Cooling mat and method for manufacturing the same

Abstract

To provide a cool feeling mat having excellent cool feeling performance and high air permeability.SOLUTION: A cool feeling mat 100 includes a cool feeling material layer 10 containing phase transition substance whose melting point is 10 to 39°C and gel-like substance. The cool feeling mat further includes: a protection layer 20 provided so as to cover the periphery of the cool feeling material layer; and a plurality of through holes 11 penetrating in a thickness direction of the protection layer and the cool feeling material layer.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a cooling mat including a cooling material layer containing a phase change material.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a cooling material using a gel material, which is a polymer having a three-dimensional network structure, has been developed. The gel can achieve rapid heat conduction by confining a large amount of moisture in the three-dimensional network structure.

[0003] Examples of products using such a cooling material include a cooling fabric having a fabric made of a woven or non-woven fabric and a cooling material layer applied to one or both sides of the fabric. The cooling material layer contains microcapsules containing a phase change material having a melting point of 20 to 39°C, a contact cooling material, and an organic binder. The contact cooling material contains at least one selected from a water-absorbing resin, a gel-like substance, and a silicone resin, and the organic binder contains at least one selected from an acrylic resin and a polyurethane resin. A cooling fabric is disclosed in Patent Document 1.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, one of the problems of conventional cooling fabrics is that the user's heat is likely to be trapped and feels uncomfortable due to stuffiness.

[0006] In view of the above points, the present invention is made, and one of the problems is to provide a cooling mat having excellent cooling performance and high breathability. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To achieve the above objective, the present invention provides a cooling mat having a cooling material layer containing microcapsules containing a phase transition material having a melting point of 10 to 39°C and a gel-like substance, wherein the cooling mat has a protective layer provided so as to cover the periphery of the cooling material layer, and the protective layer and the cooling material layer have a plurality of through holes penetrating in the thickness direction. The cooling mat has the following uses: pillow pads, mattress pads, rugs, cushions, chair seats, apparel linings, bags, sheets, covers, or mats used in cooling and temperature control equipment. It is characterized by the following.

[0008] According to the present invention, the cooling mat has through-holes formed in the thickness direction, which enhances breathability. This reduces discomfort during use caused by stuffiness. In addition, the protective layer prevents the gel from leaking out.

[0009] In the cooling mat of the present invention, it is preferable that the through holes adjacent to each other are connected by grooves formed in recesses from the surface of the cooling material layer.

[0010] In this configuration, air on the surface of the cooling material layer is more easily guided into the through-holes, thereby improving breathability.

[0011] In the cooling mat of the present invention, the inner diameter of the through holes in the protective layer and the cooling material layer is preferably 3 to 20 mm.

[0012] According to this configuration, it is possible to appropriately provide a cooling effect while preventing the through-holes from becoming blocked when pressed from the surface side by the user during use.

[0013] In the cooling mat of the present invention, the through holes in the protective layer and the cooling material layer have a surface area of ​​100 cm². 2 Preferably, there are 1 to 10 of them per unit.

[0014] According to such an aspect, the heat exchange function by the phase change material can be performed more efficiently, and the cooling efficiency can be enhanced.

[0015] The manufacturing method of the cooling mat of the present invention includes a molding step of putting a mixed liquid containing microcapsules containing a phase change material having a melting point of 10 to 39°C and a contact cooling material containing a gel material into a mold having a plurality of convex portions formed in the thickness direction to form a cooling material layer, and a protective layer forming step of providing a protective layer having through holes formed at positions corresponding to the through holes of the cooling material layer formed by the plurality of convex portions of the mold so as to cover at least one surface of the cooling material layer.

Effect of the Invention

[0016] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a cooling mat having excellent cooling performance and high air permeability.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0017] [Figure 1] It is a top view of the cooling mat according to the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a cross-sectional view of the cooling mat along the line A-A of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] It is a flowchart showing the manufacturing process of the cooling mat according to the present invention.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0018] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the cooling mat according to the present invention will be described while referring to the drawings.

[0019] FIG. 1 is a top view of the cooling mat 100. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the cooling mat 100 along the line A-A of FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 1, the cooling mat 100 is formed in a rectangular shape in a top view, for example.

