill the area corresponding to the opening edge of the installation portion with chips, and a protective portion with high apparent density can be stably provided on the opening edge of the installation portion.

[0015] A tenth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that the dam portion is formed lower than the second outer mold surface. According to the tenth aspect of the present invention, chips can be more easily loaded into the area corresponding to the opening edge of the mounting portion without being hindered by the dam portion. Effect of the Invention

[0016] According to the armrest of the present invention, it is possible to prevent objects from getting caught between the main body and the functional component installed on the installation portion. According to the manufacturing method and molding die for an armrest of the present invention, it is possible to easily form an armrest that can prevent objects from getting caught between the armrest and the functional component installed in the installation portion. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing an armrest according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the armrest of the embodiment. [Diagram 3] 10A and 10B are explanatory diagrams showing differences in apparent density in the armrest of the embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 3 is an end view taken along line AA in FIG. 2. [Diagram 5] FIG. 3 is an end view taken along line BB in FIG. 2. [Figure 6] 1A to 1C are explanatory diagrams showing the manufacturing process of the armrest of the embodiment, before filling with chips. [Figure 7] 10 is an explanatory diagram showing the manufacturing process of the armrest of the embodiment, showing the state after filling with chips. FIG. [Figure 8] 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a manufacturing process of the armrest according to the embodiment, in which the mold is closed. FIG. [Figure 9] 1A to 1C are explanatory diagrams showing the manufacturing process of the armrest according to the embodiment, illustrating the removal of the obtained armrest from the mold. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] Next, an armrest, a manufacturing method thereof, and a molding die thereof according to the present invention will be described below with reference to preferred embodiments and accompanying drawings. EXAMPLES

[0019] The armrest 10 according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 is installed on the rear seat and is supported tiltably at the bottom of a storage recess provided in the seat back of the rear seat. The armrest 10 is used by changing its position between a usage position in which it extends forward from the seat back along the seat surface of the seat cushion and a storage position in which it is erected along the seat back and stored in the storage recess. In the usage position, the armrest 10 is located between the passengers sitting on the left and right sides of the rear seat, and the upper surface in the usage position supports the passenger's arms. In addition, the front surface of the armrest 10 in the storage position is aligned with the front surface of the seat back, and it functions as a backrest for the passenger sitting in the center of the rear seat. In the following description, the direction of the armrest 10 is indicated based on the armrest 10 in the usage position.

[0020] The armrest 10 is configured by assembling a main body 12 having cushioning properties and chips 14 (FIG. 6(a)) of a resin foam. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the main body 12 is a block formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape with its long sides extending forward and backward, and its rear part is supported on the seat back so as to be rotatable about its left and right axes. The armrest 10 elastically supports the arms of the occupant on its upper surface in the use position, and elastically supports the back of the occupant on its lower surface, which becomes the front surface in the storage position. The armrest 10 is basically configured so that the outer surface is basically made of a skin material (not shown) that covers the main body 12. As the skin material, for example, a flexible material such as a synthetic resin such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a cloth such as fabric or tricot, or genuine leather can be used.

[0021] As shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the armrest 10 has an installation section 18 formed in the main body 12, on which a cup holder (functional member) 20 is installed. The installation section 18 is formed in a concave shape that opens to the upper surface (one surface) of the main body 12, and is provided at a position close to the front end of the main body 12. The installation section 18 extends longitudinally in the left-right direction of the main body 12, and is formed across most of the left-right width of the main body 12. The armrest 10 has a wider space between the installation section 18 and the rear surface of the main body 12 than between the installation section 18 and the front surface of the main body 12 or between the installation section 18 and the side surface of the main body 12. The armrest 10 has a portion (main portion 25 (see Fig. 3)) on which the passenger's arm is placed, in an area of ​​the main body 12 behind the installation section 18.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 4, the cup holder 20 has a box portion 20a that opens upward, and a flange portion 20b that is formed to extend outward from the opening edge of the box portion 20a. The cup holder 20 is made of a resin molded product such as polypropylene (PP) or acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer resin (ABS). The cup holder 20 is installed by fitting the box portion 20a into the inside of the installation portion 18 and overlapping the flange portion 20b on the upper surface of the main body portion 12 that constitutes the opening edge of the installation portion 18. The armrest 10 is configured so that the covering material wrapped around the main body portion 12 is drawn into the inside of the installation portion 18, and the covering material is sandwiched between the main body portion 12 and the cup holder 20.

