Fibrous network structure having excellent compression durability

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11970802-B2
Application number	US-202016918396-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 1, 2020
Priority date	Feb 27, 2013
Publication date	Apr 30, 2024
Grant date	Apr 30, 2024

Abstract

The present invention provides a network structure having excellent repeated compression durability, the network structure having a low repeated compression residual strain and a high hardness retention after repeated compression.
A network structure comprising a three-dimensional random loop bonded structure obtained by forming random loops with curling treatment of a continuous linear structure including a polyester-based thermoplastic elastomer and having a fineness of not less than 100 dtex and not more than 60000 dtex, and by making each loop mutually contact in a molten state, wherein the network structure has an apparent density of 0.005 g/cm 3 to 0.20 g/cm 3 , a 50%-constant displacement repeated compression residual strain of not more than 15%, and a 50%-compression hardness retention of not less than 85% after 50%-constant displacement repeated compression.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A process for producing a network structure comprising:
distributing a polyester-based thermoplastic elastomer to nozzle orifices from a multi-row nozzle having a plurality of orifices,
discharging the polyester-based thermoplastic elastomer downward through the nozzle at a spinning temperature higher by not less than 20° C. and less than 120° C. than the melting point of the polyester-based thermoplastic elastomer to form continuous linear structures,
contacting the continuous linear structures each other in a molten state and thereby fusing the continuous linear structures to form a three-dimensional structure,
providing a heat-retaining region below the nozzle when the polyester-based thermoplastic elastomer is spun,
sandwiching the three-dimensional structure with a take-up conveyor net,
cooling the three-dimensional structure with cooling water in a cooling bath,
drawing out the three-dimensional structure,
draining or drying the three-dimensional structure to obtain the network structure having both surfaces or one surface smoothed, wherein
a length of the heat-retaining region is 20 mm or more,
the heat-retaining region is provided downward from a position of not more than 50 mm immediately below the nozzle,
the network structure has a 50%-constant displacement repeated compression residual strain after 80000 times of repetition of not more than 15%, and
the network structure has a 50%-compression hardness retention after 50%-constant displacement repeated compression of not less than 85%.

2. A process for producing a network structure comprising:
distributing a polyester-based thermoplastic elastomer to nozzle orifices from a multi-row nozzle having a plurality of orifices,
discharging the polyester-based thermoplastic elastomer downward through the nozzle at a spinning temperature higher by not less than 20° C. and less than 120° C. than the melting point of the polyester-based thermoplastic elastomer to form continuous linear structures,
contacting the continuous linear structures each other in a molten state and thereby fusing the continuous linear structures to form a three-dimensional structure,
sandwiching the three-dimensional structure with a take-up conveyor net disposed so as to be partially exposed over a water surface,
cooling the three-dimensional structure with cooling water in a cooling bath,
drawing out the three-dimensional structure,
draining or drying the three-dimensional structure to obtain the network structure having both surface or one surface smoothed, wherein
a net surface temperature of the take-up conveyor net over the water surface at or around a fiber-falling region is not less than 80° C., the network structure has a 50%-constant displacement repeated compression residual strain after 80000 times of repetition of not more than 15%, and
the network structure has a 50%-compression hardness retention after 50%-constant displacement repeated compression of not less than 85%.

3. A process for producing a network structure comprising:
distributing a polyester-based thermoplastic elastomer to nozzle orifices from a multi-row nozzle having a plurality of orifices,
discharging the polyester-based thermoplastic elastomer downward through the nozzle at a spinning temperature higher by not less than 20° C. and less than 120° C. than the melting point of the polyester-based thermoplastic elastomer to form continuous linear structures,
contacting the continuous linear structures each other in a molten state and thereby fusing the continuous linear structures to form a three-dimensional structure,
sandwiching the three-dimensional structure with a take-up conveyor net,
cooling the three-dimensional structure with cooling water in a cooling bath,
drawing out the three-dimensional structure,
draining or drying the three-dimensional structure to obtain the network structure having both surface or one surface smoothed, wherein
a temperature of the cooling water in the cooling bath at or around a fiber-falling region is not less than 80° C., and
a nozzle face-cooling water distance is 25 cm to 35 cm,
the network structure has a 50%-constant displacement repeated compression residual strain after 80000 times of repetition of not more than 15%, and
the network structure has a 50%-compression hardness retention after 50%-constant displacement repeated compression of not less than 85%.

Assignees

• Toyo Boseki

Inventors

• Taninaka Teruyuki
• Kobuchi Shinichi
• Wakui Hiroyuki

Classifications

• D04H3/009 Primary

  Condensation or reaction polymers · CPC title

• D01D5/24

  with a hollow structure; Spinnerette packs therefor (D01D5/38 takes precedence; producing tubes of plastic material B29D; addition of agents forming hollow filaments D01F1/08) · CPC title

• D04H3/03

  at random · CPC title

• D04H3/16

  with bonds between thermoplastic filaments produced in association with filament formation, e.g. immediately following extrusion · CPC title

• D01D5/253

  with a non-circular cross section; Spinnerette packs therefor (D01D5/38 takes precedence) · CPC title