Apparatus for manufacturing fiber material and method for manufacturing fiber material

Abstract

Dust generated from the web sometimes adhered to the flow path of the suction section. [Solution] After the mixed material has finished being conveyed from the second mesh belt 62a, the fiber manufacturing apparatus 1 performs a cleaning operation in which the first humidification unit 65 applies a solvent to soften the dust D generated from the mixed material and adhering to the "suction pipe", removes the softened dust, and then dries the solvent adhering to the "suction pipe" by having the "suction pipe" perform suction.

Description

Technical Field

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[0001] The present disclosure relates to a fibrous body manufacturing apparatus and a fibrous body production method.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a sheet manufacturing apparatus that deposits fibers to form a web and presses the web to produce a sheet. This sheet manufacturing apparatus includes a suction unit that sucks the web and a humidifying unit that imparts moisture to the sucked web.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in the sheet manufacturing apparatus described in Patent Document 1, dust generated from the web may adhere to the flow path of the suction unit.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] The fibrous body manufacturing apparatus includes a forming unit that forms a mixture containing fibers, a perforated belt that conveys the mixture in the conveying direction, a humidifying unit that imparts a solvent to the belt, a suction pipe that adsorbs the mixture to the belt by sucking air through the holes, and a forming unit that forms the mixture conveyed by the belt into a fibrous body to produce a fibrous body. After the mixture has been conveyed from the belt, the humidifying unit imparts the solvent to soften dust generated from the mixture and adhering to the suction pipe, removes the softened dust, and then the suction pipe performs a cleaning operation to dry the solvent adhering to the suction pipe by sucking.

[0006] The fiber production method involves forming a mixture containing fibers, transporting the mixture while adsorbing it onto the belt by sucking air through holes formed in the belt transporting the mixture, applying a solvent to the belt with a humidifying unit, and shaping the mixture transported by the belt to produce a fiber, wherein after the mixture has finished being transported from the belt, the humidifying unit applies the solvent to soften dust generated from the mixture and adhering to the suction pipe, removes the softened dust, and then performs a cleaning operation in which the suction pipe performs suction to dry the solvent adhering to the suction pipe. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] A schematic diagram showing the configuration of a fiber manufacturing apparatus. [Figure 2] A schematic diagram showing the configuration around the second transport section. [Figure 3] A plan view showing the configuration around the outlet of the first humidification unit. [Figure 4] A bottom view showing the configuration of the suction plate. [Figure 5] Enlarged perspective view of section A in Figure 4. [Figure 6] A timing chart showing the control of the cleaning operation. [Figure 7] A flowchart illustrating the control of the cleaning operation. [Figure 8] A schematic diagram showing how dust accumulates on a suction pipe. [Figure 9] A schematic diagram showing how softened dust is sucked up during the cleaning process. [Figure 10] A schematic diagram showing how the suction piping is dried during the cleaning process. [Figure 11] A schematic diagram showing how the suction piping is dried during the cleaning process. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] In the following embodiments, the fiber manufacturing apparatus 1 is exemplified as a fiber manufacturing apparatus 1 that regenerates waste paper C and the like into a sheet in a dry manner. The fiber manufacturing apparatus 1 and the fiber manufacturing method for producing fiber using the fiber manufacturing apparatus 1 will be described below with reference to the drawings. The fiber manufacturing apparatus 1 is an apparatus that manufactures recycled paper from waste paper C in a dry manner. In this specification, "dry" means that the regeneration of waste paper C and the like is carried out in air such as the atmosphere, rather than in a liquid. The fiber manufacturing apparatus 1 may also be an apparatus that manufactures sheets of cloth or the like from fibrous materials such as cotton or cloth, in addition to waste paper C, or it may be a wet apparatus that regenerates waste paper C and the like into a sheet in a liquid in some processes.

[0009] In the following diagrams, X, Y, and Z axes are added as mutually orthogonal coordinate axes where necessary. Furthermore, in the fiber manufacturing apparatus 1, the direction of transport of raw materials, web-like mixtures, and sheets may be referred to as downstream, and the direction of transport upstream. For illustrative purposes, the sizes of each component differ from their actual dimensions. In the following explanation, the web-like mixture will also be simply referred to as web W.

[0010] As shown in Figure 1, the fiber manufacturing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment has a first unit group 101, a second unit group 102, and a third unit group 103. The first unit group 101, the second unit group 102, and the third unit group 103 are supported by a frame (not shown). In Figure 1, the direction in which the waste paper C, paper P3, slit pieces S, and scraps move is indicated by white arrows.

[0011] The fiber manufacturing apparatus 1 manufactures paper P3 from recycled paper C. In the fiber manufacturing apparatus 1 of this embodiment, the first unit group 101, the third unit group 103, and the second unit group 102 are arranged in the order from the -Y direction to the +Y direction.

[0012] The waste paper C is transported from the first unit group 101 to the second unit group 102 via a pipe 21 that traverses the third unit group 103. In the second unit group 102, the waste paper C is subjected to processes such as defibration to become fibers, and then becomes a mixture containing air and binders. The mixture is transported to the third unit group 103 via a pipe 24. In the third unit group 103, the mixture is made into a web W and then formed into a strip-shaped sheet P1. The strip-shaped sheet P1 is cut in the first unit group 101 to become paper P3.

[0013] The first unit group 101 includes a buffer tank 13, a quantitative supply unit 15, a junction unit 17, and piping 21. In the first unit group 101, these components are arranged in the order described above, from upstream to downstream. The first unit group 101 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 a strip-shaped sheet P1 into paper P3 of a predetermined shape. Furthermore, the first unit group 101 has a water supply unit 67. The water supply unit 67 is a water storage tank. The water supply unit 67 supplies humidifying water to the first humidifying unit 65 and the second humidifying unit 66, which will be described later, via a water supply pipe 27. Pure water and tap water can be used for the water stored in the water supply unit 67.

[0014] The waste paper C is fed into the buffer tank 13 from the raw material inlet 11. The waste paper C contains fibers such as cellulose and is, for example, shredded paper scraps. The fibers are not limited to those derived from waste paper; other fibers such as cotton or wool may be used, and it does not matter whether they are recycled or non-recycled materials. Humidified air is supplied to the inside of the buffer tank 13 from the second humidification unit 66 provided in the third unit group 103 via the humidification pipe 26.

[0015] The defibrated waste paper C is temporarily stored in the buffer tank 13 and then transported to the quantitative supply unit 15 in accordance with the operation of the fiber manufacturing apparatus 1. The fiber manufacturing apparatus 1 may also be equipped with a shredder upstream of the buffer tank 13 for shredding the waste paper C and other materials.

[0016] The metering and supply unit 15 includes a weighing device 15a and a supply mechanism (not shown). The weighing device 15a measures the mass of the waste paper C. The supply mechanism supplies the waste paper C weighed by the weighing device 15a to the downstream confluence section 17. That is, the metering and supply unit 15 weighs the waste paper C by the weighing device 15a for each predetermined mass and supplies it to the downstream confluence section 17 by the supply mechanism. In this embodiment, a load cell is used as the weighing device 15a. The predetermined mass at which the weighing device 15a measures the waste paper C is, for example, about several grams to several tens of grams.

