U.S. patent application number 11/334361 was filed with the patent office on 2006-07-27 for cushion body.
This patent application is currently assigned to AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA. Invention is credited to Renko Igarashi, Hideki Kawahara.
Application Number | 20060162082 11/334361 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36273526 |
Filed Date | 2006-07-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060162082 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kawahara; Hideki ; et
al. |
July 27, 2006 |
Cushion body
Abstract
A cushion body includes a main body made of elastic foam and
having at opposite sides thereof first and second surfaces between
which a thickness is defined, the main body being formed with a
plurality of holes in a direction of the thickness, a plurality of
columnar elastic members positioned in the plural holes,
respectively, the plural columnar elastic members being different
from the main body in elasticity, a first surface member made of
elastic foam similar to the elastic foam of the main body, the
first surface member being connected to the first surface of the
main body, and a second surface member made of elastic foam similar
to the elastic foam of the main body, the second surface member
being connected to the second surface of the main body.
Inventors: |
Kawahara; Hideki;
(Chiryu-shi, JP) ; Igarashi; Renko; (Aichi-gun,
JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BUCHANAN INGERSOLL PC;(INCLUDING BURNS, DOANE, SWECKER & MATHIS)
POST OFFICE BOX 1404
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22313-1404
US
|
Assignee: |
AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI
KAISHA
Kariya-shi
JP
|
Family ID: |
36273526 |
Appl. No.: |
11/334361 |
Filed: |
January 19, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
5/655.9 ;
5/740 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47C 27/15 20130101;
A47C 27/20 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
005/655.9 ;
005/740 |
International
Class: |
A47C 27/14 20060101
A47C027/14 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jan 21, 2005 |
JP |
2005-013556 |
Jul 26, 2005 |
JP |
2005-216058 |
Claims
1. A cushion body comprising: a main body made of elastic foam and
having at opposite sides thereof first and second surfaces between
which a thickness is defined, the main body being formed with a
plurality of holes in a direction of the thickness; a plurality of
columnar elastic members positioned in the plural holes,
respectively, the plural columnar elastic members being different
from the main body in elasticity; a first surface member made of
elastic foam similar to the elastic foam of the main body, the
first surface member being connected to the first surface of the
main body; and a second surface member made of elastic foam similar
to the elastic foam of the main body, the second surface member
being connected to the second surface of the main body.
2. A cushion body comprising: a main body made of elastic foam and
having at opposite sides thereof first and second surfaces between
which a thickness is defined; a plurality of columnar elastic
members buried in the main body, the plural columnar elastic
members being different from the main body in elasticity; a first
surface member made of elastic foam similar to the elastic foam of
the main body, the first surface member being integrally formed
with the first surface of the main body; and a second surface
member made of elastic foam similar to the elastic foam of the main
body, the second surface member being integrally formed with the
second surface of the main body.
3. The cushion body according to claim 1 further comprising a cover
member, the cover member covering the main body, the first surface
member, and the second surface member to constitute a unit.
4. The cushion body according to claim 2 further comprising a cover
member, the cover member covering the main body, the first surface
member, and the second surface member to constitute a unit.
5. The cushion body according to claim 1, wherein one of the first
surface member and the second surface member includes a different
physical characteristic from the main body.
6. The cushion body according to claim 2, wherein one of the first
surface member and the second surface member includes a different
physical characteristic from the main body.
7. The cushion body according to claim 1, wherein the columnar
elastic member fits into one of the first surface member and the
second surface member.
8. The cushion body according to claim 2, wherein the columnar
elastic member fits into one of the first surface member and the
second surface member.
9. The cushion body according to claim 1, wherein the columnar
elastic member includes a cylindrical shape.
10. The cushion body according to claim 2, wherein the columnar
elastic member includes a cylindrical shape.
11. The cushion body according to claim 1, wherein the columnar
elastic member is made of elastic foam containing oil
component.
12. The cushion body according to claim 2, wherein the columnar
elastic member is made of elastic foam containing oil
component.
