U.S. patent application number 12/405448 was filed with the patent office on 2009-07-16 for office equipment for paper recycling.
Invention is credited to Stefano Brambilla.
Application Number | 20090178774 12/405448 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40849653 |
Filed Date | 2009-07-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090178774 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Brambilla; Stefano |
July 16, 2009 |
Office equipment for paper recycling
Abstract
An office paper recycling apparatus within a unitary body makes
new office paper for use in office equipment from used office
machine paper. The apparatus comprises a paper-shredding portion; a
pulping portion; a paper-forming portion; a paper-press portion; a
paper-drying portion; a paper-finishing portion having a means to
trim the paper, a means to adjust the paper forming process by
monitoring the stiffness properties and fiber orientation and a
means to remove dust debris; and, a paper-collecting portion, where
the new sheets are collected and stacked, ready to be used in
office equipment.
Inventors: |
Brambilla; Stefano; (Milan,
IT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
LOUIS VENTRE, JR
2483 OAKTON HILLS DRIVE
OAKTON
VA
22124-1530
US
|
Family ID: |
40849653 |
Appl. No.: |
12/405448 |
Filed: |
March 17, 2009 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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11307743 |
Feb 20, 2006 |
|
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12405448 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
162/194 ;
162/253; 162/263 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y02W 30/646 20150501;
D21F 9/00 20130101; D21F 13/00 20130101; D21F 11/00 20130101; D21B
1/32 20130101; Y02W 30/64 20150501 |
Class at
Publication: |
162/194 ;
162/263; 162/253 |
International
Class: |
D21F 11/00 20060101
D21F011/00; D21F 7/00 20060101 D21F007/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 11, 2005 |
IT |
MI2005A001307 |
Claims
1. An office paper recycling apparatus for producing office machine
quality paper within a unitary body from used office machine paper,
the apparatus comprising: a paper-shredding portion configured to
cut a sheet of used paper into fragments and shred said fragments;
a pulping portion configured to transform shredded fragments from
the paper-shredding portion into a paper slurry; a paper-forming
portion comprising a flow box configured to adjustably flow and
consolidate the paper slurry into a thin mat forming a paper web on
a moving belt; a paper-press portion configured to remove water
from the paper web; a paper-drying portion configured to dry the
paper web; a paper-finishing portion comprising: an ultrasonic
control device comprising an ultrasonic wave transmitter and a
plurality of ultrasonic wave receivers, wherein the ultrasonic
control device is configured to output pattern measurements related
to stiffness properties and fibers orientation along a plurality of
directions on the paper web; a computer readable medium for storing
instructions which when executed cause a computer to perform the
following steps: calculating the Tensile Stiffness Index and the
Tensile Stiffness Orientation of the paper web from the output of
the ultrasonic control device; and, adjusting the flow of paper
slurry from the flow box and the speed of the moving belt to
control the degree of anisotropy of paper web; a slitting knife and
transversal rotary blade configured to cut the paper web to single
sheet dimensions; and, a means to remove dust debris comprising a
suction roller configured to remove dust from the paper surface;
and, a paper-collecting portion configured to place a paper sheet
in a stack.
2. The office paper recycling apparatus of claim 1 further
comprising a paper-sizing portion configured to smooth the surface
of the paper web after it leaves the paper-drying portion.
3. The office paper recycling apparatus of claim 1 wherein the
pulping portion comprises a pulping unit; a deflaking unit; a
washing unit; a holding tank; a screen; and, a waste collecting
tank.
4. The office paper recycling apparatus of claim 3 wherein the
deflaking unit comprises a refining unit wherein the fibers in the
slurry can be shortened and homogenized.
5. The office paper recycling apparatus of claim 4 wherein the
deflaking unit further comprises a toothed rotor and a stator and
is capable of breaking up clots in a fiber slurry.
6. The office paper recycling apparatus of claim 3 wherein the
washing unit is a magnetic device capable of removing agglomerated
ink.
7. The office paper recycling apparatus of claim 3 wherein the
washing unit is capable of removing ink from the slurry.
8. The office paper recycling apparatus of claim 3 wherein the
holding tank comprises propellers to enable the creation of an
homogeneous slurry.
9. The office paper recycling apparatus of claim 3 wherein the
holding tank is capable of receiving chemical additives from a
plurality of auxiliary tanks.
