Waste powder collection device and sheet manufacturing device

Abstract

To provide a waste powder collection device that is able to detect the presence or absence of a recovery bag.SOLUTION: A waste powder collection device includes: a filter portion; a waste powder box; a collection bag set in the waste powder box; and a detection unit that detects presence or absence of the collection bag. The detection unit has a sensor and a guide portion that guides the collection bag to a position where the collection bag can be detected by the sensor.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a waste powder collecting device and a sheet manufacturing apparatus including the waste powder collecting device. [Background technology]

[0002] In sheet manufacturing equipment that uses a dry process to produce sheets from scraps of paper, such as waste paper, waste powder, such as short fibers that are not suitable for sheet production and coloring materials contained in the scraps of paper, is collected and disposed of using a bag filter.The collected waste powder is collected in a collection bag set in a waste powder box, but if this collection bag is not set, the waste powder may get into the air circulation path inside the equipment and cause problems with the operation of the sheet manufacturing equipment.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a waste powder collection device that uses a bag filter. According to this document, by providing a sub-collection means of an axial flow cyclone type that acts as a bypass in addition to the main collection means consisting of a bag filter, the replacement cycle of the filter of the main collection means can be extended. It also states that the waste powder collected by both collection means is stored in a storage hopper. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-175562 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, Patent Document 1 does not contain any description or suggestion regarding collection bags, and it is presumed that it does not take into consideration the situation where no collection bags are set in the storage hopper. In other words, there has been a demand for a waste powder collecting device and a sheet manufacturing device that can detect the presence or absence of a collection bag. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A waste powder collection device according to one aspect of the present application comprises a filter unit, a waste powder box, a collection bag set in the waste powder box, and a detection unit that detects the presence or absence of the collection bag, the detection unit having a sensor and a guide unit that guides the collection bag to a position where it can be detected by the sensor.

[0007] A sheet manufacturing apparatus according to one aspect of the present application includes a defibrating unit that defibrates raw material, a waste powder collecting unit that collects waste powder from the defibrated material, a deposition unit that deposits the material to form a web, and a forming unit that compresses the web to form a sheet, wherein the waste powder collecting unit includes a filter unit, a waste powder box, a collection bag that is set in the waste powder box, a detection unit that detects the presence or absence of the collection bag, and a control unit, and the control unit has an alarm unit that, if the collection bag is not loaded, notifies the user by means of the alarm unit that the collection bag is not loaded. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a waste powder collecting device according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the waste powder collecting device as seen from the opposite side of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the internal configuration of the waste powder collecting device. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the waste powder collecting device with the waste powder box pulled out. [Figure 5] FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the detection attachment portion of the waste powder box and its surroundings. [Figure 7] FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 4 is a graph showing an example of a waveform detected by a sensor. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a schematic configuration diagram of a sheet manufacturing apparatus according to a second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Embodiment 1 ***Outline of waste powder collection device*** Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the schematic configuration of a waste powder collection device according to embodiment 1. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the waste powder collection device as seen from the opposite side of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the internal configuration of the waste powder collection device, and corresponds to Fig. 1. The schematic configuration of a waste particle collection device 100 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. Each figure illustrates three mutually orthogonal axes: an X axis, a Y axis, and a Z axis. In this embodiment, the Z axis is defined as the vertical direction, but this is not limiting. The direction along the X axis is referred to as the "X direction," the direction along the Y axis as the "Y direction," and the direction along the Z axis as the "Z direction." The tip of the arrow in each axis direction is also referred to as the "plus side," and the base of the arrow is also referred to as the "minus side." For example, the Y direction refers to both the positive and negative Y directions. The positive Z direction is also referred to as "up," and the negative Z direction is also referred to as "down." In the following figures, dimensions and scales may differ from those of the actual ones in order to facilitate understanding.

[0010] The waste powder collection device 100 of this embodiment is a filter-type dust collection device, a so-called bag filter device, that collects dust in the exhaust of industrial equipment, and can be used for collecting powder in the exhaust, recovering crushed products, local dust collection, etc. The waste powder collecting device 100 comprises a filter section 34, a waste powder box 35, a collection bag 2, a detection section 36, an exhaust section 37, a back airflow generating section 38, a blower 40, a compressor 41, a control device 42, and the like. As shown in Figure 1, the waste powder collection device 100 has a vertically long rectangular parallelepiped shape and is configured by stacking, from bottom to top, a waste powder box 35, a filter unit 34, an exhaust unit 37, and a back airflow generating unit 38. These components are housed in a housing 99, which mainly consists of the filter unit 34, to form a single device. In other words, the housing 99 houses at least the waste powder box 35 and the filter unit 34.

