Nanofiber collection device, nanofiber collection method, and nanofiber accumulation/molding apparatus and accumulation/molding method therefor

Abstract

A device and method for collecting nanofibers are provided that allow mass production of nanofibers. A device (1) for collecting nanofibers includes: a collecting mechanism rotation axis (4) horizontally arranged to rotatably support parallel collecting bars (31) for collecting nanofibers (F) in a collecting position; a collecting mechanism drive motor (6) to rotatively drive the collecting mechanism rotation axis (4); a control mechanism (8) to stop, for each 90°, the collecting mechanism rotation axis (4) rotatively driven by the collecting mechanism drive motor (6); and peel off bars (12) to peel off the nanofibers (F) collected by the parallel collecting bars (31) below in a non-collecting position.

1 . A device for collecting nanofiber produced by drawing a molten resin or a dissolved resin discharged to a gas flow in a fiber form with a fine diameter, the device comprising:
 a collecting mechanism rotation axis arranged horizontally;   a nanofiber collecting mechanism provided at the collecting mechanism rotation axis;   a collecting mechanism drive motor configured to rotatively drive the collecting mechanism rotation axis;   a control mechanism configured to control the collecting mechanism drive motor to cause the nanofiber collecting mechanism to move between a collecting position to collect the nanofiber and a non-collecting position out of the collecting position by intermittently rotating the collecting mechanism rotation axis; and   a peel off mechanism configured to peel off the nanofiber collected by the nanofiber collecting mechanism when the nanofiber collecting mechanism is in the non-collecting position.   
     
     
         2 . The device for collecting nanofiber according to  claim 1 , wherein the nanofiber collecting mechanism has at least one collecting element provided at the collecting mechanism rotation axis. 
     
     
         3 . The device for collecting nanofiber according to  claim 1 , wherein the nanofiber collecting mechanism has a plurality of collecting elements provided at the collecting mechanism rotation axis at regular angular intervals. 
     
     
         4 . The device for collecting nanofiber according to  claim 2 , wherein the collecting element of the nanofiber collecting mechanism is configured with a collecting bar group having a plurality of bars aligned in parallel with each other along the collecting mechanism rotation axis. 
     
     
         5 . The device for collecting nanofiber according to  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of bars configuring the collecting bar group include bars located at both ends in an aligned direction to which respective shape retaining materials are fixed, the shape retaining materials retaining the collected nanofiber in a predetermined shape. 
     
     
         6 . The device for collecting nanofiber according to  claim 5 , wherein the nanofiber collecting mechanism has a fall prevention portion prepared by bending a distal end of each bar of the collecting bar group in a direction of rotation. 
     
     
         7 . The device for collecting nanofiber according to  claim 4 , wherein
 the peel off mechanism is configured with a peel off bar group having a plurality of bars aligned in parallel with each other, and   the plurality of bars of the peel off bar group are moved, when the collecting bar group configuring the collecting element of the nanofiber collecting mechanism is in the non-collecting position, to pass between the respective bars of the collecting bar group.   
     
     
         8 . A device for collecting nanofiber, wherein
 a nanofiber collecting mechanism has a collecting element configured with a collecting bar group having a plurality of bars aligned in parallel with each other,   a peel off mechanism configured to peel off nanofiber collected by the collecting bar group is configured with a peel off bar group having a plurality of bars aligned in parallel with each other,   a control mechanism is provided to control rotation of the nanofiber collecting mechanism and the peel off mechanism,   when the collecting bar group is in the nanofiber non-collecting position, the plurality of bars of the peel off bar group are arranged to pass between the respective bars of the collecting bar group during rotation of the peel off mechanism, and   the control mechanism is configured to control the collecting element to move to the non-collecting position by intermittently rotating the nanofiber collecting mechanism and then to control the bars of the peel off bar group to pass between the respective bars of the collecting bar group by rotating the a peel off mechanism.   
     
     
         9 . A method for collecting nanofiber while forming in a predetermined shape using a device for collecting nanofiber produced by drawing a molten resin or a dissolved resin discharged to a gas flow in a fiber form with a fine diameter, the method comprising:
 collecting the nanofiber by a collecting element of a nanofiber collecting mechanism in a collecting position;   rotating the nanofiber collecting mechanism by a control mechanism to move the collecting element in the collecting position to a non-collecting position; and   peeling off the collected nanofiber by causing a peel off mechanism to contact, by the control mechanism, the nanofiber collected and formed in the predetermined shape by the collecting element on the collecting element moved to the non-collecting position.   
     
     
         10 . The method for collecting nanofiber according to  claim 9 , wherein the nanofiber collected by the collecting element is attached on a rear surface side in a direction of rotation of the nanofiber collecting mechanism and is recovered in a recovery container provided below when peeled off by the peel off mechanism. 
     
