Roughly crushed piece supply device and fiber structure manufacturing device

Abstract

To provide a roughly crushed piece supply device capable of satisfactorily and quickly humidifying and discharging roughly crushed pieces, and also to provide a fiber structure manufacturing device.SOLUTION: A roughly crushed piece supply device comprises: a storage tank having an inner space for storing roughly crushed pieces including fibers; an introduction port that communicates with the inner space and introduces the roughly crushed pieces into the inner space; an agitation part having an agitating member for agitating the roughly crushed pieces in the inner space; a humidifying part to humidify the roughly crushed pieces in the inner space; and a discharge port to discharge the roughly crushed pieces in the inner space. The humidifying part comprises: a humidified air supply source to supply humidified air; a humidified air release port that is provided on the agitating member and releases the humidified air toward the roughly crushed pieces being agitated; and a humidified air supply channel connecting the humidified air supply source and the humidified air release port.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a coarse fragment supplying device and a fiber structure manufacturing device. [Background technology]

[0002] Background Art A fiber structure manufacturing apparatus is known that includes a crushing section that crushes waste paper roughly, a storage section that stores the coarsely crushed pieces obtained in the crushing section, a defibration section that defibrates the coarsely crushed pieces discharged from the storage section, a deposition section that deposits the defibrated material obtained in the defibration section on a flat surface, a heating and pressurizing section that heats and pressurizes the deposited web, a cutting section that cuts the sheet obtained in the heating and pressurizing section into a predetermined shape, and a sheet recovery section that recovers the obtained sheet.

[0003] An example of the storage unit is described in Patent Document 1. The storage unit described in Patent Document 1 has a storage tank for storing the coarsely crushed pieces, and a humidifier for humidifying the coarsely crushed pieces in the storage tank. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2012-7246 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, in the configuration described in Patent Document 1, a relatively large amount of coarsely crushed pieces is stored in the storage tank, and the coarsely crushed pieces are insufficiently or non-uniformly stirred or humidified, which is a problem that becomes prominent particularly when the fiber structure manufacturing apparatus is temporarily stopped and then restarted. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The coarse fragment supplying device of the present invention comprises: a storage tank having an internal space for storing coarse fragments including fibers; an inlet communicating with the internal space and for introducing the coarsely crushed pieces into the internal space; a stirring unit having a stirring member for stirring the coarsely crushed pieces in the internal space; A humidifying unit that humidifies the coarsely crushed pieces in the internal space; a discharge port for discharging the coarsely crushed pieces in the internal space, The humidification section includes a humidified air supply source that supplies humidified air, a humidified air outlet provided in the stirring member that releases the humidified air toward the coarse fragments being stirred, and a humidified air supply path that connects the humidified air supply source and the humidified air outlet.

[0007] The fiber structure manufacturing apparatus of the present invention comprises: a defibration unit that defibrates the coarse fragments supplied from the coarse fragment supplying device to generate defibrated material; a depositing section that deposits the defibrated material to generate a deposit; and a molding section for shaping the deposit. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a fiber structure manufacturing apparatus equipped with a coarse fragment supplying device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the coarse fragment supplying device shown in FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the stirring member and shaft in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the stirring member in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a detailed description will be given of a coarse fragment supplying device and a fiber structure manufacturing device according to the present invention based on preferred embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.

[0010] <Embodiment> Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a fiber structure manufacturing apparatus equipped with a coarse fragment supplying device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the coarse fragment supplying device shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along line AA in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along line BB in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of the stirring member and shaft in Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the stirring member in Fig. 2.

[0011] In the following, the upper side of Fig. 1, Fig. 2, Fig. 5, and Fig. 6 may be referred to as "upper" or "upper", and the lower side may be referred to as "lower" or "lower". The left side of Fig. 2 may be referred to as "left" or "left side", and the right side may be referred to as "right" or "right side". Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram, and the positional relationship, direction, size, etc. of each part of the fiber structure manufacturing apparatus 100 are not limited to those shown. In Fig. 1, the direction in which the coarsely crushed pieces M2, the defibrated material M3, the first sorted material M4-1, the second sorted material M4-2, the first web M5, the finely divided body M6, the mixture M7, the second web M8, and the sheet S are transported, that is, the direction indicated by the arrow, is also referred to as the transport direction. The tip side of the arrow in Fig. 1 is also referred to as the "downstream side" in the transport direction, and the base end side of the arrow in Fig. 1 is also referred to as the "upstream side" in the transport direction.

[0012] The fiber structure manufacturing apparatus 100 shown in Fig. 1 is an apparatus for producing a sheet S, which is an example of a fiber structure, from a raw material M1, which is waste paper such as used copy paper. The fiber structure manufactured by the fiber structure manufacturing apparatus 100 is not limited to the sheet S, and may be a block-shaped one.

[0013] As shown in Figure 1, the fiber structure manufacturing apparatus 100 includes a raw material supply section 11, a coarse crushing section 12, a coarse fragment supplying device 3 which is an example of a coarse fragment supplying device of the present invention, a defibrating device 13, a sorting section 14, a first web forming section 15, a fine dividing section 16, a mixing section 17, a dispersion section 18, a second web forming section 19, a molding section 20, a cutting section 21, a storage section 22, and a recovery section 27.

[0014] The fiber structure manufacturing apparatus 100 also includes a humidifier section 231, a humidifier section 232, a humidifier section 233, a humidifier section 234, a humidifier section 235, and a humidifier section 236. In addition, the fiber structure manufacturing apparatus 100 also includes a blower 261, a blower 262, and a blower 263.

[0015] In addition, in the fiber structure manufacturing apparatus 100, a raw material supply process, a coarse crushing process, a coarsely crushed piece supply process, a defibration process, a sorting process, a first web formation process, a cutting process, a mixing process, a defibrating process, a second web formation process, a sheet formation process, and a cutting process are carried out in this order.

[0016] The configuration of each part will be described below. The raw material supplying section 11 is a section that performs a raw material supplying step of supplying raw material M1 to the crushing section 12. This raw material M1 is a sheet-like material made of a fiber-containing material including cellulose fibers. The cellulose fibers may be fibrous and contain cellulose as a compound as the main component, and may contain hemicellulose and lignin in addition to cellulose. The raw material M1 may be in any form, such as woven fabric or nonwoven fabric. The raw material M1 may be, for example, recycled paper produced by disintegrating waste paper and regenerating it, or synthetic paper such as Yupo paper (registered trademark), or it may not be recycled paper.

[0017] The crushing unit 12 is a section that performs a crushing step of crushing the raw material M1 supplied from the raw material supply unit 11 in air such as the atmosphere. The crushing unit 12 has a pair of crushing blades 121 and a chute 122.