[0020] As also shown in FIG. 2, the cooling mat 100 has a cooling material layer 10. The cooling material layer 10 has a plurality of through holes 11 penetrating in the thickness direction thereof. In the present embodiment, the through holes 11 are arranged in a row along the longitudinal direction. In the present embodiment, the through holes 11 are arranged in a lattice pattern as viewed from above.

[0021] The cooling material layer 10 contains microcapsules containing a phase change substance having a melting point of 10 to 39° C. and a gel substance. The thickness of the cooling material layer 10 is preferably 1 mm to 20 mm, and more preferably 2 mm to 5 mm.

[0022] Examples of the phase change substance include mixtures of alkanes such as n-heptadecane, n-octadecane, nonadecane, and n-eicosane, and those having a melting point preferably of 10 to 39° C., more preferably 25 to 32° C. are used. When the external temperature exceeds the melting enthalpy value, the phase change substance functions to delay the rise in the ambient temperature by absorbing heat.

[0023] As the phase change substance, for example, those encapsulated in microcapsules in the form of a solid or an emulsion are used. The phase change substance does not necessarily have to be encapsulated in microcapsules, and may be, for example, mixed in the cooling material layer 10. As the wall material of the microcapsules, for example, melamine resin, phenol resin, polystyrene, acrylic resin, etc. are used, but acrylic resins such as polymethyl methacrylate resin, which have a high effect of suppressing the bleeding of the phase change substance and do not generate formaldehyde or the like, are preferably used.

[0024] As the gel substance, the gel is preferably a polyurethane resin.

[0025] The cooling mat 100 has a protective layer 20 covering the surface of the cooling material layer 10. In the present embodiment, the protective layer 20 is provided so as to cover the upper and lower surfaces of the cooling material layer 10.

[0026] The protective layer 20 is formed from, for example, films such as polyurethane resin film (TPU film, PU film), polytetrafluoroethylene dispersion resin film (PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene) dispersion resin film), silicone resin film, polyethylene film, membrane materials such as ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer resin (EVA (Ethylene vinylacetate)) film, PVE (polyvinyl ethyl ether) film, PVC (Polyvinyl chloride) film, textiles, etc.

[0027] The protective layer 20 may be formed to cover one of the upper or lower surfaces of the cooling material layer 10, or it may be provided to cover the periphery of the cooling material layer 10.

[0028] The protective layer 20 has a plurality of through-holes 21 formed at positions corresponding to the through-holes 11 of the cooling material layer 10. That is, the upper and lower surfaces of the cooling mat 100 are penetrated by the through-holes 11 of the cooling material layer 10 and the through-holes 21 of the protective layer 20. The protective layer 20 has a weight of 5 to 300 g / m². 2 That would be a good idea.

[0029] The protective layer 20 prevents the solvent in the cooling material layer 10 from evaporating, thus preventing the gel-like substance in the cooling material layer 10 from coming into direct contact with the user's body.

[0030] As shown in Figure 1, the protective layer 20 has a plurality of grooves 22 formed recessed from the surface. The grooves 22 are formed to connect adjacent through holes 21. In this embodiment, the grooves 22 are formed in a grid pattern on the upper and lower surfaces of the cooling mat 100, and the through holes 21 are located at the intersections of the grid-like grooves 22. Therefore, the openings of adjacent through holes 21 are connected by the grooves 22 formed recessed from the surface of the cooling mat 100.

[0031] Therefore, for example, when pressed from above by a user, negative pressure is applied to the through-hole 21. Air near the top surface is guided to the groove 22 and discharged from the bottom surface through the through-holes 21 and 11. As a result, heat exchange of the air on the top side can be actively performed, making it possible to further enhance the cooling effect.

[0032] The through holes 11 and 21 in the protective layer 20 and the cooling material layer 10 are preferably 3 to 20 mm in diameter, more preferably 3 to 15 mm in diameter, and even more preferably 4 to 8 mm in diameter.

[0033] By forming the through holes 11 and 21 in this manner, it becomes possible to appropriately provide a cooling effect while preventing the through holes 11 and 21 from becoming blocked when, for example, the surface is pressed by a user during use.

[0034] The through holes 11 and 21 in the protective layer 20 and the cooling material layer 10 are within a surface area of ​​100 cm² of the cooling mat 100. 2 Preferably, there are 1 to 10 of them, more preferably 1 to 7, and even more preferably 2 to 4.

[0035] By forming the through-holes 21 in this way, the heat exchange function by the phase transition material can be performed more efficiently, making it possible to improve cooling efficiency.