     
         11 . A method for collecting nanofiber used in a device for collecting nanofiber produced by drawing a molten resin or a dissolved resin discharged to a gas flow in a fiber form with a fine diameter, the device having a collecting mechanism rotation axis arranged horizontally, a collecting element of a nanofiber collecting mechanism provided on an outer peripheral surface of the collecting mechanism rotation axis, and a peel off mechanism configured to peel off the nanofiber collected by the collecting element below, wherein
 the collecting element is moved between a collecting position on a gas flow and a non-collecting position out of the gas flow by intermittently rotating the collecting mechanism rotation axis, and   the nanofiber collected by the collecting element is peeled off below by the peel off mechanism when the collecting element is in the non-collecting position.   
     
     
         12 . A method for collecting nanofiber, comprising a procedure of following (a) through (e):
 (a) nanofiber is discharged from an outlet of a nanofiber discharge device, the device configured to produce nanofiber by discharging a molten or dissolved resin to a hot air flow and drawing in a fiber form with a fine diameter, to a nanofiber collecting mechanism, the collecting mechanism configured by aligning a plurality of bars in parallel and configured to be intermittently rotatively driven in a predetermined direction, on a rear surface side in a direction of rotation of the nanofiber collecting mechanism;   (b) the discharged nanofiber is collected while formed in a predetermined shape on the rear surface side in the direction of rotation of the nanofiber collecting mechanism;   (c) the nanofiber collecting mechanism with the nanofiber collected and formed in the predetermined shape attached to the rear surface side in the direction of rotation is rotated;   (d) a peel off mechanism is rotated to the nanofiber collected and formed in the predetermined shape by the nanofiber collecting mechanism to peel off the nanofiber attached to the nanofiber collecting mechanism; and   (e) a nanofiber formation peeled off by the peel off mechanism is received in a recovery container.   
     
     
         13 . The method for collecting nanofiber according to  claim 12 , wherein, in the procedure (b), the nanofiber discharged from the nanofiber discharge device is collected while formed in the predetermined shape by the nanofiber collecting mechanism while the nanofiber collecting mechanism is stopped. 
     
     
         14 . A nanofiber deposition and formation device for collecting and depositing nanofiber by a nanofiber collecting mechanism, the nanofiber being discharged from a discharge nozzle of a nanofiber discharge device configured to produce nanofiber by discharging a molten resin or a dissolved resin to a gas flow and drawing in a fiber form with a fine diameter, the nanofiber deposition and formation device comprising
 a discharge flow direction deflection mechanism configured to deflect a direction of a discharged nanofiber flow from the discharge nozzle to the nanofiber collecting mechanism.   
     
     
         15 . The nanofiber deposition and formation device according to  claim 15 , wherein the discharge flow direction deflection mechanism includes an air nozzle configured to deflect the direction of the discharged nanofiber flow by directing deflecting air from a direction of a side of the discharged nanofiber flow in a path from the discharge nozzle to the nanofiber collecting mechanism. 
     
     
         16 . The nanofiber deposition and formation device according to  claim 15 , further comprising an air nozzle blasting angle changing mechanism configured to adjust an air blasting angle from the air nozzle. 
     
     
         17 . The nanofiber deposition and formation device according to  claim 15 , further comprising an air blast amount changing mechanism configured to adjust an air blast amount of the air nozzle. 
     
     
         18 . The nanofiber deposition and formation device according to  claim 15 , wherein the air nozzle is provided in plurality and the plurality of air nozzles are concentrically disposed at regular angular intervals to the discharge nozzle. 
     
     
         19 . The nanofiber deposition and formation device according to  claim 18 , further comprising an air blast control mechanism configured to continuously control air blasting operation of the air nozzles, concentrically disposed at regular angular intervals, clockwise or counterclockwise in order. 
     
     
         20 . A nanofiber deposition and formation method, using a nanofiber deposition and formation device for collecting and depositing nanofiber by a nanofiber collecting mechanism, the nanofiber being discharged from a discharge nozzle of a nanofiber discharge device configured to produce nanofiber by discharging a molten resin or a dissolved resin to a gas flow and drawing in a fiber form with a fine diameter, wherein
 a direction of a discharged nanofiber flow is deflected by a discharge flow direction deflection mechanism configured to deflect the direction of the discharge flow from the discharge nozzle to the nanofiber collecting mechanism.   
     
     
         21 . The nanofiber deposition and formation method according to  claim 20 , wherein the direction of the discharged nanofiber flow is deflected by directing deflecting air from a direction of a side of the discharged nanofiber flow in a path from the discharge nozzle to the nanofiber collecting mechanism. 
     
     
         22 . The nanofiber deposition and formation method according to  claim 21 , wherein air blasting operation of air nozzles, concentrically disposed at regular angular intervals, is continuously controlled clockwise or counterclockwise in order.