Office equipment for paper recycling

Abstract

An office paper recycling apparatus within a unitary body makes new office paper for use in office equipment from used office machine paper. The apparatus comprises a paper-shredding portion; a pulping portion; a paper-forming portion; a paper-press portion; a paper-drying portion; a paper-finishing portion having a means to trim the paper, a means to adjust the paper forming process by monitoring the stiffness properties and fiber orientation and a means to remove dust debris; and, a paper-collecting portion, where the new sheets are collected and stacked, ready to be used in office equipment.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part, and claims the benefit of the filing date of, prior-filed nonprovisional application No. 11/307,743, filed on Feb. 20, 2006, which in turn claims the benefit of the parent Italian patent application M12005A001307, filed on Jul. 11, 2005, both of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

In the field of paper recycling, self-contained office equipment that recycles discarded office machine paper to make new office machine paper.

BACKGROUND ART

Paper recycling is becoming increasingly important in worldwide conservation efforts.

In Europe, the Confederation of European Paper Industries together with European Recovered Paper Association and the European Federation of Corrugated Board Manufacturers signed a declaration in 2000 committing the signatories to achieving a recycling rate of 56% by 2005. These parties agreed to strive for further improvements in the environmental performance of the industry through measures such as improved use of material and optimising collection systems.

The American Forest and Paper Association has set a paper recovery goal of 55% of all paper consumed by 2012 and announced a partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to increase paper recovery in office buildings, municipalities and schools.

In fact, during the last few years and despite the boom of paperless technology, office paper consumption has increased. A very small percentage of used paper office is currently collected and the use of recycled paper is not common in many office buildings.

In 1990, a project called “National Office Paper Recycling Project” was initiated in the United States. This Project is a collaborative effort by The United States Conference of Mayors and private corporations and public interest groups. Its goal is to maximise recycling and minimise disposal of office paper.

The Project publishes an Office Paper Recycling Guide designed to assist employers, communities and building managers in establishing programs on office paper collection and buying recycled products. This Guide sets the following features of a successful recycling program at the office buildings: employees sort their recyclable paper into special containers beside or on their desk; a central storage area is used for collection and storage of used paper between pickups by recyclers; employees identify local recycling services; an enthusiastic coordinator is designated who fosters a sense teamwork and enlists the support of all the employees; a continuing promotion of the recycling program; and, buying recycled paper.

The device of the present invention enables anyone to make new office paper from used office paper in an office environment. New office paper made according to the invention is known as recycled paper and is suitable for use in office machines, such as copiers, laser printers and ink jet printers. In using the present invention, used office paper is collected from an office or a suite of offices in an office building, and then the used office paper is recycled into new office paper in the device of the present invention.

The device of the present invention would, typically, be located in that same office or suite of offices, or within the same office building from which the used paper is collected. Being of similar size to a typical copy machine, the present invention might be installed wherever a copy machine is found.

Recycled paper produced according to the invention meets performance standards for operability of paper used in office machines, so that the recycled paper minimizes paper jams, curls and dusting problems that can be caused by unsatisfactory paper.

The invention controls product paper curl by controlling balance between fiber lengths, fiber orientation, fiber distribution, amount of filler, moisture content, fiber processing and drying during the recycling and paper making process.

To control product paper curl in subsequent use of the paper in an office machine, the invention minimizes unequal fiber distribution on both sides of the paper (top and bottom) during the paper forming process and also minimizes an unequal top and bottom drying process. The invention promotes a uniform structure and composition on both sides of a sheet of paper. This helps ensure that shrinkage of fibers on the top of the sheet is similar to the shrinkage of fibers on the bottom of the sheet, minimizing curl during toner fusing in copiers and laser printers.

Paper recycling machines often suffer from dusting stemming from the sizing and finishing of a sheet of paper. This is due to inadequacies in sheet cut-off quality, slit quality, and resulting dust removal. Such inadequacies produce poor edge cuts, rough edges and chalk residue on the product paper. The present invention avoids these problems with efficient cutting and dust removal components and a sizing and finishing process that seals the paper.

An office machine quality sheet of paper is not generally an isotropic material, that is, its properties and characteristics are not the same when measured along different directions. Two important variables that provide information on the characteristics of the sheet of paper are: the Tensile Stiffness Index (TSI) and the Tensile Stiffness Orientation (TSO). The value TSI provides information about the stiffness properties of the sheet of paper while the value TSO provides guidance at the angle between the direction of paper forming machine and direction of the maximum value of the elasticity coefficient (Young modulus) of paper sheet.

