JP5791842B1 - Thermoforming apparatus and thermoforming method - Google Patents

Abstract

A thermoforming apparatus that improves the effect of removing bubbles and impurities between a sheet and a substrate. A base 6 having a base material holding portion 16 capable of holding a base material B, a sheet gripping portion 8 provided in the lower frame 2 and gripping the outer peripheral edge of a sheet H over the entire circumference without gaps. The sealing frame 10 is provided so as to project from the base mounting surface 20 of the frame bottom 12 and communicates with the sealed frame 10 that surrounds the entire circumference of the base material holding unit 16 in a plan view, and the space S2 in the lower frame 2. A vacuum ventilation hole 36 penetrating at least the frame bottom 12. The sheet gripping portion 8 is provided so as to be vertically movable between a raised position P1 where the sheet H is heated by the hot plate 4 and a lowered position P2 in close contact with the upper end surface 10a of the sealing frame 10. The sealing frame inner upper surface 40a between the sealing frame 10 and the sealing frame 10 is provided at a position lower than the outer peripheral upper edge of the base material holding part 16 and the upper end surface 10a of the sealing frame 10, and the vacuum vent 36 is formed in the sealing frame 10 It opens to the upper surface 40a. [Selection] Figure 5

Description

  The present invention relates to a thermoforming apparatus and a thermoforming method.

  In general, as a device for adhering a skin sheet (hereinafter referred to as a sheet) to the outer surface of a molding substrate (hereinafter referred to as a substrate), a vacuum press lamination molding device that performs radiant heating in the upper and lower chambers, and hot plate heating Thermoforming devices and the like are known.

  For example, Patent Document 1 includes a chamber box that can be depressurized, a core material (base material) is supplied into the chamber box, the pressure is reduced, and a skin material (sheet) that is heated and softened toward the core material. A covering device is disclosed in which the inside of the chamber box is pressurized and the skin material is pressed against the core material at the lower position to cover it. At the time of pressurization in the chamber box, the skin material that has been displaced downward is pressed against the core material at the lower position to cover the core material, and the core material receives pressure at the lower position. Therefore, a pressure strength greater than that of a conventional molding apparatus or coating apparatus is not required.

Japanese Patent No. 3937231

  However, in the coating apparatus of Patent Document 1, since the inside of the chamber box is evacuated and only the pressure is applied after the skin material is coated on the core material, the adhesion between the core material and the skin material at the entrainment portion is reduced. There was a fear.

  This invention is made | formed in view of the said situation, and provides the thermoforming apparatus and thermoforming method which improve the adhesiveness of the base material and sheet | seat in a winding part.

The thermoforming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heating surface is close to the lower frame having a space for accommodating the base material and comprising the frame bottom and the frame peripheral wall, and the frame upper edge of the frame peripheral wall. A thermoforming apparatus that includes a plate and molds a sheet softened by heating with respect to a base material, or adheres to the base material, the base material holding capable of holding the base material A base having a portion, a sheet gripping portion that grips the outer peripheral edge of the sheet over the entire circumference without gaps, and a flat surface that protrudes from the base mounting surface at the bottom of the frame. A sealing frame that encloses the entire circumference of the base material holding portion in view, and a vacuum vent that communicates with the space in the lower frame and penetrates at least the bottom of the frame inside the sealing frame, The gripping part includes a raised position where the sheet is heated by the hot plate, Provided so as to be movable up and down between a lowered position that is in close contact with the upper end of the sealing frame, and when the sheet gripping portion is in close contact with the upper end of the sealing frame, a sealed space surrounded by the sheet and the sealing frame is formed, The vacuum vent is opened on the inner upper surface of the sealed frame, is sucked through the vacuum vent in a state where the sealed space is formed, and a sealing member is provided at an upper end of the sealed frame. It is characterized by that.
According to the thermoforming device of claim 1, the sheet is sucked from the vacuum vent and the sheet gripping portion is lowered from the raised position toward the substrate in the airtight space, so that the sheet is on the surface of the substrate. Glued to. When the sheet gripping portion reaches the lowered position, a side surface of the base, an upper surface inside the sealing frame, a side surface inside the sealing frame, and a sealed space surrounded by the sheet are formed. When the inside of the sealed space is sucked through the vacuum vent, the degree of vacuum in the sealed space further increases, and the sheet passes from the lower end of the base material through the boundary between the base material and the base material holding part of the base, It is adsorbed by the adsorbing surface that continuously spreads to the upper surface and the inner side surface of the sealing frame. By this adsorption, air and impurities do not enter between the substrate and the sheet, and the sheet adheres to the substrate until reaching the boundary and the bottom surface (back surface) side of the substrate. Therefore, the possibility that the adhesiveness between the skin material and the core material at the entrained portion may be reduced until the sheet is cut at a predetermined position or until the base material is pulled out from the base to become a molded product. As a result, the intrusion of bubbles and impurities between the substrate and the sheet is prevented, and the bubbles and impurities are sufficiently removed.
In addition, according to the thermoforming apparatus of the first aspect, since the sealing member is provided, the sealing frame has a buffer function for the sheet gripping portion moved to the lowered position, and the sheet gripping portion and the sealing frame are sealed. It adheres via a member and the airtightness of sealed space increases.

