Process for expanding thermoformable materials and products

Claim 2

A PROCESS FOR EXPANDING THE CROSS SECTION OF A BLANK OF THERMOFORMABLE MATERIAL, WHILE IT IS IN A THERMOFORMABLE STATE, WITH THE ATTENDANT FORMATION OF ONE OR MORE VOIDS HAVING A PARTIAL VACUUM THEREIN WITHIN SAID CROSS SECTION WHICH COMPRISES VENTING SAID VOIDS DURING THE INCREASING OF THE CROSS SECTION SO AS TO EQUILIBRATE THE LOWER LEVEL OF PRESSURE WITHIN SAID VOIDS WITH THE HIGHER LEVEL OF AMBIENT PRESSURE WITHOUT SAID BLANK AND THEREBY REGULATE THE UNIFORMITY AND INTEGRITY OF THE RESULTING CROSS-SECTIONAL GEOMETRY OF THE EXPANDED BLANK.

Claim 3

A process as in claim 1 in which the expansion of the cross section of the thermoformable material is accomplished by pulling the blank, while in said thermoformable state, between a pair of mold plates.

Claim 4

A process as in claim 2 in which said blank is adhesively bonded to said mold plates during said pulling.

Claim 5

A process as in claim 3 in which said blank is adhesively bonded to said mold plates as a result of hot tack adhesion between said blank and said mold plates.

Claim 6

A process as in claim 4 in which said blank comprises thermoplastic material.

Claim 7

A process as in claim 5 in which said thermoplastic material comprises synthetic resin.

Claim 8

A process as in claim 6 in which said synthetic resin comprises polyolefin resin.

Claim 9

A process as in claim 7 in which said polyolefin resin comprises polyethylene resin.

Claim 10

A process as in claim 7 in which said polyolefin resin comprises polypropylene resin.

Claim 11

A process as in claim 6 in which said synthetic resin comprises polyamide resin.

Claim 12

A process as in claim 10 in which said polyamide resin comprises nylon resin.

Claim 13

A process as in claim 6 in which said synthetic resin comprises vinyl resin.

Claim 14

A process as in claim 12 in which said vinyl resin comprises acrylate resin.

Claim 15

A process as in claim 7 in which said acrylate resin comprises polymethyl methacrylate resin.

Claim 16

A process as in claim 12 in which said vinyl resin comprises polyvinyl halide resin.

Claim 17

A process as in claim 14 in which said polyvinyl halide resin comprises polyviNyl chloride.

Claim 18

A process as in claim 12 in which said vinyl resin comprises ethylene-acrylic acid copolymer resin.

Claim 19

A process as in claim 6 in which said synthetic resin comprises polyurethane resin.

Claim 20

A process as in claim 6 in which said synthetic resin comprises polycarbonate resin.

Claim 21

A process as in claim 4 in which said blank comprises thermosetting resin.

Claim 22

A process as in claim 20 in which said thermosetting resin comprises polyurethane resin.

Claim 23

A process as in claim 20 in which said thermosetting resin comprises epoxy resin.

Claim 24

A process for expanding the cross section of a material having a Ta between a pair of mold plates so as to provide a product having an expanded cross-sectional geometry which comprises positioning said material between said mold plates while said material is in a thermoformable state and is heated to a temperature which is > or = the Ta of said material, adhesively bonding said material by hot tack adhesion to each of said mold plates, pulling said mold plates apart, while said material is so adhesively bonded thereto and said material is in said thermoformable state, so as to expand the cross section of said material and thereby effect within said material one or more voids having a partial pressure therein, venting said voids during said pulling apart so as to equilibrate the lower level of pressure within said voids with the higher level of ambient pressure without said material and thereby preserve the pattern and the integrity of the voids in the resulting cross-sectional geometry, and cooling the expanded material to a temperature below the heat distortion point of said material.

Claim 25

A process for expanding the cross section of a material having a Ta between a pair of mold plates so as to provide a product having an expanded cross-sectional geometry which comprises positioning said material between said mold plates while said material is in a thermoformable state and is heated to a temperature which is > or = the Ta of said material, adhesively bonding said material by hot tack adhesion to each of said mold plates, pulling said mold plates apart, while said material is so adhesively bonded thereto and said material is in said thermoformable state, so as to expand the cross section of said material and thereby effect within said material one or more voids having a partial pressure therein, venting said voids during said pulling apart so as to equilibrate the lower level of pressure within said voids with the higher level of ambient pressure without said material and thereby preserve the pattern and the integrity of the voids in the resulting cross-sectional geometry, and cooling the expanded material to a temperature below the heat distortion point of said material.

