Sheet production apparatus and sheet production method

Abstract

In the sheet production apparatus, there is a possibility that the coarse crushed pieces accommodated in the accommodation chamber cannot be stably humidified.SOLUTION: A sheet production device 1 includes a tank 4 for storing coarsely crushed pieces M2 containing fibers, an air supply pipe 44 for supplying humidified air WA to the tank 4, an air discharge pipe 45 capable of discharging indoor air EA from the tank 4, and a production mechanism for defibrating the coarsely crushed pieces M2 discharged from a conveyance port 412 of the tank 4 to produce a sheet S. The tank 4 has a storage chamber M2 for storing the coarse crushed pieces S0, an air chamber S3 to which the air supply pipe 44 and the air discharge pipe 45 are connected so that the air supply pipe 44 and the air discharge pipe 45 communicate with each other, and a wall 41 provided with a vent port 47 for communicating the storage chamber S0 with the air chamber S3.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a sheet production apparatus and a sheet production method. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a waste paper processing device that recycles shredded waste paper, i.e., paper pieces, discharged from a storage container in a storage section. The waste paper processing device is equipped with a steam supply device that supplies steam into the storage container in which the paper pieces are stored. The steam supply device supplies steam to the storage container through a steam supply duct, one end of which is connected to the top surface of the storage container. This increases the humidity inside the storage container, making it possible to prevent static electricity from occurring inside the storage container. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-7246 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in the waste paper processing device of Patent Document 1, there is a risk that the flow of steam supplied into the storage container will be unstable depending on the amount of paper pieces stored in the storage container or the state of the paper pieces stored in the storage container. In this case, there is a risk that the paper pieces stored in the storage container will not be humidified stably. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The sheet production apparatus comprises a tank for storing coarsely crushed pieces containing fibers, an air supply pipe for sending humidified air into the tank, an exhaust pipe capable of discharging air from the tank, and a production mechanism for defibrating the coarsely crushed pieces discharged from the transport port of the tank to produce sheets, and the tank has a storage chamber for storing the coarsely crushed pieces, an air chamber to which the air supply pipe and the exhaust pipe are connected so that the air supply pipe and the exhaust pipe are in communication, and a wall provided with an air vent that connects the storage chamber and the air chamber.

[0006] The sheet production method includes: introducing coarsely crushed pieces containing fibers into a storage chamber that communicates with an air chamber to which an air supply pipe and an exhaust pipe are connected so that the air supply pipe and the exhaust pipe are in communication with each other; sending humidified air into the storage chamber via the air supply pipe and the air chamber in a state in which air can be discharged from the storage chamber via the air chamber and the exhaust pipe; and defibrating the coarsely crushed pieces discharged from the storage chamber to produce a sheet. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a sheet production apparatus according to an embodiment; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a coarse fragment supplying device according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the D3-D3 cross section shown in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view showing the D4-D4 cross section shown in FIG. 3. [Figure 5] 10 is a flowchart showing a process for producing a sheet from coarsely crushed pieces. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] In the following embodiment, a sheet producing apparatus 1 that recycles fibrous materials such as waste paper into sheets by a dry process will be described as a sheet producing apparatus of the present invention with reference to the drawings.

[0009] In each drawing, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations are omitted. In the present specification, the terms "same," "identical," and "simultaneous" do not only refer to being completely identical. For example, in the present specification, when the terms "same," "identical," and "simultaneous" are used, they also include cases where the components are identical taking into account measurement errors. In addition, in the present specification, when the terms "same," "identical," and "simultaneous" are used, they also include cases where the components are identical taking into account manufacturing variations.

[0010] In this specification, the terms "same," "identical," and "simultaneous" are intended to include cases where the same is true to the extent that the functionality is not impaired. For example, "the dimensions of both are the same" means that, taking into account measurement errors and manufacturing variations of components, the difference in the dimensions of both is within ±5% of one dimension, and more preferably within ±3%.

[0011] In each figure, X, Y, and Z represent three spatial axes that are orthogonal to one another. In this specification, the directions along these axes are referred to as the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, and the Z-axis direction. When specifying a direction, the positive direction is indicated by "+" and the negative direction by "-", and both positive and negative signs are used to indicate the direction, with the direction indicated by the arrow in each figure being the + direction and the direction opposite the arrow being the - direction.

[0012] The Z-axis direction indicates the direction of gravity, the +Z direction indicates the vertically upward direction, and the -Z direction indicates the vertically downward direction. The plane containing the X-axis and Y-axis is described as the XY plane, the plane containing the X-axis and Z-axis as the XZ plane, and the plane containing the Y-axis and Z-axis as the YZ plane. The XY plane is a horizontal plane. The three spatial axes of X, Y, and Z, which are not limited to positive and negative directions, will be described as the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis.

[0013] The X-axis direction is the horizontal direction along the installation surface, which is a horizontal plane on which the sheet production apparatus 1 is installed. The Y-axis direction is the horizontal direction along the installation surface on which the sheet production apparatus 1 is installed. The Z-axis direction is the normal direction to the installation surface on which the sheet production apparatus 1 is installed, and is the height direction of the sheet production apparatus 1.

[0014] In the following description, the +Z direction may be referred to as "up" or "upper," and the -Z direction may be referred to as "lower" or "lower." The Z-axis direction may be referred to as the "vertical direction." The XY plane may be referred to as the "horizontal plane." FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram, and the positional relationships, orientations, sizes, etc. of the various parts of the sheet production apparatus 1 are not limited to those shown in the figure.

[0015] The direction in which the raw material M1, coarsely crushed pieces M2, defibrated material M3, first sorted material M4-1, second sorted material M4-2, first web M5, finely divided body M6, mixture M7, second web M8, and sheet S are transported, i.e., the direction indicated by the arrow, is sometimes referred to as the transport direction. The end of the transport direction is sometimes referred to as the "downstream" or "downstream side," and the side going back in the transport direction is sometimes referred to as the "upstream" or "upstream side."

[0016] <Embodiment> 1, the sheet production apparatus 1 includes a raw material supply section 11, a crushing section 12, a crushed fragment supply device 3, and a production mechanism that defibrates the crushed fragments M2 supplied from the crushed fragment supply device 3 to produce a sheet S. The production mechanism includes, for example, a defibrating section 13, a sorting section 14, a first web forming section 15, a dividing section 16, a mixing section 17, a dispersing section 18, a second web forming section 19, a shaping section 20, a cutting section 21, a stocking section 22, a recovery section 27, and the like.

[0017] Furthermore, the sheet producing apparatus 1 includes a humidifying section 231, a humidifying section 232, a humidifying section 233, a humidifying section 234, a humidifying section 235, and a humidifying section 236. In addition, the sheet producing apparatus 1 includes a blower 261, a blower 262, and a blower 263.

[0018] The sheet producing apparatus 1 performs, in this order, a raw material supplying process, a crushing process, a crushed piece supplying process, a defibrating process, a sorting process, and a first web forming process. Following the first web forming process, the sheet producing apparatus 1 performs, in this order, a dividing process, a mixing process, a loosening process, a second web forming process, a sheet forming process, and a cutting process.

[0019] The configuration of each section will be explained below. The raw material supply section 11 is a section that performs a raw material supply step of supplying raw material M1 to the crushing section 12. This raw material M1 is a fiber-containing material that contains fibers.

[0020] The fibers may be any fibrous material, including cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, etc. The raw material M1 may be in any form, such as paper, woven fabric, nonwoven fabric, or lump.

[0021] The crushing unit 12 is a part that performs a crushing step of crushing the raw material M1 supplied from the raw material supply unit 11 in air or the like. The crushing unit 12 has a pair of crushing blades 121 and a chute 122.

[0022] The pair of crushing blades 121 rotate in opposite directions to each other, thereby crushing the raw material M1 between them, i.e., cutting it into crushed pieces M2. The shape and size of the crushed pieces M2 are preferably suitable for defibration processing in the defibrating unit 13.

[0023] The shape of the coarsely crushed pieces M2 is not particularly limited, but examples include small pieces with a square planar shape, rectangular pieces, and particularly small pieces with a strip shape. The size of the coarsely crushed pieces M2 is preferably, for example, small pieces with an average side length of 100 mm or less, more preferably 3 mm to 70 mm. The shape of the small pieces may be other than rectangular. The thickness is preferably 0.07 mm to 0.10 mm.

[0024] The chute 122 is disposed below the pair of crushing blades 121 and is, for example, conical or funnel-shaped, so that the chute 122 can receive the coarsely crushed pieces M2 that have been crushed by the crushing blades 121 and dropped.

[0025] The coarse fragments M2 collected by the chute 122 are introduced into the coarse fragment supplying device 3. The coarse fragments M2 introduced into the coarse fragment supplying device 3 are temporarily stored and then supplied from the coarse fragment supplying device 3 to the defibrating section 13. The coarse fragment supplying device 3 performs a coarse fragment supplying step, and supplies the coarse fragments M2 to the defibrating section 13 while humidifying them. The coarse fragment supplying device 3 will be described in detail later.

[0026] 1, the defibrating unit 13 is a part that performs the defibrating process of defibrating the coarse fragments M2 in the air, i.e., in a dry manner. The defibrating process in this defibrating unit 13 makes it possible to produce defibrated material M3 from the coarse fragments M2.

