U.S. patent application number 10/507917 was filed with the patent office on 2005-06-09 for bag for body supporter.
This patent application is currently assigned to Honda Access Corporation. Invention is credited to Matsushima, Seiya.
Application Number | 20050121957 10/507917 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 28035355 |
Filed Date | 2005-06-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050121957 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Matsushima, Seiya |
June 9, 2005 |
Bag for body supporter
Abstract
The present invention provides a bag for a body support assembly
which can stabilize the curing time by avoiding influence of
environmental temperature on the curing time and improve a fitting
feeling of the body support assembly. The present invention also
provides the bag for the body support assembly which is suitable
for use in a seat, a chair or the like. The bag (1) of the present
invention is one for accommodating a body support assembly, the
body support assembly including a cushioning body being deformable
by press, the bag being used by allowing the cushioning body to
contact a user's body so as to deform in a shape matching the
user's body and maintain the deformed shape. The bag (1) is a
pouched body comprising: a front face covering member (2) provided
on one side for contacting the user's body; and a rear face
covering member (3) provided on an opposite side; and a heat
insulation layer (5) and/or cushioning layer (6) is/are provided at
least on the front face covering member (2).
Inventors: |
Matsushima, Seiya; (Niiza,
JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
WESTERMAN, HATTORI, DANIELS & ADRIAN, LLP
1250 CONNECTICUT AVENUE, NW
SUITE 700
WASHINGTON
DC
20036
US
|
Assignee: |
Honda Access Corporation
18-4, 8-chome, Nobidome
Niiza, Saitama
JP
|
Family ID: |
28035355 |
Appl. No.: |
10/507917 |
Filed: |
September 16, 2004 |
PCT Filed: |
August 28, 2002 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/JP02/08690 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
297/284.5 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47C 31/126 20130101;
A47C 31/11 20130101; A47C 27/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
297/284.5 |
International
Class: |
A47C 027/14 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 18, 2002 |
JP |
2002-75133 |
Claims
1. A bag for accommodating a body support assembly, the body
support assembly including a cushioning body having flexibility and
a covering body formed in a sheet-like shape and being impregnated
with curable resin, the covering body covering the cushioning body,
said bag being used by allowing: the cushioning body to contact a
user's body so as to deform in a shape matching the user's body;
and then allowing the covering body to be cured, wherein: said bag
is a pouched body comprising: a front face covering member provided
on one side for contacting the user's body; and a rear face
covering member provided on an opposite side; and a heat insulation
layer is provided at least on said front face covering member.
2. A bag for accommodating a body support assembly, the body
support assembly including a cushioning body having flexibility and
a covering body formed in a sheet-like shape and being impregnated
with curable resin, the covering body covering the cushioning body,
said bag being used by allowing: the cushioning body to contact a
user's body so as to deform in a shape matching the user's body;
and then allowing the covering body to be cured, wherein: said bag
is a pouched body comprising: a front face covering member provided
on one side for contacting the user's body; and a rear face
covering member provided on an opposite side; and a cushioning
layer is provided at least on said front face covering member.
3. The bag according to claim 2, wherein said cushioning layer is
arranged so as to cover at least a peripheral top edge of the body
support assembly.
4. The bag according to claim 1, wherein said front face covering
member has air permeability.
5. The bag according to claim 2, wherein said front face covering
member has air permeability.
6. The bag according to claim 1, wherein said rear face covering
member is formed with an opening.
7. The bag according to claim 2, wherein said rear face covering
member is formed with an opening.
8. The bag according to claim 1, wherein said rear face covering
member includes a Hook-and-Loop fastener on a surface thereof.
9. The bag according to claim 2, wherein said rear face covering
member includes a Hook-and-Loop fastener on a surface thereof.
