US 11,851,817 B2
Defibrating apparatus and fiber body manufacturing apparatus
Naoko Omagari, Nagano (JP)
Assigned to Seiko Epson Corporation, Tokyo (JP)
Filed by SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION, Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Jul. 26, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/814,847.
Claims priority of application No. 2021-123136 (JP), filed on Jul. 28, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0034767 A1, Feb. 2, 2023
Int. Cl. D21F 9/04 (2006.01); D21B 1/32 (2006.01); D21B 1/06 (2006.01)
CPC D21F 9/04 (2013.01) [D21B 1/061 (2013.01); D21B 1/32 (2013.01)] 6 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A defibrating apparatus comprising:
a rotational body;
a plate shaped side wall to which the rotational body is rotatably coupled;
a defibrating chamber that is partially defined by the plate shaped side wall, in which the rotational body is stored, and in which a defibrated material is formed from a raw material containing fibers while the rotational body is rotated;
a circular annular wall fixed to the plate shaped side wall such that an interval is provided between the circular annular wall and the rotational body in a radial direction of the rotational body, the circular annular wall partially defining the defibrating chamber;
a discharge path arranged such that the circular annular wall is disposed between the discharge path and the defibrating chamber;
a plurality of through-holes provided in the circular annular wall, the discharge path communicating with the defibrating chamber via the plurality of through-holes, and receiving the defibrated material discharged from the defibrating chamber via the plurality of through-holes; and
a housing that forms the discharge path, a side wall of the housing extending in a circumferential direction of the circular annular wall and having an inner surface that defines the discharge path, the side wall of the housing contacting the circular annular wall;
the discharge path having a width in an axial direction of the rotational body, and extends in the circumferential direction of the circular annular wall,
when a communication hole is any of the through-holes which interconnect the defibrating chamber and the discharge path, and a discharge path-side opening edge is any of opening edges, closest to the discharge path, of a plurality of communication holes each of which is the communication hole,
the circular annular wall having a communication hole group formed by a part of the plurality of communication holes, arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction, and
the communication hole group being provided at a position where the discharge path-side opening edge is overlapped with the inner surface as seen in the radial direction.