Apparatus for producing fiber structure and method for producing fiber structure

Abstract

To provide an apparatus for producing a fiber structure capable of enhancing quality of an article and a method for producing the fiber structure.SOLUTION: An apparatus for producing a fiber structure comprises a deposition unit that generates a band-like deposit by depositing a mixture of a defibrated material of a fiber-containing material and a bonding agent that bonds the fibers together, a protective sheet supply unit that supplies a protective sheet to at least one surface side of the deposit to protect the deposit, a laminated body generation unit that stacks the protective sheet supplied from the protective sheet supply unit onto the deposit to create a laminated body, a molding unit that heats and compresses the laminated body to produce a molded body of the deposit, and a protective sheet removal unit that removes the protective sheet from the molded body.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for producing a fiber structure. [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] The heating and pressing unit has a pair of heating and pressing members, which sandwich the pile from both sides and apply pressure to it while heating it. [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 waste paper processing device (fibrous structure manufacturing device) described in Patent Document 1, the shape of the pressure surface of the heating and pressing member, for example a shape having fine irregularities, is transferred to the formed sheet. As a result, depending on the shape and properties of the pressure surface of the heating and pressing member, the surface properties of the sheet may deteriorate, which may lead to a decrease in sheet quality. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The fiber structure manufacturing apparatus of the present invention includes a depositing section that deposits a mixture of defibrated material containing fibers and a binder that binds the fibers together to generate a band-shaped deposit; a protective sheet supplying section for supplying a protective sheet for protecting the deposit to at least one surface side of the deposit; a laminate generating unit that generates a laminate by laminating the protective sheet supplied from the protective sheet supply unit onto the pile; a molding section for applying heat and pressure to the laminate to generate a compact of the deposit; and a protective sheet removing section that removes the protective sheet from the molded body.

[0007] The method for producing a fiber structure of the present invention includes a depositing step of depositing a mixture of defibrated material containing fibers and a binder that binds the fibers together to produce a band-shaped deposit; a protective sheet supplying step of supplying a protective sheet for protecting the deposit to at least one surface side of the deposit; a laminate generating step of laminating the protective sheet supplied in the protective sheet supplying step on the deposit to generate a laminate; a molding step of applying heat and pressure to the laminate to produce a compact of the deposit; and a protective sheet removing step of removing the protective sheet from the molded body. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the upstream portion of a fiber structure manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the downstream portion of the fiber structure manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a laminate produced in the laminate production section. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a molded body molded in the molding section. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the molded product from which the protective sheet has been removed. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a block diagram of the fiber structure manufacturing apparatus shown in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a fiber structure manufacturing apparatus and a fiber structure manufacturing method of the present invention will be described in detail based on preferred embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.

[0010] <Embodiment> Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the upstream part of a fiber structure manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the downstream part of a fiber structure manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a laminate produced in a laminate production section. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a molded body produced in a molding section. Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a molded body from which a protective sheet has been removed. Fig. 6 is a block diagram of the fiber structure manufacturing apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

[0011] In the following, the upper side of Fig. 1, Fig. 2, Fig. 3, and Fig. 4 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 and Fig. 2, 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. In Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, the tip side of the arrow 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 a fiber structure manufacturing apparatus 100 that produces 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. Note that 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] 1 and 2, the fiber structure manufacturing apparatus 100 includes a raw material supply section 11, a coarse crushing section 12, a defibrating section 13, a sorting section 14, a first web forming section 15, a recovery section 27, a fine dividing section 16, a mixing section 17, a dispersing section 18, a second web forming section (accumulating section) 19, a protective sheet supply section 3, a laminate generating section 4, a forming section 20, a cooling section 5, a protective sheet removing section 6, a cutting section 21, and a stock section 22. These sections are generally arranged sequentially from the upstream side to the downstream side of the material transport path.

[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 defibrating process, a sorting process, a first web forming process, a cutting process, a mixing process, a loosening process, a second web forming process (stacking process), a laminate generating process, a molding process, a cooling process, a protective sheet removing 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] In addition to the above, raw material M1 may be natural fibers such as rayon, cupra, lyocell, cotton, hemp, wool, cashmere, silk, and feathers, or chemical fibers such as polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), acrylic, polyester, nylon, polyester / nylon, polyethylene, polypropylene, and urethane.

[0018] 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.

[0019] 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 unit 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.

[0020] 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.

[0021] 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.

[0022] The chute 122 is connected to the defibrating unit 13. The coarse crushed pieces M2 collected by the chute 122 are supplied to the defibrating unit 13 via a pipe 241.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 1, the defibrating unit 13 is a section that performs a defibrating process in which the coarsely crushed pieces M2 are defibrated in the air, i.e., in a dry manner. The defibrating process in this defibrating unit 13 makes it possible to generate a defibrated material M3 from the coarsely crushed pieces M2. Here, "defibrating" 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 where it is entangled with other pieces to form a mass, that is, in a state where it forms so-called "lumps."

