Mattresses and how to order mattresses

The mattress design with separable cushion bodies and filament three-dimensional bonded bodies addresses the issue of vibration transmission by reducing contact friction force, enhancing sleep comfort for multiple users.

JP7656705B2Active Publication Date: 2025-04-03AIRWEAVE INC
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Patent Information

Application Number
JP2023538374
Authority / Receiving Office
JP · JP
Patent Type
Patents
Current Assignee / Owner
Priority Date
2021-07-29
Filing Date
2022-07-05
Publication Date
2025-04-03
Estimated Expiration
2042-07-05

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Mattresses using three-dimensional filament conjugates with high rebound force and porosity face challenges in reducing vibration transmission between adjacent cushion bodies, leading to discomfort and disturbance for co-sleepers.

Method used

The mattress design features separable cushion bodies formed from filament three-dimensional bonded bodies, where the ends of the filaments do not enter into adjacent cushion bodies, reducing contact friction force and enhancing vibration isolation.

Benefits of technology

This configuration effectively suppresses the transmission of vibrations when one user turns over, improving sleep comfort for multiple users by attenuating vibration amplitude at the contact surface.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

Provided is a mattress in which vibration is hardly transmitted between different cushion bodies. The mattress has a mattress cushion on which a plurality of people can lie laterally, wherein: the mattress cushion comprises a plurality of cushion bodies which can be separated laterally, each of the plurality of cushion bodies is formed from a filament three-dimensional composite body consisting of a plurality of filaments, and has a contact surface that contacts other adjacent cushion bodies. An end of a filament of each of the plurality of cushion bodies is not inserted into other adjacent cushion bodies.
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Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a mattress formed using a cushion body, and a method for accepting orders for a mattress. [Background technology]

[0002] High-resilience mattresses using a bonded body (filament three-dimensional bonded body) obtained by three-dimensionally fusing and bonding filaments made of thermoplastic resin have been attracting attention in recent years because of their high resilience, ease of turning over, and excellent breathability.

[0003] In addition, since the filament 3D bonded body has a high porosity (generally around 95%), it has the advantage of being easy to clean, since it can be quickly drained and dried even after being washed with water.

[0004] As a method for producing such a three-dimensional filament bond, for example, the method disclosed in Patent Document 1 is known. According to this method, a molten thermoplastic resin is extruded vertically downward from a plurality of nozzles arranged horizontally, and then molten filaments with a diameter of about 1 mm are dropped into cooling water to form loops by the buoyancy of the water, and at the same time, the loop-formed molten filaments are fused and bonded three-dimensionally to each other, and then cooled and solidified to produce a three-dimensional filament bond. At the timing when the plurality of molten filaments are fused and bonded three-dimensionally, a three-dimensional filament bonded body of a desired thickness can be obtained by regulating the thickness of the plurality of molten filaments using a roller or a metal plate. Immediately after production, the three-dimensional filament bonded body is a continuous filament bonded body of a thickness corresponding to the interval between the rollers or metal plates, and a mattress cushion can be obtained by cutting the length direction (the direction in which the molten filaments move) and the width direction (the direction perpendicular to the thickness direction and length direction) to a desired size. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 4966438 [Patent Document 2] International Publication No. 2018 / 150815 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, since mattresses using filament three-dimensional combined bodies have a high resilience, when two people sleep on a typical double bed mattress 5 (consisting of one cushion body 51 and a mattress cover 50) as shown in Figure 30, when one user turns over, the vibrations (up and down vibrations) caused by the turning over are easily transmitted to the other user, as shown by the white arrow in Figure 30.

[0007] On the other hand, if a mattress 6 as shown in Fig. 31, for example a six-split type mattress as shown in Fig. 12 of Patent Document 2, is used, two users can sleep on different cushion bodies 61, 62. The cushion bodies 61, 62 are covered with a mattress cover 60.

[0008] However, since the filament three-dimensional combined body has a high porosity of 90% to 98%, there are many gaps, and therefore at the contact surfaces 61F, 62F of the cushion bodies 61, 62 adjacent in the left-right direction, a part of the filament of one cushion body (particularly the cut end of the filament or the loop convex portion of the filament) penetrates into the filament of the other cushion body, and they become engaged.

[0009] As a result, a large frictional force (engagement force) occurs at the contact surface, so that when one cushion body is deformed by the load W, the other cushion body is also likely to deform in conjunction as shown in Fig. 32, and it is not possible to sufficiently prevent vibrations caused by one user turning over in sleep from being transmitted to the other user. Note that in Fig. 32, the state when the load W is applied to the cushion body 61 is shown on the right side, and the state when the load W is not applied is shown on the left side.

[0010] Furthermore, when the cushion bodies are compressed and contained within the mattress cover 60 to prevent the gaps between adjacent cushion bodies in the left-right direction from widening and allowing the limbs to fall in, the frictional force (engagement force) on the contact surfaces of the multiple cushion bodies 61, 62 increases further, causing the problem that vibrations when turning over in sleep become more easily transmitted.

[0011] In view of the above problems, the present invention has an object to provide a mattress in which vibrations are less likely to be transmitted between different cushion bodies, and a method for accepting orders for such a mattress. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] The mattress of the present invention has a mattress cushion on which multiple people can lie in a left-right direction, the mattress cushion including multiple cushion bodies that can be separated in the left-right direction, each of the multiple cushion bodies being formed from a three-dimensional filament bond consisting of multiple filaments and having a contact surface that contacts adjacent cushion bodies, and the ends of the filaments of each of the multiple cushion bodies being configured so that they do not extend into the adjacent cushion bodies.

[0013] According to this configuration, the contact frictional force generated by the end of the filament of one cushion body (the cut end of the filament or the loop convex portion of the filament) entering inside the filament of the other cushion body can be reduced at the contact surface of the cushion bodies adjacent in the left-right direction, so that the vibration when one user turns over in sleep can be prevented from being transmitted to the other user. More specifically, this configuration may be configured such that the end of the filament does not protrude outward beyond the contact surface in all areas of the contact surface of each of the multiple cushion bodies.

[0014] In the above configuration, the repulsive force of each of the plurality of cushion bodies may be 100N or more and 200N or less, and the contact friction force between the adjacent cushion bodies at the contact surface may be more than 0N and less than 50N. With this configuration, the contact friction force is less than 50N, and by using cushion bodies with a repulsive force of 100N or more and 200N or less, the amplitude of vibration at the contact surface is significantly attenuated. Therefore, it is possible to further prevent vibrations caused by one user turning over in bed from being transmitted to the other user.

[0015] The repulsive force in the present invention can be measured by the following method. First, the sample to be measured is placed on a horizontal table, and the thickness of the sample when uncompressed is measured and defined as L1 (mm). Next, a rod-shaped pressure member (loading element) with a circular plate with a diameter of 150 mm horizontally attached to its tip is vertically brought into contact with the center of the upper surface of the sample, and a load is applied to the loading element to compress the sample in the thickness direction. At that time, the distance L2 (mm) between the bottom surface of the sample (top surface of the horizontal table) and the tip of the loading element (circular plate) is measured as the thickness of the sample when compressed, and the load when L2 is 7.5 mm shorter than the thickness L1 (mm) of the sample when uncompressed (L2 = L1 - 7.5) is measured as a value including the weight of the loading element, and this value (N) is defined as the repulsive force.

