Cut surface smoothing apparatus, manufacturing system, cutting apparatus, and method for processing filament 3D assemblies

Abstract

Provided is a cut surface smoothing apparatus that can smoothen a cut surface of a three-dimensional filament bonded body. This cut surface smoothing apparatus has a high-temperature part which is heated to a temperature equal to or higher than the melting point of a three-dimensional filament bonded body, and smoothens a cut surface of the three-dimensional filament bonded body through abutting of the high-temperature part against the cut surface.

Description

【Technical Field】 【0001】 The present invention relates to a cut surface smoothing device for smoothing a cut surface of a filament three-dimensional aggregate, a manufacturing system using the same, a cutting device, and a method for processing a filament three-dimensional aggregate. 【Background Art】 【0002】 In recent years, as a highly resilient mattress with excellent breathability and easy to turn over, a filament three-dimensional aggregate (reticulated structure) obtained by three-dimensionally fusing and bonding filaments made of a thermoplastic resin has been attracting attention as a cushioning material. In addition, the application target of the filament three-dimensional aggregate is not limited to mattresses, and it can be applied to various products that require cushioning properties. 【0003】 Since the filament three-dimensional aggregate has good breathability and is also easy to wash with water, etc., it is also excellent in that it can be used cleanly. For example, Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 disclose a manufacturing apparatus and a manufacturing method for a filament three-dimensional aggregate. These documents show a manufacturing apparatus and a manufacturing method for continuously forming and discharging a filament three-dimensional aggregate, and a continuous filament three-dimensional aggregate discharged is sheared at a predetermined interval and applied to a mattress or the like. 【Prior Art Documents】 【Patent Documents】 【0004】 【Patent Document 1】 Japanese Patent No. 4966438 【Patent Document 2】 Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2019-131950 【Summary of the Invention】 【Problems to be Solved by the Invention】 【0005】 However, the filaments that make up the 3D filament assembly have a random loop shape. As a result, the cross-section of the 3D filament assembly is uneven, and when handling the 3D filament assembly, such as during the process of housing it in a cover body, there was a problem of injury or pain from touching the ends of the filaments that protruded from the uneven cross-section. 【0006】 Furthermore, even after the three-dimensional filament assembly was housed in the cover, especially when a mesh fabric cover was used, there was a risk that the ends of the filaments would protrude through the mesh, potentially hitting the user or snagging on carpets or futons during use, thereby damaging other items. 【0007】 In view of the above problems, the present invention aims to provide a cutting surface smoothing apparatus, a manufacturing system, a cutting apparatus, and a method for processing a filament three-dimensional assembly that can easily smooth the cut surface of the filament three-dimensional assembly. [Means for solving the problem] 【0008】 The cut surface smoothing apparatus according to the present invention has a high-temperature section that is heated to a temperature above the melting point of the three-dimensional filament assembly, and the cut surface is smoothed by applying the high-temperature section to the cut surface of the three-dimensional filament assembly. With this configuration, it is possible to easily smooth the cut surface of the three-dimensional filament assembly. 【0009】 More specifically, the above-described cut surface smoothing device smooths the cut surface of the three-dimensional filament assembly that is conveyed parallel to the cut surface, and the high-temperature part may be configured to rotate in the same direction as the conveying while contacting the cut surface. 【0010】 More specifically, the above configuration may be configured such that the high-temperature part is the outer surface of a belt that is stretched and supported by rollers arranged on the upstream and downstream sides of the conveying. More specifically, the above configuration may be configured such that the belt is heated by a heat source provided on the upstream roller, and cooling air is supplied between each roller on the inside of the belt. Even more specifically, the above configuration may be configured such that the outer surface of the belt is coated to make it easier for the cut surface to separate from the outer surface. 【0011】 More specifically, the above configuration may include the high-temperature section which is a wall surface, and a fixed vibration table which exposes the cut surface and fixes and supports the three-dimensional filament assembly, wherein the fixed vibration table is configured to smooth the cut surface by vibrating parallel to the cut surface while the cut surface is in contact with the wall surface. More specifically, the above configuration may include a configuration in which the wall surface is coated to suppress the adhesion of resin to the wall surface. 【0012】 More specifically, the above configuration may include a cutter that moves along the cutting surface of the three-dimensional filament assembly to cut the three-dimensional filament assembly, and a high-temperature section provided on the opposite side of the direction of movement of the cutter, which sequentially smooths the cut surfaces that are generated as the cutter cuts. 