[0024] Furthermore, the defibrating unit 13 can generate an air flow from the defibrating unit 13 toward the sorting unit 14, i.e., an airflow, by the rotation of a rotor (not shown). This allows the coarse fragments M2 to be introduced from the pipe 241 to the upstream side of the defibrating unit 13, and after defibration processing, the defibrated material M3 can be sent to the sorting unit 14 via the pipe 242.

[0025] A pipe 242 is connected to the downstream side of the defibrating unit 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 unit 14. This promotes the introduction of the coarsely crushed pieces M2 into the defibrating unit 13 and the sending out of the defibrated material M3 to the sorting unit 14. Due to its structure, the defibrating unit 13 smoothly passes through and is defibrated, and the operation of the blower 261 installed downstream of the defibrating unit 13 promotes the passage of the coarsely crushed pieces M2 within the defibrating unit 13 and the defibrating process. The blower 261 may be installed upstream of the defibrating unit 13.

[0026] 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.

[0027] The sorting unit 14 has a drum unit 141 and a housing unit 142 that houses the drum unit 141.

[0028] 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.

[0029] 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 section 141. The end of the pipe 243 opposite the drum section 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 defibrating section 13 together with the coarsely crushed pieces M2. As a result, the second sorted material M4-2 is returned to the defibrating section 13 and is defibrated together with the coarsely crushed pieces M2.

[0030] 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.

[0031] 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.

[0032] 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.

[0033] 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.

[0034] 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.

[0035] 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.

[0036] 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.

[0037] 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.

[0038] 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.

[0039] 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.

[0040] 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.

[0041] A mixing section 17 is disposed downstream of the subdivision section 16. The mixing section 17 is a section that performs a mixing step of mixing the subdivision body M6 and the binder P1. The mixing section 17 has an additive supply section 171, a pipe 172, and a blower 173.

[0042] 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.

[0043] 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.

[0044] Here, examples of additives supplied from the additive supply unit 171 include a binder that bonds fibers together, a colorant that colors fibers, an aggregation inhibitor that inhibits aggregation of fibers, a flame retardant that makes fibers less flammable, a paper strength enhancer that enhances 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. By including the binder P1 that bonds fibers together in the additive, the strength of the sheet S can be increased.

[0045] 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 may 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 may also be used.

[0046] 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.

[0047] 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.

[0048] 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.

[0049] 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.

[0050] 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.

[0051] 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.

[0052] 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.

[0053] Furthermore, the mixture M7 discharged from the drum 181 falls while dispersing 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 deposition unit that performs a second web forming step, that is, a deposition step, in which the mixture M7 of the fine bodies M3 as the defibrated material and the binder P1 is deposited to generate a second web M8 as a deposit. The second web forming unit 19 has a mesh belt 191, a tension roller 192, and a suction unit 193.

[0054] 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.

[0055] 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-shaped member.

[0056] 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.

[0057] 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.

[0058] 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.

[0059] 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.

[0060] 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.

[0061] FIG. 2 shows the downstream portion of the fiber structure manufacturing apparatus 100, namely, the protective sheet supply section 3, the laminate generating section 4, the molding section 20, the cooling section 5, the protective sheet removing section 6, the cutting section 21 and the stock section 22.

[0062] Although not shown, the fiber structure manufacturing apparatus 100 has a material transport path formed so that the second web M8 or the sheet S (these may be collectively referred to as "material" in this specification) passes through a second web forming section (accumulation section) 19, a protective sheet supplying section 3, a laminate generating section 4, a forming section 20, a cooling section 5, a protective sheet removing section 6, a cutting section 21, and a stock section 22 in sequence, and a plurality of transport rollers are installed along the transport path for transporting the material from the upstream side to the downstream side. The transport rollers are driven by a motor (not shown). The motor for driving the transport rollers is electrically connected to a control device 28 via a motor driver (not shown), and the control device 28 controls the energization conditions to control the rotation speed, operation timing, etc. of each transport roller.

[0063] As shown in FIG. 2, downstream of the second web forming section 19, a protective sheet supplying section 3 is provided which supplies protective sheets SA and SB to the second web M8.

[0064] The protective sheet supplying unit 3 is a section that carries out the protective sheet supplying process. The protective sheet supplying unit 3 has a pay-out roller 31A that supplies a protective sheet SA to one side, i.e., the upper side, of the second web M8, and a pay-out roller 31B that supplies a protective sheet SB to the other side, i.e., the lower side, of the second web M8.

[0065] A long protective sheet SA is wound in a coil shape around the pay-out roller 31A, and as the pay-out roller 31A rotates counterclockwise, the protective sheet SA is unwound and supplied toward the second web M8, which is being transported downstream.

