Pillow cushion and method for manufacturing a pillow cushion

Abstract

Provided is a pillow cushion with which it is less likely for a repulsive force to concentrated on a user's head in an area close to the highest point of the crown, and with which it is easier to stabilize the user's head. The pillow cushion is formed from multiple filaments comprising a thermoplastic resin or a thermoplastic elastomer, the filaments being tangled three dimensionally with one another, where the points of contact between the filaments are fuse-bonded to form a three-dimensional filament integrated body. The area that supports the crown of the user's head has a higher filament density at both edges in the directions toward right and left shoulders than at the center.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a pillow cushion and a method for manufacturing the same.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, it has been considered that the most favorable sleeping posture during sleep is the natural upright posture (which may be referred to as the "natural body" in this application). Empirically, it is known that when sleeping in the natural body posture, the burden on the cervical vertebrae is least likely to occur. Additionally, pillows considering the sleeping posture have been proposed so far.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a method for manufacturing a pillow that optimizes a first pillow unit that supports the back of the user's head when sleeping in a supine position, a second pillow unit that supports the user's cervical vertebrae, and a third pillow unit that supports the user's temporal head when sleeping on the side, based on head position information, head weight information, and pillow material information.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, since the back of the head has a substantially spherical curved surface shape, when sleeping in a supine position, there are problems such as the load of the head concentrating on a very small part (usually near the apex of the back of the head) of the back of the head, resulting in a feeling of compression, and the user's head being difficult to stabilize, with the head angle swaying left and right and becoming unstable.

[0006] Figure 23 shows a conventional pillow cushion 500 supporting the back of the head of a user in a supine sleeping position. Figure 23 is shown as a cross-sectional view when the pillow cushion 500 is cut by a plane S1 that divides it in two equal parts in the direction of the user's height. As shown in this figure, if the rebound force characteristics are constant in the central part of the pillow (the area that supports the back of the head), the depth of sinking is greatest at the position that supports the apex of the back of the head, and therefore the rebound force Pc of the pillow cushion 500 is highest at that position. In other words, the rebound force generated in the pillow cushion increases as the sinking depth increases, provided that the rebound force characteristics are the same, and thus the rebound force of the pillow cushion is highest at the position that supports the apex of the back of the head.

[0007] On the other hand, the sinking depth is reduced at the periphery of the occipital support area, resulting in a lower rebound force Ps of the pillow cushion 500 at that location. As a result, users may be more likely to feel pressure near the top of the occipital region. Additionally, the user's head may roll more easily while sleeping, making it difficult to maintain stability.

[0008] The present invention aims to provide a pillow cushion that makes it less likely for the repulsive force to concentrate near the top of the back of the head, thereby stabilizing the user's head, and a method for manufacturing the pillow cushion. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The pillow cushion according to the present invention is a three-dimensional filament composite in which a plurality of filaments made of thermoplastic resin or thermoplastic elastomer are intertwined in three dimensions and the contact points between the filaments are fused together, wherein the filament density in the occipital support region is higher at both ends in the left and right shoulder directions than in the central part. With this configuration, when the apex of the occipital head of a user in a supine sleeping position is supported in the central part of the occipital support region of the pillow cushion where the filament density is lowest, it is possible to suppress the localized increase in the rebound force of the pillow cushion caused by the depth of sinking near the apex of the occipital head where the depth of sinking of the pillow cushion is greatest. As a result, the rebound force is less likely to concentrate near the apex of the occipital head, making it possible to create a pillow cushion that makes it easier for the user's head to be stable.

[0010] More specifically, the above configuration may be such that the filament density in the occipital support area gradually increases from the center toward both ends in the direction of the left and right shoulders.

[0011] Furthermore, in the pillow cushion having the above configuration, which is formed by stacking multiple pillow units in the thickness direction, the multiple pillow units may each include a first pillow unit and a second pillow unit, each formed from a three-dimensional filament assembly, wherein the filament density in the occipital support region of the first pillow unit gradually increases from the center toward both ends in the left and right shoulder direction, and the filament density in the occipital support region of the second pillow unit gradually increases from the center toward both ends in the height direction.

[0012] Furthermore, the above-mentioned method for manufacturing a pillow cushion includes: a molten filament supply step of discharging a plurality of molten filaments made of thermoplastic resin or thermoplastic elastomer vertically downward from a plurality of nozzle holes provided in a nozzle; a three-dimensional filament fusion body forming step of forming a three-dimensional filament fusion body by intertwining the plurality of molten filaments three-dimensionally and fusing the contact points between the molten filaments; and a three-dimensional filament bond formation step of transporting the three-dimensional filament fusion body and cooling and solidifying it by moving it through cooling water, wherein the three-dimensional filament bond formed by the three-dimensional filament bond formation step is cut to manufacture the pillow cushion according to claim 2 or claim 3, and the method may also include controlling the transport speed so that the left and right shoulder directions of the pillow cushion substantially coincide with the transport direction, and the filament density in the occipital head support region of the pillow cushion gradually increases from the center toward both ends in the left and right shoulder directions.

[0013] Furthermore, in the above manufacturing method for producing the pillow cushion to be used by a predetermined user, the conveying speed may be controlled based on the horizontal shape information of the user's occipital head, such that the filament density in the occipital head support region of the pillow cushion gradually increases from the center toward both ends in the direction of the left and right shoulders.

[0014] Furthermore, in the above-described manufacturing method for producing the pillow cushion in which the filament density in the occipital support region gradually increases from the center toward both ends in the height direction, a method may also be used in which the nozzle hole density in the nozzle portion is adjusted based on the vertical shape information of the user's occipital head so that the filament density in the occipital support region of the pillow cushion gradually increases from the center toward both ends in the height direction.