10. The office paper recycling apparatus of claim 1 wherein the
moving belt comprises a rotatable forming drum with a wire mesh
surface, wherein said drum is partially submerged in dilute pulp
slurry in a vessel and wherein the wire mesh surface is capable of
spreading and consolidating the slurry and forming a paper web when
the drum is rotated.
11. The office paper recycling apparatus of claim 10 wherein the
moving belt comprises a continuous fabric belt wound around a
circumferential segment of the rotatable forming drum configured to
drain water from the paper web into the vessel.
12. The office paper recycling apparatus of claim 11 wherein the
vessel is configured to recycle water to the pulping portion.
13. The office paper recycling apparatus of claim 1 wherein the
paper-press portion comprises a plurality of suction rollers
wherein said suction rollers form a double nip with a nip roller to
enable pressing out water from the paper web.
14. The office paper recycling apparatus of claim 1 wherein the
paper-drying portion comprises, two series of heated cylinders; two
paper-drying fabric belts; and a plurality of rollers; wherein the
drying portion is configured to alternate the paper web through the
heated cylinders on the paper-drying fabric belts along the rollers
such that water can be removed from the paper web and fabric belts
by vaporization through the transfer of heat from the heated
cylinders.
15. The office paper recycling apparatus of claim 14 wherein the
paper-drying portion further comprises a fan capable of removing
the vaporized water from the apparatus.
16. The office paper recycling apparatus of claim 1 further
comprising a computer, the computer comprising computer readable
memory for storing instructions which when implemented on the
computer automatically operate and control working parameters of
each portion of the apparatus to produce a uniform structure and
composition on both sides of a sheet of paper, wherein the working
parameters comprise: balance between fiber lengths, fiber
orientation, fiber distribution on top and bottom sides of the
paper web during the paper forming process, paper web top and
bottom sides drying, amount of filler, and moisture content.
17. A process of making new paper from used paper using the
apparatus of claim 1 comprising the steps of, transforming used
paper into a slurry of water and fibers in the pulping portion;
flowing and consolidating the slurry into a thin mat forming a
paper web in the paper-forming portion; measuring paper web
properties and fibers orientation while flowing and consolidating
the slurry; adjusting the flow of paper slurry from the flow box
and the speed of the moving belt to control the degree of
anisotropy of the paper web; removing water from the paper web in
the paper-press portion; drying the paper web in the paper-drying
portion; trimming the paper web to a sheet in the paper-finishing
portion; removing dust coming from sheeter and slitter operations
or paper surface debris; and, placing the sheet in a stack in the
paper-collecting portion.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part, and claims the
benefit of the filing date of, prior-filed nonprovisional
application No. 11/307,743, filed on Feb. 20, 2006, which in turn
claims the benefit of the parent Italian patent application
M12005A001307, filed on Jul. 11, 2005, both of which are hereby
incorporated herein by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] In the field of paper recycling, self-contained office
equipment that recycles discarded office machine paper to make new
office machine paper.
BACKGROUND ART
[0003] Paper recycling is becoming increasingly important in
worldwide conservation efforts.
[0004] In Europe, the Confederation of European Paper Industries
together with European Recovered Paper Association and the European
Federation of Corrugated Board Manufacturers signed a declaration
in 2000 committing the signatories to achieving a recycling rate of
56% by 2005. These parties agreed to strive for further
improvements in the environmental performance of the industry
through measures such as improved use of material and optimising
collection systems.
[0005] The American Forest and Paper Association has set a paper
recovery goal of 55% of all paper consumed by 2012 and announced a
partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to
increase paper recovery in office buildings, municipalities and
schools.
[0006] In fact, during the last few years and despite the boom of
paperless technology, office paper consumption has increased. A
very small percentage of used paper office is currently collected
and the use of recycled paper is not common in many office
buildings.
[0007] In 1990, a project called "National Office Paper Recycling
Project" was initiated in the United States. This Project is a
collaborative effort by The United States Conference of Mayors and
private corporations and public interest groups. Its goal is to
maximise recycling and minimise disposal of office paper.