[0016] The contact friction force in the present invention can be measured by the following method. First, two adjacent cushion bodies are cut into rectangular parallelepipeds with a horizontal plane of 20 cm, leaving the contact surface, as samples to be measured. The two cut cushion bodies are sandwiched between two square plates with a side of 20 cm in the thickness direction (vertical direction), and each cushion body is fixed by applying a pressure of 1000 Pa to the metal plate. At this time, the cushion bodies are fixed with a gap of 2 cm between one side of the metal plate and the contact surface of the cushion body so that the contact surface is not hidden by the metal plate. The two cushion bodies are brought into contact with each other at their contact surfaces, and the two cushion bodies are pressurized from both sides so that a pressure of 200 Pa is applied in a direction perpendicular to the contact surfaces. In a state where the contact surfaces are in contact with each other at a pressure of 200 Pa, a force is applied from the center of the metal plate in a direction parallel to the contact surfaces so that a shear force is applied in the thickness direction of each cushion body, and each cushion body is slid 5 cm in the thickness direction. The maximum force (N) applied at that time is taken as the contact friction force.

[0017] In the above configuration, each of the cushion bodies may have a smooth surface layer on the contact surface. According to this configuration, since there are no cut ends (cuts) of the filaments on the contact surface, not only the static contact friction force but also the dynamic contact friction force can be reduced, so that even if a vibration of large amplitude occurs, the vibration is less likely to be transmitted on the contact surface. Note that the smooth surface layer here is a layer up to a depth of 2 mm from the surface of the cushion body, has a higher bulk density than the inner side, and has cut ends (cuts) of the filaments not protruding outward from the surface.

[0018] The mattress of the present invention also includes a mattress cushion consisting of a plurality of cushion bodies, and a mattress cover that houses the mattress cushion, wherein the mattress cushion includes a plurality of separable cushion bodies, at least one of the plurality of cushion bodies includes an electronic component having a communication function, each of the plurality of cushion bodies is formed of a filament three-dimensional combined body consisting of a plurality of filaments, and has a contact surface that comes into contact with adjacent cushion bodies, and the ends of the filaments of each of the plurality of cushion bodies do not extend into the adjacent cushion bodies.

[0019] Although the installation location of the cushion body including the electronic component having a communication function is determined according to the preference of the user, the cushion body that can be separated and is made of a filament three-dimensional assembly has a large contact friction, which means that it takes a long time to fit the cushion body in the desired position, or the cushion body cannot be fitted completely, resulting in a step. In this regard, according to the present configuration, the contact friction of the cushion body including the electronic component having a communication function can be reduced, making it easier for the user to fit the cushion body in the desired position. More specifically, the configuration may be such that the end of the filament does not protrude outward from the contact surface in the entire area of ​​the contact surface of each of the multiple cushion bodies.

[0020] The mattress order receiving method according to the present invention is a method for receiving an order for a mattress having the above-mentioned configuration in which a plurality of cushion bodies are contained in a mattress cover, the method including a cushion information input receiving step of receiving, at a first communication terminal on the orderer side, an input of cushion information, which is information about the cushion bodies for each compartment in which each of the plurality of cushion bodies is arranged, a cushion information sending step of sending the input and received cushion information to a second communication terminal on the orderee side, a cushion information receiving step of receiving, at the second communication terminal, the sent cushion information, and a mattress cover model number determining step of determining a model number of the mattress cover based on the received cushion information, the cushion information including at least information about the shape of the cushion bodies for each compartment. According to this method, even when ordering mattresses including cushion bodies of different shapes, ordering errors such as a mattress cover that does not fit can be prevented. Effect of the Invention

[0021] The mattress according to the present invention makes it difficult for vibrations to be transmitted between different cushion bodies, and the mattress order receiving method according to the present invention improves convenience when ordering a mattress having the above-mentioned effects. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a mattress according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the mattress cover in FIG. 1. [Diagram 3] 2 is an exploded perspective view of a mattress cushion contained within the mattress shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a cut surface smoothing device. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is an external view of a cut surface FL1 before being smoothed. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is an external view of a cut surface FL1 after being smoothed. [Figure 7]1 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of a processing method for smoothing the cut surface of a cushion body. FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram showing the state when the mattress according to the first embodiment is used. [Figure 9] FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram showing how vibrations are blocked when the mattress according to the first embodiment is used. [Figure 10] 1 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of a processing method for smoothing the cut surface of a cushion body. FIG. [Figure 11] 13 is a conceptual diagram showing a state in which the cushion body according to the second embodiment is used. FIG. [Figure 12] 13 is a conceptual diagram showing how vibration is blocked when the cushion body according to the second embodiment is used. FIG. [Figure 13] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a mattress according to a third embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 11 is a plan view of a mattress according to a third embodiment. [Figure 15] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a mattress according to a modified example of the third embodiment. [Figure 16] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing the shape of a cushion body that can be used as an application example of the mattress according to the third embodiment. [Figure 17] FIG. 11 is a conceptual diagram showing a specific application example of the mattress according to the third embodiment, as viewed from the front (head direction). [Figure 18] 18 is a conceptual diagram of the specific application example of the mattress shown in FIG. 17 as viewed from the right side (right direction). [Figure 19] 1 is a conceptual diagram of a cushion body that houses an electronic component having a communication function. [Figure 20] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a mattress system. [Figure 21] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an order receiving system. [Figure 22] 1 is a flowchart showing a mattress providing process. [Diagram 23] A figure showing an example of a section location number used when ordering a mattress according to the third embodiment. [Figure 24]FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a mattress order form used when ordering a mattress according to the third embodiment. [Diagram 25] FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram regarding the arrangement of each section when the section shape is mainly a diamond shape. [Figure 26] FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram regarding the arrangement of each section when the section shape is mainly an equilateral triangle. [Figure 27] FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram regarding the arrangement of each section when the section shape is mainly an equilateral triangle. [Figure 28] FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram regarding the arrangement of each section when the section shape is mainly a regular hexagon. [Figure 29] FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram regarding the arrangement of each section when the section shape is mainly a regular hexagon. [Diagram 30] FIG. 13 is a conceptual diagram showing a state in which a mattress according to a conventional example is used. [Diagram 31] FIG. 13 is a conceptual diagram showing a state in which a mattress according to a conventional example is used. [Diagram 32] FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining transmission of vibration in a mattress according to a conventional example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0023] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0024] 1. First embodiment First, the first embodiment will be described. Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a mattress 1 according to the first embodiment. The up-down, left-right, and front-rear directions of the mattress 1 are as shown in Fig. 1. In Fig. 1, the general positions of the cushion bodies 21-26 are indicated by dashed lines to facilitate understanding of the internal configuration of the mattress 1.

[0025] The mattress 1 includes a mattress cover 10 that covers the entire outer surface thereof, and a mattress cushion 20 contained therein. When viewed overall, the mattress 1 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape with sides in the front-to-back direction (length direction), left-to-right direction, and up-to-down direction (thickness direction), with the left-to-right dimension being slightly smaller than the front-to-back dimension, and the up-to-down dimension being sufficiently smaller than the left-to-right dimension.

[0026] The mattress cushion 20 is composed of cushion bodies 21 to 26 formed of a total of six three-dimensional filament bonds divided into two in the left-right direction and three in the length direction.

[0027] The mattress 1 according to the first embodiment is usually placed on a level floor or bed, and is used in such a manner that two users lie side by side in the left-right direction on top of the mattress 1. When used in this manner, the up-down direction of the mattress 1 coincides with the vertical direction. The mattress 1 can be suitably used by making the front-to-back size approximately the same as the height of the user, but the front-to-back and left-to-right sizes can be freely changed according to preference.

[0028] The mattress cover 10 has a top cover 11, a bottom cover 12, and a fastener 13. With a mattress cushion 20 placed inside the top cover 11 and the bottom cover 12, the top cover 11 and the bottom cover 12 are joined by the fastener 13.

[0029] The fastener 13 is configured to be less stretchable than other parts of the mattress cover 10, and serves to prevent stretching of the perimeter of the mattress cover 10 (serves as a stretch prevention member). The fastener 13 is provided so as to go around the outer periphery of the mattress cover 10 when viewed from above, with the vertical position (height) being approximately constant.