The present invention provides a method and self-contained office equipment able to control the paper forming process by a computerized ultrasonic sound wave system and a dust removal system. Dust removal after sheeting operations enables the production paper while avoiding dusting problems. Together these systems enable production of recycled paper capable of being used in office machines without paper jams, curls and dusting problems.

The prior art encompasses paper recycling equipment that is not capable of producing office paper in equipment sized for office use. The prior art of small-scale and self-contained office equipment recycles discarded paper to make new paper that is not capable of being used in office equipment.

A first example is illustrated by U.S. Pat. No. 5,736,286, which describes a method for recycling a toner-image-deposited recording material formed by electrophotographic method using a dry toner and a water-containing liquid composition for promoting the removal of images deposited on the recording material. This recycling method comprises the steps of impregnating the toner-image-bearing recording material with a water-containing image removal promoting liquid; bringing an image release member into contact with the image bearing surface of the recording material with the application of heat thereto and removing the toner images from the recording material.

Another example is U.S. Pat. No. 6,022,423 (the '423 device), which describes a method to recycle office paper by applying a de-inking solution to individual sheets of paper to be de-inked. The process uses a cleaning solution and surfactant, abrading the paper to remove the non impact ink from the paper and washing the paper to remove the de-inking solution from the paper. The '423 device includes means for heating the sheet of paper and applying a de-inking solution to paper to be de-inked, means for abrading the paper to remove the ink from the paper, means for washing the paper to remove solution from the paper, means for drying the sheets of paper after the de-inking solution has been washed from the paper and means for compressing the dried sheet of paper to remove from the paper any wrinkles present.

Another example is Japanese Patent Publication No. 10-317290 (the '290 publication), which describes a method and apparatus to recycle office paper in office buildings using a paper making process. This method provides that already shredded used paper is disintegrated with two sequential pulpers to obtain a recycled pulp, which is placed in a chest. A binder such as polyvinyl alcohol is then added thereto and the resultant mixture is stored while being slowly stirred. The recycled pulp is subsequently filled in a jetting device and blow on a rateable endless fibrous sheet and then dried with a drying roller and wound to afford the final new paper. The '290 publication does not teach a method for producing office machine quality paper. Another significant drawback to the invention described in the '290 publication is that it does not provide all required steps for paper manufacturing, which would require a much larger device that would complicate the recycling process and be unsuitable for use in office buildings. Furthermore, to enable use in office buildings, it is not enough to miniaturize each step of paper making process, but, as with the present invention, the device must automate and simplify operation of the unit to enable use by unskilled labor for making office machine quality paper. The present invention differs from the teachings of the '290 publication in that it provides a single, compact apparatus that automatically performs all the required process steps to convert a used sheet of paper to a new, ready to use sheet of paper of office machine quality.

Another example is U.S. Patent Publication 20070113994 (the '994 publication), which describes a method and an apparatus comprising a housing unit including an inlet for receiving paper material to be recycled and a first processing chamber having means adapted for producing a pulp from paper material, a second processing chamber having a screw device rotatably mounted therein, the screw device being arranged for receiving the pulped material from the first processing chamber and having a pitch configured for driving the pulped material along its length for refining the pulped material, the screw device being further arranged for squeezing liquid from the pulped material, the unit includes a third processing chamber for adding binder to the pulped material after it has passed through the second processing chamber and means arranged for producing a paper web from the pulped material after it has been processed by the third processing chamber. The unit described terminates with an outlet dispenser portion including a cutter in the form of a serrated blade for cutting a length from the recycled web as required.

A significant drawback to the invention taught in the '994 publication is that it does not provide specific means able to obtain recycled paper performing in satisfactory way in office equipment as copiers, laser printers and ink jet printers. The application has no means to control top to bottom fiber distribution or the structure and composition of the paper sheet. In addition, there are not means to avoid dusting.

