JP2000004975A - Headrest manufacturing method - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Problem] To improve the binding force of a pad by a pad even when a highly recyclable material is used as a material of a pad integrally formed with a stay with a core. Can,
A wobble of a stay with a core can be reduced, and a method of manufacturing a headrest excellent in soft feeling and cushioning property is provided. The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a headrest (1A) having a stay (2) having legs (21) mounted on a backrest (50) of a seat (5) and a pad (4A) covering the stay (2), comprising a crimped fiber (30). A preforming step of integrally joining the mat-shaped integrated body 3A and the stay 2 to form a stay 2A with a core, and disposing the stay 2A with a core in the air-permeable molding die 8, The fibrous fiber 40 and the binder 41 are blown and filled, and the binder 40 is melted by heating to join the flocculent fibers 40 to each other and to bond the flocculent fiber 40 and the stay 2A with the core material, and to shape the cavity 80 of the mold 8. And a molding step.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a headrest which is used by being mounted on an upper part of a backrest of a vehicle or other seats.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, when manufacturing a headrest 1B shown in FIGS.
After sandwiching and attaching the resin-made plate-shaped core material 3c in a sandwich shape to form a stay 2B with a core material, the stay 2 with a core material is formed.
It is known that B is set in a molding die (not shown), a polyurethane foam stock solution is injected, foamed integrally with a stay 2B with a core material, and a pad 4B made of a polyurethane foam molded into a cavity is formed. Normally, the pad 4B
Is covered with a cover 43 for use.

[0003] Further, JP-A-60-126119 and JP-A-63-246221 disclose that a part of a stay is buried in a polyurethane foam or a polyurethane foam formed by integral foaming. It is disclosed to manufacture a headrest with a pad for fixed holding.

[0004]

The polyurethane foam and urethane foam forming the headrest pad are excellent in cushioning property and soft feeling when used, but are difficult to recycle into materials. In addition, harmful substances may be generated depending on the combustion temperature even if it is reused as a heat energy source.

Therefore, in order to meet the needs for improving the recyclability of products, the pad 4B made of polyurethane foam shown in FIGS. 12 and 13 is replaced with a reusable and highly recyclable material such as polyester fiber 4c. 4C (FIG. 14 and FIG. 1)
5) may be used around the resin plate-shaped core 3c of the stay 2B with the core.

[0006] However, the pad 4C surrounds the outer peripheral surface 300 of the core material 3c with the polyester fiber 4c,
Further, it is bonded to a part of the outer peripheral surface 300 with a binder, and the bonding area between the polyester fiber 4c and the outer peripheral surface 300 is small. For this reason, the headrest 1C is
When the binding force of the core material 3c due to
The bonding area between the pad 4C and the core material 3c is dissociated and the gap e
(See FIG. 15), and the wobble of the stay 2B with a core material is likely to occur.

The external force received by the headrest 1C may be, for example, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 of the embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings, in which the leg 11 of the stay 2 is inserted into the upper mounting hole 51 of the backrest 50 of the seat 5 of the vehicle. When the pad 4C in the high-temperature state is removed from the mold when it is repeatedly subjected to an impact during use or immediately after being formed into a cavity shape of a molding die (not shown) in the manufacturing process of the headrest 1C after being mounted. This is the case where the user accidentally touches another member.

Further, the headrest 1C has a resin pad-like core material 3c having a low elastic reaction force as a core, and a fiber pad 4C of a predetermined thickness is formed on the outer periphery thereof, so that a soft feeling is obtained. Although sufficient cushioning properties cannot be expected, a good feeling in use cannot be obtained. The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and even when a highly recyclable material is used as a material of a pad integrally formed with a cored stay, the pad is used to form a core material. An object of the present invention is to provide a method of manufacturing a headrest which can improve restraint force, reduce wobbling of a stay with a core, and have excellent softness and cushioning properties.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a headrest, comprising: a stay having legs mounted on an upper part of a backrest of a seat; and a pad for covering the stay. A preforming step of integrally forming a stay with a core by integrally joining the mat-shaped aggregate made of crimped fibers and the stay, and disposing the stay with the core in a breathable mold, Molding step of blowing and filling the fibrous fiber and the binder, heating and melting the binder to join the flocculent fibers together and the flocculent fiber and the stay with core, and to shape the cavity of the mold. , Comprising:

[0010]

According to the method of manufacturing a headrest, a material having high recyclability is obtained as a material of a pad integrally formed with a cored stay by sequentially performing a preforming step and a molding step. Even in the case of using a pad, it is possible to improve the binding force of the core material by the pad, reduce the wobble of the cored stay, and produce a headrest excellent in soft feeling and cushioning property.

