Pulp mould

Abstract

A pulp mold includes an inner surface defining a chamber, an outer surface surrounding an axis and opposite to the inner surface, a plurality of grooves recessed from the outer surface toward the inner surface and extending along the axis, and a plurality of air holes extending from the outer surface to the inner surface and passing through the grooves. The chamber is adapted for air flow in and out and includes an opening, and is divided into a plurality of space sections with diameters gradually decreasing along an axis direction from the opening. The air holes are in communication with the outside and the chamber. Thus, by the design of the space sections with diameters gradually decreasing, in the case of having sufficient thickness, the air flow in and out of the chamber is increased, and better heat preservation effect is achieved, and by the grooves not in communication with the chamber, the pulp is prevented from forming barbs in the air holes, and is easier to be demolded.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a mold, and more particularly to a pulp mold. Background Technology

[0002] See Figure 1 This describes an existing pulp mold 1 disclosed in Chinese Patent Publication No. CN1164832, which mainly includes a hollow chamber 11 with the same diameter and width that allows airflow to enter and exit, and multiple fluid communication paths 14 extending from an outer surface 12 to an inner surface 13 and connected to the outside and the hollow chamber 11.

[0003] In this way, when the pulp 2 is deposited on the outer surface 12, the suction airflow generated by the negative pressure can remove the moisture in the pulp 2 through the hollow chamber 11 and the fluid communication passage 14. After hot pressing and shaping, the blowing airflow generated by the positive pressure can blow away the shaped finished product through the hollow chamber 11 and the fluid communication passage 14.

[0004] Although patent application CN1164832 can achieve the purpose of demolding, it still has the following drawbacks:

[0005] 1. During the process of adsorbing pulp 2 in the fluid communication path 14, pulp 2 will be sucked into the corresponding fluid communication path 14, and a barb will be formed at one end adjacent to the inner surface 13, making it difficult to demold and reducing the yield of finished products.

[0006] 2. Under the same volume, the size of the hollow chamber 11 determines the gas flow rate and the rate of heat loss. When the volume of the hollow chamber 11 is larger and the wall thickness of the pulp mold 1 is thinner, although the gas flow rate can be increased, thus improving drainage and demolding effects, heat is easily lost and cannot be concentrated when the wall thickness is thinner, affecting the hot pressing and shaping effect. Conversely, when the volume of the hollow chamber 11 is smaller and the wall thickness of the pulp mold 1 is thicker, although the heat concentration and insulation effects can be improved, demolding will be difficult when the flow rate is smaller.

[0007] See Figure 2 and Figure 3 Another type of pulp mold 3 on the market is mainly processed by turning, drilling, etc., to have multiple channels 31 extending along an axis X, and multiple grooves 32 connected to the outside and the channels 31 are formed on the outer surface by wire cutting. In this way, gas can flow through the grooves 32, which solves the problem of the pulp easily forming barbs.

[0008] However, the pulp molds 3 produced by turning, drilling, and wire cutting incur additional costs beyond wire cutting, including turning and drilling, resulting in a considerably high total cost. Furthermore, taking a single wire cutting machine as an example, each pulp mold 3 requires approximately two days to manufacture. This not only increases cost and processing time but also makes the wire grooves 32 more complex compared to… Figure 1 The fluid communication path 14 has the disadvantage of depressurizing too quickly. Summary of the Invention

[0009] The purpose of this invention is to provide a pulp mold that is low in cost, easy to manufacture, easy to demold, and capable of heat retention and insulation.

[0010] The pulp mold of the present invention is used to manufacture a container formed from pulp, the container including a body and an annular rim formed at one end of the body, the pulp mold including an inner surface, an outer surface, a plurality of grooves, and a plurality of air holes.

[0011] The inner surface defines a chamber that is adapted for airflow in and out and includes an opening. The chamber is further divided into multiple spatial segments with gradually decreasing diameters by the opening along the axial direction.

[0012] The outer surface is opposite to the inner surface.

[0013] The groove is recessed from the outer surface toward the inner surface and extends along the axis, but does not communicate with the cavity.

[0014] The pores extend from the outer surface to the inner surface and pass through the groove, and are connected to the outside, the groove, and the chamber.

[0015] In the pulp mold of the present invention, the air holes are arranged at equal intervals along the extension direction of the grooves.

[0016] The pulp mold of the present invention further includes a plurality of stepped portions spaced apart along the axis on the inner surface, each stepped portion defining two adjacent spatial segments.

[0017] The pulp mold of the present invention has a U-shaped chamber portion.