Accordingly, the present invention will serve to advance worldwide conservation efforts in paper recycling, to enable anyone to make new office paper from used paper collected in office buildings, to improve the state of the art in paper recycling by providing a single, compact apparatus that performs all the required process steps to convert a used sheet of paper to a new, ready to use sheet of paper of office machine quality.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

An office paper recycling apparatus makes new office paper from used office paper in a self-contained unitary body for use in an office building. The preferred embodiment of the apparatus is compact for use in an office and performs all the required process steps to convert a used sheet of office machine paper to a new, ready to use sheet of office machine paper. Portions of preferred embodiments of the apparatus feed a single sheet of used paper automatically into the apparatus; shred the paper; pulp the shredded paper by mixing with water and subjecting to it to mechanical action to become a slurry; form new paper from the slurry by spreading the paper fibers consolidating them into a thin mat for sheet formation; press the mat into a sheet by squeezing it between a series of rollers and continuous felts to remove the most of the water from the web; dry the sheet by passing it between a series of heated cylinders to take up final drying; size the sheet by passing it between rolls of polished metal to provide surface strength and smoothness; finish the paper sheet in a finishing portion that also measures paper stiffness properties and fibers orientation to computer control the slurry spreading operation to obtain the desired paper quality; collect and stack the paper sheet for new uses.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The preferred embodiment of the invention is described in the drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an arrangement of the main portions of the office paper recycling apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional detail of the components of office paper recycling apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an arrangement of an ultrasonic control device.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

The preferred embodiment of the office paper recycling apparatus is described hereinafter in reference to the drawings. As the following detailed description should not be taken to limit the invention, some steps of the process described may be performed in a different order and the others may be excluded. The description of the well-know devices to those skilled in the art will not be given in details.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the preferred embodiment of the invention is an office paper recycling apparatus (1) for producing office machine quality paper within a unitary body from used office machine paper. Features of the present invention are its ability to provide recycling of used office machine quality paper in an apparatus (1) that produces office machine quality paper in a self-contained unitary body that is configured in a size approximating those of other commonly found office equipment, such as a copy machine.

The apparatus (1) comprises a paper-shredding portion (57) configured to cut a sheet of used paper into fragments and shred these fragments.

The apparatus (1) comprises a pulping portion (51) configured to transform shredded fragments from the paper-shredding portion into a paper slurry.

The apparatus (1) comprises a paper-forming portion (52) comprising a flow box (21) configured to adjustably flow and consolidate the paper slurry into a thin mat forming a paper web on a moving belt.

The apparatus comprises a paper-press portion (53) wherein water is removed from the paper web.

The apparatus (1) comprises a paper-drying portion (54) configured to dry the paper web.

Optionally, the apparatus (1) comprises a paper-sizing portion (55) configured to smooth the surface of the paper web after it leaves the paper-drying portion (54).

The apparatus (1) comprises a paper-finishing portion (56) that comprises an ultrasonic control device (62), illustrated in FIG. 3. The ultrasonic control device (62) comprises an ultrasonic wave transmitter (63) and a plurality of ultrasonic wave receivers (64), wherein the ultrasonic control device (62) is configured to output pattern measurements related to stiffness properties and fibers orientation along a plurality of directions on the paper web. The paper-finishing portion (56) further comprises a computer readable medium (66) for storing instructions which when executed cause a computer to perform the following steps: calculating the Tensile Stiffness Index and the Tensile Stiffness Orientation of the paper web from the output of the ultrasonic control device; and, adjusting the flow of paper slurry from the flow box (21) and the speed of the moving belt to control the degree of anisotropy of paper web.

The paper-finishing portion (56) further comprises at least one slitting knife (47) and transversal rotary blade (48) configured to cut the paper web to single sheet dimensions.

The paper-finishing portion (56) further comprises a means to remove dust debris comprising a suction roller (65) configured to remove dust from the paper surface.

The apparatus (1) comprises a paper-collecting portion (59) configured to place a paper sheet (B) in a stack. These components are now described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.

Used paper (A) in the form of sheets is manually loaded by operator onto the shelf (2) of a paper-feeding portion (58). Two banks of wheels (3, 5) catch the used sheet of paper and load it into the paper-shredding portion (57), where a bank of circular slitting knives (4) and rotary blades (6) shred the sheet of paper. Fragments of paper (60) are then fed to a pulper (7), included in the pulping portion (51).

The pulper (7) is made up of a vessel (7b) having a partially conical cross section and the rotor blades (7a) inside, the blades pulp the paper and separate the ink from the paper by mechanical action and adding sufficient water from the tank (8) necessary to turn the pulped paper into a fiber slurry, commonly known as papermaking stock. Chemical additives from a tank (14) are added to pulper (7) as needed to increase whiteness and purity of the fibers. When the slurry reaches a predetermined thinning ratio and amalgamation, it is pumped to a deflaker (10) by the pump (9).

