Sheet manufacturing apparatus and sheet manufacturing method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9463579-B2
Application number	US-201514625029-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 18, 2015
Priority date	Feb 21, 2014
Publication date	Oct 11, 2016
Grant date	Oct 11, 2016

Abstract

A sheet manufacturing apparatus includes a defibrating unit configured to defibrate material containing fibers in the air, a classifying unit configured to classify by airflow defibrated material, which has been defibrated at the defibrating unit, into fiber material and waste material, a deposition unit configured to deposit the fiber material to create deposited material, a discharge blower configured to discharge the waste material by airflow from the classifying unit such that the waste material does not move toward a side of the deposition unit, a transfer blower configured to transfer by airflow the fiber material from the classifying unit to the deposition unit, and a forming unit configured to form a sheet by using the deposited material. When manufacturing by the sheet manufacturing apparatus starts, the discharge blower is driven before the transfer blower.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sheet manufacturing apparatus, comprising:
a defibrating unit configured to dry-defibrate material containing fibers;
a classifying unit disposed downstream relative to the defibrating unit in a direction in which defibrated material, which has been dry-defibrated at the defibrating unit, is transferred, the classifying unit being configured to classify by airflow the defibrated material into fiber material and waste material;
a screening unit disposed downstream relative to the classifying unit in a transfer direction in which the fiber material is transferred, and configured to screen the fiber material;
a transfer path disposed downstream relative to the screening unit in the transfer direction, the transfer path including a supply port that is disposed on the transfer path and is configured to supply resin to an inside of the transfer path;
a refining unit disposed downstream relative to the transfer path in the transfer direction, the refining unit being configured to refine the fiber material and the resin;
a transfer blower attached to the transfer path, the transfer blower being disposed downstream relative to the supply port and upstream relative to the refining unit in the transfer direction, the transfer blower including a motor to drive the transfer blower and being configured to transfer the fiber material and the resin by airflow through the transfer path;
a deposition unit disposed downstream relative to the refining unit in the transfer direction, the deposition unit being configured to deposit the fiber material and the resin, which has been transferred by the transfer blower, to create deposited material;
a discharge blower configured to discharge the waste material, which has been classified at the classifying unit, by airflow from the classifying unit such that the waste material does not move toward a side of the deposition unit;
a suction unit configured to suction the deposited material deposited at the deposition unit from below;
a forming unit disposed downstream relative to the deposition unit and the suction unit, the forming unit being configured to form a sheet by using the deposited material which has been suctioned at the suction unit; and
a controller configured to control driving of the defibrating unit, the classifying unit, the motor of the transfer blower, the deposition unit, the discharge blower, the suction unit, and the forming unit,
when manufacturing by the sheet manufacturing apparatus starts, the controller being configured to control the discharge blower to be driven before controlling the motor of the transfer blower to be driven.

2. The sheet manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
when the manufacturing by the sheet manufacturing apparatus starts, the controller is configured to control the suction unit to be driven before controlling the motor of the transfer blower to be driven.

3. The sheet manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
when the manufacturing by the sheet manufacturing apparatus starts, the controller is configured to control one of the discharge blower and the suction unit to be driven before an effect of airflow caused by driving of the other reaches the one.

4. The sheet manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
when the manufacturing by the sheet manufacturing apparatus starts, the controller is configured to control the discharge blower to be driven before controlling the defibrating unit to be driven.

5. A sheet manufacturing method, comprising:
dry-defibrating material containing fibers;
classifying by airflow defibrated material, which has been dry-defibrated, into fiber material and waste material by a classifying unit;
screening the fiber material by a screening unit;
transferring by airflow the fiber material through a transfer path by a transfer blower, the transfer path being disposed downstream relative to the screening unit in a transfer direction in which the fiber material is transferred, the transfer blower being attached to the transfer path, being disposed downstream relative to the screening unit in the transfer direction, and including a motor to drive the transfer blower;
supplying resin to an inside of the transfer path through a supply port that is disposed on the transfer path and upstream relative to the transfer blower in the transfer direction;
refining the fiber material and the resin by a refining unit which is disposed downstream relative to the transfer path and the transfer blower in the transfer direction;
depositing the fiber material being transferred to create deposited material by a deposition unit disposed downstream relative to the refining unit in the transfer direction;
discharging by a discharge blower the waste material by airflow from the classifying unit such that the waste material does not move toward a side of the deposition unit;
suctioning the deposited material from below;
forming a sheet by using the deposited material; and
controlling the discharge blower to be driven before controlling the motor of the transfer blower to be driven, when manufacturing of the sheet starts.

6. The sheet manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
when the manufacturing by the sheet manufacturing apparatus starts, the controller is configured to control the suction unit and the discharge blower to be driven simultaneously.

7. The sheet manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising
a post defibration blower including a motor to drive the post defibration blower and configured to transfer the defibrated material, which has been defibrated at the defibrating unit, by airflow to the classifying unit.

8. The sheet manufacturing apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein
the controller is further configured to control driving of the post defibration blower,
when the manufacturing by the sheet manufacturing apparatus starts, the controller is configured to control the post defibration blower to be driven after controlling the discharge blower and the suction unit to be driven.

9. The sheet manufacturing apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein
when the manufacturing by the sheet manufacturing apparatus starts, the controller is configured to control the post defibration blower to be driven before controlling the defibration unit to be driven.

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Oguchi Yuki

Classifications

• B27N3/04 Primary

  from fibres · CPC title

• D21D5/24

  in cyclones · CPC title

• B27N3/12

  from fibres · CPC title

• D21F9/00 Primary

  Complete machines for making continuous webs of paper · CPC title

• D04H1/732

  by fluid current, e.g. air-lay · CPC title