[0018] The pulp mold of the present invention has an outer surface comprising a conical portion surrounding the axis and an end portion connecting the conical portion away from the opening and substantially perpendicular to the axis, wherein the extending direction of the conical portion is at an angle to the axis, the angle being between 3 degrees and 15 degrees.

[0019] The pulp mold of the present invention further includes a concave ring, and the outer surface further includes an annular portion connecting one end of the conical portion adjacent to the opening and extending in a direction perpendicular to the axis, the concave ring being formed around the axis in the annular portion for forming the annular rim of the container.

[0020] The pulp mold of the present invention further includes a convex ring formed around the axis on a tapered portion of the outer surface and adjacent to the concave ring, the convex ring being used to further include a flange adjacent to the ring edge of the container.

[0021] In the pulp mold of the present invention, the depth of each groove is between 0.1 mm and 5 mm, and the width is between 0.1 mm and 3 mm.

[0022] The pulp mold of the present invention has 3 to 24 grooves, and each groove is connected to 5 or more air holes.

[0023] In the pulp mold of the present invention, the diameter of each of the air holes is between 0.5 mm and 3 mm.

[0024] In the pulp mold of the present invention, the extension direction of each air hole passing through the corresponding groove is at an angle to a reference plane perpendicular to the axis, the angle being between 20 degrees and 60 degrees.

[0025] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: by designing the diameter of the space segment to gradually decrease, the airflow into and out of the chamber is increased while having sufficient thickness, and it also has a better heat preservation effect. Furthermore, by using grooves that are not connected to the chamber, the pulp is prevented from forming barbs in the air holes, making it easier to demold. Attached Figure Description

[0026] Other features and effects of the present invention will be clearly presented in the embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0027] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional view illustrating an existing pulp mold disclosed in Chinese Patent Publication No. CN1164832.

[0028] Figure 2 This is a front view illustrating another existing pulp mold;

[0029] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of the existing pulp mold;

[0030] Figure 4 This is a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of the pulp mold of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 5 This is a partially enlarged perspective view of the embodiment described;

[0032] Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment described;

[0033] Figure 7 This is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the embodiment described;

[0034] Figure 8 This is a cross-sectional view illustrating the stacking of multiple containers manufactured according to the embodiment;

[0035] Figure 9 It is similar to Figure 4 A three-dimensional image, but of different sizes; and

[0036] Figure 10 It is similar to Figure 6 The cross-sectional view is shown, but the shape of the chamber is different. Detailed Implementation

[0037] See Figures 4-7 One embodiment of the pulp mold 5 of the present invention is used to manufacture a container 4 (e.g., formed from pulp). Figure 8 The pulp mold 5 includes an inner surface 52 defining a chamber 51, an outer surface 53, a plurality of grooves 54, a plurality of air holes 55, a concave ring 56, and a convex ring 57.

[0038] The chamber 51 is adapted for airflow in and out and includes an opening 511, which is divided into four spatial segments 512 with progressively smaller diameters along an axis X. In this embodiment, the inner surface 52 includes three stepped portions 521 spaced apart along the axis X. Each stepped portion 521 defines two adjacent spatial segments 512.

[0039] The outer surface 53 is opposite to the inner surface 52 and includes a tapered portion 531 surrounding the axis X, an end portion 532 connecting the end of the tapered portion 531 away from the opening 511 and perpendicularly intersecting the axis X, and an annular portion 533 connecting the end of the tapered portion 531 adjacent to the opening 511 and extending in a direction perpendicular to the axis X. The extending direction of the tapered portion 531 is separated from the axis X by a first included angle θ1. The first included angle θ1 is between 3 degrees and 15 degrees. Preferably, the first included angle θ1 = 5 degrees.

[0040] The grooves 54 are formed on the conical portion 531 of the outer surface 53. In this embodiment, the grooves 54 are recessed from the outer surface 53 toward the inner surface 52, extend along the extending direction of the conical portion 531, and are distributed at equal angles around the axis X. The number of grooves 54 is between 3 and 24, preferably 16. Each groove 54 is not connected to the chamber 51, and has a depth between 0.1 mm and 5 mm and a width between 0.1 mm and 3 mm, preferably 0.6 mm and 1.5 mm.

