Buffer material, expanded buffer material with aqueous medium, and method for manufacturing buffer material

Abstract

To provide a cushioning material that can be formed from a paper-containing sheet and that suppresses formation of a damaged part on a crop.SOLUTION: A cushioning material 1 is formed by folding a paper-containing sheet, consisting of paper or comprising paper as a main component, and includes: a first strip 10A and a second strip 20A formed by a part of the paper-containing sheet, rising up along a first direction X, and each extending in a second direction Y intersecting the first direction and spaced apart from each other in at least a part of the second direction; and a first connecting strip 30A formed by at least part of the remainder of the paper-containing sheet, and connecting the first strip and the second strip to each other.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a buffer material, a buffer material development body with an aqueous medium, and a method for manufacturing the buffer material. [Background technology]

[0002] Origami technology has the advantage of being able to form a variety of three-dimensional structures by folding a single sheet of paper (paper-containing sheet). By devising a folding pattern for the paper, it is possible to repeatedly use the functions of unfolding and storing the paper, and it is possible to form structures from paper with relatively high mechanical strength. For this reason, it is expected that origami technology will be applied in a variety of fields.

[0003] In this context, autonomous paper folding technology, in which paper is made to bend by itself by applying some kind of external force to the paper, is attracting attention. This type of technology is sometimes referred to as "self-folding." It is expected that the development of autonomous paper folding technology will greatly advance the utilization of the properties of origami described above.

[0004] Previously, a folding technique that uses a material that responds to an external stimulus placed on the paper to autonomously fold the paper has been reported, using the response of the material when a stimulus is applied, such as an electric current or heat. However, such folding techniques have the problem that the environment in which they can be used may be limited because they require the supply of some kind of energy, such as electric current, heat, etc. Furthermore, they have the problem of being expensive because the paper needs to be modified with a special material. [Prior art documents] [Non-patent literature]

[0005] [Non-Patent Document 1] Hiroki Shigemune, Shingo Maeda, Yusuke Hara, and Shuji Hashimoto “Design of paper mechatronics: Towards a fully printed robot” 2014 IEEE / RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS 2014) Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] On the other hand, bruises in agricultural crops such as vegetables and fruits are a serious problem for the agricultural industry. Bruises are formed when the tissue of the crop changes and discolors due to shocks and vibrations applied to the crop during harvesting and post-harvest processes. Viruses and microorganisms that cause deterioration of the quality of agricultural produce can easily enter the crop through the damaged areas. Furthermore, damaged areas discourage consumers from purchasing the crop, causing undesirable economic losses for farmers.

[0007] The present invention has been made in consideration of such problems, and aims to provide a cushioning material that can be formed from a paper-containing sheet and that suppresses the formation of damaged areas in agricultural crops, and a method for manufacturing the cushioning material. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention proposes the following means. The cushioning material of the present invention is a cushioning material made of paper or constructed by folding a paper-containing sheet whose main component is paper, and includes a first strip and a second strip formed from a part of the paper-containing sheet, rising along a first direction, extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction, and spaced apart from each other in at least a portion of the second direction, and a first connecting piece formed from at least a portion of the remaining part of the paper-containing sheet, connecting the first strip and the second strip to each other. The first connecting piece is connected to an outer edge of the first strip on a first side in the first direction and an outer edge of the second strip on the first side in the first direction, and the first connecting piece is curved so as to be convex toward the first side in the first direction. , which is its characteristic.

[0009] In the cushioning material, the paper-containing sheet may be flat. In the cushioning material, the paper-containing sheet may be one sheet of the paper-containing sheet.

[0010] In addition, in the cushioning material, when a direction that intersects each of the first direction and the second direction is defined as a third direction, at least a portion of the first strip may be arranged such that its position in the third direction changes toward a first side of the second direction. In addition, in the cushioning material, when a direction that intersects the first direction and the second direction is defined as a third direction, a portion of the first strip and another portion of the first strip may be positioned in different directions in the third direction.

[0011] In the cushioning material, at least a portion of the first strip and the second strip may have a polygonal outer edge shape when viewed in the first direction. In the cushioning material, the polygon may be a hexagon. Furthermore, in the cushioning material, the first connecting piece may be formed with a strain reduction portion in which strain is reduced more than in other portions of the first connecting piece.

[0012] The cushioning material further comprises a third strip formed from at least a portion of the remaining portion of the paper-containing sheet, rising along the first direction and extending in the second direction, disposed opposite the first strip with respect to the second strip, and spaced apart from the second strip in at least a portion of the second direction; and a second connecting piece formed from at least a portion of the remaining portion of the paper-containing sheet, connecting the second strip and the third strip to each other. Well, the above A second connecting piece may be connected to outer edges of the second strip and the third strip on a second side in the first direction.

[0013] In addition, the aqueous medium-containing buffer development body of the present invention is The above A cushioning material expansion cut out from a paper-containing sheet is permeated with an aqueous medium such as water or an aqueous solution. For producing the cushioning material, A cushioning material development body with an aqueous medium, the cushioning material development body having a main surface and a first extension direction and a second extension direction, the first extension direction and the second extension direction being intersecting directions, the first extension direction and the second extension direction being intersecting directions, The above First strip and The above A second strip connects the first strip and the second strip to each other. The above and a first connecting piece, at least a portion of which is permeated with the aqueous medium.

[0014] The method for producing a cushioning material of the present invention further comprises the steps of: The above Fold the paper-containing sheet , the above A method for manufacturing a cushioning material, the method comprising the steps of: when directions intersecting each other along a main surface of the paper-containing sheet are a first extension direction and a second extension direction, the method comprising the steps of: extending from a part of the paper-containing sheet in the first extension direction and being arranged at intervals from each other in the second extension direction; The above First strip and The above cutting a second strip from at least a portion of the remainder of the paper-containing sheet and connecting the first strip and the second strip to each other. The abovea cutting step of cutting out a first connected piece; a permeation step of permeating an aqueous medium, which is water or an aqueous solution, from the main surface of the first connected piece to form a concentration gradient portion having a concentration gradient of the aqueous medium in the thickness direction of the paper-containing sheet in at least a part of the first connected piece; and a drying step of drying the first connected piece so that the dried concentration gradient portion of the first connected piece autonomously bends, and the first strip piece and the second strip piece are The above The light source autonomously rises up along a first direction and crosses the first direction. The above The method is characterized in that a drying process is carried out to produce the cushioning material by respectively extending in a second direction and being spaced apart from each other in at least a portion of the second direction. Effect of the Invention