[0015] Furthermore, the above manufacturing method may be more specifically a method of controlling the transport speed based on the user's occipital position information and head weight information. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] According to the cushion for a pillow according to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a cushion for a pillow in which the repulsive force is unlikely to concentrate near the apex of the occipital region, and the user's head is likely to be stabilized.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0017] [Figure 1] It is a perspective view of the pillow cushion 100 according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2A] It is an explanatory view regarding the region V1 of the pillow cushion 100. [Figure 2B] It is a graph regarding the filament density of the region V1 of the pillow cushion 100. [Figure 3A] It is an explanatory view regarding the region V2 of the pillow cushion 100. [Figure 3B] It is a graph regarding the filament density of the region V2 of the pillow cushion 100. [Figure 4] It is an explanatory view regarding the pillow cushion 100 when supporting the occipital region. [Figure 5] It is an explanatory view regarding the pillow cushion 100 when supporting the occipital region. [Figure 6] It is a schematic view of the manufacturing apparatus 1 of the filament three-dimensional conjugate body 3DF. [Figure 7] It is a cross-sectional arrow view taken along the line A - A' of the manufacturing apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 6. [Figure 8] It is an explanatory view showing a schematic configuration example in a bottom view of the nozzle portion 16. [Figure 9] It is a plan view of the receiving plate 21 in the manufacturing apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 6. [Figure 10A] It is a graph showing an example of the control content of the conveyor transport speed. [Figure 10B] It is a block diagram showing an example of the control system of the manufacturing apparatus 1. [Figure 11] It is a graph showing an example of the distribution of the nozzle hole density in the nozzle portion 16. [Figure 12] It is an explanatory view regarding the region V1 of the pillow cushion 200 according to the first embodiment. [Figure 13] This is a graph showing the filament density in region V1 of pillow cushion 200. [Figure 14A] This is an explanatory diagram of a pillow cushion 200 used to support the side of the head, etc. [Figure 14B] This graph shows an example of how to control the conveyor speed. [Figure 15] This is a perspective view of the pillow cushion 300 according to the third embodiment. [Figure 16A] This is a graph showing the filament density in region V1 of the first pillow unit 301. [Figure 16B] This is a graph showing the filament density in region V2 of the first pillow unit 301. [Figure 17A] This is a graph showing the filament density in region V1 of the second pillow unit 302. [Figure 17B] This is a graph showing the filament density in region V2 of the second pillow unit 302. [Figure 18] This is a graph showing the filament density in region V1 of pillow cushion 300. [Figure 19] This is a graph showing the filament density in region V2 of the pillow cushion 300. [Figure 20] This is a perspective view of the pillow cushion 400 according to the fourth embodiment. [Figure 21] This is an explanatory diagram showing the schematic configuration of the nozzle section 116 as viewed from below. [Figure 22] This is a plan view of the receiving plate 121. [Figure 23] This is an explanatory diagram of a conventional pillow cushion used to support the back of the head. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0018] Each embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the directions of height, left / right shoulders, and thickness (directions that are mutually orthogonal) of the pillow are as shown in Figure 1. The height direction is the direction that approximately coincides with the height direction of the pillow user (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as "user") when lying on their back, with one end facing the top of the head and the other end facing the feet. The left / right shoulder direction is the direction that approximately coincides with the shoulder width direction of the user when lying on their back, with one end facing the left shoulder and the other end facing the right shoulder. The thickness direction is the direction of the thickness of the pillow, with one end (the side closer to the user's head) facing the front and the other end facing the back.

[0019] 1. First Embodiment First, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described. Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pillow cushion 100 according to the first embodiment. The pillow cushion 100 is a cushion used as a pillow and is formed from a filament three-dimensional bond 3DF. The pillow cushion 100 is preferably used as a pillow covered with a separately prepared pillow cover, but the pillow cushion 100 may also be used as a pillow as is.

[0020] The filament three-dimensional bond 3DF is formed by the fusion bonding of multiple filaments made of thermoplastic resin or thermoplastic elastomer in a three-dimensionally intertwined state at the contact points between the filaments. In this embodiment, the pillow cushion 100 is formed in the shape of a substantially rectangular parallelepiped, with the ends in the height direction, the ends in the left and right shoulder directions, and the ends in the thickness direction each serving as an outer surface.

[0021] Figure 2A shows a colored region (region V1) near a hypothetical plane S1 that divides the pillow cushion 100 into two equal parts in the height direction. The central part of region V1 in the direction of the left and right shoulders will support approximately the apex of the back of the head of a user in a supine sleeping position (the furthest posterior point of the user's head in a natural position). In addition, a predetermined range extending from the central part of region V1 to both the left and right shoulders will be a region that supports the back of the head of a user in a supine sleeping position (hereinafter referred to as the "back of the head support region").

[0022] The graph in Figure 2B shows the distribution of filament density of the pillow cushion 100 in region V1. The horizontal axis represents the position in the left-right shoulder direction, and the vertical axis represents the filament density in region V1. Filament density represents the weight per unit volume of the three-dimensional filament bond 3DF (or the three-dimensional filament fusion body described later). The higher the filament density, the denser the filaments are, the fewer the voids, and the higher the repulsive force characteristics (the value of the repulsive force generated when pressed by a certain amount).

[0023] Figure 3A shows a colored region (region V2) near a hypothetical plane S2 that divides the pillow cushion 100 into two equal parts in the left and right shoulder directions. The central part of region V2 in the height direction will support approximately the apex of the back of the head of a user in a supine sleeping position. In addition, a predetermined range extending from the central part of region V2 to both sides in the height direction is the occipital head support region. The graph in Figure 3B shows the distribution of filament density of the pillow cushion 100 in region V2, with the horizontal axis indicating the position in the height direction and the vertical axis indicating the filament density of region V2.

[0024] In both region V1 and region V2, the pillow cushion 100 is designed so that the filament density in the occipital support area is lowest in the center and gradually increases from the center toward both ends.

[0025] First, regarding the left and right shoulder directions, as shown in the graph in Figure 2B, in the occipital support region Xa of region V1, the filament density of the pillow cushion 100 is lowest at Da1 in the central part of the left and right shoulder directions, and gradually increases from the central part toward both ends of the left and right shoulder directions.

[0026] The occipital support region Xa is the region between position Pa1, located a predetermined distance to the left shoulder from the center of the pillow cushion 100, and position Pa2, located the same distance to the right shoulder from the center. On both sides of the occipital support region Xa in the direction of the shoulders, the filament density of the pillow cushion 100 is constant at Da2.

[0027] Furthermore, regarding the direction of height, as shown in the graph in Figure 3B, in the occipital support region Xb in region V2, the filament density of the pillow cushion 100 is lowest at Db1 in the central part of the direction of height, and gradually increases from the central part toward both ends in the direction of height.

[0028] The occipital support region Xb is the region between position Pb1, located a predetermined distance towards the top of the head from the center of the pillow cushion 100, and position Pb2, located the same distance towards the feet from the center. At both ends of the occipital support region Xb in the height direction, the filament density of the pillow cushion 100 is constant at Db2.

[0029] In this embodiment, the pillow cushion 100 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape, but the surface may be made uneven, or the side shape or planar shape may be made into an ellipse or other irregular shape, as long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired.

[0030] Figure 4 shows a cross-sectional view of the pillow cushion 100 when it is cut along plane S1, supporting the back of the head of a user in a supine sleeping position. Figure 5 shows a cross-sectional view of the pillow cushion 100 when it is cut along plane S2, supporting the back of the head of a user in a supine sleeping position. In Figures 4 and 5, arrow Ps schematically indicates the rebound force of the pillow cushion 100 at the center of the occipital support area, and arrow Pc schematically indicates the rebound force of the pillow cushion 100 at the periphery of the occipital support area.

[0031] As shown in Figure 4, when the user is lying on their back (supine position), the depth of sinking of the occipital region of the pillow that supports the occipital region of the head is greatest near the apex of the occipital region, and gradually decreases from near the apex of the occipital region toward both the left and right shoulders. However, since the pillow cushion 100 is low-rebound in the position corresponding to the apex of the occipital region, it is possible to prevent the rebound force Pc from becoming excessively high even if the depth of sinking of the occipital region is large. Furthermore, since the pillow cushion 100 becomes high-rebound as it approaches both the left and right shoulders from this position, it is possible to prevent the rebound force Ps from becoming too low even if the depth of sinking of the occipital region decreases as it approaches each of these ends.

[0032] In other words, in the area of ​​the pillow that supports the back of the user's head when they are lying on their back, the repulsive force between the pillow cushion 100 and the back of the head is less likely to be high in the center in the direction of the left and right shoulders, and less likely to decrease from the center toward both ends in the direction of the left and right shoulders. Thus, the pillow cushion 100 prevents the repulsive force received from the pillow from concentrating on a part of the back of the head, which can cause a feeling of pressure on the user, and also prevents the head from swaying from side to side, which can cause the angle of the head to become unstable.

