IP Library › Granted Patent US 12698592
Granted Patent B2
US 12698592 · App. 18/749,781 · Granted Aug 4, 2026

Sheet manufacturing apparatus

Inventors: Goshiro Isozaki (Nagano, JP); Toshizo Nishi (Nagano, JP)
Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
D21F1/026B27N3/04D21F1/022D21F2/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12698592
App. No.
18/749,781
Granted
Aug 4, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An apparatus includes: a defibrating unit that defibrates a material to turn it into fibers; a fiber piling-up unit that piles up the fibers to form a second web; a pressing portion that presses the second web to turn it into a sheet; and a humidifying mechanism that supplies humidified air to the fiber piling-up unit. The fiber piling-up unit includes a rotating portion that stirs the fibers supplied from the defibrating unit, a case in which the rotating portion is housed, and a mesh belt that is provided under the case and transports the second web in a transportation direction. The second web is formed on the mesh belt by piling up the fibers on the mesh belt. The humidifying mechanism includes an upstream-side nozzle that is provided upstream of the fiber piling-up unit in the transportation direction and supplies the humidified air to the fiber piling-up unit.

Claims (18)

1 . A sheet manufacturing apparatus comprising:

a defibrating unit that defibrates a material to turn the material into fibers;

a fiber piling-up unit that piles up the fibers to form a web;

a pressing unit that presses the web to turn the web into a sheet; and

a humidifying mechanism that supplies humidified air to the fiber piling-up unit, wherein

the fiber piling-up unit includes

a rotating portion that stirs the fibers supplied from the defibrating unit,

a case in which the rotating portion is housed, and

a transportation belt that is provided under the case and transports the web in a transportation direction,

the web is formed on the transportation belt by piling up the fibers on the transportation belt, and

the humidifying mechanism includes a nozzle that is provided upstream of the fiber piling-up unit in the transportation direction and supplies the humidified air to the fiber piling-up unit,

the nozzle is disposed adjacent to a sidewall of the case upstream of the case in the transportation direction,

the nozzle includes an opening portion having a rectangular shape, and

a length of the opening portion in the transportation direction is less than a length of the opening portion in a direction intersecting with the transportation direction.

2 . The sheet manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the opening portion is disposed adjacent to a lower end of the case in such a way as to face the transportation belt.

3 . The sheet manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

a canopy is provided at a lower end of the case in such a way as to face the opening portion of the nozzle.