	US 11,673,737 B2
	Dispensing capsule and method and apparatus of forming same
Mark Appleford, Clayton (AU); and Stuart Gordon, Clayton (AU)
Appl. No. 16/351,399
Filed by Varden Process Pty Ltd, South Yarra (AU)
PCT Filed Aug. 22, 2017, PCT No. PCT/AU2017/000172 § 371(c)(1), (2) Date Mar. 12, 2019, PCT Pub. No. WO2018/049460, PCT Pub. Date Mar. 22, 2018.
Claims priority of application No. 2016903695 (AU), filed on Sep. 14, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2020/0231370 A1, Jul. 23, 2020
Int. Cl. D21J 7/00 (2006.01); B65D 85/804 (2006.01); A47J 31/40 (2006.01); B65B 47/10 (2006.01); D21J 5/00 (2006.01); B65B 29/02 (2006.01); A47J 31/36 (2006.01); B29L 31/00 (2006.01)

CPC B65D 85/8043 (2013.01) [A47J 31/407 (2013.01); B65B 47/10 (2013.01); D21J 5/00 (2013.01); D21J 7/00 (2013.01); A47J 31/3695 (2013.01); B29L 2031/7174 (2013.01); B65B 29/022 (2017.08)]

7 Claims

1. An apparatus for high speed continuous thermoforming of pulp materials into pulp-based products, the apparatus comprising:

a holding tank for a suspension that includes water and pulp fibre,

a continuous feed belt of articulated mesh toolsets contoured to a preform shape of said products, the preform shape being a partially shaped version of a final form shape of the pulp based products, said feed belt being inclined to allow partial immersion and partial withdrawal from said suspension by continuous rotation of said feed belt,

vacuum means applied to said mesh toolsets to draw said pulp fibre onto said mesh toolsets immersed in said suspension to form a preform pulp mat of said products; and

a second toolset to deform the pulp fibre mat from the preform shape to a final form shape of the pulp-based products by the application of pressure.