Fiber body manufacturing apparatus and fiber body production method

Abstract

In a fiber body manufacturing apparatus, after a mixture is transported from a second mesh belt, a first humidifying section performs a cleaning operation of softening dust generated from the mixture and adhering to a “suction pipe” by applying a solvent, removing the softened dust, and then drying the solvent adhering to the “suction pipe” by performing suction by the “suction pipe”.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fiber body manufacturing apparatus comprising:
 a forming section that forms a mixture containing fibers;   a belt having holes, and transporting the mixture in a transport direction;   a humidifying section that applies a solvent to the belt;   a suction pipe that sucks air through the holes to adsorb the mixture onto the belt; and   a shaping section that shapes the mixture transported by the belt to produce a fiber body, wherein   after the mixture finishes being transported from the belt, the humidifying section performs a cleaning operation of softening dust generated from the mixture and adhering to the suction pipe by applying the solvent, removing the softened dust, and then drying the solvent adhering to the suction pipe by performing suction by the suction pipe.   
     
     
         2 . The fiber body manufacturing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the mixture contains a binder, and   the shaping section performs a binding process of binding fibers of the mixture to which the solvent is applied with the binder.   
     
     
         3 . The fiber body manufacturing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 an amount of the solvent contained in the air per unit volume sucked by the suction pipe is larger when the cleaning operation is performed than when the mixture is transported.   
     
     
         4 . The fiber body manufacturing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 an amount of the air per unit time sucked by the suction pipe is larger when the cleaning operation is performed than when the mixture is transported.   
     
     
         5 . The fiber body manufacturing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 in the cleaning operation, the suction pipe performs suction until a set time set as a time until drying elapses after the application of the solvent from the humidifying section is ended.   
     
     
         6 . The fiber body manufacturing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the humidifying section includes a discharge port through which the solvent is discharged, and a separation wall that separates an airflow at an outer edge of the discharge port.   
     
     
         7 . The fiber body manufacturing apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the separation wall is disposed on a downstream of the outer edge in the transport direction.   
     
     
         8 . The fiber body manufacturing apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein
 the separation wall is disposed at an end portion in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction on the downstream of the outer edge in the transport direction, and is not disposed at a center portion.   
     
     
         9 . The fiber body manufacturing apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a suction plate having through-holes, and being positioned on a side opposite to the mixture with respect to the belt, wherein   an opening ratio of the through-hole is larger in an end portion region of the suction plate than in a center region of the suction plate in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction.   
     
     
         10 . The fiber body manufacturing apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the binder is starch, and the solvent is water.   
     
     
         11 . A fiber body production method comprising:
 forming a mixture containing fibers;   transporting the mixture while adsorbing the mixture onto a belt by sucking air through holes formed in the belt using a suction pipe for transporting the mixture;   applying a solvent to the belt by a humidifying section; and   shaping the mixture transported by the belt to produce a fiber body, wherein   after the mixture finishes being transported from the belt, the humidifying section performs a cleaning operation of softening dust generated from the mixture and adhering to the suction pipe by applying the solvent, removing the softened dust, and then drying the solvent adhering to the suction pipe by performing suction by the suction pipe.