Filter structure

Abstract

A filter structure (10) comprises: a filter body (11) made up of fibers; and an adhesive layer (12) laid on one surface of the filter body (11). The adhesive layer (12) has an adhesive missing part (12d) at least at a corner part of the filter body (11).

Description

Filter Structure

[0001] The present invention relates to a filter structure that is attached to a range hood or the like to prevent the adhesion of dirt.

[0002] Range hoods installed above ranges in system kitchens and the like for ventilation are prone to grease buildup during cooking, and cleaning the openings and interior of the range hoods is particularly time-consuming, so various attempts have been made to prevent grease buildup. One such attempt, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, is a filter structure in which an adhesive layer is laminated on one side of a filter body made of breathable nonwoven fabric or the like, and the filter is attached to the range hood by adhering the adhesive layer.

[0003] With this configuration, the filter body of the filter structure attached to the range hood captures oil stains, etc., making it easy to prevent the range hood from getting dirty. In addition, the filter structure can be easily attached to and detached from the range hood by simply attaching and peeling off the adhesive layer.

[0004] Recently, one type of system kitchen has become popular: an open kitchen (counter kitchen). Open kitchens have no partition between the kitchen and the living / dining room, and they give a more open and pleasant impression than traditional closed kitchens that face a wall.

[0005] In order to improve ventilation efficiency, the range hoods attached to such open kitchens are often larger than those in conventional closed kitchens, which inevitably means that the filter structures attached to the range hoods are also larger in size.

[0006] JP 2017-15297 A

[0007] In this case, the weight of the filter structure increases, but although the filter can usually be attached without peeling using only the adhesive layer, if the surface of the range hood to which it is to be attached is dirty with oil or other contaminants, the adhesive strength of the adhesive layer may not be fully exerted due to the oil or other contaminants. For this reason, a method is also used in which, as an attachment aid, hook-and-loop fasteners (e.g., male fasteners) are attached to the corners of the outer frame of the range hood opening, and the hook-and-loop fasteners are entangled (engaged) with the fibers of the nonwoven fabric or other material that constitutes the filter body, thereby improving the attachment strength of the filter structure to the range hood by using the adhesive layer and the attachment aid in combination.

[0008] However, if the adhesive layer of the filter structure is also laminated on the corners of the filter body and is in a position where it overlaps with the hook-and-loop fastener attached to the range hood, the adhesive layer may get in the way and prevent the hook-and-loop fastener from properly entangling (engaging) with the fibers of the filter body, which raises concerns that the hook-and-loop fastener may not be able to fully improve or assist the attachment strength of the filter structure to the range hood.

[0009] The above problem also applies to closed kitchens where the range hood is large, which increases the weight of the filter structure and requires the assistance of hook-and-loop fasteners.It also applies equally to filter structures attached to vents, air purifiers, air conditioners, etc., where the dimensions of the object to which they are attached are large and require the assistance of hook-and-loop fasteners.

[0010] Therefore, the problem to be solved by the present invention is to increase the effectiveness of a filter structure, which has an adhesive layer laminated on one side of the filter body and is attached to an object by the adhesive force of the adhesive layer, in assisting the attachment strength to the object by using an attachment aid such as a hook-and-loop fastener.

[0011] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the filter structure comprises a filter body made of fibers and an adhesive layer laminated on at least one side of the filter body, and the adhesive layer is configured to have adhesive-free portions at least at the corners of the filter body.

[0012] For example, if the filter body is a breathable sheet-like filter body made of fibers such as nonwoven fabric, and a hook-and-loop fastener is used as an attachment aid, the hook-and-loop fastener is typically attached to the corners of the range hood opening frame beforehand to strengthen the attachment to the attachment object, such as a range hood, and the filter structure is sized and shaped to fit the range hood opening frame. In this case, with the above configuration, when the filter structure is attached to the attachment object, the missing adhesive in the adhesive layer matches the attachment position of the hook-and-loop fastener. In the missing adhesive areas, the filter body is exposed, with no adhesive on the filter body, and its fibers are likely to become entangled with the hook-and-loop fastener. Therefore, the filter structure is secured to the attachment object not only by the adhesive layer but also by the engagement between the filter body and the hook-and-loop fastener.

[0013] Therefore, when attaching the filter structure to the object to which it is to be attached, the attachment assistance provided by the attachment aid is not hindered, improving the attachment strength to the object to which it is to be attached. Since there is no adhesive layer facing the hook-and-loop fastener, the engagement between the hook-and-loop fastener and the filter body is not hindered. In other words, since the positions of the adhesive and the attachment aid do not overlap when attaching the filter structure, the adhesive layer and the attachment aid can maximize their respective attachment strengths.