[0018] The pair of crushing blades 121 rotate in opposite directions to each other, and can crush the raw material M1 between them, that is, cut it into crushed pieces M2. The shape and size of the crushed pieces M2 are preferably suitable for defibration processing in the defibration device 13. Examples of the shape of the crushed pieces M2 include small pieces with a square planar shape, rectangular pieces, and particularly small pieces with a strip shape. The size of the crushed pieces M2 is preferably small pieces with an average side length of 100 mm or less, and more preferably small pieces with an average side length of 3 mm or more and 70 mm or less. The shape of the small pieces may be other than square or rectangular. The thickness is preferably 0.07 mm or more and 0.10 mm or less.

[0019] The chute 122 is disposed below the pair of crushing blades 121 and has, for example, a cone or funnel shape. This allows the chute 122 to receive the coarsely crushed pieces M2 that have been crushed by the crushing blades 121 and dropped.

[0020] Moreover, above the chute 122, a humidifying section 231 is disposed adjacent to the pair of coarse crushing blades 121. The humidifying section 231 humidifies the coarsely crushed pieces M2 in the chute 122. This humidifying section 231 is configured as an evaporation type humidifier that has a moisture-containing filter (not shown) and supplies humidified air with increased humidity to the coarsely crushed pieces M2 by passing air through the filter. By supplying the humidified air to the coarsely crushed pieces M2, it is possible to suppress adhesion of the coarsely crushed pieces M2 to the chute 122 and the like due to electrostatic forces.

[0021] The chute 122 is connected to the coarse fragment supplying device 3. The coarse fragments M2 collected by the chute 122 are sent to the coarse fragment supplying device 3 and temporarily stored therein, and are then supplied from the coarse fragment supplying device 3 to the defibration device 13. The coarse fragment supplying device 3 performs a coarse fragment supplying process, and supplies the coarse fragments M2 to the defibration device 13 while humidifying them. The coarse fragment supplying device 3 will be described in detail later.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 1, the defibrator 13 is a part that performs a defibration process in which the coarsely crushed pieces M2 are defibrated in the air, i.e., in a dry manner. The defibration process in this defibrator 13 makes it possible to generate a defibrated material M3 from the coarsely crushed pieces M2. Here, "defibrate" refers to untangling the coarsely crushed pieces M2, which are made up of multiple fibers bound together, into individual fibers. This untangled material becomes the defibrated material M3. The shape of the defibrated material M3 is linear or band-like. The defibrated material M3 may also be present in a state in which it is entangled with other pieces to form a mass, i.e., in a state in which it forms so-called "lumps."

[0023] In addition, the defibrator 13 can generate an air flow from the coarse fragment supplying device 3 toward the sorting section 14, i.e., an airflow, by rotating a rotor (not shown). This allows the coarse fragments M2 to be introduced from the pipe 241 to the upstream side of the defibrator 13, and after defibration processing, the defibrated material M3 can be sent to the sorting section 14 via the pipe 242.

[0024] A pipe 242 is connected to the downstream side of the defibrator 13. A blower 261 consisting of, for example, a turbo fan is installed midway through the pipe 242. The blower 261 is an airflow generating device that generates an airflow toward the sorting section 14. This promotes the introduction of the coarsely crushed pieces M2 into the defibrator 13 and the sending out of the defibrated material M3 to the sorting section 14. Due to the structure of the defibrator 13, the passage and defibration process of the coarsely crushed pieces M2, which are the raw material, is smooth, but the operation of the blower 261 installed downstream of the defibrator 13 promotes the passage and defibration process of the coarsely crushed pieces M2 within the defibrator 13. The blower 261 may be installed upstream of the defibrator 13.

[0025] The sorting unit 14 is a section that performs a sorting process in which the defibrated material M3 is sorted according to the fiber length. In the sorting unit 14, the defibrated material M3 is sorted into a first sorted material M4-1 and a second sorted material M4-2 having a fiber length longer than that of the first sorted material M4-1. The first sorted material M4-1 has a size suitable for the subsequent production of the sheet S. On the other hand, the second sorted material M4-2 includes, for example, material that is insufficiently defibrated or material in which defibrated fibers are excessively aggregated.

[0026] The sorting unit 14 has a drum unit 141 and a housing unit 142 that houses the drum unit 141.

[0027] The drum part 141 is a sieve composed of a cylindrical mesh body and rotates around its central axis. The defibrated material M3 flows into this drum part 141. Then, as the drum part 141 rotates, the defibrated material M3 smaller than the mesh opening is sorted as the first sorted material M4-1, and the defibrated material M3 larger than the mesh opening is sorted as the second sorted material M4-2.

[0028] The first sorted item M4-1 falls from the drum portion 141. Meanwhile, the second sorted material M4-2 is sent out to a pipe 243 connected to the drum unit 141. The end of the pipe 243 opposite the drum unit 141, i.e., the downstream end, is connected midway through the pipe 241. The second sorted material M4-2 that passes through this pipe 243 merges with the coarsely crushed pieces M2 inside the pipe 241 and flows into the defibration device 13 together with the coarsely crushed pieces M2. As a result, the second sorted material M4-2 is returned to the defibration device 13 and is defibrated together with the coarsely crushed pieces M2.

[0029] The first selected object M4-1 that has fallen from the drum unit 141 falls while being dispersed in the air, and heads toward the first web forming unit 15 located below the drum unit 141. The first web forming unit 15 is a section that carries out a first web forming step of forming a first web M5 from the first selected object M4-1. The first web forming unit 15 has a mesh belt 151, three tension rollers 152, and a suction unit 153.

[0030] The mesh belt 151 is an endless belt on which the first sorted material M4-1 is accumulated. The mesh belt 151 is wound around three tension rollers 152. As the tension rollers 152 rotate, the first sorted material M4-1 on the mesh belt 151 is transported downstream.

[0031] The size of the first sorted material M4-1 is equal to or larger than the mesh size of the mesh belt 151. This restricts the passage of the first sorted material M4-1 through the mesh belt 151, and therefore the first sorted material M4-1 can be piled up on the mesh belt 151. Furthermore, the first sorted material M4-1 is transported downstream together with the mesh belt 151 while being piled up on the mesh belt 151, and is thus formed as a layered first web M5.

[0032] In addition, the first sorted material M4-1 may contain, for example, dust or dirt. Dust or dirt may be generated, for example, by crushing or defibrating. Such dust or dirt will be collected in the collection section 27, which will be described later.