[0023] 2 and 4, the armrest 10 includes reinforcing members 22, 24 embedded in the main body 12. The reinforcing members 22, 24 are made of a rigid synthetic resin or metal and are configured to be able to withstand a load applied to the armrest 10. The armrest 10 of the embodiment includes a first reinforcing member 22 provided with a hinge portion that connects to the seat back, and a second reinforcing member 24. The second reinforcing member 24 has a rear portion connected to the first reinforcing member 22 installed at the rear of the main body 12, and a front portion formed in a frame shape that surrounds the installation portion 18.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the armrest 10 is configured such that the main body 12, which is made up of the tip 14, has different apparent densities depending on the location. The main body 12 is configured such that the apparent densities are different between the protective portion 26 provided corresponding to the opening edge of the installation portion 18 and the main portion 25 provided corresponding to the location where the occupant's arm is placed. Specifically, the protective portion 26 is set to have a higher apparent density than the main portion 25. The protective portion 26 is preferably provided at a minimum on the rear opening edge adjacent to the main portion 25 among the four opening edges of the installation portion 18. The protective portion (referred to as the rear protective portion 26a when distinguishing between them) provided on the rear opening edge of the installation portion 18 adjacent to the main portion 25 is disposed between the outer edge of the main body 12 surrounding the installation portion 18 and the outer edge furthest from the opening edge of the installation portion 18. In other words, in the embodiment, the installation section 18 is disposed toward the front side of the main body section 12, and the main section 25 is set on the rear side of the installation section 18, so that a rear protective section 26a is provided between the rear opening edge of the installation section 18 and the rear edge of the main body section 12. The main body section 12 also includes a protective section (referred to as a front protective section 26b when distinguished) provided along the front opening edge of the installation section 18, and protective sections (referred to as a side protective section 26c when distinguished) provided along the left and right opening edges of the installation section 18, respectively. Thus, in the main body section 12 of the embodiment, the entire periphery of the opening edge of the installation section 18 is surrounded by the protective section 26.

[0025] 3, protective portion 26 is provided in correspondence with the upper surface of main body 12 where flange portion 20b constituting the outer peripheral edge of cup holder 20 to be fitted and installed in installation portion 18 is placed. Protective portion 26 is preferably provided over a range of 10 mm to 40 mm, more preferably 20 mm to 30 mm, from the opening edge of installation portion 18 along the upper surface of main body 12. When the distance between one side of the opening edge of installation portion 18 and the outer edge of main body 12 aligned with said side is narrower than the upper limit value, protective portion 26 is preferably provided over a range from said side to the outer edge of main body 12, like lateral protective portion 26c.

[0026] As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the protective portion 26 is formed over a required range from the upper surface of the main body 12 downward. The rear protective portion 26a and the front protective portion 26b are provided in a range thinner than the thickness between the upper surface and the lower surface of the main body 12. The lateral protective portion 26c is provided over the entire thickness from the upper surface to the lower surface of the main body 12. Here, when the protective portion 26 is provided in a range thinner than the thickness of the main body 12 as in the rear protective portion 26a and the front protective portion 26b, it is preferable to provide the protective portion 26 in a range of 5 mm to 40 mm downward from the upper surface of the main body 12. When the distance between one side of the opening edge of the installation portion 18 and the outer edge of the main body 12 aligned with the side is wider than the upper limit value, it is preferable to provide the protective portion 26 thinner than the thickness of the main body 12 as in the rear protective portion 26a and the front protective portion 26b. Furthermore, when the distance between one side of the opening edge of the installation portion 18 and the outer edge of the main body portion 12 aligned with that side is narrower than the upper limit value, it is preferable to provide the protective portion 26 over the entire thickness of the main body portion 12 from the top surface to the bottom surface, as in the lateral protective portion 26c.

[0027] The main body 12 has an apparent density of the main portion 25 of 0.04 g / cm 3 ~0.12g / cm 3 It is preferable to set the range to 0.05 g / cm 3 ~0.10g / cm 3 In addition, the body 12 has an apparent density of the protective portion 26, which is higher than the apparent density of the main portion 25, of 0.08 g / cm. 3 ~0.40g / cm 3 It is preferable to set the range to 0.10 g / cm 3 ~0.30g / cm 3In the main body 12, when the main part 25 and the protective part 26 are in the above-mentioned apparent density range, the armrest 10 can be made lighter while maintaining the main part 25 and the protective part 26 at an appropriate hardness, which is preferable. In the main body 12, the hardness of the main part 25 (hardness at 25% compression as defined in JIS K6400-2 (D method)) is preferably in the range of 60N to 240N, more preferably in the range of 80N to 200N. In the main body 12, the hardness of the protective part 26 is preferably in the range of 100N to 350N, more preferably in the range of 120N to 270N. In this way, the main body 12 is configured so that the protective part 26 is harder than the main part 25. When the main part 25 is in the above-mentioned hardness range, it is preferable because the main part 25 can obtain an appropriate function of supporting the arm, such as cushioning properties. Moreover, it is preferable that protective portion 26 has a hardness in the aforementioned range that is harder than main portion 25, since this provides an appropriate effect of preventing objects from slipping under flange portion 20b of cup holder 20 and supporting flange portion 20b. Main portion 25 and protective portion 26 may have the same apparent density (hardness) as a whole, or the apparent density (hardness) may be varied depending on the portion.