The thermoforming apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein an inner upper surface of the sealing frame between the base material holding part and the sealing frame is positioned lower than an outer peripheral upper edge of the base material holding part and an upper end of the sealing frame. It is provided.

According to the thermoforming device of claim 2 , when the inside of the sealed space is sucked through the vacuum vent, the sheet covers the surface of the base material up to the outer peripheral edge of the base material holding part. While maintaining the lowered directionality, the base material holding portion comes into contact with the upper surface inside the sealing frame from the upper edge of the outer periphery. As a result, the sheet is wound without any gap to the position where the sheet is in contact with the upper peripheral edge of the base material holding portion of the base material, that is, the bottom edge (back surface) side outer edge of the base material. As a result, the adhesiveness between the sheet and the substrate at the entrained portion is further increased.

In the thermoforming apparatus according to claim 3 , the base extends to the outer peripheral side of the base material holding portion, and a concave portion having an upper surface inside the sealing frame is formed on the outer peripheral side of the base material holding portion. It is characterized by that.
According to the thermoforming apparatus of the third aspect , the upper surface of the concave portion forms the upper surface in the sealed frame. Accordingly, the sealed space is a space surrounded by the side surface of the base, the upper surface of the recess, the inner side surface of the sealing frame, and the sheet. Since the upper surface of the recess is higher than the upper surface of the frame bottom, the sealed space can be reduced compared to the case where the upper surface of the sealed frame is the upper surface of the frame bottom. Therefore, the time required for increasing the degree of vacuum in the sealed space is shortened.

The thermoforming method according to claim 4 uses a thermoforming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3 to mold a sheet softened by heating with respect to a substrate. Or a thermoforming method for adhering to the base material, the step of holding the base material on a base material holding part of a base and housing the base material inside the sealing frame; and the sheet gripping part In the step of gripping the outer peripheral edge of the sheet over the entire circumference without gaps, the thermal plate is brought into close contact with the frame upper edge portion of the frame peripheral wall portion, and the sheet gripping portion is moved to the raised position by the thermal plate. A step of heating the sheet, a step of depressurizing the space in the lower frame by suction through the vacuum vent, and moving the sheet gripping portion to a lowered position; and the sheet gripping portion at an upper end of the frame peripheral wall portion The sheet and the seal formed when in close contact with A sealed space surrounded by, and further comprising a, a step of sucking by the vacuum vents.
According to the thermoforming method of claim 4 , in the step of further sucking the sealed space formed when the sheet gripping portion is in close contact with the upper end of the frame peripheral wall portion with the vacuum vent, the degree of vacuum in the sealed space is further increased. And lift the sheet to the suction surface. Thereby, the adhesiveness of the sheet | seat in a roll-in part and a base material becomes high. Further, the entry of air and impurities between the base material and the sheet is prevented until the molded product is completed.

