Method and apparatus for forming objects having natural fiber-based materials

Abstract

In a method for forming an object (10) in a forming apparatus (1, 101, 201), a natural fiber-based material in the form of a sheet material (2) enters the forming apparatus through an inlet (2), and an object (10) made of the natural fiber-based material exits the forming apparatus through an outlet (6). A passage (7) connects the inlet (2) and the outlet (6). The sheet material (2) is cut in a cutting device (8, 208) located along the passage (7) to cut unit portions (9) of natural fiber-based material from the sheet material (2). The object (10) is formed by pressing the unit portions (9) in a pressing device (14, 114) located along the passage (7) downstream from the cutting device (8, 208).

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for forming objects having natural fiber-based materials, particularly cellulosic materials. [Background technology]

[0002] For reasons related to environmental protection, it is desirable to use natural, renewable materials in the manufacture of many objects that are currently made from synthetic polymer materials, especially but not exclusively in the packaging sector. Indeed, cellulosic materials are less polluting and easier to dispose of than synthetic polymer materials.

[0003] A forming apparatus for forming cellulose products from unit doses of cellulose is known. The apparatus includes a mold carousel with a plurality of molds, each having a first half mold and a second half mold movable relative to one another along a mold direction. Unit doses produced in a dedicated production line are separated from the prior art apparatus and sent to the mold carousel, where they are inserted into each mold.

[0004] It is also possible to feed a cellulose web into a conventional forming apparatus. In this case, the unit portions are separated from the web using cutting edges provided on the first and / or second half molds. When the first and second half molds are moved toward each other to form an object, the cutting edges interact with the cellulose web, separating the unit portions from the cellulose web. The unit portions are then immediately pressed between the first and second half molds to form the object.

[0005] The structure and operation of the above-described forming apparatus is complex because the cellulose web must pass through the mold carousel and, in particular, must be inserted between the first and second half molds to separate unit portions from the cellulose web.

[0006] Additionally, removing the remaining cellulosic web from the mold carousel after the cut portions have been cut is not a simple operation, especially at high production rates.

[0007] When a unit dose is dispensed into a mold, it may be subject to unintended displacement during mold closure. For example, the unit dose may be displaced in a direction not parallel to the mold direction. In particular, the unit dose may be positioned off-center relative to the axis of the mold. In these cases, the flow of the natural fiber-based material in the mold may not be uniform within the mold. This may result in defects in the molded object.

[0008] Examples of known devices for forming objects from natural fiber-based materials are disclosed in US Pat. Nos. 5,629,299; 5,799,316; 5,899,416; [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0009] [Patent Document 1] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 247286 [Patent Document 2] Zuikoku Patent No. 1950299 [Patent Document 3] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2021 / 380287 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0010] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to improve methods and apparatus for forming objects from natural fiber-based, particularly cellulosic, materials.

[0011] Another object is to provide a forming device for forming objects from natural fiber-based, particularly cellulosic, materials starting from sheet material from which the waste natural-based materials can be easily removed.

[0012] A further object is to provide a forming device for forming objects from natural fiber-based, particularly cellulosic, materials, comprising one or more molds having a simple structure.

[0013] A further object is to provide a forming apparatus for forming objects from natural fiber-based, particularly cellulosic, materials, comprising one or more molds that are easy to maintain.

[0014] Another object is to provide a mould capable of forming high quality objects by pressing unit quantities made of natural fibre-based, especially cellulosic, materials.

[0015] Yet another object is to provide a mold for forming objects by pressing unit portions made of natural fiber-based, in particular cellulosic, materials in such a way that the risk of the unit portions being placed in an incorrect position while the mold is closed is reduced. [Means for solving the problem]

[0016] One aspect of the invention provides a method of forming a three-dimensional object in a forming apparatus, the method comprising: a natural fiber-based material in the form of a sheet material entering the forming apparatus through an inlet; and a three-dimensional object made of the natural fiber-based material exiting the forming apparatus through an outlet, a passageway connecting the inlet and the outlet, the sheet material being cut in a cutting device disposed along the passageway to separate a unit portion of natural fiber-based material from the sheet material; and the three-dimensional object being formed by pressing the unit portion between female and male half mold halves of a pressing device disposed along the passageway downstream from the cutting device.

[0017] According to a first aspect of the invention, it is possible to form objects from natural fiber-based materials, such as cellulose, in a forming device having a particularly simple structure.

[0018] Since the sheet material is cut in a cutting device arranged upstream of the pressing device, the natural fiber-based material is already supplied to the mold in the form of unit portions, thus eliminating the inconvenience present in conventional forming devices associated with having to pass the entire web of sheet material through the pressing device and remove the web of residual material from the pressing device.

[0019] The unit doses are formed to fit into the pressing device, thus eliminating the need to form the unit doses upstream of the forming device and avoiding the inconveniences associated with storing the unit doses and transporting them out of the forming device.

[0020] The cellulosic material used to form the object can be a low density material that is compressible, compressible, and moldable to complex shapes, allowing even three-dimensional objects with complex geometries to be obtained by pressing sheet material. The pressing process allows the density of the natural fiber-based material to be increased, allowing even complex objects to be formed that would not be possible by thermoforming.

[0021] In one embodiment, the three-dimensional object is formed in the pressing device by pressing the unit dose between a female mold half and a male mold half.

[0022] The female half mold and the male half mold are contained in the mold of the pressing device.

[0023] In one embodiment, the cutting device operates intermittently and the pressing device operates continuously.

[0024] In one embodiment, both the cutting device and the pressing device operate intermittently.

[0025] In one embodiment, both the cutting device and the pressing device operate continuously.

[0026] The pressing device may comprise multiple moulds, or alternatively a single mould.

[0027] The mold of the pressing device may be movable, for example along a closed loop track.

[0028] The path along which the mold moves may be circular.

[0029] The pressing device may comprise a mold carousel.

[0030] In another embodiment, the mold of the pressing device may be movable along a trajectory that is not a closed loop, for example, the mold of the pressing device may be movable back and forth along a linear or curved trajectory.

[0031] In another embodiment, the pressing device may comprise a press having at least one mold disposed in a fixed position, the mold comprising a first half mold and a second half mold, at least one of the first half mold and the second half mold being movable toward the other half mold to press the unit portion.

[0032] In one embodiment, the sheet material may be a continuous sheet unwound from a reel.

[0033] In another embodiment, the sheet material may be individual flat sheets.

[0034] In one embodiment, the sheet material may be deployed from a storage structure in which the sheet material is stored folded back and forth multiple times.

[0035] In one embodiment, the sheet material from which the unit portions are cut may be a material that has a reduced density compared to the starting material fed into the forming apparatus.

[0036] In particular, the starting material may be a dense material, i.e. a material with a relatively high density.

[0037] The starting material may be supplied from a reel.

[0038] A decomposing device for decomposing the natural fiber material into fibers may be provided upstream of the cutting device.

[0039] Downstream of the cracker may be a compactor for compacting the fibres emerging from the cracker to form a sheet material having a lower density than the starting material.

[0040] In this case, the sheet material is a dry-formed material, or what may also be called "airlaid."

[0041] In a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a forming apparatus for forming an object from natural fiber-based material, the apparatus comprising an inlet for the natural fiber-based material in the form of a sheet material, an outlet for the object to be made from the natural fiber-based material, a cutting device disposed along a path connecting the inlet and the outlet for cutting the sheet material to separate unit portions of natural fiber-based material from the sheet material, and a pressing device disposed along the path downstream of the cutting device for pressing the unit portions to form the object.

[0042] The second aspect of the present invention provides the technical effects described in relation to the first aspect above.

[0043] In a third aspect of the present invention, a method for compressing a unit portion made of a natural fiber-based material to form an object in a mold is provided. The mold includes a male half mold and a female half mold having a cavity, at least one of the female half mold and the male half mold is movable along a molding direction relative to the other of the female half mold and the male half mold. The method includes inserting the unit portion into the mold and pressing the unit portion to form the object. Inserting the unit portion into the mold includes placing the unit portion in a receiving space above the cavity so that the unit portion rests on a contact surface that defines a bottom of the receiving space and is spaced from a bottom surface of the cavity. The mold also includes a confinement device that laterally defines the receiving space. The confinement device includes a plurality of movable members that move transversely to the molding direction to force the unit portion toward a central region of the mold.

[0044] The third aspect of the invention allows for improved positioning of the portion within the mold, reducing the risk of the portion being mis-centered within the cavity, thereby reducing defects and improving the quality of the finished object.

[0045] In one embodiment, the plurality of movable members move toward the central region of the mold after the unit dose is placed on the contact surface so that the unit dose is centered within the cavity.

[0046] The containment device may comprise a plurality of containment members each defining a movable portion of the plurality of movable members.

