US3577593A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for heat and vacuum-pressure machine molding
Assignee: Bird Inc
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Filing: 1968-10-29
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Granted: 1971-05-04
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Expires: 1988-10-29
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus and methods for heat and vacuum-pressure machine molding of hollow articles from thermoplastic sheet material, involving a mold (normally with alternate vacuum and air pressure sources) having one or more relatively movable complementary molding members for forming undercut, reverse band, flanged or reentrant portions of said articles, with said member or members being mounted for relative movement, with respect to the molding surface of the mold, into molding position, and thereafter out of such molding position so that a molded article may be freely removed from said mold, said complementary molding member or members being preferably actuated by or through contact with and relative movement of the plastic sheet material by vacuum, with or without the aid of a plug-assist, e.g. where a female external mold is employed.
Inventors
- 👤 James W Jackson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 17:26
CPC Classifications
B; B29; B29C; B29C51/00; B29C51/26; B29C51/30; B29C51/34; B29C2791/00; B29C2791/004; B29C2791/006; B29C2791/007; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S425/00; Y10S425/058
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
154 words
In an apparatus having a vacuum mold with a vacuum molding surface for vacuum molding articles from hot thermoplastic sheet material by direct contact with said molding surface and with mechanical means for effecting relative movement of the mold and sheet in a direction transverse to said sheet material into contact with said molding surface, wherein the improvement comprises: at least one movable complementary mold member hingedly mounted on said mold for separate relative movement, solely through sheet contact therewith and sheet movement prior to contact of said sheet with said molding surface, into and out of sheet molding position with respect to the said molding surface of said mold, thereby to provide localized sheet formation corresponding to the complementary mold member due to the sheet contacting the member surface and the relative movement thereof between said member and said sheet, and said member permitting withdrawal from the mold of the final molded article.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
154 words
In an apparatus having a vacuum mold with a vacuum molding surface for vacuum molding articles from hot thermoplastic sheet material by direct contact with said molding surface and with mechanical means for effecting relative movement of the mold and sheet in a direction transverse to said sheet material into contact with said molding surface, wherein the improvement comprises: at least one movable complementary mold member hingedly mounted on said mold for separate relative movement, solely through sheet contact therewith and sheet movement prior to contact of said sheet with said molding surface, into and out of sheet molding position with respect to the said molding surface of said mold, thereby to provide localized sheet formation corresponding to the complementary mold member due to the sheet contacting the member surface and the relative movement thereof between said member and said sheet, and said member permitting withdrawal from the mold of the final molded article.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the complementary mold member is hingedly mounted at right angles adjacent the margin of said molding surface.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the complementary mold member is hingedly mounted and depends downwardly by gravity at an oblique angle at initial sheet contact and swings during sheet movement to final molding position.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
130 words
In an apparatus for vacuum molding articles from hot thermoplastic sheet material by direct contact with a molding surface, a vacuum mold having a molding surface, at least one complementary movable mold member hingedly mounted adjacent the margin of said molding surface for movement into and out of inwardly extending molding position with respect to said molding surface, a plug-assist mounted and adapted for relative vertical movement into and out of molding relation with such movement correlated with said complementary mold member movement into and out of molding position to provide reentrant molding of a marginal portion of said sheet material and to permit removal of the molded product, said mold member being moved solely by contact with said sheet prior to contact of said sheet with said molding surface.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
130 words
In an apparatus for vacuum molding articles from hot thermoplastic sheet material by direct contact with a molding surface, a vacuum mold having a molding surface, at least one complementary movable mold member hingedly mounted adjacent the margin of said molding surface for movement into and out of inwardly extending molding position with respect to said molding surface, a plug-assist mounted and adapted for relative vertical movement into and out of molding relation with such movement correlated with said complementary mold member movement into and out of molding position to provide reentrant molding of a marginal portion of said sheet material and to permit removal of the molded product, said mold member being moved solely by contact with said sheet prior to contact of said sheet with said molding surface.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
107 words