[0027] Here, "defibrating" refers to unraveling the coarsely crushed pieces M2, which are made up of a plurality of fibers bound together, into individual fibers. This unraveled material becomes the defibrated material M3. The shape of the defibrated material M3 is linear or strip-like. Furthermore, the defibrated material M3 may be entangled with each other to form a mass, that is, may exist in a state in which it forms so-called "lumps."

[0028] The defibrating unit 13 defibrates the coarse fragments M2 into fibers in a dry manner, which reduces the amount of water used and the amount of wastewater discharged compared to wet defibration methods in which defibration is performed in water. Therefore, the defibrating unit 13 of this embodiment can contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) such as Goal 6 "Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all."

[0029] The defibrating unit 13 of this embodiment can contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) such as Goal 14 "Conserve and sustainably use the oceans and marine resources for sustainable development."

[0030] According to the defibrating unit 13 of this embodiment, it is not necessary to dry the defibrated material M3, so it is possible to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide generated in the process of defibrating the coarse fragments M2. Therefore, the defibrating unit 13 of this embodiment can contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) such as Goal 13 "Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts."

[0031] The defibrating unit 13 can generate an air flow, i.e., an airflow, from the coarse fragment supplying device 3 toward the sorting unit 14 by rotating a rotor (not shown). This allows the coarse fragments M2 to be introduced from the pipe 241 to the upstream side of the defibrating unit 13, and after defibration processing, the defibrated material M3 can be sent to the sorting unit 14 via the pipe 242.

[0032] A pipe 242 is connected to the downstream side of the defibrating unit 13. A blower 261, which is constituted by, for example, a turbo fan, is installed midway through the pipe 242. The blower 261 is an airflow generating device that generates an airflow heading toward the sorting unit 14. This promotes the introduction of coarse fragments M2 into the defibrating unit 13 and the sending out of defibrated material M3 to the sorting unit 14.

[0033] The defibrating unit 13 has a structure that allows the coarse fragments M2 to pass through and be defibrated smoothly, but operation of the blower 261 installed downstream of the defibrating unit 13 promotes the passage and defibration of the coarse fragments M2 within the defibrating unit 13. The blower 261 may also be installed upstream of the defibrating unit 13.

[0034] The sorting unit 14 is a section that performs a sorting process to sort the defibrated material M3 according to fiber length. In the sorting unit 14, the defibrated material M3 is sorted into a first sorted material M4-1 and a second sorted material M4-2 having a fiber length longer than that of the first sorted material M4-1. The first sorted material M4-1 has a size suitable for the subsequent production of the sheet S. On the other hand, the second sorted material M4-2 includes, for example, material that is insufficiently defibrated or material in which defibrated fibers have excessively aggregated together.

[0035] The sorting unit 14 has a drum unit 141 and a housing unit 142 that houses the drum unit 141.

[0036] The drum part 141 is a sieve made up of a cylindrical mesh body that rotates around its central axis. Defibrated material M3 flows into the drum part 141. As the drum part 141 rotates, defibrated material M3 that is smaller than the mesh opening is sorted as first sorted material M4-1, and defibrated material M3 that is larger than the mesh opening is sorted as second sorted material M4-2.

[0037] The first sorted item M4-1 falls from the drum section 141. Meanwhile, the second sorted item M4-2 is sent out to a pipe 243 connected to the drum section 141. The end of the pipe 243 opposite the drum section 141, i.e., the downstream end, is connected to the middle of the pipe 241.

[0038] The second sorted material M4-2 that has passed through pipe 243 joins with the coarse fragments M2 in pipe 241 and flows together with the coarse fragments M2 into the defibrating unit 13. As a result, the second sorted material M4-2 is returned to the defibrating unit 13 and is defibrated together with the coarse fragments M2.

[0039] The first sorted material M4-1 that has fallen from the drum unit 141 disperses in the air as it falls, heading toward the first web forming unit 15 located below the drum unit 141. The first web forming unit 15 is a section that carries out the first web forming step of forming the first web M5 from the first sorted material M4-1. The first web forming unit 15 has a mesh belt 151, three tension rollers 152, and a suction unit 153.

[0040] The mesh belt 151 is an endless belt on which the first sorted material M4-1 is accumulated. The mesh belt 151 is looped around three tension rollers 152. As the tension rollers 152 are rotated, the first sorted material M4-1 on the mesh belt 151 is transported downstream.

[0041] The size of the first sorted material M4-1 is equal to or larger than the mesh openings of the mesh belt 151. This restricts the first sorted material M4-1 from passing through the mesh belt 151, and therefore the first sorted material M4-1 can be piled up on the mesh belt 151. As the first sorted material M4-1 is piled up on the mesh belt 151, it is transported downstream together with the mesh belt 151, and is formed as a layered first web M5.

[0042] The first sorted material M4-1 may contain dust, dirt, etc. The dust, dirt, etc. may be generated by, for example, crushing or defibrating. Such dust, dirt, etc. will be collected in the collection unit 27, which will be described later.

[0043] The suction unit 153 is a suction mechanism that sucks air from below the mesh belt 151. This allows the dust and dirt that has passed through the mesh belt 151 to be sucked in together with the air. The suction unit 153 is connected to the collection unit 27 via a pipe 244. The dust and dirt sucked by the suction unit 153 is collected in the collection unit 27.

[0044] A pipe 245 is further connected to the collection unit 27. A blower 262 is installed midway through the pipe 245. By operating the blower 262, a suction force can be generated in the suction unit 153. This promotes the formation of the first web M5 on the mesh belt 151. Dust and dirt are removed from the first web M5. By operating the blower 262, the dust and dirt pass through the pipe 244 and reach the collection unit 27.

[0045] The housing 142 is connected to the humidifier 232. The humidifier 232 is configured as an evaporative humidifier. This allows moist air to be supplied into the housing 142. This moist air can humidify the first sorted items M4-1. This prevents the first sorted items M4-1 from adhering to the inner wall of the housing 142 due to electrostatic force.

[0046] A humidifying unit 235 is disposed downstream of the sorting unit 14. The humidifying unit 235 is configured with an ultrasonic humidifier that sprays water. This allows moisture to be supplied to the first web M5, thereby adjusting the moisture content of the first web M5. This adjustment makes it possible to suppress adhesion of the first web M5 to the mesh belt 151 due to electrostatic force. As a result, the first web M5 is easily peeled off from the mesh belt 151 at the position where the mesh belt 151 is folded back by the tension roller 152.

[0047] The dividing unit 16 is disposed downstream of the humidifying unit 235. The dividing unit 16 is a section that performs a dividing step of dividing the first web M5 that has been peeled off from the mesh belt 151. The dividing unit 16 has a rotatably supported propeller 161 and a housing unit 162 that houses the propeller 161. The dividing unit 16 can divide the first web M5 by the rotating propeller 161. The divided first web M5 becomes divided bodies M6. The divided bodies M6 descend within the housing unit 162.

[0048] The housing 162 is connected to the humidifier 233. The humidifier 233 is configured as an evaporative humidifier. This supplies moist air to the inside of the housing 162. This moist air prevents the fragmented bodies M6 from adhering to the propeller 161 or the inner wall of the housing 162 due to electrostatic force.

[0049] A mixing section 17 is disposed downstream of the dividing section 16. The mixing section 17 is a section where a mixing step of mixing the divided bodies M6 with an additive is performed. The mixing section 17 has an additive supply section 171, a pipe 172, and a blower 173.

[0050] The pipe 172 connects the housing portion 162 of the subdivision portion 16 and the housing 182 of the dispersion portion 18. The pipe 172 is a flow path through which the mixture M7 of the subdivision body M6 and the additive passes.

[0051] An additive supply unit 171 is connected to the middle of the pipe 172. The additive supply unit 171 has a housing unit 170 in which an additive is accommodated, and a screw feeder 174 provided in the housing unit 170. By the rotation of the screw feeder 174, the additive in the housing unit 170 is pushed out of the housing unit 170 and supplied into the pipe 172. The additive supplied into the pipe 172 is mixed with the pulverized body M6 to form a mixture M7.

[0052] Examples of additives supplied from the additive supply unit 171 include a binder P1 that binds fibers together, a colorant for coloring the fibers, and an aggregation inhibitor for inhibiting aggregation of the fibers. Further additives include a flame retardant for making the fibers less flammable, a paper strength agent for increasing the paper strength of the sheet S, and the like, and one or more of these can be used in combination.

[0053] In the following, an example will be described in which the additive is a binder P1. The additive contains binder P1, which binds fibers together, thereby increasing the strength of the sheet S. The binder P1 is preferably a component derived from a natural product, and more preferably starch.

[0054] Examples of the naturally-derived binder P1 include starch, as well as dextrin, glycogen, amylose, hyaluronic acid, kudzu, konjac, potato starch, etc. Further examples of the naturally-derived binder P1 include etherified starch, esterified starch, natural gum glue, fiber-derived glue, seaweed, animal protein, etc.

[0055] As the binder P1, for example, thermoplastic resins such as various polyolefins, acrylic resins, polyvinyl chloride, polyester, and polyamide, and various thermoplastic elastomers can also be used.