Claim 26

A process as in claim 23 further comprising the separation of at least one of said mold plates from the cooled expanded material.

Claim 27

A process as in claim 23 in which the surfaces of one or both of said mold plates are provided with a design which is adapted to provide at least some areas of hot tack adhesion contact between said mold plates and said material.

Claim 28

A process as in claim 25 in which the resulting cross-sectional geometry in the expanded material is a function of said design.

Claim 29

A process as in claim 26 in which the surface of only one of said mold plates is so designed.

Claim 30

A process as in claim 26 in which the surfaces of both of said mold plates are so designed.

Claim 31

A process as in claim 23 in which one or more of the contact surfaces of said material is designed to provide at least some areas of hot tack adhesion contact between said mold plates and said material.

Claim 32

A process as in claim 29 in which the resulting cross-sectional geometry in the expanded material is a function of said design.

Claim 33

A process as in claim 23 in which said venting is accomplished through at least one of said mold plates.

Claim 34

A process as in claim 31 in which said venting is accomplished through both of said mold plates.

Claim 35

A process as in claim 23 in which said venting is accomplished by venting means in said material.

Claim 36

A process as in claim 23 in which said material having a Ta comprises thermoplastic material.

Claim 37

A process as in claim 34 in which said thermoplastic material comprises synthetic resin.

Claim 38

A process as in claim 35 in which said synthetic resin comprises hydrocarbon resin.

Claim 39

A process as in claim 37 in which said hydrocarbon resin comprises polyolefin resin.

Claim 40

A process as in claim 37 in which said polyolefin resin comprises polyethylene resin.

Claim 41

A process as in claim 38 in which said polyethylene resin comprises high density polyethylene resin.

Claim 42

A process as in claim 37 in which said polyolefin resin comprises polypropylene resin.

Claim 43

A process as in claim 35 in which said hydrocarbon resin comprises polystyrene resin.

Claim 44

A process as in claim 35 in in which said synthetic resin comprises polyamide resin.

Claim 45

A process as in claim 42 in which said polyamide resin comprises nylon resin.

Claim 46

A proceSs as in claim 35 in which said synthetic resin comprises vinyl resin.

Claim 47

A process as in claim 44 in which said vinyl resin comprises acrylate resin.

Claim 48

A process as in claim 45 in which said acrylate resin comprises polymethylmethacrylate.

Claim 49

A process as in claim 44 in which said vinyl resin comprises polyvinyl halide resin.

Claim 50

A process as in claim 47 in which said polyvinyl halide resin comprises polyvinyl chloride resin.

Claim 51

A process as in claim 44 in which said vinyl resin comprises ethylene acrylic acid copolymer resin.

Claim 52

A process as in claim 35 in which said synthetic resin comprises polyurethane resin.

Claim 53

A process as in claim 35 in which said synthetic resin comprises polycarbonate resin.

Claim 54

A process as in claim 23 in which said material having a Ta comprises thermosetting resin.

Claim 55

A process as in claim 52 in which said thermosetting resin comprises polyurethane resin.

Claim 56

A process as in claim 52 in which said thermosetting resin comprises epoxy resin.

Claim 57

A process for expanding, between a pair of mold plates, the cross section of a blank of material having a Ta so as to provide the material with an expanded cross sectional geometry, which expanded geometry comprises a plurality of cells separated by expanded ribs of said material, and wherein each of said mold plates has a contacting surface and said blank has two contacting surfaces, said process comprising designing one or more of said contacting surfaces so that said surfaces are adapted to provide a pattern of at least some areas of contact between the contacting surfaces of said mold plates and the contacting surfaces of said blank, when said mold plates are brought into contact with said blank, positioning said blank between the contacting surfaces of said mold plates while said blank is in a thermoformable state and is heated to a temperature which is > or = said Ta, bringing said mold plates and said blank into contact at the contacting surfaces thereof while said blank is at a temperature of > or = Ta so as to effect hot tack adhesion between said contacting surfaces, expanding the distance between said mold plates with said blank thus adhesively bonded thereto and while said blank is in said thermoformable state so as to effect an expansion of the cross-section of said blank with the attendant formation within said expanded cross-section of a plurality of cells separated by expanded ribs of the material in said blank, said cells encompassing areas of partial vacuum, and the configuration of each, and of the combination of all, of said cells being in response to the pattern of contact between all of the contacting surfaces, venting said cells during said expansion so as to equilibrate the lower level of pressure within said cells with the higher level of ambient pressure without said blank and thereby maintain the uniformity and integrity of the configuration of the resulting cross sectional geometry, and cooling the expanded blank to a temperature below the heat distortion point of said material.