[0033] As shown in Figure 5, when the user is lying on their back, the depth of sinking of the back of the head in the central area of ​​the pillow that supports the back of the head is greatest near the apex of the back of the head, and gradually decreases from near the apex of the back of the head toward both ends in the direction of height. However, since the pillow cushion 100 is low-rebound at the position corresponding to the apex of the back of the head, it is possible to prevent the rebound force Pc from becoming excessively high even if the depth of sinking of the back of the head is large. Furthermore, since the pillow cushion 100 becomes high-rebound as it approaches both ends in the direction of height from this position, it is possible to prevent the rebound force Ps from becoming too low even if the depth of sinking of the back of the head decreases as it approaches each of these ends.

[0034] In other words, in the area of ​​the pillow that supports the back of the user's head when they are lying on their back, the repulsive force between the pillow cushion 100 and the back of the head is less likely to be high in the center in the direction of height, and less likely to be low from the center toward both ends in the direction of height. Thus, the pillow cushion 100 prevents the repulsive force received from the pillow from concentrating on a part of the back of the head, which can cause pressure on the user, and prevents the head from shifting in the direction of height and becoming unstable.

[0035] Here, regarding the characteristics of the pillow cushion 100, it is preferable that in both region V1 and region V2, the occipital support regions Xa and Xb coincide as closely as possible with the regions that actually support the user's occipital head, and it is even more preferable that the repulsive force exerted on the occipital head of a user sleeping on their back be as uniform as possible. In other words, in the example of this embodiment, for region V1, it is ideal that the occipital support region Xa coincides with the region that actually supports the occipital head, and that the repulsive force is equal at any position in the left and right shoulder directions. Similarly, for region V2, it is ideal that the occipital support region Xb coincides with the region that actually supports the occipital head, and that the repulsive force is equal at any position in the height direction. Furthermore, regarding the characteristics of the pillow cushion 100, it is ideal that the user's supine sleeping posture matches a natural posture. In order to manufacture such an ideal pillow cushion 100, it is useful to use information on the user's body shape (such as the shape of the occipital head) in order to reflect individual differences such as the user's body shape in the manufacturing process. This point will be explained in more detail later. It should be noted that the pillow cushion according to the present invention is not limited to the ideal form of the pillow cushion described above.

[0036] Next, a method for manufacturing the pillow cushion 100 and the manufacturing equipment related to said manufacturing will be described.

[0037] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of a manufacturing apparatus 1 for a three-dimensional filament assembly 3DF that can be used to manufacture a pillow cushion 100. Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the manufacturing apparatus 1 shown in Figure 6, taken along the line A-A'. The up / down, left / right, and front / back directions (mutually orthogonal directions) of the manufacturing apparatus 1 are as shown in Figures 6 and 7. These directions are defined for explanatory purposes only.

[0038] The manufacturing apparatus 1 for a three-dimensional filament assembly 3DF includes a molten filament supply unit 10 that discharges a molten filament group MF, which consists of multiple molten filaments with diameters in the range of 0.3 mm to 3 mm, vertically downward, and a fusion bonding and forming unit 20 that intertwines the molten filament group MF in three dimensions, fuses the contact points, and then cools and solidifies them to form a three-dimensional filament assembly 3DF.

[0039] The molten filament supply unit 10 includes a pressurized melting unit 11 (extruder) and a filament discharge unit 12 (die). The pressurized melting unit 11 includes a material input unit 13 (hopper), a screw 14, a screw motor 15 for driving the screw 14, a screw heater 15a, and a plurality of temperature sensors (not shown). Inside, a cylinder 11a is formed for transporting thermoplastic resin or thermoplastic elastomer (hereinafter sometimes collectively referred to as "thermoplastic resin, etc.") supplied from the material input unit 13 while heating and melting it with the screw heater 15a.

[0040] A screw 14 is rotatably housed inside the cylinder 11a. A cylinder outlet 11b is formed at the downstream end of the cylinder 11a for discharging thermoplastic resin or the like towards the filament discharge section 12. The heating temperature of the screw heater 15a is controlled, for example, based on a detection signal from a temperature sensor installed in the molten filament supply section 10.

[0041] The filament discharge section 12 includes a nozzle section 16, a die heater 18, and a plurality of temperature sensors (not shown). Inside, a guide channel 12a is formed to guide the molten thermoplastic resin discharged from the cylinder outlet 11b to the nozzle section 16. Multiple die heaters 18 (six in the example shown in Figure 7) are provided in the left-right direction and heat the filament discharge section 12. The heating temperature of the die heater 18 is controlled, for example, based on detection signals from temperature sensors installed in the filament discharge section 12.

[0042] The nozzle section 16 is a roughly rectangular metal plate and is located at the lower part of the filament discharge section 12, which is the downstream end of the guide channel 12a. The nozzle section 16 has multiple nozzle holes 16h (openings) formed therein for discharging molten filament. For example, the nozzle holes 16h are arranged in a staggered pattern in the front-back, left-right, and right directions, and the distance (pitch) between adjacent nozzle holes 16h is about 5 to 15 mm. However, the specific shape of the nozzle holes 16h is not particularly limited.

[0043] Figure 8 shows a schematic configuration example of the nozzle section 16 viewed from below. In the example shown in this figure, multiple nozzle holes 16h are provided at approximately equal intervals on the rectangular end face of the nozzle section 16 (the surface exposed to the lower side in this embodiment). In the example shown in Figure 8, the area occupied by nozzle holes 16h per unit area on the end face of the nozzle section 16 (nozzle hole density) is constant. However, in the nozzle section 16 used in the manufacturing apparatus 1 of this embodiment, the nozzle hole density is adjusted to change depending on the position in the left-right direction. This point will be explained in detail later.

[0044] Examples of thermoplastic resins that can be used as materials for filament three-dimensional composite bodies (3DFs) include polyolefin resins such as polyethylene and polypropylene, polyester resins such as polyethylene terephthalate, polyamide resins such as nylon 66, polyvinyl chloride resin, or polystyrene resin, as well as thermoplastic elastomers such as styrene elastomers, PVC elastomers, olefin elastomers, urethane elastomers, polyester elastomers, nitrile elastomers, polyamide elastomers, or fluorine elastomers.

[0045] The thermoplastic resin supplied from the material input section 13 is heated and melted in the cylinder 11a, and is then supplied as molten thermoplastic resin from the cylinder outlet 11b to the guide channel 12a of the filament discharge section 12, for example, by being pushed out by the screw 14. Subsequently, a group of molten filaments MF, consisting of multiple molten filaments, is discharged from each of the multiple nozzle holes 16h of the nozzle section 16 so as to move downward in a translating manner.

[0046] The fusion bonding section 20 includes a cooling water tank 23, a pair of front and rear conveyors 24a and 24b, a plurality of transport rollers 25a to 25h, and a pair of front and rear support plates 21 that regulate the thickness of the filament three-dimensional bond 3DF. Figure 9 is a plan view of the support plate 21 in the manufacturing apparatus 1 shown in Figure 6. In this embodiment, a cooling water supply device 22 is provided to supply cooling water to the support plate 21.

