Sheet Manufacturing Device with Material-Adaptive Heating Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

It is challenging for users to set appropriate conditions for manufacturing sheets in sheet manufacturing apparatuses, leading to potential degradation in sheet quality due to the nature of the material and treatment conditions, such as heating.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating a defibrating portion, mixing portion, heating portion, and control portion that sets the heating temperature based on the type of raw material, along with a binding material supply system to select the appropriate binding material for the raw material, ensuring optimal heating conditions for sheet production.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If users set heating conditions manually, then operation flexibility is maintained, but sheet quality deteriorates due to inappropriate temperature settings

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesheet qualityVSAvoidoperation complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The control portion automatically determines appropriate heating temperatures based on the type of raw material being processed, eliminating the need for users to manually set complex temperature parameters. The system serves itself by using its own data about raw material types to automatically optimize processing conditions, thereby improving sheet quality without increasing operational complexity for users.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Manufacturing precision

If heating temperature is increased to improve sheet quality, then manufacturing precision improves, but energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesheet qualityVSAvoidheating energy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The control portion dynamically adjusts the heating temperature parameter based on the specific type of raw material being processed. Instead of using a fixed high temperature that consumes excessive energy, the system selects the precise temperature needed for each material type, thereby achieving high sheet quality while minimizing energy consumption through optimized parameter selection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple binding materials are stored for different raw material types, then adaptability improves, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveraw material compatibilityVSAvoidbinding material supply system
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The binding material supply portion is designed to handle multiple types of binding materials through a unified system architecture. The control portion selects and supplies the appropriate binding material based on the raw material type, allowing a single multi-functional supply system to serve multiple purposes rather than requiring separate dedicated systems for each material type.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This configuration allows for the appropriate setting of heating temperatures, resulting in the production of high-quality sheets by matching the heating conditions with the specific raw material type and binding material, enhancing the manufacturing process.

Implementation Method 1

a heating portion that heats a mixture mixed by the mixing portion

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeating: Heating

Implementation Method 2

a control portion that controls a temperature of the heating portion

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectTemperature control: Thermal Insulation

Data Source

PatentEP3604654B1Sheet manufacturing device and method for controlling sheet manufacturing device
Publication Date: 2022.01.12 SEIKO EPSON CORP
  • EP3604654B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3604654B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3604654B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A condition for manufacturing a sheet in a sheet manufacturing apparatus can be set appropriately, and a high quality sheet can be manufactured. A sheet manufacturing apparatus 100 includes a defibrating portion 20 that defibrates a raw material MA, a mixing portion 50 that mixes a defibrated material defibrated by the defibrating portion 20, a heating portion 84 that heats a mixture mixed by the mixing portion 50, and a control portion that controls a temperature of the heating portion 84, in which the control portion sets a heating temperature of the heating portion 84 to a temperature depending on a type of the raw material MA defibrated by the defibrating portion 20.