【0013】 The manufacturing system according to the present invention comprises a filament three-dimensional assembly manufacturing apparatus that continuously forms and discharges the filament three-dimensional assembly, a cutting apparatus that cuts the discharged filament three-dimensional assembly at predetermined intervals, and a cut surface smoothing apparatus having the above configuration that smooths the cut surface resulting from the cutting. 【0014】 The cutting apparatus according to the present invention has a high-temperature section that is heated to a temperature above the melting point of the three-dimensional filament bond, and the high-temperature section moves along the cutting surface of the three-dimensional filament bond, thereby melting and cutting the three-dimensional filament bond. 【0015】 The method for processing a filament three-dimensional aggregate according to the present invention includes a cutting step of cutting the filament three-dimensional aggregate, and a smoothing step of smoothing the cut surface of the filament three-dimensional aggregate generated by the cutting by applying an object having a temperature equal to or higher than the melting point of the filament three-dimensional aggregate to the cut surface. 【0016】 More specifically, as the above processing method, it may further include a cooling step of cooling the object applied to the cut surface to a temperature lower than the melting point, and an isolation step of separating the object from the cut surface after the execution of the cooling step. 【Effects of the Invention】 【0017】 According to the cut surface smoothing device, manufacturing system, cutting device, and method for processing a filament three-dimensional aggregate according to the present invention, it is possible to smooth the cut surface of the filament three-dimensional aggregate. 【Brief Description of the Drawings】 【0018】 [Figure 1] It is a configuration diagram of a manufacturing system for a filament three-dimensional aggregate according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] It is a configuration diagram regarding the cut surface smoothing device Xa. [Figure 3] It is an explanatory diagram regarding the cut surface FL1 before being smoothed. [Figure 4] It is an explanatory diagram regarding the cut surface FL1 after being smoothed. [Figure 5] It is a schematic configuration diagram of the roller 15 and its vicinity according to a modification example. [Figure 6] It is a schematic configuration diagram of the roller 15 and its vicinity according to another modification example. [Figure 7] It is a configuration diagram regarding the cut surface smoothing device Xb. [Figure 8] It is a configuration diagram of a manufacturing system for a filament three-dimensional aggregate according to the second embodiment. [Figure 9] It is a configuration diagram regarding the movable body 21. [Figure 10] It is an explanatory diagram of the state of cutting the filament three-dimensional conjugate by the movable body 21. [Figure 11] It is a configuration diagram regarding the movable body 22. [Figure 12] It is an explanatory diagram of the state of cutting the filament three-dimensional conjugate by the movable body 22. [Figure 13] It is a perspective view regarding the cut surface smoothing device Xc. [Figure 14] It is a configuration diagram from an upper viewpoint regarding the cut surface smoothing device Xc. [Figure 15] It is a cross-sectional view regarding the cut surface smoothing device Xc. [Figure 16] It is a configuration diagram from an upper viewpoint regarding the heating plate 31 according to the modified example. [Figure 17] It is a cross-sectional view regarding the heating plate 31 according to the modified example. 【Mode for Carrying Out the Invention】 【0019】 Hereinafter, each embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to each drawing. For convenience, the up, down, left, right, front, and rear directions (directions orthogonal to each other) in the following description are as shown in each drawing, and the up-down direction corresponds to the vertical direction. 【0020】 1. First Embodiment First, the first embodiment will be described. FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration diagram of a filament three-dimensional conjugate manufacturing system S1 according to the first embodiment. As shown in this figure, the manufacturing system 1 includes a filament three-dimensional conjugate manufacturing apparatus 12 (hereinafter, may be abbreviated as "manufacturing apparatus 12") that manufactures a filament three-dimensional conjugate FL, a cutting apparatus 13, a conveyor 14, a roller 15, and a heater 16. Note that mainly the conveyor 14, the roller 15, and the heater 16 constitute a cut surface smoothing device Xa that smooths the cut surface FL1 of the filament three-dimensional conjugate FL. 【0021】 The manufacturing apparatus 12 is a device that fuses filaments made of thermoplastic resin in a three-dimensional manner to continuously form and discharge three-dimensional filament assemblies FL. In the example shown in Figure 1, the manufacturing apparatus 12 discharges the three-dimensional filament assemblies FL from right to left. The basic configuration and operation of the three-dimensional filament assembly manufacturing apparatus are publicly known, as disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, so a detailed explanation is omitted here. 