Deposit manufacturing device, sheet manufacturing device, and sheet manufacturing method

Abstract

To provide a deposit manufacturing device, a sheet manufacturing device, and a sheet manufacturing method that enable the devices to be downsized and device configuration to be simplified.SOLUTION: A deposit manufacturing device comprises: a material feeding device having an introduction port to introduce material containing fibers, an unravelling part to unravel the material introduced from the introduction port, and a discharge port to discharge cotton-like material obtained by unravelling the material by the unravelling part along with air; and a material capture device having an enclosure having a connection port connected to the discharge port and an opening, and an air-permeable member that is installed at the opening and captures the cotton-like material so as to allow air to pass.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a deposit manufacturing apparatus, a sheet manufacturing apparatus and a sheet manufacturing method. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, as described in Patent Document 1, a sheet manufacturing apparatus is known that includes a coarse crushing section that coarsely crushes waste paper, a defibrating section that defibrates the coarsely crushed pieces obtained in the coarse crushing section, a deposition section that releases and spreads the defibrated material obtained in the defibrating section and deposits it 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 deposition section has a former drum with many small holes that rotates around a central axis, and a mesh belt. Defibrated material is supplied into the former drum, and as the former drum rotates, the defibrated material is discharged from the small holes. The discharged defibrated material falls by free fall within the space surrounded by the housing, and accumulates on the mesh belt directly below the housing to form a deposit. This deposit is then transported to the heating and pressurizing section by the rotation of the mesh belt. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-188206 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, the sheet manufacturing apparatus described in Patent Document 1 has a deposition section that has a former drum that is driven to rotate, and furthermore, a relatively long path is required for the defibrated material discharged from the defibrating section to be deposited on the mesh belt, which causes the overall size of the apparatus to increase. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The deposit production apparatus of the present invention includes a material supply device having an inlet for introducing a fiber-containing material, a loosening section for loosening the material introduced from the inlet, and a discharge port for discharging the cotton-like material obtained by loosening in the loosening section together with air; The material capture device includes a housing having a connection port and an opening connected to the discharge port, and a breathable member placed at the opening to capture the cotton-like material and allow air to pass through.

[0007] The sheet manufacturing apparatus of the present invention includes a material supplying device having an inlet for introducing a fiber-containing material, a refining section for refining the material introduced from the inlet, and a discharge outlet for discharging the cotton-like material obtained by refining in the refining section together with air; a material capture device including a housing having a connection port and an opening connected to the discharge port, and a breathable member disposed at the opening, for capturing the cotton-like material and allowing air to pass therethrough; and a forming device for forming the pile of cotton-like material attached to the breathable member into a sheet.

[0008] The sheet manufacturing method of the present invention includes a material supplying step of supplying a cotton-like material obtained by loosening a fiber-containing material together with air; a material capturing step of attaching the cotton-like material supplied in the material supply step to the breathable member by using a material capturing device having a housing having an opening and a breathable member that is installed in the opening and captures the cotton-like material and allows air to pass through, thereby generating a deposit of the cotton-like material; and forming the pile produced in the material capturing step into a sheet. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional side view showing an outline of a deposit manufacturing apparatus and a sheet manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2]FIG. 2 is a plan view of a material capturing device provided in the deposit producing apparatus shown in FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a material supplied to a material supply device included in the deposit producing apparatus illustrated in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a cotton-like material supplied to the material capturing device included in the deposit producing apparatus shown in FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a side view showing an example of a deposit produced by the deposit production apparatus shown in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a side view showing an example of a deposit produced by the deposit production apparatus shown in FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a side view showing an example of adjustment by an adjustment unit included in the deposit producing apparatus shown in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a deposit manufacturing apparatus, a sheet manufacturing apparatus and a sheet manufacturing method of the present invention will be described in detail based on preferred embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.

[0011] <Embodiment> FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional side view showing an outline of a deposit production apparatus and a sheet production apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a plan view of a material capture device provided in the deposit production apparatus shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a material supplied to a material supply device provided in the deposit production apparatus shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a cotton-like material supplied to a material capture device provided in the deposit production apparatus shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 5 is a side view showing an example of a deposit produced by the deposit production apparatus shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 6 is a side view showing an example of a deposit produced by the deposit production apparatus shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 7 is a side view showing an example of adjustment by an adjustment unit provided in the deposit production apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

[0012] In the following, the upper side of Fig. 1, Fig. 5, Fig. 6, and Fig. 7 may be referred to as "upper" or "upper side", and the lower side as "lower" or "lower". Furthermore, the left side of Fig. 1, Fig. 2, Fig. 5, Fig. 6, and Fig. 7 may be referred to as "left" or "left side", and the right side as "right" or "right side". Furthermore, Fig. 1, Fig. 2, Fig. 5, Fig. 6, and Fig. 7 show x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis which are perpendicular to each other, and on each axis, the tip side of the arrow is referred to as the "+ side" and the base side of the arrow is referred to as the "- side".