In apparatus for vacuum molding articles from hot thermoplastic sheet material, a vacuum mold having a rectangular molding surface, four complementary movable mold members hingedly mounted at right angles adjacent the margin of said molding surface for swinging movement into and out of inwardly overlapping molding position with respect to said molding surface, a plug-assist mounted and adapted for relative movement into and out of molding relation whereby it relative movement correlated with said complementary mold member movement into and out of molding position to provide reentrant molding of said sheet material near the margin of said molding surface and to permit removal of the molded product.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
107 words
In apparatus for vacuum molding articles from hot thermoplastic sheet material, a vacuum mold having a rectangular molding surface, four complementary movable mold members hingedly mounted at right angles adjacent the margin of said molding surface for swinging movement into and out of inwardly overlapping molding position with respect to said molding surface, a plug-assist mounted and adapted for relative movement into and out of molding relation whereby it relative movement correlated with said complementary mold member movement into and out of molding position to provide reentrant molding of said sheet material near the margin of said molding surface and to permit removal of the molded product.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
175 words
In an apparatus for vacuum molding articles from hot thermoplastic sheet material clamped and held by its edges in said apparatus for direct contact with a molding surface, a female vacuum mold on one side of the sheet having a mold cavity with a molding surface facing the sheet, at least one complementary movable mold member hingedly mounted adjacent the margin of said cavity and on one side of said sheet, said sheet mounted for movement into and out of inwardly overlapping molding position with respect to said mold surface, a male plug-assist on the opposite side of said sheet mounted and adapted for relative movement into and out of sAid mold cavity whereby its relative movement and that of the intervening sheet material control complementary mold member movement into and out of molding position to provide reentrant molding of a portion of said sheet material and to permit removal of the molded product, said mold member being moved solely by contact with said sheet prior to contact of said sheet with said molding surface.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
175 words
In an apparatus for vacuum molding articles from hot thermoplastic sheet material clamped and held by its edges in said apparatus for direct contact with a molding surface, a female vacuum mold on one side of the sheet having a mold cavity with a molding surface facing the sheet, at least one complementary movable mold member hingedly mounted adjacent the margin of said cavity and on one side of said sheet, said sheet mounted for movement into and out of inwardly overlapping molding position with respect to said mold surface, a male plug-assist on the opposite side of said sheet mounted and adapted for relative movement into and out of sAid mold cavity whereby its relative movement and that of the intervening sheet material control complementary mold member movement into and out of molding position to provide reentrant molding of a portion of said sheet material and to permit removal of the molded product, said mold member being moved solely by contact with said sheet prior to contact of said sheet with said molding surface.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
183 words
In an apparatus for vacuum molding articles from hot thermoplastic sheet material clamped and horizontally held by its edges in said apparatus for direct contact with a molding surface, a female vacuum mold on the upper side of the sheet having a mold cavity with a molding surface facing the sheet, at least one movable complementary mold member hingedly mounted at right angles adjacent the margin of said cavity and on the suction side of said sheet for swinging movement from a downwardly depending position into and out of inwardly overlapping molding position with respect to said mold surface, a male plug-assist on the bottom side of said sheet mounted and adapted for relative movement into and out of said mold cavity whereby its relative movement and that of the sheet material control complementary mold member movement into and out of molding position to provide reentrant molding of a portion of said sheet material and to permit removal of the molded product, said mold member being moved solely by contact with said sheet prior to contact of said sheet with said molding surface.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
183 words
In an apparatus for vacuum molding articles from hot thermoplastic sheet material clamped and horizontally held by its edges in said apparatus for direct contact with a molding surface, a female vacuum mold on the upper side of the sheet having a mold cavity with a molding surface facing the sheet, at least one movable complementary mold member hingedly mounted at right angles adjacent the margin of said cavity and on the suction side of said sheet for swinging movement from a downwardly depending position into and out of inwardly overlapping molding position with respect to said mold surface, a male plug-assist on the bottom side of said sheet mounted and adapted for relative movement into and out of said mold cavity whereby its relative movement and that of the sheet material control complementary mold member movement into and out of molding position to provide reentrant molding of a portion of said sheet material and to permit removal of the molded product, said mold member being moved solely by contact with said sheet prior to contact of said sheet with said molding surface.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-05-03 | 1974-11-02 | 1975-05-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-05-03 | 1978-11-02 | 1979-05-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-05-03 | 1982-11-02 | 1983-05-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |