Bulk recovery apparatus for nonwoven fabric and bulk recovery method for the same

An apparatus that recovers a bulk of a nonwoven fabric by blowing hot air and heating the nonwoven fabric that is transferred in a transfer direction, comprising:

• a case member that has both end portions thereof in the transfer direction opened;
• an entrance, that is provided to an opening on one end side, in the transfer direction, of the case member, the entrance being used to transfer the nonwoven fabric;
• an exit that is provided to an opening on an other end side, in the transfer direction, of the case member, the exit being used to transfer the nonwoven fabric;
• a wall surface that is along the transfer direction and is located between the entrance and the exit of the case member;
• a blast opening that is provided to the wall surface and blasts into a space inside the case member the hot air in a direction in the transfer direction or a direction opposite the transfer direction;
• and
• a discharge opening that is provided to the case member, at a part on a downstream side of a direction in which the hot air is blasted, the discharge opening being made to discharge the hot air from the space inside the case member, wherein
• the hot air flows from the blast opening toward the discharge opening while coming into contact with one face of two faces of the nonwoven fabric in the space inside the case member.