[0030] In this embodiment, a zipper using a woven tape is used as the stretch prevention member, and this zipper is arranged so as to cover the entire joint portion between the top cover 11 and the bottom cover 12. By opening the zipper 13, the top cover 11 and the bottom cover 12 can be completely separated.

[0031] The stretch-preventing member, an example of which is the fastener 13, prevents the mattress cover 10 from stretching in the length direction and prevents the gaps between the cushion bodies 21-26 from widening due to the stretching of the mattress cover 10. Note that the stretch-preventing member is not limited to one that completely prevents the stretching. The stretch-preventing member needs to be a member that stretches no more than 2 cm per meter when pulled with a force of 100 N, and preferably is a member that stretches no more than 1 cm per meter.

[0032] In particular, in the sides (left and right sides) parallel to the length direction (usually coinciding with the height direction of the user), it is preferable that the stretch per meter is 0.5 cm or less when pulled with a force of 100 N. Examples of materials that can be used as stretch prevention members include woven tapes made of synthetic fibers.

[0033] The stretch-prevention members are preferably attached at positions that are 50-99% of the height from the bottom surface portion 12a to the top surface portion 11a (FIG. 2 described later) (positions closer to the top surface portion 11a than the center), and are provided continuously in the circumferential direction when viewed from above. In this case, the stretch-prevention members are preferably disposed so as to continuously surround the circumferential surface portion 10A of the mattress cover 10, including the two side surfaces (the left-facing and right-facing side surfaces) that are parallel to the longitudinal direction.

[0034] In this embodiment, a belt-shaped stretch-prevention member is used, but other than this, for example, the entire peripheral portion 10A may be designed to function as a stretch-prevention member by using canvas fabric, etc. Also, in order to improve breathability, it is desirable to provide multiple ventilation holes or mesh fabric with excellent breathability on the peripheral portion 10A.

[0035] The shapes of the top surface portion 11a and the bottom surface portion 12a are not limited to the rectangular shape of this embodiment, and may be, for example, a rectangular shape with rounded corners. In this case, the boundaries between the front, back, left, and right side surfaces of the peripheral surface portion 10A (the sides extending vertically) may also be rounded in a similar manner.

[0036] Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the mattress cover 10 in Fig. 1. More specifically, Fig. 2 is a schematic exploded perspective view of the mattress cover 10 disassembled into a top cover 11 and a bottom cover 12. The covers 11 and 12 can be connected by a fastener 13. As described above, the fastener 13 functions as an anti-stretch member.

[0037] 2(A), the upper cover 11 has a rectangular upper surface 11a that contacts the user when sleeping, and a peripheral surface 11b that is made up of four rectangular side surfaces connected to the upper surface 11a, and as a whole, it has a roughly rectangular parallelepiped shape with space inside. An upper fastener member 13a is provided on the peripheral surface 11b.

[0038] The bottom cover 12 in the state shown in Fig. 2(B) has a rectangular bottom surface portion 12a that contacts a horizontal floor or bed, and a peripheral surface portion 12b that is composed of four rectangular side surfaces connected to the bottom surface portion 12a, and as a whole, it has a roughly rectangular parallelepiped shape with space inside. A lower fastener member 13b is provided on the peripheral surface portion 12b. When the upper fastener member 13a and the lower fastener member 13b are engaged with each other, it becomes the fastener 13 in Fig. 1.

[0039] Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the mattress cushion 20 contained within the mattress 1 shown in Fig. 1. The mattress cushion 20 is divisible in the left-right and lengthwise directions into six cushion bodies 21-26. From another perspective, the mattress cushion 20 is formed by lining up three cushion bodies 21-23 in sequence in the lengthwise direction and three cushion bodies 24-26 in sequence in the lengthwise direction, lined up in the left-right direction.

[0040] The six cushion bodies 21 to 26 are formed of three-dimensional filament-bonded bodies made of resin. The three-dimensional filament-bonded body is an elastic member obtained by three-dimensionally fusing and bonding molten filaments of a thermoplastic resin to each other. In the manufacturing process of the three-dimensional filament-bonded body, a molten thermoplastic resin is extruded vertically downward from a plurality of nozzles arranged horizontally. As a result, molten filaments having a cross-sectional diameter of about 1 mm are dropped into cooling water, and loops are formed by the buoyancy of the water, and at the same time, the plurality of molten filaments that have formed the loops are three-dimensionally fusing and bonded to each other to obtain a three-dimensional filament-bonded body. At this time, the thickness and width of the molten filaments extruded from the plurality of nozzles are regulated by a chute (metal plate) and a take-up machine (roller or conveyor), etc., so that a smooth surface layer in which the density of the filaments is higher at both ends in the thickness direction and both ends in the width direction than at the center in the thickness direction can be formed. As a manufacturing method of such a three-dimensional filament-bonded body, the method disclosed in Patent Document 1 or the like can be adopted.

[0041] The thickness (vertical dimension) of the three-dimensional filament bond is preferably within a range of 10 to 25 cm. In addition, the filament diameter (cross-sectional diameter) of the three-dimensional filament bond is preferably within a range of 0.5 to 2 mm, and the bulk density is preferably 30 to 150 kg / m 3 It is preferable that the range is within the range of 100 μm.

[0042] If the filament diameter in the three-dimensional filament bond is less than 0.5 mm, the water drainage after washing and the drying time will be long. On the other hand, if the filament diameter exceeds 2 mm, the three-dimensional filament bond is likely to lose its soft feel. 3 If the bulk density is less than 150 kg / m, the filament three-dimensional bond itself is easily deformed in the length direction, and elliptical grooves and depressions are easily formed on the mattress surface. 3 If the weight exceeds this limit, the three-dimensional filament bond becomes heavy and difficult to transport.

[0043] The bulk density of the filament three-dimensional assembly can be measured, for example, by a measurement method using a rectangular parallelepiped measurement sample. In this measurement method, first, the mass W (kg) of the measurement sample and the size (m) of the measurement sample in each direction (vertical, horizontal, and height directions) are measured. In addition, the volume V (m 3 ) is calculated. Bulk density (kg / m 3 ) is the mass W (kg) of the measurement sample and the volume V (m 3 ) is calculated.

[0044] In the six cushion bodies 21 to 26, a smooth surface layer is formed on the contact surfaces between adjacent cushion bodies in the left-right direction, i.e., the contact surfaces 21f and 24f between the cushion body 21 and the cushion body 24, the contact surfaces 22f and 25f between the cushion body 22 and the cushion body 25, and the contact surfaces 23f and 26f between the cushion body 23 and the cushion body 26. This smooth surface layer is a layer up to a depth of 2 mm from the surface of the cushion body, has a higher bulk density than the inside, and the cut ends (cuts) of the filaments do not protrude outward from the surface. Note that each of the contact surfaces 21f to 26f is a surface parallel to the up-down direction (thickness direction) and perpendicular to the left-right direction.

[0045] The smooth surface layer is formed at the contact surface between adjacent cushion bodies to prevent the ends of the filaments of one cushion body (cut ends of the filaments or convex loops of the filaments) from penetrating into the filaments of the other cushion body, and it is preferable that the filaments are fused (bonded) to each other at a high density so that no free filaments exist as protrusions.

[0046] Methods for forming a smooth surface layer include, for example, a method in which a three-dimensional filament bond (network structure) is produced using a shoot as described in Patent Document 1 and a smooth surface layer is formed on the surface layer at the same time (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "method 1"), and a method in which a three-dimensional filament bond is formed, cut to a predetermined size, and then pressed while heating and melting the cut surface to form a smooth surface layer (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "method 2").

[0047] If the density (porosity) of the smooth surface layer is too low, the breathability (breathability) of the three-dimensional filament bond is impaired and the repulsive force increases significantly, so the porosity (volume of air per unit volume) of the smooth surface layer is preferably 30% or more and 85% or less. If the porosity is less than 30%, there is a concern that the breathability will decrease and the repulsive force will become too high. On the other hand, if the porosity is more than 85%, there is a concern that the number of free (single-existing) filaments will increase, and the frictional force with the adjacent cushion body will become too high.