The thermoforming method according to claim 5 is characterized in that in the step of sucking the sealed space through the vacuum vent, the space between the sheet and the hot plate is pressurized.
According to the thermoforming method of claim 5 , the sheet is pressed against the surface of the base material from the hot plate side with pressurization, and the adhesion between the sheet and the base material is further enhanced.

  According to the thermoforming apparatus and the thermoforming method of the present invention, the adhesion between the sheet and the base material in the entrained portion can be enhanced. As a result, the quality of the molded product can be improved.

In the thermoforming apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention, it is sectional drawing which shows the state before dropping a sheet | seat. In the thermoforming apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention, it is a top view which shows the state before dropping a sheet | seat. In the thermoforming apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention, it is sectional drawing which shows the state which made the hot plate contact | abut the sheet | seat. In the thermoforming apparatus of one Embodiment of this invention, it is sectional drawing which shows a state immediately after lowering | hanging a sheet | seat holding | gripping part to a lowered position. In the thermoforming apparatus of one Embodiment of this invention, it is sectional drawing which shows the state which attracted | sucked the inside of sealed space, after lowering | hanging a sheet | seat holding part to a lowered position.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of a thermoforming apparatus and a thermoforming method according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The drawings used in the following description are schematic, and the length, width, thickness ratio, and the like are not necessarily the same as the actual ones, and can be changed as appropriate.

(Thermoforming equipment)
1 and 2 are a cross-sectional view and a plan view of a thermoforming apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing a state before the sheet is lowered.
As shown in FIG. 1, the thermoforming apparatus 1 includes a lower frame 2, a hot plate 4, a base 6, a sheet gripping portion 8, and a sealing frame 10.

The lower frame 2 is a casing of the thermoforming device 1 and includes a frame bottom portion 12 and a frame peripheral wall portion 14.
The frame bottom portion 12 is fixed at a predetermined position in consideration of the intended use of the thermoforming device 1. Further, a fixing tool or the like for installation at a predetermined position may be provided, and an adhesive portion or the like for bonding to the predetermined position may be provided.
The lower frame 2 has a space S2 surrounded by the frame bottom 12 and the frame peripheral wall 14.

  The frame peripheral wall portion 14 is erected on one plate surface 12 a of the frame bottom portion 12 on the outer peripheral side of the frame bottom portion 12. A seal member 39 is provided on the upper end surface 14 a of the frame peripheral wall portion 14. The seal member 39 is a member for bringing the heat plate 4 into close contact with the frame peripheral wall portion 14 from the bottom surface side when the heat plate 4 described below contacts the upper end surface 14a of the frame peripheral wall portion 14. Examples of the material of the sealing member 38 include synthetic rubber such as styrene / butadiene rubber, but are not particularly limited.

  The hot plate 4 is formed in a flat plate shape having a smooth heating surface 4p and larger than the lower frame 2 in plan view. And the hot platen 4 is provided so that raising / lowering is possible in the direction which approaches / separates with respect to the lower frame 2 arrange | positioned below by the raising / lowering apparatus not shown. The heating surface 4p of the hot plate 4 is disposed in close contact with the upper end surface 14a of the frame peripheral wall portion 14 of the lower frame 2 in a state where the movement is completed downward.

  A plurality of heaters 31,..., 31 are provided on the upper surface 4 a side of the hot plate 4 at predetermined intervals. The hot plate 4 is formed with a plurality of vent holes 33,..., 33 that open to the heating surface 4p at predetermined intervals. Each vent 33 is connected to a vacuum tank (not shown) provided with a vacuum pump for vacuum suction on the heating surface 4p side, and a pressurized tank (not shown) for storing compressed air by a compressor.

