Method for producing 3-dimensional shaped products from fluff pulp material and such products

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing 3-dimensional shaped products from fluff pulp material and such products. The method according to the invention comprises the steps of: providing a fluff pulp material; providing an airlaid stream of fluff pulp material to a 3-dimensional forming mold; forming a product in the mold; and releasing the 3-dimensional shaped product from the mold.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of an application with an application date of June 1, 2018, application number 201880050155.2, and invention name “Method for manufacturing 3-dimensional formed products from fluff pulp materials and such products”.

[0002] The present invention relates to a method for producing 3-dimensional shaped products from fluff pulp material. Such products may relate to, for example, packaging units for fruit and eggs, sip lids, covers and inlay trays.

[0003] Products, such as packaging units, made from molded pulp materials with three-dimensional shapes are known. Such molded pulp is typically derived from recycled paper material and / or virgin fiber. These packaging units are shaped to store, transport, and / or display a range of products, including food products such as eggs, tomatoes, and kiwifruit.

[0004] One of the problems with such products is the amount of energy used in the manufacturing process, which often includes a significant drying step for the molded product.

[0005] For its purpose the present invention must avoid or at least reduce the above stated problems in conventional products made from moulded pulp material and provide a more sustainable 3-dimensionally formed product having a lower carbon footprint and reducing the amount of energy required in the manufacturing process.

[0006] To this end, the present invention provides a method for producing a 3-dimensionally shaped product from a fluff pulp material, the method comprising the following steps: - Provide fluff pulp material; - providing an air-laid flow of fluff pulp material to a 3-dimensional forming die; - forming the product in a mould; and - Release 3-dimensional formed products from the mold.

[0007] The method provides a 3-dimensional shaped product with a length, width and height according to certain specifications or requirements. For example, in most cases, these specifications or requirements will be defined according to the product carried in the product or the product carried by the product. In the case where the product manufactured according to the method of the present invention relates to a packaging unit for fruit and eggs, a beverage lid, a covering and an inlaid tray, the specifications or requirements are defined by the number and / or size and / or shape of the 3-dimensional products packaged or carried. Preferably, the shaped product has a shape related to the product for which it is designed. It will be understood that according to the present invention, other shapes can also be expected.

[0008] The (raw) fluff pulp material preferably comprises long fiber cork. This material is often used in personal care products. It will be understood that the fluff pulp material used in the manufacturing process according to the present invention may also contain other components. The raw fluff pulp material is pretreated to provide a fluff pulp material for the airlaid stream. Such pretreatment may comprise the production of a more or less uniform sheet material, which sheet material optionally contains some additives. In order to provide the fluff pulp material to the mold, an adhesive may be used, for example as a spray or foam. This reduces the amount of water used in the manufacturing process for conventionally molded fiber (packaging) products. In fact, in conventional molded pulp products, water is used as a carrier. Avoiding the need for water as a carrier significantly reduces the amount of water required in the manufacturing process. This leads to a significant reduction in the energy required to dry the resulting product. In addition, this significantly reduces the carbon footprint of the final product manufactured according to the method of the present invention.

[0009] Furthermore, the air-laid process enables relatively high production rates compared to conventionally manufactured moulded pulp products due to the reduced requirement for drying operations. This further increases the overall efficiency of the manufacturing process.

[0010] By providing a fluff pulp material to a mould, a 3-dimensional shaped product can be manufactured. Forming the product comprises pressing the pulp material in one or more moulds to form the product. Forming may comprise an additional heat treatment to activate and cure one or more additives that may be provided to the fluff pulp. For its purpose, this provides sufficient strength and stability to the final product. The type and amount of additives are preferably designed according to the specific requirements of the manufactured product. The heat treatment is preferably carried out in the mould, which provides an in-mould heat treatment of the manufactured product. Optionally, or in addition, the heat treatment is also carried out after the product is released from the mould.

[0011] After the product is released from the mould, further processing may be performed including coating, labelling and further processing steps.The air-laying processing step of the manufacturing method according to the invention preferably also comprises so-called spun-laid processing.

