EP1047538A4 - Apparatus and methods for twin sheet thermoforming - Google Patents
Apparatus and methods for twin sheet thermoformingInfo
- Publication number
- EP1047538A4 EP1047538A4 EP99901251A EP99901251A EP1047538A4 EP 1047538 A4 EP1047538 A4 EP 1047538A4 EP 99901251 A EP99901251 A EP 99901251A EP 99901251 A EP99901251 A EP 99901251A EP 1047538 A4 EP1047538 A4 EP 1047538A4
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- mould
- pinch
- region
- twin sheet
- sheet thermoforming
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Withdrawn
Links
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
- B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
- B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
- B29C66/01—General aspects dealing with the joint area or with the area to be joined
- B29C66/32—Measures for keeping the burr form under control; Avoiding burr formation; Shaping the burr
- B29C66/328—Leaving the burrs unchanged for providing particular properties to the joint, e.g. as decorative effect
- B29C66/3282—Leaving the burrs unchanged for providing particular properties to the joint, e.g. as decorative effect for reinforcing the joint
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
- B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
- B29C49/00—Blow-moulding, i.e. blowing a preform or parison to a desired shape within a mould; Apparatus therefor
- B29C49/42—Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations
- B29C49/48—Moulds
- B29C49/50—Moulds having cutting or deflashing means
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
- B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
- B29C51/00—Shaping by thermoforming, i.e. shaping sheets or sheet like preforms after heating, e.g. shaping sheets in matched moulds or by deep-drawing; Apparatus therefor
- B29C51/26—Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations
- B29C51/266—Auxiliary operations after the thermoforming operation
- B29C51/267—Two sheets being thermoformed in separate mould parts and joined together while still in the mould
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
- B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
- B29C51/00—Shaping by thermoforming, i.e. shaping sheets or sheet like preforms after heating, e.g. shaping sheets in matched moulds or by deep-drawing; Apparatus therefor
- B29C51/26—Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations
- B29C51/30—Moulds
- B29C51/32—Moulds having cutting means
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
- B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
- B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
- B29C66/01—General aspects dealing with the joint area or with the area to be joined
- B29C66/05—Particular design of joint configurations
- B29C66/10—Particular design of joint configurations particular design of the joint cross-sections
- B29C66/11—Joint cross-sections comprising a single joint-segment, i.e. one of the parts to be joined comprising a single joint-segment in the joint cross-section
- B29C66/112—Single lapped joints
- B29C66/1122—Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
- B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
- B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
- B29C66/40—General aspects of joining substantially flat articles, e.g. plates, sheets or web-like materials; Making flat seams in tubular or hollow articles; Joining single elements to substantially flat surfaces
- B29C66/41—Joining substantially flat articles ; Making flat seams in tubular or hollow articles
- B29C66/43—Joining a relatively small portion of the surface of said articles
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
- B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
- B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
- B29C66/40—General aspects of joining substantially flat articles, e.g. plates, sheets or web-like materials; Making flat seams in tubular or hollow articles; Joining single elements to substantially flat surfaces
- B29C66/41—Joining substantially flat articles ; Making flat seams in tubular or hollow articles
- B29C66/43—Joining a relatively small portion of the surface of said articles
- B29C66/431—Joining the articles to themselves
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
- B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
- B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
- B29C66/40—General aspects of joining substantially flat articles, e.g. plates, sheets or web-like materials; Making flat seams in tubular or hollow articles; Joining single elements to substantially flat surfaces
- B29C66/41—Joining substantially flat articles ; Making flat seams in tubular or hollow articles
- B29C66/43—Joining a relatively small portion of the surface of said articles
- B29C66/431—Joining the articles to themselves
- B29C66/4312—Joining the articles to themselves for making flat seams in tubular or hollow articles, e.g. transversal seams
- B29C66/43121—Closing the ends of tubular or hollow single articles, e.g. closing the ends of bags
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
- B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
- B29C49/00—Blow-moulding, i.e. blowing a preform or parison to a desired shape within a mould; Apparatus therefor
- B29C49/02—Combined blow-moulding and manufacture of the preform or the parison
- B29C49/06905—Using combined techniques for making the preform
- B29C49/0691—Using combined techniques for making the preform using sheet like material, e.g. sheet blow-moulding from joined sheets
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
- B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
- B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
- B29C66/70—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material
- B29C66/71—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined
Definitions
- This invention relates apparatus and methods for twin sheet thermoforming and in particular to improved methods and apparatus for removing seams from formed articles.
- Twin sheet thermoforming is increasingly proposed for the formation of large articles, in applications such as refrigerator cabinets, and other appliance cabinets have been envisaged, for example in US Patent 5,374,1 18.
- the removal of the seam and the flange may be accomplished in the mould cavity by an independently actuated knife positioned in a channel in one mould half immediately adjacent the mould cavity.
- a part thermoformed and trimmed in this manner inevitably has less strength at the weld as there is no pinch-off region on the mould halves adjacent the mould cavity, and consequently the weld (if the flange is trimmed right up against the part to eliminate further processing) is weak.