【0022】 The cutting device 13 is positioned near the location where a continuous filament three-dimensional assembly FL discharged from the manufacturing device 12 arrives, and cuts the filament three-dimensional assembly FL at predetermined intervals, for example, using a cutter. In the example shown in Figure 1, the cutter of the cutting device 13 moves back and forth along the cutting surface of the filament three-dimensional assembly FL (the surface indicated by the dashed arrow in Figure 1), and the continuous filament three-dimensional assembly FL is cut by the cutting device 13 such that a cut surface FL1 is produced that is perpendicular to the direction in which it is discharged (the direction indicated by the colored arrow in Figure 1). 【0023】 The conveyor 14 is positioned to transport the three-dimensional filament assembly FL, which has been cut by the cutting device 13, toward the roller 15. In the example shown in Figure 1, the cut three-dimensional filament assembly FL, which has two parallel left and right cut surfaces FL1, is transported by the conveyor 14 forward (in the direction indicated by the white arrow in Figure 1), parallel to the cut surfaces. 【0024】 The roller 15 is formed in a cylindrical shape with its axis oriented vertically, and plays the role of smoothing the cut surface of the three-dimensional filament assembly FL produced by cutting with the cutting device 13. The configuration and function of the roller 15 will be described below with reference to Figure 2. 【0025】 Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the cut surface smoothing device Xa. As shown in this figure, each roller 15 is provided on both the left and right sides of the conveyor 14, facing each other from left to right, and is rotatably mounted with its vertically extending central axis as the axis of rotation. The outer surface of one roller 15 is in contact with one cut surface FL1 of the filament 3D assembly FL being transported by the conveyor 14, and the outer surface of the other roller 15 is in contact with the other cut surface FL1. The distance between the outer surfaces of each roller 15 is set to be slightly less than the distance between the two cut surfaces FL1 of the filament 3D assembly FL. 【0026】 A heater 16 is positioned inside each roller 15 to heat the roller 15. The heater 16 is, for example, a halogen heater, and heats the roller 15 so that the temperature of at least the outer surface of the roller 15 is equal to or greater than the melting point of the filament three-dimensional bond FL. The specific form of the heater 16 is not particularly limited without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and may be, for example, one that outputs hot air or one that uses induction heating (IH). The heater 16 may also heat the roller 15 from the outside. 【0027】 As the three-dimensional filament assembly FL, transported by the conveyor 14, passes the position where it is sandwiched between each roller 15, each roller 15 rotates in the direction indicated by the dashed arrow in Figure 2 due to the force it receives from the cut surface FL1. That is, each roller 15 rotates in the same direction as the transport direction of the conveyor 14 (i.e., the direction of travel at the point of contact is the same) while contacting the cut surface FL1. Alternatively, a drive device such as a motor may be provided to rotate the rollers 15, and the drive device may be configured to rotate the rollers 15 in accordance with the transport speed of the three-dimensional filament assembly FL. 【0028】 Since the distance between the outer surfaces of each roller 15 is slightly less than the distance between the two cut surfaces FL1 of the three-dimensional filament assembly FL, each cut surface FL1 is slightly pressed by each roller 15 as it moves in the transport direction. At this time, the outer surfaces of each roller 15 are at a temperature above the melting point of the three-dimensional filament assembly FL, so each cut surface FL1 is smoothed. Once the entire three-dimensional filament assembly FL has passed the position where it is sandwiched between each roller 15, the entire cut surface FL1 is smoothed. In this way, it is possible to obtain a three-dimensional filament assembly FL with smoothed cut surfaces FL1 on both the left and right sides. 【0029】 Here, Figure 3 shows an example of the external appearance (photograph) of the cross-section FL1 before smoothing, and Figure 4 shows an example of the external appearance (photograph) of the cross-section FL1 after smoothing. In Figure 3, the view is from a direction roughly perpendicular to the cross-section FL1. In Figure 4, the left and right views are shown respectively, from slightly different directions. 【0030】 As shown in Figure 3, the cut surface FL1 before smoothing is noticeably uneven, and in particular, the loop shape of the filaments forming the three-dimensional filament assembly FL is cut by the cutter, resulting in scattered exposure of the filament ends. On the other hand, in the cut surface FL1 shown in Figure 4, the exposed filament ends are melted and then pressed by the roller 15, fusing with nearby filaments or deforming in the direction of pressure, resulting in a smoother surface compared to the cut surface FL1 shown in Figure 3. Furthermore, by pressing the cut surface FL1 with the rotating roller 15, the filament ends are pressed in a way that causes them to bend down, which is more efficient than, for example, if the cut surface FL1 were pressed straight in a direction perpendicular to the cut surface FL1 by a flat plate, resulting in smoothing. 