U.S. patent application number 16/495920 was filed with the patent office on 2020-04-30 for sheet manufacturing apparatus, sheet, and sheet manufacturing method.
The applicant listed for this patent is SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Naotaka HIGUCHI.
Application Number | 20200131705 16/495920 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 63585386 |
Filed Date | 2020-04-30 |
View All Diagrams
United States Patent
Application |
20200131705 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
HIGUCHI; Naotaka |
April 30, 2020 |
SHEET MANUFACTURING APPARATUS, SHEET, AND SHEET MANUFACTURING
METHOD
Abstract
A sheet manufacturing apparatus includes a drum unit having a
plurality of openings, a web forming unit that has a deposition
surface, on which material containing fibers that has passed
through the openings is deposited, and forms a second web on the
deposition surface, a sheet forming unit that processes the second
web and forms a sheet, and a control unit that controls a basis
weight of the second web deposited on the deposition surface in a
direction crossing a transport direction of the second web.
Inventors: |
HIGUCHI; Naotaka; (Suwa-gun,
Fujimi-machi, Nagano, JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION |
Tokyo |
|
JP |
|
|
Family ID: |
63585386 |
Appl. No.: |
16/495920 |
Filed: |
March 13, 2018 |
PCT Filed: |
March 13, 2018 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/JP2018/009668 |
371 Date: |
September 20, 2019 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
D21F 1/74 20130101; D21F
7/06 20130101; D21F 2/00 20130101; D21G 9/0027 20130101; D21F 1/48
20130101 |
International
Class: |
D21F 1/74 20060101
D21F001/74; D21F 2/00 20060101 D21F002/00; D21G 9/00 20060101
D21G009/00; D21F 1/48 20060101 D21F001/48; D21F 7/06 20060101
D21F007/06 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 22, 2017 |
JP |
2017-055337 |
Claims
1. A sheet manufacturing apparatus comprising: a sieving unit
having a plurality of openings; a web forming unit that has a
deposition surface on which material containing fibers that has
passed through the openings is deposited and forms a web on the
deposition surface; a sheet forming unit that forms a sheet by
processing the web; and a control unit that controls a basis weight
of the web deposited on the deposition surface in a direction
crossing a transport direction of the web.
2. The sheet manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the sieving unit includes a rotatable drum unit, a material supply
pipe that supplies a transport air flow containing the material to
inside of the drum unit is arranged, and the material supply pipe
includes a first supply pipe, a second supply pipe that branches
from the first supply pipe at a branch portion and is connected to
one end in a rotation axis direction of the drum unit, a third
supply pipe that branches from the first supply pipe at the branch
portion and is connected to the other end in the rotation axis
direction of the drum unit, and a first adjustment unit that is
provided near the branch portion and changes a ratio between a
transport amount of the material transported by the transport air
flow flowing through the second supply pipe and a transport amount
of the material transported by the transport air flow flowing
through the third supply pipe under control of the control
unit.
3. The sheet manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the sieving unit includes a rotatable drum unit, a housing portion
that covers at least a portion including the openings of the drum
unit, a material supply port that supplies the transport air flow
containing the material to inside of the drum unit, first and
second air intake ports which supply air containing no material
from outside of the housing portion to inside of the drum unit and
which are provided away from each other in a rotation axis
direction of the drum unit, and a second adjustment unit that
changes a ratio of flow rates of air supplied from the first and
the second air intake ports under control of the control unit.
4. The sheet manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the sieving unit includes a rotatable drum unit, a housing portion
that covers at least a portion including the openings of the drum
unit, a material supply port that supplies the transport air flow
containing the material to inside of the drum unit, first and
second air intake ports which supply air containing no material
from outside of the housing portion to inside of the drum unit and
which are provided away from each other in a rotation axis
direction of the drum unit, and a position change unit that changes
a position of the first air intake port with respect to the
material supply port and a position of the second air intake port
with respect to the material supply port under control of the
control unit.
5. The sheet manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the control unit controls a flow rate of the transport air
flow.
6. The sheet manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, further
comprising: a suction unit that sucks the material to the
deposition surface by a suction air flow, wherein the control unit
controls a flow rate of the suction air flow.
7. A sheet manufacturing apparatus comprising: a web forming unit
that forms a web by depositing a material containing fibers on a
deposition surface; a sheet forming unit that forms a sheet by
processing the web; a receiving unit that receives a setting of a
basis weight distribution of the sheet; and a control unit that
controls a basis weight of the web to be deposited on the
deposition surface of the web forming unit based on the basis
weight distribution received by the receiving unit.
8. The sheet manufacturing apparatus according to claim 7, further
comprising: a sieving unit where a plurality of openings are
formed, wherein the material that passes through the openings of
the sieving unit is deposited on the deposition surface, and the
receiving unit receives a basis weight distribution in a
predetermined direction crossing a transport direction of the web
as a basis weight distribution of the sheet.
9. The sheet manufacturing apparatus according to claim 7, further
comprising: a detection unit that detects a thickness or a basis
weight of the web or the sheet, wherein the control unit controls a
basis weight distribution of the web in a predetermined direction
crossing a transport direction of the web based on a detection
result of the detection unit.
10. A sheet that is transported by being pinched by a transport
roller pair, wherein variation is provided in a basis weight
distribution in a predetermined direction crossing a transport
direction and a basis weight in a central portion is greater than a
basis weight in an end portion in the predetermined direction.
11. The sheet according to claim 10, wherein a thickness of the end
portion in the predetermined direction is equal to a thickness of
the central portion.
12. A sheet manufactured by the sheet manufacturing apparatus
according to claim 1.
13. A sheet manufacturing method comprising: a first step of
forming a web by depositing a material containing fibers on a
deposition surface; a second step of transporting the web; and a
third step of forming a sheet by processing the transported web,
wherein, in the first step, variation is generated in a basis
weight distribution in a predetermined direction crossing a
transport direction of the web and a basis weight in a central
portion is made greater than a basis weight in an end portion in
the predetermined direction.
14. A sheet manufactured by the sheet manufacturing apparatus
according to claim 7.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a U.S. National stage application of
International Patent Application No. PCT/JP2018/009668, filed on
Mar. 13, 2018, which claims priority under 35 U.S.C. .sctn. 119(a)
to Japanese Patent Application No. 2017-055337, filed in Japan on
Mar. 22, 2017. The entire disclosure of Japanese Patent Application
No. 2017-055337 is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present invention relates to a sheet manufacturing
apparatus, a sheet, and a sheet manufacturing method.
BACKGROUND ART
[0003] Conventionally, a method of controlling a paper thickness in
a step of manufacturing paper is known (for example, see Japanese
Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 8-13376). In a
papermaking process in which base paper that is solid-liquid
separated from white water containing pulp component is pressed and
dried and thereafter wound up, an apparatus described in Japanese
Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 8-13376 controls a
basis weight so that a deviation from a set paper thickness becomes
small based on a paper thickness measurement value before the paper
is wound up.
[0004] As described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application
Publication No. 8-13376, when a paper or a sheet such as a paper is
manufactured, it is preferable that the basis weight is uniform.
Therefore, there has been no proposal to provide variation in
distribution of basis weight within a surface of a sheet.
SUMMARY
[0005] An object of the present invention is to appropriately
control the distribution of basis weight in a sheet when
manufacturing the sheet.
[0006] To solve the above problem, the sheet manufacturing
apparatus of the present invention includes a sieving unit having a
plurality of openings, a web forming unit that has a deposition
surface on which material containing fibers that has passed through
the openings is deposited and forms a web on the deposition
surface, a sheet forming unit that forms a sheet by processing the
web, and a control unit that controls a basis weight of the web
deposited on the deposition surface in a direction crossing a
transport direction of the web.
[0007] According to the present invention, in the sheet
manufacturing apparatus that manufacture a sheet by depositing a
material containing fibers, a distribution of basis weight of a
sheet to be manufactured can be controlled by controlling the basis
weight of a web to be deposited. Thereby, it is possible to realize
a desired basis weight distribution in the sheet. For example, by
making the basis weight in a central portion greater than that in
end portions in a predetermined direction within a surface of the
sheet, it is possible to manufacture a sheet whose rigidity in the
predetermined direction is high and whose transportability is high
when being transported by a printer or the like.
[0008] In the above configuration, the sheet manufacturing
apparatus may have a configuration in which the sieving unit
includes a rotatable drum unit, a material supply pipe that
supplies a transport air flow containing the material to inside of
the drum unit is arranged, and the material supply pipe includes a
first supply pipe, a second supply pipe that branches from the
first supply pipe at a branch portion and is connected to one end
in a rotation axis direction of the drum unit, a third supply pipe
that branches from the first supply pipe at the branch portion and
is connected to the other end in the rotation axis direction of the
drum unit, and a first adjustment unit that is provided near the
branch portion and changes a ratio between a transport amount of
the material transported by the transport air flow flowing through
the second supply pipe and a transport amount of the material
transported by the transport air flow flowing through the third
supply pipe under control of the control unit.
[0009] According to this configuration, it is possible to change
the ratio of materials supplied to the drum unit by changing the
ratio between the transport amount of the material transported by
the transport air flow from one side and the transport amount of
the material transported by the transport air flow from the other
side for the drum unit. Therefore, the basis weight distribution of
the sheet to be manufactured can be controlled by changing the
distribution of the material deposited through the openings of the
sieving unit.
[0010] In the above configuration, the sheet manufacturing
apparatus may have a configuration in which the sieving unit
includes a rotatable drum unit, a housing portion that covers at
least a portion including the openings of the drum unit, a material
supply port that supplies the transport air flow containing the
material to inside of the drum unit, first and second air intake
ports which supply air containing no material from outside of the
housing portion to inside of the drum unit and which are provided
away from each other in a rotation axis direction of the drum unit,
and a second adjustment unit that changes a ratio of flow rates of
air supplied from the first and the second air intake ports under
control of the control unit.
[0011] According to this configuration, the distribution of air
flow flowing out from the drum unit can be changed by changing the
ratio between air flows flowing into the drum unit. Therefore, the
basis weight distribution of the sheet to be manufactured can be
controlled by changing the distribution of the material deposited
through the openings of the sieving unit.
[0012] In the above configuration, the sheet manufacturing
apparatus may have a configuration in which the sieving unit
includes a rotatable drum unit, a housing portion that covers at
least a portion including the openings of the drum unit, a material
supply port that supplies the transport air flow containing the
material to inside of the drum unit, first and second air intake
ports which supply air containing no material from outside of the
housing portion to inside of the drum unit and which are provided
away from each other in a rotation axis direction of the drum unit,
and a position change unit that changes a position of the first air
intake port with respect to the material supply port and a position
of the second air intake port with respect to the material supply
port under control of the control unit.
[0013] According to this configuration, the distribution of air
flow flowing out from the drum unit can be changed by changing the
distribution of air flows flowing into the drum unit. Therefore,
the basis weight distribution of the sheet to be manufactured can
be controlled by changing the distribution of the material
deposited through the openings of the sieving unit.
[0014] In the above configuration, the sheet manufacturing
apparatus may have a configuration in which the control unit
controls a flow rate of the transport air flow.
[0015] According to this configuration, the distribution of the
deposited material can be more effectively controlled by
controlling the flow rate of the transport air flow supplied to the
drum unit.
[0016] In the above configuration, the sheet manufacturing
apparatus may have a configuration in which a suction unit that
sucks the material to the deposition surface by a suction air flow
is further included and the control unit controls a flow rate of
the suction air flow.
[0017] According to this configuration, the distribution of the
deposited material can be more effectively controlled by
controlling the flow rate of the suction air flow that sucks the
material to the deposition surface.
[0018] To solve the above problem, the sheet manufacturing
apparatus of the present invention includes a web forming unit that
forms a web by depositing a material containing fibers on a
deposition surface, a sheet forming unit that forms a sheet by
processing the web, a receiving unit that receives a setting of a
basis weight distribution of the sheet, and a control unit that
controls a basis weight of the web to be deposited on the
deposition surface of the web forming unit based on the basis
weight distribution received by the receiving unit.
[0019] According to the present invention, when manufacturing a
sheet by depositing a material containing fibers, it is possible to
manufacture a sheet of a set basis weight by controlling the basis
weight of the web according to a setting of the basis weight of the
sheet. Thereby, it is possible to realize a desired basis weight
distribution in the sheet. For example, by making the basis weight
in a central portion greater than that in end portions in a
predetermined direction within a surface of the sheet, it is
possible to manufacture a sheet whose rigidity in the predetermined
direction is high and whose transportability is high when being
transported by a printer or the like.
[0020] In the above configuration, the sheet manufacturing
apparatus may have a configuration in which a sieving unit where a
plurality of openings are formed is further included, the material
that passes through the openings of the sieving unit is deposited
on the deposition surface, and the receiving unit receives a basis
weight distribution in a predetermined direction crossing a
transport direction of the web as a basis weight distribution of
the sheet.
[0021] According to this configuration, when the basis weight
distribution in a predetermined direction crossing the transport
direction of the web is set, it is possible to manufacture a sheet
having the set basis weight distribution by controlling the basis
weight distribution of the web according to the setting.
[0022] In the above configuration, the sheet manufacturing
apparatus may have a configuration in which a detection unit that
detects a thickness or a basis weight of the web or the sheet is
further included and the control unit controls a basis weight
distribution of the web in a predetermined direction crossing a
transport direction of the web based on a detection result of the
detection unit.
[0023] According to this configuration, it is possible to more
appropriately control the basis weight distribution of the web by
detecting the thickness of the web or the sheet.
[0024] To solve the above problem, the sheet of the present
invention is a sheet which is transported by being pinched by a
transport roller pair and in which variation is provided in a basis
weight distribution in a predetermined direction crossing a
transport direction and a basis weight in a central portion is
greater than a basis weight in an end portion in the predetermined
direction.
[0025] According to the present invention, it is possible to
realize a sheet which is rigid in the transport direction and
excellent in transportability when being transported by the roller
pair as compared with a sheet where the basis weight is
substantially uniform in the entire sheet.
[0026] In the above configuration, the sheet may have a
configuration in which a thickness of the end portion in the
predetermined direction is equal to a thickness of the central
portion.
[0027] According to this configuration, it is possible to realize a
sheet that is excellent in rigidity in the transport direction and
transportability due to the basis weight distribution and has no
unevenness in thickness.
[0028] To solve the above problem, the sheet of the present
invention is a sheet manufactured by one of the sheet manufacturing
apparatuses described above.
[0029] According to the present invention, it is possible to easily
obtain a sheet whose rigidity in the transport direction,
transportability, and the like when being transported by the roller
pair are brought into a desired state.
[0030] To solve the above problem, the sheet manufacturing method
of the present invention includes a first step of forming a web by
depositing a material containing fibers on a deposition surface, a
second step of transporting the web, and a third step of forming a
sheet by processing the transported web, and generates variation in
a basis weight distribution in a predetermined direction crossing a
transport direction of the web to make a basis weight in a central
portion greater than a basis weight in an end portion in the
predetermined direction in the first step.
[0031] According to the present invention, it is possible to
manufacture a sheet by depositing a material containing fibers and
control the basis weight distribution of the sheet to be
manufactured. Thereby, it is possible to realize a sheet which is
rigid in the transport direction and excellent in transportability
when being transported by a roller pair as compared with a sheet
where the basis weight is substantially uniform in the entire
sheet.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0032] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a
sheet manufacturing apparatus according to a first embodiment.
[0033] FIG. 2 is an appearance perspective view of the sheet
manufacturing apparatus.
[0034] FIG. 3 is a main portion perspective view of the sheet
manufacturing apparatus.
[0035] FIG. 4 is a main portion cross-sectional view of the sheet
manufacturing apparatus.
[0036] FIG. 5 is a main portion enlarged view of the sheet
manufacturing apparatus.
[0037] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in
FIG. 5.
[0038] FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing detection of basis
weight by the sheet manufacturing apparatus and is a plan view
showing an arrangement state of a thickness sensor.
[0039] FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing detection of basis
weight by the sheet manufacturing apparatus and is a graphic chart
showing a distribution of basis weight of a second web.
[0040] FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a
control system of the sheet manufacturing apparatus.
[0041] FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a functional
configuration of a control unit and a storage unit.
[0042] FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing an operation of the sheet
manufacturing apparatus.
[0043] FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a display example of the sheet
manufacturing apparatus.
[0044] FIG. 13 is a main portion enlarged view of a sheet
manufacturing apparatus according to a second embodiment.
[0045] FIG. 14 is a main portion perspective view of a sheet
manufacturing apparatus according to a third embodiment.
[0046] FIG. 15 is a main portion disassembled perspective view of a
sheet manufacturing apparatus according to a fourth embodiment.
[0047] FIG. 16 is a diagram showing a first air intake position of
an air intake port of the sheet manufacturing apparatus according
to the fourth embodiment.
[0048] FIG. 17 is a diagram showing a second air intake position of
the air intake port of the sheet manufacturing apparatus according
to the fourth embodiment.
[0049] FIG. 18 is a diagram showing a third air intake position of
the air intake port of the sheet manufacturing apparatus according
to the fourth embodiment.
[0050] FIG. 19 is a diagram showing a fourth air intake position of
the air intake port of the sheet manufacturing apparatus according
to the fourth embodiment.