[0012] As an additional advantage, the product produced by the manufacturing process of the present invention is preferably biodegradable. In the most preferred embodiment, the resulting product is capable of undergoing environmental decomposition or decomposition at home. This further enhances the sustainability of the resulting product and manufacturing process.

[0013] Preferably, the (unprocessed) fluff pulp material comprises defiberizing the raw material. This defiberization is preferably performed after a comminution process, preferably in a hammer mill. This enables desired material properties of the final product to be achieved, for example properties related to the strength and stability of the product.

[0014] In a presently preferred embodiment of the present invention, the method further comprises the step of compacting the fluff pulp material prior to providing the fluff pulp material to the mold.

[0015] By compacting the fluff pulp, the quality of the resulting final product can be significantly improved. For example, this can increase the strength of the final product and enable it to carry, for example, fruit, eggs, electronic devices.

[0016] In a presently preferred embodiment of the invention, the step wherein providing an airlaid flow of moulded pulp material comprises providing a blanket-shaped flow to the mould.

[0017] By providing a blanket-like flow to the mold, an efficient manufacturing process can be achieved. Preferably, the compaction step is performed to provide a blanket having a certain length and width and a more or less uniform thickness. This improves the uniformity of the final product. In a currently preferred embodiment, the thickness of the blanket is in the range of 0.5 cm to 3.0 cm. It has been shown that providing the fluff pulp material in a blanket shape to the mold with a blanket having a thickness in the mentioned range provides a final product with improved uniformity. This improves the overall quality of the final product.

[0018] Preferably, during the manufacturing process the mould is heated to enable further heat treatment.This is particularly important when additives are utilised to improve the overall properties of the final product.

[0019] Furthermore, forming the product in the die preferably includes the steps of punching the product out of the blanket flow and providing it to the die. In this context, punching can include cutting, pressing, or any other forging step. This makes it possible to provide the desired amount of material to the die, thereby, for example, reducing variations in the final product.

[0020] In a currently preferred embodiment of the invention, the method further comprises the step of feeding the remaining material to the step of providing the fluff pulp material. In practice, this enables the return possibility of reintroducing the remaining material of the blanket flow into the material flow of the manufacturing process. This significantly reduces the amount of waste material from the manufacturing process. In addition, this provides the manufacturing process with fluff material that has already undergone some processing steps. For example, this further improves the efficiency of the manufacturing process and further reduces the overall carbon footprint.

[0021] In one of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, the method further comprises the step of mixing the fluff pulp material with a pulp material derived from recycled paper material.

[0022] Combining the fluff pulp material with the recycled stream of recycled paper enables a cost-effective manufacturing process by reducing the amount of virgin fiber in the manufacturing process. This further improves the sustainability of the overall manufacturing process. The amount of recycled fiber in the final product may be in the range of 0 wt%-100 wt%, preferably in the range of 10 wt%-90 wt%, more preferably in the range of 25 wt%-75 wt% and most preferably in the range of 30 wt%-65 wt%.

[0023] In one of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, the method further comprises the step of providing one or more additives to the fluff pulp material.

[0024] By providing one or more additives to the fluff pulp material, the product properties of the final product can be tailored to the desired product properties.

[0025] Optionally, the additive can be related to an adhesive to bond the fluff pulp. In addition or alternatively, the additive includes one or more biodegradable biopolymers. Such polymers can enhance product properties, such as strength, stability, robustness, oil resistance and / or water resistance. The biodegradable biopolymer preferably used preferably includes one or more of biodegradable aliphatic polyesters, preferably PBS, PHB, PHA, PCL, PLA, PGA and PHBV. For example, adding a certain amount of PLA and / or PBS and / or another biopolymer in the range of 0 wt%-25 wt%, preferably 0.5wt%-20 wt%, more preferably 0.75 wt%-10 wt%, even more preferably in the range of 1 wt%-8 wt% and most preferably in the range of 2 wt%-5 wt% to the pulp material improves the intensity of the final product. Preferably, heat treatment is performed to activate and cure the additive to achieve the desired effect. More preferably, heat treatment is performed after the fluff material is brought into a mold and becomes its desired shape. For example, the fluff material is brought into a mold at a temperature of about 100° C. After the product has been formed into its desired shape, it can be heat treated by bringing the product to a temperature in the range of 145° C. to 175° C. to enable the PLA fibers to be distributed around the cellulose fibers of the fluff pulp material. It will be understood that the actual process temperature may depend on the composition of the pulp material, for example.