That is, in the preforming step, a part of the stay is buried in a mat-like aggregate made of crimped fibers in a region inside the headrest, and a random structure is formed in a curled state. The crimped fibers are firmly bonded to a part of the stay, and the core material of the stay with the core material, which is bulky, has high elasticity and has a cushioning function, is provided, so that the cushioning property of the headrest can be improved.

Further, in the molding step, a pad which is formed so as to cover the core in a state where the cotton-like fibers are entangled with each other and is highly flexible is provided in a region outside the headrest. Can be improved. Further, a part of the cotton-like fibers forming the pad is filled in the gaps between the crimped fibers forming the random structure in the curled state, and is firmly bound by the binder in a state of being entangled with each crimped fiber. The core of the stay with the material and the pad are reliably integrated, the binding force of the core by the pad can be improved, and the wobble of the stay with the core can be reduced.

In the preforming step, various joining methods are conceivable in the case where the mat-like aggregate made of crimped fibers and the stay are integrally joined to form a stay with a core. For example, after the stay is embedded by inserting a part of the stay into the aggregate formed from the crimped fiber in advance, the crimped fiber is solidified, or the stay is formed by two aggregates formed from the crimped fiber. After embedding by sandwiching a part of it in a sandwich shape, solidifying the crimped fiber, or embedding part of the stay in the aggregate formed by spraying the crimped fiber on part of the stay, A stay with a core material can be formed by coagulating the compressed fiber.

[0014] In the preforming step, it is preferable that a large number of stays are continuously embedded at predetermined intervals in the integrated body. In this case, the integrated body in which a large number of stays are embedded is bonded to the stay as a core material along with the solidification of the crimped fiber, and then is a single body of a predetermined shape having a predetermined shape and size, each having one stay. By dividing into a plurality of stays, a large number of stays with a core material can be efficiently produced at once as an intermediate product.

The crimped fiber used in the preforming step is, for example, simultaneously extruding a molten material from a plurality of nozzles of a fiber manufacturing apparatus to continuously form a mat-shaped aggregate having a predetermined width and thickness. . As the fiber production device, a commonly used spinning device can be used. The crimped fiber is one in which the crimped fiberization conditions are variously set so that the desired degree of crimp and denier are obtained when the molten material is extruded from the nozzle, or the molten material is usually not crimped from the nozzle. After being extruded as a fiber, the fibers can be crimped and denier-adjusted to perform various settings such that the desired degree of crimp and denier are obtained.

As the material of the crimped fiber, polyester,
Polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), or the like can be used.
As the crimped fiber, a fiber obtained by crimping a long fiber (filament) or a short fiber (spool) can be used. As the crimped fiber, it is preferable to use a long fiber (filament), for example, since a mat-like aggregate is easily formed immediately after being produced.

The fineness of the long and short fibers to be crimped is preferably in the range of 200 to 430 denier. The reason is that if it is less than 200 denier, the rigidity for restraining the stay is insufficient, and if it exceeds 430 denier, the rigidity is excessive and the soft feeling is insufficient. When short fibers are used as crimped fibers, the average fiber length is 40 mm to 12 mm.
One having a thickness of 0 mm can be used.

The stay is suspended by a predetermined length from the head and the head to be inserted into the mat-shaped aggregate made of the crimped fiber, and is inserted and mounted in the upper mounting hole of the backrest of the vehicle seat. With legs. As the stay, for example, a metal pipe or a metal rod processed into a predetermined shape or a resin having a melting point higher than the melting point of the binder [glass fiber reinforced nylon (PA66-G) or the like] is used. Can be used.

In order to enlarge a region integrally connected to the integrated body and obtain a more stable connection state,
For example, a substantially inverted convex shape, a substantially horizontal elliptical shape, a substantially horizontal rectangular shape,
It is preferably a spiral or the like. The cotton-like fibers and the binder used in the molding step are blown into the molding die together with air from a supply passage communicating with the air-permeable molding die (cavity space), and the gap between the molding die and the core material is formed. Is filled. The blown air is released from the inside of the mold to the outside.