The thermoforming apparatus 1 is an apparatus that molds a sheet H softened by being heated by the hot plate 4 with respect to the base material B accommodated in the space S2 or adheres it to the surface R of the base material B. It is.
The base material B is a main body made of a thermoplastic resin such as a polypropylene resin or a polyethylene resin of a molded product. The shape of the base material B is not particularly limited, but the height dimension of the base material B is smaller than the height dimension of the frame peripheral wall portion 14.

  The sheet H is a known multilayer sheet having, for example, a printing layer and a protective film or carrier film provided on the front side of the printing layer, and an adhesive layer provided on the back side of the printing layer. The material of the film or layer is heated by contacting the heating surface 4p of the hot plate 4, has flexibility and adhesiveness, and can be coated on the surface R of the base material B when cooled. If it is, it will not restrict | limit in particular.

  The base 6 is a member for holding the base material B in the space S <b> 2, and is provided in contact with a predetermined position of the plate surface 12 a of the frame bottom portion 12. That is, the plate surface 12 a of the frame bottom 12 is a base installation surface 20. As shown in FIG. 2, a base material holding portion 16 capable of holding the base material B is provided in the approximate center of the base 6 in plan view. The base material B is installed in the base material holding part 16. The planar view shape of the substrate holding part 16 is the same as the planar view shape of the bottom surface of the substrate B. In addition, when viewed in plan, the base material holding part 16 is formed slightly smaller than the bottom surface of the base material B. Thereby, when the sheet | seat H is coat | covered on the surface R of the base material B, the sheet | seat H can be easily wound in the bottom face (back surface) of the base material B.

  In the present embodiment, the base 6 extends to the outer peripheral side of the base material holding portion 16, and the height dimension from the plate surface 12 a of the frame bottom portion 12 of the extending portion is smaller than that of the base material holding portion 16. . Further, the outer peripheral wall portion 18 of the extending portion from the base material holding portion 16 is provided so as to stand up with respect to the plate surface 12 a of the frame bottom portion 12. With such a configuration, the concave portion 21 is provided on the outer peripheral side of the base material holding portion 16.

  The sheet gripping portion 8 includes a frame upper part 8A and a frame lower part 8B. The frame upper portion 8A and the frame lower portion 8B are formed in accordance with the shape of the sheet H so that the outer peripheral edge of the sheet H can be arranged at the approximate center in the width direction of these frames in plan view. As a result, as shown in FIG. 1, the outer peripheral edge of the sheet H that is stretched without slack is sandwiched between the frame upper part 8A and the frame lower part 8B without any gaps.

The sheet gripping portion 8 is supported by a sheet gripping portion lifting mechanism (hereinafter referred to as “lifting mechanism”) 22 so as to be able to descend from the ascending position P <b> 1 where the sheet H is heated by the hot plate 4. The elevating mechanism 22 includes a support base 24, a shaft portion 25, a moving portion 26, and a support portion 27. The support base 24 is provided on the plate surface 12a of the frame bottom portion 12 in the space S2 so as to contact the side surface 6c of the base 6 and surround the base 6 in a plan view. The shaft portion 25 is erected on the upper surface of the support base 24 along the ascending / descending direction of the seat H. The moving part 26 is an annular member that penetrates the shaft part 25 and can be moved up and down along the axial direction of the shaft part 25 by a drive part (not shown). The support portion 27 is provided so as to protrude from the moving portion 26 into the space S <b> 2 along the direction parallel to the plate surface 12 a of the frame bottom portion 12. The protruding end portion of the support portion 27 overlaps the end portion on the base 6 side of the support base 24 in plan view.
A frame lower portion 8B of the sheet gripping portion 8 is continuously provided on the upper surface of the support portion 27.