[0056] Examples of binder P1 such as thermoplastic resins and various thermoplastic elastomers include polyvinyl alcohol, polyacrylic acid, polyacrylamide, etc., and one or more selected from these may be used in combination.

[0057] A blower 173 is installed in the pipe 172 downstream of the additive supply unit 171. The action of a rotating part such as a blade of the blower 173 promotes mixing of the fragmented materials M6 and the binder P1. The blower 173 can generate an airflow directed toward the dispersion unit 18. This airflow can agitate the fragmented materials M6 and the binder P1 within the pipe 172.

[0058] As a result, the mixture M7 is transported to the dispersion section 18 in a state in which the fragmented bodies M6 and the binder P1 are uniformly dispersed. The fragmented bodies M6 in the mixture M7 are loosened in the process of passing through the pipe 172, and become finer fibrous.

[0059] Blower 173 is electrically connected to control device 28, and its operation is controlled by control device 28. Control device 28 adjusts the amount of air sent into drum 181 by adjusting the airflow rate of blower 173. Pipe 172 is branched into two at the end on the drum 181 side, and the branched ends are each connected to an inlet (not shown) formed on the end face of drum 181.

[0060] 1 is a section that performs a disentangling step of disentangling and discharging entangled fibers in the mixture M7. The dispersing section 18 has a drum 181 that introduces and discharges the mixture M7, and a housing 182 that houses the drum 181.

[0061] Drum 181 is a sieve made of a cylindrical mesh body that rotates around its central axis. As drum 181 rotates, fibers and other components of mixture M7 that are smaller than the mesh openings can pass through drum 181. At that time, mixture M7 is loosened and released together with air. Drum 181 functions as a release section that releases materials containing fibers.

[0062] The drum 181 is connected to a drive source (not shown) and rotates by the torque output from the drive source. The drive source of the drum 181 is electrically connected to the control device 28, which controls the operation of the drive source.

[0063] Housing 182 is connected to humidifier 234. Humidifier 234 is configured as an evaporative humidifier. This allows moist air to be supplied into housing 182. This moist air can humidify the inside of housing 182, thereby preventing mixture M7 from adhering to the inner wall of housing 182 due to electrostatic force.

[0064] The mixture M7 released from the drum 181 falls while being dispersed in the air, and heads toward the second web forming unit 19 located below the drum 181. The second web forming unit 19 is a section where the second web forming step is carried out, in which the mixture M7 is deposited to form a second web M8, which is a deposit. The second web forming unit 19 has a mesh belt 191, a tension roller 192, and a suction unit 193.

[0065] The mesh belt 191 is a mesh member, and in the illustrated configuration, is configured as an endless belt. The mixture M7 dispersed and discharged by the dispersion unit 18 is deposited on the mesh belt 191. The mesh belt 191 is wound around four tension rollers 192. As the tension rollers 192 are rotated, the mixture M7 on the mesh belt 191 is transported downstream.

[0066] In the illustrated configuration, the mesh belt 191 is used as an example of the mesh member, but the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, a flat plate-shaped member may also be used.

[0067] Most of the mixture M7 on the mesh belt 191 has a size equal to or larger than the mesh openings of the mesh belt 191. This prevents the mixture M7 from passing through the mesh belt 191, and allows the mixture M7 to be deposited on the mesh belt 191. As the mixture M7 is deposited on the mesh belt 191, it is transported downstream together with the mesh belt 191, and is formed as a layered second web M8.

[0068] The suction unit 193 is a suction mechanism that sucks air from below the mesh belt 191. This allows the mixture M7 to be sucked onto the mesh belt 191, thereby facilitating the deposition of the mixture M7 on the mesh belt 191.

[0069] A pipe 246 is connected to the suction unit 193. A blower 263 is installed midway along the pipe 246. By operating the blower 263, the suction unit 193 can generate a suction force.

[0070] A humidifying section 236 is disposed downstream of the distribution section 18. The humidifying section 236 is configured with an ultrasonic humidifier similar to the humidifying section 235. This allows moisture to be supplied to the second web M8, thereby adjusting the moisture content of the second web M8.

[0071] This adjustment can suppress adhesion of the second web M8 to the mesh belt 191 due to electrostatic force. As a result, the second web M8 is easily peeled off from the mesh belt 191 at the position where the mesh belt 191 is folded back by the tension roller 192.

[0072] The total amount of water added to the humidifying sections 231, 232, 233, 234, 235, and 236 is preferably, for example, 0.5 parts by mass or more and 20 parts by mass or less per 100 parts by mass of the material before humidification.

[0073] A forming unit 20 is disposed downstream of the second web forming unit 19. The forming unit 20 is a section where a sheet forming step is carried out to form a sheet S from the second web M8. The forming unit 20 has a pressurizing unit 201 and a heating unit 202.

[0074] The pressure applying unit 201 has a pair of calender rollers 203. The pressure applying unit 201 can apply pressure to the second web M8 between the calender rollers 203 without heating it. This increases the density of the second web M8. When heating, the degree of heating is preferably such that the binder P1 is not melted, for example.

[0075] This second web M8 is transported toward the heating unit 202 by a calender roller 203. One of the pair of calender rollers 203 is a drive roller driven by the operation of a motor (not shown), and the other is a driven roller.

[0076] The heating section 202 has a pair of heating rollers 204. The heating section 202 can apply pressure to the second web M8 while heating it between the heating rollers 204. The binder P1 is melted by the heating and pressure applied by the heating section 202, and the fibers in the second web M8 are bound to each other via the molten binder P1.

[0077] This forms a sheet S. The sheet S is transported toward the cutting unit 21. One of the pair of heating rollers 204 is a drive roller that is driven by the operation of a motor (not shown), and the other is a driven roller.

[0078] The cutting unit 21 is disposed downstream of the forming unit 20. The cutting unit 21 is a section that performs a cutting step of cutting the sheet S. The cutting unit 21 has a first cutter 211 and a second cutter 212.

[0079] The first cutter 211 cuts the sheet S in a direction intersecting the conveying direction of the sheet S, particularly in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the sheet S.

[0080] The second cutter 212 is located downstream of the first cutter 211 and cuts the sheet S in a direction parallel to the conveyance direction of the sheet S. This cutting removes unnecessary portions from both side edges in the width direction of the sheet S to adjust the width of the sheet S.

[0081] A sheet S having a desired shape and size is obtained by cutting with the first cutter 211 and the second cutter 212. The sheet S is then conveyed further downstream and accumulated in the stock unit 22.

[0082] The above-described components of the sheet production apparatus 1 are electrically connected to a control device 28. The operation of each component is controlled by the control device 28. As shown in FIG. 1 , the control device 28 includes a control unit 281, a storage unit 282, and a communication unit 283.

[0083] The control unit 281 has at least one processor and executes various programs stored in the storage unit 282. The processor may be, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The control unit 281 has various functions, such as a function to control the driving of each part of the sheet production apparatus 1 related to sheet production.

[0084] The function of controlling the operation of each part of the device related to sheet manufacturing includes, for example, a function of controlling the operation of the stirring motor M of the stirring unit 5 described later, and a function of controlling the operation of the humidified air supply source 61, air supply fan 64, and valve 65 of the humidifying unit 6 described later.

[0085] The memory unit 282 stores, for example, a program related to sheet manufacturing. With regard to humidifying the coarse fragments M2 by the coarse fragment supplying device 3, a program related to an operation sequence including conditions such as the operation timing and rotation speed of the stirring motor M of the stirring unit 5 is stored in the memory unit 282. Furthermore, the memory unit 282 stores a program related to an operation sequence including conditions such as the operation timing and rotation speed of the humidified air supply source 61, the air supply fan 64, and the valve 65 of the humidifying unit 6.

[0086] The communication unit 283 is configured by, for example, an I / O interface, and communicates with each unit of the sheet production apparatus 1. The communication unit 283 has a function of communicating with, for example, a computer or server (not shown) via a network.

[0087] The control device 28 may be built into the sheet producing apparatus 1, or may be provided in an external device such as an external computer. The control unit 281 and the storage unit 282 may be integrated into one unit, for example.

[0088] The control unit 281 and the storage unit 282 may be configured such that the control unit 281 is built into the sheet producing apparatus 1 and the storage unit 282 is provided in an external device such as an external computer. The control unit 281 and the storage unit 282 may be configured such that the storage unit 282 is built into the sheet producing apparatus 1 and the control unit 281 is provided in an external device such as an external computer.

[0089] Next, the configuration of the coarse fragment supplying device 3 will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 4. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the coarse fragment supplying device 3 includes a tank 4 for storing coarse fragments M2, an agitation unit 5 for agitating the coarse fragments M2 in the tank 4, a humidification unit 6 for humidifying the coarse fragments M2 in the tank 4, and a leveling unit 7 for leveling the state of the coarse fragments M2 in the tank 4.

[0090] As shown in Figure 2, the tank 4 has a storage chamber S0 and an air chamber S3. The tank 4 temporarily stores the coarsely crushed pieces M2 containing fibers in the storage chamber S0. The tank 4 has an inlet 411 and a transport port 412. The inlet 411 is formed on an inclined input surface at the top of the tank 4, and the transport port 412 is formed at the bottom of the tank 4.

