Classifying device and fibrous feedstock recycling device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11072887-B2
Application number	US-201816184530-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 8, 2018
Priority date	Nov 8, 2017
Publication date	Jul 27, 2021
Grant date	Jul 27, 2021

Abstract

A compactly configurable device that classifies material containing fiber can more reliably recover classified content. A classifier has a mesh disc with numerous holes, and separates screenings that pass through the holes from remnants that do not pass through; a defibrated material spray nozzle disposed to one side of the mesh disc sprays defibrated material containing fiber onto the mesh disc; a suction conduit disposed to the other side of the mesh disc suctions the waste screenings that pass through the holes; and a recovery conduit disposed on the one side of the mesh disc suctions the processing feedstock that do not pass through the holes and in the mesh disc and remain on the mesh disc. The mesh disc is disposed so the a position of the holes can move from a spraying position opposite the defibrated material spray nozzle to a suction position opposite the recovery conduit. The recovery conduit suctions, at the suction position, processing feedstock that was left at the spraying position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A classifying device comprising:
a first separator having multiple holes and configured to separate screenings that pass through the holes, and remnants that do not pass through the holes;
a first spraying unit disposed on one side of the first separator and configured to spray feedstock containing fiber to separate from the one side onto the first separator, the first spraying unit having a diameter R 1 ;
a first suction unit disposed on the other side of the first separator and configured to suction the screenings that have passed through the holes;
a second suction unit disposed on the one side of the first separator, and configured to suction, from the one side of the first separator, the remnants that do not pass through the holes in the first separator and remain on the first separator, the second suction unit having a width R 2 , the width R 2 being greater than the diameter R 1 , wherein:
the first separator being movably disposed so each of the holes can be repositioned from a first position opposite the first spraying unit to a second position opposite the second suction unit;
the second suction unit configured to suction at the second position the remnants left at the first position;

a second spraying unit disposed to the other side of the first separator, and configured to spray humidified air onto the remnants suctioned by the second suction unit; and
a wetting device configured to supply the humidified air to the second spraying unit.

2. The classifying device described in claim 1 , further comprising:
a humidified air supply device configured to supply humidified air to a space containing the first separator.

3. The classifying device described in claim 2 , wherein:
the first separator is a plate member that rotates, and the first position and second position are offset to one side from an axis of rotation of the first separator.

4. The classifying device described in claim 2 , further comprising:
a third spraying unit disposed to the second separator on the same side as the first suction unit, and configured to supply humidified air onto the remnants that a third suction unit suctions.

5. The classifying device described in claim 4 , wherein:
the third spraying unit and the third suction unit are disposed in opposition with the second separator therebetween, and
an area of an opening of the third suction unit to the surface of the second separator is greater than an area of an opening of a third sprayer to the surface of the second separator.

6. The classifying device described in claim 1 , wherein:
the wetting device configured to add moisture to the first separator between the first position and the second position.

7. The classifying device described in claim 1 , wherein:
the first spraying unit and the first suction unit are disposed in opposition with the first separator therebetween, and
an area of an opening of the first suction unit to the surface of the first separator is greater than an area of an opening of the first spraying unit to the surface of the first separator.

8. The classifying device described in claim 1 , further comprising:
a second separator disposed between the first separator and the first suction unit, and having holes smaller than the holes in the first separator; and
a third suction unit disposed to the opposite side of the second separator as the first suction unit;
the second separator being movably disposed so each of the holes of the second separator can be repositioned from a third position opposite the first suction unit to a fourth position opposite the third suction unit; and
the third suction unit configured to suction at the fourth position the remnants of the screenings that pass through the holes in the first separator but do not pass the holes in the second separator and are left on the second separator.

9. The classifying device described in claim 8 , wherein:
the third suction unit is disposed to a position not overlapping the second suction unit in the suction direction.

10. A fibrous feedstock recycling device comprising:
a defibrator configured to defibrate feedstock containing fiber;
a classifier configured to separate processing feedstock from defibrated material that was defibrated by the defibrator; and
a sheet forming unit configured to form the processing feedstock separated by the classifier into a sheet form;
the classifier including
a first separator having multiple holes and configured to separate screenings that pass through the holes, and remnants that do not pass through the holes;
a first sprayer disposed on one side of the first separator and configured to spray the defibrated material from the one side onto the first separator, the first sprayer having a diameter R 1 ;
a first suction unit disposed on the other side of the first separator and configured to suction the screenings that passed through the holes;
a second suction unit disposed on the one side of the first separator, and configured to suction, from the one side of the first separator, the remnants that do not pass through the holes in the first separator and remain on the first separator, the second suction unit having a width R 2 , the width R 2 being greater than the diameter R 1 ;
a second sprayer disposed to the other side of the first separator, and configured to spray humidified air onto the remnants suctioned by the second suction unit; and
a wetting device configured to supply the humidified air to the second sprayer;
the first separator being movably disposed so each of the holes can be repositioned from a first position opposite the first sprayer to a second position opposite the second suction unit;
the second suction unit configured to suction at the second position the remnants left at the first position; and
the fibrous feedstock recycling device conveying the remnants suctioned by the second suction unit to the sheet forming unit.

11. A classifying device comprising:
a first separator having multiple holes and configured to separate screenings of feedstock containing fiber that pass through the holes and remnants of the feedstock that do not pass through the holes;
a first sprayer disposed on one side of the first separator and configured to spray the feedstock onto the first separator, the first sprayer having a diameter R 1 ;
a first conduit disposed on the other side of the first separator and configured to suction the screenings that passed through the holes;
a second conduit disposed on the one side of the first separator, and configured to suction, from the one side of the first separator, the remnants that do not pass through the holes in the first separator and remain on the first separator, the second conduit having a width R 2 , the width R 2 being greater than the diameter R 1 ;
a second sprayer disposed to the other side of the first separator, and configured to spray humidified air onto the remnants suctioned by the second conduit; and
a wetting device configured to supply the humidified air to the second sprayer;
the first separator being configured to move with each of the holes movable from a first position opposite the first sprayer to a second position opposite the second conduit; and
the second conduit configured to suction at the second position the remnants left at the first position and moved to the second position.

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Higuchi Naotaka
• Inagaki Yuta

Classifications

• B07B7/06 Primary

  by impingement against sieves · CPC title

• D21F9/00

  Complete machines for making continuous webs of paper · CPC title

• B07B11/06

  Feeding or discharging arrangements · CPC title

• B07B2201/04

  Multiple deck screening devices comprising one or more superimposed screens · CPC title

• B07B13/16

  Feed or discharge arrangements · CPC title