[0015] According to the cushioning material, the expanded cushioning material with aqueous medium, and the method for producing the cushioning material of the present invention, the cushioning material can be formed from a paper-containing sheet, and the formation of damaged areas in agricultural crops can be suppressed. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing a main part of a cushioning material according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 3 is a cross-sectional view of a paper-containing sheet used in the manufacture of the cushioning material. FIG. [Diagram 3] 1 is a cross-sectional view of the paper-containing sheet when an aqueous medium is permeated into the paper-containing sheet to form a concentration gradient portion. [Figure 4] 10 is a cross-sectional view of the paper-containing sheet after drying to form a strain reduction portion. FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. [Figure 6] 1 is a flowchart showing a method for manufacturing a cushioning material according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] 2A to 2C are diagrams showing an overview of the apparatus used in each step of the manufacturing method of the cushioning material. [Figure 8] 4 is a front view showing a main part of a cushioning material deployment body used in the manufacturing method of the cushioning material. FIG. [Figure 9] 3 is a front view showing a portion of a first main surface of the paper-containing sheet into which an aqueous medium is to be permeated. FIG. [Figure 10] 4 is a front view showing a portion of the second main surface of the paper-containing sheet into which an aqueous medium is to be permeated. FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 2 is a front view showing overlapping areas on both main surfaces through which the aqueous medium is to be permeated in an aqueous medium-containing cushioning material development body. [Figure 12] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a main part of a cushioning material in a modified example of an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] 13 is a photograph showing the state of the aqueous medium-containing buffer material development 15 seconds after the start of drying. [Figure 14] 13 is a photograph showing the state of the aqueous medium-containing buffer material development 60 seconds after the start of drying. [Figure 15] 13 is a photograph showing the state of the aqueous medium-containing buffer material development 150 seconds after the start of drying. [Figure 16] 13 is a photograph showing the state of the aqueous medium-containing buffer material development body 300 seconds after the start of drying. [Figure 17] FIG. 2 is a front view of a test device used in a compression test. [Figure 18] FIG. 2 is a graph showing the compression-strain characteristics of the cushioning material. [Figure 19] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the cushioning material before a compression test is performed. [Figure 20] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the cushioning material after a compression test. [Figure 21] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overview of a drop test device. [Figure 22] FIG. 2 is a plan view of a cushioning material that has been plastically deformed by an apple being dropped on it. [Figure 23] FIG. 23 is an enlarged view of part A1 in FIG. 22. [Figure 24] 1 is a photograph showing a damaged area in sample number 1. [Diagram 25] 1 is a cross-sectional photograph showing a damaged area in sample number 1. [Figure 26] 1 is a photograph showing a damaged area in sample number 2. [Figure 27]1 is a cross-sectional photograph showing a damaged area in sample number 2. [Figure 28] 1 is a photograph showing a damaged area in sample number 3. [Figure 29] 1 is a cross-sectional photograph showing a damaged area in sample number 3. [Diagram 30] 1 is a photograph showing a damaged area in sample number 4. [Diagram 31] 1 is a cross-sectional photograph showing a damaged area in sample number 4. [Diagram 32] 1 is a photograph showing a damaged area in sample number 5. [Diagram 33] 1 is a cross-sectional photograph showing a damaged area in sample number 5. [Diagram 34] 1 is a photograph showing a damaged area in sample number 7. [Diagram 35] 1 is a cross-sectional photograph showing a damaged area in sample number 7. [Diagram 36] FIG. 13 is a graph showing the change in volume of damaged areas depending on sample number. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0017] Hereinafter, one embodiment of the cushioning material according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIG. 1, the main part of the cushioning material 1 of this embodiment is shown. The cushioning material 1 of this embodiment is formed by folding one flat paper-containing sheet 100 shown in FIG. 2. The paper-containing sheet 100 being flat here is defined as follows, for example. That is, the length of the long side of the paper-containing sheet 100 (one side when the paper-containing sheet 100 is square-shaped) when viewed in the thickness direction of the paper-containing sheet 100 is defined as a. The length in the thickness direction of the paper-containing sheet 100 curved toward the thickness direction is defined as L. In this case, the paper-containing sheet being flat means that the value of (L / a) is 0 or more and 100 or less. The value of (L / a) is preferably 0 or more and 50 or less, and more preferably 0 or more and 10 or less. For example, the paper-containing sheet 100 is A4 size (A column number 4) according to the JIS standard.

[0018] The paper-containing sheet 100 is a sheet made of paper (hereinafter referred to as a paper sheet) or a sheet containing paper as the main component (hereinafter referred to as a paper-based sheet). For example, paper means cellulose. For example, a main component means a component that is contained in an amount of 50 mass percent or more.

[0019] An example of a paper sheet is tracing paper, etc. A paper-based sheet contains paper and a component other than paper. The other components can be selected arbitrarily depending on the purpose within a range that does not impair the effects of the present invention. More specific examples of the other components include resins, silica gel, and the like. The other components may be one type only, or two or more types. When the other components are two or more types, the combination and ratio thereof can be selected arbitrarily. The paper-containing sheet 100 is manufactured in a state in which distortion has occurred due to an external force caused by the manufacturing method thereof. In the paper-containing sheet 100, the cellulose molecules are initially bonded to each other by hydrogen bonds.

[0020] The paper-containing sheet 100 is folded using an aqueous medium 110, which may be water or an aqueous solution. The solute in the aqueous solution is not particularly limited and can be arbitrarily selected as long as it is water-soluble (in other words, can be hydrated). Examples of the solute in the aqueous solution include electrolytes such as salts, dyes, and the like. The aqueous solution may contain one type of solute, or two or more types of solutes. When the aqueous solution contains two or more types of solutes, the combination and ratio of the solutes can be arbitrarily selected depending on the purpose. The concentration of components other than water that are liquid at room temperature in the aqueous solution is preferably as low as possible. The concentration of the solute in the aqueous solution is preferably, for example, 5% by mass or less. This concentration is more preferably 3% by mass or less, and even more preferably 1% by mass or less. The aqueous solution is preferably neutral.

[0021] Here, the principle by which the paper-containing sheet 100 autonomously bends will be described. As shown in FIG. 2, an aqueous medium 110 is permeated from a first main surface (principal surface) 100a of the paper-containing sheet 100 to a predetermined portion 100c of the paper-containing sheet 100. The first main surface 100a is an outer surface of the paper-containing sheet 100 that is perpendicular to the thickness direction of the paper-containing sheet 100. Here, directions that are perpendicular (intersect) to each other along the first main surface 100a of the paper-containing sheet are referred to as a first extension direction U and a second extension direction V. For example, the first extension direction U is a direction along the long side of the paper-containing sheet 100 when the paper-containing sheet 100 is viewed in the thickness direction. The second extension direction V is a direction along the short side of the paper-containing sheet 100 when the paper-containing sheet 100 is viewed in the thickness direction.