[0014] When the attachment target is a large item, such as a range hood for an open kitchen, four hook-and-loop fasteners are attached to each of the four corners of the range hood's opening frame. The hook-and-loop fasteners on both ends of one edge of the range hood's opening frame (usually the edge closest to the hood) are first engaged with the edge of the filter body exposed in the missing adhesive, creating a so-called temporary fixation. The filter structure is then attached to the other side of the range hood opening frame, either by aligning it with the frame or by slightly stretching the filter body. Having missing adhesive at least at the corners of the filter body ensures that the hook-and-loop fasteners' assistance in attachment is not impeded. This ensures reliable attachment of the filter structure in the temporary fixation state, improving the subsequent workability of attaching the filter structure to the other side of the range hood opening frame.

[0015] Even in the aforementioned temporarily fixed state, one side of the filter structure may be attached to one side of the range hood opening outer frame while slightly stretching and holding both ends of one side of the range hood opening outer frame with fingers. In such cases, because the adhesive layer has a greater recovery elasticity than the filter body, the stretched adhesive layer of the filter body tends to return to its original state even after being stretched and attached to the object to be attached (this is called "recovery shrinkage" of the adhesive layer). As a result, the part of the filter body where the adhesive layer is laminated tends to shrink. This shrinkage can cause wrinkles in the filter body or make it more likely to peel off from the range hood. However, because the filter structure of the present invention does not have an adhesive layer at the corners, these parts are less likely to shrink or recover even when stretched or deformed to fit the shape of the object to be attached. Generally, if a part or corner of a filter structure peels off and becomes raised, the peeling will spread from that point, accelerating the filter structure falling off. However, the configuration of the present invention prevents such a situation and suppresses peeling of the filter structure.

[0016] In the filter structure according to the present invention, it is preferable that the missing portion of the adhesive is rectangular.

[0017] Generally, range hood openings are rectangular and the outer frame of the opening is also a similar rectangular shape with a width of about 1 cm to 10 cm, so the hook-and-loop fastener is often made rectangular in size and shape so that it does not protrude beyond the width of the outer frame. Therefore, with this configuration, it is easy to match the shape of the hook-and-loop fastener, overlapping between the hook-and-loop fastener and the adhesive layer is suppressed, and the effectiveness of the hook-and-loop fastener in assisting installation is further ensured.

[0018] In the filter structure according to the present invention, it is preferable to adopt a configuration further including a release film laminated so as to cover the adhesive layer.

[0019] This configuration prevents the filter structure from unintentionally sticking to an article. Because there are missing areas of adhesive at the corners of the filter structure, the release film is not in contact with the adhesive layer at these corners, making it easier to peel the release film from the filter structure at the start of use.

[0020] In the filter structure of the invention, the filter body is rectangular, the adhesive layer is made up of a plurality of identical unit adhesive portions arranged in parallel in the shape of strips in a direction corresponding to the width direction of the object to which the filter body is attached, the filter body has first separation portions where there is no adhesive layer between adjacent unit adhesive portions of the adhesive layer, and the filter body can be cut at these separation portions, and it is preferable to adopt a configuration in which there are also missing portions of adhesive at the corners of the unit adhesive portions.

[0021] This configuration improves convenience by allowing the filter structure to be cut between the adhesive units with scissors or other cutting tools to adjust the size of the attachment target to fit various widths, ensuring precise application. For example, if the attachment target is a range hood, which has openings of various widths (90 cm, 75 cm, and 60 cm), and the filter structure is approximately 90 cm wide and each adhesive strip is 15 cm wide, cutting one adhesive strip will result in a filter structure with a width of approximately 75 cm, which is suitable for a 75 cm wide range hood. Similarly, cutting two adhesive strips will result in a filter structure with a width of approximately 60 cm, which is suitable for a 60 cm wide range hood.

[0022] The filter body also has a first separation section between adjacent strip-shaped unit adhesive sections where there is no adhesive layer or adhesive, and this section is the cutting section. Because there is no adhesive in the separation section, which is the cutting section, the adhesive will not adhere to cutting tools such as scissors. Furthermore, by having adhesive-free sections at the corners of the unit adhesive sections, even when the filter structure is cut in the width direction, adhesive-free sections will appear at the corners of the filter body of the cut filter structure, allowing the hook-and-loop fastener to effectively supplement the attachment strength.