[0066] Similarly, a long protective sheet SB is wound in a coil shape around the pay-out roller 31B, and as the pay-out roller 31B rotates clockwise, the protective sheet SB is unwound and supplied toward the second web M8, which is being transported downstream.

[0067] The delivery roller 31A is connected to a motor 32A, and the delivery roller 31B is connected to a motor 32B. As shown in Fig. 6, each of the motors 32A and 32B is electrically connected to the control device 28 via a motor driver (not shown), and the control device 28 controls the energizing conditions to thereby control the rotation speed, operation timing, etc. of the delivery roller 31A and the delivery roller 31B.

[0068] A laminate generator 4 is provided downstream of the protective sheet supply unit 3. As shown in Fig. 3, the laminate generator 4 bonds the protective sheet SA and the protective sheet SB supplied from the protective sheet supply unit 3 to the upper and lower surfaces, respectively, of the second web M8, and laminates them to generate a laminate M9.

[0069] In this embodiment, the protective sheet SA and the protective sheet SB have the same configuration, and therefore, in the following, the protective sheet SA will be representatively described, and the same applies to the protective sheet SB.

[0070] The protective sheet SA is flexible, and preferably has a certain degree of softness. A suitable configuration for such a protective sheet SA will be described below.

[0071] The protective sheet SA has a base layer and a release layer. The release layer is located on the front surface (lower surface) of the protective sheet SA. The protective sheet SA is joined to the second web M8 via the release layer. Therefore, in the protective sheet supply section 3 in FIG. 2, the protective sheet SA is supplied with the base layer on the upper side and the release layer on the lower side. The protective sheet SB is upside down.

[0072] The base layer constituting the protective sheet SA is composed of, for example, a resin material, paper, a woven fabric, a nonwoven fabric, a glass fiber sheet, or any of these impregnated with a resin material, etc. In the case of a base layer made of a resin material, examples include resin films composed of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyamide, etc.

[0073] The release layer constituting the protective sheet SA is also called a release layer. Examples of the release layer include a release coating layer formed by applying a release agent such as a silicone resin, a long-chain alkyl resin, or a fluorine resin.

[0074] The base layer and the release layer may be directly bonded to each other, or an intermediate layer may be present between the base layer and the release layer. The release layer may be omitted from the protective sheet SA.

[0075] Furthermore, protective sheet SA and protective sheet SB may have the same configuration or different configurations. In the latter case, for example, the constituent materials of the base material layers of protective sheet SA and protective sheet SB may be different, or one may have a release layer and the other may not have a release layer.

[0076] The softening point of the protective sheet SA, particularly the softening point of the base material layer when the base material layer is made of a resin material, is preferably higher than the heating temperature in the forming section 20 described below. This makes it possible to prevent inconveniences caused by the softening of the protective sheet SA during heating and pressurization in the forming section 20. Examples of such inconveniences include the protective sheet SA softening or melting, causing excessive deformation and partial detachment from the sheet S, or the resin components in the protective sheet SA migrating to the second web M8 or the sheet S side and causing deterioration.

[0077] When the protective sheet SA is configured to include a resin material, it is preferable that the protective sheet SA has a certain degree of flexibility and exhibits stretchability when tension is applied, which makes it easier and more satisfactory to bond the protective sheet SA to the second web M8 in the laminate generating unit 4 and to peel the protective sheet SA from the sheet S in the protective sheet removing unit 6.

[0078] The thickness of the protective sheet SA is not particularly limited, but is preferably 0.2 mm to 10 mm, and more preferably 0.5 mm to 3 mm, particularly when the protective sheet SA contains a resin material. This allows the second web M8 to be better heated and pressed while being protected by the protective sheets SA and SB as necessary and sufficiently in the molding step described below. Also, the protective sheets SA and SB can be more easily peeled off.

[0079] Furthermore, the protective sheet SA is not limited to one having a single substrate layer, but may be, for example, one having substrate layers made of two or more types of resin materials, in particular one having resin films laminated thereon.

[0080] The laminate generating unit 4 is a section that executes a laminate generating step for generating a laminate M9 shown in Fig. 3. The laminate generating unit 4 has a heating and pressing block 41A and a heating and pressing block 41B. The heating and pressing block 41A is disposed on one side of the second web M8, i.e., the upper side. The heating and pressing block 41B is disposed on the other side of the second web M8, i.e., the lower side.

[0081] The heating and pressing blocks 41A and 41B are configured to be able to move toward and away from each other. When the heating and pressing blocks 41A and 41B are in a close proximity to each other, they press the protective sheets SA and SB against the second web M8 to produce the laminate M9. When the heating and pressing blocks 41A and 41B are separated from each other, the pressing is released. When the heating and pressing blocks 41A and 41B are separated from each other, the laminate M9 can be transported downstream.