[0047] The receiving plate 21 is a metal plate having a downward-sloping flat plate-shaped inclined surface 21a and a bent portion including a cylindrical vertical surface 21b extending vertically downward from the lower end of the inclined surface 21a. The receiving plate 21 guides the ends of the molten filament group MF in the thickness direction toward the central part using the front and rear inclined surfaces 21a, thereby reducing the front-to-back dimension of the molten filament group MF to the distance between the front and rear vertical surfaces 21b, and smoothing the surface while increasing the density of filaments at the ends of the molten filament group MF in the thickness direction.

[0048] The cooling water tank 23 is a tank for storing cooling water W. Inside the cooling water tank 23 are a pair of conveyors 24a and 24b and a plurality of transport rollers 25a to 25h. The pair of conveyors 24a and 24b and the plurality of transport rollers 25a to 25h are driven by a drive motor (not shown).

[0049] The molten filament group MF (multiple filaments made of thermoplastic resin, etc.) discharged from the nozzle section 17 has its thickness (front-to-back dimension) adjusted by the receiving plate 21, and is deflected by the buoyancy of the water W in the cooling water tank 23, causing each molten filament within it to form random loops. These random loops intertwine three-dimensionally with adjacent random loops in a molten state, and in this three-dimensionally intertwined state, a three-dimensional fused filament body is formed in which the contact points of the filaments are fused together.

[0050] This filament three-dimensional fused body is transported by conveyors 24a, 24b and multiple transport rollers 25a to 25h while being cooled by water W in a cooling water tank 23. The filament three-dimensional fused body moves through the cooling water W and cools and solidifies, and the resulting filament three-dimensional bond 3DF is eventually discharged to the outside of the cooling water tank 23. In this way, a continuous filament three-dimensional bond 3DF is manufactured in the direction of transport. In this filament three-dimensional bond 3DF, the direction corresponding to the vertical direction at the position between the front and rear vertical planes 21b (i.e., the direction that coincides with the transport direction) is defined as the length direction, the direction corresponding to the front and rear direction at the position between the front and rear vertical planes 21b is defined as the thickness direction, and the direction corresponding to the left and right direction at the position between the front and rear vertical planes 21b is defined as the width direction.

[0051] The three-dimensional filament assembly 3DF manufactured by the manufacturing apparatus 1 is sequentially cut to match the size of the pillow cushion 100, and the individual three-dimensional filament assembly 3DF produced by this cutting process are used as the pillow cushion 100. In this embodiment, the length direction of the three-dimensional filament assembly 3DF corresponds to the left and right shoulder directions of the pillow cushion 100, the width direction of the three-dimensional filament assembly 3DF corresponds to the height direction of the pillow cushion 100, and the thickness direction of the three-dimensional filament assembly 3DF corresponds to the thickness direction of the pillow cushion 100.

[0052] Here, the conveying speed of the three-dimensional filament assembly 3DF by the conveyors 24a, 24b and multiple transport rollers 25a to 25h (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "conveyor transport speed") can be controlled by a controller CT provided in conjunction with the manufacturing apparatus 1. By changing the conveyor transport speed, it is possible to change the filament density of the three-dimensional filament assembly 3DF in the length direction (transport direction).

[0053] In other words, in the manufacturing apparatus 1, the supply amount of molten filament group MF discharged from the nozzle section 16 is basically constant, and the higher the conveyor transport speed, the lower the filament density of the three-dimensional fused filament body becomes, mainly in the part located above the water W in the cooling water tank 23 (the part located above the conveyors 24a and 24b). By utilizing this, it is possible to make any part of the three-dimensional filament bond 3DF in the longitudinal direction less resilient by the amount by which the filament density is reduced.

[0054] Conversely, the lower the conveyor speed, the higher the filament density of the three-dimensional filament fusion body, mainly in the portion located near the upper side of the water W in the cooling water tank 23. By utilizing this, it is possible to increase the repulsion of any point along the length of the three-dimensional filament assembly 3DF by the amount of increased filament density. In other words, by controlling the conveyor speed, it is possible to adjust the repulsion force characteristics of the three-dimensional filament assembly 3DF in the length direction.

[0055] Figures 10A(a) and (b) respectively show examples of how the controller CT controls the conveyor speed. In these graphs (and also in Figure 14B, which will be discussed later), the horizontal axis represents time and the vertical axis represents the conveyor speed.

[0056] Figure 10A shows a graph illustrating an example of forming a filament three-dimensional assembly 3DF used in the manufacture of multiple pillow cushions 100 (including pillow cushions A to C). The period from Ta1 to Ta5 corresponds to the period for adjusting the rebound force characteristics of pillow cushion A, the period from Tb1 to Tb5 corresponds to the period for adjusting the rebound force characteristics of pillow cushion B, and the period from Tc1 to Tc5 corresponds to the period for adjusting the rebound force characteristics of pillow cushion C.

[0057] In the example shown in Figure 10A(a), the conveyor speed is kept constant from Ta1 to Ta2, gradually increased from Ta2 to Ta3 so that the graph follows a curve, gradually decreased from Ta2 to Ta3 so that the graph follows a curve, and kept constant from Ta4 to Ta5. The period from Ta2 to Ta4 corresponds to the period for adjusting the rebound force characteristics of the occipital support region Xa. This makes it possible to form the filament three-dimensional assembly 3DF corresponding to the pillow cushion A.

[0058] Subsequently, the conveyor speed is kept constant from Tb1 to Tb2, gradually increased from Tb2 to Tb3 so that the graph follows a curve, gradually decreased from Tb2 to Tb3 so that the graph follows a curve, and kept constant from Tb4 to Tb5. The period from Tb2 to Tb4 corresponds to the period for adjusting the rebound force characteristics of the occipital support region Xa. This makes it possible to form the filament three-dimensional assembly 3DF corresponding to the pillow cushion B.

[0059] Furthermore, the conveyor speed is kept constant from Tc1 to Tc2, gradually increased from Tc2 to Tc3 so that the graph follows a curve, gradually decreased from Tc2 to Tc3 so that the graph follows a curve, and kept constant from Tc4 to Tc5. The period from Tc2 to Tc4 corresponds to the period for adjusting the rebound force characteristics of the occipital support region Xa. This makes it possible to form the filament three-dimensional composite 3DF corresponding to the pillow cushion C.

[0060] The graph shown in Figure 10A(b) shows a modified version of the conveyor speed control shown in Figure 10A(a). In the example shown in (a), the conveyor speed is controlled so that the graph changes in a curved manner during the periods from Ta2 to Ta4, Tb2 to Tb4, and Tc2 to Tc4. In the example shown in (b), the conveyor speed is controlled so that the graph changes in a broken line manner during each of these periods (the speed change is constant from one timing point to the next, as indicated by the dashed line).

[0061] The graph shown in Figure 10A(c) illustrates another variation of the conveyor speed control shown in Figure 10A(a). In the example shown in (a), the conveyor speed is controlled so that the graph changes in a curved pattern during the periods from Ta2 to Ta4, Tb2 to Tb4, and Tc2 to Tc4. In the example shown in (c), the conveyor speed is controlled so that it changes in a step-like pattern (the speed remains constant from one timing to the next, as indicated by the dashed line) during each of these periods. The choice of which control method to adopt from Figure 10A(a) to (c) can be determined, for example, according to the specifications of the manufacturing apparatus 1.