Claim 58

A process for expanding, between a pair of mold plates, the cross section of a blank of material having a Ta so as to provide the material with an expanded cross sectional geometry, which expanded geometry comprises a plurality of cells separated by expanded ribs of said material, and wherein each of said mold plates has a contacting surface and said blank has two contacting surfaces, said process comprising designing one or more of said contacting surfaces so that said surfaces are adapted to provide a pattern of at least some areas of contact between the contacting surfaces of said mold plates and the contacting surfaces of said blank, when said mold plates are brought into contact with said blank, positioning said blank between the contacting surfaces of said mold plates while said blank is in a thermoformable state and is heated to a temperature which is > or = said Ta, bringing said mold plates and said blank into contact at the contacting surfaces thereof while said blank is at a temperature of > or = Ta so as to effect hot tack adhesion between said contacting surfaces, expanding the distance between said mold plates with said blank thus adhesively bonded thereto and while said blank is in said thermoformable state so as to effect an expansion of the cross-section of said blank with the attendant formation within said expanded cross-section of a plurality of cells separated by expanded ribs of the material in said blank, said cells encompassing areas of partial vacuum, and the configuration of each, and of the combination of all, of said cells being in response to the pattern of contact between all of the contacting surfaces, venting said cells during said expansion so as to equilibrate the lower level of pressure within said cells with the higher level of ambient pressure without said blank and thereby maintain the uniformity and integrity of the configuration of the resulting cross sectional geometry, and cooling the expanded blank to a temperature below the heat distortion point of said material.

Claim 59

A process as in claim 55 further comprising the separation of at least one of said mold plates from the cooled expanded blank.

Claim 60

A process as in claim 56 in which both of said mold plates are separated from the cooled expanded blank.

Claim 61

A process as in claim 55 in which at least one of the surfaces of said mold plates provides the contact surface design pattern.

Claim 62

A process as in claim 58 in which the surfaces of both of said mold plates provide the contact surface design pattern.

Claim 63

A process as in claim 55 in which at least one of the surfaces of the blank provides the contact surface design pattern.

Claim 64

A process as in claim 60 in which both surfaces of the blank provide the contact surface design pattern.

Claim 65

A process as in claim 55 in which said venting is accomplished through the contacting surface of at least one of said mold plates.

Claim 66

A process as in claim 62 in which said venting is accomplished through the contacting surfaces of both of said mold plates.

Claim 67

A process as in claim 62 in which the venting surface of said mold plate is gas permeable.

Claim 68

A process as in claim 63 in which the venting surfaces of both of said mold plates are gas permeable.

Claim 69

A process as in claim 62 in which said venting is accomplished through at least one of said mold plates at one or more areas of contact between said plates and said blank.

Claim 70

A process in claim 66 in which said venting is accomplished through both of said mold plates.

Claim 71

A process as in claim 58 in which said blank is a sheet of said material having a Ta.

Claim 72

A process as in claim 59 in which said blank is a sheet of said material having a Ta.

Claim 73

A process as in claim 60 in which said blank is a sheet of said material having a Ta.

Claim 74

A process as in claim 61 in which said blank is a sheet of said material having a Ta.

Claim 75

A process as in claim 55 in which said blank is heated to > or = Ta by conduction by contact with at least one of said mold plates heated to > or = Ta.

Claim 76

A process as in claim 72 in which both of said mold plates are so heated.

Claim 77

A process as in claim 55 in which said blank is heated to about 5* to 10*C. below its melting point prior to being positioned between said mold plates.

Claim 78

A process as in claim 55 in which the cross section of said blank is expanded up to about 20 times the pre-expansion thickness of said blank.

Claim 79

A process as in claim 25 in which said design is provided by perforations in the surfaces of one or both of said mold plates.

Claim 80

A process as in claim 58 in which said design is provided by perforations in the contacting surfaces of at least one of said mold plates.

Claim 81

A process as in claim 29 in which the design on one or more of the contact surfaces of said material is provided by masking means.

Claim 82

A process as in claim 60 in which the contact surface design pattern is provided by masking means on at least one of the surfaces of said blank.

Claim 83

A PRODUCT MADE BY THE PROCESS OF CLAIM 1.