[0017] Known technologies such as a vibratory feeder can be applied to the supply mechanism. The supply mechanism may be a configuration included in the weighing device 15a.

[0018] The weighing and supply of the waste paper C in the metering and supply unit 15 are performed by batch processing. That is, the supply of the waste paper C from the metering and supply unit 15 to the confluence section 17 is executed intermittently. The metering and supply unit 15 may have a plurality of weighing devices 15a, and the plurality of weighing devices 15a may be operated with a time difference to improve the efficiency of weighing.

[0019] In the confluence section 17, the shredded pieces of the slit pieces S supplied from the shredding section 95 are joined and mixed with the waste paper C supplied from the metering and supply unit 15. The slit piece S and the shredding section 95 will be described later. The waste paper C with the shredded pieces mixed therein flows from the confluence section 17 into the pipe 21.

[0020] The pipe 21 conveys the waste paper C from the first unit group 101 to the second unit group 102 by the air flow generated by a blower (not shown).

[0021] The second unit group 102 includes a defibering section 31 which is a dry defibering machine, a separation section 32, a pipe 23, a mixing section 33 and a pipe 24. In the second unit group 102, these components are arranged in the above order from upstream to downstream. The second unit group 102 also includes a pipe 25 connected to the separation section 32, a recovery section 35, a compressor 38 and a power supply section 39.

[0022] The waste paper C transported through the piping 21 flows into the defibration section 31. The defibration section 31 defibrates the waste paper C supplied from the quantitative supply section 15 in a dry manner to produce fibers. Known defibration mechanisms can be applied to the defibration section 31.

[0023] The defibration unit 31 may have the following configuration, for example. The defibration unit 31 comprises a known stator and a known 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 fragments of waste paper C are sandwiched between the inner surface of the stator and the rotor, and are defibrated by the shear force generated between them. As a result, the tangled fibers contained in the waste paper C are untangled. The waste paper C is then transported to the separation unit 32 as fibers.

[0024] The separation unit 32 separates the defibrated fibers. More specifically, the separation unit 32 removes components contained in the fibers that are unnecessary for the manufacture of paper P3. Specifically, the separation unit 32 separates relatively long fibers from relatively short fibers. Relatively short fibers are separated in the separation unit 32 because they may cause a decrease in the strength of paper P3. The separation unit 32 also separates and removes colorants and additives contained in the recycled paper C. Known technologies such as a disc mesh system can be applied to the separation unit 32.

[0025] Inside the separation section 32, humidified air from the second humidification section 66 of the third unit group 103 is supplied by the humidification pipe 26. The defibrated fibers, with relatively short fibers and other unwanted materials removed, are transported to the mixing section 33 via the piping 23. Unwanted materials such as relatively short fibers and colorants are discharged to the recovery section 35 via the piping 25.

[0026] The mixing unit 33 mixes a binder and other substances with the fibers in air to form a mixture. Although not shown in the illustration, the mixing unit 33 includes a flow path for transporting the fibers, a fan, a hopper, a supply pipe, and a valve.

[0027] The hopper communicates with the fiber flow path via a supply pipe. A valve is installed in the supply pipe between the hopper and the flow path. The hopper supplies a binder, which is a powder such as starch as a hydrophilic material or thermoplastic resin as a hydrophobic material, into the flow path. The valve adjusts the mass of the binder supplied from the hopper to the flow path. This adjusts the mixing ratio of the fibers to the binder.

[0028] The fan in the mixing unit 33 uses the generated airflow to transport the fibers downstream while mixing in binders and other substances in the air to form a mixture. The mixture flows from the mixing unit 33 into the piping 24. In addition to the above configuration for supplying binders, the mixing unit 33 may also have a similar configuration for supplying colorants, additives, etc.

[0029] The recovery unit 35 is equipped with a filter (not shown). The filter removes unwanted materials such as relatively short fibers that have been transported through the piping 25 by airflow. A piping 29 that communicates with the second transport unit 62 is connected to the recovery unit 35.

[0030] The compressor 38 generates compressed air. The filter may become clogged with fine particles and other unwanted substances. It is possible to clean the filter by blowing the compressed air generated by the compressor 38 onto it to blow away the attached particles.

[0031] The power supply unit 39 includes a power supply device (not shown) that supplies power to the control unit 39a and the fiber manufacturing apparatus 1. The power supply unit 39 distributes the power supplied from the outside to each component of the fiber manufacturing apparatus 1. The control unit 39a comprehensively controls the operation of each component of the fiber manufacturing apparatus 1. The control unit 39a includes, for example, a CPU, memory, control circuit, and I / F (interface). The CPU is an arithmetic processing unit. The memory is a storage device that reserves an area for storing various programs or a working area, and has memory elements such as RAM and EEPROM. The I / F can acquire various data from an external information processing terminal, etc. The CPU performs calculations according to various programs and controls each drive unit, etc., via the control circuit.

[0032] Although not shown in the diagram, the exterior of the fiber manufacturing apparatus 1 is equipped with an operation panel. The control unit 39a is electrically connected to the operation panel. The user of the fiber manufacturing apparatus 1 operates the fiber manufacturing apparatus 1 via the operation panel. The operation panel includes, for example, a touch panel type liquid crystal display and mechanical keys.

[0033] The third unit group 103 deposits and compresses a fiber-containing mixture to form a strip-shaped sheet P1 made of recycled paper. The third unit group 103 includes a forming section 50, a first conveying section 61, a second conveying section 62, a suction chamber 63, a second suction section 64, a first humidifying section 65 which is a mist-type humidifier, a second humidifying section 66 which is an evaporative-type humidifier, a drainage section 68, and a forming section 70. In the third unit group 103, these components are arranged in the order described above, from upstream to downstream.

[0034] The forming unit 50 deposits the fiber-containing mixture that has flowed through the pipe 24 in the air to form a web W. The forming unit 50 has a drum member 53, a vane member 55 installed inside the drum member 53, a housing 51 that accommodates the drum member 53, and a first suction unit 59. The mixture is taken into the interior of the drum member 53 from the pipe 24.

[0035] Below the forming section 50, a first conveying section 61 is positioned. The first conveying section 61 includes a first mesh belt 61a and a plurality of rollers that tension the first mesh belt 61a. The first suction section 59 faces the drum member 53 in the direction along the Z-axis, with the first mesh belt 61a in between.

[0036] The blade member 55 is located inside the drum member 53 and is rotationally driven 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 lower surface of the drum member 53. The drum member 53 allows particles such as fibers and mixtures that are smaller than the mesh opening size of the sieve to pass from the inside to the outside.

[0037] The mixture is agitated by the rotating blade member 55 within the drum member 53 and then released to the outside of the drum member 53. Humidified air from the second humidification unit 66 is supplied to the inside of the drum member 53 by the humidification pipe 26.

[0038] The first suction unit 59 is positioned below the drum member 53. The first suction unit 59 sucks air from inside the housing 51 through multiple holes in the first mesh belt 61a. The multiple holes in the first mesh belt 61a allow air to pass through but make it difficult for fibers, binders, etc., contained in the mixture to pass through. As a result, the mixture released to the outside of the drum member 53 is sucked downward along with the air. The first suction unit 59 is a known suction device such as a blower.

