Abstract: A manufacturing apparatus of three-dimensional net-like structure includes: a nozzle with a plurality of extrusion holes that are arrayed to extrude and drop downward a thermoplastic synthetic resin in a molten state and thereby form a filament assembly of a plurality of filaments; a pair of chutes arranged across longitudinal faces of the filament assembly to have inclined surfaces that are sloped toward the filament assembly and opposed to each other across a distance that is less than a short side length of the array of the extrusion holes; water supply ports arranged to supply cooling water to the inclined surfaces; and a pair of haul-off machines configured to have endless belts arranged to be in contact with the longitudinal faces of the filament assembly and haul off the filament assembly and opposed to each other across a less distance than the distance between the pair of chutes.

Abstract: A method for forming cushions including the following four steps: (1) a compression step in which the structure (2) is compressed in a mold (3); (2) a thermal softening step in which the structure (2) is thermally softened by means of a heating medium; (3) a curing step in which the structure (2) directly undergoes forced cooling in a cooling medium, and is then cured; and (4) a mold release step in which the structure (2) is released from the mold (3).