Multipart Pulp Molds With Porous Screens for Thin-Walled Drying
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing technologies fail to provide a method for forming fully biodegradable, thin-walled pulp-based products that maintain integrity during molding and drying processes, and do not include non-degradable materials, while also addressing the environmental impact of plastic waste.
Innovation Solution
A multipart mold system comprising separable housing units that form a cavity for vacuum molding, pressing, and coating, using porous mold screens connected to vacuum blocks to apply negative pressure, allowing for the formation and drying of three-dimensional pulp products without non-biodegradable materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional molding methods are used to form thin-walled pulp products, then the molding process can be completed, but the products lose structural integrity during drying and cannot be fully biodegradable
Solution Approach 1:
The mold is divided into multiple separable housing units (first housing unit, second housing unit, base housing unit) that can be assembled to form a complete cavity. This segmentation allows for controlled molding and drying processes that maintain structural integrity while using fully biodegradable materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs porous mold screens as part of the housing units. These porous materials allow for controlled drying of the pulp products during the molding process, preventing structural collapse while the product dries, thus maintaining integrity without requiring non-biodegradable support materials.
2Strength
If traditional plastic materials are used, then product strength is achieved, but environmental pollution increases due to non-degradability
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses composite structures combining multiple biodegradable housing units with porous screens to achieve the necessary strength. The composite design of separable housing units with integrated porous barriers provides both mechanical strength and environmental compatibility, eliminating the need for traditional non-degradable plastics.
3Ease of operation
If separable housing units are used to enable mold assembly and disassembly, then ease of operation improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mold is divided into multiple separable housing units (first housing unit, second housing unit, base housing unit) that can be independently assembled and disassembled. Each unit has a specific function and can be connected through standardized interfaces, making the complex multipart structure manageable and easy to operate.
Solution Approach 2:
The separable housing units are designed with universal interfaces and standardized connections that allow them to be assembled in different configurations. This multi-functionality enables the same basic units to serve various molding needs while maintaining ease of assembly and disassembly despite the inherent complexity of the multipart structure.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system enables the production of biodegradable, thin-walled pulp products with structural integrity, reducing environmental pollution by eliminating the need for non-degradable plastics and providing a method for simultaneous molding and drying.
Implementation Method 1
a first vacuum block connected to a first vacuum system and a second vacuum block connected to a second vacuum system, wherein the first vacuum system and the second vacuum system are configured to apply negative pressure to the cavity via the first mold screen and the second mold screen
Implementation Method 2
wherein the first mold screen and the second mold screen are porous
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention includes a system of multipart devices for the formation, pressing, and coating of molded pulp fiber articles. The system includes a mold device, a pressing device, and/or a coating device. Each device comprises a screen fastened or otherwise connected to the housing unit. The housing unit is a solid, non-porous housing element, and multiple housing units are configured to be reversibly connected to form a single device. When joined together, the screens of each housing unit form a continuous cavity for the molding, pressing, and coating of the product. The housing unit of a mold device comprises one or more vacuum systems which direct vacuum pressure to the product surface of the mold screen to form a pulp fiber product from a pulp fiber slurry. The pulp product is operable to be dried in the mold device, resulting in the formation of a stable, thin-walled pulp product.