The deflaker (10) comprises a toothed rotor (11) and a stator (12) housed in a case (10a), where the fiber slurry is acted upon by mechanical forces and submitted to the strong acceleration, collisions and rubbing. The deflaker is capable of breaking up clots in fiber slurry.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the deflaker (10) comprises a refiner, where the fibers in the slurry are made shorter and more homogeneous. In another embodiment of the invention, the deflaker (10) comprises the toothed rotor (11), the stator (12) housed in a case (10a) and a refiner.

From the deflaker (10) the slurry is fed to a washing unit (13). The washing unit provides capability for removing ink from the slurry. Thus, the washing unit (13) is a drum thickener, wherein any ink from the original sheet is removed from the slurry.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention, ink is removed from the slurry by magnetic separation. In this embodiment, magnetite and other agglomerating chemicals are added in the pulper (7) and the slurry is subjected in washing unit (13) to a magnetic field to separate and remove the agglomerated ink particles.

The slurry is then collected in a holding tank (15), where a propeller (15a) creates a homogeneous mixture. Optional auxiliary chemicals and additives (e.g., clay, chalk and titanium dioxide) are added to the holding tank from auxiliary tanks (16, 17).

From the holding tank (15), a pump (18) moves the slurry to a screen (19) where non-fiber impurities are removed from the slurry. In the preferred embodiment, the screen (19) is a centrifugal screen made up of a cylindrical vessel having a tangential inlet and a drilled chest inside (screen). The vortex from centrifugation removes heavy particles and forces the slurry through the screen to an outlet. A second outlet directs waste (i.e. non-fibre impurities) to a holding tank (22).

In an alternative embodiment, the screen (19) is a pressure screen, where pressure is used to force the slurry through the screen. A paper-forming portion (52) essentially comprises a rotatable forming drum (23) partially submerged in dilute pulp slurry in a vessel (28). The forming drum (23) has a surface (23a) covered by wire mesh. The paper-forming portion (52) is where the slurry starts to become new paper and the fibers are spread and consolidated into a thin mat.

In the preferred embodiment, an axial pump (20) conveys the slurry from the outlet in the holding tank (15) to a flow box (21), which squirts the slurry through a thin slit (21a) of the flow box (21), onto surface (23a) of the forming drum (23). The width of the slit is adjustable by a top slice (21b) and an apron board (21c) to adjust the speed of the jet of slurry leaving the flow box, to control the orientation and relative arrangement of the fibers.

A continuous fabric belt (24) is preferably an endless wire felt. The belt (24) is wound around a circumferential segment of the forming drum (23) and is stretched by rollers (25), wire return rollers (26) and a couch roller (27). The couch roller is a suction couch roller with numerous small holes through which a high vacuum exists for the rapid removal of water from the fabric belt and the web as they travel over the roller. Water is partially drained away as the paper web is formed. The drained water is recovered in the vessel (28) and recycled to the pulper (7) by pump (29), creating a closed cycle. The pick-up roller (30) removes the paper web from the fabric belt (24) after it exits the couch roller (27) and places it onto a press belt (31) in the paper-press portion (53). In this paper-press portion, the paper web goes through rollers (33, 34, 35) that squeeze and remove more water from the paper web.

The press belt (31) is tensioned by a suction roller (33) and a second set of wire return rollers (32). The paper web is stretched on a second fabric belt (36) by a second suction roller (35) and third set of wire return rollers (37). This removes some of the water in the paper web. The two suction rollers (33, 35) forming a double nip with nip roller (34), pressing out water. A suction pump (38) facilitates the dewatering operations of paper-press portion (53).

A transferring fabric belt (39) is tensioned by transferring rollers (40). Transferring fabric belt (39) picks up the paper web from the paper-press portion (53) and delivers it to the paper-drying portion (54). The paper-drying portion (54) is made up by two series (54a, 54b) of heated cylinders (41) and two paper-drying fabric belts (42). The paper-drying fabric belts (42), stretched by paper-drying rollers (44) and paper-drying tightening rollers (43), remove water from the paper web in the manner of a blotter. The paper web alternates through the heated cylinders on the paper-drying fabric belts such that water is removed by vaporization from the paper web and fabric belts through the transfer of heat. Thus, the heat creates steam, which in turn is removed from the apparatus with a ventilation fan (45). Ventilation minimizes a water-saturated environment within the apparatus housing or case (50).