[0008] The Project publishes an Office Paper Recycling Guide
designed to assist employers, communities and building managers in
establishing programs on office paper collection and buying
recycled products. This Guide sets the following features of a
successful recycling program at the office buildings: employees
sort their recyclable paper into special containers beside or on
their desk; a central storage area is used for collection and
storage of used paper between pickups by recyclers; employees
identify local recycling services; an enthusiastic coordinator is
designated who fosters a sense teamwork and enlists the support of
all the employees; a continuing promotion of the recycling program;
and, buying recycled paper.
[0009] The device of the present invention enables anyone to make
new office paper from used office paper in an office environment.
New office paper made according to the invention is known as
recycled paper and is suitable for use in office machines, such as
copiers, laser printers and ink jet printers. In using the present
invention, used office paper is collected from an office or a suite
of offices in an office building, and then the used office paper is
recycled into new office paper in the device of the present
invention.
[0010] The device of the present invention would, typically, be
located in that same office or suite of offices, or within the same
office building from which the used paper is collected. Being of
similar size to a typical copy machine, the present invention might
be installed wherever a copy machine is found.
[0011] Recycled paper produced according to the invention meets
performance standards for operability of paper used in office
machines, so that the recycled paper minimizes paper jams, curls
and dusting problems that can be caused by unsatisfactory
paper.
[0012] The invention controls product paper curl by controlling
balance between fiber lengths, fiber orientation, fiber
distribution, amount of filler, moisture content, fiber processing
and drying during the recycling and paper making process.
[0013] To control product paper curl in subsequent use of the paper
in an office machine, the invention minimizes unequal fiber
distribution on both sides of the paper (top and bottom) during the
paper forming process and also minimizes an unequal top and bottom
drying process. The invention promotes a uniform structure and
composition on both sides of a sheet of paper. This helps ensure
that shrinkage of fibers on the top of the sheet is similar to the
shrinkage of fibers on the bottom of the sheet, minimizing curl
during toner fusing in copiers and laser printers.
[0014] Paper recycling machines often suffer from dusting stemming
from the sizing and finishing of a sheet of paper. This is due to
inadequacies in sheet cut-off quality, slit quality, and resulting
dust removal. Such inadequacies produce poor edge cuts, rough edges
and chalk residue on the product paper. The present invention
avoids these problems with efficient cutting and dust removal
components and a sizing and finishing process that seals the
paper.
[0015] An office machine quality sheet of paper is not generally an
isotropic material, that is, its properties and characteristics are
not the same when measured along different directions. Two
important variables that provide information on the characteristics
of the sheet of paper are: the Tensile Stiffness Index (TSI) and
the Tensile Stiffness Orientation (TSO). The value TSI provides
information about the stiffness properties of the sheet of paper
while the value TSO provides guidance at the angle between the
direction of paper forming machine and direction of the maximum
value of the elasticity coefficient (Young modulus) of paper
sheet.
[0016] The present invention provides a method and self-contained
office equipment able to control the paper forming process by a
computerized ultrasonic sound wave system and a dust removal
system. Dust removal after sheeting operations enables the
production paper while avoiding dusting problems. Together these
systems enable production of recycled paper capable of being used
in office machines without paper jams, curls and dusting
problems.
[0017] The prior art encompasses paper recycling equipment that is
not capable of producing office paper in equipment sized for office
use. The prior art of small-scale and self-contained office
equipment recycles discarded paper to make new paper that is not
capable of being used in office equipment.
[0018] A first example is illustrated by U.S. Pat. No. 5,736,286,
which describes a method for recycling a toner-image-deposited
recording material formed by electrophotographic method using a dry
toner and a water-containing liquid composition for promoting the
removal of images deposited on the recording material. This
recycling method comprises the steps of impregnating the
toner-image-bearing recording material with a water-containing
image removal promoting liquid; bringing an image release member
into contact with the image bearing surface of the recording
material with the application of heat thereto and removing the
toner images from the recording material.
[0019] Another example is U.S. Pat. No. 6,022,423 (the '423
device), which describes a method to recycle office paper by
applying a de-inking solution to individual sheets of paper to be
de-inked. The process uses a cleaning solution and surfactant,
abrading the paper to remove the non impact ink from the paper and
washing the paper to remove the de-inking solution from the paper.