Description
BACKGOUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a bag for accommodating a
body support assembly in order to place the body support assembly
on a seat, a chair or the like, wherein the body support assembly
can maintain the shape thereof matching the sitting posture of a
user (the body shape) so as to provide a fitting feeling to the
user according to the individual user's body shape.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Seats or chairs, for example, various kinds of automotive
seats are manufactured so as to fit an average user. Accordingly,
they do not fit properly in some users.
[0005] Consequently, various kinds of body support assemblies
(lumbar supports) have been conventionally proposed as means for
solving the above-described problem. In general, those body support
assemblies are ones that allow a pressingly deformable supporting
member such as a cushion to contact a user's body portion so as to
deform in a shape according to the user's body portion, then
allowing the deformed supporting member to maintain its deformed
shape.
[0006] Inventors including the inventor of the present invention,
for example, have pursued usefulness of those kinds of body support
assemblies and have once proposed a body support assembly in
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2001-128803 aiming at
providing such useful body support assemblies as to be not only
able to maintain a shape matching the sitting posture of the user,
but also easy to care for because its structure is simple. This
body support assembly comprises a cushioning body having
flexibility and a covering body formed in a sheet-like shape and
impregnated with curable resin, the covering body covering the
cushioning body. This body support assembly is used by allowing the
cushioning body and the covering body to contact a user's body
portion so as to be deformed and then cured to a shape according to
the user's body portion.
[0007] This body support assembly can be easily formed in the shape
matching the sitting posture of the user (the body shape) employing
a structure that the covering body cures so as to maintain its
shape but its content is a cushioning body having flexibility, and
thus it can provide not only hardness but also moderate
flexibility. Therefore, this body support assembly can provide the
user with well-supported and comfortable sitting feeling.
Furthermore, this body support assembly can be produced only by
allowing the cushioning body to be covered with the covering body
impregnated with the curable resin, and thus it has advantages such
as superior mass productivity and low manufacturing costs.
Accordingly, this body support assembly was innovative at that
time.
[0008] The above-described body support assembly, however, has
inferior appearance, providing inferior tactile sensation or the
like, and thus it needs to be used with the same being put into a
bag having good appearance, providing good tactile sensation or the
like. Moreover, since this body support assembly is one that fixes
the cushioning body in the deformed condition, the body support
assembly sometimes becomes too thin particularly in a top edge
portion of a center of the body support assembly that is pressed by
the user's body, and thus the cushioning body partially also
becomes too thin, or in some cases, there may appear a cured
portion where the front and back of the sheet-like covering body
are directly overlapped without the cushioning body therebetween.
Further, as the shape of the cushioning body can be fixed due to
curing of a moisture curable resin, the curing time thereof varies
widely depending on the environmental temperature or the like.
Furthermore, the moisture curable resin itself generates heat when
cured, and thus the user sitting down for giving the resin a
specific shape feels uncomfortable. On the other hand, the moisture
curable resin has a noticeable property of heat absorption after
cured, and thus the moisture curable resin is likely to absorb
external heat so that the user feels cold while using this body
support assembly. Accordingly, a bag which can solve those problems
have been desired.
[0009] The present invention has been made to solve the
above-described problems, and it is accordingly an object thereof
to provide a bag for a body support assembly which can stabilize
the curing time by avoiding influence of environmental temperature
on the curing time and improve a fitting feeling of the body
support assembly. Another object thereof is to provide the bag for
the body support assembly which is suitable for use in a seat, a
chair or the like.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] In order to attain the above objects, according to a first
aspect of the present invention, there is provided a bag for
accommodating a body support assembly, the body support assembly
including a cushioning body having flexibility and a covering body
formed in a sheet-like shape and being impregnated with curable
resin, the covering body covering the cushioning body, the bag
being used by allowing: the cushioning body to contact a user's
body so as to deform in a shape matching the user's body; and then
allowing the covering body to be cured, wherein: the bag is a
pouched body comprising: a front face covering member provided on
one side for contacting the user's body; and a rear face covering
member provided on an opposite side; and a heat insulation layer is
provided at least on the front face covering member.