[0039] The mixture is dispersed in the air inside the housing 51 and, by gravity and the suction of the first suction unit 59, accumulates on the upper surface of the first mesh belt 61a to form the web W.

[0040] The first mesh belt 61a is an endless belt stretched over a plurality of rollers. The first mesh belt 61a rotates counterclockwise in Figure 1 due to the rotation of the rollers. As a result, the mixture accumulates continuously on the first 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 unit 61 conveys the formed web W downstream by the rotation of the first mesh belt 61a.

[0041] The second conveying unit 62 is located downstream of the first conveying unit 61 and conveys the web W in place of the first conveying unit 61. The second conveying unit 62 peels the web W from the upper surface of the first mesh belt 61a and conveys it toward the molding unit 70. The second conveying unit 62 is located above the conveying path of the web W and is positioned slightly upstream of the starting point on the return side of the first mesh belt 61a. The +Y direction of the second conveying unit 62 and the -Y direction of the first mesh belt 61a partially overlap in the vertical direction.

[0042] The second conveying unit 62 has a second mesh belt 62a and a plurality of rollers. The second mesh belt 62a is an endless belt and is stretched over the plurality of rollers. The second mesh belt 62a rotates clockwise in Figure 1 due to the rotation of the rollers. The suction chamber 63 is located in the space inside the second mesh belt 62a. The suction chamber 63 faces the first humidification unit 65 across the second mesh belt 62a in the direction along the Z axis.

[0043] The second suction unit 64 is positioned above the suction chamber 63. As shown in Figure 2, the second suction unit 64 is connected to the suction chamber 63 by a first suction pipe 64a, a second suction pipe 64c, and a third suction pipe 64e. The second suction unit 64 draws air from below the suction chamber 63 through multiple holes in the second mesh belt 62a, multiple suction holes in the suction chamber 63, and each suction pipe. As a result, the web W, which has been transported to the second transport unit 62 instead of the first transport unit 61, is drawn upward along with the air. The second suction unit 64 is a known suction device such as a blower. A pipe 29 communicating with the recovery unit 35 is connected to the second suction unit 64.

[0044] In this way, the second conveying unit 62 uses the negative pressure generated by the second suction unit 64 to cause the upper surface of the web W to adhere to the lower surface of the second mesh belt 62a. As the second mesh belt 62a rotates in this state, the web W is attracted to the perforated second mesh belt 62a and conveyed downstream in the conveying direction. At this time, most of the fibers and binders contained in the mixture are attracted to the lower surface of the second mesh belt 62a, but some pass through the multiple holes in the second mesh belt 62a. These passing fibers and binders become dust and adhere to undesirable locations.

[0045] The first humidification unit 65 applies a mist M made of water to the second mesh belt 62a. If a web W is adsorbed onto the second mesh belt 62a, the mist M is applied to the web W. The first humidification unit 65 humidifies the web W being transported by the second transport unit 62 by supplying the mist M from below.

[0046] As shown in Figure 2, the first humidification unit 65 applies mist M to the second mesh belt 62a from the side opposite to the suction plate 63j of the suction chamber 63. The first humidification unit 65 is located below the second transport unit 62 and faces the web W transported by the second transport unit 62 in the direction along the Z axis. Known humidification devices, such as ultrasonic humidifiers, can be applied to the first humidification unit 65. Water is supplied to the first humidification unit 65 from the water supply unit 67 via the water supply pipe 27. The used and old water in the first humidification unit 65 is collected and stored in the drainage unit 68 via the drainage pipe 28.

[0047] In this embodiment, for example, the case in which hydrophilic starch is used as a binder will be described. In this case, the starch binder is softened by humidifying the web W with mist M generated from water. This enhances the function of the binder and improves the strength of the paper P3. For example, if a hydrophobic resin is used as a binder, the function of the resin as a binder is enhanced by humidifying the web W with mist M generated from an organic solvent, thereby improving the strength of the paper P3. The water stored in the first humidification unit 65, the organic solvent, and the mist M generated therefrom are examples of "solvents".

[0048] The first humidification unit 65 humidifies the web W from below. This prevents droplets from the mist from falling onto the web W. Furthermore, since humidification is performed from the opposite side of the contact surface between the second mesh belt 62a and the web W, the web W is less likely to stick to the second mesh belt 62a. The second transport unit 62 transports the web W to the molding unit 70. The detailed configurations of the second transport unit 62, the suction chamber 63, the second suction unit 64, and the first humidification unit 65 will be described later.

[0049] The molding unit 70 performs a bonding process in which it bonds fibers of a mixture containing a binder to which mist M has been applied with the binder. The molding unit 70 heats and pressurizes the web W conveyed by the second mesh belt 62a to produce a strip-shaped sheet P1 as a fibrous body. The molding unit 70 has a pair of heating rollers 71 and 72. Each of the pair of heating rollers 71 and 72 has a built-in electric heater and has the function of heating the surface of the pair of heating rollers 71 and 72.

[0050] The web W is heated and pressed by continuously passing it between a pair of heating rollers 71 and 72. This reduces the amount of air contained within the relatively soft web W, and the fibers are bonded together by a binder, forming a strip-shaped sheet P1. The strip-shaped sheet P1 is then conveyed to the first unit group 101 by conveyor rollers.

[0051] The second humidification unit 66 is positioned below the first humidification unit 65. A known evaporative humidification device can be applied to the second humidification unit 66. The second humidification unit 66 generates humidified air by, for example, blowing air onto a water-soaked plate-shaped humidification plate to vaporize the water. Since the air humidified in the second humidification unit 66 is not supersaturated, condensation is less likely to occur on surrounding components.

[0052] The second humidification unit 66 humidifies a predetermined area of ​​the fiber manufacturing apparatus 1. The predetermined area is the buffer tank 13, the separation unit 32, and the drum member 53 of the forming unit 50. Specifically, humidified air is supplied from the second humidification unit 66 to the predetermined area by the humidification pipe 26. In each of the above configurations, the humidified air suppresses the charging of waste paper C and fibers, and prevents them from adhering to the components due to static electricity. However, areas other than these may also be humidified, or some of these areas may not be humidified.

[0053] The fiber manufacturing apparatus 1 may be equipped with a waterproof pan in at least one location below the first humidification unit 65 and below the second humidification unit 66. Specifically, the first waterproof pan 105 may be installed below the first humidification unit 65, and the second waterproof pan 106 may be installed below the second humidification unit 66. The first waterproof pan 105 and the second waterproof pan 106 are open-topped boxes capable of storing a certain amount of liquid. This helps to suppress the occurrence of water leakage. Leakage sensors may be attached to the first waterproof pan 105 and the second waterproof pan 106.

[0054] The drain section 68 is a drain tank. The drain section 68 is used in the first humidification section 65 and the second humidification section 66, etc., and collects and stores old moisture through the drain pipe 28. The drain section 68 can be removed from the fiber manufacturing apparatus 1 as needed to dispose of the accumulated water. The drain section 68 may also collect water accumulated in the first waterproof pan 105 and the second waterproof pan 106.

