Apparatus for laminating a plastic sheet onto a surface of a hollow body

Claim 2

Plastic thermoforming apparatus for laminating a plastic sheet onto a surface of a hollow body, said apparatus having: a. a frame; b. a male die mounted on said frame; c. a female Die mounted on said frame in registry with said male die and in spaced relation to said male die, said female die being adapted to receive said hollow body; d. clamping means operable to receive said plastic sheet and to clamp said plastic sheet in position for said thermoforming operation; e. heating means adjacent to said clamping means for heating said clamped plastic sheet to its softening temperature; f. said clamping means first being movable with said clamped plastic sheet into said heating means so that said plastic sheet is heated to its softening temperature; g. said clamping means being then movable with said clamped heated sheet into registry with said male die and said female die; h. sealing means on one die of said male die and said female die and movable with respect to said frame for sealing one member of said clamping means and said clamped heated plastic sheet to define therewith a sealed chamber extending from said one die; i. a vacuum and fluid pressurizing means associated with one die of said male die and said female die for applying either vacuum or fluid pressure to said one die; j. one member of said male die and said clamped heated sheet being movable with respect to the other member of said male die and said clamped heated sheet so that said male die engages said clamped, heated sheet and forms said clamped heated sheet about said male die within said sealed chamber prior to contact between said clamped heated sheet and said female die; k. one element of said male die and said female die being movable relative to the other element of said male die and said female die so that said male die and said clamped formed heated sheet move into said hollow body in said female die; and l. said vacuum and fluid pressurizing means being operable to apply either fluid pressure or vacuum against said clamped formed heated sheet to transfer said clamped formed heated sheet onto said surface of said hollow body.

Claim 3

The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein said clamping means has a first pair of movable jaws having a first male die jaw and a first female die jaw and a second pair of movable jaws having a second male die jaw and a second female die jaw, said first and second male die jaws being movable to an open position to receive said plastic sheet on said closed first and second female die jaws.

Claim 4

The apparatus recited in claim 2 wherein said first and second female die jaws are movable to open position to release said formed heated sheet.

Claim 5

The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein said sealing means is on said male die.

Claim 6

The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein said sealing means is on said female die.

Claim 7

The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein said male die has a first heating means for heating said male die to maintain said plastic sheet at said softening temperature, to selectively heat a first area of said formed heated sheet to weaken and thereby thin said first area during the forming operation or to maintain uniform thickness in a second area of said formed heated sheet.

Claim 8

The apparatus recited in claim 6 wherein said male die has a first cooling means to selectively cool and thereby thicken and reinforce a third area of said formed heated sheet which third area is subject to stress during the forming operation to maintain uniform thickness in said second area of said formed heated sheet.

Claim 9

The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein said female die has a second vacuum and fluid pressurizing means for applying vacuum and fluid pressure to said female die.

Claim 10

The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein said female die has a second heating means to maintain said hollow body at a predetermined temperature.

Claim 11

The apparatus recited in claim 9 wherein said female die has a second cooling means to selectively cool areas of said hollow body.

Claim 12

The apparatus recited in claim 1 and having reciprocating means connected to said clamping means for reciprocating said clamping means.

Claim 13

The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein said first vacuum and fluid pressurizing means applies a vacuum to said heated sheet during said forming operation on said male die.

Claim 14

The apparatus recited in claim 8 wherein said second vacuum and fluid pressurizing means applies a fluid pressure to said clamped heated sheet during said forming operation on said male die.

Claim 15

The apparatus recited in claim 8 wherein said second vacuum and fluid pressurizing means applies a vacuum to said clamped heated sheet during said forming operation on said male die.

Claim 16

The apparatus recited in claim 1 and having a third vacuum and fluid pressurizing means for applying either fluid pressure or vacuum to said sealed chamber during said forming operation on said male die.

Claim 17

The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein said female die has a pivotable inlet side to permit side loading of said hollow body into said female die.

Claim 18

The apparatus recited in claim 16 wherein said inlet side is provided with air float holes to permit air float loading of said hollow body into said female die.

Claim 19

The apparatus recited in claim 8 wherein said second vacuum and pressurizing means applies a vacuum to said clamped formed heated sheet during application of said clamped formed heated sheet to said surface of said hollow body.

Claim 20

The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein said male die is provided with a first cavity to gather material of uniform thickness.

Claim 21

The apparatus recited in claim 19 wherein said female die is provided with a second cavity which is registerable with a hole or slot in said hollow body and said first cavity when said clamped formed heated sheet is applied to said surface of said hollow body.

Claim 22

The apparatus recited in claim 20 wherein said first vacuum and fluid pressurizing means is operable to apply fluid pressure to said first cavity to project said gathered material of uniform thickness into said hole or slot and said second cavity to provide a sealed cavity in said hollow body.

Claim 23

The apparatus recited in claim 20 wherein said second vacuum and fluid pressurizing means is operable to apply a vacuum to said second cavity to project said gathered material of uniform thickness into said hole or slot and said second cavity to provide a sealed cavity in said hollow body.