[0011] According to the above-described structure, the heat
insulation layer is provided in between the body support assembly
and the user's body, and thus a heat loss of the user's body caused
by the body support assembly can be prevented. Accordingly, cooling
off the user's waist, hip, back or the like can be prevented, and
thus usability of the body support assembly can be improved.
Moreover, the body support assembly can be deformed by allowing the
moisture curable resin or the like to cure, but the moisture
curable resin is sensitive to environmental temperature such that
it takes longer time to cure at lower temperature. Based on
focusing on the property that the moisture curable resin itself
generates heat when cured, the heat insulation layer is provided on
the front face covering member so as to retain the heat generated
by the curing reaction and avoid influence of the environmental
temperature on the curing time. Accordingly, the curing time can be
stabilized, while the heat generated by the curing reaction is not
transferred to the user so that he/she does not feel
uncomfortable.
[0012] In order to attain the above objects, according to a second
aspect of the present invention, there is provided a bag for
accommodating a body support assembly, the body support assembly
including a cushioning body having flexibility and a covering body
formed in a sheet-like shape and being impregnated with curable
resin, the covering body covering the cushioning body, the bag
being used by allowing: the cushioning body to contact a user's
body so as to deform in a shape matching the user's body; and then
allowing the covering body to be cured, wherein: the bag is a
pouched body comprising: a front face covering member provided on
one side for contacting the user's body; and a rear face covering
member provided on an opposite side; and a cushioning layer is
provided at least on the front face covering member.
[0013] According to the above-described structure, the cushioning
layer is provided between the body support assembly and the user's
body. Therefore, feelings when the hip, waist, back or the like of
the user contacts the body support assembly can be improved.
[0014] Alternatively, in the above-described bag, the cushioning
layer may be arranged so as to cover at least a peripheral top edge
of the body support assembly. In the body support assembly, when
the moisture curable resin cures so as to retain its shape, the
body support assembly sometimes becomes too thin in an edge portion
of the body support assembly, particularly in the top edge portion
thereof, and thus the cushioning body also becomes partially too
thin, or in some cases, there may appear a cured portion where the
front and back of the sheet-like covering body are directly
overlapped without the cushioning body therebetween. Therefore, the
user feels uncomfortable when this portion contacts the user's
body. By arranging the cushioning layer to cover at least the top
edge of the body support assembly, the uncomfortable feeling is
eased up, and thus the usability of the bag and the body support
assembly can be improved.
[0015] Moreover, in the above-described bag, the front face
covering member may have air permeability. Accordingly, the user
can use the bag comfortably without getting sweaty.
[0016] Further, the rear face covering member may be formed with an
opening. By employing this structure, the body support assembly can
put in/out via the opening.
[0017] Still further, the rear face covering member may include a
Hook-and-Loop fastener on a surface thereof. By employing this
structure, the bag can be positioned in a desired place on a seat
having a corresponding Hook-and-Loop fastener.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] FIG. 1 is a front view showing a bag for a body support
assembly according to a first embodiment of the present
invention;
[0019] FIG. 2 is a rear view showing the bag of FIG. 1;
[0020] FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view showing the bag
of FIG. 1 along a line A-A;
[0021] FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view showing the bag of FIG.
1 along a line B-B;
[0022] FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view showing the bag of FIG.