[0055] The strip-shaped sheet P1, transported to the first unit group 101, 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-sheet-shaped sheets P2 at the first cutting section 81. The single-sheet-shaped sheets P2 are transported from the first cutting section 81 to the second cutting section 82.

[0056] The second cutting unit 82 cuts the single sheet P2 in the transport direction, for example, along the Y-axis. More specifically, the second cutting unit 82 cuts the single sheet P2 near both sides in the direction along the X-axis. As a result, the single sheet P2 becomes paper P3 of a predetermined shape, such as A4 or A3. The paper P3 is transported diagonally upward and accumulated in the tray 91. Paper P3 can be used as a substitute for, for example, copy paper.

[0057] In the second cutting section 82, when the single sheet P2 is cut into paper P3, scrap material called slit pieces S is generated. The slit pieces S are transported in approximately the -Y direction to the shredding section 95, which is a shredder. The shredding section 95 shreds the slit pieces S into fine fragments, which are then supplied to the merging section 17. A mechanism for weighing the fine fragments of the slit pieces S and supplying them to the merging section 17 may be installed between the shredding section 95 and the merging section 17.

[0058] Next, with reference to Figure 2, the details of the second conveying unit 62, the suction chamber 63, the second suction unit 64, and the first humidification unit 65 will be described. The second conveying unit 62 comprises a second mesh belt 62a and tension rollers 62b. The second mesh belt 62a is an endless belt having a plurality of mesh-like holes, and is stretched by four tension rollers 62b, and rotates clockwise in Figure 2 by the rotation of the tension rollers 62b.

[0059] A suction chamber 63 is located inside the second mesh belt 62a. The suction chamber 63 comprises a first suction chamber 63a, a second suction chamber 63e, a third suction chamber 63g, and a suction plate 63j. The first suction chamber 63a, the second suction chamber 63e, and the third suction chamber 63g are arranged in the above order toward the -Y direction, which is the conveying direction of the web W. That is, the second suction chamber 63e is located downstream of the first suction chamber 63a in the conveying direction, and the third suction chamber 63g is located downstream of the second suction chamber 63e in the conveying direction. The second suction chamber 63e has a shape that is taller in the +Z direction compared to the first suction chamber 63a and the third suction chamber 63g. A suction plate 63j is located in the region corresponding to the lower surface of each of the first suction chamber 63a, the second suction chamber 63e, and the third suction chamber 63g.

[0060] A second suction unit 64 is positioned above the suction chamber 63, with the second mesh belt 62a in between. The suction chamber 63 and the second suction unit 64 are connected to each other by a first suction tube 64a, a second suction tube 64c, and a third suction tube 64e. The second suction unit 64 has a first blower 64b, a second blower 64d, and a third blower 64f. The first blower 64b is connected to the first suction chamber 63a via the first suction tube 64a. The second blower 64d is connected to the second suction chamber 63e via the second suction tube 64c. The third blower 64f is connected to the third suction chamber 63g via the third suction tube 64e.

[0061] Negative pressure is generated inside the first suction chamber 63a by the first blower 64b. Negative pressure is generated inside the second suction chamber 63e by the second blower 64d. Negative pressure is generated inside the third suction chamber 63g by the third blower 64f. Known mechanisms can be applied to each blower. In Figure 2, the direction of air movement drawn in by each blower is indicated by dashed arrows.

[0062] The suction chamber 63 and the second suction section 64 draw air upward from below through the multiple holes in the second mesh belt 62a and the multiple suction holes in the suction plate 63j of the suction chamber 63. As a result, the upper surface of the web W is attracted to the lower surface of the second mesh belt 62a. The suction chamber 63 and the second suction section 64 are an example of a "suction piping". In this state, as the second mesh belt 62a rotates, the web W is attracted to the second mesh belt 62a and transported downstream.

[0063] Next, the configuration of the first humidification unit 65 will be described with reference to Figures 2 and 3. The first humidification unit 65 includes an outlet 65a, a solvent volume detection unit 65e, and a piezoelectric vibrator 65f. The outlet 65a discharges mist M. The outlet 65a is provided facing the second suction chamber 63e, with the second mesh belt 62a in between. The outer edge 65b of the outlet 65a has a first separation wall 65c and a second separation wall 65d that separate the airflow drawn into the second suction chamber 63e.

[0064] The first separation wall 65c is a substantially canopy-shaped member extending in the -Y direction along the XY plane from the outer edge 65b of the discharge port 65a, and is provided on the downstream side in the conveying direction. This first separation wall 65c is positioned at the end in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction on the downstream side of the outer edge 65b in the conveying direction, and is not positioned in the central part. In this embodiment, the first separation wall 65c is not positioned on the upstream side in the conveying direction of the outer edge 65b of the discharge port 65a, nor is it positioned in a substantially canopy shape at both ends in the X-axis direction, but these arrangements are not limited to the above. A substantially canopy-shaped first separation wall 65c may be provided at both ends in the X-axis direction of the outer edge 65b of the discharge port 65a, or it may be positioned around the entire circumference. The arrangement of the first separation wall 65c should be set appropriately according to the degree to which the airflow drawn into the second suction chamber 63e is separated.

[0065] The second separation wall 65d is positioned on the ±X side of the outer edge 65b of the outlet 65a. The second separation wall 65d extends along the outer edge 65b of the outlet 65a on the ±X side, i.e., along the Y axis. The second separation wall 65d has a predetermined thickness in the +Z direction from the outer edge 65b of the outlet 65a and is a member that faces the second mesh belt 62a. As an example, a fabric such as moquette can be applied to the second mesh belt 62a. This second separation wall 65d can narrow the gap through which airflow passes between the outer edge 65b of the outlet 65a and the second mesh belt 62a. This effectively prevents unhumidified air from being drawn into the second suction chamber 63e from outside the outlet 65a in the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the outer edge 65b of the outlet 65a.

[0066] The solvent amount detection unit 65e detects the amount of water contained in the web W. The solvent amount detection unit 65e is located near the center of the outer edge 65b of the outlet 65a, on the downstream side in the transport direction and in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction. The solvent amount detection unit 65e is electrically connected to the control unit 39a of the power supply unit 39.

[0067] The solvent amount detection unit 65e, although not shown in the figure, is a light-reflecting near-infrared spectroscopic sensor having a light-emitting unit that emits light including near-infrared light and a light-receiving unit that receives reflected light reflected by the web W. The solvent amount detection unit 65e can detect the amount of water based on the magnitude of the amount of reflected light received by the light-receiving unit. For example, the more water there is, the more light is absorbed by the water, and the more the amount of reflected light received by the light-receiving unit tends to decrease. Note that the solvent amount detection unit 65e is not limited to a light-reflecting type sensor, but may also be a light-transmitting type sensor.