[0023] Furthermore, whether the filter structure is cut to fit the dimensions of the object to which it is to be attached or not, when the filter body of the filter structure includes multiple parallel strip-shaped adhesive units, the adhesive missing portions are not only at the corners of the adhesive units but also in the middle of one side (or intermediate portion) of the filter body, which also achieves the following effect. As mentioned above, even in the temporary fixing state, one side of the filter structure may be attached to one side of the range hood opening outer frame by holding both ends of one side of the range hood opening outer frame with your fingers and stretching it slightly. In such cases, because the adhesive layer has a greater recovery elasticity than the filter body, the stretched adhesive layer will return to its original state (recovery contraction of the adhesive layer) even after being stretched and attached to the object to which it is to be attached, and the portion of the filter body where the adhesive layer is laminated will also be prone to shrinking due to this recovery contraction. However, in the present invention, a missing portion is also provided in the middle part of one side of the filter body, making this missing portion less susceptible to recovery shrinkage due to the adhesive layer.Even if the filter structure is stretched or deformed to fit the shape of the object to which it is attached, the filter body in the missing portion is less likely to shrink or recover, making it possible to more reliably prevent the filter structure from peeling off or falling off due to recovery shrinkage of the adhesive layer.

[0024] In the filter structure of the invention, it is preferable that each unit adhesive portion of the adhesive layer is composed of parallel U-shaped portions made of adhesive in a direction corresponding to the depth direction of the object to which the filter body is attached, and that the filter body has a second separation portion between adjacent U-shaped portions where there is no adhesive layer, and is cuttable at the second separation portion.

[0025] This configuration improves convenience by allowing the filter structure to be cut between the adhesive portions with scissors or other cutting tools to adjust the size to fit the attachment target, ensuring precise application to various depths. For example, if the attachment target is a range hood, which comes in various widths (84 cm, 75 cm, and 64 cm), and the depth (depth length) of the filter structure is approximately 84 cm, and the depth of the first U-shaped adhesive portion is set to approximately 9 cm and the depth of the second U-shaped portion is set to approximately 11 cm, then cutting down to the adhesive portion of the first U-shaped portion will result in the filter structure's depth being approximately 75 cm, making it suitable for a 75 cm deep range hood. Similarly, cutting down to the adhesive portion of the second U-shaped portion will result in the filter structure's depth being approximately 64 cm, making it suitable for a 64 cm deep range hood.

[0026] The filter body also has a second separation portion between adjacent U-shaped portions where there is no adhesive layer, and this portion is where the filter body is cut. Because there is no adhesive at the cutting portion, the adhesive will not adhere to cutting tools such as scissors. The U-shaped portion is an adhesive layer formed in a U-shape by forming adhesive on three sides of the imaginary quadrangle (virtual quadrangle) formed by the U-shaped portion and not on the remaining side. Because there is no adhesive on the inside of the U-shaped portion (the side of the virtual quadrangle that does not have adhesive), the extensibility of the filter body is not restricted on that adhesive-free side, and the filter body can be stretched and deformed to fit the shape of the object when attached, improving workability.

[0027] In the filter structure according to the present invention, it is preferable to adopt a configuration in which the corners of the U-shaped portion have portions where the adhesive is missing.

[0028] By configuring it in this way, even if the filter structure is cut between the U-shaped portions to adjust the depth dimension, missing areas of adhesive will appear at the corners, so the hook-and-loop fastener can effectively supplement the attachment strength.

[0029] In the filter structure of the invention, a configuration can be adopted in which the inside of the U-shaped portion of the unit adhesive portion has a decorative portion made of adhesive that can be seen as a pattern that appears when dirt adheres to the filter body.

[0030] When configured in this manner, when the filter structure is attached to the object to be attached, the adhesive of the decorative part also contributes to the attachment of the filter body, and after oil stains adhere to the filter body, the decorative part can be seen to stand out as a white raised pattern, and can also function as a pattern indicating when it is time to replace it.

[0031] In the filter structure of the invention, the filter body may be in the form of a sheet made of fibers, and may be attached to the corners of an object to be attached, and may further include a hook-and-loop fastener in which the fibers of the filter body can become entangled.

[0032] By including the hook-and-loop fastener in the set in this way, there is no need to prepare a separate hook-and-loop fastener, which improves convenience and also ensures that the auxiliary effect of increasing the attachment strength of the filter structure can be achieved.

[0033] In the filter structure of the present invention, it is preferable that the object to be attached is a range hood of an open kitchen, and that the filter structure be configured to be attached to the range hood of an open kitchen.

[0034] When configured in this manner, the range hoods in open kitchens are generally large in size, which increases the weight of the filter structure, but in such filter structures the effect of the missing adhesive portions can be particularly effective.

[0035] In the filter structure of the present invention, it is preferable that the filter body is rectangular, the length in the depth direction of the range hood is 60 cm to 85 cm, and the length in the width direction of the range hood is 60 cm to 95 cm.

