WO2025163805A1 - Padding-use nonwoven fabric sheet, method for manufacturing same, and padding structure including same - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention is a padding-use nonwoven fabric sheet (1), in which fused short fibers that include at least polyester short fibers and a polymer with a melting point lower than that of the polyester short fibers have been blended, wherein: a plurality of layers of fiber webs (3a)–(3f) in which constituent fibers (2) of the padding-use nonwoven fabric sheet (1) are substantially arranged in one direction of the sheet are layered; and at least part of the constituent fibers (2) are partially fused by the fused short fibers. Due to this configuration, provided are: a padding-use nonwoven fabric sheet that has a full and soft texture, has a heat retention property that is unlikely to deteriorate even when wet, and is warm; a method for manufacturing the padding-use nonwoven fabric sheet; and a padding structure that includes the padding-use nonwoven fabric sheet.

Description

Nonwoven fabric sheet for filling, its manufacturing method and filling structure including the same

The present invention relates to a nonwoven fabric sheet for batting, a method for manufacturing the same, and a batting structure containing the same.

Down is often used in outerwear, primarily in winter. When used as an insulating material, down's excellent heat retention and compression recovery make it suitable for a wide variety of applications. However, issues include animal welfare concerns, the need for filling equipment during sewing, high cost, and unstable supply. For these reasons, synthetic batting is being used as an alternative to down as an insulating material. Synthetic batting can be in the form of granules or shredded cotton, or formed into sheets. Synthetic batting has similar heat retention and compression recovery properties to down and is used in many products. However, washing can cause the batting to shift, impairing not only product quality but also warmth, and it also poses manufacturing challenges, such as the need for filling equipment during sewing. Sheet-type cotton is made by solidifying layered cotton with resin or heat-sealed fibers to create volume, but this can lead to stiff textures and increased material weight when attempting to increase thickness. Additionally, many products are manufactured and sold using moisture-absorbing, heat-generating fibers to improve warmth.

As prior art, Patent Document 1 proposes laminating multiple spunbond nonwoven fabric layers and integrating them using a heat calendar. Patent Document 2 proposes producing a lightweight, fluffy laminated fabric by bonding two laminated fiber layers together using a thermoplastic resin to bond the outer and inner fabrics. Patent Document 3 proposes a heat-retaining agent in which nonwoven fabrics are laminated on both sides of a meltblown long-fiber nonwoven fabric.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2022-046702 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2021-095650 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2022-039587

However, Patent Document 1 uses filaments in the nonwoven fabric, which has the problem of not being able to provide sufficient fluffiness; Patent Document 2 bonds the mixed fiber layers together with resin, which has the problem of making the fabric feel stiff; and Patent Document 3 uses nanofiber fibers, and the fiber laminate is sandwiched between nonwoven fabrics, which has the problem of not being able to provide sufficient fluffiness.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, the present invention provides a warm nonwoven fabric sheet for padding that is fluffy and soft to the touch, and that is resistant to a loss of heat retention even when wet, as well as a method for manufacturing the same and a padding structure that includes the same.

In one embodiment, the present invention relates to a nonwoven fabric sheet for batting, which is a blend of at least polyester staple fibers and fusible staple fibers containing a polymer with a lower melting point than the polyester staple fibers. The nonwoven fabric sheet for batting is formed by laminating multiple layers of fiber webs in which the constituent fibers are aligned substantially in one direction of the sheet, and at least some of the constituent fibers are partially fused by the fusible staple fibers, and the layers of the laminated nonwoven fabric are bonded by entanglement of the constituent fibers.

In one embodiment, the method for producing a nonwoven fabric sheet for padding of the present invention comprises:
(1) a step of blending at least polyester staple fibers and fusible staple fibers containing a polymer having a melting point lower than that of the polyester staple fibers, and opening the blend to form a fiber web in which the constituent fibers are aligned substantially in one direction;
(2) folding and laminating the fiber web to form a long laminated web;
(3) heating the long fiber web without load to a melting point of the low-melting point polymer or higher;
(4) The present invention relates to a method for producing a nonwoven fabric sheet for filling, which includes a cooling and winding step.