The binder is made of a material whose melting point is lower than the melting points of crimped fibers and flocculent fibers. As the binder, a fibrous material that has been entangled with cotton fibers in advance, a powder material that has been attached to the cotton fibers, or a sheath (so-called core-sheath structure fiber) that covers the outer periphery of the cotton fibers in a tubular shape. What can be used.

The mixing ratio between the flocculent fiber and the binder is preferably 8: 2 to 6: 4 by weight.

[0022]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a headrest manufacturing method according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. The manufacturing method of the headrest of the embodiment (hereinafter referred to as manufacturing method)
As shown in FIG. 1, the headrest 1A shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 is manufactured by sequentially performing an inserting step, a fixing step, a dividing step, and a molding step as a preforming step.

The headrest 1A is a stay 2A with a core.
And the pad 4A. The stay 2A with a core material has a substantially inverted convex head 20 that is manufactured in advance by bending a metal pipe, and a head 2 that hangs by a predetermined length from the head 20.
It consists of a leg 12 of a book. The head 20 of the stay 2 is inserted into a stack 31 in which a predetermined amount of crimped fibers 30 are stacked,
It is combined with the core material 3a obtained by solidifying the integrated body 31 in the buried state.

When the headrest 1A is used, the two legs 12 of the stay 2 are inserted and mounted in the upper mounting holes 51 of the backrest 50 of the vehicle seat 5 shown in FIGS. The core 3b embeds a part of the head 20 and the leg 12 of the stay 2 (a boundary region between the head 20 and the leg 12) inside a predetermined integrated body in which the crimped fibers 3 are entangled, and It becomes a core of the pad 4A that firmly restrains and covers the core material 3b with a predetermined thickness.

The pad 4A functions as a cushion body that abuts and supports a human head sitting on a seat when the headrest 1A is used. The pad 43 of the obtained headrest 1A is covered with a cover 43 (see a chain line in FIGS. 8 and 9) as necessary. Hereinafter, the headrest 1A
The manufacturing process will be described.

(Insertion Step) In the insertion step, a high-melting polyester (having a melting point of 200 ° C. or more) is charged into the fiber manufacturing apparatus 6 as a material, and after being melted, extruded from a plurality of nozzles 60 to form crimped fibers. . In this case, the plurality of nozzles 6
The condition for extruding from 0 to crimped fiber is set so that when cooled and solidified in the fixing step, it becomes about 200 denier (a value generally called extra-thick).

The crimped fiber (crimped filament) 30 extruded from the plurality of nozzles 60 is
And is transported along the longitudinal direction P by a transport belt (not shown), and is formed as a random-structured aggregate 3A having a predetermined width W and thickness t in a curled state. The stack 3A is conveyed by the conveying belt and reaches the forced cooling water tank 7 on both sides Y, Y
The heads 20 of the plurality of stays 2 are simultaneously inserted with a predetermined interval S1 in a well-balanced manner.

In this case, the stay 2 pivots 90 degrees (see a chain line arrow in FIG. 1) while the leg portion 12 is gripped by a gripping tool of an insertion device (not shown), and the head 20 of the stay 2 is stacked 3A.
At the center of the thickness t along the longitudinal direction P.
As described above, when the stay 2 is inserted while turning it by 90 degrees, the moving space of the gripping instrument of the insertion device is small.

When the head 20 of the stay 2 is inserted into the side surface Y of the stack 3A, it is not limited to turning as described above.
Can be inserted linearly from the vertical direction. (Fixing step) The heads 2 of the plurality of stays 2 in the inserting step
The stack 3A into which 0 is inserted is immersed in the water 70 of the forced cooling water tank 7 for about 15 (seconds) while moving along the longitudinal direction P.

Then, the extra-thin crimped fibers 30 which form the aggregate 3A having a random structure in a curled state are cooled and solidified by immersion, are firmly bonded to the heads 20 of the stays 2 and are bulky. It is formed as a core material 3B which is rich in elasticity and has a cushion function. By the cushioning function of the core material 3B, the cushioning property of the manufactured headrest 1A can be improved.