[0041] The vents 55 extend from the outer surface 53 to the inner surface 52 and communicate with the outside and the chamber 51. In this embodiment, a portion of the vents 55 pass through and are connected to the corresponding grooves 54, and are arranged at equal intervals along the extension direction of the grooves 54. The other portion of the vents 55 pass through the end face 532. Each groove 54 communicates with more than five vents 55. The diameter of each vent 55 is between 0.5 mm and 3 mm, preferably 1.5 mm. The extension direction of each vent 55 passing through the corresponding groove 54 is separated from a reference plane C perpendicular to the axis X by a second included angle θ2, which is between 20 degrees and 60 degrees, preferably 45 degrees.

[0042] The concave ring 56 is formed around the axis X in the annular portion 533 of the outer surface 53 and adjacent to the conical portion 531.

[0043] The convex ring 57 is formed around the axis X on the tapered portion 531 of the outer surface 53 and adjacent to the concave ring 56.

[0044] When manufacturing the pulp mold 5, the space segment 512 with different diameters and widths, the groove 54, the air hole 55, the concave ring 56 and the convex ring 57 can be completed by machining methods such as turning, milling, and drilling. Not only is the machining easy and fast, but about 8 to 12 pulp molds 5 can be produced per day. Moreover, the manufacturing cost of each pulp mold 5 is much lower than that of the prior art. For example, the cost of each pulp mold 5 can be reduced to 26% to 42% of that of the prior art.

[0045] The pulp mold 5 is suitable for connection to a vacuum pump (not shown) to generate negative pressure, and for connection to a pressure pump (not shown) to generate positive pressure. See also Figure 6 and Figure 8In this way, when the pulp is deposited on the outer surface 53, the suction airflow generated by the negative pressure will remove the water from the pulp through the chamber 51 and the air hole 55. After dewatering and hot pressing with other molds (not shown), it is shaped into a finished product. Finally, the blowing airflow generated by the positive pressure will blow away the shaped finished product through the chamber 51 and the air hole 55 to obtain the container 4. Since the manufacturing process of pulp products is not a technical feature of this case, and those skilled in the art can infer extended details from the above description, it will not be described in detail.

[0046] Importantly, when the airflow passes through the chamber 51 and the vent 55 to remove moisture from the pulp, the present invention can form a space for the pulp to temporarily stay by means of the groove 54 that is not connected to the chamber 51, thus preventing the pulp from forming barbs by passing through the vent 55. This makes it easier for the finished product after being hot-pressed and shaped to be blown away from the pulp mold 5, thereby achieving the purpose of demolding and improving the yield of the product.

[0047] See Figure 6 and Figure 8 It is worth noting that the container 4 manufactured by the pulp mold 5 includes a body 41, an annular rim 42 formed at one end of the body 41, and a flange 43 adjacent to the annular rim 42. The annular rim 42 is formed of pulp corresponding to the concave ring 56, and the flange 43 is formed of pulp corresponding to the convex ring 57.

[0048] In this way, when multiple containers 4 are stacked, the flange 43 of each container 4 is precisely blocked by the circumferential edge 42 of the adjacent container 4. The flange 43 abuts against the circumferential edge 42 of the adjacent container 4, forming a gap G between the bodies 41 of two adjacent containers 4, and defining a stacking height H between the two adjacent circumferential edges 42 along the stacking direction. This gap G creates space for gas flow, preventing the stacked containers 4 from making airtight contact, thus improving the convenience and ease of retrieving the corresponding container 4.

[0049] It is worth noting that when the first included angle θ1 is less than 3 degrees, the yield of good products will be extremely low due to the small draft angle, making it difficult to manufacture. It will also lead to an increase in the stacking height H of the container 4 and a decrease in the number of bags, resulting in a larger volume and increased transportation costs. When the first included angle θ1 is greater than 15 degrees, although the stacking height H can be reduced, the height of the finished product is easily limited, making the volume of the container 4 smaller.

[0050] Furthermore, although the container 4 manufactured by the pulp mold 5 will have slightly visible stripes corresponding to the grooves 54, this does not affect its functionality or product appearance. It is worth noting that when the depth or width of each groove 54 is less than 0.1mm, although the stripes are not obvious, they cannot effectively solve the problems of undercutting and demolding. When the depth of each groove 54 is greater than 5mm or the width is greater than 3mm, the stripes are relatively obvious. Although they can still solve the problems of undercutting and demolding, with repeated production, they are prone to causing slurry blockage in the gaps, making demolding difficult.

[0051] Furthermore, when the second included angle θ2 is less than 20 degrees, the gas flow direction is close to the reference surface C (close to a horizontal state). Due to the thrust along the axis X, the finished product is not enough to detach from the pulp mold 5 along the axis X, resulting in difficulty in demolding. When the second included angle θ2 is greater than 60 degrees, the gas flow direction is close to the axis X (close to a vertical state and in contact with the conical surface 531). Due to the thrust acting on the body 41, the body 41 is not enough to separate from the pulp mold 5, resulting in difficulty in demolding as well.