2 along a line C-C;
[0023] FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a body support assembly
available to the bag of FIG. 1;
[0024] FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a condition where the
bag of FIG. 1 is used;
[0025] FIG. 8 is a graph for explaining a curing condition of the
bag of the FIG. 1 at a temperature of 23.degree. C.;
[0026] FIG. 9 is a graph for explaining temperatures of various
portions of the bag shown in FIG. 1 when curing;
[0027] FIG. 10 is a cross sectional view showing a portion adjacent
to a top edge of a bag for a body support assembly according to a
second embodiment of the present invention; and
[0028] FIG. 11 is a cross sectional view showing a portion adjacent
to a peripheral of the bag shown in FIG. 10.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0029] Hereunder is a detailed description of a bag for a body
support assembly according to a first embodiment of the present
invention with reference to FIGS. 1 through 7. As shown in FIGS. 1
through 5, the bag 1 for a body support assembly is a pouched body
formed in an essentially rectangular shape having a longer lateral
side than a longitudinal side thereof. The bag 1 comprises a front
face covering member 2 coming into contact with a user's body and a
rear face covering member 3 coming into contact with an automotive
seat or the like. The front face covering member 2 and the rear
face covering member 3 are sewn together, while a code 4 is
provided on a boundary portion of both of the front face covering
member 2 and rear face covering member 3 so as to be essentially
parallel to an edge of the bag 1. A length of the front face
covering member 2 in its vertical direction is longer than that of
the rear face covering member 3. Accordingly, the front face
covering member 2 extends around to a rear side of the bag 1 in top
and bottom edges of the bag 1. The code 4 is also arranged on the
rear side along with the front face covering member 2 extending
around thus way.
[0030] In the above-described bag 1, the front face covering member
2 comprises a heat insulation layer 5, a cushioning layer 6 and a
skin member 7. The heat insulation layer 5 is provided inwardly
relative to the cushioning layer 6, while the skin member 7 covers
the cushioning layer 6. For a material of the heat insulation layer
5, there is no specific limitation. For example,
"ThinasulateOS-100" made by SUMITOMO 3M Ltd. can be used. Moreover,
for a material of the cushioning layer 6, there is no specific
limitation either, but various kinds of foaming material such as
polyurethane can be used. For example, "UEM 35" (registered
trademark) made by INOAC (registered trademark) corporation can be
used. Further, as a material of the skin member 7, a piece of
sheet, fabrics or the like having a pleasing appearance and
providing well-fitting feeling can be used since it contacts the
user's body and forms the contour of the bag. In particular, one
having air permeability is preferable. For example, knitted fabric
made of polyester fiber is preferred. By employing the
above-described structure, the front face covering member 2 itself
can ensure proper air flow. The rear face covering member 3 is made
from a stretchable member 8 such as knitted material made of
polyester having air permeability, while the stretchable member 8
employs a structure that an upper section 8A and a lower section 8B
are overlapped with each other at a bottom end thereof so as to
form an opening 9 in a lateral direction of the rear face covering
member 3. The opening 9 is openable and closeable by fasteners 10,
10A. Moreover, as shown in FIG. 3, the code 4 is covered with the
skin member 7 and provided between the front face covering member 2
and the rear face covering member 3. Meanwhile, in FIGS. 1 to 5,
reference number 11 denotes a sewing thread, while reference number
12 denotes a tag for applying a trademark or the like. Further,
reference number 13 denotes one of a pair of Hook-and-Loop
fasteners for fixing a position of the bag 1 on the automotive
seat, provided on a center of a surface of the rear face covering
member 3 so that its longitudinal direction is parallel to the
longitudinal direction of the rear face covering member 3. In this
embodiment, the front face covering member 2 is structured by
laminating the heat insulation layer 5, the cushioning layer 6 and
the skin member 7 together.
[0031] There is no specific limitation for the body support
assembly to be put into the bag 1. Various types of the body
support assemblies, which can be naturally put into the
above-described bag 1 without excessive pressure, can be used. An
example of the body support assembly put into the bag 1 is
illustrated in FIG. 6. This body support assembly 21 comprises a
cushioning body 22 as a supporter having flexibility and a covering
body 23 covering the cushioning body 22, the covering body 23
formed in a sheet-like shape and impregnated with curable resin.