[0011] As shown in FIG. 3, the filter section 34 is provided with four cylindrical filters 10. The number of filters 10 is not limited to four, and any number may be used. The filters 10 are cylindrical filter bags (filter cloths) that extend vertically. As shown in FIG. 2, two air intakes 34b are provided on one side of the filter section 34. Pipes (not shown) from an upstream device are connected to the air intakes 34b, and dust-containing gas flows into the filter section 34 from the pipes. As shown in Fig. 3, an exhaust unit 37 is provided above the filters 10. The exhaust unit 37 is an exhaust pipe that discharges gas filtered by the four filters 10 from an exhaust port 37b. A blower 40 (Fig. 1) is provided downstream of the exhaust port 37b, and sucks gas from the filter unit 34 via the exhaust unit 37.

[0012] A reverse airflow generating unit 38 is provided next to the exhaust unit 37. In FIG. 3, the cover of the reverse airflow generating unit 38 is removed, and the reverse airflow generating unit 38 is equipped with four injection heads 18. The injection heads 18 are arranged corresponding to positions above the filter 10. Pipes (not shown) are connected to the compressor 41 (FIG. 1) to supply compressed air to the injection heads 18. When the waste powder collection device 100 is in operation, dust such as powder adheres to the outer surface of the filter 10. The spray head 18 periodically injects pulses of air into the filter bag to remove dust from the exterior surfaces of the filters 10. In a preferred embodiment, the spray head 18 sprays air onto each of the four filters 10 in turn, thereby maintaining the filtering performance of the filters 10.

[0013] The dust that has been brushed off falls by gravity into the waste powder box 35. Since the collection bag 2 is set in the waste powder box 35, the dust is collected in the collection bag 2. A detector 36 is provided at the upper end of the waste powder box 35 to detect the presence or absence of the collection bag 2. The control device 42 is configured with one or more processors, and controls each part of the waste powder collection device 100 in accordance with a control program stored in a memory unit (not shown). Details of the detector 36 and the control device 42 will be described later.

[0014] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the waste powder collecting device with the waste powder box pulled out, and corresponds to FIG. 4, the waste powder box 35 is provided so as to be able to be pulled out from the housing 99. A pair of rail portions 75 is provided at the bottom of the housing 99, and the waste powder box 35 can be pulled out along the rail portions 75 in the minus X direction. As shown in Fig. 4, with the waste powder box 35 pulled out, the collection bag 2 is set in the waste powder box 35. The collection bag 2 is a vinyl bag, and although not limited to this, a bag made of high density polyethylene or low density polyethylene is used.

[0015] ***Detection unit configuration*** Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the detection unit, corresponding to Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the detection attachment portion of the waste powder box and its surroundings, corresponding to Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a side view of the detection unit, corresponding to Fig. 5. As shown in FIG. 5, the detection unit 36 is composed of a main body 11 attached to the bottom of the filter unit 34 and a detection accessory 12 attached to the top of the waste powder box 35.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment, the main body 11 is a sheet metal member, and is composed of a fixed part 3 , a sensor support part 4 provided on the fixed part 3 , and a first part 5 provided below the fixed part 3 . The fixed portion 3 is a flat plate portion, and is fixed to the housing 99 of the filter portion 34 by screws. The sensor support part 4 is a part bent at a substantially right angle in the negative X direction from the fixed part 3. A sensor 6 is fixed to the sensor support part 4. The first portion 5 is a portion bent at a substantially right angle in the negative X direction from the fixed portion 3, and faces the sensor support portion 4. The first portion 5 has a first hole 5b, which is a through hole, formed in a portion facing the sensor 6.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 6, in a preferred embodiment, the detection attachment 12 is a sheet metal member, and is composed of a fixed portion 7 and a second portion 8 bent from the fixed portion 7 at a substantially right angle in the minus X direction. The fixing part 7 is a flat plate part, and is fixed to the top of the waste powder box 35. As shown in FIG. 7, the first region 5 and the second region 8 face each other, with part of the collection bag 2 set between them. The set of the first region 5 and the second region 8 is also referred to as the guide section 22. The guide section 22 guides the collection bag 2 to a position where it can be detected by the sensor 6. As described in FIG. 4, after the collection bag 2 is set with the waste powder box 35 pulled out, when the waste powder box 35 is stored in the housing 99, part of the collection bag 2 is inserted between the first region 5 and the second region 8, as shown in FIG. 7.

[0018] In other words, the waste powder collection device 100 comprises a filter section 34, a waste powder box 35, a collection bag 2 to be set in the waste powder box 35, and a detection section 36 that detects the presence or absence of the collection bag 2, and the detection section 36 has a sensor 6 and a guide section 22 that guides the collection bag 2 to a position where it can be detected by the sensor 6. The guide section 22 also comprises a first section 5 provided in the filter section 34 and a second section 8 provided in the waste powder box 35, and the first section 5 and the second section 8 are arranged opposite each other, and a part of the collection bag 2 is inserted between the first section 5 and the second section 8.