[0048] The smoothness should be sufficient if it is possible to prevent the ends of the filaments of one cushion body from penetrating into the filaments of the other cushion body at the contact surface of the adjacent cushion bodies, and should be sufficient if the smoothness can be obtained by melting the surface layer of the filament three-dimensional bond and applying pressure with a plate or roller so that the porosity of the smooth surface layer is in the range of 30% or more and 85% or less.

[0049] In the present embodiment, an embodiment has been exemplified in which the smooth surface layer is formed only on the contact surfaces 21f-26f between left-right adjacent cushion bodies among all the surfaces of each of the cushion bodies 21-26, but the smooth surface layer may be formed on all the surfaces of each of the cushion bodies 21-26. By smoothing the entire surface, the upper surface of the mattress cushion 20 becomes smooth, improving the sleeping comfort and also allowing the mattress cushion 20 to be smoothly inserted and removed from the mattress cover 10.

[0050] According to the first method described above, it is possible to form a smooth surface layer on the surface layer while manufacturing a three-dimensional filament assembly, whereas it is possible to form a smooth surface layer on the cut surface generated by cutting the manufactured three-dimensional filament assembly by the second method.

[0051] An example of an apparatus that enables the formation of a smooth surface layer by the second method is a cut surface smoothing apparatus Xa shown in Fig. 4. The cut surface smoothing apparatus Xa is an apparatus that performs processing to smooth the cut surface FL1 of the filament three-dimensional assembly FL that has been cut to a predetermined size in a previous process.

[0052] As shown in the figure, the rollers R are provided on both the left and right sides of the conveyor C so as to face each other, and are installed so as to be freely rotatable about their central axes extending vertically. The outer surface of one of the left and right rollers R is arranged so as to contact one cut surface FL1 of the filament 3-dimensional combined body FL conveyed by the conveyor C, and the outer surface of the other roller R is arranged so as to contact the other cut surface FL1. The distance between the outer surfaces of the rollers R is set to be slightly smaller than the distance between both cut surfaces FL1 of the filament 3-dimensional combined body FL.

[0053] A heater H for heating the roller R is disposed inside each roller R. For example, a halogen heater is used as the heater H, and the heater H heats the roller R so that the temperature of at least the outer surface of the roller R is equal to or higher than the melting point of the filament three-dimensional combined body FL. Note that the specific form of the heater H is not particularly limited within the scope of the gist of the present invention, and may be, for example, a heater that outputs hot air or an induction heating (IH) heater. The heater H may also heat the roller R from the outside of the roller R.

[0054] When the filament 3D combined body FL conveyed by the conveyor C passes a position sandwiched between the rollers R, each roller R rotates in the direction indicated by the dashed arrow in Fig. 5 due to the force it receives from the cut surface FL1. That is, each roller R rotates in the same direction as the conveying direction of the conveyor C while contacting the cut surface FL1 (that is, so that the traveling direction at the contact point is the same). Note that a driving device such as a motor that drives the rotation of the rollers R may be provided, and the driving device may rotate the rollers R in accordance with the conveying speed of the filament 3D combined body FL.

[0055] Since the distance between the outer surfaces of the rollers R is slightly smaller than the distance between the cut surfaces FL1 of the three-dimensional filament bond FL, each cut surface FL1 advances in the conveying direction while being slightly pressed by each roller R. At this time, since the outer surface of each roller R is at a high temperature equal to or higher than the melting point of the three-dimensional filament bond FL, each cut surface FL1 is smoothed. When the entire three-dimensional filament bond FL has passed the position where it is sandwiched between the rollers R, each cut surface FL1 is smoothed in its entirety. In this way, it is possible to obtain a three-dimensional filament bond FL in which the cut surfaces FL1 on both the left and right sides are smoothed.

[0056] Here, Fig. 5 shows an example of an external view (photograph) of the cut surface FL1 before smoothing, and Fig. 6 shows an example of an external view (photograph) of the cut surface FL1 after smoothing. Note that Fig. 5 shows a view from a direction roughly perpendicular to the cut surface FL1. Fig. 6 shows views from slightly different directions on the left and right.

[0057] As shown in Fig. 5, the cut surface FL1 before smoothing has noticeable unevenness, and in particular, the filament ends are exposed here and there because the loop shapes of the filaments forming the filament 3D combined body FL are cut by the cutter. On the other hand, in the cut surface FL1 shown in Fig. 6, the exposed filament ends are melted and pressed by the roller R, and are fused to the neighboring filaments or deformed in the pressing direction, and the cut surface FL1 is smoother than the cut surface FL1 shown in Fig. 5. In addition, in the cut surface FL1, the entire filament is pressed by the roller R in a heated and melted state, and is thus smoothed. This achieves the formation of a smooth surface layer by the second method.

[0058] A specific method for forming a smooth surface layer by the second method is not limited to the above-mentioned method using a roller, and may be, for example, as shown in FIG. 7, a heated flat plate 30 may be pressed against a cut surface (e.g., contact surface 21f, 24f) of a filament three-dimensional bonded body (e.g., cushion body 21, 24) in a direction perpendicular to the cut surface to form a smooth surface on the cut surface. As a heating means for the flat plate 30, in addition to a halogen heater, high-frequency induction heating (IH) that uses electromagnetic induction for heating, or an ultrasonic plastic welder (manufactured by Ultrasonic Industry Co., Ltd.) that applies ultrasonic vibration to a thermoplastic resin to generate heat at the interface may be used. Although the second method has been exemplified as a method for reducing the contact friction force of the cut surface that becomes the contact surface, the method is not limited to this method as long as it can reduce the contact friction force of the cut surface.

[0059] As a cutting device for cutting the 3D filament bond with a blade, a high-speed cutting machine such as a circular saw can be mentioned. However, since the 3D filament bond has a high porosity (80-95%) and each filament is flexible with a diameter of about 1 mm, when the filament receives a compressive force or an impact force from the rotating teeth during cutting of the 3D filament bond, the filament easily deforms in a direction escaping from the rotating teeth, and the filament is cut in the state in which the filament is deformed in a direction escaping from the rotating teeth.

[0060] When the compressive force or impact force from the rotating teeth is removed, the filaments cut in the deformed state try to return to their pre-deformed state, but the return distances for each filament are different, resulting in an uneven cut surface. As a result, when the imaginary plane formed by connecting the cut points of the filaments is viewed as the cut surface of the filament 3D combined body, the cut surface has irregularities of about 5 to 10 mm. If the irregularities exceed 5 mm, the cut ends of some of the filaments on the cut surface of the filament 3D combined body will penetrate into the adjacent filament 3D combined body, generating an engagement force and increasing the contact friction force.

[0061] In view of the above-mentioned problems, another method (third method) for reducing the unevenness (contact friction force) of the cut surface includes, for example, a method of cutting the filament three-dimensional combined body using a circular saw in a state where the temperature is lowered to a temperature where the elasticity is not reduced, and a method of cutting the filament three-dimensional combined body using a circular saw in a state where the filament three-dimensional combined body is compressed in the thickness direction (a state where the filament is difficult to move when cutting). Another method is to cut the filament three-dimensional combined body using a circular saw by increasing the circumferential speed of the rotating teeth of the circular saw. In this case, the circumferential speed of the rotating teeth is preferably 50 m / sec or more. Another method is to cut the filament three-dimensional combined body using a circular saw by reducing the compressive force applied from the rotating teeth to the filament three-dimensional combined body from the rotating teeth to reduce the deformation amount of the filament three-dimensional combined body.

