US 12,454,618 B2
Apparatus and method for the preparation, processing of fibre mixtures and forming products therefrom
Richard Hurding, Brandenburg (DE); and Grégoire Leveque de Vilmorin, Munich (DE)
Assigned to Zelfo Technology GmbH, Brandenburg (DE)
Appl. No. 17/791,592
Filed by Zelfo Technology GmbH, Brandenburg (DE)
PCT Filed Jan. 11, 2021, PCT No. PCT/EP2021/050396
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jul. 8, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/140249, PCT Pub. Date Jul. 15, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 2000263 (GB), filed on Jan. 9, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0043885 A1, Feb. 9, 2023
Int. Cl. C08L 97/02 (2006.01); D21C 5/02 (2006.01); D21H 11/12 (2006.01)
CPC C08L 97/02 (2013.01) [D21C 5/02 (2013.01); D21H 11/12 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of forming an end product from a source material including cellulose fibres, said method comprising the steps of:
pre-processing the cellulose fibres to form pre-processed fibres;
treating to separate the pre-processed cellulose fibres into individualized fibres;
forming a material mixture including said individualized fibres, and one or more added agents or components including any, or any combination of, a liquid, a softener agent, preservative agent, calcium oxide or sodium hydroxide;
processing the material mixture by passing the same along extrusion apparatus including at least two screw extruders which are provided to rotate along respective shafts which are parallel and forming a processed material mixture which leaves the extrusion apparatus into an end product capable of being used for a predefined function said at least two screw extruders include fibre manipulation elements with contact surfaces to contact the said material mixture as it passes along the extrusion apparatus longitudinal axis and said contact surfaces act to reshape, tear and/or defibrillate the fibres of the material mixture and providing the said contact surfaces on said elements located along the longitudinal axes of the said at least two screw extruders and changing the contact surface pattern along the length of the at least two screw extruders so as to form different zones in which differing functions are performed on the fibres of the material mixture as it passes along the extrusion apparatus and wherein the material mixture at the forming the end product step is passed to a carrier into a moulding section and then moulded or otherwise formed into the end product.