[0013] The sheet manufacturing apparatus 1 shown in Fig. 1 is an apparatus for manufacturing a sheet S from a raw material M1, and executes the sheet manufacturing method of the present invention. The sheet manufacturing apparatus 1 includes a deposit manufacturing apparatus 2 and a molding apparatus 3. The deposit manufacturing apparatus 2 is an apparatus for loosening the raw material M1 to generate a cotton-like material M2, and for depositing the cotton-like material M2 to generate a deposit M3. The molding apparatus 3 is an apparatus for molding the deposit M3 into a sheet S. A detailed description will be given below.

[0014] As shown in FIG. 1, the deposit producing apparatus 2 includes a material supplying device 4 and a material capturing device 5.

[0015] The material supplying device 4 is a device that executes a material supplying process, and is a device that introduces raw material M1, which is a fibrous lump-like material, loosens the raw material M1, and discharges the obtained cotton-like material M2 together with air. In this embodiment, the raw material M1 is a cotton-like fiber lump, a so-called defibrated mass, as shown in Fig. 3.

[0016] The density ρ1 of the fibers in the raw material M1 is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 0.05 g / cm on average. 3 More than 2.0g / cm 3 It is about the following. The raw material M1 may be coarsely crushed pieces obtained by roughly crushing a sheet containing fibers.

[0017] The fibers contained in raw material M1 are not particularly limited, but examples thereof include natural fibers such as cellulose, rayon, cupra, lyocell, cotton, hemp, wool, cashmere, silk, and feathers, and chemical fibers such as polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), acrylic, polyester, nylon, polyester / nylon, polyethylene, polypropylene, and urethane.

[0018] The raw material M1 may contain additives, such as a binder for binding fibers together, a colorant for coloring the fibers, an aggregation inhibitor for inhibiting aggregation of the fibers, a flame retardant for making the fibers less flammable, a paper strength enhancer for enhancing the paper strength of the sheet, and the like, and one or a combination of two or more of these may be used.

[0019] Examples of the binder 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.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 1, the material supplying device 4 includes a casing 40 having an inlet 41 and a discharge outlet 42, and a refining unit 43. The casing 40 is a cylindrical member that houses the refining unit 43.

[0021] The inlet 41 is provided on the side near the upper end of the casing 40. The inlet 41 is provided in a cylindrical shape protruding from the radially outer side of the casing 40, that is, from the right side in the illustrated configuration. The inlet 41 may be provided with a chute or the like to facilitate the introduction of the raw material M1.

[0022] The discharge port 42 is provided on the side near the lower end of the casing 40. The discharge port 42 is provided in a cylindrical shape protruding from the radially outer side of the casing 40, that is, from the right side in the illustrated configuration. The discharge port 42 is connected to a connection port 68 of the material capturing device 5, which will be described later.

[0023] The inlet 41 and the outlet 42 are located on the right side of the casing 40 in FIG. 1, that is, they are located at the same position in the circumferential direction of the casing 40. The protruding direction of the inlet 41 and the outlet 42 is oriented in the tangent direction of the inner circumference of the casing 40. However, the formation positions of the inlet 41 and the outlet 42 are not limited to the above, and they may be shifted by a predetermined angle or may be on opposite sides, and the protruding direction is also not particularly limited.

[0024] 1, the refining section 43 has a liner 431 disposed on the inner circumferential surface of the casing 40, a rotor 432 rotatably installed inside the casing 40, and a motor 433 that drives the rotor 432 to rotate. The rotation of the rotor 432 can generate an air flow from the inlet 41 toward the outlet 42, that is, an air current. This allows the raw material M1 to be introduced upstream of the casing 40 from the inlet 41, and the cotton-like material M2 obtained after the raw material M1 has been refinished can be sent to the material capturing device 5 via the outlet 42.

[0025] "Loosening" refers to breaking down raw material M1 into individual fibers to reduce the fiber density as shown in Figure 4. This loosened material becomes cotton-like material M2. Cotton-like material M2 has a linear or strip-like shape. Cotton-like material M2 may also be entangled with other materials, that is, may exist in a state in which it forms so-called "lumps."