【0031】 Although the three-dimensional filament assembly FL cut by the cutting device 13 is generally rectangular in shape, the manufacturing system S1 may be designed to have rounded corners or bevels at the corners of this rectangular shape. Figures 5 and 6 illustrate the approximate configuration of the roller 15 and its vicinity in such a manufacturing system S1, as seen from the front. In these figures, the approximate position of the outer edge of the three-dimensional filament assembly FL is indicated by a dashed line. 【0032】 In the manufacturing system S1 shown in Figure 5, the outer diameter of each roller 15 near the center in the vertical direction is the same as the outer diameter of each roller 15 shown in Figure 2, but the outer diameter gradually increases as you approach both ends in the vertical direction. As a result, in the left and right cross-sections FL1 of the filament three-dimensional assembly, the areas near both ends (i.e., the corners of the filament three-dimensional assembly FL) are pressed and deformed more strongly by the high-temperature roller 15, and as a result, it is possible to create rounded corners in the filament three-dimensional assembly FL. 【0033】 In the manufacturing system S1 shown in Figure 6, interference members 15x are positioned directly in front of the left and right rollers 15 so as to interfere with the four corner portions of the filament 3D assembly FL when viewed from the front. As a result, the vicinity of the corner portions of the left and right cut surfaces FL1 of the filament 3D assembly FL is pressed and deformed by the interference members 15x immediately after being heated by the rollers 15, making it possible to create bevels at the corner portions of the filament 3D assembly FL. 【0034】 Furthermore, in the manufacturing system S1, a different type of surface smoothing device may be used instead of the surface smoothing device Xa. An example of such a different type of surface smoothing device is described below, using the surface smoothing device Xb with the configuration shown in Figure 7. 【0035】 The cut surface smoothing device Xb comprises a conveyor 14, an upstream roller 15a, a downstream roller 15b, a heater 16a, a belt 17, and a coating roller 18. The configuration of the conveyor 14 is the same as that of the conveyor 14 in the cut surface smoothing device Xa. 【0036】 The upstream roller 15a is formed in a cylindrical shape with its axis oriented vertically, and the downstream roller 15b is formed in a cylindrical shape with its axis oriented vertically. These rollers 15a and 15b are provided on the left and right sides, respectively. Each upstream roller 15a is provided on both the left and right sides of the conveyor 14 so as to face each other from left to right, and is rotatably installed with its vertically extending central axis as the axis of rotation. Each downstream roller 15b is provided on both the left and right sides of the conveyor 14 so as to face each other from left to right on the front side of the upstream roller 15a (i.e., the downstream side in the conveying direction of the conveyor 14), and is rotatably installed with its vertically extending central axis as the axis of rotation. 【0037】 Belts 17 are provided on both the left and right sides. The left belt 17 is supported by the left upstream roller 15a and the left downstream roller 15b, and the right belt 17 is supported by the right upstream roller 15a and the right downstream roller 15b. The outer surface of one belt 17 is in contact with one of the cut surfaces FL1 of the filament three-dimensional assembly FL being transported by the conveyor 14, and the outer surface of the other belt 17 is in contact with the other cut surface FL1. The distance between the outer surfaces of each belt 17 is set to be slightly less than the distance between the two cut surfaces FL1 of the filament three-dimensional assembly FL. 【0038】 Inside each upstream roller 15a, a heater 16a is positioned to heat the belt 17 via the upstream roller 15a. The heater 16a is, for example, a halogen heater, and heats the belt 17 so that the temperature of at least the outer surface of the belt 17 is equal to or greater than the melting point of the filament three-dimensional bond FL. Within the scope of the present invention, the specific form of the heater 16a is not particularly limited, and for example, it may be one that outputs hot air or one that uses IH (Induction Heating). The heater 16a may also heat the belt 17 from the outside. 【0039】 The coating roller 18 is a roller used to perform a coating process (a process that makes it easier to separate the cut surface FL1 from the outer surface of the belt 17) by applying a release agent (e.g., silicone oil) to the outer surface of the belt 17. The cut surface smoothing device Xb is configured to perform the coating process using the coating roller 18. 【0040】 The coating roller 18 is formed in a cylindrical shape with its axis running vertically, and is rotatably installed on the left and right outer sides of each belt 17, with its central axis extending vertically as the axis of rotation. The coating roller 18 is continuously supplied with a release agent from a release agent supply device (not shown), and is formed to be impregnated with the supplied release agent. 【0041】 The outer surface of the left coating roller 18 contacts the left outer surface of the left belt 17, and the coating roller 18 rotates along with the rotation of the belt 17. As a result, the left coating roller 18 can continuously and evenly apply the release agent to the outer surface of the belt 17 with almost no friction between the left coating roller 18 and the left belt 17. 