[0036] The Cooling Mat 100 can be used in pillow pads, mattress pads, rugs, cushions, mattresses, chair seats, linings for apparel such as jackets, bags, sheets, covers, and cooling and temperature control equipment.

[0037] Figure 3 is a flowchart showing the manufacturing method of the cooling mat 100. As shown in Figure 3, first, a molding process is performed in which a cooling material layer is formed by placing a mixture containing microcapsules containing a phase transition material having a melting point of 20 to 39°C and a contact cooling material containing a gel-like substance into a mold having a plurality of protrusions formed in the thickness direction. The mold for forming the cooling material layer has a plurality of protrusions corresponding to the arrangement of the through holes 11. In this embodiment, the mold has a plurality of protrusions arranged in a grid pattern.

[0038] Next, a protective layer forming step is performed in which a protective layer having through holes is provided at positions corresponding to the through holes in the cooling material layer formed by the multiple protrusions of the mold, so as to cover at least one surface of the cooling material layer 10 (step S02).

[0039] In step S01, the amount of polyether polyhydric alcohol (polyether polyol) as a raw material should be 100 parts by mass. In addition, the amount of isocyanate ester should be 20 to 50 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of polyether polyhydric alcohol.

[0040] The phase transition material should be added in an amount of 10 to 60 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of polyether polyhydric alcohol. Octadecane may be used as the phase transition material to improve compatibility with other raw materials. The phase transition material should be used in slurry form.

[0041] Furthermore, it is preferable to add 0.1 to 1.0 parts by mass of polyurethane reaction catalyst and 5 to 10 parts by mass of diluent to the mixture. In addition, 2 parts by mass or less of colorant can be added to the mixture.

[0042] Polyether polyhydric alcohols (polyether polyols) can be selected from, for example, polymers of methyl epoxyethane, epoxyethane, and 1,2,3-propanetriol, or those produced by reacting epoxyethane, epoxypropane, epoxybutane, etc., in the presence of a catalyst, and one or more types can be used.

[0043] The isocyanate ester can be one or more selected from monoisocyanate esters, diisocyanate esters, and polyisocyanate esters. Specifically, diphenylmethane diisocyanate ester, polyphenylmethane polyisocyanate ester, etc., can be used. By using diphenylmethane diisocyanate ester and polyphenylmethane polyisocyanate ester, it is possible to improve the cooling effect and achieve stable productivity.

[0044] Amine-based catalysts and organometallic catalysts can be used as reaction catalysts. Organometallic compounds include carboxylates and metal alkyl compounds, and mainly contain metal elements such as tin, potassium, lead, mercury, and zinc. In particular, organozinc catalysts have the advantage of having fewer toxic side effects. Furthermore, organozinc catalysts do not cause cosmetic defects due to bubbles during the recatalytic reaction process.

[0045] Diluents can include organic solvents such as dichloromethane and toluene.

[0046] These polyether polyhydric alcohols, reaction catalyst, phase transition material, diluent, and colorant are placed in a reactor and stirred to prepare a mixture. The stirring conditions can be, for example, 500 r / min for 30 minutes.

[0047] Next, the above mixture is filled into the injection molding cylinder. The isocyanate ester is filled into a separate injection molding cylinder and kept aside. The temperature inside each injection molding cylinder should be 30-40°C.

[0048] The materials from the two injection molding cylinders mentioned above are placed in a pre-blended tank, stirred and mixed, and then poured into a mold corresponding to the size of the cooling mat 100 to carry out the polymerization reaction. The stirring conditions should be 2000 r / min. The polymerization reaction should be carried out at 40-60°C for 7-12 minutes.

[0049] Furthermore, the mold has multiple protrusions formed in the thickness direction. Therefore, by performing a polymerization reaction, through holes 11 are formed in the cooling material layer 10 at positions corresponding to the protrusions of the mold.

[0050] In step S02, a protective layer 20 is provided on the cooling material layer 10 formed in step S01. If the protective layer 20 is made of, for example, polyurethane resin or silicone resin, it may be bonded to the cooling material layer 10 by pressing it with predetermined heat and pressure. After that, through holes 21 may be formed by punching at positions corresponding to the through holes 11 in the cooling material layer 10. Note that the through holes 21 in the protective layer 20 may be formed before bonding it to the cooling material layer 10.