[0019] In a preferred embodiment, the sensor 6 is a PSD (Position Sensitive Detector) type infrared distance sensor. In other words, the sensor 6 is an infrared distance sensor. As shown in FIG. 5 , the sensor 6 includes an infrared light-emitting element 6a and an infrared light-receiving element 6b. The light-receiving element 6b detects the light emitted from the light-emitting element 6a when the light hits an object and is reflected by the light-receiving element 6b. The sensor 6 is rectangular, with the light-emitting element 6a and the light-receiving element 6b arranged side by side along its long side. In the sensor 6, the incident angle θ of light to the light-receiving element 6b increases when the object is close, and decreases when the object is farther away. Because the output voltage changes depending on the incident angle θ, distance information can be obtained from the output voltage. However, in this embodiment, the sensor 6 is used to detect the presence or absence of a collection bag 2, rather than distance.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 5 , the first hole 5b and the second hole 8b overlap. The size of the first hole 5b in the first region 5 is set larger than the planar size of the sensor 6. The size of the second hole 8b in the second region 8 is slightly smaller than the first hole 5b, but the portion facing the sensor 6 is open. This allows only the collection bag 2 to be present in the portion facing the sensor 6, enabling accurate detection. In other words, the first region 5 has the first hole 5b and the second region 8 has the second hole 8b. The first hole 5b and the second hole 8b overlap, and when part of the collection bag 2 is inserted between the first region 5 and the second region 8, the sensor 6 and part of the collection bag 2 face each other via the first hole 5b. 7, when the distance between the sensor 6 and the collection bag 2 is distance d, distance d is set to 40 mm or more and 80 mm or less in a preferred example. However, this is not limited to this and may be set according to the specifications of the sensor 6. For example, distance d may be set to 5 mm or more and 100 mm or less.

[0021] Furthermore, if the gap between the first portion 5 and the second portion 8 is too large, the collection bag 2 may tilt or undulate, making accurate detection difficult. In contrast, in this embodiment, the gap between the first portion 5 and the second portion 8 is set to a preferred value of 1 mm or more and 10 mm or less. This allows the collection bag 2 to be stabilized in a substantially flat state along the second portion 8, reducing variations in infrared reflection and enabling accurate detection. The collection bag 2 may also be sandwiched between the first portion 5 and the second portion 8.

[0022] FIG. 8 is a graph showing an example of a waveform detected by the sensor. Graph 57 shown in FIG. 8 shows an example of a waveform detected by sensor 6, with the horizontal axis representing distance (mm) and the vertical axis representing output voltage (V). As shown in graph 57, it can be seen that the output voltage changes depending on the distance to the collection bag 2 as the target object. In graph 57, the output voltage peaks when the distance is around 50 mm to 60 mm.

[0023] In this embodiment, attention is focused on the output voltage of graph 57, and if the output voltage is 2V or higher, it is determined that a collection bag 2 is present. The threshold for determining the presence or absence is not limited to 2V, and the threshold may be set appropriately depending on the specifications of sensor 6, the size of detection unit 36, etc. According to the results of testing by the inventors, it has been confirmed that the presence or absence of a collection bag 2 can be determined with high accuracy even when a transparent collection bag 2 is used.

[0024] Return to Figure 1. If the detection unit 36 detects that a collection bag 2 has not been placed, the control device 42 issues a warning using the notification unit 43. More specifically, the notification unit 43 is connected to a warning light 44 and an alarm unit 45, and either or both of them warn that a collection bag 2 has not been placed. In a preferred example, the warning light 44 is a rotating warning light that visually warns that a collection bag 2 has not been placed. The alarm unit 45 is a buzzer that audibly warns that a collection bag 2 has not been placed. Note that a speaker may be used instead of a buzzer, and in this case, a voice synthesis IC may repeatedly output a voice message saying, "Please place a collection bag."

[0025] As described above, the waste particle collecting device 100 of this embodiment can provide the following effects. The waste powder collection device 100 comprises a filter section 34, a waste powder box 35, a collection bag 2 set in the waste powder box 35, and a detection section 36 that detects the presence or absence of the collection bag 2, and the detection section 36 has a sensor 6 and a guide section 22 that guides the collection bag 2 to a position where it can be detected by the sensor 6.

[0026] This allows the detection unit 36 to detect the presence or absence of the collection bag 2. Therefore, if it is detected that the collection bag 2 is not attached, the notification unit 43 can issue a notification, and operation without the collection bag 2 attached can be prevented. Therefore, it is possible to provide a waste powder collecting device 100 that can detect the presence or absence of a collection bag.

[0027] The waste powder collector 100 also includes a housing 99 that houses at least the waste powder box 35 and the filter unit 34. This allows the waste powder collection device 100 to be configured as a single device using the housing 99. In particular, when incorporated into a large upper-level device, the device configuration can be made to fit in well as a waste powder collection unit.

[0028] The sensor 6 is an infrared distance sensor. This allows the infrared distance sensor to be used as a sensor for detecting the presence or absence of the collection bag 2. Since infrared distance sensors are often general-purpose and inexpensive, detection unit 36 can be configured simply and at low cost.

[0029] The guide section 22 also has a first section 5 provided in the filter section 34 and a second section 8 provided in the waste powder box 35, and the first section 5 and the second section 8 are arranged facing each other, and a part of the collection bag 2 is inserted between the first section 5 and the second section 8. This allows the guide portion 22 to stably hold the collection bag 2 in a substantially flat state along the second portion 8. Therefore, the guide portion 22 can prevent the collection bag 2 from tilting or undulating, reducing variations in infrared reflection and enabling accurate detection.