[0068] The piezoelectric transducer 65f is an element that generates vibrations using the piezoelectric effect and is installed at the bottom of the first humidification unit 65. By applying a high-frequency AC voltage from the power supply unit 39 to the piezoelectric transducer 65f in the water stored in the first humidification unit 65, ultrasonic vibration energy is generated. As the ultrasonic vibration energy is transmitted to the surface of the water, a fine mist M can be generated from the water surface. Piezoelectric ceramics, quartz crystal oscillators, etc., can be used for the piezoelectric transducer 65f.

[0069] The first humidification unit 65 discharges humidified air containing mist M upward. The humidified air is generated when mist M is drawn into air drawn in from an intake port (not shown) provided in the first humidification unit 65. The discharge port 65a and the second suction chamber 63e are positioned opposite each other. That is, the discharge port 65a is vertically opposite the third suction region 63f of the suction plate 63j. When viewed from above through the transmission, the third suction region 63f and the discharge port 65a both have approximately the same shape. Specifically, they have a rectangular shape that is long in the X-axis direction.

[0070] The web W has a relatively large number of gaps inside, and its internal structure is relatively sparse. Therefore, the second suction chamber 63e adsorbs the web W onto the second mesh belt 62a and also draws in the humidified air discharged by the first humidification unit 65 through the web W. The humidified air adds moisture to the web W, and a portion of it reaches the second suction chamber 63e.

[0071] Next, with reference to Figures 2, 4, and 5, the details of the suction plate 63j in the suction chamber 63 will be described. The suction plate 63j is substantially flat when viewed from the -Z direction, and its main surface is positioned along the XY plane. The suction plate 63j is positioned on the opposite side of the web W from the second mesh belt 62a. The suction plate 63j has a plurality of suction holes, which will be described later, and separates the inside and outside of the first suction chamber 63a, the second suction chamber 63e, and the third suction chamber 63g in areas other than the suction holes. The second suction unit 64 sucks air through the plurality of suction holes in the suction plate 63j. The suction plate 63j can be made of, for example, perforated metal made of aluminum or stainless steel. Note that the suction holes are an example of "through holes".

[0072] The suction plate 63j has a first suction region 63c, a second suction region 63d, a third suction region 63f, and a fourth suction region 63h. In the suction plate 63j, the region corresponding to the lower surface of the first suction chamber 63a is the first suction region 63c and the second suction region 63d, the region corresponding to the lower surface of the second suction chamber 63e is the third suction region 63f, and the region corresponding to the lower surface of the third suction chamber 63g is the fourth suction region 63h.

[0073] The suction chamber 63 is located inside the second mesh belt 62a, which is stretched in a roughly trapezoidal shape when viewed from the -X direction, in the region corresponding to the lower base of the trapezoid. The second mesh belt 62a and the suction plate 63j are spaced apart. The first suction region 63c, second suction region 63d, third suction region 63f, and fourth suction region 63h of the suction plate 63j are perpendicular to the second mesh belt 62a.

[0074] As shown in Figure 4, the suction plate 63j is approximately rectangular when viewed from the -Z direction, with its longer side aligned with the X-axis. The transport direction of the web W relative to the suction plate 63j is the -Y direction. The first suction region 63c, the second suction region 63d, the third suction region 63f, and the fourth suction region 63h are each approximately rectangular, with their longer sides aligned with the X-axis. The first suction region 63c, the second suction region 63d, the third suction region 63f, and the fourth suction region 63h are arranged in the above order toward the transport direction of the web W.

[0075] Five partition walls 63r are attached to the suction plate 63j. The partition walls 63r are elongated members along the X-axis, and their length along the X-axis is approximately equal to the lengths of the first suction region 63c, the second suction region 63d, the third suction region 63f, and the fourth suction region 63h. The partition walls 63r protrude in the -Z direction from the -Z-facing surface of the suction plate 63j. The partition walls 63r are arranged to minimize the gap between the suction plate 63j and the second mesh belt 62a.

[0076] The partition wall 63r is formed of a material such as resin. The material of the partition wall 63r only needs to be able to reduce the gap between the suction plate 63j and the second mesh belt 62a, and instead of resin, a fabric such as moquette may be used.

[0077] The partition wall 63r is positioned between the first suction region 63c, the second suction region 63d, the third suction region 63f, and the fourth suction region 63h, respectively. Furthermore, the partition wall 63r is also positioned adjacent to the upstream long side in the transport direction of the web W in the first suction region 63c, and adjacent to the downstream long side in the transport direction of the web W in the fourth suction region 63h.

[0078] The first suction region 63c is provided with a plurality of first suction holes 63k for drawing in air. The second suction region 63d is provided with a plurality of second suction holes 63m for drawing in air. The third suction region 63f is provided with a plurality of third suction holes 63n for drawing in air. The fourth suction region 63h is provided with a plurality of fourth suction holes 63p and a plurality of fifth suction holes 63q for drawing in air. Each of the first suction holes 63k, second suction holes 63m, third suction holes 63n, fourth suction holes 63p and fifth suction holes 63q is arranged alternately in a roughly staggered pattern along the X-axis. However, the configuration of these arrangements is not limited to the above.

[0079] The diameter of each suction hole is not particularly limited, but for example, the diameter of the first suction hole 63k is approximately 5 mm, the diameter of the second suction hole 63m is approximately 3 mm, the diameter of the third suction hole 63n is approximately 9 mm to 10 mm, the diameter of the fourth suction hole 63p is approximately 5 mm, and the diameter of the fifth suction hole 63q is approximately 6 mm. Thus, the diameter of the third suction hole 63n is larger than the diameters of the other suction holes. This makes it difficult for moist fibers to adhere to the third suction hole 63n and its surroundings, even when fibers from the web W and humidified air pass through the third suction hole 63n.

[0080] The opening ratio of the third suction hole 63n is greater in the one-end region AR1 and the other-end region AR3 of the suction plate 63j than in the central region AR2 of the suction plate 63j, in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction. In other words, the opening ratio of the third suction hole 63n is greater in the one-end region AR1 of the suction plate 63j than in the central region AR2 of the suction plate 63j, in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction. Also, the opening ratio of the third suction hole 63n is greater in the other-end region AR3 of the suction plate 63j than in the central region AR2 of the suction plate 63j, in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction. The opening ratio indicates the ratio of the opening area per unit area of ​​a predetermined region. In this embodiment, the opening ratio of the third suction hole 63n refers to the ratio of the area of ​​each region, the one-end region AR1, the central region AR2, and the other-end region AR3, to the total opening area of ​​the holes opened by the third suction hole 63n within each region.

[0081] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction, a branch plate 63s, a flow channel member 63u, a plate member 63v, and a joint 63w are integrally provided at one end and the other end of the second suction region 63d of the suction plate 63j, respectively. Three branching grooves 63t are formed on the surface of the branch plate 63s facing the +Z direction. The surface of the flow channel member 63u and the surface of the suction plate 63j facing the -Z direction are in close contact with the surface of the branch plate 63s facing the +Z direction. As a result, the grooves 63t are formed as hollow flow channels.

[0082] The flow path member 63u, the plate member 63v, and the joint 63w each have through-holes, and each hole forms a series of flow paths. This series of flow paths is connected at the point where the three branched grooves 63t intersect, further forming a series of flow paths. The joint 63w is connected to the compressor 38 of the second unit group 102 by an air hose (not shown). In the first cleaning operation described later, the control unit 39a of the power supply unit 39 opens a valve (not shown) to guide the compressed air generated by the compressor 38 into the groove 63t.