[0026] The density ρ2 of the fibers in the cotton-like material M2 is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 0.005 g / cm3 on average. 3 More than 0.1g / cm 3 It is about the following.

[0027] The ratio ρ2 / ρ1 of the density ρ1 and the density ρ2 is not particularly limited, but is preferably, for example, 0.01 or more and 0.8 or less, and more preferably 0.05 or more and 0.5 or less.

[0028] The liner 431 is a cylindrical member disposed on the entire inner circumference of the cylindrical portion of the casing 40. The central axis of the liner 431 is coaxial with the rotation shaft 434. The outer peripheral surface of the liner 431 is fixed to the inner peripheral surface of the casing 40. As shown in FIG. 1, the axial length of the liner 431 is long enough to encompass a rotor portion 435, which will be described later. The liner 431 is made of a hard material such as a metal.

[0029] Additionally, the liner 431 has teeth 431A formed on its inner periphery. The teeth 431A are provided along the circumferential direction of the liner 431, and have a plurality of protruding portions 431B protruding toward the rotation shaft 434. The protruding portions 431B also extend along the axial direction (z-axis direction) of the casing 40. The protruding portions 431B have the same protruding height.

[0030] As the raw material M1 passes between the outer periphery of the rotating rotor 432 and the teeth 431A, it collides with the protruding parts 431B of the teeth 431A and is loosened, producing a cotton-like material M2.

[0031] The rotor 432 includes a rotating shaft 434 and a rotor portion 435 . The rotating shaft 434 has an elongated shape and is installed so as to penetrate the casing 40 in a direction extending in the vertical direction (z-axis direction). The rotating shaft 434 is rotatably supported by the casing 40 via a pair of upper and lower bearings 437, and an upper end of the rotating shaft 434 is connected to an output shaft of the motor 433. When electricity is applied to the motor 433, the motor 433 is driven and the rotating shaft 434 rotates in a predetermined direction. Note that a reduction gear (not shown) may be installed between the output shaft of the motor 433 and the rotating shaft 434.

[0032] The rotor portion 435 has a plurality of blades 436 arranged radially around the rotation shaft 434. The blades 436 are arranged at equal angular intervals around the rotation shaft 434. The blades 436 may be fixed to the rotation shaft 434 via a fixing plate (not shown) or may be fixed directly to the rotation shaft 434.

[0033] The outer peripheral end of each blade 436 is spaced a predetermined distance from the liner 431 and rotates without contacting the liner 431 .

[0034] In this way, the refining section 43 has the blade 436 which rotates around the rotation shaft 434, and the liner 431 which is provided on the outer periphery of the blade 436, and the raw material M1 which is the material is refined by the blade 436 and the liner 431. In this way, the raw material M1 can be efficiently refinished to produce the cotton-like material M2.

[0035] The cotton-like material M2 generated in the loosening section 43 of the material supplying device 4 is supplied to the material capturing device 5.

[0036] The refining unit 43 is not limited to the above configuration, and the liner 431 and the rotor 432 may be omitted. In this case, the refining unit 43 may be configured to refining by air current agitation.

[0037] Further, the installation posture of the material supplying device 4 is not limited to that shown in FIG. 1, but may be, for example, an installation posture rotated by 90° in any direction with respect to the installation posture shown in FIG.

[0038] As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the material capturing device 5 includes a housing 6, an air-permeable member 7 installed in the housing 6, and an adjustment unit 8, and is a part that performs the material capturing process.

[0039] The housing 6 is in the shape of a box having an opening 67 in which the breathable member 7 is placed, and a connection port 68 connected to the exhaust port 42. The housing 6 has a top plate 61, a bottom plate 62, and four side walls 63, 64, 65, and 66.

[0040] The top plate 61 and the bottom plate 62 are parallel to the xy plane and face each other in the z-axis direction, i.e., the up-down direction. The side walls 63 and 64 are parallel to the yz plane and face each other in the x-axis direction. The side walls 65 and 66 are parallel to the xz plane and face each other in the y-axis direction. The side walls 63 are located on the -x-axis side, and the side walls 64 are located on the +x-axis side. The side walls 65 are located on the -y-axis side, and the side walls 66 are located on the +y-axis side.

[0041] The connection port 68 is provided in the side wall 63 and is configured as a through hole penetrating the side wall 63. The connection port 68 is provided in the center when viewed from the top of the side wall 63, i.e., when viewed from the x-axis direction. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and the connection port 68 may be provided at a position offset in any direction from the center when viewed from the top of the side wall 63.