[0030] In addition, a first hole 5b is provided in the first region 5 and a second hole 8b is provided in the second region 8, and the first hole 5b and the second hole 8b overlap each other, and when a part of the collection bag 2 is inserted between the first region 5 and the second region 8, the sensor 6 and a part of the collection bag 2 face each other via the first hole 5b. This eliminates the risk of the sensor 6 receiving infrared light reflected by the first portion 5 or the second portion 8, and the sensor 6 can reliably receive infrared light reflected by the collection bag 2. Therefore, the presence or absence of the collection bag 2 can be detected with high accuracy.

[0031] Embodiment 2 ***Application to sheet manufacturing equipment*** FIG. 9 is a schematic configuration diagram of a sheet manufacturing apparatus according to the second embodiment. The waste powder collecting device 100 of the above embodiment can be suitably applied to the sheet manufacturing apparatus 200. Hereinafter, the same parts as those in the above embodiment will be given the same numbers, and duplicated explanations will be omitted.

[0032] The sheet manufacturing apparatus 200 of this embodiment manufactures a sheet P3 from pieces of paper such as waste paper in a dry manner. Note that the sheet manufacturing apparatus to which the waste powder collection device 100 can be applied is not limited to a dry type, and may be a wet type. In this embodiment, the dry type means that the process is carried out in air such as the atmosphere, rather than in a liquid.

[0033] 9, the sheet manufacturing apparatus 200 according to this embodiment has a first unit group 111, a second unit group 112, and a third unit group 113. The first unit group 111, the second unit group 112, and the third unit group 113 are supported by a frame (not shown).

[0034] 9, the direction in which the pieces of paper C, sheet P3, slit pieces S, and unnecessary scraps move is indicated by white arrows. In the sheet manufacturing apparatus 200, the side ahead in the conveying direction of the pieces of paper C, web W, sheet P3, etc. is sometimes referred to as downstream, and the side going upstream in the conveying direction is sometimes referred to as upstream. In the following description, a collection of pieces of paper C made up of multiple pieces of paper C is also simply referred to as piece of paper C.

[0035] The sheet manufacturing apparatus 200 manufactures a sheet P3 from a piece of paper C. In the sheet manufacturing apparatus 200, a first unit group 111, a second unit group 112, and a third unit group 113 are arranged from the Y-minus direction toward the Y-plus direction in a side view from the X-minus direction. The pieces of paper C are transported from the first unit group 111 to the third unit group 113 via the pipe 21. The pieces of paper C are then defibrated in the third unit group 113 to become fibers, and then formed into a mixture containing a binder and the like. The mixture is transported via the pipe 24 to the second unit group 112. The mixture is formed into a web W in the second unit group 112, and then formed into a belt-shaped sheet P1. The belt-shaped sheet P1 is cut in the first unit group 111 to become a sheet P3.

[0036] The first unit group 111 includes a raw material supply device 13, a measuring unit 15, a confluence unit 17, and a pipe 21. In the first unit group 111, these components are arranged in the above order from upstream to downstream. The first unit group 111 also includes a first cutting unit 81, a second cutting unit 82, a tray 91, and a shredding unit 95. The first cutting unit 81 and the second cutting unit 82 cut the strip-shaped sheet P1 into sheets P3 of a predetermined shape. The first unit group 111 also includes a water supply unit 67. The water supply unit 67 is a water storage tank. The water supply unit 67 supplies water for humidification to each of the first humidifier unit 65 and the second humidifier unit 66, which will be described later, via a water supply pipe (not shown).

[0037] The raw material supply device 13 stores paper pieces C, which are the raw material for the sheet P3, and supplies them downstream. The raw material supply device 13 has a raw material inlet 131, a storage section 132, and a discharge section 140. The paper pieces C are fed from the raw material inlet 131 into the storage section 132. The paper pieces C contain fibers such as cellulose and are, for example, shredded waste paper. Humidified air is supplied into the storage section 132 from the second humidifier section 66 provided in the second unit group 112. The pieces of paper C are temporarily stored in the storage unit 132, and then transported to the measuring unit 15 via the discharge unit 140. The sheet manufacturing apparatus 200 may be provided with a shredder upstream of the storage unit 132 that shreds the pieces of paper C and the like.

[0038] The measuring unit 15 has a sensor unit 15a and a supply mechanism (not shown). The sensor unit 15a measures the mass of the pieces of paper C. The supply mechanism supplies the pieces of paper C weighed by the sensor unit 15a to the downstream junction 17. That is, the measuring unit 15 weighs the pieces of paper C by a predetermined mass using the sensor unit 15a, and supplies them to the downstream junction 17 using the supply mechanism. The sensor unit 15a can be either a digital or analog weighing mechanism. Specifically, the sensor unit 15a can be a physical sensor such as a load cell, a spring balance, or a balance. In this embodiment, a load cell is used as the sensor unit 15a. The predetermined mass at which the sensor unit 15a weighs the piece of paper C is, for example, several grams to several tens of grams.