[0036] This configuration allows a single filter structure to be sized to fit comfortably over the opening of a typical open kitchen range hood. If the depth and width of the filter body are less than 60 cm, the filter body will be too small compared to the typical dimensions of an open kitchen range hood, and a single filter structure may not be able to fully cover the range hood opening. If the depth and width of the filter body are more than 85 cm and more than 95 cm, the filter body will be too large compared to the typical dimensions of an open kitchen range hood, and may be difficult to handle as a single filter structure and difficult to install by one person.

[0037] In the filter structure of the present invention, it is preferable that the missing portion of the adhesive layer is rectangular, and that the length in the depth direction of the range hood is 3 mm to 10 mm and the length in the width direction of the range hood is 10 mm to 20 mm.

[0038] With this configuration, the adhesive-free portion does not overlap with the hook-and-loop fastener, which is an attachment aid attached to the corner of the outer frame of the opening of the range hood, and the adhesive layer and the hook-and-loop fastener can be shaped and sized to maximize their respective attachment strengths. If the depth direction length of the adhesive-free portion is less than 3 mm and the width direction length is less than 10 mm, it is smaller than the general dimensions of a hook-and-loop fastener that can be attached to the corner of the outer frame of the opening of the range hood, and the adhesive portion may partially overlap the hook-and-loop fastener, which may not fully enhance the attachment strength of the hook-and-loop fastener. If the depth direction length of the adhesive-free portion is more than 10 mm and the width direction length is more than 20 mm, it is too large compared to the general dimensions of a hook-and-loop fastener that can be attached to the corner of the outer frame of the opening of the range hood, and even if the attachment strength of the hook-and-loop fastener is enhanced, the attachment strength of the adhesive layer itself may be reduced as a result of the missing portion being too large.

[0039] The filter structure according to the present invention is configured as described above, and therefore it is possible to improve the effectiveness of the hook-and-loop fastener in assisting the attachment strength to the attachment object.

[0040] A perspective view showing the filter structure attached to a range hood. A plan view of the filter structure. An enlarged plan view showing missing adhesive areas in the filter structure. An enlarged plan view showing the positional relationship between missing adhesive areas in the filter structure and the hook-and-loop fastener. A perspective view showing the filter structure in the middle of being attached to a range hood. A perspective view showing the filter structure in the middle of being attached to a range hood. A perspective view showing the filter structure in the middle of being attached to a range hood. An enlarged plan view of a main part showing another example of a filter structure.

[0041] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The filter structure 10 of the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 3A and 3B is attached to a range hood R of an open kitchen (more specifically, to the outer frame of an opening that is a ventilation opening formed in the range hood R) as shown in Figures 4 to 5B, and prevents the range hood R from becoming soiled with oily smoke, oil droplets, etc.

[0042] 1 to 3A and 3B, the filter structure 10 of the embodiment is rectangular in plan view and has a three-layer structure in the thickness direction, comprising a filter body 11, an adhesive layer 12, and a release film 13. Note that the release film 13 is transparent, so the adhesive layer 12 is visible through it in FIGS. 2, 3A, and 3B. In FIG. 1, the release film 13 has been peeled off from the filter structure 10 and the filter structure is attached to a range hood R. When in use, the filter structure is attached so that the adhesive layer 12 faces the range hood R and the filter body 11 faces the opposite side (the range side in an open kitchen) as shown in FIG. 1.

[0043] Although the length and width of the filter structure 10 are not particularly limited, examples of filter structures 10 that match the dimensions of a typical open kitchen range hood R include a depth of 60 cm to 85 cm and a width of 60 cm to 95 cm. If the dimensions are too large, handling may be inconvenient and it may be difficult for a single person to install the filter structure 10 on the range hood R. If the dimensions are too small, exposed areas may be left on the range hood R, making it impossible to sufficiently prevent contamination with a single filter structure 10.

[0044] The filter body 11 shown in Figures 1 to 3A and 3B is a flexible sheet made of fibers. The filter body 11 is breathable and traps oily contaminants such as greasy smoke as they pass through the filter body 11. The material of the filter body 11 is not particularly limited, and examples include woven fabric and nonwoven fabric. However, nonwoven fabric is preferred due to its excellent dirt trapping performance and cost. The material of the nonwoven fabric is not particularly limited, and examples include well-known synthetic and natural fibers such as polyester fibers such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyamide fibers, polyolefin fibers such as polypropylene, and acrylic fibers including modacrylic. However, for filters attached to range hoods R, polyester nonwoven fabric is preferred due to its excellent oil trapping performance and low manufacturing cost. Furthermore, to impart flame retardancy to the nonwoven fabric, a flame retardant may be incorporated into the fibers or applied to the surface of the nonwoven fabric. The manufacturing method of the nonwoven fabric is also not particularly limited, and examples include thermal bonding, chemical bonding, and spunbonding.