  The sealing frame 10 is provided so as to protrude from the plate surface 12a (that is, the base installation surface 20) of the frame bottom portion 12. In the present embodiment, the sealing frame 10 is provided at the end of the support base 24 of the lifting mechanism 22 on the base 6 side so as to protrude from the upper surface of the support base 24. Therefore, the upper end surface 10 a of the sealing frame 10 overlaps the protruding end portion of the support portion 27 in plan view. The height dimension of the sealing frame 10 from the plate surface 12a of the frame bottom part 12 is equivalent to the height dimension of the outer peripheral wall part 18 of the base 6 from the same surface. And the height dimension of the outer peripheral wall part 18 and the sealing frame 10 from the plate surface 12a of the frame bottom part 12 is made larger than the height dimension of the upper surface of the base material holding | maintenance part 16 of the base 6 from the same surface. Yes. However, it is important that the height dimension of the side surface 16c of the base material holding part 16 is secured to some extent, and the height dimension of the outer peripheral wall part 18 and the sealing frame 10 from the plate surface 12a of the frame bottom part 12 is the same. The height may be smaller than or equal to the height of the upper surface of the base material holding portion 16 of the base 6 from the surface. And the sealing frame inner upper surface 40a between the base material holding part 16 and the sealing frame 10 is the outer periphery upper edge part (equivalent to the boundary x shown in FIG.4 and FIG.5) of the base material holding part 16 and the said sealing frame. It is provided at a position lower than the upper end.

  In the configuration as described above, when the support portion 27 that supports the sheet gripping portion 8 is lowered along the axial direction of the shaft portion 25 via the moving portion 26, it is locked by the upper end surface 10 a of the sealing frame 10. . In other words, the sheet gripping portion 8 is provided so as to be vertically movable between an ascending position P1 where the sheet H is heated by the hot plate 4 and a descending position P2 closely contacting the upper end surface (upper end) 10a of the sealing frame 10. Yes.

  A sealing member 38 is provided on the upper end surface 10 a of the sealing frame 10. The seal member 38 is a member for bringing the support portion 27 lowered to the upper end surface 10a of the sealing frame 10 by the elevating mechanism 22 into close contact with the sealing frame 10 from the bottom surface side, and is appropriate considering the material of the support portion 27 and the like. It is made of material. Examples of the material of the sealing member 38 include synthetic rubber such as styrene / butadiene rubber, but are not particularly limited.

In the thermoforming apparatus 1, a vacuum vent hole 36 that communicates with the space S <b> 2 in the lower frame 2 and penetrates at least the frame bottom portion 12 inside the sealed frame 10 is formed. A vacuum pump (not shown) or the like is connected to the end portion of the vacuum vent 36 opposite to the end portion opened to the space S2.
At least one vacuum vent 36 may be formed, but the number of vacuum vents 36 is not particularly limited.

  Examples of the material of the components of the thermoforming device 1 other than the seal members 38 and 39 include stainless steel (SUS), but are not particularly limited.

(Thermoforming method)
Next, a thermoforming method using the thermoforming apparatus 1 will be described. The thermoforming method of the present embodiment is a method in which a sheet H softened by heating is molded with respect to the base material B, or is adhered to the base material B.
Specifically, the thermoforming method of the present embodiment includes at least first to fifth steps described below.

[First step]
In this step, the base material B is held on the base material holding part 16 of the base 6, and the base material B is accommodated inside the sealed frame 10.
Specifically, as shown in FIG. 1, the hot plate 4 is separated upward from the frame peripheral wall portion 14. Further, the sheet gripping portion 8 before gripping the sheet H is disposed below the raised position P1. Such a state is set as an initial state.
Subsequently, the base material B is installed in the base material holding part 16. At this time, in order to hold the base material B more stably, the base material B may be sucked from the upper surface of the base material holding part 16.

[Second step]
In this step, the sheet gripper 8 grips the outer peripheral edge of the sheet H over the entire circumference without any gap.
That is, in plan view, the outer peripheral edge of the sheet H is arranged in the width direction of the frame of the frame lower part 8B, the frame upper part 8A is arranged from the upper surface of the sheet H in accordance with the position of the frame lower part 8B, and the sheet H is arranged at the upper part of the frame 8A and the frame lower part 8B are sandwiched. Thereby, as shown in FIG. 1, the sheet H is sandwiched between the frame upper part 8A and the frame lower part 8B in a state where the sheet H is stretched without slack.

