Fiber body production apparatus and fiber body production method

Abstract

A fiber body production apparatus includes a forming mechanism that forms a mixture, a pressing unit that transports the mixture while pressing the mixture, a peeling blade that peels the mixture from the pressing unit, a cleaner that cleans the pressing unit, and a shaping mechanism that shapes the mixture, after a rear end of the mixture passes through the pressing unit, the pressing unit is reversely rotated to move foreign matter adhering to the peeling blade to the pressing unit, after the roller is reversely rotated by a predetermined amount, the pressing unit is rotated forward to transport the foreign matter, compress the foreign matter on the pressing unit, and cause the compressed foreign matter to pass between the peeling blade and the pressing unit, and the cleaner removes the transported foreign matter from the pressing unit.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fiber body production apparatus comprising:
 a forming mechanism that forms a mixture containing fibers and a binder;   a roller that is rotated forward to transport the mixture while pressing the mixture;   a peeling blade that peels the mixture from the roller;   a cleaner that cleans the roller at a position where the mixture does not pass; and   a shaping mechanism that shapes the mixture peeled from the roller to produce a fiber body in which the fibers are bonded by the binder, wherein   after a rear end of the mixture passes through the roller, the roller is reversely rotated to move foreign matter adhering to the peeling blade to the roller,   after the roller is reversely rotated by a predetermined amount, the roller is rotated forward to transport the foreign matter, compress the foreign matter, and cause the compressed foreign matter to pass between the peeling blade and the roller, and   the cleaner removes the transported foreign matter from the roller.   
     
     
         2 . The fiber body production apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the roller transports the mixture while pressing the mixture and heats the mixture to a temperature equal to or higher than a bonding temperature at which the binder is bonded.   
     
     
         3 . The fiber body production apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the roller compresses the foreign matter with a pressing force larger than a pressing force with which the roller transports the mixture while pressing the mixture.   
     
     
         4 . The fiber body production apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the roller compresses and transports the foreign matter at a transport speed that is higher than a transport speed at which the roller transports the mixture while pressing the mixture.   
     
     
         5 . The fiber body production apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the peeling blade   is movable between a first position where the mixture is able to be peeled from the roller and a second position further away from the roller than the first position,   is located at the first position when the foreign matter adhering to the peeling blade is moved to the roller, and   is located at the second position when the foreign matter passes between the peeling blade and the roller.   
     
     
         6 . The fiber body production apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the cleaner   is movable between a cleaning position where the roller is cleaned and a standby position further away from the roller than the cleaning position, and   the roller is located at the standby position when the roller is reversely rotated.   
     
     
         7 . The fiber body production apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the cleaner is a felt roller that performs cleaning in contact with the roller.   
     
     
         8 . A fiber body production method comprising:
 forming a mixture containing fibers and a binder;   transporting the mixture while pressing the mixture with a roller that is rotated forward;   peeling the mixture from the roller with a peeling blade;   cleaning the roller with a cleaner at a position where the mixture does not pass; and   shaping the mixture peeled from the roller to produce a fiber body in which the fibers are bonded by the binder; wherein   after a rear end of the mixture passes through the roller, the roller is reversely rotated to move foreign matter adhering to the peeling blade to the roller,   after the roller is reversely rotated by a predetermined amount, the roller is rotated forward to transport the foreign matter, compress the foreign matter on the roller, and cause the compressed foreign matter to pass between the peeling blade and the roller, and   the cleaner removes the foreign matter from the roller.