[0091] The storage chamber S0 has an upper chamber S1 and a lower chamber S2. The upper chamber S1 is located above the lower chamber S2. The upper chamber S1 has a box-like shape, with an input surface provided between one of the four side surfaces and the top surface. However, the upper chamber S1 is not limited to this configuration and may have any shape, such as a cylindrical shape.

[0092] The above-mentioned inlet 411 is provided on the input surface of the upper chamber S1. The inlet 411 is an opening provided to communicate with the storage chamber S0 of the tank 4, and the chute 122 shown in FIG. 1 is disposed vertically above the inlet 411. The coarse crushed pieces M2 collected by the chute 122 are introduced into the storage chamber S0 through the inlet 411. It should be noted that the coarse crushed pieces M2 may also be introduced directly into the storage chamber S0 through the inlet 411.

[0093] The lower chamber S2 is composed of a middle chamber S2a that continues below the upper chamber S1 and a bottom chamber S2b that continues below the middle chamber S2a. The middle chamber S2a has a cylindrical shape and a truncated cone shape that continues below the cylindrical shape. The bottom chamber S2b has a cylindrical shape with a smaller diameter than the middle chamber S2a. In other words, the lower chamber S2 has a funnel shape, and the horizontal cross section of the lower chamber S2 (see Figure 3) is circular. The horizontal cross section of the middle chamber S2a is larger than that of the bottom chamber S2b.

[0094] The coarse crushed pieces M2 are supplied to the upper chamber S1 through the inlet 411 and then move to the middle chamber S2a of the lower chamber S2. The upper chamber S1 and the middle chamber S2a of the lower chamber S2 are separated by a partition wall 43.

[0095] The partition wall 43 has a truncated cone shape or a funnel shape whose inner and outer diameters decrease downward. That is, the partition wall 43 has a communication part 431 at its lower part. The communication part 431 communicates between the upper chamber S1 and the middle chamber S2a of the lower chamber S2.

[0096] The partition wall 43 has an inclined surface 432 located on the upper chamber S1 side. The inclined surface 432 is inclined so that the communication part 431 is at the bottom. As a result, the coarse crushed pieces M2 introduced into the upper chamber S1 through the inlet 411 are temporarily stored in the upper chamber S1, and then move to the middle chamber S2a of the lower chamber S2 through the communication part 431.

[0097] The middle chamber S2a has a cylindrical cross section when viewed vertically, the diameter of which is larger than that of the bottom chamber S2b. Furthermore, the middle chamber S2a has a constricted section 42 to which the bottom chamber S2b is connected. As a result, the coarsely crushed pieces M2 that have moved to the middle chamber S2a are supported on the upper surface of the constricted section 42 and are transferred to the bottom chamber S2b while being appropriately retained in the middle chamber S2a.

[0098] The throttle portion 42 constitutes a part of the wall 41 that defines the side surface of the lower chamber S2. The throttle portion 42 is located above the stirring blade 53, which will be described later. The upper end of the throttle portion 42 is located above the center of the lower chamber S2.

[0099] The throttle section 42 has a funnel shape with inner and outer diameters that decrease downward. That is, the throttle section 42 has a communication section 421 at the bottom that connects the middle chamber S2a and the bottom chamber S2b. The opening diameter of the communication section 421 is larger than the opening diameter of the communication section 431.

[0100] A central protrusion 51, which will be described later, is inserted without contact into the communication portion 421. The tip, which is the upper end portion of the central protrusion 51, is located above the throttle portion 42 and below the partition wall 43. In other words, the tip of the central protrusion 51 is located within the middle chamber S2a.

[0101] A gap of a predetermined dimension is provided between the communication part 421 and the central protrusion 51. Therefore, the coarse crushed pieces M2 remaining in the middle chamber S2a can move from the middle chamber S2a to the bottom chamber S2b via the communication part 421 by rotation of the table 52 described below. In this embodiment, the vertical distance between the communication part 421 and the table 52 provided in the bottom chamber S2b is set to, for example, about 150 mm.

[0102] The throttle section 42 has an inclined surface 422 located on the middle chamber S2a side. The inclined surface 422 is inclined so that the communicating section 421 is at the bottom. Specifically, the inclined surface 422 has a shape that follows the shape of the upper surface of the throttle section 42, and is, for example, a truncated cone or funnel shape that surrounds the entire outer periphery of the communicating section 421.

[0103] By providing such an inclined surface 422, the coarse crushed pieces M2 in the middle chamber S2a can be smoothly guided to the communication part 421 while being appropriately retained, and can be moved to the bottom chamber S2b.

[0104] It is preferable that the inclined surface 422 and the inner surface of the wall 41 defining the side surface of the middle chamber S2a are smooth so that the coarsely crushed pieces M2 contained in the middle chamber S2a can be appropriately retained and move smoothly to the communication part 421. Furthermore, it is preferable that the corners of the middle chamber S2a are rounded.

[0105] The shape of the inclined surface 422 is not limited to the above, and may be, for example, a truncated pyramid shape that surrounds the entire outer periphery of the communicating portion 421, or a pair of inclined planes arranged on both sides of the central protrusion 51.

[0106] If the length of the inclined surface 422 in the inclined direction is short, the agitating force caused by the rotation of the central protrusion 51 and the agitating blade 53 is transmitted too much, making it difficult for the coarsely crushed pieces M2 to remain on the inclined surface 422. As a result, there is a risk that the load for rotating the agitating blade 53 will increase as the pieces fall from the middle chamber S2a to the bottom chamber S2b.

[0107] On the other hand, if the length of the inclined surface 422 in the inclined direction is long, the agitating force caused by the rotation of the central protrusion 51 and the agitating blade 53 is not easily transmitted.

[0108] As a result, the coarse crushed pieces M2 may remain supported above the inclined surface 422 and form a mass without moving, which may result in a so-called funnel flow, in which the coarse crushed pieces M2 flow only vertically above the communicating part 421. Alternatively, a so-called bridge may occur, in which the coarse crushed pieces M2 supported above the inclined surface 422 block the upper part of the communicating part 421 in an arch shape, which may prevent the coarse crushed pieces M2 from moving to the bottom chamber S2b.

[0109] Therefore, in this embodiment, the length of the inclined surface 422 in the inclination direction is set to, for example, about 80 mm.

[0110] The average inclination angle of the inclined surface 422 with respect to the horizontal plane is not particularly limited, but is preferably 15° to 80°, and more preferably 30° to 60°. Within this range, the coarse crushed pieces M2 can be appropriately retained on the inclined surface 422 and can be smoothly guided to the communication part 421.

[0111] If the inclination of the inclined surface 422 becomes too steep, the coarsely crushed pieces M2 may not remain on the inclined surface 422 but may fall from the middle chamber S2a to the bottom chamber S2b, which may increase the load required to rotate the stirring blade 53.

[0112] If the inclination of the inclined surface 422 becomes gentler, the above-mentioned funnel flow or bridge may occur, and the coarse crushed pieces M2 may not move to the bottom chamber S2b.

[0113] In order to prevent the accumulation of coarsely crushed pieces M2 stored in the middle chamber S2a or upper chamber S1 as described above, the leveling section 7 of this embodiment is provided in the storage chamber S0 at a position above the inclined surface 422 of the throttle section 42.

[0114] Specifically, the leveling unit 7 has a plurality of agitators 71, two in this embodiment, in the upper chamber S1 above the throttle unit 42. The agitators 71 are an example of a leveling mechanism that levels the state of the coarsely crushed pieces M2.

[0115] The agitator 71 has a rotating shaft 72 and a thin rotating plate 73. The rotating shaft 72 is provided in the upper chamber S1 so as to be rotatable about an axis along the X-axis direction. The rotating shaft 72 rotates about its axis when a drive motor (not shown) is driven.

[0116] The rotating plate 73 is attached to the rotating shaft 72 so that the plate surface of the thin plate faces the rotating shaft 72. When the rotating shaft 72 rotates, the rotating plate 73 rotates around the axis of the rotating shaft 72. This stirs up the coarsely crushed pieces M2 near the agitator 71, leveling the coarsely crushed pieces M2 contained above the throttle section 42 and eliminating clumps.

[0117] In this embodiment, the vertical distance between the lower end of the rotation range of the rotary plate 73 and the upper end of the throttle section 42 is set to, for example, 100 mm or less. The rotary plate 73 does not need to be rotated constantly, but is rotated intermittently. In this embodiment, the rotary plate 73 is rotated for 10 seconds and then stopped for 50 seconds, for example, repeatedly.

[0118] In the Z-axis direction, the rotation axes 72 of the agitators 71 are positioned at the same position and are located between the communication portion 431 and the inlet 411. The rotation axes 72 of the agitators 71 are arranged parallel to each other, and the distance from each rotation axis 72 to the center of the communication portions 421, 431 is the same. Therefore, the multiple agitators 71 are provided at positions symmetrical with respect to the center of the communication portion 431. The multiple agitators 71 are provided at positions symmetrical with respect to the center of the communication portion 421.

[0119] The bottom chamber S2b is provided with a transfer port 412 and an agitator 5. The transfer port 412 is provided on the side of the lower part of the tank 4, which forms the bottom of the tank 4. The coarsely crushed pieces M2 in the bottom chamber S2b are discharged from the transfer port 412 while being agitated by the operation of the agitator 5, which will be described later.

