NATURAL FIBER BASED LID WITH UNDERCUT

Abstract

The disclosed embodiments relate to a manufacturing component as a first tool in a forming station at least for endforming a preformed lid made from a material to form an undercut comprising natural fibres. The preformed lid includes a top part and a side part circumferencing the top part, where the manufacturing component is adapted to contact an outer side of the preformed lid to endform the preformed lid by exerting a first movement in axial direction along a center axis of the manufacturing component and a later second movement in a second direction towards the side part of the preformed lid. Multiple side forming elements of the manufacturing component are arranged to exert the second movement by applying an outer pressure onto an outer side of the side part to form an undercut into the side part.

Claims

1-27. (canceled)

28. A system for forming a lid, comprising: a manufacturing component to be used as a first tool in a forming station at least for endforming a preformed lid made from a material comprising natural fibres, the preformed lid comprising a top part and a side part circumferencing the top part, wherein the manufacturing component is adapted to contact an outer side of the preformed lid to endform the preformed lid by exerting a first movement in an axial direction along a center axis of the manufacturing component and a later second movement in a second direction towards the side part of the preformed lid, wherein multiple side forming elements of the manufacturing component are arranged to exert the second movement and apply an outer pressure onto an outer side of the side part to form an undercut into the side part.

29. The system according to claim 28, wherein: the side forming elements are arranged around the center axis, and wherein the side forming elements are suitably shaped to provide a free space between adjacent side forming elements prior to exerting the second movement.

30. The system according to claim 28, wherein: the manufacturing component comprises at least three side forming elements.

31. The system according to claim 28, wherein: the preformed lid is circular with a circumferencing side part, and wherein the second direction is a radial direction towards the center axis and the side forming elements are arranged circularly around the center axis.

32. The system according to claim 28, wherein: the side forming elements each comprises an inner side directed towards the outer side of the side part, and wherein each inner side has a contour adapted to a desired shape of the undercut.

33. The system according to claim 32, wherein the side forming elements are suitably shaped to provide an undercut circumferenting the side part of the preformed lid.

34. The system according to claim 28, wherein: at least a part of surfaces of the manufacturing component intended to be in contact with the material of the preformed lid is made of a material with decreased friction or adhesion properties.

35. The system according to claim 28, wherein the system includes the forming station comprising the first tool and a second tool at least for endforming a preformed lid: wherein the manufacturing component is the first tool; and wherein the second tool is adapted to at least carry the preformed lid, wherein at least one motor system is adapted to move the first tool on top of the second tool with the preformed lid inbetween in the first movement and in the later second movement to move the side forming elements of the first tool towards the side part of the preformed lid and apply the outer pressure onto the outer side of the side part to form the undercut into the side part.

36. The system according to claim 35, wherein: the second tool is suitably shaped to at least support an inner side of the side part during application of the outer pressure to the outer side of the side part by the side forming elements, such that the undercut is reliably formed by the side forming elements.

37. The system according to claim 35, wherein: the second tool comprises a counter part to support an inner side of the side part, where a contour of the counter part is adapted to a desired shape of the undercut at the inner side of the side part.

38. The system according to claim 37, wherein: the counter part is divided in movable counter part elements, which are adapted to move towards the center axis in order to release the endformed lid after being endformed.

39. The system according to claim 35, wherein the system is a forming device, the forming device including: the forming station; and a preforming station, wherein the preforming station is adapted to preform a lid from the material comprising natural fibres and the forming station is adapted to receive the preformed lid from the preforming station and to provide the endformed lid comprising the undercut within the side part of the endformed lid.

40. The system according to claim 39, wherein: the forming device further comprises a transfer station transporting the preformed lid to the forming station for enforming the preformed lid.

41. A method to provide endformed lids, comprising: providing a preformed lid made of a material comprising natural fibres to a forming station, wherein the preformed lid includes a top part and a side part circumferencing the top part, and wherein the forming station includes a manufacturing component as a first tool and a second tool; performing a first movement in axial direction along a center axis of the manufacturing component at least with the first tool to contact an outer side of the lid; performing a following second movement in a second direction with multiple side forming elements of the first tool moved towards the center axis to apply an outer pressure onto an outer side of the side part of the lid to form an undercut into the side part to establish the endformed lid; and outputting the endformed lid with the undercut in the side part.

42. The method according to claim 41, further comprising preforming the material in a preforming station to provide the preformed lid.

43. The method according to claim 42, further comprising: transferring the preformed lid from the preforming station to the forming station with a transfer station; and stacking the endformed lids outputed from the forming station by a stacking station.

44. The method according to claim 42, further comprising providing the material as a sheet material to the preforming station for the preforming.

45. The method according to claim 42, wherein the preforming the material includes applying a paper pulp process.

46. The method according to claim 42, wherein the preforming the material is executed in the forming station prior to endforming the preformed lid, and wherein the forming station performs a function of the preforming station.