[0051] FIG. 20 is a graphic chart showing a basis weight
distribution of a sheet manufactured by the sheet manufacturing
apparatus according to the fourth embodiment.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0052] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention
will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The
embodiments described below do not limit the subject matter of the
present invention described in the claims. All of the components
described below are not necessarily essential components of the
present invention.
First Embodiment
[0053] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a
sheet manufacturing apparatus 100 according to a first embodiment
to which the present invention is applied.
[0054] The sheet manufacturing apparatus 100 described in the
present embodiment is, for example, an apparatus suitable for
manufacturing new paper by dry-fibrillating and fiberizing used
waste paper such as confidential paper used as raw material and
thereafter pressurizing, heating, and cutting the fiberized paper.
Bond strength and/or whiteness of a paper product may be improved,
and functions such as color, aroma, and flame retardancy may be
added, according to uses, by mixing various additives to a
fiberized raw material. Further, it is possible to manufacture
papers of various thickness and sizes such as regular size office
papers of A4 and A3 and a name card paper according to uses by
forming the paper while controlling density, thickness, and shape
of the paper.
[0055] The sheet manufacturing apparatus 100 includes a supply unit
10, a rough-crushing unit 12, a fibrillating unit 20, a selection
unit 40, a first web forming unit 45, a rotating body 49, a mixing
unit 50, a depositing unit 60, a second web forming unit 70, a
transport unit 79, a sheet forming unit 80, and a cutting unit
90.
[0056] Further, the sheet manufacturing apparatus 100 includes
humidifying units 202, 204, 206, 208, 210, and 212 in order to
humidify a raw material and/or a space where the raw material
moves. Specific configurations of the humidifying units 202, 204,
206, 208, 210, and 212 are optional, and examples of the
configurations include a steam type, a vaporizing type, a hot air
vaporizing type, and an ultrasonic type.
[0057] In the present embodiment, the humidifying units 202, 204,
206, and 208 are composed of a vaporizing type or a hot air
vaporizing type humidifier. Specifically, the humidifying units
202, 204, 206, and 208 have a filter infiltrated with water (not
shown in the drawings) and supplies humidified air whose humidity
is increased by causing air to pass through the filter. The
humidifying units 202, 204, 206, and 208 may have a heater (not
shown in the drawings) that effectively increases humidity of the
humidified air.
[0058] In the present embodiment, the humidifying unit 210 and the
humidifying unit 212 are composed of an ultrasonic type humidifier.
Specifically, the humidifying units 210 and 212 have a vibration
unit (not shown in the drawings) that atomizes water, and supplies
mist generated by the vibration unit.
[0059] The supply unit 10 supplies raw material to the
rough-crushing unit 12. Raw material where the sheet manufacturing
apparatus 100 manufactures a sheet may be a material containing
fibers, and examples of the raw material include paper, pulp, pulp
sheet, cloth including nonwoven fabric, and fabric. In the present
embodiment, a configuration where the sheet manufacturing apparatus
100 uses waste papers as raw material is illustrated. For example,
the supply unit 10 may have a configuration including a stacker
that piles up and accumulates waste papers and an automatic feeding
apparatus that feeds out waste papers from the stacker to the
rough-crushing unit 12.
[0060] The rough-crushing unit 12 cuts (roughly crushes) the raw
material supplied from the supply unit 10 into roughly crushed
pieces by using rough-crushing blades 14. The rough-crushing blades
14 cut the raw material in a gas such as in the atmosphere (in the
air). The rough-crushing unit 12 includes, for example, the pair of
rough-crushing blades 14 that pinch and cut the raw material and a
drive unit that rotates the rough-crushing blades 14, so that the
rough-crushing unit 12 can have a configuration similar to that of
a shredder. The shape and the size of the roughly crushed pieces
are optional, and may be suitable for fibrillation processing in
the fibrillating unit 20. For example, the rough-crushing unit 12
cuts the raw material into paper pieces having sizes of one to
several cm square or less.
[0061] The rough-crushing unit 12 has a chute (hopper) 9 that
receives roughly crushed pieces that are cut and dropped by the
rough-crushing blades 14. The chute 9 has, for example, a tapered
shape whose width gradually decreases in a direction in which the
roughly crushed pieces flow (proceed). Therefore, the chute 9 can
receive many roughly crushed pieces. The chute 9 is connected with
a pipe 2 communicating with the fibrillating unit 20. The pipe 2
forms a transport path for causing the fibrillating unit 20 to
transport the raw material (roughly crushed pieces) cut by the
rough-crushing blades 14. The roughly crushed pieces are gathered
by the chute 9 and transferred (transported) to the fibrillating
unit 20 through the pipe 2.
[0062] Humidified air is supplied by the humidifying unit 202 to
the chute 9 included in the rough-crushing unit 12 or a vicinity of
the chute 9. Thereby, it is possible to suppress a phenomenon in
which the roughly crushed pieces cut by the rough-crushing blades
14 are adsorbed to inner surfaces of the chute 9 and/or the pipe 2
by static electricity. Further, the roughly crushed pieces cut by
the rough-crushing blades 14 are transferred to the fibrillating
unit 20 along with humidified air (of high humidity), so that it is
possible to expect an effect of suppressing adhesion of a
fibrillated matter inside the fibrillating unit 20. The humidifying
unit 202 may be configured to supply humidified air to the
rough-crushing blades 14 and eliminate electricity from the raw
material supplied from the supply unit 10. The electricity may be
eliminated by using an ionizer along with the humidifying unit
202.
[0063] The fibrillating unit 20 fibrillates the roughly crushed
pieces cut by the rough-crushing unit 12. More specifically, the
fibrillating unit 20 performs fibrillation processing on the raw
material (roughly crushed pieces) cut by the rough-crushing unit 12
and generates a fibrillated matter. Here, "to fibrillate" means to
untangle a raw material (material to be fibrillated), where a
plurality of fibers are bound together, into fibers separated from
each other. The fibrillating unit 20 also has a function to
separate substances such as resin particles, ink, toner, and blot
inhibitor, which are attached to the raw material, from the
fibers.
[0064] A matter that has passed through the fibrillating unit 20 is
called a "fibrillated matter". The "fibrillated matter" may include
resin particles separated from fibers when the fibers are untangled
(resin particles for binding a plurality of fibers together), a
color material such as ink or toner, and additive agents such as a
blot inhibitor and a paper strengthening agent, in addition to the
untangled fibrillated fibers. An untangled fibrillated matter has a
string shape or a ribbon shape. An untangled fibrillated matter may
exist in a state (an independent state) of not being intertwined
with other untangled fibers, or may exist in a state where an
untangled fibrillated matter is tangled with other untangled
fibrillated matter and forms a lump shape (a state where a
so-called "agglomerate" is formed).
[0065] The fibrillating unit 20 performs dry-type fibrillation.
Here, fibrillation performed in a gas such as in the atmosphere (in
the air) instead of in liquid is referred to as dry-type
fibrillation. In the present embodiment, the fibrillating unit 20
uses an impeller mill. Specifically, the fibrillating unit 20
includes a rotor (not shown in the drawings) rotating at high speed
and a liner (not shown in the drawings) located on an outer
circumference of the rotor. The roughly crushed pieces of the raw
material cut by the rough-crushing unit 12 are sandwiched between
the rotor and the liner of the fibrillating unit 20 and
fibrillated. The fibrillating unit 20 generates an air flow by
rotation of the rotor. By this air flow, the fibrillating unit 20
can suck the roughly crushed pieces, which are raw material, from
the pipe 2 and transport the fibrillated matter to a discharge port
24. The fibrillated matter is sent out from the discharge port 24
to the pipe 3 and transferred to the selection unit 40 through the
pipe 3.
[0066] In this way, the fibrillated matter generated in the
fibrillating unit 20 is transported from the fibrillating unit 20
to the selection unit 40 by the air flow generated by the
fibrillating unit 20. Further, in the present embodiment, the sheet
manufacturing apparatus 100 includes a fibrillating unit blower 26,
which is an air flow generating apparatus, and the fibrillated
matter is transported to the selection unit 40 by the air flow
generated by the fibrillating unit blower 26. The fibrillating unit
blower 26 is attached to the pipe 3. The fibrillating unit blower
26 sucks air along with the fibrillated matter from the
fibrillating unit 20 and feeds the air to the selection unit
40.
[0067] The selection unit 40 has an introduction port 42 through
which the fibrillated matter fibrillated by the fibrillating unit
20 flows in along with the air flow from the pipe 3. The selection
unit 40 selects the fibrillated matter introduced to the
introduction port 42 according to the lengths of fibers.
Specifically, regarding the fibrillated matter fibrillated by the
fibrillating unit 20, the selection unit 40 selects fibrillated
matter whose size is smaller than or equal to a predetermined size
as a first selected matter, and selects fibrillated matter whose
size is greater than the first selected matter as a second selected
matter. The first selected matter includes fibers, particles, or
the like, and the second selected matter includes, for example,
large fibers, unfibrillated pieces (roughly crushed pieces that are
not sufficiently fibrillated), agglomerates where fibrillated
fibers clump together or intertwined with each other, and the
like.
[0068] In the present embodiment, the selection unit 40 has a drum
unit (sieving unit) 41 and a housing portion 43 that houses the
drum unit 41.
[0069] The drum unit 41 is a cylindrical sieving unit rotationally
driven by a motor. The drum unit 41 has a net (filter, screen) and
functions as a sieving unit. By meshes of the net, the drum unit 41
selects the first selected matter that is smaller than the size of
the mesh (opening) of the net and the second selected matter that
is greater than the size of the mesh (opening) of the net. As the
net of the drum unit 41, it is possible to use, for example, a
metal net, an expanded metal made by expanding a metal plate having
cut lines, and a punching metal made by forming holes in a metal
plate by a pressing machine or the like.
[0070] The fibrillated matter introduced to the introduction port
42 is sent inside the drum unit 41 along with the air flow, and the
first selected matter falls downward from the meshes of the net of
the drum unit 41 by the rotation of the drum unit 41. The second
selected matter that cannot pass through the meshes of the net of
the drum unit 41 is introduced to a discharge port 44 by being
flown by the air flow flown from the introduction port 42 to the
drum unit 41 and sent out to a pipe 8.
[0071] The pipe 8 connects the inside of the drum unit 41 with the
pipe 2. The second selected matter flown through the pipe 8 flows
through the pipe 2 along with the roughly crushed pieces cut by the
rough-crushing unit 12 and is introduced to an introduction port 22
of the fibrillating unit 20. Thereby, the second selected matter is
returned to the fibrillating unit 20 and subjected to the
fibrillation processing.
[0072] The first selected matter selected by the drum unit 41 is
dispersed to the air through the meshes of the net of the drum unit
41, and falls toward a mesh belt 46 of the first web forming unit
45 located below the drum unit 41.
[0073] The first web forming unit 45 (separation unit) includes the
mesh belt 46 (separation belt), rollers 47, and a suction unit
(suction mechanism) 48. The mesh belt 46 is an endless-shaped belt.
The mesh belt 46 is suspended by three rollers 47 and transported
in a direction indicated by an arrow shown in FIG. 1 by movement of
the rollers 47. A surface of the mesh belt 46 is formed of a net
where openings of a predetermined size are arranged. In the first
selected matter falling from the selection unit 40, microparticles
having a size that can pass through the meshes of the net fall
below the mesh belt 46 and fibers having a size that cannot pass
through the meshes of the net are deposited on the mesh belt 46 and
transported in the arrow V1 direction along with the mesh belt 46.
The microparticles that fall from the mesh belt 46 includes
fibrillated matter whose size is relatively small or whose density
is low (resin particles, color materials, additive agents, and the
like), and the microparticles are matter to be eliminated, which is
not used by the sheet manufacturing apparatus 100 to manufacture a
sheet S.
[0074] The mesh belt 46 moves at a constant velocity V1 during a
normal operation in which the sheet S is manufactured. The velocity
V1 is a preset constant velocity and is controlled by a control
unit 150 (FIG. 10) described later. The velocity V1 at which the
mesh belt 46 moves can be regarded as a transport velocity at which
the mesh belt 46 transports a first web W1, that is, a transport
velocity of the first web W1 in the selection unit 40.
[0075] Here, "during a normal operation" is "during an operation
other than starting control and stopping control of the sheet
manufacturing apparatus 100 described later", and more specifically
is "during a period in which the sheet manufacturing apparatus 100
manufactures a sheet S of a desired quality".
[0076] Therefore, the fibrillated matter subjected to the
fibrillation processing in the fibrillating unit 20 is selected
into the first selected matter and the second selected matter by
the selection unit 40, and the second selected matter is returned
to the fibrillating unit 20. Further, the matter to be eliminated
is eliminated from the first selected matter by the first web
forming unit 45. The first selected matter other than the matter to
be eliminated is a material suited to manufacturing of the sheet S,
and the material is deposited on the mesh belt 46 and forms a first
web W1.
[0077] The suction unit 48 sucks air from below the mesh belt 46.
The suction unit 48 is connected to a dust collection unit 27 (a
dust collection apparatus) through a pipe 23. The dust collection
unit 27 is a filter type or a cyclone type dust collection
apparatus. The dust collection unit 27 separates microparticles
from air flow. A collection blower 28 is installed in the
downstream of the dust collection unit 27. The collection blower 28
functions as a dust collection suction unit that sucks air from the
dust collection unit 27. Air discharged from the collection blower
28 is discharged to the outside of the sheet manufacturing
apparatus 100 through a pipe 29.
[0078] In this configuration, air is sucked from the suction unit
48 through the dust collection unit 27 by the collection blower 28.
In the suction unit 48, microparticles passing through the meshes
of the net of the mesh belt 46 are sucked along with air and sent
to the dust collection unit 27 through the pipe 23. The dust
collection unit 27 separates the microparticles that have passed
through the mesh belt 46 from the air flow and accumulates the
microparticles.
[0079] Therefore, fibers obtained by eliminating the matter to be
eliminated from the first selected matter are deposited and the
first web W1 is formed on the mesh belt 46. The collection blower
28 performs suction, so that formation of the first web W1 on the
mesh belt 46 is promoted and the matter to be eliminated is quickly
eliminated.
[0080] The humidifying unit 204 supplies humidified air to a space
including the drum unit 41. The humidified air humidifies the first
selected matter inside the selection unit 40. Thereby, adhesion of
the first selected matter to the mesh belt 46 by an electrostatic
force is weakened, so that the first selected matter can be easily
peeled off from the mesh belt 46. Further, it is possible to
prevent the first selected matter from being adhered to the
rotating body 49 and an inner wall of the housing portion 43 by an
electrostatic force. Further, the matter to be eliminated can be
efficiently sucked by the suction unit 48.
[0081] A configuration which selects and separates the first
selected matter and the second selected matter in the sheet
manufacturing apparatus 100 is not limited to the selection unit 40
including the drum unit 41. For example, it is possible to employ a
configuration where a classifier classifies the fibrillated matter
subjected to the fibrillation processing in the fibrillating unit
20. As the classifier, for example, it is possible to use a cyclone
classifier, an elbow-jet classifier, and an eddy classifier. When
these classifiers are used, it is possible to select and separate
the first selected matter and the second selected matter. Further,
by the above classifiers, it is possible to realize a configuration
that separates and eliminates the matter to be eliminated including
fibrillated matter whose size is relatively small or whose density
is low (resin particles, color materials, additive agents, and the
like). For example, a configuration may be employed where a
classifier eliminates microparticles included in the first selected
matter from the first selected matter. In this case, a
configuration can be employed where the second selected matter is
returned to, for example, the fibrillating unit 20, the matter to
be eliminated is collected by the dust collection unit 27, and the
first selected matter except for the matter to be eliminated is
sent to a pipe 54.
[0082] In a transport path of the mesh belt 46, air containing mist
is supplied to the downstream side of the selection unit 40 by the
humidifying unit 210. The mist that is microparticles of water
generated by the humidifying unit 210 falls toward the first web W1
and supplies moisture to the first web W1. Thereby, an amount of
moisture included in the first web W1 is adjusted, so that it is
possible to suppress adsorption of fibers to the mesh belt 46 due
to static electricity.
[0083] The sheet manufacturing apparatus 100 includes the rotating
body 49 that cuts the first web W1 deposited on the mesh belt 46.
The first web W1 is peeled off from the mesh belt 46 and cut off by
the rotating body 49 at a position where the mesh belt 46 is folded
back by the rollers 47.
[0084] The first web W1 is a soft material where fibers are
deposited to form a web shape. The rotating body 49 loosens the
fibers of the first web W1 and processes the fibers into a state
where resin can be easily mixed into the fibers in the mixing unit
50 described later.
[0085] A configuration of the rotating body 49 is optional.
However, in the present embodiment, the rotating body 49 may have a
rotary vane shape that has a plate-shaped vane and rotates. The
rotating body 49 is arranged at a position where the first web W1
that is peeling off from the mesh belt 46 is in contact with the
vane. The vane hits and cuts the first web W1 that is peeling off
from the mesh belt 46 and is being transported by the rotation of
the rotating body 49 (for example, the rotation in a direction
indicated by an arrow R in FIG. 1), and fractionated bodies P are
generated.