[0052] It should be noted that the depth of the pulp mold 5 is not limited to that shown below. Figure 4 As shown, this is used to manufacture containers 4 with a depth greater than 8cm (e.g. Figure 8 In other variations of this embodiment, it may also be as follows: Figure 9 As shown, container 4 (not shown) is used to manufacture containers with shallow depths.

[0053] Furthermore, the space segment 512, whose diameter gradually decreases, is not limited to being defined by the stepped portion 521. In other variations of this embodiment, it may also be as follows: Figure 10 As shown, a partially U-shaped cavity 51 is machined.

[0054] Based on the above explanation, the advantages of the aforementioned embodiments can be summarized as follows:

[0055] 1. The present invention can form a space for temporary retention of slurry by means of the groove 54 which is not connected to the cavity 51, thereby preventing the slurry from forming barbs by passing through the air hole 55, making the finished product manufactured by the present invention easier to demold and improving the yield of the finished product.

[0056] 2. By designing the space segment 512 with a gradually decreasing diameter, the gas flow rate can be effectively increased, and sufficient thickness can be maintained. This achieves the best balance between easy heat accumulation, heat preservation, and improved drainage and demolding effects.

[0057] 3. Moreover, the present invention can produce the pulp mold 5 by means of turning, milling, drilling and other processing methods. Not only is the processing speed fast, about 8 to 12 pulp molds 5 can be produced per day, but the production cost of each pulp mold 5 is much lower than that of molds made by wire cutting. For example, the cost can be reduced to 26% to 42% of that of molds made by wire cutting.

[0058] 4. Since the groove 54 is not connected to the chamber 51, there will be no disadvantage of too rapid depressurization while still connecting the outside world and the chamber 51 through the air hole 55.

[0059] The above description is merely an embodiment of the present invention and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention. Any simple equivalent changes and modifications made in accordance with the claims and description of the present invention shall still fall within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A pulp mold for manufacturing a container formed from pulp, the container comprising a body and an annular flange formed at one end of the body, the pulp mold comprising: The inner surface of the chamber is defined, the chamber being adapted for airflow in and out, and includes an opening; The outer surface is opposite to the inner surface; Multiple trenches; and Multiple pores extend from the outer surface to the inner surface; Its features are: The chamber is divided into multiple spatial segments with gradually decreasing diameters along the axial direction by the opening; The groove is recessed from the outer surface toward the inner surface and extends along the axis, and the groove does not communicate with the cavity; The vent passes through the groove and is connected to the outside world, the groove and the chamber.

2. The pulp mold according to claim 1, characterized in that: The pores are arranged at equal intervals following the extension direction of the groove.

3. The pulp mold according to claim 1, characterized in that: The inner surface also includes a plurality of stepped portions spaced apart along the axis, each stepped portion defining two adjacent spatial segments.

4. The pulp mold according to claim 1, characterized in that: The chamber portion is U-shaped.

5. The pulp mold according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer surface includes a tapered portion surrounding the axis and an end portion connecting the tapered portion away from the opening and substantially perpendicular to the axis, the tapered portion extending at an angle to the axis, the angle being between 3 and 15 degrees.

6. The pulp mold according to claim 5, characterized in that: The pulp mold further includes a concave ring, and the outer surface also includes an annular portion connecting one end of the conical portion adjacent to the opening and extending in a direction perpendicular to the axis, the concave ring being formed around the axis in the annular portion for forming the annular rim of the container.

7. The pulp mold according to claim 6, characterized in that: The pulp mold also includes a raised ring formed around the axis on a tapered portion of the outer surface and adjacent to the recessed ring, the raised ring being used to further include a flange adjacent to the ring edge of the container.

8. The pulp mold according to claim 1, characterized in that: The depth of each groove is between 0.1 mm and 5 mm, and the width is between 0.1 mm and 3 mm.

9. The pulp mold according to claim 1, characterized in that: The number of grooves ranges from 3 to 24, and each groove is connected to 5 or more pores.

10. The pulp mold according to claim 1, characterized in that: The diameter of each of the pores is between 0.5 mm and 3 mm.

11. The pulp mold according to claim 1, characterized in that: The extension direction of each of the pores passing through the corresponding groove is at an angle to a reference plane perpendicular to the axis, the angle being between 20 degrees and 60 degrees.

Images