13. The cushion body according to claim 3, wherein the columnar
elastic member is made of elastic foam containing oil
component.
14. The cushion body according to claim 4, wherein the columnar
elastic member is made of elastic foam containing oil
component.
15. The cushion body according to claim 5, wherein the columnar
elastic member is made of elastic foam containing oil
component.
16. The cushion body according to claim 6, wherein the columnar
elastic member is made of elastic foam containing oil
component.
17. The cushion body according to claim 7, wherein the columnar
elastic member is made of elastic foam containing oil
component.
18. The cushion body according to claim 8, wherein the columnar
elastic member is made of elastic foam containing oil
component.
19. The cushion body according to claim 9, wherein the columnar
elastic member is made of elastic foam containing oil
component.
20. The cushion body according to claim 10, wherein the columnar
elastic member is made of elastic foam containing oil component.
Description
[0001] This application is based on and claims priority under 35
U.S.C. .sctn. 119 to Japanese Patent Application 2005-013556, filed
on Jan. 21, 2005 and 2005-216058, filed on Jul. 26, 2005, the
entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates to a cushion body.
BACKGROUND
[0003] A known bedding (e.g. a pillow, a mattress) is disclosed in
JP2003-339484A, which adopts a cushion body as a base which is made
of an elastic body such as a polyurethane resin, or the like. The
disclosed cushion body includes a main body made of elastic foam,
plural holes penetrating through in a thickness direction of the
main body, and plural columnar elastic members having different
degree of hardness from the main body. The cushion body is formed
by locating each columnar elastic member in each hole. Further, the
cushion body is covered with a cover cloth and configures the
bedding (e.g. the pillow, the mattress). The bedding (e.g. the
pillow, the mattress), which is configured as described above has
locally different degree of hardness and thus offers a user a
comfort and a massage effect.
[0004] However, the bedding using the cushion body as the base may
occasionally be inconvenient in practical use. More particularly,
because each columnar elastic member is simply located in each hole
penetrating through in the thickness direction of the main body,
the columnar elastic member may occasionally slip out from the
holes. For example, because the pillow is frequently turned from
one face to another, a possibility of the slip of the columnar
elastic member from the hole may be increased.
[0005] A need thus exists for a cushion body, the columnar elastic
member of which is not easily slipped out from the hole penetrating
through in the thickness direction of the main body.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] According to an aspect of the present invention, a cushion
body includes a main body made of elastic foam and having at
opposite sides thereof first and second surfaces between which a
thickness is defined, the main body being formed with a plurality
of holes in a direction of the thickness, a plurality of columnar
elastic members positioned in the plural holes, respectively, the
plural columnar elastic members being different from the main body
in elasticity, a first surface member made of elastic foam similar
to the elastic foam of the main body, the first surface member
being connected to the first surface of the main body, and a second
surface member made of elastic foam similar to the elastic foam of
the main body, the second surface member being connected to the
second surface of the main body.
[0007] According to a further aspect of the present invention, a
cushion body includes a main body made of elastic foam and having
at opposite sides thereof first and second surfaces between which a
thickness is defined, a plurality of columnar elastic members
buried in the main body, the plural columnar elastic members being
different from the main body in elasticity, a first surface member
made of elastic foam similar to the elastic foam of the main body,
the first surface member being integrally formed with the first
surface of the main body, and a second surface member made of
elastic foam similar to the elastic foam of the main body, the
second surface member being integrally formed with the second
surface of the main body.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] The foregoing and additional features and characteristics of
the present invention will become more apparent from the following
detailed description considered with reference to the accompanying
drawings, wherein:
[0009] FIG. 1 is a view illustrating an inner structure of a part
of a cushion body according to a first embodiment of the present
invention.
[0010] FIG. 2 is a view illustrating an inner structure of a part
of a cushion body according to a second embodiment of the present
invention.
[0011] FIG. 3 is a view illustrating an inner structure of a part
of a cushion body according to a third embodiment of the present
invention.
[0012] FIG. 4 is a view illustrating an inner structure of a part
of a cushion body according to a fourth embodiment of the present
invention.