- the invention consists in a mould for twin sheet thermoforming wherein one of the mould halves includes a retractable pinch-off region, which is able to retract relative to the remainder of said mould half upon application of a force thereto greater than a predetermined force, such that the remainder of the mould half may cooperate with the second mould, on further closing, half to shear off the seam of a thermoformed article.
- the invention consists in a mould for twin sheet thermoforming including a pinch-off region substantially as herein described in accordance with and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
- the invention consists in a method for producing a pre-trimmed twin sheet thermoformed article wherein a pair of mould halves are brought together to join respective sheets in a pinch-off region, and to cause significant thickness reduction in the pinch-off region, and subsequently causing the pinch-off region of one said mould half to retract relative to the rest of said mould half, to thereby allow said mould halves to close further, and closing said mould halves further to cooperate to cut off the seam of the thermoformed article.
- the invention consists in a method for producing a pre-trimmed twin sheet thermoformed article substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
- the invention consists in an article formed by method and/or apparatus according to any one of the preceding paragraphs.
- Figure 1 is a cross-sectional elevation through one side of a twin sheet thermoforming mould according to the present invention
- Figures 2a - 2c are close up views of the pinch-off region of the mould of Figure 1 , including the region encircled by circle A, in different stages of the trimming process, in Figure 2a with the part formed but the seam not yet compressed, in Figure 2b with the seam compressed to provide weld reinforcement, and in Figure 2c with the upper mould half depressing the pinch off member of the lower mould half to shear the seam from the part, and
- Figure 3 is a cross-sectional elevation through the edge region of a mould half showing detail of one embodiment of the pinch off member and its retention in the mould half.
- thermoforming mould that area of a thermoforming mould is shown in cross-section where the joining of the twin sheets occurs at a pinch-off region 1.
- twin sheets which are initially planar and parallel and mounted for example on supporting frame 2 are formed and joined by the action of the mould halves 3, 4 in the direction of arrows 5, 6 and assisted by suction in the mould cavity or internal pressure between the sheets or both.
- the mould halves 3, 4 are brought together, stretching and forming the sheets 7, 8 until the sheets meet at the pinch-off region and contact at a seam 19 where they pass over the pinch off region of each mould half.
- the mould halves 3 and 4 include complementary surfaces 10 and 11 respectively in the pinch-off region. Referring to Figure 2b the mould halves are brought further together to reduce the thickness of the contacted region of sheets 7 and 8 to a thickness substantially less than the combined thickness of the undeformed sheets. Material is thereby forced from the pinch-off region to form an internal reinforcement 12.
- one mould half, 4 incorporates a pinch-off region which is moveable relative to the remainder of that mould half in a direction away from the direction of travel of that mould half.
- a pinch-off member 13 is disposed within a channel 14 in the mould half and - 4 - is held in its usual position by a spring 15 which is preferably pre-compressed so that a particular level of force against the member 13 must be applied before it will retract into the cavity 14.
- a pre-compressed spring there are many alternatives to the use of a pre-compressed spring. If a spring is used then, rather than being pre-compressed, an appropriate effect can be achieved using a spring of sufficiently high stiffness, or by separately retaining the spring against movement until reduced thickness has been achieved.
- hydraulic or pneumatic systems may be utilised either in a full sealed cavity configuration or with hydraulic or pneumatic actuators, which may make use of automated pressure relief valves, or valves activated in a separately controlled manner once the reduced thickness is reached.
- electrical or mechanical activation systems are also possible operating on a release and return basis.
- the mould halves should be subject to a minimum horizontal tolerance to give an accurate maximum separation 21 between the faces 17 and 18. Ideally this separation would be non-existant, however in practice bringing the mould halves together without clashing between the edges 30, 31 of the mould halves requires provision of a small tolerance.
- the pinch-off member 13 is subject to continued force from the spring 15, and is retained in the cavity against such spring force by a retaining means comprising in the embodiment depicted the action of an abutment 22 depending horizontally from the lower edge of member 13, against a ledge 23 provided in the channel 14. Assembly of the mould half in this manner may be easily provided by the inclusion of a sheath part 25 in the overall assembly.
- the pinch-off member may include two or more slotted apertures extending laterally there through, with dowels passing through the apertures and secured to the mould so that the pinch-off member may move up and down with the dowels moving within the slots, and with the movement of the pinch-off member being restricted by the action of the dowels against the slot ends.
- This configuration may allow for a more compact mould assembly method with machinery of a simple rectangular channel to retain the pinch-off member.
- the present invention thereby provides thermoforming mould apparatus of - 6 - simple form and actuation which allows both significant material displacement in the pinch-off region, and an effective and aesthetic cut-off or trimming of the formed article, without the use of separate knife actuation or other independently actuated parts.
- the forming and trimming of the part is accomplished in one action, leaving the part ready for removal, or for example foam filling while still in the mould.
- the requirement for manual part trimming or a separate automated trimming station (with its associated alignment and part set-up operations) is eliminated while the weld reinforcement is retained.