[0086] It is preferable that the rotating body 49 is installed in a
position where the vane of the rotating body 49 does not hit the
mesh belt 46. For example, a gap between a tip of the vane of the
rotating body 49 and the mesh belt 46 can be 0.05 mm or more and
0.5 mm or less. In this case, the first web W1 can be efficiently
cut off without the mesh belt 46 being damaged by the rotating body
49.
[0087] The fractionated bodies P that are cut off by the rotating
body 49 fall inside a pipe 7 and are transferred (transported) to
the mixing unit 50 by an air flow flowing inside the pipe 7.
[0088] The humidifying unit 206 supplies humidified air to a space
including the rotating body 49. Thereby, it is possible to suppress
a phenomenon in which fibers are adsorbed to the inside of the pipe
7 and/or the vane of the rotating body 49 by static electricity.
Further, highly humid air is supplied to the mixing unit 50 through
the pipe 7, so that it is possible to suppress effects of static
electricity in the mixing unit 50.
[0089] The mixing unit 50 includes an additive supply unit 52 that
supplies an additive including resin, a pipe 54 which communicates
with the pipe 7 and in which an air flow containing the
fractionated bodies P flows, and a mixing blower 56. As described
above, the fractionated bodies P are the fibers obtained by
eliminating the matter to be eliminated from the first selected
matter that has passed through the selection unit 40. The mixing
unit 50 mixes an additive including resin into fibers constituting
the fractionated bodies P.
[0090] In the mixing unit 50, an air flow is generated by the
mixing blower 56, and the fractionated bodies P and the additive
are transported, while they are being mixed, in the pipe 54. The
fractionated body P is untangled to become smaller fibers while the
fractionated body P is flown inside the pipe 7 and the pipe 54.
[0091] The additive supply unit 52 is connected to an additive
cartridge (not shown in the drawings), which accumulates additive,
and supplies the additive inside the additive cartridge to the pipe
54. The additive cartridge may be configured to be
attachable/detachable to/from the additive supply unit 52. A
configuration to replenish additive into the additive cartridge may
be included. The additive supply unit 52 once stores an additive
composed of fine powders or microparticles inside the additive
cartridge. The additive supply unit 52 has a discharge unit 52a
that sends the once stored additive to the pipe 54.
[0092] The discharge unit 52a includes a feeder (not shown in the
drawings) that sends the additive stored in the additive supply
unit 52 to the pipe 54 and a shutter (not shown in the drawings)
that opens and closes a pipe line that connects the feeder and the
pipe 54. When the shutter is closed, a pipe line or an opening that
connects the discharge unit 52a and the pipe 54 is closed, so that
the supply of the additive from the additive supply unit 52 to the
pipe 54 is stopped.
[0093] When the feeder of the discharge unit 52a does not operate,
the additive is not supplied from the discharge unit 52a to the
pipe 54. However, when a negative pressure is generated in the pipe
54, the additive may flow to the pipe 54 even when the feeder of
the discharge unit 52a stops. Such a flow of the additive can be
reliably shut off by closing the discharge unit 52a.
[0094] The additive supplied by the additive supply unit 52 include
resin for binding a plurality of fibers together. The resin
included in the additive is a thermoplastic resin and/or a
thermosetting resin. For example, the resin is AS resin, ABS resin,
polypropylene, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene,
acrylic resin, polyester resin, polyethylene terephthalate,
polyphenylene ether, polybutylene terephthalate, nylon, polyamide,
polycarbonate, polyacetal, polyphenylene sulfide,
polyetheretherketone, and the like. These resins may be used alone
or may be appropriately mixed together. In other words, the
additive may include a single substance or may be a mixture, and
each additive may include a plurality of types of particles, each
of which is composed of a single or a plurality of substances. The
additive may have a fibrous form or a powder form.
[0095] The resin included in the additive is melted by heating and
binds a plurality of fibers together. Therefore, when resin and
fibers are mixed and the resin is not heated to a temperature at
which the resin melts, the fibers are not bound together.
[0096] The additive supplied by the additive supply unit 52 may
include a coloring agent for coloring fibers according to a type of
sheet to be manufactured, an aggregation inhibitor for inhibiting
aggregation of fibers and aggregation of resins, and a flame
retardant that makes fibers and the like difficult to burn, in
addition to the resin that binds fibers together. An additive that
does not contain a coloring agent may be colorless, may have a
watery color that can be regarded as almost colorless, or may be
white.
[0097] The fractionated bodies P falling in the pipe 7 and the
additive supplied by the additive supply unit 52 are sucked inside
the pipe 54 by an air flow generated by the mixing blower 56, and
pass through inside the mixing blower 56. The fibers that
constitute the fractionated bodies P and the additive are mixed by
the air flow generated by the mixing blower 56 and/or an action of
a rotating unit such as a vane included in the mixing blower 56,
and the mixture (mixture of the first selected matter and the
additive) is transferred to the depositing unit 60 through the pipe
54.
[0098] A mechanism for mixing the first selected matter and the
additive is not particularly limited, and may be a mechanism that
agitates the first selected matter and the additive by a vane
rotating at high speed, or a mechanism such as a V type mixer that
uses rotation of a container. These mechanisms may be installed in
front of or behind the mixing blower 56.
[0099] The depositing unit 60 deposits the fibrillated matter that
is fibrillated by the fibrillating unit 20. More specifically, the
depositing unit 60 introduces the mixture that has passed through
the mixing unit 50 from an introduction port 62, untangles a
tangled fibrillated matter (fibers), and causes the fibrillated
matter to fall while dispersing the fibrillated matter in the air.
Further, when the resin of the additive supplied from the additive
supply unit 52 is fibrous, the depositing unit 60 untangles tangled
resin. Thereby, the depositing unit 60 can evenly deposit the
mixture on the second web forming unit 70.
[0100] The depositing unit 60 has a drum unit 61 and a housing
portion 63 that houses the drum unit 61. The drum unit 61 is a
cylindrical sieving unit rotationally driven by a motor. The drum
unit 61 has a net (filter, screen) and functions as a sieving unit
(sieve). By meshes of the net, the drum unit 61 causes fibers and
particles that are smaller than the mesh (opening) of the net to
pass through and causes them to fall from the drum unit 61. A
configuration of the drum unit 61 is, for example, the same as that
of the drum unit 41.
[0101] The "sieving unit" of the drum unit 61 need not have a
function to select a specific object. In other words, the "sieving
unit" used as the drum unit 61 means a unit that includes a net,
and the drum unit 61 may cause all the mixtures introduced to the
drum unit 61 to fall.
[0102] The second web forming unit 70 is arranged below the drum
unit 61. The second web forming unit 70 is deposited with passing
objects that have passed through the depositing unit 60 and forms a
second web W2. The second web forming unit 70 has, for example, a
mesh belt 72, rollers 74, and a suction mechanism 76 (a suction
unit). The depositing unit 60 and the second web forming unit 70
correspond to a web forming unit. The drum unit 61 corresponds to
the sieving unit.
[0103] The mesh belt 72 is an endless-shaped belt. The mesh belt 72
is suspended by a plurality of rollers 74 and transported in a
direction indicated by an arrow V2 shown in FIG. 1 by movement of
the rollers 74. The mesh belt 72 is made of, for example, metal,
resin, cloth, nonwoven fabric, or the like. A surface of the mesh
belt 72 is formed of a net where openings of a predetermined size
are arranged. In the fibers and particles falling from the drum
unit 61, microparticles having a size that can pass through the
meshes of the net fall below the mesh belt 72 and fibers having a
size that cannot pass through the meshes of the net are deposited
on the mesh belt 72 and transported in the arrow direction along
with the mesh belt 72. The mesh belt 72 moves at a constant
velocity V2 during a normal operation in which the sheet S is
manufactured. Here, "during a normal operation" is the same as
described above.
[0104] The moving velocity V2 of the mesh belt 72 can be regarded
as a velocity at which the second web W2 is transported, and the
velocity V2 can be said to be a transport velocity of the second
web W2 on the mesh belt 72.
[0105] The size of the meshes of the net of the mesh belt 72 is
very small, and the size can be a size where most of fibers and
particles falling from the drum unit 61 do not pass through.
[0106] The suction mechanism 76 is provided below the mesh belt 72
(on a side opposite to the depositing unit 60). The suction
mechanism 76 includes a suction blower 77 and can generate a
downward air flow (air flow from the depositing unit 60 to the mesh
belt 72) in the suction mechanism 76 by a suction force of the
suction blower 77.
[0107] The mixture dispersed in the air by the depositing unit 60
is sucked on the mesh belt 72 by the suction mechanism 76. Thereby,
formation of the second web W2 on the mesh belt 72 is promoted, and
a discharge velocity from the depositing unit 60 can be increased.
Further, it is possible to form a down flow in a falling path of
the mixture by the suction mechanism 76, and it is possible to
prevent the fibrillated matter and the additive from being tangled
together while falling.
[0108] The suction blower 77 may discharge air sucked from the
suction mechanism 76 to the outside of the sheet manufacturing
apparatus 100 through a collection filter (not shown in the
drawings). Alternatively, the air sucked by the suction blower 77
may be sent to the dust collection unit 27 and the matter to be
eliminated included in the air sucked by the suction mechanism 76
may be collected.
[0109] The humidifying unit 208 supplies humidified air to a space
including the drum unit 61. The inside of the depositing unit 60
can be humidified by the humidified air, so that it is possible to
suppress adhesion of fibers and particles to the housing portion 63
due to an electrostatic force, cause the fibers and particles to
quickly fall to the mesh belt 72, and form the second web W2 having
a preferable shape.
[0110] As described above, through a step (first step) of
depositing a material on the mesh belt 72 in the depositing unit 60
and the second web forming unit 70, a soft and fluffy second web W2
containing a lot of air is formed. The second web W2 deposited on
the mesh belt 72 is transported to the sheet forming unit 80.
[0111] In a transport path of the mesh belt 72, air containing mist
is supplied to the downstream side of the depositing unit 60 by the
humidifying unit 212. Thereby, the mist generated by the
humidifying unit 212 is supplied to the second web W2 and an amount
of moisture included in the second web W2 is adjusted. Thereby, it
is possible to suppress adsorption of fibers to the mesh belt 72
due to static electricity.
[0112] The sheet manufacturing apparatus 100 is provided with the
transport unit 79 that transports the second web W2 on the mesh
belt 72 to the sheet forming unit 80. The transport unit 79 has,
for example, a mesh belt 79a, rollers 79b, and a suction mechanism
79c.
[0113] The suction mechanism 79c includes a blower (not shown in
the drawings) and generates an upward air flow to the mesh belt 79a
by a suction force of the blower. The air flow sucks the second web
W2, and the second web W2 is separated from the mesh belt 72 and
adsorbed to the mesh belt 79a. The mesh belt 79a is moved by
rotation of the rollers 79b and transports the second web W2 to the
sheet forming unit 80.
[0114] In this way, the transport unit 79 realizes a transport step
(second step) of peeling off the second web W2, which is formed on
the mesh belt 72, from the mesh belt 72 and transporting the second
web W2.
[0115] The sheet forming unit 80 forms the sheet S from a deposited
material deposited by the depositing unit 60. More specifically,
the sheet forming unit 80 forms the sheet S by processing the
second web W2 (deposited material) which is deposited on the mesh
belt 72 and transported by the transport unit 79 (third step). The
processing by the sheet forming unit 80 includes pressurizing and
heating the second web W2. The sheet forming unit 80 applies a load
to the second web W2 and thereby compresses the second web W2,
uniformalizes the thickness of the second web W2, and enhances
adhesion between fibers included in the second web W2 and between
the fibers and the additive included in the second web W2. Further,
the sheet forming unit 80 binds together a plurality of fibers in
the mixture through the additive (resin) by applying heat to fibers
of the fibrillated matter and the additive included in the second
web W2.
[0116] The sheet forming unit 80 includes a pressurizing unit 82
that pressurizes the second web W2 and a heating unit 84 that heats
the second web W2 pressurized by the pressurizing unit 82.
[0117] The pressurizing unit 82 is configured of a pair of calendar
rollers 85 (pressurizing rollers) and pressurizes the second web W2
by nipping the second web W2 by a predetermined nip pressure. The
second web W2 is pressurized, so that the thickness of the second
web W2 decreases and the density of the second web W2 increases.
One of the pair of calendar rollers 85 is a driving roller driven
by a motor (not shown in the drawings), and the other is a driven
roller. The calendar rollers 85 are rotated by a driving force of
the motor (not shown in the drawings) and transport the second web
W2, whose density is increased by the pressurization, toward the
heating unit 84.
[0118] The heating unit 84 can be configured by using, for example,
a heating roller (heater roller), a heat press-molding machine, a
hot plate, a hot air blower, an infrared ray heater, and a flash
fixing device. In the present embodiment, the heating unit 84
includes a pair of heating rollers 86. The heating rollers 86 are
heated to a temperature set in advance by a heater installed inside
or outside the heating rollers 86. One of the pair of heating
rollers 86 is a driving roller driven by a motor (not shown in the
drawings), and the other is a driven roller. The heating rollers 86
pinch the second web W2 pressurized by the calendar rollers 85 and
applies heat to the sheet S to form the sheet S. The heating
rollers 86 are rotated by a driving force of the motor (not shown
in the drawings) and transport the sheet S toward the cutting unit
90.
[0119] The number of the calendar rollers 85 included in the
pressurizing unit 82 and the number of the heating rollers 86
included in the heating unit 84 are not particularly limited.
[0120] In a step in which the sheet manufacturing apparatus 100
manufactures the sheet S, a boundary between the second web W2 and
the sheet S is optional. In the present embodiment, the second web
W2, which is pressurized by the pressurizing unit 82 and is further
heated by the heating unit 84 in the sheet forming unit 80 that
processes the second web W2 and forms the second web W2 into the
sheet S, is called the sheet S. In other words, fibers bound
together by additive agents are called the sheet S. The sheet S is
transported to the cutting unit 90.
[0121] The cutting unit 90 cuts the sheet S formed by the sheet
forming unit 80. In the present embodiment, the cutting unit 90 has
a first cutting unit 92 that cuts the sheet S in a direction
crossing a transport direction (F in FIG. 1) of the sheet S and a
second cutting unit 94 that cuts the sheet S in a direction in
parallel with the transport direction F. The second cutting unit 94
cuts, for example, the sheet S that has passed through the first
cutting unit 92.
[0122] Thereby, a single sheet S having a predetermined size is
formed. The cut single sheet S is discharged to a discharge unit
96. The discharge unit 96 includes a tray or a stacker on which the
sheet S having the predetermined size is placed.
[0123] In the above configuration, the humidifying units 202, 204,
206, and 208 may be configured by one vaporizing type humidifier.
In this case, it may be configured so that humidified air generated
by the one humidifier is branched and supplied to the
rough-crushing unit 12, the housing portion 43, the pipe 7, and the
housing portion 63. This configuration can be easily realized by
installing a duct (not shown in the drawings) that branches and
supplies the humidified air. Alternatively, it is also possible to
configure the humidifying units 202, 204, 206, and 208 by two or
three vaporizing type humidifiers.
[0124] Further, in the above configuration, the humidifying units
210 and 212 may be configured by one ultrasonic type humidifier or
may be configured by two ultrasonic type humidifiers. For example,
it may be configured so that air containing mist generated by the
one humidifier is branched and supplied to the humidifying unit 210
and the humidifying units 212.
[0125] The blowers included in the sheet manufacturing apparatus
100 are not limited to the fibrillating unit blower 26, the
collection blower 28, the mixing blower 56, the suction blower 77,
and an intermediate blower. For example, it is also possible to
provide an air blower that supports each blower described above to
the duct.
[0126] In the above configuration, first, the rough-crushing unit
12 roughly crushes raw material, and then the sheet S is
manufactured from the roughly crushed raw material. However, the
sheet S may be manufactured by, for example, using fibers as raw
material.
[0127] For example, it may be configured so that fibers equivalent
to the fibrillated matter subjected to the fibrillation processing
in the fibrillating unit 20 can be charged into the drum unit 41 as
raw material. Further, it may be configured so that fibers
equivalent to the first selected matter separated from the
fibrillated matter can be charged into the pipe 54 as raw material.
In this case, the sheet S can be manufactured by supplying fibers
obtained by processing waste paper, pulp, or the like to the sheet
manufacturing apparatus 100.
[0128] FIG. 2 is an appearance perspective view of the sheet
manufacturing apparatus 100.
[0129] The sheet manufacturing apparatus 100 has a housing 220 that
houses the components described above. The housing 220 has a
substantially box shape composed of a front surface portion 221
that forms a front surface, side surface portions 222 that form
left and right side surfaces, a rear surface portion 223 that forms
a rear surface, and a top surface portion 224 that forms a top
surface.
[0130] The front surface portion 221 is provided with the supply
unit 10, part of which is exposed from the front surface portion
221, a display unit 160 that displays various information, and an
opening/closing door 230.
[0131] The display unit 160 has a display panel 116 (FIG. 9) that
can display various information and a touch sensor 117 (FIG. 9)
arranged overlapped on the display panel 116. The display unit 160
displays an image, where operation icons and the like are arranged,
and functions as a user interface of the sheet manufacturing
apparatus 100 by detecting user's touch operations on the display
unit 160. The opening/closing door 230 is a door that opens and
closes so that a cartridge storing an additive can be exposed.