47. The method according to claim 41, further comprising moving, by a motor system, the first tool and the second tool simultaneously to place the first tool on top of the second tool.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0055] In the drawings:

[0056] FIG. 1 depicts a forming station with manufacturing component as upper tool according to some embodiments.

[0057] FIG. 2 depicts an endformed lid with undercut according to some embodiments.

[0058] FIG. 3 depicts a side forming elements (a) before the second movement and (b) after the second movement for generating the undercut;

[0059] FIG. 4 depicts a schematic view of (a) the counter part of the second tool and (b) the forming station in a side view;

[0060] FIG. 5 depicts a forming device according to some embodiments.

[0061] FIG. 6 depicts a method to provide endformed lids made of natural fibre material according to some embodiments.

DETAILED EMBODIMENTS

[0062] FIG. 1 shows a forming station 10 comprising first and second tools 1, 20 at least for endforming a preformed lid 100 made from a material M comprising natural fibres, where the first tool 1 is an upper tool, and the second tool 20 is a lower tool adapted to at least carry the preformed lid 100, where at least one motor system 30 is adapted to move the first tool 1 on top of the second tool 20 with the preformed lid 100 inbetween in a first movement FM and in a later second movement SM to endform the preformed lid 100 to comprise an undercut 140. A manufacturing component 1 establish the first tool 1 in the forming station 10. The preformed lid 100 comprising a top part 130 and a side part 110 circumferencing the top part 130. The manufacturing component 1 (first tool) is adapted to contact an outer side 110 of the preformed lid 100 to endform the preformed lid 100 by exerting a first movement FM in axial direction along a center axis R of the manufacturing component 1. Here, both first tool 1 and second tool 20 are moved by the motor system 30 to place the upper tool 1 on top of the second tool 20, preferably both tools 1, 20 are moved simultaneously. Later a second movement SM in a second direction towards the side part 120 of the preformed lid 100 is executed by the manufacturing component 1. Multiple side forming elements 2 of the manufacturing component 1 are arranged to exert the second movement SM applying an outer pressure PA onto an outer side 110 of the side part 120 to form an undercut 140 into the side part 120. Here, at least a part of the surfaces of the manufacturing component 1 intended to be in contact with the material M of the preformed lid 100 is made of a material with decreased friction or adhesion properties. The second tool 20 is suitably shaped to at least support an inner side 150 of the side part 120 during application of the outer pressure to the outer side 110 of the side part 110 by the side forming elements 2, so that the undercut 140 is reliably formed by the side forming elements 2. The forming station 10 is adapted to receive the preformed lid 100 from a preforming station 50. Alternatively the forming station 10 might be adapted to preform the lid 100 prior to endforming the preformed lid 100. The material M might be a provided as sheet material for preforming the lid 100.

[0063] FIG. 2 shows an endformed lid 100′ with undercut 140 according to some embodiments made of a material M comprising natural fibres. The endformed lid 100′ comprises a top part 130 and a side part 110 circumferencing the top part 130 having an outer side 110 and an inner side 150. The outer side 110 denotes the outer side of the top of the lid as well as the side part 120 of the lid 100′. The lid 100′ further comprises an undercut 140 in the side part 120 formed by a forming station 10 according to the present disclosure. Preferably the undercut 140 circumferences the side part 120. The numerals for side part 120, the outer side 110, the inner side 150 and the top part 130 shown here in relation to the endformed lid 100′ also applies to the preformed lid 100.

[0064] FIG. 3 shows side forming elements 2 (a) before the second movement SM and (b) after the second movement SM for generating the undercut 140. The side forming elements 2 are arranged around the center axis R, wherein the side forming elements 2 are suitably shaped to provide a free space 21 between adjacent side forming elements 2 prior to exerting the second movement SM, see FIG. 3a. The manufacturing component 1 here comprises four side forming elements 2 arranged symmetrically to each other. Other embodiment may have different numbers of side forming elements 2. In this example the preformed lid 100 is circular with circumferencing side part 110, the second direction for the second movement SM is a radial direction towards the center axis R and the side forming elements 2 are arranged circularly around the center axis R. The side forming elements 2 each comprises an inner side 2i directed towards the outer side 110 of the side part 120, where each inner side 2i has a contour adapted to a desired shape of the undercut 140, where the side forming elements 2 are suitable shaped to provide an undercut 140 circumferenting the side part 120 of the preformed lid 100. At least the inner side 2i of the side forming elements 2 might bee made of the material with decreased friction or adhesion properties or coated with at least one layer of this material.