[0022] By permeating the paper-containing sheet 100 with the aqueous medium 110, a concentration gradient region 101 having a concentration gradient of the aqueous medium 110 in the thickness direction of the paper-containing sheet 100 is provided, as shown in Fig. 3. In the concentration gradient region 101, water molecules break the hydrogen bonds between the cellulose molecules, resulting in a state in which the water molecules are interposed between the cellulose molecules. When the paper-containing sheet 100 is dried, the concentration gradient region 101 also dries, and the concentration gradient region 101 becomes the strain-reduced region 102 shown in FIG. 4. As the water in the concentration gradient region 101 is reduced by drying, the cellulose molecules in the concentration gradient region 101 are again bonded to each other by hydrogen bonds. At this time, the concentration gradient region 101 is in a stable state with less strain (including no strain) than region 100c. The strain-reduced region 102 shrinks more than region 100c, and the paper-containing sheet 100 autonomously bends in the strain-reduced region 102 so that the first main surface 100a faces inward.

[0023] The strain reduced region 102 is a region where the strain of the cellulose is reduced more than in the region 100c. A case where the aqueous medium 110 is permeated into each of the first main surface 100a of the paper-containing sheet 100 and the second main surface 100b opposite to the first main surface 100a of the paper-containing sheet 100 will be described. The range in the first main surface 100a in which the aqueous medium 110 is permeated and the range in the second main surface 100b in which the aqueous medium 110 is permeated are at least partially overlapped in the thickness direction of the paper-containing sheet 100. In this case, the overlapping portion will be folded autonomously so that either of the main surfaces 100a and 100b is on the inside, depending on the width of both ranges and the mass and concentration of the aqueous medium 110 permeated into both ranges. In general, the greater the mass of the aqueous medium 110 permeated and the higher the concentration of the aqueous medium 110, the more the paper-containing sheet 100 will be folded autonomously so that the main surface permeated with the aqueous medium 110 is on the inside.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 1, the cushioning material 1 includes a first strip 10A, a second strip 20A, a third strip 10B, a first connecting piece 30A, and a second connecting piece 35A. In this embodiment, the configuration of the first strip 10A and the configuration of the third strip 10B are identical to each other. Therefore, the configuration of the first strip 10A is indicated by adding the capital letter "A" to the number or number and lowercase English letter of the symbol. The configuration of the third strip 10B corresponding to the first strip 10A is indicated by adding the capital letter "B" to the number or number and lowercase English letter of the symbol of the first strip 10A. This avoids redundant explanation. For example, the first extension portion 11A of the first strip 10A and the first extension portion 11B of the third strip 10B, which will be described later, are identical to each other. The same applies to the additional capital letters "C", "D", etc.

[0025] The first strip 10A, the second strip 20A, and the third strip 10B are each formed in a strip shape by a part of the paper-containing sheet 100. The strips 10A, 10B, and 20A rise along a first direction X and extend in a second direction Y perpendicular to the first direction X. The second direction Y may be a direction intersecting the first direction X. The strips 10A, 10B, and 20A rise along the first direction X, for example, means that the angle between the strips 10A, 10B, and 20A and the first direction X after they rise is smaller than the angle between the strips 10A, 10B, and 20A and the thickness direction of the paper-containing sheet 100 before the strips 10A, 10B, and 20A rise, and the angle between the strips 10A, 10B, and 20A and the first direction X after they rise is 45° or less. The first strip 10A has a first extending portion (part of the first strip 10A) 11A, a first inclined portion 12A, a second extending portion (another part of the first strip 10A) 13A, and a second inclined portion 14A. The extending portions 11A, 13A and the inclined portions 12A, 14A are each part of the first strip 10A. In this embodiment, the first strip 10A has a plurality of sets of the extending portions 11A, 13A and the inclined portions 12A, 14A. Here, a direction perpendicular to each of the first direction X and the second direction Y is defined as a third direction Z. Note that the third direction Z may be a direction intersecting each of the first direction X and the second direction Y.

[0026] The extension portions 11A and 13A each extend in the second direction Y. The second extension portion 13A is disposed on a first side Z1 (hereinafter simply referred to as the first side Z1) in the third direction Z relative to the first extension portion 11A. That is, the first extension portion 11A and the second extension portion 13A are located at different positions in the third direction Z. The inclined portions 12A and 14A are disposed so that their positions in the third direction Z change as they move toward a first side Y1 (hereinafter simply referred to as the first side Y1) in the second direction Y. To explain in more detail, the first inclined portion 12A is disposed so as to move toward the first side Z1 as it moves toward the first side Y1 from the edge of the first side Y1 of the first extending portion 11A. The second extending portion 13A extends from the edge of the first side Y1 of the first inclined portion 12A to the first side Y1. The second inclined portion 14A is disposed so as to extend from an edge of the first side Y1 of the second extending portion 13A toward the first side Y1 toward a second side Z2 (hereinafter simply referred to as the second side Z2) opposite to the first side Z1 in the third direction Z. The first extending portion 11A extends from the edge of the first side Y1 of the second inclined portion 14A toward the first side Y1.

[0027] The second strip 20A has a first extending portion 21A, a first inclined portion 22A, a second extending portion 23A, and a second inclined portion 24A. The extending portions 21A and 23A each extend in the second direction Y. The second extending portion 23A is disposed on the second side Z2 with respect to the first extending portion 21A. The inclined portions 22A, 24A are disposed such that their positions in the third direction Z change as they approach the first side Y1. More specifically, the first inclined portion 22A is disposed such that it approaches the second side Z2 as it approaches the first side Y1 from the edge of the first extending portion 21A on the first side Y1. The second extending portion 23A extends from the edge of the first side Y1 of the first inclined portion 22A to the first side Y1. The second inclined portion 24A is disposed so as to extend from an edge of the first side Y1 of the second extending portion 23A toward the first side Y1 and toward the first side Z1. The first extending portion 21A extends from an edge of the first side Y1 of the second inclined portion 24A toward the first side Y1.

[0028] The first extension portions 11A, 21A are spaced apart from each other in the third direction Z. Similarly, the second extension portions 13A, 23A are spaced apart from each other in the third direction Z. In this manner, the strips 10A, 20A are spaced apart from each other in the third direction Z over the entire length in the second direction Y. However, the distance between the first extending portions 11A and 21A is longer than the distance between the second extending portions 13A and 23A.

[0029] The cylindrical portion 10aA, which is formed by the first extension portion 11A and the inclined portions 12A and 14A (part of the first strip 10A) of the first strip 10A, and the first extension portion 21A and the inclined portions 22A and 24A (part of the second strip 20A) of the second strip 20A, has an outer edge shape of an octagon when viewed in the first direction X. Note that the cylindrical portion 10aA may have an outer edge shape of a polygon, such as a rectangle or a hexagon, when viewed in the first direction X. The cushioning material 1 is formed with a plurality of cylindrical portions 10aA arranged in the second direction Y at intervals.