[0033] The suction unit 153 is a suction mechanism that sucks air from below the mesh belt 151. This makes it possible to suck in dust and dirt that has passed through the mesh belt 151 together with the air.

[0034] In addition, the suction unit 153 is connected to the collection unit 27 via a pipe 244. The dust and dirt sucked by the suction unit 153 is collected in the collection unit 27.

[0035] A pipe 245 is further connected to the collection unit 27. A blower 262 is installed in the middle of the pipe 245. By operating the blower 262, a suction force can be generated in the suction unit 153. This promotes the formation of the first web M5 on the mesh belt 151. Dust and dirt are removed from this first web M5. By operating the blower 262, the dust and dirt pass through the pipe 244 and reach the collection unit 27.

[0036] The housing part 142 is connected to the humidifier part 232. The humidifier part 232 is configured with an evaporative humidifier. This allows humidified air to be supplied into the housing part 142. The first sorted object M4-1 can be humidified by this humidified air, and therefore, the first sorted object M4-1 can be prevented from adhering to the inner wall of the housing part 142 due to electrostatic force.

[0037] A humidifying section 235 is disposed downstream of the sorting section 14. The humidifying section 235 is configured with an ultrasonic humidifier that sprays water. This allows moisture to be supplied to the first web M5, and thus the moisture content of the first web M5 is adjusted. This adjustment makes it possible to suppress adhesion of the first web M5 to the mesh belt 151 due to electrostatic force. As a result, the first web M5 is easily peeled off from the mesh belt 151 at the position where the mesh belt 151 is folded back by the tension roller 152.

[0038] The segmentation unit 16 is disposed downstream of the humidification unit 235. The segmentation unit 16 is a section that performs a segmentation step of segmenting the first web M5 peeled off from the mesh belt 151. The segmentation unit 16 has a rotatably supported propeller 161 and a housing portion 162 that houses the propeller 161. The rotating propeller 161 can segment the first web M5. The segmented first web M5 becomes segmented bodies M6. The segmented bodies M6 move down inside the housing portion 162.

[0039] The housing part 162 is connected to the humidifier part 233. The humidifier part 233 is configured by an evaporation type humidifier. This allows humidified air to be supplied into the housing part 162. This humidified air can also prevent the fragmented bodies M6 from adhering to the propeller 161 and the inner wall of the housing part 162 due to electrostatic force.

[0040] A mixing section 17 is disposed downstream of the subdivision section 16. The mixing section 17 is a section in which a mixing step is performed to mix the subdivision bodies M6 with an additive. The mixing section 17 has an additive supply section 171, a pipe 172, and a blower 173.

[0041] The pipe 172 connects the housing portion 162 of the subdivision portion 16 and the housing 182 of the dispersion portion 18, and is a flow path through which the mixture M7 of the subdivision bodies M6 and the additive passes.

[0042] An additive supply unit 171 is connected to the middle of the pipe 172. The additive supply unit 171 has a housing portion 170 in which an additive is accommodated, and a screw feeder 174 provided in the housing portion 170. By rotation of the screw feeder 174, the additive in the housing portion 170 is pushed out from the housing portion 170 and supplied into the pipe 172. The additive supplied into the pipe 172 is mixed with the fragmented bodies M6 to become a mixture M7.

[0043] Here, examples of additives supplied from the additive supply unit 171 include a binder that bonds fibers together, a colorant for coloring fibers, an aggregation inhibitor for inhibiting aggregation of fibers, a flame retardant for making fibers less flammable, a paper strength enhancer for enhancing the paper strength of the sheet S, and the like, and one or more of these can be used in combination. In the following, as an example, a case where the additive is a binder P1 will be described. The strength of the sheet S can be increased by the additive containing a binder that bonds fibers together.

[0044] Examples of the binder P1 include natural product-derived components such as starch, dextrin, glycogen, amylose, hyaluronic acid, kudzu, konjac, potato starch, etherified starch, esterified starch, natural gum paste, fiber-derived paste, seaweed, and animal protein, as well as polyvinyl alcohol, polyacrylic acid, and polyacrylamide, and one or more selected from these can be used in combination, but natural product-derived components are preferred, and starch is more preferred. In addition, various polyolefins, acrylic resins, thermoplastic resins such as polyvinyl chloride, polyester, and polyamide, and various thermoplastic elastomers can also be used.

[0045] In addition, a blower 173 is installed in the middle of the pipe 172 downstream of the additive supply section 171. The action of a rotating section such as a blade of the blower 173 promotes mixing of the fragmented bodies M6 and the binder P1. In addition, the blower 173 can generate an airflow toward the dispersion section 18. This airflow can agitate the fragmented bodies M6 and the binder P1 in the pipe 172. As a result, the mixture M7 is transported to the dispersion section 18 in a state in which the fragmented bodies M6 and the binder P1 are uniformly dispersed. In addition, the fragmented bodies M6 in the mixture M7 are loosened in the process of passing through the pipe 172, becoming finer fibrous.

[0046] The blower 173 is electrically connected to the control device 28, and the operation thereof is controlled by the control device 28. By adjusting the airflow rate of the blower 173, the amount of air sent into the drum 181 can be adjusted.

[0047] Although not shown in the figure, the end of pipe 172 on the drum 181 side is branched into two, and the branched ends are each connected to an inlet port (not shown) formed on the end face of drum 181.

[0048] 1 is a section that performs a disintegration process for disintegrating and releasing entangled fibers in the mixture M7. The dispersion section 18 has a drum 181 that introduces and releases the defibrated mixture M7, and a housing 182 that houses the drum 181.

[0049] The drum 181 is a sieve that is composed of a cylindrical mesh body and rotates around its central axis. As the drum 181 rotates, fibers and the like of the mixture M7 that are smaller than the mesh openings can pass through the drum 181. At that time, the mixture M7 is loosened and discharged together with air. That is, the drum 181 functions as a discharge section that discharges the material including fibers.

[0050] The drum 181 is connected to a drive source (not shown) and rotates by a torque output from the drive source. The drive source is electrically connected to the control device 28, and the operation of the drive source is controlled by the control device 28.

[0051] Furthermore, the housing 182 is connected to the humidifier 234. The humidifier 234 is configured as an evaporative humidifier. This allows humidified air to be supplied into the housing 182. The inside of the housing 182 can be humidified by this humidified air, and therefore, it is also possible to prevent the mixture M7 from adhering to the inner wall of the housing 182 due to electrostatic force.

[0052] Furthermore, the mixture M7 discharged from the drum 181 falls while being dispersed in the air, and heads toward the second web forming unit 19 located below the drum 181. The second web forming unit 19 is a section where a second web forming step is carried out in which the mixture M7 is deposited to form a second web M8, which is a deposit. The second web forming unit 19 has a mesh belt 191, a tension roller 192, and a suction unit 193.