[0042] The top plate 61 is provided with an opening 67 and four screw holes 611 located on the outer periphery of the opening 67 .

[0043] 2, the opening 67 has a square shape when viewed from the top of the opening surface, i.e., when viewed from the z-axis direction. However, the shape of the opening 67 when viewed from the top is not limited to this configuration, and may be any shape such as a rectangle, trapezoid, circle, ellipse, semicircle, semi-ellipse, triangle, or polygon with pentagons or more sides.

[0044] The screw holes 611 are provided near the four corners of the top plate 61 in a plan view of the top plate 61, that is, when viewed from the z-axis direction. The screw holes 611 receive screws 9, which will be described later.

[0045] The opening 67 is configured as a through-hole penetrating the top plate 61. The breathable member 7 is placed in the opening 67. That is, the opening 67 is covered with the mesh 71 of the breathable member 7.

[0046] The breathable member 7 can be attached to and detached from the housing 6 by screws 9, which will be described later. This makes it easier to remove the deposit M3 after it is formed in the breathable member 7. This allows for a smooth transition to a molding process using a molding device 3, which will be described later, for example.

[0047] The breathable member 7 need not necessarily be detachable, but may be fixedly installed in the housing 6.

[0048] The breathable member 7 has a mesh 71 and a frame 72 that fixes an edge along the outer periphery of the mesh 71. The breathable member 7 is placed in the opening 67 so that the mesh 71 covers the opening 67.

[0049] The mesh 71 of the breathable member 7 captures the cotton-like material M2 but allows air to pass through. For example, a fine mesh can be used as the mesh 71. The configuration of the breathable member 7 is not limited to the mesh 71, and for example, a woven fabric, a nonwoven fabric, a porous sheet, or the like can be used as a material having the same function as the mesh 71. These may also be laminated on the mesh 71.

[0050] The shape of the mesh 71 corresponds to the shape of the opening 67, and is a square in plan view. However, the shape of the mesh 71 in plan view is not limited to this configuration, and may be any shape, such as a rectangle, trapezoid, circle, ellipse, semicircle, semi-ellipse, triangle, or polygon having pentagons or more sides.

[0051] The frame body 72 has a frame shape that is fixed to the edge of the mesh 71. The frame body 72 has four insertion holes 721. Each insertion hole 721 is formed as a through hole that penetrates the frame body 72 in the z-axis direction, and is a portion into which a screw 9 described later is inserted. Each insertion hole 721 is provided at a position corresponding to each screw hole 611 in a plan view seen from the z-axis direction.

[0052] The frame 72 may be omitted. The mesh 71 may be configured to be detachable from the frame 72.

[0053] The air containing the cotton-like material M2 discharged from the discharge port 42 of the material supply device 4 passes through the connection port 68 and is sent into the housing 6 of the material capturing device 5. This causes the internal pressure of the housing 6 to rise, generating a pressure difference with the outside of the housing 6. Therefore, an airflow is generated inside the housing 6 such that the air flowing in from the connection port 68 passes through the opening 67 and is discharged outside the housing 6.

[0054] The cotton-like material M2 introduced into the housing 6 together with air from the connection port 68 rides on the air current through the housing 6 and passes in the direction of the opening 67, that is, toward the mesh 71. The mesh 71 allows air to pass through but does not allow the cotton-like material M2 to pass through, so it captures the cotton-like material M2. As a result, the cotton-like material M2 accumulates on the lower surface 711 of the mesh 71.

[0055] As the cotton-like material M2 continues to be introduced from the connection port 68 together with air, the cotton-like material M2 gradually accumulates on the underside 711 of the mesh 71, but the air becomes less able to flow through areas of the underside 711 of the mesh 71 where the amount of cotton-like material M2 accumulated is large, reducing the accumulation rate in those areas, and the cotton-like material M2 moves together with the air to areas where the amount of cotton-like material M2 accumulated is small. This causes the cotton-like material M2 to accumulate over almost the entire underside 711 of the mesh 71, and as a result, deposits M3 are formed over almost the entire underside 711 of the mesh 71.

[0056] Since the deposit producing apparatus 2 is configured to form the deposit M3 on the underside 711 of the mesh 71 according to the above-mentioned principle, it is possible to omit a former drum having a rotating structure as in conventional apparatuses, and also to make the path (route) of the cotton-like material M2 discharged from the discharge port 42 until it is deposited on the mesh 71 shorter than that of conventional apparatuses. As a result, it is possible to miniaturize the deposit producing apparatus 2 and simplify the device configuration. In addition, because the path is short and the deposit M3 of the cotton-like material M2 is generated on the underside 711 of the mesh 71 by filtration due to air pressure difference rather than by free fall, the deposit M3 can be generated quickly.