[0030] The third strip 10B has a first extending portion 11B, a first inclined portion 12B, a second extending portion 13B, and a second inclined portion 14B which have the same configuration as the first extending portion 11A, the first inclined portion 12A, the second extending portion 13A, and the second inclined portion 14A of the first strip 10A. The third strip 10B is positioned opposite the first strip 10A with respect to the second strip 20A. The third strip 10B is positioned at a distance from the second strip 20A over the entire length in the second direction Y. However, the distance between the second extensions 23A and 13B is longer than the distance between the first extensions 21A and 11B. The cylindrical portion 20aA formed by the second extension portion 23A and the inclined portions 22A and 24A of the second strip 20A and the second extension portion 13B and the inclined portions 12B and 14B of the third strip 10B has an outer edge shape of an octagon when viewed in the first direction X. The cushioning material 1 has a plurality of cylindrical portions 20aA formed in the second direction Y and spaced apart from one another. The cylindrical portion 10aA and the cylindrical portion 20aA are arranged so as to be shifted from each other in the second direction Y.

[0031] The connecting pieces 30A, 35A are each formed into a belt shape by at least a part of the remaining part of the paper-containing sheet 100. The first connecting piece 30A connects the first strip 10A and the second strip 20A to each other in the third direction Z. More specifically, the first connecting piece 30A is connected to the outer edge of a first side X1 (hereinafter simply referred to as the first side X1) in the first direction X of the second extending portion 13A of the first strip 10A, and to the outer edge of the first side X1 of the second extending portion 23A of the second strip 20A. The first connecting piece 30A is formed in a strip shape extending in the third direction Z and curves convexly toward the first side X1.

[0032] The second connecting piece 35A connects the second strip 20A and the third strip 10B to each other in the third direction Z. More specifically, the second connecting piece 35A is connected to the outer edge of a second side X2 (hereinafter simply referred to as the second side X2) opposite the first side X1 in the first direction X of the first extension portion 21A of the second strip 20A, and to the outer edge of the second side X2 of the first extension portion 11B of the third strip 10B. The second connecting piece 35A is formed in a strip shape extending in the third direction Z and curves so as to be convex toward the second side X2. The central angle between the connecting pieces 30A and 35A is approximately 180°. The ends of the first connecting piece 30A are spaced apart from each other in the third direction Z. The same is true for the second connecting piece 35A.

[0033] The cushioning material 1 as a whole is configured as shown in Fig. 5. For example, in addition to the strips 10A, 10B, and 20A and the connecting pieces 30A and 35A, the cushioning material 1 includes a fourth strip 20B, a fifth strip 10C, a sixth strip 20C, a seventh strip 10D, a third connecting piece 30B, a fourth connecting piece 35B, a fifth connecting piece 30C, a sixth connecting piece 35C, and a seventh connecting piece 30D. In the cushioning material 1, in addition to the cylindrical portions 10aA and 20aA, cylindrical portions 10aB, 20aB, 10aC, and 20aC are formed.

[0034] Next, a method for manufacturing the cushioning material 1 configured as above (hereinafter, simply referred to as the manufacturing method) will be described. The following will focus on the strips 10A, 10B, and 20A and the connecting pieces 30A and 35A among the components of the cushioning material 1. In the manufacturing method, the paper-containing sheet 100 is folded to manufacture the cushioning material 1. Fig. 6 is a flow chart showing a manufacturing method S according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the manufacturing method S, a cutting step S1, a permeation step S3, and a drying step S5 are performed. Fig. 7 shows an overview of the devices used in each step of the manufacturing method S.

[0035] First, in a cutting step S1, a cutting device 115 such as a cutting plotter is used to form a plurality of through holes 103 in the paper-containing sheet 100 as shown in Fig. 8. Note that Fig. 8 shows a main portion of the paper-containing sheet 100. That is, in the cutting step S1, a cushioning material expanded body 105, which is the shape of the expanded cushioning material 1, is cut out (cut) from the paper-containing sheet 100. For example, the through hole 103 has an elliptical shape that is long in the first extension direction U. A plurality of through holes 103 are formed at intervals from one another in the first extension direction U. The plurality of through holes 103 are formed at intervals from one another in the second extension direction V. The positions of the through holes 103 adjacent to each other in the second extension direction V in the first extension direction U are shifted. The extending directions U and V are directions along the first main surface (principal surface) 105a and the second main surface (principal surface) 105b of the cushioning material deployment body 105, respectively.

[0036] In this way, strips 10A, 10B, and 20A are cut out from a portion of paper-containing sheet 100. Furthermore, connecting pieces 30A and 35A are cut out from at least a portion of the remaining portion of paper-containing sheet 100 to form cushioning material expanded body 105. That is, cushioning material expanded body 105 comprises strips 10A, 10B, and 20A and connecting pieces 30A and 35A. Cushioning material expanded body 105 is a sheet cut out from paper-containing sheet 100. The strips 10A, 10B, and 20A are each formed in a strip shape extending in a first extension direction U, and are arranged at intervals from each other in a second extension direction V. The first strip 10A, the second strip 20A, and the third strip 10B are formed and arranged in this order from the first side to the second side in the second extension direction V.

[0037] The first connecting piece 30A connects the first strip 10A and the second strip 20A to each other in the second extension direction V. The second connecting piece 35A connects the second strip 20A and the third strip 10B to each other in the second extension direction V. The first connecting piece 30A and the second connecting piece 35A are offset from each other in the first extension direction U. Here, the length between adjacent through holes 103 in the first extension direction U is a1. The length of through hole 103 in the first extension direction U is a2. The length of strips 10A, 10B, 20A in the second extension direction V is b1. The length of through hole 103 in the second extension direction V is b2.

[0038] Next, in the permeation step S3, the aqueous medium 110 is permeated (printed) from at least one of the first main surface 105a and the second main surface 105b of the cushioning deployment body 105 shown in Fig. 8 using a coating device 116 such as an inkjet printer shown in Fig. 7. In Fig. 9, a region 100c1 on the first main surface 100a of the paper-containing sheet 100, through which the aqueous medium 110 is permeated, is shown by a two-dot chain line. In Fig. 10, a region 100c2 on the second main surface 100b of the paper-containing sheet 100, through which the aqueous medium 110 is permeated, is shown by a dotted line. The regions 100c1 and 100c2 are shown by marking the inside of the regions 100c1 and 100c2 with X marks instead of filling the inside of the regions 100c1 and 100c2 with hatching. The aqueous medium 110 is also permeated into the cushioning deployment body 105 at the locations corresponding to the locations 100c1 and 100c2.

[0039] 11, in this embodiment, aqueous medium 110 is permeated from both main surfaces 105a, 105b of cushioning material deployment 105 (connecting pieces 30A, 35A) to produce aqueous medium-containing cushioning material deployment 106. Concentration gradient region 107a formed by permeating aqueous medium 110 from first main surface 105a of cushioning material deployment 105 is shown by two-dot chain line. Concentration gradient region 107b formed by permeating aqueous medium 110 from second main surface 105b of cushioning material deployment 105 is shown by dotted line. In the area where the through-holes 103 are formed in the cushioning material deployment 105, even if an attempt is made to allow the aqueous medium 110 to permeate, the aqueous medium 110 will not permeate because the cushioning material deployment 105 is not present.

