Plastic article or earthenware shaping or treating: apparatus – Means treating shaped work
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-07
2001-08-21
Nguyen, Nam (Department: 1722)
Plastic article or earthenware shaping or treating: apparatus
Means treating shaped work
C425SDIG001
Reexamination Certificate
active
06276921
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a crushing apparatus for a pad material, and more particularly to the crushing apparatus for a pad material, which can crush closed cells in the pad material under vacuum suction after molding of the pad material having the closed cells.
Hitherto a pad material of a vehicular seat or the like has been formed by foam-molding a synthetic resin such as polyurethane resin or the like. In case that this pad material has closed cells, an operation of crushing the closed cells in the pad material has been made in order to prevent a performance (such as resiliency or the like) of the pad material from lowering owing to contraction of volume of closed cells with temperature lowering. A variety of crushing apparatuses for crushing the closed cells in the pad material has been proposed and put into practical use. For example, with a crushing apparatus as shown in
FIG. 7A
, the pad material
1
′ of the vehicular seat or the like is inserted into between crushing rolls
3
,
3
disposed up and down, thereby crushing the closed cells in the pad material
1
′.
With another crushing apparatus as shown in
FIG. 7B
, the closed cells in the pad material
1
′ are crushed as follows: First, the pad material
1
′ is placed in a vacuum box
5
upon connecting a vacuum mechanism to a suction opening
6
formed at one side of the vacuum box
5
. Then, vacuum suction is made through this suction opening
6
thereby expanding the closed cells in the pad material
1
′. Additionally, with a further crushing apparatus as shown in
FIG. 7C
, the closed cells in the pad material
1
′ are crushed as follows: First, the pad material
1
′ is placed on a vacuum box jig
8
disposed at a lower side of a vacuum box. Then, the upper part of the pad material
1
′ is covered with a fabric
9
having no air permeability, disposed over the vacuum box jig
8
upon connecting a vacuum mechanism to a suction opening
10
formed at one side of the vacuum box jig
8
. Thereafter, vacuum suction is made through this suction opening
10
.
In connection with the above crushing apparatus shown in
FIG. 7A
, there has been a case where the above-mentioned pad material
1
′ is foam-molded integral with a seat frame formed of a wire frame or the like. In this case, when the pad material
1
′ is inserted into between the crushing rolls
3
,
3
disposed up and down, there arises the fear of the seat frame formed of the wire frame or the like to be formed integral with the foam-molded pad material
1
′ being bent or deformed.
Additionally, in connection with the crushing apparatus as shown in
FIG. 7B
, in a case where vacuum suction is made through the suction opening
6
at one side of the vacuum box
5
upon storing the pad material
1
′ in the vacuum box
5
, it is difficult to crush the closed cells in the pad material
1
′ so that a sufficient crushing effect cannot be obtained on the closed cells in the pad material
1
′.
Further, in connection with the crushing apparatus as shown in
FIG. 7C
, in a case where the fabric
9
having no air permeability and disposed above the vacuum box jig
8
is covered on the upper part of the pad material
1
′ upon placing the pad material
1
′ on the vacuum box jig
8
, it is required to provide such a shape as to correspond to the external shape of the pad material
1
′ to the surface of the vacuum box jig
8
. This complicates production of the vacuum box jig
8
, thereby providing a defect of making a cost-up. Additionally, there is the fear of rubbing being made between the fabric
9
and the pad material
1
′ thereby generating static electricity.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved crushing apparatus for a pad material, which can effectively overcome drawbacks encountered in conventional crushing apparatuses.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a crushing apparatus for a pad material, which can improve a crushing effect on closed cells in the pad material while avoiding the fear of a frame such as a seat frame being bent and deformed even in a case where the frame is foam-molded integral with the pad material, and preventing production cost from rising.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved crushing apparatus for a pad material, which can avoid the fear of static electricity being generated during making a vacuum suction while making it unnecessary to form a vacuum box jig in accordance with the shape of the pad material, making it possible to reduce the number of production steps and operational steps so as to accomplish an automation and a cost-down for the pad material.
An aspect of the present invention resides in a crushing apparatus for crushing closed cells in a pad material. The crushing apparatus comprises first and second counterparts disposed contactable with each other. The first counterpart includes a first frame, and a first sheet-like flexible member secured to the first frame, and the second counterpart includes a second frame, and a second sheet-like flexible member secured to the second frame. The first and second sheet-like flexible members are non-air permeable and contactable with each other so as to form an air-tight seal condition between the first and second sheet-like flexible members. One of the first and second frames having a suction opening which is able to be sealingly connected to a space formed between the first and second sheet-like flexible members. Additionally, an air-sucking device connected to the suction opening so as to suck air in the space formed between the first and second sheet-like members. In the above crushing apparatus, air in the space is sucked by operating the air-sucking device under a condition where the pad material having the closed cells is placed in the space.
Another aspect of the present invention resides in a crushing apparatus for crushing closed cells in a pad material which is formed integral with a frame upon foaming. The crushing apparatus comprises first and second counterparts disposed contactable with each other. The first counterpart includes a first frame, and a first sheet-like flexible member secured to the first frame, and the second counterpart includes a second frame, and a second sheet-like flexible member secured to the second frame. The first and second sheet-like flexible members are non-air permeable and contactable with each other so as to form an air-tight seal condition between the first and second sheet-like flexible members. One of the first and second frames having a suction opening which is able to be sealingly connected to a space formed between the first and second sheet-like flexible members. Additionally, an air-sucking device is connected to the suction opening so as to suck air in the space formed between the first and second sheet-like members. In the above crushing apparatus, air in the space is sucked by operating the air-sucking device so as to crush the closed cells in the pad material under a condition where the pad material having the closed cells is placed in the space.
A further aspect of the present invention resides in a crushing apparatus for crushing closed cells in a pad material. The crushing apparatus comprises first and second counterparts disposed contactable with each other. The first counterpart includes a first frame, and a first sheet-like flexible member secured to the first frame, and the second counterpart includes a second frame which is rotatable around its one side, and a second sheet-like flexible member secured to the second frame. The first and second sheet-like flexible members are non-air permeable and contactable with each other so as to form an air-tight seal condition between the first and second sheet-like flexible members. One of the first and second frames has a suction opening which is able to be sealingly connected to a space formed between the first and second sheet-like flexible mem
Kikuchi Takaaki
Kitagawa Shunichi
Kouda Hiroshi
Foley & Lardner
Heckenberg Donald
Ikeda Bussan Co. Ltd.
Nguyen Nam
LandOfFree
Crushing apparatus for pad material does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Crushing apparatus for pad material, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Crushing apparatus for pad material will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2527935