The '423 device includes means for heating the sheet of paper and
applying a de-inking solution to paper to be de-inked, means for
abrading the paper to remove the ink from the paper, means for
washing the paper to remove solution from the paper, means for
drying the sheets of paper after the de-inking solution has been
washed from the paper and means for compressing the dried sheet of
paper to remove from the paper any wrinkles present.
[0020] Another example is Japanese Patent Publication No. 10-317290
(the '290 publication), which describes a method and apparatus to
recycle office paper in office buildings using a paper making
process. This method provides that already shredded used paper is
disintegrated with two sequential pulpers to obtain a recycled
pulp, which is placed in a chest. A binder such as polyvinyl
alcohol is then added thereto and the resultant mixture is stored
while being slowly stirred. The recycled pulp is subsequently
filled in a jetting device and blow on a rateable endless fibrous
sheet and then dried with a drying roller and wound to afford the
final new paper. The '290 publication does not teach a method for
producing office machine quality paper. Another significant
drawback to the invention described in the '290 publication is that
it does not provide all required steps for paper manufacturing,
which would require a much larger device that would complicate the
recycling process and be unsuitable for use in office buildings.
Furthermore, to enable use in office buildings, it is not enough to
miniaturize each step of paper making process, but, as with the
present invention, the device must automate and simplify operation
of the unit to enable use by unskilled labor for making office
machine quality paper. The present invention differs from the
teachings of the '290 publication in that it provides a single,
compact apparatus that automatically performs all the required
process steps to convert a used sheet of paper to a new, ready to
use sheet of paper of office machine quality.
[0021] Another example is U.S. Patent Publication 20070113994 (the
'994 publication), which describes a method and an apparatus
comprising a housing unit including an inlet for receiving paper
material to be recycled and a first processing chamber having means
adapted for producing a pulp from paper material, a second
processing chamber having a screw device rotatably mounted therein,
the screw device being arranged for receiving the pulped material
from the first processing chamber and having a pitch configured for
driving the pulped material along its length for refining the
pulped material, the screw device being further arranged for
squeezing liquid from the pulped material, the unit includes a
third processing chamber for adding binder to the pulped material
after it has passed through the second processing chamber and means
arranged for producing a paper web from the pulped material after
it has been processed by the third processing chamber. The unit
described terminates with an outlet dispenser portion including a
cutter in the form of a serrated blade for cutting a length from
the recycled web as required.
[0022] A significant drawback to the invention taught in the '994
publication is that it does not provide specific means able to
obtain recycled paper performing in satisfactory way in office
equipment as copiers, laser printers and ink jet printers. The
application has no means to control top to bottom fiber
distribution or the structure and composition of the paper sheet.
In addition, there are not means to avoid dusting.
[0023] Accordingly, the present invention will serve to advance
worldwide conservation efforts in paper recycling, to enable anyone
to make new office paper from used paper collected in office
buildings, to improve the state of the art in paper recycling by
providing a single, compact apparatus that performs all the
required process steps to convert a used sheet of paper to a new,
ready to use sheet of paper of office machine quality.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
[0024] An office paper recycling apparatus makes new office paper
from used office paper in a self-contained unitary body for use in
an office building. The preferred embodiment of the apparatus is
compact for use in an office and performs all the required process
steps to convert a used sheet of office machine paper to a new,
ready to use sheet of office machine paper. Portions of preferred
embodiments of the apparatus feed a single sheet of used paper
automatically into the apparatus; shred the paper; pulp the
shredded paper by mixing with water and subjecting to it to
mechanical action to become a slurry; form new paper from the
slurry by spreading the paper fibers consolidating them into a thin
mat for sheet formation; press the mat into a sheet by squeezing it
between a series of rollers and continuous felts to remove the most
of the water from the web; dry the sheet by passing it between a
series of heated cylinders to take up final drying; size the sheet
by passing it between rolls of polished metal to provide surface
strength and smoothness; finish the paper sheet in a finishing
portion that also measures paper stiffness properties and fibers
orientation to computer control the slurry spreading operation to
obtain the desired paper quality; collect and stack the paper sheet
for new uses.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0025] The preferred embodiment of the invention is described in
the drawings of which:
[0026] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an arrangement of the main
portions of the office paper recycling apparatus.
[0027] FIG. 2 is a cross sectional detail of the components of
office paper recycling apparatus.