[0039] The measuring unit 15 measures and supplies the pieces of paper C in batches. That is, the supply of the pieces of paper C from the measuring unit 15 to the junction 17 is performed intermittently. The measuring unit 15 may have multiple combinations of sensor units 15a and supply mechanisms, and the multiple sensor units 15a may be operated at staggered times to improve the efficiency of measuring and supply. The sheet manufacturing apparatus 200 has two sensor units 15a and a supply mechanism attached to each. As a result, the pieces of paper C are transported alternately to the junction 17 from the two sets of sensor units 15a and supply mechanisms.

[0040] At the confluence 17, the pieces of paper C supplied from the measuring unit 15 are combined with the fine fragments of the slit pieces S supplied from the shredding unit 95 and mixed together. The slit pieces S and the shredding unit 95 will be described later. The pieces of paper C mixed with the fine fragments flow from the confluence 17 into the pipe 21. The piping 21 transports the pieces of paper C from the first unit group 111 to the third unit group 113 via the second unit group 112 by means of the suction airflow generated by the downstream defibrating unit 30.

[0041] The third unit group 113 has a defibrating unit 30 which is a dry type defibrator, a separating unit 31, piping 23, a mixing unit 33, and piping 24. Furthermore, the third unit group 113 also has piping 25 which branches off from the separating unit 31, a waste powder collecting unit 100b to which piping 25 is connected, and a power supply unit 69. Here, the waste powder collecting unit 100b is formed by incorporating the above-mentioned waste powder collecting device 100 as a collecting unit.

[0042] The paper pieces C transported through the pipe 21 flow into the defibrating unit 30. The defibrating unit 30 dry-defibrates the paper pieces C supplied from the measuring unit 15 into fibers. A known defibrating mechanism can be applied to the defibrating unit 30. The defibrating unit 30 may have the following configuration, for example. The defibrating unit 30 includes a stator and a rotor. The stator has a substantially cylindrical inner surface. The rotor is installed inside the stator and rotates along the inner surface of the stator. The small pieces of paper C are sandwiched between the inner surface of the stator and the rotor and defibrated by the shear force generated between them. This causes the tangled fibers contained in the paper pieces C to be untangled. The paper pieces C are converted into fibers and transported to the separation unit 31.

[0043] The separation unit 31 separates the defibrated fibers. More specifically, the separation unit 31 removes components contained in the fibers that are unnecessary for manufacturing the sheet P3. Specifically, the separation unit 31 separates relatively long fibers from relatively short fibers. Relatively short fibers are separated in the separation unit 31 because they may reduce the strength of the sheet P3. The separation unit 31 also separates and removes coloring materials and additives contained in the pieces of paper C. Known technologies such as a disk mesh method can be applied to the separation unit 31. Humidified air is supplied to the interior of the separation unit 31 from the second humidifier 66 of the second unit group 112. The defibrated fibers are removed of short fibers that are not suitable for recycling and waste powder such as coloring materials contained in the paper pieces, and are then transported to the mixing section 33 via piping 23 by an airflow generated by a blower (not shown) located at the tip of the airflow piping 32.

[0044] The gas containing the waste powder then flows through the piping 25 from the intake port 34b (Fig. 2) into the filter section 34 of the waste powder collection section 100b. After the waste powder is removed from the gas by four filters 10 (Fig. 3), the gas is discharged from the exhaust port 37b (Fig. 2). The waste powder is collected in the collection bag 2 in the waste powder box 35. The waste powder collection section 100b is equipped with a detection section 36 that detects whether the collection bag 2 is present or not.

[0045] The mixing unit 33 mixes powder additives such as binders with the fibers in the air to form a mixture. The mixing unit 33 is equipped with a powder supply mechanism 19. The powder supply mechanism 19 has a built-in hopper. A powder supply container 29 is attached to the powder supply mechanism 19. Although not shown, in addition to the powder supply mechanism 19, the mixing unit 33 also includes a flow path for transporting the fibers and a fan. The hopper sends binder powder supplied from the powder supply container 29 into the flow path. The sheet manufacturing apparatus 200 uses starch as a binder for the fibers. The valve adjusts the flow rate, i.e., the mass, of the binder supplied from the hopper to the flow path. This adjusts the mixture ratio of the fibers and binder. Note that the mixing section 33 may include a similar configuration for supplying coloring materials, additives, etc., in addition to the powder supply container 29 and powder supply mechanism 19 that supply the binder. The fan in the mixing section 33 generates an airflow that transports the fibers downstream while mixing the binder, etc., into the air to form a mixture. The mixture flows from the mixing section 33 into the pipe 24.