[0013] FIG. 5 is a view illustrating an inner structure of a part
of a cushion body according to a fifth embodiment of the present
invention.
[0014] FIG. 6 is a graph illustrating load-deflection
characteristics of a columnar elastic member per se.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0015] Embodiments of the present invention will be explained
hereinbelow with reference to the attached drawings.
[0016] A first embodiment of the present invention is illustrated
in FIG. 1. A cushion body 10 includes a main body 20, plural holes
22, and plural columnar elastic members 30. The columnar elastic
member 30 includes a polygonal columnar shape, a cylindrical shape,
or the like. The main body 20 is made of elastic foam such as
polyurethane foam, or the like, and formed with the holes 22 in a
thickness direction thereof, and each columnar elastic member 30 is
inserted into and positioned in each hole 22 respectively. The
columnar elastic member 30 is made of a different material from the
main body 20 and has a different elasticity (hardness) from the
main body 20. Further, the columnar elastic member 30 is enclosed
in a bag 32 made of a thin film material. In a condition where the
columnar elastic member 30 is deformed (contraction/expansion)
upwards and downwards, the thin film of the bag 32 reduces a noise
caused by sliding between the columnar elastic member 30 and an
inner circumferential surface of the hole 22. Because the bag 32 is
made of the thin film material, the bag 32 can be deformed in
response to a deformation of the columnar elastic member 30 without
harming characteristics of the columnar elastic member 30.
[0017] The main body 20 is connected with, at a first surface, a
first surface member 50 made of a similar material to the main body
20 by means of an adhesive 40, and at a second surface, a second
surface member 60 made of the similar material to the main body 20
by means of the adhesive 40.
[0018] As illustrated in FIG. 1, a lower end portion of the
columnar elastic member 30 is not connected with but contacted on
the second surface member 60, and an upper end portion of the
columnar elastic member 30 is fitted into and fixed at a recessed
portion 52 formed on a reverse side of the first surface member 50.
Because of a concave-convex engagement of the columnar elastic
member 30 and the first surface member 50, the upper end portion of
the columnar elastic member 30 is fixed. Therefore, the degradation
of the columnar elastic member 30 can be reduced even when an
up-and-down deformation (contraction/expansion) of the columnar
elastic member 30 is repeated. Further, both of the first surface
member 50 and the second surface member 60 can be used by a
user.
[0019] A second embodiment of the present invention is illustrated
in FIG. 2. A cushion body 210 includes a main body 220, plural
holes 222, and plural columnar elastic members 230. The same
structure as described in the aforementioned embodiment is not
repeatedly explained. As illustrated in FIG. 2, a height of the
columnar elastic member 230 is substantially equal to a length of
the hole 222 in an axis direction.
[0020] A third embodiment of the present invention is illustrated
in FIG. 3. A cushion body 310 includes a main body 320, plural
holes 322, and plural columnar elastic members 330. The same
structure as described in the aforementioned embodiments is not
repeatedly explained. As illustrated in FIG. 3, a height of the
columnar elastic member 330 is shorter than a length of the hole
322 in the axis direction.
[0021] According to the first to the third embodiments of the
present invention, the main body made of the elastic foam is
connected with, at the first surface (the second surface), the
first surface member (the second surface member) made of the
similar material as the main body by means of the adhesive.
Therefore, there is variety of options for selecting the adhesive
relative to a condition where the main body is connected with the
first surface member (the second surface member) made of a
different material from the main body.
[0022] A fourth embodiment of the present invention is illustrated
in FIG. 4. A cushion body 410 includes a main body 420, plural
holes 422, and plural columnar elastic members 430. The same
structure as described in the aforementioned embodiments is not
repeatedly explained. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the cushion body
410 includes the main body 420 made of the elastic foam, which is
integrally formed with a first surface member 450 and a second
surface member 460 in a forming mold. According to the fourth
embodiment of the present invention, because the main body 420,
which configures the cushion body 410, is formed integrally with
the first surface member 450 and the second surface member 460, the
adhesive is not used for connecting the main body 420 with the
first and second surface members 450 and 460. Further, each
columnar elastic member 430 enclosed in a thin film bag 432 is
buried in the main body 420.