After the drying process, the paper web preferably goes into the paper-sizing portion (55). This section is made up of polished metal rollers (46), where the paper web goes through to smooth the surface and to get surface strength and uniform thickness.

The paper-finishing portion (56) includes an ultrasonic control device (62). The ultrasonic control device (62) is used to control factors affecting paper quality in paper making process.

The ultrasonic control device comprises an ultrasonic wave transmitter (63) and a plurality of ultrasonic wave receivers (64) distributed around the transmitter (63) configured to output pattern measurements related to stiffness properties and fibers orientation along a plurality of directions on the paper web (67). The output is typically the value of the speed of propagation of ultrasonic sound waves, measured along different directions. Since the paper web is a not an isotropic material, the velocity of sound waves propagation has a maximum in one direction and minimum in the direction orthogonal to the maximum direction. From the value of the speed of propagation of ultrasonic sound waves measured along these different directions, it is possible to determine the values of the Tensile Stiffness Index and Tensile Stiffness Orientation sheet of paper.

The paper-finishing portion (56) includes a computer readable medium (66) for storing instructions which when executed cause a computer to perform the following steps: calculating the Tensile Stiffness Index and the Tensile Stiffness Orientation of the paper web from the output of the ultrasonic control device; and, adjusting the flow of paper slurry from the flow box and the speed of the moving belt to control the degree of anisotropy of paper web.

The calculation preferably employs a ratio between Tensile Stiffness Index and the Tensile Stiffness Orientation. If this ratio is greater than 1, the fiber suspension leaving the mouth of the flow box (21) has a deceleration and a rolling of the fibers on the fabric belt or surface where the fibers are spread and consolidated into a thin mat, resulting in a distribution not preferential and non-ordered of fibers and getting a lower anisotropy of the sheet. Alternatively, if the ratio is less than 1, then the speed of the jet of the slurry leaving the mouth of the flow box (21) is smaller than the speed of the fabric belt or surface where the fibers are spread and consolidated into a thin mat, the fiber suspension will accelerate on the fabric belt or surface and thus will tend to be oriented in paper forming machine direction and to have a more orderly distribution. The calculation enables adjustment in real time of the width of the thin slit (21a) of the flow box (21), which in turn promotes an anisotropy of mechanical properties of the paper sheet.

The paper-finishing portion (56) includes at least one slitting knife (47), at least one transversal rotary blade (48) and a suction roller (65). At least one slitting knife (47) and transversal rotary blade (48) cut the sized paper web to single sheet dimensions. Such sheet dimensions would be any dimensions desired. Typical sheet dimensions would meet an industry standard, such as for example A4, B4, 8.5 by 11 inches and 8.5 by 14 inches.

The paper-finishing portion (56) includes a means to remove dust debris comprising a suction roller (65) configured to remove dust from the paper surface. The suction roller (65) is a dust removal system able to remove dust related to sheeter and slitter operations or paper surface debris. Sheeter and slitter operations comprise cutting the paper web to get a paper sheet with requisite dimensions. The suction roller (65) is preferably a roller with a plurality of holes on its surface and a depression inside. The suction is generated by a suction pump (38). The suction removes dust from the paper surface.

The cut sheet is then collected in the paper-collecting portion (59) configured to place a new paper sheet (B) in a stack on the shelf (49), ready to be used.

A preferred embodiment includes a computer or central processing unit (61) comprising computer readable memory for storing instructions which when implemented on the computer automatically operate and control working parameters of each portion of the apparatus . Automatic operation and control promotes a uniform structure and composition on both sides of a sheet of paper. The working parameters include balance between fiber lengths, fiber orientation, fiber distribution on both sides of the paper web (top and bottom) during the paper forming process, paper web top and bottom drying, amount of filler, and moisture content.

The above-described embodiments including the drawings are examples of the invention and merely provide illustrations of the invention. Other embodiments will be obvious to those skilled in the art. Thus, the scope of the invention is determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents rather than by the examples given.