(Division step) In the division step, the core material 3B integrally connecting the heads 20 of the large number of stays 2 is separated by a not-shown division device at the positions of the vertical division line Y1 and the horizontal division line Y2 orthogonal to each other. It is possible to efficiently produce a large number of stays 2A with a core, which are divided into a large number of divided bodies.

(Mold Forming Step) In the mold forming step, a forming die 8 shown in FIG. 2 is used. The molding die 8 has air permeability that allows the passage of air but does not allow the passage of fibers due to the micro holes (not shown). When the mold is closed, the pad 4A of the headrest 1A is closed.
A cavity space 80 having the same external shape as that shown in FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 is formed inside.

The molding die 8 includes a first fixed die 8a held at a fixed position by a holding member (not shown) and a second fixed die 8a on the depth side in FIG.
The fixed mold 8b and a third fixed mold on the front side in FIG. 2 (a symmetrical shape with the second fixed mold 8b, not shown for convenience, the same applies hereinafter)
And three movable dies connected to and held by the first fixed die 8a, the second fixed die 8b, and the third fixed die so as to be able to open and close the mold, that is, the first movable mold 8
c, a second movable mold 8d and a third movable mold 8e.

When the mold 8 is closed, the cavity space 80 is filled with the mold surface 80a of the first fixed mold 8a.
The mold surface 80b of the second fixed mold 8b, the mold surface of the third fixed mold (not shown), the mold surface 80c of the first movable mold 8c, the mold surface 80d of the second movable mold 8d, and the mold surface 80d of the third movable mold 8e. And formed. The first fixed die 8a and the first movable die 8c each have an opening / closing member (not shown) capable of controlling the ventilation amount on the outer peripheral portion.

In the molding step subsequent to the dividing step,
As shown in FIG. 2, the first movable mold 8 is
c, the second movable mold 8d and the third movable mold 8e are operated to open the mold, and then, as shown in FIG.
The core material 3B of A is disposed in the cavity space 80 except for the tip portion 210 of the leg portion 21, and the third movable die 61c
The first movable die 8c and the second movable die 8d other than the above are brought into the mold closed state.

In this molding step, the first movable die 8
a, when the second movable mold 8b is in the mold closed state, a state is shown in which only the stay 2A with a core is set in the cavity space 80, but the present invention is not limited to this.
As shown in FIG. 4, a cover 43 made of a gas-permeable material is arranged along the mold surface 81, and a stay 2A with a core is arranged inside 430 of the cover 43.

In this case, the cover 43, the pad 4A,
Since the stay 2A with the core material can be connected at the same time,
The pad 4A does not need to be covered with the cover 43. On the other hand, a feed passage 84 (see FIG. 5) for feeding the fiber with the binder is connected to the cavity space 80 in the above state.
The binder-attached fibers 4e are blown from the feed passage 84 at a predetermined pressure by a feed device (not shown). The fiber 4e with a binder is obtained by previously adhering a fibrous binder 41 made of a low melting point polyester having a melting point of 100 ° C to 160 ° C to a cotton-like fiber 40 made of a high melting point polyester having a melting point of 200 ° C or more. .

Then, as shown in FIG. 5, the fiber with binder 4e blown into the cavity space 80 is filled inside and outside the core material 3B (see FIG. 3). That is, the fibers 4e with the binder are filled in the gaps 30e between the crimped fibers 30 forming the core material 3B inside the core material 3B, and the mold surfaces 80a to 80d other than the third movable mold 8e and the core material 3e
B is substantially filled in the cavity space 80.

Next, the feed passage 84 is separated from the molding die 8, and the third movable die 8e is closed as shown in FIG. 6, and the leg 21 of the stay 2A with a core is inserted into the insertion hole 81e.
Is inserted and positioned. After this, the first fixed mold 8
a is opened to allow air to flow between the first movable mold 8a and the first movable mold 8c, and hot air at 180 ° C. is ventilated from the first fixed mold 8a to the first movable mold 8c for 1 minute (indicated by the two-dot broken line in FIG. 6). (See arrow)
And heat the inside.

Then, the binder 41 (see FIG. 5) of the fiber 4e with the binder is melted and the cotton-like fibers 40 are joined together, while the crimped fibers 30 and the cotton-like fibers 40 forming the core material 30B are joined together. And the headrest 1 having the pad 4A in which the flocculent fiber 40 is shaped into a cavity.
A (see FIGS. 6, 8, and 9). Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 7, the first movable die 8c, the second movable die 8d, and the third movable die 8e are opened, and the headrest 1A is taken out of the cavity space 80 to the outside of the molding die 8.