[0028] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an arrangement of an ultrasonic
control device.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0029] The preferred embodiment of the office paper recycling
apparatus is described hereinafter in reference to the drawings. As
the following detailed description should not be taken to limit the
invention, some steps of the process described may be performed in
a different order and the others may be excluded. The description
of the well-know devices to those skilled in the art will not be
given in details.
[0030] Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the preferred embodiment of
the invention is an office paper recycling apparatus (1) for
producing office machine quality paper within a unitary body from
used office machine paper. Features of the present invention are
its ability to provide recycling of used office machine quality
paper in an apparatus (1) that produces office machine quality
paper in a self-contained unitary body that is configured in a size
approximating those of other commonly found office equipment, such
as a copy machine.
[0031] The apparatus (1) comprises a paper-shredding portion (57)
configured to cut a sheet of used paper into fragments and shred
these fragments.
[0032] The apparatus (1) comprises a pulping portion (51)
configured to transform shredded fragments from the paper-shredding
portion into a paper slurry.
[0033] The apparatus (1) comprises a paper-forming portion (52)
comprising a flow box (21) configured to adjustably flow and
consolidate the paper slurry into a thin mat forming a paper web on
a moving belt.
[0034] The apparatus comprises a paper-press portion (53) wherein
water is removed from the paper web.
[0035] The apparatus (1) comprises a paper-drying portion (54)
configured to dry the paper web.
[0036] Optionally, the apparatus (1) comprises a paper-sizing
portion (55) configured to smooth the surface of the paper web
after it leaves the paper-drying portion (54).
[0037] The apparatus (1) comprises a paper-finishing portion (56)
that comprises an ultrasonic control device (62), illustrated in
FIG. 3. The ultrasonic control device (62) comprises an ultrasonic
wave transmitter (63) and a plurality of ultrasonic wave receivers
(64), wherein the ultrasonic control device (62) is configured to
output pattern measurements related to stiffness properties and
fibers orientation along a plurality of directions on the paper
web. The paper-finishing portion (56) further comprises a computer
readable medium (66) for storing instructions which when executed
cause a computer to perform the following steps: calculating the
Tensile Stiffness Index and the Tensile Stiffness Orientation of
the paper web from the output of the ultrasonic control device;
and, adjusting the flow of paper slurry from the flow box (21) and
the speed of the moving belt to control the degree of anisotropy of
paper web.
[0038] The paper-finishing portion (56) further comprises at least
one slitting knife (47) and transversal rotary blade (48)
configured to cut the paper web to single sheet dimensions.
[0039] The paper-finishing portion (56) further comprises a means
to remove dust debris comprising a suction roller (65) configured
to remove dust from the paper surface.
[0040] The apparatus (1) comprises a paper-collecting portion (59)
configured to place a paper sheet (B) in a stack. These components
are now described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 2 and
3.
[0041] Used paper (A) in the form of sheets is manually loaded by
operator onto the shelf (2) of a paper-feeding portion (58). Two
banks of wheels (3, 5) catch the used sheet of paper and load it
into the paper-shredding portion (57), where a bank of circular
slitting knives (4) and rotary blades (6) shred the sheet of paper.
Fragments of paper (60) are then fed to a pulper (7), included in
the pulping portion (51).
[0042] The pulper (7) is made up of a vessel (7b) having a
partially conical cross section and the rotor blades (7a) inside,
the blades pulp the paper and separate the ink from the paper by
mechanical action and adding sufficient water from the tank (8)
necessary to turn the pulped paper into a fiber slurry, commonly
known as papermaking stock. Chemical additives from a tank (14) are
added to pulper (7) as needed to increase whiteness and purity of
the fibers. When the slurry reaches a predetermined thinning ratio
and amalgamation, it is pumped to a deflaker (10) by the pump
(9).
[0043] The deflaker (10) comprises a toothed rotor (11) and a
stator (12) housed in a case (10a), where the fiber slurry is acted
upon by mechanical forces and submitted to the strong acceleration,
collisions and rubbing. The deflaker is capable of breaking up
clots in fiber slurry.
[0044] In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the deflaker
(10) comprises a refiner, where the fibers in the slurry are made
shorter and more homogeneous. In another embodiment of the
invention, the deflaker (10) comprises the toothed rotor (11), the
stator (12) housed in a case (10a) and a refiner.