[0047] The confinement members function as centering members for centering the unit portion within the cavity. If the unit portion is positioned off-center on the contact surface defining the bottom of the receiving space, i.e., the theoretical axis of the unit portion parallel to the molding direction does not coincide with the theoretical axis of the cavity, the centering members cooperate to move toward the central region of the mold and move the unit portion so that the theoretical axis of the unit portion substantially coincides with the theoretical axis of the cavity.

[0048] In one embodiment, the plurality of movable members are included in the female mold half and move transversely to the molding direction to reduce the volume of a variable volume forming region defined within the cavity.

[0049] The movable member contained in the female half mold includes a plurality of sector-shaped components movable transversely to the molding direction, which laterally define the cavity.

[0050] In this case, the confinement device may comprise a plurality of confinement members fixed relative to the movable member of the first mould half, i.e. the sector-shaped component.

[0051] In this way, the confinement member performs a centering function for the unit dose received in the receiving space, and the movable member of the female mold half allows for uniform compression of the unit dose during molding.

[0052] In a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a mold for compressing unit portions made of natural fiber-based materials to form an object. The mold comprises a male half mold and a female half mold having a cavity. The female half mold and the male half mold are movable relative to each other along a molding direction. A receiving space is defined above the cavity for receiving the unit portion. The mold also comprises a confinement device laterally defining the receiving space. The bottom of the receiving space is defined by a contact surface that receives the unit portion placed thereon and is spaced from the bottom surface of the cavity. The confinement device includes a plurality of movable members that move transversely to the molding direction to force the unit portion toward the center of the mold.

[0053] The mould according to the fourth aspect of the present invention can achieve the technical effects described in relation to the method according to the third aspect above. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0054] The present invention may be better understood and practiced with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which several illustrative, non-limiting embodiments of the invention are shown, in which:

[0055] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic perspective view of a forming device for forming an object from a natural fiber-based material. [Figure 2] 10 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing another embodiment of a forming device. [Figure 3] 10 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing yet another embodiment of a forming apparatus; [Figure 4] 4 shows an enlarged detail of FIG. 3. [Figure 5] 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a mold usable in the forming apparatus of FIGS. 1-4, the mold in an initial position in which a unit dose made of natural fiber-based material is received within the mold. FIG. [Figure 6] 6 is a cross-sectional view along plane VI-VI of FIG. 5, unit quantities not shown. [Figure 7] 6 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 5, with the mold in an intermediate position. [Figure 8] 7 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 6, with the mold in an intermediate position. [Figure 9] 6 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 5, with the mold in its final position. [Figure 10] 7 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 6, with the mold in its final position. [Figure 11] 6 is a schematic plan view of the female part of the mold of FIG. 5 in an initial position according to a first embodiment, with a unit dose inserted therein; FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along plane XII-XII of FIG. 11. [Figure 13] 6 is a schematic plan view of the female part of the mold of FIG. 5 in an initial position according to a second embodiment, with a unit dose inserted therein; FIG. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view taken along plane XIV-XIV of FIG. 13. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is a schematic plan view of a female mold part with a confinement device for laterally confining a unit portion. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along plane XVI-XVI of FIG. 15. [Figure 17] 16 is a schematic plan view similar to FIG. 15, showing a female mold section with a containment device according to another embodiment. [Figure 18] 18 is a schematic plan view similar to FIG. 17, showing a female mold section with a containment device according to yet another embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0056] FIG. 1 shows a forming apparatus 1 for forming an object starting from a sheet material 2 . The sheet material 2 is a material made of natural fiber-based materials, optionally cellulosic materials.

[0057] In particular, the sheet material 2 may comprise a substantially dry film, such as a so-called "airlaid" structure, or a structure having a consistency similar to fluff.

[0058] This does not mean that the sheet material 2 must be completely dry. In fact, the sheet material 2 may contain a limited percentage of moisture. More specifically, the moisture content of the sheet material 2 may be 30% or less by weight.

[0059] In one embodiment, the sheet material 2 is made of a material containing 70% or more cellulose by weight.

[0060] In one embodiment, the cellulose content in the sheet material 2 may be 80% or more by weight.

[0061] The remaining amount of natural fiber-based material that makes up the sheet material 2 may contain additives or synthetic polymers, for example, to impart certain properties to the object.

[0062] The sheet material 2 may have a multi-layer structure. In particular, the sheet material 2 may include a thick central layer sandwiched between two thin outer layers. Both the central and outer layers may be made primarily of natural fiber-based materials, particularly cellulose. The outer layers may optionally be shinier than the central layer. The outer layers improve the appearance of objects formed from the sheet material 2 and reduce the risk of breakage or damage during processing of the sheet material 2. The outer layers may be adhered to the central layer or may simply be in contact with the central layer without an adhesive.

[0063] Alternatively, the sheet material 2 may have a multi-layer structure, with thick and thin layers being combined together.

[0064] Again, the thicker layer may be adhered to the thinner layer, or may simply be in contact with the thinner layer without the use of an adhesive.

[0065] A calendering device can be used to secure the outer or thinner layers against the central or thicker layer.

[0066] The object formed by forming apparatus 1 may be a packaging component, such as a cap, lid, capsule, container, cutlery, etc. Forming apparatus 1 may also be used to form objects for applications other than packaging. The object formed by forming apparatus 1 may have a concave shape, a flat shape, or a generally three-dimensional shape.

[0067] Sheet material 2 enters forming apparatus 1 via inlet 3 .

[0068] In the illustrated example, the sheet material 2 is initially wound on a reel 4. The sheet material 2 can be unwound from the reel 4 by a winding device, not shown, including, for example, a pair of unwinding rollers, which are optionally positioned within a loop 5 formed by the sheet material 2 unwound from the reel 4.

[0069] In this case, the entrance 3 is defined as the area where the sheet material 2 begins to advance into the forming apparatus 1 after being unwound from the reel 4 .

[0070] The forming apparatus 1 may also define an exit 6 for objects formed within the forming apparatus 1 to exit the apparatus. For example, the exit 6 may be defined at the location of a discharge conveyor (not shown) that transports the objects away from the forming apparatus 1.

[0071] The inlet 3 and outlet 6 are connected by a passage 7 for the natural fiber-based material to travel from the inlet 3 to the outlet 6 .

[0072] More specifically, the natural fiber-based material moves along the passage 7 in a direction of travel F, which may change in different regions of the passage 7.

[0073] In the illustrated example, the passage 7 includes a first straight section followed by a second curved section in the form of an arc, although other shapes for the passage 7 are possible.

[0074] The forming device 1 comprises a cutting device 8 at a cutting position P of the passage 7 .

[0075] The cutting device 8 is configured to cut a plurality of unit portions 9 from the sheet material 2, each unit portion 9 corresponding to an object to be formed, i.e., each unit portion 9 forms one object.

[0076] Each unit quantity 9 can therefore be defined as a blank, i.e. a semi-finished product that will later be machined into an object.

[0077] Each unit quantity 9 is made up of a predetermined amount of natural fiber-based material, in other words, each unit quantity 9 corresponds to a mass of natural fiber-based material that can form one object.

[0078] In the illustrated example, each unit portion 9 has a cylindrical shape. More specifically, each unit portion 9 is disk-shaped with a base diameter that is much larger than its height. However, this condition is not essential, and in embodiments not shown, the unit portion 9 may not be cylindrical.

[0079] The cutting device 8 may comprise a cutting block 11 operating in conjunction with a base 12 . In the example shown, the sheet material 2 advances through the cutting device 8 while lying in a substantially horizontal plane.

[0080] The cutting block 11 may be located above the base 12, but this is not a requirement.

[0081] The cutting block 11 and the base 12 may be movable relative to each other in a direction transverse to, for example, a vertical direction relative to, the plane in which the sheet material 2 is located. In the example shown, the cutting block 11 and the base 12 are movable relative to each other in a vertical direction. However, this is not a requirement, and in embodiments not shown, the cutting block 11 and the base 12 may be movable relative to each other in a non-vertical direction depending on the orientation of the sheet material 2.

[0082] More precisely, the base 12 may be arranged in a fixed position and the cutting block 11 may be movable towards the base 12 or conversely away from the base 12, for example vertically.

[0083] The cutting block 11 comprises at least one cutting element, such as a blade, for cutting the unit portions 9 from the sheet material 2. The cutting element may comprise a cutting die.

[0084] In the example shown, the cutting block 11 comprises a plurality of cutting elements, allowing a plurality of unit portions 9 to be obtained from the sheet material 2 simultaneously.

[0085] The base 12 may have one or more grooves that engage the cutting elements of the cutting block 11. Alternatively, the base 12 may have additional cutting elements that work in conjunction with the cutting elements of the cutting block 11. The base 12 may also be defined by a flat surface facing the cutting block 11 and may be made of, for example, a resilient or elastomeric material.

[0086] In the example shown, the cutting device 8 simultaneously forms a plurality of unit portions 9 from the sheet material 2. For example, one or more rows of unit portions 9 are obtained from the sheet material 2 in one cutting operation, these rows being arranged perpendicular to the direction of travel F. In the example shown, each time the cutting block 11 interacts with the sheet material 2, at least one row of four unit portions 9 arranged perpendicular to the direction of travel F is obtained.