[0053] The mesh belt 191 is a mesh member, and in the illustrated configuration, is configured as an endless belt. The mixture M7 dispersed and discharged by the dispersion unit 18 is accumulated on the mesh belt 191. The mesh belt 191 is wound around four tension rollers 192. The mixture M7 on the mesh belt 191 is transported downstream by the rotational drive of the tension rollers 192.

[0054] In the illustrated configuration, the mesh belt 191 is used as an example of the mesh member, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the mesh member may be, for example, a flat plate-like member.

[0055] Moreover, most of the mixture M7 on the mesh belt 191 has a size equal to or larger than the mesh openings of the mesh belt 191. This prevents the mixture M7 from passing through the mesh belt 191, and therefore the mixture M7 can be accumulated on the mesh belt 191. Moreover, the mixture M7 is transported downstream together with the mesh belt 191 while being accumulated on the mesh belt 191, and is thus formed as a layered second web M8.

[0056] The suction unit 193 is a suction mechanism that sucks air from below the mesh belt 191. This allows the mixture M7 to be sucked onto the mesh belt 191, thereby facilitating the accumulation of the mixture M7 on the mesh belt 191.

[0057] A pipe 246 is connected to the suction unit 193. A blower 263 is provided midway through the pipe 246. By operating the blower 263, the suction unit 193 can generate a suction force.

[0058] A humidifying section 236 is disposed downstream of the dispersion section 18. The humidifying section 236 is configured with an ultrasonic humidifier similar to the humidifying section 235. This allows moisture to be supplied to the second web M8, and thus the moisture content of the second web M8 is adjusted. This adjustment makes it possible to suppress adhesion of the second web M8 to the mesh belt 191 due to electrostatic force. This allows the second web M8 to be easily peeled off from the mesh belt 191 at the position where the mesh belt 191 is folded back by the tension roller 192.

[0059] The total amount of moisture added from the humidifying units 231 to 236 is preferably, for example, 0.5 parts by mass to 20 parts by mass with respect to 100 parts by mass of the material before humidification.

[0060] A forming unit 20 is disposed downstream of the second web forming unit 19. The forming unit 20 is a portion where a sheet forming process is performed to form a sheet S from the second web M8. The forming unit 20 has a pressurizing unit 201 and a heating unit 202.

[0061] The pressurizing unit 201 has a pair of calender rollers 203, and can pressurize the second web M8 between the calender rollers 203 without heating it. This increases the density of the second web M8. When heating, the degree of heating is preferably such that the binder P1 is not melted. Then, the second web M8 is transported toward the heating unit 202. One of the pair of calender rollers 203 is a driven roller driven by the operation of a motor (not shown), and the other is a driven roller.

[0062] The heating section 202 has a pair of heating rollers 204, and can apply pressure to the second web M8 while heating it between the heating rollers 204. This heating and pressurization melts the binder P1 in the second web M8, and the fibers are bound to each other via the molten binder P1. This forms a sheet S. Then, this sheet S is transported toward the cutting section 21. Note that one of the pair of heating rollers 204 is a driven roller driven by the operation of a motor (not shown), and the other is a driven roller.

[0063] The cutting unit 21 is disposed downstream of the forming unit 20. The cutting unit 21 is a portion that performs a cutting step of cutting the sheet S. The cutting unit 21 has a first cutter 211 and a second cutter 212.

[0064] The first cutter 211 cuts the sheet S in a direction intersecting the conveying direction of the sheet S, particularly in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction.

[0065] The second cutter 212 is disposed downstream of the first cutter 211 and cuts the sheet S in a direction parallel to the conveying direction of the sheet S. This cutting is performed to remove unnecessary portions on both side edges of the sheet S in the width direction, thereby adjusting the width of the sheet S.

[0066] A sheet S having a desired shape and size is obtained by such cutting by the first cutter 211 and the second cutter 212. Then, this sheet S is conveyed further downstream and accumulated in the stock unit 22.

[0067] Each of the components of the fiber structure manufacturing apparatus 100 is electrically connected to a control device 28. The operation of each of these components is controlled by the control device 28.

[0068] As shown in FIG. 1, the control device 28 includes a control unit 281, a storage unit 282, and a communication unit 283.

[0069] The control unit 281 has at least one processor and executes various programs stored in the storage unit 282. For example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) can be used as the processor. The control unit 281 also has various functions, such as a function to control the drive of each part of the fiber structure manufacturing apparatus 100 related to sheet production, such as a function to control the drive of the blower 261, and a function to control the drive of the motor M described below.

[0070] For example, programs related to sheet production and the like are stored in the memory unit 282. With regard to the pulverization of the raw material by the defibrator 13, a program related to an operation sequence including conditions such as the operation timing and rotation speed of the blower 261 and the motor M is stored.

[0071] The communication unit 283 is composed of, for example, an I / O interface, and communicates with each unit of the fiber structure manufacturing apparatus 100. In addition, the communication unit 283 has a function of communicating with a computer or server (not shown), for example, via a network.

[0072] The control device 28 may be built into the fiber structure manufacturing apparatus 100, or may be provided in an external device such as an external computer. Furthermore, the control unit 281 and the memory unit 282 may, for example, be integrated into one unit, or the control unit 281 may be built into the fiber structure manufacturing apparatus 100 and the memory unit 282 may be provided in an external device such as an external computer, or the memory unit 282 may be built into the fiber structure manufacturing apparatus 100 and the control unit 281 may be provided in an external device such as an external computer.

[0073] Next, the configuration of the coarse fragment supplying device 3 will be described. As shown in Figure 2, the coarse fragment supplying device 3 includes a storage section 4 for storing coarse fragments M2, a stirring section 5 for stirring the coarse fragments M2 in the storage section 4, a humidification section 6 for humidifying the coarse fragments M2 in the storage section 4, and an adjustment section 7.

[0074] The storage unit 4 has a storage tank 41 , a partition unit 42 , and a flow path forming member 43 . The storage tank 41 is a tank that temporarily stores the coarsely crushed pieces M2 in the internal space S0, and has an inlet 411, an outlet 412, and an exhaust outlet 413. The inlet 411 is formed in the top surface of the upper part of the storage tank 41, the outlet 412 is formed in the bottom part of the storage tank 41, and the exhaust outlet 413 is formed in the side surface of the upper part of the storage tank 41.

[0075] The storage tank 41 has a cylindrical shape with a bottom. However, the storage tank 41 is not limited to this configuration and may have any shape, such as a rectangular tube.