[0132] FIG. 3 is a main portion perspective view of the sheet
manufacturing apparatus 100. FIG. 4 is a main portion
cross-sectional view of the sheet manufacturing apparatus 100. FIG.
3 and FIG. 4 shows in detail a configuration of the depositing unit
60 and the second web forming unit 70.
[0133] As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the drum unit 61 has a hollow
cylindrical shape and can rotate around a rotation axis Q (FIG. 4).
A plurality of openings 61a are formed on an outer circumferential
surface 61b of the drum unit 61. When the drum unit 61 rotates,
fibers that have passed through the openings 61a fall and are
deposited on the mesh belt 72 to form a web W. Here, the size,
shape, and number of the openings 61a formed on the drum unit 61
are not particularly limited. For convenience, in FIG. 3 and FIG.
4, the openings 61a are depicted largely with respect to the drum
unit 61.
[0134] The housing portion 63 covers at least a portion where the
openings 61a are formed on the drum unit 61 (the outer
circumferential surface 61b where the openings 61a are formed) with
a gap in between. In the examples shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the
housing portion 63 has a facing wall portion 66 having an inner
surface facing the outer circumferential surface 61b, a right side
wall 64, and a left side wall 65, and houses the drum unit 61. The
right side wall 64 and the left side wall 65 of the housing portion
63 are connected to the facing wall portion 66 and cover the drum
unit 61 from a rotation axis Q direction (a direction in which the
rotation axis Q extends).
[0135] Here, in the configuration of the depositing unit 60 and the
second web forming unit 70, the rotation axis Q direction is
defined as a left-right direction, and a right direction and a left
direction are denoted by reference sign R and reference sign L,
respectively. The transport direction F, the right direction R, and
the left direction L are directions within a surface of the second
web W2 or within a surface parallel with the surface of the second
web W2. The rotation axis Q direction, that is, an R-L direction,
is a direction perpendicular to the transport direction F, and
corresponds to a width direction of the second web W2 and the sheet
S. Therefore, the R-L direction is called a width direction WD in
the description below.
[0136] A direction perpendicular to a surface including the width
direction WD and the transport direction F is called an
upward/downward direction, and the upward direction and a downward
direction are respectively denoted by reference sign U and
reference sign D.
[0137] As shown in FIG. 4, a recessed portion 68 is provided to
inner surfaces of the right side wall 64 and the left side wall 65
of the housing portion 63. A pile seal 69a is provided to the
recessed portion 68. The drum unit 61 is rotatably supported by the
housing portion 63 through the pile seal 69a with a predetermined
distance in between. The pile seal 69a is composed of, for example,
a brush where fine bristles are densely implanted on a surface of a
base portion.
[0138] On the other hand, air containing material is supplied to
the depositing unit 60 through the pipe 54 (material supply pipe).
The pipe 54 has a configuration where one main pipe 54a connected
to the mixing blower 56 branches into branch pipes 54c and 54d at a
branch portion 54b. The branch pipe 54c is connected to an air feed
pipe 57a, and the branch pipe 54d is connected to an air feed pipe
57b. The main pipe 54a corresponds to a first supply pipe, the
branch pipe 54c corresponds to a second supply pipe, and the branch
pipe 54d corresponds to a third supply pipe.
[0139] The mixing blower 56 sends a transport air flow M1 which is
air containing material through the main pipe 54a. The transport
air flow M1 is divided into a transport air flow M2 which flows
through the branch pipe 54c and a transport air flow M3 which flows
through the branch pipe 54d at the branch portion 54b. Here, as
described above, the material is a mixture of fibers and resin,
which includes the fibers (the first selected matter) separated by
the selection unit 40 and the additive (resin) supplied by the
additive supply unit 52.
[0140] The right side wall 64 and the left side wall 65 of the
housing portion 63 are respectively connected with the air feed
pipes 57a and 57b which supply air containing the material to the
inside of the drum unit 61. The air feed pipe 57a penetrates the
right side wall 64 and communicates with the inside of the drum
unit 61. A material supply port 64a that opens to an internal space
of the drum unit 61 is provided to the inside of the housing
portion 63. Similarly, the air feed pipe 57b penetrates the left
side wall 65 and communicates with the inside of the drum unit 61.
The left side wall 65 is provided with a material supply port 65a
that opens to the internal space of the drum unit 61.
[0141] The transport air flow M2 passes through the branch pipe 54c
and the air feed pipe 57a and flows into the inside of the drum
unit 61. The transport air flow M3 passes through the branch pipe
54d and the air feed pipe 57b and flows into the inside of the drum
unit 61. The materials included in the transport air flows M2 and
M3 flow into the drum unit 61 in a state in which the materials are
humidified by the humidified air supplied from the humidifying unit
206.
[0142] The air feed pipes 57a and 57b penetrate the right side wall
64 and the left side wall 65, respectively. The air flows (the
transport air flows M2 and M3) including the materials flow into
the inside of the drum unit 61 from each of the air feed pipes 57a
and 57b through the material supply ports 64a and 65a in the
rotation axis Q direction. As shown in FIG. 4, the material supply
port 64a is provided in a position overlapping with the rotation
axis Q as seen from the rotation axis Q direction. Similarly, the
material supply port 65a is also provided in a position overlapping
with the rotation axis Q.
[0143] The housing portion 63 is provided with air intake ports 501
and 502 for supplying air containing no material (for example, air
outside the housing portion 63) from the rotation axis Q direction
of the drum unit 61 to the inside of the drum unit 61. The air
intake port 501 is a through hole extending in the rotation axis Q
direction and is formed by penetrating the right side wall 64. The
air intake port 502 is a through hole extending in the rotation
axis Q direction and is formed by penetrating the left side wall
65. Therefore, the space inside the housing portion 63 is
communicated with the outside of the housing portion 63 by the air
intake ports 501 and 502. One of the air intake ports 501 and 502
corresponds to a first air intake port, and the other corresponds
to a second air intake port.
[0144] it is allowed that a periphery of the depositing unit 60 is
surrounded by a partition wall (not shown in the drawings) and
humidified air A1 is supplied to a space surrounded by the
partition wall (a space in which the depositing unit 60 exists) so
that the space is used as a humidified space. The humidified air A1
is air containing no material. The humidified air A1 is blown by a
blower included in the humidifying unit 208 or a blower connected
to the humidifying unit 208 and supplied to the humidified
space.
[0145] The air intake port 501 is provided separately from the
material supply ports 64a, and the air intake port 502 is provided
separately from the material supply ports 65a. As shown in FIG. 4,
the air intake ports 501 and 502 are provided in a position
overlapping with the inside of the drum unit 61 as seen from the
rotation axis Q direction.
[0146] In a configuration example shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the
air intake ports 501 and 502 are provided in positions closer to
the mesh belt 72 than the material supply ports 64a and 65a
(positions closer from the mesh belt 72). In other words, the
distances between the air intake ports 501 and 502 and the mesh
belt 72 are smaller than the distances between the material supply
ports 64a and 65a and the mesh belt 72.
[0147] On the other hand, the mesh belt 72 is arranged below the
housing portion 63. The mesh belt 72 forms a lower surface of the
housing portion 63 and protrudes to the outside of the housing
portion 63 through an opening 63a formed in a lower portion of the
housing portion 63. The material falling from the drum unit 61 is
deposited on a deposition surface 72a which is an upper surface of
the mesh belt 72.
[0148] As described above, the suction mechanism 76 is arranged
below the mesh belt 72 and the suction mechanism takes in air
downward through the mesh belt 72. Specifically, the suction blower
77 included in the suction mechanism 76 generates a suction air
flow M4. Thereby, a down flow DF flowing in a downward direction D
is generated in the inside of the housing portion 63.
[0149] As described above, in the internal space of the housing
portion 63, while the transport air flows M2 and M3 flow into the
drum unit 61, the suction mechanism 76 performs suction from below.
Therefore, the down flow DF from the inside of the drum unit 61 to
the mesh belt 72 is generated, and the material falls along with
the down flow DF to the deposition surface 72a through the openings
61a.
[0150] When an air flow amount sucked by the suction mechanism 76
is greater than an air flow amount flowing into the drum unit 61
from the material supply ports 64a and 65a, outside airs O1 and O2
are flown in from the air intake ports 501 and 502, respectively,
by a difference between the air flow amounts. The outside airs O1
and O2 flow into the inside of the drum unit 61 as indicated by
arrows in FIG. 4 and become a part of the down flow DF. Further, as
described above, when the space including the depositing unit 60 is
humidified, the outside airs O1 and O2 flowing into the inside of
the drum unit 61 are the humidified air A1.
[0151] When the air flow amount sucked by the suction mechanism 76
is defined as a first air flow amount and an air flow amount of the
transport air flows M2 and M3 flowing into the drum unit 61 is
defined as a second air flow amount, the air intake ports 501 and
502 cause the outside airs O1 and O2 to pass through corresponding
to a difference between the first air flow amount and the second
air flow amount. Therefore, it is possible to adjust or control the
first air flow amount and the second air flow amount independently
from each other by forming the air intake ports 501 and 502. When
the first air flow amount is greater than the second air flow
amount, there is no risk that the material leaks to the outside
from the air intake ports 501 and/or 502.
[0152] A pile seal 69b is arranged between the housing portion 63
and the mesh belt 72. The pile seal 69b has, for example, a
rectangular parallelepiped shape (a substantially rectangular
parallelepiped shape) and is composed of, for example, a brush
where fine bristles are densely implanted on a surface of a base
portion. The pile seal 69b is arranged between the mesh belt 72 and
the right and left side walls 64 and 65, so that it is possible to
prevent the fibrillated matter from leaking from a gap between the
housing portion 63 and the mesh belt 72.
[0153] Further, in the sheet manufacturing apparatus 100 of the
present embodiment, an air intake regulation unit 511 is arranged
to the air intake port 501 and an air intake regulation unit 512 is
arranged to the air intake port 502. The air intake regulation
units 511 and 512 have a common structure, so that the air intake
regulation unit 512 will be described with reference to FIG. 3. The
air intake regulation unit 512 has a regulation plate 512a that is
arranged slidably along the left side wall 65 and a plate drive
unit 512b that moves the regulation plate 512a on an exterior
surface of the left side wall 65. The regulation plate 512a can
slidably move between a position where the regulation plate 512a
closes the air intake port 502 that opens in the left side wall 65
and a position where the regulation plate 512a does not close the
air intake port 502. Therefore, it is possible to change an opening
area of the air intake port 502 in the outside of the housing
portion 63 by moving the regulation plate 512a. The plate drive
unit 512b includes an actuator and the like, operates under control
of a control apparatus 110, and moves the regulation plate 512a.
The control apparatus 110 can adjust the position of the regulation
plate 512a by controlling the plate drive unit 512b and can adjust
the opening area of the air intake port 502. The air intake
regulation units 511 and 512 correspond to a second adjustment
unit.
[0154] The air intake regulation unit 511 arranged to the air
intake port 501 includes a regulation plate 511a that slidably
moves between a position where the regulation plate 511a closes the
air intake port 501 and a position where the regulation plate 511a
opens the air intake port 501 so as to change an opening area of
the air intake port 501 and a plate drive unit 511b that moves the
regulation plate 511a. In the same manner as the plate drive unit
512b, the plate drive unit 511b includes an actuator and the like,
operates under control of the control apparatus 110, and moves the
regulation plate 511a. The control apparatus 110 can adjust the
opening area of the air intake port 501 that opens to the outside
of the right side wall 64 by controlling the plate drive unit
511b.
[0155] An air flow amount of outside air flowing in from the air
intake ports 501 and 502 is determined by the difference between
the first air flow amount and the second air flow amount.
Therefore, when the opening area of the air intake port 501 located
in the right side wall 64 is decreased by the regulation plate
511a, ventilation resistance of the outside air O1 flowing in from
the air intake port 501 increases. Accordingly, an air flow amount
of the outside air O1 flowing into the drum unit 61 from the air
intake port 501 decreases, and accordingly, an air flow amount of
the outside air O2 flowing in from the air intake port 502
increases. On the other hand, when the opening area of the air
intake port 502 located in the left side wall 65 is decreased by
the regulation plate 512a, ventilation resistance of the outside
air O2 flowing in from the air intake port 502 increases.
Accordingly, an air flow amount of the outside air O2 flowing into
the drum unit 61 from the air intake port 502 decreases, and
accordingly, an air flow amount of the outside air O1 flowing in
from the air intake port 501 increases. When the opening areas of
the air intake ports 501 and 502 are the same, the air flow amount
of the outside air O1 and the air flow amount of the outside air O2
are balanced. The control apparatus 110 can control operations of
the plate drive units 511b and 512b, respectively. Therefore, it is
possible to change balance of the air flow amounts of the outside
airs O1 and O2 flowing into the drum unit 61 under control of the
control apparatus 110. When the opening areas of the air intake
ports 501 and 502 are extremely small and the suction force of the
suction mechanism 76 is weak, a total air flow amount of the
outside air O1 and the outside air O2 may decrease depending on the
positions of the regulation plates 511a and 512a.
[0156] FIG. 5 is a main portion enlarged view of the sheet
manufacturing apparatus 100 and in particular is an enlarged front
view showing the pipe 54 and an air flow regulation unit 401. FIG.
6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in FIG. 5.
[0157] As described above, on the pipe 54, the air flow regulation
unit 401 is arranged above the branch portion 54b. The air flow
regulation unit 401 includes an air flow regulation plate 402 that
can slide in a direction indicated by reference sign SD in FIGS. 5
and 6 and a plate drive unit 403 that moves the air flow regulation
plate 402.
[0158] The position of the air flow regulation unit 401 is
preferable to be close to the branch portion 54b, and is more
preferable to be provided to a pipe before being branched at the
branch portion 54b, that is, the main pipe 54a. In the main pipe
54a, it is most preferable that the air flow regulation unit 401 is
close to the branch portion 54b.
[0159] The air flow regulation plate 402 slides so as to cross the
main pipe 54a (along a cross section), and it is configured so that
a part or all of the main pipe 54a is blocked by the flow
regulation plate 402. In the inside of the main pipe 54a, a
cross-section area which the transport air flow M1 can pass through
varies depending on a position of the air flow regulation plate
402. The plate drive unit 403 includes an actuator and the like and
slidably moves the air flow regulation plate 402 under control of
the control apparatus 110.
[0160] FIG. 6 shows a relationship between a range where the air
flow regulation plate 402 slidably moves and the cross-section of
the main pipe 54a. The air flow regulation plate 402 does not
overlap with a cross-section opening of the main pipe 54a when the
air flow regulation plate 402 is located at an end of a moving
range SD on a right direction R side and when the air flow
regulation plate 402 is located at an end of the moving range SD on
a left direction L side. In these locations, the air flow
regulation plate 402 does not affect the transport air flow M1
flowing through the main pipe 54a.
[0161] When the air flow regulation plate 402 is moved in the
moving range SD, the right direction R side or the left direction L
side of the cross-section of the main pipe 54a is closed by the air
flow regulation plate 402 depending on the location of the air flow
regulation plate 402. Therefore, the air flow regulation plate 402
can affect the transport air flow M1 flowing through the main pipe
54a.
[0162] Specifically, when the air flow regulation plate 402 is
overlapped with a part of the right direction R side of the
cross-section of the main pipe 54a, a flow path of the transport
air flow M1 becomes narrow on the right direction R side of the
center (the position of the branch portion 54b shown in FIG. 6) of
the main pipe 54a. That is, ventilation resistance occurs on the
right direction R side in the main pipe 54a. In this state, the
transport air flow M1 collides with the air flow regulation plate
402 and flows around the regulation plate 402, so that the material
contained in the transport air flow M1 flows largely on the left
direction L side. The material is transferred largely on the left
direction L side in the main pipe 54a, so that a greater amount of
material flows in the transport air flow M3 than in the transport
air flow M2 in the branch portion 54b. Therefore, a greater amount
of material flows into the drum unit 61 from the left direction L
side than from the right direction R side. On the other hand, when
the air flow regulation plate 402 is located on the left direction
L side of the cross-section of the main pipe 54a, a cross-section
area (opening area) on the left direction L side of the main pipe
54a decreases, so that the material contained in the transport air
flow M1 flows largely on the right direction R side. Therefore, the
transport air flow M2 transports a greater amount of material than
the transport air flow M3, so that a greater amount of material
flows into the drum unit 61 from the right side wall 64 side than
from the left side wall 65 side. The air flow regulation plate 402
affects a flow velocity of the transport air flow M1 except for a
case when the air flow regulation plate 402 completely closes the
cross-section opening of the main pipe 54a. However, the air flow
regulation plate 402 scarcely affects an air flow amount, so that
the sum of the air flow amounts of the transport air flows M2 and
M3 flowing into the drum unit 61 hardly changes. However, when a
wind force of the mixing blower 56 that generates the transport air
flows M1 is weak and a ratio of an area reduced by the air flow
regulation plate 402 in the cross-section area of the main pipe 54a
is large, the air flow amount may decrease.