[0028] The apparent density of the main body 12 is 0.05 g / cm 3 ~0.15g / cm 3 and more preferably in the range of 0.06 g / cm 3 ~0.11g / cm 3 It is preferable that the apparent density of the entire main body 12 is within the above-mentioned range, since it is possible to achieve both a reduction in weight of the armrest 10 and formation of an appropriate hardness of the main part 25 and the protective part 26. If the apparent density of the main body 12 is set to be lighter than the above-mentioned lower limit, it becomes difficult to obtain a protective part 26 with an appropriate hardness, and it is not preferable that the apparent density of the main body 12 is greater than the above-mentioned upper limit, since it becomes heavy. In this way, the weight of the main body 12, the hardness of the main part 25, and the hardness of the protective part 26 are correlated, and it is important to set the apparent density of the main body 12 so as to satisfy all of these.

[0029] The main body 12 has a difference in apparent density between the protective part 26 and the main part 25 (apparent density of the protective part 26 - apparent density of the main part 25) of 0.015 g / cm 3 ~0.15g / cm 3 and more preferably in the range of 0.02 g / cm 3 ~0.13g / cm 3 In addition, in the main body 12, the difference in hardness between the protective part 26 and the main part 25 (hardness of the protective part 26-hardness of the main part 25) is preferably in the range of 30 N to 200 N, and more preferably 40 N to 160 N. In the main body 12, if the difference in physical properties between the protective part 26 and the main part 25 is as described above, the significance of providing the protective part 26 whose physical properties are different from those of the main part 25 becomes prominent, which is preferable.

[0030] As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the main body 12 includes a protective portion 26 and a main portion 25, as well as a reinforcing portion 28 provided in correspondence with the outer edge of the main body 12. The reinforcing portion 28 is set to have a higher apparent density than the main portion 25. The reinforcing portion 28 is provided on the front edge, rear edge, and left and right side edges of the main body 12. The protective portion 26 is configured to reinforce the opening edge of the installation portion 18, while the reinforcing portion 28 reinforces the outer peripheral edge of the main body 12. Since the distance between the front opening edge of the installation portion 18 and the front edge of the main body 12 is relatively narrow, the reinforcing portion 28 provided on the front edge of the main body 12 and the front protective portion 26b are integrated. Similarly, the reinforcing portion 28 provided on the left edge of the main body 12 is continuous and integrated with the lateral protective portion 26c provided on the left opening edge of the installation portion 18, and the reinforcing portion 28 provided on the right edge of the main body 12 is continuous and integrated with the lateral protective portion 26c provided on the right opening edge of the installation portion 18. The reinforcing portion 28 is provided on the outer edge of the main body 12 across the entire thickness of the main body 12 from the top surface to the bottom surface.

[0031] The body 12 has an apparent density of the reinforcing portion 28, which is higher than the apparent density of the main portion 25, of 0.08 g / cm 3 ~0.40g / cm 3 It is preferable to set the range to 0.10 g / cm 3 ~0.30g / cm 3In the main body 12, the hardness of the reinforcing portion 28 is preferably in the range of 100N to 350N, and more preferably in the range of 120N to 270N. In this manner, the main body 12 is configured so that the reinforcing portion 28 is harder than the main portion 25. The protective portion 26 and the reinforcing portion 28 may have the same or different apparent density and hardness, and in this embodiment, the protective portion 26 and the reinforcing portion 28 have the same apparent density and hardness.

[0032] In the figure, for ease of explanation, the boundaries between main portion 25, protective portion 26, and reinforcing portion 28 are clearly indicated, but the apparent density may gradually change between main portion 25 and protective portion 26, and similarly, the apparent density may gradually change between main portion 25 and reinforcing portion 28.

[0033] The main body 12 is provided with the installation portion 18, the main portion 25, the protective portion 26, and the reinforcing portion 28 by molding using a single mold 30 (see FIG. 7). As shown in FIG. 4, a slit 12a resulting from molding of the main body 12 is provided at the boundary between the main portion 25 and the rear protective portion 26a so as to open on the upper surface where the installation portion 18 of the main body 12 opens. The slit 12a is a bottomed groove with a narrow opening width at the front and rear that is formed during molding of the main body 12 by a dam portion 44 (see FIG. 7) described later. The physical properties (apparent density and hardness) of the rear protective portion 26a and the main portion 25 change nonlinearly on both sides of the slit 12a.