In one embodiment, the present invention relates to a padding structure that uses the above-mentioned nonwoven fabric padding sheet as padding.

The nonwoven fabric sheet for batting of the present invention is a nonwoven fabric sheet for batting that is a blend of at least polyester staple fibers and fusible staple fibers containing a polymer with a lower melting point than the polyester staple fibers. The nonwoven fabric sheet for batting is composed of multiple laminated fiber webs in which the constituent fibers are aligned substantially in one direction of the sheet. At least some of the constituent fibers are partially fused by the fusible staple fibers, giving the nonwoven fabric sheet for batting a fluffy, soft texture and resistant to loss of heat retention even when wet. This makes it possible to provide a warm nonwoven fabric sheet for batting, a manufacturing method thereof, and a batting structure including the same.

FIG. 1A is a schematic perspective view of a nonwoven fabric sheet for padding according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1B is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line II of FIG. 1A. FIG. 2 is a photograph of the edge of a nonwoven fabric padding sheet according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic explanatory view showing the lamination process of the nonwoven fabric padding sheet in one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a schematic explanatory view showing a heating process for a nonwoven fabric padding sheet in one embodiment of the present invention.

The present invention relates to a nonwoven fabric sheet for batting, which is a blend of at least polyester staple fibers and fusible staple fibers containing a polymer with a lower melting point than the polyester staple fibers, and which comprises multiple laminated layers of fiber webs in which the constituent fibers are aligned substantially in one direction of the sheet, and in which at least some of the constituent fibers are partially fused with the fusible staple fibers. Polyester staple fibers have high strength and initial modulus of elasticity (Young's modulus), good stiffness, high compression recovery, and a fluffy, soft texture. They are resistant to loss of heat retention even when wet, allowing them to retain warmth. The fusible fibers partially fuse at least some of the constituent fibers. This results in a batting sheet that is resistant to deformation, and the batting structure filled with this has good washability. In this specification, "substantially" means 50% by mass or more.

The blend ratio of each fiber is preferably 60-99% by mass of polyester staple fiber and 1-40% by mass of fusible staple fiber, more preferably 70-99% by mass of polyester staple fiber and 1-30% by mass of fusible staple fiber, and even more preferably 80-98% by mass of polyester staple fiber and 2-20% by mass of fusible staple fiber, relative to 100% by mass of the nonwoven padding sheet. This allows the polyester staple fiber to be partially fused while maintaining a good texture, resulting in a warm nonwoven padding sheet with a fluffy and soft texture and heat retention that is resistant to deterioration even when wet.

It is preferable that the nonwoven fabric sheet for batting be made up of multiple layers of fiber webs laminated in the same direction as the orientation of the constituent fibers. This allows for a high yield of the nonwoven fabric sheet for batting.

The fusible staple fibers are preferably core-sheath composite fibers with a core component made of polyethylene terephthalate and a sheath component made of a polyester copolymer with a melting or softening point of 90 to 230°C. After heat treatment, the sheath component of these fusible staple fibers fuses together, while the core component maintains its fibrous form, providing a softer feel.

