Apparatus for manufacturing three-dimensional filament bonded body, three-dimensional filament bonded body, and method for manufacturing the same

Abstract

To provide a device making it possible to easily produce a filament three-dimensional conjugate different in a repulsion force according to positions.SOLUTION: The device 1 for producing filament three-dimensional conjugates 3 including a molten filament feeding part 10 discharging a molten filament group prepared by translating a plurality of molten filaments MF downward and a fusion connection formation part 20 for cooling the molten filament group by a liquid coolant W stored in a bath 21 to fuse and connect them to form the filament three-dimensional conjugates 3 and including temperature adjusting means for adjusting temperature of the molten filament group so as to obtain a predetermined temperature state in which a temperature difference exists between positions different at upward view.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus for producing a three-dimensional bound filament structure, a three-dimensional bound filament structure, and a method for producing the same. [Background technology]

[0002] As a material that can be used for cushioning bodies for various applications, a three-dimensional filament bonded body (a three-dimensional network structure) obtained by three-dimensionally fusing and bonding filaments made of thermoplastic resin is known. The three-dimensional filament bonded body has good breathability and is easy to wash with water, so it is also excellent in terms of hygienic use.

[0003] As a method for producing such a three-dimensional filament bond, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a method in which molten filaments are heated by a heater or the like, causing the water surface in a water tank into which the filaments are supplied to boil, thereby increasing the degree of contact fusion of the filaments (linking strength) and increasing the repulsive force (filament elasticity) of the produced three-dimensional filament bond. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 1-207462 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] When applying the 3D filament bond to cushioning materials for various purposes, it is important to adjust the repulsive force characteristics of the 3D filament bond to various states to suit the purpose of each cushioning material. Therefore, there is a demand for an apparatus that can easily manufacture 3D filament bond with different repulsive forces depending on the position in the thickness direction, width direction, etc.

[0006] In view of the above problems, the present invention aims to provide a manufacturing apparatus that can easily manufacture a filament three-dimensional assembly in which the repulsive force varies depending on the position. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention is an apparatus for manufacturing a three-dimensional combined filament body, the apparatus having a molten filament supplying section for discharging a group of molten filaments formed by translating a plurality of molten filaments downward, and a fusion bond forming section for cooling and fusion bonding the group of molten filaments with a liquid refrigerant contained in a tank to form a three-dimensional combined filament body, and is configured to include a temperature adjusting means for adjusting the temperature of the group of molten filaments so that a predetermined temperature state with a temperature difference exists between different positions when viewed from above. With this configuration, it is possible to easily manufacture a three-dimensional combined filament body having a different repulsive force depending on the position.

[0008] More specifically, the temperature adjustment means may adjust the temperature of the molten filaments by adjusting the temperature of a portion of the refrigerant near the surface where the molten filaments reach. More specifically, the temperature adjustment means may have a heating device that is installed near the surface of the refrigerant and heats the refrigerant. More specifically, the temperature adjustment means may have a supply device that supplies an auxiliary refrigerant having a different temperature from the refrigerant near the surface of the refrigerant.

[0009] More specifically, the fusion bond forming section may have a pair of front and rear receiving plates that receive the group of molten filaments, each of the pair of receiving plates having an inclined portion that approaches each other in the front-to-rear direction as it proceeds downward, and a vertical portion extending downward from the lower end of the inclined portion, with the surface of the refrigerant being located between the front and rear vertical portions, and the supply device may be configured to supply the auxiliary refrigerant to each of the front and rear inclined portions.

[0010] More specifically, the above configuration may be such that the fusion bond forming section has a conveyor disposed within the tank, the conveyor has a pair of rollers arranged vertically in a front-to-rear direction corresponding to the thickness direction of the filament 3-dimensional bond, and is configured so that the group of molten filaments reaches a belt wound around an upper roller included in the pair of rollers, and the supply device supplies the auxiliary refrigerant to the belt.

[0011] More specifically, the temperature adjusting means may adjust the temperature of the discharged molten filaments by adjusting the temperature of an air gap through which the discharged molten filaments pass before reaching the coolant. More specifically, the temperature adjusting means may have an opening / closing member that can adjust the open state of the sides of the air gap.

[0012] More specifically, the above configuration may include, as the temperature control means, a first temperature control means for controlling the temperature of the group of molten filaments by controlling the temperature of a portion near the surface of the coolant to which the group of molten filaments reaches, and a second temperature control means for controlling the temperature of the group of molten filaments by controlling the temperature of an air gap through which the discharged group of molten filaments passes before reaching the coolant.