[0040] In strips 10A and 20A, two concentration gradient regions 107a are formed in the middle of the first extension direction U in the portion sandwiching through hole 103 in the second extension direction V. The two concentration gradient regions 107a are formed with a gap between them in the first extension direction U. In strips 10A and 20A, concentration gradient regions 107b are formed at both ends in the first extension direction U in the portion sandwiching through hole 103 in the second extension direction V. In strips 20A and 10B, two concentration gradient regions 107b are formed in the middle of the first extension direction U in the portion sandwiching through hole 103 in the second extension direction V. The two concentration gradient regions 107b are formed with a gap between them in the first extension direction U. In strips 20A and 10B, concentration gradient regions 107a are formed at both ends in the first extension direction U in the portion sandwiching through hole 103 in the second extension direction V.

[0041] The first connecting piece 30A has a concentration gradient portion 107a formed over the entire first main surface 105a. At both ends of the first connecting piece 30A in the first extension direction U, a concentration gradient portion 107b is formed. The second connecting piece 35A has a concentration gradient portion 107b formed over the entire second main surface 105b. At both ends of the second connecting piece 35A in the first extension direction U, a concentration gradient portion 107a is formed. In this embodiment, the aqueous medium 110 is permeated into both main surfaces 105a, 105b of the connecting pieces 30A, 35A (at least a part of the connecting pieces 30A, 35A), forming concentration gradient regions 107a, 107b. Here, as shown in FIG. 9, lengths a3, b3 of the portion 100c1 corresponding to the connecting pieces 30A, 35A and other lengths a4, b4 are defined.

[0042] Next, in drying step S5, the aqueous medium-containing cushioning material expanded body 106, i.e., the strips 10A, 10B, 20A and the connecting pieces 30A, 35A, are dried. The aqueous medium-containing cushioning material expanded body 106 may be dried, for example, by leaving the aqueous medium-containing cushioning material expanded body 106 in an environment at room temperature. In other words, the aqueous medium-containing cushioning material expanded body 106 may be dried (naturally dried) by utilizing natural phenomena such as solar heat and wind. Then, the dry concentration gradient regions 107a, 107b in the aqueous medium-containing cushioning material expansion body 106 (connecting pieces 30A, 35A) bend autonomously to become the strain reduction regions 107a1, 107b1 shown in Fig. 1. For example, the first connecting piece 30A is formed with a strain reduction region 107a1 that has less strain than the regions of the first connecting piece 30A other than the strain reduction region 107b1. Therefore, the strips 10A, 10B, and 20A stand up autonomously in the first direction X and extend in the second direction Y. The strips 10A, 10B, and 20A are disposed over their entire length in the second direction Y at intervals from one another. Through the above steps, the cushioning material 1 is manufactured. The cushioning material 1 has a honeycomb structure formed by folding technology.

[0043] Incidentally, the aqueous medium-containing cushioning material expanded body 106 can be distributed in a packaged state so that the aqueous medium 110 in the aqueous medium-containing cushioning material expanded body 106 does not dry out. When the packaging is removed from the aqueous medium-containing cushioning material expanded body 106 at the location after distribution, the aqueous medium-containing cushioning material expanded body 106 is naturally dried, and the drying step S5 is carried out, and the cushioning material 1 is manufactured.

[0044] As described above, according to the cushioning material 1 of this embodiment, the first strip 10A, the second strip 20A, and the first connecting strip 30A become flat members connected to each other when the cushioning material 1 of this embodiment is unfolded. Therefore, for example, by cutting or punching holes in one paper-containing sheet 100, the paper-containing sheet 100 can be cut out into the first strip 10A, the second strip 20A, and the first connecting strip 30A. The strips 10A, 20A rise in the first direction X and are spaced apart from each other over their entire length in the second direction Y. The first connecting piece 30A maintains the relative positions of the strips 10A, 20A.

[0045] For this reason, for example, the cushioning material 1 is arranged so that the first direction X is along the up-down direction, and the crop is dropped from above the cushioning material 1 toward the first strip 10A or the second strip 20A. When the crop hits the first strip 10A or the second strip 20A, the potential energy of the crop is absorbed by the first strip 10A or the second strip 20A deforming downward or toward the part arranged with a gap between them. Furthermore, the potential energy of the crop is absorbed by the generation of heat in the first strip 10A or the second strip 20A or the emission of sound from the first strip 10A or the second strip 20A. Therefore, the cushioning material 1 can prevent damage to the crop. This can prevent the formation of damaged parts in the crop.

[0046] The paper-containing sheet 100 is flat, which makes it easier to cause the aqueous medium 110 to permeate the paper-containing sheet 100 using a coating device 116 such as an inkjet printer. The paper-containing sheet 100 is one paper-containing sheet 100. Therefore, the cushioning material 1 can be manufactured from only one paper-containing sheet 100 that has multiple through-holes 103 formed therein, is permeated with an aqueous medium 110, and is then dried.

[0047] The inclined portions 12A, 14A of the first strip 10A are arranged so that their position in the third direction Z changes toward the first side Y1 in the second direction Y. Therefore, the length of the first strip 10A in the third direction Z is longer than when the first strip 10A does not have the inclined portions 12A, 14A. This makes it possible to prevent the first strip 10A, which is arranged on a support surface so that the first direction X is aligned with the up-down direction, from rotating and tilting around an axis aligned with the second direction Y. The first extension portion 11A and the second extension portion 13A of the first strip 10A are at different positions in the third direction Z. This makes the length of the first strip 10A in the third direction Z longer than when the first strip 10A does not have the extension portions 11A, 13A. This makes it possible to prevent the first strip 10A, which is placed on a support surface so that the first direction X is aligned with the up-down direction, from rotating and tilting around an axis line aligned with the second direction Y.

[0048] A portion of the strips 10A, 20A has a polygonal outer edge when viewed in the first direction X. This reduces the number of bent portions compared to, for example, a case in which the portion of the strips 10A, 20A has a circular outer edge when viewed in the first direction X. This allows the portion of the strips 10A, 20A to be easily formed from the flat paper-containing sheet 100.

[0049] The first connecting piece 30A is formed with a strain-reduced portion 107a1. Generally, the paper-containing sheet is manufactured in a state in which strain is caused by an external force due to the manufacturing method. Initially, in the paper-containing sheet 100, the cellulose molecules contained in the paper are bonded to each other by hydrogen bonds. For example, the aqueous medium 110 is permeated from the first main surface 105a of the first connecting piece 30A to provide the concentration gradient portion 107a. In this concentration gradient portion 107a, there is a concentration gradient of the aqueous medium 110 in the thickness direction of the first connecting piece 30A. In the concentration gradient portion 107a, the water in the aqueous medium 110 breaks the hydrogen bonds between the cellulose molecules. When the concentration gradient portion 107a dries to become the strain-reduced portion 107a1, the cellulose molecules are bonded to each other again by hydrogen bonds, but the strain is reduced or eliminated, and the strain-reduced portion 107a1 shrinks more than the portion of the first connecting piece 30A before the aqueous medium 110 permeates. Therefore, the flat first connecting piece 30A can bend autonomously.