It is preferable that the nonwoven fabric sheet for padding further contains highly cross-linked polyacrylate staple fibers. The highly cross-linked polyacrylate staple fibers are preferably 1 to 50 parts by mass, more preferably 3 to 40 parts by mass, and even more preferably 5 to 30 parts by mass, per 100 parts by mass of the total amount of polyester staple fibers and fused staple fibers. The highly cross-linked polyacrylate fibers may also be treated with a water-repellent finish. Highly cross-linked polyacrylate fibers are inherently hygroscopic and heat-generating, but if treated with a water-repellent finish, this hygroscopic and heat-generating property will persist even when wet. One example of highly cross-linked polyacrylate fibers is a product sold by the applicant under the trade name "Breath Thermo." The water-repellent treatment can be carried out using, for example, commercially available products such as the AG series "Asahi Guard AG7000" (trade name), "Asahi Guard AG970" (trade name), and "Asahi Guard AG-E082" (trade name), "Asahi Guard GS10" (trade name) (all manufactured by Asahi Glass Co., Ltd., fluorine-based hydrophobic emulsions), "NK Guard FGN700T" (trade name), and "NK Guard NDN7000" (trade name) (all manufactured by Nicca Chemical Co., Ltd., fluorine-based hydrophobic emulsions), etc. The main components of non-fluorine-based water repellents include silicone-based, urethane-based, acrylic-based, and hydrocarbon-based, and any of these can be used. Modified silicone hydrophobizing agents include epoxy-modified silicone hydrophobizing agents and amino-modified silicone hydrophobizing agents. Commercially available products include "X-22-9002" (trade name, side chain both-end epoxy-modified silicone), "X-22-163A" (trade name, both-end epoxy-modified silicone), and "KF-8012" (trade name, both-end amino-modified silicone), all manufactured by Shin-Etsu Silicones Co., Ltd. Fluorine-containing silicone compounds are commercially available from Nicca Chemical Co., Ltd. under the trade names "NK Guard S-07" and "NK Guard S-09." An example of a hydrocarbon-based compound is a high-melting-point wax emulsion manufactured by Nicca Chemical Co., Ltd. under the trade name "TH-44." These hydrophobizing agents are preferably applied to fibers in a water-dispersed state. The fibers are contacted by immersing them in the treatment solution, spraying them, or padding them, followed by heat treatment with a curing set to fix the agent in place. The amount of hydrophobizing agent attached is 0.2 to 2.5% by mass (mass% is also called omf%, omf stands for on the mass of fiber), preferably 0.22 to 2.0 omf%.

In a fiber web made up of multiple layers, it is preferable that the layers be integrated by the entanglement of the constituent fibers. The constituent fibers of the fiber web are uniformly blended, and the fiber direction is aligned in one direction by a carding machine, resulting in a fiber web that is uniform in both the X direction (the longitudinal direction of the fiber web) and the Y direction (the transverse direction of the fiber web). By stacking these fiber webs, each layer of the nonwoven fabric padding sheet will be uniform. With the blend ratio of fusible staple fibers in the present invention, the fiber web is uniformly blended, resulting in satisfactory strength in the plane directions (X and Y directions) during the production process and when used as clothing or bedding. The lamination of each layer is carried out simultaneously with the processing. In other words, the fibers present on the surface of each layer are entangled as they are laminated, resulting in the layers being integrated by the entanglement of the constituent fibers. When fiber webs are stacked, the fiber density in the space between adjacent fiber webs in the interlayer direction (Z direction) is lower than the fiber density in the thickness direction (Z direction) of a single fiber web. As a result, when fiber webs are stacked in the thickness direction (Z direction), the short fibers of adjacent fiber webs are bonded by partial entanglement. By stacking the fiber webs without applying any external force and placing them in a heater (oven) in an unloaded state, a nonwoven fabric sheet with the above structure can be created.

In addition to the above, it is preferable that the layers are also integrated by partial fusion of fusible staple fibers. Since the density of fusible staple fibers in the space between adjacent fibrous webs is lower than the density of fusible staple fibers in the thickness direction (Z direction) of a single fibrous web, the proportion of partial fusion by fusible staple fibers is higher within a layer with a higher fiber density than between layers.
The layers are partially integrated by the entanglement of short fibers and fused fibers, which not only allows air to be retained between the constituent fibers within the layer, but also allows a large amount of air to be retained between the layers, thereby improving fluffiness, texture, and heat retention.