The cushioning body 22 is covered with the covering body 23 so as
to be wrapped from a front side thereof. On a rear side thereof,
particularly on a center of the rear side in this embodiment, both
ends of the covering body 23 are overlapped with each other so as
to form a linear overlapped portion S along a longitudinal
direction of the covering body 23. Both of the edges of the
covering member 23 are joined. Moreover, a top edge 23A of a
portion of the covering body 23 covering the front side of the
cushioning body 22 contacts a top edge 23B of a portion of the
covering body 23 covering the rear side of the cushioning body 22.
Both of the top edges 23A and 23B are joined in a manner clipped by
clipping means such as needles 25 of a stapler via a tape 24 as an
inclusion. Accordingly, a flanged joining portion 26 is formed,
while the flanged joining portion 26 forms a thin edge 27
diminishing gradually from a top edge of the cushioning body 22. In
the above-described body support assembly 21, the cushioning body
22 as a flexible material comprises a foaming material formed in a
horizontal block-shape, having flexibility and air permeability. As
an example of the foaming material formed in a horizontal
block-shape, sponge may be considered. Moreover, the covering body
23 comprises a cloth impregnated with curable resin. As preferable
resin may be used moisture curable resin such as moisture curable
urethane having a property that it cures in a short time by getting
moist, for example, by adding water thereto or by soaking the same
in water, or catalytic curable resin having a property that it
cures in a short time by adding catalyst solution thereto. For
example, a casting product (that is, a so-called "SEANE") made by
3M HEALTH CARE K.K. is commercially available as the
above-described covering body 23. This casting product has a
property that it cures strongly and firmly in a short time when
being soaked in water.
[0032] The body support assembly 21 is put into a non-illustrated
moisture-proof bag and sealed therein. Accordingly, since the
covering body 23 is not exposed to moisture in this sealed
condition, the curing of the curable resin is reliably prevented.
On the other hand, the covering body 23 can be cured in a short
time by opening the moisture-proof bag and then applying water or
spraying a catalyst solution thereto so as to allow the curable
resin to be exposed to moisture.
[0033] The body support assembly 21 is put into the bag 1 via the
opening 9 so that the top edges 23A, 23B thereof are to be disposed
upside. Then, as shown in FIG. 7, the bag 1 is provided on the
automotive seat 31. To be more precise, the body support assembly
21 is used for supporting a waist of the user in this embodiment.
Meanwhile, reference number 32 in FIG. 7 denotes the other of the
pair of Hook-and-Loop fasteners having flexibility for fixing the
position of the bag 1. The other Hook-and-Loop fastener is provided
on the seat 31 so that its longitudinal direction is parallel to a
horizontal direction of the seat 31. Meanwhile, reference number 33
denotes a headrest of the seat 31.
[0034] Next, operations of the bag 1 employing the above-described
structure will now be explained. First of all, the body support
assembly 21 is taken out from the moisture-proof bag (not shown).
Water is sprayed to the covering body 23 of the body support
assembly 21 so that the covering body 23 is given moisture content.
Then, excessive moisture content is wiped off. Accordingly, the
curable resin with which the covering body 23 is impregnated starts
curing. Next, the fasteners 10, 10A are opened, and the body
support assembly 21 is put into the bag 1 via the opening 9. Then,
the bag 1 with the body support assembly 21 is attached to the
automotive seat 31 or the like so that the top edges 23A, 23B of
the body support assembly 21 are positioned upside, with the bag 1
being in an upright condition and the skin member 7 facing the seat
31. In this embodiment, one of the Hook-and-Loop fasteners as
denoted by numeral 13 is provided on the center of the rear face
covering member 3 along its vertical direction, while the other of
the Hook-and-Loop fasteners having flexibility as denoted by
numeral 32 is provided on the seat 31 along its horizontal
direction. Accordingly, the bag 1 can be provided on a desired
position within a range in which those Hook-and-Loop fasteners 13,
32 can stick to each other. The vertical and horizontal directions
of the Hook-and-Loop fasteners 13, 32 may be vice versa.