[0051] Furthermore, the protective layer 20 is not limited to this embodiment. For example, it may be provided by laying a sheet of the protective layer 20 in the mold beforehand, pouring the resin material into the mold, and then carrying out a polymerization reaction. In this case, it is preferable to provide through holes 21 in the protective layer 20 in advance at positions corresponding to the protrusions of the mold. [Examples]

[0052] <Test Example 1> (Preparation of Cooling Mat 100) [Example 1] The cooling mat 100 was manufactured according to the following procedure. Raw materials: • Polyether polyhydric alcohol: 100 parts by mass • Isocyanate ester: 20 parts by mass • Phase transition material (microcapsules): 30 parts by mass • Reaction catalyst: 0.3 parts by mass ·Coloring agent: 1 part by mass • Diluent: 5 parts by mass

[0053] For the polyether polyhydric alcohol, polymers of methyl epoxyethane, epoxyethane, and 1,2,3-propanetriol were used.

[0054] A mixture of diphenylmethane diisocyanate and polyphenylmethane polyisocyanate was used as the isocyanate ester.

[0055] For the core layer, octadecane with a phase transition temperature of 28°C was used as the phase transition material. For the wall layer, methacrylate ester was used.

[0056] The reaction catalyst used was a zinc catalyst mainly containing zinc isoocatanoate.

[0057] Dichloromethane was used as the diluent.

[0058] These polyether polyhydric alcohols, reaction catalyst, phase transition material, diluent, and colorant were placed in a reactor and stirred to prepare a mixture. The stirring conditions were, for example, 500 r / min for 30 minutes.

[0059] Next, the above mixture was filled into an injection molding cylinder. The isocyanate ester was filled into a separate injection molding cylinder and kept awaiting. The temperature inside the injection molding cylinder was set to 40°C.

[0060] The mold used had dimensions of 43 cm in length, 63 cm in width, and 3 mm in thickness. Multiple cylindrical protrusions were formed on the inner surface of the mold to create through-holes 11 that penetrate the upper and lower surfaces of the cooling material layer 10. The protrusions were arranged in a grid pattern when viewed from above. Furthermore, on the opposing inner surfaces of the mold, grid-like ribs were formed, intersecting at the protrusions and connected to them. The protrusions were cylindrical with a diameter of 5 mm and arranged at intervals of 3 cm in the vertical and horizontal directions. The ribs connecting the protrusions in a grid pattern were 1 mm high and 3 mm wide. The ribs formed grid-like grooves that communicated with the openings at both ends of the through-holes 11. The size of the mold was determined according to the size of the cooling mat 100.

[0061] The materials from the two injection molding cylinders were placed in a pre-blended tank, stirred and mixed, and then injected into the mold to carry out the polymerization reaction. The stirring conditions were 2000 r / min. The polymerization reaction conditions were 50°C for 9 minutes. After that, the molded cold-sensitive material layer 10 was removed from the mold.

[0062] Next, a protective layer (protective sheet) 20, made of thermoplastic polyurethane and 0.015 mm thick, was attached and fixed to the upper and lower surfaces of the cooling material layer 10. Through holes 21 were formed by punching the protective layer 20 at positions corresponding to the through holes 11 in the cooling material layer 10.

[0063] (Performance testing) A contact cooling test was conducted on the cooling mat 100 prepared using the method described above. A KES-F7 Thermolab II testing machine manufactured by Kato Tech Co., Ltd. was used for the test. The test involved placing a sensor on a hot plate, maintaining a constant temperature difference (ΔT: 20°C) between the sensor and the sample, and then measuring the instantaneous heat transfer when the sensor was brought into contact with the test piece. The results showed a contact cooling sensation (W / cm²). 2 The Qmax was 0.627. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0064] 100 Cooling Mat 10 Cooling material layer 11 Through hole 20 protective layer 21 Through hole 22 Groove

Claims

[Claim 1] A molding process in which a mixture containing a phase transition material having a melting point of 10 to 39°C and a contact cooling material containing a gel-like substance is poured into a mold having a plurality of protrusions formed in the thickness direction to form a cooling material layer, A protective layer forming step, in which a protective layer having through holes is provided at positions corresponding to the through holes in the cooling material layer formed by the plurality of protrusions of the type described above, so as to cover at least one surface of the cooling material layer, A method for manufacturing a cooling mat, characterized by having the following features.

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