[0065] FIG. 4 shows a schematic view of (a) the counter part 40 of the second tool 20 and (b) the forming station 10 in a side view. The second tool 20 comprises a counter part 40 to support the inner side 150 of the side part 120 of the preformed lid 100, where a contour of the counter part 40 is adapted to a desired shape of the to be form undercut 140 at the inner side 150 of the side part 120. The counter part 40 is divided in movable counter part elements 45 (see FIG. 4a), which are adapted to move towards the center axis R in order to release the endformed lid 100′ from the forming station 10 after being endformed.

[0066] FIG. 5 shows a forming device 80 according to some embodiments comprising a forming station 10 according to the present disclosure and a preforming station 50. The preforming station 50 is adapted to preform a lid 100 from a material M comprising natural fibres. The forming station 10 is adapted to receive the preformed lid 100 from the preforming station 50 and to provide an endformed lid 100′ comprising an undercut 140 within a side part 120 of the endformed lid 100′. The forming device 80 further comprises a transfer station 60 transporting the preformed lid 100 to the forming station 10 for enforming the preformed lid 100 and a stacking station 70 to stack the endformed lids 100′ outputed from the forming station 10. Here, the material M is provided as a sheet material to the preform station 50 to preform the lid 100 from the sheet material. Alternatively the preforming station 50 may apply a paper pulp process to preform the lid 100.

[0067] FIG. 6 shows a method 200 to provide endformed lids 100 according to some embodiments made of material M comprising natural fibres with a forming station 10 according to the present disclosure with a manufacturing component 1 according to the present invention as a first tool and a second tool 20, where a preformed lid 100 comprises a top part 130 and a side part 110 circumferencing the top part 130, comprising the steps of providing 210 the preformed lid 100; performing 220 a first movement FM in axial direction along a center axis R of the manufacturing component 1 at least with the first tool 1 to contact an outer side 110 of the lid 100; performing 230 a following second movement SM in second direction with multiple side forming elements 2 of the first tool 1 moved towards the center axis R of the lid 100 to apply an outer pressure PA onto an outer side 110 of the side part 120 of the lid 100 to form an undercut 140 into the side part 120 to establish the endformed lid 100′; and outputting 240 the endformed lid 100′ with the undercut 140 in the side part 120, eventually followed by stacking 270 the endformed lids 100′ outputed from the forming station 10 by stacking station 70. In an embodiment the method comprises the step of preforming 250 the material M in a preforming station 50 to provide the preformed lid 100 together with the steps of transferring 260 the preformed lid 100 from the preforming station 50 to the forming station 10 with a transfer station 60. Here, the material M might be provided 280 to the preforming station 50 as a sheet material for the preforming step 250. Alternatively the step of preforming 250 the material M may apply a paper pulp process. In another alternative the step of preforming 250 the material M might be executed in the forming station 10 prior to endforming the preformed lid 100, where the forming station 10 performs the function of the preforming station 50. In this case the material M is provided as directly, e.g. as sheet material 280, to the forming station 10 for performing 220 a first movement in axial direction with the upper tool.

[0068] At this point, it should be explicitly pointed out that features of the solutions described above or in the claims and/or figures may also be combined, if necessary, in order to be able to implement or achieve the explained features, effects and advantages in a corresponding cumulative manner.

LIST OF NUMERALS

[0069] 1 manufacturing component (first tool, e.g. upper tool) according to the present disclosure [0070] 2 side forming elements of the manufacturing component [0071] 2i inner side of the side forming element [0072] 21 free space between adjacent side forming elements [0073] 10 forming station according to the present disclosure [0074] 20 second tool, e.g. lower tool [0075] 30 motor system of the forming station [0076] 40 counter part of the second tool, e.g. a ring part of the second tool [0077] 45 counter part elements [0078] 50 preforming station [0079] 60 transfer station [0080] 70 stacking station [0081] 80 forming device according to the present disclosure [0082] 100 preformed lid [0083] 100′ endformed lid according to the present disclosure [0084] 110 outer side of the lid, e.g. outer side of the side part of the lid [0085] 120 side part of the lid [0086] 130 top part of the lid [0087] 140 undercut [0088] 150 inner side of the side part of the lid [0089] 200 method to endform a lid made of natural fibre material with a forming station according to the present disclosure [0090] 210 providing a preformed lid [0091] 220 performing a first movement in axial direction with the upper tool [0092] 230 performing a following second movement in radial direction with multiple side forming elements of the upper tool [0093] 240 outputting the endformed lid [0094] 250 preforming the lid in a preforming station [0095] 260 transferring the lid from the preforming station to the forming station with a transfer station [0096] 270 stacking the endformed lids outputed from the forming station by stacking station [0097] 280 providing the natural fibre material as sheet material [0098] D depth of undercut [0099] R center axis of the lid [0100] PA axially directed pressure [0101] M natural fibre material [0102] FM first movement [0103] SM second movement [0104] RM movement to release the endformed lid from the second tool