[0045] The thickness of the filter body 11 is not particularly limited, but is preferably in the range of 0.5 to 30 mm, and more preferably in the range of 1 to 20 mm. The basis weight is also not particularly limited, but is preferably in the range of 20 g / m ２ to 400 g / m ２ and a more preferable range is 30 g / m ２ to 300 g / m ２Within these ranges, the filter body 11 has an excellent ability to capture oily and dusty dirt, and does not adversely affect the ventilation performance of the range hood R.

[0046] The adhesive layer 12 shown in Figures 2, 3A, and 3B is formed by laminating an adhesive layer arranged in a predetermined pattern in a plan view on the filter body 11. The adhesive forming the adhesive layer 12 is not particularly limited, and examples include two-component adhesives containing a base agent and a curing agent, such as two-component polyurethane adhesives, and hot-melt adhesives, such as acrylic hot-melt adhesives. If necessary, the adhesive may contain additives such as tackifiers to improve adhesion, UV absorbers, fillers, colorants, antioxidants, antifoaming agents, and light stabilizers, as well as various additives to suppress adhesive strength loss at low temperatures and adhesive residue. As shown in the figures, the adhesive layer 12 is formed by arranging identical strip-shaped unit adhesive portions 12a in parallel in a direction corresponding to the width direction of the range hood R. In the figures, the unit adhesive portions 12a are arranged in six parallel rows. Between adjacent unit adhesive portions 12a, there are first separation portions 12f where no adhesive is present, exposing the filter body 11. By cutting this first separation portion 12f with a cutting tool such as scissors in a direction corresponding to the depth direction of the range hood R, the adhesive does not adhere to the cutting tool and the width of the filter structure 10 can be adjusted to match the width of the range hood. Cutting can also be made easier by perforating or half-cutting the portion as appropriate. The width of the unit adhesive portion 12a is not particularly limited, but examples include 14 cm to 15 cm. If the width of the unit adhesive portion 12a is too wide, it becomes difficult to precisely adjust the width of the filter structure 10. If the width is too narrow, the proportion of the adhesive layer 12 in the filter body 10 will be too high, hindering the breathability of the filter body 11, which may result in a negative impact on the ventilation performance of the range hood R.

[0047] As shown in Figures 2, 3A, and 3B, each adhesive unit 12a is composed of a plurality of U-shaped portions 12b arranged in a direction corresponding to the depth direction of the range hood R. The U-shaped portions 12b are made of adhesive. In the figures, four U-shaped portions 12b are arranged in a row. The three U-shaped portions 12b at the back of the range hood R in the depth direction are oriented so that the U-shape opens toward the front, while the one at the front of the depth direction is inverted so that the U-shape opens toward the depth. The openings of the U-shaped portion 12b at the front of the depth direction and the U-shaped portion 12b one level behind it face each other. The three U-shaped portions 12b at the back of the range hood R in the depth direction have different depth lengths, with the rearmost U-shaped portion 12b having the shortest depth length and the frontmost U-shaped portion 12b having the longest depth length. Each of the four parallel U-shaped portions 12b, except for the middle U-shaped portion 12b among the three rearmost U-shaped portions 12b in the depth direction, has a triangular protrusion 12c that protrudes in the direction corresponding to the width of the range hood. The protrusions 12c between adjacent U-shaped portions 12b in the width direction butt against each other.

[0048] Between adjacent U-shaped portions 12b, no adhesive is present except at protrusions 12c, and the filter body 11 is exposed to form second separation portions 12g. By cutting this second separation portion 12g with a cutting tool such as scissors in a direction corresponding to the width of the range hood R, the width of the filter structure 10 can be adjusted to match the width of the range hood, with almost no adhesive adhering to the cutting tool. Note that cutting can be made easier by making perforations or half cuts in this portion as appropriate.

[0049] Adhesive-free portions 12d are formed at the corners (where the vertical and horizontal lines intersect) of each U-shaped portion 12b. As a result, when viewed as a whole, the adhesive layer 12 has its corners (four corners) also having adhesive-free portions 12d. Furthermore, when viewed as a whole, the unit adhesive portions 12a also have adhesive-free portions 12d at their corners (four corners). Therefore, when the filter structure 10 is used as a whole or when it is cut in the width or depth direction, adhesive-free portions 12d are always located at the four corners of the adhesive layer 12. Therefore, when hook-and-loop fasteners f are located at the four corners of the range hood R, adhesive-free portions 12d are located at the corresponding four corners of the filter structure 10, preventing the hook-and-loop fasteners f from overlapping with the adhesive of the adhesive layer when the filter structure 10 is attached to the range hood R.