[0163] In the depositing unit 60, it is possible to change and
adjust the balance (left-right balance) of the outside airs O1 and
O2 flowing into the drum unit 61 by controlling the plate drive
units 511b and 512b of the air intake regulation units 511 and 512.
Further, it is possible to change and adjust the balance
(left-right balance) between a transport amount of material to the
drum unit 61 by the transport air flow M2 and a transport amount of
material to the drum unit 61 by the transport air flow M3 by
controlling the plate drive unit 403 in the air flow regulation
unit 401.
[0164] The sheet manufacturing apparatus 100 can make uneven a
basis weight of the sheet S manufactured by the sheet manufacturing
apparatus 100 in the width direction WD. Normally, the basis weight
is used as a standard of quality of various papers and sheets
including PPC sheets and the like used in offices. The basis weight
is a kind of index or standard indicating characteristics of paper
or sheet and is commonly used in paper manufacturing industry and
printing industry. The basis weight is a weight per unit area of
paper or sheet, and generally, g (gram)/m.sup.2 (square meter) is
used as a unit. Normally, one basis weight is used for one kind of
paper or sheet on the assumption that the basis weight is uniform
in the entire paper or sheet.
[0165] On the other hand, the sheet manufacturing apparatus 100 can
manufacture the sheet S having variation in basis weight within a
surface. In the present embodiment, an example in which variation
in basis weight is generated in the width direction WD of the sheet
S will be described. When a direction (for example, the width
direction WD) crossing the transport direction F is used as a short
side direction of the sheet S that has been cut by the cutting unit
90, in the sheet S that has been cut, the basis weight is
substantially constant in the length direction and there is
variation (unevenness) in the basis weight in the width direction.
For example, when the basis weight in a central portion in the
width direction is increased and the basis weight in end portions
is made smaller than that in the central portion, the sheet S has
characteristics that rigidity and bending resistance are high in
the central portion. For example, when the sheet S is transported
by a scanner or a printing apparatus such as a printer, a transport
failure such as jamming (clogging) hardly occurs because the
rigidity and bending resistance are high, so that it is possible to
obtain preferable characteristics such that transportability is
good.
[0166] The sheet manufacturing apparatus 100 includes a basis
weight sensor 309 for controlling distribution of basis weight. The
basis weight sensor 309 is a sensor that detects the basis weight
of the second web W2 or the sheet S. The basis weight sensor 309
may be installed anywhere after a step of forming the second web W2
in the second web forming unit 70. However, in the present
embodiment, the basis weight sensor 309 is installed on a transport
path of the sheet S between the sheet forming unit 80 and the
cutting unit 90.
[0167] FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 are explanatory diagrams showing detection
of the basis weight by the sheet manufacturing apparatus 100. FIG.
7 is a plan view showing an arrangement state of a thickness
sensor. FIG. 8 is a graphic chart showing a distribution of the
basis weight of the second web.
[0168] As shown in FIG. 7, in the present embodiment, the basis
weight sensor 309 (a detection unit) includes a first detection
unit 309a, a second detection unit 309b, and a third detection unit
309c. The first detection unit 309a, the second detection unit
309b, and the third detection unit 309c are arranged in a row in
the width direction WD with respect to the transport path of the
sheet S and detect the basis weight of the sheet S immediately
below the detection units.
[0169] The first detection unit 309a, the second detection unit
309b, and the third detection unit 309c are, for example,
reflection type optical sensors, include a light source that emit
light to the sheet S and a light receiving unit that receives light
reflected from the sheet S, and outputs an output value
corresponding to an amount of received light.
[0170] The first detection unit 309a is arranged in a central
portion in the width direction WD of the sheet S, the second
detection unit 309b is arranged at an end portion on the left
direction L side of the sheet S, and the third detection unit 309c
is arranged at an end portion on the right direction R side in the
width direction WD. Here, the central portion in the width
direction WD of the sheet S is denoted by reference sign WS1, the
end portion on the left direction L side is denoted by reference
sign WS2, and the end portion on the right direction R side is
denoted by reference sign WS3. The output value of the first
detection unit 309a indicates the basis weight of the central
portion WS1, the output value of the second detection unit 309b
indicates the basis weight of the end portion WS2, and the output
value of the third detection unit 309c indicates the basis weight
of the end portion WS3. The control apparatus 110 connected to the
basis weight sensor 309 can obtain the basis weights of the central
portion WS1 and the end portions WS2 and WS3 of the sheet S based
on the output values of the basis weight sensor 309.
[0171] The basis weight sensor 309 may have a configuration that
detects the basis weight of the sheet S in the same positions as
those of the first detection unit 309a, the second detection unit
309b, and the third detection unit 309c. For example, a
transmission-type optical sensor may be used as the basis weight
sensor 309. Further, the number of detection portions in the width
direction WD need not be limited to three, and the basis weight may
be detected in a greater number of portions.
[0172] When the detection is performed in a state before the sheet
forming unit 80 performs pressurizing and heating, that is, when
the detection is performed on the second web W2, a sensor that
detects a thickness can be used instead of the sensor that detects
the basis weight. For example, a sensor that comes into contact
with the second web W2 and detects the thickness of the second web
W2 is arranged, and the detection may be performed by this sensor
in a plurality of positions in the width direction WD. The basis
weight of the second web W2 is determined by a thickness of the
material deposited on the mesh belt 72, so that when the thickness
of the second web W2 is measured, the measured thickness can be
converted into the basis weight. When the second web W2 is
pressurized and heated into a shape of the sheet S, the basis
weight and the thickness may not have a sufficient correlation.
Therefore, when the basis weight is measured in the downstream of
the sheet forming unit 80, more specifically, in the downstream of
the pressurizing unit 82, it is preferable to have a configuration
where the basis weight is measured by using an optical sensor or
the like such as the basis weight sensor 309.
[0173] FIG. 8 shows an example of a distribution of the basis
weight of the sheet S detected by the control apparatus 110 based
on the output values of the basis weight sensor 309. In the graphic
chart of FIG. 8, the horizontal axis indicates a position in the
width direction WD and the vertical axis indicates the basis
weight. When the thickness of the second web W2 is detected by
using a sensor other than the basis weight sensor 309, the vertical
axis may be replaced with the thickness.
[0174] For example, as shown in FIG. 8, under control of the
control apparatus 110, the sheet manufacturing apparatus 100 can
manufacture the sheet S having a distribution where the basis
weight of the central portion in the width direction WD is large
and the basis weights of the end portions on the right direction R
side and the left direction L side are smaller than that of the
central portion. Here, a direction in which variation is generated
in the basis weight distribution of the sheet S may be a
predetermined direction crossing the transport direction F of the
second web W2 and the sheet S and is not limited to the width
direction WD perpendicular to the transport direction F.
[0175] Advantages of manufacturing this type of sheet S will be
described.
[0176] The sheet S described above can be used in a printer, a
scanner, and the like which transport the sheet S. In particular,
it is useful when a transport direction, in which an apparatus
having a mechanism that pinches the sheet S with a transport roller
pair and transports the sheet S transports the sheet S, is a
direction crossing a predetermined direction (the width direction
WD in the present embodiment) of the sheet S. In this case, the
sheet S is rigid in the transport direction of the apparatus, so
that the sheet S is excellent in transportability. While the sheet
S exhibits strength corresponding to the basis weight of the
central portion, the basis weight of the entire sheet S is
suppressed because the basis weights of end portions are smaller
than that of the central portion. Therefore, there are advantages
that the sheet S has rigidity and high transportability and sheet S
is light because the basis weight is small. Further, there is an
advantage that the amount of material required to manufacture the
sheet S is smaller than that when the basis weight of the entire
sheet S is increased.
[0177] The sheet S may have a configuration where the thickness of
end portions in a predetermined direction becomes the same as that
of the central portion after the sheet S is pressurized and heated
in the sheet forming unit 80 although there is variation in a
distribution of the basis weight in the predetermined direction. In
this case, there is an advantage that the sheet S is excellent in
transportability and rigidity in the transport direction due to the
distribution of basis weight and the sheet S has no unevenness in
the thickness. "Having the same thickness" is not limited to having
an identical thickness, but "the same thickness" may be
substantially the same thickness including an error.
[0178] FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a
control system of the sheet manufacturing apparatus 100.
[0179] The sheet manufacturing apparatus 100 includes the control
apparatus 110 having a main processor 111 that controls each
component of the sheet manufacturing apparatus 100.
[0180] The control apparatus 110 includes the main processor 111, a
ROM (Read Only Memory) 112, and a RAM (Random Access Memory) 113.
The main processor 111 is an arithmetic processing apparatus such
as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and controls each component of
the sheet manufacturing apparatus 100 by executing a basic control
program stored in the ROM 112. The main processor 111 may be
configured as a system chip including peripheral circuits such as
the ROM 112 and the RAM 113 and other IP cores.
[0181] The ROM 112 stores the program to be executed by the main
processor 111 in a non-volatile manner. The RAM 113 forms a work
area to be used by the main processor 111 and temporarily stores a
program to be executed by the main processor 111 and data to be
processed.
[0182] A non-volatile storage unit 120 stores a program to be
executed by the main processor 111 and data to be processed by the
main processor 111.
[0183] The display panel 116 is a panel for display such as a
liquid crystal display and is installed on, for example, a front
surface of the sheet manufacturing apparatus 100. The display panel
116 displays an operation state, various setting values, a warning
display, and the like of the sheet manufacturing apparatus 100
according to control of the main processor 111.
[0184] The touch sensor 117 detects a touch (contact) operation and
a pressing operation. The touch sensor 117 is composed of, for
example, a pressure sensing type sensor or an electrostatic
capacity type sensor and is arranged overlapped on a display
surface of the display panel 116. When detecting an operation, the
touch sensor 117 outputs operation data including operation
positions and the number of the operation positions to the main
processor 111. The main processor 111 detects the operation on the
display panel 116 by the output from the touch sensor 117 and
acquires the operation positions. The main processor 111 realizes a
GUI (Graphical User Interface) operation based on the operation
positions detected by the touch sensor 117 and display data 122
that is being displayed on the display panel 116.
[0185] The control apparatus 110 is connected to sensors installed
in each component of the sheet manufacturing apparatus 100 through
a sensor I/F (Interface) 114. The sensor I/F 114 is an interface
that acquires detection values outputted from the sensors and
inputs the detection values to the main processor 111. The sensor
I/F 114 may include an A/D (Analogue/Digital) converter that
converts an analog signal outputted from the sensors into digital
data. The sensor I/F 114 may supply drive current to each sensor.
The sensor I/F 114 may include a circuit that acquires an output
value of each sensor according to a sampling frequency specified by
the main processor 111 and outputs the output value to the main
processor 111.
[0186] The sensor I/F 114 is connected with a waste paper remaining
amount sensor 301, a paper discharge sensor 303, and the basis
weight sensor 309.
[0187] The waste paper remaining amount sensor 301 detects a
remaining amount of waste paper stored in the supply unit 10. For
example, when the remaining amount of waste paper detected by the
waste paper remaining amount sensor 301 falls below a setting
value, the control unit 150 notifies of shortage of the waste
paper.
[0188] The paper discharge sensor 303 detects the amount of sheets
S accumulated in a tray or a stacker included in the discharge unit
96. When the amount of sheets S detected by the paper discharge
sensor 303 becomes a setting value or more, the control unit 150
performs notification.
[0189] As described above, the basis weight sensor 309 is arranged
along the transport path of the sheet S and detects the basis
weight of the sheet S by performing optical reading on the sheet S.
The basis weight sensor 309 outputs a detection value of the
optical detection to the control apparatus 110. The basis weight
sensor 309 detects the basis weight in a plurality of positions in
a predetermined direction (the width direction WD in the present
embodiment) crossing the transport direction of the sheet S. The
control apparatus 110 can detect a distribution of the basis weight
in the predetermined direction of the sheet S based on a detection
result (output values) of the basis weight sensor 309. As described
above, the basis weight sensor 309 may be installed in the
transport path of the second web W2 instead of the transport path
of the sheet S and perform the detection on the second web W2.
[0190] The configuration shown in FIG. 9 is an example, and for
example, the sheet manufacturing apparatus 100 may have other
sensors and the control apparatus 110 may acquire detection values
of the other sensors. For example, the sheet manufacturing
apparatus 100 may include a sensor that detects a remaining amount
of the additive in the additive supply unit 52, a sensor that
detects an amount of water in a tank (not shown in the drawings)
that stores water for humidifying, and the like. Further, the sheet
manufacturing apparatus 100 may include sensors that detect a
temperature, an air flow amount, and an air flow velocity of the
air flowing inside the sheet manufacturing apparatus 100.
[0191] The control apparatus 110 is connected to each drive unit
included in the sheet manufacturing apparatus 100 through a drive
unit I/F (Interface) 115. The drive units included in the sheet
manufacturing apparatus 100 are a motor, a pump, a heater, and the
like.
[0192] The drive unit I/F 115 is connected with a rough-crushing
unit 311, a fibrillating unit 312, a paper feed motor 313, an
additive supply unit 314, a blower 315, a humidifying unit 316, a
drum unit drive unit 317, a belt drive unit 318 and a dividing unit
319 as objects to be controlled by the control apparatus 110.
[0193] The rough-crushing unit 311 includes a drive unit such as a
motor that rotates a cutting blade (not shown in the drawings) that
cuts waste paper which is a raw material in the rough-crushing unit
12. The fibrillating unit 312 includes a drive unit such as a motor
that rotates a rotor (not shown in the drawings) included in the
fibrillating unit 20. The paper feed motor 313 is a motor that
supplies waste paper from the supply unit 10. The additive supply
unit 314 includes drive units such as a motor that drives a screw
feeder that feeds out the additive in the discharge unit 52a, a
motor that opens and closes the discharge unit 52a, and an
actuator. The blower 315 includes the fibrillating unit blower 26,
the collection blower 28, the mixing blower 56, the suction blower
77, and the like. Each of these blowers may be individually
connected to the drive unit I/F 115.
[0194] The humidifying unit 316 includes the humidifying units 202,
204, 206, and 208, which are composed of a vaporizing type or a hot
air vaporizing type humidifier, and the humidifying units 210 and
212, which are composed of an ultrasonic type humidifier that
generates mist.
[0195] The drum unit drive unit 317 includes drive units such as a
motor that rotates the drum unit 41 and a motor that rotates the
drum unit 61.
[0196] A belt drive unit 318 includes drive units such as a motor
that drives the mesh belt 46, a motor that drives the mesh belt 72,
and a motor that drives the mesh belt 79a. The belt drive unit 318
may include detection units such as a rotary encoder and a rotation
angle sensor that detect a rotation velocity, a rotation amount, a
rotation angle, and the like of the above motors.
[0197] The dividing unit 319 includes a drive unit such as a motor
that rotates the rotating body 49.
[0198] A basis weight adjustment unit 341 is a drive unit that
operates under control of the control apparatus 110. The basis
weight adjustment unit 341 changes or adjusts at least one of an
air flow direction, an air flow amount, an air flow velocity, and
their left-right balance for the transport air flows M1, M2, and M3
of the material flowing into the depositing unit 60. In the present
embodiment, the plate drive unit 403 that drives the air flow
regulation unit 401 corresponds to the basis weight adjustment unit
341.
[0199] An air intake adjustment unit 342 is a drive unit that
operates under control of the control apparatus 110. The air intake
adjustment unit 342 changes or adjusts at least one of an air flow
direction, an air flow amount, an air flow velocity, and their
left-right balance for air containing no material, which is sucked
by the depositing unit 60. In the present embodiment, the air
intake regulation units 511 and 512 correspond to the air intake
adjustment unit 342, and more specifically, the plate drive units
511b and 512b correspond to the air intake adjustment unit 342. The
plate drive units 511b and 512b may be operated independently from
each other by control of the control apparatus 110 or may operate
interlocking with each other.
[0200] FIG. 10 is a functional block diagram of the sheet
manufacturing apparatus 100 and shows a functional configuration of
a storage unit 140 and the control unit 150. The storage unit 140
is a logical storage unit composed of the non-volatile storage unit
120 (FIG. 9).
[0201] The control unit 150 and various functional units included
in the control unit 150 are formed by cooperation of software and
hardware when the main processor 111 executes a program. The
hardware constituting these functional units is, for example, the
main processor 111 and the non-volatile storage unit 120.
[0202] The storage unit 140 stores, for example, setting data 121,
display data 122, and basis weight setting data 123. The setting
data 121 includes data that sets operation of the sheet
manufacturing apparatus 100. For example, the setting data 121
includes data such as a threshold value used in processing where
the main processor 111 detects abnormality based on characteristics
of various sensors included in the sheet manufacturing apparatus
100 and detection values of the various sensors. The display data
122 is data of a screen which the main processor 111 causes the
display panel 116 to display. The display data 122 may be fixed
image data or may be data that sets a screen display that displays
data generated or acquired by the main processor 111.
[0203] The basis weight setting data 123 is data that associates a
distribution of the basis weight of the sheet S manufactured by the
sheet manufacturing apparatus 100 with an operation condition and
the like of the sheet manufacturing apparatus 100.