【0042】 The outer surface of the right-side coating roller 18 contacts the right-side outer surface of the right-side belt 17, and the coating roller 18 rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the belt 17. This allows the right-side coating roller 18 to continuously and evenly apply the release agent to the outer surface of the belt 17 with almost no friction with the right-side belt 17. The type of material applied to the outer surface of the belt 17 by the coating process is not particularly limited, as long as it makes it easier for the cut surface FL1 to separate from the outer surface. 【0043】 Furthermore, between the upstream roller 15a and the downstream roller 15b inside each of the left and right belts 17, cooling air (for example, room temperature air, or air cooled to below room temperature) is supplied from above by a blower (not shown), as indicated by the colored arrows in Figure 7. As a result, each part of the outer surface of the rotating belt 17 is heated to a temperature above the melting point of the filament three-dimensional assembly FL by the heater 16a, and then cooled to a temperature below that melting point by the cooling air. Thus, in the cut surface smoothing device Xb, the belt 17 is heated by the heater 16a (heat source) provided on the upstream roller 15a, and further cooled by the supply of cooling air between each of the rollers 15a and 15b inside the belt 17. 【0044】 As the three-dimensional filament assembly FL, transported by the conveyor 14, passes the position where it is sandwiched between each belt 17, each belt 17 rotates in the direction indicated by the dashed arrows in Figure 7, together with each roller 15a, 15b, due to the force received from the cut surface FL1. That is, each belt 17 rotates in the same direction as the transport direction of the conveyor 14 (i.e., the direction of travel at the point of contact is the same) while contacting the cut surface FL1. Alternatively, a drive device such as a motor may be provided to rotate each roller 15a, 15b, and the drive device may rotate each roller 15a, 15b in accordance with the transport speed of the three-dimensional filament assembly FL. 【0045】 Since the distance between the outer surfaces of each belt 17 is slightly smaller than the distance between the two cut surfaces FL1 of the three-dimensional filament assembly FL, each cut surface FL1 is slightly pressed by each belt 17 as it moves in the conveying direction. At this time, if we focus on any part Z of each cut surface FL1, this part Z first comes into contact with the rear part of the belt 17 (the part heated to a temperature above the melting point of the three-dimensional filament assembly FL by the heater 16a), and is smoothed in the same manner as in the case of the cut surface smoothing device Xa. 【0046】 As the three-dimensional filament assembly FL continues to be transported, the portion Z comes into contact with the vicinity of the center of the belt 17 in the front-to-back direction (the portion cooled to a temperature lower than the melting point of the three-dimensional filament assembly FL by the cooling air), and as it comes into contact with the planar outer surface of the belt 17, its temperature drops and it solidifies, stabilizing in a shape as close to a plane as possible. Further on, as the three-dimensional filament assembly FL continues to be transported, the portion Z separates from the belt 17. At this time, since a release agent is applied to the belt 17, it is possible to smoothly separate the portion Z from the belt 17. 【0047】 The manufacturing system S1 described above comprises a manufacturing apparatus 12 that continuously forms and discharges three-dimensional filament assemblies FL, a cutting apparatus 13 that cuts the discharged three-dimensional filament assemblies FL at predetermined intervals, and a cut surface smoothing apparatus Xa (or Xb) that smooths the cut surface FL1 resulting from the cutting. The cut surface smoothing apparatus Xa (or Xb) has a high-temperature section that is heated to a temperature above the melting point of the three-dimensional filament assemblies FL, and the cut surface FL1 is smoothed when this high-temperature section comes into contact with the cut surface FL1 of the three-dimensional filament assemblies FL. In the cut surface smoothing apparatus Xa, the high-temperature section corresponds to the outer surface of the roller 15, and in the cut surface smoothing apparatus Xb, the high-temperature section corresponds to the outer surface of the belt 17. 【0048】 Furthermore, the processing method for the filament 3D assembly FL performed by the manufacturing system S1 includes a cutting step of cutting the filament 3D assembly FL with a cutting device 13, and a smoothing step of smoothing the cut surface FL1 of the filament 3D assembly FL by applying an object (roller 15 or belt 17) at a temperature above the melting point of the filament 3D assembly FL to the cut surface FL1 resulting from the cutting. Moreover, the processing method when using the cut surface smoothing device Xb further includes a cooling step of cooling the object (belt 17) applied to the cut surface FL1 to a temperature lower than the melting point of the filament 3D assembly FL using cooling air, and an isolation step of separating the belt 17 from the cut surface FL1 after the cooling step has been performed. 