[0050] As shown in the figure, the notch 12d is rectangular, longer in the direction corresponding to the width direction of the range hood R and shorter in the direction corresponding to the depth direction, and has a shape that roughly corresponds to the rectangular hook-and-loop fasteners f that are placed at the four corners of the range hood R. There are no particular limitations on the size of the notch 12d, but an example would be a length of 3 mm to 10 mm in the depth direction of the range hood R and a length of 10 mm to 20 mm in the width direction. If the notch 12d is too small, there is a risk that it will overlap with the hook-and-loop fasteners f, and if the notch 12d is too large, there is a risk that the adhesive strength of the entire adhesive layer 12 will be reduced.

[0051] Heart-shaped decorative portions 12e are formed scattered inside the U-shaped portions 12b. At the U-shaped portion 12b corresponding to the furthest depth of the range hood R, two heart-shaped decorative portions 12e are arranged side by side in the left-right direction of the range hood R, at the next U-shaped portion 12b, three are arranged in a triangular shape, at the next U-shaped portion 12b, three triangular decorative portions 12e are arranged in five rows in the depth direction for a total of 15, and at the U-shaped portion 12b corresponding to the foremost U-shaped portion 12b, the same groups are arranged in two rows in the depth direction for a total of six. The decorative portions 12e are made of the same adhesive as the adhesive layer 12, but may instead be formed by laminating a welding film. As a result, even after the filter body 11 of the filter structure 10 becomes stained with oil or dust and discolors to black or brown, the decorative portion 12e is not breathable and therefore less susceptible to oil or dust stains, resulting in the heart-shaped pattern appearing in the background, thereby functioning as a replacement indicator. The shape of the decorative portion 12e is not limited to a heart shape; it can be any shape that functions as a replacement indicator, such as a circle, clover, spade, diamond, or other polygonal shape or letter. Furthermore, the adhesive layer 12 itself functions as a replacement indicator, so the decorative portion 12e may be omitted. The color of the adhesive is not particularly limited, but a colorless and transparent adhesive is preferred because a pattern on the decorative portion 12e that is not visible before the filter structure 10 becomes soiled (i.e., before use of the filter structure 10) enhances the visual effect of the replacement indicator after use of the filter structure 10.

[0052] As with the missing portion 12d, the first separating portion 12f, and the second separating portion 12g, no adhesive is present inside the U-shaped portion 12b, except for the decorative portion 12e. In addition to impeding breathability in the areas where the adhesive layer 12 is laminated, the filter body 11 is also restrained by the adhesive, making it difficult to stretch or deform. In contrast, the absence of adhesive in areas other than the missing portion 12d and the decorative portion 12e inside the U-shaped portion 12b allows the filter body 11 to exhibit its inherent stretchability and deformability.

[0053] The type of adhesive constituting the adhesive layer 12 is not particularly limited, but as mentioned above, examples include urethane-based adhesives and acrylic-based adhesives. Preferably, the adhesive has excellent removability and is less likely to leave adhesive residue when peeled off. It is also preferable to impart flame retardancy to the adhesive by adding a flame-retardant component. In the present invention, a hot-melt adhesive such as an acrylic hot-melt adhesive is used. The area ratio of the adhesive layer 12 to the entire surface of the filter structure 10 is also not particularly limited, but is preferably 10% to 80%, and more preferably 20% to 60%. Within these ranges, it is possible to prevent insufficient adhesive strength due to an area ratio that is too small, or high cost due to an area ratio that is too large, or loss of breathability of the filter body 11. The coating amount (dry weight) of the adhesive layer 12 is also not particularly limited, but is preferably 5 g / m. ２ 50g / m or more ２ Examples include the following. Within these ranges, problems such as insufficient adhesive strength due to a thickness that is too small or excessively thick, resulting in adhesive layer residue upon peeling and increased costs, can be prevented. The method for forming the adhesive layer 12 is not particularly limited, but examples include pattern printing and spray coating. In the case of spray coating, fine adhesive dots can be used over the entire surface or desired areas of the filter body 11. Even in this case, providing missing portions 12d of the adhesive layer 12 at least at the corners of the filter body 11 prevents the adhesive from overlapping with the mounting aid during installation of the filter structure. Therefore, when installing the filter structure 10 to the range hood R, the installation aid provided by the hook-and-loop fastener f is not hindered, allowing the adhesive layer 12 and the hook-and-loop fastener f to maximize their respective mounting strengths.

[0054] The release film 13 shown in Figures 2, 3A, and 3B is made of a synthetic resin film, but may also be a film made of a sheet of paper with a release coating. The release film 13 protects the adhesive layer 12 of the filter structure 10 and prevents the adhesive layer 12 from unintentionally sticking to items or becoming dirty due to dust during distribution or packaging prior to use. The material of the release film is not particularly limited, and examples include polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, and polyethylene, but PET film, which is inexpensive and highly versatile, is preferred. The release film 13 may also be flame-retardant.