[Third process]
In this step, the heat plate 4 is brought into close contact with the upper end surface (frame upper edge) 14a of the frame peripheral wall portion 14, the sheet gripping portion 8 is moved to the raised position P1, and the sheet H is heated by the heat plate 4.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the thermoforming apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and shows a state in which the hot plate 4 is brought into contact with the sheet H.
Specifically, the hot plate 4 is moved downward from the position shown in FIG. 1 (that is, in the direction of the arrow D2 shown in FIG. 3), and the outer peripheral portion of the heating surface 4p is placed on the frame peripheral wall portion 14 as shown in FIG. It is made to contact | abut to the end surface 14a. Under the present circumstances, the upper surface of the sheet | seat H is arrange | positioned in the state which contacted substantially along the heating surface 4p of the hot platen 4. FIG. At this stage, the space S <b> 2 is sealed by the frame bottom 12 and the frame peripheral wall 14 of the lower frame 2 and the heat plate 4.
Subsequently, the pressure between the hot plate 4 and the sheet H is reduced, and the sheet H is adsorbed on the heating surface 4p to be heated. Specifically, the heating plate 4 is heated by the heater 31, a vacuum tank (not shown) is opened, and the sheet H is vacuum-sucked in the direction of moving to the heating surface 4 p side of the heating plate 4 through the vent holes 33. . Thereby, the sheet H is adsorbed on the heating surface 4p of the hot plate 4, and the adsorbed sheet H is heated.
In this step, it is preferable to start the vacuum suction so that the vacuum tank connected to the vacuum vent 36 is operated and the space S2 has a predetermined degree of vacuum.

[Fourth stroke]
In this step, the space S2 in the lower frame 2 is decompressed by suction through the vacuum vent 36, and the sheet gripping portion 8 is moved to the lowered position P2.
Specifically, first, a vacuum tank connected to the vacuum vent 36 is operated, and vacuum suction is performed through the vacuum vent 36 in a direction in which the sheet H moves downward. Thereby, the air in the space S2 below the sheet H is sucked in the direction of the arrow D1 shown in FIG. 1, and the space S2 is decompressed to be in a high vacuum state.
In this state, the moving unit 26 of the elevating mechanism 22 is moved downward by a driving unit (not shown), and the sheet gripping unit 8 is moved from the raised position P1 to the lowered position P2 at an appropriate speed. In S <b> 2 in a high vacuum state, the sheet H exhibits flexibility and adhesiveness by heating from the hot plate 4, so that the sheet H is directed from the upper end side to the lower end side as the sheet gripping portion 8 is lowered. Then, the surface R of the base material B is coated.

[Fifth step]
In this step, the sheet H formed when the sheet gripping portion 8 is brought into close contact with the upper end surface 10 a of the sealing frame 10 and the sealed space W surrounded by the sealing frame 10 are further sucked by the vacuum vent 36.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the thermoforming apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and shows a state immediately after the sheet gripping portion 8 is lowered to the lowered position P2.
When the sheet gripping portion 8 reaches the lowered position P2, as shown by a filled area in FIG. 3, the side surface 16c of the base material holding portion 16 of the base 6, the inner upper surface 40a of the sealing frame, and the inner side surface 18d of the outer peripheral wall portion 18. , And a sealed space W surrounded by the bottom surface of the sheet H is formed. In other words, the sealed space W is formed to be surrounded by the inner wall surface of the recess 21 and the bottom surface of the sheet H.