[0026] In some preferred embodiments of the invention, the biopolymer is mixed into the virgin pulp material so that it is distributed over substantially the entire product and / or may be provided as a separate layer on a surface of the product that may come into contact with a food product, for example.

[0027] Another advantage of the present invention is the improvement of the barrier properties through the use of additives. Barrier properties may include an oxygen barrier and / or a grease barrier. In addition, the penetration of oil from food products such as pasta or French fries into the final product can be reduced. Furthermore, for example, in the production of disposable tableware, fluorine chemistry can be reduced or even omitted from the manufacturing process. In addition, for example, water barrier properties can be improved to reduce water penetration into the packaging unit and thereby reduce the problem of ridging.

[0028] In the context of the present invention, biodegradable preferably includes decomposition and / or occurs at a temperature in the range of 5°C to 60°C, preferably in the range of 5°C to 40°C, more preferably in the range of 10°C to 30°C, even more preferably in the range of 15°C to 25°C and most preferably at a temperature of about 20°C.

[0029] For example, PBS naturally decomposes into water, CO2 and biomass, thereby providing a biodegradable alternative material to plastic, for example. Using PBS as a compostable material helps to provide sustainable products.

[0030] In food contact applications (including food packaging units from pulp materials), it is possible to use biopolymers such as PBS. As mentioned, PBS has good biodegradability properties and can be broken down into H2O and CO2. This improves the recycling properties of products made from fluff pulp materials and containing PBS and / or similar additives.

[0031] The other advantage of adding a certain amount of PBS and / or similar additives is that, for example, the finished product can also use the microorganism in the soil to decompose. This makes it possible to decompose the product comprising PBS and / or similar additives as a whole. In such a preferred embodiment, the food packaging unit can be decomposed at home. For example, compared with other agents or components such as PLA (for example, comprising its variant such as PLLA, PDLA and PLDLLA), the decomposition rate of PBS is much higher. Preferably, the use of biodegradable aliphatic polyester is intended to improve or realize the use combination of other additives or material of the specific properties of packaging unit. In other currently preferred embodiments, the biopolymer used derives from so-called non-gmo (organism of non-transgenic modification) biopolymer.

[0032] In another embodiment of the present invention, the finished product comprises a certain amount of microfibrillated cellulose (microfibrillated cellulose) (MFC), which is sometimes also referred to as nanofibrillated cellulose (nanofibrillar cellulose) or cellulose nanofiber. MFC preferably derives from the cellulose raw material of plant origin. The use of MFC has strengthened the bond strength of fiber-fiber, and has further improved the strengthening effect. Although MFC is preferably applied in combination with one or more of PBS and / or biodegradable aliphatic polyester, MFC can also be used as the substitute of these components.

[0033] In an embodiment of the present invention, the biopolymer and / or MFC provides a biofilm on (a portion of) the surface of the product or at (a portion of) the surface of the product. Experimental indications indicate that good barrier properties can be achieved. Alternatively or in addition thereto, a surface layer with a papery appearance and / or a papery feel can also be provided. This contributes to consumers' appreciation of the products according to such embodiments of the present invention. Tests have shown good wet strength and barrier properties. The barrier properties may include an oxygen barrier and / or a grease barrier. It is believed that the oxygen barrier properties are achieved by the ability of the MFC to form a dense network comprising hydrogen bonds.

[0034] Optionally, some hydrophobic elements are added to the MFC layer to further improve the water barrier properties. This may involve modification of the hydroxyl groups, for example chemically on the surface of the microfibrils and / or by adsorption of polymers.