[0050] By providing the cushioning material 1 with the third strip 10B and the second connecting piece 35A, the length of the cushioning material 1 in the third direction Z can be increased. Furthermore, the first connecting piece 30A is connected to the outer edge of the first side X1 of the strips 10A and 20A, and the second connecting piece 35A is connected to the outer edge of the second side X2 of the strips 20A and 10B, respectively. Therefore, when the strips 10A, 10B, and 20A and the connecting pieces 30A and 35A are unfolded, they become flat members connected to each other. Therefore, the cushioning material 1 including the strips 10A, 10B, and 20A and the connecting pieces 30A and 35A can be easily manufactured from the flat paper-containing sheet 100.

[0051] Furthermore, according to the aqueous medium-containing cushioning development 106 of this embodiment, the aqueous medium 110 has permeated into a portion of the first connecting piece 30A, and this portion has a concentration gradient of the aqueous medium 110 in the thickness direction of the first connecting piece 30A. In this portion, the water in the aqueous medium 110 breaks the hydrogen bonds between the cellulose molecules. When this portion dries, the cellulose molecules are rebonded by hydrogen bonds, and as a result of the reduction in strain, the dried portion shrinks more than the portion of the first connecting piece 30A before the aqueous medium 110 permeated into it. Therefore, the dried portion of the flat aqueous medium-containing cushioning material expansion body 106 bends autonomously, so that, for example, the first strip 10A and the second strip 20A stand up along the first direction X and extend in the second direction Y. Since the first connecting piece 30A connects the first strip 10A and the second strip 20A to each other, the first strip 10A, the second strip 20A, and the first connecting piece 30A as a whole form the shape of the cushioning material 1.

[0052] For example, the cushioning material 1 is arranged so that the first direction X is along the up-down direction, and agricultural products are dropped from above the cushioning material 1 toward the first strip 10A or the second strip 20A. When the agricultural products hit the first strip 10A or the second strip 20A, the potential energy of the agricultural products is absorbed by the first strip 10A or the second strip 20A deforming downward or toward the parts arranged at intervals from each other. Furthermore, the potential energy of the agricultural products is absorbed by the generation of heat in the first strip 10A or the second strip 20A or the emission of sound from the first strip 10A or the second strip 20A. Therefore, the aqueous medium-containing cushioning material deployment body 106 can prevent the agricultural products from being damaged. This can prevent the formation of damaged parts in the agricultural products.

[0053] According to the manufacturing method S of the present embodiment, when the first strip 10A, the second strip 20A, and the first connecting piece 30A are unfolded, they become flat members connected to each other. Therefore, in the cutting step S1, for example, the first strip 10A, the second strip 20A, and the first connecting piece 30A can be cut out from the paper-containing sheet 100 by cutting or drilling a single sheet of the paper-containing sheet 100. When the concentration gradient portion 107a is formed in the first connecting piece 30A in the permeation step S3, the water in the aqueous medium 110 breaks the hydrogen bonds between the cellulose molecules. When the concentration gradient portion 107a of the first connecting piece 30A is dried in the drying step S5, the cellulose molecules are re-bonded by hydrogen bonds, but due to the reduction in strain, the strain reduction portion 107a1 shrinks more than the portion of the first connecting piece 30A before the aqueous medium 110 permeates. Then, the first strip 10A and the second strip 20A stand up autonomously along the first direction X and extend in the second direction Y, and are arranged at intervals from each other over the entire length of the second direction Y, thereby producing the cushioning material 1.

[0054] For example, the cushioning material 1 is arranged so that the first direction X is along the up-down direction, and the crop is dropped from above the cushioning material 1 toward the first strip 10A or the second strip 20A. When the crop hits the first strip 10A or the second strip 20A, the potential energy of the crop is absorbed by the first strip 10A or the second strip 20A deforming downward or toward the spaced apart portions. Furthermore, the potential energy of the crop is absorbed by the generation of heat in the first strip 10A or the second strip 20A or the emission of sound from the first strip 10A or the second strip 20A. Therefore, the manufacturing method S can prevent the crop from being damaged. This can prevent the formation of damaged areas in the crop.

[0055] 12, the ends of the connecting pieces 30A, 35A may contact each other in the third direction Z. In this modified cushioning material 1A, the second extension portion 13A of the first strip 10A and the second extension portion 23A of the second strip 20A are in contact with each other. The strips 10A, 20A are arranged at a distance from each other in the third direction Z in a portion of the second direction Y. In this modified cushioning material 1A, the tubular portion 10aA has a hexagonal outer edge shape when viewed in the first direction X. When multiple cylindrical portions 10aA, 20aA, which are hexagonal outer edge portions, are formed in the cushioning material 1A, the outer diameter of the multiple cylindrical portions 10aA, 20aA as a whole can be reduced by forming them into a honeycomb shape, for example.

[0056] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail above with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to this embodiment, and changes, combinations, deletions, etc. of the configuration are also included within the scope that does not deviate from the gist of the present invention. For example, in the above embodiment, the cushioning material 1 may include a first strip 10A, a second strip 20A, and a first connecting piece 30A. In this case, the strips 10A, 20A, and the first connecting piece 30A are formed from a portion of the paper-containing sheet 100. Furthermore, a third strip 10B and a second connecting piece 35A may be formed from at least a portion of the remaining portion of the paper-containing sheet 100.

[0057] The strips 10A, 10B, and 20A may each extend parallel to the second direction Y. The tubular portions 10aA and 20aA may be cylindrical. The paper-containing sheet 100 does not have to be flat. The paper-containing sheet 100 may be a plurality of paper-containing sheets 100. Then, for example, a cutting process, a permeation process, and a drying process are performed on each of the plurality of paper-containing sheets 100 to manufacture a plurality of cushioning material pieces. Furthermore, the cushioning material may be manufactured by combining the plurality of cushioning material pieces, etc.

[0058] (Example) EXAMPLES The present invention will be described in more detail below by specifically showing examples and comparative examples, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples. A cutting plotter manufactured by Graphtec Silihouette Cameo was used as the cutting device 115. An inkjet printer, DCP-J540N (manufactured by Brother Industries, Ltd.), was used as the coating device 116. Tracing paper with a thickness of 75 μm was used as the paper-containing sheet 100. The lengths a1 to a4 and b1 to b4 of the paper-containing sheet 100 were set as shown in Table 1.