[0046] The power supply unit 69 has a power supply device (not shown) that supplies power to the control unit 142 and the sheet manufacturing apparatus 200. The power supply unit 69 distributes power supplied from an external source to each component of the sheet manufacturing apparatus 200. The control unit 142 comprehensively controls each unit of the sheet manufacturing apparatus 200, including the waste powder collection unit 100b. It also has the function of the control device 42 of the waste powder collection device 100, and issues a notification via the notification unit 43 based on the detection result of the detection unit 36 of the waste powder collection unit 100b. The control unit 142 may also be connected to a computer 76. The computer 76 may be, for example, a notebook computer, and the computer 76 may perform the function of the notification unit 43 using its display and speaker.

[0047] The second unit group 112 deposits and compresses the mixture containing fibers to form a belt-shaped sheet P1, which is recycled paper. The second unit group 112 includes a depositing section 50, a first conveying section 61, a second conveying section 62, a first humidifying section 65, a second humidifying section 66, a draining section 68, and a forming section 70. In the second unit group 112, the deposition section 50, the first transfer section 61, the second transfer section 62, the first humidifying section 65, and the forming section 70 are arranged in the above order from upstream to downstream. The second humidifying section 66 is arranged below the first humidifying section 65.

[0048] The deposition unit 50 deposits the mixture containing the separated fibers in the air to generate a web W. The deposition unit 50 has a drum member 53, blade members 55 installed inside the drum member 53, a housing 51 that houses the drum member 53, and a suction unit 59. The mixture is taken into the drum member 53 from the pipe 24. A first conveying unit 61 is disposed below the deposition unit 50. The first conveying unit 61 has a mesh belt 61a and five tension rollers (not shown) that tension the mesh belt 61a. The suction unit 59 faces the drum member 53 in the direction along the Z axis, with the mesh belt 61a sandwiched therebetween.

[0049] The blade member 55 is located inside the drum member 53 and is driven to rotate by a motor (not shown). The drum member 53 is a semi-cylindrical sieve. A mesh that functions as a sieve is provided on the downward-facing side of the drum member 53. The drum member 53 allows particles such as fibers and mixtures that are smaller than the size of the mesh openings of the sieve to pass from the inside to the outside. The mixture is agitated by rotating blade members 55 inside drum member 53 and then discharged to the outside of drum member 53. Humidified air is supplied to the inside of drum member 53 from second humidifying section 66.

[0050] The suction unit 59 is disposed below the drum member 53. The suction unit 59 sucks air from inside the housing 51 through multiple holes in the mesh belt 61a. The multiple holes in the mesh belt 61a allow air to pass through but prevent fibers and binders contained in the mixture from passing through. As a result, the mixture discharged to the outside of the drum member 53 is sucked downward together with the air. The suction unit 59 is a known suction device such as a blower. The mixture is dispersed in the air within the housing 51 and is deposited on the upper surface of the mesh belt 61a by gravity and the suction of the suction section 59 to form the web W.

[0051] The mesh belt 61a is an endless belt stretched over five tension rollers. The mesh belt 61a rotates counterclockwise in FIG. 9 due to the rotation of the tension rollers. As a result, the mixture is continuously deposited on the mesh belt 61a, forming a web W. The web W contains a relatively large amount of air and is soft and inflated. The first conveying section 61 conveys the formed web W downstream by the rotation of the mesh belt 61a.

[0052] The second conveying section 62 is located downstream of the first conveying section 61 and conveys the web W in place of the first conveying section 61. The second conveying section 62 peels the web W from the upper surface of the mesh belt 61a and conveys it toward the forming section 70. The second conveying section 62 is located above the conveying path of the web W and slightly upstream of the starting point of the return side of the mesh belt 61a. The +Y direction of the second conveying section 62 and the -Y direction of the mesh belt 61a partially overlap in the vertical direction. The second conveying section 62 has a transport belt, multiple rollers, and a suction mechanism (not shown). The transport belt has multiple holes to allow air to pass through. The transport belt is stretched over multiple rollers and rotates with the rotation of the rollers. The second conveying section 62 adsorbs the upper surface of the web W to the lower surface of the transport belt by using negative pressure generated by the suction mechanism. When the transport belt rotates in this state, the web W is adsorbed to the transport belt and transported downstream.

[0053] The first humidifying section 65 humidifies the web W containing fibers deposited in the deposition section 50 of the second unit group 112. More specifically, the first humidifying section 65 is, for example, a mist-type humidifier, and humidifies the web W transported by the second conveying section 62 by supplying mist M from below. The first humidifying section 65 is disposed below the second conveying section 62 and faces the web W transported by the second conveying section 62 in the direction along the Z axis. A known humidifying device, for example, an ultrasonic type, can be used as the first humidifying section 65. By humidifying the web W with the mist M, the function of the starch as a binder is promoted, and the strength of the sheet P3 is improved. In addition, since the web W is humidified from below, droplets from the mist are prevented from falling onto the web W. Furthermore, since the web W is humidified from the side opposite the contact surface between the transport belt and the web W, sticking of the web W to the transport belt is reduced. The second transport unit 62 transports the web W to the forming unit 70.