[0204] The sheet manufacturing apparatus 100 can manufacture the
sheets S of various conditions by controlling the basis weight
adjustment unit 341 and/or the air intake adjustment unit 342 by
the control apparatus 110. Specifically, it is possible to change
the distribution of the basis weight in a predetermined direction
of the sheet S by operations of the basis weight adjustment unit
341 and/or the air intake adjustment unit 342. Therefore, it is
possible to fine-tune driving amounts and the like of the basis
weight adjustment unit 341 and/or the air intake adjustment unit
342 in order to obtain a desired state of the basis weight
distribution in a predetermined direction of the sheet S.
[0205] Further, in the sheet manufacturing apparatus 100 of the
present embodiment, regarding the basis weight distribution in a
predetermined direction of the sheet S, one or more basis weight
distributions are preset in a selectable manner in advance.
Specifically, one or more basis weight distributions and a
parameter that defines operations of the basis weight adjustment
unit 341 and/or the air intake adjustment unit 342 for realizing
each basis weight distribution are associated with each other and
stored in the storage unit 140. This data corresponds to the basis
weight setting data 123. According to this configuration, when one
basis weight distribution is selected from selectable basis weight
distributions, a drive parameter of the basis weight adjustment
unit 341 and/or the air intake adjustment unit 342 corresponding to
the selected basis weight distribution is acquired from the basis
weight setting data 123. Then, the sheet manufacturing apparatus
100 operates according to the drive parameter. Thereby, it is
possible to quickly manufacture the sheet S having the selected
basis weight distribution without performing an operation to adjust
operation amounts and the like of the basis weight adjustment unit
341 and/or the air intake adjustment unit 342, and it is also
possible to change the basis weight distribution of the sheet
S.
[0206] The control unit 150 has functions of an operating system
(OS) 151, a display control unit 152, an operation detection unit
153, a detection control unit 154, a drive control unit 155, and a
basis weight adjustment control unit 157.
[0207] The function of the operating system 151 is a function of a
control program stored in the storage unit 140, and the other units
of the control unit 150 are functions of an application program
executed on the operating system 151.
[0208] The display control unit 152 causes the display panel 116 to
display an image based on the display data 122.
[0209] The operation detection unit 153 detects an operation
performed on the touch sensor 117. The operation detection unit 153
identifies content of a GUI operation corresponding to an operation
position of the operation detected on the touch sensor 117.
[0210] The detection control unit 154 acquires detection values of
various sensors connected to the sensor I/F 114. The detection
control unit 154 compares a detection value of a sensor connected
to the sensor I/F 114 with a preset threshold value (setting value)
and performs determination. When a determination result corresponds
to a condition to perform notification, the detection control unit
154 outputs notification content to the display control unit 152
and causes the display control unit 152 to perform notification
using image and text.
[0211] The drive control unit 155 controls start (boot) and stop of
each drive unit connected through the drive unit I/F 115. Further,
the drive control unit 155 may perform rotational speed control on
the fibrillating unit blower 26, the mixing blower 56, and the
like.
[0212] When a setting related to the basis weight distribution is
performed by an operation detected by the operation detection unit
153, the basis weight adjustment control unit 157 refer to the
basis weight setting data 123. The basis weight adjustment control
unit 157 acquires a drive parameter of the basis weight adjustment
unit 341 and/or the air intake adjustment unit 342 corresponding to
the setting from the basis weight setting data 123. The basis
weight adjustment control unit 157 determines driving amounts of
the basis weight adjustment unit 341 and the air intake adjustment
unit 342 according to the acquired drive parameter and operates the
basis weight adjustment unit 341 and the air intake adjustment unit
342.
[0213] The basis weight adjustment control unit 157 causes the
basis weight sensor 309 to perform detection, acquires output
values of the basis weight sensor 309, and obtains the basis weight
distribution of the sheet S based on the acquired output values.
The basis weight adjustment control unit 157 compares the basis
weight distribution of the sheet S set by an operation detected by
the operation detection unit 153 with the basis weight distribution
obtained from the output values of the basis weight sensor 309 and
determines whether or not the basis weight distribution is in a
target state. When the basis weight distribution deviates from a
range that can be regarded the target state, the basis weight
adjustment control unit 157 performs control so that the basis
weight distribution of the sheet S is in the target state by
adjusting the drive parameter of the basis weight adjustment unit
341 and the air intake adjustment unit 342.
[0214] FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing an operation of the sheet
manufacturing apparatus 100.
[0215] When the power of the sheet manufacturing apparatus 100 is
turned on (step ST1), the control unit 150 starts setting of
operation of the sheet manufacturing apparatus 100 (step ST2). For
example, the setting of operation of the sheet manufacturing
apparatus 100 is performed when the display unit 160 displays a
screen for the setting and a user performs an input operation on
the screen for the setting. After the size, the number, and the
like of the sheets S to be manufactured by the sheet manufacturing
apparatus 100 are set, the control unit 150 causes the display unit
160 to display a target distribution selection screen 160a (step
ST3).
[0216] FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram showing a display example of
the sheet manufacturing apparatus 100 and shows an example of the
target distribution selection screen 160a. In the target
distribution selection screen 160a illustrated in FIG. 12, a name
of the screen is displayed and a basis weight distribution
selection image 162 and a selection state display portion 163 are
arranged.
[0217] The basis weight distribution selection image 162 is an
operation image for a user to specify the basis weight distribution
of the sheet S. The basis weight distribution selection image 162
includes images 162a, 162b, and 162c corresponding to types of
basis weight distribution of the sheet S that can be set in the
sheet manufacturing apparatus 100. An image expressing the basis
weight distribution of the sheet S is included in each of the
images 162a, 162b, and 162c. When a touch operation is performed on
one of the images 162a, 162b, and 162c, the basis weight
distribution corresponding to the image on which the touch
operation is performed is selected. The images 162a, 162b, and 162c
may include characters representing the basis weight distribution
of the sheet S in a language expression or may include a number
previously given to the basis weight distribution of the sheet
S.
[0218] The selection state display portion 163 is an image
indicating that a touch operation on the image 162a, 162b, or 162c
of the basis weight distribution selection image 162 is detected.
In other words, the selection state display portion 163 is an image
indicating the basis weight distribution selected by the touch
operation among the images 162a, 162b, and 162c.
[0219] In this way, the user can easily select the basis weight
distribution of the sheet S to be manufactured by the sheet
manufacturing apparatus 100 from a plurality of states of the basis
weight distribution by using the target distribution selection
screen 160a.
[0220] The control unit 150 determines whether or not the basis
weight distribution is selected by the touch operation performed on
the display unit 160 and the setting is completed (step ST4). When
the setting is not completed (step ST4; No), the control unit 150
waits until the basis weight distribution is selected. When the
setting is completed (step ST4; Yes), the control unit 150 acquires
and sets the drive parameter of the basis weight adjustment unit
341 and/or the air intake adjustment unit 342 based on data of the
basis weight setting data 123 (step ST5).
[0221] Subsequently, the control unit 150 adjusts a driving state
of the basis weight adjustment unit 341 and the air intake
adjustment unit 342 according to the set drive parameter (step
ST6).
[0222] The control unit 150 starts a start-up sequence that
initializes each component of the sheet manufacturing apparatus 100
(step ST7) and proceeds to a state where the sheet S can be
manufactured. In the start-up sequence, various motors, blowers,
and the like controlled by the drive control unit 155 are
appropriately started in a proper order. In the start-up sequence,
each component including the basis weight adjustment unit 341 and
the air intake adjustment unit 342 operates according to setting
values.
[0223] The control unit 150 starts detection using the basis weight
sensor 309 while the start-up sequence is being performed or after
the start-up sequence is performed, and performs the detection
using the basis weight sensor 309 at a sampling period (step ST9).
The control unit 150 detects the basis weight distribution in a
predetermined direction of the sheet S based on the output values
of the basis weight sensor 309 (step ST10) and determines whether
or not a calculated basis weight distribution corresponds to the
state selected in step ST4 (step ST11). In step ST11, even when the
basis weight distribution obtained from the output values of the
basis weight sensor 309 is not completely coincident with the basis
weight distribution set in the step ST4, if the basis weight
distribution is within an allowable range, the control unit 150
makes a positive determination. For example, a variation range of
allowable basis weight distribution may be previously set in the
control unit 150. Alternatively, the basis weight distribution of
the sheet S and a range that can be regarded as the basis weight
distribution may be set in the basis weight setting data 123.
[0224] When the basis weight distribution is in a target state or
in a range that can be regarded as the target state (step ST11;
Yes), the control unit 150 notifies that the basis weight
distribution of the sheet S is in a state selected by the user by
display of the display unit 160 or the like (step ST12).
[0225] The control unit 150 determines whether or not to end
operation of the sheet manufacturing apparatus 100 (step ST13).
When a trigger for ending the operation is not established (step
ST13; No), the control unit 150 continues the operation. When a
trigger for stopping the operation such as an instruction to stop
operation occurs (step ST13; Yes), the control unit 150 executes a
stop sequence (step ST14).
[0226] On the other hand, when the basis weight distribution is not
in the range that can be regarded as the target state (step ST11;
No), the control unit 150 changes a drive parameter of the sheet
manufacturing apparatus 100 (step ST15) and returns to step ST9.
More specifically, the control unit 150 changes the drive parameter
of the basis weight adjustment unit 341 and the air intake
adjustment unit 342 so that the basis weight distribution of the
sheet S obtained based on the output values of the basis weight
sensor 309 approaches the target state. The control unit 150
performs adjustment of operation states of the basis weight
adjustment unit 341 and the air intake adjustment unit 342
according to the drive parameter changed in step ST15 (step ST16)
and returns to step ST9.
[0227] As described above, the sheet manufacturing apparatus 100 of
the first embodiment includes the drum unit 61 having a plurality
of openings 61a. Further, the sheet manufacturing apparatus 100
includes the second web forming unit 70 that has the deposition
surface 72a, on which material containing fibers that has passed
through the openings 61a is deposited, and forms the second web W2
on the deposition surface 72a, and the sheet forming unit 80 that
processes the second web W2 and forms the sheet S. Further, the
sheet manufacturing apparatus 100 includes the control unit 150
that controls the basis weight of the second web W2 deposited on
the deposition surface 72a in a direction crossing a transport
direction of the second web W2.
[0228] According to the sheet manufacturing apparatus 100, a
control method of the sheet manufacturing apparatus 100, and a
sheet manufacturing method, to which the present invention is
applied, the basis weight distribution of the sheet S to be
manufactured can be controlled by controlling the basis weight of
the second web W2. Thereby, it is possible to realize a desired
basis weight distribution in the sheet S. For example, by making
the basis weight in a central portion greater than that in end
portions in a predetermined direction (for example, in the width
direction WD) within a surface of the sheet S, it is possible to
manufacture a sheet S whose rigidity in the predetermined direction
is high and whose transportability is high when being transported
by a printer or the like.
[0229] The drum unit 61 is rotatably configured and the drum unit
61 is arranged with the pipe 54 for supplying the transport air
flow M1 containing material to inside of the drum unit 61. The pipe
54 has the main pipe 54a, the branch pipe 54c, and the branch pipe
54d. The branch pipe 54c is branched from the main pipe 54a at the
branch portion 54b and is connected to one end portion in a
rotation axis direction of the drum unit 61. The branch pipe 54d is
branched from the main pipe 54a at the branch portion 54b and is
connected to the other end portion in the rotation axis direction
of the drum unit 61. Further, the drum unit 61 includes the air
flow regulation unit 401, which is provided near the branch portion
54b, for changing a ratio between a transport amount of material
transported by the transport air flow M2 flowing through the branch
pipe 54c, and a transport amount of material transported by the
transport air flow M3 flowing through the branch pipe 54d under
control of the control unit 150. Thereby, it is possible to change
a ratio of materials supplied to the drum unit 61 by changing the
ratio between the transport amount of material transported by the
transport air flow M2 that supplies the material to the drum unit
61 from one side, and the transport amount of material transported
by the transport air flow M3 that supplies the material to the drum
unit 61 from the other side. Therefore, the basis weight
distribution of the sheet S to be manufactured can be controlled by
changing distribution of the material deposited through the
openings 61a of the drum unit 61.
[0230] Further, the drum unit 61 includes the housing portion 63
that covers at least a portion, where the openings 61a are formed,
of the drum unit 61, and the material supply ports 64a and 65a for
supplying the transport air flow M1 containing material to the
inside of the drum unit 61. The drum unit 61 includes the air
intake port 501 and the air intake port 502 which are provided away
from each other in the rotation axis direction of the drum unit 61
and which are air intake ports for supplying the outside airs O1
and O2 that are air containing no material from the outside of the
housing portion 63 to the inside of the drum unit 61. Further, the
drum unit 61 includes the air intake regulation units 511 and 512
that change a ratio of flow rates of air supplied from the air
intake ports 501 and 502 under control of the control unit 150.
According to this configuration, a distribution of air flow flowing
out from the drum unit 61 can be changed by changing a ratio
between the outside air O1 and the outside air O2 flowing into the
drum unit 61. Therefore, the basis weight distribution of the sheet
S to be manufactured can be controlled by changing the distribution
in the width direction WD of the material deposited through the
openings 61a of the drum unit 61.
[0231] The control unit 150 may control the flow rate of the
transport air flow M1. For example, the control unit 150 may
control the air flow amounts of the transport air flows M1, M2, and
M3 by controlling an air blowing amount of the mixing blower 56. In
this case, it is possible to more effectively control the
distribution of the material deposited on the deposition surface
72a.
[0232] Further, the control unit 150 may control the flow rate of
the suction air flow M4. For example, the control unit 150 may
control the air flow amount of the suction air flow M4 by
controlling an air blowing amount of the suction blower 77. In this
case, it is possible to more effectively control the distribution
of the material deposited on the deposition surface 72a.
[0233] The sheet manufacturing apparatus 100 includes the second
web forming unit 70 that forms the second web W2 by depositing a
material containing fibers on the deposition surface 72a and the
sheet forming unit 80 that forms the sheet S by processing the
second web W2. Further, the sheet manufacturing apparatus 100 has
the operation detection unit 153 used as a receiving unit that
receives a setting of the basis weight distribution of the sheet S
and the control unit 150 that controls the basis weight of the
second web W2 to be deposited on the deposition surface 72a of the
second web forming unit 70 based on the basis weight distribution
received by the operation detection unit 153.
[0234] According to this configuration, when manufacturing the
sheet S by depositing a material containing fibers, it is possible
to manufacture the sheet S of a set basis weight by controlling the
basis weight of the second web W2 according to a setting of the
basis weight of the sheet S. Thereby, it is possible to realize (on
demand) a desired basis weight distribution in the sheet S. For
example, by making the basis weight in a central portion greater
than that in end portions in a predetermined direction within a
surface of the sheet S, it is possible to manufacture the sheet S
whose rigidity in the predetermined direction is high and whose
transportability is high when being transported by a printer or the
like.
[0235] The sheet manufacturing apparatus 100 has the drum unit 61,
where a plurality of openings 61a are formed, and is configured so
that a material that has passed through the openings 61a of the
drum unit 61 is deposited on the deposition surface 72a. The
operation detection unit 153 receives a basis weight distribution
in a predetermined direction (the width direction WD) crossing the
transport direction F of the second web W2 as the basis weight
distribution of the sheet S by using, for example, the target
distribution selection screen 160a. Thereby, when the basis weight
distribution in a predetermined direction crossing the transport
direction of the second web W2 is set, it is possible to
manufacture the sheet S having the set basis weight distribution by
controlling the basis weight distribution of the second web W2.
[0236] Further, the sheet manufacturing apparatus 100 includes the
basis weight sensor 309 that detects the thickness or the basis
weight of the second web W2 or the sheet S. The basis weight sensor
309 of the present embodiment detects the basis weight of the sheet
S. The control unit 150 controls the basis weight distribution of
the second web W2 in a predetermined direction crossing the
transport direction F based on a detection result of the basis
weight sensor 309. In this case, the basis weight distribution of
the sheet S can be more properly controlled.
[0237] The sheet S manufactured by the sheet manufacturing
apparatus 100 described above and the sheet manufacturing method of
the sheet manufacturing apparatus 100 is provided with variation in
the basis weight distribution in a predetermined direction crossing
the transport direction of the sheet S when the sheet S is
transported by being pinched by a transport roller pair. In the
sheet S, the basis weight in the central portion is greater than
that in the end portions in a predetermined direction. Thereby, it
is possible to realize the sheet S which is rigid in the transport
direction and excellent in transportability when being transported
by the roller pair as compared with a sheet where the basis weight
is substantially uniform in the entire sheet. The sheet S may be
manufactured so that the thickness of the end portions in a
predetermined direction is the same as that of the central portion.
In this case, it is possible to realize the sheet S that is
excellent in rigidity in the transport direction and
transportability due to the basis weight distribution and has no
unevenness in thickness.
Second Embodiment
[0238] FIG. 13 is a main portion enlarged view of a sheet
manufacturing apparatus 101 according to a second embodiment to
which the present invention is applied, and in particular, is an
enlarged front view showing the pipe 54 and an air flow regulation
unit 411.
[0239] The sheet manufacturing apparatus 101 is configured in the
same manner as the sheet manufacturing apparatus 100 (FIG. 1)
except for the air flow regulation unit 411 described below, so
that the same components are denoted by the same reference signs,
and their description will be omitted.
