Fiber processing device and fibrous feedstock recycling device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11008674-B2
Application number	US-201816225766-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 19, 2018
Priority date	Dec 20, 2017
Publication date	May 18, 2021
Grant date	May 18, 2021

Abstract

A separator as part of a sheet manufacturing apparatus has a mesh drum configured as a cylinder that can rotate and has mesh in at least part of the side; and a case that houses the mesh drum. The case has a supply port and a recovery port that communicate with an inside area, which is the inside of the mesh drum; a discharge port that communicates with a discharge area, which is outside the side of the mesh drum; and an inside wall segregating at least part of the inside area, forming a material recovery area. First screened material is supplied from the supply port to the inside area. In the material recovery area, the separator recovers accreted material, which is first screened material that was supplied through the supply port and accreted on the inside surface of the mesh drum, from the recovery port.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A separator comprising:
a mesh member disposed within the separator, the mesh member configured as a rotatable cylinder having mesh in at least part of the circumferential surface; and
a case housing the mesh member, and having a first opening and a second opening communicating with a first area inside of the mesh member, a third opening communicating with a second area outside of the circumferential surface of the mesh member,
a first wall segregating at least a part of the first area and forming a third area,
the second opening communicating with the third area,
separator feedstock containing fiber supplied from the first opening to the first area, and
accreted material, which is a part of the separator feedstock supplied from the first opening that has accreted on the circumferential surface of the mesh member, being recovered from the second opening in the third area.

2. The separator according to claim 1 , wherein:
a component of the separator feedstock supplied from the first opening that moves through the mesh member to the second area by an air current flowing from the first area to the second area exits with the air current from the third opening.

3. The separator according to claim 1 , wherein:
the first area has a fourth area segregated by the first wall from the third area, and the first opening communicates with the fourth area.

4. The separator according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an air current generator configured to supply an air current flowing from outside the circumferential surface of the mesh member, through the mesh member, to the third area.

5. The separator according to claim 4 , further comprising:
a fifth area communicating through the mesh member with the third area, and a second wall between the second area and the fifth area.

6. The separator according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a remover configured to remove in the third area the accreted material accreted on an inside surface of the mesh member.

7. The separator according to claim 1 , wherein:
the mesh member has multiple blades arrayed in the circumferential direction on the circumferential surface.

8. The separator according to claim 1 , wherein:
the mesh member has multiple openings that are longer along the axis of rotation than the circumferential direction.

9. A sheet manufacturing apparatus comprising:
a defibrator configured to defibrate feedstock containing fiber;
a separator configured to classify defibrated material output from the defibrator; and
a processor configured to process separated material classified by the separator;
the separator having a mesh member disposed within the separator, the mesh member configured as a rotatable cylinder with mesh in at least part of the circumferential surface, and
a case housing the mesh member,
the case having a first opening and a second opening communicating with a first area inside of the mesh member, a third opening communicating with a second area, which is outside the mesh member,

a wall segregating at least a part of the first area and forming a third area,
the second opening communicating with the third area,
separator feedstock containing fiber supplied from the first opening to the first area, and
accreted material, which is a part of the separator feedstock supplied from the first opening that has accreted on the circumferential surface of the mesh member, being recovered from the second opening in the third area.

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Tanaka Hiroshi

Classifications

• D01G9/10 Primary

  using foraminous cylinders (foraminous suction cylinders for lap-forming D01G25/00) · CPC title

• D21C5/02 Primary

  Working-up waste paper (mechanical part D21B1/08, D21B1/32) · CPC title

• B01D46/0056

  with rotational movement · CPC title

• Y02W30/64

  Paper recycling · CPC title

• D01G5/00

  Separating, e.g. sorting, fibres (separating fibres of differing lengths in silk-dressing machines D01G17/00; in combing machines D01G19/00) · CPC title