[0076] The inlet 411 is an opening provided to communicate with the internal space S0 of the storage tank 41, and is connected to the chute 122 shown in Fig. 1. The coarse crushed pieces M2 collected by the chute 122 are introduced into the internal space S0 through the inlet 411.

[0077] The internal space S0 has a first space S1, a second space S2, and a humidified air exhaust space S3. The first space S1 is located above the second space S2. The coarsely crushed pieces M2 introduced through the inlet 411 are first supplied to the first space S1, temporarily stored there, and then transferred to the second space S2. The first space S1 and the second space S2 are separated by a partition 42 described later.

[0078] The discharge outlet 412 is provided at the bottom of the storage tank 41, i.e., on the side of the lower part of the storage tank 41. The coarsely crushed pieces M2 in the second space S2 are discharged from the discharge outlet 412 while being stirred by the operation of the stirring unit 5 described below. A pipe 241 is connected to the discharge outlet 412, and the coarsely crushed pieces M2 discharged from the discharge outlet 412 are supplied to the defibration device 13 shown in Figure 1 via the pipe 241 and defibrated.

[0079] The discharge port 412 is provided at the bottom of the storage tank 41. This allows the coarse crushed pieces M2 to be efficiently discharged from the discharge port 412 while being agitated.

[0080] The discharge outlet 412 may be provided on the bottom surface of the storage tank 41, or may be provided at another position.

[0081] The partition 42 is composed of a cone-shaped or funnel-shaped member whose inner and outer diameters become smaller toward the bottom. That is, the partition 42 has a communication port 421 at the bottom. A shaft 51, which will be described later, is inserted through the communication port 421 without contacting the shaft 51. The edge of the communication port 421 and the shaft 51 are spaced apart by a predetermined distance. Therefore, the coarse crushed pieces M2 can move from the first space S1 to the second space S2 through the communication port 421 by the rotation of the first agitating member 52, which will be described later.

[0082] 2, the partition 42 has an inclined surface 422 located on the first space S1 side. The inclined surface 422 is inclined so that the communication opening 421 is at the bottom. Specifically, the inclined surface 422 has a shape that conforms to the shape of the upper surface of the partition 42, and is, for example, a cone-like or funnel-like shape that surrounds the entire outer periphery of the communication opening 421. By having such an inclined surface 422, the coarse crushed pieces M2 in the first space S1 can be smoothly guided to the communication opening 421 and moved to the second space S2.

[0083] The shape of the inclined surface 422 is not limited to the above, and may be, for example, a pyramidal shape that surrounds the entire outer periphery of the communication port 421, or a pair of inclined flat surfaces arranged on the left and right sides of the shaft 51.

[0084] The average inclination angle of the inclined surface 422 is not particularly limited, but is preferably 15° to 80°, and more preferably 25° to 70°, with respect to the central axis J1 of rotation of the shaft 51. When in such a range, the coarse crushed pieces M2 can be guided to the communication opening 421 more smoothly.

[0085] The partition 42 is located on the first space S1 side and has an inclined surface 422 that is inclined so that the communication opening 421 is at the lowest part. This makes it possible to smoothly guide the coarse crushed pieces M2 in the first space S1 to the communication opening 421.

[0086] The humidified air exhaust space S3 is a space that communicates with the second space S2 and the exhaust port 413. The humidified air exhaust space S3 includes a space formed by the flow path forming member 43. The flow path forming member 43 is a member that connects the through holes 414, 415 formed in the storage tank 41. The through hole 414 is formed on the second space S2 side of the side wall of the storage tank 41, i.e., below the partition portion 42, and the through hole 415 is formed above the first space S1 in the side wall of the storage tank 41. That is, the through hole 414 and the through hole 415 are formed in the side wall of the storage tank 41 in this order from the bottom.

[0087] The flow path forming member 43 is a member that airtightly covers the through holes 414, 415 and the portion between the through holes 414, 415 among the outer periphery of the storage tank 41. The humidified air WA discharged into the second space S2 by the humidifying unit 6 described later is used to humidify the coarsely crushed pieces M2 being stirred in the stirring unit 5, and a part of the humidified air WA enters the first space S1 through the communication port 421 and slightly humidifies the coarsely crushed pieces M2 in the first space S1. Furthermore, the surplus of the humidified air WA discharged into the second space S2 passes through the humidified air exhaust space S3 from the second space S2, crosses the upper part of the first space S1 from left to right, and is discharged from the exhaust port 413 to the outside of the storage tank 41.

[0088] When the excess humidified air WA crosses the first space S1, it is preferable to configure it so that it avoids flowing directly below the inlet 411, and to achieve this condition, an auxiliary flow path or a bypass flow path (not shown) may be provided above the storage tank 41.

[0089] Moreover, the surplus humidified air WA may be discharged to the outside of the storage tank 41 without crossing the first space S1. In this case, an exhaust port 413 may be provided at the upper end of the flow path forming member 43, i.e., on the top surface of the storage tank 41.

[0090] In this embodiment, the humidified air exhaust space S3 is also connected to the first space S1 at the upper side. As a result, of the humidified air WA that has moved from the second space S2 to the first space S1 through the communication port 421, an excess portion moves from the first space S1 to the humidified air exhaust space S3 and is discharged from the exhaust port 413.

[0091] As shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the stirring unit 5 has a shaft 51, a first stirring member 52, and a second stirring member 53 (stirring member).

[0092] The shaft 51 is rod-shaped and extends from the bottom of the storage tank 41 in the up-down direction in FIG. 2, i.e., in the vertical direction. The shaft 51 rotates around a central axis J1 along the vertical direction. A lower end of the shaft 51 is connected to a motor M. The shaft 51 rotates when the motor M is operated. In this embodiment, the motor M rotates in one direction, i.e., in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 2. As a result, the shaft 51 rotates clockwise in FIGS. 3 and 4. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and the shaft 51 may be configured to be rotatable in either the forward or reverse direction.

[0093] A reducer may be installed between the motor M and the shaft 51. The motor M is electrically connected to the control unit 281 of the control device 28 shown in Fig. 1, and the energization conditions are controlled by the control unit 281. As a result, the shaft 51 rotates at a predetermined timing and a predetermined rotation speed.

[0094] 2, the shaft 51 is inserted through the communication opening 421 of the partition 42. The upper end of the shaft 51 is located in the first space S1. A first agitating member 52 is provided on the outer periphery of the shaft 51 in the first space S1, and a second agitating member 53 is provided on the outer periphery of the shaft 51 in the second space S2.

