Tool for processing fiber-containing material, molding plant and method for manufacturing fiber-containing products

Abstract

A tool for processing fiber-containing material for the manufacture of three-dimensional products is described. The tool has a mold body with a three-dimensional surface that substantially reflects the shape of a product to be molded. The mold body has a peripheral edge section, further having a spray arrangement via which a medium for aligning fibers in the edge section of the mold body and/or for aligning fibers in an edge section of an opposing tool with a further mold body can be dispensed. Further, a molding plant for manufacturing fiber-containing products is described. And yet further, a method for the manufacture of fiber-containing products is described.

1 . A tool for processing fiber-containing material for production of three-dimensional products, the tool having a mold body with a three-dimensional surface that substantially reflects a shape of a product to be molded, wherein the mold body has a peripheral edge section, further having a spray arrangement via which a medium for aligning fibers in the peripheral edge section of the mold body and/or for aligning fibers in an edge section of an opposing tool with a further mold body is configured to be dispensed. 
     
     
         2 . The tool according to  claim 1 , wherein the mold body and the further mold body of the opposing tool have different designs. 
     
     
         3 . The tool according to  claim 1 , wherein the spray arrangement has outlets that are arranged at regular intervals. 
     
     
         4 . The tool according to  claim 3 , wherein the spray arrangement has a common reservoir for providing a medium for the outlets. 
     
     
         5 . The tool according to  claim 4 , wherein the spray arrangement has at least one supply to the common reservoir. 
     
     
         6 . The tool according to  claim 1 , wherein the spray arrangement has at least one deflection arrangement for deflecting and/or fanning out an emerging media flow. 
     
     
         7 . The tool according to  claim 6 , wherein the at least one deflection arrangement has a continuous deflection edge running parallel to the peripheral edge section of the mold body. 
     
     
         8 . The tool according to  claim 6 , wherein the at least one deflection arrangement has a deflection angle for a media flow exiting the spray arrangement of 0 to 85° relative to an exit direction. 
     
     
         9 . The tool according to  claim 6 , wherein the at least one deflection arrangement has a plurality of deflection tongues. 
     
     
         10 . The tool according to  claim 1 , wherein the spray arrangement has outlets that are designed as bores or nozzles in the spray arrangement. 
     
     
         11 . The tool according to  claim 1 , wherein the molded body has a stripping lip in the peripheral edge section. 
     
     
         12 . The tool according to  claim 1 , wherein the tool is a pre-pressing tool for pressing three-dimensional preforms made of a fiber-containing material and the mold body is a pre-pressing body, wherein the three-dimensional surface is a pressing surface of the pre-pressing body, and wherein the pre-pressing body includes a flexible material. 
     
     
         13 . The tool according to  claim 1 , wherein the tool is a suction tool for suctioning fibers from a fiber-containing suspension, and the mold body is a suction body, wherein the three-dimensional surface is a suction surface of the suction body. 
     
     
         14 . A molding plant for manufacturing fiber-containing products, having a pre-pressing station for pressing three-dimensional preforms made of a fiber-containing material with at least one pre-pressing tool and a suction station with at least one suction tool, wherein at least one spray arrangement is arranged on the at least one pre-pressing tool or the at least one suction tool, and outlets of the at least one spray arrangement are aligned with an edge section of at least one opposite suction tool or at least one opposite pre-pressing tool. 
     
     
         15 . The molding plant according to  claim 14 , further comprising a device for supplying media, wherein the device has at least one actuator for controlling a supply of media to the at least one spray arrangement, wherein the at least one actuator is arranged directly in front of a reservoir for providing a medium within the at least one spray arrangement and/or directly in front of openings of the at least one spray arrangement. 
     
     
         16 . The molding plant according to  claim 14 , wherein a suction surface of the at least one suction tool and suction channels in the edge section for suctioning fibers are configured to have different permeabilities for a reduced suction effect compared to a rest of the at least one suction tool. 
     
     
         17 . A method for manufacturing fiber-containing products using a molding plant having a pre-pressing station for pressing three-dimensional preforms made of a fiber-containing material with at least one pre-pressing tool and a suction station with at least one suction tool, wherein at least one spray arrangement is arranged on the at least one pre-pressing tool or the at least one suction tool, and outlets of the at least one spray arrangement are aligned with an edge section of a suction body of at least one opposite suction tool or a pre-pressing body of at least one opposite pre-pressing tool, wherein a media flow is cyclically dispensed via the outlets in accordance with a control via an actuator when a distance between a suction surface of the suction tool and a pressing surface of the pre-pressing tool reaches a value between 1 and 30 mm. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the media flow is dispensed as a flat jet. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein a relative pressure for providing the media flow is between 0.5 and 10 bar. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the media flow is dispensed for a period of 0.5 to 5 seconds in accordance with a relative movement of the pressing surface of the pre-pressing body of the at least one pre-pressing tool and the suction surface of the suction body of the at least one suction tool.