PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for appropriately adjusting a flow rate of hot air in an apparatus for recovering bulkiness by blowing hot air to a conveyed nonwoven fabric.SOLUTION: There is provided an apparatus 20 for recovering bulkiness of a nonwoven fabric by blowing hot air to a conveyed nonwoven fabric 3 to heat. The apparatus 20 includes a case member that is opened at both ends in a conveyance direction. An opening at one end has an entrance 62ain or 62bin at the time of conveying a nonwoven fabric. An opening on the other end has an exit 62aout or 62bout at the time of conveying a nonwoven fabric. A jetting port for jetting hot air is provided at a part of the entrance side of the case member. The cross sectional area of a space inside the case member in a first position on a downstream side of a position where the jetting port 63Na or 63Nb locates is greater than the cross sectional area of the space inside the case member in a second position between the position where the jetting port locates and the first position in a conveyance direction. Hot air jetted from the jetting port flows from the upstream side to the downstream side in the conveyance direction through the first position and the second position while contacting with one surface of both surfaces of a nonwoven fabric within the case member.COPYRIGHT: (C)2015,JPO&INPIT【課題】搬送される不織布に熱風を吹き付けることによって嵩を回復する装置において、熱風の流速を適当に調整する方法の提供。【解決手段】搬送される不織布3に熱風を吹き付けて加熱して不織布の嵩を回復する装置20、搬送方向の両端部が開口されたケース部材を有し、一端側の開口には不織布が搬送時の入口62ain、62binがあり、他端側の開口には不織布が搬送時の出口62aout、62boutがあり、ケース部材の入口側の部分には熱風を噴射する噴射口があり、噴射口63Na、63Nbがある位置よりも下流側の第1位置におけるケース部材内の空間の断面積は、搬送方向において噴射口がある位置と第1位置との間の第2位置におけるケース部材内の空間の断面積よりも大きく、噴射口から噴射された熱風は、ケース部材内において不織布の両面のうちの一方の面に接触しながら、搬送方向の上流側から下流側へ、第1位置及び第2位置を通って流れる。【選択図】図4