Alternatively, a surface of the seat 31 may comprise a material
able to stick to the Hook-and Loop fastener 13 so that the bag 1
can be positioned on a desired position on the seat 31. Meanwhile,
the Hook-and-Loop fasteners 13, 32 may be velvet fasteners.
[0035] Subsequently, when the user sits down while applying his/her
weight to the bag 1, the body support assembly 21 is deformed by
press. The covering body 23 cures with the deformed shape being
maintained if the user keeps his/her sitting posture for a
predetermined time. Accordingly, the cushioning body 22 can be kept
in the deformed shape by this hardened layer (covering body
23).
[0036] Thus way, the body support assembly 21 and the front face
covering member 2 can be instantly and easily deformed matching the
sitting posture of the individual user, while a portion of the body
support assembly 21 and the rear face covering member 3 contacting
the seat 31 can be deformed smoothly into the shapes in accordance
with the shape of the seat 31 and then cured. Accordingly, the bag
1 and the body support assembly 21 can be provided on the seat 31
in a manner that is unlikely to cause a displacement thereof
relative to the seat 31.
[0037] In the above-described body support assembly 21, the
covering body 23 cures after deforming the cushioning body 22 into
the shape matching the user's body. Accordingly, the cushioning
body 22 is likely to become too thin in the top edge portion of the
covering body 23. In some cases, there may appear a cured portion
where the front and back of the covering body 23 are directly
overlapped without the cushioning body 22 therebetween. As a
result, a portion having less cushioning property would be
appeared. If the back, waist or the like of the user contacts this
portion, then it would result in an uncomfortable feeling of the
user. In this embodiment, however, the front face covering member 2
of the bag 1 accommodating the body support assembly 21 has a
longer vertical dimension than that of the rear face covering
member 3 and extends around to the rear side of the bag 1 so as to
cover the peripheral top edge of the body support assembly 21.
Moreover, the cushioning layer 6 is provided on the front face
covering member 2. Accordingly, the uncomfortable feeling to the
user's body can be relieved.
[0038] Moreover, the moisture curable resin with which the covering
body 23 is impregnated generates heat itself when cured. When the
heat thus generated is transferred to the user sitting for
deforming the body support assembly 21, the user would feel
uncomfortable at his/her waist, etc. Further, the moisture curable
resin has a problem that the curing time varies depending on an
outside air temperature, such as shorter curing time at higher
temperature, while longer curing time at lower temperature. As a
means for solving those problems concurrently, the inventor of the
present invention proposes to provide the heat insulation layer 5
on the front face covering member 2 for the body support assembly
21, thus making it possible to confine the heat generated by the
curing reaction so as to prevent the heat from being transferred to
the user, and to stabilize the time taken for the body support
assembly 21 to be fixedly deformed into a specific shape
irrespective of factors from the outside air.
[0039] Further, after the body support assembly 21 is formed, there
were problems that due to its comparatively large specific heat
than that of a normal cushioning member, the body support assembly
21 would be likely to deprive the sitting user of heat so that the
user gets too cool at his/her waist in winter season or the like,
and yet it takes a long time to get warm. In the present
embodiment, however, the heat insulation layer 5 provided on the
front face covering member 2 of the bag 1 for the body support
assembly 21 can prevent the bodily temperature of the user from
going away toward the body support assembly 21. Besides, since the
heat insulation layer 5, the cushioning layer 6, the skin member 7
and the stretchable member 8 comprising the front face covering
member 2 are each made from materials having air permeability, the
user can use the bag 1 comfortably without getting sweaty.
[0040] The bag 1 for the body support assembly 21 has been
described with reference to the accompanying drawings, but the
present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment.