In the present invention, it is preferable that the fibers are integrated without the use of a binder, but only through the entanglement of the constituent fibers and partial fusion by the fusion fibers. This gives the nonwoven fabric sheet of the present invention a uniform structure, and while all of the constituent fiber webs have sufficient tensile strength in the plane directions (X and Y directions), it is possible to ensure peel strength in the thickness direction (Z direction) to maintain the laminated state, thereby achieving both a fluffy feel, a soft texture, and heat retention. Binders used when integrating the fiber web and nonwoven fabric sheet with a binder include acrylic, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, polyvinyl acetate, polyvinyl chloride, synthetic rubber, polyurethane, polyester, or any of these with a crosslinking agent added. Methods for applying the binder include spraying and padding. When applying the binder using the spraying method, the binder is applied only to the surface layer. As a result, the state of the fibers that make up the surface layer with the binder is different from that of the other layers, resulting in an uneven overall state, and the tensile strength of the binder-free center layer is weak, creating problems in terms of physical properties. Furthermore, not only does the layer with the binder have a hard texture, but it also becomes heavier in weight due to the amount of binder applied, reducing fluffiness. When applying binder using the padding method, the binder is applied to the entire laminated fiber web, but the amount applied differs between the surface layer and the center layer, resulting in an uneven overall state, a hard texture, and the fact that the entire web is covered in binder, which means it cannot retain much air and reduces heat retention.

The nonwoven fabric padding sheet preferably has a tensile strength in the plane direction (X and Y directions) that is at least twice as high as the peel strength between layers (Z direction), thereby achieving a fluffy and soft feel.
The nonwoven fabric has sufficient strength in both the surface direction and the interlaminar direction when used, while still maintaining a soft texture. By increasing the tensile strength in the surface direction (X and Y directions) in the width direction (Y direction) of the nonwoven fabric padding sheet compared to the longitudinal direction (X direction) of the nonwoven fabric padding sheet, satisfactory strength can be achieved when made into clothing. Rotational movements are common during sports, and a high tensile strength in the Y direction can prevent the nonwoven fabric sheet in the clothing from tearing.

The nonwoven fabric sheet is integrated without using a binder, and the tensile strength in the plane directions (X and Y directions) of the nonwoven fabric sheet for padding is 0.3 to 5 N in the vertical direction (X direction) and the peel strength in the thickness direction (Z direction) is 0.5 N or less, so that sufficient strength can be obtained while maintaining a soft texture and high heat retention.
When the constituent fibers within a layer are fixed with resin or when layers are bonded together with resin, the resin reduces the void ratio between the constituent fibers, the resin increases the basis weight and reduces fluffiness, and although the strength is high, the feel is reduced, making it impossible to achieve fluffiness and a soft feel.

The number of layers of fiber webs that make up the nonwoven fabric sheet for padding is preferably 2 to 22, more preferably 4 to 20, and even more preferably 4 to 18. This allows it to be used for a wide range of padded clothing, from thin to thick. If there are fewer than two layers, i.e., just one layer, the nonwoven fabric sheet will be a single layer, which will not retain as much air and will not provide sufficient heat retention. If there are more than 22 layers, the basis weight will be too high, and the sheet will not be able to maintain thickness or air layers due to its own weight, meaning it will not be able to provide sufficient heat retention. Furthermore, the cotton will tear under its own weight during the manufacturing process of the nonwoven fabric sheet, making it impossible to manufacture.

The thickness of the nonwoven fabric sheet for batting is preferably 5 to 50 mm in an unloaded and static state, and the mass (basis weight) is preferably 15 to 250 g/ ^m² . This allows it to be used for a wide range of padded garments, from thin to thick. The thickness and basis weight can be adjusted by changing the processing speed. That is, by decreasing the processing speed, the thickness and basis weight can be increased, and by increasing the processing speed, the thickness and basis weight can be decreased.

The method for producing a nonwoven fabric padding sheet of the present invention includes the following steps.
(1) A process of blending at least polyester staple fibers and fusible staple fibers containing a polymer having a lower melting point than the polyester staple fibers, and opening the blend to form a fiber web in which the constituent fibers are aligned substantially in one direction.
(2) A step of folding and laminating the fiber web to form a long laminated web.
(3) A step of heating the long laminate web without load to a temperature equal to or higher than the melting point of the low-melting polymer.
(4) Cooling and winding.
In the step (1), a fiber web is preferably formed using a carding machine. In the step (2), a plurality of layers of fiber webs are preferably laminated so that the constituent fibers are aligned substantially in one direction of the sheet. In the step (3), the long fiber web is preferably placed in a heater (oven) under no load and heat-treated. In addition, the steps (1) to (4) may be performed continuously or separately, but continuous performance is preferred from the viewpoint of work efficiency.