[0082] Heating and pressurizing block 41A is connected to lifting and lowering motor 42A, and heating and pressurizing block 41B is connected to lifting and lowering motor 42B. As shown in Fig. 6, each of lifting and lowering motors 42A and 42B is electrically connected to control device 28 via a motor driver (not shown), and control device 28 controls the energizing conditions to thereby control the movement direction (upward or downward), pressing force, operation timing, etc. of heating and pressurizing block 41A and heating and pressurizing block 41B.

[0083] Heating and pressurizing block 41A and heating and pressurizing block 41B each have heat source 43A and heat source 43B, such as an electric heater, and laminate M9 can be heated in the pressed state by operating heat sources 43A and 43B. This makes it possible to produce laminate M9 in which protective sheet SA and protective sheet SB are bonded to second web M8.

[0084] 6, heat source 43A and heat source 43B are electrically connected to control device 28. Control device 28 controls the energization conditions, thereby controlling the operation timing, heating temperature, etc. of heat source 43A and heat source 43B.

[0085] The heat sources 43A and 43B may be provided only in either the heating and pressurizing block 41A or the heating and pressurizing block 41B.

[0086] The pressure applied by heating and pressurizing blocks 41A and 41B is not particularly limited, but is preferably 0.01 MPa or more and 10 MPa or less, and more preferably 0.3 MPa or more and 5 MPa or less.

[0087] The heating temperature by heating and pressurizing blocks 41A and 41B is not particularly limited, but is preferably 40°C or higher and 200°C or lower, and more preferably 55°C or higher and 150°C or lower.

[0088] The heating time by heating and pressurizing block 41A and heating and pressurizing block 41B is not particularly limited, but is preferably from 5 seconds to 200 seconds, and more preferably from 20 seconds to 150 seconds.

[0089] By applying heat and pressure under these conditions, a laminate M9 can be produced in which the protective sheets SA and SB are satisfactorily bonded to the second web M8, as shown in FIG.

[0090] It should be noted that either heating or pressurization may be omitted in the laminate generating unit 4. Also, either heating and pressurizing block 41A or heating and pressurizing block 41B may be omitted in the laminate generating unit 4. For example, when heating and pressurizing block 41B is omitted, a member for receiving the force from heating and pressurizing block 41A can be placed in that position.

[0091] A forming unit 20 is provided downstream of the laminate generating unit 4. The forming unit 20 is a section that performs a forming step of heating and pressurizing the laminate M9 to generate a sheet S, which is a formed body obtained by compressing the second web M8.

[0092] As shown in FIG. 4, the second web M8 is heated and pressurized to form the sheet S together with the protective sheets SA and SB, that is, with the protective sheets SA and SB attached to both sides.

[0093] When protective sheet SA and protective sheet SB have a configuration including a base layer and a release layer, protective sheet SA and protective sheet SB have their release layers bonded to the upper and lower surfaces of sheet S, respectively.

[0094] The molding section 20 has a heating and pressurizing block 201A and a heating and pressurizing block 201B. The heating and pressurizing block 201A is disposed on one side of the laminate M9, i.e., the upper side. The heating and pressurizing block 201B is disposed on the other side of the laminate M9, i.e., the lower side.

[0095] The heating and pressing block 201A and the heating and pressing block 201B are configured to be able to approach and move away from each other. When the heating and pressing block 201A and the heating and pressing block 201B are in a close state, they heat and press the laminate M9, and generate a sheet S from the second web M8 as shown in Fig. 4. When the heating and pressing block 201A and the heating and pressing block 201B are separated, the heating and pressing is released. When the heating and pressing block 201A and the heating and pressing block 201B are separated from each other, the laminate M9 can be transported downstream.

[0096] Heating and pressurizing block 201A is connected to lifting motor 202A, and heating and pressurizing block 201B is connected to lifting motor 202B. As shown in Fig. 6, each of lifting motors 202A and 202B is electrically connected to control device 28 via a motor driver (not shown), and control device 28 controls the energizing conditions to thereby control the movement direction (upward, downward), pressing force, operation timing, etc. of heating and pressurizing block 201A and heating and pressurizing block 201B.

[0097] Heating and pressurizing block 201A and heating and pressurizing block 201B each have heat source 203A and heat source 203B, such as an electric heater, and laminate M9 can be heated in the close state (pressurized state) by operating heat sources 203A and 203B. This makes it possible to obtain sheet S in which protective sheet SA and protective sheet SB are joined to second web M8, that is, a molded product of second web M8.

[0098] 6, heat source 203A and heat source 203B are electrically connected to control device 28. Control device 28 controls the energization conditions, thereby controlling the operation timing, heating temperature, etc. of heat source 203A and heat source 203B.

[0099] The heat sources 203A and 203B may be provided only in either the heating and pressurizing block 201A or the heating and pressurizing block 201B.

[0100] The pressure applied by heating and pressurizing block 201A and heating and pressurizing block 201B is not particularly limited, but is preferably 0.5 MPa or more and 15 MPa or less, and more preferably 2 MPa or more and 8 MPa or less.