Various modifications may be possible. For example, FIGS. 10 and 11
show a second embodiment of the present invention. In the
above-described embodiment, the heat insulation layer 5 and the
cushioning layer 6 are provided separately. However, some foaming
materials or the like have both heart insulation property and
flexibility property. Accordingly, the heat insulation layer 5 and
the cushioning layer 6 may be combined as one cushioning layer 6A
having heart insulation property by using that kind of foaming
materials or the like. Alternatively, a material having both heart
insulation property and flexibility may be used for the skin member
7. In that case, the front face covering member may comprise a
single layer of the skin member 7.
[0041] Further, the body support assembly 21 is not limited to one
described in the above embodiment, nor is the shape thereof
particularly. The bag 1 can be formed in various shapes matching
the shape of the body support assembly 21.
[0042] The present invention will now be explained in more detail
along with the examples explained below.
FIRST EXAMPLE
[0043] The bag 1 which is formed in a shape as shown in FIGS. 1 to
5 has a width of 460 mm, a height of 270 mm and a thickness of
about 40 mm when accommodating the body support assembly 21. The
front face covering member 2 of the bag 1 comprises: the heat
insulation layer 5; the cushioning layer 6 (polyurethane foam) and
the skin member 7, while the rear face covering member 3 comprises
the stretchable member 8 (a knitted cloth made of polyester). The
body support assembly 21 having a thickness of about 40 mm was
moisturized and then put into the bag 1. The body support assembly
21 was compressed by a letter-L jig over the bag 1 to have the
thickness of about 20 mm. The bag 1 was kept in an atmosphere of
23.degree. C., while the letter-L jig was removed once per 10
minutes so as to measure the change of the thickness of the body
support assembly 21. The results of the measurement are shown in a
graph of FIG. 8. Meanwhile, a thickness of 21 mm is assumed to be a
stable post-curing size.
[0044] As is apparent from FIG. 8, the bag 1 for the body support
assembly according to this example takes about 30 minutes to reach
the stable post-curing size at 23.degree. C.
SECOND EXAMPLE
[0045] The body support assembly 21 having the thickness of about
27 mm was moisturized, and then put into the bag 1 used in the
first example. The bag 1 was put on the automotive seat as shown in
FIG. 7. Next, the bag 1 was kept in an atmosphere of 23.degree. C.
The temperatures of a central portion of the front of the body
support assembly 21, a left center portion of the front thereof,
and a left center portion of the rear thereof were intermittently
measured. Results of these measurements are shown in FIG. 9.
[0046] As is apparent from FIG. 9, the temperature of the body
support assembly 21 was kept higher than the atmospheric
temperature by the bag 1 of this example. To be more precise, the
temperature of the central portion of the front of the body support
assembly 21 was kept higher than about 40.degree. C., the
temperature of the left center portion of the front thereof was
kept higher than about 37.degree. C., and the temperature of the
left center portion of the rear thereof was kept higher than about
38.degree. C. This is because the heat insulation layer 5 retains
the heat generated by curing of a moisture curable resin. Moreover,
a difference in temperature between the rear side of the body
support assembly 21 and the front side thereof are deceased.
Accordingly, the curing time can be stabilized. On the other hand,
an increase in temperature on the front side of the bag 1 coming
into contact with the user's body was not perceived, and thus the
user does not feel uncomfortable when sitting down for giving the
bag 1 a specific shape.
[0047] The present invention relates to a bag 1 for accommodating a
body support assembly 21, the body support assembly 21 including
the cushioning body 22 as a support member deformable by press, the
bag 1 being used by allowing the cushioning body 22 to contact a
user's body so as to deform in a shape matching the user's body and
maintain the deformed shape, wherein: the bag 1 is a pouched body
comprising: the front face covering member 2 provided on one side
for contacting the user's body; and the rear face covering member 3
provided on an opposite side; and the heat insulation layer 5 is
provided at least on the front face covering member 2. A heat loss
of the user's body caused by the body support assembly 21 can be
prevented. Accordingly, cooling off the user's waist, hip, back or
the like can be prevented, and thus usability of the body support
assembly can be improved. Moreover, whilst the body support
assembly 21 is deformed by curing of a moisture curable resin or
the like, the moisture curable resin is sensitive to environmental
temperature such that it takes longer time to cure at lower
temperature. Based on focusing on the property that the moisture
curable resin itself generates heat when cured, the heat insulation
layer 5 is provided on the front face covering member 2 so as to
retain the heat generated by the curing reaction and reduce the
influence of the environmental temperature. Accordingly, the curing
time can be stabilized, while the heat generated by the curing
reaction is not transferred to the user so that he/she does not
feel uncomfortable.