- the level of material displacement achieved can be controlled by adjustment of the force provided by spring 15, and its pre-compression.
- means may be provided whereby the member 13 is rigidly forced backwards when the required thickness is achieved, in which case the spring 15 may be suddenly left in an over-compressed state.
- Such means may comprise for example a plurality of pimples or ridges 28 on the top surface of the member 13, which act against the face 10 of the other mould half, penetrating or substantially penetrating the material being formed.
- the pimples or ridges or the like could also of course be disposed on the pinch-off surface 10 of the other mould half 3, or on both faces 10 and 11.
Abstract
Description
Claims
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
NZ32961498 | 1998-01-21 | ||
NZ32961498 | 1998-01-21 | ||
PCT/NZ1999/000006 WO1999037465A1 (en) | 1998-01-21 | 1999-01-21 | Apparatus and methods for twin sheet thermoforming |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP1047538A1 EP1047538A1 (en) | 2000-11-02 |
EP1047538A4 true EP1047538A4 (en) | 2003-05-07 |
Family
ID=19926596
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP99901251A Withdrawn EP1047538A4 (en) | 1998-01-21 | 1999-01-21 | Apparatus and methods for twin sheet thermoforming |
Country Status (9)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP1047538A4 (en) |
JP (1) | JP2002500968A (en) |
KR (1) | KR20010034248A (en) |
CN (1) | CN1288408A (en) |
AU (1) | AU752661B2 (en) |
BR (1) | BR9907185A (en) |
CA (1) | CA2318933A1 (en) |
TW (1) | TW564304B (en) |
WO (1) | WO1999037465A1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (8)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
SE514784C2 (en) * | 1998-08-17 | 2001-04-23 | Mediteam Dental Ab | Method and preparation for cleaning root surfaces and surrounding tissues of teeth |
US6896506B1 (en) | 2002-09-04 | 2005-05-24 | Coextruded Plastic Technologies, Inc. | Method and apparatus for scrapless thermoforming |
US7481640B1 (en) | 2005-02-23 | 2009-01-27 | Coextruded Plastic Technologies, Inc. | Scrapless thermoforming machine |
CN101380812B (en) * | 2007-09-07 | 2011-09-28 | 深圳市群达行精密模具有限公司 | Molding and punching tool for producing thin-film sheet and manufacture method of thin-film sheet |
ES2445145T3 (en) * | 2009-03-24 | 2014-02-28 | Sarong Societa' Per Azioni | Apparatus and method for thermoforming objects and objects obtained through them |
IT1393964B1 (en) * | 2009-03-24 | 2012-05-17 | Sarong Spa | THERMOFORMING APPARATUS |
DE102014007375B4 (en) * | 2014-05-21 | 2016-09-01 | Illig Maschinenbau Gmbh & Co. Kg | Apparatus and method for forming and welding two heated sheets or two heated thermoplastic film sheets |
CN110978465A (en) * | 2020-01-08 | 2020-04-10 | 广东达诚技术股份有限公司 | Hot forming clamping leg cup included angle structure |
Citations (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3736201A (en) * | 1970-11-19 | 1973-05-29 | S Teraoka | Method for molding bowl-shaped articles |
Family Cites Families (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
EP0089444A1 (en) * | 1982-03-19 | 1983-09-28 | ITT Reiss International GmbH | Method and apparatus for the production of plastics objects |
EP0529367A1 (en) * | 1991-08-27 | 1993-03-03 | Ball Corporation | Cut-in-place, melt-phase forming method and apparatus |
-
1999
- 1999-01-21 WO PCT/NZ1999/000006 patent/WO1999037465A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 1999-01-21 KR KR1020007007926A patent/KR20010034248A/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 1999-01-21 CA CA002318933A patent/CA2318933A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 1999-01-21 BR BR9907185-1A patent/BR9907185A/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1999-01-21 AU AU20789/99A patent/AU752661B2/en not_active Ceased
- 1999-01-21 EP EP99901251A patent/EP1047538A4/en not_active Withdrawn
- 1999-01-21 CN CN99802270A patent/CN1288408A/en active Pending
- 1999-01-21 JP JP2000528419A patent/JP2002500968A/en active Pending
- 1999-02-20 TW TW088102483A patent/TW564304B/en active
Patent Citations (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3736201A (en) * | 1970-11-19 | 1973-05-29 | S Teraoka | Method for molding bowl-shaped articles |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
BR9907185A (en) | 2000-10-17 |
CA2318933A1 (en) | 1999-07-29 |
WO1999037465A1 (en) | 1999-07-29 |
EP1047538A1 (en) | 2000-11-02 |
AU752661B2 (en) | 2002-09-26 |
AU2078999A (en) | 1999-08-09 |
TW564304B (en) | 2003-12-01 |
CN1288408A (en) | 2001-03-21 |
JP2002500968A (en) | 2002-01-15 |
KR20010034248A (en) | 2001-04-25 |
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Legal Events
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