[0057] As described above, the deposit producing apparatus 2 of the present invention includes a material supplying device 4 having an inlet 41 for introducing raw material M1, which is a material containing fibers, a loosening section 43 for loosening the raw material M1 introduced from the inlet 41, and an outlet 42 for discharging cotton-like material M2, which is a cotton-like material obtained by loosening at the loosening section 43, together with air, a housing 6 having a connection port 68 and an opening 67 connected to the outlet 42, and a material capturing device 5 having an air-permeable member 7 installed at the opening 67 for capturing the cotton-like material M2 and allowing air to pass through. This allows the deposit producing apparatus 2 to be made smaller and the apparatus configuration to be simplified. In addition, the deposit M3 of the cotton-like material M2 can be rapidly produced.

[0058] 1, the side wall 63 has a connection port 68, and the top plate 61 perpendicular to the side wall 63 has an opening 67. Therefore, when the air and cotton-like material M2 flowing in from the connection port 68 heads toward the mesh 71 installed in the opening 67, the air and cotton-like material M2 head toward almost the entire area of ​​the mesh 71 while bending along the way so that the path changes by approximately 90 degrees. That is, it is possible to form an air flow within the housing 6 in which the path bends along the way, in this embodiment, an air flow in which the air flowing horizontally heads upward along the way.

[0059] According to such a configuration, for example, the distance to the mesh 71 can be made longer compared to a case where the connection port 68 is provided on the bottom plate 62. Therefore, the cotton-like material M2 is sufficiently diffused in the surface direction of the xy plane on the way to the mesh 71, and is easily deposited uniformly over almost the entire area of ​​the mesh 71.

[0060] The housing 6 has a side wall 63 which is a first wall portion and a top plate 61 which is a second wall portion which are perpendicular to each other, the side wall 63 has a connection port 68, and the top plate 61 has an opening 67. This allows the cotton-like material M2 to be spread within the housing 6, and a uniform deposit M3 can be obtained.

[0061] The positions at which the opening 67 and the connection port 68 are formed are not limited to the configuration shown in the figure, and they may be formed in any part of the top plate 61, the bottom plate 62, and the four side walls 63, 64, 65, and 66.

[0062] The adjustment unit 8 adjusts the state of airflow inside the housing 6. The adjustment unit 8 is composed of a screw 9, a screw hole 611, and an insertion hole 721. The screw 9 screws into the screw hole 611. The inner diameter of the insertion hole 721 is larger than the outer diameter of the screw 9. That is, the screw 9 is inserted into the insertion hole 721 with some play.

[0063] Each screw 9 has a head 91 at its upper part. When the screw 9 is inserted deep into the screw hole 611 to the bottom until the head 91 comes into contact with the frame body 72, as in the case of the screw 9 on the left side (-x axis side) of Fig. 7, the frame body 72 is sandwiched between the head 91 and the top plate 61 and comes into contact with the upper surface of the top plate 61. When all the screws 9 are in this state, the entire circumference (entire area) of the frame body 72 is pressed against the upper surface of the top plate 61, so that air inside the housing 6 is discharged only by passing through the mesh 71.

[0064] In contrast, when the screw 9 is shallowly inserted into the screw hole 611 so that the head 91 is spaced upward from the top plate 61, as in the case of the screw 9 on the right side (+x-axis side) of FIG. 7, the internal pressure of the housing 6 pushes up the breathable member 7 so that the frame 72 abuts against the head 91, and a gap is formed between the right side of the frame 72 and the top plate 61. The gap formed between the frame 72 and the top plate 61 is the communication part 81. The communication part 81 has a smaller resistance to air passage than the mesh 71. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 7, the air inside the housing 6 is preferentially discharged rather than passing through the mesh 71. This makes it possible to change the state of the air flow inside the housing 6.

[0065] In addition, the opening area of ​​the communication part 81 can be changed by adjusting the insertion depth of the screw 9. Therefore, by changing the opening area of ​​the communication part 81, the state of the air flow inside the housing 6 can be adjusted to a desired state.

[0066] For example, in a state where the entire frame 72 is in contact or pressure contact with the top plate 61, the deposit M3 tends to be thicker on the connection port 68 side, i.e., the -x-axis side, and thinner on the distal side of the connection port 68, i.e., the +x-axis side, of the deposit M3, as shown in Fig. 5. One of the reasons for this is considered to be that the air flow in the housing 6 tends to stall the further away from the connection port 68.