[0120] A pipe 241 is connected to the transfer port 412, and the coarse fragments M2 discharged from the transfer port 412 are supplied to the defibrating unit 13 shown in Figure 1 via the pipe 241 and defibrated. As shown in Figure 3, in this embodiment, two transfer ports 412 are provided.

[0121] The transfer port 412 opens in a portion of the wall 41 that defines the side surface of the lower chamber S2, which defines the side surface of the bottom chamber S2b. This allows the coarse crushed pieces M2 to be efficiently discharged from the transfer port 412 while being agitated.

[0122] The two transfer ports 412 are arranged at a distance from each other in the circumferential direction of the side surface of the cylindrical bottom chamber S2b. The transfer port 412 may be provided in the bottom surface of the tank 4, i.e., the bottom surface of the bottom chamber S2b.

[0123] 2 and 3, the stirring unit 5 is provided in the lower chamber S2. The stirring unit 5 has a table 52, a central protrusion 51, and stirring blades 53.

[0124] The table 52 is provided above the bottom surface of the bottom chamber S2b. The table 52 has a disk shape. The table 52 is provided in the bottom chamber S2b so as to be rotatable around a central axis J1 along the vertical direction. In this embodiment, the central axis J1 passes through the centers of the communicating portions 421 and 431.

[0125] A central protrusion 51 is provided in the center of the table 52. The central protrusion 51 is rod-shaped and extends vertically upward from the table 52. As shown in FIG. 2, the central protrusion 51 is inserted through the communication portion 421 of the throttle portion .

[0126] The tip of the central protrusion 51 is located in the middle chamber S2a. The central protrusion 51 rotates to agitate the coarsely crushed pieces M2 near the center of the middle chamber S2a and the bottom chamber S2b. The central protrusion 51 may have a recess in the portion of its peripheral surface that is located in the middle chamber S2a.

[0127] 2 and 3, an agitating blade 53 is provided at a position radially away from the center of the table 52. The agitating blade 53 agitates the coarsely crushed pieces M2 in the bottom chamber S2b by rotating together with the table 52. The agitating blade 53 is disposed at a position closer to the bottom surface than the center of the bottom chamber S2b in the vertical direction.

[0128] The stirring blade 53 has a thin plate shape, particularly a strip shape, with its thickness direction aligned with the circumferential direction of the table 52. As shown in Fig. 2, the upper end of the stirring blade 53 is located above the center of the transfer port 412 and below the upper end of the transfer port 412.

[0129] 2 and 3, the end of the stirring blade 53 on the outer circumferential side of the table 52 faces the inner surface of the wall 41. In other words, the cylindrical surface described by the stirring blade 53 rotating around the central axis J1 faces the inner surface of the wall 41.

[0130] A plurality of stirring blades 53, four in this embodiment, are provided at equal angular intervals in the circumferential direction of the table 52. However, this configuration is not limited thereto, and the stirring blades 53 may be, for example, rod-shaped. The upper end of the stirring blade 53 may be located above the upper end of the transfer port 412.

[0131] The number of stirring blades 53 to be installed is not limited to four, and may be three or less, or five or more. The multiple stirring blades 53 do not have to be arranged at equal angular intervals in the circumferential direction of the table 52.

[0132] The table 52 rotates around a central axis J1 that is aligned in the vertical direction. The table 52 is connected to a stirring motor M so that it can rotate around the central axis J1. Operation of the stirring motor M rotates the table 52. As a result, the central protrusion 51 and the stirring blade 53 rotate around the central axis J1.

[0133] In this embodiment, the stirring motor M rotates in one direction. As a result, the central protrusion 51 and the stirring blades 53 on the table 52 rotate clockwise when viewed from above. However, this configuration is not limited to this, and the table 52 may be configured to be rotatable in both the forward and reverse directions.

[0134] A reducer may be provided between the stirring motor M and the table 52. The stirring motor M is electrically connected to the control unit 281 of the control device 28 shown in Fig. 1, and the energization conditions are controlled by the control unit 281. As a result, the table 52 rotates at a predetermined timing and a predetermined rotation speed.

[0135] When coarsely crushed fragments M2 are stored in the storage chamber S0, the inclined surface 422 of the constriction section 42 located above the stirring blade 53 makes it easy for an interface to be formed between the coarsely crushed fragments M2 stored above the middle chamber S2a and the coarsely crushed fragments M2 stored in the bottom chamber S2b.

[0136] Assume that the stirring blade 53 rotates around the central axis J1 while the coarse crushed pieces M2 are contained in the storage chamber S0. At this time, the coarse crushed pieces M2 located below the interface, i.e., the coarse crushed pieces M2 contained in the bottom chamber S2b, rotate around the central axis J1 in conjunction with the rotation of the stirring blade 53.

[0137] On the other hand, the coarse crushed pieces M2 located above the interface, i.e., the coarse crushed pieces M2 stored above the middle chamber S2a, move less with the rotation of the coarse crushed pieces M2 stored in the bottom chamber S2b and tend to remain in the middle chamber S2a.

[0138] As a result, less force is required to move the coarsely crushed pieces M2 stored above the middle chamber S2a, thereby reducing the load required to rotate the agitating blade 53. In other words, by providing the throttle section 42 above the agitating blade 53, the load required to rotate the agitating blade 53 can be reduced.

[0139] The upper end of the throttle section 42 is located above the center of the lower chamber S2. This makes it easy to ensure the vertical dimension of the bottom chamber S2b. Therefore, it is easy to ensure a space above the stirring blade 53 in the bottom chamber S2b to accommodate the coarsely crushed pieces M2.

[0140] In the bottom chamber S2b, the agitating blade 53 rotates around the central axis J1 and agitates the coarsely crushed pieces M2, thereby loosening the coarsely crushed pieces M2 and disentangling them one by one. As shown in Figure 3, the agitating blade 53 can push the coarsely crushed pieces M2 forward in the direction of rotation of the table 52. The force pushing the coarsely crushed pieces M2 forward in the direction of rotation and the centrifugal force act together, allowing the coarsely crushed pieces M2 to be smoothly discharged from the transfer port 412.

[0141] In this embodiment, the rotation of the table 52 rotates the central protrusion 51 and the stirring blade 53 together, thereby stirring the coarsely crushed fragments M2. As a result, the movement of the coarsely crushed fragments M2 from the middle chamber S2a to the bottom chamber S2b in the lower chamber S2 by the central protrusion 51, and the discharge of the coarsely crushed fragments M2 from the bottom chamber S2b by the stirring blade 53 are carried out collectively by a single power mechanism.

[0142] However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and for example, the central projection 51 and the stirring blade 53 may be configured to rotate independently.

[0143] 2 to 4, the air chamber S3 is provided in a position adjacent to the middle chamber S2a of the lower chamber S2. The air chamber S3 communicates with the storage chamber S0 via a vent 47 provided in the wall 41. The vent 47 opens into a portion of the wall 41 that defines the side surface of the middle chamber S2a. This means that the air chamber S3 and the middle chamber S2a of the lower chamber S2 are located adjacent to each other with the wall 41 in between.

[0144] Therefore, the vent 47 opens in a portion of the wall 41 that is above the throttle portion 42 and below the partition wall 43. The vent 47 opens in a portion of the wall 41 that is located above the stirring blade 53. The vent 47 opens in a portion of the wall 41 that is located above the center of the lower chamber S2.

[0145] The air chamber S3 has a first air chamber S31 and a second air chamber S32. The ventilation opening 47 is composed of two ventilation openings 471, 472. The first air chamber S31 and the second air chamber S32 are formed by dividing the air chamber S3 with a partition plate 46. The partition plate 46 divides the air chamber S3 vertically.

[0146] As a result, the first air chamber S31 and the second air chamber S32 are adjacent to each other in the vertical direction with the partition plate 46 sandwiched therebetween. The first air chamber S31 is disposed above the second air chamber S32.

[0147] 2 and 4, the partition plate 46 vertically divides the ventilation opening 47. This forms a ventilation opening 471 that connects the first air chamber S31 to the storage chamber S0, and a ventilation opening 472 that connects the second air chamber S32 to the storage chamber S0.

[0148] The vent hole 471 and the vent hole 472 are adjacent to each other in the vertical direction with the partition plate 46 interposed therebetween. The vent hole 471 is located above the vent hole 472.

[0149] A mesh filter 49 is provided in the ventilation port 47, which is made up of the ventilation port 471 and the ventilation port 472, as a filter that prevents the intrusion of coarse crushed particles M2. This allows the humidified air WA to be released from the ventilation port 47, but prevents the coarse crushed particles M2 from entering the air chamber S3 through the ventilation port 47. For the sake of explanation, the mesh filter 49 has been removed in Figures 1 and 2.

[0150] 2 to 4, an air supply pipe 44 of the humidifying unit 6 (described later) is connected to the first air chamber S31. An exhaust pipe 45 is connected to the second air chamber S32. This allows the air chamber S3 to communicate with the storage chamber S0, the air supply pipe 44, and the exhaust pipe 45.

