Method of manufacturing and forming a cushion body

Abstract

A cushion body 11 is formed by stacking a first sheet-like fibrous structure 4 a and a second sheet-like fibrous structure 4 b where webs 2 are stacked such that their extending direction conforms with a thickness direction T of the cushion body and between the first sheet-like fibrous structure 4 a and the second sheet-like fibrous structure 4 b, a load receiving member 4 e whose flexing degree to load in the thickness direction T is small is disposed.

1 - 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . A method of manufacturing a cushion body comprising:
 forming each of first and second fibrous structures by successively folding a web composed of main fibers and binder fibers;   stacking the first and second fibrous structures and a load receiving member such that the load receiving member is disposed between and touches both of the first and second fibrous structures to form a stack, wherein the load receiving member has a flexing degree to load in a load direction that is smaller than flexing degrees to load in a load direction of the first and second fibrous structures;   disposing and compressing the stack in a mold having a cavity with a predetermined shape; and,   thermally molding the stack by blowing steam to the stack in the mold under a barometric pressure to form the cushion body, wherein the barometric pressure is higher than atmospheric pressure.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the thermal molding of the stack comprises blowing steam having a saturated steam pressure at a temperature substantially at or above a melting point of the binder fibers and lower than a melting point of the main fibers. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the thermal molding of the stack comprises blowing steam to the stack through steam holes formed through a mold face of the mold, and wherein the steam holes are more numerous in a region corresponding to a non-load receiving face of the cushion body than in a region corresponding to a load receiving face of the cushion body. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising composing any one of the first and second fibrous structures of a plurality of fibrous structures according to a desired touch feeling required for the cushion body after the thermal molding. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the load receiving member comprises a fiber material or a resin material. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the load receiving member comprises approximately the same fiber material as the first and second fibrous structures and has a fiber density higher than that of the first and second fibrous structures. 
     
     
         20 . A method of forming a molded cushion body comprising:
 forming a first fibrous structure including a mix of main fibers and binder fibers;   forming a second fibrous structure including a mix of main fibers and binder fibers;   inserting a load receiving member between the first and second fibrous structures so that the load receiving member touches both of the first and second fibrous structures to form a cushion body, wherein the load receiving member has a flexing degree to load in a load direction that is smaller than flexing degrees of the first and second fibrous structures to load in the load direction, and wherein the load receiving member comprises one of a fiber material and a resin material;   compressing the cushion body in a mold having a plurality of steam holes therethrough; and,   blowing steam through the steam holes to form the molded cushion body.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the load receiving member comprises approximately the same fiber material as the first and second fibrous structures and has a fiber density higher than that of the first and second fibrous structures. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the blowing of steam through the steam holes comprises blowing steam under a barometric pressure through the steam holes, and wherein the barometric pressure is higher than atmospheric pressure. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the barometric pressure comprises a saturated steam pressure, and where the steam comprises steam having a temperature substantially at or above a melting point of the binder fibers and lower than a melting point of the main fibers. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the steam holes are more numerous in a region corresponding to a non-load receiving face of the cushion body than in a region corresponding to a load receiving face of the cushion body.