[0062] As described above, by controlling the conveyor speed to vary continuously or intermittently, it is possible to manufacture pillow cushions 100 with a filament density distribution as illustrated in Figure 2B. Furthermore, in order to manufacture pillow cushions 100 that are optimal for each individual user, the conveyor speed may be controlled using information such as the user's body shape. An example of the control system of the manufacturing apparatus 1 in this case is shown as a block diagram in Figure 10B.

[0063] In the example shown in Figure 10B, the controller CT receives the following information regarding the user's body shape: horizontal occipital shape information Y1, occipital position information Y2, and head weight information Y3. Horizontal occipital shape information Y1 is information about the shape of the occipital region (position of the occipital surface) in a horizontal plane passing near the apex of the occipital region of the user in a natural posture. Occipital position information Y2 is information about the distance from the wall to the occipital region of the user when the user is standing upright with their back against a vertical wall in a natural posture. Head weight information Y3 is information about the weight or volume from the chin to the top of the head.

[0064] Based on the information Y1 to Y3, the controller CT controls the conveyor speed to obtain a pillow cushion 100 that is as ideal as possible for a particular user. Specifically, the controller CT controls the conveyor speed to obtain a pillow cushion 100 that allows the user to lie on their back in as natural a posture as possible, where the occipital support area Xa in region V1 coincides as closely as possible with the area that actually supports the back of the head, and where the repulsive force received by the back of the head from each occipital support area Xa is as uniform as possible.

[0065] Furthermore, the above information Y1 to Y3 for each of the multiple users may be input to the controller CT, and the controller CT may control the conveyor speed based on the input information so that the most ideal pillow cushion 100 can be obtained for each of the multiple users in succession. In this way, multiple pillow cushions 100, each individually adjusted to have the optimal filament density distribution (i.e., rebound force distribution) for each of the multiple users, can be continuously manufactured using the same manufacturing apparatus 1.

[0066] As mentioned above, the nozzle section 16 used in this embodiment is adjusted so that the nozzle hole density changes according to the position in the left-right direction. By changing the nozzle hole density in this way, it is possible to change the filament density of the filament three-dimensional assembly 3DF in the width direction (the direction corresponding to the height direction of the pillow cushion 100).

[0067] This makes it possible to manufacture a pillow cushion 100 with a filament density distribution in region V1 as illustrated in Figure 2B by controlling the conveyor transport speed, and a filament density distribution in region V2 as illustrated in Figure 3B by adjusting the nozzle hole density. The nozzle hole density can be adjusted, for example, by replacing a nozzle unit 16 detachably installed in the manufacturing apparatus 1 with one having a different nozzle hole density, or by providing a shutter (opening and closing mechanism for nozzle holes 16h) for each nozzle hole 16h in the nozzle unit 16 and changing the degree to which the shutter is closed.

[0068] Furthermore, changing the nozzle hole density in a predetermined portion of the end face of the nozzle portion 16 can be achieved, for example, by changing the inner diameter of the nozzle holes 16h included in that portion, and / or by changing the number of nozzle holes 16h per unit area included in that portion. The higher the nozzle hole density, the more molten filament is discharged from that portion, so the filament density of the filament three-dimensional assembly 3DF at the position corresponding to the portion with increased nozzle hole density will increase accordingly. By utilizing this, by changing the nozzle hole density in the left-right direction of the nozzle portion 16, the filament density of the filament three-dimensional assembly 3DF can be changed in the direction corresponding to this left-right direction (width direction), thereby changing the repulsive force characteristics in the width direction.

[0069] Figure 11 is a graph showing an example of the distribution of nozzle hole density in the nozzle section 16. In Figure 11, the horizontal axis represents the left-right position of the nozzle section 16, and the vertical axis represents the nozzle hole density. In the example shown in this figure, the nozzle hole density in the nozzle section 16 is small in the center in the left-right direction, and gradually increases as it approaches the left and right ends from the center. By continuously or intermittently changing the nozzle hole density in the left-right direction, a pillow cushion 100 can be manufactured with a filament density distribution in region V2 as shown in Figure 3B.

[0070] When adjusting the nozzle hole density by changing the number of nozzle holes 16h per unit area, for example, setting it to 40 to 60 per 10 square centimeters in the central part of region V2 and 80 to 100 per 10 square centimeters at the left and right ends of region V2 will yield the filament density distribution shown in Figure 3B. Alternatively, when adjusting the nozzle hole density by changing the inner diameter of the nozzle holes 16h, for example, setting the inner diameter to 0.5 to 0.7 mm in the central part of region V2 and 0.8 mm to 1.0 mm at the left and right ends of region V2 will yield the filament density distribution shown in Figure 3B.

[0071] The nozzle pore density can be adjusted based on the vertical shape information of the occipital region, which is information about the shape of the occipital region (position of the occipital surface) in a vertical plane (a plane that divides the user into left and right halves) passing near the apex of the occipital region of the user in a natural position. This makes it possible to manufacture a pillow cushion that is suitable for the shape of the occipital region of the user. For example, based on the vertical shape information of the occipital region, the nozzle pore density can be adjusted so that the rebound force characteristics of region V2 are obtained so that the occipital region of the user can be supported with as uniform a rebound force as possible.

[0072] In this embodiment, the rebound force characteristics of the pillow cushion 100 are adjusted in both the left-right shoulder direction and the height direction. However, it is also possible to adjust only in the left-right shoulder direction and not in the height direction (i.e., keep the rebound force characteristics constant in the height direction). In this case, adjustment of the nozzle hole density is unnecessary, and the nozzle section 16 illustrated in Figure 8 can be used.

[0073] As described above, the pillow cushion 100 of this embodiment is a pillow cushion formed of a filament three-dimensional composite 3DF in which multiple filaments made of thermoplastic resin or the like are intertwined in three dimensions and the contact points between the filaments are fused together. Furthermore, in the pillow cushion 100, the filament density in the occipital support area is higher at both ends in the left and right shoulder directions than in the central part. As a result, the repulsive force of the pillow cushion 100 is less likely to concentrate near the top of the occipital region, making it easier for the user's head to be stabilized.

[0074] Furthermore, the filament density in the occipital support area of ​​the pillow cushion 100 gradually increases from the center toward both shoulders, and further increases from the center toward both ends in the height direction. This makes it easier to disperse the rebound force received by the occipital area, which has a roughly spherical curved shape.

[0075] Furthermore, the manufacturing method for the pillow cushion 100 includes a molten filament supply step of discharging a plurality of molten filaments made of thermoplastic resin or the like vertically downward from a plurality of nozzle holes 16h provided in a nozzle section 16; a three-dimensional filament fusion body formation step of forming a three-dimensional filament fusion body by intertwining the plurality of molten filaments in three dimensions and fusing the contact points between the molten filaments; and a three-dimensional filament bond formation step of transporting the three-dimensional filament fusion body and cooling and solidifying it by moving it through cooling water. The pillow cushion 100 is manufactured by cutting the three-dimensional filament bond 3DF formed in the three-dimensional filament bond formation step.

