| abstract |
A process for preparing a cushion structure bynloosening fiber aggregate comprising crimped staple fibersnand binder fibers, having a melting points below that of thenmatrix fibers and dispersed therein, filling the loosenednaggregate into gas-permeable mold cavity accompanied with anpressurized air system, and thermoforming the same by heatingnfollowed by cooling, wherein the matrix fibers are non-elastomeric,ncrimped polyester staple fibers and the bindernfibers are conjugated staple fibers, comprising anthermoplastic elastomer having a melting point at least 40 °Cnbelow that of the matrix fibers and non-elastomeric polyester,nthe thermoplastic elastomer occupying at least one half ofnthe surface area of the conjugated fibers. When the mold cavitynis defined by surrounded area of (1) an upper mold dividedninto some mold members respectively and independently movablenupward/downward, (2) a bottom mold movable upward/downward,nand (3) mold frame, the aggregate within the mold cavity cannbe partially controlled to have a desired compression densityneven in the step of filling up with the same, at the same time,nthe aggregate can be uniformly and satisfactorily packed intoneven a mold cavity having a complicated shape, therebynproviding a process and an apparatus for producing a cushionnstructure which is more inexpensive and has better performancenthan cushion structures produced by the conventional processnin a short time on actually commercial scale. |