[0083] As shown in Figure 5, the ends of the three hollow flow channels formed by the three branching grooves 63t are each opened inward in the X-axis direction, facing a plurality of third suction holes 63n arranged along the X-axis. When the compressed air generated by the compressor 38 is guided into the three branching grooves 63t, the compressed air is injected inward from both ends in the X-axis direction along the -Z-facing surface of the suction plate 63j, as shown by the dashed arrows in Figure 4. The compressed air injected from both ends then moves toward the center of the suction plate 63j in the X-axis direction. The compressed air is then drawn in by the second suction section 64 through the third suction holes 63n.

[0084] As shown in Figure 8, when humidified air and dust D generated from the web W pass through the third suction hole 63n of the third suction area 63f, dust D may adhere to the third suction hole 63n. In this embodiment, by removing the dust D adhering to the third suction hole 63n, we prevent the accumulation of dust D from blocking the third suction hole 63n. Specifically, after the web W has finished being transported from the second mesh belt 62a, the control unit 39a performs a first cleaning operation by injecting compressed air toward the third suction hole 63n to remove the dust D adhering to the third suction hole 63n. This prevents the third suction hole 63n from becoming blocked.

[0085] Furthermore, dust D passes through multiple suction holes in the suction plate 63j and is sucked up by the second suction unit 64. However, in the second suction chamber 63e and the third suction chamber 63g, mist M is applied and the dust D is moist, so dust D may adhere to the second suction chamber 63e, the third suction chamber 63g, the second suction tube 64c, and the third suction tube 64e. In this embodiment, the control unit 39a performs a second cleaning operation to remove the dust D that has adhered to the second suction chamber 63e, the third suction chamber 63g, the second suction tube 64c, and the third suction tube 64e. In this embodiment, at least the second suction chamber 63e, the third suction chamber 63g, the second suction tube 64c, and the third suction tube 64e are examples of "suction piping".

[0086] Next, with reference to Figures 6 and 7, the details of the second cleaning operation to remove dust D adhering to the "suction piping" will be described. Furthermore, the subsequent operations are controlled by the control unit 39a of the power supply unit 39. The second cleaning operation shown in Figures 6 and 7 is performed after the web W has finished being transported from the second mesh belt 62a.

[0087] First, at timing T0, the heating process is started (step S1). The heating process involves heating electric heaters built into the pair of heating rollers 71 and 72 to raise the temperature of the air around the pair of heating rollers 71 and 72. This heating process is to make the heated air available for use in the subsequent drying process. The heating process may continue even before the fiber manufacturing apparatus 1 finishes producing fiber.

[0088] Next, at timing T1, the dust suction process is started (step S2). The dust suction process is a process in which dust D adhering to the "suction piping" is sucked out by the negative pressure generated by the second blower 64d and the third blower 64f. Most of the dust D adhering to the "suction piping" is collected in the recovery unit 35 by being carried by the airflow during the dust suction process. In the dust suction process, at timing T1, the second blower 64d is turned ON to generate negative pressure and suction is mainly performed through the second suction pipe 64c. Then, at timing T2 following timing T1, the third blower 64f is turned ON to generate negative pressure and suction is also performed through the third suction pipe 64e.

[0089] Furthermore, dust D that is not collected and adheres to the "suction pipe" may become fixed to the "suction pipe" over time as the damp dust D or the binder contained in the dust D dries and hardens. The second cleaning operation of this embodiment includes a dust softening step to remove the dust D that has become fixed to the "suction pipe".

[0090] At timing T3, the dust softening process is initiated (step S3). The dust softening process softens the dust D that has adhered to the "suction piping" while the dust suction process is in operation. The softened dust D is then removed by the negative pressure generated by the second blower 64d and the third blower 64f and collected in the recovery unit 35 by the airflow. This dust softening process continues from timing T3 to timing T4. The dust softening process is performed at timing T3 by turning on the piezoelectric vibrator 65f and applying mist M from the first humidification unit 65 to the "suction piping". Furthermore, since the dust softening process is performed while the second mesh belt 62a is rotating, dust D adhering to the second mesh belt 62a can also be softened.

[0091] Since the dust softening process is performed after the web W has finished being transported from the second mesh belt 62a, the web W is not adsorbed onto the second mesh belt 62a. In other words, since suction is not obstructed by the web W, the amount of mist M contained in the air per unit volume sucked up by the "suction piping" is greater when the second cleaning operation is performed than when the web W is being transported. The period from timing T3 to timing T4 is determined in advance by experiment to a value that can soften the dust D adhering to the "suction piping," and is stored in the memory unit of the control unit 39a.

[0092] Next, at timing T4, the dust softening process and the dust suction process are completed (step S4). The dust softening process is completed at timing T4 by turning off the piezoelectric vibrator 65f.

[0093] Furthermore, at timing T4, the belt drying process and the piping drying process are started (step S5). The belt drying process and the piping drying process are processes that dry the suction piping to which water droplets SL have adhered by continuing to suck air through the suction piping for a predetermined period of time even after the application of mist M has stopped. Water droplets SL are generated when a large amount of mist M adheres to the suction piping. In the belt drying process and the piping drying process, the negative pressure generated by the second blower 64d and the third blower 64f sucks the heated air around the pair of heating rollers 71 and 72 through the suction piping. This allows for efficient drying of the second mesh belt 62a and the suction piping.

[0094] Furthermore, since the belt drying process and the pipe drying process are performed while the second mesh belt 62a is rotated, the second mesh belt 62a to which water droplets SL have adhered can be dried over its entire circumference. In addition, the "suction pipe" to which water droplets SL have adhered can also be dried. Water droplets SL are an example of a "solvent".

[0095] Next, at timing T5, the belt drying process is completed (step S6). The belt drying process is completed by turning off the third blower 64f. The period from timing T4 to timing T5 is determined in advance by experiment as a first set time during which the second mesh belt 62a, to which water droplets SL have adhered, can be dried, and is stored in the memory of the control unit 39a. For example, the first set time is 1 minute.

[0096] Next, at timing T6, the pipe drying process and heating process are completed (step S7). The pipe drying process and heating process are completed by turning off the electric heaters built into the pair of heating rollers 71 and 72 and the second blower 64d. The period from timing T4 to timing T6 is determined in advance by experimentation as a second set time during which the "suction pipe" with water droplets SL attached can be dried, and is stored in the memory of the control unit 39a. As an example, the second set time is 30 minutes.

[0097] Thus, in the second cleaning operation, after the application of mist M from the first humidification unit 65 is completed, the suction piping continues to perform suction until the set time, which is the time set for the suction piping to dry, has elapsed.

[0098] Furthermore, the control unit 39a of the power supply unit 39 softens the dust D generated from the web W and adhering to the "suction piping" by applying mist M to the first humidification unit 65 after the web W has finished being transported from the second mesh belt 62a. In addition, the control unit 39a removes the softened dust and then performs a second cleaning operation in which the "suction piping" dries the "suction piping" to which water droplets SL have adhered by suction.