[0054] The forming unit 70 has processing rollers 71 and 72. The processing rollers 71 and 72 compress the web W containing fibers and form it into a strip-shaped sheet P1. The processing rollers 71 and 72 form a pair, and each has an electric heater built in to increase the temperature of the roller surface. The processing rollers 71 and 72 are each a substantially cylindrical member. The rotation axis of the processing roller 71 and the rotation axis of the processing roller 72 are arranged along the X axis. With respect to the transport path of the web W, the processing roller 71 is arranged substantially above, and the processing roller 72 is arranged substantially below. A gap is provided between the side surface of the processing roller 71 and the side surface of the processing roller 72 according to the thickness of the sheet P3 to be manufactured.

[0055] The processing rollers 71 and 72 are driven to rotate by a stepping motor (not shown). The web W is sandwiched between the processing rollers 71 and 72 and sent downstream while being heated and pressurized. That is, the web W continuously passes through the forming unit 70 and is press-formed while being heated. By using the processing rollers 71 and 72 as a pair of forming members, the web W can be efficiently heated and pressurized.

[0056] By passing through the forming section 70, the web W, which is soft and contains a relatively large amount of air, has the air contained therein reduced and the fibers are bound together by the binder, so that the web W is formed into a belt-shaped sheet P1. The belt-shaped sheet P1 is transported to the first unit group 111 by transport rollers (not shown).

[0057] Second humidifier 66 is disposed below first humidifier 65. A known evaporative humidifier can be used for second humidifier 66. An example of an evaporative humidifier is one that blows air onto a moistened nonwoven fabric or the like to evaporate the moisture and generate humidified air.

[0058] The second humidifying section 66 humidifies a predetermined area of the sheet manufacturing apparatus 200. The predetermined area is one or more of the storage section 132, the separation section 31, and the inside of the drum member 53 of the accumulation section 50. Specifically, humidified air is supplied to the above-mentioned area from the second humidifying section 66 through a plurality of pipes (not shown). In each of the above-mentioned configurations, the humidified air suppresses the electrostatic charge on the paper pieces C, fibers, etc., and prevents them from adhering to the members due to static electricity.

[0059] The drainage unit 68 is a drainage tank. The drainage unit 68 is used in the first humidifying unit 65, the second humidifying unit 66, etc., and collects and stores old water. The drainage unit 68 can be removed from the sheet manufacturing apparatus 200 as needed, allowing the accumulated water to be discarded.

[0060] The strip-shaped sheet P1 transported to the first unit group 111 reaches the first cutting section 81. The first cutting section 81 cuts the strip-shaped sheet P1 in a direction intersecting the transport direction, for example, along the X-axis. The strip-shaped sheet P1 is cut into single sheets P2 at the first cutting section 81. The single sheets P2 are transported from the first cutting section 81 to the second cutting section 82. The second cutting section 82 cuts the single sheet P2 in the conveyance direction, for example, along the Y axis. More specifically, the second cutting section 82 cuts the single sheet P2 near both sides in the direction along the X axis. This cuts the single sheet P2 into sheets P3 of a predetermined shape, such as A4 size or A3 size.

[0061] When the second cutting section 82 cuts the single sheets P2 into sheets P3, slit pieces S, which are scraps, are generated. The slit pieces S are transported in the approximately -Y direction to the shredding section 95, which is a shredder. The shredding section 95 shreds the slit pieces S into small pieces and supplies them to the junction 17. A mechanism may be installed between the shredding section 95 and the junction 17 to weigh the small pieces of the slit pieces S and supply them to the junction 17. The sheet P3 is conveyed substantially upward and accumulated on the tray 91. In this manner, the sheet P3 is manufactured by the sheet manufacturing apparatus 200. The sheet P3 can be used as a substitute for, for example, copy paper.

[0062] In other words, the sheet manufacturing apparatus 200 includes a defibrating unit 30 that defibrates the raw material, a waste powder collecting unit 100b that collects waste powder from the defibrated material, a deposition unit 50 that deposits the material to form a web W, and a forming unit 70 that compresses the web W to form a sheet, and the waste powder collecting unit 100b includes a filter unit 34, a waste powder box 35, a collection bag 2 that is set in the waste powder box 35, a detection unit 36 that detects the presence or absence of the collection bag 2, and a control unit 142.

[0063] When the detector 36 of the waste powder collector 100b detects that the collection bag 2 is not yet attached, the controller 142 issues a warning via the alarm unit 43. Specifically, the alarm unit 43 is connected to a warning light 44 and an alarm unit 45, and either or both of them warn that the collection bag 2 is not yet attached. In a preferred embodiment, the warning light 44 is a rotating warning light that visually warns that the collection bag 2 is not yet attached. The alarm unit 45 is a buzzer that audibly warns that the collection bag 2 is not yet attached. A speaker may be used instead of a buzzer, and in this case, a voice synthesis IC may repeatedly output a voice message saying, "Please insert the collection bag." In other words, the controller 142 includes the alarm unit 43, and when the collection bag 2 is not loaded, the alarm unit 43 warns that the collection bag 2 is not loaded. Furthermore, when the detection unit 36 detects that a collection bag 2 is not attached, the control unit 142 may perform control not to operate the sheet manufacturing apparatus 200. In other words, when a collection bag 2 is not loaded, the control unit 142 does not operate the sheet manufacturing apparatus 200.