[0034] Next, the molding die 30 for manufacturing the armrest 10 will be described. As shown in FIG. 6, the molding die 30 has a lower die 32 having a mold surface that is uneven according to the shape of the upper surface, front and rear, and side surfaces of the main body part 12 including the installation part 18, and an upper die 34 having a mold surface according to the shape of the lower surface of the main body part 12. The molding die 30 is configured so that the upper die 34 and the lower die 32 can be opened and closed relatively. As shown in FIG. 8, in the molding die 30, a cavity 36 according to the shape of the main body part 12 is defined between the upper die 34 and the lower die 32. The molding die 30 also has a water vapor supplying means (not shown) that can supply water vapor to the cavity 36 via a supplying part (not shown) provided in the lower die 32, and can be exhausted from an exhausting part (not shown) provided in the upper die 34. The molding die 30 molds the main body part 12 of the armrest 10 in a state in which it is turned upside down.

[0035] As shown in Fig. 6, the lower mold 32 has a first outer mold surface 38 which forms the upper surface of the main body 12, and a second outer mold surface 40 which rises so as to intersect with the first outer mold surface 38 and forms the peripheral surface (surface intersecting with the upper surface) of the main body 12. The first outer mold surface 38 of the lower mold 32 becomes the bottom surface of the cavity 36, and the second outer mold surface 40 becomes the side surface of the cavity 36. The lower mold 32 also has an inner mold surface 42 which forms the installation portion 18 which is formed in a concave shape that opens into the upper surface of the main body 12. The inner mold surface 42 rises from the first outer mold surface 38 and is disposed inside the second outer mold surface 40. In the lower mold 32, the distance between the rear second outer mold surface 40a which molds the rear surface of the main body 12 and the rear inner mold surface 42a which molds the rear surface of the installation portion 18 is wider than the distance between the front second outer mold surface 40b which molds the front surface of the main body 12 and the front inner mold surface 42b which molds the front surface of the installation portion 18. In the lower mold 32, the distance between the front second outer mold surface 40b and the front inner mold surface 42b is wider than the distance between the lateral second outer mold surface 40c which molds the side surface of the main body 12 and the lateral inner mold surface 42c which molds the side surface of the installation portion 18.

[0036] As shown in Fig. 6, the lower mold 32 is disposed between the rear second outer mold surface 40a and the rear inner mold surface 42a, and includes a dam portion 44 rising from the first outer mold surface 38 to face the rear inner mold surface 42a. The dam portion 44 is disposed closer to the rear inner mold surface 42a than the rear second outer mold surface 40a, and the distance between the rear inner mold surface 42a and the dam portion 44 is narrower than the distance between the dam portion 44 and the rear second outer mold surface 40a. The lower mold 32 is configured to be able to pack the chips 14 more densely between the rear inner mold surface 42a and the dam portion 44 than between the dam portion 44 and the rear second outer mold surface 40a.

[0037] The dam portion 44 is preferably a plate having a thickness in the range of 1 mm to 5 mm, and is arranged next to the rear inner mold surface 42a so as to extend in the left-right direction. The dam portion 44 is preferably arranged at a distance of 10 mm to 40 mm from the rear inner mold surface 42a, more preferably 20 mm to 30 mm. If the dam portion 44 is arranged closer than 10 mm to the rear inner mold surface 42a, it becomes difficult to fill the space between the dam portion 44 and the rear inner mold surface 42a with the chips 14 in an amount sufficient to achieve a required apparent density. If the dam portion 44 is arranged at a distance greater than 40 mm from the rear inner mold surface 42a, it becomes difficult to fill the space between the dam portion 44 and the rear inner mold surface 42a with the chips 14 in an amount sufficient to achieve a required apparent density. 6(b), the dam portion 44 is disposed away from the left and right second lateral outer mold surfaces 40c, so that a gap is provided between the edge of the dam portion 44 and the second lateral outer mold surfaces 40c. Note that it is preferable to space the edge of the dam portion 44 and the second lateral outer mold surfaces 40c by 25 mm or more.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 6(a), the dam portion 44 is formed lower than the second outer mold surface 40 and the rear inner mold surface 42a. When the molding die 30 is closed, a gap is formed between the top of the dam portion 44 and the mold surface of the upper mold 34. The dam portion 44 preferably rises from the first outer mold surface 38 at a height of 5 mm to 40 mm, more preferably 20 mm to 30 mm. If the dam portion 44 is made higher than 40 mm from the first outer mold surface 38, it becomes difficult to fill the space between the dam portion 44 and the rear inner mold surface 42a with the chips 14. If the rising height of the dam portion 44 from the first outer mold surface 38 is made lower than 5 mm, it becomes difficult to fill the space between the dam portion 44 and the rear inner mold surface 42a with the chips 14 in an amount that satisfies the required apparent density.

