• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.47-52
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• 2007

Polyurethane flexible foams have been widely used for automotive seat cushions because of their excellent performance. It has been required so far to reduce the density of seat cushion foam. However, recently, improving the riding comfort of seat cushions becomes more important. With regard to riding comfort, we investigated the improvement of static properties such as the ball rebound property and the hysteresis loss. We also studied the vibration characteristics, which are well known as an important factor to affect the comfort performance during driving.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.134-142
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• 2003

Performances of Taekwondo fabrics were evaluated in respect of fiber component. yarn count, weave structure and wearing comfort. As a beginning step, we investigated the present situation of Taekwondo wears by questionnaire from pro and amateur Taekwondo players. Samples employed in this study were cotton/nylon blend fabric that was newly woven for this study as well as fabrics of current Taekwondo wears for sale in the market. Their fundamental properties measured were such as air permeability, water vapor transport. wickability, absorption rate, Qmax values, thermal conductivity, durability, hand value, and etc. In addition, subjective wearing sensations were evaluated using Taekwondo wears made of those fabrics. From the results of the objective measurement and the subjective wearing test, we estimated the total fitness of fabrics as a Taekwondo wear. From the questionnaire we could see that pro players and amateurs wanted highly absorbing, quick drying, and soft-tough and complained abrasive surfaces and static elasticity of current fabrics. In view of the results so far achieved, nylon blended fabrics newly woven in this study, showed better comfort-related properties from both of the objective and subjective tests. It was also represented that finer yams enhanced water absorption and touch, and fabrics with rough surface such as honeycomb weave was superior in wearing comfort as well as aesthetic appearance.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.36-50
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• 1995

The purpose of this study was 1) to estimate the improvement of thermal storage/release and moisture transport properties of PEG-treated acrylic athletic socks and suggest the optimum add-on for PEG treatment, 2) to investigate wear performance of untreated cocks and two kinds of socks treated with PEG of minimum and optimum add-on respectively, and 3) to consider the effect of thermal storage/release and moisture transport properties of PEG- treated socks on the wear performance and the subjective comfort zone. Thermal activities of specimens treated by PDC were evaluated on a DSC by measuring the heat of fusion on heating and the heat of crystallization on cooling. Moisture regain, absorption speed, wickability, water retenti on value, and water-vapor permeability were measured. In the wear trials that the subjects performed a subsequent exercise protocol wearing three differently treated socks in a conditioned environment ($14\pm2^{\circ}C$, 65$\pm$2% R.H.), microclimate temperature and humidity, and subjective wear sensations including thermal sensation, wettedness, softness, fit, and overall comfort were obtained. PEC-treated specimens with more than 20% add-on showed thermal storage on heating and thermal release on cooling by a DSC and the heat contents of treated ones were generally proportional to the add-ons. Moisture transport properties were highly improved after PEG treatment and increased rapidly with increasing add-on. The tendencies were, however, relaxed above 50% add-on and the treated knits were much stiffer above that add-on. In the wear trials of untreated, PEG add-on 20%, and 50% acrylic socks, the changes of microclimate temperature of 50% socks were significantly less than that of 20% socks. PEG add-on 50% socks showed significantly less changes of microclimate humidity than other two kinds of socks. Three kinds of socks showed significant differences in overall comfort and add-on 50% socks were accepted more comfortable than other two kinds of socks. Comfort zone of foot was extended after PEG treatment on socks and it implied that the subjects wearing PEG- treated socks felt comfortable in wider ranges of microclimate temperature and humidity.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.1021-1030
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• 1997

Physical variables related to the subjective evaluation of wear comfort were explored. Experimental fabrics was those used in the previous paper where subjective sensations of women's thin shirts were reported. Fabrics include 100% cotton (unfinished), 100% cotton (water repellent finished), cotton/polyester 35/65 (unfinished), cotton/polyester 35/65 (peach skin finished), 100% polyester fabric(plain), 100% polyester crepe. Among various physical properties of the experimental fabrics, heat 8E moisture transport properties and surface properties were chosen as important variables based on the regression coefficient. Especially, humidity at the microclimate in dynamic mode was highly correlated to the subjective evaluation and appeared to be a sensitive physical predictor, compared to dry thermal transmission rate or water vapor transmission rate. Surface characteristic parameters, however, did not show consistant trend in the prediction of the human's subjective sensation. Interaction between surface properties and humidity measurement was also observed.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Industry Convergence
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.149-154
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• 2005

The purpose of this study was to develop the High Functional Stretch Yarns and Woven Fabrics to produce the high value added textile goods and to meet the consumer's needs. For the study 8 yarns and 10 fabrics were made with three develop machine and the thermal-stress properties of the sample were tested and analysed. The result indicated that the sample fabrics kept their stretch performance regardless of conventional process. EDY(elastic DTY) had higher stretch than that of DTY(drawn textured yarn). Especially Macel yarn had higher stretch than that of DTY compared with the same condition of yarn. With time course behavior the elongation of DTY and EDY had stabled tendency without variation. The above results show that wearing sensation and comfort properties of fabrics are changed depending on the end-use. and thus, above results can be used to manufacture of fabrics for specific end-use with high comfort properties.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.255-265
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• 2014