[0076] Furthermore, this manufacturing method involves aligning the left and right shoulder directions of the pillow cushion 100 with the direction of transport, and controlling the transport speed so that the filament density in the occipital support area of ​​the pillow cushion 100 gradually increases from the center toward both ends in the left and right shoulder directions. According to this manufacturing method, it is possible to easily manufacture pillow cushions 100 with filament density adjusted according to the position in the left and right shoulder directions.

[0077] Furthermore, as mentioned above, in the above manufacturing method for manufacturing a pillow cushion 100 to be used by a predetermined user, the conveying speed may be controlled so that the filament density in the occipital support area of ​​the pillow cushion 100 gradually increases from the center toward both ends in the left and right shoulder directions, based on the horizontal occipital shape information Y1 of the user. Based on the horizontal occipital shape information Y1, it becomes easy to manufacture a pillow cushion 100 that is suitable for the shape of the occipital head of a user in a sleeping position. For example, based on the horizontal occipital shape information Y1, it becomes easy to manufacture a pillow cushion 100 such that the repulsive force received by the user is kept as constant as possible at each position from near the center of the occipital support area toward both ends in the left and right shoulder directions.

[0078] Furthermore, as mentioned above, in the above manufacturing method for producing a pillow cushion 100 in which the filament density in the occipital support area gradually increases from the center toward both ends in the height direction, the nozzle hole density in the nozzle section 16 may be adjusted based on the vertical shape information of the user's occipital head so that the filament density in the occipital support area of ​​the pillow cushion 100 gradually increases from the center toward both ends in the height direction. Based on the vertical shape information of the occipital head, it becomes easy to manufacture a pillow cushion 100 that is suitable for the shape of the occipital head of a user in a sleeping position. For example, based on the vertical shape information of the occipital head, it becomes easy to manufacture a pillow cushion 100 such that the repulsive force received by the user is kept as constant as possible at each position from near the center of the occipital support area toward both ends in the height direction.

[0079] As mentioned above, in the above manufacturing method for producing the pillow cushion 100, the transport speed may be controlled based on the user's occipital position information Y2 and head weight information Y3. Based on this information Y2 and Y3, it becomes easy to manufacture a pillow cushion 100 in which the height of the apex of the occipital region of the user's head is optimal when the user is lying down. For example, based on this information Y2 and Y3, it becomes easy to manufacture a pillow cushion 100 so that the user is in as natural a posture as possible when lying on their back.

[0080] 2. Second Embodiment Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In describing the second embodiment, emphasis will be placed on explaining matters that differ from the first embodiment, and explanations of matters that are common to the first embodiment may be omitted.

[0081] The pillow cushion 200 according to the second embodiment is a cushion used as a pillow, similar to the pillow cushion 100 of the first embodiment, and is formed from a filament three-dimensional bond 3DF. The pillow cushion 200 is formed in the shape of a substantially rectangular parallelepiped, with both ends in the height direction, both ends in the left and right shoulder directions, and both ends in the thickness direction each having an outer surface.

[0082] Figure 12 shows a colored region (region V1) near a hypothetical plane S1 that divides the pillow cushion 200 into two equal parts in the height direction. The central part of region V1 in the direction of the left and right shoulders will support approximately the apex of the back of the head of a user in a supine sleeping position. In addition, a predetermined range extending from the central part of region V1 to both the left and right shoulders is the occipital support region.

[0083] The graph in Figure 13 shows the distribution of filament density of the pillow cushion 200 in region V1, with the horizontal axis representing the position in the left-right shoulder direction and the vertical axis representing the filament density in region V1.

[0084] In the pillow cushion 200, the filament density in the occipital support area is lowest in the center of region V1 and gradually increases from the center toward both ends. More specifically, as shown in the graph in Figure 13 for the left and right shoulder directions, in the occipital support area Xa of region V1, the filament density of the pillow cushion 200 is lowest Da1 in the center of the left and right shoulder direction and gradually increases from the center toward both ends toward the left and right shoulder directions.

[0085] The occipital support region Xa is the area between position Pa1, located a predetermined distance to the left shoulder from the center of the pillow cushion 200, and position Pa2, located the same distance to the right shoulder from the center. At both ends of the occipital support region Xa in the left and right shoulder directions, the filament density of the pillow cushion 200 is Da2.

[0086] In this embodiment, in the region from position Pa1 to the left shoulder end of the pillow cushion 200 (for convenience, referred to as the "left shoulder region"), the filament density is lowest near the center and gradually increases from the center towards both ends. Similarly, in the region from position Pa2 to the right shoulder end of the pillow cushion 200 (for convenience, referred to as the "right shoulder region"), the filament density is lowest near the center and gradually increases from the center towards both ends. At both ends of the left shoulder region and the right shoulder region, the filament density is Da2.

[0087] In the pillow cushion 200, as in the first embodiment, the filament density is adjusted in the occipital support region of region V1. As a result, in the region of the pillow that supports the user's occipital head when lying on their back, the repulsive force between the pillow cushion 200 and the occipital head is less likely to be high in the central part in the direction of the left and right shoulders, and less likely to decrease from the central part toward both ends in the direction of the left and right shoulders. Therefore, the pillow cushion 200 prevents the repulsive force received from the pillow from concentrating on a part of the occipital head, which can cause a feeling of pressure on the user, and prevents the head from swaying from side to side, which can cause the head angle to become unstable.

[0088] Furthermore, according to the pillow cushion 200, in the left shoulder-side and right shoulder-side-side regions of region V1, the filament density is lowest near the center and gradually increases from the center towards both ends. Therefore, even when the user turns over and assumes a side-lying sleeping position, the same principle as in the occipital support region prevents the rebound force from the pillow from concentrating on a part of the occipital head, which can cause pressure on the user, and prevents the head from swaying from side to side, which can cause instability in the head's angle.

[0089] Figure 14A shows a cross-sectional view of the pillow cushion 200 when it is cut along plane S1, supporting the temporal region and ear of a user in a side-lying position. In this figure, arrow Ps1 schematically represents the rebound force of the pillow cushion 200 in the central part of the area supporting the user, and arrow Pc1 schematically represents the rebound force of the pillow cushion 200 in the peripheral part of the area supporting the user. Thus, with the pillow cushion 200, even when the user is in a side-lying position, it is possible to prevent the rebound force Pc1 from becoming excessively high, as well as to prevent the rebound force Ps1 from becoming too low, thereby preventing the rebound force from concentrating in only a small part of the temporal region and making it easier to stabilize the user's head.

[0090] In this embodiment as well, it is possible to adjust the filament density of the pillow cushion 200 in the left and right shoulder directions by controlling the conveyor transport speed. Figure 14B shows an example of how the controller CT controls the conveyor transport speed.

[0091] Figure 14B shows a graph illustrating an example of forming a filament three-dimensional assembly 3DF used in the manufacture of multiple pillow cushions 200 (including pillow cushions A to C). The period from Ta1 to Ta5 corresponds to the period for adjusting the rebound force characteristics of pillow cushion A, the period from Tb1 to Tb5 corresponds to the period for adjusting the rebound force characteristics of pillow cushion B, and the period from Tc1 to Tc5 corresponds to the period for adjusting the rebound force characteristics of pillow cushion C.