[0013] The three-dimensional bound filaments according to the present invention are manufactured by the manufacturing apparatus having the above-mentioned configuration. The manufacturing method of the three-dimensional bound filaments according to the present invention includes a discharging step of discharging a group of molten filaments formed by translating a plurality of molten filaments downward, a temperature adjusting step of adjusting the temperature of the group of molten filaments so that a predetermined temperature state with a temperature difference exists between different positions when viewed from above, and a cooling step of cooling the group of molten filaments to fuse and bond them, thereby forming a three-dimensional bound filament. Effect of the Invention

[0014] According to the manufacturing apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to easily manufacture a three-dimensional filament assembly in which the repulsive force varies depending on the position. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of a manufacturing apparatus for a three-dimensional filament assembly. [Diagram 2] 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA' in FIG. 1. [Diagram 3] FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the nozzle portion viewed from below. [Figure 4] 2 is an enlarged view of the configuration of an area S in FIG. 1. [Diagram 5] 5 is a view taken along the line BB' in FIG. 4. [Figure 6] 5 is a view taken along the CC' plane shown in FIG. 4. [Figure 7] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example in which cooling water is heated by a water heating device group. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a cross section of an example of a filament three-dimensional assembly to be produced. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of supply of cooling water by a cooling water supply device. [Figure 10] FIG. 13 is a conceptual diagram of a manufacturing apparatus according to a modified example. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is an enlarged view of a main part of the conveyor in FIG. 10. [Figure 12] FIG. 2 is a diagram of a manufacturing apparatus for explaining an air gap temperature control device. [Figure 13] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a cross section of an example of a filament three-dimensional assembly to be produced. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0016] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0017] 1. Overall configuration of the manufacturing equipment Fig. 1 is a conceptual diagram of a manufacturing apparatus 1 for a three-dimensional bound filament body according to this embodiment. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A' in Fig. 1. Note that the up-down, left-right, and front-rear directions (directions perpendicular to each other) in the description of the manufacturing apparatus 1 are as shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. The up-down direction is the vertical direction.

[0018] The manufacturing apparatus 1 for manufacturing a three-dimensional filament bond includes a molten filament supply section 10 that discharges a molten filament group MF consisting of multiple molten filaments with diameters of 0.5 mm to 3 mm vertically downward, and a fusion bond forming section 20 that three-dimensionally entangles the molten filament group MF and fusion bonds the contact points, and then cools and solidifies the fusion bond to form a three-dimensional filament bond 3.

[0019] The molten filament supply section 10 includes a pressure melting section 11 (extruder) and a filament discharge section 12 (die). The pressure melting section 11 includes a material input section 13 (hopper), a screw 14, a screw motor 15 that drives the screw 14, a screw heater 16, and a plurality of temperature sensors (not shown). Inside the pressure melting section 11, a cylinder 11a is formed for transporting the thermoplastic resin supplied from the material input section 13 while heating and melting it with the screw heater 16.

[0020] A screw 14 is rotatably accommodated in the cylinder 11a. A cylinder outlet 11b is formed at the downstream end of the cylinder 11a for discharging the thermoplastic resin toward the filament discharge section 12. The heating temperature of the screw heater 16 is controlled based on a detection signal of a temperature sensor provided in the molten filament supply section 10, for example.

[0021] The filament discharge section 12 includes a nozzle section 17, a die heater 18, and a plurality of temperature sensors (not shown), and is formed therein with a guide passage 12a that guides the molten thermoplastic resin discharged from the cylinder discharge port 11b to the nozzle section 17.

[0022] The nozzle portion 17 is a thick metal plate having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape in which a plurality of openings are formed, and is provided below the filament discharge portion 12, which corresponds to the most downstream portion of the guide channel 12a.

[0023] Here, Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the nozzle portion 17 as viewed from below. A plurality of nozzle openings 17a for discharging the molten filament group are formed in the nozzle portion 17. As shown in Fig. 3, the openings 17a are arranged in a staggered manner in the front-rear and left-right directions. Note that the arrangement of the nozzle openings 17 is not limited to a staggered manner. Also, the distance (pitch) between adjacent openings 17 is, for example, 10 mm.

[0024] A plurality of die heaters 18 (five die heaters 18a to 18e in the example shown in FIG. 2) are provided in the left-right direction and heat the filament discharge section 12. The heating temperature of the die heaters 18 is controlled based on a detection signal of a temperature sensor provided in the filament discharge section 12, for example.

[0025] Examples of thermoplastic resins that can be used as materials for the filament three-dimensional bonded body include polyolefin resins such as polyethylene and polypropylene, polyester resins such as polyethylene terephthalate, polyamide resins such as nylon 66, polyvinyl chloride resins, and polystyrene resins, as well as thermoplastic elastomers such as styrene-based elastomers, PVC-based elastomers, olefin-based elastomers, urethane-based elastomers, polyester-based elastomers, nitrile-based elastomers, polyamide-based elastomers, and fluorine-based elastomers.

[0026] The thermoplastic resin supplied from the material input unit 13 is heated and melted in the cylinder 11a, and is supplied as a molten thermoplastic resin from the cylinder outlet 11b to the guide channel 12a of the filament discharge unit 12, for example, by being extruded by the screw 14. Thereafter, a molten filament group MF consisting of a plurality of molten filaments is discharged from each of the plurality of nozzle openings 17a of the nozzle unit 17 so as to move downward in translation.