[0087] Downstream of the cutting device 8, an alignment device (not shown) may be provided for aligning unit portions 9 belonging to the same row in one row 13 along the traveling direction F.

[0088] In another embodiment (not shown), a sheet material 2 may be used whose width perpendicular to the direction of travel F is equal to or slightly larger than the diameter or transverse dimension of the unit portions 9. In this case, the unit portions 9 cut by the cutting block 11 are already aligned in a row 13 along the direction of travel F.

[0089] The forming apparatus 1 also includes a removal device (not shown) for removing residual sheet material from the cutting device 8, i.e., waste sheet material 2 from which unit portions 9 have been removed. In the example shown, the residual sheet material is a web of sheet material having a plurality of holes, at each hole a unit portion 9 has been separated from the sheet material 2.

[0090] The removal device may include a take-up member, such as a roller, for winding the remaining sheet material onto an empty reel.

[0091] A pressing device 14 is arranged downstream of the cutting device 8. In the example shown, the pressing device 14 is configured as a casting carousel 15. The casting carousel 15 is rotatable about a rotation axis Z, which in the example shown is arranged vertically. However, this is not a requirement and in other embodiments the casting carousel 15 may also be rotatable about a rotation axis arranged horizontally or obliquely.

[0092] The pressing device 14 is arranged between the cutting device 8 and the outlet 6 .

[0093] The pressing apparatus 14 comprises a plurality of molds 16, each including a first mold half 17 and a second mold half 18, which are aligned with one another along a molding axis D. In Figure 1, the molding axis D is shown for only one mold 16. The molding axis D may be vertically oriented, but this is not a requirement.

[0094] The molding axis D is an axis passing through the center of the object formed by the interaction of the first mold half 17 and the second mold half 18. However, this does not mean that the object formed is axisymmetric.

[0095] In the illustrated example, the first half mold 17 is a lower half mold, and the second half mold 18 is an upper half mold disposed above the first half mold 17 .

[0096] In the example shown, the first mold half 17 is a female mold half and includes a cavity 60 capable of receiving the unit dose 9. The second mold half 18 is a male mold half and includes a punch for entering the cavity 60 and pressing the unit dose 9 into the object.

[0097] In another embodiment not shown, the first mould half 17 may be a male mould half and may be placed below the second mould half 18, which may be a female mould half. In this embodiment, the unit doses 9 may be provided on the male mould half.

[0098] The first and second half molds 17, 18 may be moved toward each other to press the unit portion 9 or may be moved away from each other along a molding direction D1 parallel to the molding axis D so that the formed object can be removed from the mold and a new unit portion 9 can be inserted between the first and second half molds 17, 18.

[0099] For this purpose, the pressing device may be provided with a drive device such as a hydraulic, pneumatic or electric actuator, or a mechanical actuator such as a cam.

[0100] The drive may be coupled to the first mould half 17 and move the first mould half 17 along the moulding direction D1 while the second mould half 18 is in a fixed position along the moulding direction D1. Alternatively, the drive may be coupled to the second mould half 18 and move the second mould half 18 along the moulding direction D1 while the first mould half 17 remains axially fixed. The drive may also act on both the first mould half 17 and the second mould half 18.

[0101] If the pressing device 14 comprises a moulding carousel 15, the moulds 16 are arranged around the periphery of the moulding carousel 15, for example at equal angular intervals around the axis of rotation Z.

[0102] More specifically, the mold-forming carousel 15 may include, for example, a circular first support 19 for supporting the first half molds 17 and a circular second support 20 for supporting the second half molds 18. The first support 19 and the second support 20 may be fixed to each other such that each first half mold 17 is aligned with a corresponding second half mold 18 along the forming direction D1.

[0103] When the pressing device 14 comprises a casting carousel 15, the molds 16 can move along a circular path as the casting carousel 15 rotates.

[0104] As the molds 16 move along the circular path, each mold 16 transitions from an open position to a closed position. In the open position, the first and second half molds 17, 18 are spaced apart, allowing a unit dose 9 of natural fiber-based material to be inserted between the first and second half molds 17, 18. The unit dose 9 may be provided onto the lower half mold, for example, the first half mold 17. In the open position, an object just formed in the mold 16, for example, an object still attached to the second half mold 18, can also be removed from the mold 16.

[0105] The closed position may be defined as a molding position, in which the first and second half molds 17, 18 are adjacent to each other to define a forming chamber therebetween, which corresponds to the shape of the object to be obtained.

[0106] In this manner, the unit dose 9 is pressed or compression molded to form an object.

[0107] When the natural fiber-based material is pressed or compressed in the mould 16, the material is subjected to pressures in excess of 200 bar. The natural fiber-based material is heated to a temperature in the range of 150-200° C. Heating of the natural fiber-based material may occur within and / or upstream of the mould 16 so that the natural fiber-based material arrives at the mould 16 at the desired temperature.

[0108] After the mold 16 has been held in the closed position long enough to form an object, the first and second mold halves 17, 18 are moved apart and the mold 16 is returned to the open position.

[0109] In FIG. 1, the mold 16 is shown diagrammatically and the punch is not shown, so that it is not possible to distinguish between the mold 16 in the closed position and the mold 16 in the open position.

[0110] The pressing device 15 defines a forming area 31 of the forming apparatus 1. In the example shown in Figure 1, the forming area 31 includes a plurality of molds 16, each mold 16 having a first half mold 17 and a second half mold 18 aligned along a forming direction D1 and movable relative to one another to form an object.

[0111] The cutting position P is located away from the forming zone 31 and in particular is located upstream of the forming zone 31 along the path 7 .

[0112] In this way, interference between the cutting device 8 and the pressing device 14 can be avoided. In particular, the remaining sheet material from which the unit portions 9 have been separated can be removed from the cutting device 8 without interfering with the pressing device 14.

[0113] In an embodiment not shown, the pressing device 14 may include a plurality of molds 16 similar to the mold 16 shown in FIG. 1 and may be movable along a non-circular closed loop path.

[0114] In another embodiment, the pressing device 14 may include a single mold 16 located in a fixed position.

[0115] The forming device 1 also comprises a conveying device 21 for conveying the unit doses 9 from the cutting device 8 towards the pressing device 14 .

[0116] The conveying device 21 may be shaped as a conveying carousel 22 and may be rotatable about an axis of rotation Z1, which may be parallel, for example perpendicular, to the axis of rotation of the moulding carousel 15, for example.

[0117] The conveying apparatus 21 may comprise a plurality of conveying members movable along a closed loop path. If the conveying apparatus 21 comprises a conveying carousel 22, the conveying members are movable along a circular path.

[0118] Each conveying member is configured to receive a unit portion 9 separated from the sheet material 2 and to deliver the unit portion 9 to the mould 16. In particular, the conveying members are arranged between the first mould half 17 and the second mould half 18 and are configured to deliver the unit portion 9 to the mould 16.

[0119] During delivery, the unit doses 9 may be held in the corresponding delivery members by mechanical means, pneumatic means, or a combination thereof.

[0120] In operation, sheet material 2 is unwound from reel 4 and enters forming apparatus 1 via inlet 3. Sheet material 2 advances along path 7 in travel direction F until it reaches cutting device 8 located at cutting position P. In particular, sheet material 2 may be indexed along path 7 and stopped at cutting position P while cutting device 8 cuts sheet material 2. In alternative embodiments, sheet material 2 may advance continuously along path P.

[0121] The unit portions 9 formed by the cutting device 8 are arranged, for example, in a row 13 and then fed to a conveying device 21 .

[0122] At the same time, the remaining sheet material from which the unit portion 9 has been separated is removed from the cutting position P and wound onto an empty reel for later disposal.

[0123] Each conveying member of the conveying device 21 receives a unit portion 9 and conveys it towards the corresponding mold 16. When the conveying member reaches a position located between the first mold half 17 and the second mold half 18, the conveying member releases the unit portion 9, which is then fed into the mold 16. This may occur by the action of gravity or by the action of a mechanical and / or pneumatic device included in the conveying member. In the example shown, the conveying member releases the unit portion 9 into a cavity 60 in the lower first mold half 17. In another embodiment, the conveying member may release the unit portion 9 onto the upper surface of the first mold half 17 if it is a male mold half.

[0124] The unit dose 9 is inserted into the mold 16 while the mold 16 is in the open position. While the mold 16 is in the open position, the formed object may also be removed from the mold 16 and transported out of the forming apparatus 1 through the outlet 6.

[0125] After receiving the unit dose 9, the mold 16 is moved to a closed position and the unit dose 9 is molded between the first mold half 17 and the second mold half 18 to obtain the desired object. After the object is formed, the mold 16 is returned to the open position to remove the formed object and receive a new unit dose 9.