【0049】 2. Second Embodiment Next, a second embodiment will be described. Figure 8 shows a schematic configuration diagram of the manufacturing system S2 for the filament three-dimensional assembly according to the second embodiment. As shown in this figure, the manufacturing system S2 includes a manufacturing apparatus 12 for manufacturing the filament three-dimensional assembly FL and a cutting apparatus 20. The manufacturing apparatus 12 in the second embodiment is the same as that in the first embodiment. 【0050】 The cutting device 20 is positioned near the arrival point of a continuous filament 3D assembly FL discharged from the manufacturing device 12, and cuts the filament 3D assembly FL at predetermined intervals. More specifically, the cutting device 20 has a movable body that moves in the front-rear direction along the cutting surface of the filament 3D assembly FL (the surface indicated by the dashed arrow in Figure 8). By moving this movable body, the continuous filament 3D assembly FL is cut such that a cutting surface perpendicular to the direction of discharge (the direction indicated by the colored arrow in Figure 8) is produced. Specific examples of this movable body, the movable body 21 shown in Figure 9 and the movable body 22 shown in Figure 11, will be described below. 【0051】 The movable body 21 shown in Figure 9 has a configuration in which a flat plate portion 21b, which is oriented horizontally and horizontally, is provided on the rear side of a blade portion 21a that extends vertically and has a sharp front edge. The movable body 21 is connected to a drive device (not shown) and is movable in the front-rear direction. The blade portion 21a is heated to a temperature above the melting point of the filament three-dimensional assembly FL, for example, using electricity. 【0052】 Figure 10 shows the process of moving the movable body 21 forward to cut the filament 3D assembly FL. As shown in this figure, when the movable body 21 is moved along the cutting surface of the filament 3D assembly FL, the heated blade portion 21a gradually cuts the filament 3D assembly FL while melting it. At this time, the flat plate portion 21b, which is positioned behind the blade portion 21a, is interposed between the cut parts of the filament 3D assembly FL, so that these parts do not come into contact with each other and fuse together. 【0053】 Furthermore, as the blade 21a gradually cuts the three-dimensional filament assembly FL while melting it, the filaments that appear on the cut surface are pressed against the blade 21a in a molten state. As a result, the three-dimensional filament assembly FL is cut by the blade 21a, and at the same time, the resulting cut surface is smoothed. 【0054】 The cutting device 20 having the movable body 21 has a blade portion 21a (high-temperature portion) that is heated to a temperature above the melting point of the three-dimensional filament assembly FL, and the blade portion 21a moves along the cutting surface of the three-dimensional filament assembly FL, thereby melting and cutting the three-dimensional filament assembly FL. The specific form of the blade portion 21a is not particularly limited without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and may be in the form of a wire, for example. 【0055】 The movable body 22 shown in Figure 11 has a configuration in which a flat plate portion 22b, which is oriented horizontally and horizontally, is provided on the rear side of a disc-shaped rotating blade portion 22a that rotates horizontally and horizontally. The movable body 22 is connected to a drive device (not shown) and is movable in the front-rear direction. The flat plate portion 22b is heated to a temperature above the melting point of the filament three-dimensional assembly FL, for example, using electricity. 【0056】 Figure 12 shows the movable body 22 being moved forward to cut the filament 3D assembly FL. As shown in this figure, when the movable body 22 is moved along the cutting surface of the filament 3D assembly FL, the rotating blade 22a, which rotates at high speed, gradually cuts the filament 3D assembly FL. The flat plate 22b, which is located behind the rotating blade 22a, comes into contact with both the left and right cut surfaces that are successively created by this cutting. As a result, the cut surfaces of the filament 3D assembly FL that are successively created by the cutting by the rotating blade 22a are pressed against the flat plate 22b in a molten state due to the heat of the flat plate 22b, and are smoothed. 【0057】 Furthermore, the movable body 22 shown in Figure 11 has a flat plate portion 22b (high-temperature portion) that is heated to a temperature above the melting point of the filament three-dimensional assembly FL, and can also be viewed as a cut surface smoothing device that smooths the cut surface FL1 of the filament three-dimensional assembly FL by having the flat plate portion 22b come into contact with the cut surface FL1 of the filament three-dimensional assembly FL. The cut surface smoothing device, which is the movable body 22, has a rotating blade portion 22a (cutter) that moves along the intended cutting surface of the filament three-dimensional assembly FL and cuts the filament three-dimensional assembly FL, and a flat plate portion 22b provided on the opposite side (rear side) of the direction of movement of the rotating blade portion 22b, which sequentially smooths the cut surface FL1 that is generated as it is cut by the rotating blade portion 22a. 