In the headrest 1A, the cover 4 (see FIGS. 8 and 9) is covered on the pad 4A,
As shown in FIG. 1, the leg 11 of the stay 2 is inserted into the upper mounting hole 51 of the backrest 50 of the seat 5 of the vehicle, and is used. According to the headrest manufacturing method of the embodiment, the pad 4 formed integrally with the cored stay 2A by sequentially performing the insertion step and the molding step.
Even when high-melting polyester having high recyclability is used as the material of A, the binding force of the core material 3B by the pad 4A can be improved, the wobble of the cored stay 2A can be reduced, and the soft feeling and cushioning property can be obtained. It is possible to manufacture the headrest 1 having excellent performance.

That is, in the insertion step, the headrest 1
3A made of crimped fiber 30 in the area inside
The crimped fibers 3 which coagulate in a state where the head 20 of the stay 2 is embedded and form a random structure in a curled state are firmly bonded to the head 20 of the stay 2 and have a bulky, elastic and cushioning function. Since the core material 3B of the stay 2A with the core material is provided, the cushioning property of the headrest 1 can be improved.

Further, in the molding step, the headrest 1
Since the pad 4A which is formed so as to cover the core material 3B in a state where the cotton-like fibers 40 are entangled with each other and which is rich in flexibility is provided in a region which is outside, the softness of the headrest 1 can be improved. Further, a part of the cotton-like fibers 40 forming the pad 4A is filled in the gaps 30e between the crimped fibers 30 forming the random structure in the curled state, and the binder 41 (FIG. ), The core material 3B of the stay 2A with a core material and the pad 4A are surely integrated, and the core material 3B
Can be improved, and wobble of the stay 2A with a core can be reduced.

[0044]

According to the headrest manufacturing method of the present invention, the preforming step and the molding step are performed in order, so that the material of the pad integrally formed with the cored stay can be recycled. Even when a high material is used, it is possible to improve the binding force of the core by the pad, reduce the wobbling of the stay with the core, and produce a headrest excellent in softness and cushioning.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a process diagram sequentially showing each process of a method for manufacturing a headrest in an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a side view showing a mold opening state of a molding die used in a molding step in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing a partially closed state in which a stay with a core material obtained in a previous step (dividing step) is arranged inside a molding die (cavity space) in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a side view showing a modified example of the embodiment corresponding to FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a side view showing a state in which cotton-like fibers and a binder are blown and filled in a molding step.

FIG. 6: In the molding process, after the cotton-like fibers and the binder are blown and filled, the entire mold is closed, and a high-temperature gas is passed through the inside of the mold to be heated to melt the binder, and the cotton-like fibers to each other and the cotton-like fibers. The side view which shows the state which joins the stay with a core material, and shapes it into a cavity shape.

FIG. 7 is a side view showing a mold opening state of a mold after a mold forming step.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing the inside of a headrest manufactured by the manufacturing method of the embodiment at a partially different position.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is an exemplary perspective view showing a state in which the headrest manufactured by the manufacturing method according to the embodiment is mounted on a seat;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a state where the headrest manufactured by the manufacturing method of the embodiment is mounted on a seat.

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of a headrest having a urethane foam pad manufactured by a conventional manufacturing method.

FIG. 13 is a sectional view taken along line A1-A1 in FIG.

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of a headrest having a pad made of flocculent fiber manufactured by a conventional manufacturing method.

15 is a sectional view taken along line A2-A2 in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

1A Headrest 2 Stay 20 Head 21 Leg 2A Stay with core 3A Mat-shaped stack 3B Core
Reference numeral 30: crimped fiber 4A: pad 40: flocculent fiber 41: fibrous binder 43: cover

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A method of manufacturing a headrest having a stay having legs mounted on an upper part of a backrest of a seat, and a pad covering the stay, comprising: a mat-shaped aggregate made of crimped fiber; And a preforming step of integrally forming a stay with a core material, placing the stay with a core material in an air-permeable mold, blowing and filling cotton-like fibers and a binder, and heating the binder. And fusing the cotton-like fibers to each other, and joining the cotton-like fibers to the stay with a core, and shaping the mold into a cavity shape of the mold.