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate comfort levels of functional and non-functional chairs using subjective comfort rating, interface pressure measurement, muscle activity measurement, and skin temperature measurement. Background: Chairs are used for a prolonged period of time for sitting in many places such as the office, at university, at school, in industry, and so on. Almost all people use chairs in their everyday life. The functional properties of the chair are associated with comfort. Method: The subjective evaluation contains questions regarding chair comfort which can be rated with five point scale. The body-seat interface pressure was measured using a pressure mat system. The symmetry of sitting was measured using electromyography. The change in body part (thigh and buttock) temperature before and after sitting on a chair was measured with an infrared camera. Results: Participants rated significantly (p < 0.05) higher comfort scores for the functional chair in relation to the buttock and thigh region. Also, the participants felt a better cushion effect in the functional chair. When using the functional chair, lower interface pressure, better thermal comfort, and better symmetry of erector spinae muscle activity were observed. Conclusion: Overall, interface pressure measurement, muscle activity measurement, thermal imaging and subjective comfort score results showed that the functional chair was more comfortable than the non-functional chair. Application: The adopted methodologies could be used to measure the seating comfort of train seats.

• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.645-651
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• 2015

Numerical study on human thermal comfort in a low floor bus has been conducted. Human thermal comfort in a bus depends mainly on air temperature, air velocity, mean radiant temperature, humidity, and direct solar flux, as well as the level of activity and thermal properties of clothing. The paper presents the velocity and temperature distribution, Predicted Mean Vote (PMV) and Predicted Percentage of Dissatisfied (PPD) indices for the driver and passengers.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.237-248
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• 2001

The purpose of this study was to compare the comfort sensation depending on four different kinds of denim blue jeans: cotton, cotton/tencel, tencel, cotton/pp. The objective and subjective experiments were conducted to measure the comfort of blue jeans. To investigate the objective comfort, physical properties related to thermal insulation, moisture properties and hand were measured. For subjective comfort measurement, 5 healthy female college students were taken as subjects. The outcomes of the experiments are as follows: The higher the air permeability and bulk density of the denim, the lower the thermal insulation, the thicker the denim, the higher the thermal insulation. Tencel blending denim showed the higher bulk density, the lower air contents, and consequently the lower thermal insulation than the other denims. Tencel showed the highest moisture regain, and cotton/tencel blend showed the highest water vapor permeability. Tencel denim had relatively better flexibility, shape stability and elastic recovery than the other denims. The total hand values of the denims by KES-FB system were not significantly different. Cotton and cotton/pp denims raised the subjects body temperature after excercise more than tencel or cotton/tencel denims. Average skin temperature was found to have a correlation with micro climate temperature and micro climate humidity. The correlation coefficients were 0.749 and 0.767, respectively. However, average skin temperatures were not significantly different among the materials. Pulse rate was found to be the highest when wearing cotton/pp and the lowest in case of cotton/tencel denim. The energy was consumed in order of cotton>cotton/pp>tencel>cotton/tencel. There was no significant difference in preference before excercise, but, after the excercise, the order of preference changed as the following; cotton/tencel>tencel>cotton/pp>cotton.

• Journal of The Korea Institute of Healthcare Architecture
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.75-85
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• 2005

Recently the number of women's hospitals of a small scale are increasing in seoul and the other cities although the surroundings of these sites are so inferior. Those hospitals need the space of comfort as like family home. This study suggests that the encirclement space is one of the design methods to make comfort to patients. The encirclement is the form of hugging a baby to a mother's arms. Analysing six woman hospitals, encirclement space is categorized about the six types of square, open square, right-angled, linear, dispersed, etc. The characteristics of "right-angled" is featured as the form of L, and "square" type is characterized as the relationship of functional circulation among doctors, nurses and patients. And all types are organized as the relationship between the encirclement space and the enclosed space about how the functional space and the comfort space are made up. The properties of encirclement space are appeared by the interactions about function, circulation, sight, form, access, recognition through transparent, three-dimensional experience, etc. Encirclement space is recommended as a vital factor to make comfort space for designing women's hospital in city.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.37 no.8
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• pp.1095-1106
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• 2013

This study evaluated the wear comfort properties of water-vapor-permeable (WVP) garments using a movable sweating thermal manikin. Manikin tests were performed in a climatic chamber (temperature T=20, $35{\pm}0.5^{\circ}C$ and relative humidity $H=50{\pm}10%$) using seven sportswear outfits (a long sleeve shirts and a long pants) made with seven different WVP fabrics. Physiological responses of wear trials could be correlated with measurement parameters of the thermal manikin experiment; subsequently, a regression model that represented a final comfort sensation could be obtained. The regression model developed in this work is based on thermal manikin measurements; consequently, it provides an independent comfort sensation level in a relatively short time at a low cost while maintaining the reproducibility of results. It translates into more actual choices for sportswear manufacturers and sportswear consumers.