[0039] Next, a method for manufacturing the armrest 10 will be described with reference mainly to Figs. 6 to 9. First, the tip 14 is fed into the lower mold 32 (see Fig. 6(a)). An adhesive is applied to the tip 14 in advance. As the adhesive, a moisture-curing adhesive that cures with water vapor, such as polyol, toluene diisocyanate (TDI), or dichloromethane, can be used. The tip 14 is preferably made of polyurethane foam. The size of the tip 14 should be in the range of 3 mm to 8 mm. For example, the tip 14 can be made of a slab foamed product or a foam molded product made of soft polyurethane foam that is put into a crusher and crushed. Such a soft foam has an apparent density of 0.025 g / cm. 3 ~0.070g / cm 3 and more preferably in the range of 0.028 g / cm 3 ~0.05g / cm 3 The hardness of the flexible foam is preferably in the range of 110 N to 480 N, and more preferably in the range of 120 N to 250 N. Although not shown in Figs. 6 to 8, reinforcing members 22, 24 to be inserted into main body portion 12 are placed on lower mold 32 at an appropriate timing, such as before or during the supply of chips 14.

[0040] As shown in FIG. 7, when the chips 14 are supplied to the lower mold 32, many chips 14 are packed between the dam portion 44 that becomes the rear protective portion 26a and the rear inner mold surface 42a so that the chips 14 are packed at a higher density than between the dam portion 44 that becomes the main portion 25 and the rear second outer mold surface 40a. Similarly, many chips 14 are packed in front of the front inner mold surface 42b that becomes the front protective portion 26b and on the sides of the lateral inner mold surface 42c that becomes the lateral protective portion 26c so that the chips 14 are packed at a higher density than in the area corresponding to the main portion 25. Also, many chips 14 are packed along the four second outer mold surfaces 40 so that the chips 14 are packed at a higher density than in the area corresponding to the main portion 25. In FIG. 7, the amount of chips 14 packed is indicated by the shade of color, and the darker parts have more chips 14 packed therein than the lighter parts.

[0041] After the chips 14 are supplied to the lower die 32, the lower die 32 and the upper die 34 are closed, and steam is supplied to the cavity 36 by a steam supplying means to harden the adhesive applied to the chips 14 (see FIG. 8). In this way, by hardening the adhesive while compression-molding the chips 14, the compression-molded chips 14 are bonded together to form the aforementioned main body 12 whose apparent density is adjusted according to the location. The main body 12 is then removed from the molding die 30 (see FIG. 9), and through the required processing such as attaching a skin material, the armrest 10 is obtained.

[0042] In the armrest 10, the protective portion 26 provided on the opening edge of the installation portion 18 in the main body 12 makes the opening edge less likely to bend than the main portion 25 supporting the arm. This makes it possible to prevent small items such as fingers and coins from getting between the installation portion 18 and the cup holder 20 installed on the installation portion 18 due to deformation of the opening edge of the installation portion 18 caused by being pressed in or the like. In particular, the rear opening edge of the installation portion 18 is adjacent to the main portion 25 having cushioning properties, but since the rear protective portion 26a is provided corresponding to the rear opening edge, the rear protective portion 26a can prevent the main portion 25 from getting into the installation portion 18.

[0043] In order to provide a slit 12a resulting from molding of the main body 12 at the boundary between the main part 25 and the rear protective part 26a so that the slit 12a opens on the upper surface where the installation part 18 of the main body 12 opens, a dam part 44 for molding the slit 12a is required. That is, when molding the main body 12, the dam part 44 can be used to easily change the amount of filling of the chips 14 in the region corresponding to the rear protective part 26a and the region corresponding to the main part 25. Therefore, by packing a large number of chips 14 in the region corresponding to the rear protective part 26a to increase the apparent density, a rear protective part 26a that is appropriately harder than the main part 25 can be formed.

[0044] In the armrest 10, the protective portion 26 is provided on the upper surface of the main body portion 12 so that the flange portion 20b of the cup holder 20 is placed thereon, and therefore the flange portion 20b of the cup holder 20 can be supported by the protective portion 26, which is relatively hard to bend. This allows the cup holder 20 to be installed at an appropriate position relative to the main body portion 12, and when a beverage is placed in the box portion 20a, the beverage can be stably held.