[0035] Another advantage of using MFC is improved printability, including the possibility of digital printing. In addition or as an alternative, MFC can reduce costs by reducing weight or grammage by increasing the amount of filler. This can also enhance optical properties.

[0036] It will be appreciated that the combination of MFC and / or PBS and / or biodegradable aliphatic polyester can further improve the effects and advantages mentioned. In addition, in combination with conventional polymer films, for example by coating MFC, PBS and / or biodegradable aliphatic polyester thereon, a product having the advantages of both materials can be provided.

[0037] In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the method further comprises the step of providing a finishing layer to the molded product.

[0038] Such a finishing layer may comprise coating and / or printing, optionally including in-mould labelling and / or coating.This further improves the efficiency of the overall manufacturing process.

[0039] The present invention also relates to a 3-dimensionally shaped product from fluff pulp material, wherein the product comprises a certain amount of fluff pulp material.

[0040] In a further embodiment of the present invention, wherein the material further comprises a biodegradable aliphatic polyester, preferably one or more of PBS, PHB, PHA, PCL, PLA, PGA and PHBV.

[0041] Such products provide the same effects and advantages as described with respect to food packaging units. For example, such 3-dimensionally formed products from fluff pulp material can relate to packaging units for fruit and eggs, beverage lids, covers, and inlaid trays. Preferably, the 3-dimensional product is shaped according to its intended use. For example, in the case of a food packaging unit, it can include a compartment that can receive or carry food products. For example, the food receiving compartment can relate to a compartment that can accommodate food products such as eggs, tomatoes, kiwis, or a container for accommodating beverages.

[0042] As a further benefit, the products of the present invention may include one or more additives or agents, such as biopolymers. This allows for the specific design of product characteristics and properties, taking into account the specific product, according to customer specifications or needs. Preferably, the one or more additional agents include a biodegradable aliphatic polyester. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0043] Further advantages, features and details of the invention are explained on the basis of preferred embodiments thereof, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: - Figure 1 Shown is a mosaic tray according to the present invention; - Figure 2A and Figure 2B shows a packaging unit according to the invention; - Figure 3 An example of an alternative food packaging product according to the present invention is shown; - Figure 4A and Figure 4B An example of an alternative food packaging product according to the present invention is shown; - Figure 5A and Figure 5B shows a further packaging unit for eggs according to the invention; and - Figure 6 A summary of a schematic diagram showing the manufacturing method of the present invention.

[0044] Product 1( Figure 1 ) relates to an inlay tray for mobile phones. The product 1 comprises an outer edge 3 and a recess 5 adapted to the dimensions of a particular type of mobile phone. The product 1 is made of a fluff pulp material and preferably contains a biopolymer.

[0045] Product 2 involves packaging units ( Figure 2A and Figure 2B), the packaging unit carries or contains eggs in use and comprises a cover part 4 and a bottom part 6. The bottom part 6 is provided with a rear surface 8, side surfaces 10 and a front surface 12 and a bottom surface 14. The cover part 4 is provided with a rear surface 16, side surfaces 18, a front surface 20 and a top surface 22. In the illustrated embodiment, a transition portion 24 is provided between the top surface 22 and the rear surface 16 and the front surface 20.

[0046] In the illustrated embodiment, the top surface 22 of the cover portion 4 is provided with a groove 26 including a plurality of openings 28. The openings 28 are bounded by two adjacent arcuate edges 30, 32 having a greater thickness than the average thickness of the cover portion 4. The side surface 18 of the cover portion 4 is provided with a non-overlapping notch or element 34. In the illustrated embodiment, the bottom portion 6 is provided with a similar element 36 that is a mirror image of the non-overlapping element 34. A hinge 38 connects the rear surface 16 of the cover portion 4 to the rear surface 8 of the bottom portion 6. The lock 40 includes a nose-shaped lock element 42 connected to a tab 44 of the bottom portion 6. The cover portion 4 is provided with an opening 46 that captures the lock element 42, thereby defining the lock 40.