[0095] As shown in FIG. 3, the first agitating member 52 rotates together with the shaft 51 to agitate the coarsely crushed pieces M2 in the first space S1. The first agitating member 52 is plate-shaped, particularly rectangular, with the thickness direction being the circumferential direction of the shaft 51. A plurality of first agitating members 52, four in this embodiment, are provided at equal intervals (equal angular intervals). However, this configuration is not limited, and the first agitating members 52 may be rod-shaped. The number of the first agitating members provided is also not limited to four, and may be one to three, or five or more. The first agitating members 52 do not have to be provided at equal intervals.

[0096] The first stirring member 52 stirs the coarsely crushed pieces M2 in the first space S1, so that the coarsely crushed pieces M2 are loosened and the entanglement of each piece can be released. The coarsely crushed pieces M2 thus broken apart can be smoothly transferred to the second space S2 through the communication port 421.

[0097] As shown in FIG. 4, the second stirring member 53 rotates together with the shaft 51 to stir the coarsely crushed pieces M2 in the second space S2. The second stirring member 53 is disposed at a position offset toward the bottom side of the storage tank 41. The second stirring member 53 is plate-shaped, particularly rectangular, with the thickness direction being the circumferential direction of the shaft 51. A plurality of second stirring members 53, four in this embodiment, are provided at equal intervals (equal angular intervals). However, this configuration is not limited, and the second stirring members 53 may be rod-shaped. The number of the second stirring members is not limited to four, and may be one to three, or five or more. The second stirring members 53 do not have to be disposed at equal intervals.

[0098] In the second space S2, the second agitating member 53 rotates around the central axis J1 and agitates the coarsely crushed pieces M2, thereby loosening the coarsely crushed pieces M2 and disentangling them one by one. As shown in Figures 4 and 6, the second agitating member 53 can push the coarsely crushed pieces M2 forward in the rotation direction of the shaft 51. This allows the coarsely crushed pieces M2 to be smoothly discharged from the discharge port 412.

[0099] In this embodiment, the first agitating member 52 and the second agitating member 53 can be rotated and agitated together by rotating the shaft 51. This allows the discharge of the coarse crushed pieces M2 from the second space S2 by the second agitating member 53 and the transfer (replenishment) of the coarse crushed pieces M2 to the second space S2 by the first agitating member 52 to be performed together by one power mechanism.

[0100] However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and the first agitating member 52 and the second agitating member 53 may be configured to rotate independently.

[0101] The coarse fragment supplying device 3 is provided with a partition 42 that divides the internal space S0 into a first space S1 and a second space S2 located below the first space S1, and a second stirring member 53 as a stirring member is provided in the second space S2 and stirs the coarse fragments M2 that have moved from the first space S1 to the second space S2. This allows the coarse fragments M2 in the second space S2 to be smoothly discharged from the coarse fragment supplying device 3 in a state in which they are no longer entangled.

[0102] The second agitating member 53 as an agitating member is installed at the bottom of the storage tank 41 and rotates in one direction around a central axis J1 along the vertical direction. This allows the coarse fragments M2 in the internal space S0, particularly in the second space S2, to be stably discharged from the coarse fragment supplying device 3.

[0103] The stirring unit 5 is disposed on the outer periphery of the shaft 51 in the second space S2 and has a plurality of (four in this embodiment) second stirring members 53 which rotate together with the shaft 51. This allows the coarse crushed pieces M2 in the second space S2 to be stirred satisfactorily.

[0104] The humidifying section 6 has a humidified air supply source 61, a humidified air outlet 62, a humidified air supply passage 63, an air supply fan 64, and a valve 65. The humidifying section 6 humidifies the coarsely crushed pieces M2 in the internal space S0, particularly the coarsely crushed pieces M2 in the second space S2. This makes it possible to prevent the coarsely crushed pieces M2 from becoming entangled with each other due to electrostatic forces, or from adhering to various locations in the storage tank 41. This allows the coarsely crushed pieces M2 to be discharged smoothly and stably from the discharge port 412, and allows subsequent processing, such as defibration processing and quantitative supply, to be performed appropriately and satisfactorily.

[0105] In this way, the coarse fragment supplying device 3 is provided with a humidifying section 6 that humidifies the coarse fragments M2 in the storage tank 41, particularly the coarse fragments M2 in the second space S2. This allows the coarse fragments M2 in the internal space S0, particularly the second space S2, to be efficiently humidified. As a result, it is possible to effectively prevent the coarse fragments M2 from entangling with each other due to electrostatic forces and from adhering to the inside of the device.

[0106] The humidified air supply source 61 shown in Fig. 2 generates the humidified air WA. The humidified air supply source 61 generates the humidified air WA, for example, by evaporation or ultrasonic means. The humidified air supply source 61 stops generating the humidified air WA when the power supply (main power supply, the same applies below) of the fiber structure manufacturing apparatus 100 is turned OFF, and starts generating the humidified air WA when the power supply of the fiber structure manufacturing apparatus 100 is turned ON.

[0107] An air supply fan 64 for sending the humidified air WA towards the humidified air outlets 62, and a valve 65 for adjusting the flow rate of the humidified air WA are provided along the humidified air supply path 63. By operation of the air supply fan 64, the humidified air WA generated in the humidified air supply source 61 is transported through the humidified air supply path 63 to each humidified air outlet 62 and released.

[0108] The air supply fan 64 is constituted, for example, by a blower, and the valve 65 is constituted, for example, by an electromagnetic valve whose opening degree is variable.

[0109] The humidified air supply source 61, the air supply fan 64 and the valve 65 are each electrically connected to the control unit 281 of the control device 28 shown in Fig. 1, and the energization conditions are controlled by the control unit 281. As a result, the humidified air WA is discharged from the humidified air discharge port 62 at a predetermined timing, with a predetermined humidity and at a predetermined flow rate, and is supplied to the coarsely crushed pieces M2.

[0110] The humidifier unit 6 may be configured without either or both of the air supply fan 64 and the valve 65.

[0111] The humidified air outlet 62 is provided in the second agitating member 53 and releases the humidified air WA toward the coarse crushed pieces M2 being agitated by the second agitating member 53. More specifically, the humidified air outlet 62 is provided in each of the four second agitating members 53. This allows the humidified air WA to be supplied evenly and uniformly to the coarse crushed pieces M2 being agitated by each second agitating member 53. This allows the coarse crushed pieces M2 in the second space S2 to be humidified evenly, efficiently, and quickly.