[0126] In the forming apparatus 1 shown in Figure 1, the cutting device 8 operates intermittently as the sheet material 2 is indexed along the travel direction F and the cutting elements of the cutting device 8 interact with the stationary sheet material 2 at a cutting position P to cut unit portions 9.

[0127] On the other hand, the press 14 operates continuously because the mold-forming carousel 15 rotates continuously, and each mold 16 goes through a molding cycle as the mold-forming carousel 15 rotates.

[0128] FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of a forming apparatus 101 in which unit portions 9 are formed by intermittently cutting a sheet of material 2 to form objects intermittently.

[0129] In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the elements described in FIG. 1 are given the same reference numerals and will not be described in detail.

[0130] The apparatus 101 comprises an inlet 3 for sheet material 2 and an outlet 6 for a plurality of objects 10 formed from unit doses 9. The inlet 3 and the outlet 6 are connected by a passage 7 which in the illustrated example comprises a plurality of straight sections.

[0131] The device 101 includes a base 23 that supports the components of the device 101 .

[0132] The apparatus 101 may be equipped with a reel 4 on which the sheet material 2 is wound. The sheet material 2 is unwound from the reel 4 by an unwinding device (not shown), and the sheet material 2 passes along a path 7 through a cutting device 8 arranged at a cutting position P.

[0133] The sheet material is unwound along a feed direction S.

[0134] The cutting device 8 shown in Figure 2 is similar to the cutting device 8 shown in Figure 1 and includes a cutting block supporting multiple cutting elements, thereby allowing multiple unit portions 9 to be simultaneously obtained on the sheet material 2. In the example shown, the cutting device 8 is configured to obtain multiple rows 26 of unit portions 9 in a single cutting operation on the sheet material 2. Each row 26 includes, for example, six unit portions 9.

[0135] The unit portions 9 of each row 26 extend parallel to the feed direction S.

[0136] The arrangement of unit portions 9 within row 26 is selected to minimize waste of sheet material 2, i.e., residue of sheet material 2 remaining after cutting of unit portions 9.

[0137] For example, the unit portions 9 in one row 26 may be cut so that they contact an adjacent unit portion 9 in the same row 26 at at least one point, or at least so that each unit portion 9 is as close as possible to an adjacent unit portion 9 in the same row 26.

[0138] The rows 26 of unit quantities 9 may be offset from one another so that a unit quantity 9 in one row 26 fits into a portion of a recess defined between two consecutive unit quantities 9 in adjacent rows 26 in a plan view.

[0139] This arrangement is particularly effective in saving sheet material 2 when the unit portions 9 are generally circular in plan view, as in the example shown. Other arrangements are possible for unit portions 9 having shapes other than circular in plan view.

[0140] In an embodiment not shown, the cutting device 8 may be configured to obtain only one row 26 of unit portions 9 from the sheet material 2. In this case, the width of the sheet material 2 (measured perpendicular to the feed direction S) is slightly greater than or equal to the lateral dimension of the unit portions 9, e.g. the diameter of the unit portions 9 in plan view.

[0141] After the unit portions 9 are separated from the sheet material 2 by the cutting device 8, the remaining sheet material 2, which leaves a plurality of holes (not shown in Figure 2) where the unit portions 9 were removed, is wound onto an empty reel 24.

[0142] The apparatus 101 also includes a pressing device 114 located downstream of the cutting device 8 along the path 7. The pressing device 114 may include a press 115, which includes an upper plate 25 cooperating with a lower plate not visible in FIG. 2. The pressing device 114 includes at least one mold 116. In the example shown, the pressing device 114 includes a plurality of molds 116, each mold 116 including a first half mold secured to the lower plate and a second half mold secured to the upper plate 25. Each first half mold is aligned with a corresponding second half mold along a molding direction. In the example shown, the molding direction is perpendicular to the plane of FIG. 2.

[0143] The first mold half may, for example, be a female mold half and the second mold half may be a male mold half.

[0144] At least one plate selected from the lower plate and the upper plate 25 is movable relative to the other plate selected from the upper plate 25 and the lower plate parallel to the molding direction. This movement allows the molds 116 to move between an open position and a closed position. More specifically, depending on the relative positions of the lower plate and the upper plate 25, all of the molds 16 are simultaneously in the same position, e.g., the open position or the closed position.

[0145] In the example shown, the templates 116 are arranged side by side on a straight line 27. The straight line 27 may include a number of templates 116 corresponding to the number of unit portions 9 belonging to a row 26 of unit portions 9 to be simultaneously cut onto the sheet material 2 by the cutting device 8.

[0146] In the example in which rows 26 each containing six unit portions 9 are cut in the cutting device 8, six templates 116 are arranged side by side in a straight line 27.

[0147] The straight line 27 of the mold may be straight and parallel to the feed direction S, i.e. the row 26 of unit portions 9. The device 101 comprises a conveying device 121 (schematically shown by a rectangle in FIG. 2) for conveying the unit portions 9 from the cutting device 8 to the pressing device 114.

[0148] The transport device 121 may comprise a plurality of transport members including, for example, arms and / or suction cups and / or tip members, etc. Each transport member is configured to engage a unit dose 9 in the cutting device 8 and transport the unit dose 9 to a corresponding mould 116 where it is released.

[0149] The dies 116 arranged along the straight line 27 may have a center-to-center distance, i.e., pitch, that is greater than the pitch of the unit portions 9 in the row 26 of unit portions 9 that have just been cut by the cutting device 8. This may depend on the dimensions of the dies 116 and / or the dimensions of the opening and closing device connected to the dies 116.

[0150] In order to correctly position the unit portions 9 in the molds 116, the conveying device 121 may function as a spacing device that increases the distance between two adjacent unit portions 9 from an initial value to a final value. The initial value corresponds to the pitch between two unit portions 9 immediately after the unit portions 9 are cut by the cutting elements of the cutting device 8 at the cutting position P. The final value corresponds to the distance between two adjacent unit portions 9 at the time when the unit portions 9 are inserted into the respective molds 116, i.e. the pitch or distance between two consecutive molds 116 on the straight line 27.

[0151] The conveying members included in the conveying device 121 are configured to convey the unit portions 9 along respective, for example linear, trajectories T which fan out from the row 26 of unit portions 9 of the cutting device 8. In other words, the trajectories T diverge and extend from the cutting device 8 towards the pressing device 114. In this way, the conveying device 121 functions as a spacing device.

[0152] Whether the pitch or distance between two successive unit portions 9 increases when moving from the cutting device 8 to the pressing device 114 depends on the type of object 10 being formed and the shape and structure of the mold 116. In particular, for objects 10 with simple shapes formed in molds without complex mechanisms, an increase in the pitch may not be necessary. In this case, there is no spacing device and a simple transport device transports the unit portions 9 from the cutting device 8 to the pressing device 116 without changing the distance.

[0153] The conveying device 121 is configured to convey the unit portions 9 along a path transverse to the feed direction S, both when acting as a spacing device and when conveying the unit portions 9 without changing the distance between them.

[0154] The apparatus 101 also includes an extractor 28, shown diagrammatically as a rectangle in Fig. 2, for extracting the object 10 formed by pressing the unit dose 9 in the mold 116 from the mold 116. Further, downstream of the extractor 28, a discharge conveyor 29, for example including a conveyor belt, is arranged to transport the object 10 out of the forming apparatus 101.

[0155] The discharge conveyor 29 may comprise a conveyor belt that transports the objects 10 along a discharge direction U that is parallel to the feed direction S, but may also be opposite to the feed direction S.

[0156] The extractor 28 may include one or more extractor elements (not shown) that remove the objects 10 from the molds 116 and place the objects 10 on a discharge conveyor 29 .

[0157] In one embodiment, each extraction element may comprise an arm. The arm of the extractor 28 may be the same as the arm that transports the unit portions 9 from the cutting device 4 to the pressing device 114. In this case, a single handling device, e.g., including one or more arms, functions both as a transport device for transporting the unit portions 9 to the mold 116 and as an extractor for removing the objects 10 from the mold 116.

[0158] The molding apparatus 101 can achieve high productivity without increasing the complexity of the mold 116 and while minimizing the amount of residual sheet material 2, ie, the amount of sheet material 2 that is wasted.

[0159] Figure 3 shows a forming device 201 according to another alternative embodiment, which differs from the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2 mainly in that both the operations of cutting the unit portions 9 and shaping the object are carried out continuously. For this purpose, the forming device 201 comprises a rotary cutting device 208, which is arranged at the cutting position P and is shown more clearly in Figure 4. The cutting device 208 comprises a cutting roller 30 which is continuously rotatable around its longitudinal axis, which in the example shown is arranged horizontally.

[0160] The cylindrical outer surface of the cutting roller 30 is provided with one or more cutting members 33 in the form of protrusions or blades that protrude outward from the outer surface, which penetrate into the sheet material 2 and cut the sheet material 2 into unit portions 9.