[0059] [Table 1]

[0060] For example, the length a1 between adjacent through holes 103 in the first extension direction U is 17 mm. In the cutting step S1, the paper-containing sheet 100 is automatically cut out by a cutting device 115 to produce the expanded cushioning material 105. Next, in the permeation step S3, the cushioning material deployment 105 is set on cardboard, and the aqueous medium 110 is permeated from the first main surface 105a of the cushioning material deployment 105 by the applicator 116. The paper-containing sheet 100 is turned over, and the aqueous medium 110 is permeated from the second main surface 105b of the cushioning material deployment 105 by the applicator 116. In this way, the cushioning material deployment 106 with aqueous medium is manufactured from the cushioning material deployment 105.

[0061] Next, in the drying step S5, the aqueous medium-containing buffer material development body 106 is dried. Fig. 13 shows a photograph of the state of the aqueous medium-containing cushioning material development 106 15 s (seconds) after drying started. Similarly, Figs. 14, 15, and 16 show photographs of the state of the aqueous medium-containing cushioning material development 106 60 s, 150 s, and 300 s, respectively, after drying started. That is, it took 300 seconds to carry out the drying step S5 to manufacture the cushioning material 1.

[0062] (Experimental Results) (1. Compression test of cushioning material) A compression test of the cushioning material 1 was carried out using an AGX-50kNX testing device (manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation) shown in Fig. 17. The compression test was carried out by sandwiching the cushioning material 1 between an acrylic plate 120 and a silicon sheet 121. The cushioning material 1 was compressed at a speed of 2 mm / min (millimeters per minute).

[0063] Fig. 18 shows the compression-strain characteristics of the cushioning material 1. In Fig. 18, the horizontal axis represents the displacement (mm) of the cushioning material 1, and the vertical axis represents the compressive force (N (Newtons)) acting on the cushioning material 1. Apart from the initial pulsating waveform, cushioning material 1 exhibits typical characteristics of a honeycomb structure. The compression characteristics have three distinct stages. 1) Elastically deformable elastic region (II) 2) Plateau region (III) where the wall bends periodically and the compressive stress is nearly constant. 3) High density area (IV) (*1) that is sufficiently compressed

[0064] The initial elastic region (I) in Fig. 18 is a region that is unique to the cushioning material 1 and is generated by deformation of the connecting pieces 30A, 35A. Fig. 19 shows a plan view of the cushioning material 1 before the compression test. Fig. 20 shows a plan view of the cushioning material 1 after the compression test. It can be seen that after the compression test, the cushioning material 1 is in a high density region and has become densified.

[0065] (2. Evaluation of the cushioning performance of cushioning materials) In order to evaluate the cushioning performance of the cushioning material 1, a drop test was carried out using an apple C and a drop test apparatus 125 shown in Fig. 7. An outline of the drop test apparatus 125 is shown in Fig. 21. Twelve apples C of the variety "Fuji" from Aomori Prefecture were used as test samples. Apples C were placed so that their equator was perpendicular to the ground (so that the axis of apple C was aligned vertically) and then dropped. For convenience of the experiment, these apples C are called sample number 1 to sample number 12. Four types of support surfaces were prepared for the experiment. For sample number 1, a plate with an iron (metal) surface was prepared. For sample number 2, a soft silicone rubber sheet was prepared. For sample number 3, a nitrile rubber sheet was prepared. For sample numbers 4 to 12, cushioning material 1 was prepared.

[0066] In the drop test device 125, a silicone rubber sheet 127 was placed on an iron plate 126. On the sheet 127, a nitrile rubber sheet 128 and the cushioning material 1 were placed. Samples 1-2 were dropped from a height of 15 cm. Samples 3-12 were dropped from a height of approximately 15 cm. Tables 2 and 3 show the experimental conditions for the receiving surface.

[0067] [Table 2]

[0068] [Table 3]

[0069] For example, sample number 1 has a mass of 315 g and was dropped onto an iron plate 126. Sample number 4 has a mass of 314 g and was dropped onto a cushioning material 1. The cushioning performance was calculated using the volume V of the damaged area, which is the volume of an approximately elliptical shape, according to formula (1)(*2). V = (πd / 24)(3w1w2+4d 2 ) ··(1) Here, w1 and w2 are the widths of the damaged area perpendicular to the major and minor axes, and d is the depth of the damaged area. The widths w1 and w2 and the depth d are shown in Figures 24 and 25, respectively.

[0070] Figures 22 and 23 show the cushioning material 1 that has been plastically deformed when apple C (sample number 4) is dropped on it. Fig. 22 shows an overall view of the cushioning material 1, and Fig. 23 shows an enlarged view of part A1 in Fig. 22. The deformation of the cushioning material 1 absorbs the falling energy of apple C, reducing the volume V of the damaged area of ​​apple C. The potential energy of apple C that damages apple C is converted into deformation energy of the cushioning material 1. As a result, the damage to apple C is mitigated.

[0071] 24 to 35 show the damaged areas of apple C in the cushioning test in different shock absorbing materials. For example, FIG. 24 is a photograph showing the damaged areas in sample number 1. FIG. 25 is a cross-sectional photograph showing the damaged areas in sample number 1. The experimental results for widths w1, w2, depth d, and volume of the damaged area are shown in Tables 4 and 5.

[0072] [Table 4]

[0073] [Table 5]

[0074] For example, in sample number 1, the width w1 is 31 mm, the width w2 is 26 mm, the depth d is 10 mm, and the volume of the damaged area is 3689 mm 3In sample number 4, the width w1 is 20 mm, the width w2 is 18 mm, the depth d is 5 mm, and the volume of the damaged area is 772.3 mm 3 It is. Of the nine experimental results for the cushioning material 1, in the three experimental results for sample numbers 10 to 12, no damaged areas were observed on the apple C. The results of the total volume of damaged areas are shown in Figure 36. In Figure 36, the horizontal axis represents sample number, and the vertical axis represents the volume of damaged areas. Buffer material 1 was used in sample numbers 4 to 12, and no damaged areas were observed in apple C in sample numbers 10 to 12.

[0075] (3. Discussion) It was found that the volume of the damaged area could be reduced by 2 / 3 or more in sample numbers 4 to 12 of the embodiment compared to sample numbers 1 to 3 of the comparative example. It was found that it is possible to design a cushioning material 1 that can withstand practical use when apple C is dropped from a height of 15 cm. It is preferable to adjust the size of the cylindrical parts 10aA, 20aA of the cushioning material 1 according to the size of the agricultural crops used. For example, as the size of the agricultural crops becomes smaller, the size of the cylindrical parts 10aA, 20aA is made smaller. For the elastic deformation of the honeycomb structure, the energy absorption in the plateau area shown in Figure 18 is important in determining the cushioning effect(*3). That is, the greater the compressive force, the better the cushioning performance.