[0027] The fusion bonding forming section 20 includes a cooling water tank 21, a pair of receiving plates 22, a pair of conveyors 24, and a plurality of transport rollers 25a to 25h. The front receiving plate 22a and the rear receiving plate 22b are provided as a pair of front and rear receiving plates 22 and play a role in regulating the thickness of the filament three-dimensional combined body 3.

[0028] The cooling water tank 21 is a tank that contains cooling water W, and is capable of storing a sufficient amount of cooling water W as shown in FIG. 1. The cooling water W serves as a refrigerant that cools the molten filament group MF and fuses and bonds them. However, the refrigerant for cooling the molten filament group MF is not limited to water, and may be other liquids. A pair of conveyors 24 and a plurality of transport rollers 25a to 25h are disposed inside the cooling water tank 21. The pair of conveyors 24 and the plurality of transport rollers 25a to 25h are driven by a drive motor (not shown).

[0029] The molten filament group MF discharged from the nozzle 17 of the filament discharge section 12 has its thickness (front-rear dimension) adjusted by the receiving plate 22, and is deflected by the buoyancy of the cooling water W in the cooling water tank 21, with each filament forming a random loop. The random loops are entangled three-dimensionally with adjacent random loops in a molten state, and the contact points are fused and bonded to form a three-dimensional filament bond. At this time, the higher the temperature of each filament in the molten filament group MF, the higher the degree of contact fusion, and the greater the repulsive force of the three-dimensional filament bond 3 obtained after cooling.

[0030] Thereafter, the combined body is transported by the conveyor 24 and the plurality of transport rollers 25a-25h while being cooled by the cooling water W in the cooling water tank 21, and is discharged from the cooling water tank 21 as a three-dimensional combined filaments body 3. In this manner, a three-dimensional combined filaments body 3 can be manufactured.

[0031] Furthermore, in the manufacturing apparatus 1 of this embodiment, a temperature adjusting means is provided for adjusting the temperature of the molten filament group MF so that a predetermined temperature state with a temperature difference exists between different positions when viewed from above. Various specific examples of such a temperature adjusting means will be described below, taking the first to third temperature adjusting means as examples.

[0032] 2-1. First temperature control means First, an example using water heating device groups 30a and 30b will be described as a specific example of the temperature adjustment means (first temperature adjustment means). FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the configuration of region S in FIG. 1. The pair of receiving plates 22 is composed of a front receiving plate 22a and a rear receiving plate 22b arranged in the front-rear direction. The front receiving plate 22a is a metal plate having a bent portion including an inclined portion 22a1 that slopes downward toward the rear and a flat vertical portion 22a2 that extends vertically downward from the lower end of the inclined portion 22a1. The rear receiving plate 22b is a metal plate having a bent portion including an inclined portion 22b1 that slopes downward toward the front and a flat vertical portion 22b2 that extends vertically downward from the lower end of the inclined portion 22b1. These vertical surfaces 22a2 and 22b2 are parallel to each other and face each other in the front-rear direction. The pair of front and rear inclined portions 22a1, 22b1 are inclined so as to approach each other in the front-rear direction as they proceed downward.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 4, the manufacturing apparatus 1 has a water heating device group 30a and a water heating device group 30b. The water heating device group 30a is arranged along the front surface of the vertical portion 22a2. The water heating device group 30b is arranged along the rear surface of the vertical portion 22b2. The water heating device groups 30a and 30b heat the cooling water W (not shown in FIG. 4) in the area sandwiched between the vertical portions 22a2 and 22b2 in the front-rear direction via the vertical portions 22a2 and 22b2, respectively. The specific form of the water heating device groups 30a and 30b is not particularly limited, but for example, a rod-shaped quartz tube heater (quartz rod heater) or the like may be applied.

[0034] Fig. 5 is a view seen from the arrow B-B' plane shown in Fig. 4. In the example shown in Fig. 5, water heating device group 30a consists of multiple (here, five) water heating devices 30aa-30ae lined up in the left-right direction. Fig. 6 is a view seen from the arrow C-C' plane shown in Fig. 4. In the example shown in Fig. 6, water heating device group 30b consists of multiple (here, five) water heating devices 30ba-30be lined up in the left-right direction. Water heating devices 30aa-30ae and water heating devices 30ba-30be face each other one-to-one in the front-to-rear direction.

[0035] Fig. 7 is a diagram showing an example in which cooling water W is heated by water heating device groups 30a and 30b. As shown in Fig. 7, the water surface WS of the cooling water W in the region (water landing region WR) sandwiched in the front-rear direction between vertical parts 22a2 and 22b2 is the water surface where the molten filament group MF discharged downward from the upper nozzle part 17 reaches (lands on). The water heating device groups 30a and 30b are arranged opposite each other in the front-rear direction near the water surface WS. The water heating device group 30a is arranged forward of the water surface WS, and the water heating device group 30b is arranged rearward of the water surface WS.

