Patent ID: 11970823
Assignee: VARDEN PROCESS PTY LTD
Field: Textile and paper machines (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC D  B | IPC B  D

Claim 0:
1. A system for forming moulded pulp fibre products, the system comprising:
a pre-form forming apparatus including:
a porous mould having one or more pre-form mould portions that each have an outer surface corresponding to a surface of the pre-form, wherein each of the one or more pre-form mould portions includes two or more regions, wherein the pore size and/or pore density differs between the two or more regions such that respective maximum flow rates of fluid through the two or more regions differ,
a source of pulp fibre slurry, and an outlet that is in communication with the source such that pulp fibre slurry from the source is to be discharged from the outlet towards the porous mould in a curtain of pulp fibre slurry,
a drive that is arranged to move the porous mould relative to the outlet and/or the outlet relative to the porous mould such that pulp fibre slurry discharged from the outlet forms slurry deposits for the pre-forms on the outer surfaces of the pre-form mould portions, and
a fluid extraction system that is configured to extract fluid from the slurry deposits through the porous mould to thereby form the pre-forms,
a curing apparatus that includes a secondary toolset that has two complementary shaped surfaces between which the pre-forms are loaded, the curing apparatus being configured to remove liquid from the pre-forms, thereby curing the pre-forms to form the moulded pulp fibre products, and
a transfer station that is configured to collect pre-forms formed by the pre-form forming apparatus and deliver collected pre-forms to the curing apparatus.