[0067] 7, the two screws 9 on the +x-axis side are loosened to separate the head 91 and the frame 72 from the top plate 61. This forms a gap through which air leaks to the edge of the opening 67, that is, a communication part 81, which is a part distal to the connection port 68. This forms an air flow A1 in the housing 6 from the connection port 68 toward the communication part 81. As a result, the cotton-like material M2 reaches the part of the mesh 71 on the +x-axis side, and a deposit M3 of uniform thickness can be rapidly formed as shown in FIG.

[0068] In addition, by adjusting the insertion depth of any one of the four screws 9, various conditions such as the formation position, formation range, and opening area of ​​the communication part 81 can be appropriately changed, and the state of the air flow inside the housing 6 can be controlled to a desired state. That is, for example, as shown in Fig. 7, the air flow inside the housing 6 can be made to a state in which air flow A1 is formed.

[0069] Prior to introducing the cotton-like material M2 through the connection port 68, the communication portion 81 may be formed in advance under predetermined conditions.

[0070] The material capturing device 5 has an adjustment unit 8 that adjusts the state of the air flow inside the housing 6. This makes it possible to adjust the air flow inside the housing 6, and quickly obtain a deposit M3 with a uniform thickness.

[0071] The configuration of the adjustment unit 8 is not limited to that shown in the figure. The adjustment unit 8 itself may be omitted. Even in this case, it takes time to obtain a deposit M3 having a uniform thickness.

[0072] The adjustment unit 8 has a communication portion 81 that communicates between the inside and the outside of the housing 6. This makes it possible to more effectively adjust the airflow inside the housing 6 with a simple configuration.

[0073] In addition to the configuration shown in the figure, the communication portion 81 may be configured by a through hole provided in at least one of the top plate 61, the bottom plate 62, and the four side walls 63, 64, 65, and 66, for example.

[0074] The communication portion 81 is provided at the edge of the opening 67, at a location distal from the connection port 68. This makes it possible to adjust the airflow inside the housing 6, taking into account the tendency of the deposit M3 to be unevenly distributed, for example, as shown in Fig. 5. This makes it possible to more effectively obtain deposit M3 with a uniform thickness (amount of deposit).

[0075] The communication portion 81 may be provided on the proximal side of the connection port 68. The communication portion 81 may be provided at a plurality of locations.

[0076] The deposit M3 generated by the material capturing device 5 is removed together with the breathable member 7, as shown in Fig. 1, and formed into a sheet S by the forming device 3. By forming the deposit M3 together with the breathable member 7, it is easy to handle.

[0077] Unlike the example shown in the drawing, the frame 72 may be removed from the breathable member 7, and the deposit M3 with the mesh 71 attached thereto may be formed into a sheet S.

[0078] Moreover, after the deposit M3 is separated from the air-permeable member 7, only the deposit M3 may be molded.

[0079] 1, the molding device 3 has a heating and pressurizing block 31 and a heating and pressurizing block 32. The heating and pressurizing block 31 is disposed on one side, i.e., the upper side, of the deposit M3 and the breathable member 7. The heating and pressurizing block 32 is disposed on the other side, i.e., the lower side, of the deposit M3 and the breathable member 7.

[0080] The heating and pressurizing block 31 and the heating and pressurizing block 32 are configured to be capable of moving toward and away from each other. The heating and pressurizing block 31 and the heating and pressurizing block 32 heat and pressurize the deposit M3 and the mesh 71 while in close proximity to each other, generating a sheet S from the deposit M3. In this state, the sheet S is attached to the mesh 71.

[0081] The heating and pressurizing blocks 31 and 32 are released from each other by moving away from each other. When the heating and pressurizing blocks 31 and 32 are in the separated state, the sheet S and the breathable member 7 can be removed.

[0082] The heating and pressurizing blocks 31 and 32 are connected to a lifting motor (not shown) and electrically connected to a control device (not shown) via a motor driver (not shown). The control device controls the energizing conditions, thereby controlling the movement direction (upward or downward), pressing force, operation timing, etc. of the heating and pressurizing blocks 31 and 32.

[0083] The lifting motor, motor driver and control device may be omitted, and the heating and pressurizing blocks 31, 32 may be moved up and down manually.

[0084] Moreover, only one of the heating and pressurizing blocks 31 and 32 may be movable up and down, while the other is fixed.

[0085] In addition, the heating and pressurizing block 31 and the heating and pressurizing block 32 each have a heat source such as an electric heater, and the heat source can be operated to heat the deposit M3 in the close state (pressurized state), thereby obtaining a compact of the deposit M3.