[0062] When using a filament three-dimensional combination having a repulsive force of 100N or more and 200N or less, the force applied from the tooth tip to the filament three-dimensional combination is preferably 100N or less, and the pressure applied from the rotary tooth to the filament three-dimensional combination is preferably 5,000,000 Pascals or less. This reduces the amplitude of vibration generated at one of the adjacent filament three-dimensional combinations at the contact surface, making it difficult for the vibration to be transmitted to the other filament three-dimensional combination. In addition, the smoothness index of the cut surface is preferably 0mm or more and 3mm or less, and more preferably 0mm or more and 1mm or less.

[0063] In the present invention, the smoothness index of the cut surface of the cushion body can be measured by the following method. First, the cushion body is sandwiched and fixed in the thickness direction (parallel to the cut surface) using two metal plates α with multiple metal needles of 5 mm length fixed to the surface at 5 cm intervals (metal needles of each metal plate α are stuck into the cushion body). In this state, a metal plate β having a pressing surface whose shape and area are the same as the cut surface is placed so that the pressing surface faces the cut surface, and this metal plate β is moved parallel to the cut surface. In this way, the movement distance of the metal plate β is measured from the point when the cut surface is pressed against the cut surface so that a pressure of 100 Pa is applied in the perpendicular direction to the cut surface to the point when the cut surface is pressed against the cut surface so that a pressure of 500 Pa is applied in the same direction, and this measured movement distance is taken as the smoothness index. Note that the smaller the number of filaments protruding outward on the cut surface and the shorter the length of the filaments, the smaller the smoothness index of the cut surface tends to be, and the cut surface can be said to have a high degree of smoothness. A cover may be provided to cover the cut surface in order to reduce the contact friction of the cut surface. By reducing the contact friction of the cut surface, it becomes easier to insert and remove the cut surface from the mattress cover.

[0064] Fig. 8 is a conceptual diagram showing the state when the mattress 1 according to the first embodiment is used. Fig. 9 is a conceptual diagram showing the state when vibrations are blocked when the mattress 1 according to the first embodiment is used. In Fig. 9, the cushion body 21 and the cushion body 24 are adjacent to each other, and the state when a load W is applied to the cushion body 21 is shown on the right side, and the state when the load W is not applied is shown on the left side.

[0065] When the user on the left side of Fig. 8 turns over in his / her sleep, up and down movement (vibration) occurs in the cushion body 21, but since the contact surface 21f of the cushion body 21 and the contact surface 24f of the cushion body 24 are smoothed and the frictional force (engagement force) is low, the transmission of the up and down movement (vibration) to the cushion body 24 is suppressed. As a result, the effect is obtained that the vibration is not easily transmitted to the user on the right side. Similarly, the vibration caused by the user on the right side turning over in his / her sleep is not easily transmitted to the user on the left side.

[0066] As described above, the mattress 1 has a mattress cushion 20 on which multiple people can lie in the left-right direction, and the mattress cushion 20 includes multiple cushion bodies 21-26 that can be separated in the left-right direction. In the mattress 1, each of the multiple cushion bodies 21-26 is formed of a three-dimensional filament bond made of multiple filaments, and has contact surfaces 21f-26f that come into contact with the adjacent cushion body. Furthermore, in the mattress 1, the ends of the filaments of each of the multiple cushion bodies 21-26 (cut ends of the filaments and loop convex portions of the filaments) do not extend into the adjacent cushion body (i.e., inside the contact surface of the adjacent cushion body).

[0067] Therefore, according to the mattress 1, the contact frictional force generated by the end of the filament of one cushion body penetrating into the filament of the other cushion body can be reduced at the contact surfaces 21f-26f of the cushion bodies adjacent in the left-right direction, and therefore it is possible to suppress the transmission of vibrations caused by one user turning over in sleep to the other user. In the mattress 1, each of the multiple cushion bodies 21-26 is designed so that the end of the filament does not protrude beyond the contact surface in all areas of the contact surfaces 21f-26f. Therefore, the end of the filament is reliably prevented from penetrating into the adjacent cushion body.

[0068] In the mattress 1, the repulsive force of each of the cushion bodies 21-26 is preferably 100N or more and 200N or less, and the contact friction force between adjacent cushion bodies at their contact surfaces 21f-26f is preferably more than 0N and less than 50N. In this way, the contact friction force is less than 50N, and by using cushion bodies with a repulsive force of 100N or more and 200N or less, the amplitude of vibration at the contact surface is significantly attenuated. This makes it possible to further prevent vibrations caused by one user turning over in sleep from being transmitted to the other user.

[0069] In addition, each of the cushion bodies 21-26 has a smooth surface layer on the contact surfaces 21f-26f. Therefore, since there are no cut ends (cut edges) of the filaments on the contact surfaces 21f-26f, not only the static contact friction force but also the dynamic contact friction force can be reduced, so that even if a vibration with a large amplitude occurs, the vibration is less likely to be transmitted to the contact surfaces 21f-26f.

[0070] 2. Second embodiment Next, a second embodiment will be described. The second embodiment is basically the same as the first embodiment, except that recesses, which will be described later, are formed on the contact surfaces 21f to 26f of the cushion bodies 21 to 26. In the second embodiment, the cushion body 21 of the first embodiment corresponds to a cushion body 121, and the cushion body 24 of the first embodiment corresponds to a cushion body 124.

[0071] Fig. 10 shows one method for forming a smooth surface layer by the second method, which is an example of the method adopted in the second embodiment. Fig. 10 shows the processing for two cushion bodies 121 and 124, but the remaining four cushion bodies (cushion bodies corresponding to the cushion bodies 22, 23, 25, and 26 in the first embodiment) are also processed in the same manner.

[0072] 10, the cut surfaces (contact surfaces 121f, 123f) of the cushion bodies 121, 124 are pressed by a heated roller 130. As a result, the cut surfaces are pressed by the roller 130 in a state in which the entire filament is heated and melted, and as a result, the cut surfaces are smoothed and densified at the same time, and a smooth surface layer is formed.

[0073] In addition, the roller 130 has a crown formed on the roller surface that comes into contact with the cut surface. In other words, the diameter of the roller 130 relative to the rotation axis increases from both ends in the direction of the rotation axis toward the inside. The method of heating the roller 130 may be the same as the method of heating the flat plate 30 described above. By pressing the cut surface with a roller surface having such a crown, a recess that is recessed inward can be formed on the cut surface.

[0074] Fig. 11 is a conceptual diagram showing the state when cushion bodies 121 and 124 according to the second embodiment are used, and Fig. 12 is a conceptual diagram showing the state when vibrations are blocked when cushion bodies 121 and 122 according to the second embodiment are used. In Fig. 12, cushion body 121 and cushion body 124 are adjacent to each other, and the state when a load W is applied to cushion body 121 is shown on the right side, and the state when the load W is not applied is shown on the left side.

[0075] 11, the user on the left side turns over in his / her sleep, which causes up-and-down motion (vibration) in the cushion body 121, but since the contact surface 121f of the cushion body 121 and the contact surface 124f of the cushion body 124 are smoothed in a concave shape and frictional force (engagement force) is almost eliminated, the transmission of the up-and-down motion (vibration) to the cushion body 124 is suppressed as much as possible. As a result, the effect is obtained that the vibration is not easily transmitted to the user on the right side. Similarly, the vibration caused by the user on the right side turning over in his / her sleep is not easily transmitted to the user on the left side.

[0076] 3. Third embodiment Fig. 13 is a perspective view of a mattress 200 according to the third embodiment. Fig. 14 is a plan view of the mattress 200. The up-down, left-right, and front-rear directions of the mattress 200 are as shown in Fig. 13. In Figs. 13 and 14, the general positions of the cushion members Q11 to Q66 are indicated by dashed lines to facilitate understanding of the internal configuration of the mattress 200.