[0036] 7 shows an example in which the rear water heating device group 30b is made to have a higher temperature than the front water heating device group 30a, and by heating by water heating device groups 30a, 30b, the cooling water W (near the surface of the cooling water W) in the water landing area WR becomes a low temperature section L, an intermediate temperature section M, and a high temperature section H, in that order, from the water heating device group 30a side to the water heating device group 30b side. For example, the low temperature section L is about 45°C, the intermediate temperature section M is about 60°C, and the high temperature section H is about 75°C. By heating by water heating device groups 30a, 30b, the temperature of the cooling water W in the water landing area WR is controlled to be approximately constant in the left-right direction (the depth direction of the paper in FIG. 7).

[0037] As a result, the molten filament group MF (for example, at about 230° C.) discharged downward from the upper nozzle portion 17 reaches the water surface WS, and the portion closer to the front passes through the low temperature section L, the portion closer to the center in the front-to-rear direction passes through the intermediate temperature section M, and the portion closer to the rear passes through the high temperature section H. At this time, the molten filament group MF is cooled, and a temperature difference is given in the front-to-rear direction between low temperature, intermediate temperature, and high temperature corresponding to the low temperature section L, intermediate temperature section M, and high temperature section H.

[0038] The more the temperature of the molten filament group MF is controlled to be higher in a part, the higher the degree of contact fusion between the filaments in that part, and the higher the repulsive force of that part in the three-dimensional filament combined body 3. The front-rear direction corresponds to the thickness direction of the three-dimensional filament combined body 3 to be manufactured. Therefore, the water heating device group 30a, 30b makes it possible to control the degree of contact fusion of the three-dimensional filament combined body 3 in the thickness direction, and the repulsive force of the three-dimensional filament combined body 3 in the thickness direction. Since the repulsive force of each part of the three-dimensional filament combined body 3 can be changed by changing the heating strength in the water heating device group 30a, 30b, it is only necessary to adjust the heating strength in the water heating device group 30a, 30b so that each part of the three-dimensional filament combined body 3 has a desired repulsive force.

[0039] Fig. 8 shows a cross section of a three-dimensional bound filament body 100, which is an example of the three-dimensional bound filament body 3 manufactured by the temperature control of the example shown in Fig. 7. The thickness direction shown in Fig. 8 corresponds to the front-rear direction of the manufacturing apparatus 1, and the width direction corresponds to the left-right direction of the manufacturing apparatus 1. In the example of Fig. 8, a low resilience region 101 corresponding to the low temperature part L, a medium resilience region 102 corresponding to the intermediate temperature part M, and a high resilience region 103 corresponding to the high temperature part H are formed in this order from the front surface 100a to the back surface 100b.

[0040] By providing a difference in the heating degree between each of the water heating devices 30aa-30ae and each of the water heating devices 30ba-30be, it is possible to control the cooling water W in the water landing area WR to have a temperature difference in the left and right direction. This makes it possible to control the repulsive force of the filament three-dimensional combined body 3 to be manufactured in the width direction.

[0041] The above-mentioned first temperature adjustment means adjusts the temperature of the surface vicinity of the cooling water W (coolant) to which the molten filament group MF reaches, thereby adjusting the temperature of the molten filament group MF. More specifically, the first temperature adjustment means has water heating device groups 30a and 30b that are installed near the surface of the cooling water W and heat the cooling water W, and it is possible to adjust the temperature of the surface vicinity of the cooling water W by heating with the water heating device groups 30a and 30b.

[0042] The manufacturing apparatus 1 provided with the first temperature adjustment means has a controller (not shown) capable of controlling the strength of heating by each water heating device in the water heating device groups 30a, 30b. The controller may control the strength of heating by each water heating device to, for example, a preset desired value, or may perform feedback control so that the detection value of a temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the cooling water W in the water landing area WR approaches a target value.

[0043] 2-2. Second temperature control means Next, as another specific example of the temperature adjusting means (second temperature adjusting means), an example of controlling the temperature of cooling water supplied to the backing plate 22 will be described. As shown in Fig. 9, the manufacturing apparatus 1 has cooling water supply devices 23a and 23b.

[0044] The cooling water supply device 23a is disposed at the upper end of the inclined portion 22a1 and supplies the cooling water C1 to the inclined portion 22a1. The cooling water supply device 23a extends in the left-right direction (the depth direction of the paper surface of FIG. 9) and discharges the cooling water C1 from a plurality of nozzles 23a1 arranged in the left-right direction. The refrigerant supplied by the cooling water supply device is not limited to water (cooling water) and other liquids may be used.

[0045] The cooling water supply device 23b is disposed at the upper end of the inclined portion 22b1 and supplies the cooling water C2 to the inclined portion 22b1. The cooling water supply device 23b extends in the left-right direction and discharges the cooling water C2 from a plurality of nozzles 23b1 (see also FIG. 6) arranged in the left-right direction.