[0086] The heat source may be provided only in either one of the heating and pressurizing blocks 31 and 32 .

[0087] The heat source may be omitted. That is, the molding device 3 may be configured to only apply pressure.

[0088] The molding device 3 may also be configured to perform heating only. In this case, the molding device 3 is configured to have a heater such as an oven or an infrared heater.

[0089] The pressure applied by the heating and pressurizing blocks 31 and 32 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.

[0090] The heating temperature by the heating and pressurizing blocks 31 and 32 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.

[0091] The heating time by the heating and pressurizing blocks 31 and 32 is not particularly limited, but is preferably from 10 seconds to 200 seconds, and more preferably from 50 seconds to 150 seconds.

[0092] By applying heat and pressure under such conditions, the deposit M3 can be molded to produce a high-quality sheet S. If the deposit M3 contains a binder, the binder melts and diffuses within the deposit M3, and the fibers are bound together via the molten binder. This results in the formation of a sheet S with high strength.

[0093] The configuration of the molding device 3 is not limited to the above, and may be configured, for example, to heat the deposit M3 with a pair of heating blocks or heaters arranged above and below, and then pressurize it with a pair of pressure blocks arranged above and below.

[0094] Further, the configuration of the molding device 3 is not limited to the configuration having the above-mentioned heating and pressurizing blocks 31 and 32, and may be, for example, a configuration using a heating and pressurizing roller, a heating roller or a pressurizing roller instead of the heating and pressurizing blocks 31 and 32. The molding process by the molding device 3 may be a batch type as in this embodiment, or a continuous type.

[0095] After the molding process is performed by the molding device 3 as described above, the molded sheet S is separated from the breathable member 7. This separation may be performed using a peeling device (not shown) that inserts a blade between the sheet S and the breathable member 7 to peel the sheet S from the breathable member 7, or the sheet S and the breathable member 7 may be separated manually. In this way, for example, the sheet S can be used as a product, and the separated breathable member 7 can be discarded or placed again in the housing 6 and used to manufacture the next pile M3.

[0096] This step is the separation step. In the present invention, the separation step may be omitted. In this case, the sheet S and the mesh 71 bonded together can be used as a product.

[0097] As described above, the sheet manufacturing apparatus 1 of the present invention includes a material supplying device 4 having an inlet 41 for introducing raw material M1, which is a material containing fibers, a loosening section 43 for loosening the raw material M1 introduced from the inlet 41, and an outlet 42 for discharging cotton-like material M2, which is a cotton-like material obtained by loosening in the loosening section 43, together with air; a housing 6 having a connection port 68 and an opening 67 connected to the outlet 42; a material capturing device 5 having an air-permeable member 7 installed in the opening 67 for capturing the cotton-like material M2 and allowing air to pass through; and a forming device 3 for forming a pile M3 of the cotton-like material M2 attached to the air-permeable member 7 into a sheet S. This allows the sheet manufacturing apparatus 1 to be made smaller and the apparatus configuration to be simplified. In addition, since the pile M3 of the cotton-like material M2 can be quickly generated, the manufacturing time of the sheet S can be shortened.

[0098] The sheet manufacturing method of the present invention includes a material supplying step of supplying a cotton-like material M2, which is a cotton-like material obtained by loosening a raw material M1, which is a material containing fibers, together with air, a material capturing step of attaching the cotton-like material M2 supplied in the material supplying step to the breathable member 7 using a material capturing device 5 having a housing 6 with an opening 67 and a breathable member 7 installed in the opening 67 to capture the cotton-like material M2 and allow air to pass through, to generate a deposit M3 of the cotton-like material M2, and a forming step of forming the deposit M3 generated in the material capturing step into a sheet S. By manufacturing the sheet S in this manner, it is possible to reduce the size of the device used for sheet manufacturing and simplify the device configuration. In addition, since the deposit M3 of the cotton-like material M2 can be generated quickly, the manufacturing time of the sheet S can be shortened.

[0099] In the forming process, the deposit M3 is formed into a sheet S in a state where it is attached to the breathable member 7. This provides excellent handling properties. Another advantage is that the surface pattern of the breathable member 7, for example the mesh pattern of the mesh 71, can be transferred to the sheet S. The sheet S with the breathable member 7 (mesh 71) attached thereto can also be used as a product as is. In this case, the mesh 71 etc. can function as a reinforcing material that enhances the strength of the sheet S. Also, a product can be made with different designs on the front and back.