[0045] From the deflaker (10) the slurry is fed to a washing unit
(13). The washing unit provides capability for removing ink from
the slurry. Thus, the washing unit (13) is a drum thickener,
wherein any ink from the original sheet is removed from the
slurry.
[0046] In an alternative embodiment of the invention, ink is
removed from the slurry by magnetic separation. In this embodiment,
magnetite and other agglomerating chemicals are added in the pulper
(7) and the slurry is subjected in washing unit (13) to a magnetic
field to separate and remove the agglomerated ink particles.
[0047] The slurry is then collected in a holding tank (15), where a
propeller (15a) creates a homogeneous mixture. Optional auxiliary
chemicals and additives (e.g., clay, chalk and titanium dioxide)
are added to the holding tank from auxiliary tanks (16, 17).
[0048] From the holding tank (15), a pump (18) moves the slurry to
a screen (19) where non-fiber impurities are removed from the
slurry. In the preferred embodiment, the screen (19) is a
centrifugal screen made up of a cylindrical vessel having a
tangential inlet and a drilled chest inside (screen). The vortex
from centrifugation removes heavy particles and forces the slurry
through the screen to an outlet. A second outlet directs waste
(i.e. non-fibre impurities) to a holding tank (22).
[0049] In an alternative embodiment, the screen (19) is a pressure
screen, where pressure is used to force the slurry through the
screen. A paper-forming portion (52) essentially comprises a
rotatable forming drum (23) partially submerged in dilute pulp
slurry in a vessel (28). The forming drum (23) has a surface (23a)
covered by wire mesh. The paper-forming portion (52) is where the
slurry starts to become new paper and the fibers are spread and
consolidated into a thin mat.
[0050] In the preferred embodiment, an axial pump (20) conveys the
slurry from the outlet in the holding tank (15) to a flow box (21),
which squirts the slurry through a thin slit (21a) of the flow box
(21), onto surface (23a) of the forming drum (23). The width of the
slit is adjustable by a top slice (21b) and an apron board (21c) to
adjust the speed of the jet of slurry leaving the flow box, to
control the orientation and relative arrangement of the fibers.
[0051] A continuous fabric belt (24) is preferably an endless wire
felt. The belt (24) is wound around a circumferential segment of
the forming drum (23) and is stretched by rollers (25), wire return
rollers (26) and a couch roller (27). The couch roller is a suction
couch roller with numerous small holes through which a high vacuum
exists for the rapid removal of water from the fabric belt and the
web as they travel over the roller. Water is partially drained away
as the paper web is formed. The drained water is recovered in the
vessel (28) and recycled to the pulper (7) by pump (29), creating a
closed cycle. The pick-up roller (30) removes the paper web from
the fabric belt (24) after it exits the couch roller (27) and
places it onto a press belt (31) in the paper-press portion (53).
In this paper-press portion, the paper web goes through rollers
(33, 34, 35) that squeeze and remove more water from the paper
web.
[0052] The press belt (31) is tensioned by a suction roller (33)
and a second set of wire return rollers (32). The paper web is
stretched on a second fabric belt (36) by a second suction roller
(35) and third set of wire return rollers (37). This removes some
of the water in the paper web. The two suction rollers (33, 35)
forming a double nip with nip roller (34), pressing out water. A
suction pump (38) facilitates the dewatering operations of
paper-press portion (53).
[0053] A transferring fabric belt (39) is tensioned by transferring
rollers (40). Transferring fabric belt (39) picks up the paper web
from the paper-press portion (53) and delivers it to the
paper-drying portion (54). The paper-drying portion (54) is made up
by two series (54a, 54b) of heated cylinders (41) and two
paper-drying fabric belts (42). The paper-drying fabric belts (42),
stretched by paper-drying rollers (44) and paper-drying tightening
rollers (43), remove water from the paper web in the manner of a
blotter. The paper web alternates through the heated cylinders on
the paper-drying fabric belts such that water is removed by
vaporization from the paper web and fabric belts through the
transfer of heat. Thus, the heat creates steam, which in turn is
removed from the apparatus with a ventilation fan (45). Ventilation
minimizes a water-saturated environment within the apparatus
housing or case (50).