[0046] The cooling water C1 supplied by the cooling water supply device 23a flows downward on the inclined portion 22a1 and flows into the front portion of the water landing area WR to adjust the temperature of the cooling water W in the front portion. The cooling water C2 supplied by the cooling water supply device 23b flows downward on the inclined portion 22b1 and flows into the rear portion of the water landing area WR to adjust the temperature of the cooling water W in the rear portion.

[0047] 9, for example, by supplying low-temperature cooling water C1 at 25° C. and high-temperature cooling water C2 at 95° C., the cooling water W in the water landing region WR can be made to have, from front to rear, a low-temperature section at 45° C., a medium-temperature section at 60° C., and a high-temperature section at 75° C. In this way, a temperature difference can be imparted in the front-to-rear direction to the temperature of the molten filament group MF passing through the water landing region WR, and the repulsive force of the produced filament three-dimensional combined body 3 can be controlled in the thickness direction.

[0048] In addition, if a temperature difference is given to the cooling water C1, C2 supplied from the cooling water supply devices 23a, 23b in the left and right direction (for each nozzle), it is also possible to control the cooling water W in the water landing area WR to have a temperature difference in the left and right direction. This makes it possible to control the repulsive force of the filament three-dimensional combined body 3 to be manufactured in the width direction.

[0049] The above-mentioned second temperature adjustment means adjusts the temperature of the surface vicinity of the cooling water W (coolant) to which the molten filament group MF reaches, thereby adjusting the temperature of the molten filament group MF. More specifically, the second temperature adjustment means has cooling water supply devices 23a and 23b that supply cooling waters C1 and C2 (corresponding to the auxiliary coolant of the present invention) having a temperature different from that of the cooling water W to the surface vicinity of the cooling water W, and it is possible to adjust the temperature of the surface vicinity of the cooling water W by supplying the cooling waters C1 and C2.

[0050] The fusion bond forming section 20 has a pair of front and rear receiving plates 22 that receive the molten filament group MF, and the surface of the cooling water W is located between the front and rear vertical portions 22a2, 22b2 of the receiving plate 22. The cooling water supply devices 23a, 23b supply cooling water C1, C2 to the front and rear inclined portions of the receiving plate 22, respectively, thereby enabling the molten filament group MF to move smoothly on the receiving plate 22 while regulating the temperature of the portion near the surface of the cooling water W.

[0051] The manufacturing apparatus 1 provided with the second temperature adjustment means has a controller (not shown) capable of individually controlling the temperatures of the cooling water C1 and the cooling water C2. The controller may control the temperatures of the cooling water C1 and the cooling water C2 to, for example, predetermined desired values, or may perform feedback control so that the detection value of a temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the cooling water W in the water landing area WR approaches a target value.

[0052] As an embodiment in which a second temperature adjustment means using the cooling water supply devices 23a and 23b is provided, the following modified example may be adopted. As shown in Fig. 10, a manufacturing device 51 according to this modified example has a conveyor 54, and the installation of the backing plate 22 (see Fig. 1) is omitted.

[0053] Fig. 11 is an enlarged view of the main part of the conveyor 54. As shown in Fig. 11, the conveyor 54 has a pair of rollers 56a, 57a, a belt 55a, a pair of rollers 56b, 57b, and a belt 55b. The pair of rollers 56a, 57a and the pair of rollers 56b, 57b are arranged facing each other in the front-rear direction. The pair of rollers 56a, 57a are arranged on the front side.

[0054] The rollers 56a, 57a are arranged vertically inside the cooling water tank 21. The upper roller 56a is located below the nozzle portion 17 (see FIG. 10). A belt 55a is wound around the rollers 56a, 57a. The rollers 56b, 57b are arranged vertically inside the cooling water tank 21. The upper roller 56b is located below the nozzle portion 17. A belt 55b is wound around the rollers 56b, 57b.

[0055] Parts 55a1 and 55b1 of the belts 55a and 55b wound around the rollers 56a and 56b are arranged so as to be in contact with the molten filament group MF (see FIG. 10) discharged downward from the nozzle portion 17. The rollers 56a and 57a and the rollers 56b and 57b are driven to rotate so that parts 55a2 and 55b2 facing each other on the inner side in the front-rear direction of the belts 55a and 55b move downward. In FIG. 11, the movement direction of the parts 55a2 and 55b2 is indicated by a hollow arrow, and the drive direction of the rollers is indicated by a solid arrow.

[0056] With this configuration, when the molten filament group MF discharged downward from the nozzle portion 17 comes into contact with the portions 55a1, 55b1, the molten filament group MF is drawn into the water landing region WR sandwiched in the front-rear direction by the rollers 56a, 56b along with the movement of the belts 55a, 55b. Therefore, the molten filament group MF is guided downward while its thickness in the front-rear direction is regulated.

[0057] 11, cooling water C1 is supplied to a portion 55a1 of the belt 55a by the cooling water supply device 23a, so that the cooling water C1 flows along the portion 55a1 and flows into the front side of the water landing area WR. Also, cooling water C2 is supplied to a portion 55b1 of the belt 55b by the cooling water supply device 23b, so that the cooling water C2 flows along the portion 55b1 and flows into the rear side of the water landing area WR.