[0101] The heating temperature by heating and pressurizing block 201A and heating and pressurizing block 201B is not particularly limited, but is preferably 50°C or higher and 250°C or lower, and more preferably 60°C or higher and 180°C or lower.

[0102] The heating time by heating and pressurizing block 201A and heating and pressurizing block 201B is not particularly limited, but is preferably from 10 seconds to 200 seconds, and more preferably from 50 seconds to 150 seconds.

[0103] By applying heat and pressure under such conditions, the second web M8 can be molded to produce a sheet S. That is, in the second web M8, the binder P1 melts and the fibers are bound to each other via the molten binder P1. This forms the sheet S. As shown in FIG. 4, the sheet S produced in the molding unit 20 is in a state in which the protective sheet SA and the protective sheet SB are joined together.

[0104] In this way, by applying heat and pressure through the protective sheets SA and SB, it is possible to prevent the shape and properties of the pressure surfaces of the heat and pressure blocks 201A and 201B, such as fine irregularities, from being transferred to the sheet S to be molded. This makes it possible to maintain good surface properties of the sheet S and improve the quality of the sheet S.

[0105] A cooling section 5 is provided downstream of the forming section 20. The cooling unit 5 is a portion that performs the cooling process, and includes a cooling block 51A and a cooling block 51B. The cooling block 51A is disposed on one surface side, i.e., the upper surface side, of the stack M9. The cooling block 51B is disposed on the other surface side, i.e., the lower surface side, of the stack M9.

[0106] The cooling blocks 51A and 51B are configured to be capable of moving toward and away from each other. The cooling blocks 51A and 51B come into contact with the protective sheets SA and SB, respectively, in a close state, and cool the laminate M9 via the protective sheets SA and SB. The cooling blocks 51A and 51B stop the cooling by moving away from each other, allowing the laminate M9 to be transported downstream.

[0107] Cooling block 51A is connected to lift motor 52A, and cooling block 51B is connected to lift motor 52B. As shown in Fig. 6, each of lift motors 52A and 52B is electrically connected to control device 28 via a motor driver (not shown), and control device 28 controls the energization conditions to thereby control the movement direction (upward, downward), pressing force, operation timing, etc. of cooling block 51A and cooling block 51B.

[0108] Furthermore, cooling block 51A and cooling block 51B each have cooling source 53A and cooling source 53B, which are composed of a refrigerant pipe and a refrigerant supply source installed, for example, inside or outside the cooling block, and can cool sheet S in the close state (pressurized state) by operation of cooling sources 53A and 53B. Examples of the refrigerant supply source include those having an air blower, a liquid supply pump, and a compressor.

[0109] 6, cooling source 53A and cooling source 53B are electrically connected to control device 28. Control device 28 controls the energization conditions of the refrigerant supply sources, thereby controlling the operation timing, cooling temperature, cooling rate, etc. of cooling source 53A and cooling source 53B. The cooling sources 53A and 53B may be provided in only one of the cooling blocks 51A and 51B.

[0110] The cooling method of the cooling unit 5 may be any of air cooling, water cooling, and oil cooling. Also, the cooling source may be omitted.

[0111] The pressure applied by cooling block 51A and cooling block 51B is not particularly limited, but is preferably 0.01 MPa or more and 10 MPa or less, and more preferably 0.5 MPa or more and 5 MPa or less.

[0112] The cooling rate by cooling block 51A and cooling block 51B is not particularly limited, but is preferably 0.2° C. / sec to 10° C. / sec, and more preferably 1° C. / sec to 5° C. / sec.

[0113] By cooling under such conditions, it is possible to remove residual stress in the sheet S and improve the quality of the sheet S. In addition, it is possible to shorten the cycle time for manufacturing the sheet S, which contributes to improving productivity.

[0114] A protective sheet removing unit 6 is provided downstream of the cooling unit 5. The protective sheet removing unit 6 is a unit that executes a protective sheet removing step of removing the protective sheet SA and the protective sheet SB from the sheet S. The protective sheet removing unit 6 in this embodiment peels and removes the protective sheet SA and the protective sheet SB from the sheet S. The protective sheet removing unit 6 has a take-up roller 61A, a take-up roller 61B, a peeling member 62A, and a peeling member 62B.

[0115] Winding roller 61A is disposed on one surface side of sheet S, i.e., the upper surface side, and rotates counterclockwise to wind up protective sheet SA peeled off from sheet S into a coil shape for collection. Winding roller 61B is disposed on the other surface side of sheet S, i.e., the lower surface side, and rotates clockwise to wind up protective sheet SB peeled off from sheet S into a coil shape for collection.

[0116] The winding roller 61A is connected to a motor 63A, and the winding roller 61B is connected to a motor 63B. As shown in Fig. 6, each of the motors 63A and 63B is electrically connected to the control device 28 via a motor driver (not shown), and the control device 28 controls the energization conditions to thereby control the rotation speed, operation timing, and the like of the winding roller 61A and the winding roller 61B.