[0076] The inventors have determined that in the plateau area, the displacement d d = 0.01m, the cushioning material 1 is subjected to a compressive force F d = 200N. And the deformation energy E d is calculated as shown in equation (2). E d =F d ×d d = 200 × 0.01 ≒ 2 J (2) As mentioned above, at a compression speed of 2 mm / min, F d However, in dynamic conditions, the impact period is short, so F d The value is expected to increase (*4). In proportion to this, the deformation energy Ed increases.

[0077] Cracks occurring in the material of the buffer material 1 are mainly classified into three modes: opening mode, sliding mode, and tearing mode, based on the direction of the force that causes the cracks. For sheet-like materials, cracks in the sliding mode can be ignored. From experiments to estimate the energy when cracks occur in the opening mode and tearing mode, the tensile force was estimated to be 1N and 0.3N for a displacement d=0.01m. The energy E at which cracks occur in the opening mode and tearing mode is co ,E ct is calculated as shown in equations (3) and (4). E co =F co ×d co = 1 × 0.01 ≒ 0.01 J (3) E ct =F ct ×d ct = 0.3 × 0.01 ≒ 0.003 J (4) Therefore, the total energy consumption E c is calculated as shown in equation (5). E c =E co +E ct ≒0.01 J (5) From equations (2) and (5), the energy consumed in deformation is about 200 times greater than the energy that causes a crack. Therefore, it is considered that the plastic deformation of the cushioning material 1 is the dominant factor in reducing the damaged area.

[0078] (4. References) *1:Wang, DM, Wang, ZW, and Liao, QH “Energy absorption diagrams of paper honeycomb sandwich structures”, 2009. Packag. Technol. Sci. 22(2), p.63-67. DOI: 10.1002 / pts.818. *2:Fadiji, T., Coetzee, C., Pathare, P., and Opara, UL “Susceptibility to impact damage of apples inside ventilated corrugated paperboard packages: Effects of package design” 2016, Postharvest Biol. Technol. 111, p.286-296. *3: Kobayashi, H., Daimaruya, M., and Kobayashi, T., "Dynamic and Static Compression Tests for Paper Honeycomb Cores and Absorbed Energy", 1998, JSME Int. J. A-Solid Mech. Mater. Eng. 41(3), p.338-344. *4: Shigemune, H., Maeda, S., Hara, Y., Hosoya, N., and Hashimoto, S., 2016. “Origami Robot: A Self-Folding Paper Robot With an Electrothermal Actuator Created by Printing” IEEE / ASME Trans. Mechatron. 21(6), p.2746-2754. DOI: 10.1109 / TMECH.2016.2593912. [Explanation of symbols]

[0079] 1,1A Buffer material 10A Chapter 1 20A Chapter 2 10B Chapter 3 30A 1st connecting piece 35A 2nd link 100 paper contains シート 100a 1st main surface (main surface) 106 Water-based media with buffer material developed body 107a,107b Concentration tilt area 107a1, 107b1 Strain reduction area S. Manufacturing method of cushioning material S1 Cutting process S3 Penetration process S5 Drying process U 1st plane direction V 2nd plane direction X 1st direction X1,Y1 1st side X2 2nd side Y Second direction Z 3rd direction

Claims

1. A cushioning material made of paper or made by folding a paper-containing sheet whose main component is paper, a first strip and a second strip formed by a portion of the paper-containing sheet, rising along a first direction, and extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction, the first strip and the second strip being spaced apart from each other along at least a portion of the second direction; a first connecting piece formed by at least a portion of the remaining portion of the paper-containing sheet and connecting the first strip and the second strip to each other; Equipped with The first connecting piece is connected to an outer edge of the first strip on a first side in the first direction and an outer edge of the second strip on the first side in the first direction, The first connecting piece is curved so as to be convex toward the first side in the first direction.

2. The cushioning material of claim 1 , wherein the paper-containing sheet is flat.

3. The cushioning material according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the paper-containing sheet is one sheet of the paper-containing sheet.

4. When a direction intersecting each of the first direction and the second direction is a third direction, The cushioning material according to claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the first strip is arranged such that its position in the third direction changes toward a first side in the second direction.

5. When a direction intersecting each of the first direction and the second direction is a third direction, The cushioning material according to claim 1 , wherein a portion of the first strip and another portion of the first strip are positioned differently in the third direction.

6. The cushioning material according to claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the first strip and the second strip are shaped like an outer edge of a polygon when viewed in the first direction.

7. The cushioning material of claim 6 , wherein the polygon is a hexagon.

8. The cushioning material according to claim 1 , wherein the first connecting piece has a strain reduction portion formed therein that has a strain reduced compared to other portions of the first connecting piece.

9. a third strip formed by at least a portion of the remaining portion of the paper-containing sheet, rising along the first direction and extending in the second direction, disposed opposite the first strip with respect to the second strip, and spaced apart from the second strip along at least a portion of the second direction; a second connecting piece formed by at least a portion of the remaining portion of the paper-containing sheet and connecting the second strip and the third strip to each other; Equipped with The cushioning material according to claim 1 , wherein the second connecting piece is connected to outer edges of the second strip and the third strip on a second side in the first direction.

10. A cushioning material expansion body with an aqueous medium for producing the cushioning material according to claim 1, comprising: an aqueous medium which is water or an aqueous solution impregnated into the cushioning material expansion body cut out from the paper-containing sheet, When directions along the main surface of the cushioning deployment body and intersecting with each other are defined as a first extension direction and a second extension direction, The first strip and the second strip extend in the first extension direction and are spaced apart from each other in the second extension direction; a first connecting piece that connects the first strip and the second strip to each other; Equipped with A cushioning material deployment body with an aqueous medium, wherein the aqueous medium is permeated into at least a portion of the first connecting piece.

11. A method for producing a cushioning material according to claim 1 by folding the paper-containing sheet, When directions along the main surface of the paper-containing sheet and intersecting with each other are defined as a first extension direction and a second extension direction, a cutting step of cutting out the first strip and the second strip from a portion of the paper-containing sheet, the first strip and the second strip extending in the first extension direction and spaced apart from each other in the second extension direction, and cutting out the first connecting piece connecting the first strip and the second strip from at least a portion of the remaining portion of the paper-containing sheet; a permeation step of permeating an aqueous medium, which is water or an aqueous solution, into the first connected piece from the main surface thereof to form a concentration gradient portion having a concentration gradient of the aqueous medium in a thickness direction of the paper-containing sheet in at least a portion of the first connected piece; a drying process in which the first connected piece is dried so that the dried concentration gradient portion of the first connected piece autonomously bends, and the first strip piece and the second strip piece autonomously stand up along the first direction, respectively extend in the second direction intersecting the first direction, and are disposed at intervals from each other in at least a portion of the second direction, thereby manufacturing the buffer material; A method for manufacturing a cushioning material comprising the steps of:

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