[0058] As a result, a temperature difference can be provided in the front-rear direction in the temperature of the cooling water W in the water landing region WR, for example, as in the case of Fig. 9 described above. Therefore, the molten filament group MF guided downward by the conveyor 54 is cooled in the water landing region WR, and a temperature difference is provided in the front-rear direction. Note that the belts 55a and 55b are preferably made of metal mesh belts.

[0059] 2-3.Third temperature control means Next, an example using opening / closing member groups 31a and 31b will be described as yet another specific example of the temperature adjustment means (third temperature adjustment means). Here, as shown in Fig. 12, the manufacturing apparatus 1 has an air gap temperature control device 35 (also shown in Fig. 1) as the temperature adjustment means. Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A' shown in Fig. 1, similar to Fig. 2, but the state of the opening / closing members is different from that in Fig. 2.

[0060] The air gap temperature control device 35 has an opening / closing member group 31a, an opening / closing drive unit 33a, an opening / closing member group 31b, and an opening / closing drive unit 33b (FIG. 1). The opening / closing member group 31a is made up of a plurality of opening / closing members 31aa-31ae (five in this example) arranged in the left-right direction (FIG. 12). The opening / closing members 31aa-31ae are each independently driven to open and close in the up-down direction by the opening / closing drive unit 33a. In the example of FIG. 12, the opening / closing members 31aa, 31ae are in a completely closed state, and the opening / closing members 31ab-31ad are slightly open.

[0061] The opening / closing member group 31b is made up of a plurality of (here, five as an example) opening / closing members 31ba-31be arranged in the left-right direction. The opening / closing members 31ba-31be are each independently driven to open and close in the up-down direction by an opening / closing drive unit 33b. The opening / closing members 31aa-31ae and the opening / closing members 31ba-31be are door-shaped members having heat insulating properties (thermal insulation properties).

[0062] The air gap is a space between the nozzle portion 17 and the water surface WS (the water surface on which the molten filament group MF lands), and the molten filament group MF coming out of the nozzle portion 17 reaches the water surface WS through the air gap. The opening and closing member groups 31a and 31b open and close the front and rear ends of the air gap, respectively. The air gap temperature control device 35 controls the temperature of the molten filament group MF in the air gap by controlling the opening and closing of the opening and closing member groups 31a and 31b. The temperature of the air in the space outside the air gap is lower than the temperature of the air in the air gap through which the high-temperature molten filament group MF passes. Therefore, the temperature of the molten filament group MF close to the opening and closing member with a larger degree of opening is controlled to be lower accordingly.

[0063] By controlling the opening and closing of the opening and closing member groups 31a and 31b, for example, the temperature of the molten filament group MF on the opening and closing member group 31a side can be controlled to be lower than that of the opening and closing member group 31b side. Furthermore, the temperature of the molten filament group MF near the opening and closing members 31ab-31ad on the inner side in the opening and closing member group 31a can be controlled to be lower than that of the opening and closing members 31aa, 31ae on both outer sides in the opening and closing member group 31a. Similarly, the temperature of the molten filament group MF near the opening and closing members 31bb-31bd on the inner side in the opening and closing member group 31b can be controlled to be lower than that of the opening and closing members 31ba, 31be on both outer sides in the opening and closing member group 31b.

[0064] Fig. 13 shows a cross section of a three-dimensional bound filament 200, which is an example of a three-dimensional bound filament 3 manufactured by the above-mentioned temperature control example. In the example of Fig. 13, a low resilience region 211, a medium resilience region 212, and a high resilience region 213 are formed in this order from the front surface 200a to the back surface 200b on both outer sides in the width direction. Moreover, a low resilience region 201, a medium resilience region 202, and a high resilience region 203 are formed in this order from the front surface 200a to the back surface 200b on the inner side in the width direction. In this way, the resilience can be controlled in the thickness direction.

[0065] Further, the low resilience region 201 has a lower resilience than the low resilience regions 211 on both sides in the width direction, the medium resilience region 202 has a lower resilience than the medium resilience regions 212 on both sides in the width direction, and the high resilience region 203 has a lower resilience than the high resilience regions 213 on both sides in the width direction. In this way, it is also possible to control the resilience in the width direction.

[0066] 12, the manufacturing apparatus 1 may include opening / closing members 32a and 32b for opening and closing the left and right ends of the air gap, respectively, and opening / closing drive units 34a and 34b for driving the opening / closing members 32a and 32b, respectively. Instead of including the opening / closing members 32a and 32b, the left and right ends of the air gap may be always open or always closed.

[0067] The above-mentioned third temperature adjustment means adjusts the temperature of the air in the air gap through which the molten filament group MF discharged from the nozzle portion 17 passes before reaching the cooling water W, thereby adjusting the temperature of the air in the air gap. More specifically, the third temperature adjustment means has opening / closing member groups 31a, 31b that can adjust the open state of the sides of the air gap (directions perpendicular to the top and bottom), and can adjust the temperature of the air in the air gap by opening and closing the opening / closing member groups 31a, 31b.