[0117] Peeling member 62A is disposed between take-up roller 61A and sheet S, and has a blade edge that gets between protective sheet SA and sheet S to peel protective sheet SA from sheet S. Peeling member 62B is disposed between take-up roller 61B and sheet S, and has a blade edge that gets between protective sheet SB and sheet S to peel protective sheet SB from sheet S.

[0118] By providing such peeling members 62A and 62B, the protective sheet SA and the protective sheet SB can be easily and reliably peeled off from the sheet S. More specifically, the protective sheet SA joined to the sheet S is subjected to tension by the rotation of the winding roller 61A described above, and therefore is easily peeled off from the sheet S by inserting the blade of the peeling member 62A. Similarly, the protective sheet SB joined to the sheet S is subjected to tension by the rotation of the winding roller 61B described above, and therefore is easily peeled off from the sheet S by inserting the blade of the peeling member 62B.

[0119] In particular, in the case of protective sheets SA and SB having the release layer described above, the effect of the release layer is combined with the protective sheets SA and SB to enable the protective sheets SA and SB to be peeled off more easily and reliably.

[0120] As shown in Fig. 2, a cutting unit 21 is provided downstream of the protective sheet removing unit 6. The cutting unit 21 is a section that performs a cutting process to cut the sheet S. The cutting unit 21 has a cutter 211 that cuts the sheet S in a direction intersecting the conveying direction of the sheet S, particularly in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction. The cutter 211 operates at a predetermined timing to cut the sheet S, thereby making it possible to obtain a sheet S of a desired length (the length in the left-right direction in Fig. 2).

[0121] In addition to the above, the cutting section 21 may be provided with a cutting section for removing unnecessary portions on both side edges of the sheet S in the width direction, so as to adjust the width of the sheet S.

[0122] The cutter 211 has a driving source (not shown) such as a motor or a solenoid. As shown in Fig. 6, the driving source of the cutter 211 is electrically connected to the control device 28. The control device 28 controls the energization conditions, thereby controlling the operation timing of the cutter 211, etc.

[0123] A sheet S having a desired shape and size is obtained by such cutting in the cutting unit 21. Then, this sheet S is further conveyed downstream and accumulated in the stock unit 22.

[0124] As shown in FIG. 6, the control device 28 includes a control unit 281, a storage unit 282, and a communication unit 283.

[0125] 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 driving of each part of the apparatus related to sheet production, such as a function to control the driving of the blower 261 of the fiber structure manufacturing apparatus 100.

[0126] Control unit 281 controls the energization conditions of motors 32A, 32B, 63A, and 63B so that payout rollers 31A and 31B and take-up rollers 61A and 61B rotate at the same speed, thereby enabling the protective sheets SA and SB to be paid out and taken up smoothly.

[0127] Furthermore, control unit 281 controls the energization conditions of lift motors 42A, 42B, 202A, 202B, 52A, and 52B so that heating and pressurizing blocks 41A, 41B, 201A, and 201B and cooling blocks 51A and 51B contact protective sheets SA and SB at the same time, thereby enabling the formation and transport of laminate M9 and the like, and the shaping of sheet S to be performed smoothly and efficiently.

[0128] Furthermore, the control unit 281 stops the rotation of the supply rollers 31A, 31B and the take-up rollers 61A, 61B when the heating and pressurizing blocks 41A, 41B, 201A, 201B and the cooling blocks 51A, 51B are in contact with the protective sheets SA and SB, and starts rotating the supply rollers 31A, 31B and the take-up rollers 61A, 61B when the contact is released. By repeating such operations, the production of the sheets S by batch processing can be performed satisfactorily.

[0129] In the present invention, the above-mentioned steps in the production of the sheet S are not limited to being performed in a batch process. For example, the heating and pressurizing blocks 41A, 41B, 201A, and 201B can be replaced with heating and pressurizing rollers. Also, the cooling blocks 51A and 51B can be replaced with cooling rollers. In this way, by performing heating and pressurizing and cooling with rollers, a series of steps in the production of the sheet S can be performed continuously, that is, the sheet S can be produced by performing continuous processing.

[0130] The storage unit 282 stores a program related to sheet manufacturing as described above. This program includes the operating conditions of each unit, such as the second web forming unit (accumulating unit) 19, the protective sheet supply unit 3, the laminate generating unit 4, the forming unit 20, the cooling unit 5, the protective sheet removing unit 6, the cutting unit 21, and the stock unit 22, in particular the material conveying speed, the supply speed and supply timing of the protective sheets SA and SB, pressurizing conditions such as pressurizing force and pressurizing timing, heating conditions such as heating temperature and heating timing, cooling conditions such as cooling temperature and cooling timing, the peeling speed (recovery speed) and recovery timing of the protective sheets SA and SB, and the cutting timing of the sheet S.