[0047] In the illustrated embodiment, the bottom portion 6 is provided with a plurality of product receiving compartments 48, a cone 50 and a dividing wall 52. The cone 50 extends in an upward direction from the bottom of the bottom portion 6. The cover portion 4 includes a cone support 54. The inner surface 58 of the packaging unit 2 comprises PBS material, optionally as a film layer or optionally blended and / or integrated with fibers of a molded pulp material.

[0048] In the illustrated embodiment, the packaging unit 2 includes twelve product receiving compartments 48 arranged in two rows of six compartments 48. The individual compartments 48 are separated from each other by walls 52 and cones 50. It will be understood that other configurations are also contemplated according to the present invention.

[0049] The packaging unit 2 may also be configured to receive other products, such as tomatoes, kiwis.

[0050] It will be understood that other types of food packaging units are also contemplated according to the present invention. As a further example, a bottle divider 101 ( Figure 3 ). Additionally, the bottle divider 102 may include a film layer of PBS and / or may include an amount of PBS blended into the molded pulp.

[0051] Another example according to the present invention is a cover 202 ( Figure 4A ), for example for ice cups. Another example of a packaging unit according to the present invention is a beverage cover 302 ( Figure 4B ). Cover 202 and beverage cover 302 include a film layer of PBS and / or can include a certain amount of PBS blended into the molded pulp. This makes cover 202 and beverage cover 302 waterproof or liquid repellent. One of the other advantages of using PBS is to reduce or prevent liquid from entering or migrating into the beverage cover material during use. Another advantage is the constancy or dimensional stability of size. In this particular case, this prevents the beverage cover 302 from loosening in a cup or beaker for hot drinks such as coffee, tea or soup or cold drinks such as carbonated drinks, and prevents the cup 202 from loosening in, for example, an ice cup. It will be understood that such a cover 302 can also be applied to other food containers. For example, the cover 302 can be applied to a container for, for example, a milkshake. Other details and examples of the cover 302 are disclosed in WO 2010 / 064899, including embodiments with specific flanges and notches.

[0052] The beverage cover 302 is preferably coated with a PBS liner. As mentioned, the beverage cover 302 can be used for cups and milk shakes. In addition, the beverage cover can be applied to so-called ready meal trays (e.g., for pizza, wraps, fish, meat, lobster, noodles ...) and, for example, serve as a (digital) printable and barrier seal.

[0053] It will be understood that other designs for packaging units according to the present invention are contemplated. For example, the containers 402, 502 ( Figure 5A and Figure 5B ) illustrates different designs of egg packaging cartons that can accommodate eggs P.

[0054] Other examples of food packaging products may relate to cup carriers, cups, plates and other tableware, and the like.

[0055] When manufacturing 602 3-dimensional formed products 1, 2, 102, 202, 302, 402, 502 ( Figure 6), a fluff pulp material is prepared in a preparation step 604. Optionally, in a mixing step 606, a certain amount of PBS and / or PLA and / or another biopolymer is blended and / or mixed into the pulp material. Additional processing includes fiber separation and / or crushing 608, compaction 610, providing the pulp to a mold 612, optionally including stamping, molding 614, optionally heat treating 616 and releasing the product 618 to provide a 3-dimensional formed product 1, 2, 102, 202, 302, 402, 502. In the illustrated embodiment, a recycling step is shown. In one of the currently preferred embodiments of the invention, the pulp provided to the mold in step 612 has a dry matter content greater than 10 wt%. The length of the cellulose fibers is preferably selected with respect to the intended use of the 3-dimensional product. The process conditions in the manufacture are preferably selected with respect to the pulp composition, preferably taking into account the type and amount of additives.