[0240] The air flow regulation unit 411 shown in FIG. 13 is
arranged above (on the upstream side of) the branch portion 54b of
the pipe 54. The air flow regulation unit 411 has plate-shaped air
flow regulation rotary plates 412 arranged from the side wall side
of the main pipe 54a toward the axis center and rotary units 413
that rotates the flow regulation rotary plates 412 in directions
indicated by arrows RD in FIG. 13. In the example of FIG. 13, a
pair of air flow regulation rotary plates 412 are respectively
arranged on the right direction R side and the left direction L
side of the main pipe 54a. Each flow regulation rotary plate 412 is
rotated independently by the rotary unit 413 under control of the
control apparatus 110.
[0241] The positions of the pair of air flow regulation rotary
plates 412 correspond to a position facing the branch pipe 54c and
a position facing the branch pipe 54d with reference to a flow
dividing position 54e at which the branch portion 54b divides the
transport air flow M1.
[0242] The air flow regulation unit 411 is installed instead of the
air flow regulation unit 401 (FIG. 5) described in the first
embodiment. In other words, the sheet manufacturing apparatus 101
has a configuration in which the air flow regulation unit 401 of
the sheet manufacturing apparatus 100 is replaced with the air flow
regulation unit 411.
[0243] The air flow regulation unit 411 includes the pair of air
flow regulation rotary plates 412 and the rotary units 413 that
moves the pair of air flow regulation rotary plates 412.
[0244] The position of the air flow regulation unit 411 is
preferable to be close to the branch portion 54b, and is more
preferable to be provided to a pipe before being branched at the
branch portion 54b, that is, the main pipe 54a. In the main pipe
54a, it is most preferable that the air flow regulation unit 411 is
close to the branch portion 54b.
[0245] The air flow regulation rotary plate 412 is rotated by the
rotary unit 413 and is displaced between a position where the air
flow regulation rotary plate 412 traverses along the cross-section
opening of the main pipe 54a and a position where the air flow
regulation rotary plate 412 is along the axis direction of the main
pipe 54a. The area in which the air flow regulation rotary plate
412 extends in a cross-section direction of the main pipe 54a is
determined by a rotation amount of the rotary unit 413. Therefore,
in the inside of the main pipe 54a, a cross-section area which the
transport air flow M1 can pass through is changed by an operation
of the rotary unit 413. The rotary unit 413 corresponds to the
basis weight adjustment unit 341. The control apparatus 110 can
control on/off of the operation of the rotary unit 413 and the
rotation amount of the rotary unit 413. The control apparatus 110
may control each of the pair of rotary units 413 independently or
may control the pair of rotary units 413 in an interlocking manner.
As shown in FIG. 13, it is preferable that the air flow regulation
rotary plates 412 are rotated on the downstream side of the rotary
units 413. Thereby, it is possible to suppress stagnation of
material in the air flow regulation unit 411.
[0246] When the air flow regulation rotary plate 412 is rotated, a
flow of the transport air flow M1 is prevented by the air flow
regulation rotary plate 412 on the right direction R side or the
left direction L side of the cross-section of the main pipe 54a.
That is, the air flow regulation rotary plate 412 can affect the
transport air flow M1 flowing through the main pipe 54a.
[0247] For example, when the air flow regulation rotary plate 412
located on the right direction R side extends toward the central
position of the main pipe 54a, the flow path of the transport air
flow M1 becomes narrow on the right direction R side of the flow
dividing position 54e which is located in the central position of
the main pipe 54a. Therefore, ventilation resistance occurs on the
right direction R side in the main pipe 54a. In this state, the
transport air flow M1 collides with the air flow regulation rotary
plate 412 and flows around the air flow regulation rotary plate
412, so that the material contained in the transport air flow M1
flows largely on the left direction L side. The material is
transferred largely on the left direction L side in the main pipe
54a, so that a greater amount of material flows in the transport
air flow M3 than in the transport air flow M2 in the branch portion
54b. Therefore, a greater amount of material flows into the drum
unit 61 from the left direction L side than from the right
direction R side.
[0248] On the other hand, when the air flow regulation rotary plate
412 located on the left direction L side extends toward the central
position of the main pipe 54a, the flow path of the transport air
flow M1 becomes narrow on the left direction L side of the flow
dividing position 54e which is located in the central position of
the main pipe 54a. Therefore, ventilation resistance occurs on the
left direction L side in the main pipe 54a. In this state, the
transport air flow M1 collides with the air flow regulation rotary
plate 412 and flows around the air flow regulation rotary plate
412, so that the material contained in the transport air flow M1
flows largely on the right direction R side. The material is
transferred largely on the right direction R side in the main pipe
54a, so that a greater amount of material flows in the transport
air flow M2 than in the transport air flow M3 in the branch portion
54b. Therefore, a greater amount of material flows into the drum
unit 61 from the right direction R side than from the left
direction L side.
[0249] The air flow regulation rotary plate 412 affects a flow
velocity of the transport air flow M1. However, the air flow
regulation rotary plate 412 scarcely affects an air flow amount, so
that the sum of the air flow amounts of the transport air flows M2
and M3 flowing into the drum unit 61 hardly changes. However, when
a wind force of the mixing blower 56 that generates the transport
air flows M1 is weak and a ratio of an area reduced by the air flow
regulation rotary plates 412 in the cross-section area of the main
pipe 54a is large, the air flow amount may decrease.
[0250] According to the sheet manufacturing apparatus 101 of the
second embodiment, the air flow regulation unit 411 is controlled
by the basis weight adjustment control unit 157, and thereby a
left-right balance of the material flowing into the drum unit 61
from the pipe 54 can be changed. The effect of the above is the
same as the effect obtained when the air flow regulation unit 401
is controlled by the basis weight adjustment control unit 157 in
the first embodiment.
[0251] Therefore, the sheet manufacturing apparatus 101 of the
second embodiment achieves the same effects as those of the sheet
manufacturing apparatus 100. Further, the air flow regulation
rotary plate 412 included in the air flow regulation unit 411 can
be realized with a size smaller than that of the air flow
regulation plate 402 included in the air flow regulation unit 401
(FIG. 5). Therefore, when a margin space outside the main pipe 54a
is small, the flow regulation unit 411 is more advantageous.
[0252] In the second embodiment described above, the pipe 54 is not
limited to a circular cross-section tube, but may be a rectangular
cross-section tube. Specifically, at least in a position where the
air flow regulation unit 411 is provided, the main pipe 54a is
composed of a rectangular (square) cross-section tube. In this
case, a rectangular plate is used as the air flow regulation rotary
plate 412, so that a pair of air intake regulation units 412 can
more effectively affect a flow of the transport air flow M1.
Therefore, it is possible to efficiently adjust the distribution of
material in the drum unit 61.
Third Embodiment
[0253] FIG. 14 is a main portion perspective view of a sheet
manufacturing apparatus 102 according to a third embodiment, and in
particular, shows a configuration of the depositing unit 60 and the
second web forming unit 70.
[0254] The sheet manufacturing apparatus 102 is configured in the
same manner as the sheet manufacturing apparatus 100 (FIG. 1)
except for a depositing unit 60a described below, so that the same
components are denoted by the same reference signs, and their
description will be omitted. The sheet manufacturing apparatus 102
has a configuration in which the depositing unit 60 (FIG. 3) of the
sheet manufacturing apparatus 100 is replaced with the depositing
unit 60a, and air supply pipes 522a and 522b and air supply
apparatuses 523a and 523b are provided.
[0255] The depositing unit 60a includes a right side wall 64b
instead of the right side wall 64 (FIG. 3) and a left side wall 65b
instead of the left side wall 65 (FIG. 3). The right side wall 64b
is connected with the air feed pipe 57a in the same manner as the
right side wall 64, and the transport air flow M2 containing
material is supplied from the air feed pipe 57a to the inside of
the drum unit 61. The right side wall 64b has the material supply
port 64a which opens in a position corresponding to the inside of
the drum unit 61 and from which the transport air flow M2 flows
in.
[0256] The left side wall 65b is connected with the air feed pipe
57b in the same manner as the left side wall 65, and the transport
air flow M3 is supplied from the air feed pipe 57b to the inside of
the drum unit 61. The left side wall 65b has the material supply
port 65a which opens in a position corresponding to the inside of
the drum unit 61 and from which the transport air flow M3 flows
in.
[0257] An air supply port 521a to which air containing no material
is supplied is formed in the right side wall 64b. The air supply
port 521a is an opening from which air supplied from the air supply
pipe 522a connected to the right side wall 64b is supplied to the
inside of the drum unit 61. The air supply port 521a extends in the
rotation axis Q (FIG. 4) direction of the drum unit 61, penetrates
the right side wall 64b, and opens in a position overlapping with
the inside of the drum unit 61. The air supply port 521a opens in a
position different from that of the material supply port 64a in a
radial direction of the drum unit 61.
[0258] Similarly, an air supply port 521b to which air containing
no material is supplied is formed in the left side wall 65b. The
air supply port 521b is an opening from which air supplied from the
air supply pipe 522b connected to the left side wall 65b is
supplied to the inside of the drum unit 61. The air supply port
521b penetrates the left side wall 65b in the rotation axis Q
direction of the drum unit 61 and opens in a position overlapping
with the inside of the drum unit 61. The air supply port 521b opens
in a position different from that of the material supply port 65a
in the radial direction of the drum unit 61.
[0259] The air supply pipe 522a is connected to the air supply
apparatus 523a that operates under control of the control apparatus
110. The air supply pipe 522b is connected to the air supply
apparatus 523b that operates under control of the control apparatus
110. The air supply apparatuses 523a and 523b have blowers (not
shown in the drawings) and feed air to the air supply pipes 522a
and 522b, respectively. The air supply apparatuses 523a and 523b
may feed humidified air that has been humidified by, for example,
the humidifying unit 208 (FIG. 1) or the like to the air supply
pipes 522a and 522b. Alternatively, the air supply apparatuses 523a
and 523b may feed air (outside air) in the sheet manufacturing
apparatus 102 such as periphery of the depositing unit 60a to the
air supply pipes 522a and 522b. In any of these cases, air
containing no material, which the air supply apparatuses 523a and
523b supply to the drum unit 61, is called the outside air.
[0260] The air supply apparatuses 523a and 523b supply the outside
air of an air flow amount corresponding to a difference between the
air flow amount flowing into the drum unit 61 from the material
supply ports 64a and 65a and the air flow amount sucked by the
suction mechanism 76. The outside air supplied from the air supply
pipes 522a and 522b corresponds to the outside airs O1 and O2 (FIG.
3).
[0261] The air supply apparatuses 523a and 523b correspond to the
air intake adjustment unit 342 (FIG. 9). The control unit 150 can
adjust an air flow amount of outside air which the air supply
apparatuses 523a and 523b feed to the air supply pipes 522a and
522b, respectively, by the basis weight adjustment control unit
157. The control of the air supply apparatuses 523a and 523b by the
basis weight adjustment control unit 157 is the same as the control
of the air intake regulation units 511 and 512 shown in FIG. 3 and
FIG. 4. The basis weight adjustment control unit 157 can change a
left-right balance between the outside air flowing into the drum
unit 61 from the air supply port 521a on the right direction R side
and the outside air flowing into the drum unit 61 from the air
supply port 521b on the left direction L side by controlling an air
feed amount of the air supply apparatus 523a and an air feed amount
of the air supply apparatus 523b. In this way, in the same manner
as the control to adjust the opening areas of the air intake ports
501 and 502 in the first embodiment, the basis weight adjustment
control unit 157 can obtain the same effect by controlling the air
supply apparatuses 523a and 523b. As described above, according to
the sheet manufacturing apparatus 102 of the third embodiment, it
is possible to control the distribution of the material inside the
drum unit 61 and adjust the basis weight distribution of the sheet
S in a predetermined direction (for example, the width direction
WD) crossing the transport direction F by controlling the air
supply apparatuses 523a and 523b.
[0262] It is possible to configure the air supply apparatuses 523a
and 523b as one air supply apparatus. In this case, it is
preferable to include a mechanism that changes and adjusts an air
feed amount (air flow amount) fed from the air supply apparatus to
the air supply pipe 522a and an air feed amount (air flow amount)
fed from the air supply apparatus to the air supply pipe 522b. For
example, a configuration is considered which includes a branch
portion that branches an air flow fed from the air supply apparatus
into the air supply pipe 522a and the air supply pipe 522b. It is
possible to employ a configuration where a damper (not shown in the
drawings) that adjusts a ratio where the air flow is branched into
the air supply pipe 522a and the air supply pipe 522b is arranged
in the branch portion and a position and a driving state of the
damper can be controlled by the control apparatus 110.
[0263] Although FIG. 14 shows a configuration where the air flow
regulation unit 401 is provided on the main pipe 54a in the sheet
manufacturing apparatus 102, it is also possible to provide the air
flow regulation unit 411 (FIG. 12) instead of the air flow
regulation unit 401 included in the sheet manufacturing apparatus
102.
Fourth Embodiment
[0264] FIG. 15 to FIG. 19 are explanatory diagrams of a sheet
manufacturing apparatus 103 according to a fourth embodiment. FIG.
15 is a main portion disassembled perspective view of the sheet
manufacturing apparatus 103. FIG. 15 shows an air intake position
change unit 530 (position change unit) that changes a position of
an air intake port for supplying air containing no material into
the inside of the drum unit from the outside of the housing
portion. FIG. 16 is a diagram showing a first air intake position
of the air intake port of the position change unit. FIG. 17 is a
diagram showing a second air intake position of the air intake
port. FIG. 18 is a diagram showing a third air intake position of
the air intake port. FIG. 19 is a diagram showing a fourth air
intake position of the air intake port.
[0265] The sheet manufacturing apparatus 103 corresponds to a
configuration where the positions of the air intake ports 501 and
502 can be changed in the sheet manufacturing apparatus 100
according to the first embodiment. The same components as those of
the sheet manufacturing apparatus 100 are denoted by the same
reference signs, and their description will be omitted.
[0266] The air intake position change unit 530 in FIG. 15 includes
an opening position change plate 532, a drive unit 531 that rotates
the opening position change plate 532, and a wall plate 533 that is
arranged by being overlapped with the opening position change plate
532. The opening position change plate 532 and the wall plate 533
are circular plates and are overlapped so that their axis centers
are matched with each other. The overlapped plates can be used as
the right side wall 64 (FIG. 3) and the left side wall 65 (FIG.
3).
[0267] A central opening 532a is formed in the center of the
opening position change plate 532, and an outer opening 532b is
formed in a position away from the center in the opening position
change plate 532. It is preferable that the outer opening 532b
opens in a position overlapping with a cross-section of the drum
unit 61 when the air intake position change unit 530 is arranged as
the right side wall 64 or the left side wall 65. In this case, the
central opening 532a functions as the material supply port 64a or
the material supply port 65a, and the outer opening 532b functions
as the air intake port 501 or the air intake port 502.
[0268] A central opening 533a is formed in the center of the wall
plate 533. The position, shape, and size of the central opening
533a are set so that the central opening 533a overlaps with the
central opening 532a when the opening position change plate 532 and
the wall plate 533 are overlapped with each other.
[0269] In the wall plate 533, outer openings 534a, 534b, 534c, and
534d are formed in positions away from the central opening 533a.
All of the outer openings 534a, 534b, 534c, and 534d are openings
with a size that can be overlapped with the opening position change
plate 532, and are evenly arranged in a circumferential direction
of the wall plate 533.
[0270] The air intake position change unit 530 is configured by
overlapping the opening position change plate 532 and the wall
plate 533 so that the central opening 532a and the central opening
533a are coincident with each other. Therefore, the central
openings 532a and 533a form one through-hole and cause the
transport air flows M2 and M3 to pass through as the material
supply ports 64a and 65a.
[0271] The drive unit 531 can change an angle of the opening
position change plate 532 with respect to the wall plate 533 by
rotating the opening position change plate 532. While the wall
plate 533 may have a configuration of not being rotated by the
drive unit 531, the drive unit 531 only needs to change a relative
angle between the wall plate 533 and the opening position change
plate 532.
[0272] When the opening position change plate 532 rotates with
respect to the wall plate 533, the outer opening 532b overlaps with
one of the outer openings 534a, 534b, 534c, and 534d depending on a
rotational position of the opening position change plate 532. There
may be a state where the outer opening 532b does not overlap with
any of the outer openings 534a, 534b, 534c, and 534d. When the
outer opening 532b overlaps with the outer opening 534a, the outer
opening 532b and the outer opening 534a form one through-hole,
function as the air intake port 501 or the air intake port 502, and
circulate outside air. The same goes for the outer openings 534b,
534c, and 534d.
[0273] Therefore, when the drive unit 531 rotates the opening
position change plate 532 and changes the rotational position of
the opening position change plate 532 with respect to the wall
plate 533, it is possible to select an opening, through which the
outside air flows into the drum unit 61, from the outer openings
534a, 534b, 534c, and 534d. One of the outer openings 534a, 534b,
534c, and 534d on the right side wall 64 side corresponds to the
first air intake port and one of the outer openings 534a, 534b,
534c, and 534d on the left side wall 65 side corresponds to the
second air intake port. The central opening 532a and the central
opening 533a correspond to a material supply port. That is, when
one of the outer openings which opens on the right side wall 64
side corresponds to the first air intake port, one of the outer
openings which opens on the left side wall 65 side corresponds to
the second air intake port. The right side wall 64 side and the
left side wall 65 side can be replaced with each other.