[0131] In the fiber structure manufacturing apparatus 100, each of the steps of the raw material supply step, coarse crushing step, defibration step, selection step, first web formation step, division step, mixing step, loosening step, second web formation step (stacking step), laminate generation step, molding step, cooling step, protective sheet removal step, and cutting step can be executed under desired conditions according to a predetermined program, thereby enabling the sheet S to be manufactured quickly, with high dimensional accuracy, and with good reproducibility.

[0132] 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.

[0133] 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.

[0134] As described above, the fiber structure manufacturing apparatus 100 includes the second web forming unit 19 as a depositing unit that deposits the mixture M7 of the defibrated material M3 of a fiber-containing material and the binder P1 that binds the fibers together to generate the second web M8 as a deposit, the protective sheet supplying unit 3 that supplies protective sheets SA and SB to protect the second web M8 on at least one side of the second web M8 (both sides in this embodiment), the laminate generating unit 4 that laminates the protective sheets SA and SB supplied from the protective sheet supplying unit 3 onto the second web M8 to generate a laminate M9, the forming unit 20 that heats and pressurizes the laminate M9 to generate a sheet S as a formed body of the second web M8, and the protective sheet removing unit 6 that removes the protective sheets SA and SB from the sheet S. This allows the second web M8 to be heated and pressed while being protected by the protective sheets SA and SB. Therefore, the transfer of undesired irregularities and the like during molding into sheet S (molded body) by heating and pressurization is prevented or suppressed, and as a result, the surface properties of sheet S can be maintained in good condition, thereby improving the quality of sheet S.

[0135] The protective sheet supplying unit 3 may be configured to supply a protective sheet only to one side of the pile, i.e., only to the upper or lower surface of the second web M8. In this case, the laminate M9 is formed by laminating a protective sheet on one surface of the second web M8.

[0136] The fiber structure manufacturing method includes a depositing step of depositing a mixture M7 of defibrated material M3 of a fiber-containing material and a binder P1 that binds the fibers together to generate a second web M8 that is a belt-shaped deposit, a protective sheet supplying step of supplying protective sheets SA and SB to protect the second web M8 on at least one side of the second web M8 (both sides in this embodiment), a laminate generating step of laminating the protective sheets SA and SB supplied in the protective sheet supplying step on the second web M8 to generate a laminate M9, a forming step of heating and pressurizing the laminate M9 to generate a sheet S as a molded body of the second web M8, and a protective sheet removing step of removing the protective sheets SA and SB from the sheet S. This allows the second web M8 to be heated and pressed while protecting it with the protective sheets SA and SB. This prevents or suppresses the transfer of unintended irregularities and the like during molding into the sheet S (molded body) by heating and pressing, and as a result, the surface properties of the sheet S can be maintained good, and the quality of the sheet S can be improved.

[0137] The protective sheet supplying step may be configured to supply a protective sheet only to one side of the pile, i.e., only to the upper or lower surface of the second web M8. In this case, the laminate generating step involves laminating the protective sheet on one side of the second web M8 to generate the laminate M9.

[0138] In addition, protective sheet removal unit 6 has peeling members 62A, 62B that get between sheet S, which is a molded body, and protective sheets SA, SB to peel protective sheets SA, SB from sheet S. This makes it possible to easily and reliably peel protective sheets SA and SB from sheet S.

[0139] When protective sheet supply unit 3 is configured to supply only one of protective sheets SA and SB, protective sheet removal unit 6 has only one of peeling members 62A and 62B corresponding thereto.

[0140] Note that protective sheet removal unit 6 may have other configurations, such as having an adsorbing member or an adhesive member that adsorbs and removes protective sheets SA and SB.

[0141] The fiber structure manufacturing apparatus 100 also includes a cutting section 21 that cuts the sheet S, which is the formed body obtained after the protective sheets SA and SB have been removed by the protective sheet removal section 6, to a desired size. This allows the sheet S to be cut to a desired shape and size without cutting the protective sheets SA and SB. This allows the recovered protective sheets SA and SB to be reused. Furthermore, since the sheet S is not cut together with the protective sheets SA and SB, but only the sheet S is cut, more accurate cutting is possible.

[0142] In addition, the protective sheet supply unit 3 supplies protective sheets SA and SB to both sides of the second web M8 as a pile. This makes it possible to protect both sides of the second web M8 during heating and pressurization. This makes it possible to maintain good surface properties on both sides of the sheet S, thereby further improving the quality of the sheet S.

[0143] Furthermore, the softening points of the protective sheets SA and SB are higher than the heating temperature in the molding unit 20. This makes it possible to prevent or suppress problems caused by softening of the protective sheets SA and SB during heating and pressurization in the molding unit 20, such as partial detachment of the protective sheets SA and SB from the sheet S due to excessive deformation of the sheets.