[0151] The air supply pipe 44 and the exhaust pipe 45 communicate with each other via the air chamber S3, the vent 47, and the middle chamber S2a of the storage chamber S0. More specifically, the air supply pipe 44 and the exhaust pipe 45 communicate with each other via the first air chamber S31, the adjacent vents 471 and 472, the mesh filter 49, the middle chamber S2a of the storage chamber S0, and the second air chamber S32.

[0152] According to this, humidified air WA, which will be described later, is sent to the storage chamber S0 via the air supply pipe 44 while the storage chamber S0 is in communication with the atmosphere via the exhaust pipe 45. This makes it possible to reduce pressure fluctuations within the storage chamber S0 due to the inflow of humidified air WA, regardless of the amount of coarsely crushed pieces M2 in the storage chamber S0 or the state of accumulation of bridges, etc.

[0153] Therefore, a stable flow of humidified air WA can be produced in the storage chamber S0 regardless of the amount of coarse fragments M2 in the storage chamber S0 or the presence of bridging or other accumulations. Also, fluctuations in the amount of coarse fragments M2 discharged from the transfer port 412, which are caused by fluctuations in the airflow from the storage chamber S0 toward the pipe 241 via the transfer port 412, are suppressed.

[0154] 3 and 4, the partition plate 46 is provided with a communication hole 48 penetrating the partition plate 46. The communication hole 48 communicates the first air chamber S31 with the second air chamber S32. Therefore, the air supply pipe 44 and the exhaust pipe 45 communicate with each other through the communication hole 48 in the air chamber S3. The communication hole 48 is provided on the side of the partition plate 46 that is closer to the wall 41 where the air vent 47 is provided than the center of the partition plate 46.

[0155] This allows a stable flow of humidified air WA to be sent to the storage chamber S0, similar to when the ventilation openings 471 and 472 are adjacent to each other, regardless of the amount of coarsely crushed pieces M2 in the storage chamber S0 or the state of accumulation of bridges or the like.

[0156] Furthermore, this suppresses the increase in pressure in the air chamber S3 due to the inflow of humidified air WA, even when, for example, the mesh filter 49 is blocked by coarsely crushed fragments M2 and communication between the air chamber S3 and the storage chamber S0 is blocked.

[0157] Furthermore, for example, suppose that the vent 471 side of the mesh filter 49 is blocked by coarse crushed fragments M2, blocking communication between the vent 471 and the storage chamber S0. In this case, communication between the first air chamber S31 and the storage chamber S0 is maintained via the communication hole 48, the second air chamber S32, the vent 472, and the vent 472 side of the mesh filter 49. Therefore, it is possible to send humidified air WA to the storage chamber S0 via the air supply pipe 44.

[0158] 1 to 4, the humidifying unit 6 has a humidified air supply source 61, an air supply pipe 44, an air supply fan 64, and a valve 65. The humidifying unit 6 humidifies the coarse crushed pieces M2 in the storage chamber S0, particularly the coarse crushed pieces M2 in the lower chamber S2 where the ventilation opening 47 opens.

[0159] This allows the coarse fragments M2 in the storage chamber S0, particularly in the lower chamber S2, to be efficiently humidified, preventing the coarse fragments M2 from becoming entangled with each other or adhering to various locations within the storage chamber S0 due to electrostatic force.

[0160] Therefore, the coarsely crushed pieces M2 can be discharged smoothly and stably from the conveying port 412, and subsequent processing by the production mechanism, such as the defibration process and the sheet formation process, can be carried out properly and satisfactorily.

[0161] The humidified air supply source 61 generates the humidified air WA. The humidified air supply source 61 generates the humidified air WA by, for example, evaporation or ultrasonic methods.

[0162] The humidified air supply source 61 starts generating the humidified air WA when production of the sheet S starts. Alternatively, the humidified air supply source 61 may start generating the humidified air WA when the raw material M1 is fed into the raw material supply unit 11. Alternatively, the humidified air supply source 61 may start generating the humidified air WA when the sheet production apparatus 1 is powered on, and stop generating the humidified air WA when the sheet production apparatus 1 is powered off.

[0163] An air supply fan 64 that supplies humidified air WA toward the air chamber S3 and a valve 65 that adjusts the flow rate of the humidified air WA are provided midway along the air supply pipe 44. The humidified air WA generated in the humidified air supply source 61 is released into the middle chamber S2a of the lower chamber S2 by operation of the air supply fan 64 via the air supply pipe 44, the air chamber S3, and the air vent 47.

[0164] The air supply fan 64 is configured by, for example, a blower, and the valve 65 is configured by, for example, an electromagnetic valve with a variable opening.

[0165] The humidified air supply source 61, the air supply fan 64, and the valve 65 are each electrically connected to the control unit 281 of the control device 28 shown in Fig. 1, and the energization conditions are controlled by the control unit 281. As a result, the humidified air WA is released from the ventilation port 47 at a predetermined timing, with a predetermined humidity and at a predetermined flow rate, and is supplied to the coarsely crushed pieces M2.

[0166] The humidifying unit 6 may be configured without either or both of the air supply fan 64 and the valve 65.

[0167] The vent 47 opens to the inner surface of the wall 41 that defines the side of the middle chamber S2a. The humidified air WA is released from the vent 47 toward the coarse crushed pieces M2 contained in the middle chamber S2a. This allows the humidified air WA to be supplied evenly and uniformly to the coarse crushed pieces M2 that are temporarily stored in the middle chamber S2a and then move to the bottom chamber S2b.

[0168] Therefore, for example, compared to the case where humidified air WA is released by providing an air vent 47 in the upper chamber S1, the coarsely crushed pieces M2 supplied to the bottom chamber S2b can be humidified uniformly, efficiently and quickly.

[0169] 3, when the lower chamber S2 is viewed vertically, the vent hole 47 and the transfer port 412 that open on the inner surface of the wall 41 are positioned so as not to overlap. Furthermore, when the lower chamber S2 is viewed vertically, the vent hole 47 and the transfer port 412 that open on the inner surface of the wall 41 are positioned so as to sandwich the circle that the stirring blade 53 describes as it rotates (see the circle indicated by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 3).

[0170] This prevents the humidified air WA discharged from the ventilation opening 47 from passing through a portion of the space in the lower chamber S2 and being discharged from the transfer opening 412. Therefore, the humidified air WA can be supplied evenly and uniformly to the coarsely crushed pieces M2 contained in the lower chamber S2.

[0171] Furthermore, the wall 41 is a flat plate and is attached so that the upstream side of the agitating blade 53 is farther away from the central axis J1 than the downstream side. The humidified air WA is discharged from the vent 47 along the inner surface of the wall 41 that defines the side of the middle chamber S2a, in the same direction as the rotation of the central protrusion 51 and the agitating blade 53. This makes it possible to humidify the coarse crushed fragments M2 while suppressing retention of the coarse crushed fragments M2 near the wall 41 of the middle chamber S2a.

[0172] Next, the process executed by the control unit 281 when producing the sheet S from the coarse crushed pieces M2 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in Fig. 5. The flow of the process executed by the control unit 281 corresponds to the method of producing the sheet S.

[0173] In step S110, the control unit 281 humidifies the coarse fragments M2. Specifically, the control unit 281 controls the humidifying unit 6 of the coarse fragment supplying device 3 to send humidified air WA to the air chamber S3 of the tank 4.

[0174] As a result, the humidified air WA is released into the middle chamber S2a of the lower chamber S2 through the air chamber S3 and the vent 47. Then, the humidified air WA is introduced from the inlet 411 of the tank 4 and passes through the upper chamber S1 of the storage chamber S0 to humidify the coarsely crushed pieces M2 stored in the lower chamber S2.

[0175] The humidified air WA is sent by the humidifier 6 to the lower chamber S2 of the storage chamber S0 in a state in which the indoor air EA in the storage chamber S0 can be discharged to the outside of the storage chamber S0 through the middle chamber S2a of the lower chamber S2, the ventilation opening 47, the air chamber S3, and the exhaust pipe 45. The indoor air EA is an example of air.

[0176] When the coarsely crushed pieces M2 supplied to the lower chamber S2 via the inlet 411 of the tank 4 and the upper chamber S1 of the storage chamber S0 are generated by the coarse crushing unit 12, the control unit 281 controls the coarse crushing unit 12. As a result, the coarsely crushed pieces M2 generated from the raw material M1 fed into the raw material supply unit 11 are supplied to the tank 4 of the coarse crushed piece supply device 3.

[0177] After completing the process of step S110, the control unit 281 moves the process to step S120.

[0178] In step S120, the control unit 281 agitates the coarse crushed pieces M2. Specifically, the control unit 281 controls the agitation unit 5 to agitate the coarse crushed pieces M2 in the bottom chamber S2b of the lower chamber S2.

[0179] This agitates the humidified coarse fragments M2, moves the coarse fragments M2 from the middle chamber S2a to the bottom chamber S2b in the lower chamber S2, and discharges the coarse fragments M2 from the bottom chamber S2b via the transfer port 412. After completing the processing of step S120, the control unit 281 proceeds to step S130.

[0180] In step S130, the control unit 281 defibrates the coarse fragments M2. Specifically, the control unit 281 controls the defibrating unit 13 to rotate the rotor, thereby removing the coarse fragments M2 from the transport opening 412, and defibrating the coarse fragments M2 to obtain defibrated material M3. After completing the processing of step S130, the control unit 281 transitions the processing to step S140.