[0048] Moreover, the cushioning layer 6 is provided at least on the
front face covering member 5. Since the cushioning layer 6 is
provided between the body support assembly 21 and the user's body,
feelings when the hip, waist, back or the like of the user contacts
the body support assembly can be improved.
[0049] The cushioning layer 6 is arranged so as to cover at least a
top edge of the body support assembly 21. In the body support
assembly 21, when the moisture curable resin cures so as to retain
its shape, the body support assembly 21 sometimes becomes too thin
in the edge portion of the body support assembly 21, particularly
in the top edge portion thereof, and thus the cushioning body 22
also becomes partially too thin. In some cases, there may appear a
cured portion where the front and back of the sheet-like covering
body 23 are directly overlapped without the cushioning body 22
therebetween. Therefore, the user feels uncomfortable when this
portion having less cushioning property contacts the user's body.
By arranging the cushioning layer 6 to cover at least the top edge
of the body support assembly 21, the uncomfortable feeling is eased
up, and thus the usability of the body support assembly 21 can be
improved.
[0050] In the above-described bag 1, the cushioning layer 6 is
provided on the front face covering member 2 entirely, while the
front face covering member 2 is larger than the rear face covering
member 3 so as to extend around the rear of the bag 1. Thus,
although the body support assembly 21 would become too thin in the
edge portion of the body support assembly 21, particularly in the
top edge portion thereof, and thus the cushioning body 22 would
also become partially too thin, so that the user feels
uncomfortable when a portion where the cushioning body 22 partially
becomes too thin contacts the user's body, yet, in the bag 1, the
cushioning layer 6 is provided on the front face covering member 2
entirely and the front face covering member 2 is formed larger so
as to extend around to the rear of the bag 1, thereby easing the
uncomfortable feeling in the top edge. Accordingly, the usability
of the body support assembly 21 can be improved.
[0051] Moreover, since the cushioning layer 6A works as a heat
insulation layer, it can prevent the body support assembly 21 from
causing heat loss of the user. Accordingly, the user does not get
cool at his/her waist, and thus the usability of the body support
assembly 21 can be improved. Moreover, whilst the body support
assembly 21 is deformed by allowing the moisture curable resin or
the like to cure, but the moisture curable resin is sensitive to
environmental temperature such that it takes longer time to cure at
lower temperature. Based on focusing on the property that the
moisture curable resin itself generates heat when cured, the heat
insulation layer 5 is provided on the front face covering member 2
so as to retain the heat generated by the curing reaction and
reduce the influence of the environmental temperature. Accordingly,
the curing time can be stabilized, while the heat generated by the
curing reaction is not transferred to the user so that he/she does
not feel uncomfortable.
[0052] Further, the front face covering member 2 has air
permeability. Accordingly, the user can use the bag 1 comfortably
without getting sweaty. Moreover, the rear face covering member 3
is formed with the opening 9. The opening 9 can be formed largely
without affecting the front face covering member 2 contacting the
user's body. By employing this structure, the body support assembly
21 can easily put in/out via the opening 9. Still further, the rear
face covering member 3 includes a Hook-and-Loop fastener 12
provided on a surface thereof. By employing this structure, the bag
1 can be positioned in a desired place on a seat 31 or the like
having a corresponding Hook-and-Loop fastener 32. Accordingly,
positioning the bag 1 according to the user's body shape can be
easily carried out.
* * * * *