[0064] As described above, according to the sheet manufacturing apparatus 200 of this embodiment, in addition to the effects of the above embodiment, the following effects can be obtained. The sheet manufacturing apparatus 200 includes a defibrating unit 30 that defibrates the raw material, a waste powder collecting unit 100b that collects waste powder from the defibrated material, a deposition unit 50 that deposits the material to form a web W, and a forming unit 70 that compresses the web W to form a sheet. The waste powder collecting unit 100b includes a filter unit 34, a waste powder box 35, a collection bag 2 that is set in the waste powder box 35, a detection unit 36 that detects the presence or absence of the collection bag 2, and a control unit 142. The control unit 142 has an alarm unit 43 that, if a collection bag 2 is not loaded, will alarm the user by means of the alarm unit 43 that a collection bag 2 is not loaded.

[0065] According to this, when it is detected that the collection bag 2 is not attached, the notification unit 43 can notify the user. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the sheet manufacturing apparatus 200 from operating with the collection bag 2 not attached. Therefore, it is possible to provide a sheet manufacturing apparatus 200 that can detect the presence or absence of a collection bag.

[0066] Furthermore, if the collection bag 2 is not loaded, the control unit 142 will not operate the sheet manufacturing apparatus 200. If the collection bag is not loaded, there is a risk that waste powder may enter the air circulation path inside the apparatus and cause a disruption to the operating state of the sheet manufacturing apparatus, but the sheet manufacturing apparatus 200 of this embodiment can prevent the waste powder from entering, thereby maintaining the apparatus. [Explanation of symbols]

[0067] 2...Collection bag, 3...Fixing part, 4...Sensor support part, 5...First part, 5b...First hole, 6...Sensor, 6a...Light emitting element, 6b...Light receiving element, 7...Fixing part, 8...Second part, 8b...Second hole, 10...Filter, 11...Main body part, 12...Detection accessory part, 13...Material supply device, 15...Measuring part, 15a...Sensor part, 17...Confluence part, 18...Injection head, 19...Powder supply mechanism, 21...Distribution Pipe, 22...guide section, 23...piping, 24...piping, 25...piping, 29...powder supply container, 30...defibration section, 31...separation section, 32...air flow piping, 33...mixing section, 34...filter section, 34b...air intake port, 35...waste powder box, 36...detection section, 37...exhaust section, 37b...exhaust port, 38...back airflow generating section, 40...blower, 41...compressor, 42...control device, 43...alarm section, 44...warning light, 45... alarm unit, 50... accumulation unit, 51... housing, 53... drum member, 55... blade member, 57... graph, 59... suction unit, 61... first conveying unit, 61a... mesh belt, 62... second conveying unit, 65... first humidifying unit, 66... second humidifying unit, 67... water supply unit, 68... drainage unit, 69... power supply unit, 70... forming unit, 71... processing roller, 72... processing roller, 75... rail unit, 7 6...computer, 81...first cutting section, 82...second cutting section, 91...tray, 95...shredding section, 99...housing, 100...waste powder collection device, 100b...waste powder collection section, 111...first unit group, 112...second unit group, 113...third unit group, 131...raw material inlet, 132...storage section, 140...discharge section, 142...control section, 200...sheet manufacturing apparatus, P1 to P3...sheets.

Claims

1. The filter section and Waste powder box and A collection bag set in the waste powder box; a detection unit that detects the presence or absence of the collection bag, The detection unit includes a sensor and a guide portion that guides the collection bag to a position where the collection bag can be detected by the sensor. Waste powder collection device.

2. A housing is provided to house at least the waste powder box and the filter unit. The waste powder collecting device according to claim 1.

3. The sensor is an infrared distance sensor.

3. The waste powder collecting device according to claim 2.

4. The guide unit is a first portion provided in the filter portion; a second portion provided in the waste powder box, The first portion and the second portion are disposed opposite each other, A portion of the collection bag is inserted between the first portion and the second portion.

4. The waste powder collecting device according to claim 3.

5. The first portion is provided with a first hole, The second portion has a second hole provided therein, the first hole and the second hole overlap each other, When a part of the collection bag is inserted between the first part and the second part, the sensor and a part of the collection bag face each other through the first hole.

5. The waste powder collecting device according to claim 4.

6. a defibrating unit that defibrates the raw material; a waste powder collecting unit that collects waste powder from the defibrated material; a depositing section for depositing the material to form a web; a forming section that compresses the web to form a sheet, The waste powder collection unit is The filter section and Waste powder box and A collection bag set in the waste powder box; a detection unit that detects the presence or absence of the collection bag; a control unit, The control unit has a notification unit, If the collection bag is not loaded, the notification unit notifies the user that the collection bag is not loaded. Sheet manufacturing equipment.

7. The control unit does not operate the sheet manufacturing apparatus when the collection bag is not loaded. The sheet manufacturing apparatus according to claim 6.

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