[0161] The cutting device 208 may also include a guide member 32 for guiding the sheet material 2 and maintaining it in tension during interaction with the cutting rollers 30 . The guide member 32 may be disposed below the cutting roller 30 .

[0162] The guide member 32 may comprise two lateral guides 34 for guiding the sheet material 2 along the feed direction S, which advances towards the cutting device 208 after being unwound from the reel 4.

[0163] The lateral guides 34 make it possible to hold the sheet material 2 centrally relative to the cutting members 33 provided on the cutting roller 30 .

[0164] The side guides 34 may each have a converging initial portion 35 to allow the sheet material 2 to be easily inserted between the side guides 34 .

[0165] The guide member 32 may also include two pairs of rollers 36. One pair of rollers 36 is disposed upstream of the cutting roller 30, and the other pair is disposed downstream of the cutting roller 30. Each roller pair 36 includes a lower roller disposed below the sheet material 2 and an upper roller disposed above the sheet material 2, and the sheet material 2 passes between the lower roller and the upper roller of each roller pair 36.

[0166] The roller pair 36 has a conveying function and advances the sheet material 2 along an advance direction F.

[0167] The roller pair 36 also keeps the sheet material 2 taut, preventing it from wrinkling.

[0168] A support surface 37 may also be provided to support the sheet material 2 during its interaction with the cutting roller 30. The support surface 37 also helps to keep the sheet material 2 taut and undeformed.

[0169] A support surface 37 may extend downstream of the cutting roller 30 to support the unit portion 9 after it has been cut from the sheet material 2 .

[0170] The guide member 32 may also comprise a cover member 64 that can be positioned above the sheet material 2 so as to form, together with the support surface 37 and the lateral guides 34, a closed channel through which the sheet material 2 passes upstream of the cutting roller 30.

[0171] The cover member 64 has an opening 65 at least at the location of the cutting roller 30, which allows the sheet material 2 to access the cutting member 33. The opening 65 may also continue downstream of the cutting roller 30.

[0172] As the cutting roller 30 rotates continuously, the unit portions 9 are continuously separated from the sheet material 2 .

[0173] In the example shown, the width of the sheet material 2 is slightly greater than the maximum lateral dimension of the unit portions 9, i.e., the diameter of the unit portions 9 in plan view. Thus, in the example shown, only one row of unit portions 9 is cut from the sheet material 2.

[0174] In an embodiment not shown, the width of the sheet material 2, measured perpendicular to the feed direction S, may be greater than that shown in Figures 3 and 4, allowing multiple rows of unit portions 9 to be cut simultaneously from the sheet material 2.

[0175] The remaining sheet material 2 from which the unit amounts 9 have been separated is wound onto an empty reel 24 for later disposal.

[0176] Downstream of the cutting device 208, a suction device 68 may be provided for transporting the remaining sheet material 2 from which the unit amount 9 has been separated to the empty reel 24 while keeping the remaining sheet material 2 in close contact with the support surface 37.

[0177] Downstream of the cutting device 208 is a pressing device 14, which in the illustrated example includes a mold-forming carousel 15 similar to that shown in Figure 1. In Figures 3 and 4, the mold-forming carousel 15 is shown very diagrammatically, but it will be understood that the mold-forming carousel 15 comprises a plurality of molds distributed around its periphery, each mold including a first half mold (e.g., a female part) and a second half mold (e.g., a male part) aligned with each other along a molding direction. The first and second half molds are movable between open and closed positions, as previously described in Figure 1, and as the mold-forming carousel 15 rotates, each mold moves from the open position to the closed position and back to the open position to receive the unit portions 9, form the objects, and extract the formed objects from the molds.

[0178] The moulding carousel 15 is continuously rotatable about its axis of rotation Z. Thus, the pressing of the unit portions 9 into objects is also continuous.

[0179] The forming device 201 also comprises a conveying device 221, shown diagrammatically in FIG. 4, for conveying the unit portions 9 from the cutting device 208 to the pressing device 14.

[0180] In the example shown, the conveying device 221 is rotary and includes at least one arm 66 having attached to one end a conveying member 67 for picking up the unit dose 9 from the support surface 37 and delivering it to the mold. In the example shown, there are two diametrically opposed arms 66. Attached to one end of each arm 66 is a conveying member 67 which may include a tip member, a perforated surface for sucking or blowing air, a gripping member, etc.

[0181] In operation, the sheet material 2 is continuously unwound from the reel 4 and conveyed along the feed direction S until it reaches the cutting device 208. Here, the cutting roller 30, rotating continuously about its longitudinal axis, interacts with the sheet material 2 and cuts off portions 9 along its periphery. The portions 9 are then conveyed by the conveying device 221 to a mold and pressed to obtain the desired object, thus realizing a continuous forming process. Meanwhile, the remaining sheet material 2 is wound onto an empty reel 24 and discarded or recycled.

[0182] In an alternative embodiment, in any of the above figures, the transport device that transports the unit portions from the cutting location to the forming area may include a robotic arm.

[0183] The above examples have always been described with reference to a continuous web of sheet material 2 being unwound from a reel 4 .

[0184] In an alternative embodiment not shown, the sheet material 2 may be fed into the forming apparatus 1 in the form of individual sheets of a desired length.

[0185] In an alternative embodiment, the cutting device may comprise a laser cutting device, for example, a laser beam moving along a predetermined path corresponding to the periphery of the unit portion.

[0186] The cutting device may also include a water jet cutting device for separating the unit portions from the sheet material.

[0187] In one embodiment, one or more additives may be added to the natural fiber-based material, for example in liquid form, to improve the properties of the formed object, such as water resistance, oil resistance, or gas resistance.

[0188] The additive may be applied to the sheet material before cutting of the unit portions, in particular upstream of the cutting device, or it is also possible to add the additive in the cutting device, i.e. as the unit portions are separated from the sheet material.

[0189] Alternatively, the additive may be applied onto the unit doses after they have been separated from the sheet material, i.e., downstream of the cutting device.

[0190] Therefore, an application device, such as a spray device, can be provided anywhere between the inlet for the sheet material and the pressing device to apply one or more additives onto the natural fiber-based material.

[0191] In one embodiment, downstream of the molding device, a heat treatment device for subjecting the formed object to heat treatment, in particular heating to a predetermined temperature, and / or a radiation irradiation device for irradiating the formed object with radiation may be provided, thereby fixing and functionalizing additives previously added to the natural fiber-based material.

[0192] In one embodiment applicable to all of the forming devices described herein, a pre-forming step may be provided in which the unit portions 9 are pre-shaped before being formed into the desired object by the pressing device.

[0193] More specifically, the unit portion 9 can be subjected to a preforming operation to give the unit portion 9 a concave shape that does not correspond to the shape of the final molded object, which makes it easier to insert the unit portion into a mold and results in a gentler and more stable stretching and deformation of the material of the unit portion.

[0194] The preforming step can be performed within the cutting device, where a cutting element or member on the cutting device can deform the unit portion as it cuts it. Alternatively, the preforming step can be performed downstream of the cutting device, before the unit portion is inserted into the mold. For example, a conveying member conveying the unit portion can apply sufficient force to deform the unit portion as it engages the unit portion, imparting a preliminary concave shape to it.

[0195] Alternatively or in addition to a preforming step, the unit dose may be subjected to a localized compression operation, for example by defining one or more linear or point-like regions within the unit dose and pressing the unit dose material into these regions to deform it. This can facilitate deformation of the natural fiber-based material when the unit dose is pressed by a pressing device, since the material will bend more easily in the most compressed regions.

[0196] A local compression operation may also be carried out in the cutting device or downstream of the cutting device, before the unit dose is inserted into the mold, for example while the unit dose is being transported from the cutting device to the pressing device.

[0197] 5-10 show an example of a mold 16 used to obtain an object from a unit dose formed of a natural fiber-based material. In the example shown, the object has a concave shape and includes a cup-shaped body.

[0198] Mold 16 comprises a first mold half 17, which in the example shown is a female mold part 44. Mold 16 also comprises a second mold half 18, which in the example shown is a male mold part 45. First mold half 17 and second mold half 18 are aligned along a mold axis D and are movable relative to one another along a mold-molding direction D1 parallel to mold axis D.

[0199] Mold 16 has a molding area 46 where unit doses 9 are molded to obtain an object. Molding area 46 can have a volume that decreases incrementally from the time it receives unit doses 9 to the time it obtains an object. Thus, molding area 46 is a variable volume molding area.

[0200] The female part 44 comprises a number of sector-shaped components 47, for example four sector-shaped components 47, suitable for defining the sides of the molding area 46.

[0201] Each sector 47 is in contact with two adjacent sectors 47 .

[0202] The sector-shaped components 47 are slidable in contact with transverse elements 48 which define the transverse cross-sections of the molding zones 46, the transverse elements 48 defining the planes of the molding zones 46 which are perpendicular to the molding direction D1.