[0077] Mattress 200 includes a mattress cover 210 that covers the entire outer surface thereof, and a mattress cushion 220 formed of a three-dimensional filament bond housed therein. Mattress 200 is generally shaped like a rectangular parallelepiped having sides in the front-to-rear direction (length direction), left-to-right direction, and up-to-down direction (thickness direction), with the left-to-right dimension being slightly smaller than the front-to-rear dimension, and the up-to-down dimension being sufficiently smaller than the left-to-right dimension.

[0078] The mattress cushion 220 is divided into six parts in the left-right direction and six parts in the length direction, and is made up of a total of 36 cushion bodies Q11 to Q66. The mattress cushion 220 is sized to allow multiple people to lie down side by side, but can also be used by one person to lie down on it.

[0079] Each of the 36 cushion bodies Q11-Q66 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and a smooth surface layer is formed on the entire outer surface of each cushion body Q11-Q66. This allows each cushion body Q11-Q66 to be smoothly inserted and removed from the mattress cover 210, and also reduces the effect of friction with adjacent cushion bodies, allowing independent vertical movement. Note that each cushion body Q11-Q66 may have a smooth surface layer formed only on the contact surface with the adjacent cushion body.

[0080] The mattress cover 210 has an upper cover 210a, a bottom cover 210b, and a fastener 213. With a mattress cushion 220 placed inside the upper cover 210a and the bottom cover 210b, the upper cover 210a and the bottom cover 210b are joined by the fastener 213.

[0081] The fastener 213 is configured to be less stretchable than other parts of the mattress cover 210, and serves to prevent stretching of the perimeter of the mattress cover 210 (serves as a stretch prevention member). The fastener 213 is provided so that its vertical position (height) is approximately constant and it goes around the outer periphery of the mattress cover 210 when viewed from above.

[0082] In the mattress 200, the cushion bodies Q11 to Q66, which are rectangular parallelepipeds of the same shape, are housed in the mattress cover 210, but as an application example of the mattress 200, two or more types of cushion bodies differing in at least one of resilience and shape can be used. This allows the cushion bodies of the mattress to be easily changed according to the position of the bed, the environment in which it is used, or the physical condition of the user or the functions that the user wishes to use, so that a comfortable sleeping environment can be provided under various changing conditions. Details of such application examples will be described later.

[0083] Fig. 15 is a perspective view of a mattress 290 according to a modified example of the third embodiment. The mattress 290 has a structure in which an overlay mattress 270 is placed on the upper surface of the mattress 200 shown in Fig. 13. The overlay mattress 270 includes a mattress cover 210C that covers the entire outer surface of the mattress, and a mattress cushion 280 formed of one sheet of filament three-dimensional bonded body contained therein.

[0084] By placing the overlay mattress 270, it is possible to prevent parts of the body from falling into the gaps between adjacent cushion bodies. The thickness of the mattress cushion 280 is preferably 10 mm or more and 50 mm or less. If the thickness is less than 10 mm, it is difficult to obtain the effect of preventing falling, and if it exceeds 50 mm, it is difficult to obtain the effect of dividing the cushion bodies of the mattress 200.

[0085] Fig. 16 is a perspective view showing the shape of a cushion body that can be used as an application example of the mattress 200 according to the third embodiment. The various cushion bodies shown in Fig. 16 can be arbitrarily selected and used as each of the cushion bodies Q11 to Q66 in the mattress 200.

[0086] Fig. 16(a) shows a rectangular parallelepiped cushion body Da. By preparing a plurality of types of cushion bodies Da with different repulsive forces in advance, it is possible to select a cushion body with an optimal repulsive force for each part of the body.

[0087] Fig. 16(b) shows a two-layered rectangular parallelepiped cushion body Db. The cushion body Db is configured with a high-resilience upper cushion body Dba and an ultra-high-resilience lower cushion body Dbb arranged vertically, and can be used as a cushion body for sitting on the edge of the mattress with extremely high resilience without compromising body pressure dispersion and with little sinking even when sitting on the mattress.

[0088] 16(c) shows a rectangular parallelepiped cushion body Dc with one end in the front-to-rear direction elevated. Even if the bed does not have a headboard, the cushion body Dc is placed at the front end of the mattress cushion 220 in the front-to-rear direction to prevent the pillow from slipping off.

[0089] Fig. 16(d) shows a rectangular parallelepiped cushion body Dd with one end in the left-right direction elevated. Even if there are no handrails or walls on the sides of the bed, by placing the cushion body Dd on the left-right ends of the mattress cushion 220, it is possible to prevent the comforter from slipping off.

[0090] Figure 16(e) shows a rectangular parallelepiped cushion body De (a variation of cushion body Dd) with one end elevated on the left and right. The elevated part of cushion body De is inclined at a 90 degree angle to the other parts, and the corners of the elevated part are rounded. This not only prevents the comforter from slipping off, but also makes it easy to pull up the comforter if it has slipped off.

[0091] 16(f) shows a rectangular parallelepiped cushion body Df with one end higher in the front-rear and left-right directions. The cushion body Df can be used as a place to put small items needed when sleeping such as a smartphone, medicine, or a watch by placing it at a corner on the mattress head side (the front end of the mattress cushion 220). It should be noted that not only the cushion body Df but also other cushion bodies may have a recess (holder) formed on the upper surface of the cushion body for storing a smartphone or a plastic bottle so that the smartphone or a plastic bottle of drink does not fall or tip over.

[0092] Fig. 17 shows a specific application example of the mattress 200 according to the third embodiment, and is a conceptual diagram viewed from the front (head direction), and Fig. 18 is a conceptual diagram viewed from the right side (right direction) of the specific application example of the mattress 200 shown in Fig. 17. Note that in the mattress shown in Figs. 17 and 18, the installation of the overlay mattress 270 is omitted, and a mattress cover 210 that fits the shape of the mattress cushion 220 is used.

[0093] In the mattress shown in Figures 17 and 18, the four cushion bodies Q21, Q31, Q41, Q51 shown in Figure 13 are replaced from the rectangular cushion body Da to a rectangular cushion body Dc (Figure 16(c)) with one end of the front-to-back direction being higher, three cushion bodies Q62 to Q64 and three cushion bodies Q12 to Q14 are replaced from the rectangular cushion body Da to a two-layer rectangular cushion body Db (Figure 16(b)), and two cushion bodies Q65, Q66 and two cushion bodies Q15, Q16 are replaced from the rectangular cushion body Da to a rectangular cushion body Dd (Figure 16(d)) with one end of the left-to-right direction being higher.

[0094] Fig. 19 is a conceptual diagram of a cushion body formed of a three-dimensional filament assembly containing an electronic component with a communication function (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as an IoT module), which can be used as another application example of the mattress 200 according to the third embodiment. The various cushion bodies shown in Fig. 19 can be arbitrarily selected and used as each of the cushion bodies Q11 to Q66 in the mattress 200. The cushion body shown in Fig. 19 may be appropriately combined with the configuration of the cushion body shown in Fig. 16 described above.

[0095] The IoT module housed in the cushion body includes a communication device, an electronic device connected to the communication device, and an internal battery. The IoT module may also be provided with electrical wiring for supplying power from an external source as necessary.

[0096] Examples of communication devices included in the IoT module include short-range wireless communication devices such as Wi-fi, Bluetooth, and NFC. The short-range wireless communication device connects to a host communication device such as a smartphone (hereinafter, may be simply referred to as a host device), and necessary data is transmitted and received. FIG. 20 shows an example of the configuration of a mattress system consisting of an IoT module and a host device 300.

[0097] The electronic devices included in the IoT module include, for example, information collecting devices such as a temperature and humidity sensor, an acceleration sensor, a touch sensor, a switch, a microphone, etc. An IoT module 301 having such information collecting devices transmits collected information to a host device 300, as shown in FIG.