[0144] The protective sheets SA and SB have a base layer and a release layer provided on one side of the base layer, and the protective sheet supply unit 3 supplies the protective sheets SA and SB in an orientation such that the release layer is located on the side of the second web M8 as a deposit. This allows the protective sheets SA and SB to be easily peeled off from the sheet S in the protective sheet removal step.

[0145] Although the fiber structure manufacturing apparatus and the fiber structure manufacturing method of the present invention have been described above with reference to the illustrated embodiments, the present invention is not limited thereto, and each part and each step constituting the fiber structure manufacturing apparatus and the fiber structure manufacturing method can be replaced with any configuration or step that can exert a similar function. In addition, any configuration or step may be added to the fiber structure manufacturing apparatus and the fiber structure manufacturing method.

[0146] In addition, the fiber structure manufacturing apparatus may be configured to include a supply section that supplies a base material, deposit the mixture on the base material to generate a deposit, and supply protective sheets SA and SB to the laminate of the base material and the deposit.

[0147] Furthermore, the fiber structure manufacturing apparatus may omit the raw material supply unit 11 and the crushing unit 12. In this case, a supply unit for supplying crushed pieces M1 as the raw material M2 is provided.

[0148] Furthermore, the fiber structure manufacturing apparatus may omit the raw material supply unit 11, the crushing unit 12, and the defibrating unit 13. In this case, a supply unit that supplies defibrated material M3 as raw material M1 is provided. [Explanation of symbols]

[0149] 3...protective sheet supply section, 4...laminate generation section, 5...cooling section, 6...protective sheet removal section, 11...raw material supply section, 12...coarse crushing section, 13...defibration section, 14...screening section, 15...first web formation section, 16...fragmentation section, 17...mixing section, 18...dispersion section, 19...second web formation section, 20...shaping section, 21...cutting section, 22...stock section, 27...recovery section, 28...control device, 31A...feed-out roller, 31B...feed-out roller, 32A...motor, 32B...motor, 41A...heating and pressurizing block, 41B...heating and pressurizing block, 42A...rise 42B...lifting motor, 43A...heat source, 43B...heat source, 51A...cooling block, 51B...cooling block, 52A...lifting motor, 52B...lifting motor, 53A...cooling source, 53B...cooling source, 61A...winding roller, 61B...winding roller, 62A...peeling member, 62B...peeling member, 63A...motor, 63B...motor, 100...fiber structure manufacturing apparatus, 121...crushing blade, 122...chute, 141...drum portion, 142...housing portion, 151...mesh belt, 152...tension roller, 1 53...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, 193...suction section, 201A...heating and pressurizing block, 201B...heating and pressurizing block, 202A...lifting motor, 202B...lifting motor, 203A...heat source, 203B...heat source, 211...cutter, 231...humidifying section, 232...humidifying section, 233... Humidification section, 234...humidification section, 235...humidification section, 236...humidification section, 241...tube, 242...tube, 243...tube, 244...tube, 245...tube, 246...tube, 261...blower, 262...blower, 263...blower, 281...control section, 282...storage section, 283...communication section, 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 fragments, M7...mixture, M8...second web, M9...laminate, P1...binding material, S...sheet, SA...protective sheet, SB...protective sheet

Claims

1. a depositing section that deposits a mixture of defibrated material containing fibers and a binder that bonds the fibers together to generate a band-shaped deposit; a protective sheet supplying section for supplying a protective sheet for protecting the deposit to at least one surface side of the deposit; a laminate generating unit that generates a laminate by laminating the protective sheet supplied from the protective sheet supply unit onto the pile; a molding section for applying heat and pressure to the laminate to generate a molded body of the deposit; a protective sheet removing section for removing the protective sheet from the molded body.

2. The fiber structure manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the protective sheet removing section has a peeling member that enters between the molded body and the protective sheet to peel off the protective sheet from the molded body.

3. The fiber structure manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the protective sheet removing unit includes a cutting unit that cuts the molded body to a desired size after the protective sheet has been removed.

4. The fiber structure manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the protective sheet supplying section supplies the protective sheet to both sides of the pile.

5. The fiber structure manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the softening point of the protective sheet is higher than a heating temperature in the molding section.

6. The protective sheet has a base layer and a release layer provided on one surface side of the base layer, The fiber structure manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the protective sheet supplying section supplies the protective sheet in an orientation in which the release layer is located on the deposit side.

7. a depositing step of depositing a mixture of defibrated material containing fibers and a binder that binds the fibers together to generate a band-shaped deposit; a protective sheet supplying step of supplying a protective sheet for protecting the deposit on at least one surface side of the deposit; a laminate generating step of laminating the protective sheet supplied in the protective sheet supplying step on the deposit to generate a laminate; a molding step of applying heat and pressure to the laminate to produce a compact of the deposit; and a protective sheet removing step of removing the protective sheet from the molded body.

Images