Importance

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Abstract

A crushing apparatus for crushing closed cells in a pad material which has been molded integral with a frame upon foaming. The crushing apparatus comprises upper and lower counterparts disposed contactable with each other. The upper counterpart includes an upper frame, and an upper sheet-like flexible member secured to the upper frame, and the lower counterpart includes a lower frame which is rotatable around its one side, and a lower sheet-like flexible member secured to the lower frame. The upper and lower sheet-like flexible members are non-air permeable and contactable with each other so as to form an air-tight seal condition between the upper and lower sheet-like flexible members. One of the upper and lower frames has a suction opening which is able to be sealingly connected to a space formed between the upper and lower sheet-like flexible members. An air-sucking device is connected to the suction opening so as to suck air in the space formed between the upper and lower sheet-like members. Additionally, a conveying device is disposed under the lower frame to convey the pad material to be located thereon. In the above crushing apparatus, air in the space is sucked by operating the air-sucking device so as to crush the closed cells in the pad material under a condition where the pad material having the closed cells is placed in the space, and the pad material placed on the lower counterpart is moved to the conveying device upon rotating the lower frame around its one side.

First Claim