[0045] In the armrest 10, the rear protective portion 26a and the front protective portion 26b are provided in a range from the upper surface of the main body portion 12 to a thickness thinner than the vertical thickness of the main body portion 12. This makes it possible to prevent the main body portion 12 from becoming too hard due to the formation of the rear protective portion 26a and the front protective portion 26b, which have a relatively high apparent density. In particular, since the rear protective portion 26a is provided next to the main portion 25 on which the occupant places his / her arm, by not forming the rear protective portion 26a over the entire vertical thickness of the main body portion 12, it is possible to suppress adverse effects on the preferable cushioning properties of the main portion 25.

[0046] According to the manufacturing method and the mold 30, the dam portion 44 is provided facing the rear inner mold surface 42a forming the rear surface of the installation portion 18, and a space narrower than that between the rear inner mold surface 42a and the dam portion 44 is formed than that between the rear inner mold surface 42a and the rear second outer mold surface 40a facing the rear inner mold surface 42a. Since the chips 14 are filled in the relatively narrow space partitioned between the rear inner mold surface 42a and the dam portion 44, the chips 14 are easily compressed and pressed in. In addition, the dam portion 44 can prevent the chips 14 compressed and packed from scattering. In this way, the required amount of chips 14 can be filled in the area corresponding to the rear opening edge of the installation portion 18, so that the relatively hard rear protective portion 26a can be stably and easily formed with the desired physical properties adjacent to the main portion 25 requiring cushioning properties.

[0047] According to the manufacturing method and molding die 30, the dam portion 44 is disposed at a position closer to the rear inner mold surface 42a than to the rear second outer mold surface 40a, and the distance between the dam portion 44 and the rear inner mold surface 42a is set narrower than the distance between the dam portion 44 and the rear second outer mold surface 40a. This makes it easier to pack more chips 14 between the dam portion 44 and the rear inner mold surface 42a than between the dam portion 44 and the rear second outer mold surface 40a, and a relatively hard rear protective portion 26a can be stably and easily formed with the desired physical properties.

[0048] According to the manufacturing method and molding die 30, the dam portion 44 is lower than the second outer mold surface 40, so that the dam portion 44 is less likely to get in the way when packing the chips 14 between the dam portion 44 and the rear inner mold surface 42a. Therefore, even if the space between the dam portion 44 and the rear inner mold surface 42a is narrow, the work of packing the chips 14 can be easily performed.

[0049] Next, the main body of each of the examples and comparative examples was molded in the same shape and by the same manufacturing method as in the above-mentioned embodiment, and the apparent density and hardness of the rear protection part and the main part of the obtained main body were measured. The mold used for molding the main body had a cavity volume of 12120 cm 3In addition, the lower die of the mold for molding the main body of the embodiment has a dam part with a thickness of 2 mm at a position 30 mm away from the rear inner mold surface, rising from the first outer mold surface at a height of 30 mm. In contrast, the lower die of the mold for molding the main body of the comparative example does not have a dam part. The chips are slab foamed products made of soft polyurethane foam that are put into a crusher and crushed, and their size is in the range of 3 mm to 8 mm. The apparent density and hardness of the chips filled in the region corresponding to the rear protective part (between the rear inner mold surface and the dam part: embodiment) and the region corresponding to the main part (between the dam part and the rear second outer mold surface: embodiment) are as shown in Tables 1 and 2. In addition, the filling amount of the chips in the cavity for the embodiment and the comparative example is as shown in Tables 1 and 2. The filling apparent density and filling rate in Tables 1 and 2 are calculated as follows. Packed apparent density = Packed weight of all packed chips / Volume of cavity Fill rate = Volume of all filled chips / Volume of cavity

[0050] The packing density of the chips was evaluated at an apparent packing density of 0.05 g / cm 3 ~0.15g / cm 3 When the filling density was within the range, it was marked as "○", and when it was outside the range, it was marked as "×". 3 ~0.11g / cm 3 The range of "〇" is evaluated as "◎". 3 For the cavity, the range of "0" corresponds to a chip filling weight of 600g to 1800g, and the range of "◎" corresponds to a chip filling weight of 700g to 1300g. The evaluation of the chip filling amount is shown in Tables 1 and 2.

[0051] A block-shaped test piece measuring 30 mm square was cut out from the rear protective part of the obtained main body, and the weight of the test piece was measured to calculate the apparent density and the hardness was measured. A block-shaped test piece measuring 30 mm square was cut out from the main part of the obtained main body, and the weight of the test piece was measured to calculate the apparent density and the hardness was measured. The hardness was measured at 25% compression based on JIS K6400-2 (D method). The results are shown in Tables 1 and 2.