[0099] Furthermore, since the dust suction process, the belt drying process, and the piping drying process are all performed after the web W has finished being transported from the second mesh belt 62a, the web W is not adsorbed onto the second mesh belt 62a. In other words, since suction is not hindered by the web W, the amount of air sucked per unit time by the "suction piping" is greater when the second cleaning operation is performed than when the web W is being transported.

[0100] Next, the details of how the second cleaning operation is performed will be explained with reference to Figures 8 to 11. In Figures 8 to 10, dust particles D are shown as white circles and water droplets SL are shown as black circles.

[0101] As shown in Figure 8, dust D that is not collected and adheres to the "suction pipe" may become fixed to the "suction pipe" over time as the damp dust D or the binder contained in the dust D dries and hardens. The fiber manufacturing apparatus 1 performs a second cleaning operation to remove the dust D fixed to the "suction pipe".

[0102] Figure 9 shows the state of the "suction piping" mainly during the period from timing T3 to timing T4 shown in Figure 6 during the second cleaning operation. As shown in Figure 9, as part of the second cleaning operation, the first humidification unit 65 applies mist M, which is adsorbed onto the dust D adhering to the "suction piping," softening the dust D. The softened dust D is sucked up through the second suction pipe 64c and collected in the recovery unit 35. In addition, some of the mist M applied by the first humidification unit 65 adheres to the "suction piping," becoming water droplets SL and remaining in the "suction piping."

[0103] Figure 10 shows the state of the "suction piping" mainly during the period from timing T4 to timing T5 shown in Figure 6 during the second cleaning operation. As shown in Figure 10, after the first humidification unit 65 finishes applying mist M, the "suction piping" dries the "suction piping" to which water droplets SL have adhered by suction. Figure 10 mainly shows the state after the second mesh belt 62a and the third suction pipe 64e, to which water droplets SL have adhered as shown in Figure 9, have dried.

[0104] Figure 11 shows the state of the "suction piping" mainly during the period from timing T5 to timing T6 shown in Figure 6 during the second cleaning operation. As shown in Figure 11, after the first humidification unit 65 finishes applying mist M, the "suction piping" dries the "suction piping" to which water droplets SL have adhered by suction. Figure 11 mainly shows the state of the second suction pipe 64c, which was applied with the most mist M and to which water droplets SL have adhered, after it has dried.

[0105] According to this embodiment, the following effects can be obtained. According to this fiber manufacturing apparatus 1, after the mixture has finished being conveyed from the second mesh belt 62a, the first humidification unit 65 applies mist M to soften the dust D generated from the mixture and adhering to the "suction pipe". Furthermore, the softened dust is removed, and then the "suction pipe" dries the "suction pipe" to which water droplets SL have adhered. Because the fiber manufacturing apparatus 1 performs this second cleaning operation, the dust D adhering to the "suction pipe" can be removed. Furthermore, since the "suction pipe" can be dried, it is possible to suppress the adhesion of newly generated dust D from the mixture to the "suction pipe".

[0106] According to this fiber manufacturing apparatus 1, the molding section 70 performs a bonding process in which the fibers of the mixed material to which the mist M has been applied are bonded with a binder, thereby enabling the production of a fiber body in which the fibers are bonded with a binder.

[0107] According to this fiber manufacturing apparatus 1, the amount of moisture contained in the air per unit volume sucked in by the "suction pipe" is greater when the second cleaning operation is performed than when the mixture is being transported. This allows the dust D adhering to the "suction pipe" to be softened more efficiently.

[0108] According to this fiber manufacturing apparatus 1, the amount of air sucked per unit time by the "suction pipe" is greater when performing the second cleaning operation than when conveying the mixture. This allows for more powerful suction of dust D adhering to the "suction pipe". In addition, it allows for more powerful drying of the "suction pipe" to which water droplets SL have adhered.

[0109] According to this fiber manufacturing apparatus 1, in the second cleaning operation, after the application of mist M from the first humidification unit 65 is completed, the "suction pipe" performs suction until a set time, which is set as the time until drying, has elapsed. This allows the "suction pipe" to be dried efficiently, thereby further suppressing the adhesion of newly generated dust D from the mixture to the "suction pipe".

[0110] According to this fiber manufacturing apparatus 1, the first humidification section 65 has a first separation wall 65c and a second separation wall 65d that separate the airflow at the outer edge 65b of the outlet 65a from which the mist M is discharged. This effectively prevents unhumidified air from being drawn into the second suction chamber 63e from outside the outlet 65a. Since the amount of unhumidified air drawn in can be reduced, the amount of mist M applied in the in-plane direction of the mixture can be made uniform when the mixture is conveyed by the second mesh belt 62a. As a result, a mixture with uniform quality in the in-plane direction can be conveyed to the molding section 70.

[0111] According to this fiber manufacturing apparatus 1, the first separation wall 65c is positioned on the downstream side in the conveying direction at its outer edge 65b, thereby reducing the amount of unhumidified air flowing in from the downstream side in the conveying direction. Since the amount of unhumidified air can be reduced, when the mixture is conveyed by the second mesh belt 62a, the amount of mist M applied in the in-plane direction of the mixture can be made uniform on the downstream side in the conveying direction. As a result, a mixture with uniform quality in the in-plane direction can be conveyed to the molding section 70. In particular, uniformizing the quality in the in-plane direction of the mixture at the downstream end in the conveying direction is effective in preventing conveying defects when the mixture is conveyed to the downstream side in the conveying direction.

[0112] According to this fiber manufacturing apparatus 1, the first separation wall 65c is positioned at the end perpendicular to the conveying direction on the downstream side of the outer edge 65b in the conveying direction, and is not positioned in the central part. This reduces the amount of unhumidified air flowing in from the end perpendicular to the conveying direction. Since the amount of unhumidified air can be reduced, the amount of mist M applied in the in-plane direction of the mixture can be made uniform. This allows a mixture with uniform quality in the in-plane direction to be conveyed to the molding section 70. Furthermore, since there is no separation wall in the central part perpendicular to the conveying direction, sensors for detecting the amount of moisture applied to the mixture can be installed on the outer edge 65b of the outlet 65a without being obstructed by the separation wall.

[0113] According to this fiber manufacturing apparatus 1, the opening ratio of the third suction hole 63n in the third suction region 63f is larger in the end region of the suction plate 63j than in the central region AR2 of the suction plate 63j in the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction. As a result, when the mixture is conveyed by the second mesh belt 62a, the amount of mist M sucked in from the end region of the suction plate 63j can be increased compared to the central region AR2 of the suction plate 63j. In particular, the airflow being sucked in tends to weaken near the inner surface of the wall forming the outer edge 65b of the first humidification section 65, but according to this fiber manufacturing apparatus 1, the amount of mist M sucked in from the end region can be increased. As a result, the amount of mist M sucked in by the "suction piping" can be made uniform in the in-plane direction of the third suction region 63f, so that a mixture of uniform quality in the in-plane direction can be conveyed to the molding section 70.