[0054] After the drying process, the paper web preferably goes into
the paper-sizing portion (55). This section is made up of polished
metal rollers (46), where the paper web goes through to smooth the
surface and to get surface strength and uniform thickness.
[0055] The paper-finishing portion (56) includes an ultrasonic
control device (62). The ultrasonic control device (62) is used to
control factors affecting paper quality in paper making
process.
[0056] The ultrasonic control device comprises an ultrasonic wave
transmitter (63) and a plurality of ultrasonic wave receivers (64)
distributed around the transmitter (63) configured to output
pattern measurements related to stiffness properties and fibers
orientation along a plurality of directions on the paper web (67).
The output is typically the value of the speed of propagation of
ultrasonic sound waves, measured along different directions. Since
the paper web is a not an isotropic material, the velocity of sound
waves propagation has a maximum in one direction and minimum in the
direction orthogonal to the maximum direction. From the value of
the speed of propagation of ultrasonic sound waves measured along
these different directions, it is possible to determine the values
of the Tensile Stiffness Index and Tensile Stiffness Orientation
sheet of paper.
[0057] The paper-finishing portion (56) includes a computer
readable medium (66) for storing instructions which when executed
cause a computer to perform the following steps: calculating the
Tensile Stiffness Index and the Tensile Stiffness Orientation of
the paper web from the output of the ultrasonic control device;
and, adjusting the flow of paper slurry from the flow box and the
speed of the moving belt to control the degree of anisotropy of
paper web.
[0058] The calculation preferably employs a ratio between Tensile
Stiffness Index and the Tensile Stiffness Orientation. If this
ratio is greater than 1, the fiber suspension leaving the mouth of
the flow box (21) has a deceleration and a rolling of the fibers on
the fabric belt or surface where the fibers are spread and
consolidated into a thin mat, resulting in a distribution not
preferential and non-ordered of fibers and getting a lower
anisotropy of the sheet. Alternatively, if the ratio is less than
1, then the speed of the jet of the slurry leaving the mouth of the
flow box (21) is smaller than the speed of the fabric belt or
surface where the fibers are spread and consolidated into a thin
mat, the fiber suspension will accelerate on the fabric belt or
surface and thus will tend to be oriented in paper forming machine
direction and to have a more orderly distribution. The calculation
enables adjustment in real time of the width of the thin slit (21a)
of the flow box (21), which in turn promotes an anisotropy of
mechanical properties of the paper sheet.
[0059] The paper-finishing portion (56) includes at least one
slitting knife (47), at least one transversal rotary blade (48) and
a suction roller (65). At least one slitting knife (47) and
transversal rotary blade (48) cut the sized paper web to single
sheet dimensions. Such sheet dimensions would be any dimensions
desired. Typical sheet dimensions would meet an industry standard,
such as for example A4, B4, 8.5 by 11 inches and 8.5 by 14
inches.
[0060] The paper-finishing portion (56) includes a means to remove
dust debris comprising a suction roller (65) configured to remove
dust from the paper surface. The suction roller (65) is a dust
removal system able to remove dust related to sheeter and slitter
operations or paper surface debris. Sheeter and slitter operations
comprise cutting the paper web to get a paper sheet with requisite
dimensions. The suction roller (65) is preferably a roller with a
plurality of holes on its surface and a depression inside. The
suction is generated by a suction pump (38). The suction removes
dust from the paper surface.
[0061] The cut sheet is then collected in the paper-collecting
portion (59) configured to place a new paper sheet (B) in a stack
on the shelf (49), ready to be used.
[0062] A preferred embodiment includes a computer or central
processing unit (61) comprising computer readable memory for
storing instructions which when implemented on the computer
automatically operate and control working parameters of each
portion of the apparatus . Automatic operation and control promotes
a uniform structure and composition on both sides of a sheet of
paper. The working parameters include balance between fiber
lengths, fiber orientation, fiber distribution on both sides of the
paper web (top and bottom) during the paper forming process, paper
web top and bottom drying, amount of filler, and moisture
content.
[0063] The above-described embodiments including the drawings are
examples of the invention and merely provide illustrations of the
invention. Other embodiments will be obvious to those skilled in
the art. Thus, the scope of the invention is determined by the
appended claims and their legal equivalents rather than by the
examples given.
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