[0055] The thickness of the release film 13 is not particularly limited, but a preferred range is 10 μm to 75 μm, and a more preferred range is 12 μm to 25 μm. Within these ranges, problems such as the release film 13 being too thin and tearing, or being too thick and making it impossible to fold the filter structure 10 during packaging, do not occur. Furthermore, because there are missing portions 12d of adhesive at the corners of the filter structure 12, the release film 13 is not in contact with the adhesive layer 12 at these corners, and the filter body 11 and the release film 13 are not adhered to each other, which makes it easy to peel the release film 13 from the filter structure 10 at the start of use.

[0056] 2 , a slit 13a is formed in the release film 13, dividing the film into two in the depth direction of the range hood R. The slit 13a extends along a second separation portion 12g formed between the opposing openings of the U-shaped portion 12b closest to the front in the depth direction and the U-shaped portion 12b one position further back. When attaching the filter structure 10 to the range hood R, first, peel off only the release film 13 on the front side in the depth direction, and apply the adhesive layer 12 of the exposed portion to the range hood R by running your hand from the front side to the back, and then peel off the release film 13 on the back side in the depth direction, and apply the adhesive layer 12 of that portion to the range hood. This allows the filter structure 10 to be attached neatly in this order.

[0057] The configuration of the filter structure 10 of this embodiment is as described above, and next, a method of using the same will be described with reference to Figures 4 to 5B. First, as shown in Figure 4, before installing the filter structure 10, rectangular hook-and-loop fasteners f are attached to the four corners of the range hood R, and the release film 13 on the front side of the depth direction of the range hood R is peeled off, and the adhesive layer 12 on the front side is attached to the range hood R. Note that the range hood R shown in Figure 4 is a range hood with a straightening plate, and a straightening plate is installed on the inside side of the opening of the range hood R, but multiple hook-and-loop fasteners f may also be attached to this straightening plate in advance to assist with installation.

[0058] At this time, the presence of missing portions 12d in the adhesive layer 12 prevents the adhesive from overlapping the hook-and-loop fasteners f attached to the two front corners of the range hood R. The fibers of the filter body 11 exposed in these locations become entangled with the hook-and-loop fasteners f, and as a result, half of the filter structure 10 is supported on the range hood R by the adhesive force of the adhesive layer 12 as well as the engagement force between the hook-and-loop fasteners f and the filter body 11. As described above, because the adhesive and the hook-and-loop fasteners f are not in a position where they overlap, the adhesive does not interfere with the engagement of the hook-and-loop fasteners f with the filter body 11. As a result, the hook-and-loop fasteners f on both ends of one side of the outer frame of the opening of the range hood R and one side of the filter body 11 exposed in the missing portions of the adhesive layer 12 engage with each other, creating a temporary fixed state.

[0059] Next, the release film 13 on the rear side of the filter structure 10 in the depth direction of the range hood R is peeled off, and the adhesive layer 12 on that rear side is attached to the range hood R. During installation, the adhesive layer 12 is attached to the range hood R while aligning the filter structure 10 with the outer frame of the range hood R opening or while slightly pulling and stretching the filter body 11 toward the other side of the outer frame of the range hood R opening. At this time, since there are missing portions 12d of the adhesive layer 12 at least in the corners of the filter body 11, the attachment assistance provided by the hook-and-loop fastener f is not hindered, ensuring reliable attachment of the filter structure in a temporarily fixed state and improving the efficiency of the subsequent attachment of the filter structure toward the other side of the outer frame of the range hood opening.

[0060] Even in the temporarily fixed state described above, one side of the filter structure 10 may be attached to one side of the outer frame of the range hood R opening by slightly stretching and holding both ends of one side of the outer frame with fingers. In such cases, because the adhesive layer 12 has a greater restoring elasticity than the filter body 11, the portion of the filter body 11 where the adhesive layer 12 is laminated undergoes restoration contraction, as the stretched adhesive layer 12 attempts to return to its original state even after being stretched and attached to the range hood R. This restoration contraction also tends to cause the portion of the filter body 11 where the adhesive layer 12 is laminated to shrink. This shrinkage can cause wrinkles in the filter body 11, making it more likely to peel off from the range hood R. However, because the adhesive layer 12 is not present at the corners of the filter structure 10 of this embodiment, these corners are less likely to shrink or restore even when the filter body 11 is stretched or deformed to fit the shape of the opening of the range hood R. Furthermore, if a part or corner of the filter structure 10 peels off and becomes raised, the peeling will spread from that point, accelerating the filter structure 10 falling off, etc. However, by using a configuration such as that of the embodiment, such a situation can be prevented and peeling of the filter structure 10 can be suppressed.