[0181] In step S140, the control unit 281 forms a sheet S. The control unit 281 forms a sheet S from the defibrated material M3 by controlling each unit that configures the production mechanism that produces the sheet S. Upon completing the process of step S140, the control unit 281 ends the process of manufacturing a sheet S from the coarse fragments M2.

[0182] When the process of producing the sheet S from the coarse fragments M2 is being carried out, the control section 281 controls the agitator 71 of the leveling section 7 to drive the rotary plate 73 to rotate intermittently.

[0183] As described above, the sheet producing apparatus 1 and the method for producing a sheet S according to the embodiment can provide the following effects.

[0184] The sheet producing apparatus 1 includes a tank 4 that stores coarsely crushed pieces M2 containing fibers, an air supply pipe 44 that sends humidified air WA to the tank 4, and an exhaust pipe 45 that can discharge room air EA from the tank 4. The sheet producing apparatus 1 includes a production mechanism that produces a sheet S by defibrating the coarsely crushed pieces M2 discharged from a conveying port 412 of the tank 4. The tank 4 has a storage chamber S0 that stores the coarsely crushed pieces M2. The tank 4 has an air chamber S3 to which the air supply pipe 44 and the exhaust pipe 45 are connected so that the air supply pipe 44 and the exhaust pipe 45 communicate with each other. The tank 4 has a wall 41 in which an air vent 47 is provided that communicates between the storage chamber S0 and the air chamber S3.

[0185] With this, since the exhaust pipe 45 is connected to the storage chamber S0, a stable flow of humidified air WA can be created to be sent to the storage chamber S0 regardless of the amount or storage state of the coarse fragments M2 in the storage chamber S0. This allows for stable humidification of the coarse fragments M2 stored in the storage chamber S0. Therefore, the sheet production apparatus 1 can produce sheets S with stable quality.

[0186] The tank 4 further includes an agitating blade 53 in the storage chamber S0 that rotates around a central axis J1 along the vertical direction to agitate the coarsely crushed pieces M2. When viewed from the vertical direction, the vent port 47 and the transfer port 412 that open into the storage chamber S0 are located on either side of the circle described by the agitating blade 53 as it rotates.

[0187] This allows the coarse fragments M2 to be agitated within the storage chamber S0, and prevents the flow of humidified air WA in the storage chamber S0 from being biased toward a particular portion of the storage chamber S0, thereby enabling stable humidification of the coarse fragments M2 stored in the storage chamber S0.

[0188] A partition plate 46 is provided in the air chamber S3, dividing the air chamber S3 into a first air chamber S31 connected to the air supply pipe 44 and a second air chamber S32 connected to the exhaust pipe 45. The partition plate 46 is provided with a communication hole 48 that connects the first air chamber S31 and the second air chamber S32.

[0189] According to this, since the communication hole 48 is provided, the pressure of the humidified air WA sent to the storage chamber S0 is adjusted in the air chamber S3, thereby enabling stable humidification of the coarsely crushed pieces M2 stored in the storage chamber S0.

[0190] The storage chamber S0 has a lower chamber S2 in which the agitating blade 53 is provided. The wall 41 forms the side surface of the lower chamber S2. The transfer port 412 opens into the side surface of the lower chamber S2. When viewed vertically, the side surface of the lower chamber S2 is circular. When the lower chamber S2 rotates, the side surface faces the cylindrical surface described by the agitating blade 53.

[0191] According to this, when the stirring blade 53 rotates, the stirred coarse crushed pieces M2 are easily discharged from the lower chamber S2 through the transfer port 412 toward the production mechanism.

[0192] The storage chamber S0 has an upper chamber S1 into which the coarsely crushed pieces M2 are introduced, and a lower chamber S2 that continues below the upper chamber S1, with the wall 41 forming the side of the lower chamber S2. As a result, humidified air WA is sent to the lower chamber S2 through a vent 47 provided in the wall 41. This makes it possible to more efficiently humidify the coarsely crushed pieces M2 stored below the storage chamber S0, compared to when humidified air WA is sent from the vent 47 to the upper chamber S1.

[0193] The sheet production apparatus 1 further includes an agitator 71 in the upper chamber S1 that stirs the coarse fragments M2 stored in the upper chamber S1. This makes it possible to break up the clumps of the coarse fragments M2 stored above the storage chamber S0. This allows the coarse fragments M2 stored above the storage chamber S0 to move downward while being appropriately retained.

[0194] The upper chamber S1 and the lower chamber S2 are connected via a communication portion 431, and a plurality of agitators 71 are provided in the upper chamber S1. When viewed in the vertical direction, the plurality of agitators 71 are provided at positions symmetrical with respect to the center of the communication portion 431.

[0195] This makes it possible to level the coarse crushed pieces M2 stored in the upper part of the storage chamber S0 in a balanced manner. As a result, the coarse crushed pieces M2 stored in the upper part of the storage chamber S0 can be moved downward while being retained in a balanced manner.

[0196] The storage chamber S0 has an upper chamber S1 into which the coarsely crushed pieces M2 are introduced, a middle chamber S2a continuing below the upper chamber S1, and a bottom chamber S2b continuing below the middle chamber S2a, and the wall 41 forms the side surface of the middle chamber S2a.

[0197] According to this, humidified air WA is sent to the middle chamber S2a from the ventilation opening 47 provided in the wall 41. This makes it possible to more efficiently humidify the coarsely crushed pieces M2 stored in the storage chamber S0 in the middle chamber S2a, compared to when humidified air WA is sent from the ventilation opening 47 to the upper chamber S1.

[0198] When viewed in the vertical direction, the middle chamber S2a is larger than the bottom chamber S2b, which allows the coarsely crushed pieces M2 contained in the upper chamber S1 and the middle chamber S2a to be appropriately retained, efficiently humidified in the middle chamber S2a, and then moved to the bottom chamber S2b.

[0199] The middle chamber S2a has a throttle section 42 connected to a bottom chamber S2b, and the throttle section 42 has an upper surface, which is an inclined surface 422, whose inclination angle with respect to the horizontal plane is 30° or more and 60° or less.

[0200] This allows the coarsely crushed pieces M2 contained in the upper chamber S1 and middle chamber S2a supported by the inclined surface 422 to be in a moderately lumpy state. This allows the coarsely crushed pieces M2 contained in the upper chamber S1 and middle chamber S2a to be retained to a moderate extent, while being efficiently humidified in the middle chamber S2a and moved to the bottom chamber S2b.

[0201] The tank 4 further has, in the storage chamber S0, an agitating blade 53 that rotates around a central axis J1 along the vertical direction to agitate the coarsely crushed pieces M2, and the vent 47 is located above the agitating blade 53.

[0202] This allows humidified air WA to be sent from the ventilation opening 47 to an area of ​​the storage chamber S0 above the agitating blade 53. This allows the agitating blade 53 to agitate the humidified coarsely crushed pieces M2.

[0203] The storage chamber S0 has an upper chamber S1 into which the coarsely crushed pieces M2 are introduced, and a lower chamber S2 that continues below the upper chamber S1. The stirring blade 53 is provided in the lower chamber S2, and the vent 47 is located above the center of the lower chamber S2.

[0204] This allows a large vertical dimension to be secured in the region above the agitating blades 53 in the lower chamber S2. This makes it easy to set the shape of the lower chamber S2 so that the humidified coarsely crushed pieces M2 can be appropriately retained in the region above the agitating blades 53 in the lower chamber S2.

[0205] The tank 4 further has an agitator blade 53 in the storage chamber S0 that rotates around a central axis J1 along the vertical direction to agitate the coarsely crushed pieces M2, and the humidified air WA is released from the ventilation port 47 in the rotation direction of the agitator blade 53.

[0206] This makes it possible to suppress the accumulation of the coarse crushed pieces M2 near the wall 41, while humidifying the coarse crushed pieces M2.

[0207] The method for producing the sheet S includes introducing coarsely crushed pieces M2 containing fibers into a storage chamber S0 that communicates with an air chamber S3 to which an air supply pipe 44 and an exhaust pipe 45 are connected so that the air supply pipe 44 and the exhaust pipe 45 are in communication with each other. The method for producing the sheet S includes sending humidified air WA into the storage chamber S0 via the air supply pipe 44 and the air chamber S3 in a state in which room air EA can be discharged from the storage chamber S0 via the air chamber S3 and the exhaust pipe 45. The method for producing the sheet S includes defibrating the coarsely crushed pieces M2 discharged from the storage chamber S0 to produce the sheet S.

[0208] According to this, since the exhaust pipe 45 is connected to the storage chamber S0, a stable flow of humidified air WA is created and sent to the storage chamber S0 regardless of the amount or storage state of the coarse crushed pieces M2 in the storage chamber S0. This allows stable humidification of the coarse crushed pieces M2 stored in the storage chamber S0. Therefore, this method for producing sheets S makes it possible to produce sheets S with stable quality.

[0209] The sheet producing apparatus 1 and the method for producing a sheet S according to the above-described embodiment of the present disclosure are based on the configuration described above, but it is of course possible to modify or omit some of the configuration without departing from the gist of the present disclosure. The above-described embodiment and other embodiments described below can be combined with each other within the scope of technical compatibility. Other embodiments will be described below.