[0274] The first air intake position shown in FIG. 16 shows a state
where the outer opening 532b overlaps with the outer opening 534a.
The outer opening 534a is located higher than the central opening
533a, so that in the first air intake position, the outside air
flows into the drum unit 61 from a position higher than the
material supply ports 64a and 65a.
[0275] The second air intake position shown in FIG. 17 shows a
state where the outer opening 532b overlaps with the outer opening
534b. The outer opening 534b is located at the same height as the
central opening 533a and is located on the downstream side in the
transport direction F. In the second air intake position, the
outside air flows into the drum unit 61 from a position on the
downstream side and at the same height as the material supply ports
64a and 65a.
[0276] The third air intake position shown in FIG. 18 shows a state
where the outer opening 532b overlaps with the outer opening 534c.
The outer opening 534c is located lower than the central opening
533a. in the third air intake position, the outside air flows into
the drum unit 61 from a position lower than the material supply
ports 64a and 65a.
[0277] The fourth air intake position shown in FIG. 19 shows a
state where the outer opening 532b overlaps with the outer opening
534d. The outer opening 534d is located at the same height as the
central opening 533a and is located on the upstream side in the
transport direction F. In the fourth air intake position, the
outside air flows into the drum unit 61 from a position on the
upstream side and at the same height as the material supply ports
64a and 65a.
[0278] In this way, when the control apparatus 110 causes the drive
unit 531 to rotate the opening position change plate 532, it is
possible to change the position from which the outside air flows
into the drum unit 61. In this configuration, the air intake
position change unit 530 corresponds to the air intake adjustment
unit 342.
[0279] The sheet manufacturing apparatus 103 of the fourth
embodiment includes the air intake position change unit 530 as a
position change unit that changes the position of the air intake
port for supplying air containing no material into the drum unit 61
from the outside of the housing portion 63. Thereby, a distribution
of air flow flowing out from the drum unit 61 can be changed by
changing a distribution of air flow flowing into the drum unit 61.
Therefore, the basis weight distribution of the sheet S to be
manufactured can be controlled by changing the distribution of the
material deposited through the openings 61a of the drum unit
61.
[0280] In the first, second, third, and fourth air intake
positions, a state is shown where the outer opening 532b is
completely overlapped with one of the outer openings 534a, 534b,
534c, and 534d and the opening area is maximized. The control of
the sheet manufacturing apparatus 103 is not limited to this, but,
for example, the outer opening 532b may be partially overlapped
with one of the outer openings 534a, 534b, 534c, and 534d. In this
case, it is possible to apply ventilation resistance against an
inflow of the outside air. For example, it is possible to change a
balance of intake amounts of outside air on the right direction R
side and the left direction L side of the drum unit 61.
[0281] FIG. 20 is a graphic chart showing the basis weight
distribution of the sheet S manufactured by the sheet manufacturing
apparatus 103. FIG. 20 shows an example of the basis weight
distribution of the sheet S when a drive condition of the sheet
manufacturing apparatus 103 is changed. More specifically, FIG. 20
is a tabulated result obtained by controlling the basis weight
distribution of the sheet S in the sheet manufacturing apparatus
103. FIG. 20 shows results of examples 1 to 7 to which the present
invention is applied and a comparative example for comparison.
[0282] In the examples 1 to 7 and the comparative example, as drive
conditions of the sheet manufacturing apparatus 103, material
supply control, ratio of transport air flow amount to suction air
flow amount, left-right air intake ratio, and air intake position
are set. The material supply control indicates control that
regulates the flow of the transport air flow M1 by the air flow
regulation unit 401, and control to regulate an air flow on the
right direction R side, control to regulate an air flow on the left
direction L side, and control with no regulation are switched. The
ratio of transport air flow amount to suction air flow amount is
control on a ratio between the transport air flow M1 and the
suction air flow M4 supplied to the drum unit 61, an amount in a
normal operation condition of the sheet manufacturing apparatuses
100 to 103 is "large", and a state where the ratio is reduced by
control of the mixing blower 56 is "small". The left-right air
intake ratio indicates a balance of inflow amounts (air intake
amounts) of outside air flowing into the drum unit 61, and control
where the air intake amount on the left direction L side and the
air intake amount on the right direction R side are made equal,
control where the air intake amount on the left direction L side is
made greater than the air intake amount on the right direction R
side, and control where the air intake amount on the left direction
L side is made smaller than the air intake amount on the right
direction R side are switched. The air intake positions 1 to 4 are
respectively the air intake positions shown in FIGS. 16 to 19.
[0283] FIG. 20 shows the basis weight distribution in the width
direction WD of the sheet S as a result corresponding to each drive
condition. The basis weight distribution of the sheet S is shown by
plots (o) where the vertical axis represents the basis weight and
the horizontal axis represents the width direction WD, and the
left-right direction in the width direction WD is indicated by
reference signs L and R.
[0284] The example 1 shows an example in which the material supply
control is not performed, the ratio of transport air flow amount to
suction air flow amount is reduced, the left-right air intake ratio
is set to left direction L=right direction R, and the second air
intake position is set. When the sheet manufacturing apparatus 103
was operated in the example 1, as shown in FIG. 20, the sheet S
having a basis weight distribution where the basis weight in the
central portion in the width direction WD is greater than the basis
weight in the end portions was obtained.
[0285] The example 2 shows an example in which the material supply
control is not performed, the ratio of transport air flow amount to
suction air flow amount is set to normal (large), the left-right
air intake ratio is set to left direction L=right direction R, and
the third air intake position is set. When the sheet manufacturing
apparatus 103 was operated in the example 2, as shown in FIG. 20,
the sheet S having a basis weight distribution where the basis
weight in the central portion in the width direction WD is greater
than the basis weight in the end portions was obtained.
[0286] The example 3 shows an example in which the material supply
control is not performed, the ratio of transport air flow amount to
suction air flow amount is set to normal (large), the left-right
air intake ratio is set to left direction L=right direction R, and
the first air intake position is set. When the sheet manufacturing
apparatus 103 was operated in the example 3, as shown in FIG. 20,
the sheet S having a basis weight distribution where the basis
weight in the central portion in the width direction WD is smaller
than the basis weight in the end portions was obtained. In
comparison with the example 2, a different basis weight
distribution was obtained due to difference of air intake
position.
[0287] In the example 4, the air flow regulation plate 402 is
extended on the right direction R side in the cross-section of the
main pipe 54a by the air flow regulation unit 401. As for the other
drive conditions, the ratio of transport air flow amount to suction
air flow amount is set to normal (large), the left-right air intake
ratio is set to left direction L=right direction R, and the second
air intake position is set.
[0288] In the example 5, the air flow regulation plate 402 is
extended on the left direction L side in the cross-section of the
main pipe 54a by the air flow regulation unit 401. As for the other
drive conditions, the ratio of transport air flow amount to suction
air flow amount is set to normal (large), the left-right air intake
ratio is set to left direction L=right direction R, and the second
air intake position is set.
[0289] In the examples 4 and 5, the drive conditions are the same
except for the regulation condition of the air flow regulation unit
401, so that the basis weight distribution of the sheet S reflects
a difference of control performed by the air flow regulation unit
401. In the example 4, a distribution where the basis weight in the
end portion on the left direction L side is greater than the basis
weight in the end portion on the right direction R side was
obtained. On the other hand, in the example 5, a distribution where
the basis weight in the end portion on the right direction R side
is greater than the basis weight in the end portion on the left
direction L side was obtained.
[0290] In the example 6, the material supply control is not
performed, and the ratio of transport air flow amount to suction
air flow amount is set to normal (large). The left-right air intake
ratio is controlled so that the air intake amount on the left
direction L side is made greater than the air intake amount on the
right direction R side, and the second air intake position is
set.
[0291] In the example 7, the material supply control is not
performed, and the ratio of transport air flow amount to suction
air flow amount is set to normal (large). The left-right air intake
ratio is controlled so that the air intake amount on the left
direction L side is made smaller than the air intake amount on the
right direction R side, and the second air intake position is
set.
[0292] In the examples 6 and 7, the drive conditions are the same
except for a left-right balance of the air intake amount, so that
the basis weight distribution of the sheet S reflects a difference
of the left-right balance of the air intake amount. In the example
6, a distribution where the basis weight in the end portion on the
right direction R side is greater than the basis weight in the end
portion on the left direction L side was obtained. On the other
hand, in the example 7, a distribution where the basis weight in
the end portion on the left direction L side is greater than the
basis weight in the end portion on the right direction R side was
obtained.
[0293] In the comparative example, the material supply control is
not performed, the ratio of transport air flow amount to suction
air flow amount is set to normal (large), the control of the
left-right air intake ratio is not performed, and the second air
intake position is set. In the comparative example, the basis
weight distribution of the sheet S was substantially constant in
the width direction WD.
[0294] Although not shown in the drawings, the fourth air intake
position produced the same result as when the second air intake
position was employed.
[0295] According to each example in FIG. 20, from the comparison
with the comparative example, it is obvious that the basis weight
distribution in the width direction WD of the sheet S can be
changed by controlling one of the control of air flow by the air
flow regulation unit 401, the ratio of transport air flow amount to
suction air flow amount, the change of the position of the air
intake port by the air intake position change unit 530, and the
left-right air intake ratio of the outside air.
[0296] Regarding the material supply control, the same control as
the material supply control can be performed by using the air flow
regulation unit 411 described in the second embodiment. The
left-right air intake ratio can also be changed in the
configurations of the first to third embodiments. Therefore,
according to the sheet manufacturing apparatuses 100, 101, 102, and
103 described in the first to fourth embodiments, the control unit
150 controls the drive conditions of the apparatuses, and thereby
the basis weight distribution in the width direction WD of the
sheet S can be controlled. Therefore, it is possible to manufacture
a sheet S having a desired basis weight distribution.
[0297] The embodiments described above are only specific aspects
for implementing the present invention described in the claims and
do not limit the present invention. All the components described in
the embodiments are not necessarily essential components of the
present invention. The present invention is not limited to the
configurations of the embodiments and can be implemented in various
aspects without departing from the scope of the invention.
[0298] For example, in the embodiments described above, a
configuration is described where the basis weight sensor 309 is
arranged between the sheet forming unit 80 and the cutting unit 90
and the basis weight of the sheet S is detected, the present
invention is not limited to this configuration. A cut sheet S may
be detected by the basis weight sensor 309 by arranging the basis
weight sensor 309 on the downstream side of the cutting unit 90.
Alternatively, the basis weight of the second web W2 may be
detected by arranging the basis weight sensor 309 on the upstream
side of the sheet forming unit 80.
[0299] The sheet manufacturing apparatus 100 may have a
configuration that manufactures not only the sheet S but also a
board-like or web-like product composed of a hard sheet or a
laminated sheet. The sheet S may be a paper made from pulp or waste
paper or may be a nonwoven fabric including natural fibers or
fibers formed of synthetic resin. Characteristics of the sheet S
are not particularly limited, and the sheet S may be a paper that
can be used as a recording paper for writing or printing (for
example, so-called PPC paper) or may be wallpaper, package paper,
colored paper, drawing paper, Kent paper, or the like. When the
sheet S is a nonwoven fabric, the sheet S may be not only commonly
used nonwoven fabric, but also a fiber board, tissue paper, kitchen
paper, cleaner, filter, liquid absorber, sound absorber, buffer
material, mat, or the like.
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST
[0300] 10 SUPPLY UNIT
[0301] 12 ROUGH-CRUSHING UNIT
[0302] 14 ROUGH-CRUSHING BLADES
[0303] 20 FIBRILLATING UNIT
[0304] 22 INTRODUCTION PORT
[0305] 24 DISCHARGE PORT
[0306] 26 FIBRILLATING UNIT BLOWER
[0307] 27 DUST COLLECTION UNIT
[0308] 28 COLLECTION BLOWER
[0309] 40 SELECTION UNIT
[0310] 41 DRUM UNIT
[0311] 42 INTRODUCTION PORT
[0312] 43 HOUSING PORTION
[0313] 44 DISCHARGE PORT
[0314] 45 FIRST WEB FORMING UNIT
[0315] 46 MESH BELT
[0316] 47 ROLLER
[0317] 48 SUCTION UNIT
[0318] 49 ROTATING BODY
[0319] 50 MIXING UNIT
[0320] 52 ADDITIVE SUPPLY UNIT
[0321] 52a DISCHARGE UNIT
[0322] 54 PIPE (MATERIAL SUPPLY PIPE)
[0323] 54a MAIN PIPE (FIRST SUPPLY PIPE)
[0324] 54b BRANCH PORTION
[0325] 54c BRANCH PIPE (SECOND SUPPLY PIPE)
[0326] 54d BRANCH PIPE (THIRD SUPPLY PIPE)
[0327] 56 MIXING BLOWER
[0328] 57a, 57b AIR FEED PIPE
[0329] 60 DEPOSITING UNIT
[0330] 61 DRUM UNIT (SIEVING UNIT)
[0331] 61a OPENING
[0332] 62 INTRODUCTION PORT
[0333] 63 HOUSING PORTION
[0334] 63a OPENING
[0335] 64 RIGHT SIDE WALL
[0336] 64a MATERIAL SUPPLY PORT
[0337] 64b RIGHT SIDE WALL
[0338] 65 LEFT SIDE WALL
[0339] 65a MATERIAL SUPPLY PORT
[0340] 65b LEFT SIDE WALL
[0341] 66 FACING WALL PORTION
[0342] 68 RECESSED PORTION
[0343] 69a PILE SEAL
[0344] 69b PILE SEAL
[0345] 70 SECOND WEB FORMING UNIT (WEB FORMING UNIT)
[0346] 72 MESH BELT
[0347] 72a DEPOSITION SURFACE
[0348] 74 ROLLER
[0349] 76 SUCTION MECHANISM (SUCTION UNIT)
[0350] 77 SUCTION BLOWER
[0351] 79 TRANSPORT UNIT
[0352] 79a MESH BELT
[0353] 79b ROLLER
[0354] 79c SUCTION MECHANISM
[0355] 80 SHEET FORMING UNIT
[0356] 82 PRESSURIZING UNIT
[0357] 84 HEATING UNIT
[0358] 90 CUTTING UNIT
[0359] 96 DISCHARGE UNIT
[0360] 100, 101, 102, 103 SHEET MANUFACTURING APPARATUS
[0361] 110 CONTROL APPARATUS
[0362] 111 MAIN PROCESSOR
[0363] 114 SENSOR I/F
[0364] 115 DRIVE UNIT I/F
[0365] 120 NON-VOLATILE STORAGE UNIT
[0366] 123 BASIS WEIGHT SETTING DATA
[0367] 140 STORAGE UNIT
[0368] 150 CONTROL UNIT
[0369] 151 OPERATING SYSTEM
[0370] 153 OPERATION DETECTION UNIT (RECEIVING UNIT)
[0371] 154 DETECTION CONTROL UNIT
[0372] 155 DRIVE CONTROL UNIT
[0373] 157 BASIS WEIGHT ADJUSTMENT CONTROL UNIT
[0374] 160 DISPLAY UNIT
[0375] 202, 204, 206, 208, 210, 212 HUMIDIFYING UNIT
[0376] 341 BASIS WEIGHT ADJUSTMENT UNIT
[0377] 342 AIR INTAKE ADJUSTMENT UNIT
[0378] A1 HUMIDIFIED AIR
[0379] DF DOWN FLOW
[0380] M1, M2, M3 TRANSPORT AIR FLOW
[0381] M4 SUCTION AIR FLOW, TRANSPORT DIRECTION
[0382] 501, 502 AIR INTAKE PORT (FIRST AIR INTAKE PORT, SECOND AIR
INTAKE PORT)
[0383] 511, 512 AIR INTAKE REGULATION UNIT (SECOND ADJUSTMENT
UNIT)
[0384] 511a, 512a REGULATION PLATE
[0385] 511b, 512b PLATE DRIVE UNIT
[0386] 521a, 521b AIR SUPPLY PORT (MATERIAL SUPPLY PORT)
[0387] 522a, 522b AIR SUPPLY PIPE
[0388] 523a, 523b AIR SUPPLY APPARATUS (SECOND ADJUSTMENT UNIT)
[0389] 530 AIR INTAKE POSITION CHANGE UNIT (POSITION CHANGE
UNIT)
[0390] 531 DRIVE UNIT
[0391] 532 OPENING POSITION CHANGE PLATE
[0392] 532a CENTRAL OPENING (MATERIAL SUPPLY PORT)
[0393] 532b OUTER OPENING
[0394] 533 WALL PLATE
[0395] 533a CENTRAL OPENING (MATERIAL SUPPLY PORT)
[0396] 534a, 534b, 534c, 534d OUTER OPENING (FIRST AIR INTAKE PORT,
SECOND AIR INTAKE PORT)
[0397] O1, O2 OUTSIDE AIR
[0398] Q ROTATION AXIS
[0399] S SHEET
[0400] W1 FIRST WEB
[0401] W2 SECOND WEB (WEB)
* * * * *