[0112] In particular, when the power supply of the fiber structure manufacturing apparatus 100 is turned on while the fiber structure manufacturing apparatus 100 is in a stopped state, it is necessary to quickly humidify the dry coarsely crushed pieces M2. With the above-mentioned configuration of the coarsely crushed piece supplying apparatus 3, the coarsely crushed pieces M2 can be directly humidified, so that the coarsely crushed pieces M2 can be efficiently and quickly humidified and the humidified coarsely crushed pieces M2 can be quickly discharged. As a result, the production of the sheet S can be started quickly after the power supply of the fiber structure manufacturing apparatus 100 is turned on, and the quality of the manufactured sheet S is improved.

[0113] As shown in Figures 4 and 6, each second agitating member 53 pushes and agitates the coarse crushed pieces M2 with the surface in front of it in the direction of rotation. The humidified air outlet 62 is provided on the rear side of each second agitating member 53 in the direction of rotation, and emits humidified air WA toward the coarse crushed pieces M2 being pushed by the adjacent second agitating member 53 in the rear direction of the direction of rotation. This prevents the humidified air outlet 62 from being blocked by the coarse crushed pieces M2, and allows the humidified air WA to be supplied to the coarse crushed pieces M2 that have been agitated and loosened to humidify them. This allows the coarse crushed pieces M2 to be humidified more uniformly and without unevenness.

[0114] In this way, the humidified air outlet 62 is provided on the rear side in the rotation direction of the second agitating member 53 as an agitating member. This allows the coarse crushed pieces M2 to be humidified more uniformly and without unevenness. The location of the humidified air outlet 62 is not limited to the configuration shown in the figure, and may be provided, for example, on the front side in the rotation direction of the second agitating member 53 or on the upper surface side of the second agitating member 53.

[0115] 6, the humidified air outlet 62 is provided with a mesh member 621 as a filter to prevent the intrusion of the coarse crushed pieces M2. This allows the humidified air WA to be discharged from the humidified air outlet 62, but also prevents or suppresses the coarse crushed pieces M2 from entering the inside of the second agitator 53 through the humidified air outlet 62.

[0116] As shown in Figures 2 and 5, the humidified air WA generated by the humidified air supply source 61 is transported via the humidified air supply path 63 to the humidified air discharge port 62 and discharged toward the coarsely crushed pieces M2 being stirred by the second stirring member 53.

[0117] The humidified air supply source 61 and the storage tank 41 are connected by a transfer pipe 44. An inner cavity 441 of the transfer pipe 44 constitutes a part of the humidified air supply path 63. One end of the transfer pipe 44 is connected to the humidified air supply source 61, and the other end is connected to a through hole 416 provided in the bottom of the storage tank 41.

[0118] 5, the shaft 51 has a bore 511. The bore 511 is in communication with the through hole 416. Each second agitating member 53 has a bore 531 in communication with the bore 511 of the shaft 51. The bore 531 is in communication with the humidified air outlet 62. As a result, the humidified air WA passes through the bore 441 of the transfer tube 44, the bore 511 of the shaft 51, and the bore 531 of each second agitating member 53 in this order, and is then discharged from the humidified air outlet 62. That is, the humidified air supply path 63 is constituted by the bore 441 of the transfer tube 44, the bore 511 of the shaft 51, and the bore 531 of the second agitating member 53.

[0119] As described above, the stirring unit 5 has the shaft 51 and the second stirring members 53 as a plurality of stirring members arranged at equal intervals on the outer periphery of the shaft 51, and the humidified air supply passage 63 is provided inside the shaft 51 and inside the second stirring members 53. In other words, the components of the humidifying unit 6 partially overlap with the components of the stirring unit 5. This can simplify the device configuration.

[0120] In the present invention, it goes without saying that the humidified air supply passage 63 may be provided independently of the shaft 51.

[0121] 5, a backflow prevention wall 512 is provided in the inner cavity 511 of the shaft 51. The backflow prevention wall 512 has a function of preventing the coarse crushed pieces M2 from blocking the through-hole 416 even if the coarse crushed pieces M2 get into the shaft 51. The backflow prevention wall 512 is tubular and provided on the outside of the through-hole 416. The backflow prevention wall 512 has a shape (frustum of a cone) in which the outer and inner diameters decrease toward the top. This makes it possible to more reliably prevent the coarse crushed pieces M2 from blocking the through-hole 416.

[0122] As described above, the coarse fragment supplying device 3 includes a storage tank 41 having an internal space S0 for storing coarse fragments M2 containing fibers, an inlet 411 communicating with the internal space S0 for introducing the coarse fragments M2 into the internal space S0, an agitation section 5 having a second agitation member 53 as an agitation member for agitating the coarse fragments M2 in the internal space S0, a humidification section 6 for humidifying the coarse fragments M2 in the internal space S0, and an outlet 412 for discharging the coarse fragments M2 in the internal space S0. The humidification section 6 includes a humidified air supply source 61 for supplying humidified air WA, a humidified air outlet 62 provided in the second agitation member 53 for discharging the humidified air WA toward the agitated coarse fragments M2, and a humidified air supply path 63 connecting the humidified air supply source 61 and the humidified air outlet 62. This allows the coarse fragments M2 to be agitated well and humidified uniformly and quickly.

[0123] The fiber structure manufacturing apparatus 100 also includes a coarse fragment supplying device 3, a defibrator 13 as a defibrating section that defibrates the coarse fragments M2 supplied from the coarse fragment supplying device 3 to produce defibrated material M3, a second web forming section 19 as a depositing section that deposits the defibrated material M3 to produce a second web M8 as a deposit, and a forming section 20 that forms the second web M8. This makes it possible to manufacture a fiber structure (sheet S) using the coarse fragments M2 that have been uniformly and quickly humidified in the coarse fragment supplying device 3. This makes it possible to improve the quality of the fiber structure (sheet S) and the yield rate.

[0124] As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the adjustment unit 7 is composed of a shaft 51 and a first stirring member 52. That is, the shaft 51 and the first stirring member 52 of the stirring unit 5 also belong to the adjustment unit 7. As described above, the rotation of the first stirring member 52 loosens the coarsely crushed pieces M2, and the entanglement of each piece can be undone. Therefore, the broken coarsely crushed pieces M2 can be smoothly transferred to the second space S2 through the communication port 421. In addition, the transfer amount per unit time of the coarsely crushed pieces M2 transferred to the second space S2 through the communication port 421 can be adjusted according to the rotation speed of the first stirring member 52.

[0125] When the rotation speed of the first agitating member 52 is increased, the amount of the coarsely crushed pieces M2 transferred increases, and when the rotation speed of the first agitating member 52 is decreased, the amount of the coarsely crushed pieces M2 transferred decreases. The rotation speed of the first agitating member 52 may be variable during rotation, or may be configured to always rotate at a predetermined rotation speed.