[0203] In particular, the sector component 47 is slidable from an initial position shown in Figures 5 and 6 to a final position shown in Figures 9 and 10. Figures 7 and 8 show intermediate positions that the sector component 47 reaches between the initial and final positions.

[0204] The sectors 47 are movable under the action of one or more external actuators. In particular, each sector 47 can be moved by both the force exerted by its respective external actuator and the force exerted by adjacent sectors 47.

[0205] In one embodiment, each sector 47 is connected to a respective external actuator, which may be mechanical, hydraulic, electric, pneumatic, or other type, that moves the sector 47 along a first thrust direction toward the center of the molding zone 46. For example, for the sector 47 shown at the bottom of FIG. 6, the first thrust direction is designated G1. Each sector 47 is also moved by its neighboring sector 47 toward the center of the molding zone 46 along a second thrust direction, which is transverse to the first thrust direction. For the sector 47 shown at the bottom of FIG. 6, the second thrust direction is designated G2. In the example shown, there are four sectors 47, and the first thrust direction is perpendicular to the second thrust direction. Depending on the number of sectors 47 present in the mold 16, the arrangement of the first and second thrust directions may vary.

[0206] The combination of forces acting on each sector 47 along the first and second thrust directions, respectively, causes each sector 47 to move along a line of movement that is inclined relative to the first and second thrust directions toward the center of the forming region 46. In the example shown, there are four sectors 47, and each sector 47 moves toward the center of the forming region 46 at an angle of 45° relative to the first and second thrust directions.

[0207] In this way, the sector components 47 simultaneously move towards the centre of the forming area 46, forming an object in a motion similar to the closing action of the components that make up the aperture of a camera.

[0208] The male part 45 extends along the mold axis D and includes a punch 49 for penetrating the molding area 46 to form the object from the inside.

[0209] A tubular member 50 that is slidable relative to the punch 49 is provided on the outside of the punch 49 .

[0210] An actuator allows the female part 44 and the male part 45 to move relative to one another so that the female part 44 and the male part 45 move towards one another to form an object, or conversely move away from one another to remove the formed object from the mold 16.

[0211] In operation, the female part 44 and the male part 45 are initially in a position spaced apart from each other, at which point the unit dose 9 is inserted into the forming area 46 .

[0212] The sector-shaped components 47 are positioned in an initial position and define an expanded configuration C1 of the forming area 46. The sector-shaped components 47 therefore define a relatively large volume of the forming area 46 that can accommodate unit doses 9 (made of natural fiber-based material and therefore occupying a lot of space) that have a relatively low density.

[0213] The female part 44 and the male part 45 are moved towards each other until the tubular member 50 abuts the sector-shaped component 47 (see FIG. 5), at which point a closed forming chamber 51 is defined between the female part 44 and the male part 45, the volume of which is much larger than the volume of the final object.

[0214] The punch 49 is initially in a retracted position where it does not protrude from the tubular member 50 (see FIG. 5).

[0215] The punch 49 then enters the forming region 46 and moves towards the transverse element 48, positioning it at a distance from the transverse element 48 substantially equal to the thickness of the end wall 52 of the object (see Figures 7 and 8).

[0216] In this manner, the natural fiber-based material comprising the unit dose 9 is compressed against the end wall 52 .

[0217] The sectors 47, which were up to this point in the first position (corresponding to the expanded configuration C1 of the forming region 46), start to move closer to each other, thus reaching the second position, i.e. the final configuration C2 of the forming chamber 51, shown in Figures 7 and 8. In this configuration, the sectors 47 are positioned at a distance from the punch 49 that corresponds to the thickness of the side wall 53 of the object. In this way, the interaction of the sectors 47 with the sides of the punch 49 compresses the side wall 53.

[0218] The free end 54 of the side wall 53 is formed by the interaction of the unit quantity 9 with a surface portion of the tubular member 50 .

[0219] The object thus formed can be extracted from the mold.

[0220] In alternative embodiments, the mold 16 may be moved from the initial position of FIGS. 5 and 6 to the final position of FIGS. 9 and 10 by a different sequence of operations, such as moving the punch 49 to the transverse element 48 first and then the sector component 47, or by moving them simultaneously.

[0221] The mold 16 allows for a high degree of compaction of the natural fiber-based material.

[0222] The action of moving the sector component 47 towards the punch 49, and the ability of the punch 49 and the transverse element 48 to move relative to one another, allows for forming such as isotropic compression, which applies compressive forces uniformly along substantially different lines.

[0223] 11 and 12 show the female part 44 of the mold 16 shown in FIGS. 5 to 10, into which a generally cylindrical unit dose 9, specifically a cylindrical unit dose having a height smaller than its base diameter, has been inserted.

[0224] 11 and 12, the sector-shaped component 47 is positioned in an initial position, defining an expanded configuration C1 of the forming region 46. In FIG.

[0225] The maximum lateral dimension W of the unit dose 9 is smaller than the minimum lateral dimension W1 of the molding area 46 in the expanded configuration C1.

[0226] In the example shown, the maximum lateral dimension W is the diameter of the unit volume 9 in plan view, and the minimum lateral dimension W1 is the smallest distance between opposite sides of the molding region 46 in the expanded configuration C1.

[0227] Since the maximum lateral dimension W of the unit portion 9 is smaller than the minimum lateral dimension W1 of the forming area 46, the unit portion 9 can be inserted into the forming area 46 until it contacts the transverse element 48 and can be placed on the transverse element 48 without interfering with the sector-shaped component 47, and in particular without touching the sector-shaped component 47.

[0228] Therefore, the unit dose 9 is fully received within the forming area 46 of the expanded configuration C1 and is not prematurely deformed. Furthermore, the risk of waste due to part of the unit dose 9 remaining outside the forming area 46 is substantially eliminated.

[0229] Thereafter, the movement of the sector component 47 and the interaction of the female part 44 and the male part 45 compresses the unit dose 9 to obtain the desired object.

[0230] Figures 13 and 14 show the female part 44 of the mold 16 that has received a unit portion 309 that has a different shape than the unit portion 9 shown in Figures 11 and 12. More specifically, the unit portion 309 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape. In the example shown, the unit portion 309 is a rectangular parallelepiped with a height that is smaller than the base dimensions, i.e., length and width (which may be equal).

[0231] The lateral dimensions of unit portion 309, i.e., length L1 and width L2 of the base, are greater than the minimum lateral dimension W1 of molding area 46 in expanded configuration C1. Therefore, when unit portion 309 is released between female part 44 and male part 45 of mold 16, unit portion 309 rests on top surface 55 of sector component 47 at a position away from cross member 48 that defines the bottom of molding area 46.

[0232] Thereafter, by interaction with the male component of the mold 16, the natural fiber-based material comprising the unit dose 309 enters the molding area 46 and is compressed to form the desired object.

[0233] The unit portions 309 are particularly easy to form and do not generate waste, as they are obtained by simply cutting a sheet of material.

[0234] On the other hand, when a rectangular parallelepiped unit quantity 309 is used, depending on the shape of the object, it may be necessary to remove unnecessary portions after molding.

[0235] In general, the unit doses processed in any of the molding devices or molds described herein may have any desired shape, and more specifically, may have not only circular or quadrilateral planar shapes as described above, but also polygonal planar shapes such as hexagonal or pentagonal.

[0236] 15 and 16 show an alternative embodiment first half mold, i.e., female half mold or female part 144. Female part 144 includes a plurality of sector-shaped components 147 similar to sector-shaped components 47 described in FIGS. 5-10, which are movable in the same manner as sector-shaped components 47 described above.

[0237] 15 and 16 differs from sector 47 primarily in that it is provided with a step 56 in its upper region. The step 56 of sector 147 collectively defines a receiving space 57 for temporarily receiving a unit dose 9 when it is released into the mold. The unit dose 9 is temporarily received in this receiving space 57 before being compressed by interaction of the female part 144 with the corresponding male part or male half.

[0238] The receiving space 57 is bounded by a contact surface 58 that is arranged perpendicular to the molding direction D1, i.e., perpendicular to the mold axis D, which is parallel to the molding direction D1. In particular, since the molding direction D1 is substantially vertical in the example shown, the contact surface 58 may be substantially horizontal.

[0239] The contact surface 58 is positioned so that the unit dose 9 rests thereon when released into the mold.

[0240] The receiving space 57 is also defined by a containment surface 59 that extends transversely, e.g., perpendicularly, to the contact surface 58. In the example shown, the containment surface 59 is substantially vertical. As will be explained below, the containment surface 59 is intended to laterally contain the unit dose 9. The containment surface 59 and the contact surface 58 together define a step 56.

[0241] The female part 144 has a cavity 60 for forming an object from the unit dose 9. In the example shown, the female part 144 is positioned below the male part, and the cavity 60 is open upward and defined by a bottom surface 61. The bottom surface 61 extends perpendicular to the molding direction D1.