[0023] A fifth embodiment of the present invention is illustrated
in FIG. 5. A cushion body 510 includes a main body 520, plural
holes 522, and plural columnar elastic members 530. The same
structure as described in the aforementioned embodiments is not
repeatedly explained. As illustrated in FIG. 5, because elastic
foam of the columnar elastic member 530 contains oil 531, the main
body 520 made of elastic foam is not connected with each columnar
elastic member 530 by means of the adhesive or the like, or an
adhesive force between the main body 520 and the columnar elastic
member 530 is small, each columnar elastic member 530 is readily
separated from the main body 520. Therefore, disposability and
recycling efficiency can be improved.
[0024] Further, because the elastic foam of the columnar elastic
member 530 contains liquid lubricant such as the oil 531, or the
like, the columnar elastic member 530 can smoothly be deformed in
response to a load. Accordingly, the cushion body 510 deforms,
without difficulty, in response to a turn or a physical movement of
the user, and the user can obtain comfortable sense of use.
[0025] According to the embodiments of the present invention, by
appropriately varying the hardness (elasticity), a degree of
density, or other attributes (physical characteristics) of the
elastic foam of the main body, the characteristics of the cushion
body can be adjusted. As illustrated in FIG. 6, within a range from
0 to 10N/314 cm.sup.2, a deflection of the columnar elastic member
because of the load is less than or equal to 15 mm.
[0026] Further, as long as the hardness (physical characteristics)
of the elastic foam is less than or equal to 10N/314 cm.sup.2
measured by a hardness test (25% hardness ILD: Indentation Load
Deflection) wherein each test piece was compressed to 25 percent,
the elastic foam can be used as the cushion body for the pillow or
the mattress without harming physical characteristics of the
columnar elastic member. The aforementioned hardness is measured
using the method of JIS (Japanese Industrial Standard) 6400.
[0027] Besides the base of the bedding, the cushion body may be
applied to any place to which a human body can be seated or leaned
such as a seating portion of a sofa, a seating portion of a
wheelchair, the pillow, or the like.
[0028] According to the embodiments of the present invention,
although the columnar elastic member is movable upwards and
downwards relative to the hole, an up-and-down movement is
restrained by means of the first surface member and the second
surface member. Accordingly, after the pillow or the mattress is
manufactured by covering the cushion body with a cover 70, 270,
370, 470, 570, the columnar elastic member does not slip out from
the hole even when the pillow or the mattress is turned from one
face to another.
[0029] According to the embodiment of the present invention, by
appropriately varying a hardness, a degree of density, or other
attributes (physical characteristics) of the first surface member
(the second surface member) to be connected with the first surface
(the second surface) of the main body made of the elastic foam,
characteristics of the cushion body can be adjusted.
[0030] According to the embodiments of the present invention, even
in a condition where the material of the columnar elastic member
contains the oil component, the thin film bag prevents the oil
component from being transmitted to the main body. As long as a
material of the thin film bag has a high degree of stretchability,
a deformation level of the columnar elastic member may not be
restrained.
[0031] According to the embodiments of the present invention,
because the movement of the columnar elastic member in the axis
direction (an up-and-down direction) is restrained by the first
surface member and the second surface member, the columnar elastic
member positioned in the hole formed on the main body does not slip
out from the hole.
[0032] The principles, preferred embodiment and mode of operation
of the present invention have been described in the foregoing
specification. However, the invention which is intended to be
protected is not to be construed as limited to the particular
embodiment disclosed. Further, the embodiment described herein are
to be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive. Variations
and changes may be made by others, and equivalents employed,
without departing from the spirit of the present invention.
Accordingly, it is expressly intended that all such variations,
changes and equivalents which fall within the spirit and scope of
the present invention as defined in the claims, be embraced
thereby.
* * * * *