The padding structure of the present invention can be manufactured by filling the outer and inner linings with the nonwoven fabric sheet for padding. The nonwoven fabric sheet for padding is easy to handle, can be cut to any shape, and is easy to sew. It also has good flatness, allowing for good clothing design. As for clothing, it is suitable for cold weather tops, cold weather bottoms, coveralls, coats, blousons, ski suits, hats, etc. As for bedding, it is suitable for comforters, kotatsu comforters, gowns, lap blankets, etc.

The following explanation will be made using the drawings. In the following drawings, the same reference numerals indicate the same objects. Figure 1A is a schematic perspective view of a nonwoven fabric sheet 1 for batting made from a nonwoven fabric according to one embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 1B is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line I-I in Figure 1A. In this nonwoven fabric sheet 1 for batting, constituent fibers 2 are aligned in one direction, and multiple layers are laminated in the direction of the alignment of constituent fibers 2. 3a-3f in Figure 1B represent folded and laminated fiber webs.

Figure 2 is a photograph of the edge of a nonwoven fabric sheet for padding according to one embodiment of the present invention. It can be seen that the constituent fibers are aligned in one direction, and that multiple layers are laminated in the direction of the constituent fibers.

Figure 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating the process for manufacturing a laminated web of nonwoven fabric sheets according to one embodiment of the present invention. 11 is a carding machine. Unopened short fibers 12 are supplied from feed rollers 13a and 13b, pass through a stay-in roller 14, are opened by the cooperation of a cylinder 15, workers 16a and 17a, and strippers 16b and 17b, pass through a doffer 18, are stripped by a vibration comb 19, and are removed as a fiber web 20, folded, and formed into a long laminated web 22, which is taken up to the front or rear side. 21 is the base of the carding machine, and 23 is a device for taking up to the front or rear side.

Figure 4 shows a heating device arranged in series with the one shown in Figure 3. The long parallel web laminate web 22 passes through a heating chamber 24, where it is fused with low-melting-point polyester fibers, and the constituent fibers are integrated and wound onto a winding body 25 as a thermally bonded nonwoven fabric 1.

The present invention will be specifically described below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples.
<Heat retention>
Measurements were taken using a KES (Kawabata Evaluation System) Thermo Lab II at ΔT = 20°C. The filling was wrapped in a 20 cm x 20 cm polyester fabric, and the resulting cushion-shaped sample was measured. Since the basis weight varies depending on the cotton, the measured heat retention (clo value) was divided by the basis weight for comparison.
<Warmth retention when wet>
The cushion-shaped samples were placed in a thermo-hygrostat at 40°C and 90% RH for 12 hours, after which the heat retention was measured. Since the basis weight varies depending on the cotton, the measured heat retention (clo value) was divided by the basis weight for comparison.
<Bulkiness (thickness)>
Four sheets of cotton cut to a size of 20 cm x 20 cm were stacked, the thickness of each side was measured, and the thickness per sheet was calculated from the average.
<Metsuke>
Four sheets of cotton cut to a size of 20 cm x 20 cm were stacked, and the weight was measured to two decimal places using an electronic balance (SHIMADZU, model number: UW4205) to calculate the basis weight per sheet. The measured value was rounded to the nearest integer.
<Density>
The calculated value was calculated from the measured thickness and basis weight by (basis weight ÷ thickness).
<Tensile strength in the plane direction>
Measurement was carried out according to JIS L 1096:2020 Method A (strip method).
<Interlayer peel strength>
Measurement was carried out in accordance with JIS L 1066:2004 after peeling the padding 50 mm above and below from the center of the padding in the thickness direction.
In all measurements, the sample was measured at a location 20 cm or more inward from the edge of the nonwoven fabric sheet.