[0068] The manufacturing apparatus 1 provided with the third temperature adjustment means has a controller (not shown) capable of individually controlling the opening and closing of each of the opening and closing members in the opening and closing member groups 31a and 31b. The controller may control the opening and closing of each opening and closing member to, for example, a preset desired state, or may perform feedback control so that the detection value of the temperature sensor that detects the air temperature in the air gap approaches a target value. As another temperature adjustment means, for example, a means (nozzle part temperature adjustment means) for adjusting the temperature of the nozzle part 17 for each part corresponding to each nozzle opening 17a may be adopted. In this case, the higher the temperature of the part of the nozzle part 17 corresponding to a certain nozzle opening 17a, the higher the temperature of the molten filament discharged from that nozzle opening 17a, and it becomes possible to increase the temperature of the part of the molten filament group MF corresponding to this molten filament.

[0069] 3.Other methods for adjusting the repulsion force Each of the above-mentioned temperature control means can be regarded as a type of repulsive force control means for controlling the repulsive force of the filament three-dimensional assembly to be manufactured. In addition to the repulsive force control means by the above-mentioned temperature control means, the manufacturing apparatus 1 may be provided with the following repulsive force control means.

[0070] A specific example of the repulsive force adjustment means (first repulsive force adjustment means) is a means for adjusting the drawing speed of the molten filaments MF by the conveyor 24 (see FIG. 1). Since the amount of the molten filaments MF discharged from the nozzle portion 17 is constant, the slower the drawing speed, the greater the amount of the molten filaments MF fusion-bonded at that time, and the resin density of the corresponding portion of the three-dimensional combined filaments 3 increases (the void ratio decreases), resulting in a higher repulsive force. By variably controlling the drawing speed over time, it is possible to adjust the repulsive force of the three-dimensional combined filaments 3 to be manufactured so that it differs depending on the vertical position.

[0071] Another specific example of the repulsive force adjustment means (second repulsive force adjustment means) is a means for adjusting the density (proportion of the area occupied by the nozzle openings 17a when viewed from below) of the nozzle openings 17a (see FIG. 3) in the nozzle portion 17. The higher the density in a portion of the nozzle portion 17, the greater the amount of the molten filament group MF corresponding to this portion, and the higher the resin density (the smaller the void ratio) of the corresponding portion of the filament three-dimensional combined body 3, resulting in a higher repulsive force. As a method for adjusting the density of the nozzle openings 17a, for example, a method may be adopted in which a shutter for opening and closing each nozzle opening 17a is provided, and the shutter is controlled to adjust the density of the nozzle openings 17a.

[0072] 4.Other As described above, the manufacturing apparatus 1 includes a molten filament supply unit 10 that discharges a molten filament group MF formed by translating a plurality of molten filaments downward, and a fusion bond forming unit 20 that cools and fusion bonds the molten filament group MF with cooling water W contained in a cooling water tank 21 to form a 3-dimensional filament bond 3. Furthermore, the manufacturing apparatus 1 includes a temperature adjustment means that adjusts the temperature of the molten filament group MF so that a predetermined temperature state with a temperature difference exists between different positions when viewed from above is achieved.

[0073] Therefore, with the manufacturing apparatus 1, it is possible to easily manufacture filament three-dimensional combined bodies 3 having different repulsive forces by changing the degree of contact fusion of the filaments depending on the position, particularly in the thickness direction (corresponding to the front-rear direction of the manufacturing apparatus 1) and the width direction (corresponding to the left-right direction of the manufacturing apparatus 1). When changing the repulsive force by changing the degree of contact fusion of the filaments, fluctuations in properties other than the repulsive force are minimized compared to changing the repulsive force by changing the filament thickness or filament density (amount of resin per unit volume).

[0074] The above-mentioned manufacturing apparatus 1 is capable of manufacturing a three-dimensional filament bond by carrying out each process including a discharge process for discharging a molten filament group MF formed by translating a plurality of molten filaments downward, a temperature adjustment process for adjusting the temperature of the molten filament group MF so that a predetermined temperature state with a temperature difference exists between different positions when viewed from above, and a cooling process for cooling and fusion-bonding the molten filament group MF to form a three-dimensional filament bond 3.

[0075] Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the configuration of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. In other words, the above embodiment is an example in all respects and should be considered as not restrictive. The technical scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims, not the description of the above embodiment, and should be understood to include all modifications that fall within the meaning and scope of the claims.

[0076] The manufacturing apparatus 1 may be provided with only one type of the above-mentioned first to third temperature adjustment means, or may be provided with two or more types. Furthermore, the manufacturing apparatus 1 may be provided with the above-mentioned nozzle temperature adjustment means in addition to at least one type of the first to third temperature adjustment means.