[0092] The periods from Ta1 to Ta2, Tb1 to Tb2, and Tc1 to Tc2 each correspond to the periods for adjusting the rebound force characteristics of the left shoulder-facing region (or right shoulder-facing region) of each pillow cushion 200. The periods from Ta2 to Ta4, Tb2 to Tb4, and Tc2 to Tc4 each correspond to the periods for adjusting the rebound force characteristics of the occipital support region of each pillow cushion 200. Ta3, Tb3, and Tc3 correspond to the timing for adjusting the rebound force characteristics of the central part of the occipital support region. Furthermore, the periods from Ta4 to Ta5, Tb4 to Tb5, and Tc4 to Tc5 each correspond to the periods for adjusting the rebound force characteristics of the right shoulder-facing region (or left shoulder-facing region) of each pillow cushion 200.

[0093] 3. Third Embodiment Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. In describing the second embodiment, emphasis will be placed on explaining matters that differ from the first embodiment, and explanations of matters that are common to the first embodiment may be omitted.

[0094] Figure 15 is a perspective view of the pillow cushion 300 according to the third embodiment. The pillow cushion 300 is a cushion used as a pillow, and consists of a first pillow unit 301 and a second pillow unit 302, each formed from a filament three-dimensional bond 3DF, stacked in the thickness direction. The first pillow unit 301 and the second pillow unit 302 are formed to the same shape and size, and when stacked in the thickness direction, they form a cushion body of a suitable shape and size for use as a pillow, similar to the pillow cushion 100 of the first embodiment.

[0095] The first pillow unit 301 and the second pillow unit 302 can be used as an integrated pillow cushion 300 by housing them inside a pillow cover, but the first pillow unit 301 and the second pillow unit 302 may also be bonded or fused together to form the pillow cushion 300. Alternatively, the first pillow unit 301 and the second pillow unit 302 may be arranged in reverse (swapped) in the thickness direction. In this embodiment, the first pillow unit 301 and the second pillow unit 302 have a rectangular parallelepiped shape, but irregularities may be provided on the surface, or the side shape and plan shape may be an ellipse or other irregular shape, as long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired. The pillow cushion 300 is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape with both ends in the height direction, both ends in the left and right shoulder directions, and both ends in the thickness direction as outer surfaces.

[0096] The graph in Figure 16A shows the distribution of filament density of the first pillow unit 301 in a region (region V1) near a hypothetical plane S1 that divides the pillow cushion 300 into two equal parts in the height direction. The graph in Figure 16B shows the distribution of filament density of the first pillow unit 301 in a region (region V2) near a hypothetical plane S2 that divides the pillow cushion 300 into two equal parts in the left and right shoulder directions.

[0097] As shown in Figure 16A, the filament density of region V1 of the first pillow unit 301 gradually increases from the central position toward both the left and right shoulders in the occipital support region Xa. Furthermore, in the region from the left shoulder end Pa1 of the occipital support region Xa to the left shoulder end of the first pillow unit 301, the filament density of region V1 is lowest at the central position and gradually increases toward both the left and right shoulders from this position.

[0098] Furthermore, in the region from the right shoulder end Pa2 of the occipital support region Xa to the right shoulder end of the first pillow unit 301, the filament density of region V1 is lowest at the central position and gradually increases toward both the left and right shoulders from this position. As shown in Figure 16B, the filament density of region V2 of the first pillow unit 301 is constant from the vertex end to the foot end.

[0099] The graph in Figure 17A shows the distribution of filament density of the second pillow unit 302 in region V1. The graph in Figure 17B shows the distribution of filament density of the second pillow unit 302 in region V2.

[0100] As shown in Figure 17B, the filament density in region V2 of the second pillow unit 302 gradually increases from the central position toward both sides in the height direction in the occipital support region Xb. Furthermore, the filament density in region V2 gradually decreases from the vertex end Pb1 of the occipital support region Xb toward the vertex end of the second pillow unit 302.

[0101] Furthermore, the filament density in region V2 gradually decreases from the foot-side end Pb2 of the occipital support region Xb toward the foot-side end of the second pillow unit 302. As shown in Figure 17A, the filament density in region V1 of the second pillow unit 302 remains constant from the left shoulder-side end to the right shoulder-side end.

[0102] As described above, in this embodiment, the filament density in the occipital support region Xa of the first pillow unit 301 gradually increases from the center toward both ends in the direction of the left and right shoulders, and the filament density in the occipital support region Xb of the second pillow unit 302 gradually increases from the center toward both ends in the direction of height. The pillow cushion 300 is made by stacking the above-described pillow units 301 and 302 in the thickness direction, so that the effective filament density at each position on a plane perpendicular to the thickness direction is the average value of the filament densities of each pillow unit 301 and 302 at that position.

[0103] Therefore, the distribution of filament density in regions V1 and V2 of the pillow cushion 300 is as shown in Figures 18 and 19. The graph in Figure 18 shows the distribution of the effective filament density of the three-dimensional filament assembly 3DF of the pillow cushion 300 in region V1. The graph in Figure 19 shows the distribution of the effective filament density of the pillow cushion 300 in region V2. The rebound force received by the user from the pillow cushion 300 is lower where the effective filament density is low and higher where the effective filament density is high.

[0104] As described above, in the pillow cushion 300 of this embodiment, the first pillow unit 301 and the second pillow unit 302 are stacked in the thickness direction so that the filament density in the occipital support area gradually increases from the center to both ends in both the left / right shoulder direction and the height direction. Furthermore, each of the first pillow unit 301 and the second pillow unit 302 can be easily manufactured by adjusting only the filament density in either the left / right shoulder direction or the height direction.

[0105] For the first pillow unit 301, it is possible to manufacture it by setting the left and right shoulder directions to coincide with the length direction of the filament three-dimensional assembly 3DF, and controlling the conveyor transport speed so that the distribution of filament density in the left and right shoulder directions is as shown in Figure 16A. On the other hand, for the second pillow unit 302, it is possible to manufacture it by setting the height direction to coincide with the length direction of the filament three-dimensional assembly 3DF, and controlling the conveyor transport speed so that the distribution of filament density in the height direction is as shown in Figure 17B.

[0106] In this embodiment, the left and right shoulder directions of the first pillow unit 301 correspond to the length direction of the filament three-dimensional assembly 3DF, and the height direction of the first pillow unit 301 corresponds to the width direction of the filament three-dimensional assembly 3DF. On the other hand, the left and right shoulder directions of the second pillow unit 302 correspond to the width direction of the filament three-dimensional assembly 3DF, and the height direction of the second pillow unit 302 corresponds to the length direction of the filament three-dimensional assembly 3DF. In both cases when manufacturing the first pillow unit 301 and the second pillow unit 302, the nozzle hole density of the nozzle section 16 can be kept uniform, as illustrated in Figure 8.

[0107] 4. Fourth Embodiment Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described. In describing the fourth embodiment, emphasis will be placed on explaining matters that differ from the first embodiment, and explanations of matters that are common to the first embodiment may be omitted.

[0108] Figure 20 is a perspective view of a pillow cushion 400 according to the fourth embodiment. The pillow cushion 400 is a cushion used as a pillow, and is formed by an outer edge pillow unit 401 and a pillow core unit 402, which are formed by a filament three-dimensional assembly 3DF. The outer edge pillow unit 401 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a cavity that penetrates in the left and right shoulder directions, and the pillow core unit 402 is housed in the cavity of the outer edge pillow unit 401. In this embodiment, the outer edge shape of both bottom surfaces (end surfaces in the left and right shoulder directions) of the outer edge pillow unit 401 is a rectangle with rounded corners, and the shape of the pillow core unit 402 is a rectangular parallelepiped.