Example 1
A continuous laminate web was prepared using the method shown in Figure 3 from 75% by weight of polyethylene terephthalate staple fibers (2.8 decitex, 64 mm in length), 8% by weight of fusible fibers (a core-sheath composite fiber consisting of polyethylene terephthalate and a sheath polyester copolymer with a melting point of 140°C, 2.2 decitex, 51 mm in length), and 17% by weight of highly crosslinked polyacrylate staple fibers (Breath Thermo, a commercially available product of the applicant, 2.4 decitex, 35 mm in length). This web was then heat-treated at 165°C for 3 minutes at a speed of 3 m/min, cooled, and wound up to obtain a nonwoven fabric sheet for filling, with a basis weight of 115 g/ ^m² and a thickness of 21.67 mm. In addition, the tensile strength of the nonwoven fabric sheet for filling in the surface direction (X, Y directions) was 1.26 N in the X direction (vertical direction of the nonwoven fabric sheet for filling) and 2.89 N in the Y direction (horizontal direction of the nonwoven fabric sheet for filling), and the peel strength between layers (Z direction) was 0.13 N.
This nonwoven fabric sheet for padding was filled between the outer and inner layers of nylon fabric to create a jacket. This jacket weighed 353 g per coat in a men's medium size, and a wear test confirmed that it had volume and a soft feel, and that its heat retention did not decrease even when wet, making it warm.

Example 2
The same procedure as in Example 1 was carried out, except that the fusible fibers were 13% by mass and the processing speed was 2 m/min. This nonwoven fabric sheet for filling had a basis weight of 200 g/ ^m2 and a thickness of 36.25 mm. The tensile strength of the nonwoven fabric sheet for filling in the plane directions (X and Y directions) was 3.33 N in the X direction (the longitudinal direction of the nonwoven fabric sheet for filling) and 13.95 N in the Y direction (the transverse direction of the nonwoven fabric sheet for filling), and the interlayer peel strength (Z direction) was 0.28 N.

Example 3
The same procedure as in Example 2 was carried out except that the processing speed was 2.5 m/min. This nonwoven fabric sheet for filling had a basis weight of 170 g/ ^m2 and a thickness of 31.50 mm. The tensile strength of the nonwoven fabric sheet for filling in the plane directions (X and Y directions) was 1.87 N in the X direction (the longitudinal direction of the nonwoven fabric sheet for filling) and 5.22 N in the Y direction (the transverse direction of the nonwoven fabric sheet for filling), and the interlayer peel strength (Z direction) was 0.17 N.

Example 4
The same procedure as in Example 1 was carried out, except that the speed was 4 m/min. This nonwoven fabric sheet for filling had a basis weight of 60 g/ ^m2 and a thickness of 20.00 mm. The tensile strength of the nonwoven fabric sheet for filling in the plane directions (X and Y directions) was 0.46 N in the X direction (the longitudinal direction of the nonwoven fabric sheet for filling) and 0.53 N in the Y direction (the transverse direction of the nonwoven fabric sheet for filling), and the interlayer peel strength (Z direction) was 0.10 N.

Example 5
The same procedure as in Example 1 was carried out, except that the speed was 2 m/min. This nonwoven fabric sheet for filling had a basis weight of 210 g/ ^m2 and a thickness of 37.5 mm. The tensile strength of the nonwoven fabric sheet for filling in the plane directions (X and Y directions) was 1.89 N in the X direction (the longitudinal direction of the nonwoven fabric sheet for filling) and 6.16 N in the Y direction (the transverse direction of the nonwoven fabric sheet for filling), and the interlayer peel strength (Z direction) was 0.19 N.

(Comparative Example 1)
The same procedure as in Example 1 was carried out except that no fusible fibers were used. However, the nonwoven fabric sheet was torn during production, and no nonwoven fabric sheet could be obtained.

(Comparative Example 2)
We measured the physical properties of a competitor's product, "Primaloft" (filling in the form of a nonwoven sheet). This is filling held together by a binder.

(Comparative Example 3)
We measured the physical properties of a competitor's product, "Thermore" (filling in the form of a nonwoven sheet). This is filling held together by a binder.

(Comparative Example 4)
We measured the physical properties of a competitor's product, "Thinsulate" (filling in the form of a nonwoven sheet). This is filling held together by a binder.

(Comparative Example 5)
The physical properties of the applicant's commercially available "Thermalloft" batting (nonwoven sheet batting), which is batting held together by a binder, were measured.