[0126] In particular, since the internal space S0 is divided into the first space S1 and the second space S2 by the partition 42, the coarse crushed pieces M2 can be stored separately in each of the first space S1 and the second space S2. This allows the coarse crushed pieces M2 immediately before being discharged, i.e., the coarse crushed pieces M2 in the second space S2, to be stirred and discharged. Therefore, compared to a configuration in which the entire amount of the coarse crushed pieces M2 in the internal space S0 is stirred, stirring can be performed more uniformly, favorably, and quickly. As a result, the properly stirred and humidified coarse crushed pieces M2 can be quickly discharged and supplied to the next process.

[0127] Furthermore, when the power supply of the fiber structure manufacturing apparatus 100 in a stopped state is turned on to humidify the dry coarsely crushed pieces M2, the coarsely crushed pieces M2 in the second space S2 can be preferentially humidified. That is, a relatively small amount of the coarsely crushed pieces M2 can be humidified and discharged from the storage tank 41. As a result, the coarsely crushed pieces M2 can be humidified more quickly and satisfactorily. In this manner, since the internal space S0 is divided into the first space S1 and the second space S2 by the partition 42, the processes such as stirring, discharge, and humidification can be performed uniformly, satisfactorily, and quickly.

[0128] In this embodiment, the first stirring member 52 and the second stirring member 53 rotate synchronously with the rotation of the shaft 51. This allows the discharge of the coarse crushed pieces M2 in the second space S2 from the discharge port 412 and the transfer of the coarse crushed pieces M2 from the first space S1 to the second space S2 to be performed simultaneously. This allows the amount of the coarse crushed pieces M2 in the second space S2 to be maintained at a desired amount. As a result, the coarse crushed pieces M2 can be humidified and discharged stably.

[0129] In this embodiment, the internal space S0 of the storage tank 41 has a first space S1 and a second space S2 separated by the partition 42, but this is not limited thereto, and the storage tank 41 may have a single internal space S0. In other words, the coarse fragment supplying device 3 may be configured without the partition 42 or without the adjustment unit 7.

[0130] Although the embodiment of the coarse fragment supplying device and the fiber structure manufacturing apparatus of the present invention has been described above with reference to the drawings, the present invention is not limited thereto, and each part constituting the coarse fragment supplying device and the fiber structure manufacturing apparatus can be replaced with any other part capable of performing the same function. In addition, any other component may be added to the coarse fragment supplying device and the fiber structure manufacturing apparatus.

[0131] In addition, in the fiber structure manufacturing apparatus, the raw material supply section 11 and the crushing section 12 may be omitted. [Explanation of symbols]

[0132] Reference Signs List: 3...coarse fragment supply device, 4...storage section, 5...agitation section, 6...humidification section, 7...adjustment section, 11...raw material supply section, 12...coarse crushing section, 13...defibration device, 14...screening section, 15...first web forming section, 16...fragmenting section, 17...mixing section, 18...dispersion section, 19...second web forming section, 20...shaping section, 21...cutting section, 22...stock section, 27...recovery section, 28...control device, 41...storage tank, 42...partition section, 43...flow path forming member, 44...transfer pipe, 51...shaft, 52...first agitation member, 53...second agitation member, 61...humidified air supply source, 62...humidified air Discharge port, 63...humidified air supply passage, 64...air supply fan, 65...valve, 100...fiber structure manufacturing apparatus, 121...crushing blade, 122...chute, 141...drum section, 142...housing section, 151...mesh belt, 152...tension roller, 153...suction section, 161...propeller, 162...housing section, 170...housing section, 171...additive supply section, 172...pipe, 173...blower, 174...screw feeder, 181...drum, 182...housing, 191...mesh belt, 192...tension roller, 19 3...suction unit, 201...pressurizing unit, 202...heating unit, 203...calender roller, 204...heating roller, 211...first cutter, 212...second cutter, 231...humidifying unit, 232...humidifying unit, 233...humidifying unit, 234...humidifying unit, 235...humidifying unit, 236...humidifying unit, 241...pipe, 242...pipe, 243...pipe, 244...pipe, 245...pipe, 246...pipe, 261...blower, 262...blower, 263...blower, 281...control unit, 282...memory unit, 283...communication unit, 411...inlet, 412...outlet, 413...exhaust port, 414...through hole, 415...through hole, 416...through hole, 421...communication port, 422...inclined surface, 441...lumen, 511...lumen, 512...backflow prevention wall, 531...lumen, 621...mesh member, J1...center shaft, M...motor, M1...raw material, M2...coarsely crushed pieces, M3...defibrated material, M4-1...first sorted material, M4-2...second sorted material, M5...first web, M6...fine body, M7...mixture, M8...second web, P1...binder, S...sheet, S0...internal space, S1...first space, S2...second space, S3...humidified air exhaust space, WA...humidified air

Claims

1. a storage tank having an internal space for storing the coarsely crushed pieces including fibers; an inlet communicating with the internal space and for introducing the coarsely crushed pieces into the internal space; a stirring unit having a stirring member for stirring the coarsely crushed pieces in the internal space; A humidifying unit that humidifies the coarsely crushed pieces in the internal space; a discharge port for discharging the coarsely crushed pieces in the internal space, The coarse fragment supply device is characterized in that the humidification section includes a humidified air supply source that supplies humidified air, a humidified air outlet provided in the stirring member that releases the humidified air toward the coarse fragments being stirred, and a humidified air supply path that connects the humidified air supply source and the humidified air outlet.

2. 2. The coarse fragment supplying device according to claim 1, wherein the stirring member is disposed at the bottom of the storage tank and rotates in one direction about a central axis extending in the vertical direction.

3. 3. The coarse fragment supplying device according to claim 2, wherein the humidified air outlet is provided on a rear side of the agitating member in a rotational direction.

4. The stirring unit has a shaft and a plurality of the stirring members arranged at equal intervals on an outer periphery of the shaft, 4. The coarse fragment supplying device according to claim 1, wherein the humidified air supply passage is provided inside the shaft and inside the stirring member.

5. A partition portion is provided to divide the internal space into a first space and a second space located below the first space, 4. The coarse fragment supplying device according to claim 1, wherein the stirring member is provided in the second space and stirs the coarse fragments that have moved from the first space to the second space.

6. 2. The coarse fragment supplying device according to claim 1, wherein the discharge port is provided at a bottom of the storage tank.

7. A coarse fragment supplying device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, a defibration unit that defibrates the coarse fragments supplied from the coarse fragment supplying device to generate defibrated material; a depositing section that deposits the defibrated material to generate a deposit; a molding section for molding the deposit.

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