[0114] According to this fiber production method, after the mixture has finished being conveyed from the second mesh belt 62a, the first humidification unit 65 applies mist M to soften the dust D generated from the mixture and adhering to the suction pipe. Furthermore, a second cleaning operation is performed to remove the softened dust and then dry the water droplets SL adhering to the suction pipe by having the suction pipe perform suction, thereby removing the dust D adhering to the suction pipe. In addition, since the suction pipe can be dried, it is possible to suppress the adhesion of newly generated dust D from the mixture to the suction pipe. As a result, fiber can be produced without being adversely affected by dust D adhering to the suction pipe.

[0115] Although this embodiment has been described in detail above with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to this embodiment and may be modified, replaced, or deleted as long as it does not depart from the spirit of this invention. Furthermore, other embodiments described below may also be used.

[0116] In this embodiment, the second cleaning operation is performed after the web W has finished being transported from the second mesh belt 62a, so the web W is not adsorbed onto the second mesh belt 62a. That is, since suction is not obstructed by the web W, the amount of air sucked per unit time by the "suction piping" is greater when the second cleaning operation is performed than when the web W is being transported, but this is not limited to this. The amount of air sucked per unit time by the "suction piping" during the second cleaning operation may be increased by changing the suction force of the second blower 64d, the third blower 64f, etc., regardless of the presence or absence of the web W. Even in this case, the same effects as in this embodiment can be obtained.

[0117] In this embodiment, the outer edge 65b of the outlet 65a is provided with a first separation wall 65c and a second separation wall 65d that separate the airflow. These configurations are not limited to those described above. At least one of the first separation wall 65c and the second separation wall 65d is sufficient. Even in this case, the same effects as in this embodiment can be obtained depending on the degree to which the airflow drawn into the second suction chamber 63e is separated.

[0118] In this embodiment, the first and second set times are predetermined times, but the embodiment is not limited to this. For example, the times may be determined dynamically based on measurement results from a humidity sensor or the like.

[0119] It should be noted that the formation of the web W and the molding of the sheet P1 described in this embodiment are merely illustrative examples, and the web W and sheet P1 may be formed by other methods. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0120] 1...Fiber manufacturing apparatus, 11...Raw material input port, 13...Buffer tank, 15...Quantitative supply unit, 15a...Measuring instrument, 17...Confluence unit, 21...Piping, 23...Piping, 24...Piping, 25...Piping, 26...Humidifying pipe, 27...Water supply pipe, 28...Drain pipe, 29...Piping, 31...Fibre defibration unit, 32...Separation unit, 33...Mixing unit, 35...Recovery unit, 38...Compressor, 39...Power supply unit, 50...Forming unit, 51...Housing, 53...Drum member, 55...Blade member, 59...First suction unit, 61...First carrier 61a...First mesh belt, 62...Second conveying section, 62a...Second mesh belt, 62b...Tension roller, 63...Suction chamber, 63a...First suction chamber, 63c...First suction area, 63d...Second suction area, 63e...Second suction chamber, 63f...Third suction area, 63g...Third suction chamber, 63h...Fourth suction area, 63j...Suction plate, 63k...First suction hole, 63m...Second suction hole, 63n...Third suction hole, 63p...Fourth suction hole, 63q...Fifth suction hole, 63r...Partition wall, 6 3s…Branching plate, 63t…Groove, 63u…Flow path member, 63v…Plate member, 63w…Joint, 64…Second suction section, 64a…First suction pipe, 64b…First blower, 64c…Second suction pipe, 64d…Second blower, 64e…Third suction pipe, 64f…Third blower, 65…First humidification section, 65a…Outlet, 65b…Outer edge, 65c…First separation wall, 65d…Second separation wall, 65e…Solvent amount detection section, 65f…Piezoelectric vibrator, 66…Second humidification section, 67…Water supply section, 68…Drainage section, 70… Molding section, 71, 72... Pair of heating rollers, 81... First cutting section, 82... Second cutting section, 91... Tray, 95... Shredding section, 101... First unit group, 102... Second unit group, 103... Third unit group, 105... First waterproof pan, 106... Second waterproof pan, AR1... One end region, AR2... Central region, AR3... Other end region, C... Waste paper, D... Dust, M... Mist, P1... Strip-shaped sheet, P2... Single sheet, P3... Paper, S... Slit piece, SL... Water droplet, W... Web.

Claims

1. A forming part that forms a mixture containing fibers, A perforated belt is used to transport the mixture in the transport direction, A humidifying unit that applies a solvent to the belt, A suction pipe that sucks air through the aforementioned hole to adsorb the mixture onto the belt, A molding unit that molds the mixture conveyed by the belt to produce a fibrous body, A fiber manufacturing apparatus equipped with, A fiber manufacturing apparatus characterized in that, after the mixture has finished being conveyed from the belt, the humidifying unit applies the solvent to soften the dust generated from the mixture and adhering to the suction pipe, removes the softened dust, and then the suction pipe performs a cleaning operation to dry the solvent adhering to the suction pipe by suction.

2. The mixture contains a binder, The molding section performs a bonding process in which the fibers of the mixture to which the solvent has been applied are bonded with the binder. The apparatus for manufacturing a fiber material according to claim 1.

3. The amount of solvent contained in the air per unit volume drawn in by the suction pipe is greater when the cleaning operation is performed than when the mixture is being transported. The apparatus for manufacturing a fiber material according to claim 1.

4. The amount of air sucked per unit time by the suction pipe is greater when performing the cleaning operation than when conveying the mixture. The apparatus for manufacturing fiber materials according to claim 1.

5. In the cleaning operation described above, after the application of the solvent from the humidifier is completed, the suction pipe performs suction until a set time, which is the time set for drying, has elapsed. The apparatus for manufacturing a fiber material according to claim 1.

6. The humidifying unit is equipped with an outlet from which the solvent is discharged, and has a separation wall on the outer edge of the outlet that separates the airflow. The apparatus for manufacturing a fiber material according to claim 1.

7. The separation wall is positioned on the downstream side in the conveying direction at its outer edge. The apparatus for manufacturing a fiber material according to claim 6.

8. The separation wall is positioned at the end of the outer edge downstream in the conveying direction, in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction, and is not positioned in the central part. The apparatus for manufacturing a fiber material according to claim 7.

9. The belt is provided with a suction plate having a through hole, located on the opposite side from the mixture, The opening ratio of the through-hole is greater in the end region of the suction plate than in the central region of the suction plate, in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction. The apparatus for manufacturing a fiber material according to claim 1.

10. The binder is starch, and the solvent is water. The apparatus for manufacturing a fiber body according to claim 2.

11. Forms a mixture containing fibers, The suction pipe draws in air through a hole formed in the belt that conveys the mixture, thereby causing the mixture to be carried while being adsorbed onto the belt. The solvent is applied to the belt by the humidifying unit. A method for producing a fiber by forming the mixture conveyed by the belt, A method for producing a fiber material, characterized in that, after the mixture has finished being conveyed from the belt, the humidifying unit applies the solvent to soften the dust generated from the mixture and adhering to the suction pipe, removes the softened dust, and then the suction pipe performs a cleaning operation to dry the solvent adhering to the suction pipe by suction.

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