(Comparative Example 6)
The physical properties of the applicant's commercially available product "TEC-FILL" (a torn cotton-like filling) were measured.
Because the material is in the form of shredded cotton, measurements of bulkiness and density were not taken into account.

(Comparative Example 7)
The physical properties of the applicant's commercially available down products were measured. Because they are down, measurements of bulkiness and density were not included.
The above results are summarized in Table 1-2.

As is clear from the above examples and comparative examples, the padded nonwoven fabric sheet of the present invention has a fluffy, soft texture and is resistant to loss of heat retention even when wet, confirming that it is possible to provide a warm padded nonwoven fabric sheet, a method for manufacturing the same, and clothing containing the same.

The nonwoven fabric sheet for padding of the present invention is suitable for use as padded clothing to be worn during cold seasons, and is suitable for applications such as thermal tops, bottoms, coveralls, coats, blousons, ski suits, hats, and bedding.

1 Nonwoven fabric sheet for filling 2 Constituent fibers 3a-3f Fiber web 11 Carding machine 12 Unopened short fibers 13a, 13b Feed roller 14 Teker-in roller 15 Cylinder 16a, 17a Worker 16b, 17b Stripper 18 Doffer 19 Vibration comb 20 Fiber web 21 Carding machine base 22 Long laminated web 23 Take-up device 24 Heating chamber 25 Winding body

Claims (13)

A nonwoven fabric sheet for filling, which is a blend of at least polyester staple fibers and fusible staple fibers containing a polymer having a lower melting point than the polyester staple fibers,
The nonwoven fabric sheet for filling is formed by laminating a plurality of layers of fiber webs in which constituent fibers are aligned substantially in one direction of the sheet,
The nonwoven fabric sheet for padding is characterized in that the layers are bonded together by the entanglement of the constituent fibers, and further, at least a portion of the constituent fibers are partially fused by the fusible short fibers. The nonwoven fabric sheet for padding according to claim 1, wherein the polyester staple fibers account for 60 to 99% by mass and the fused staple fibers account for 1 to 40% by mass, relative to 100% by mass of the nonwoven fabric sheet for padding. The nonwoven fabric sheet for padding according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the nonwoven fabric sheet for padding comprises multiple layers of fiber webs laminated in the same direction as the orientation of the constituent fibers. The nonwoven fabric sheet for padding according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the fusible staple fibers have a core component of polyethylene terephthalate and a sheath component of bicomponent fibers having a melting point or softening point of 90 to 230°C. The nonwoven fabric sheet for padding according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising highly cross-linked polyacrylate staple fibers blended therein, the highly cross-linked polyacrylate staple fibers being blended in an amount of 1 to 50 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the total amount of the polyester staple fibers and the fused staple fibers. The nonwoven fabric sheet for padding according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the highly cross-linked polyacrylate fibers are water-repellent. The nonwoven fabric sheet for padding according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the layers of the laminated fiber web are integrated by entanglement of the constituent fibers. The nonwoven fabric sheet for batting according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the tensile strength in the plane direction (X and Y directions) is at least twice as high as the peel strength between layers (Z direction). The nonwoven fabric padding sheet according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the number of layers of the fiber web constituting the nonwoven fabric padding sheet is 2 to 22. The thickness of the nonwoven fabric sheet for padding according to any one of claims 1 to 9 is 5 to 50 mm in an unloaded and static state, and the mass (basis weight) is 15 to 250 g/ ^m2 . A method for producing a nonwoven fabric padding sheet according to any one of claims 1 to 10,
(1) a step of blending at least polyester staple fibers and fusible staple fibers containing a polymer having a melting point lower than that of the polyester staple fibers, and opening the blend to form a fiber web in which the constituent fibers are aligned substantially in one direction;
(2) folding and laminating the fiber web to form a long laminated web;
(3) heating the long fiber web without load to a melting point of the low-melting point polymer or higher;
(4) A method for producing a nonwoven fabric sheet for padding, comprising the steps of cooling and winding. A padding structure containing the nonwoven fabric padding sheet described in any one of claims 1 to 10 as padding. The padding structure according to claim 12, wherein the padding structure is clothing or bedding.