[0098] Furthermore, the electronic devices included in the IoT module may be function-providing devices such as LED lighting, fans, speakers, heaters, humidifiers, heat-retaining shutters, sterilizing ion generators, aroma generators, massage vibrators, airbags for body pillows, airbags for lifting calves, airbags for patients with bedsores, airbags for changing posture to prevent bedsores, or airbags for up-and-down movements as alarm clocks. As shown in Fig. 20, an IoT module 302 having such function-providing devices receives data from a host device 300 via a communication device and drives the function-providing devices based on the received data. In other words, the function-providing devices can also be said to be driving devices that are driven based on the data received by the communication device.

[0099] Air mattresses for bedsore patients, consisting of multiple airbags (sometimes called air cells) whose pressure can be controlled individually, have been used for some time. The cause of the development and aggravation of bedsores is poor blood circulation caused by prolonged pressure on specific protruding parts of the body, such as bones, of bedsore patients who are unable to turn over in bed, caused by the mattress. To relieve prolonged pressure, the pressure of each airbag is changed at intervals of about 10 minutes to prevent high pressure from being applied to specific parts for long periods of time.

[0100] However, in conventional air mattresses for bedsore patients, due to the characteristics of airbags that are easily deformed, when the internal pressure of an airbag becomes lower than that of an adjacent airbag, the contact area between the airbag with the lower internal pressure and the bedsore patient becomes smaller, while the contact area between the adjacent airbag with the higher internal pressure and the bedsore patient becomes larger. As a result, there is a problem that an area of ​​high pressure is always generated near the boundary of the airbags. In this regard, by providing a filament three-dimensional bonded body on the upper part of the airbag as in the present invention, the contact area with the bedsore patient does not change, and the pressure distribution is sharpened.

[0101] A single cushion body may contain multiple electronic devices, or may contain both an IoT module 301 having an information collecting device and an IoT module 302 having a function providing device. As shown in Fig. 20, an external IoT module 303 such as an indoor air conditioner and indoor lighting is provided outside the mattress 200, and the external IoT module 303 is controlled by a host device 300.

[0102] 19(a) shows a rectangular parallelepiped cushion body Ua equipped with a temperature and humidity sensor Ma (IoT module 301) with a communication function inside. The temperature and humidity sensor Ma measures the temperature and humidity inside the mattress and transmits the data to a host device 300 such as a smartphone. The host device 300 can send data to an external IoT module 303 such as an indoor air conditioner according to a preset procedure, and control the external IoT module 303.

[0103] 19(b) shows a rectangular parallelepiped cushion body Ub equipped with a touch sensor Mb (IoT module 301) having a communication function inside. The touch sensor Mb can transmit data (indication of the user's intention) to the host device 300 simply by being touched by the user even in a pitch-black bedroom. The host device 300 that receives the data can send the data to an IoT module 302 having a function of providing a blower fan function or an external IoT module 303 such as an indoor lighting lamp in a preset procedure, thereby operating the IoT module 302 and the external IoT module 303.

[0104] 19(c) shows a rectangular parallelepiped cushion body Uc equipped with a blower fan Mc (IoT module 302) having a communication function therein. The rotation speed of the blower fan Mc is controlled according to data sent from the host device 300.

[0105] 19(d) shows a rectangular parallelepiped cushion body Ud with an acceleration sensor Md (IoT module 301) with a communication function inside, and one end in the front-rear direction is elevated. By using a blower fan Mc, a user can transmit data (indication of the user's intention) to the host device 300 even in a pitch-black bedroom by simply pressing the acceleration sensor Md. The host device 300 that receives this data can transmit the data to an IoT module 302 having a function providing function such as a blower fan or an external IoT module 303 such as an indoor lighting lamp in a preset procedure, thereby operating the indoor light, the blower fan, etc.

[0106] FIG. 19(e) shows a rectangular parallelepiped cushion body Ue having a microphone Me1 (IoT module 301) with a communication function and an LED lighting device Me2 (IoT module 302) with a communication function, with one end of the cushion body Ue being higher in the front-rear direction. By using the cushion body Ue, even in a pitch-black bedroom, a user can transmit data (indication of the user's intention) to the host device 300 simply by speaking into the microphone Me1. The host device 300 that receives the data can operate the LED lighting device Me2 and the like in a preset procedure. In addition, if the host device 300 is a device with a telephone function such as a smartphone, when the user speaks into the microphone Me1, the phone call can be answered (a conversation can be had on the phone) with the user's voice.

[0107] 19(f) shows a rectangular parallelepiped cushion body Uf equipped with multiple cylindrical airbags Mf (IoT modules 302) with communication functions inside. By using the cushion body Uf, the repulsive force (ease of deformation) of the cushion body Uf can be changed by changing the internal pressure of the cylindrical airbag Mf without changing the height of the upper surface of the cushion body. The multiple cylindrical airbags Mf are provided with an air pump Mfa that can pump air into the airbag Mf and exhaust air from the airbag Mf, and the internal pressure of the airbag Mf can be changed according to data sent from the host device 300.

[0108] FIG. 19(g) shows a rectangular parallelepiped two-layered cushion body Ug having an airbag Mg (IoT module 302) with a communication function at the bottom of the cushion body. By using the cushion body Ug, the height of the upper surface of the cushion body can be changed by changing the volume of the airbag Mg. The airbag Mg is provided with an air pump Mga that can pump air into the airbag Mg and exhaust the air from the airbag Mg, so that the height of the airbag Mg can be changed according to data sent from the host device 300. In FIG. 19(g), the right side shows the airbag Mg with air pumped into it, and the left side shows the airbag Mg without air pumped into it.

[0109] The mattress using the cushion body illustrated in FIG. 19 includes a mattress cushion consisting of a plurality of cushion bodies and a mattress cover that contains the mattress cushion. The mattress cushion includes a plurality of separable cushion bodies, and at least one of the plurality of cushion bodies includes an electronic component having a communication function. In the mattress using the cushion body illustrated in FIG. 19, each of the plurality of cushion bodies is formed of a filament three-dimensional combined body consisting of a plurality of filaments, and has a contact surface that contacts the adjacent cushion body. Furthermore, in the mattress, the ends of the filaments of each of the plurality of cushion bodies (cut ends of the filaments and loop convex portions of the filaments) do not enter the adjacent cushion body (i.e., inside the contact surface of the adjacent cushion body).

[0110] Therefore, according to this mattress, the contact friction of the cushion body including the electronic components having a communication function can be reduced, making it easier for the user to fit the cushion body in the desired position. In the mattress using the cushion body illustrated in Fig. 19, the ends of the filaments of each of the multiple cushion bodies are designed not to protrude beyond the contact surface in any region of the contact surface. Therefore, the ends of the filaments are reliably prevented from entering other adjacent cushion bodies.

[0111] Next, an order receiving system that can be used to receive an order from an orderer for the mattress 200 according to the third embodiment will be described. Fig. 21 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of an order receiving system. The order receiving system 40 shown in Fig. 21 has a mobile terminal 41 as an example of a communication terminal on the orderer side, and a server 42 as an example of a communication terminal on the order receiver side. 21, the mobile terminal 41 is a smartphone as an example, but may also be a tablet, a mobile phone, etc. Furthermore, the communication terminal on the orderer side is not limited to a mobile terminal, and may also be a PC (personal computer), etc.

[0112] As shown in Fig. 21, the mobile terminal 41 has a touch panel operation unit 41A, a communication module unit 41B, a control unit 41C, and a storage unit 41D. The touch panel operation unit 41A is included in a liquid crystal display unit, and the mobile terminal 41 can be operated by being touched. The communication module unit 41B performs, for example, 4G communication (WiMAX2, LTE-Advanced, etc.). The control unit 41C is, for example, a CPU, and controls the entire mobile terminal 41. The storage unit 41D includes a ROM in which programs are stored, a RAM in which data is stored, and the like.

