PURPOSE: To obtain the lightweight and soft cushion material little in permanent set in fatigue setting and in compression residual strain, having good air permeability and moisture permeability, and comfortable in touch.
CONSTITUTION: A modified PET as a thermoplastic polymer R1, PET as R2 and a modified PET having a melting point of 80-170°C which is lower by at least 20°C than the melting points of R1 and R2, as R3, are subjected to a bicomponent spinning treatment to obtain the latent crimping conjugate fiber having a fineness of 1-10 denier and a fiber length of 10-100mm, giving a crimp number N of 3-20 mountains / 25 mm and a crimping degree number ratio y expressed by an inequality of -0.07N+1.8≤y≤-0.07N+2 and also giving a crimp number of at least 30 mountains / 25mm and a crimping degree of at least 20% under a thermal treatment of 80-200°C wherein R1 and R2 are adhered to each other in a R1/R2 weight ratio of 30/70 to 70/30 to form the core of the conjugate fiber, and wherein R3 is used in a R3/(R1+R2) weight ratio of 20/80 to 60/40 to form the sheath. 80-40wt.% of fibers having a melting point higher by at least 20°C than that of the polymer R3, a fineness of 0.5-30 denier, a fiber length of 10-100mm, a crimp number of at least 3 mountains / 25mm, and a crimping degree of at least 5%, and 20-60wt.% of the conjugate are blended with each other, opened, blow-charged into an air-permeable mold frame, and subsequently thermally treated to obtain the molded product in which contact points between the fibers are fused.
AOYANAGI ISAO
KONNO YOSHIHIRO