【0058】 3. Third Embodiment Next, a cut surface smoothing device Xc according to the third embodiment will be described. The cut surface smoothing device Xc is a device for smoothing the cut surface of a rectangular parallelepiped three-dimensional filament assembly FL. Figure 13 is a schematic perspective view of the cut surface smoothing device Xc with the three-dimensional filament assembly FL set in place. Figure 14 is a configuration diagram of the cut surface smoothing device Xc from an overhead view, and Figure 15 is a cross-sectional view of the cut surface smoothing device Xc when cut along the AA plane shown in Figure 14. 【0059】 As shown in these figures, the cut surface smoothing device Xc comprises a heating plate 31 and a fixed vibration table 32. The heating plate 31 is formed in the shape of a plate with a wall surface 31b exposed downwards, and is provided with a plurality of heaters 31a (e.g., halogen heaters) inside. In this embodiment, an aluminum plate is used as the heating plate 31, and the wall surface 31b is coated with a fluororesin. The heaters 31a heat the heating plate 31 so that the wall surface 31b reaches a temperature above the melting point of the filament three-dimensional bond FL. 【0060】 The fixed vibration table 32 is formed to allow the filament 3D assembly FL to be fixedly supported with its cut surface exposed to the front. More specifically, the fixed vibration table 32 is formed to allow the rectangular parallelepiped-shaped filament 3D assembly FL, which has upper and lower, left and right, and front and rear faces, to be placed and set on it. It has walls that make surface contact with the lower, left, rear, and right faces of the set filament 3D assembly FL, and fixes and supports the filament 3D assembly FL. The fixed vibration table 32 does not have a wall that contacts the front of the set filament 3D assembly FL, and as shown in Figures 13 to 15, it is possible to allow the portion of the filament 3D assembly FL near its front end to protrude forward of the front end of the fixed vibration table 32. 【0061】 When using the cut surface smoothing device Xc, the heating plate 31 is heated by the heater 31a, and the filament three-dimensional assembly FL is set on the fixed vibration table 32 as shown in Figures 13 to 15. In the filament three-dimensional assembly FL shown in these figures, the cut surface faces forward, and the portion near the front end protrudes forward of the front end of the fixed vibration table 32. The cut surface is lightly pressed against the wall surface 31b of the heating plate 31. To easily achieve this state where the cut surface is lightly pressed against the wall surface 31b, the position of the heating plate 31 or the fixed vibration table 32 may be adjustable in the front-rear direction. 【0062】 With the three-dimensional filament assembly FL set on the fixed vibration table 32, the fixed vibration table 32 is made to vibrate in the left-right direction by operating, for example, a switch (not shown). In this way, the fixed vibration table 32 vibrates parallel to the cut surface of the three-dimensional filament assembly FL while it is pressed against the wall surface 31b, causing the molten filament exposed on the cut surface to be pressed against the wall surface 31b, and the cut surface to be smoothed. 【0063】 Furthermore, since the wall surface 31b is coated with a fluororesin, the adhesion of the molten filament resin to the wall surface 31b is suppressed. However, a coating other than fluororesin may be used as the coating applied to the wall surface 31b to suppress resin adhesion. 【0064】 Furthermore, the shape of the heating plate 31 may be set so that the edges of the cut surface of the filament 3D assembly FL are rounded. An example of such a heating plate 31 is shown in Figure 16 from an overhead view, and Figure 17 shows a cross-sectional view when cut along the BB plane shown in Figure 16. The dashed lines in these figures roughly indicate the position of the outer edge of the filament 3D assembly FL set on the fixed vibration table 32. 【0065】 In the heating plate 31 shown in these figures, the left end of the wall surface 31b is formed in a curved shape so that it gradually curves backward as it moves to the left, and the right end of the wall surface 31b is formed in a curved shape so that it gradually curves backward as it moves to the right. Furthermore, the upper end of the wall surface 31b is formed in a curved shape so that it gradually curves backward as it moves upward, and the lower end of the wall surface 31b is formed in a curved shape so that it gradually curves backward as it moves downward. This makes it possible to round the edges of the cross-section of the filament three-dimensional assembly FL. 【0066】 The above-described cut surface smoothing device Xc has a high-temperature section that is heated to a temperature above the melting point of the filament three-dimensional assembly FL, and smooths the cut surface FL1 of the filament three-dimensional assembly FL by contacting the cut surface FL1 of the filament three-dimensional assembly FL with the high-temperature section. More specifically, the cut surface smoothing device Xc has the high-temperature section which is the wall surface 31b of the heating plate 31, and a fixed vibrating table 32 that exposes the cut surface FL1 and fixes and supports the filament three-dimensional assembly FL, and the fixed vibrating table 32 smooths the cut surface FL1 by vibrating parallel to the cut surface FL1 while the cut surface FL1 is in contact with the wall surface 31b. 