[0210] In the above embodiment, as long as it is possible to level the state of the coarsely crushed pieces M2, the leveling unit 7 may have one agitator 71 or three or more agitators. At least one agitator 71 of the leveling unit 7 may be provided in a position vertically above the center of at least one of the communicating portions 421 and 431.

[0211] In the above embodiment, the leveling unit 7 may have a different leveling mechanism instead of the agitator 71, as long as it is possible to level the state of the coarsely crushed pieces M2. For example, the leveling unit 7 may have a leveling mechanism similar to the stirring blade 53 instead of the agitator 71. Alternatively, the leveling unit 7 may have a leveling mechanism similar to the central protrusion 51 instead of the agitator 71.

[0212] In the above embodiment, a slope similar to the slope 422 may be provided at a position above the slope 422 provided in the lower chamber S2 of the storage chamber S0. When one slope is added in this embodiment, it is preferable to provide one leveling mechanism at a position above the slope. Alternatively, a plurality of slopes similar to the slope 422 may be added at positions above the slope 422 provided in the lower chamber S2 of the storage chamber S0. In this case, it is preferable to provide one leveling mechanism at a position above each slope.

[0213] In the above embodiment, the upper chamber S1 may not have an input surface where the inlet 411 is provided. In this case, the inlet 411 may be provided on the side surface or top surface of the upper chamber S1.

[0214] In the above embodiment, the partition plate 46 does not have to divide the air chamber S3 vertically. For example, the partition plate 46 may divide the air chamber S3 horizontally. In this case, the first air chamber S31 and the second air chamber S32 are adjacent to each other in the horizontal direction with the partition plate 46 sandwiched between them. In this case, the partition plate 46 also divides the ventilation opening 47 horizontally. As a result, the ventilation opening 471 that connects the first air chamber S31 to the storage chamber S0 and the ventilation opening 472 that connects the second air chamber S32 to the storage chamber S0 are adjacent to each other in the horizontal direction with the partition plate 46 sandwiched between them.

[0215] In the above embodiment, the first air chamber S31 may be connected to the exhaust pipe 45. In this case, the air supply pipe 44 is connected to the second air chamber S32.

[0216] The communication section 421 may be located above the center of the lower chamber S2. That is, the throttle section 42 may be located above the center of the lower chamber S2. This makes it easier to ensure the vertical dimension of the bottom chamber S2b. Therefore, it is easier to ensure a space above the stirring blade 53 in the bottom chamber S2b to accommodate the coarsely crushed pieces M2.

[0217] In the above embodiment, the sheet producing apparatus 1 may include, in addition to the blower 261, an airflow generating device capable of discharging the room air EA in the storage chamber S0 to the outside. For example, the sheet producing apparatus 1 may include a suction fan in the exhaust pipe 45 so as to be able to discharge the room air EA in the storage chamber S0 to the outside. For example, in the production of the sheet S, it is assumed that the pressure in the lower chamber S2 increases when the humidifier 6 sends humidified air WA to the storage chamber S0. In this case, the control unit 281 may drive and control the suction fan provided in the exhaust pipe 45 to discharge the room air EA in the storage chamber S0 to the outside. [Explanation of symbols]

[0218] 1...sheet production device, 3...coarse fragment supply device, 4...tank, 5...agitation section, 6...humidification section, 7...leveling section, 11...raw material supply section, 12...coarse crushing section, 13...defibration section, 14...screening section, 15...first web forming section, 16...segmenting section, 17...mixing section, 18...dispersion section, 19...second web forming section, 20...shaping section, 21...cutting section, 22...stock section, 27...recovery section, 28...control device, 41...wall, 42...constriction section, 43...partition wall, 44...air supply pipe, 45...exhaust pipe, 46...partition plate, 47, 471, 472...vent, 48...communicating hole , 49...Mesh filter, 51...Central protrusion, 52...Table, 53...Agitating blade, 61...Humidified air supply source, 64...Ventilation fan, 65...Valve, 71...Agitator, 72...Rotating shaft, 73...Rotating plate, 121...Crushing blade, 122...Chute, 141...Drum part, 142...Housing part, 151, 191...Mesh belt, 152, 192...Tension roller, 153, 193...Suction part, 161...Propeller, 162, 170...Housing part, 171...Additive supply part, 172...Tube, 173...Blower , 174...Screw feeder, 181...Drum, 182...Housing, 201...Pressure unit, 202...Heating unit, 203...Calendar roller, 204...Heating roller, 211...First cutter, 212...Second cutter, 231, 232, 233, 234, 235, 236...Humidifying unit, 241, 242, 243, 244, 245, 246...Pipe, 261, 262, 263...Blower, 281...Control unit, 282...Memory unit, 283...Communication unit, 411...Inlet, 412...Conveying port, 421, 431...Communication Section, 422, 432...inclined surface, EA...room air, J1...central axis, M...agitation motor, M1...raw material, M2...coarsely crushed pieces, M3...defibrated material, M4-1...first sorted material, M4-2...second sorted material, M5...first web, M6...finely divided body, M7...mixture, M8...second web, P1...binder, S...sheet, S0...storage chamber, S1...upper chamber, S2...lower chamber, S2a...middle chamber, S2b...bottom chamber, S3...air chamber, S31...first air chamber, S32...second air chamber, S110, S120, S130, S140...steps, WA...humidified air.

Claims

1. a tank for containing coarse fragments including fibers; an air supply pipe for sending humidified air to the tank; an exhaust pipe capable of discharging air from the tank; a production mechanism that produces sheets by defibrating the coarsely crushed pieces discharged from the transport port of the tank; Equipped with The tank is a storage chamber for storing the coarsely crushed pieces; an air chamber to which the air supply pipe and the exhaust pipe are connected so that the air supply pipe and the exhaust pipe are in communication with each other; a wall provided with an air vent that connects the storage chamber and the air chamber; having Sheet production equipment.

2. The tank further includes an agitating blade in the storage chamber that rotates around a central axis along a vertical direction to agitate the coarsely crushed pieces, When viewed from a vertical direction, the vent opening into the storage chamber and the transfer port are located at positions on either side of a circle drawn by the stirring blade when the stirring blade rotates. The sheet producing apparatus according to claim 1 .

3. a partition plate is provided in the air chamber to divide the air chamber into a first air chamber to which the air supply pipe is connected and a second air chamber to which the exhaust pipe is connected; The partition plate is provided with a communication hole that connects the first air chamber and the second air chamber. The sheet producing apparatus according to claim 1 .

4. the storage chamber has a lower chamber in which the stirring blade is provided, the wall constitutes a side surface of the lower chamber; the transfer port opens to the side surface of the lower chamber, When viewed in a vertical direction, the side surface of the lower chamber is circular, The side surface of the lower chamber rotates to face the cylindrical surface described by the stirring blade. The sheet producing apparatus according to claim 2 .

5. The storage chamber has an upper chamber into which the coarsely crushed pieces are introduced and a lower chamber continuing below the upper chamber, The wall constitutes a side surface of the lower chamber. The sheet producing apparatus according to claim 1 .

6. The upper chamber further includes an agitator for stirring the coarsely crushed pieces contained in the upper chamber. The sheet producing apparatus according to claim 5 .

7. The upper chamber and the lower chamber communicate with each other via a communication portion, A plurality of the agitators are provided in the upper chamber, When viewed from a vertical direction, the plurality of agitators are provided at positions symmetrical with respect to a center of the communication portion. The sheet producing apparatus according to claim 6 .

8. The storage chamber has an upper chamber into which the coarsely crushed pieces are introduced, a middle chamber continuing below the upper chamber, and a bottom chamber continuing below the middle chamber, The wall constitutes a side surface of the chamber. The sheet producing apparatus according to claim 1 .

9. When viewed in a vertical direction, the middle chamber is larger than the bottom chamber. The sheet producing apparatus according to claim 8.

10. The middle chamber has a constricted portion to which the bottom chamber continues, The inclined surface that is the upper surface of the throttle portion has an inclination angle of 30° or more and 60° or less with respect to the horizontal plane. The sheet producing apparatus according to claim 8.

11. The tank further includes an agitating blade in the storage chamber that rotates around a central axis along a vertical direction to agitate the coarsely crushed pieces, The vent is located above the stirring blade. The sheet producing apparatus according to claim 1 .

12. The storage chamber has an upper chamber into which the coarsely crushed pieces are introduced and a lower chamber continuing below the upper chamber, The stirring blade is provided in the lower chamber, The vent is located above the center of the lower chamber. The sheet producing apparatus according to claim 11.

13. The tank further includes an agitating blade in the storage chamber that rotates around a central axis along a vertical direction to agitate the coarsely crushed pieces, The humidified air is discharged from the vent in the rotation direction of the stirring blade. The sheet producing apparatus according to claim 1 .

14. introducing coarsely crushed pieces containing fibers into a storage chamber communicating with an air chamber to which the air supply pipe and the exhaust pipe are connected so that the air supply pipe and the exhaust pipe are in communication with each other; sending humidified air to the storage chamber through the air supply pipe and the air chamber in a state in which air can be discharged from the storage chamber through the air chamber and the exhaust pipe; defibrating the coarsely crushed pieces discharged from the storage chamber to produce a sheet; A method for producing a sheet comprising:

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