[0052] The apparent density of the main part is 0.04 g / cm 3 ~0.12g / cm 3 When the apparent density was within the range, it was marked as "○", and when it was outside the range, it was marked as "×". 3 ~0.10g / cm 3 When the hardness was within the range, it was evaluated as "◎". When the hardness of the main part was within the range of 60N to 240N, it was evaluated as "◯", and when it was outside this range, it was evaluated as "×". In particular, when the hardness was within the range of 80N to 200N, it was evaluated as "◎". The results are shown in Tables 1 and 2.

[0053] The apparent density of the rear protection part was evaluated as 0.08 g / cm 3 ~0.40g / cm 3 When the apparent density was within the range, it was marked as "○", and when it was outside the range, it was marked as "×". 3 ~0.30g / cm 3 When the hardness was within the range of 100N to 350N, it was evaluated as "◎". When the hardness was outside of this range, it was evaluated as "×". In particular, when the hardness was within the range of 120N to 270N, it was evaluated as "◎". The results are shown in Tables 1 and 2.

[0054] The difference in apparent density between the rear protection part and the main part was evaluated as 0.015 g / cm 3 ~0.15g / cm 3 When the apparent density difference was within 0.02 g / cm, it was marked as "○" and when it was outside this range, it was marked as "×".3 ~0.13g / cm 3 When the difference in hardness between the rear protection part and the main part is within the range of 30N to 200N, it is evaluated as "Good", and when it is outside this range, it is evaluated as "Poor". In particular, when the difference in hardness is within the range of 40N to 160N, it is evaluated as "Good". The results are shown in Tables 1 and 2.

[0055] The overall evaluation is given as "◎" when all three indicators, the apparent filling density of the tip, the hardness of the main part, and the hardness of the rear protective part, are "◎", and "◯" when none of the three indicators are "×" and at least one is "◯". If at least one of the three indicators, the apparent filling density of the tip, the hardness of the main part, and the hardness of the rear protective part, is "×", the overall evaluation is given as "×". The results are shown in Tables 1 and 2.

[0056] [Table 1]

[0057] [Table 2]

[0058] As can be seen from Examples 1 to 7 shown in Table 1, the dam portion allows the apparent density and hardness of the rear protective part to be increased with a relatively small apparent filling density. In addition, it can be confirmed from Examples 1 to 7 that the difference between the hardness of the main part and the hardness of the rear protective part can be increased. Thus, it can be seen that the main body part of the Examples is light overall, but the rear protective part having the appropriate hardness required for reinforcement and the main part having the appropriate flexibility required for an armrest are formed side by side. As in Comparative Examples 1 and 2, if there is no dam portion, even if the main body part is molded with the same apparent filling density as in the Examples, a rear protective part with appropriate hardness cannot be obtained. Also, as in Comparative Examples 3 and 4, which do not have a dam portion, it is possible to harden the rear protective part by very large filling amount of chips, but in this case, there is a problem that the main body part becomes heavy and the main part becomes too hard. And, according to Comparative Examples 1 to 4, it can be seen that if there is no dam portion, the difference between the hardness of the main part and the hardness of the rear protective part becomes small.

[0059] As shown in Example 7 of Table 1, the presence of the dam portion makes it possible to distribute and fill chips with different physical properties (apparent density and hardness) in the area corresponding to the rear protective portion (between the rear inner mold surface and the dam portion) and the area corresponding to the main portion (between the dam portion and the rear second outer mold surface). The rear protective portion can be made harder by filling the area corresponding to the rear protective portion with chips that are harder than the chips filled in the area corresponding to the main portion. In this way, the hardness of the rear protective portion can be improved without increasing the weight of the main body portion and while preventing the main portion from becoming too hard.

[0060] (Example of change) The configuration is not limited to the above, and may be modified as follows, for example. (1) In the embodiment, a cup holder is given as an example of a functional component to be installed in the installation portion. However, the present invention is not limited to this and may be other components such as a coin box or other small item storage, or a switch box or other electrical component. (2) In the embodiment, the dam portion is configured as a single plate-like body, but this is not limiting and a configuration in which multiple dam portions are arranged in series is also possible. Note that, when multiple dam portions are arranged in series, it is preferable that the distance between adjacent dam portions is 10 mm or less. (3) The present disclosure is not limited to armrests installed in rear seats, but can also be applied to armrests installed in front seats and doors. (4) The protective portion is not limited to an embodiment in which the entire protective portion has the same density and hardness, and the physical properties such as density and hardness may be changed depending on the portion. (5) The reinforcing portion is not limited to an embodiment in which the entire portion has the same density and hardness, and the physical properties such as density and hardness may be changed depending on the portion. For example, the reinforcing portion may be configured to include special reinforcing portions provided in correspondence with portions in the main body that require particular strength, such as the vicinity of the support shaft or hinge, and general reinforcing portions other than the special reinforcing portions, and the special reinforcing portions may have a higher apparent density than the general reinforcing portions. For example, the apparent density of the general reinforcing portions may be set to 0.08 g / cm 3 ~0.15g / cm 3 The apparent density of the special reinforcement part is 0.15 g / cm 3 ~0.40g / cm 3 The setting can be changed as appropriate. (6) Tips of different hardness may be used depending on the location of the main body. For example, when molding the main body, it is advisable to pack chips harder than the chips packed between the outer mold surface and the dam portion (area corresponding to the main portion) between the inner mold surface and the dam portion (area corresponding to the main portion). In this way, the hardness of the resulting protective portion can be improved. [Explanation of symbols]