Claims

1. An office paper recycling apparatus for producing office machine quality paper within a unitary body from used office machine paper, the apparatus comprising:

a paper-shredding portion configured to cut a sheet of used paper into fragments and shred said fragments;

a pulping portion configured to transform shredded fragments from the paper-shredding portion into a paper slurry;

a paper-forming portion comprising a flow box configured to adjustably flow and consolidate the paper slurry into a thin mat forming a paper web on a moving belt;

a paper-press portion configured to remove water from the paper web;

a paper-drying portion configured to dry the paper web;

a paper-finishing portion comprising: an ultrasonic control device comprising an ultrasonic wave transmitter and a plurality of ultrasonic wave receivers, wherein the ultrasonic control device is configured to output pattern measurements related to stiffness properties and fibers orientation along a plurality of directions on the paper web; a computer readable medium for storing instructions which when executed cause a computer to perform the following steps: calculating the Tensile Stiffness Index and the Tensile Stiffness Orientation of the paper web from the output of the ultrasonic control device; and, adjusting the flow of paper slurry from the flow box and the speed of the moving belt to control the degree of anisotropy of paper web;

a slitting knife and transversal rotary blade configured to cut the paper web to single sheet dimensions; and,

a means to remove dust debris comprising a suction roller configured to remove dust from the paper surface; and,

a paper-collecting portion configured to place a paper sheet in a stack.

2. The office paper recycling apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a paper-sizing portion configured to smooth the surface of the paper web after it leaves the paper-drying portion.

3. The office paper recycling apparatus of claim 1 wherein the pulping portion comprises a pulping unit; a deflaking unit; a washing unit; a holding tank; a screen; and, a waste collecting tank.

4. The office paper recycling apparatus of claim 3 wherein the deflaking unit comprises a refining unit wherein the fibers in the slurry can be shortened and homogenized.

5. The office paper recycling apparatus of claim 4 wherein the deflaking unit further comprises a toothed rotor and a stator and is capable of breaking up clots in a fiber slurry.

6. The office paper recycling apparatus of claim 3 wherein the washing unit is a magnetic device capable of removing agglomerated ink.

7. The office paper recycling apparatus of claim 3 wherein the washing unit is capable of removing ink from the slurry.

8. The office paper recycling apparatus of claim 3 wherein the holding tank comprises propellers to enable the creation of an homogeneous slurry.

9. The office paper recycling apparatus of claim 3 wherein the holding tank is capable of receiving chemical additives from a plurality of auxiliary tanks.

10. The office paper recycling apparatus of claim 1 wherein the moving belt comprises a rotatable forming drum with a wire mesh surface, wherein said drum is partially submerged in dilute pulp slurry in a vessel and wherein the wire mesh surface is capable of spreading and consolidating the slurry and forming a paper web when the drum is rotated.

11. The office paper recycling apparatus of claim 10 wherein the moving belt comprises a continuous fabric belt wound around a circumferential segment of the rotatable forming drum configured to drain water from the paper web into the vessel.

12. The office paper recycling apparatus of claim 11 wherein the vessel is configured to recycle water to the pulping portion.

13. The office paper recycling apparatus of claim 1 wherein the paper-press portion comprises a plurality of suction rollers wherein said suction rollers form a double nip with a nip roller to enable pressing out water from the paper web.

14. The office paper recycling apparatus of claim 1 wherein the paper-drying portion comprises, wherein the drying portion is configured to alternate the paper web through the heated cylinders on the paper-drying fabric belts along the rollers such that water can be removed from the paper web and fabric belts by vaporization through the transfer of heat from the heated cylinders.

two series of heated cylinders;

two paper-drying fabric belts; and

a plurality of rollers;

15. The office paper recycling apparatus of claim 14 wherein the paper-drying portion further comprises a fan capable of removing the vaporized water from the apparatus.

16. The office paper recycling apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a computer, the computer comprising computer readable memory for storing instructions which when implemented on the computer automatically operate and control working parameters of each portion of the apparatus to produce a uniform structure and composition on both sides of a sheet of paper, wherein the working parameters comprise: balance between fiber lengths, fiber orientation, fiber distribution on top and bottom sides of the paper web during the paper forming process, paper web top and bottom sides drying, amount of filler, and moisture content.

17. A process of making new paper from used paper using the apparatus of claim 1 comprising the steps of,

transforming used paper into a slurry of water and fibers in the pulping portion;

flowing and consolidating the slurry into a thin mat forming a paper web in the paper-forming portion;

measuring paper web properties and fibers orientation while flowing and consolidating the slurry;

adjusting the flow of paper slurry from the flow box and the speed of the moving belt to control the degree of anisotropy of the paper web;

removing water from the paper web in the paper-press portion;

drying the paper web in the paper-drying portion;

trimming the paper web to a sheet in the paper-finishing portion;

removing dust coming from sheeter and slitter operations or paper surface debris; and,

placing the sheet in a stack in the paper-collecting portion.