[0077] The first and second temperature adjustment means can be seen as coolant temperature adjustment means that adjust the temperature of the molten filament group MF by adjusting the temperature of the surface vicinity of the cooling water W, and the third temperature adjustment means can be seen as air temperature adjustment means that adjusts the temperature of the molten filament group MF by adjusting the temperature of the air in the air gap. By providing the manufacturing apparatus 1 with both the coolant temperature adjustment means and the air temperature adjustment means, it is possible to adjust both the temperature of the surface vicinity of the cooling water W and the temperature of the air in the air gap, making it easier to control the temperature of the molten filament group MF more effectively.

[0078] The manufacturing apparatus 1 may also be provided with at least one of the first to third temperature adjusting means and at least one of the first and second repulsive force adjusting means. In particular, if the manufacturing apparatus 1 is provided with at least one of the first to third temperature adjusting means and at least one of the first and second repulsive force adjusting means, it becomes easy to change the repulsive force in the thickness direction or width direction of the three-dimensional filament bound body 3 by any of the first to third temperature adjusting means, and also to change the repulsive force in the length direction of the three-dimensional filament bound body 3 (corresponding to the vertical direction of the manufacturing apparatus 1) by the first repulsive force adjusting means. This makes it easy to adjust the repulsive force of the three-dimensional filament bound body 3 to a more diverse pattern. [Industrial Applicability]

[0079] The present invention can be utilized in the manufacture of cushioning bodies used in, for example, mattresses and sofa cushions. [Explanation of symbols]

[0080] 1 Manufacturing equipment 3 Filament 3D assembly 10 Molten filament supply section 11 Pressurized fusion zone 11a Cylinder 11b Cylinder outlet 12 Filament outlet 12a Channel 13 Material input section 14 Screw 15 Screw motor 16 Screw heater 17 Nozzle section 17a Nozzle opening 17a 18 Die heater 20 Fusion joint forming part 21 Cooling Water Tank 22 Support plate 22a Front support plate 22a1 Slope 22a2 Vertical section 22b Rear support plate 22b1 Slope 22b2 Vertical section 23a,23b Cooling water supply device 23a1, 23b1 Nozzle 24 Conveyor 25a~25h Transport roller 30a,30b Water heating equipment group 30aa~30ae water heating device 30ba~30be water heating device 31a, 31b Opening / closing member group 31aa~31ae Opening and closing parts 31ba~31be Opening and closing parts 32a,32b Opening / closing member 33a, 33b Opening and closing drive unit 34a, 34b Opening and closing drive unit 35 Air gap temperature control device 51 Manufacturing equipment 54 Conveyor 55a,55b Belt 56a,56b Laura 57a,57b Laura 100 filament 3D assembly 100a Surface 100b back side 101 Low Rebound Region 102 Medium Rebound Area 103 High Rebound Area 200 Filament 3D Assembly 200a surface 200b back side 201 Low Rebound Area 202 Medium Rebound Area 203 High Rebound Area 211 Low Rebound Region 212 Medium Rebound Area 213 High Rebound Area C1,C2 Cooling water H High temperature section L Low temperature section M Intermediate temperature section MF fused filament group W Cooling water WR Water landing area WS Water surface

Claims

1. a molten filament supply section that discharges a group of molten filaments formed by translating a plurality of molten filaments downward; a fusion bond forming section for cooling and fusion bonding the molten filaments with a liquid refrigerant contained in a tank to form a three-dimensional filament bond, The fusion bond forming section includes a pair of backing plates for receiving the molten filaments, and a water heater disposed on the backing plates; The water heating device is a manufacturing apparatus characterized in that it adjusts the temperature of the group of molten filaments by creating a temperature difference between different positions in the coolant when viewed from above, so that a temperature difference is created in parts corresponding to the positions.

2. The manufacturing apparatus as described in claim 1, characterized in that it has a supply device for supplying an auxiliary refrigerant of a different temperature from the refrigerant near the surface of the refrigerant.

3. A molten filament supply section that discharges a group of molten filaments formed by translating a plurality of molten filaments downward; a fusion bond forming section for cooling and fusion bonding the molten filaments with a liquid refrigerant contained in a tank to form a three-dimensional filament bond, The fusion bond forming station includes a conveyor disposed within the tank; The conveyor has a pair of rollers arranged in a vertical direction and arranged in a front-rear direction corresponding to a thickness direction of the filament three-dimensional combined body, The group of molten filaments is formed to reach a belt wound around an upper roller included in the pair of rollers, a supply device for supplying an auxiliary refrigerant having a temperature different from that of the refrigerant to the belt; A manufacturing apparatus characterized in that a temperature difference is generated between different positions in the coolant when viewed from above by supplying the auxiliary coolant, thereby adjusting the temperature of the group of molten filaments so that a temperature difference is generated in portions corresponding to the positions.

4. The manufacturing apparatus described in claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the fusion bond forming section adjusts the temperature of the discharged molten filaments by adjusting the temperature of the air in an air gap through which the discharged molten filaments pass before reaching the refrigerant.

5. 5. The manufacturing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the fusion bonding section has an opening / closing member that is capable of adjusting a lateral open state of the air gap.

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