Subsequently, the inside of the sealed space W is sucked by the vacuum vent 36 to further increase the degree of vacuum in the sealed space W.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the thermoforming apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and shows a state in which the sealed space W is sucked after the sheet gripping portion 8 is lowered to the lowered position P2.
When the inside of the sealed space W is sucked by the vacuum vent 36, the sheet H is sucked downward as shown in FIG. 5, and the base material B and the base material holding part 16 of the base 6 from the lower end of the base material B. Is adsorbed by the adsorbing surface 42 that continuously spreads to the inner upper surface 40a of the sealing frame and the inner side surface 18d of the outer peripheral wall portion 18.

  In this step, the sealed space S2 between the sheet H and the heating surface 4p of the hot plate 4 may be pressurized. As a result, the sheet H adheres more strongly to the suction surface 42.

After performing the above-described first to fifth steps, the sheet H is cut at the boundary x with a cutting device (not shown).
Subsequently, the hot plate 4 is moved upward and further moved in the lateral direction. And the base material B which coat | covered and adhere | attached the sheet | seat H, ie, a molded article, is removed from the base material holding | maintenance part 16 of the base 6, and is taken out from the inside of space S2.
Through the above operations, a molded product is completed, and a series of thermoforming operations are completed.

(Operational effect of thermoforming apparatus 1 and thermoforming method)
As described above, according to the thermoforming apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, when vacuum suction is performed from the vacuum vent 36 and the sheet gripping portion 8 reaches the lowered position P2 in the airtight space S2, the sealed space W is formed. When the inside of the sealed space W is sucked through the vacuum vent 36, the degree of vacuum in the sealed space W is further increased, and the sheet H is sucked by the suction surface 42. By adsorbing the sheet H to the adsorbing surface 42, the adhesion between the base material B and the sheet H at the entrained portion can be increased. Therefore, without removing air and impurities between the base material B and the sheet H, the effect of removing bubbles and impurities in the molded product can be enhanced.

  Further, according to the thermoforming apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the sealing member 10 can provide the sealing frame 10 with a buffer function for the sheet gripping portion 8 moved to the lowered position P2, and the sheet gripping portion 8 is sealed. The frame 10 can be brought into close contact with the airtightness of the sealed space W.

  Further, according to the thermoforming apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the sealing frame inner upper surface 40 a is provided at a position lower than the outer peripheral upper edge of the base material holding unit 16 and the upper end surface 10 a of the sealing frame 10. Therefore, the sheet H can be covered and rolled up to the boundary x and the outer edge of the bottom surface (back surface) of the base material B. Thereby, peeling of the sheet | seat H after shaping | molding can be prevented, and the removal effect of the bubble and impurity in a molded article can further be improved.

  Furthermore, in the thermoforming apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the base 6 extends to the outer peripheral side of the base material holding part 16, and the recess 21 is formed on the outer peripheral side of the base material holding part 16. Further, the outer peripheral wall portion 18 of the recess 21 is provided inside the sealing frame 10. Therefore, the upper surface of the recess 21 is higher than the plate surface 12a of the frame bottom 12, and the inner side surface 18d of the outer peripheral wall portion 18 is positioned on the inner side than the inner side surface of the sealing frame 10, The time required for reducing the sealed space W and increasing the degree of vacuum in the sealed space W can be shortened.

  Further, according to the thermoforming method of the present embodiment, the degree of vacuum in the sealed space W is further increased and the sheet H is adsorbed on the adsorption surface 42 in the fifth step. Thereby, the adhesiveness of the base material B and the sheet | seat H is improved, and the penetration | invasion of the air and impurities between the base material B and the sheet | seat H can be prevented reliably until a molded article is completed.

  Further, according to the thermoforming method of the present embodiment, in the fifth step, the closed space S2 between the sheet H and the heating surface 4p of the hot plate 4 is pressurized so that the base material B and the sheet H adhere to each other. The property can be further enhanced.

  The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above. However, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the gist of the present invention described in the claims. It can be changed.