[0100] The sheet manufacturing method includes a separation step of separating the formed sheet S from the breathable member 7. This makes it possible to easily manufacture the sheet S separated from the breathable member 7, i.e., the sheet S without the breathable member 7.

[0101] It is also possible to separate and remove the air-permeable member 7 from the deposit M3 before molding, and then mold the deposit M3 into the sheet S, for example, by hot-press molding.

[0102] In the molding process, the deposit M3 is molded into a sheet S by heating and pressurizing the deposit M3. This makes it possible to easily manufacture a flat sheet S, a sheet S with excellent surface quality, a sheet S with a uniform thickness, or a sheet S with high strength. In particular, when the deposit M3 contains a binder, the binder melts and the fibers can be bonded together via the molten binder. Thus, a sheet S with high strength is formed.

[0103] After the molding step, a cutting step may be performed in which the sheet S is cut into a desired shape and size using a cutting device, for example.

[0104] The above describes the embodiment of the deposit manufacturing apparatus, sheet manufacturing apparatus, and sheet manufacturing method of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to this, and each part constituting the deposit manufacturing apparatus and sheet manufacturing apparatus can be replaced with any configuration that can perform the same function. In addition, any configuration may be added to the deposit manufacturing apparatus and sheet manufacturing apparatus. In addition, any process may be added to the sheet manufacturing method of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0105] 1...sheet manufacturing device, 2...deposit manufacturing device, 3...molding device, 4...material supply device, 5...material capture device, 6...casing, 7...breathable member, 8...adjustment section, 9...screw, 31...heating and pressurizing block, 32...heating and pressurizing block, 40...casing, 41...inlet, 42...outlet, 43...loosening section, 61...top plate, 62...bottom plate, 63...side wall, 64...side wall, 65...side wall, 66...side wall, 67...opening, 6 8...Connection port, 71...Mesh, 72...Frame, 81...Communication portion, 91...Head, 431...Liner, 431A...Tee, 431B...Protrusion, 432...Rotor, 433...Motor, 434...Rotating shaft, 435...Rotor portion, 436...Blade, 437...Bearing, 611...Screw hole, 711...Underside, 721...Through hole, A1...Air flow, M1...Raw material, M2...Flocculant, M3...Deposit, S...Sheet

Claims

1. a material supplying device having an inlet for introducing a fiber-containing material, a loosening section for loosening the material introduced from the inlet, and a discharge outlet for discharging the cotton-like material obtained by loosening in the loosening section together with air; A deposit manufacturing apparatus comprising: a material capture device having a housing having a connection port and an opening connected to the discharge port, and a breathable member installed at the opening, which captures the cotton-like material and allows air to pass through.

2. The deposit producing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the air-permeable member is detachable from the housing.

3. The housing has a first wall portion and a second wall portion that are perpendicular to each other, The first wall portion has the connection port, The deposit producing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the second wall portion has the opening.

4. The deposit producing apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the material capturing device has an adjusting unit for adjusting an air flow condition within the housing.

5. The deposit producing apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the adjustment section has a communication section that communicates between the inside and the outside of the housing.

6. The deposit producing apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the communication portion is provided at an edge portion of the opening, at a location distal to the connection port.

7. 2. The deposit manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the loosening unit has a blade that rotates around a rotation axis and a liner provided on the outer periphery of the blade, and the material is loosened by the blade and the liner.

8. a material supplying device having an inlet for introducing a fiber-containing material, a loosening section for loosening the material introduced from the inlet, and a discharge outlet for discharging the cotton-like material obtained by loosening in the loosening section together with air; a material capture device including a housing having a connection port and an opening connected to the discharge port, and a breathable member disposed at the opening, for capturing the cotton-like material and allowing air to pass therethrough; a forming device that forms the accumulation of the cotton-like material attached to the breathable member into a sheet.

9. a material supplying step of supplying a cotton-like material obtained by loosening a fiber-containing material together with air; a material capturing step of attaching the cotton-like material supplied in the material supply step to the breathable member by using a material capturing device having a housing having an opening and a breathable member that is installed in the opening and captures the cotton-like material and allows air to pass through, thereby generating a deposit of the cotton-like material; and a forming step of forming the deposit produced in the material capturing step into a sheet.

10. The sheet manufacturing method according to claim 9 , wherein in the forming step, the deposit is formed into the sheet in a state where it is attached to the air-permeable member.

11. The sheet manufacturing method according to claim 10, further comprising a separation step of separating the formed sheet from the air-permeable member.

12. The sheet manufacturing method according to claim 9 , wherein in the forming step, the deposit is formed into the sheet by heating and pressurizing the deposit.

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