Claim 24

The apparatus recited in claim 1 and having fluid cushion means on one die of said male die and said female die for fluid floating by fluid pressure said plastic sheet over an edge or projection in said surface of said one die.

Claim 25

The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein said first heating means has an aperture through said male die to selectively thin a first area of said plastic sheet before such plastic sheet engages said male die.

Claim 26

The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein said first cooling means has an aperture through said male die to selectively thicken a third area of said plastic sheet before said plastic sheet engages said male die.

Claim 27

The apparatus recited in claim 1 and having selective heating means or cooling means of said plastic sheet prior to application of fluid pressure by said second vacuum and fluid pressurizing means to said plastic sheet.

Claim 28

Plastic thermoforming apparatus for laminating a plastic sheet onto a surface of a hollow body, said apparatus having: a. a frame; b. a male die mounted on said frame; c. a female die mounted on said frame in registry with said male die and in spaced relation to said male die, said female die being adapted to receive said hollow body; d. clamping means operable to receive said plastic sheet and to clamp said plastic sheet in position for said thermoforming operation; e. heating means adjacent to said clamping means for heating said clamped plastic sheet to its softening temperature 275*-350* F; f. said clamping means first being movable with said clamped plastic sheet into said heating means so that said plastic sheet is heated to its softening temperatUre 275*-350* F; g. said clamping means being then movable with said clamped heated sheet into registry with said male die and said female die; h. sealing means on one die of said male die and said female die and movable with respect to said frame for sealing one member of said clamping means and said clamped heated plastic sheet to define therewith a sealed chamber; i. a vacuum and fluid pressurizing means associated with one die of said male die and said female die for applying either vacuum or fluid pressure to said one die; j. one member of said male die and said clamped heated sheet being movable with respect to the other member of said male die and said clamped heated sheet so that said male die engages said clamped heated sheet and forms said clamped heated sheet about said male die prior to contact between said clamped heated sheet and said female die; k. one element of said male die and said female die being movable relative to the other element of said male die and said female die so that said male die and said clamped formed heated sheet move into said hollow body in said female die; l. said vacuum and fluid pressurizing means being operable to apply either fluid pressure or vacuum against said clamped formed heated sheet to transfer said clamped formed heated sheet onto said surface of said hollow body; and m. a punching member on one die of said male die and said female die for punching a hole or slot in said clamped formed heated sheet during the application of said clamped formed heated sheet during the application of said clamped formed heated sheet to said surface of said hollow body.

Claim 29

Plastic thermoforming apparatus for laminating a plastic sheet onto a surface of a hollow body, said apparatus having: a. a frame; b. a male die mounted on said frame; c. a female die mounted on said frame in registry with said male die and in spaced relation to said male die, said female die being adapted to receive said hollow body; d. clamping means operable to receive said plastic sheet and to clamp said plastic sheet in position for said thermoforming operation; e. heating means adjacent to said clamping means for heating said clamped plastic sheet to its softening temperature 275*-350* F; f. said clamping means first being movable with said clamped plastic sheet into said heating means so that said plastic sheet is heated to its softening temperatUre 275*-350* F; g. said clamping means being then movable with said clamped heated sheet into registry with said male die and said female die; h. sealing means on one die of said male die and said female die and movable with respect to said frame for sealing one member of said clamping means and said clamped heated plastic sheet to define therewith a sealed chamber; i. a vacuum and fluid pressurizing means associated with one die of said male die and said female die for applying either vacuum or fluid pressure to said one die; j. one member of said male die and said clamped heated sheet being movable with respect to the other member of said male die and said clamped heated sheet so that said male die engages said clamped heated sheet and forms said clamped heated sheet about said male die prior to contact between said clamped heated sheet and said female die; k. one element of said male die and said female die being movable relative to the other element of said male die and said female die so that said male die and said clamped formed heated sheet move into said hollow body in said female die; l. said vacuum and fluid pressurizing means being operable to apply either fluid pressure or vacuum against said clamped formed heated sheet to transfer said clamped formed heated sheet onto said surface of said hollow body; and m. a punching member on one die of said male die and said female die for punching a hole or slot in said clamped formed heated sheet during the application of said clamped formed heated sheet during the application of said clamped formed heated sheet to said surface of said hollow body.

Claim 30

The apparatus recited in claim 27 wherein said punching member also punches a hole or slot in said hollow body.

Claim 31

The apparatus recited in claim 27 wherein said punching member is movable with respect to said one die.

Claim 32

The apparatus recited in claim 29 and having punching member heating means for heating said punching member to a temperature capable of melting said hole in said plastic sheet or covering the edge of the hole or slot in said hollow body with melted plastic.

Claim 33

The apparatus recited in claim 29 and having punching member vacuum and fluid pressurizing means connected to said punching member to remove the plastic from said hole or slot in said sheet.