[0056] It will be understood that this schematic overview of the manufacturing method of the present invention is exemplary and may include various steps, such as adding additional agents and / or additives, providing the biopolymer as a separate layer. Such a separate layer may come into contact with the food product. Optionally, several post-molding operations may also be performed with respect to units 1, 2, 102, 202, 302, 402, 502, including, but not limited to, labeling, including in-mold labeling; marking, including printing and digital printing; and testing. In several preferred embodiments, a compostable biofilm is disposed on at least the food contact area of ​​a product comprising a portion of the packaging unit. In preferred embodiments, the film is capable of being used in a microwave or oven as a so-called ovenable film. Preferably, the biofilm is capable of withstanding temperatures up to 170°C, 190°C, or even higher. The biofilm preferably comprises a certain amount of PBS and / or MFC and / or a biodegradable aliphatic polyester, which may comprise a certain amount of one or more of PHB, PHA, PCL, PLA, PGA, and PHBV. In particular, the combination of a mold-dried, compostable packaging unit also improves sustainability compared to conventional packaging units. The (digital) printability enables printing of packaging and / or food features / information. This can, for example, avoid the use of a separate sleeve. Furthermore, it enables the application of printed matter, such as fish and chips (newspaper) prints, onto the packaging unit.

[0057] The invention is in no way limited to the preferred embodiments thereof described above. The right sought for protection is defined by the appended claims, within the scope of which numerous modifications are contemplated.

Claims

1. A method (602) for making a 3-dimensionally shaped product from a fluff pulp material, the method comprising: - Provide fluff pulp material; - compacting the fluff pulp material (610) before providing it to a 3-dimensional forming die to increase the strength of the product; - providing an airlaid flow of fluff pulp material to the 3-dimensional forming die (612); - forming the product in the mold (614); and - releasing the 3-dimensionally formed product (618) from the mould, The method further comprises the step of providing one or more additives to the fluff pulp material, wherein the one or more additives comprise a biodegradable biopolymer, The biopolymer is mixed into the fluff pulp material.

2. A method (602) for manufacturing a 3-dimensionally shaped product from a fluff pulp material, the method comprising: - Provide fluff pulp material; - compacting the fluff pulp material (610) before providing it to a 3-dimensional forming die to increase the strength of the product; - providing an airlaid flow of fluff pulp material to the 3-dimensional forming die (612); - forming the product in the mold (614); and - releasing the 3-dimensionally formed product (618) from the mould, The method further comprises the step of providing one or more additives to the fluff pulp material, wherein the one or more additives comprise a biodegradable biopolymer, wherein the biodegradable biopolymer comprises a biodegradable aliphatic polyester, The biodegradable aliphatic polyester comprises PBS.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the biodegradable biopolymer comprises a biodegradable aliphatic polyester.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the biodegradable aliphatic polyester comprises one or more of PBS, PHB, PHA, PCL, PLA, PGA, and PHBV.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the biodegradable aliphatic polyester comprises PBS.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the biodegradable aliphatic polyester comprises MFC.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the amount of added biopolymer is in the range of 0.5 wt% to 20 wt%, preferably in the range of 0.75 wt% to 10 wt%, more preferably in the range of 1 wt% to 8 wt% and most preferably in the range of 2 wt% to 5 wt%.

8. The method of any one of claims 1-7, wherein providing the fluff pulp material comprises defiberizing a raw material.

9. The method of any one of claims 1-8, wherein the step of providing an airlaid flow of fluff pulp material comprises providing a blanket flow to the die.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the blanket has a thickness in the range of 0.5 cm to 3.0 cm.

11. A method according to claim 9 or 10, wherein forming the product in the mould comprises the steps of punching the product out of the blanket flow and providing it to the mould.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of feeding a remainder material to the providing step of the fluff pulp material.

13. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 12, further comprising the step of mixing the fluff pulp material with pulp material derived from recycled paper material.

14. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 13, further comprising the step of providing a finishing layer to the moulded product.

15. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 14, further comprising the step of providing a biofilm on the surface of the product or at least a part of the surface of the product.

16. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 15, further comprising the step of heat treating the product after it has been formed into its desired shape by bringing it to a temperature in the range 145-175°C.

17. A 3-dimensionally shaped product from fluff pulp material, wherein the product comprises an amount of fluff pulp material and the product is made by the method according to any one of claims 1 to 16.

18. The product of claim 17, wherein the product is one or more of: a packaging unit for fruit and eggs, a beverage lid, a cover, and a mosaic tray.

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