[0242] The receiving space 57 is located above the cavity 60 .

[0243] The contact surface 58 is located away from the bottom surface 61 .

[0244] In plan view, the receiving space 57 has a shape similar to that of the unit dose 9 .

[0245] In the example shown, the unit portion 9 is cylindrical with a height smaller than its base diameter, and the receiving space 57 has a circular shape in plan view, at least when the sector-shaped component 147 is in a first position corresponding to the expanded configuration C1 of the molding region 46.

[0246] If the unit amount 9 has a shape that is not circular in plan view, the shape of the receiving space 57 in plan view will also vary accordingly and match the shape of the unit amount 9 .

[0247] The lateral dimensions of the receiving space 57, i.e. the dimensions of the receiving space 57 perpendicular to the moulding direction D1, are greater than the corresponding dimensions of the unit portion 9.

[0248] For example, if the unit dose 9 is cylindrical, the bottom diameter of the unit dose 9 is smaller than the diameter in plan view of the receiving space 57. In this way, the unit dose 9 can be accommodated in the receiving space 57 without being subjected to unnecessary deformation.

[0249] In particular, in the example shown, the dimension of the receiving space 57 perpendicular to the molding direction D1, for example the diameter of the receiving space 57, is very close to the lateral dimension (particularly the base diameter) of the unit portion 9, and is only slightly larger.

[0250] The unit portion 9 is released between the female part 144 and the corresponding male part while the sector-shaped component 147 is in a position corresponding to the expanded configuration C1. The unit portion 9 rests on the contact surface 58 and is held in a position spaced apart from the bottom surface 61 of the cavity 60. The unit portion 9 is at least partially contained within the receiving space 57, and its upper part may protrude, but this is not essential. The confinement surface 59 functions as a confinement device that prevents lateral movement of the unit portion 9, i.e., transverse movement of the unit portion 9 in an unwanted manner relative to the molding direction D1.

[0251] As the sector-shaped component 147 moves towards the centre of the mold, i.e. towards the forming axis D1, the volume of the forming region 46 gradually decreases, as already explained in relation to Figures 5 to 10. The receiving space 57 also gradually decreases, and the unit dose 9 is forced towards the bottom surface 61 within the cavity 60.

[0252] The confinement surface 59, with its gradually decreasing transverse dimension, continues to prevent unwanted lateral movement while the unit portion 9 is being pressurized. Furthermore, the confinement surface 59 ensures that the unit portion 9 is inserted centrally within the cavity 60, so that the axis of the unit portion 9 (or its central region if the unit portion 9 is not axisymmetric) substantially coincides with the molding axis D1.

[0253] This improves the quality of the molded object by minimizing defects resulting from improper positioning of the unit portion 9 within the mold.

[0254] Thus, in the example shown, the confinement surface 59 has both a centering function for the unit quantity 9 and a lateral confinement function for the unit quantity 9 .

[0255] In another embodiment, the confinement surface 59 may only have the function of lateral confinement of the unit portion 9, i.e., preventing unwanted transverse movement with respect to the molding direction D1, and not the centering function. In this case, the transverse dimension of the receiving space 57 may be larger than shown in Figures 15 and 16, i.e., the difference between the transverse dimension of the receiving space 57 and the transverse dimension of the unit portion 9 may be larger than shown in Figures 15 and 16.

[0256] The confinement surface 59 therefore functions as a confinement device and in the present example comprises a plurality of confinement members defined by the portions of the sector component 147 provided with the steps 56. The confinement members are formed integrally with the sector component 147 and define movable parts that are movable transversely to the forming direction D1 in order to push the unit portions 9 towards the central region of the mold, in particular towards the forming axis D.

[0257] Contact surface 58 and confinement surface 59 may be external to molding region 46. More generally, contact surface 58 and confinement surface 59 may be separate from the contact molding surface used to mold unit dose 9. In this case, contact surface 58 and confinement surface 59 have the function of confining and, if necessary, centering unit dose 9, but do not contribute to the molding of the object.

[0258] 15 and 16, the containment surface 59 extends 360° around the forming axis D, i.e., extends continuously around the side edges of the unit quantity 9. However, this is not required and the containment surface 59 may extend less than 360° around the forming axis D, as shown in FIG.

[0259] Figure 17 shows a first half mold including a female half mold or portion 244, which includes a plurality of sector-shaped components 47 similar to the sector-shaped components 47 shown in Figures 5-10. There are also a plurality of confinement members 62 that laterally confine the unit doses 9.

[0260] More specifically, each sector-shaped component 47 has a corresponding confinement member 62 coupled thereto, which is fixed relative to the corresponding sector-shaped component 47. In particular, each confinement member 62 may be fixed to the upper surface of the corresponding sector-shaped component 47. Each confinement member 62 is defined by a side surface 63 facing in the direction of the molding axis D. Each side surface 63 may be a cylindrical surface portion, a substantially flat and vertical surface, or may have another shape.

[0261] In the example shown, in plan view, the side surfaces 63 define an inscribed circle K, shown by dashed lines in Figure 17. The diameter of the circle K is slightly larger than the base diameter of the unit quantity 9, which in the example shown is cylindrical.

[0262] The side surfaces 63 delimit the receiving space 57 laterally, i.e. around the forming axis D.

[0263] The contact surface 58 that bounds the bottom of the receiving space 57, i.e. the surface transverse to the forming direction D1, is in contrast defined by part of the upper surface of the sector-shaped component 47.

[0264] The method of operation of a mold including female portion 244 is similar to the method of operation of a mold including female portion 144 shown in Figures 15 and 16. Confinement member 62 interacts with unit portion 9 only at predetermined angular positions about forming axis D, but prevents unwanted movement of unit portion 9 relative to forming direction D1 after it rests on contact surface 58. Furthermore, as sector component 47 and associated confinement member 62 move gradually toward forming axis D, confinement member 62 centrically forces unit portion 9 toward the center of cavity 60, preventing unit portion 9 from being positioned off-center within cavity 60.

[0265] The centering feature of the containment member 62 may not be present if the diameter of the circle inscribed in the containment surface 59 is sufficiently larger than the dimension of the unit quantity 9 relative to the forming direction D1.

[0266] Figure 18 shows, in plan view, a first half mold, which in the example shown is a female half mold or part 344 in which the dimensions of the cavity 360 are fixed relative to the molding direction D1, i.e. the cavity 360 extends around the molding axis D and has side walls of constant size and shape. The sector component 47, which in the previous embodiments allowed for a change in the volume of the molding area, is not present in the embodiment of Figure 18.

[0267] In contrast, there are a plurality of confinement members 362 above the cavity 360 that define a receiving space 57. The receiving space 57 is bounded by a contact surface 58 located transverse to the molding direction D1, which in the example shown is the upper surface of the female part 344. The receiving space 57 is also bounded by a confinement surface defined by a side surface 63 of each confinement member 362.

[0268] The confinement member 362 is a movable part that is movable toward the central region of the mold. More specifically, the confinement member 362 is movable in the molding axis direction as shown by arrow F1 to gradually reduce the size of the receiving space 57 and centrally position the unit dose 9 within the cavity 360.

[0269] The molds shown in Figures 5 to 18 are examples of molds that can be used in the molding apparatus shown in Figures 1 to 4. However, the molding apparatus shown in Figures 1 to 4 can also use molds with structures different from those shown in Figures 5 to 18, such as conventional molds in which the female mold portion has a cavity of a certain shape and dimensions.

[0270] In one embodiment (not shown), regardless of the shape of the unit portion, the unit portion can be trimmed after it is cut and separated from the sheet material. More specifically, the unit portion can be trimmed downstream of the cutting device, for example, anywhere along the path from the cutting device to the pressing device. It is also possible to trim the unit portion in a mold.

[0271] Trimming a portion is a cutting operation that removes a small amount of natural fiber-based material near the edge of the portion to improve cutting accuracy and reduce dimensional variation between portions.

[0272] In another embodiment, not shown, it is possible to trim the shaped body directly in the mold or downstream of the pressure unit.

[0273] Trimming the object improves the quality of the object's edges, increases dimensional accuracy, and removes excess natural fiber-based material, especially when the unit quantity and the molded object differ in plan view shape.

[0274] Trimming of the unit dose or shaped body involves the removal of small amounts of natural fiber-based material and can be accomplished without unduly complicating the construction of the shaping apparatus.

[0275] Additionally, the molds shown in Figures 5-18 can be used in molding apparatuses other than those shown in Figures 1-4. In particular, the molds shown in Figures 5-18 can be used in molding apparatuses that provide unit doses formed outside of the molding apparatus. More specifically, the molds shown in Figures 5-18 can be used in molding apparatuses in which the cutting of unit doses 9 from the sheet material is not inline with the molding.

[0276] Further features of some aspects of the present invention are set forth in the following numbered claims.