[0061] Similarly, the presence of missing portions 12d in the adhesive layer 12 prevents the adhesive from overlapping with the hook-and-loop fasteners f attached to the two rear corners of the range hood R. The fibers of the filter body 11 exposed in these areas become entangled with the hook-and-loop fasteners f, and the remaining half of the filter structure 10 is also supported on the range hood R by the adhesive strength of the adhesive layer 12 as well as the engagement force between the hook-and-loop fasteners f and the filter body 11.

[0062] Because no adhesive is present inside the missing portions 12d and U-shaped portions 12b of the adhesive layer 12, the filter body 11 is not constrained by the adhesive and can easily stretch and deform. This allows the missing portions 12d to be stretched and deformed appropriately to fit the outer surface of the range hood R, improving the adhesion of the filter structure 10 to the range hood R. If the dimensions of the range hood R and the filter structure 10 do not match, the adhesive layer 12 is first cut between the unit adhesive portions 12a or between the U-shaped portions 12b to adjust the dimensions of the filter structure 10. In this case, too, the missing portions 12d are always located at the corners of the filter structure 10.

[0063] Over time, as dirt accumulates on the filter body 11 of the filter structure 10, the heart-shaped decorative portion 12e and the U-shaped portion 12b appear to be raised. This indicates when it is time to replace the filter structure 10. In this case, the filter structure 10 is peeled off from the range hood R, as shown in Figures 5A and 5B. Because the corners of the filter structure 10 have missing adhesive, it is easy to insert a finger, as shown in Figure 5B, and the peeling process can be easily performed.

[0064] The embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative in all respects and are not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the claims, and all modifications and alterations within the scope and equivalent meanings thereof are intended to be included.

[0065] In the embodiment, an open kitchen range hood is exemplified as an object to which the filter structure 10 can be attached, but this is not limited to this, and the filter structure 10 can also be configured to be attached to a closed kitchen range hood, vent, air purifier, air conditioner, etc.

[0066] The shape of the adhesive layer 12 is not limited to that of the embodiment as long as it has notches 12d at the corners, and for example, as shown in FIG. 6, the protrusions 12c may be omitted.

[0067] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 Filter structure 11 Filter body 12 Adhesive layer 12a Unit adhesive portion 12b U-shaped portion 12c Projection portion 12d Missing portion 12e Decorative portion 12f First separation portion 12g Second separation portion 13 Release film 13a Slit R Range hood f Hook-and-loop fastener

Claims

1. A filter structure that is attached to an object to be attached and prevents the adhesion of dirt to the object while ensuring the flow of gas between the inside and outside of the object, the filter structure comprising: a filter body made of fiber; and an adhesive layer laminated on at least one side of the filter body, the adhesive layer having adhesive-free portions at least at the corners of the filter body.

2. The filter structure according to claim 1, wherein the missing portion of the adhesive layer is rectangular.

3. The filter structure according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a release film laminated to cover the adhesive layer.

4. A filter structure according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the filter body is rectangular, the adhesive layer comprises a plurality of identical unit adhesive portions arranged in parallel in the shape of strips in a direction corresponding to the width direction of the object to which the filter body is attached, the filter body has first separation portions where no adhesive layer is present between adjacent unit adhesive portions of the adhesive layer and can be cut at the first separation portions, and the corners of the unit adhesive portions also have portions where the adhesive is missing.

5. A filter structure as described in claim 4, wherein each unit adhesive portion of the adhesive layer is formed by parallel U-shaped portions made of adhesive in a direction corresponding to the depth direction of the object to which the filter body is attached, and the filter body has second separation portions between adjacent U-shaped portions where there is no adhesive layer, and can be cut at the second separation portions.

6. A filter structure according to claim 5, wherein the corners of said U-shaped portion have missing portions of adhesive.

7. A filter structure as described in claim 5, wherein the unit adhesive part has a decorative part made of adhesive on the inside of the U-shaped part, which decorative part appears as a pattern after dirt adheres to the filter body and is visible.

8. A filter structure according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the filter body is in the form of a sheet made of fibers, and further comprises a hook-and-loop fastener that can be attached to the corners of the object to which it is attached and into which the fibers of the filter body can become entangled.

9. A filter structure for attachment to a range hood of an open kitchen according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the object to be attached is a range hood of an open kitchen.

10. A filter structure according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the filter body is rectangular, the length in the depth direction of the range hood is 60 cm to 85 cm, and the length in the width direction of the range hood is 60 cm to 95 cm.

11. A filter structure according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the missing portion of the adhesive layer is rectangular, the length in the depth direction of the range hood is 3 mm to 10 mm, and the length in the width direction of the range hood is 10 mm to 20 mm.

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