[0061] 10 armrest, 12 main body, 12a slit, 14 tip, 18 installation part, 20 cup holder (functional member), 25 main part, 26 protective part, 26a rear protective part, 30 mold, 36 cavity, 38 first outer mold surface, 40 second outer mold surface, 40a Rear second outer mold surface (outer mold surface), 42 Inner mold surface, 42a Rear inner mold surface (inner mold surface), 44 Weir

Claims

1. A main body portion formed by assembling chips of a resin foam; a mounting portion provided in the main body portion in a recessed shape that opens to one surface of the main body portion, the mounting portion being adapted to mount a functional member; a protective portion provided on an opening edge of the installation portion adjacent to a main portion on which an arm is placed in the main body portion, the main body is a block formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and the entire resin foam facing the functional component is composed of the main body; The protective portion is configured to have a higher apparent density than the main portion, The entire body is constructed by assembling the chips. The armrest is characterized by:

2. A main body portion formed by assembling chips of a resin foam; a mounting portion provided in the main body portion in a recessed shape that opens to one surface of the main body portion, the mounting portion being adapted to mount a functional member; a protective portion provided on an opening edge of the installation portion adjacent to a main portion on which an arm is placed in the main body portion, the main body is a block formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and the entire resin foam facing the functional component is composed of the main body; The protective portion is configured to have a higher apparent density than the main portion, The entire body is formed by assembling the chip, In the main body, the installation portion is disposed on the front side of the main portion, The protection portion is provided rearward of a rear wall of the installation portion. The armrest is characterized by:

3. A main body portion formed by assembling chips of a resin foam; a mounting portion provided in the main body portion in a recessed shape that opens to one surface of the main body portion, the mounting portion being adapted to mount a functional member; a protective portion provided on an opening edge of the installation portion adjacent to a main portion on which an arm is placed in the main body portion, the main body is a block formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and the entire resin foam facing the functional component is composed of the main body; The protective portion is configured to have a higher apparent density than the main portion, The entire body is formed by assembling the chip, A reinforcing material is embedded in the main body and formed in a frame shape surrounding the installation portion. The armrest is characterized by:

4. A main body portion formed by assembling chips of a resin foam; a mounting portion provided in the main body portion in a recessed shape that opens to one surface of the main body portion, the mounting portion being adapted to mount a functional member; a protective portion provided on an opening edge of the installation portion adjacent to a main portion on which an arm is placed in the main body portion, the main body is a block formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and the entire resin foam facing the functional component is composed of the main body; The protective portion is configured to have a higher apparent density than the main portion, The entire body is constructed by assembling the chips.

1. A resin foam for an armrest, comprising:

5. A main body portion formed by assembling chips of a resin foam; a mounting portion provided in the main body portion in a recessed shape that opens to one surface of the main body portion, the mounting portion being adapted to mount a functional member; a protective portion provided on an opening edge of the installation portion adjacent to a main portion on which an arm is placed in the main body portion, the main body is a block formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and the entire resin foam facing the functional component is composed of the main body; The protective portion is configured to have a higher apparent density than the main portion, The entire body is formed by assembling the chip, In the main body, the installation portion is disposed on the front side of the main portion, The protection portion is provided rearward of a rear wall of the installation portion.

1. A resin foam for an armrest, comprising:

6. A main body portion formed by assembling chips of a resin foam; a mounting portion provided in the main body portion in a recessed shape that opens to one surface of the main body portion, the mounting portion being adapted to mount a functional member; a protective portion provided on an opening edge of the installation portion adjacent to a main portion on which an arm is placed in the main body portion, the main body is a block formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and the entire resin foam facing the functional component is composed of the main body; The protective portion is configured to have a higher apparent density than the main portion, The entire body is formed by assembling the chip, A reinforcing material is embedded in the main body and formed in a frame shape surrounding the installation portion.

1. A resin foam for an armrest, comprising:

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