System and method for manufacturing a compostable pod for beverage preparation from a paper-based material

2:

• The system according to claim 1, wherein the handling unit comprises clamping elements, and wherein the clamping elements are configured to clamp the sheet with respect to the transfer direction (TD), at the opposite lateral side edge sections of the sheet.

3:

• The system according to claim 2, wherein the clamping elements are movable along the transfer direction (TD), and wherein the clamping elements are configured to clamp the sheet, with respect to the transfer direction (TD), at the opposite lateral side edge sections, of the sheet to allow transferring the clamped sheet through the system along the transfer direction (TD).

4:

• The system according to claim 2, wherein the lateral drying unit is arranged to dry the opposite lateral side edge sections of the moistened sheet while keeping at least the part to be shaped moistened, before or during clamping by the clamping elements.

5:

• The system according to claim 1, wherein the lateral drying unit comprises hot-air blowers and/or heating elements.

6:

• The system according to claim 1, wherein the lateral drying unit is provided between a feeding section for feeding the sheet into the system, and the clamping elements.

7:

• The system according to claim 1, wherein the humidifying unit is arranged to moisten only one side of the sheet.

10:

• The system according to claim 9, wherein the closing clement is
• a lid, or
• an additional pod element.

11:

• The system according to claim 10, wherein the system comprises
• two of the shaping lines, each for forming a pod element, and
• a joining unit for joining the pod element and the additional pod element to form the pod cavity.

12:

• The system according to claim 1,
• wherein the sheet is an endless sheet, and/or the sheet has gas barrier properties.

14:

• The method according to claim 13, further comprising:
• clamping the sheet at the lateral side edge sections of the sheet.

16:

• The system according to claim 2, wherein the lateral drying unit is integral to the clamping elements.

17:

• The system according to claim 5, wherein the clamping elements comprise the heating elements.

18:

• The system according to claim 7, wherein the humidifying unit is arranged to moisten only a lower side of the sheet, with the sheet being horizontally transferred through the humidifying unit.

19:

• The system according to claim 1, wherein the sheet has gas barrier properties and has a form selected from the group consisting of (i) a single-layered structure made of the cellulose-based material, which has the gas barrier properties, and (ii) a multi-layered structure comprising a paper layer made of the cellulose-based material, and the multi-layered structure further comprising a barrier layer having the gas barrier properties.

20:

• The system according to claim 1, wherein the sheet is biodegradable.