Pulp molding die for molding shaped pulp articles, method, apparatus, and shaped pulp article

摘要

A pulp molding die for molding shaped articles from fiber pulp is disclosed. The die has a porous molding layer having a porosity of at least 5% and an average pore diameter in a range of 60 to 1000 &mgr;m, the porous molding layer having a molding surface shaped to the configuration of the article to be molded; and a porous support layer disposed adjacent the porous molding layer on the opposite side thereof from the molding surface, the porous support layer having a porosity of at least 20% and an average pore diameter in a range of 0.6 to 10 mm, the average pore diameter being larger than that of the porous molding layer. The porous molding layer and/or the porous support layer have a pore structure for holding water. A method of molding shaped pulp articles from fiber pulp, has the steps of: (1) providing a pulp molding die as above; (2) molding a pulp article on the molding surface of the die by suction through the die; (3) removing the molded pulp article from the die; and (4) after repeating steps (2) and (3) at least once, applying cleaning water to the die to incorporate water in the pore structure of the die and thereafter applying air pressure to the die from inside the die to drive the incorporated water from the die, thereby removing fibers trapped in the die. An apparatus for molding shaped pulp articles from fiber pulp is disclosed.