[0109] The filament density in the occipital support region of the outer edge pillow unit 401 is low in the central part and gradually increases from the central part toward both ends in the direction of the left and right shoulders. On the other hand, the filament density in the occipital support region of the pillow core unit 402 is low in the central part and gradually increases from the central part toward both ends in the direction of height.

[0110] When manufacturing the outer edge cushion unit 401 with the manufacturing apparatus 1, the nozzle part 116 illustrated in Figure 21 is used as the nozzle part 16, and the left and right shoulder directions of the outer edge cushion unit 401 are aligned with the length direction of the filament three-dimensional assembly 3DF. In the nozzle part 116, multiple nozzle holes 116h are provided at equal intervals within a roughly elliptical first area (within the area corresponding to the outer edge cushion unit 301), and no nozzle holes 116h are provided within the rectangular second area in the center (within the area corresponding to the cavity). By using the nozzle part 116, it is possible to easily manufacture a cylindrical (with a cavity) outer edge cushion unit 401.

[0111] Furthermore, when manufacturing the outer edge cushion unit 401 with the manufacturing apparatus 1, the receiving plate 21 can be the receiving plate 121 exemplified in the plan view of Figure 22. The receiving plate 121 is a metal plate having an inclined surface 121a that slopes downward toward the inside and a bent portion that includes a roughly elliptical cylindrical vertical surface 121b extending vertically downward from the lower end of the inclined surface 121a. The receiving plate 121 has rounded corners at the four corners when viewed from above on the inner edge of the inclined surface 121a, which makes it easy to make the outer edge shape of both bottom surfaces of the outer edge cushion unit 401 a rectangle with rounded corners.

[0112] Furthermore, it is possible to make the nozzle hole density uniform within the first area. When manufacturing the outer edge pillow unit 401, by controlling the conveyor transport speed in the same way as when manufacturing the first pillow unit 301 of the third embodiment, it is possible to make the filament density in the occipital support area of ​​the outer edge pillow unit 401 low in the center and gradually increase from the center toward both ends in the left and right shoulder directions.

[0113] For the pillow core unit 402, the height direction corresponds to the length direction of the filament three-dimensional assembly 3DF, and the left and right shoulder directions correspond to the width direction of the filament three-dimensional assembly 3DF. When manufacturing the pillow core unit 402, by controlling the conveyor transport speed in the same way as when manufacturing the second pillow unit 302 of the third embodiment, it is possible to make the filament density in the occipital support area of ​​the pillow core unit 402 low in the center and gradually increasing from the center toward both ends in the height direction.

[0114] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the configuration of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. In other words, the above embodiments should be considered to be illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The technical scope of the present invention is indicated not by the above description of embodiments, but by the claims, and should be understood to include all modifications that fall within the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims. [Industrial applicability]

[0115] This invention can be used for pillow cushions and methods for manufacturing the same. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0116] 1 Manufacturing equipment 10. Molten filament supply unit 11 Pressurized melting section 11a Cylinder 11b Cylinder outlet 12 Filament ejection section 12a Channel 13 Material input section 14 Screw 15 Screw motor 15a Screw Heater 16, 116 Nozzle section 16h, 116h nozzle holes 18 Die Heater 20 Fusion joint forming part 21, 121 Receiving plate 21a, 121a Slope 21b, 121b vertical plane 22 Cooling water supply device 23 Cooling water tank 24 Conveyor 25a~25h Conveyor rollers 100, 200, 300, 400 Pillow Cushions 301 First Pillow Unit 302 Second Pillow Unit 401 Outer edge pillow unit 402 Pillow core unit

Claims

1. A pillow cushion formed from a three-dimensional filament assembly in which multiple filaments made of thermoplastic resin or thermoplastic elastomer are intertwined in a three-dimensional manner, and the contact points between the filaments are fused together, The filament density in the occipital support region, including the central part in the direction of the left and right shoulders, is higher at both ends in the direction of the left and right shoulders than in the central part. The filament density in the left shoulder-side region, from the left shoulder-side end of the occipital support area to the left shoulder-side end of the pillow cushion, is higher at both ends in the left-right shoulder direction than in the central part. A pillow cushion characterized in that the filament density in the region closer to the right shoulder, from the left shoulder end of the occipital support area to the left shoulder end of the pillow cushion, is higher at both ends in the left-right shoulder direction than in the central part.

2. The filament density in the occipital support region gradually increases from the central part toward both ends towards the left and right shoulders. The filament density in the region near the left shoulder gradually increases from near the center towards both ends in the direction of the left and right shoulders. The pillow cushion according to claim 1, characterized in that the filament density in the region near the right shoulder gradually increases from near the center toward both ends in the direction of the left and right shoulders.

3. The pillow cushion according to claim 2, characterized in that the filament density in the occipital support area gradually increases from the central part toward both ends in the height direction.

4. A pillow cushion according to claim 3, formed by stacking multiple pillow units in the thickness direction, Each of the aforementioned multiple pillow units includes a first pillow unit and a second pillow unit, each formed from a three-dimensional filament assembly. The filament density in the occipital support region of the first pillow unit gradually increases from the central part toward both ends in the direction of the left and right shoulders. A pillow cushion characterized in that the filament density in the occipital support region of the second pillow unit gradually increases from the center toward both ends in the height direction.

5. A molten filament supply process in which multiple molten filaments made of thermoplastic resin or thermoplastic elastomer are discharged vertically downward from multiple nozzle holes provided in the nozzle section, A filament three-dimensional fused body formation step involves intertwining the plurality of molten filaments in three dimensions and fusing the contact points between the molten filaments to form a filament three-dimensional fused body, This includes a process of forming a three-dimensional filament bond by transporting the three-dimensional filament fused body and moving it through cooling water to cool and solidify it. A manufacturing method for producing a pillow cushion according to claim 2 or claim 3, comprising cutting the filament three-dimensional assembly formed by the filament three-dimensional assembly forming step, The left and right shoulder directions of the pillow cushion are aligned substantially with the direction of transport. A manufacturing method characterized by controlling the conveying speed such that the filament density in the occipital support region of the pillow cushion gradually increases from the center toward both ends in the direction of the left and right shoulders.

6. A manufacturing method according to claim 5 for manufacturing the pillow cushion to be used by a predetermined user, A manufacturing method characterized by controlling the conveying speed such that, based on the horizontal shape information of the user's occipital region, the filament density in the occipital region of the pillow cushion gradually increases from the center toward both ends in the direction of the left and right shoulders.

7. A manufacturing method according to claim 6 for producing the pillow cushion, wherein the filament density in the occipital support region gradually increases from the central part toward both ends in the height direction, A manufacturing method characterized by adjusting the nozzle hole density in the nozzle portion such that, based on the vertical shape information of the user's occipital region, the filament density in the occipital region of the pillow cushion gradually increases from the center toward both ends in the height direction.

8. The manufacturing method according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the transport speed is controlled based on the user's occipital position information and head weight information.

Images