[0113] 21, the server 42 has an Ethernet unit 42A, a control unit 42B, and a storage unit 42C. The Ethernet unit 42A is an Ethernet interface provided for performing IP communication with other devices (such as the mobile terminal 41). The control unit 42B is, for example, a CPU, and controls the entire server 42. The storage unit 42C includes, for example, an HDD (hard disk drive) and a RAM.

[0114] A method for receiving an order for the mattress 200 using the order receiving system 40 configured as above will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

[0115] First, a cushion information input reception step (step S1) is executed. In this step, the orderer operates the touch panel operation unit 41A to input cushion information. Here, the orderer performs input operations according to a Web screen displayed on the display unit of the mobile terminal 41 based on data transmitted from the Ethernet unit 42A of the server 42 and received by the communication module unit 41B.

[0116] Here, Fig. 23 shows an example of a section position number (a number assigned to each position of a different section) used when ordering mattress 200. Note that "section" here means a section (block) in which one cushion body is placed as viewed from above. The outer edge of the rectangle in Fig. 23 corresponds to the outer edge of mattress 200 as viewed from above, and each position inside the rectangle corresponds to each position when mattress 200 is viewed from above. In Fig. 23 (as well as Figs. 25 to 29 described later), the approximate positions of a user and a pillow when lying alone on the mattress are shown by dashed lines.

[0117] As shown in Fig. 23, the mattress cushion 220 is divided into six sections in the length direction and six sections in the left-right direction, for a total of 36 sections, and each cushion body is arranged in these sections. The cushion body corresponding to section position number Bx (x is a number) shown in Fig. 23 corresponds to cushion body Qx in the example shown in Fig. 13 and Fig. 14. For example, the cushion body corresponding to section position number B11 shown in Fig. 23 corresponds to cushion body Q11 in the example shown in Fig. 13 and Fig. 14.

[0118] Moreover, Fig. 24 shows an example of a mattress order form used when ordering the mattress 200. As shown in Fig. 24, when placing an order, it is possible to specify the resilience of the cushion body, the shape of the cushion body, and the presence and type of IoT module to be provided in the cushion body for each cushion body in a different section. In the example shown in Fig. 24, for example, for the cushion body corresponding to section position number B11, a cushion body with "high" resilience, "rectangular prism" shape, and "no" IoT module (i.e., no IoT module is provided) is specified.

[0119] In this way, the cushion information input reception step is a process of receiving input of cushion information, which is information about the cushion bodies for each section in which each of the multiple cushion bodies Q11 to Q66 is arranged, at the communication terminal (mobile terminal 41) on the orderer's side. The cushion information includes information about the repulsive force of the cushion body for each section, information about its shape, and information about electronic components having a communication function to be provided (information about the presence and type of IoT module). In the mobile terminal 41, the input cushion information is stored in the memory unit 41D, and the input of the cushion information is received.

[0120] Next, a cushion information transmission step (step S2) is executed. In this step, the cushion information stored in the storage unit 41D of the mobile terminal 41 is transmitted to the server 42 by the communication module unit 41B.

[0121] Next, a cushion information receiving step (step S3) is executed. In this step, the cushion information transmitted from the communication module unit 41B is received by the Ethernet unit 42A in the server 42. The received cushion information is stored in the storage unit 42C.

[0122] Next, a mattress cover model number determination step (step S4) is executed. In this step, in the server 42, the control unit 42B automatically determines the optimal mattress cover model number based on the cushion information stored in the memory unit 42C. More specifically, a unique model number is assigned in advance to each of a plurality of types of mattress covers with different shapes, etc. Then, taking into consideration the shape of each cushion body as determined from the cushion information, the function of the IoT module, or the position where each cushion body is placed, etc., the optimal one is selected from the plurality of types of mattress covers, and the model number of this selected mattress cover is determined as the optimal mattress cover model number.

[0123] In the process of selecting the most suitable mattress cover from among a plurality of types, for example, the shape of the cushion body to be adopted, the presence or absence of an airbag function by an IoT module, etc. are taken into consideration to determine whether the mattress cover has a shape and dimensions that are suitable for the mattress cushion 220. Also, for example, the presence or absence of functions such as a microphone, LED lighting, and a blower fan by an IoT module is taken into consideration to determine whether the mattress cover can effectively utilize these functions.

[0124] Next, a mattress information output step (step S5) is executed. In this step, the server 42 outputs information (mattress information) including cushion information and the model number of the determined mattress cover.

[0125] The mattress information is output, for example, by being transmitted from Ethernet unit 42A to an external manufacturing device. In this case, the manufacturing device is able to manufacture a mattress based on the received mattress information. The mattress information may also be output, for example, by being displayed on a display unit (not shown) included in server 42. In this case, a worker is able to manufacture a mattress in accordance with the displayed mattress information. The manufactured mattress is provided to the client, thereby enabling the client to use the ordered mattress.

[0126] In the third embodiment, the compartments in which the cushion bodies are disposed are rectangular, but the shape of the compartments is not particularly limited. For example, as shown in Fig. 25 to Fig. 29, the compartments in which the cushion bodies are disposed may be rhombic, triangular, or hexagonal. The cushion bodies to be disposed in each compartment are cylindrical in shape, with the bottom surface being generally congruent with the compartment.

[0127] 25 to 29, the outer edge of the rectangle corresponds to the outer edge of mattress 200 when viewed from above, and the solid lines inside the rectangle represent the boundaries between adjacent compartments. Fig. 25 illustrates an example of an arrangement of the compartments when the compartments are primarily shaped like diamonds, Figs. 26 and 27 illustrate an example of an arrangement of the compartments when the compartments are primarily shaped like equilateral triangles, and Figs. 28 and 29 illustrate an example of an arrangement of the compartments when the compartments are primarily shaped like regular hexagons.

[0128] 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. [Industrial Applicability]

[0129] The present invention can be used in mattresses for a variety of purposes. [Explanation of symbols]

[0130] 1 Mattress 5. Mattress 6 Mattress 10. Mattress Covers 11 Top cover 12 Bottom cover 13 Zipper 20 Mattress cushion 21~26 Cushion body 21f~26f contact surface 30 flat plate 40 Order Reception System 41 Mobile Devices 42 Server 50 Mattress Cover 51 Cushion body 60 Mattress Cover 61,62 Cushion body 121, 124 Cushion body 130 Roller 200 Mattresses 210 Mattress Cover 213 Zipper 220 Mattress cushion 270 Overlay Mattress 280 Mattress cushion 290 Mattress 300 Host Device 301 IoT module with information gathering device 302 IoT module with function providing device 303 External IoT Module 320, 420, 520, 620, 720 Mattress cushion C Conveyor Da~Df Cushion body FL filament 3D assembly FL1 cutting surface H Heater Ma Temperature and Humidity Sensor Mb Touch Sensor Mc Blower Fan Md Accelerometer Me1 Microphone Me2 LED lighting equipment Mf Cylindrical Airbag MFA Air Pump Mg Airbag Mga Air Pump Q11~Q66 Cushion body R Roller Ua~Ug Cushion body Xa Cut surface smoothing device

Claims

1. A mattress having a mattress cushion on which multiple people can lie in a left-right direction, The mattress cushion includes a plurality of cushion bodies that can be separated in the left-right direction, Each of the plurality of cushion bodies is formed of a filament three-dimensional bonded body made of a plurality of filaments, and has a contact surface that contacts adjacent other cushion bodies, The end of the filament of each of the plurality of cushion bodies does not penetrate into another adjacent cushion body, The repulsive force of each of the plurality of cushion bodies is 100 N or more and 200 N or less, A mattress characterized in that the contact friction force at the contact surfaces between adjacent cushion bodies is greater than 0N and less than 50N.

2. Each of the plurality of cushion bodies is 2. The mattress according to claim 1, characterized in that the ends of the filaments do not protrude beyond the contact surface in any area of ​​the contact surface.

3. A mattress as described in claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that each of the multiple cushion bodies has a smooth surface layer on the contact surface.

Citation Information

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