【0067】 4. Others The smoothing of the cut surface by the cut surface smoothing device according to the present invention can be performed at an appropriate timing considering various conditions, and the smoothing may be performed during the final finishing stage. For example, in the first embodiment, the cut surface is smoothed immediately after the filament 3D assembly FL is cut by the cutting device 13, but instead, other processes may be performed first after the cutting, and then the smoothing of the cut surface may be performed as the final finishing stage. 【0068】 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] 【0069】 This invention can be used in manufacturing systems for three-dimensional filament assemblies, and the like. [Explanation of symbols] 【0070】 12. Filament 3D assembly manufacturing apparatus 13 Cutting device 14 Conveyor 15 rollers 15a Upstream roller 15b Downstream roller 15x Interference members 16, 16a heater 17 belts 18. Coating roller 20 Cutting device 21, 22 Movable body 21a Blade part 21b Flat plate part 22a Rotating blade section 22b Flat plate part 31 Heating plate 31a Heater 31b Wall 32 Fixed shaking table FL filament 3D assembly Cross-section of a FL1 filament 3D assembly S1, S2 Manufacturing System Xa, Xb, Xc cross-section smoothing device

Claims

[Claim 1] It has a high-temperature section that is heated to a temperature above the melting point of the three-dimensional filament assembly, A cut surface smoothing device that smooths the cut surfaces by applying the high-temperature section to the left and right cut surfaces of the three-dimensional filament assembly, The three-dimensional filament assembly, which is transported parallel to the cut surface by a conveyor, is used to smooth the cut surface. The aforementioned high-temperature section is These are a pair of left and right rollers arranged to rotate in the same direction as the conveying while contacting the aforementioned cut surface. Each of the pair of left and right rollers is provided on both the left and right sides of the conveyor so as to face each other from left to right. A cut surface smoothing device characterized in that the outer surface of the left roller is in contact with the left cut surface of the three-dimensional filament assembly being transported by the conveyor, and the outer surface of the right roller is in contact with the right cut surface of the three-dimensional filament assembly. [Claim 2] Having a high-temperature section that is heated to a temperature above the melting point of the three-dimensional filament assembly, A cut surface smoothing device that smooths the cut surfaces by applying the high-temperature section to the left and right cut surfaces of the three-dimensional filament assembly, The three-dimensional filament assembly, which is transported parallel to the cut surface by a conveyor, is used to smooth the cut surface. The aforementioned high-temperature section is The outer surfaces of a pair of left and right belts arranged to rotate in the same direction as the conveying while contacting the aforementioned cut surface, Each of the pair of left and right belts is provided on both the left and right sides of the conveyor so as to face each other from left to right, and is supported by rollers positioned on the upstream and downstream sides of the conveying process, respectively. A cut surface smoothing apparatus characterized in that the outer surface of the left belt is in contact with the left cut surface of the three-dimensional filament assembly being transported by the conveyor, and the outer surface of the right belt is in contact with the right cut surface of the three-dimensional filament assembly. [Claim 3] Each of the pair of left and right belts is heated by a heat source provided on the upstream roller. The cut surface smoothing device according to claim 2, characterized in that cooling air is supplied between each of the rollers on the inside of each of the left and right pairs of belts. [Claim 4] The cut surface smoothing apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that a coating treatment is performed on the outer surfaces of each of the left and right pairs of belts to make it easier for the cut surface to separate from the outer surface. [Claim 5] It has a high-temperature section that is heated to a temperature above the melting point of the three-dimensional filament assembly, A cut surface smoothing device that smooths the cut surface by applying the high-temperature part to the cut surface of the three-dimensional filament assembly, The system includes a fixed vibration table that exposes the cut surface forward and securely supports the three-dimensional filament assembly, The high-temperature section is a member having a wall surface exposed to the rear, and is positioned on the front side of the fixed vibration table such that the wall surface contacts the cut surface. The aforementioned fixed vibration table is A cut surface smoothing device characterized by smoothing the cut surface by vibrating it parallel to the cut surface while bringing it into contact with the wall surface. [Claim 6] The cut surface smoothing apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that the wall surface is coated to suppress the adhesion of resin to the wall surface. [Claim 7] A filament three-dimensional assembly manufacturing apparatus that continuously forms and discharges the aforementioned filament three-dimensional assembly, A cutting device for cutting the discharged filament three-dimensional assembly at predetermined intervals, A manufacturing system comprising a cutting surface smoothing device according to claim 1 or claim 2 for smoothing the cutting surface produced by the cutting.

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