Patent ID: 7513967
Filing Date: 2009-04-07
Classification: B27N,D04H

Abstract:
1. A method for manufacturing a molded fiber material comprising: supplying a raw fiber material to the surface of a rotary body, the raw fiber material comprising a mixture of thermoplastic fibers and natural fibers having a density greater than the thermoplastic fibers, rotating the rotary body, thereby scattering the natural fiber and the thermoplastic fiber supplied to the rotary body toward a carrying surface due to the rotational force of the rotary body and the difference in densities between the thermoplastic fibers and the natural fibers, directing a source of pressurized air across the scattered raw materials in order to effect further separation of the thermoplastic fibers and the natural fibers, blowing pressurized air toward the carrying surface in front of the rotary body, thereby depositing the thermoplastic fibers on the carrying surface at a short distance from the rotary body and depositing the natural fibers on the carrying surface at a long distance from the rotary body, depositing the natural fibers and thermoplastic fibers on the carrying surface, such that the concentration of natural fibers and thermoplastic fibers gradualty and seamlessly changes across the thickness of the molded fiber material, and laminating two molded fiber materials together to form a molded fiber laminate, wherein the molded fiber materials are laminated such that surfaces having a greater natural fiber concentration are disposed on the interior of the molded fiber material.