[0277] Claim 1: A method for forming an object (10) in a mold by compressing a unit dose (9, 309) made of a natural fiber-based material, the mold comprising a male half mold and a female half mold (144, 244, 344) having a cavity, at least one half mold selected from the female half mold (144, 244, 344) and the male half mold being movable along a molding direction relative to the other of the female half mold and the male half mold, the method comprising the steps of inserting the unit dose (9, 309) into the mold and compressing the unit dose (9, 309) to form the object (10), ,309) into the mold includes placing the unit portion (9,309) in a receiving space (57) above the cavity (60,360) so that the unit portion (9,309) rests on a contact surface (58) that defines the bottom of the receiving space (57) and is spaced from the bottom surface (61) of the cavity (60,360), the mold also comprising a confinement device that laterally defines the receiving space (57), the confinement device including a plurality of movable members that move transversely to the mold-forming direction (D1) to force the unit portion (9,309) into a central region of the mold.

[0278] Claim 2: The method of claim 1, wherein the confinement device comprises a plurality of confinement members (62, 362) defining the plurality of movable members, and the plurality of confinement members (62, 362) move toward the central region of the mold after the unit portion (9, 309) rests on the contact surface (58) so that the unit portion (9, 309) is centered within the cavity (60, 360).

[0279] Claim 3: The method of claim 2, wherein the cavity (360) has a fixed shape and dimensions, and the confinement member (362) is movable above the cavity (360) in a direction transverse to the molding direction (D1).

[0280] Claim 4: A method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the cavity (60) includes a variable volume forming region (46) defined by a plurality of sector-shaped components (47, 147), the plurality of sector-shaped components (47, 147) being movable transversely to the molding direction (D1) to reduce the volume of the variable volume forming region (46), and the plurality of movable members being coincident with the plurality of sector-shaped components.

[0281] Claim 5: A method according to claim 4 when dependent on claim 3, wherein each of the containment members (62) is fixed to one of the plurality of sector components (47, 147).

[0282] Claim 6: A method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the receiving space (57) is defined by a confinement surface that laterally confines the unit amount (9,309), the confinement surface extending continuously around the central region.

[0283] Claim 7: The method of any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the receiving space (57) is defined by a confinement surface that laterally confines the unit amount (9,309) and extends around the central region at an angle of less than 360°.

[0284] Claim 8: A mold for compressing unit doses made of natural fiber-based material to form an object, comprising a female half mold having a cavity (60, 360) and a male half mold (144, 244, 344), wherein at least one half mold selected from the female half mold and the male half mold (144, 244, 344) is movable relative to another half mold selected from the female half mold and the male half mold (144, 244, 344) along a molding direction (D1), and a receiving space (57) for receiving the unit dose (9, 309). The mold is defined above the cavity (60), and the mold also comprises a confinement device that laterally defines the receiving space (57), the bottom of which is defined by a contact surface (58) intended to receive the unit portion (9,309) that rests on the contact surface (58) and is spaced from the bottom of the cavity (60), the confinement device including a plurality of movable members that move transversely to the molding direction (D1) to force the unit portion (9,309) toward the center of the mold.

[0285] Claim 9: The mold of claim 8, wherein the confinement device comprises a plurality of confinement members (62, 362) defining the plurality of movable members, and the plurality of confinement members (62, 362) move toward the central region of the mold after the unit portion (9, 309) rests on the contact surface (58) so that the unit portion (9, 309) is centered within the cavity (60, 360).

[0286] Claim 10: A mold according to claim 9, wherein the cavity (360) has a fixed shape and dimensions, and the confinement member (362) is movable above the cavity (360) in a direction transverse to the mold-molding direction (D1).

[0287] Claim 11: A mold according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the cavity (60) includes a variable volume forming region (46) defined by a plurality of sector-shaped components (47, 147), the plurality of sector-shaped components (47, 147) being movable transversely to the molding direction (D1) to reduce the volume of the variable volume forming region (46), and the plurality of movable members being coincident with the plurality of sector-shaped components.

[0288] Claim 12: A mold according to claim 11 when dependent on claim 9, wherein each of the confinement members (62) is fixed to one of the plurality of sector components (47, 147).

[0289] Claim 13: A mold according to any one of claims 8 to 12, wherein the receiving space (57) is defined by a confinement surface that laterally confines the unit dose (9,309), and the confinement surface extends continuously around the central region.

[0290] Claim 14: A mold according to any one of claims 8 to 12, wherein the receiving space (57) is defined by a confinement surface that laterally confines the unit dose (9,309) and extends around the central region at an angle of less than 360°.

Claims

1. 1. A method of forming a three-dimensional object in a forming apparatus, comprising: a natural fiber-based material in the form of a sheet material entering the forming apparatus via an inlet; and the three-dimensional object made from the natural fiber-based material exits the forming apparatus through an outlet, and a passageway connects the inlet and the outlet; the sheet material is cut in a cutting device located along the path to separate unit amounts of natural fiber-based material from the sheet material; the three-dimensional object is formed by pressing the unit portions between female and male half molds of a pressing device located downstream of the cutting device along the path. method.

2. 10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of conveying the unit dose from the cutting device to the pressing device.

3. 3. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein in one cutting operation, the cutting device cuts a plurality of unit portions arranged in a row on the sheet material at a preset pitch.

4. 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the pressing device has a plurality of molds arranged in a line at a predetermined pitch.

5. 5. The method of claim 4 when dependent on claim 3, wherein the pitch of the plurality of unit portions along the line is less than the pitch of the molds along the line, and further comprising the step of increasing the pitch between the unit portions while the plurality of unit portions are being transferred to the plurality of molds to transfer each of the plurality of unit portions to one mold.

6. 6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a plurality of rows of unit portions are cut in the cutting device in a single cutting operation, the rows of unit portions being parallel to one another, and optionally two adjacent rows of unit portions being offset from one another to minimize waste of sheet material.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, the cutting device having at least one cutting element supported by a cutting block; the cutting block moves within the cutting device in a direction transverse to the plane of the sheet material to either bring the cutting element into contact with the sheet material to cut the unit portion or release the cutting element from the sheet material; method.

8. 7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the cutting device comprises a cutting roller supporting at least one cutting member and rotatable about an axis of the cutting member to cause the cutting member to interact with the sheet material.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, the pressing device includes at least one mold including the female mold half and the male mold half; At least one half mold selected from the female half mold and the male half mold is movable along a molding direction relative to the other half mold selected from the female half mold and the male half mold so that the mold is displaceable between an open position and a closed position. method.

10. 10. The method of claim 9, A plurality of molds are provided in the pressing device; the plurality of molds are supported by a mold carousel, each of the plurality of molds being movable between the open position and the closed position while the mold carousel rotates about its axis; method.

11. 10. The method of claim 9, the pressing device includes a first plate supporting a plurality of female half molds and a second plate supporting a plurality of male half molds; At least one plate selected from the first plate and the second plate is linearly movable relative to the other plate selected from the first plate and the second plate to compress the unit amount. method.

12. The method according to any one of claims 9 to 11, a variable volume forming region defined between the female mold half and the male mold half; the volume of the forming region is reduced to form the three-dimensional object by moving a plurality of sector-shaped components contained within mold halves selected from the female mold half and the male mold half in a direction transverse to the molding direction. method.

13. The method according to any one of claims 9 to 12, the female mold half has a cavity; the unit dose is provided within a receiving space defined above the cavity between a plurality of confinement members; further comprising moving the plurality of confinement members transverse to the molding direction toward the receiving space to center the unit portion relative to the cavity. method.

14. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the natural fiber-based material is a cellulosic material.

15. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the unit amount has a disk shape or a polygonal shape in plan view.

16. 16. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 15, the unit doses are subjected to a preliminary treatment upstream of the pressing device; the pre-treatment is selected from the group consisting of preforming the unit portion into a concave shape upstream of the pressing device and locally compressing at least one region of the unit portion; method.

17. 17. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 16, a starting material made of the natural fiber-based material enters the forming device; upstream of the cutting device, a decomposition device is provided in which the starting material is decomposed into fibers, downstream of the decomposition device, a compression device is provided for compressing the fibers coming from the decomposition device and obtaining a sheet material having a density lower than that of the starting material; method.

18. 1. A forming apparatus for forming a three-dimensional object from a natural fiber-based material, the apparatus comprising: an inlet for the natural fiber-based material in the form of a sheet material; an outlet for the three-dimensional object made from the natural fiber-based material; a cutting device disposed along a path connecting the inlet and the outlet and cutting the sheet material to separate a unit portion of natural fiber-based material from the sheet material; and a pressing device disposed along the path downstream of the cutting device and for pressing the unit portion between a female mold half and a male mold half to form the three-dimensional object.

19. 20. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising a conveying device for conveying the unit dose from the cutting device to the pressing device.

20. 20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the conveying device further comprises a spacing device that increases the pitch between the unit portions from an initial value that the pitch between the unit portions has in the cutting device to a final value that the pitch between the unit portions has in the pressing device.

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