For example, the sealing member 38 may be provided on the upper end surface of the outer peripheral wall portion 18 of the base 6, and the outer peripheral wall portion 18 may also serve as the sealing frame 10.
Further, the base 6 may not be extended to the outer peripheral side of the base material holding part 16, and the base 6 may be constituted by the base material holding part 16. In that case, the sealing frame 10 is provided on the plate surface 12 a of the frame bottom portion 12 so as to be separated from the base material holding portion 16. The inner upper surface 40a of the sealing frame is formed by the side surface 16c of the base material holding portion 16, the plate surface 12a of the frame bottom portion 12 interposed between the base material holding portion 16 and the sealing frame 10, and the inner side surface of the sealing frame 10. Composed.

  For example, the configuration of the lifting mechanism 22 is not limited to the configuration described above. That is, the elevating mechanism 22 includes a moving part 26 and a support part 27, and the moving part 26 may be connected to the frame peripheral wall part 14 so that it can be moved up and down along the frame peripheral wall part 14. It may be said.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Thermoforming apparatus 2 Lower frame 4 Hot plate 4p Heating surface 6 Base 8 Sheet holding part 10 Sealing frame 10a Upper end surface (upper end)
12 Frame bottom part 14 Frame peripheral wall part 16 Base material holding part 20 Base mounting surface 21 Recess 36 Vacuum vent 38 Seal member 40a Sealing frame upper surface B Base material H Sheet P1 Lifting position P2 Lowering position

Claims (5)

A lower frame having a space for accommodating a base material, comprising a frame bottom portion and a frame peripheral wall portion, and a heat plate capable of bringing a heating surface into close contact with a frame upper edge portion of the frame peripheral wall portion; A thermoforming device that molds a sheet softened by heating, or adheres to the substrate,
A base having a substrate holding part capable of holding the substrate;
A sheet gripping part that is provided in the lower frame and grips the outer peripheral edge of the sheet over the entire circumference without gaps;
A sealed frame that is provided so as to protrude from the base installation surface of the bottom of the frame and surrounds the entire circumference of the base material holding part in plan view;
A vacuum vent that communicates with the space in the lower frame and penetrates at least the frame bottom inside the sealed frame;
The sheet gripping portion is provided so as to be vertically movable between an elevated position where the sheet is heated by the hot plate and a lowered position which is in close contact with the upper end of the sealing frame,
When the sheet gripping portion is in close contact with the upper end of the sealing frame, a sealed space surrounded by the sheet and the sealing frame is formed,
The vacuum vent is opened on the inner upper surface of the sealed frame, and is sucked through the vacuum vent with the sealed space formed .
Thermoforming apparatus according to claim features and to Rukoto to the upper end the sealing member of the sealing frame is provided. The sealing frame inner upper surface between the base material holding part and the sealing frame is provided at a position lower than the outer peripheral upper edge part of the base material holding part and the upper end of the sealing frame. Item 2. The thermoforming apparatus according to Item 1 . Extending the base is the outer periphery of the substrate holding portion, claim 1 or 2 on the outer peripheral side of the substrate holding portion is characterized in that recesses having an upper surface the sealing frame is formed The thermoforming apparatus described in 1. The heat | fever which molds the sheet | seat softened by heating with respect to a base material using the thermoforming apparatus as described in any one of Claims 1 thru | or 3 , or adhere | attaches on the said base material A molding method,
Holding the base material on a base material holding part of a base, and housing the base material inside the sealing frame; and
A step of gripping the outer peripheral edge of the sheet without gaps over the entire circumference in the sheet gripping portion;
The step of bringing the hot plate into close contact with the frame upper edge of the frame peripheral wall, moving the sheet gripping portion to the raised position, and heating the sheet with the hot plate;
A step of reducing the space in the lower frame by suction through the vacuum vent and moving the sheet gripping portion to a lowered position;
A step of sucking the sheet formed when the sheet gripping part is in close contact with the upper end of the sealing frame and the sealed space surrounded by the sealing frame through the vacuum vent; and
A thermoforming method characterized by comprising: In the step of sucking the sealed space through the vacuum vent,
The thermoforming method according to claim 4 , wherein a space between the sheet and the hot plate is pressurized.

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